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Monday 25 January 2021
Fayetteville Woman Sentenced to over 17 Years in Federal Prison for Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
Fayetteville, Arkansas – David Clay Fowlkes, Acting United States Attorney for the Western District of Arkansas, announced today that Donna Sara Daosavanh, age 33, was sentenced to 210 months in federal prison without the possibility of parole followed by five years of supervised release on one count of Distribution of Methamphetamine. The Honorable Judge Timothy L. Brooks presided over the sentencing hearing today in the United States District Court in Fayetteville.
Detectives with the Fourth Judicial District Drug Task Force (4th JDDTF) identified Daosavanh as a source of supply for methamphetamine in Northwest Arkansas. On March 6, 2020, detectives with the 4th JDDTF, operating in an undercover capacity, purchased a half-pound of suspected methamphetamine from Daosavanh.
The 227g of suspected methamphetamine purchased from Daosavanh was subsequently sent to the DEA laboratory in Miami and was determined to contain 180.1 grams of pure methamphetamine.
Daosavanh was indicted by a federal grand jury in August of 2020 and entered a guilty plea in October of 2020. Daosavanh had previously been convicted in 2012 in the Western District of Arkansas of Aiding and Abetting in the Distribution of Methamphetamine.
This case was investigated by the 4th Judicial District Drug Task Force. Assistant United States Attorney Aaron Jennen prosecuted the case for the Western District of Arkansas.
Faking Breast Cancer and Genetic Disorders Leads to Prison Sentence for Highland WomanRead the Press Release
Sarah A. Delashmit, 36, of Highland, Illinois, was sentenced this week to 18 months in
federal prison and 3 years of court supervision after her release. Last October, Delashmit pleaded
guilty to multiple fraud charges after spending years defrauding nonprofit organizations by falsely
posing as person with muscular dystrophy and a breast cancer survivor to receive money, donated
items, and other benefits. The charged offenses took place between 2015 and 2019, but evidence
presented at sentencing established that Delashmit had engaged in similar scams going back as far
as 2006.
During the sentencing hearing, U.S. District Court Judge Staci M. Yandle described the
gravity of Delashmit’s offense conduct: “Miss Delashmit deceived and manipulated individuals
and families facing terminal illness and debilitating disorders, and nonprofit organizations and
volunteers who serve those individuals. She preyed on these communities by posing as someone
with muscular dystrophy or a mother who was diagnosed with Stage 4 terminal breast cancer. She
exploited people’s trust, their kindness, their sympathy and their generosity for her own benefit.
She accepted donations and allowed volunteers to care for her when she did not need or deserve
that care. She took resources from those who did.”
Judge Yandle’s comments came after the court heard moving statements from two victims:
one who befriended Delashmit while believing she was dying of cancer and another who cared for
Delashmit while she pretended to be wheelchair bound at a camp for people with disabilities.
As part of the sentence, Judge Yandle ordered Delashmit to pay a $1,250 fine, forfeit
several items she received through her scheme, and make full restitution of $7,629 to the nonprofit
organizations and others she defrauded.
The investigation was conducted by the Highland Police Department, the FBI, and the
United States Postal Inspection Service. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States
Attorney Luke J. Weissler.
Ex-Bank Branch Manager Sentenced to Nearly 3½ Years in Federal Prison for Stealing over $1 Million from Customer with DementiaRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – A former Comerica bank branch manager was sentenced today to 41 months in federal prison for stealing more than $1 million from an elderly customer with dementia, and then using it for her own personal benefit, including to finance her gambling.
Marie Fulle, 38, of Newport Beach, was sentenced via videoconference by United States District Judge Virginia A. Phillips, who also ordered her to pay $1,091,230 in restitution. Fulle pleaded guilty in September 2019 to two counts of bank fraud.
While she was a branch manager of a Comerica bank in Tustin, Fulle cultivated an exclusive banking relationship with an elderly customer with dementia from February 2013 to April 2014. During this period, Fulle opened various bank accounts with the victim and used those accounts to create a confusing web in which she could hide unauthorized transfers, according to the plea agreement, in which Fulle also admits she fraudulently obtained funds by cashing cashier’s checks drawn on the victim’s accounts.
Between February 2013 and May 2013, Fulle embezzled approximately $43,400 over the course of six transactions. In its sentencing memorandum, the government argued that Fulle lost an anticipated promotion at work in May 2013 and thereafter began embezzling larger amounts of the victim’s money, unilaterally changing the address for one of the victim’s accounts, which prevented the bank statements from being delivered to the victim and his bookkeeper. Fulle also conducted much of the victim’s banking activities in private, one-on-one meetings, away from the view of other bank personnel or security cameras.
In addition to gambling trips to Las Vegas, during the course of the scheme Fulle treated herself to Tiffany jewelry, at least one Louis Vuitton bag, fancy dinners and spa days for herself and her then-boyfriend, prosecutors said in court documents.
After hearing arguments from both sides, Judge Phillips said that the motivation for the crime was “overwhelmingly…the gambling addiction” cited by the defense. However, the court added, “the harm to the vulnerable victim was the same, whatever the motivation.”
Comerica fired Fulle in April 2014 for embezzling money from her cash drawer. When Comerica subsequently discovered the fraud Fulle committed against the victim, it reimbursed the victim nearly $1.3 million for disputed transactions that Fulle processed, lost interest and attorneys’ fees. The total loss that Fulle caused to the victim was $1,057,230. The restitution amount includes the victim’s attorneys’ fees.
This matter was investigated by the FBI.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kimberly D. Jaimez of the Major Frauds Section.
Dominican National Sentenced for Trafficking Kilos of Heroin and CocaineRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE – A Dominican national that led a conspiracy that imported at least ten kilograms of heroin and five kilograms of cocaine from California, and who conspired with others to work at his direction to store, process, and package the drugs in an apartment he rented in West Warwick to be used as a stash house, has been sentenced to nine years in federal prison.
On at least three occasions, Rhode Island DEA agents intercepted packages containing one or more kilos of heroin or cocaine shipped from California, that were earmarked for delivery to addresses in Warwick, Pawtucket and Providence. Rafael Lara Sanquintin, 37, of Providence, later admitted to a federal court judge that he directed others to retrieve the packages, and that he recruited others to work at his direction at the stash house to prepare, package, and deliver the drugs to others.
In addition to intercepting the packages, on at least two occasions DEA agents stopped vehicles containing individuals working at the direction of Sanquintin as they drove away from the stash house. On those occasions, DEA agents seized 653 grams and 1,114 grams of heroin.
Sanquintin was indicted in this matter on November 22, 2016. He was arrested by Customs and Border Patrol agents on December 12, 2016, as he attempted to disembark from a cruise ship in West Palm Beach, FL, and illegally reenter the United States from his native Dominican Republic. He was convicted in the United States District Court in the Southern District of Florida on a charge of attempted illegal reentry after deportation by an aggravated felon and sentenced in March 2017 to 14 months of incarceration.
Appearing in U.S. District Court in Providence on August 12, 2020, Sanquintin admitted that he conspired with others to possess and distribute at least 10 kilograms of heroin and 5 kilograms of cocaine, pleading guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute 100 grams or more of heroin and conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine.
On Friday, U.S. District Court Judge William E. Smith sentenced Sanquintin to a term of incarceration of 108 months, to be followed by 4 years’ supervised release, announced United States Attorney Aaron L. Weisman and Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration’s New England Field Division Brian D. Boyle.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul F. Daly, Jr.
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Denver Man Sentenced to Twelve Years in Federal Prison for Armed Carjacking and Bank RobberyRead the Press Release
DENVER – United States Attorney Jason R. Dunn announced that Aaron Dugar, age 35, of Denver, was sentenced to more than twelve years (147 months) in federal prison for his role in an armed carjacking and bank robbery. The sentence will be followed by three years of supervised release.
According to facts contained in the plea agreement, on December 29, 2018, Dugar stole an SUV at gunpoint, demanding that two victims get out of the SUV and leave their personal property including their cellphones. Dugar then fled in the SUV. About a half-hour later, Dugar robbed the Bank of the West in Wheat Ridge. He entered the bank carrying a dark colored backpack. He approached a teller and put his index finger to his lips, indicating that the teller needed to be quiet. He placed the backpack on the teller counter and then raised a semi-auto style handgun in the air so everyone nearby could see it. He racked the slide on the gun, demanded money, and pointed the gun at a teller. Dugar ordered the teller not to activate any alarms and instructed her to hurry. He said “don’t make me tell you to hurry up again.” As the money went into the bag, Dugar demanded “big bills only.” Along with regular bills, the teller then inserted bait money and a covert tracking device into the backpack. Dugar then demanded money from two other tellers, who complied. One of them put more bait bills and another covert tracker into the backpack. Dugar then ran out of the lobby door with almost $15,000 in cash.
The tracking devices became active after Dugar left the bank and one of the devices provided the location of Dugar in Commerce City. Adams County Sheriff’s Deputies located a gray SUV at the location broadcast by the tracker and found Dugar in the driver’s seat. He refused to get out of the vehicle and deputies were forced to break open the window. Inside the SUV, deputies located the backpack, cash, trackers, and a handgun.
“Criminals just don’t seem to catch on that bank robbery is a crime that doesn’t pay, as the robbers almost always get caught,” said U.S. Attorney Jason Dunn. “Thanks to quick thinking bank tellers, Sheriff’s Deputies, FBI agents, local law enforcement, and prosecutors, this defendant walked out of that bank and straight into a long prison sentence.”
“Aaron Dugar’s sentencing of over 12 years for a weapons offense, carjacking, and bank robbery should serve as a strong message that the FBI and our partners will tirelessly work to bring those who use violence and endanger the public to justice,” said FBI Denver Special Agent in Charge Michael Schneider. “We are grateful to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the Wheat Ridge Police Department, and the Westminster Police Department for their thorough and dedicated work in this joint investigation.”
United States District Court Judge R. Brooke Jackson sentenced Dugar on January 19, 2021.
This case was investigated by the FBI with assistance of the Adams County Sheriff’s Department, the Wheat Ridge Police Department and the Westminster Police Department. The defendant was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kurt Bohn.
CASE NUMBER: 19-cr-00085-RBJ
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Cypriot hacker pleads guilty to extorting website operators with stolen user dataRead the Press Release
ATLANTA – Joshua Polloso Epifaniou, a Cypriot national, has pleaded guilty to accessing multiple major websites based in the United States without authorization, stealing user data, and demanding that the website operators pay a ransom to prevent his release of the data. Epifaniou is the first Cypriot national to be extradited from Cyprus to the United States.
“Epifaniou hacked into U.S.-based websites and threatened the disclosure of stolen personal information belonging to users, unless the websites paid him large ransoms,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Bobby L. Christine. “His arrest, extradition, and conviction demonstrate our resolve to bring to justice any hackers, no matter where they reside.”
“This conviction represents the determination of FBI investigators to hold cyber criminals accountable for extorting U.S. companies and citizens no matter where they may be hiding,” said Chris Hacker, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. “However, the successful prosecution of this case would not have been possible without the help of our federal and foreign partners, including the government of Cyprus.”
According to Acting U.S. Attorney Christine, the charges and other information presented in court: Between at least October 2014 and November 2016, Epifaniou was a teenage hacker 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. Once the personally identifiable information was obtained, 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;
- A consumer report website headquartered in Phoenix, Arizona.
Prior to the plea, Epifaniou paid nearly $600,000 in restitution to the victims, and Epifaniou agreed to forfeit an additional $389,113 and nearly 70,000 euros to the government in his plea agreement.
On September 19, 2017, Joshua Polloso Epifaniou, 21, of Nicosia, Cyprus, was indicted on one count of wire fraud conspiracy, two counts of wire fraud, one count of computer fraud conspiracy, and one count of extortion related to a protected computer. In addition, Epifaniou pleaded guilty to one count of computer fraud in a 24-count indictment transferred from the District of Arizona for purposes of his plea.
Sentencing is scheduled for March 3, 2021, at 10:00 a.m., before U.S. District Judge Mark H. Cohen.
This case is being 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, is prosecuting 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.
Cost Man Conspired to Provide Material Support to TerroristsRead the Press Release
In San Antonio today, 22-year-old Cost resident Jaylyn Christopher Molina (aka Abdur Rahim) admitted to conspiring to provide material support to the designated foreign terrorist organization Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham/Syria (ISIS), announced Assistant Attorney General for National Security John C. Demers, U.S. Attorney Gregg N. Sofer and FBI Special Agent in Charge Christopher Combs, San Antonio Division.
Appearing before U.S. Magistrate Judge Richard Farrer, Molina pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to provide material support to ISIS and one count of receiving child pornography. By pleading guilty, Molina admitted that since May 2019, he conspired with 34-year-old South Carolina resident Kristopher Sean Matthews (aka Ali Jibreel) and others to provide services to ISIS by administering an encrypted, members-only chat group for persons who supported ISIS ideology; by collecting, generating and disseminating pro-ISIS propaganda; by attempting to recruit individuals to join ISIS; and by disseminating bomb-making instructions.
Molina also pleaded guilty to one count of receiving child pornography. On September 18, 2020, federal authorities executing a search warrant at the defendant’s residence seized his cell phone, which contained 18 images depicting child pornography.
Molina faces up to 20 years in federal prison on the conspiracy charge and up to 20 years in federal prison on the child pornography charge. He remains in federal custody pending sentencing scheduled for April 22, 2021, before Chief U.S. District Judge Orlando L. Garcia in San Antonio.
On November 24, 2020, Matthews pleaded guilty to a conspiracy charge to provide material support to ISIS. Matthews, who remains in federal custody, faces up to 20 years in federal prison. Sentencing is scheduled for 10:30 a.m. on March 4, 2021, before Judge Garcia.
The San Antonio FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force (JTTF), with valuable assistance from the San Antonio Police Department, the United States Secret Service and the Gonzales County Sheriff’s Office, investigated this case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Mark Roomberg, William R. Harris, Eric Fuchs and Tracy Thompson and DOJ Trial Attorneys George C. Kraehe and Felice J. Viti of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section are prosecuting this case.
Convicted Felon Charged with Possessing A Sawed-Off ShotgunRead the Press Release
Ocala, FL – United States Attorney Maria Chapa Lopez announces the return of a two-count indictment charging Brandon Barnes (29, Lecanto) with possessing a firearm and ammunition as a convicted felon and possessing an unregistered National Firearms Act weapon (sawed-off shotgun). If convicted, Barnes faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison on each count. The indictment also notifies Barnes that the United States intends to forfeit the firearm and ammunition.
According to court documents, on June 10, 2020, a state search warrant was executed at a Citrus County residence known for illegal drug sales. Barnes was found at the residence with a loaded, sawed-off shotgun on his bed. The shotgun had an overall length of less than 26 inches, making it subject to registration in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record. The gun had not been registered.
Barnes is a five-time convicted felon for fraud and illegal drug possession. As a convicted felon, he is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition under federal law.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case was investigated by the Citrus County Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Tyrie Boyer.
This case is part of Project Guardian, the Department of Justice’s signature initiative to reduce gun violence and enforce federal firearms laws. Initiated by the Attorney General in the fall of 2019, Project Guardian draws upon the Department’s past successful programs to reduce gun violence and enhances coordination of federal, state, local, and tribal authorities in investigating and prosecuting gun crimes. For more information on Project Guardian visit www.justice.gov/projectguardian.
Convicted Beaver County Drug Dealer Pleads Guilty to Federal Cocaine Trafficking ChargeRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH – Harold Novick pled guilty to conspiring to distribute cocaine between 2017 and 2019, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced today.
Novick, age 40, formerly a resident of Beaver County, pleaded guilty before United States District Judge J. Nicholas Ranjan. Judge Ranjan scheduled sentencing to occur on May 24, 2021, at 10:00 a.m. Novick was on state parole for a prior cocaine-trafficking conviction when he committed the additional drug-trafficking crime to which he pled guilty.
The law provides for a sentence of up to 30 years in prison and a fine of up to $2,000,000. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is to be based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney Craig W. Haller is prosecuting this case on behalf of the United States.
The Drug Enforcement Administration, the Internal Revenue Service, the federal Bureau of Prisons, and the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General led the multi-agency investigation that also included the United States Postal Inspection Service, the Beaver County District Attorney’s Office, the Department of Homeland Security/Homeland Security Investigations, the Pittsburgh Police Department, the United States Marshals Service, the Pennsylvania State Police, the Munhall Police Department, the Robinson Township Police Department, the McKees Rocks Police Department, the Stowe Township Police Department, the Etna Police Department, and the Erie County District Attorney’s Office.
This prosecution is a result of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles high-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten communities throughout the United States. OCDETF uses a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
Colombian Nationals Plead Guilty to Smuggling Nearly 1,500 Kilos of Cocaine in International WatersRead the Press Release
NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – Three Colombian nationals pleaded guilty today to possessing with the intent to distribute nearly 1,500 kilograms of cocaine when they were interdicted in an unregistered vessel on the Pacific Ocean.
According to court documents, on August 6, 2020, Eliovar Pineda, 45, Jenuar Angulo, 40, and Marcial Cuero, 68, were intercepted with 1,479 kilograms of cocaine, while traveling in international waters of the eastern Pacific Ocean. The street value of the cocaine in Newport News is between $45-55 million. Pineda, Angulo, and Cuero were caught aboard a “Go Fast” vessel, which had no indicia or markings of nationality.
While on routine patrol in international waters, the United States Coast Guard Cutter (USCGC) Hamilton was dispatched to intercept a go-fast-vessel that had been located approximately 90 nautical miles southwest of Coiba Island, Panama. The USCGC Hamilton subsequently launched a helicopter, which was able to come in contact with the go-fast-vessel. The go-fast-vessel then became disabled and a subsequent boarding resulted in the detainment of the three smugglers while still in international waters. Members of the Coast Guard boarding team subsequently seized approximately 1,479 kilograms of cocaine.
Pineda, Angulo, and Cuero are scheduled to be sentenced on July 12, 2021. Pineda faces up to twenty years in prison while Angulo and Cuero face up to life in prison. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
Raj Parekh, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Jarod Forget, Special Agent in Charge for the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Washington Division, made the announcement after U.S. District Judge David J. Novak accepted the pleas.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Eric M. Hurt is prosecuting the case.
This investigation was conducted by DEA’s Hampton Post of Duty and the U.S. Coast Guard, with assistance from the Hampton Police Department, Newport News Police Department, Newport News Sheriff’s Office, and York-Poquoson Sheriff’s Office.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 4:20-cr-66.
Clay County, Iowa Man Pleads Guilty to Gun ChargesRead the Press Release
A man who illegally possessed guns pled guilty January 22, 2021, in federal court in Sioux City.
Travis Grote, 43, from Webb, Iowa, was convicted of possessing stolen firearms and possessing firearms as a prohibited person.
At the plea hearing, Grote admitted that on June 25, 2019, he was involved in a transaction to sell multiple stolen firearms to an undercover law enforcement officer. Grote also admitted that knew he had previously been convicted of conspiracy to manufacture and distribute methamphetamine, in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Iowa, on or about December 19, 2001, and therefore was a felon and prohibited from possessing firearms.
Sentencing before United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Grote remains in custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing. Grote faces a possible maximum sentence of 20 years’ imprisonment, a $500,000 fine, and 6 years of supervised release following any imprisonment.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). PSN is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
This case is also part of Project Guardian, the Department of Justice’s signature initiative to reduce gun violence and enforce federal firearms laws.
Initiated by the Attorney General in the fall of 2019, Project Guardian draws upon the Department’s past successful programs to reduce gun violence; enhances coordination of federal, state, local, and tribal authorities in investigating and prosecuting gun crimes; improves information-sharing by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives when a prohibited individual attempts to purchase a firearm and is denied by the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS), to include taking appropriate actions when a prospective purchaser is denied by the NICS for mental health reasons; and ensures that federal resources are directed at the criminals posing the greatest threat to our communities. For more information about Project Guardian, please see /media/1122011/dl?inline.
The case is being prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Patrick T. Greenwood and was investigated by the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, DCI Crime Laboratory, and Spencer Police Department.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 20-4014. Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.
Charleston Man Sentenced on Escape ChargeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – United States Attorney Mike Stuart announced today that Douglas Wesley, 32, of Charleston, was sentenced to six months in federal prison for walking away from a halfway house earlier this year. The six month term of imprisonment is to run consecutively to any discharged portion of the sentence in Wesley’s underlying 2012 federal gun conviction.
“If our U.S. Marshals are looking for you, they will find you,” said United States Attorney Mike Stuart. “Anyone in federal custody that attempts to escape can expect the result to be more prison time.”
Wesley previously pled guilty and admitted that in late June 2020, he left Dismas Charities, Inc., a Bureau of Prisons residential reentry facility, without permission and did not return. He had been confined at Dismas because of a previous federal gun crime conviction.
The U.S. Marshals Service conducted the investigation. Senior United States District Judge John T. Copenhaver, Jr. imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Negar Kordestani handled 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. 2:20-cr-00131.
Follow us on Twitter: SDWVNews and USAttyStuart
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Car Accident Leads to Guilty Plea After Police Find Marijuana, an AR-15 pistol and Ammunition in St. Thomas Man’s CarRead the Press Release
St. Thomas, USVI – United States Attorney Gretchen C.F. Shappert for the District of the Virgin Islands announced that Kahlid Blyden appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Ruth Miller and entered a plea of guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute marijuana, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Section 841(a)(1).
According to the written plea agreement, Blyden was involved in an automobile accident on August 21, 2020. A responding Virgin Islands Police Department officer smelled a strong odor of marijuana coming from the car driven by Blyden. Officers searched the car and found a backpack with a large plastic bag inside containing 15.6 ounces of marijuana, an AR-15 pistol and a box of ammunition. Blyden admitted as true that he was in possession of the marijuana and firearm. Court records reveal that Blyden attempted to flee but was detained by Virgin Islands Police Department officers.
A sentencing hearing will be scheduled at a later date.
This case was investigated by the Virgin Islands Police Department, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and prosecuted by United States Attorney’s Office of the Virgin Islands.
Boston Man Agrees to Plead Guilty to Assaulting Officers with a Firearm During Civil Disorder in BostonRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Boston man has agreed to plead guilty to assaulting officers with a firearm during the civil disorder in Boston early in the morning of June 1, 2020.
John Boampong, 37, has agreed to plead guilty to one count each of interfering with a law enforcement officer during the commission of a civil disorder, receipt of a firearm by a person under indictment for a felony offense, and assaulting, resisting, or impeding certain officers or employees. Boampong was charged by criminal complaint on June 30, 2020 and has been detained since his arrest on June 1.
According to the terms of the plea agreement, Boampong will be sentenced to a term of 42 to 63 months in federal prison and three years of supervised release.
“We’ve seen protests time and again over the past year. While protesting is a constitutionally protected right, endangering the lives of law enforcement and the public is a crime,” said United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling. “Whether that takes place in the streets of Boston or our nation’s capital, you can be assured that federal law enforcement will investigate those who engage in violence and destruction and hold them to account.”
“John Boampong incited panic downtown after he fired 11 rounds in the direction of police officers and civilians, with a firearm he was not allowed to carry. His appalling actions put everyone—including officers who were there to ensure public safety—in danger,” said Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Boston Division. “This case should serve as a reminder that the FBI and our law enforcement partners will bring all of our investigative resources to bear on those who choose to instigate violence under the guise of peaceful protests.”
“With an illegal firearm, John Boampong shot in the direction of my police officers while thousands of people were expressing their First Amendment rights on June 1, 2020,” said Police Commissioner William G. Gross. “I hope today’s guilty plea will remind people that the Boston Police Department will continue to work with our partners in the Federal Bureau of Investigations and the United States Attorney’s Office to send a clear message that committing violent crime in our city, against our residents, and my officers, will not be tolerated.”
“The peaceful protests of the police killings of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor and other Black and brown people were, unfortunately, marred by the dangerous and criminal acts of a small number of individuals,” said Suffolk County District Attorney Rachael Rollins. “John Boampong was one of those individuals who put the lives of protesters and police in danger. Violence will not be tolerated in our communities. I’m grateful to have the partnership of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in efforts to hold individuals accountable for acts of violence while ensuring the ability of protesters to assert their First Amendment rights and speak out against injustice.”
According to court documents, on the evening of May 31, 2020 and continuing through the morning of June 1, 2020, what began as a peaceful demonstration in Boston’s Back Bay neighborhood devolved into widespread acts of violence, vandalism, looting and destruction of police property, including the burning of at least one police vehicle on Tremont Street. Some protestors threw rocks, bricks and commercially-available explosives, such as M-80s, at police officers. Numerous police officers were injured.
On June 1, 2020 at approximately 3:00 am, Boampong was driving his car near the Arlington Street and Boylston Street intersection in front of a store that had been victimized by looting that evening. Police officers instructed Boampong and his passengers to leave the area. The occupants of Boampong’s car initially became verbally combative towards the officers and failed to leave the area as instructed. When Boampong reversed the car, officers told him to stop, as officers and another vehicle were in the way. However, Boampong continued driving in reverse and then drove away. Shortly thereafter, he returned to the area, parked on Providence Street, and shot at least 11 times toward officers, including a deputized federal officer. The officers took cover by bracing or ducking behind cars and other objects. Bullets broke through the windows of two apartments above ground level in a building behind some of the officers.
When officers eventually stopped Boampong’s car, they saw a Sig Sauer P230 9mm firearm lying on the floor of the front passenger-side floor mat, and a black holster underneath the driver’s seat, where Boampong had been sitting. The firearm was later examined and found to have Boampong’s fingerprint on it.
At the time, Boampong was prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition because he faced pending state charges carrying potential sentences exceeding one year.
The charge of assaulting federal officers provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. The charges of interfering with law enforcement officers during a civil disorder and being a prohibited person in receipt of a firearm or ammunition provide for a sentence of up to five 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.
U.S. Attorney Lelling, FBI Boston SAC Bonavolonta, Boston Police Commissioner Gross and Suffolk County District Attorney Rollins made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney John Dawley of Lelling’s Organized Crime and Gang Unit and Assistant U.S. Attorney Scott L. Garland, Deputy Chief of Lelling’s National Security Unit, are prosecuting the case.
Bookkeeper Charged with Fraud and Tax EvasionRead the Press Release
BOSTON – The owner of a firm that provided payroll and payroll tax services to small businesses in New England was charged and agreed to plead guilty to a scheme to defraud her clients by diverting the funds set aside by her clients for payroll taxes.
Patricia Lindau, 65, of Newburg, Maine, was charged and has agreed to plead guilty to one count of wire fraud and one count of tax evasion. According to the plea agreement filed today, the government will recommend a sentence of incarceration at the low end of the Guidelines sentencing range, one year of supervised release and restitution of $1,393,430. A plea hearing has not yet been scheduled.
As alleged in the charging document, between 2017 and the spring of 2020, Lindau engaged in a scheme to defraud many of her clients by failing to pay over to the Internal Revenue Service and Massachusetts Department of Revenue (Mass. DOR) the payroll taxes that she withdrew from her clients’ bank accounts. Lindau used her access to her clients’ accounts to transfer funds that were to be used to satisfy her clients’ payroll tax liabilities into her firm’s business checking account. Lindau then sent each client a weekly report falsely indicating that the funds had been paid over to the IRS and Mass. DOR.
When Lindau’s clients received letters from the IRS and Mass DOR indicating that their payroll taxes had not been paid, Lindau lied to the clients and falsely told them that the IRS or Mass. DOR letters were a mistake and that she would take care of it. In some instances, she then paid the taxes late.
Lindau’s scheme continued into the first quarter of 2020 when most of her clients closed due to COVID-19 and then discovered that their employees’ payroll taxes had not been and were not being paid.
Over the course of the scheme, Lindau failed to pay over when due more than $2 million and caused a net loss to her clients of over $1.1 million.
The charge of wire fraud provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of the greater of $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss. The charge of tax evasion provides for a sentence of up to five 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 U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling; Ramsey E. Covington, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigation; and Marikae Toye, Director of the Criminal Investigations Bureau, Massachusetts Department of Revenue made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sara Miron Bloom of Lelling’s Securities, Financial & Cyber Fraud Unit is prosecuting the case.
Berkeley County woman sentenced for willful retention of top secret national defense documents and international parental kidnappingRead the Press Release
MARTINSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Elizabeth Jo Shirley, of Hedgesville, West Virginia, was sentenced today to 97 months of incarceration for unlawfully retaining a document containing national defense information and 36 months of incarceration for committing international parental kidnapping. The sentences will run concurrently.
Shirley, 47, pleaded guilty to one count of willful retention of national defense information and one count of international parental kidnapping in July 2020. Shirley admitted to unlawfully retaining a National Security Agency (NSA) document containing information classified at the Top Secret/Secret Compartmented Information (TS/SCI) level relating to the national defense that outlines intelligence information regarding a foreign government’s military and political issues. Shirley also admitted to removing her child, of whom she was the non-custodial parent, to Mexico with the intent to obstruct the lawful exercise of the custodial father’s parental rights.
“Shirley betrayed the trust of the American people when she took classified information from her work with the Intelligence Community,” said Assistant Attorney General John C. Demers for the National Security Division. “She then sought to profit from her betrayal by seeking to sell this information to Russia, one of America’s foremost adversaries, in order to further her criminal abduction of her daughter. This sentence will hold Shirley accountable for her violations of the American people’s trust, and serves as a warning to others who would seek unlawful profit at America’s expense.”
“Shirley held a position that required the highest level of trust,” said U.S. Attorney Bill Powell for the Northern District of West Virginia. "When she committed these crimes, she not only broke that trust, she potentially endangered the very people who employed her and her neighbors. National security is one of our highest priorities. Shirley deserves her sentence and not a day less.”
“Ms. Shirley was trusted with our nation’s highest-level documents when she was given a high-level security clearance," said Special Agent in Charge Michael Christman of the FBI’s Pittsburgh field office. "But she betrayed that trust and put our country at risk by stealing classified national security documents, which she later hoped she could sell to Russian officials. We must safeguard this information from foreign adversaries. Today’s sentence shows the FBI will not let anyone get away with putting the lives of American citizens at risk.”
Shirley served on active duty with the U.S. Air Force, and in August 1994, the Air Force granted Shirley her first TS/SCI security clearance. After leaving active duty, Shirley served in the U.S. Air Force Reserves and later in the U.S. Navy Reserves. While serving in the Air Force, she worked on assignments with the NSA. From May 2001 to August 2012, Shirley held various positions with the U.S. Navy’s Office of Naval Intelligence, the Department of Defense, the Department of Energy, the National Cyber Investigative Joint Task Force, and at least five different cleared defense contractors. In connection with these positions, Shirley held TS/SCI security clearances at various times.In July 2019, Shirley took her six-year-old daughter to Mexico with the intent to contact representatives of the Government of Russia to request resettlement in a country that would not extradite her to the United States. Shirley took with her to Mexico national defense information, which she had unlawfully retained. While in Mexico, Shirley prepared a written message to Russian government officials, referencing “an urgent need” to have “items shipped from the USA related to [her] life’s work before they are seized and destroyed.”
On Aug. 13, 2019, the U.S. Marshals Service and Mexican law enforcement located Shirley and her daughter at a hotel in Mexico City. Mexican authorities arrested Shirley pursuant to an arrest warrant the West Virginia State Police (WVSP) had obtained on a charge of concealment of a minor from a custodian.
The FBI subsequently executed search warrants on numerous of Shirley’s electronic devices, including devices she took to Mexico in July 2019 and devices the FBI seized from her Martinsburg storage unit in August 2019. Pursuant to the search of the storage unit, the FBI located the NSA document underlying the willful retention of national defense information offense. In addition, pursuant to searches of the electronic devices, the FBI found an Office of Naval Intelligence PowerPoint presentation containing information classified at the secret level and messages Shirley had drafted to Russian government officials while in Mexico, the latter of which the Central Intelligence Agency has determined to include information classified at the secret level.
The FBI Pittsburgh field office and WVSP investigated this case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jarod J. Douglas and Lara K. Omps-Botteicher and Trial Attorney Evan N. Turgeon with the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section prosecuted the case on behalf of the government. The Webster County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office cooperated in the investigation and prosecution of the case.
Chief U.S. District Judge Gina M. Groh presided.
Berkeley County man sentenced for wire fraud involving Hearts2Heros organizationRead the Press Release
MARTINSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Christopher T. Engle, of Bunker Hill, West Virginia, was sentenced today to 41 months of incarceration for wire fraud, U.S. Attorney Bill Powell announced.
Engle, age 30, was the co-owner of Hearts2Heros, a for-profit entity that allegedly was meant to support the military by creating and sending care packages to deployed service members. Hearts2Heros employees solicited contributions and misrepresented that the organization was a charity.
Engle pled guilty in February 2020 to a one-count information, charging him with “Wire Fraud.” Engle admitted that he defrauded donors in the Northern District of West Virginia, taking their donations for Hearts2Heros and using it for personal use. The fraud included thousands of donors from West Virginia, Pennsylvania, Maryland, and Virginia. The total loss is $286,959.95. Engle was ordered today to pay that amount in full in restitution.
“To steal money from generous and caring people is wrong, but to steal money under the guise of assisting the brave men and women of our military is detrimental to reputable and hard-working charity organizations. I commend the FBI and my staff for their tireless work to ensure that Mr. Engle not only is held accountable, but can no longer prey on the kindness of others,” said Powell.
“Mr. Engle should be ashamed of himself,” said FBI Pittsburgh Special Agent in Charge Michael Christman. “Using our military members as pawns to line your pockets is simply disgusting. The FBI values the work our military members do and will always make sure anyone who has the audacity to take advantage of them for financial gain is brought to justice.”
Assistant U.S. Attorney Lara Omps-Botteicher prosecuted the case on behalf of the government. The FBI investigated.
Chief U.S. District Judge Gina M. Groh presided.Beggs Man Sentenced for Armed RobberyRead the Press Release
A man was sentenced this morning after using a firearm to rob a Dollar General, announced U.S. Attorney Trent Shores.
Trentin Anton Richardson, 21, was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison by U.S. District Court Judge John F. Heil.
“When Trentin Richardson discharged his gun in the middle of the armed robbery of a Dollar General, he earned himself a direct ticket to the federal penitentiary,” said U.S. Attorney Trent Shores. “However, Richardson’s remorse for his actions, as expressed by him at his sentencing hearing, did not go unnoticed and suggests that perhaps this violent criminal behavior was an aberration in an otherwise law-abiding life. I certainly hope so. I want to commend the federal and local law enforcement for their swift response, as well as the victim assistance coordinators who helped the victims, adult and children, in the wake of this violent crime.”
On June 4, 2020, Richardson entered a Dollar General in Sapulpa, OK, locked the door, drew a handgun, and ordered everyone to get on the ground. Richardson then proceeded to demand money from the safe and fired a round into the ceiling. He then took money from the safe and the register as well as money and cell phones from the customers in the store. When officers arrived, they detained Richardson who was wearing a mask to conceal his identity, gloves to hide his tattoos, and carrying a bag of money. Law enforcement also found that Richardson was carrying a loaded Ruger 9mm semi-automatic pistol.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Sapulpa Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Richard M. Cella prosecuted the case.
Barbour County man sentenced for drug trafficking and firearms chargesRead the Press Release
CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Matthew Scott Upton, of Philippi, West Virginia, was sentenced today to 70 months of incarceration for methamphetamine and firearms charges, U.S. Attorney Bill Powell announced.
Upton, 41, pled guilty to one count of “Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine” and one count of “Unlawful Possession of a Firearm” in July 2020. Upton, a person prohibited from having firearms because of a prior conviction, admitted to having more than five grams of methamphetamine, also known as “crystal meth” or “ice,” and having a 9mm semi-automatic pistol in September 2018 in Barbour County.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen D. Warner prosecuted the case on behalf of the government. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, & Explosive, the Mountain Region Drug & Violent Crimes Task Force, and the Philippi Police Department investigated.
U.S. District Judge Thomas S. Kleeh presided.
Bakersfield Man Indicted for Laser Strikes on Sheriff HelicopterRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — Andrew Nathan Hernandez, 18, of Bakersfield, was arrested today for aiming a laser pointer at an aircraft, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced.
According to court documents, on Dec. 26, 2020, Hernandez aimed the beam of a laser pointer at the Kern County Sheriff’s helicopter Air-1. Hernandez is scheduled to be arraigned before U.S. Magistrate Judge Barbara A. McAuliffe on Tuesday, Jan. 26.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Kern County Sheriff’s Office, and the Bakersfield Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Karen Escobar is prosecuting the case.
If convicted, Hernandez faces a maximum statutory penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charge is only an allegation; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Aroostook County Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Drug ChargeRead the Press Release
BANGOR, Maine: A Presque Isle man pleaded guilty in federal court today to conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine, U.S. Attorney Halsey B. Frank announced.
According to court records, between approximately July 2018 and May 2019, members of the conspiracy obtained methamphetamine in western and southern states from sources in Mexico. Kaleb Dahlgren, 32, and his co-conspirators distributed the drugs in Aroostook County and other parts of central and northern Maine. Dahlgren traveled with co-conspirators on at least one such trip to Mexico and Arizona to obtain methamphetamine and transport it back to Maine.
Dahlgren 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.
Alleged Leaders of the Gangster Disciples Indicted on Federal Racketeering ChargesRead the Press Release
East St. Louis, Ill. – The United States Department of Justice and the U.S. Attorney for the
Southern District of Illinois, Steven D. Weinhoeft, announced today that seven alleged members of the violent Gangster Disciples gang, including top national and state leaders, have been charged in a federal indictment accusing them of a years-long interstate RICO conspiracy involving multiple murders, drug trafficking, and other crimes. Certain defendants were also charged with murder, attempted murder, and various firearms crimes.The federal indictment was unsealed today in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Illinois.
“The long list of violent crimes alleged in this indictment—including two murders and multiple violent assaults—make plain the threat to our communities posed by criminal organizations like the Gangster Disciples,” said Nicholas L. McQuaid, Acting Assistant Attorney General of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “This prosecution underscores that coordinated criminal activity will be met with a coordinated and focused law enforcement response by the Criminal Division and our law enforcement partners at the federal, state, and local level. We are committed to dismantling violent gangs like the Gangster Disciples and holding their members accountable for criminal conduct.”
“These charges target national and state leaders of one of the most notorious street gangs in
America,” said Steven D. Weinhoeft, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois. “The
lawlessness these gangs bring to our cities is terribly destructive and oftentimes difficult to
prosecute. The violence perpetrated by the Gangster Disciples in this district and nationwide has long been a particular focus of our top law enforcement agencies. With the charges unsealed today, we are taking an important, powerful step in the fight to disrupt and dismantle gangs operating in this region. I am especially grateful for the support of the ATF and the many dedicated law enforcement officers at all levels of government who contributed to this investigation.”“ATF has no higher priority than investigating violent crime and ensuring that those who use
firearms in furtherance of their criminal activities are held accountable,” said Fred Winston,
Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF)
Kansas City Field Division. “This investigation demonstrates ATF’s commitment and the commitment of our law enforcement partners to ensure that Missouri and Illinois communities remain a safe place to live, work and raise families. Utilizing firearms to injure or intimidate others cannot be tolerated and there is no question that the public is safer today because of the hard work, dedication, and collaboration of all of the agencies that played a part in this investigation.”“Today’s indictment is a result of investigative efforts in our Fairview Heights Resident Agency
and strong partnerships with federal, state and local law enforcement partners,” said Sean Cox, FBI Springfield Special Agent in Charge. “This illustrates, when we work together, how effective our law enforcement alliances are in pursuing and eradicating violent street gangs to make our communities safer.”According to the indictment, the Gangster Disciples is a violent street and prison gang founded in the 1960’s that has engaged in large-scale drug trafficking and violence throughout the United States. The gang employs a structured hierarchy, with leadership positions such as national “Board Members” and state “Governors.” Each of the defendants is alleged to be a member or leader of the Gangster Disciples and to have conspired to conduct the gang’s affairs through a pattern of racketeering.
Frank Smith, 47, of Naperville, Illinois, an alleged national “Board Member,” is charged with RICO conspiracy, murder in aid of racketeering, attempted murder in aid of racketeering, and related firearms crimes.
Warren Griffin, 51, of Lancaster, Kentucky, an alleged national “Board Member,” is charged with RICO conspiracy, murder in aid of racketeering, and related firearms crimes.
Anthony Dobbins, 53, of Troy, Illinois, an alleged national “Board Member,” is charged with RICO conspiracy, murder in aid of racketeering, and related firearms crimes.
Sean Clemon, 50, of Cape Girardeau, Missouri, the alleged “Governor” of the state of Missouri, is charged with RICO conspiracy, murder in aid of racketeering, attempted murder in aid of racketeering, and related firearms crimes.
Dominque Maxwell, 28, of Cape Girardeau, the alleged “Assistant Governor” of the state of Missouri, is charged with RICO conspiracy, murder in aid of racketeering, attempted murder in aid of racketeering, and related firearms crimes.
Perry Harris, 29, of Cape Girardeau, an alleged “Treasurer” and “Chief of Security” for the state of Missouri, is charged with RICO conspiracy, murder in aid of racketeering, attempted murder in aid of racketeering, and related firearms crimes.
Barry Boyce, 44, of Charleston, Missouri, an alleged member of the gang, is charged with RICO conspiracy.
Among the crimes alleged in the indictment are two gang-related murders. On April 28, 2018, Clemon,
Maxwell, and Harris, on orders from Smith, allegedly killed Leroy Allen as part of a leadership
dispute at a Gangster Disciples meeting in Bridgeton, Missouri. On May 18, 2018, Griffin and
Dobbins are accused of killing Ernest Wilson, a rival Board Member, in Chicago, Illinois.Other acts of violence alleged as part of the conspiracy include a nightclub stabbing in East St. Louis, Illinois, a nonfatal shooting in Cape Girardeau, Missouri, and multiple unsuccessful murder plots. The indictment also alleges various acts of drug trafficking by Gangster Disciples members, including an ongoing scheme to smuggle the synthetic drug “K2” into Missouri state prisons.
“The BOP takes seriously our mission to protect the safety and security of our correctional
institutions and the public,” said Miranda Faust, Administrator of the Federal Bureau of Prisons’ Intelligence and Counter Terrorism Branch. “The BOP’s intelligence component appreciates the opportunity to assist our federal partners in detecting and disrupting criminal activity related to inmates in the BOP's custody.”“Investigating organized crime and related financial schemes are a top priority for CI,” said
Tamera Cantu, Acting Special Agent in Charge, IRS Criminal Investigation (CI), Chicago Field
Office. “Racketeering, such as the alleged charges today, brazenly facilitates all kinds of illegal dealings that negatively affect the community. Criminal Investigation is proud to work alongside our law enforcement partners in this case to bring these criminals to justice.”The charges and allegations in the indictment are merely accusations, and the defendants are
presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.If convicted of the racketeering conspiracy charged in Count 1, each defendant could receive as much as life in prison and a $250,000 fine. Murder in aid of racketeering is a death- eligible offense.
This case results from investigations by ATF, FBI, Federal Bureau of Prisons, IRS – Criminal
Investigation, Missouri Department of Corrections, Illinois State Police, the Major Case Squad of Greater St. Louis, Bridgeton Police Department, Cape Girardeau Police Department, and Chicago Police Department.The case is being prosecuted by Trial Attorneys Jeremy Franker and Conor Mulroe of the Criminal Division’s Organized Crime and Gang Section, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Ali M. Summers of the Southern District of Illinois, with substantial investigative support from th U.S.Attorney’s Offices for the Eastern District of Missouri and the Northern District of Illinois.
Alleged Leaders of Gangster Disciples Indicted on Federal Racketeering ChargesRead the Press Release
Seven alleged members of the violent Gangster Disciples gang, including top national and state leaders, are in custody after multiple arrests this morning for their alleged participation in a years-long interstate racketeering conspiracy involving multiple murders, drug trafficking, and other crimes.
The case was unsealed today in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Illinois.
“The long list of violent crimes alleged in this indictment – including two murders and multiple violent assaults – make plain the threat to our communities posed by criminal organizations like the Gangster Disciples,” said Nicholas L. McQuaid, Acting Assistant Attorney General of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “This prosecution underscores that coordinated criminal activity will be met with a coordinated and focused law enforcement response by the Criminal Division and our law enforcement partners at the federal, state, and local level. We are committed to dismantling violent gangs like the Gangster Disciples and holding their members accountable for criminal conduct.”
“These charges target national and state leaders of one of the most notorious street gangs in America,” said Steven D. Weinhoeft, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois. “The lawlessness these gangs bring to our cities is terribly destructive and oftentimes difficult to prosecute. The violence perpetrated by the Gangster Disciples in this district and nationwide has long been a particular focus of our top law enforcement agencies. With the charges unsealed today, we are taking an important, powerful step in the fight to disrupt and dismantle gangs operating in this region. I am especially grateful for the support of the ATF and the many dedicated law enforcement officers at all levels of government who contributed to this investigation.”
“ATF has no higher priority than investigating violent crime and ensuring that those who use firearms in furtherance of their criminal activities are held accountable,” said Fred Winston, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Kansas City Field Division. “This investigation demonstrates ATF’s commitment and the commitment of our law enforcement partners to ensure that Missouri and Illinois communities remain a safe place to live, work and raise families. Utilizing firearms to injure or intimidate others cannot be tolerated and there is no question that the public is safer today because of the hard work, dedication, and collaboration of all of the agencies that played a part in this investigation.”
“Today’s indictment is a result of investigative efforts in our Fairview Heights Resident Agency and strong partnerships with federal, state and local law enforcement partners,” said Sean Cox, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Springfield Field Office. “This illustrates, when we work together, how effective our law enforcement alliances are in pursuing and eradicating violent street gangs to make our communities safer.”
“The BOP takes seriously our mission to protect the safety and security of our correctional institutions and the public,” said Miranda Faust, Administrator of the Federal Bureau of Prisons' (BOP) Intelligence and Counter Terrorism Branch. “The BOP's intelligence component appreciates the opportunity to assist our federal partners in detecting and disrupting criminal activity related to inmates in the BOP's custody.”
“Investigating organized crime and related financial schemes are a top priority for CI,” said Tamera Cantu, Acting Special Agent in Charge, IRS Criminal Investigation (CI), Chicago Field Office. “Racketeering, such as the alleged charges today, brazenly facilitates all kinds of illegal dealings that negatively affect the community. Criminal Investigation is proud to work alongside our law enforcement partners in this case to bring these criminals to justice.”
According to court documents, the Gangster Disciples are a violent gang with a decades-long history of lawlessness and a presence throughout the United States, including in state and federal prisons. The gang employs a structured hierarchy, with leadership positions such as national “Board Members” and state “Governors.” Each of the defendants is alleged to be a member or leader of the Gangster Disciples and to have conspired to conduct the gang’s affairs through a pattern of racketeering.
- Frank Smith, 47, of Naperville, Illinois, an alleged “Board Member,” is charged with RICO conspiracy, murder in aid of racketeering, attempted murder in aid of racketeering, and related firearms crimes;
- Warren Griffin, 51, of Lancaster, Kentucky, an alleged “Board Member,” is charged with RICO conspiracy, murder in aid of racketeering, and related firearms crimes;
- Anthony Dobbins, 53, of Troy, Illinois, an alleged “Board Member,” is charged with RICO conspiracy, murder in aid of racketeering, and related firearms crimes;
- Sean Clemon, 50, of Cape Girardeau, Missouri, an alleged “Governor,” is charged with RICO conspiracy, murder in aid of racketeering, attempted murder in aid of racketeering, and related firearms crimes;
- Dominque Maxwell, 28, of Cape Girardeau, an alleged “Assistant Governor,” is charged with RICO conspiracy, murder in aid of racketeering, attempted murder in aid of racketeering, and related firearms crimes;
- Perry Harris, 29, of Cape Girardeau, an alleged “Treasurer” and “Chief of Security,” is charged with RICO conspiracy, murder in aid of racketeering, attempted murder in aid of racketeering, and related firearms crimes; and
- Barry Boyce, 44, of Charleston, Missouri, an alleged member of the gang, is charged with RICO conspiracy.
Among the crimes alleged in the indictment are two gang-related murders. On April 28, 2018, Clemon, Maxwell, and Harris, on orders from Smith, allegedly killed Leroy Allen as part of a leadership dispute at a Gangster Disciples meeting in Bridgeton, Missouri. On May 18, 2018, Griffin and Dobbins allegedly killed Ernest Wilson, a rival Board Member, in Chicago, Illinois. Other acts of violence alleged as part of the conspiracy include a nightclub stabbing in East St. Louis, Illinois; a nonfatal shooting in Cape Girardeau, Missouri; and multiple unsuccessful murder plots.
The indictment also alleges various acts of drug trafficking by Gangster Disciples members, including an ongoing scheme to smuggle the synthetic drug “K2” into Missouri state prisons.
The charges and allegations in the indictment are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
This case results from investigations by ATF, FBI, BOP, IRS CI, Drug Enforcement Administration, Missouri Department of Corrections, Illinois State Police, the Major Case Squad of Greater St. Louis, Bridgeton Police Department, Cape Girardeau Police Department, Mississippi County Sheriff’s Office, and Chicago Police Department.
The case is being prosecuted by Trial Attorneys Conor Mulroe and Jeremy Franker of the Criminal Division’s Organized Crime and Gang Section, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Ali M. Summers of the Southern District of Illinois, with substantial investigative support from the U.S. Attorney’s Offices for the Eastern District of Missouri and the Northern District of Illinois.
- Frank Smith, 47, of Naperville, Illinois, an alleged “Board Member,” is charged with RICO conspiracy, murder in aid of racketeering, attempted murder in aid of racketeering, and related firearms crimes;
Alaska man who conspired to set fire to the Seattle Police East Precinct pleads guiltyRead the Press Release
Seattle – A 20-year-old Alaska man pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to commit arson in connection with the fire he set Monday, August 24, 2020, at the Seattle Police Department’s East Precinct, announced U.S. Attorney Brian T. Moran. DESMOND DAVID-PITTS was arrested shortly after the fire. DAVID‑PITTS faces up to five years in prison when sentenced by U.S. District Judge John C. Coughenour on April 27, 2021.
According to records filed in the case, DAVID-PITTS had arrived in Seattle from Alaska just three days before the arson. After marching with the group of protestors in downtown Seattle, DAVID-PITTS is seen on surveillance video piling up trash against the sally-port door at the Seattle Police East Precinct. Over an eleven-minute period, the surveillance video captures DAVID-PITTS not only piling up the trash, but repeatedly lighting it on fire and feeding the flames with more trash. While DAVID-PITTS was lighting the fire, other people who appeared on the surveillance were attempting to use crowbars and cement-like materials to try to disable the door next to the sally-port to prevent officers from exiting the building. At various times, DAVID-PITTS was communicating with the black-clad individuals who were attempting to disable the door and light other fires around the building. Despite efforts to disable the door, officers were able to get outside and extinguish the flames. DAVID-PITTS was seen on surveillance working with the others to cut through a chain-link fence that was a barrier around the building. All the fires were extinguished by Seattle Police Officers and members of the Seattle Fire Department.
DAVID-PITTS was identified less than an hour later in the crowd outside the precinct because of the distinctive pink camouflage trousers he was wearing. He was arrested without incident.
Conspiracy to commit arson is punishable by up to five years in prison. Prosecutors have agreed to recommend a sentence within the guidelines range calculated by the Court. The ultimate sentence is up to Judge Coughenour based on a number of sentencing factors.
DAVID-PITTS has agreed to pay restitution to the Seattle Police Department for damage to the building.
The case is being investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives (ATF) and the Seattle Police Department.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Todd Greenberg.
Akron Man Sentenced to 52 Months in Federal Prison for Role in Multi-State Methamphetamine ConspiracyRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – United States Attorney Mike Stuart announced today that Jordan Dewayne Jeffrey, 24, of Akron, Ohio, was sentenced to 52 months in federal prison for conspiracy to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine.
“Jeffrey is the latest defendant sentenced for his participation in this meth trafficking network that brought significant amounts of meth into our area from Akron,” said United States Attorney Mike Stuart. “As a result of the excellent work of many law enforcement agencies, as well as members of my staff, we have made Huntington and Charleston safer by removing dangerous drug dealers from our communities.”
Jeffrey previously pled guilty and admitted that between the fall of 2018, and May of 2019, he participated in a conspiracy with multiple individuals to distribute methamphetamine in the Southern District of West Virginia. During the conspiracy, large quantities of methamphetamine were transported from Akron to the Huntington area for distribution. Jeffrey stayed at a residence located at 1235 25th Street in Huntington where the methamphetamine would be stored upon arrival in Huntington. Jeffrey admitted that when customers contacted members of the conspiracy, he would meet the customers at various locations in Huntington and Charleston to deliver the methamphetamine. For example, Jeffrey admitted that on May 20, 2019, he delivered approximately one pound of methamphetamine to a customer in Charleston after the customer contacted another member of the conspiracy and arranged the transaction.
This joint investigation was spearheaded by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). Other agencies which participated and assisted in the investigation include the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Ona Violent Crime and Drug Task Force West, the Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team (MDENT), the West Virginia State Police, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Task Force, the Beckley/Raleigh County Drug and Violent Crime Unit, the United States Marshals Service, the Cabell County Sheriff’s Department, the Charleston Police Department, the Putnam County Sheriff’s Department, the Ohio State Highway Patrol, the Akron, Ohio Police Department, and the Brecksville, Ohio Police Department. United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Joseph F. Adams handled 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. 3:19-cr-00245.
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Friday 22 January 2021
‘Money Mule’ indicted for mail fraud in scheme that stole more than $400,000 from elderly victimsRead the Press Release
Seattle – A 30-year-old SeaTac, Washington, man was indicted yesterday by a grand jury for two counts of mail fraud related to his participation in a scheme to defraud elderly victims across the country, announced U.S. Attorney Brian T. Moran. ARIFKHAN PATHAN was arrested on a criminal complaint January 4, 2021. According to the indictment, between August and December 2020, PATHAN played a role in defrauding victims of more than $400,000.
“Many of us keep getting those calls from someone claiming our Social Security number has been ‘compromised,’ and the best action is to just hang up,” said U.S. Attorney Moran. “But for some, especially the elderly, the fear of losing their money or income keeps them on the line and leads them to fall prey to a scammer who drains their bank account. This indictment goes after a key cog in the scam: the money mule.”
According to records filed in the case, in November 2020, investigators with Homeland Security Investigation and the Seattle Police Department became aware of suspicious packages arriving at Seattle UPS and FedEx locations. The investigation revealed the packages were filled with cash and were sent by victims from as far away as New York, Texas, and Colorado. The packages were sent to conspirators who used fake identity documents, such as driver’s licenses, to pick-up the packages. According to multiple victims in the case, they had received a telephone call from someone who claimed to be employed by the Social Security Administration. The caller claimed the victim’s Social Security number had been compromised, and the only way to protect the victim’s money was to withdraw thousands of dollars in cash from their bank accounts and send it via UPS or FedEx to an “agent” elsewhere in the U.S. for safe-keeping. The callers allegedly demanded the victims withdraw as much as $30,000 in cash. The scammers used UPS and FedEx so the co-conspirators could track the packages and pick-up the packages of cash using the fake identity documents. The investigation revealed the callers were connected to an overseas call center. PATHAN was allegedly a key player in the scheme, who recruited others to pick up packages of cash using fake identity documents.
PATHAN deposited the money in various bank accounts that could be accessed by his co-schemers. He was paid a commission on the money of about two percent. When PATHAN’s residence was searched in early January, investigators seized additional false identity information and a ledger that revealed PATHAN had picked up and allegedly transferred at least $400,000 to his co-schemers.
Mail fraud is punishable by up to twenty years in prison.
The charges contained in the indictment are only allegations. A person is presumed innocent unless and until he or she is proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
The case is being investigated by the Homeland Security Investigations Border Enforcement Security Task Force (BEST) comprised of representatives from HSI, the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation Division, the U.S. Secret Service, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, and the Seattle Police Department.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Casey S. Conzatti.
pathan_complaint.pdf pathan_indictment.pdfWest L.A. Man Arrested in Federal Stalking Case Alleging Longtime Harassment of Female Doctors at VA Medical FacilitiesRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – A man who recently moved to an apartment only blocks from the West Los Angeles Veterans Affairs Medical Center was arrested this morning on a federal stalking charge that alleges a longtime harassment campaign targeting two female doctors at the hospital, as well as three other victims who work at the VA’s Loma Linda facility.
Gueorgui Hristov Pantchev, 49, of West Los Angeles, was arrested without incident this morning by FBI special agents. Pantchev is expected to make his initial appearance this afternoon in United States District Court in downtown Los Angeles.
Pantchev was charged in a criminal complaint unsealed today that details his conduct that began in 2011 with numerous threatening communications sent to West L.A. VA doctors identified as Victim #1 and Victim #2. As a result of this harassment, Pantchev was charged by the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office and was convicted in 2014 of nine counts of stalking and witness intimidation. After serving a state prison sentence, Pantchev was paroled in 2017 and he was barred from the West L.A. VA Medical Center. Pantchev then began seeking medical services at the VA’s Loma Linda facility, where he “started stalking, harassing, and intimidating Victims #3, #4, and #5,” according to the affidavit in support of the complaint.
Notwithstanding the parole conditions that prohibited him from going to the West L.A. facility, Pantchev last year sought care there and began sending intimidating communications to colleagues of Victims #1 and #2.
“Pantchev has now deluged Victims #1 and #2 and their colleagues with hundreds of lewd, sexually explicit, and false fliers bearing large pictures of Victim #1 and Victim #2 that Pantchev has distributed around West Los Angeles day after day,” this affidavit states. “Some of these fliers include inflammatory, racist language that Pantchev falsely attributes to Victims #1 and #2 along with their contact information and requests the reader to ‘Get rid of them, PLEASE.’”
The criminal complaint contains specific examples of communications sent to the victims, all of whom felt threatened and took actions to have no contact with Pantchev. VA Police officials took action to restrict Pantchev’s access to the two medical facilities by requiring him to have an escort when arriving for an appointment. The affidavit notes that there are more than 40 police reports since 2018 that contain “detailed instances of him being loud, disruptive, rude, and demanding” at the Loma Linda VA campus.
Pantchev began returning to the West L.A. campus last March, even though it was in direct violation of his parole, according to the complaint. After his parole ended in September, he visited the facility three times, one of which resulted in his arrest for trespassing and battery on a police officer for allegedly spitting in his face.
A criminal complaint contains allegations that a defendant has committed a crime. Every defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
If convicted of the stalking charge alleged in the complaint, Pantchev would face a statutory maximum sentence of five years in federal prison.
Members of the public who have information about Pantchev’s activities or believe they may be victims are encouraged to contact the FBI at (310) 477-6565.
This matter is being investigated by the FBI and the United States Department of Veterans Affairs.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Devon Myers and Khaldoun Shobaki of the Cyber and Intellectual Property Crimes Section.
Waxhaw, N.C. Man Is Sentenced to 30 Years for Producing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – U.S. District Judge Kenneth D. Bell sentenced today Derek Robert Seely, 32, of Waxhaw, N.C. to 30 years in prison for production of child pornography, announced Andrew Murray, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. Judge Bell also ordered Seely to serve a lifetime of supervised release and to register as a sex offender.
Ronnie Martinez, Special Agent in Charge of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Charlotte, and Robert Schurmeier, Director of the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation (NC SBI) join U.S. Attorney Murray in making today’s announcement.
According to court documents and information introduced at the sentencing hearing, in September 2018, law enforcement became aware that an individual later identified as Seely was sharing child pornography online. Court records show that, in February 2019, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Seely’s residence and determined that Seely actively traded child pornography online. Law enforcement also recovered multiple electronic devices, including three external hard drives. A forensic examination of the seized items revealed that Seely possessed approximately 500 videos and 240 images depicting the sexual abuse of children. Court documents also show that Seely also produced child pornography, which he distributed to others.
On August 31, 2020, Seely pleaded guilty to production of child pornography. He is in federal custody and will be transferred to the custody of the federal Bureau of Prisons upon designation of a federal facility.
In making today’s announcement U.S. Attorney Murray thanked HSI and SBI for their investigation of the case. Assistant United States Attorney Alfredo De La Rosa, of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte, prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ offices and 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.
Vineland Boys Gang Member Pleads Guilty to Racketeering Offenses, Including Attempted Murder and Narcotics TraffickingRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – A member of the San Fernando Valley-based Vineland Boys street gang pleaded guilty today to five felonies, including the attempted murder of three rival gangsters, drug trafficking and illegal firearms sales, including a “ghost gun.”
Jesus Gonzalez Jr., 27, a.k.a. “Lil Chito,” “Gunner” and “Chuy,” of Sun Valley, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to violate the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act, two counts of violent crime in aid of racketeering, one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances, and one count of discharging a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence.
As alleged in a superseding indictment returned by a federal grand jury in November 2019, to consolidate control over their “territory” in Sun Valley, North Hollywood and Burbank, the Vineland Boys shot and brutally assaulted rival gang members, controlled and conducted drug and firearms trafficking activity, and extorted money in the form of “taxes” from drug dealers, and trafficked narcotics.
According to his plea agreement, Gonzalez conspired with Vineland Boys members and associates to engage in acts of racketeering in the form of attempted murder and drug trafficking. Gonzalez admitted that he was involved in multiple gang-related shootings, including a December 2015 shootout in South Los Angeles with rival gang members believed to have killed a member of the Vineland Boys.
In early April 2016, Gonzalez shot and severely wounded a victim in a drive-by shooting outside a party in Sun Valley where Gonzalez and other Vineland Boys members had gotten in a fistfight with the victim and others. A few weeks later, Gonzalez stalked and shot a rival gang member on Lankershim Boulevard in North Hollywood, firing several shots at close range at the victim, who survived. In May 2016, Gonzalez confronted and shot passengers in a vehicle he believed were rival gang members.
Gonzalez further admitted to selling methamphetamine and illegally selling numerous firearms, including an AR-style rifle bearing no serial number – commonly known as a “ghost gun” – that he sold in May 2016 outside a McDonald’s restaurant in San Fernando.
United States District Judge Michael W. Fitzgerald has scheduled an April 29 sentencing hearing, at which time Gonzalez will face a statutory maximum sentence of life imprisonment and a mandatory minimum sentence of 20 years in federal prison.
In January 2019, a federal grand jury indicted 31 Vineland Boys members and associates. So far, prosecutors in this case have secured 14 convictions and several prison sentences exceeding 10 years.
This matter was investigated by the FBI, the Los Angeles Police Department and IRS Criminal Investigation.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Jennifer Chou and Sara Milstein of the Violent and Organized Crime Section.
Two Men Plead Guilty to Minneapolis Police Third Precinct ArsonRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Erica H. MacDonald today announced the guilty pleas of DAVON DE-ANDRE TURNER, 25, and BRANDEN MICHAEL WOLFE, 23, to one count each of conspiracy to commit arson at the Minneapolis Police Department’s Third Precinct headquarters. TURNER entered his guilty plea today before Judge Patrick J. Schiltz in U.S. District Court in Minneapolis, Minnesota. WOLFE entered his guilty plea on December 22, 2020, before Judge Patrick J. Schiltz in U.S. District Court in Minneapolis, Minnesota. WOLFE will be sentenced on April 22, 2021, and TURNER will be sentenced on May 13, 2021.
According to TURNER’s and WOLFE’s guilty pleas and documents filed with the court, on the night of May 28, 2020, TURNER and WOLFE separately went to the Third Precinct where a crowd of hundreds had gathered. At one point, the crowd began shouting, “Burn it down, burn it down.” Soon after, a fence that was designed to keep trespassers out of the Third Precinct building was torn down. TURNER and an individual unknown to him at the time (later identified as co-defendant Bryce Michael Williams) worked together to light an incendiary device which they intended to be used to start or further accelerate a fire. The incendiary device was taken into the Third Precinct headquarters by TURNER and was used to start a fire. WOLFE pushed a barrel into a fire located in the entrance of the Third Precinct headquarters that had been set by other unidentified co-conspirators. In his guilty plea, WOLFE admitted that he pushed the barrel with the intent to accelerate the existing fire.
Co-conspirators Bryce Michael Williams and Dylan Shakespeare Robinson have also pleaded guilty to one count each of conspiracy to commit arson for their roles in the arson at the Third Precinct building. Williams will be sentenced on March 9, 2021, and Robinson will be sentenced on April 6, 2021.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted jointly by the ATF, the FBI, the Minneapolis Police Department, and the Minnesota State Fire Marshal Division.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Harry M. Jacobs and David P. Steinkamp.
Defendant Information:
DAVON DE-ANDRE TURNER, 25
St. Paul, Minn.
Convicted:
- Conspiracy to commit arson, 1 count
BRANDEN MICHAEL WOLFE, 23
St. Paul, Minn.
Convicted:
- Conspiracy to commit arson, 1 count
###
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United States Attorney’s Office, District of Minnesota: (612) 664-5600
Two Malaysian Nationals Plead Guilty to Illegally Exporting Firearm Parts to Hong KongRead the Press Release
BOSTON – Two Malaysian nationals pleaded guilty today in federal court in Boston to conspiring to illegally export firearm parts from the United States to Hong Kong.
Lionel Chan, 36, who previously resided in Brighton, Mass., and Muhammad Mohd Radzi, 27, who previously resided in Brooklyn, N.Y., each pleaded guilty to conspiring to violate the Arms Export Control Act. U.S. Senior District Court Judge Mark L. Wolf scheduled sentencing for May 28, 2021.
Beginning in or around March 2018, Chan began purchasing a variety of U.S.-origin firearm parts online, including parts used to assemble AR-15 assault rifles and 9MM semi-automatic handguns, for a buyer located in Hong Kong. Many of the firearm parts that Chan purchased and exported to Hong Kong are restricted items that cannot be exported from the United States without a license or approval from the U.S. government. Nonetheless, Chan shipped the firearm parts via Federal Express to the buyer in Hong Kong without first obtaining the necessary export licenses. Chan intentionally concealed the contents of the shipments by providing Federal Express with false information about the shipments, and by concealing the parts inside of each package. Between March and May 2018, Chan shipped at least 12 packages containing firearm parts from Brighton to the buyer in Hong Kong.
In or around April 2018, Radzi joined the conspiracy and also began illegally exporting firearm parts from the United States to Hong Kong. Between May and October 2018, Radzi shipped 21 packages from Brooklyn, N.Y., to the buyer in Hong Kong. In October 2018, two of those packages were interdicted by Hong Kong authorities and found to contain numerous firearms parts, including a firing pin and gun sight, which were export controlled. Like Chan, Radzi failed to obtain an export license for any of these shipments.
The charge of conspiring to illegally export controlled firearm parts from the United States provides for a sentence of up to five 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 U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
United States Attorney Andrew Lelling and William S. Walker, Acting Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigation in Boston made the announcement today. The Massachusetts State Police and U.S. Customs and Border Protection also assisted in the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason A. Casey of Lelling’s National Security Unit is prosecuting the case.
Tulsa Woman Pleads Guilty to Killing BoyfriendRead the Press Release
A Tulsa woman today pleaded guilty in federal court to charges of murder, assault, and being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition, announced U.S. Attorney Trent Shores.
Sha-Lisa Harlin, 39, pleaded guilty to the three counts before Chief U.S. District Judge John E. Dowdell.
“An enraged Sha-lisa Harlin murdered her boyfriend in the midst of a confrontation she had with him and another woman,” said U.S. Attorney Trent Shores. “Tragically, this scenario is far too common an occurrence. Guns are used to commit more than half of all intimate partner homicides in the United States. Today, Assistant U.S. Attorney Ross Lenhardt deftly represented the United States in this matter, ensuring Ms. Harlin was held accountable for her appalling acts. Credit also goes to the FBI and Tulsa Police Department for their diligent work on this investigation.”
In connection with the guilty plea, the Court was advised that at the time of the crime, Harlin was residing at the Extended Stay Hotel in Tulsa with the victim Dalton Whitlow, her boyfriend, after their home burned down. On May 22, 2020, the defendant learned that Whitlow had begun a relationship with another woman, armed herself with her loaded .25 caliber semi-automatic pistol, and went looking for Whitlow and the woman. Harlin encountered the woman’s roommate. According to the roommate, the defendant pointed the gun at her and demanded to know where she could find the couple. The roommate entered the passenger’s side of the defendant’s vehicle, and the two drove to a nearby hotel in an unsuccessful attempt to find the couple.
Upon returning to the Extended Stay, the defendant then encountered the woman and pointed the gun at her. The victim arrived and got between the two. During the encounter, the gun was fired, and the bullet went into the ground. As Harlin continued to pursue the woman, the gun was fired a second time, hitting Whitlow in the temple, entering his brain. The magazine in Harlin’s firearm would not remain in the gun, requiring her to physically hold the magazine in the firearm in order for it to automatically chamber the second round and fire it. The victim later passed away in the hospital.
Harlln remained with the victim until medics and police arrived. The gun and fired casings were recovered at the scene where defendant confessed to the shooting.
Harlin, who by law was restricted from possessing a firearm, has a prior felony conviction from 2013 in Kingfisher County, Oklahoma, for passing a stolen check for approximately $1500 worth of goods.
Judge Dowdell scheduled sentencing for April 27, 2021, at 9:30am, and remanded the defendant into the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Ross E. Lenhardt is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government. Lenhardt is a federal prosecutor from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, who volunteered to come to Tulsa for 6 months and prosecute violent crimes after the Supreme Court’s ruling in McGirt v. Oklahoma.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation joined with officers and detectives of the Tulsa Police Department to conduct the investigation that led to the Harlin’s prosecution.
Tucson Man Sentenced to Ten Years for Possession of Ammunition by a Convicted FelonRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. – Yesterday, Tacal Charles Hart, 35, of Tucson, Arizona, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Scott H. Rash to ten years in prison for possession of ammunition by a convicted felon. Hart previously pleaded guilty on February 18, 2020.
On August 11, 2018, Hart, a three-time convicted felon, was involved in a shooting at Mansfield Park in Tucson. After the shooting, law enforcement seized two empty pistol magazines and one round of ammunition from Hart. On December 4, 2018, federal agents served a search warrant at Hart’s residence and found eight additional rounds of ammunition.
On December 10, 2018, federal agents attempted to arrest Hart, but he fled in his vehicle through midtown Tucson. While fleeing, Hart threw a pistol and a pistol magazine loaded with 15 rounds of ammunition from his vehicle. During the chase, Hart abandoned his vehicle in a Walmart parking lot and continued to flee on foot. Hart hid in a nearby apartment for several hours until he was finally found and arrested. Another pistol, three pistol magazines, and several more rounds of ammunition were found in the apartment where Hart had been hiding. Federal agents also seized two improvised explosive from the trunk of Hart’s abandoned vehicle.
This case was part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. The Department of Justice reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, with assistance from the Tucson Police Department, conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant United States Attorney Angela W. Woolridge, District of Arizona, Tucson, handled the prosecution.
# # #
CASE NUMBER: CR18-2466-TUC-SHR
RELEASE NUMBER: 2021-003_HartTraveling Fraudsters Plead Guilty to Felony Bank Fraud Charges After Arrest in EdwardsvilleRead the Press Release
Elvin Lugo-Cales, 47, of Orlando, Florida, and Johnny Collado, 30, of Bronx, New York, pleaded
guilty this week to multiple federal charges, including conspiracy to commit bank fraud, bank
fraud, and aggravated identity theft.According to court documents, on March 2, 2020, Lugo-Cales and Collado traveled from New York to
St. Louis for the sole purpose of defrauding banks in the St. Louis metro region. On March 5, they
drove to a U.S. Bank location in Edwardsville, Illinois. Collado waited in the car while Lugo-Cales
went into the bank. Inside, Lugo-Cales presented a fake United States passport bearing his
photograph but someone else’s name and tried to cash a counterfeit check in the amount of $3,650
made payable to that other person. Fortunately, the bank teller recognized the check was
counterfeit, refused to conduct the transaction, and called the police. Lugo-Cales left the bank
and drove away with Collado, leaving the counterfeit check and false passport with his picture on
it with the teller. The two men were stopped by police and taken into custody a short time later.At the time of his arrest, Collado possessed and attempted to conceal numerous items used to
perpetrate the fraud scheme, including over $20,000 cash, numerous blank counterfeit checks, a
counterfeit Oregon driver’s license, and a false United States passport card.Sentencing hearings for the two men will be held on April 27, 2021 at 10:00 a.m. and 1:30
p.m. at the federal courthouse in Benton, Illinois. Lugo-Cales and Collado face up to 30 years in
prison and a fine of up to $1,000,000 on each of their fraud charges. Their aggravated identity
theft charges carry a mandatory sentence of two years of imprisonment, which must run consecutively
to any other sentence imposed.The investigation was conducted by the Edwardsville Police Department and United States
Secret Service. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Luke J. Weissler.Three Foreign Nationals Charged with Conspiracy to Steal U.S. Government Records and Defraud U.S. Refugee ProgramRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – An indictment charging three defendants was unsealed in the District of Columbia today. The indictment charges Aws Muwafaq Abduljabbar, 42; Haitham Isa Saado Sad, 42; and Olesya Leonidovna Krasilova, 43, with conspiracy to steal U.S. government records and to defraud the United States, theft of U.S. government records, and conspiracy to launder money, all related to the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP). The indictment also charges Sad and Krasilova with computer fraud and abuse. The announcement was made by Acting U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia Michael R. Sherwin, the Inspector General for the Department of Homeland Security, Dr. Joseph V. Cuffari, and the U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service (DSS) Assistant Director for Domestic Operations Ricardo Colón.
According to the indictment, Sad was employed in Amman, Jordan from 2007 to 2016 by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, and Krasilova held a similar position at the U.S. Embassy in Moscow, Russia. Part of their duties included processing applications for refugee resettlement in the United States through the USRAP. The indictment charges that, from approximately February 2016 until at least April 2019, the three defendants, led by Abduljabbar, conspired to steal U.S. government records related to hundreds of USRAP applications. The records contained sensitive, non-public information about refugee applicants, their family members, their employment and military history, their accounts of persecution or fear of persecution, the results of security checks, and internal assessments by U.S. officials regarding applications.
As outlined in the indictment, the theft of USRAP records creates a number of risks to public safety and national security while imposing significant costs on the U.S. government, its taxpayers, and otherwise legitimate refugee applicants negatively impacted by the scheme. Defendants Abduljabbar and Sad were previously arrested and remain held without bond. Defendant Krasilova remains at large.
“The charges unsealed today demonstrate the commitment of the U.S. Attorney’s Office to protect the integrity of critical government functions like the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program, which exists to identify and admit qualified refugees for resettlement in the United States,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Michael R. Sherwin for the District of Columbia. “It is important to hold accountable those who would seek to defraud such programs, particularly when the crimes compromise our national security and public safety, when they impose such high costs on taxpayers, and when they negatively impact the prospects of qualified refugee applicants.”
“This indictment sends a strong message: the Diplomatic Security Service is committed to making sure that those who are alleged to have stolen U.S. government records related to refugee admissions face consequences for their criminal actions,” said DSS Assistant Director for Domestic Operations Ricardo Colón. “This case demonstrates the collaborative efforts of our law enforcement partners, and showcases the forensic and investigative capabilities of DSS.”
“Individuals like Ms. Krasilova and Mr. Sad are entrusted to protect the integrity of the U.S. immigration system and sensitive information vital to our national security interests,” said Department of Homeland Security Inspector General Dr. Joseph V. Cuffari. “The Office of Inspector General remains committed to aggressively investigating DHS employees who abuse their positions, betray the public trust, and conspire with persons such as Mr. Abduljabbar to defraud the United States.”
The charges in the indictment are merely allegations, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. The maximum penalty for conspiracy to commit an offense or defraud the United States is five years; the maximum penalty for theft of government records is 10 years; the maximum penalty for conspiracy to launder money is 20 years; and the maximum penalty for the charged computer fraud and abuse is five years. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes. If convicted of any offense, a defendant’s sentence will be determined by the court based on the advisory Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
This case is being investigated jointly by the DHS Office of Inspector General and the U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Luke M. Jones and Erik M. Kenerson of the National Security Section of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs assisted.
Taunton Man Sentenced for Child Pornography OffensesRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Taunton man was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Boston in connection with possessing over 1,000 videos and images of child pornography.
Ronald Walsh, 68, formerly of Mashpee, was sentenced to seven years in prison, five years of supervised release and ordered to pay $15,300 in fees and penalties. In February 2020, Walsh pleaded guilty to two counts of distribution of child pornography and one count of possession of child pornography.
In August 2018, an undercover officer downloaded child pornography from a collection Walsh made available to others on the internet. In November 2018, a search was executed at Walsh’s home in Mashpee where child pornography was located on Walsh’s computer. During a forensic review of the hard drive, over 1,000 videos and images of children being sexually exploited were identified.
United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling; Joseph W. Cronin, Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service; Mashpee Police Chief Scott Carline; Barnstable County Sheriff James Cummings; and Barnstable Police Chief Matthew Sonnabend made the announcement. The U.S. Secret Service provided assistance with the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney David G. Tobin of Lelling’s Major Crimes Unit prosecuted the case.
Swampscott Man Charged with Bank FraudRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Swampscott man was arrested and charged today with bank fraud in connection with a scheme to defraud an elderly victim and her bank by stealing the victim’s retirement assets.
Felix Gorovodsky, 29, was charged by criminal complaint with one count of bank fraud.
As alleged in the complaint, Gorovodsky previously served as a financial advisor and power of attorney, with fiduciary responsibilities, for the elderly victim. The elderly victim, however, terminated that advisor relationship and revoked the power of attorney in July 2019. Approximately nine months after he was notified that the victim had terminated the relationship, Gorovodsky accessed and liquidated the victim’s bank account, transferring more than $250,000 of the victim’s retirement assets into his own bank account. Gorovodsky then used the stolen funds for personal expenses, including paying off more than $100,000 in federal student loans. To legitimize the transfer, Gorovodsky forged the victim’s signature on a purported “gift letter,” that he sent to the bank in an attempt to legitimize the fraudulent transfer.
The charge of bank fraud provides a sentence of up to 30 years in prison, five years of supervised release and a fine of up to $1 million. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling and Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Division made the announcement today. The Department of Education, Office of Inspector General provided valuable assistance with the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ian Stearns of Lelling’s Securities, Financial & Cyber Fraud Unit is prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Strasburg woman sentenced to 24 months imprisonment after embezzling more than $400k from former employerRead the Press Release
Acting U.S. Attorney Bridget M. Brennan announced today that Teresa A. Weber, age 57, of Strasburg, Ohio, was sentenced to 24 months imprisonment by United States District Judge Solomon Oliver, Jr after she pleaded guilty to embezzling approximately $423,000 from her former employer.
According to court documents, from October of 2010 through November of 2018, Weber was employed at an evergreen nursery in Carroll County, Ohio, that grew, sold and distributed evergreen trees. During this time, Weber used her position to embezzle company funds in order to pay for personal expenses.
Court records state that Weber fraudulently conducted financial transactions on behalf of her employer, failing to disclose that the transactions were actually for her own personal benefit. In addition, Weber admitted to writing checks to her personal bank account from her employer's bank account; placed on these checks a signature stamp in the name of the business owner to make it appear that the transactions had been approved and concealed her fraudulent activity by manipulating the business checking ledger to make it appear that the checks had never been issued.
As a result of her actions, Weber fraudulently obtained approximately $423,000.00 from her former employer.
The investigation preceding this charge was conducted by the Canton Division of the FBI. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Brendan D. O'Shea.
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St. Paul Man Charged with Possession with Intent to Distribute FentanylRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Erica H. MacDonald today announced a federal criminal complaint against JUAN MANUEL BUENDIA-CALDERA, 40, charging him with possession with intent to distribute fentanyl. BUENDIA-CALDERA, who was taken into federal custody on January 21, 2021, made his initial appearance earlier today before Magistrate Judge David T. Schultz in U.S. District Court.
According to the allegations in the criminal complaint and law enforcement affidavit, after receiving information that an individual named “Migo,” later identified as BUENDIA-CALDERA, was selling fentanyl in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area, an undercover law enforcement officer contacted BUENDIA-CALDERA to purchase fentanyl. BUENDIA-CALDERA delivered 1.2 kilograms of fentanyl to the undercover officer. During the transaction, BUENDIA-CALDERA discussed his ability to provide an additional two kilograms of fentanyl as well as crystal methamphetamine. On January 21, 2021, following CALDERA’s arrest, law enforcement seized from BUENDIA-CALDERA’s residence more than two kilograms of fentanyl.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the DEA Minneapolis, DEA Fargo, St. Paul Police Department, Ramsey County Sheriff’s Office, Ramsey County VCET, Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office, Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, Minnesota State Patrol, Washington County Sheriff’s Office, and the Southwest Metro Drug Task Force.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin A. Wesley.
The charges contained in the complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Defendant Information:
JUAN MANUEL BUENDIA-CALDERA, 40
St. Paul, Minn.
Charges:
- Possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, 1 count
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St. Paul Man Charged with Interstate Communication of A ThreatRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Erica H. MacDonald today announced a federal criminal complaint against JASON ROBERT KARIMI, 32, charging him with interstate communication of a threat. KARIMI, who was taken into federal custody on January 21, 2021, made his initial appearance earlier today before Magistrate Judge David T. Schultz in U.S. District Court.
According to the allegations in the criminal complaint and law enforcement affidavit, on January 11, 2021, U.S. Capitol Police reviewed a voicemail left on the office telephone of a U.S. Representative. The voicemail contained graphic threats of violence. The caller’s telephone number was traced to a cell phone in KARIMI’s name. On January 12, 2021, agents arranged to meet with KARIMI near his St. Paul residence. KARIMI told agents that he works as a lobbyist for the marijuana industry and the voicemail was meant to cause “political pain” to the U.S. Representative’s political career.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI and the U.S. Capitol Police Department.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney David P. Steinkamp.
The charges contained in the complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Defendant Information:
JASON ROBERT KARIMI, 32
St. Paul, Minn.
Charges:
- Interstate communication of a threat, 1 count
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United States Attorney’s Office, District of Minnesota: (612) 664-5600
Silver Spring Sex Offender Pleads Guilty to Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
Greenbelt, Maryland – John Michael Raley, age 51, of Silver Spring, Maryland, pleaded guilty on January 21, 2021, to possession of child pornography and to violating his supervised release for a previous federal conviction for distribution and possession of child pornography.
The guilty plea was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Robert K. Hur and Special Agent in Charge Jennifer C. Boone of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office.
According to his guilty plea, in 2012 Raley was convicted in U.S. District Court in Maryland of one count each of distribution and possession of child pornography. Raley was sentenced to seven years in federal prison, followed by 10 years of supervised release. Raley was released from the custody of the Bureau of Prisons on February 15, 2019.
On March 27, 2019, during the administration of a court-ordered polygraph, Raley admitted that after he was released from the custody of the Bureau of Prisons, he obtained his personal effects from another individual to whom he had entrusted the effects during his imprisonment. Raley admitted that among the effects was a secure digital memory card (SD card). Raley had purchased an SD card adapter to plug into his television in order to allow him to view the contents of the SD card on the television at his home in Maryland. Raley admitted that the SD card contained images and videos of child pornography, which Raley had viewed three to four times since his release from prison.
Raley then spoke with his U.S. Probation Officer by telephone in the presence of the polygraph examiner and admitted the same conduct. The Officer advised Raley to go to his home, where the Probation officer met him and confiscated the SD card. A federal search warrant was obtained for the card and a forensic examination was performed by an FBI examiner. The memory card contained thousands of images of child pornography, including boys under the age of 12 and depictions of sadistic conduct and violence.
Raley and the government have agreed that, if the Court accepts the plea agreement, Raley will be sentenced to 10 years in federal prison. U.S. District Judge Paula Xinis has scheduled sentencing for March 24, 2021 at 10:00 a.m.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc. For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.justice.gov/psc and click on the "Resources" tab on the left of the page.
United States Attorney Robert K. Hur commended the FBI and the U.S. Probation and Pretrial Services Office for the District of Maryland for their work in the investigation. Mr. Hur thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy F. Hagan, Jr., who is prosecuting the federal case.
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Sells Man Sentenced to 15 Years in Prison for Kidnapping, Assault, and Firearms OffensesRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. – Yesterday, Daniel Escalante, 43, of Tucson, Arizona was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Rosemary Marquez to 15 years in prison. Escalante previously pleaded guilty on August 28, 2019, to one count of kidnapping, three counts of Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury, and one count of Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person.
On May 31, 2018, Escalante held a Tohono O’Odham minor hostage at a home in Sells, Arizona, for several hours. Over this time, he struck the minor with a baseball bat, cut her with a knife, and strangled her into unconsciousness. Escalante was also in possession of a firearm, which was prohibited due to his status as a previously convicted felon. Escalante is an enrolled member of the Tohono O'Odham Nation.
The Tohono O’Odham Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation in this case. Matthew C. Cassell and Christopher J. Curran, Assistant U.S. Attorneys, District of Arizona, Tucson, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-18-2666-TUC-RM-LAB
RELEASE NUMBER: 2021-004_Escalante# # #
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.Second New York Man Sentenced for Aggravated Identity Theft and Conspiracy to Commit Bank FraudRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS – U.S. Attorney Peter G. Strasser announces the sentencing of TERRENCE NEALY, age 33, of Rockville Centre, New York, by U.S. District Judge Martin L.C. Feldman. On January 20, 2021, Judge Feldman sentenced NEALY to 33 months in prison pursuant to his prior guilty plea to one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud and one count of aggravated identity theft. NEALY was also sentenced to three years of supervised release and ordered to pay a $200 mandatory special assessment. NEALY is the last of two defendants to be sentenced in this case. These charges arose from NEALY’S June 2019 trip with his co-defendant, Myles Nicholas, to southeast Louisiana where they attempted to commit fraud at several Baton Rouge-area Best Buy stores.
According to court documents, members of the Louisiana Financial Crimes Task Force received information that NEALY and Nicholas, would be flying to New Orleans from New York on the morning of June 21, 2019. Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office deputies and U.S. Secret Service agents initiated surveillance at New Orleans International Airport, where they observed NEALY and Nicholas arrive on their flight from New York’s JFK Airport. NEALY and Nicholas then rented a car and immediately drove to Baton Rouge. While in Baton Rouge, the defendants opened a $4,000 line of credit at a Best Buy store using a stolen identity. Shortly thereafter, however, their attempt to purchase an Apple MacBook Pro using that line of credit was denied. NEALY and Nicholas returned to their car and drove back to New Orleans. Later that day, they were arrested near their hotel in downtown New Orleans by state and federal members of the Louisiana Financial Crimes Task Force.
Myles Nicholas previously pleaded guilty in this case. He was sentenced to 25 months in prison.
U.S. Attorney Strasser praised the agencies that contributed to this conviction, which represents a coordinated effort of federal and state law enforcement authorities within the Louisiana Financial Crimes Task Force. The Task Force includes representatives from the U.S. Secret Service, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Homeland Security Investigations, U.S. State Department, Internal Revenue Service, Social Security Administration-Office of Inspector General, the Defense Criminal Investigative Service, the Louisiana Attorney General’s Office, the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office, the New Orleans Police Department, the Covington Police Department, Hammond Police Department, Kenner Police Department, Louisiana State Police, Mandeville Police Department, Slidell Police Department, St. Bernard Parish Sheriff’s Office, St. John The Baptist Sheriff’s Office, St. Tammany Parish Sheriff’s Office, Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff’s Office, and the St. Tammany Parish District Attorney’s Office. Assistant United States Attorney Matthew R. Payne is in charge of the prosecution.
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Santa Rosa County Traffic Stop Results in 10 Year Prison Sentence on Heroin and Methamphetamine ChargeRead the Press Release
PENSACOLA, FLORIDA – Carlos Linares of Pompano Beach, Florida, has been sentenced to serve 10 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to possession with intent to distribute over 500 grams of methamphetamine and over 100 grams of heroin. Lawrence Keefe, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida, announced the sentence, which was handed down on January 15, 2021.
“As this case clearly demonstrates, drug traffickers who haul their poison through this district will be caught, prosecuted, and punished,” U.S. Attorney Keefe said. “Even a single vehicle can carry a significant amount of deadly cargo. Federal, state, and local law enforcement will continue working diligently to identify and intercept these shipments of dangerous drugs before they reach our communities.”
Linares, 27, was stopped on July 30, 2020, by the Florida Highway Patrol while traveling east on Interstate 10 in Santa Rosa County. During the traffic stop, a canine alerted to the presence of narcotics inside Linares’ vehicle. When troopers looked inside the vehicle, they discovered over 3 kilograms (6.6 pounds) of heroin and 961 grams (2.1 pounds) of methamphetamine. In addition, troopers seized four cellular telephones, a digital scale, and a GPS tracking device that was hidden beneath the steering column. The investigation revealed that Linares was delivering the drugs from Texas to central Florida, and it is believed that his handlers were using the hidden GPS tracking device to track his movements and confirm the delivery of the drugs.
The sentencing resulted from a joint investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Florida Highway Patrol, and the Santa Rosa County Sheriff’s Office. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney J. Ryan Love.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.
Press Release - U.S. v. LinaresSan Fernando Valley Real Estate Developer Charged with Concealing Assets and Making False Statements in Bankruptcy ProceedingRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – A Calabasas-based real estate developer has been indicted in a bankruptcy fraud case that also alleges he laundered funds through shell companies in order to hide them from his creditors.
Mark Handel, 66, was charged in a nine-count indictment unsealed today with one count of making a false statement in a bankruptcy case, two counts of concealing assets belonging to a bankruptcy estate, one count of falsely testifying under oath at a bankruptcy proceeding, and five counts of money laundering.
Handel’s arraignment is scheduled for February 16 in United States District Court in downtown Los Angeles.
According to the indictment, Handel worked as a developer of commercial and residential real estate for more than 30 years. In April 2015, Handel filed a chapter 11 petition in United States Bankruptcy Court in Woodland Hills and subsequently made a series of false statements to avoid debts exceeding $10 million that he owed to creditors, including California Bank and Trust (CBT), the indictment alleges.
The indictment further alleges that Handel formed multiple corporations and limited liability companies to conceal his income and his involvement in real estate development projects. Handel purposely failed to put his name on the corporations and entities in order to conceal and disguise his business activities and to deceive his creditors, the indictment alleges. Handel allegedly used his wife – who had no real estate business experience – and others as nominee partners, managers and owners of the LLCs that he in fact controlled.
One such corporation – DTMM, which Handel told his friends and business associates stood for “Don’t Touch My Money” – allegedly was used by Handel to conceal the proceeds of his unlawful activity. Handel caused DTMM to be registered in his wife’s name, but he used the corporation for all his personal expenses, according to the indictment.
On his initial and amended bankruptcy petitions, as well as during a creditors’ hearing and at other proceedings, Handel willfully made materially false statements under penalty of perjury, the indictment alleges.
Throughout the bankruptcy case, Handel allegedly lied by stating that he was unemployed, had been unemployed for many years, and had no business or income. In reality, Handel maintained a financial interest in properties in Los Angeles, Orange, and Alameda counties and, from 2008 to 2016, he received $4,644,529 in income as “kickbacks” on an easement as part of a real estate deal, according to the indictment.
An indictment contains allegations that a defendant has committed a crime. Every defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
If convicted of all charges, Handel would face a statutory maximum sentence of 120 years in federal prison.
This matter was investigated by the FBI and IRS Criminal Investigation, with assistance from the Office of the United States Trustee.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Ruth C. Pinkel and Agustin D. Orozco of the Public Corruption and Civil Rights Section. The forfeiture portion of the case is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan S. Galatzan of the Asset Forfeiture Section.
San Angelo Meth Trafficker Sentenced to More Than 17 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
A San Angelo methamphetamine trafficker was sentenced to 210 months in federal prison, announced Acting U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Prerak Shah.
Michael Anthony Meza, 40, pleaded guilty in September to possession with the intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. He was sentenced last Friday before U.S. District Judge James Wesley Hendrix.
“This sentence spotlights the hard work and dedicated partnership between our local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Prerak Shah. “We share the same mission of targeting and prosecuting drug traffickers who peddle poison into communities across Texas.”
“This lengthy sentence should send a direct message to anyone engaged in drug trafficking or is contemplating it with dreams of instant wealth and power,” said Ryan L. Spradlin, Special Agent in Charge HSI Dallas. “You will always have to look over your shoulder because HSI will never relent and will use every resource available to turn those dreams into a nightmare.”
According to court documents, a deputy with the Tom Green County Sheriff’s Office observed a vehicle traveling over the speed limit and conducted a routine traffic stop.
Mr. Meza was identified by law enforcement as the driver of the vehicle. During law enforcement’s initial contact with Mr. Meza, a deputy observed indicators that led him to believe that Mr. Meza was involved in criminal activity.
A narcotic detecting canine was dispatched to the location. When the canine arrived, it conducted a free-air sniff of Mr. Meza’s vehicle which alerted law enforcement of drugs emitting from inside the car.
Deputies searched Mr. Meza’s vehicle and seized five pistols located throughout the car. A further search of the vehicle resulted in the seizure of more than 500 grams of methamphetamine, approximately 100 grams of heroin, 22 grams of cocaine, and 19 grams of marijuana.
Homeland Security Investigations, Tom Green County Sheriff’s Office, and the Texas Department of Public Safety conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Juanita Fielden prosecuted the case.
Salvadoran Citizen Arrested for Alien SmugglingRead the Press Release
PLATTSBURGH, NEW YORK – Douglas Quintanilla-Soriano, age 26, and a citizen of El Salvador, was arrested on January 17 and charged in connection with a failed smuggling event.
The announcement was made by Acting United States Attorney Antoinette T. Bacon and Robert N. Garcia, Chief Patrol Agent, United States Border Patrol, Swanton Sector.
The criminal complaint alleges that Quintanilla-Soriano was arrested while transporting two illegal aliens who had illegally crossed into the United States through the woods near Churubusco, New York. Border Patrol Agents from the Burke Station stopped the vehicle that was being operated by Quintanilla-Soriano and detained the occupants.
The charges in the complaint are merely accusations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Quintanilla-Soriano appeared before United Magistrate Judge Daniel J. Stewart on Tuesday, and was ordered detained.
If convicted, Quintanilla-Soriano faces up to 5 years in prison. The two occupants of the vehicle were found to be citizens of El Salvador and Mexico, respectively, and illegally present in the United States. Both of the occupants were detained and expelled to Canada.
This case is being investigated by United States Border Patrol and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey Stitt.
Roxbury Man Pleads Guilty to Being a Felon in Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Roxbury man, who was previously convicted of cocaine distribution, pleaded guilty today to illegal possession of a semiautomatic pistol and ammunition.
Daiquan Lucas, 28, pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition. U.S. District Court Senior Judge Douglas P. Woodlock scheduled sentencing for May 24, 2021. Lucas was indicted in October 2020.
On June 18, 2020, Lucas possessed a Bryco Arms model 38, .32 auto caliber semiautomatic pistol, loaded with 4 rounds of .32 caliber ammunition. Due to a 2017 conviction in federal court of distribution of cocaine base, Lucas is prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition. Lucas was on federal supervised release at the time of this offense.
The charging statute provides for a sentence of up to 10 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.
United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling; Kelly D. Brady, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Boston Field Division; and Boston Police Commissioner William Gross made the announcement today. The case is being prosecuted in Lelling’s Organized Crime and Gang Unit.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. The Department of Justice reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime.
Richards Pleads Guilty to Charge of Receipt of Misbranded Drugs Imported from ChinaRead the Press Release
SALT LAKE CITY – Daniel Kevin Richards, 37, of Sandy, Utah, pleaded guilty to receiving misbranded chloroquine from China with the intent to sell the drug in the United States. In the plea agreement, Richards admitted that, in April of 2020, he imported and received over 50 kilograms of misbranded and mislabeled chloroquine from China. Richards admitted that the chloroquine was falsely mislabeled as “Boswellia Serrata Extract” and that the drug was not manufactured and prepared by an establishment registered as a drug manufacturer with the Food and Drug Administration. Additionally, the labeling on the drugs failed to bear adequate directions for use as required by federal law. At sentencing, Richards faces a maximum possible sentence of up to a year in prison and a $100,000 fine. Richards has also agreed to pay for the destruction of the drug by the proper authorities at the conclusion of the case.
“This office, with our partners at the FDA and FBI, pursued every meaningful investigative lead in this matter, and fully examined the facts and circumstances surrounding this federal offense,” said United States Attorney John W. Huber. “This is the just outcome of that thorough investigation, and it will conclude our review.”
“The FDA continues to proactively identify and neutralize threats to consumers, particularly those related to COVID-19. Proffering the sale of misbranded prescription drugs of unknown origin puts consumers’ health at risk,” said Special Agent in Charge Charles L. Grinstead, FDA Office of Criminal Investigations Kansas City Field Office. “We will continue to investigate and bring to justice those who intend to exploit consumers’ fears during the pandemic with potentially dangerous drugs.”
Assistant U.S. Attorneys in the Utah U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case. Special Agents of the Food and Drug Administration- Office of Criminal Investigations, the FBI, and investigators from the Salt Lake County District Attorney’s Office conducted the investigation.
Rhode Island Man Sentenced for Placing Threatening Telephone Calls and Cyberstalking a Wisconsin ResidentRead the Press Release
Matthew D. Krueger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, announced that on January 22, 2020, Aaron T. Moul, a/k/a “The Panty Man,” a/k/a “Jazmyn Samuels,” a/k/a “Aaron Timothy” (age: 29) of North Providence, Rhode Island, was sentenced to 48 months in federal prison by Senior U.S. District Judge William C. Griesbach.
In October of 2020, Moul pled guilty to one count of use of a telephone with the intent to abuse, threaten, or harass, and one count of cyberstalking. Moul’s crimes occurred in April of 2020, when he used his online persona “The Panty Man,” to contact a resident of Langlade County via Facebook and the telephone, to convey threats to injure and kill that person. Over a series of days, Moul repeated his threats while also sending sexualized images and videos of himself displayed and “twerking” in women’s underwear. Simultaneously, Moul was sending similar threats and videos to a resident of Arizona.
In pronouncing sentence, Judge Griesbach noted the insidious nature of Moul’s crimes, which displayed a high level of anger and misogyny toward his victims. Judge Griesbach noted Moul’s previous convictions for similar crimes in other states for which he had received “slaps on the wrist.” Finally, the judge determined that deterrence and the protection of the community were of utmost importance in arriving at a just sentence. Moul’s prison sentence will be followed by three years on supervised release.
This case was investigated by the Langlade County Sheriff’s Office, the North Providence Rhode Island Police Department, and the United States Marshal’s Service. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Daniel R. Humble.
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