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Friday 11 June 2021
Cleveland Man Charged with Starting Fire in Restaurant During May 30 Demonstrations in Downtown ClevelandRead the Press Release
Acting U.S. Attorney Bridget M. Brennan announced that a federal grand jury returned an indictment charging Michael Sloan, 26, of Cleveland, with explosive destruction of property.
According to court documents, on May 30, 2020, it is alleged that the Defendant maliciously began a fire inside Rebol Restaurant, located on 101 West Superior Ave in Cleveland.
The affidavit in support of the criminal complaint states that, following the events that occurred in downtown Cleveland on May 30, 2020, investigators with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) began to review surveillance camera footage from that day. While examining the footage, investigators observed a subject, later identified as the Defendant, allegedly enter Rebol Restaurant, start a fire, place additional fuel on the fire and then exit the restaurant. Police officers arrived moments later to extinguish the fire.
The following day, the affidavit states that investigators determined the fire to be incendiary and caused by an open flame applied to combustibles. Investigators identified the Defendant as the subject who allegedly caused the fire thanks, in part, to tips received from the public after images and video were released to the media.
An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. A defendant is entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
If convicted, the Defendant’s sentence will be determined by the Court after review of factors unique to this case, including the Defendant’s prior criminal record, if any, the Defendant’s role in the offense, and the characteristics of the violation.
In all cases, the sentence will not exceed the statutory maximum, and in most cases, it will be less than the maximum.
This investigation was conducted by the ATF with the help of the Cleveland Police Department. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Adam J. Joines.
Cleveland Man Charged with Multiple Robberies throughout Cuyahoga CountyRead the Press Release
Acting U.S. Attorney Bridget M. Brennan announced that a federal grand jury sitting in Cleveland returned a six-count indictment charging Christopher Prowell, 61, of Cleveland, with committing multiple robberies throughout the Cuyahoga County area.
According to the indictment, it is alleged that on February 18, 2021, the Defendant robbed a Peoples Bank in Beachwood and a Sunoco Gas Station in Independence. On February 28, the Defendant allegedly robbed a GetGo Gas Station in Lyndhurst and a BP Gas Station in Brooklyn.
On March 3, 2021, it is alleged that the Defendant robbed a PNC Bank in Shaker Heights and, on March 24, 2021, a Key Bank in South Euclid. While committing the robbery at the Key Bank in South Euclid and some of the other businesses, it is alleged that the Defendant used a box cutter to threaten employees.
An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. A defendant is entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
If convicted, a defendant’s sentence will be determined by the Court after review of factors unique to this case, including the Defendant’s prior criminal records, if any, the Defendant’s role in the offense and the characteristics of the violation. In all cases, the sentence will not exceed the statutory maximum and in most cases it will be less than the maximum.
The investigation was conducted by the FBI with the help of local police departments. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Scott C. Zarzycki.
Chester County Man Charged with Tax Evasion for Second TimeRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – Acting United States Attorney Jennifer Arbittier Williams announced that Michael Goldner, 51, of Paoli, PA, was charged by Indictment on a charge of tax evasion. The defendant made his initial appearance in federal court this afternoon.
The Indictment alleges that Mr. Goldner accrued a tax liability of approximately $1,858,740 for the years 2013 through 2017, and that beginning in 2016 he engaged in a scheme to evade the payment of those taxes. Goldner’s tax evasion scheme involved having his employer make payments to Goldner’s wife for payment of personal expenses, including the mortgage on the house where his family resided, rent for an apartment where he resided, service for his pool, dance classes for his daughter, and a vacation for his family. The defendant also had his employer make some payments toward a nearly $5 million restitution judgment that Goldner owed from a 2016 wire fraud and tax evasion conviction in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. The Indictment further alleges that Goldner failed to report this additional income on his 2016 and 2017 tax returns.
“Goldner’s alleged scheme to hide his true income victimized honest taxpayers in two ways: first, by evading more than $1.8 million in tax liability to the IRS, and second, by avoiding having to make additional payments towards the large balance (more than $4 million) he still owed in court-ordered restitution from his previous conviction on similar charges,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Williams. “Clearly this defendant has not learned that you cannot outrun the IRS. Anyone who is contemplating similar fraud should view this case as a warning that it will not succeed.”
“If you keep breaking the law, the FBI and our partners will keep coming after you,” said Michael J. Driscoll, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Philadelphia Division. “Willfully defrauding the government and cheating honest taxpayers isn’t ‘creative accounting.’ It’s a federal crime.”
“The American tax system provides government services critical to our people,” said Joleen Simpson, Acting Special Agent in Charge of IRS Criminal Investigation. “Every time someone cheats the tax system, the burden of providing vital services increases on taxpayers who pay their fair share.”
If convicted, the defendant faces a maximum possible sentence of five years in prison, a $250,000 fine, a three years period of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.
The case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney David J. Ignall.
An indictment, information, or criminal complaint is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Career Criminal in Akron Sentenced to 20 Years for Firearms OffensesRead the Press Release
Acting U.S. Attorney Bridget M. Brennan announced that Delamon A. Marshall, 41, of Akron, Ohio, was sentenced on Thursday, June 10, 2021, to 20 years imprisonment and five years of supervised release by U.S. District Court Judge Christopher A. Boyko. Marshall previously pleaded guilty to two counts of being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition and two counts of possession of a firearm with an obliterated serial number.
“Mr. Marshall’s lengthy prison sentence is a direct result of his own choices and extensive criminal history,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Bridget M. Brennan. “Despite numerous opportunities to steer away from violent criminal conduct, he chose otherwise and will now face 20 years of incarceration.”
“There is no place in our society for those who use firearms for violent, criminal purposes,” said Roland H. Herndon, Jr., Special Agent in Charge of ATF’s Columbus Field Division. “Given Marshall’s history, and his actions in this case that resulted in the death of another person, it is appropriate that he received this lengthy sentence. ATF will continue to work with our law enforcement partners at the federal, state, and local levels to investigate and prosecute individuals who show a callous disregard for the safety of our community.”
As set out in court documents and testimony, on February 22 and March 17, 2017, on two separate occasions, Marshall, a convicted felon, possessed a firearm with ammunition and an obliterated serial number. Marshall is prohibited from possessing a firearm due to prior convictions for bank robbery and domestic violence.
On February 22, 2017, Marshall was pulled over in a vehicle by police officers with the Akron Police Department. During the traffic stop, Marshall was arrested for driving under a license suspension and advised officers that he was in possession a firearm and was a previously convicted felon. Officers searched the vehicle and located a Glock 9mm pistol in the center console. The firearm contained ammunition and an obliterated serial number.
On March 17, 2017, Marshall was in a confrontation with another individual in the Akron area. Marshall and the other individual exchanged gunfire and each sustained gunshot wounds. The other individual was pronounced deceased at the scene. After investigating the incident, officers determined that both individuals were carrying a firearm and Marshall was in possession of Ruger 9mm pistol with an obliterated serial number.
Marshall has a lengthy criminal history with numerous convictions for drug abuse, domestic violence and firearms offenses. Marshall’s criminal history qualifies him to be classified as an armed career criminal according to federal law and federal sentencing guidelines.
This investigation was conducted by members of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, U.S. Marshals Service, Copley Police Department, Akron Police Department, Youngstown Police Department, Bureau of Criminal Investigation for the Ohio Attorney General and the Summit County Coroner’s Office. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Damoun Delaviz.
Career Offender Sentenced to 12 Years in Federal Prison for Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
FORT SMITH – A Berryville man was sentenced yesterday to 151 months in prison followed by 3 years of supervised release on one count of Distribution of a Controlled Substance methamphetamine. The Honorable Judge P.K Holmes, III, presided over the sentencing hearing in the United States District Court in Fort Smith.
According to court documents, In July of 2020, Homeland Security Investigations Fayetteville initiated an investigation into James Russell Clark, 37, for drug trafficking offenses in the Western District of Arkansas. On July 9, 2020, investigators were able to conduct a controlled purchase of methamphetamine from Clark at his residence. The methamphetamine purchased was subsequently sent to the Department of Homeland Security Laboratory in Savannah, Georgia and tested positive for methamphetamine. Clark was also held accountable at sentencing for possessing a firearm on July 18, 2020, following a traffic stop by the Berryville Police Department. Clark is a multi-convicted felon and prohibited from possessing firearms.
Acting U.S. Attorney David Clay Fowlkes of the Western District of Arkansas made the announcement.
Homeland Security Investigations Fayetteville investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney David Harris prosecuted the case.
This case was prosecuted as 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. The Department of Justice reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as 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.
Bucks County Drug Manufacturer and Two Executives Charged with Conspiracy to Defraud the FDARead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – Acting United States Attorney Jennifer Arbittier Williams announced that generic drug manufacturer KVK-TECH, Inc., headquartered in Newtown, PA, Murty Vepuri (69), and Ashvin Panchal, (50), also of Newtown, were charged by Indictment with conspiracy to defraud the United States Food & Drug Administration (“FDA”) arising from the alleged distribution of unapproved drugs as well as alleged efforts to mislead the FDA and conceal information which could impact drug safety and effectiveness. KVK-TECH was also charged with one count of mail fraud arising from the alleged sale of unapproved drugs to customers who believed the drugs were made with the approval of the FDA.
According to the Indictment, from approximately October 2010 through at least March 2015, Vepuri, the de facto owner of KVK-TECH, and Panchal, the company’s head of Quality Assurance, conspired to defraud the United States and its agencies by impeding, impairing, and defeating FDA’s mission to protect the health and safety of the public by ensuring that drugs marketed and distributed in the United States are safe and effective for their intended uses.
As alleged in the Indictment, Vepuri directed KVK-TECH’s day-to-day operations and made all key business decisions for the company, including decisions related to drug regulatory requirements, drug composition, drug manufacturing quality, purity, and potency. However, Vepuri – who previously owned a generic drug manufacturer in New Jersey that was subject to a restraining order due to ongoing FDA violations – is charged with hiding his involvement in KVK-TECH by placing its ownership in private trusts for the benefit of his children. Vepuri then allegedly represented to the FDA that he was merely an advisor or consultant to KVK-TECH, when in reality he exercised unchecked authority over the company.
As alleged, under Vepuri’s control, KVK-TECH ignored regulatory requirements that had the potential to slow the manufacture, distribution, and sales of its drugs. Vepuri and Panchal are also charged with having provided false explanations to the FDA when inspectors identified violations. Often, Vepuri and Panchal attributed regulatory failures to a mistake or misunderstanding, and KVK-TECH would falsely assure the FDA that violations had been addressed when they knew no corrective and preventative actions had been taken.
The Indictment highlights KVK-TECH’s conduct with regard to Hydroxyzine, a KVK-TECH prescription drug for the treatment of anxiety, for which Vepuri purchased an active pharmaceutical ingredient (“API”) made in Mexico by Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories (“DRL Mexico”). DRL Mexico was not an FDA-approved source. To the contrary, as alleged, the defendants knew that DRL Mexico’s API was considered adulterated by the FDA due to significant violations of good manufacturing practices (cGMP) at DRL Mexico’s manufacturing plant. The cGMP violations were so severe that the FDA issued an import alert for all DRL Mexico API from July 2011 through July 2012. Nonetheless, from 2011 through 2013, KVK-TECH is charged with having knowingly distributed more than 383,000 bottles of the unapproved Hydroxyzine without the FDA’s knowledge or approval.
“FDA laws and regulations regarding drug composition, manufacturing, quality, and related controls are designed to protect Americans’ health and safety – so we can all be confident that our prescription medications will be safe and effective,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Williams. “When companies attempt to game the system to avoid these regulations and increase their profits, the ramifications are potentially catastrophic. As this Indictment makes clear, any individuals or companies that try to evade the law in this manner will be brought to justice.”
“The FDA’s requirements for drug approval are designed to ensure that patients receive safe and effective medical treatments. Evading the FDA process and distributing unapproved drugs to U.S. consumers will not be tolerated,” said Special Agent in Charge Mark S. McCormack, FDA Office of Criminal Investigations, Metro Washington Field Office. “We will continue to investigate and protect the public health of the nation.”
“An important mission of the Office of Inspector General is to investigate allegations of fraud against the Department of Labor’s programs. We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to investigate these types of allegations,” stated Syreeta Scott, Acting Special Agent-in-Charge, Philadelphia Region, U.S. Department of Labor Office of Inspector General.
If convicted, Vepuri and Panchal each face a maximum possible sentence of five years in prison, three years of supervised release, a $250,000 fine and other financial penalties including forfeiture. KVK-TECH faces fines up to $4 million and other financial penalties such as forfeiture and probation. The parties also face mandatory exclusion from participating in federal programs.
The case was investigated by the FDA-Office of Criminal Investigations, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Department of Labor Office of Inspector General, and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys M. Beth Leahy and Patrick J. Murray, and Ross Goldstein, Senior Litigation Counsel for the Department of Justice Consumer Protection Branch.
An indictment, information, or criminal complaint is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Bangor Man Sentenced for Credit Union RobberyRead the Press Release
BANGOR, Maine: A Bangor man was sentenced today in federal court for robbing a credit union, Acting U.S. Attorney Donald E. Clark announced.
U.S. District Judge John A. Woodcock, Jr. sentenced Earl R. Torrence, 44, to 37 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release. Torrence was also ordered to pay $1,950 in restitution. He pleaded guilty in February 2021.
According to court records, on June 30, 2020, Torrence entered the Acadia Federal Credit Union in Bangor wearing a surgical mask. He approached a teller, told the teller he had a gun and demanded money. He obtained the money and absconded. Investigators were able to identify Torrence by reviewing security footage taken outside the credit union just prior to the robbery. A short while later, investigators apprehended him in his home with money from the credit union.
The FBI and the Bangor Police Department investigated the case.
Albuquerque couple charged with federal firearms violationsRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – David “Flaco” Chavez, 43, and Ednamay De La Rosa, 38, both of Albuquerque, have been charged with being felons in possession of firearms and ammunition. At a hearing on June 7, Chavez was ordered detained pending trial. De La Rosa made an initial appearance in court on June 10 and will remain in custody pending a detention hearing scheduled for June 14.
According to a criminal complaint, on June 2 agents with the FBI’s Albuquerque Violent Crime Gang Task Force (VCGTF), detectives with the Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office and officers from the Albuquerque Police Department executed federal search warrants on Chavez’s and De La Rosa’s residences. Ammunition allegedly was located by agents during the search of Chavez’s residence. Among the items allegedly located by agents during the search of De La Rosa’s residence were four firearms and various types of ammunition as well as a suppressor and a 50-round drum magazine.
At the time of the alleged offenses, Chavez was serving a term of supervised release for a 2014 conviction for possession with intent to distribute heroin and possession of a firearm during, in relation to and in the furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. De La Rosa also has a prior felony conviction for possession with intent to distribute heroin. As previously convicted felons, Chavez and De La Rosa cannot legally possess firearms or ammunition.
A complaint is only an allegation. Defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. If convicted, Chavez and De La Rosa face up to 10 years in prison.
The Albuquerque VCGTF investigated this case with assistance from the Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander Uballez is prosecuting the case.
Albany Man Pleads Guilty to Possessing Three Loaded Firearms in Three Separate IncidentsRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Jamir Hartfield, age 21, of Albany, pled guilty today to unlawfully possessing three loaded handguns, as a felon, during three separate incidents in Albany in November 2018, March 2019, and August 2019.
The announcement was made by Acting United States Attorney Antoinette T. Bacon; John B. DeVito, Special Agent in Charge of the New York Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives (ATF); and Chief Eric Hawkins of the Albany Police Department (APD).
Hartfield was convicted in Albany County Court, in January 2018, of criminal possession of stolen property, a felony.
The November 2018 and August 2019 gun incidents involved encounters Hartfield had with the APD in which he fled and discarded loaded .380 and 9mm handguns.
The March 2019 incident involved a search warrant executed by the APD at a residence on Third Street in Albany, during which a different loaded 9mm handgun was recovered. Hartfield admitted possessing that 9mm handgun after his DNA was recovered from the gun.
Hartfield has been in federal custody since August 14, 2019.
United States District Judge Mae A. D’Agostino is scheduled to sentence Hartfield on October 19, 2021. Hartfield faces up to 10 years in prison; a fine up to $250,000; and up to 3 years of supervised release. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, and other factors.
The case was investigated by the APD and ATF, and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Robert A. Sharpe.
Additional Co-Conspirators Charged in Prescription Diversion SchemeRead the Press Release
Miami, Florida – A South Florida grand jury has charged five additional defendants for their alleged roles in a sophisticated scheme to purchase and distribute millions of dollars in diverted pharmaceutical drugs. A total of 14 defendants have now been charged in this case (19-cr-20674).
Diverted pharmaceutical drugs are branded medications, produced by the original pharmaceutical developers, that make their way into the underground market through fraud, pharmacy burglaries, and cargo thefts. Diverted pharmaceuticals typically are high-priced medical drugs used to treat conditions such as mental illness, human immunodeficiency (HIV), and cancer.
The Second Superseding Indictment returned on June 10, 2021, charges South Florida residents Stephen Manuel Costa, 37, Leah Solomon, 51, Rafael Angel Romero, 50, Ruben Reynaldo Rodriguez Diaz, 43, and Phoenix, Arizona resident David Ramirez Garcia, Sr., 58, with money laundering, mail fraud and violations of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetics Act. It is alleged these defendants and their earlier charged co-conspirators purchased large quantities of diverted pharmaceutical drugs on the unregulated, underground market at a cost well below normal wholesale prices. Then, they used seemingly legitimate wholesale companies and fraudulent paperwork to introduce the diverted drugs back into the legitimate marketplace by selling them to unwitting pharmacies and consumers at big mark-ups, it is alleged. According to the Second Superseding Indictment, the operation was so large that co-conspirators purchased two wholesale pharmaceutical companies and chartered a plane to deliver the drugs. See also prior press release at https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdfl/pr/two-ceos-wholesale-pharmaceutical-companies-and-two-owners-bank-accounts-used-money.
Acting U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida Juan Antonio Gonzalez, FBI Miami Special Agent in Charge George L. Piro, and U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Office of Criminal Investigations’ (FDA-OCI) Miami Field Office Special Agent in Charge Justin Fielder announced the charges.
Costa, Romero, and Rodriguez Diaz were arrested this morning and will have their initial appearance this afternoon at 1:30 p.m. before U.S. Magistrate Judge Lauren Louis, who sits in Miami. Garcia Sr. and Solomon will have their initial appearances on later dates.
The prosecution was part of Operation Southern Hospitality, one of the ongoing efforts by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF), a partnership between federal, state and local law enforcement agencies. The OCDETF mission is to identify, investigate, and prosecute high level members of drug trafficking and money laundering enterprises, bringing together the combined expertise and unique abilities of federal, state and local law enforcement.
FBI Miami and FDA-OCI Miami Field Office investigated this case, with assistance from the U.S. Attorney’s Offices for the Northern District of California, the District of Arizona, and the Western District of Washington, the United States Secret Service in Miami, FBI’s Los Angeles, Phoenix and Seattle Field Offices, the U.S. Marshal’s Service in Miami, Florida Department of Law Enforcement, Attorney General's Office of Statewide Prosecution in Fort Lauderdale, and Medicaid Fraud Control Unit.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Frank Tamen and Walter M. Norkin of the Southern District of Florida are prosecuting this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicole Grosnoff is handling asset forfeiture.
An indictment contains mere allegations and defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.
Related court documents and information, including charges against other co-conspirators, may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or on http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov under case number 19-cr-20674.
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Activity in the United States Attorney's OfficeRead the Press Release
Federal District Court Judge Alan B. Johnson sentenced LEONARD DALE HEADLEY, 62, of Fort Washakie, Wyoming on June 9, 2021 for failure to register as a sex offender. Headley was arrested in Fort Washakie, Wyoming. He received 14 months of imprisonment, to be followed by 60 months of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100.00 special assessment. The Bureau of Indian Affairs and the U.S. Marshals Service investigated this case.
17 Indicted in Large-Scale Methamphetamine, Heroin, and Cocaine Trafficking ConspiraciesRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned two indictments Thursday against a total of 17 defendants for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, heroin, and cocaine, Acting U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, between April 2019 and June 2020, agents seized more than 140 kilograms of methamphetamine, more than 500 grams of heroin, and $130,000 in cash.
The first indictment charges 12 defendants with conspiring to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute 500 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing methamphetamine and more than 100 grams of heroin. In furtherance of this conspiracy, the indictment also charges several defendants with possessing methamphetamine with the intent to distribute it. As well, each defendant is charged with using a cellphone in furtherance of the conspiracy. Charged in this indictment are: Antonio Mendoza Ramos, 42, of Bakersfield; Leopoldo Gonzalez Jr., 30, of Modesto; Victor Manuel Velazquez, 34, of Ceres; Erasmo Zarate Solorzano, 42, of Sacramento; Estela Acevedo, 60, of Las Vegas; Carlos Cano Manzo, 49, of Mexico; Diana Cervantes, 26, of Ceres; Jose Genaro Vargas-Ramirez, 19, of Des Moines, Iowa; Alma Adriana Mora Madrigal, 49, of Ontario; Alejandro Mora Madrigal, 51, of El Monte; Fernando Cardenas, 47, of Compton; and Humberto Pimentel Caranza, 27, of Modesto.
The second indictment charges Juan Zamora Torres, 59, of Turlock; Julio Mendoza Madrigal, 29, of Modesto; Robert Lewis McCommas, 45, of Idaho; Dorian Willes, 43, of Idaho; and Heather Romoser, 42, of Idaho. Torres is separately charged with several counts of distributing methamphetamine and heroin. Torres and Madrigal are charged with conspiring to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute methamphetamine. Madrigal, McCommas, Willes, and Romoser are charged with conspiring to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute methamphetamine and cocaine. Each defendant is also charged with using a cellphone in furtherance of the conspiracy.
These cases are the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Drug Enforcement Administration, Homeland Security Investigations, the U.S. Marshals Service, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the U.S. Forest Service, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Bureau of Land Management, the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, the California Highway Patrol, the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office, the Stanislaus County Sheriff’s Office, the Ceres Police Department, the Modesto Police Department, the Merced Police Department, the Merced County Sheriff’s Office, the Los Angeles Impact, the Ada County Sheriff’s Office, the California Multi-Jurisdictional Methamphetamine Enforcement Team, the Central Valley Gang Impact Task Force, El Segundo High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area 48, the Los Angeles Inter-Agency Metropolitan Police Apprehension Crime Task Force, the Modesto Police Department, the Sacramento Area Intelligence Narcotics Team, the Tri-Area Drug Enforcement Narcotics Team, the Turlock Police Department, the Turlock Special Investigations Unit, the West Sacramento Police Department, the Woodland Police Department, the Yolo County District Attorney’s Office, and the Yolo County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Angela Scott and Michael W. Redding are prosecuting the case.
If convicted, the defendants face a maximum statutory penalty of life in prison and a $10 million fine. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This prosecution is part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Strike Force Initiative, which provides for the establishment of permanent multi-agency task force teams that work side-by-side in the same location. The Sacramento Strike Force is a co-located model that enables agents from different agencies to collaborate on intelligence-driven, multi-jurisdictional operations to disrupt and dismantle the most significant drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations. The specific mission of the Sacramento Strike Force is to identify, investigate, disrupt, and dismantle the most significant drug trafficking organizations (DTOs) and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs) shipping narcotics, firearms, and money through the Eastern District of California, thereby reducing the flow of these criminal resources in California and the rest of the United States. The Sacramento Strike Force leads intelligence-driven investigations targeting the leadership and support elements of these DTOs and TCOs operating within the Eastern District of California, regardless of their geographic base of operations.
10 Alleged Drug Dealers Charged Following FBI Operation ‘50/50 Love’Read the Press Release
Ten of the alleged drug dealers arrested in yesterday’s “Operation 50/50 Love” have been federally charged with conspiracy to distribute cocaine and other drug crimes, announced Acting U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Prerak Shah.
The operation – which involved more than 400 agents from the FBI, Dallas Police Department, DEA, and ATF – was announced at a press conference Thursday. Over the course of the investigation, law enforcement seized 36 weapons, more than $58,000 cash, six vehicles, and more than 18 kilograms of drugs, including suspected powder cocaine, crack cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine, marijuana, and PCP.
Defendant initial appearances began Friday morning.
According to court documents unsealed today, a number of defendants allegedly used so-called “trap room” on Meyers Street in Park Row, one of the most consistently violent areas in the city of Dallas, to distribute drugs.
The defendants – many of them gang members known for their involvement in various criminal activities, from illegal weapons trafficking to aggravated assault – operated out of an apartment complex made up of parallel two-story buildings.
Each trap room sold a specific type of controlled substance, and was equipped with a counter where sellers cut, packaged, and distributed drugs. Occasionally, when they ran low, sellers would “re-up” with controlled substances stored in vehicles parked on the property. For a small fee, dealers permitted customers to use drugs in a “party” unit onsite.
Competing factions dealt cocaine and other narcotics out of the “left side” and “right side” of the apartments, but were known to do so without retribution against the opposite side. Occasionally, when one side unexpectedly ran out of drugs, the opposing side would “loan” them drugs to sell. At one point, the “right side” permitted the “left side” to operate out of the “right side” due to a shooting at a trap house on the “left side.”
To secure drugs and maintain control, sellers on the “left side” possessed firearms, which they often kept in plain view near the drug counter.
“Like many cities across the country, Dallas is bracing for a surge in violent crime this summer. Violence almost always spikes in the summer months. But the chaos and frustration surrounding the pandemic has only made things more unpredictable and more volatile,” Acting U.S. Attorney Shah said during Thursday afternoon’s press conference (watch here). “The agencies and the people here today analyzed which areas and identified which people and groups were the drivers of violent crime, the types of crime that devastate communities, and then took decisive action against those individuals… The law enforcement action you saw today actually serves two purposes: first, to take some of our city’s most violent criminals off the streets, but also, to signal to the rest of the city that the feds are watching, we’re working with Dallas Police Department, and we’re ready to take action. Our efforts to stop violent crime in this city are only starting.”
“Fighting violent crime is a responsibility that we all share, and the Dallas FBI is proud to work alongside the Dallas Police Department, DEA, ATF and others as we deploy our collective strength to ensure the safety and security of our neighborhoods,” said FBI Dallas Special Agent in Charge Matthew J. DeSarno. “This FBI Dallas Safe Streets Task Force investigation combined traditional law enforcement techniques with intelligence resources which led to Thursday’s successful operation to remove criminal elements from our streets and protect the residents of Dallas.”
“The message today for the residents of Dallas is simple: the Dallas Police Department is not alone in keeping our community safe. The Dallas Police Department is not alone in weeding the criminal element off of our streets and the Dallas Police Department is not alone in seeding our communities with hope,” said Dallas Police Chief Eddie Garcia.
Some defendants were charged via indictment, others via criminal complaint.
Those charged via indictment include:
- Sataurus Joe Jackson, aka “Slicc,” charged with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute a controlled substance
- Ardairus DeQuall Vatin, aka “Decc,” charged with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute a controlled substance and possession with intent to distribute cocaine base (crack cocaine)
- Antuan Fulce, aka “Fatboy” or “Big Homie,” charged with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute a controlled substance and possession with intent to distribute cocaine base
- Daymion Savannah-Womack, aka “Boulevard,” charged with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute a controlled substance and possession with intent to distribute marijuana
- Terry Lee Hicks, charged with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute a controlled substance and possession with intent to distribute cocaine base
- Exie Denise Alexander, charged with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute a controlled substance and possession with intent to distribute cocaine base
- Aretha Lashun Minter, aka “Shun,” charged with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute a controlled substance
Those charged via criminal complaint include:
- David Antwon Ricks, aka "Coogi," charged with possession with intent to distribute cocaine base
- Mark Antony White, charged with possession with intent to distribute cocaine
Additional name(s) will become available as they are unsealed by the court.
Indictments and complaints are merely allegations of criminal conduct, not evidence. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
If convicted, they face up to 20 years per count in federal prison.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Dallas Safe Streets Task Force, along with the Dallas Police Department, headed up the investigation, with assistance from the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Dallas Field Division and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives’ Dallas Field Division. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lindsey Beran and Nicole Dana are prosecuting the case.
Thursday 10 June 2021
Wilmington Man Sentenced to 14 Years for Possession of Narcotics and FirearmsRead the Press Release
RALEIGH, N.C. – A Wilmington man was sentenced today to 168 months in prison for possession with intent to deliver crack cocaine and possession of a firearm by a felon. On January 13, 2021, Rodney Tyrone Tyson pled guilty to the charges.
According to court documents and other information presented in court, law enforcement in Wilmington received information that Tyson had robbed an individual of a large amount of crack cocaine. Tyson was spotted by law enforcement in a housing community in Wilmington. As an officer approached Tyson to speak with him, Tyson turned and walked in the opposite direction. Upon seeing another officer, Tyson turned and walked in a different direction to avoid law enforcement. When one of the officers neared Tyson, he could smell a strong odor of PCP. The officer made contact with Tyson and patted him down. The officer found a .38 caliber firearm in Tyson’s front pocket. Tyson was arrested and officers began to transport him to the Wilmington Police Department.
During the transport, Tyson became combative and attempted to kick out the back window of the patrol car. Officers removed Tyson from the vehicle and put hobble straps on his legs to prevent Tyson from damaging the vehicle. During the struggle, Tyson’s shoe came off and officers located a vial of PCP, 9.85 grams of cocaine base (crack) and 2.11 grams of marijuana. While officers were trying to get Tyson back into the car, he kicked one officer and bit another. Tyson continued to try to damage the police car during transport.
Tyson was sentenced as a career offender, having multiple prior convictions for violent felonies and drug distribution felonies.
G. Norman Acker, III, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after the sentencing by U.S. District Judge James C. Dever, III. The Wilmington Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case and Assistant U.S. Attorney Charity Wilson prosecuted the case.
Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 7:19-CR-87.
Wife of “El Chapo” Pleads Guilty to Drug Trafficking and Money LaunderingRead the Press Release
The wife of Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman Loera, leader of the Mexican drug trafficking organization known as the Sinaloa Cartel, pleaded guilty today to charges related to international drug trafficking, money laundering, and a criminal violation of the Foreign Narcotics Kingpin Designation Act (the Kingpin Act).
According to court documents, Emma Coronel Aispuro, 31, a dual U.S.-Mexican citizen, pleaded guilty to a three-count criminal information charging her with: 1) Conspiring to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine, one kilogram or more of heroin, 500 grams or more of methamphetamine, and 1,000 kilograms or more of marijuana in the U.S., Mexico, and elsewhere, knowing, intending, and having a reasonable cause to believe that such substances would be unlawfully imported into the U.S.; 2) conspiring with others to launder narcotics proceeds; and 3) violating the criminal penalties of the Kingpin Act by engaging in transactions and dealings in property of her husband, Guzman Loera, a Significant Foreign Narcotics Trafficker designated by the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the U.S. Department of the Treasury.
Coronel Aispuro is scheduled to be sentenced on Sept. 15. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Acting Assistant Attorney General Nicholas L. McQuaid of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and Assistant Director in Charge Steven D’Antuono of the FBI’s Washington Field Office made the announcement.
This investigation is being conducted by the FBI’s Washington Field Office with significant assistance from other FBI Field Offices, the Drug Enforcement Administration and Homeland Security Investigations.
Deputy Chief Anthony Nardozzi and Trial Attorney Kate Wagner of the Criminal Division’s Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section are prosecuting the case.
Westinghouse Director During Nuclear Debacle Pleads Guilty in Federal Court to Making False Statement to FBIRead the Press Release
Columbia, South Carolina --- Acting United States Attorney M. Rhett DeHart announced today that Carl Dean Churchman, a former Westinghouse Electric Corporation Vice President and the Project Director of the V.C. Summer Nuclear project, pled guilty today in federal court to making a false statement to an FBI agent during the investigation of the failed nuclear project at the V.C. Summer site.
“This guilty plea shows that the investigation into the V.C. Summer nuclear debacle did not end with the former SCANA executives,” said Acting United States Attorney DeHart. “We are committed to seeing this case through and holding all individual and corporate wrongdoers accountable.”
“Today’s plea highlights the FBI’s determination to conduct a comprehensive investigation that yields the truth,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Susan Ferensic. “We will continue to ask important questions and identify all involved in this failed nuclear project.”
As evidence presented to the court showed, Churchman was interviewed by FBI Special Agent Aaron Hawkins in May 2019. During the interview, Agent Hawkins asked Churchman several questions about Westinghouse’s reporting of V.C. Summer’s completion dates to SCANA and Santee Cooper (“the owners”) in early 2017.
Churchman told Agent Hawkins that Westinghouse’s executives did not consult him prior to reporting the completion dates to the owners. Churchman claimed that he did not know the dates before they were reported and that he did not know who made the decision to report the dates to the owners.
However, emails and other documents obtained during the investigation of the failed nuclear project at the V.C. Summer site revealed that Churchman lied to Agent Hawkins during the May 2019 interview. An internal Westinghouse email chain establishes that Churchman received and discussed the dates in early 2017.
Additionally, detailed notes from an early 2017 meeting with Westinghouse executives by SCANA’s Executive Vice President Steve Byrne revealed that Churchman reported the completion dates to SCANA on February 14, 2017, directly contradicting the statements Churchman made to Agent Hawkins.
On May 19, 2021, Churchman sat down for another interview with the FBI. At the beginning of the interview, Churchman acknowledged that his previous statements were untrue.
Today’s plea is the third stemming from the investigation of the failed nuclear project. Byrne previously pled guilty to conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud, and former SCANA Chief Executive Officer and former Chairman of its Board of Directors Kevin Marsh pled guilty in federal court to conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud.
Today’s plea also follows a previously announced agreement with Dominion Energy that will, over time, provide at least four billion dollars of South Carolina ratepayer relief; and it follows a previously announced settlement by SCANA and SCE&G on a Securities and Exchange Commission lawsuit charging them with defrauding investors by making false and misleading statements about the nuclear plant expansion that was ultimately abandoned.
In the plea agreement, Churchman agrees to cooperate fully with federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies. He also agrees to testify fully and truthfully before any grand juries until the investigation and prosecution in the criminal acts that occurred in relation to the failed V.C. Summer Nuclear plant expansion are complete.
On the federal charge, Churchman faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, supervised release of up to 3 years, and a $100 special assessment.
United States District Judge Mary G. Lewis accepted the guilty plea and will sentence Churchman after receiving and reviewing a sentencing report prepared by the United States Probation Office.
Assistant United States Attorneys Jim May, Brook Andrews, Winston Holliday, Emily Limehouse, and Jason Peavy along with Special Assistant United States Attorney John O’Halloran, a lawyer with the Securities and Exchange Commission, prosecuted the case.
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West Texas Kidnapper Sentenced to More Than 30 Years in Federal Prison for Abducting 9-Year-Old GirlRead the Press Release
A west Texas man was sentenced today to 365 months in federal prison for abducting a 9-year-old girl from a birthday party, announced Acting U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Prerak Shah.
Damien Dre Gonzales, 27, of Levelland, Texas pleaded guilty in February to one count of kidnapping. He was sentenced on Thursday by U.S. District Judge James Wesley Hendrix.
According to plea papers, Mr. Gonzales admitted to abducting a 9-year old girl at a birthday party in Levelland, Texas to engage in illicit sexual intercourse.
During the birthday party in August 2020, a woman began choking and most of the attendees went to assist with her sudden health emergency. While the minor’s father was attending to the woman, Mr. Gonzales lured the 9-year-old away by asking for her help carrying alcohol to his vehicle. Mr. Gonzales encouraged the girl to get inside the vehicle and then he drove away.
The girl’s disappearance set off a frantic search by her family and those at the birthday party. They notified law enforcement and replayed home surveillance footage that showed the 9-year-old leaving with Mr. Gonzales.
About that same time, the Levelland Police Department received a report of a vehicle parked in the middle of the street several miles from the location of the birthday party. Mr. Gonzales hit a residential mailbox and stopped in the road. While in the car, Mr. Gonzales sexually assaulted the girl by removing her clothes and touching her.
When law enforcement arrived on the scene to investigate the parked car, they discovered the girl inside. Officers noticed that Mr. Gonzales’ jeans were unzipped, and his belt was unbuckled. Inside Mr. Gonzales’ car was an open box of condoms sitting in the passenger seat and one condom was missing from the box.
The victim was immediately reunited with her parents and provided psychological and medical support.
The FBI Lubbock Resident Agency, Levelland Police Department, and Hockley County Sheriff’s Office conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Callie Woolam prosecuted the case.
Washington County Man Sentenced on Federal Firearm ChargeRead the Press Release
BANGOR, Maine— A Machiasport man was sentenced in federal court on Tuesday for possession of a firearm by a felon, Acting U.S. Attorney Donald E. Clark announced.
U.S. District Judge Lance E. Walker sentenced Timothy D. Davis, 64, to 37 months in prison, to run consecutive to a 2-year sentence for violating the terms of his federal probation in another case. Davis was also sentenced to three years of supervised release. Davis pleaded guilty in October 2019.
According to court records, Davis possessed a shotgun on July 9, 2019. He had previously been convicted of possession of a firearm by a felon in 2019 and armed assault with intent to murder in 2010. Davis was prohibited from possessing a firearm under federal law because both crimes were punishable by a term of imprisonment exceeding one year.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case.
This case was 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. The Department of Justice reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as 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.
Two Members of the Violent Extremist Group “the Base” Plead Guilty to Federal Firearms and Alien-Related ChargesRead the Press Release
Greenbelt, Maryland – Two members of the racially motivated violent extremist group “The Base” pleaded guilty today to firearms and alien-related charges arising from federal charges in Maryland and Delaware.
Brian Mark Lemley, Jr., age 35, of Elkton, Maryland, and Newark, Delaware, pleaded guilty to the Maryland charges of conspiracy to transport certain aliens, to transporting certain aliens, to disposing of a firearm and ammunition to an illegal alien, and to transporting a firearm and ammunition in interstate commerce with intent to commit a felony; and to the Delaware charges of harboring certain aliens, aiding and abetting an alien in possession of a firearm, and obstruction of justice.
Canadian national Patrik Jordan Mathews, age 29, recently of Newark, Delaware, pleaded guilty to the Maryland and Delaware charges of being an alien in possession of a firearm and ammunition; to the Maryland charge of transporting a firearm and ammunition in interstate commerce with intent to commit a felony; and to the Delaware charge of obstruction of justice.
A third co-defendant and member of “The Base,” William Garfield Bilbrough IV, age 21, of Denton, Maryland, previously pleaded guilty to conspiring to transport an alien and to transporting the alien, specifically, The Base member Patrik Mathews, and was sentenced to five years in federal prison.
Today’s guilty pleas were announced by Acting United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Jonathan F. Lenzner; United States Attorney for the District of Delaware David C. Weiss; Acting Special Agent in Charge Rachel Byrd of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office; and Special Agent in Charge Timothy Jones of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Baltimore Field Division.
“Preserving our nation’s security against domestic terrorist threats continues to be a top priority of the Justice Department,” said Acting United States Attorney Jonathan F. Lenzner. “In late 2019 and early 2020, Lemley, Mathews and others in The Base were assembling firearms and collecting thousands of rounds of ammunition with the intent to engage in serious criminal conduct. There is simply no place in our country for racially motivated extremist groups that engage in violence. Our office and law enforcement partners in Maryland and Delaware will use all of the tools at our disposal to investigate and prosecute violent extremists.”
U.S. Attorney Weiss stated, “Detecting, disrupting and deterring the threat of domestic terrorism and violent extremism in all of its forms is a top priority for this office. However, mere membership in a violent extremist group like the Base, an organization that trades in hatred and bigotry, no matter how despicable, is not a federal crime. But when extremists like defendants Mathews and Lemley take action in furtherance of their twisted agenda and commit firearms offenses, obstruct justice and illegally transport aliens -- law enforcement will respond swiftly and decisively. I commend the diligence of Maryland and Delaware law enforcement in bringing these defendants to justice.”
“Today's admission of guilt shows how far Mr. Lemley and Mr. Mathews were willing to go to support extremist activity,” said Rachel Byrd, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Baltimore Field Office. “This investigation and the guilty plea underscore the continuing threat we face from domestic extremist groups. The FBI and our law enforcement partners remain fully prepared to take actions necessary to safeguard our communities.”
“When extremist beliefs begin escalating into criminal activity, it creates a volatile and potentially lethal mentality that threatens everyone’s safety,” said ATF Baltimore Special Agent in Charge Timothy Jones. “The strong partnerships ATF and our fellow local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies have ensures that this team effort is always prepared to identify and stop extremists and violent offenders anytime, anywhere, no matter if they cross state lines and jurisdictions.”
According to court filings, Lemley, Mathews, and Bilbrough were members of The Base, a racially motivated violent extremist group. Since 2018, The Base has built a coalition of white supremacist members within the United States and abroad through, among other things, online chat rooms, in-person meetings, propaganda, and military-style training. As detailed in their plea agreements, Lemley and Bilbrough traveled in Lemley’s vehicle to participate in a regional training camp conducted by members of The Base in Georgia from August 2 through August 4, 2019, including participating in tactical training and firearms drills. Later in August, Lemley and Bilbrough attended another The Base training camp in a different state.
As detailed in the plea agreements for Lemley and Mathews, on August 19, 2019, the Winnipeg (Canada) Free Press published an article regarding one of its reporter’s infiltration of The Base that led to the identification of Mathews as a member of The Base. Mathews then fled Canada and illegally entered the United States. At some point thereafter, Lemley and Bilbrough learned that Mathews had unlawfully crossed the border.
On August 30, 2019, Lemley and Bilbrough traveled in Lemley’s truck from Maryland to southern Michigan to pick up Mathews in order to transport him to the East Coast where he could safely reside and continue his participation in The Base. Lemley and Bilbrough remained in Michigan for approximately two hours, after which Lemley, Bilbrough, and Mathews headed back east. Lemley and Bilbough each drove at least part of the time and Bilbrough was dropped off at his house in Maryland on the evening of August 31, 2019. Lemley then drove Mathews to the area of Chincoteague, Virginia, in order to conceal Mathews’ presence in the United States.
On Saturday, September 14, 2019, Lemley traveled in his vehicle from his residence in Elkton, Maryland, to Chincoteague Island, Virginia, where he picked up Mathews. Lemley and Mathews then traveled south, through the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel to Rome, Georgia, in the vicinity of the residence of a known member of The Base. Approximately five hours later, Lemley departed for Maryland and Mathews stayed at the Georgia property.
Lemley acknowledged that on about October 30, 2019, he picked Bilbrough up at his residence and the two drove to Georgia to attend a training camp at the property of another member of The Base. Mathews, who was already residing at the Georgia property, admitted that he also attended the training camp. While in Georgia, on November 2, 2019, Lemley and Bilbrough purchased approximately 1,550 rounds of 5.56 ammunition. Later that day, Lemley, Mathews and Bilbrough traveled from Georgia to Maryland. The next day, Lemley and Mathews admitted that they dropped Bilbrough off at his house and traveled to Elkton, Maryland, where Mathews spent the night at a motel a few minutes from Lemley’s residence.
As detailed in Lemley’s and Mathews’ plea agreements, on November 4, 2019, Mathews left the motel on foot. After buying food from a nearby restaurant, Mathews walked into the woods behind the restaurant, where he remained until Lemley picked him up. Lemley and Mathews drove to a bank and then to an apartment complex in Newark, Delaware, where Lemley rented an apartment while Mathews remained in the vehicle. Thereafter, Lemley and Mathews primarily resided in the apartment in Delaware.
According to their plea agreements, on December 20, 2019, Mathews took steps to construct a rifle out of various weapons parts and watched a video on his phone that provided directions on constructing the rifle. Lemley and Mathews also discussed the rifle and parts that needed to be obtained to finish constructing the rifle. Lemley and Mathews admitted that they held and manipulated the rifle.
Lemley and Mathews acknowledged that on December 29, 2019, they discussed visiting a gun range to test fire the newly constructed rifle. On January 2, 2020, Lemley took the rifle from the apartment in Delaware to a public gun range in Maryland, where he was observed by an FBI agent. On January 5, 2020, Mathews and Lemley left the Delaware residence with at least one firearm and went to the same public gun range previously visited by Lemley. Prior to their arrival, the FBI had set up a stationary camera in a vehicle near the range and an ATF agent was in the vicinity of the range. Agents observed, and the camera recorded, Mathews in possession of, and firing a firearm. Lemley observed Mathews’ shots through an unattached rifle scope.
Lemley admitted that on January 7, 2020, he ordered approximately 1,500 rounds of 5.56 mm and 6.5 mm ammunition, which fit two rifles possessed by Lemley and Mathews. On January 11, 2020, Lemley drove Mathews from their Delaware residence to the Maryland gun range they had visited previously. Mathews admitted that while at the range, he handled and fired the rifle. On the way back to Delaware, the men stopped at Lemley’s prior residence in Elkton, where they retrieved some of the 1,500 rounds of ammunition Lemley had ordered on January 7. Mathews admitted that he knew he was an alien illegally present in the United States at the times he possessed the firearm and ammunition in Maryland and Delaware.
On January 15, 2020, Lemley and Mathews discussed the possibility of going to jail for their conduct. During the conversation, Lemley told Mathews, "I may be going to jail upon discovery of the propaganda in my cell phone."
Early in the morning on January 16, 2020, federal agents executed federal arrest warrants on Lemley and Mathews at the Delaware residence. Before Lemley and Mathews submitted to the agents, however, Lemley repeatedly directed Mathews to smash his cell phone. Lemley and Mathews smashed their cell phones and dumped them into the toilet. Lemley and Mathews admitted that by doing so, they intended to obstruct or impede the administration of justice with respect to the investigation, prosecution, and sentencing of their offenses. Their activity was fully captured on video and audio surveillance equipment installed in the Delaware residence, pursuant to a federal court order.
Lemley and Mathews each face a maximum of 10 years in federal prison for transporting a firearm and ammunition in interstate commerce with intent to commit a felony offense and a maximum of 20 years in federal prison for obstruction of justice. Lemley also faces a maximum sentence of five years in federal prison each for transporting and for harboring certain aliens; a maximum of 10 years in federal prison each for conspiracy to transport certain aliens, for disposing of a firearm and ammunition to an illegal alien, and for aiding and abetting an alien in possession of a firearm and ammunition. Mathews also faces a maximum of 10 years in federal prison for each of two counts of being an alien in possession of a firearm and ammunition. U.S. District Judge Theodore D. Chuang has scheduled sentencing for Mathews on October 28, 2021 at 9:30 a.m., and for Lemley on October 28, 2021 at 2:00 p.m.
Acting United States Attorney Jonathan F. Lenzner and United States Attorney David C. Weiss commended the FBI Baltimore Joint Terrorism Task Force (JTTF) and the ATF for their work in the investigation, and thanked U.S. Homeland Security Investigations, the Maryland Department of Natural Resources, the Maryland State Police, and the Delaware State Police for their assistance. Mr. Lenzner and Mr. Weiss thanked their offices’ national security prosecutors, who are handling the case.
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Topsham Man Sentenced for Unlawfully Possessing FirearmsRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Maine: A Topsham man was sentenced today in federal court for being a felon in possession of firearms, Acting U.S. Attorney Donald E. Clark announced.
U.S. District Judge D. Brock Hornby sentenced Manesseh Massaline, 51, to 51 months in prison and three years of supervised release. Massaline pleaded guilty on January 5, 2021.
According to court records, Massaline possessed a Glock 9 mm handgun and a KelTec 12-gauge shotgun on January 17, 2019. He was prohibited from possessing firearms under federal law because he had previously been convicted in Maine state court of Assault, Aggravated Assault and Aggravated Criminal Trespass, crimes that were punishable by a term of imprisonment exceeding one year.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency’s Mid-Coast Drug Task Force investigated the case.
This case was part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a nationwide initiative that brings together federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement officials, prosecutors, community leaders, and other stakeholders to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in a community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. PSN is coordinated by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices in the 94 federal judicial districts throughout the 50 states and U.S. territories.
Three Indicted on Federal Drug Distribution ChargesRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – A husband and wife from Fairfax and their cousin from Spotsylvania were indicted last month with conspiring to distribute controlled substances in the Western District of Virginia.
According to court documents, Fahid Rashid, 30, Akhter Ahmed, 28, and Khalisah Khan, 29, conspired to traffic counterfeit pills containing fentanyl. The defendants, and others, are charged with selling thousands of counterfeit pills in and around the Western District of Virginia containing fentanyl and multiple kilograms of methamphetamine. The defendants are accused of using multiple addresses in Culpeper, Spotsylvania, Winchester, Fairfax, and elsewhere for their drug trafficking activities. Rashid is also charged in a scheme in which he possessed vehicles knowing their VIN numbers had been altered.
Acting U.S. Attorney Daniel P. Bubar of the Western District of Virginia; and Jared Forget, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) Washington Division made the announcement.
The Drug Enforcement Administration, the Blue Ridge Narcotics and Gang Task Force, Spotsylvania County Sheriff’s Office, Fairfax County Police Department, Arlington County Police Department, and the United States Postal Inspection Service are investigating the case. The Blue Ridge Narcotics and Gang Task Force is comprised of investigative personnel from the Culpeper, Fauquier, Orange, Rappahannock Sheriff's Departments, Culpeper and Warrenton Police Departments and the Virginia State Police Bureau of Criminal Investigation, Culpeper Field Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kate Rumsey 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.
Thirty-Six Defendants Sentenced for Their Roles in International Thai Sex Trafficking OrganizationRead the Press Release
ST. PAUL, Minn. – Thirty-six defendants have been sentenced in federal court for their roles in operating a massive international sex trafficking organization that was responsible for coercing hundreds of Thai women to engage in commercial sex acts across the United States.
Matthew Mintz, 29, of Chicago, Illinois, pleaded guilty on April 23, 2018, to one count of conspiracy to commit harboring and one count of conspiracy to engage in money laundering. Mintz was sentenced yesterday by Senior Judge Donovan Frank to one year and one day in prison, three years of supervised release, $100,000 in restitution, and 100 hours of community service. Sumalee Intarathong, 60, is the final defendant that was charged as part of the sex trafficking conspiracy. On February 17, 2021, Intarathong was extradited to the United States from Belgium on a 10-count superseding indictment alleging conspiracy, human trafficking violations, and visa fraud.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, this criminal organization compelled hundreds of women from Bangkok, Thailand, to engage in commercial sex acts in various cities across the United States, including Minneapolis, Los Angeles, Chicago, Atlanta, Phoenix, Washington, D.C., Las Vegas, Houston, Dallas, Seattle and Austin. The trafficking victims were often from impoverished backgrounds and spoke little or no English. They were coerced to participate in the criminal scheme through misleading promises of a better life in the United States and the ability to provide money to their families in Thailand.
Once in the United States, the victims were sent to houses of prostitution where they were forced to have sex with strangers – every day – for up to 12 hours a day, at times having sex with 10 men a day. The victims were isolated from the outside world. They were not allowed to leave the houses of prostitution unless accompanied by a member of the criminal organization. The victims moved around the United States between houses of prostitution in multiple cities. They and their families in Thailand were threatened.
The organization also engaged in widespread visa fraud to facilitate the international transportation of the victims. Traffickers assisted the victims in obtaining fraudulent visas and travel documents by funding false bank accounts, creating fictitious backgrounds and occupations, and instructing the victims to enter into fraudulent marriages to increase the likelihood that their visa applications would be approved. Traffickers also coached the victims as to what to say during their visa interviews. While working to obtain visa documents, traffickers gathered personal information from the victims, including the location of the victims’ families in Thailand. This information was later used to threaten victims who sought to flee the organization in the United States.
The organization dealt primarily in cash and engaged in rampant and sophisticated money laundering in order to promote and conceal illegal profits. The organization used “funnel accounts” to launder and route cash from cities across the United States to the money launderers in Los Angeles. To date, investigators have been able to recover $1.5 million in cash and $15 million in money judgments secured through plea agreements. During the extensive investigation, law enforcement traced tens of millions of dollars to the organization. Indeed, at trial, there was testimony that more than $40 million was sent to Thailand by one money launderer alone.
“A total of 36 individuals who participated in this horrific commercial sex trafficking operation have now been held to account for their exploitative treatment of fellow human beings,” said Acting U.S. Attorney W. Anders Folk. “Sex trafficking is a reprehensible crime and combatting it remains a priority for this office and for our law enforcement partners. Today’s penultimate sentencing not only signals the end of a years-long investigation and prosecution, but it demonstrates the dogged pursuit that we have brought to this case since day one.”
“HSI, through collaborative efforts with numerous law enforcement partners, unraveled this international ring of criminals that brutally exploited women for their own personal gain,” said acting Special Agent in Charge Jamie Holt, of HSI St. Paul. “Human trafficking is a deplorable crime, and this sentencing, the last of 36 defendants that have resulted in nearly $23 million in restitution ordered by the court, demonstrates a measure of justice for the victims and that HSI will continue to ensure those responsible will be brought to justice.”
“Money laundering is tax evasion in progress. The proceeds are fuel for criminals to conduct their illegal affairs and are used to manipulate and erode our financial systems,” said Special Agent In Charge Kathy Enstrom, IRS Criminal Investigation, Chicago Field Office. “We are committed to deciphering the complex international financial transactions and money laundering schemes that are the engine for human trafficking. We will find you and we will bring you to justice, just as we did with Matthew Mintz,” said Enstrom.
This case was the result of an investigation conducted by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Criminal Investigation Division of the IRS (IRS-CI), the Department of Justice’s Criminal Division’s Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section, the Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division’s Human Trafficking Prosecution Unit, the St. Paul Police Department, the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension’s Minnesota Human Trafficking Investigators Task Force, the Anoka County Sheriff’s Office, the Cook County (Illinois) Sheriff’s Office, the State Department Diplomatic Security Service, and the International Organized Crime Intelligence and Operations Center (IOC-2). Acting U.S. Attorney Folk also thanks the Thai Community Development Center for their support and advocacy on behalf of the victims of this sex trafficking organization.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Melinda A. Williams and Laura Provinzino, with assistance from HSI Special Agent Tonya Price, IRS-CI Special Agent John Tschida, Senior Investigator Steven Baker of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division’s Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section, and the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division’s Human Trafficking Prosecution Unit.
Stockton Man Charged with Being Felon in Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned a one-count indictment today against Marco Guzman, 32, of Stockton, charging him with being a felon in possession of a firearm, Acting U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, on Jan. 1, 2021, Guzman possessed a Glock Model 27 pistol. Guzman has been convicted of multiple felony offenses in San Joaquin County Superior Court and is prohibited from possessing a firearm.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Stockton Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ross Pearson is prosecuting the case.
If convicted, Guzman faces a maximum statutory penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This case was part of Operation Ceasefire in the city of Stockton. The U.S. Attorney’s Office works closely with San Joaquin County District Attorney’s Office and the Stockton Police Department to deliver on Ceasefire’s mission to establish a peaceful community by investigating and prosecuting members and associates of criminal groups who continue to commit serious and violent felonies in the city, including individuals who have previously been prosecuted for illegal gun and gang-related crimes.
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. 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.
Statement of Attorney General Merrick B. Garland on the Life of Judge Robert KatzmannRead the Press Release
U.S. Attorney General Merrick B. Garland made the following statement on the passing of Judge Robert Katzmann:
“We lost a giant yesterday with the passing of Judge Robert Katzmann. Humble and modest in demeanor, he leaves behind a legion of family, friends, and colleagues who will feel his loss because he enriched our lives through our relationship to him. But that number pales in comparison to the lives he touched through his work – people who will never know the name of the man who helped make their lives better.
“Bob had extraordinary intellectual gifts, a profound commitment to the law, and a deep devotion to public service. He was a distinguished federal judge on the Second Circuit, a creative legal thinker, and a gifted teacher. He saw everyone as a person, not merely a litigant or a defendant, and was deeply conscious of the impact that his legal rulings would have on the lives of those affected by his decisions.
“A PhD political scientist as well as a lawyer, Bob had an unparalleled understanding about how Congress viewed the laws it passed and the means by which those laws should be interpreted by the judiciary. He authored several books; the most recent, Judging Statutes, is widely taught in law schools to help students understand statutory interpretation, the basis for so many legal questions that come before the courts.
“His influential decisions are too many to mention. One that stands out is his opinion writing for the full 2nd Circuit that Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibits employment discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation. That decision was later affirmed by the Supreme Court in Bostock v. Clayton County.
“Bob was the rare jurist whose achievements outside the courtroom are as monumental as his work as a judge. His deep belief that the justice system cannot work unless people have access to representation led him to found the Immigrant Justice Corps, a fellowship program through which recent law school and college graduates provide high quality legal assistance to tens of thousands of immigrants on a range of life-altering legal matters.
“Bob understood that public confidence in the judicial system requires an understanding of the role of courts and bringing courts closer to the community. He launched a circuit-wide civic education initiative, Justice for All: Courts and the Community, in which judges, court personnel, attorneys and educators work together to help ensure that courts are accessible and effective public institutions.
“The rule of law and the search for equal justice have lost one of their most effective advocates. Bob elevated our profession and inspired countless young law students and lawyers. He brought enormous and edifying humanity to every interaction he had.
“Bob was my friend. While serving together for many years on committees of the Judicial Conference of the United States, I saw firsthand his decency, compassion and humility. His wife, Jennifer, his mother Sylvia, and his brothers and sister, Gary, Martin and Susan, have my deepest sympathy. He will be sorely missed.”
Slilpp Marketplace Disrupted in International Cyber OperationRead the Press Release
The Justice Department today announced its participation in a multinational operation involving actions in the United States, Germany, the Netherlands, and Romania to disrupt and take down the infrastructure of the online marketplace known as Slilpp.
According to a seizure warrant affidavit that was unsealed today, since 2012, the Slilpp marketplace has been selling stolen login credentials, including usernames and passwords for bank accounts, online payment accounts, mobile phone accounts, retailer accounts, and other online accounts. According to the affidavit, the Slilpp marketplace allowed vendors to sell, and customers to buy, stolen login credentials by providing the forum and payment mechanism for such transactions; Slilpp buyers subsequently used those login credentials to conduct unauthorized transactions (such as wire transfers) from the related accounts. To date, over a dozen individuals have been charged or arrested by U.S. law enforcement in connection with the Slilpp marketplace.
According to the affidavit, the FBI, working in coordination with foreign law enforcement partners, identified a series of servers that hosted the Slilpp marketplace infrastructure and its various domain names. Those servers and domain names were seized pursuant to domestic and international legal process.
“The Slilpp marketplace allegedly caused hundreds of millions of dollars in losses to victims worldwide, including by enabling buyers to steal the identities of American victims,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Nicholas L. McQuaid of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “The department will not tolerate an underground economy for stolen identities, and we will continue to collaborate with our law enforcement partners worldwide to disrupt criminal marketplaces wherever they are located.”
“With today’s coordinated disruption of the Slilpp marketplace, the FBI and our international partners sent a clear message to those who, as alleged, would steal and traffic in stolen identities: we will not allow cyber threats to go unchecked,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Channing D. Phillips of the District of Columbia. “We applaud the efforts of the FBI and our international partners who contributed to the effort to mitigate this global threat.”
“American identities are not for sale,” said Assistant Director in Charge Steven M. D’Antuono of the FBI Washington Field Office. “The FBI remains committed to working with our international partners to dismantle global cyber threats.”
At the time of the disruption, the affidavit alleges that stolen account login credentials for over 1,400 account providers were available for sale on the Slilpp marketplace. According to the affidavit, a fraction of the victimized account providers have calculated losses so far; based on limited existing victim reports, the stolen login credentials sold over Slilpp have been used to cause over $200 million in losses in the United States. The full impact of Slilpp is not yet known.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia, the FBI Washington Field Office, and the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section (CCIPS) conducted the operation in close cooperation with investigators and prosecutors from several jurisdictions, including Germany’s Bundeskriminalamt, the Netherlands’ National High Tech Crime Unit, and Romania’s Directorate for the Investigation of Organized Crime and Terrorism. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs also provided significant assistance.
CCIPS Senior Counsel Laura-Kate Bernstein and Assistant U.S. Attorney Demian Ahn of the District of Columbia led the U.S. efforts.
In September 2020, FBI Director Christopher Wray announced the FBI’s new strategy for countering cyber threats. The strategy focuses on imposing risk and consequences on cyber adversaries through the FBI’s unique authorities, world-class capabilities, and enduring partnerships. Victims are encouraged to report the incident online with the Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) at https://www.ic3.gov/. For more information on ransomware prevention, visit: https://www.ic3.gov/media/2016/160915.aspx.
Shreveport Man Sentenced for Illegal Possession of FirearmRead the Press Release
SHREVEPORT, La. - John Marston, 38, of Shreveport, Louisiana, was sentenced today by United States District Judge Elizabeth E. Foote to 120 months (10 years) in prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release, for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, announced Acting United States Attorney Alexander C. Van Hook.
A federal grand jury indicted Marston on May 20, 2020 and he subsequently pleaded guilty to the charge on September 2, 2020. The charge stems from an incident in January 2020 when law enforcement officers with the Shreveport Street Level Interdiction Unit obtained a search warrant for a residence on Clay Street where Marston was residing and where they suspected ongoing illegal narcotics distribution activity. When officers served the search warrant, they found Marston inside the residence, along with illegal narcotics, firearms, and ammunition. Marston has numerous prior felony convictions and was prohibited from possessing any weapons and was charged with illegally possessing a firearm. His prior felony convictions are for: attempted possession of a firearm by a convicted felon (2014); possession with intent to distribute cocaine (2014); attempted possession of a firearm by a convicted felon (2003); simple burglary (2002); and felony theft (1999).
The ATF and Shreveport Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian C. Flanagan 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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Seven-Time Felon Sentenced for Federal Firearms ViolationRead the Press Release
TYLER, Texas – A Carthage man has been sentenced to federal prison for a firearms violation in the Eastern District of Texas, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
Tyreese Williams, 34, pleaded guilty on March 3, 2021, to being a felon in possession of a firearm and was sentenced to 72 months in federal prison today by U.S. District Judge J. Campbell Barker.
“Felons who possess firearms endanger our communities and are a priority for federal prosecution,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei. “Our office will continue to partner with federal, state, and local agencies to keep firearms out of the wrong hands. As a seven-time convicted felon, Tyreese Williams should have expected this day of reckoning.”
According to information presented in court, Williams was arrested on May 2, 2019 by deputies of the Panola County Sheriff's Office following a nine-mile high-speed chase where Williams’ speed exceeded 120 miles per hour. Subsequent to Williams’ arrest, deputies searched Williams’ car and found a handgun. While being placed under arrest, Williams informed the deputies that he had swallowed a large amount of methamphetamine just prior to surrendering to police.
Among his seven prior felony convictions, Williams has previously been convicted of evading detention in a motor vehicle, possession of a controlled substance (twice), felon in possession of a firearm, forgery (twice), and assault family violence by impeding an airway or circulation. As a convicted felon, Williams is prohibited from owning or possessing firearms or ammunition. Williams was indicted by a federal grand jury on March 15, 2020.
This case was prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Panola County Sheriff’s Office and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Locker.
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Serial Child Molester Sentenced to 30 Years in Prison for Production of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
RALEIGH, N.C. – An Angier man was sentenced today to 360 months in prison for production of child pornography. On April 26, 2020, Raul Ayala, Jr. pled guilty to the charge.
According to court documents and other information presented in court, Ayala, 72, was accused of sexually molesting a prepubescent minor. Upon the minor’s disclosure, Ayala was confronted and admitted to some of the conduct but claimed there were explanations for the behavior. Law enforcement was contacted, and Fuquay-Varina Police Department began an investigation. Detectives interviewed Ayala about the allegations, and Ayala admitted to touching the child’s penis and putting his mouth on the child’s penis. Ayala said the molestation had been on-going for a couple of years. He also admitted he had taken some nude photographs of the child, but insisted they were innocent photographs. In addition, Ayala admitted he had molested children in the 1970’s.
A search warrant was executed at Ayala’s residence in Angier and multiple digital devices were seized. In addition, in Ayala’s attic law enforcement found a briefcase that contained adult pornography and child pornography. The briefcase contained tri-fold advertisements for child pornography videos which contained pictures of children engaged in sexual acts with adults and a description of what the videos depicted. In the briefcase were Polaroid pictures of nude minor children, dating back to the late 1960’s and early 1970’s. On Ayala’s digital devices, law enforcement found lascivious images of the minor child who disclosed sexual abuse along with child pornography unrelated to the minor child.
Homeland Security Investigators sought to identify the minor males in the Polaroid photographs. Agents identified one of the males who affirmed he was one of the children in the Polaroids and he disclosed that Ayala had molested and photographed him, beginning when he was eight years old.
G. Norman Acker, III, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after the sentence was entered by U.S. District Judge Terrence W. Boyle. Fuquay-Varina Police Department, Harnett County Sheriff’s Office, and the Department of Homeland Security Investigation investigated the case, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Charity Wilson and Charles Schmitz with the Department of Justice’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section prosecuted the case.
This case was part of the Project Safe Childhood initiative, a national program aimed at ensuring that criminals exploiting children are effectively prosecuted by making full use of all available law enforcement resources at every level. For more information about this important national project, Project Safe Childhood, go to www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
Roane County Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Gun CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Foster Allen Ray, 71, of Gandeeville pleaded guilty today to a federal gun crime.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on April 9, 2020, Ray shot a loaded Savage Model 99 300 caliber level action rifle at two individuals in a vehicle stopped near his residence in Gandeeville, West Virginia. Ray is prohibited from possessing firearms due to previous felony convictions in Roane County Circuit Court for unlawful assault and child abuse by a custodian resulting in injury.
Ray pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm and faces up to 10 years in prison when sentenced on September 23, 2021.
Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston made the announcement and commended the investigation work of the West Virginia State Police. Assistant United States Attorney Negar M. Kordestani is handling the prosecution.
United States District Judge Irene C. Berger presided over the hearing.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:21-cr-00024.
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Peruvian Woman Admits Smuggling Seven Kilos of Cocaine into United States through Newark AirportRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A Peruvian woman today admitted smuggling approximately seven kilograms of cocaine into the United States from Peru, Acting U.S. Attorney Rachael A. Honig announced.
Yolanda Fonseca Melgarejo, 59, a legal permanent resident of the United States and a citizen of Peru, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Susan D. Wigenton in Newark federal court to an information charging her with one count of importation of controlled substances.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
Fonseca Melgarejo arrived at Newark Liberty International Airport aboard a flight from Lima, Peru, on March 31, 2019. Law enforcement officers discovered that Fonseca Melgarejo possessed approximately seven kilograms of cocaine concealed within wrapped chocolate candy in her luggage.
The count to which Fonseca Melgarejo pleaded guilty carries a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years in prison, a potential maximum penalty of life in prison, and a maximum fine of $10 million dollars. Sentencing is scheduled for Oct. 14, 2021.
Acting U.S. Attorney Honig credited special agents of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations, New Jersey Division, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jason J. Molina; and officers of U.S. Customs and Border Protection, New York Field Office, under the direction of Acting Director of Field Operations Marty Raybon, with the investigation leading to today’s guilty plea.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Tracey Agnew of the Organized Crime and Gangs Unit in Newark.
Owensboro Man Charged with Illegal Possession of FirearmsRead the Press Release
OWENSBORO, KY – A federal grand jury in Bowling Green returned an indictment yesterday charging a Daviess County man with illegally possessing a firearm.
According to court documents, Carlos M. Hagan-El, 43, of Owensboro, KY, was found on or about January 15, 2021, in Daviess County, KY in possession of two handguns. Hagan-El has previously been convicted of felony offenses for First-Degree Trafficking in a Controlled Substance (while in Possession of a Firearm), Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon, First-Degree Trafficking in a Controlled Substance (less than two grams of methamphetamine), and Trafficking in a Controlled Substance within 1000 Feet of a School.
Hagan-El is charged with one count of Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person. If convicted, he faces a maximum of 10 years in prison. If convicted, and the defendant qualifies as an Armed Career Criminal, he faces a mandatory minimum of 15 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 Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky and Special Agent in Charge R. Shawn Morrow of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearm (ATF), made the announcement.
The ATF and the Owensboro Police Department are investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark J. Yurchisin II of the Bowling Green U.S. Attorney’s Office 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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Orlando Man Sentenced to 17 Years in Federal Prison for Online Child Sexual ExploitationRead the Press Release
Orlando, FL – U.S. District Judge Paul G. Byron has sentenced Brandon Planas (39, Orlando) to 17 years in federal prison for enticing an 11-year-old child to produce sexually explicit videos of himself and send them over the internet. Planas was also ordered to serve a 10-year term of supervised, register as a sex offender, and forfeit the electronic devices that he had used to commit his offense.
Planas had pleaded guilty on March 2, 2021.
According to court documents, in August 2019, Planas began chatting online with an 11-year-old child via Instagram messenger. In September 2019, Planas sent the child a pornographic image over the internet that he claimed to be himself. After sending this image, Planas asked the child to reciprocate. On October 8, 2019, at Planas’s request, the child created several videos of his genitalia and sent at least one of these videos to Planas.
The child’s parents discovered these chats and contacted the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office which began a criminal investigation. Between October 2019 and June 2020, Planas made several attempts to reinitiate contact with the child by sending the child messages, video chat requests, and using a different Instagram username. When the child’s parents discovered Planas’s attempts to reinitiate communication, they contacted the FBI. An undercover FBI agent assumed the child’s online identity and continued online conversations with Planas, during which Planas asked for another pornographic image of the “child.”
On July 21, 2020, FBI agents executed a search warrant at Planas’s residence. During an interview, Planas admitted, among other things, that he had solicited pornographic images from the 11-year-old child. The agents conducted a forensic review of his computer devices and located other social media profiles that Planas had used to solicit pornographic images from other users, including the child.
This case was investigated by the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Amanda Daniels.
This is another case brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Ocean View Woman Charged with Wire Fraud and Tax EvasionRead the Press Release
WILMINGTON, Del. – U.S. Attorney David C. Weiss announced that a federal grand jury returned an indictment today charging an Ocean View, Delaware woman with embezzling more than $1 million dollars from her former employer.
According to the indictment, Joan Donald, 54, worked as a bookkeeper for Dovetail, Inc., a high-end interior design company based in Bethany Beach, Delaware. Over the course of at least 7 years, Donald took advantage of her access to the company’s financial account information, as well as the ailing health of Dovetail’s elderly owner, to drain funds from Dovetail. Bank records show that Donald used Dovetail’s funds to pay for her personal expenses, including purchasing vehicles and taking trips to Disneyworld.
U.S. Attorney Weiss commented on the charges, “This defendant abused her position of trust and took advantage of a vulnerable, elderly victim. After financing her lifestyle with stolen funds for years, the time has come for her to answer for her actions.”
Donald is charged with wire fraud and tax evasion. If convicted, she faces up to 20 years in prison. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties.
The FBI Baltimore Division’s Dover Resident Agency and IRS Criminal Investigation, with assistance from the Bethany Beach Police Department, conducted the investigation in this matter. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher R. Howland is prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Delaware. Related court documents and information is located on the website of the District Court for the District of Delaware or on PACER.
An indictment contains allegations that a defendant has committed a crime. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent until and unless proven guilty in court.
Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals Judge Ken Lee Addresses Eastern District of Texas as Part of EDTX’s Distinguished Speaker SeriesRead the Press Release
BEAUMONT, Texas – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Texas is pleased to announce the latest guest in its EDTX Distinguished Speaker Series, Judge Kenneth Kiyul Lee of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit.
Judge Lee has served on the Ninth Circuit since June 2019. Prior to joining the court, he was a partner in the Los Angeles office of Jenner & Block. From 2006 to 2009, Judge Lee was Associate Counsel and Special Assistant to the President. He has also served as a special counsel on the United States Senate Judiciary Committee and was an associate at Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz from 2001 to 2006. Judge Lee is no stranger to Texas – he began his legal career as a law clerk to Fifth Circuit Judge Emilio M. Garza from 2000 to 2001.
Judge Lee was born in South Korea and is only one of three Korean Americans to serve on any United States Courts of Appeal.
“The Eastern District is fortunate to have Judge Lee speak to us today. It is particularly fitting to hear from Judge Lee shortly after we celebrated Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei. “In his brief service as federal judge, Judge Lee has already distinguished himself for his clear writing and sharp legal analysis. I am confident Judge Lee will continue his excellent service to our Nation and the rule of law for years to come.”
Judge Lee is a graduate of Cornell University (summa cum laude) and Harvard Law School (magna cum laude).
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Nine Arrested, Charged with Federal Gun Crimes in SpringfieldRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – Within the past six weeks, nine men have been arrested and charged in federal court with illegal possession of guns in Springfield, Ill., as part of an ongoing cooperative effort to reduce violent crime. As the Department of Justice renews its commitment to the tenets of Project Safe Neighborhoods, as announced last month by Attorney General Merrick Garland, a fundamental principle of this effort to reduce violent crime and build strong, safe communities is comprehensive enforcement that targets public safety priorities in communities.
“Based on research and experience over the past two decades, Project Safe Neighborhoods is an effective initiative to bring together law enforcement at all levels as well as community leaders and partners to address violent crime,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Doug Quivey. “There is no one-size-fits-all solution to gun violence; each community has its unique challenges. But we know that when we pool our resources and pull together, we can make a difference. We are committed to working together to take illegal guns out of the hands of those who are prohibited from having them.”
Sangamon County State’s Attorney Dan Wright said, “The fight against gun violence continues to be a top priority for collaboration with our local, state and federal law enforcement partners. We are each more effective working together with leaders across our community to reduce violent crime and address the root causes of criminal conduct.”
Investigative agencies participating in this effort include the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; the Springfield Police Department; Illinois State Police; and, the Sangamon County Sheriff’s Office.
“I commend the efforts of the law enforcement personnel and prosecutors involved in these important investigations and prosecutions,” remarked ATF Special Agent in Charge Kristen de Tineo of the Chicago Field Division. “Partnerships like these, along with focused resources on crime gun intelligence will keep communities safer by ensuring firearms are not in the hands of those prohibited from possessing them.”
The indictments allege the following for each defendant charged:
- Eric Allison, 26, of the 2200 block of E. Laurel St., Springfield, Ill., charged with 1) possession of a firearm and 2) possession of ammunition, by a prohibited person, a felon, on Jan. 5, 2021;
- Jeremy Banks, 30, of the 1700 block of Matheny Ave., charged with possession of a firearm by a felon, on April 8, 2021;
- Donovan Hoover, 26, of the 600 block of Wood St., possession of a firearm by a felon on April 4, 2021;
- Deonte M. Pinnick, 34, of the 1000 block of 16th St., possession of a firearm by a felon on Feb. 9, 2020;
- Latayveon Wells, 22, of the 200 block of N. State St., possession of a firearm by a felon, on Dec. 17, 2020;
- Anthony M. Davis, 30, of Mesquite, Texas, possession of a firearm by a felon, on Feb. 3, 2021;
- Kai R. Estomo-Encallado, 21, of Grayson, Texas, possession of a shotgun with a barrel less than 18 inches, that was not registered to him, on Feb. 25, 2021;
- Jeremy Mitchell, 32, of the 2700 block of S. MacArthur Blvd., on April 7, 2021, 1) possession with intent to distribute 28 grams or more of crack cocaine; 2) possession with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl; 3) possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking; and, 4) felon in possession of a firearm; and,
- Demetrius M. Robertson, 29, of the 2300 block of S. 8th St., on Feb. 25, 2021, alleged 1) felon in possession of a firearm; 2) possession with intent to distribute marijuana; and, 3) possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking; 4) possession with intent to distribute marijuana on Jan. 8, 2021; and, 5) possession of a firearm by a felon on June 27, 2020.
Springfield Police Chief Kenny Winslow said, “The Springfield Police Department has worked diligently, collaborating with Federal agencies, including the U.S. Attorney's Office, to ensure that those responsible for gun crimes are held accountable. Project Safe Neighborhoods, as well as cooperation with other local, state and county law enforcement and prosecutors acts as a force multiplier within our community, providing the residents of Springfield the utmost safety and peace of mind.”
“The escalation in the number of gun violence cases as well as the random locations is concerning to all of the law enforcement community,” said Sangamon County Sheriff Jack Campbell. “The Sheriff’s Office will continue to work with all our partners to identify the offenders and bring them to justice. But we need help from our citizens. Anything you see and anything you know about these crimes needs to be reported.”
The defendants have been ordered to remain detained in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending their respective trial dates.
If convicted, the maximum statutory penalty for the gun offenses charged, including felon in possession of a firearm, felon in possession of ammunition, and possession of an unregistered shotgun with a barrel less than 18” is up to 10 years in prison. The two defendants charged with additional drug trafficking offenses face penalties of 10 years to life for crack cocaine and fentanyl, and up to five years in prison for marijuana, if convicted. For possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking, the penalty is at least five years and up to life in prison to be served consecutive to the sentence imposed for the underlying drug offense.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sierra Senor-Moore, Sarah Seberger, and Matthew Z. Weir represent the government in the federal case prosecutions.
Members of the public are reminded that an indictment is merely an accusation; each defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty.
The Department of Justice’s recent renewed commitment to Project Safe Neighborhoods establishes four fundamental principles to guide efforts to reduce violent crime: 1) build trust and legitimacy within communities; 2) invest in community-based prevention and intervention programs; 3) target enforcement and priorities to focus resources on identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the most significant drivers of gun violence and other violent crime; and, 4) measure results with the goal to reduce the level of violence in our communities and not to increase the number of arrests and prosecutions as if they were ends in themselves.
New Orleans Man Pleads Guilty to Violating the Federal Controlled Substances ActRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – JON YOUNG, age 35, of New Orleans, Louisiana, pleaded guilty on June 9, 2021 before the Honorable Sarah S. Vance to an indictment charging him with violating the Federal Controlled Substances Act, announced U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans.
According to the court records, YOUNG conspired to possess with the intent to distribute and to distribute 100 grams or more of a mixture or substance containing a detectable amount of heroin and YOUNG possessed with the intent to distribute 100 grams or more of a mixture or substance containing a detectable amount of heroin. YOUNG admitted to being captured on recorded calls as part of a lengthy Title III wire intercept.
Sentencing is scheduled for September 29, 2021. YOUNG faces a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of at least 5 years up to a maximum of 40 years, a fine of up to $5,000,000, at least four years of supervised release following any term of imprisonment, and a mandatory $200 special assessment.
This case was investigated by Special Agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). The prosecution is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney David Haller.
Navajo man sentenced to three years in prison for assaultRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Lyle Ryan Begaye, 44, of Tohlakai, New Mexico, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation of Fort Defiance, Arizona, was sentenced on June 2 in federal court to three years and 10 months in prison for assault resulting in serious bodily injury in Indian Country. Begaye pleaded guilty on Nov. 2, 2020.
In his plea agreement, Begaye admitted to assaulting the victim on June 1, 2020, in Bernalillo County, New Mexico. Begaye became jealous and struck the victim with his fist approximately 30 times on multiple parts of her body. Begaye struck the victim once for each letter in the first and last name of three men he believed she was being unfaithful with. Begaye then physically prevented the victim from leaving the residence. The victim was allowed to seek medical treatment only after assuring Begaye that she would not contact law enforcement. Begaye’s assault caused serious injuries, including fractures to the victim’s spine, broken ribs, extreme pain and hemorrhaging.
Emphasizing Begaye’s prior criminal history as “a serial terrorizer of women,” the court ordered Begaye to serve 200 hours of community service, which the court desired to be applied to battered women’s shelters. Upon his release from prison, Begaye will be subject to three years of supervised release.
The Albuquerque Field Office of the FBI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas J. Aliberti prosecuted the case.
Myrtle Beach Businesses, Owners, and Managers Indicted on Federal Charges for Visa Fraud, Money Laundering, and Wire Fraud ConspiracyRead the Press Release
MYRTLE BEACH, SC --- Acting United States Attorney M. Rhett DeHart announced today that a Federal Grand Jury has returned a multi-count indictment charging several Myrtle Beach businesses, business owners, and business managers with conspiracy to commit wire fraud, money laundering, and visa fraud. Acting U.S. Attorney DeHart is also calling for the public’s assistance to identify additional victims to the conspiracy.
The indictment alleges that Raja Imran Younas – the registered agent, president, and chief executive of Grandeur Management, Inc; the registered agent and Chief Financial Officer of Premier Laundry and Linen Supply LLC; the registered agent of Cenet USA LLC; and a 50% interest member of Hospitality Service Group LLC; Syed Rehan Naqvi, the registered agent and organizer of Rida Naqvi LLC; Jessica Voight, an employee of Grandeur Management; Hospitality Service Group LLC and the aforementioned businesses devised a scheme to defraud workers outside the United States to work for the defendants. It is alleged that the conspirators not only submitted false and fraudulent visa petitions but also mispresented the positions, duties, rates of pay, working conditions, and living conditions to collect unauthorized and improper fees from aliens seeking H-2B nonimmigrant visas.
According to the indictment, the conspirators would and did use separate accounts in order to pay employees differently based on their current nonimmigration or alien status in the United States. It is also alleged that, despite promising the workers full-time work, the conspirators provided less than full-time work and consistently paid the workers less than the amount states in the workers’ contracts and in the applications the defendants submitted to the United States Department of Labor and the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.
The indictment further alleges that part of the conspiracy is the misrepresentation that the conspirators maintain an established international cultural exchange program designed, on the whole, to exhibit or explain the attitude, customs, history, heritage, philosophy, traditions, and/or other cultural attributes (arts, literature, language) of the participant’s country of nationality in order to obtain authorization to sponsor Q-1 visas; when, in fact, once the nonimmigrant employees arrived in the United States, they were placed by their visa sponsors into inward facing housekeeping jobs, with no real opportunities for cultural exchange.
According to the indictment – Younas and Naqvi signed petitions for alien workers containing material misrepresentations; Voight and others conducted interviews with the alien workers over the internet and instructed them on how to wire unlawful visa fees charged by the conspirators; and collected the unlawful fees. The indictment further alleges that Hospitality Service Group, Rida Naqvi, Grandeur Management, Cenet, USA and Premier Laundry and Linen Supply did not provide the hours and wages promised to the workers in their contracts or represented in their applications to the Department of Labor and the U.S. Citizenship and Immigrations Services. Hospitality Service Group is also charged with petitioning for individuals who never worked for the company.
The maximum penalty the defendants could receive is twenty years imprisonment.
“Our nation’s visa system is an asset that provides much-needed resources to our communities and valuable opportunities to foreign workers,” said Acting U.S. Attorney DeHart. “Those in South Carolina who exploit the system and its workers will be brought to justice by our office, while we rescue and restore victims in the process.”
“While the allegations in the indictment speak for themselves, our office is seeking the public’s assistance to identify all potential victims,” continued Acting U.S. Attorney DeHart. “If you and/or someone you know may have been victimized by the defendants’ alleged scheme, please contact our coordinated support services at [email protected].”
“The Diplomatic Security Service (DSS) is committed to protecting the integrity of H-2B, B-2, and Q-1 visas, and all U.S. visas and travel documents that assist U.S. companies to legally employ foreign workers,” said DSS Special Agent in Charge Edwin Guard of the Washington Field Office. “This case is the result of working with the U.S. Department of Justice and our other law enforcement partners to interdict visa and passport crimes and stop criminals from reaping illegal income by exploiting U.S. visas, passports, and foreign workers.”
“The Myrtle Beach Police Department, along with our community, remain committed to holding persons who victimize anyone here in Myrtle Beach accountable for their crimes,” said Myrtle Beach Police Chief Amy Prock. “This case and these arrests demonstrate our commitment and the partnerships we have with our federal law enforcement colleagues. We are here to help and will always stand up for those who need us.”
The case was investigated by special agents of the U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service (DSS) and the Myrtle Beach Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Carrie Fisher Sherard is prosecuting the case.
Acting United States Attorney DeHart stated that all charges in indictments are merely accusations and that all defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
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Maryland Man Who Threatened Congressman Pleads Guilty to Federal ChargeRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – Sidhartha Kumar Mathur, age 35, of West Friendship, Maryland, pleaded guilty today to making false statements to federal agents, relating to the death threats he sent to a Member of Congress.
The guilty plea was announced by Acting United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Jonathan F. Lenzner and Acting Chief Yogananda D. Pittman of the United States Capitol Police.
According to his guilty plea, on December 10, 2020 Mathur used his phone to send a threatening webmail message on a congressional representative’s website. Mathur’s threats included violent statements such as “I will kill you and blow up your office if you try to take my vote away” and “I know where you and your family lives. You will be ended.” Mathur listed the name and previous address of a former classmate and neighbor (Individual B) for the contact information of the sender that Mathur provided on the webmail message.
Minutes later, Mathur left a threatening voice message on the same Representative’s District Office voicemail. In the voicemail, Mathur stated similar threats including, “If you even mess with my vote, I’m going to come and slit your throat and I’ll kill your family.”
During an interview with special agents of the United States Capitol Police on December 11, 2020, Mathur confirmed the phone number used to place the threatening voicemail belonged to him and that he called the congressional member out of anger.
As detailed in his plea agreement, Mathur further acknowledged that Individual B was a former neighbor and classmate. However, Mathur falsely denied responsibility for the webmail threat submitted in Individual B’s name. Agents informed Mathur that the webmail message contained similar language to the voice message and was submitted from the internet service at Mathur’s residence. The agents reiterated that providing false statements to federal agents was a felony offense. Mathur continued to falsely deny responsibility for the threatening webmail messages written in Individual B’s name. Agents again reminded Mathur that if he lied to federal agents he could be charged with a crime. When given a final opportunity to correct his false statement, Mathur again falsely denied making the webmail threat.
Mathur faces a maximum sentence of five years in prison followed by up to three years of supervised release for making false statements. U.S. District Judge Richard D. Bennett has scheduled sentencing for September 9, 2021 at 2:30 p.m.
Acting United States Attorney Jonathan F. Lenzner commended the U.S. Capitol Police for their work in the investigation. Mr. Lenzner thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Zachary A. Myers who is prosecuting the case.
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Man sentenced to 12 years in prison for bank robberies in Española and Santa FeRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Lester Padilla, 48, was sentenced in federal court on June 8 to 12 years and 7 months in prison for robbing three Wells Fargo Bank locations in Española and Santa Fe, New Mexico. Padilla pleaded to an indictment on Sept. 24, 2020.
According to an indictment and other court records, on Sept. 9, 2019, Padilla entered a Wells Fargo Bank in Española and handed a teller a demand note that read, “Give me your loose cash or I’ll shoot you.” The teller handed money from the cash drawers and Padilla left the bank. Padilla walked to a nearby convenience store and solicited a ride.
On September 24, 2019, Padilla entered a Wells Fargo Bank in Santa Fe and handed a demand note to a teller. The teller gave Padilla money and Padilla fled the bank. On Sept. 26, 2019, the FBI received a tip that Padilla had entered a pizza restaurant in Santa Fe and paper and requested a pen to write a note. Padilla then left the restaurant and walked to a third Wells Fargo Bank, where he once again handed a teller a demand note stating, “Give me the money or I will shoot you.”
Upon his release from prison, Padilla will be subject to three years of supervised release.
The Santa Fe Resident Agency of the Albuquerque Field Office of the FBI investigated the case with assistance from the Española Police Department and the Santa Fe Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Eva Fontanez prosecuted the case.
Lucchese Crime Family Member Sentenced to 30 Months in Prison for Aggravated AssaultRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A member of the Lucchese Crime Family was sentenced today to 30 months in prison for planning and carrying out an aggravated assault on the husband of one of the former stars of the Bravo television show “The Real Housewives of New Jersey,” Acting U.S. Attorney Rachael A. Honig announced.
John Perna, 44, of Cedar Grove, New Jersey, previously pleaded guilty by videoconference before U.S. District Judge Kevin McNulty to Count One of an indictment charging him with committing a violent crime in aid of racketeering activity. Judge McNulty imposed the sentence today by videoconference. The indictment also charges Thomas Manzo, 56, of Franklin Lakes, New Jersey.
According to documents filed in his case and his statements made in court:
In the spring of 2015, Manzo, one of the owners of the Brownstone Restaurant in Paterson, New Jersey, and the ex-husband of the Bravo star, hired Perna to assault his ex-wife’s new boyfriend (now husband) in exchange for a deeply discounted wedding reception to be held at Manzo’s upscale Passaic County venue. Perna, who is a member of the Lucchese Crime Family, planned and carried out the assault on July 18, 2015, with the help of a member of his crew. Perna was armed with a “slapjack” during the assault. In exchange for committing the assault, Perna held a lavish wedding reception at Manzo’s restaurant a month later for a fraction of the price he would otherwise have paid. The reception was attended by over 330 guests, many of whom were members of the Lucchese Crime Family.
In addition to the prison term, Judge McNulty sentenced Perna to three years of supervised release and ordered him to pay $17,816 in restitution.
Acting U.S. Attorney Honig credited special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge George M. Crouch Jr. in Newark, with the investigation leading to today’s sentencing.
The government is represented by Senior Litigation Counsel V. Grady O’Malley and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Kendall Randolph of the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Organized Crime and Gangs Unit in Newark.
The charges and allegations in the indictment remaining against Manzo are merely accusations, and he is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Louisiana Business Owner Sentenced for Filing False Income Tax ReturnsRead the Press Release
LAKE CHARLES, La. - Acting United States Attorney Alexander C. Van Hook announced that Alfredo Franco, 54, of Sulphur, Louisiana, was sentenced today by United States District Judge James D. Cain to 1 year and 1 day in prison, followed by 1 year of supervised release, on federal tax fraud charges. Franco was also ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $961,655.
Franco was charged in a Bill of Information with three counts of making and subscribing a false return, statement or other document. On February 23, 2021, Franco pleaded guilty to one count in the Bill of Information. According to information presented in court at the hearing, Franco was self-employed and owned a business in the Calcasieu Parish area. Franco admitted to submitting and electronically filing false and fraudulent U.S. Individual Income Tax Returns on behalf of his himself and his wife for the tax years 2015, 2016, and 2017. He purposefully omitted approximately $702,834 in gross receipts for tax year 2015, $1,270,449 in gross receipts for tax year 2016, and $696,763 in gross receipts for tax year 2017, from Schedule C (Profit or Loss from Business), where gross receipts are listed. The omission of this income resulted in an additional tax liability of $961,655.
The IRS conducted the investigation and Assistant U.S. Attorney Kelly P. Uebinger prosecuted the case.
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Long Island Gang Member Indicted for Sex Trafficking and Sexual Exploitation of MinorsRead the Press Release
Earlier today, in federal court in Central Islip, a seven-count indictment was unsealed charging Joshua Lampley-Reid, a member of the Makk Balla set of the Bloods street gang, with sex trafficking, coercion and enticement of a minor, sexual exploitation of a minor, transportation of child pornography and interstate prostitution. Lampley-Reid was arrested on Wednesday and will be arraigned this afternoon before United States Magistrate Judge James M. Wicks.
Mark J. Lesko, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York; Peter C. Fitzhugh, Special Agent-in-Charge, Homeland Security Investigations, New York (HSI); Vincent F. DeMarco, United States Marshal for the Eastern District of New York; and Errol D. Toulon, Jr., Suffolk County Sheriff, announced the indictment.
“As alleged, through violence, coercion and manipulation, the defendant exploited and demeaned both underage and adult female victims by forcing them to engage in commercial sex acts and posting sexually explicit photographs of them on the internet,” stated Acting U.S. Attorney Lesko. “This Office will use every tool in its law enforcement arsenal to combat the sexual exploitation of women, especially young girls, and ensure that predators like the defendant are prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.” Mr. Lesko expressed his appreciation to the Nassau County Police Department for their assistance during the investigation.
“Lampley-Reid lured young girls, some as young as 15, with romantic gestures. Once he had them in his grip, it’s alleged that he enslaved these girls and used violence to force them to work as prostitutes for his insidious gain,” stated HSI Special Agent-in-Charge Fitzhugh. “The deplorable actions of this one man will affect the lives of these young girls for years to come. HSI works closely with its law enforcement partners in a victim-centered approach to rescue the victims and keep them safe. Today, we are sending a unified message to anyone perpetrating crimes against children: no matter who you are, we will bring every resource available to hold you accountable for your crimes.”
“The U.S. Marshals Service has a long-standing and extremely successful history of cooperating with our federal, state and local law enforcement partners,” stated Marshal DeMarco. “These law enforcement partnerships enable the Marshals Service to fulfill its mission to keep our communities safe.”
“Sex trafficking is a particularly heinous crime that targets some of the most vulnerable in our communities. Individuals who perpetrate this crime use drugs intimidation and ultimately violence to lure in their victims for financial gain while slowly destroying their lives,” stated Sheriff Toulon. “I applaud this arrest and will continue to support and work closely with both our local and federal partners to help eliminate this scourge from our communities.”
As set forth in court filings, from December 2019 until his arrest yesterday, Lampley-Reid allegedly used violence and the threat of violence to compel the commission of commercial sex acts by numerous women for his financial benefit, including by minors as young as 15-years-old. Lampley-Reid used social media and other internet applications to establish relationships with potential victims, groomed those victims by feigning a romantic interest in them, manipulated them into working for him as prostitutes, and then effectively enslaved them through acts of force and coercion. Lampley-Reid demanded that the proceeds of prostitution “dates” be turned over to him, and any resistance from the victims was met with violence or threats. Lampley-Reid trafficked victims on Long Island, including at motels in East Meadow, Freeport and Rockville Centre, as well as out of state, including locations in Florida, Maryland and North Carolina. He also engaged in sexual intercourse with his victims, including minors, and provided them with illegal narcotics. Lampley-Reid promoted and managed his prostitution business over the Internet, posting sexually exploitative photos of minor victims that he took or persuaded them to take of themselves in order to further his trafficking business.
The charges in the indictment are allegations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. If convicted of sex trafficking of a minor, the defendant faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years’ imprisonment and a maximum of life in prison. If convicted of producing child pornography, he faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in prison and a maximum of 30 years in prison.
The government’s case is being handled by the Long Island Criminal Division. Assistant United States Attorney Megan E. Farrell is in charge of the prosecution.
The Defendant:
JOSHUA LAMPLEY-REID
Age: 26
West Hempstead, New YorkE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 21-CR-319 (GRB)
Logan County Man Pleads Guilty to Child Pornography ChargeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A Logan County man pleaded guilty today to receipt of child pornography.
According to the plea agreement and statements made in court, Marvin Wayne Akers, 40, admitted that on December 21, 2016, he used his Facebook account to communicate with a person living in the Philippines and asked to see “her.” In response, Akers received two images and a video that he knew were child pornography or images depicting children under the age of 18 engaged in sexually explicit conduct.
Akers faces at least five years and up to 20 years in prison when he is sentenced on September 16, 2021.
Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security-Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).
United States District Judge Irene C. Berger presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorneys Ryan Blackwell and Jennifer Rada Herrald are handling the prosecution.
This case is being prosecuted as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative of the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute those who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:20-000174.
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Judge sentences Bollinger County man for possession of a firearmRead the Press Release
CAPE GIRARDEAU – United States District Judge Stephen N. Limbaugh, Jr. sentenced Eric C. Castulik to 96 months in prison today. Castulik, a 36-year-old residence of Marble Hill, Missouri, pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
On November 18, 2020, a search warrant was executed at Castulik’s resident. He was home at the time. Investigators seized two firearms along with a small quantity of methamphetamine. One of the firearms, a Smith & Wesson, .22 caliber rifle, was loaded with an extended capacity magazine containing 25 rounds of ammunition. Castulik admitted he knew he was a convicted felon and it was unlawful for him to possess firearms.
This case was investigated by the Bollinger County Sheriff’s Department and the SEMO Drug Task Force. Assistant United States Attorney Julie A. Hunter handled the prosecution.
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Inmate who Orchestrated Two Separate Drug Conspiracies from Prison Pleads GuiltyRead the Press Release
A man who orchestrated two major drug conspiracies while he was an inmate at an Oklahoma Department of Corrections facility pleaded guilty in federal court this week, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.
Tymalk Quane Love, 31, was charged with multiple counts of drug conspiracy and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. The drugs he helped traffic included methamphetamine, heroin, and fentanyl.
In a written plea agreement, Love admitted that from January 2018 to February 2019, he conspired with Anthony Ward Irving, Casey Joe Eastwood, and others, including a Tulsa “Facilitator,” to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine and an unknown quantity of heroin.
While incarcerated, the defendant organized the other members’ activities and coordinated shipments, payments, and the distribution of methamphetamine and heroin. Love did so using contraband cell phones. Inmates are prohibited from possessing cell phones.
Anthony Irving lived in Arizona at the time of the conspiracy and helped provide large quantities of drugs to be redistributed. Casey Eastwood lived in Arkansas and helped redistribute the drugs to end-users. Love coordinated with both men and further instructed a Tulsa “Facilitator” on when and where to obtain, pay for, and distribute the drugs.
Love also admitted that the “Facilitator” possessed a firearm to protect the methamphetamine and drug proceeds from possible theft, and that this gun possession in furtherance of drug trafficking was reasonably foreseeable to him.
Love also admitted that from January to February 2019, he conspired with the Tulsa “Facilitator” to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute fentanyl. Love again used contraband cell phones to communicate with the “Facilitator” from prison about when and in what manner pills laced with fentanyl and shipped from Mexico would be sent to the “Facilitator’s” house in Tulsa. The fentanyl pills, often referred to as “Mexican Oxys,” are illicitly manufactured in Mexico to look like prescription oxycodone tablets. Users frequently believe they are taking oxycodone or a comparable opioid, but the fentanyl laced pills, which are much stronger than oxycodone, often lead to overdose and death.
Love admitted that the proceeds from his drug conspiracies totaled $201,800.
If the Court accepts the parties’ plea agreement at sentencing, Love will receive a sentence of 10 years’ imprisonment.
The Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, and Tulsa County Sheriff’s Office are the investigative agencies.
Indictment Charges 8 for Involvement in Drug Trafficking RingRead the Press Release
Leonard C Boyle, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, and Brian D. Boyle, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration for New England, announced that eight individuals have been charged for their alleged participation in a drug trafficking ring.
On June 7, 2021, a federal grand jury in Hartford returned an indictment charging the following individuals with conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances:
TAJH WILEY, a.k.a. “Yung,” 25, of Norwalk
KENSTON HARRY, 40, of Bloomfield
JEVAUGHN WATSON, a.k.a. “Russ,” 27, of Ansonia
MYRON BROWN, a.k.a. “Farid,” 47, of Chester, Pennsylvania
SASHERY FELIZ, 26, of Yonkers, New York
PETER MUNOZ, a.k.a. Peter Escalante-Munoz, 33, of Bridgeport
CHARLES RICHARDSON, a.k.a. “Uncle Charles,” 67, of Bridgeport
DESTINY WADE, 27, of NorwalkSeven of the eight defendants were arrested yesterday. Brown has been in state custody in Pennsylvania.
As alleged in court documents and statements made in court, a court-authorized wiretap of Wiley’s phone revealed that he led a drug trafficking organization that has distributed large quantities of cocaine and marijuana in Connecticut and elsewhere.
In association with yesterday’s arrests, investigators executed multiple search warrants and seized approximately two kilograms of cocaine, approximately 260 grams of fentanyl, approximately 50 grams of crack cocaine, approximately 30 pounds of marijuana, two kilogram presses and others items used to process and package narcotics, 11 firearms, three high-capacity magazines, approximately 500 rounds of ammunition, three high-end automobiles, more than $250,000 in jewelry, and approximately $25,000 in cash.
“We are committed to using federal law enforcement resources to prosecute those responsible for flooding our communities with illegal drugs,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Boyle. “We thank the DEA, all of their task force members, and our other local law enforcement partners for sharing in this commitment and their great work on this investigation.
“DEA is committed to investigating and dismantling violent poly drug trafficking organizations, like this one, operating throughout the state of Connecticut,” said DEA Special Agent in Charge Boyle. “These enforcement actions with our federal, state and local partners show what happens when law enforcement works together.”
Conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years.
Acting U.S. Attorney Boyle stressed that an indictment is not evidence of guilt. Charges are only allegations, and each defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This investigation is being conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Bridgeport High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) Task Force, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Fairfield Police Department, Bridgeport Police Department, Norwalk Police Department, Stamford Police Department, Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Police Department and the U.S. Marshals Service. The HIDTA Task Force includes personnel from the DEA Bridgeport Resident Office, the Connecticut State Police, and the Bridgeport, Norwalk, Stamford, Stratford, Milford and Danbury Police Departments.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Patrick J. Doherty and Elena L. Coronado through the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Program. OCDETF identifies, disrupts and dismantles drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs and transnational criminal organizations through a prosecutor-led and intelligence-driven approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
Illinois Man Sentenced for Making Anti-Semitic Threats to Arizona VictimRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – On Tuesday, Kevin Thomas Kerr, 51, of Waukegan, Illinois, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Douglas L. Rayes to five years of probation. Kerr has also been incarcerated for more than six months and is required to serve an additional six months of home confinement subject to electronic monitoring. Kerr previously pleaded guilty to Making Threats in Interstate Commerce.
On March 6, 2020, as part of an ongoing series of harassing communications, which included anti-Semitic slurs, Kerr called the victim in Arizona and left a voicemail threatening to injure and kill him. Federal investigators arrested Kerr in Illinois, and he was transported to Arizona to face charges.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation in this case. William G. Voit, Assistant U.S. Attorney, District of Arizona, Phoenix, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR 20-00513-DLR
RELEASE NUMBER: 2021-037_Kerr# # #
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.Illegal Alien with Lengthy Criminal History Sentenced to Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
SHREVEPORT, La. – Jose Angel Lopez Valdivierzo, 36, a citizen of Honduras who was living in Bossier City, Louisiana, has been sentenced for illegal re-entry by a removed alien, Acting United States Attorney Alexander C. Van Hook announced. United States District Judge Donald E. Walter sentenced Valdivierzo to 15 months in prison.
Valdivierzo was stopped by Bossier City Police officers for a traffic violation on October 26, 2020 and found him to be in possession of a controlled substance. Valdivierzo has been removed from the United States on ten prior occasions, specifically on the following dates: June 11, 2008; August 15, 2008; October 31, 2008; January 29, 2009; March 18, 2011; October 20, 2011; January 13, 2014; April 25, 2014; February 20, 2015; and March 22, 2017.
His prior federal convictions are for improper entry by an alien (2011) and illegal re-entry by a removed alien (2013 and 2016). Valdivierzo also has prior misdemeanor convictions in Texas for theft (2013) and assault causing bodily injury to a family member (2015).
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security and Bossier City Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica D. Cassidy prosecuted the case.
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Husband of Amazon employee sentenced to prison for insider trading in Amazon stockRead the Press Release
Seattle - A 37-year-old Bothell, Washington man was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Seattle to 26 months in prison for securities fraud due to his insider trading activity, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman. Viky Bohra pleaded guilty in November 2020, admitting that between 2016 and 2018, he used Amazon inside information he obtained from his wife, an Amazon finance employee, to place trades in Amazon stock–making a profit of $1,428,264. At the sentencing hearing U.S. District Judge James L. Robart noted that Bohra had turned his wife and father into criminals and added “I firmly believe white collar crime deserves equal treatment to what we call street crime.”
“This defendant and his wife were earning hundreds of thousands of dollars in salary and bonuses from their jobs in tech – but he was not content with that – greedily scheming to illegally profit by trading Amazon stock,” said U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman. “This case should stand as a warning to those who try to game the markets with insider trading: there is a heavy price to pay with a felony conviction and prison sentence.”
According to records filed in the case, Bohra’s wife had access to confidential information regarding Amazon revenue and expenses. Because of that work, Bohra and his wife were subject to blackout periods during which no Amazon stock could be traded. Bohra’s wife was advised of insider trading policies making it clear the responsibility to safeguard confidential financial information. Despite those warnings, Bohra obtained his wife’s confidential information and traded in Amazon stock and options in accounts tied to him and his father. Trades occurred during blackout periods and, from 2016 to 2018, relied in part on information from his wife to make successful trades in advance of Amazon earnings announcements.
“Mr. Bohra knew exactly what he was doing and was driven solely by greed,” said Donald M. Voiret, FBI Special Agent in Charge of the Seattle Field Office. “With his nearly unlimited access and knowledge of securities trading, he undermined public trust in our financial markets.”
In asking for a 33-month sentence, prosecutors wrote to the court, “over two and a half years, Bohra, using information provided by his wife, made over $1.4 million by making illegal stock and options trades. Bohra’s conduct was not an isolated incident, limited to trading before one Amazon earning’s statement. Rather, Bohra engaged in illegal insider trading in advance of 11 straight earnings announcements.”
On September 28, 2020, Bohra was charged by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) in a civil insider trading case. He and his family members have paid $2,652,899 in disgorgement, interest and penalties. Based upon these payments, the United States is not seeking forfeiture in this case.
As part of the plea agreement, Bohra’s wife will not face criminal charges. Bohra’s wife is no longer employed at Amazon.
The case was investigated by the FBI.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Justin Arnold.