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10 June 2021
Ocean View Woman Charged with Wire Fraud and Tax EvasionRead the Press Release
WILMINGTON, Del. – U.S. Attorney David C. Weiss announced that a federal grand jury returned an indictment today charging an Ocean View, Delaware woman with embezzling more than $1 million dollars from her former employer.
According to the indictment, Joan Donald, 54, worked as a bookkeeper for Dovetail, Inc., a high-end interior design company based in Bethany Beach, Delaware. Over the course of at least 7 years, Donald took advantage of her access to the company’s financial account information, as well as the ailing health of Dovetail’s elderly owner, to drain funds from Dovetail. Bank records show that Donald used Dovetail’s funds to pay for her personal expenses, including purchasing vehicles and taking trips to Disneyworld.
U.S. Attorney Weiss commented on the charges, “This defendant abused her position of trust and took advantage of a vulnerable, elderly victim. After financing her lifestyle with stolen funds for years, the time has come for her to answer for her actions.”
Donald is charged with wire fraud and tax evasion. If convicted, she faces up to 20 years in prison. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties.
The FBI Baltimore Division’s Dover Resident Agency and IRS Criminal Investigation, with assistance from the Bethany Beach Police Department, conducted the investigation in this matter. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher R. Howland is prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Delaware. Related court documents and information is located on the website of the District Court for the District of Delaware or on PACER.
An indictment contains allegations that a defendant has committed a crime. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent until and unless proven guilty in court.
Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals Judge Ken Lee Addresses Eastern District of Texas as Part of EDTX’s Distinguished Speaker SeriesRead the Press Release
BEAUMONT, Texas – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Texas is pleased to announce the latest guest in its EDTX Distinguished Speaker Series, Judge Kenneth Kiyul Lee of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit.
Judge Lee has served on the Ninth Circuit since June 2019. Prior to joining the court, he was a partner in the Los Angeles office of Jenner & Block. From 2006 to 2009, Judge Lee was Associate Counsel and Special Assistant to the President. He has also served as a special counsel on the United States Senate Judiciary Committee and was an associate at Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz from 2001 to 2006. Judge Lee is no stranger to Texas – he began his legal career as a law clerk to Fifth Circuit Judge Emilio M. Garza from 2000 to 2001.
Judge Lee was born in South Korea and is only one of three Korean Americans to serve on any United States Courts of Appeal.
“The Eastern District is fortunate to have Judge Lee speak to us today. It is particularly fitting to hear from Judge Lee shortly after we celebrated Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei. “In his brief service as federal judge, Judge Lee has already distinguished himself for his clear writing and sharp legal analysis. I am confident Judge Lee will continue his excellent service to our Nation and the rule of law for years to come.”
Judge Lee is a graduate of Cornell University (summa cum laude) and Harvard Law School (magna cum laude).
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Nine Arrested, Charged with Federal Gun Crimes in SpringfieldRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – Within the past six weeks, nine men have been arrested and charged in federal court with illegal possession of guns in Springfield, Ill., as part of an ongoing cooperative effort to reduce violent crime. As the Department of Justice renews its commitment to the tenets of Project Safe Neighborhoods, as announced last month by Attorney General Merrick Garland, a fundamental principle of this effort to reduce violent crime and build strong, safe communities is comprehensive enforcement that targets public safety priorities in communities.
“Based on research and experience over the past two decades, Project Safe Neighborhoods is an effective initiative to bring together law enforcement at all levels as well as community leaders and partners to address violent crime,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Doug Quivey. “There is no one-size-fits-all solution to gun violence; each community has its unique challenges. But we know that when we pool our resources and pull together, we can make a difference. We are committed to working together to take illegal guns out of the hands of those who are prohibited from having them.”
Sangamon County State’s Attorney Dan Wright said, “The fight against gun violence continues to be a top priority for collaboration with our local, state and federal law enforcement partners. We are each more effective working together with leaders across our community to reduce violent crime and address the root causes of criminal conduct.”
Investigative agencies participating in this effort include the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; the Springfield Police Department; Illinois State Police; and, the Sangamon County Sheriff’s Office.
“I commend the efforts of the law enforcement personnel and prosecutors involved in these important investigations and prosecutions,” remarked ATF Special Agent in Charge Kristen de Tineo of the Chicago Field Division. “Partnerships like these, along with focused resources on crime gun intelligence will keep communities safer by ensuring firearms are not in the hands of those prohibited from possessing them.”
The indictments allege the following for each defendant charged:
- Eric Allison, 26, of the 2200 block of E. Laurel St., Springfield, Ill., charged with 1) possession of a firearm and 2) possession of ammunition, by a prohibited person, a felon, on Jan. 5, 2021;
- Jeremy Banks, 30, of the 1700 block of Matheny Ave., charged with possession of a firearm by a felon, on April 8, 2021;
- Donovan Hoover, 26, of the 600 block of Wood St., possession of a firearm by a felon on April 4, 2021;
- Deonte M. Pinnick, 34, of the 1000 block of 16th St., possession of a firearm by a felon on Feb. 9, 2020;
- Latayveon Wells, 22, of the 200 block of N. State St., possession of a firearm by a felon, on Dec. 17, 2020;
- Anthony M. Davis, 30, of Mesquite, Texas, possession of a firearm by a felon, on Feb. 3, 2021;
- Kai R. Estomo-Encallado, 21, of Grayson, Texas, possession of a shotgun with a barrel less than 18 inches, that was not registered to him, on Feb. 25, 2021;
- Jeremy Mitchell, 32, of the 2700 block of S. MacArthur Blvd., on April 7, 2021, 1) possession with intent to distribute 28 grams or more of crack cocaine; 2) possession with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl; 3) possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking; and, 4) felon in possession of a firearm; and,
- Demetrius M. Robertson, 29, of the 2300 block of S. 8th St., on Feb. 25, 2021, alleged 1) felon in possession of a firearm; 2) possession with intent to distribute marijuana; and, 3) possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking; 4) possession with intent to distribute marijuana on Jan. 8, 2021; and, 5) possession of a firearm by a felon on June 27, 2020.
Springfield Police Chief Kenny Winslow said, “The Springfield Police Department has worked diligently, collaborating with Federal agencies, including the U.S. Attorney's Office, to ensure that those responsible for gun crimes are held accountable. Project Safe Neighborhoods, as well as cooperation with other local, state and county law enforcement and prosecutors acts as a force multiplier within our community, providing the residents of Springfield the utmost safety and peace of mind.”
“The escalation in the number of gun violence cases as well as the random locations is concerning to all of the law enforcement community,” said Sangamon County Sheriff Jack Campbell. “The Sheriff’s Office will continue to work with all our partners to identify the offenders and bring them to justice. But we need help from our citizens. Anything you see and anything you know about these crimes needs to be reported.”
The defendants have been ordered to remain detained in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending their respective trial dates.
If convicted, the maximum statutory penalty for the gun offenses charged, including felon in possession of a firearm, felon in possession of ammunition, and possession of an unregistered shotgun with a barrel less than 18” is up to 10 years in prison. The two defendants charged with additional drug trafficking offenses face penalties of 10 years to life for crack cocaine and fentanyl, and up to five years in prison for marijuana, if convicted. For possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking, the penalty is at least five years and up to life in prison to be served consecutive to the sentence imposed for the underlying drug offense.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sierra Senor-Moore, Sarah Seberger, and Matthew Z. Weir represent the government in the federal case prosecutions.
Members of the public are reminded that an indictment is merely an accusation; each defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty.
The Department of Justice’s recent renewed commitment to Project Safe Neighborhoods establishes four fundamental principles to guide efforts to reduce violent crime: 1) build trust and legitimacy within communities; 2) invest in community-based prevention and intervention programs; 3) target enforcement and priorities to focus resources on identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the most significant drivers of gun violence and other violent crime; and, 4) measure results with the goal to reduce the level of violence in our communities and not to increase the number of arrests and prosecutions as if they were ends in themselves.
New Orleans Man Pleads Guilty to Violating the Federal Controlled Substances ActRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – JON YOUNG, age 35, of New Orleans, Louisiana, pleaded guilty on June 9, 2021 before the Honorable Sarah S. Vance to an indictment charging him with violating the Federal Controlled Substances Act, announced U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans.
According to the court records, YOUNG conspired to possess with the intent to distribute and to distribute 100 grams or more of a mixture or substance containing a detectable amount of heroin and YOUNG possessed with the intent to distribute 100 grams or more of a mixture or substance containing a detectable amount of heroin. YOUNG admitted to being captured on recorded calls as part of a lengthy Title III wire intercept.
Sentencing is scheduled for September 29, 2021. YOUNG faces a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of at least 5 years up to a maximum of 40 years, a fine of up to $5,000,000, at least four years of supervised release following any term of imprisonment, and a mandatory $200 special assessment.
This case was investigated by Special Agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). The prosecution is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney David Haller.
Navajo man sentenced to three years in prison for assaultRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Lyle Ryan Begaye, 44, of Tohlakai, New Mexico, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation of Fort Defiance, Arizona, was sentenced on June 2 in federal court to three years and 10 months in prison for assault resulting in serious bodily injury in Indian Country. Begaye pleaded guilty on Nov. 2, 2020.
In his plea agreement, Begaye admitted to assaulting the victim on June 1, 2020, in Bernalillo County, New Mexico. Begaye became jealous and struck the victim with his fist approximately 30 times on multiple parts of her body. Begaye struck the victim once for each letter in the first and last name of three men he believed she was being unfaithful with. Begaye then physically prevented the victim from leaving the residence. The victim was allowed to seek medical treatment only after assuring Begaye that she would not contact law enforcement. Begaye’s assault caused serious injuries, including fractures to the victim’s spine, broken ribs, extreme pain and hemorrhaging.
Emphasizing Begaye’s prior criminal history as “a serial terrorizer of women,” the court ordered Begaye to serve 200 hours of community service, which the court desired to be applied to battered women’s shelters. Upon his release from prison, Begaye will be subject to three years of supervised release.
The Albuquerque Field Office of the FBI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas J. Aliberti prosecuted the case.
Myrtle Beach Businesses, Owners, and Managers Indicted on Federal Charges for Visa Fraud, Money Laundering, and Wire Fraud ConspiracyRead the Press Release
MYRTLE BEACH, SC --- Acting United States Attorney M. Rhett DeHart announced today that a Federal Grand Jury has returned a multi-count indictment charging several Myrtle Beach businesses, business owners, and business managers with conspiracy to commit wire fraud, money laundering, and visa fraud. Acting U.S. Attorney DeHart is also calling for the public’s assistance to identify additional victims to the conspiracy.
The indictment alleges that Raja Imran Younas – the registered agent, president, and chief executive of Grandeur Management, Inc; the registered agent and Chief Financial Officer of Premier Laundry and Linen Supply LLC; the registered agent of Cenet USA LLC; and a 50% interest member of Hospitality Service Group LLC; Syed Rehan Naqvi, the registered agent and organizer of Rida Naqvi LLC; Jessica Voight, an employee of Grandeur Management; Hospitality Service Group LLC and the aforementioned businesses devised a scheme to defraud workers outside the United States to work for the defendants. It is alleged that the conspirators not only submitted false and fraudulent visa petitions but also mispresented the positions, duties, rates of pay, working conditions, and living conditions to collect unauthorized and improper fees from aliens seeking H-2B nonimmigrant visas.
According to the indictment, the conspirators would and did use separate accounts in order to pay employees differently based on their current nonimmigration or alien status in the United States. It is also alleged that, despite promising the workers full-time work, the conspirators provided less than full-time work and consistently paid the workers less than the amount states in the workers’ contracts and in the applications the defendants submitted to the United States Department of Labor and the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.
The indictment further alleges that part of the conspiracy is the misrepresentation that the conspirators maintain an established international cultural exchange program designed, on the whole, to exhibit or explain the attitude, customs, history, heritage, philosophy, traditions, and/or other cultural attributes (arts, literature, language) of the participant’s country of nationality in order to obtain authorization to sponsor Q-1 visas; when, in fact, once the nonimmigrant employees arrived in the United States, they were placed by their visa sponsors into inward facing housekeeping jobs, with no real opportunities for cultural exchange.
According to the indictment – Younas and Naqvi signed petitions for alien workers containing material misrepresentations; Voight and others conducted interviews with the alien workers over the internet and instructed them on how to wire unlawful visa fees charged by the conspirators; and collected the unlawful fees. The indictment further alleges that Hospitality Service Group, Rida Naqvi, Grandeur Management, Cenet, USA and Premier Laundry and Linen Supply did not provide the hours and wages promised to the workers in their contracts or represented in their applications to the Department of Labor and the U.S. Citizenship and Immigrations Services. Hospitality Service Group is also charged with petitioning for individuals who never worked for the company.
The maximum penalty the defendants could receive is twenty years imprisonment.
“Our nation’s visa system is an asset that provides much-needed resources to our communities and valuable opportunities to foreign workers,” said Acting U.S. Attorney DeHart. “Those in South Carolina who exploit the system and its workers will be brought to justice by our office, while we rescue and restore victims in the process.”
“While the allegations in the indictment speak for themselves, our office is seeking the public’s assistance to identify all potential victims,” continued Acting U.S. Attorney DeHart. “If you and/or someone you know may have been victimized by the defendants’ alleged scheme, please contact our coordinated support services at [email protected].”
“The Diplomatic Security Service (DSS) is committed to protecting the integrity of H-2B, B-2, and Q-1 visas, and all U.S. visas and travel documents that assist U.S. companies to legally employ foreign workers,” said DSS Special Agent in Charge Edwin Guard of the Washington Field Office. “This case is the result of working with the U.S. Department of Justice and our other law enforcement partners to interdict visa and passport crimes and stop criminals from reaping illegal income by exploiting U.S. visas, passports, and foreign workers.”
“The Myrtle Beach Police Department, along with our community, remain committed to holding persons who victimize anyone here in Myrtle Beach accountable for their crimes,” said Myrtle Beach Police Chief Amy Prock. “This case and these arrests demonstrate our commitment and the partnerships we have with our federal law enforcement colleagues. We are here to help and will always stand up for those who need us.”
The case was investigated by special agents of the U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service (DSS) and the Myrtle Beach Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Carrie Fisher Sherard is prosecuting the case.
Acting United States Attorney DeHart stated that all charges in indictments are merely accusations and that all defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
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Maryland Man Who Threatened Congressman Pleads Guilty to Federal ChargeRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – Sidhartha Kumar Mathur, age 35, of West Friendship, Maryland, pleaded guilty today to making false statements to federal agents, relating to the death threats he sent to a Member of Congress.
The guilty plea was announced by Acting United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Jonathan F. Lenzner and Acting Chief Yogananda D. Pittman of the United States Capitol Police.
According to his guilty plea, on December 10, 2020 Mathur used his phone to send a threatening webmail message on a congressional representative’s website. Mathur’s threats included violent statements such as “I will kill you and blow up your office if you try to take my vote away” and “I know where you and your family lives. You will be ended.” Mathur listed the name and previous address of a former classmate and neighbor (Individual B) for the contact information of the sender that Mathur provided on the webmail message.
Minutes later, Mathur left a threatening voice message on the same Representative’s District Office voicemail. In the voicemail, Mathur stated similar threats including, “If you even mess with my vote, I’m going to come and slit your throat and I’ll kill your family.”
During an interview with special agents of the United States Capitol Police on December 11, 2020, Mathur confirmed the phone number used to place the threatening voicemail belonged to him and that he called the congressional member out of anger.
As detailed in his plea agreement, Mathur further acknowledged that Individual B was a former neighbor and classmate. However, Mathur falsely denied responsibility for the webmail threat submitted in Individual B’s name. Agents informed Mathur that the webmail message contained similar language to the voice message and was submitted from the internet service at Mathur’s residence. The agents reiterated that providing false statements to federal agents was a felony offense. Mathur continued to falsely deny responsibility for the threatening webmail messages written in Individual B’s name. Agents again reminded Mathur that if he lied to federal agents he could be charged with a crime. When given a final opportunity to correct his false statement, Mathur again falsely denied making the webmail threat.
Mathur faces a maximum sentence of five years in prison followed by up to three years of supervised release for making false statements. U.S. District Judge Richard D. Bennett has scheduled sentencing for September 9, 2021 at 2:30 p.m.
Acting United States Attorney Jonathan F. Lenzner commended the U.S. Capitol Police for their work in the investigation. Mr. Lenzner thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Zachary A. Myers who is prosecuting the case.
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Man sentenced to 12 years in prison for bank robberies in Española and Santa FeRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Lester Padilla, 48, was sentenced in federal court on June 8 to 12 years and 7 months in prison for robbing three Wells Fargo Bank locations in Española and Santa Fe, New Mexico. Padilla pleaded to an indictment on Sept. 24, 2020.
According to an indictment and other court records, on Sept. 9, 2019, Padilla entered a Wells Fargo Bank in Española and handed a teller a demand note that read, “Give me your loose cash or I’ll shoot you.” The teller handed money from the cash drawers and Padilla left the bank. Padilla walked to a nearby convenience store and solicited a ride.
On September 24, 2019, Padilla entered a Wells Fargo Bank in Santa Fe and handed a demand note to a teller. The teller gave Padilla money and Padilla fled the bank. On Sept. 26, 2019, the FBI received a tip that Padilla had entered a pizza restaurant in Santa Fe and paper and requested a pen to write a note. Padilla then left the restaurant and walked to a third Wells Fargo Bank, where he once again handed a teller a demand note stating, “Give me the money or I will shoot you.”
Upon his release from prison, Padilla will be subject to three years of supervised release.
The Santa Fe Resident Agency of the Albuquerque Field Office of the FBI investigated the case with assistance from the Española Police Department and the Santa Fe Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Eva Fontanez prosecuted the case.
Lucchese Crime Family Member Sentenced to 30 Months in Prison for Aggravated AssaultRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A member of the Lucchese Crime Family was sentenced today to 30 months in prison for planning and carrying out an aggravated assault on the husband of one of the former stars of the Bravo television show “The Real Housewives of New Jersey,” Acting U.S. Attorney Rachael A. Honig announced.
John Perna, 44, of Cedar Grove, New Jersey, previously pleaded guilty by videoconference before U.S. District Judge Kevin McNulty to Count One of an indictment charging him with committing a violent crime in aid of racketeering activity. Judge McNulty imposed the sentence today by videoconference. The indictment also charges Thomas Manzo, 56, of Franklin Lakes, New Jersey.
According to documents filed in his case and his statements made in court:
In the spring of 2015, Manzo, one of the owners of the Brownstone Restaurant in Paterson, New Jersey, and the ex-husband of the Bravo star, hired Perna to assault his ex-wife’s new boyfriend (now husband) in exchange for a deeply discounted wedding reception to be held at Manzo’s upscale Passaic County venue. Perna, who is a member of the Lucchese Crime Family, planned and carried out the assault on July 18, 2015, with the help of a member of his crew. Perna was armed with a “slapjack” during the assault. In exchange for committing the assault, Perna held a lavish wedding reception at Manzo’s restaurant a month later for a fraction of the price he would otherwise have paid. The reception was attended by over 330 guests, many of whom were members of the Lucchese Crime Family.
In addition to the prison term, Judge McNulty sentenced Perna to three years of supervised release and ordered him to pay $17,816 in restitution.
Acting U.S. Attorney Honig credited special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge George M. Crouch Jr. in Newark, with the investigation leading to today’s sentencing.
The government is represented by Senior Litigation Counsel V. Grady O’Malley and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Kendall Randolph of the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Organized Crime and Gangs Unit in Newark.
The charges and allegations in the indictment remaining against Manzo are merely accusations, and he is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Louisiana Business Owner Sentenced for Filing False Income Tax ReturnsRead the Press Release
LAKE CHARLES, La. - Acting United States Attorney Alexander C. Van Hook announced that Alfredo Franco, 54, of Sulphur, Louisiana, was sentenced today by United States District Judge James D. Cain to 1 year and 1 day in prison, followed by 1 year of supervised release, on federal tax fraud charges. Franco was also ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $961,655.
Franco was charged in a Bill of Information with three counts of making and subscribing a false return, statement or other document. On February 23, 2021, Franco pleaded guilty to one count in the Bill of Information. According to information presented in court at the hearing, Franco was self-employed and owned a business in the Calcasieu Parish area. Franco admitted to submitting and electronically filing false and fraudulent U.S. Individual Income Tax Returns on behalf of his himself and his wife for the tax years 2015, 2016, and 2017. He purposefully omitted approximately $702,834 in gross receipts for tax year 2015, $1,270,449 in gross receipts for tax year 2016, and $696,763 in gross receipts for tax year 2017, from Schedule C (Profit or Loss from Business), where gross receipts are listed. The omission of this income resulted in an additional tax liability of $961,655.
The IRS conducted the investigation and Assistant U.S. Attorney Kelly P. Uebinger prosecuted the case.
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Long Island Gang Member Indicted for Sex Trafficking and Sexual Exploitation of MinorsRead the Press Release
Earlier today, in federal court in Central Islip, a seven-count indictment was unsealed charging Joshua Lampley-Reid, a member of the Makk Balla set of the Bloods street gang, with sex trafficking, coercion and enticement of a minor, sexual exploitation of a minor, transportation of child pornography and interstate prostitution. Lampley-Reid was arrested on Wednesday and will be arraigned this afternoon before United States Magistrate Judge James M. Wicks.
Mark J. Lesko, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York; Peter C. Fitzhugh, Special Agent-in-Charge, Homeland Security Investigations, New York (HSI); Vincent F. DeMarco, United States Marshal for the Eastern District of New York; and Errol D. Toulon, Jr., Suffolk County Sheriff, announced the indictment.
“As alleged, through violence, coercion and manipulation, the defendant exploited and demeaned both underage and adult female victims by forcing them to engage in commercial sex acts and posting sexually explicit photographs of them on the internet,” stated Acting U.S. Attorney Lesko. “This Office will use every tool in its law enforcement arsenal to combat the sexual exploitation of women, especially young girls, and ensure that predators like the defendant are prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.” Mr. Lesko expressed his appreciation to the Nassau County Police Department for their assistance during the investigation.
“Lampley-Reid lured young girls, some as young as 15, with romantic gestures. Once he had them in his grip, it’s alleged that he enslaved these girls and used violence to force them to work as prostitutes for his insidious gain,” stated HSI Special Agent-in-Charge Fitzhugh. “The deplorable actions of this one man will affect the lives of these young girls for years to come. HSI works closely with its law enforcement partners in a victim-centered approach to rescue the victims and keep them safe. Today, we are sending a unified message to anyone perpetrating crimes against children: no matter who you are, we will bring every resource available to hold you accountable for your crimes.”
“The U.S. Marshals Service has a long-standing and extremely successful history of cooperating with our federal, state and local law enforcement partners,” stated Marshal DeMarco. “These law enforcement partnerships enable the Marshals Service to fulfill its mission to keep our communities safe.”
“Sex trafficking is a particularly heinous crime that targets some of the most vulnerable in our communities. Individuals who perpetrate this crime use drugs intimidation and ultimately violence to lure in their victims for financial gain while slowly destroying their lives,” stated Sheriff Toulon. “I applaud this arrest and will continue to support and work closely with both our local and federal partners to help eliminate this scourge from our communities.”
As set forth in court filings, from December 2019 until his arrest yesterday, Lampley-Reid allegedly used violence and the threat of violence to compel the commission of commercial sex acts by numerous women for his financial benefit, including by minors as young as 15-years-old. Lampley-Reid used social media and other internet applications to establish relationships with potential victims, groomed those victims by feigning a romantic interest in them, manipulated them into working for him as prostitutes, and then effectively enslaved them through acts of force and coercion. Lampley-Reid demanded that the proceeds of prostitution “dates” be turned over to him, and any resistance from the victims was met with violence or threats. Lampley-Reid trafficked victims on Long Island, including at motels in East Meadow, Freeport and Rockville Centre, as well as out of state, including locations in Florida, Maryland and North Carolina. He also engaged in sexual intercourse with his victims, including minors, and provided them with illegal narcotics. Lampley-Reid promoted and managed his prostitution business over the Internet, posting sexually exploitative photos of minor victims that he took or persuaded them to take of themselves in order to further his trafficking business.
The charges in the indictment are allegations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. If convicted of sex trafficking of a minor, the defendant faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years’ imprisonment and a maximum of life in prison. If convicted of producing child pornography, he faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in prison and a maximum of 30 years in prison.
The government’s case is being handled by the Long Island Criminal Division. Assistant United States Attorney Megan E. Farrell is in charge of the prosecution.
The Defendant:
JOSHUA LAMPLEY-REID
Age: 26
West Hempstead, New YorkE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 21-CR-319 (GRB)
Logan County Man Pleads Guilty to Child Pornography ChargeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A Logan County man pleaded guilty today to receipt of child pornography.
According to the plea agreement and statements made in court, Marvin Wayne Akers, 40, admitted that on December 21, 2016, he used his Facebook account to communicate with a person living in the Philippines and asked to see “her.” In response, Akers received two images and a video that he knew were child pornography or images depicting children under the age of 18 engaged in sexually explicit conduct.
Akers faces at least five years and up to 20 years in prison when he is sentenced on September 16, 2021.
Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security-Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).
United States District Judge Irene C. Berger presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorneys Ryan Blackwell and Jennifer Rada Herrald are handling the prosecution.
This case is being prosecuted as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative of the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute those who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:20-000174.
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Judge sentences Bollinger County man for possession of a firearmRead the Press Release
CAPE GIRARDEAU – United States District Judge Stephen N. Limbaugh, Jr. sentenced Eric C. Castulik to 96 months in prison today. Castulik, a 36-year-old residence of Marble Hill, Missouri, pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
On November 18, 2020, a search warrant was executed at Castulik’s resident. He was home at the time. Investigators seized two firearms along with a small quantity of methamphetamine. One of the firearms, a Smith & Wesson, .22 caliber rifle, was loaded with an extended capacity magazine containing 25 rounds of ammunition. Castulik admitted he knew he was a convicted felon and it was unlawful for him to possess firearms.
This case was investigated by the Bollinger County Sheriff’s Department and the SEMO Drug Task Force. Assistant United States Attorney Julie A. Hunter handled the prosecution.
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Inmate who Orchestrated Two Separate Drug Conspiracies from Prison Pleads GuiltyRead the Press Release
A man who orchestrated two major drug conspiracies while he was an inmate at an Oklahoma Department of Corrections facility pleaded guilty in federal court this week, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.
Tymalk Quane Love, 31, was charged with multiple counts of drug conspiracy and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. The drugs he helped traffic included methamphetamine, heroin, and fentanyl.
In a written plea agreement, Love admitted that from January 2018 to February 2019, he conspired with Anthony Ward Irving, Casey Joe Eastwood, and others, including a Tulsa “Facilitator,” to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine and an unknown quantity of heroin.
While incarcerated, the defendant organized the other members’ activities and coordinated shipments, payments, and the distribution of methamphetamine and heroin. Love did so using contraband cell phones. Inmates are prohibited from possessing cell phones.
Anthony Irving lived in Arizona at the time of the conspiracy and helped provide large quantities of drugs to be redistributed. Casey Eastwood lived in Arkansas and helped redistribute the drugs to end-users. Love coordinated with both men and further instructed a Tulsa “Facilitator” on when and where to obtain, pay for, and distribute the drugs.
Love also admitted that the “Facilitator” possessed a firearm to protect the methamphetamine and drug proceeds from possible theft, and that this gun possession in furtherance of drug trafficking was reasonably foreseeable to him.
Love also admitted that from January to February 2019, he conspired with the Tulsa “Facilitator” to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute fentanyl. Love again used contraband cell phones to communicate with the “Facilitator” from prison about when and in what manner pills laced with fentanyl and shipped from Mexico would be sent to the “Facilitator’s” house in Tulsa. The fentanyl pills, often referred to as “Mexican Oxys,” are illicitly manufactured in Mexico to look like prescription oxycodone tablets. Users frequently believe they are taking oxycodone or a comparable opioid, but the fentanyl laced pills, which are much stronger than oxycodone, often lead to overdose and death.
Love admitted that the proceeds from his drug conspiracies totaled $201,800.
If the Court accepts the parties’ plea agreement at sentencing, Love will receive a sentence of 10 years’ imprisonment.
The Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, and Tulsa County Sheriff’s Office are the investigative agencies.
Indictment Charges 8 for Involvement in Drug Trafficking RingRead the Press Release
Leonard C Boyle, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, and Brian D. Boyle, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration for New England, announced that eight individuals have been charged for their alleged participation in a drug trafficking ring.
On June 7, 2021, a federal grand jury in Hartford returned an indictment charging the following individuals with conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances:
TAJH WILEY, a.k.a. “Yung,” 25, of Norwalk
KENSTON HARRY, 40, of Bloomfield
JEVAUGHN WATSON, a.k.a. “Russ,” 27, of Ansonia
MYRON BROWN, a.k.a. “Farid,” 47, of Chester, Pennsylvania
SASHERY FELIZ, 26, of Yonkers, New York
PETER MUNOZ, a.k.a. Peter Escalante-Munoz, 33, of Bridgeport
CHARLES RICHARDSON, a.k.a. “Uncle Charles,” 67, of Bridgeport
DESTINY WADE, 27, of NorwalkSeven of the eight defendants were arrested yesterday. Brown has been in state custody in Pennsylvania.
As alleged in court documents and statements made in court, a court-authorized wiretap of Wiley’s phone revealed that he led a drug trafficking organization that has distributed large quantities of cocaine and marijuana in Connecticut and elsewhere.
In association with yesterday’s arrests, investigators executed multiple search warrants and seized approximately two kilograms of cocaine, approximately 260 grams of fentanyl, approximately 50 grams of crack cocaine, approximately 30 pounds of marijuana, two kilogram presses and others items used to process and package narcotics, 11 firearms, three high-capacity magazines, approximately 500 rounds of ammunition, three high-end automobiles, more than $250,000 in jewelry, and approximately $25,000 in cash.
“We are committed to using federal law enforcement resources to prosecute those responsible for flooding our communities with illegal drugs,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Boyle. “We thank the DEA, all of their task force members, and our other local law enforcement partners for sharing in this commitment and their great work on this investigation.
“DEA is committed to investigating and dismantling violent poly drug trafficking organizations, like this one, operating throughout the state of Connecticut,” said DEA Special Agent in Charge Boyle. “These enforcement actions with our federal, state and local partners show what happens when law enforcement works together.”
Conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years.
Acting U.S. Attorney Boyle stressed that an indictment is not evidence of guilt. Charges are only allegations, and each defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This investigation is being conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Bridgeport High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) Task Force, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Fairfield Police Department, Bridgeport Police Department, Norwalk Police Department, Stamford Police Department, Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Police Department and the U.S. Marshals Service. The HIDTA Task Force includes personnel from the DEA Bridgeport Resident Office, the Connecticut State Police, and the Bridgeport, Norwalk, Stamford, Stratford, Milford and Danbury Police Departments.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Patrick J. Doherty and Elena L. Coronado through the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Program. OCDETF identifies, disrupts and dismantles drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs and transnational criminal organizations through a prosecutor-led and intelligence-driven approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
Illinois Man Sentenced for Making Anti-Semitic Threats to Arizona VictimRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – On Tuesday, Kevin Thomas Kerr, 51, of Waukegan, Illinois, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Douglas L. Rayes to five years of probation. Kerr has also been incarcerated for more than six months and is required to serve an additional six months of home confinement subject to electronic monitoring. Kerr previously pleaded guilty to Making Threats in Interstate Commerce.
On March 6, 2020, as part of an ongoing series of harassing communications, which included anti-Semitic slurs, Kerr called the victim in Arizona and left a voicemail threatening to injure and kill him. Federal investigators arrested Kerr in Illinois, and he was transported to Arizona to face charges.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation in this case. William G. Voit, Assistant U.S. Attorney, District of Arizona, Phoenix, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR 20-00513-DLR
RELEASE NUMBER: 2021-037_Kerr# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.Illegal Alien with Lengthy Criminal History Sentenced to Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
SHREVEPORT, La. – Jose Angel Lopez Valdivierzo, 36, a citizen of Honduras who was living in Bossier City, Louisiana, has been sentenced for illegal re-entry by a removed alien, Acting United States Attorney Alexander C. Van Hook announced. United States District Judge Donald E. Walter sentenced Valdivierzo to 15 months in prison.
Valdivierzo was stopped by Bossier City Police officers for a traffic violation on October 26, 2020 and found him to be in possession of a controlled substance. Valdivierzo has been removed from the United States on ten prior occasions, specifically on the following dates: June 11, 2008; August 15, 2008; October 31, 2008; January 29, 2009; March 18, 2011; October 20, 2011; January 13, 2014; April 25, 2014; February 20, 2015; and March 22, 2017.
His prior federal convictions are for improper entry by an alien (2011) and illegal re-entry by a removed alien (2013 and 2016). Valdivierzo also has prior misdemeanor convictions in Texas for theft (2013) and assault causing bodily injury to a family member (2015).
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security and Bossier City Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica D. Cassidy prosecuted the case.
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Husband of Amazon employee sentenced to prison for insider trading in Amazon stockRead the Press Release
Seattle - A 37-year-old Bothell, Washington man was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Seattle to 26 months in prison for securities fraud due to his insider trading activity, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman. Viky Bohra pleaded guilty in November 2020, admitting that between 2016 and 2018, he used Amazon inside information he obtained from his wife, an Amazon finance employee, to place trades in Amazon stock–making a profit of $1,428,264. At the sentencing hearing U.S. District Judge James L. Robart noted that Bohra had turned his wife and father into criminals and added “I firmly believe white collar crime deserves equal treatment to what we call street crime.”
“This defendant and his wife were earning hundreds of thousands of dollars in salary and bonuses from their jobs in tech – but he was not content with that – greedily scheming to illegally profit by trading Amazon stock,” said U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman. “This case should stand as a warning to those who try to game the markets with insider trading: there is a heavy price to pay with a felony conviction and prison sentence.”
According to records filed in the case, Bohra’s wife had access to confidential information regarding Amazon revenue and expenses. Because of that work, Bohra and his wife were subject to blackout periods during which no Amazon stock could be traded. Bohra’s wife was advised of insider trading policies making it clear the responsibility to safeguard confidential financial information. Despite those warnings, Bohra obtained his wife’s confidential information and traded in Amazon stock and options in accounts tied to him and his father. Trades occurred during blackout periods and, from 2016 to 2018, relied in part on information from his wife to make successful trades in advance of Amazon earnings announcements.
“Mr. Bohra knew exactly what he was doing and was driven solely by greed,” said Donald M. Voiret, FBI Special Agent in Charge of the Seattle Field Office. “With his nearly unlimited access and knowledge of securities trading, he undermined public trust in our financial markets.”
In asking for a 33-month sentence, prosecutors wrote to the court, “over two and a half years, Bohra, using information provided by his wife, made over $1.4 million by making illegal stock and options trades. Bohra’s conduct was not an isolated incident, limited to trading before one Amazon earning’s statement. Rather, Bohra engaged in illegal insider trading in advance of 11 straight earnings announcements.”
On September 28, 2020, Bohra was charged by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) in a civil insider trading case. He and his family members have paid $2,652,899 in disgorgement, interest and penalties. Based upon these payments, the United States is not seeking forfeiture in this case.
As part of the plea agreement, Bohra’s wife will not face criminal charges. Bohra’s wife is no longer employed at Amazon.
The case was investigated by the FBI.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Justin Arnold.
Honduran Man Sentenced to 21 Months in Prison for Unlawful Reentry by an Alien Removed After Conviction of a FelonyRead the Press Release
Gulfport, Miss. – A Honduran national was sentenced yesterday to 21 months in federal prison for unlawful reentry by an alien deported or removed after conviction of a felony, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Darren J. LaMarca and Jason E. Schneider, Acting Chief Patrol Agent of the Border Patrol’s New Orleans Sector.
Williams Perez-Aguirre, 30, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Taylor B. McNeel in Gulfport. Perez-Aguirre also was ordered to serve three years of supervised release following completion of his prison sentence. He may also face Department of Homeland Security removal proceedings. Perez-Aguirre was convicted after pleading guilty on March 8, 2021.
According to court documents, on January 4, 2021, the U.S. Border Patrol stopped a vehicle driven by Perez-Aguirre, who did not have a driver’s license. Record checks revealed he was an illegal alien with a removal history and he was placed under arrest. Both Perez-Aguirre and one of his passengers, Encaracion Aguirre-Lopez were taken to the Gulfport Border Patrol Station for processing.
Records showed that in 2016, Perez-Aguirre was removed by Immigration and Customs Enforcement from Texas to Honduras. He was later arrested in May 2017 in Arlington, Texas for deadly conduct discharging a firearm at an individual. He was convicted of a Texas state felony and sentenced to two years in prison. He was physically removed again to Honduras on May 17, 2018.
Passenger Encaracion Aguirre-Lopez also pleaded guilty and was convicted of unlawful return of an alien after removal. On May 14, 2021, Aguirre-Lopez was sentenced to “time served” (4 months and 11 days) followed by 1 year of supervised release. Aguirre-Lopez also is subject to removal from the United States
Acting U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Mississippi, Darren J. LaMarca, praised the investigative work of the U.S. Border Patrol and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. Assistant United States Attorney Stan Harris prosecuted the case.
Healthcare Practitioners to Pay over $1 Million to Resolve False Claims Act Liability Arising from Billing of P-Stim DevicesRead the Press Release
SAN ANTONIO – Three separate healthcare providers within the Western District of Texas have agreed to pay a collective $1,056,340.50 to resolve liability under the False Claims Act for the alleged improper billing of electro-acupuncture devices.
These providers – Ledger Foot & Ankle, P.A of Harker Heights, Superior Physical Medicine of Round Rock and Precision Spine and Pain Management of San Antonio – billed Medicare and/or TRICARE for the implantation of neuro-stimulators, a surgical procedure that usually requires an operating room and is reimbursable by federal healthcare programs. In these matters, the procedure billed actually involved a non-surgical, non-invasive application of the devices that is non-reimbursable by federal healthcare programs.
Between February 2018 and January 2020, Dr. Harold Ledger, DPM, of Harker Heights, through his practice, Ledger Foot & Ankle, P.A., billed Medicare for the application of ANSiStim devices to beneficiaries as though they were implantable neurostimulators. Certain Medicare beneficiaries were identified as also having TRICARE benefits that were further billed to the program as the secondary insurer. Dr. Ledger will pay a total of $535,000.00 to resolve his liability under the False Claims Act.
Between December 2016 and September 2018, SPR Medical Group (formerly known as Atlas Medical Group), d/b/a Superior Physical Medicine, (“Superior”) billed Medicare for the application of ANSiStim and STIVAX devices as though they were implantable neurostimulators. Following a Medicare audit of two neurostimulation procedures, Superior initiated a full repayment of the Medicare funds received for those two claims and conducted an internal audit of all claims. Superior self-disclosed claims improperly billed and has agreed to pay a total of $338,150.50 to resolve any potential liability under the False Claims Act.
Between March 1 and April 2019, Dr. Yurii Borshch, through his practice Precision Spine and Pain Management, billed Medicare for the application of ANSiStim devices to beneficiaries as though they were implantable neurostimulators. During the pendency of the investigation and settlement negotiations, Dr. Borshch initiated refund payments to Medicare for the identified claims and paid a total of $183,190.00 to resolve potential liability under the False Claims Act.
The settled civil claims are allegations only and do not constitute admissions of liability by any of the identified practitioners.
These matters were investigated by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of the Inspector General. All three settlements were negotiated on behalf of the government by Assistant U.S. Attorney Erin M. Van De Walle.
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Hartford, Connecticut Man Charged with Federal Drug Felony After FBI Search in Randolph, VermontRead the Press Release
The Office of the United States Attorney for the District of Vermont stated today that Shiquan Mangual, 27, of Hartford, Connecticut was charged by Criminal Complaint in United States District Court for the District of Vermont with possession with intent to distribute controlled substances.
According to the Criminal Complaint, Mangual was arrested by the FBI on June 9, 2021, in connection with a search of a residence in Randolph, Vermont. During the search, agents found several firearms, including a loaded handgun, more than 500 grams of suspected cocaine, more than 100 grams of suspected cocaine base, more than 15 grams of suspected heroin, and more than $7,500 in United States currency.
At Mangual’s initial appearance today before United States Magistrate Judge Kevin J. Doyle, Mangual was ordered detained pending trial. Mangual’s next court appearance has not yet been scheduled. A criminal complaint is only an accusation, and Mangual is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
This matter is being investigated by the FBI in conjunction with the Vermont State Police, the Montpelier Police Department, the Northfield Police Department, the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives, as well as the Drug Enforcement Administration in Connecticut.
The Assistant United States Attorney handling the prosecution is Michael Drescher. Mangual is represented by Assistant Federal Defender Steven Barth.
Hartford Man Sentenced to 4 Years in Prison for Selling Oxycodone out of His New Britain Grocery StoreRead the Press Release
Leonard C. Boyle, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that RAUL CABRERA-VASQUEZ, also known as “Edgar,” 50, of Hartford, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Janet C. Hall to 48 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for distributing oxycodone from his New Britain grocery store.
Pursuant to the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act), the sentencing occurred via videoconference.
According to court documents and statements made in court, in the summer of 2019, the Drug Enforcement Administration New Haven Tactical Diversion Squad and the New Britain Police Department.began investigating individuals who were selling oxycodone pills from Elzier Grocery, located at 1485 Corbin Avenue in New Britain. Cabrera-Vasquez owned and helped operate Elzier Grocery. Between July and December 2019, investigators made multiple controlled purchases of oxycodone pills from Cabrera-Perez and others at the store.
On February 26, 2020, court authorized searches of the Elzier Grocery and a nearby residence revealed more than 1000 oxycodone pills, drug packaging materials, drug ledgers, and approximately $10,000 in cash.
Cabrera-Vasquez was arrested on March 1, 2020. On February 18, 2021, he pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute, and to distribute, oxycodone.
Cabrera-Vasquez, who is released on a $50,000 bond, is required to report to prison on July 7.
This investigation has been conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration New Haven Tactical Diversion Squad and the New Britain Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney John T. Pierpont, Jr.
Gunman and leader of city and county-wide armed robbery conspiracy pleads guiltyRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – Lloyd Wings, 41, of St. Louis, pleaded guilty to seven counts of armed robbery, two counts of brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of armed robbery and one count of conspiracy to commit armed robbery. Wings appeared today before United States District Court Judge Ronnie L. White and admitted that he participated in a conspiracy to commit armed robberies and committed a series of armed robberies.
Beginning in July 2018, Wings and five co-defendants conspired to commit a series of armed robberies in the City of St. Louis. Wings and his co-conspirators would choose a location to rob and drive to the location in separate cars. Once there, the conspirators would enter the business armed with firearms and demand the employees provide the contents of the safe and/or cash registers. The conspirators would take U.S. currency from the businesses by the threatened use of deadly force. Wings and his co-conspirators would also forcibly steal the personal property of customers or employees. They would then flee in their respective vehicles, meet elsewhere, and divide the proceeds of the robberies.
On August 31,2018 Wings and two co-conspirators robbed a Domino's pizza restaurant on Lindell Boulevard. Wings and one of the co-conspirators entered the business through an unlocked employee entrance. Both tried to disguise their identities. They demanded an employee remove money from the cash registers. As he demanded the money, Wings brandished a handgun. A co-conspirator then demanded an employee open the safe. After the safe was opened, the co-conspirator took all of the U.S. currency and fled with Wings and another co-conspirator who drove the getaway car.
On September 3, 2018 Wings and a co-conspirator robbed a Subway sandwich restaurant on South Kingshighway. Wings went into business, produced a purple handgun, jumped over the counter, and demanded employees open the safe. The employees indicated they did not know the safe’s location, so Wings demanded they give him the money from the registers. Wings, while jumping the counter, knocked over an elderly customer causing her physical injury. After getting money from the registers, Wings jumped back over the counter, knocking over an employee, and left. The co-conspirator, who remained in the car during the robbery, drove the getaway car. He knew Wings was armed with a gun and intended to rob the Subway. The co-conspirator drove himself and Wings away from the scene.
On September 9, 2018 Wings and three co-conspirators robbed a Metro PCS store on DeBaliviere Avenue. Wings went into the store, produced a purple handgun, and pointed it at a Metro PCS employee and customers. He demanded money and produced a purple Crown Royal bag. An employee complied and took U.S. currency from the cash register to put into the Crown Royal bag. Wings left the store. One co-conspirator stood outside the store. A co-conspirator drove a getaway car. A third co-conspirator drove a second getaway vehicle.
On September 9, 2018, approximately an hour after robbing the Metro PCS on DeBaliviviere, Wings along with three co-conspirators robbed the Metro PCS located on Page Ave in St. Louis County. After dropping off Wings outside of the business, three co-conspirators waited in the getaway vehicles. Wings entered the Metro PCS store and pointed a handgun at a store employee. While brandishing the firearm, Wings ordered the employee to open the cash register. The employee complied and took U.S. currency from the register. Wings then fled the store with the money, jumped inside one of the getaway vehicles and all co-conspirators fled.
On September 7, 2018 Wings along with one co-conspirator robbed the Family Dollar in the 5900 block of Delmar Boulevard. Wings, armed with a mini-Draco (AK-47 styled assault weapon), entered the store and demanded access to the safe. Wings held multiple customers and employees at gunpoint for almost ten minutes while waiting for the safe to open. He demanded an employee empty the cash drawers and then the safe. He then tried to rob the employee. He fled on foot after the robbery.
On September 10, 2018 Wings, along with his accomplices robbed the Family Dollar located in the 5300 block of Virginia Avenue. Armed with a semiautomatic handgun, Wings entered the store and brandished the gun. He demanded money from the cash register and also robbed an employee.
Judge White has set sentencing for September 14, 2021 at 11:00 a.m.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation, St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department, Pagedale Police Department, North County Cooperative and St. Louis County Police Department investigated this case. Assistant United States Attorney Paul D’Agrosa is handling the case.
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Glen Burnie Man Pleads Guilty to False Personation of A U.S. MarshalRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – Renul Forbes a/k/a “Michael Renul,”, age 32, of Glen Burnie, Maryland, pleaded guilty today to false personation of a U.S. Marshal, an officer of the United States.
The guilty plea was announced by Acting United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Jonathan F. Lenzner and Special Agent in Charge Timothy Jones of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Baltimore Field Division.
According to his guilty plea, from January 2019 to September 26, 2020, Forbes falsely posed as a “Supervisory Deputy” of the United States Marshals Service and possessed a fraudulent seal of the United States Marshals Service.
As detailed in his plea agreement, on September 26, 2020, an Anne Arundel County police officer witnessed Forbes arrive at a Glen Burnie retail store in a vehicle equipped with police lights. Forbes was carrying a firearm on his hip.
Shortly after Forbes exited his vehicle, Forbes approached the AAPD officer and asked whether he worked in the Northern District of the Anne Arundel County Police Department and if Forbes knew a particular police officer, who Forbes identified by name.
While Forbes entered the store, the AAPD officer determined that the rear tag affixed to Forbes’s vehicle belonged to a different vehicle, the windows were tinted, and the vehicle lacked a front tag. The AAPD officer subsequently asked Forbes to identify himself. At that time, Forbes provided a false name and refused to present an official driver’s license as Forbes deemed the officer to be “unqualified” to request his credentials. Forbes not only possessed a fraudulent U.S. Marshals badge pinned on his shoulder, but also possessed a magazine and handcuff carrier.
Forbes attempted to avoid identification by claiming to be a U.S. Marshal working out of Greenbelt and provided the name and contact information of a purported U.S. Marshals Service supervisor. The individual Forbes claimed to be a supervisor was not a supervisor of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Officers later contacted a legitimate U.S. Marshals Service Supervisory Deputy who confirmed Forbes was, in fact, not employed with the U.S. Marshals in any capacity and confirmed the badge that Forbes possessed was fraudulent.
A search of Forbes’s person revealed that he carried three loaded magazines, with several rounds each, and a black Glock-style airsoft gun. Additionally, Forbes’s vehicle was equipped with three USB powered red and blue police lights that were controlled by a control panel on the driver’s seat visor. Within a brown backpack located in the vehicle, authorities discovered loose ammunition and a handgun that was not registered to Forbes. Furthermore, a search of the vehicle’s VIN number was determined to be associated with a New Jersey tag.
Officers subsequently contacted the registered owner of the handgun and discovered the owner met with Forbes on several occasions. The registered handgun owner believed Forbes was a legitimate U.S. Marshal as he openly carried a firearm and a U.S. Marshals badge.
The plea agreement further states that Forbes fraudulently posed as a U.S. Marshal to another Anne Arundel County police officer within a text message and in person in the effort to obtain information about police responses at his apartment complex and general Anne Arundel Police Department business. In order to learn law enforcement rules, regulations, policy and discipline procedures, Forbes falsely claimed to be a U.S. Marshal to a Metropolitan police officer.
Forbes faces a maximum of three years in prison and followed by one year of supervised release for impersonating an officer of the United States. U.S. District Judge Catherine C. Blake has not scheduled a sentencing hearing at this time.
Acting United States Attorney Jonathan F. Lenzner commended the ATF, U.S. Marshals Service, and the Anne Arundel Police Department for their work in the investigation. Mr. Lenzner thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Mary W. Setzer who is prosecuting the case.
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Georgia Man Arrested for Hoax Bomb Threat Concerning Plane on Tarmac at Lehigh Valley International AirportRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – Acting United States Attorney Jennifer Arbittier Williams announced that Donald Thompson, 43, of Scottdale, Georgia, was arrested and charged by Complaint and Warrant on charges of maliciously conveying false information about an explosive, and false information and hoaxes. If convicted, the defendant faces a maximum possible sentence of fifteen years in prison.
The Complaint alleges that on May 27, 2021, defendant Donald Thompson called into the Lehigh Valley International Airport, Operations Division, located in Allentown, PA, stated that he had a disagreement with his daughter S.T., and claimed she was taking marijuana to an individual in St. Croix aboard a Delta flight. After a short discussion, the Operations Division transferred him to the Delta counter.
The Complaint further alleges that the defendant proceeded to ask a Delta supervisory representative for information about S.T. and her travel. When the Delta representative declined to share the requested information, the defendant allegedly explained that his daughter was trying to smuggle drugs to St. Croix, asked about Delta’s procedures, and asked if they could get his daughter off the airplane. The Delta representative responded that Delta did have a protocol but that it could not be shared with the caller. As alleged, the caller became irate, identified himself as S.T.’s father Donald Thompson, asked what the Delta representative would do if “I told you there was a bomb on the plane,” and hung up the phone.
The Delta representative immediately called law enforcement and corporate security. The airplane was on the tarmac at the time, and the passengers and crew were swiftly deplaned. A search team and bomb dog were deployed to the airplane, and S.T. was screened and questioned by a Lehigh Northampton Airport Authority detective. No drugs or bombs were located on the airplane or on S.T.’s person or luggage.
Donald Thompson was arrested on June 9, 2021 in Georgia and had his initial appearance that same day. A detention hearing has been scheduled for June 14, 2021 in the Northern District of Georgia, after which the defendant will come to the Eastern District of Pennsylvania to face the charges.
“As a result of this defendant's alleged conduct, law enforcement resources were diverted to respond to what they believed was an imminent, terrifying threat to everyone on the plane and in the airport,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Williams. “As this case exemplifies, bomb threats – even hoax bomb threats such as the one alleged to have been made by this defendant – are no laughing matter; they are federal crimes with serious consequences.”
“The FBI and our partners take all threats of violence seriously. With lives potentially at risk, we have to,” said Michael J. Driscoll, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI's Philadelphia Division. “Hoax threats consume law enforcement resources needed for actual emergencies and cause serious disruptions for the locations and people targeted. Anyone who pulls something like this should expect the FBI to come knocking. It’s a crime and you will be held accountable.”
The case was investigated by Allentown Resident Federal Bureau of Investigation, and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Mary A. Futcher.
An indictment, information, or criminal complaint is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Gates County Felon Sentenced for Possessing Firearm Following Drug InvestigationRead the Press Release
RALEIGH, N.C. – Anthony Eugene Kee, of Hobbsville, Gates County, was sentenced today to 18 months in prison for possession of a firearm by a felon. On March 4, 2021, Hayes pled guilty to the charge.
According to court documents and statements made during hearings, the Gates County Sheriff’s Office began investigating the defendant Anthony Kee in February 2020 following citizen complaints about drug activity at his Hobbsville residence. At the time, Kee already had two previous state convictions for drug felonies. After a controlled buy of crack cocaine and surveillance of apparent drug activity, law enforcement obtained a search warrant, which they executed the morning of July 2, 2020.
Kee was home and told officers that he had felt them coming. He said he was not concerned about the drugs but was more worried about having a gun. He then directed officers to a blue Toyota in the front yard sitting on jacks, where they recovered a black Hi-Point 9mm pistol on the floor of the trunk. In the glove compartment and center console, officers also found several rounds of shotgun and 9mm ammunition. In the house and a shed on the property, officers recovered a variety of drug packaging materials and a small amount of marijuana.
Kee was taken to the station, where he waived his rights and agreed to an interview. He admitted to selling cocaine beginning in 2011, although none had been at his house at the time of the search. He said he bought a gun years ago on the streets for protection.
G. Norman Acker, III, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Terrence W. Boyle. The Gates County Sheriff’s Office and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jake D. Pugh 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. 2:20-cr-00047-BO-1.
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Former employee admits to stealing over $400,000Read the Press Release
McALLEN, Texas – The former controlling manager of Lone Star Shredding’s parent company has pleaded guilty to defrauding his employer, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Jennifer B. Lowery.
Lone Star Shredding is a local subsidiary in Mercedes. Its parent company is located in Tennessee.
Brian Janish, 44, admitted to using an unauthorized access device and engaging in other fraudulent activity to steal $403,293.19 between July 2013 and December 2017.
As part of his responsibilities, Janish was in charge of establishing bank accounts and approving expenses for the company. When the company switched banks, Janish failed to close the company’s previous bank account or destroy the corporate credit card issued in his name.
In fact, he charged personal expenses on the company credit card, including travel and online goods. Janish also wrote checks from the company account and withdrew cash for personal use. He attempted to cover his fraud by emailing fake bank statements to the company.
The Morristown, Tennessee, resident also increased his payroll without authorization.
U.S. District Judge Randy Crane accepted the plea and set sentencing for Aug. 19. At that time, Janish faces up to 10 years in prison and a possible $250,000 maximum fine. He was permitted to remain on bond pending that hearing.
The FBI conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Rodolfo Ramirez and Stephanie Bauman are prosecuting the case.
Former Supplement Company Owner Pleads Guilty to Unlawful Distribution of Steroid-like DrugsRead the Press Release
ABINGDON, Va. – A New Jersey chiropractor pleaded guilty today to a felony charge relating to the distribution of steroid-like drugs in purported dietary supplements.
According to court documents, Nicholas Andrew Puccio, 41, currently of Columbus, New Jersey, pleaded guilty to introducing an unapproved new drug into interstate commerce with the intent to defraud and mislead the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and consumers. The United States alleged that from 2016 to 2020, Puccio marketed drugs as “dietary supplements” to the bodybuilding and fitness community. The supplements included a product labeled as containing ostarine, a type of synthetic steroid known as a Selective Androgen Receptor Modulator (SARM). The FDA has long warned against the use of SARMs, including stating in a 2017 warning letter to another firm that SARMs had been linked to life-threatening reactions such as liver toxicity, and have the potential to increase the risk of heart attack and stroke.
“Undermining the FDA drug approval process puts consumers at risk, especially when those drugs contain ingredients that can cause harm,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “The Department of Justice will continue to work closely with the FDA to prosecute those who put profit before the public health.”
“When Mr. Puccio marketed unapproved drugs as dietary supplements, he sidestepped important safeguards to protect the public, and must be held accountable,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Daniel P. Bubar of the Western District of Virginia. “Our office will continue to closely partner with FDA to ensure safety and effectiveness in our drug supply and prosecute those who flout these rules.”
“Marketing misbranded dietary supplements that contain unapproved drugs is illegal and is a threat to public health,” said Assistant Commissioner for Criminal Investigations Catherine A. Hermsen of the FDA's Office of Criminal Investigations. “We remain committed to bringing to justice companies and individuals who attempt to subvert the regulatory functions of the FDA by distributing unapproved, and potentially dangerous, drugs.”
Puccio pleaded guilty before Judge James P. Jones in U.S. District Court for the Western District of Virginia. He is scheduled to be sentenced on Sept. 23, and faces a maximum penalty of three years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The FDA’s Office of Criminal Investigations is investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Randy Ramseyer of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Virginia and Trial Attorney Speare Hodges of the Civil Division’s Consumer Protection Branch are prosecuting the case.
Former Supplement Company Owner Pleads Guilty to Unlawful Distribution of Steroid-like DrugsRead the Press Release
A New Jersey chiropractor pleaded guilty today to a felony charge relating to the distribution of steroid-like drugs in purported dietary supplements.
According to court documents, Nicholas Andrew Puccio, 41, currently of Columbus, New Jersey, pleaded guilty to introducing an unapproved new drug into interstate commerce with the intent to defraud and mislead the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and consumers. The United States alleged that from 2016 to 2020, Puccio marketed drugs as “dietary supplements” to the bodybuilding and fitness community. The supplements included a product labeled as containing ostarine, a type of synthetic steroid known as a Selective Androgen Receptor Modulator (SARM). The FDA has long warned against the use of SARMs, including stating in a 2017 warning letter to another firm that SARMs had been linked to life-threatening reactions such as liver toxicity, and have the potential to increase the risk of heart attack and stroke.
“Undermining the FDA drug approval process puts consumers at risk, especially when those drugs contain ingredients that can cause harm,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “The Department of Justice will continue to work closely with the FDA to prosecute those who put profit before the public health.”
“When Mr. Puccio marketed unapproved drugs as dietary supplements, he sidestepped important safeguards to protect the public, and must be held accountable,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Daniel P. Bubar of the Western District of Virginia. “Our office will continue to closely partner with FDA to ensure safety and effectiveness in our drug supply and prosecute those who flout these rules.”
“Marketing misbranded dietary supplements that contain unapproved drugs is illegal and is a threat to public health,” said Assistant Commissioner for Criminal Investigations Catherine A. Hermsen of the FDA's Office of Criminal Investigations. “We remain committed to bringing to justice companies and individuals who attempt to subvert the regulatory functions of the FDA by distributing unapproved, and potentially dangerous, drugs.”
Puccio pleaded guilty before Judge James P. Jones in U.S. District Court for the Western District of Virginia. He is scheduled to be sentenced on Sept. 23, and faces a maximum penalty of three years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The FDA’s Office of Criminal Investigations is investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Randy Ramseyer of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Virginia and Trial Attorney Speare Hodges of the Civil Division’s Consumer Protection Branch are prosecuting the case.
Former Schertz Business Manager Sentenced to Federal Prison for Stealing over $470,000 from EmployerRead the Press Release
SAN ANTONIO – A federal judge sentenced 48-year-old Deanna Bates Wehde of San Antonio today to 49 months in federal prison for stealing over $470,000 from the company she managed.
In addition to the prison term, Chief U.S. District Court Judge Orlando Garcia ordered Wehde to pay $471,006.30 in restitution and be placed on supervised release for a period of three years after completing her prison term.
“Today’s prison sentence reflects the seriousness of the defendant’s breach of her employer’s trust and she is now being held accountable for her crime,” said U.S. Attorney Ashley C. Hoff. “The U.S. Attorney’s Office, working with our law enforcement partners, will continue to identify, investigate and prosecute those who take advantage of their employment positions to steal from and do harm to businesses.”
On July 30, 2020, Wehde pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud and one count of aggravated identity theft. By pleading guilty, Wehde admitted that while employed by Stone Care of Texas between May 2016 and September 2018, she defrauded the company by using company credit cards issued in the names of former employees for business-related travel to make unauthorized purchases and cash withdrawals for her own personal use and benefit.
“Small businesses play an important part in maintaining and stimulating economic growth in our community,” said Christopher Combs, Special Agent in Charge, FBI, San Antonio Division. “FBI San Antonio is committed to protecting businesses from theft and fraud schemes which threaten their stability and the health of our local economies.”
The FBI investigated this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney William R. Harris prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
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Former Montgomery County Children’s Swim School Employee Sentenced to Seven Years for Trafficking in Child PornographyRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – Acting United States Attorney Jennifer Arbittier Williams announced that Danielle Sebenick, 29, of Glenside, PA, was sentenced to seven years in prison, and ten years of supervised release by United States District Court Judge Petrese B. Tucker for her distribution and possession of child pornography.
In May 2019, the defendant pleaded guilty to charges stemming from an investigation into her trafficking in videos of child pornography on the internet during November 2018, while she was employed at Kids First Swim School in Jenkintown, PA.
Authorities identified Sebenick as the administrator of an online site that was dedicated to the sexual abuse and exploitation of children. She used the online site to communicate with other child sex offenders and to traffic in child pornography. At the time that she committed these crimes, Sebenick was six months’ pregnant with her first child; during her online communications with other child sex offenders, Sebenick discussed her plans to sexually abuse her baby as soon as she gave birth. Fortunately, Sebenick was identified by law enforcement, arrested, and incarcerated. She gave birth in prison and the child was placed in the custody of family members.
“Not only did this defendant commit the heinous crime of possessing and distributing child pornography, but she did so while employed at a business that caters to children and while threatening to sexually abuse her own baby,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Williams. “The thought of a mother bringing a child into the world with the plan to abuse him or her, a helpless infant, is almost unfathomable. She will now spend years behind bars where she no longer poses a threat to our community.”
“Today’s sentence reflects the seriousness of the defendant’s crimes and the irrevocable damage she caused,” said Brian A. Michael, Special Agent in Charge for Homeland Security Investigations Philadelphia. “Homeland Security Investigations will continue to work collectively with our law enforcement partners to investigate and prosecute those who commit the heinous crime of possessing and distributing child pornography.”
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 Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, the Abington Police Department, and the Montgomery County Criminal Investigation Division, and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Kelly Harrell and Michelle Rotella.
Former Member of New Bedford Latin Kings Chapter Sentenced for Racketeering Conspiracy and Drug Trafficking ChargesRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A former member of the New Bedford Chapter of the Massachusetts Almighty Latin King and Queen Nation (Latin Kings) was sentenced today on racketeering charges.
Kevin Guadalupe, a/k/a “King K-Milly,” 19, was sentenced by U.S. Senior District Court Judge Rya W. Zobel to time served (14 days) and three years of supervised release. On March 3, 2021, Guadalupe pleaded guilty to conspiracy to conduct enterprise affairs through a pattern of racketeering activity, more commonly referred to as RICO conspiracy.
Guadalupe participated in an unarmed robbery committed in November 2019 by members of the Latin Kings in New Bedford. During the robbery, which was captured on video, the victim was chased down in the middle of a busy street, thrown to the ground and kicked and beaten by six members of the Latin Kings. At the end of the beating, an item believed to be a wallet or cell phone was taken from the victim’s pants pocket.
The Latin Kings are a violent criminal enterprise comprised of thousands of members across the United States. The Latin Kings adhere to a national manifesto, employ an internal judiciary and use a sophisticated system of communication to maintain the hierarchy of the organization. As alleged in court documents, the gang uses drug distribution to generate revenue, and engages in violence against witnesses and rival gangs to further its influence and to protect its turf.
In December 2019, a federal grand jury returned an indictment alleging racketeering conspiracy, drug conspiracy and firearms charges against 62 leaders, members and associates of the Latin Kings. Guadalupe is the 31st defendant to be sentenced in the case.
Acting United States Attorney Nathaniel R. Mendell; Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; Commissioner Carol Mici of the Massachusetts Department of Correction; and New Bedford Police Chief Joseph C. Cordeiro made the announcement. Valuable assistance was also provided by the FBI North Shore Gang Task Force and the Bristol County and Suffolk County District Attorney’s Offices. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Philip A. Mallard and Lauren Graber of Mendell’s Criminal Division prosecuted the case.
The operation was conducted by a multi-agency task force through the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF), a partnership between federal, state and local law enforcement agencies. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking, weapons trafficking and money laundering organizations, and those primarily responsible for the nation’s illegal drug supply. More information on the OCDETF program is available here: https://www.justice.gov/ocdetf/about-ocdetf.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The remaining defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Former Member of Massachusetts Latin Kings State Leadership Sentenced for Racketeering ConspiracyRead the Press Release
BOSTON – The former Secretary of the Massachusetts Almighty Latin King and Queen Nation (Latin Kings) was sentenced today on racketeering charges.
Francisco Lopez, a/k/a “King Cisco,” 43, was sentenced by U.S. Senior District Court Judge Rya W. Zobel to nine years in prison and three years of supervised release. In February 2020, Lopez pleaded guilty to conspiracy to conduct enterprise affairs through a pattern of racketeering activity, more commonly referred to as RICO conspiracy.
During the course of the investigation, Lopez attended numerous meetings of the Latin Kings State Leadership, and hosted meetings at his residence in Chelsea. During these meetings, crimes of violence and the business of the gang were discussed and decided.
Additionally, Lopez sold over 200 grams of cocaine base to a cooperating witness. During the search of the Lopez’s Chelsea residence in December 2019, 50 grams of fentanyl, 50 grams of heroin and a loaded Glock firearm were recovered.
The Latin Kings are a violent gang comprised of thousands of members across the United States. The Latin Kings adhere to a national manifesto, employ an internal judiciary and use a sophisticated system of communication to maintain the hierarchy of the criminal organization. As alleged in court documents, the gang uses drug distribution to generate revenue, and is motivated by a desire to further its influence and to protect its turf from rival gangs.
In December 2019, a federal grand jury returned an indictment alleging racketeering conspiracy, drug conspiracy and firearms charges against 62 leaders, members and associates of the Latin Kings. Lopez is the 30th defendant to be sentenced in the case.
Acting United States Attorney Nathaniel R. Mendell; Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; Commissioner Carol Mici of the Massachusetts Department of Correction; and New Bedford Police Chief Joseph C. Cordeiro made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was also provided by the FBI North Shore Gang Task Force and the Bristol County and Suffolk County District Attorney’s Offices. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Philip A. Mallard and Lauren Graber of Mendell’s Criminal Division prosecuted the case.
The operation was conducted by a multi-agency task force through the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF), a partnership between federal, state and local law enforcement agencies. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking, weapons trafficking and money laundering organizations, and those primarily responsible for the nation’s illegal drug supply. More information on the OCDETF program is available here: https://www.justice.gov/ocdetf/about-ocdetf.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The remaining defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Former Liverpool Postal Carrier Pleads Guilty to Stealing Gift Cards from MailRead the Press Release
SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – Thomas J. Joslin, age 58, of North Syracuse, New York, pled guilty today in federal court in Syracuse to three felony counts of stealing gift cards from the mail while employed as a carrier with the United States Postal Service, announced Acting United States Attorney Antoinette T. Bacon and Special Agent in Charge Matthew Modafferi, United States Postal Service Office of Inspector General (USPSOIG), Northeast Area Field Office.
In pleading guilty, Joslin admitted that he stole multiple gift cards from mail entrusted to him in Onondaga County between March 2019 and June 2019, including a $160 prepaid Mastercard rebate card; a $300 Dick’s Sporting Goods gift card; and a $40 prepaid Visa card. The defendant admitted that he targeted pieces of mail he believed contained gift cards, and that he used the stolen gift cards to buy different gift cards in an attempt to distance himself from the thefts. Joslin is no longer employed by the U.S. Postal Service.
The charges to which Joslin pled guilty carry a maximum sentence of 5 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, and a term of supervised release of up to 3 years. 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 defendant will be sentenced on October 7, 2021, by Senior United States District Judge Frederick J. Scullin, Jr., who presides over the case.
This case is being investigated by USPSOIG, and it is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael F. Perry.
Former International UAW President Gary Jones Sentenced to Prison for Embezzling Union FundsRead the Press Release
Gary Jones, the former President of the international United Auto Workers union, was sentenced to 28 months in prison today for conspiring with other UAW officials to embezzle UAW funds and to defraud the United States announced Acting U.S. Attorney Saima S. Mohsin.
Joining in the announcement were Irene Lindow, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Labor – Office of Inspector General, Timothy Waters, Special Agent in Charge of the Detroit, Michigan office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Kelly Lewis, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Detroit, Michigan office of the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigations, and Thomas Murray, District Director, U.S. Department of Labor – Office of Labor-Management Standards.
Gary Jones, 64, of Corsicana, Texas, was sentenced to 28 months in prison, $550,000 in restitution to the UAW, $42,000 restitution to the IRS, forfeiture of $151,377, two years of supervised release, and a $10,000 fine by United States District Judge Paul Borman based on his conviction for conspiring with former UAW President Dennis Williams and other senior UAW officials to embezzle UAW dues money and to defraud the United States through tax evasion between 2010 and September 2019.
Between June 2018 and November 2019, Jones served as the President of the International Union, United Automobile, Aerospace, and Agricultural Workers of America (“UAW”). The UAW represents over 400,000 active members and over 580,000 retired members in more than 600 local unions across the United States. Prior to serving as UAW President, Jones was the Director of UAW Region 5 and a member of the UAW’s International Executive Board from October 2012 through June 2018. The UAW’s Region 5 is headquartered in Hazelwood, Missouri, and covers the tens of thousands of UAW members in Missouri and the sixteen states to the southwest, including California and Texas. Jones was the UAW President during the forty-day strike against the General Motors Company that took place in the fall of 2019.
Jones stands convicted of conspiring with at least six other high-level UAW officials in a multi-year conspiracy to embezzle money from the UAW for the personal benefit of Jones and other senior UAW officials. Jones and other UAW officials concealed personal expenditures in the cost of UAW Region 5 conferences held in Palm Springs, California, Coronado, California, and Lake of the Ozarks, Missouri. Between 2010 and 2018, Jones and other UAW officials submitted fraudulent expense forms seeking reimbursement from the UAW’s Detroit headquarters for expenditures supposedly incurred in connection with Region 5 leadership and training conferences. In truth, however, Jones and his co-conspirators used the conferences to conceal the hundreds of thousands of dollars in UAW funds spent on lavish entertainment and personal spending for the conspirators.
Jones admitted that he and other senior UAW officials used the UAW money to pay for personal expenses, including golf clubs, private villas, cigars, golfing apparel, green fees at golf courses, and high-end liquor and meals costing over $750,000 in UAW funds. For example, during the course of the conspiracy, Jones used UAW money to purchase over $60,000 in cigars and four sets of custom-made golf clubs for the use of high-level UAW officials.
Besides admitting to using the UAW conferences to conceal the fraudulent use of UAW money for personal expenses, Jones also pled guilty to assisting in a conspiracy to embezzle UAW funds from the UAW’s Midwest CAP. The UAW Midwest CAP is one of the UAW’s many Community Action Programs. Jones admitted to accepting over $60,000 in cash from co-conspirator Edward Robinson who cashed over $500,000 in fraudulent UAW Midwest CAP checks and embezzled money from the UAW Labor Employment Training Corporation.
Besides conspiring with other UAW officials to embezzle UAW funds, Jones pled guilty to conspiring with UAW officials to defraud the United States by impeding the Internal Revenue Service in the collection of taxes from Jones and other UAW officials. The conspirators also caused the UAW to file false tax returns with the IRS.
As part of the court’s sentence, Jones was ordered to forfeit $31,000 in cash, a custom-made set of Titleist golf clubs, and various golf clothing and equipment seized from Jones during an August 2019 search of his residence in Canton, Michigan. In addition, Jones has been ordered to pay $550,000 in restitution to the UAW and $42,000 in restitution to the Internal Revenue Service. Finally, the Court ordered Jones to forfeit $83,613 held in Jones’ “Flower Fund” account and $38,644 from Jones’ Members in Solidarity account. Co-defendant Edward Robinson was ordered to pay restitution of $300,000 to the UAW, and co-defendant Dennis Williams paid $132,000 in restitution to the UAW. It is expected that co-defendant Vance Pearson will owe $250,000 in restitution.
Because Jones provided substantial assistance in the investigation of other individuals and entities, the United States sought a lower prison sentence for him.
Jones is the sixteenth defendant convicted in connection with the ongoing criminal investigation into corruption within the UAW or relating to illegal payoffs to UAW officials by FCA executives. The following other individuals have already pleaded guilty to their participation in the scheme and have been sentenced: former FCA Vice President for Employee Relations Alphons Iacobelli (66 months in prison), former FCA Financial Analyst Jerome Durden (15 months in prison), former Director of FCA’s Employee Relations Department Michael Brown (12 months in prison), former senior UAW officials Virdell King (60 days in prison), Keith Mickens (12 months in prison), Nancy A. Johnson (12 months in prison), Monica Morgan, the widow of UAW Vice President General Holiefield (18 months in prison), former UAW Vice President Norwood Jewell (15 months in prison), former senior UAW official Michael Grimes (28 moths), former UAW Midwest CAP President Edward “Nick” Robinson (12 months in prison), former UAW Vice President Joseph Ashton (30 months), and former UAW President Dennis Williams (21 months). In addition, the following UAW official has pleaded guilty and is awaiting sentencing: former UAW Region 5 Director UAW Board member Vance Pearson. The company, FCA US LLC, now known as Stellantis, pleaded guilty in January 2021 to conspiring to violate the Taft-Hartley Act, and the company will be sentenced on June 21, 2021. Former senior UAW official Jeffrey “Paycheck” Pietrzyk passed away before being sentenced.
In December 2020, the United States filed a civil lawsuit against the UAW under the Anti-Fraud Injunction Act based on the criminal investigation of the UAW, FCA US LLC, and FCA’s executives. Subsequently, the United States and the UAW entered into a Consent Decree to settle the lawsuit that was approved by the U.S. District Court. The Court has appointed attorney Neil Barofsky to serve as the Independent Monitor of the UAW for the next six years. The Monitor is tasked with providing federal oversight of the UAW concerning fraud, corruption, and misconduct within the UAW. In addition, the Monitor will conduct and oversee a referendum of all UAW members to determine if the membership wants to adopt a direct election, also known as “one member, one vote,” method of electing the members of the UAW’s International Executive Board.
Acting U.S. Attorney Mohsin commended the outstanding work of the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigations, the U.S. Department of Labor – Office of Labor-Management Standards and Office of Inspector General, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation in conducting a comprehensive criminal investigation into labor corruption activities involving a vital sector of the local and national economy.
“The fact that two former international UAW Presidents will be going to prison after being convicted of embezzling UAW dues money demonstrates that no one is above the law,” said Acting United States Attorney Saima S. Mohsin. “The working men and women of the UAW can feel that justice was done, and that their union is on the road to reform.”
“Instead of serving the interests of the hard-working men and women of the UAW, Jones conspired with senior UAW officials to embezzle more than $1 million in union funds. Jones spent the embezzled funds on extravagant meals, liquor, golf, and personal travel. We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to protect the financial integrity of labor organizations," stated Irene Lindow, Special Agent-in-Charge, Chicago Region, U.S. Department of Labor Office of Inspector General.
“Unions can only be effective if members trust their leadership to work in the best interest of the entire union. Gary Jones and the fifteen leaders convicted over the course of this investigation were clearly unworthy of that trust,” said Timothy Waters, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Detroit Field Office. “While this investigation is one step closer to its conclusion, the FBI and our federal partners will remain vigilant in our efforts to expose those who participate in this type of corrupt behavior and bring them to justice.”
“Gary Jones failed to act with integrity as President of the UAW, he stole from the UAW’s membership and attempted to negatively impact the integrity of the U.S. tax system. Today’s sentence holds Jones accountable for his actions,” said Kelly Lewis, Acting Special Agent in Charge, IRS Criminal Investigation, Detroit Field Office. “IRS-Criminal Investigation is dedicated to protecting the integrity of our tax system and working with our law enforcement partners to protect the financial integrity of corporations and labor organizations."
“With today’s sentencing, Gary Jones has solidified his legacy at the UAW as one who chose to abuse his position of trust to enrich himself and other high ranking UAW officials who together conspired to embezzle more than $1 million from the UAW instead of working towards improving the working conditions of his fellow UAW members,” said Thomas Murray, District Director, U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Labor-Management Standards. “While the vast majority of union officials do their work diligently and without incident, OLMS will continue to work with its law enforcement partners to hold accountable anyone that unlawfully exploits their union position to enrich themselves without regard to the best interests of union members.”
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys David A. Gardey, Steven Cares, and Adriana Dydell.
Five Individuals, Including Current and Former JetBlue Employees, Charged with Covid-19 Related FraudRead the Press Release
A criminal complaint was unsealed today in federal court in Brooklyn charging Orlando Sanay, Keimi Nunez and his twin brother Keily Nunez, Michael Pimentel Veloz and Fanny Plasencia with wire fraud in connection with false statements they allegedly made to obtain loans pursuant to the Economic Injury Disaster Loan program (“EIDL”). The defendants were arrested today and will make their initial appearances this afternoon before United States Magistrate Judge Roanne L. Mann.
Mark J. Lesko, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, and Peter C. Fitzhugh, Special Agent-in-Charge, Homeland Security Investigations, New York (HSI), announced the arrests and charge.
“As alleged, the defendants brazenly lied and stole more than $1 million in taxpayer funds from a program designed to help small businesses and their employees who were struggling to stay afloat and make ends meet during the pandemic,” stated Acting United States Attorney Lesko. “Our Office will continue to ensure that criminals who divert pandemic-related relief to line their own pockets are held accountable for their greed.”
“It’s alleged that the five arrested today schemed to defraud the government by falsely obtaining over one million dollars in loans from the Economic Injury Disaster Loan program under the COVID Relief Act. This is a team of fraudsters who didn’t just skim from a government agency, but stole much needed relief from the hands of those who depended on it most,” stated HSI Special Agent-in-Charge Fitzhugh. “HSI New York worked closely with IRS--Criminal Investigations, the SBA’s Office of Inspector General and JetBlue Corporate Security to apprehend these individuals and ensure they face the consequences of their actions.”
The EIDL program provides qualifying small businesses with low-interest loans. The Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (“CARES”) Act expanded EIDL to provide economic support to help offset the temporary loss of revenue experienced by businesses due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
As alleged in the complaint, between April 2020 and August 2020, the defendants applied for EIDL loans for eight separate entities. In those applications, the defendants falsely represented the number of employees associated with the entities and misstated the gross revenues for the entities for the 12 months prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. For example, Sanay submitted a loan application to the Small Business Association (“SBA”) in July 2020 claiming that he was the owner and chief executive officer of Sanay Venture Capital LLC (“SVC”). In the application, Sanay falsely claimed that SVC had 26 employees, gross revenues of $839,000 and cost of goods sold of $560,000 for the relevant period. Sanay and Keimy Nunez submitted the application from the IP address of their employer, JetBlue Airways, to the SBA’s online portal. The SBA approved SVC’s application and on August 4, 2020 wired $139,400 to Sanay’s personal bank account. In contrast to the claims made in the application, New York Department of Labor records showed that SVC has never reported having any employees. Internal Revenue Service records further reveal that SVC has never filed a tax return since its formation in 2014. There is no evidence to date that the EIDL funds provided to SVC were used for business purposes. Keily Nunez is no longer employed by JetBlue.
Based on these false representations, the Small Business Administration approved more than $1 million in loans that were deposited into the defendants’ bank accounts.
In addition to making false statements to obtain the loans, the defendants did not use the relief funding for ongoing business expenses as the EIDL program requires. Instead, they withdrew hundreds of thousands of dollars in cash from bank accounts that had received EIDL loan funds.
The charge in the complaint is an allegation, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. If convicted, the defendants each face up to 20 years’ imprisonment.
The case is being handled by the Office’s Business and Securities Fraud Section. Department of Justice Trial Attorney Patrick J. Campbell is in charge of the prosecution.
The Defendants:
ORLANDO SANAY
Age: 39
Elizabeth, New JerseyKEILY NUNEZ
Age: 41
Jamaica, New YorkKEIMI NUNEZ
Age: 41
Woodhaven, New YorkMICHAEL PIMENTEL VELOZ
Age: 40
Garfield, New JerseyFANNY PLASENCIA
Age: 20
Jamaica, New YorkE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 21-MJ-668
Five Arrested for Allegedly Laundering Nearly $1 Million from Business Email Compromise FraudRead the Press Release
SAN ANTONIO – A federal grand jury indictment unsealed today charges five individuals for laundering nearly $1 million derived from a Business Email Compromise (BEC) scheme. FBI agents and local authorities arrested the defendants yesterday without incident.
The indictment charges the defendants with one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering: 47-year-old Olufemi Nathaniel Itiowe, aka Baloi Maputo Oldemiro and John Koffi of Brooklyn, New York; 43-year-old Stacey Allison Ault, aka Tammy Botha and Cindy Theron of Brooklyn, New York; 38-year-old Enso Anderson of Long Branch, New Jersey; 33-year-old Edward Chance Johnson of Yukon, Oklahoma; and 52-year-old Bona Wong of Las Vegas, Nevada.
In a BEC scheme, scammers target businesses and individuals making wire transfer payments, especially those employees with access to company finances. The scammers trick the employees into wiring payments to bank accounts they believe belong to trusted partners but that are actually controlled by the fraudsters. Sometimes the scammers use computer intrusion techniques to alter legitimate payment request emails by changing the recipient bank accounts. Sometimes they send spoofed emails that appear to be from trusted partners.
The indictment alleges that the conspirators opened various bank accounts in the U.S. utilizing fraudulent identification documents. The indictment also alleges that the conspirators fraudulently procured funds using the BEC fraud, then worked quickly to withdraw or transfer the funds into various other accounts, which prevented the victims and banks from reversing the transactions. The indictment focuses on funds largely derived from BEC schemes perpetrated against victims in Montana and Texas from October 2018 to September 2019.
U.S. Attorney Ashley C. Hoff and Christopher Combs, Special Agent in Charge, FBI, San Antonio Division, made the announcement.
Conspiracy to commit money laundering calls for up to 20 years in federal prison upon conviction.
The FBI together with the IRS Criminal Investigation, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, New York Police Department, along with FBI New York, FBI Helena, Montana, FBI Oklahoma City and FBI Las Vegas conducted this investigation and made yesterday’s arrests. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kelly Stephenson and William F. Lewis Jr. are prosecuting this case.
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.
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Fifteen Alleged Gang Members and Associates Charged with Drug Trafficking, Money Laundering and Counterfeiting OffensesRead the Press Release
BOSTON – Fifteen members and associates of a Lowell-based gang, One Family Clique (OFC), have been charged, and 14 were arrested today, for allegedly perpetrating large-scale and long-running drug trafficking and money laundering conspiracies. In the course of the investigation, agents seized or purchased approximately 2.32 kilograms of cocaine, 10.78 kilograms of methamphetamine, 41 grams of fentanyl, 30 grams of MDMA, 513 grams of heroin, $104,396 in cash and three firearms. One defendant remains a fugitive.
As alleged in court documents, in August 2018, law enforcement began investigating OFC in response to a dramatic spike in shootings and gang violence in Lowell. OFC is an alliance between several gangs in and around Lowell with ties to gangs in California and other states. Sarath Yut is the founder and leader of OFC and also a member of the subgroup, Crazy Mob Family gang. In 2018 and 2019, at least 12 incidents of gunfire in the Lowell area are alleged to be attributable to gang-motivated hostilities between OCF and its rivals.
Since at least 2019, Yut, and co-defendants allegedly used the U.S. Postal Service to receive shipments of illegal narcotics, and, in return, to ship cash proceeds to Yut’s sources of supply. It is alleged that Yut maintained stash houses in Lowell, which also served as venues for gang meetings and other events furthering the gang’s illegal activities. In addition, controlled purchases of drugs and a firearm were made from defendants Virak Prum, Peouveasnah Pin and Sambo Buth.
It is further alleged that, in August 2019, Pin and Buth dealt in counterfeit money, by providing “protection” to a cooperating witness, who purported to purchase $100,000 of counterfeit U.S. currency from an undercover agent. Buth and Pin transferred and delivered the counterfeit currency from Cambridge, Mass. to New Hampshire, where it was received by another undercover agent. In a May 2021 undercover operation, defendants Prum, Pin, Samoeun Kem and Richard Sam, allegedly provided “protection” to a shipment, purportedly of drug money from Europe, from black tar heroin sales. The defendants helped pack a shipment of money into a truck and escorted it from New York to New Hampshire.
“We allege that leaders and members of the One Family Clique trafficked drugs and firearms, contributing to the kind of violence we all know destroys communities,” said Acting United States Attorney Nathaniel R. Mendell. “The Lowell Police Department is committed to defending its community, so they joined with federal and state law enforcement partners to conduct an investigation that yielded targeted arrests of key people who we allege were promoting drug distribution and violence in Lowell. The residents of Lowell will enjoy a safer summer thanks to the work of investigators and our prosecutors.”
“Operation Street Roulette is another example of how the FBI and our law enforcement partners work together to dismantle large-scale criminal enterprises that endanger our communities. With today’s removal of illegal narcotics, firearms, and these 15 members and associates of One Family Clique from the streets, the citizens of Lowell are immediately safer,” said Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Boston Division. “We believe this crew jeopardized public safety, and steadily poisoned the parts of Lowell they controlled, dealing large quantities of methamphetamine, cocaine, heroin, and fentanyl, while conspiring to launder their profits to hide what they were doing. We will not cede our cities to drug pushers who have absolutely no regard for the harm and violence they bring into our neighborhoods, and the FBI will stop at nothing to investigate, disrupt, and hold accountable those who try to fill the void left by today’s arrests.”
“In August of 2018, when I was appointed as Superintendent, I vowed to stop the violence in our city,” said Lowell Police Superintendent Kelly Richardson. “Knowing that most of the violence stemmed from illegal drug activity, and knowing that many involved had gone underground, I made it a top priority. Without hesitation the FBI, along with our officers, began a deep and protracted investigation that has led to today's arrests. I would like to thank the FBI and our partner investigative agencies for their ingenuity, tenacity and dedication. This investigation highlights the importance of partnerships. It not only strengthened this partnership but also, most importantly, has made this city safer for its residents, students and visitors.”
“Drug trafficking organizations exist for one reason: to make money,” said Ramsey E. Covington, Acting Special Agent in Charge, IRS Criminal Investigation, Boston Field Office. “By targeting their finances with today’s investigative actions, IRS Criminal Investigation special agents are dismantling these dangerous groups that wreak havoc on our communities.”
“Today’s arrests reflect the ongoing efforts of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and our law enforcement partners to disrupt Drug Trafficking Organizations in our communities,” said Joshua W. McCallister, Acting Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Boston Division. “Using the U.S. Mail to facilitate drug trafficking and the associated proceeds, will not be tolerated. We will continue to preserve the integrity of the U.S. Mail while also protecting our employees and the American public.”
“DEA is committed to investigating and dismantling violent poly drug trafficking organizations like these operating in the Greater Merrimack Valley area of Massachusetts,” said Brian D. Boyle, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, Boston Division. “As we all know, drug trafficking in our communities, along with the gun and physical violence that often accompanies it, is a serious threat to our families and communities. This is unacceptable and will not be allowed to happen. DEA and its local, state and federal partners are dedicated to bringing to justice those that commit these crimes.”
The charge of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute heroin, cocaine base, fentanyl, MDMA, 500 grams or more of cocaine and 500 grams or more of methamphetamine provides for mandatory minimum sentences of five and 10 years and up to life in prison, at least three years and up to life of supervised release, a fine of up to $10 million and forfeiture of assets traceable to the trafficking offenses. The charge of money laundering conspiracy provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release, a fine of $500,000, or twice the amount of the property involved, whichever is greater, and forfeiture of assets traceable to the laundering offenses. The charge of dealing in counterfeit obligations and securities provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $ 250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Acting U.S. Attorney Mendell, FBI Boston SAC Bonavolonta, Lowell Police Superintendent Richardson, IRS-CI Acting SAC Covington, USPIS Acting Inspector McCallister and DEA Boston SAC Boyle made the announcement. The investigation was led by the FBI’s Merrimack Valley Transnational Organized Crime Task Force and assistance was provided by the DEA-San Jose Task Force and Long Beach and Santa Clara (California) Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Timothy Moran, Fred Wyshak, III, and Alexandra W. Amrhein of Mendell’s Criminal Division are prosecuting the case.
This case 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.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
APPENDIX
The following defendants were indicted by a federal grand jury:
- Sarath Yut, a/k/a “Black,” 34, of Lowell, was charged with money laundering conspiracy and conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute heroin, cocaine base, fentanyl, MDMA, 500 grams or more of cocaine and 500 grams or more of methamphetamine;
- Virak Prum, a/k/a “Polo,” 34, of Lowell, was charged with money laundering conspiracy and conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute heroin, cocaine base, fentanyl, methamphetamine, MDMA and 500 grams or more of cocaine;
- Peouveasnah Pin, a/k/a “Poe,” 31, of Lowell, was charged with money laundering conspiracy, dealing in counterfeit obligations or securities and conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute heroin, cocaine base, fentanyl, methamphetamine, MDMA and 500 grams or more of cocaine;
- Sambo Buth, a/k/a “Chewy,” 31, of Lowell, was charged with money laundering conspiracy, dealing in counterfeit obligations or securities and conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute heroin, cocaine, cocaine base, methamphetamine, MDMA and 40 grams or more of fentanyl;
- Sambath Lay, a/k/a “G,” 34, of Lowell, was charged with money laundering conspiracy and conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute heroin, cocaine, cocaine base, fentanyl, methamphetamine and MDMA;
- Mark Yin, a/k/a “Markass,” 30 of Lowell, was charged with money laundering conspiracy and conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute heroin, cocaine, cocaine base, fentanyl, methamphetamine and MDMA;
- Christopher Phann, a/k/a “Kree,” 29, of Medford, was charged with money laundering conspiracy and conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute heroin, cocaine, cocaine base, fentanyl, methamphetamine and MDMA;
- Darasy Chhim, a/k/a “Mystickal,” 35, of Lowell, was charged with conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute heroin, cocaine, cocaine base, fentanyl, methamphetamine and MDMA;
- Sriphan Keomany, a/k/a “C-Pon,” 43, of Lowell, was charged with conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute heroin, cocaine, cocaine base, fentanyl, methamphetamine and MDMA;
- Vongnaroth Proeung, a/k/a “Sunny,” 32 of Lowell, was charged with money laundering conspiracy and conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute heroin, cocaine, cocaine base, fentanyl, methamphetamine and MDMA;
- Victory Thorn, 34, of Hudson, was charged with money laundering conspiracy and conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute heroin, cocaine, cocaine base, fentanyl, methamphetamine and MDMA;
- Chomroeun Keo, a/k/a “Shrek,” 38, of Lowell, was charged with money laundering conspiracy and conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute heroin, cocaine, cocaine base, fentanyl, methamphetamine and MDMA;
- Gaius Monteyro, a/k/a “G-Made,” 36 of Lowell, was charged with conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute heroin, cocaine, cocaine base, fentanyl, methamphetamine and MDMA;
- Samoeun Kem, a/k/a “Crazy One,” 35, of Lowell, was charged with money laundering conspiracy; and
- Richard Sam, a/k/a “Lil Stomper,” 30 of Lowell, was charged with money laundering conspiracy.
Federal Jury Convicts Tampa Man for Offenses Related to 2019 Shooting Near Ybor CityRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – A federal jury has found Sergio Antonio Hood (36, Tampa) guilty of possession of ammunition as a convicted felon, obstruction of justice, and attempted witness tampering. Hood faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison for the ammunition and obstruction offenses, and up to, 20 years’ imprisonment for attempted witness tampering. His sentencing hearing is scheduled for September 9, 2021, at which time the Court will decide issues that could increase Hood’s maximum possible sentence.
Hood had been indicted on December 10, 2020. He has multiple prior convictions, including two federal convictions for possession of firearms as a convicted felon, and three federal convictions for distribution of controlled substances. Hood is also a registered sex offender as the result of a prior conviction for lewd and lascivious battery on a minor.
According to evidence presented at trial, on October 27, 2019, one week after meeting and beginning a relationship with a woman, Hood showed up at her home near Ybor City. Finding her sitting in a parked car with a friend, Hood pushed his assault-style rifle through the open window, pointed it at the woman’s head, and fired. The bullet missed the woman and went through the other side of the car. Hood was arrested on state charges the following day.
At the time of the shooting, Hood was on federal supervised release. As a result, he was transferred to federal custody to address his violations of the conditions of his supervised release. While in jail, Hood created a false alibi and asked a witness to testify falsely at a federal court hearing regarding those violations.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Tampa Police Department, with assistance from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Daniel George and Risha Asokan.
Federal Grand Jury Indicts Three Defendants on Multiple Drug and Gun ChargesRead 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 an indictment charging Esteven Matos, 29, of Buffalo, NY, along with Lydia Cortes, 50, and Felix Ayende, 45, both of Lackawanna, NY, with narcotics conspiracy, possessing with intent to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl, and attempting to possess with intent to distribute cocaine. The charges carry a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years in prison and a maximum of life. Defendant Esteven Matos is also charged with being a felon in possession of firearms and ammunition and possession of firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking crimes, which carry a mandatory minimum penalty of 15 years in prison to be served consecutive to any other sentence imposed.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicholas T. Cooper, who is handling the case, stated that according to the indictment and a previously filed complaint, on October 30, 2020, a federal search warrant was executed on a USPS Priority Mail Parcel addressed to “Antonio Cortes 1326 ELECTRIC Ave. LACKAWANNA, NY 14218.” The package contained one kilogram of cocaine. On November 3, 2020, the parcel, the contents of which were replaced with “sham,” was delivered to 1326 Electric Avenue and taken inside by defendant Ayende. A short time later, investigators conducting surveillance observed defendant Matos arrive at the residence. After Matos arrived, the parcel was opened. A search warrant was then executed at the residence. Investigators seized two loaded firearms, one of which was stolen, approximately 260 grams of fentanyl, 1,451 pills containing methamphetamine, the kilogram of “sham” cocaine, digital scales, sandwich baggies, five cell phones, and over $63,000 in US currency. All three defendants were arrested at that time.
The indictment is the result of an investigation by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, under the direction of Acting Boston Division Inspector-in-Charge Joshua W. McCallister, and the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Ray Donovan, New York Field Division.
The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
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Federal Grand Jury Indicts Buffalo Man for His Role in Scheme to Defraud Medicaid Out of Thousands of DollarsRead 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 an indictment charging Saleh Mozeb, 65, of Buffalo, NY, with healthcare fraud. The charge carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Russell T. Ippolito, who is handling the case, stated that according to the indictment and a previously filed complaint, the defendant is a co-owner of Great Lake Transportation, which is a non-emergency medical transportation provider for Medicaid recipients. Great Lake, which has been operating since August 2016, has approximately 15 vehicles in its fleet and employs approximately 20 drivers, primarily providing rides to and from methadone clinics in the Buffalo area. Between September 2016, and December 2020, representatives from Great Lake submitted fraudulent claims for payment to Medicaid, seeking reimbursement for non-emergency transportation allegedly provided by Mozeb. The fraud involved the billing of Medicaid transportation trips that were not actually being performed, and individual rides that were billed as group rides, resulting in a greater reimbursement. The loss to Medicaid was more than $7,000.
The indictment is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Stephen Belongia; the New York State Medicaid Fraud Control Unit, under the direction of New York State Attorney General Letitia James; the New York State Police, Special Investigation Unit, under the direction of Major James Hall; the New York State Department of Financial Services, under the direction of Superintendent Linda A. Lacewell; the New York State Office of Inspector General, under the direction of Inspector General Letizia Tagliafierro; and U.S. Border Patrol, under the direction of Acting Chief Patrol Agent Buffalo Sector Andrew K. Scharnweber.
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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Farm equipment CEO pleads guilty in multi-million dollar bank fraudRead the Press Release
VALDOSTA, Ga. – A Southwest Georgia businessman and owner of a tractor supply company has pleaded guilty to orchestrating a complicated fraud involving millions of dollars of loans by multiple creditors.
Rickey Carter, 60, of Nashville, Georgia, pleaded guilty to one count bank fraud on Tuesday, June 8, before U.S. District Judge Hugh Lawson. Carter faces a maximum 30 years in prison to be followed by at least five years of supervised release and a $1,000,000 fine. Sentencing is scheduled for September 15. There is no parole in the federal system.
“Rickey Carter’s decision to concoct various illegal schemes to keep his failing business afloat has damaged small businesses, community banks and defrauded the federal government. Carter’s criminal actions will ultimately land him in federal prison,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Peter D. Leary. “FBI and FDIC agents successfully unraveled Carter’s complicated fraud, preventing him from further harming small businesses and bringing him to justice.”
“Carter thought he was smart enough to swindle millions of dollars from these banks, but he wasn’t smart enough to avoid being caught and punished,” said Chris Hacker, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. “He will be held accountable for the damage he has done, sending a strong message to anyone considering such fraud that it is a serious crime with serious consequences.”
“Rickey Carter’s guilty plea holds him responsible for his actions in fraudulently obtaining millions of dollars in loans from these banks,” said Special Agent in Charge, Kyle A. Myles of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Office of Inspector General (FDIC-OIG). “We remain committed to working with our law enforcement partners to bring to justice those who threaten the integrity of the banking system.”
Carter was the President and CEO of Nashville Tractor (NTI), a business that sold and leased agricultural and construction equipment, attachments and parts. In 2016, he obtained a United States Small Business Administration (SBA) loan with Farmers and Merchants Bank (FMB) in the principal amount of $5,000,000. At the same time, NTI obtained a new line of credit and signed a credit agreement with FMB in the amount of $625,000.
In 2010, Carter had entered into an ongoing Wholesale Financing and Security Agreement with CNH Industrial Capital America, LLC, (CNH) to finance NTI’s purchases of inventory for retail sale or lease. He also entered into a Retail Financing Agreement (RFA) with CNH under which CNH would purchase NTI’s interest in retail installment contracts for the purchase of agricultural and construction equipment with retail customers. The CNH agreement was a primary source of farm and construction equipment inventory for NTI.
Carter was able to continue operations of NTI and other loan arrangements were made with a number of other banks and financing entities. In each instance of a loan with the banks, Carter was required to provide true and complete financial information to the banks and was to provide continuing information for line of credit draws. However, during 2015, NTI began having financial and cash flow issues which made it difficult to make payments due on the loans and to make payroll. During that time, Carter began a practice of selling equipment which it held in trust but not paying the cash over to CNH and other creditors as required. Carter sold at least 88 pieces of equipment valued at more than $1.5 million subject to the security interest of CNH and sold other pieces of equipment securing financing from Kubota Credit Corporation, Ameris Bank, Bank of Alapaha and Diversified Financial Services. As part of the fraudulent scheme, Carter falsified NTI’s financial records in order to inflate the company’s net worth. As a part of falsifying records, on occasion, Carter directed NTI employees to generate payments checks on accounts payable but not send the checks, thereby reducing accounts payable but not deducting the checks from NTI’s accounts. In 2016, Carter falsified documents provided to FMB to secure the SBA loan and line of credit.
Carter also created fraudulent retail installment contracts for the sale or lease of numerous items of equipment with CNH using the names of real people whose information was available to Carter. Those fraudulent contracts generated more than $1.2 million in payments to NTI.
Carter continued through the SBA loan period to provide false and fraudulent information. In total, Carter admitted to being accountable for an intended fraud loss totaling more than $3.5 million but not more than $9.5 million. Carter is responsible for restitution for actual monetary losses caused by the fraud to FMB ($1,227,319.66), SBA ($1,500,000), Ameris Bank ($321,934.50), Bank of Alapaha ($150,000), CNH ($2,782,959.99), KCC ($185,993.32) and Diversified Financial Services ($228,399.92).
The case was investigated by the FBI and FDIC-OIG.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert McCullers is prosecuting the case.
Dominican National Pleads Guilty to Identity FraudRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Dominican national pleaded guilty yesterday in federal court in Worcester to identity fraud charges and illegal reentry after deportation.
Pedro Wilson Hernandez-Castillo, 49, pleaded guilty to false representation of a Social Security number, aggravated identity theft and unlawful reentry of a deported alien. U.S. District Court Judge Timothy S. Hillman scheduled sentencing for Oct. 1, 2021. Hernandez-Castillo was charged in a superseding indictment in February 2021.
On June 15, 2020, Hernandez-Castillo was stopped by a state trooper while driving and asked to provide his identification. The defendant provided the driver’s license and Social Security card of another individual. After determining that the defendant provided false information, the state trooper arrested Hernandez-Castillo.
Hernandez-Castillo illegally re-entered the United States after being deported in August 2018 following a conviction for possession with intent to distribute cocaine and heroin. Hernandez-Castillo was removed from the United States on four previous occasions: December 1998, June 2000, August 2011 and August 2018.
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. The charge of unlawful reentry after deportation provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. The charge of aggravated identity theft provides for a mandatory two-year prison sentence that must run consecutively to any other sentence imposed, up to one year of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based on the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Acting United States Attorney Nathaniel R. Mendell; Todd Lyons, Field Office Director of Enforcement and Removal Operations, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Boston; and William S. Walker, Acting Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Boston made the announcement. Valuable assistance was also provided by the Massachusetts State Police. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lucy Sun of Mendell’s Worcester Branch Office is prosecuting the case.
Dominican National Arrested for Passport FraudRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Dominican national was arrested today for passport fraud.
Gustavo Vallejo, 47, a Dominican national living in Boston, was indicted in April 2021 on one count of making false statements in a United States passport application. Vallejo made his initial appearance today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Judith G. Dein.
According to the charging document, in July 2011, Vallejo allegedly submitted an application for a U.S. Passport using the personal identifying information of a United States citizen.
The charge of false statements in application and use of passport provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based on the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Acting United States Attorney Nathaniel R. Mendell and Jonathan Davidson, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Secret Service, Boston Field Office made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles Dell’Anno of Mendell’s Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.
Des Moines Man Sentenced to 18 Years in Prison for Child Pornography OffenseRead the Press Release
DES MOINES, IA – A Des Moines man was sentenced today to 18 years in prison for producing child pornography.
According to court documents, Michael Aaron Estrada, age 35, used Snapchat in 2019 and 2020 to communicate with a minor who lived in Massachusetts. Estrada knew the minor with whom he was communicating was 15 years old. On multiple dates between August 2019 and June 2020, Estrada knowingly solicited from that minor pictures and videos of the minor engaged in sexually explicit conduct. The minor created “selfie” photos and videos of herself as requested and sent them to Estrada via Snapchat. Separate from the conduct involving the 15-year old, Estrada also downloaded other pictures and videos of child pornography from the internet in 2019 and 2020 and distributed videos of child pornography via the internet in March 2020.
Acting U.S. Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement.
The FBI Child Exploitation Task Force and the Iowa Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force investigated the case. This case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa as part of the United States Department of Justice’s “Project Safe Childhood” initiative, which was started in 2006 as a nationwide effort to combine law enforcement investigations and prosecutions, community action, and public awareness in order to reduce the incidence of sexual exploitation of children.
Any persons having knowledge of a child being sexually abused are encouraged to call the Iowa Sexual Abuse Hotline at 1-800-284-7821.
Deer Lodge man sentenced to five years in prison for meth trafficking, firearms crimesRead the Press Release
MISSOULA – A Deer Lodge man who admitted to receiving packages of methamphetamine in the mail for re-distribution and to illegally possessing firearms was sentenced today to five years in prison and to five years of supervised release, Acting U.S. Attorney Leif M. Johnson said.
Shawn James Miller, 33, pleaded guilty on Feb. 18 to possession with intent to distribute controlled substances and to prohibited person in possession of a firearm.
U.S. District Judge Dana L. Christensen presided. Miller was detained.
The government alleged in court documents that law enforcement learned Miller was involved in drug trafficking in Montana from about 2017 until 2020. Miller admitted to investigators that he received and possessed packages of meth through the mail for re-distribution. The investigation determined that Miller sent a package containing $4,000 cash to California. The government further alleged Miller aided drug trafficking activities by wiring money to the Dominican Republic and Mexico, in addition to other locations, and that Miller was conservatively responsible for at least two pounds of meth, which is the equivalent of 7,248 doses, in Montana’s communities. Miller also pawned two firearms in Butte in March 2020 after having been convicted of multiple felonies in Montana. Co-defendants Humberto Horiol Medina Villarreal and Charles Joshua Petty have pleaded guilty in the case and are awaiting sentencing.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan G. Weldon prosecuted the case, which was investigated by the Montana Division of Criminal Investigation, Butte Police Department, Drug Enforcement Administration, Homeland Security Investigations and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods, a U.S. Department of Justice initiative to reduce violent crime. Through PSN, federal, tribal, state and local law enforcement partners in Montana focus on violent crime driven by methamphetamine trafficking, armed robbers, firearms offenses and violent offenders with outstanding warrants.
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Convicted Felon Sentenced for Possession of a Controlled Substance with Intent to Distribute and Possession of a Firearm in Connection with a Drug Trafficking OffenseRead the Press Release
Memphis, TN – Alfonzo Mitchell, 48, has been sentenced to 106 months in federal prison for possession of a controlled substance with the intent to distribute and possession of a firearm in connection with a drug trafficking offense. Acting U.S. Attorney Joseph C. Murphy Jr., announced the sentence today.
According to information presented in court, on November 9, 2018, detectives from the Memphis Police Department executed a search warrant at a residence on Busby Avenue. On the top floor in the northwest bedroom, detectives recovered a baggie containing ammunition, a green box of ammunition, a black digital scale, a black magazine with ammunition, and a box of plastic bags. Also, in the same bedroom, detectives recovered more ammunition on top of a dresser, along with a green leafy substance in a plastic bag.
In the kitchen, detectives recovered 3 glass beakers commonly used in making crack cocaine, as well as 2 scales commonly used for weighing narcotics. Detectives also located a blue ‘La Choy’ jar container with a hidden compartment in the bottom which had a plastic bag containing several smaller plastic bags filled with a white powder consistent with cocaine.
In the downstairs living room, detectives recovered a brown bag filled with assorted ammunition, a box of plastic baggies, a plate with a razor and white powder residue, a black Samsung Galaxy Cellular Phone, a gray scale, a box of clear plastic baggies, and a clear jar with a green leafy substance inside. Detectives also recovered a Norinco 7.62X39 caliber rifle and four boxes of ammunition from a closet in the living room. The rifle was loaded with one live round in the chamber and several rounds in the magazine.
In the downstairs northwest bedroom, detectives recovered a hard-white substance in medicine bottles, a green leafy substance in approximately six mason jars, and a pill bottle containing 12 pills. The pills were identified as Oxycodone. Mitchell was unable to provide a prescription. In the same bedroom, detectives also recovered a Strum, Ruger and Co.9 mm caliber pistol. The serial number had been obliterated. Detectives recovered in the downstairs northwest bedroom, a "Planters Peanut" container filled with several plastic baggies filled with a green leafy substance. Alonzo Mitchell had $220 in cash on his person.
Alfonzo Mitchell gave a written statement claiming all narcotics and firearms in the house belonged to him. When asked why he possessed the firearms, the defendant stated, "You have to be ready to go to war if something jumps off." Mitchell also admitted that he sold the marijuana, powder cocaine, and crack cocaine from his residence on Busby Avenue.
On March 12, 2021, Mitchell pled guilty.
On June 9, 2021, U.S. District Judge Jon P. McCalla sentenced Mitchell to 106 months in federal prison to be followed by a three-year supervised release term. There is no parole in the federal system.
This case was investigated by the Memphis Police Department and Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Task Force. PSN, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders works 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.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Wendy K. Cornejo prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
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Convicted Felon Is Sentenced to 11 Years on Drug and Gun ChargesRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Western District of North Carolina Acting U.S. Attorney William T. Stetzer and Montana Acting U.S. Attorney Leif M. Johnson announced today that Wilburn Jonathan Wilson, 26, of Hickory, N.C. was sentenced to 132 months in prison and five years of supervised release on federal drug and gun charges. U.S. District Judge Kenneth D. Bell presided over the hearing.
According to filed court documents and today’s sentencing hearing, in 2016, Wilson was convicted in North Carolina of possession of a stolen firearm. As a result of that conviction, Wilson is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition. According to court records, in March 2020, law enforcement learned that Wilson was selling firearms illegally in and around Catawba County. Court records show that, between March and July 2020, Wilson sold 26 illegal firearms, including rifles, shotguns and handguns, and hundreds of rounds of ammunition. During the same time period, Wilson also possessed and distributed methamphetamine in the Hickory area.
According to court records, in April 2020, law enforcement in Montana conducted a traffic stop of the vehicle Wilson was driving for excessive speeding. Law enforcement executed a search warrant and seized from Wilson’s vehicle narcotics, a semi-automatic rifle with a full 30 round magazine, and two 12-gauge shotgun shells. Subsequently, Wilson was charged by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Montana with federal firearm violations.
In November 2020, Wilson pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm by a felon and distribution and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine in connection with his federal case in the Western District of North Carolina. In March 2021, Wilson pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm by a prohibited person, after the federal case pending against Wilson in Montana was transferred to the Western District of North Carolina.
Wilson is currently in federal custody and will be transferred to the custody of the federal Bureau of Prisons upon designation of a federal facility.
In making today’s announcement, Acting U.S. Attorney Stetzer thanked the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Montana for its continued coordination and assistance in this case, and commended the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation, the Montana Highway Patrol, the Catawba County Sheriff’s Office, the Stillwater County Sheriff’s Office in Montana, the Hickory Police Department, and the Long View Police Department for their investigation of the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Hess of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte was in charge of Wilson’s prosecution in North Carolina. Wilson’s case in Montana was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Brendan P. McCarthy of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Billings.
Cocaine trafficking sends Bozeman man to prison for eight yearsRead the Press Release
MISSOULA – A Bozeman man who admitted to trafficking cocaine after an investigation determined he received packages of cocaine and large amounts of cash was sentenced today to eight years in prison and to seven years of supervised release, Acting U.S. Attorney Leif M. Johnson said.
Luis Alberto Rocha, 38, pleaded guilty on Feb. 12 to conspiracy to distribute cocaine.
U.S. District Judge Dana L. Christensen presided. Rocha was detained.
In court documents filed in the case, the government alleged that in September 2019, the Missouri River Drug Task Force in Bozeman received information that Rocha was involved in the distribution of drugs, was moving a lot of weight and had a source of supply in Texas. In April 2020, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service noticed packages scheduled for delivery to Rocha’s residence in Belgrade and to his former residence in Bozeman. The investigation determined that a total of 14 packages had been delivered from California, Texas and Arizona since July 2019.
In July 2020, the postal inspector searched two packages pursuant to search warrants and found $27,000 in currency in one package and $62,000 in currency in a second package. On Aug. 17, 2020, another package addressed to Rocha’s former Bozeman residence was searched pursuant to a warrant, and investigators found it contained about 6.5 pounds of cocaine. The delivery of the package was delayed because of the investigation, and agents learned that someone checked on the status of the package more than 300 times from an internet provider address that was registered to Rocha.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy J. Racicot prosecuted the case, which was investigated by the FBI, Missouri River Drug Task Force and U.S. Postal Inspection Service.
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Chief Operating Officer of network security company charged with cyberattack on Gwinnett Medical CenterRead the Press Release
ATLANTA - Vikas Singla has been arraigned on charges arising out of a cyberattack conducted on Gwinnett Medical Center in 2018. Singla was indicted by a federal grand jury on June 8, 2021.
“Cyberattacks that target important infrastructure, like healthcare, pose a serious threat to public health and safety,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Kurt R. Erskine. “In this case, Singla allegedly compromised Gwinnett Medical Center’s operations in part for his own personal gain.”
“Criminal disruptions of hospital computer networks can have tragic consequences,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Nicholas L. McQuaid of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “The department is committed to holding accountable those who endanger the lives of patients by damaging computers that are essential in the operation of our healthcare system.”
“This cyberattack on a hospital not only could have had disastrous consequences, but patient’s personal information was also compromised,” said Chris Hacker, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. “The FBI and our law enforcement partners are determined to hold accountable, those who allegedly put peoples health and safety at risk while driven by greed.”
According to Acting U.S. Attorney Erskine, the indictment, and other information presented in court: Vikas Singla, the Chief Operating Officer of a metro-Atlanta network security company that served the healthcare industry, allegedly conducted a cyberattack on Gwinnett Medical Center that involved:
- Disrupting phone service,
- Obtaining information from a digitizing device, and
- Disrupting network printer service.
The indictment further alleges that the cyberattack was conducted, in part, for financial gain.
Vikas Singla, 45, of Marietta, Georgia, made his initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Linda T. Walker. Singla was charged with 17 counts of intentional damage to a protected computer and one count of obtaining information from a protected computer. Members of the public are reminded that the indictment only contains charges. The defendant is presumed innocent of the charges and it will be the government’s burden to prove the defendant’s guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial.
This case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Samir Kaushal and Trial Attorney Brian Mund of the U.S. Department of Justice, Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section are prosecuting the case.
For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at [email protected] or (404) 581-6016. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.