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Monday 29 March 2021
Pennsylvania Man Admits Role in $4.6 Million Kickback Scheme Related to Genetic TestingRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A Pennsylvania man today admitted his role in a conspiracy to receive kickbacks and bribes from laboratories in exchange for referrals of patient DNA samples and genetic tests, Acting U.S. Attorney Rachael A. Honig announced.
Jeremy Richey, 40, of Mars, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty by videoconference before U.S. District Judge Brian R. Martinotti to a superseding information charging him with conspiracy to commit an offense against the United States in connection with a scheme to violate the Anti-Kickback Statute. Richey and five co-defendants were previously charged by indictment in September 2019 in connection with the conspiracy and a related health care fraud scheme.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
Richey and certain conspirators operated Ark Laboratory Network LLC (Ark), a company that purported to operate a network of laboratories that facilitated genetic testing. Through Ark, Richey and others submitted or caused to be submitted referrals for genetic tests and patients’ DNA samples to various clinical laboratories across the country. Richey and certain conspirators entered into kickback agreements with certain clinical laboratories under which the laboratories paid Ark bribes in exchange for delivering DNA samples and orders for genetic tests. Ark concealed these kickback arrangements through issuing sham invoices to laboratories that purportedly reflected services provided at an hourly rate even though the parties had already agreed upon the bribe amount, which was based on the revenue the laboratories received from Medicare or an amount paid for each DNA sample. From January 2018 through January 2019, Medicare paid these laboratories at least approximately $4.6 million for genetic tests that resulted from the referrals and DNA samples that Ark delivered to the laboratories in exchange for bribes. In turn, the laboratories paid Ark at least $1.8 million in bribes.
The charge to which Richey pleaded guilty carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a fine of $250,000, or twice the gross grain or loss from the offense. Richey’s sentencing is scheduled for Aug. 9, 2021.
Co-defendants Kacey C. Plaisance, of Altamonte Springs, Florida; Kyle D. McLean, of Arlington Heights, Illinois; and Edward B. Kostishion, of Lakeland, Florida, previously pleaded guilty. Plaisance is scheduled to be sentenced on June 21, 2021. McLean is scheduled to be sentenced on July 26, 2021. Kostishion is scheduled to be sentenced on July 26, 2021.
Acting U.S. Attorney Honig credited special agents of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Scott J. Lampert; and special agents of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey, under the direction of Supervisory Special Agent Thomas J. Mahoney, with the investigation leading to today’s guilty plea.
The government is represented by Bernard J. Cooney, Chief of the Government Fraud Unit, and Assistant U.S. Attorney José R. Almonte of the Health Care Fraud Unit in Newark.
The charge and allegations against the remaining defendants are merely accusations, and they are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Palmhurst man gets lengthy prison sentence for drug and firearm convictionsRead the Press Release
McALLEN, Texas – A 58-year-old Palmhurst resident has been ordered to federal prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm and conspiring to distribute more than 500 grams of meth, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Jennifer B. Lowery.
Roberto Trevino-Mendoza pleaded guilty Oct. 7, 2019.
Today, U.S. District Judge Micaela Alvarez ordered Trevino-Mendoza to serve a 262-month sentence to be immediately followed by five years of supervised release. In handing down the sentence, the court noted instances of Trevino-Mendoza selling firearms and involvement in the sales of kilogram quantities of meth. Judge Alvarez also referenced his prior convictions of aggravated robbery and burglary.
The investigation revealed Trevino-Mendoza had agreed to sell a kilogram of meth in February 2018. An individual came to his residence and provided $4,000 to in exchange for the drugs.
He later negotiated with that same individual in the purchase a firearm. They again met at Trevino-Mendoza's residence to exchange a Taurus, Model PT-111 Millennium Pro 9mm pistol. Trevino-Mendoza received $500 in return for the weapon.
Trevino-Mendoza was previously convicted of a felony. As such, he is prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition per federal law.
He has been and will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
The FBI lead the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF is the largest anti-crime task force in the country and its mission is to disrupt and dismantle the most significant drug trafficking and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States through prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency task forces that leverage the authorities and expertise of federal, state, and local law enforcement.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert Wells Jr. prosecuted the case.
Norwich Man Involved in Southeastern Connecticut Drug Ring Sentenced to 57 Months in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
Leonard C Boyle, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that BRYON McCLELLAN, 33, of Norwich, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Victor A. Bolden in Bridgeport to 57 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for his role in a southeastern Connecticut drug trafficking ring.
This matter stems from an investigation led by the Drug Enforcement Administration, Connecticut Statewide Narcotics Taskforce East, Connecticut Department of Correction and the New London, Waterford, City of Groton and Stonington Police Departments, into the distribution of narcotics and illegal possession of firearms in southeastern Connecticut. The investigation, which included court-authorized wiretaps and controlled purchases and seizures of narcotics and firearms, revealed that Royshawn Allgood, also known as “Boy Roy,” received narcotics from another member of the conspiracy and then distributed the drugs to users and other street-level distributors. McClellan acquired distribution quantities of cocaine from Allgood and sold the drug to his own customers.
On March 5, 2019, a grand jury in Hartford returned an indictment charging McClellan, Allgood and 22 other individuals with various offenses. A subsequent superseding indictment charged an additional two defendants.
McClellan was arrested on March 7, 2019. On July 8, 2019, while McClellan was released on bond, the Connecticut State Police stopped McClellan’s vehicle and arrested him after they found him in possession of approximately 33 grams of cocaine.
McClellan has been detained since July 11, 2019. On October 5, 2020, he pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute, and to distribute, cocaine, and one count of possession with intent to distribute cocaine while on pre-trial release.
Allgood pleaded guilty to a related charge and, on January 3, 2020, was sentenced to 71 months of imprisonment.
This investigation is being conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, U.S. Marshals Service, Homeland Security Investigations, Connecticut Statewide Narcotics Taskforce East, Connecticut Department of Correction and the New London, Waterford, City of Groton, Stonington, Norwich, Old Saybrook and UConn Police Departments.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Natasha M. Freismuth 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.
North Dakota Man Sentenced for Failure to Register as a Sex OffenderRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney Dennis R. Holmes announced that a Bismarck, North Dakota, man convicted of Failure to Register as a Sex Offender was sentenced on March 22, 2021, by U.S. District Judge Karen E. Schreier.
Dorian Lester, age 24, was sentenced to 18 months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, and a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $100.
An Information was filed on January 20, 2021. Lester pled guilty on January 22, 2021.
The conviction stems from Lester failing to register as a sex offender as required by federal law between August 7, 2020, and November 3, 2020. Lester, who had previously been convicted of a sex offense in federal court, was classified as a Tier III sex offender which requires him to register for the rest of his life.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Marshals Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey C. Clapper prosecuted the case.
Lester was immediately turned over to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
New York Man Sentenced to 33 Months in Prison for Participating in Multimillion-Dollar Credit and Gift Card Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A New York man was sentenced today to 33 months in prison for participating in a scheme to buy and sell over $2 million in stolen property, Acting U.S. Attorney Rachael A. Honig announced.
James Olla, 29, of Brooklyn, New York, previously pleaded guilty by videoconference before U.S. District Judge John Michael Vazquez to a superseding indictment charging him with conspiracy to sell, receive or possess stolen goods. Judge Vazquez sentenced Olla today by videoconference.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
From January 2014 through June 2015, Olla and others procured stolen information related to credit cards belonging to various individuals, including victims living in New Jersey. Using this stolen information, Olla and his conspirators obtained gift cards from various retailers and then sold the cards on the streets of Brooklyn and elsewhere, often for large sums of cash. In total, Olla’s scheme resulted in losses to financial institutions of $2,041,977.
In addition to the prison term, Judge Vazquez sentenced Olla to three years of supervised release, ordered him to forfeit certain property, and pay restitution of $689,124.
Acting U.S. Attorney Honig credited special agents of FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge George M. Crouch Jr. in Newark; the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, under the direction of Acting Inspector in Charge Rodney M. Hopkins in Newark; and the U.S. Secret Service, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Mark McKevitt, with the investigation leading to today’s sentencing.
The government is represented by Cybercrime Unit Chief David W. Feder and Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua L. Haber of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Criminal Division in Newark.
New Orleans Man Pleads Guilty to Conspiracy to Distribute DrugsRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS – U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that MARK RICHBURG, age 40, of New Orleans, pled guilty to conspiracy to distribute cocaine, heroin, and cocaine base.
Specifically, on March 18, 2021, RICHBURG pled guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute 5 kilograms or more of cocaine, 100 grams or more of heroin, and a quantity of cocaine base, in violation of 21 U.S.C. §§ 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(A), 841(b)(1)(B), 841(b)(1)(C), and 846.
RICHBURG faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years imprisonment up to life imprisonment, a fine of up to $10,000,000, at least 5 years of supervised release and a mandatory $100 special assessment.
U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the Drug Enforcement Administration and Federal Bureau of Investigation in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorneys Elizabeth Privitera and Jonathan L. Shih are in charge of the prosecution.
This prosecution is part of an extensive investigation by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (“OCDETF”). OCDETF is a joint federal, state and local cooperative approach to combat drug trafficking and is the nation’s primary tool for disrupting and dismantling major drug trafficking organizations, targeting national and regional level drug trafficking organizations and coordinating the necessary law enforcement entities and resources to disrupt or dismantle the targeted criminal organization and seize their assets.
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New Jersey Man Sentenced to 71 Months for Traveling to Meet a Child for Sex and for Distributing Obscene Material to a MinorRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Recep Sandikci, age 46, of North Plainfield, New Jersey, was sentenced today to 71 months in prison for attempting to meet an Albany-area 13-year-old girl for sex, as well as for sending her obscene material. The announcement was made by Acting United States Attorney Antoinette T. Bacon and Thomas F. Relford, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).
As part of his previously entered guilty plea, Sandikci admitted to driving from New Jersey to New York on August 6, 2019, in order to meet and have sex with the 13-year old. During communications between Sandikci and the girl over a cellphone application in the days leading up to the arrest, Sandikci sent the girl sexually explicit images. Sandikci was arrested in an Albany County parking lot where he believed he was about to meet the girl.
United States District Judge Mae A. D’Agostino also imposed a 15-year term of supervised release, which will commence after Sandikci is released from prison. Sandikci is also required to pay a $5,000 special assessment fee, and he will be required to register as a sex offender following his release from prison.
This case was investigated by the FBI and its Child Exploitation Task Force, which includes members of the New York State Police, and was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Emily C. Powers.
This case was prosecuted as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney’s offices, 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 identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit http://www.justice.gov/psc/.
Navajo woman pleads guilty to abandonment and abuse of a child resulting in deathRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Tonya Mae Dale, 28, of the Navajo Nation, NM, pleaded guilty in federal court on March 24 to a charge of involuntary manslaughter in Indian Country.
A grand jury previously returned an indictment against Dale on Sept. 25, 2019. According to the indictment and other court records, Dale committed the offense in San Juan County on or about June 26, 2019. In her plea, Dale admitted to driving while intoxicated with her children in the vehicle, and her intoxication contributed to her vehicle becoming stuck. The next day Dale decided to leave her vehicle and began walking. At some point, she decided to leave her children, a baby and a young child, and seek help on her own. When she returned with assistance to the location she had left her kids, only the baby was still there. The other child had wandered away and was found deceased the next day.
Dale is currently in custody pending sentencing. She faces up to eight years in prison.
The FBI investigated this case with assistance from the Navajo Nation Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicholas Marshall is prosecuting the case.
Monongalia County man sentenced for firearms chargesRead the Press Release
CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Brian Cutright, of Morgantown, West Virginia, was sentenced today to 46 months of incarceration for a firearms charge, Acting United States Attorney Randolph J. Bernard announced.
Cutright, age 41, pleaded guilty to one count of “Unlawful Possession of Firearm” in August 2020. Cutright, prohibited from having a firearm because he is a user of controlled substances, admitted to having a .25 caliber pistol, a .45 caliber pistol, two .22 caliber rifles, a .40 S&W rifle, and two 12-guage shotguns in July 2018 in Monongalia County.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Zelda E. Wesley prosecuted the case on behalf of the government. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Greater Harrison Drug & Violent Crimes Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, and the Mon Metro Drug & Violent Crimes Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, investigated.
U.S. District Judge Thomas S. Kleeh presided.
Mexican National Sentenced for Conspiring to Assist Flight of Brother Charged with Murdering Police OfficerRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — Conrado Virgen Mendoza, 37, a native and citizen of Mexico residing in Chowchilla, was sentenced today to 21 months in prison for conspiring with others to assist his brother in fleeing to Mexico to avoid prosecution for the murder of Newman Police Corporal Ronil Singh during a traffic stop and for possessing false immigration documents, Acting U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
In September 2019, a jury found Conrado Virgen Mendoza guilty, along with Erik Quiroz Razo, 30, an illegal alien residing in Merced. The evidence at trial established that Virgen and Quiroz helped Paulo Virgen Mendoza conceal the truck that he was driving at the time he shot and killed Corporal Singh, transported him to various locations in the Central Valley in an effort to find a safe harbor with relatives before Paulo attempted to flee to Mexico. Conrado Virgen Mendoza lied to Stanislaus County Sheriff officers about Paulo Virgen Mendoza’s whereabouts. Paulo Virgen Mendoza was ultimately apprehended at a relative’s residence in Kern County following an intensive three-day manhunt.
Last November, Paulo Virgen Mendoza pleaded guilty to murdering Corporal Singh and was sentenced to life in prison without parole. Quiroz was previously sentenced to 27 months in federal prison.
This case was the product of an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations and the Stanislaus County Sheriff’s Office with assistance from the Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Enforcement and Removal Operations; the Central Valley High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) task force; the Southern Tri-County HIDTA; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the California Highway Patrol; the California Department of Justice, the Sheriffs’ Offices for Kern, Merced, and Santa Cruz Counties; and the Police Departments for Merced, Turlock, Modesto, and Santa Cruz. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Karen A. Escobar, Laura D. Withers, and Michael G. Tierney prosecuted the case.
Massachusetts Man Pleads Guilty to Bank FraudRead the Press Release
CONCORD - Kazi Pervez, 41, of Methuen, Massachusetts pleaded guilty in federal court to bank fraud, Acting United States Attorney John J. Farley announced today.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Pervez was a branch manager for a bank in Salem, New Hampshire. From at least April of 2016 until September of 2017, Pervez used his position as branch manager to steal or attempt to steal more than $560,000 from the bank. For example, Pervez opened or instructed bank employees to open accounts in the name of deceased bank customers. Pervez then withdrew funds from the accounts that exceeded the balance of the accounts and used his authority as branch manager to authorize the overdraft from the account. Pervez also identified inactive bank accounts of deceased bank customers and transferred money out of those accounts to other accounts that he controlled.
Pervez sometimes transferred the stolen or overdrawn funds directly to accounts at other banks that he controlled or to pay his bills. Other times, Pervez transferred the funds he stole or overdrew between several accounts in the bank that he controlled before transferring the money to accounts at other banks or to pay his bills. In total, Pervez stole or fraudulently overdrew about $564,590.02 from other peoples’ bank accounts. Of that amount, Pervez successfully transferred more than $450,000 to other accounts outside the bank for his personal use.
Pervez is scheduled to be sentenced on August 5, 2021.
“White collar criminals can sometimes steal large sums of money from multiple victims with a few keystrokes on a computer,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Farley. “We will continue to work closely with the Secret Service and all of our law enforcement partners to identify and prosecute criminals who commit bank fraud and fraud offenses. Those who commit these crimes in New Hampshire should understand that they will be prosecuted in federal court for their unlawful conduct.”
“The US Secret Service is committed to investigating complex fraud schemes that involve the exploitation of vulnerable and deceased victims.” stated Timothy Benitez, Resident Agent in Charge of the U.S. Secret Service’s New Hampshire Office.
This matter was investigated by the United States Secret Service. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew T. Hunter and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Arnold Huftalen.
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Luzerne County Man Sentenced to 63 Months’ Imprisonment for Firearms and Drug Trafficking OffensesRead the Press Release
SCRANTON - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Caleb Guerrier, age 39, of Hanover Township, Pennsylvania, was sentenced on March 29, 2021, by U.S. District Court Judge Malachy E. Mannion, to 63 months’ imprisonment for being a convicted felon in possession of firearms and ammunition and being in possession with intent to distribute crack cocaine.
According to Acting United States Attorney Bruce D. Brandler, the charges stem from an incident in March 2014, in which investigators served a search warrant at Guerrier’s residence in Hanover Township and seized a cache of weapons and ammunition, including five semi-automatic pistols, three of which had obliterated serial numbers, one sawed-off shotgun, multiple boxes of assorted ammunition, drug paraphernalia and $195 in United States currency. Guerrier is a convicted felon and is prohibited under federal law from possessing firearms or ammunition. The charge of possession with intent to distribute crack cocaine stems from a separate incident in June 2016, in which investigators searched a storage unit which Guerrier rented in Wilkes-Barre Township and seized crack cocaine, additional amounts of ammunition and $5000 in U.S. currency. Guerrier previously entered a guilty plea to both the firearms and drug trafficking offenses.
In addition to the prison sentence, Judge Mannion ordered that upon release from prison Guerrier be supervised by a probation officer for three years.
The investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation Safe Streets Task Force, the Luzerne County Drug Task Force, and the Hanover Township Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Robert J. O’Hara prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. The Department of Justice reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime.
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Local man handed significant sentence for importing methRead the Press Release
McALLEN, Texas – A 29-year-old man from McAllen has been ordered to federal prison following his conviction for attempting to import approximately 220 grams of meth, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Jennifer B. Lowery.
Juan Torres Jr. pleaded guilty Feb. 4, 2020.
Today, U.S. District Judge Micaela Alvarez ordered Torres to serve a 130-month sentence to be immediately followed by four years of supervised of release. In handing down the sentence, the court considered the seriousness of importing such a quantity of meth into country, his role in the offense and his criminal history.
“We will do everything in our power to bring to justice those who distribute meth,” said Deputy Special Agent in Charge Timothy Tubbs of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). “This sentence not only holds Torres accountable for his crimes but serves as a warning that HSI and its federal partners will work diligently to keep this highly addictive drug off the streets of south Texas.”
Torres arrived at the Hidalgo Port of Entry Oct. 28, 2019, and applied for admission into the United States from Mexico. Torres was referred to a secondary inspection where authorities found a package wrapped in brown tape concealed in the area of his groin. Inside was 220 grams of meth.
Torres has been and will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the future.
HSI and Customs and Border Protection conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Peter Brostowin and Frances E. Blake prosecuted the case.
Leader of Lockport Drug Trafficking Organization Pleads GuiltyRead the Press Release
CONTACT: Barbara Burns
PHONE: (716) 843-5817
FAX #: (716) 551-3051BUFFALO, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy, Jr. announced today that Bruno J. Haney, II, 32, of Lockport, NY, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge John L. Sinatra, Jr. to conspiring to possess with intent to distribute, and distributing, heroin, fentanyl, and butyryl fentanyl. The charge carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and $1,000,000 fine.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Misha A. Coulson, who is handling the case, stated that between April 2017 and March 2019, the defendant organized and led a drug trafficking organization, which included co-defendants Marissa L. DeCarlo, his girlfriend, who allegedly collected drug money for Haney, and James O. White, whom Haney allegedly supplied with drugs.
On June 16, 2017, the Niagara County Drug Task Force executed a state search warrant at the defendant’s residence on Prospect Street in Lockport. Investigators recovered several bags containing butyryl fentanyl, hydrocodone/acetaminophen and alprazolam pills, $515 in U.S. currency, two packages of black rubber bands, a box of waxed baggies, a digital video recorder, and a digital scale. On January 18, 2019, Haney was arrested, and a search warrant was executed at a residence at East Avenue in Lockport. During that search, investigators recovered quantities of fentanyl, a mixture of heroin and fentanyl, marijuana, $978 in U.S. currency, a digital scale, numerous tablets, and plastic baggies. On February 12, 2019, defendant was charged by a criminal complaint, and on February 28, 2019, he was released from custody on various conditions, which included that he not commit any offense in violation of federal, state, or local law. On March 7, 2019, another search warrant was executed at Haney’s residence on Prospect Street, during which a zip-lock bag containing a mixture of heroin and fentanyl, $373 in U.S. currency, and a digital scale were recovered.
Charges remain pending against defendants White and DeCarlo. The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
The plea is the result of an investigation by the Niagara County Drug Task Force and the Niagara County Sheriff’s Department, under the direction of Sheriff Michael Filicetti; the Niagara County District Attorney’s Office, under the direction of District Attorney Brian D. Seaman; the Orleans County Major Felony Crime Task Force, under the direction of Sheriff Randy Bower; the Orleans County District Attorney’s Office, under the direction of District Attorney Joseph V. Cardone; Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Kevin Kelly; and the Lockport Police Department, under the direction of Chief Steven Abbott.
Sentencing will be scheduled at a later date.
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Lake Andes Man Charged with Receipt and Distribution of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney Dennis Holmes announced that a Lake Andes, South Dakota, man has been indicted by a federal grand jury for Receipt and Distribution of Child Pornography.
Cameron Allen Zephier, age 24, was indicted on March 2, 2021. He appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Veronica L. Duffy on March 10, 2021, and pled not guilty to the Indictment.
The maximum penalty upon conviction is up to 20 years in federal prison and/or a $250,000 fine, life of supervised release, and $100 to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Restitution may also be ordered.
The Indictment alleges that on or about between May 6, 2020, and September 30, 2020, Zephier knowingly received and attempted to receive child pornography that had been mailed, shipped, and transported in or affecting interstate or foreign commerce by any means, including by computer.
The charge is merely an accusation and Zephier is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
The investigation is being conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Division of Criminal Investigation, and the Charles Mix County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey C. Clapper is prosecuting the case.
Zephier was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending trial. A trial date has not been set.
Justice Department Settles Sexual Harassment and Retaliation Lawsuit Against Orlando, Florida Fire DepartmentRead the Press Release
The Justice Department announced today that it has reached a settlement, through a consent decree, with the City of Orlando resolving allegations that the city violated Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 when it discriminated and retaliated against Dawn Sumter, a female Assistant Fire Chief with the Orlando Fire Department (“Fire Department”).
Title VII is a federal law that prohibits discrimination in employment on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, and national origin and retaliation for engaging in activities protected by Title VII, such as complaining about discrimination. The complaint and consent decree, filed in a federal district court in Orlando, resolve allegations that Assistant Chief Sumter was sexually harassed by the former fire chief and then retaliated against by Fire Department leadership for complaining about the discrimination and harassment that she faced.
“Sexual harassment in the workplace is intolerable under any circumstance and is particularly pernicious where the victim is a public servant engaged in protecting fellow members of the community,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Pamela S. Karlan of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “The type of sexual harassment and retaliation allegedly suffered by the assistant fire chief in this case prevents women who work in jobs historically dominated by men from protecting and serving the public on an equal basis. This consent decree reflects the Civil Rights Division’s commitment to ensuring that all workers are entitled to a workplace free from sexual harassment and that no person should fear retaliation for seeking help when harassed.”
“Protecting the civil rights of our citizens, including public sector employees, remains a paramount priority for the Middle District of Florida,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Karin Hoppmann for the Middle District of Florida. “Sexual harassment and retaliation in the workplace will not be tolerated and the type of discrimination suffered by Assistant Chief Sumter can only be prevented when employers unequivocally promote a workplace free from discrimination.”
The United States’ complaint, filed today in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida, alleges that Assistant Chief Sumter’s immediate supervisor, the former fire chief, regularly subjected her to sexual harassment in the workplace. After Ms. Sumter filed a charge with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) complaining about discrimination, the Fire Department began to retaliate against her, according to the complaint filed today. Fire Department leadership, including the former chief and deputy chiefs, took several harassing, retaliatory actions designed to derail Ms. Sumter’s career and prohibit her from advancement within the Fire Department because of her discrimination complaint.
Under the terms of the consent decree, the City of Orlando will develop and submit to the United States for approval its discrimination and retaliation policies, complaint investigation procedures, and trainings that will be used at the Fire Department. The consent decree further requires the city to provide training for all Fire Department employees on these policies and provides for future annual training on these subjects. The city will also pay Ms. Sumter $251,500 in compensatory damages and $182,640 in attorney’s fees to her private counsel.
The EEOC received a charge of sex discrimination and an amended charge of retaliation filed by Ms. Sumter. The EEOC investigated the matter and found reasonable cause to believe that the Fire Department discriminated against and retaliated against its employee. After unsuccessful conciliation efforts, the EEOC referred the matter to the Justice Department.
Today’s agreement is part of the Civil Rights Division’s Sexual Harassment in the Workplace Initiative announced in February 2018. The Initiative is aimed at eradicating sexual harassment in state and local government workplaces. It focuses on litigation, outreach, and development of effective remedial measures to address and prevent future sex discrimination and harassment.
The Civil Rights Division’s Employment Litigation Section brought this case in collaboration with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida. The case was brought by Employment Litigation Section Attorneys Brian McEntire and Ejaz Baluch Jr. and Assistant U.S. Attorney Yohance Pettis of the Middle District of Florida.
The full and fair enforcement of Title VII is a top priority of the Justice Department’s Employment Litigation Section of the Civil Rights Division. Additional information about the Civil Rights Division and the jurisdiction of the Employment Litigation Section is available on its websites at www.justice.gov/crt/ and https://www.justice.gov/crt/employment-litigation-section.
Justice Department Settles Sexual Harassment and Retaliation Lawsuit Against Orlando, Florida Fire DepartmentRead the Press Release
The Justice Department announced today that it has reached a settlement, through a consent decree, with the City of Orlando resolving allegations that the city violated Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 when it discriminated and retaliated against Dawn Sumter, a female Assistant Fire Chief with the Orlando Fire Department (“Fire Department”).
Title VII is a federal law that prohibits discrimination in employment on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, and national origin and retaliation for engaging in activities protected by Title VII, such as complaining about discrimination. The complaint and consent decree, filed in a federal district court in Orlando, resolve allegations that Assistant Chief Sumter was sexually harassed by the former fire chief and then retaliated against by Fire Department leadership for complaining about the discrimination and harassment that she faced.
“Sexual harassment in the workplace is intolerable under any circumstance and is particularly pernicious where the victim is a public servant engaged in protecting fellow members of the community,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Pamela S. Karlan of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “The type of sexual harassment and retaliation allegedly suffered by the assistant fire chief in this case prevents women who work in jobs historically dominated by men from protecting and serving the public on an equal basis. This consent decree reflects the Civil Rights Division’s commitment to ensuring that all workers are entitled to a workplace free from sexual harassment and that no person should fear retaliation for seeking help when harassed.”
“Protecting the civil rights of our citizens, including public sector employees, remains a paramount priority for the Middle District of Florida,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Karin Hoppmann for the Middle District of Florida. “Sexual harassment and retaliation in the workplace will not be tolerated and the type of discrimination suffered by Assistant Chief Sumter can only be prevented when employers unequivocally promote a workplace free from discrimination.”
The United States’ complaint, filed today in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida, alleges that Assistant Chief Sumter’s immediate supervisor, the former fire chief, regularly subjected her to sexual harassment in the workplace. After Ms. Sumter filed a charge with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) complaining about discrimination, the Fire Department began to retaliate against her, according to the complaint filed today. Fire Department leadership, including the former chief and deputy chiefs, took several harassing, retaliatory actions designed to derail Ms. Sumter’s career and prohibit her from advancement within the Fire Department because of her discrimination complaint.
Under the terms of the consent decree, the City of Orlando will develop and submit to the United States for approval its discrimination and retaliation policies, complaint investigation procedures, and trainings that will be used at the Fire Department. The consent decree further requires the city to provide training for all Fire Department employees on these policies and provides for future annual training on these subjects. The city will also pay Ms. Sumter $251,500 in compensatory damages and $182,640 in attorney’s fees to her private counsel.
The EEOC received a charge of sex discrimination and an amended charge of retaliation filed by Ms. Sumter. The EEOC investigated the matter and found reasonable cause to believe that the Fire Department discriminated against and retaliated against its employee. After unsuccessful conciliation efforts, the EEOC referred the matter to the Justice Department.
Today’s agreement is part of the Civil Rights Division’s Sexual Harassment in the Workplace Initiative announced in February 2018. The Initiative is aimed at eradicating sexual harassment in state and local government workplaces. It focuses on litigation, outreach, and development of effective remedial measures to address and prevent future sex discrimination and harassment.
The Civil Rights Division’s Employment Litigation Section brought this case in collaboration with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida. The case was brought by Employment Litigation Section Attorneys Brian McEntire and Ejaz Baluch Jr. and Assistant U.S. Attorney Yohance Pettis of the Middle District of Florida.
The full and fair enforcement of Title VII is a top priority of the Justice Department’s Employment Litigation Section of the Civil Rights Division. Additional information about the Civil Rights Division and the jurisdiction of the Employment Litigation Section is available on its websites at www.justice.gov/crt/ and https://www.justice.gov/crt/employment-litigation-section.
Justice Department Files Civil Action to Shut Down Two Miami-Area Tax Return PreparersRead the Press Release
The United States has filed a complaint in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida, Miami Division, seeking to bar two Miami-area tax return preparers from preparing federal income tax returns for others.
The civil complaint was filed against Gerald Vito, James Eleby, and Gerald Vito LLC dba Income Tax Services and alleges that defendants prepared federal income tax returns for numerous Miami-area taxpayers that significantly understated their customers’ tax liabilities. The complaint further alleges that in reporting their customers’ itemized deductions, defendants fabricated or inflated charitable deductions, medical expenses, and employee business expenses. According to the complaint, claiming false or inflated deductions allows a fraudulent tax preparer to underreport the customer’s taxable income and reduce their reported tax liability, which in many cases leads to bogus and fraudulent refund claims. The complaint also alleges that defendants significantly understated their customers’ tax liabilities by reporting false or inflated business losses.
According to the complaint, defendants prepared more than 1,900 tax returns during the 2018 and 2019 calendar years, and each such return, on average, understates the tax the customer owes by thousands of dollars. As a result, the complaint alleges, defendants have likely cost the United States millions of dollars in lost tax revenue. The complaint further alleges that defendants have harmed their customers, who could potentially be required to pay tax deficiencies, interests, and penalties as a result of defendants’ conduct.
Acting Assistant Attorney General David A. Hubbert of the Justice Department’s Tax Division made the announcement.
Return preparer fraud is one of the IRS’ Dirty Dozen Tax Scams and taxpayers seeking a return preparer should remain vigilant. (More information can also be found here.) The IRS has information on its website for choosing a tax preparer, has launched a free directory of federal tax preparers, and offers information on how to avoid “ghost” tax preparers, whose refusal to sign a return should be a red flag to taxpayers. The IRS also has a list of important reminders for taxpayers who are about to file their 2020 tax returns, including how to prepare for a smooth filing process.
In addition, IRS Free File, a public-private partnership, offers free online tax preparation and filing options on IRS partner websites for individuals whose adjusted gross income is under $72,000. For individuals whose income is over that threshold, IRS Free File offers electronical federal tax forms that can be filled out and filed online for free.
In the past decade, the Tax Division has obtained injunctions against hundreds of unscrupulous tax preparers. Information about these cases is available on the Justice Department’s website. An alphabetical listing of persons enjoined from preparing returns and promoting tax schemes can be found this page. If you believe that one of the enjoined persons or businesses may be violating an injunction, please contact the Tax Division with details.
Juan Antonio “Tony” Gonzalez Becomes Acting U.S. Attorney for Southern District of FloridaRead the Press Release
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“I look forward to leading the Office’s dedicated lawyers and staff as we continue to enforce our federal laws and seek justice on behalf of all South Florida residents,” said Acting U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida Juan Antonio “Tony” Gonzalez.
Mr. Gonzalez has been an Assistant United States Attorney in South Florida since 1998. He is a career prosecutor who has held various supervisory positions with the office. From 2002 to 2009, Mr. Gonzalez served as Deputy Chief of Narcotics in charge of the High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Task Force (HIDTA). In 2009, Mr. Gonzalez assumed the position of HIDTA Operations Coordinator for both the Miami-Dade and Broward County HIDTA Units and, in 2011, he took the dual roles of HIDTA Operations Coordinator and Deputy Chief of Narcotics in charge of HIDTA. He continued in those roles until 2019, when he was selected to serve as First Assistant United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida.
Throughout his federal career, Mr. Gonzalez has investigated and tried an array of complex, high-profile cases. In United States v. Battle, et al. for example, following a six-month trial, Mr. Gonzalez secured RICO conspiracy convictions and a $1.4 billion forfeiture verdict against members of a criminal enterprise charged with various murders, arsons, acts of illegal gambling, money laundering, and narcotics trafficking.
Other notable cases prosecuted by Mr. Gonzalez include securing a money laundering conviction and significant sentence against Spanish drug lord Alvaro Lopez Tardon, and United States v. Solorzano et al., where he prosecuted a complex international money laundering investigation involving the Venezuelan parallel market. Mr. Gonzalez also participated in the investigation and ultimate guilty plea of Luis Gustavo Moreno Rivera, the Colombian Attorney General’s Director of Anticorruption; was part of the prosecution team obtaining convictions in the billion-dollar NTR/Elemetals gold money laundering prosecutions; and was the lead prosecutor securing the conviction of French national Gal Vallerius a.k.a. Oxymonster, the senior moderator of the Dark Web drug marketplace Dream Market.
Prior to joining the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Mr. Gonzalez began his career as a prosecutor at the Miami-Dade County State Attorney’s Office. Mr. Gonzalez spent most of his seven years in the State Attorney’s Office in the Racketeering/Organized Crime and Public Corruption Unit where he specialized in long-term, wiretap investigations of corrupt police officers and organized crime figures. In that unit, Mr. Gonzalez spent four years as a cross-designated Special Assistant US Attorney (SAUSA) for the Southern District of Florida. As a SAUSA, Mr. Gonzalez successfully tried several organized crime cases in federal court.
Mr. Gonzalez is a Certified Anti-Money Laundering Specialist and frequently lectures domestically and abroad in the areas of international money laundering, narcotics trafficking and trans-national organized crime.
Mr. Gonzalez received his law degree from the University of Miami School of Law in 1991, and his undergraduate degree (Bachelor of Arts in Psychology) from the University of Miami in 1988.
Under the Vacancies Reform Act, Mr. Gonzalez now serves as the Acting United States Attorney until a successor is nominated by the President and confirmed by the United States Senate.
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High School Janitor Sentenced to 20 Years in Federal Prison for Secretly Filming Students in Girls’ Locker RoomRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – U.S. District Judge Brian J. Davis has sentenced Jason Brian Goff (45, Starke) to 20 years in federal prison for the attempted use of children to produce sexually explicit videos. Goff was also ordered to serve a 10-year term of supervised release and to register as a sex offender. Goff was arrested on September 13, 2019, and has been detained since that date.
Goff had pleaded guilty on September 25, 2020.
According to court documents, in August 2019, two 14-year-old Clay High School students reported seeing what they believed was a camera lens, concealed within a locked gym locker, in the Clay High School girls’ locker room. When school administrators opened the locker, they discovered a cellphone taped to the inside wall of the locker with the lens pointed out of a pre-fabricated hole.
A forensic analysis of the phone revealed a 30-minute video which had been filmed from a window looking into the locker room where female students were captured and recorded changing clothes. At the end of the video, the phone had been panned down to show the identification badge of Clay High School Custodian Jason Goff.
Homeland Security Investigations and the Clay County Sheriff’s Office arrested Goff on September 13, 2019. Goff later admitted that he had tried filming girls in the locker room at least three times, from different vantage points.
Forensic analyses of other electronic devices belonging to Goff revealed additional images from the girls’ high school locker room, and a collection of child exploitation materials, to include a video and images of adults sexually abusing children of various ages, including images of infants.
“It is beyond reprehensible that this predator used his position of trust as a school employee to sexually exploit children,” said HSI Jacksonville Assistant Special Agent in Charge K. Jim Phillips. “Thanks to HSI special agents and the Clay County Sheriff’s Office, he will be held accountable for his crimes.”
This case was investigated by the Clay County Sheriff’s Office and Homeland Security Investigations, with the full cooperation of the Clay County School Board and Clay High Administrators. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kelly S. Karase.
This is another case brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Fort Thompson Woman Charged with Assaulting a Federal OfficerRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney Dennis R. Holmes announced that a Fort Thompson, South Dakota, woman has been indicted by a federal grand jury for Assaulting, Resisting, and Impeding a Federal Officer.
Jennifer Surrounded, age 35, was indicted on March 9, 2021. She appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Mark A. Moreno on March 24, 2021, and pled not guilty to the Indictment.
The maximum penalty upon conviction is up to 20 years in federal prison and/or a $250,000 fine, 3 years of supervised release, and $100 to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Restitution may also be ordered.
The Indictment alleges that on February 12, 2021, in Fort Thompson, Surrounded assaulted an officer with a knife while the officer was engaged in the performance of his official duties.
The charge is merely an accusation and Surrounded is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
The investigation is being conducted by the Bureau of Indian Affairs, Crow Creek Agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Troy R. Morley is prosecuting the case.
Surrounded was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending trial. A trial date has not been set.
Fort Thompson Man Charged with AssaultRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney Dennis R. Holmes announced that a Fort Thompson, South Dakota, man has been indicted by a federal grand jury for Assault with a Dangerous Weapon and Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury.
Gavin Drapeau, age 29, was indicted on March 9, 2021. He appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Mark A. Moreno on March 24, 2021, and pled not guilty to the Indictment.
The maximum penalty upon conviction is up to 10 years in federal prison and/or a $250,000 fine, 3 years of supervised release, and $100 to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Restitution may also be ordered.
The Indictment alleges that on January 11, 2021, in Fort Thompson, Drapeau unlawfully assaulted an individual with shot feet, and said assault resulted in serious bodily injury to the victim.
The charges are merely accusations and Drapeau is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
The investigation is being conducted by the Bureau of Indian Affairs, Crow Creek Agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Troy R. Morley is prosecuting the case.
Drapeau was released on bond pending trial. A trial date has not been set.
Former U.S. Postal Service Carrier Sentenced on Federal Charge in Maryland for Making False Statements to Obtain Disability CompensationRead the Press Release
Greenbelt, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Paula Xinis today sentenced Ronald S. Repass, age 57, of Poolesville, Maryland, to five years of probation on the federal charge of making false statements or fraud to obtain federal employees’ disability compensation and ordered Repass to pay restitution in the amount of $22,000. Repass admitted that he falsely claimed that he was unable to work, even though he had worked at various jobs between June 2016 and February 2019, for which he was paid.
The sentence was announced by Acting United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Jonathan F. Lenzner; Special Agent in Charge Imari R. Niles of the U.S. Postal Service, Office of Inspector General (OIG); and Special Agent in Charge Derek Pickle, of the Washington Regional Office, U.S. Department of Labor - Office of Inspector General (OIG).
As stated in the indictment, the Department of Labor’s Office of Worker’s Compensation Programs (“OWCP”) administered major disability compensation programs which provided wage loss benefits, medical treatment, vocational rehabilitation, and other benefits for federal government employees who became disabled during the performance of their duties.
According to the indictment, beginning in October 1989, Repass was employed by the U.S. Postal Service at the Poolesville Post Office in Montgomery County, Maryland. Repass was a rural carrier on December 5, 2014, when he filed a workers’ compensation claim after he fell and hurt his right shoulder. OWCP granted his claim on February 11, 2015, for a “right rotator cuff tear” based on a finding that Repass was not able to perform any of the routine duties of his job. Repass began receiving benefits of approximately $3,227 per month on February 22, 2015.
The Department of Labor required disabled employees to annually sign and complete a form certifying that they had not worked for the past 15 months. The disabled employees were also required to immediately report any improvement in their medical condition or any part-time or full-time employment. In 2016, 2017, and 2018, Repass signed and submitted the form stating that he had not worked for any employer, nor was he self-employed or involved in a business enterprise, despite that fact that during those years Repass worked part-time as a snow plow driver, as a service advisor at an automotive repair shop, as a field supervisor for a home improvement company, as a plumber, and he installed window blinds and mowed lawns, all in exchange for compensation.
Acting United States Attorney Jonathan F. Lenzner commended the U.S. Postal Service OIG and U.S. Department of Labor OIG for their work in the investigation. Mr. Lenzner thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Hollis R. Weisman, who is prosecuting the case.
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Former Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff’s Office Employee Pleads Guilty to Bribery SchemeRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LA – United States Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that SONJA DYSON EVANS, 58, of Ponchatoula, Louisiana, pled guilty on March 24, 2021 to use of an interstate facility with intent to carry on unlawful activity.
According to the bill of information, at the time of the offense, EVANS was employed by the Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff’s Office as a Criminal Records Division Supervisor. From January 2016 through January 2017, EVANS, along with a co-defendant, Shawanda Dove, used cell phones to carry out a bribery scheme, in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 1952(a)(3) and 2. EVANS solicited and accepted bribe money from Dove in exchange for fraudulent bonds used for the release of incarcerated persons.
EVANS faces a maximum penalty of five (5) years incarceration, a $250,000 fine, a three (3) year term of supervised release, and a mandatory special assessment of $100.00.
U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Tracey Knight is in charge of the prosecution.
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Former Houston banker heading to prison for fraud schemeRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – A 41-year-old former International Bank of Commerce (IBC) employee has been ordered to federal prison after she admitted to defrauding her former employer, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Jennifer B. Lowery.
Lori Nan Dean, of Houston, pleaded guilty Aug. 26, 2019, to bank fraud.
Today, U.S. District Judge Gilmore imposed a 15-month sentence to be immediately followed by two years of supervised release. Dean was further ordered to pay a total $91,748.56 in restitution.
Dean was employed as a Marketing Manager at IBC in Houston from Jan. 2, 2016, through Aug. 2, 2017. At the time of her plea, she admitted she had defrauded the bank of $144,300. She did so by making unauthorized withdrawals through the submission of fraudulent debit general ledger tickets. Dean openly revealed she used the money she obtained for her own benefit.
She was permitted to remain on bond and voluntarily surrender to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
The FBI conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney John Braddock is prosecuting the case.
Former Honduran National Police Officer Sentenced to 12 Years in Prison for Conspiring to Import Cocaine into the United StatesRead the Press Release
Audrey Strauss, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and Wendy C. Woolcock, the Special Agent in Charge of the Special Operations Division of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (“DEA”), announced today that JUAN MANUEL AVILA MEZA, a former member of the Honduran National Police, was sentenced today to 12 years in prison for conspiring to import cocaine into the United States. AVILA MEZA previously pled guilty before U.S. District Judge Lorna G. Schofield, who imposed today’s sentence.
Manhattan U.S. Attorney Audrey Strauss said: “Juan Manuel Avila Meza conspired to transport large shipments of cocaine into, within, and out of Honduras, including shipments bound for the U.S. He provided sensitive law enforcement information to members of the Cachiros to enable their trafficking operations, and he brokered meetings with other corrupt officials to facilitate money laundering and cocaine trafficking. Juan Manuel Avila Meza tarnished the badge he wore by protecting drug traffickers rather than those he took an oath to protect and serve.”
Special Agent in Charge Wendy C. Woolcock said: “Juan Manuel Avila Meza leveraged his position in law enforcement and as an attorney to attempt to rise above the law, profiting from the reprehensible criminal activities he helped facilitate. Today’s sentencing reaffirms that corruption in law enforcement will never go unchecked by the United States. The Drug Enforcement Administration, alongside our domestic and international partners, will continue working tirelessly to bring to justice all those who participate in drug trafficking.”
According to the Indictment, other court filings, and statements made during court proceedings:
Between at least approximately 2004 and 2014, AVILA MEZA worked with members of a drug trafficking organization known as the Cachiros, which was a prolific and violent criminal syndicate that relied on connections to politicians, military personnel, and law enforcement to transport cocaine to, within, and from Honduras. During that time, and while AVILA MEZA was purportedly enforcing the law as a police officer and, later, an attorney, AVILA MEZA participated in the Cachiros’ criminal enterprise by engaging in drug trafficking, money laundering, sanctions evasion, and debt collection.
Beginning in about 2004, AVILA MEZA provided the Cachiros with sensitive law enforcement information to facilitate the transportation of cocaine. AVILA MEZA also assisted the Cachiros with money laundering and evasion of U.S. sanctions. In May 2013, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (“OFAC”) publicly identified the Cachiros as a significant foreign narcotics group pursuant to the Foreign Narcotics Kingpin Designation Act. Nevertheless, beginning in August 2013, the defendant – as an active member of both the Honduran National Police and the Cachiros – assisted the Cachiros with an asset-based money laundering transaction related to a large piece of real estate in San Pedro Sula, Honduras.
In February 2014, AVILA MEZA helped set up and attended a meeting between one of the leaders of the Cachiros and Juan Antonio Hernández Alvarado, a/k/a “Tony Hernández,” another convicted major drug trafficker who is the brother of current Honduran president Juan Orlando Hernández, to discuss money laundering transactions between a Cachiros front company and the Honduran government. In June 2014, AVILA MEZA met with six other members of the Honduran National Police, Fabio Lobo Sosa, the now-convicted son of Porfirio Lobo Sosa, the Honduran president who preceded Juan Orlando Hernández, and two DEA confidential sources purporting to be members of the Sinaloa Cartel. During the meeting, AVILA MEZA led a discussion of how best to rely on the Honduran National Police to secure safe passage for a large cocaine shipment.
Six other former members of the Honduran National Police, including, among others, Victor Oswaldo Lopez Flores, Ludwig Criss Zelaya Romero, Carlos Jose Zavala Velasquez, and Carlos Alberto Valladares Garcia, were convicted in this case of firearms and/or drug trafficking offenses for conspiring to import cocaine into the United States. Each of those individuals has pled guilty in federal court, along with co-conspirator Fabio Lobo. On September 5, 2017, Lobo was sentenced to 24 years in prison; on February 6, 2018, Flores was sentenced to five years in prison; on June 27, 2018, Velasquez was sentenced to 12 years in prison; and on September 27, 2018, Garcia was sentenced to 14 years in prison. Zelaya Romero is awaiting sentencing by Judge Schofield. On October 18, 2019, Hernández Alvarado was convicted at a trial before the Honorable P. Kevin Castel of cocaine importation, weapons, and false statements offenses, and he is scheduled to be sentenced by Judge Castel tomorrow.
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In addition to the prison term, AVILA MEZA, 50, was sentenced to four years of supervised release.
Ms. Strauss praised the outstanding efforts of the DEA’s Special Operations Division Bilateral Investigations Unit, New York Strike Force, and Tegucigalpa Country Office, as well as the U.S. Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs.
This case is being handled by the Office’s Terrorism and International Narcotics Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jacob Gutwillig, Matthew Laroche, Jason A. Richman, and Elinor Tarlow are in charge of the prosecution.
Former Eau Claire Resident, Stopped by Operation Kick Boxer, Sentenced for Distribution of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney Richard G. Frohling of the Eastern District of Wisconsin announced that on March 29, 2021, Evan C. Pasicznyk (age:36), previously of Eau Claire, Wisconsin, and currently residing in Burnsville, Minnesota, was sentenced to 60 months in federal prison by Senior District Judge William C. Griesbach.
Pasicznyk possessed and distributed numerous digital images and videos of child pornography. Pasicznyk’s indictment and subsequent conviction were part of Operation Kick Boxer, a collaborative effort involving the Milwaukee Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, and the Winnebago County Sheriff's Office. (https://go.usa.gov/xfPHh).
In handing down the sentence, Judge Griesbach noted the serious nature of the charge, the debilitating effect this crime has on its victims, and the need for deterrence and just punishment. Following his release from prison, Pasicznyk will spend five years on supervised release. He will also be required to register as a sexual offender.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Milwaukee, Green Bay, and Eau Claire Offices, as well as the Winnebago County Sheriffs’ Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Daniel R. Humble.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006, by the U.S. Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
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For further information contact:
Public Information Officer Kenneth Gales
414-297-1700
Foreign national guilty for illegally smuggling Peruvian nationalRead the Press Release
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – A 20-year-old man has been found guilty for conspiracy to transport an illegal alien and attempting to smuggle a Peruvian national within the United States, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Jennifer B. Lowery.
U.S. District Judge David S. Morales found Kevin E. Ramos-Alvarenga guilty today on both counts following a one-day bench trial Friday, March 26. Ramos-Alvarenga is a citizen of El Salvador who illegally resided in Houston.
On March 9, 2020, Ramos-Alvarenga drove a white Toyota Camry into the primary inspection lane at the Falfurrias checkpoint in an attempt to smuggle a Peruvian national past authorities. The court heard he had concocted a story with the illegal alien to try and fool law enforcement into thinking they had forgotten his wallet in the valley.
They did not believe their story and took both into custody.
During the trial, the defense attempted to convince the court that a friend had duped Ramos-Alvarenga into transporting the Peruvian National.
Judge Morales did not believe the claims either and found Ramos-Alvarenga guilty as charged.
Ramos-Alvarenga is set for sentencing April 12. At that time, he faces up to 10 years in prison.
He has been and will remain in custody pending that hearing.
Border Patrol conducted the investigation with the assistance Homeland Security Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Marin and Yifei Zheng prosecuted the case.
Felon Sentenced to 188 Months in Federal Prison for Possessing Firearm, Threatening an FBI Task Force OfficerRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Hurley Dewayne Pitts, age 46, of Tahlequah, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 188 months’ imprisonment and 3 years of supervised release for Felon In Possession Of Firearm & Ammunition, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922(g)(1), 924(a)(2) and 924(e)(1) and Influencing Federal Official By Threatening Family Member, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 115(a)(1)(A) and 115(b)(4). The charges arose from an investigation by the Tahlequah Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
The Superseding Indictment to which the defendant previously entered a guilty plea alleged that on or about January 18, 2020, within the Eastern District of Oklahoma, the defendant, having been convicted of a crime punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year, and knowing of said conviction, did knowingly possess in and affecting commerce, a firearm and ammunition which had been shipped and transported in interstate commerce.
The Superseding Indictment further alleged that on or about February 22, 2020, within the Eastern District of Oklahoma, the defendant, did threaten to assault, kidnap, and murder the immediate family members of T.C., a Task Force Officer for the Federal Bureau of Investigation, with intent to impede, intimidate, and interfere with T.C. while he was engaged in the performance of his official duties, and to retaliate against T.C. on account of the performance of his official duties.
Acting United States Attorney Christopher J. Wilson said, “The investigation and prosecution of Defendant Pitts is the result of strong working relationships law enforcement agencies have in the Eastern District. Law enforcement have difficult and often dangerous jobs. They put their lives on the line to protect our citizens on a daily basis. When defendants choose to target law enforcement officers or their families with threats and intimidation, this office will stand shoulder to shoulder with the victims to ensure this type of conduct is not tolerated and defendants are held accountable.”
The Honorable Ronald A. White, U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, in Muskogee, presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Clay Compton represented the United States. Pitts was remanded to the custody of the United States Marshal to await commitment to United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve his non-paroleable sentence of incarceration.
Felon Pleads Guilty to Holding a Woman at Knifepoint in an Attempted RobberyRead the Press Release
A felon who held a woman at knifepoint two days after he was released from prison pleaded guilty today in federal court, said Acting U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.
Kuna-Gi Lowe pleaded guilty to attempted robbery in Indian Country and assault with a dangerous weapon in Indian Country. According to the written plea agreement, the defendant will be sentenced to 70 months in federal prison. U.S. District Judge John F. Heil III will make the final sentencing determination at hearing set for June 29, 2021.
According to court hearings, after being released from prison on felony charges, the defendant took a bus to Tulsa and began drinking heavily over the next several days. Lowe was out of money on August 29, 2019, when he entered an insurance agency where the victim was working and inquired about “opening an account.” Lowe then grabbed the female victim, pulled out a large knife and demanded money as he asked the victim if she “knew what he could do to her”. The victim pulled out of the defendant’s grasp and told Lowe she was calling the police as she fled to the business next door. Tulsa police officers located Lowe a short distance away. The victim confirmed Lowe was the assailant, and he was arrested.
Acting U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson praised the FBI and Tulsa Police Department for their efforts in bringing Lowe to justice. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ross E. Lenhardt is prosecuting the case. Mr. Lenhardt is a prosecutor from the Western District of Pennsylvania. He 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.
Edmonds, Washington, man sentenced to prison for “Molotov Cocktail” attacks at May 30, 2020, protestRead the Press Release
Seattle – A 21-year-old Edmonds, Washington, man was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Seattle to 40 months in prison and 3 years of supervised release, for unlawful possession of destructive devices for his activities at a protest that turned violent in downtown Seattle, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman. Kelly Thomas Jackson was arrested in September 2020 when he was identified as the person who used Molotov cocktails to burn two Seattle Police vehicles in downtown Seattle on May 30, 2020. At the sentencing hearing, U.S. District Judge James L. Robart said, “The public’s right to peacefully protest has been repeatedly violated by people doing criminal things.” Judge Robart noted that throwing a Molotov Cocktail at police cars loaded with gasoline and potentially weapons was very dangerous for those in the area.
"Unlike the vast majority of demonstrators who came to downtown Seattle to protest peacefully against systemic racism, this defendant came armed with Molotov Cocktails - intent on dangerous destruction," said Acting U.S. Attorney Gorman. "The danger to others is captured in pictures from the scene: flames from the burning cars and burning gasoline spread across the sidewalk, pollutant-filled smoke billowing into the crowd. This isn't free speech - it is criminal conduct deserving of a federal prison sentence."
According to records filed in the case, following a May 30, 2020, demonstration in downtown Seattle, law enforcement had various videos of a white male suspect in distinctive clothing using glass containers with a flammable material and a wick to burn or attempt to burn two police vehicles. Jackson was identified as that man after an anonymous tip to law enforcement. An analysis of cell phone records placed Jackson in the area at the time of the fires. Law enforcement obtained videos that show Jackson traveling into Seattle with at least one of the glass bottles with a wick. Other videos show Jackson throwing one Molotov cocktail into a police vehicle, then hiding himself in the crowd and jumping up and down with excitement after his crime. Another video shows the second Molotov cocktail thrown at the windshield of a police vehicle, bouncing off, and exploding in flames on the sidewalk outside the Nordstrom store. A review of Jackson’s internet activity demonstrated that he accessed web-based information on how to construct Molotov cocktails.
Writing to the Court, prosecutors noted the danger to “hundreds of people who were standing in the vicinity of the police cars that Jackson attacked. Many of these people were just a few feet away from the vehicles and even closer to the fires Jackson caused on the sidewalks adjacent to the vehicles. And, all of them were in harm’s way if one of the vehicles had exploded upon detonation of the Molotov cocktails.”
Jackson pleaded guilty to two counts of possession of a destructive device on January 6, 2021.
“While other individuals were expressing their First Amendment-protected rights, Mr. Jackson used this opportunity to destroy property and create chaos,” said Donald M. Voiret, FBI Special Agent in Charge of the Seattle Field Office. “This instigator researched his arsons and, on multiple occasions, endangered the safety of those nearby, as he helped to overshadow peaceful protests and escalate the environment into violence.”
“Jackson clearly planned not to come and peacefully protest, but to come and perpetrate criminal acts,” said ATF Seattle Special Agent in Charge Jonathan T. McPherson. “We respect everyone’s right to free speech, but free speech does not come in the form of a Molotov cocktail. His premeditated actions and complete disregard for the safety of those around him warrant this sentence.”
The case was investigated by the FBI and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives (ATF), with assistance from the Seattle Police Department, the Edmonds Police Department, and the Mountlake Terrace Police Department.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Todd Greenberg.
Eagle Butte Man Charged with AssaultRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney Dennis R. Holmes announced that an Eagle Butte, South Dakota, man has been indicted by a federal grand jury for Assault with a Dangerous Weapon and Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury.
Vine Janis, age 40, was indicted on March 9, 2021. He appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Mark A. Moreno on March 24, 2021, and pled not guilty to the Indictment.
The maximum penalty upon conviction is up to 10 years in federal prison and/or a $250,000 fine, 3 years of supervised release, and $100 to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Restitution may also be ordered.
The Indictment alleges that December 20, 2020, in Eagle Butte, Janis assaulted an individual with a knife and said assault resulted in serious bodily injury to the victim.
The charges are merely accusations and Janis is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
The investigation is being conducted by the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jay Miller is prosecuting the case.
Janis was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending trial. A trial date has not been set.
Dubuque Man Who Sold Near-Fatal Dose of Heroin Sentenced to over Five Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
A felon who escaped from a Waterloo halfway house and was later found with a firearm pled guilty today in federal court in Cedar Rapids.
Nicholas Cameron Anderson, age 32, from Dubuque, Iowa, was convicted of one count of escape from custody and one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm.
Court records show that Anderson pled guilty in 2016 in the Northern District of Iowa to being a felon in possession of a firearm. He was sentenced in 2017 to 63 months in federal prison. At the plea hearing, Anderson admitted that, while he was still a federal inmate serving that sentence, he was housed at a residential re-entry center in Waterloo, Iowa. In September 2020, Anderson left custody without authorization. Anderson also admitted that in January 2021, he was found in possession of a pistol in Dubuque, Iowa. In addition to the federal firearm conviction, Anderson had previously been convicted of three other felonies in state court in Dubuque: theft from a person in 2007; burglary in the third degree in 2007; and escape in 2009.
Sentencing before United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Anderson remains in custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing. Anderson faces a possible maximum sentence on the escape charge of 5 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and three years of supervised release following any imprisonment. He also faces a possible maximum sentence on the firearm charge of 10 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and three years of supervised release following any imprisonment.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). PSN is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
This case is also part of Project Guardian, the Department of Justice’s signature initiative to reduce gun violence and enforce federal firearms laws. Initiated by the Attorney General in the fall of 2019, Project Guardian draws upon the Department’s past successful programs to reduce gun violence; enhances coordination of federal, state, local, and tribal authorities in investigating and prosecuting gun crimes; improves information-sharing by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives when a prohibited individual attempts to purchase a firearm and is denied by the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS), to include taking appropriate actions when a prospective purchaser is denied by the NICS for mental health reasons; and ensures that federal resources are directed at the criminals posing the greatest threat to our communities. For more information about Project Guardian, please see /media/1122011/dl?inline.
The case was investigated by the Dubuque Police Department, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the United States Marshals Service, and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Dan Chatham.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 21-CR-1010-CJW. Anderson’s prior federal case file number was 16-CR-01030-1-LRR.
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Dubuque Man Pleads Guilty to Escaping Custody and Being a Felon in Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
A felon who escaped from a Waterloo halfway house and was later found with a firearm pled guilty today in federal court in Cedar Rapids.
Nicholas Cameron Anderson, age 32, from Dubuque, Iowa, was convicted of one count of escape from custody and one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm.
Court records show that Anderson pled guilty in 2016 in the Northern District of Iowa to being a felon in possession of a firearm. He was sentenced in 2017 to 63 months in federal prison. At the plea hearing, Anderson admitted that, while he was still a federal inmate serving that sentence, he was housed at a residential re-entry center in Waterloo, Iowa. In September 2020, Anderson left custody without authorization. Anderson also admitted that in January 2021, he was found in possession of a pistol in Dubuque, Iowa. In addition to the federal firearm conviction, Anderson had previously been convicted of three other felonies in state court in Dubuque: theft from a person in 2007; burglary in the third degree in 2007; and escape in 2009.
Sentencing before United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Anderson remains in custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing. Anderson faces a possible maximum sentence on the escape charge of 5 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and three years of supervised release following any imprisonment. He also faces a possible maximum sentence on the firearm charge of 10 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and three years of supervised release following any imprisonment.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). PSN is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
This case is also part of Project Guardian, the Department of Justice’s signature initiative to reduce gun violence and enforce federal firearms laws. Initiated by the Attorney General in the fall of 2019, Project Guardian draws upon the Department’s past successful programs to reduce gun violence; enhances coordination of federal, state, local, and tribal authorities in investigating and prosecuting gun crimes; improves information-sharing by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives when a prohibited individual attempts to purchase a firearm and is denied by the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS), to include taking appropriate actions when a prospective purchaser is denied by the NICS for mental health reasons; and ensures that federal resources are directed at the criminals posing the greatest threat to our communities. For more information about Project Guardian, please see /media/1122011/dl?inline.
The case was investigated by the Dubuque Police Department, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the United States Marshals Service, and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Dan Chatham.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 21-CR-1010-CJW. Anderson’s prior federal case file number was 16-CR-01030-1-LRR.
Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.
Davis Man Pays $635,000 in Civil Settlement to Resolve Allegations of False Statements to Obtain Grant FraudsRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Owen Hughes, the sole proprietor of Eon Research Corporation in Davis, agreed to pay the United States $635,000 to resolve allegations that he knowingly submitted false statements to the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences to secure Small Business Innovation Research grant funds, Acting U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, in 2007, Hughes applied for and received a Small Business Innovation Research grant to conduct environmental research, certifying that he had implemented financial safeguards to ensure the proper use of grant funds.
The settlement resolves allegations that despite his certifications, Hughes had no financial policies in place. As a result, Hughes could not substantiate how he had actually used the federal funds he received. The settlement also resolves claims that Hughes commingled grant funds in his personal accounts and then used the commingled funds for his aviation hobby, by paying aircraft hangar rental fees and buying aircraft parts.
“This settlement sends a clear message that recipients of federally funded grants must strictly adhere to the regulations applicable to those grants and fully account for their use of federal funds,” Acting U.S. Attorney Talbert said. “Recipients who fail to do so risk significant consequences.”
“Establishing required financial policies is a key component to proper accounting of SBIR grants. Therefore, it is imperative that individuals and entities implement sound policies to avoid mismanagement of these limited funds,” said Steven J. Ryan, Special Agent in Charge for the Office of Inspector General of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. “Working with our auditors and law enforcement partners, we will continue preserving the integrity of all our grant programs.”
“It is vital that agencies work together to hold grantees accountable for the use of taxpayer funds,” said Lori Pilcher, Regional Inspector General for Audit Services at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. “In this case, using forensic tools, our auditors identified suspicious grant disbursements and partnered closely with investigators and the United States Attorney’s Office throughout the investigation.”
The National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences is a component of the National Institutes of Health, which is itself a component of U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
This case was the result of an investigation by the HHS Office of the Inspector General. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Colleen Kennedy, Rachel Muoio, and Steven Tennyson handled the matter for the United States. The claims settled by this agreement are allegations only, and there has been no determination of liability.
Convicted Sex Offender in Gastonia, N.C. Is Sentenced to 12 Years for Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Acting U.S. Attorney William T. Stetzer announced that Joseph Soldano, 44, of Gastonia, N.C., was sentenced to 12 years in prison today for possession of child pornography. In addition to the prison term imposed, U.S. District Judge Frank D. Whitney ordered Soldano to serve a lifetime of supervised release, to register as a sex offender after he is released from prison, and to pay $22,000 in special assessment fees and $3,000 as restitution.
According to information contained in filed documents and statements made in court, in April 2019, law enforcement determined that an individual later identified as Soldano was using the Kik instant messaging application to communicate with another individual about the sexual abuse of minors, and to receive images containing visual depictions of minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct. Law enforcement visited Soldano’s residence and seized a cell phone. A forensic review of the seized device revealed that Soldano possessed multiple images and videos depicting the sexual abuse of children, including toddlers and infants. On August 18, 2020, Soldano pleaded guilty to possession of material containing child pornography that involved a prepubescent minor. At the time he committed the offense, Soldano was required to register as a sex offender based on his 2001 conviction of Second Degree Sexual Abuse involving an 8-year-old female victim in New York.
In making today’s announcement, Acting U.S. Attorney Stetzer commended the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) for their investigation of the case, and thanked the Gaston County Police Department for their invaluable assistance.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Cortney Randall and Emily Wasserman, of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte, prosecuted the case.
The case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
Convicted Juvenile Sex Trafficker from Delaware Sentenced to 35 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – Deputy United States Attorney Louis D. Lappen announced that Dkyle Bridges, 35, of Claymont, DE, was sentenced to 35 years in prison, ten years of supervised release, and was ordered to pay $53,000 in restitution to his victims and a special assessment of $30,000 under the Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act by United States District Court Judge Nitza I. Alejandro-Quiñones for running a multi-state sex trafficking operation that brutally victimized vulnerable young women and girls for many years.
In April 2019, following a two-week jury trial, the defendant was found guilty of all charges, specifically: one count of conspiracy to engage in sex trafficking by force, fraud and coercion and in sex trafficking of minors; two counts of sex trafficking of adults by force, fraud, and coercion; and three counts of sex trafficking of minors by force, fraud, and coercion.
The evidence presented at trial showed that for more than five years, Bridges led a sex trafficking operation for his financial gain in which he coerced young women and girls to engage in commercial sex acts in southeastern Pennsylvania, Delaware, and elsewhere. Bridges preyed on vulnerable teenage girls and young women, many of whom were homeless, who needed financial and emotional support in their lives. Bridges lured them into his trafficking circle with false promises of that kind of support and then subjected them to violence – as well as fear of violence -- by making them watch him assault other trafficking victims. Among the tactics Bridges used to abuse and control his victims, as described at trial, included pouring water over them to keep them awake, choking them, and otherwise physically assaulting them. On at least one occasion, he tased his victim in the chest.
In furtherance of the sex trafficking enterprise, Bridges advertised his victims for sex acts using Backpage.com – a website that the Federal Bureau of Investigation has since shut down for its role in advertising and promoting sex trafficking.
Codefendants Kristian and Anthony Jones, among others, assisted Bridges in various capacities in running the sex trafficking operation, including by recruiting and transporting victims, collecting money, and paying for hotel rooms. The codefendants were also convicted at trial and are scheduled to be sentenced later this year.
“Bridges’ crimes were devastating to his victims, who were already facing tremendous challenges in their lives, such as homelessness and a history of abuse,” said Deputy U.S. Attorney Lappen. “Today’s sentence of thirty-five years incarceration reflects the seriousness of his crimes and the irrevocable damage he caused, all in pursuit of financial gain. We will continue to work collectively to investigate and prosecute these destructive crimes committed against some of the most vulnerable members of our community.”
“Dkyle Bridges advertised underage girls and women for sex, profiting from their exploitation,” said Michael J. Driscoll, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Philadelphia Division. “These victims were controlled by the constant use or threat of violence, battered both physically and emotionally. Today’s sentence keeps Bridges exactly where he belongs — behind bars, being held to account for his repulsive actions. Know that the FBI and our law enforcement partners are working every day to shut down sex traffickers like this and deliver justice for their victims.”
The case was investigated by Federal Bureau of Investigation with assistance from Tinicum Township Police Department; Newark, Delaware Police Department; Delaware State Police; Delaware River Bay Authority; and Philadelphia Police Department and was prosecuted by Department of Justice Trial Attorney Jessica Urban and Assistant United States Attorney Priya T. De Souza.
Convicted Child Molester Sentenced to 17 Years in Federal Prison for Receiving and Distributing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Ore.—A Portland man who previously served 12 years in California state prison for sexually abusing a child was sentenced to federal prison today for enticing an adolescent boy to produce sexually explicit videos of himself and share them via Facebook Messenger, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Scott Erik Asphaug.
Scott Andrew Lawrence, 57, was sentenced to a total of 17 years in federal prison and a life term of supervised release after pleading guilty to receiving and distributing child pornography.
“Scott Lawrence is a sexual predator who posed online as a woman to prey on a vulnerable teenager,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Asphaug. “Online sexual exploitation is a grave threat to children and families, even older children. We implore parents and guardians everywhere to talk frankly with their children about the risks posed by online predators, and to monitor their children’s use of social media.”
“Seventeen years is a rightfully long sentence for a man who has repeatedly abused children. The victims targeted by Scott Lawrence, however, are the ones who will pay a higher price as they must live with the effects of that exploitation for a lifetime,” said Kieran L. Ramsey, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in Oregon.
According to court documents, in April 2001, Lawrence was convicted in San Diego County Superior Court of sexually abusing a child and sentenced to a total of 14 years in prison. He was paroled in 2013 and completed his parole term three years later. In September 2018, Lawrence was convicted in the U.S. District Court for the District of Oregon of failing to register as a sex offender and, at the end of February 2019, was sentenced to time served plus five years of supervised release.
Three months into his supervised release term, Lawrence began communicating via Facebook Messenger with a 16-year-old boy from South Dakota whose family Lawrence lived with previously. During one exchange, Lawrence confirmed the boy’s age. In online conversations with the boy, Lawrence posed as an adult female named “Mary,” sent the boy several sexually explicit images, and repeatedly asked for videos of the boy masturbating in return. During at least three separate chat conversations, the boy sent Lawrence a total of six videos and one image of himself masturbating. Lawrence sent the image to at least two other people.
FBI agents arrested Lawrence on October 24, 2019. He admitted to chatting with the boy while posing as a woman and asking him for sexually explicit images and videos. He also admitted sending an image of the boy to two other people.
On November 19, 2020, a federal grand jury in Portland returned a nine-count indictment charging Lawrence with production, receipt, and distribution of child pornography, and committing a felony offense involving a minor while registered as a sex offender. On December 21, 2020, he pleaded guilty to distribution and receipt of child pornography.
This case was investigated by the FBI and prosecuted by Gary Y. Sussman, Assistant U.S. Attorney and Project Safe Childhood Coordinator for the District of Oregon.
Anyone who has information about the physical or online exploitation of children are encouraged to call the FBI at (503) 224-4181 or submit a tip online at tips.fbi.gov.
Federal law defines child pornography as any visual depiction of sexually explicit conduct involving a minor. It is important to remember child sexual abuse material depicts actual crimes being committed against children. Not only do these images and videos document the victims’ exploitation and abuse, but when shared across the internet, re-victimize and re-traumatize the child victims each time their abuse is viewed. To learn more, please visit the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children at www.missingkids.org.
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. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
California Man Pleads Guilty to COVID-Relief FraudRead the Press Release
A California man pleaded guilty today to perpetrating a scheme to fraudulently obtain approximately $1.8 million in COVID-19 relief guaranteed by the Small Business Administration (SBA) through the Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program and the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP).
According to court documents, Hassan Kanyike, 29, of Santa Clarita, admitted that he submitted six fraudulent PPP loan applications and two fraudulent EIDL applications. The applications sought funds to purportedly pay the salaries of employees whom he claimed worked for two of his businesses. Kanyike successfully obtained approximately $1 million through four PPP loans, and another $300,000 through two EIDL loans.
In support of the fraudulent PPP loan applications, Kanyike submitted fake federal tax filings and payroll reports. For example, in one loan application, Kanyike falsely claimed the business had 26 employees and an average monthly payroll of $168,000, and he submitted a fabricated IRS tax form claiming Falcon Motors had paid $2,022,300 in payroll in 2019. But Kanyike admitted during his plea that the company had substantially fewer employees and substantially lower payroll. Kanyike further admitted that he obtained additional Employer Identification Numbers from the IRS in April and May 2020, so that he could apply for multiple loans for the same used-car business. Kanyike then used a substantial portion of the PPP loan proceeds for his own personal benefit.
Kanyike was arrested in December 2020 at Los Angeles International Airport just before he was about to board a flight to Dubai. At the time of his arrest, Kanyike had transferred approximately $762,000 to Uganda, his country of citizenship, from one of the business accounts that had received the loan proceeds, in violation of the terms of the PPP and EIDL program.
Kanyike pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud in the Central District of California. He is scheduled to be sentenced on Aug. 23, and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. As part of his guilty plea, Kanyike is required to pay approximately $1.3 million in restitution. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Acting Assistant Attorney General Nicholas L. McQuaid of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; Acting U.S. Attorney Tracy L. Wilkison of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California; Special Agent in Charge David A. Prince of the Los Angeles Field Office of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI); and Inspector General J. Russell George of the U.S. Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA) made the announcement.
HSI and TIGTA are investigating the case.
Assistant Chief William Johnston of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Richard E. Robinson of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California are prosecuting the case. The case was previously prosecuted by former Trial Attorney Benjamin Saltzman of the Fraud Section.
The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act is a federal law enacted on March 29, 2020, designed to provide emergency financial assistance to the millions of Americans who are suffering the economic effects caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. One source of relief provided by the CARES Act was the authorization of up to $349 billion in forgivable loans to small businesses for job retention and certain other expenses through the PPP, and $10 billion in low-interest loans to small businesses through the EIDL program. In April 2020, Congress authorized over $300 billion in additional PPP funding and $10 billion in additional EIDL funding, and in December 2020, Congress authorized another $284 billion in additional PPP funding.
The PPP allows qualifying small businesses and other organizations to receive loans with a maturity of two years and an interest rate of 1%. PPP loan proceeds must be used by businesses for payroll costs, interest on mortgages, rent, and utilities. The PPP allows the interest and principal to be forgiven if businesses spend the proceeds on these expenses within a set time period and use at least a certain percentage of the loan towards payroll expenses.
The EIDL program is designed to provide economic relief to small businesses that are currently experiencing a temporary loss of revenue. EIDL proceeds can be used to cover a wide array of working capital and normal operating expenses, such as continuation of health care benefits, rent, utilities, and fixed-debt payments. If an applicant also obtains a loan under the PPP, the EIDL funds cannot be used for the same purpose as the PPP funds.
The Fraud Section leads the Department of Justice’s prosecution of fraud schemes that exploit the CARES Act. In the months since the CARES Act was passed, Fraud Section attorneys have prosecuted more than 100 defendants in more than 70 criminal cases. The Fraud Section has also seized more than $65 million in cash proceeds derived from fraudulently obtained PPP and EIDL funds, as well as numerous real-estate properties and luxury items purchased with such proceeds. More information can be found at: https://www.justice.gov/criminal-fraud/cares-act-fraud.
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
Broken Bow Resident Sentenced to 72 Months for Ammunition PossessionRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Darin Dawayne Tate, age 42, of Broken Bow, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 72 months’ imprisonment and 3 years of supervised release for Felon In Possession Of Ammunition, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922(g)(1) and 924(a)(2). The charges arose from an investigation by the Idabel Police Department, the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
The Indictment to which the defendant previously entered a guilty plea alleged that on or about March 4, 2020, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma the defendant, having previously been convicted of a crime punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year, and knowing of such conviction, did knowingly possess in and affecting commerce, ammunition which had been shipped and transported in interstate and foreign commerce.
Acting United States Attorney Christopher J. Wilson said, “Federal law is very clear – felons should not possess firearms or ammunition. Enforcement of this law has long been a priority of the Department of Justice, and this case is a classic example of how local, state and federal law enforcement can work together to accomplish this mission.”
The Honorable John F. Heil, III, U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, in Muskogee, presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Clay Compton represented the United States. Tate was remanded to the custody of the United States Marshal to await commitment to a United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve his non-paroleable sentence of incarceration.
Broken Arrow Resident Sentenced to 60 Months, $14,000 Restitution for Involuntary Manslaughter in Indian Country, Driving Under the InfluenceRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Addison Paige Clark, age 30, of Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 60 months’ imprisonment and 3 years of supervised release for Involuntary Manslaughter In Indian Country, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 1112, 1151 and 1153; and Driving Under The Influence Of Alcohol Or Other Intoxicating Substance Resulting In Great Bodily Injury, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 13, 1151 and 1152. Clark was also ordered to pay $14,326.26 in restitution. The charges arose from an investigation by the Muskogee Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
The Information to which the defendant previously entered a guilty plea alleged that on or about June 21, 2019, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma, in Indian Country, the defendant, an Indian, did unlawfully kill Joshua Ray Jackson in the commission of an unlawful act not amounting to a felony, that is operating a motor vehicle under the influence of alcohol and a controlled substance, contrary to Title 47, Oklahoma Statutes Annotated, Section 11-902, without due caution and circumspection and with a wanton and reckless disregard for human life, and knew and should have known that her conduct imperiled the lives of others.
The Information further alleged that on or about June 21, 2019, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma, in Indian Country, the defendant, an Indian, did cause an accident in which E.J. suffered great bodily injury while driving a vehicle under the influence of alcohol and a controlled substance that made defendant incapable of safely driving a motor vehicle.
Acting United States Attorney Christopher J. Wilson said, “Driving under the influence of drugs and alcohol is a serious offense and poses a grave danger to the public. Any loss of life is tragic, but it is even more so when the situation could have been avoided by making proper choices. The defendant’s senseless decision to drive her vehicle under the influence of alcohol and cannabinoids resulted in a motorcyclist being killed and the motorcycle passenger being seriously injured. This office is committed to not only holding criminals responsible for their actions, but also supporting the survivors of their needless actions.”
The Honorable Ronald A. White, U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, in Muskogee, presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Clay Compton and Assistant United States Attorney Dean Burris represented the United States. Clark was remanded to the custody of the United States Marshal to await commitment to a United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve her non-paroleable sentence of incarceration.
Brockton Man Sentenced for Being a Felon in Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Brockton man was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition.
Anibal Pires, 30, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Allison D. Burroughs to 18 months in prison and three years of supervised release. In February 2020, Pires pleaded guilty to one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition.
On Nov. 29, 2018, Pires was found in Brockton in possession of a Taurus PT111, 9mm pistol and 10 rounds of 9 mm ammunition. Due to a prior felony conviction punishable by more than one year in prison, Pires is prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition.
Acting United States Attorney Nathaniel R. Mendell and Kelly D. Brady, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, Boston Field Division made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Brockton Police Department and the Norfolk County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney William B. Brady of Mendell’s Criminal Division prosecuted the case.
Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
Bridgeport Man Admits Stealing Social Security Benefits Delivered to Deceased FatherRead the Press Release
Leonard C Boyle, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that ADOLFO VARGAS, 43, of Bridgeport, pleaded guilty today to theft of public funds related to his illegal receipt of Social Security benefits.
Pursuant to the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act), the court proceeding before U.S. Magistrate Judge Donna F. Martinez occurred via videoconference.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Vargas’ father lawfully received Social Security Administration (“SSA”) monthly Retirement and Survivor Insurance benefit payments. When Vargas’ father became ill, he gave Vargas access to his bank accounts so Vargas could make purchases on his behalf and take care of his affairs after his death. Vargas’ father died in 2006, but the SSA was never informed of his death. Between 2006 and 2019, the SSA deposited approximately $111,000 into Vargas’ father’s account. During that time, Vargas used the account to make numerous ATM cash withdrawals, personal debit transactions and personal online purchases.
Vargas is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Vanessa L. Bryant on June 23, 2021, at which time he faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years. Vargas also has agreed to pay $93,092 in restitution.
Vargas is released on a $100,000 bond pending sentencing.
This matter is being investigated by the Social Security Administration Office of Inspector General. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Brendan Keefe.
Acting United States Attorney Mark J. Lesko, FBI Assistant Director-in-Charge and Homeland Security Investigations Special Agent-in-Charge Urge the Public to Report Hate CrimesRead the Press Release
Mark J. Lesko, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York announced today that the Office will double the size of its Civil Rights Section in the Criminal Division to provide additional resources to evaluate and, where appropriate, prosecute hate crimes. The Civil Rights Section will continue to be responsible for spearheading the Office’s prosecution of three types of offenses: (1) traditional civil rights crimes by individuals who operate under the color of law; (2) hate crimes; and (3) sex trafficking.
“The spiking number of hate crimes directed at Asian Americans in this District and throughout the country runs contrary to deeply-held American values of fairness, respect and equal treatment for all without regard to ethnic origin. The additional resources allocated to the Civil Rights Section reflect the commitment of this Office and its federal, state and local law enforcement partners to upholding these important and enduring values, which categorically reject hate, intolerance and the violence they spawn,” stated Acting U.S. Attorney Lesko. “We strongly encourage members of all communities to report hate-based crimes as we continue to work with our law enforcement partners to investigate and prosecute these crimes to the fullest extent of the law.”
Mr. Lesko thanked the District Attorneys of Brooklyn, Queens, Staten Island and Long Island for their cooperation and coordination, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI), Homeland Security Investigations; the New York City Police Department; and the Nassau and Suffolk County Police Departments for their continued partnership.
“Investigating hate crimes remains the highest priority of the FBI's civil rights program, and the public should know that we will continue to work hand in hand with all of our law enforcement partners to investigate any and all allegations of hate crimes. We can't investigate what we don't know, however, so I would urge anyone who has been the victim of a hate crime, or anyone who has witnessed a hate crime, to report this information to the FBI by calling 1-800-CALL-FBI or submitting a tip online at tips.fbi.gov. Victims should know that information may be reported anonymously and in their native language. Help us fight hate in our communities together,” stated FBI Assistant Director-in-Charge William F. Sweeney, Jr.
“Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) is proud to join together with the FBI and the United States Attorney’s Office, EDNY, in combatting the rising trend of Hate Crimes that we are seeing throughout our region. Every person should be free to live and worship as they wish without fear for repercussions or their safety,” stated HSI New York Special Agent-in-Charge Peter C. Fitzhugh. “Working with our partners, HSI will hold those who victimize others based on their nationality, race, religion or otherwise, responsible for their actions.”
27 Hotels Across Southern California and on Central Coast Sign Agreements to Improve Access for Persons with DisabilitiesRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – The United States Attorney’s Office announced today that it has signed agreements with 27 hotels across Southern California to resolve investigations pursuant to the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).
The agreements were finalized over a one-year period that began last April and concluded today with the 27th agreement. After federal investigations into the hotels revealed non-compliance with various provisions of the ADA pertaining to “public accommodations,” the various hotels agreed to remedy the violations, with some agreeing to stop the illegal practice of charging more for accessible rooms – a “disability tax” of up to $25 when compared to similar non-accessible rooms.
Various hotels also agreed to relief that includes adding additional accessible rooms and communication features for persons with disabilities, ensuring that booking websites provide sufficient information about accessible features, and the payment of civil penalties.
The hotels that have entered into settlement agreements with the United States Attorney’s Office are:
- The Knights Inn Los Angeles Central/Convention Center;
- The Mayfair Inn in Ontario (formerly called the Knights Inn Ontario);
- The Red Roof Inns in San Dimas-Fairplex and Santa Ana;
- Rodeway Inn & Suites in Beaumont, Canyon Lake (Riverside County), Corona, and Harbor City;
- Rodeway Inns, one near Venice Beach and a second in Encino;
- The Santa Fe Inn (formerly Rodeway Inn Near LA Live); and
- Super 8 hotels located in Cypress, Hollywood, Inglewood, North Hollywood, Redlands, and Torrance.
Ten entities have signed letters of resolution and agreed to come into compliance with the ADA. They are:
- Rodeway Inn & Suites in Hollywood and Lynwood;
- Two Rodeway Inn locations, one near Maingate Knott’s and one known as Regalodge (in Glendale);
- Vantage Point Inn (formerly known as Knights Inn Woodland Hills);
- Super 8 locations near LAX, and in Pasadena, Santa Clarita, and San Luis Obispo; and
- Red Lion Hotels Corporation.
“It is unfair and illegal for private entities that own or operate public accommodations such as hotels to discriminate against people with disabilities,” said Acting United States Attorney Tracy L. Wilkison. “I commend the hotels in this district that have demonstrated their commitment to ensuring full access for persons with disabilities by cooperating in our investigations and by agreeing to comply with the ADA.”
These matters were handled by Assistant United States Attorneys Acrivi Coromelas, Katherine Hikida and Matthew Nickell of the Civil Rights Section in the Civil Division.
For more information on the ADA, or to file a complaint, please call the ADA Information Line at 800-514-0301 or 800-514-0383 (TDD), or visit the ADA website at http://www.ada.gov.
Sunday 28 March 2021
Convicted Child Murderer Joseph Edward Duncan, III, Dies on Death RowRead the Press Release
BOISE – Joseph Edward Duncan, III, who was sentenced to death in 2008 for the kidnapping and murder of a nine-year-old north Idaho boy, died this morning. Duncan had been diagnosed with stage IV brain cancer. Duncan was in custody on death row at Terra Haute Federal Correctional Institution.
According to court records, on May 16, 2005, Duncan murdered the boy’s mother, her boyfriend, and the boy’s 13-year-old brother at their home just outside of Coeur d’Alene, Idaho. Duncan kidnapped the boy and his 8-year-old sister and took them into the Lolo National Forest in Montana where he tortured both children and murdered the boy. The 8-year-old girl was recovered on July 3, 2005, at a Denny’s restaurant in Coeur d’Alene and Duncan was arrested.
Duncan pleaded guilty in state court in 2006 to the murders of the family. His sentencing was stayed pending the federal prosecution for his crimes against the two younger children. Duncan pleaded guilty to the crimes against the children in December 2007. The jury empaneled for sentencing returned a verdict of death on all three counts for which Duncan was eligible. U.S. District Court Judge Edward J. Lodge then imposed the death sentence.
“This crime was horrendous and its impact on the families, the community, the jurors, court staff, our litigation team, and law enforcement were far reaching,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Rafael M. Gonzalez, Jr. “While his death will not bring back the lives cut so tragically short or remove the indelible memories of his unspeakable acts, perhaps death will now allow space for some degree of healing, peace, and closure.”
According to court records, from the time he was taken into custody in July 2005, Duncan confessed to all of his crimes and repeatedly sought to plead guilty. Investigators recovered photographic and video evidence of Duncan’s crimes. He also admitted to the murders of other children. He pled guilty in 2011 in a California state court for the 1997 murder of a 10-year-old boy and was sentenced to two life sentences. Due to the sentences he had already received, Duncan was not prosecuted for the murders of two sisters, 11 years old and nine years old, both of which occurred 1996 in Bothell, Washington, although he described to federal investigators how he committed the crimes.
Following his capital sentencing hearing, Duncan waived his right to appeal and in November 2008 notified Judge Lodge that “if any appeal is initiated on my behalf, it is done contrary to my wishes.” Judge Lodge again determined that Duncan was competent, this time to waive his right to appeal. Despite Judge Lodge’s repeated findings, his attorneys appealed to the Ninth Circuit claiming Duncan was not competent to waive his right to appeal. The Ninth Circuit determined that Judge Lodge should have conducted a hearing to explore the issue more fully. In early 2013, Judge Lodge held a twenty-three-day retrospective competency hearing. In December 2013, he issued a detailed order finding Duncan had been competent to waive his right to appeal. The Ninth Circuit affirmed Judge Lodge’s finding in 2015 and in 2016, the United States Supreme Court declined to hear the case. In 2017, Duncan’s lawyers filed a motion to set aside his sentence and conviction. That motion was denied by Judge Lodge on March 22, 2019. Duncan’s lawyers had been seeking an appeal of that order at the time of Duncan’s death.
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Saturday 27 March 2021
Federal Grand Jury B Indictments Announced- MarchRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney Clint Johnson today announced the results of the March 2021 Federal Grand Jury B.
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.
Eric Lee Adams. Aggravated Sexual Abuse by Force and Threat in Indian Country; Assault with a Dangerous Weapon in Indian Country. Adams, 42, of Pryor, allegedly threatened the victim with a knife, held it to her neck and raped her on Aug. 25, 2020. The Pryor Police Department and FBI are the investigative agencies.
Ricardo Avalos. Distribution of Methamphetamine; Maintaining a Drug-Involved Premises. Avalos, 21, of Tulsa, is charged with distributing 50 grams or more of methamphetamine on Jan. 14, 2021, and with maintaining a residence to distribute methamphetamine between Jan 14 and March 3, 2021. The Drug Enforcement Administration and Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies.
Issac Eli Pigeon and Austin Avelar. Robbery in Indian Country; Brandishing a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence. Pigeon, 18, and Austin Avelar, 18, both of Tulsa, allegedly aided and abetted one another during a robbery on Jan. 20, 2021. The two men are also charged with brandishing a firearm during the crime. The Tulsa Police Department and FBI are the investigative agencies.
Eric Steven Bentley, Nicole Marie Dileva, Derrick Wayne Deeds. Possession of Methamphetamine with Intent to Distribute; Possession of Fentanyl with Intent to Distribute; Possession of Firearms in Furtherance of Drug Trafficking Crimes; Felon in Possession of Firearms. Bentley, 34, Dileva, 34, and Deeds, 36, all of Bakersfield, California, are alleged to have aided and abetted each other to knowingly possess with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine on Oct. 31, 2020. They are also charged with knowingly possessing with intent to distribute fentanyl on Oct. 31, 2020. The trio are also charged possession of firearms to further their drug trafficking crimes: a Herman Weihrauch .38 Special caliber revolver and a Jimenez Arms, Inc., 9mm Luger caliber semi-automatic pistol. Finally, Bentley is also charged with being a felon in possession of firearms. The Mannford Police Department, Drug Enforcement Administration and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives are the investigative agencies.
Christine Marie Bowman and Rommel A. Navarro Jr. Child Abuse in Indian Country (COUNTS 1 and 2). Bowman and Navarro Jr. are each charged with aiding and abetting one another to commit child abuse. The defendants willfully and maliciously harmed and threatened harm to the health, safety, and welfare of a child under the age of 18 known to the Grand Jury, by striking and beating the child with a closed fist, belt, and hanger, and by wounding the child’s arms, abdomen, back, and legs. Navarro is also accused of feeding the child hot sauce. The Tulsa Police Department and FBI are the investigative agencies.
Matthew Dewane Carter, Donovan Dale Freeman, Courtney Rochelle Littlefield, Jonathan Michael Griffin, and Caleb Ross Lewis. Possession of Methamphetamine with Intent to Distribute; Drug Conspiracy; Possession of Methamphetamine with Intent to Distribute; Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury in Indian Country (2nd superseding). Carter, 32, of Pryor, Freeman, 28, of Choteau, Littlefield, 30, of Pryor, Griffin, 36, of Madill, and Lewis, 44, of Pryor, are charged with conspiring to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine. Carter is charged with possessing with intent to distribute methamphetamine on Aug. 23, 2019, and Freeman and Littlefield are also charged with possessing with intent to distribute methamphetamine on Jan. 22, 2020. Finally, Carter is charged with assaulting an individual on Feb. 25, 2020, while in the Mayes County jail. The Mayes County Sheriff’s Office and Pryor Police Department are the investigative agencies.
Edgar Chairez, Jaylene Algarin-Mora, First Name/Last Name Unknown aka Lupita. Drug Conspiracy; Distribution of Heroin; Possession of Heroin with Intent to Distribute; Maintaining a Drug-Involved Premises. Chairez, 19, of Tulsa, and FNU LNU aka Lupita are charged with conspiring to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute heroin. Chairez is charged with knowingly distributing heroin on Nov 18, 2020, and with knowingly possessing with intent to distribute 100 grams or more of heroin on March 2, 2021. Chairez and Algarin-Mora,19, of Tulsa, are charged with maintaining a residence to for the purpose of manufacturing, distributing and using marijuana, psilocybin mushrooms, and lysergic acid diethylamide. The Tulsa Police Department and Drug Enforcement Administration are the investigative agencies.
Pamela Kathryn Conley. Bank Fraud (Counts 1-20); Aggravated Identity Theft (Counts 21-23) (superseding). In this superseding indictment, Conley, 58, of Catoosa, has been charged with defrauding ten Oklahoma banks when she falsified and submitted documents to apply for $879,015.02 in loans. From September 2016 to Feb. 23, 2021, Conley allegedly executed a scheme to enrich herself by knowingly submitting loan applications containing false income and employment information at ten banks and credit unions. According to the indictment, Conley forged earning statements which she provided to the financial institutions as proof of income. Conley falsified the statements to reflect that she held positions such as manager and chief financial officer, earning a salary of $200,000 or more annually or $18,000 a month.
The indictment alleges that on occasion, when loans were secured with collateral, Conley created fictitious lien releases for the collateral, using the notarized signature of unwitting financial institution employees. Conley then caused the bogus lien releases to be filed with the Oklahoma Tax Commission, which in turn provided Conley with titles to the collateral, free and clear of any liens. Conley would then approach new lenders to obtain loans secured by collateral she did not own free and clear. IRS-Criminal Investigation and the U.S. Secret Service are the investigative agencies.
Johnny Little Cook. Murder – First Degree in Indian Country; Carrying, Using, Brandishing, and Discharging a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence. On Feb 24, 2021, Cook, 43, of Tulsa, allegedly shot and killed Xzavior Frost. He is further charged with discharging a firearm during a crime of violence. The Tulsa Police Department and FBI are the investigative agencies.
Kevin Tyler Foster. Murder – First Degree in Indian Country; Tampering with Documents and Proceedings by Corruptly Altering, Destroying, Mutilating, and Concealing a Record, Document, and Other Object. Foster, 35, of Bixby, is charged with deliberately and with premeditation shooting and killing Rick Swan on Nov. 15, 2018. He is further charged with setting fire to the victim’s recreational vehicle and body with intent to make it unavailable as evidence in the investigation. The Rogers County Sheriff’s Office and FBI are the investigative agencies.
Marvell William Gant. Felon in Possession of a Firearm. Gant, 39, of Memphis, Tennessee, is charged with being a felon in possession of a Hi-Point 9x19mm semi-automatic rifle. The Tulsa Police Department and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives are the investigative agencies.
Omar Heriberto Garcia-Luna. Unlawful Reentry of Removed Alien; Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition by an Alien Illegally in the United States (superseding). Garcia-Luna, 20, of Tulsa, was allegedly found to be in the United States illegally after being deported in April 2020. He is further charged with being a felon in possession of a CANIK 9 mm semi-automatic pistol and 18 rounds of ammunition. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives are the investigative agencies.
Christopher Hanks; Leonard Loyd Martin; Billie Jo Bunch. Hanks, 47, of Casa Grande, Arizona, and Martin, 59, and Bunch, 39, both of Mountain View, Missouri, are charged with conspiring to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine. The Drug Enforcement Administration, Oklahoma Highway Patrol, Oklahoma County Sheriff’s Office, and Oklahoma City Police Department conducted the investigation.
Shane Michael Hannaford. Bank Fraud (Counts 1-10). Hannaford, 39, of Tulsa, allegedly planned and executed multiple schemes to defraud investors and their banks of approximately $607, 170.61. The FBI is the investigative agency.
Joseph Alfred Hansen. Second Degree Murder in Indian Country; Assault with Intent to Commit Murder; Carrying, Using, and Discharging a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence. Hanson, 33, of Kansas, Oklahoma, is charged with willfully engaging in a felony that resulted in the death of Trifton Wacoche on Nov. 1, 2020. Hanson is further charged with aiding and abetting Wacoche in an assault with intent to kill another individual. He is further charged with carrying and discharging a firearm during the crime. The Cherokee Nation Marshal Service, Delaware County Sheriff’s Office, Mayes County Sheriff’s Office and the FBI are the investigative agencies.
Thelma Marie Karty. Child Abuse in Indian Country; Child Neglect in Indian Country; Assault Resulting in Substantial Bodily Injury in Indian Country. On March 11, 2020, Karty, 38, of Tulsa, allegedly assaulted a minor with a wooden stick, resulting in substantial bodily injury. She is also charged with child neglect. The Tulsa Police Department and FBI are the investigative agencies.
Jacob Patrick Krafft. Murder- Second Degree. Jacob Krafft, 39, of Helena, is charged with shooting and killing the victim with a rifle on Oct. 21, 2016. The Broken Arrow Police Department and FBI are the investigative agencies.
Brieanna Alyn Long. Threatening to Engage in Conduct Which Would Cause Bodily Injury to a Witness. Between Feb. 1 and Feb 20, 2021, Long, 22, of Reeds, Missouri, knowingly threatened to engage in conduct which would cause bodily injury to a witness who provided information to law enforcement relating to the possible commission of a federal offense. The FBI is the investigative agency.
Roberto Montel Madden; Cheetara Denise Venable. Felon in Possession of Firearm and Ammunition (Counts 1, 3, 4); Felon in Possession of Ammunition (Count 2) (superseding). Madden, 47, of Tulsa, is charged with being a felon in possession of a Beretta .40 S&W caliber pistol and ammunition and with being a felon in possession of 17 rounds of .40 S&W caliber ammunition discovered on Nov. 26, 2020. He is also charged with being a felon in possession of a Taurus 9mm caliber semi-automatic pistol, six rounds of 9mm Luger caliber ammunition, and one round of 9 mm caliber ammunition as aided by Venable and discovered on Jan. 18, 2021. Venable, 34, of Tulsa, is charged with being a felon in possession of a Taurus 9mm caliber semi-automatic pistol, six rounds of 9mm Luger caliber ammunition, and 1 round of 9 mm caliber ammunition as aided by Madden. The Tulsa Police Department and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives are the investigative agencies.
James Damien McIntosh. Sexual Abuse by Threat in Indian Country; Sexual Abuse of a Minor in Indian Country; Incest in Indian Country; Attempted Coercion and Enticement and Coercion and Enticement of a Minor to Engage in Sexual Activity. Between March 18, 2015, and Dec. 10, 2019, McIntosh, 43, of Tulsa, allegedly sexually abused a minor between the ages of 12 and 17. The defendant threatened the minor, forcing her to engage in sexual acts with him. Finally, he also used a cell phone and messaging app as part of his crimes. The Tulsa Police Department and FBI are the investigative agencies.
Badlands Justice McNally. Possession of Methamphetamine with Intent to Distribute; Possession of a Firearm During and in Relation to a Drug Trafficking Crime. On March 16, 2021, McNally, 29, of Tulsa, allegedly possessed with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine and possessed firearms in furtherance of his drug trafficking crimes. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations, Tulsa County Sheriff’s Office, Tulsa Police Department and U.S. Customs and Border Protection are the investigative agencies.
Johnny Edward Mize, Jr. Murder- Second Degree in Indian Country. Mize Jr., 35, of Tulsa, is charged with shooting and killing a Native American juvenile on July 4, 2017. The Tulsa County Sheriff’s Office and FBI are the investigative agencies.
Carl Gene Ortner, Jr. Transportation with Intent to Engage in Criminal Sexual Activity; Sexual Abuse of a Child in Indian Country; Abusive Sexual Contact in Indian Country; Possession of Parts of a Bald Eagle; Possession of Parts of a Golden Eagle (superseding). Ortner Jr., 57, of Quapaw, is charged with abusing a minor between 12 and 16 years of age and illegally possessing feathers, talons and heads from seven bald eagles and seven golden eagles. The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service - Office of Law Enforcement, Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation, Ottawa County Sheriff’s Department, FBI, and the Bureau of Indian Affairs are the investigative agencies.
Edward Joseph Parson. Aggravated Sexual Abuse of a Minor in Indian Country. Parson, 30, of Tulsa, is charged with sexually abusing a minor under the age of 12-years-old from Jan 1, 2018, to March 2019. The FBI is the investigative agency.
Elverio Pascual, Leticia Aguirre, Enrique Esquivel-Nieto, Nicholas Lee Givens. Drug Conspiracy. Pascual, 34, and Aguirre, 41, both residing in Oklahoma Department of Corrections facilities; Givens, 41, residing in an Oklahoma jail; and Esquivel-Nieto, 26, of Plano, Texas, are charged with conspiring to distribute or possess with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine. The FBI, Oklahoma Highway Patrol, Gray County Sheriff’s Office in Texas, Tulsa Police Department, and Oklahoma City Police Department are the investigative agencies.
Michael Douglas Provence. Assault Resulting in Substantial Bodily Injury to an Intimate Partner and Dating Partner in Indian Country; Assault of an Intimate Partner and Dating Partner by Strangling and Attempting to Strangle and Suffocate in Indian Country; Assault With a Dangerous Weapon in Indian Country. Provence, 43, of Sapulpa, charged with assaulting a female victim by striking her with his fist and wooden broom handle as well as strangling the victim on Dec. 14, 2018. The Sapulpa Police Department and FBI are the investigative agencies.
Bobby Dwain Schrimsher, Jr. Possession of Heroin with Intent to Distribute; Possession of Methamphetamine with Intent to Distribute; Maintaining a Drug-Involved Premises; Possession of Firearms in Furtherance of Drug Trafficking Crimes. Schrimsher Jr., 26, of Tulsa, is charged with knowingly possessing with intent to distribute heroin and methamphetamine. He is further charged with maintaining a residence for the purpose of distributing and using heroin, marijuana, and methamphetamine. Finally, he is charged with possessing a firearm to further his drug trafficking crimes. The Tulsa Police Department and FBI are the investigative agencies.
Jonhron Starks. Murder- Second Degree in Indian Country. Starks, 27, of Tulsa, is charged with shooting and killing Dre’Leigha Everidge-Taylor on Sept. 19, 2020. The Tulsa Police Department and FBI are the investigative agencies.
Christopher L. Weeley. Murder – Second Degree in Indian Country; Assault with Intent to Commit Murder in Indian Country; Carrying, Using, Brandishing, and Discharging a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence. On March 6, 2021, Weeley, 41, of Jay, is alleged to have shot and killed Annie Marie Weeley. He further shot a second victim with intent to commit murder. The Delaware County Sheriff’s Office and FBI conducted the investigation.
Kamau Jahi Williams. Distribution of Methamphetamine. Williams, 42, of Tulsa, is charged with knowingly distributing methamphetamine.
Friday 26 March 2021
Woman Sentenced for Bank RobberyRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LA – CATHOLINE HAMMETT, age 29, a resident of New Orleans, was sentenced on March 24, 2021 by the Honorable Lance Africk, announced U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans. HAMMETT was sentenced to 30 months imprisonment, 3 years of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment. The defendant was also ordered to pay $633 in restitution.
According to the indictment, on or about January 8, 2020, HAMMETT entered the Iberia Bank located at 3412 St. Charles, Ave in New Orleans. She handed the teller a note that claimed HAMMETT had a bomb, and demanded money. HAMMETT obtained approximately $633 and left the bank.
U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation in investigating this matter. The prosecution of this case is being handled by Assistant U. S. Attorney G. Dall Kammer, Chief of the General Crimes Unit.
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Waterloo Felon Sent Back to Federal Prison for Escaping Halfway HouseRead the Press Release
A Waterloo man who left a halfway house in August 2020 for Chicago was sentenced March 25, 2021, to one year in federal prison.
Robert Donzell Luckie, age 22, received the prison term after a December 7, 2020 guilty plea to one count of escape from custody. At guilty plea and sentencing hearings, Luckie admitted that, in December 2018, he was a sentenced in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Iowa to 27 months’ imprisonment and a three-year term of supervised release after he was convicted of possessing ammunition as a felon. Luckie was released from federal prison in May 2020 and, after he violated the terms of his supervised release, was ordered to reside in a Waterloo halfway house for 120 days beginning on July 31, 2020. The very next day, Luckie left the hallway house without permission and fled to Chicago. Only four days later, on August 5, 2020, Luckie was arrested in a traffic stop by the Chicago Police Department.
In October 2020, Luckie was sentenced to 18 months’ imprisonment for violating the terms of his supervised release by escaping to Chicago. Later that same month, a federal grand jury returned an indictment charging him with one count of escape from custody.
Luckie has three convictions for possessing firearms and ammunition unlawfully. At his original sentencing in federal court for possessing ammunition as a felon, the sentencing judge found Luckie posed a high risk to reoffend in light of his strong desire to possess firearms and ammunition notwithstanding the fact he is a felon.
Luckie was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams. Luckie was sentenced to 12 months’ imprisonment, which Judge Williams ordered to run consecutively to Luckie’s 18-month sentence for violating the terms of his supervised release. He must also serve a new three-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system. Luckie is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Tim Vavricek and investigated by the United States Marshal’s Service.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 20-CR-2052.
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Virginia Man Charged with Federal Offenses Relating to Traveling and Transporting a Minor for SexRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH - A former Virginia resident has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh on charges of Travel With Intent to Engage in Illicit Sexual Conduct, Transportation With Intent to Engage in Criminal Sexual Activity, and Obstruction of Justice—Hindering Communication Through Corrupt Persuasion, Acting United States Attorney Stephen R. Kaufman announced today.
The three-count Indictment, returned on March 9, 2021 and unsealed today, named Apipat Vutipawat, also known as "Viktor Vutipawat," "Viktor Koi," "Arty Freedom," and "Victor Kim," age 27, of Alexandria, Virginia, as the sole defendant.
According to the Indictment, from May 29, 2020 through June 2, 2020, Vutipawat travelled in interstate commerce with the purpose of engaging in any illicit sexual conduct with Minor A and transported Minor A, a person who had not yet attained the age of 18 years, from Pennsylvania to Virginia with the intent that Minor A engage in criminal sexual activity. The grand jury further charges that from May 29, 2020 through June 2, 2020, Vutipawat knowingly corrupted and persuaded Minor A with the intent to hinder, delay, or prevent the communication to a law enforcement officer of information relating to the commission or possible commission of a Federal offense.
"Combatting child sexual exploitation is one of our highest priorities." said Acting U.S. Attorney Kaufman. "We will continue our targeted law enforcement strategies to identify and prosecute sexual predators, especially those who travel across state lines intent on harming children."
"The sexual exploitation of children is a heinous offense," said James D. Abbate, Assistant Special Agent in Charge for Homeland Security Investigations Pittsburgh. "I commend the dedicated work of our agents and law enforcement partners. Together we were able to serve one of the most important roles of law enforcement – protecting our children."
The law provides for a maximum total sentence of not less than ten years in prison and not more than life, a fine of $750,000 or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney Heidi M. Grogan is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
Homeland Security Investigations-Pittsburgh, Homeland Security Investigations-York, Homeland Security Investigations-DC, Pennsylvania State Police, North Strabane Township Police Department, and the Fairfax County Police (Virginia) conducted the investigation leading to the Indictment in this case.
An Indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
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.