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26 March 2021
Dominican National Sentenced for Distributing FentanylRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Dominican national previously residing in Lawrence was sentenced today in federal court in Boston in connection with drug trafficking activities involving fentanyl.
Jesus Maria Aybar Franco, 35, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Richard G. Sterns to 48 months in prison and will face deportation proceedings upon completion of his sentence. In September 2020, Aybar Franco pleaded guilty to one count of distribution and possession with intent to distribute more than 100 grams of fentanyl.
Aybar Franco was arrested on Sept. 12, 2019 after he sold more than 100 grams of a substance containing fentanyl to an undercover law enforcement officer. He has been in custody since the time of his arrest.
Aybar Franco was charged as part of a coordinated enforcement operation in the Merrimack Valley dubbed “Devil’s Highway.” The operation targeted the distribution of opioids, including fentanyl and heroin, and resulted in charges against a total of 40 people for federal drug offenses, with at least a dozen more individuals facing state charges.
Acting United States Attorney Nathaniel R. Mendell and Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Division made the announcement today. The Massachusetts State Police and the Lawrence Police Department assisted in this investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason A. Casey of Mendell’s Criminal Division prosecuted the case.
Defense Department Linguist Pleads Guilty to Transmitting Highly Sensitive Classified National Defense Information to Aid a Foreign GovernmentRead the Press Release
Note: Thompson's
final plea, statement of facts and indictment are attached.WASHINGTON – A Minnesota woman pleaded guilty today to one count of delivering national defense information to aid a foreign government.
According to court documents, Mariam Taha Thompson, 63, formerly of Rochester, Minnesota, worked as a contract linguist at an overseas U.S. military facility where she was entrusted with a top secret government security clearance. Thompson pleaded guilty to transmitting highly sensitive classified national defense information to a foreign national who she believed would provide the information to Lebanese Hizballah, a designated foreign terrorist organization.
“Thompson jeopardized the lives of members of the U.S. military as well as other individuals supporting the United States in a combat zone when she passed classified information to a person she knew was connected to Lebanese Hizballah, a foreign terrorist organization which intended to use the information to hurt this country,” said Assistant Attorney General John C. Demers for the Justice Department's National Security Division. “To describe this conduct is to condemn it. She will now be held to account for this disgraceful personal and professional betrayal of country and colleagues.”
“The United States entrusted the defendant with highly-sensitive classified information regarding one of its most critical tools — human intelligence in an active combat zone,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Channing D. Phillips for the District of Columbia. “The defendant’s complete betrayal of that trust placed the lives of American men and women on the battlefield, and their allies, in grave danger. Thompson’s arrest and prosecution demonstrate that those who intentionally compromise classified information that is entrusted to them will face swift and dire consequences.”
“It’s astounding that an American working for the U.S. military overseas would abandon her country in favor of terrorists,” said Assistant Director Alan E. Kohler Jr. for the FBI’s Counterintelligence Division. “The FBI and its partners placed a high priority on this case because the defendant provided classified defense information to a foreign terrorist organization, information that put members of the U.S. military in harm’s way.”
“Today’s plea is an example of the FBI’s work and commitment to protecting the United States and our national defense information,” said Assistant Director in Charge Steven M. D’Antuono for the FBI Washington Field Office. “Holding a top secret government security clearance bears a responsibility and commitment to our nation, and betrayal of that trust will not be tolerated. The FBI is charged with safeguarding our nation’s information and will work diligently, along with our partners, to protect intelligence and national security information and relentlessly pursue those who choose to betray their country."
During today’s plea hearing, Thompson admitted that, beginning in 2017, she started communicating with her unindicted co-conspirator using a video-chat feature on a secure text and voice messaging application. Over time, Thompson developed a romantic interest in her co-conspirator. Thompson learned that the unindicted co-conspirator had a family member who was in the Lebanese Ministry of the Interior, and that the unindicted co-conspirator claimed to have received a ring from Hassan Nasrallah, the secretary-general of Lebanese Hizballah.
In December 2019, while Thompson was assigned to a special operations task force facility in Iraq, the United States launched a series of airstrikes in Iraq targeting Kata’ib Hizballah, an Iranian-backed foreign terrorist organization. These airstrikes culminated in a Jan. 3, 2020, strike that resulted in the death of Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps Quds Force commander Qasem Suleimani, as well as the founder of Kata’ib Hizballah, Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis.
Following Suleimani’s death, the unindicted co-conspirator started asking Thompson to provide “them” with information about the human assets who had helped the United States to target Suleimani. Thompson admitted that she understood “them” to be Lebanese Hizballah, including an unnamed high-ranking military commander.
After receiving this request for information in early January 2020, Thompson began accessing dozens of files concerning human intelligence sources, including true names, personal identification data, background information and photographs of the human assets, as well as operational cables detailing information the assets provided to the U.S. government. Thompson used several techniques to pass this information on to the unindicted co-conspirator, who told her that his contacts were pleased with the information, and that the Lebanese Hizballah military commander wanted to meet Thompson when she came to Lebanon.
When she was arrested by the FBI on Feb. 27, 2020, Thompson had used her access to classified national defense information to provide her co-conspirator with the identities of at least eight clandestine human assets; at least 10 U.S. targets; and multiple tactics, techniques and procedures. Thompson intended and had reason to believe that this classified national defense information would be used to the injury of the United States and to the advantage of Lebanese Hizballah.
Thompson faces a maximum sentence of up to life imprisonment. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes only. The sentencing of a defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Today’s guilty plea was the result of the significant cooperation between law enforcement, the Department of Defense and the intelligence community in the successful resolution of this investigation led by the FBI Washington Field Office.
National Security Division Trial Attorneys Jennifer Kennedy Gellie of the Counterintelligence and Export Control Section and Jennifer Levy of the Counterterrorism Section, and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia John Cummings are prosecuting the case.
Defense Department Linguist Pleads Guilty to Transmitting Highly Sensitive Classified National Defense Information to Aid A Foreign GovernmentRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – A Minnesota woman pleaded guilty today to one count of delivering national defense information to aid a foreign government.
According to court documents, Mariam Taha Thompson, 63, formerly of Rochester, Minnesota, worked as a contract linguist at an overseas U.S. military facility where she was entrusted with a Top Secret government security clearance. Thompson pleaded guilty to transmitting highly sensitive classified national defense information to a foreign national who she believed would provide the information to Lebanese Hizballah, a designated foreign terrorist organization.
“The United States entrusted the defendant with highly-sensitive classified information regarding one of its most critical tools — human intelligence in an active combat zone,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Channing D. Phillips for the District of Columbia. “The defendant’s complete betrayal of that trust placed the lives of American men and women on the battlefield, and their allies, in grave danger. Thompson’s arrest and prosecution demonstrate that those who intentionally compromise classified information that is entrusted to them will face swift and certain consequences.”
“Thompson jeopardized the lives of members of the U.S. military as well as other individuals supporting the United States in a combat zone when she passed classified information to a person she knew was connected to Lebanese Hizballah, a foreign terrorist organization which intended to use the information to hurt this country,” said Assistant Attorney General John C. Demers for the Justice Department's National Security Division. “To describe this conduct is to condemn it. She will now be held to account for this disgraceful personal and professional betrayal of country and colleagues.”
“It’s astounding that an American working for the U.S. military overseas would abandon her country in favor of terrorists,” said Assistant Director Alan E. Kohler Jr. of the FBI’s Counterintelligence Division. “The FBI and its partners placed a high priority on this case because the defendant provided classified defense information to a foreign terrorist organization, information that put members of the U.S. military in harm’s way.”
“Today’s plea is an example of the FBI’s work and commitment to protecting the U.S. and our national defense information,” said Assistant Director in Charge Steven M. D’Antuono of the FBI’s Washington Field Office. “Holding a Top Secret government security clearance bears a responsibility and commitment to our nation, and betrayal of that trust will not be tolerated. The FBI is charged with safeguarding our nation’s information and will work diligently, along with our partners, to protect intelligence and national security information and relentlessly pursue those who choose to betray their country."
During today’s plea hearing, Thompson admitted that, beginning in 2017, she started communicating with her unindicted co-conspirator using a video-chat feature on a secure text and voice messaging application. Over time, Thompson developed a romantic interest in her co-conspirator. Thompson learned that the unindicted co-conspirator had a family member who was in the Lebanese Ministry of the Interior, and that the unindicted co-conspirator claimed to have received a ring from Hassan Nasrallah, the secretary-general of Lebanese Hizballah.
In December 2019, while Thompson was assigned to a Special Operations Task Force facility in Iraq, the United States launched a series of airstrikes in Iraq targeting Kata’ib Hizballah, an Iranian-backed foreign terrorist organization. These airstrikes culminated in a Jan. 3, 2020, strike that resulted in the death of Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps Quds Force commander Qasem Suleimani, as well as the founder of Kata’ib Hizballah, Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis.
Following Suleimani’s death, the unindicted co-conspirator started asking Thompson to provide “them” with information about the human assets who had helped the United States to target Suleimani. Thompson admitted that she understood “them” to be Lebanese Hizballah, including an unnamed high-ranking military commander.
After receiving this request for information in early January 2020, Thompson began accessing dozens of files concerning human intelligence sources, including true names, personal identification data, background information, and photographs of the human assets, as well as operational cables detailing information the assets provided to the U.S. government. Thompson used several techniques to pass this information on to the unindicted co-conspirator, who told her that his contacts were pleased with the information, and that the Lebanese Hizballah military commander wanted to meet Thompson when she came to Lebanon.
When she was arrested by the FBI on Feb. 27, 2020, Thompson had used her access to classified national defense information to provide her co-conspirator with the identities of at least eight clandestine human assets; at least 10 U.S. targets; and multiple tactics, techniques and procedures. Thompson intended and had reason to believe that this classified national defense information would be used to the injury of the United States and to the advantage of Lebanese Hizballah.
Thompson faces a maximum sentence of up to life imprisonment. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes only. The sentencing of a defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Today’s guilty plea was the result of the significant cooperation between law enforcement, the Department of Defense and the intelligence community in the successful resolution of this investigation led by the FBI Washington Field Office. National Security Division Trial Attorneys Jennifer Kennedy Gellie of the Counterintelligence and Export Control Section and Jennifer Levy of the Counterterrorism Section, and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia John Cummings are prosecuting the case.
Coralville Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Bank RobberyRead the Press Release
DAVENPORT, Iowa — On Thursday, March 25, 2021 United States District Court Chief Judge John A. Jarvey sentenced Aquinas Lenell Jackson, Sr., age 60, of Coralville, to 70 months in prison for Bank Robbery announced Acting United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal. Following his prison term, Jackson, Sr. was ordered to serve three years of supervised release as well as pay $100 to the Crime Victims’ Fund.
On March 4, 2020, Aquinas Lenell Jackson, Sr., entered the US Bank, located on 10th Avenue in Coralville, and, through threats and intimidation, took $4,300 from a bank teller. The bank’s deposits were insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation at the time of the offense.
This matter was investigated by the Coralville Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. This case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa.
Convicted Felon Sentenced to 11 Years Imprisonment for Aggravated Assault of a Federal Employee and Discharge of a FirearmRead the Press Release
Memphis, TN – Bernard M. Jones, 35, has been sentenced to 132 months in federal prison for aggravated assault of a federal employee and discharge of a firearm. Acting U.S. Attorney Joseph C. Murphy Jr., announced the sentence today.
According to information presented in court, on September 4, 2019, at approximately 7:30 p.m., Jones was in the process of committing the crime of burglary of a motor vehicle. Meanwhile, the victim, a U.S. Postal Service employee, was preparing to take First Class mail from the Jet Cove Annex to the Memphis Processing & Distribution Center in downtown Memphis. While loading the mail into his USPS staff vehicle, the victim, observed someone moving around inside his personal vehicle parked approximately 50 yards away in the employee parking lot at the Memphis Priority Mail Annex. The victim drove the staff vehicle near his pickup truck and saw the defendant exit his pickup truck.
The defendant shot multiple times at the victim as he escaped in his postal vehicle. As the victim drove away, the defendant followed him in a Nissan Sentra and continued to shoot. During the investigation, United States Postal Inspectors determined two bullets struck the hood and several other locations on the postal vehicle. Law enforcement located two 9MM Luger shell casings from the shooting scene. The suspect, along with a female accomplice, fled the scene in a blue Nissan Sentra. Postal Inspectors later identified Bernard M. Jones as the shooter. Jones, a convicted felon, is also a member of the Gangster Disciples Street Gang, and as a result of his prior felony conviction history, is prohibited by federal law from possession of firearms or ammunition.
"Armed assaults on employees of the Postal Service" said Acting United States Attorney Joseph C. Murphy, Jr., "will not be tolerated and our office will prosecute these cases to the full extent of the law."
"Our agency is very pleased with the sentence Judge Lipman imposed. There is no excuse for the acts of violence that the defendant inflicted upon a U.S. Postal Service employee engaged in his official duties. The United States Postal Inspection Service will not tolerate anyone who assaults a postal employee engaged in their official duties and we will aggressively investigate these cases," said Tommy D. Coke, Inspector In Charge of the Atlanta Division.
Jones pled guilty on December 18, 2020, before U.S. District Judge Sheryl H. Lipman. On March 24, 2021, Judge Lipman sentenced Jones to 11 years in federal prison to be followed by three years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
The United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) investigated this case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Wendy K. Cornejo prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
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Convicted Felon Sentenced to Six Years in Federal Prison for Possession of A Firearm and AmmunitionRead the Press Release
Ocala, FL – United States District Judge John Antoon II has sentenced David Shaw (37, Ocala) to six years in federal prison for possessing a firearm and ammunition as a convicted felon. The court also ordered Shaw to forfeit the firearm and ammunition. Shaw had pleaded guilty on September 10, 2020.
According to court documents, on December 5, 2019, a deputy from the Marion County Sheriff’s Office attempted to stop Shaw after he ran a stop sign on a stolen motorcycle. Shaw fled from the traffic stop, crashed the motorcycle, and then continued to flee on foot. While giving chase, a deputy observed Shaw discard a loaded 9mm firearm and a backpack. The backpack contained more than 100 rounds of ammunition.
Shaw has eight prior felony convictions, including burglary of a dwelling, introduction of contraband into a detention facility, trafficking in methamphetamine, and fleeing or attempting to elude a police officer. As a convicted felon, he is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition under federal law.
This case was investigated by the Marion County Sheriff’s Office and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Tyrie Boyer.
This is another case prosecuted as part of the Department of Justice’s “Project Safe Neighborhoods” Program (PSN), which is a nationwide, crime reduction strategy aimed at decreasing violent crime in communities. It involves a comprehensive approach to public safety — one that includes investigating and prosecuting crimes, along with prevention and reentry efforts. In the Middle District of Florida, Acting U.S. Attorney Karin Hoppmann coordinates PSN efforts in cooperation with various federal, state, and local law enforcement officials.
Colombian Man Sentenced to Prison for Misuse of a Social Security Number and Aggravated Identity TheftRead the Press Release
DAVENPORT, Iowa — On Thursday, March 25, 2021, United States District Court Chief Judge John A. Jarvey sentenced Jefren Moreno Godoy, age 39, a Columbian citizen, to 36 months in prison for Misuse of a Social Security Number and Aggravated Identity Theft announced Acting United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal. Upon release from prison, Godoy will be deported, but was ordered to serve one year of supervised release if he returns to the United States. Godoy was also ordered to pay $200 to the Crime Victims’ Fund.
The investigation revealed Godoy was convicted in 2014 of several residential burglaries in Scott County. Godoy gave the name and social security number of a United States citizen when arrested and prosecuted for burglary and continued to use that identity. Upon release to a half-way house in Davenport, Godoy provided the same false identification and social security number. On or about March 15, 2018, Godoy escaped. He was apprehended in December of 2019 in the State of Washington and was returned to the Southern District of Iowa to face federal charges.
This matter was investigated by the United States Department of Homeland Security and the case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office (USAO) for the Southern District of Iowa.
Cleveland Man Sentenced to 33 Months in Prison for Conspiring to Lauder Drug Proceeds while Incarcerated in West VirginiaRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH – Lamar Middleton was sentenced to 33 months in prison for conspiring to launder drug-trafficking proceeds between 2017 and 2019, Acting United States Attorney Stephen R. Kaufman announced today.
Middleton, age 33 of Cleveland, Ohio, was sentenced by United States District Judge J. Nicholas Ranjan. Judge Ranjan directed that the prison sentence be served consecutively to the federal prison sentence Middleton was serving for heroin and cocaine trafficking at the time of the crime.
Middleton was incarcerated at FCI-Hazelton in West Virginia when he conspired to launder the proceeds of the distribution of Schedule I synthetic cannabinoid controlled substances. Such substances have caused severe illness and deaths throughout the United States in recent years.
Assistant United States Attorney Craig W. Haller prosecuted this case on behalf of the United States.
The Drug Enforcement Administration, the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation, the Federal Bureau of Prisons, and the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General led the multi-agency investigation that also included the United States Postal Inspection Service, the Beaver County District Attorney’s Office, the Department of Homeland Security/Homeland Security Investigations, the Pittsburgh Police Department, the United States Marshals Service, the Pennsylvania State Police, the Munhall Police Department, the Robinson Township Police Department, the McKees Rocks Police Department, the Stowe Township Police Department, the Etna Police Department, and the Erie County District Attorney’s Office.
This prosecution is a result of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles high-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten communities throughout the United States. OCDETF uses a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
Clay County Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Federal Prison for Attempted Enticement of A 14-Year-Old to Engage in Sexual ActivityRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – U.S. District Judge Brian J. Davis has sentenced Justin Latronica (31, Orange Park) to 10 years in federal prison for attempting to entice a child under the age of 16 to engage in sexual activity. Latronica was also ordered to serve a 10-year term of supervised release and register as a sex offender following his release from prison. Latronica was arrested on January 25, 2020, and was ordered detained throughout the proceedings in this case.
Latronica had pleaded guilty on December 17, 2020.
According to court documents, in the early morning hours of January 25, 2020, Latronica began chatting online with an undercover law enforcement officer who had assumed the persona of a 14-year-old boy. After learning the age of the “child,” Latronica invited the boy to “car play,” and to “kiss and see where it goes.” Latronica offered to come pick up the “child” and to engage in oral sex with the “child.” Latronica suggested the child wear “basket ball [sic] shorts or loose sweat pants.” Latronica traveled to what he believed was the home of the 14-year-old boy just before 2:00 a.m. for the planned sexual encounter.
“This child predator thought he was going to prey on our communities most vulnerable—instead he came face-to-face with law enforcement,” said HSI Jacksonville Assistant Special Agent in Charge K. Jim Phillips. “Thanks to the dedicated investigators with HSI, the Clay County Sherriff’s Office, the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office, and Naval Criminal Investigative Service this predator will learn his lesson behind bars.”
This case was investigated by the Clay County Sheriff’s Office, the Naval Criminal Investigative Service, Homeland Security Investigations, and the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kelly S. Karase.
This is another case brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
California Woman Sentenced to 15 Months for Threatening to Bomb Catholic Prep SchoolRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – The Justice Department announced today that Sonia Tabizada, 36, of San Jacinto, California, was sentenced to 15 months and 13 days for intentionally obstructing persons in the enjoyment of their free exercise of religious beliefs by threatening to bomb the Georgetown Visitation Preparatory School in Washington, D.C.
In May 2019, school officials announced that Visitation Prep, the oldest Catholic school for girls in the country, would begin publishing same-sex wedding announcements in its alumni magazine to advance its teaching that “we are all children of God ... worthy of respect and love.” According to the plea agreement, Tabizada learned of this announcement and made multiple calls threatening violence in response to the school’s decision. On May 15, 2019, Tabizada left a voice message stating that she was going to burn and bomb the church. Tabizada also stated that she was going to kill school officials and students. Several minutes later, Tabizada left a second voice mail stating that she was going to blow up the school and warned that she would commit “terrorism.”
“No school and no child should be subjected to death threats, because of their religious beliefs,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Pamela S. Karlan for the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “The Department of Justice will continue to vigorously prosecute violent threats motivated by bias.”
“The citizens of the District of Columbia and our country are entitled to freely exercise their religious beliefs and to be free from threats of violence based on bias—be it against religion, race, ethnicity, sex, sexual orientation, and other protected characteristics. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia is committed to protecting the civil rights of all our citizens and will do so by vigorously enforcing both federal and local hate crime laws.” said Acting U.S. Attorney Channing D. Phillips for the District of Columbia.
“The free exercise of religion is one of our nation’s most sacred constitutional rights," said Assistant Director in Charge Steven M. D'Antuono of the FBI Washington Field Office. "The FBI will continue to prioritize threats of violence and civil rights violations to ensure every citizen and community is free to exercise all of their protected liberties without fear and threats of violence.”
Tabizada was also sentenced to two years of supervised release with special conditions. If Tabizada wants to leave the country she must contact the court and request a modification of the special conditions.
The FBI Washington Field Office investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kendra Briggs of the District of Columbia’s Public Corruption and Civil Rights Section and Trial Attorney Michael J. Songer of the Civil Rights Division prosecuted the case.
California Woman Sentenced to 15 Months for Threatening to Bomb Catholic Prep SchoolRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON –The Justice Department announced today that Sonia Tabizada, age 36, of San Jacinto, California, was sentenced to time served of 15 months and 13 days for intentionally obstructing persons in the enjoyment of their free exercise of religious beliefs by threatening to bomb the Georgetown Visitation Preparatory School in Washington, DC, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 247.
In May 2019, school officials announced that Visitation Prep, the oldest Catholic school for girls in the country, would begin publishing same-sex wedding announcements in its alumni magazine to advance its teaching that “we are all children of God ... worthy of respect and love.” According to the plea agreement, Tabizada learned of this announcement and made multiple calls threatening violence in response to the school’s decision. On May 15, 2019, Tabizada left a voice message stating that she was going to burn and bomb the church. Tabizada also stated that she was going to kill school officials and students. Several minutes later, Tabizada left a second voice mail stating that she was going to blow up the school and warned that she would commit “terrorism.”
“No school and no child should be subjected to death threats, because of their religious beliefs ” said Pamela S. Karlan, Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division, “and the Department of Justice will continue to vigorously prosecute violent threats motivated by bias.”
“The citizens of the District of Columbia and our country are entitled to freely exercise their religious beliefs and to be free from threats of violence based on bias—be it against religion, race, ethnicity, sex, sexual orientation, and other protected characteristics. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia is committed to protecting the civil rights of all our citizens and will do so by vigorously enforcing both federal and local hate crime laws” said Channing D. Phillips, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Columbia.
“The free exercise of religion is one of our nation’s most sacred Constitutional rights," said Steven M. D'Antuono, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI Washington Field Office. "The FBI will continue to prioritize threats of violence and civil rights violations to ensure every citizen and community is free to exercise all of their protected liberties without fear and threats of violence.”
Tabizada was also sentenced to two years of supervised release with special conditions. If Tabizada wants to leave the country she must contact the Court and request a modification of the special conditions.
The case was investigated by the FBI Washington Field Office and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kendra Briggs of the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia’s Public Corruption and Civil Rights Section and Civil Rights Division Trial Attorney Michael J. Songer.
Buffalo Man Pleads Guilty to Stealing Social Security Benefits for More Than 5 Years After His Father's DeathRead 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 Abdulkawi Al Shuaibi, 47, of Buffalo, NY, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Lawrence J. Vilardo to theft of government property. The charge carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Douglas A.C. Penrose and David J. Rudroff, who are handling the case, stated that the defendant’s father received retirement benefits under the Social Security Act. Those benefits should have ceased when Al Shuaibi’s father died in August 2013. However, the Social Security Administration (SSA) continued to pay these benefits until February 2019, with the defendant spending the money for personal expenses. The resulting loss to the SSA was approximately $76,393.50.
The plea is the result of an investigation by the Social Security Administration, Office of the Inspector General, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge John F. Grasso.
Sentencing is scheduled for September 17, 2021, before Judge Vilardo.
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Buffalo Man Pleads Guilty to Drug and Gun Charge Following Traffic AccidentRead 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 Jarmaine Dunbar, 43, of Buffalo, NY, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge John L. Sinatra, Jr. to possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. The charge carries a mandatory minimum penalty of five years in prison, a maximum of life, and a $250,000 fine.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Douglas A. C. Penrose and David J. Rudroff, who are handling the case, stated that on October 10, 2020, the defendant was involved in a traffic accident at Leroy Avenue and Holden Street in Buffalo. When officers arrived on the scene, they observed a loaded, semi-automatic pistol on the front passenger seat of Dunbar’s car. When patting down the defendant, officers also retrieved a plastic bag containing cocaine.
The plea is the result of an investigation by the Buffalo Police Department, under the direction of Commissioner Byron Lockwood and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge John B. Devito, New York Field Division.
Sentencing is scheduled for July 15, 2021, before Judge Sinatra.
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Bank Robber Sentenced to Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
Memphis, TN – After demanding a federal jury trial last year and having pled guilty to bank robbery before the completion of proof in the case, Arnold Eden, 54 has now been sentenced to 72 months in federal prison. Acting U.S. Attorney Joseph C. Murphy Jr., announced the sentence today.
According to information presented in court, on July 3, 2017, at approximately 1:17 p.m., the Hope Federal Credit Union located at 2923 Ridgeway Road, was robbed by threatened force and coercion. Hope Credit Union is federally insured by the National Credit Union Administration. A male entered the credit union, approached the teller, and provided a note demanding money. The teller recalled the note stating, "I have a gun. I have nothing to lose. I want two stacks of hundreds." The teller complied and provided $2,602 in cash. The suspect then fled the scene.
The robber was described on video surveillance wearing a black "Kangol" hat; a white t-shirt turned inside out, black shorts, and tennis shoes. The robber was described as 6’2", weighing 160-170lbs, 55-60 years of age, with a gray beard.
While exiting the credit union, video depicts the robber touching the interior glass door. Officers with the Memphis Police Department lifted latent fingerprints which were identified as belonging to the defendant.
On March 24, 2021, U.S. District Judge Mark Norris sentenced Eden to 72 months in federal prison to be followed by three years supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
This case was investigated by the Memphis Police Department and the FBI’s Safe Streets Task Force.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Marques Young and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Samuel D. Winnig prosecuted this case on behalf of the government. Winnig is currently assigned from the Shelby County District Attorney General’s Office for the purpose of prosecuting violent crimes and firearms offenses in federal court.
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Arrests Made for Trafficking Fentanyl and Hundreds of Pounds of Methamphetamine out of BakersfieldRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — Eight people were arrested in Kern County today following a months-long investigation into a Bakersfield-based drug trafficking organization that attempted to smuggle hundreds of pounds of methamphetamine and fentanyl, Acting U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced. A ninth defendant is in custody in Chico, California.
The defendants are scheduled to make an initial appearance in Fresno before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jennifer L. Thurston on Monday, March 29, at 2:30 p.m.
Those charged in the federal criminal complaint unsealed today are: Omar Alberto Navarro, 38, of Arvin; David Delgado Gonzalez, 37, of Bakersfield; Amayrani Jared Arreguin, 24, of Bakersfield; Lizette Mendez, 31, of Delano; Mayra Guadalupe Galvan, 31, of Delano; Miguel Angel Martinez, 26, of Bakersfield; Randal Jason Newell, 41, of Bakersfield; Daniel Armendariz Mercado, 31, of Bakersfield, and James Scott Gordon, 47, of Chico.
According to court documents, Navarro oversaw the wide-ranging drug trafficking organization from Bakersfield. Mendez, Galvan, Newell, and others transported narcotics for the organization. Between September and December 2020, those drivers were intercepted by law enforcement who seized a total of more than 380 pounds of methamphetamine and more than eight pounds of fentanyl that were concealed in their vehicles. On Dec. 27, 2020, Martinez was stopped by law enforcement on Interstate 5 as he attempted to smuggle 18 pounds of methamphetamine from Bakersfield to Texas. Also in December 2020, Mercado and Gordon purchased large amounts of methamphetamine from other members of the drug trafficking organization with the intent to distribute the narcotics to customers.
“The success of this operation highlights the importance and necessity of law enforcement partnerships across the spectrum,” said Homeland Security Investigations NorCal Special Agent in Charge Tatum King. “Of particular importance, the significant quantity of narcotics seized by this HSI Bakersfield-led investigation ensured that the narcotics would not enter the drug distribution supply chain and inevitably harm the public. We are proud to be part of the team making our communities safer.”
This case is the product of an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the U.S. Marshals Service, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Customs and Border Protection, the Bureau of Alcohol, Firearms, Tobacco and Explosives, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the U.S. Secret Service, the Bakersfield Police Department, the Kern County Sheriff’s Office, the Shafter Police Department, the Kern County Probation Department, the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, the California Department of Motor Vehicles, and the California Highway Patrol. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher D. Baker and Laura J. Berger are prosecuting the case.
If convicted of the charged offenses, each defendant faces a statutory mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years in prison up to a maximum of life in prison, and a $10 million fine. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
Armed Career Criminal Pleads Guilty to Possession of A Firearm and AmmunitionRead the Press Release
Ocala, Florida – Johnny Lee Smith (43, Pensacola) today pleaded guilty to one count of a superseding indictment charging him with possession of a firearm and ammunition as a convicted felon. He faces a minimum mandatory sentence of 15 years, and up to life, in federal prison.
Smith had been indicted on September 30, 2020.
According to the facts presented in court, on August 29, 2020, deputies from the Lake County Sheriff’s Office conducted a traffic stop on Smith’s car and saw a loaded .22 caliber revolver on the front passenger seat of the car. The deputies arrested Smith and recovered an additional .22 caliber bullet from his pocket. Smith has 15 prior state felony convictions, including numerous convictions for sale of cocaine. Because of these felony convictions, he is prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition under federal law.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Lake County Sheriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys William S. Hamilton and Charles Helm.
This is another case prosecuted as part of the Department of Justice’s “Project Safe Neighborhoods” Program (PSN), which is a nationwide, crime reduction strategy aimed at decreasing violent crime in communities. It involves a comprehensive approach to public safety—one that includes investigating and prosecuting crimes, along with prevention and reentry efforts. In the Middle District of Florida, Acting U.S. Attorney Karin Hoppmann coordinates PSN efforts in cooperation with various federal, state, and local law enforcement officials.
Acting U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson’s Statement on the Death of Corporal Kyle Davis of the Washington County Sheriff’s OfficeRead the Press Release
TULSA, Okla.– Acting U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson has released the following statement:
“On behalf of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Oklahoma, I extend my heartfelt condolences to the family of Corporal Kyle Davis, who served his community in law enforcement for 13 years. We stand with you and with the men and women of the Washington County Sheriff’s Office in mourning a tremendous loss. Members of law enforcement purposefully risk their lives each and every day they go to work so that we all can live in the safety and security of our homes and communities.”
Abatement Supervisor Pleads Guilty to Illegally Removing AsbestosRead the Press Release
A New York man pleaded guilty today to illegally removing and disposing of asbestos.
According to court documents, during the summer of 2016, Gunay Yakup, 31, of Newburgh, joined an existing conspiracy to illegally remove asbestos from a former IBM site in Kingston. The facility in question contained over 400,000 square feet of regulated asbestos-containing material (RACM), as well as an additional 6,000 linear feet of RACM pipe wrap. Yakup, who had special asbestos abatement training, was hired as a worker and supervisor by an asbestos abatement company. On the job, he was pressured by other conspirators to expedite the removal of asbestos at the site. Doing so meant that Yakup and his crew violated the Clean Air Act’s “work practice standards,” which address how asbestos can be stripped, bagged, removed, and disposed of with relative safety. Yakup is scheduled to be sentenced on July 27 at 10 a.m. and faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison.
“Nowadays, it can be no surprise that asbestos is present in older commercial and industrial buildings,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Jean E. Williams of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division. “What is surprising is that criminals still try to deal with that problem in dangerous ways to save a little cash. This prosecution serves to remind everyone of the real, personal risks of cutting those corners.”
“Yakup had the supervisor responsibility to ensure his workers properly removed hazardous asbestos material on this large project yet he knowingly broke the law,” said Special Agent Tyler Amon of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)'s Criminal Investigation Division in New York. “Impeding inspectors from discovering the full scale and scope of the illegal conduct is underscored in the serious federal charges plead to today.”
Yakup admitted that he and his co-conspirators removed substantial amounts of RACM from the former IBM site in violation of these work practice standards, oftentimes dry and in a way that produced visible emissions. They also stored bulk quantities of RACM waste on site in open containers. Yakup and his crew were also pressured to do work in areas that were not properly prepped to prevent the release of RACM to the outside air. Upon finding Yakup’s crew working on Aug. 1, 2016, New York State Department of Labor (NYSDOL) inspectors documented bulk quantities of uncontained RACM inside and outside of containment, dry debris, and evidence of sweeping and other dry removal abatement techniques. NYSDOL inspectors then “red-tagged” the site and prohibited further abatement work.
The site was later deemed to be contaminated by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and other municipal authorities. Cleanup costs associated with asbestos contamination at the site are estimated to be in the millions. Asbestos has been determined to cause lung cancer, asbestosis, and mesothelioma, an invariably fatal disease. The EPA has determined that there is no safe level of exposure to asbestos.
Special agents of the EPA and individuals from the New York Departments of Labor and Environmental Conservation investigated the case.
Todd W. Gleason and Gary N. Donner of the Environment and Natural Resources Division’s Environmental Crimes Section prosecuted the case with the assistance of paralegal Chloe Harris.
A dozen Texans arrested in Laredo round-upRead the Press Release
LAREDO, Texas – A coordinated law enforcement effort has resulted in the arrest of multiple individuals for conspiring to distribute narcotics and firearm violations, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Jennifer B. Lowery.
On March 24, a federal grand jury sitting in Corpus Christi returned three separate sealed indictments charging Martin Perez Jr., 38, Mateo Roberto Alaniz, 46, Joaquin Maldonado, 38, Julio Nazario Torres, 46, Armando Mendoza Jr., 38, Federico Maldonado, 32, Luis Alberto Agredano, 42, Roberto Gonzalez, 38, Alfredo Gonzalez, 35, Jesus Austin Farfan, 31, Antonio Mercado, 35, and Agustin Fuentes, 36.
All are expected to make their initial appearances before a U.S. magistrate judge in Laredo Monday, March 29.
Their indictments allege varying charges relating to their involvement in trafficking narcotics in Laredo. With the exception of Fuentes and Mercado, the remaining 10 defendants are charged in one indictment with possession with the intent to deliver crack cocaine as well as maintaining a premises for drug trafficking within 1000 feet of a school, playground or public housing project. Perez and Farfan are also charged in the same indictment with possessing a firearm in relation to a drug trafficking crime as well as being a felon in possession of a firearm. Fuentes is further charged solely in a separate indictment for possession with intent to deliver heroin. The last indictment alleges Mercado also possessed heroin with the intent to deliver it.
If convicted, all but Fuentes and Mercado face up to life in prison. Then remaining charges carry varying term of imprisonment of up to 40 years.
The Drug Enforcement Administration, Laredo Police Department and FBI conducted the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) operation dubbed Operation Sin Piso with the assistance of the Webb County Sheriff’s Office, Texas Department of Public Safety, Homeland Security Investigations and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. OCDETF identifies, disrupts and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found on the Department of Justice’s OCDETF webpage.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Brittany L. Jensen is prosecuting the case.
An indictment is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.
25 March 2021
Wilson Man Convicted of Gun Possession as a Convicted FelonRead the Press Release
RALEIGH, N.C. – A federal jury convicted a Wilson man on Tuesday on charges of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
According to court records and evidence presented at trial, Terrance Anthony Moore, 35, possessed a firearm on July 8, 2018. Moore was seen by law enforcement standing on the side of the road in Wilson, raising and lowering the firearm in the direction of nearby businesses. Moore took the stand and testified, among other things, that he had a number of previous felony convictions, including two common law robberies and a drug distribution offense, within the previous ten years. He also testified that his nickname was “Trigger” due to his violent temper.
G. Norman Acker, III, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Terrence W. Boyle accepted the verdict. The Wilson Police Department and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives are investigating the case and Assistant U.S. Attorney Lucy Brown is prosecuting 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.5:19-cr-00164-BO.
Virginia Man Arrested for Gun Trafficking in South JerseyRead the Press Release
CAMDEN, N.J. – A Virginia man was arrested and charged with gun trafficking and possession of firearms by a felon, Acting U.S. Attorney Rachael A. Honig announced today.
Markell Pooler, 26, of Norfolk, Virginia, is charged by complaint with one count of dealing in firearms and two counts of possession of firearms by a convicted felon. He appeared by videoconference this afternoon before U.S. Magistrate Judge Ann Marie Donio and was detained without bail.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
Pooler was identified as a firearms trafficker who offered to bring guns from pawn shops in Virginia to the Camden area. Between December 2020 and his arrest, Pooler, a convicted felon, obtained handguns in Virginia and sold them in South Jersey. Pooler had in his possession five handguns when he was arrested.
The count of engaging in the business of unlicensed firearms dealing and travelling across state lines to do so carries a maximum potential penalty of 15 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The counts of possession of a firearm by a felon each carry a maximum potential penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000.
Acting U.S. Attorney Honig credited special agents of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Camden Field Office, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge of Charlie J. Patterson in Newark; the New Jersey State Police, under the direction of Col. Patrick J. Callahan; the Gloucester County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Acting County Prosecutor Christine Hoffman; and the Woodbury Police Department, under the direction of Chief Thomas R. Ryan, with the investigation leading to the charges.
This case is part of Project Guardian, the Department of Justice’s signature initiative to reduce gun violence and enforce federal firearms laws. Initiated by the Attorney General in the fall of 2019, Project Guardian draws upon the Department’s past successful programs to reduce gun violence; enhances coordination of federal, state, local and tribal authorities in investigating and prosecuting gun crimes; improves information sharing by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives when a prohibited individual attempts to purchase a firearm and is denied by the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS), to include taking appropriate actions when a prospective purchaser is denied by the NICS for mental health reasons; and ensured that federal resources are directed at the criminals posing the greatest threat to our communities. For more information about Project Guardian, please see: https://www.justice.gov/projectguardian
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Alisa Shver of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Criminal Division in Camden.
The charges and allegations contained in the complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Vail Resident Sentenced to 11 Years for Child Exploitation OffensesRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. – Stephen Patrick Luethy, 57, of Tucson, Arizona, was sentenced today by United States District Judge James Soto to 132 months in prison. Luethy previously pleaded guilty in October 2019 to Receipt of Child Pornography.
In February 2019, Luethy was indicted after a federal investigation revealed he had been sending money to individuals in the Philippines in exchange for child exploitation materials. Luethy had asked multiple individuals to create videos depicting mutilation of children, in addition to child sex abuse videos. At this time, there is no evidence to suggest that videos depicting child mutilation were created in response to Luethy’s requests.
Upon release from prison, Luethy will be placed on lifetime supervised release with stringent sex offender conditions. He will also be required to register as a sex offender and to complete a sex offender treatment program.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorney’s Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc
The Federal Bureau of Investigation, Tucson, conducted the investigation in this case. Carin C. Duryee, Assistant U.S. Attorney, District of Arizona, Tucson, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR 19-0340-TUC-JAS
RELEASE NUMBER: 2021-018_Luethy# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.Upshur County man sentenced for making a bombRead the Press Release
ELKINS, WEST VIRGINIA – William John Clark, of Buckhannon, West Virginia, was sentenced today to 57 months of incarceration for making a bomb, Acting United States Attorney Randolph J. Bernard announced.
Clark, age 62, pled guilty to one count of “Making a Destructive Device” in August 2020. Clark admitted to making an explosive bomb, which wasn’t registered as required by law. Clark set off a pipe bomb outside of a home following a verbal disagreement with someone in the neighborhood. The crime occurred in March 2020 in Upshur County.
Clark was also fined $5,000.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Brandon S. Flower prosecuted the case on behalf of the government. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the West Virginia State Police, and the Upshur County Sheriff’s Office investigated.
U.S. District Judge Thomas S. Kleeh presided.
United States Seizes Websites Used by Foreign Terrorist OrganizationRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – The United States has seized “r-m-n.net” and “Almaalomah.com,” two websites that were unlawfully utilized by Kata’ib Hizballah, a Specially Designated National and a Foreign Terrorist Organization.
“The internet must not be used as a recruitment tool for terrorist organizations to promote violent extremism and spread their hateful rhetoric,” said Raj Parekh, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. “We stand committed with our law enforcement partners to use all available resources to combat terrorism.”
“Special Agents with the Bureau of Industry and Security’s Office of Export Enforcement will use all of the tools at our disposal to protect American citizens, including our military service members, from terrorist acts of violence inspired and directed via online platforms,” said Kevin J. Kurland, who is performing the non-exclusive duties of the Assistant Secretary for Export Enforcement at the Bureau of Industry and Security. “We will continue to aggressively disrupt Foreign Terrorist Organizations such as Kata’ib Hizballah and their efforts to utilize U.S. cyber infrastructure to harm U.S. national security.”
On July 2, 2009, the U.S. Secretary of Treasury designated Kata’ib Hizballah, an Iran-backed terrorist group active in Iraq, as a Specially Designated National for committing, directing, supporting, and posing a significant risk of committing acts of violence against Coalition and Iraqi Security Forces. On the same day, the U.S. Department of State designated Kata’ib Hizballah as a Foreign Terrorist Organization for committing or posing a significant risk of committing acts of terrorism.
On Aug. 31, 2020, pursuant to a seizure warrant in the District of Arizona, the United States seized “Aletejahtv.com” and “Aletejahtv.org.” “Aletejahtv.com” and “Aletejahtv.org,” served as Kata’ib Hizballah’s media arm and published internet communications such as videos, articles, and photographs. Within weeks, federal agents located the content from “Aletejahtv.com” and “Aletejahtv.org” on “Aletejah.tv” and “kataibhezbollah.com,” including the Kata’ib Hizballah flag and the words “Islamic Resistance, Kataib Hizbollah.” The content even included false information about COVID-19 designed to damage the perception of the United States in the minds of Iraqi citizens and to destabilize the region to the benefit of Iran.
On Oct. 14, 2020, pursuant to a seizure warrant issued in the Eastern District of Virginia, the United States seized “Aletejah.tv” and “kataibhezbollah.com.”
On March 25, 2021, pursuant to a seizure warrant issued in the Eastern District of Virginia, the United States seized “Almaalomah.com” and “r-m-n.net.” Visitors to the site received the following message:
Federal law prohibits designated entities like Kata’ib Hizballah from obtaining or utilizing goods or services, including website and domain services, in the United States without a license from the Office of Foreign Assets Control. “Almaalomah.com” and “r-m-n.net” are domain names that are owned and operated by a U.S. company based in Reston, Virginia. Kata’ib Hizballah did not obtain a license from the Office of Foreign Assets Control prior to utilizing the domain names.
This seizure was investigated by the U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of Industry and Security, Office of Export Enforcement, Miami Field Office.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia and the Department of Justice’s National Security Division prosecuted the seizure.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia.
United States Attorney’s Office, FBI Warn Residents of Online DangersRead the Press Release
ROANOKE, Va. – As the world continues to operate in a more virtual environment due to COVID-19 restrictions, Acting United States Attorney Daniel P. Bubar and Christopher R. Derrickson, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Richmond Division are reminding people to continue to be vigilant when it comes to keeping your family safe online.
“The worldwide pandemic caused by COVID-19 has changed the way we interact with our community. Many of our school, work, and social events are now conducted online, making the need to be aware of the threats posed even greater,” Acting United States Attorney Bubar said today. “Parents need to be aware of who their children are communicating with, what apps they are using, and whether the games they are playing have a messaging or chat function. Predators can use all of these mechanisms to infiltrate our lives. The United States Attorney's Office and our partners at the FBI are doing our part to keep you safe but we want parents, grandparents, and others to have as much information as possible to stay vigilant and protect their families as well.”
FBI Acting Special Agent in Charge Derrickson urges parents to talk to their kids about the dangers of the internet and what to do if someone approaches them with an inappropriate request.
“Sextortion is not a crime defined by sex, race, education, geography, or a family's affluence - any child can be a victim of sexual exploitation. The FBI is fully committed to working with our law enforcement partners to educate adults and children, investigate allegations, provide appropriate victim services, and prosecute predators,” Acting Special Agent in Charge Derrickson said today. “Prompt reporting is key in stopping these crimes, capturing the perpetrator, and preventing further victimization. The FBI relies on assistance from the community, especially in these types of sensitive investigations. Please do not be afraid or ashamed to contact authorities or tell a trusted adult to report suspected or actual exploitation.”
According to Acting U.S. Attorney Bubar, it is an unfortunate reality that individuals contact minors online and attempt to extort them, seeking inappropriate pictures or videos.
Last month in federal court in Roanoke, the U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted a Roanoke man who had been communicating with a minor. Over the course of several months, the defendant used online messaging apps to communicate with the victim, and several other minors, in attempts to convince them to send him nude pictures and videos of themselves.
Acting SAC Derrickson offered some advice on how parents can keep their children safe while navigating the ever-expanding online world:
Advice for Children:
- Be selective about what you share online.
- Be cautious of anyone you meet online for the first time - block/ignore messages from strangers.
- Know that people can pretend to be anything/anyone online. Images can be altered or stolen.
- Be suspicious if you meet someone on one app and they ask you to move to a different platform.
- Know and assume that any content you create online -- texts, photos/images or videos -- will be made public, permanently. Nothing "disappears" online, and once sent you have no control over where it goes.
- Be willing to ask for help.
Advice for Adults:
- Maintain active engagement with your children. Open the door and encourage an open and honest conversation about online activity and possible victimization.
- Place limits on internet use.
- Consider shutting down Wi-Fi during overnight hours.
- Review settings on social media and ensure they are set at the strictest level possible.
- Spot check phones and other devices.
- Know what apps are being used.
- Know who is communicating with your child.
- Be aware of what is being downloaded.
- Know passwords to electronic devices.
Most importantly, if you feel you may have been a victim, or have seen something online you believe may be illegal, report it immediately by calling your local police department or contacting the FBI at:
- FBI Richmond 804-261-1044
- FBI Tip-Line, 1-800-CALL-FBI (225-5324)
- FBI Online Tipline: https://tips.fbi.gov/
There are also more resources available at fbi.gov/about/community-outreach/safe-online-surfing-sos-program and sos.fbi.gov/en/.
Ukrainian traffickers sentenced for counterfeit cancer and hepatitis drugsRead the Press Release
HOUSTON - Two citizens of Ukraine have been sentenced after admitting they conspired to smuggle and distribute counterfeit cancer and hepatitis drugs into the United States.
Maksym Nienadov, 36, is the owner of the Ukrainian-based company Healthy Nation. He and his co-conspirator and employee – Volodymyr Nikolaienko, 34 – pleaded guilty to conspiracy, trafficking in counterfeit drugs and smuggling goods into the United States July 17, 2020. Nienadov also admitted to introducing misbranded medicine into the United States.
Today, Nienadov and Nikolaienko were sentenced to respective terms of 71 and 33 months in federal prison. They are both expected to face removal proceedings following the prison terms.
“Those that traffic counterfeit drugs pose harm to our country’s most vulnerable citizens and will face consequences,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Jennifer B. Lowery. “Defenseless people need their medications for life-threatening illnesses. Schemes like these put patients at risk of not receiving the actual drugs required for treatment. This prosecution demonstrates the tremendous work by all our partners and our collaborative commitment to protecting our community and combatting counterfeit drug trafficking into the United States.”
“The defendants sought to profit off the illnesses of others, selling false hope – including fake drugs with no active ingredient – and risking the health of vulnerable patients,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Nicholas L. McQuaid of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “This prosecution makes clear that we will hold accountable those who disregard the risks to patients by smuggling counterfeit drugs into the United States.”
In June 2018, undercover U.S. authorities began communicating with Nienadov about the illegal sale of Keytruda. This prompted a months-long exchange which also involved Nikolaienko and resulted in the unlawful sale of counterfeit or unapproved Keytruda, Abraxane and Epclusa. Neither Nienadov nor Nikolaienko are medical doctors, pharmacists or licensed pharmaceutical wholesalers in the United States and did not have authorization to sell the drugs.
Merck & Co. manufactures Keytruda, a medicine to treat cancer, while Gilead Sciences Inc. manufactures Epclusa, a prescription drug for the treatment of hepatitis-C. Celgene Corporation is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Bristol Myers Squibb and manufactures the oncology product Abraxane. In their legitimate form, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved all three drugs for distribution in the United States.
During the undercover investigation, law enforcement received Nienadov’s banking information, which included the name “Maksim Nenadov” and his Ukrainian bank account number. Authorities transferred $2,400 to his bank account for the purchase of the purported Keytruda. Soon after, they received a shipment from “Maxim Nenadov” which contained two boxes represented to contain Keytruda. However, the items were sent to Merck for testing and determined to be counterfeit.
Authorities then negotiated the purchase of more Keytruda as well as an another medication, Abraxane. The online messaging and email conversations resulted in a $3,400 undercover payment to Nienadov for the purchase of both drugs. On July 30, 2018, “Maxim Nenadov” sent two boxes of 50 mg purported Keytruda and two boxes of supposed Abraxane 5 mg/ml to undercover agents. Merck and Celgene performed analyses and confirmed the packaging and medication to be counterfeit.
In late 2018, law enforcement also negotiated the undercover purchase of two boxes of purported Epclusa tablets from Nienadov and Nikolaienko for $6,000. Gilead identified the packaging and contents as counterfeit.
“Selling illegal prescription drugs in the U.S. marketplace puts consumers’ health at risk, but it is especially reprehensible when the drugs are intended for use with especially vulnerable populations, such as cancer patients,” said Special Agent in Charge Charles L. Grinstead of the Food and Drug Administration, Office of Criminal Investigations (FDA-OCI) - Kansas City Field Office. “We will continue to investigate and bring to justice those who sell illegal prescription drugs, knowing that they can jeopardize patients’ health.”
“We work tirelessly, alongside our federal partners and private sector stakeholders, to prevent counterfeit pharmaceuticals from infiltrating the American marketplace,” said Special Agent in Charge Mark Dawson of Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Houston. “Today’s sentencing is another example of our relentless efforts to ensure consumers are receiving the life-saving pharmaceuticals that they need to treat their afflictions.”
Nienadov and Nikolaienko were taken into custody April 18, 2019, after they arrived in the United States from Ukraine to discuss future unlawful shipments of pharmaceuticals. They have been and will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
HSI and FD-OCI conducted the investigation.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Sebastian Edwards and Senior Trial Attorney Jeffrey Pearlman of the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section (CCIPS) prosecuted the case. Former CCIPS Senior Trial Attorney Kebharu Smith assisted in the prosecution. In addition, the Criminal Division’s Office of International Affairs provided substantial assistance.
Ukrainian Traffickers Sentenced for Trafficking in Counterfeit Cancer and Hepatitis DrugsRead the Press Release
Two citizens of Ukraine have been sentenced for trafficking in and smuggling into the United States counterfeit cancer and hepatitis drugs.
Maksym Nienadov, 36, was the owner of the Ukrainian-based company Healthy Nation. He and his co-conspirator and employee – Volodymyr Nikolaienko, 34 – pleaded guilty in July 2020 to both trafficking in and smuggling into the United States counterfeit drugs and conspiracy to do so. Nienadov also pleaded guilty to introducing misbranded drugs into the United States.
Today, Nienadov and Nikolaienko were sentenced to respective terms of 71 and 33 months in federal prison. Each defendant is expected to face removal proceedings following his term in prison.
“The defendants sought to profit off the illnesses of others, selling false hope – including fake drugs with no active ingredient – and risking the health of vulnerable patients,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Nicholas L. McQuaid of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “This prosecution makes clear that we will hold accountable those who disregard the risks to patients by smuggling counterfeit drugs into the United States.”
“Those that traffic counterfeit drugs pose harm to our country’s most vulnerable citizens and will face consequences,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Jennifer B. Lowery of the Southern District of Texas. “Defenseless people need their medications for life-threatening illnesses. Schemes like these put patients at risk of not receiving the actual drugs required for treatment. This prosecution demonstrates the tremendous work by all our partners and our collaborative commitment to protecting our community and combatting counterfeit drug trafficking into the United States.”
“Selling illegal prescription drugs in the U.S. marketplace puts consumers’ health at risk, but it is especially reprehensible when the drugs are intended for use with especially vulnerable populations, such as cancer patients,” said Special Agent in Charge Charles L. Grinstead of the Food and Drug Administration, Office of Criminal Investigations (FDA-OCI), Kansas City Field Office. “We will continue to investigate and bring to justice those who sell illegal prescription drugs, knowing that they can jeopardize patients’ health.”
“We work tirelessly, alongside our federal partners and private sector stakeholders, to prevent counterfeit pharmaceuticals from infiltrating the American marketplace,” said Special Agent in Charge Mark Dawson of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Houston. “Today’s sentencing is another example of our relentless efforts to ensure consumers are receiving the life-saving pharmaceuticals that they need to treat their afflictions.”
Nienadov and Nikolaienko were arrested in April 2019 after they arrived in the United States from Ukraine to discuss sales of future unlawful shipments of drugs. They have been and will remain in custody pending transfer to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined.
HSI and FDA-OCI conducted the investigation.
Senior Trial Attorney Jeff Pearlman of the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section (CCIPS) and Assistant U.S. Attorney Sebastian Edwards of the Southern District of Texas prosecuted the case. Former CCIPS Senior Trial Attorney Kebharu Smith assisted in the prosecution.
The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs and the Office of the Prosecutor General of Ukraine provided substantial assistance.
Two Louisiana College Students Charged with Identity TheftRead the Press Release
SHREVEPORT, La. - Acting United States Attorney Alexander C. Van Hook announced that Hayden Philip Breaux, 21, of Houma, Louisiana and D’Quincy Marquis Jones, 23, of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, have both been charged in an indictment returned by a federal grand jury with one count of conspiracy to commit identity theft and five counts of identity theft.
The indictment alleges that Breaux and Jones were involved in a fraudulent scheme to obtain emergency financial aid grants offered to colleges as part of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act, or CARES Act, which was passed by the U.S. Congress in March 2020. As part of the CARES Act, funds were given to the Office of Postsecondary Education as the Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund. Louisiana College in Pineville, Louisiana was an institution of higher learning allotted emergency funding for its students.
It is alleged in the indictment that between June 5, 2020 and June 20, 2020, Breaux and Jones conspired to fraudulently obtain CARES Act funds for their own use. Breaux and Jones and other members of the conspiracy used personally identifiable information (“PII”), specifically, the Louisiana College Student Identification Numbers and passwords of other students to access the Louisiana College Online Student Portal (“the Portal”) to apply for CARES Act emergency financial aid grants in the names of individuals and direct the grants to specific bank accounts controlled by members of the conspiracy. In total, members of this conspiracy used, without lawful authority, the Louisiana College Student Identification Numbers and passwords of nine individuals to access the Portal, to apply for, and direct payment of CARES Act emergency financial aid from the Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund.
An indictment is merely an accusation and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
The FBI and U.S. Department of Education – Office of Inspector General are conducting the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Seth D. Reeg is prosecuting the case.
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Two Austinites Indicted with Transporting Illegal Aliens Resulting in DeathRead the Press Release
In Del Rio, a federal grand jury returned an indictment charging two Austinites for their alleged roles in transporting illegal aliens from Del Rio to Austin resulting in the death of an illegal alien, announced U.S. Attorney Ashley C. Hoff and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Special Agent in Charge Shane Folden, San Antonio Division.
The four-count indictment returned yesterday afternoon charges 18-year-old Bianca Michelle Trujillo-Lopez and 28-year-old Isidro Rodriguez Jr. with one count of conspiracy to transport illegal aliens resulting in death; one count of transporting an illegal alien resulting in death; one count of conspiracy to transport illegal aliens resulting in serious bodily injury; and one count of transporting an illegal alien resulting in serious bodily injury.
Court records allege that on March 4, 2021, the defendants were traveling on FM 2523 near Del Rio when a Texas Department of Public Safety trooper attempted to stop them for speeding. The driver, Trujillo-Lopez, tried to outrun the trooper, at times reaching speeds over 120 miles per hour. She ultimately lost control of her vehicle and rolled it multiple times after missing a curve on the road. One illegal alien died after being ejected from the vehicle during the rollover. Two illegal aliens were transported to San Antonio area hospitals with multiple injuries. Another illegal alien sustained minor injuries.
The defendants face up to life in federal prison upon conviction of charges alleging death as a result and up to 20 years in federal prison upon conviction of charges alleging serious bodily injury as a result. On Monday, U.S. Magistrate Judge Collis White ordered that Rodriguez remain in federal custody pending trial. Trujillo-Lopez remains in federal custody pending a detention hearing scheduled for tomorrow morning before Judge White in Del Rio.
HSI, together with the Texas Department of Public Safety, conducted this investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen Kam is prosecuting this case.
An indictment is merely a charge and should not be considered as evidence of guilt. The defendants are considered innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
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Tulsa Man Charged for a Craig County MurderRead the Press Release
A Tulsa man has been charged in federal court for a murder that occurred in Craig County on March 21, 2021, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.
Josiah Gammill was charged with murder in the first degree in Indian Country and made an initial appearance today at 2 pm in front of U.S. Magistrate Judge Paul J. Cleary.
Law enforcement discovered the victim’s body along with two expended shotgun shell hulls and the victim’s wallet and cellphone on County Road E 260, near an intersection with County Road S 4440. The victim was found with a gunshot wound to his abdomen. The crime was committed within the boundaries of the Cherokee Nation.
According to the criminal complaint, Gammill, the victim and two other passengers were traveling on the road and stopped the vehicle for a short break. Shortly after the group got out of the car, Gammill is alleged to have retrieved a shotgun from the trunk of the vehicle, walked toward the victim and fired two shots into the victim’s torso. Gammill and the others reportedly drove away from the scene and returned to Tulsa.
During the investigation, Tulsa Police detectives and agents and officers assigned to the FBI’s Safe Trails Task Force located multiple items allegedly linking the defendant to the murder, including burned clothing remnants, a shotgun shell, and a shotgun. The Tulsa Police Department’s Fugitive Squad arrested the defendant in his room at the Tulsa Inn and Suites.
This matter will proceed in U.S. District Court in Tulsa, where the criminal complaint is currently pending. A complaint is a temporary charge alleging a violation of law. For the case to proceed to trial, the United States must present the charge to a federal grand jury within 30 days. Once a grand jury returns an indictment, a defendant has a right to a jury trial at which the United States would have the burden of proving the defendant’s guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
The FBI, Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation, Tulsa Police Department and Craig County Sheriff’s Office are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sandra Urban is prosecuting the case.
Tulalip Tribal member sentenced to 33 months in prison for sexual abuse of a minorRead the Press Release
Seattle – A member of the Tulalip Tribes who engaged in sexual acts with a 14‑year-old child was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Seattle to 33 months in prison, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman. Thomas Day, 24, repeatedly violated a no contact order issued by the Tulalip Tribal Court when he pursued sex acts with the 14-year-old. At the sentencing hearing, Chief U.S. District Court Judge Ricardo S. Martinez said, “he kept up this conduct even after he knew he was under law enforcement investigation.”
According to records filed in the case, between July and August 2019, Day continued to communicate with the 14-year-old a despite court order barring contact. Day met up with the child and took her to a residence on the Swinomish Tribal Reservation where they engaged in sex acts. The child was almost ten years younger than Day, and he had been told repeatedly by courts, law enforcement, and family members to leave the teen alone.
Day will be on supervised release for ten years following the prison term and will be required to register as a sex offender.
The case was investigated by the Tulalip Tribal Police, Swinomish Police Department and the FBI.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Rebecca Cohen.
Texas Man Sentenced for Trafficking in WildlifeRead the Press Release
A Texas man was sentenced to 20 months in prison for trafficking protected species and ordered to pay a $2,000 fine and be placed on supervised release for a period of two years after completing his prison term.
Alejandro Carrillo, 62, of El Paso, pleaded guilty on July 9, 2020, to a two-count information charging him with one count of conspiracy to traffic wildlife and one count of smuggling. Carrillo admitted to being part of a conspiracy to smuggle wildlife from the Mexico into the United States via El Paso since May 2016. Carrillo was the middleman between several Mexico-based suppliers of wildlife and their U.S.-based customers. Carrillo’s role as middleman was to pick up wildlife from a co-conspirator in Juarez, Mexico, and transport (smuggle) that wildlife in his car into the United States at an El Paso border crossing. His status as a U.S. citizen with a Secure Electronic Network for Travelers Rapid Inspection card made his transits easy. Once in the United States, Carrillo would ship the wildlife via FedEx or U.S. Postal Service to the U.S.-based customers. On many occasions, animals died during transport.
The sentencing was announced by Acting Assistant Attorney General Jean Williams of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division and Edward Grace, Assistant Director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) Office of Law Enforcement.
“Trafficking in protected species in violation of U.S. and international law is harmful to the animals and their native habitats,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Jean E. Williams of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division. “The Justice Department remains determined to work with our law enforcement partners to ensure that these endangered animals are protected.”
“Wildlife trafficking is decimating much of the world’s natural resources,” said the USFWS Office of Law Enforcement Assistant Director Edward Grace. “It is paramount to deter and dismantle wildlife traffickers in order to ensure the sustainability of our natural resources, protect against zoonotic diseases from spreading, and so that future generations will be able to benefit from the world’s diverse species of wildlife and plants.”
Between April 2015 and December 2019, Carrillo illegally transported wildlife across the U.S.-Mexico border with a market value of over $3,500,000. Carrillo received a “crossing fee” for each border crossing, the amount of which depended on the number of animals transported, the size of the packages, and, in some cases, the level of risk of being detected by the authorities. In that time period, Carrillo was paid more than $198,000 to transport wildlife across the U.S.-Mexico border.
On Sept. 22, 2016, Carrillo picked up several reptiles from a supplier in Juarez, including a Central American river turtle (Dermatemys mawaii), which is a Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES)-protected and endangered species, and transported them across the U.S.-Mexico border to his residence in El Paso. He then re-packaged the animals and sent them to a buyer in Oklahoma. The total value of the shipment was $1,650. Carrillo did not have a CITES import permit for any of the smuggled animals, nor were any permits issued in the name of any of the suppliers. In addition, Carrillo did not submit the necessary import wildlife declaration form to the USFWS.
The USFWS Office of Law Enforcement and the Environment and Natural Resources Division’s Environmental Crimes Section investigated the case.
Trial Attorneys Mary Dee Carraway and Gary Donner of the Environmental Crimes Section prosecuted the case.
Syracuse-Based Social Security Administration Employee Charged with Theft and Social Security FraudRead the Press Release
SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – Sean Okrzesik, age 34, of Syracuse, was arrested on March 23 on charges of theft of government property and Social Security fraud related to his diversion of Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits into bank accounts he set up in the names of beneficiaries or their representative payees while he was employed in the Syracuse District Office of the Social Security Administration. SSI is a federal income supplement program funded by general tax revenue. The program is designed to help disabled people, with little or no income, cover the costs of basic needs.
The announcement was made by Acting United States Attorney Antoinette T. Bacon and Gail S. Ennis, Inspector General for the Social Security Administration.
Okrzesik appeared in Federal Court in Syracuse, New York, before United States Magistrate Judge Thérèse Wiley Dancks. He was ordered released pending trial on a date to be scheduled in the future.
If convicted of theft of government property and Social Security fraud, Okrzesik faces a maximum term of imprisonment of ten (10) years, a fine of up to $250,000, and a term of supervised of up to 3 years. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other factors.
The charges in the complaint are merely accusations. The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.
This case is being investigated by the SSA Office of the Inspector General under the supervision of John F. Grasso, Special Agent in Charge of the Social Security Administration, Office of the Inspector General, New York Field Office, and is being prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Adrian S. LaRochelle.
Stanislaus County Man Indicted for Illegal Firearm PossessionRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned an indictment today charging a Turlock man with being a felon in possession of a firearm, Acting U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, on Feb. 23, Doroteo Gonzales Jr., 25, was found in possession of a loaded handgun. Gonzales was previously convicted of several felonies and was on parole for robbery at the time of his arrest.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Modesto Police Department, the Turlock Police Department, and the Stanislaus County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Katherine E. Schuh is prosecuting the case.
If convicted, Gonzales faces a maximum statutory penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
The case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. The Department of Justice reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally based strategies to reduce violent crime. To learn more about Project Safe Neighborhoods, go to www.justice.gov/psn.
Smith County Man Guilty of Federal Drug Trafficking ViolationsRead the Press Release
TYLER, Texas – A Tyler, Texas man has pleaded guilty to federal drug trafficking violations in the Eastern District of Texas, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
Cory Jsamard Ford, 33, pleaded guilty to possession of cocaine with intent to distribute today before U.S. Magistrate Judge John D. Love.
“This case is another example of how federal, state, and local law enforcement, working together, can significantly interrupt the flow of controlled substances in our communities,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei. “Cases like this, sustained over time, can make a big difference in our towns and cities.”
According to information presented in court, between Jan. 23, 2020 and Feb. 5, 2020, Ford distributed cocaine and methamphetamine in Smith County, Texas. A federal grand jury returned an indictment charging Ford with federal drug trafficking crimes on Nov. 2, 2020. Under federal statutes, Ford faces up to 20 years in federal prison. The maximum statutory sentence prescribed by Congress is provided here for information purposes, as the sentencing will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the U.S. Probation Office.
This case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Smith County Sheriff’s Office, and the Texas Department of Public Safety-CID and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Alan Jackson.
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Six Individuals Charged with Using Various Online Scams to Defraud Victims of More Than $4 MillionRead the Press Release
BOSTON – Six people were charged in three criminal complaints in connection with their roles in expansive online fraud schemes targeting individuals in the United States, including romance scams and pandemic unemployment assistance fraud.
Osakpamwan Henry Omoruyi, 36, a Nigerian national residing in Canton, Mass.; Osaretin Godspower Omoruyi, 34, a Nigerian national residing in Canton, Mass; and Macpherson Osemwegie, 32, of Hyde Park, Mass. were charged by criminal complaint with one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud.
Mark Arome Okuo, 41, a Nigerian national residing in Canton, Mass., and Florence Mwende Musau, 36, a Kenyan national residing in Canton, Mass., were charged in a separate complaint with one count of conspiracy to commit wire and bank fraud.
Mike Oziegbe Amiegbe, 42, a Nigerian national residing in Dorchester, Mass., was charged in a third complaint with one count of conspiracy to commit mail fraud.
According to the charging documents, the defendants allegedly participated in a series of romance and other online scams designed to defraud victims into sending money to accounts and debit cards controlled by them. Romance scams occur when a criminal adopts a fake online identity to gain a victim’s affection and trust. The scammer then uses the illusion of a romantic or close relationship to manipulate and/or steal from the victim. To carry out the schemes here, the defendants allegedly used fake passports in the names of numerous aliases to open bank accounts in and around Boston to collect and launder the proceeds of the romance scams. The defendants then allegedly executed large cash withdrawals from those accounts, often multiple times on a single day and generally structured in amounts less than $10,000, in an effort to evade detection and currency transaction reporting requirements. The accounts allegedly were also used to collect fraudulent pandemic unemployment benefits in the names of Massachusetts beneficiaries who did not apply for such benefits. Across the romance and unemployment schemes, more than $4 million in fraud proceeds was deposited into accounts allegedly controlled by defendants.
The charges of conspiracy to commit bank fraud and conspiracy to commit wire and bank fraud provide for a sentence of up to 30 years in prison, five years of supervised release, a fine of up to $1 million or twice the gross gain or loss, whichever is greater, and forfeiture. The charge of conspiracy to commit mail fraud provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss, whichever is greater, and forfeiture. 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; Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Division; William S. Walker, Acting Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Boston; Joseph W. Cronin, Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Boston Division; and Jessica Moore, Chief of the Criminal Investigations Division of the U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service made the announcement today. The Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration also assisted in the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sara Miron Bloom, Ian Stearns and Kristen Kearney of Mendell’s Securities, Financial & Cyber Fraud Unit are prosecuting the cases.
The details contained in the complaints are allegations. The defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Salvadoran National Sentenced for Illegal ReentryRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Salvadoran national, currently on supervised release for a 2018 illegal reentry conviction, was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for illegal reentry.
Salvador Portillo Diaz, 34, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Indira Talwani to 18 months in prison and three years of supervised release. Portillo Diaz was also found in violation of his supervised release for a 2018 illegal reentry conviction and sentenced to an additional four months in prison, to be served consecutively to his new term of imprisonment. Upon completion of his sentence, Portillo Diaz will be placed into removal proceedings and deported to El Salvador.
Portillo Diaz had been removed from the United States on three occasions between 2006 and 2018. In 2018, Portillo Diaz was encountered by law enforcement in Boston and charged with domestic assault and battery. At that time, it was determined that Portillo Diaz had illegally reentered the United States. He was charged and convicted in federal court in Boston and deported to El Salvador after completion of his sentence.
Sometime after the 2018 removal, Portillo Diaz illegally reentered the United States. In May 2020, Portillo Diaz was arrested in Everett and charged with assault and battery on a family member and assault and battery with a dangerous weapon. Portillo Diaz was ordered detained by the state and sentenced to time-served in September 2020. Upon completion of that sentence, Portillo Diaz was transferred into federal custody to face charges in this case.
Acting United States Attorney Nathaniel R. Mendell and Todd M. Lyons, Field Office Director, Boston, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kenneth G. Shine of Mendell’s Major Crimes Unit prosecuted the case.
Plot to Smuggle Heroin and Methamphetamine into Fresno County Jail Results in Charges Against Inmate, Mother, and AssociateRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned a two-count indictment today against Alfredo Garcia Jr., 27; Eva Romero, 53; and Leo Torres, 30, of Fresno, charging them with conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute heroin and at least 5 grams of methamphetamine, Acting U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced. Torres and Romero were also charged with distribution of controlled substances.
According to court documents, between January 19 and January 26, 2021, Garcia, Romero, and Torres conspired to smuggle heroin and methamphetamine into the Fresno County Jail for further distribution among inmates. Investigators uncovered the plan by listening to recorded jail calls, including calls between inmate Garcia and his mother, Romero. The calls revealed that the trio planned to sneak the drugs into the jail inside a pair of athletic shoes destined for an inmate. Their plot was foiled, however, when law enforcement at the jail intercepted the shoes and found hidden compartments inside them concealing the heroin and methamphetamine.
This case is the product of an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Fresno County Sheriff’s Office, the Fresno Police Department, and the Fresno County Jail. Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin J. Gilio is prosecuting the case.
If convicted, the defendants each face a mandatory minimum statutory penalty of five years in prison and a maximum statutory penalty of 40 years in prison and a $5 million fine. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. The Department of Justice reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally based strategies to reduce violent crime. To learn more about Project Safe Neighborhoods, go to www.justice.gov/psn.
Over 1,000 videos and images of child pornography lands South Texas man in prisonRead the Press Release
BROWNSVILLE, Texas – A 47-year-old Brownsville resident has been handed a lengthy federal prison sentence for possession of child pornography, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Jennifer B. Lowery.
Chance Wallace pleaded guilty Sep. 26, 2019.
Today, U.S. District Judge Fernando Rodriguez Jr. ordered him to serve 180 months in prison. The sentence will be immediately followed by eight years of supervised release during which he will have to comply with numerous requirements designed to restrict his access to children and the internet. He has also been ordered to register as a sex offender. At the hearing, the court considered statements of various victims describing how Wallace’s actions caused them continued harm. In handing down the prison term, Judge Rodriguez noted the seriousness of the offense and the need to protect the public from Wallace’s conduct.
In Oct. 2015, authorities launched an investigation targeting child pornography sharing on the internet. That led them to Wallace. The following month, they conducted a search at the residence and seized his computer and an external hard drive. Forensic analysis on the computer later revealed approximately 525 images and 497 videos of child pornography.
Wallace will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
Homeland Security Investigations - Rio Grande Valley Child Exploitation Task Force conducted the investigation.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ana C. Cano, Jason Corley and Joe Esquivel prosecuted the case, which was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood (PSC), a nationwide initiative the Department of Justice (DOJ) launched in May 2006 to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section leads PSC, which marshals federal, state and local resources to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children and identifies and rescues victims. For more information about PSC, please visit DOJ’s PSC page. For more information about internet safety education, please visit the resources tab on that page.
Operation Wasted Daze: 46 Convicted in $18 Million Pill Mill SchemeRead the Press Release
Forty-six defendants, including two doctors, a nurse practitioner, and five pharmacists, have been convicted of operating an $18 million pill mill scheme, announced Acting U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Prerak Shah.
They were arrested in 2020 by the DEA’s Fort Worth Tactical Diversion Squad in “Operation Wasted Daze.”
The lead defendant, 61-year-old oncologist Caesar Mark Capistrano, was charged with multiple counts of conspiracy to dispense hydrocodone and possession with intent to distribute hydrocodone or carisoprodol. He and five coconspirators – pharmacists Ethel Oyekunle-Bubu, Wilkinson Oloyede Thomas, and Christopher Kalejaiye Ajayi as well as recruiter Brian Kincade and recruit Alphonse Fisher – were convicted at trial. The remaining 41 defendants pleaded guilty prior to trial.
According to evidence presented at three different trials conducted in early 2021, Dr. Capistrano and his associate, 36-year-old Dr. Tameka Lachelle Noel, wrote prescriptions for hydrocodone, oxycodone, alprazolam, carisoprodol, zolpidem, phentermine, and promethazine with codeine, knowing the drugs would be diverted to the streets for illicit use.
Dr. Capistrano and Dr. Noel, assisted by 48-year-old clinic manager Shirley Ann Williams, used a network of recruiters to enlist individuals from the community and local homeless shelters to pose as “patients.” Recruiters paid each “patient” a small fee, usually $50 to $200 cash, to obtain controlled substance prescriptions from Dr. Capistrano and Dr. Noel.
The recruiters – who paid the clinic based in part on the amount of drugs prescribed – then filled the prescriptions at various complicit pill mill pharmacies and diverted the drugs for resale on the streets.
The pharmacists charged the recruiters between $200 and $800 per prescription, filling hundreds and hundreds of prescriptions for a fee, according to evidence presented at trial.
At the clinic, many of the “patients” were seen not by the doctors, but by Ms. Williams, who possessed neither a medical license nor a DEA registration. After a perfunctory conversation with the “patient,” Ms. Williams allegedly coordinated with Dr. Capistrano and Dr. Noel to prescribe dangerous drugs without legitimate medical purpose. In order to make the prescriptions appear legitimate, the doctors occasionally included prescriptions for non-controlled substances, such as antibiotics and mineral ice.
Over a nine-year span, Dr. Capistrano issued prescriptions for more than 524,000 doses of hydrocodone, 430,000 doses of carisoprodol, 77,000 doses of alprazolam, and 2.07 million doses of promethazine with codeine. Over seven years, Dr. Noel issued prescriptions for more than 200,000 doses of hydrocodone, 55,000 doses of carisoprodol, 14,000 doses of alprazolam, and 450,000 doses of promethazine with codeine.
Often, the doctors prescribed multiple medications simultaneously and at the highest dosages available.
“Pill mills funnel potentially deadly opiates onto our streets, wreaking havoc in communities beset by addiction,” said U.S. Attorney Prerak Shah. “The doctors, pharmacists, and clinic staff convicted in this case violated not only medical ethics, but federal law as well. We are proud to bring them to justice, and we remain committed to fighting the opioid epidemic where it matters most – at the point of entry.”
“Mr. Capistrano and his criminal associates have violated the public’s trust and stained the image of such a vital and noble profession in our society, especially during a time where we need our front line healthcare workers the most, said DEA Dallas Field Division Special Agent in Charge, Eduardo A. Chávez. “Profiting off the lives of those addicted to controlled prescription drugs stops now. DEA Fort Worth and all of our North Texas law enforcement partners will never waver and always ensure justice is the best medicine.”
Medical professionals convicted in the scheme include:
- Caesar Mark Capistrano, medical doctor
Convicted at trial on 1/28/2021 of three counts of conspiracy to dispense a controlled substance and two counts of possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance
- Tameka Lachelle Noel, medical doctor
Pleaded guilty on 11/16/2020 to conspiracy to dispense a controlled substance and was sentenced to eight years federal prison.
- Ngozika Tracey Njoku, nurse practitioner
Pleaded guilty on 11/20/2020 to conspiracy to dispense a controlled substance
Clinic staff convicted in the scheme include:
- Shirley Ann Williams, clinic office manager
Pleaded guilty on 11/18/2020 to conspiracy to disperse a controlled substance
- Latonya Ann Tucker, office staff
Pleaded guilty on 11/20/2020 to conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance and was sentenced to five years federal prison.
Recruiters convicted in the scheme include:
- Ritchie Dale Milligan, Jr
Pleaded guilty on 11/18/2020 to conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance and was sentenced to eight years federal prison.
- Wayne Benard Kincade
Pleaded guilty on 11/16/2020 to conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance
- Katie Lorane Parker
Pleaded guilty on 11/16/2020 to conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance
- Cynthia Denise Cooks
Pleaded guilty on 11/25/2020 to conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance and was sentenced to five years federal prison.
Pharmacists convicted in the scheme include:
- Wilkinson Oloyede Thomas, Calvary Pharmacy
Convicted at trial on 1/28/2021 of three counts of conspiracy to dispense controlled substances and one count of possession with intent to distribute controlled substances
- Christopher Kalejaiye Ajayi, Remcare Pharmacy
Convicted at trial on 3/2/2021 of three counts of conspiracy to dispense controlled substances, and two counts of possession with intent to distribute controlled substances
- Bartholomew Anny Akubukwe, Beco Pharmacy
Pleaded guilty on 11/18/2020 to conspiracy to dispense a controlled substance and was sentenced to 11 years in federal prison.
- Nedal Helmi Naser, Brandy Pharmacy
Pleaded guilty on 3/16/2021 to conspiracy to dispense a controlled substance.
- Ethel Oyekunle-Bubu, Ethel’s Pharmacy
Convicted at trial on 1/28/2021 of three counts of conspiracy to dispense a controlled substance and two counts of possession with intent to distribute controlled substances.
Dr. Capistrano now faces up to 100 years in federal prison, 20 years per count. His coconspirators also face up to 20 years per count of conviction.
The DEA Dallas Field Division’s Fort Worth Office conducted the investigation, with the assistance of Homeland Security Investigations, IRS – Criminal Investigation, the U.S. Marshals Service, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Parker County Sheriff’s Office, and the Fort Worth Police Department. The DEA’s Fort Worth Tactical Diversion Squad is comprised of DEA agents and task force officers from the Arlington Police Department, the Ellis County Sheriff’s Office, the North Richland Hills Police Department, the Benbrook Police Department, the Granbury Police Department, the Tarrant County Sheriff’s Office, and the Parker County Sheriff’s Office. This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Strike Force Initiative, which provides for the establishment of permanent multi-agency task force teams that work side-by-side in the same location. This co-located model enables agents from different agencies to collaborate on intelligence-driven, multi-jurisdictional operations to disrupt and dismantle the most significant drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Laura Montes and Shawn Smith prosecuted the case.
- Caesar Mark Capistrano, medical doctor
Operation False Haven: Convicted Child Rapist Sentenced for Naturalization Fraud, Criminally Denaturalized and Judicially Ordered Removed from the United StatesRead the Press Release
RALEIGH, N.C. – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of North Carolina announced that today, in federal court, J. Refugio Gomez-Juarez, age 51, a naturalized citizen of the United States, born in Mexico, residing in Franklin County, was sentenced by United States District Judge Terrence W. Boyle to 6 months imprisonment following a guilty plea to naturalization fraud. Moreover, Gomez-Juarez was criminally denaturalized as a United States citizen and ordered removed from the United States by the court.
According to the indictment, on September 1, 2010, after submitting an Application for Naturalization to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, Gomez-Juarez made a false statement under oath during his naturalization interview. In response to the question “Have you ever committed a crime or offense for which you were not arrested?” he answered “No.”
On September 17, 2010, Gomez-Juarez was granted United States citizenship and issued a naturalization certificate which he subsequently used to fraudulently apply for and receive multiple U.S. passports.
On March 1, 2016, in the Superior Court of North Carolina in Franklin County, Gomez-Juarez was convicted of second-degree forcible rape for knowingly having vaginal intercourse with a mentally disabled child against her will. According to the judgment, the crime was committed on January 1, 2007, before he applied for naturalization. Gomez-Juarez was not arrested for the rape until 2011. Thus, immigration officials were not aware of the crime.
G. Norman Acker, III, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement. Agents with ICE’s Enforcement and Removal Operations and Homeland Security Investigations, assigned to the Document Benefit Fraud Task Force, investigated the case as part of Operation False Haven. Operation False Haven is an ongoing initiative, in conjunction with the Department of Justice’s Office of Immigration Litigation, designed to identify and prosecute child molesters and other egregious felons who fraudulently obtained U.S. citizenship.
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. 5:20-cr-00345-BO.
North Texas Woman Guilty in Multimillion-Dollar Conspiracy Involving the Sale of Forged PrescriptionsRead the Press Release
SHERMAN, Texas – A Denison, Texas, woman has pleaded guilty for her role in a conspiracy scheme in the Eastern District of Texas, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei today.
Lydia Henslee, 29, pleaded guilty to conspiring to possess and use means of identification in connection with various offenses today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Christine A. Nowak. Her co-conspirators, Demetrius Cervantes, 46, of McKinney, Texas, and Amanda Lowry, 40, of Sherman, Texas, previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to obtain information from a protected computer and are awaiting sentencing.
“Prescriptions are not for sale in the Eastern District of Texas — the monetization of patient information and fabrication of physicians’ orders will not be tolerated,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei. “This office will vigorously prosecute defendants who place profits over patients and manipulate the healthcare system for their personal gain.”
The defendants were indicted by a federal grand jury on Sep. 11, 2019, and were each charged with conspiracy to obtain information from a protected computer and conspiracy to unlawfully possess and use a means of identification.
According to information presented in court, the defendants breached a health care provider’s electronic health record (EHR) system in order to steal protected health information and personally identifiable information belonging to patients. This stolen information was then “repackaged” in the form of false and fraudulent physician orders and subsequently sold to durable medical equipment (DME) providers and contractors. Within approximately eight months, the defendants obtained more the $1.4 million in proceeds from the sale of the stolen information. The proceeds of the offenses were traced, which resulted in the discovery of the following forfeitable assets: a 2019 Land Rover Range Rover Supercharged; a 2019 Dodge Durango SUV; a 2018 Polaris RZR XP4 1000 EPS; a 2019 Can-Am Outlander 450; a 2019 Sea-Doo RXT-X 300 W; a 2019 Sea-Doo RXT-X 300 W; and a 2019 Karavan Sea-Doo Move.
On Nov. 18, 2020, Henslee was charged in a ten-count superseding indictment with one count of conspiracy to unlawfully transfer, possess, and use a means of identification, and nine counts of unlawfully transferring, possessing, and using a means of identification. Henslee was also charged in a separate superseding indictment along with Steven Churchill, 34, of Boca Raton, Florida, Samson Solomon, 23, of West Palm Beach, Florida, David Warren, 49, of Boca Raton, Florida, and Daniel Stadtman, 67, of Allen, Texas, with one count of conspiracy to commit illegal remunerations.
According to the superseding indictment, the defendants are alleged to have conspired to pay and receive kickbacks in exchange for orders from physicians that were subsequently used to obtain payments from federal health care programs. The conspirators obtained patient information, including protected health information and personally identifiable information, and used the information to create fictitious physician orders. The conspirators then sold the physicians’ orders to each other and to other DME providers. Within approximately eight months, the defendants collectively obtained more than $2.9 million in proceeds from the criminal scheme.
The Anti-Kickback Statute prohibits offering, paying, soliciting, or receiving remuneration to induce referrals of items or services covered by federally funded programs, including Medicare, Medicaid, and TRICARE.
Under federal statutes, Henslee faces up to 15 years in federal prison. The maximum statutory sentence prescribed by Congress is provided here for information purposes, as the sentencing will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the U.S. Probation Office. Henslee has agreed to forfeit $253,520.00.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General, U.S. Department of the Treasury, Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation, and the U.S. Department of Defense, Office of Inspector General, Defense Criminal Investigative Service. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Nathaniel C. Kummerfeld and Adrian Garcia and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Bethany R. Pickett.
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North Carolina Man Charged with 2016 Cyber Attack Affecting Internet Users in PlattsburghRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Thomas A. Johnson, age 24, of Boone, North Carolina, has been charged with perpetrating a March 2016 distributed denial of service (“DDOS”) attack that disrupted internet access for thousands of Plattsburgh-area internet customers.
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).
DDOS attacks target websites and online services. The attacker causes the targeted server or network to be overwhelmed by more internet traffic than the server or network can typically accommodate, which renders the affected server or network inoperable for a period of time until service can be restored. The charges in the information are merely accusations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Johnson is charged with intentionally causing damage to a protected computer, a misdemeanor. The offense carries a maximum penalty of 1 year in jail, as well as a fine of up to $100,000, and a term of supervised release of up to a year. 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.
Johnson was arraigned today in Albany before United States Magistrate Judge Daniel J. Stewart. He was ordered released pending further proceedings.
This case is being investigated by the FBI and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Emily C. Powers.
Nine Essex County Individuals Charged with Conspiracy to Distribute NarcoticsRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – Nine Newark residents were charged for their roles in conspiracies to distribute and possess with intent to distribute narcotics, Acting U.S. Attorney Rachael A. Honig announced today.
Robert Covington, aka “Nachie,” 55; Korey Smith, aka “Murda,” 36: Jeffrey Workman, aka “Rah,” 53; Yvonne Jackson, 49; Carlos Stokes, aka “Ab,” 54; Karen Gamble, 50; and Alaa Covington, 21, are charged by criminal complaint with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute at least 40 grams of fentanyl. Robert Covington, Workman, Williamson, Stokes, and Gamble are also charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute cocaine. Smith is additionally charged, along with Leroy Baxter III, 55, and William Lane, 57, with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute heroin. Eight of the defendants are expected to appear this afternoon by videoconference before U.S. Magistrate Judge Cathy L. Waldor. Stokes remains at large.
According to the documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
From August 2020 through March 2021, multiple individuals were involved in selling fentanyl and cocaine in an open-air narcotics market in Bradley Court Housing Complex in Newark. These individuals comprise at least two separate drug-trafficking organizations (DTOs), which have overlapping membership.
DTO-1 involved individuals engaged in the distribution of fentanyl and included Robert Covington, Smith, Williamson, Gamble, Workman, Stokes, and Alla Covington. DTO-2 involved individuals engaged in the distribution of cocaine and included Robert Covington, Williamson, Gamble, Workman, and Stokes.
The investigation revealed that Robert Covington was one of the leaders and organizers of DTO-1’s and DTO-2’s distribution of fentanyl and cocaine in or around Bradley Court. Covington purchased powder cocaine and fentanyl from various sources, including Smith; “cooked” powder cocaine into crack cocaine or directed others to do so; used various “stash houses” to store and distribute fentanyl and cocaine and to store narcotics proceeds; and employed multiple drug dealers, including Workman, Williamson, Stokes, and Alaa Covington, among others, to distribute fentanyl and cocaine to the area surrounding Bradley Court.
Smith – the fentanyl supplier for DTO-1 – was also engaged in distributing heroin in and around his residence on Fairmount Avenue in Newark from at least January 2021 to the present, along with Baxter, Lane, and others.
The conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl charge carries a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in prison, a maximum sentence of 40 years in prison, and a $5 million fine. The heroin and cocaine conspiracy charges each have a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison and a $1 million fine.
Acting U.S. Attorney Honig credited special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge George M. Crouch Jr. in Newark, with the investigation leading to the charges. She also thanked the Newark Police Department, the Essex County Sheriff's Office and the Bloomfield Police Department for their assistance in the investigation.
This case is part of the Violent Crime Initiative (VCI), which was formed in August 2017 by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey, the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office, and the City of Newark’s Department of Public Safety for the purpose of combatting violent crime in and around Newark. As part of this partnership, federal, state, county, and city agencies collaborate and pool resources to prosecute violent offenders who endanger the safety of the community. The VCI is composed of the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the FBI, the ATF, the DEA, the U.S. Marshals, the Newark Department of Public Safety, the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office, the Essex County Sheriff’s Office, N.J. State Parole, Union County Jail, N.J. State Police Regional Operations and Intelligence Center/Real Time Crime Center, N.J. Department of Corrections, the East Orange Police Department, and the Irvington Police Department.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Emma Spiro of the United States Attorney’s Office, Opioid Abuse Prevention and Enforcement Unit in Newark.
The charges and allegations in the complaint are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Nigerian National in Collin County Sentenced for Multimillion-Dollar Fraud and Money Laundering Scheme Which Victimized Senior Citizens, School Districts, and CharitiesRead the Press Release
SHERMAN, Texas – A Nigerian national based in Plano, Texas has been sentenced to federal prison for violations related to a bank fraud and money laundering conspiracy in the Eastern District of Texas, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei today.
Babatope Joseph Aderinoye, 30, was convicted by a jury on Oct. 14, 2020, of conspiracy to commit bank fraud, wire fraud, and money laundering; wire fraud; aggravated identity theft; and mail fraud. Aderinoye was sentenced to 408 months in federal prison today by U.S. District Judge Amos Mazzant. Aderinoye was also ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $1,919,526.13.
“The types of fraud committed by Mr. Aderinoye and his co-conspirators not only have lasting ramifications for the affected victims, but also threaten the integrity of our country’s financial systems,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei. “While today’s sentence is a decisive victory for the victims of Mr. Aderinoye and his co-conspirators, the overall fight against cyber fraud continues. EDTX will do everything in its power to bring other cyber criminals to justice, and to recover ill-gotten gains for those victimized.”
“The defendant defrauded senior citizens, a school district, and a non-profit aimed at helping the families of the terminally-ill. The money stolen was needed for critical services, basic everyday necessities, and retirement,” said FBI Dallas Special Agent in Charge Matthew DeSarno. “Business Email Compromise is a financially devastating scam that targets both businesses and individuals. The FBI is committed to holding cyber criminals accountable for the harm they do to everyday citizens and our financial institutions.”
According to information presented in court, Aderinoye would obtain fake passports in the names of others. He would then use those fraudulent passports and the identifying information of others to establish false business entities and fraudulent bank accounts. To this date, 13 individual aliases, 12 business aliases, and over 40 fraudulent bank accounts have been tied to Aderinoye, and there is evidence to suggest more aliases exist. Once Aderinoye would open the fraudulent bank accounts, co-conspirators would engage in various business email compromise scams and telephone compromise scams to defraud individuals and businesses out of money. In these scams, co-conspirators would pose as a known individual and direct the targeted victims to wire or send funds to Aderinoye or the fraudulent accounts Aderinoye had set up. Once the ill-gotten money posted in Aderinoye’s fraudulent accounts, he would immediately withdraw the funds, transfer the monies to other fraudulent accounts, or wire them internationally to a bank account he had set up in Nigeria. The illicit proceeds were used to pay off co-conspirators and further fund their fraudulent schemes. From June 2018 through September 2019, over $6.7 million was deposited into alias accounts of Aderinoye, with almost all of those funds being withdrawn or wired internationally. The victims of the BEC scams included school districts such as Community ISD, Project 4031, a non-profit organization that helps families of the terminally ill, an individual whose identity was used to drain his retirement account, and an elderly man who had over $352,000 stolen from his investment account. The investigation is ongoing, as co-conspirators and victims continue to be identified.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Dallas Financial Crimes Task Force, which includes FBI agents and members of the Fort Worth Police Department. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Wes Wynne and Will Tatum.
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New Haven Man Sentenced to More Than 7 Years in Federal Prison for Gun Possession OffensesRead the Press Release
Leonard C Boyle, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that VASHUN LEWIS, also known as “V-Love,” 45, of New Haven, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Janet C. Hall to 90 months of imprisonment, followed by five years of supervised release, for firearm possession offenses.
Pursuant to the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act), the sentencing occurred via videoconference.
According to court documents and the evidence presented during Lewis’ trial last year, in 2017, the New Haven Police Department received information that Lewis was engaged in an illegal cigarette trafficking operation, was selling marijuana and heroin, and was known to possess a handgun. Prior to 2017, Lewis had been convicted of state robbery, assault, drug, weapon and racketeering offenses. Lewis was arrested on June 1, 2017, after a court-authorized search of his residence revealed a 9mm semiautomatic handgun, more than 100 grams of marijuana, approximately 13 grams of heroin packaged for distribution, items used to process and package drugs for street sale, and more than 50 cartons of cigarettes. Investigators also seized approximately 500 grams of cocaine from a car connected to Lewis that was parked outside of his residence.
On March 5, 2020, the jury found Lewis guilty of one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, and one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
Lewis has been detained since November 2017.
This investigation was conducted by the New Haven Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Margaret M. Donovan and Jocelyn Courtney Kaoutzanis.
This prosecution has been brought through Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make neighborhoods safer for everyone.
Moreno Valley Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Robbery Charges for Month-Long Pharmacy Crime Spree in Inland EmpireRead the Press Release
RIVERSIDE, California – A Riverside County man pleaded guilty today to federal criminal charges that he engaged in a month-long robbery spree of pharmacies in the Inland Empire while wearing a medical mask over his face.
David Anthony Battle, 51, of Moreno Valley, pleaded guilty to six felony counts of interference with commerce by robbery (Hobbs Act robbery).
According to his plea agreement, from July 6, 2020 to August 10, 2020, Battle robbed six pharmacies – Walgreens, CVS, and Rite Aid – in Moreno Valley, Colton, and San Bernardino, and attempted to rob two other Moreno Valley pharmacies.
During each incident, Battle wore similar clothing – including wearing medical masks covering his nose and mouth – and used a similar method of brandishing what appeared to be a handgun by pulling it out from his waistband and holding it at his side, according to an affidavit filed with a criminal complaint in this case. He then demanded that money in the cash register be placed in a bag and handed over, the plea agreement states.
Law enforcement reviewed store surveillance videos, which led them to arrest Battle, court documents state. During Battle’s arrest, a black BB-gun-style pistol was found on the ground near him, the affidavit states.
Battle netted $5,453 in illicit gains from the robberies, though $3,200 of that came from the July 6 robbery of a Walgreens store in Moreno Valley, according to the plea agreement.
United States District Judge Jesus G. Bernal has scheduled a June 14 sentencing hearing, at which time Battle will face a statutory maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison for each Hobbs Act robbery count.
The FBI, the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department, the San Bernardino Police Department, and the Colton Police Department investigated this matter.
Assistant United States Attorney Peter H. Dahlquist of the Riverside Branch Office is prosecuting this case.
Monmouth County Woman Admits Filing False Tax ReturnsRead the Press Release
TRENTON, N.J. – A Monmouth County, New Jersey, woman today admitted that she underreported income on her personal tax return, Acting U.S. Attorney Rachael A. Honig announced.
Kathy Manna, 58, of Atlantic Highlands, New Jersey, and formerly of Lavallette, New Jersey, pleaded guilty by videoconference before U.S. District Judge Michael A. Shipp to an information charging her with one count of making and subscribing a false tax return.
According to documents filed in the case and statements made in court:
Manna operated Manna Construction Group, a business headquartered in Lavallette, that provided landscaping and construction services in New Jersey and elsewhere. She admitted that for tax years 2010, 2011, 2012, and 2013, she underreported the gross receipts or sales of Manna Construction Group on Schedule C of her personal tax return. Under the terms of her plea agreement, the government alleges that the total tax loss was $124,480.
The count of making and subscribing a false tax return carries a maximum potential penalty of three years in prison and $250,000 fine, or twice the gross gain or loss from the offense. Sentencing is scheduled for July 28, 2021.
Acting U.S. Attorney Honig credited special agents of the IRS, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Michael Montanez, with the investigation leading to today’s guilty plea. She also thanked the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer, and the Lavallette Police Department, under the direction of Chief Colin M. Grant.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer Kozar of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Economic Crimes Unit.
Minden Tax Preparer Indicted on Tax Fraud ChargesRead the Press Release
SHREVEPORT, La. – A federal grand jury in Shreveport has returned an indictment charging Deborah Cooksey, 56, of Minden, Louisiana, with filing false tax returns, Acting United States Attorney Alexander C. Van Hook announced.
Cooksey is the owner and operator of Cooksey’s Tax and Notary Services, LLC, in Minden, Louisiana, with her primary business being the preparation and electronic filing of individual income tax returns. The indictment charges Cooksey with two counts of making and subscribing a false tax return. It is alleged in the indictment that on two occasions, on or about April 15, 2015 and February 11, 2016, Cooksey created and filed her U.S. Individual Income Tax Returns, Form 1040, for calendar years 2013 and 2014.
The indictment alleges that Cooksey’s federal income tax return for calendar year 2013 reported gross receipts and sales in the amount of $522,662 from her tax preparation services business for the calendar year 2013, when in fact she knew and believed that the gross sales and receipts for the calendar year 2013 were substantially higher than the amount reported.
It is further alleged in the indictment that Cooksey’s federal income tax return for calendar year 2014 reported gross receipts and sales in the amount of $459,361 from her tax preparation services business for the calendar year 2014, when in fact she knew and believed that the gross sales and receipts for the calendar year 2014 were substantially higher than the amount reported.
An indictment is merely an accusation and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
The Internal Revenue Service is conducting the investigation and Assistant U.S. Attorney Mary J. Mudrick is prosecuting the case.
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Michigan Businessman Charged with Tax Evasion Among Other OffensesRead the Press Release
A federal grand jury in Detroit, Michigan, returned an indictment yesterday charging a Bloomfield Hills businessman with tax evasion, attempting to obstruct the internal revenue laws, making a false statement, and willful failure to file his own individual income tax return.
According to the indictment, Ryan Richmond owned and operated Relief Choices LLC, a medical marijuana dispensary in Warren. The indictment alleges that from 2011 through at least 2014, Richmond caused Relief Choices to make extensive use of cash to pay business operating expenses and routed customer business credit card payments through an unrelated third-party bank account to conceal his actual business gross receipts from the IRS. In 2015 and 2016, Richmond allegedly made false statements about his control of, profit from, and work responsibilities for Relief Choices to an IRS auditor.
If convicted, Richmond faces a statutory maximum sentence of five years in prison for each count of tax evasion and false statements, three years in prison for the obstruction of the IRS count, and a maximum sentence of one year in prison for the failure to file a tax return count. Richmond also faces a period of supervised release, restitution, and monetary penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and Acting U.S. Attorney Saima S. Moshin for the Eastern District of Michigan made the announcement.
The IRS-Criminal Investigation is investigating the case.
Trial Attorneys Mark McDonald and Sean Green of the Tax Division are prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.