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24 May 2021
Judges sentences Bureau of Prisons inmate busted in gun-selling sting operationRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – United States District Judge Sarah E. Pitlyk sentenced Keith Delmas Thomas to 70 months in prison today. The 30-year-old St. Louis County, Missouri resident pleaded guilty to one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm.
In February 2020, agents with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) received information from a source that Thomas, a Bureau of Prisons’ inmate, and his brother (Leonard Thomas) were attempting to purchase fully automatic firearms. The brothers negotiated a deal to purchase multiple firearms and Glock switches from undercover ATF agents in exchange for cash and methamphetamine. Thomas arranged a deal via telephone and his co-defendant met with agents. Both were arrested and multiple firearms and drugs were seized. Leonard Thomas pleaded guilty, last week, to one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm.
“The ATF has no greater mission than keeping firearms out of the hands of violent criminals. This case not only demonstrates the lengths to which criminals will go to acquire firearms, but more importantly, ATF’s expertise and commitment to investigating such violations of federal law,” said Frederic Winston, Special Agent in Charge, Kansas City Field Division, ATF. “In partnership with the United States Attorney’s Office, we will continue to work tirelessly to bring those who disregard the safety of our communities to justice.”
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Allison Behrens is handling the case.
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Houston Man Sentenced for Tyler County ATM Burglary AttemptRead the Press Release
BEAUMONT, Texas – A Houston man has been sentenced to prison for federal violations in the Eastern District of Texas, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei today.
Aaron Lakeefe Rubins, 33, pleaded guilty on Jan. 14, 2021 to bank burglary and aiding and abetting and was sentenced to 24 months in federal prison today by U.S. District Judge Michael J. Truncale. Rubins was also ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $6,729.66.
“As if attempting to rob an ATM was not bad enough, the high-speed chase that this defendant and his co-conspirators engaged in endangered the lives of law enforcement and the public,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei. “Thankfully, law enforcement was able to bring the situation to a conclusion without any injury or loss of life.”
According to information presented in court, on March 4, 2020, law enforcement officers were alerted to an attempted theft of an ATM at the First National Bank in Woodville. A 911 caller reported a passenger car parked at an intersection just east of the bank with its hazard lights on and another car blocking an intersection just west of the bank. Additionally, a truck pulled into the bank’s parking lot and proceeded to back up to an ATM machine. Bank surveillance video shows the truck dragging a chain and three subjects exiting the truck, one with a crowbar.
Although the subjects were able to open the ATM and attach a chain to it, the truck was not able to drag away the ATM. The subjects then got into a getaway car and a high-speed chase ensued that continued into Polk County, where spike strips were deployed. The car struck a tree as it attempted to avoid the strips and two of the passengers ran away. However, the rear seat passenger was taken into custody and identified as Aaron Lakeefe Rubins. Rubins was indicted by a federal grand jury on June 3, 2020, and charged with federal violations.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Tyler County Sheriff’s Office and the Polk County Sheriff’s Office and prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Tommy L. Coleman.
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High-Ranking Nuestra Familia Gang Member Sentenced to 17.5 Years in Prison for Leading a Drug Trafficking Ring from Inside Pleasant Valley State PrisonRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — Salvador Castro Jr., 51, of Fresno, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Dale A. Drozd to 17 years and six months in prison for conspiring to sell over 500 grams of methamphetamine, Acting U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
Castro was one of more than 50 individuals charged in June 2019 as part of Operation Red Reaper, a federal, state, and local law enforcement operation targeted at dismantling the criminal activities of the Nuestra Familia Prison Gang in the counties of Kings and Tulare. At the conclusion of the operation, federal charges were brought against 23 of those defendants, with the remaining being charged by the local District Attorney’s Office.
According to court documents, Castro is a high-ranking Nuestra Familia prison gang member, who was serving a 26-year-to-life sentence for a third-strike offense. In 2019, from inside his cell in Pleasant Valley State Prison, Castro used contraband cellphones to organize and lead a group of Norteno street gang members in Kings and Tulare Counties. Castro recruited gang members, encouraged them to commit robberies, and coordinated the transportation, delivery, and resale of pounds of cocaine and methamphetamine. He pleaded guilty on Jan. 12, 2021. Judge Drozd ordered that his federal sentence be served consecutive to the state sentence he had been serving when he committed the offense.
This case was the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Kings County Gang Task Force, the Special Operations Unit of the California Department of Justice and the California Highway Patrol, the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, and the Kings County District Attorney's Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Justin J. Gilio, Katherine E. Schuh, and Kimberly A. Sanchez are prosecuting the case.
This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
Harrison County men admit to meth distributionRead the Press Release
CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Steven Edward Denkenberger, Jr., of Shinnston, West Virginia, and James Lee Audia, II, of Reynoldsville, have admitted today to drug charges, Acting U.S. Attorney Randolph J. Bernard announced.
Denkenberger, 35, pleaded guilty today to one count of “Possession with Intent to Distribute of Fifty Grams or More of Methamphetamine.” He admitted to having 50 grams or more of methamphetamine in October 2019 in Harrison County.
Audia, 51, pleaded guilty today to one count of “Distribution of Five Grams or More of Methamphetamine.” Audia admitted to selling five grams or more of methamphetamine, also known as “crystal” and “ice,” in November 2019 in Harrison County.
Denkenberger faces at least 10 years and up to life incarceration and fine of up to $10,000,000. Audia faces at least five and up to 40 years of incarceration and a fine of up to $5,000,000. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Brandon S. Flower is prosecuting the cases on behalf of the government. The Greater Harrison Drug & Violent Crimes Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, investigated.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael John Aloi presided.
Harrison County man admits to his involvement in bank robberyRead the Press Release
CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Blaine Allen Ash, of Bristol, West Virginia, has admitted to his involvement in the robbery of Summit Community Bank in November 2020, Acting United States Attorney Randolph J. Bernard announced.
Ash, 37, pleaded guilty today to one count of “Accessory After the Fact – Bank Robbery.” Ash admitted to assisting Clinton Monroe Utter with concealing his involvement in the robbery of the bank. Utter is accused of robbing the Summit Community Bank in Salem, West Virginia, of $69,100 on November 17, 2020. (https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndwv/pr/harrison-county-man-indicted-bank-robbery)
Ash is facing up to 10 years of incarceration and a fine of up to $125,000. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah E. Wagner is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The FBI and the Harrison County Sheriff’s Office investigated.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael John Aloi presided.
Grant County man sentenced for firearms chargeRead the Press Release
ELKINS, WEST VIRGINIA – Jay Jay William Hedrick, of Petersburg West Virginia, was sentenced today to 25 months of incarceration for a firearms charge, Acting U.S. Attorney Randolph J. Bernard announced.
Hedrick, age 44, pleaded guilty in December 2020 to one count of “Unlawful Possession of a Firearm.” Hedrick, a person prohibited from having a firearm because of prior felony convictions, admitted to having a .40 caliber pistol, a 9mm pistol, and a .17 caliber rifle in June 2020 in Grant County.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher L. Bauer prosecuted the case on behalf of the government. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives and the Grant County Sheriff’s Office investigated.
U.S. District Judge Thomas S. Kleeh presided.
Grant County man sentenced for firearms and fentanyl chargesRead the Press Release
ELKINS, WEST VIRGINIA – Joshua Aaron Roy, of Maysville, West Virginia, was sentenced today to a total of 120 months of incarceration for firearms and drug charges, Acting U.S. Attorney Randolph J. Bernard announced.
Roy, 36, pled guilty in December 2020 to one count of “Unlawful Possession of a Firearm.” Roy, a person prohibited from having a firearm because of prior convictions, is also accused of having a .380 caliber pistol in January 2020 in Grant County.
In a separate case, Roy pleaded guilty in December 2020 to one count of “Possession with Intent to Distribute at Least Forty Grams of Fentanyl—Aiding and Abetting.” Roy admitted to working with others to distribute as least 40 grams of fentanyl in January 2020 in Hardy County. A fatal dose of fentanyl is between two and three milligrams.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen D. Warner prosecuted the case on behalf of the government. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives and the Grant County Sheriff’s Office investigated the firearms case. The Potomac Highlands Drug Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, investigated the drug case. The task force includes the FBI, West Virginia State Police, Mineral County Sheriff’s Office, Hampshire County Sheriff’s Office, Grant County Sheriff’s Office, and the Keyser Police Department.
U.S. District Judge Thomas S. Kleeh presided.
Grand Jury - May 2021Read the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney Jan W. Sharp announced the federal Grand Jury for the District of Nebraska has returned 20 unsealed Indictments charging 21 defendants. Indictments are charging documents that contain one or more individual counts that are merely accusations, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
* Andrew Isaac Abrams, age 41, of Tucson, Arizona, is charged in a four-count Indictment. Counts one through four charge the defendant with transmission of an interstate communication containing a threat to injure the person of another on or about April 23, 2021. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 5 years’ imprisonment, $250,000 fine, a three-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment for each count.
* Alberto Inocente Argueta Cordova, age 29, is charged with illegal reentry after deportation on or about April 19, 2021. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 2 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a one-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.
* Bobby Joe Baer, is charged in a two-count Indictment. Count I charges Baer with possession with intent to distribute 5 grams or more of methamphetamine (actual) on or about January 13, 2021. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 40 years’ imprisonment, $5,000,000 fine, a four-year term of supervised release, $100 special assessment. Count II charges the defendant with use and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime on or about January 13, 2021. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is life imprisonment, $250,000 fine, a five-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.
* Tyler Caudill, age 19, of Phillips, Nebraska, is charged with unlawful user in possession of a firearm on or about May 4, 2021. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 10 years’ imprisonment, $250,000 fine, a three-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.
* Elmer Moises De La Rosa-Juares, age 42, is charged with illegal reentry after deportation on or about September 4, 2020. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 2 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a one-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.
* Matias Garcia-Paiz, age 49, is charged in a six-count Indictment. Count I charges Garcia-Paiz with aggravated identity theft on or about June 5, 2020. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 2 years’ consecutive imprisonment, $250,000 fine, a one-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment. Count II charges the defendant with bank fraud, on or about June 5, 2020. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 30 years’ imprisonment, $1,000,000 fine, a five-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment. Count III charges Garcia-Paiz with false claim of citizenship on or about September 2, 2020. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 3 years’ imprisonment, $250,000 fine, a one-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment. Count IV charges the defendant with false representation of a social security number with intent to deceive on or about September 2, 2020. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 5 years’ imprisonment, $250,000 fine, a three-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment. Count V charges Garcia-Paiz with use of immigration document not lawfully issued on or about September 2, 2020. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 5 years’ imprisonment, $250,000 fine, a three-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment. Count VI charges the defendant with reentry of a removed alien on or about April 30, 2021. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 2 years’ imprisonment, $250,000 fine, a one-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.
* Leslie J. Graber, age 33, is charged in a two-count Indictment. Count I charges Graber with felon in possession of a firearm on or about August 13, 2020. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 10 years’ imprisonment, $250,000 fine, a three-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment. Count II charges the defendant with possession of a stolen firearm on or about August 13, 2020. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 10 years’ imprisonment, $250,000 fine, a three-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.
* Amber Lewis, age 38, of Pawnee City, Nebraska, is charged in a three-count Indictment. Count I charges Lewis with forgery, counterfeiting in relation to money orders beginning on or about June 5, 2020, and June 17, 2020. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 5 years’ imprisonment, $250,000 fine, a three-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment for each count. Count II charges the defendant with forgery, counterfeiting in relation to money orders beginning on or about June 5, 2020, and June 24, 2020. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 5 years’ imprisonment, $250,000 fine, a three-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment for each count. Count III charges the defendant with forgery, counterfeiting in relation to money orders beginning on or about June 29, 2020, The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 5 years’ imprisonment, $250,000 fine, a three-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment for each count.
* Antonio Lopez Paiz, a/k/a Eduardo Garcia Zayas, a/k/a Eduardo Jose Garcia Zayas a/k/a Anthony Alexander Lopez age 33, is charged with illegal reentry after deportation on or about April 28, 2021. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 2 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a one-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.
* Juan Carlos Lopez-Balbuena, age 42, is charged with illegal reentry after deportation on or about September 4, 2020. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 2 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a one-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.
* Paw Moo, age 28, of Omaha, is charged with trafficking in counterfeit goods or services beginning on or about October, 2020, and continuing to on or about March 23, 2021. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 10 years’ imprisonment, $2,000,000 fine, a three-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment for each count. There is also an allegation to forfeit United States currency seized on or about February 23, 2021.
* Brandon L. Parmentier, age 31, is charged in a two-count Indictment. Count I charges Parmentier with possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine (actual) and 50 grams or more of methamphetamine (mixture) on or about September 11, 2020. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is life imprisonment, $10,000,000 fine, a five-year term of supervised release, $100 special assessment. Count II charges the defendant with possession of a firearm by a felon on or about April 2, 2021. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 10 years’ imprisonment, $250,000 fine, a three-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.
* Arash Patrick Rasti, age 36, and Rodolfo Perez, age 24, are charged in a three-count Indictment. Count I charges the Rasti and Perez with conspiracy to distribute to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine (actual) on or about February 17, 2021. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is life imprisonment, $10,000,000 fine, a five-year term of supervised release, $100 special assessment. Count II charges the defendants with possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine (actual) on or about February 17, 2021. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is life imprisonment, $10,000,000 fine, a five-year term of supervised release, $100 special assessment. Count III charges the defendants with possession of a firearm during a drug trafficking crime on or about February 17, 2021. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is life imprisonment, $250,000 fine, a five-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.
* Eric C. Saul, age 37, of Omaha, is charged with possession of a ammunition by prohibited person on or about May 3, 2021. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 10 years’ imprisonment, $250,000 fine, a three-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.
* Juan Manuel Serrano-Romo, age 42, is charged with illegal reentry after deportation on or about May 6, 2021. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 2 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a one-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.
* Lawrence A. Smith, age 27, is charged with failure to register as a sex offender beginning on or about August, 2020 continuing to on or about May 19, 2021. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 10 years’ imprisonment, $250,000 fine, life term of supervised release, a $100 special assessment, and $5,000 additional special assessment.
* Prince L. Spellman, age 37, of Omaha, is charged in a three-count Indictment. Count I charges Spellman with possession with intent to distribute cocaine, PCP and fentanyl on or about March 9, 2021. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 20 years’ imprisonment, $1,000,000 fine, a three-year term of supervised release, $100 special assessment. Count II charges the defendant with possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime on or about March 9, 2021. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is life imprisonment, $250,000 fine, a five-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment. Count III charges the defendant with felon in possession of a firearm on or about March 9, 2021. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 10 years’ imprisonment, $250,000 fine, a three-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.
* Robert Sullivan, age 44, of Omaha, is charged in a two-count Indictment. Count I charges Sullivan with possession with intent to distribute 5 grams or more of methamphetamine (actual) on or about January 26, 2021. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 40 years’ imprisonment, $5,000,000 fine, a four-year term of supervised release, $100 special assessment. Count II charges the defendant with felon in possession of a firearm on or about January 26, 2021. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 10 years’ imprisonment, $250,000 fine, a three-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.
* David Wesley Swanson, age 36, of Wahoo, Nebraska, is charged with possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine (actual) on or about July 7, 2020. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is life imprisonment, $20,000,000 fine, an eight-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.
* Shaquille A. Thornhill, age 27, of Brooklyn, New York, is charged with coercion and enticement of a minor beginning on or about April 15, 2021 through on or about May 11, 2021. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is life imprisonment, $250,000 fine, a life term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.
Granby Man Sentenced for Child Exploitation OffensesRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Granby man was sentenced on Friday, May 21, 2021 in federal court in Springfield for child exploitation offenses.
Jonathan Monson, 39, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Mark G. Mastroianni to 40 years in prison and a lifetime of supervised release. In October 2020, Monson was convicted by a federal jury of four counts of sexual exploitation of a minor, eight counts of distribution of child pornography, two counts of receipt of child pornography and one count of possession of child pornography.
At trial, the evidence established that Monson produced sexually explicit images and videos of a child on four occasions in 2017 and 2018. The images and videos were later found on his cell phone. In addition, in June 2017, Monson distributed additional child pornography files to a group on social media. In fact, Monson was trading child pornography videos on social media at 3:30 in the morning with another user, just a few hours before federal agents executed a search warrant at his home. Agents found additional child pornography files on Monson’s phone as a result of the search.
Acting United States Attorney Nathaniel R. Mendell; Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Georgia Kurt R. Erskine; Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; and Granby Police Chief Alan Wishart made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alex J. Grant of Mendell’s Springfield Branch Office prosecuted the case.
The case is brought as part of Project Safe Childhood. In 2006, the Department of Justice created Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov/.
Georgia Man Sentenced to 15 Years in Federal Prison for Drug and Gun CrimesRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Brandon Quane Hudson, 36, of Macon, Georgia was sentenced today to 15 years in federal prison for possession with intent to distribute cocaine base, also known as crack, and methamphetamine and being a felon in possession of a firearm. Hudson will serve five years of supervised release upon completion of his prison sentence.
According to court documents, on August 20, 2019, members of the Huntington Violent Crime Drug Task Force executed a search warrant at Hudson’s residence in Huntington and located approximately 17.41 grams of cocaine base, also known as crack, and four grams of methamphetamine. Hudson, also known as “Blade” and “Blazer,” admitted that he intended to distribute the methamphetamine and crack for money. Officers also located a Ruger EC9s, 9mm pistol and 8 rounds of 9mm ammunition, which Hudson admitted were in his possession. Hudson knew he was a convicted felon and prohibited from possessing a firearm.
Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Huntington Police Department, the Huntington Violent Crime Drug Task Force and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). Assistant United States Attorney Courtney Cremeans handled the prosecution.
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers imposed the sentence.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:20-cr-00093.
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Gardena Man Sentenced to 13½ Years in Prison for Defrauding Lenders by Setting up Sham Companies with Bogus ‘Directors’Read the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – A Gardena man was sentenced today to 162 months in federal prison for running a multi-year scam in which he fraudulently obtained nearly $1 million in business loans by setting up shell corporations – complete with people paid to pose as fake corporate “officers” – that deceived small business lenders into believing they were legitimate companies.
Troy Rustill Stroud, 54, of Gardena, was sentenced by United States District Judge Stephen V. Wilson, who also ordered him to pay $968,169 in restitution.
Stroud pleaded guilty in August 2020 to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud. He has been in federal custody since his arrest in this matter in May 2020.
Stroud created several corporations that purported to be in business, but in fact did none. The sham businesses included kitchen remodeling companies Glorious Oak Company and Glossy Grape Investments Inc., and Polished Pine Group, an audio-visual company, according to court documents. Stroud applied for business loans from at least 22 financial institutions and used the names of 14 companies in doing so, court documents state.
Stroud conducted a series of transfers from bank accounts in some of his corporations’ names to those held in other names to make it appear that the sham corporations were engaging in business.
Stroud paid other people to pretend to be officers of his corporations, and then he used the names of those “officers” to apply online for business loans for his sham companies. Stroud falsely reported that the shell companies had substantial revenues when in fact they had none.
When Stroud received the loan proceeds, he used them to pay for his personal expenses, and defaulted on the loans immediately or after a payment or two. Stroud admitted that his scheme to defraud lenders caused $968,169 in actual losses.
The FBI investigated this matter.
Assistant United States Attorney Andrew Brown of the Major Frauds Section prosecuted this case.
Fresno Man Sentenced to 2.5 Years in Prison for Being a Felon in Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — Gabriel Mata, 27, of Fresno, was sentenced today to two years and six months in prison by U.S. District Judge Dale A. Drozd for being a felon in possession of a firearm, Acting U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, on Jan. 19, 2020, Mata, a convicted felon, was found in possession of a Smith & Wesson .40‑caliber semi-automatic pistol. Mata has three prior felony convictions, which prohibit him from possessing a firearm: two 2017 Fresno County Superior Court felony convictions for possession of a stolen vehicle or vessel and a 2015 Fresno County Superior Court felony conviction for carrying a loaded firearm in public.
This case was the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Fresno Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Laura Jean Berger prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. The Department of Justice reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally based strategies to reduce violent crime. To learn more about Project Safe Neighborhoods, go to www.justice.gov/psn.
Fort Dodge Woman Sentenced to Federal Prison for Defrauding Elderly Disabled Veteran Out of Life SavingsRead the Press Release
A Fort Dodge woman who used a power of attorney to defraud an elderly disabled veteran out of more than $120,000 was sentenced May 21, 2021, to more than two years in federal prison.
Janice Kay Jurgensen, age 40, from Fort Dodge, Iowa, received the prison term after a December 22, 2020 guilty plea to one count of wire fraud.
In a plea agreement and at the sentencing hearing, Jurgensen admitted that, in 2018 and 2019, she stole the life savings of an elderly resident of a nursing home. The victim suffered from significant cognitive and physical disabilities due to dementia and a severe stroke. The nursing home resident was a veteran who had served in the Army and was stationed in Germany for a time. The victim had lived frugally during his lifetime and was related to Jurgensen.
In 2018, Jurgensen hired a lawyer to draft a power of attorney for her victim, which purported to appoint Jurgensen as the victim’s attorney-in-fact with complete authority to manage his financial affairs. The victim ostensibly signed the power of attorney form despite his disabilities. The form stated Jurgensen was not entitled to any compensation and could not make any gifts to herself. After obtaining the power of attorney, however, Jurgensen used a debit card linked to her victim’s bank account to make purchases for her own benefit, including food, gas, teacher union fees, “wonder nails,” and a dating website. As a result of Jurgensen’s crime, her victim lost his life savings and was unable to pay for his nursing home care.
Jurgensen was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand. Jurgensen was sentenced to 27 months’ imprisonment. She was ordered to make $122,351.93 in restitution to her victim’s conservator. She must also serve a two-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
“Jurgensen callously stole her elderly victim’s life savings. The sentence she received reflects the seriousness of her crime,” Acting United States Attorney Sean R. Berry stated. “Our office will continue to vigorously prosecute those who target the most vulnerable members of our communities.”
In 2016, the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Iowa was selected as one of ten districts in the nation to form an Elder Justice Task Force (http://go.usa.gov/cSngj). The task force was assembled to foster a collaborative working relationship among all levels of government officials, advocacy groups for the elderly and the disabled, and others charged with the care and protection for these vulnerable groups. The goals include ensuring the integrity of all government expenditures by eliminating fraud, waste, and abuse in health programs, and protecting some of the state’s most vulnerable citizens from harm, whether it occurs in nursing homes or other institutions or involves financial fraud schemes. To learn more about the Department of Justice’s Elder Justice Initiative, visit: https://www.justice.gov/elderjustice/
Jurgensen was released on the bond previously set and is to surrender to the United States Marshal’s Service on a date yet to be set.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Tim Vavricek and investigated by the Iowa Medicaid Fraud Control Unit.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 20-CR-3051.
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Former UC Davis Veterinarian Sentenced for Tax EvasionRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Jack Ray Snyder, 63, of Wellington, Florida, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge William B. Shubb to six months in prison, six months home detention, and a $30,000 fine for tax evasion, Acting U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
Snyder was also ordered to pay $134,497 in restitution.
According to court documents, Snyder underreported his income in 2011, 2012, and 2013, and deducted items that were not deductible between 2011 and 2014, resulting in an additional tax liability of approximately $134,497.
This case was the product of an investigation by the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Roger Yang prosecuted the case.
Former NGO Procurement Official Sentenced to Prison for BriberyRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON - A former non-governmental organization (NGO) official was sentenced today to 40 months in prison for paying bribes to NGO officers in exchange for sensitive procurement information related to NGO contracts funded in part by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID).
According to court documents, from January 2011 through December 2016, Ernest Halilov, 43, a citizen of Turkmenistan, coordinated a bid-rigging scheme to bid on contracts procured by NGOs and funded by USAID, to support the agency’s response to various humanitarian crises. These contracts were for the procurement of food and supplies that would ultimately be provided to those affected by various humanitarian crises, including refugees displaced by the conflict in Syria. Specifically, Halilov bribed two NGO officers in order to obtain confidential procurement information, such as bid evaluation information, specifications and internal vendor rankings. In turn, Halilov would provide this information to his preferred companies in exchange for kickbacks, ensuring that the companies had an advantage over other bidders, thus increasing their ability to win NGO-procured contracts. Halilov also admitted that he instructed a witness to lie to law enforcement agents and destroy emails related to the investigation.
Acting Assistant Attorney General Nicholas L. McQuaid of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; Acting U.S. Attorney Channing D. Phillips for the District of Columbia; and Acting Inspector General Thomas J. Ullom for the USAID Office of Inspector General (OIG) made the announcement.
USAID-OIG investigated the case.
Trial Attorney Laura Connelly of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and former Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Scotland Morris of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia prosecuted the case.
The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs provided critical investigative assistance in securing Halilov’s extradition from Ukraine. The Department of Justice also appreciates the significant cooperation and assistance provided by authorities in the Ukraine.
Former NGO Procurement Official Sentenced to Prison for BriberyRead the Press Release
A former non-governmental organization (NGO) official was sentenced today to 40 months in prison for paying bribes to NGO officers in exchange for sensitive procurement information related to NGO contracts funded in part by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID).
According to court documents, from January 2011 through December 2016, Ernest Halilov, 43, a citizen of Turkmenistan, coordinated a bid-rigging scheme to bid on contracts procured by NGOs and funded by USAID, to support the agency’s response to various humanitarian crises. These contracts were for the procurement of food and supplies that would ultimately be provided to those affected by various humanitarian crises, including refugees displaced by the conflict in Syria. Specifically, Halilov bribed two NGO officers in order to obtain confidential procurement information, such as bid evaluation information, specifications and internal vendor rankings. In turn, Halilov would provide this information to his preferred companies in exchange for kickbacks, ensuring that the companies had an advantage over other bidders, thus increasing their ability to win NGO-procured contracts. Halilov also admitted that he instructed a witness to lie to law enforcement agents and destroy emails related to the investigation.
Acting Assistant Attorney General Nicholas L. McQuaid of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; Acting U.S. Attorney Channing D. Phillips for the District of Columbia; and Acting Inspector General Thomas J. Ullom for the USAID Office of Inspector General (OIG) made the announcement.
USAID-OIG investigated the case.
Trial Attorney Laura Connelly of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and former Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Scotland Morris of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia prosecuted the case.
The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs provided critical investigative assistance in securing Halilov’s extradition from Ukraine. The Department of Justice also appreciates the significant cooperation and assistance provided by authorities in the Ukraine.
Former Erie City Council President Sentenced for Defrauding the Non-Profit She Founded to Cover Her Gambling and Personal ExpensesRead the Press Release
ERIE, Pa. - The former president of Erie City Council and founder of an Erie non-profit organization has been sentenced in federal court to one year and a day in prison on her conviction of wire fraud and false writing or document to the government, Acting United States Attorney Stephen R. Kaufman announced today.
Senior United States District Judge David S. Cercone imposed the sentence on Sonya Arrington, 54, of Erie, Pennsylvania.
According to information presented to the court, Arrington diverted funds donated to Mothers Against Teen Violence (MATV), a non-profit organization she created to help prevent violence among teenagers, to pay for her gambling and personal expenses. Specifically, from December 2011 to March 2018, Arrington engaged in a scheme to defraud MATV of at least $70,000. She solicited donations from individuals and entities in person and by email; received donations to MATV in cash and checks payable to MATV and deposited a portion of the donations into MATV bank accounts and kept a portion in cash for herself; and did not deposit cash but kept cash donations for herself. She also used the debit card for the MATV bank accounts to make purchases unrelated to the organization’s purposes, for things like personal items of clothing, groceries, car washes and food at restaurants; used the debit card for MATV to pay personal bills for T-Mobile, State Farm, First Energy and others; and deposited checks to MATV into personal bank accounts and kept a portion for personal use.
Further, on at least 113 occasions from April 2012 to January 2018, Arrington used the MATV debit card to withdraw MATV funds at Presque Isle Downs & Casino. She would also on occasion leave the casino to travel to a nearby Sheetz for the purpose of using the MATV debit card to withdraw MATV funds and then immediately return to the casino to gamble with those funds. Arrington also fraudulently received approximately $29,558 in Social Security disability benefits and submitted a document to the Social Security Administration that contained a false statement which falsely claimed that she had submitted wage documentation to the Social Security Administration.
"Sonya Arrington solicited donations for a non-profit organization she founded, Mothers Against Teen Violence, only to steal over $70,000 of the funds to take vacations, pay her bills, and support her gambling habit," said Acting U.S. Attorney Kaufman. "We will continue to pursue and prosecute individuals, including those in positions of public trust, who steal money that doesn’t belong to them and divert it to personal use."
"Ms. Arrington treated her non-profit organization like it was her personal bank account," said FBI Pittsburgh Special Agent in Charge Mike Nordwall. "Her greed and selfishness
shortchanged the community’s efforts to help prevent teen violence. Ms. Arrington knew the importance of this charity’s efforts in the community since she was a public servant and a mom who lost a child to violence. The FBI will always hold people accountable who are foolish enough to believe they are above the law and won’t get caught."
"My office will continue to aggressively pursue those who defraud or attempt to defraud the Social Security Administration’s benefit programs," Gail S. Ennis, Inspector General of the Social Security Administration. "I want to thank the FBI for their collaboration and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for its support of this investigation and its efforts."
Prior to imposing sentence, Judge Cercone noted the impact on other charitable giving because of her actions.
Assistant United States Attorney Christian A. Trabold prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
Acting United States Attorney Kaufman commended the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Social Security Administration, Office of Inspector General for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Arrington.
Essex County Man Charged with Possessing Firearm in Furtherance of Drug Trafficking CrimeRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – An Essex County, New Jersey, man was charged in connection with possessing a firearm, several rounds of ammunition, as well as controlled substances with the intent to distribute, Acting U.S. Attorney Rachael A. Honig announced today.
John A. Fuller, 31, of Newark, is charged by complaint with one count of possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon, one count of possession with intent to distribute controlled substances, and one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. He made his initial appearance today by videoconference before U.S. Magistrate Judge James B. Clark III and was detained.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
In August 2020, law officers observed Fuller conduct several narcotics transactions from his residence. On Oct. 3, 2020, law enforcement officers executed search warrants for Fuller’s residence and vehicle and recovered a handgun loaded with an extended magazine containing 31 rounds of ammunition, a box containing additional rounds of ammunition, heroin, fentanyl, cocaine, methamphetamine, marijuana, packaging material, and $405.
The narcotics offense carries a maximum potential penalty of 20 years in prison, and a fine of $1 million. The count of being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition carries a maximum potential penalty of 10 years in prison. The count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime carries a statutory mandatory minimum penalty of five years in prison – which must run consecutively to any other sentence imposed – and a maximum potential penalty of life in prison. Each firearm count carries a maximum fine of $250,000.
Acting U.S. Attorney Rachael A. Honig credited members of the Irvington Department of Public Safety, under the direction of Police Chief Francis Pignatelli; deputy marshals with the U.S. Marshals Service in the District of New Jersey, under the supervision of U.S. Marshal Juan Mattos Jr.; and special agents of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Craig B. Kailimai, Newark Field Division, with the investigation leading to the charges and arrest.
This case is a 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 ensured 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
The government is represented by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Stacey E. Zyriek Enriquez 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 presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
El Departamento de Justicia llega a un acuerdo con una agencia de empleo con sede en Georgia que resuelve unas acusaciones de discriminación relacionada con la inmigraciónRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON, D.C. – El Departamento de Justicia anunció hoy que ha llegado a un acuerdo con Pyramid Consulting, Inc., una agencia de empleo con sede en Georgia. El acuerdo resuelve acusaciones de que Pyramid Consulting discriminó a un empleado nuevo al rechazar su documentación válida de autorización para trabajar y solicitar un documento adicional innecesario porque él es asilado, y luego, cuando se negó a cumplir con la solicitud ilegal de la compañía, lo despidieron.
«Los empleadores no pueden discriminar a empleados por motivos de su estatus migratorio o de ciudadanía al restringir los tipos de documentos válidos de autorización para trabajar que los empleados pueden presentar o al despedirlos por negarse a cumplir con solicitudes ilegales de documentos», declaró la Fiscal General Auxiliar Adjunta Principal, Pamela S. Karlan, de la División de Derechos Civiles del Departamento de Justicia. «Nos complace ver que Pyramid Consulting remunerará a la parte demandante por concepto de salario perdido y trabajará con el Departamento de Justicia para asegurar que la compañía no imponga a los empleados barreras discriminatorias ilícitas a la hora de verificar su elegibilidad para trabajar».
La investigación del Departamento comenzó después de que un asilado presentó una demanda de discriminación contra Pyramid Consulting ante la División de Derechos Civiles. Con base en su investigación, el Departamento concluyó que, durante el proceso de verificar su elegibilidad para trabajar mediante del Formulario I-9, Pyramid Consulting rechazó la licencia de conducir del trabajador y su tarjeta de seguro social, lo que consta documentación suficiente para los fines del Formulario I-9. Por otra parte, el Departamento determinó que Pyramid Consulting requirió que él presentara, en su lugar, un Documento de Autorización de Empleo. Después de que el trabajador se negó, e incluso después de que indicó a Pyramid Consulting la ley relevante que prohíbe las prácticas documentales injustas, Pyramid Consulting terminó su empleo. Tras la iniciación de una investigación por parte del Departamento, Pyramid Consulting volvió a contratar al trabajador, pero solo después de que perdió varias semanas de pago.
La Ley de Inmigración y Nacionalidad («INA», por sus siglas en inglés) prohíbe que los empleadores pidan documentos adicionales o diferentes a los necesarios para demostrar la elegibilidad para trabajar con base en el estatus migratorio, ciudadanía o bien por su nacionalidad de origen.
Conforme a los términos del acuerdo, Pyramid Consulting pagará una sanción civil a los Estados Unidos de 5.204 $ y pagos retroactivos al trabajador que ascienden a 13.920 $. Por otra parte, revisará sus políticas y procedimientos, asegurará que los empleados relevantes participen en una capacitación sobre los requisitos de la disposición antidiscriminatoria de la INA y se someterá a la supervisión por parte del Departamento durante el término del acuerdo.
La Sección de Derechos de Inmigrantes y Empleados («IER», por sus siglas en inglés) de la División de Derechos Civiles es responsable de hacer cumplir la disposición antidiscriminatoria de la INA. La ley prohíbe la discriminación por motivos de estatus de ciudadanía y nacionalidad de origen en los procesos de contratación, despido o reclutamiento o recomendación por comisión; prácticas documentales injustas y represalias e intimidación. Al igual que residentes permanentes legales y ciudadanos de los EE. UU., los asilados y refugiados pueden tener varios tipos de documentos válidos para el Formulario I-9 y un empleador que les pida documentos específicos para el Formulario I-9 podría estar vulnerando la ley que hace cumplir la IER.
Aspirantes o empleados que creen haber sido discriminados por motivos de su estatus migratorio o de ciudadanía o bien por su nacionalidad de origen en los procesos de contratación, despido, reclutamiento o verificación de la elegibilidad para trabajar (Formulario I-9 e E-Verify) o sujetos a represalias pueden presentar una denuncia. El público también puede llamar a la línea directa de la IER para trabajadores al 1-800-255-7688; llamar a la línea directa de la IER para empleadores al 1-800-255-8155 (1-800-237-2515, TTY para personas con discapacidades auditivas); enviar un correo electrónico a [email protected]; inscribirse a un seminario en línea gratuito; o visitar los sitios web de la IER en inglés o español. Para recibir las últimas noticias de la IER, inscríbase a GovDelivery.
El Departamento de Justicia llega a un acuerdo con un distrito escolar de Nuevo Hampshire paraRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON, D.C. – El Departamento de Justicia anunció hoy que ha llegado a un acuerdo de conciliación con el Distrito Escolar de Nashua, el cual resuelve la investigación del departamento de los programas del distrito escolar para sus estudiantes que están aprendiendo inglés. La investigación del departamento halló que incumplió, de manera generalizada, con su deber de proporcionar a estos estudiantes con la enseñanza y el apoyo que necesitan para aprender inglés y para participar plenamente en la vida escolar. La División de Derechos Civiles y la Fiscalía Federal para el Distrito de Nuevo Hampshire llevaron a cabo la investigación en virtud de la ley de Igualdad de Oportunidades Educativas de 1974.
«Los distritos escolares deben redoblar sus esfuerzos y proveer a los estudiantes que están aprendiendo inglés con los servicios y el apoyo a los que tienen derecho en virtud de les leyes federales. Este acuerdo nos recuerda que los maestros no podrán ofrecer esos servicios y apoyo sin antes contar con capacitación y recursos de su distrito», declaró la Fiscal General Auxiliar Adjunta Principal Pamela S. Karlan de la División de Derechos Civiles del Departamento de Justicia. «El Departamento de Justicia hará cumplir la ley con firmeza, con el fin de abrir las puertas de la oportunidad para todos los estudiantes en las escuelas de nuestro país. Aplaudimos al Distrito Escolar de Nashua por haber abierto esas puertas a sus estudiantes que están aprendiendo inglés al celebrar este acuerdo».
«Estamos comprometidos a proteger los derechos civiles de todo estudiante, incluyendo aquellos que están aprendiendo inglés», afirmó el Fiscal Federal en funciones John J. Farley para el Distrito de Nuevo Hampshire. «Cuando nuestras escuelas locales satisfacen las necesidades de todos los estudiantes y padres, estamos mejorando nuestras comunidades. Este acuerdo ayudará a garantizar que las escuelas de Nashua sean un lugar donde todo estudiante tenga la oportunidad de aprender y crecer y todo padre tenga la posibilidad de dar seguimiento al progreso de sus hijos».
El Distrito cooperó en cada paso de la investigación y se ha comprometido a mejorar sus prácticas mediante el acuerdo integral. Conforme al acuerdo, el Distrito:
- Identificará a estudiantes que están aprendiendo inglés y los matriculará en las asignaturas apropiadas;
- Ofrecerá enseñanza de inglés como segundo idioma a todo estudiante que está aprendiendo inglés, incluyendo aquellos estudiantes que tienen discapacidades, y asegurará que el distrito disponga de suficientes maestros certificados en la enseñanza de inglés como segundo idioma;
- Capacitará a maestros de asignaturas académicas básicas, como las matemáticas, las ciencias o los estudios sociales, para poder ayudar a estudiantes que están aprendiendo inglés a entender el contenido en las asignaturas de su nivel de grado;
- Capacitará a los directores de escuela sobre cómo evaluar a maestros de estudiantes que están aprendiendo inglés y apoyar estrategias docentes eficaces;
- Comunicará información escolar esencial en un idioma que padres con un dominio limitado del inglés puedan entender para que sus hijos puedan acceder a todos los programas escolares; y
- Supervisará el progreso de los estudiantes y evaluará, a lo largo del tiempo, la eficacia de sus programas para estudiantes que están aprendiendo inglés.
Por otra parte, el Departamento de Justicia supervisará la implementación del acuerdo por parte del distrito durante tres años escolares.
La ejecución de la ley de Igualdad de Oportunidades Educativas de 1974 es una de las prioridades principales de la División de Derechos Civiles del Departamento de Justicia. Para más información sobre la División de Derechos Civiles del Departamento de Justicia, puede visitar su sitio web en www.justice.gov/crt. Para más información sobre la labor de la Sección de Oportunidades Educativas, vaya a https://www.justice.gov/crt/educational-opportunities-section. Miembros del público también pueden informar de posibles vulneraciones de derechos civiles en https://civilrights.justice.gov/report/.
East Hartford Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Illegally Possessing Gun in HartfordRead the Press Release
Leonard C Boyle, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that GREGORY CRAWFORD, 37, of East Hartford, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Jeffrey A. Meyer in New Haven to 36 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for illegal possession of a firearm.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on June 29, 2020, Crawford, while operating an unregistered and uninsured vehicle, drove through downtown Hartford at a high rate of speed, weaved in and out of traffic and then struck a car, which then struck another car. He then turned and drove in the other direction before his damaged vehicle came to a stop in front of the Old State House. Hartford Police arrested Crawford and seized from him a loaded Haskell Hi-Point .45 pistol and quantities of crack cocaine and PCP.
Crawford’s criminal history includes state convictions for felony assault, robbery and narcotics offenses. Crawford was on state special parole at the time of his arrest.
Crawford has been detained in state custody since his arrest on June 29, 2020. On March 1, 2021, he pleaded guilty to unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon.
Judge Meyer ordered Crawford to begin serving his federal sentence today, and that the sentence does not include credit for the approximately 11 months Crawford has served in state custody.
This investigation was conducted by the FBI’s Connecticut Violent Crime Task Force and the Hartford Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney David T. Huang.
This prosecution has been brought through 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.
Eagle Butte Man Indicted for Failure to Register as a Sex OffenderRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney Dennis Holmes announced that an Eagle Butte, South Dakota, man has been indicted by a federal grand jury for two counts of Failure to Register as a Sex Offender.
Charles Moran, age 43, was indicted on May 11, 2021. He appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Mark A. Moreno on May 18, 2021, and pled not guilty to the Indictment.
The maximum penalty upon conviction is up to 10 years in federal prison and/or a $250,000 fine, 5 years of supervised release, and $100 to the Federal Crime Victims Fund on each count. Restitution may also be ordered.
Moran was convicted of Sexual Abuse of a Minor in December 1997. As a result of this conviction, he is required to register as a sex offender. The Indictment alleges that between March 20, 2021, and March 31, 2021, and again between November 18, 2020, and February 21, 2021, Moran, a person required to register under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act, and a sex offender by reason of conviction under Federal Law, failed to properly register as a sex offender and update his registration.
The charges are merely accusations and Moran is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
The investigation is being conducted by the United States Marshals Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jay Miller is prosecuting the case.
Moran was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending trial. A trial date has not been set.
Eagle Butte Man Indicted for Failure to Register as a Sex OffenderRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney Dennis Holmes announced that an Eagle Butte, South Dakota, man has been indicted by a federal grand jury for Failure to Register as a Sex Offender.
Sylvan Larrabee, age 28, was indicted on May 11, 2021. He appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Mark A. Moreno on May 19, 2021, and pled not guilty to the Indictment.
The maximum penalty upon conviction is up to 10 years in federal prison and/or a $250,000 fine, 5 years of supervised release, and $100 to the Federal Crime Victims Fund on each count. Restitution may also be ordered.
Larrabee was convicted of Sexual Contact With a Minor in January 2017. As a result of this conviction, he is required to register as a sex offender. The Indictment alleges that between April 17, 2020, and February 8, 2021, Larrabee, a person required to register under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act, and a sex offender by reason of conviction under Federal Law, failed to properly register as a sex offender and update his registration.
The charge is merely accusations and Larrabee is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
The investigation is being conducted by the U.S. Marshals Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jay Miller is prosecuting the case.
Larrabee was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending trial. A trial date has not been set.
Eagle Butte Man Convicted by Federal Jury for Meth TraffickingRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney Dennis R. Holmes announced that Anthony Story, age 42, of Eagle Butte, South Dakota, was found guilty of Possession with Intent to Distribute a Controlled Substance as a result of a two-day federal jury trial in Pierre, South Dakota.
The conviction carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison, and/or a $1,000,000 fine, a lifetime of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Restitution may also be ordered.
Story was indicted by a federal grand jury on August 11, 2020.
The jury found that on August 14, 2019, Story knowingly possessed 37 grams of methamphetamine, with intent to distribute the drug. Story was arrested while he was sleeping inside a camper in Eagle Butte next to a lightbulb fashioned into a pipe and a small bag holding the methamphetamine and a digital scale. Law enforcement officers discovered Story and the methamphetamine while searching for another individual. Plastic bags holding the methamphetamine were submitted to the South Dakota Forensic Laboratory for DNA testing. The DNA profiles obtained from swabs of the plastic bags were found to match Story’s DNA profile.
The investigation was conducted by the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services, the Northern Plains Safe Trails Drug Enforcement Task Force, the South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Cameron J. Cook prosecuted the case.
Sentencing was scheduled for August 2, 2021. Story was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service after the jury announced its verdict.
Driver Involved in Dimmit County Crash that Resulted in Five Deaths Enters Guilty PleaRead the Press Release
DEL RIO – Jorge Luis Monsivais, Jr., 23 of Eagle Pass, pleaded guilty today to federal charges in connection with a smuggling scheme that resulted in the deaths of five undocumented noncitizens.
Appearing before U.S. District Judge Alia Moses, Monsivais pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to transport illegal aliens resulting in death; one count of conspiracy to transport illegal aliens resulting in serious bodily injury; one count of conspiracy to harbor illegal aliens; one count of illegal alien transportation resulting in death; and one count of illegal alien transportation resulting in serious bodily injury.
According to court documents, Monsivais and others led Border Patrol agents and Dimmit County Sheriff deputies on a high-speed chase on June 17, 2018. While traveling east bound on Highway 85 at speeds over 100 miles per hour, Monsivais crashed as he entered the town of Big Wells. Four of the 13 undocumented noncitizens traveling with Monsivais at the time of the crash died at the scene and nine were transported to a hospital for medical care. One died on the way to the hospital. U.S. Border Patrol agents detained a total of 23 undocumented noncitizens involved in this scheme—21 Mexican nationals and two Honduran nationals.
Monsivais, who has remained in federal custody since June 17, 2018, faces up to life in federal prison. Sentencing has yet to be scheduled.
U.S. Attorney Ashley C. Hoff, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Acting Special Agent in Charge Craig Larrabee, U.S. Border Patrol Del Rio Sector Chief Patrol Agent Austin Skero and Dimmit County Sheriff Marion Boyd made today’s announcement.
Four co-defendants have previously pleaded guilty in this case. On July 29, 2019, 58-year-old Mexican citizen Marcial Gomez Santana pleaded guilty to conspiracy to transport illegal aliens resulting in death; conspiracy to transport illegal aliens resulting in serious bodily injury; conspiracy to harbor illegal aliens; and harboring illegal aliens for private financial gain. On August 20, 2019, Marcial’s son and daughter, 24-year-old Rudy Gomez of Hockley and 22-year-old Johana Gomez of Houston, along with 48-year-old Mexican citizen Mariela Reyna all pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to harbor illegal aliens. Sentencing for those four defendants is scheduled for 10:00 a.m. on September 7, 2021. Marcial Gomez faces up to life imprisonment. The remaining three defendants face up to 10 years in federal prison.
HSI investigated this case together with the U.S. Border Patrol—Del Rio Sector and the Dimmit County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Amy Hail and John Kennedy are prosecuting this case.
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Detroit Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Drug and Gun ChargesRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – An Detroit man pleaded guilty today to federal drug and gun charges.
According to court documents, on October 21, 2020, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant on the hotel room rented by Darryl Eric Hill, 37, at the Double Tree Hotel in Huntington. Hill was present in the room during the search and officers seized heroin, methamphetamine, cocaine base, over $19,000 and a loaded 9mm pistol. Hill admitted that he had stayed at the hotel for several weeks and that he had been selling the drugs in and around the Huntington area. Hill also admitted that he kept the firearm with him to protect himself based on his status as a drug dealer.
Hill pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute heroin and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime and faces up to 20 years in federal prison for the drug charge, and a consecutive sentence of 5 years to life in federal prison on the gun charge, when he is sentenced on August 23, 2021.
Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Huntington Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Joseph F. Adams is handling the prosecution.
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers presided over the hearing.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:21-cr-00072.
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Defendant Pleads Guilty to Charges Related to May 2020 Civil Unrest in Salt Lake CityRead the Press Release
SALT LAKE CITY – Jackson Stuart Tamowski Patton, 27, of Salt Lake City, pleaded guilty to one felony count of civil disorder, charged in a felony information, for his role in the burning of a Salt Lake City Police Department patrol car during the civil unrest which occurred in Salt Lake City on May 30, 2020.
In the plea agreement, Patton admitted that, on May 30, 2020, he was protesting the killing of George Floyd when protesters turned violent and overturned a Salt Lake City Police Department patrol car. Patton admitted that law enforcement officers were lawfully engaged in the performance of their official duties during the commission of the civil disorder and that he participated in the burning of the overturned patrol car with the intent and purpose of obstructing, impeding, and interfering with law enforcement officers Patton also admitted to moving a burning cloth into the interior of the overturned patrol car.
Sentencing is set for August 11, 2021. Patton faces a maximum term of imprisonment of five years in prison, a payment of $2,500.000 in agreed upon restitution, and a term of supervised release of three years.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys from the Utah U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case. Special Agents from the ATF and the FBI, and detectives from the Salt Lake City Police Department, conducted the investigation.
Coachella Valley Man Sentenced to Five Years in Federal Prison for Firebombing Republican Club in La QuintaRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – A Riverside County man who used a Molotov cocktail in an attempt to destroy the East Valley Republican Women Federated (EVRWF) office in La Quinta was sentenced today to 60 months in federal prison.
Carlos Espriu, 24, of Palm Desert, who has been in federal custody since his arrest in September 2020, was sentenced by United States District Judge Percy Anderson. Judge Anderson also ordered Espriu to pay $5,426 in restitution to the victim for the damage caused by the firebombing.
Espriu pleaded guilty on March 15 to one count of attempted arson of a building.
During the early morning hours of May 31, 2020, Espriu broke the front windows of the EVRWF headquarters and repeatedly tossed through the windows a lighted Molotov cocktail made of three bottles he had taped together.
Several minutes later, surveillance video shows Espriu returning to the EVRWF office, smashing more windows with the bat and reaching into building to retrieve the Molotov cocktails before walking away with the device. Espriu returned to the EVRWF office about 30 seconds later, this time without a mask, and threw the set of bottles into the facility, which immediately caused a fire to start.
Law enforcement executed search warrants on Espriu’s residence and car, and recovered a dash camera, among other items. Stored on the dash camera was a recording from June 28, 2020 in which Espriu spoke to a woman in detail about lighting the fire at the EVRWF. He described his planning, his attempts to recruit others to help him, and the steps he took to start the fire.
The FBI’s Inland Empire Joint Terrorism Task Force investigated this matter.
Assistant United States Attorney Sara B. Milstein of the Violent and Organized Crime Section prosecuted this case.
Cleveland Man Sentenced for Lying to a Firearms Dealer when Attempting to Buy a GunRead the Press Release
A man who attempted to illegally purchase a gun by lying on a federal firearms transaction form was sentenced today in federal court, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.
U.S. District Judge Claire V. Eagan sentenced Zackery James Childress, 24, of Cleveland, Oklahoma, to five years of probation with the first 8 months to be served on home confinement.
Previously, Childress pleaded guilty to making a false statement to a firearms dealer. In his plea agreement, the defendant admitted that on Sept. 3, 2019, he tried to buy a firearm at a pawn shop in Osage County and lied on the ATF Form 4473, where he indicated that he had never been convicted of a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence. In fact, Childress knew he had been convicted of assault and battery of a pregnant woman on May 1, 2018.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Thomas Buscemi and Michael Harder prosecuted the case.
This case was prosecuted as part of the 2150 Initiative. The initiative focuses law enforcement efforts on criminals who use guns during crimes, individuals who lie on federal firearms transaction forms, and straw purchasers who acquire firearms for prohibited persons. The initiative was named in memory of Tulsa Police Sergeant Craig Johnson. Sgt. Johnson’s badge number, 2150, was selected as a way to honor his life and service. This case is also part of Project Guardian, the Department of Justice’s signature initiative to reduce gun violence and enforce federal firearms laws.
Chicopee Man Sentenced for Heroin DistributionRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Chicopee man was sentenced on Friday, May 21, 2021 in federal court in Springfield for drug distribution charges.
Brett Garcia, 33, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Mark G. Mastroianni to five years in prison and four years of supervised release. On Jan. 5, 2021, Garcia pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute 100 grams or more of heroin. Specifically, Garcia possessed with intent to distribute 565 grams of a mixture of fentanyl and heroin on Feb. 28, 2020 in Hampden County.
Acting United States Attorney Nathaniel R. Mendell; Brian D. Boyle, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division; Colonel Christopher Mason, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police; and Chicopee Police Chief William R. Jebb made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Todd E. Newhouse of Mendell’s Springfield Branch Office prosecuted the case.
Cherry Creek Man Sentenced for Voluntary ManslaughterRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney Dennis R. Holmes announced that a Cherry Creek, South Dakota, man convicted of Voluntary Manslaughter was sentenced on May 17, 2021, by Chief Judge Roberto A. Lange, U.S. District Court.
Jerome White Horse, Jr., age 61, was sentenced to 63 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $100.
White Horse was indicted by a federal grand jury on March 11, 2020. He pleaded guilty on March 1, 2021.
On February 12, 2020, in Cherry Creek, White Horse and another person assaulted a man who crashed his vehicle during a medical emergency. White Horse used a garden hoe to strike the victim in the head. The victim died of injuries sustained during the assault.
The investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services. Assistant U.S. Attorney Cameron J. Cook prosecuted the case.
White Horse was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Chattanooga Man Charged with Defrauding Investor in Covid-19-Related PPE SchemeRead the Press Release
On May 24, 2021, David Michael Wright, Sr., 58, of Hixson pleaded guilty to a two-count information charging him with wire fraud and money laundering. Sentencing has been set for October 1, 2021, at 9:00 a.m., before the Honorable Travis R. McDonough in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee at Chattanooga. Upon motion of the United States, the Honorable Susan K. Lee, United States Magistrate Judge, ordered that Wright be detained pending sentencing.
According to court documents filed by the United States, from April to September 2020, Wright devised a scheme to defraud and obtain money under fraudulent pretenses from at least one victim. Wright and the victim began discussing investment opportunities involving the purchase and resale of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) to hospitals and retailers in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Wright falsely claimed that he had contacts with Chinese manufacturers to source the manufacture of PPE products, that Wright was importing PPE products from China, and that Wright was then selling those products in the United States at a significant profit, including KN95 masks. In July 2020, Wright emailed the victim with an attached fraudulent $49,700.00 pro forma invoice from an alleged Chinese manufacturer for the purported purchase of 70,000 KN95 masks, which Wright falsely claimed could be purchased by the victim and then resold to CHI Memorial Hospital for $210,000.00, resulting in a profit of $140,000.00 for the victim. Several days later, the victim paid Wright $49,700.00 cash, for the purchase of KN95 masks, and Wright provided the victim with a fraudulent DHL tracking number for the "shipment" from China. In August 2020, Wright gave the victim a check for $210,000.00 representing the victim’s proceeds from the sale of the KN95 masks to CHI Memorial Hospital. However, Wright knew he did not have sufficient funds to cover that check, as CHI Memorial Hospital had made no agreement to purchase PPE from Wright, nor had they paid any money to Wright. Wright also learned that the victim had a connection with a hand sanitizer manufacturer, Miramar Labs. Wright fraudulently represented that Publix Super Markets, Inc. (Publix) was going to purchase 40,000 bottles of hand sanitizer, and, to maintain that deception, Wright wired some of the money obtained from the fraudulent KN95 scheme to Miramar Labs, while the victim paid the remaining amount. In total, Wright obtained approximately $80,500.00 as part of his fraudulent scheme.
Wright, Sr. faces a possible sentence of up to 30 years’ imprisonment on the wire fraud count and up to 10 years’ imprisonment on the money laundering count, along with significant fines, restitution, and forfeiture of property.
Assistant United States Attorney Steven Neff represents the United States.
The investigation was conducted by the FBI and the U.S. Attorney's Coronavirus Fraud Task Force.
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 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus.
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Charges Unsealed Against Former Chadian Diplomats to the U.S. Charged in Connection with International Bribery and Money Laundering SchemeRead the Press Release
An indictment returned by a federal grand jury in Washington, D.C. was unsealed on May 20, 2021, charging the Republic of Chad’s former Ambassador to the United States and Canada and Chad’s former Deputy Chief of Mission for the United States and Canada with soliciting and accepting a $2 million bribe from a Canadian start-up energy company, and conspiring to launder the bribe payment in order to conceal its true nature.
According to court documents, Mahamoud Adam Bechir and Youssouf Hamid Takane engaged in this scheme between August 2009 and July 2014, while serving as diplomats based out of the Embassy of Chad located in Washington, D.C. According to the indictment, Bechir and Takane demanded the bribe from the Canadian start-up energy company in exchange for a promise to misuse their official positions and their influence with the government of Chad to assist the start-up energy company in obtaining oil rights in Chad. Naeem Tyab, a citizen of Canada and founding shareholder of the start-up energy company, who served as a director of the company from 2009 through 2011, is also charged in the indictment for allegedly arranging for the bribe to be paid to Bechir’s wife, co-defendant Nouracham Bechir Niam, via a sham contract for consulting services that she never actually provided. In addition to the $2 million bribe payment, the start-up energy company also issued shares in the company to Niam, to Takane’s wife, and to a third Chadian individual, as part of the bribe, according to the indictment.
“These defendants allegedly engaged in a multimillion dollar bribery scheme while in the United States and then used the U.S. financial system to launder the bribes to conceal their conduct,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Nicholas L. McQuaid of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “The charges unsealed today demonstrate the department’s determined commitment to investigate and prosecute corruption wherever it occurs and the officials who use our financial system to launder their bribes. Corruption undermines trust in governments and prevents the free market from functioning fairly for law-abiding people and companies.”
“The bribery and corruption of foreign officials causes grave harm to both the global economy and the interests of the United States,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Channing D. Phillips of the District of Columbia. “My office and the Justice Department are committed to prosecuting these violations and efforts to launder the proceeds of these crimes.”
“Accepting and soliciting bribes seriously threatens the integrity of our economic system,” said Assistant Director in Charge Steven M. D’Antuono of the FBI’s Washington Field Office. “When corrupt foreign officials launder funds through the United States in furtherance of their criminal activity, the FBI will work tirelessly to hold those officials accountable and send a message that we will not relent in our efforts to uphold the law.”
All four defendants are charged with conspiracy to commit money laundering, and Bechir, Takane, and Niam are also charged with money laundering, each of which carries a maximum potential penalty of 20 years in prison. Niam and Tyab are also charged with conspiracy to violate the FCPA, which carries a maximum potential penalty of five years in prison. The indictment in this case was returned by the grand jury in February 2019. Tyab was arrested in the Southern District of New York on Feb. 9, 2019, and subsequently, on April 30, 2019, he entered a guilty plea to one count of conspiracy to violate the FCPA. As part of his guilty plea, Tyab agreed to forfeit criminal proceeds of approximately $27 million. The Honorable Richard J. Leon will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. The remaining three defendants remain at large.
The FBI’s Washington Field Office is investigating the case.
Trial Attorneys Katherine Raut and Tarsha Phillibert of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section, Trial Attorney Steven Parker of the Criminal Division’s Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Kathryn Rakoczy of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia are prosecuting the case. The Criminal Division’s Office of International Affairs provided significant assistance in this matter.
The Criminal Division’s Fraud Section is responsible for investigating and prosecuting all FCPA matters. Additional information about the Justice Department’s FCPA enforcement efforts can be found at www.justice.gov/criminal/fraud/fcpa.
An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Buffalo Man Pleads Guilty to Selling Fentanyl and Possessing A GunRead 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 D’Mario Caesar, 34, of Buffalo, NY, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Richard J. Arcara to possessing with intent to distribute fentanyl and possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. The charges carry a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years in prison and a maximum of life.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael J. Adler, Seth T. Molisani, and Richard Antoine, who are handling the case, stated that on April 24, 2018, investigators executed two search warrants at City of Buffalo residences associated with the defendant: 203 May Street and an apartment at 1040 Delaware Avenue. The search of 203 May Street resulted in the seizure of approximately 103 grams of fentanyl, over 300 grams of butyryl fentanyl, approximately 80 grams of cocaine, 37 glassine envelopes containing fentanyl, three digital scales, a metal press, and a bag of cut. In addition, investigators seized a .45 caliber pistol with 13 rounds of ammunition. At 1040 Delaware Avenue, investigators seized $11,000 in U.S. currency and additional drug packaging materials.
The plea is the result of an investigation by Homeland Security investigations, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Kevin Kelly and the Erie County Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Sheriff Timothy Howard.
Sentencing is scheduled for August 30, 2021, at 12:30 p.m. before Judge Arcara.
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Bridgeport Felon Sentenced to 3 Years in Prison for Illegally Possessing FirearmRead the Press Release
Leonard C Boyle, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that SHANNON CALHOUN, 49, of Bridgeport, was sentenced via videoconference by U.S. District Judge Janet C. Hall to 36 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for illegal possession of a firearm.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on May 22, 2019, Calhoun was subject to a state parole compliance check at his Bridgeport residence. After a parole officer found a plastic bag containing marijuana in Calhoun’s bedroom, the parole officer contacted the Bridgeport Police Department to assist with the compliance check. The continued search of Calhoun’s bedroom revealed a loaded .40 caliber handgun and a coffee bean grinder containing heroin residue.
Calhoun’s criminal history includes state felony convictions for sale of narcotics, assault in the first degree, larceny in the second degree, weapon in a motor vehicle; burglary in the third degree, carrying a dangerous weapon, possession of narcotics, criminal possession of a weapon, and failure to appear.
It is a violation of federal law for a person previously convicted of a felony offense to possess a firearm that has moved in interstate or foreign commerce.
Calhoun has been detained since his arrest on May 22, 2019. On November 3, 2020, he pleaded guilty to unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon.
This matter was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Bridgeport Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Nathaniel J. Gentile.
This prosecution has been brought though 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.
Brazilian Nationals Sentenced for Racketeering and Robbery ChargesRead the Press Release
BOSTON – Two members of Primeiro Comando da Massachusetts (PCM), a gang with Brazilian origins, were sentenced on Friday, May 21, 2021 in connection with racketeering, committing armed robberies, and gun and drug trafficking.
Joao Pedro Marques Gama, a/k/a “Bahianinho,” 23, and Vinicius De Assis Goncalves, 23, Brazilian nationals previously residing in Revere, were sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Patti B. Saris to 54 and 87 months in prison, respectively. Each defendant will face deportation proceedings upon completion of his sentence.
On Dec. 10, 2020, Gama pleaded guilty to conspiracy to conduct enterprise affairs by a pattern of racketeering (also known as RICO conspiracy), conspiracy to commit robbery, conspiracy to distribute cocaine and 28 grams or more of cocaine base, engaging in the business of dealing in firearms and being an alien in possession of a firearm. On Dec. 9, 2020, Goncalves pleaded guilty to RICO conspiracy.
In September 2018, federal agents began investigating members and associates of PCM, which first appeared in Massachusetts in 2017. It is alleged that members and associates of PCM were actively involved in violent crimes including the illegal sale of firearms, drug trafficking, robberies, kidnappings and armed assaults in numerous communities in Massachusetts, including Boston, Malden, Everett, Somerville, Framingham and Peabody, among others.
Gama participated in an armed robbery outside a Brazilian money transfer business in Everett and conspired to commit armed robbery of a drug courier. Gama was also responsible for distributing over 28 grams of crack cocaine and nine firearms, including a sawed-off shotgun.
Goncalves participated in the robbery of a market in Boston, an armed robbery outside a cellphone store in Framingham and the robbery of a car in Marlborough.
All defendants in the case pleaded guilty to RICO conspiracy and other charges. In February 2021, Judge Saris sentenced co-defendant Breno Henrique DaSilva to nine years in prison, co-defendant Matheus Marley Machado to 27 months in prison, and co-defendants Alvaro Dos Santos and Marcio Costa to four and five years in prison, respectively.
Acting United States Attorney Nathaniel R. Mendell; Kelly D. Brady, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, Boston Field Division; William S. Walker, Acting Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Boston; and Colonel Christopher Mason, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police made the announcement. The Chelsea, Lowell, Malden, Marlborough, Somerville and Weymouth Police Departments and the Middlesex Sheriff’s Office provided assistance with the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy Moran, Deputy Chief of Mendell’s Organized Crime and Gang Unit, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Crowley prosecuted the case.
Boulder City Man Convicted of Assaulting Spouse at Lake Mead National Recreation AreaRead the Press Release
LAS VEGAS, Nev. – A federal jury convicted a Boulder City man on May 20, for assaulting his wife at a campground in the Lake Mead National Recreation Area.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Michael David Thompson, 65, repeatedly struck the victim’s face and body on September 21, 2020, at the Boulder Beach Campground within the Lake Mead National Recreation Area. Thompson’s assault caused the victim injuries that included a broken nose, fractured left orbital bone, and large contusions to her face and left arm.
After a three-day jury trial, Thompson was found guilty of one count of felony assault resulting in substantial bodily injury to a spouse or intimate partner. U.S. District Judge Jennifer A. Dorsey presided over the trial and scheduled a sentencing hearing for August 23, 2021.
Thompson faces a statutory maximum sentence of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine. He also faces a period of supervised release, restitution, and monetary penalties.
Acting U.S. Attorney Christopher Chiou for the District of Nevada made the announcement.
This case was investigated by the National Park Service. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Rachel Kent and Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua Brister are prosecuting the case
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Bayou La Batre Man Sentenced to More Than 23 Years for Two Armed RobberiesRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Sean P. Costello of the Southern District of Alabama announced that on May 13, 2021, En Chim was sentenced in federal court to more than 23 years in prison after being convicted by a jury of all counts of a five-count indictment. En Chim was sentenced to 115 months custody for two robberies in Bayou La Batre, Alabama and being a felon in possession of a firearm. En Chim received a sentence of 84 months in two additional counts for the use of a firearm to commit the robberies. These sentences are to run consecutive to all other sentences. The total sentence Chim will serve is 283 months in the custody of the Bureau of Prisons. United States District Judge Terry F. Moorer also ordered Chim to serve three years of supervised release following his release from prison and pay $1,100 in restitution.
At the trial held January 25 and 26, 2021, the jury found Chim guilty on all counts. Witnesses and video evidence showed that Chim and another unidentified individual entered a convenience store in November 2018 demanding money and waving handguns at the attendant. Two weeks later Chim and the same unidentified individual entered a sandwich shop as it was closing for the evening. Again, En Chim and his accomplice demanded money from the register and a wallet and cell phone.
Special Agents from the Federal Bureau of Investigation along with the Bayou La Batre Police Department investigated this case along with the assistance of the United States Attorney’s Office.
Ashland Woman Sentenced to 24 Months for Methamphetamine TraffickingRead the Press Release
CONCORD – Samantha Trombley, 36, of Ashland, was sentenced to 24 months in federal prison for possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute, Acting United States Attorney John J. Farley announced today.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on March 20, 2019, a New Hampshire state trooper pulled over a car driven by Trombley for a vehicle violation. There were two other individuals in the car. A second officer arrived at the scene and noticed a pipe used for smoking methamphetamine sticking out of a passenger’s pocket. The passenger was removed from the vehicle and arrested. The second passenger was also arrested on outstanding warrants. Trombley was interviewed by another officer and claimed she did not know the passengers very well but they had called her for a ride to a home near Plymouth.
The vehicle was towed and secured. After obtaining a search warrant, officers discovered heroin and fentanyl as well as other drug paraphernalia in the passengers’ backpacks. A purse belonging to Trombley was located containing $790 in cash, a smoking pipe, over 151 grams of methamphetamine, and a small bag of heroin.
Trombley previously pleaded guilty on February 19, 2020.
“Methamphetamine continues to present a significant threat to communities throughout New Hampshire,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Farley. “To protect public safety, we are working closely with our law enforcement partners to identify and prosecute the drug dealers who are selling this dangerous substance in the Granite State.”
“As methamphetamine seizures are on the rise DEA stands committed to keeping this highly addictive drug out of New Hampshire,” said DEA Special Agent in Charge Brian D. Boyle. “This investigation demonstrates the strength of collaborative law enforcement efforts in New Hampshire.”
This matter was investigated by the New Hampshire State Police and the Drug Enforcement Administration. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney John S. Davis.
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Ambridge Cocaine Dealer Sentenced to Nearly Six Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH – Harold Novick was sentenced to 70 months in prison for conspiring to distribute cocaine, Acting United States Attorney Stephen R. Kaufman announced today.
Novick, age 41, of Ambridge, Pennsylvania, was sentenced by United States District Judge J. Nicholas Ranjan. Judge Ranjan ordered Novick to serve six years of supervised release following his prison sentence.
Novick trafficked cocaine for several months in 2018 while he was on state parole for trafficking cocaine. He was previously convicted six times in six prior federal and state prosecutions for trafficking cocaine. He previously served several state and federal prison sentences for these convictions as well as for state parole and federal supervised release violations.
Assistant United States Attorney Craig W. Haller prosecuted this case on behalf of the United States.
The Drug Enforcement Administration, the Internal Revenue Service, the federal Bureau of Prisons, and the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General led the multi-agency investigation that also included the United States Postal Inspection Service, the Beaver County District Attorney’s Office, the Department of Homeland Security/Homeland Security Investigations, the Pittsburgh Police Department, the United States Marshals Service, the Pennsylvania State Police, the Munhall Police Department, the Robinson Township Police Department, the McKees Rocks Police Department, the Stowe Township Police Department, the Etna Police Department, and the Erie County District Attorney’s Office.
This prosecution is a result of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles high-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten communities throughout the United States. OCDETF uses a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
Alleged Chicago Carjacker Arrested on Federal ChargeRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — A man has been arrested and charged in federal court with carjacking after he allegedly took a vehicle at gunpoint near Garfield Park in Chicago late last week.
KIAR EVANS, 22, of Chicago, is charged with one count of carjacking in connection with the Thursday afternoon incident. Evans is scheduled to make an initial appearance in federal court today at 1:00 p.m. before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jeffrey I. Cummings.
The arrest and federal charge were announced by John R. Lausch, Jr., United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois; Emmerson Buie, Jr., Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI; and David Brown, Superintendent of the Chicago Police Department. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Caitlin Walgamuth.
According to a criminal complaint filed in U.S. District Court in Chicago, Evans approached the driver’s side window of a Nissan Altima at the intersection of West Congress Parkway and Independence Boulevard in Chicago. Evans pointed a firearm at the Nissan’s driver and demanded that the driver exit the vehicle, the complaint states. The victim complied and Evans drove off in the Nissan, the complaint states.
Shortly after the carjacking, Evans was driving the stolen Nissan when he was involved in a multi-vehicle crash at the intersection of Harrison Street and Ogden Avenue in Chicago, the complaint states. Chicago Police officers arrested Evans and discovered a loaded semi-automatic handgun in the Nissan, the complaint states.
The public is reminded that a complaint is not evidence of guilt. The defendant is presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. The carjacking charge is punishable by a maximum sentence of 15 years in federal prison. If convicted, the Court must impose a reasonable sentence under federal statutes and the advisory U.S. Sentencing Guidelines.
Alaska man sentenced to 20 months in prison for arson conspiracy for August 2020 fire at Seattle Police East PrecinctRead the Press Release
Seattle – A 20-year-old Alaska man was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Seattle to 20 months in prison for conspiracy to commit arson in connection with the fire he set Monday, August 24, 2020, at the Seattle Police Department’s East Precinct, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman. Desmond David-Pitts was arrested shortly after the fire. At the sentencing hearing U.S. District Judge John C. Coughenour noted the serious danger the fire posed to Seattle Police Officers who could have been trapped inside the building.
“A handful of people bent on destruction, by committing arson and threatening the safety of our community, also drowned out the important message of those who peacefully protest injustice,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman. “This defendant joined with others to put Seattle Police Officers at risk. It is wholly appropriate that he spend time in prison as a consequence of his criminal acts.”
According to records filed in the case, David-Pitts had arrived in Seattle from Alaska just three days before the arson. After marching with the group of protestors in downtown Seattle, David-Pitts is seen on surveillance video piling up trash against the sally-port door at the Seattle Police East Precinct. Over an eleven-minute period, the surveillance video captures David-Pitts not only piling up the trash, but repeatedly lighting it on fire and feeding the flames with more trash. While David-Pitts was lighting the fire, other people who appeared on the surveillance were attempting to use crowbars and cement-like materials to try to disable the door next to the sally-port to prevent officers from exiting the building. At various times, David-Pitts was communicating with the black-clad individuals who were attempting to disable the door and light other fires around the building. Despite efforts to disable the door, officers were able to get outside and extinguish the flames. David-Pitts was seen on surveillance working with the others to cut through a chain-link fence that was a barrier around the building. All the fires were extinguished by Seattle Police Officers and members of the Seattle Fire Department.
David-Pitts was identified less than an hour later in the crowd outside the precinct because of the distinctive pink camouflage trousers he was wearing. He was arrested without incident.
David-Pitts has agreed to pay restitution to the Seattle Police Department for damage to the building.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives (ATF) and the Seattle Police Department.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Todd Greenberg.
23 May 2021
Portland Resident Sentenced to Federal Prison After Trial Conviction for Illegal Firearm PossessionRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Ore.—A Portland man was sentenced to federal prison today after being convicted at trial in October 2021 for illegally possessing a stolen firearm as a convicted felon.
Desmond Boris Washington, 35, was sentenced to 4 years in federal prison and 3 years’ supervised release.
According to court documents, on October 10, 2018, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) agents and Portland Police Bureau officers executed four premises search warrants in the Portland area as part of a federal investigation into the armed robbery of two marijuana dealers. Washington, while not a target of the investigation, resided at one of the apartments searched. During the search, a Portland police officer observed a silver and black Taurus handgun in an open dresser drawer. In the same drawer, agents found a gold dental grill, necklaces, and a pendant with the name “I5daP,” a moniker used by Washington. Investigators later obtained several publicly available photographs and videos showing Washington wearing the dental grill and necklaces.
As the investigation continued, agents found additional evidence linking Washington to the handgun. A DNA test found DNA profiles from four different individuals, including Washington, on the gun. Washington’s public Facebook profile photo showed him holding what appeared to be the same gun. Washington also posted a series of music videos to YouTube showing him and several other convicted felons with the gun.
On November 6, 2018, a federal grand jury in Portland returned a single-count indictment charging Washington with illegally possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. He was convicted on the charge in a jury trial ending October 30, 2021.
On December 4, 2019, two other Portland residents, Christopher Eugene Miller, 30, and Kebrin Larry Jones, 28, were indicted for illegally possessing the same stolen Taurus handgun. Jones later guilty to the charge and, on September 1, 2020, was sentenced to 17 months in federal prison and three years supervised release. Miller is in pre-trial custody pending a three-day jury trial scheduled to begin on June 28, 2021.
Acting U.S. Attorney Scott Erik Asphaug of the District of Oregon made the announcement.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the Portland Police Bureau and is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Oregon.
The case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). PSN is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
22 May 2021
Brooklyn Man Arrested for Arson of Yeshiva and SynagogueRead the Press Release
A criminal complaint has been filed in federal court in Brooklyn charging Ali Alaheri with setting fire to a yeshiva and synagogue in Brooklyn on May 19, 2021. Alaheri was arrested in Dobbs Ferry, New York, yesterday and will make his initial appearance this afternoon before United States Magistrate Judge Vera M. Scanlon.
Mark J. Lesko, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York; John B. DeVito, Special Agent-in-Charge, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF); Dermot Shea, Commissioner, New York City Police Department (NYPD); and Daniel A. Nigro, Commissioner, New York City Fire Department (FDNY), announced the arrest and charge.
“As alleged in the complaint and detention letter, Alaheri deliberately set fire to the sacred home of a yeshiva and synagogue, and viciously attacked a man wearing traditional Hasidic garb, demonstrating a violent hatred that cannot be tolerated,” stated Acting U.S. Attorney Lesko. “This Office strongly condemns these sorts of intentional acts of violence and we will go to every length possible to prosecute this type of conduct to the fullest extent possible.” Mr. Lesko praised the special agents, detectives and fire marshals of the Strategic Explosive and Arson Response Task Force for their outstanding investigative work on the case.
“The defendant’s alleged actions endangered the lives of numerous individuals, from the congregants and students at the synagogue and yeshiva, to the first responders who arrived to extinguish the flames, to the neighboring members of the community,” stated ATF Special Agent-in-Charge DeVito. “The members of ATF’s Arson and Explosives Task Force, in partnership with NYPD’s Hate Crime Unit, worked diligently to quickly identify the defendant and bring him to justice. I thank them for their efforts, as well as those of the U.S. Attorney’s Office, in sending a clear message that crimes such as this will not be tolerated.”
“Ali Alaheri, as alleged in today’s federal complaint, set fire to a school and religious institution and threatened public safety for all. I commend our NYPD investigators, our government partners and the prosecutors in the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York for their work in bringing swift justice in this case,” stated NYPD Commissioner Shea.
“Arson is a callous and senseless crime that endangers the lives of innocent residents and our firefighters who bravely respond to protect life and property,” stated FDNY Commissioner Nigro. “I commend our Fire Marshals and their partners in law enforcement for their outstanding efforts to investigate this incident and apprehend the suspect.”
As set forth in the complaint and detention letter, in the pre-dawn hours of May 19, 2021, Alaheri was captured on surveillance video piling garbage bags against the side of a building on 36th Street in Brooklyn that housed a yeshiva (a Jewish school) and a synagogue. Alaheri was recorded igniting the garbage bags. Firefighters responded to a fire alarm at the location and extinguished the blaze. Several hours later, Alaheri was again captured on surveillance video, this time repeatedly punching a man wearing traditional Hasidic garb. There was no interaction between Alaheri and the victim prior to the assault. When Alaheri was arrested on May 21, 2021, he appeared to be wearing the same clothing he was wearing in the video footage of the assault.
The charge in the complaint is an allegation, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. If convicted, Alaheri faces a mandatory minimum sentence of five years’ imprisonment, and a maximum of 20 years’ imprisonment.
The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s Civil Rights Section. Assistant United States Attorney Rachel A. Bennek is in charge of the prosecution.
The Defendant:
ALI ALAHERI
Age: 29
Brooklyn, New YorkE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 21-MJ-624
21 May 2021
Worcester Man Charged with Attempting to Fraudulently Purchase $83,000 Sports CarRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Worcester man was arrested and charged yesterday with attempting to fraudulently purchase a Chevrolet Camaro valued at $83,000 using the bank account of an Arizona resident.
Brandon Brouillard, 27, was charged with one count of bank fraud. Brouillard was detained following an initial appearance yesterday before U.S. District Court Magistrate Judge Marianne B. Bowler.
According to the charging documents, on April 17, 2021, Brouillard arrived at a Chevrolet dealership in Norwood, Mass. to test drive a 2021 Chevrolet Camaro. After test-driving the Camaro, Brouillard allegedly agreed to purchase it for $83,000 and paid for the vehicle with a cashier’s check made out to the dealership. It is alleged that Brouillard provided his Massachusetts driver’s license, proof of insurance and signed a sales contract, Massachusetts application for registration and car title in connection with the purchase.
On April 19, 2021, Brouillard allegedly picked up the Camaro from the dealership. On April 23, 2021, the dealership learned that the account listed on the bank check provided by Brouillard was frozen. The dealership contacted Brouillard, who allegedly promised that he would wire $83,000 to pay for the car.
On April 26, 2021, an Arizona resident contacted local police and reported an attempted fraudulent wire transfer of $83,000 from the victim’s bank account. The victim reported that a fraudulent email purportedly from the victim was sent to the bank, requesting a wire transfer of $83,000 to pay for the victim’s “brother-in-law’s car.” The bank contacted the victim for verification, and the victim did not approve the transfer. It is alleged that starting in or about September 2020, the victim’s accounts were compromised, and large fraudulent purchases were made and shipped to Brouillard’s address. It is estimated that approximately $500,000 of the victim’s funds were stolen.
The charge of bank fraud provides for a sentence of up to 30 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of $1 million. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Acting United States Attorney Nathaniel R. Mendell and Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division made the announcement. Valuable assistance was provided by the Boston, Braintree, Moultonborough (N.H.), Natick, Newton, Norwood, Worcester and Scottsdale (Ariz.) Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorney John T. Mulcahy of Mendell’s Worcester Branch Office is prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Woman from Farmington faces federal firearm, drug-trafficking chargesRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Mariah Jones, 30, of Farmington, New Mexico, was arraigned on May 20 in federal court on a three-count indictment charging her with possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, using and carrying a firearm in relation to a drug-trafficking crime and being a felon in possession of a firearm. A federal grand jury indicted Jones on April 23. Jones will remain in custody pending trial.
According to the indictment, on Feb. 24, 2020, in San Juan County, New Mexico, Jones allegedly was in possession of 50 grams or more of methamphetamine as well as a rifle. As a previously convicted felon, Jones cannot legally possess a firearm or ammunition, and it is a crime to possess a firearm in relation to or in the furtherance of drug trafficking.
An indictment is only an allegation. A defendant is considered innocent unless and until proven guilty. If convicted, Jones faces a minimum of 15 years and up to life in prison.
The FBI and the Region II Narcotics Task Force in Farmington investigated this case with assistance from the Probation and Parole Office of the New Mexico Department of Corrections. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jaymie L. Roybal is prosecuting the case.
Wilmington Man Sentenced to Nine Years for Gun OffenseRead the Press Release
WILMINGTON, N.C. – A Wilmington man was sentenced today to 108 months in prison and three years of supervised release for being a felon in possession of a firearm. On February 18, 2021, Harold Davon Leonard pled guilty to the charges.
According to court documents and other information presented in court, Leonard, 34, was the passenger in a vehicle that was stopped on December 25, 2019. While a Wilmington Police Department officer was with the driver, a second officer saw Leonard jump into the driver seat and attempt to put the vehicle in gear. When Leonard was ordered to exit the vehicle, he tried to push the officer and flee on foot. A struggle ensued and Leonard was ultimately detained. During the struggle, a vial containing more than 13 grams of Phencyclidine (PCP) fell from Leonard’s pocket. Following his arrest, a loaded 9mm handgun that had previously been reported as stolen was found under the passenger seat. At the time of the offense, Leonard had more than 20 prior criminal convictions, including 11 prior felony convictions, and was on active parole after having been released only 10 months earlier.
G. Norman Acker, III, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after sentencing by Chief U.S. District Judge Richard E. Myers II. The Wilmington office of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Wilmington Police Department investigated the case and Assistant U.S. Attorney Bryan Stephany prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of North Carolina implements the PSN Program through its Take Back North Carolina Initiative. This initiative emphasizes the regional assignment of federal prosecutors to work with law enforcement and District Attorney’s Offices on a sustained basis in those communities to reduce the violent crime rate, drug trafficking, and crimes against law enforcement.
Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 7:20-cr-00095-M.
West Virginia Man Admits Participating in Fentanyl Trafficking SchemeRead the Press Release
ERIE, Pa. - A resident of Wheeling, West Virginia, pleaded guilty in federal court to a charge of violating federal drug laws, Acting United States Attorney Stephen R. Kaufman announced today.
Kadijah Rashaye Irvin, 27, pleaded guilty to one count of knowingly, intentionally and unlawfully possessing with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount fentanyl, a Schedule II controlled substance before United States District Judge Susan Paradise Baxter.
In connection with the guilty plea, the court was advised that Irvin conspired with co-defendants to transport for the purpose of distribution a large quantity of fentanyl on or about May 3, 2018.
Judge Baxter scheduled sentencing for October 7, 2021 at 1:30 p.m. The law provides for a total sentence of 40 years in prison, a fine of $5,000,000, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Pending sentencing, the court continued Irvin on bond.
Assistant United States Attorney Paul S. Sellers is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The EAGLE task force, which is comprised of members of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office, Bureau of Narcotics Investigation and the Erie Police Department conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Irvin.
Weeki Wachee Repeat Offender Sentenced to 20 Years in Federal Prison for Attempting to Entice A 13-Year-Old to Engage in SexRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – U.S. District Judge Brian J. Davis has sentenced James Allen Shook (49, Weeki Wachee) to 20 years in federal prison for attempting to entice or coerce a child to engage in sexual activity. The court also ordered Shook to serve a life term of supervised release and to register as a sex offender.
Shook had pleaded guilty on February 11, 2021.
According to court documents, on January 24, 2020, Shook posted an online classified ad stating that he was seeking “young horny girls” for sex, “first timers welcome!” and “all ages welcome!” On the same day, a special agent with the Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS), acting in an undercover capacity posing as a 13-year-old girl, responded to the ad. Despite learning that the “child” was 13, Shook arranged to travel to Clay County to engage in sex acts with the child. Shook also requested a nude photograph of the child and sent the child photographs of himself, including an explicit photo. Shook offered that the child could come live with him if she wanted. When Shook arrived at what he believed was the child’s home, he was arrested by Homeland Security Investigations special agents.
In an interview with agents, Shook stated that he had a sexual interest in children and that he searches the internet daily for child sexual abuse images, that it arouses him, and that he had searched for sexually explicit materials depicting children as young as 2 years old. Shook also admitted that he had displayed his penis to underage girls in person hundreds of times. Shook has nine prior felony convictions in New Jersey for lewdness, including five for lewdness involving children under 13.
This case was investigated by the Naval Criminal Investigative Service, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Clay County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kelly S. Karase.
This is another case brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Two Kentucky Real Estate Professionals Indicted for Rigging Farmland AuctionRead the Press Release
A federal grand jury in the Western District of Kentucky returned an indictment charging two Kentucky real estate professionals with conspiring to rig bids at an estate auction for farmland and timber rights.
According to the indictment, Barry Dyer and Mackie Shelton conspired with others to rig bids at a 2018 auction for hundreds of acres of farmland and a tract of timber rights. The indictment alleges that Dyer and Shelton demanded and accepted a $40,000 payoff from competing auction participants to stop bidding, artificially suppressing the sales price of the farmland.
“Collusion and bid rigging at farmland auctions undermine our nation’s vital farming industry, robbing farmers and their families of a fair price for their land and artificially suppressing farmland values relied on for financing throughout the national Farm Credit System,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Richard A. Powers of the Justice Department’s Antitrust Division. “The division has a long history of ensuring the integrity of real estate auctions and will continue to prosecute those who choose to break the law and line their own pockets at the expense of others. With support from our law enforcement partners, the Antitrust Division will hold accountable anyone who conspires to deprive the American farmer of competitive pricing – whether on the crops they sell or the farmland they use to grow them.”
“The allegation contained in the indictment charges a serious violation of the law and serves notice to would be fraudsters who plan to cheat hard working Western Kentucky farmers via the auction process that they will face robust criminal investigation and swift federal prosecution,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett for the Western District of Kentucky.
“American farmers are critical to our country’s vitality, and the FBI will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to protect their right to operate in an environment that fosters fair practice and is free of corruption,” said Assistant Director Calvin Shivers of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division. “These charges demonstrate the FBI’s dedication to uncovering corrupt criminal activity and holding individuals like Dyer and Shelton, who allegedly attempted to cheat the system by conspiring to rig bids and profit from the hard work of others, accountable for their actions.”
Dyer and Shelton are charged with a violation of the Sherman Antitrust Act. If convicted, they face a statutory maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $1 million fine. The maximum fine may be increased to twice the gain derived from the crime or twice the loss suffered by victims if either amount is greater than $1 million. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The Antitrust Division’s Washington Criminal I Section is prosecuting the case, which was investigated with the assistance of the FBI’s International Corruption Unit.
An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.