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23 June 2021
York County Man Sentenced to 10 Years’ Imprisonment for Drug Trafficking OffensesRead the Press Release
HARRISBURG – The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Luis Minier, a/k/a “Cito,” age 26, of York, Pennsylvania, was sentenced on June 22, 2021, to 10 years’ imprisonment by U.S. District Court Judge Christopher C. Conner for conspiring to distribute over a kilogram of heroin (one kilogram of heroin is the equivalent of approximately 40,000 individual doses) and five kilograms of cocaine.
According to Acting United States Attorney Bruce D. Brandler, the investigation began with an overdose death in the City of York on December 2, 2017. Investigators connected the death to heroin laced with fentanyl sold by codefendant Lamar Johnson. They further determined that Minier was bringing kilogram quantities of heroin and cocaine into York on a weekly basis from September 2017 until December 2017. Police arrested and seized over 700 grams of heroin and a kilogram of cocaine during police searches in December 2017.
Codefendants indicted in this case include:
- Brandon L. Orr, a/k/a “B Or,” age 27, of York, entered a guilty plea to drug trafficking charges in June 2021, and is awaiting sentencing;
- Lamar Johnson, age 32 of York, entered a guilty plea to drug trafficking charges in June 2021, and is awaiting sentencing; and
- Javiel Snellings, age 26, of York, entered a guilty plea to drug trafficking charges and was sentenced March 31, 2021 to two years of probation.
The case was investigated by the Capitol Safe Streets Task Force, which included representatives of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Pennsylvania State Police, the York County Drug Task Force, and Springettsbury Township Police. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael A. Consiglio is prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of a district wide initiative to combat the nationwide epidemic regarding the use and distribution of heroin. Led by the United States Attorney’s Office, the Heroin Initiative targets heroin traffickers operating in the Middle District of Pennsylvania and is part of a coordinated effort among federal, state and local law enforcement agencies to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who commit heroin related offenses.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program that has been historically successful in bringing together all levels of law enforcement to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. The Department of Justice reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local and tribal enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce crime.
The maximum penalty under federal law for this offense is life imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the Judge is also required to consider and weigh a number of factors, including the nature, circumstances and seriousness of the offense; the history and characteristics of the defendant; and the need to punish the defendant, protect the public and provide for the defendant's educational, vocational and medical needs. For these reasons, the statutory maximum penalty for the offense is not an accurate indicator of the potential sentence for a specific defendant.
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U.S. Attorney’s Office Seeks Temporary Restraining Order Against Minnesota Businessman Selling Counterfeit N95 MasksRead the Press Release
EL PASO – Federal authorities in El Paso are seeking a civil injunction against 40-year-old Wayzata, Minnesota resident Scott Boynton and his business, Boynton Companies, Inc, d/b/a RELYmedia, in an effort to combat alleged fraud related to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
The government is employing a statute that permits federal courts to issue injunctions to prevent harm to potential victims of fraudulent schemes. The purpose of the civil injunction is to stop Boynton and RELYmedia, from advertising, distributing, transporting or selling any mask or face covering purported to be an authentic 3M 1860 N95 mask. If approved by the Court, the civil injunction will prevent RELYmedia from selling counterfeit 3M masks in an effort to protect the public from unknowingly purchasing ineffective or substandard personal protective equipment.
On December 7, 2020, Department of Homeland Security officials seized over 100,000 counterfeit 3M 1860 N95 masks sold by Boynton through RELYmedia. Those masks were discovered inside a U.S. Customs bonded warehouse in El Paso. Court records state that the seized masks, as well as other masks offered for sale and sold by Boynton, were counterfeit 3M N95 masks exported from China.
U.S. Attorney Ashley C. Hoff and Special Agent in Charge Erik P. Breitzke of Homeland Security Investigations’ (HSI) El Paso Field Office made today’s announcement.
The Department of Justice recommends that Americans take the following precautionary measures to protect themselves from known and emerging scams related to COVID-19:
- Independently verify the identity of any company, charity, or individual that contacts you regarding COVID-19.
- Check the websites and email addresses offering information, products, or services related to COVID-19. Be aware that scammers often employ addresses that differ only slightly from those belonging to the entities they are impersonating. For example, they might use “cdc.com” or “cdc.org” instead of “cdc.gov.”
- Be wary of unsolicited emails offering information, supplies, or treatment for COVID-19 or requesting your personal information for medical purposes. Legitimate health authorities will not contact the general public this way.
- Do not click on links or open email attachments from unknown or unverified sources. Doing so could download a virus onto your computer or device.
- Make sure the anti-malware and anti-virus software on your computer is operating and up to date.
- Check online reviews of any company offering COVID-19 products or supplies. Avoid companies whose customers have complained about not receiving items.
- Research any charities or crowdfunding sites soliciting donations in connection with COVID-19 before giving any donation. Remember, an organization may not be legitimate even if it uses words like “CDC” or “government” in its name or has reputable looking seals or logos on its materials. For online resources on donating wisely, visit the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) website.
- Be wary of any business, charity or individual requesting payments or donations in cash, by wire transfer, gift card or through the mail. Don’t send money through any of these channels.
- Be cautious of “investment opportunities” tied to COVID-19, especially those based on claims that a small company’s products or services can help stop the virus. If you decide to invest, carefully research the investment beforehand. For information on how to avoid investment fraud, visit the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) website.
This enforcement action is being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Shane Wagman Romero and Eddie Castillo. HSI’s El Paso Field Office is conducting the investigation. The claims made in the complaint are allegations that, if the case were to proceed to trial, the government must prove to receive a permanent injunction against the defendant.
On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, among other methods, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on DOJ’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus.
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
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Texas Attorney and Client Sentenced for Conspiracy to Defraud the United States and Income Tax EvasionRead the Press Release
Texas attorney and former member of the Idaho legislature, John O. Green, and his client, Texas inventor Thomas Selgas, were sentenced yesterday for conspiracy to defraud the United States and tax evasion. Selgas was sentenced to 18 months in prison and Green to six months.
Selgas and Green were convicted by a jury in Federal District Court in Dallas on Jan. 15, 2020. According to the evidence presented at trial, Selgas conspired with Green, an attorney licensed to practice in Texas, to defraud the United States by obstructing the IRS’s efforts to assess and collect Selgas’s taxes. Selgas and his wife owed approximately $1.1 million in taxes that Selgas refused to pay. When the IRS sought to collect those taxes, Selgas concealed, with the assistance of Green, substantial funds by using Green’s Interest on Lawyers Trust Account (IOLTA) rather than using financial accounts in Selgas’s own name. An IOLTA is an escrow bank account used by a lawyer to hold money in trust for clients. From 2007 to 2017, Selgas deposited proceeds from the sale of gold coins and other income into Green’s IOLTA. At the direction of Selgas, Green would then use that escrow account to pay the personal expenses of Selgas and his wife, including their credit card bills. This use of the IOLTA concealed Selgas’s income from the IRS and thwarted its ability to identify funds he possessed, which could be used to offset the taxes owed. Selgas and Green also filed a false tax return on behalf of MyMail Ltd., an intellectual property development and licensing partnership Selgas co-founded, omitting a substantial portion of the partnership’s actual income.
In addition to the term of imprisonment, U.S. District Judge Karen Gren Scholer ordered Selgas to serve thee years of supervised release and to pay approximately $1,323,776.92 in restitution to the United States. Judge Scholer ordered Green to serve three years of supervised release and to pay approximately $679,501.50 in restitution to the United States.
Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and Acting U.S. Attorney Prerak Shah of the Northern District of Texas made the announcement.
Trial Attorneys Robert Kemins and Mitchell Galloway of the Justice Department’s Tax Division prosecuted the case.
Tennessee Doctor Pleads Guilty to Hydrocodone Distribution Resulting in DeathRead the Press Release
A Tennessee physician pleaded guilty today in the Western District of Tennessee to causing the death of one of his patients through his illegal prescribing of hydrocodone.
According to court documents, Thomas K. Ballard III, 63, of Jackson, owned and operated the Ballard Clinic, from which he issued prescriptions for dangerous, addictive controlled pharmaceutical drugs without any legitimate medical purpose. Ballard engaged in inappropriate sexual contact with several female patients while he ignored red flags that they were abusing the medications he prescribed. These abuses were often reflected in Ballard’s own medical records.
Ballard’s treatment records reflected that he believed that a particular patient had psychiatric issues, and that she was abusing her medication, fabricating personal trauma and tampering with drug screens. The records also reflected aberrant drug screens and notations about the patient’s incarceration and receipt of prescriptions elsewhere for suboxone, a drug used to treat opioid dependency disorder. In spite of that history, Ballard prescribed the patient hydrocodone repeatedly, including on May 28, 2015, when Ballard issued her the prescription for the hydrocodone on which she fatally overdosed.
“Today’s plea is a somber reminder of the human cost of illegal prescribing,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Nicholas L. McQuaid of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Above all, physicians are trusted not to harm their patients. When opioid addictions are fueled at the hands of predatory prescribers, death is all too often the result. The Department of Justice and its law enforcement partners will continue to use all of the tools at our disposal to hold such prescribers accountable.”
“This case represents Tennessee Bureau of Investigation Medicaid Fraud Control Division’s commitment to fighting the opioid epidemic plaguing our state, exposing fraudulent health care schemes, and holding offenders accountable for their dishonest criminal conduct,” said Special Agent-In-Charge Terry L. Reed Sr. of the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI).
“Ballard has proven himself to be nothing more than a predator in a white lab coat, and he should expect to be punished accordingly,” said Special Agent in Charge J. Todd Scott of the DEA’s Louisville Division. “Doctors take an oath to first do no harm, and instead, Ballard chose to put his own licentious interests above his patients’ well-being.”
“Ballard’s callous disregard for the well-being of his patients and the principles of his profession caused the death of a vulnerable woman and put other lives at risk,” said Special Agent in Charge Derrick L. Jackson with the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “The damage he caused is severe and irreparable. HHS-OIG, alongside other law enforcement agencies, works to pursue medical professionals who inflict harm on patients in their care.”
Ballard pleaded guilty to a count of illegal drug distribution resulting in death. He will be sentenced to 20 years in prison, the statutory mandatory minimum, on Sept. 21, if the court accepts his plea agreement. A federal district court judge will determine any non-incarceration aspect of Ballard’s sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The TBI, DEA, and HHS-OIG investigated the case.
Trial Attorneys Jason Knutson, Drew Pennebaker, and Emily Petro of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section are prosecuting the case.
Tennessee Doctor Pleads Guilty to Hydrocodone Distribution Resulting in DeathRead the Press Release
Memphis, TN – A Tennessee physician pleaded guilty today in the Western District of Tennessee to causing the death of one of his patients through his illegal prescribing of hydrocodone.
According to court documents, Thomas K. Ballard III, 63, of Jackson, owned and operated the Ballard Clinic, from which he issued prescriptions for dangerous, addictive controlled pharmaceutical drugs without any legitimate medical purpose. Ballard engaged in inappropriate sexual contact with several female patients while he ignored red flags that they were abusing the medications he prescribed. These abuses were often reflected in Ballard’s own medical records.
Ballard’s treatment records reflected that he believed that a particular patient had psychiatric issues, and that she was abusing her medication, fabricating personal trauma and tampering with drug screens. The records also reflected aberrant drug screens and notations about the patient’s incarceration and receipt of prescriptions elsewhere for suboxone, a drug used to treat opioid dependency disorder. In spite of that history, Ballard prescribed the patient hydrocodone repeatedly, including on May 28, 2015, when Ballard issued her the prescription for the hydrocodone on which she fatally overdosed.
"Today’s plea is a somber reminder of the human cost of illegal prescribing," said Acting Assistant Attorney General Nicholas L. McQuaid of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. "Above all, physicians are trusted not to harm their patients. When opioid addictions are fueled at the hands of predatory prescribers, death is all too often the result. The Department of Justice and its law enforcement partners will continue to use all of the tools at our disposal to hold such prescribers accountable."
"This case represents Tennessee Bureau of Investigation Medicaid Fraud Control Division’s commitment to fighting the opioid epidemic plaguing our state, exposing fraudulent health care
schemes, and holding offenders accountable for their dishonest criminal conduct," said Special Agent-In-Charge Terry L. Reed Sr. of the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI).
"Ballard has proven himself to be nothing more than a predator in a white lab coat, and he should expect to be punished accordingly," said Special Agent in Charge J. Todd Scott of the DEA’s Louisville Division. "Doctors take an oath to first do no harm, and instead, Ballard chose to put his own licentious interests above his patients’ well-being."
"Ballard’s callous disregard for the well-being of his patients and the principles of his profession caused the death of a vulnerable woman and put other lives at risk," stated Derrick L. Jackson, Special Agent in Charge with the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). "The damage he caused is severe and irreparable. HHS-OIG, alongside other law enforcement agencies, works to pursue medical professionals who inflict harm on patients in their care."
Ballard pleaded guilty to a count of illegal drug distribution resulting in death. He will be sentenced to 20 years in prison, the statutory mandatory minimum, on Sept. 21, if the court accepts his plea agreement. A federal district court judge will determine any non-incarceration aspect of Ballard’s sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The TBI, DEA, and HHS-OIG investigated the case.
Trial Attorneys Jason Knutson, Drew Pennebaker, and Emily Petro of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section are prosecuting the case.
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Suring Man Indicted for Crimes Against Underage ChildRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney Richard G. Frohling of the Eastern District of Wisconsin announced that on June 22, 2021, a federal grand jury indicted John E. Fredenburgh (age: 36) of Suring, Wisconsin, on two counts of traveling interstate with the intent to engage in a sexual act with a minor, in violation of
Title 18, United States Code, Section 2423(b), and an additional count of using a computer to attempt to persuade, induce, or entice a minor to engage in unlawful sexual activity, in violation of Title 18, United
States Code, Section 2422(b).
If convicted of the interstate travel charges, Fredenburgh faces up to 30 years’ imprisonment on each count. If convicted of the child enticement charge, he faces a mandatory 10 years’ imprisonment and up to a lifetime of imprisonment.
This case was investigated by the Oconto County Sheriff’s Office, the Marinette County Sheriff’s
Office, the Menominee, Michigan Sheriff’s Office, the Menominee (Michigan) Police Department, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Daniel R.
Humble.
An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. The defendant is presumed innocent and is entitled to a fair trial at which the government must prove him guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
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 U.S. Department of
Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the 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.
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For further information contact: Public Information Officer Kenneth Gales
(414) 297-1700St. Louis man pleads guilty to aiding and abetting a carjackingRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – Jaden Allen, 20, of St. Louis, Missouri, pleaded guilty to one count of aiding and abetting the commission of a carjacking. Allen appeared today before United States District Court Judge John A. Ross.
On June 7, 2020, Allen and a co-defendant approached a victim in the 7300 block of Hazelcrest in St. Louis County to take a 2013 Chrysler 200 at gunpoint. Allen’s co-defendant was armed with a loaded Charter Arms .38 caliber firearm when they verbally engaged the victim, and the co-defendant brandished the firearm and demanded the victim’s car keys. The victim complied with the demand. Allen and the co-defendant then entered the Chrysler and drove away. Allen knowingly associated himself with the carjacking, participated in the carjacking, and took actions to ensure the carjacking was successful.
The victim called Hazelwood Police to report the carjacking. As the victim talked with police at the scene, the victim observed the stolen Chrysler drive past and then alerted police. Officers from multiple jurisdictions pursued the stolen Chrysler at high speeds for approximately 10 miles before Allen’s co-defendant crashed the car. Officers then took Allen and his co-defendant into custody. Officers also recovered the firearm used in the carjacking.
Judge Ross has set sentencing for September 24, 2021.
The Hazelwood Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives are investigating the case.
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South Texan heads to prison for possessing nearly 1500 pornographic images of minorsRead the Press Release
BROWNSVILLE, Texas – A 27-year-old Brownsville resident has been ordered to federal prison for possession of child pornography, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Jennifer B. Lowery.
Alvaro Vega-Rodriguez pleaded guilty Feb. 4, 2020.
Today, U.S. District Judge Rolando Olvera Jr. ordered him to serve a 78-month sentence to be immediately followed by 20 years of supervised release during which he will have to comply with numerous requirements designed to restrict his access to children and the internet. He has also been ordered to register as a sex offender.
“These investigations serve as a reminder and warning to those who engage in perverse online behavior involving child exploitation,” said Deputy Special Agent in Charge Timothy Tubbs of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). “This illegal activity will not be tolerated and those who are participating in it will be found and brought to justice.”
In May 2019, authorities launched an investigation targeting child pornography sharing on the internet. That led them to Vega-Rodriguez. The following month, they conducted a search at the residence and seized his computer. Forensic analysis on the computer later revealed approximately 1,488 images and 121 videos of child pornography.
Vega-Rodriguez was permitted to remain on bond and voluntarily surrender to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
HSI’s Rio Grande Valley Child Exploitation Task Force conducted the investigation.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ana C. Cano and Jose A. Esquivel, Jr. prosecuted the case, which was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood (PSC), a nationwide initiative the Department of Justice (DOJ) launched in May 2006 to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section leads PSC, which marshals federal, state and local resources to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children and identifies and rescues victims. For more information about PSC, please visit DOJ’s PSC page. For more information about internet safety education, please visit the resources tab on that page.
Six People Arrested and Indicted in Alleged Illicit Massage Parlor OperationRead the Press Release
RALEIGH, N.C. – Six women from Flushing, New York, and Little River, South Carolina, were arrested on June 16 and 17, 2021, on charges involving conspiracy, bribery, and operating illegal massage parlors offering prostitution and indicted on June 22, 2021.
According to court documents, Ok Hwa Lee, Shanyu Song, OgBun Park, XueJin Bai and Ming Ji Cao allegedly conspired to pay bribes to a law enforcement officer (who was actually an undercover agent posing as a corrupt law enforcement officer) to provide protection for the operation of illegal massage parlors in Cary and Wilmington, where sexual services were offered. An indictment charges them with conspiracy, bribery, and operating an illegal prostitution enterprise in interstate commerce.
Xiang Yue Jin, charged separately, allegedly also bribed an undercover agent, believing that he would protect her illegal massage parlors (where sexual services were offered) from law enforcement scrutiny. An indictment charges her with bribery and operating an illegal prostitution enterprise in interstate commerce.
G. Norman Acker, III, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement. The Department of Homeland Security – Homeland Security Investigations is investigating the case with assistance from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Wake County Sheriff’s Office, the Durham County Sheriff’s Office, the Cary Police Department, the New Hanover County Sheriff’s Office, the Wilmington Police Department, the Horry County Police Department, the United States Marshals Service, and other state and local investigators. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Erin C. Blondel and Bryan Stephany are prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on our website. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case Nos. 7:21-mj-1165-RJ and 5:21-mj-1569-RN.
An indictment is merely an accusation. The defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty.
Schuylkill County Man Sentenced to Six Years’ Imprisonment for Methamphetamine TraffickingRead the Press Release
SCRANTON - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Shaquane Scott, age 31, of Frackville, Schuylkill County, was sentenced today by U.S. District Court Judge Malachy E. Mannion to six years’ imprisonment for distribution of crystal methamphetamine.
According to Acting United States Attorney Bruce D. Brandler, Scott previously pled guilty and admitted to distributing between 50 and 150 grams of highly-pure crystal methamphetamine in the Schuylkill County area over a several-week period in February and March 2019. Scott and his girlfriend, Samantha Blume, age 28, also of Frackville, were indicted by a grand jury in September 2019 for methamphetamine trafficking. The charges against Blume are still pending.
This matter was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Pennsylvania State Police, and the Schuylkill County Drug Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert J. O’Hara is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program that has been historically successful in bringing together all levels of law enforcement to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. The Department of Justice reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local and tribal enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce crime.
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Saratoga County Man Pleads Guilty to Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Daniel Porrazzo, a/k/a “lickndipinu,” age 51, of Stillwater, New York, pled guilty today to two counts of possession of child pornography.
The announcement was made by Acting United States Attorney Antoinette T. Bacon and Kevin Kelly, Special Agent in Charge of the Buffalo Field Office of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).
As part of his guilty plea, Porrazzo admitted that on June 2, 2016, he possessed multiple images of child pornography on two laptop computers, and that the child pornography he possessed included depictions of children under age 12 being sexually abused.
Porrazzo faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years, a mandatory term of supervised release of 5 years and up to life, and a maximum $250,000 fine, when he is sentenced by Senior United States District Judge Thomas J. McAvoy on October 13, 2021. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, and other factors. Porrazzo will also have to register as a sex offender.
Porrazzo has been in custody since his arrest on October 2, 2020.
This case was investigated by HSI and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua R. Rosenthal.
This case is being prosecuted as part of Project Safe Childhood. Launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice, Project Safe Childhood is led by United States Attorney’s’ offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), and is designed to marshal federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
Rockford Man Sentenced to Two and a Half Years in Prison for Threatening to Kill Deputy U.S. MarshalRead the Press Release
ROCKFORD — A Rockford man has been sentenced to two and a half years in federal prison for threatening to kill a deputy U.S. Marshal.
GIANNI GASPARE ANTHONY CARDENAS, 25, pleaded guilty earlier this year to a charge of transmitting a threat in interstate commerce. U.S. District Judge John J. Tharp, Jr., imposed the 30-month sentence Tuesday after a hearing in federal court in Rockford.
The sentence was announced by John R. Lausch, Jr., United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois; and Emmerson Buie, Jr., Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI. The government was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Talia Bucci.
According to a written plea agreement, the deputy U.S. Marshal in February 2018 interviewed Cardenas at a county jail regarding the whereabouts of a federal fugitive. Cardenas told the deputy U.S. Marshal during the interview that Cardenas would “kick [the deputy's] [expletive]” when Cardenas got out of jail. The plea agreement stated further that, on or about Oct. 20, 2019, Cardenas sent two threatening emails to the deputy U.S. Marshal. The first email stated, among other things, “Hopefully we can meet again this time with me not being in handcuffs." The second email stated, “I’ll kill you.”
Rochester Pawn Shop Owner Pleads Guilty to Selling More Than A million Dollars Worth of Stolen GoodsRead the Press Release
CONTACT: Barbara Burns
PHONE: (716) 843-5817
FAX #: (716) 551-3051ROCHESTER, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy, Jr. announced today that Thomas Nary, 39, of Rochester, NY, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Elizabeth A. Wolford to transportation of stolen goods in interstate commerce. The charge carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Meghan K. McGuire, who is handling the case, stated that the defendant owned and operated Rochester Pawn & Gold (RPG), a pawnshop located on Dewey Avenue in Rochester. Between January 2015 and November 2019, Nary purchased stolen goods and merchandise from individuals that he knew were engaged in unlawful shoplifting from Rochester area retail stores. The stolen items were taken from various stores, including Lowes, Home Depot, Target, Walmart and Wegmans, and then sold to RPG for a fraction of the true retail value. The defendant then listed the stolen goods for sale on eBay and Amazon, including to buyers located outside of New York State. The goods were advertised as “New” or “New-In-Box” and priced below retail value, although the price was well in excess of what Nary paid those that stole the items. The defendant sold and shipped more than $1,500,000 worth of stolen goods to buyers.The defendant was charged in November 2019 along with co-defendants Eric Finnefrock and Ralph Swain, who were both previously convicted and are awaiting sentencing.
The plea is the result of an investigation by the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigations Division, under the direction of Thomas Fattorusso, Acting Special Agent-in-Charge, New York Field Office; the Rochester Police Department, under the direction of Chief Cynthia Herriott-Sullivan; the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Sheriff Todd Baxter; the Greece Police Department, under the direction of Chief Andrew P. Forsythe; and the Monroe County District Attorney’s Office, under the direction of District Attorney Sandra Doorley.
Sentencing will be scheduled at a later date.
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Rochester Man Sentenced to 11 Years in Prison for Conspiracy to Distribute MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
ST. PAUL, Minn. – A Rochester man was sentenced yesterday to 132 months in prison followed by five years of supervised release for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine.
According to court documents, from May 2019 through June 2019, Jason Edward Hoffman, 34, was part of a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. As part of his role in the conspiracy, Hoffman served as a sub-distributor and provided distribution logistics for methamphetamine, that was supplied to him by co-conspirator John Willis Netherton. Hoffman also collected funds from the sale of methamphetamine, which he provided in part to Netherton.
Jason Edward Hoffman pleaded guilty on August 25, 2020, to one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. Several co-conspirators have previously been sentenced for their roles in the conspiracy including: John Willis Netherton, who was sentenced to 260 months imprisonment followed by eight years of supervised release; Jacob Paul Williams was sentenced to 180 months imprisonment and five years of supervised release; Andrew Robert Berndt was sentenced to 102 months imprisonment and five years of supervised release; and Miguel Angel Cuevas Zamora who was sentenced to 120 years imprisonment and two years of supervised release.
Co-conspirators Joshua Alexander Sazo, Nicholas John Hanson, Deja Lee Benton, and Kayleigh Rea Todd have all pleaded guilty and are pending sentencing.
Acting U.S. Attorney W. Anders Folk for the District of Minnesota made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Susan Richard Nelson sentenced the defendant.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Rochester Police Department, the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, the Southeast Minnesota Violent Crimes Enforcement Team, the Olmsted County Sheriff’s Office, the South Central Drug Investigation Unit, and the Minnesota State Patrol.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Allen A. Slaughter, Jr. prosecuted the case.
Riverside Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Firearm ChargeRead the Press Release
DAVENPORT, IOWA – A Riverside man, Jakari Eman Smith, Sr., age 29, was sentenced on Monday, June 21, 2021, by United States District Court Chief Judge John A. Jarvey to 50 months in prison for Felon in Possession of a Firearm. Smith was ordered to served three years of supervised release to follow his prison term and pay $100 to the Crime Victims’ Fund.
Acting United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal made the announcement.
According to court documents, Smith was involved in a vehicle crash in North Liberty. Law enforcement officers approached Smith, noting his breath smelled strongly of alcohol. Smith, was uncooperative with law enforcement and a struggle ensued, during which Smith reached at his waistband area. Subsequently, law enforcement found a firearm directly below the area where Smith had grasped. On February 12, 2021, Smith pleaded guilty to the charge.
The North Liberty Police Department investigated the case and the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa prosecuted the matter.
Ringleader Sentenced to Nearly 20 Years Imprisonment for Cocaine/Heroin/Methamphetamine Trafficking in the Austin AreaRead the Press Release
AUSTIN – U.S. District Judge Lee Yeakel today sentenced 34-year-old Austin resident Juan Angel Aguirre aka “Larry Aguirre” to 235 months in federal prison followed by three years of supervised release for supplying traffickers with multiple kilograms of narcotics that were distributed throughout the Austin area.
Aguirre is one of 19 defendants who have been convicted on federal drug trafficking charges based on this indictment. The defendants conspired to distribute more than five kilograms of cocaine, more than one kilogram of heroin, methamphetamine and other narcotics in Austin from December 2016 to September 2019. During this investigation, authorities seized approximately 20 kilograms of methamphetamine, seven kilograms of cocaine, five kilograms of heroin and more than $594,000 in cash and assets attributed to this drug trafficking organization.
One defendant, Luis Alberto Mota, Jr, is awaiting sentencing next month. The other 18, including Aguirre, have received prison sentences ranging from nine months to 235 months.
“The prosecutions of Juan Angel Aguirre and his codefendants have resulted in the dismantling of a major drug trafficking organization and the removal of a significant criminal element from the streets of Austin,” said U.S. Attorney Ashley C. Hoff. “This case is an excellent example of the effectiveness of our Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) program in combatting the scourge of drug trafficking and the related crimes drug trafficking generates in our community.”
Special Agent in Charge Daniel C. Comeaux of the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) Houston Division, Interim Austin Police Chief Joseph Chacon, Cedar Park Police Chief Mike Harmon, Texas Department of Public Safety Director Steven McCraw, Hays County Sheriff Gary Cutler and Special Agent in Charge Richard D. Goss of the IRS-Criminal Investigation’s (IRS-CI) Houston Field Office joined U.S. Attorney Hoff in making today’s announcement.
This case resulted from an investigation conducted by the DEA, Austin Police Department, Cedar Park Police Department, Texas Department of Public Safety, Hays County Sheriff’s Office and IRS-CI. Assistant U.S. Attorney Douglas Gardner is prosecuting this case.
This prosecution resulted from an OCDETF investigation called Operation “No Big Deal.” OCDETF identifies, disrupts and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the U.S. by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
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Registered Sex Offender Charged with Attempting to Transfer Obscene Material to a MinorRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE, R.I. – A 31-year-old registered sex offender living in Smithfield, RI, who allegedly claimed during Instagram communications with two minor boys in Florida to be 17-years-old, has been ordered detained in federal custody in Rhode Island on charges he attempted to send obscene material, including live video of him performing a sex act on himself, to one of the boys.
According to court documents, on May 18, 2021, a woman reported to the North Port, FL, Police Department that an unidentified person had sent inappropriate sexual communications to her 13-year-old son via an Instagram account with the identity of “Jackasslures.” The Instagram account held itself out as a fishing-related online site. The mother reported that her son also had received a package from Forestdale, RI, containing a fishing lure sent by a person associated with the Instagram account. North Port Police determined that the Instagram account belonged to Nicholas Sannicandro, 31, of Smithfield, RI, and that the 13-year-old learned of the online fishing site from a 14-year-old middle-school classmate who lives in nearby Englewood, FL. Law enforcement located the 14-year-old and determined that he allegedly had been communicating with “Jackasslures” since late January 2021.
According to court documents, a North Port law enforcement officer assumed the online identity of the 14-year-old and began communicating with “Jackasslures” in an undercover capacity. The officer stated to “Jackasslures” that he had just turned 14-years-old, and that he would be travelling to Warwick “as a treat.” In response, on June 10, 2021, “Jackasslures” allegedly sent an image of himself, images of the inside of his boat docked in Warwick, an image of himself wrapped in a blanket on the boat with the caption of “I’M COZY IN MY BED ON. MY BOAT[.]” and an invitation to go out on the boat with him. During further online communications on June 14, Sannicandro allegedly sent a sexually explicit image to the undercover. On June 15, among other messages exchanged between the two, Sannicandro allegedly sent the person he believed to be the 14-year-old a live video of him performing a sex act on himself.
On Tuesday, FBI agents, with the assistance of the North Port, Florida, Police Department, Rhode Island State Police, members of the Rhode Island State Police Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, and the Warwick Police Department, arrested Sannicandro on a federal criminal complaint charging him with attempted transfer of obscene material to a minor and commission of a specified sexual exploitation offense by a person required to register as sex offender. Law enforcement agents and officers also executed court-authorized searches of Sannicandro’s Smithfield residence and boat docked in Warwick.
A federal complaint is merely an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
The arrest of Nicholas Sannicandro is announced by Acting United States Attorney Richard B. Myrus.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney John P. McAdams, with assistance from Assistant United States Attorney Denise M. Barton.
According to court records, Nicholas Sannicandro was convicted in 2011 in Massachusetts for possession of child pornography, and he was required to register as a sex offender. Subsequently, he was convicted twice in 2018.
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Red Lake Man Charged with Assault, Sexual AbuseRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – A Red Lake man has been indicted by a federal grand jury on charges related to a sexual assault occurring on the Red Lake Indian Reservation.
According to court documents, between September 26 and 27, 2020, Tony Lee Lussier, 38, of Red Lake, Minnesota, assaulted a victim with a knife. The indictment also alleges that Lussier engaged in a sexual act with the victim who at the time was physically incapable of declining participation in the act.
Lussier is charged with one count of assault with a dangerous weapon and one count of sexual abuse of an incapable victim. Lussier made his initial appearance today in U.S. District Court before Magistrate Judge Tony N. Leung. Acting U.S. Attorney W. Anders Folk of the District of Minnesota made the announcement.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the Red Lake Tribal Police Department and the FBI Headwaters Safe Trails Task Force.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Evan B. Gilead is prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Raleigh Real Estate Developer Pleads Guilty to Wire Fraud and Firearm Possession ChargesRead the Press Release
RALEIGH, N.C. – A Raleigh man pleaded guilty today to Wire Fraud, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1343, and Possession of a Firearm by a Felon, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 922(g).
Acting United States Attorney G. Norman Acker, III stated, “With this plea, this office brings to justice a dangerous man who defrauded numerous real estate investors in North Carolina and elsewhere. We are grateful for the work of our federal, state and local counterparts for their combined efforts to ensure that the defendant pays a serious price for his crimes.”
According to court documents, Joshua Matthew Houchins, 36, owner of various Raleigh real estate development companies, admitted to carrying out a fraud upon real estate investors. Houchins also admitted to illegally possessing a firearm after having been convicted of a felony.
According to the Superseding Indictment, between 2014 and 2018, Houchins owned and operated Rossshire Development LLC, Greenstone Ventures LLC, and Modern South Development LLC, and used these entities to carry out a fraud upon his real estate development investors. Specifically, Houchins solicited investment monies by telling victims that their money would be “put to work” on a specific property, and further represented that the investments would be secured by deeds of trust filed with the county register of deeds. In fact, Houchins did not put all of the investor funds to work on the property on which the investor was solicited to invest, and instead, regularly used investor funds on other properties, or on personal expenses. Likewise, the investor promissory notes were not secured by a deed of trust as promised. In some instances, Houchins did not even own the property that was the subject of the investment, and as such, could not truthfully grant a deed of trust to the investor.
The indictment alleges that after Houchins diverted investor money away from the property on which the funds were supposed to be spent, Houchins failed to develop and sell the properties, as he represented, he would. Houchins then defaulted on the notes by failing to pay investors their promised returns. The investors were unable to foreclose upon the investment properties because Houchins had not secured the promissory notes with a deed of trust filed, thereby resulting in losses to the investors. Houchins specifically pled guilty to Count Nine, which alleged one instance of the above-described fraud on January 6, 2017. As a part of the plea, Houchins agreed to make restitution to all victims for losses arising from the scheme, and related schemes.
According to the second part of the superseding indictment, the grand jury began to investigate Houchins in 2018 concerning the aforementioned offenses. Following the issuance of subpoenas to his attorney and to his various real estate companies, Houchins only produced a small number of documents to the grand jury. Instead, the indictment alleges that Houchins admitted in a February 2020 letter that he had “destroyed all of the evidence.”
The superseding indictment also alleges that Houchins, who had recently separated from his wife, began to send her harassing messages. The indictment alleges that Houchins’ wife obtained a Domestic Violence Order of Protection (DVPO) barring Houchins from contacting, threatening, or harassing his wife. While Houchins was already prohibited from possessing a firearm due to his status as a convicted felon, the DVPO further prohibited Houchins from possessing a firearm.
The superseding indictment then alleges that in March of 2020, Houchins communicated to friends of his wife that she had, “run to the police” and that Houchins has “no mercy on a lying rat.” Around one month later, the superseding indictment alleges that Houchins sent threatening communications to friends and family of his wife, including photographs of Houchins wearing a mask and tactical vest.
The superseding indictment then charges that, following his internet searches for “killing your wife over love,” Houchins was arrested. At the time of his arrest, Houchins was in possession of a Ruger AR-15, 4 magazines, a double canister magazine containing 100 rounds of ammunition, two boxes of .223 caliber ammunition, and a tactical vest. Houchins pled guilty to Count Fourteen, which alleged that he possessed the Ruger AR-15 despite being a convicted felon.
G. Norman Acker, III, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement. The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the North Carolina Secretary of State are investigating the case. The Wake County Sheriff’s Office, Apex Police Department, and Sanford Police Department, also provided assistance. Assistant U.S. Attorney William M. Gilmore is prosecuting the case.
Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:20-CR-245-1D(2).
Pike County Man Sentenced to Prison for Possession of A Sawed-Off ShotgunRead the Press Release
SCRANTON – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Walter Valdivia, Jr., age 38, of Matamoras, Pennsylvania, was sentenced on June 21, 2021, to 33 months’ imprisonment by U.S. District Court Judge Malachy E. Mannion, for possession of a shotgun with a barrel length of less than 18 inches.
According to Acting United States Attorney Bruce D. Brandler, Valdivia was encountered by law enforcement officers when they served a search warrant in Matamoras, Pennsylvania on April 29, 2020, in an unrelated investigation. Valdivia was sitting on a couch in the living room of the residence and reached behind the couch. Agents located a sawed-off shotgun and a bag that contained shotgun shells behind the couch.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms and Explosives (ATF) in cooperation with the Pike County (Pennsylvania) Drug Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Todd K. Hinkley prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. The Department of Justice reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime.
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Physician admits to assault chargesRead the Press Release
CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Dr. Kenneth C. Ramdat, a physician formerly employed at the Louis A. Johnson VA Hospital in Clarksburg, West Virginia, has admitted to assaulting two hospital employees, Acting U.S. Attorney Randolph J. Bernard announced.
Ramdat, 66, of Silver Springs, Maryland, pleaded guilty to two counts of “Simple Assault.” As a part of his plea agreement, Ramdat admitted to touching two staff women’s breasts without permission while in isolated rooms of incapacitated patients in two separate incidents in August 2019 and October 2019 at the hospital in Harrison County.
Ramdat was sentenced to one year of probation.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah E. Wagner prosecuted the case on behalf of the government. The Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General, the FBI, the Veterans Affairs Police, and the Clarksburg Police Department investigated.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael John Aloi presided.
Perry County Man Convicted on Federal Charges of Kidnapping and Cocaine TraffickingRead the Press Release
LONDON, Ky. - A Perry County man was convicted on Monday, by a federal jury sitting in London, of conspiracy to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine, possession of a firearm in furtherance of that conspiracy, possession of a firearm as a convicted felon, kidnapping, and conspiracy to commit a kidnapping.
The jury convicted 65-year-old Thomas Hamblin following a five-day trial, and approximately four hours of deliberations.
According to evidence at trial, Hamblin was working with others, including Bobby Sizemore, Robert Keith Caudill, and Doyle Back, to obtain kilogram quantities of cocaine, and to sell that cocaine to others in the Perry County area. Evidence further revealed that, after an attempted drug deal, Hamblin coordinated with others, including Luke Holbrook and Michael Rayburn, to kidnap and assault two victims in Tazewell, Tennessee. Specifically, Hamblin recruited Luke Holbrook into the plot and provided him with a firearm and ammunition. Holbrook, assisted by Rayburn and another individual, then held two victims at gun point, tied them up with duct tape, assaulted them with a baseball bat, and interrogated them, in an attempt to retaliate against them and recover Hamblin’s money or drugs. Portions of this kidnapping and assault were recorded on a cell phone that was recovered from the scene. That same cell phone revealed that Hamblin was contacted in the middle of the assault and kidnapping.
Thomas Hamblin was indicted in July of 2020, following an investigation by the DEA, the Hazard Police Department, Operation UNITE, the Tazwell Tennessee Police Department, the Claiborne County Sheriff’s Department, and the Kentucky State Police.
All of Hamblin’s co-defendants have pled guilty. Holbrook and Rayburn pled guilty to kidnapping. Rayburn was sentenced to 135 months in prison and Holbrook awaits sentencing. Sizemore, Back, and Caudill have all pled guilty to drug charges and are awaiting sentencing.
Hamblin will appear for sentencing on October 26, 2021, and he faces from 10 years to life in prison. However, the Court must consider the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the applicable federal sentencing statutes before imposing a sentence.
Carlton S. Shier, IV, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; J. Todd Scott, Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Louisville Field Division; Vic Brown Executive Director of AHIDTA; Minor Allen, Chief of the Hazard Police Department; Nancy Hale, President/CEO of Operation UNITE; Jeremy Meyers, Chief of the Tazewell Police Department; Bob Brooks, Sheriff of the Claiborne County Tennessee Sherriff’s Department, and Commissioner Phillip “PJ” Burnett, Jr., Commissioner of the Kentucky State Police, jointly announced the convictions. The United States was represented in the case by Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew H. Trimble.
This case was prosecuted as part of the Department of Justice’s “Project Safe Neighborhoods” Program (PSN), which is a nationwide, crime reduction strategy aimed at decreasing violent crime in communities. It involves a comprehensive approach to public safety — one that includes investigating and prosecuting crimes, along with prevention and reentry efforts. In the Eastern District of Kentucky, Acting U.S. Attorney Shier coordinates PSN efforts in cooperation with various federal, state, and local law enforcement
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Pasco Drug Dealer Who Ordered Dumping of Body of Fentanyl Overdose Victim Sentenced to Life ImprisonmentRead the Press Release
Tampa, FL – U.S. District Judge Thomas P. Barber has sentenced Justin Case Lebarron (28, Pasco County) to life imprisonment for conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and methamphetamine resulting in death, distribution of fentanyl and methamphetamine resulting in death, possession with the intent to distribute fentanyl, and maintaining a drug-involved premises.
A federal jury had found Lebarron guilty on April 22, 2021.
According to testimony and evidence presented at trial, Lebarron and his girlfriend, co-defendant Brittney Smith, operated a drug house in New Port Richey where they sold fentanyl and methamphetamine. They also allowed addicts to use narcotics and sleep there. On the night of January 7, 2020, a fatal overdose occurred in the house. Lebarron ordered three people to carry the victim’s body outside and dump it in an empty lot as he fled the area. A few hours later, Lebarron resumed distributing fentanyl and methamphetamine and continued to do so until his arrest on March 5, 2020.
On June 16, 2021, Smith pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possession with the intent to distribute fentanyl and methamphetamine resulting in death, possession with the intent to distribute and distribution of fentanyl and methamphetamine resulting in death, and maintaining a drug-involved premises. She faces a minimum mandatory penalty of 20 years, and up to life, in federal prison for each conspiracy and possession count, and up to 20 years in federal prison for maintaining a drug-involved premises. Her sentencing hearing is scheduled for September 9, 2021.
“As a result of the hard work and efforts made together with the Pasco Sheriff’s Office, a dangerous drug dealer has been removed from the Tampa area and a life sentence ensures he can no longer endanger people’s lives.” said DEA Miami Field Division Acting Special Agent in Charge Donald P. Garrett. “We will continue to work hard with our law enforcement partners to rid communities of drug traffickers who threaten the safety and well-being of Floridians.”
“The Pasco Sheriff's Office is thankful for our strong partnership with the Department of Justice which resulted in taking these predators off of Pasco County’s streets,” said Pasco Sheriff Chris Nocco. “We know there is a delineation between those who suffer from substance abuse and addiction and those who prey on those individuals for their own monetary gain. We are committed to holding these predators responsible for the harm and destruction they cause on those suffering from substance abuse and addiction, their families and our community while connecting those suffering from substance abuse and addiction with resources available in our community.”
This case was investigated by Drug Enforcement Administration Tampa District Office and the Pasco Sheriff’s Office as part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Dan Baeza.
This case was part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
Pasadena Man Pleads Guilty to Shooting and Killing Victim During a Carjacking in BaltimoreRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – Collin Davis, age 34, of Pasadena, Maryland, pleaded guilty on June 22, 2021 to carjacking resulting in death, related to Davis’ murder in Baltimore of an individual who he knew and had attempted to carjack.
The guilty plea was announced by Acting United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Jonathan F. Lenzner; Special Agent in Charge Timothy Jones of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Baltimore Field Division; Acting Special Agent in Charge Rachel Byrd of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office; and Commissioner Michael Harrison of the Baltimore Police Department.
“Collin Davis brutally murdered another human being with a firearm in the process of trying to carjack him,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Jonathan Lenzner. “This is the kind of senseless violence that is plaguing our communities, and it is also the kind of case that we will always pursue to hold murderers like Davis accountable.”
According to his guilty plea, on September 15, 2018, the victim drove to Curtis Bay, Maryland to pick up Davis. After Davis entered the victim’s vehicle, Davis and the victim traveled to Severn, Maryland, where the victim lived. Approximately one hour later, the two drove back to Curtis Bay. At some point during the drive, the victim’s vehicle was stopped, and Davis took control of the victim’s vehicle by force. Davis handcuffed the victim by tying a shirt around victim’s hands behind the victim’s back. Davis’s DNA was left behind on the car’s steering wheel and inside the knot of the shirt used to tie the victim’s hands.
As detailed in the plea agreement, while Davis drove the victim’s car back to Curtis Bay, the victim attempted to break free from the makeshift handcuffs. The vehicle was stopped near the 5100 block of Curtis Avenue and Davis shot the victim five times with lethal intent. The victim died as a result of the gunshot wounds.
A witness observed the victim’s body being dragged from the vehicle onto the street and called law enforcement. Police officers responding to the call discovered the victim’s body in the street.
After abandoning the victim’s body, Davis parked the victim’s vehicle in an alley almost directly behind an apartment where Davis had lived only weeks before the murder. Davis then fled the Curtis Bay area. The following day, law enforcement discovered the victim’s vehicle, which contained bullet holes from the shooting the night before.
Davis was arrested in November 2018 and a revolver and shotgun were found in the apartment where Davis was staying. Davis admitted that the victim died as a result of Davis’s carjacking of the victim’s car.
Davis and the government have agreed that, if the Court accepts the plea agreement, Davis will be sentenced to 25 years in federal prison. U.S. District Judge Richard D. Bennett has scheduled sentencing for August 2, 2021 at 11:00 a.m.
Acting United States Attorney Jonathan F. Lenzner commended the ATF, the FBI, and the Baltimore Police Department for their work in the investigation and thanked the Office of the State’s Attorney for Baltimore City for its assistance. Mr. Lenzner thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Patricia McLane and Lindsey McCulley, who are prosecuting the case.
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Owner of Payday Loan Company Sentenced for Bankruptcy FraudRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Mission Hills, Kansas, man was sentenced in federal court today for a bankruptcy fraud scheme related to his online payday loan company.
“It’s ironic that someone who made a fortune loaning money to others, would try to cheat his own creditors,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Teresa Moore. “This business owner engaged in a two-year scheme of lies and deception during his bankruptcy proceedings by secretly holding onto assets instead of paying what he owed. The bankruptcy system relies on the honesty, openness, and accuracy of debtors, and in return grants those debtors a fresh start free of debt. This defendant made a mockery of the system in the hope that he could discharge over $7.5 million in debt while maintaining a luxurious lifestyle for himself.”
Del Hodges Kimball, 54, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Steven R. Bough to one year and a day in federal prison without parole. The court also ordered Kimball to pay $909,323 in restitution.
“This sentence should convince others that such behavior and actions will not be tolerated in the bankruptcy system,” said Acting United States Trustee Daniel J. Casamatta.
On Jan. 19, 2021, Kimball pleaded guilty to one count of bankruptcy fraud. Kimball admitted that he engaged in a scheme to defraud the Bankruptcy Court by concealing assets, bank accounts, and claims against third parties, and by making false statements and material omissions regarding his assets and financial transfers to and from third parties.
Three of Kimball’s creditors filed an involuntary bankruptcy petition against Kimball, his partner, and their company, LTS, an online payday loan company based in Kansas City, on Aug. 5, 2015. The claims of the three creditors totaled more than $15 million.
The U.S. Bankruptcy Trustee filed a complaint to deny Kimball’s discharge on March 10, 2017, and the Bankruptcy Court conducted a trial on Jan. 11, 2018. After the trial, U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Cynthia Norton ruled that Kimball had transferred property with the intent to hinder, delay, or defraud creditors, made numerous false oaths in connection with this bankruptcy case, and concealed property from the bankruptcy estate. He did not disclose assets until he was caught and had no choice. The court found that the evidence was “overwhelming” that Kimball made false statements under oath. The court denied Kimball’s discharge due to his fraudulent concealment.
For example, Kimball failed to disclose $86,200 in transfers to friends and relatives. He undervalued collectibles by $24,000. He omitted transfers to Claw Consulting, LLC, another company he owned (with no employees). Kimball established a bank account for Claw Consulting, and caused the bank statements to be mailed to an attorney at the attorney’s business address in order to stash income and proceeds of sales he wanted to conceal from creditors.
According to court documents, Kimball claimed that he lost millions of dollars in 2013 and 2014, although he actually had gross income of $213,231 in 2014 and $158,679 in 2013.
From 2015 to 2018, Kimball arranged that $479,585 in payday company income and/or profits from Red Stag Holdings be paid into his wife’s personal bank account to conceal the payments from creditors and the U.S. Bankruptcy Trustee. Kimball arranged that $45,300 in payday company income and/or profits from S. Bean Finance and $16,300 from Agile Fish be paid into his wife’s personal bank account to conceal money from creditors and the U.S. Bankruptcy Trustee.
Kimball initially or totally omitted to schedule the transfer and sale of his interest in Red River Exploration for $116,280, as well as his ownership or interest in a number of companies.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kathleen D. Mahoney. It was investigated by the FBI and the U.S. Bankruptcy Trustee.
Owner of Monmouth County Business Admits Tax EvasionRead the Press Release
TRENTON, N.J. – The owner of a Monmouth County, New Jersey, construction and demolition business today admitted evading employment and personal income taxes, Acting U.S. Attorney Rachael A. Honig announced.
Peter Alvarez, 54, of Atlantic Highlands, New Jersey, pleaded guilty by videoconference before Chief U.S. District Judge Freda L. Wolfson to an information charging him with one count each of employment tax evasion and personal income tax evasion.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
From 2011 to 2016, Alvarez owned and operated Mr. Demo, a construction and demolition business in Leonardo, New Jersey. Alvarez was required to report to the IRS federal withholding taxes and FICA taxes for all of Mr. Demo’s employees and to pay those taxes on a quarterly basis. Alvarez cashed numerous checks issued by Mr. Demo’s clients and used the resulting cash, in part, to pay Mr. Demo’s employees’ wages. By using cash to pay Mr. Demo’s employees, Alvarez concealed from the IRS his payment of employees’ wages and his failure to report, account for, and pay employment taxes of a total of $177,649. Count 1 of the information to which Alvarez pleaded guilty referred to Alvarez’s evasion of employment taxes of $23,618 for the first quarter of 2016.
From Aug. 1, 2012, to Oct. 23, 2017, Alvarez filed individual federal tax returns for the calendar years 2011 to 2016 in which he falsely and substantially understated Mr. Demo’s total gross receipts by not reporting the numerous checks issued by Mr. Demo’s clients that he cashed. For those calendar years, Alvarez owed additional income tax of $432,019 on Mr. Demo’s unreported gross receipts less allowable payroll expenses. Count 2 of the information to which Alvarez pleaded guilty referred to Alvarez’s evasion of personal income tax of $89,190 for calendar year 2013.
As part of the plea agreement, Alvarez agreed to make full restitution to the IRS of $609,668.
Each charge of tax evasion carries a maximum potential penalty of five years in prison and a maximum $250,000 fine. Sentencing of the defendant is scheduled for Oct. 28, 2021.
Acting U.S. Attorney Honig credited special agents of IRS-Criminal Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Michael Montanez, and special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge George M. Crouch Jr. in Newark, with the investigation leading to today’s guilty plea.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys J Fortier Imbert and Sara F. Merin of the Special Prosecutions Division in Newark.
One sentenced, others enter guilty pleas on federal firearms chargesRead the Press Release
AUGUSTA, GA: One man has been sentenced to federal prison and four others await sentencing after admitting to firearms felonies in U.S. District Court.
Joseph M. Powell, 21, of Waynesboro, was sentenced to 41 months in federal prison after pleading guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon, said David H. Estes, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. U.S. District Court Judge Dudley H. Bowen also ordered Powell to serve three years of supervised release after completion of his prison sentence. There is no parole in the federal system.
“Getting guns out of the hands of criminals is an essential part of keeping our communities safe,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Estes. “We will continue to work in collaboration with our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners to hold accountable those who would illegally possess firearms.”
Powell was on felony probation for a state firearm conviction in June 2019 when he admitted selling a sawed-off 12-guage shotgun to an undercover agent from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).
Other defendants have entered guilty pleas on federal firearms charges, including:
- Joe Lewis Hills, a/k/a “Polo,” a/k/a “David Owens,” 33, of Augusta, is awaiting sentencing after pleading guilty to Possession with Intent to Distribute Heroin and Marijuana, and Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. Hills and a co-defendant, Edward Albert Brown, 28, of Augusta, who previously pled guilty to an Information charging him with Possession of a Firearm by a Person Under Indictment, were arrested July 29, 2019, after Richmond County Sheriff’s investigators searched a hotel room rented to Hills and found drugs and an AR-15-style rifle with two loaded, high-capacity magazines. Hills served a previous federal prison sentence for armed robbery.
- Kenneth Wayne Jones, 27, of Augusta, is awaiting sentencing after pleading guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. Jones, who has a prior state felony conviction involving gun violence, admitted possessing a semi-automatic pistol when he was arrested June 9, 2020, after a car and foot chase involving Richmond County Sheriff’s deputies.
- Clifford Lee Stone Jr., 29, of Wrens, Ga., pled guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. Stone admitted illegally possessing an assault-style rifle on April 28, 2018, when he fled from a Jefferson County Sheriff’s deputy, first in a car and then on foot.
The cases were investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office, and the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office, and prosecuted for the United States by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Patricia G. Rhodes, Jennifer A. Stanley, and Alejandro V. Pascual IV.
Under federal law, it is illegal for an individual to possess a firearm if he or she falls into one of nine prohibited categories including being a felon; illegal alien; or unlawful user of a controlled substance. Further, it is unlawful to possess a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense or violent crime. It is also illegal to purchase – or even to attempt to purchase – firearms if the buyer is a prohibited person or illegally purchasing a firearm on behalf of others. Lying on ATF Form 4473, which is used to lawfully purchase a firearm, also is a federal offense.
For more information on the lawful purchasing of firearms, please see: https://www.atf.gov/qa-category/atf-form-4473.
Omaha Man Sentenced to 14 Years for Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney Jan W. Sharp announced that Drake C. Chrastil, Sr., 51, of Omaha, Nebraska, was sentenced today in federal court in Omaha for Possession of Child Pornography. United States District Judge Brian C. Buescher sentenced Chrastil to 168 months’ imprisonment to be followed by a five-year term of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system. Judge Buescher ordered Chrastil to pay $3,000 in restitution and also ordered the sentence to run consecutive to a 40- to 50-year state sentence which he is currently serving. Chrastil will be required to register as a sex offender.
In May 8, 2019, while investigating Chrastil for sexual assault, the Omaha Police Department obtained search warrants of Chrastil’s residence. Omaha Police ultimately recovered electronic devices from Chrastil’s residence and Chrastil himself. Omaha Police conducted a forensic review of the recovered digital devices and found 344 images and 16 videos of minors ranging in age from 5 years old to 12 years old engaged in sexually explicit conduct. Omaha Police determined that at least 300 of the images and 16 of the videos that were produced by Chrastil were of a victim in Nebraska.
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 United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
This case was investigated by the Omaha Police Department.
Ohio County man sentenced for child pornography chargeRead the Press Release
WHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA – Ryan Nicholas Wolf, of Wheeling, West Virginia, was sentenced today to 46 months of incarceration for child pornography possession, Acting U.S. Attorney Randolph J. Bernard announced.
Wolf, 35, pled guilty in February 2021 to one count of “Possession of Child Pornography.” Wolf admitted to having devices containing images and videos of child pornography in January 2021 in Ohio County.
Wolf’s Wheeling Island home was searched in January 2021. The search found a thumb drive containing over a thousand images of what appeared to be juveniles. It does not appear as though any of the child pornographic material found in Wolf’s possession was locally produced and/or depicted children that he personally knew.
Assistant U.S. Attorney David J. Perri prosecuted the case on behalf of the government. The Department of Homeland Security and Wheeling Police Department investigated.
U.S. District Judge John Preston Bailey presided.
Nicholas County Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Gun CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Michael Walker, 41, of Craigsville, West Virginia, pleaded guilty today to a federal gun crime. A federal grand jury indicted Walker in February 2021.
According to statements made in court, in August 2019, an officer with the Nicholas County Sheriff’s Department arrived at Walker’s residence in response to a domestic battery in progress call. Two witnesses informed the officer that Walker had gotten into an altercation and threw an object at his girlfriend that missed her and struck a juvenile. Walker then assaulted the juvenile by choking him with both hands and later striking the juvenile in the face. Walker, who had a prior conviction for domestic battery of a household member, was arrested at the scene for domestic battery of the juvenile. A search warrant was executed and a loaded firearm was located inside the residence where the altercation occurred.
Walker pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm by a person previously convicted of a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence and faces up to ten years in prison when sentenced on October 7, 2021.
Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Nicholas County Sheriff’s Department conducted the investigation and received assistance from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).
United States District Judge Irene C. Berger presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Andrew J. Tessman is handling the prosecution.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:21-cr-00018.
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Niagara Falls Man Pleads Guilty for His Role in Marijuana 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 Marquies McTyere, 30, of Niagara Falls, NY, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Lawrence J. Vilardo to conspiring to possess with intent to distribute, and distributing, 100 kilograms or more of marijuana. 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. Attorney Misha A. Coulson, who is handling the case, stated that sometime in August 2020, the defendant and co-conspirators Samuel Zito and Alexander Schieppati, arranged for a shipment to be delivered to Freightboy Logistics in Niagara Falls, NY, from Canada. Unbeknownst to McTyere and his co-conspirators, on August 6, 2020, the shipment, which contained approximately 600 pounds of marijuana packaged in vacuum sealed bags, had been intercepted by United States Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and was searched. The marijuana had been purchased by Zito and Schieppati from a source of supply in Canada, the two intended to distribute the marijuana in the Niagara Falls and Buffalo areas. The shipment was tracked by investigators and a controlled delivery was conducted on August 7, 2020. Co-defendant Schieppati picked up the shipment and brought it to a motel in Niagara Falls. McTyere, Zito and Schieppati were arrested, and investigators recovered $239,850 from a storage facility utilized by McTyere. The money was found in the vicinity of drug packaging materials and was packaged in vacuum sealed bags.
Defendant Schieppati was previously convicted and is awaiting sentencing. Charges remain pending against defendant Zito. The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
The plea is the result of an investigation by Customs and Border Protection, under the direction of Director of Field Operations Rose Brophy, and Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Kevin Kelly.
Sentencing is scheduled for November 1, 2021, before Judge Vilardo.
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New Orleans Man Sentenced for Distributing Heroin Which Resulted in the Death of BuyerRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS – U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that JARON BIAS, age 29, of New Orleans, was sentenced on June 16, 2021 after pleading guilty to Count 1 of a Superseding Bill of Information charging him in a heroin conspiracy. Members of the Federal Bureau of Investigation began investigating BIAS in August 2017, when they learned from a confidential source that BIAS was distributing heroin in the Black Pearl neighborhood in Orleans Parish as well as in Jefferson Parish.
Following BIAS’s August 23, 2017 arrest for distribution of heroin, FBI agents recovered multiple cellular telephones belonging to BIAS. Agents applied for search warrants on the cellular devices and located numerous text communications dating back to November 2015 proving that BIAS was selling heroin in the Greater New Orleans area.
The FBI conducted interviews with many of BIAS’s customers who were listed in his cellular telephones. During the interview process, agents learned that on June 29, 2015, BIAS distributed heroin to an individual who overdosed as a result of the heroin he purchased from BIAS. According to witnesses who were with the deceased prior to his death, the deceased contacted BIAS and negotiated the sale of $100.00 worth of heroin. After meeting and purchasing heroin from BIAS at Carver Park in New Orleans, the deceased and the witness injected the heroin. The deceased became unresponsive and died at the scene. The Jefferson Parish Coroner’s Office declared that the deceased died as a result of a heroin overdose.
United States District Court Judge Martin L.C. Feldman sentenced BIAS to a term of imprisonment of 78 months in the Bureau of Prisons, a period of supervised release of 3 years, and a mandatory special assessment of $100.00.
U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the New Orleans Police Department and the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Brittany L. Reed is in charge of the prosecution.
New Orleans Man Sentenced After Being Convicted by A Federal Trial Jury for Being A Felon in Possession of FirearmsRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS - U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced today that on June 22, 2021, the Honorable Greg A. Guidry sentenced DAMIEN JUSTIN, age 43, to 97 months imprisonment for being a prohibited person in possession of two (2) firearms. Additionally, the Court ordered that JUSTIN to serve 3 years of supervised release and pay a $100 mandatory special assessment cost. No fines were imposed in this matter.
According to the evidence presented at trial, on January 10, 2019, the Violent Crime Task Force for the Federal Bureau of Investigation executed a search warrant at 11416 North Easterlyn Circle, New Orleans, Louisiana. Inside this residence, members of the Task Force located a loaded Glock Model 27, .40 caliber semi-automatic pistol and a loaded Smith & Wesson Model Lady Smith, .38 caliber revolver in a nightstand next to JUSTIN’s bed. JUSTIN later admitted that he used the Glock and the Smith & Wesson revolver in the nightstand for his protection. At the conclusion of a two-day trial, the jury found JUSTIN guilty of the sole count of the Superseding Indictment.
NEW ORLEANS - U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced today that, the Honorable Greg A. Guidry sentenced DAMIEN JUSTIN, age 43, to 97 months imprisonment for being a prohibited person in possession of two (2) firearms. Additionally, the Court ordered that JUSTIN to serve 3 years of supervised release and pay a $100 mandatory special assessment cost. No fines were imposed in this matter.
According to the evidence presented at trial, on January 10, 2019, the Violent Crime Task Force for the Federal Bureau of Investigation executed a search warrant at 11416 North Easterlyn Circle, New Orleans, Louisiana. Inside this residence, members of the Task Force located a loaded Glock Model 27, .40 caliber semi-automatic pistol and a loaded Smith & Wesson Model Lady Smith, .38 caliber revolver in a nightstand next to JUSTIN’s bed. JUSTIN later admitted that he used the Glock and the Smith & Wesson revolver in the nightstand for his protection. At the conclusion of a two-day trial, the jury found JUSTIN guilty of the sole count of the Superseding Indictment.
This case is being prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.”
The United States Attorney’s Office praised the work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation New Orleans Violent Crime Task Force which led this investigation.
The prosecution of the case was conducted by U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans and Assistant United States Attorney André Jones.
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New Orleans Man Pleads Guilty to Violating the Federal Gun Control ActRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that on June 16, 2021, ALONZO PITTMAN, 34, from Orleans Parish, pled guilty as charged to a one-count indictment for being a Felon in Possession of a Firearm, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 922(g)(1).
On July 2, 2019, PITTMAN sold a Hi-Point Model JHP, .45 caliber pistol to a confidential informant in the Hollygrove neighborhood of New Orleans. His previous felony conviction stemming from an incident in Jefferson Parish prevented him from possessing a firearm.
PITTMAN will be sentenced on September 29, 2021. He faces up to ten (10) years imprisonment, a maximum fine of up to $250,000, up to 3 years of supervised release following any term of imprisonment, and a mandatory $100 special assessment.
This case is being prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
The case was investigated by the New Orleans Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant United States Attorney Melissa Bücher is in charge of the prosecution.
New Jersey Man Sentenced to 240 Months’ Imprisonment for Conspiracy to Distribute Controlled Substances Resulting in DeathRead the Press Release
SCRANTON—The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that James R. Bell, age 30, of Newark, New Jersey was sentenced on June 21, 2021, to 240 months’ imprisonment to be followed by four years on supervised release by U.S. District Court Judge Malachy E. Mannion for conspiring to distribute controlled substances resulting in death.
According to Acting United States Attorney Bruce D. Brandler, Bell previously pleaded guilty to conspiring to distribute fentanyl and heroin within the Middle District of Pennsylvania, which resulted in the death of a 22-year old Monroe County man in April of 2018.
The matter was investigated jointly by the Federal Bureau of Investigation in Scranton, the Pennsylvania State Police, and the Monroe County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant United States Attorney Michelle Olshefski prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of a district wide initiative to combat the nationwide epidemic regarding the use and distribution of heroin and fentanyl. Led by the United States Attorney’s Office, the Heroin Initiative targets heroin traffickers operating in the Middle District of Pennsylvania and is part of a coordinated effort among federal, state and local law enforcement agencies to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who commit heroin related offenses.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program that has been historically successful in bringing together all levels of law enforcement to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. The Department of Justice reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local and tribal enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce crime.
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Nambe Pueblo man sentenced to seven years in prison for aggravated sexual abuse in Indian CountryRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Rain Concha, 23, of Santa Fe, New Mexico, and an enrolled member of Nambe Pueblo, was sentenced on June 14 in federal court to seven years in prison for aggravated sexual abuse in Indian Country. Concha pleaded guilty on June 15, 2020.
According to the plea agreement, on Aug. 23, 2015, Concha picked up the victim, who was 14 years old at the time, for a ride. Concha took the victim to the parking lot of the Pojoaque Pueblo Poeh Museum where he sexually abused her. An exam revealed injuries to the victim that were consistent with sexual abuse. The crime occurred on the Pueblo of Pojoaque in Santa Fe County, New Mexico.
Upon his release from prison, Concha will be subject to five years of supervised release and must register as a sex offender.
The Bureau of Indian Affairs investigated this case with assistance from the Pojoaque Police Department and the FBI. Assistant U.S. Allison Jaros prosecuted the case.
Monroe County Man Sentenced for Firearms ViolationRead the Press Release
SCRANTON - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Joshua Tanner, age 36, of East Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania, was sentenced on June 21, 2021, by United States District Court Judge Malachy E. Mannion to 36 months’ imprisonment for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
According to Acting United States Attorney Bruce D. Brandler, Tanner facilitated the trade of a firearm to a drug trafficker, Ronald McKenna, in exchange for heroin, during which he possessed the firearm. Tanner had previously been convicted of a felony offense, which made it a felony for him to possess a firearm. McKenna previously pleaded guilty to drug trafficking and firearms charges and is awaiting sentencing.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Stroud Area Regional Police Department, and the Pennsylvania State Police. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sean A. Camoni prosecuted the case.
This prosecution is part of an extensive investigation by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF). OCDETF is a joint federal, state, and local cooperative approach to combat drug trafficking and is the nation’s primary tool for disrupting and dismantling major drug trafficking organizations, targeting national and regional level drug trafficking organizations and coordinating the necessary law enforcement entities and resources to disrupt or dismantle the targeted criminal organization and seize their assets.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. The Department of Justice reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime.
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Manchester Man Pleads Guilty to Firearm ChargeRead the Press Release
CONCORD - Juan Diaz, 40, of Manchester, pleaded guilty in federal court to being a felon in possession of a firearm, Acting United States Attorney John J. Farley announced today.
According to court documents and statements made in court, in July of 2020, while conducting another investigation, Ashland police learned that Diaz had been in recent possession of several firearms. Officers learned that while spending time with an Ashland family, Diaz had handled and shot two firearms on the family’s property on June 27, 2020. Law enforcement officers also obtained photographs of Diaz shooting the firearms.
Diaz has numerous prior felony convictions that prohibit him from possessing firearms. Most recently, he had served a 10-year sentence in federal prison. He began his term of federal supervised release in May of 2020.
Diaz is scheduled to be sentenced on September 29, 2021.
“Preventing violent crime is a high priority of the U.S. Attorney’s Office,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Farley. “One important way we can protect our community from violence is by keeping guns out of the hands of criminals. As this case demonstrates, we work closely with our law enforcement partners to identify and prosecute criminals who possess guns unlawfully.”
“ATF works diligently to prevent and reduce gun violence,” said Special Agent in Charge Kelly D. Brady. “These collective efforts from the Ashland Police, ATF and the U.S. Attorney’s Office are aimed at investigating crimes that significantly impact and harm members of our community. ATF will continue to work alongside our law enforcement partners to ensure those who illegally possess firearms are held accountable.”
This matter was investigated by the Ashland Police Department, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Homeland Security Investigations. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kasey Weiland.
The case is part of ATF’s Project Safe Neighborhoods initiative, which is a federally-funded program intended to reduce gun violence through law enforcement training, public education, and aggressive law enforcement efforts to investigate and prosecute gun-related crimes.
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Man Charged with Attempting to Rob the Vermont Federal Credit Union in BurlingtonRead the Press Release
The Office of the United States Attorney for the District of Vermont stated that Donald McCandless, 42, of Norfolk, Virginia, was arrested yesterday after he attempted to rob the Vermont Federal Credit Union in Burlington, Vermont. McCandless was charged today by criminal complaint and will be appearing tomorrow before United States Magistrate Judge Kevin J. Doyle for his Initial Appearance. McCandless is currently detained pending his appearance.
According to court records, McCandless is alleged to have entered VFCU with an object in his pocket, stated he had a bomb, and demanded money. McCandless then approached a teller window and began punching the plexiglass barrier, knocking items off the counter. A customer conducting business at the bank grabbed McCandless and began pulling McCandless toward the exit of the bank. McCandless was given $10 in cash by a patron, and McCandless left the bank. Burlington Police Officers who responded to a 911 call and alarm at VFCU encountered McCandless on College Street wearing clothing consistent with that described by witnesses of the attempted robbery. McCandless was found with two $5 bills in his hand, and McCandless reported having been “doing meth” earlier in the day. At the time of his arrest, McCandless had a nonextraditable arrest warrant issued in Norfolk, Virginia for violating a term of probation imposed as part of his sentence for a 2020 conviction for Felony Strangulation. In the week prior to the attempted robbery, McCandless had multiple encounters with Burlington and South Burlington Police and was cited by South Burlington Police earlier on the day of the robbery for trespassing onto the Vermont Air National Guard Base with a knife.
The United States Attorney’s Office emphasizes that the charge against McCandless is merely an accusation and that he is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
If convicted of the charged offense, McCandless could face up to twenty years in prison, up to a $250,000 fine, and a period of federal supervised release. Any sentence will be formulated through consultation of the United States Sentencing Guidelines and consideration of McCandless’s personal history and characteristics.
Acting United States Attorney Jonathan A. Ophardt commended the quick response and investigation of the Burlington Police Department and thanked the Federal Bureau of Investigation for its assistance.
Assistant United States Attorney Kimberly Ang is prosecuting the case for the government. McCandless has not yet retained or been appointed counsel.
Lincoln Woman Sentenced for Conspiracy to Distribute MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney Jan Sharp announced that Rhiannon Lee Rojas, 43, of Lincoln, Nebraska, was sentenced today by Senior United States District Richard G. Kopf to nine years in federal prison for conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine actual (pure) and 500 grams or more of methamphetamine mixture. Following her prison term, Rojas will serve five years on supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
Information provided to law enforcement indicated that Rojas was involved in the distribution of at least five kilograms (approximately 11 pounds) of methamphetamine mixture in the Lincoln area between July of 2019 and April of 2020. During that time, Rojas was found in possession of at least 39 grams of methamphetamine actual on one occasion in January of 2020. She also acted as an interpreter during two purchases of methamphetamine, totaling more than six ounces, made by a confidential informant working with the Lincoln/Lancaster County Narcotics Task Force from Rojas’s co-conspirator on two occasions in February of 2020.
This case was investigated by the Lincoln/Lancaster County Narcotics Task Force
Lawrence County Residents Indicted on Child Sexual Exploitation ChargesRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, PA – Two Lawrence County residents have been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh on charges of attempted production, production, receipt, and distribution of material depicting the sexual exploitation of a child, Acting United States Attorney Stephen R. Kaufman announced today.
The three-count Indictment named David Bates, 61, of Ellwood City, PA 16117, and Tamara Kreitzer, 33, of New Castle, PA 16101, as defendants.
According to the Indictment, in or between July 2020 and October 2020, Bates and Kreitzer attempted to and did use, persuade, induce entice and coerce a minor to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing visual depictions of the minor. After the production of images, Kreitzer distributed the images of the minor to Bates.
The law provides for a maximum total sentence of 70 years in prison, a fine of $750,000, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendants. The government has requested detention for both defendants.
Assistant United States Attorney Lee J. Karl is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation leading to the Indictment in this case.
An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Justice Department Reaches Settlement Agreement with Physicians Group in El Paso over Allegations of Violating the False Claims ActRead the Press Release
EL PASO –El Paso Ear, Nose & Throat Associates (EPENT) has agreed to pay $750,000 to settle allegations that they violated the False Claims Act by billing Medicaid, Medicare and other federal healthcare programs by upcoding evaluation and management codes.
The government alleged that EPENT knowingly caused false claims to be submitted to federal healthcare programs by billing for services at a higher rate of reimbursement than they would be entitled to for the service actually provided. This scheme is commonly referred to as “upcoding.”
“Providers who line their pockets by over-billing for medical care increase medical costs for all of us and drain critical funds from Medicare and other government health programs,” said U.S. Attorney Ashley C. Hoff. “We will continue to hold accountable medical professionals who undermine our healthcare system by over-billing for care.”
The Defense Health Agency (DHA) supports the delivery of TRICARE, the program that provides integrated, affordable, high-quality healthcare services to more than 9.6 million uniformed service members, retirees and their families. TRICARE was one of the government health programs that was defrauded in this case.
“Any time the government is defrauded, it is unacceptable to the American taxpayer. The victims in this case have served or continue to serve our Nation, and also includes their family members. We owe it to our beneficiaries that our commitment and care to them is unwavering, and we are grateful to the Department of Justice for their enduring commitment to root out waste, fraud and abuse and hold those who break the law accountable,” said DHA Director Lt. Gen. Ronald J. Place, M.D.
“Unethical medical providers who line their pockets by over-billing for medical care increase medical costs for all of us and drain critical funds from Medicare and other government health programs,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey Coburn. “The FBI will continue to hold accountable medical professionals who undermine our healthcare system through fraudulent over-billing for care.”
The matter was investigated by the FBI, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General, Defense Criminal Investigative Service and the Texas Attorney General’s Office Civil Medicaid Fraud Division.
The claims asserted against the defendants are allegations only; there has been no determination of liability.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Eduardo R. Castillo handled this matter.
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Jury Finds Broken Arrow Man Guilty of Sexually Abusing Two ChildrenRead the Press Release
A federal jury today convicted a Broken Arrow man of sexually abusing two children under the age of 12, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.
Jeffrey Arch Jones, 31, was found guilty of two counts of aggravated sexual abuse of a child in Indian Country and one count of abusive sexual contact of a child in Indian Country. U.S. District Judge Gregory K. Frizzell presided over the trial and set sentencing for Oct. 15, 2021.
“Make no mistake, Jeffrey Jones is a child sexual predator,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. “Today’s conviction ensures Jones will no longer be able to harm another child while he is in federal prison. I want to thank the two young victims who bravely testified at trial and confronted Jeffery Jones with his actions.”
Jones, a Cherokee citizen, was previously convicted of sexually abusing the two victims in Tulsa County District Court but appealed his conviction, arguing the state did not have jurisdiction to prosecute the case because the crime occurred within the Muscogee Nation Reservation and he was a tribal citizen. The case was then prosecuted in federal court.
From Sept. 29, 2015 to Sept 28, 2016, Jones sexually abused a young child. He also sexually abused a second child from Oct. 9, 2014 to Sept. 30, 2016.
On Feb. 2, 2017, one of the victims disclosed to a teacher that the defendant had been touching her in a sexual manner. School officials contacted the Broken Arrow Police Department. During the ensuing investigation, it was determined the second child was also sexually abused by Jones.
Today, in closing arguments, Assistant U.S. Attorney Reagan Reininger reminded the jury of the testimony of expert witnesses, law enforcement, and the victims. She assured the jury the children had no incentive to lie and that the medical evidence corroborated the type of sexual abuse reported by the victims. She described how their behavior and disclosures were similar to that seen in other child sexual abuse victims. She explained how some victims disclose abuse on their own when they are ready, but others may be asked about abuse before they are fully ready to disclose what happened to them, as in the case of the second victim. She explained how difficult it had been for the two victims to describe the abuse to others repeatedly since 2017, including this week in court. Finally, Reininger reminded the jury that child sexual abuse is perpetrated in secrecy, behind closed doors, in moments when the abuser is alone with a child. She asked the jury to evaluate the evidence, including the children’s accounts, and to find Jeffrey Jones guilty.
The jury deliberated nearly two hours before returning guilty verdicts on all three counts.
“Today’s conviction was a result of the diligent work performed by agents and officers of the FBI and Broken Arrow Police Department as well as Assistant U.S. Attorneys Reagan Reininger and Leah Paisner. I appreciate their dedication to protecting children,” Johnson said.
Jones County Felon Sentenced to 4 Years in Prison for Possessing Multiple FirearmsRead the Press Release
Hattiesburg, Miss. – A Laurel man was sentenced today to 48 months in prison for being a felon in possession of multiple firearms, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Darren J. LaMarca of the Southern District of Mississippi and Kurt Thielhorn, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
According to court documents, on October 19, 2019, Jacob Daniel Williams, 26, of Laurel, was found in possession of four firearms while passing through a checkpoint being operated by the Jones County Sheriff’s Office. The firearms included three shotguns and a pistol. Williams had been convicted of drug possession felonies in Jones County in 2016.
Williams was indicted for this offense on June 23, 2020, and pled guilty on March 23, 2021.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Jones County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Andrew W. Eichner.
This case was prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
Individual Sentenced to 72 Months for Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute Fentanyl, Cocaine, and HeroinRead the Press Release
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – Defendant Bryan Gilbert Díaz-De Jesús, a.k.a. “Bryan Gilbert De Jesús,” was sentenced today to 72 months (6 years) in prison for conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, possession with intent to distribute controlled substances, introduction of misbranded drugs into interstate commerce, and use of a communication facility, announced United States Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico, W. Stephen Muldrow. Díaz-De Jesús pleaded guilty on November 20, 2019.
From May 2019 through August 2019, Díaz-De Jesús, conspired with others to knowingly possess with intent to distribute and to distribute fentanyl, cocaine, and heroin in Puerto Rico. The defendant introduced and caused the introduction into interstate commerce, and with the intent to defraud and mislead, a “drug” as defined under Title 21, United States Code, Section 321(g)(1) – specifically, N-phenyl-N-[1(2-phenylethyl)-4-piperindinyl] propenamide, commonly known as fentanyl, that was misbranded, in that the drug’s labeling failed to bear adequate directions for use.
Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid that is 80-100 times stronger than morphine. Pharmaceutical fentanyl was developed for pain management treatment of cancer patients, applied in a patch on the skin. Because of its powerful opioid properties, fentanyl is also diverted for abuse by drug users. Fentanyl is often added to heroin by criminal drug distributors to increase the heroin’s potency to produce a stronger effect on the structure/function of the bodies of drug users. Many users believe that they are purchasing heroin and are unaware that they are, in fact, purchasing fentanyl. According to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, just two (2) milligrams of fentanyl is a lethal dose for most people.
“Fentanyl is an extremely dangerous drug, far more potent than heroin, and its use very often results in death. Fentanyl is the number one threat in the opioid epidemic in the United States, and we are seeing an increase in the presence of fentanyl laced with other drugs in Puerto Rico, said U.S. Attorney Muldrow. “Federal law provides for particularly severe consequences when illegal drug trafficking results in death. We intend to use every available tool to combat this terrible problem, including these enhanced penalties.”
“The opioid epidemic that has resulted in overdoses and deaths is a national public health crisis. Those who contribute to that crisis and threaten the health and safety of Americans by illicitly distributing opioids will be brought to justice,” said Special Agent in Charge Justin Fielder, FDA Office of Criminal Investigations, Miami Field Office. “The FDA is fully committed to disrupting and dismantling networks engaged in the manufacturing and sale of illicit opioids and misbranded prescription drugs.”
The Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and US Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) are in charge of the investigation in collaboration with Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).
Assistant U.S. Attorney María L. Montañez-Concepción prosecuted the case.
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Houston men sentenced for smuggling meth in truck tiresRead the Press Release
LAREDO, Texas – Two Houston men have been ordered to federal prison for their involvement in a conspiracy to import meth into the United States, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Jennifer B. Lowery.
Denzel Holloway, 29, and Joshua Guerra, 27, pleaded guilty June 9, 2020.
Today, U.S. District Judge Nelva Gonzales Ramos ordered Holloway to serve a 78-month sentence to be immediately followed by three years of supervised release.
Guerra was sentenced previously to a 96-month term of imprisonment.
On Nov. 28, 2019, Holloway attempted to enter the United States at the Juarez–Lincoln Port of Entry in Laredo. Authorities conducted an X-ray inspection and noticed anomalies in the tires of his pickup truck.
They ultimately found 24 bundles containing a total of 53.4 kilograms of meth in hidden compartments within the truck’s tires. During their investigation, law enforcement discovered Guerra had helped coordinate the smuggling attempt.
The drugs had an estimated street value of about $300,000.
Holloway was permitted to remain on bond and voluntarily surrender to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation with the assistance of Customs and Border Protection. Assistant U.S. Attorney David Fawcett prosecuted the case.
Hingham Man Indicted for Role in Business Email Compromise SchemeRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Hingham man was arrested today in connection with a business email compromise (BEC) scheme.
Gustaf Njei, 26, was indicted on two counts of wire fraud, one count of structuring to avoid reporting requirements, one count of unlawful monetary transactions, and one count of money laundering conspiracy. Njei was released on conditions following an initial appearance before U.S. District Court Magistrate Judge Judith G. Dein.
As alleged in the indictment, Njei conspired with others to open bank accounts in Massachusetts in the name of a sham company, as part of the apparent BEC scheme. A BEC scheme is a sophisticated scam often targeting businesses involved in wire transfer payments. The fraud is carried out by compromising and/or “spoofing” legitimate business email accounts through social engineering or computer intrusion techniques, to cause employees of the victim company (or other individuals involved in legitimate business transactions) to transfer funds to accounts controlled by the scammers.
It is alleged that, through the use of fraudulent invoices and spoofed email accounts, Njei conspired to trick the victims of the scheme into wiring hundreds of thousands of dollars to a bank account under his control. Njei then allegedly transferred part of the funds to a bank account located overseas, while splitting the remaining funds with a co-conspirator in the United States.
The charge of wire fraud provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000, or twice the gross gain or loss, whichever is greater. The charge of structuring to avoid reporting requirements provides for a sentence of up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine up to $250,000, or twice the gross gain or loss, whichever is greater. The charge of unlawful monetary transactions provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine up to $250,000, or twice the gross gain or loss, whichever is greater. The charge of money laundering conspiracy provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $500,000 or twice the gross gain or loss, whichever is greater. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Acting United States Attorney Nathaniel R. Mendell and Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney William B. Brady of Mendell’s Criminal Division, and Jordi de Llano, Deputy Chief of Mendell’s Securities, Financial & Cyber Fraud Unit, are prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the indictment are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Hattiesburg Man Sentenced to over 4 Years in Federal Prison for Possession of Methamphetamine with the Intent to DistributeRead the Press Release
Hattiesburg, Miss. – A Hattiesburg man was sentenced today to 51 months in federal prison for possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Darren LaMarca, Kurt Thielhorn, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and Brad L. Byerley, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration.
According to court documents, on January 16, 2019, Raymarcus Hollimon, a/k/a “Smoke Loc,” 30, of Hattiesburg, was encountered by members of the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Hattiesburg Metro Narcotics Task Force during a narcotics detail. Hollimon was found in possession of over 190 tablets containing methamphetamine with other drug distribution paraphernalia.
Hollimon was indicted for this offense on June 10, 2020. He pled guilty on March 23, 2021.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Drug Enforcement Administration, and Hattiesburg Police Department investigated the case. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Andrew W. Eichner.
This case was being prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
Harrison County man guilty of child pornography chargeRead the Press Release
CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Terrell Anderson, of Bridgeport, West Virginia, was found guilty today of a child pornography charge, Acting U.S. Attorney Randolph J. Bernard announced.
After a two-day trial, the federal jury found Anderson, 25, guilty of one count of “Possession of Child Pornography.” Anderson had child pornography on his phone in January 2020 in Harrison County.
Anderson faces up to 10 years of incarceration and a fine of up to $250,000. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys David J. Perri and Danae DeMasi-Lemon prosecuted the case on behalf of the government. The Bridgeport Police Department investigated.
Senior U.S. District Judge Irene M. Keeley presided.
Harrison County man admits to firearms chargesRead the Press Release
WHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA – Carl David Davis, of Hepzibah, West Virginia, has admitted to a firearms charge, Acting United States Attorney Randolph J. Bernard announced.
Davis, 32, pleaded guilty today to one count of “Possession of an Explosive by a Prohibited Person” and one count of “Unlawful Possession of a Firearm.” Davis, who is prohibited from having firearms because of a prior conviction, is accused of having two electric explosive detonators (blasting caps) in November 2018 and a .22 caliber rifle in October 2020 in Harrison County.
Davis faces up 10 years of incarceration and a fine of up to $250,000 for each charge. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Davis also agreed to the forfeiture of a 9mm pistol, 11 rounds of 9mm ammunition, a .22 caliber rifle, seven rounds of .22 caliber ammunition, one 12-gauge shotgun shell, and four rounds of .32 caliber ammunition.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Brandon S. Flower is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives and the Harrison County Sheriff’s Office investigated.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael John Aloi presided.