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17 March 2021
Cypriot hacker sentenced to federal prison for extorting website operators with stolen personal informationRead the Press Release
ATLANTA – A Cypriot national who hacked into major websites as a teenager and threatened that he would release stolen user information unless the websites paid a ransom has been sentenced to federal prison. The defendant, Joshua Polloso Epifaniou, is the first Cypriot national ever extradited from Cyprus to the United States.
“Epifaniou harvested the personal information of website users to extort website operators into paying large ransoms,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Kurt R. Erskine. “Cyber extortion is a growing threat to American businesses. Cyber criminals typically identify sensitive information either by directly exploiting website security vulnerabilities or identifying weakness in the victim’s computer network.”
“This historic extradition and sentencing would not have been possible without the determination of our FBI investigators and the help of our federal and foreign partners,” said Chris Hacker, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. “It is further proof that no matter where criminals who prey on U.S. companies and citizens are hiding, either geographically or virtually, we will pursue them and bring them to justice.”
According to Acting U.S. Attorney Erskine, the charges and other information presented in court: Between at least October 2014 and November 2016, Epifaniou was a teenage hacker living with his mother in Cyprus who searched website traffic rankings to identify potential targets of his extortion scheme. After selecting targets, Epifaniou worked with co-conspirators to steal personally identifiable information from user and customer databases at victim websites. Epifaniou stole the sensitive information either by directly exploiting a security vulnerability at the websites or by obtaining a portion of the victim website’s user data from a co-conspirator who had hacked into the victim network. After obtaining the personally identifiable information, Epifaniou used proxy servers located in foreign countries to log into online email accounts and send messages to the victim websites threatening to leak the sensitive data unless a ransom was paid in cryptocurrency.
During his scheme, Epifaniou’s victims included an online sports news website owned by Turner Broadcasting System Inc. in Atlanta, Georgia; a free online game publisher based in Irvine, California; a hardware company based in New York, New York; an online employment website headquartered in Innsbrook, Virginia; and a consumer report website headquartered in Phoenix, Arizona.
After extorting the consumer report website operator, Epifaniou continued to hack into the website to remove online complaints posted on the website at the request of paying clients. Epifaniou and his co-conspirator, Pierre Zarokian, charged clients between $1,000 and $5,000 for removal of each complaint and falsely told clients that the removals were court-ordered.
Before entering a guilty plea, Epifaniou paid nearly $600,000 in restitution to the victims.
Joshua Polloso Epifaniou, 22, of Nicosia, Cyprus was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Mark H. Cohen to an additional one year and one day in prison, on top of credit for three years and ten months served in custody for the offense prior to his sentencing hearing. Epifaniou also paid forfeiture of $389,113 and 70,000 euros to the government as a result of his conviction. Epifaniou was convicted on January 25, 2021 after pleading guilty to computer fraud conspiracy and a substantive count of computer fraud transferred from the District of Arizona for purposes of his plea.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Foreign law enforcement partners also made significant contributions to the investigation, including the exceptional support and cooperation provided by the Office for Combating Cybercrime of the Cyprus Police. Valuable assistance also was provided by the Criminal Division’s Office of International Affairs and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Nathan P. Kitchens, Chief of the Public Integrity and Special Matters Section, prosecuted the case.
For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at [email protected] or (404) 581-6016. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.
Cypriot Hacker Sentenced to PrisonRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – Joshua Polloso Epifaniou, 22, of Nicosia, Cyprus was sentenced today in the Northern District of Georgia by U.S. District Judge Mark H. Cohen to 12 months and one day in prison, on top of the nearly four years Epifaniou has already served in custody since his arrest in Cyprus in May 2017. Epifaniou pleaded guilty to federal computer fraud charges brought in Arizona and the Northern District of Georgia. As a result of his conviction, Epifaniou forfeited $389,113 and 70,000 euros to the government and paid $600,000 in restitution to the victims of his fraud. Epifaniou is the first Cypriot national ever extradited from Cyprus to the United States.
“Cybercrime is a threat to both our individual privacy and to the security of American companies,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Anthony Martin. “We will work diligently alongside our law enforcement partners to ensure any perpetrators are identified and brought to justice.”
Between October 2014 and May 2017, Epifaniou hacked websites and monitored online traffic to identify targets for extortion. After selecting target websites, Epifaniou worked with co-conspirators to steal personally identifiable information from the websites’ databases. Epifaniou then used proxy servers located in foreign countries to log into email accounts and send messages to the websites threatening to leak the sensitive data unless a ransom was paid in cryptocurrency.
Victims of Epifaniou’s computer terrorism included an online sports news website owned by Turner Broadcasting System Inc. in Atlanta, Georgia, a free online game publisher based in Irvine, California, a hardware company based in New York, New York, an online employment website headquartered in Innsbrook, Virginia, and a consumer report website, Ripoff Report, headquartered in Phoenix, Arizona.
After extorting Ripoff Report, Epifaniou also hacked into its website to remove online complaints at the request of paying clients. Epifaniou and his co-conspirator, Pierre Zarokian, charged clients between $1,000 and $5,000 for each complaint removal and falsely told clients that the removals were court-ordered. Epifaniou was charged by indictment in Arizona in CR-17-1280-SMB and Zarokian was sentenced last year in CR-18-1626-MTL.
“This individual was preying on people for his own personal gain,” said Sean Kaul, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Phoenix Field Office. “FBI agents, analysts and support staff worked tirelessly on this case. This investigation should send a strong message that the FBI has a long reach and no matter where you are, we will continue to leverage all available resources and utilize partnerships in the United States and foreign partnerships to identify criminals in an effort to bring justice to victims of crime.”
The Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation in this case. Foreign law enforcement partners also made significant contributions to the investigation, including the Office for Combating Cybercrime of the Cyprus Police. The U.S. Attorney’s Offices for the District of Arizona and for the Northern District of Georgia handled the prosecution, with assistance from the Criminal Division’s Office of International Affairs.
CASE NUMBER: CR17-00327-MHC-JKL
RELEASE NUMBER: 2021-014_Epifaniou# # #
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.Crittenden County Felon Who Possessed Firearm Sentenced to 120 Months in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
LITTLE ROCK—Flando Selvy, a multi-convicted felon, will spend the next 10 years in federal prison for illegally possessing a firearm. Jonathan D. Ross, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, announced the sentence, which was handed down Tuesday afternoon by United States District Judge James M. Moody, Jr.
Selvy, 42, of Turrell, Ark., pleaded guilty to one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm on January 7, 2020. That conviction was based on a July 2017 incident in which Selvy shot Dewayne Aikens with a Taurus 9mm handgun, resulting in Aikens’ death. During a search of the crime scene, a 9mm shell casing was found that matched the ammunition found in Selvy’s 9mm firearm.
Selvy was charged with Aikens’ murder in state court, but after a trial resulted in a hung jury, the state charges were dismissed. At Tuesday’s federal sentencing hearing, Judge Moody heard evidence regarding the shooting that resulted in Aikens’ death that led him to conclude Selvy should be sentenced to 10 years in prison for the firearm conviction—the maximum sentence allowed by law. Judge Moody also sentenced Selvy to three years of supervised release to follow his prison sentence. There is no parole in the federal system.
"This case is a perfect example of why our increased focus on gun violence is so important," said Acting United States Attorney Ross. "Taking violent offenders off the streets has been and will remain a top priority of our office, and we appreciate the work of the Crittenden County Sheriff's Department and all of our local law enforcement partners who make these cases possible."
The investigation was conducted by the Crittenden County Sheriff’s Department with assistance from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jordan Crews.
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This news release, as well as additional information about the office of the
United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, is available online at
https://www.justice.gov/edar
Twitter:
@EDARNEWS
Cranston Man to Plead Guilty to Torching Police Cruiser During June 2020 RiotsRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE – A Cranston man arrested for his alleged role in the torching of a Providence Police Department cruiser during the riots of 2020 is expected to plead guilty to a federal information charging him with malicious attempt to damage or destroy a vehicle, according to documents filed in federal court.
According to a plea agreement filed in U.S. District Court, Nicholas L. Scaglione, 31, will admit to igniting a Providence Police Department cruiser that was parked in downtown Providence as officers responded to a riot on June 2, 2020, announced Acting United States Attorney Richard B. Myrus, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Boston Division Joseph R. Bonavolonta, and Providence Police Chief Colonel Hugh T. Clements, Jr.
According to information previously presented to the court, an FBI Joint Terrorism Task Force, Providence Police, and United States Attorney’s Office investigation determined that Scaglione allegedly squirted a flammable liquid into the vehicle, causing a fire to intensify. The cruiser became fully engulfed and was destroyed.
According to court documents, Scaglione allegedly shared information with others about his role in the burning of the cruiser. Among text messages allegedly written by Scaglione is a text message where he wrote, “But that police cruiser that went up in flames last night can be replaced... I was pissed. I've been pissed. That was pent up years of rage and frustration with the way I've seen and been treated by police. That cop car can be replaced. People’s lives cannot... Then I go out fighting and standing up for s**t I believe in. Cuz I know for a fact if it was you or anyone else I was close to I'd burn the whole police force down and not even blink."
The statements set forth in an information are merely allegations. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Attempted malicious destruction of a vehicle by fire is punishable by a statutory penalty of up to twenty years in federal prison, with a mandatory minimum term of five years of imprisonment, and a term of supervised release of three years.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul F. Daly, Jr.
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Convicted Felon Sentenced to Nine Years in Federal Prison for Possessing FirearmsRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – U.S. District Judge Brian J. Davis has sentenced Cleophus McCaskill (51, Jacksonville) to nine years in federal prison for possessing firearms as a convicted felon. The court also ordered McCaskill to forfeit the firearms and ammunition used in the offense.
McCaskill had pleaded guilty on December 8, 2020.
According to court documents, during a search after a traffic stop in Palatka on March 17, 2019, Putnam County Sheriff’s Office deputies found illegal narcotics, drug paraphernalia, and three firearms—a .38 caliber pistol, a stolen .357 caliber pistol with an obliterated serial number, and a 7.62mm caliber AK-47 pistol with a 30-round magazine—in McCaskill’s car. Each of the firearms was loaded.
Prior to these events, McCaskill had been convicted of multiple felonies, including attempted first-degree murder and aggravated assault. Therefore, he is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition under federal law.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney David B. Mesrobian.
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.
Convicted Felon Indicted for Unlawful Possession of Drugs with Intent to Distribute and A FirearmRead the Press Release
LAS VEGAS, Nev. – A federal grand jury indicted a convicted felon yesterday for unlawful possession of drugs with intent to distribute — specifically, methamphetamine, cocaine, and heroin — and unlawful possession of a firearm, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Christopher Chiou for the District of Nevada.
Brent Matthew Wilson, 33, of Las Vegas, was charged with three counts of possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute, and one count of felon in possession of a firearm. An initial court appearance has been scheduled before U.S. Magistrate Judge Cam Ferenbach on March 30, 2021.
According to allegations in the indictment, on January 22, 2021, Wilson possessed methamphetamine, cocaine, and heroin with the intent to distribute. In addition to the drugs, he possessed a Glock 17 handgun. At the time of the offense, Wilson was on probation for a prior controlled substance conviction that prohibits him from possessing a firearm.
If convicted, the maximum statutory penalties Wilson faces are: up to 20 years imprisonment and a fine of $1,000,000 for the possession with intent to distribute charges; and up to 10 years imprisonment and a fine of $250,000 for the felon in possession of a firearm charge.
An indictment merely alleges that crimes have been committed. Every defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
This case was investigated by the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephanie Ihler is prosecuting the case.
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Colville Tribal Member Sentenced to 24 Months in Federal Prison for Sending Social Media Threats to His Ex-GirlfriendRead the Press Release
Spokane – Joseph H. Harrington, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Washington, announced that Davis Henderson Tatshama Sr., age 36, an enrolled member of the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation, was sentenced today after pleading guilty on December 17, 2020 to Threats in Interstate Commerce. United States District Judge Thomas O. Rice sentenced Tatshama to a 24-month term of imprisonment, to be followed by a 3-year term of court supervision after he is released from federal custody.
According to information disclosed during court proceedings, this case arose in January 2020 when, over the course of approximately eleven hours, Tatshama sent a series of Facebook messages to his ex-girlfriend, who is also Native American. In those messages, Tatshama threatened to kill and otherwise harm his ex-girlfriend while intending to harass and intimidate her. At the time, Tatshama was the defendant and his ex-girlfriend was the victim in two pending Colville Tribal Court cases alleging assault by strangulation and battery. Tatshama later pleaded guilty to the tribal charges and the tribal court sentenced him to 270 days’ confinement.
Acting United States Attorney Harrington said, “The sentence imposed by the Court reflects the serious nature of harassing and intimidating threats directed toward domestic violence victims who report the abuse they have suffered. The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Washington works closely with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement agencies to ensure that Native American women and families are protected not only from domestic violence, but also from retaliation when they disclose what they have experienced.”
This case was investigated by the Spokane Resident Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Colville Tribal Police Department. This case was prosecuted by Michael L. Vander Giessen, Special Assistant United States Attorney, and Richard R. Barker, Assistant United States Attorney, for the Eastern District of Washington.
Columbus man sentenced to more than 17 years for drug conspiracyRead the Press Release
WHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA – Robert L. Gregory, of Columbus, Ohio, was sentenced today to 210 months of incarceration for a drug charge, Acting United States Attorney Randolph J. Bernard announced.
Gregory, 39, pleaded guilty in October 2020 to one count of “Conspiracy to Distribute and to Possess with the Intent to Distribute Controlled Substances.” Gregory admitted to working with others to distribute methamphetamine, heroin, cocaine, and cocaine base in Wetzel County in the Northern District of West Virginia, the Southern District of West Virginia, Ohio, Georgia and elsewhere from 2016 to 2018.
This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Shawn M. Adkins prosecuted the case on behalf of the government. The Drug Enforcement Administration; the Bureau of Alcohol; Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; the Marshall County Drug and Violent Crimes Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative; the West Virginia State Police; the Tyler County Sheriff’s Office; the Wetzel County Sheriff’s Office; the Sistersville Police Department; the Paden City Police Department; and the New Martinsville Police Department investigated. The Columbus, Ohio, Police Department Gang Crimes Unit assisted in the case.
U.S. District Judge John Preston Bailey presided.
Original press release here: https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndwv/pr/31-ohio-and-west-virginia-residents-are-indicted-connection-drug-distribution-operation
Cleveland man sentenced for selling cocaineRead the Press Release
WHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA – Jalen Deshon Dalton, of Cleveland, Ohio, was sentenced today to 33 months of incarceration for a drug charge, United States Attorney Randolph J. Bernard announced.
Dalton, also known as “NBA J” and “J,” age 27, pled guilty to one count of “Distribution of Cocaine Base within 1000 feet of a Protected Location” in November 2020. Dalton admitted to selling cocaine near Madison Elementary School on Wheeling Island in December 2019.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Shawn M. Adkins and Clayton J. Reid prosecuted the case on behalf of the government. The Ohio Valley Drug and Violent Crimes Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, which includes the Drug Enforcement Administration, West Virginia State Police, Ohio County Sheriff’s Office, and the Wheeling Police Department, investigated. The U.S. Marshal Service, Columbus Police Department Gang Crimes Unit, the Martins Ferry Police Department, and the Bellaire Police Department also assisted.
U.S. District Judge John Preston Bailey presided.
Charleston Man Pleads Guilty to Heroin DistributionRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A Charleston man pleaded guilty today to distribution of heroin. Donta Hamilton, 30, was charged by a single-count Information in February 2021.
According to the plea agreement and statements made in court, Hamilton admitted that on August 5, 2020, he met a confidential informant working with Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team (MDENT) in Charleston at a Renaissance Circle apartment and sold the confidential informant approximately 3.5 grams of heroin.
Hamilton faces up to 20 years in prison when he is sentenced on June 16, 2021.
The Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team (MDENT) conducted the investigation. Senior United States District Judge John T. Copenhaver, Jr. presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Ryan Blackwell is handling the prosecution.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:21-cr-00022.
Follow us on Twitter: SDWVNews
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Catherine Verdon Sentenced on False Statements ChargeRead the Press Release
The United States Attorney for the District of Vermont announced that Catherine Verdon, 46, of Middletown Springs, was sentenced today in United States District Court in Rutland following her guilty plea to an indictment charging her with making false statements to obtain federal and state program benefit payments. Chief U.S. District Judge Geoffrey Crawford ordered that Verdon serve two years of probation and pay $95,000 in restitution to the State of Vermont and the U.S. Social Security Administration.
On January 29, 2020, a federal grand jury in Rutland returned a four-count indictment against Verdon. Two of the counts charged Verdon with making false statements to the Social Security Administration in connection with her applications for Supplemental Security Income benefits, a need-based assistance program for aged, blind and disabled individuals. According to the indictment, Verdon falsely claimed that she and her husband were separated and that he did not live in the household. In fact, Verdon lived with her husband who earned substantial income. Her falsehoods affected her eligibility to receive any SSI benefits.
The indictment further charged Verdon with making false statements to Vermont officials in connection with her application for benefits under Vermont assistance programs that are funded, in part, by the U.S. Departments of Agriculture and Health and Human Services. Such programs include Medicaid; 3Squares, a food stamp-type program; a fuel assistance program; and Reach Up, a family assistance program. The indictment alleged that Verdon falsely claimed in her state applications that she and her husband were separated; that he did not live in the household; and that he did not provide financial assistance to the family. Verdon pleaded guilty to one of the false statement counts last November.
This case was investigated by the Offices of the Inspector General of both the Social Security Administration and the Department of Health and Human Services.
Verdon is represented by Assistant Federal Defender Elizabeth Quinn. The prosecutor is Assistant U.S. Attorney Gregory Waples.
Birmingham Business Pleads Guilty to Wire FraudRead the Press Release
A Troy based commercial real estate broker and investor pleaded guilty today with devising and executing a scheme to obtain money by means of false material promises and representations from victim-investors, Acting U.S. Attorney Saima S. Mohsin announced.
Mohsin was joined in the announcement by Special Agent in Charge Timothy T. Waters, Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Viktor Gjonaj, age 43, entered a guilty plea to one count of wire fraud before the Honorable Linda Parker, United States District Judge.
According to the facts made public in the Information, in June 2016, Gjonaj believed he had discovered a guaranteed way to win huge jackpots in the Michigan Lottery Daily 3 and 4 games. To accomplish this he had to substantially increase the times he played and amounts he spent. In 2017, Gjonaj began losing more money than he won and more money than he could afford to lose. Rather than ending his gambling, Gjonaj devised a scheme to trick individuals into giving him money by falsely promising them he would invest it in lucrative real estate deals. In order to make the deals look legitimate, Gjonaj created a fake title company and instructed the victim-investors to wire transfer money into the bank account of the fake company. Gjonaj described the fraudulent real estate deals in great detail and encouraged victim-investors to continue giving him money by disbursing payments to them which he falsely claimed were profits on their “investment.” By early 2019, Gjonaj was betting over $1 million a week on Michigan Lottery games using money fraudulently obtained from victims. In August 2019, Gjonaj’s scheme to defraud unraveled resulting in over $19 million in losses to victims.
As part of the plea agreement with the government Gjonaj acknowledges that his scheme to defraud and to obtain money by means of false and fraudulent pretenses and representations victimized numerous individuals and that their losses will be included as relevant conduct in calculating his sentencing guidelines, and by the court in ordering restitution.
“Gjonaj used his previous business successes and relationships with victim-investors to lure them into his scheme with false promises,” said Acting United States Attorney Saima Mohsin. “White collar criminals who use lies and deceit to steal other people’s money will be held accountable for their actions,”
“Viktor Gjonaj operated a multi-year scheme in which he played the lottery with money he was trusted to invest,” said Timothy Waters, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in Michigan. “Today’s guilty plea is the first step in getting justice for victims who have suffered both financially and emotionally.”
Judge Parker scheduled sentencing for June 15, 2021 at 2pm.. .
The investigation was conducted by the FBI. The Securities and Exchange Commission’s cooperation in this investigation is appreciated.
Belton Man Sentenced to 15 Years for Child Pornography After His Lost Cell Phone is Found at a Truck StopRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Belton, Missouri, man whose lost cell phone containing child pornography was found at a truck stop, was sentenced in federal court today.
Christopher Lee Caven, 40, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Gary A. Fenner to 15 years in federal prison without parole. The court also sentenced Caven to 12 years of supervised release following incarceration.
On Feb. 13, 2020, Caven pleaded guilty to receiving child pornography over the internet. Caven admitted that he used his cell phone to distribute child pornography via Kik, an online sharing application.
Caven’s cell phone was found at the Flying J Truck Plaza in Peculiar, Missouri, on March 5, 2017. The person who found the cell phone was unable to locate the owner and attempted to conduct a factory reset of the phone in order to set it up for his own use. In the process, however, he discovered a large amount of child pornography in the photo folder and contacted law enforcement.
Investigators found 402 video files of child pornography and 302 images of child pornography on Caven’s cell phone. Many of the images depicted children as young as toddlers posed in sexual positions or being sexually violated by others.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Catherine A. Connelly. It was investigated by Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the Southwest Missouri Cyber Crime Task Force.
Project Safe Childhood
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc . For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab "resources."Aventura Veterinarian Charged with Federal Child Exploitation and Animal Abuse CrimesRead the Press Release
Miami, Florida – South Florida federal prosecutors have charged 40-year-old Prentiss K. Madden with receiving and possessing child pornography and with animal crushing, a federal crime that punishes acts of animal torture. Madden is a licensed veterinarian in Aventura, Florida.
The criminal complaint affidavit unsealed today contains the following allegations against Madden: Law enforcement agents received a Cyber Tip that an IP Address registered to Madden’s home in Miami repeatedly accessed a cloud-based file-sharing service containing images of child pornography. As part of the investigation, law enforcement agents executed a search warrant on Madden’s home. They discovered a cellular telephone alleged to belong to Madden that contained several sexually explicit videos and images of minors, as well as chats that discussed the sexual abuse of children and animals. According to the affidavit, some of the chats contained images that appeared to be of Madden engaged in sexual activity with dogs. Agents also discovered over 1000 images of child pornography and other animal abuse in Madden’s cloud-based sharing account, says the court filing. The geolocation information to one of the images depicting alleged bestiality links to the animal hospital in Aventura where Madden serves as Medical Director and Veterinarian (Caring Hands Animal Hospital), according to the complaint affidavit.
Ariana Fajardo Orshan, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, Anthony Salisbury, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Miami Field Office, and Alfredo Ramirez, Director, Miami Dade Police Department, made the announcement.
The criminal complaint charges Madden with one count of child pornography, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 2252(a)(2), one count of possession of child pornography, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 2252(a)(4)(B), and one count of animal crushing, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 48(a)(1). If convicted, Madden faces up to 37 years in prison. Madden’s detention hearing is scheduled for March 19, 2021 in magistrate court in Miami.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
If you have information regarding this case, or you believe you or a family member may have been a victim, please contact the HSI tip line at 1-866-347-2423.
HSI Miami and Miami-Dade Police Department investigated this case, with assistance from U.S Customs and Border Protection’s Office of Professional Responsibility, Florida Department of Law Enforcement, Hialeah Police Department, and City of Miami Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Christopher Hudock is prosecuting this case.
A criminal complaint is merely an accusation and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or on http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov under case number 21-mj-02479.
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Aroostook County Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Drug ChargeRead the Press Release
BANGOR, Maine: A Caribou man pleaded guilty in federal court today to conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine, Acting U.S. Attorney Donald E. Clark announced.
According to court records, between approximately July 2018 and May 2019, members of a conspiracy obtained methamphetamine in western and southern states from sources in Mexico. Nathan Corbin, 29, and his co-conspirators then distributed the drugs in Aroostook County and other parts of central and northern Maine.
Corbin faces up to 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $1 million. He also faces between three years and a lifetime of supervised release. He will be sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigation report by the U.S. Probation Office.
The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, Homeland Security Investigations and the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency investigated this case with the assistance of multiple state and local law enforcement agencies.
The prosecution is a result of the ongoing efforts by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) Program, a partnership between federal, state and local law enforcement agencies. The OCDETF mission is to identify, investigate and prosecute high-level members of drug trafficking enterprises, bringing together the combined expertise and unique abilities of federal, state and local law enforcement.
Arizona meth trafficker sentenced to 15 years in prisonRead the Press Release
BILLINGS – An Arizona man who admitted drug trafficking and firearm crimes after officers seized more than four pounds of methamphetamine in Livingston was sentenced today to 15 years in prison and to five years of supervised release, Acting U.S. Attorney Leif Johnson said.
Gaspar Feliciano Salas, 46, of Glendale, Arizona, pleaded guilty on Aug. 7, 2020 to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute meth, possession with intent to distribute meth and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
U.S. District Judge Dana L. Christensen presided.
The government alleged in court documents filed in the case that the Eastern Montana High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Task Force learned in February 2020 that a person had been purchasing multi-pound quantities of meth from Salas and another individual since February 2019. Salas and the individual traveled together to Montana to distribute meth. On April 23, 2020, agents located Salas and the individual at a hotel in Livingston and searched the room pursuant to a warrant. Agents seized 4.69 pounds of meth, which is the equivalent of about 16,996 doses, in a backpack. The backpack also contained a loaded 9mm handgun and an additional 51 rounds of ammunition.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Colin Rubich prosecuted the case, which was investigated by the Eastern Montana High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Task Force and the FBI Transnational Organized Crime West Task Force.
This case is part of Project Guardian, the U.S. Department of Justice’s recent initiative to reduce gun violence and enforce federal firearms laws, and Project Safe Neighborhoods, the USDOJ’s initiative to reduce violent crime. According to the FBI’s Uniform Crime Reports, violent crime in Montana increased by 48% from 2013 through 2019. Through these initiatives, federal, tribal, state and local law enforcement partners in Montana focus on violent crime driven by methamphetamine trafficking, armed robbers, firearms offenses and violent offenders with outstanding warrants.
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Acton Investment Advisor Sentenced for Stealing More Than $3.7 Million of Clients’ FundsRead the Press Release
BOSTON – An Acton man was sentenced yesterday in connection with a long-running scheme to steal money from clients of his investment advisor business, in which he fraudulently obtained more than $3.8 million from more than 20 clients.
Gerald Allan Eaton, 51, was sentenced by U.S. Senior District Court Judge Douglas P. Woodlock to 102 months in prison and three years of supervised release. Eaton is also ordered to pay $3,824,930 in restitution and an additional $1,698,701 in pre-judgment interest. In September 2020, Eaton pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud, one count of mail fraud and one count of aggravated identity theft.
Eaton was a certified financial planner, doing business under the name Heritage Financial Group, with an office in Acton. In that capacity, Eaton invested his clients’ funds in securities and various insurance products, including life insurance policies and annuities. From at least 1999 through October 2019, Eaton stole millions of dollars from clients’ accounts. He did so primarily by selling securities, insurance policies and annuities in clients’ accounts, and causing the proceeds to be sent to accounts he owned or controlled.
As part of his scheme, Eaton forged clients’ signatures on checks and documents, or caused clients to sign documents by falsely representing that the proceeds of transactions would be used for the clients’ benefit. Eaton also falsely represented to the brokerage firm with which he was affiliated, and to insurance companies, that the transactions he requested on his clients’ behalf were for the benefit of those clients. In fact, Eaton caused proceeds to be sent to his own credit card accounts to pay his personal and family expenses, and to his home equity line of credit. In order to avoid detection, Eaton defrauded clients he knew were unlikely to notice what he had done, either because they were elderly or in poor mental or physical condition.
In September 2020, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) entered an order barring Eaton from the securities industry based on the same conduct.
Acting United States Attorney Nathaniel R. Mendell and Joseph W. Cronin, Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service made the announcement today. Assistant U. S. Attorney Jordi de Llano, Deputy Chief of Lelling’s Securities, Financial & Cyber Fraud Unit, prosecuted the case.
16 March 2021
Utah Attorney Charged with Conspiring to Launder Money Gained from Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
SALT LAKE CITY – Attorney Matthew Kober, 45, of Draper, Utah, was charged via criminal information on Monday with one count of conspiring to launder money obtained via wire fraud in federal court.
The criminal information alleges that beginning in 2018, Kober formed a sports betting software company in Nevada known as “Sindakit Software LLC” and that Kober used this Nevada company to launder money obtained from the financial fraud scheme operated by Christopher Hales. Hales has already pled guilty to operating the fraudulent scheme in a different federal case and is scheduled to be sentenced on April 20, 2021.
The information further alleges that Kober opened a bank account in the name of Sindakit Software; that Kober and Hales immediately began utilizing the account to launder the money obtained from Hales’ fraudulent scheme; that Kober accepted wire transactions from one victim of Hales’ scheme totaling $405,000; and that Kober partially redistributed the funds to prior victims of the scheme, along with wiring $15,000 to his own law firm’s bank account. The United States is also seeking a money judgment in the amount of $259,096.41, in addition to the criminal charges filed against Kober.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys in the Utah U.S. Attorney’s Office are prosecuting the case. Special Agents from the FBI and the IRS conducted the investigation.
Criminal charges are not findings of guilt. Individuals charged in an information are presumed innocent unless or until proven guilty in court.
Slidell Man Charged with Failure to Account for and Pay TaxesRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LA – United States Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that SCOTT PELLISSIER (“PELLISSIER”), age 55, of Slidell, Louisiana, was charged on March 12, 2021 with failing to account for and pay federal income taxes and Federal Insurance Contributions Act (“FICA”) taxes, in violation of Title 26, United States Code, Section 7202.
According to the one count bill of information, PELLISSIER conducted a business as a limited liability company under the name Paint and Body Experts of Slidell, Inc. During the third quarter of the year 2016, PELLISSIER collected federal income taxes and FICA taxes in the approximate sum of $43,205.83 from his employees, but did not pay any of that money to the Internal Revenue Service.
If convicted, PELLISSIER faces a maximum sentence of five (5) years. Upon release from prison, PELLISSIER also faces a term of supervised release up to (3) three years, and/or a fine of $10,000 or the greater of twice the gross gain to the defendant or twice the gross loss to any person under Title 18, United States Code, Section 371.
U.S. Attorney Evans reiterated that the bill of information is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office would also like to acknowledge the work of the Internal Revenue Service on this matter. The prosecution of this case is being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Maria Carboni.
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Six Charged with Crimes Related to Virtual Currency Exchange BusinessRead the Press Release
CONCORD: Six individuals were indicted by a federal grand jury in New Hampshire and charged with participating in a conspiracy to operate an unlicensed money transmitting business and other offenses, Acting United States Attorney John J. Farley announced today. Those charged in the indictment are:
Ian Freeman (formerly Ian Bernard), 40, of Keene
Colleen Fordham, 60, of Alstead
Renee Spinella, 23, of Derry
Andrew Spinella, 35, of Derry
Nobody (formerly Richard Paul), 52, of Keene
Aria DiMezzo (formerly James Baker), 34, of Keene
Freeman, Fordham, Renee Spinella, Andrew Spinella, and Nobody also are charged with wire fraud and participating in a conspiracy to commit wire fraud. Ian Freeman is charged with money laundering and operating a continuing financial crimes enterprise. Freeman and DiMezzo also are charged with operating an unlicensed money transmitting business.
According to the indictment, since 2016, the defendants have operated a business that enabled customers to exchange over ten million dollars in fiat currency for virtual currency, charging a fee for their service. They operated their virtual currency exchange business using websites, as well as operating virtual currency ATM machines in New Hampshire. The indictment alleges that the defendants knowingly operated the virtual currency exchange business in violation of federal anti-money laundering laws and regulations. In furtherance of their scheme, the indictment alleges that some defendants opened bank accounts in the names of purported religious entities. According to the indictment, some defendants then engaged in substantial efforts to evade detection of their unlawful virtual currency exchange scheme by avoiding answering financial institutions’ questions about the nature of the business and misleading financial institutions into believing their unlawful virtual currency exchange business was instead a religious organization receiving charitable contributions.
All of the defendants were arrested during a coordinated law enforcement action on Tuesday. They are scheduled for initial appearances before a United States Magistrate Judge on Tuesday afternoon.
This matter was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Internal Revenue Service, and the United States Postal Inspection Service in coordination with the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Georgiana L. MacDonald and Seth R. Aframe.
The charges in the indictment are only allegations. The defendants are presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Shaler Man Admits He Conspired to Distribute CocaineRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, PA - A Shaler Township resident pleaded guilty in federal court to a charge of violating federal narcotics trafficking laws, Acting United States Attorney Stephen R. Kaufman announced today.
David Pietropaolo, 23, of Scott Avenue in Glenshaw, PA pleaded guilty to one count before United States District Judge Robert J. Colville.
In connection with the guilty plea, the court was advised that the Greater Pittsburgh Safe Streets Task Force, led by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, conducted a long-term investigation into drug-trafficking activity occurring in the Western District of Pennsylvania. Law enforcement identified several individuals, suspected at the time, of illegally distributing controlled substances, including heroin, cocaine and methamphetamine in Allegheny, Westmoreland, Erie, Fayette, and Washington Counties.
Beginning in August of 2020 and continuing through November 2020, the FBI conducted a federal Title III investigation, which resulted in the interception of thousands of wire and electronic communications over a total of ten telephones. Pietropaolo was intercepted over co-defendant, Anthony Peluso’s cellular telephones, arranging to purchase cocaine from Peluso, his supplier.
In conjunction with his guilty plea, Pietropaolo admitted to conspiring to distribute and distributing cocaine from January to November of 2020. Pietropaolo regularly obtained ounce quantities of cocaine from Peluso that he then redistributed. For example, on September 19, 2020, Pietropaolo arranged to purchase, and did purchase, four ounces of cocaine from Peluso for $3,800. Later that day, Pietropoalo exchanged several communications with Peluso regarding the quality of that cocaine, complaining that the quality was sub-par.
Judge Colville scheduled sentencing for July 13, 2021 at 11:00 a.m. The law provides for a total sentence of not more than 20 years in prison, a fine of $1,000,000, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney Rebecca L. Silinski is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation led the multi-agency investigation of this case, which also included the United States Postal Inspection Service, Drug Enforcement Administration, United States Marshals Fugitive Task Force, Allegheny County Sheriff’s Office, Pennsylvania State Police, Pittsburgh Bureau of Police, and the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General Bureau of Narcotics
Investigations. Other assisting agencies include the Allegheny County Police Department Homicide, Baldwin Police Department, Brentwood Police Department, McKees Rocks Police Department, Stowe Township Police Department and West Deer Township Police Department.
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.
Sanford Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Illegal Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
GREENSBORO, N.C. - A Lee County resident was sentenced today in federal court in Greensboro for knowingly possessing a firearm after previously being convicted of a felony, announced Acting United States Attorney Sandra J. Hairston of the Middle District of North Carolina.
BRANDON FRANCISCO GAMEZ, age 21, of Sanford, North Carolina, was sentenced to a 120-month term of imprisonment by United States District Judge William L. Osteen, Jr. In addition to prison time, GAMEZ was ordered to serve three years of supervised release and to pay a special assessment of $100.00. GAMEZ pleaded guilty on December 17, 2020, to knowing possession of a Glock .45 caliber pistol after having previously been convicted of a felony offense punishable by imprisonment for more than one year.
Court records show that GAMEZ was arrested during a traffic stop along Washington Avenue in Sanford on October 9, 2019. GAMEZ attempted to flee on foot but was quickly apprehended by the Sanford Police Department. GAMEZ had the gun on his person, along with cocaine base (crack) and oxycodone hydrochloride pills.
According to court records, the Sanford Police Department test-fired the gun in GAMEZ’s possession. The Sanford Police Department compared the shell casings from the test-firing to data stored in the National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (“NIBIN”). NIBIN is a national data program used by federal, state, and local law enforcement to investigate ballistic information contained in spent shell casings. According to the NIBIN analysis in this case, the gun in GAMEZ’s possession on October 9, 2019, was involved in four shootings, including one that occurred on October 8, 2019, the day before the arrest. The four shootings occurred over a three-month period in 2019 in Sanford.
GAMEZ was convicted in 2017 in Lee County Superior Court for discharging a weapon into an occupied property. He was then convicted of being a felon in possession of a firearm in Lee County Superior Court in 2018.
This case resulted from SAFE Lee County, a partnership of criminal justice, service agency, and community stakeholders that have implemented a comprehensive strategy to reduce violence
across Lee County. It is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a data-driven effort led by the U.S. Department of Justice that concentrates prevention, intervention, reentry, investigation, and prosecution efforts on those most prone to violence. SAFE Lee County involves the Lee County District Attorney’s Office, Broadway Police Department, Lee County Sheriff’s Office, Sanford Police Department, NC Department of Public Safety Adult Community Corrections (probation) and Juvenile Justice, researchers from UNC-Greensboro, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of NC, and the community.
The case was investigated by the Sanford Police Department, North Carolina Department of Public Safety Special Operations and Intelligence Unit, and United States Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Tanner L. Kroeger.
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Repeat Sex Offender to Serve 47 Years in Prison for Sexual Exploitation of a MinorRead the Press Release
PEORIA, Ill. –U.S. District Judge James E. Shadid today sentenced Harold L. Williams, 40, of Pekin, Ill., a previously convicted sex offender, to serve 47 years in prison for sexual exploitation of a minor while he was on federal supervised release. The sentence consists of 45 years for enticing an out-of-state minor victim to engage in sexually explicit conduct to produce child pornography and an additional, consecutive two years in prison for violating the terms of his previously imposed lifetime supervised release. Judge Shadid ordered Williams to again remain on lifetime supervised release upon completion of his prison term.
Immediately prior to today’s sentencing, Williams formally entered his plea of guilty to the charge against him, which was committed from January 2019, when Williams was released from federal prison, to April 2019.
In 2010, Williams was convicted and sentenced to concurrent prison sentences for state and federal crimes. Williams was sentenced to six years in state prison for aggravated criminal sexual abuse in Peoria County, Ill., and to 10 years in federal prison for receipt of child pornography in the Central District of Illinois. He was released in January 2019.
Williams admitted that he violated the terms of his federal supervised release when he created a Facebook account shortly after his release from prison in January 2019. Williams used that account to communicate with a minor and trade child pornography with other Facebook users. Williams admitted that he solicited and enticed sexually explicit images from an out-of-state victim he knew was a minor. Williams also possessed several unauthorized devices without monitoring software, as required by the terms of his supervised release, to access the internet to trade child pornography.
Williams has remained in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service since his arrest on April 9, 2019.
The U.S. Secret Service; Pekin Police Department; U.S. Probation Office; and, the Peoria County Sheriff’s Office conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Katherine Legge represented the government in the case prosecution.
The case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide Department of Justice initiative to combat child sexual exploitation and abuse. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov
Reno Man Convicted of Robbing Two Stores at GunpointRead the Press Release
RENO, Nev. – A Reno man was convicted by a federal jury yesterday for robbing a liquor store and a convenience store at gunpoint, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Christopher Chiou for the District of Nevada and Special Agent in Charge Patrick Gorman for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).
Edward Monet Knight, 32, of Reno, was found guilty of two counts of interference with commerce by robbery and two counts of use of a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence. Chief U.S. District Judge Miranda M. Du presided over the five-day trial and scheduled a sentencing hearing for June 21, 2021.
According to court documents and evidence presented during trial, on July 7, 2019, Knight racked the slide of a firearm while threatening a clerk at a liquor store in Sparks, Nev. The next day, on July 8, Knight entered a convenience store and told a clerk: “what do you mean knock it off, with a real gun that’s a good way to get yourself killed.” Knight then pointed a semi-automatic handgun at the clerk and ordered the clerk to give him all the money in the cash register. After Knight fled the store with the stolen money, Sparks Police Department officers responded to the scene. A search of an abandoned vehicle (that was observed fleeing the convenience store) revealed: (a) a handgun matching the description of the gun used in the robbery; (b) Knight’s identification card; and (c) the stolen money.
Knight faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 14 years in prison for the use of a firearm and in relation to a crime of violence charges. He faces a statutory maximum penalty of 20 years in prison for the interference by robbery charges, a term of supervised release, and a monetary fine.
The case was investigated by the ATF and the Sparks Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Megan Rachow and Penelope Brady are prosecuting the case.
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Placer County Man Sentenced to 5 Years in Prison for a Fentanyl Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — U.S. District Judge John A. Mendez sentenced Steven Lawrence Robinson, 34, of Granite Bay, today to five years in prison for conspiring to possess and distribute fentanyl, Acting U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, Robinson conspired with Nathaniel Opondo Hubbert, 39, of Grass Valley, and others, to possess and distribute fentanyl in Placer County. Robinson and Hubbert were connected to at least one overdose of a victim who had to be given medical treatment after using drugs purchased from Hubbert.
Hubbert is charged with possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, heroin and fentanyl. Charges against Hubbert are pending. The charges are only allegations; he is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Placer County District Attorney’s Office, the Placer County Sheriff’s Department, and the Lincoln Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Adrian T. Kinsella is prosecuting the case.
Pittsburgh Man Charged with Threatening Communications and Impeding FBI InvestigationRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH – Khaled Miah, 27, a resident of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and former student at the University of Pittsburgh, has been charged by Indictment with five counts of making interstate threatening communications, two counts of influencing, impeding or retaliating against a Federal law enforcement officer, and one count of destruction of records in a federal investigation, Acting United States Attorney Stephen R. Kaufman announced today.
According to the Indictment, from on or about December 27, 2020 through on or about December 31, 2020, Miah posted threats directed at individual FBI agents who were investigating him, as well as the FBI generally. In December 2020, FBI personnel identified a publicly visible Twitter account created by Miah. From the date of its creation to on or about January 1, 2021, Miah used this Twitter account to threaten, intimidate and harass FBI Pittsburgh Agents and the FBI. In addition, after posting the threatening statements, and with full knowledge of the FBI investigation into his conduct, Miah subsequently deleted those posts which impeded, obstructed, and influenced the FBI investigation.
Members of the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force who were directly involved in this investigation include: FBI, University of Pittsburgh Police Department, Pittsburgh Bureau of Police, Allegheny County Police Department, Allegheny County Port Authority Police, Pennsylvania State Police, Allegheny County Probation, and the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica Lieber Smolar of the Western District of Pennsylvania.
An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Pennsylvania Man Charged with Obstruction of Justice Relating to Attempts to Acquire RicinRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Pennsylvania man was charged today with obstructing an investigation into his efforts to acquire the deadly toxin, ricin.
Dr. Ishtiaq Ali Saaem, 37, of Allentown, Penn., was charged with one count of obstruction of justice.
According to the charging document, Saaem held a Ph.D. in biomedical engineering, resided in Massachusetts and worked as the director of advanced research at a biotechnology firm based in Massachusetts. Saaem ordered 100 packets of castor beans, each containing eight seeds, online. Ricin is a poison that can be extracted from the seeds (i.e. beans) of the castor oil plant. It is alleged that Saaem falsely told law enforcement agents that he purchased castor beans for planting at his apartment for decoration and that he had accidentally purchased 100 packets instead of one. After he spoke to agents, Saaem allegedly researched tasteless poisons that could be made at home.
During a subsequent meeting with law enforcement personnel, Saeem stated that he only intended to purchase castor beans to plant for decoration when, in reality, it is alleged that he purchased them to use to extract ricin.
The charge of obstruction of justice provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Acting United States Attorney Nathaniel Mendell and Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Division made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kriss Basil of Mendell’s Securities, Financial & Cyber Fraud Unit is prosecuting the case.
The details contained in charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Owner of Texas Sport Supplement Company to Forfeit $3.5 Million; Sentenced for Unlawful Distribution of Steroid-like DrugsRead the Press Release
ABINGDON, Va.- Brett Becker, the owner of Accelerated Genetix, LLC, was sentenced yesterday in U.S. District Court in Abingdon to six months home confinement for introducing unapproved new drugs into interstate commerce, Acting United States Attorney Daniel P. Bubar announced today.
Becker, 32, currently of Concord, Michigan, and Accelerated Genetix, LLC, a sport supplement company based in Argyle, Texas, pleaded guilty in December 2020 to one count of distributing unapproved new drugs with the intent to mislead and defraud the FDA and consumers.
“For years, Becker and his company put their customers’ health at risk by unlawfully distributing drugs without FDA approval, which is a serious crime,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Bubar. “This case should serve as an additional notice that the marketing and distribution of unapproved SARMS will not be tolerated and that we will work with FDA to prosecute those who do.”
“Sports supplements that are manufactured and distributed outside the FDA’s oversight and that contain unapproved and possibly toxic ingredients endanger the health of unsuspecting consumers,” said Assistant Commissioner for Criminal Investigations Catherine A. Hermsen, FDA Office of Criminal Investigations. “Today’s actions represent our continued commitment to pursuing and bringing to justice those who mislead the public and intentionally attempt to subvert the regulatory functions of the FDA through the distribution of unapproved and potentially dangerous products.”
Becker admitted that from approximately January 2016 to March 2019, he and his company unlawfully distributed Selective Androgen Receptor Modulators (“SARMs”) and other substances that the FDA has not approved, including Ostarine and Ligandrol. SARMs are synthetic chemicals designed to mimic the effects of testosterone and other anabolic steroids. The FDA has long warned against the use of SARMs like those found in Accelerated Genetix products, including stating in a public 2017 warning letter to another firm that SARMs have been linked to life-threatening reactions including liver toxicity, and have the potential to increase the risk of heart attack and stroke.
Becker also admitted that he intended to mislead and defraud the FDA and consumers by importing these ingredients even after learning they were mislabeled by the distributor when they were shipped from China to the United States; misrepresenting Accelerated Genetix products as “dietary supplements” to create the impression that they were safe and legal to use; and manufacturing a custom order of a SARMs product despite knowing it was illegal to introduce the unapproved new drug into interstate commerce.
In connection with his plea, Becker agreed to forfeit approximately $3.5 million, reflecting the amount of Accelerated Genetix products sold across the United States through retail outlets and over the internet.
Assistant United States Attorney Randy Ramseyer of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Virginia and Trial Attorney Speare Hodges of the Department of Justice Civil Division’s Consumer Protection Branch are prosecuting the case. This matter was investigated by the Food and Drug Administration’s Office of Criminal Investigations.
Owner of Fake Georgia Charitable Organizations Pleads Guilty to Tax FraudRead the Press Release
BOSTON – The owner of several bogus charitable organizations in Georgia pleaded guilty today to filing false tax returns.
Taressa Hightower, 60, of Grayson, Ga., pleaded guilty to two counts of filing false tax returns. U.S. District Court Judge William G. Young scheduled sentencing for July 12, 2021.
According to court documents, Hightower ran two non-profit organizations that purported to serve underprivileged children in the Atlanta, Ga. area. From approximately 2010 to 2015, Hightower received more than $650,000 in ostensible donations from a bank in Boston – where Palestine Ace, the wife of Hightower’s family member Jonathan Ace, worked. In reality, the monies Hightower was receiving as purported donations were the proceeds of a separate embezzlement scheme carried out by Palestine and Jonathan Ace. As a condition of receiving these “donations,” Hightower agreed to return approximately 25% to Palestine and Jonathan Ace as a secret kickback.
Rather than use the funds for charitable purposes, Hightower spent the majority on personal expenses unrelated to any charity work. For tax years 2013 and 2014, Hightower filed false personal and organizational tax returns in connection with the purported donations. Each year, Hightower reported significant amounts of non-existent and/or inflated business expenses, which ultimately lowered her personal tax liability.
In 2018, Palestine and Jonathan Ace were convicted of embezzlement and were sentenced to one year and two years in prison, respectively.
The charging statute provides for a sentence of up to three years in prison, one year of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge are 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; and Ramsey E. Covington, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigation in Boston made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jordi de Llano, Deputy Chief of Mendell’s Securities, Financial & Cyber Fraud Unit, is prosecuting the case.
Orlando Man Sentenced to Three Years for Submitting False Claim for FEMA Benefits Related to Hurricane IrmaRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – U.S. District Judge Roy B. Dalton Jr. has sentenced Steven L. Rembert (48, Orange County) to three years in federal prison, to be followed by 3 years supervised release for filing a materially false statement in an application to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) for disaster relief benefits.
Rembert had pleaded guilty on December on December 21, 2020.
According to court documents, in September 2017, Rembert falsified records concerning his primary residence when submitting an application for assistance to the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) Individuals and Households Program for Hurricane Irma.
This case is part of the United States Attorney’s Disaster Fraud Task Force, which was announced in September 2017. This case was investigated by the Department of Homeland Security - Office of Inspector General, with assistance from the Orange County Sheriff’s Office, and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Terry B. Livanos.
Members of the public who suspect fraud, waste, abuse, or allegations of mismanagement involving disaster relief operations, or believe they have been the victim of fraud from a person or organization soliciting relief funds on behalf of disaster victims, should contact the National Disaster Fraud Hotline toll free at (866) 720-5721. A live operator 24 hours a day, 7 days a week staffs the telephone line. You can also fax information to the Center at (225) 334-4707, or email it to [email protected]. You may also visit www.justice.gov/usao-mdfl.
Orange Park Man Sentenced to Eight Years for Possessing Child Sexual Abuse Images and VideosRead the Press Release
Fort Myers, Florida – U.S. District Judge Sheri Polster Chappell has sentenced Andrew Vikash Kummeth (28, Orange Park) to eight years in federal prison for possession of images and videos depicting the sexual abuse of children. Kummeth was also sentenced to a 10-year term of supervised release and was ordered to register as a sex offender.
Kummeth had pleaded guilty on November 2, 2020.
According to court documents, in October 2018, the FBI conducted an undercover investigation to identify individuals who were involved in the downloading or sharing of images and videos depicting the sexual abuse of children over the internet. During an undercover session on October 24, 2018, and October 25, 2018, Kummeth’s computer was identified as being used to access child sexual abuse materials pornography. FBI agents executed a federal search warrant at Kummeth’s residence in Punta Gorda, Florida. During an interview with agents, Kummeth admitted to searching for and viewing child pornography over the internet. A subsequent forensic examination of Kummeth’s computer gaming tower and his solid state drive storage device revealed images depicting children being sexually abused that Kummeth had accessed and downloaded from the internet.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Fort Myers Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Yolande G. Viacava.
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.
New York Man Arrested for Traveling to New Jersey to Have Sex with A MinorRead the Press Release
CAMDEN, N.J. – A New York man was charged with traveling to Atlantic County, New Jersey, to have sex with a minor, Acting U.S. Attorney Rachael A. Honig announced today.
Zachary Williams 33, of New York, is charged by complaint with one count of interstate travel to engage in illicit sexual conduct. Williams was arrested on March 13, 2021, after traveling a second time from New York to New Jersey to meet a minor. He is scheduled to appear today by videoconference before U.S. Magistrate Judge Ann Marie Donio.
According documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
In September 2020, Williams met the minor victim via SnapChat. He lied about his age, telling the victim that he was 17-years old. Williams asked the minor for nude photographs of the victim and, after receiving them, began to “sextort” the minor by threatening to send photographs to the victim’s friends and family. He ultimately convinced the victim to meet him at a hotel in Atlantic County and agreed to allow the victim to delete the photographs from Williams’ phone. On Oct. 2, 2020, Williams traveled to a hotel in Atlantic County and, two days later, engaged in sexual intercourse with the victim in his hotel room.
Williams continued to send messages threatening to expose the victim’s photographs, and when the victim would block him, he opened new social media accounts to continue to harass the victim., including “IWILLHURTYOU Iwilll_h2021,” “IWILLGETTHESWITCHBACK,” and “Makeadealormomfindsout.”
In March 2021, law enforcement officers took over the victim’s social media accounts and began communicating with Williams while posing as the victim. During those communications, Williams arranged to travel on March 13, 2021 to the same Atlantic County hotel to again have sex with the victim. Law enforcement arrested Williams as he arrived at the hotel.
Williams is charged with interstate travel to engage in illicit sexual conduct with a minor. If convicted of this offense, Williams faces a maximum of 30 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, or twice the gross gain or loss from the offense, and lifetime supervise release.
Acting U.S. Attorney Honig credited special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge George M. Crouch Jr., in Newark, and officers of the Galloway Township Police Department, under the direction of Chief Donna A. Higbee. She also thanked the Atlantic County Prosecutor’s Office for its assistance.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Diana Vondra Carrig of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Camden.
The charges and allegations contained in complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
New Kensington Felon Charged with Illegal Possession of AmmunitionRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, PA – A former resident of New Kensington, Pennsylvania, has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh on a charge of violating federal firearms laws, Acting United States Attorney Stephen R. Kaufman announced today.
The one-count Indictment named Robert Kramer, age 49, as the sole defendant.
According to the Indictment, on August 2, 2019, Kramer, a convicted felon, was in possession of ammunition. Federal law prohibits an individual who has been convicted of a felony from possessing ammunition.
The law provides for a maximum total sentence of not more than ten (10) years in prison, a fine of $250,000 or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney Christopher M. Cook is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and New Kensington Police Department conducted the investigation leading to the Indictment in this case.
Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
New Jersey Man Indicted for Interstate Transportation of a Stolen Mack Drilling RigRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH - A resident of Garfield, New Jersey, has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh on a charge of Interstate Transportation of a Stolen Motor Vehicle, Acting United States Attorney Stephen R. Kaufman announced today.
The one-count Indictment named Angel Alfonso Arias-Miranda, age 51, as the sole defendant.
According to the Indictment, on October 11, 2020, Arias-Miranda transported a stolen motor vehicle, namely, a 2012 Mack drilling rig, in interstate commerce, knowing the vehicle was stolen.
The law provides for a maximum total sentence of not more than ten years in prison, a fine of $250,000 or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney Karen Gal-Or is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Pennsylvania State Police and Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation leading to the Indictment in this case.
An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
New Bedford Man Agrees to Plead Guilty to Conspiracy to Distribute CocaineRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A New Bedford man agreed to pleaded guilty yesterday to his role in a cocaine distribution conspiracy.
Victor Alejandro-Carrillo, 26, agreed to plead guilty to one count of conspiring to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine, one count of conspiring to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine and one count of conspiring to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute 100 grams or more of heroin and 40 grams or more of fentanyl. U.S. Senior District Court Judge Douglas P. Woodlock deferred accepting Alejandro-Carrillo’s plea until his sentencing hearing, which is scheduled for July 19, 2021. Alejandro-Carrillo was charged in December 2019, along with 12 co-defendants.
From at least June 2017 through December 2019, it is alleged that Alejandro-Carrillo was involved in a cocaine distribution conspiracy in which he agreed with others to receive parcels containing cocaine that had been shipped from Puerto Rico to Massachusetts. Upon receipt of the parcels, Alejandro-Carrillo made arrangements to deliver the cocaine to co-conspirators. Investigators intercepted a number of communications between the defendant and co-conspirators in furtherance of that conspiracy and seized multiple parcels containing kilograms of cocaine. In total, Alejandro-Carrillo possessed and conspired to distribute at least 17.9 kilograms of cocaine.
In addition, from at least February 2019 through December 2019, Alejandro-Carrillo was allegedly involved in another cocaine distribution conspiracy. As a part of that conspiracy, Alejandro-Carrillo communicated with co-conspirators to purchase varying quantities of cocaine on multiple occasions for re-distribution. In addition, from approximately February 2019 through April 2019, Alejandro-Carrillo was involved in a conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute 100 grams or more of heroin and 40 grams or more of fentanyl. Investigators intercepted communications with respect to both of those conspiracies as well.
The charge of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine provides for a minimum sentence of 10 years and up to life in prison, at least five years of supervised release and a fine of up to $10 million. The charge of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute cocaine provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, at least three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $1 million. The charge of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute 100 grams or more of heroin and 40 grams or more of fentanyl provides for a minimum sentence of five years and up to 40 years in prison, at least four years of supervised release and a fine of up to $5 million. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Acting United States Attorney Nathaniel R. Mendell; Brian D. Boyle, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division; Joseph Cronin, Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Boston Division; and New Bedford Police Chief Joseph C. Cordeiro made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Craig Estes of Mendell’s Narcotics and Money Laundering Unit is prosecuting the case.
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 https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The remaining defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Natchez Man Sentenced to 18 Months in Prison under Project Eject for Possessing A Stolen FirearmRead the Press Release
Jackson, Miss – Damien Hayes, 24, of Natchez, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge David C. Bramlette III to 18 months in federal prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release, for possessing a stolen firearm, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Darren J. LaMarca and Kurt Thielhorn, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.
On March 22, 2019, ATF agents and state and local law enforcement officers were conducting a detail in Natchez and the surrounding area in response to complaints of criminal activity. Officers smelled burning marijuana and approached Hayes who tossed a marijuana blunt onto the ground. When officers frisked Hayes, they discovered a .45 caliber pistol tucked into his pants. Further investigation revealed the firearm had been stolen from a local firearms dealer.
On January 29, 2020, Hayes was charged in a federal indictment with possessing a stolen firearm. Hayes pled guilty on October 27, 2020.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, and the Natchez Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Bert Carraway.
This case is part of Project EJECT, an initiative by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Mississippi under the U.S. Department of Justice’s Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) and Project Guardian. EJECT is a holistic, multi-disciplinary approach to fighting and reducing violent crime through prosecution, prevention, re-entry and awareness. EJECT stands for “Empower Justice Expel Crime Together.” PSN is bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. Project Guardian draws upon the Department’s past successful programs to reduce gun violence; enhances coordination of federal, state, local, and tribal authorities in investigating and prosecuting gun crimes; improves information-sharing by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives when a prohibited individual attempts to purchase a firearm and is denied by the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS), to include taking appropriate actions when a prospective purchaser is denied by the NICS for mental health reasons; and ensures that federal resources are directed at the criminals posing the greatest threat to our communities.
Natchez Man Pleads Guilty Under Project EJECT to Possessing a Firearm as a Convicted FelonRead the Press Release
Jackson, Miss – Roy Ray III, 20, of Natchez, pled guilty today before U.S. District Judge David Bramlette III to possessing a firearm after having been previously convicted of a felony crime, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Darren J. LaMarca and Kurt Thielhorn, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.
On August 1, 2019, Adams County Sheriff’s deputies went to a Natchez home in search of a wanted person. At the home, the deputies encountered Roy Ray III. While not the person deputies were looking for, Ray was arrested based on a warrant that had been issued for him over probation violations. After Ray was placed in custody, deputies discovered he possessed a revolver.
Ray was indicted by a federal grand jury on January 15, 2020, for possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. Ray is currently in custody and will be sentenced on June 15, 2021, by Judge Bramlette. He faces a maximum penalty of ten years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
This case was investigated by the Adams County Sheriff’s Office and the Federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Bert Carraway.
This case is part of Project EJECT, an initiative by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Mississippi under the U.S. Department of Justice’s Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) and Project Guardian. EJECT is a holistic, multi-disciplinary approach to fighting and reducing violent crime through prosecution, prevention, re-entry and awareness. EJECT stands for “Empower Justice Expel Crime Together.” PSN is bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. Project Guardian draws upon the Department’s past successful programs to reduce gun violence; enhances coordination of federal, state, local, and tribal authorities in investigating and prosecuting gun crimes; improves information-sharing by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives when a prohibited individual attempts to purchase a firearm and is denied by the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS), to include taking appropriate actions when a prospective purchaser is denied by the NICS for mental health reasons; and ensures that federal resources are directed at the criminals posing the greatest threat to our communities.
Middlesboro Man Sentenced to 300 Months for Child Pornography OffensesRead the Press Release
LONDON, Ky. – A former Middlesboro firefighter, Robert Christopher England, 36, was sentenced on Tuesday, to 300 months in federal prison, by U.S. District Judge Claria Horn Boom, after previously being convicted of receiving and possessing child pornography, on a Middlesboro Fire Department laptop.
According to the evidence at trial, England received child pornography on three separate occasions and possessed a collection of over 600 images, between April of 2017 and June 23, 2018. England’s fire department laptop was seized, on June 23, 2018, by the Middlesboro Police Department. At the time, England was serving as a Lieutenant within the Middlesboro Fire Department. A forensic review conducted by the Kentucky State Police Electronic Crimes Branch showed evidence of dark web access via Tor Browser and child pornography “playlists” created in ManyCam, a web conferencing program.
The Court found that England possessed images portraying sadistic conduct and children under the age of 12 years. England was also found to have engaged in a pattern of hands-on sexual abuse of a minor and the willful obstruction of justice for deleting his child pornography collection when confronted by law enforcement.
England was convicted in November 2020.
Under federal law, England must serve 85 percent of his prison sentence; and upon his release from prison, he will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for 20 years.
Carlton S. Shier, IV, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky, James R. Brown, Jr., Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Louisville Division; and Acting Commissioner Col. Phillip Burnette, Jr., Kentucky State Police, jointly announced the sentence.
The investigation was conducted by the FBI, with assistance from the Kentucky State Police Electronic Crimes Branch. The United States was represented in the case by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jenna E. Reed.
This case was prosecuted as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
Mexican National Sentenced to 12 Years in Federal Prison for Armed Robberies of Food Service BusinessesRead the Press Release
DENVER – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado announced that Ramon Uziel Hernandez-Perez, 33, was sentenced to 12 years (144 months) in federal prison for his role in the armed robberies of two Denver food service businesses, including a food truck.
According to the facts in the plea agreement and court documents, Hernandez-Perez robbed a food truck operating in the parking lot of the 707 Flea Market on N. Federal Boulevard on September 26, 2019. At around 7:00 p.m., Hernandez-Perez parked his Ford Mustang in the parking lot. He entered the food truck, where a female employee was working inside. Hernandez-Perez pointed a black semi-automatic handgun at the woman and demanded money. In fear for her life, the victim retrieved cash from the register and handed it to Hernandez-Perez. The defendant ordered the victim to the floor, pressed the muzzle of the gun to her head, and threatened that if she alerted the police, he would kill her. Hernandez-Perez then fled in his Mustang.
On September 28, 2019, Hernandez-Perez and his co-defendant, Juan Carlos Aguirre-Rodriguez, robbed a food service business operated by two women in the parking lot of 5575 North Logan Street in Adams County. The defendants arrived in the parking lot early in the morning in Hernandez-Perez’s Mustang. They waited until two female employees arrived and began setting up their business. With guns drawn, the defendants approached the women and demanded money. One of the victims handed over a bag containing the business’s cash. The defendants then got back in the Mustang and fled.
Two days later, Hernandez-Perez’s Mustang was found and searched. Law enforcement found three firearms, including one fitting the description of a weapon used in the robberies. On October 3, 2019, Hernandez-Perez was arrested in Adams County, Colorado. A fully-loaded .40 caliber Smith and Wesson handgun was discovered in his waistband. Hernandez-Perez is a native and citizen of Mexico without lawful status in the United States and is therefore prohibited from possessing firearms.
“Taking dangerous criminals off the street is a core part of the mission of this office,” said Acting United States Attorney Matthew T. Kirsch. “Building off the great work of our law enforcement partners, the prosecutors in this office ensured that justice was done and made our community a safer place as a result.”
“The FBI Rocky Mountain Safe Streets Task Force is committed to combatting violent crime in our community,” said FBI Denver Special Agent in Charge Michael Schneider. “Today’s sentence completes the judicial process for Mr. Hernandez-Perez, and we hope his victims feel safer knowing justice has been served. We thank our partners at the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Adams County Sheriff’s Office, Denver Police Department, Dacono Police Department, and Commerce City Police Department.”
On December 2, 2020, Hernandez-Perez pleaded guilty to two counts of Hobbs Act Robbery, one count of brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence, and one count of possessing a firearm by an alien unlawfully in the United States. United States District Court Judge Daniel D. Domenico sentenced Hernandez-Perez on March 16, 2021, in federal court in Denver. Co-defendant, Juan Carlos Aguirre-Rodriguez, previously pleaded guilty to two counts of Hobbs Act Robbery and is currently serving a sentence of four-and-a-half years in federal prison.
The investigation in this case was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation Rocky Mountain Safe Streets Task Force, the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), the Adams County Sheriff’s Office, the Denver Police Department, the Dacono Police Department, and the Commerce City Police Department. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Dorothy DiPascali and Assistant U.S. Attorney Emily Treaster handled the prosecution.
Case number: 19-cr-00524-DDD
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Mexican Man Sentenced to Prison for Illegally Reentering the United States After Being Deported Two TimesRead the Press Release
A man who illegally returned to the United States after being deported was sentenced today to eight months in federal prison.
Ramon Rodriguez-Perez, age 34, a citizen of Mexico illegally present in the United States and residing in Storm Lake, Iowa, received the prison term after a guilty plea on January 13, 2021, to one count of illegal reentry into the United States.
At the guilty plea, Rodriguez-Perez admitted he had previously been deported from the United States and illegally reentered the United States without the permission of the United States government. Rodriguez-Perez was previously deported in November 2016 and April 2017. Rodriguez-Perez was convicted in a Texas federal court in April 2017 of illegal entry into the United States, a misdemeanor. He was also convicted in Iowa in 2014 and 2015 for operating a motor vehicle while intoxicated (OWI). Rodriguez-Perez most recently came to the attention of immigration agents following an arrest in Winneshiek County, Iowa, on state charges in November 2020.
Rodriguez-Perez was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams. Rodriguez-Perez was sentenced to eight months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a one-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
Rodriguez-Perez is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Daniel C. Tvedt and investigated by Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Enforcement and Removal Operations.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 20-CR-2059.
Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.
Methamphetamine user convicted of possessing firearm sentenced to prisonRead the Press Release
BILLINGS – A methamphetamine user who admitted to brandishing a firearm at two individuals was sentenced today to 32 months in prison and to three years of supervised release, U.S. Acting Attorney Leif Johnson said.
Kenneth John Howard, 30, of Billings, pleaded guilty on Oct. 20, 2020 to possessing a firearm while being a user of a controlled substance as charged in an indictment.
U.S. District Judge Dana L. Christensen presided.
In court documents filed in the case, the government alleged that from July to October of 2019 Howard possessed a firearm on three occasions while using a controlled substance. The most recent of these instances occurred on Oct. 15, 2019, when officers responded to the Sleep Inn in Billings for a report of an individual brandishing a firearm. Two witnesses reported they were leaving the hotel when Howard motioned them over, pulled a black handgun from a bag, showed it to them, and began using derogatory language. Howard then walked away and entered a room at the hotel. Officers located the gun, a semi-automatic pistol with 11 live rounds of ammunition, in a vehicle.
Howard initially denied having a gun but later admitted to officers he brandished the gun in front of the two witnesses. Howard acknowledged he was a regular meth user and that he was coming down from using when he displayed the firearm. Another witness confirmed Howard was a regular meth user and that he previously brandished the firearm to other individuals on July 16 and August 29.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Karla Painter prosecuted the case, which was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
This case is part of Project Guardian, a Department of Justice initiative launched in the fall of 2019 to reduce gun violence and enforce federal firearms laws. Through Project Guardian, the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the District of Montana is working to enhance coordination of its federal, state, tribal and local law enforcement partners in investigating and prosecuting gun crimes. In addition, Project Guardian supports information sharing and taking action when individuals are denied a firearm purchase by the National Instant Criminal Background Check System for mental health reasons or because they are a prohibited person.
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Member of New Bedford Latin Kings Chapter Pleads Guilty to Racketeering ConspiracyRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A former member of the New Bedford Chapter of the Massachusetts Almighty Latin King and Queen Nation (“Latin Kings”) pleaded guilty today to racketeering and drug charges.
Natanael Velazquez, a/k/a “King Nael,” 21, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to conduct enterprise affairs through a pattern of racketeering activity, more commonly referred to as RICO conspiracy. U.S. Senior District Court Judge Rya W. Zobel scheduled sentencing for June 22, 2021.
The Latin Kings are a violent criminal enterprise comprised of thousands of members across the United States. The Latin Kings adhere to a national manifesto, employ an internal judiciary and use a sophisticated system of communication to maintain the hierarchy of the organization. As alleged in court documents, the gang uses drug distribution to generate revenue, and engages in violence against witnesses and rival gangs to further its influence and to protect its turf.
In December 2019, a federal grand jury returned an indictment alleging racketeering conspiracy, drug conspiracy and firearms charges against 62 leaders, members and associates of the Latin Kings. Natanael Velazquez is the 41st defendant to plead guilty in the case.
The RICO conspiracy charge provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Acting United States Attorney Nathaniel R. Mendell; Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Division; Commissioner Carol Mici of the Massachusetts Department of Correction; and New Bedford Police Chief Joseph C. Cordeiro made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was also provided by the FBI North Shore Gang Task Force and the Bristol County and Suffolk County District Attorney’s Offices. Assistant U.S. Attorney Philip A. Mallard and Lauren Graber of Mendell’s Criminal Division are prosecuting the case.
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 https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The remaining defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Manhattan Chiropractor Arrested for Years-Long Health Care Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
Audrey Strauss, United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and William F. Sweeney Jr., Assistant Director-in-Charge of the New York Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), Jonathan D. Larsen, Special Agent in Charge of the New York Field Office of the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation (“IRS-CI”), and Thomas Licetti, New York Regional Director, U.S. Department of Labor Employee Benefits Security Administration (“DOL-EBSA”), announced today the unsealing of a complaint charging MELISSA PANAYIOTA KANES with health care fraud, money laundering, and aggravated identity theft in connection with a scheme to submit more than $800,000 in fraudulent health care claims, including by using, over the course of multiple years, the identities of three per diem chiropractors when submitting claims in an effort to hide the defendant’s association with the claims.
KANES was arrested this morning on Long Island, New York, and was presented earlier today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Sarah L. Cave.
Manhattan U.S. Attorney Audrey Strauss said: “As alleged, Melissa Kanes filed numerous fraudulent health insurance claims for her chiropractic services. Indeed, as further alleged, Kanes filed so many claims that an insurer flagged her for suspicious billing, at which point she tried to circumvent scrutiny by filing claims in the names of other chiropractors without their knowledge. Now Melissa Kanes is in custody and facing federal charges.”
FBI Assistant Director William F. Sweeney Jr. said: “As alleged, Kanes used the identities of three different chiropractors to reap more than $800,000 from fraudulent insurance claims. The crimes with which she is charged today are serious ones, which carry the possibility of a lengthy prison sentence. This case should serve as a warning to others unwilling to make adjustments to their illegal behavior – the federal criminal justice system could be just what the doctor ordered.”
IRS-CI Special Agent in Charge Jonathan D. Larsen said: “The offenses charged in this case are particularly troubling because once the fraudulent activities were detected, the defendant allegedly continued the activities using additional concealment methods. While the vast majority of health care providers are operating in good faith to take care of patient needs, it is the role of IRS CI and our law enforcement partners to bring to justice the small percentage of providers who are knowingly abusing the health care system for personal profit.”
DOL-EBSA New York Regional Director Thomas Licetti said: “This type of activity is detrimental to workers, employers and the entire healthcare system. EBSA is proud to partner with our fellow federal agencies in protecting hard-earned employee benefits.”
According to the allegations in the Complaint:[1]
MELISSA PANAYIOTA KANES, the defendant, worked as a licensed chiropractor in New York, New York.
Between 2014 and 2016, KANES submitted a high volume of insurance claims to one of the largest private health insurance companies in the country (“Insurer-1”). Insurer-1 served as the third-party claims administrator for various health plans, including a health plan covering the employees of a large consulting firm (“Victim Employer-1”). At the outset, KANES submitted the bills using companies publicly associated with her and her own identification number. But in 2016, Insurer-1 flagged KANES for improper billing and slowed or ceased payments to KANES. Thereafter, KANES continued to submit claims to Insurer-1, but took steps to hide KANES’s association with the bills. In particular, KANES submitted bills under the names and identification numbers of two newly incorporated companies (“New Company-1” and “New Company-2”), and three newly recruited per diem chiropractors (“Victim Chiropractor-1,” “Victim Chiropractor-2,” and “Victim Chiropractor-3”; together, the “Victim Chiropractors”), without the Victim Chiropractors’ knowledge or consent.
These claims to Insurer-1 – the vast majority of which related to services purportedly rendered to employees in the Manhattan office of Victim Employer-1, which was nearby KANES’s regular office in Manhattan – were false. The claims variously misrepresented the provider of the services (as one of the Victim Chiropractors), the location of the services (as somewhere other than KANES’s regular office), and which chiropractic services were in fact rendered (including whether any were rendered at all). More generally, the claims misleadingly omitted KANES’s involvement. The fraudulent claims that KANES submitted to Insurer-1 alone totaled more than $800,000.
Along with Insurer-1, KANES submitted claims to other private health insurance companies during the relevant time period. At least some set of those claims were also false. In particular, on certain dates for which KANES claimed to have provided the services billed, KANES was, in fact, traveling outside the United States.
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KANES, 50, of New Hyde Park, New York, is charged with one count of health care fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison, one count of money laundering, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, and one count of aggravated identity theft, which carries a mandatory consecutive term of two years in prison. The maximum potential sentences are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant would be determined by a judge.
Ms. Strauss praised the outstanding investigative work of the FBI, IRS-CI, and DOL-EBSA.
If you believe you were a victim of this crime, including a victim entitled to restitution, and you wish to provide information to law enforcement and/or receive notice of future developments in the case or additional information, please contact Wendy Olsen-Clancy, the Victim Witness Coordinator at the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York, at (866) 874-8900, or [email protected]. For additional information, go to: http://www.usdoj.gov/usao/nys/victimwitness.html.
This case is being handled by the Office’s General Crimes Unit. Assistant United States Attorney Micah F. Fergenson is in charge of the prosecution.
The charges in the Complaint are merely accusations and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
[1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Complaint and the description of the Complaint set forth in this release constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.
Man from Smith Lake charged with murder in Indian CountryRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Eric Garcia, 40, of Smith Lake, New Mexico, and an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, was charged on March 15 in federal court with murder committed in Indian Country. Garcia will remain in custody pending a detention hearing scheduled for March 17.
According to a criminal complaint, on March 9, Garcia allegedly quarreled with the victim, identified in court records as John Doe, at a residence in McKinley County on the Navajo Nation. Garcia allegedly stabbed Doe in his chest, neck and abdominal area and fled. Doe died at the scene as a result of the attack. Navajo Police later located and arrested Garcia at his residence.
A complaint is only an allegation. A defendant is considered innocent unless and until proven guilty. If convicted, Garcia faces up to life in prison.
The Gallup Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Navajo Nation Department of Criminal Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Allison Jaros is prosecuting the case.
Lexington Man Sentenced to 83 Months for Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted FelonRead the Press Release
FRANKFORT, Ky.— Darryl W. Stewart, Jr., 32, of Lexington, was sentenced to 83 months in federal prison on Tuesday, by U.S. District Judge Gregory VanTatenhove, after pleading guilty to possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
According to Stewart’s plea agreement, he admitted that on September 3, 2019, law enforcement found him in possession of a handgun. Stewart admitted that he was a convicted felon and was prohibited from possessing a firearm.
Stewart was previously convicted of Reckless Homicide in Fayette Circuit Court, in December 2015. Stewart pleaded guilty to the current charge in December 2020.
Under federal law, Stewart must serve 85 percent of his prison sentence; and upon his release from prison, he will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for three years.
Carlton S. Shier, IV, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Shawn Morrow, Special Agent in Charge, ATF, Louisville Field Division; and Chief Lawrence Weathers, Lexington Police Department, jointly announced the sentence.
The investigation was conducted by ATF and the Lexington Police Department. The United States was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Cynthia Rieker.
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 Eastern District of Kentucky, the U.S. Attorney coordinates PSN efforts in cooperation with various federal, state, and local law enforcement officials.
This case is also part of Project Guardian, the Department of Justice’s targeted initiative to reduce gun violence and enforce federal firearms laws. Initiated by the Attorney General in the fall of 2019, Project Guardian draws upon the Department’s past successful programs to reduce gun violence; enhances coordination of federal, state, local, and tribal authorities in investigating and prosecuting gun crimes; improves information-sharing by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives when a prohibited individual attempts to purchase a firearm and is denied by the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS), to include taking appropriate actions when a prospective purchaser is denied by the NICS for mental health reasons; and ensures that federal resources are directed at the criminals posing the greatest threat to our communities.
Joint Statement from the Departments of Justice and Homeland Security Assessing the Impact of Foreign Interference During the 2020 U.S. ElectionsRead the Press Release
Note: The joint report can be viewed here.WASHINGTON – The Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), including the FBI and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), released today key findings and recommendations from a joint report to the President issued last month on the impact of foreign governments and their agents on the security and integrity of the 2020 U.S. federal elections.
The Departments investigated multiple public claims that one or more foreign governments owned, directed or controlled election infrastructure used in the 2020 federal elections; implemented a scheme to manipulate election infrastructure; or tallied, changed or otherwise manipulated vote counts. The Departments found that those claims were not credible.
These conclusions are part of a classified report to the President prepared by DOJ and DHS pursuant to section 1(b) of Executive Order 13848, Imposing Certain Sanctions in the Event of Foreign Influence in a United States Election (the EO), issued on Sept. 12, 2018. Although the 1(b) report notes that Russian, Chinese, and Iranian government-affiliated actors materially impacted the security of certain networks during the 2020 federal elections, the Departments found no evidence that any foreign government-affiliated actor manipulated election results or otherwise compromised the integrity of the 2020 federal elections.
The 1(b) report relied on a classified assessment — prepared by the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI), pursuant to section 1(a) of the EO, about any information indicating that a foreign government acted with the intent or purpose of interfering in the 2020 U.S. federal elections. Whereas the 1(a) report discusses efforts to influence public perceptions and opinion, the scope of the 1(b) report only includes efforts to compromise the security or integrity of election infrastructure or infrastructure pertaining to political organizations, candidates or campaigns used in the 2020 U.S. federal elections. The 1(b) report does not discuss efforts to sway voters or influence opinion.
During the 2020 election cycle, federal, state, local, tribal, territorial, non-governmental and private sector partners nationwide worked together in unprecedented ways to combat foreign interference efforts and support election officials, political organizations, campaigns and candidates in safeguarding their infrastructure. The Departments remain committed to continuously strengthening the nation’s cybersecurity, critical infrastructure, supply chain risk management, public-private partnerships and public messaging to enhance the resiliency of our democratic institutions.
Jersey City Man Sentenced to Nearly 15 Years in Prison for Armed Robbery of Allentown Convenience StoreRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – Acting United States Attorney Jennifer Arbittier Williams announced that Brandon Garcia, 22, of Jersey City, NJ, was sentenced to 14 years and nine months (or 177 months) in prison, and 4 years of supervised release by United States District Court Judge Jeffrey L. Schmehl for the armed robbery of a Speedway gas station and convenience store in Allentown, PA on March 28, 2017.
In June 2019, the defendant pleaded guilty to multiple felonies arising from the 2017 robbery, including Hobbs Act robbery, and using, carrying or possessing a machine gun during a crime of violence. During the robbery, the defendant used a long gun to threaten store employees while robbing the store. Garcia poked one employee with the gun as he ordered him to “Get down!” and demanded employees provide him with cash and Newport cigarettes, which they did.
Meanwhile, a good Samaritan, who was coming to the Speedway to fill his car with gas, noticed the defendant wearing all black and running into the store with his hood up; he suspected something was amiss. His suspicions were confirmed when he saw Garcia display his gun in the store. He immediately called 9-1-1 to report the robbery. When he saw Garcia run out of the store, the witness told the dispatch operator that he would follow the defendant. The witness watched the robber get into a waiting silver vehicle parked in an alley and followed the car. As he did, he described where the car was driving to the 9-1-1 operator until law enforcement located both vehicles. When officers stopped the silver car, they found two men inside, Garcia and his co-defendant Daequon Benjamin, who was driving. The good Samaritan confirmed that the silver vehicle was the car he had followed from the Speedway, and officers found the black clothing, a sawed-off short-barreled rifle, cash and Newport cigarettes before arresting the defendants.
In pleading guilty to the charges associated with this incident, Brandon Garcia also admitted committing two additional, similar armed robberies in Allentown, PA (of a 7-11 convenience store and a Sunoco gas station and convenience store) a mere five days before the Speedway robbery. During both of these earlier incidents, the defendant brandished the same sawed-off short-barreled rifle he brandished during the Speedway robbery.
“Brandon Garcia robbed three businesses within a one week, all at gunpoint, terrorizing the employees and patrons of those stores and the surrounding community,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Williams. “His crime spree endangered many lives and demonstrated his complete disregard for other people and for the law. Thanks to the dedicated efforts of the investigators on this case and the brave actions of a concerned citizen, this defendant has been brought to justice.”
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Allentown Police Department, and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Sarah Damiani.
Jefferson County man indicted on firearms chargesRead the Press Release
MARTINSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Aaron Patrick Stamets, of Charles Town, West Virginia, was indicted today on firearms charges, Acting United States Attorney Randolph J. Bernard announced.
Stamets, 42, was indicted on two counts of “Unlawful Possession of a Firearm.” Stamets, a person prohibited from having a firearm, is accused of having two firearms in June and August of 2020 in Jefferson County.
Stamets faces up to 10 years of incarceration and a fine of up to $250,000 for each count. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
This charge is the result of investigations supported by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) under the Attorney General-led Synthetic Opioid Surge (SOS)/Special Operations Division (SOD) Project Clean Sweep. This initiative seeks to reduce the supply of synthetic opioids in “hot spot” areas previously identified by the Attorney General of the United States, thereby reducing drug overdoses and drug overdose deaths, and identify wholesale distribution networks and sources of supply operating nationally and internationally.
OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy D. Helman is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The Charles Town Police Department investigated.
An indictment is merely an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Jefferson County man admits to unlawful possession of a firearm silencer; Government will seek increased sentence for manufacture and transfer of machine gun conversion devicesRead the Press Release
MARTINSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Timothy John Watson, of Ranson, West Virginia, has admitted to unlawfully possessing a firearm silencer, Acting United States Attorney Randolph J. Bernard announced.
Watson, 30, pleaded guilty today to one count of “Possession of Unregistered Firearm Silencer.” Watson admitted to having an unregistered silencer in November 2020 in Jefferson County.
According to the plea agreement, the government will present evidence at the sentencing hearing that Watson’s conduct also involved his manufacture and transfer of hundreds of machinegun conversion devices for AR-15 style rifles, also known as “drop in auto sears,” to hundreds of individuals including individuals whom he had reason to believe were adherents to an extremist political movement referred to as “Boogaloo,” a term referencing an impending civil war or violent uprising against the government for perceived incursions on U.S. Constitutional rights, including the Second Amendment. Based on this additional conduct, the government states in the plea agreement that it will ask for an increased sentence of 57 to 71 months of imprisonment.
As a part of the plea agreement, Watson will forfeit all 3D-printed items that the government will argue are machinegun conversion devices, the 3D printers, 3D printer parts, and 3D printer supplies, as well as a U.S. Postal Service package containing the same conversion devices. All items were seized during a search in November 2020.
Watson faces up to 10 years of incarceration and a fine of up to $250,000. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jarod J. Douglas and Lara Omps-Botteicher are prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The FBI, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms, and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service continues its investigation.
This case falls within the purview of the Attorney General’s Task Force to Combat Violent Anti-Government Extremism. Launched in June 2020, the Task Force is dedicated to supporting the investigation and prosecution of any person or group who commits violence in the name of an anti-government ideology.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Robert W. Trumble presided.
Inmate at USP Lee Sentenced for Unlawfully Possessing a WeaponRead the Press Release
ABINGDON, Va.- Leonardo Acevedo-Vazquez, an inmate at the USP Lee in Jonesville, Virginia, was sentenced yesterday for unlawfully possessing a weapon inside the prison, Acting United States Attorney Daniel P. Bubar announced today.
Acevedo-Vazquez, 28, was sentenced yesterday to 33 additional months of incarceration and a 3-year term of supervised release.
The investigation of the case was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Prisons. Special Assistant United States Attorney Steven J. Luckie prosecuted the case for the United States.