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Friday 28 May 2021
Man Charged with Interfering with Telecommunications Systems in Villalba, Loíza, Aguas Buenas, and BayamónRead the Press Release
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – A federal grand jury returned an indictment charging Kenny Luis Mieses-Rosado with four counts of interfering with telecommunications systems, announced W. Stephen Muldrow, United States Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico.
According to the Government’s allegations, Kenny Luis Mieses-Rosado stole four generators from telecommunications systems in Villalba, Loíza, Aguas Buenas, and Bayamón in September and October 2020. Because of the generator thefts, parts of Claro Puerto Rico’s network were rendered temporarily inoperable during power outages. The cost of replacing the stolen generators exceeds $75,000.
“The U.S. Attorney’s Office will prosecute to the fullest extent of the law any criminal activity that compromises the vital infrastructure of Puerto Rico. This includes the telecommunications and energy systems that are fundamental to the island’s security,” said United States Attorney Muldrow.
“A solid infrastructure, which includes critical systems such as telecommunications, water supply and the power grid, is crucial for the economy, as well as the health and the safety of all citizens,” said Rafael Riviere Vazquez, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI, San Juan Field Division. “Criminal acts against these structures, thus jeopardize the health and safety of the people of Puerto Rico. The FBI takes these violations seriously and will pursue perpetrators to the full extent of the law.”
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeanette Collazo of the Violent Crimes and National Security Section is in charge of the prosecution of the case. The Domestic Terrorism Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation is in charge of the investigation. If convicted, the defendant faces a sentence of up to ten years in prison.
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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Madison Felon Sentenced to 48 Months for Illegal Gun PossessionRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, Acting United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Lucas Anderson, 26, Madison, Wisconsin, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge William Conley to 48 months in federal prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm. Anderson pleaded guilty to this charge on February 23, 2021.
In 2015, Anderson was convicted of the felony crimes of child enticement, intentionally contributing to the delinquency of a minor, second degree reckless endangering safety, and resisting an officer causing bodily harm. He was sentenced to five years in state prison along with probation and extended supervision. Anderson was released from prison in 2018.
On April 29, 2020, Anderson was a passenger in a vehicle involved in a cocaine transaction. On May 1, 2020, Anderson delivered a small amount of cocaine to another person. As a result of that drug investigation, on August 17, 2020, police arrested Anderson and found $2,627 in his pocket and a loaded .40 caliber Glock pistol with extended magazine in the glovebox of the car he was driving. At the time Anderson was still on state supervision.
At sentencing, Judge Conley noted that at a young age Anderson became involved in gang activity, his criminal behavior continued into adulthood, and that he had many violations of supervision after release from prison. Judge Conley found that the goal of sentencing was to protect the community and ordered that the federal sentence would run concurrent with the remainder of a state revocation involving the same conduct. Anderson was also ordered to serve 3 years of supervised release.
The charge against Anderson was the result of an investigation conducted by the Madison Police Department and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. The prosecution of the case has been handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Corey Stephan.
This case has been brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the U.S. Justice Department’s program to reduce violent crime. The PSN approach emphasizes coordination between state and federal prosecutors and all levels of law enforcement to address gun crime, especially felons illegally possessing firearms and ammunition and violent and drug crimes that involve the use of firearms.
Little Rock Gang Leader Sentenced to 15 Years in Prison for Drug Conspiracy and Possessing a Firearm in Furtherance of Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
LITTLE ROCK—A former Little Rock gang leader of the Wolfe Street Crips has been sentenced to 15 years in federal prison for his role in a marijuana conspiracy as well as possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Thursday afternoon, United States District Judge Kristine G. Baker sentenced Machita Mitchell, Jr., aka “Frog”, 45, to 180 months’ imprisonment.
The case is the result of an investigation by the Little Rock Police Department (LRPD) with assistance from Arkansas Community Corrections into a drug conspiracy involving members of the Wolfe Street Crips. In June 2017, probation officers and LRPD conducted a home visit at Mitchell’s residence. Mitchell was on active supervision with a search waiver on file. Officers located four firearms, a gallon size bag of marijuana, and several trash bags full of marijuana. Mitchell admitted the marijuana was his and that he possessed the firearms to protect the marijuana and the money he made from it.
Mitchell was charged in January 2018 with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute marijuana, possession with intent to distribute marijuana, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. In exchange for his October 2019 plea to the conspiracy and the firearm charge, the possession of marijuana charge was dropped.
In February 2016, Mitchell was accused of making threats to kill two individuals and brandishing a firearm. Testimony from a LRPD detective indicated that Mitchell had made these threats over allegations that someone had stolen cash and marijuana. Mitchell was charged and arrested, and further investigation revealed he bribed the two individuals he threatened to drop their complaints against him in exchange for cash.
Mitchell also faces state charges of capital murder and aggravated robbery, to which he had pled not guilty and which he contests, stemming from the shooting death of a 14-year-old boy who was present in an apartment that allegedly contained marijuana.
In addition to the 15-year prison sentence, Judge Baker sentenced Mitchell to serve three years of supervised release. The investigation was conducted by the FBI GETROCK Task Force and the Little Rock Police Department with assistance from Arkansas Community Corrections.
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This news release, as well as additional information about the office of the
United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, is available online at
https://www.justice.gov/edar
Twitter:
@EDARNEWS
Lincoln Man Sentenced for Setting up Home Invasion Resulting in DeathRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney Jan Sharp announced that William Boothe, III, a/k/a “Bill” Boothe, a/k/a “Uncle Bill,” age 57, of Lincoln, Nebraska, was sentenced today in Lincoln to 240 months in federal prison for his role in planning and setting up the attempted robbery and home invasion that resulted in the fatal shooting of Jessica Brandon on July 31, 2018. Evidence at trial of his co-defendants, Tawhyne Patterson and Damon Williams, in February 2021, revealed that Boothe provided the home as a target to Patterson for the attempted robbery and provided information about the residents inside the home.
The sentence of 240 months is the maximum sentence allowed under the law. Chief United States District Judge John M. Gerrard denied Boothe’s motions for a lesser sentence of 120 months based on his age and medical conditions and noted that Boothe would be able to receive the medical care he needs from the Bureau of Prisons. In pronouncing the sentence, the Chief Judge Gerrard told Boothe that home invasion robberies of drug dealers are among the most egregious cases that he sees and directed Boothe to think about the senseless loss of life that resulted from the events that night. Boothe was also sentenced to three years of supervised release to follow the 240 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system.
This case is part of Project Guardian, the Department of Justice’s signature initiative to reduce gun violence and enforce federal firearms laws. Initiated by the Attorney General in the fall of 2019, Project Guardian draws upon the Department’s past successful programs to reduce gun violence; enhances coordination of federal, state, local, and tribal authorities in investigating and prosecuting gun crimes; improves information-sharing by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives when a prohibited individual attempts to purchase a firearm and is denied by the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS), to include taking appropriate actions when a prospective purchaser is denied by the NICS for mental health reasons; and ensures that federal resources are directed at the criminals posing the greatest threat to our communities. For more information about Project Guardian, please see https://www.justice.gov/projectguardian.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Lincoln Police Department.
Lawrence County Man Convicted of Child Pornography ChargesRead the Press Release
ASHLAND, Ky. – A Lawrence County, Ky. man was convicted Thursday, by a federal jury sitting in Ashland, of 11 counts of child pornography charges. The counts included five counts of production, four counts of receipt, one count of distribution, and one count of possession of a matter containing visual depictions of a minor engaging in sexually explicit conduct.
The jury convicted Dale Allen Fraley, 49, after two hours of deliberations, following a three-day trial.
According to the evidence at trial, Fraley used various online “personas” to induce, persuade, or coerce minors to engage in sexually explicit conduct, for the purpose of producing visual depictions of that conduct. Fraley, acting through the online “personas,” would threaten minor females to engage in various sexual acts and to record that activity, or send the images to him “live” via Skype or other applications. He also persuaded the minors to come to his home, sometimes at the behest of the online “personas,” to get “sexual experience” with Dale Fraley as the teacher. Fraley would sometimes record the sexual activity between himself and the minors at his home, or record the minors masturbating or engaging in the lewd and lascivious exhibition of their genitalia.
Fraley was indicted in October of 2019, with a Superseding Indictment being returned in September of 2020.
Carlton S. Shier, IV., Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky, James R. Brown, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Louisville Division; and Chief Brian Mullins, Eastern Kentucky University Police, jointly announced the jury’s verdict.
The investigation was conducted by the FBI, including a Task Force Officer employed by the Eastern Kentucky University Police Department. The United States was represented in the case by Assistant U.S. Attorneys David Marye and Mary Melton.
Fraley will appear for sentencing before U.S. District Judge David Bunning, on October 18, 2021. He faces a maximum of 30 years in prison for each count of production, 20 years for each count of receipt and distribution of child pornography, and ten years for possession of child pornography. However, the Court must consider the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the applicable federal sentencing statutes before imposing the sentence.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
Las Vegas Woman Arrested and Charged with Illegally Exporting Goods to IranRead the Press Release
A Las Vegas woman has been indicted by a federal grand jury for conspiracy to export goods from the United States to Iran, in violation of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) and the Iranian Transactions and Sanctions Regulations.
According to the indictment unsealed yesterday, Tina Chen, 47 — aka Ya When Chen, Wen Tina Chen, Tina Dunbar, and Tina Dubner — is the owner of Top One Zone, LLC, a company exporting electronic and computer components that Chen operates from her residence. As alleged, from about November 2015 to May 2019, Chen conspired with others to buy and export goods from companies in the United States, and then send those goods to individuals in Iran through companies in Hong Kong. Chen concealed the identities of the end users, and she did not have a license from the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) of the U.S. Department of the Treasury.
Chen is charged with one count of conspiracy to unlawfully export goods to Iran. Chen made her initial court appearance today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Nancy J. Koppe, who scheduled a jury trial for July 26. If convicted, Chen faces a statutory maximum penalty of 20 years’ imprisonment and a $1,000,000 fine. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors
Assistant Attorney General John C. Demers for the Justice Department’s National Security Division, Acting U.S. Attorney Christopher Chiou for the District of Nevada and Special Agent in Charge Aaron C. Rouse of the FBI made the announcement.
The FBI’s Las Vegas Field Office and the Department of Commerce, Bureau of Industry and Security, Office of Export Enforcement are investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicholas Dickinson of the District of Nevada and Trial Attorney Matthew J. McKenzie of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section are prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Las Vegas Woman Arrested and Charged with Illegally Exporting Goods to IranRead the Press Release
LAS VEGAS, Nev. – A Las Vegas woman has been indicted by a federal grand jury for conspiracy to export goods from the United States to Iran, in violation of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) and the Iranian Transactions and Sanctions Regulations.
According to the indictment unsealed on Thursday, Tina Chen, 47 — aka Ya When Chen, Wen Tina Chen, Tina Dunbar, and Tina Dubner — is the owner of Top One Zone, LLC, a company exporting electronic and computer components that Chen operates from her residence. As alleged, from about November 2015 to May 2019, Chen conspired with others to buy and export goods from companies in the United States, and then send those goods to individuals in Iran through companies in Hong Kong. Chen concealed the identities of the end users, and she did not have a license from the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) of the U.S. Department of the Treasury.
Chen is charged with one count of conspiracy to unlawfully export goods to Iran. Chen made her initial court appearance on Thursday before U.S. Magistrate Judge Nancy J. Koppe, who scheduled a jury trial for July 26. If convicted, Chen faces a statutory maximum penalty of 20 years’ imprisonment and a $1,000,000 fine. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors
Assistant Attorney General John C. Demers for the Justice Department’s National Security Division, Acting U.S. Attorney Christopher Chiou for the District of Nevada, and Special Agent in Charge Aaron C. Rouse of the FBI made the announcement.
The FBI’s Las Vegas Field Office and the Department of Commerce, Bureau of Industry and Security, Office of Export Enforcement are investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicholas Dickinson of the District of Nevada and Trial Attorney Matthew J. McKenzie of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section are prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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KC Man Charged with Arson of Apartment BuildingRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City, Missouri, man was charged in federal court today with setting the arson fire of an apartment building in which several residents were injured.
Rodney Boyles, 35, was charged with one count of arson in a criminal complaint filed in the U.S. District Court in Kansas City, Mo. Boyles remains in federal custody pending a detention hearing, which has not yet been scheduled.
According to an affidavit filed in support of today’s federal criminal complaint, a fire was reported at 1102-1104 Benton Boulevard in Kansas City, Mo., at approximately 12:33 a.m. on Jan. 13, 2021. The four-story brick apartment building was occupied at the time of the fire. Three occupants of the apartment building sustained serious injuries because of the fire and were transported to the hospital for treatment. The building sustained significant fire damage on all four floors of the structure.
Fire investigators determined the fire had been intentionally set. One of the residents of the apartment building told investigators that Boyles had been staying in one of the apartments with his girlfriend and her son. Investigators interviewed Boyles on Thursday, May 27, and arrested him.
Investigators interviewed several victims of the arson. One resident, identified in court documents as “TN,” exited her third-floor apartment using the interior stairwell. She recalled the smoke being so thick in the interior stairwell that she could not see her hand in front of her face. She was transported to the hospital, where she was intubated for approximately nine days while being treated for smoke inhalation injuries she sustained from the fire.
Another resident, identified in court documents as “BF,” was asleep in the living room when he woke up and smelled smoke. He passed out in the apartment and was rescued by firefighters. He was treated at the hospital for partial thickness burns to his face, acute respiratory failure with hypoxia, carbon monoxide and cyanide poisoning, pneumonia, and volume overload. He was placed in a medically induced coma during his hospitalization.
Two residents, identified in court documents as “RF” and “NF,” were forced by heavy smoke to exit their apartment through a front window that provided access onto a second-floor overhang so they could jump to safety. RF broke his wrist and ankle after jumping onto the ground below; he was hospitalized for 14 days as a result of his injuries.
The charge contained in this complaint is simply an accusation, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charge must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney D. Michael Green. It was investigated by the Kansas City, Mo., Fire Department, the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Justice Department Settles Investigation into Language Barriers in the Hazleton Police DepartmentRead the Press Release
The Justice Department today announced it has reached a settlement agreement with the Hazleton Police Department (HPD) and the City of Hazleton, Pennsylvania, to help people with limited English proficiency (LEP) communicate with the police.
The agreement resolves a Justice Department investigation of the HPD under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Title VI prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, and national origin by recipients of federal assistance, such as the HPD. The Justice Department initiated its review after receiving a complaint from the Community Justice Project on behalf of an LEP Hazleton resident who had been forced to rely on his young son and a co-worker to communicate with the police. HPD has since agreed to secure appropriate and reliable means of communicating with the City’s large Spanish-speaking community.
"Timely and accurate communication between limited English proficient residents and police officers is essential to public safety,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke for the Civil Rights Division. "The changes required by this agreement will benefit crime victims and witnesses, but also help police officers do their jobs. We are pleased that Hazleton’s City and Police Department leadership support improvements to police policy and practices on language services."
“Our office is proud to have joined with the Civil Rights Division on this important case,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Bruce D. Brandler for the Middle District of Pennsylvania. “Ensuring that all individuals can communicate with law enforcement officers benefits all involved and is fundamental to our democracy.”
Under the agreement, HPD will soon release a new standard operating procedure on language access that requires HPD officers to provide appropriate language assistance in any contacts with LEP community members. Over the next year, HPD and the City will take a number of additional steps, including providing Spanish and English language notices and complaint forms, assessing language skills of bilingual officers, and training staff on how and when to access interpreters and translations.
Enforcement of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 is a top priority of the Civil Rights Division. Additional information about the Civil Rights Division is available on its website at www.justice.gov/crt, and information about limited English proficiency and Title VI is available at www.lep.gov. Members of the public may report possible civil rights violations at https://civilrights.justice.gov/report/.
Jury Convicts West Virginia Doctor of Drug DistributionRead the Press Release
A federal jury convicted a West Virginia doctor Thursday for prescribing a buprenorphine product in violation of the Controlled Substances Act.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Sriramloo Kesari, M.D., 78, of Charleston distributed the drug Suboxone outside the scope of professional practice and not for a legitimate medical purpose. Kesari, who was at times physically located in California, operated a cash-only operation whereby he would sign prescriptions that his employee would distribute in exchange for cash payments. Although Suboxone is approved as a drug for treating opioid addiction, Kesari provided no meaningful addiction treatment and instead, prescribed Suboxone to an undercover DEA agent who was demonstrating clear signs that the Suboxone was being diverted or sold on the street.
Kesari is scheduled to be sentenced on Aug. 25, and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. 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; Acting U.S. Attorney Lisa G. Johnston of the Southern District of West Virginia; and Special Agent in Charge J. Todd Scott of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Louisville Field Office made the announcement.
The DEA investigated the case.
Assistant Chief Kilby Macfadden and Trial Attorneys Dermot Lynch, Andrew Barras and Maryam Adeyola of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section are prosecuting the case.
The Fraud Section leads the Appalachian Regional Prescription Opioid (ARPO) Strike Force. Since its inception in October 2018, the ARPO Strike Force, which operates in 10 districts, has charged more than 85 defendants who are collectively responsible for distributing more than 65 million pills. Since its inception in March 2007, the Health Care Fraud Strike Force, which maintains 15 strike forces operating in 24 districts, has charged more than 4,200 defendants who have collectively billed the Medicare program for approximately $19 billion. In addition, the Health and Human Services (HHS) Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, working in conjunction with the HHS-Office of Inspector General, are taking steps to increase accountability and decrease the presence of fraudulent providers.
Jefferson County Man Indicted for Theft from Papa's Guns, Ammo, and Archery in Oldham CountyRead the Press Release
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – A federal grand jury returned an indictment against Andrew Wade Dunn, age 35, of Jefferson County, Kentucky, on May 25, 2021, for stealing firearms from a licensed dealer and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon announced Acting United States Attorney Michael A. Bennett and ATF Special Agent in Charge R. Shawn Morrow.
Wade was arrested by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Louisville Field Division, with assistance from Jeffersontown and Oldham County, Kentucky Police Departments, on May 6, 2021, and charged via criminal complaint with federal firearms offenses.
According to the Criminal Complaint filed in the case, surveillance video from Papa’s Guns, Ammo, and Archery, a federal firearms licensee located in Pewee Valley, Kentucky, showed Dunn allegedly shooting the glass front door at approximately 2:20 a.m., on May 3, 2021, which created an entry point. Multiple individuals, not identified in the Criminal Complaint, were seen in the area waiting until approximately 5:30 a.m., when Dunn is seen squeezing through the security bars on the front door of the business. Once inside, video shows Dunn breaking one display case and removing approximately 18 firearms from the case and wall.
On May 6, 2021, Jeffersontown Police were dispatched to the Mainstay Hotel, located on Commonwealth Drive in Louisville, on a report of a stolen 2017 Hyundai. Dunn was in the driver’s seat of the stolen vehicle and when officers arrived, he fled to a commercial office building on Bluegrass Parkway. Officers located Dunn by a dumpster where he was taken into custody along with a stolen Ruger EC9s 9-millimeter semi-automatic pistol.
On May 5th, ATF and the National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF), offered a combined $5,000 reward for the arrest and conviction of those responsible for the break-in and theft of firearms from Papa’s Guns, Ammo, and Archery. The individual who provided information to ATF will remain anonymous.
Assistant United States Attorney Alicia Gomez is prosecuting this case. The ATF Louisville Division is investigating the case with assistance from the Oldham County and Jeffersontown Police Departments.
The indictment of a person by a grand jury is an accusation only and that person is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
Informational: Federal Court arraignmentsRead the Press Release
The U.S. Attorney’s Office announced that the following persons were arraigned or appeared this week before U.S. Magistrate judges on indictments handed down by the Grand Jury or on criminal complaints. The charging documents are merely accusations and defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty:
Appearing in Billings before U.S. Magistrate Judge Timothy J. Cavan and pleading not guilty on May 27 was:
Jamie Leigh Gracey, 43, and Dwight Benjamin Boyce, 34, both of Culbertson, on charges of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine, distribution of meth, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. If convicted of the most serious crime, Gracey and Boyce face a mandatory minimum 10 years to life in prison, a $10 million fine and at least five years of supervised release. Gracey and Boyce were detained pending further proceedings. The Drug Enforcement Administration investigated the case. PACER case reference. 21-10.
Angelo Corey Stackhouse, 51, of Billings, on charges of transportation of person with intent to engage in illegal sexual activity, distribution of cocaine to a person under the age of 21, distribution of cocaine and meth, possession with intent to distribute cocaine and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a trafficking offense. If convicted of the most serious crime, Stackhouse faces a mandatory minimum one year to 40 years in prison, a $1 million fine and at least six years of supervised release on the crime of cocaine distribution to a person under the age of 21, plus a mandatory minimum seven years to life in prison, a $250,000 fine and five years of supervised release consecutive to any other sentence on the firearms crime. Stackhouse was detained pending further proceedings. The Montana Division of Criminal Investigation investigated the case. PACER case reference. 21-35.
Lonnie Burdette Porter, 59, of Fairview, on charges of felon in possession of a firearm. If convicted of the most serious crime, Porter faces a maximum of 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release. Porter was detained pending further proceedings. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case. PACER case reference. 21-16.
Francisco Javi Martinez Escoto, 33, of Bozeman/Honduras, on charges of illegal reentry. If convicted of the most serious crime, Escoto faces maximum of 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release. Escoto was detained pending further proceedings. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement investigated the case. PACER case reference. 21-33.
Appearing in Great Falls before U.S. Magistrate Judge John T. Johnston and pleading not guilty on May 27 was:
Brandon Lewis Kelly, 30, of Great Falls, on charges of failure to register/update registration of a sexual offender. If convicted of the most serious crime, Kelly faces a maximum of 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and five years to life of supervised release. Kelly was detained pending further proceedings. The U.S. Marshals Service, Glacier County Sheriff’s Office and Great Falls Police Department investigated the case. PACER case reference. 21-29.
Appearing on May 25 was:
Harrison Garrett Alvarez, 30, of Cut Bank, on charges of intimidation. If convicted of the most serious crime, Alvarez faces a maximum of 10 years in prison, a $50,000 fine and three years of supervised release. Alvarez was released pending further proceedings. The FBI, Glacier County Sheriff’s Office and Blackfeet Law Enforcement Services investigated the case. PACER case reference. 21-26.
Regina Ann Peters, 51, of Queen Creek, Arizona, on charges of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute meth and possession with intent to distribute meth. If convicted of the most serious crime, Peters faces a mandatory minimum 10 years to life in prison, a $10 million fine and at least five years of supervised release. Peters was detained pending further proceedings. The Great Falls Police Department, Homeland Security Investigations, Russell Country Drug Task Force, U.S. Postal Service, Cascade County Sheriff’s Office and Utah Highway Patrol investigated the case. PACER case reference. 21-13.
Appearing in Missoula before U.S. Magistrate Judge Kathleen L. DeSoto and pleading not guilty on May 24 was:
Aaron Charles Fritsch, 50, of Missoula, on charges of receipt of child pornography. If convicted of the most serious crime, Fritsch faces a mandatory minimum five years to 20 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and five years to life of supervised release. Fritsch was detained pending further proceedings. The Homeland Security Investigations and Montana Probation and Parole Division investigated the case. PACER case reference. 21-17.
Craig Mark Draper, 54, of Las Vegas, Nevada, on charges of wire fraud and money laundering. If convicted of the most serious crime, Draper faces a maximum of 20 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release. Draper was released pending further proceedings. The FBI investigated the case. PACER case reference. 21-20.
The progress of cases may be monitored through the U.S. District Court Calendar and the PACER system. To establish a PACER account, which provides electronic access to review documents filed in a case, please visit http://www.pacer.gov/register.html. To access the District Court’s calendar, please visit https://ecf.mtd.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/PublicCalendar.pl.
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Houston consulting company admits to H-1B visa fraud conspiracyRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – Cloudgen LLC has pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit H-1B visa fraud, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Jennifer B. Lowery.
Cloudgen LLC is a consulting and strategic solutions company located on South Dairy Ashford Road in Houston. Through its corporate representative, Cloudgen pleaded guilty to conspiring to commit visa fraud from on or about March 2013 to December 2020. During the plea, the company admitted to recruiting multiple Information Technology workers from India and falsely procuring H-1B visas for them to enter and work in the United States. A H-1B visa permits the temporary employment of non-immigrants to fill specialized jobs in the United States.
Specifically, in this “bench and switch” scheme, the company would file documents with the Departments of Labor (DOL) and Homeland Security (DHS) containing fraudulent statements about the availability of work at third-party national employers. Cloudgen would then submit forged contracts stating each third-party company had a job for the individual Indian national. Next, based on those false documents, Cloudgen would submit paperwork to get an H-1B worker’s visa for the Indian nationals. When granted, they would use that visa to allow the Indian nationals to enter the United States.
However, because the jobs were fake, they were housed in different locations across the country while Cloudgen obtained other employment for them. Such action gave Cloudgen a competitive advantage by having a steady “bench” or supply of visa-ready workers to send to different employers based on market needs when the true process actually takes some time. Once workers had obtained new employment, the “switch” would occur when the new third-party company filed immigration paperwork for the foreign workers.
Cloudgen would also extend their visas, based on the original false ones, to allow them to stay and continue working in the United States. Cloudgen took a percentage of the worker’s salary as their fees, earning approximately $493,516.28 in profits during the course of the conspiracy.
Chief U.S. District Judge Lee H. Rosenthal will impose sentencing Sept. 16. At that time, the company could have to pay up to $500,000 or the greater of twice the gross gain or twice the gross loss as well as a maximum five years of probation.
The Department of State's Diplomatic Security Service conducted the investigation with the assistance of DOL and DHS. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Richard W. Bennett and Jay Hileman are prosecuting the case.
Hartford Man Involved in Shooting Last Year Sentenced to Prison for Violating Supervised ReleaseRead the Press Release
Leonard C Boyle, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that BRANDON SPENCE, also known as “Spun,” 33, of Hartford, was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Judge Alvin W. Thompson in Hartford to 24 months of imprisonment for violating the conditions of his federal supervised release.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on February 5, 2019, Judge Thompson sentenced Spence to 24 months of imprisonment and three years of supervised release for unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon. Spence, who had been detained since his arrest in June 2018, was released from federal prison in February 2020.
At approximately 9:30 a.m. on December 7, 2020, Hartford Police surveillance cameras captured Spence and another individual engaged in a dispute in a parking lot at 20 Enfield Street. Spence pulled out a firearm, shot the individual in the leg, and then stole the victim’s vehicle.
The two-year sentence was the maximum allowed for the violation of supervised release. Spence also has assault, weapons possession and larceny charges stemming from this incident pending in state court.
This matter was investigated by the FBI Connecticut Violent Crimes Task Force, the FBI’s Northern Connecticut Gang Task Force and the Hartford Police Department. The was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Peter S. Jongbloed.
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 neighborhoods safer for everyone.
Georgia Man Sentenced to 135 Months’ Imprisonment for Role in Health Care Fraud Scheme Against TricareRead the Press Release
Miami, Florida -- A Georgia man was sentenced yesterday to over 11 years in federal prison for defrauding Tricare of approximately $12 million through a South Florida compounding pharmacy fraud scheme. Tricare is the health care benefit program covering military personnel and their dependents.
According to court documents, 51-year-old Erik Santos and his co-conspirators ran the scheme as follows: Santos paid recruiters to convince Tricare beneficiaries to fill prescriptions for expensive, supposedly tailor-made, compounded medications that the beneficiaries did not need. Santos paid doctors to approve pre-printed prescriptions for large amounts of these medications. The doctors did not see the beneficiaries or otherwise consider their medical needs before approving the prescriptions. Lastly, Santos steered the Tricare beneficiaries to fill their prescriptions with Patient Care America (PCA), a compounding pharmacy located in Broward County, Florida. PCA would bill Tricare for expensive drug formulations that had little to no therapeutic value. Many of the compounded medications were billed to Tricare at $10,000 to $15,000 for a month’s supply, even though the ingredients used in the mixtures were little more than common pain or scar creams. Santos’s fraudulent referrals caused an actual loss to the Tricare program of approximately $12 million. PCA pharmacy paid Santos over $7 million in prescription referral kickbacks.
In addition to the prison sentence, the Court imposed restitution in the amount of $11.8 million and entered a forfeiture judgement of approximately $7.6 million. On January 27, 2021, Santos pled guilty in federal district court in Ft. Lauderdale to one count of conspiring to commit health care fraud and wire fraud.
Acting U.S. Attorney Juan Antonio Gonzalez of the Southern District of Florida, Special Agent in Charge Cynthia A. Bruce of the Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS), Southeast Field Office, and Special Agent in Charge George L. Piro of FBI Miami announced the sentence.
“Criminals steal exorbitant amounts of money from our government health programs through prescription medication fraud schemes. This significant sentence recognizes the seriousness of the crime,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Gonzalez. “Those who use kickbacks and other illegal activity to bilk taxpayer dollars from vital public programs will be held accountable.”
“Billing healthcare programs for medically unnecessary medications not only undermines the viability of those programs, it exploits all citizens,” said DCIS Special Agent in Charge Bruce. “I am pleased with the significant outcome of this investigation and would like to thank the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the investigative team for their tireless effort and great work to hold accountable those who fraudulently bill the Defense Health Agency.”
“Illegal kickbacks undermined the integrity of the Tricare health benefit program by putting profits in front of patient welfare,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Piro. “The investigators who unraveled this scam are to be commended for their diligence and commitment. The FBI and our partners will continue to pursue those individuals who pay kickbacks and fraudulently bill for medical services that are not necessary.”
DCIS investigated the case with assistance from FBI Miami, and the Food and Drug Administration-Office of Criminal Investigation. The superseding indictment also named CHAMPVA (the Department of Veterans Affairs’ version of Tricare) as a fraud target and the Department of Veterans Affairs-Office of Inspector General assisted with the investigation.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jon Juenger prosecuted the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Daren Grove is handling the asset forfeiture component of the case.
A copy of this press release may be found on the website of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida at www.usdoj.gov/usao/fls.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or on http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov, under case number 20-cr-60089.
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Fugitive Arrested and Charged with Escaping from Jacksonville Halfway HouseRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – Acting United States Attorney Karin Hoppmann announces the return by a grand jury of an indictment charging Derrick S. McCullough (31, Keystone Heights) with escape from federal custody. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of five years in federal prison.
According to the indictment, on March 29, 2021, McCullough escaped from custody at Keeton Corrections Residential Reentry Center, a halfway house in Jacksonville, Florida. McCullough was confined to Keeton while serving the final portion of a sentence imposed in connection with a federal conviction for possessing a firearm as a convicted felon.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Marshals Service and the Bradford County Narcotics Task Force. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michael J. Coolican.
Four Charged in Conspiracy that Billed More Than $20 Million in False Claims to MedicareRead the Press Release
Acting U.S. Attorney Bridget M. Brennan announced that a federal grand jury returned a twenty-four-count indictment charging four individuals for their roles in health care fraud conspiracy that billed more than $20 million in false claims to the Medicare program.
Named in the indictment are Thomas MOX, 53, of Grove City, Ohio; Ryan CASADY, 49, of Uniontown, Ohio; Elizabeth BALJAK, 35, of Pataskala, Ohio and Megan ILG, 53, of Grafton, Ohio.
MOX, CASADY, BALJAK and ILG are all charged with conspiracy to commit health care fraud. In addition, defendants BALJAK and ILG are charged with false statements relating to health care matters. Defendants MOX and CASADY are charged with additional counts of health care fraud and offer and payment of kickbacks in connection with a federal health care program.
Defendant MOX owned and operated a medical marketing company in Grove City, and a durable medical equipment company in Columbus. Defendant CASADY owned and operated separate durable medical equipment companies located in Uniontown. Defendants BALJAK and ILG were nurse practitioners, licensed and certified by the State of Ohio.
According to the indictment, from on or about March 2, 2018, to on or about September 9, 2019, the Defendants are accused of conspiring together to defraud Medicare by obtaining payment for unnecessary medical claims.
BALJAK and ILG, while working for telemedicine companies, are accused of signing prescriptions for medical braces regardless of medical necessity, without a physical examination and frequently without any contact with the beneficiary whatsoever.
It is alleged that these telemedicine companies would then transfer the prescriptions to medical marketing companies, including one owned by MOX, who would then use them as part of an unlawful package of Medicare beneficiary leads sold to durable medical equipment companies. CASADY and others are accused of providing bribes and kickbacks to MOX in exchange for the leads packages, which they would then use to arrange for the ordering of the medical braces for beneficiaries.
In total, the Defendants are accused of billing more than $20 million worth of false claims to Medicare.
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 Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin Seabury Gould.
Fort Walton Beach Man Sentenced to Twenty Years in Federal Prison for Drug Trafficking and Firearms ChargesRead the Press Release
PENSACOLA, FLORIDA – Cedric O. Valentine, 45, of Fort Walton Beach was sentenced yesterday to a 20-year mandatory minimum term in federal prison, following his conviction on multiple charges related to possession and distribution of methamphetamine, fentanyl, heroin and marijuana, as well as possession of firearms in furtherance of his drug trafficking. Jason R. Coody, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida, announced the sentence.
Valentine’s sentence was the result of a federal jury returning a guilty verdict on February 25, 2021, finding Valentine guilty of possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of a mixture of methamphetamine; 40 grams or more of mixture of fentanyl; 100 grams or more of mixture of heroin; and marijuana; possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime; and possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon. The evidence introduced at trial included evidence seized during a search of Valentine’s residence on May 15, 2020, which included 335 grams of a mixture of fentanyl and heroin, 991 grams of methamphetamine, 792 grams of marijuana, 2 grams of cocaine, and 5 grams of hydrocodone. In addition, DEA agents and investigators with the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office seized $24,796 in cash, along with two loaded handguns, an AR-15 style rifle, and a loaded extended magazine for the AR-15 style rifle.
“Valentine is well known to law enforcement agencies in North Florida as a dangerous career criminal,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Coody. “Thanks to the outstanding investigative work of our partners at the DEA, ATF, and the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office, our skilled team of prosecutors and support staff proved this case beyond a reasonable doubt. This violent armed drug trafficker has been called to account for his criminal conduct, and the citizens of our District are now safer.”
“A collaborative effort between all of our law enforcement and prosecutorial partners shut down this distributor of extremely dangerous narcotics in Northern Florida.” said DEA’s Miami Field Division Acting Special Agent in Charge La Verne Hibbert. “We will continue to focus our collective resources against any individual that threatens the well-being and safety of our communities.”
“When you see the results of that search warrant, it’s clear this case is a prime illustration of the effectiveness of our local, state, and federal law enforcement partnerships to shut down major drug dealing operations that threaten not only our citizens’ health and safety, but their quality of life as well,” said Okaloosa County Sheriff Eric Aden.
Valentine’s 20-year mandatory minimum term in federal prison will be followed by 10 years of federal supervised release.
This sentence was the result of an investigation conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office, and the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant United States Attorney J. Ryan Love of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida, prosecuted the case.
The United States Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.
Former Pilot Pleads Guilty to Federal Charge in Maryland and is Sentenced to One Year of Probation for Exposing Himself to a Female First Officer While the Plane Was in FlightRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – U.S. Magistrate Judge J. Mark Coulson today sentenced Michael Haak, age 60, of Longwood, Florida, to one year of probation, after Haak admitted that he committed a lewd, indecent, or obscene act during a flight in which he was pilot in command. At the time of the crime, Haak was employed as a pilot with Southwest Airlines. Magistrate Judge Coulson also ordered Haak to pay a fine in the amount of $5,000.
The guilty plea and sentence were announced by Acting United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Jonathan F. Lenzner and Acting Special Agent in Charge Rachel Byrd of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office.
According to Haak’s plea agreement, on August 10, 2020, Haak was the Captain, that is, pilot in command, of a flight traveling from Philadelphia International Airport to Orlando International Airport. Haak was assisted by a female First Officer who Haak had never met prior to that flight.
Haak admitted that, after the aircraft had achieved cruising altitude, Haak got out of the pilot’s seat, and while still in the cockpit of the plane, intentionally disrobed and viewed pornographic media on a laptop computer. As the plane continued its flight, Haak further engaged in inappropriate conduct in the cockpit, as the First Officer continued to perform her duties as an assigned aircrew member.
Acting United States Attorney Jonathan F. Lenzner praised the FBI for its work in the investigation and thanked the Department of Transportation Office of Inspector General and Southwest Airlines for their assistance. Mr. Lenzner thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney P. Michael Cunningham, who prosecuted the case.
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Former Captain in Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff’s Office Admits to Defrauding the Sheriff’s Office and Other BusinessesRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – United States Attorney Duane A. Evans announces that KEVIN STIMAGE, age 44, plead guilty on May 27, 2021 to a Bill of Information charging him with Theft from Programs Receiving Federal Funds, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 666(a)(1)(A). STIMAGE faces up to ten years imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, a $250,000 fine, and a mandatory special assessment of $100. Sentencing is set for September 21, 2021.
According to the Factual Basis, STIMAGE was a Captain with the Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff’s Office (TPSO). An investigation by the FBI revealed that in 2017, 2018, 2019, and 2020, STIMAGE reported having worked, on average, 40 hours per week at TPSO, approximately 40 hours per week at Off-Duty Detail A, and, beginning in 2018, approximately 30 hours per week at Off-Duty Detail B, for a total of approximately 110 hours per week. However, location data and surveillance revealed that STIMAGE was only working a portion of the claimed hours, and was defrauding TPSO, Off-Duty Detail A, and Off-Duty Detail B by not working all of the claimed hours.
As a result of this scheme, the defendant defrauded Off-Duty Detail A out of wages worth $158,275 in 2018 through 2021, Off-Duty Detail B out of wages worth over $54,215 in 2018 through 2021, and TPSO out of wages worth $28,596 in 2019 and 2020.
U. S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation on this matter. The prosecution is being handled by Assistant United States Attorneys Myles Ranier and Chandra Menon.
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Florida Man Charged with Stealing Ventilators Intended for Critically Ill Covid-19 Patients in El Salvador Arrested in TexasRead the Press Release
Miami, Fl. -- Yoelvis Denis Hernandez, a/k/a “Guajiro,” 42, was arrested yesterday in Del Rio, Texas, on a South Florida indictment charging him with stealing 192 U.S. government-owned medical ventilators worth about three million dollars. According to court documents, the ventilators were heading to a COVID-19 intensive care facility in El Salvador as part of a United States Government COVID-19 aid program when they were stolen in South Florida, while in transit.
The indictment charges Hernandez and Luis Urra Montero, a/k/a “Flaco,” 24, with federal conspiracy, possession of stolen goods being shipped interstate, and theft of government property. According to the indictment and other court documents, on August 9, 2020, Hernandez and Montero stole a tractor trailer loaded with 192 medical ventilators, during its transport by truck to Miami International Airport. USAID had acquired the ventilators and was sending them to the Government of El Salvador as part of an aid program to treat critically ill COVID-19 patients there. According to court documents, Hernandez and Montero stole the trailer from a lot where the driver had left it overnight. Following an investigation, law enforcement recovered most of the stolen ventilators.
Hernandez made his initial federal court appearance today in the Western District of Texas. Future proceeding will occur in the Southern District of Florida, where the case is pending. Co-defendant Montero was arrested on September 15, 2020, in the Southern District of Florida. He is being detained without bond pending trial.
Juan Antonio Gonzalez, Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, George L. Piro, Special Agent in Charge, FBI, Miami Field Office, and Tom Ullom, Acting Inspector General, United States Agency for International Development, Office of Inspector General (“USAID-OIG”), made the announcement.
FBI, FBI Miami’s Major Theft Task Force, and USAID-OIG investigated this case, with assistance from Boynton Beach Police Department, Miami Dade Police Department, Medley Police Department, City of Miami Gardens Police Department, and Broward Sheriff’s Office. Customs and Border Protection Del Rio and FBI San Antonio also assisted. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lindsey Lazopoulos Friedman is prosecuting it.
An indictment is merely a charging document and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud Hotline at 866-720-5721.
A copy of this press release may be found on the website of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida at www.usdoj.gov/usao/fls.
You may find related court documents and information on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov, under case number 20-cr-20252.
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Federal Jury Convicts Titusville Man of Attempting to Entice and Meet A 13-Year-Old Child to Engage in Sexual ActivityRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – Acting United States Attorney Karin Hoppmann announces that a federal jury has found Michael Craig Gorycki (50, Titusville) guilty of attempted enticement of a 13-year-old child to engage in sexual activity. Gorycki faces a minimum mandatory penalty of 10 years, and up to life, in federal prison and a potential lifetime term of supervised release. His sentencing hearing is scheduled for August 12, 2021. Gorycki has been detained since his arrest on August 7, 2020.
According to testimony and evidence presented at trial, in August 2020, Gorycki engaged in online chats with a Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) task force agent who was acting in an undercover capacity and posing as the father of a 13-year-old girl. During the online conversation, Gorycki expressed interest in meeting the father in order to gain access to and sexually assault his minor daughter. Gorycki expressed in detail his intention to rape the child and teach her to perform a specific sexual act. Gorycki was arrested when he traveled to meet the father at a prearranged meeting place in Titusville so that he could have sex with the 13-year-old child.
This case was investigated by the Brevard County Sheriff’s Office and Homeland Security Investigations. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Emily C. L. Chang and John M. Gardella.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), 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.
Everly, Iowa Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for MethRead the Press Release
A man who conspired to distribute methamphetamine was sentenced May 26, 2021, in federal court in Sioux City.
Jimmy Crouch, 48, from Everly, Iowa, pled guilty on December 7, 2020, to one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine within a protected location, and one count of distribution of methamphetamine within a protected location.
At the plea and sentencing hearings, evidence showed that Crouch and others conspired to distribute over seven pounds of methamphetamine mixture from January 2019 through April 2020 in the Wright and Webster County areas. In March/April 2020, law enforcement seized nearly four ounces of methamphetamine from Crouch. On a number of occasions, Crouch and his co-conspirators were observed on home security recordings receiving and distributing ounces to ¼ pounds of methamphetamine to other co-conspirators. Finally, Crouch’s offense conduct included methamphetamine distribution in Eagle Grove, Iowa, within 1,000 feet of two separate protected locations, specifically public parks with playgrounds.
Sentencing was held before United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand. Crouch remains in custody of the United States Marshal until he can be transported to a federal prison. Crouch was sentenced to 136 months’ imprisonment and must serve an 8-year term of supervised release following imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Shawn S. Wehde and was investigated by Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, Wright County Sheriff’s Office, Eagle Grove Police Department, and the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation’s Laboratory.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 20-3012.
Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.
Essex County Man Charged with Narcotics Offenses and Possession of AK-47 Style Semi-Automatic RifleRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – An Essex County, New Jersey, man was arrested and had his initial appearance in federal court on charges stemming from his arrest for narcotics trafficking and illegally possessing a firearm, Acting U.S. Attorney Rachael A. Honig announced today.
Raheem Johnson, aka “Smoke,” 37, of Newark, is charged by complaint with two counts of possession with intent to distribute heroin (Counts One and Three), one count of possession with intent to distribute cocaine base (Count Two), one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon (Count Four), and one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime (Count Five). Johnson appeared by videoconference on May 27, 2021, before U.S. Magistrate Judge James B. Clark III and was detained without bail
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
The investigation revealed that in April 2021 and May 2021, Johnson distributed controlled substances, including cocaine base and heroin, around Hayes Street in Newark. Law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Johnson’s residence and recovered a WASR‑10 7.62x39 millimeter semi-automatic rifle, 20 rounds of 7.62x39-mm ammunition, and more than two dozen bricks, or 1,200 doses, of suspected heroin.
Counts One, Two, and Three each carry a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $1 million. Count Four carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000. Count Five carries a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in prison, to be served consecutively to any other sentence of imprisonment, a maximum sentence of life in prison, and a fine of up to $250,000.
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 the charges.
Johnson was a target of the Violent Crime Initiative (VCI). The VCI was formed in August 2017 by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey, the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office, and the City of Newark’s Department of Public Safety for the purpose of combatting violent crime in and around Newark. As part of this partnership, federal, state, county, and city agencies collaborate and pool resources to prosecute violent offenders who endanger the safety of the community. The VCI is composed of the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the FBI, the ATF, the DEA, the U.S. Marshals, the Newark Department of Public Safety, the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office, the Essex County Sheriff’s Office, N.J. State Parole, Union County Jail, N.J. State Police Regional Operations and Intelligence Center/Real Time Crime Center, N.J. Department of Corrections, the East Orange Police Department, and the Irvington Police Department.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Samantha C. Fasanello of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Violent Crimes Unit in Newark.
The charges and allegations contained in the Complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is considered innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Eleven Additional Defendants Charged in Medicaid Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
Acting U.S. Attorney Bridget M. Brennan announced that eleven additional defendants were charged in a 77-count superseding indictment for their roles in a scheme to defraud Medicaid through fraudulent billing practices. Ten Defendants, including the company, were previously charged in an indictment announced in November of 2020.
Named in the November 2020 indictment were Eye for Change Youth and Family Services, Inc., Alfonzo D. BAILEY, 38, Sandra WILSON, age 52, Tremayne KELLOM, 41, all of Cleveland; David BROWN, 39, of Maple Heights; Valerie WHITE, age 51, of Columbus; Cheria OLIVER, age 31, of Canal Winchester; Charchee TUCKER, age 43, of Warrensville Heights; Allen STEELE, age 38, of Parma and Kamelah GANAWAY, age 43, of Macedonia.
Named in the superseding indictment unsealed today are Luray BAKER, 24, of Euclid; Quiana BELL 41, of Maple Heights; Larvell FELLOWS, 44, of Cuyahoga Falls; Timothy GORHAM, 41, of Cleveland Heights; Donald HENDERSON, 39, of Bedford; Eric KING, 33, of Cleveland; Brandi LITTLE, 37, of Twinsburg; Chelsea TARVER, 32, of North Ridgeville; Mitchell TOWNSEND, 38, of Garfield Heights; Nyshia WARE, 28, of Akron and Lesia NIAMKE, 48, of Sagamore Hills.
The Defendants are charged with various counts of conspiracy to commit health care fraud, health care fraud, making a false statement relating to health care matters, conspiracy to commit money laundering and money laundering.
According to the indictment, from February 2017 through September 2020, the Defendants are accused of engaging in a conspiracy to defraud Medicaid. In order to carry out the conspiracy, the indictment states that the Defendants would submit billings to Medicaid for services that were never performed and without proper treatment plans or evaluations.
In addition, the Defendants are accused of directing employees to misdiagnose Medicaid beneficiaries to receive authorization from the Ohio Department of Medicaid to provide services and bill at higher rates. Furthermore, the indictment states that some Defendants allowed employees to insert false progress notes into beneficiary records in order to create the fictitious documents needed to submit their claims.
In some instances, the Defendants are accused of allegedly paying kickbacks in the form of cash, gift cards, and rent/bill payments to Medicaid beneficiaries to obtain these beneficiaries as clients and to bill Medicaid for services never rendered.
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.
The investigation preceding the indictment was conducted by the Cleveland Division of the FBI, the Department of Health and Human Services -- Office of the Inspector General and the Ohio Attorney General’s Healthcare Fraud Section. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael L. Collyer and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan L. Metzler.
El Departamento de Justicia resuelve una investigación de las barreras lingüísticas en la Policía de HazletonRead the Press Release
El Departamento de Justicia anunció hoy que ha llegado a un acuerdo conciliatorio con la Policía de Hazleton («HPD», por sus siglas en inglés) y la Ciudad de Hazleton, Pennsylvania, para ayudar a personas cuyo dominio del inglés es limitado («LEP», por sus siglas en inglés) a comunicarse con la policía.
El acuerdo resuelve una investigación liderada por el Departamento de Justicia de la HPD en virtud del Título VI de la ley de Derechos Civiles de 1964. El Título VI prohíbe la discriminación por motivos de raza, color de piel y nacionalidad de origen por parte de beneficiarios de fondos federales, tales como la HPD. El Departamento de Justicia inició su investigación tras recibir una querella del Community Justice Project [Proyecto Comunitario para la Justicia] en nombre de un residente LEP de Hazleton que se había visto obligado a usar a su hijo pequeño y un colega de trabajo para comunicarse con la policía. Desde entonces, la HPD ha acordado conseguir medios apropiados y fiables de comunicación con la gran comunidad hispanoparlante de la ciudad.
«La comunicación oportuna y precisa entre residentes con un dominio limitado del inglés y agentes de policía es esencial para la seguridad pública», afirmó la Fiscal General Auxiliar de la División de Derechos Civiles Kristen Clarke. «Los cambios que este recuerdo requiere beneficiarán a víctimas y testigos, pero también ayudarán a los agentes de policía a hacer su trabajo. Estamos muy contentos de ver que los líderes en Ciudad de Hazleton y su Policía apoyan mejoras a las políticas y prácticas de la policía en lo que estos se refieren a servicios lingüísticos».
«Nuestra oficina se enorgullece de haberse unido a la División de Derechos Civiles en este importante caso», dijo el fiscal federal interino Bruce D. Brandler. «Asegurar que todas las personas puedan comunicarse con los agentes del orden beneficia a todos los involucrados y es fundamental para nuestra democracia».
Conforme este acuerdo, dentro de poco, la HPD publicará un nuevo procedimiento operativo estándar sobre el acceso lingüístico para la provisión de asistencia lingüística apropiada durante cualquier contacto con miembros comunitarios LEP. Durante el próximo año, la HPD y la Ciudad tomarán unas medidas adicionales, entre ellas la provisión de notificaciones y formularios de demanda en inglés y español, la evaluación de los conocimientos lingüísticos de sus agentes bilingües y la capacitación del personal en cuanto a cómo y cuándo acceder a intérpretes o traducciones.
La ejecución del Título VI de la ley de Derechos Civiles de 1964 representa una de las prioridades principales de la División de Derechos Civiles. Para más información sobre la División de Derechos Civiles, vaya a su sitio web en www.justice.gov/crt-espanol. Para más información sobre el dominio limitado del inglés y el Título VI, vaya a www.lep.gov. Miembros del público también pueden informar de posibles vulneraciones de derechos civiles en
https://civilrights.justice.gov/report/.El Departamento de Justicia resuelve una investigación de las barreras lingüísticas en la Policía de HazletonRead the Press Release
El Departamento de Justicia resuelve una investigación de las barreras lingüísticas en la Policía de Hazleton
El Departamento de Justicia anunció hoy que ha llegado a un acuerdo conciliatorio con la Policía de Hazleton («HPD», por sus siglas en inglés) y la Ciudad de Hazleton, Pennsylvania, para ayudar a personas cuyo dominio del inglés es limitado («LEP», por sus siglas en inglés) a comunicarse con la policía.
El acuerdo resuelve una investigación liderada por el Departamento de Justicia de la HPD en virtud del Título VI de la ley de Derechos Civiles de 1964. El Título VI prohíbe la discriminación por motivos de raza, color de piel y nacionalidad de origen por parte de beneficiarios de fondos federales, tales como la HPD. El Departamento de Justicia inició su investigación tras recibir una querella del Community Justice Project [Proyecto Comunitario para la Justicia] en nombre de un residente LEP de Hazleton que se había visto obligado a usar a su hijo pequeño y un colega de trabajo para comunicarse con la policía. Desde entonces, la HPD ha acordado conseguir medios apropiados y fiables de comunicación con la gran comunidad hispanoparlante de la ciudad.
«La comunicación oportuna y precisa entre residentes con un dominio limitado del inglés y agentes de policía es esencial para la seguridad pública», afirmó la Fiscal General Auxiliar de la División de Derechos Civiles Kristen Clarke. «Los cambios que este recuerdo requiere beneficiarán a víctimas y testigos, pero también ayudarán a los agentes de policía a hacer su trabajo. Estamos muy contentos de ver que los líderes en Ciudad de Hazleton y su Policía apoyan mejoras a las políticas y prácticas de la policía en lo que estos se refieren a servicios lingüísticos».
«Nuestra oficina se enorgullece de haberse unido a la División de Derechos Civiles en este importante caso», dijo el fiscal federal interino Bruce D. Brandler. «Asegurar que todas las personas puedan comunicarse con los agentes del orden beneficia a todos los involucrados y es fundamental para nuestra democracia».
Conforme este acuerdo, dentro de poco, la HPD publicará un nuevo procedimiento operativo estándar sobre el acceso lingüístico para la provisión de asistencia lingüística apropiada durante cualquier contacto con miembros comunitarios LEP. Durante el próximo año, la HPD y la Ciudad tomarán unas medidas adicionales, entre ellas la provisión de notificaciones y formularios de demanda en inglés y español, la evaluación de los conocimientos lingüísticos de sus agentes bilingües y la capacitación del personal en cuanto a cómo y cuándo acceder a intérpretes o traducciones.
La ejecución del Título VI de la ley de Derechos Civiles de 1964 representa una de las prioridades principales de la División de Derechos Civiles. Para más información sobre la División de Derechos Civiles, vaya a su sitio web en www.justice.gov/crt-espanol. Para más información sobre el dominio limitado del inglés y el Título VI, vaya a www.lep.gov. Miembros del público también pueden informar de posibles vulneraciones de derechos civiles en https://civilrights.justice.gov/report/.
Drug-trafficking pimp sentenced to more than three decades in prison in commercial sex conspiracyRead the Press Release
SAVANNAH, GA: A Savannah man who operated an interstate commercial sex trafficking business and distributed drugs has been sentenced to more than three decades in federal prison.
Anthony Wilson Jackson, 50, of Savannah, was sentenced to 366 months in prison after pleading guilty in U.S. District Court to Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute Marijuana; Conspiracy to Engage in Interstate Travel or Transportation in Aid of a Racketeering Business (Prostitution); Possession of a Machine Gun; Possession of a Machine Gun in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime; Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon; and Money Laundering Conspiracy, said David H. Estes, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. After completion of his prison sentence, Jackson must serve five years of supervised release.
There is no parole in the federal system.
“Anthony Jackson is a violent serial criminal who profited from trafficking drugs and renting human beings for sex acts,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Estes. “Our law enforcement partners deserve accolades for shutting down his illegal enterprises and removing him from civilized society.”
As described in court documents and testimony, Jackson came to the attention of multiple law enforcement agencies in May 2016 during an investigation into the death of Ava Fulmer, a woman who worked for Jackson and whose body was found inside a burned vehicle in Savannah.
Jackson was identified as the leader of a conspiracy that operated a commercial sex trafficking business across the country, and shipped and distributed large amounts of marijuana in the Savannah area. During subsequent searches, authorities seized drugs and drug trafficking paraphernalia, multiple firearms and ammunition, and more than $7,000 in cash.
As entered into evidence during his sentencing hearing, Jackson was violently abusive, threatening to murder women whom he trafficked for sex and forcing them to bow and pray to him, and in one instance beating his child so severely with a belt that the child urinated and defecated on himself. Jackson previously served prison time for drug trafficking, and while incarcerated he was punished for engaging in multiple assaults, including one in which another inmate was seriously injured.
Jackson also was prosecuted on state charges in 2019 and sentenced to 10 years in prison. Two of his codefendants pled guilty to related federal charges and were sentenced to prison.
Ava Fulmer’s murder remains under investigation. Anyone with information is asked to contact Crime Stoppers of Savannah -Chatham County at 912-234-2020.
“Our detectives spent a substantial number of hours collaborating with our state and federal partners to bring a violent criminal to justice,” said Savannah Police Chief Roy Minter. “This man was connected to multiple facets of illegal activity that contribute to crime and safety concerns in our community, from guns to drugs to sex crimes. Putting an end to his time on our streets is one more step toward a safer Savannah.”
“This case is the product of a concerted collaborative effort on the part of ATF and its local and federal partners to target, investigate, and eliminate the perpetrators of violent crime,” said Beau Kolodka, Assistant Special Agent in Charge of the Atlanta Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. “This sentence will ensure the incarceration of a dangerous criminal and contribute to the restoration of order and peace.”
“The United States Postal Inspection Service remains committed to assisting its law enforcement partners in investigations that involve anyone using the mail in the furtherance of a criminal enterprise, and in this case, individuals engaged in additional egregious acts that victimize others,” said Joseph Cronin, Postal Inspector In Charge, Miami Division.
“Jackson’s reign of drugs, violence and suffering has thankfully ended. Hopefully, those that he savagely victimized can feel relieved and begin the healing process,” said Special Agent in Charge Katrina W. Berger, who oversees Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) operations in Georgia and Alabama.
“Concealed income will eventually come to light,” said IRS-Criminal Investigation Assistant Special Agent in Charge Lisa Fontanette. “Coordination with other agencies and leveraging each of our strengths is the key in the fight against drugs and sex trafficking. Thanks to the financial expertise and diligence of our agents, these criminals are now off the street and will now be held accountable for their actions. Today’s sentencing is a reminder that there are detrimental consequences for this type of criminal behavior. IRS-CI is committed to continue using our financial expertise wherever we are needed.”
The case was investigated by the Savannah Police Department, Homeland Security Investigations, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and IRS Criminal Investigation, and prosecuted for the United States by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Tania D. Groover and E. Gregory Gilluly Jr.
Deputy Attorney General Convenes Inaugural Meeting of the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task ForceRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON - Yesterday, Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco convened the first meeting of the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force. Launched earlier this month, the Task Force is marshalling the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across the federal government to enhance enforcement efforts against COVID-19 related fraud.
In launching the first meeting of the Task Force, Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco told the members that the “aim of the Task Force is to join forces against fraud and protect the integrity of government funds.”
The Task Force members discussed several of their priority goals, including increased efforts to combat fraud related to COVID-19 relief programs like the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), the Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program, as well as unemployment insurance benefits. The Task Force also discussed efforts to combat health care fraud, including the criminal charges that were announced earlier this week against 14 defendants for their alleged participation in various health care fraud schemes that exploited the COVID-19 pandemic and resulted in over $143 million in false billings.
The Deputy Attorney General closed by stressing that a well-informed public is the strongest weapon in preventing fraud and reiterating the Task Force's commitment to educating individuals and businesses about how they can best protect themselves.
For more information on the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force, visit: Attorney General Announces Task Force to Combat COVID-19 Fraud | OPA | Department of Justice
Department of Justice Fiscal Year 2022 Funding RequestRead the Press Release
Proposal Reinvigorates Civil Rights Enforcement, Counters International and Domestic Terrorism, Combats Violent Crime and Gun Violence, Advances Environmental Justice, Invests in Community Policing, Addresses Inequities in the Nation’s Criminal Justice System, and Reduces the Immigration Court Backlog
The President today submitted his Budget for Fiscal Year 2022 to Congress, totaling $35.3 billion for the Department of Justice (DOJ).
The request seeks to sustain and enhance the Justice Department’s vital work to counter both international and domestic terrorism, reinvigorate civil rights enforcement, address inequities in the nation’s criminal justice system, combat gun violence, advance environmental justice and help reduce the backlog in the nation’s immigration courts.
“This budget proposal advances the Justice Department’s three overarching goals: keeping Americans safe, adhering to the Rule of Law, and seeking equal justice under law for everyone,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “These funds will strengthen our ability to counter international and domestic terrorism, support our efforts to curb violent crime, enhance our enforcement of voting rights and other civil rights laws, protect our nation from cyber-attacks, and double our resources dedicated to addressing gender-based violence and the support of survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault. Our request will increase public safety through investments in policing and criminal justice reform, as well as by dedicating funds to combating gun violence. Importantly, this budget makes a down payment on improving access to justice, a prerequisite to equal justice. The department looks forward to working with members of Congress on both sides of the aisle to help secure its timely passage.”
At the Department of Justice, the Budget would provide:
- More than $1.5 billion to combat international and domestic terrorism – an increase of more than 12% over the FY 2021– which includes an additional $101.2 million to address domestic terrorism with a broadscale approach across the Department.
- $2.1 billion, an increase of $184.3 million, to combat gun violence while focusing on programs that address both gun safety and violent crime.
- $177.2 million over the FY 2021 appropriation to reinvigorate Federal civil rights efforts, including to re-establish and expand the Office for Access to Justice and to support the Community Relations Service with conciliators in local communities.
- $1.0 billion, an increase of $486.5 million, to address gender-based violence through the Office on Violence Against Women, nearly twice the FY 2021 investment in this effort.
- $1.6 billion, an increase of $669.3 million, to implement further reforms to the criminal justice system and continue critical investment in implementation of the First Step Act of 2018.
- $1.3 billion, an increase of $379.8 million, to support programs designed to further strengthen relationships between law enforcement and the communities they serve.
- $44.0 million in new resources to advance environmental justice initiatives, including facilities modernization and repair.
- $177.5 million more than FY 2021 to reduce the immigration court backlog and fund new legal support efforts for children and families.
- $1.1 billion, an increase of $150.7 million, to augment Cyber Investigations and Cyber Security.
Countering International and Domestic Terrorism
As the Nation’s top law enforcement agency, the Department of Justice is devoted to a broad-scale approach to counter the threat of both international and domestic terrorism. While the United States has seen unprecedented and troubling levels of domestic violent extremism, the department and its law enforcement agencies remain acutely aware of the threats posed by international terrorist organizations. The budget request includes increased funding for the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the principal DOJ law enforcement agency charged with combating terrorism, to conduct domestic terrorism investigations, and for the U.S. Attorneys to manage increasing domestic terrorism caseloads. Further, the budget will support additional response capabilities at the U.S. Marshals Service and support research on the root causes of domestic radicalization at the National Institute of Justice.
The FY 2022 budget invests more than $1.5 billion to combat international and domestic terrorism, including an additional an $101.2 million to address the rising threat of domestic terrorism.
Combating Violent Crime and Gun Violence
The Department is committed to addressing the epidemic of gun violence and other violent crime that has taken the lives of too many people in our communities. As part of the department’s recently announced strategy to reduce violent crime, including through grantmaking opportunities, the budget request establishes innovative new grants for States to incentivize Red Flag and Gun Licensing Laws; creates a new $100 million Community Violence Intervention Initiative to tackle gun violence in our neighborhoods; provides grants for Project Safe Neighborhoods, and expands ATF’s Crime Gun Intelligence through the National Integrated Ballistic Information Network. A new pilot program promotes the development, adoption and use of programs designed to help communities address situations where people become legally prohibited from possessing the firearms they own.
The FY 2022 budget invests $2.1 billion to address gun violence and gun safety, an increase of $184.3 million over FY 2021.
Reinvigorating Civil Rights Efforts
Protecting our Nation’s civil rights is a top priority for the Department, as far too many of our citizens still face discrimination. To help protect marginalized communities, the budget request includes funding to re-establish the Office for Access to Justice, and increases funding for the Civil Rights Division, the Community Relations Service, the Office of Justice Programs and the Office on Violence Against Women. These funds will support the enforcement of voting rights and the protection of constitutional and civil rights; mediation and conciliation services for community conflicts arising from discriminatory practices; the prosecution of hate crimes across the nation, especially in communities uniquely impacted by bias, xenophobia and hate driven by the COVID-19 pandemic; and other civil rights activities.
The FY 2022 budget invests a total of $307.2 million in civil rights efforts, an increase of $177.2 million over FY 2021.
Addressing Inequities in the Criminal Justice System
The Department’s budget request addresses the need to ensure equal justice for all Americans. The budget request prioritizes improving community relations through the Office of Justice Programs. The budget request establishes new programs for community-based alternatives to prison, expands the Part B Formula Grants, and increases funding for the Second Chance Act program. The Department will implement Executive Order 14006 by transferring Federal Prisoner Detention detainees from privately operated to alternate State, local, and Federal facilities with an additional $75.0 million. Finally, the budget continues the historic investment of $409.5 million by the Bureau of Prisons in the First Step Act.
The FY 2022 budget invests over $1.6 billion to address inequities in the criminal justice system in America, an increase of $669.3 million over FY 2021 levels.
Investing in Community Policing
Creating strong, positive ties between law enforcement and the communities they serve is critical to making the Nation’s communities safer and to rooting out systemic inequities in the justice system. Providing resources to police departments to help them reform and gain the trust of communities is a priority of this Department and this Administration. The department’s budget addresses the need to further strengthen relationships between communities and police officers by hiring local police officers and investing in racial sensitivity, hate crime and implicit bias training.
The FY 2022 budget invests a total of $1.3 billion to support law enforcement agencies, including through programs that support community-oriented policing policies and practices, as well as training for law enforcement on racial profiling, de-escalation and the duty to intervene. This is a $379.8 million increase over the FY 2021 level.
Advancing Environmental Justice
The Department is committed advancing environmental justice and supports the President’s Executive Order 14008, “Tackling the Climate Crisis at Home and Abroad.” The Executive Order establishes a “whole-of-government” approach to addressing the climate crisis and formalizes the government’s commitment to environmental justice. The budget request includes increased funding for the Environment and Natural Resources Division to expand its use of existing authorities in affirmative cases to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and address the impacts of climate change and to continue defensive and other work related to climate change. In addition, the Bureau of Prison will invest in energy saving modernization and repair projects to replace aging equipment with energy efficient models, resulting in reduced energy costs and consumption, as well as other environmentally-sound operational benefits.
The FY 2022 budget invests $44.0 million to advance environmental justice, tackle climate change, and enhance environmental stability.
Reducing the Immigration Court Backlog
Although the Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR) has doubled the number of Immigration Judges onboard since 2015, caseloads continue to grow at an even faster pace, and processing times continue to increase due to a rise in the number of complex adjudications, such as those of asylum claims. The FY 2022 budget addresses this challenge by both providing additional Immigration Judges, and by promoting efficiency initiatives within EOIR. The request supports hiring 100 new Immigration Judges, as well as necessary support staff and attorneys. The request would also enable EOIR to continue to modernize its IT capabilities.
The FY 2022 budget invests $177.5 million in new resources to reduce the immigration court backlog, as well as create the Legal Representation for Immigrant Children and Families Pilot, which supports the enhancement of legal representation of immigrant children and families who seek asylum and other forms of legal protection in the United States after entering at the borders.
For more information on the President’s FY22 Budget as a whole, please visit: https://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/budget/.
Davenport Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for False StatementsRead the Press Release
Davenport, Iowa – Joshua Lee Scheper, age 40, of Davenport, was sentenced on May 27, 2021, by United States District Court Chief Judge John A. Jarvey to 30 months in prison for Making False Statements During Firearm Purchases. Scheper was ordered to serve three years of supervised release to follow his prison term as well as pay $100 to the Crime Victims’ Fund.
According to court documents, law enforcement identified Joshua Lee Scheper as an individual who straw purchased firearms on behalf of persons who were prohibited from possessing them. On forms required to purchase a firearm, Scheper stated he was the intended buyer of the firearms and was not purchasing them on behalf of others. But, in some instances, Scheper did acquire the firearms on behalf of others and sold them immediately after the purchase. Scheper admitted he did so with the intent to make a quick profit. Multiple instances of violence in the Quad Cities and Chicago involved firearms purchased by Scheper. Between 2014 and 2016, Scheper purchased 26 firearms, at least seven of which were involved in criminal acts, including four homicides in Chicago.
Acting U.S. Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. This case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa.
The Federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case.
This case was prosecuted as part of the Project Safe Neighborhoods, a national initiative bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone.
DHS and DOJ Announce Dedicated Docket Process for More Efficient Immigration HearingsRead the Press Release
Today, Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro N. Mayorkas and Attorney General Merrick B. Garland announced a new Dedicated Docket process to more expeditiously and fairly make decisions in immigration cases of families who arrive between ports of entry at the Southwest Border. This new process should significantly decrease the amount of time it takes for migrants to have their cases adjudicated while still providing fair hearings for families seeking asylum at the border.
“Families arriving at the border who are placed in immigration proceedings should have their cases decided in an orderly, efficient, and fair manner,” said Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro N. Mayorkas. “Families who have recently arrived should not languish in a multi-year backlog; today’s announcement is an important step for both justice and border security.”
“The mission of the Department of Justice’s immigration courts is to decide the cases that come before them promptly and fairly,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “This new program for certain newly arriving families will help achieve that critically important goal.”
Under this new process, certain recently arrived families may be placed on the Dedicated Docket. Families may qualify if they are apprehended between ports of entry on or after Friday, May 28, 2021, placed in removal proceedings, and enrolled in Alternatives to Detention (ATD). DHS, in partnership with the Department of Justice (DOJ) Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR), will make available information services to help families understand the immigration system and refer families to pro bono legal service providers for possible representation.
EOIR has identified immigration courts in 10 cities with established communities of legal services providers and available judges to handle the cases. The designated cities are Denver, Detroit, El Paso, Los Angeles, Miami, Newark, New York City, San Diego, San Francisco, and Seattle.
Under the Dedicated Docket, EOIR’s immigration judges will work generally to issue a decision within 300 days of the initial master calendar hearing, subject to the unique circumstances of each case including allowing time for families to seek representation where needed. While the goal of this process is to decide cases expeditiously, fairness will not be compromised.
DHS and DOJ Announce Dedicated Docket Process for More Efficient Immigration HearingsRead the Press Release
Today, Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro N. Mayorkas and Attorney General Merrick B. Garland announced a new Dedicated Docket process to more expeditiously and fairly make decisions in immigration cases of families who arrive between ports of entry at the Southwest Border. This new process should significantly decrease the amount of time it takes for migrants to have their cases adjudicated while still providing fair hearings for families seeking asylum at the border.
“Families arriving at the border who are placed in immigration proceedings should have their cases decided in an orderly, efficient, and fair manner,” said Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro N. Mayorkas. “Families who have recently arrived should not languish in a multi-year backlog; today’s announcement is an important step for both justice and border security.”
“The mission of the Department of Justice’s immigration courts is to decide the cases that come before them promptly and fairly,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “This new program for certain newly arriving families will help achieve that critically important goal.”
Under this new process, certain recently arrived families may be placed on the Dedicated Docket. Families may qualify if they are apprehended between ports of entry on or after Friday, May 28, 2021, placed in removal proceedings, and enrolled in Alternatives to Detention (ATD). DHS, in partnership with the Department of Justice (DOJ) Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR), will make available information services to help families understand the immigration system and refer families to pro bono legal service providers for possible representation.
EOIR has identified immigration courts in 10 cities with established communities of legal services providers and available judges to handle the cases. The designated cities are Denver, Detroit, El Paso, Los Angeles, Miami, Newark, New York City, San Diego, San Francisco, and Seattle.
Under the Dedicated Docket, EOIR’s immigration judges will work generally to issue a decision within 300 days of the initial master calendar hearing, subject to the unique circumstances of each case including allowing time for families to seek representation where needed. While the goal of this process is to decide cases expeditiously, fairness will not be compromised.
Convicted Felon Sentenced for Illegal Firearms PossessionRead the Press Release
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – A federal judge today sentenced a Talladega man for being a felon in possession of a firearm, announced U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives Acting Special Agent in Charge Mickey French.
United States District Judge Corey L. Maze sentenced Larry Dewayne Gaither, 43, to 54 months in prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm. According to the indictment, Gaither unlawfully possessed an American Tactical .223 and 103 rounds of Wolf Performance .223 caliber ammunition in January 2020. Gaither was previously convicted in Calhoun County, Alabama, of felony offenses of robbery, assault, and using a false identity. Gaither pleaded guilty to the charge in December 2020.
“Keeping firearms out of the hands of convicted felons is a key component of our violent crime strategy.” U.S. Attorney Escalona said. “My office will prosecute convicted felons who illegally possess firearms as part of our ongoing efforts to keep our communities safe.”
”ATF’s Crime Gun Intelligence partnerships focus on the devastating impact of firearms violence and works with the entire community to provide a safe environment,” SAC French said.
ATF investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristy Peoples prosecuted the case.
Construction Company President Charged with Defrauding the State Department in Multimillion-Dollar Fraud SchemesRead the Press Release
Audrey Strauss, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and Michael Speckhardt, the Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of State, Office of Inspector General, announced the arrest today of SINA MOAYEDI, the owner of a construction company, on charges including bribery and fraud. MOAYEDI was arrested in Castleton, Virginia, and will be presented later today in the Western District of Virginia before U.S. Magistrate Judge Joel C. Hoppe.
Manhattan U.S. Attorney Audrey Strauss said: “As alleged, Sina Moayedi made misrepresentations about his employees’ qualifications and his company’s ownership in order to induce the State Department into awarding approximately $100 million in lucrative construction contracts to Moayedi’s company, Montage, Inc. Moayedi also allegedly cultivated a State Department insider, and paid the insider lucrative bribes in exchange for confidential State Department bidding information. Moayedi must now be held accountable for his alleged brazen fraud on the government.”
Special Agent in Charge Michael Speckhardt said: “As alleged, the defendant’s scheme to undermine the Department’s procurement process for personal gain caught up with him today and he will now be held accountable. His alleged actions not only hurt other legitimate businesses competing for awards, but also damage the public’s trust in the effective and efficient utilization of taxpayer money.”
According to allegations in the Complaint[1]:
Montage, Inc. (“Montage”) is a U.S.-based business that is primarily involved in worldwide Government construction projects, including embassies, military posts, consulates, and similar overseas properties owned and operated by the United States Government. Montage has performed over $220 million in contracting work for the U.S. Government, including for the Department of Defense, the Department of Justice/Federal Bureau of Investigation, the State Department, the Department of the Interior, the Department of Agriculture, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (“NASA”), the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (“EEOC”), and the Department of Veterans Affairs. Since 2014, Montage appears to have focused primarily on competing for and obtaining contracts with the State Department. During that period, the State Department has awarded Montage approximately six overseas U.S. Embassy/Consulate construction project contracts totaling $100 million, in locales such as Ecuador, Spain, Sudan, the Czech Republic, and Bermuda. The founder of Montage is SINA MOAYEDI.
Montage engaged in at least two fraud schemes. The first scheme alleges that, from approximately 2014 to September 2020, MOAYEDI and Montage lied that it was a female-owned business in order to secure unmerited advantages in the bidding process. By way of context, it is advantageous to a company, when bidding for federal government contracts, to be majority-owned by an individual from a socially or economically disadvantaged community. In fact, certain contracts (or portions of contracts) are “set aside” for – i.e., only available to – such companies. MOAYEDI and Montage repeatedly represented falsely in submissions to the State Department that Montage was female-owned, or female-owned and minority-owned, in order falsely to induce the State Department to award Montage lucrative construction contracts. In actuality, MOAYEDI repeatedly lied about Montage being a female-owned business, and indeed, MOAYEDI controls Montage and makes all material decisions on Montage’s behalf. As MOAYEDI revealed to a bank that inquired about Montage’s ownership status, “I am the sole owner and president of Montage and have always been.” Montage and MOAYEDI also repeatedly misrepresented, and significantly overstated, the qualifications of Montage employees. MOAYEDI made these misrepresentations in order to, among other things, meet State Department and contractual requirements for minimum experience in certain key positions.
The second scheme charged in the Complaint is a bribery scheme during at least 2016 and 2017. Insider-1 is employed in the State Department’s Overseas Building Operations (“OBO”), which, according to OBO’s website, “directs the worldwide overseas building program for the Department of State and the U.S. Government community serving abroad.” Specifically, Insider-1 works for the State Department’s OBO Project Development and Coordination Division, European division. In connection with overseas construction projects, the State Department has a Technical Evaluation Panel (TEP) that considers all aspects of an offeror’s plan to execute the project. The TEP has the power to disqualify an offeror. Insider-1 oversaw the TEP for the Hamilton, Bermuda, project – a project that was awarded to Montage. In at least 2016 and 2017, MOAYEDI paid cash bribes to Insider-1 in exchange for confidential State Department bidding information relating to a particular multimillion-dollar contract in Bermuda, for which Montage was then bidding. In connection with the bidding process for the Bermuda project, Insider-1 informed MOAYEDI, in sum and substance, that: His bid was low; Montage could raise its bid by $300,000 and would still be the low bidder; and he should kick back 20 percent, or $60,000, to Insider-1 in return for this information. Shortly thereafter, Montage increased its bid by nearly $1 million. In a letter accompanying the revised bid, MOAYEDI falsely represented to the State Department that Montage’s revised bid was attributable to “an arithmetic error in our estimate worksheets.” MOAYEDI then paid Insider-1 $60,000 in cash, in three separate payments, using two men as intermediaries.
* * *
MOAYEDI, 66, of Chevy Chase, Maryland, is charged with one count of wire fraud, and one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, each of which carries a maximum potential prison sentence of 20 years, and one count of bribery of a public official, which carries a maximum potential prison sentence of 15 years.
The maximum potential penalties are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only; any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the judge.
Ms. Strauss praised the outstanding investigative work of the State Department, Office of Inspector General, Special Agents from the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York, and the Internal Revenue Service. She also thanked Special Agents from the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia and the Montgomery County, Maryland, Police Department.
The Office’s Complex Frauds and Cybercrime Unit is handling this criminal case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael D. Neff and Louis A. Pellegrino are in charge of the prosecution.
[1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Complaint and the description of the Complaint set forth below constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.
Cincinnati political consultant pleads guilty to embezzling $1.4M from Congressional campaignRead the Press Release
CINCINNATI – A political and media consultant pleaded guilty in federal court today to wire fraud and falsification of records related to the embezzlement of more than $1.4 million from a United States Congressional campaign.
A bill of information was filed on April 27 charging James R. Schwartz II, 41, of Cincinnati.
According to court documents, from approximately 2011 through 2019, Schwartz worked as a consultant on behalf of a Congressional campaign through his companies Fountain Square Group LLC and Prime Media LLC. Schwartz also served as the de facto treasurer for the campaign.
The plea document details that Schwartz embezzled funds from the Congressional campaign by writing checks to himself and his companies from the campaign that were for more money than he and his companies had actually earned. He allegedly concealed the embezzled funds by misrepresenting the amounts paid to him and his companies in reports to the Federal Election Commission. It is alleged that Schwartz fabricated bank statements and other documents in submissions to the Federal Election Commission in order to conceal his embezzling.
Committing wire fraud and falsifying records in a federal investigation are crimes punishable by up to 20 years in prison.
Vipal J. Patel, Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, and Chris Hoffman, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division, announced the charges. Assistant United States Attorney Matthew C. Singer is representing the United States in this case.
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Childersburg Man Sentenced for Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – A federal judge today sentenced a Childersburg man for possession of child pornography, announced United States Attorney Prim F. Escalona and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations Special Agent in Charge Katrina W. Berger.
United States District Judge Corey L. Maze sentenced William Jason Walker, 49, to 78 months in prison followed by 10 years’ supervised release. Walker was also ordered to pay $51,000.00 in restitution to the victims. In September 2020, Walker pleaded guilty to possession of child pornography. This conviction will require Walker to register as a sex offender in accordance with the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA).
“Victimization of children will not be tolerated. We will prosecute those who produce, possess or distribute child pornography to the fullest extent of the law,” U.S. Attorney Escalona said. “Thanks to the collaborative work of the Swedish National Police and the Department of Homeland Security, a child predator has been taken out of our community for many years and will be closely monitored upon his release.”
“HSI is proud to work with our law enforcement partners in Alabama to protect our most vulnerable citizens,” said Special Agent in Charge Katrina W. Berger, who oversees Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) operations in Georgia and Alabama. “Our community is safer now that this child predator is off the streets.”
According to the plea agreement, in November 2019, the Department of Homeland Security Cyber Crimes Center (DHS/C3) of Fairfax, Virginia, received information from SKF, a company located in Sweden, that images of child pornography had been downloaded to a company laptop at a specific IP address. DHS/C3 agents obtained information from the representatives of SKF and determined that the laptop was assigned to Walker. The IP address was traced to the SKF factory located in Moody, Alabama. Walker was employed as a sales representative at that location. Walker used his employer’s laptop, as well as an iPad and thumb drives, to view the pornographic images. Forensic examination of the seized devices revealed 16,870 images of suspected child sexual abuse material.
The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations investigated the case along with HSI Task Force Agents with the Bessemer Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney R. Leann White prosecuted the case.
The case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit Project Safe Childhood.
California Man Sentenced to 90 Months in Prison for Conspiring to Distribute over 30 Pounds of Crystal Methamphetamine and Five Kilos of Fentanyl into New JerseyRead the Press Release
CAMDEN, N.J. – A California man was sentenced today to 90 months in prison for shipping approximately 30 pounds of crystal methamphetamine and conspiring to send an additional five kilograms of fentanyl into New Jersey, Acting U.S. Attorney Rachael A. Honig announced.
Isabel Otanez-Sanchez, 27, of San Jacinto, California, previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Noel Hillman to an information charging him with one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine and a quantity of fentanyl. Judge Hillman imposed the sentence today in Camden federal court.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
In September 2018, law enforcement officers received information that an individual known as “Pancho,” later identified as Otanez-Sanchez, was shipping large quantities of narcotics to New Jersey from California. On Jan. 28, 2019, Otanez-Sanchez agreed to send 30 pounds of methamphetamine to a law enforcement confidential source (the “CS”) in Atlantic City, New Jersey. Otanez-Sanchez and conspirator Jesus Zavala-Torres hid 28 packages of methamphetamine inside a salvaged vehicle that was shipped to New Jersey from California. Agents recovered the 28 packages, totaling approximately 30 pounds, from the car’s gas tank. On Feb. 12, 2019, the CS met with Otanez-Sanchez and Zavala-Torres in Riverside, California. Otanez-Sanchez and Zavala-Torres also agreed to sell an additional five kilograms of fentanyl that would be shipped to the CS in New Jersey in the same manner as the methamphetamine. Following this meeting, Otanez-Sanchez and Zavala-Torres were arrested by law enforcement and the five kilograms of fentanyl they intended to ship to New Jersey were recovered.
In addition to the prison term, Judge Hillman sentenced Otanez-Sanchez to five years of supervised release. Zavala-Torres is scheduled to be sentenced June 2, 2021.
Acting U.S. Attorney Honig credited special agents of the Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Cherry Hill, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jason J. Molina in Newark, with the investigation leading to the charges and today’s sentencing. She also thanked HSI in Riverside, California; the New Jersey State Police; the Hemet, California, Police Department; and the Atlantic City Task Force for their assistance.
The government is represented by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Meriah Russell of the U.S. Attorney's Office Criminal Division in Camden.
Buffalo Man Pleads Guilty for His Role in Cocaine ConspiracyRead the Press Release
CONTACT: Barbara Burns
PHONE: (716) 843-5817
FAX #: (716) 551-3051BUFFALO, N.Y. -- U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy, Jr. announced today that Louis Gilbert, 43, of Buffalo, NY, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Richard J. Arcara to conspiring to possess with intent to distribute, and distributing, 500 grams or more of cocaine. The charge carries a mandatory minimum penalty of five years in prison, a maximum of 40 years, and a fine of $5,000,000.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Richard Antoine and Laura A. Higgins, who are handling the case, stated that between July 2019, and January 10, 2020, the defendant conspired with others to sell cocaine. On January 10, 2020, Gilbert and co-defendant Saan Thompson engaged in a text communication regarding a drug sale. Thereafter, investigators set up surveillance in the vicinity of 189 May Street and observed Thompson and Gilbert meet inside of the residence. Afterwards, Erie County Sheriff’s deputies conducted a traffic stop of the vehicle Gilbert was driving and he was found in possession of suspected cocaine.
Saan Thompson and another co-defendant Ronnie Charleston were previously convicted and are awaiting sentencing. Charges remain pending against co-defendant Antoine Gilbert. The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
The plea is the result of an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Kevin Kelly; the Federal Bureau of Investigation Safe Streets Task Force, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Stephen Belongia; the Erie County Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Sheriff Timothy Howard; the Buffalo Police Department, under the direction of Commissioner Byron Lockwood; and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge John B. Devito.
Sentencing is scheduled for September 14, 2021, before Judge Arcara.
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Bryson City Woman Is Sentenced to 21 Years for Distribution of A Controlled Substance Resulting in DeathRead the Press Release
ASHEVILLE, N.C. – Shannon White, 44, of Bryson City, N.C. was sentenced to 21 years in prison late yesterday for distribution of a controlled substance resulting in death, announced William T. Stetzer, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. In addition to the prison term imposed, Chief U.S. District Judge Martin Reidinger ordered White to serve three under court supervision after she is released from prison.
Sheriff Curtis A. Cochran of the Swain County Sheriff’s Office and Robert J. Murphy, Special Agent in Charge of the Atlanta Field Division of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), which oversees the Asheville Post of Duty, join Acting U.S. Attorney Stetzer in making today’s announcement.
According to evidence presented at Shannon’s trial, witness testimony and documents filed in the case, White, who is an enrolled member of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians and resident of the Cherokee Indian Reservation, was involved in the distribution of narcotics in an around Jackson and Swain Counties. Trial evidence established that on January 27, 2019, a victim, identified in court documents as J.F., ordered heroin from White. White agreed to supply the heroin to J.F. and supplied him with a substance that White believed to be heroin, but turned out to be fentanyl. According to trial testimony, J.F.’s use of the fentanyl resulted in J.F.’s overdose death. According to trial evidence, White continued to sell narcotics even after she became aware of the J.F.’s death, and falsely accused two other individuals of committing the crime.
"White peddled fentanyl, a highly toxic drug that resulted in a fatal overdose, and brazenly continued to distribute the lethal opioid even after she learned of the victim’s death,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Stetzer. “White’s 21-year sentence imposed by the Court reflects the severity of her conduct and the detrimental role drug dealers play in spreading deadly substances that plague communities and cause tragic deaths. The U.S. Attorney’s Office will continue to work closely with our law enforcement and community partners to combat the opioid epidemic."
“The death involved in this investigation underscores the seriousness of our country’s dependence on prescription opioids,” said the Special Agent in Charge Murphy. “In this case, the victim’s life was cut short, after consuming what turned out to be a deadly dose of fentanyl. Consequently, White will spend well-deserved time in federal prison. DEA and our law enforcement partners will continue to expend our time, energy and resources in an effort to stem the tide against the opioid epidemic.”
“The death involved in this investigation underscores the seriousness of our country’s dependence on prescription opioids,” said the Special Agent in Charge Murphy. “In this case, the victim’s life was cut short, after consuming what turned out to be a deadly dose of fentanyl. Consequently, White will spend well-deserved time in federal prison. DEA and our law enforcement partners will continue to expend our time, energy and resources in an effort to stem the tide against the opioid epidemic.”
“The Swain County Sheriff’s Office is pleased to be a part of this investigation to bring this person to justice. We hope this brings some closure to the family of the victim in this case. We will continue to fight the drug problem in Swain County and will aggressively pursue anyone who sells or gives drugs to anyone that causes their death,” said Sheriff Cochran.
White is currently in custody. She will be transferred to the custody of the federal Bureau of Prisons upon designation of a federal facility.
In making today’s announcement Acting U.S. Attorney Stetzer commended the Swain County Sheriff’s Office and the DEA in Asheville for their investigation of this case and thanked the FBI and the Cherokee Indian Police Department for their invaluable assistance.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas Kent, of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Asheville, prosecuted the case.
Bridgeport Jury Finds Waterbury Man Guilty of Drug and Gun OffensesRead the Press Release
Leonard C Boyle, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that a federal jury in Bridgeport has found ANDRE DENNIS, 40, of Waterbury, guilty of narcotics and firearm offenses. The trial before U.S. District Judge Victor A. Bolden began on May 26 and the jury returned its verdict this morning.
According to the evidence at trial, in November 2018, Dennis was on special parole following his most recent conviction for possession of narcotics. On November 29, 2018, Connecticut parole officers and the Waterbury Police Department conducted a compliance check at Dennis’ residence and found a loaded Smith & Wesson pistol and approximately 45 grams of fentanyl, 12 grams of crack cocaine, and seven grams of powder cocaine. The search also revealed items used to process and package narcotics for sale, and more than $9,000 in cash.
Dennis’ criminal history includes several state felony convictions. It is a violation of federal law for a person previously convicted of a felony offense to possess a firearm or ammunition that has moved in interstate or foreign commerce.
The jury found Dennis guilty of one count of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, cocaine and cocaine base (“crack”), and one count of unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon. Dennis was found not guilty of one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
At sentencing, which is not scheduled, Dennis faces a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of five years and a maximum term of imprisonment of 50 years.
Dennis has been detained since his arrest on November 29, 2018.
This investigation has been conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Waterbury Police Department with the assistance of Connecticut State Parole. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Natasha Freismuth and Hal Chen.
Branford Man Charged with Child Pornography OffensesRead the Press Release
Leonard C Boyle, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, and William S. Walker, Acting Special Agent in Charge, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Boston, announced that MICHAEL HOLM, 42, of Branford, was arrested today on a federal criminal complaint charging him with distribution, transportation and possession of child pornography and obscene visual depictions of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct.
As alleged in court documents, from approximately September 1, 2014 to March 8, 2021, Holm used various websites, mobile applications and online file storage platforms, such as ChatStep, Kik, Discord, Dropbox, Skype, SkyDrive and Gmail, to distribute, transport, and store material depicting the sexual abuse of children. On March 8, 2021, law enforcement agents conducted a court-authorized search of Holm’s Branford residence and seized his Apple iPhone. A preliminary forensic examination of the iPhone revealed 31 images and videos depicting child pornography. Law enforcement agents also conducted a court-authorized search of Holm’s Dropbox account, where he had uploaded and stored over 100 images and videos of child pornography.
The complaint also alleges that Holm engaged in some of this conduct while he was on federal supervised release for a prior child pornography offense. In August 2011, Holm was sentenced in federal court to three months of imprisonment and five years of supervised release for possession of child pornography.
Holm appeared today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Robert M. Spector in New Haven and was ordered detained.
If convicted of the distribution and transportation charges, Holm faces a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of 15 years and a maximum term of imprisonment of 30 years. If convicted of the possession charges, Holm faces a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of 10 years and maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years. The penalties in this matter are enhanced based on Holm’s prior federal conviction for possession of child pornography.
Acting U.S. Attorney Boyle stressed that a complaint is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. Charges are only allegations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This matter is being investigated by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) with the assistance of the Connecticut State Police and the Branford Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Neeraj N. Patel.
This prosecution is part of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Project Safe Childhood Initiative, which is aimed at protecting children from sexual abuse and exploitation. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
To report cases of child exploitation, please visit www.cybertipline.com.
Bowie Man Sentenced to 12 Months and One Day in Federal Prison for Selling More Than $300,000 Worth of Counterfeit DVDsRead the Press Release
Greenbelt, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Paula Xinis sentenced Olayinka Wahab, age 45, of Bowie, Maryland, on March 24, 2020 to 12 months and one day in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for copyright infringement in connection with his sale of counterfeit DVDs containing copyrighted works, including popular movies, television shows, and fitness programs. Judge Xinis has also ordered Wahab to pay $241,370.58 in forfeiture and $165,961.53 in restitution to the victims of his copyright infringement.
The sentence was announced by Acting United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Jonathan F. Lenzner and Special Agent in Charge James R. Mancuso of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Baltimore.
According to his plea agreement, between March 2009 and May 2018, Wahab sold approximately 18,306 DVDs or DVD sets, with a total retail value of $315,761.44. Wahab knowingly sold counterfeit DVDs containing copyrighted works belonging to ABC Studios/Disney, Anchor Bay Entertainment; Disney; Fox; HBO Home Entertainment; Lionsgate; MGM; Netflix; Paramount; Sony; Universal; Warner Brothers; and BeachBody, LLC.
In 2017, representatives from the Motion Picture Association (MPA) identified a seller on an Internet marketplace selling fraudulent DVDs at a discounted rate. MPA purchased an item and analyzed the DVD upon receipt. Although the packaging was nearly indistinguishable from legitimate copies, the product was fraudulent. Records obtained from the Internet marketplace revealed the seller had made over 10,000 sales of DVD or Blu-Ray discs of popular movies, television shows, or fitness programs between August 2016 and April 2018.
Undercover law enforcement officers subsequently conducted purchases from the seller, including DVD titles of “Beauty and the Beast,” “The Walking Dead,”,“The Fate of the Furious,” “Finding Dory,” and among other popular titles. The DVDs purchased by the undercover officers were provided to MPA representatives for authentication and were determined to be counterfeit. Law enforcement determined that Wahab was the individual purchasing the counterfeit items from China and reselling the fraudulent items in the United States.
During the nine years when Wahab was engaged in the sale of counterfeit DVDs, he made approximately $241,370.58 from these sales. As gross proceeds from Wahab’s criminal activity, Judge Xinis ordered forfeiture in this amount. Separately, the Court also ordered restitution in the amount of $165,961.53 in order to compensate the copyright holder victims whose copyright infringed titles the Defendant was selling online.
Acting United States Attorney Jonathan F. Lenzner commended HSI for its work in the investigation and thanked the MPA for its substantial assistance in this matter. Mr. Lenzner thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Rajeev R. Raghavan and Thomas M. Sullivan, who prosecuted the case.
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Beltsville Pimp Sentenced to Eight Years in Federal Prison for Conspiracy to Commit Sex TraffickingRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – U.S. District Judge George L. Russell, III sentenced Kamal Dorchy, age 46, of Beltsville, Maryland, yesterday to eight years in federal prison, followed by 15 years of supervised release, for conspiracy to commit sex trafficking. Judge Russell also ordered that, upon his release from prison, Dorchy will be required to register as a sex offender in the places where he resides, where he is an employee, and where he is a student, under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA).
The sentence was announced by Acting United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Jonathan F. Lenzner; Special Agent in Charge James R. Mancuso of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Baltimore; Chief Lisa D. Myers of the Howard County Police Department; Chief Melissa R. Hyatt of the Baltimore County Police Department; Commissioner Michael Harrison of the Baltimore Police Department; Chief Malik Azziz of the Prince George’s County Police Department; and Howard County State’s Attorney Rich Gibson.
According to Dorchy’s plea agreement, from September 2016 to July 2017, Dorchy conspired with others to commit sex trafficking. Dorchy used Internet websites to post prostitution advertisements and recruit sex workers for his prostitution business through advertisements for massage work or prostitution.
As detailed in his plea agreement, on July 27, 2017 a Howard County Police Department detective met with an adult sex worker (Victim 1) at a hotel in Laurel, Maryland. Victim 1 advised the detective about Dorchy’s conduct. The victim also told the detective she used a name had given her in prostitution ads.
Dorchy admitted that he met a 17-year-old minor at a strip club in July of 2017 and recruited the minor victim to work for him in his prostitution business. Dorchy claims that he was not aware of her true age at the time, and believed she was 18 years of age due to her employment at the strip club. The minor victim informed law enforcement that she told Dorchy her true age before she was trafficked. Dorchy arranged prostitution dates for the minor victim by posting ads on Internet websites, including for dates in Maryland. When Dorchy could not be there for the minor victim’s prostitution dates, he employed his cousin to act as “security.” The minor victim was 17 years old during the time that she was trafficked.
A third sex trafficking victim, an adult female, advised law enforcement that she met Dorchy in 2016 during a job interview for a massage business at a hotel in Baltimore, where she was told that she would be walking clients to appointments. The victim advised that, at Dorchy’s direction, she later did prostitution dates at the massage business.
This case was investigated by law enforcement agencies that are members of the Maryland Human Trafficking Task Force, formed in 2007 to discover and rescue victims of human trafficking while identifying and prosecuting offenders. Members include federal, state and local law enforcement, as well as victim service providers and local community members. For more information about the Maryland Human Trafficking Task Force, please visit http://www.mdhumantrafficking.org/.
Report suspected instances of human trafficking to HSI's tip line at 866-DHS-2ICE (1-866-347-2423) or by completing its online tip form. Both are staffed around the clock by investigators.
Acting United States Attorney Jonathan F. Lenzner praised HSI, the Howard County, Baltimore County, Baltimore City, and Prince George’s County Police Departments, and the Howard County State’s Attorney’s Office for their work in the investigation and prosecution. Mr. Lenzner thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ayn B. Ducao, Adam K. Ake, and Jeffrey J. Izant, who prosecuted the case.
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Belleville Man Indicted for Producing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
EAST ST. LOUIS, Ill. – A St. Clair County man is under federal indictment on multiple charges involving producing and distributing sexually explicit images of minors. Zachary Dennert, 19, of Belleville, Illinois, is accused of coercing two minors, including one under the age of 12 years old, to produce visual depictions of sexually explicit conduct. The offenses occurred between January and August 2020.
The four-count federal indictment further alleges that Dennert transported images of a third minor victim in August 2020 and distributed an image of child pornography over the internet in September 2020.On May 26, 2021, Dennert appeared before United States Magistrate Judge Mark A. Beatty and entered
a not guilty plea. He is being held in custody pending a detention hearing next week.Each count of producing child pornography is punishable by at least 15 years and up to 30 years in
prison. For the other charges, Dennert faces a possible penalty of 5-20 years’ imprisonment. All
four counts are also punishable by a fine of up to $250,000.An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty
beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.The case is being investigated by O’Fallon Police Department and United States Secret Service.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexandria Burns is prosecuting the case.This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in 2006
by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse.
Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and
Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources
to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and
rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood,
please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. For more information about internet safety
education, please visit
www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab “resources.”
Auburn Man Pleads Guilty to Filing a False Tax ReturnRead the Press Release
BOSTON – An Auburn man pleaded guilty yesterday in federal court in Worcester to filing a false personal tax return.
Stephen Hubley, 64, pleaded guilty to one count of filing a false and fraudulent tax return. U.S. District Court Judge Timothy S. Hillman scheduled sentencing for Sept. 17, 2021.
Hubley admitted he failed to report several hundreds of thousands of dollars in income on his 2019 personal tax return.
The charge of filing a false and fraudulent tax return provides for a sentence of up to three years in prison, one year of supervised release, restitution equal to the tax loss as determined the Court and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Acting United States Attorney Nathaniel R. Mendell and Ramsey E. Covington, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigations in Boston made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney John T. Mulcahy of Mendell’s Worcester Branch Office is prosecuting the case.
Appellate Court Affirms Convictions of Lawyer and Coal Company Executive for Bribing State LegislatorRead the Press Release
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit yesterday affirmed the convictions of a Birmingham lawyer and an Alabama coal company executive in a scheme to bribe a state legislator to use his office to oppose Environmental Protection Agency actions in north Birmingham, announced U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona.
A jury found former Balch & Bingham partner JOEL IVERSON GILBERT and former Drummond Company Vice President of Government and Regulatory Affairs DAVID LYNN ROBERSON guilty of bribery, honest services wire fraud, conspiracy, and money laundering. At trial, the government showed that, after the EPA notified a Drummond Company subsidiary of its potential liability for cleanup costs, Gilbert and Roberson bribed former Alabama Rep. Oliver Robinson to advocate Drummond’s opposition to EPA’s prioritization or expansion of the north Birmingham Superfund site near Robinson’s district. The bribe came in the form of a consulting contract that paid Robinson $360,000 through the Oliver Robinson Foundation, a non-profit organization, between 2015 and 2016. In return, Robinson spoke to EPA officials and state environmental officials, secretly taping his meetings, and cast a vote for a state resolution drafted by Gilbert opposing the EPA’s efforts.
On appeal, Gilbert and Roberson contended that their actions did not meet the legal definition of bribery. The Eleventh Circuit disagreed and affirmed their judgments of conviction. It held that the two “concealed payments of hundreds of thousands of dollars to an Alabama Representative through his charitable foundation” in exchange for his official acts “intended to undermine the Environmental Protection Agency’s . . . efforts to clean up a Superfund site.”
“The Eleventh Circuit confirmed what the jury understood. Joel Gilbert and David Roberson paid a state representative to deprive the voters of north Birmingham of their voice,” Escalona said. “The appellate court’s decision makes clear that the very purpose of our bribery laws is to prohibit such efforts to subvert the will of the community.”
Assistant U.S. Attorneys George Martin, now of the Southern District of Alabama, Robin B. Mark, and J.B. Ward prosecuted the case in the district court. Martin briefed and Assistant U.S. Attorney Praveen Krishna argued the case before the Eleventh Circuit.
Alexandria Jury Convicts Armed Robbery DefendantRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, La. – Larcentursa Mayweather a.k.a. “Cent” a.k.a “Lacenturia,” 49, of Winnfield, Louisiana, has been convicted on armed bank robbery charges, Acting United States Attorney Alexander C. Van Hook announced. United States District Judge Dee D. Drell presided over the four-day trial held in Alexandria.
Mayweather was charged on July 8, 2020 in a federal indictment with conspiracy to commit armed bank robbery, two counts of armed bank robbery, and one count of making a false bomb threat. Evidence introduced at trial showed that Mayweather conspired with two other co-defendants, Paul Nash, Jr. and Tabitha Lee Gray a.k.a. “Tabitha White” to rob two banks in the Western District of Louisiana in April 2019.
Mayweather helped plan the bank robberies and instructed Nash and Gray on how to carry out the robberies and what to do and he acted as the getaway driver. On April 2, 2019, Mayweather drove Nash and Gray to Campti, Louisiana and dropped them off at the City Bank and waited for them while they were inside committing the armed robbery. Nash and Gray left the bank with the stolen money and fled to the car where Mayweather was waiting, and they drove away. Prior to the bank robbery and in an effort to divert the attention of law enforcement officers while the robbery was being committed, Mayweather provided Nash with a cell phone and instructed him to make a false report to law enforcement conveying that there was a bomb threat on the Lakeview High School property in Campti.
The second armed robbery occurred on April 16, 2019 at the Bank of Montgomery in Castor, Louisiana. Again, Mayweather helped plan the robbery and instructed Nash and Gray on how to carry out the robbery. Instead of calling in a false report of a bomb threat, this time they committed an arson and set a house on fire to try and divert the attention of local law enforcement while the robbery was being committed. Nash and Gray entered the bank with firearms drawn and ordered the tellers to stay out of the way so they could take the money. After the money was stolen, Nash and Gray ran out of the bank intending to find Mayweather, who had promised he would be waiting to pick them up. Instead, once they exited the bank, Mayweather saw law enforcement officers in the area and instead of picking them up, he accelerated and left Nash and Gray to fend for themselves. Nash and Gray ran into a nearby wooded area and were later apprehended. Mayweather was seen leaving the area of the Bank of Montgomery and was stopped and arrested by law enforcement officers. Gray's purse and a receipt belonging to Nash were found in his vehicle.
Testimony at trial revealed that a glove belonging to Mayweather was found in the parking lot and his DNA was on the glove. Further, Nash and Gray each wore gloves during the robberies which were provided by Mayweather from his place of employment at the time.
Nash and Gray each previously pleaded guilty in this case and agreed to testify about their involvement in the robberies. Nash is scheduled to be sentenced on June 18, 2021 at 11:00 a.m. Gray is scheduled to be sentenced on August 19, 2021 at 2:00 p.m.
Mayweather faces up to 5 years in prison on the conspiracy count, up to 25 years on the armed bank robbery counts, up to 10 years on the false bomb threat count, and up to a $250,000 fine. Sentencing is set for August 27, 2021 at 11:00 a.m.
The FBI, Louisiana State Police, Natchitoches Parish Sheriff’s Office, Bienville Parish Sheriff’s Office, Jackson Parish Sheriff’s Office, and Louisiana State Fire Marshal conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Tennille Gilreath and Robert F. Moody prosecuted the case.
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Albuquerque man pleads guilty to violating migratory bird treaty actRead the Press Release
ALBQUERQUE, N.M. – Amado Martin Vargas Hernandez, 57, of Albuquerque, pleaded guilty and was sentenced in federal court on May 24 for a single misdemeanor count of violating the Migratory Bird Treaty Act.
In the plea agreement, Vargas Hernandez admitted that on Nov. 14, 2019, in Bernalillo County, New Mexico, he unlawfully possessed bird parts, including feathers of sharp-shinned hawks, American kestrels, greater roadrunners, red-tailed hawks, northern flickers, white-winged doves, crested caracaras, Cooper’s hawks, bald eagles, golden eagles, and barred owls. Federal law prohibits the possession, use, and sale of the feathers or other parts of protected birds, as well as the unauthorized killing of these birds, to help ensure that their populations remain healthy and sustainable.
Vargas Hernandez was sentenced to one year of probation. As part of his sentence, Vargas Hernandez agrees to pay a fine of $250 to the North American Wetlands Conservation Fund Account. Additionally, Vargas Hernandez forfeits any interest in the feathers, parts, and products of the protected birds seized during the course of the investigation of this case.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) investigated this case. FWS is the principal federal agency responsible for conserving, protecting and enhancing fish, wildlife and plants and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people. The Service manages the 95-million-acre National Wildlife Refuge System, which encompasses 545 national wildlife refuges as well as thousands of small wetlands and other special management areas. It also operates 69 national fish hatcheries, 64 fishery resources offices and 81 ecological services field stations. The agency enforces federal wildlife laws, administers the Endangered Species Act, manages migratory bird populations, restores nationally significant fisheries, conserves and restores wildlife habitat such as wetlands and helps foreign and Native American tribal governments with their conservation efforts.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Novaline D. Wilson prosecuted the case.
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11 indicted in international fentanyl distribution conspiracyRead the Press Release
CINCINNATI – A federal grand jury has indicted 11 people, including seven from Cincinnati, for engaging in an international conspiracy to distribute the deadly drug fentanyl.
“These charges disrupt an alleged fentanyl pipeline that stretched from a source cartel in Mexico, through California and Arizona and onto the streets of Cincinnati,” Acting U.S. Attorney Vipal J. Patel said. “We hope this investigation saved countless lives by preventing fentanyl from reaching our community’s streets.”
A 29-year-old Cincinnati man, Tyree Cushan Yisrael, was the final defendant to be arrested today.
Local and federal investigations started in 2019 and included the DEA Cincinnati field office, the FBI and the Hamilton County Regional Enforcement Narcotics Unit (RENU). Gilberto Ojeda-Avila of Tolleson, Arizona, was believed to be a source of supply who helped coordinate the transport of illicit drugs from Arizona to local distributors in the Cincinnati area, including Kenneth Green and Richard Sommerville.
On Memorial Day weekend in 2020, investigators stopped cars driven by Georgina Tapia-Llamas and Nancy Osorio-Duarte in Cincinnati and allegedly found more than four kilograms of fentanyl hidden in the front bumper and wheel wells of the car driven by Osorio-Duarte.
Further investigation helped identify several alleged prolific Cincinnati distributors. Execution of search warrants at several locations in the Cincinnati area last October and November resulted in the seizure of more than 13 additional kilograms of fentanyl, at least 17 guns and more than $1 million in alleged drug proceeds.
The fentanyl seized was allegedly being sold for approximately $65,000 per kilogram, giving the quantity of drugs in this case an estimated street value of at least $1.1 million.
“Fentanyl can be 50 times more potent than heroin and has claimed far too many lives, not just here in Southern Ohio, but across the nation,” said Cincinnati District Office Special Agent in Charge Keith Martin. “Through the cooperation between law enforcement entities, we were able to halt the distribution of a significant amount of this potentially deadly substance and thwart an allegedly major drug trafficking organization.”
The final indictment was returned on March 31, 2021.
The indictment charges the following with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute a controlled substance:
Name
Age
City of residence
Gilberto Ojeda-Avila
24
Tolleson, Arizona
Georgina Tapia-Llamas
43
Tolleson, Arizona
Selma Valenzuela-Garibaldi
41
Phoenix
Kenneth Eugene Green
56
Cincinnati
Richard Charles Sommerville II
37
Cincinnati
Gabriel Thomas
36
Cincinnati
Nancy Osorio-Duarte
41
Phoenix
Tyree Cushan Yisrael
29
Cincinnati
Antonio Lamont Brumfield
22
Cincinnati
Chavez Foggie
23
Cincinnati
Isis Allen
29
Cincinnati
Each of the defendants is charged in a narcotics conspiracy punishable by at least 10 years and up to life in prison.
“The FBI is proud to have worked alongside our federal and local partners to bring to justice those who harm our communities by distributing this deadly drug,” stated FBI Cincinnati Special Agent in Charge Chris Hoffman. “We remain committed to getting fentanyl, and those who distribute it, off the streets.”
Vipal J. Patel, Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Keith Martin, Special Agent in Charge, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA); Chris Hoffman, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division; and Hamilton County Sheriff Charmaine McGuffey announced the charges. Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer Weinhold is representing the United States in this case.
An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.
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