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26 April 2021
Two Men Charged with Laundering Money from Multiple Internet Romance ScamsRead the Press Release
SAN FRANCISCO – Kinston Osagie appeared today in United States District Court to face a federal indictment charging him and Roland Ighiwiyisi, also known as Roland Osagie, with conspiring to commit money laundering and charging him alone in four additional counts of laundering money from women duped in online romance scams, announced Acting United States Attorney Stephanie M. Hinds and United States Secret Service Special Agent in Charge James E. Anderson, Jr.
Osagie, 53, based in Los Angeles, and Ighiwiyisi, 40, based in Nigeria, are alleged in the indictment to have conspired to launder proceeds obtained from victims of wire fraud. According to the indictment, Osagie opened at least 18 different U.S. bank accounts between January 2015 and August 2020 which received approximately $6 million in cash, check, and wire deposits. Of that amount, the indictment alleges $3 million dollars is traceable primarily to victims of romance fraud.
The indictment describes romance scams as online schemes that target susceptible individuals looking for romantic partners on dating and social websites such as Tinder and Match.com. Scam artists create profiles using intriguing names, photos, personas, and locations to draw their online victims into romantic relationships. Victims become convinced they are engaged in true romance – though the fake romantic partners offer myriad excuses why they cannot meet face to face – and eventually the victims are persuaded to send money or gifts to their fake partners, which is appropriated by the scam artists.
Osagie and Ighiwiyisi are both charged in one count of the indictment with conspiracy to commit money laundering from March 2019 to April 2020, a time period in which Osagie transferred fraud victims’ money to accounts owned or controlled by Ighiwiyisi. Osagie is also charged in the indictment with four additional counts of specific acts of laundering money from romance scam victims. Of these four counts, three charge Osagie with laundering a total of $267,000 obtained from one woman who sent money to help a fake male persona named “Merry Mattias” she had met through Match.com. The fourth count charges Osagie with laundering $20,300 sent by another woman to a different fake persona she met through the online platform Words with Friends.
According to the indictment, Ighiwiyisi is owner and director of a company incorporated in Nigeria, banks at a Nigeria-incorporated bank, and is living or has resided in Nigeria. Osagie and Ighiwiyisi, according to the indictment, discussed their common mother who lived in Nigeria.
Kinston Osagie and Roland Ighiwiyisi, aka Roland Osagie, are charged with one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1956(h). Kinston Osagie is charged additionally with four counts of money laundering in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1957. Each count carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison and a maximum fine of $250,000, as well as three years of supervised release once imprisonment ends. Any sentence following conviction would be imposed by the court only after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal statute governing the imposition of a sentence, 18 U.S.C. § 3553.
An indictment merely alleges that crimes have been committed, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Osagie was arraigned on the indictment’s charges today before United States Magistrate Judge Jacqueline Scott Corley in United District Court in San Francisco today. Osagie was released on a $100,000 bond. His next appearance is scheduled for July 23, 2021, at 11 a.m., before the Honorable Susan Illston, U.S. District Court Judge.
Mohit Gourisaria is the Assistant U.S. Attorney who is prosecuting the case with the assistance of Nalini Rae Viavant, Mimi Lam, and Marina Ponomarchuk. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the United States Secret Service.
St. Francis Man Indicted on Assault ChargesRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney Dennis Holmes announced that a St. Francis, South Dakota, man has been indicted by a federal grand jury for Assault With a Dangerous Weapon.
Koty Arcoren, age 29, was indicted on April 13, 2021. He appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Mark A. Moreno on April 23, 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 March 7, 2021, in St. Francis, Arcoren assaulted an individual with a knife with intent to do bodily harm.
The charge is merely an accusation and Arcoren is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
The investigation is being conducted by the Rosebud Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kirk Albertson is prosecuting the case.
Arcoren was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending trial. A trial date has not been set.
St. Francis Man Indicted for Domestic Assault by an Habitual Offender and Child AbuseRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney Dennis Holmes announced that a St. Francis, South Dakota, man has been indicted by a federal grand jury for Domestic Assault by an Habitual Offender and Child Abuse.
Jeremy Iron, a/k/a Jeremy Red Tomahawk, age 36, was indicted on March 9, 2021. He appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Mark A. Moreno on April 23, 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 September 9, 2020, and October 27, 2020, in Todd County, South Dakota, Iron unlawfully committed a domestic assault and, at the time of the domestic assault, Iron had at least two prior convictions for offenses that would have been, if subject to federal jurisdiction, an assault against a spouse, intimate partner, or a child of or in the care of Iron. The Indictment further alleges that at the same time and place, Iron did abuse, expose, torture, torment, and cruelly punish two different children who had not attained the age of eighteen.
The charges are merely accusations and Iron is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
The investigation is being conducted by the Rosebud Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kirk Albertson is prosecuting the case.
Iron was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending trial. A trial date has not been set.
South Yarmouth Man Pleads Guilty to Fentanyl and Heroin OffensesRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A South Yarmouth man pleaded guilty today in federal court in Boston to fentanyl and heroin offenses.
Dustin Monick, 23, pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl and 100 grams or more of heroin and one count of possession with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl. U.S. District Court Judge Nathaniel M. Gorton scheduled sentencing for Sept. 8, 2021. Monick was charged by criminal complaint in August 2020.
In December 2019, Monick was stopped by police in Yarmouth for multiple traffic violations. After speaking briefly with police, Monick fled the scene in his vehicle, but was stopped shortly thereafter. Police observed a backpack in Monick’s vehicle during the stop, which was later found along the road and contained over 600 grams of heroin and fentanyl. During his arrest, two keys were found on Monick’s person. One key opened a storage locker used by Monick and the other opened a safe, which contained over two kilos of fentanyl and $100,068 cash.
The charging statute provides for a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years and up to life in prison, a least four years and up to life of supervised release and a fine of up to $10 million. The government is also seeking forfeiture of the cash found in the storage locker. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Acting United States Attorney Nathaniel R. Mendell; Brian D. Boyle, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division; and Yarmouth Police Chief Frank Frederickson made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Nadine Pellegrini of Mendell’s Narcotics & Money Laundering Unit is prosecuting the case.
South Philadelphia Drug Trafficking Ringleader Sentenced to Nearly 20 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – Acting United States Attorney Jennifer Arbittier Williams announced that Basil Bey, 31, of Philadelphia, PA, was sentenced to 19.5 years in prison, and six years of supervised release by United States District Judge Gerald A. McHugh for conspiring to distribute heroin and crack cocaine, and distributing heroin and crack cocaine, including near a playground.
Bey’s sentence comes after a jury returned guilty verdicts in December 2017 against Bey and three of his co-conspirators, all from Philadelphia, who have already been sentenced for their roles in the conspiracy: Reginald White, 34, was sentenced to 17.5 years, Tyrik Upchurch, 33, was sentenced to 18 years and seven months; and Amin Wadley, 29, was sentenced to 15.5 years. Six other defendants, also all from Philadelphia, previously pleaded guilty and were sentenced by Judge McHugh for their roles in the conspiracy: Sidney Cornish, 31; Dassan Cornish, 29; Jerome Lyles, 36; Rhasul Lucas, 32; Jihad Thorne, 24; and Quaadir Crawford, 32.
As presented at trial, from at least April 2015 through December 2016, Bey was the leader of a narcotics trafficking organization that sold heroin (including fentanyl-laced heroin) and crack cocaine nearly 24 hours a day, seven days a week, to buyers in South Philadelphia. The group, which included White, Upchurch, Wadley, Sidney and Dassan Cornish, Lyles, Lucas, Thorne, and Crawford as members, sold and delivered narcotics in shifts in order to serve customers day and night. Bey, Upchurch, and Wadley also maintained residences around Philadelphia in order to store and package the narcotics for distribution. Due to the dedicated efforts of law enforcement in this case, approximately thirty-five controlled purchases of heroin and/or crack were made from this drug group—all captured on video. Law enforcement also lawfully obtained a wiretap that captured some of the group’s cell phone activity.
“Drug trafficking is an insidious activity that destroys and demoralizes neighborhoods,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Williams. “Basil Bey was an expert at it, a career criminal committed to living a life of crime, and now he will pay the price by spending decades in prison. This is the just punishment that awaits drug dealers facing federal charges.”
“The FBI is committed to keeping communities safe from predators like Basil Bey and the members of his drug trafficking organization,” said Michael J. Driscoll, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Philadelphia Division. “Bey’s actions and that of his co-conspirators are particularly heinous given that they trafficked in dangerous narcotics made even more lethal as they were laced with fentanyl. Today’s sentence sends the message to drug organizations and gang members that if you traffick in illegal drugs, we, along with our law enforcement partners, will hunt you down and bring you to justice.”
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Philadelphia Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Jason Bologna and Kevin Jayne.
Shannon Kepler Found Guilty of Using a Firearm in the Commission of Second Degree Murder and of Assault with a Dangerous Weapon in Indian CountryRead the Press Release
After six hours of deliberation, a federal jury found Shannon Kepler guilty of murdering 19-year-old Jeremey Lake and for firing at Lake’s younger brother on August 5, 2014. At the time of the murder, Kepler was a 24-year veteran of the Tulsa Police Department.
Shannon Kepler, 60, was taken into custody by U.S. Marshals moments after the verdict. He will be sentenced on Aug. 11, 2021.
“Today, Shannon Kepler was found guilty of using and discharging a firearm in the second degree murder of Jeremey Lake and for assaulting Lake’s brother with a firearm in Indian Country after his previous state conviction was dismissed as a result of the U.S. Supreme Court’s McGirt decision. I am thankful for today’s verdict, and the jury is to be commended for their service,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. “I’m extremely proud of the FBI and Tulsa Police Department as well as Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ross Lenhardt and Sean Taylor for their tireless preparation and successful prosecution of Mr. Kepler in federal court.”
Jury selection occurred on Monday, April 19, before U.S. District Judge Gregory K. Frizzell, followed by opening statements and testimony starting April 20. In his opening, Assistant U.S. Attorney Ross Lenhardt set the scene. Shannon Kepler and his wife were having a difficult time with their adopted daughter, Lisa. The behavior continued, and the Keplers eventually dropped her off at a homeless shelter shortly after she turned 18. Kepler provided her with no clothing—other than what she was wearing, no money, no cell phone, and no credit cards.
Days after dropping her off, Kepler logged into Lisa’s Facebook page and saw she was suddenly “in a relationship” with Jeremey Lake. Kepler’s attorney stated that Kepler was “alarmed” with what he saw on Lake’s Facebook page, and, while still at work, Kepler requested a records clerk to run a search on Lake’s history. Kepler learned that Lake was the victim of child abuse at a very young age and was previously charged as a juvenile after pushing a social services worker. Those charges did not result in a conviction.
Kepler then copied down Lake’s last known address—202 North Maybelle Avenue—on the printed arrest and booking sheet involving Lake. Later, Kepler changed clothes, waited until dark, retrieved his .357 magnum revolver, and drove his wife’s dark SUV to the home where Lake was staying. Kepler testified that he knew the revolver would not leave shell casings at the scene. Kepler arrived at approximately 9 pm and saw his daughter and Lake walking together. He tried to talk to his daughter, but she rebuffed him and started walking toward the home. As Lake stood in the street, Kepler pulled his revolver and shot Jeremey Lake twice, quickly causing his death. Kepler then turned and fired at least three more rounds in the direction of the witnesses—Lake’s friend Josh Mills, Lake’s 13-year-old brother Michael Hamilton, and Kepler’s own daughter, Lisa. Hamilton was sitting on the home’s front porch at the time and was slightly injured during the shooting. Kepler then fled the scene, testifying that he knew his fellow Tulsa police officers would be hunting for him, his vehicle, and his weapon. He abandoned the SUV at a former Motel 6 just off the Broken Arrow Expressway and eventually turned himself in. Approximately 14 hours after the shooting, his former attorney brought the still-loaded murder weapon into the Tulsa Police Station in a zip lock bag.
When testifying, Kepler claimed that, although no gun was ever found at the scene, he shot Lake in self-defense after Lake “got the jump on him,” pulling a shiny, semi-automatic pistol from his pants pocket. While Kepler’s attorney argued that a gun found in the Tulsa Police Department several days later “could” have been taken from the scene, expert and forensic evidence proved that the two incidents were unrelated.
The prosecution proved that Kepler had not only heard about the unrelated gun, but that he had also been provided with police reports and photographs of it before ever testifying.
In his closing statement, Lenhardt reviewed the charges and critical evidence that supported a finding of guilty on each count. The prosecution asked the jury to conclude that although Kepler alleged that he went to 202 North Maybelle to confront his daughter, he actually went there to confront Lake. The evidence proved that once there, Kepler shot Lake twice, and then began shooting at the witnesses that were present.
Kepler appealed his October 2017 state manslaughter conviction on grounds that his case should have been tried in federal court based on the McGirt v. Oklahoma U.S. Supreme Court ruling since he was a citizen of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation and the shooting took place on the nation’s Reservation.
The FBI and Tulsa Police Department joined forces to lead the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ross E. Lenhardt and Sean J. Taylor are prosecuting the case. Mr. Lenhardt is a prosecutor from the Western District of Pennsylvania, and Mr. Taylor is a prosecutor from the Eastern District of Texas. Both 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.
Riverside Man Arrested on Federal Charge of ‘Animal Crushing’ After Allegedly Slitting His Dog’s Throat and Posting Video on SnapchatRead the Press Release
RIVERSIDE, California – Authorities this morning arrested a Riverside man on a federal charge alleging that he slit the throat of his young dog, produced a short video of the dying puppy, and posted the video on his Snapchat account.
Angel Ramos-Corrales, 19, was arrested without incident this morning by the FBI and the Riverside Police Department. Ramos-Corrales is expected to make his initial appearance this afternoon in United States District Court in Riverside.
Ramos-Corrales was named in a federal criminal complaint filed Friday that charges him with animal crushing, a federal crime of purposely subjecting certain types of animals to serious bodily injury not related to hunting or other lawful activity. The animal crushing statute carries a sentence of up to seven years in federal prison.
According to the affidavit in support of the complaint, the Riverside Police Department received a complaint on February 13 soon after Ramos-Corrales allegedly posted a video on Snapchat depicting the small brown dog with a large laceration on its neck. On the video, a person believed to be Ramos-Corrales makes a series of statements, including “I’m cold-hearted,” and then callously kicks the still-alive dog, which he had named Canelo, the complaint alleges.
Riverside Police officers went to Ramos-Corrales’ residence, where they found him with fresh blood stains on his clothes, as well as freshly cut wounds on his hand, according to the affidavit. Inside his house, officers found the severely injured dog lying on a bed and observed blood spatters in both the bedroom and bathroom.
During the investigation, the police officers located a roommate who said he locked himself in his bedroom after observing blood spatter and the dog wrapped in a rug while Ramos-Corrales was in his room yelling, the affidavit states.
Animal control officers responded to the residence on February 13 and removed the barely alive dog, according to the affidavit, which notes a veterinarian had to euthanize the animal after determining Canelo also had fractured bones in his head and chest.
During interviews with FBI agents in early March that are outlined in the affidavit, Ramos-Corrales said he purchased Canelo as a small puppy from a Craigslist posting several months earlier, and he claimed not to recall the details of what he had done to the dog.
This matter is being investigated by the FBI, which received substantial assistance from the Riverside Police Department. The Riverside County District Attorney’s Office received the initial referral from the Riverside Police Department, and, after reviewing the matter and conferring with the United States Attorney’s Office, a decision was made that federal prosecutors would file the case.
Assistant United States Attorney Julius J. Nam of the Riverside Branch Office is prosecuting this case.
A criminal complaint is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Registered Sex Offender Pleads Guilty to Child Pornography ChargeRead the Press Release
CONTACT: Barbara Burns
PHONE: (716) 843-5817
FAX #: (716) 551-3051ROCHESTER, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy, Jr. announced today that Charles Augrom, III, 35, of Bath, NY, pleaded guilty to possession of child pornography following a prior child pornography conviction before U.S. District Judge Elizabeth A. Wolford. The charge carries a minimum penalty of 10 years in prison, a maximum of 20 years, a $250,000 fine and a lifetime period of supervised release.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kyle P. Rossi, who is handling the case, stated that in July 2020, an undercover law enforcement officer was investigating individuals who use peer to peer file sharing applications to share child pornography over the internet. During the undercover session, the officer downloaded numerous pictures and videos of child pornography that traced back to an IP address belonging to the defendant. Some of the images and videos included children younger than 12 years old engaged in sexual conduct with adults, as well as depictions of violence. On December 10, 2020, investigators executed a search warrant at Augrom’s William Street residence and seized electronic items that were later found to contain more than 600 images depicting child pornography. The defendant is a Level III register sex offender on the New York State Sex Offender Registry, following two prior New York State child pornography convictions.
The plea is the result of an investigation by the Corning Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Stephen Belongia.
Sentencing is scheduled for Jul 21, 2021, before Judge Wolford.
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Puerto Rico resident admits to drug chargeRead the Press Release
MARTINSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Jean Carlos Rivera Aponte, of San Juan, Puerto Rico, has admitted to a drug charge, Acting U.S. Attorney Randolph J. Bernard announced.
Aponte, 30, pleaded guilty today to one count of “Aiding and Abetting Possession with Intent to Distribute Cocaine Hydrochloride.” Aponte admitted to having more than 61 grams of cocaine hydrochloride in March 2019 in Jefferson County.
Aponte faces up to 20 years of incarceration and a fine of up to $1,000,000. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Lara Omps-Botteicher is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The Eastern Panhandle Drug Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, and the Ranson Police Department investigated.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Robert W. Trumble presided.
New Jersey Man Indicted for Tax Evasion and Not Filing Tax ReturnsRead the Press Release
A federal grand jury in Newark, New Jersey, returned an indictment on April 1, 2021, charging a Springfield man with tax evasion and willful failure to file individual income tax returns.
According to the indictment, Jonathan Michael was a mechanic employed by a company engaged in managing the operations of a port in New Jersey. From 2014 through 2018, Michael allegedly earned over $1.6 million in income from all sources, including the port-operating company. In February 2014, as alleged in the indictment, Michael submitted an IRS Form W-4, “Employee’s Withholding Allowance Certificate,” to the port-operating company that falsely claimed he was exempt from federal income tax withholding. The indictment further alleges that Michael willfully did not file federal individual income tax returns for 2014 through 2018, despite having a legal obligation to do so.
Michael is charged with one count of tax evasion and five counts of willful failure to file tax returns. The defendant made his initial court appearance today before a U.S. Magistrate Judge in the U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey. If convicted, he faces a maximum sentence of five years in prison for the tax evasion and one year in prison for each failure to file count. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and Acting U.S. Attorney Rachael A. Honig for the District of New Jersey made the announcement.
The IRS-Criminal Investigation is investigating the case.
Trial Attorney Michael C. Vasiliadis of the Tax Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew F. Nikic of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey are prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Monongalia County man admits to his role in a drug trafficking operationRead the Press Release
CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Andrew Benson, of Morgantown, West Virginia, has admitted to his role in a drug trafficking conspiracy, Acting U.S. Attorney Randolph J. Bernard announced.
Benson, 34, pled guilty today to one count of “Conspiracy to Distribute Heroin and Cocaine Base.” Benson admitted to working with others to distribute the drugs from March 2018 to September 2020 in Monongalia County and elsewhere.
Benson faces up to 20 years of incarceration and a fine of up to $1,000,000. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Zelda E. Wesley is prosecuting the cases on behalf of the government. The Drug Enforcement Administration, the Mon Metro Drug & Violent Crimes Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, and the Monongalia County Sheriff’s Office investigated.
This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael John Aloi presided.
Related press release: https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndwv/pr/seventeen-people-charged-heroin-and-crack-cocaine-distribution-operation
Monmouth County Man Sentenced to 57 Months in Prison for Unlawfully Possessing MachinegunRead the Press Release
TRENTON, N.J. – A Monmouth County, New Jersey, man was sentenced today to 57 months in prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm and unlawfully possessing a machinegun, Acting U.S. Attorney Rachael A. Honig announced.
Davon Harley, 30, of Neptune City, New Jersey, previously pleaded guilty by videoconference before U.S. District Judge Peter G. Sheridan to an indictment charging him with one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm and one count of unlawful possession of a machinegun. Judge Sheridan imposed the sentence today in Trenton federal court.
According to documents filed today and statements made in court:
In February 2020, a Neptune City Police officer confronted Harley, a previously convicted felon, who was arguing with others in the yard of an apartment complex. Harley fled through the apartment complex into neighboring properties and discarded a handgun that, upon inspection, had been altered to fire exclusively in fully automatic mode. The weapon had a magazine capable of holding 31 rounds of ammunition. Law enforcement officers, assisted by the Neptune Township and Asbury Park police departments, located Harley and the machinegun and magazine that Harley had discarded. The magazine contained 22 rounds of ammunition.
In addition to the prison term, Judge Sheridan sentenced Harley to three years of supervised release.
This case is part of Project Guardian, the Department of Justice’s signature initiative to reduce gun violence and enforce federal firearms laws. Initiated by the Attorney General in the fall of 2019, Project Guardian draws upon the Department’s past successful programs to reduce gun violence; enhances coordination of federal, state, local and tribal authorities in investigating and prosecuting gun crimes; improves information sharing by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives when a prohibited individual attempts to purchase a firearm and is denied by the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS), to include taking appropriate actions when a prospective purchaser is denied by the NICS for mental health reasons; and ensured that federal resources are directed at the criminals posing the greatest threat to our communities. For more information about Project Guardian, please see https://www.justice.gov/projectguardian.
Acting U.S. Attorney Honig credited special agents of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, Newark Division, Trenton Field Office, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Craig B. Kailimai; officers of the Neptune City Police Department, under the direction of Police Director Matthew Quagliato; officers of the Neptune Township Police Department, under the direction of Chief of Police James M. Hunt, Jr.; officers of the Asbury Park Police Department, under the direction of Chief of Police David Kelso; officers of the Monmouth County Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Sheriff Shaun Golden; and detectives of the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Prosecutor Christopher J. Gramiccioni, with the investigation leading to today’s sentencing.
The government is represented by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Matthews of the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Criminal Division in Trenton.
Mission Man Indicted on Carjacking, Robbery, and Assault ChargesRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney Dennis Holmes announced that a Mission, South Dakota, man has been indicted by a federal grand jury for Carjacking, Robbery, Assault With a Dangerous Weapon, and Assaulting, Resisting and Impeding a Federal Officer.
Eurico Da Silva-Roubideaux, a/k/a Eurico Roubideaux, age 20, was indicted on March 9, 2021. He appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Mark A. Moreno on April 23, 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 7, 2021, in Todd County, South Dakota, Da Silva-Roubideaux assaulted an individual with a hammer with intent to do bodily harm and stole the individual’s vehicle. The Indictment further alleges that on February 8, 2021, Da Silva-Roubideaux did forcibly assault, oppose, impede, intimidate, and interfere with law enforcement officers who were employed by the Rosebud Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services, and that such conduct involved the use of a vehicle operated by Da Silva-Roubideaux.
The charges are merely accusations and Da Silva-Roubideaux is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
The investigation is being conducted by the Rosebud Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kirk Albertson is prosecuting the case.
Da Silva-Roubideaux was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending trial. A trial date has not been set.
Member of Violent Robbery Crew Sentenced to More Than 18 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — A man has been sentenced to more than 18 years in federal prison for participating in a violent robbery crew that targeted cell phone stores in the Chicago area and downstate.
ANTONIO EDWARDS and two co-defendants engaged in a conspiracy to rob a series of cell phone stores in 2017. The crew conducted takeover-style robberies in which two or three robbers would enter a store and order employees to the back of the store at gunpoint. The robbers then loaded phones into bags and fled the store. Edwards personally participated in three of the heists – in Chicago, Waukegan, and Bradley – and he brandished a gun during the Waukegan and Bradley robberies.
Edwards, 26, of Chicago, pleaded guilty to conspiracy and robbery charges, and a jury convicted him after a trial on charges of brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence. U.S. District Judge Elaine E. Bucklo on Friday imposed a prison sentence of 18 years and eight months.
The sentence was announced by John R. Lausch, Jr., United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois; and Emmerson Buie, Jr., Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI. Valuable assistance was provided by police departments in Chicago, Waukegan, Bradley, Mount Prospect, North Aurora, Skokie, and Homewood. The government was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Aaron R. Bond and Kristen Totten.
Two other members of the robbery crew – ANDREW MCHANEY, 29, of Chicago, and JAMES BATES, 60, of Chicago – previously pleaded guilty and were sentenced to federal prison terms of more than 14 years and more than eight years, respectively.
Married Couple Indicted for Underreporting over $1.1 Million in Taxable IncomeRead the Press Release
LAS VEGAS, Nev. – A married couple made their initial appearances in federal court on Wednesday for their alleged roles — in connection with a sleep study fraud scheme — to evade payment of taxes on more than $1.1 million in income, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Christopher Chiou for the District of Nevada and Acting Assistant Special Agent in Charge Carissa Messick for IRS Criminal Investigation.
According to court documents, Oganes Berberyan, 63, and Valentina Zemlyak, 63, both of Las Vegas, allegedly attempted to evade paying taxes owed to the IRS for tax years 2014 through 2016. From November 2014 to December 2015, co-defendant Armen Magzanyan (a/k/a “Arman Magzanyan” and “Arman Magz,” 43) operated GR8SLEEP.com, d/b/a Las Vegas Sleep Lab, which claimed to conduct monitored sleep studies. As part of a fraudulent scheme, Las Vegas Sleep Lab billed a health insurance company more than $5 million, claiming to have performed hundreds of sleep studies. But it did not actually provide any of those services.
The fraudulent scheme caused the health insurance company to pay more than $1.8 million to Las Vegas Sleep Lab. Berberyan, Zemlyak, and Magzanyan used the proceeds of their scheme to pay for various personal expenses, including private school tuition, luxury vehicles, and real property purchase and mortgage payments:
Berberyan and Zemlyak evaded paying federal income taxes owing and due on income from this scheme, as well as from other sources. They did so in part by having bank accounts in business names pay their personal expenses directly, including approximately $1.14 million in payments towards the purchase of real property and mortgage payments. In each of tax years 2014 through 2016, Berberyan and Zemylak had a joint taxable income greater than the amount they reported to the IRS.
Magzanyan has been charged with three counts of mail fraud, three counts of health care fraud, nine counts of monetary transactions in criminally deprived property, and two counts of attempted evasion of tax assessment.
Berberyan and Zemlyak made their initial appearances on April 21, each charged with three counts of attempted evasion of tax assessment. A jury trial has been scheduled before U.S. District Court Judge Jennifer A. Dorsey on June 22, 2021. Magzanyan is considered a fugitive and a warrant remains outstanding for his arrest. Anyone with information as to Magzanyan's whereabouts is asked to please contact your local law enforcement office, the IRS Criminal Investigation by calling (702) 868-5093, or the FBI by calling 1-800-CALLFBI (225-5324) or at TIPS.FBI.GOV.
If convicted: (a) Berberyan and Zemlyak each face a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison, $750,000 or twice the gross gain or loss, and up to three years of supervised release; and (b) Magzanyan faces a maximum sentence of 190 years in prison, a fine of $4.25 million or twice the gross gain or loss, and up to three years of supervised release.
An indictment is merely an allegation and every defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
The case is being investigated by the FBI, IRS Criminal Investigation, and the Nevada Attorney General’s Office.
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Man from Mescalero sentenced to 18 months in federal prison for threating federal officials in Indian CountryRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Thaddeus Ponce, 58, of Mescalero, New Mexico, an enrolled member of the Mescalero Apache Tribe, was sentenced in federal court on April 15 to 18 months in prison for influencing federal officials by threat.
Ponce pleaded guilty to this offense on Feb. 5, 2021. According to the plea agreement, Ponce admitted to calling the Bureau of Indian Affairs’ (BIA) emergency dispatch multiple times from Aug. 10, 2019, to Oct. 7, 2019, in Otero County, New Mexico. Ponce threatened to kill federal dispatch operators and their families during numerous recorded calls. The BIA dispatch center is located on the Mescalero Reservation.
Upon his release from prison, Ponce will be subject to three years of supervised released.
The Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) investigated this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron O. Jordan is prosecuting the case.
Man Placed Skimmers on ATMs and Used the Stolen Info to Steal Cash from Victims' AccountsRead the Press Release
Erie, Pa. - An individual believed to have entered the United States illegally in March 2018 pleaded guilty in federal court to charges of access device fraud and aggravated identity theft, Acting United States Attorney Stephen R. Kaufman announced today.
Janos Vaczi, 50, pleaded guilty to four counts before United States District Judge Susan Paradise Baxter.
In connection with the guilty plea, the court was advised that from March 2018 to June 22, 2019, Vaczi and his co-conspirators installed ATM skimming equipment on numerous ATM machines throughout Northwest Pennsylvania. The skimming equipment unlawfully captured the bank account and personal identity information of numerous individuals. Vaczi and his cohorts then placed the unlawfully captured information on to other cards which they then used at various ATM machines to unlawfully obtain thousands of dollars in victim funds.
During the investigation, the FBI searched a storage locker that Vaczi had rented in the Pittsburgh area. Inside the storage locker the FBI discovered hundreds of cards that contained stolen bank account information which enabled Vaczi and his co-conspirators to use the cards at various ATM machines to steal funds from the victims’ bank accounts. Vaczi’s storage locker also contained $10,000, ATM skimming equipment and numerous fake passports and international driver’s licenses bearing Vaczi’s picture but with different names.
Shortly before the FBI apprehended Vaczi, he attempted to bury hundreds of cards containing stolen identity information near a grocery store in the Pittsburgh area. Agents noticed that the ground had been disturbed in the area where Vaczi had been standing and discovered the cards shortly thereafter.
Judge Baxter scheduled sentencing for August 25, 2021. The law provides for a total sentence of 11 years in prison, a fine of $1,000,000, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney Christian A. Trabold is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Vaczi.
Madison Man Sentenced to 72 Months for Methamphetamine TraffickingRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, Acting United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Keefer Goodman, 29, Madison, Wisconsin, was sentenced on Friday, April 23, by U.S. District Judge William M. Conley to 72 months in federal prison for possessing with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. This prison term will be followed by 4 years of supervised release.
In the early morning of July 21, 2020, law enforcement officers were dispatched to a two-vehicle crash in Madison. EMS personnel believed the driver, Goodman, had overdosed. Officers found a loaded Ruger 9mm handgun on the front passenger seat. Goodman was revived after the administration of Narcan, and he admitted to drinking alcohol and smoking marijuana prior to the car accident and said he did heroin earlier that night. Officers searched Goodman’s car and found 269.3 grams of methamphetamine, 7.3 grams of cocaine, 35.6 grams of marijuana, a pouch of baggies, a scale, and two switchblade knives. They also found $1,820 in Goodman’s pocket. He was previously convicted of a felony and was prohibited from possessing a firearm. Goodman was on active state extended supervision for a drug conviction at the time of the accident.
In imposing the sentence, Judge Conley highlighted the dangerous combination of impaired driving with possessing a large quantity of drugs and a loaded gun.
The charge against Goodman was the result of an investigation conducted by the Madison Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. The prosecution of the case was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven Anderson.
Lower Brule Man Indicted for Involuntary ManslaughterRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney Dennis Holmes announced that a Lower Brule, South Dakota, man has been indicted by a federal grand jury for Involuntary Manslaughter.
Eugene Skunk, age 42, was indicted on September 9, 2020. He appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Mark A. Moreno on April 22, 2021, and pled not guilty to the Indictment.
The maximum penalty upon conviction is up to eight years in federal prison and/or a $250,000 fine, three years of supervised release, and $100 to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Restitution may also be ordered.
The Indictment alleges that on July 26, 2020, in Lower Brule, Skunk killed another human being by operating a motor vehicle in a grossly negligent manner.
The charge is merely an accusation and Skunk is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
The investigation is being conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Bureau of Indian Affairs, Lower Brule. Assistant U.S. Attorney Troy Morley is prosecuting the case.
Skunk was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending trial. A trial date has not been set.
Lisbon Man Indicted for Production and Distribution of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
CONCORD – Dennis Bousquet, 31, of Lisbon, was indicted by a federal grand jury on Monday and charged with one count of production of child pornography and one count of distribution of child pornography, Acting United States Attorney John J. Farley announced today.
Bousquet was arrested on a criminal complaint on March 31, 2021. The complaint alleges that on March 30, 2021, Bousquet took sexually explicit images of a minor female and sent them to an undercover law enforcement officer through an online chat group.
Bousquet is being detained pending trial. A trial date has not yet been scheduled.
The charges in the indictment are only allegations. The defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation with assistance from the New Hampshire State Police.
Lincoln Man Pleads Guilty to Possessing Firearms after Domestic Violence ConvictionRead the Press Release
BANGOR, Maine: A Lincoln man pleaded guilty in federal court today to possessing firearms after being convicted of a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence, Acting United States Attorney Donald E. Clark announced.
According to court records, in May 2020, law enforcement officers were called to the home of Matthew Cole, 34, after a family fight complaint. While on scene, officers learned that Cole had recently possessed two firearms—a 9 mm semi-automatic handgun and a shotgun. After obtaining a search warrant, officers found the shotgun in Cole’s bedroom. Officers found Cole about two miles away from his residence. He admitted that he had thrown a handgun while he was walking on the road and directed troopers to the gun on the ground. During a subsequent interview, Cole admitted that he was the handgun’s owner. He stated that he purchased the gun two or three years ago in Mattawamkeag. Cole was prohibited from possessing firearms following a 2018 conviction for Domestic Violence Assault in Penobscot County.
Cole faces up to 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000. He also faces up to three years of supervised release. He will be sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigation report by the U.S. Probation Office.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Penobscot County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case.
Kentucky Man Pleads Guilty to Environmental CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Christopher Hall, 43, of Pikeville, Kentucky, pleaded guilty today to violating the Clean Water Act.
According to court documents, Hall managed the town of Matewan’s Publicly Owned Treatment Works (POTW), a facility designed to collect and remove domestic sewage sludge from wastewater and then properly treat the wastewater. After the water is treated and tested, the water can be safely discharged into the Tug Fork River. The removed sludge is to be dried and then properly disposed in a landfill designated to receive dried sewage sludge. It is a requirement of the Clean Water Act that the sludge removal process and disposal must be reported every month to the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection to ensure proper operation of the treatment facility. As manager of the POTW, Hall was responsible for monitoring the sludge removal and accurately reporting its monthly removal to a landfill.
On August 20, 2018, Hall falsely reported in a sludge management report that five tons of sludge had been removed from the Matewan POTW, properly dried, and then disposed at a permitted landfill. In fact, no sludge had been removed from the facility. Hall admitted to submitting a total of ten false sludge management reports indicating that a total of 55 tons of sludge had been removed from the facility and disposed in the landfill from July 2017 to June 2018. Hall further admitted that he knew all ten reports were false and that no sludge was disposed of at a landfill when he submitted the false reports.
Hall pleaded guilty to making a false statement on a sludge management report and faces a maximum possible sentence of two years in prison, a $250,000 fine, one year of supervised release, and an order of restitution when he is sentenced on July 22, 2021.
Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)-Criminal Investigations Division, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection.
United States District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin presided over the hearing. EPA Attorney Perry McDaniel and Assistant United States Attorney Erik S. Goes are prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:21-cr-00048.
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KC Man Pleads Guilty to Illegal FirearmsRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City, Mo., man who distributed a video of himself holding a gun to the head of a blindfolded man pleaded guilty in federal court today to illegally possessing firearms.
Sean A. Winston, 44, of Kansas City, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Howard F. Sachs to being a felon in possession of firearms.
By pleading guilty today, Winston admitted he was in possession of a Rossi .38-caliber revolver and a Springfield Armory .40-caliber semi-automatic handgun on April 10, 2018.
According to court documents, an individual contacted law enforcement on April 8, 2018, to report that Winston sent him a video, via text message, in which Winston was holding a handgun to the head of a blindfolded man. Police officers contacted family members, who said they also had received the video. The video showed an unidentified man, who was blindfolded and was sitting on a couch with his hands in the air in a surrendering posture. In the video, Winston said the blindfolded man should be dead. The blindfolded man replied with “I love you, Sean. I love you, Sean.” Winston appeared to be angry and agitated in the video.
Winston’s family members said the blindfolded man appeared to be one of Winston’s associates, who was later identified and located. The man acknowledged that he was in the video, but he did not want to cooperate with the prosecution.
On April 10, 2018, police officers arrested Winston and searched his residence, where they found both firearms.
Under federal law, it is illegal for anyone who has been convicted of a felony to be in possession of any firearm or ammunition. Winston has prior federal felony convictions for distributing a controlled substance and being a felon in possession of a firearm.
Winston is subject to a sentence of up to 10 years in federal prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Moeder. It was investigated by the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Project Safe Neighborhoods
The U.S. Attorney’s Office is partnering with federal, state, and local law enforcement to specifically identify criminals responsible for significant violent crime in the Western District of Missouri. A centerpiece of this effort is Project Safe Neighborhoods, a program that brings together all levels of law enforcement to reduce violent crime and make neighborhoods safer for everyone. Project Safe Neighborhoods is an evidence-based program that identifies the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develops comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, Project Safe Neighborhoods focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
Judges sentences St. Louis County man for child pornography chargesRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – United States District Judge Stephen R. Clark sentenced Harry Hamm to 68 months in prison today. The 79-year-old Chesterfield, Missouri resident pleaded guilty, in February, to two counts of possession of child pornography and one count of access with intent to view child pornography.
On April 19, 2019, officers from the St. Ann Police Department, obtained a search warrant to search Hamm’s premises and conducted the search on the same day. Police then contacted the St. Louis Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. A special agent obtained a federal search warrant to search the items seized by St. Ann Police from Hamm, his home and Hamm’s employer, including two iPhones, an Acer laptop computer, an iPad and a Toshiba laptop. The items were then searched by a forensic examiner.
A forensics examiner located on Hamm’s iPhones deleted web history showing the phones were used to search for and view child pornography. The examiner also found images of child pornography.
The examiner found deleted images of child pornography on Hamm’s Acer laptop, deleted web history showing searches for a viewing of child pornography on Hamm’s iPad and computer search terms consistent with child pornography on Hamm’s Toshiba laptop computer.
The special agent obtained, through Canada’s legal process, Hamm’s Shoebox account, which revealed images of child pornography. Hamm used his iPhone and the internet to access his Shoebox account between March 1, 2018 and April 18, 2019.
Altogether, Hamm possessed 57 images of child pornography. Some included prepubescent minor children engaged in sexually explicit conduct, sadistic or masochistic conduct or other acts of violence.
The FBI and St. Ann Police Department investigated the case. Assistant United States Attorney Rob Livergood is handling the case.
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Houston bounty hunter sentenced for running international sex trafficking conspiracyRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – A 30-year-old Houston bounty hunter has been ordered to prison following his convictions of sex trafficking, conspiracy to commit visa fraud and international money laundering, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Jennifer B. Lowery.
Luis de Jesus Rodriguez aka Htown Hunter pleaded guilty July 8, 2020.
Today, U.S. District Judge Lynn N. Hughes sentenced Rodriguez to a total of 180 months in federal prison for leading an international sex trafficking ring. At the hearing, the court heard a statement from a victim and considered other victim letters detailing the emotional, physical and financial impact of Rodriguez’s sex trafficking scheme. He must also serve 10 years on supervised release and be required to register as a sex offender.
“This case sends a strong message to those who benefit from the exploitation of vulnerable women,” said Lowery. “To those criminal organizations that engage in human trafficking, whether international or domestic, we will combine forces with our local, state and foreign counterparts to find you, arrest you and bring you to justice.”
In 2016, Rodriguez and his international criminal network targeted, recruited and exploited young women in Colombia and the United States by making false promises of a better life. Rodriguez directed them to watch YouTube videos portraying him as a bounty hunter in order to assure the women he was affiliated with law enforcement and could be trusted.
However, once here, the women had to work at Michael’s aka Chicas Locas, a Houston strip club located at 6440 Southwest Freeway. Rodriguez and others forced the victims to sign debt bondage contracts with debts ranging from $13,200 to $25,000. They also had to make daily payments of approximately $250.
During the conspiracy, Rodriguez threatened victims and their families in Colombia, constantly monitored them, tracked their cellphones and ultimately forced them into engaging in commercial sex acts.
When a victim wanted to leave or was non-compliant, Rodriguez resorted to violent methods and claimed it was useless to try to get help due to his purported connections with law enforcement.
Rodriguez also engaged in widespread visa fraud to facilitate the international transportation of the victims. He created fictitious background and occupations to increase the likelihood that visa applications would be approved.
Rodriguez 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 Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service, Houston Police Department and IRS-Criminal Investigation led the investigation as part of the Human Trafficking Rescue Alliance (HTRA) with the assistance of Harris County District Attorney’s Office, Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission, Department of Labor and its Wage and Hour Division along with police departments in Memorial Village and Los Angeles, California. The Attorney General’s Office of Colombia also provided significant assistance.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Eun Kate Suh and Sebastian Edwards are prosecuting the case along with Trial Attorney Kate Hill from the Department of Justice’s Human Trafficking Prosecution Unit.
HTRA law enforcement also includes members of the FBI, Homeland Security Investigations, Texas Attorney General’s Office, Texas Department of Public Safety, Department of Homeland Security – OIG, Social Security Administration – OIG and Sheriff’s Offices in Harris and Montgomery counties in coordination with District Attorney’s offices in Montgomery and Fort Bend Counties.
Established in 2004, the U.S. Attorney’s office in Houston formed HTRA to combine resources with federal, state and local enforcement agencies and prosecutors, as well as non-governmental service organizations to target human traffickers while providing necessary services to those that the traffickers victimized. Since its inception, HTRA has been recognized as both a national and international model in identifying and assisting victims of human trafficking and prosecuting those engaged in trafficking offenses.
High-Ranking Grape Street Crip Gang Member Sentenced for Drug Trafficking and Firearms ViolationsRead the Press Release
Memphis, TN – Albert "GEE GEE" Green, 25, has been sentenced to 97 months in federal prison as a convicted felon in possession of a firearm and possession of a firearm in the furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Acting U.S. Attorney, Joseph C. Murphy, Jr., announced the verdict today.
According to the information presented in court, on May 30, 2019, at 5:20pm, detectives with the Multi-Agency Gang Unit were conducting surveillance in the area of East Shelby
Drive, Memphis, Tennessee, when they observed wanted suspect Albert Green aka "GEE GEE," a well-known high-ranking member of the Grape Street Crips Peda Roll Mafia Gang. Green, who was observed at a local gas station in a Silver Mercedes C320, attempted to drive away from the pump with the gas nozzle still attached to his vehicle in order to avoid arrest. Green was placed under arrest on the outstanding warrant.
A search of the vehicle revealed a Ruger 9mm caliber pistol loaded with one live round in the chamber and approximately seven live rounds in the magazine under the driver’s seat, and fifty-six (56) white pills identified as 2mg Alprazolam located in the glove compartment. The name on the prescription bottle had been deleted. Green also had $4,762.00 in cash in his left front pocket.
Green had a purple bandana tied to his jeans indicating his membership in the Grape Street Crips Gang. At the time of his arrest, Green was on state probation for sale of cocaine.
As a result of his prior felony convictions for the sale of cocaine, Green is prohibited by federal law from possessing firearms or ammunition.
On April 21, 2021, U.S. District Judge Mark S. Norris sentenced Green to 97 months in federal prison to be followed by three years supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Multi-Agency Gang Unit, the Shelby County Fugitive Apprehension Team and the Tennessee Department of Probation and Parole.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Raney Irwin prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
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Harnett County Man Pleads Guilty to Production of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
RALEIGH, N.C. – An Angier man pled guilty today to Production of Child Pornography.
According to court documents and other information presented in court, Raul Ayala Jr., 72, was accused of sexual molesting a prepubescent minor. Upon the minor’s disclosure, Ayala was confronted and admitted to some of the conduct but claimed there were explanations for the behavior. Law enforcement was notified, and Fuquay-Varina Police Department began an investigation. Detectives interviewed Ayala and Ayala admitted to touching the child and performing oral sex on the child. He also admitted he had taken some nude photographs of the child, but insisted they were innocent photographs. In addition, Ayala admitted he had molested children in the 1970’s.
A search warrant was executed at Ayala’s residence in Angier and multiple digital devices were seized. In addition, in the attic law enforcement found a briefcase that contained adult pornography and child pornography. In the briefcase were Polaroid pictures of nude minor children, dating back to the late 1960’s and early 1970’s. On Ayala’s digital devices, law enforcement found lascivious images of the minor child who disclosed sexual abuse along with child pornography unrelated to the minor child.
Homeland Security Investigators sought to identify the minor males in the Polaroid photographs. Agents identified one of the males who affirmed he was one of the children in the Polaroids and he disclosed that Ayala had molested him, beginning when he was eight years old.
G. Norman Acker, III, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after the plea was entered by U.S. District Judge Terrence W. Boyle. Fuquay-Varina Police Department, Harnett County Sheriff’s Office, and the Department of Homeland Security Investigation investigated the case and Assistant U.S. Attorney Charity Wilson and Charles Schmitz with the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section prosecuted the case.
Gulf Shores Man Sentenced to Five Years for Child Pornography OffenseRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Sean P. Costello of the Southern District of Alabama announced that Zachary Wood, 22, of Gulf Shores, Alabama, was sentenced today in federal court on a charge of receipt of child pornography. Wood pled guilty to the charge in January of 2021.
According to court documents filed in connection with his guilty plea, the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency received a tip that eight files had been uploaded to Google Drive on February 1, 2018, some of which were reported to contain a visual depiction of children engaged in sex acts. Google provided specific information related to the IP address and email address associated with the account and the uploads. ALEA investigators issued a subpoena to CenturyLink to obtain the subscriber information associated with the IP address. On May 8, 2018, agents executed a search warrant at the address in Gulf Shores. Wood is a resident at that address. Wood was interviewed and admitted to transmitting the images. Agents analyzed four devices and found over 10,000 images of child pornography and child erotica.
The analysts also located numerous images involving human mutilation, including images of dismembered females posed for pictures and images of necrophilia with mutilated corpses. There were multiple series of files that focus on the mutilation of a single victim. There were multiple instances of naked females that are impaled and roasting on a spit. Wood also had authored a note on his phone where he expressed hatred and disdain for women, that he believes they should only be used as sexual objects for men, and that they should be killed once they reach age 60.
United States District Court Judge Jeffrey Beaverstock imposed a sentence of 60 months imprisonment. The judge ordered that Wood be supervised by federal probation officers for the rest of his life, beginning upon his discharge from prison. Upon his release from prison, Wood will be required to undergo sex offender treatment and to register as a sex offender. Judge Beaverstock ordered that Mitchell pay $5100 in special assessments and $135,415 in restitution. Wood will be prohibited from have any contact with minors.
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 and for information about internet safety education, visit www.usdoj.gov/psc
The case was investigated by the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency and Homeland Security Investigations. It was prosecuted in the United States Attorney’s Office by Assistant United States Attorney Kacey Chappelear.
Grant County woman admits to meth chargeRead the Press Release
ELKINS, WEST VIRGINIA – Betty Arlene Chapman, of Cabins, West Virginia has admitted to her role in a methamphetamine and fentanyl distribution operation, Acting U.S. Attorney Randolph J. Bernard announced.
Chapman, 42, pled guilty today to one count of “Possession with Intent to Distribute at Least Five Grams of Methamphetamine - Aiding and Abetting.” Chapman admitted to working with others to distribute five grams or more of methamphetamine in January 2020 in Grant County.
Chapman is facing at least five and up to 40 years of incarceration and a fine of up to $5,000,000. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen D. Warner is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The Potomac Highlands Drug & Violent Crimes Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, investigated. The task force consists of the FBI, West Virginia State Police, Mineral County Sheriff’s Office, Hampshire County Sheriff’s Office, Grant County Sheriff’s Office, and the Keyser Police Department.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael John Aloi presided.
Graduate Student Pleads Guilty to Child EnticementRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney Jan Sharp announced that Zhijun Xia, age 30, of China, entered a plea of guilty on April 23, 2021 in federal court in Lincoln, Nebraska, to Coercion and Enticement of a Minor before United States Magistrate Judge Cheryl R. Zwart. Xia’s sentencing hearing was scheduled for July 23, 2021 at 1:30 pm in front of Chief United States District Court Judge John M. Gerrard. Coercion and Enticement of a Minor is punishable by a mandatory minimum of 10 years’ imprisonment up to life imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, both imprisonment and a fine, a special assessment of $5,000, and a term of supervised release of no less than 5 years up to a lifetime term of supervised release.
Between June 1, 2018 to February 28, 2020, Xia was a graduate student at the University of Nebraska Omaha. Xia is a Chinese national. Xia met Victim 1’s mother and Victim 1’s mother hired Xia to tutor Victim 1 in the Chinese language. Xia began tutoring Victim 1 in June of 2018. Xia met Victim 1 in person for the tutoring sessions and began communicating with Victim 1 over the social media application WeChat. Xia began inquiring over WeChat about Victim 1’s sexual history.
On July 10, 2018, Victim 1 attended a summer camp at the University of Nebraska in Lincoln. Xia messaged Victim 1 over the Internet using WeChat about his plan to visit her in Lincoln on July 11. During this conversation, Xia discussed various forms of birth control with Victim 1 in response to Victim 1 relaying her fears of becoming pregnant while in high school. Xia reserved a room at the Red Roof Inn and Suites in Lincoln for the night of July 11. Xia picked up Victim 1 from the University of Nebraska campus and took Victim 1 to the Red Roof Inn, where he subjected Victim 1 to sexual penetration. Xia was 27 years of age and Victim 1 was 15 years of age. It is a crime under Nebraska State law for someone over the age of 25 to subject someone between the ages of 12 and 16 to sexual penetration. Immediately following this incident, Xia continued to message Victim 1 on WeChat regarding the July 11 incident.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Omaha Police Department, the University of Nebraska-Omaha Police Department, and the Lincoln Police Department.
Former South Carolina Sheriff and Former Deputies Convicted of Conspiracy, Misuse of Funds, and Other OffensesRead the Press Release
A federal jury convicted a former South Carolina sheriff and two of his former deputies of conspiracy and a range of other charges, such as deprivation of civil rights during an unlawful arrest, falsification of records, and various charges relating to their misuse of funds and personnel.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, former Sheriff of Chester County, South Carolina, George Alexander Underwood, 57, of Chester, former Chester County Sheriff’s Office Chief Deputy Robert Andrew Sprouse, 46, of Ridgeway, and former Chester County Sheriff’s Office Lieutenant Johnny Ricardo Neal Jr., 41, of Lancaster, conspired to use their positions to enrich themselves by obtaining money to which they were not entitled, cover up their misconduct, and obstruct investigations into their misconduct. Evidence showed Underwood and Sprouse violated the rights of a Chester County resident, K.S., who was filming the Sheriff’s Office’s response to a crash scene on Nov. 20, 2018, by arresting him without probable cause. When the FBI began investigating these civil rights violations, Sprouse and Neal tried to cover up what happened by creating a false incident reports and Sprouse made false statements to the FBI.
Additionally, court documents and evidence presented at trial showed the three defendants directed on-duty Sheriff’s Office employees to provide manual labor or other services that personally benefited Underwood and Sprouse, including requiring them to help with extensive renovations of a barn on Underwood’s property in order to add a bar, a television viewing area, and other amenities. Underwood and Sprouse took family members on a trip to a conference in Reno, Nevada, and charged the cost to the Sheriff’s Office. Underwood and Neal also engaged in a scheme in which they skimmed money from payments owed to other Sheriff’s Office employees for off-duty work at public safety checkpoints.
Underwood, Sprouse, and Neal were removed from their positions with the Chester County Sheriff’s Office in approximately May 2019 after they were initially indicted by a federal grand jury.
Underwood was convicted of conspiracy, deprivation of rights, federal program theft, and wire fraud. Sprouse was convicted of conspiracy, falsification of records, false statements, and federal program theft. Neal was convicted of conspiracy, deprivation of rights, falsification of records, federal program theft, and wire fraud. A sentencing date has not yet been set. Each defendant faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence
Acting Assistant Attorney General Nicholas L. McQuaid of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division made the announcement.
The FBI investigated the case. The Office of the Attorney General of South Carolina and the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division aided the investigation.
Trial Attorneys William M. Miller and Rebecca M. Schuman of the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section are prosecuting the case. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of South Carolina investigated and initially indicted the case.
Former School Athletic Trainer Going to Prison for 15 Years for Enticing A MinorRead the Press Release
CONTACT: Barbara Burns
PHONE: (716) 843-5817
FAX #: (716) 551-3051ROCHESTER, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy, Jr. announced today that Austin Pratt, 32, of Conesus, NY, who was convicted of enticement of a minor, was sentenced to serve 180 months in prison by U.S. District Judge Elizabeth A. Wolford.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Melissa M. Marangola, who handled the case, stated that between November 2018 and February 2019, the defendant, while working as a school athletic trainer, engaged in an ongoing relationship with a minor. Pratt used Instagram and Facebook to communicate with the minor, encouraging the victim to engage in a sexual relationship and to exchange sexually explicit photos with him.
The sentencing is the result of an investigation by the New York State Police, under the direction of Major Barry Chase; the Rochester Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Stephen Belongia; and the Livingston County District Attorney’s Office, under the direction of District Attorney Gregory J. McCaffrey.
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Former Phone Company Employee Pleads Guilty for Role in Sim Swap Scam Conspiracy That Targeted at Least 19 Customers, Including New Orleans ResidentRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS – U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that STEPHEN DANIEL DEFIORE, age 36, a resident of Brandon, Florida, pleaded guilty as charged before United States District Judge Jay C. Zainey after previously being charged in a one-count Bill of Information with conspiracy to commit wire fraud, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 371 and 1343, for his role in a subscriber identification module (SIM) Swap scam that targeted at least nineteen people, including a New Orleans-area physician.
According to court documents, a SIM Swap scam is a cellular phone account takeover fraud that results in the routing of a victim’s incoming calls and text messages to a different phone. Once a perpetrator is able to swap the SIM card, it is likely he is able to obtain access to a victim’s various personal accounts, including email accounts, bank accounts, and cryptocurrency accounts, as well as any other accounts that use two-factor authentication.
From August 2017 until November 2018, DEFIORE worked as a sales representative for Phone Company A. In that capacity, DEFIORE had access to the accounts of Phone Company A’s customers, including the ability to switch the SIM card linked to a customer’s phone number to a different phone number. Between October 20, 2018, and November 9, 2018, DEFIORE accepted multiple bribes, typically in the amount of approximately $500 per day, to perform SIM swaps of Phone Company A customers identified by a co-conspirator. For each SIM swap, a co-conspirator sent DEFIORE a customer’s phone number, a four-digit PIN, and a SIM card number to which the phone number was to be swapped. In total, DEFIORE received approximately $2,325 in a series of twelve payments. Among the individuals whose accounts DEFIORE accessed was Victim A, a New Orleans resident, whose phone number was swapped on November 10, 2018, to a SIM card contained in an Apple iPhone 8 that was in the possession of Richard Li. Li was charged with his role in the offense in June 2020. Sentencing before Judge Zainey has been scheduled for July 27, 2021.
U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Jordan Ginsberg, Chief of the Public Corruption Unit, is in charge of the prosecution.
Former New York Giant on Home Confinement Under CARES Act Charged with Narcotics TraffickingRead the Press Release
Audrey Strauss, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Raymond P. Donovan, Special Agent in Charge of the New York Division of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (“DEA”), Peter C. Fitzhugh, Special Agent-in-Charge of the New York Field Office of Homeland Security Investigations (“HSI”), Dermot Shea, the Commissioner of the New York City Police Department (“NYPD”), and Marty Raybon, the Acting Director of the New York Office of Customs & Border Protection (“CBP”) announced that Clyde Hall, a/k/a “Peter,” was arrested on April 24, 2021, in New York, New York. A criminal Complaint was subsequently filed in Manhattan federal court charging HALL with possessing with intent to distribute over five kilograms of suspected cocaine. HALL, a former professional football player with the New York Giants, was previously sentenced in 2010 to 20 years in prison following his conviction for various financial fraud crimes. HALL was serving his prison sentence and was recently released to home confinement by the Bureau of Prisons (“BOP”) under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (“CARES ACT”), which expanded the authority of the Director of the BOP to place federal prisoners on home confinement earlier than otherwise permissible. HALL was arrested on the instant narcotics charge while on home confinement and will be presented today before United States Magistrate Judge Gabriel W. Gorenstein.
As alleged in the Complaint unsealed in Manhattan federal court[1]:
On April 24, 2021, HALL was found in possession of approximately seven kilograms of suspected cocaine, which he attempted to sell to a confidential source. In addition, HALL claimed that another five kilograms was on its way.
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HALL, 82, of New York, NY, is charged with narcotics distribution, which carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years and a maximum sentence of life imprisonment. The statutory maximum penalty is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant would be determined by the judge.
Ms. Strauss praised the outstanding investigative work of the DEA, HSI, NYPD, and CBP.
This case is being handled by the Office’s Narcotics Unit. Assistant United States Attorney Ni Qian is in charge of the prosecution.
The charge contained in the Complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
[1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Complaint and the description of the Complaint set forth herein constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.
Former Law Enforcement Officer Sentenced to over 18 Years in Federal Prison for Child Exploitation OffensesRead the Press Release
Memphis, TN – Matthew Berry, 42, of Eads, Tennessee has been sentenced to 220 months in federal prison for child exploitation offenses. Acting United States Attorney, Joseph C. Murphy, Jr., announced the sentence today.
According to information presented in court, on June 25, 2019, an undercover operative with the Michigan City (Indiana) Police Department who was investigating child exploitation found a computer that was making child sexual abuse material (CSAM) available over the internet. Based on the IP address, the officer determined the computer was in the Western District of Tennessee and alerted the FBI’s Child Exploitation Task Force.
A search warrant was executed at the Bells, Tennessee, residence of Matthew Berry, who was at the time, a Crockett County Sheriff’s Deputy. Berry admitted to investigators that he had been obtaining and viewing child sexual abuse material for "a long time." Forensic examination of Berry’s digital devices confirmed that Berry had been seeking out CSAM since at least 2002. The investigation also revealed that Berry surreptitiously took photographs of the buttocks of females (adults and minors) in public places and had a sexual relationship with a minor during his time as a law enforcement officer. Berry previously worked as an officer in Halls, Ripley, Maury City, and Brownsville.
The FBI Child Exploitation Task Force, Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, Crockett County Sheriff’s Department and the Michigan City (Indiana) Police Department investigated this case.
On April 23, 2021, Chief U.S. District Judge S. Thomas Anderson sentenced Berry to 220 months in federal prison to be followed by five years’ supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Debra L. Ireland prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
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Department of Justice Announces Investigation of the Louisville/Jefferson County Metro Government and Louisville Metro Police DepartmentRead the Press Release
Attorney General Merrick B. Garland announced today that the Department of Justice has opened a pattern or practice investigation into the Louisville/Jefferson County Metro Government (Louisville Metro) and the Louisville Metro Police Department (LMPD). The investigation will assess all types of force used by LMPD officers, including use of force on individuals with behavioral health disabilities or individuals engaged in activities protected by the First Amendment. The investigation will assess whether LMPD engages in discriminatory policing, and also whether it conducts unreasonable stops, searches, seizures, and arrests, both during patrol activities and in obtaining and executing search warrants for private homes. The investigation will include a comprehensive review of LMPD policies, training, and supervision, as well as LMPD’s systems of accountability, including misconduct complaint intake, investigation, review, disposition, and discipline.
“There are approximately 18,000 federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies in this country. In each one, dedicated officers put themselves in harm’s way to protect others,” said Attorney General Garland. “Promoting public trust between communities and law enforcement is essential to making both communities and policing safer. Our enforcement efforts, as well as our grant-making and other support, will contribute to achieving that end and to protecting the civil rights of everyone in our country.”
Department of Justice officials informed Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer, LMPD Chief Erika Shields, County Attorney Mike O’Connell, and Louisville Metro Council President David James of the investigation. As part of this investigation, the Department of Justice will reach out to community groups and members of the public to learn about their experiences with LMPD.
“The Constitution and federal law require law enforcement officers to treat all people fairly and equitably, regardless of race, disability, or participation in protected First Amendment activities,” said Pamela S. Karlan, Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division. “The investigation we are announcing today will examine whether these laws are being violated, while also analyzing the root causes of any violations we may find.”
The investigation is being conducted pursuant to the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994 which prohibits state and local governments from engaging in a pattern or practice of conduct by law enforcement officers that deprives individuals of rights protected by the Constitution or federal law. The Act allows the Department of Justice to remedy such misconduct through civil litigation. The department will be assessing law enforcement practices under the First, Fourth, and Fourteenth Amendments to the U.S. Constitution, as well as under the Safe Streets Act of 1968 Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act.
The investigation will be led by the department’s Civil Rights Division and conducted by career attorneys and staff in the Civil Rights Division and in the Civil Division of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Kentucky. Individuals with relevant information are encouraged to contact the Department of Justice via email at [email protected] or by phone at 1-844-920-1460. Individuals can also report civil rights violations regarding this or other matters using the Civil Rights Division’s reporting portal, available at www.civilrights.justice.gov.
Additional information about the Civil Rights Division is available on its website at www.justice.gov/crt. Additional information about the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Kentucky is available at https://www.justice.gov/usao-wdky.
Information specific to the Civil Rights Division’s Police Reform Work can be found here: https://www.justice.gov/crt/file/922421/download.
Convicted Sex Offender Sentenced to Nearly 20 Years for Possessing Images and Videos Depicting the Sexual Abuse of ChildrenRead the Press Release
Ocala, Florida – Senior United States District Judge John Antoon II has sentenced Terry George Zimmerman (73, Lady Lake) to 19 years and 7 months in federal prison for possessing materials depicting the sexual exploitation of children. Zimmerman was also sentenced to a life term of supervision, ordered to register as a sex offender, and must pay $21,000 in restitution to identified child victims.
A federal jury had found Zimmerman guilty on November 19, 2020.
According to testimony and evidence presented at trial, officers from the Lady Lake Police Department executed a search warrant at Zimmerman’s residence and seized several of his computers and other electronic devices. During a subsequent forensic examination of the devices, agents from Homeland Security Investigations recovered from Zimmerman’s 2 computers and 12 USB drives nearly 2,400 images and over 300 videos depicting young children being sexually abused and tortured.
Prior to this offense, in 1995, Zimmerman was convicted as a sex offender in federal court in New York for possessing child pornography.
“It is a travesty when a previously convicted federal sex offender commits the same crime,” said HSI Orlando Assistant Special Agent in Charge David Pezzutti. “But thanks to our HSI special agents, the Lady Lake Police Department, and the Ocala Police Department, he will now return to prison, making our local communities a safer place.”
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, the Lady Lake Police Department, and the City of Ocala Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Michael P. Felicetta and Tyrie K. Boyer.
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.
Convicted Felon Sentenced to More Than 11 Years for Possessing Pictures and Movies Depicting the Sexual Abuse of Children and for Unlawful Possession of A FirearmRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – U.S. District Judge Brian J. Davis has sentenced Michael John Jordan (39, Jacksonville) to 11 years and 3 months in federal prison for possessing child sexual abuse images and videos and for possessing a firearm as a previously convicted felon. The court also ordered Jordan to serve a lifetime term of supervised release and forfeit 22 electronic devices, a shotgun, and ammunition. He must also to register as a sex offender. As part of his sentence, Jordan was ordered to pay $17,000 in restitution to several child victims.
Jordan had pleaded guilty on February 19, 2020.
According to court documents, the investigation began in September 2018 through CyberTip reports sent to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children involving the upload of illegal content received from several electronic service providers. Further investigation revealed that Jordan was the source of the uploads referenced in the CyberTip reports, and that he had used multiple different platforms to share material depicting the abuse of children. On February 20, 2019, agents from Homeland Security Investigations, with assistance from the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office and the Clay County Sheriff’s Office, executed a search warrant at Jordan’s home and seized several dozen electronic devices. Forensic analysis of these devices revealed more than 1,000 images and videos of child pornography, some of which depicted the sexual assault of infants and toddlers. Jordan had used sophisticated encryption techniques to conceal his internet trafficking of child sexual abuse material, including layered security measures and elaborate password protection.
During the search of Jordan’s residence, agents recovered a loaded 12-gauge pistol-grip firearm. In 2014, Jordan was convicted of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and is therefore prohibited from possessing firearms.
“This convicted felon obviously did not learn his lesson the first time,” said HSI Jacksonville Assistant Special Agent in Charge K. Jim Phillips. “thanks to HSI special agents, the Clay County Sheriff’s Office and the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office, he will be returning to prison for a second time, this time for possession of child pornography and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.”
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, the Clay County Sheriff’s Office, and the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kelly S. Karase.
This is another case brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Colorado Man Sentenced for Sexual Exploitation of Children in GuatemalaRead the Press Release
A Colorado man was sentenced today to 60 years in prison for production, transportation, and possession of child pornography.
Alvaro Castillo, 64, of Englewood, was convicted by a federal jury of three counts of production of child pornography; one count of attempted production of child pornography; one count of transportation of child pornography; and one count of possession of child pornography on Nov. 18, 2020.
According to trial evidence, in May 2018, Castillo traveled to his native country of Guatemala, and videorecorded himself sexually abusing a 13-year-old victim who was sleeping. Evidence from that video identified Castillo as the abuser. In addition to this videorecording, Castillo also possessed and transported additional images of child sexual abuse. Law enforcement agents discovered the child pornography evidence during an October 2019 search of a recreational vehicle that he was driving at the U.S. – Mexico border.
“Alvaro Castillo recorded himself committing unspeakable crimes against a defenseless child in a foreign country,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Nicholas L. McQuaid of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “The department is committed to identifying and prosecuting transnational offenders like Alvaro Castillo, and today’s sentence will protect children in Guatemala and the United States from such predatory behavior.”
“Child victimization is a crime that knows no borders and HSI, as a global investigative agency, is committed to working with its domestic and international partners to stop these criminals from exploiting innocent children anywhere in the world,” said Special Agent in Charge Erik P. Breitzke for Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) El Paso. “We may not be able to undo the damage done, but sentences such as today’s serve to hold child predators accountable and, we hope, help the victims heal.”
In addition to the prison sentence, Castillo was ordered to serve a lifetime of supervised release and pay $33,586.89 in restitution.
HSI investigated the case with assistance from U.S. Customs and Border Protection.
Trial Attorney Trial Attorney Austin M. Berry of the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS) and Assistant U.S. Attorney John Cannizzaro of the Western District of Texas are prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and 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 http://www.justice.gov/psc.
Carthage Man Pleads Guilty to Telemarketing CrimesRead the Press Release
Jackson, Miss. - A Carthage man pleaded guilty today to money laundering as part of a broad telemarketing fraud scheme conducted across the United States and elsewhere, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Darren J. LaMarca of the Southern District of Mississippi, and Jack P. Stanton, Acting Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations’ New Orleans Field Office.
Neman Zahid, 33, of Carthage, Mississippi, was charged in a federal criminal indictment with acts supporting a conspiracy defrauding multiple victims, as part of an international tech support and telemarketing fraud scheme.
The indictment, charging ten defendants in the United States and abroad, was returned by a federal grand jury on March 19, 2019.
According to the indictment and testimony in court, beginning no later than on or about January 10, 2015, and continuing through on or about December 20, 2018, Zahid conspired with eight other defendants, located both across the United States and in India, to commit the federal offenses of wire fraud, mail fraud, and bank fraud, in addition to offenses of money laundering, aggravated identity theft, and passing fictitious obligations.
As stated in court documents and testimony in open court, Zahid assisted leaders of a fraud ring which sent tech support emails or telephone messages wrongly advising consumers that their computers were infected with malware or otherwise compromised, and offering for a price to help free their computers. Once given permission to access remotely the victims’ computers, conspirators from the United States or abroad would help themselves to personal identification information and bank account passwords from their victims’ computers. Victims often were senior citizens.
Zahid specifically aided the conspirators by incorporating a company called US Professional Support, Inc., and opening bank accounts for the business. Conspirators would then use the business names and the bank accounts to transfer and remove money obtained from victims during the scam.
“Fraud schemes, like the ones perpetrated and executed by these defendants, inflict considerable loss on citizens, companies, and the financial system,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Darren LaMarca. “Many of these schemes target the elderly and often steal the victims’ entire life savings. These arrests affirm the Department of Justice’s commitment to prosecuting those who prey on our most vulnerable citizens.”
Zahid is scheduled to be sentenced by Chief United States District Judge Daniel P. Jordan III on August 20, 2021. He faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison.
The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Theodore Cooperstein is prosecuting the case.
Caribbean Corridor Strike Force Intercepts First Low Profile Vessel Seized in the Caribbean with 2,500 Kilos of CocaineRead the Press Release
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – On April 14, 2021, a Federal Grand Jury in the District of Puerto Rico returned a four-count indictment charging three individuals with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute a controlled substance aboard a vessel subject to the jurisdiction of the United States, as well as violations of the Drug Trafficking Vessel Interdiction Act (DTVIA), announced W. Stephen Muldrow, United States Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico.
The indictment charges that, on or about April 8, 2021, on the high seas, defendants Arturo González-Quiñones, Freiman Yepes-Ospina, and José Álvaro Córdoba-Rentería, conspired to possess with intent to distribute cocaine, conspired to operate and embark in a semi-submersible vessel without nationality, and to navigate thereon into and through waters beyond the outer limit of any country’s territorial sea, with the intent to evade detection, in violation of the DTVIA.
The United States Coast Guard seized approximately 2,500 kilograms of cocaine that the defendants transported on board a semi-submersible vessel. The shipment of cocaine has a wholesale value of approximately $75 million -- using a wholesale price of $30,000 per kilogram of cocaine.
The interdiction was the result of multi-agency efforts in support of U.S. Southern Command’s enhanced counter-narcotics operations in the Western Hemisphere, the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) and High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) programs, and the Caribbean Corridor Strike Force (CCSF).
The OCDETF CCSF is a multi-agency task force operating in the District of Puerto Rico focusing on attacking command and control elements of Caribbean and South American-based Transnational Criminal Organizations (TCOs). The CCSF targets the smuggling of shipments of narcotics into Puerto Rico, the transshipment of drugs to the Continental United States, as well as the laundering of drug proceeds using bulk cash smuggling and sophisticated money laundering activities. The signatory agencies to the CCSF are the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the United States Coast Guard Investigative Service (CGIS), the United States Marshals Service (USMS), and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Puerto Rico.
Law enforcement agencies that provide critical and essential support to the CCSF, especially with respect to drug interdiction efforts, include: (a) the United States Coast Guard, (b) the United States Customs and Border Protection, Office of Field Operations, Caribbean Air and Marine Branch, (c) the Puerto Rico Department of Public Safety, (c) the Puerto Rico Police Bureau, (d) the Puerto Rico Joint Forces of Rapid Action (“Fuerzas Unidas de Rapida Accion” – FURA), and (e) the United States Border Patrol.
“Since the beginning of October 2020, the CCSF and supporting agencies have seized over 17,000 kilograms of cocaine and charged 82 defendants in connection with those seizures,” said United States Attorney Muldrow. “The CCSF will also continue to pursue the command and control elements of the transnational criminal organizations involved in these drug trafficking and related money laundering activities. Rest assured that we are steadfast in our resolve to protect our borders and our community from these criminal cartels.”
Using a wholesale value of $30,000 per kilogram of cocaine seized, the over 17,000 kilograms of cocaine seized by the CCSF in FY21 has a wholesale value of $510,000,000. The over 17,000 kilograms of cocaine seized by the CCSF during FY21 significantly outpace the CCSF cocaine seizures in FY19 and FY20. Also, the seizures described above relate only to the CCSF, and do not include other drug seizures unrelated to the CCSF.
The prosecutors in charge of the prosecution of the case are U.S. Coast Guard Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Seth Tremble; Chief of the Transnational Organized Crime Section, Assistant U.S. Attorney Max Pérez-Bouret; and Deputy Chief of the Transnational Organized Crime Section, Assistant U.S. Attorney Vanessa Bonhomme. If convicted the defendants face a mandatory minimum sentence of ten years up to life in prison on the drug trafficking charges and a maximum sentence of fifteen years in prison for violations of the DTVIA (18 U.S.C. § 2285).
Indictments contain only charges and are not evidence of guilt. Defendants are presumed to be innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
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Caribbean Corridor Strike Force Intercepts First Low Profile Vessel Seized in the Caribbean with 2,500 Kilos of CocaineRead the Press Release
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – On April 14, 2021, a Federal Grand Jury in the District of Puerto Rico returned a four-count indictment charging three individuals with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute a controlled substance aboard a vessel subject to the jurisdiction of the United States, as well as violations of the Drug Trafficking Vessel Interdiction Act (DTVIA), announced W. Stephen Muldrow, United States Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico.
The indictment charges that, on or about April 8, 2021, on the high seas, defendants Arturo González-Quiñones, Freiman Yepes-Ospina, and José Álvaro Córdoba-Rentería, conspired to possess with intent to distribute cocaine, conspired to operate and embark in a semi-submersible vessel without nationality, and to navigate thereon into and through waters beyond the outer limit of any country’s territorial sea, with the intent to evade detection, in violation of the DTVIA.
The United States Coast Guard seized approximately 2,500 kilograms of cocaine that the defendants transported on board a semi-submersible vessel. The shipment of cocaine has a wholesale value of approximately $75 million -- using a wholesale price of $30,000 per kilogram of cocaine.
The interdiction was the result of multi-agency efforts in support of U.S. Southern Command’s enhanced counter-narcotics operations in the Western Hemisphere, the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) and High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) programs, and the Caribbean Corridor Strike Force (CCSF).
The OCDETF CCSF is a multi-agency task force operating in the District of Puerto Rico focusing on attacking command and control elements of Caribbean and South American-based Transnational Criminal Organizations (TCOs). The CCSF targets the smuggling of shipments of narcotics into Puerto Rico, the transshipment of drugs to the Continental United States, as well as the laundering of drug proceeds using bulk cash smuggling and sophisticated money laundering activities. The signatory agencies to the CCSF are the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the United States Coast Guard Investigative Service (CGIS), the United States Marshals Service (USMS), and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Puerto Rico.
Law enforcement agencies that provide critical and essential support to the CCSF, especially with respect to drug interdiction efforts, include: (a) the United States Coast Guard, (b) the United States Customs and Border Protection, Office of Field Operations, Caribbean Air and Marine Branch, (c) the Puerto Rico Department of Public Safety, (c) the Puerto Rico Police Bureau, (d) the Puerto Rico Joint Forces of Rapid Action (“Fuerzas Unidas de Rapida Accion” – FURA), and (e) the United States Border Patrol.
“Since the beginning of October 2020, the CCSF and supporting agencies have seized over 17,000 kilograms of cocaine and charged 82 defendants in connection with those seizures,” said United States Attorney Muldrow. “The CCSF will also continue to pursue the command and control elements of the transnational criminal organizations involved in these drug trafficking and related money laundering activities. Rest assured that we are steadfast in our resolve to protect our borders and our community from these criminal cartels.”
Using a wholesale value of $30,000 per kilogram of cocaine seized, the over 17,000 kilograms of cocaine seized by the CCSF in FY21 has a wholesale value of $510,000,000. The over 17,000 kilograms of cocaine seized by the CCSF during FY21 significantly outpace the CCSF cocaine seizures in FY19 and FY20. Also, the seizures described above relate only to the CCSF, and do not include other drug seizures unrelated to the CCSF.
The prosecutors in charge of the prosecution of the case are U.S. Coast Guard Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Seth Tremble; Chief of the Transnational Organized Crime Section, Assistant U.S. Attorney Max Pérez-Bouret; and Deputy Chief of the Transnational Organized Crime Section, Assistant U.S. Attorney Vanessa Bonhomme. If convicted the defendants face a mandatory minimum sentence of ten years up to life in prison on the drug trafficking charges and a maximum sentence of fifteen years in prison for violations of the DTVIA (18 U.S.C. § 2285).
Indictments contain only charges and are not evidence of guilt. Defendants are presumed to be innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
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Canadian national suspected in armed encounter with officers in illegal border crossing appears in courtRead the Press Release
MISSOULA – A Canadian national suspected of illegally crossing into Montana near Eureka and arrested after an armed encounter with a Border Patrol officer and pursuit through the woods appeared on criminal charges on April 23, Acting U.S. Attorney Leif Johnson said today.
Tommy Plante, also known as Joseph Sylvain Tommy Plante, 32, of Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, had an initial appearance on a criminal complaint accusing him of illegal entry into the United States and prohibited person in possession of a firearm and ammunition. If convicted of the most serious crime, Plante faces a maximum 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release.
A criminal complaint is only an accusation, and a defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Kathleen L. DeSoto presided. Judge DeSoto ordered Plante detained pending further proceedings.
According to the criminal complaint and affidavit filed in support of the complaint, the government alleged that on the evening of April 19, the Eureka Montana Border Patrol Station received information from the Royal Canadian Mounted Police that Plante was possibly in a kayak on Lake Koocanusa and may be attempting to enter the United States. The next morning, a Border Patrol agent arrived in the area and saw a beached kayak and camp site in Montana, about one-quarter mile south of the border. The agent approached the subject, later identified as Plante, and identified himself as with the Border Patrol.
The court documents allege that Plante stepped toward the agent and grabbed a rifle that was leaning against a tree. The agent drew his government-issued handgun while taking cover behind a tree and ordered Plante to put down his rifle. Plante slung the rifle on his shoulder and put up his hands but did not put down the rifle. Plante picked up a water bottle and ran into the woods. Multiple agencies joined in a ground and air search for Plante, who was arrested without injury about approximately five and one-half miles from the initial encounter.
The case was investigated by the Border Patrol and the Air and Marine Operations, both within U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Department of Homeland Security; FBI; Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks; and the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office.
PACER case reference. 21-58.
The progress of cases may be monitored through the U.S. District Court Calendar and the PACER system. To establish a PACER account, which provides electronic access to review documents filed in a case, please visit http://www.pacer.gov/register.html. To access the District Court’s calendar, please visit https://ecf.mtd.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/PublicCalendar.pl.
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Burlington Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Drug Conspiracy ChargeRead the Press Release
DAVENPORT, Iowa – On Thursday, April 22, 2021, United States District Court Chief Judge John A. Jarvey sentenced Terry Lee Douglas, III, age 34, of Burlington, to 200 months in prison for Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine announced Acting United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal. Douglas was ordered to serve five years of supervised release to follow his prison term as well as pay $100 to the Crime Victims’ Fund.
In January of 2020, Douglas was caught with approximately 250 grams of ice methamphetamine in the Burlington area. On multiple occasions between January and May of 2020, Douglas was associated with methamphetamine transactions. In May of 2020, Douglas and others traveled together to obtain ice methamphetamine from a supplier in Galesburg, Illinois. Upon returning to Iowa, the vehicle was stopped, and Douglas was arrested. At the time of the stop and arrest, Douglas had two ounces of ice in his possession. On December 1, 2020, Douglas admitted to knowingly and intentionally joining in an agreement to distribute methamphetamine in the Burlington area.
This matter was investigated by the Southeast Iowa Narcotics Task Force and the case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa.
Broward County Resident Charged with Theft of U.S. Postal Service PropertyRead the Press Release
Miami, Fl. – A Broward County resident was charged by indictment with forty counts of theft of government property in connection with a scheme to steal over 37,000 stamps from the United States Postal Service.
According to the allegations in the indictment, from on or about September 11, 2019 through on or about September 13, 2019, Jeffery Allan Grant, Jr., 38, of Fort Lauderdale, visited twenty-nine post offices located in Palm Beach and Broward counties and presented forty checks drawn on his personal bank account to purchase a total of 37,100 stamps. The stamps were property of value belonging to the United States Postal Service. Grant’s bank account had insufficient funds to cover the checks presented for the transactions. As a result of Grant’s theft of the stamps, the United States Postal Service lost approximately $20,405.
Grant had his initial appearance on the indictment today before U.S. Magistrate Judge William Matthewman in the Southern District of Florida. Grant’s arraignment is scheduled for May 3, 2021. If convicted, Grant faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Juan Antonio Gonzalez, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, and Joseph W. Cronin, Inspector in Charge, United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), Miami Division, made the announcement.
USPIS investigated this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah J. Schall is prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
You may find related court documents and information on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or on http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov, under case number 21-cr-80045.
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Bristol Man Pleads Guilty to Drug Conspiracy ChargeRead the Press Release
CONCORD - Derek Wright, 32, of Bristol, pleaded guilty in federal court to conspiracy to distribute, and possess with intent to distribute, controlled substances, Acting United States Attorney John J. Farley announced today.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on multiple occasions between May 18, 2020, and September 17, 2020, Wright purchased fentanyl from a supplier and re-sold it to customers in New Hampshire. Wright was arrested on an outstanding warrant on September 17, 2020. During a lawful search of Wright’s vehicle, officers found over 30 grams of fentanyl, approximately 10 small bags of methamphetamine and other items indicative of drug distribution. Wright later admitted to purchasing 50-60 grams of fentanyl at a time, which he re-sold to customers for profit.
Wright is scheduled to be sentenced on August 16, 2021.
“Drug traffickers who peddle fentanyl and methamphetamine are attempting to profit from the sale of dangerous substances,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Farley. “Their unlawful actions pose a serious risk to public health and safety. To protect our community from these deadly drugs, we are working closely with our law enforcement partners to put drug dealers in the Granite State out of business.”
This matter was investigated by the New Hampshire State Police, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the New Hampshire Fish and Game Department, and the Tilton Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Georgiana L. MacDonald.
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Bridgeport Man on Federal Supervised Release Pleads Guilty to Drug and Gun ChargesRead the Press Release
Leonard C Boyle, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that BRANDEN HUERTAS, 39, last residing in Bridgeport, pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Judge Janet Bond Arterton in New Haven to narcotics distribution and firearm possession offenses.
According to court documents and statements made in court, in January 2020, law enforcement made two controlled purchases of cocaine from Huertas. Huertas was arrested on February 26, 2020, after a search of his vehicle revealed quantities of heroin, cocaine, crack cocaine, marijuana and ecstasy, and a subsequent search of his residence revealed additional quantities of crack and heroin, items used to process and package narcotics for street sale, a loaded 9mm Taurus PT-92C semi-automatic handgun, and additional rounds of ammunition.
Huertas has a criminal history that dates to 1998 and includes state convictions for drug, weapon, robbery, burglary and larceny offenses, and federal convictions in 2015 for possession of firearm by a felon, and in 2019 for escape from custody.
Huertas was on federal supervised release at the time of his arrest.
Huertas pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance, which carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years, and one count of possession a firearm by a felon, which carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years. Huertas also faces additional penalties for violating the conditions of his supervised release.
Judge Arterton scheduled sentencing for July 19, 2021. Huertas has been detained since his arrest.
This matter has been investigated by the U.S. Marshals Service and Connecticut State Police. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Lauren Clark.
Bridgeport Man Sentenced to Prison for Bankruptcy Fraud OffenseRead the Press Release
Leonard C Boyle, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that ANTHONY FAUSTINI, 58, of Bridgeport, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Janet C. Hall in New Haven to three months of imprisonment, followed by three months of home confinement and three years of supervised release, for a bankruptcy fraud offense.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on March 12, 2018, Faustini filed a personal Chapter 7 bankruptcy petition in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Connecticut. In the petition, Faustini noted that his unpaid debts were approximately $86,862. However, Faustini failed to disclose to the court that he knew that he was the beneficiary of a $100,000 life insurance policy held against the life of his mother. Nine days later, on March 21, 2018, Faustini’s mother passed away.
On April 18, 2018, Faustini testified under oath regarding his bankruptcy petition. In response to questioning from the Chapter 7 bankruptcy trustee, Faustini falsely indicated that he had listed all items of value in his petition, and he failed to mention his vested interest in the $100,000 life insurance policy. In response to a specific question as to whether “anybody died and left you any money,” Faustini responded “No.”
On June 20, 2018, the bankruptcy court entered an order granting Faustini a discharge of his debts. The next day, Faustini contacted the life insurance company to determine the status of the claim payment and to confirm that the company had his correct address. On June 26, 2018, the insurance company issued a check for $100,246 to Faustini.
The Office of the U.S. Trustee for the District of Connecticut subsequently received information about the life insurance payment made to Faustini and conducted a “Rule 2004” deposition examination of Faustini on June 5, 2019. During the examination, Faustini made several false statements, including that he had not known about the life insurance policy when he filed his bankruptcy petition, that did not find out about the policy until he received the check, and that he did not know how the insurance company knew to send the check to his address.
Judge Hall ordered Faustini to pay restitution of $61,062, which comprises the debts and fees that would have been paid had Faustini previously disclosed the insurance recovery, and gives Faustini credit for monies the bankruptcy court was able to recoup from others regarding the insurance policy after the fraud was identified.
On December 3, 2020, Faustini pleaded guilty to making a false statement under oath in a bankruptcy matter.
Faustini, who is released on bond, is required to report to prison on June 9, 2021.
This matter was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher W. Schmeisser.
Atlantic County Man Sentenced to 80 Months in Prison for Drug and Firearm OffensesRead the Press Release
CAMDEN, N.J. – An Atlantic County, New Jersey, man was sentenced today to 80 months in prison for possessing large quantities of heroin, cocaine, and methamphetamine, along with a firearm, Acting U.S. Attorney Rachael A. Honig announced.
Joseph Brandenberger, 36, of Absecon, New Jersey, previously pleaded guilty by videoconference before U.S. District Judge Robert B. Kugler to an information charging him with possessing with intent to distribute 100 grams or more of heroin, 500 grams or more of cocaine, and 50 grams or more of methamphetamine, and possessing a firearm as a previously convicted felon. Judge Kugler imposed the sentence today by videoconference.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
Brandenberger was arrested following an investigation that revealed he was using a rented storage unit to conceal a large cache of drugs and a firearm. Upon execution of a search warrant at the location on June 18, 2019, investigators seized 507.6 grams of heroin, 524.3 grams of cocaine, and 107.2 grams of methamphetamine, along with $1,812 in cash and drug packaging material. Investigators also found a loaded Tech-9 9mm handgun. As a previously convicted felon, Brandenberger is prohibited by federal law from possessing a firearm or ammunition.
In addition to the prison term, Judge Kugler sentenced Brandenberger to five years of supervised release.
Acting U.S. Attorney Honig credited special agents of the Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jason J. Molina, Atlantic City Division; and inspectors of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Philadelphia Division, under the direction of Inspector in Charge Damon Wood, with the investigation leading to today’s sentencing. She also thanked special agents of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, Newark Field Division, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Craig B. Kailimai; and the Absecon Police Department, under the direction of Chief James R. Laughlin, for their assistance with the case.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Gabriel J. Vidoni of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Criminal Division in Camden.
Armed Carjacker Sentenced to Ten Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Sean P. Costello of the Southern District of Alabama announced that Jakendis Jacoby Westry, 19, of Mobile, was sentenced today for his participation in an armed carjacking which occurred in Mobile during December of 2019. In January of 2021, Westry pled guilty to the charge of discharging a firearm during and in furtherance of the carjacking, a crime of violence under federal law.
According to documents filed in connection with his guilty plea, Westry participated with other men in an armed robbery and carjacking of an individual who was trying to buy a gun from Westry through Facebook. The victim fled, and three or four shots were fired by the perpetrators. The day after the carjacking, Westry was apprehended with his co-defendant Dorian Lakeith Webb, Jr., in the stolen vehicle. Officers also found two pistols in the car, one of which had been reported stolen, and the victim’s wallet was found in the console of the stolen vehicle. Officers also found numerous rounds of loose ammunition for 9mm and .40 caliber pistols in the car.
United States District Court Judge Jeffery U. Beaverstock imposed a ten-year mandatory sentence in Westry’s case this morning, and ordered that Westy serve a five-year term of supervised release when he is released from custody. Westry was also ordered to pay $200 in restitution and a mandatory special assessment of $100. No fine was imposed. The judge further entered a forfeiture order as to the firearm used in the commission of the crime.
The case was investigated by the Mobile Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It was prosecuted in the United States Attorney’s Office by Assistant United States Attorney Gloria Bedwell.