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Tuesday 2 March 2021
Scranton Man Sentenced to 210 Months’ Imprisonment for Distribution of Sexually Explicit Images of MinorsRead the Press Release
SCRANTON – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Eric Garman, age 32, of Scranton, Pennsylvania, was sentenced on March 1, 2021, to 210 months’ imprisonment by United States District Court Judge Malachy E. Mannion for distribution of sexually explicit images of minors.
According to Acting United States Attorney Bruce D. Brandler, Garman pled guilty in June 2020 to distributing images of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct between June and August 2019. At sentencing, in addition to the term of imprisonment, Judge Mannion ordered that Garman serve a ten-year term of supervised release and comply with the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA).
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Jeffery St John prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc for more information about internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab "resources."
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Robertson County Man Facing Federal Child Sexual Exploitation ChargesRead the Press Release
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – March 2, 2021 – A criminal complaint was unsealed this morning charging a Springfield, Tennessee man with attempted enticement of a minor; attempted production of visual depictions of minors engaging in sexual activity; and transfer of obscene matter to a minor, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Mary Jane Stewart for the Middle District of Tennessee.
Malcolm Wilkerson, 50, was arrested at his home this morning by FBI agents and will make an initial appearance before a U.S. Magistrate Judge later today.
According to the criminal complaint, beginning in mid-December 2020, the FBI was conducting a covert online investigation on an online dating app. This app is available for free and requires users to be at least 18 years old. It is widely known that many users under the age of 18 frequently use the app by misrepresenting their ages. On December 16, 2020 a user of the app with the profile of “Malcom from Springfield, Tennessee,” contacted the FBI covert agent, whose profile suggested that she was an 18-year-old female, and began a conversation suggesting sexual activity. The online conversation quickly turned to age and the FBI covert agent informed “Malcolm” that she was under the age of 15. “Malcolm” and the FBI covert agent then continued their conversation over text messaging where the agent informed him that she was 13 years old.
These text message conversations continued until mid-February and included numerous requests by “Malcolm” for the agent to send nude photographs. On several occasions, “Malcolm” sent the agent obscene and sexually suggestive photos and also sent her nude photographs of a person believed to be Malcolm Wilkerson. “Malcolm” continued to send the agent requests for nude photos and made many suggestions and plans to meet for sexual activity.
Through further investigation, the FBI was able to identify “Malcolm” as Malcolm Wilkerson and obtained an arrest warrant on February 26, 2021.
If convicted, Wilkerson faces a minimum of 10 years and up to life in prison.
This case is being investigated by the FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorney Josh Kurtzman is prosecuting the case.
A criminal complaint is merely an accusation. The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
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Rapid City Man Sentenced to 41 Months for Conspiracy to Distribute HeroinRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced that a Rapid City, South Dakota, man who pleaded guilty to Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance, was sentenced on February 12, 2021, by U.S. District Court Judge Jeffrey L. Viken.
Trent Michelson, age 27, was sentenced to a total of 41 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
From approximately March 2019 to September 2019, Michelson brought heroin to South Dakota from Colorado, or by others through arrangements made with him. Michelson then dispersed the heroin to others for use or distribution.
This case was investigated by the Unified Narcotics Enforcement Team (UNET), Drug Enforcement Agency, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. UNET is comprised of law enforcement from the Pennington County Sheriff’s Office, Rapid City Police Department, South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation, and the South Dakota National Guard. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kathryn N. Rich prosecuted the case.
Michelson was immediately returned to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Rapid City Man Sentenced to 15 Years for Conspiracy to Distribute MethRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced that a Rapid City, South Dakota, man who pleaded guilty to Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance was sentenced on February 16, 2021, by U.S. District Court Judge Jeffrey L. Viken.
Frank Elliott, age 59, was sentenced to 15 years in federal prison, followed by 10 years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
From approximately June 2016 through June 2018, Elliott was part of a conspiracy responsible for distributing over 500 grams of methamphetamine in the Rapid City area.
This case was investigated by the South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation, South Dakota Highway Patrol, and the Pennington County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kathryn N. Rich prosecuted the case. Several other co-conspirators have already been sentenced.
Elliott was immediately turned over to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Raleigh BP Gas Station Robber Sentenced to 84 months’ ImprisonmentRead the Press Release
WILMINGTON, N.C. – A Raleigh man was sentenced today to 84 months in federal prison for robbing the BP Gas station located at 4330 Louisburg Road in Raleigh.
According to court documents, on August 15, 2019, officers of the Raleigh Police Department, responded to a BP gas station regarding an armed robbery. The store clerk advised the suspect, later identified as Demarius Jerrad Morris, 29, entered the store, brandished a firearm at him/her, and demanded money. The clerk provided Morris with $65 of U.S. currency with an attached a GPS tracker. Police dispatch monitored the tracker and advised responding officers of the tracker’s location. Officers initiated a traffic stop on a vehicle and detained Morris, who matched the description of the robbery suspect. During a search of the vehicle, officers seized the stack of U.S. currency, a loaded firearm, and various ammunition.
G. Norman Acker, III, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after sentencing by Chief U.S. District Judge Richard E. Myers II.
The Raleigh Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case and Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel W. Smith prosecuted the case.
Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:20-CR-00195-BO.
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Pine Ridge Man Found Guilty of Assault with KnifeRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced that Patrick Fire Thunder, age 46, of Pine Ridge, South Dakota, was found guilty of Assault with a Dangerous Weapon and Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury following a federal court trial in Rapid City, South Dakota. The verdict was returned on February 24, 2021.
Each charge carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in federal prison and/or a $250,000 fine, three years of supervised release, a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund, and restitution.
Evidence at trial established that on the evening of April 18, 2020, the victim and Fire Thunder were consuming alcohol at Fire Thunder’s residence. Fire Thunder claimed the victim punched him one time in the face and thereafter, Fire Thunder used a knife to stab the victim three times. The stab wounds were to the victim’s chest, neck, and face. The victim was air lifted to Rapid City for emergency surgery to repair his carotid artery that had been lacerated by the stab wound to his neck. As a result, the victim has suffered a permanent brain injury.
The investigation was conducted by the Oglala Sioux Tribe Department of Public Safety, the Oglala Sioux Tribe Criminal Investigations Division, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. U.S. Attorney Megan Poppen prosecuted and tried the case.
A presentence investigation was ordered and a sentencing date was set for June 7, 2021. Fire Thunder was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending sentencing.
Owner of Tennessee Drug Screening Lab Sentenced to 36 months on Federal Health Care Fraud ChargeRead the Press Release
ABINGDON, Va. – Michael Dube, who formerly owned and operated American Toxicology Labs, was sentenced was today in U.S. District Court in Abingdon, Virginia to 36 months in federal prison. Acting United States Attorney Daniel P. Bubar and Virginia Attorney General Mark G. Herring made the announcement today.
Dube, 59, of Johnson City Tenn., previously pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in Abingdon to two felony counts of health care fraud (one filed in the Western District of Virginia and one filed in the Eastern District of Kentucky).
“Michael Dube took advantage of health care funds, aimed at helping the most vulnerable, for his own greed,” Acting U.S. Attorney Bubar said today. “Today’s significant sentence demonstrates that health care fraud will not be tolerated, and is the product of close partnership between federal, state, and local law enforcement, whose collaboration brought the Dubes to justice.”
“Addressing the opioid crisis is an issue of great concern for our nation and remains a top public health priority for the FDA. It is crucial that treatment providers act with honesty and integrity in combatting the crisis,” said Special Agent in Charge Mark S. McCormack, FDA Office of Criminal Investigations, Metro Washington Field Office. “In cooperation with our federal and state law enforcement partners, we will continue to investigate and bring to justice those who defraud federal programs.”
According to court documents, in March 2011, Michael Dube pleaded guilty in the Eastern District of Tennessee to one count of intentionally omitting information from reports as required under the Controlled Substances Act. As a result of his conviction, the Department of Health and Human Services [HHS] informed Dube in a letter dated June 29, 2012, that he was excluded from participating in any federal health care program.
Nonetheless, in May 2013, Michael and his wife, Regan Dube, established American Toxicology Labs [ATL] in Johnson City, Tennessee, with Regan Dube serving as the company’s registered agent, and using the couple’s home address as the principal office and mailing address. ATL then applied to participate in Medicare and Medicaid. On the applications, Regan Dube was listed as the owner of ATL, and Michael Dube’s name and participation in ATL was omitted.
ATL conducted urine screens for various entities who represented themselves to be opioid treatment facilities. Between May 1, 2014, and January 31, 2020, Medicare, Virginia Medicaid, Kentucky Medicaid and TennCare made payments to ATL that totaled approximately $8.5 million. During this time, Michael Dube made employment decisions, negotiated business arrangements with providers, and otherwise participated in the management of ATL.
In addition, Michael Dube also received kickback payments from third parties for referring individuals to those third parties for services for which payment was made (in whole or in part) by federal health care programs. These payments were deposited in Michael and Regan Dube’s personal checking account in a total amount of $441,646. Regan Dube was previously convicted and sentenced in connection with the scheme.
As a result of their convictions, Regan and Michael Dube will pay a total of $9,015,046, plus interest, divided between special assessments, fines, restitution, and forfeiture. They will have to repay all of the money they received from Medicare and Medicaid programs.
The investigation of the case was conducted by the Food and Drug Administration Office of Criminal Investigations, Virginia Medicaid Fraud Control Unit of the Office of the Attorney General, the Department of Health and Human Services Office of the Inspector General, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Virginia State Police, and Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigations, and the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation. The prosecution of the case was conducted by the United States Attorneys’ Offices for the Western District of Virginia (Special Assistant United States Attorney and Assistant Attorney General Janine Myatt and Assistant United States Attorneys Whit Pierce, Krista Frith and Randy Ramseyer) and the Eastern District of Kentucky (Assistant United States Attorneys Andrew Smith and Gregory Rosenberg). The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Tennessee provided valuable assistance.
Oregon Biotech Consultant Pleads Guilty to Insider Trading SchemeRead the Press Release
BOSTON – An Oregon biotechnology consultant pleaded guilty today in federal court in Boston in connection with his role in an insider trading scheme involving the acquisition of a Cambridge biotechnology company in 2017.
Mark Joseph Ahn, 58, of Lake Oswego, Ore., pleaded guilty to two counts of securities fraud. U.S. District Court Judge Richard G. Stearns scheduled sentencing for June 7, 2021.
From April to August 2017, Ahn, a long-time senior corporate executive and board director for biotech companies, worked as a consultant for a New York firm, and advised it during its efforts to acquire Dimension Therapeutics, Inc., a biotech firm formerly headquartered in Cambridge, Mass. In the course of his work for the New York firm, Ahn learned Dimension’s intention to be acquired by another biotech firm, the details and the timing of his employer’s proposals to acquire Dimension and gained access to confidential information about Dimension’s business. Ahn thereafter bought Dimension stock while in possession of that nonpublic information. When Dimension announced that it would be acquired in August 2017, its stock increased 262% in one day.
The SEC previously filed a separate civil action against Ahn in federal court in Boston.
The charging statute provides for a sentence of up to 25 years in prison, five years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Acting United States Attorney Nathaniel R. Mendell and Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigations, Boston Field Division made the announcement today. The U.S. Attorney’s Office received valuable assistance from the Securities & Exchange Commission. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kriss Basil of Mendell’s Securities, Financial & Cyber Fraud Unit is prosecuting the case.
Omaha Man Sentenced for Bald and Golden Eagle TraffickingRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced that an Omaha, Nebraska, man convicted of a violation of the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act and Migratory Bird Treaty Act was sentenced on February 24, 2021, by Daneta L. Wollmann, U.S. Magistrate Judge.
Jason Brodersen, age 49, was sentenced to one year of probation and was ordered to pay $10,000 in restitution to the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, a fine of $1,250, and a $35 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Brodersen was indicted by a federal grand jury in September 2017. The conviction stems from Brodersen, without being permitted to do so, knowingly possessing and transporting bald and golden eagles and parts of the eagles.
The investigation was conducted by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Eric Kelderman and Meghan Dilges prosecuted the case.
Nurse Pleads Guilty to Tampering with Fentanyl Vials Intended for Patients at Fertility ClinicRead the Press Release
Leonard C Boyle, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced DONNA MONTICONE, 49, of Oxford, waived her right to be indicted and pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Judge Janet C. Hall to one count of tampering with a consumer product.
Pursuant to the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act), the court proceeding occurred via videoconference.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Monticone was a nurse employed by the Yale Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility clinic (“Yale REI clinic”) in Orange. As part of her responsibilities at the Yale REI, Monticone ordered and inventoried a variety of narcotics used by the clinic, including fentanyl, which is a component of a cohort of drugs used by Yale physicians during outpatient surgical procedures to anesthetize patients and protect them from feeling pain.
In June 2020, Monticone began stealing fentanyl for her own use. She accessed secure storage areas and took vials of fentanyl, used a syringe to withdraw the narcotics from the vials, and reinjected saline into vials so that it would appear as if none of the narcotics were missing. The investigation revealed that approximately 75 percent of the fentanyl given to patients at the Yale REI clinic from June to October 2020 was adulterated with saline. Some of the vials contained diluted fentanyl, while others contained no drug at all and contained just saline.
In pleading guilty, Monticone admitted that knew that the adulterated vials of fentanyl she replaced at the Yale REI clinic would be used in surgical procedures, and that the absence of an anesthetic during an outpatient procedure may cause serious bodily injury to the patient. Monticone further admitted that she initially injected herself with the fentanyl while working at the Yale REI clinic and eventually began taking the vials home. She would refill the vials with sterile saline at home, bring them back to the clinic, and reintroduce them into the stock of fentanyl available for use during surgical procedures. On approximately November 1, 2020, Monticone brought approximately 175 vials of fentanyl that she had taken from the Yale REI clinic and discarded them in waste containers at the clinic.
Judge Hall scheduled sentencing for May 25, 2021, at which time Monticone faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years.
Monticone is released on a $50,000 bond pending sentencing. She has surrendered her nursing license.
This matter is being investigated by the Food and Drug Administration, Office of Criminal Investigations; the DEA’s New Haven Tactical Diversion Squad; and the Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection, Drug Control Division. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ray Miller.
Northwest Arkansas Man Sentenced to 7 Years in Federal Prison for Being A Felon in Possession of A FirearmRead the Press Release
Fayetteville, Arkansas – David Clay Fowlkes, Acting United States Attorney for the Western District of Arkansas, announced that Nicolas Brown, age 40, of Springdale, Arkansas, was sentenced today to 84 months in federal prison followed by three years of supervised release for one count of being a Felon In Possession of a Firearm. The Honorable Timothy L. Brooks presided over the sentencing hearing in the United States District Court in Fayetteville.
According to court records on June 15, 2020, detectives with the 4th Judicial District Drug Task Force along with Springdale Police Officers executed a search warrant at a residence that Brown had been residing in. During the search, officers located and seized a handgun, a rifle (reported stolen) and a shot gun (reported stolen), several rounds of ammunition, methamphetamine, and drug paraphernalia. Brown was taken into custody without incident.
Brown was indicted by a federal grand jury in August 2020 and entered a guilty plea in October of 2019.
This case was prosecuted as a part of the Department of Justice's Project Safe Neighborhoods Initiative, which is aimed at reducing gun and gang violence, deterring illegal possession of firearms, and improving the safety of residents in the Western District of Arkansas. Participants in the initiative include federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies.
This case was investigated by the 4th Judicial District Drug Task Force, the Springdale Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). Assistant United States Attorney David Harris prosecuted the case for the United States.
North Philadelphia “Pill Mill” Doctor Sentenced to Five Years in Prison for Illegal Opioid DistributionRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – Acting United States Attorney Jennifer Arbittier Williams announced that Myron Rodos, 80, of Ambler, PA, was sentenced to five years in prison, three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a fine of $300,000 by United States District Court Judge Chad F. Kenney for distributing controlled substances, namely opioids, outside the course of professional conduct and not for a legitimate medical purpose.
The defendant pleaded guilty in November 2019 to four counts of distribution of Schedule II controlled substances, and stipulated that he illegally distributed an additional 6,130 oxycodone (30 mg) pills and 3,670 methadone (10 mg) pills to patients in exchange for sex and money. Rodos, a physician, operated a medical practice in North Philadelphia as a prescription “pill mill” where he prescribed dangerous and addictive controlled substances to addicts for cash, and often in exchange for sex. The charges resulted from a lengthy FBI investigation that produced audio and videotape recordings made by a civilian source and an undercover agent that showed Rodos prescribe medically unnecessary hydrocodone in exchange for cash. Moreover, female patients, who became drug addicts while under the defendant’s ‘care’ reported to FBI agents that they routinely obtained prescriptions from Rodos for oxycodone and other controlled substances in exchange for sexual favors.
“The U.S. Attorney’s Office is committed to stopping drug-dealing doctors like Rodos,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Williams. “As a physician, he was well aware of the inherently dangerous nature of the drugs he was selling. But because of his greed and sometimes to satisfy his own lecherous intentions, he took advantage of vulnerable people struggling with addiction, piling on to the enormous opioid epidemic ravaging the neighborhoods of Philadelphia.”
“It’s hard to understand how a longtime physician, trained to help and to heal people, could be this depraved,” said Michael J. Driscoll, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Philadelphia Division. “Dr. Rodos used his patients’ addictions against them, readily doling out powerful opioids in exchange for money or sex acts. The FBI and our partners are doggedly working to put drug-dealing doctors like him out of business, as we battle our country’s opioid epidemic.”
“Doctors are expected to help their patients, not take advantage of them,” said Maureen Dixon, Special Agent in Charge for the Office of the Inspector General, Department of Health and Human Services. “HHS-OIG and our law enforcement partners will continue to work together to protect patients from illegally prescribed prescription drugs.”
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General, and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney M. Beth Leahy.
North Carolina Durable Medical Equipment Corporation Sentenced for $10 Million Healthcare Fraud Scheme, and the Company and Its Owner Agree to Pay Millions to Resolve Related Civil ClaimsRead the Press Release
RALEIGH, N.C. – A North Carolina corporation was sentenced today to 5 years’ probation and ordered to pay a $2,000,000 fine in addition to paying $10,069,361.35 in restitution to the North Carolina Medicaid Program on a charge of Healthcare Fraud, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1347. The company and its owner have also agreed to pay millions to the United States and State of North Carolina to resolve related civil claims under the federal and state False Claims Acts. In that same civil action, the Governments have obtained a multi-million-dollar judgment against one of the company’s employees.
According to court documents, A Perfect Fit for You, Inc., was a durable medical equipment provider located in Morehead City, North Carolina, and owned by Margaret A. Gibson. Durable medical equipment includes items such as powered wheelchairs, orthotic braces, diabetic shoes, powered air flotation beds, osteogenesis stimulators, pneumatic compressors, etc. Between March 2015 and November 2016, one or more employees of A Perfect Fit for You submitted fraudulent billings claims to Medicaid for providing durable medical equipment to Medicaid recipients. These fraudulent claims contained the personal identifying information of Medicaid recipients who had never ordered nor received any durable medical equipment from A Perfect Fit for You. In fact, some of the patients had been deceased years before the false claims were even submitted. This scheme resulted in an estimated loss to Medicaid of approximately $10,069,361.35.
After appointment of a receiver, A Perfect Fit for You, Inc. self-reported suspected fraudulent activity to the North Carolina Medicaid Investigations Division. Thereafter, the company cooperated throughout the investigation.
On December 13, 2017, and based on the conduct described above, the United States and State of North Carolina filed a civil complaint under the federal and state False Claims Acts against A Perfect Fit for You, Inc. and Gibson, as well as one of the company’s employees, Shelley P. Bandy. The federal and North Carolina False Claims Acts mandate that the Governments recover triple the money falsely obtained, plus substantial civil penalties for each false claim submitted. To resolve those claims, the company has agreed to pay $20,138,722.70, while Gibson has agreed to pay $4,000,000. As for Bandy, the United States and State of North Carolina have obtained a $34,708,945.42 default judgment against her in the civil action. It should be noted that the civil claims against A Perfect Fit for You, Inc. and Gibson are allegations only and were resolved by settlement. There has been no judicial determination or admission of liability as to them in the civil case.
On December 29, 2020, Bandy pled guilty to making false statements relating to health care matters in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1035. Bandy admitted to submitting fraudulent claims to Medicaid on behalf of A Perfect Fit for You, Inc. Bandy is scheduled to be sentenced later in March, 2021.
G. Norman Acker, III, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge James C. Dever III. The investigation of this case was conducted by the North Carolina Department of Justice’s Medicaid Investigations Division (MID) and the United States Department of Health and Human Services Office of the Inspector General. Assistant United States Attorney William M. Gilmore is the prosecutor on the criminal case, while Assistant United States Attorney C. Michael Anderson represented the United States in the civil case. Special Deputy Attorneys General F. Edward Kirby, Jr. and Michael M. Berger, who also serve as a Special Assistant United States Attorneys, represented the United States and the State of North Carolina in the civil case.
The MID investigates and prosecutes health care providers that defraud the Medicaid program, patient abuse of Medicaid recipients, patient abuse of any patient in facilities that receive Medicaid funding, and misappropriation of any patients’ private funds in nursing homes that receive Medicaid funding. To report Medicaid fraud or patient abuse in North Carolina, call the MID at 919-881-2320.
The MID receives 75 percent of its funding from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services under a grant award totaling $6,160,252 for Federal fiscal year (FY) 2020. The remaining 25 percent, totaling $2,053,414 for FY 2020, is funded by the State of North Carolina.
New York Man Pleads Guilty to Threatening to Kill a United States SenatorRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Carlo Di Padova, age 61, an inmate at Great Meadow Correctional Facility in Comstock, New York, pled guilty on February 25 to threatening a federal official, by sending a letter to a United States Senator that contained a white powdery substance and stated that Di Padova planned to have someone shoot the Senator in the head.
The announcement was made by Acting United States Attorney Antoinette T. Bacon and Thomas F. Relford, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).
Di Padova mailed the letter on January 23, 2019, while an inmate at Auburn Correctional Facility in Auburn, New York. The powder in the letter was harmless.
Di Padova faces up to 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000 when he is sentenced on June 16, 2021, by United States District Judge David N. Hurd in Utica, New York. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, and other factors.
This case was investigated by the FBI and the New York State Department of Correction and Community Supervision, Office of Special Investigation, and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Emily C. Powers.
Navajo man charged with sexually abusing a childRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Manison Largo, 41, of Church Rock, New Mexico, and an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, made an appearance on March 1 in federal court where he is charged with sexually abusing a child younger than 16. Pending trial, Largo will be released to a halfway house when space is available.
According to a criminal complaint, on multiple occasions beginning in approximately 2017, Largo allegedly sexually abused the victim, who is also an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation. During the course of the alleged abuse, which occurred at Largo’s residence in Church Rock, New Mexico, on the Navajo Nation, the victim had not attained the age of 12. The victim was able to borrow a phone and called 911 to report the abuse on or about Feb. 2.
An indictment is only an allegation. A defendant is considered innocent unless and until proven guilty. If convicted, Largo faces a minimum of 30 years and up to life in prison.
The FBI investigated this case with assistance from the Navajo Police Department. Assistant U.S. Alexander F. Flores is prosecuting the case.
Mineral Springs Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Federal Prison for Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
Texarkana, Arkansas – David Clay Fowlkes, Acting United States Attorney for the Western District of Arkansas, announced that Andre Scoggins, 50, of Mineral Springs, Arkansas, was sentenced today to 120 months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, for Distributing more than 50 grams of methamphetamine. The Honorable Chief Judge Susan O. Hickey presided over the sentencing hearing in the United States District Court’s Texarkana Division.
According to court records, Detectives with the Hempstead County Sheriff’s Department conducted a controlled purchase of methamphetamine from Scoggins in November 2018. The substance purchased from Scoggins was submitted to the DEA Crime Laboratory, which found to contain 69.7 grams of pure methamphetamine.
Scoggins was indicted by a federal grand jury in June of 2019 and entered a guilty plea in October of 2020.
This case was investigated by the Hempstead County Sheriff’s Department, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Drug Enforcement Administration. Assistant United States Attorney Graham Jones prosecuted the case for the Western District of Arkansas.
Meth trafficker gets over 10 years in prisonRead the Press Release
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas - A 48-year-old Corpus Christi resident has been ordered to federal prison following his conviction of conspiring to distribute 243 grams of meth, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Jennifer B. Lowery.
Willie James Sorrell III pleaded guilty Nov. 12, 2020.
Today, U.S. District Judge Nelva Gonzales Ramos ordered Sorrell to serve a 121-month sentence to be immediately followed by five years of supervised release. In handing down the sentence, the court noted Sorrell’s previous criminal conduct, to include aggravated sexual assaults, drug possessions and unlawful possession of firearms.
On May 30, 2019, Sorrell and Jennifer Saldana were traveling on a Greyhound bus from McAllen to the Corpus Christi area. Authorities conducted a search while at the Border Patrol checkpoint near Falfurrias where they discovered a backpack near Sorrell’s feet. It contained nearly 250 grams of meth and a loaded semi-automatic firearm.
The investigation established Sorrell and Saldana traveled to the Rio Grande Valley to obtain the meth for potential distribution in Corpus Christi.
Saldana, 38, Rockport, had also pleaded guilty and is set for sentencing March 24.
Sorrell 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 Drug Enforcement Administration conducted the investigation along with the assistance of Customs and Border Protection and Texas Department of Public Safety. Assistant U.S. Attorney Reid Manning is prosecuting the case.
Meth conviction lands man in prison for 14 yearsRead the Press Release
McALLEN, Texas – A 27-year-old Mexican citizen has been ordered to federal prison following his conviction for attempting to import approximately 23 kilograms of meth, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Jennifer B. Lowery.
Brian Alan Herrera-Valenzuela pleaded guilty Oct. 18, 2019.
Today, U.S. District Judge Micaela Alvarez ordered Herrera to serve a 168-month sentence. At the hearing, Judge Alvarez informed Herrera that his actions troubled the court because, as a non-citizen, he was willing to cause harm by engaging in criminal activity that brought drugs into our community.
On April 14, 2019, Herrera attempted to gain entry into the United States via the Hidalgo port of entry. Upon his arrival, an X-ray revealed anomalies in the tires. Authorities conducted a search and discovered 40 packages of meth weighing approximately 23 kilograms.
Herrera admitted he knowingly imported the drugs into the United States from Mexico with the intent to deliver them to Dallas. He acknowledged this was his second trip after successfully transporting drugs the previous month. Herrera expected to be paid $7,000.
The drugs had an approximate street value of $115,000.
He has been and will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the future.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement’ s Homeland Security Investigations and Customs and Border Protection conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney M. Alexis Garcia prosecuted the case.
Meridian Man Sentenced to over 4 Years in Prison Under Project EJECT for Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted FelonRead the Press Release
Jackson, Miss. – Edmond Dewayne Miller, 23, of Meridian, was sentenced today by Chief U.S. District Court Judge Daniel P. Jordan, III, to 51 months in federal prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release, for being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Darren LaMarca and Michelle A. Sutphin, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation in Mississippi. Miller was also ordered to pay a $1,500.00 fine.
On July 4th, 2019, the Lauderdale County Sheriff’s Office responded to a noise complaint concerning loud music and multiple episodes of gunfire at Miller’s residence. Miller’s neighbors told the deputies that there had been consistent gunfire over a period of several days. One neighbor said that he had heard bullets pass near him while he was on his tractor in a pasture that bordered Miller’s property.
Two deputies went to Miller’s residence and spoke with him concerning the loud music and gunfire. The deputies cautioned Miller concerning the use of firearms in the area of other houses and asked him to turn down the music. At that time the deputies were unaware that Miller had a prior felony conviction for Aggravated Assault. Miller agreed to turn down the music and indicated he would be more careful where he and his friends and family fired their weapons.
After leaving Miller’s residence the deputies were contacted by the same neighbors who told them that the music had been turned back up. One deputy returned to Miller’s residence and found Miller heading through the wood line in the direction of the complaining neighbor’s residence with a .40 caliber pistol in his waistband. The deputy stopped Miller and took custody of the firearm.
The deputies soon discovered that the firearm was stolen and that Miller was a convicted felon.
Miller was indicted by a federal grand jury on August 6, 2019. He pled guilty before Judge Jordan on January 7, 2020.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Charles W. Kirkham.
This case is part of Project EJECT, an initiative by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Mississippi under the U.S. Department of Justice’s Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) and Project Guardian. EJECT is a holistic, multi-disciplinary approach to fighting and reducing violent crime through prosecution, prevention, re-entry and awareness. EJECT stands for “Empower Justice Expel Crime Together.” PSN is bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. Project Guardian draws upon the Department’s past successful programs to reduce gun violence; enhances coordination of federal, state, local, and tribal authorities in investigating and prosecuting gun crimes; improves information-sharing by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives when a prohibited individual attempts to purchase a firearm and is denied by the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS), to include taking appropriate actions when a prospective purchaser is denied by the NICS for mental health reasons; and ensures that federal resources are directed at the criminals posing the greatest threat to our communities.
Member of the Isleta Pueblo pleads guilty to federal assault chargeRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Anthony Lucero, 35, an enrolled member of the Isleta Pueblo, pleaded guilty in federal court on Feb. 10 to domestic assault by a habitual offender.
According to the plea agreement, on Nov. 13, 2019, Lucero assaulted his girlfriend. Lucero admitted to punching the victim in the face causing substantial bodily injury. The assault occurred on the Isleta Pueblo.
Lucero is currently in custody pending sentencing. He faces up to 10 years in prison.
The Isleta Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Raquel Ruiz-Velez, Joseph Spindle and Alexander Flores prosecuted the case.
Marion Man Convicted of Making Phony PostageRead the Press Release
A Marion man who forged and counterfeited postage and committed export violations was convicted today following a one-day trial that occurred last month in federal court in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.
Bradley Jon Matheny, age 42, from Marion, Iowa, was convicted of seven counts of postage meter stamp forgery and counterfeiting and three counts of export violations. The verdict was returned late this afternoon after a day-long bench trial that was held in February.
The evidence at trial showed that Matheny operated an eBay business known as “Mathenys” from his residence in Marion. Through “Mathenys,” Matheny sold retail goods to individuals all over the United States and the globe. Matheny used the United States Postal Service (USPS) to ship these goods to his customers; in 2015, for example, Matheny shipped over 28,000 packages with the USPS. Postage posed a significant financial cost to Matheny’s business. To reduce his costs, and increase his profit, Matheny possessed and used forged and counterfeited postage meter stamps on many of the packages he sent to his customers between November 2015 and May 2017.
In 2015, USPS personnel at the Cedar Rapids Main Post Office became suspicious of Matheny’s mailing practices after he kept dropping off his packages at the post office late in the evening at the dock. USPS eventually alerted federal law enforcement, specifically the United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), that Matheny might be falsifying postage in connection with his eBay business. A review of Matheny’s packages in late 2015 revealed that most of Matheny’s packages had either insufficient postage or a forged or counterfeited postage meter stamp. For example, some postage was purchased at the 3-ounce rate, but the “3” was altered into an “8.” Similar reviews in 2016 and 2017 yielded similar results, and one expert testified that Matheny had shorted the USPS more than $250,000.
In 2017, law enforcement officers executed a federal search warrant at Matheny’s residence, a single-family house in Marion. During the search, the USPIS seized a large number of unusual paper clippings of partial Priority Mail and First Class postage meter stamps as well as a handwritten list of crossed-out Priority Mail tracking numbers. Law enforcement also imaged Matheny’s electronic devices and, on his computer, found a number of unaltered electronic versions of the forged postage meter stamps in question. Later, working with representatives of eBay, law enforcement learned that Matheny was taking advantage of vulnerabilities in the USPS’s electronic postage payment systems to receive Priority Mail treatment for his packages even though he had only paid the First Class rate.
Some of Matheny’s customers lived overseas, including in Israel and South Africa. The USPS required Matheny to make truthful declarations on these exports. Specifically, Matheny was required to truthfully declare whether the package contained merchandise or a gift and also the value of the contents of the package. Matheny falsely certified on these forms that his packages contained a “gift” that was worth a nominal sum such as “$1.90,” when in truth Matheny knew the contents of his packages were not gifts and worth more than what he listed on the forms. This allowed Matheny’s packages to clear foreign customs more rapidly and possibly avoid foreign customs taxes.
United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams convicted defendant of ten counts and acquitted him of five others. Matheny remains free on bond pending sentencing before Judge Williams. Matheny faces a possible maximum sentence of 65 years’ imprisonment, a $2.5 million fine, and three years of supervised release following any imprisonment.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Tim Vavricek and was investigated by the United States Postal Inspection Service.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 20-CR-50.
Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.
Manchester Woman Pleads Guilty to Conspiracy to Distribute FentanylRead the Press Release
CONCORD - Nicole Dean, 45, of Manchester, pleaded guilty in federal court to conspiracy to distribute fentanyl, United States Attorney Scott W. Murray announced today.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Dean was part of a drug trafficking organization that sold fentanyl and cocaine to customers in Manchester. In July of 2019 a cooperating individual purchased cocaine base and over 44 grams of fentanyl from Dean at her home.
After her arrest in January of 2020, Dean admitted to working for the organization and selling packages of drugs, making about $300 for each package sold.
Dean is scheduled to be sentenced on June 11, 2021.
“Drug dealers endanger lives by selling deadly and addictive substances,” said U.S. Attorney Murray. “In order to protect public health and safety, we are working with all of our law enforcement partners to identify and prosecute those who are responsible for distributing fentanyl and other dangerous drugs in the Granite State. By putting drug dealers out of business, we will improve the quality of life for the law-abiding citizens of New Hampshire.”
“On a daily basis, Nicole Dean was selling deadly quantities of fentanyl and cocaine out of a drug distribution house on Kimball Street in Manchester, New Hampshire to a steady stream of paying customers, and today she finally took responsibility for her criminal conduct,” said Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Boston Division. “The FBI New Hampshire’s Safe Streets Gang Task Force will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to go after those like her who are trying to capitalize on the addiction of others in a region hit hard by the opioid epidemic.”
This matter was investigated by the FBI NH Safe Streets Gang Task Force which is comprised of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, New Hampshire State Police, Dover Police Department, Portsmouth Police Department and Nashua Police Department. The Manchester Police Department provided valuable assistance as well. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Georgiana L. MacDonald.
Agencies participating in this investigation are part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF). OCDETF was established in 1982 to conduct comprehensive, multilevel attacks on major drug trafficking and money laundering organizations and is the keystone of the Department of Justice’s drug reduction strategy. Today, OCDETF combines the resources and expertise of its member federal agencies in cooperation with state and local law enforcement. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt, and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking organizations, transnational criminal organizations, and money laundering organizations that present a significant threat to the public safety, economic, or national security of the United States.
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Man Sentenced to Prison for Stealing $282,670 from Former EmployerRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – William Robinson, 41, was sentenced on March 2, 2021, in U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia to two years of imprisonment for the interstate transportation of stolen property, announced former Acting U.S. Attorney Michael R. Sherwin and James A. Dawson, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Washington Field Office.
Robinson was a former employee of a non-profit corporation that advocates for policies related to safe food, safe drinking water, and the climate. Robinson was initially hired by the non-profit corporation in 2012 as a web developer. After multiple promotions, he became its Chief Technology Officer in 2015. While working at the non-profit corporation, Robinson devised a scheme to defraud by creating Vulcan Network & Data Security, LLC (“Vulcan”) and arranging a contract for Vulcan to provide web security services to his non-profit corporation employer. Robinson then created false invoices on behalf of Vulcan and submitted them to his employer’s finance department, requesting payment for purported web security services, testing, and equipment. In reality, Vulcan never provided any services to the non-profit corporation, which was already paying a separate company for those services. From April 2017 to September 2019, Robinson submitted 13 false Vulcan invoices to his non-profit corporation employer. The non-profit corporation paid Vulcan a total of $282,670 for services never provided. Robinson received all of these funds and used them to pay for personal expenses.
For the last payment made to Vulcan in the course of this scheme, on October 11, 2019, Robinson asked the non-profit corporation’s finance department to issue a check to Vulcan, along with two other unrelated checks, and give them to a particular employee so that Robinson could hand deliver them. Robinson offered that employee $50 to deliver the checks to him from Washington, D.C. to Springfield, Virginia. After the employee made the delivery, Robinson cashed the $22,500 check from Vulcan that same day.
Robinson was charged via criminal information in October 2020 and entered a guilty plea before the Honorable Ketanji Brown Jackson on December 1, 2020.
In addition to sentencing Robinson to two years in prison, the Honorable Ketanji Brown Jackson ordered that Robinson serve three years of supervised release and pay restitution and a forfeiture money judgment.
In announcing the sentence, Acting U.S. Attorney Sherwin and Special Agent in Charge Dawson commended the work of those from the FBI’s Washington Field Office who investigated the case. They also expressed appreciation to Paralegal Specialists Quiana Dunn-Gordon, Amanda Rohde, and Michon Tart. Finally, they commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorney Christine Macey, who prosecuted the case.
Local woman charged with fraudulently receiving millions under CARES ActRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – A 37-year-old Houston resident is set to appear in federal court for her alleged submission of two Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan applications pursuant to the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Jennifer B. Lowery.
The criminal indictment, filed Feb. 24, charges LaDonna Wiggins with bank fraud, making a false statement to a bank and money laundering. She is set to appear before U.S. Magistrate Judge Peter Bray today at 2 p.m..
Wiggins allegedly submitted two PPP loan applications for businesses known as Wiggins & Graham Enterprise LLC and Pink Lady Line, resulting in the receipt of $3,648,145. The charges allege Wiggins used these funds to make personal purchases such as for two homes, multiple vehicles and luxury goods - rather than for any legitimate business purposes.
The CARES Act is a federal law enacted March 27, 2020, to provide emergency financial assistance to the millions of Americans who are suffering the economic effects caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. One source of relief the CARES Act provides is the authorization of up to $349 billion in United States Small Business Administration (SBA)-guaranteed and forgivable loans to small businesses through the PPP.
Businesses must use PPP loan proceeds for certain permissible expenses, such as payroll costs, interest on mortgages, rent and utilities. Interest and principal on PPP loans can be entirely forgiven if the business spent the loan proceeds on these expense items within a designated period of time.
If convicted, Wiggins faces up to 30 years in federal prison and a possible $1 million maximum fine.
The Secret Service conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Zahra Jivani Fenelon is prosecuting the case.
A criminal indictment is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.
Licensed Pharmacist Pleads Guilty to Making False Statements to the DEA About Controlled SubstancesRead the Press Release
Audrey Strauss, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced today that RICHARD SCHIRRIPA pled guilty to making materially false statements to officers of the Drug Enforcement Administration (“DEA”). On two occasions in 2020, SCHIRRIPA falsely represented that, as part of the recent closure of his pharmacy in Manhattan, he had sold, transferred, or destroyed all controlled substances. In fact, he remained in possession of thousands of controlled substance pills/patches in his home, including fentanyl and oxycodone, which had been prescribed to others. SCHIRRIPA pled guilty today before U.S. District Judge George B. Daniels, to whom his case is assigned.
Manhattan U.S. Attorney Audrey Strauss said: “When a pharmacy closes, powerful controlled substances frequently change hands – a potentially fraught moment. As Richard Schirripa admitted today, he lied to the DEA twice about what he had done with large quantities of dangerous controlled substances, including potentially lethal fentanyl, when he closed his pharmacy. Schirripa now awaits sentencing for his crime.”
According to the allegations in the Information, court filings, and statements made in court:
In or around January 2020, Madison Avenue Pharmacy (“MAP”) – which SCHIRRIPA had owned for many years – closed. Under federal regulations, before a pharmacy discontinues business activities, it must notify the DEA at least 14 days in advance. SCHIRRIPA did not comply with this requirement. The DEA learned that MAP had closed when DEA officers attempted to conduct a routine audit of MAP and saw a piece of paper on the storefront that announced MAP’s closure and noted that MAP’s controlled substances had been transferred to a specified local pharmacy. The DEA officers then went, in person, to that specified local pharmacy. Shortly thereafter, SCHIRRIPA wrote the DEA (in January 2020) and met with the DEA (in February 2020).
On both occasions, SCHIRRIPA made material false statements to the DEA. On both occasions, SCHIRRIPA falsely represented that as part of the recent closure of MAP, he had transferred to others, sold, or destroyed all controlled substances. In fact, SCHIRRIPA remained in possession of thousands of controlled substance pills/patches, including fentanyl, oxycodone, and oxymorphone. These substances were all recovered from a safe in SCHIRRIPA’s home on Long Island. When agents executed a search warrant at SCHIRRIPA’s home in April 2020, SCHIRRIPA acknowledged that these controlled substances were from his pharmacy and that he needed to destroy them. There were nearly 4,000 pills/patches in total, many of which contained labels indicating that they had been prescribed to others.
Under the terms of his plea agreement, SCHIRRIPA also admitted to various regulatory violations, including regarding controlled substances. SCHIRRIPA also agreed to: Surrender of his pharmacy and pharmacist licenses; a three-year ban before he can reapply for such licenses; and a three-year ban on any employment that involves his possessing, controlling, or distributing controlled substances.
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SCHIRRIPA, 67, of Fort Salonga, New York, pled guilty to one count of making false statements, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison. The maximum potential sentence in this case is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the judge. SCHIRRIPA is scheduled to be sentenced by Judge Daniels on July 13, 2021, at 10:30 a.m.
Ms. Strauss praised the outstanding investigative work of the New York Office of Homeland Security Investigations (“HSI”), the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the DEA, the New York City Police Department, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the Internal Revenue Service, and the Port Authority Police Department. She also expressed gratitude to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the New York State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision, and the Northvale, New Jersey, Police Department.
This matter is being handled by the Office’s Complex Frauds and Cybercrime Unit. Assistant United States Attorney Michael D. Neff is in charge of the prosecution.
Liberian National Is Arrested on Federal Charges in Connection with Online Romance Scam Targeting Elderly VictimsRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Michael Moore, 38, a Liberian national residing in Darby, Pennsylvania, has been arrested on federal charges for his involvement in an online romance scam that targeted older adults, announced William T. Stetzer, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. The criminal indictment was unsealed following Moore’s initial appearance in federal court in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.
Ronnie Martinez, Special Agent in Charge of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) in Charlotte, and Barry Chastain, Port Director of the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Area in Charlotte join Acting U.S. Attorney Stetzer in making today’s announcement.
According to allegations contained in the indictment, beginning in January 2016, Moore and others engaged in a fraudulent scheme to defraud unsuspecting victims, some of whom were elderly, by perpetrating an online romance scam. The indictment alleges that Moore and his co-conspirators generally targeted victims through Facebook and other social media platforms with false promises of a romantic relationship. Moore and others allegedly communicated with the victims via emails, text messages, and phone calls, and purported to be in a romantic relationship with the victims, when in reality no such relationship existed. The indictment alleges that Moore and his co-conspirators used a number of lies to steal the victims’ money, including that the money was needed to obtain travel documents or to release funds held by customs officials. In this manner, according to the indictment, Moore and his co-conspirators obtained over $1.5 million from at least 30 victims.
Moore is charged with two counts of making a false statement to an agency of the United States, which carries a maximum prison term of five years and a $250,000 fine. The indictment alleges that Moore lied to CBP officers and ICE-HSI agents when he was questioned at Charlotte Douglas International Airport about the source of the $75,000 in cash found in his possession, and later, Moore made false statements and representations on a federal form in an attempt to conceal that the money had come from a defrauded victim. Moore is also charged with wire fraud, which carries a maximum prison term of 20 years and a $250,000 fine.
The details contained in this indictment are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
In making today’s announcement, Acting U.S. Attorney Stetzer thanked CBP and HSI for handling the investigation that led to the federal charges.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sanjeev Bhasker and Maria Vento, of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte, are in charge of the prosecution.
In March 2019, the U.S. Attorney’s Office announced the Elder Justice Initiative, which aims to combat elder financial exploitation by expanding efforts to investigate and prosecute financial scams that target seniors; educate older adults on how to identify scams and avoid becoming victims of financial fraud; and promote greater coordination with law enforcement partners. For more information please visit: https://www.justice.gov/usao-wdnc/elder-justice-initiativehttps://www.justice.gov/usao-wdnc/elder-justice-initiative
Some examples of financial scams targeting seniors are:
• Lottery phone scams – in which the callers convince seniors that a large fee or taxes must be paid before they can receive lottery winnings.
• Grandparent scams – which convince seniors that their grandchildren are in trouble and need money to make rent, repair a car, or even money for bail.
• Romance scams – which lull victims to believe that their online paramour needs funds for a U.S. visit or some other purpose.
• IRS imposter scams – which defraud victims by posing as IRS agents and claiming that victims owe back taxes.
• Sham business opportunities – which convince victims to invest in lucrative business opportunities or investments.
To avoid falling victim to a financial scam:
• Don’t share personal information with anyone you don’t know.
• Don’t pay a fee for a prize or lottery winning.
• Don’t click on pop-up ads or messages.
• Delete phishing emails and ignore harassing phone calls.
• Don’t send gift cards, checks, money orders, wire money, or give your bank account information to a stranger.
• Don’t fall for a high-pressure sales pitch or a lucrative business deal.
• If a scammer approaches you, take the time to talk to a friend or family member.
• Keep in mind that if you send money once, you’ll be a target for life.
• Remember, it’s not rude to say, “NO.”
• A good rule of thumb is, if it’s too good to be true, it’s likely a scam.
If you have been contacted by a scammer or believe you have fallen victim to a scam, please contact the Justice Department’s Elder Fraud Hotline at 1-833-Fraud-11 (1-833-372-8311). The National Elder Fraud hotline was created for the public to report fraud against individuals who are age 60 or older. The hotline is open seven days a week. For more information about the hotline, please visit https://stopelderfraud.ovc.ojp.gov/.
Lake Park Man to Federal Prison for Meth ConspiracyRead the Press Release
A man who conspired to distribute methamphetamine was sentenced February 26, 2021, to more than 2 years in federal prison.
Dustin Noble, 38, from Lake Park, Iowa, received the prison term after an October 13, 2020, guilty plea to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine.
Evidence at the hearings showed that, between November 2019 and March 2020, Noble and others conspired to distribute at least 5,000 grams of pure methamphetamine. Noble admitted to helping acquire and transport 20 pounds of methamphetamine from a source of supply in California for which he was to receive money and/or methamphetamine. Noble also admitted to helping acquire methamphetamine in three trips to Sioux City to obtain ½ to one pound quantities of methamphetamine in January/February 2020, from another source of supply.
Noble was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand. Noble was sentenced to 27 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a 4-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system. Noble is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Shawn S. Wehde and investigated by Tri-State Drug Task Force based in Sioux City, Iowa, that consists of law enforcement personnel from the Drug Enforcement Administration; Sioux City, Iowa, Police Department; Homeland Security Investigations; Woodbury County Sheriff’s Office; South Sioux City, Nebraska, Police Department; Nebraska State Patrol; Iowa National Guard; Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement; United States Marshals Service; South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation; and Woodbury County Attorney’s Office.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 20-4051. Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.
Justice Department Settles Title VII Lawsuit Against Tallahatchie County, Mississippi, Alleging Intentional Discrimination Based on RaceRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – The Department of Justice announced today that it has reached a settlement agreement resolving the United States’ claims that Tallahatchie County, Mississippi, and the Tallahatchie County sheriff in his official capacity (collectively, Tallahatchie County), intentionally discriminated against Black deputy sheriffs based on their race, by paying them less than white deputy sheriffs, in violation of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
“Under Title VII, it is illegal to pay employees less because of their race,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Pamela S. Karlan of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “Black deputy sheriffs in Tallahatchie County work hard to protect members of their community and they deserve equal treatment in every aspect of their employment, especially their paychecks. This settlement will ensure pay policies that promote equal employment opportunities for these public safety professionals.”
Under the terms of the settlement agreement, Tallahatchie County will pay four Black deputy sheriffs back-pay compensation for the unequal pay rates that they have endured. Tallahatchie County will also ensure that pay rates are reviewed and adjusted, as necessary, to ensure no future discrimination. Tallahatchie County will implement a new pay policy to be reviewed by the Department of Justice and will put in place procedures to ensure transparency in pay for its entire workforce of deputy sheriffs.
This lawsuit stemmed from an investigation conducted by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) during which the Commission found that there was reasonable cause to believe that violations of Title VII occurred against a class of Black deputy sheriffs for which disparities in pay were racially motivated. After unsuccessful conciliation efforts by the EEOC, the EEOC referred the charges to the Justice Department.
The full and fair enforcement of Title VII is a top priority of the Employment Litigation Section of the Civil Rights Division. Additional information about the Civil Rights Division and the jurisdiction of the Employment Litigation Section is available on its websites at www.justice.gov/crt/ and https://www.justice.gov/crt/employment-litigation-section.
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Judge sentences St. Louis man for embezzlement of bank funds and conspiracy to embezzle bank fundsRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – United States District Judge Rodney W. Sippel sentenced Malik Ross to 120 months in prison today. The 24-year-old St. Louis, Missouri resident pleaded guilty in August to one count of embezzlement of bank funds and one count of conspiracy to embezzle bank funds.
Ross was employed by Garda World Logistics, Inc. (“Garda”) who contracted with Midwest Regional Bank to transport its federally insured deposits. Ross admitted that, on August 13, 2019, while his co-employee was inside a building in the Soulard neighborhood conducting Garda business, he drove a Garda armored car from that location to South Broadway in the City of St. Louis where he placed a bag containing $50,000 in the middle of the road. A conspirator, in turn, retrieved the bag from the street and left the area with the money. The $50,000 in the bag belonged to Midwest Regional Bank, who was insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation.
At sentencing, the United States requested an upward variance from the 8-14 month applicable sentencing guideline range and presented evidence that, on the day before the theft, Ross, wearing a bulletproof vest and carrying a loaded Glock firearm, shot a firearm 14 times when he came in contact with two other individuals in the residential area of the 3500 block of 14th Street. The district court found, by a preponderance of evidence, Ross was not acting in self-defense at the time and, in firing those shots, he killed a seven-year-old boy who was playing in the alley behind his house. As a result of this evidence, the district court granted the motion of the United States for an upward variance and sentenced Ross to a 120-month term of imprisonment for the theft.
This St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department investigated the case. Assistant United States Attorney Allison Behrens is handling the case.
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Jeweler Admits Lying to Federal Agents During InvestigationRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – The manager of a Jersey City jewelry store today admitted lying to federal agents during an investigation into a fraud conspiracy, Acting U.S. Attorney Rachael A. Honig announced today.
Khaled Hamade, 60, of Clifton, New Jersey, pleaded guilty by videoconference before U.S. District Judge Claire C. Cecchi to an information charging him with one count of making false statements to federal agents.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
Hamade was the manager of a jewelry store at the Newport Mall in Jersey City. In March 2019, he provided false information to federal agents who were investigating a fraud conspiracy against a financial institution. Hamade denied knowledge of the identities, and personal information, of numerous customers of his jewelry store who were believed to have engaged in the fraud.
The count of providing false statements to which Hamade pleaded guilty carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Sentencing is scheduled for July 14, 2021.
Acting U.S. Attorney Honig credited special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge George M. Crouch Jr. in Newark, and inspectors of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, under the supervision of Acting Inspector in Charge Raimundo Marrero in Newark, with the investigation leading to today’s guilty plea.
The government is represented by Senior Litigation Counsel V. Grady O’Malley of the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Organized Crime/Gangs Unit.
Jacksonville Tax Preparer Pleads Guilty to Tax FraudRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – Kenyan Shondre Scott has pleaded guilty to aiding and assisting another person with the filing of a fraudulent tax return and to filing a fraudulent tax return on his own behalf. He faces a maximum penalty of three years in federal prison on each charge. Scott has also agreed to pay $553,403 in restitution to the IRS for the tax loss caused by all of the offenses charged in the indictment, including those to which he did not plead guilty. A sentencing date has not yet been set.
According to the plea agreement, Scott was the owner and operator of a tax return preparation business in Jacksonville. In preparing income tax returns for others, Scott reported false information, including false claims for deductible expenses and losses, to reduce the amount owed by, or to increase the amount refunded to, the taxpayers. He then electronically filed these tax returns with the IRS, causing the IRS either to issue refunds when tax would have been owed, in the absence of the fraud, or for larger refunds to be otherwise issued.
Scott pleaded guilty to preparing and filing a fraudulent 2014 tax return for another individual in which he represented that the taxpayer had a business with $425 in income and $4,552 in expenses, resulting in a purported business loss of $4,127, and he subtracted this business “loss” from the taxpayer’s gross income. He also represented that the taxpayer was entitled to a general business credit of $2,850 and claimed this amount as a credit against the taxes owed by the taxpayer. When Scott made these representations, he knew that the taxpayer was a wage-earning employee of a corporation and did not operate a business in 2014.
After Scott filed the tax return, the IRS issued a refund of $2,734 to the taxpayer. In the absence of the false statements, the taxpayer would have owed additional tax of $738, meaning that the tax loss to the IRS was $3,472.
According to court documents, Scott prepared and filed a fraudulent 2014 tax return on his own behalf in which he represented that his filing status was single, that he had earned wages, salaries, and tips of $12,875, that he had net business income of $28,467, that he was entitled to a general business credit of $3,500, and that he had federal income tax withheld of $4,532. When Scott made these representations, he knew that his filing status should have been either married filing jointly or married filing separately, that he had not earned any wages, salaries, or tips, that he had net business income of approximately $297,110, that he was not entitled to a general business credit, and that he had not had any federal income tax withheld.
After Scott filed the tax return, the IRS issued a $50 refund to him. In the absence of the false statements, Scott would have owed additional tax of $108,033, causing a tax loss to the IRS of $108,083.
This case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Arnold B. Corsmeier.
Jacksonville Man Sentenced to Extra Ten Months in Prison for Possessing Marijuana in Federal CustodyRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – U.S. District Judge Marcia Morales Howard has sentenced Anthony Grier (Jacksonville, 33) to 10 months in federal prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release, for possessing marijuana while in federal custody at the Nassau County Jail. This sentence has been ordered to run consecutive to a 7-month federal sentence Grier was already serving, as well as consecutive to an additional 3-month state sentence he had received for battery on an inmate.
Grier had pleaded guilty on December 1, 2020.
According to court documents, Grier was being held in the Nassau County Jail as a federal inmate after he was sentenced to 7 months in prison for violating his federal supervision. On February 11, 2020, deputies from the Nassau County Sheriff’s Office detected the scent of marijuana and traced it to the cell occupied by Grier. A law enforcement drug canine was deployed and did an open-air sniff of the cell. The canine alerted to the odor of marijuana, but no marijuana was found in the cell. Grier was escorted out of the cell to be searched. Before the search began, Grier produced a medical glove containing 15 marijuana cigarettes that he had on him.
This case was investigated by the United States Marshals Service. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ashley Washington.
Indiana Felon Indicted on Gun ChargeRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH - A resident of Edinburgh, Indiana, has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania on a charge of violating federal firearms laws, Acting United States Attorney Stephen R. Kaufman announced today.
The one-count Indictment named Abdullah Woods, age 29, as the sole defendant.
According to the Indictment, on December 7, 2020, Woods was found to be in the possession of a firearm and ammunition. Woods is prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition due to a prior conviction.
The law provides for a maximum total sentence of not more than 10 years in prison, a fine of not more than $250,000.00, a term of supervised release of 3 years, or a combination thereof. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney Robert C. Schupansky is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives conducted the investigation leading to the Indictment in this case.
An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Houston man gets lengthy sentence for 2019 carjacking and robberyRead the Press Release
HOUSTON - A 24-year-old Houston resident has been ordered to federal prison for 24 years, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Jennifer B. Lowery.
Jonathan Soto pleaded guilty Dec. 2, 2020, to aiding and abetting carjacking and two counts of discharging a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence.
Today, U.S. District Judge George C. Hanks Jr. ordered him to serve 48 months for the carjacking. He was further sentenced to 120 months on each of the firearms charges to be served consecutively to each other and the underlying offense. The total 288 months will be automatically followed by five years of supervised release.
On Feb. 7, 2019, Soto and others approached a vehicle on the 7500 block of Corporate Drive in Houston and asked if the passengers were in a gang. He ordered them to get out of the car, but they refused. They were subsequently pulled from the vehicle and forced to lay on the ground, face-down. Soto punched one of them in the face. Another victim was able to run away as shots were fired in his direction.
Less than an hour later, Soto acted as a look-out driver during the armed robbery of the Old Irish Pub on the 2300 block of Kirkwood. The robber said “you think this is a joke?” and fired his gun into the ceiling. He then ordered a victim to give him money from the register and safe.
Soto admitted to being the look-out driver for this robbery as well as taking part in the carjacking.
Law enforcement was able to use National Integrated Ballistic Information Network to link shell casings from the carjacking and the robbery,
Soto 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 Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Houston Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jill Stotts is prosecuting the case.
Hazleton Man Sentenced to 51 Months’ Imprisonment for Heroin and Fentanyl TraffickingRead the Press Release
SCRANTON- The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that on February 24, 2021, Miguel Dotel, age 43, of Hazleton, Pennsylvania, was sentenced to 51 months’ imprisonment followed by a four-year term of supervised release by United States District Court Judge Malachy E. Mannion for drug trafficking offenses.
According to Acting United States Attorney Bruce D. Brandler, from approximately March 2018 through July 2019, Dotel conspired with others to distribute approximately 200 grams of heroin (which is equivalent to approximately 2,000 individual doses) and 250 grams of fentanyl.
The matter was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and its state and local partners, including the Pennsylvania State Police. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffery St John prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. The Department of Justice reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime.
This case was also brought as part of a district wide initiative to combat the nationwide epidemic regarding the use and distribution of heroin. Led by the United States Attorney’s Office, the Heroin Initiative targets heroin traffickers operating in the Middle District of Pennsylvania and is part of a coordinated effort among federal, state and local law enforcement agencies to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who commit heroin related offenses.
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Hartford Man Sentenced to 66 Months in Prison for Dealing Fentanyl While on Federal Supervised ReleaseRead the Press Release
Leonard C Boyle, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that YACOV OCASIO, also known as “C-Low,” 24, of Hartford, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Jeffrey A. Meyer in New Haven to 66 months of imprisonment, followed by five years of supervised release, for distributing fentanyl while on federal supervised release.
According to court documents and statements made in court, in December 2019, the FBI’s Northern Connecticut Gang Task Force and Hartford Police Department learned that Ocasio was selling fentanyl in Hartford. Since May 2019, Ocasio has been on federal supervised release following a conviction for possession with intent to distribute, and distribution of, heroin/fentanyl. In that case, Ocasio distributed heroin/fentanyl that caused the overdose death of a 28-year-old Middletown man in August 2016. In August 28, 2017, Ocasio was sentenced in Hartford federal court to 30 months of imprisonment and three years of supervised release for that offense.
Between December 2019 and March 2020, investigators conducted seven controlled purchases of fentanyl from Ocasio.
On April 15, 2020, Ocasio was arrested at a hotel in Hartford where he was staying. Occasion possessed 160 bags of fentanyl at the time of his arrest.
Ocasio has been detained since his arrest. On November 5, 2020, he pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute, and distribution of, fentanyl.
The FBI’s Northern Connecticut Gang Task Force includes members of the Hartford Police Department, East Hartford Police Department, New Britain Police Department, West Hartford Police Department, Connecticut State Police and Connecticut Department of Correction.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian P. Leaming.
Harrison County woman indicted on firearms chargeRead the Press Release
CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Harlie Christian Shaw, of Clarksburg, West Virginia, was indicted today on a firearms charge, Acting United States Attorney Randolph J. Bernard announced.
Shaw, 30, was indicted on one count of “Unlawful Possession of a Firearm.” Shaw, a person prohibited from having a firearm because of a prior conviction, is accused of having a .22 caliber revolver in June 2020 in Harrison County.
Shaw is facing up to 10 years of incarceration and a fine of up to $250,000. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah E. Wagner is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Harrison County Sheriff’s Office investigated.
An indictment is merely an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Harrison County man indicted on firearms chargeRead the Press Release
CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Mark Allen Craig, II, of Lumberport, West Virginia, was indicted today on a firearms charge, Acting United States Attorney Randolph J. Bernard announced.
Craig, 31, was indicted on one count of “Unlawful Possession of Firearm.” Craig, a person prohibited from having a firearm because of prior convictions, is accused of having a .38 S&W Special caliber revolver in December 2020 in Harrison County.
Craig is facing up to 10 years of incarceration and a fine of up to $250,000. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah E. Wagner is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Harrison County Sheriff’s Office investigated.
An indictment is merely an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Grand Jury Indicts Depew Man for Selling Fentanyl That Led to the Deaths of Two IndividualsRead the Press Release
CONTACT: Barbara Burns
PHONE: (716) 843-5817
FAX #: (716) 551-3051BUFFALO, N.Y. – U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy, Jr. announced today that a federal grand jury has returned an indictment charging Jonathan DiPirro, 30, of Depew, NY, with distribution of acetyl fentanyl, fentanyl, and cocaine causing death, distribution of acetyl fentanyl and fentanyl causing death, possessing with intent to distribute, and distributing, acetyl fentanyl and fentanyl, narcotics conspiracy, possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and crack cocaine, and maintaining a drug-involved premises. The charges carry a mandatory minimum penalty of 20 years in prison and a maximum of life in prison.
“This indictment alleges that the drugs distributed by the defendant resulted in the deaths of two of his customers,” stated United States Attorney Kennedy. “While no amount of punishment can bring back those lives and while the hope is that the prospects of spending 20-plus years in federal prison might deter others from supplying drugs that could lead to overdose, in the end, the only real guarantee that this prosecution can provide is that defendant, if convicted as charged, won’t be able to provide deadly poison to anyone else for at least two decades.”
Assistant U.S. Attorney Brendan T. Cullinane, who is handling the case, stated that according to the indictment and a previously filed complaint, in October of 2019, the Lancaster Police Department, Drug Enforcement Administration, and the New York State Police Violent Gang Narcotics Enforcement Team began investigating the drug dealing activities of the defendant and his co-defendant Sarah Szymanski, who were identified as individuals who sold heroin and fentanyl together in the Western New York area. Since February of 2020, law enforcement has made three separate controlled purchases of suspected opiates from co-defendants DiPirro and Szymanski.
On November 2, 2019, Lancaster Police Officers, the Bowmansville Fire Company, and the Lancaster Volunteer Ambulance Corporation, responded to an emergency call at a residence in Lancaster. When first responders arrived, they discovered an individual identified as J.L. deceased. Next to J.L., officers observed a hypodermic needle containing a small amount of liquid or blood. A few days later, on November 4, 2019, officers took custody of an eyeglasses case that contained an amount of suspected controlled substances and the hypodermic needle. Testing by the Erie County Central Police Services Forensics Laboratory confirmed that the powdered substance contained a mixture of acetyl fentanyl, fentanyl, and cocaine. On February 11, 2020, the Erie County Medical Examiner's Office issued a death certificate listing the cause of death as “[a]cute mixed drug intoxication,” and identifying fentanyl and acetyl fentanyl as two of the drugs in J.L's system at that time that contributed to the drug intoxication.
Subsequent investigation determined that DiPirro was the individual J.L. contacted by cell phone, using calls, text messages, and Facebook Messenger, to purchase heroin or fentanyl. Specifically, between September 2019 and November 2, 2019, the date of his overdose death, J.L. contacted DiPirro continually using these lines of communication. During that time, J.L. overdosed from heroin and/or fentanyl on three known occasions. J.L. survived the first two overdoses, but died as a result of the third overdose.
On March 4, 2020, the Cheektowaga Police Department responded to an emergency call at a residence in Cheektowaga involving an overdose of an individual. When officers arrived, they found an individual, identified as S.L., unresponsive. Officers administered two doses of Narcan but could not revive S.L. Officers also administered cardiopulmonary resuscitation and transported S.L. to St. Joseph's Hospital. Medical personnel ultimately pronounced S.L. dead. The investigation into S.L.'s fatal overdose revealed voice calls exchanged between S.L. and DiPirro on the date of S.L.'s death. On March 5, 2020, the Erie County Medical Examiner's Office issued a death certificate listing the cause of death as “[a]cute mixed drug intoxication,” and identifying fentanyl and acetyl fentanyl as two of the drugs in S.L's system at that time that contributed to the drug intoxication.
DiPirro was arraigned this afternoon before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jeremiah J. McCarthy and detained.
Sarah Szymanski was previously convicted and is awaiting sentencing.
The indictment is the result of an investigation by the Lancaster Police Department, under the direction of Chief William J. Karn, Jr.; the Depew Police Department, under the direction of Chief Jerome Miller; the Cheektowaga Police Department, under the direction of Chief Michael Sliwinski; the New York State Police Violent Gang Narcotics Enforcement Team, under the direction of Major James Hall; and the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Ray Donovan.
The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
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Four charged in $32 million health care fraud schemeRead the Press Release
HOUSTON - A medical director, operator and two unlicensed practitioners at a Texas medical clinic are now in custody on charges related to their alleged participation in a $32 million health care fraud scheme.
Farrah Forough Farizani, D.O., 57, Hamid Reza Razavi, 60, Elie Hanna Hajjar, 48, and Juan Acuña, 64, all of Houston, made their appearances today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Christina Bryan.
Farizani and Razavi are the medical director and operator, respectively, of Hillcroft Physicians, while Hajjar and Acuña were former unlicensed practitioners there.
The indictment, unsealed today, charges all four with one count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud. Farizani, Razavi and Hajjar are also charged with five counts of making false statements relating to health care matters.
The indictment alleges the defendants participated in a health care fraud scheme. They allegedly submitted false and fraudulent claims to Medicaid and Medicare for services that were not provided as billed or were not provided by a licensed, qualified and enrolled provider. Farizani, Razavi, Hajjar,and Acuña allegedly misled patients and staff to believe that Hajjar and Acuña were licensed to practice medicine in Texas.
According to the indictment, Farizani and Razavi directed Hajjar and Acuña to pose as licensed medical professionals. Hajjar and Acuña then allegedly examined, diagnosed, treated, referred and prescribed drugs for patients, many of whom were non-English speaking Medicaid clients unfamiliar with the American medical system. Farizani and Razavi allegedly directed Hillcroft Physicians’ billing staff to submit false claims to Medicaid and Medicare as though Farizani had seen and treated the patients, even when Farizani was out of the country.
The indictment alleges that the defendants submitted or caused the submission of approximately $31 million in claims to Medicaid for which Medicaid paid approximately $12.2 million. They also submitted approximately $600,000 in claims to Medicare for which Medicare paid approximately $250,000.
The FBI, Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) - Office of Inspector General and Texas Attorney General’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit conducted the investigation. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations assisted with the arrests.
Trial Attorney Devon Helfmeyer of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Kathryn Olson of the Southern District of Texas are prosecuting the case.
The Fraud Section leads the Health Care Fraud Strike Force. Since its inception in March 2007, the Health Care Fraud Strike Force, which maintains 15 strike forces operating in 24 districts, has charged more than 4,200 defendants who have collectively billed the Medicare program for nearly $19 billion. In addition, the DHHS Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, working in conjunction with DHHS-OIG, are taking steps to increase accountability and decrease the presence of fraudulent providers.
An indictment is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.
Four Charged in $32 Million Health Care Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
A medical director, operator and two unlicensed practitioners at a Texas medical clinic are now in custody on charges related to their alleged participation in a $32 million health care fraud scheme.
Farrah Forough Farizani, D.O., 57, Hamid Reza Razavi, 60, Elie Hanna Hajjar, 48, and Juan Acuña, 64, all of Houston, made their appearances today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Christina Bryan.
Farizani and Razavi are the medical director and operator, respectively, of Hillcroft Physicians, while Hajjar and Acuña were former unlicensed practitioners there.
The indictment, unsealed today, charges all four with one count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud. Farizani, Razavi and Hajjar are also charged with five counts of making false statements relating to health care matters.
The indictment alleges the defendants participated in a health care fraud scheme. They allegedly submitted false and fraudulent claims to Medicaid and Medicare for services that were not provided as billed or were not provided by a licensed, qualified and enrolled provider. Farizani, Razavi, Hajjar, and Acuña allegedly misled patients and staff to believe that Hajjar and Acuña were licensed to practice medicine in Texas.
According to the indictment, Farizani and Razavi directed Hajjar and Acuña to pose as licensed medical professionals. Hajjar and Acuña then allegedly examined, diagnosed, treated, referred and prescribed drugs for patients, many of whom were non-English speaking Medicaid clients unfamiliar with the American medical system. Farizani and Razavi allegedly directed Hillcroft Physicians’ billing staff to submit false claims to Medicaid and Medicare as though Farizani had seen and treated the patients, even when Farizani was out of the country.
The indictment alleges that the defendants submitted or caused the submission of approximately $31 million in claims to Medicaid for which Medicaid paid approximately $12.2 million. They also submitted approximately $600,000 in claims to Medicare for which Medicare paid approximately $250,000.
Acting Assistant Attorney General Nicholas L. McQuaid of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; Acting U.S. Attorney Jennifer B. Lowery of the Southern District of Texas; Special Agent in Charge Perrye K. Turner of the FBI’s Houston Field Office; Special Agent in Charge Miranda Bennett of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General’s (HHS-OIG) Dallas Region; and Stormy Kelly of the Texas Attorney General’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit (MFCU) made the announcement.
The FBI, HHS-OIG and Texas Attorney General’s MFCU conducted the investigation. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations assisted with the arrests.
Trial Attorney Devon Helfmeyer of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Kathryn Olson of the Southern District of Texas are prosecuting the case.
The Fraud Section leads the Health Care Fraud Strike Force. Since its inception in March 2007, the Health Care Fraud Strike Force, which maintains 15 strike forces operating in 24 districts, has charged more than 4,200 defendants who have collectively billed the Medicare program for nearly $19 billion. In addition, the HHS Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, working in conjunction with the HHS-OIG, are taking steps to increase accountability and decrease the presence of fraudulent providers.
An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Former U.S. Marine Sentenced for Illegal Exportation of Firearms and Controlled EquipmentRead the Press Release
RALEIGH, N.C. – Jacques Yves Sebastien Duroseau, age 34, a former U.S. Marine born in Haiti and a naturalized citizen of the United States, residing in Onslow County, was sentenced today by United States District Judge James C. Dever III to 63 months in prison.
On December 12, 2020, Duroseau was convicted following a three-day trial (conviction) of conspiracy to illegally export and smuggle firearms and controlled equipment from the United States to Haiti, as well as transporting firearms without a license to the Haitian Army. Additionally, the jury decided that the firearms and equipment should be forfeited.
At trial, the evidence showed that Duroseau, at the time an active duty U.S. Marine with the rank of sergeant, along with a co-conspirator, both impersonated high ranking military officers and pretended to be on military business in order to facilitate the illegal transportation of eight firearms, including a Ruger model Precision Rifle 300WIN MAG and a Spike’s Tactical model ST15, as well as copious ammunition, riflescopes, and body armor, via commercial aircraft to Haiti. The evidence further showed that Duroseau’s purpose was to train the Haitian Army with the firearms and equipment in order to engage in foreign armed conflict.
G. Norman Acker, III, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement. The investigation of this case was conducted by agents of the Naval Criminal Investigative Service and Homeland Security Investigations. Additional assistance was provided by the Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service and Directorate of Trade Controls, the Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry Security, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, and the U.S. Marine Corps.
Related court documents and information are located on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 4:20-cr-00003-D.
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Former Special Education Aide Sentenced to Six Years in Federal Prison for Distribution of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland - U.S. District Judge Richard D. Bennett today sentenced Peter Na’Shon Greer, age 42, of Laurel, Maryland, to six years in federal prison, followed by 25 years of supervised release, for distribution of child pornography. Judge Bennett also ordered that, upon his release from prison, Greer must register as a sex offender in the places where he resides, where he is an employee, and where he is a student, under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA).
The sentence was announced by Acting United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Jonathan F. Lenzner and Special Agent in Charge James R. Mancuso of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Baltimore.
According to his guilty plea, Greer has been involved in the receipt and distribution of child pornography, specifically, as a member and then administrator of an online chat group that focused on the sexual exploitation of children. During the time of the offense, Greer was employed as a middle school special education aide.
In August 2018, investigators from the Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) began an investigation into a chat group on an online mobile application. The investigation revealed that users in the chat group were distributing child pornography, posting messages or commenting on child pornography images or videos, and expressing a sexual interest in children. Greer was a member of this chat group and posted video files of child pornography on at least four occasions in March and April 2019. Between March and June 10, 2019, Greer also posted comments on sexually explicit videos documenting the sexual abuse of children and responded to comments posted by other members of the chat group.
In June 2019, the chat group was shut down by the application. Shortly thereafter, the chat group started again under a different name and Greer again joined the chat group. On August 1, 2019, a search warrant was executed at Greer’s residence. During the search, investigator’s seized Greer’s mobile phone, which was subsequently found to have the chat group application in a hidden folder, protected by a password.
As detailed in his plea agreement, Greer admitted that he distributed child pornography and that he was an administrator of the chat group, as well as of other sexually based chat groups, including those dedicated to BDSM and incest. Further, Greer advised that he is part of a group of people who pretend to be minors online, as a form of role playing.
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 Attorney’s 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. For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.justice.gov/psc and click on the "Resources" tab on the left of the page.
Acting United States Attorney Jonathan F. Lenzner commended HSI for its work in the investigation. Mr. Lenzner thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul E. Budlow, who prosecuted the case.
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Former Kankakee Wastewater Utilities Official Pleads Guilty to FraudRead the Press Release
URBANA, Ill. – Sentencing has been scheduled in June for a wastewater utilities official, Richard G. Simms, who pleaded guilty to defrauding Kankakee’s wastewater utilities, Kankakee River Metropolitan Agency (KRMA) and the city’s Environmental Service Utility (ESU), of more than $2 million. Simms, 73, currently of Marietta, Ohio, entered his guilty plea on March 1, by video conference, before U.S. Magistrate Judge Eric I. Long.
Simms, who owned and operated Simms Engineering, LTD., served for many years as executive director of KRMA, which was responsible for treating wastewater from its member municipalities, namely, Kankakee, Bradley, Bourbonnais, and Aroma Park, Ill. Simms was also the Superintendent of ESU that serves as Kankakee’s public works and sewer system.
Simms admitted that from 2014 through 2018, he fraudulently received approximately $2.2 million as payment to Simms Engineering for software development by Plum Flower International, a business that Simms and his daughter started in 2014. Although Simms did not have board approval or contracts with his engineering firm to develop software, he submitted fraudulent and inflated invoices for payment. Simms circumvented KRMA’s invoice payment procedure by submitting invoices directly to its accounting firm. As a result, KRMA’s superintendent and administrative assistant did not approve the invoices and were unaware of the Simms Engineering invoices for software development.
Simms Engineering transferred more than $2 million to Plum Flower International from 2014 to 2018, which represented more than 95% of Plum Flower’s revenue. Approximately $161,000 was used to pay another company to create a software application which they attempted to sell on the open market. Most of the remaining funds were used by Simms and his daughter for their personal benefit.
Sentencing is scheduled on June 28. The offense of federal program fraud carries a maximum statutory penalty of 10 years in prison.
The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Office of Inspector General conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Eugene L. Miller is representing the government in the case prosecution.
Former Federal Law Enforcement Agent Arrested for Allegedly Participating in Bribery Scheme that Brought Him at Least $122,000Read the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – Federal authorities this morning arrested a former special agent with Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) on federal bribery charges that allege he accepted cash payments and other benefits to provide assistance to a person linked to organized crime, including taking official action designed to help two foreign nationals gain entry into the United States.
Felix Cisneros Jr., 46, of Murrieta, was taken into custody without incident and is expected to be arraigned on a 28-count indictment this afternoon in United States District Court in Los Angeles. Cisneros was arrested by special agents with the FBI, IRS Criminal Investigation, and the Department of Homeland Security’s Office of Inspector General.
The indictment filed on February 16 and unsealed today charges Cisneros with conspiracy to commit bribery of a public official, bribery, and 26 counts of money laundering.
Over an 18-month period that started in September 2015, Cisneros accepted cash, checks, private jet travel, luxury hotel stays, meals and other items of value from a person identified as Individual 1 who was associated with a criminal organization, according to the indictment. Cisneros allegedly received at least $122,000 from Individual 1 in 2015 and 2016.
Cisneros allegedly accepted the cash and other bribes while a special agent with HSI, which is part of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, an agency within the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). In exchange for the bribes, according to the indictment, Cisneros allegedly performed a series of official acts at the behest of Individual 1, including:
- Accessing a DHS database for information about a German national identified as W.R., and telling Individual 1 he removed a “hit” on W.R., “thus indicating derogatory information had been removed”;
- Placing an alert in a law enforcement database for an address associated with an illegal marijuana grow operation so Cisneros could learn of law enforcement interest and warn Individual 1;
- Obtaining an official DHS letter signed by an HSI assistant special agent in charge to allow the parole of Individual 1’s brother-in-law into the United States from Mexico, and later providing updates about the brother-in-law’s asylum application; and
- Collecting information on an associate of Individual 1 whose home had been searched by law enforcement and later providing Individual 1 with information about the investigation.
An indictment contains allegations that a defendant has committed a crime. Every defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
The conspiracy charge in the indictment carries a statutory maximum sentence of five years in federal prison, the bribery count carries a sentence of up to 15 years, and each money laundering charge carries a statutory maximum sentence of 20 years’ imprisonment.
This matter is being investigated by the FBI, IRS Criminal Investigation, and the Department of Homeland Security’s Office of Inspector General.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ruth C. Pinkel of the Public Corruption and Civil Rights Section.
Former Employee of Millbury Plumbing Company Sentenced for Marijuana, Fraud and Money Laundering ConvictionsRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A former employee of a family-owned plumbing business in Millbury was sentenced today for drug, money laundering and fraud convictions arising from his role in a large-scale marijuana grow operation.
Thomas Laverty, 40, of Clinton, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Timothy S. Hillman to 12 years in prison, eight years of supervised release and ordered to pay $3,100 in restitution. In January 2020, Laverty was convicted following a five-day trial of conspiring to cultivate more than 100 marijuana plants, conspiracy to launder money, cultivating marijuana and possessing marijuana with intent to distribute, and later pleaded guilty to and additional charge of theft of government funds.
Laverty and certain co-conspirators used a plumbing business, Chuck Laverty & Son Inc., as a front for a large-scale, commercial marijuana cultivation and distribution operation. Laverty and others utilized Laverty & Son vehicles, bank accounts and locations to facilitate marijuana manufacturing, storage and distribution. Every week, numerous Laverty & Son workers harvested 20 marijuana plants from the commercial warehouse, with a goal of producing 8 – 10 pounds of dried marijuana per week. The dried marijuana was sold in large quantities for approximately $2,400 per pound.
Laverty received income in connection with his work for Laverty & Son, including up to $5,000 per week in cash. During this same timeframe, Laverty received federally-funded Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits, eligibility for which is need-based and generally limited to households whose incomes do not exceed the federal poverty line. Laverty misrepresented his income on pertinent paperwork provided to the Massachusetts Department of Transitional Assistance (which administers SNAP benefits in Massachusetts), and also concealed the fact that he was living with his wife, who herself was receiving SNAP benefits but was using a different address than that of her actual residence.
Co-defendant Andrea Laverty, 63, of Millbury, previously pleaded guilty to conspiring to cultivate marijuana and conspiring to launder money. She is scheduled to be sentenced on March 3, 2021.
Acting United States Attorney Nathaniel R. Mendell; Brian D. Boyle, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division; and Ramsey E. Covington, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigation in Boston made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Bill Abely and Phil Cheng of Mendell’s Criminal Division prosecuted the case.
Former Bank CEO Sentenced to Prison for Falsifying Bank Records, Misappropriating More Than $1.6 MillionRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney W. Anders Folk today announced the sentencing of ROBERT JOHN HAGER, 70, a former bank CEO, to 18 months in prison for making a false entry in bank records. HAGER, who pleaded guilty on May 18, 2020, was sentenced earlier today by Judge Patrick J. Schiltz in U.S. District Court.
According to the defendant’s guilty plea and documents filed with the court, HAGER was the CEO of Border State Bank (“Border”) and served as a director of the bank’s holding company, Border Bancshares, Inc. HAGER also held various executive positions in banks that Border Bancshares, Inc. acquired, including the former First State Bank of Clearbrook and the former First Advantage Bank. In late 2015 and early 2016, HAGER loaned money to a bank customer to invest in a diamond and gold venture in Liberia, Ghana, and Kenya that promised a quick return. After he depleted his own personal funds on the investment and maxed out the amount he could borrow from the bank, HAGER asked other individuals, including bank customers, shareholders, and directors of the bank to lend him money, which would enable HAGER to recover his personal funds.
According to the defendant’s guilty plea and documents filed with the court, between 2016 and 2017, HAGER requested a series of loans by having Border bank customers take out loans in their own names, or draw from loans they already had, and then transfer the funds to HAGER. In May 2016, HAGER issued three unauthorized Standby Letters of Credit (SBLCs) worth $1.6 million to facilitate the purchase and delivery of diamonds and gold from Africa. In each instance, Hager issued the SBLC on the letterhead of First Advantage Bank and signed the letter as CEO of First Advantage. Letters of Credit are considered obligations of a bank, and they can impact a bank’s financial standing. Such obligations must be entered into the bank’s general ledger so that they can be accounted for and tracked by regulators. In order to conceal his actions, HAGER failed to report the SBLCs to bank personnel so that they could be logged into the bank’s system.
This case was the result of an investigation conducted by the Office of Inspector General for the Federal Reserve Board, the Office of Inspector General for the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC), and the FBI.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Amber M. Brennan.
Defendant Information:
ROBERT JOHN HAGER, 70
Greenbush, Minn.
Convicted:
- Making false entries in bank records, 1 count
Sentenced:
- 18 months in prison
- Two years of supervised release
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United States Attorney’s Office, District of Minnesota: (612) 664-5600
Felon Who Used a Gun to Commit a Robbery Sentenced to More than Nine Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
A man who robbed and assaulted another person while in possession of a firearm was sentenced on March 1, 2021, to more than nine years in federal prison.
Anquavion Claybon, age 22, from Waterloo, Iowa, received the prison term after an August 21, 2020 guilty plea to being a felon in possession of a firearm.
At the guilty plea, Claybon admitted he possessed a firearm after having been convicted of two previous felony offenses that involved firearms. Information at sentencing showed that, on January 19, 2020, Claybon used a firearm to rob a victim, stealing money from the victim. Claybon and others then assaulted the victim.
Claybon was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams. Claybon was sentenced to 110 months’ imprisonment. He was ordered to make $105 in restitution. He must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system. Claybon is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). PSN is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
This case is also part of Project Guardian, the Department of Justice’s signature initiative to reduce gun violence and enforce federal firearms laws. Initiated by the Attorney General in the fall of 2019, Project Guardian draws upon the Department’s past successful programs to reduce gun violence; enhances coordination of federal, state, local, and tribal authorities in investigating and prosecuting gun crimes; improves information-sharing by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives when a prohibited individual attempts to purchase a firearm and is denied by the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS), to include taking appropriate actions when a prospective purchaser is denied by the NICS for mental health reasons; and ensures that federal resources are directed at the criminals posing the greatest threat to our communities. For more information about Project Guardian, please see /media/1122011/dl?inline.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kyndra Lundquist and investigated by a Federal Task Force composed of the Waterloo Police Department, Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms assisted by the Black Hawk County Sheriff’s Office and Cedar Falls Police Department.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 20-CR-2025.
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Federal Grand Jury Indicts Rantoul Man on Child Pornography ChargesRead the Press Release
URBANA, Ill. – A federal grand jury today returned an indictment that charges Alan L. Dodd, 37, of the 100 Block of Shady Lawn Dr., Rantoul, Ill., with distribution and possession of child pornography.
Dodd was previously arrested and charged by criminal complaint on Feb. 11, 2021. Dodd has remained in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service since his arrest.
The indictment charges Dodd with distribution of child pornography on Oct. 25, 2020, and possession of child pornography on Feb. 11, 2021. Dodd is scheduled to appear before U.S. Magistrate Judge Eric I. Long for arraignment on March 8, in Urbana.
According to the affidavit filed in support of the criminal complaint, in November 2020, the Champaign County Sheriff’s Office received a Cybertip referral after four separate social media and instant messaging applications, Instagram, Snapchat, Discord, and Twitter, self-reported to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) that an online social media user possessed and distributed content believed to be of child pornography. The complaint alleges that the internet addresses of the user were related to Dodd, including from his home internet address in Rantoul.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Elly M. Peirson is representing the government in the prosecution. The NCMEC referral was reported to the Illinois Attorney General’s Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) task force and referred to the Champaign County Sheriff’s Office. U.S Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations, the Champaign County Sheriff’s Office, and the Urbana Police Department conducted the investigation.
If convicted, the offense of distribution of child pornography (one count) carries a statutory penalty of at least five years to 20 years in prison; for possession of child pornography (one count), the penalty is up to 10 years in prison.
Members of the public are reminded that an indictment is merely an accusation; the defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty.
The case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a Department of Justice initiative led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), to marshal federal, state and local resources to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
Erie Man on Parole for Child Rape Admits Committing Two Violent Bank RobberiesRead the Press Release
ERIE, Pa. - A former resident of Erie, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty in federal court to charges of bank robbery, armed bank robbery, and using and carrying a firearm during a crime of violence, Acting United States Attorney Stephen R. Kaufman announced today.
Ronald Eugene Lomax, 32, pleaded guilty to three counts before United States District Judge Stephanie L. Haines.
In connection with the guilty plea, the court was advised that on November 21, 2018, Lomax entered the Northwest Savings Bank, 3407 Liberty Street in Erie and by force, violence and intimidation, took $5,000. On December 28, 2018, Lomax robbed the same Northwest Savings Bank branch and by force, violence and intimidation, took $6,100. Lomax pointed a handgun at the victim teller during the bank robbery on December 28th. When he committed the bank robberies, Lomax was on parole in Pennsylvania for a conviction involving the rape of a child.
Judge Haines scheduled sentencing for July 2, 2021 at 10:30 a.m. The law provides for a total sentence of life in prison, a fine of $750,000, 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 and the Erie Police Department conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Lomax.