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28 May 2021
Three Charged in Florida to Connecticut Gun Trafficking SchemeRead the Press Release
Leonard C Boyle, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, and David Sundberg, Special Agent in Charge of the New Haven Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, today announced that ERIC WOODIE, 30, of New Britain; DOMINIC COLON-BROWN, 27, of Farmington; and JULIAN JUDGE, 22, of New Britain, have been charged federally with trafficking firearms that were stolen in Florida to Connecticut.
Colon-Brown and Judge were arrested yesterday on criminal complaints. They appeared via videoconference before U.S. Magistrate Judge Thomas O. Farrish and are detained pending detention hearings scheduled for June 1. Woodie has been detained in state custody since March 2021.
As alleged in court documents and statements made in court, in late February 2021, Woodie rented a car, which Judge and Colon-Brown used to drive to Florida to obtain stolen firearms and bring the firearms back to Connecticut. On March 8, 2021, law enforcement recovered a .40 caliber handgun and a high capacity magazine that Woodie discarded during a foot chase in New Britain. A subsequent search of a New Britain apartment where Woodie and Judge resided revealed three additional loaded firearms, two extended magazines, more than 100 rounds of ammunition and approximately 60 grams of cocaine. The serial number on one of the firearms found in the apartment matched the serial number of a firearm that had been stolen in Florida in February 2021.
It is further alleged that Woodie, Colon-Brown and Judge are captured in recorded conversations discussing the illegal acquisition and sale of firearms, and that Judge and Colon-Brown posted photos of themselves on social media in possession of firearms.
Woodie, Colon-Brown and Judge are each charged with conspiring to engage in the business of dealing in firearms without a license and to transport stolen firearms in interstate commerce, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of five years.
Acting U.S. Attorney Boyle stressed that a complaint is only a charge and 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 FBI’s Northern Connecticut Gang Task Force, New Britain Police Department, Farmington Police Department, West Hartford Police Department and Pasco County (Fla.) Sheriff’s Office. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Angel M. Krull.
Texas Woman Indicted on Unemployment Fraud Charge Related to COVID-19 PandemicRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Texas woman was indicted by a federal grand jury yesterday in connection with her alleged involvement in a scheme to fraudulently claim COVID-19-related unemployment assistance.
Donna Wasson, 36, of San Antonio, Texas, was indicted on three counts of wire fraud and one count of aggravated identity theft. Wasson was charged in a criminal complaint on April 16, 2021.
According to charging documents, the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act) created a temporary federal unemployment insurance program called Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA). PUA, administered by the Massachusetts Department of Unemployment Assistance, provides unemployment insurance benefits for individuals who are not eligible for other types of unemployment benefits (e.g., the self-employed, independent contractors, or gig economy workers).
It is alleged that Wasson applied for Massachusetts unemployment benefits despite residing in Texas and receiving unemployment benefits via the Texas Workplace Commission. In addition, Wasson allegedly carried out instructions concerning other fraudulent unemployment claims from a former Massachusetts Department of Unemployment Assistance (DUA) employee, and accessed unemployment claims under multiple stolen identities to fraudulently obtain benefits to which she was not entitled.
The charge of wire fraud provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The charge of aggravated identity theft provides for a sentence of up to two years in prison, one year 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.
The investigation is being conducted by Homeland Security’s Investigation’s Document and Benefit Fraud Task Force (DBFTF), a specialized field investigative group comprised of personnel from various local, state, and federal agencies with expertise in detecting, deterring, and disrupting organizations and individuals involved in various types of document, identity, and benefit fraud schemes.
Acting United States Attorney Nathaniel R. Mendell; William S. Walker, Acting Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Boston; and Nikitas Splagounias, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General, Labor Racketeering and Fraud Investigations made the announcement today. Special assistance was provided by the Massachusetts Department of Unemployment Assistance, Program Integrity Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Bill Abely and Dustin Chao of Mendell’s Criminal Division are prosecuting the case.
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.
Talladega County Man Sentenced on Drug ChargesRead the Press Release
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – A federal judge today sentenced a Talladega man on drug charges, announced United States Attorney Prim F. Escalona and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Special Agent in Charge Mickey French.
U.S. District Court Judge Corey L. Maze sentenced Anthony Lamon Frazier, 39, to 120 months in prison followed by five years ‘supervised release for possession with the intent to distribute more than 50 grams of methamphetamine. A jury convicted Frazier in December 2020.
“Today’s sentence sends a message to those dealing methamphetamine in our communities – you will get caught and spend time in a federal prison,” U.S. Attorney Escalona said. “I commend our law enforcement partners for their tireless work to eliminate methamphetamine distribution across the Northern District of Alabama.”
“ATF’s partnerships focuses on the devastating impact of contraband and works with the entire community to deter poor choices and provide alternatives,” ATF SAC French said.
In October 2019, Frazier delivered almost two pounds of methamphetamine to an individual and used his Talladega County government work truck to distribute the narcotics.
ATF investigated the case, along with the Talladega County Drug Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Blake Milner and Allison Garnett prosecuted the case.
St. Croix Resident Sentenced to Federal Prison for Trafficking over 22 Kilos of Cocaine Through the Cyril E. King AirportRead the Press Release
St. Thomas, USVI –District Court Judge Wilma A. Lewis, sentenced Jakwaan Sweeny, Jr., 22, of St. Croix, to 72 months incarceration for trafficking cocaine yesterday, United States Attorney Gretchen C.F. Shappert announced.
According to court records, on September 24, 2018, Sweeney provided his co-conspirator with a travel bag containing 22.78 kilos of cocaine and an airline ticket to Atlanta. On the day of travel, Sweeney’s co-conspirator entered the Cyril E. King Airport and checked the bag for the flight. During a routine screening, Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers discovered the cocaine located in the luggage. Sweeney’s co-conspirator entered a guilty plea to the federal cocaine conspiracy charge in 2018.
In addition to 72 months incarceration, Judge Lewis also sentenced Sweeney to five years supervised release, imposed a $1,500 fine, and ordered him to pay a $100 special assessment.
This case was investigated by the Department of Homeland Security Investigations and CBP. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Everard E. Potter and is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation.
OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
Six Individuals Charged with Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – On April 29, 2021, a federal grand jury in the District of Puerto Rico returned a two-count indictment, which was unsealed today, charging six defendants charged with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances, announced W. Stephen Muldrow, United States Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico, Rafael Riviere-Vázquez, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, San Juan Field Office, and John F. Kanig, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, Caribbean Field Division. The FBI and DEA led the investigation.
The indictment alleges that since the year 2014, until in or about September 2019, the defendants distributed cocaine, within Puerto Rico and the Continental United States, all for financial gain and profit.
As part of the conspiracy, the members would mail kilograms of cocaine to the Continental United States concealed in U.S. Postal parcels. Some members of the conspiracy would receive these parcels in the Continental United States for further distribution. Similarly, members of the conspiracy would mail bulk cash consisting of the proceeds of the sales of the narcotics from the Continental United States back to Puerto Rico.
The individuals indicted are:
Yavick Rodriguez-Santos, a/k/a “Yavo”
Lisandro Bermúdez-Negron, a/k/a “Gambo”
Gadiel Figueroa-Rodriguez
Luis Catala-Fuentes, a/k/a “Pinto/El Loco”
Luis Diaz-Ramos
Jose Rivera-Ortiz
Special Assistant U.S. Attorney R. Vance Eaton from the Gang Section is in charge of the prosecution of the case. If convicted the defendants face a minimum sentence of 10 years, and up to life in prison. Indictments contain only charges and are not evidence of guilt. Defendants are presumed to be innocent until and unless proven guilty.
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Sioux City Man Who Embezzled Money from Indian Tribal Organization Sentenced to Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
A Sioux City man who engaged in rebate schemes, fraudulent invoice schemes, and stole items belonging to the Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska was sentenced on May 28, 2021, to 1 month in federal prison and ordered to pay a $10,000 fine.
Jason Ehlers, age 48, from Sioux City, Iowa, was convicted of embezzlement and theft from an Indian Tribal Organization.
In a plea agreement, Ehlers admitted that he stole and embezzled from the Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska at least $22,432.00. Ehlers admitted to using his position as a General Manager with BluStone Homes, also known as HoChunk Real-Estate, solely owned by the Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska, to engage in rebate schemes, a fraudulent invoice scheme, and theft of construction supplies for his own benefit.
Ehlers was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand. Ehlers was sentenced to 1 month of imprisonment. He must also pay a $10,000 fine and serve a 2-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ron Timmons and was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 20-4089.
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Russian Cybercriminal Convicted of Defrauding American Companies of Millions of Dollars Through Digital Advertising SchemeRead the Press Release
Earlier today, Aleksandr Zhukov, a Russian national, was convicted by a federal jury in Brooklyn of four counts of a superseding indictment charging him with wire fraud conspiracy, wire fraud, money laundering conspiracy, and money laundering. The charges arose from Zhukov’s sophisticated scheme to defraud brands, ad platforms and others in the U.S. digital advertising industry out of more than $7 million. The verdict followed a three-week trial before United States District Judge Eric R. Komitee.
Mark J. Lesko, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, William F. Sweeney, Jr., Assistant Director-in-Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI), and Dermot F. Shea, Commissioner, New York City Police Department (NYPD), announced the verdict.
“Today, after evaluating the evidence and wading through the complexities of digital advertising on the internet, the jury recognized the defendant for who he is — a fraudster who used computer code to steal millions from U.S. companies,” stated Acting U.S. Attorney Lesko. “Zhukov may have thought that he could get away with his fraud by carrying it out from halfway around the world, but this verdict sends a powerful message that U.S. law enforcement will bring such cybercriminals to justice, wherever they are.”
Mr. Lesko thanked the FBI’s Cyber Division and the NYPD for their extraordinary efforts in carrying out the multi-year investigation.
“Aleksandr Zhukov took an old-fashioned fraud into cyberspace to steal millions of dollars from unsuspecting victims. But his guilty verdict, and the meticulous work of the prosecutors from the United States Attorney’s Office in the Eastern District of New York, highlights the vigilance of our NYPD detectives and law enforcement partners in tracking wrongdoers into the digital frontier,” stated NYPD Commissioner Shea.
The internet is, in large part, freely available to users worldwide because it runs on digital advertising: website owners display advertisements on their sites and are compensated for doing so by intermediaries representing businesses seeking to advertise their goods and services to real human customers. In general, digital advertising revenue is based on how many users click or view the ads on those websites. As proven at trial, Zhukov used computer programming and infrastructure spread around the world to exploit the digital advertising industry through fraud. He and his co-conspirators represented to others that they ran legitimate companies that delivered advertisements to real human internet users accessing real internet webpages. In fact, Zhukov and his co-conspirators faked both the users and the webpages: they programmed computers they controlled to load advertisements on fabricated webpages, via an automated program, in order to fraudulently obtain digital advertising revenue. The victims included The New York Times, The New York Post, Comcast, Nestle Purina, the Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children, and Time Warner Cable.
The evidence at trial established that between September 2014 and December 2016, Zhukov carried out his digital advertising fraud scheme through a purported advertising network called Media Methane. Media Methane had business arrangements with other advertising networks whereby it received payments in return for placing advertising placeholders (“ad tags”) on websites. Rather than place these ad tags on real publishers’ websites, however, Media Methane rented more than 2,000 computer servers housed in commercial datacenters in Dallas, Texas, and Amsterdam, the Netherlands, and used those datacenter servers to load ads on fabricated websites, “spoofing” more than 6,000 domains. To create the illusion that real human internet users were viewing the advertisements loaded onto these fabricated websites, the defendants programmed the datacenter servers to simulate the internet activity of human internet users: browsing the internet through a fake browser, using a fake mouse to move around and scroll down a webpage, starting and stopping a video player midway, and falsely appearing to be signed into Facebook. Zhukov leased more than 650,000 Internet Protocol (“IP”) addresses, assigned multiple IP addresses to each datacenter server, and then fraudulently registered those IP addresses in the names of U.S. companies like Comcast and Time Warner Cable to make it appear that the datacenter servers were residential computers belonging to American internet users who were subscribed to various residential internet service providers. In discussing the scheme with a co-conspirator, Zhukov boasted about the money he would earn and referred to himself as the “king of fraud.” As a result of this elaborate scheme, the defendant falsified billions of ad views and caused businesses to pay more than $7 million for ads that were never actually viewed by real human internet users. Zhukov was arrested in Bulgaria in November 2018 and extradited to the United States in January 2019.
The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s National Security and Cybercrime Section. Assistant United States Attorneys Saritha Komatireddy, Artie McConnell, and Alexander F. Mindlin are in charge of the prosecution.
The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs, the FBI’s Legal Attachés abroad and foreign authorities in multiple countries provided critical assistance in this case. The Office extends its appreciation to the Supreme Cassation Prosecution Office of Bulgaria, the Regional Prosecution Office of Varna, the Cybercrime Department of the Bulgarian General Directorate for Combating Organized Crime, the Bulgarian Ministry of Interior Regional Directorate of Varna, and the FBI’s Legal Attaché Office for Bulgaria for their assistance in apprehending defendants in this case.
The Defendant:
ALEKSANDR ZHUKOV
Age: 41
Russian FederationE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 18-CR-633
Robstown man gets huge sentence for sexual exploitation of a childRead the Press Release
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – A 53-year-old local man has been ordered to federal prison for conspiring to entice a minor to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing child pornography, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Jennifer B. Lowery.
Santos Gonzalez pleaded guilty March 2.
Today, U.S. District Judge Drew B. Tipton sentenced Gonzalez to 420 months in prison. He will then have to serve the rest of his life on supervised release, during which time he will have to comply with numerous requirements designed to restrict his access to children and the internet. Gonzalez will also be ordered to register as a sex offender.
At the time of his plea, Gonzalez admitted to soliciting co-defendant Diane Martinez to produce and send illicit photographs of a minor victim. In exchange, he provided Martinez money for groceries and medication.
Forensic analysis of Facebook accounts belonging to Gonzalez and Martinez revealed they communicated between Jan. 21, 2016, and May 20, 2020. Throughout the thousands of pages of communication, Gonzalez expressed wanting to have sexual intercourse with the minor victim. Gonzalez would offer food, groceries, gifts and other items of monetary value in exchange for Martinez sending nude photographs of the child.
Eventually, Gonzalez no longer used Martinez as an intermediary, directly soliciting the minor victim for sex.
Authorities received information about the abuse from a family acquaintance of the victim as well as a tablet used to commit the crimes.
Gonzalez will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future. Martinez is scheduled to be sentenced July 28 before Judge Tipton.
Homeland Security Investigations, Corpus Christi Police Department’s Internet Crimes Against Children Unit and Texas Department of Public Safety conducted the investigation.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sara Popejoy and Dennis Robinson prosecuted the case, which was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood (PSC), a nationwide initiative the Department of Justice (DOJ) launched in May 2006 to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section leads PSC, which marshals federal, state and local resources to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children and identifies and rescues victims. For more information about PSC, please visit DOJ’s PSC page. For more information about internet safety education, please visit the resources tab on that page.
Retired FBI Agent Charged with Fraud in $800,000 ‘Secret Probation’ SchemeRead the Press Release
A retired FBI agent who allegedly convinced a Granbury woman she was on “secret probation” and conned her out of roughly $800,000 has been federally charged, announced Acting U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Prerak Shah.
William Roy Stone, Jr., 62, was indicted Tuesday on seven counts of wire fraud, one count of wire fraud conspiracy, one count of false impersonation of a federal officer, one count of engaging in monetary transactions in property derived from unlawful activity, and one count of false statements to law enforcement. He made his initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Rebecca Rutherford on Friday.
According to the indictment, in November 2015, Mr. Stone allegedly convinced his victim, identified in court documents as C.T., that she was under “secret probation” for drug crimes in “Judge Anderson’s court in Austin, Texas.”
He allegedly told the victim that the fictious federal judge had appointed Mr. Stone and another individual to “mentor” and “supervise” C.T., and claimed that her conditions of probation mandated that she report her activities, as well as a list of her assets, to Mr. Stone. Moreover, he said, C.T. was obligated to pay any expenses Mr. Stone incurred while supervising her, and was forbidden from disclosing her probation status to anyone. If she did not comply with the terms of this probation, Mr. Stone said, she would risk imprisonment and the loss of her children.
In order to convince C.T. the probation was real, Mr. Stone allegedly claimed that he had the ability to monitor her cell phone communications, said he discussed C.T.’s probation with a psychiatrist, enlisted another person to leave messages on his own phone purporting to be from the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration “Intelligence Center,” and even placed “spoof” calls between himself, C.T., and the fictious Judge Anderson.
He told C.T. that he’d incurred significant expenses traveling to Austin to discuss C.T.’s probation with Judge Anderson, and intimidated her into reimbursing him for expenses associated with those trips. Further, he collected money he claimed was “restitution” for a wronged company which he secretly deposited into his own bank account. Eventually, he convinced her to hand over large sums of money to purchase a home and cars. At one point, he allegedly proposed to marry her, claiming he would then seek discharge of her probation.
Over the course of several years, C.T. gave Mr. Stone more than $800,000.
“Stone allegedly conned, threatened and stole from his victim, exploiting her trust in law enforcement for his own financial gain. The OIG is committed to holding accountable those who commit this type of conduct,” said Cloey C. Pierce, Special Agent in Charge of the Department of Justice Office of the Inspector General Dallas Field Office.
An indictment is merely an allegation of criminal conduct, not evidence. Like all defendants, Mr. Stone is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
If convicted, he faces up to 178 years in federal prison.
The Texas Rangers and the U.S. Department of Justice Office of Inspector General conducted the investigation with the assistance of the Fort Worth Police Department. Mr. Stone retired from the FBI in October 2015 from the Dallas Field Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Marcus Busch and Katherine Miller are prosecuting the case.
Readout of Attorney General Merrick B. Garland’s Call with Australia’s Minister for Home Affairs Karen AndrewsRead the Press Release
Attorney General Merrick B. Garland met virtually with Karen Andrews, Australia’s Minister for Home Affairs. In this inaugural meeting, the Attorney General and Home Affairs Minister reaffirmed their shared commitment to deepening our bilateral cooperation on countering common threats, including those posed by terrorism and cybercrime. The two leaders also discussed their intention to work to promote infrastructure security and combat online child sexual exploitation and abuse. They look forward to further in-depth discussions on these and other issues central to the protection of the citizens of both our countries.
Rapid City Man Indicted on Child Pornography ChargesRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney Dennis R. Holmes announced that a Rapid City, South Dakota, man was charged in federal district court with Receipt of Child Pornography and Possession of Child Pornography.
Javier Clark Moreno, age 40, was indicted on May 20, 2021. Clark appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Daneta Wollmann on May 24, 2021, and pleaded not guilty to the charges. The maximum penalty upon conviction is a mandatory minimum of 5 up to 20 years in federal prison and/or a $250,000 fine, up to lifetime supervised release, and a $100 assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Restitution may also be ordered.
Moreno was federally indicted following a Cybertip from the National Center of Missing and Exploited Children. The charges relate to Moreno receiving and possessing child pornography between October 2020 and February 2021, at Rapid City. The charges are merely an accusation and Moreno is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
The investigation is a joint effort between Homeland Security Investigations, the South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation, the Rapid City Police Department, and the Pennington County Sheriff’s office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah B. Collins is prosecuting the case.
Moreno was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending trial. A trial date has not been set.
Quebec Woman Arrested, Charged with Selling and Smuggling Wildlife SkullsRead 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 Vanessa Rondeau, 26, of Montreal, Quebec, was arrested and charged by criminal complaint with Lacey Act Trafficking, Lacey Act False Labeling, and smuggling. The charges carry a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron J. Mango, who is handling the case, stated that according to the complaint, the defendant owns and operates a business called The Old Cavern Boutique in Montreal, which offers for sale a variety of unique curiosity and oddity items, many composed in whole or in part from wildlife. A review of The Old Cavern Boutique’s Facebook page revealed numerous wildlife items for sale, many of which are protected under Federal laws.
On August 29, 2019, Rondeau advertised a taxidermy mounted crow for sale through Facebook for $325. The advertisement included a photograph and instructions to “pm [private message] if interested.” On September 20, 2019, United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) Special Agent sent the defendant a Facebook private message, in a covert capacity, inquiring about the crow mount. The Special Agent stated that he resided in the United States and asked about the cost to have the crow mount shipped, and about any problems shipping “these things” to the United States because it might be a “protected species.” Rondeau replied that she has never had a problem and explained, “I label them as Art piece.”
On December 3, 2019, and again on December 28, 2019, Rondeau offered a polar bear skull for sale. The post included photographs listed an asking price of $750 dollars (in the first posting) and $799 (in the second posting). The post instructed interested buyers to “pm [private message] if interested.” On January 13, 2020, in a covert capacity, the USFWS Special Agent contacted the defendant and requested photos of any available polar bear skulls. Rondeau sent a photograph of a polar bear skull with a comment that it was her “Last one.” The defendant offered to sell the polar bear skull for $750, plus $30 for shipping to Buffalo, NY. After requesting and receiving additional photographs, the Special Agent agreed to buy the polar bear skull. The Special Agent received the polar bear skull on February 2, 2020.
On January 24, 2021, Rondeau posted an advertisement for another polar bear skull for sale for $699 on The Old Cavern Boutique Facebook page. The Special Agent again expressed interest in buying the polar bear skull, and the defendant agreed on the price of $685 for the skull, which included a $35 shipping fee. On February 11, 2021, the Special Agent received the second polar bear skull.
The defendant made an initial appearance in U.S. District Court in Vermont and was released on $50,000 cash bail. Rondeau will appear in the Western District of New York on June 15, 2021, at 11:30 a.m. before U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael J. Roemer.
The complaint is the result of an investigation by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, under the direction of Ryan Noel, Special Agent-in-Charge of the USFWS-Office of Law Enforcement North-Atlantic Appalachian Region. Additional assistance was provided by the Vermont Office of Homeland Security Investigations, and the Vermont Office of Customs and Border Protection.
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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Project LEAD Graduates First Two Classes in the Municipality of LoízaRead the Press Release
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico– In December of 2020, the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Puerto Rico began a 20-week school curriculum with students from 5th and 8th grades to teach them about the criminal justice system and the importance of making good decisions. The curriculum included techniques to help students resolve conflicts and resist peer pressure. Assistant United States Attorney Kelly Zenón Matos was in charge of the Project.
Project LEAD (Legal Enrichment And Decision-making) was established in 1993 by the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office in partnership with the Constitutional Rights Foundation. Its goal is to teach children that the choices they make today can affect their lives forever. Through an agreement between the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office and the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Puerto Rico, the program was translated for the first time into the Spanish language. In addition, the USAO was allowed to tailor Project LEAD’s curriculum to focus on situations that youth in the District of Puerto Rico are likely to encounter.
An evaluation of the program was conducted by Bernadette Chi, PhD and Ellen Middaugh, M.A. of the University of California, Berkley in 2003 to gauge its impact on students’ knowledge and attitudes about the legal system as well as Project LEAD’s capacity as a delinquency prevention model. The evaluation showed that Project LEAD provides:
- Protective factors that decrease students’ propensity to become involved in negative and illegal activities.
- An increase in students’ knowledge about the legal system.
- An increase in positive dispositions, for example: Confidence in their own decision-making capacities; Attitudes about the legal system; and Attitudes about authority.
The 20-week curriculum, taught by AUSA Kelly Zenón-Matos, focuses on the social and legal consequences of juvenile crimes, such as illicit drug use, shoplifting and property damage. Project LEAD also teaches students techniques for resolving conflict, resisting peer pressure, promoting tolerance and respect for diversity, and the role of education in achieving economic stability. Students also learn about the federal and state judicial systems, including how they function and the roles prosecutors, defense attorneys, judges, and defendants play in the litigation process. The curriculum concludes with students performing a scripted mock trial, putting into practice what they have learned about the criminal justice system.
“We are very proud of these two groups that successfully completed the Project LEAD curriculum and we will continue with this project, reaching more students every semester, said W. Stephen Muldrow, United States Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico. “Thanks to AUSA Kelly Zenón-Matos for your hard work and believing in your students. Thanks to the Public Affairs and Community Engagement Division and their Chief, AUSA Jacqueline Novas, and many other AUSAs and staff for your continued and relentless support in this project.”
Project LEAD was possible with the collaboration of many federal and state agencies. Special thanks to the United States District Court for the District of Puerto Rico; Puerto Rico Federal Public Defender; US Marshals Service; Municipality of Loíza; PR Department of Justice; PR Department of Corrections; PR Department of Labor; Agents from the Puerto Rico Police Bureau; Agents from the Drug Enforcement Administration; Puerto Rico Department of Natural Resources; US Fish and Wildlife; DHS Special Agent Carol T. Kohn and her anti-bullying organization 10-8 In Service; and many Assistant US Attorneys and staff.
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Philadelphia Corrections Officer Indicted for Smuggling Contraband into Philadelphia PrisonRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – Acting United States Attorney Jennifer Arbittier Williams announced that Haneef Lawton, 33, a Philadelphia Corrections Officer, Kernard Murray, 36, a currently incarcerated inmate, and Charene Stallings, 42, Murray’s girlfriend, all of Philadelphia, PA, were charged by Indictment with bribery, and conspiring to distribute narcotics and cell phones in a contraband smuggling scheme at the Philadelphia Industrial Correctional Center (“PICC”).
The seven-count Indictment charges defendant Lawton and his co-conspirators with one count of conspiracy, two counts of federal program bribery, and distribution (and possession with intent to distribute) a controlled substance (Suboxone). Stallings is also charged with an additional count of possession with intent to distribute cocaine base or crack.
The Indictment alleges that Lawton agreed with Murray to smuggle contraband on multiple occasions into PICC in exchange for a series of bribes. It further alleges that Murray arranged to sell the incoming contraband to other inmates. As part of the arrangement, Murray is charged with securing the agreement of his fellow inmate buyers to make payment arrangements with Stallings via cash and electronic peer-to-peer payment methods such as CashApp. In return for Lawton’s agreement to deliver the contraband to Murray, Murray and Stallings are alleged to have paid Lawton over $11,400, also using CashApp. As noted in the forfeiture notice, Murray and Stallings are alleged to have trafficked as much as $69,000 worth of contraband into PICC.
“Corrections officers have a difficult, oftentimes dangerous, job,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Williams. “But this does not give them an excuse to break the law, nor does it give them license to sell their silence. The U.S. Attorney’s Office will not tolerate this kind of lawless behavior.”
“Corrections officers are responsible for maintaining a safe environment in our prison facilities,” said Michael J. Driscoll, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI's Philadelphia Division. “This alleged conspiracy to smuggle in dangerous contraband undermined daily order at PICC, posing a threat to both staff and inmates and putting lives at risk. Shutting down such a bribery scheme underscores the FBI's commitment to go after corruption wherever we may find it festering.”
If convicted, the defendants Lawton and Murray face a maximum possible sentence of 45 years’ imprisonment, 3 years of supervised release, and a $2 million fine. Stallings faces those same penalties and an additional potential mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years to life imprisonment, 5 years supervised release, and a $10,000,000 fine for the cocaine base.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Internal Affairs from the Philadelphia Department of Prisons, and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Eric L. Gibson.
New Bedford Woman Sentenced for Embezzling Nearly $600,000 from EmployerRead the Press Release
BOSTON – The former bookkeeper of a New Bedford-based seafood company was sentenced yesterday in connection with embezzling nearly $600,000 from her employer.
Kara Howland, 37, of New Bedford, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Denise J. Casper to 18 months in prison, two years of supervised release and was ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $779,104. On Feb. 3, 2021, Howland pleaded guilty to bank fraud and filing a false tax return.
Between January 2016 and December 2019, Howland embezzled $598,241 from her employer by writing checks from her employer’s bank accounts to pay her credit card bills. Howland altered the company’s internal accounting records to make it appear that the checks were paid to legitimate vendors. Additionally, Howland did not report or include the funds that she embezzled on her federal income tax filings, resulting in a tax loss of $180,863.
Acting United States Attorney Nathaniel R. Mendell; Ramsey E. Covington, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigations in Boston; and Craig A. Marech, Resident Agent in Charge of the Providence Office of the U.S. Secret Service made the announcement today. The New Bedford Police Department also provided assistance. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristen A. Kearney of Mendell’s Securities, Financial & Cyber Fraud Unit prosecuted the case.
NDTX Round up: May 21-27Read the Press Release
SENTENCING – DIEGO GUTIERREZ PINALES
On May 24, Diego Gutierrez Pinales, 54, was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison for conspiracy to distribute cocaine. Pinales, a drug trafficking organizations source of supply, had 437 contacts via phone with a co-conspirator from December 2017 to March 2018. Based on law enforcement’s investigation, Pinales provided 10 kilograms of cocaine to the co-conspirator for further distribution. On one occasion, Pinales met the co-conspirator at a Dallas residence to sell two kilograms of cocaine for $29,000 each. The DEA conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney John Kull prosecuted the case.
GUILTY PLEA – ADAM GRANT ROBINSON
On May 25, Adam Grant Robinson, 40, plead guilty to bank robbery. Between October 2018 and December 2018, Robinson committed 11 bank robberies in Garland, Dallas, Richardson, Plano, Corpus Christi, and Austin. In each of the bank robberies he took money from the bank employees. Robinson now faces up to 20 years in federal prison for his crimes. The FBI conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Shane Read is prosecuting the case.
GUILTY PLEA – ROBERTO ARCHULETA
On May 25, Roberto Antonio Archuleta plead guilty to possession with the intent to distribute Fentanyl. In August 2020, a Texas State Trooper stopped a vehicle traveling near Greenville, Texas. Archuleta was driving with Gilberto Lira as his front-seat passenger. Archuleta consented to the trooper’s search of the vehicle which revealed two gym bags, one which held multiple packages of Fentanyl. During an interview with law enforcement, Archuleta admitted that he had been paid $2,500 to deliver the opioids to Charlotte, North Carolina. Archuleta now faces up to 20 years in federal prison for his crimes. The Texas Department of Public Safety conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Suzanna Etessam is prosecuting the case.
GUILTY PLEA – RICHARD MANSFIELD BEACHEM
On May 27, Richard Mansfield Beachem, 31, plead guilty to carjacking. Beachem stole a Nissan Sentra at gunpoint by threatening to kill the driver of the vehicle if he did not give Beachem the car. As soon as the victim exited the vehicle, Beachem’s accomplice, a juvenile, got into the driver’s seat along with Beachem and they drove away. Beachem now faces up to 15 years in federal prison for his crimes. The ATF conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Fabio Leonardi is prosecuting the case.
Monroeville Felon Indicted for Illegally Possessing 3 Firearms and AmmunitionRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, PA - A resident of Monroeville, Pennsylvania, has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh on a charge of possession of firearms and ammunition by a convicted felon, Acting United States Attorney Stephen R. Kaufman announced today.
The one-count Indictment returned on May 19 and unsealed today, named Douglas Wright, age 39, as the sole defendant.
According to the Indictment, from on or about November 16, 2020 and continuing thereafter until on or about December 28, 2020, Wright possessed three firearms and various calibers of ammunition. According to the Indictment, Wright has multiple felony convictions. Federal law prohibits an individual who has been convicted of a felony, from possessing a firearm or ammunition.
The law provides for a maximum total sentence of ten years in prison, a fine of $250,000 or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney Brendan J. McKenna is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives conducted the investigation leading to the Indictment in this case.
An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Merchant Mariners Sentenced for Unlawfully Receiving LicensesRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LA – U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced the sentencings, in April and May 2021, of the following defendants for convictions for receiving and possessing Coast Guard issued merchant mariners licenses to which they were not entitled: JONATHAN ABBEY, RAFAEL ATKINS, CHARLES FRANKS, JERRY FUDGE, JUSTIN GANDY, ANTHONY GARCES, EDWARD JONES, BRANDON MACK, HUGO MARQUEZ, MILES MARTS, DEVERICK MORROW, OCTAVIAN RICHARDS, ANTWAINE TRAVIS, and ROBERT WINTERS.
Each of these defendants was sentenced to a year of probation and 100 hours of community service. In pleading guilty, each of these defendants admitted to cheating on Coast Guard exams by paying for the entry of false scores. During their guilty pleas, these defendants acknowledged paying various individuals, including former mariners Alexis Bell, Micheal Wooten, and Sharron Robinson, who have plead guilty and are awaiting sentencing, as well as former Coast Guard employees Dorothy Smith, Eldridge Johnson and Beverly McCrary, who are scheduled to stand trial on June 28, 2021.
As alleged in the indictment, Smith, a Coast Guard credentialing specialist, entered false scores in exchange for bribe payments. The indictment alleges that Smith used a network of intermediaries, which included her former co-workers Johnson and McCrary. U.S. Attorney Evans reiterated that the indictment’s allegations against Smith, Johnson, and McCrary are merely charges and their guilt must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
This case is being investigated by the Coast Guard Investigative Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Chandra Menon is in charge of the prosecution.
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Man Charged with Interfering with Telecommunications Systems in Villalba, Loíza, Aguas Buenas, and BayamónRead the Press Release
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – A federal grand jury returned an indictment charging Kenny Luis Mieses-Rosado with four counts of interfering with telecommunications systems, announced W. Stephen Muldrow, United States Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico.
According to the Government’s allegations, Kenny Luis Mieses-Rosado stole four generators from telecommunications systems in Villalba, Loíza, Aguas Buenas, and Bayamón in September and October 2020. Because of the generator thefts, parts of Claro Puerto Rico’s network were rendered temporarily inoperable during power outages. The cost of replacing the stolen generators exceeds $75,000.
“The U.S. Attorney’s Office will prosecute to the fullest extent of the law any criminal activity that compromises the vital infrastructure of Puerto Rico. This includes the telecommunications and energy systems that are fundamental to the island’s security,” said United States Attorney Muldrow.
“A solid infrastructure, which includes critical systems such as telecommunications, water supply and the power grid, is crucial for the economy, as well as the health and the safety of all citizens,” said Rafael Riviere Vazquez, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI, San Juan Field Division. “Criminal acts against these structures, thus jeopardize the health and safety of the people of Puerto Rico. The FBI takes these violations seriously and will pursue perpetrators to the full extent of the law.”
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeanette Collazo of the Violent Crimes and National Security Section is in charge of the prosecution of the case. The Domestic Terrorism Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation is in charge of the investigation. If convicted, the defendant faces a sentence of up to ten years in prison.
An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Madison Felon Sentenced to 48 Months for Illegal Gun PossessionRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, Acting United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Lucas Anderson, 26, Madison, Wisconsin, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge William Conley to 48 months in federal prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm. Anderson pleaded guilty to this charge on February 23, 2021.
In 2015, Anderson was convicted of the felony crimes of child enticement, intentionally contributing to the delinquency of a minor, second degree reckless endangering safety, and resisting an officer causing bodily harm. He was sentenced to five years in state prison along with probation and extended supervision. Anderson was released from prison in 2018.
On April 29, 2020, Anderson was a passenger in a vehicle involved in a cocaine transaction. On May 1, 2020, Anderson delivered a small amount of cocaine to another person. As a result of that drug investigation, on August 17, 2020, police arrested Anderson and found $2,627 in his pocket and a loaded .40 caliber Glock pistol with extended magazine in the glovebox of the car he was driving. At the time Anderson was still on state supervision.
At sentencing, Judge Conley noted that at a young age Anderson became involved in gang activity, his criminal behavior continued into adulthood, and that he had many violations of supervision after release from prison. Judge Conley found that the goal of sentencing was to protect the community and ordered that the federal sentence would run concurrent with the remainder of a state revocation involving the same conduct. Anderson was also ordered to serve 3 years of supervised release.
The charge against Anderson was the result of an investigation conducted by the Madison Police Department and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. The prosecution of the case has been handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Corey Stephan.
This case has been brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the U.S. Justice Department’s program to reduce violent crime. The PSN approach emphasizes coordination between state and federal prosecutors and all levels of law enforcement to address gun crime, especially felons illegally possessing firearms and ammunition and violent and drug crimes that involve the use of firearms.
Little Rock Gang Leader Sentenced to 15 Years in Prison for Drug Conspiracy and Possessing a Firearm in Furtherance of Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
LITTLE ROCK—A former Little Rock gang leader of the Wolfe Street Crips has been sentenced to 15 years in federal prison for his role in a marijuana conspiracy as well as possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Thursday afternoon, United States District Judge Kristine G. Baker sentenced Machita Mitchell, Jr., aka “Frog”, 45, to 180 months’ imprisonment.
The case is the result of an investigation by the Little Rock Police Department (LRPD) with assistance from Arkansas Community Corrections into a drug conspiracy involving members of the Wolfe Street Crips. In June 2017, probation officers and LRPD conducted a home visit at Mitchell’s residence. Mitchell was on active supervision with a search waiver on file. Officers located four firearms, a gallon size bag of marijuana, and several trash bags full of marijuana. Mitchell admitted the marijuana was his and that he possessed the firearms to protect the marijuana and the money he made from it.
Mitchell was charged in January 2018 with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute marijuana, possession with intent to distribute marijuana, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. In exchange for his October 2019 plea to the conspiracy and the firearm charge, the possession of marijuana charge was dropped.
In February 2016, Mitchell was accused of making threats to kill two individuals and brandishing a firearm. Testimony from a LRPD detective indicated that Mitchell had made these threats over allegations that someone had stolen cash and marijuana. Mitchell was charged and arrested, and further investigation revealed he bribed the two individuals he threatened to drop their complaints against him in exchange for cash.
Mitchell also faces state charges of capital murder and aggravated robbery, to which he had pled not guilty and which he contests, stemming from the shooting death of a 14-year-old boy who was present in an apartment that allegedly contained marijuana.
In addition to the 15-year prison sentence, Judge Baker sentenced Mitchell to serve three years of supervised release. The investigation was conducted by the FBI GETROCK Task Force and the Little Rock Police Department with assistance from Arkansas Community Corrections.
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This news release, as well as additional information about the office of the
United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, is available online at
https://www.justice.gov/edar
Twitter:
@EDARNEWS
Lincoln Man Sentenced for Setting up Home Invasion Resulting in DeathRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney Jan Sharp announced that William Boothe, III, a/k/a “Bill” Boothe, a/k/a “Uncle Bill,” age 57, of Lincoln, Nebraska, was sentenced today in Lincoln to 240 months in federal prison for his role in planning and setting up the attempted robbery and home invasion that resulted in the fatal shooting of Jessica Brandon on July 31, 2018. Evidence at trial of his co-defendants, Tawhyne Patterson and Damon Williams, in February 2021, revealed that Boothe provided the home as a target to Patterson for the attempted robbery and provided information about the residents inside the home.
The sentence of 240 months is the maximum sentence allowed under the law. Chief United States District Judge John M. Gerrard denied Boothe’s motions for a lesser sentence of 120 months based on his age and medical conditions and noted that Boothe would be able to receive the medical care he needs from the Bureau of Prisons. In pronouncing the sentence, the Chief Judge Gerrard told Boothe that home invasion robberies of drug dealers are among the most egregious cases that he sees and directed Boothe to think about the senseless loss of life that resulted from the events that night. Boothe was also sentenced to three years of supervised release to follow the 240 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system.
This case is part of Project Guardian, the Department of Justice’s signature initiative to reduce gun violence and enforce federal firearms laws. Initiated by the Attorney General in the fall of 2019, Project Guardian draws upon the Department’s past successful programs to reduce gun violence; enhances coordination of federal, state, local, and tribal authorities in investigating and prosecuting gun crimes; improves information-sharing by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives when a prohibited individual attempts to purchase a firearm and is denied by the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS), to include taking appropriate actions when a prospective purchaser is denied by the NICS for mental health reasons; and ensures that federal resources are directed at the criminals posing the greatest threat to our communities. For more information about Project Guardian, please see https://www.justice.gov/projectguardian.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Lincoln Police Department.
Lawrence County Man Convicted of Child Pornography ChargesRead the Press Release
ASHLAND, Ky. – A Lawrence County, Ky. man was convicted Thursday, by a federal jury sitting in Ashland, of 11 counts of child pornography charges. The counts included five counts of production, four counts of receipt, one count of distribution, and one count of possession of a matter containing visual depictions of a minor engaging in sexually explicit conduct.
The jury convicted Dale Allen Fraley, 49, after two hours of deliberations, following a three-day trial.
According to the evidence at trial, Fraley used various online “personas” to induce, persuade, or coerce minors to engage in sexually explicit conduct, for the purpose of producing visual depictions of that conduct. Fraley, acting through the online “personas,” would threaten minor females to engage in various sexual acts and to record that activity, or send the images to him “live” via Skype or other applications. He also persuaded the minors to come to his home, sometimes at the behest of the online “personas,” to get “sexual experience” with Dale Fraley as the teacher. Fraley would sometimes record the sexual activity between himself and the minors at his home, or record the minors masturbating or engaging in the lewd and lascivious exhibition of their genitalia.
Fraley was indicted in October of 2019, with a Superseding Indictment being returned in September of 2020.
Carlton S. Shier, IV., Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky, James R. Brown, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Louisville Division; and Chief Brian Mullins, Eastern Kentucky University Police, jointly announced the jury’s verdict.
The investigation was conducted by the FBI, including a Task Force Officer employed by the Eastern Kentucky University Police Department. The United States was represented in the case by Assistant U.S. Attorneys David Marye and Mary Melton.
Fraley will appear for sentencing before U.S. District Judge David Bunning, on October 18, 2021. He faces a maximum of 30 years in prison for each count of production, 20 years for each count of receipt and distribution of child pornography, and ten years for possession of child pornography. However, the Court must consider the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the applicable federal sentencing statutes before imposing the sentence.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
Las Vegas Woman Arrested and Charged with Illegally Exporting Goods to IranRead the Press Release
A Las Vegas woman has been indicted by a federal grand jury for conspiracy to export goods from the United States to Iran, in violation of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) and the Iranian Transactions and Sanctions Regulations.
According to the indictment unsealed yesterday, Tina Chen, 47 — aka Ya When Chen, Wen Tina Chen, Tina Dunbar, and Tina Dubner — is the owner of Top One Zone, LLC, a company exporting electronic and computer components that Chen operates from her residence. As alleged, from about November 2015 to May 2019, Chen conspired with others to buy and export goods from companies in the United States, and then send those goods to individuals in Iran through companies in Hong Kong. Chen concealed the identities of the end users, and she did not have a license from the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) of the U.S. Department of the Treasury.
Chen is charged with one count of conspiracy to unlawfully export goods to Iran. Chen made her initial court appearance today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Nancy J. Koppe, who scheduled a jury trial for July 26. If convicted, Chen faces a statutory maximum penalty of 20 years’ imprisonment and a $1,000,000 fine. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors
Assistant Attorney General John C. Demers for the Justice Department’s National Security Division, Acting U.S. Attorney Christopher Chiou for the District of Nevada and Special Agent in Charge Aaron C. Rouse of the FBI made the announcement.
The FBI’s Las Vegas Field Office and the Department of Commerce, Bureau of Industry and Security, Office of Export Enforcement are investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicholas Dickinson of the District of Nevada and Trial Attorney Matthew J. McKenzie of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section are prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Las Vegas Woman Arrested and Charged with Illegally Exporting Goods to IranRead the Press Release
LAS VEGAS, Nev. – A Las Vegas woman has been indicted by a federal grand jury for conspiracy to export goods from the United States to Iran, in violation of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) and the Iranian Transactions and Sanctions Regulations.
According to the indictment unsealed on Thursday, Tina Chen, 47 — aka Ya When Chen, Wen Tina Chen, Tina Dunbar, and Tina Dubner — is the owner of Top One Zone, LLC, a company exporting electronic and computer components that Chen operates from her residence. As alleged, from about November 2015 to May 2019, Chen conspired with others to buy and export goods from companies in the United States, and then send those goods to individuals in Iran through companies in Hong Kong. Chen concealed the identities of the end users, and she did not have a license from the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) of the U.S. Department of the Treasury.
Chen is charged with one count of conspiracy to unlawfully export goods to Iran. Chen made her initial court appearance on Thursday before U.S. Magistrate Judge Nancy J. Koppe, who scheduled a jury trial for July 26. If convicted, Chen faces a statutory maximum penalty of 20 years’ imprisonment and a $1,000,000 fine. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors
Assistant Attorney General John C. Demers for the Justice Department’s National Security Division, Acting U.S. Attorney Christopher Chiou for the District of Nevada, and Special Agent in Charge Aaron C. Rouse of the FBI made the announcement.
The FBI’s Las Vegas Field Office and the Department of Commerce, Bureau of Industry and Security, Office of Export Enforcement are investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicholas Dickinson of the District of Nevada and Trial Attorney Matthew J. McKenzie of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section are prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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KC Man Charged with Arson of Apartment BuildingRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City, Missouri, man was charged in federal court today with setting the arson fire of an apartment building in which several residents were injured.
Rodney Boyles, 35, was charged with one count of arson in a criminal complaint filed in the U.S. District Court in Kansas City, Mo. Boyles remains in federal custody pending a detention hearing, which has not yet been scheduled.
According to an affidavit filed in support of today’s federal criminal complaint, a fire was reported at 1102-1104 Benton Boulevard in Kansas City, Mo., at approximately 12:33 a.m. on Jan. 13, 2021. The four-story brick apartment building was occupied at the time of the fire. Three occupants of the apartment building sustained serious injuries because of the fire and were transported to the hospital for treatment. The building sustained significant fire damage on all four floors of the structure.
Fire investigators determined the fire had been intentionally set. One of the residents of the apartment building told investigators that Boyles had been staying in one of the apartments with his girlfriend and her son. Investigators interviewed Boyles on Thursday, May 27, and arrested him.
Investigators interviewed several victims of the arson. One resident, identified in court documents as “TN,” exited her third-floor apartment using the interior stairwell. She recalled the smoke being so thick in the interior stairwell that she could not see her hand in front of her face. She was transported to the hospital, where she was intubated for approximately nine days while being treated for smoke inhalation injuries she sustained from the fire.
Another resident, identified in court documents as “BF,” was asleep in the living room when he woke up and smelled smoke. He passed out in the apartment and was rescued by firefighters. He was treated at the hospital for partial thickness burns to his face, acute respiratory failure with hypoxia, carbon monoxide and cyanide poisoning, pneumonia, and volume overload. He was placed in a medically induced coma during his hospitalization.
Two residents, identified in court documents as “RF” and “NF,” were forced by heavy smoke to exit their apartment through a front window that provided access onto a second-floor overhang so they could jump to safety. RF broke his wrist and ankle after jumping onto the ground below; he was hospitalized for 14 days as a result of his injuries.
The charge contained in this complaint is simply an accusation, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charge must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney D. Michael Green. It was investigated by the Kansas City, Mo., Fire Department, the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Justice Department Settles Investigation into Language Barriers in the Hazleton Police DepartmentRead the Press Release
The Justice Department today announced it has reached a settlement agreement with the Hazleton Police Department (HPD) and the City of Hazleton, Pennsylvania, to help people with limited English proficiency (LEP) communicate with the police.
The agreement resolves a Justice Department investigation of the HPD under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Title VI prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, and national origin by recipients of federal assistance, such as the HPD. The Justice Department initiated its review after receiving a complaint from the Community Justice Project on behalf of an LEP Hazleton resident who had been forced to rely on his young son and a co-worker to communicate with the police. HPD has since agreed to secure appropriate and reliable means of communicating with the City’s large Spanish-speaking community.
"Timely and accurate communication between limited English proficient residents and police officers is essential to public safety,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke for the Civil Rights Division. "The changes required by this agreement will benefit crime victims and witnesses, but also help police officers do their jobs. We are pleased that Hazleton’s City and Police Department leadership support improvements to police policy and practices on language services."
“Our office is proud to have joined with the Civil Rights Division on this important case,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Bruce D. Brandler for the Middle District of Pennsylvania. “Ensuring that all individuals can communicate with law enforcement officers benefits all involved and is fundamental to our democracy.”
Under the agreement, HPD will soon release a new standard operating procedure on language access that requires HPD officers to provide appropriate language assistance in any contacts with LEP community members. Over the next year, HPD and the City will take a number of additional steps, including providing Spanish and English language notices and complaint forms, assessing language skills of bilingual officers, and training staff on how and when to access interpreters and translations.
Enforcement of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 is a top priority of the Civil Rights Division. Additional information about the Civil Rights Division is available on its website at www.justice.gov/crt, and information about limited English proficiency and Title VI is available at www.lep.gov. Members of the public may report possible civil rights violations at https://civilrights.justice.gov/report/.
Jury Convicts West Virginia Doctor of Drug DistributionRead the Press Release
A federal jury convicted a West Virginia doctor Thursday for prescribing a buprenorphine product in violation of the Controlled Substances Act.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Sriramloo Kesari, M.D., 78, of Charleston distributed the drug Suboxone outside the scope of professional practice and not for a legitimate medical purpose. Kesari, who was at times physically located in California, operated a cash-only operation whereby he would sign prescriptions that his employee would distribute in exchange for cash payments. Although Suboxone is approved as a drug for treating opioid addiction, Kesari provided no meaningful addiction treatment and instead, prescribed Suboxone to an undercover DEA agent who was demonstrating clear signs that the Suboxone was being diverted or sold on the street.
Kesari is scheduled to be sentenced on Aug. 25, and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Acting Assistant Attorney General Nicholas L. McQuaid of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; Acting U.S. Attorney Lisa G. Johnston of the Southern District of West Virginia; and Special Agent in Charge J. Todd Scott of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Louisville Field Office made the announcement.
The DEA investigated the case.
Assistant Chief Kilby Macfadden and Trial Attorneys Dermot Lynch, Andrew Barras and Maryam Adeyola of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section are prosecuting the case.
The Fraud Section leads the Appalachian Regional Prescription Opioid (ARPO) Strike Force. Since its inception in October 2018, the ARPO Strike Force, which operates in 10 districts, has charged more than 85 defendants who are collectively responsible for distributing more than 65 million pills. Since its inception in March 2007, the Health Care Fraud Strike Force, which maintains 15 strike forces operating in 24 districts, has charged more than 4,200 defendants who have collectively billed the Medicare program for approximately $19 billion. In addition, the Health and Human Services (HHS) Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, working in conjunction with the HHS-Office of Inspector General, are taking steps to increase accountability and decrease the presence of fraudulent providers.
Jefferson County Man Indicted for Theft from Papa's Guns, Ammo, and Archery in Oldham CountyRead the Press Release
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – A federal grand jury returned an indictment against Andrew Wade Dunn, age 35, of Jefferson County, Kentucky, on May 25, 2021, for stealing firearms from a licensed dealer and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon announced Acting United States Attorney Michael A. Bennett and ATF Special Agent in Charge R. Shawn Morrow.
Wade was arrested by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Louisville Field Division, with assistance from Jeffersontown and Oldham County, Kentucky Police Departments, on May 6, 2021, and charged via criminal complaint with federal firearms offenses.
According to the Criminal Complaint filed in the case, surveillance video from Papa’s Guns, Ammo, and Archery, a federal firearms licensee located in Pewee Valley, Kentucky, showed Dunn allegedly shooting the glass front door at approximately 2:20 a.m., on May 3, 2021, which created an entry point. Multiple individuals, not identified in the Criminal Complaint, were seen in the area waiting until approximately 5:30 a.m., when Dunn is seen squeezing through the security bars on the front door of the business. Once inside, video shows Dunn breaking one display case and removing approximately 18 firearms from the case and wall.
On May 6, 2021, Jeffersontown Police were dispatched to the Mainstay Hotel, located on Commonwealth Drive in Louisville, on a report of a stolen 2017 Hyundai. Dunn was in the driver’s seat of the stolen vehicle and when officers arrived, he fled to a commercial office building on Bluegrass Parkway. Officers located Dunn by a dumpster where he was taken into custody along with a stolen Ruger EC9s 9-millimeter semi-automatic pistol.
On May 5th, ATF and the National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF), offered a combined $5,000 reward for the arrest and conviction of those responsible for the break-in and theft of firearms from Papa’s Guns, Ammo, and Archery. The individual who provided information to ATF will remain anonymous.
Assistant United States Attorney Alicia Gomez is prosecuting this case. The ATF Louisville Division is investigating the case with assistance from the Oldham County and Jeffersontown Police Departments.
The indictment of a person by a grand jury is an accusation only and that person is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
Informational: Federal Court arraignmentsRead the Press Release
The U.S. Attorney’s Office announced that the following persons were arraigned or appeared this week before U.S. Magistrate judges on indictments handed down by the Grand Jury or on criminal complaints. The charging documents are merely accusations and defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty:
Appearing in Billings before U.S. Magistrate Judge Timothy J. Cavan and pleading not guilty on May 27 was:
Jamie Leigh Gracey, 43, and Dwight Benjamin Boyce, 34, both of Culbertson, on charges of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine, distribution of meth, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. If convicted of the most serious crime, Gracey and Boyce face a mandatory minimum 10 years to life in prison, a $10 million fine and at least five years of supervised release. Gracey and Boyce were detained pending further proceedings. The Drug Enforcement Administration investigated the case. PACER case reference. 21-10.
Angelo Corey Stackhouse, 51, of Billings, on charges of transportation of person with intent to engage in illegal sexual activity, distribution of cocaine to a person under the age of 21, distribution of cocaine and meth, possession with intent to distribute cocaine and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a trafficking offense. If convicted of the most serious crime, Stackhouse faces a mandatory minimum one year to 40 years in prison, a $1 million fine and at least six years of supervised release on the crime of cocaine distribution to a person under the age of 21, plus a mandatory minimum seven years to life in prison, a $250,000 fine and five years of supervised release consecutive to any other sentence on the firearms crime. Stackhouse was detained pending further proceedings. The Montana Division of Criminal Investigation investigated the case. PACER case reference. 21-35.
Lonnie Burdette Porter, 59, of Fairview, on charges of felon in possession of a firearm. If convicted of the most serious crime, Porter faces a maximum of 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release. Porter was detained pending further proceedings. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case. PACER case reference. 21-16.
Francisco Javi Martinez Escoto, 33, of Bozeman/Honduras, on charges of illegal reentry. If convicted of the most serious crime, Escoto faces maximum of 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release. Escoto was detained pending further proceedings. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement investigated the case. PACER case reference. 21-33.
Appearing in Great Falls before U.S. Magistrate Judge John T. Johnston and pleading not guilty on May 27 was:
Brandon Lewis Kelly, 30, of Great Falls, on charges of failure to register/update registration of a sexual offender. If convicted of the most serious crime, Kelly faces a maximum of 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and five years to life of supervised release. Kelly was detained pending further proceedings. The U.S. Marshals Service, Glacier County Sheriff’s Office and Great Falls Police Department investigated the case. PACER case reference. 21-29.
Appearing on May 25 was:
Harrison Garrett Alvarez, 30, of Cut Bank, on charges of intimidation. If convicted of the most serious crime, Alvarez faces a maximum of 10 years in prison, a $50,000 fine and three years of supervised release. Alvarez was released pending further proceedings. The FBI, Glacier County Sheriff’s Office and Blackfeet Law Enforcement Services investigated the case. PACER case reference. 21-26.
Regina Ann Peters, 51, of Queen Creek, Arizona, on charges of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute meth and possession with intent to distribute meth. If convicted of the most serious crime, Peters faces a mandatory minimum 10 years to life in prison, a $10 million fine and at least five years of supervised release. Peters was detained pending further proceedings. The Great Falls Police Department, Homeland Security Investigations, Russell Country Drug Task Force, U.S. Postal Service, Cascade County Sheriff’s Office and Utah Highway Patrol investigated the case. PACER case reference. 21-13.
Appearing in Missoula before U.S. Magistrate Judge Kathleen L. DeSoto and pleading not guilty on May 24 was:
Aaron Charles Fritsch, 50, of Missoula, on charges of receipt of child pornography. If convicted of the most serious crime, Fritsch faces a mandatory minimum five years to 20 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and five years to life of supervised release. Fritsch was detained pending further proceedings. The Homeland Security Investigations and Montana Probation and Parole Division investigated the case. PACER case reference. 21-17.
Craig Mark Draper, 54, of Las Vegas, Nevada, on charges of wire fraud and money laundering. If convicted of the most serious crime, Draper faces a maximum of 20 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release. Draper was released pending further proceedings. The FBI investigated the case. PACER case reference. 21-20.
The progress of cases may be monitored through the U.S. District Court Calendar and the PACER system. To establish a PACER account, which provides electronic access to review documents filed in a case, please visit http://www.pacer.gov/register.html. To access the District Court’s calendar, please visit https://ecf.mtd.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/PublicCalendar.pl.
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Houston consulting company admits to H-1B visa fraud conspiracyRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – Cloudgen LLC has pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit H-1B visa fraud, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Jennifer B. Lowery.
Cloudgen LLC is a consulting and strategic solutions company located on South Dairy Ashford Road in Houston. Through its corporate representative, Cloudgen pleaded guilty to conspiring to commit visa fraud from on or about March 2013 to December 2020. During the plea, the company admitted to recruiting multiple Information Technology workers from India and falsely procuring H-1B visas for them to enter and work in the United States. A H-1B visa permits the temporary employment of non-immigrants to fill specialized jobs in the United States.
Specifically, in this “bench and switch” scheme, the company would file documents with the Departments of Labor (DOL) and Homeland Security (DHS) containing fraudulent statements about the availability of work at third-party national employers. Cloudgen would then submit forged contracts stating each third-party company had a job for the individual Indian national. Next, based on those false documents, Cloudgen would submit paperwork to get an H-1B worker’s visa for the Indian nationals. When granted, they would use that visa to allow the Indian nationals to enter the United States.
However, because the jobs were fake, they were housed in different locations across the country while Cloudgen obtained other employment for them. Such action gave Cloudgen a competitive advantage by having a steady “bench” or supply of visa-ready workers to send to different employers based on market needs when the true process actually takes some time. Once workers had obtained new employment, the “switch” would occur when the new third-party company filed immigration paperwork for the foreign workers.
Cloudgen would also extend their visas, based on the original false ones, to allow them to stay and continue working in the United States. Cloudgen took a percentage of the worker’s salary as their fees, earning approximately $493,516.28 in profits during the course of the conspiracy.
Chief U.S. District Judge Lee H. Rosenthal will impose sentencing Sept. 16. At that time, the company could have to pay up to $500,000 or the greater of twice the gross gain or twice the gross loss as well as a maximum five years of probation.
The Department of State's Diplomatic Security Service conducted the investigation with the assistance of DOL and DHS. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Richard W. Bennett and Jay Hileman are prosecuting the case.
Hartford Man Involved in Shooting Last Year Sentenced to Prison for Violating Supervised ReleaseRead the Press Release
Leonard C Boyle, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that BRANDON SPENCE, also known as “Spun,” 33, of Hartford, was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Judge Alvin W. Thompson in Hartford to 24 months of imprisonment for violating the conditions of his federal supervised release.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on February 5, 2019, Judge Thompson sentenced Spence to 24 months of imprisonment and three years of supervised release for unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon. Spence, who had been detained since his arrest in June 2018, was released from federal prison in February 2020.
At approximately 9:30 a.m. on December 7, 2020, Hartford Police surveillance cameras captured Spence and another individual engaged in a dispute in a parking lot at 20 Enfield Street. Spence pulled out a firearm, shot the individual in the leg, and then stole the victim’s vehicle.
The two-year sentence was the maximum allowed for the violation of supervised release. Spence also has assault, weapons possession and larceny charges stemming from this incident pending in state court.
This matter was investigated by the FBI Connecticut Violent Crimes Task Force, the FBI’s Northern Connecticut Gang Task Force and the Hartford Police Department. The was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Peter S. Jongbloed.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make neighborhoods safer for everyone.
Georgia Man Sentenced to 135 Months’ Imprisonment for Role in Health Care Fraud Scheme Against TricareRead the Press Release
Miami, Florida -- A Georgia man was sentenced yesterday to over 11 years in federal prison for defrauding Tricare of approximately $12 million through a South Florida compounding pharmacy fraud scheme. Tricare is the health care benefit program covering military personnel and their dependents.
According to court documents, 51-year-old Erik Santos and his co-conspirators ran the scheme as follows: Santos paid recruiters to convince Tricare beneficiaries to fill prescriptions for expensive, supposedly tailor-made, compounded medications that the beneficiaries did not need. Santos paid doctors to approve pre-printed prescriptions for large amounts of these medications. The doctors did not see the beneficiaries or otherwise consider their medical needs before approving the prescriptions. Lastly, Santos steered the Tricare beneficiaries to fill their prescriptions with Patient Care America (PCA), a compounding pharmacy located in Broward County, Florida. PCA would bill Tricare for expensive drug formulations that had little to no therapeutic value. Many of the compounded medications were billed to Tricare at $10,000 to $15,000 for a month’s supply, even though the ingredients used in the mixtures were little more than common pain or scar creams. Santos’s fraudulent referrals caused an actual loss to the Tricare program of approximately $12 million. PCA pharmacy paid Santos over $7 million in prescription referral kickbacks.
In addition to the prison sentence, the Court imposed restitution in the amount of $11.8 million and entered a forfeiture judgement of approximately $7.6 million. On January 27, 2021, Santos pled guilty in federal district court in Ft. Lauderdale to one count of conspiring to commit health care fraud and wire fraud.
Acting U.S. Attorney Juan Antonio Gonzalez of the Southern District of Florida, Special Agent in Charge Cynthia A. Bruce of the Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS), Southeast Field Office, and Special Agent in Charge George L. Piro of FBI Miami announced the sentence.
“Criminals steal exorbitant amounts of money from our government health programs through prescription medication fraud schemes. This significant sentence recognizes the seriousness of the crime,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Gonzalez. “Those who use kickbacks and other illegal activity to bilk taxpayer dollars from vital public programs will be held accountable.”
“Billing healthcare programs for medically unnecessary medications not only undermines the viability of those programs, it exploits all citizens,” said DCIS Special Agent in Charge Bruce. “I am pleased with the significant outcome of this investigation and would like to thank the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the investigative team for their tireless effort and great work to hold accountable those who fraudulently bill the Defense Health Agency.”
“Illegal kickbacks undermined the integrity of the Tricare health benefit program by putting profits in front of patient welfare,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Piro. “The investigators who unraveled this scam are to be commended for their diligence and commitment. The FBI and our partners will continue to pursue those individuals who pay kickbacks and fraudulently bill for medical services that are not necessary.”
DCIS investigated the case with assistance from FBI Miami, and the Food and Drug Administration-Office of Criminal Investigation. The superseding indictment also named CHAMPVA (the Department of Veterans Affairs’ version of Tricare) as a fraud target and the Department of Veterans Affairs-Office of Inspector General assisted with the investigation.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jon Juenger prosecuted the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Daren Grove is handling the asset forfeiture component of the case.
A copy of this press release may be found on the website of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida at www.usdoj.gov/usao/fls.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or on http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov, under case number 20-cr-60089.
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Fugitive Arrested and Charged with Escaping from Jacksonville Halfway HouseRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – Acting United States Attorney Karin Hoppmann announces the return by a grand jury of an indictment charging Derrick S. McCullough (31, Keystone Heights) with escape from federal custody. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of five years in federal prison.
According to the indictment, on March 29, 2021, McCullough escaped from custody at Keeton Corrections Residential Reentry Center, a halfway house in Jacksonville, Florida. McCullough was confined to Keeton while serving the final portion of a sentence imposed in connection with a federal conviction for possessing a firearm as a convicted felon.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Marshals Service and the Bradford County Narcotics Task Force. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michael J. Coolican.
Four Charged in Conspiracy that Billed More Than $20 Million in False Claims to MedicareRead the Press Release
Acting U.S. Attorney Bridget M. Brennan announced that a federal grand jury returned a twenty-four-count indictment charging four individuals for their roles in health care fraud conspiracy that billed more than $20 million in false claims to the Medicare program.
Named in the indictment are Thomas MOX, 53, of Grove City, Ohio; Ryan CASADY, 49, of Uniontown, Ohio; Elizabeth BALJAK, 35, of Pataskala, Ohio and Megan ILG, 53, of Grafton, Ohio.
MOX, CASADY, BALJAK and ILG are all charged with conspiracy to commit health care fraud. In addition, defendants BALJAK and ILG are charged with false statements relating to health care matters. Defendants MOX and CASADY are charged with additional counts of health care fraud and offer and payment of kickbacks in connection with a federal health care program.
Defendant MOX owned and operated a medical marketing company in Grove City, and a durable medical equipment company in Columbus. Defendant CASADY owned and operated separate durable medical equipment companies located in Uniontown. Defendants BALJAK and ILG were nurse practitioners, licensed and certified by the State of Ohio.
According to the indictment, from on or about March 2, 2018, to on or about September 9, 2019, the Defendants are accused of conspiring together to defraud Medicare by obtaining payment for unnecessary medical claims.
BALJAK and ILG, while working for telemedicine companies, are accused of signing prescriptions for medical braces regardless of medical necessity, without a physical examination and frequently without any contact with the beneficiary whatsoever.
It is alleged that these telemedicine companies would then transfer the prescriptions to medical marketing companies, including one owned by MOX, who would then use them as part of an unlawful package of Medicare beneficiary leads sold to durable medical equipment companies. CASADY and others are accused of providing bribes and kickbacks to MOX in exchange for the leads packages, which they would then use to arrange for the ordering of the medical braces for beneficiaries.
In total, the Defendants are accused of billing more than $20 million worth of false claims to Medicare.
An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. A defendant is entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
If convicted, the Defendant’s sentence will be determined by the Court after review of factors unique to this case, including the Defendant’s prior criminal record, if any, the Defendant’s role in the offense, and the characteristics of the violation.
In all cases, the sentence will not exceed the statutory maximum, and in most cases, it will be less than the maximum.
This investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin Seabury Gould.
Fort Walton Beach Man Sentenced to Twenty Years in Federal Prison for Drug Trafficking and Firearms ChargesRead the Press Release
PENSACOLA, FLORIDA – Cedric O. Valentine, 45, of Fort Walton Beach was sentenced yesterday to a 20-year mandatory minimum term in federal prison, following his conviction on multiple charges related to possession and distribution of methamphetamine, fentanyl, heroin and marijuana, as well as possession of firearms in furtherance of his drug trafficking. Jason R. Coody, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida, announced the sentence.
Valentine’s sentence was the result of a federal jury returning a guilty verdict on February 25, 2021, finding Valentine guilty of possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of a mixture of methamphetamine; 40 grams or more of mixture of fentanyl; 100 grams or more of mixture of heroin; and marijuana; possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime; and possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon. The evidence introduced at trial included evidence seized during a search of Valentine’s residence on May 15, 2020, which included 335 grams of a mixture of fentanyl and heroin, 991 grams of methamphetamine, 792 grams of marijuana, 2 grams of cocaine, and 5 grams of hydrocodone. In addition, DEA agents and investigators with the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office seized $24,796 in cash, along with two loaded handguns, an AR-15 style rifle, and a loaded extended magazine for the AR-15 style rifle.
“Valentine is well known to law enforcement agencies in North Florida as a dangerous career criminal,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Coody. “Thanks to the outstanding investigative work of our partners at the DEA, ATF, and the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office, our skilled team of prosecutors and support staff proved this case beyond a reasonable doubt. This violent armed drug trafficker has been called to account for his criminal conduct, and the citizens of our District are now safer.”
“A collaborative effort between all of our law enforcement and prosecutorial partners shut down this distributor of extremely dangerous narcotics in Northern Florida.” said DEA’s Miami Field Division Acting Special Agent in Charge La Verne Hibbert. “We will continue to focus our collective resources against any individual that threatens the well-being and safety of our communities.”
“When you see the results of that search warrant, it’s clear this case is a prime illustration of the effectiveness of our local, state, and federal law enforcement partnerships to shut down major drug dealing operations that threaten not only our citizens’ health and safety, but their quality of life as well,” said Okaloosa County Sheriff Eric Aden.
Valentine’s 20-year mandatory minimum term in federal prison will be followed by 10 years of federal supervised release.
This sentence was the result of an investigation conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office, and the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant United States Attorney J. Ryan Love of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida, prosecuted the case.
The United States Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.
Former Pilot Pleads Guilty to Federal Charge in Maryland and is Sentenced to One Year of Probation for Exposing Himself to a Female First Officer While the Plane Was in FlightRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – U.S. Magistrate Judge J. Mark Coulson today sentenced Michael Haak, age 60, of Longwood, Florida, to one year of probation, after Haak admitted that he committed a lewd, indecent, or obscene act during a flight in which he was pilot in command. At the time of the crime, Haak was employed as a pilot with Southwest Airlines. Magistrate Judge Coulson also ordered Haak to pay a fine in the amount of $5,000.
The guilty plea and sentence were announced by Acting United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Jonathan F. Lenzner and Acting Special Agent in Charge Rachel Byrd of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office.
According to Haak’s plea agreement, on August 10, 2020, Haak was the Captain, that is, pilot in command, of a flight traveling from Philadelphia International Airport to Orlando International Airport. Haak was assisted by a female First Officer who Haak had never met prior to that flight.
Haak admitted that, after the aircraft had achieved cruising altitude, Haak got out of the pilot’s seat, and while still in the cockpit of the plane, intentionally disrobed and viewed pornographic media on a laptop computer. As the plane continued its flight, Haak further engaged in inappropriate conduct in the cockpit, as the First Officer continued to perform her duties as an assigned aircrew member.
Acting United States Attorney Jonathan F. Lenzner praised the FBI for its work in the investigation and thanked the Department of Transportation Office of Inspector General and Southwest Airlines for their assistance. Mr. Lenzner thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney P. Michael Cunningham, who prosecuted the case.
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Former Captain in Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff’s Office Admits to Defrauding the Sheriff’s Office and Other BusinessesRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – United States Attorney Duane A. Evans announces that KEVIN STIMAGE, age 44, plead guilty on May 27, 2021 to a Bill of Information charging him with Theft from Programs Receiving Federal Funds, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 666(a)(1)(A). STIMAGE faces up to ten years imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, a $250,000 fine, and a mandatory special assessment of $100. Sentencing is set for September 21, 2021.
According to the Factual Basis, STIMAGE was a Captain with the Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff’s Office (TPSO). An investigation by the FBI revealed that in 2017, 2018, 2019, and 2020, STIMAGE reported having worked, on average, 40 hours per week at TPSO, approximately 40 hours per week at Off-Duty Detail A, and, beginning in 2018, approximately 30 hours per week at Off-Duty Detail B, for a total of approximately 110 hours per week. However, location data and surveillance revealed that STIMAGE was only working a portion of the claimed hours, and was defrauding TPSO, Off-Duty Detail A, and Off-Duty Detail B by not working all of the claimed hours.
As a result of this scheme, the defendant defrauded Off-Duty Detail A out of wages worth $158,275 in 2018 through 2021, Off-Duty Detail B out of wages worth over $54,215 in 2018 through 2021, and TPSO out of wages worth $28,596 in 2019 and 2020.
U. S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation on this matter. The prosecution is being handled by Assistant United States Attorneys Myles Ranier and Chandra Menon.
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Florida Man Charged with Stealing Ventilators Intended for Critically Ill Covid-19 Patients in El Salvador Arrested in TexasRead the Press Release
Miami, Fl. -- Yoelvis Denis Hernandez, a/k/a “Guajiro,” 42, was arrested yesterday in Del Rio, Texas, on a South Florida indictment charging him with stealing 192 U.S. government-owned medical ventilators worth about three million dollars. According to court documents, the ventilators were heading to a COVID-19 intensive care facility in El Salvador as part of a United States Government COVID-19 aid program when they were stolen in South Florida, while in transit.
The indictment charges Hernandez and Luis Urra Montero, a/k/a “Flaco,” 24, with federal conspiracy, possession of stolen goods being shipped interstate, and theft of government property. According to the indictment and other court documents, on August 9, 2020, Hernandez and Montero stole a tractor trailer loaded with 192 medical ventilators, during its transport by truck to Miami International Airport. USAID had acquired the ventilators and was sending them to the Government of El Salvador as part of an aid program to treat critically ill COVID-19 patients there. According to court documents, Hernandez and Montero stole the trailer from a lot where the driver had left it overnight. Following an investigation, law enforcement recovered most of the stolen ventilators.
Hernandez made his initial federal court appearance today in the Western District of Texas. Future proceeding will occur in the Southern District of Florida, where the case is pending. Co-defendant Montero was arrested on September 15, 2020, in the Southern District of Florida. He is being detained without bond pending trial.
Juan Antonio Gonzalez, Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, George L. Piro, Special Agent in Charge, FBI, Miami Field Office, and Tom Ullom, Acting Inspector General, United States Agency for International Development, Office of Inspector General (“USAID-OIG”), made the announcement.
FBI, FBI Miami’s Major Theft Task Force, and USAID-OIG investigated this case, with assistance from Boynton Beach Police Department, Miami Dade Police Department, Medley Police Department, City of Miami Gardens Police Department, and Broward Sheriff’s Office. Customs and Border Protection Del Rio and FBI San Antonio also assisted. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lindsey Lazopoulos Friedman is prosecuting it.
An indictment is merely a charging document and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud Hotline at 866-720-5721.
A copy of this press release may be found on the website of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida at www.usdoj.gov/usao/fls.
You may find related court documents and information on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov, under case number 20-cr-20252.
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Federal Jury Convicts Titusville Man of Attempting to Entice and Meet A 13-Year-Old Child to Engage in Sexual ActivityRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – Acting United States Attorney Karin Hoppmann announces that a federal jury has found Michael Craig Gorycki (50, Titusville) guilty of attempted enticement of a 13-year-old child to engage in sexual activity. Gorycki faces a minimum mandatory penalty of 10 years, and up to life, in federal prison and a potential lifetime term of supervised release. His sentencing hearing is scheduled for August 12, 2021. Gorycki has been detained since his arrest on August 7, 2020.
According to testimony and evidence presented at trial, in August 2020, Gorycki engaged in online chats with a Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) task force agent who was acting in an undercover capacity and posing as the father of a 13-year-old girl. During the online conversation, Gorycki expressed interest in meeting the father in order to gain access to and sexually assault his minor daughter. Gorycki expressed in detail his intention to rape the child and teach her to perform a specific sexual act. Gorycki was arrested when he traveled to meet the father at a prearranged meeting place in Titusville so that he could have sex with the 13-year-old child.
This case was investigated by the Brevard County Sheriff’s Office and Homeland Security Investigations. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Emily C. L. Chang and John M. Gardella.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Everly, Iowa Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for MethRead the Press Release
A man who conspired to distribute methamphetamine was sentenced May 26, 2021, in federal court in Sioux City.
Jimmy Crouch, 48, from Everly, Iowa, pled guilty on December 7, 2020, to one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine within a protected location, and one count of distribution of methamphetamine within a protected location.
At the plea and sentencing hearings, evidence showed that Crouch and others conspired to distribute over seven pounds of methamphetamine mixture from January 2019 through April 2020 in the Wright and Webster County areas. In March/April 2020, law enforcement seized nearly four ounces of methamphetamine from Crouch. On a number of occasions, Crouch and his co-conspirators were observed on home security recordings receiving and distributing ounces to ¼ pounds of methamphetamine to other co-conspirators. Finally, Crouch’s offense conduct included methamphetamine distribution in Eagle Grove, Iowa, within 1,000 feet of two separate protected locations, specifically public parks with playgrounds.
Sentencing was held before United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand. Crouch remains in custody of the United States Marshal until he can be transported to a federal prison. Crouch was sentenced to 136 months’ imprisonment and must serve an 8-year term of supervised release following imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Shawn S. Wehde and was investigated by Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, Wright County Sheriff’s Office, Eagle Grove Police Department, and the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation’s Laboratory.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 20-3012.
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Essex County Man Charged with Narcotics Offenses and Possession of AK-47 Style Semi-Automatic RifleRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – An Essex County, New Jersey, man was arrested and had his initial appearance in federal court on charges stemming from his arrest for narcotics trafficking and illegally possessing a firearm, Acting U.S. Attorney Rachael A. Honig announced today.
Raheem Johnson, aka “Smoke,” 37, of Newark, is charged by complaint with two counts of possession with intent to distribute heroin (Counts One and Three), one count of possession with intent to distribute cocaine base (Count Two), one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon (Count Four), and one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime (Count Five). Johnson appeared by videoconference on May 27, 2021, before U.S. Magistrate Judge James B. Clark III and was detained without bail
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
The investigation revealed that in April 2021 and May 2021, Johnson distributed controlled substances, including cocaine base and heroin, around Hayes Street in Newark. Law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Johnson’s residence and recovered a WASR‑10 7.62x39 millimeter semi-automatic rifle, 20 rounds of 7.62x39-mm ammunition, and more than two dozen bricks, or 1,200 doses, of suspected heroin.
Counts One, Two, and Three each carry a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $1 million. Count Four carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000. Count Five carries a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in prison, to be served consecutively to any other sentence of imprisonment, a maximum sentence of life in prison, and a fine of up to $250,000.
Acting U.S. Attorney Honig credited special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge George M. Crouch Jr. in Newark, with the investigation leading to the charges.
Johnson was a target of the Violent Crime Initiative (VCI). The VCI was formed in August 2017 by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey, the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office, and the City of Newark’s Department of Public Safety for the purpose of combatting violent crime in and around Newark. As part of this partnership, federal, state, county, and city agencies collaborate and pool resources to prosecute violent offenders who endanger the safety of the community. The VCI is composed of the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the FBI, the ATF, the DEA, the U.S. Marshals, the Newark Department of Public Safety, the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office, the Essex County Sheriff’s Office, N.J. State Parole, Union County Jail, N.J. State Police Regional Operations and Intelligence Center/Real Time Crime Center, N.J. Department of Corrections, the East Orange Police Department, and the Irvington Police Department.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Samantha C. Fasanello of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Violent Crimes Unit in Newark.
The charges and allegations contained in the Complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is considered innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Eleven Additional Defendants Charged in Medicaid Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
Acting U.S. Attorney Bridget M. Brennan announced that eleven additional defendants were charged in a 77-count superseding indictment for their roles in a scheme to defraud Medicaid through fraudulent billing practices. Ten Defendants, including the company, were previously charged in an indictment announced in November of 2020.
Named in the November 2020 indictment were Eye for Change Youth and Family Services, Inc., Alfonzo D. BAILEY, 38, Sandra WILSON, age 52, Tremayne KELLOM, 41, all of Cleveland; David BROWN, 39, of Maple Heights; Valerie WHITE, age 51, of Columbus; Cheria OLIVER, age 31, of Canal Winchester; Charchee TUCKER, age 43, of Warrensville Heights; Allen STEELE, age 38, of Parma and Kamelah GANAWAY, age 43, of Macedonia.
Named in the superseding indictment unsealed today are Luray BAKER, 24, of Euclid; Quiana BELL 41, of Maple Heights; Larvell FELLOWS, 44, of Cuyahoga Falls; Timothy GORHAM, 41, of Cleveland Heights; Donald HENDERSON, 39, of Bedford; Eric KING, 33, of Cleveland; Brandi LITTLE, 37, of Twinsburg; Chelsea TARVER, 32, of North Ridgeville; Mitchell TOWNSEND, 38, of Garfield Heights; Nyshia WARE, 28, of Akron and Lesia NIAMKE, 48, of Sagamore Hills.
The Defendants are charged with various counts of conspiracy to commit health care fraud, health care fraud, making a false statement relating to health care matters, conspiracy to commit money laundering and money laundering.
According to the indictment, from February 2017 through September 2020, the Defendants are accused of engaging in a conspiracy to defraud Medicaid. In order to carry out the conspiracy, the indictment states that the Defendants would submit billings to Medicaid for services that were never performed and without proper treatment plans or evaluations.
In addition, the Defendants are accused of directing employees to misdiagnose Medicaid beneficiaries to receive authorization from the Ohio Department of Medicaid to provide services and bill at higher rates. Furthermore, the indictment states that some Defendants allowed employees to insert false progress notes into beneficiary records in order to create the fictitious documents needed to submit their claims.
In some instances, the Defendants are accused of allegedly paying kickbacks in the form of cash, gift cards, and rent/bill payments to Medicaid beneficiaries to obtain these beneficiaries as clients and to bill Medicaid for services never rendered.
An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. A defendant is entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
If convicted, the Defendant’s sentence will be determined by the Court after review of factors unique to this case, including the Defendant’s prior criminal record, if any, the Defendant’s role in the offense, and the characteristics of the violation.
In all cases, the sentence will not exceed the statutory maximum, and in most cases, it will be less than the maximum.
The investigation preceding the indictment was conducted by the Cleveland Division of the FBI, the Department of Health and Human Services -- Office of the Inspector General and the Ohio Attorney General’s Healthcare Fraud Section. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael L. Collyer and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan L. Metzler.
El Departamento de Justicia resuelve una investigación de las barreras lingüísticas en la Policía de HazletonRead the Press Release
El Departamento de Justicia anunció hoy que ha llegado a un acuerdo conciliatorio con la Policía de Hazleton («HPD», por sus siglas en inglés) y la Ciudad de Hazleton, Pennsylvania, para ayudar a personas cuyo dominio del inglés es limitado («LEP», por sus siglas en inglés) a comunicarse con la policía.
El acuerdo resuelve una investigación liderada por el Departamento de Justicia de la HPD en virtud del Título VI de la ley de Derechos Civiles de 1964. El Título VI prohíbe la discriminación por motivos de raza, color de piel y nacionalidad de origen por parte de beneficiarios de fondos federales, tales como la HPD. El Departamento de Justicia inició su investigación tras recibir una querella del Community Justice Project [Proyecto Comunitario para la Justicia] en nombre de un residente LEP de Hazleton que se había visto obligado a usar a su hijo pequeño y un colega de trabajo para comunicarse con la policía. Desde entonces, la HPD ha acordado conseguir medios apropiados y fiables de comunicación con la gran comunidad hispanoparlante de la ciudad.
«La comunicación oportuna y precisa entre residentes con un dominio limitado del inglés y agentes de policía es esencial para la seguridad pública», afirmó la Fiscal General Auxiliar de la División de Derechos Civiles Kristen Clarke. «Los cambios que este recuerdo requiere beneficiarán a víctimas y testigos, pero también ayudarán a los agentes de policía a hacer su trabajo. Estamos muy contentos de ver que los líderes en Ciudad de Hazleton y su Policía apoyan mejoras a las políticas y prácticas de la policía en lo que estos se refieren a servicios lingüísticos».
«Nuestra oficina se enorgullece de haberse unido a la División de Derechos Civiles en este importante caso», dijo el fiscal federal interino Bruce D. Brandler. «Asegurar que todas las personas puedan comunicarse con los agentes del orden beneficia a todos los involucrados y es fundamental para nuestra democracia».
Conforme este acuerdo, dentro de poco, la HPD publicará un nuevo procedimiento operativo estándar sobre el acceso lingüístico para la provisión de asistencia lingüística apropiada durante cualquier contacto con miembros comunitarios LEP. Durante el próximo año, la HPD y la Ciudad tomarán unas medidas adicionales, entre ellas la provisión de notificaciones y formularios de demanda en inglés y español, la evaluación de los conocimientos lingüísticos de sus agentes bilingües y la capacitación del personal en cuanto a cómo y cuándo acceder a intérpretes o traducciones.
La ejecución del Título VI de la ley de Derechos Civiles de 1964 representa una de las prioridades principales de la División de Derechos Civiles. Para más información sobre la División de Derechos Civiles, vaya a su sitio web en www.justice.gov/crt-espanol. Para más información sobre el dominio limitado del inglés y el Título VI, vaya a www.lep.gov. Miembros del público también pueden informar de posibles vulneraciones de derechos civiles en https://civilrights.justice.gov/report/.
El Departamento de Justicia resuelve una investigación de las barreras lingüísticas en la Policía de HazletonRead the Press Release
El Departamento de Justicia resuelve una investigación de las barreras lingüísticas en la Policía de Hazleton
El Departamento de Justicia anunció hoy que ha llegado a un acuerdo conciliatorio con la Policía de Hazleton («HPD», por sus siglas en inglés) y la Ciudad de Hazleton, Pennsylvania, para ayudar a personas cuyo dominio del inglés es limitado («LEP», por sus siglas en inglés) a comunicarse con la policía.
El acuerdo resuelve una investigación liderada por el Departamento de Justicia de la HPD en virtud del Título VI de la ley de Derechos Civiles de 1964. El Título VI prohíbe la discriminación por motivos de raza, color de piel y nacionalidad de origen por parte de beneficiarios de fondos federales, tales como la HPD. El Departamento de Justicia inició su investigación tras recibir una querella del Community Justice Project [Proyecto Comunitario para la Justicia] en nombre de un residente LEP de Hazleton que se había visto obligado a usar a su hijo pequeño y un colega de trabajo para comunicarse con la policía. Desde entonces, la HPD ha acordado conseguir medios apropiados y fiables de comunicación con la gran comunidad hispanoparlante de la ciudad.
«La comunicación oportuna y precisa entre residentes con un dominio limitado del inglés y agentes de policía es esencial para la seguridad pública», afirmó la Fiscal General Auxiliar de la División de Derechos Civiles Kristen Clarke. «Los cambios que este recuerdo requiere beneficiarán a víctimas y testigos, pero también ayudarán a los agentes de policía a hacer su trabajo. Estamos muy contentos de ver que los líderes en Ciudad de Hazleton y su Policía apoyan mejoras a las políticas y prácticas de la policía en lo que estos se refieren a servicios lingüísticos».
«Nuestra oficina se enorgullece de haberse unido a la División de Derechos Civiles en este importante caso», dijo el fiscal federal interino Bruce D. Brandler. «Asegurar que todas las personas puedan comunicarse con los agentes del orden beneficia a todos los involucrados y es fundamental para nuestra democracia».
Conforme este acuerdo, dentro de poco, la HPD publicará un nuevo procedimiento operativo estándar sobre el acceso lingüístico para la provisión de asistencia lingüística apropiada durante cualquier contacto con miembros comunitarios LEP. Durante el próximo año, la HPD y la Ciudad tomarán unas medidas adicionales, entre ellas la provisión de notificaciones y formularios de demanda en inglés y español, la evaluación de los conocimientos lingüísticos de sus agentes bilingües y la capacitación del personal en cuanto a cómo y cuándo acceder a intérpretes o traducciones.
La ejecución del Título VI de la ley de Derechos Civiles de 1964 representa una de las prioridades principales de la División de Derechos Civiles. Para más información sobre la División de Derechos Civiles, vaya a su sitio web en www.justice.gov/crt-espanol. Para más información sobre el dominio limitado del inglés y el Título VI, vaya a www.lep.gov. Miembros del público también pueden informar de posibles vulneraciones de derechos civiles en https://civilrights.justice.gov/report/.
Drug-trafficking pimp sentenced to more than three decades in prison in commercial sex conspiracyRead the Press Release
SAVANNAH, GA: A Savannah man who operated an interstate commercial sex trafficking business and distributed drugs has been sentenced to more than three decades in federal prison.
Anthony Wilson Jackson, 50, of Savannah, was sentenced to 366 months in prison after pleading guilty in U.S. District Court to Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute Marijuana; Conspiracy to Engage in Interstate Travel or Transportation in Aid of a Racketeering Business (Prostitution); Possession of a Machine Gun; Possession of a Machine Gun in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime; Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon; and Money Laundering Conspiracy, said David H. Estes, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. After completion of his prison sentence, Jackson must serve five years of supervised release.
There is no parole in the federal system.
“Anthony Jackson is a violent serial criminal who profited from trafficking drugs and renting human beings for sex acts,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Estes. “Our law enforcement partners deserve accolades for shutting down his illegal enterprises and removing him from civilized society.”
As described in court documents and testimony, Jackson came to the attention of multiple law enforcement agencies in May 2016 during an investigation into the death of Ava Fulmer, a woman who worked for Jackson and whose body was found inside a burned vehicle in Savannah.
Jackson was identified as the leader of a conspiracy that operated a commercial sex trafficking business across the country, and shipped and distributed large amounts of marijuana in the Savannah area. During subsequent searches, authorities seized drugs and drug trafficking paraphernalia, multiple firearms and ammunition, and more than $7,000 in cash.
As entered into evidence during his sentencing hearing, Jackson was violently abusive, threatening to murder women whom he trafficked for sex and forcing them to bow and pray to him, and in one instance beating his child so severely with a belt that the child urinated and defecated on himself. Jackson previously served prison time for drug trafficking, and while incarcerated he was punished for engaging in multiple assaults, including one in which another inmate was seriously injured.
Jackson also was prosecuted on state charges in 2019 and sentenced to 10 years in prison. Two of his codefendants pled guilty to related federal charges and were sentenced to prison.
Ava Fulmer’s murder remains under investigation. Anyone with information is asked to contact Crime Stoppers of Savannah -Chatham County at 912-234-2020.
“Our detectives spent a substantial number of hours collaborating with our state and federal partners to bring a violent criminal to justice,” said Savannah Police Chief Roy Minter. “This man was connected to multiple facets of illegal activity that contribute to crime and safety concerns in our community, from guns to drugs to sex crimes. Putting an end to his time on our streets is one more step toward a safer Savannah.”
“This case is the product of a concerted collaborative effort on the part of ATF and its local and federal partners to target, investigate, and eliminate the perpetrators of violent crime,” said Beau Kolodka, Assistant Special Agent in Charge of the Atlanta Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. “This sentence will ensure the incarceration of a dangerous criminal and contribute to the restoration of order and peace.”
“The United States Postal Inspection Service remains committed to assisting its law enforcement partners in investigations that involve anyone using the mail in the furtherance of a criminal enterprise, and in this case, individuals engaged in additional egregious acts that victimize others,” said Joseph Cronin, Postal Inspector In Charge, Miami Division.
“Jackson’s reign of drugs, violence and suffering has thankfully ended. Hopefully, those that he savagely victimized can feel relieved and begin the healing process,” said Special Agent in Charge Katrina W. Berger, who oversees Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) operations in Georgia and Alabama.
“Concealed income will eventually come to light,” said IRS-Criminal Investigation Assistant Special Agent in Charge Lisa Fontanette. “Coordination with other agencies and leveraging each of our strengths is the key in the fight against drugs and sex trafficking. Thanks to the financial expertise and diligence of our agents, these criminals are now off the street and will now be held accountable for their actions. Today’s sentencing is a reminder that there are detrimental consequences for this type of criminal behavior. IRS-CI is committed to continue using our financial expertise wherever we are needed.”
The case was investigated by the Savannah Police Department, Homeland Security Investigations, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and IRS Criminal Investigation, and prosecuted for the United States by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Tania D. Groover and E. Gregory Gilluly Jr.
Deputy Attorney General Convenes Inaugural Meeting of the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task ForceRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON - Yesterday, Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco convened the first meeting of the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force. Launched earlier this month, the Task Force is marshalling the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across the federal government to enhance enforcement efforts against COVID-19 related fraud.
In launching the first meeting of the Task Force, Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco told the members that the “aim of the Task Force is to join forces against fraud and protect the integrity of government funds.”
The Task Force members discussed several of their priority goals, including increased efforts to combat fraud related to COVID-19 relief programs like the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), the Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program, as well as unemployment insurance benefits. The Task Force also discussed efforts to combat health care fraud, including the criminal charges that were announced earlier this week against 14 defendants for their alleged participation in various health care fraud schemes that exploited the COVID-19 pandemic and resulted in over $143 million in false billings.
The Deputy Attorney General closed by stressing that a well-informed public is the strongest weapon in preventing fraud and reiterating the Task Force's commitment to educating individuals and businesses about how they can best protect themselves.
For more information on the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force, visit: Attorney General Announces Task Force to Combat COVID-19 Fraud | OPA | Department of Justice
Department of Justice Fiscal Year 2022 Funding RequestRead the Press Release
Proposal Reinvigorates Civil Rights Enforcement, Counters International and Domestic Terrorism, Combats Violent Crime and Gun Violence, Advances Environmental Justice, Invests in Community Policing, Addresses Inequities in the Nation’s Criminal Justice System, and Reduces the Immigration Court Backlog
The President today submitted his Budget for Fiscal Year 2022 to Congress, totaling $35.3 billion for the Department of Justice (DOJ).
The request seeks to sustain and enhance the Justice Department’s vital work to counter both international and domestic terrorism, reinvigorate civil rights enforcement, address inequities in the nation’s criminal justice system, combat gun violence, advance environmental justice and help reduce the backlog in the nation’s immigration courts.
“This budget proposal advances the Justice Department’s three overarching goals: keeping Americans safe, adhering to the Rule of Law, and seeking equal justice under law for everyone,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “These funds will strengthen our ability to counter international and domestic terrorism, support our efforts to curb violent crime, enhance our enforcement of voting rights and other civil rights laws, protect our nation from cyber-attacks, and double our resources dedicated to addressing gender-based violence and the support of survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault. Our request will increase public safety through investments in policing and criminal justice reform, as well as by dedicating funds to combating gun violence. Importantly, this budget makes a down payment on improving access to justice, a prerequisite to equal justice. The department looks forward to working with members of Congress on both sides of the aisle to help secure its timely passage.”
At the Department of Justice, the Budget would provide:
- More than $1.5 billion to combat international and domestic terrorism – an increase of more than 12% over the FY 2021– which includes an additional $101.2 million to address domestic terrorism with a broadscale approach across the Department.
- $2.1 billion, an increase of $184.3 million, to combat gun violence while focusing on programs that address both gun safety and violent crime.
- $177.2 million over the FY 2021 appropriation to reinvigorate Federal civil rights efforts, including to re-establish and expand the Office for Access to Justice and to support the Community Relations Service with conciliators in local communities.
- $1.0 billion, an increase of $486.5 million, to address gender-based violence through the Office on Violence Against Women, nearly twice the FY 2021 investment in this effort.
- $1.6 billion, an increase of $669.3 million, to implement further reforms to the criminal justice system and continue critical investment in implementation of the First Step Act of 2018.
- $1.3 billion, an increase of $379.8 million, to support programs designed to further strengthen relationships between law enforcement and the communities they serve.
- $44.0 million in new resources to advance environmental justice initiatives, including facilities modernization and repair.
- $177.5 million more than FY 2021 to reduce the immigration court backlog and fund new legal support efforts for children and families.
- $1.1 billion, an increase of $150.7 million, to augment Cyber Investigations and Cyber Security.
Countering International and Domestic Terrorism
As the Nation’s top law enforcement agency, the Department of Justice is devoted to a broad-scale approach to counter the threat of both international and domestic terrorism. While the United States has seen unprecedented and troubling levels of domestic violent extremism, the department and its law enforcement agencies remain acutely aware of the threats posed by international terrorist organizations. The budget request includes increased funding for the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the principal DOJ law enforcement agency charged with combating terrorism, to conduct domestic terrorism investigations, and for the U.S. Attorneys to manage increasing domestic terrorism caseloads. Further, the budget will support additional response capabilities at the U.S. Marshals Service and support research on the root causes of domestic radicalization at the National Institute of Justice.
The FY 2022 budget invests more than $1.5 billion to combat international and domestic terrorism, including an additional an $101.2 million to address the rising threat of domestic terrorism.
Combating Violent Crime and Gun Violence
The Department is committed to addressing the epidemic of gun violence and other violent crime that has taken the lives of too many people in our communities. As part of the department’s recently announced strategy to reduce violent crime, including through grantmaking opportunities, the budget request establishes innovative new grants for States to incentivize Red Flag and Gun Licensing Laws; creates a new $100 million Community Violence Intervention Initiative to tackle gun violence in our neighborhoods; provides grants for Project Safe Neighborhoods, and expands ATF’s Crime Gun Intelligence through the National Integrated Ballistic Information Network. A new pilot program promotes the development, adoption and use of programs designed to help communities address situations where people become legally prohibited from possessing the firearms they own.
The FY 2022 budget invests $2.1 billion to address gun violence and gun safety, an increase of $184.3 million over FY 2021.
Reinvigorating Civil Rights Efforts
Protecting our Nation’s civil rights is a top priority for the Department, as far too many of our citizens still face discrimination. To help protect marginalized communities, the budget request includes funding to re-establish the Office for Access to Justice, and increases funding for the Civil Rights Division, the Community Relations Service, the Office of Justice Programs and the Office on Violence Against Women. These funds will support the enforcement of voting rights and the protection of constitutional and civil rights; mediation and conciliation services for community conflicts arising from discriminatory practices; the prosecution of hate crimes across the nation, especially in communities uniquely impacted by bias, xenophobia and hate driven by the COVID-19 pandemic; and other civil rights activities.
The FY 2022 budget invests a total of $307.2 million in civil rights efforts, an increase of $177.2 million over FY 2021.
Addressing Inequities in the Criminal Justice System
The Department’s budget request addresses the need to ensure equal justice for all Americans. The budget request prioritizes improving community relations through the Office of Justice Programs. The budget request establishes new programs for community-based alternatives to prison, expands the Part B Formula Grants, and increases funding for the Second Chance Act program. The Department will implement Executive Order 14006 by transferring Federal Prisoner Detention detainees from privately operated to alternate State, local, and Federal facilities with an additional $75.0 million. Finally, the budget continues the historic investment of $409.5 million by the Bureau of Prisons in the First Step Act.
The FY 2022 budget invests over $1.6 billion to address inequities in the criminal justice system in America, an increase of $669.3 million over FY 2021 levels.
Investing in Community Policing
Creating strong, positive ties between law enforcement and the communities they serve is critical to making the Nation’s communities safer and to rooting out systemic inequities in the justice system. Providing resources to police departments to help them reform and gain the trust of communities is a priority of this Department and this Administration. The department’s budget addresses the need to further strengthen relationships between communities and police officers by hiring local police officers and investing in racial sensitivity, hate crime and implicit bias training.
The FY 2022 budget invests a total of $1.3 billion to support law enforcement agencies, including through programs that support community-oriented policing policies and practices, as well as training for law enforcement on racial profiling, de-escalation and the duty to intervene. This is a $379.8 million increase over the FY 2021 level.
Advancing Environmental Justice
The Department is committed advancing environmental justice and supports the President’s Executive Order 14008, “Tackling the Climate Crisis at Home and Abroad.” The Executive Order establishes a “whole-of-government” approach to addressing the climate crisis and formalizes the government’s commitment to environmental justice. The budget request includes increased funding for the Environment and Natural Resources Division to expand its use of existing authorities in affirmative cases to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and address the impacts of climate change and to continue defensive and other work related to climate change. In addition, the Bureau of Prison will invest in energy saving modernization and repair projects to replace aging equipment with energy efficient models, resulting in reduced energy costs and consumption, as well as other environmentally-sound operational benefits.
The FY 2022 budget invests $44.0 million to advance environmental justice, tackle climate change, and enhance environmental stability.
Reducing the Immigration Court Backlog
Although the Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR) has doubled the number of Immigration Judges onboard since 2015, caseloads continue to grow at an even faster pace, and processing times continue to increase due to a rise in the number of complex adjudications, such as those of asylum claims. The FY 2022 budget addresses this challenge by both providing additional Immigration Judges, and by promoting efficiency initiatives within EOIR. The request supports hiring 100 new Immigration Judges, as well as necessary support staff and attorneys. The request would also enable EOIR to continue to modernize its IT capabilities.
The FY 2022 budget invests $177.5 million in new resources to reduce the immigration court backlog, as well as create the Legal Representation for Immigrant Children and Families Pilot, which supports the enhancement of legal representation of immigrant children and families who seek asylum and other forms of legal protection in the United States after entering at the borders.
For more information on the President’s FY22 Budget as a whole, please visit: https://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/budget/.
Davenport Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for False StatementsRead the Press Release
Davenport, Iowa – Joshua Lee Scheper, age 40, of Davenport, was sentenced on May 27, 2021, by United States District Court Chief Judge John A. Jarvey to 30 months in prison for Making False Statements During Firearm Purchases. Scheper was ordered to serve three years of supervised release to follow his prison term as well as pay $100 to the Crime Victims’ Fund.
According to court documents, law enforcement identified Joshua Lee Scheper as an individual who straw purchased firearms on behalf of persons who were prohibited from possessing them. On forms required to purchase a firearm, Scheper stated he was the intended buyer of the firearms and was not purchasing them on behalf of others. But, in some instances, Scheper did acquire the firearms on behalf of others and sold them immediately after the purchase. Scheper admitted he did so with the intent to make a quick profit. Multiple instances of violence in the Quad Cities and Chicago involved firearms purchased by Scheper. Between 2014 and 2016, Scheper purchased 26 firearms, at least seven of which were involved in criminal acts, including four homicides in Chicago.
Acting U.S. Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. This case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa.
The Federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case.
This case was prosecuted as part of the Project Safe Neighborhoods, a national initiative bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone.
DHS and DOJ Announce Dedicated Docket Process for More Efficient Immigration HearingsRead the Press Release
Today, Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro N. Mayorkas and Attorney General Merrick B. Garland announced a new Dedicated Docket process to more expeditiously and fairly make decisions in immigration cases of families who arrive between ports of entry at the Southwest Border. This new process should significantly decrease the amount of time it takes for migrants to have their cases adjudicated while still providing fair hearings for families seeking asylum at the border.
“Families arriving at the border who are placed in immigration proceedings should have their cases decided in an orderly, efficient, and fair manner,” said Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro N. Mayorkas. “Families who have recently arrived should not languish in a multi-year backlog; today’s announcement is an important step for both justice and border security.”
“The mission of the Department of Justice’s immigration courts is to decide the cases that come before them promptly and fairly,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “This new program for certain newly arriving families will help achieve that critically important goal.”
Under this new process, certain recently arrived families may be placed on the Dedicated Docket. Families may qualify if they are apprehended between ports of entry on or after Friday, May 28, 2021, placed in removal proceedings, and enrolled in Alternatives to Detention (ATD). DHS, in partnership with the Department of Justice (DOJ) Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR), will make available information services to help families understand the immigration system and refer families to pro bono legal service providers for possible representation.
EOIR has identified immigration courts in 10 cities with established communities of legal services providers and available judges to handle the cases. The designated cities are Denver, Detroit, El Paso, Los Angeles, Miami, Newark, New York City, San Diego, San Francisco, and Seattle.
Under the Dedicated Docket, EOIR’s immigration judges will work generally to issue a decision within 300 days of the initial master calendar hearing, subject to the unique circumstances of each case including allowing time for families to seek representation where needed. While the goal of this process is to decide cases expeditiously, fairness will not be compromised.