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Monday 3 May 2021
Man Involved in 2014 Drug Robbery Found Guilty in Federal CourtRead the Press Release
A man who robbed and murdered his drug dealer was convicted by a jury today after a nine-day trial in federal court in Cedar Rapids.
Matthew Barrett Robbins, age 48, from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, was convicted of robbery affecting interstate commerce, conspiracy to commit robbery affecting interstate commerce, and using, carrying, brandishing, and discharging a firearm during a crime of violence resulting in murder. The verdict was returned this morning following more than nine hours of jury deliberations.
The jury found that Robbins and others planned to rob a local drug dealer, and then robbed the dealer on May 31, 2014. The jury also found that Robbins used a firearm during the robbery, and that the firearm was fired, killing the victim.
“Matthew Robbins used a gun to steal drugs and money,” said Acting United States Attorney Sean R. Berry. “Robbins’s actions resulted in the death of the man he robbed. Today’s verdict holds him accountable for that death. This verdict was made possible by the extraordinary cooperation and hard work of more than a dozen law enforcement agencies.”
Sentencing before United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Robbins remains in custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing. Robbins faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years’ imprisonment and a possible maximum sentence of life imprisonment, a $750,000 fine, and 11 years’ of supervised release following any imprisonment.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Lisa C. Williams and Emily K. Nydle and was investigated by the Marion Police Department, the Iowa Department of Criminal Investigation, the Linn County Sheriff’s Office, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Cedar Rapids Police Department, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the Iowa City Police Department, the United States Marshals Service, the Davenport Police Department, the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, the Benton County Sheriff’s Office, the Cedar County Sheriff’s Office, the Madison County Sheriff’s Office, and the Daytona Beach Shores Florida Police Department. Assistance was also provided by the Waypoint Services Survivor's Program in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 19-cr-53.
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Man Convicted of Trafficking Methamphetamine and Possessing a Gun Sentenced to over 20 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
A man who sold methamphetamine out of his residence in Fairfax, Iowa, and possessed firearms was sentenced today to more than 24 years in federal prison.
Jason Richard Corey, age 54, formerly from Fairfax, Iowa, was convicted of conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance, distribution of a controlled substance, two counts of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime during a November 2020 jury trial.
The evidence at trial showed that Corey sold a quarter pound of methamphetamine to an individual in August 2019 at his home in Fairfax, Iowa. Shortly after the sale, Corey was in a car that was stopped and found to have more than 70 grams of methamphetamine hidden in the bottom of a disinfectant wipes container and a bag inside the car. Law enforcement then searched Corey’s home and found a half pound of methamphetamine and two firearms. Additional evidence showed that Corey dealt more than 25 pounds of methamphetamine during 2019 and that one of his methamphetamine sources gave him two firearms for his protection.
Corey was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams. Corey was sentenced to 295 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a five-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
Corey is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Emily K. Nydle and was investigated as part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) program of the United States Department of Justice through a cooperative effort of the Cedar Rapids Police Department, the Marion Police Department, the Hiawatha Police Department, the Linn County Sheriff’s Office, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, and the Drug Enforcement Administration.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 20-cr-00029.
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Maimonides Medical Center in Brooklyn Agrees to Settle Claims of Employment Discrimination by U.S. Army ReservistRead the Press Release
Mark J. Lesko, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, announced today a settlement with Maimonides Medical Center (Maimonides) in Brooklyn to resolve a lawsuit filed on behalf of Lieutenant Colonel Louis Rego, a U.S. Army Reservist and former Maimonides pharmacist. Maimonides is the largest hospital in Brooklyn and is an affiliate of Northwell Health, New York State’s largest health care provider and private employer. According to the United States’ complaint, Maimonides violated the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA) by terminating Lieutenant Colonel Rego’s employment in the Pharmacy Department after he was called up to active military duty status. USERRA prohibits discrimination in employment based on an individual’s prior service in the uniformed services; current service in the uniformed services; or intent to join the uniformed services. Under the terms of the settlement, Maimonides will pay Lieutenant Colonel Rego $195,000 to compensate him for lost wages and other damages. The settlement also requires Maimonides to provide annual training to hospital officials and human resources staff on the rights of service members under USERRA.
“Lieutenant Colonel Rego’s honorable service to his country cost him his job as a pharmacist, even though USERRA flatly prohibits employers from discriminating against employees on account of their military service,” stated Acting U.S. Attorney Lesko. “This Office is firmly committed to enforcing USERRA’s requirements and to holding employers like Maimonides accountable for their failure to comply.”
Rego was ordered to full-time active duty with the U.S. Army Reserves on July 17, 2017, when he was deployed for a tour of duty with U.S. Army Medical Materiel Agency at Fort Detrick in Maryland. Rego took a leave of absence from Maimonides in order to perform his military service. Rego returned to work at MMC on October 2, 2017. Just seven weeks later, on November 21, 2017, Rego was informed by a supervisor that his position was being eliminated and that he was being terminated as part of a reduction in force designed to save money at the hospital. Rego was the only employee terminated of the more than 100 employees in the Pharmacy Department. After Rego was fired, Maimonides promoted and gave pay raises to two mid-level managers in order to cover some of Rego’s duties, used non-managers to perform other duties and paid those non-managers overtime. Maimonides also hired new Pharmacy Department employees immediately before and after it fired Rego and had posted an opening for his job on a job search website one week before he was dismissed.
The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only; there has been no determination of liability and Maimonides denies that it has violated USERRA.
The case is being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Sean P. Greene-Delgado of the Office’s Civil Division.
The protection of servicemembers’ rights is a priority for the U.S. Attorney’s Office. Individuals who believe they may have experienced discrimination, harassment or retaliation on account of their military service should contact the United States Attorney’s Office by emailing [email protected] or the Department of Justice Civil Rights Division by e-mailing [email protected]. Additional information about USERRA can be found on the Justice Department’s websites at https://www.justice.gov/crt/employment-litigation-section and www.servicemembers.gov, as well as on the Labor Department’s website at www.dol.gov/vets/programs/userra/main.htm.
E.D.N.Y. Docket No.: 21-CV-2448
Lumberton Man Sentenced to 20 Years for Hobbs Act Robberies, Carjacking, and KidnappingRead the Press Release
WILMINGTON, N.C. – A Lumberton man was sentenced today to 240 months in prison for robbery, carjacking, and kidnapping. On June 16, 2020, Trenton Pearson pled guilty to charges of robbery, carjacking, and kidnapping.
According to court documents and other information presented in court, Trenton Pearson, 35, committed a series of violent criminal conduct in November of 2018 and August thru September of 2019.
On November 24, 2018, Robeson County Sheriff’s Office deputies responded to an armed robbery at the Dollar General Store located at 2656 Lombardy Village Road, Lumber Bridge, N.C. Upon arrival, deputies met with a Dollar General Store clerk who advised that a male approached his checkout counter and asked him to open the cash register. The suspect walked behind the counter with a knife in his hand. The suspect demanded money and threatened to stab him. The suspect stole approximately $320 from the register and exited the store.
On November 26, 2018, Red Springs Police Department investigators responded to the Sun-Do Gas Station located at 902 East Avenue, Red Springs, N.C., about an armed robbery. On arrival, investigators met with the store clerks, who stated that the suspect entered the store, walked behind the counter, and pointed a silver knife at one clerk’s side. He then stole approximately $1,539.00 from the cash register and exited the store.
On November 27, 2018, St. Pauls Police Department responded to the Dollar General located at 584 W. Clark Street in St. Pauls, N.C., about an armed robbery. Upon arrival, officers met Dollar General store clerks who reported that the suspect kept his hand inside his coat as if he had a weapon and demanded money. The suspect stole approximately $4,461 from the register and left the business on a bicycle. The clerks immediately called 911 and described the suspect. An officer observed the suspect and found him in possession of the stolen money and a knife. The suspect was identified as Trenton Pearson, and he was arrested. He agreed to speak with law enforcement and admitted to the robberies. At the time of the offenses, Pearson was on post-release supervision and revoked back to state prison for a term of months.
On August 30, 2019, St. Pauls Police Department officers responded to an armed robbery at the Family Dollar located at 407 East Broad Street, St. Pauls, N.C. Upon arrival, officers met with the store clerk who advised that a male rushed behind her counter with a knife and demanded that she stay quiet. The suspect stole the entire cash register before exiting the business. Approximately $210 and other store items were stolen during this robbery.
On August 31, 2019, at approximately 10:00am, Hope Mills Police Department officers responded to the Dollar General Store located at 2477 Hope Mills Road, Fayetteville, N.C., about a robbery. Upon their arrival, officers met with the store clerk who stated that a male suspect rushed behind her counter and tackled her to the ground when she opened the cash register. The suspect stole money from the cash register that contained approximately $216.
On September 1, 2019, at approximately 9:05pm, Robeson County Sheriff’s Office Deputies were dispatched to 14389 N.C. 71, Shannon, N.C., about a carjacking call. Upon their arrival, they met the victim, who stated that she entered David’s General Store for a brief moment and returned to her Dodge Journey. Shortly thereafter, she placed her vehicle into drive and felt someone place a sharp object against her throat. The suspect told her not to stop. She complied and asked him what he wanted. He responded that he wanted her keys. The victim then jumped out of the vehicle and fled.
On September 3, 2019, at approximately 8:30 pm, a female victim returned to her black Chrysler 200 after shopping at a store located at 3708 Sycamore Dairy Road in Fayetteville, N.C. As she returned to her vehicle, an individual entered her vehicle, placed a knife to her neck, and asked whether she had any money. When she told him no, he demanded the victim drive her to an ATM and forced her to withdraw $100. The ATM withdrawal was caught on video surveillance, and Trenton Pearson could clearly be seen on the video. According to the victim, Pearson then drove them to Red Springs, N.C. Pearson drove to an unknown location on a dirt road and purchased crack cocaine. When she tried to escape, he put her in a headlock and cut her with a knife. Pearson utilized the victim’s cell phone to further the kidnapping. The victim was ultimately able to jump out of the vehicle and seek help at a gas station.
On September 4, 2019, Lumberton Police Department officers responded to an armed robbery at the Sun-Do Kwik Stop gas station located at 6697 Elizabethtown Road in Lumberton, N.C. 28358. Upon arrival, officers met with the store clerk who stated that a male approached her behind the checkout counter with a knife and demanded that she open the cash register. The male grabbed the cash register drawer and exited the business, stealing approximately $500.00 from the Sun-Do. Surveillance footage captured Pearson on video and observed him driving the kidnapping victim’s Chrysler 200.
Investigators linked Pearson to all the robberies, and he was taken into custody on September 4, 2019. He later confessed to committing the robberies.
G. Norman Acker, III, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after sentencing by Chief U.S. District Judge Richard E. Myers II. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, Robeson County Sheriff’s Office, Red Springs Police Department, St. Pauls Police Department, Lumberton Police Department, and Fayetteville Police Department investigated the case and Assistant U.S. Attorney Chad Rhoades prosecuted the case.
Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 7:20-CR-00008-M.
Klamath Falls Man Pleads Guilty to Cashing More than 40 Years' Worth of Deceased Relative's Social Security ChecksRead the Press Release
MEDFORD, Ore.—A Klamath Falls, Oregon man pleaded guilty today after cashing more than $458,000 worth of social security checks issued in the name of his deceased aunt.
George Doumar, 74, pleaded guilty to one count of theft of government funds.
According to court documents, in February 2020, the Social Security Administration’s (SSA) Office of Anti-Fraud Programs identified a 114-year-old supercentenarian who appeared to be the second-oldest living person in the U.S. receiving Social Security retirement benefits. The last known update to the recipient’s SSA benefit record was in July 1989, when the recipient’s address was updated to Frontier Parcel & Fax Service on S. 6th Street in Klamath Falls.
In March 2020, an investigator with SSA-OIG interviewed two of the benefit recipient’s nieces. Both nieces claimed that their aunt died in the 1960s or 1970s and recalled attending her funeral in Brooklyn, New York, where she had reportedly lived her entire life. According to one niece, their aunt did not have any children and was not married. She recalled that Doumar was named the sole beneficiary of her aunt’s insurance payout.
Investigators soon discovered that Doumar himself was an active Social Security beneficiary and received his checks at the same address on S. 6th Street in Klamath Falls. According to SSA records, Doumar purchased the property on S. 6th Street seven days prior to the address on his aunt’s benefit record being changed to the same address.
On June 16, 2020, SSA-OIG investigators obtained a copy of the aunt’s death certificate from the New York City Department of Health & Mental Hygiene, confirming that she had died on March 7, 1971 in Brooklyn. Investigators determined that Doumar had added his aunt to he and his wife’s shared checking account in 1989. His aunt’s Social Security checks were often bundled in deposits with other checks made payable to Doumar.
Investigators obtained bank surveillance footage from February 2020 that showed a man, who appeared to match Doumar’s physical description, depositing one of his aunt’s retirement checks. On July 14, 2020, investigators from SSA-OIG and USPIS interviewed Doumar at his Klamath Falls residence. When asked about his aunt, Doumar sighed, slumped his head, and stated, “that’s a long story…what happened was, well she’s passed and yes, I’ve been collecting her Social Security.”
On August 11, 2020, Doumar was charged by criminal complaint with theft of government funds and mail theft.
Doumar faces a maximum sentence of ten years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release. He will be sentenced on August 3, 2021 before U.S. District Court Judge Michael J. McShane.
As part of the plea agreement, Doumar has agreed to pay $458,992 restitution to the SSA and $1,200 to the IRS.
Acting U.S. Attorney Scott Erik Asphaug of the District of Oregon made the announcement.
The SSA-OIG and USPIS jointly investigated this case. It is being prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Rachel Sowray.
Judge Detains Coral Springs Man Charged with Attempted Murder and Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
MIAMI, FL. – Today, a federal magistrate judge in Ft. Lauderdale ordered Horvin McKenzie, Jr., 28, detained pending his federal trial on attempted murder, narcotics, and firearms charges. McKenzie is one of the two men arrested last month after shots were fired at law enforcement officers working a drug trafficking investigation in Dania Beach, Florida.
According to court documents, McKenzie and his co-defendant, David Johnathan Ventura, 32, of Miami, conspired to sell two kilograms of cocaine to another person. The criminal complaint affidavit alleges the following: McKenzie, Ventura, and the buyer met at a retail store parking lot in Dania Beach on Friday, April 23, to make the deal. Law Enforcement Officers (LEOs) learned of the scheduled deal and went to the meeting location. After confirming that McKenzie and Ventura had arrived at the parking lot, LEOs activated the emergency lights on their vehicles. While wearing protective vests that identified the LEOs as such, LEOs approached the defendants, who were in separate cars. As they neared Ventura’s car, Ventura produced a firearm and began shooting at the approaching LEOs, hitting a detective in his arm and his bullet-proof vest. LEOs returned fire, hitting Ventura. McKenzie and Ventura were taken into custody. Ventura is currently in the hospital in stable condition. LEOs found a bag containing approximately two kilograms of cocaine and a Beretta .9mm semi-automatic handgun in Ventura’s car. They also found a loaded Glock .40 caliber semi-automatic handgun in McKenzie’s car.
McKenzie and Ventura are charged with Attempted Murder of a Person Assisting DEA Agents in Performance of Their Duties; Conspiracy to Distribute 500 Grams or More of Cocaine; Possession with Intent to Distribute 500 Grams or More of Cocaine; and Possession of a Firearm During and Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime. If convicted, both men face up to life in prison with a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of 10 years. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Acting U.S. Attorney Juan Antonio Gonzalez of the Southern District of Florida; and La Verne Hibbert, Acting Special Agent in Charge of DEA’s Miami Field Office, made the announcement.
DEA Miami investigated this narcotics case, with assistance from Broward Sheriff’s Office, Fort Lauderdale Police Department, Margate Police Department, Coconut Creek Police Department, Plantation Police Department, and Wilton Manors Police Department. Florida Department of Law Enforcement is investigating the shooting.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Ajay J. Alexander is prosecuting the case.
A criminal complaint is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
A copy of this press release may be found on the website of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida at www.usdoj.gov/usao/fls.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov, under case number 21-MJ-6264.
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Illegal Alien admits to reentry chargeRead the Press Release
ELKINS, WEST VIRGINIA – Jose Luis Roberto Osornio-Ortega, a citizen of Mexico, has admitted to an illegal reentry charge, Acting U.S. Attorney Randolph J. Bernard announced.
Osornio-Ortega, 27, pleaded guilty today to one count of “Reentry of Removed Aliens.” Osornio-Ortega admitted to being in the U.S. illegally after being removed once before in February 2012. Osornio-Ortega was in Hardy County in December 2018.
Osornio-Ortega faces up to two 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. Attorney Christopher L. Bauer is prosecuting the cases on behalf of the government. The Department of Homeland Security Immigration & Customs Enforcement investigated.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael John Aloi presided.
Huntington Man Sentenced to Prison for Federal Drug CrimeRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – A Huntington man was sentenced to 24 months in federal prison for possession with intent to distribute heroin.
According to court documents, Harold Arthur Thompson, 30, previously admitted that on September 14, 2019, he was in a vehicle that was pulled over by a Putnam County Sheriff’s Deputy. During the traffic stop, Thompson exited the vehicle and attempted to conceal a plastic bag that contained 2.9 grams of methamphetamine and 2.5 grams of heroin after he removed it from his pants pocket by kicking it underneath his vehicle. Thompson admitted to possession of the heroin and methamphetamine and that both substances were packaged in individual plastic bags for sale. Thompson also admitted that he possessed digital scales and packaging materials.
The Putnam County Sheriff’s Department and West Virginia State Police conducted the investigation. United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers imposed the sentence.
Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston made the announcement. Assistant United States Attorney Courtney L. Cremeans handled 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. 3:20-cr-00151.
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Houston Man Sentenced to over Ten Years in Federal Prison for Massive Credit Card Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LA – United States District Judge Eldon E. Fallon sentenced EDWARD TOLIVER, age 47, a New Orleans native who had been living in Houston, Texas, to 124 months in federal prison for his role in a massive credit card fraud scheme, announced U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans. The sentencing was held on April 29, 2021. In addition to 124 months imprisonment, TOLIVER received 3 years supervised release, to be served following his release, and he must pay a mandatory $200 special assessment fee ($100 per count).
According to the court records, TOLIVER previously pleaded guilty to a credit card fraud charge, as well as aggravated identity theft. This was his third federal conviction for credit card fraud, and he began the conduct for this conviction while he was still on probation from his previous conviction.
In a sworn factual basis, TOLIVER admitted that shortly after finishing a prison term in 2012, TOLIVER rented office space in an office park in Houston. He outfitted the space with equipment used to make fraudulent credit cards. Over the next several years, TOLIVER and his co-defendant, Maurice Durio, who also operated a card manufacturing plant in the same office park, obtained hundreds of thousands of stolen credit card numbers from a variety of sources, including a computer hacker TOLIVER had met in prison and by purchasing them on the dark web.
TOLIVER and Durio, with the assistance of several co-conspirators, created and/or downloaded credit card templates on laptop computers and transferred the stolen credit card numbers into the templates, which were then used to create tens of thousands of fraudulent access devices. The cards would generally be printed in batches with the same name appearing on numerous cards. The name was typically the real name of a co-conspirator. The cards were embossed with numbers, and corresponding account information was encoded on the strips on the back of the cards. The names of the co-conspirators/users of the fraudulent cards did not correspond to the actual account holders, who had not given permission for their accounts to be used. TOLIVER and Durio distributed thousands of fraudulent access devices to numerous individuals who then used them to fraudulently obtain things of value, including merchandise and gift cards.
The Secret Service, with the assistance of local law enforcement, investigated numerous instances in which individuals were caught with cards manufactured at the Houston plants operated by TOLIVER and Durio. Agents were able to tie these card seizures to the plants through several means.
In July 2014, a federal search warrant was executed at the Houston office park and agents seized device making equipment, including embossers, scanners, and high-end printers, thousands of cards, and a laptop computer. The computer had approximately 80,000 card numbers in files, as well as spreadsheets used to move the card numbers from the text files they came in when obtained through the dark web to the actual credit cards. Agents also obtained other laptops used by TOLIVER and Durio that contained approximately 300,000 additional card numbers.
The scheme used various methods to monetize the fraudulent credit card production. First, TOLIVER and Durio would simply sell cards. The buyer would pay them a set amount and then get to keep whatever the buyer could purchase with the cards. Second, TOLIVER and Durio would provide cards with the idea that the person getting the cards would buy merchandise and then sell the merchandise at a discount for cash and kick back some of the cash. Third, TOLIVER and Durio would provide cards and the person getting the cards would buy gifts cards, some of which were kicked back.
“I would like to commend the hard work of the dedicated prosecutors and investigators who helped bring to an end Mr. Toliver’s nearly two decade long criminal enterprise,” said Leslie Pichon, US Secret Service New Orleans Special Agent in Charge. “This sentencing should serve as a signal of the commitment between my office, the US Attorney’s Office and our Louisiana law enforcement partners to aggressively pursue and prosecute individuals who commit financial crimes like the ones perpetrated by Mr. Toliver and his associates.”
This case was investigated by Special Agents of the United States Secret Service. The prosecution is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney David Haller.
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Hampshire County man sentenced to more than 10 years for drug chargeRead the Press Release
MARTINSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Jamie Lee Sirbaugh, of Springfield, West Virginia, was sentenced today to 121 months of incarceration for a methamphetamine charge, Acting U.S. Attorney Randolph J. Bernard announced.
Sirbaugh, 42, pled guilty to one count of “Aiding and Abetting Possession with Intent to Distribute Fifty Grams or More of Methamphetamine” in January 2021. Sirbaugh admitted to having more than 50 grams of methamphetamine, also known as “ice,” in February 2019 in Hampshire County.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Lara Omps-Botteicher prosecuted the case on behalf of the government. The Potomac Highlands Drug Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, investigated. The task force includes the FBI, West Virginia State Police, Mineral County Sheriff’s Office, Hampshire County Sheriff’s Office, Grant County Sheriff’s Office, and the Keyser Police Department.
Chief U.S. District Judge Gina M. Groh presided.
Greensboro Man Sentenced to Five Years in Prison for Possessing Multiple Stolen Firearms in Furtherance of a Drug-Trafficking CrimeRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Sean P. Costello of the Southern District of Alabama announced that Demetrius O’Neill Bryant, 33, of Greensboro, Alabama, was sentenced in federal court for possessing multiple stolen firearms in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime. Bryant pleaded guilty to the charge in January of 2021.
In connection with his guilty plea, Bryant admitted that on December 21, 2019, he possessed three loaded firearms in his residence in Greensboro. Two of the firearms recently had been reported stolen from gun stores in Demopolis, Alabama and Tuscaloosa, Alabama. In close proximity to the firearms, agents recovered marijuana, two sets of digital scales, and a box of plastic baggies. In a garbage can outside of Bryant’s residence, agents also recovered sales tags corresponding to stolen firearms and observed several large vacuum seal bags emitting the odor of marijuana. Bryant admitted that he frequently has sold marijuana from his Greensboro residence, that he possessed the marijuana, scales, and related paraphernalia recovered from his residence, and that he possessed the firearms recovered from his residence in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime. Additional undisputed evidence introduced at Bryant’s sentencing hearing established that during his December 2020 arrest on the federal warrant in this case, agents recovered additional firearms, narcotics, and a stolen firearm silencer.
United States District Court Judge Terry F. Moorer imposed a sentence of 60 months’ incarceration, to be followed by a five-year term of supervised release. During that time, Bryant will undergo testing and treatment for substance abuse. The court did not impose a fine, but the judge ordered Bryant to pay a $100 special assessment.
This case was investigated by the Greensboro and Tuscaloosa Police Departments, the Hale County Sheriff’s Office, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It was prosecuted in the United States Attorney’s Office by Assistant United States Attorney Justin Roller.
Former Union Official Sentenced for Violent ExtortionRead the Press Release
An Indiana man and former business agent of Iron Workers Local 395 was sentenced today to more than four years in prison for conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act extortion.
Thomas Williamson Sr., 70, of Schererville, pleaded guilty on Jan. 24, 2020. According to court documents, Williamson organized and led an assault on a group of non-union ironworkers as part of an attempt to obtain a contract to perform construction work on the Plum Creek Christian Academy, a school affiliated with the Dyer Baptist Church in Dyer, Indiana.
In January 2016, Williamson learned that a non-union ironworking company was performing work for the Dyer Baptist Church, which he considered to be in Local 395’s “territory.” On Jan. 6, 2016, Williamson visited the construction site and made threats to the workers to get them to stop work on the site. Upon being rebuffed, Williamson then visited the church and attempted to persuade church officials to use Local 395 for the project instead of the non-union workers.
The day after these efforts failed, Williamson returned to the construction site along with then-Local 395 president Jeffrey Veach and a group of rank-and-file union members. At Williamson’s direction, the union members executed a coordinated and brutal assault on the non-union workers, beating their victims with loose pieces of hardwood, punching them and kicking them. The attack left one of the non-union workers with a broken jaw that required several surgeries and prolonged hospitalization.
Veach also pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act extortion and was separately sentenced to 42 months in prison in September 2020. Under federal law, both Williamson and Veach will be barred from holding any union position for at least 13 years following the end of their prison sentences.
Acting Assistant Attorney General Nicholas L. McQuaid of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division made the announcement.
The FBI’s Indianapolis Field Office and the Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General, Chicago Regional Office investigated the case with assistance from the Dyer Police Department in Indiana.
Trial Attorneys Alexander Gottfried and Robert Tully of the Criminal Division’s Organized Crime and Gang Section prosecuted the case. Assistant Chief for Labor-Management Racketeering Gerald Toner provided invaluable assistance in the prosecution of this case. Through its Labor Unit, the Organized Crime and Gang Section supports federal criminal prosecution in cases involving labor-management relations, internal union affairs, and the operation of employee pension and health care plans.
Former Tennessee Correctional Officer Sentenced Following Staff Assault of InmateRead the Press Release
A former Tennessee correctional officer was sentenced Friday to two years in prison and two years of supervised release for his involvement in a staff assault of an inmate.
Jonathan York, a former Tennessee Department of Corrections (TDOC) Officer at the Northwest County Correctional Complex in Tiptonville, Tennessee, was sentenced April 30. During the federal investigation, six former TDOC officers ultimately pleaded guilty to federal offenses arising out of the assault of the inmate and the cover up that followed. York is the second of the six to be sentenced.
“The defendant was held accountable for abusing his power and for violating the public’s trust in him as a correctional officer,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Pamela S. Karlan for the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “The Justice Department is committed to vigorously prosecuting all who commit civil rights violations.”
“The United States Attorney’s Office is committed to the prosecution of criminal civil rights violations committed by corrections officers, who have a responsibility to treat those in their custody in a manner consistent with the U.S. Constitution and federal civil rights statute,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Joseph C. Murphy Jr. for the Western District of Tennessee. “This case is an example of that commitment.”
"This sentencing should be a reminder that wearing a badge does not make one above the law,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Matthew Foster of the FBI Memphis Field Office. “Law enforcement officers or any other government employees who abuse their authority and use unlawful force will be vigorously investigated and prosecuted. The FBI will always work to bring to justice those who violate the civil rights of others."
On June 9, 2020, York pleaded guilty to using unlawful force while acting under color of law and conspiring to cover up the incident. With his guilty plea, York admitted that, on Feb. 1, 2019, he and other correctional officers entered the cell of R.T., an inmate in the mental health unit. Inside the cell, York asked a fellow officer to cover the surveillance camera and he then punched R.T. Although R.T. did not pose a threat to the officers, York punched R.T. approximately 30 times. York then stood by and watched as two other correctional officers punched R.T. After the assault of R.T., York spoke with other correctional officers and they conspired to tell a false cover story about what happened to R.T.
This case was investigated by the Memphis Division of the FBI with the support of the TDOC, and was prosecuted by Trial Attorney Rebekah J. Bailey of the Civil Rights Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney David Pritchard of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Tennessee.
Former Tennessee Correctional Officer Sentenced Following Staff Assault of InmateRead the Press Release
Memphis, TN – A former Tennessee correctional officer was sentenced Friday to two years in prison and two years of supervised release for his involvement in a staff assault of an inmate.
Jonathan York, a former Tennessee Department of Corrections (TDOC) Officer at the Northwest County Correctional Complex in Tiptonville, Tennessee, was sentenced April 30. During the federal investigation, six former TDOC officers ultimately pleaded guilty to federal offenses arising out of the assault of the inmate and the cover up that followed. York is the second of the six to be sentenced.
"The defendant was held accountable for abusing his power and for violating the public’s trust in him as a correctional officer," said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Pamela S. Karlan for the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. "The Justice Department is committed to vigorously prosecuting all who commit civil rights violations."
"The United States Attorney’s Office is committed to the prosecution of criminal civil rights violations committed by corrections officers, who have a responsibility to treat those in their custody in a manner consistent with the U.S. Constitution and federal civil rights statute," said Acting U.S. Attorney Joseph C. Murphy Jr., for the Western District of Tennessee. "This case is an example of that commitment."
"This sentencing should be a reminder that wearing a badge does not make one above the law," said Acting Special Agent in Charge Matthew Foster of the FBI Memphis Field Office. "Law enforcement officers or any other government employees who abuse their authority and use unlawful force will be vigorously investigated and prosecuted. The FBI will always work to bring to justice those who violate the civil rights of others."
On June 9, 2020, York pleaded guilty to using unlawful force while acting under color of law and conspiring to cover up the incident. With his guilty plea, York admitted that, on Feb. 1, 2019, he and other correctional officers entered the cell of R.T., an inmate in the mental health unit. Inside the cell, York asked a fellow officer to cover the surveillance camera and he then punched R.T. Although R.T. did not pose a threat to the officers, York punched R.T. approximately 30 times. York then stood by and watched as two other correctional officers punched R.T. After the assault of R.T., York spoke with other correctional officers and they conspired to tell a false cover story about what happened to R.T.
This case was investigated by the Memphis Division of the FBI with the support of the TDOC and was prosecuted by Trial Attorney Rebekah J. Bailey of the Civil Rights Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney David Pritchard of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Tennessee.
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Former Operator of Waterville Medical Marijuana Business Sentenced on Federal Drug and Firearm ChargesRead the Press Release
BANGOR, Maine: A Benton man was sentenced today in federal court for distribution of cocaine and marijuana, possession of marijuana with intent to distribute and possession of firearms by an unlawful user of controlled substances, Acting U.S. Attorney Donald E. Clark announced.
Senior U.S. District Judge John A. Woodcock, Jr. sentenced Daniel Hall, 32, to 27 months in prison and three years of supervised release. Judge Woodcock also entered an order requiring Hall to forfeit almost $16,000 in cash, two shotguns, one handgun and ammunition. Hall pleaded guilty on January 5, 2021.
According to court records, on January 29, 2020, Hall distributed cocaine and marijuana to a confidential informant at Green Thumb Organics (GTO), Hall’s Waterville medical marijuana store. The informant did not have a medical marijuana patient card.
On February 19, 2020, investigators executed federal search warrants at GTO and Hall’s residence in Benton. At GTO, agents seized approximately three pounds of processed marijuana and “edible” marijuana items that in total weighed less than 50 kilograms. Agents also seized records, approximately $16,000 in cash proceeds, a video surveillance system and items of paraphernalia. At Hall’s residence, agents seized personal use quantities of drugs, drug paraphernalia, two shotguns, a handgun and ammunition.
“This was a great collaborative effort that resulted in the successful investigation and prosecution of Daniel Hall,” said Waterville Chief of Police Joseph Massey. “This was an important case because Mr. Hall owned and operated a medical marijuana business in Waterville where he illegally sold marijuana and other illegal drugs.”
The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the Waterville Police Department and the Somerset County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case.
Felony Lane Gang Member Sentenced in Bank Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Ore.—A Fort Lauderdale, Florida man was sentenced to federal prison today for his role in a bank fraud and identity theft scheme targeting female victims in the Portland Metropolitan Area.
Damian Fletcher, 27, was sentenced to three years in federal prison and three years’ supervised release.
According to court documents, Fletcher is a member of the Felony Lane Gang, an interstate criminal organization based in Florida that travels to locations throughout the U.S. to commit vehicle break-in and fraud sprees. The organization targets female victims who leave their purses, wallets, and valuables in parked cars. After victims exit their vehicles—often to drop off children, run errands, or visit a gym—Felony Lane Gang members break into the vehicle to steal targeted items. After the theft, conspirators quickly deploy associates to conduct fraudulent bank or merchant transactions using stolen identification, checks, and credit or debit cards.
In the fall of 2019, Fletcher and five co-conspirators traveled to Portland to target local victims. Once Fletcher and his partners stole items from a vehicle, they checked to see if one of several female co-conspirators resembled the victim. If one of their female co-conspirators could impersonate the victim, they would attempt to cash fraudulent checks written in the impersonated victim’s name. The conspirators would cash checks at various local banks, using the outer-most lane of each bank’s drive-up teller window to avoid detection.
Investigators identified 32 vehicle thefts and 22 instances of bank fraud committed during Fletcher’s most recent known Oregon crime spree. In total, this spree resulted in a financial loss of more than $98,000. Fletcher was arrested on March 9, 2020 in Florida.
On June 6, 2020, a federal grand jury in Portland returned a 14-count superseding indictment charging Fletcher and five co-defendants with conspiring to commit bank fraud, bank fraud, and aggravated identity theft.
On January 7, 2021, Fletcher pleaded guilty to conspiring to commit bank fraud and aggravated identity theft.
During sentencing, U.S. District Court Judge Michael W. Mosman ordered Fletcher to pay $98,733 in restitution.
Co-defendants Delvin Mills, 29, of Lauderdale Lakes, Florida; Megan Spurlock, 27, a Washington State resident; and Linda Marie Lupo, 52, of Deerfield, Florida; have all pleaded guilty and are awaiting sentencing.
Co-defendants Justin Curry, 28 of Fort Lauderdale, and Treveon Donte Jordan, 23, of Lauderdale Lakes, are on pre-trial release pending a four-day jury trial scheduled to being on June 15, 2021.
Acting U.S. Attorney Scott Erik Asphaug of the District of Oregon made the announcement.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations with assistance from the West Linn Police Department, Tualatin Police Department, and Clark County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Seth D. Uram and Quinn P. Harrington, Assistant U.S. Attorneys for the District of Oregon.
Federal charges filed against operators of Houston stash houseRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – Five individuals in the United States illegally have been taken into custody following the discovery of nearly 100 undocumented aliens in a suburban Houston residence, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Jennifer B. Lowery.
The criminal complaint charges Marina Garcia-Diaz, 22, El Salvador; Henry Licona-Larios, 31, Copan, Honduras; Kevin Licona-Lopez, 25, Santa Barbara, Honduras; Marco Baca-Perez 30, Michoacan, Mexico; and Marcelo Garcia-Palacios, 21, Oaxaca, Mexico. All are noncitizens of the United States residing here illegally. They are expected to make their initial appearances before U.S. Magistrate Judge Christina Bryan at 2 p.m. today.
The criminal complaint, filed Saturday, alleges all five harbored, concealed and shielded illegal aliens for the purpose of commercial advantage or private financial gain.
The investigation began after authorities allegedly received a call from a woman reporting her brother had been kidnapped. She had paid several thousand dollars for him to be smuggled into the United States, according to the charges. However, the smugglers had allegedly demanded additional money before they would release her brother. They also threatened to kill him, according to the charges.
The investigation led to a residence on Chessington Drive in Southwest Houston, according to the complaint. Authorities ultimately found 97 undocumented noncitizens allegedly being held in two rooms of the residence. The charges allege the rooms had deadbolts on the doors facing the outside which prevented escape.
All of the male individuals were in their undergarments, according to the complaint.
The charges also allege at least one was told if the money was not paid, he would be put in “4 pieces of wood.”
Several of the held individuals allegedly identified Garcia-Diaz, Licona-Larios, Licona-Lopez, Baca-Perez and Garcia-Palacios as those conducting the smuggling operation.
If convicted, each faces up to 10 years in federal prison and a possible $250,000 maximum.
Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation with the assistance of the Houston Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Karen M. Lansden is prosecuting the case.
A criminal complaint is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence.
A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.Drug Trafficker Is Sentenced to Nine YearsRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – U.S. District Judge Max O. Cogburn Jr. sentenced today Juan Jose Benton, 46, of Charlotte, N.C. to 108 months in prison to be followed by a term of supervised release for possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, announced William T. Stetzer, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina.
Robert J. Murphy, Special Agent in Charge of the Atlanta Field Division of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), which oversees the Charlotte District Office, and Johnny Jennings, Chief of the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department, join U.S. Attorney Stetzer in making today’s announcement.
According to court documents and today’s sentencing hearing, from at least 2013 to 2018, Benton was the leader of a drug trafficking ring operating in Mecklenburg County. Over the course drug conspiracy, Benton regularly purchased multiple kilograms of cocaine, which he distributed in bulk quantities to other drug traffickers in the greater Charlotte area. Court records show that on March 13, 2018, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Benton’s residence in Waxhaw, N.C., where they seized approximately $2 million in cash from the defendant’s basement. Elsewhere in the residence, law enforcement recovered two firearms and more cocaine. On the same date, law enforcement conducted a traffic stop of the vehicle Benton was driving, from which they recovered more than $76,900 in cash. Also on that date, a second search warrant was executed at a storage unit rented by the defendant at a facility in Charlotte, in which they found more than four kilograms of cocaine, over eight pounds of marijuana, and more than $315,000 in drug proceeds.
In making today’s announcement, Acting U.S. Attorney Stetzer thanked the DEA, and Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department for handling the investigation.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys William Bozin and Lambert Guinn, of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte, prosecuted the case.
Drug Gang Member Pleads Guilty and Gets 7+ Year Federal Prison SentenceRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH - A resident of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty in federal court to a drug-trafficking charge in connection with a large-scale investigation conducted by the Greater Pittsburgh Safe Streets Task Force, Acting United States Attorney Stephen R. Kaufman announced today.
Anthony Jetter, age 32, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiring to distribute more than 40 grams of fentanyl and more than 100 grams of heroin before United States District Judge William S. Stickman IV. Jetter was immediately sentenced following his guilty plea to 87 months’ imprisonment and four years’ supervised release.
According to the information presented to the court, the Greater Pittsburgh Safe Streets Task Force, led by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, conducted a large-scale narcotics and firearms investigation primarily targeting the Darccide/Smash 44, or DS44, neighborhood gang, and drug-trafficking activity in and around the South Side area of Pittsburgh. As part of the investigation, the United States received authorization to intercept wire communications of several of the suspected members of the conspiracy through June of 2019. Communications intercepted established Jetter’s role in distributing heroin and fentanyl obtained from his codefendant Christopher Highsmith, one of the highest members of the drug-trafficking organization.
Assistant United States Attorneys Carolyn J. Bloch and Brendan J. McKenna prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation led the multi-agency investigation of this case, which also included the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives, Allegheny County Adult Probation, Allegheny County Police Department, Allegheny County Sheriff’s Office, Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office Bureau of Narcotics, Pittsburgh Bureau of Police, and the Wilkinsburg Police Department. Other assisting agencies include the Green Tree Police Department, New York City Police Department, Mount Oliver Police Department, Pennsylvania State Police, Yonkers Police Department, United States Marshals Fugitive Task Force, and the United States Postal Inspection Service.
This prosecution is a result of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles high-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten communities throughout the United States. OCDETF uses a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
Don’t Be A Victim: Join Us May 12 for a Free Senior Outreach Event on Protecting Yourself from Financial Fraud and Potential ScamsRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH - On May 12, 2021 at 10:00 a.m., the United States Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Pennsylvania, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Pittsburgh Division, and the Allegheny County Area Agency on Aging (AAA) are holding a virtual town hall event on protecting seniors from financial fraud and potential scams during the COVID-19 pandemic, Acting U.S. Attorney Stephen R. Kaufman announced.
One of the best ways to protect yourself or a loved one from financial fraud is to remain informed. The U.S. Attorney’s Office, the SEC, the FBI, and AAA have partnered to raise awareness and educate seniors in Pennsylvania about the latest financial scams.
The free virtual town hall will be live on the SEC’s website, www.sec.gov, between 9:55 a.m. and 11:00 a.m. on Wednesday, May 12, 2021 ET. Attendees are also able to call in using the dial-in: 415-527-5035, with the event ID 199 557 2341.
Participants may submit questions for the speakers in advance to: [email protected].
The DOJ Elder Justice Initiative aims to combat elder financial exploitation by expanding efforts to investigate and prosecute financial scams that target seniors; educating older adults on how to identify scams; and promoting greater coordination with law enforcement partners. The DOJ provides a variety of resources relating to elder fraud victimization through its Office of Victims of Crime at www.ovc.gov. Additional elder justice resources, training, and outreach materials can be found at the Elder Justice Website at www.elderjustice.gov. Elder fraud complaints may be sent to the U.S. Attorney’s Office at [email protected] or to the IC3 at www.ic3.gov.
Dominican National Sentenced for Fentanyl DistributionRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Dominican national who previously resided in Bronx, N.Y., was sentenced on April 29, 2021 in federal court in Boston for fentanyl distribution.
Yamel Cuevas Gonzalez, 35, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Indira Talwani to 10 years in prison and five years of supervised release. Upon completion of his sentence, Gonzales will face deportation to the Dominican Republic.
On Jan. 19, 2021, Gonzalez pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl and three counts of distribution of and possession with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl.
Over the course of approximately six months in 2019, Gonzalez made three separate sales of fentanyl to an individual in Massachusetts. Gonzalez drove to Massachusetts from New York and met the individual at a pre-arranged location, where they exchanged drugs for money. On August 5, 2019, Gonzalez and another individual, who is pending trial, allegedly drove from New York to Walpole to meet with a buyer. The sale was surveilled by federal agents, who subsequently arrested Gonzalez and his companion. The money from the sale was found in the vehicle.
Acting United States Attorney Nathaniel R. Mendell and William S. Walker, Acting Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Boston made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Walpole and Dedham Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorney Nadine Pellegrini of Mendell’s Narcotics and Money Laundering Unit prosecuted the case.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The remaining defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
DEA and Partners Announce Results of 20th National Prescription Drug Take Back DayRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS – DEA’s National Prescription Drug Take Back Day collected 829,543 pounds (419.7 tons) of unused, expired, and unwanted medications across the country. The New Orleans Field Division (NOFD) collected 45,603 pounds of that grand total. Americans once again showed their dedication toward helping prevent addiction and potential overdose by removing prescription pills from their homes. Our April event included 4,425 community partners at 5,060 collection sites throughout the country.
“DEA’s biannual Take Back Day events are critical to helping reduce overdose deaths and alleviate addiction by safely disposing of prescription medications that sit idle in the home,” said DEA Acting Administrator D. Christopher Evans. “DEA is committed to providing a safe and secure method for the public to rid their homes of potentially dangerous drugs.”
DEA Special Agent in Charge Brad L. Byerley said, “DEA’s National Prescription Drug Take Back Day events continue to remove even-higher amounts of opioids and other medicines from the nation’s homes, where they could be stolen or abused. Residents in this region took a vital step in reducing the risk of prescription drug diversion by turning in over 45,600 pounds of medications. DEA thanks the citizens and community partners for their vast support in this crucial event.”
DEA, along with its law enforcement partners, has now collected 14,670,240 million pounds of medications since the inception of the National Prescription Drug Take Back Initiative in 2010. On Oct. 24, 2020, the public turned in a record 985,392 pounds – almost 493 tons – of medication to DEA and 4,153 of its community partners at 4,587 collection sites nationwide, including 33 Bureau of Indian Affairs sites.
DEA’s NOFD, which covers Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and Arkansas, collected 45,603 pounds of potentially dangerous expired, unused and unwanted prescription drugs for disposal at collection sites throughout the division. The amounts collected for each state within the division
was the following: Louisiana – 6,050 pounds; Mississippi –5,748 pounds; Alabama – 5,100 pounds; and Arkansas – 28,705 pounds.For those who could not make it to a Take Back location, DEA reminds the community that every day is Take Back Day with more than 11,000 year-round authorized collection sites across the country. For more information, visit: https://apps2.deadiversion.usdoj.gov/pubdispsearch/spring/main?execution=e1s1.
DEA also encourages the public to reach out to their local law enforcement to find out if they have any permanent drug disposal locations throughout their local community.
Complete results for DEA’s April 2021 Take Back Day are available at www.deatakeback.com.
Photos and video from Take Back Day are available at https://flic.kr/s/aHsmVkw4ra.
Cotulla man sentenced for trafficking over 1000 pounds of marijuanaRead the Press Release
LAREDO, Texas – A 37-year-old local man has been ordered to federal prison for his role in a conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute marijuana, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Jennifer B. Lowery.
Al Lopez pleaded guilty Feb. 8.
Today, U.S. District Judge Marina Garcia Marmolejo ordered him to serve a 60-month sentence to be immediately followed by five years of supervised release.
On March 5, 2019, Lopez arrived at the Border Patrol (BP) Checkpoint on Highway 83 north of Laredo, driving a truck with a trailer attached. After a K-9 alerted to the trailer, law enforcement conducted a searched and found 43 bundles wrapped in black tape hidden under the floor of the trailer.
The bundles contained a total of 465.5 kilograms of marijuana with a street value of approximately $300,000.
Lopez will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
The Drug Enforcement Administration conducted the investigation with the assistance of BP. Assistant U.S. Attorney David Fawcett prosecuted the case.
Convicted Fraudster Awaiting Sentencing Charged Again in New Embezzlement SchemeRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Canton woman convicted of embezzling more than $1.3 million from her employer has agreed to plead guilty to a new fraud scheme.
Nicole Lescarbeau, a/k/a “Nicole Coulibaly”, 53, was charged by information with wire fraud and bank fraud. A plea hearing has not yet been scheduled by the Court.
In December 2019, Lescarbeau pleaded guilty to wire fraud, bank fraud, and aggravated identity theft in connection with a similar embezzlement scheme. While out on pre-trial release in the prior case, Lescarbeau was hired as an administrator at a small, Brookline-based non-profit organization. It is alleged that Lescarbeau did not tell the non-profit about her pending indictment and applied for the position using her married name in an effort to conceal the prior charges. From August 2019 until February 2020, Lescarbeau allegedly used her position to steal funds from the non-profit for her personal use. Specifically, Lescarbeau diverted checks to herself that the non-profit had issued for legitimate business by altering the name of the payee on the checks and then depositing them into her personal bank account. It is also alleged that Lescarbeau opened a PayPal account in the non-profit’s name to make unauthorized wire transfers from the non-profit’s bank account and made transfers directly from the non-profit’s bank account to pay for her personal rent. In total, as a result of this scheme, Lescarbeau allegedly embezzled nearly $57,000 from the non-profit’s bank account.
Pursuant to the plea agreement, the government will recommend a sentence of at least 18 months in prison, five years of supervised release, a fine within the guidelines range, restitution and forfeiture.
The charge of wire fraud provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release, a fine of $250,000, restitution and forfeiture. The charge of bank fraud provides for a sentence of up to 30 years in prison, five years of supervised release, a fine of $1 million, restitution and forfeiture. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based on 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 Field Division made the announcement. Assistant United States Attorney Justin D. O’Connell of Mendell’s Securities, Financial & Cyber Fraud Unit is prosecuting the case.
Company Owner Pleads Guilty to Falsifying Pension Contribution ReportsRead the Press Release
BOSTON – An owner of a New Hampshire asbestos abatement company pleaded guilty on Friday, April 30, 2021 in federal court in Boston to making false statements to employee pension plans.
Richard Quinn, 58, of Sterling, Mass., pleaded guilty to one count of making false statements to a pension plan covered by the Employee Retirement Security Act (ERISA). U.S. Senior District Court Judge Douglas P. Woodlock scheduled sentencing for Aug. 30, 2021.
According to the court documents, Quinn and another individual, Gary McCaffrey, owned and operated Absolute Environmental Inc., an asbestos abatement company. Between November 2014 and May 2017, Quinn and McCaffrey allegedly continued to employ several undocumented individuals after being notified of their status. During this time period, McCaffrey and Quinn are alleged to have knowingly falsified reports to pension plans about the work performed by the undocumented individuals, failing to make required pension contributions of over $337,000. McCaffrey has also agreed to plead guilty. His plea hearing is scheduled for May 25, 2021.
Pursuant to Quinn’s plea agreement, the government will recommend that Quinn serve a sentence of two years of supervised release, six months of home confinement and a fine of $10,000 to $25,000.
The charging statute provides for a sentence of up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Acting U.S. Attorney Nathaniel R. Mendell; Michael C. Mikulka, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of the Inspector General, Office of Investigations Labor Racketeering and Fraud, New York Region; and Carol Hamilton, Boston Regional Director of the Employee Benefits Security Administration made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Grady of Mendell’s Public Corruption & Special Prosecutions Unit is prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The remaining defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Central Texas Lawyer Sentenced for Swindling Colombian Drug Trafficking ClientsRead the Press Release
SHERMAN, Texas – A Central Texas criminal defense lawyer was sentenced to federal prison today for an international fraud scheme involving his Colombian cocaine trafficking clients, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
James Morris Balagia, 65, of Manor, Texas was found guilty by a jury on Oct. 29, 2019, of five federal charges and was sentenced to 188 months in federal prison today by U.S. District Judge Amos Mazzant. Balagia was also ordered to forfeit his law office building in Manor, Texas, and a money judgment of $1.5 million.
According to information presented in court, Balagia, also known as Jamie Balagia, also known as “The DWI Dude,” had a law practice with offices in San Antonio and Manor, specializing in defending clients charged with violations such as driving while intoxicated and drug possession. In 2014, Balagia conspired with Florida private investigator Chuck Morgan, and Colombian attorney, Bibiana Correa Perea to swindle Colombian drug traffickers under the guise of bribing officials in the United Sates. During meetings in Colombia and in Collin County, Texas, the group represented that in exchange for inflated “attorney fees,” they were in contact with government officials in the United States who would accept bribes resulting in either the dismissal of their criminal charges or significant reductions in their U.S. federal prison sentences. In reality, there were no bribes or government officials.
The Office of Foreign Assets and Control (OFAC) had previously designated Balagia’s Colombian clients as “Specially Designated Narcotics Traffickers.” These individuals were considered some of the biggest drug traffickers in the world. As such, they were on an OFAC list, essentially freezing their assets and prohibiting U.S. persons from engaging in any financial transactions or dealings with them unless they had received an OFAC license. In order to comply with federal requirements under the “Kingpin Act,” Balagia was advised to obtain an OFAC license on multiple occasions but failed to do so.
As part of the scheme, Balagia provided Colombian co-conspirators with his personal bank account number and routing number. Evidence at trial showed multiple deposits over several months into the account in amounts intended to avoid federal cash transaction reporting requirements. The cash deposits were made at bank counters across the United States by anonymous individuals with daily deposits totaling just under the $10,000 reporting threshold. Additionally, at least four bulk cash payments were made to Balagia in amounts ranging from approximately $70,000 to $120,000. Balagia admitted to driving from his San Antonio office to a mall parking lot in Katy, Texas, where he was given a shopping bag filled with bundles of cash from either an unknown individual, or an individual who identified himself only as “Coco.” In an attempt to conceal these payments, Balagia failed to report the payments as required by federal law.
Balagia was indicted by a federal grand jury on Dec. 15, 2016. Bibiana Correa Perea pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 84 months in federal prison on June 29, 2018. Chuck Morgan pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 72 months in federal prison on Mar. 8, 2018.
Balagia was found guilty following a two-week trial of conspiracy to commit money laundering; obstruction of justice, violation of the Kingpin Act; conspiracy to commit wire fraud; and conspiracy to obstruct justice.
“We live in a country with the greatest system of justice in the world,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Nicholas Ganjei. “That system, however, cannot function when officers of the court are corrupt. The evidence in this case demonstrated that Balagia had been shaking down his clients for years by claiming that he was able to purchase favorable deals from prosecutors and judges alike. The Department of Justice will defend our Justice system vigorously and will prosecute predatory lawyers like Balagia every single time they are discovered.”
“The FBI combats public corruption at all levels and will protect and defend the U.S. justice system from those who attempt to diminish its integrity,” said FBI Dallas Special Agent in Charge Matthew J. DeSarno. “Today’s sentence demonstrates that officials who misuse their influence for personal financial benefit will be held accountable.”
This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Dallas Field Office – Frisco Resident Agency and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Heather H. Rattan and Jay Combs.
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Berkeley County woman sentenced for drug chargeRead the Press Release
MARTINSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Jacqueline L. Krsul, of Falling Waters, West Virginia, was sentenced today to 24 months of incarceration for cocaine possession, Acting U.S. Attorney Randolph J. Bernard announced.
Krsul, 31, pled guilty to one count of “Possession with Intent to Distribute Cocaine Base” in January 2021. Krsul admitted to having cocaine base or “crack” in April 2020 in Morgan County.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy D. Helman prosecuted the case on behalf of the government. The Morgan County Sheriff’s Office investigated.
Chief U.S. District Judge Gina M. Groh presided.
Bergen County Man Admits Engaging in Conspiracy to Defraud Former EmployersRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A Bergen County, New Jersey, man today admitted engaging in a conspiracy to divert to his personal use over $516,000 in customer payments owed to his former employers, Acting U.S. Attorney Rachael A. Honig announced.
Joseph Spaccavento, 41, of Ramsey, New Jersey, pleaded guilty by videoconference before U.S. District Judge Brian R. Martinotti to an information charging him with one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
From February 2013 through September 2018, Spaccavento conspired with a former co-worker, Melissa Corso, to divert customer payments owed to their former employers for their own use and benefit. Corso instructed certain customers of the victim companies to submit their payments to a PayPal account (the “Scheme Account”) registered in Spaccavento’s name and associated with Corso’s work email address. The account was not authorized by the victim companies.
Spaccavento and Corso caused withdrawals to be made from the Scheme Account and diverted the funds to the personal PayPal accounts of Spaccavento, Corso, and others. Spaccavento and Corso also caused transfers of funds from the Scheme Account to various commercial retailers to pay for personal expenses. Purchases from these commercial retailers were shipped to the home and work addresses of Spaccavento, Corso, and others. The victim companies lost $516,857.
Corso was arrested on Feb. 5, 2021, and charged by complaint with two counts of wire fraud for diverting customer payments owed to the victim companies to the Scheme Account for personal use. Those charges and allegations against Corso contained in the complaint, which is still pending, are merely accusations, and Corso is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
The conspiracy to commit wire fraud count is punishable by a maximum of 20 years in prison and a fine of $250,000, or twice the gross amount of gain or loss from the offense, whichever is greater. Sentencing is scheduled for Sept. 9, 2021.
Acting U.S. Attorney Honig credited special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge George M. Crouch Jr. in Newark, with the investigation leading to today’s guilty plea.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer S. Kozar of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Economic Crimes Unit in Newark.
Alexandria Man Pleads Guilty to Methamphetamine Trafficking and Firearm ChargesRead the Press Release
CONCORD - Robert Adkins, 33, of Alexandria, pleaded guilty in federal court to possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, Acting United States Attorney John J. Farley announced today.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on March 25, 2019, the Andover Police Department was investigating the theft of logging equipment. While at the suspect’s home, the suspect arrived home in his truck with Adkins as his passenger. While executing a search warrant for the suspect’s truck, they located a backpack belonging to Adkins. Inside the backpack they located identification for Adkins, a digital scale and a locked case.
After obtaining another search warrant for the backpack and locked case, investigators found a handgun, a loaded magazine, 36 grams of methamphetamine, and drug packaging materials. The handgun had been reported stolen from Ashland, New Hampshire.
Adkins is scheduled to be sentenced on August 10, 2021.
“Armed drug traffickers pose a serious danger to public health and safety,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Farley. “Thanks to excellent police work and law enforcement collaboration, this armed drug dealer is no longer able to sell methamphetamine. As this case demonstrates, we work closely with our law enforcement partners to identify and prosecute the drug traffickers who threaten the citizens of the Granite State.”
This matter was investigated by the Andover Police Department, Danbury Police Department, and Alexandria Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Debra Walsh.
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Akron Man Pleads Guilty to Role in Federal Methamphetamine ConspiracyRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – An Akron, Ohio, man pleaded guilty today in connection with his role in a methamphetamine conspiracy.
According to court documents, Tionte Lavon Blanchard, 25, admitted that from the fall of 2018 to June 2019, he and others participated in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine that was frequently shipped from Akron to various locations in West Virginia. During the conspiracy, Blanchard utilized a residence on 25th Street in Huntington to store methamphetamine after it arrived from Akron. On June 6, 2019, investigators executed a search warrant at the residence and seized over 1.7 kilograms of 100% pure methamphetamine. Blanchard admitted that he possessed the methamphetamine and intended to distribute it in the Huntington area.
Blanchard pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine and faces a mandatory minimum of at least 10 years and up to life in federal prison when he is sentenced on August 9, 2021.
This joint investigation was spearheaded by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). Other agencies which participated and assisted in the investigation include the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Violent Crime and Drug Task Force West, the Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team (MDENT), the West Virginia State Police, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Task Force, the Beckley/Raleigh County Drug and Violent Crime Unit, the United States Marshals Service, the Cabell County Sheriff’s Department, the Charleston Police Department, the Putnam County Sheriff’s Department, the Ohio State Highway Patrol, the Akron, Ohio Police Department, and the Brecksville, Ohio Police Department.
Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston made the announcement. Assistant United States Attorney Joseph F. Adams is handling the prosecution. United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers presided over the hearing.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:19-cr-000245.
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"John Doe" Charged in Superseding Indictment with Identity Theft and Fraud Related to COVID-19 PandemicRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Charlestown man whose identity is unknown was charged last week in connection with an alleged scheme to fraudulently claim COVID-19-related unemployment assistance and commit other frauds, all in connection with his use of a stolen identity.
An individual referred to as “John Doe”, was charged in a superseding indictment with three counts of wire fraud, one count of false representation of a Social Security number and one count of aggravated identity theft. The original indictment charged Doe with one count of making a false statement in a passport application.
As alleged in the superseding indictment, Doe applied for and received Massachusetts unemployment benefits totaling over $15,000 using the name and personally identifiable information of a resident of Puerto Rico. Doe allegedly requested that the benefits be paid to a prepaid debit card, which he used for cash withdrawals at ATM machines and for the purchase of goods and services.
The indictment also alleges that Doe used the Social Security number of the Puerto Rican victim on an application for a duplicate driver’s license Doe submitted to the Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles in 2017.
The charge of wire fraud provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The charge of passport fraud provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The charge of false representation of a Social Security number provides for a sentence of up to five years in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. The charge of aggravated identity theft provides for two years in prison to be served consecutive to the term for the underlying felony, which in this case is the false representation of a Social Security number. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The investigation is being conducted by the U.S. Department of State's Diplomatic Security Service together with Homeland Security’s Investigation’s Document and Benefit Fraud Task Force (DBFTF), a specialized field investigative group comprised of personnel from various local, state, and federal agencies with expertise in detecting, deterring, and disrupting organizations and individuals involved in various types of document, identity, and benefit fraud schemes.
Acting United States Attorney Nathaniel R. Mendell; Matthew F. O’Brien, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of State, Diplomatic Security Service, Boston Field Office; William S. Walker, Acting Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Boston; and Mikulka Michael, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General, Office of Investigations, Labor Racketeering and Fraud made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorneys James D. Herbert of Mendell’s Health Care Fraud Unit and Alathea Porter of Mendell’s Narcotics and Money Laundering Unit are prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Sunday 2 May 2021
Felix Verdejo-Sanchez Arrested for Kidnapping and Carjacking Resulting in Death, and Intentionally Killing an Unborn ChildRead the Press Release
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – Today, federal authorities arrested Felix Verdejo-Sanchez for federal crimes arising from the murder of Keishla Rodriguez Ortiz, announced United States Attorney W. Stephen Muldrow, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Assistant Special Agent in Charge Felix Alvarado, and Alexis Torres, Secretary of the Puerto Rico Department of Public Safety. The FBI is in charge of the investigation with the close collaboration and support of the Puerto Rico Police Bureau and the Puerto Rico Department of Justice.
Specifically, Felix Verdejo-Sanchez was arrested on a federal criminal complaint charging him with: (1) kidnapping resulting in death, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1201; (2) carjacking resulting in death, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 2119(3); and (3) intentionally killing an unborn child, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1841, also known as the “Unborn Victims of Violence Act of 2004” or “Laci and Conner’s Law.” The statutory penalties for violations of the kidnapping and carjacking statutes include life imprisonment or the death penalty, and life imprisonment for the intentional killing of an unborn child.
“I commend our partners in the FBI, the Puerto Rico Police Bureau, and the Puerto Rico Department of Justice for their dedicated and tireless efforts that led to the charges and arrest of the defendant,” said United States Attorney Muldrow. “We will continue working towards the ending of gender-based violence, and we offer our deepest condolences to the family of the victim.”
“Our hearts go out to the family and friends of the victim,” said Felix Alvarado, Assistant Special Agent in Charge of the FBI San Juan Field Office. “It is important to note that the quick turnaround in this investigation could not have been possible without the amazing efforts of our colleagues of the Puerto Rico Police Bureau’s CIC Division,” ASAC Alvarado added.
“Puerto Rico mourns Keishla Rodríguez's death. Our deepest condolences to her family and friends. The Puerto Rico Police Bureau and the federal agencies have worked long hours collaborating as a team to solve this cold murder expeditiously. Our police officers' dedication, passion and experience were essential in solving this murder in 48 hours. It demonstrates how the collaboration of efforts is essential for our public safety. We'll keep on working together and we will seek justice for Keishla,” said Alexis Torres, Secretary of the Department of Public Safety.
“We are proud of the work done by each of the Justice Department prosecutors, who worked day and night together with the team of the Puerto Rico Police Bureau and the Institute of Forensic Sciences to gather all the pieces that allow the prosecution of those responsible for the crime. We trust that the work of our prosecutors in this case will begin to restore the people's trust in justice,” said Domingo Emanuelli, Secretary of the Puerto Rico Department of Justice.
“I congratulate the policemen, prosecutors and forensic sciences personnel, who, as a single team, tirelessly and with the greatest of commitments, put their hearts to solve Keishla's case in an agile and precise way. Our commitment to her family, from day one, was to do justice to Keishla and we have already begun to do so,” said Antonio López, Puerto Rico Police Bureau Commissioner.
As noted above, the FBI and U.S. Attorney’s Office worked in close collaboration with the Puerto Rico Police Bureau and the Puerto Rico Department of Justice in this case. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan Gottfried, Chief of the Violent Crimes and National Security Section at the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
The public is reminded that criminal complaints and indictments contain only charges and are not evidence of guilt. Defendants are presumed to be innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Saturday 1 May 2021
U.S. Attorney’s Office and Federal Public Defender Announce Post-Conviction Reentry ProgramRead the Press Release
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – The United States Attorney’s Office, District of Puerto Rico, in partnership with Federal Public Defender and the U.S. Probation Office, announced a joint initiative to establish a post-conviction reentry pilot program: RESCATE (Reentry Supervised Released Court Alternative). On April 30, 2021, Chief U.S. District Judge Gustavo A. Gelpí issued a Standing Order announcing the Court’s sponsorship of the program.
The program aims to eliminate re-arrest rates of qualifying participants, control danger to the community using intensive supervision, and provide qualifying participants with opportunities to improve their living conditions in order to reduce recidivism. The program will serve participants who were previously convicted and sentenced in the United States District Court for the District of Puerto Rico and who are or will be serving a term of supervised release. The first pilot group will begin with 8 participants, whose cases will be reassigned temporarily to the docket of the reentry judge overseeing the program, U.S. District Judge Silvia Carreño-Coll. The one-year program will be divided into three phases: early recovery, four months; continued care, five months; and relapse prevention, 3 months. The participants will attend monthly court hearings where their progress reports prepared by the U.S. Probation Office will be discussed and goals will be set. Upon successful completion of the one-year program, participants will receive reductions in their supervised release terms.
“The RESCATE program will offer participants the tools to succeed once they reenter the community, promote public safety and reduce the costs incurred in revocation proceedings,” stated U.S. Attorney W. Stephen Muldrow. “We commend the efforts of our colleagues at the Federal Public Defender and the U.S. Probation Office, who have joined us in the development and implementation of this initiative, along with the steadfast support from the U.S. District Court. It is our firm commitment to turn this pilot program into a permanent post-conviction program in the District of Puerto Rico.”
“We are excited to work with the Court, United States Probation and the United States Attorney’s Office to better the lives of our clients as they embark on re-entering society and becoming happier and more productive citizens,” said Eric Vos, the Chief Defender for the Federal Public Defender’s Office for the District of Puerto Rico.” “The Program demonstrates the government and court’s commitment to servicing our citizens and we are proud to join forces to better serve the Federal Defender’s clients.”
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Friday 30 April 2021
Westborough Man Pleads Guilty to Trafficking in Contraband Smokeless TobaccoRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Westborough man pleaded guilty on Wednesday, April 28, 2021 in federal court in Worcester to trafficking contraband smokeless tobacco into Massachusetts.
Muhammad Mushtaq Balaparaya, 60, pleaded guilty to two counts of trafficking in contraband smokeless tobacco. U.S. District Court Judge Timothy S. Hillman scheduled sentencing for Aug. 20, 2021.
According to court documents, between December 2014 and October 2016, and again between July 2017 and April 2018, Balaparaya transported more than 500 units of contraband smokeless tobacco in violation of federal law. Balaparaya imported the contraband smokeless tobacco into Massachusetts from Pennsylvania, where he had obtained it. At no time was Balaparaya licensed to sell or distribute tobacco products in Massachusetts, nor had Balaparaya paid the required excise tax on the smokeless tobacco products that agents seized from him.
The charging statute provides for a sentence of up to five years in prison for each count, up to three years of supervised release, a fine of $250,000 and restitution. 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; Kelly D. Brady, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, Boston Field Division; and Colonel Christopher Mason, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Greg A. Friedholm and John T. Mulcahy of Mendell’s Worcester Branch Office are prosecuting the case.
United States Attorney’s Office Announces 18th Annual Project Safe Neighborhoods Logo Contest WinnersRead the Press Release
Charleston, South Carolina --- Acting United States Attorney M. Rhett DeHart announced today the winners of the United States Attorney’s Office’s 18th Annual Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Logo Contest, which was open to all South Carolina grade school students.
The theme of this year’s contest was “Preventing Gun Violence in Our Schools.” Judges sought logos that demonstrated a successful collaboration between schools, communities, and law enforcement to reflect (1) warning signs that students should be looking for related to gun violence; (2) resources to help students who have concerns about gun violence; and (3) general messages to prevent gun violence in South Carolina schools.
“Stopping gun violence, particularly in our schools, is imperative,” said Acting U.S. Attorney DeHart. “This year’s contest is one way to enhance the necessary dialogues in our schools to end gun violence and ensure school safety. The United States Attorney’s Office thanks all students, teachers, and schools that participated in the contest and congratulates this year’s winners.”
The overall winning logo will be used in publications distributed statewide and displayed on the United States Attorney’s Office website. The winner from each grade division and overall winner are named below:
Winner 9th-12th grade Division/ OVERALL WINNER
Alyssa Earnhardt, C.A. Johnson High School
Columbia, SC
Winner 6th-8th grade Division
Jasmine Lucas, William J. Clark Middle School
Orangeburg, SC
Winner 3rd-5th grade Division
Sanjana Kumar, Fairfield Magnet School
Winnsboro, SC
Winner K-2nd grade Division
I’Yanna Bryant, Wilder’s Elementary School
Sumter, SC
The winning entries were chosen by a select group of young leaders at the South Carolina Department of Juvenile Justice who act as role models for the other youth throughout the entire department. The South Carolina Law Enforcement Officers’ Association Foundation will provide $50.00 awards to each division winner; and the overall winner, Alyssa Earnhardt, a student at C. A. Johnson High School in Columbia, will receive an additional $50.00 award. All students who participated will receive a Certificate of Appreciation for their submissions.
The annual logo contest is a long-running part of the district’s PSN program and an important prevention initiative that has proven to be an effective way to engage our students in meaningful conversation about preventing gun crimes amongst our young people and ensuring a safe learning atmosphere for our children. PSN focuses on reducing violent crime in our communities through prevention, enforcement, and reentry initiatives.
View this year’s winning submissions and learn more about the contest at http://www.justice.gov/usao/sc/programs/logowinners.html.
Two Tulsa Men Sentenced in Separate Methamphetamine Distribution CasesRead the Press Release
Two men were sentenced late this week for possessing with intent to distribute multiple kilos of methamphetamine in the Tulsa-Metro area, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.
“In these two cases, large quantities of methamphetamine were confiscated and removed from the illegal drug market,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. “Federal prosecutors and our law enforcement partners are intent on holding traffickers accountable for distributing deadly methamphetamine and other narcotics in Oklahoma’s communities.”
U.S. District Judge John F. Heil III sentenced Marco Antonio Zavala- Cervantes, 27, of Tulsa, to 210 months in federal prison followed by five years of supervised release. Zavala-Cervantes pleaded guilty for possessing with intent to distribute 6 kilograms of pure methamphetamine and to unlawfully reentering the United States. Zavala-Cervantes was previously removed from the country on April 21, 2018.
After coordination between the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Oklahoma Highway Patrol, a trooper stopped Zavala-Cervantes for a traffic violation on June 2, 2020. The defendant claimed he was returning from a construction job in Muskogee. During the stop, a K-9 was deployed and positively alerted to the presence of narcotics inside the vehicle. Officers then conducted a probable cause search of the vehicle and discovered six gallon sized bags filled with pure methamphetamine that had an estimated street value of $78,000. Pure methamphetamine can be diluted into even larger quantities for resale. In a subsequent search of his phone, investigators discovered that in one day, the defendant had engaged in multiple drug sales worth in excess of $10,000.
The Drug Enforcement Administration and Oklahoma Highway Patrol conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher J. Nassar prosecuted the case.
In a separate case, U.S. District Judge Gregory K. Frizzell sentenced drug distributor Richard Howard Barnett III, 25, of Tulsa, to 240 months in federal prison followed by five years of supervised release.
Barnett III, pleaded guilty in January 2021 to two counts of possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute; possession of heroin with intent to distribute; and two counts of possession of firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking crimes.
On Feb. 5, 2019, the Tulsa Police Department Special Investigations Division’s Narcotics Unit executed a probable cause warrant on Barnett’s residence in Tulsa. After announcing their presence, a male identified as Richard Barnett attempted to flee from a door along the side of the garage. Officers subdued Barnett, and as he was being taken into custody, a Taurus semi-auto pistol fell from his waistband. During a search of the home, officers found Barnett’s photo identification and tribal citizenship paperwork. They also discovered 1,837 grams of methamphetamine, 13 grams of heroin, multiple firearms and ammunition, and items used in the distribution of narcotics such as digital scales and baggies. Three others were also taken into custody.
Just weeks after his arrest, Barnett bonded out of custody and immediately resumed his drug operation by obtaining another stash of methamphetamine and another firearm. On March 15, 2019, officers executed a search warrant at the same residence, where they found methamphetamine, numerous pills in baggies, and a loaded .25 caliber pistol. Four others were also taken into custody.
The Tulsa Police Department and Drug Enforcement Administration conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joel-lyn A. McCormick is prosecuting the case. AUSA McCormick is the Lead Attorney for the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force in the Northern District of Oklahoma.
Two Michigan Men Plead Guilty After Leading Law Enforcement on A High Speed Chase from Lewiston to DunkirkRead 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 Donyell Williams, 26, and Johnny Greer, 19, both of Michigan, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge John L. Sinatra, Jr. to a charge of high speed flight from an immigration checkpoint. The charge carries carry a maximum penalty of five years in prison and $250,000.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron J. Mango, who is handling the case, stated that on March 5, 2021, at approximately 9:54 p.m., defendant Williams was driving a Jeep Commander with Ohio license plates on the Lewiston-Queenston Bridge. Co-defendant Greer was a passenger in the vehicle. As the defendants drove towards the Lewiston Port of Entry, they failed to stop for federal inspection despite numerous “stop” signs posted by Customs and Border Protection. Williams instead proceeded to accelerate through a commercial truck lane and then drove around a tire deflating strip. While being pursued by CBP officers and the New York State Police, Williams drove on the I-190 south to I-90 west at speeds ranging from 95 mph to 110 mph. A few hours later, at approximately 12:30 a.m. on March 6, 2021, the Jeep Commander was located on the side of the road in the vicinity of Dunkirk, NY, and Williams and Greer were arrested.
The pleas are the result of an investigation by Customs and Border Protection, under the direction of Director of Field Operations Rose Brophy, and the New York State Police, under the direction of Major Jennifer H. Gottstine.
Defendant Greer is scheduled to be sentenced on July 27, 2021, and defendant Williams is scheduled to be sentenced on August 25, 2021, both before Judge Sinatra.# # # #
Two Men Indicted for Allegedly Trafficking Firearms in Chicago AreaRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — Two men have been indicted by a federal grand jury in Chicago for allegedly trafficking firearms.
SCOTT TREECE, 33, of Rockford, Ill., and KYLE HALL, 21, of Skokie, Ill., illegally dealt firearms in the Northern District of Illinois from November 2020 to January 2021, according to an indictment unsealed today in U.S. District Court in Chicago. In social media postings in January, Treece offered to purchase firearms in Georgia on behalf of others and distribute the guns in the Chicago area, according to a criminal complaint against Treece previously filed in the case. In one of his social media postings, Treece allegedly posted an image of ammunition and stated, “I’m tellin y’all no bread no poles so y’all better make your minds up I already got 2 [expletive] who sent bread so.”
Treece was arrested in February after he sold a loaded handgun for $550 to a buyer who, unbeknownst to Treece, was cooperating with law enforcement, the complaint states. The transaction allegedly occurred in a retail store parking lot in Addison, Ill.
Treece and Hall pleaded not guilty today during arraignments in federal court in Chicago. Treece remains detained in federal custody, while Hall was ordered released with bond conditions.
The indictment was announced by John R. Lausch, Jr., United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois; and Kristen deTineo, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Division of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jasmina Vajzovic represents the government.
The indictment charges Treece with one count of dealing firearms without a license, two counts of illegally possessing firearms as a previously convicted felon, and one count of witness tampering. The witness tampering charge alleges that while in custody following his arrest, Treece instructed an individual not to speak to law enforcement about Treece’s alleged trafficking offenses and to tell another person to do the same.
Hall is charged with one count of dealing firearms without a license, and one count of knowingly selling and disposing a firearm to a convicted felon, Treece.
The public is reminded that an indictment contains only charges and is not evidence of guilt. The defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. Witness tampering is punishable by up to 20 years in federal prison. The counts for illegal possession and selling a firearm to a convicted felon each carry a maximum sentence of ten years. Dealing firearms without a license is punishable by up to five years. If convicted, the Court must impose reasonable sentences under federal sentencing statutes and the advisory U.S. Sentencing Guidelines.
Swampscott Financial Advisor Agrees to Plead Guilty in Theft of Former Client’s Retirement AssetsRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Swampscott financial advisor has agreed to plead guilty to defrauding an elderly victim and her bank by stealing the victim’s retirement assets.
Felix Gorovodsky, 29, agreed to plead guilty to one count of bank fraud. Under the terms of the plea agreement, the parties have agreed to a sentence, subject to the Court’s approval, of 33 months in prison, two years of supervised release and restitution of at least $318,000.
According to the charging document, Gorovodsky served as a financial advisor for the victim. In or about July 2019, the victim terminated that advisor relationship and revoked the power of attorney she had previously granted him. Approximately nine months later, Gorovodsky accessed and liquidated the victim’s bank account, transferring more than $250,000 into his own bank account. Gorovodsky then used the victim’s stolen retirement funds for personal expenses, including paying off more than $100,000 in federal student loans. As part of the scheme, Gorovodsky forged the victim’s signature on a purported “gift letter,” which he sent to the bank in an attempt to legitimize the fraudulent transfer.
The charge of bank fraud provides for a sentence of up to 30 years in prison, five years of supervised release and a fine of up to $1 million. 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. The Department of Education, Office of Inspector General provided valuable assistance with the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ian Stearns of Mendell’s Securities, Financial & Cyber Fraud Unit is prosecuting the case.
Stratford Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Car Theft OffenseRead the Press Release
Leonard C Boyle, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that CHRISTOPHER MULKERN, also known as “Chucky,” 21, of Stratford, pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Judge Kari A. Dooley in Bridgeport to a federal car theft offense.
According to court documents and statements made in court, the FBI, Connecticut State Police and local police have been investigating multiple car theft rings in Connecticut, and violent crimes that are being committed using stolen vehicles.
The investigation revealed that Mulkern and others have stolen numerous motor vehicles, and used the stolen vehicles to travel throughout Connecticut and to neighboring states to steal other vehicles and the valuables inside, including credit cards, cellular telephones, and firearms. Mulkern typically frequented upper middleclass neighborhoods to go “car-checking” or “jigging,” which involves an attempt to open the door of a motor vehicle and, if successful, steal the vehicle and/or valuables inside.
On December 1, 2020, Mulkern and an associate stole a Porsche Panamera from a residence in Westport, Connecticut. Shortly after midnight on December 2, law enforcement in Westerly, Rhode Island, identified the stolen Porsche and attempted to stop the car. The Porsche drove recklessly, at speeds of at least 86 mph, between Rhode Island and Connecticut, and evaded police who, for safety reasons, were forced to terminate pursuit.
At approximately 4 a.m. on December 2, Mulkern and others used the stolen Porsche to steal a Dodge Challenger from a residence in Milford, Connecticut. In the evening of December 2, Stratford Police spotted and attempted to stop the Porsche, which was being driven by Mulkern. During the pursuit, Mulkern rammed a car stopped at a red light at an intersection, drove up on the sidewalk and through the red light, and then struck a second vehicle, causing the second vehicle to flip onto its roof. Mulkern continued to drive the damaged Porsche onto I-95 into Bridgeport, where Mulkern and an associate were eventually apprehended as they attempted to enter another stolen Audi A4 that was parked on Gregory Street. A search of the stolen Audi revealed approximately 13 key fobs for other vehicles, and a search of the Porsche revealed five cellphones. In addition, Mulkern possessed two stolen credit cards, and his associate possessed a key fob for a stolen Dodge, which was subsequently located parked on Main Street in Bridgeport.
Mulkern has been detained since his arrest.
Mulkern pleaded guilty to one count of transportation of a stolen vehicle, which carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years. Judge Dooley scheduled sentencing for August 2, 2021. Mulkern has also agreed to pay restitution to at least seven owners of vehicles he stole and/or damaged.
This matter is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Connecticut State Police and the Stratford, Milford, Stonington, Westport, Bridgeport, New Haven, Meriden, and Westerly (R.I.) Police Departments. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah P. Karwan.
St. Francois County man pleads guilty to possession of child pornographyRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – Tyson Rutledge, 48, of Bonne Terre, Missouri, pleaded guilty to one count of possession of child pornography. Rutledge appeared, today, before United States District Court Judge Audrey G. Fleissig.
On July 22, 2019, Rutledge sent a message to an undercover FBI agent participating in a social media chat room. Rutledge and the undercover FBI agent began to talk about children. Rutledge asked the undercover FBI agent if the undercover FBI agent had sex with kids. Rutledge said he likes “young” and has “no limits.” Rutledge sent the undercover FBI agent a graphic image showing a minor female and her genitals.
FBI agents, after securing a federal search warrant, searched Rutledge’s home on January 15, 2020. Agents seized a laptop, three iPhones, a DVD, a CD, a HTC cell phone and iPod. During the search, Rutledge was not home, but an FBI agent spoke with him by cellphone and he agreed to meet at Rutledge’s place of employment later in the morning. Rutledge met with agents and went to the St. Francois Sheriff’s Department and participated in a recorded interview.
Agents, after examining the seized laptop and phones, discovered child pornography images. Agents also discovered histories for downloads, web searches, website visits and chats concerning the sexual exploitation of children.
Judge Fleissig has set sentencing for August 6, 2021 at 10:00 a.m.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation and St. Francois Sheriff’s Department investigated the case. Assistant United States Attorney Rob Livergood is handling the case.
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St. Clair County Man Indicted for Traveling to the Philippines for Sex with a MinorRead the Press Release
EAST ST. LOUIS, Ill. – A St. Clair County man is in federal custody today on a trio of crimes
involving sex with an underage girl in the Philippines. Joseph Albert Fuchs, III, 53, of Cahokia,
Illinois, is accused of knowingly traveling from his home in St. Clair County to the Philippines in
February 2018 for the purpose of engaging in a sexual act with a 14-year old girl.
The three-count indictment was returned by a federal grand jury earlier this month and charges that
Fuchs engaged in illicit sexual conduct with the victim in the Philippines while knowing that she
was under 16 years old. The indictment further alleges that Fuchs enticed the girl to have sex with
him through a series of Facebook chats from Nov. 2, 2017, to July 17, 2019, as well as by sending
her more than $1,000 in PayPal and Xoom payments during that time.On Thursday, Fuchs appeared before United States Magistrate Judge Gilbert C. Sison and entered a
not guilty plea. He is being held in custody pending a detention hearing on Monday at 10:00 a.m.
Trial is currently scheduled to begin on June 15.If convicted of the enticement charge, Fuchs faces at least 10 years and up to life in prison. The
other two charges carry maximum prison terms of 30 years each. All three charges are
also punishable by a fine of up to $250,000.An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty
beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.The case is being investigated by Homeland Security Investigations-Springfield. Assistant U.S.
Attorneys Alexandria Burns and Nathan D. Stump are prosecuting the case.This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in 2006
by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse.
Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and
Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources
to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and
rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood,
please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. For more information about internet safety
education, please visit
www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab “resources.”South Carolina Man Sentenced to Fifteen Years for Cocaine and Gun CrimesRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Sean P. Costello of the Southern District of Alabama announced that Frederick Turner, 42, of McBee, South Carolina, was sentenced today in federal court for Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute Cocaine, Possession with Intent to Distribute Cocaine, and Possession of a Firearm During a Drug Trafficking Crime.
Turner was found guilty of the charges on February 1, 2021. Turner admitted he and his co-defendant, Sylvia Guerra, traveled with 32 kilos of cocaine through the Southern District of Alabama. Specifically, the Court found that on December 20, 2019, the Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office Special Operations unit conducted a traffic stop on a tractor trailer that was being driven by Turner. During the traffic stop, Turner made several suspicious statements to the corporal who had stopped the truck. The corporal then had his K9 partner conduct a free air sniff around the vehicle. The K9 gave a response at the passenger running board, sleeper birth and passenger door. Law enforcement officers then conducted a search of the truck. During a search, a duffel bag containing 32 kilos cocaine was located on the sleeper bed and a pistol was located in a backpack on the passenger seat. A personal use amount of marijuana was also found on the person of Guerra. Turner was interviewed and ultimately admitted to accepting payment for transporting $120,000 in cash to Houston on an earlier trip and for accepting two duffel bags of cocaine for transportation to South Carolina. Turner admitted that the pistol in his truck was his.
Chief United States District Court Judge Kristi DuBose imposed a sentence of 180 months imprisonment, consisting of 120 months on the drug charges and a consecutive sentence of 60 months on the gun charge. The judge also ordered Turner to serve a five-year term of supervised release upon his discharge from prison. Judge DuBose ordered that Turner pay $300 in special assessments. Guerra was sentenced on March 6, 2021 to 120 months for her role in the offense.
The case was investigated by the Department of Homeland Security, the Drug Enforcement Agency, and the Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted in the United States Attorney’s Office by Assistant United States Attorneys Deborah Griffin and Kacey Chappelear.
Sinaloa Cartel Leader ConvictedRead the Press Release
Director of Media Relations Kelly Thornton (619) 546-9726
NEWS RELEASE SUMMARY – April 30, 2021
SAN DIEGO – Sinaloa Cartel leader Ismael Zambada-Imperial, aka “Mayito Gordo,” pleaded guilty in federal court today to drug trafficking charges following his extradition to the Southern District of California in December 2019. He also agreed to forfeit $5 million in drug trafficking proceeds.
Zambada-Imperial pleaded guilty to all charges in a superseding indictment returned by a federal grand jury in San Diego on July 25, 2014. The indictment also charges his father, the alleged leader of the cartel, Ismael Zambada-Garcia, known as “El Mayo;” as well as another son of El Mayo, Ismael Zambada-Sicairos, known as “Mayito Flaco;” and Ivan Archivaldo Guzman-Salazar, known as “Chapito,” whose father Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán Loera was the former leader of the Sinaloa Cartel along with Mayo. Zambada-Imperial was arrested by Mexican authorities in November 2014. Zambada-Garcia, Zambada-Sicairos, and Guzman-Salazar remain fugitives.
In a proceeding today before U.S. District Judge Dana M. Sabraw, Zambada-Imperial accepted responsibility for his role as a leader within the Sinaloa Cartel, acknowledging that he organized the transportation and distribution of thousands of kilograms of controlled substances, including cocaine, heroin, and marijuana for importation from Mexico into the United States. Zambada-Imperial also admitted to directing acts of violence for the purpose of promoting the Sinaloa Cartel’s narcotics trafficking activities. A sentencing hearing is scheduled for April 29, 2022 at 2 p.m. before Judge Sabraw.
“Zambada-Imperial’s guilty plea today sends a message to other drug kingpins operating in Mexico. There is no place to hide because our law enforcement partners will find you and work tirelessly to bring you to justice in the United States,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Randy S. Grossman. “Our investigation and prosecution of other high-level Sinaloa Cartel members is continuing and is having a significant impact on the global operations of the cartel.” Grossman praised Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew J. Sutton, DEA agents and all law enforcement partners for their excellent work on this case.
“Because of the dedication and determination of the DEA and our law enforcement partners, today we are one step closer towards dismantling the violent Sinaloa Cartel with the guilty plea of a Sinaloa Cartel leader,” said DEA Special Agent in Charge John W. Callery. “The DEA remains confident that we will capture the remaining fugitives of this investigation and bring them to justice, along with many additional members of the Sinaloa Cartel. If the public has any information on the whereabouts of these fugitives or information on the Sinaloa cartel, we urge you to contact the DEA at (858) 616-4100.”
The Southern District of California prosecution in this case is part of a multi-year investigation that, in total, has resulted in charges against over 125 people and has had a significant impact on the worldwide operations of the Sinaloa Cartel. This investigation has also offered one of the most comprehensive views to date of the inner workings of one of the world’s most prolific, violent and powerful drug cartels. Cartel members and associates were targeted in this massive investigation involving multiple countries, numerous law enforcement agencies around the United States, a number of federal districts and over 250 court-authorized wiretaps in this district alone.
This case began in late 2011 as an investigation of what was at first believed to be a small-scale drug distribution cell in National City and Chula Vista. It became evident that the drugs were being supplied by the Sinaloa Cartel, and the case evolved into a massive multi-national, multi-state probe that resulted in scores of arrests and seizures of 1,397 kilograms of methamphetamine, 2,214 kilograms of cocaine, 17.2 tons of marijuana, 95.84 kilograms of heroin, and $27,892,706 in narcotics proceeds.
This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Strike Force Initiative, which provides for the establishment of permanent multi-agency task force teams that work side-by-side in the same location. This co-located model enables agents from different agencies to collaborate on intelligence-driven, multi-jurisdictional operations to disrupt and dismantle the most significant drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations.
The government’s case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew J. Sutton.
DEFENDANT Case Number: 14CR00658-DMS
Ismael Zambada-Imperial, aka Mayito Gordo Age: 35 Culiacan, Mexico
SUMMARY OF CHARGES
Conspiracy to Distribute Controlled Substances for Purpose of Unlawful Importation, in violation of Title 21 U.S.C. §§ 959, 960 and 963; Term of custody including a mandatory minimum 10 years and up to life imprisonment, $10 million fine and five years supervised release.
Conspiracy to Import Controlled Substances, in violation of Title 21 U.S.C. §§ 952, 960 and 963. Term of custody including a mandatory minimum 10 years and up to life imprisonment, $10 million fine and five years supervised release.
AGENCIES
Drug Enforcement Administration
Customs and Border Protection Office of Field Operations
Customs and Border Protection Office of Border Patrol
Internal Revenue Service
Homeland Security Investigations
Department of Justice, Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces
Department of Justice, Office of Enforcement Operations
Department of Justice, Office of International Affairs
United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Illinois
Department of Treasury, Office of Foreign Asset Control
Oceanside Police Department
San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department
National City Police Department
Chula Vista Police Department
San Diego Police Department
San Diego County District Attorney’s Office
San Diego Law Enforcement Coordination Center
Interpol
Search of Shreveport Residence Exposes Illegal Possession of Drugs and FirearmRead the Press Release
SHREVEPORT, La. - Acting United States Attorney Alexander C. Van Hook announced that Treveon T. Carter, 25, of Shreveport, Louisiana, has been sentenced by United States District Judge Donald E. Walter to 74 months (6 years, 2 months) in prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release, for illegal possession of a firearm.
On January 24, 2019, law enforcement agents searched Carter’s home in Shreveport and found marijuana, oxycodone, 20 containers of suspected THC, a digital scale and packaging material, cash, and a loaded firearm. Carter admitted to agents that the loaded firearm and drug evidence belonged to him.
Carter has a prior felony conviction for possession with intent to distribute narcotics in 2017 and knew that it was illegal for him to possess a firearm.
The ATF and Shreveport/Caddo Street Level Interdiction Unit conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica D. Cassidy prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. PSN is part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime. To learn more about Project Safe Neighborhoods, go to www.justice.gov/psn.
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Prescription Drug Take Back Day on April 24, 2021 Collects More Than 11,000 Pounds of Prescription Drugs in MarylandRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland - Acting United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Jonathan F. Lenzner and Assistant Special Agent in Charge Orville O. Greene of the Drug Enforcement Administration, Baltimore District Office announced today that the Drug Enforcement Administration’s 20th National Prescription Drug Take Back Day held on Saturday, April 24, 2021, collected 11,536.59 pounds of potentially dangerous prescription medications at Maryland’s approximately 100 available sites. The nationwide event is held twice a year and aims to provide a safe, convenient, and responsible means of disposing of prescription drugs and educating the general public about the potential for abuse of medications.
“Pharmaceutical pills can be just as harmful as illegal drugs when they are used without proper medical supervision and without valid medical need,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Jonathan F. Lenzner. “Over the pandemic we have seen a sharp increase in overdose deaths, and the path to opioid abuse can begin in the home with unused prescription drugs. I am grateful to the Marylanders who participated in DEA’s Prescription Drug Take Back Day to get rid of unused and unneeded prescription drugs, which will help prevent drug abuse and opioid addiction. I encourage anyone who missed the event last week to visit https://takebackday.dea.gov/ to find a collection site near them to take advantage of this free and anonymous service.”
“Thousands of Maryland residents die every year due to overdose, with a significant number of those overdose deaths caused by opioids. Take Back Day provides a vital opportunity for us to fight against the opioid problem here in Maryland,” said DEA Assistant Special Agent in Charge Orville O. Greene. “Those who participated in Take Back Day and disposed of unused prescription medication, may have saved someone from addiction or overdose.”
Rates of prescription drug abuse in the United States are alarmingly high, as are the number of accidental poisonings and overdoses due to these drugs. Studies show that a majority of abused prescription drugs are obtained from family and friends, including from the home medicine cabinet.
In addition to DEA’s National Prescription Drug Take Back Day, prescription drugs can be disposed of at any of the 11,000 DEA authorized collectors at any time throughout the year, and at many local law enforcement agency sites. DEA and its partners will collect tablets, capsules, patches, and other solid forms of prescription drugs. Liquids (including intravenous solutions), syringes and other sharps, and illegal drugs are not accepted.
Given the ongoing COVID-19 public health emergency, DEA wants to ensure that the public is aware of other ways they can dispose of unwanted prescription drugs without having to leave their homes. Both the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the Environmental Protection Agency have tips on how to safely dispose of drugs at home.
For more information on DEA’s National Prescription Drug Take Back Day, and to find a collection site in Maryland, visit https://takebackday.dea.gov/ or call 800-882-9539.
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Pennsylvania Man Going to Prison for 10 Years on Meth ChargeRead the Press Release
CONTACT: Barbara Burns
PHONE: (716) 843-5817
FAX #: (716) 551-3051BUFFALO, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy, Jr. announced today that Jerry J. Roneker, Jr., 43, of Correy, PA, who was convicted of possessing with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine, was sentenced to serve 120 months in prison by U.S. District Judge Lawrence J. Vilardo.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Misha A. Coulson, who handled the case, stated that on March 9, 2019, while on routine patrol in the Town of Chautauqua, Chautauqua County Sheriff’s Deputies observed the defendant’s vehicle, bearing Pennsylvania license plates, cross the center line of the road. After conducting a traffic stop, deputies observed a smoking pipe in the front of the vehicle. Deputies asked Roneker and a passenger to exit the vehicle at which time they noticed two large chunks of suspected methamphetamine. During a pat down of the defendant, deputies located a loaded 9mm handgun. A search of the vehicle led to the seizure of $10,210 in U.S. currency, suspected ecstasy pills, packaging materials, a digital scale, drug paraphernalia, Xanax pills, MDMA pills, Suboxone strips, and two hypodermic needles.
The sentencing is the result of an investigation by the Chautauqua County Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Sheriff James Quattrone, and the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Ray Donovan, New York Field Division.
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Owner of Dog Training School Sentenced for Defrauding V.A. of over $1.5 Million in GI Bill BenefitsRead the Press Release
A federal judge in San Antonio today sentenced 49-year-old Bradley Lane Croft, owner of Universal K-9, Inc., to 118 months of imprisonment for scheming to defraud the federal government of more than $1.5 million in Veterans Affairs GI Bill benefits to train service canines and their handlers.
In addition to the prison term, Senior U.S. District Judge David A. Ezra ordered that Croft pay $1,506,758.31 in restitution and be placed on supervised release for a period of three years after completing his prison term.
“Today’s sentence demonstrates what can happen to you if you choose to rip off one of the most important benefit programs we have for our veterans. My thanks goes to the prosecutors and our law enforcement partners who worked so hard to see justice served,” said U.S. Attorney Ashley C. Hoff.
After a bench trial in November 2019, Judge Ezra found Croft guilty on eight counts of wire fraud, four counts of aggravated identity theft, two counts of money laundering and two counts of making a false tax return. Testimony during trial revealed that beginning in 2015, Croft provided false information in applications to the Texas Veterans Commission, including instructors’ names, certifications and training documents to receive GI Bill educational benefit payments. Croft and others solicited veterans as students indicating that they could use their GI Bill benefits to pay for a dog handler’s courses that cost between $6,500.00 and $12,000.00. During the scheme, Universal K-9 filed approximately 185 fraudulent claims relating to the education of about 132 veterans totaling over $1.5 million.
“The FBI is committed to working with our partners to protect important federal programs, like the GI Bill, which serves to improve the lives of men women who sacrifice so much to serve our nation,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Christopher Combs, San Antonio Division. “Thanks to the hard work of IRS CI, VA-OIG, the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the lead FBI investigator, a task force officer with the Texas Department of Public Safety, Croft’s fraud scheme and his betrayal of veterans has ended.”
Trial testimony also revealed that Croft submitted fraudulent income tax returns showing his 2016 reported income as $2,000 and his reported income as $2,000 for 2017. Evidence showed that Croft actually received substantially more income than what he reported to the IRS in 2016 and 2017.
“Defrauding programs such as the GI Bill, is particularly disturbing and a slap in the face to all the U.S. Service men and women who count on these programs to help improve their futures. Today’s stiff sentencing of Bradley Lane Croft, owner of Universal K-9, Inc., shows once again how harmful ‘white collar’ fraud can be,” said IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS CI) Special Agent in Charge Rick Goss, of the Houston Field Office. “IRS CI is proud to have worked with our FBI and VA-OIG counterparts to investigate and ultimately bring down Mr. Croft’s illicit scheme involving wire fraud, aggravated identify theft, money laundering, and the filing of false Federal Income tax returns.”
Judge Ezra also ordered Croft to forfeit: his San Antonio business property; approximately $239,825.73 seized from his bank accounts; approximately $4,372 seized on site at Universal K-9; a 2017 American Eagle 45T Motorhome (valued at over $450,000); a 2018 Ford F-150 King Ranch Lariat; a 2017 Dodge Ram 1500 Laramie; a 2016 Yamaha Superjet Ski; a 2008 Yamaha Waverunner Jet ski; and a 2012 Rocket International Trailer. Judge Ezra also granted the government’s motion for a money judgment in the amount of $1.3 million.
“The Post-911 GI Bill program provides critical educational and job benefits to veterans who served their country. This sentence sends a strong message that anyone who defrauds that program or veteran students will be held accountable in a court of law,” said U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General (VA-OIG) Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey Breen, South Central Field Office. “VA-OIG thanks the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the FBI, and IRS CI for collaborating on this important case to achieve justice.”
On August 8, 2018, federal authorities executed a search warrant at Croft’s business in San Antonio. A total of 26 canines at the business were placed into the custody of the city’s Animal Care Services.
Croft has remained in federal custody since the verdict.
The FBI, VA-OIG and IRS CI investigated this case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Gregory J. Surovic and Fidel Esparza III prosecuted this case.
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Nottingham Man Sentenced to 72 Months for Child Pornography CrimeRead the Press Release
CONCORD - Clifford A. Bullock, 71, of Nottingham, was sentenced to 72 months in federal prison for transportation of child pornography, Acting United States Attorney John J. Farley announced today.
According to court documents and statements made in court, in April of 2019, law enforcement officers learned that Microsoft had detected potential child exploitation materials on a Microsoft OneDrive account with an IP address that resolved to Bullock’s address. Law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Bullock’s residence on August 5, 2019. Pursuant to the search warrant, officers seized a computer, cellular phones and numerous items of digital media that contained a large collection of child pornography. Bullock admitted to using the internet to view and save child pornography involving girls. He further admitted to uploading and storing files on OneDrive, including child pornography images.
Bullock previously pleaded guilty on June 6, 2020. In addition to the prison sentence, Bullock must spend five years on supervised release, pay $5,100 in special assessments and $39,000 in restitution.
“Child pornography crimes exploit innocent children and cause immeasurable harm,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Farley. “In order to protect young people, we work closely with our law enforcement partners to identify and prosecute those who commit child pornography crimes in the Granite State. As Mr. Bullock has learned, child pornography crimes can lead to serious federal prison time.”
“Downloading and storing child exploitation material like that possessed by Bullock perpetuates the continued abuse and trauma experienced by the victims of these heinous crimes. Today’s sentencing removes another participant from this reprehensible industry,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge William S. Walker of the Homeland Security Investigations, Boston field office. “HSI is proud to work alongside our local law enforcement partners on the New Hampshire Internet Crimes against Children Task Force as we collectively aim to keep our children safe online and free from threat of exploitation.”
This matter was investigated by the New Hampshire Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force and Homeland Security Investigations, with assistance from the Nottingham Police Department and Exeter Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Cam Le.
In February 2006, the Department of Justice introduced Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney’s Offices, 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 identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
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North Sioux City Man Charged with False Income Tax Returns and Tax EvasionRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney Dennis Holmes announced that a North Sioux City, South Dakota, man has been indicted by a federal grand jury for False Income Tax Returns and Tax Evasion.
James R. Winckler, age 58, was indicted on April 22, 2021. He appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Veronica L. Duffy on April 28, 2021, and pled not guilty to the Indictment.
The maximum penalty upon conviction is up to 5 years in federal prison and/or a $100,000 fine, 3 years of supervised release, and up to $500 to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Restitution may also be ordered.
The Indictment alleges that on or about April 19, 2016, Winckler willfully made and subscribed a false Form 1040 for his individual 2012 tax return by understating his income.
The Indictment also alleges that Winckler willfully attempted to evade payment of income tax due for the calendar years 2015 through 2018, by failing to report any income or pay any income tax during those years.
The charges are merely accusations and Winckler is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
The investigation is being conducted by the Internal Revenue Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey C. Clapper is prosecuting the case.
Winckler was released on bond pending trial, which has not been set.