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Friday 9 April 2021
Former charter school official sent to prison for embezzling fundsRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – The former superintendent of Houston Gateway Academy has been ordered to federal prison after taking more than a ¼ million dollars, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Jennifer B. Lowery.
Richard Garza, 61, Houston, pleaded guilty Sept. 20, 2019.
Today, U.S. District Judge Ewing Werlein Jr. sentenced him to serve 60 months in prison to be immediately followed by three years of supervised release. He was further ordered to pay a $20,000 fine and restitution in the amount of $191,292 to the Texas Education Agency (TEA). At the hearing, the court noted Garza led a double life and had a desire for taking money from others which got him into trouble and led him to his situation today.
Houston Gateway Academy is a charter school located in the Gulfgate area of Houston. While superintendent, Garza awarded a contract to a company whose owner then sent funds back to Garza.
As part of his plea, Garza admitted he awarded a $280,000 no-bid contract to Ahmed Bokaiyan. Bokaiyan was an IT employee at the school who also owned a business called Hot Rod Systems. Bokaiyan, through his company, was to provide IT equipment and services to a new school not yet constructed.
An audit revealed Garza paid three checks totaling approximately $252,757 to Hot Rod Systems before it completed any work. Shortly after Bokaiyan received the payments, he sent approximately $164,381 via wire transfer to Garza’s personal bank account. Garza then used some of the funds to purchase a New Nissan Armada SUV and a condominium located on Gentryside Drive in Houston.
Garza was permitted to remain on bond and voluntarily surrender to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
Bokaiyan, 58, Houston, had also pleaded guilty for his role in the scheme and was ordered to pay $156,595 in restitution.
The Department of Education-Office of Inspector General conducted the investigation with the assistance of the TEA. Assistant U.S. Attorney Quincy L. Ollison is prosecuting the case.
Former Dracut Nurse Sentenced for Tampering with Liquid MorphineRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A former nurse was sentenced in federal court in Boston today for diverting liquid morphine intended for hospice patients at a Lowell nursing home.
Michael Langlois, 50, of Dracut, was sentenced by U.S. Senior District Court Judge Mark L. Wolf to 42 months in prison and three years of supervised release. In May 2019, Langlois pleaded guilty to one count of tampering with a consumer product and one count of acquiring a controlled substance by deception and subterfuge.
“The idea of taking desperately needed medication from a patient facing the last days and hours of life is horrifying and obviously violates legal and ethical duties,” said Acting United States Attorney Nathaniel R. Mendell. “The defendant abandoned his profession and abused his position of trust to exploit patients in their final moments. The public can trust that my office will prosecute people who do this.”
“Health care professionals who steal needed medications from patients put patients at increased risk of harm and disrupt the legal drug supply chain,” said Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey J. Ebersole, FDA Office of Criminal Investigations, New York Field Office. “We will continue to protect the public health and bring to justice health care professionals who take advantage of their unique position and compromise their patients’ health and comfort by tampering with needed drugs.”
“As a registered nurse, Langlois was entrusted with the care of sick and fragile patients. He brazenly and dangerously violated that trust at the expense of his patients by stealing morphine intended to comfort them during their most vulnerable moments,” said Phillip M. Coyne, Special Agent in Charge for the Office of Inspector General of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. “Today’s sentencing should serve as a strong reminder that we will spare no resources to bring to justice those who put patients in danger by tampering with drugs.”
On Nov. 16, 2016, Langlois, then a registered nurse, tampered with bottles of liquid morphine that doctors had prescribed for two elderly hospice patients under his care at a Lowell nursing home. In each instance, Langlois took the liquid morphine, a schedule II narcotic used to treat pain, for his own use and then replaced it with saline or Benadryl in an attempt to cover up his crime. As a result of his conduct, the patients in Langlois’s care received a less potent dose of the painkiller than they had been prescribed.
On or about April 3, 2017, Mr. Langlois diverted for his own use liquid morphine from a bottle prescribed to an elderly hospice patient under his care at a Melrose nursing home. To conceal his wrongful conduct, Mr. Langlois falsely represented in the medical file of one of his patients, and in the nursing home’s Medication Administration Record, that the liquid morphine for that patient was pure, when that was not in fact the case.
Acting U.S. Attorney Mendell, FDA-OIC SAC Ebersole, HHS-OIG SAC Coyne and Monica Bharel, M.D., M.P.H., Commissioner of the Massachusetts Department of Public Health made the announcement today. Assistance was provided by the Massachusetts Department of Public Health. Assistant U.S. Attorney Patrick Callahan of Mendell’s Healthcare Fraud Unit prosecuted the case.
Five men convicted in alien harboring conspiracyRead the Press Release
McALLEN, Texas – With the guilty plea of a 42-old Donna man, five individuals have now admitted to their roles in a conspiracy to harbor illegal aliens, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Jennifer B. Lowery.
Abel Cavazos pleaded guilty today, while Jesus Valdez, 21, Jonathan Romero, 19, and Darrell Palomares, 21, all of Donna, and Mexican national Rodrigo Acevedo, 21, admitted to their roles in the conspiracy earlier this year.
The investigation led authorities to a barn in Donna believed to be used to harbor illegal aliens. On Dec. 3, 2020, they arrived at the location and saw multiple individuals fleeing from the scene. Law enforcement was eventually able to apprehend Cavazos, Valdez, Romero, Palomares and Acevedo as well as 12 others determined to be illegally present in the United States.
Some claimed they had been physically assaulted and forced to call family members to demand payment for their release.
At their respective pleas, Cavazos, Valdez, Romero, Palomares and Acevedo admitted they knew the aliens had no legal status to remain in the United States, but still willfully joined in the harboring conspiracy.
U.S. District Judge Micaela Alvarez has set sentencing for April 15 for Valdez and Romero. Palomares and Acevedo will be sentenced April 22, while Cavazos is set for July 21. At their respective hearings, each faces up to 10 years in federal prison and a possible $250,000 maximum fine.
Valdez, Romero, Palomares and Cavazos were permitted to remain on bond pending those hearings, while Acevedo is currently in custody.
Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation with the assistance of Border Patrol, Texas Department of Public Safety and Hidalgo County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jongwoo Chung is prosecuting the case.
Final sentence completes prosecution of vandals who trespassed on restricted Kings Bay naval installationRead the Press Release
BRUNSWICK, GA: The final sentence of seven defendants in the April 2018 illegal entry and vandalism of Submarine Base Kings Bay draws to a close three years of investigation and criminal prosecution.
Mark Peter Colville, 59, of New Haven, Conn., was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Lisa Godbey Wood to 21 months in federal prison and ordered to pay $33,503.51 in restitution, said David H. Estes, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. Colville, along with six other defendants, was found guilty after a four-day jury trial in October 2019 on charges of Conspiracy, Destruction of Property on a Naval Installation, Depredation of Government Property, and Trespass. Colville was ordered to serve three years of supervised release after completion of his prison sentence.
“Mark Colville’s sentence brings closure to a prosecution that represents the triumph of the rule of law over misguided principles,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Estes. “Colville and his attention-seeking cohorts attempted to make a grand statement by breaking into and vandalizing a secure government facility, but in the end succeeded only in adding felony convictions to their criminal records.”
As admitted by the defendants during their trial, Colville was among seven co-conspirators who cut a padlock from the gate of an outer security fence at the naval installation in St. Marys, Ga., late in the evening April 4, 2018. Once through the security fence, the trespassers split into two groups and then damaged and vandalized property inside the facility before being taken into custody by naval security personnel.
Colville has a long history of arrests, including eight criminal convictions related to trespassing and damaging government property.
The six other defendants in the case previously were sentenced for their participation in the illegal activities, including Stephen Michael Kelly, 72, of Massachusetts; Patrick O’Neill, 65, of Garner, N.C.; Elizabeth McAlister, 81, of New London, Conn.; Clare Therese Grady, 62, of Ithaca, N.Y.; Martha Hennessy, 65, of Perkinsville, Vt.; and Carmen Trotta, 58, of New York, N.Y.
The case was prosecuted for the United States by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Karl Knoche, E. Greg Gilluly Jr. and Channell Singh, with assistance from Litigation Technologist Dean Athanasopoulos. The investigation was conducted by the Naval Criminal Investigative Service.
Federal Grand Jury A Indictments Announced- April (Final Results)Read the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney Clint Johnson today announced the final results of the April 2021 Federal Grand Jury A. The announcement for the partial Results of the April 2021 Federal Grand Jury A can be found here.
The following individuals have been charged with violations of United States law in indictments returned by the Grand Jury. The return of an indictment is a method of informing a defendant of alleged violations of federal law, which must be proven in a court of law beyond a reasonable doubt to overcome a defendant’s presumption of innocence.
Clarance Rozell Goode Jr. Conspiracy to Commit First Degree Murder in Indian Country (Count 1); First Degree Murder in Indian Country (Counts 2, 4, 6); Causing Death by Using and Discharging a Firearm (Counts 3, 5, 7). Goode Jr., 44, has been charged with conspiring with two others to murder Tara Burchett-Thompson, her daughter Kayla, and Mitch Thompson in August 2005. The murders occurred in Owasso. The FBI is the lead investigative agency in cooperation with the Owasso Police Department, who was the primary investigating department at the time of the crime.
Joseph Keegan Haas. Assault with a Dangerous Weapon in Indian Country; Carrying, Using, and Brandishing a Firearm during and in Relation to a Crime of Violence; Assault by Striking, Beating, and Wounding in Indian Country (Misdemeanor); Burglary First Degree in Indian Country; Kidnapping in Indian Country. On Feb 18, 2021, Haas, 29, allegedly assaulted a female with a deadly weapon by pointing a firearm at her while she was in bed. He further struck, beat and wounded the victim. On March 6, 2021, he broke into the victim’s residence in Pryor and held her against her will. The FBI and Mayes County Sheriff’s Office are the investigative agencies.
Justin Tvmvmapky Harjo. First Degree Felony Murder in Indian Country. Harjo, 24, of Tulsa, allegedly caused the unlawful killings of Dion Carr and Chauncey Thomas during a burglary on May 23, 2019. Thomas was allegedly involved in the robbery and Carr was the homeowner’s boyfriend. The FBI and Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies.
Billy Shane Hemphill. Involuntary Manslaughter in Indian Country. Hemphill, 48, in custody in Rogers County, is charged with killing a female while driving a vehicle recklessly and while impaired on Aug. 11, 2019. The victim was riding in the vehicle at the time of the accident. The FBI and Oklahoma Highway Patrol are the investigative agencies. The Foyil Fire Department also initially responded to the accident.
Mark Lee Holt Jr. Sexual Abuse of a Minor in Indian Country; Abusive Sexual Contact of a Child in Indian Country. Holt Jr., 29, of Bartlesville, is charged with sexually abusing a minor between 12 and 16 years old from February 2020 to July 2020. He is further charged with abusive sexual contact of a second minor between 12 and 16 years old. The FBI and Bartlesville Police Department are the investigative agencies.
Diamanta Hera Johnson. Assault with a Dangerous Weapon with Intent to do Bodily Harm in Indian Country. Johnson, 43, of Tulsa, is charged with assaulting another female with a knife. She allegedly used the knife as a deadly weapon with the intent to do bodily harm on May 14, 2017. The FBI and Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies.
Christopher Johnson. Child Abuse in Indian Country; Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition by Felon and Addict; Assault with a Dangerous Weapon with Intent to do Bodily Harm in Indian Country; Carrying, Using, and Brandishing a Firearm During a Crime of Violence. Johnson, 33, of Tulsa, is charged with the abuse of two children under the age of 18. From Feb. 1, 2020, through Feb. 19, 2021. He is further charged with possessing a firearm and ammunition by a felon and addict. From Feb. 1, 2020, to Feb. 19, 2021, Johnson allegedly assaulted the two minors with a dangerous weapon with intent to do bodily harm. Johnson is alleged to have carried and brandished a firearm during his crimes. The FBI and Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies.
Dameon Lamar Leathers. First Degree Murder in Indian Country. Leathers, 39, of Tulsa, is charged with shooting and killing Howard Eugene Thompson on April 6, 2018. The FBI and Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies.
Justin Dale Little. First Degree Murder in Indian Country. Little, 27, in Okla DOC facility, allegedly shot and killed Jonathan Weatherford on April 22, 2018, in Jenks. The FBI and Jenks Police Department are the investigative agencies.
Jessica Levon McBride. Second Degree Murder in Indian Country; Arson in Indian Country; Corruptly Attempting to Alter, Destroy, Mutilate, and Conceal an Object to Impair its Use in an Official Proceeding; Attempt to Commit Arson in Indian Country. McBride, 28, of Tulsa, is charged with killing Tracy Elaine Russell on March 17, 2019. She is further charged with setting Russell’s home on fire in an attempt to conceal evidence and the victim’s remains. McBride again attempted to set Russell’s home on fire later on March 20, 2019. The victim had allowed the defendant and her boyfriend to stay with her in exchange for the couple paying for groceries with food stamp funds issued to them. The FBI and Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies.
Ryan Daniel McNAbb. Possession of Child Pornography. McNabb, 24, of Cleveland, is charged with knowingly possessing and accessing with intent to view child pornography. The images involved at least one prepubescent minor and a child who had not attained 12 years of age. McNabb was employed at the time of his arrest with the Oklahoma Department of Corrections as a Probation and Parole Officer. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations, the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation, and Broken Arrow and Cleveland Police Departments are the investigative agencies.
Edwin Morris. Felon in Possession of Firearm and Ammunition. Morris, 53, of Tulsa, is charged with being a felon in possession of seven firearms and 10 rounds of ammunition. Firearms are a Military Armament Corp .45 auto caliber machine gun, Kel Tec 9 mm Luger caliber rifle, a HS Produkt .40 caliber pistol, a Smith & Wesson 9 mm caliber pistol, a Glock 17 9x19 caliber pistol, a Glock 43 9mm pistol and a High Standard Derringer .22 magnum caliber pistol. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies.
Harvey Dale Murphy. First Degree Murder in Indian Country. Murphy, 39, of Hulbert, is charged with killing Kimmy Stipes by repeatedly striking her with a hammer on Oct. 31, 2019. The FBI, Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation and Mayes County Sheriff’s Office are the investigative agencies.
Keldon Keith Summers, Annaleigh Shanell Greene. Sexual Abuse of a Child in Indian Country; Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury in Indian Country; Child Abuse in Indian Country; Enabling Child Abuse in Indian Country. Summers, 27, of Chelsea, is charged with sexually abusing a child under 12 years of age on Nov. 8, 2020. He is further charged with assaulting the child, causing serious bodily injury, and with child abuse. Finally, Greene, 24, of Vinita, is charged with enabling and permitting the abuse of the child. The FBI and Vinita Police Department are the investigative agencies.
Stephon Thompson. First Degree Murder in Indian Country. Causing Death by Using and Discharging a Firearm. Thompson, 37, of Tulsa, is charged with shooting and killing Lionell Rivers on Oct. 15, 2020. The FBI and Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies.
Cheri Turney. Possession of Methamphetamine with Intent to Distribute; Maintaining a Drug-Involved Premises. Turney, 50, of Tulsa, is charged with knowingly possessing with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. She is further charged with maintaining a place for distributing and using methamphetamine, heroin and marijuana. The Drug Enforcement Administration and Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies.
Edward John Van Woudenberg. First Degree Murder in Indian Country. Van Woudenberg, 65, in Okla. DOC facility, is charged with killing Robert Benjamin Sampson with a knife sometime between March 1 and March 14, 2013. The FBI and Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies.
Travis Wilson. Attempted Kidnapping in Indian Country; Assault with Intent to Commit Murder in Indian Country; Assault with Intent to Commit a Felony in Indian Country; Cyber Stalking; First Degree Burglary in Indian Country. Wilson, 49, in custody in Rogers County, allegedly attempted to kidnap a former intimate partner on Dec. 6, 2018. Fortunately, a Catoosa police officer heard the victims screams and intervened. Wilson is also charged with cyber stalking the victim between Oct. 1, 2018, and Dec. 6, 2018, using email, telephone, voicemail, and GPS tracking, causing substantial emotional distress to the victim. The FBI and Catoosa and Tulsa Police Departments are the investigative agencies.
Erie Man Sentenced to 24 years in Prison for Child Exploitation OffensesRead the Press Release
ERIE, Pa. - A former resident of Erie, Pennsylvania, has been sentenced in federal court to 24 years in jail, to be followed by ten years supervised release and ordered to make restitution in the amount of $12,000 on his conviction of violating federal laws relating to the sexual exploitation of children, Acting United States Attorney Stephen R. Kaufman announced today.
United States District Judge Susan Paradise Baxter imposed the sentence on Shawn Everett Daly, 41.
According to information presented to the court, Daly distributed and received computer images and videos depicting prepubescent minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct. An examination of Daly’s digital devices and cloud storage accounts revealed the presence of thousands of movies and images depicting young children being sexually abused. Daly has a prior conviction in Pennsylvania for the indecent assault of two minor females.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
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 Pennsylvania State Police for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Daly.
Dutch National Affiliated with “Bugaloo Bois” Pleads Guilty to Illegal Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
ABINGDON, Va.- Jaap Willem Lijbers, a Dutch national and member of the Bugaloo Bois, pleaded guilty yesterday to illegally possessing a firearm while being unlawfully present in the United States. Acting United States Attorney Daniel P. Bubar and Stanley M. Meador, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Richmond Division announced the arrest today.
Lijbers, 27, pleaded guilty yesterday to one count of possessing a firearm while being unlawfully present in the United States. Lijbers was living in the United States on an I-94 Visa that expired on May 20, 2014. A review of immigration records showed that Lijbers never applied for adjustment or readmission.
According to court documents, Lijbers, who was residing in Raven, Va., frequently coordinated and communicated online with members of the Bugaloo Bois, a loosely connected group of individuals espousing violent anti-government sentiments. During some of these interactions, court documents allege that Lijbers encouraged other members of the Bugaloo Bois group to attend political rallies and commit acts of violence, to include taking over government buildings. Lijbers also encouraged others to participate in violent conduct against law enforcement officers in a “pig roast.”
The investigation of the case was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). Assistant United States Attorney Christopher Kavanaugh is prosecuting the case for the United States.
Disgraced soccer team owner sentenced to additional prison time for massive federal and state tax fraudRead the Press Release
Seattle – A former Seattle college soccer star, currently serving a nearly 15-year prison sentence for sexual assault in Arizona and on a second sexual assault case in King County, Washington, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Seattle to an additional year and a day in prison for making false statements on a tax return, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman. During a massive tax fraud scheme, 49-year-old Dion L. Earl purchased the Seattle Impact FC franchise, a professional indoor soccer club. According to the plea agreement, between 2008 and 2014, EARL used false documents to lie about his income, the amount of tax dollars withheld by employers, and his mortgage deductions so that he could attempt to claim tax refunds of more than $1.6 million. At today’s sentencing hearing, U.S. District Judge Robert S. Lasnik noted Earl would pay a price by missing critical years with his children, with no way to recapture them. “You’re either there or you’re not,” the judge said.
“This defendant lived a lie in most parts of his life—including his financial life,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Gorman. “His scheme of phony documents stole more than a million U.S. tax dollars, and another $600,000 from the state of Arizona. It is appropriate that he serves substantial prison time—nearly 15 years—for the sexual assaults, with the additional year of prison time for the tax fraud.”
In the 1990’s, EARL was a soccer star at Seattle Pacific University. Between 2008 and 2014, EARL also worked in car sales in Washington State and Arizona and owned Dion Earl’s Total Soccer & Tennis Camps, LLC, d/b/a Total Business Ventures, and the Seattle Impact, FC. Earl used his association with car dealers, Dion Earl’s Total Soccer & Tennis Camps, and the Seattle Impact to commit tax fraud.
With his guilty plea in January 2021, Earl specifically acknowledged that, on his 2012 Form 1040 tax return, he claimed that (1) he made $1,600,000 working for eight different car dealers, which withheld more than $660,000 of his wages for taxes, and (2) his wife was employed by Dion Earl’s Total Soccer & Tennis Camps, which paid her $240,000 and withheld $51,000 in taxes, and (3) he made $520,000 in mortgage interest payments on four different properties. All these claims were false. During 2012, Earl made less than $45,000, from which he did not have any taxes withheld, and he paid limited mortgage interest. Due to the false claims, Earl obtained a federal tax refund of $414,160.
Even after the IRS began a civil audit of his taxes in 2013, Earl continued to make false claims and provide false information to the IRS. For example, Earl admitted that, as late as 2015, he falsely claimed he and his wife made $765,000 from Dion Earl’s Total Soccer & Tennis Camps, LLC, and the Seattle Impact FC, from which the businesses withheld $180,000 in taxes. In making these false claims, Earl sought a tax refund of $137,554. That refund was not paid.
“Tax fraud cheats all honest American taxpayers who are paying their fair share and deprives our communities of crucial resources,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Steven Slazinik of IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI). “Today, Mr. Earl was held accountable for his illicit personal gain at the expense of his friends, neighbors, and community. IRS-CI will continue to protect the integrity of our tax system and in doing so, safeguard the well-being of our communities.”
In total, Earl sought $1.6 million in fraudulent tax refunds and was paid $1,093,534 by the IRS. Earl will owe restitution to the U.S. in that amount, as well as more than $600,000 in restitution to the State of Arizona, as a result of fraudulent tax returns he filed with that state. Earl also agreed to pay Key Bank approximately $100,000 in restitution for submitting false information in 2008 for a home equity line of credit.
Through tears, Earl told the Court, “I disappointed Seattle and disappointed my family… I just miss my kids.”
The case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Arlen Storm.
Defendant Pleads Guilty for Killing a Man and Injuring Another in a DUI CollisionRead the Press Release
A Tulsa man who drove intoxicated and caused a collision that killed one man and seriously injured another pleaded guilty today in federal court, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.
Redex Lester Jr., 54, pleaded guilty to murder in the second degree in Indian Country and to assault resulting in serious bodily injury in Indian Country.
In the early evening of May 25, 2020, Lester Jr. drove intoxicated, exceeded the speed limit, and struck another vehicle head on. Wayne Thomas, a passenger in the other vehicle, died of his injuries three days following the crash. Another man suffered extensive, serious bodily injuries. At the time of the collision, Lester Jr. was driving on a suspended license and had a blood alcohol level of .239.
Previously, the defendant had been convicted by the state of DUI in 1992, 1994, 2005, and, again, in February 2020. For his February 2020 DUI conviction, Lester Jr. was sentenced to six months, suspended. The May 25, 2020, DUI collision and death occurred less than four months later while Lester was still on state supervision.
“Redex Lester Jr. chose time and again to drive intoxicated. Because of his reckless behavior, he killed a man and seriously injured another,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. “Thanks to the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Chantelle Dial and Christopher Nassar, the defendant has been held accountable for this tragic loss of life.”
The FBI and Tulsa Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Chantelle D. Dial and Christopher J. Nassar are prosecuting the case. Ms. Dial is a prosecutor from the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Western District of Washington. She volunteered to assist prosecution efforts here in the Northern District of Oklahoma due to increased jurisdictional responsibilities regarding crimes involving Native American victims or defendants and that occur within the Muscogee (Creek) Nation and Cherokee Nation Reservations. Ms. Dial recently extended six more months to assist with the mission.
Denver Man Charged with Felony Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney Bob Murray announced today that JUSTIN EUGENE JAMESON, a/k/a Justin Brown, 38, of Denver, Colorado was indicted by a federal grand jury on March 25, 2021, for felony possession of a firearm. The Indictment alleges that on or about February 15, 2021, in Johnson County, Wyoming, Jameson who is a prior convicted felon, knowingly possessed firearms and brought them across state lines.
He appeared before United States Chief Magistrate Judge Kelly H. Rankin on April 6, 2021, and pled not guilty to the charges in the Indictment. A jury trial has been set for May 24, 2021, in Cheyenne before Federal District Court Judge Alan B. Johnson. The maximum penalty upon conviction is 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, $100 special assessment, and 3 years of supervised release.
The investigation is being conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation, Johnson County Sheriff’s Office, and Johnson County Attorney’s Office. Assistant United States Attorney Timothy Gist is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Project Guardian, the Department of Justice’s signature initiative to reduce gun violence and enforce federal firearms laws. Initiated by the Attorney General in the fall of 2019, Project Guardian draws upon the Department’s past successful programs to reduce gun violence; enhances coordination of federal, state, local, and tribal authorities in investigating and prosecuting gun crimes; improves information-sharing by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives when a prohibited individual attempts to purchase a firearm and is denied by the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS), to include taking appropriate actions when a prospective purchaser is denied by the NICS for mental health reasons; and ensures that federal resources are directed at the criminals posing the greatest threat to our communities. For more information about Project Guardian, download the memo.
The charge against Jameson is merely an accusation, and he is presumed innocent until proven guilty.
Convicted Felon Sentenced to Federal Prison for Gun PossessionRead the Press Release
Memphis, TN – James Howard, 43 has been sentenced to federal prison for 92 months for possession of a firearm. Acting U.S. Attorney Joseph C. Murphy Jr., announced the sentence today.
According to information presented in court, on July 21, 2019, Memphis Police officers responded to an Aggravated Assault/Domestic Violence call in the 3700 block of Weaver Road. Upon arrival, the victim A.W. advised that her boyfriend, Howard, was intoxicated and acting irrationally. She reported they were in an argument, when Howard "racked" a shotgun and stated he was "going to plant her." Howard left the residence, the victim's sister, S.H. removed her from the residence.
As the victim and her sister were driving, Howard called the victim from the house phone and threatened to kill her and himself. Realizing that Howard had again broken into her home, the victim and her sister drove to a nearby fire station to call law enforcement. After repeated attempts to enter the home, the officers finally gained access and removed Howard, who was taken into custody without further incident. While searching the home officers recovered a Remington Arms 16-gauge shotgun under a dresser.
Howard is a convicted felon having previously been convicted of felony drug trafficking offenses, Aggravated Assault, Domestic Violence, and Battery Upon a Peace Officer. As a result of his felony convictions, Howard is prohibited by federal law from possessing firearms or ammunition.
On November 3, 2020, Howard pled guilty to possessing the weapon.
On April 7, 2021, U.S. District Court Judge Sheryl H. Lipman sentenced Howard to 92 months in federal prison to be followed by three years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
This case was investigated by the Memphis Police Department and Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Task Force. Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) initiative is 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. In 2017, PSN was reinvigorated 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.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Raney Irwin and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Samuel D. Winnig prosecuted this case on behalf of the government. SAUSA Winnig is currently assigned from the Shelby County District Attorney General’s Office for the purpose of prosecuting violent crimes and firearms offenses in federal court.
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Convicted Felon Sentenced to over 10 Years in Prison for Firearm and Drug Related OffensesRead the Press Release
GAINESVILLE, FLORIDA – Lascelles Ford, Jr., of Lake City, was sentenced on Tuesday to over 10 years in federal prison after pleading guilty on January 5, 2021, to possessing controlled substances with the intent to distribute, possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and possessing a firearm and ammunition as a convicted felon. Jason R. Coody, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida, announced the sentence.
“The Gainesville Gun Violence Initiative continues to get results,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Coody. “This defendant, who brazenly sold drugs in the light of day and carried a loaded weapon, was brought to justice through the collaborative work of our GVI partners. His sentence ensures that his community will be safer and sends a message that there are real and severe consequences for drug trafficking and firearm offenses in the Gainesville area.”
On April 1, 2020, investigators from the Alachua Police Department (APD) set up a narcotics surveillance detail in a residential neighborhood after receiving repeated complaints about drug dealing activity. During their surveillance that day, they observed Ford repeatedly engage in hand-to-hand drug transactions in broad daylight. At one point, the investigators observed Ford actually load a piece of crack cocaine into a pipe for one of his customers to smoke. As the surveillance continued, investigators observed Ford reach into a bag he was carrying and manipulate the slide of a semi-automatic pistol.
APD investigators were familiar with Ford and his criminal history as a convicted felon, so they decided to move in for an arrest. As the officers approached Ford, he fled on foot, while still carrying the bag containing the firearm. Ford fled into a nearby house, where he discarded the bag before being called back outside by law enforcement. Officers obtained a search warrant for the residence, which led to the discovery of Ford’s bag containing a stolen Glock .40 caliber pistol with an extended magazine and 9 live rounds of ammunition. The bag also contained crack cocaine and powder cocaine. A search of Ford’s person led to discovery of another live round of .40 caliber ammunition.
After Ford’s arrest, his case was adopted for federal prosecution by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) as part of the Gainesville Gun Violence Initiative. The Gainesville GVI was established in April 2019, by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida in an effort to stem the escalating gun violence in Gainesville and the surrounding area. As GVI partners, the State Attorney’s Office for the Eight Judicial Circuit, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the U.S. Marshals Service, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, the Gainesville Police Department, the Alachua County Sheriff’s Office, the Alachua Police Department, the University of Florida Police Department, and the Florida Department of Corrections share this commitment to protecting public safety.
“Reducing violent crime and protecting the public in the communities that we serve is a priority for the ATF”, said ATF Special Agent in Charge Craig W. Saier. “We will continue to work vigorously with our law enforcement partners to make sure those individuals who commit violent firearms crimes are prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”
Ford, 28, will serve concurrent sentences of just over 5 years each for the charges of possession with intent to distribute (crack cocaine and cocaine) and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Those prison terms will be followed by a consecutive 5 year sentence for possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, for a total prison term of 10 years and 3 months. The Court also ordered 5 years of supervised release following Ford’s prison term. Ford has one prior felony conviction and a history of domestic violence and firearm-related charges.
This sentencing resulted from the collaborative work of the APD and ATF. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Chris Elsey.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.
Press Release - U.S. v. FordConnecticut Residents Charged with Conspiring to Commit Alien SmugglingRead the Press Release
PLATTSBURGH, NEW YORK – Rene Lima-Rivera, age 47, and Jose Portillo-Lopez, age 70, of Norwalk, Connecticut, were arrested on April 4 for conspiring to commit alien smuggling.
The announcement was made by Acting United States Attorney Antoinette T. Bacon and Robert N. Garcia, Chief Patrol Agent, United States Border Patrol, Swanton Sector. At a bail hearing yesterday, United States Magistrate Judge Gary L. Favro ordered Lima-Rivera detained and Portillo-Lopez released pending further proceedings.
According to the criminal complaint, on the night of April 3, U.S. Border Patrol agents observed a suspicious van travelling back and forth along State Route 11 in Chateaugay, New York. Border Patrol agents from the Burke Border Patrol Station stopped the vehicle and determined that four of the passengers were Vietnamese citizens who had illegally crossed into the United States. Portillo-Lopez told agents that Lima-Rivera had hired him to pick up these passengers.
The charges in the complaint are merely accusations. The defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. The four citizens of Vietnam were expelled back to Canada.
The charges filed against Lima-Rivera and Portillo-Lopez carry a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, and a term of supervised release of up to 3 years. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other factors.
This case is being investigated by United States Border Patrol and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Shira Hoffman.
Claremore Man Pleads Guilty to Illegally Possessing Firearms and Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
A Claremore man who possessed thousands of images and videos of child pornography pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.
Jeffrey Rahn Reetz, 66, pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of firearms and ammunition and to possession of child pornography. U.S District Judge Gregory K. Frizzell set sentencing for Aug. 2, 2021.
“Jeffrey Reetz collected 9,000 images and videos of the abuse and rape of children and was a felon illegally in possession of nine firearms who attempted to flee the country to escape prosecution,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. “Individuals like Reetz are the reason we seek to unmask and hold accountable those who download and share child pornography. I appreciate the efforts of the officers and agents of Homeland Security Investigations, the Tulsa Police Department’s Cyber Crimes Unit, and the Oklahoma Department of Corrections who were all instrumental in exposing and arresting this predator.”
Reetz stated in a written plea agreement that between March 2019, and January 23, 2020, he knowingly possessed three rifles, two shotguns, four handguns, and 1,421 rounds of ammunition. Reetz further admitted that between January 2017 and January 23, 2020, he knowingly possessed and accessed with intent to view more than 1,000 graphic image files and video files of child pornography. One image obtained and viewed by the defendant included a close up image of an adult male raping a toddler vaginally. Another image possessed by the defendant depicted a female toddler with a white pacifier in her mouth being raped anally by an adult male. These were only two of the more than 9,000 images and videos possessed by Reetz.
On Jan. 23, 2020, agents and officers executed a federal search and seizure warrant at Reetz’s residence and located the firearms. Reetz was subsequently taken into custody at the Tulsa International Airport while he was trying to flee the country to Cuba to avoid arrest and prosecution.
U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations, the Tulsa Police Department and Oklahoma Department of Corrections conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matilda M. Villalobos, Vani Singhal, and Edward Snow are prosecuting the case.
Camden County Woman Admits Role in Fraudulent Delivery SchemeRead the Press Release
TRENTON, N.J. – A Camden County, New Jersey, woman today admitted receiving hundreds of thousands of dollars of consumer electronics before reselling the stolen goods in connection with a delivery fraud scheme, Acting U.S. Attorney Rachael A. Honig announced.
Yanira Medina-Roman, 36, of West Berlin, New Jersey, pleaded guilty by videoconference before U.S. Senior District Judge Anne E. Thompson to an information charging her with one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
From July 2018 through October 2018, Medina-Roman and others carried out a delivery fraud scheme targeting a corporate victim and government agency that resulted in the theft of more than $250,000 of consumer electronics. Medina-Roman and her conspirators used Medina-Roman’s residence – then in Highlands, New Jersey – as the delivery address for the stolen goods. Medina-Roman, under the direction of her conspirators, sold the goods for profit either to a fence of stolen goods, or to third parties through a national classified advertisement website, while retaining for herself a portion of the sale proceeds.
A related cyberattack involved the appropriation without authorization of the identity of an employee of a government agency, which Medina-Roman’s conspirators used by manipulating the employee’s government email address to place orders for consumer electronics and gift cards with a corporate victim located in Maryland. The Maryland corporate victim, believing the emails were authentic and sent by the government employee, with whom the corporate victim had a prior business relationship, was deceived into delivering the consumer electronics to Medina-Roman’s residential address.
The conspiracy charge to which Medina-Roman pleaded guilty carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a fine of $250,000, or twice the gross pecuniary gain/loss. Sentencing is scheduled for Aug. 10, 2021.
Acting U.S. Attorney Honig credited special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge George M. Crouch Jr.; special agents of the U.S. Secret Service, under the direction of Special Agent In Charge Mark McKevitt; special agents of the Defense Criminal Investigative Service – Cyber Field Office, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Kenneth A. DeChellis; inspectors of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, under the direction of Inspector in Charge Damon Wood in Philadelphia; and officers of the Highlands, New Jersey, Police Department, under the direction of Chief Robert Burton, with the investigation leading to today’s guilty plea.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Eric A. Boden of the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Criminal Division in Trenton.
California Man Convicted with Federal Hate Crime for Attempting to Stab Black ManRead the Press Release
A federal jury convicted a California man today of a federal hate crime for attacking a Black man with a knife on a street in Santa Cruz.
Ole Hougen, 44, of Santa Cruz, was convicted of willfully attempting to cause bodily injury by using a dangerous weapon because of a person’s actual or perceived race and color.
According to evidence presented at trial, Hougen confronted a 29-year-old Black man who was crossing a street in Santa Cruz. Hougen took out a nine-inch knife and swiped multiple times at the man’s head, chest, and stomach, while yelling racial slurs at him. At the time of the attack, Hougen was on probation after pleading no contest to state charges that he committed a racially motivated assault on a different Black man in 2018.
“The Justice Department will continue to vigorously prosecute bias-motivated crimes like this one in an effort to secure justice for victims of these crimes and the communities they are meant to target and intimidate,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Pamela S. Karlan of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division.
“Strict enforcement of laws prohibiting the targeting of vulnerable groups is essential to the proper functioning of our democratic society,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Stephanie Hinds for the Northern District of California. “This office is one of the four U.S. Attorney’s offices throughout the country chosen by the Attorney General to work with other Justice Department components to review our structure of anti-hate law enforcement and make recommendations to improve the system. This is just another indication that this office is committed to ensuring the thoughtful deployment of resources to address hate crimes and unlawful discrimination.”
“The FBI worked closely with the Santa Cruz Police Department to bring justice for this shocking, horrific attack,” said Special Agent in Charge Craig Fair of the FBI San Francisco Field Office. “The FBI will use all authority granted to us by federal law to investigate hate crimes meant to threaten and intimidate an entire community. Acts of hate and racism have no place here and will not be tolerated. I urge members of our community to report any hate incidents to local or federal law enforcement so we can bring offenders to justice.”
Hougen is scheduled to be sentenced on July 26 and faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Marissa Harris and Trial Attorney Michael J. Songer of the Civil Rights Division are prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The FBI San Francisco Field Office conducted the investigation with the assistance of the Santa Cruz Police Department.
The verdict comes on the heels of a decision by U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland to conduct a 30-day review of the department’s enforcement efforts to address hate-based violence and discrimination. The working group was assembled to make recommendations for improving hate crime and unlawful discrimination investigations and prosecutions. Additional information regarding the Attorney General’s working group can be obtained here.
For more information and resources on the department’s efforts to combat hate crimes, visit www.justice.gov/hatecrimes. If you believe you have been a victim of a civil rights violation, please visit: https://civilrights.justice.gov/ to file a report.
California Man Convicted of Hate CrimeRead the Press Release
SAN JOSE – A federal jury convicted a California man today for a federal hate crime for attacking a Black man with a knife on a street in Santa Cruz.
Ole Hougen, 44, was convicted of willfully attempting to cause bodily injury by using a dangerous weapon because of a person’s actual or perceived race and color.
According to evidence presented at trial, Hougen confronted a 29-year-old Black man who was crossing a street in Santa Cruz. Hougen took out a nine-inch knife and swiped multiple times at the man’s head, chest, and stomach, while yelling racial slurs at him. At the time of the attack, Hougen was on probation after pleading no contest to state charges that he committed a racially motivated assault on a different Black man in 2018.
Hougen is scheduled to be sentenced on July 26 and faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The verdict comes on the heels of a decision by the U.S. Attorney General to conduct a 30-day review of the Department’s enforcement efforts to address hate-based violence and discrimination. The working group was assembled to make recommendations for improving hate crime and unlawful discrimination investigations and prosecutions. Additional information regarding the Attorney General’s working group can be obtained here.
“Strict enforcement of laws prohibiting the targeting of vulnerable groups is essential to the proper functioning of our democratic society,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Hinds. “This Office is one of the four U.S. Attorney’s Offices throughout the country chosen by the Attorney General to work with other Department of Justice components to review our structure of anti-hate law enforcement and make recommendations to improve the system. This is just another indication that this Office is committed to ensuring the thoughtful deployment of resources to address hate crimes and unlawful discrimination.”
“The Justice Department will continue to vigorously prosecute bias-motivated crimes like this one in an effort to secure justice for victims of these crimes and the communities they are meant to target and intimidate,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Pamela S. Karlan.
“The FBI worked closely with the Santa Cruz Police Department to bring justice for this shocking, horrific attack,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Craig Fair. “The FBI will use all authority granted to us by federal law to investigate hate crimes meant to threaten and intimidate an entire community. Acts of hate and racism have no place here and will not be tolerated. I urge members of our community to report any hate incidents to local or federal law enforcement so we can bring offenders to justice.”
Assistant U.S. Attorney Marissa Harris and Trial Attorney Michael J. Songer of the Civil Rights Division are prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The FBI conducted the investigation with the assistance of the Santa Cruz Police Department.
Bronx Man Charged with Offering a Bribe to a Government OfficialRead the Press Release
SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – Muhammad Z. Aabdin, 30, of New York City, has been charged by complaint with offering a bribe to a public official, Acting United States Attorney Antoinette T. Bacon and Special Agent in Charge Christopher F. Algieri, Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General, Northeast Field Office.
The complaint filed against Aabdin alleges that in September 2020, he offered a bribe to a contracting officer with the Veterans Administration (“VA”) in Syracuse. Specifically, Aabdin allegedly offered to share profits with the VA contracting officer in exchange for her awarding VA contracts to him for personal protective equipment (“PPE”).
Aabdin was arraigned today in a hearing held by videoconference before United States Magistrate Judge Miroslav Lovric and was released pending further proceedings.
The charge filed against Aabdin carries a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, and a term of supervised release of up to 3 years. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other factors.
The charge in the complaint is merely an accusation. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
This case is being investigated by VA Office of Inspector General, and it is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael F. Perry.
Boston-Area Real Estate Developer Charged with Tax EvasionRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Tewksbury real estate developer was charged yesterday with defrauding the government of more than $480,000 by engaging in a multi-year tax evasion scheme.
Arnold Martel, 61, was charged and has agreed to plead guilty to one count of tax evasion. A plea hearing has not yet been scheduled.
According to the charging documents, for tax years 2014 through 2017, Martel personally received more than $1.2 million in payments for upgrades to condominiums his company sold. Martel deposited the payments into his personal accounts or cashed them, but did not report this income on this tax returns.
The charge of tax evasion provides for a sentence of up to five years in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss, whichever is greater. Martel is also required to pay restitution to the IRS. 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 Ramsey E. Covington, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigation in Boston made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sara Miron Bloom of Mendell’s Securities, Financial & Cyber Fraud Unit is prosecuting the case.
Berks County Man Pleads Guilty to Trafficking Methamphetamine and Heroin in Luzerne, Lackawanna, and Schuylkill CountiesRead the Press Release
SCRANTON - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that William Terron, age 38, formerly of Reading, Pennsylvania, pled guilty yesterday before U.S. District Court Judge Robert D. Mariani, to conspiracy to distribute more than 500 grams of methamphetamine and heroin.
According to Acting United States Attorney Bruce D. Brandler, Terron admitted to participating in a conspiracy to distribute between 1.5 kilograms and 5 kilograms of crystal methamphetamine, and between 1 kilogram and 3 kilograms of heroin, in Luzerne, Lackawanna and Schuylkill Counties between January 2017 and December 2018. Terron was one of five individuals indicted by a grand jury in December 2018 for methamphetamine trafficking in Northeastern Pennsylvania.
Judge Mariani ordered that a presentence report be completed. Sentencing will be scheduled at a later date.
Previously, Amanda Boyle, age 37, of Sweet Valley, Luzerne County, was sentenced by Judge Mariani to nine years in prison for her role in this drug trafficking conspiracy.
The investigation was conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF), the Pennsylvania State Police, the Kingston Police Department, the Luzerne County Drug Task Force, and the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General. Assistant United States Attorney Robert J. O’Hara is prosecuting 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.
A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
The charge carries a mandatory minimum penalty of ten years in prison under federal law. The maximum penalty for the charge is up to life in prison, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a $10,000,000 fine. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the Judge is also required to consider and weigh a number of factors, including the nature, circumstances and seriousness of the offense; the history and characteristics of the defendant; and the need to punish the defendant, protect the public and provide for the defendant's educational, vocational and medical needs. For these reasons, the statutory maximum penalty for the offense is not an accurate indicator of the potential sentence for a specific defendant.
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Bay City Man Sentenced to 12 Years in Prison for Possessing and Accessing with Intent to View Child Pornography Involving Prepubescent Minors or Minors Under the Age of 12Read the Press Release
A 28-year-old resident of Bay City, Michigan, Brandon Scott Parsons, was sentenced today to 12 years in prison for possessing and accessing with intent to view child pornography involving prepubescent minors or minors under the age of 12, Acting United States Attorney Saima Mohsin announced today.
Mohsin was joined in the announcement by Special Agent in Charge Vance Callender of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Detroit.
United States District Judge Thomas L. Ludington also imposed five years of supervised release on Brandon Scott Parsons, who pleaded guilty on December 23, 2020.
“This sentence should serve as a warning for those who target and prey on children,” said Acting US Attorney Mohsin. “The aggressive investigation and prosecution of child predators remains among the highest priorities for our office.”
According to court documents, on July 16, 2019, Parsons distributed eight images containing child pornography on social media platforms. A search warrant conducted on March 23, 2020, revealed an additional five images containing child pornography on an SD card in Parsons’s cellphone. The images involved minors under the age of 12 or prepubescent, and bondage and bestiality scenes. Parsons had been previously convicted on February 17, 2015, of felony possession of child sexually abusive material and felony use of computers to commit a crime, in the 18th Judicial Circuit Court in Bay County.
The case was investigated by HSI. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Anca Pop.
Baltimore Businessman Pleads Guilty to Transportation of an Individual to Engage in ProstitutionRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – Charles “Chuck” Nabit, age 64, of Baltimore, Maryland, pleaded guilty today to transportation of an individual to engage in prostitution. Nabit, who owns residences and resides in Bethany Beach, Delaware and Deerfield Beach, Florida, is the owner of Westport Group, LLC. and previously owned Mountain Manor Treatment Center, a comprehensive drug treatment center.
The guilty plea was announced by Acting United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Jonathan F. Lenzner; Special Agent in Charge James R. Mancuso of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Baltimore; and Chief Lisa Myers of the Howard County Police Department.
“Charles Nabit used his wealth, his business and his position in society to facilitate his pattern of commercial sex, including with women suffering from narcotics addiction,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Jonathan Lenzner. “Rather than use his resources to assist these victims, Nabit paid thousands of dollars to engage them in commercial sex acts. This guilty plea should remind others like Mr. Nabit that no one is above the law, no matter their wealth or stature.”
According to his guilty plea, beginning in 2017 until his arrest on June 10, 2020, Nabit regularly paid for commercial sex. The seven women whom Nabit admitted he paid for commercial sex (Victim 1 through Victim 7), either regularly used narcotics or suffered from serious substance abuse disorders during the time periods in which Nabit engaged in commercial sex with them.
Nabit admitted that from August 2018 to May 2020, he paid at least $90,000, as well as an unknown amount of cash, to women with whom he had commercial sex. This includes 52 Cash App transactions to an individual whom he knew to be someone other than the woman he was seeing for commercial sex. For example, on April 11, 2019, Nabit received a message from the Cash App account associated with an adult male named De’Angelo Johnson requesting $140 for “coming thru on a good girl and a hot girl.” The victim, Victim 1, had requested that Nabit pay her directly, sending a message to Nabit’s CashApp account, but Nabit refused to pay her and sent $145 payment to the Cash App account associated with Johnson with a message indicating the payment was “for (the first name of Victim 1).”
As detailed in his plea agreement, Nabit regularly transported victims to and from his Baltimore office for commercial sex, either in his vehicle or by using a rideshare car service. In separate encounters with Victim 1, Victim 3, and Victim 5, Nabit also recorded their sex acts with a Go Pro camera despite their objections to being filmed. Nabit was aware of Victim 5’s substance abuse as she discussed her struggles with addiction and depression. Nabit knew that, more than likely, some of the money provided to Victim 5 was being used to fund her drug use.
According to the plea agreement, beginning no later than February 2019, Nabit began seeing Victim 6 for commercial sex and travel dates. She discussed her addiction struggles with Nabit on several occasions. During their sexual encounters, Nabit provided Victim 6 with monetary payment and cocaine. For example, Nabit paid $5,000 to Victim 6 for her to accompany him to Fort Lauderdale, Florida and engage in commercial sex. During that trip, Nabit also provided Victim 6 with cocaine. Nabit also traveled with Victim 6 to a hotel in Richmond, Virginia on at least three separate occasions to engage in commercial sex. Victim 6 was paid at least $1,000 in cash for one of these trips. Hotel records revealed multiple overnight stays by Nabit between August 2019 and March 2020.
Until her death in May 2019, Nabit admitted that he also regularly engaged in commercial sex with Victim 7. Victim 7 repeatedly discussed her drug addiction in text messages and expressed her desire to obtain treatment for her substance abuse with Nabit. Specifically, on August 13, 2018, Victim 7 told Nabit she completed an application for Mountain Manor Treatment Center and Nabit replied, “As you recall, I used to own MM and my ex-partner still does.” Nabit and Victim 7’s mother spoke on several occasions about Victim 7’s drug use. For example, on August 18, 2018, Nabit texted Victim 7’s mother about Victim 7 going to drug rehabilitation. Nabit stated that Victim 7 began using opiates again but that “she seemed to handle crack ok for weeks.” On May 23, 2019, Victim 7’s mother informed Nabit that Victim 7 had overdosed on drugs and died.
On December 9, 2019, Nabit and his attorney met with investigators for an interview in relation to a sex trafficking investigation involving alleged sex trafficker De’Angelo Johnson and Victims, 1, 2, 3, and 4. During this interview Nabit was asked whether he was aware that the sex trafficking victims were drug users. He was shown pictures of four victims and claimed to have only been aware of one victim’s drug use. He also claimed he had never seen signs of drug use in the remaining victims, as he had owned a drug treatment facility for 10 years and he would have recognized signs of drug use.
On June 10, 2020, Nabit was arrested and law enforcement executed federal search warrants for his person, his electronics, his Baltimore office, and his vehicle. Law enforcement recovered numerous sex toys and filming equipment, including five Go Pro cameras, from Nabit’s office. Nabit’s office also had a large sectional sofa that converted to a bed which had a sheet on it. A forensic analysis of Nabit’s cell phone and Go Pro cameras recovered numerous messages related to commercial sex as well as images and videos of victims engaging in commercial sex with Nabit.
Nabit faces a maximum of 10 years in prison for transportation of an individual to engage in prostitution. U.S. District Judge George L. Russell, III has scheduled sentencing for June 24, 2021 at 9:30 a.m.
Acting United States Attorney Jonathan F. Lenzner commended HSI and the Howard County Police Department for their work in the investigation. Mr. Lenzner thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Mary W. Setzer and Daniel A. Loveland, Jr., who are prosecuting the case.
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Austin Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Possessing Thousands of Images of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
In Austin today, a federal judge sentenced 47-year-old Fernando Solis to 151 months in federal prison for possessing thousands of images of child pornography, said U.S. Attorney Ashley C. Hoff and FBI Special Agent in Charge Christopher Combs, San Antonio Division.
In addition to the prison term, U.S. District Judge Lee Yeakel ordered that Solis pay $36,000 in restitution to a dozen known child victims and be placed on supervised release for 10 years after completing his prison term.
On August 25, 2020, Solis pleaded guilty to one count of possession of child pornography. By pleading guilty, Solis admitted that from 2013 through 2018, he visited internet sites and used various chat applications to obtain child pornography, including live sex shows involving underage minors in the Philippines. Furthermore, the defendant actively paid for access to child pornography by wiring money over 50 times to the Philippines in amounts ranging from $25 to $100. A dozen victims submitted Victim Impact Statements to Judge Yeakel in support of their requests for restitution and justice.
“The sentence imposed reflects our office’s continued commitment in working with our law enforcement partners to identify, investigate and prosecute those who prey upon society’s most vulnerable victims—children,” said U.S. Attorney Hoff. “The victims’ voices have been heard and some measure of justice for their harm was served today.”
In November 2018, FBI agents executed a search warrant at Solis’s residence in Austin. During the search, agents seized the defendant’s laptop, iPad and related computer media. A forensics examination revealed that Solis received and made available for distribution more than 1,800 images or videos of child pornography.
According to court records, on May 25, 1995, Solis was convicted of Attempted Sexual Battery of a Victim Under 12 Years of Age in Florida and sentenced to six years imprisonment.
"Every day, children around the world and in our community endure sexual exploitation to satisfy the endless and depraved demand for child sexual abuse material," said FBI Special Agent in Charge Combs. "The FBI's Child Exploitation Task Force will relentlessly pursue every lead to rescue children who are being victimized and bring their perpetrators to justice. We would encourage members of the public to help us protect children who are the most vulnerable in our community."
The FBI investigated and Assistant U.S. Attorney Karthik Srinivasan prosecuted this case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
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Atlantic County, New Jersey, Man Sentenced to 210 Months in Prison for Distributing Images of Child Sexual AbuseRead the Press Release
CAMDEN, N.J. – An Atlantic County, New Jersey, man was sentenced today to 210 months in prison for his role in distributing images of child sexual abuse, Acting U.S. Attorney Rachael A. Honig announced.
Carlos Santiago-Gomez, 31, of Absecon, New Jersey, previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Jerome B. Simandle in Camden federal court to one count of distributing images of child pornography. U.S. District Judge Robert B. Kugler imposed the sentence today in Camden federal court.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
On March 27, 2018, law enforcement officers from the FBI’s Atlantic City Child Exploitation Task Force executed a search warrant at Santiago-Gomez’s residence in Absecon, New Jersey, and seized multiple items of digital evidence, including cell phones, CDs, thumb drives, hard drives and computers, which contained thousands of images of child sexual abuse. Agents also located evidence showing that in July and August 2017, Santiago-Gomez posted videos of child sexual abuse on at least two KIK instant message groups, while also acting as the administrator of one of those groups.
In addition to the prison term, Judge Kugler sentenced Santiago-Gomez to 10 years of supervised release.
Acting U.S. Attorney Honig credited special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge George M. Crouch Jr. in Newark; the N.J. State Police, under the direction of Col. Patrick J. Callahan; the Atlantic County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Prosecutor Damon G. Tyner; the Atlantic County Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Sheriff Eric Scheffler; and N.J. Human Services Police, under the direction of Director Timothy J. Gallagher, with the investigation leading to today’s sentencing.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Diana Carrig of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Camden.
Acting U.S. Attorney Urges Participation in National DEA Drug Take Back DayRead the Press Release
Charleston, South Carolina --- With the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) 20th National Prescription Drug Take Back Day set for Saturday, April 24, Acting United States Attorney M. Rhett DeHart is urging the public to participate in the semi-annual event and remove opioids and other medicines from homes where they could be stolen or abused by family members and visitors.
Rates of prescription drug abuse in the United States are alarmingly high, as are the number of accidental poisoning and overdoses due to these drugs. Studies show that a majority of abused prescription drugs are obtained from family and friends, including from the home medicine cabinet. Additionally, according to new numbers from the CDC, opioid overdose deaths have increased during the pandemic.
“Because expired, unused, and unwanted medicines that languish in home cabinets are highly susceptible to abuse and misuse, the public is encouraged to participate in the spring DEA Drug Take Back Day,” said Acting U.S. Attorney DeHart. “Taking advantage of the safe, convenient, and anonymous means of disposing of prescription drugs can not only protect you but also your family and friends.”
On Saturday, April 24 from 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM at more than 50 locations across South Carolina, the DEA and its partners will collect tablets, capsules, patches, and solid forms of medication. Vaping devices and cartridges will also be accepted, so long as the lithium batteries are removed. Liquids including intravenous solutions and syringes, as well as illegal drugs, will not be accepted. All collection sites will adhere to local COVID-19 guidelines and regulations to maintain the safety of all participants and local law enforcement.
For more information about the event and to find a collection site, visit DEATakeBack.com or call 1-800-882-9539.
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8 individuals sentenced to prison for laundering $44M in drug proceeds to Mexico through local cell phone store frontsRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – The final of eight defendants in a $44 million money-laundering case was sentenced today in U.S. District Court. Sentences imposed range from five years to 18 years in prison.
Chief U.S. District Judge Algenon L. Marbley sentenced Rodrigo Esqueda-Vazquez, 34, today to 180 months in prison.
Defendant Name
Sentence received
Date of Sentencing
Jose Luis Rosales-Ocampo
144 months
10/23/2020
Thania Rosales-Guadarrama
84 months
10/23/2020
Josue Gama-Perez
72 months
10/23/2020
Dulce Rosales-Guadarrama
87 months
12/4/2020
Eliezar Mendoza-Nava
216 months
3/19/2021
Rodrigo Esqueda-Vazquez
180 months
4/9/2021
Julio Angel Gonzalez
120 months
10/23/2020
Rodolfo Franco-Valdez
60 months
11/20/2020
Local and federal law enforcement, working in conjunction, spent years investigating large-scale narcotics traffickers in an effort that ultimately brought down the money-laundering ring.
According to court documents, beginning around 2013 and continuing until September 2019, the defendants conspired to distribute heroin, fentanyl and marijuana and commit large-scale money laundering.
The schemes relied on the use of small businesses that held themselves out as cell phone stores. The stores sold few, if any, cell phones, and they conducted little, if any, legitimate business otherwise. Rather, the stores were merely front businesses for drug traffickers to send large amounts of money related to their drug trafficking from Columbus to Mexico.
Jose Luis Rosales-Ocampo, 57, of Columbus, and his family members ran the so-called cell phone stores: Los Rosales on Shady Lane Road, Los Rosales 2 on East Main Street and Express Cellular on Eastland Square Drive.
The storefronts principally served as a place for individuals to wire illicit drug proceeds to Mexico. Thousands of illicit wire transfers were completed per year. Drug dealers from multiple narcotics-trafficking cells would drop large amounts of narcotics money at the stores, after which the store owners would falsify money sender names, addresses and phone numbers on the wire transfers to Mexico in order to conceal the nature of the proceeds.
In total, the joint state–federal efforts led to the prosecution of eight defendants federally and 35 defendants by the Franklin County Prosecutor’s Office. The investigation and prosecution of these defendants removed approximately 34 kilograms of heroin, 516 grams of cocaine, 76 grams of fentanyl and 250 pounds of marijuana from Central Ohio streets. Additionally, investigators seized $458,500 in U.S. currency and a home valued at nearly $248,000 as part of the investigation and prosecution of these cases.
Vipal J. Patel, Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Bryant Jackson, Special Agent in Charge, Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation, Cincinnati Field Office; Keith Martin, Special Agent in Charge, DEA Detroit Division; Franklin County Prosecutor Gary Tyack; Acting Columbus Police Chief Michael Woods and officials with the Ohio HIDTA (High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area) and Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost’s Ohio Organized Crime Commission announced the sentences.
Assistant United States Attorneys S. Courter Shimeall and Jessica W. Knight represented the United States in this case. Daniel J. Stanley, formerly with the office of Franklin County Prosecutor Gary Tyack, also represented the United States in this case as a Special Assistant United States Attorney.
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7th member of MS-13 criminal enterprise indicted for murderRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – Another member of the violent international street gang Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13) is set to appear in federal court for his alleged role in a 2018 murder, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Jennifer B. Lowery.
Carlos Elias Henriquez-Torres, 20, an El Salvadorian national who illegally resided in Houston, was previously in state custody on related charges. He is set to appear at 2 p.m. today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Andrew Edison on the charges in the superseding indictment returned March 31.
Previously indicted were Wilson Jose Venture-Mejia, 24, Jimmy Villalobos-Gomez, 24, Angel Miguel Aguilar-Ochoa, 35, Walter Antonio Chicas-Garcia, 24, and Marlon Miranda-Moran, 21, all El Salvadorian nationals. Villalobos-Gomez is a legal permanent resident but the remaining men unlawfully resided in Houston. The charges against all of them remain pending.
Also named in the indictment is Franklin Trejo-Chavarria, 23. He is currently in custody in El Salvador.
The indictment alleges they committed a 2018 murder in furtherance of the MS-13 enterprise. The victim was allegedly beaten to death with machetes in order for the defendants to further their positions in the enterprise.
All are charged with conspiracy and murder in aid of racketeering.
If convicted, they face a potential death sentence.
The FBI, Homeland Security Investigations and Houston Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Britni Cooper and John Michael Lewis are prosecuting the case along with Trial Attorneys Julie A. Finocchiaro, Gerald Collins and Matthew Hoff from the Department of Justice’s Organized Crime and Gang Section
An indictment is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.
3 Inland Empire Women Arrested on Charges of Illegally Obtaining COVID-Related Unemployment Benefits in Names of Prison InmatesRead the Press Release
RIVERSIDE, California – Federal authorities this week arrested three Inland Empire residents on fraud charges alleging they used information belonging to California state prison inmates to file for pandemic-related unemployment benefits, with each causing at least $345,000 in losses.
The three defendants are charged in separate criminal complaints, and each woman faces two counts – fraud in connection with emergency benefits and wire fraud.
With the three cases announced today, prosecutors in the Central District of California have now charged a dozen defendants with fraudulently obtaining enhanced unemployment benefits implemented during the pandemic. The defendants arrested this week are the latest of approximately 150 defendants who have been charged across the United States in what the Justice Department calls an unprecedented explosion of unemployment insurance (UI) fraud over the past year. The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act passed by Congress and signed into law in March 2020 provided additional UI benefits to qualified individuals and helped provide unemployment insurance benefits during the COVID-19 pandemic to people who did not otherwise qualify, including business owners, self-employed workers, independent contractors, and those with a limited work history.
This week’s arrests are the result of investigations conducted by the Department of Labor – Office of Inspector General, the FBI, and the United States Postal Inspection Service. Investigators with the California Employment Development Department (EDD), which administers the UI program in California, provided substantial assistance.
Sequoia Edwards, 35, of Moreno Valley, was arrested this morning after being charged with filing at least 27 fraudulent UI claims over two months last summer, at least six of which used personally identifiable information (PII) belonging to California prison inmates that she allegedly received from her incarcerated cousin. As a result, the EDD issued at least $455,000 in benefits intended to help individuals who were out of work due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which did not apply to prison inmates. During the execution of a search warrant at Edwards’ residence in February, the FBI recovered several debit cards issued by the EDD and $45,000 in cash, according to the affidavit in support of her criminal complaint. Edwards is expected to make her initial appearance this afternoon in United States District Court in Riverside.
Mireya Ramos, 42, of Colton, was arrested Thursday for allegedly filing at least 37 fraudulent UI claims, most of which were submitted in the names of inmates in the California prison system and many of which falsely stated the applicants were barbers who could not work due to the pandemic. The affidavit in support of her criminal complaint states that Ramos obtained the inmates’ PII from her long-time boyfriend, who is currently serving a life sentence in Calipatria State Prison. As a result of the fraudulent claims, the EDD, from June 2020 through January 2021, issued at least $353,532 in unemployment benefits. During a court appearance Thursday afternoon, Ramos was released on a $10,000 bond, and an arraignment was scheduled for May 4.
Paris Thomas, 33, of San Bernardino, was arrested Wednesday for allegedly filing approximately 49 fraudulent UI applications, at least 15 of which were filed in the names of people incarcerated in state prisons, a federal prison and county jails. “The 49 fraudulent UI claims mentioned above caused EDD to disburse over $440,000 in UI benefits from June 2020 to December 2020,” according to the affidavit in support of Thomas’ criminal complaint. During a search of Thomas’ residence in February, the FBI seized EDD cards and a notebook filled with PII for more than 40 people, the affidavit notes. When she appeared in court on Wednesday, a United States magistrate judge released Thomas on a $10,000 bond and ordered her to appear for an arraignment on May 11.
Discussing the fraudulent UI claims filed on behalf of state prisoners, the affidavits for all three defendants state “Due to their custody status, the inmates listed as named claimants were not…eligible to apply [for] UI benefits because they were not: (1) unemployed through no fault of their own; (2) able and available for work; and/or (3) actively seeking work.”
A criminal complaint contains allegations that a defendant has committed a crime. Every defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
The charge of fraud in connection with emergency benefits carries a statutory maximum sentence of 30 years in federal prison, and wire fraud carries a maximum possible penalty of 20 years in prison.
Assistant United States Attorneys Byron R. Tuyay and Julius J. Nam of the Riverside Branch Office are prosecuting these cases.
21 Arrested on Federal Drug Trafficking Charges Filed in AustinRead the Press Release
Federal authorities arrested 21 individuals yesterday on federal drug trafficking charges, announced U.S. Attorney Ashley C. Hoff, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Special Agent in Charge Daniel C. Comeaux, Houston Division and FBI Special Agent in Charge Christopher Combs, San Antonio Division.
Two separate federal grand jury indictments charge those arrested as well as 14 other individuals who were already in custody prior to yesterday(*).
Indictment #1 – U.S. v. Beck, et al.
Karl Beck, age 42 of Austin;
Victor Penaloza-Calderon (aka Alberto Espino-Bustos), a 36-year-old Mexican National residing in Houston;
Craig Neely, age 45 of Austin;
*Bobby Hale, age 34 of Giddings;
Michael Peterson, age 38 of Killeen;
Elias Loza Jr, age 43 of Austin;
Reginald Thomas, age 51 of Kyle;
*Stephanie Shires, age 44 of Georgetown;
*Stephen Penberg, age 37 of Austin;
*Clinton Johnson, age 37 of Austin;
*Shawn Malmquist, age 30 of Cedar Park;
Amy Rogers, age 39 of Austin;
*Cody Richards, age 30 of Liberty Hill;
*Anthony Lones II, age 36 of Cedar Park;
Victoria Manning, age 33 of Austin;
Laurel Yurchick, age 46 of Shreveport, Louisiana;
*Richard Zamora, age 44 of Austin;
*Adrianne Spence, age 35 of Austin;
*Joshua Cherry, age 29 of Austin;
Joshua Bailey, age 43 of Austin;
Leonard Cantrell, age 34 of Elgin;
*Jeffrey Sparks, age 38 of Manor;
Daylin Lopez-Iglesias, age 31 of Pasadena;
Hallie Shaw, age 36 of Austin;
Rita Islas, a 39-year-old Mexican National residing in Nacogdoches;
Madison Mitchell, age 19 of Austin; and,
*Hilda Gutierrez-Benitez, age 37 of Austin.The above defendants were indicted by a federal grand jury in Austin and are charged with one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute kilogram quantities of methamphetamine in Texas and elsewhere from August 2019 to March 2021. Beck, Penaloza-Calderon, Neely, Hale, Peterson, Loza and Thomas face between 10 years to life in federal prison upon conviction of the drug charge based on the amount of methamphetamine involved. The remaining defendants face between five to 40 years in federal prison upon conviction of the drug charge based on the amount of methamphetamine involved. In addition, Beck, Penaloza-Calderon, Neely, Hale, Zamora, Islas and Mitchell are also charged with one count of money laundering. They face up to 20 years in federal prison upon conviction of the money laundering charge.
Prior to yesterday, authorities seized 65 kilograms of methamphetamine and more than $49,000 and other assets attributable to this drug trafficking organization. Yesterday, authorities seized approximately seven kilograms of methamphetamine, one kilogram of cocaine, a dozen firearms and $20,000 attributable to this organization.
The DEA, FBI, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) in Austin, Cedar Park Police Department, Texas Department of Public Safety, Hays County Sheriff’s Office and the Austin Police Department conducted this investigation. This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) operation. named Operation Glass Joe. Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel D. Guess is prosecuting this case.
Indictment #2 – U.S. v. Riggs, et al.
Monty Lane Riggs, age 66 of San Saba;
Suni Wynn Rogers, age 39 of Richland Springs;
*Dude Edward Beabout, age 63 of Kempner;
Joseph Martinez Mafnas, age 28 of Florence;
*Ashley Jo Wiggins, age 33 of Killeen;
Shawnwilliam Songao Santos, age 48 of Florence;
Marylee Manfas Santos, age 48 of Florence; and,
Vincent Lee Presto, age 48 of Harker Heights.Another indictment was handed down by a federal grand jury sitting in Austin, which charged the above defendants with one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine. The indictment alleges that the defendants conspired since April 2019 to distribute methamphetamine in the central Texas area.
Prior to yesterday, seizures by law enforcement attributed to this drug trafficking organization included approximately 18 kilograms of methamphetamine and 25 firearms. During yesterday’s arrests, authorities seized an additional two firearms.
All the defendants face between 10 years and life in federal prison upon conviction.
The DEA, Austin Police Department, Georgetown Police Department, Cedar Park Police Department, Bastrop County Sheriff’s Office, Bell County Sheriff’s Office, Burnet County Sheriff’s Office, Llano County Sheriff’s Office and the District Attorney Offices from the 33rd and 424th Judicial Districts conducted this OCDETF investigation called Operation Island Time. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Marshall is prosecuting this case.
“These arrests conclude a comprehensive investigation by the DEA and our partners into the criminal activities of a dangerous poly drug trafficking organization,” said DEA Special Agent in Charge Comeaux. “With these arrests, key command and control elements of this criminal organization’s leadership have been apprehended and removed from the communities they sought to prey upon.”
“The drugs trafficked by the defendants destroy families, neighborhoods and communities,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Combs. “The FBI is committed to working with our local, state and federal partners to keep this poison off the streets and holding those who profit from selling it accountable.”
It is important to note that an indictment is merely a charge and should not be considered as evidence of guilt. The defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
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20 Months in Prison for Memphis Area Man Offering KickbacksRead the Press Release
LITTLE ROCK-United States District Judge Brian S. Miller sentenced Bradley Fly, 36, of Germantown, Tenn., to 20 months in federal prison for violating the Anti-Kickback Statute. In July 2019, Fly pleaded guilty to offering two TRICARE beneficiaries money in exchange for signing up to receive expensive compounded drugs.
At sentencing, the United States introduced evidence that Fly bribed two people: his longtime friend (then a Marine reservist), plus an Army National Guardsman, whom Fly solicited while seated courtside at a Memphis Grizzlies game. Fly then facilitated prescriptions for both men and their wives, for which TRICARE paid over $500,000, earning himself over $180,000 in commission.
Judge Miller heard testimony from the Marine reservist and from a Special Agent with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG) that the prescriptions were part of a larger network of prescription generation, including recruiters whom Fly paid for TRICARE beneficiary information and a group of doctors whom Fly used to sign prescriptions without consulting patients.
“There is no room for kickbacks in the healthcare marketplace,” said Acting United States Attorney Jonathan D. Ross. “Serious penalties and prison await those, like Mr. Fly, who fail to abide by the law. This office and its partners at the FBI and HHS-OIG are committed to rooting out such criminal conduct.”
“Mr. Fly paid kickbacks generating fraudulent claims to line his pockets without concern for the health and welfare of the patients,” said Miranda L. Bennett, Special Agent in Charge of the HHS-OIG Dallas Region. “We will continue working with our law enforcement partners to pursue individuals defrauding federal health care programs.”
“By defrauding TRICARE, Mr. Fly disgracefully cheated U.S. veterans, their families, and American taxpayers,” said FBI Little Rock Acting Special Agent in Charge Jason Van Goor. “We are grateful for our state and federal partners who help us both investigate these cases and protect the financial integrity of our nation’s health care systems.”
In addition to the 20-month prison sentence, Fly was sentenced to three years of supervised release. The investigation was conducted by HHS-OIG and the FBI and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Alexander D. Morgan.
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This news release, as well as additional information about the office of the
United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, is available online at
https://www.justice.gov/edar
Twitter:
@EDARNEWS
Thursday 8 April 2021
Wise County Man Pleads Guilty to Unemployment Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
ABINGDON, Va.- Travis Kilgore, a Wise, Va., man who conspired to file for fraudulent pandemic unemployment benefits, pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in Abingdon to charges he conspired with others to commit mail fraud and defraud the government of more than $182,474, Acting United States Attorney Daniel P. Bubar and Jonathan Mellone, Acting Special Agent-in-Charge, Philadelphia Region, U.S. Department of Labor Office of Inspector General announced today.
Kilgore, 34, waived his right to be indicted and pleaded guilty today to a two-count Information charging him with one count of conspiracy to defraud the government and one count of conspiracy to commit mail fraud.
“During a worldwide pandemic, Kilgore and his co-conspirators defrauded the government and stole funds targeted to help the most vulnerable in society, who had lost their jobs,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Bubar today. “I am grateful for the Department of Labor and our state partners, whose hard work brought Kilgore to justice, and demonstrate the importance of the integrity of these vital programs.”
“Pandemic unemployment insurance benefits provide needed assistance to qualified individuals who suffered a loss of employment due to the COVID-19 Pandemic. The defendant and his co-conspirators took advantage of this program by lying about their eligibility when filing for Pandemic unemployment insurance for themselves and others. The Office of Inspector General will continue to work diligently with the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the Virginia Employment Commission, and our law enforcement partners to protect the integrity of the unemployment insurance system from those who choose to exploit the program” said Jonathan Mellone, Acting Special Agent-in-Charge, Philadelphia Region, U.S. Department of Labor Office of Inspector General.
Kilgore admitted today that he, and others, developed a scheme beginning in May 2020 to defraud the United States and the Virginia Employment Commission (VEC) through the filing of fraudulent claims for pandemic unemployment benefits.
According to court documents, Kilgore and others filed claims for pandemic unemployment benefits through the VEC website. The scheme involved submitting claims for various individuals, including Kilgore and others, who were not eligible to receive pandemic unemployment benefits. Kilgore lied on the filings as part of the scheme to appear eligible for benefits. Because pandemic unemployment benefits were paid weekly, Kilgore reverified and re-certified the false statements on numerous occasions throughout the scheme.
In all, Kilgore filed claims for approximately 21 other individuals, causing at least $182,474 in false claims to be have been paid.
The investigation of the case was conducted by the Department of Labor-Office of the Inspector General and the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation, the Norton Police Department, and the Russell County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant United States Attorney Daniel J. Murphy is prosecuting the case for the United States.
Wilkes-Barre Man Sentenced to 87 Months’ Imprisonment for Drug Trafficking and Firearms OffensesRead the Press Release
SCRANTON - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Jose Luis Vazques, age 39, of Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania, was sentenced yesterday to 87 months’ imprisonment by United States District Court Judge Robert D. Mariani for drug trafficking and firearms charges.
According to Acting United States Attorney Bruce D. Brandler, Vazques pleaded guilty to a conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 100 grams or more of heroin (approximately 5,000 individual doses) and 40 grams or more of fentanyl. Vazques also pleaded guilty to possessing a firearm in furtherance of his drug trafficking.
The case was investigated by the FBI, the Pennsylvania State Police, Monroe, Pennsylvania District Attorney’s Office and Stroud Area Regional Police. Assistant U.S. Attorney Todd K. Hinkley prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program that has been historically successful in bringing together all levels of law enforcement 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 enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce crime.
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Whitakers Man Sentenced for Multiple Robberies in Eastern North CarolinaRead the Press Release
WILMINGTON, N.C. – A Whitakers man was sentenced yesterday to 78 months in prison for bank robbery and robbery of a Family Dollar store.
According to court documents, Christopher Bryan Shingleton, 43, pled guilty to robbing the First Bank located in Morehead City on June 6, 2019 and robbing the Family Dollar located in Havelock on June 15, 2019. During both robberies, Shingleton threatened employees by saying he had a gun and demanded money. Shingleton also agreed to pay restitution for two other robberies that he had committed in Jacksonville and Greenville. In total, Shingleton was ordered to pay $4,910 in restitution.
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 (ATF), the Jacksonville Police Department, the Morehead City Police Department, the Havelock Police Department, and the Greenville Police Department investigated the case and Assistant U.S. Attorney John Parris prosecuted the case with the assistance of the Onslow County District Attorney’s Office, the Craven and Carteret Counties District Attorney’s Office, and the Pitt County District Attorney’s Office.
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-00165-M.
Wheeling man admits to role in drug trafficking operationRead the Press Release
WHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA – Matthew Trabert, of Wheeling, West Virginia, has admitted to his role in a drug trafficking conspiracy, Acting United States Attorney Randolph J. Bernard announced.
Trabert, age 37, pled guilty to one count of “Aiding and Abetting Possession with Intent to Distribute Cocaine Base within 1000 feet of a Protected Location.” Trabert admitted distributing cocaine base, also known as “crack,” near Wheeling University in March 2020.
Trabert faces at least one year and up to 40 years of incarceration and a fine of up to $2,000,000. 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. Attorneys Shawn M. Adkins and Clayton J. Reid are prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The Ohio Valley Drug and Violent Crimes Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, which includes the Drug Enforcement Administration, West Virginia State Police, Ohio County Sheriff’s Office, and the Wheeling Police Department, investigated. The U.S. Marshal Service, Columbus Police Department Gang Crimes Unit, the Martins Ferry Police Department, and the Bellaire Police Department also assisted.
U.S. Magistrate Judge James P. Mazzone presided.
Original case indictment here: https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndwv/pr/26-charged-drug-conspiracy-involving-heroin-fentanyl-crack-cocaine-and-meth-wheeling
Weekly harboring of aliens lands Mexican man in prisonRead the Press Release
McALLEN, Texas – A 37-year-old Mexican citizen has been ordered to prison following his conviction of harboring aliens within the United States, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Jennifer B. Lowery.
Juan Garcia-Garcia pleaded guilty Sept. 3, 2019.
Today, U.S. District Judge Micaela Alvarez ordered him to serve a 108-month term of imprisonment. In handing down the sentence, the court noted her concern that Garcia-Garcia is in the country illegally and chose to violate the law and engage in criminal conduct. Judge Alvarez said there was no excuse for his actions and that he needed to set a better example for his son. Not a U.S. citizen, Garcia-Garcia is expected to face removal proceedings following the sentence.
On June 10, 2019, law enforcement approached a suspected stash house in Edinburg where they encountered Garcia-Garcia. He admitted to being the owner of the residence. A search of the trailer led to the discovery of 37 undocumented aliens. Authorities also found three firearms and three ledgers containing over 100 names.
Garcia-Garcia admitted to harboring 14 to 21 undocumented aliens per week since February 2019. He was paid $50 per undocumented alien and was responsible for providing food and water.
Garcia-Garcia has been and will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
Customs and Border Protection conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney M. Alexis Garcia prosecuted the case.
Waunakee Felon Sentenced to 5 Years for Illegal Gun PossessionRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, Acting United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Samuel Schiltz, 20, Waunakee, Wisconsin, was sentenced today by Chief U.S. District Judge James D. Peterson to 5 years in federal prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm. Schiltz pleaded guilty to this charge on January 26, 2021.
Schiltz sold a Glock 9mm handgun to an undercover agent on May 11, 2020. Four days later, Schiltz sold the agent a Glock .40 caliber handgun. Both handguns had 30-round magazines and auto sears had been installed, which illegally converted the handguns to be fully automatic machine guns. One of the handguns had an obliterated serial number, which Schiltz pointed out to the agent. Schiltz said that he sold illicit drugs such as cocaine and prescription opiates, showed the agent a video of him handling an AR-15, offered to sell the agent two other handguns, and offered to help install illegal auto sears on other handguns to convert them to be fully automatic machine guns. Schiltz was on probation for a felony drug offense at the time that he sold the two guns to the undercover agent.
At sentencing, Judge Peterson said that while Schiltz was a young offender, this was a very dangerous firearm offense. Judge Peterson found the sale of these machine pistols to endanger the entire community and said that the sale of an illegal fully automatic weapon on the streets of Madison was “horrifying.” Schiltz was also ordered to complete three years of supervised release after serving the prison term.
The charge against Schiltz was the result of an investigation conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Wisconsin Department of Justice Division of Criminal Investigation. The prosecution of the case has been handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Corey Stephan.
This case has been brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the U.S. Justice Department’s program to reduce violent crime. The PSN approach emphasizes coordination between state and federal prosecutors and all levels of law enforcement to address gun crime, especially felons illegally possessing firearms and ammunition and violent and drug crimes that involve the use of firearms.
United States Attorney’S Office, Through the Department of Justice Project Safe Neighborhoods Program, Funds the Tenderloin Community Benefit District’S New Youth Voice Program in San Francisco’S Tenderloin NeighborhoodRead the Press Release
SAN FRANCISCO – Acting U.S. Attorney Stephanie M. Hinds is proud to join the Tenderloin Community Benefit District in announcing the launch of the Youth Voice Program, funded by a grant from the U.S. Department of Justice Project Safe Neighborhoods program and provided through the United States Attorney’s Office. The Youth Voice Program is a new youth-focused initiative designed to bring together community programs and organizations to center Tenderloin youth on positive change through collective impact.
“I am pleased to support the work done in the Tenderloin through the Tenderloin Community Benefit District,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Stephanie M. Hinds. “My office is dedicated to improving public safety and preventing violence and other crimes in the Tenderloin neighborhood. The funds provided to the Tenderloin Community Benefit District, and other organizations elsewhere in our district, reflect the Department of Justice’s continuing commitment to support youth and other programs designed to improve communities and in turn to decrease crime.”
This work is made possible by a U.S. Department of Justice Project Safe Neighborhoods grant, and is provided through the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of California. The total $588,664 grant amount will be used to launch, implement, and sustain the Youth Voice Program through September 30, 2023.
The United States Attorney’s Office has funded a variety of Project Safe Neighborhoods programs in the communities of Salinas, Oakland, and San Francisco over the past several years.
About Project Safe Neighborhoods:
Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is a nationwide Department of Justice program that brings together federal, state, local and tribal law enforcement officials, prosecutors and community leaders to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in a community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them—solutions that include prevention, enforcement, and reentry efforts.PSN is an evidence-based violent crime reduction program that takes a collaborative approach to public safety. Drawing from academic research and decades of experience, the program is based on the fundamental principle that law enforcement agencies and communities must work together to address violent crime to make our neighborhoods safer. PSN leverages law enforcement and community partnerships, along with strategic enforcement efforts, to focus on violent crime and restoring safety and security to vulnerable neighborhoods.
United States Attorney's Office District of Arizona March 2021 Immigration and Border Crimes ReportRead the Press Release
I. Illegal Reentry After Deportation (8 U.S.C. 1326)
166 individuals were charged in March with illegal reentry
A. 146 of those 166 individuals had previously been convicted of non-immigration criminal offenses in the U.S.
Of the 146 individuals with non-immigration criminal records:
1. 37 had violent crime convictions, including:
3 individuals had homicide convictions
15 individuals had sex offense convictions
6 individuals had domestic violence convictions2. 9 had property crime convictions
3. 28 had DUI convictions
4. 67 had drug crime convictions
B. 77 of those 166 individuals had been deported three or more times
II. Alien Smuggling (8 U.S.C. 1324)
41 individuals were charged in March with alien smuggling
III. Illegal Entry (Criminal Consequence Initiative) (8 U.S.C. 1325)
0 individuals were charged in March with illegal entry on the CCI calendar
Criminal conviction information is based on preliminary criminal history reports provided by the arresting agency.
These numbers represent United States Attorney's Office prosecutions only. These numbers do not include individuals apprehended by immigration enforcement officials and subjected solely to administrative process.
*The Department of Homeland Security instituted a policy in March 2020 of expeditiously returning aliens who illegally enter the United States rather than detaining them. The decreased number of individuals presented to this Office for prosecution coincides with the implementation of that policy and other COVID-19 related border restrictions.
RELEASE NUMBER: 2021-022_March Immigration and Border Crimes Report
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For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.Two Sapulpa Men Plead Guilty to Child Exploitation CrimesRead the Press Release
Two Sapulpa men pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court to child exploitation crimes, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.
Aaron James Seney, 32, pleaded guilty to distribution and receipt of child pornography and to possession of child pornography. Nicholas Robert Hale, 36, pleaded guilty to attempted coercion and enticement of a minor. Both men pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Gregory K. Frizzell.
“Crimes involving the sexual exploitation of children are one of law enforcement’s highest priorities. Every day we strive to protect the most vulnerable members of our community from falling victim to child predators, like Seney and Hale,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. “My office and our law enforcement partners will continue to identify, locate, and prosecute child predators and anyone who seeks out or produces child pornography.”
In a written plea agreement, Seney admitted that between March 24, 2020, and September 2, 2020, he distributed and received child pornography via the internet. He further admitted that he knowingly possessed and accessed child pornography, which involved at least one prepubescent minor and a minor that had not attained 12 years of age. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations, the Tulsa Police Department, Sand Springs Police Department and Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher J. Nassar is prosecuting the case.
In a written plea agreement, Hale admitted that from Nov. 9, 2020, to Dec. 22, 2020, he used a social media app to persuade and entice an individual he believed was a minor to engage in sexual activity. Hale believed he was interacting with a 14-year-old male but instead was communicating with an undercover officer from the Rogers County Sheriff’s Office. The two eventually agreed to meet at a convenience store in Verdigris in order to have sex. When Hale arrived, he was arrested and found to be in possession of methamphetamine, a loaded pistol in the front driver’s side door and an AR-15 rifle in the trunk of the car. The Rogers County Sheriff’s Office conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sandra M. Urban and Christopher J. Nassar are prosecuting the case. Hale will be sentenced on July 9, 2021.
These cases were prosecuted as part of the Justice Department’s Project Safe Childhood initiative. Led by United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
Two Indicted for Drug and Firearm Offenses as Part of Operation PEACE in VallejoRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned a five-count indictment today against Calvin James Smith, 33, and Marques Julius Johnson, 39, of Sacramento, Acting U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
Johnson and Smith are charged with possession with the intent to distribute at least 500 grams of methamphetamine. Smith is also charged with possession of ammunition after being convicted of a domestic violence offense, and Johnson is charged with three additional counts of distribution of methamphetamine.
According to court documents, undercover operatives conducted multiple purchases of counterfeit MDMA tablets containing methamphetamine from Johnson in Vallejo and Sacramento. On Dec. 9, 2020, Johnson and Smith were arrested together during an undercover purchase in Vallejo and found to be in possession of 6,000 methamphetamine tablets and a loaded pistol. Smith was also found carrying an AR-15 rifle that was loaded with a high-capacity magazine.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration with assistance from Homeland Security Investigations, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Vallejo Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexis Nelsen is prosecuting the case.
If convicted, Johnson and Smith face a mandatory minimum of 10 years and up to life in prison and a $10 million fine. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Two Binghamton Men Charged with Drug CrimesRead the Press Release
BINGHAMTON, NEW YORK – Tayvon Whaley, age 29, and Anthony Miller, age 38, both of Binghamton, New York, appeared in federal court late yesterday afternoon on a criminal complaint charging them with federal drug charges, announced Acting United States Attorney Antoinette T. Bacon and Ray Donovan, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), New York Field Division.
Whaley and Miller were arrested and charged yesterday by complaint. The criminal complaint charges Whaley with possessing with the intent to distribute more than 280 grams of cocaine base (crack) and methamphetamine, and Miller with possessing with the intent to distribute more than 28 grams of cocaine base (crack). It also charges both with aiding and abetting the possession with intent to distribute controlled substances.
The defendants are currently held in custody without bail pending a detention hearing. The charges in the complaint are merely accusations and both men are presumed innocent unless or until proven guilty.
If convicted of the charge set forth in the complaint, Whaley faces a mandatory minimum term of 10 years’ imprisonment, and a maximum potential sentence of life imprisonment, and Miller faces a mandatory minimum term of five years’ imprisonment, and a maximum potential sentence of 40 years’ imprisonment. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, and other factors.
This case is being investigated the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the Broome County Special Investigations Unit Task Force, and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew D. Beaty.
Temple Hills Felon Convicted After a Three-Day Federal Trial for Robbery, Brandishing and Discharge of a Firearm, and Being a Felon in Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
Greenbelt, Maryland – A federal jury has convicted Tyrek Montez Arrington, age 23, of Temple Hills, Maryland, on federal charges for robbing a pharmacy, discharging a firearm in furtherance of a violent crime, and being a felon in possession of a firearm. The trial began on Monday, April 5, 2021 and the jury returned its verdict on April 7, 2021, after deliberating for a total of two hours.
The conviction was announced by Acting United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Jonathan F. Lenzner; Special Agent in Charge Jennifer C. Boone of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office; and Interim Chief Hector Velez of the Prince George’s County Police Department.
According to evidence presented at the three-day trial, on October 15, 2019, Arrington entered a drug store in Clinton, Maryland wearing a surgical mask and black latex gloves. Armed with a handgun, Arrington walked to the pharmacy area, entered the pharmacist booth, and pointing the gun at the pharmacist, demanded oxycodone from a safe. Arrington then demanded the pharmacist to open the cash register. Arrington fired one round into the ceiling then took the cash the register from the register. Witnesses testified that Arrington attempted to flee with the cash drawer taken from the register. Two law enforcement officers encountered Arrington in the store as he was attempting to flee. One officer saw Arrington with the cash drawer in his hand and ordered Arrington to the ground. Arrington dropped the cash drawer and the handgun and tried to evade the first officer, but ran into the second officer and was arrested.
According to evidence presented at trial, law enforcement collected a live round and a spent shell casing from behind the counter and recovered the handgun that Arrington dropped. The gun, a .22-caliber handgun was loaded with six rounds of .22-caliber ammunition.
Arrington faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison for robbery; a maximum sentence of 10 years in federal prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm; and a mandatory minimum of 10 years, consecutive to any other sentence, and up to life in prison for using, carrying, brandishing and discharging a firearm in a crime of violence. U.S. District Judge Theodore D. Chuang has scheduled sentencing for Arrington on July 13, 2021 at 2:00 p.m.
Acting United States Attorney Jonathan F. Lenzner commended the FBI and the Prince George’s County Police Department for their work in the investigation. Mr. Lenzner thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Dwight Draughon and William D. Moomau, who prosecuted the case.
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Statement of U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Columbia before the D.C. Council regarding Record SealingRead the Press Release
Chairman Allen and Members of the Council:
My name is Elana Suttenberg, and I am the Special Counsel for Legislative Affairs at the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia. I thank you for the opportunity to appear today to share the Office’s views regarding the proposed legislation.
At the outset, I want to express my Office’s commitment to expanded record sealing and the simplification of the record sealing process. We recognize that, in many instances, the most fair and just result in a case is to allow a record to be sealed, so that the person who was arrested or charged is not unduly encumbered by a criminal record.
Consistent with the recognition that, in certain circumstances, the most fair and just result may not be a conviction, USAO offers a variety of diversion programs for defendants in DC Superior Court. The goal of our diversion programs is to maximize public safety, reduce recidivism, and enhance a fair and efficient criminal justice system. Pretrial diversion allows a defendant to receive services and treatment, and to participate in programming that benefits both the defendant and the community.[1] To ensure that more people can benefit from diversion, we also recently expanded pretrial diversion opportunities. For example, last year we expanded access to Mental Health Court to defendants accused of domestic violence offenses. We also expanded access to diversion for first-time defendants accused of certain felony offenses, offering them a pathway to a clean record. And past participation in diversion, whether successful or not, no longer acts as an automatic bar to future participation. Finally, consistent with our commitment to expanded record sealing, we plan to implement a policy whereby, when a first-time arrestee successfully completes diversion in an eligible case, USAO agrees to waive the typical waiting period so that a defendant can immediately move to seal the case after successfully completing diversion.
As to the bills under consideration today, there are several questions regarding record sealing that we will address. First, USAO will address the question of which offenses that do not result in convictions should be eligible for sealing, and which offenses that do result in convictions should be eligible for sealing. Second, we will address the question of what type of sealing is appropriate. Third, we will address the question of whether sealing should be automatic or by motion.
First, we examine the question of which offenses that do not result in convictions should be eligible for sealing, and which offenses that do result in convictions should be eligible for sealing. We support expanding sealing for offenses that do not result in a conviction in a manner similar to the approach of Mayor Bowser’s proposal in the Second Chance Amendment Act of 2021, introduced as Bill 24-0063.[2] Where the offense constituted a dangerous crime under D.C. Code § 23-1331(3), a crime of violence under D.C. Code § 23-1331(4), or where the victim in the case was a minor—that is, a person under 18 years old—we support allowing a person to seal that arrest or charge, but believe that a motion to seal, versus automatic sealing, should be required. It is important to include offenses that involve a minor in this category because, as especially vulnerable victims for whom the community owes a heightened duty, the community has a particular interest in being aware of these offenses. Where the offense did not constitute a dangerous crime under D.C. Code § 23-1331(3) or a crime of violence under D.C. Code § 23-1331(4), or where the victim was not a minor, and where the arrest or charge terminates without conviction after this legislation takes effect, we support automatic sealing; where the arrest or charge terminated without conviction before this legislation took effect, we support allowing a person to move to seal that arrest or charge.
By contrast, there should be a more limited category of offenses eligible for sealing where there is a conviction, which recognizes that the community has a greater interest in access to conviction records than non-conviction records.[3] Conviction records can be used to conduct background checks on individuals looking to purchase guns, work with children, or become employed in a position involving public trust. If a person were ineligible to obtain a gun as a result of a conviction, if a person were convicted of an offense involving a minor victim, if a person were convicted of sexual abuse, or if a person were convicted of an intrafamily offense, that conviction should not be eligible for sealing. Further, many of the offenses that are listed as “ineligible misdemeanors”[4] that are not eligible for sealing under current law relate to the safety of the community and should be available to the community. For example, the current list of “ineligible misdemeanors” that are not eligible for sealing includes misdemeanor sexual abuse, intrafamily offenses, misdemeanor offenses for which sex offender registration is required, failure to report child abuse, criminal abuse of a vulnerable adult, and other offenses. It may be appropriate to reevaluate some of the offenses that are deemed “ineligible misdemeanors” under current law, but we should recognize that many of the offenses on that list were included because they relate to a vulnerable population or relate to veracity. We therefore support sealing for all D.C. Code misdemeanors where there is a conviction, except: (1) many of the offenses included in the list of “ineligible misdemeanors” under current law, including sexual offenses and intrafamily offenses; (2) an offense where the victim in the case was a minor—that is, a person under 18 years old; and (3) an offense that would render a person ineligible to purchase a handgun under D.C. Code § 7-2502.03, which includes all felonies, certain weapons offenses, and certain misdemeanors committed within 5 years.
At the same time, for both convictions and non-convictions, we support eliminating the “disqualifying arrest or conviction” requirement that, under current law, precludes an individual from moving to seal an otherwise eligible offense if they have a subsequent “disqualifying arrest or conviction.” Removing this requirement will simplify and streamline the record sealing process to make it easier for a person to move to seal their record, and easier for the courts and attorneys to process these cases. Where a motion to seal is filed, it would still be appropriate for a court to consider the defendant’s criminal history—including subsequent arrests and convictions—as part of an “interests of justice” analysis, but those other arrests and convictions should not be an automatic bar to eligibility for sealing.
Second, we consider the question of what type of sealing is appropriate. We support record sealing that would allow a person’s publicly available criminal record to be limited. We do not, however, support expungement (as contrasted with sealing) or other limitations on sealing that would result in law enforcement being unable to access records. From a public access perspective, there is no difference between sealing and expungement—that is, a person with a sealed arrest or charge can answer questions to potential employers or others in the community with the same answer, and truthfully state that they have not been arrested, charged, or convicted. But sealed records, as opposed to expunged records, would remain available to law enforcement, including prosecutors, and other appropriate actors. From a law enforcement perspective, it is appropriate for prosecutors to rely on certain non-convictions—even if sealed—when making a charging decision. For example, in a domestic violence case, there may be multiple “no-papered” misdemeanor arrests against a defendant involving the same victim, even where the evidence could have supported the government filing charges. That abuse could escalate into more serious abuse, culminating in serious injury to the victim. When assessing what charges are appropriate, the previous “no-papered” arrests can be highly relevant to assessing a pattern and history of abuse. Further, there must be a mechanism for USAO to continue to be able to review a “no-papered” arrest, even if it is sealed. For example, USAO may decline to charge a case at the time of arrest, but continue to investigate the case through the grand jury and, if appropriate, file charges at a later time. USAO may also decline to charge a case at the time of arrest due to insufficient evidence, but file charges at a later point at any time before the statute of limitations expires if law enforcement later becomes aware of additional evidence or witnesses that would support a prosecution. In addition, we should consider what access victims should have to sealed records in cases in which they are victims, and what information prosecutors and law enforcement should be permitted to disclose to victims when a record is sealed.
Expungement, by contrast, would have adverse impacts that are not immediately apparent.[5] This would include an impact on USAO’s ability to locate and disclose potentially relevant Brady material—that is, material that is favorable to a defendant.[6] Sealing would help alleviate those Brady concerns. Closed files, including those that do not result in a conviction, sometimes contain Brady information, and USAO obtains that information from closed files. If those files were expunged, the government would not be able to access that material either for its own investigatory purposes or to disclose to the defense.[7] This would be a detriment to the defense at trial and to the government’s need to conduct a comprehensive investigation.
Further, for any sealed records, law enforcement needs to be able to access those records via electronic records keeping. Given that USAO processes approximately 20,000 arrests per year, we rely on our electronic records system to search our records. We need to ensure that cases that are sealed can continue to be investigated by the grand jury, and that the sealing provisions do not prohibit prosecutors from sharing sealed information with law enforcement and the grand jury. We need to ensure that these records are searchable through law enforcement databases and are available to law enforcement—including prosecutors—and community supervision agencies, such as the Pretrial Services Agency and the Court Services and Offender Supervision Agency. These community supervision agencies write reports at intake and before sentencing that, among other things, compile a defendant’s criminal history for the use of attorneys and the court to allow the court to conduct a comprehensive review of the defendant’s background and the circumstances of the case. Past convictions can be relevant to calculation of criminal history score under the DC Voluntary Sentencing Guidelines. When a defendant with a sealed record engages in subsequent criminal activity, previously sealed records should be available for use by the courts when making detention decisions and ascertaining an appropriate sentence, in a manner similar to how conviction set-asides are treated under the Youth Rehabilitation Act,[8] how juvenile case records are treated, and how certain sealed records are treated under current law.[9] Considering a defendant’s criminal history in its totality allows consideration of a defendant’s subsequent criminal activity in its appropriate context, and allows judges to consider all relevant facts in their decisions. Finally, we believe that it is important for the Council to ensure that any sealing legislation has a mechanism that allows a court to unseal a previously sealed record if, for example, a case that was originally “no-papered” is later charged, or if USAO needs to provide sealed records to the defense in a case.
Third, we address the question of whether sealing should be automatic or by motion. As discussed above, in a manner similar to the proposal in the Second Chance Amendment Act, we support the automatic sealing of non-convictions where the offense was not a crime of violence, dangerous crime, or crime that involved a minor victim, where the arrest or charge terminates without conviction after this legislation takes effect. Automatic sealing would mean that, absent an objection from the prosecutor, the record would be automatically sealed. Where the arrest or charge terminates without conviction before this legislation takes effect, however, sealing by motion is appropriate. There are two primary reasons for this distinction. The first reason is to give full weight to crime victims and crime victim rights, and the relationship between this sealing legislation and the Crime Victims’ Rights Act, which, among other things, provides that a victim has a right to be present at all court proceedings related to the offense, including record-sealing hearings.[10] Automatic retroactive sealing would make compliance with this provision virtually impossible, given the sheer volume of cases that would be eligible for sealing. The second reason is a logistical reality. Although automatic retroactive sealing may be well-intentioned, there would be hundreds of thousands of arrests and other non-convictions to process, which would involve the coordination of multiple agencies and the courts to implement. As to non-convictions where the offense was a crime of violence, dangerous crime, or crime that involved a minor victim, and as to convictions, sealing by motion remains appropriate. This allows a court to fully review each case to assess the offense and whether sealing is appropriate. When there is a motion to seal, we ask the Council to include an order for the government to respond.[11] This facilitates our processing of these cases, because absent a court order, we often do not become aware when a motion to seal is filed. It would also streamline and expedite the process if individuals looking to seal their records moved to seal all eligible offenses at the same time.
Finally, although the policy objectives of this legislation are laudable, we anticipate that the practical and logistical realities of both drafting and implementing this legislation will be complex, and many partners will need to be engaged to maximize efficiencies and streamline the process. We stand ready to work with the Council and our partners both to develop and successfully implement this legislation.
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The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia commends the Council and the Mayor for their commitment to streamlining and enhancing record sealing in the District, and looks forward to continuing to work with the Council on this important issue.
[1] Although diversion options are varied and tailored to meet the needs of each case, victim, and defendant, options for diversion may include: completing an anger management class or a domestic violence intervention program; receiving mental health, alcohol, or drug treatment; staying away from and having no contact with a victim or a location; and/or completing community service. If a defendant successfully completes the diversion requirements, the case is dismissed, and the defendant does not have a conviction in that case. As appropriate, we also divert cases to the Superior Court Mental Health Community Court (Mental Health Court) or the Superior Court Drug Intervention Program (Drug Court). These voluntary treatment courts connect defendants with serious mental health issues or drug addictions to qualified treatment providers, with the goal of treating these individuals and keeping them out of the criminal justice system. More information about USAO’s diversion programs is available at https://www.justice.gov/usao-dc/diversion-programs.
[2] Under current law, the non-convictions eligible for sealing after a 2-year waiting period are offenses deemed “eligible misdemeanors,” see D.C. Code § 16-803(a), and the non-convictions eligible for sealing after a 3- or 4-year waiting period are characterized as “any other offense,” see D.C. Code § 16-803(b). Both types of non-convictions require that a person not have a “disqualifying arrest or conviction,” and can only be sealed following a motion to seal. There are various scenarios in which an arrest or a charge may not result in a conviction. For example: prosecutors may “no paper” an arrest and not file any charges; prosecutors may voluntarily dismiss a case, including as part of a global resolution involving guilty pleas in other pending cases; prosecutors may dismiss a case after a defendant successfully completes diversion; a court may dismiss a case; or a defendant may be found not guilty at trial.
[3] Under current law, the convictions eligible for sealing after an 8-year waiting period are offenses deemed “eligible misdemeanors” and “eligible felonies.” See D.C. Code § 16-803(c). These convictions require that a person not have a “disqualifying arrest or conviction.”
[4] See D.C. Code § 16-801(9).
[5] In addition, federal agencies have certain recordkeeping requirements that would prohibit them from destroying or disposing of their records in certain circumstances.
[6] See Brady v. Maryland, 373 U.S. 83 (1963).
[7] Exculpatory material can be present even in relatively low-level misdemeanor offenses. For example, if a case were originally investigated as a felony offense, a witness may have testified in the grand jury and perjured himself or herself. If a case went to trial as a misdemeanor offense, a witness may have perjured himself or herself at trial, or, regardless of whether it went to trial, a witness may have made inconsistent statements to police or prosecutors that could be exculpatory. The government should be able to access those prior statements to assess a witness’s credibility and to make disclosures to the defense. Even in a case of actual innocence, although the person who is found to be actually innocent should be entitled to seal their case records, law enforcement needs to be able to keep those case records. If, for example, a person were found to be actually innocent due to misidentification, prosecutors and law enforcement would need access to those case records in the event that the person who actually committed the offense is correctly identified and prosecuted. Moreover, if, for example, a person is found to be actually innocent due to a witness’s false or inconsistent statements originally incriminating that person, law enforcement should be aware of that witness’s false or inconsistent statements when investigating any subsequent case involving the same witness.
[8] See D.C. Code § 24-906(f).
[9] See D.C. Code § 16-806(b).
[10] See D.C. Code § 23-1901(b)(4).
[11] See, e.g., D.C. Code § 16-804(d), which provides: “The prosecutor shall not be required to respond to the motion unless ordered to do so by the Court….”
St. Thomas Man Pleads Guilty to Stealing over $300,000 from His Father, Moving Money Through Different Bank AccountsRead the Press Release
St. Thomas, USVI – United States Attorney Gretchen C.F. Shappert for the District of the Virgin Islands announced today that Lenroy Ravalier, Jr. pleaded guilty to bank fraud.
According to public documents filed in the case, Ravalier forged checks in his father’s name totaling over $300,000, in order to obtain those funds for himself. Ravalier then moved much of the money through various bank accounts in order to conceal the unlawful activity, one of the accounts having been specifically created for the purpose of moving the stolen funds.
This case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Nathan Brooks. The court will set a sentencing hearing date for Ravalier at a later time.
South Carolina’s Largest Urgent Care Provider and its Management Company to Pay $22.5 Million to Settle False Claims Act AllegationsRead the Press Release
Columbia, South Carolina --- Acting United States Attorney for the District of South Carolina M. Rhett DeHart announced today that Doctors Care, P.A. (“Doctors Care”) – South Carolina’s largest urgent care provider network – and its management company, UCI Medical Affiliates of South Carolina, Inc. (“UCI”), will pay $22.5 million to resolve civil allegations of healthcare fraud in violation of the False Claims Act.
The case began with a whistleblower complaint alleging that Doctors Care, UCI, and UCI Medical Affiliates, Inc. (a related holding company), falsely certified that certain urgent care visits were performed by providers who were credentialed to bill Medicaid, Medicare, and TRICARE for medical services. Whereas, the services were performed by non-credentialed providers, according to the complaint.
Federal health insurance companies require physicians and midlevel providers to apply for and receive approval to bill any services to the insurer. This approval is known as a provider’s “billing credentials.” Providers are obligated to renew these billing credentials periodically and must obtain new credentials with new employment.
As early as 2013 and continuing to 2018, it is alleged that UCI was unable to secure and maintain necessary billing credentials for most Doctors Care providers. UCI knew that federal insurance programs would deny claims submitted with the billing number of a provider who had not yet received their billing credentials. But instead of solving its credentialing problem – or holding claims while a temporary solution could be found – UCI allegedly submitted the claims falsely, “linking” the uncredentialed rendering providers to credentialed billing providers in order to get the claims paid.
With each “linked” bill, it is alleged that UCI knowingly submitted a false claim for payment. Evidence obtained in support of the allegations includes emails memorializing UCI’s “linking” scheme and well-organized “cheat sheets,” as employees called them, which UCI used to keep track of properly-credentialed billing providers whose names could be substituted on uncredentialed providers’ bills.
The “billing credentials” at issue in this case are distinct from a provider’s degree or license to practice medicine. There is no evidence in this case that any Doctors Care provider lacked a medical license or that patient care was compromised due to the conduct at issue.
“When healthcare companies do business with the federal government, they must follow the rules like everyone else,” said Acting U.S. Attorney DeHart. “All companies with this distinction – regardless of size – should honor their commitment to provide competent care to the full letter of the law. Our office will continue to protect tax dollars and ensure the rule of law is followed.”
“Taxpayers and Medicare patients rightly expect medical providers to be properly credentialed before billing for their services,” said Derrick L. Jackson, Special Agent in Charge of the Office of Inspector General for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (“HHS-OIG”). “Working with our law enforcement partners, we will continue protecting Federal healthcare programs.”
"The results of this investigation exemplify the commitment of the United States Department of Defense Criminal Investigative Service (“DCIS”) and its law enforcement partners to root out fraud and corruption involving unscrupulous companies that undermine the integrity of the Department of Defense," said Special Agent in Charge Christopher Dillard of the DCIS Mid-Atlantic Field Office. "This case should serve as a stark warning to those who attempt to exploit Department of Defense resources for personal gain."
The settlement of $22.5 million is the result of over three years of investigation, led by the United States Attorney’s Office in coordination with the HHS-OIG and DCIS. Upon receiving the first investigative subpoena in early 2018, management for UCI and Doctors Care acted promptly to investigate and stop the conduct subject to this settlement.
In addition to the monetary settlement, UCI and Doctors Care also entered into a Corporate Integrity Agreement with the Office of Inspector General. Among other things, the Corporate Integrity Agreement requires that for the next five years UCI must retain an Independent Review Organization to perform a claims review in accordance with the specific requirements of the Corporate Integrity Agreement, and it requires that UCI routinely be monitored by the Office of Inspector General.
This matter was investigated and negotiated by Assistant United States Attorney Brook Andrews and Assistant United States Attorney Nancy Cote, with the assistance of Special Agent Ryan Schubert of HHS-OIG and Special Agent Doyle Mullis of DCIS. The whistleblowers were represented by Bert Louthian, John Simmons, Bill Nettles, and Fran Trapp.
The case is captioned United States ex. rel. Dove v. UCI Medical Affiliates, Inc., et. al, 2:17-cv-02291-RMG (D.S.C.). The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only, and there has been no determination of liability.
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Sabine Parish Man Found Guilty by Federal Jury in ShreveportRead the Press Release
SHREVEPORT, La. - Acting United States Attorney Alexander C. Van Hook announced that Dillon Merritt, 53, of Many, Louisiana, has been convicted by a federal jury in the Western District of Louisiana on firearms charges. United States District Judge Donald E. Walter presided over the trial.
After a full day of trial and evidence being introduced, a federal jury deliberated and found Merritt guilty yesterday on both counts in the indictment. Evidence introduced at trial revealed that law enforcement officers with the Sabine Parish Sheriff’s Office, learned that Merritt, who has several felony convictions, had firearms in his possession. On January 12, 2018, law enforcement officers arrested Merritt on a warrant based on his illegal possession of a firearm and on May 22, 2019, he was indicted by a federal grand jury in the Western District of Louisiana and charged with two counts of being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm.
Merritt has a lengthy criminal history, including felony convictions for cruelty to juveniles (2003), aggravated domestic battery (2010), and possession of methamphetamine (2015).
The defendant faces up to 20 years in prison for both counts and up to a $250,000 fine. Sentencing is set for August 5, 2021 at 11:00 a.m.
The ATF and Sabine Parish Sheriff’s Office conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Cadesby B. Cooper and Earl M. Campbell prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. PSN is part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime. To learn more about Project Safe Neighborhoods, go to www.justice.gov/psn.
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Puerto Rico Man Sentenced to More Than 6 Years in Federal Prison for Trafficking Cocaine to ConnecticutRead the Press Release
Leonard C Boyle, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that LUIS COLLAZO-RIVERA, 40, of Caguas, Puerto Rico, was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Judge Vanessa L. Bryant in Hartford to 75 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for trafficking cocaine from Puerto Rico to Connecticut through the U.S. Mail.
According to court documents and statements made in court, in 2017, the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Hartford Task Force and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service began investigating a drug trafficking organization that was sending Priority Mail parcels containing kilogram-quantities of cocaine through the U.S. Mail from Puerto Rico to Connecticut and elsewhere. The investigation revealed that Erick Suarez, of New Britain, coordinated shipments of cocaine from Collazo-Rivera and his associates in Puerto Rico to addresses in New Britain, Hartford, Newington, East Hartford and Bridgeport, as well as Springfield, Massachusetts. Investigators identified more than 50 suspect parcels that were mailed from Puerto Rico, and intercepted five of the suspect parcels, each of which contained approximately one kilogram of cocaine.
On April 10, 2018, investigators arrested Collazo-Rivera and several other members of the cocaine trafficking ring, including Jerry Rodriguez, also known as “Bebo,” of Hartford. On that date, a search of Rodriguez’s residence revealed approximately 400 grams of cocaine, approximately 160 grams of heroin, items used to process and package narcotics for street sale, and a loaded .45 caliber handgun. Also on that date, investigators searched Suarez’s residence, as well as two storage units used by Suarez and one storage unit used by Rodriguez in West Hartford. The search of Suarez’s storage units revealed more than $50,000 in cash and a search of Rodriguez’s storage unit revealed additional items used to process and package narcotics.
Collazo-Rivera has been detained since his arrest.
On April 18, 2018, a grand jury returned an indictment charging Collazo-Rivera, Suarez, Rodriguez and four other individuals with conspiring to distribute cocaine. Collazo-Rivera pleaded guilty on April 8, 2019.
Suarez and Rodriguez also pleaded guilty. On January 15, 2020, Suarez was sentenced to 97 months of imprisonment and, on February 21, 2020, Rodriguez was sentenced to 60 months of imprisonment.
The DEA’s Hartford Task Force includes personnel from the DEA Hartford Resident Office and the Bristol, Hartford, East Hartford, Manchester, New Britain, Rocky Hill, Wethersfield, Windsor Locks and Willimantic Police Departments. The DEA Puerto Rico Caribbean Corridor Strike Force and U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Newark Division, San Juan (P.R.) Office, have assisted the investigation.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Geoffrey M. Stone through the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Program. OCDETF identifies, disrupts and dismantles drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs and transnational criminal organizations through a prosecutor-led and intelligence-driven approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
Pittsburgh Man Sentenced for Possessing Sexually Explicit Images of MinorsRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH - A resident of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, has been sentenced in federal court three years’ (36 months’) imprisonment and six years’ supervised release on his conviction of Possession of Material Depicting the Sexual Exploitation of a Minor, Acting United States Attorney Stephen R. Kaufman announced today.
United States District Judge Nora Barry Fischer imposed the sentence on Joshua D. Kudrav, age 38, of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
According to information presented to the court, Kudrav, on October 4, 2019, was found in possession of hundreds of still images in computer graphics files and in printed format depicting minors, some of whom had not yet attained the age of 12 years, engaging in sexually explicit conduct. Kudrav admitted to downloading the images from the Internet and creating collages of the sexually abusive imagery.
Prior to imposing sentence, Judge Fischer stated that she believed that a three-year term of imprisonment would result in just punishment and would allow for necessary rehabilitation and deterrence.
Assistant United States Attorney Carolyn J. Bloch prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
Acting United States Attorney Kaufman commended the Federal Bureau of Investigation for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Kudrav.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by 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.
Pine Ridge Man Sentenced for Abusive Sexual ContactRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney Dennis R. Holmes announced that a Pine Ridge, South Dakota, man convicted of Abusive Sexual Contact was sentenced by Jeffrey L. Viken, U.S. District Court.
Benton Rowland, age 36, was sentenced on March 26, 2021, to 20 years in federal prison, followed by 10 years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Rowland was indicted by a federal grand jury in November 2016. The charge related to Rowland engaging in sexual contact with a child under the age of 12, between 2008 and 2014 at Pine Ridge and Manderson, South Dakota.
This case was investigated by the Oglala Sioux Tribe Department of Public Safety and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Megan Poppen prosecuted the case.
Rowland was immediately turned over to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Peoria Businessman to Serve Two Years in Prison for Filing False Business Tax ReturnsRead the Press Release
PEORIA, Ill. – Yousef Abdallah, a former Peoria, Ill., businessman who owned and operated a Danville, Ill., liquor store, as well as other businesses, has been sentenced to 24 months in prison for filing false corporate tax returns that under-reported the business’s earnings. U.S. District Judge Joe Billy McDade sentenced Abdallah, 69, yesterday, April 7, 2021. In addition to the prison sentence, Abdallah, who now resides in Danville, was ordered to pay restitution to the IRS in the amount of $176,196 and was fined $15,000.
“As we enter tax season, it is important to remember that submitting fraudulent tax returns is a crime that will be prosecuted and it is a crime that ultimately causes all of us to pay higher taxes,” stated Acting U.S. Attorney Doug Quivey.
"Let this serve as a reminder as tax season continues, those who might consider preparing false tax returns should be aware of the extremely negative consequences as evidenced today," said Tamera Cantu, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Chicago Field Office. "The sentencing of Mr. Abdallah again emphasizes that the Internal Revenue Service and U.S. Attorney’s office will continue their aggressive pursuit of those who would attempt to cheat America's tax system."
On July 1, 2019, Abdallah pleaded guilty to filing a false corporate tax return for the 2014 tax year. As part of his plea, he agreed to pay restitution to the IRS for tax years 2013, 2014, and 2015, for which he had approximately $1 million in unreported gross sales. According to court documents, Abdallah came to the attention of the IRS when he listed his business, Danville Wine & Spirits, Inc., doing business as Danville Liquors, for sale on the internet. His asking price was $425,000 based on touted sales of $1.56 million per year. However, Abdallah admitted that he did not report all his sales on the income tax return.
Supervisory Assistant U.S. Attorney Darilynn J. Knauss prosecuted the case. The Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation Division, conducted the investigation.