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11 June 2021
Guam Restaurant Owner, Marites M. Barrogo Sentenced for Federal Benefits FraudRead the Press Release
Hagatña, Guam – SHAWN N. ANDERSON, United States Attorney for the Districts of Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands, announced that defendant Marites M. Barrogo, age 47 from Dededo, Guam was sentenced in the United States District Court of Guam to ten months imprisonment for Conspiracy to Use, Transfer, Acquire, Alter, or Possess Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) Benefits Without Authorization, in violation of 7 U.S.C. § 2024 and 18 U.S.C. § 371. The Court also ordered three years of supervised release following imprisonment and a mandatory $100 special assessment fee. In addition, defendants convicted of trafficking SNAP benefits are ineligible to receive SNAP benefits and may not participate in the program as vendors.
From June 2015-2018, investigation revealed that Marites M. Barrogo, owner of Laguna Best Restaurant, illegally purchased over $15,000 worth of SNAP benefits. Barrogo purchased SNAP benefits from co-conspirators at a discount on their face value on an approximately monthly basis and used the benefits to purchase food items from various retailers on Guam for use at her restaurant.
U.S. Attorney Anderson stated, “SNAP benefits enable low income individuals to meet their basic nutrition needs. The recipients are often children. The unlawful transfer of these benefits, as occurred in this matter, greatly diminishes the impact of the program in keeping our communities healthy. The public should also have confidence that federal funds are appropriately used.”
This case was investigated by the Guam Department of Public Health and Social Services Investigation and Recovery Office and prosecuted by Benjamin K. Petersburg, Assistant United States Attorney in the District of Guam.
Golden Meadow Man Indicted for Receipt and Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LA – U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced today the Indictment of DILLON J. EVERETT, age 34, of Golden Meadow, Louisiana, who was charged in a two-count federal indictment for Receipt and Possession of Materials Involving the Sexual Exploitation of Children in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 2252(a)(2) and (a)(4)(B). If convicted, EVERETT faces a mandatory minimum sentence of fifteen (15) years and a maximum sentence of forty (40) years imprisonment, and/or a fine of up to $250,000.00, or the greater of twice the gross gain to the defendant or twice the gross loss to any person as a result of these offenses, of the offense as per Title 18, United States Code, Section 3571. In addition, EVERETT faces a term of supervised release of no less than five (5) years and up to life after his release from prison and payment of a $100 mandatory special assessment fee.
U.S. Attorney Evans reiterated that the Indictment is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office would also like to acknowledge the assistance of the Louisiana Bureau of Investigation and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations with this matter. The prosecution of this case is being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian M. Klebba, Chief of the Financial Crimes Unit.
Fourth Defendant in Fentanyl Trafficking Ring Pleads GuiltyRead 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 Brian Ray, 34, of Buffalo, NY, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Lawrence J. Vilardo to distribution of butyryl fentanyl. The charge carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $1,000,000 fine.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeremiah E. Lenihan, who is handling the case, stated that in October 2019, law enforcement began an investigation into the drug trafficking activities of the defendant and co-defendants Mark Greaman, Damone McNamee, Sr. and Christopher Cook, in the area of Broadway Avenue and Strauss Street in Buffalo. Investigators made 40 controlled purchases of fentanyl, heroin, butyryl fentanyl, acetyl fentanyl, and furanyl fentanyl from all four defendant, including five controlled purchases from defendant Ray.
Co-defendants Mark Greaman, Damone McNamee, Sr. and Christopher Cook were previously convicted and are awaiting sentencing.
The plea is the result of an investigation by the New York State Police, under the direction of Major James Hall, and the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Ray Donovan, New York Field Division.
Sentencing is scheduled for October 12, 2021, before Judge Vilardo.
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Former Youth Pastor and Scout Volunteer Charged with Sexually Abusing Five ChildrenRead the Press Release
A man who was a self-described father figure, youth pastor, and Cub and Boy Scouts volunteer has been indicted by a federal grand jury this week for sexually abusing five children, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.
Joe Cheater Jr., 48, formerly of Porter, was charged with three counts of aggravated sexual abuse of a minor by force and threat in Indian Country, aggravated sexual abuse in Indian Country, abusive sexual contact with a minor in Indian country, and coercion and enticement of a minor in Indian Country.
Cheater Jr. was charged in federal court in anticipation that his state conviction could be overturned. On Thursday, Cheater’s appeal was stayed for approximately 30 days in Rogers County District Court. At that time, the Court will determine which entity has criminal jurisdiction over the case. The defendant is currently serving his state sentence in an Oklahoma Department of Corrections facility.
As the U.S. Attorney’s Office continues to prepare, anyone with information about the crimes or who may have been sexually abused by the defendant are encouraged to contact Assistant U.S. Attorney Stacey Todd at 918-382-2791.
Cheater Jr. had children approximately the same ages as the victims, and it was common for neighborhood children to be present or have sleepovers at his home. Known victims were sexually assaulted starting in 2005 while others were abused as late as 2009. Some victims were younger than 12-years-old when they were victimized.
The FBI and Rogers County Sheriff’s Office are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Stacey Todd is prosecuting the case.
Former University Financial Advisor Facing Federal Charges for Wire FraudRead the Press Release
Greenbelt, Maryland – A criminal complaint has been filed charging Randolph Stanley, age 42, of Clinton, Maryland, for the federal charge of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, in connection with a scheme to fraudulently obtain student aid.
The criminal complaint was announced by Acting United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Jonathan F. Lenzner; Special Agent in Charge Terry Harris of the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Inspector General (OIG) Eastern Regional Office and Special Agent in Charge Christopher Dillard of the Defense Criminal Investigative Service - Mid-Atlantic Field Office.
According to the affidavit filed in support of the criminal complaint, representatives from an online state university (University 1) headquartered in Adelphi, Maryland, met with agents of the Department of Education OIG to discuss a suspected student loan fraud scheme. University 1’s initial investigation indicated Stanley allegedly led a scheme to unlawfully obtain state and federal student aid using approximately 60 students enrolled at University 1.
Stanley has been employed with the Defense Contract Audit Agency since October 2008. Previously, Stanley was employed as a Financial Advisor at University 1 from 2005 to 2007, which included determining student eligibility for federal, state, and institutional funds based on federal regulations. Stanley also reported to (DCAA) that he was Director of Student Finances at a for-profit university (University 2) from June to October 2008, where he claimed to have “counseled prospective and continuing students as well as faculty and staff on all aspects of the financial aid application process.”
Students seeking to obtain federal student aid to cover student expenses such as tuition and fees, room and board, and books and supplies, must complete a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). After submission of the FAFSA, the Department of Education office of Federal Student Aid (FSA) conducts an automated review of the information submitted to calculate the expected family contribution toward the cost of a student’s attendance at an institution of higher learning. After aid is awarded, universities schools draw down federal student aid funds and disburse them. The institution applies the aid to tuition and fees and any surplus is distributed directly to the student. This is commonly referred to as the student loan refund.
The affidavit alleges that between 2005 and 2021, Stanley has fraudulently obtained federal student aid on behalf of Student Participants, who enrolled in at least eight universities. Student Participants in the Stanley ring allegedly received federal student aid but were not legitimate students as they lacked the intent to earn a degree. As part of the scheme, Student Participants allegedly either allowed their personally identifiable information (PII) to be used on student loan financial forms or their PII was used without their knowledge, making them victims of identity theft.
The affidavit alleges that Student Participants, including Stanley, were awarded tuition, which went directly to the schools. Between 2005 and 2021, at least 65 Student Participants—including Stanley—were allegedly awarded at least $6.7 million in federal student aid, with at least $6.2 million disbursed to Student Participants. Stanley, as the ringleader of the scheme, would allegedly pocket all or some of the student refunds, occasionally sharing refund money with other Student Participants.
According to the criminal complaint, Stanley allegedly paid a portion of the student loan refunds to Africa-based “Writer Participants” whom he directed to complete the coursework for the Student Participants. The role of the Writer Participant was allegedly to complete Student Participants’ coursework, and preserve the appearance of sufficient academic performance, in order to maintain the student’s eligibility for financial aid. As detailed in the affidavit, Writer Participants directly submitted assignments using the Student Participants’ usernames and passwords while falsely claiming to be the Student Participant and/or provided the assignments to Stanley or the Student Participant for submission.
To avoid detection, with the aid of a Writer Participant (Co-Conspirator 1), Stanley allegedly attempted to hide the IP addresses of the Writer Participants to hinder the university’s ability to identify instances of shared IP addresses. Writer Participants also allegedly manipulated popular plagiarism databases to screen work for potential plagiarism detection.
As part of the scheme to defraud, Stanley maintained four separate bank accounts to conduct financial transactions related to the scheme. Some Student Participants allegedly directed universities to deposit student loan refunds directly into Stanley’s personal bank accounts. University 1 records show that from 2015 to 2018, University 1 deposited more than $530,000 in student loan refunds for Student Participants other than Stanley, into four of Stanley’s bank accounts. Stanley allegedly used some of the funds to pay Writer and Student Participants.
Stanley’s scheme allegedly extended to submitting bogus documents on behalf of Student Participants to meet university admission requirements. For example, the affidavit alleges that Stanley and a second co-conspirator (Co-Conspirator 2) arranged for foreign nationals to create fraudulent diplomas, transcripts, and other documents to qualify Student Participants for admission.
If convicted, Stanley faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison for wire fraud. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
A criminal complaint is not a finding of guilt. An individual charged by criminal complaint is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty at some later criminal proceedings.
Acting United States Attorney Jonathan F. Lenzner commended the Department of Education OIG and Defense Criminal Investigative Service for their work in the investigation. Mr. Lenzner thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Erin B. Pulice and Special Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jessica Harvey and Craig Fansler, who are prosecuting the federal case.
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Former Employee Sentenced for Stealing Money from Kickapoo Traditional Tribe of TexasRead the Press Release
DEL RIO – A federal judge sentenced 50-year-old Eduardo Riojas Villarreal of San Antonio to 21 months in federal prison yesterday for stealing money from the Kickapoo Traditional Tribe of Texas (Kickapoo).
In addition to the prison term, U.S. District Court Judge Alia Moses ordered Villarreal to pay $167,109.41 in restitution to the Kickapoo and be placed on supervised release for a period of three years after completing his prison term.
On September 9, 2019, Villarreal pleaded guilty to one count of embezzlement and theft from Indian organizations. According to court documents, Villarreal served as an accounts payable manager for the Kickapoo for approximately four years beginning in April 2017. During that time, Villarreal wrote fraudulent checks payable to his wife from the Kickapoo general operating account, which is funded primarily by revenue from the Lucky Eagle Casino. He deposited those checks into his own personal bank account. Villarreal admitted there was no legitimate basis for issuing these checks and that his wife knew nothing about his scheme.
The FBI conducted this investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sydni Connell, Sarah Spears and Justin Chung prosecuted this case.
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First Tribal Community Response Plans Adopted in AlaskaRead the Press Release
ANCHORAGE – In a first for Alaska, the Curyung Tribal Council of Dillingham and the Native Village of Unalakleet unanimously approved their Missing and Murdered Indigenous Persons (MMIP) Tribal Community Response Plans (TCRP) as part of the Department of Justice’s national MMIP Initiative.
“The adoption of these plans marks a major milestone in finding lasting solutions to the MMIP challenge in Alaska,” said Acting U.S. Attorney, Bryan Wilson of the District of Alaska. “Over the last few months tribal representatives, law enforcement officials and victim service organizations have partnered together to design a plan that is right for victims and their families while remaining culturally sensitive and balanced with what the law requires.”
In a show of support and to celebrate this important milestone, members of the AK MMIP working group, including members from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the U.S. Coast Guard and Victims for Justice traveled to Dillingham on Tuesday to witness Curyung adopt its TCRP. On Thursday, the U.S. Coast Guard flew working group members from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the U.S. Coast Guard, Alaska Department of Law, Tanana Chiefs Conference’s Village Police Safety Officer program and Victims for Justice to celebrate the Native Village of Unalakleet’s momentous achievement and adoption of its TCRP.
A TCRP is a guide for how a tribal community will build response capacity, collaborate with law enforcement and provide other support in response to a report of a new missing or murdered person. The TCRP is individualized and tailored to the needs, resources and culture of each local community.
According to its detailed plan, “Curyung will collaborate with individuals and agencies to promote the development and implementation of a coordinated community response to address issues of violence against enrolled citizens of Curyung Tribal Council while honoring victims no matter the situation or their heritage.”
The Native Village of Unalakleet declared in its detailed plan to “work collaboratively to support law enforcement, search and rescue, victim services and other support agencies” and “ensure all unresolved missing person cases are kept active by collaborating with local, state and federal law enforcement.”
Both TCRPs are comprehensive and include how and when to submit a missing person report, what will happen during a response and who will lead the investigation. The plan also establishes a clear response structure and outlines training opportunities as well as victim support services.
Next, both the Curyung Tribal Council and the Native Village of Unalakleet will pilot a TCRP tabletop exercise with the National Criminal Justice Training Center (NCJTC). The exercise will help create a training module for tribal communities, law enforcement and other community stakeholders to practice their MMIP incident response. “By practicing and preparing for an MMIP incident, from the first report of a missing person to its resolution, tribal communities and multi-disciplinary partners will improve their response across the state,” added Wilson.
In February, the U.S. Attorney’s Office announced that three Alaska tribal communities volunteered to participate as Alaska Pilot Project sites creating TCRPs. The sites include the tribal communities of Curyung Tribal Council (Dillingham), Native Village of Unalakleet and Koyukuk Native Village. The next step is for model TCRPs to be created based on the work by the Pilot Project sites. The models will be shared with tribal communities across the state who can then tailor it to the specific needs, resources and culture of their communities.
Alaska is among the first of six pilot-program states developing community response plans in accordance with the U.S. Attorney General’s Missing and Murdered Indigenous Persons Initiative and the President’s Operation Lady Justice Task Force. The other states are Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, Oklahoma and Oregon.
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Note to Editors:
The Alaska MMIP Working Group is a multi-disciplinary team led by the U.S. Attorney’s Office MMIP Coordinator, Ingrid Cumberlidge, and comprised of law enforcement representatives, including:
- Alaska State Troopers and VPSOs
- FBI
- Anchorage Police Department,
- U.S. Marshals
- Fairbanks Police Department
- BIA Cold Case Office
- Kotzebue Police Department
- Nome Police Department
- Central Council of Tlingit and Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska VPSO supervisors
- Tanana Chiefs Conference VPSO supervisors.
- Representatives from the Alaska Department of Law
- U.S. Coast Guard
- Tanana Chief’s Conference
- Tribal Representatives from Ahtna Region, Orutsararmiut Native Council, Sun’aq Tribe of Kodiak
- Victim service providers; and
- Advocates from Victims for Justice
- Alaska Native Women’s Resource Center
- Curyung Tribal Council (Dillingham)
- Native Village of Unalakleet
- Koyukuk Native Village
Link to previous Alaska MMIP press releases:
Recognizing Missing and Murdered Indigenous Persons Awareness Day in Alaska May 5, 2021
Pilot Projects Launched to Address Missing and Murdered Indigenous Persons February 8, 2021
U.S. Attorney Announces Update on Efforts Made to Promote Public Safety in Rural Alaska July 24, 2020
U.S. Attorney Appoints Missing and Murdered Indigenous Persons Coordinator for Alaska July 14, 2020
U.S. Attorney and FBI Announce Missing and Murdered Indigenous Persons Initiative Nov 27, 2019
Federal Grand Jury Indicts Three Defendants for Their Roles in String of Credit Union RobberiesRead 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 a federal grand jury has returned two indictments charging three defendants for their roles in multiple credit union robberies and attempted robberies.
Anthony D. Wilson, 33, of Buffalo, NY, is charged with conspiracy to commit bank robbery, aggravated bank robbery, brandishing a firearm, being a felon in possession of a firearm, and entering a bank with intent to commit a larceny. The charges carry a maximum penalty of life in prison.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua A. Violanti, who is handling the case, stated that according to the indictment against defendant Wilson, on October 26, 2017, Wilson and co-defendants Adrian Applewhite and Khalil Holland drove to the Lake Shore Federal Credit Union in Angola. Khalil Holland, wearing a hoodie and a medical facemask, entered the Lake Shore Federal Credit Union, demanded money, and brandished a semi-automatic pistol. The pistol was given to Khalil by defendant Wilson. In October 2007, was convicted in Erie County Court and as a result is legally prohibited from carrying a firearm.
Adrian Applewhite previously pleaded guilty for his role in the robbery and is awaiting sentencing. Khalil Holland was previously charged and convicted by the Erie County District Attorney’s Office.
In a separate, superseding indictment, Myron McCollum, 33, and Ronald Morris, a/k/a Cracks, 46, both of Buffalo, NY, are charged with conspiracy to commit bank robbery, being a felon-in-possession of a firearm, brandishing a firearm, bank robbery and incidental crimes, and aiding and abetting. The charges carry a maximum of life in prison.
• On February 27, 2019, armed with a firearm, defendant Morris and co-defendant Adrian Applewhite entered the Tonawanda Community Federal Credit Union at 315 Delaware Street in Tonawanda, NY, and forcibly stole money from the credit union.
• On July 25, 2019, co-defendant Adrian Applewhite drove defendants Morris and McCollum to the South Towns Community Federal Credit Union at 3040 South Park Avenue in Lackawanna, NY. Armed with pepper spray and at least one firearm, Morris and McCollum entered the credit union, pushed and pepper sprayed employees, and forcibly stole money from the credit union.
• On November 6, 2019, co-defendant Adrian Applewhite drove Morris and McCollum, and another co-defendant to the Clarence Community and School Federal Credit Union on Sheridan Drive in Clarence for purposes of committing a robbery, but determined there were too many people at the credit union to conduct the robbery. That same day, Morris and Applewhite attempted to rob the Good Neighbors Credit Union at 286 Grant Street in Buffalo.
• The following day, on November 7, 2019, Applewhite, Morris and McCollum went back to the Clarence Community and School Federal Credit Union. Armed with firearms, Morris and McCollum forcibly stole money from the credit union.During the course of the conspiracy, defendants Morris and McCollum, along with co-defendant Adrian Applewhite, scouted or attempted to rob other financial institutions in Bradford, PA, and Rochester, Niagara Falls, and Kenmore, NY.
Adrian Applewhite also previously pleaded guilty to his role in the robberies of the South Towns Community Federal Credit Union and the Clarence Community and School Federal Credit Union and is awaiting sentencing.
The indictment against Wilson and superseding indictment against Morris and McCollum are the result of an investigation by the New York State Police, under the direction of Major James Hall; the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Stephen Belongia; the Lackawanna Police Department, under the direction of Chief Mark Packard; the Evans Police Department, under the direction of Chief Douglas J. Czora; the City of Tonawanda Police Department, under the direction of Chief William Strassburg; the Tonawanda Police Department, under the direction of Chief James P. Stauffiger; and the Erie County District Attorney’s Office, under the direction of District Attorney John Flynn.
The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
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Federal Grand Jury Indicts 16 Gang Members and Associates for Drug Trafficking in Eagle Pass AreaRead the Press Release
DEL RIO – Sixteen Partido Revolutionario Mexican (PRM) members and associates, primarily from the Eagle Pass area, face federal drug trafficking charges.
A federal grand jury indictment unsealed today charges the following defendants with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute a controlled substance:
Name
Age
Residence
Victor Hinojosa aka “Zuko”
31
Eagle Pass
Jesus Espinoza
29
Eagle Pass
Francisco Espinoza
25
Eagle Pass
Kevin Ritchie aka “K-Dog”
32
FCI Beaumont
Martha Ritchie
60
Eagle Pass
Clinton Ritchie
31
Eagle Pass
Carlos Saldana aka “Lowz”
29
Eagle Pass
Yvonne Rodriguez Torres
39
Eagle Pass
Luis Torres-Marquez
46
Eagle Pass
Danny Suarez
37
Eagle Pass
Ernesto Magdaleno
52
Eagle Pass
Eduardo Gloria
30
Eagle Pass
Armando Ramirez aka “Mando”
32
Eagle Pass
Carlos Rodriguez-Urrabazo aka “Looney”
38
Eagle Pass
Rodolfo Jimenez
42
Eagle Pass
Louis Iglesias aka “Wicho”
50
TDCJ Livingston
The indictment alleges that the defendants conspired since March 2019 to distribute narcotics. All of the listed defendants have been arrested with the exception of Kevin Ritchie and Louis Iglesias who were already in custody. Authorities also seized cocaine, firearms, and cash attributable to the organization.
U.S. Attorney Ashley C. Hoff; Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Special Agent in Charge Daniel C. Comeaux, Houston Division; Federal Bureau of Investigation Special Agent in Charge Christopher Combs, San Antonio Division; and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Acting Special Agent in Charge Craig Larrabee made today’s announcement.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen Kam is prosecuting this case. The DEA and FBI led this Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation called Operation Tequila Sunset. Homeland Security Investigations, U.S. Marshals Service, U.S. Border Patrol, Texas Department of Public Safety, Eagle Pass Police Department, and the Sheriff’s Offices from Maverick, Dimmitt and Val Verde counties assisted with today’s arrests.
It is important to note that an indictment is merely a charge and should not be considered as evidence of guilt. The defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
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Federal Grand Jury A Indictments Announced – JuneRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney Clint Johnson today announced the results of the June 2021 Federal Grand Jury A.
The following individuals have been charged with violations of United States law in indictments returned by the Grand Jury. The return of an indictment is a method of informing a defendant of alleged violations of federal law, which must be proven in a court of law beyond a reasonable doubt to overcome a defendant’s presumption of innocence.
Blaine Joseph Adams. Child Abuse in Indian Country; Child Neglect in Indian Country. Adams, 29, of Dewey, is charged with abusing, injuring, a young child. He is also charged with failing to provide adequate nurturance and affection, food, clothing, shelter, sanitation, hygiene, appropriate education, medical, dental, and behavioral health for the child. The FBI is the investigative agency 21-CR-276
Jesus Aguirre. Aggravated Sexual Abuse in Indian Country; Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury in Indian Country. From April 23 to 24, 2021, Aguirre, 42, allegedly sexually assaulted the victim and strangled her until she was unconscious. The FBI and Sapulpa Police Department are the investigative agencies. 21-CR-260
Farron Whitney Alberty. First Degree Murder in Indian Country; Causing Death by Using and Discharging a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence. On May 19, 2005, Alberty, 36, of Cushing, allegedly shot Jamiah Tinnel, killing him. He is further charged with discharging a firearm during and in relation to crimes of violence- first degree murder and second degree murder in Indian Country. The FBI and Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. 21-CR-277
Samantha Jo Bryant. Aggravated Sexual Abuse of a Minor in Indian Country; Production of Child Pornography. Bryant, 31, of Glenpool, is charged with sexually abusing a female child under the age of 12 from December 2012 to January 2013. She is further charged with engaging in the sexual abuse of the child for the purpose of producing child sexual abuse material. Bryant transmitted the sexual abuse material via Skype and through email. The FBI is the investigative agency. 21-CR-261
Justin Wayne Burke. Felon in Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition. Burke, 34, of Tulsa, is charged with being a felon in possession of a Winchester 12-gauge shotgun and ammunition. The Oklahoma Highway Patrol and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations are the investigative agencies. 21-CR-248
Joe Don Cato. Robbery in Indian Country; Carrying, Using, and Brandishing a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence; Felon in Possession of a Firearm. Cato, 39, of Tulsa, is charged with using force and intimidation when he took a ride share driver’s cell phone, money and automobile keys on Aug. 30, 2019. He is further charged with brandishing a firearm during the robbery, and with being a felon in possession of a Star (Bonifcio Echeverria) 9 mm pistol and a Walther 9 mm pistol. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. 21- CR-278
Kenneth Randall Chandler. First Degree Felony Murder in Indian Country. Chandler, 53, of Hominy, is charged with aiding and abetting another when he killed Wanda Neafus by shooting her multiple times during a burglary on Dec. 6, 1991. Ms. Neafus was a housekeeper at the residence. The FBI and Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. 21-CR-267
Joe Cheater Jr. Aggravated Sexual Abuse of a Minor by Force and Threat in Indian Country (Counts 1-3); Aggravated Sexual Abuse in Indian Country (Count 4); Abusive Sexual Contact with a Minor in Indian Country (Count 5); Coercion and Enticement of a Minor in Indian Country (Count 6). From Jan. 1, 2005, to Dec. 31, 2005, Cheater Jr., 48, of Porter, allegedly sexually abused a minor between the ages of 12 and 16. On another occasion, from Jan. 1, 2009, to Dec. 31, 2009, he sexually abused the victim again. (Counts 1 &4). He also allegedly sexually abused a second victim, between the ages of 12 and 16, from Jan. 1, 2006, to Dec. 31, 2007 (Count 2). He is further alleged to have sexually abused a third victim, a minor under 12-years-old, from June 1, 2009, to Sept. 1, 2009 (Count 3). Cheater is further charged with directly touching a fourth victim, a minor under 12, in a sexual manner from June 1, 2008, to Sept. 1, 2008. Finally, Cheater is charged with coercing and enticing a fifth victim, a minor under 18, to engage in sexual activity from June 1, 2008, to Sept. 1, 2008. Cheater was involved with Boy Scouts, Cub Scouts, was a youth pastor, and acted like he was father figure. The FBI and Rogers County Sheriff’s Office are the investigative agencies. 21-CR-268
Dominique Rashad Delonia. Failure to Register as a Sex Offender. Delonia, 32, of Tulsa, knowingly failed to register as a sex offender from Dec. 10, 2020, to March 12, 2021. The U.S. Marshals Service and Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. 21-CR-262
Joshua Duane Fort. Assault with a Dangerous Weapon with Intent to do Bodily Harm in Indian Country; Carrying, Using, Brandishing, and Discharging a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence. Fort, 41, of Tulsa, allegedly shot a male victim on June 23, 2018, in a road-rage incident. The FBI and Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. 21-CR-249
Christopher Frederick. Failure to Register as a Sex Offender. Frederick, 70, of Tulsa, is charged with failing to register as a sex offender from Sept. 12, 2020, to May 2, 2021. The U.S. Marshals Service and Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. 21-CR-263
John Samuel Garrison. Child Abuse in Indian Country. Garrison, 56, of Vinita, is charged with 2 counts of abusing a minor from April 1, 2020, to April 15, 2020. Garrison allegedly hit the child in the back with a board multiple times. In a second incident, he grabbed the minor violently and shoved the child into a bookcase. The FBI and Vinita Police Department are the investigative agencies. 21-CR-280
Jimmy Allen Grammar III. Aggravated Sexual Abuse of a Minor in Indian Country (Counts 1-5). Grammar III, 31, of Broken Arrow, is charged with sexually abusing a child under 12 from March 10, 2008, to March 11, 2011 (Counts 1-3). He is further charged with sexually abusing a second victim under 12 from May 2, 2008, to May 2, 2009 (Counts 4-5). The FBI and Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. 21-CR-264
Philip Hudson Jr. Child Abuse in Indian Country. Hudson Jr., 32, of Tulsa, is charged with abusing a minor by striking the child with a board and repeatedly tasing his body from Feb. 19, 2013 to Feb. 21, 2013. The FBI and Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. 21-CR-280
Tori Lynn Lasley; Peyton Drew Keele. Robbery in Indian Country. Assault with a Dangerous Weapon with Intent to do Bodily Harm in Indian Country. Lasley, 23, of Sand Springs, and Keele, 31, of Tryon, allegedly stabbed a man when they robbed him on May 28, 2018. Items stolen from the victim’s home included jewelry, a wallet, a cell phone, and his car. The FBI and Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. 21-CR-250
Michael Adam Lindsey. Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition; Assault with a Dangerous Weapon with Intent to do Bodily Harm in Indian Country; Carrying, Using, Brandishing, and Discharging a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence; Child Abuse in Indian Country. Lindsey, 36, of Sand Springs, is charged with being a felon in possession of a Jennings .22 caliber pistol and ammunition. On April 29, 2018, Lindsey allegedly fired multiple rounds through the door of a home, striking a woman in her left arm. He also pushed down a minor victim during an argument prior to the shooting. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Sand Springs Police Department are the investigative agencies. 21-CR-269
Anthony Lamont Mason II. Second Degree Burglary in Indian Country; Assault with a Dangerous Weapon with Intent to do Bodily Harm in Indian Country; Assault of a Former Intimate and Dating Partner by Strangling, Suffocating, and Attempting to Strangle and Suffocate in Indian Country; First Degree Burglary in Indian Country. Mason II, 27, Tulsa, is charged with breaking into his former dating partner’s home with intent to steal property on Feb. 27, 2021. On May 9, 2021, he also allegedly busted the door to his former partner’s home and assaulted her by striking her, threatening her with a firearm and attempting to strangle and suffocate her. The FBI and Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. 21-CR-270
Robert Earl McFarland IV. Felon in Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition. McFarland IV, 31, of Vinita, is charged with being a felon in possession of a Rossi .38 caliber pistol. The FBI and Vinita Police Department are the investigative agencies. 21-CR-251
Eugene Todd Nunley. Aggravated Sexual Abuse by Force and Threat in Indian Country. Nunley, 47, of Tulsa, is charged with raping a female victim after forcing her into a wooded area near a pedestrian trail where the victim had been walking. The crime occurred on Aug. 13, 2015. The FBI and Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. 21-CR-271
Alvin Ezra Opry. Aggravated Sexual Abuse of a Minor in Indian Country (Counts 1 & 2). Opry, 37, of Tulsa, is charged with two counts of sexually abusing a child under 12, from Dec. 1, 2014, through Dec. 5, 2015. The FBI and Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. 21-CR-252
Earnest Jo Goss Petty. Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury in Indian Country; Robbery in Indian Country. On April 1, 2019, Petty, 38, of Tulsa, allegedly took the victim’s vehicle by force, resulting in serious bodily injury, on April 1, 2019. The FBI and Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. 21-CR-272
Jorden Michael Roberts. Failure to Register as a Sex Offender. Roberts, 34, of Tulsa, is charged with failing to register as a sex offender from Oct. 30, 2020, to Jan. 31, 2021. The U.S. Marshals Service and Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. 21-CR-265
Joshua David Slinkard. Aggravated Sexual Abuse of a Minor in Indian Country (Counts 1 & 2). Slinkard, 40, of Tulsa, is charged with sexually abusing a two minors between January 1, 2009, and January 1, 2010. The FBI and Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. 21-CR-266
William Frank Vanover. Kidnapping in Indian Country (Counts 1 & 4); Assault with a Dangerous Weapon with Intent to do Bodily Harm in Indian Country (Count 2); Assault by Striking, Beating, and Wounding- Misdemeanor (Counts 3 & 5). Vanover, 47, of Claremore, is charged with kidnapping and assaulting a female victim on Dec. 30, 2020. He allegedly threatened the woman with a knife and punched the victim in the face. According to the indictment, he kidnapped the victim and assaulted her a second time on Feb. 17, 2021. The FBI and Rogers County Sheriff’s Office are the investigative agencies. 21-CR-253
Johnny Lee Arnold and Dale Eugene Warren. First Degree Murder in Indian Country. Arnold, 33, of Langley, and Warren, 65, of Vinita, are charged with aiding and abetting one another when the killed Christopher Boren by stabbing the victim and beating him with a bat on Aug. 18, 2019. His body was found on the Mayes and Craig County line. The Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation is the investigative agency. 21-CR-258
Brenan Wells; Brook Deerinwater; Mikayla Morrison. Robbery in Indian Country; Carrying, Using, and Brandishing a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence; Assault with a Dangerous Weapon with Intent to do Bodily Harm in Indian Country; Felon in Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition; Harboring or Concealing a Person From Arrest. On May 9, 2021, Wells, 34, and Deerinwater, 32, are alleged to have violently robbed a victim. Wells is further charged with brandishing a firearm and striking the victim in the face with the firearm. Wells is also charged with being a felon in possession of a Tarus .22 caliber pistol and ammunition. Finally, Morrison, 24, is charged with harboring and concealing Wells after she was provided notice that a warrant and process had been issued for Wells’ apprehension. All three defendants are from Bristow. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Bristow Police Department, and Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. 21-CR-254
Caleb Lewis Witte. Aggravated Sexual Abuse by Force and Threat in Indian Country (Count 1); Abusive Sexual Contact with a Minor in Indian Country (Count 2); Sexual Abuse of an Incapable Victim in Indian Country (Count 3); Sexual Abuse of a Minor in Indian Country (Count 4). Lewis, 25, of Bartlesville, allegedly sexually abused a minor between the ages of 12 and 16 from June 1, 2020, to Nov. 11, 2020. The FBI and Bartlesville Police Department are the investigative agencies. 21-CR-273
Failed Armed Robery Leads to 20-Year Sentence for Nebraska ManRead the Press Release
Fairview Heights, Ill. – An Omaha, Nebraska man pled guilty and was sentenced yesterday to 239 months in prison for attempting to rob a Walgreens in Swansea, Illinois.
According to court documents, on Sept. 15, 2019, Christopher Easterling, 23, entered the Walgreens located at 2532 N. Illinois Street, approached the cashier, brandished a firearm, and said “let’s get this going, babe.” The cashier immediately ran away. After stepping behind the counter and briefly surveying the scene, Easterling left the store without taking anything. He was apprehended minutes later by the Swansea Police Department.
Easterling pled guilty to a three-count indictment charging him with attempted armed robbery of the
Walgreens, brandishing a firearm during the crime, and unlawful gun possession by a convicted felon.In handing down the nearly 20-year sentence, Chief U.S. District Judge Nancy J. Rosenstengel noted as aggravating factors that Easterling had committed the offense while on parole for another attempted robbery in Nebraska in 2016, and that he has another robbery conviction from Nebraska in
2014.Upon his release from prison, Easterling will serve 5 years on supervised release. The ATF and the
Swansea Police Department investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Laura Reppert prosecuted the case.Eagle Butte Man Sentenced for Assault by Strangulation and SuffocationRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney Dennis Holmes announced that an Eagle Butte, South Dakota, man convicted of Assault by Strangulation and Suffocation was sentenced on June 7, 2021, by Chief Judge Roberto A. Lange, U.S. District Court.
Seth Stadel, a/k/a Seth Carter, age 27, was sentenced to 57 months in federal prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release, and a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $100.
Stadel was indicted by a federal grand jury on August 11, 2020. He pled guilty on March 22, 2021.
The conviction stemmed from an incident that occurred on June 10, 2020, near Lantry, South Dakota, wherein Stadel assaulted his intimate partner by grabbing her by the throat and strangling her until she began to lose consciousness. When she tried to run away, Stadel tackled her, breaking her arm.
This case was investigated by the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jay Miller prosecuted the case.
Stadel was immediately turned over to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Dominican National Pleads Guilty to Misusing a Social Security Number and Making a False StatementRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Dominican national pleaded guilty yesterday in federal court in Boston to false statement and Social Security fraud charges.
Juan Baez, 57, who previously resided in Roslindale, pleaded guilty to one count of false representation of a Social Security number and one count of making a false statement relating to health care matters. U.S. District Court Judge William G. Young scheduled sentencing for Oct. 4, 2021.
Baez used the identity of a Puerto Rican citizen to obtain Massachusetts driver’s licenses and identification cards. He also used the identity to apply for and receive MassHealth benefits. Between Jan. 1, 2008 and Dec. 31, 2019, Baez fraudulently received approximately $18,977 in federally funded MassHealth benefits he was not entitled to by using the victim’s identity.
The charge of false representation of a Social Security number provides for a sentence of up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss, whichever is greater. The charge of making a false statement relating to health care matters provides for a sentence of up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss, whichever is greater. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Acting United States Attorney Nathaniel R. Mendell; Tonya Perkins, Special Agent in Charge of the Social Security Administration, Office of Inspector General, Boston Field Office; William S. Walker, Acting Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Boston; Philip M. Coyne, Special Agent in Charge or the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the Inspector General, Office of Investigations; and Suzanne M. Bump, State Auditor of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts made the announcement today. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Karen Burzycki of Mendell’s Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.
Defendants Plead Guilty in Drug Distribution Investigation at Albany Hotels, 20 Firearms Seized Including MachinegunRead the Press Release
ALBANY, Ga. – Six defendants entered guilty pleas in federal court in a drug and firearms case involving a cache of illegally possessed weapons, including a fully automatic rifle and sawed-off shotgun.
On Friday, June 4, Daniel Landon Knight, 30, of Leesburg, Georgia, pleaded guilty to one count possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and one count attempt to escape from custody. For the firearms charge, Knight faces a maximum sentence of ten years in prison and a maximum $250,000 fine. For the escape charge, Knight faces five years in prison and a maximum $250,000 fine. Co-defendant Haley Roberts, 33, of Lee County, Georgia, pleaded guilty to one count possession of a firearm by a convicted felon for which she faces a maximum sentence of ten years in prison and a maximum $250,000 fine. Co-defendant Donald Hammock, 57, of Shellman, Georgia, pleaded guilty to one count possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Hammock likely faces a minimum mandatory sentence of 15 years up to a maximum possible sentence of life imprisonment and a maximum $250,000 fine.
On Thursday, June 3, co-defendant Emanuel Cobb, 36, pleaded guilty to one count distribution of methamphetamine. Cobb faces a mandatory minimum of ten years up to a maximum of life in prison and a maximum $10,000,000 fine. Co-defendant Joshua Walls, 34, of Albany, pleaded guilty to one count distribution of methamphetamine and one count possession of a machinegun. For the distribution of methamphetamine charge, Walls faces a mandatory minimum of ten years up to a maximum of life in prison and a maximum $10,000,000 fine, and as a result of the possession of a machinegun charge, he faces a maximum of ten years in prison and maximum fine of $250,000.
On May 13, Cody Harman, 35, of Albany, pleaded guilty to one count distribution of methamphetamine. Harman faces a minimum mandatory prison sentence of ten years up to a maximum possible sentence of life imprisonment as well as a fine of up to $10,000,000.
All pleas were offered before U.S. District Judge Leslie Gardner in Albany, Georgia. There is no parole in the federal system.
“Law enforcement agents prevented a group of convicted felons in possession of dangerous weapons – including a machinegun – from continuing to circulate drugs and guns into our community. These defendants will now face federal consequences for their crimes,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Peter D. Leary. “Our office will continue working closely with our law enforcement partners to take all necessary steps to curb violence in our region.”
“Due to the diligence of our local, state and federal partners, these lifelong criminals are unable to continue threatening the safety of our citizens,” said Chris Hacker, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. “These repeat offenders have another chance to learn that their life choices have very serious consequences.”
“Illegal guns and drugs have no place in Georgia. They are a danger to the community and breed fear amongst hardworking citizens. We value our partnership with federal and local agencies to work these cases that lead to successful prosecutions,” said GBI Director Vic Reynolds.
According to court documents, from January 2020 through August 2020, law enforcement agents investigated Wall, Cobb and Harman’s methamphetamine and heroin distribution activities at local motels in Albany. In the course of this investigation, agents learned that not only were the members of the group regularly dealing in controlled substances but were also often in possession of or selling firearms. Further, they learned that some of the firearms were fully automatic and in the process of being converted to fully automatic or otherwise altered.
Investigations and arrests in this case took place at Knights Inn, Araamda Hotel, Budget Inn, Motel 6, Merry Acres Inn and Red Roof Inn in Albany. Specifically, Harman, Walls and Cobb admitted their involvement in drug sales inside the Knights Inn, and Walls also admitted that in the parking lot of a hotel he sold a rifle equipped with a bump stock and a 30-round magazine, which falls under the category of machinegun under federal law. Such firearms allow a shooter to initiate a continuous firing cycle with a single pull of the trigger.
Additionally, Lee County Sheriff Deputies took Knight into custody on a state probation warrant violation on July 15, 2020. Knight was previously convicted in Lee County Superior Court in April 2014 on a four-count felony and sentenced to serve 12 years in jail; he was on probation at the time of his arrest. From jail, Knight was recorded giving Roberts instructions to relocate “bangers” which agents believed to be code for firearms. On July 20, 2020, law enforcement officers arrested Roberts at the Merry Acres Inn, Albany, on a state probation warrant violation. Roberts was previously convicted in Lee County Superior Court in April 2017 on a three-count felony violation and was on probation at the time of her arrest. During a search of the hotel room she was staying in, officers found 12 firearms, including five AK-15 style rifles without any visible make, model or serial number markings. Further investigation revealed that Walls had assisted Roberts in moving the firearms from Florida to the Merry Acres Inn.
Finally, on July 25, 2020, a Randolph County Sheriff’s Office deputy was on routine patrol and observed a vehicle driven by Hammock crossing the center line and entering the oncoming lane of traffic. During the stop for suspected DUI, the deputy found quantities of methamphetamine, heroin, pills, stolen property and two firearms including a loaded handgun and a shortened barrel shotgun. Hammock admitted that he was a felon and knew that he could not have guns. He said he had purchased the firearms from Wall.
The case is being investigated by the FBI, U.S. Marshals Service, GBI, Lee County Sheriff’s Office and Randolph County Sherriff’s Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Leah McEwen is prosecuting the case.
Dayton man charged with dealing fentanyl cocaine mixture that caused multiple fatal and nonfatal overdosesRead the Press Release
DAYTON, Ohio – A federal grand jury has charged a Dayton man with distributing fentanyl and cocaine that resulted in five overdoses in the late hours of New Year’s Eve and into the early hours of New Year’s Day 2019.
Kelsey V. Williams, Jr., 40, was arrested on Tuesday in Minnesota. He appeared in federal court in Minnesota today for a detention hearing and his case was unsealed here this afternoon.
According to the indictment returned on May 25, on New Year’s Eve 2018 and New Year’s Day 2019, the defendant allegedly distributed a fentanyl and cocaine mixture responsible for three fatal and two nonfatal overdoses.
Distributing a controlled substance that results in death or serious bodily injury is a federal crime punishable by 20 years up to life in prison.
Vipal J. Patel, Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Chris Hoffman, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division; and Dayton Police Chief Richard S. Biehl announced the charges. Assistant United States Attorneys Amy M. Smith and Ryan A. Saunders are representing the United States in this case.
An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.
This case is being prosecuted as part of Operation S.O.S. In July 2018, the Department of Justice announced the launch of Operation Synthetic Opioid Surge (S.O.S), a program aimed at reducing the supply of synthetic opioids in 10 high impact areas and identifying wholesale distribution networks and international and domestic suppliers.
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Daughter of Notorious Mexican Cartel Leader Sentenced for Criminal Violation of the Foreign Narcotics Kingpin Designation ActRead the Press Release
The daughter of the leader of the Mexican drug trafficking organization known as the Cartel de Jalisco Nueva Generacion (CJNG), a dual U.S.-Mexican citizen, was sentenced today to 30 months in prison for willfully engaging in financial dealings with Mexican companies that had been identified as specially designated narcotics traffickers by the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the U.S. Department of the Treasury (OFAC).
Jessica Johanna Oseguera Gonzalez, 34, of Guadalajara, Mexico, pleaded guilty on March 12, 2021. According to court documents, she violated the criminal penalties of the Foreign Narcotics Kingpin Designation Act (Kingpin Act) by engaging in transactions and dealings in property with six Mexican businesses that had been sanctioned by OFAC as specially designated narcotics traffickers in September 2015 and September 2017. The six businesses were designated for providing material support to the narcotics trafficking activities of the CJNG, which was itself designated by OFAC in April 2015. Oseguera Gonzalez’s father, Nemesio Ruben Oseguera Cervantes, aka “El Mencho,” who is the leader of CJNG, and her uncle, Abigael Gonzalez Valencia, who is the leader of the Los Cuinis drug trafficking organization, were also sanctioned by OFAC in April 2015.
Court documents indicate that Oseguera Gonzalez was an owner of two Mexican companies designated by OFAC, J&P Advertising, S.A. de C.V., and JJGON S.P.R. de R.L. de C.V., and that she was an officer, director, or agent of four additional sanctioned businesses, Las Flores Cabanas, Mizu Sushi Lounge, Tequila Onze Black, and Operadora Los Famosos, S.A. de C.V., doing business as Kenzo Sushi. She remained an owner, officer, director or agent of those entities following their OFAC designations, and did not seek the required license from OFAC to engage in those financial transactions.
“This sentence shows that violating the Treasury Department’s sanctions of businesses and persons tied to foreign drug cartels will not go unpunished,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Nicholas L. McQuaid of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “The Kingpin Act is an important tool in the U.S. government’s unrelenting efforts to dismantle drug cartels, and we will not hesitate to prosecute those who support major narcotics traffickers by engaging in conduct that violates the act’s criminal prohibitions.”
“Today’s sentencing of a prominent individual who willfully violated the Kingpin Act to engage in criminal transactions that facilitated the CJNG organization shows our unwavering commitment to bring to justice those who disregard the law and threaten public safety,” said Special Agent in Charge Bill Bodner of the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Los Angeles Field Division. “Those who engage in illicit finance activities to aid the drug cartels that fill our communities with powerful and addictive drugs have no business operating without accountability.”
The Los Angeles Field Division of the Drug Enforcement Administration investigated the case, and the Justice Department particularly thanks the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the Department of the Treasury and the U.S. Marshals Service for their support and contributions to the case.
Trial Attorneys Brett Reynolds, Kaitlin Sahni and Kate Naseef of the Criminal Division’s Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section prosecuted the case.
This case received significant support from the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) program. The OCDETF program supports investigations around the country to identify, disrupt, dismantle and prosecute high-level members of drug trafficking, weapons trafficking and money laundering organizations and enterprises.
Convicted Felon Pleads Guilty to Possession of a Firearm and Violation of His Supervised Release from a Previous ConvictionRead the Press Release
Greenbelt, Maryland – Romaine Blunt, age 44, of Washington, D.C., pleaded guilty yesterday to being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition, and to violating the conditions of his supervised release for a previous conviction.
The guilty plea was announced by Acting United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Jonathan F. Lenzner; Special Agent in Charge Timothy Jones of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Baltimore Field Division; and Chief Malik Aziz of the Prince George’s County Police Department.
According to his plea agreement, on February 26, 2009, Blunt was convicted for a violation for possession of prohibited contraband in prison. Blunt received a sentence of 12 months imprisonment followed by 36 months of supervised release with the condition that Blunt not commit any new state or federal crime. On May 18, 2018, Blunt began his supervised release. On May 22, 2019, the Court revoked Blunt’s supervised release and sentenced him to six months of imprisonment, followed by a new term of supervised release until May 17, 2021.
As detailed in Blunt’s plea agreement, on the morning of October 8, 2020, a Prince George’s County police officer responded to a residence in Suitland, Maryland based on a report that Blunt was in possession of a firearm outside of an apartment building. Officers saw Blunt outside the apartment building and as they approached, Blunt reached into a black satchel slung over his shoulder and removed a handgun and dropped the gun in the nearby mulch. Prince George’s County police officers recovered the gun, a.9mm handgun loaded with approximately eight rounds of .9mm ammunition in the magazine.
Blunt knew that as a result of a previous felony conviction, he was prohibited from possessing a firearm and ammunition. Blunt’s possession of the firearm and ammunition also violated the conditions of his supervised release, specifically, that Blunt not commit any new state or federal crime.
Blunt and the government have agreed in the plea agreement, Blunt will be sentenced to jointly recommend at the time of sentencing a sentence of 54 months in federal prison. U.S. District Judge Peter J. Messitte has scheduled sentencing for August 12, 2021 at 11 a.m.
Acting United States Attorney Jonathan F. Lenzner commended the ATF and the Prince George’s County Police Department for their work in the investigation. Mr. Lenzner thanked Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Craig Fansler and Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth Wright who are prosecuting the case.
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Collin County Man Convicted of Child Pornography ViolationsRead the Press Release
SHERMAN, Texas – An Allen man was found guilty by a jury of federal child exploitation violations in the Eastern District of Texas, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei today.
Clay Melton Denton, 56, was found guilty of distribution, receipt and possession of child pornography today by a jury following a five-day trial before U.S. District Judge Amos L. Mazzant, III.
“Those that view and trade child pornography perpetuate a cycle of exploitation and abuse by providing a market for producers,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei. “The Eastern District of Texas will do whatever it takes to stamp out this terrible industry—and make no mistake, it is indeed an industry—doing so with the help of our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners.”
“The sheer volume of devices and images recovered by investigators in this case is astounding. I commend the FBI’s Child Exploitation Task Force, the Garland and Plano Police Departments and the North Texas Regional Computer Forensics Laboratory for their diligence in processing evidence to best serve justice in this investigation,” said Dallas FBI Special Agent in Charge Matthew J. DeSarno. “With our partners, we are committed to ensuring that distributors of abusive content are held accountable so that we can protect our population’s most vulnerable members.”
“This important collaboration with our local area and Federal law enforcement partners continues to keep catching these criminals in an effort to keep our communities safe,” said Plano Police Chief Ed Drain. “We are very appreciative all those involved in this case.”
“I am proud of the work that our police department is doing, and cases like these showcase the importance and effectiveness of working together not only locally but federally,” said Garland Police Chief Jeff Bryan. “The safety of our communities is the top priority, and these are the types of folks we need off our streets.”
According to the court documents and testimony at trial, in January and March 2018, undercover officers with the Plano Police Department and the Garland Police Department received child pornography, via an online platform, that had been distributed to them by a computer user. The officers traced the online conduct to the Denton residence in Allen, Texas. Members of the FBI obtained a search warrant for the residence, which they served on April 25, 2018. The searching team discovered multiple digital devices in the residence, including server racks, network area storage devices, laptops, hard drives, cellular phones, and digital storage media. Agents testified that the entire second story of the house was filled with floor-to-ceiling book cases storing digital devices, manuals, and peripherals. Additional testimony revealed that forensic analysis of the seized devices took almost one year. During this forensic analysis, personnel discovered tens of thousands of images and videos of child pornography. Specifically, evidence demonstrated that a laptop belonging to Denton and located on one of his desks contained the same software used to distribute child pornography to the undercover officers. That software was also used to obtain child pornography, which was saved on a different portion of Denton’s computer. Evidence also revealed that child pornography was located on a 60+ terabyte storage device that Denton owned and possessed. A federal grand jury returned an indictment charging Denton with federal violations on Sep. 11, 2019.
On June 11, 2021, the jury returned a guilty verdict on all counts of the indictment. Under federal statutes, Denton faces up to 20 years in federal prison. The maximum statutory sentence prescribed by Congress is provided here for information purposes, as the sentencing will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the U.S. Probation Office.
This case is part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
This case was investigated by the Plano Police Department, Garland Police Department and the FBI Dallas Child Exploitation Task Force and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Marisa Miller and Maureen Smith.
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Cleveland Man Charged with Starting Fire in Restaurant During May 30 Demonstrations in Downtown ClevelandRead the Press Release
Acting U.S. Attorney Bridget M. Brennan announced that a federal grand jury returned an indictment charging Michael Sloan, 26, of Cleveland, with explosive destruction of property.
According to court documents, on May 30, 2020, it is alleged that the Defendant maliciously began a fire inside Rebol Restaurant, located on 101 West Superior Ave in Cleveland.
The affidavit in support of the criminal complaint states that, following the events that occurred in downtown Cleveland on May 30, 2020, investigators with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) began to review surveillance camera footage from that day. While examining the footage, investigators observed a subject, later identified as the Defendant, allegedly enter Rebol Restaurant, start a fire, place additional fuel on the fire and then exit the restaurant. Police officers arrived moments later to extinguish the fire.
The following day, the affidavit states that investigators determined the fire to be incendiary and caused by an open flame applied to combustibles. Investigators identified the Defendant as the subject who allegedly caused the fire thanks, in part, to tips received from the public after images and video were released to the media.
An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. A defendant is entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
If convicted, the Defendant’s sentence will be determined by the Court after review of factors unique to this case, including the Defendant’s prior criminal record, if any, the Defendant’s role in the offense, and the characteristics of the violation.
In all cases, the sentence will not exceed the statutory maximum, and in most cases, it will be less than the maximum.
This investigation was conducted by the ATF with the help of the Cleveland Police Department. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Adam J. Joines.
Cleveland Man Charged with Multiple Robberies throughout Cuyahoga CountyRead the Press Release
Acting U.S. Attorney Bridget M. Brennan announced that a federal grand jury sitting in Cleveland returned a six-count indictment charging Christopher Prowell, 61, of Cleveland, with committing multiple robberies throughout the Cuyahoga County area.
According to the indictment, it is alleged that on February 18, 2021, the Defendant robbed a Peoples Bank in Beachwood and a Sunoco Gas Station in Independence. On February 28, the Defendant allegedly robbed a GetGo Gas Station in Lyndhurst and a BP Gas Station in Brooklyn.
On March 3, 2021, it is alleged that the Defendant robbed a PNC Bank in Shaker Heights and, on March 24, 2021, a Key Bank in South Euclid. While committing the robbery at the Key Bank in South Euclid and some of the other businesses, it is alleged that the Defendant used a box cutter to threaten employees.
An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. A defendant is entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
If convicted, a defendant’s sentence will be determined by the Court after review of factors unique to this case, including the Defendant’s prior criminal records, if any, the Defendant’s role in the offense and the characteristics of the violation. In all cases, the sentence will not exceed the statutory maximum and in most cases it will be less than the maximum.
The investigation was conducted by the FBI with the help of local police departments. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Scott C. Zarzycki.
Chester County Man Charged with Tax Evasion for Second TimeRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – Acting United States Attorney Jennifer Arbittier Williams announced that Michael Goldner, 51, of Paoli, PA, was charged by Indictment on a charge of tax evasion. The defendant made his initial appearance in federal court this afternoon.
The Indictment alleges that Mr. Goldner accrued a tax liability of approximately $1,858,740 for the years 2013 through 2017, and that beginning in 2016 he engaged in a scheme to evade the payment of those taxes. Goldner’s tax evasion scheme involved having his employer make payments to Goldner’s wife for payment of personal expenses, including the mortgage on the house where his family resided, rent for an apartment where he resided, service for his pool, dance classes for his daughter, and a vacation for his family. The defendant also had his employer make some payments toward a nearly $5 million restitution judgment that Goldner owed from a 2016 wire fraud and tax evasion conviction in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. The Indictment further alleges that Goldner failed to report this additional income on his 2016 and 2017 tax returns.
“Goldner’s alleged scheme to hide his true income victimized honest taxpayers in two ways: first, by evading more than $1.8 million in tax liability to the IRS, and second, by avoiding having to make additional payments towards the large balance (more than $4 million) he still owed in court-ordered restitution from his previous conviction on similar charges,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Williams. “Clearly this defendant has not learned that you cannot outrun the IRS. Anyone who is contemplating similar fraud should view this case as a warning that it will not succeed.”
“If you keep breaking the law, the FBI and our partners will keep coming after you,” said Michael J. Driscoll, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Philadelphia Division. “Willfully defrauding the government and cheating honest taxpayers isn’t ‘creative accounting.’ It’s a federal crime.”
“The American tax system provides government services critical to our people,” said Joleen Simpson, Acting Special Agent in Charge of IRS Criminal Investigation. “Every time someone cheats the tax system, the burden of providing vital services increases on taxpayers who pay their fair share.”
If convicted, the defendant faces a maximum possible sentence of five years in prison, a $250,000 fine, a three years period of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.
The case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney David J. Ignall.
An indictment, information, or criminal complaint is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Career Criminal in Akron Sentenced to 20 Years for Firearms OffensesRead the Press Release
Acting U.S. Attorney Bridget M. Brennan announced that Delamon A. Marshall, 41, of Akron, Ohio, was sentenced on Thursday, June 10, 2021, to 20 years imprisonment and five years of supervised release by U.S. District Court Judge Christopher A. Boyko. Marshall previously pleaded guilty to two counts of being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition and two counts of possession of a firearm with an obliterated serial number.
“Mr. Marshall’s lengthy prison sentence is a direct result of his own choices and extensive criminal history,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Bridget M. Brennan. “Despite numerous opportunities to steer away from violent criminal conduct, he chose otherwise and will now face 20 years of incarceration.”
“There is no place in our society for those who use firearms for violent, criminal purposes,” said Roland H. Herndon, Jr., Special Agent in Charge of ATF’s Columbus Field Division. “Given Marshall’s history, and his actions in this case that resulted in the death of another person, it is appropriate that he received this lengthy sentence. ATF will continue to work with our law enforcement partners at the federal, state, and local levels to investigate and prosecute individuals who show a callous disregard for the safety of our community.”
As set out in court documents and testimony, on February 22 and March 17, 2017, on two separate occasions, Marshall, a convicted felon, possessed a firearm with ammunition and an obliterated serial number. Marshall is prohibited from possessing a firearm due to prior convictions for bank robbery and domestic violence.
On February 22, 2017, Marshall was pulled over in a vehicle by police officers with the Akron Police Department. During the traffic stop, Marshall was arrested for driving under a license suspension and advised officers that he was in possession a firearm and was a previously convicted felon. Officers searched the vehicle and located a Glock 9mm pistol in the center console. The firearm contained ammunition and an obliterated serial number.
On March 17, 2017, Marshall was in a confrontation with another individual in the Akron area. Marshall and the other individual exchanged gunfire and each sustained gunshot wounds. The other individual was pronounced deceased at the scene. After investigating the incident, officers determined that both individuals were carrying a firearm and Marshall was in possession of Ruger 9mm pistol with an obliterated serial number.
Marshall has a lengthy criminal history with numerous convictions for drug abuse, domestic violence and firearms offenses. Marshall’s criminal history qualifies him to be classified as an armed career criminal according to federal law and federal sentencing guidelines.
This investigation was conducted by members of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, U.S. Marshals Service, Copley Police Department, Akron Police Department, Youngstown Police Department, Bureau of Criminal Investigation for the Ohio Attorney General and the Summit County Coroner’s Office. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Damoun Delaviz.
Career Offender Sentenced to 12 Years in Federal Prison for Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
FORT SMITH – A Berryville man was sentenced yesterday to 151 months in prison followed by 3 years of supervised release on one count of Distribution of a Controlled Substance methamphetamine. The Honorable Judge P.K Holmes, III, presided over the sentencing hearing in the United States District Court in Fort Smith.
According to court documents, In July of 2020, Homeland Security Investigations Fayetteville initiated an investigation into James Russell Clark, 37, for drug trafficking offenses in the Western District of Arkansas. On July 9, 2020, investigators were able to conduct a controlled purchase of methamphetamine from Clark at his residence. The methamphetamine purchased was subsequently sent to the Department of Homeland Security Laboratory in Savannah, Georgia and tested positive for methamphetamine. Clark was also held accountable at sentencing for possessing a firearm on July 18, 2020, following a traffic stop by the Berryville Police Department. Clark is a multi-convicted felon and prohibited from possessing firearms.
Acting U.S. Attorney David Clay Fowlkes of the Western District of Arkansas made the announcement.
Homeland Security Investigations Fayetteville investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney David Harris prosecuted the case.
This case was prosecuted as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. The Department of Justice reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime.
Bucks County Drug Manufacturer and Two Executives Charged with Conspiracy to Defraud the FDARead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – Acting United States Attorney Jennifer Arbittier Williams announced that generic drug manufacturer KVK-TECH, Inc., headquartered in Newtown, PA, Murty Vepuri (69), and Ashvin Panchal, (50), also of Newtown, were charged by Indictment with conspiracy to defraud the United States Food & Drug Administration (“FDA”) arising from the alleged distribution of unapproved drugs as well as alleged efforts to mislead the FDA and conceal information which could impact drug safety and effectiveness. KVK-TECH was also charged with one count of mail fraud arising from the alleged sale of unapproved drugs to customers who believed the drugs were made with the approval of the FDA.
According to the Indictment, from approximately October 2010 through at least March 2015, Vepuri, the de facto owner of KVK-TECH, and Panchal, the company’s head of Quality Assurance, conspired to defraud the United States and its agencies by impeding, impairing, and defeating FDA’s mission to protect the health and safety of the public by ensuring that drugs marketed and distributed in the United States are safe and effective for their intended uses.
As alleged in the Indictment, Vepuri directed KVK-TECH’s day-to-day operations and made all key business decisions for the company, including decisions related to drug regulatory requirements, drug composition, drug manufacturing quality, purity, and potency. However, Vepuri – who previously owned a generic drug manufacturer in New Jersey that was subject to a restraining order due to ongoing FDA violations – is charged with hiding his involvement in KVK-TECH by placing its ownership in private trusts for the benefit of his children. Vepuri then allegedly represented to the FDA that he was merely an advisor or consultant to KVK-TECH, when in reality he exercised unchecked authority over the company.
As alleged, under Vepuri’s control, KVK-TECH ignored regulatory requirements that had the potential to slow the manufacture, distribution, and sales of its drugs. Vepuri and Panchal are also charged with having provided false explanations to the FDA when inspectors identified violations. Often, Vepuri and Panchal attributed regulatory failures to a mistake or misunderstanding, and KVK-TECH would falsely assure the FDA that violations had been addressed when they knew no corrective and preventative actions had been taken.
The Indictment highlights KVK-TECH’s conduct with regard to Hydroxyzine, a KVK-TECH prescription drug for the treatment of anxiety, for which Vepuri purchased an active pharmaceutical ingredient (“API”) made in Mexico by Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories (“DRL Mexico”). DRL Mexico was not an FDA-approved source. To the contrary, as alleged, the defendants knew that DRL Mexico’s API was considered adulterated by the FDA due to significant violations of good manufacturing practices (cGMP) at DRL Mexico’s manufacturing plant. The cGMP violations were so severe that the FDA issued an import alert for all DRL Mexico API from July 2011 through July 2012. Nonetheless, from 2011 through 2013, KVK-TECH is charged with having knowingly distributed more than 383,000 bottles of the unapproved Hydroxyzine without the FDA’s knowledge or approval.
“FDA laws and regulations regarding drug composition, manufacturing, quality, and related controls are designed to protect Americans’ health and safety – so we can all be confident that our prescription medications will be safe and effective,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Williams. “When companies attempt to game the system to avoid these regulations and increase their profits, the ramifications are potentially catastrophic. As this Indictment makes clear, any individuals or companies that try to evade the law in this manner will be brought to justice.”
“The FDA’s requirements for drug approval are designed to ensure that patients receive safe and effective medical treatments. Evading the FDA process and distributing unapproved drugs to U.S. consumers will not be tolerated,” said Special Agent in Charge Mark S. McCormack, FDA Office of Criminal Investigations, Metro Washington Field Office. “We will continue to investigate and protect the public health of the nation.”
“An important mission of the Office of Inspector General is to investigate allegations of fraud against the Department of Labor’s programs. We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to investigate these types of allegations,” stated Syreeta Scott, Acting Special Agent-in-Charge, Philadelphia Region, U.S. Department of Labor Office of Inspector General.
If convicted, Vepuri and Panchal each face a maximum possible sentence of five years in prison, three years of supervised release, a $250,000 fine and other financial penalties including forfeiture. KVK-TECH faces fines up to $4 million and other financial penalties such as forfeiture and probation. The parties also face mandatory exclusion from participating in federal programs.
The case was investigated by the FDA-Office of Criminal Investigations, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Department of Labor Office of Inspector General, and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys M. Beth Leahy and Patrick J. Murray, and Ross Goldstein, Senior Litigation Counsel for the Department of Justice Consumer Protection Branch.
An indictment, information, or criminal complaint is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Bangor Man Sentenced for Credit Union RobberyRead the Press Release
BANGOR, Maine: A Bangor man was sentenced today in federal court for robbing a credit union, Acting U.S. Attorney Donald E. Clark announced.
U.S. District Judge John A. Woodcock, Jr. sentenced Earl R. Torrence, 44, to 37 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release. Torrence was also ordered to pay $1,950 in restitution. He pleaded guilty in February 2021.
According to court records, on June 30, 2020, Torrence entered the Acadia Federal Credit Union in Bangor wearing a surgical mask. He approached a teller, told the teller he had a gun and demanded money. He obtained the money and absconded. Investigators were able to identify Torrence by reviewing security footage taken outside the credit union just prior to the robbery. A short while later, investigators apprehended him in his home with money from the credit union.
The FBI and the Bangor Police Department investigated the case.
Albuquerque couple charged with federal firearms violationsRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – David “Flaco” Chavez, 43, and Ednamay De La Rosa, 38, both of Albuquerque, have been charged with being felons in possession of firearms and ammunition. At a hearing on June 7, Chavez was ordered detained pending trial. De La Rosa made an initial appearance in court on June 10 and will remain in custody pending a detention hearing scheduled for June 14.
According to a criminal complaint, on June 2 agents with the FBI’s Albuquerque Violent Crime Gang Task Force (VCGTF), detectives with the Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office and officers from the Albuquerque Police Department executed federal search warrants on Chavez’s and De La Rosa’s residences. Ammunition allegedly was located by agents during the search of Chavez’s residence. Among the items allegedly located by agents during the search of De La Rosa’s residence were four firearms and various types of ammunition as well as a suppressor and a 50-round drum magazine.
At the time of the alleged offenses, Chavez was serving a term of supervised release for a 2014 conviction for possession with intent to distribute heroin and possession of a firearm during, in relation to and in the furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. De La Rosa also has a prior felony conviction for possession with intent to distribute heroin. As previously convicted felons, Chavez and De La Rosa cannot legally possess firearms or ammunition.
A complaint is only an allegation. Defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. If convicted, Chavez and De La Rosa face up to 10 years in prison.
The Albuquerque VCGTF investigated this case with assistance from the Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander Uballez is prosecuting the case.
Albany Man Pleads Guilty to Possessing Three Loaded Firearms in Three Separate IncidentsRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Jamir Hartfield, age 21, of Albany, pled guilty today to unlawfully possessing three loaded handguns, as a felon, during three separate incidents in Albany in November 2018, March 2019, and August 2019.
The announcement was made by Acting United States Attorney Antoinette T. Bacon; John B. DeVito, Special Agent in Charge of the New York Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives (ATF); and Chief Eric Hawkins of the Albany Police Department (APD).
Hartfield was convicted in Albany County Court, in January 2018, of criminal possession of stolen property, a felony.
The November 2018 and August 2019 gun incidents involved encounters Hartfield had with the APD in which he fled and discarded loaded .380 and 9mm handguns.
The March 2019 incident involved a search warrant executed by the APD at a residence on Third Street in Albany, during which a different loaded 9mm handgun was recovered. Hartfield admitted possessing that 9mm handgun after his DNA was recovered from the gun.
Hartfield has been in federal custody since August 14, 2019.
United States District Judge Mae A. D’Agostino is scheduled to sentence Hartfield on October 19, 2021. Hartfield faces up to 10 years in prison; a fine up to $250,000; and up to 3 years of supervised release. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, and other factors.
The case was investigated by the APD and ATF, and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Robert A. Sharpe.
Additional Co-Conspirators Charged in Prescription Diversion SchemeRead the Press Release
Miami, Florida – A South Florida grand jury has charged five additional defendants for their alleged roles in a sophisticated scheme to purchase and distribute millions of dollars in diverted pharmaceutical drugs. A total of 14 defendants have now been charged in this case (19-cr-20674).
Diverted pharmaceutical drugs are branded medications, produced by the original pharmaceutical developers, that make their way into the underground market through fraud, pharmacy burglaries, and cargo thefts. Diverted pharmaceuticals typically are high-priced medical drugs used to treat conditions such as mental illness, human immunodeficiency (HIV), and cancer.
The Second Superseding Indictment returned on June 10, 2021, charges South Florida residents Stephen Manuel Costa, 37, Leah Solomon, 51, Rafael Angel Romero, 50, Ruben Reynaldo Rodriguez Diaz, 43, and Phoenix, Arizona resident David Ramirez Garcia, Sr., 58, with money laundering, mail fraud and violations of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetics Act. It is alleged these defendants and their earlier charged co-conspirators purchased large quantities of diverted pharmaceutical drugs on the unregulated, underground market at a cost well below normal wholesale prices. Then, they used seemingly legitimate wholesale companies and fraudulent paperwork to introduce the diverted drugs back into the legitimate marketplace by selling them to unwitting pharmacies and consumers at big mark-ups, it is alleged. According to the Second Superseding Indictment, the operation was so large that co-conspirators purchased two wholesale pharmaceutical companies and chartered a plane to deliver the drugs. See also prior press release at https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdfl/pr/two-ceos-wholesale-pharmaceutical-companies-and-two-owners-bank-accounts-used-money.
Acting U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida Juan Antonio Gonzalez, FBI Miami Special Agent in Charge George L. Piro, and U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Office of Criminal Investigations’ (FDA-OCI) Miami Field Office Special Agent in Charge Justin Fielder announced the charges.
Costa, Romero, and Rodriguez Diaz were arrested this morning and will have their initial appearance this afternoon at 1:30 p.m. before U.S. Magistrate Judge Lauren Louis, who sits in Miami. Garcia Sr. and Solomon will have their initial appearances on later dates.
The prosecution was part of Operation Southern Hospitality, one of the ongoing efforts by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF), a partnership between federal, state and local law enforcement agencies. The OCDETF mission is to identify, investigate, and prosecute high level members of drug trafficking and money laundering enterprises, bringing together the combined expertise and unique abilities of federal, state and local law enforcement.
FBI Miami and FDA-OCI Miami Field Office investigated this case, with assistance from the U.S. Attorney’s Offices for the Northern District of California, the District of Arizona, and the Western District of Washington, the United States Secret Service in Miami, FBI’s Los Angeles, Phoenix and Seattle Field Offices, the U.S. Marshal’s Service in Miami, Florida Department of Law Enforcement, Attorney General's Office of Statewide Prosecution in Fort Lauderdale, and Medicaid Fraud Control Unit.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Frank Tamen and Walter M. Norkin of the Southern District of Florida are prosecuting this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicole Grosnoff is handling asset forfeiture.
An indictment contains mere allegations and defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.
Related court documents and information, including charges against other co-conspirators, may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or on http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov under case number 19-cr-20674.
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Activity in the United States Attorney's OfficeRead the Press Release
Federal District Court Judge Alan B. Johnson sentenced LEONARD DALE HEADLEY, 62, of Fort Washakie, Wyoming on June 9, 2021 for failure to register as a sex offender. Headley was arrested in Fort Washakie, Wyoming. He received 14 months of imprisonment, to be followed by 60 months of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100.00 special assessment. The Bureau of Indian Affairs and the U.S. Marshals Service investigated this case.
17 Indicted in Large-Scale Methamphetamine, Heroin, and Cocaine Trafficking ConspiraciesRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned two indictments Thursday against a total of 17 defendants for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, heroin, and cocaine, Acting U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, between April 2019 and June 2020, agents seized more than 140 kilograms of methamphetamine, more than 500 grams of heroin, and $130,000 in cash.
The first indictment charges 12 defendants with conspiring to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute 500 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing methamphetamine and more than 100 grams of heroin. In furtherance of this conspiracy, the indictment also charges several defendants with possessing methamphetamine with the intent to distribute it. As well, each defendant is charged with using a cellphone in furtherance of the conspiracy. Charged in this indictment are: Antonio Mendoza Ramos, 42, of Bakersfield; Leopoldo Gonzalez Jr., 30, of Modesto; Victor Manuel Velazquez, 34, of Ceres; Erasmo Zarate Solorzano, 42, of Sacramento; Estela Acevedo, 60, of Las Vegas; Carlos Cano Manzo, 49, of Mexico; Diana Cervantes, 26, of Ceres; Jose Genaro Vargas-Ramirez, 19, of Des Moines, Iowa; Alma Adriana Mora Madrigal, 49, of Ontario; Alejandro Mora Madrigal, 51, of El Monte; Fernando Cardenas, 47, of Compton; and Humberto Pimentel Caranza, 27, of Modesto.
The second indictment charges Juan Zamora Torres, 59, of Turlock; Julio Mendoza Madrigal, 29, of Modesto; Robert Lewis McCommas, 45, of Idaho; Dorian Willes, 43, of Idaho; and Heather Romoser, 42, of Idaho. Torres is separately charged with several counts of distributing methamphetamine and heroin. Torres and Madrigal are charged with conspiring to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute methamphetamine. Madrigal, McCommas, Willes, and Romoser are charged with conspiring to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute methamphetamine and cocaine. Each defendant is also charged with using a cellphone in furtherance of the conspiracy.
These cases are the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Drug Enforcement Administration, Homeland Security Investigations, the U.S. Marshals Service, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the U.S. Forest Service, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Bureau of Land Management, the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, the California Highway Patrol, the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office, the Stanislaus County Sheriff’s Office, the Ceres Police Department, the Modesto Police Department, the Merced Police Department, the Merced County Sheriff’s Office, the Los Angeles Impact, the Ada County Sheriff’s Office, the California Multi-Jurisdictional Methamphetamine Enforcement Team, the Central Valley Gang Impact Task Force, El Segundo High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area 48, the Los Angeles Inter-Agency Metropolitan Police Apprehension Crime Task Force, the Modesto Police Department, the Sacramento Area Intelligence Narcotics Team, the Tri-Area Drug Enforcement Narcotics Team, the Turlock Police Department, the Turlock Special Investigations Unit, the West Sacramento Police Department, the Woodland Police Department, the Yolo County District Attorney’s Office, and the Yolo County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Angela Scott and Michael W. Redding are prosecuting the case.
If convicted, the defendants face a maximum statutory penalty of life in prison and a $10 million fine. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This prosecution is part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Strike Force Initiative, which provides for the establishment of permanent multi-agency task force teams that work side-by-side in the same location. The Sacramento Strike Force is a co-located model that enables agents from different agencies to collaborate on intelligence-driven, multi-jurisdictional operations to disrupt and dismantle the most significant drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations. The specific mission of the Sacramento Strike Force is to identify, investigate, disrupt, and dismantle the most significant drug trafficking organizations (DTOs) and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs) shipping narcotics, firearms, and money through the Eastern District of California, thereby reducing the flow of these criminal resources in California and the rest of the United States. The Sacramento Strike Force leads intelligence-driven investigations targeting the leadership and support elements of these DTOs and TCOs operating within the Eastern District of California, regardless of their geographic base of operations.
10 Alleged Drug Dealers Charged Following FBI Operation ‘50/50 Love’Read the Press Release
Ten of the alleged drug dealers arrested in yesterday’s “Operation 50/50 Love” have been federally charged with conspiracy to distribute cocaine and other drug crimes, announced Acting U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Prerak Shah.
The operation – which involved more than 400 agents from the FBI, Dallas Police Department, DEA, and ATF – was announced at a press conference Thursday. Over the course of the investigation, law enforcement seized 36 weapons, more than $58,000 cash, six vehicles, and more than 18 kilograms of drugs, including suspected powder cocaine, crack cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine, marijuana, and PCP.
Defendant initial appearances began Friday morning.
According to court documents unsealed today, a number of defendants allegedly used so-called “trap room” on Meyers Street in Park Row, one of the most consistently violent areas in the city of Dallas, to distribute drugs.
The defendants – many of them gang members known for their involvement in various criminal activities, from illegal weapons trafficking to aggravated assault – operated out of an apartment complex made up of parallel two-story buildings.
Each trap room sold a specific type of controlled substance, and was equipped with a counter where sellers cut, packaged, and distributed drugs. Occasionally, when they ran low, sellers would “re-up” with controlled substances stored in vehicles parked on the property. For a small fee, dealers permitted customers to use drugs in a “party” unit onsite.
Competing factions dealt cocaine and other narcotics out of the “left side” and “right side” of the apartments, but were known to do so without retribution against the opposite side. Occasionally, when one side unexpectedly ran out of drugs, the opposing side would “loan” them drugs to sell. At one point, the “right side” permitted the “left side” to operate out of the “right side” due to a shooting at a trap house on the “left side.”
To secure drugs and maintain control, sellers on the “left side” possessed firearms, which they often kept in plain view near the drug counter.
“Like many cities across the country, Dallas is bracing for a surge in violent crime this summer. Violence almost always spikes in the summer months. But the chaos and frustration surrounding the pandemic has only made things more unpredictable and more volatile,” Acting U.S. Attorney Shah said during Thursday afternoon’s press conference (watch here). “The agencies and the people here today analyzed which areas and identified which people and groups were the drivers of violent crime, the types of crime that devastate communities, and then took decisive action against those individuals… The law enforcement action you saw today actually serves two purposes: first, to take some of our city’s most violent criminals off the streets, but also, to signal to the rest of the city that the feds are watching, we’re working with Dallas Police Department, and we’re ready to take action. Our efforts to stop violent crime in this city are only starting.”
“Fighting violent crime is a responsibility that we all share, and the Dallas FBI is proud to work alongside the Dallas Police Department, DEA, ATF and others as we deploy our collective strength to ensure the safety and security of our neighborhoods,” said FBI Dallas Special Agent in Charge Matthew J. DeSarno. “This FBI Dallas Safe Streets Task Force investigation combined traditional law enforcement techniques with intelligence resources which led to Thursday’s successful operation to remove criminal elements from our streets and protect the residents of Dallas.”
“The message today for the residents of Dallas is simple: the Dallas Police Department is not alone in keeping our community safe. The Dallas Police Department is not alone in weeding the criminal element off of our streets and the Dallas Police Department is not alone in seeding our communities with hope,” said Dallas Police Chief Eddie Garcia.
Some defendants were charged via indictment, others via criminal complaint.
Those charged via indictment include:
- Sataurus Joe Jackson, aka “Slicc,” charged with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute a controlled substance
- Ardairus DeQuall Vatin, aka “Decc,” charged with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute a controlled substance and possession with intent to distribute cocaine base (crack cocaine)
- Antuan Fulce, aka “Fatboy” or “Big Homie,” charged with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute a controlled substance and possession with intent to distribute cocaine base
- Daymion Savannah-Womack, aka “Boulevard,” charged with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute a controlled substance and possession with intent to distribute marijuana
- Terry Lee Hicks, charged with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute a controlled substance and possession with intent to distribute cocaine base
- Exie Denise Alexander, charged with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute a controlled substance and possession with intent to distribute cocaine base
- Aretha Lashun Minter, aka “Shun,” charged with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute a controlled substance
Those charged via criminal complaint include:
- David Antwon Ricks, aka "Coogi," charged with possession with intent to distribute cocaine base
- Mark Antony White, charged with possession with intent to distribute cocaine
Additional name(s) will become available as they are unsealed by the court.
Indictments and complaints are merely allegations of criminal conduct, not evidence. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
If convicted, they face up to 20 years per count in federal prison.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Dallas Safe Streets Task Force, along with the Dallas Police Department, headed up the investigation, with assistance from the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Dallas Field Division and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives’ Dallas Field Division. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lindsey Beran and Nicole Dana are prosecuting the case.
10 June 2021
Wilmington Man Sentenced to 14 Years for Possession of Narcotics and FirearmsRead the Press Release
RALEIGH, N.C. – A Wilmington man was sentenced today to 168 months in prison for possession with intent to deliver crack cocaine and possession of a firearm by a felon. On January 13, 2021, Rodney Tyrone Tyson pled guilty to the charges.
According to court documents and other information presented in court, law enforcement in Wilmington received information that Tyson had robbed an individual of a large amount of crack cocaine. Tyson was spotted by law enforcement in a housing community in Wilmington. As an officer approached Tyson to speak with him, Tyson turned and walked in the opposite direction. Upon seeing another officer, Tyson turned and walked in a different direction to avoid law enforcement. When one of the officers neared Tyson, he could smell a strong odor of PCP. The officer made contact with Tyson and patted him down. The officer found a .38 caliber firearm in Tyson’s front pocket. Tyson was arrested and officers began to transport him to the Wilmington Police Department.
During the transport, Tyson became combative and attempted to kick out the back window of the patrol car. Officers removed Tyson from the vehicle and put hobble straps on his legs to prevent Tyson from damaging the vehicle. During the struggle, Tyson’s shoe came off and officers located a vial of PCP, 9.85 grams of cocaine base (crack) and 2.11 grams of marijuana. While officers were trying to get Tyson back into the car, he kicked one officer and bit another. Tyson continued to try to damage the police car during transport.
Tyson was sentenced as a career offender, having multiple prior convictions for violent felonies and drug distribution felonies.
G. Norman Acker, III, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after the sentencing by U.S. District Judge James C. Dever, III. The Wilmington Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case and Assistant U.S. Attorney Charity Wilson prosecuted the case.
Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 7:19-CR-87.
Wife of “El Chapo” Pleads Guilty to Drug Trafficking and Money LaunderingRead the Press Release
The wife of Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman Loera, leader of the Mexican drug trafficking organization known as the Sinaloa Cartel, pleaded guilty today to charges related to international drug trafficking, money laundering, and a criminal violation of the Foreign Narcotics Kingpin Designation Act (the Kingpin Act).
According to court documents, Emma Coronel Aispuro, 31, a dual U.S.-Mexican citizen, pleaded guilty to a three-count criminal information charging her with: 1) Conspiring to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine, one kilogram or more of heroin, 500 grams or more of methamphetamine, and 1,000 kilograms or more of marijuana in the U.S., Mexico, and elsewhere, knowing, intending, and having a reasonable cause to believe that such substances would be unlawfully imported into the U.S.; 2) conspiring with others to launder narcotics proceeds; and 3) violating the criminal penalties of the Kingpin Act by engaging in transactions and dealings in property of her husband, Guzman Loera, a Significant Foreign Narcotics Trafficker designated by the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the U.S. Department of the Treasury.
Coronel Aispuro is scheduled to be sentenced on Sept. 15. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Acting Assistant Attorney General Nicholas L. McQuaid of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and Assistant Director in Charge Steven D’Antuono of the FBI’s Washington Field Office made the announcement.
This investigation is being conducted by the FBI’s Washington Field Office with significant assistance from other FBI Field Offices, the Drug Enforcement Administration and Homeland Security Investigations.
Deputy Chief Anthony Nardozzi and Trial Attorney Kate Wagner of the Criminal Division’s Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section are prosecuting the case.
Westinghouse Director During Nuclear Debacle Pleads Guilty in Federal Court to Making False Statement to FBIRead the Press Release
Columbia, South Carolina --- Acting United States Attorney M. Rhett DeHart announced today that Carl Dean Churchman, a former Westinghouse Electric Corporation Vice President and the Project Director of the V.C. Summer Nuclear project, pled guilty today in federal court to making a false statement to an FBI agent during the investigation of the failed nuclear project at the V.C. Summer site.
“This guilty plea shows that the investigation into the V.C. Summer nuclear debacle did not end with the former SCANA executives,” said Acting United States Attorney DeHart. “We are committed to seeing this case through and holding all individual and corporate wrongdoers accountable.”
“Today’s plea highlights the FBI’s determination to conduct a comprehensive investigation that yields the truth,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Susan Ferensic. “We will continue to ask important questions and identify all involved in this failed nuclear project.”
As evidence presented to the court showed, Churchman was interviewed by FBI Special Agent Aaron Hawkins in May 2019. During the interview, Agent Hawkins asked Churchman several questions about Westinghouse’s reporting of V.C. Summer’s completion dates to SCANA and Santee Cooper (“the owners”) in early 2017.
Churchman told Agent Hawkins that Westinghouse’s executives did not consult him prior to reporting the completion dates to the owners. Churchman claimed that he did not know the dates before they were reported and that he did not know who made the decision to report the dates to the owners.
However, emails and other documents obtained during the investigation of the failed nuclear project at the V.C. Summer site revealed that Churchman lied to Agent Hawkins during the May 2019 interview. An internal Westinghouse email chain establishes that Churchman received and discussed the dates in early 2017.
Additionally, detailed notes from an early 2017 meeting with Westinghouse executives by SCANA’s Executive Vice President Steve Byrne revealed that Churchman reported the completion dates to SCANA on February 14, 2017, directly contradicting the statements Churchman made to Agent Hawkins.
On May 19, 2021, Churchman sat down for another interview with the FBI. At the beginning of the interview, Churchman acknowledged that his previous statements were untrue.
Today’s plea is the third stemming from the investigation of the failed nuclear project. Byrne previously pled guilty to conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud, and former SCANA Chief Executive Officer and former Chairman of its Board of Directors Kevin Marsh pled guilty in federal court to conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud.
Today’s plea also follows a previously announced agreement with Dominion Energy that will, over time, provide at least four billion dollars of South Carolina ratepayer relief; and it follows a previously announced settlement by SCANA and SCE&G on a Securities and Exchange Commission lawsuit charging them with defrauding investors by making false and misleading statements about the nuclear plant expansion that was ultimately abandoned.
In the plea agreement, Churchman agrees to cooperate fully with federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies. He also agrees to testify fully and truthfully before any grand juries until the investigation and prosecution in the criminal acts that occurred in relation to the failed V.C. Summer Nuclear plant expansion are complete.
On the federal charge, Churchman faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, supervised release of up to 3 years, and a $100 special assessment.
United States District Judge Mary G. Lewis accepted the guilty plea and will sentence Churchman after receiving and reviewing a sentencing report prepared by the United States Probation Office.
Assistant United States Attorneys Jim May, Brook Andrews, Winston Holliday, Emily Limehouse, and Jason Peavy along with Special Assistant United States Attorney John O’Halloran, a lawyer with the Securities and Exchange Commission, prosecuted the case.
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West Texas Kidnapper Sentenced to More Than 30 Years in Federal Prison for Abducting 9-Year-Old GirlRead the Press Release
A west Texas man was sentenced today to 365 months in federal prison for abducting a 9-year-old girl from a birthday party, announced Acting U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Prerak Shah.
Damien Dre Gonzales, 27, of Levelland, Texas pleaded guilty in February to one count of kidnapping. He was sentenced on Thursday by U.S. District Judge James Wesley Hendrix.
According to plea papers, Mr. Gonzales admitted to abducting a 9-year old girl at a birthday party in Levelland, Texas to engage in illicit sexual intercourse.
During the birthday party in August 2020, a woman began choking and most of the attendees went to assist with her sudden health emergency. While the minor’s father was attending to the woman, Mr. Gonzales lured the 9-year-old away by asking for her help carrying alcohol to his vehicle. Mr. Gonzales encouraged the girl to get inside the vehicle and then he drove away.
The girl’s disappearance set off a frantic search by her family and those at the birthday party. They notified law enforcement and replayed home surveillance footage that showed the 9-year-old leaving with Mr. Gonzales.
About that same time, the Levelland Police Department received a report of a vehicle parked in the middle of the street several miles from the location of the birthday party. Mr. Gonzales hit a residential mailbox and stopped in the road. While in the car, Mr. Gonzales sexually assaulted the girl by removing her clothes and touching her.
When law enforcement arrived on the scene to investigate the parked car, they discovered the girl inside. Officers noticed that Mr. Gonzales’ jeans were unzipped, and his belt was unbuckled. Inside Mr. Gonzales’ car was an open box of condoms sitting in the passenger seat and one condom was missing from the box.
The victim was immediately reunited with her parents and provided psychological and medical support.
The FBI Lubbock Resident Agency, Levelland Police Department, and Hockley County Sheriff’s Office conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Callie Woolam prosecuted the case.
Washington County Man Sentenced on Federal Firearm ChargeRead the Press Release
BANGOR, Maine— A Machiasport man was sentenced in federal court on Tuesday for possession of a firearm by a felon, Acting U.S. Attorney Donald E. Clark announced.
U.S. District Judge Lance E. Walker sentenced Timothy D. Davis, 64, to 37 months in prison, to run consecutive to a 2-year sentence for violating the terms of his federal probation in another case. Davis was also sentenced to three years of supervised release. Davis pleaded guilty in October 2019.
According to court records, Davis possessed a shotgun on July 9, 2019. He had previously been convicted of possession of a firearm by a felon in 2019 and armed assault with intent to murder in 2010. Davis was prohibited from possessing a firearm under federal law because both crimes were punishable by a term of imprisonment exceeding one year.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case.
This case was part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. The Department of Justice reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime.
Two Members of the Violent Extremist Group “the Base” Plead Guilty to Federal Firearms and Alien-Related ChargesRead the Press Release
Greenbelt, Maryland – Two members of the racially motivated violent extremist group “The Base” pleaded guilty today to firearms and alien-related charges arising from federal charges in Maryland and Delaware.
Brian Mark Lemley, Jr., age 35, of Elkton, Maryland, and Newark, Delaware, pleaded guilty to the Maryland charges of conspiracy to transport certain aliens, to transporting certain aliens, to disposing of a firearm and ammunition to an illegal alien, and to transporting a firearm and ammunition in interstate commerce with intent to commit a felony; and to the Delaware charges of harboring certain aliens, aiding and abetting an alien in possession of a firearm, and obstruction of justice.
Canadian national Patrik Jordan Mathews, age 29, recently of Newark, Delaware, pleaded guilty to the Maryland and Delaware charges of being an alien in possession of a firearm and ammunition; to the Maryland charge of transporting a firearm and ammunition in interstate commerce with intent to commit a felony; and to the Delaware charge of obstruction of justice.
A third co-defendant and member of “The Base,” William Garfield Bilbrough IV, age 21, of Denton, Maryland, previously pleaded guilty to conspiring to transport an alien and to transporting the alien, specifically, The Base member Patrik Mathews, and was sentenced to five years in federal prison.
Today’s guilty pleas were announced by Acting United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Jonathan F. Lenzner; United States Attorney for the District of Delaware David C. Weiss; Acting Special Agent in Charge Rachel Byrd of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office; and Special Agent in Charge Timothy Jones of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Baltimore Field Division.
“Preserving our nation’s security against domestic terrorist threats continues to be a top priority of the Justice Department,” said Acting United States Attorney Jonathan F. Lenzner. “In late 2019 and early 2020, Lemley, Mathews and others in The Base were assembling firearms and collecting thousands of rounds of ammunition with the intent to engage in serious criminal conduct. There is simply no place in our country for racially motivated extremist groups that engage in violence. Our office and law enforcement partners in Maryland and Delaware will use all of the tools at our disposal to investigate and prosecute violent extremists.”
U.S. Attorney Weiss stated, “Detecting, disrupting and deterring the threat of domestic terrorism and violent extremism in all of its forms is a top priority for this office. However, mere membership in a violent extremist group like the Base, an organization that trades in hatred and bigotry, no matter how despicable, is not a federal crime. But when extremists like defendants Mathews and Lemley take action in furtherance of their twisted agenda and commit firearms offenses, obstruct justice and illegally transport aliens -- law enforcement will respond swiftly and decisively. I commend the diligence of Maryland and Delaware law enforcement in bringing these defendants to justice.”
“Today's admission of guilt shows how far Mr. Lemley and Mr. Mathews were willing to go to support extremist activity,” said Rachel Byrd, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Baltimore Field Office. “This investigation and the guilty plea underscore the continuing threat we face from domestic extremist groups. The FBI and our law enforcement partners remain fully prepared to take actions necessary to safeguard our communities.”
“When extremist beliefs begin escalating into criminal activity, it creates a volatile and potentially lethal mentality that threatens everyone’s safety,” said ATF Baltimore Special Agent in Charge Timothy Jones. “The strong partnerships ATF and our fellow local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies have ensures that this team effort is always prepared to identify and stop extremists and violent offenders anytime, anywhere, no matter if they cross state lines and jurisdictions.”
According to court filings, Lemley, Mathews, and Bilbrough were members of The Base, a racially motivated violent extremist group. Since 2018, The Base has built a coalition of white supremacist members within the United States and abroad through, among other things, online chat rooms, in-person meetings, propaganda, and military-style training. As detailed in their plea agreements, Lemley and Bilbrough traveled in Lemley’s vehicle to participate in a regional training camp conducted by members of The Base in Georgia from August 2 through August 4, 2019, including participating in tactical training and firearms drills. Later in August, Lemley and Bilbrough attended another The Base training camp in a different state.
As detailed in the plea agreements for Lemley and Mathews, on August 19, 2019, the Winnipeg (Canada) Free Press published an article regarding one of its reporter’s infiltration of The Base that led to the identification of Mathews as a member of The Base. Mathews then fled Canada and illegally entered the United States. At some point thereafter, Lemley and Bilbrough learned that Mathews had unlawfully crossed the border.
On August 30, 2019, Lemley and Bilbrough traveled in Lemley’s truck from Maryland to southern Michigan to pick up Mathews in order to transport him to the East Coast where he could safely reside and continue his participation in The Base. Lemley and Bilbrough remained in Michigan for approximately two hours, after which Lemley, Bilbrough, and Mathews headed back east. Lemley and Bilbough each drove at least part of the time and Bilbrough was dropped off at his house in Maryland on the evening of August 31, 2019. Lemley then drove Mathews to the area of Chincoteague, Virginia, in order to conceal Mathews’ presence in the United States.
On Saturday, September 14, 2019, Lemley traveled in his vehicle from his residence in Elkton, Maryland, to Chincoteague Island, Virginia, where he picked up Mathews. Lemley and Mathews then traveled south, through the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel to Rome, Georgia, in the vicinity of the residence of a known member of The Base. Approximately five hours later, Lemley departed for Maryland and Mathews stayed at the Georgia property.
Lemley acknowledged that on about October 30, 2019, he picked Bilbrough up at his residence and the two drove to Georgia to attend a training camp at the property of another member of The Base. Mathews, who was already residing at the Georgia property, admitted that he also attended the training camp. While in Georgia, on November 2, 2019, Lemley and Bilbrough purchased approximately 1,550 rounds of 5.56 ammunition. Later that day, Lemley, Mathews and Bilbrough traveled from Georgia to Maryland. The next day, Lemley and Mathews admitted that they dropped Bilbrough off at his house and traveled to Elkton, Maryland, where Mathews spent the night at a motel a few minutes from Lemley’s residence.
As detailed in Lemley’s and Mathews’ plea agreements, on November 4, 2019, Mathews left the motel on foot. After buying food from a nearby restaurant, Mathews walked into the woods behind the restaurant, where he remained until Lemley picked him up. Lemley and Mathews drove to a bank and then to an apartment complex in Newark, Delaware, where Lemley rented an apartment while Mathews remained in the vehicle. Thereafter, Lemley and Mathews primarily resided in the apartment in Delaware.
According to their plea agreements, on December 20, 2019, Mathews took steps to construct a rifle out of various weapons parts and watched a video on his phone that provided directions on constructing the rifle. Lemley and Mathews also discussed the rifle and parts that needed to be obtained to finish constructing the rifle. Lemley and Mathews admitted that they held and manipulated the rifle.
Lemley and Mathews acknowledged that on December 29, 2019, they discussed visiting a gun range to test fire the newly constructed rifle. On January 2, 2020, Lemley took the rifle from the apartment in Delaware to a public gun range in Maryland, where he was observed by an FBI agent. On January 5, 2020, Mathews and Lemley left the Delaware residence with at least one firearm and went to the same public gun range previously visited by Lemley. Prior to their arrival, the FBI had set up a stationary camera in a vehicle near the range and an ATF agent was in the vicinity of the range. Agents observed, and the camera recorded, Mathews in possession of, and firing a firearm. Lemley observed Mathews’ shots through an unattached rifle scope.
Lemley admitted that on January 7, 2020, he ordered approximately 1,500 rounds of 5.56 mm and 6.5 mm ammunition, which fit two rifles possessed by Lemley and Mathews. On January 11, 2020, Lemley drove Mathews from their Delaware residence to the Maryland gun range they had visited previously. Mathews admitted that while at the range, he handled and fired the rifle. On the way back to Delaware, the men stopped at Lemley’s prior residence in Elkton, where they retrieved some of the 1,500 rounds of ammunition Lemley had ordered on January 7. Mathews admitted that he knew he was an alien illegally present in the United States at the times he possessed the firearm and ammunition in Maryland and Delaware.
On January 15, 2020, Lemley and Mathews discussed the possibility of going to jail for their conduct. During the conversation, Lemley told Mathews, "I may be going to jail upon discovery of the propaganda in my cell phone."
Early in the morning on January 16, 2020, federal agents executed federal arrest warrants on Lemley and Mathews at the Delaware residence. Before Lemley and Mathews submitted to the agents, however, Lemley repeatedly directed Mathews to smash his cell phone. Lemley and Mathews smashed their cell phones and dumped them into the toilet. Lemley and Mathews admitted that by doing so, they intended to obstruct or impede the administration of justice with respect to the investigation, prosecution, and sentencing of their offenses. Their activity was fully captured on video and audio surveillance equipment installed in the Delaware residence, pursuant to a federal court order.
Lemley and Mathews each face a maximum of 10 years in federal prison for transporting a firearm and ammunition in interstate commerce with intent to commit a felony offense and a maximum of 20 years in federal prison for obstruction of justice. Lemley also faces a maximum sentence of five years in federal prison each for transporting and for harboring certain aliens; a maximum of 10 years in federal prison each for conspiracy to transport certain aliens, for disposing of a firearm and ammunition to an illegal alien, and for aiding and abetting an alien in possession of a firearm and ammunition. Mathews also faces a maximum of 10 years in federal prison for each of two counts of being an alien in possession of a firearm and ammunition. U.S. District Judge Theodore D. Chuang has scheduled sentencing for Mathews on October 28, 2021 at 9:30 a.m., and for Lemley on October 28, 2021 at 2:00 p.m.
Acting United States Attorney Jonathan F. Lenzner and United States Attorney David C. Weiss commended the FBI Baltimore Joint Terrorism Task Force (JTTF) and the ATF for their work in the investigation, and thanked U.S. Homeland Security Investigations, the Maryland Department of Natural Resources, the Maryland State Police, and the Delaware State Police for their assistance. Mr. Lenzner and Mr. Weiss thanked their offices’ national security prosecutors, who are handling the case.
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Topsham Man Sentenced for Unlawfully Possessing FirearmsRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Maine: A Topsham man was sentenced today in federal court for being a felon in possession of firearms, Acting U.S. Attorney Donald E. Clark announced.
U.S. District Judge D. Brock Hornby sentenced Manesseh Massaline, 51, to 51 months in prison and three years of supervised release. Massaline pleaded guilty on January 5, 2021.
According to court records, Massaline possessed a Glock 9 mm handgun and a KelTec 12-gauge shotgun on January 17, 2019. He was prohibited from possessing firearms under federal law because he had previously been convicted in Maine state court of Assault, Aggravated Assault and Aggravated Criminal Trespass, crimes that were punishable by a term of imprisonment exceeding one year.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency’s Mid-Coast Drug Task Force investigated the case.
This case was part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a nationwide initiative that brings together federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement officials, prosecutors, community leaders, and other stakeholders to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in a community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. PSN is coordinated by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices in the 94 federal judicial districts throughout the 50 states and U.S. territories.
Three Indicted on Federal Drug Distribution ChargesRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – A husband and wife from Fairfax and their cousin from Spotsylvania were indicted last month with conspiring to distribute controlled substances in the Western District of Virginia.
According to court documents, Fahid Rashid, 30, Akhter Ahmed, 28, and Khalisah Khan, 29, conspired to traffic counterfeit pills containing fentanyl. The defendants, and others, are charged with selling thousands of counterfeit pills in and around the Western District of Virginia containing fentanyl and multiple kilograms of methamphetamine. The defendants are accused of using multiple addresses in Culpeper, Spotsylvania, Winchester, Fairfax, and elsewhere for their drug trafficking activities. Rashid is also charged in a scheme in which he possessed vehicles knowing their VIN numbers had been altered.
Acting U.S. Attorney Daniel P. Bubar of the Western District of Virginia; and Jared Forget, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) Washington Division made the announcement.
The Drug Enforcement Administration, the Blue Ridge Narcotics and Gang Task Force, Spotsylvania County Sheriff’s Office, Fairfax County Police Department, Arlington County Police Department, and the United States Postal Inspection Service are investigating the case. The Blue Ridge Narcotics and Gang Task Force is comprised of investigative personnel from the Culpeper, Fauquier, Orange, Rappahannock Sheriff's Departments, Culpeper and Warrenton Police Departments and the Virginia State Police Bureau of Criminal Investigation, Culpeper Field Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kate Rumsey is prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Thirty-Six Defendants Sentenced for Their Roles in International Thai Sex Trafficking OrganizationRead the Press Release
ST. PAUL, Minn. – Thirty-six defendants have been sentenced in federal court for their roles in operating a massive international sex trafficking organization that was responsible for coercing hundreds of Thai women to engage in commercial sex acts across the United States.
Matthew Mintz, 29, of Chicago, Illinois, pleaded guilty on April 23, 2018, to one count of conspiracy to commit harboring and one count of conspiracy to engage in money laundering. Mintz was sentenced yesterday by Senior Judge Donovan Frank to one year and one day in prison, three years of supervised release, $100,000 in restitution, and 100 hours of community service. Sumalee Intarathong, 60, is the final defendant that was charged as part of the sex trafficking conspiracy. On February 17, 2021, Intarathong was extradited to the United States from Belgium on a 10-count superseding indictment alleging conspiracy, human trafficking violations, and visa fraud.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, this criminal organization compelled hundreds of women from Bangkok, Thailand, to engage in commercial sex acts in various cities across the United States, including Minneapolis, Los Angeles, Chicago, Atlanta, Phoenix, Washington, D.C., Las Vegas, Houston, Dallas, Seattle and Austin. The trafficking victims were often from impoverished backgrounds and spoke little or no English. They were coerced to participate in the criminal scheme through misleading promises of a better life in the United States and the ability to provide money to their families in Thailand.
Once in the United States, the victims were sent to houses of prostitution where they were forced to have sex with strangers – every day – for up to 12 hours a day, at times having sex with 10 men a day. The victims were isolated from the outside world. They were not allowed to leave the houses of prostitution unless accompanied by a member of the criminal organization. The victims moved around the United States between houses of prostitution in multiple cities. They and their families in Thailand were threatened.
The organization also engaged in widespread visa fraud to facilitate the international transportation of the victims. Traffickers assisted the victims in obtaining fraudulent visas and travel documents by funding false bank accounts, creating fictitious backgrounds and occupations, and instructing the victims to enter into fraudulent marriages to increase the likelihood that their visa applications would be approved. Traffickers also coached the victims as to what to say during their visa interviews. While working to obtain visa documents, traffickers gathered personal information from the victims, including the location of the victims’ families in Thailand. This information was later used to threaten victims who sought to flee the organization in the United States.
The organization dealt primarily in cash and engaged in rampant and sophisticated money laundering in order to promote and conceal illegal profits. The organization used “funnel accounts” to launder and route cash from cities across the United States to the money launderers in Los Angeles. To date, investigators have been able to recover $1.5 million in cash and $15 million in money judgments secured through plea agreements. During the extensive investigation, law enforcement traced tens of millions of dollars to the organization. Indeed, at trial, there was testimony that more than $40 million was sent to Thailand by one money launderer alone.
“A total of 36 individuals who participated in this horrific commercial sex trafficking operation have now been held to account for their exploitative treatment of fellow human beings,” said Acting U.S. Attorney W. Anders Folk. “Sex trafficking is a reprehensible crime and combatting it remains a priority for this office and for our law enforcement partners. Today’s penultimate sentencing not only signals the end of a years-long investigation and prosecution, but it demonstrates the dogged pursuit that we have brought to this case since day one.”
“HSI, through collaborative efforts with numerous law enforcement partners, unraveled this international ring of criminals that brutally exploited women for their own personal gain,” said acting Special Agent in Charge Jamie Holt, of HSI St. Paul. “Human trafficking is a deplorable crime, and this sentencing, the last of 36 defendants that have resulted in nearly $23 million in restitution ordered by the court, demonstrates a measure of justice for the victims and that HSI will continue to ensure those responsible will be brought to justice.”
“Money laundering is tax evasion in progress. The proceeds are fuel for criminals to conduct their illegal affairs and are used to manipulate and erode our financial systems,” said Special Agent In Charge Kathy Enstrom, IRS Criminal Investigation, Chicago Field Office. “We are committed to deciphering the complex international financial transactions and money laundering schemes that are the engine for human trafficking. We will find you and we will bring you to justice, just as we did with Matthew Mintz,” said Enstrom.
This case was the result of an investigation conducted by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Criminal Investigation Division of the IRS (IRS-CI), the Department of Justice’s Criminal Division’s Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section, the Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division’s Human Trafficking Prosecution Unit, the St. Paul Police Department, the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension’s Minnesota Human Trafficking Investigators Task Force, the Anoka County Sheriff’s Office, the Cook County (Illinois) Sheriff’s Office, the State Department Diplomatic Security Service, and the International Organized Crime Intelligence and Operations Center (IOC-2). Acting U.S. Attorney Folk also thanks the Thai Community Development Center for their support and advocacy on behalf of the victims of this sex trafficking organization.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Melinda A. Williams and Laura Provinzino, with assistance from HSI Special Agent Tonya Price, IRS-CI Special Agent John Tschida, Senior Investigator Steven Baker of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division’s Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section, and the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division’s Human Trafficking Prosecution Unit.
Stockton Man Charged with Being Felon in Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned a one-count indictment today against Marco Guzman, 32, of Stockton, charging him with being a felon in possession of a firearm, Acting U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, on Jan. 1, 2021, Guzman possessed a Glock Model 27 pistol. Guzman has been convicted of multiple felony offenses in San Joaquin County Superior Court and is prohibited from possessing a firearm.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Stockton Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ross Pearson is prosecuting the case.
If convicted, Guzman faces a maximum statutory penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This case was part of Operation Ceasefire in the city of Stockton. The U.S. Attorney’s Office works closely with San Joaquin County District Attorney’s Office and the Stockton Police Department to deliver on Ceasefire’s mission to establish a peaceful community by investigating and prosecuting members and associates of criminal groups who continue to commit serious and violent felonies in the city, including individuals who have previously been prosecuted for illegal gun and gang-related crimes.
This case is being prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
Statement of Attorney General Merrick B. Garland on the Life of Judge Robert KatzmannRead the Press Release
U.S. Attorney General Merrick B. Garland made the following statement on the passing of Judge Robert Katzmann:
“We lost a giant yesterday with the passing of Judge Robert Katzmann. Humble and modest in demeanor, he leaves behind a legion of family, friends, and colleagues who will feel his loss because he enriched our lives through our relationship to him. But that number pales in comparison to the lives he touched through his work – people who will never know the name of the man who helped make their lives better.
“Bob had extraordinary intellectual gifts, a profound commitment to the law, and a deep devotion to public service. He was a distinguished federal judge on the Second Circuit, a creative legal thinker, and a gifted teacher. He saw everyone as a person, not merely a litigant or a defendant, and was deeply conscious of the impact that his legal rulings would have on the lives of those affected by his decisions.
“A PhD political scientist as well as a lawyer, Bob had an unparalleled understanding about how Congress viewed the laws it passed and the means by which those laws should be interpreted by the judiciary. He authored several books; the most recent, Judging Statutes, is widely taught in law schools to help students understand statutory interpretation, the basis for so many legal questions that come before the courts.
“His influential decisions are too many to mention. One that stands out is his opinion writing for the full 2nd Circuit that Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibits employment discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation. That decision was later affirmed by the Supreme Court in Bostock v. Clayton County.
“Bob was the rare jurist whose achievements outside the courtroom are as monumental as his work as a judge. His deep belief that the justice system cannot work unless people have access to representation led him to found the Immigrant Justice Corps, a fellowship program through which recent law school and college graduates provide high quality legal assistance to tens of thousands of immigrants on a range of life-altering legal matters.
“Bob understood that public confidence in the judicial system requires an understanding of the role of courts and bringing courts closer to the community. He launched a circuit-wide civic education initiative, Justice for All: Courts and the Community, in which judges, court personnel, attorneys and educators work together to help ensure that courts are accessible and effective public institutions.
“The rule of law and the search for equal justice have lost one of their most effective advocates. Bob elevated our profession and inspired countless young law students and lawyers. He brought enormous and edifying humanity to every interaction he had.
“Bob was my friend. While serving together for many years on committees of the Judicial Conference of the United States, I saw firsthand his decency, compassion and humility. His wife, Jennifer, his mother Sylvia, and his brothers and sister, Gary, Martin and Susan, have my deepest sympathy. He will be sorely missed.”
Slilpp Marketplace Disrupted in International Cyber OperationRead the Press Release
The Justice Department today announced its participation in a multinational operation involving actions in the United States, Germany, the Netherlands, and Romania to disrupt and take down the infrastructure of the online marketplace known as Slilpp.
According to a seizure warrant affidavit that was unsealed today, since 2012, the Slilpp marketplace has been selling stolen login credentials, including usernames and passwords for bank accounts, online payment accounts, mobile phone accounts, retailer accounts, and other online accounts. According to the affidavit, the Slilpp marketplace allowed vendors to sell, and customers to buy, stolen login credentials by providing the forum and payment mechanism for such transactions; Slilpp buyers subsequently used those login credentials to conduct unauthorized transactions (such as wire transfers) from the related accounts. To date, over a dozen individuals have been charged or arrested by U.S. law enforcement in connection with the Slilpp marketplace.
According to the affidavit, the FBI, working in coordination with foreign law enforcement partners, identified a series of servers that hosted the Slilpp marketplace infrastructure and its various domain names. Those servers and domain names were seized pursuant to domestic and international legal process.
“The Slilpp marketplace allegedly caused hundreds of millions of dollars in losses to victims worldwide, including by enabling buyers to steal the identities of American victims,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Nicholas L. McQuaid of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “The department will not tolerate an underground economy for stolen identities, and we will continue to collaborate with our law enforcement partners worldwide to disrupt criminal marketplaces wherever they are located.”
“With today’s coordinated disruption of the Slilpp marketplace, the FBI and our international partners sent a clear message to those who, as alleged, would steal and traffic in stolen identities: we will not allow cyber threats to go unchecked,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Channing D. Phillips of the District of Columbia. “We applaud the efforts of the FBI and our international partners who contributed to the effort to mitigate this global threat.”
“American identities are not for sale,” said Assistant Director in Charge Steven M. D’Antuono of the FBI Washington Field Office. “The FBI remains committed to working with our international partners to dismantle global cyber threats.”
At the time of the disruption, the affidavit alleges that stolen account login credentials for over 1,400 account providers were available for sale on the Slilpp marketplace. According to the affidavit, a fraction of the victimized account providers have calculated losses so far; based on limited existing victim reports, the stolen login credentials sold over Slilpp have been used to cause over $200 million in losses in the United States. The full impact of Slilpp is not yet known.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia, the FBI Washington Field Office, and the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section (CCIPS) conducted the operation in close cooperation with investigators and prosecutors from several jurisdictions, including Germany’s Bundeskriminalamt, the Netherlands’ National High Tech Crime Unit, and Romania’s Directorate for the Investigation of Organized Crime and Terrorism. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs also provided significant assistance.
CCIPS Senior Counsel Laura-Kate Bernstein and Assistant U.S. Attorney Demian Ahn of the District of Columbia led the U.S. efforts.
In September 2020, FBI Director Christopher Wray announced the FBI’s new strategy for countering cyber threats. The strategy focuses on imposing risk and consequences on cyber adversaries through the FBI’s unique authorities, world-class capabilities, and enduring partnerships. Victims are encouraged to report the incident online with the Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) at https://www.ic3.gov/. For more information on ransomware prevention, visit: https://www.ic3.gov/media/2016/160915.aspx.
Shreveport Man Sentenced for Illegal Possession of FirearmRead the Press Release
SHREVEPORT, La. - John Marston, 38, of Shreveport, Louisiana, was sentenced today by United States District Judge Elizabeth E. Foote to 120 months (10 years) in prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release, for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, announced Acting United States Attorney Alexander C. Van Hook.
A federal grand jury indicted Marston on May 20, 2020 and he subsequently pleaded guilty to the charge on September 2, 2020. The charge stems from an incident in January 2020 when law enforcement officers with the Shreveport Street Level Interdiction Unit obtained a search warrant for a residence on Clay Street where Marston was residing and where they suspected ongoing illegal narcotics distribution activity. When officers served the search warrant, they found Marston inside the residence, along with illegal narcotics, firearms, and ammunition. Marston has numerous prior felony convictions and was prohibited from possessing any weapons and was charged with illegally possessing a firearm. His prior felony convictions are for: attempted possession of a firearm by a convicted felon (2014); possession with intent to distribute cocaine (2014); attempted possession of a firearm by a convicted felon (2003); simple burglary (2002); and felony theft (1999).
The ATF and Shreveport Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian C. Flanagan prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. PSN is part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime. To learn more about Project Safe Neighborhoods, go to www.justice.gov/psn.
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Seven-Time Felon Sentenced for Federal Firearms ViolationRead the Press Release
TYLER, Texas – A Carthage man has been sentenced to federal prison for a firearms violation in the Eastern District of Texas, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
Tyreese Williams, 34, pleaded guilty on March 3, 2021, to being a felon in possession of a firearm and was sentenced to 72 months in federal prison today by U.S. District Judge J. Campbell Barker.
“Felons who possess firearms endanger our communities and are a priority for federal prosecution,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei. “Our office will continue to partner with federal, state, and local agencies to keep firearms out of the wrong hands. As a seven-time convicted felon, Tyreese Williams should have expected this day of reckoning.”
According to information presented in court, Williams was arrested on May 2, 2019 by deputies of the Panola County Sheriff's Office following a nine-mile high-speed chase where Williams’ speed exceeded 120 miles per hour. Subsequent to Williams’ arrest, deputies searched Williams’ car and found a handgun. While being placed under arrest, Williams informed the deputies that he had swallowed a large amount of methamphetamine just prior to surrendering to police.
Among his seven prior felony convictions, Williams has previously been convicted of evading detention in a motor vehicle, possession of a controlled substance (twice), felon in possession of a firearm, forgery (twice), and assault family violence by impeding an airway or circulation. As a convicted felon, Williams is prohibited from owning or possessing firearms or ammunition. Williams was indicted by a federal grand jury on March 15, 2020.
This case was prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Panola County Sheriff’s Office and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Locker.
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Serial Child Molester Sentenced to 30 Years in Prison for Production of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
RALEIGH, N.C. – An Angier man was sentenced today to 360 months in prison for production of child pornography. On April 26, 2020, Raul Ayala, Jr. pled guilty to the charge.
According to court documents and other information presented in court, Ayala, 72, was accused of sexually molesting a prepubescent minor. Upon the minor’s disclosure, Ayala was confronted and admitted to some of the conduct but claimed there were explanations for the behavior. Law enforcement was contacted, and Fuquay-Varina Police Department began an investigation. Detectives interviewed Ayala about the allegations, and Ayala admitted to touching the child’s penis and putting his mouth on the child’s penis. Ayala said the molestation had been on-going for a couple of years. He also admitted he had taken some nude photographs of the child, but insisted they were innocent photographs. In addition, Ayala admitted he had molested children in the 1970’s.
A search warrant was executed at Ayala’s residence in Angier and multiple digital devices were seized. In addition, in Ayala’s attic law enforcement found a briefcase that contained adult pornography and child pornography. The briefcase contained tri-fold advertisements for child pornography videos which contained pictures of children engaged in sexual acts with adults and a description of what the videos depicted. In the briefcase were Polaroid pictures of nude minor children, dating back to the late 1960’s and early 1970’s. On Ayala’s digital devices, law enforcement found lascivious images of the minor child who disclosed sexual abuse along with child pornography unrelated to the minor child.
Homeland Security Investigators sought to identify the minor males in the Polaroid photographs. Agents identified one of the males who affirmed he was one of the children in the Polaroids and he disclosed that Ayala had molested and photographed him, beginning when he was eight years old.
G. Norman Acker, III, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after the sentence was entered by U.S. District Judge Terrence W. Boyle. Fuquay-Varina Police Department, Harnett County Sheriff’s Office, and the Department of Homeland Security Investigation investigated the case, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Charity Wilson and Charles Schmitz with the Department of Justice’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section prosecuted the case.
This case was part of the Project Safe Childhood initiative, a national program aimed at ensuring that criminals exploiting children are effectively prosecuted by making full use of all available law enforcement resources at every level. For more information about this important national project, Project Safe Childhood, go to www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
Roane County Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Gun CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Foster Allen Ray, 71, of Gandeeville pleaded guilty today to a federal gun crime.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on April 9, 2020, Ray shot a loaded Savage Model 99 300 caliber level action rifle at two individuals in a vehicle stopped near his residence in Gandeeville, West Virginia. Ray is prohibited from possessing firearms due to previous felony convictions in Roane County Circuit Court for unlawful assault and child abuse by a custodian resulting in injury.
Ray pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm and faces up to 10 years in prison when sentenced on September 23, 2021.
Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston made the announcement and commended the investigation work of the West Virginia State Police. Assistant United States Attorney Negar M. Kordestani is handling the prosecution.
United States District Judge Irene C. Berger presided over the hearing.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:21-cr-00024.
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Peruvian Woman Admits Smuggling Seven Kilos of Cocaine into United States through Newark AirportRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A Peruvian woman today admitted smuggling approximately seven kilograms of cocaine into the United States from Peru, Acting U.S. Attorney Rachael A. Honig announced.
Yolanda Fonseca Melgarejo, 59, a legal permanent resident of the United States and a citizen of Peru, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Susan D. Wigenton in Newark federal court to an information charging her with one count of importation of controlled substances.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
Fonseca Melgarejo arrived at Newark Liberty International Airport aboard a flight from Lima, Peru, on March 31, 2019. Law enforcement officers discovered that Fonseca Melgarejo possessed approximately seven kilograms of cocaine concealed within wrapped chocolate candy in her luggage.
The count to which Fonseca Melgarejo pleaded guilty carries a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years in prison, a potential maximum penalty of life in prison, and a maximum fine of $10 million dollars. Sentencing is scheduled for Oct. 14, 2021.
Acting U.S. Attorney Honig credited special agents of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations, New Jersey Division, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jason J. Molina; and officers of U.S. Customs and Border Protection, New York Field Office, under the direction of Acting Director of Field Operations Marty Raybon, with the investigation leading to today’s guilty plea.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Tracey Agnew of the Organized Crime and Gangs Unit in Newark.
Owensboro Man Charged with Illegal Possession of FirearmsRead the Press Release
OWENSBORO, KY – A federal grand jury in Bowling Green returned an indictment yesterday charging a Daviess County man with illegally possessing a firearm.
According to court documents, Carlos M. Hagan-El, 43, of Owensboro, KY, was found on or about January 15, 2021, in Daviess County, KY in possession of two handguns. Hagan-El has previously been convicted of felony offenses for First-Degree Trafficking in a Controlled Substance (while in Possession of a Firearm), Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon, First-Degree Trafficking in a Controlled Substance (less than two grams of methamphetamine), and Trafficking in a Controlled Substance within 1000 Feet of a School.
Hagan-El is charged with one count of Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person. If convicted, he faces a maximum of 10 years in prison. If convicted, and the defendant qualifies as an Armed Career Criminal, he faces a mandatory minimum of 15 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Acting U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky and Special Agent in Charge R. Shawn Morrow of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearm (ATF), made the announcement.
The ATF and the Owensboro Police Department are investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark J. Yurchisin II of the Bowling Green U.S. Attorney’s Office is prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Orlando Man Sentenced to 17 Years in Federal Prison for Online Child Sexual ExploitationRead the Press Release
Orlando, FL – U.S. District Judge Paul G. Byron has sentenced Brandon Planas (39, Orlando) to 17 years in federal prison for enticing an 11-year-old child to produce sexually explicit videos of himself and send them over the internet. Planas was also ordered to serve a 10-year term of supervised, register as a sex offender, and forfeit the electronic devices that he had used to commit his offense.
Planas had pleaded guilty on March 2, 2021.
According to court documents, in August 2019, Planas began chatting online with an 11-year-old child via Instagram messenger. In September 2019, Planas sent the child a pornographic image over the internet that he claimed to be himself. After sending this image, Planas asked the child to reciprocate. On October 8, 2019, at Planas’s request, the child created several videos of his genitalia and sent at least one of these videos to Planas.
The child’s parents discovered these chats and contacted the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office which began a criminal investigation. Between October 2019 and June 2020, Planas made several attempts to reinitiate contact with the child by sending the child messages, video chat requests, and using a different Instagram username. When the child’s parents discovered Planas’s attempts to reinitiate communication, they contacted the FBI. An undercover FBI agent assumed the child’s online identity and continued online conversations with Planas, during which Planas asked for another pornographic image of the “child.”
On July 21, 2020, FBI agents executed a search warrant at Planas’s residence. During an interview, Planas admitted, among other things, that he had solicited pornographic images from the 11-year-old child. The agents conducted a forensic review of his computer devices and located other social media profiles that Planas had used to solicit pornographic images from other users, including the child.
This case was investigated by the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Amanda Daniels.
This is another case brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.