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11 March 2021
Jury Convicts Jacksonville Man of Attempted Enticement to Produce Child Sex Abuse Images and Videos on Motherhood Blog Websites and Possessing Child Exploitation MaterialsRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – Acting United States Attorney Karin Hoppman announces today that a federal jury has found Colum Patrick Moran, Jr. (42, Jacksonville) guilty of attempting to entice minors to produce images and videos depicting child sexual abuse and also of possessing materials depicting the sexual exploitation of children. Moran face a minimum mandatory penalty of 15 years, and up to 110 years, in federal prison and a potential life term of supervised release. A sentencing hearing is set for July 12, 2021. Moran was arrested on March 6, 2019, and has been in custody since that date.
According to court documents and evidence and testimony presented during the three-day trial, between 2015 and late 2018, Moran, using the name “Emily lover,” made numerous postings to several internet motherhood blog websites. These blog websites were designed and intended to share and exchange information about motherhood, childcare, useful commercial products, and other topics related to family life. During this period, Moran repeatedly posted sexually explicit comments that targeted mothers and their young children by name on these blogs. Further, Moran intentionally posted graphic comments requesting that several mothers produce and post images and videos of their children engaging in sexually explicit conduct.
On March 6, 2019, FBI agents and other officers executed a search warrant at Moran’s apartment and seized several smart phones and computers that contained more than 1,000 images and videos depicting young children, including infants and toddlers, being sexually abused. One of the smart phones had been used by Moran to access numerous motherhood blog websites and contained images of sexually explicit postings made by Moran with usernames “Emily lover” and “Anonymous.” Agents also discovered a plastic storage bin in a bedroom closet that contained two dozen pairs of little girls’ underwear, as well as several firearms, ammunition, and a bulletproof vest with Velcro law enforcement identification patches.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation in Jacksonville and Los Angeles, the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office, and the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation, with the assistance of the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) in Alexandria, Virginia. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney D. Rodney Brown.
It is another case brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Jennings Man Sentenced to 20+ Years in Federal Prison in Child Pornography CaseRead the Press Release
LAFAYETTE, La. - Acting United States Attorney Alexander C. Van Hook announced that Christopher Morvant, 48, of Jennings, Louisiana, was sentenced today by United States District Judge James D. Cain, Jr. to 280 months (23 years, 4 months) in prison, followed by 5 years of supervised release, for production of child pornography.
According to documents introduced in court, in May and June 2017, Morvant convinced his co-defendant to film a video of the co-defendant performing a sexual act on a toddler-aged child. Morvant’s co-defendant sent this video to him using the internet and Morvant saved the video on his personal computer.
The Department of Homeland Security – Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys T. Forrest Phillips and J. Luke Walker prosecuted the case.
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Irvine Man Sentenced to 9½ Years in Federal Prison for Role in Robbery Spree of Cell Phone Stores Across Southern CaliforniaRead the Press Release
RIVERSIDE, California – An Orange County man who was part of a crew that committed a series of armed robberies at Southern California cell phone stores has been sentenced to 114 months in federal prison, the Justice Department announced today.
Anthony Wimbley, 28, of Irvine, was sentenced on Monday by United States District Judge Jesus G. Bernal. Wimbley pleaded guilty in September 2020 to one count of Hobbs Act robbery and one count of using a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence.
Wimbley’s sentencing was announced today after a federal jury in Fort Worth, Texas late Wednesday convicted another member of Wimbley’s crew – Edward Eugene Robinson, 49, of Long Beach – of conspiracy to interfere with commerce by robbery, two counts of interfering with commerce by robbery, and two counts of brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence. Robinson also faces criminal charges in Wimbley’s federal case in Riverside.
According to the evidence presented at trial, on May 21, 2019, Wimbley, brandishing a handgun and accompanied by three co-conspirators, robbed an AT&T Wireless store in Fullerton, stealing $23,339 worth of electronic devices and cell phones. During the robbery, one of the conspirators pointed a gun at employee’s abdomen and forced her to go to the back of the store after she said she was scared, according to court documents. Law enforcement later found the robbers in a parked car and found nearby the handgun and stolen goods.
A federal grand jury in October 2019 charged Wimbley, Robinson and four other men in an indictment that alleged a conspiracy to rob cellular phone stores in Chino, Fullerton, Long Beach, Victorville, and Beaumont. The defendants targeted cell phones that did not contain tracking devices, and, in total, stole approximately $191,053 worth of cell phones and electronic devices, and approximately $2,434 in cash, according to the indictment.
Three other defendants in this case – Wimbley’s cousin, Robert Wimbley, 28, of Pomona; Wimbley’s brother, Darron Wimbley, 29, of Fontana; and Djovonte Lewis, 23, of Pomona – each pleaded guilty in August 2020 to one count of Hobbs Act robbery and one count of using a firearm during a violent crime. Robert Wimbley was sentenced to 114 months in federal prison, and Darron Wimbley is serving a 100-month federal prison sentence for his crimes. Lewis is expected to be sentenced on April 19.
The indictment’s lead defendant, Aaron Tremmell Hardrick, 33, of Fort Worth, Texas, also was transferred to the Northern District of Texas, where some of crewmembers committed additional robberies. Hardrick pleaded guilty to Hobbs Act robbery and a firearms offense, admitted to committing the robberies in Southern California, and was sentenced to 45 years in federal prison.
This matter was investigated by the FBI, the Redlands Police Department, the Rialto Police Department, the Glendora Police Department, the Riverside County Sheriff's Department, the Chino Police Department, the Fullerton Police Department, the Long Beach Police Department, the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department, the Beaumont Police Department, and the Pomona Police Department.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Jerry C. Yang, Chief of the Riverside Branch Office, and Peter H. Dahlquist, also of the Riverside Branch Office. The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Texas is providing substantial assistance by prosecuting the cases against Hardrick and Robinson, which were handled by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matthew Weybrecht and Nancy Larson.
Incarcerated Felon Pleads Guilty to Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
MACON, Ga. – A convicted felon currently serving a federal prison sentence for crimes committed in Missouri has pleaded guilty to possession of child pornography in Georgia, said Peter D. Leary, the Acting U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of Georgia.
Jalen Ortez Gude, 27, of Hillsboro, Georgia, pleaded guilty to one count possession of child pornography before U.S. District Judge Tilman “Tripp” Self on Tuesday, March 9. Gude faces a maximum 20 years in prison to be followed by a minimum of five years up to a lifetime of supervised release and a $250,000 fine. Gude will be sentenced at 10:00 a.m. on June 1, 2021. There is no parole in the federal system.
Gude was sentenced to serve 81 months in federal prison on January 22, 2018 for wire fraud and aggravated identity theft in the Western District of Missouri. During the course of the investigation into the crimes for which he is currently imprisoned, investigators executed a search warrant on March 17, 2015 at his Hillsboro residence, recovering an iPhone and a 64GB thumb drive. The drive contained 18 photos and three videos of child pornography, including images and video that involved a minor under the age of 12.
“Prosecuting crimes against children is a top priority in the Middle District of Georgia. This defendant will be held accountable with additional federal prison time, without parole,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Leary. “I want to thank the FBI for their pursuit of justice for our most vulnerable citizens—our children.”
“Each time pornographic images of innocent children are created and shared, they are victimized again,” said Chris Hacker, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. “Our message to child predators is that we are committed and working hard to bring them to justice by getting them the toughest penalties of the law.”
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab "resources."
The case was investigated by FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorney Will Keyes is prosecuting the case for the Government. Questions can be directed to Pamela Lightsey, Public Information Officer, U.S. Attorney’s Office, at (478) 621-2603 or Melissa Hodges, Public Affairs Officer (Contractor), U.S. Attorney’s Office, at (478) 765-2362.
Hawthorne Man Sentenced to 212 Years in Prison for Scheming to Collect Insurance Proceeds by Intentionally Killing His ChildrenRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – A Hawthorne man was sentenced today to 212 years in federal prison for intentionally driving his ex-wife and two disabled sons off a wharf at the Port of Los Angeles into the ocean – drowning the boys who were trapped in the car – to collect on accidental death insurance policies he had taken out on their lives.
Ali F. Elmezayen, 45, was sentenced by United States District Judge John F. Walter, who, in imposing the maximum sentence allowed by law, noted Elmezayen’s “evil and diabolical scheme” as well as the “vicious and callous nature of his crimes.”
“He is the ultimate phony and a skillful liar…and is nothing more than a greedy and brutal killer,” Judge Walter said. “The only regret that the defendant has is that he got caught.”
Judge Walter also ordered Elmezayen to pay $261,751 in restitution to the insurance companies that he defrauded.
During a nine-day trial in October 2019, a federal jury found Elmezayen guilty of four counts of mail fraud, four counts of wire fraud, one count of aggravated identity theft, and five counts of money laundering.
“Mr. Elmezayen conceived a cold-blooded plan to murder his autistic sons and their mother, then cash in on insurance policies,” said Acting United States Attorney Tracy L. Wilkison. “He now has ample time to reflect – from the inside of a federal prison cell – on where his greed and self-interest took him. We continue to grieve for those two helpless boys who deserved better from their father, who will never again walk among us as a free man.”
“Fathers are supposed to protect their children but instead, Elmezayen drove his boys straight to their certain death in exchange for cash,” said Kristi Johnson, the Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Los Angeles Field Office. “The defendant maliciously planned the death of his autistic sons and gave them virtually no chance of survival. The investigation that led to today's sentencing won’t give them their lives, but affords them justice in death.”
From July 2012 to March 2013, Elmezayen bought from eight different insurance companies more than $3 million of life and accidental death insurance policies on himself and his family. Elmezayen paid premiums in excess of $6,000 per year for these policies – even though he reported income of less than $30,000 per year on his tax returns. Elmezayen began purchasing the insurance policies the same year he exited a Chapter 11 bankruptcy proceeding.
After purchasing the policies, Elmezayen repeatedly called the insurance companies – sometimes pretending to be his ex-wife in whose name he had obtained some of the policies – to verify that the policies were active and that they would pay benefits if his ex-wife died in an accident. Elmezayen also called at least two of the insurance companies to confirm they would not investigate claims made two years after the policies were purchased. These telephone calls were recorded and were played for the jury.
On April 9, 2015, 12 days after the two-year contestability period on the last of his insurance policies expired, Elmezayen drove a car with his ex-wife and two youngest children off a wharf at the Port of Los Angeles. The site of the crash was a loading dock and worksite for commercial fishermen.
Elmezayen swam out the open driver’s side window of the car. Elmezayen’s ex-wife, who did not know how to swim, escaped the vehicle and survived when a nearby fisherman threw her a flotation device. Two of the couple’s three sons, who were 8 and 13 and who were both severely autistic, were strapped into the car and drowned. The couple’s third son was away at camp at the time and was not in the car at the time his father drove it into the water.
Elmezayen then collected more than $260,000 in insurance proceeds from Mutual of Omaha Life Insurance and American General Life Insurance on the accidental death insurance policies he had taken out on the children’s lives. He used part of the insurance proceeds to purchase real estate in Egypt as well as a boat.
“[Elmezayen] murdered his disabled children and attempted to murder his ex-wife for money,” prosecutors wrote in their sentencing memorandum. “After years of physically and emotionally abusing his ex-wife and neglecting the children, [Elmezayen] bought $3.4 million in insurance on their lives, waited for two years so the insurance companies would not contest his claims, and then drove them into the ocean, leaving them to drown. That was [Elmezayen’s] fraudulent scheme. It was also premeditated murder.”
In addition to posing as his ex-wife in communications with the insurance companies without her knowledge, following the crash, Elmezayen repeatedly lied to law enforcement officers and insurance companies. He also lied in subsequent civil litigation he filed concerning the crash – about the extent of the insurance he had purchased on his family, and specifically about whether he had insured his disabled children’s lives. He also attempted to persuade witnesses to lie to law enforcement and say he had given the insurance proceeds to charity.
FBI agents arrested Elmezayen in November 2018 and he has been in federal custody ever since.
“Today Ali Elmezayen was held accountable for his actions, which directly led to the tragic death of his two sons. It is unthinkable that any father would jeopardize the lives of his family for his own financial gain,” stated Special Agent in Charge Ryan L. Korner of IRS Criminal Investigation. “IRS-CI is proud to work alongside our law enforcement partners to help bring some closure to this horrifying scheme.”
The FBI and IRS Criminal Investigation investigated this case. The Los Angeles Police Department, the Los Angeles Port Police, and the Los Angeles City Attorney’s Office provided substantial assistance in this case.
This matter was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Alexander C.K. Wyman of the Major Frauds Section and David T. Ryan of the Terrorism and Export Crimes Section.
Guyanese National Sentenced to Time Served for Illegal Re-Entry into the United StatesRead the Press Release
St. Thomas, USVI – United States Attorney, Gretchen C.F. Shappert for the District of the Virgin Islands announced today that Warren Michael Whyte, a citizen of Guyana, was sentenced after previously pleading guilty to illegally re-entering the United States after being ordered deported and removed.
According to Court documents, on March 14, 2020, an ICE Deportation Officer received information from a credible source of information (SOI) that an individual who was previously deported from the United States was working in the Smith Bay area in St. Thomas, V.I. at an auto repair shop called "Auto World". Criminal and immigration records checks were completed and revealed that on June 18, 2002, Warren Whyte was ordered removed from the United States by the Immigration & Naturalization Service to his native country of Guyana as an aggravated felon due to his prior felony conviction.
Court records show that on March 17, 2020, at approximately 7:00 am, an ICE officer observed an individual who appeared to be the person identified in the picture as Warren Whyte. Officer Williams conducted a vehicle stop on VI Route 40 of the vehicle the individual was driving. During the encounter, Whyte freely admitted that his name was Warren Whyte. Mr. Whyte was taken into custody and transported to the ICE office where his fingerprints resulted in a positive match to his prior record of deportation.
During the Sentencing Hearing, United States District Court Judge Robert A. Molloy stated that Mr. Whyte’s prior conviction was almost 20 years ago, and that Whyte had been on home incarceration since March 17, 2020. Judge Molloy sentenced Mr. Whyte to time served. Mr. Whyte will be deported from the United States as a result of his conviction.
This case was investigated by the U. S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Juan A. Albino.
Gulf Coast Gang Member Sentenced to Almost 3 Years in Federal Prison for Firearms OffenseRead the Press Release
Gulfport, Mississippi – Joseph Benjamin Posey, Jr., 19, of Biloxi, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Sul Ozerden to 33 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for being an unlawful user of a controlled substance in possession of multiple firearms, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Darren J. LaMarca and Michelle A. Sutphin, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation in Mississippi. Posey was also ordered to pay a $3,000 fine.
On September 2, 2020, Biloxi Police officers conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle in which Posey was a passenger. As a result of the stop, officers located two loaded handguns, one of which was stolen. Posey subsequently admitted that he obtained the guns three days before the traffic stop. He also admitted that he was a member of local gang and that he used marijuana daily.
Posey was indicted on October 6, 2020, and he pled guilty before Judge Ozerden on December 8, 2020.
This case was investigated by the FBI and the Biloxi Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan Buckner.
Gary Man Sentenced to 30 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
HAMMOND-Antonio Walton, 44, of Gary, Indiana, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Philip P. Simon to 360 months in prison and 5 years of supervised release following his conviction at trial for conspiracy to distribute 280 grams or more of crack cocaine, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Bell.
According to documents in this case, from July 2015 through November 2016, Walton conspired with other individuals in Gary, Indiana, to distribute and possess with intent to distribute crack cocaine. As part of the conspiracy, cocaine was cooked into crack cocaine, packaged for sale, and distributed by members of the conspiracy in Gary’s Glen Park neighborhood, with some individuals serving as security for the twenty-four hour a day drug operation. During the investigation, law enforcement executed search warrants at five separate locations and recovered approximately 300 grams of crack cocaine packaged for sale, packaging materials, money, and a 33-page drug ledger. Walton provided most of the crack cocaine sold by the members of the conspiracy, and it is estimated that gross drug sales ran into the hundreds of thousands of dollars. Walton has prior felony convictions for dealing in cocaine, distribution of marijuana, and possession of ammunition as a felon.
To date, eighteen other charged members of the conspiracy have been convicted of drug-related offenses in this case.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Gang Response Investigative Team with the assistance of the Gary, Hobart, and Lake County Police Departments. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Thomas R. Mahoney and Alexandra McTague.
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Gang Activity in White County Results in Dozens of Federal ArrestsRead the Press Release
SEARCY, ARKANSAS—Seventeen individuals were arrested Thursday morning as part of a sweeping law enforcement operation that targeted associates of a drug organization responsible for the distribution of methamphetamine and cocaine in Searcy and the White County area.
The investigation, named Operation Central Sweep, began in April 2020 to combat the growing violent crimes associated with gang-related activity traced to the “Gangster Disciples,” a drug distribution organization operating in the Searcy area. Numerous indictments, which were returned by a Grand Jury on March 5, 2020, and unsealed today, named 33 defendants who are charged with various drug and firearm offenses. Law enforcement officers arrested 17 individuals, and eight defendants were already in state custody prior to today’s operation. Eight defendants are currently considered fugitives (see defendant list).
Prior to today’s arrests, the investigation had resulted in the seizure of 105 pounds of methamphetamine, 3.3 pounds of cocaine, and 44 firearms. During arrest operations on Thursday, agents recovered four additional firearms.
“Our neighborhoods deserve to exist without fear and intimidation inflicted by violent drug gangs like the Gangster Disciples,” said Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Special Agent in Charge Brad L. Byerley. “The arrests today are an example of DEA’s relentless pursuit to target individuals and organizations that plague and pollute our communities with their drug trafficking and violence. DEAs continued pledge to the people of Arkansas is to continue to continue to work with all our law enforcement partners to pursue these violent criminals and drug traffickers.”
“The focus is on the community,” said Thomas Noyes, Inspector in Charge of the United States Postal Inspection Service Fort Worth Division. “It is fulfilling to see an array of departments working together to take criminals, drugs, and guns off the streets, but the real reward is restoring a sense of safety to the community. It is an honor to have worked with so many towards that end, and we thank the U.S. Attorney’s Office for their commitment to seek the maximum prosecution for criminals who have posed such grave danger to our towns.”
“As today’s operation demonstrated, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), along with our state and federal law enforcement partners, continues to enhance our ability to disrupt deadly narcotics and weapons trafficking,” said HSI New Orleans acting Special Agent in Charge Jack Staton. “This operation sends a strong message to drug dealers that HSI will use every available resource to prevent and dismantle the flow of dangerous and addictive substances into our communities.”
ATF is proud to stand with our state, federal and local partners against violent drug and gang crime in our communities,” said William McCrary, Assistant Special Agent in Charge for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF). “This case is a great example of cooperative law enforcement at its best. We will continue to work together to address these serious crimes.”
The investigation was conducted jointly with DEA, ATF, Homeland Security Investigations, United States Postal Inspection Service, Searcy Police Department, 17th Judicial District Prosecuting Attorney’s Office, White County Sheriff’s Office; and the Central Arkansas Drug Task Force.
Additional agencies assisting in the arrest operation included Arkansas State Police, Arkansas Highway Police, Arkansas Department of Corrections, Arkansas National Guard Counterdrug Unit, 20th Judicial District Drug Task Force, Lonoke County Sheriff’s Office, Prairie County Sheriff’s Office, White County Sheriff’s Office, United States Marshals Service, United States Fish and Wildlife Service, and United States Probation Office.
The charges in today’s unsealed indictments include conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine; distribution and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine; possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime; felon in possession of a firearm; and unlawful user of a controlled substance in possession of a firearm.
The maximum penalty for the drug charges is not less than 10 years in prison and up to life imprisonment and a $10,000,000 fine. The maximum penalty for possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime is not less than five years in prison and up to life imprisonment and a $250,000 fine. The maximum penalty for being a felon or an unlawful drug user in possession of a firearm is 10 years’ imprisonment and a $250,000 fine.
The defendants arrested today will appear before U.S. Magistrate Judge Joe J. Volpe on March 15, 2021, at 9:00 a.m. for plea and arraignment. Defendants who were already in custody will have arraignments scheduled later. Trial dates will be announced at plea and arraignment. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Amanda Fields. The defendants charged include:
Juan Ahumada, 26, Searcy (*)
Christopher Barefield, 28, Conway
Cory Birdwell, 34, Searcy (*)
Rodney Bishop, 46, Judsonia (&)
Benjamin Blue, 44, Searcy (*)
Dennis Boatman, 29, Searcy (&)
Albert Cates, 57, Searcy (&)
Aaron Cromwell, 29, Searcy (*)
Justice Cunningham, 23, Searcy (%)
Athena Delancey, 40, Augusta
Sigmond Donelson, 47, Searcy
Kayla Haggins, 26, Helena-West Helena (*)
Kenny Isom, 32, McRae (*)
Keith Johnson, 38, Helena-West Helena (*)
Lyron Johnson, 57, Searcy
Timothy Johnston, 58, Searcy (*)
Rickey Jones, 34, Searcy (&)
Christopher Koser, 19, Judsonia
Earl Lockhart III, 44, Augusta
Felicia Mason, 25, Searcy
Michael Matthews, 39, Bald Knob (*)
Anthony Miles, 55, Judsonia (*)
Donald Patterson, 33, Helena-West Helena (*)
Branden Priddy, 29, Searcy (&)
Cynthia Rainey, 35, Searcy (*)
John Rayburn, 30, Searcy (*)
Roderick Roberson, 43, Searcy
Andre “Smoke” Smith, 21, Searcy (*)
Nathaniel Stipes, 28, Judsonia (*)
Marcus Trouten, 35, Searcy (*)
Terry White, 26, Searcy
Keith Williams, 47, Augusta (&)
Evander Young, 32, Searcy (*)
* arrested Thursday
& in state custody
% fugitive
An indictment contains only allegations. Defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
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This news release, as well as additional information about the office of the
United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, is available online at
https://www.justice.gov/edar
Twitter:
@EDARNEWS
GBK Gang Member Sentenced to Federal Prison for Firearms Law ViolationRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH - A resident of Pittsburgh, PA, has been sentenced in federal court to 70 months’ imprisonment on his conviction of being a felon in possession of firearms and ammunition, Acting United States Attorney Stephen R. Kaufman announced today.
Senior United States District Judge Arthur J. Schwab imposed the sentence on Jaimon Woods, age 30.
According to information presented to the court, in 2017, the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Drug Enforcement Administration initiated a wiretap investigation, primarily targeting the Greenway Boys Killas (GBK) street gang and drug trafficking in and around an area known as the Greenway Projects, located in the West End of the City of Pittsburgh. During the investigation, on December 7, 2017, Jaimon Woods was observed driving a gold BMW, with expired inspection and emissions stickers and windows tinted in excess of code, on Ohio River Boulevard in Avalon Borough, PA. An Avalon Borough police officer conducted a traffic stop, but Woods and the passenger of the vehicle both fled. The officer chased Woods and was able to apprehend him. The officer searched Woods’ gold BMW and recovered two firearms, a Smith & Wesson 9mm pistol, and a Smith and Wesson 44 magnum revolver. Both guns were loaded and had been stolen. Woods’s fingerprint was found on the revolver. Because Woods had previously been convicted of felony offenses, he was prohibited from possessing the firearms and ammunition.
Prior to imposing sentence, Senior Judge Schwab stated that the sentence was sufficient but not greater than necessary to achieve the goals of sentencing.
Assistant United States Attorneys Tonya Sulia Goodman and Yvonne Saadi prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
Acting United States Attorney Kaufman commended the Avalon Borough Police Department in conducting the traffic stop which led to the arrest of Woods and the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Drug Enforcement Administration, joint leaders of the multi-agency wiretap investigation, which also included the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police, Allegheny County Sheriff’s Office, Pennsylvania State Police, Robinson Township Police Department, Stowe Township Police Department, Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office, Wilkinsburg Borough Police Department, and the McKees Rocks Police Department, for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Jaimon Woods.
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.
Forrest County Man Sentenced to over 17 Years in Federal Prison under Project EJECT for Possession of Methamphetamine with Intent to DistributeRead the Press Release
Hattiesburg, Miss. – Oliver McNair, 30, of Petal, was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Judge Taylor B. McNeel to 210 months in federal prison, followed by 5 years of supervised release, for possessing methamphetamine with the intent to distribute, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Darren LaMarca and Special Agent in Charge Kurt Thielhorn with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (“ATF”). McNair was also ordered to pay a $5000 fine.
On August 31, 2019, McNair was found in possession of over 60 grams of methamphetamine in Petal. Pursuant to forensic analysis by the DEA, the methamphetamine was determined to be approximately 97% pure. McNair also had a firearm at the time of his arrest.
Prior to the instant offense, McNair had previously been convicted of two armed robberies in and around Hattiesburg. As a result of his criminal history, he was sentenced as a career offender.
McNair was originally indicted for this offense on January 15, 2020. He pled guilty on October 21, 2020.
Jason Denham, Resident Agent in Charge of the ATF Gulfport Field Office, provided the following statement in response to McNair’s sentencing: “This investigation just illustrates how the partnership between federal and local law enforcement can be effective at removing a violent, career offender from a community and provide an immediate impact to public safety.”
Connie Keene, Captain of the Forrest County Sheriff’s Office’s Criminal Investigative Division, stated as follows: “The Forrest County Sheriff’s Office (FCSO) is committed to working with local, state and federal law enforcement agencies as a participant in Project EJECT to ensure that violent habitual offenders are brought to justice as exhibited by the sentence imposed on Mr. Oliver McNair. In the present case, at his arrest Mr. McNair was not only a convicted career criminal at that time, but in possession of distribution-level methamphetamine, and a stolen firearm as further evidence as to the extreme danger he presented to the community. The FCSO is committed to continuing to seek out, investigate and bring to justice career criminals as part of Sheriff Charlie Sims’ commitment to serve the citizens of Forrest County courteously, respectfully and professionally in order to prevent crime and enhance safety.
This case is part of Project EJECT, an initiative by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Mississippi under the U.S. Department of Justice’s Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) and Project Guardian. EJECT is a holistic, multi-disciplinary approach to fighting and reducing violent crime through prosecution, prevention, re-entry and awareness. EJECT stands for “Empower Justice Expel Crime Together.” PSN is bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. Project Guardian draws upon the Department’s past successful programs to reduce gun violence; enhances coordination of federal, state, local, and tribal authorities in investigating and prosecuting gun crimes; improves information-sharing by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives when a prohibited individual attempts to purchase a firearm and is denied by the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS), to include taking appropriate actions when a prospective purchaser is denied by the NICS for mental health reasons; and ensures that federal resources are directed at the criminals posing the greatest threat to our communities.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Forrest County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Andrew W. Eichner.
Former President of Philadelphia Wholesale Produce Market Charged with Stealing $7.8 Million from His EmployerRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – Acting United States Attorney Jennifer Arbittier Williams announced that Caesar DiCrecchio, 60, of Voorhees, NJ, was charged by Information with two counts of wire fraud, one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, one count of money laundering conspiracy, one count of aggravated identity theft, and four counts of tax evasion, all of which allegedly caused more than $7.8 million in losses to the Philadelphia Wholesale Produce Market in South Philadelphia. Separately, Thomas Del Borrello, 42 of Sewell, NJ, was also charged by Information with eight counts of aggravated false filing of a currency transaction report and one count of aggravated failure to file a currency transaction report.
The Information alleges that DiCrecchio, the former President and CEO of the Produce Market, exercised control over every aspect of the Market, including expenditure of funds, and was required to report on the Market’s finances to its Board of Directors. The defendant defrauded the Market by using company funds to pay $1.9 million in rent on his Stone Harbor, New Jersey shore house; converting into cash $1.1 million in checks drawn on the Market’s bank account and using the cash for his own benefit; causing $1.7 million in checks to be issued from the Market operating account payable to his friends or relatives; causing the Market to pay for the defendant’s personal credit card expenditures; converting $320,000 in checks that were payable to the Market and cashing them for his own benefit; skimming $2.6 million in cash from the pay gate at the Market’s parking lot, which he used to pay Market employees ‘under the table’ while keeping a substantial portion for his own use; and using Market funds to provide a $180,000 loan to a Market vendor, which the vendor repaid directly to DiCrecchio. The defendant concealed these expenditures in the Market’s books and records by directing that these payments be reflected as legitimate business expenditures, for example: notated as maintenance, snow removal, insurance, legal fees and other false expenditure entries.
The Information also alleges that DiCrecchio committed aggravated identity theft by cashing checks at a currency exchange using the name of an unwitting victim as the payee. Further, it is also alleged that the defendant conspired to engage in money laundering by agreeing with two unnamed individuals to conduct repeated money laundering transactions by converting Market funds into money orders at a currency exchange so that he could pay the rent at his shore house. In total, DiCrecchio laundered approximately $319,736 by purchasing money orders at the currency exchange using Market funds.
According to the second Information, Del Borrello was a supervisor at United Check Cashing on South Broad Street in Philadelphia and was responsible for compliance with regulations governing cash transactions, including the preparation and filing of Currency Transaction Reports (CTRs). DiCrecchio regularly caused groups of checks to be delivered to, and cashed at, United Check Cashing. These checks were each made out for less than $10,000, but when cashed as a group generated in excess of $10,000 in United States currency. For these cash transactions in excess of $10,000, regulations require the currency exchange to file a CTR, recording the identity of the person who presented the transaction. Del Borrello allegedly caused the filing of false CTRs which hid DiCrecchio’s identity, or caused United Check Cashing to fail to file a CTR altogether. On some occasions, DiCrecchio directed Del Borrello, or others at United Check Cashing, to convert the proceeds of the checks into separate money orders which were used to pay the monthly rent for DiCrecchio’s Stone Harbor house.
Lastly, the Information alleges that DiCrecchio willfully attempted to evade federal income tax over several years, by failing to report more than $2.1 million in income for tax years 2014 through 2017. DiCrecchio failed to report as income the proceeds of his fraud on the Market, as well as a car allowance, a pension allowance, and consulting income that he received from the Market.
“Complexity will not hide crime from law enforcement,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Williams. “Further, and as alleged here, ‘nickel and dime’ theft – skimming small amounts here and there over many years – is just as illegal as stealing one large lump sum. The charges announced today reflect our Office’s commitment to uncovering and prosecuting complicated financial frauds.”
“Caesar DiCrecchio stands charged with a massive theft from the Philadelphia Wholesale Produce Market,” said Michael J. Driscoll, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Philadelphia Division. “Stealing business funds for personal use is fraud, plain and simple, and anyone padding their paycheck like this can expect a whole lot of attention from the FBI.”
“Willfully evading one’s tax liability is a violation of federal tax law,” said IRS Criminal Investigation Special Agent in Charge Thomas Fattorusso. “Mr. DiCrecchio stands accused of evading taxes on millions of dollars’ worth of income, while Mr. Del Borrello is alleged to have, among other things, caused the filing of false CTRs which hid Mr. DiCrecchio’s identity and permitted his fraud to continue. Rest assured that IRS Special Agents are fully trained to investigate numerous types of tax and related financial crimes, and are constantly working to uncover crimes such as those charged in these cases.”
“This investigation is a perfect example of a collaborative effort between state and federal agencies,” said Sgt. Brandon Corby, Commander, Eastern Organized Crime Task Force, Pennsylvania State Police. “DiCrecchio and Del Borrello utilized their positions to further their personal wealth and defraud the Wholesale Produce Market of millions of dollars. The Pennsylvania State Police along with our federal partners are committed to eradicating this type of criminal behavior and hold those engaged in such activities accountable for their actions.”
DiCrecchio faces a maximum sentence of 102 years in prison, a three-year period of supervised release, and a fine of $2,500,000. Del Borrello faces a maximum sentence of 90 years in prison, a three-year period of supervised release, and a fine of $4,500,000.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Organized Crime Task Force, the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation, and the Pennsylvania State Police, and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michael T. Donovan.
An indictment, information, or criminal complaint is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Former Enforcer of New Bedford Latin Kings Chapter Pleads Guilty to Drug Trafficking and Manufacturing ChargesRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A former member and leader of the New Bedford Chapter of the Massachusetts Almighty Latin King and Queen Nation (“Latin Kings”) pleaded guilty yesterday to drug charges.
Jeremia Medina, a/k/a “King Sweepy,” 33, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute, manufacture and possess with intent to distribute cocaine base. U.S. Senior District Court Judge Rya W. Zobel scheduled sentencing for June 17, 2021.
Medina admitted to being a former Enforcer of the New Bedford Chapter of the Latin Kings, and to conspiring with other members of the Latin Kings to distribute, manufacture and possess with intent to distribute cocaine and cocaine base. As Enforcer, Medina was a leader of the New Bedford Chapter charged with organizing violent acts by the gang and administering violations and other violence. Medina also admitted to conspiring with other Latin Kings members and leaders to operate a vast drug trafficking network throughout New Bedford, utilizing a number of multi-unit apartment buildings controlled by the Latin Kings, known as trap houses. The evidence described at the plea hearing today included court-authorized interceptions of Medina’s phone, and a recording where he is depicted in a trap house, in front of a stove preparing to “cook” a suspected kilogram of cocaine powder into “crack” cocaine, also known as cocaine base.
The Latin Kings are a violent criminal enterprise comprised of thousands of members across the United States. The Latin Kings adhere to a national manifesto, employ an internal judiciary and use a sophisticated system of communication to maintain the hierarchy of the organization. As alleged in court documents, the gang uses drug distribution to generate revenue, and engages in violence against witnesses and rival gangs to further its influence and to protect its turf.
In December 2019, a federal grand jury returned an indictment alleging racketeering conspiracy, drug conspiracy and firearms charges against 62 leaders, members and associates of the Latin Kings. Medina is the 40th defendant to plead guilty in the case.
The charge of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, at least three years and up to life 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.
Acting United States Attorney Nathaniel R. Mendell; Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Division; Commissioner Carol Mici of the Massachusetts Department of Correction; and New Bedford Police Chief Joseph C. Cordeiro made the announcement. Valuable assistance was also provided by the FBI North Shore Gang Task Force and the Bristol County and Suffolk County District Attorney’s Offices. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Philip A. Mallard and Lauren Graber of Mendell’s Criminal Division are prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The remaining defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Former Accounting Coordinator for Non-Profit Organization Pleads Guilty to Embezzling More than $321KRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, PA - A resident of Pittsburgh, PA, pleaded guilty in federal court to a charge of bank fraud, Acting United States Attorney Stephen R. Kaufman announced today.
Danielle Strother-Rush, 34, pleaded guilty to one count before United States District Judge David Cercone.
In connection with the guilty plea, the court was advised that Strother-Rush was an Accounting Coordinator for the Eastern Minority Supplier Development Council, which is a nonprofit organization that was created to increase business opportunities for minority-owned businesses. From approximately August 2014 until August 2016, Strother-Rush embezzled $321,255.88 in various ways. The primary way in which she embezzled funds was by writing checks to herself from the operating accounts and forging her supervisor’s signature on the checks. She also made unauthorized ATM withdrawals including several at the Rivers Casino. Lastly, she accessed the payroll bank account online and made unauthorized electronic checks payable to herself.
Judge Cercone scheduled sentencing for July 15, 2021 at 1:00 P.M.. The law provides for a total sentence of 30 years in prison, a fine of $1,000,000, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Pending sentencing, the court permitted Strother-Rush to remain on bond.
Assistant United States Attorney Lee J. Karl is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation and Pittsburgh Bureau of Police conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Strother-Rush.
Federal Jury Convicts Felon in Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – A federal jury on Tuesday convicted a Columbiana man for being a felon in possession of a firearm, announced U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona and Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Special Agent in Charge Mickey French.
The jury returned its guilty verdict against Joshua Lee Jones, 36, of Columbiana, after 2 days of testimony before U.S. District Judge Abdul K. Kallon. Jones was prohibited from owning a firearm because he had prior Illinois state court convictions for Murder, Second Degree, Unlawful Delivery of a Controlled Substance, and Unlawful Possession of a Weapon by a Felon.
“Prosecuting felons with guns is a priority of my office,” U.S. Attorney Escalona said. “Felons who possess firearms pose a threat to the safety and security of our community. Citizens of the Northern District of Alabama deserve to feel safe in their communities.”
“Removing the criminal element that uses a firearm to facilitate violent crimes is a priority of ATF. ATF’s crime gun intelligence partnerships leveraging NIBIN technology will have a lasting impact within this community.”
The maximum punishment for being a felon in possession of a firearm is 10 years in prison.
The ATF investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brittney Plyler and Alan Baty are prosecuting the case.
Federal Grand Jury in Chicago Indicts Five Alleged Associates of Sinaloa Cartel on Drug Trafficking ChargesRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — A federal grand jury in Chicago has indicted five suspected associates of the Sinaloa Cartel on drug trafficking charges for allegedly conspiring to distribute cocaine in the Chicago area. One defendant was recently extradited to the United States to face the charges.
Charged with conspiracy to possess a controlled substance with the intent to distribute are ROBERTO VELAZQUEZ MARTINEZ, 36, of Santiago Papasquiaro, Mexico; CAMILO ALVAREZ, 44, of Durango, Mexico; JOSE HERNANDEZ RAMIREZ, 36, of Tamaulipas, Mexico; INES CHAVEZ RODRIGUEZ, 36, of Santiago Papasquiaro, Mexico; and LOUIS REYES VELEZ, 44, of Stickney, Ill.
According to a criminal complaint and indictments filed in U.S. District Court in Chicago, the defendants worked together to attempt to import and distribute cocaine into the United States on behalf of the Sinaloa Cartel in Mexico. The charges allege that Velazquez Martinez traveled to Chicago in 2018 to attempt to arrange a multi-kilogram cocaine shipment with co-conspirators and two other individuals who, unbeknownst to Velazquez Martinez, were confidentially working with U.S. law enforcement.
Reyes Velez was arrested Tuesday in Cicero, Ill. He pleaded not guilty at his arraignment Tuesday before U.S. Magistrate Judge Young B. Kim. A detention hearing for Reyes Velez is scheduled for this afternoon. Velazquez Martinez was arrested in October 2019 in Lima, Peru, and was extradited in December 2020 to the United States. He has pleaded not guilty. His case is set for a status hearing on March 31, 2021, before U.S. District Judge Joan H. Lefkow.
Alvarez, Hernandez Ramirez, and Chavez Rodriguez are believed to be residing in Mexico. U.S. warrants for their arrests have been issued.
The charges were announced by John R. Lausch, Jr., United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois; and Robert J. Bell, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Division of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration. Valuable assistance was provided by the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, U.S. Marshals Service, and INTERPOL. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Aaron R. Bond and Matthew J. Hernandez.
The investigation was conducted with the support of the Chicago HIDTA and OCDETF Task Forces, which are comprised of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies working together to identify, disrupt, and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking organizations.
The public is reminded that an indictment is not evidence of guilt. The defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. The drug conspiracy charge is punishable by a maximum sentence of life in federal prison. If convicted, the Court must impose a reasonable sentence under federal statutes and the advisory U.S. Sentencing Guidelines.
Federal Firearm Charge Brought Against Fresno Man After Attempting to Evade PoliceRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned a one-count indictment today against Luis Francisco Abrams, 44, of Fresno, charging him with being a felon in possession of a firearm, Acting U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, on Feb. 23, Abrams was riding his motorcycle when officers attempted to stop him for a traffic violation. Abrams failed to yield and led officers on a pursuit, during which he drove against oncoming traffic and ran multiple red lights. Abrams eventually crashed his motorcycle and fled the scene on foot. While fleeing, Abrams threw a firearm on the roof of a nearby building. Fresno Police officers eventually caught up to him, arrested him, and recovered the loaded firearm from the roof. Abrams is prohibited from possessing firearms because of his prior criminal record, which includes convictions for car theft, assault with a firearm, drug offenses, and domestic violence.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Fresno Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Antonio J. Pataca is prosecuting the case.
If convicted, Abrams faces a maximum statutory penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. The Department of Justice reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally based strategies to reduce violent crime. To learn more about Project Safe Neighborhoods, go to www.justice.gov/psn.
Erie Man Charged with Possession and Transfer of Unregistered FirearmsRead the Press Release
ERIE, Pa. - A resident of Erie, Pennsylvania, has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh on charges of violating federal firearms laws, Acting United States Attorney Stephen R. Kaufman announced today.
The two-count Indictment named Joseph Leonard Stratton-Kiehlmeier, 47, as the sole defendant.
According to the Indictment presented to the court, in January 2020, Stratton-Kiehlmeier, possessed unregistered firearms, specifically a fully automatic, 9mm sub machine gun and a fully automatic, AK47 style assault rifle and transferred these firearms in violation of the National Firearms Act.
The law provides for a maximum total sentence of 20 years in prison, a fine of $500,000, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney Paul S. Sellers is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation leading to the Indictment in this case. Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
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 www.justice.gov/projectguardian.
An Indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Eighth St. Croix Woman Pleads Guilty in Multi-Defendant Tax Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
St. Croix, USVI – United States Attorney Gretchen C.F. Shappert announced today that Joanne Benjamin, age 41, from the Virgin Islands pled guilty in federal court on March 11, 2021 to Conspiracy to Defraud the United States.
According to the plea agreement filed with the court, from January 2011 to July 2012, Joanne Benjamin and others participated in a scheme to steal money from the United States treasury by fraudulently obtaining federal income tax refunds. The scheme involved the acquisition of personal identifying information of individuals (i.e. name, social security number, and date of birth) used to electronically file falsified tax returns with a designation of refunds to the acquired bank accounts or debit cards. Defendant and her co-conspirators withdrew the deposited refunds, spent them using a debit card or transferred them to other accounts, all for personal use.
As a result of the scheme, approximately $110,896 of falsely-claimed returns was designated for deposit into Defendant’s bank account, of which approximately $80,425 was actually deposited therein.
Of ten defendants charged in the tax fraud scheme, Benjamin is the eighth to plead guilty. Seven others have entered guilty pleas, three of whom have been sentenced in federal court by District Court Chief Judge Wilma Lewis. The remaining two defendants are scheduled for trial on June 7, 2021. A sentencing date for Benjamin is scheduled for July 14, 2021, and she faces a maximum sentence of ten years, up to a $250,000.00 fine, and the payment of restitution.
The prosecution of this fraud scheme is the result of years of investigative work by the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigations, which identified and dismantled a massive stolen identity refund fraud scheme perpetrated in the Virgin Islands and elsewhere.
The case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigations, and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Melissa Ortiz.
Duluth Man Charged with Covid Relief Fraud, Identity Theft, Illegal Possession of FirearmsRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney W. Anders Folk today announced a 16-count federal indictment charging JARED JOHN FIEGE, 34, with fraud, aggravated identity theft, and illegal possession of firearms. FIEGE will make his initial appearance in U.S. District Court at a later date.
According to the allegations in the indictment, from at least April 2020 through August 2020, FIEGE devised and executed a scheme to fraudulently obtain COVID-19 relief through Unemployment Insurance (UI) and the Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) Program. As part of the scheme, FIEGE submitted fraudulent applications for UI benefits and EIDL assistance by using stolen names, birth dates, and social security numbers of at least 25 individuals. In applying for EIDL assistance and advances, FIEGE also invented fictional business entities, which he linked to the identities of real persons without their knowledge or consent. FIEGE possessed multiple cell phones and registered numerous email addresses which he used to impersonate others. FIEGE also impersonated others by using fraudulent passports as a means of identity verification. FIEGE established false bank accounts and requested bank cards to be issued by mail, allowing him to withdraw significant amounts of cash from those accounts.
According to the allegations in the indictment, FIEGE illegally possessed two firearms, namely a Glock 43, 9 mm handgun and a Sig Sauer handgun. Because he has prior felony convictions, FIEGE is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition at any time.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the United States Postal Inspection Service, the Small Business Administration Office of the Inspector General, the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, and the Duluth Police Department.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Lindsey E. Middlecamp.
The charges contained in the indictment are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Defendant Information:
JARED JOHN FIEGE, 34
Duluth, Minn.
Charges:
- Mail fraud, 5 counts
- Wire fraud, 4 counts
- Bank fraud, 2 counts
- Aggravated identity theft, 4 counts
- Felon in possession of a firearm, 1 count
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United States Attorney’s Office, District of Minnesota: (612) 664-5600
Dorchester Man Indicted for Being a Felon in Possession of a Firearm and AmmunitionRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Dorchester man was indicted yesterday by a federal grand jury for being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition.
Michael King, a/k/a “Rugga,” 29, was indicted on one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition. King is currently detained in state court and will be arraigned in federal court in Boston at a later date.
According to the indictment, on Dec. 18, 2020, King possessed a Smith & Wesson, Model 442 Airweight, .38 caliber revolver, loaded with five rounds of .38 caliber ammunition. King is prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition due to a prior felony conviction.
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.
Acting United States Attorney Nathaniel R. Mendell; Kelly D. Brady, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, Boston Field Division; Canton Police Chief Kenneth Berkowitz; and Norfolk County District Attorney Michael Morrisey made the announcement.
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.
The details contained in the indictment are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Dominican Republic National Sentenced to Prison After Illegally Re-entering the United States Following the Commission of a Firearm OffenseRead the Press Release
St. Thomas, USVI- United States Attorney, Gretchen C.F. Shappert for the District of the Virgin Islands announced today that Eilin Castillo Montano of the Dominican Republic was sentenced after previously pleading guilty to illegally reentering the United States after being ordered deported and removed.
According to court documents, Immigration Customs Enforcement (ICE) Deportation Officer received information from a credible source of information (SOI) that an individual who was previously deported from the United States was back in St. Thomas. ICE officers observed the defendant and took him into custody, where he admitted to being in the United States illegally.
Criminal and immigration records checks revealed that the defendant was previously ordered deported and on April 19, 2016, he was removed to the Dominican Republic. His removal followed a federal conviction on August 31, 2015, in the District Court of the Virgin Islands for possessing a firearm by an illegal alien and a local conviction in the Virgin Islands Superior Court on January 11, 2016, for discharging a firearm.
United States District Court Judge Robert A. Molloy sentenced Castillo to 12 months imprisonment.
The case was investigated by U.S. Immigration & Customs Enforcement.
Dominican National Sentenced to Eight Years in Prison for Distributing Crack Cocaine and Illegal Re-EntryRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Dominican national, most recently residing in Lawrence, was sentenced yesterday for distribution of cocaine base and illegal re-entry of a deported alien.
Juan Ramon Fernandez, 56, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Patti B. Saris to eight years in prison and four years of supervised release. He will be subject to deportation proceedings following completion of his sentence. In December 2020, Fernandez pleaded guilty to a distribution of 28 grams or more of cocaine base (“crack cocaine”) and illegal re-entry of a deported alien.
Between July 2017 and October 2017, law enforcement conducted an undercover investigation of Fernandez’s drug dealing business that he operated in Lawrence. In October 2017, investigators recorded a controlled purchase of two ounces of crack cocaine from Fernandez.
Fernandez was arrested on Aug. 19, 2019. At the time of his arrest, law enforcement learned that Fernandez had been deported in 2011 after previously serving eight years in state prison for trafficking cocaine.
Acting United States Attorney Nathaniel R. Mendell and Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Division made the announcement today. The FBI’s North Shore Gang Task Force conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Philip Cheng of Mendell’s Narcotics and Money Laundering Unit prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. The Department of Justice reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime.
Defendant Sentenced for Participation in Scheme to Defraud Bossier Parish Community CollegeRead the Press Release
SHREVEPORT, La. – Audrey Williams, 57, of Shreveport, Louisiana, was sentenced today for conspiracy to commit wire fraud, announced Acting United States Attorney Alexander C. Van Hook. Chief U.S. District Judge S. Maurice Hicks, Jr. sentenced Williams to 48 months in prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release. Williams was also ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $286,987.08.
Williams, along with her co-defendants, Carol Bates, Faith Alexander, and Marquise Perry, all of Shreveport, were indicted on September 25, 2019 and charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud and wire fraud.
Williams pleaded guilty on September 23, 2020 and at the hearing admitted that she recruited individuals who were either current or former students of Bossier Parish Community College (BPCC) to receive monies from which she knew they were not entitled. Williams’ sister and co-defendant, Carol Bates, was the comptroller at BPCC and had access to a password-protected database which allowed her to make entries into the college’s financial aid system. Once Williams recruited the individuals to receive funds, Bates would access the BPCC system and make a false entry showing that the student was due a refund from the school, which caused a monetary refund to be issued to that student. The individuals who were recruited to receive the funds would then deliver a large portion of the monies to Audrey Williams or Carol Bates. Williams kept the money for herself and spent it on personal expenses.
Carol Bates, 50, the former comptroller for BPCC, was previously sentenced in this case on February 22, 2021 to 60 months (5 years) in prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release. Bates was also ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $286,987.08.
Marquise Perry, 36, pleaded guilty on December 9, 2019 and was sentenced on December 11, 2020 to 5 years of supervised probation. Perry was also ordered to pay $49,524.65 in restitution.
The sentencing hearing for Faith Alexander is scheduled for March 22, 2021 at 10:00.
The U.S. Department of Education, Office of Inspector General, and the Louisiana Office of State Inspector General, conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Seth D. Reeg prosecuted the case.
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Convicted Felon, Drug User, and Domestic Abuse Misdemeanant Who Possessed a Gun Sentenced to More than Eight Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
A man who possessed a loaded revolver was sentenced March 3, 2021, to more than eight years in federal prison.
Obed Lopez-Castillo, age 29, from Sioux City, Iowa, received the prison term after an August 19, 2020, guilty plea to being a felon and domestic abuse misdemeanant in possession of a firearm and ammunition. Lopez-Castillo was previously convicted of felony and domestic abuse crimes which made it illegal for him to possess a gun.
Evidence at Lopez-Castillo’s detention, change of plea, and sentencing hearings revealed that on January 13, 2020, he was stopped by police for not using his headlights. The stopping officer identified Lopez-Castillo as the driver of the vehicle, and determined that Lopez-Castillo did not have a valid driver’s license. During the traffic stop, Lopez-Castillo stated he did not have any weapons on his person. However, officers located a loaded .22 caliber revolver in his waistband.
Lopez-Castillo admitted he was a felon, and stated that he knew that it was illegal for him to possess a firearm. He also stated that he was, or had been, a member of a street gang, was a daily marijuana user and was an occasional methamphetamine user.
Lopez-Castillo was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand. Lopez-Castillo was sentenced to 102 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
Lopez-Castillo is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). PSN is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
This case is also part of Project Guardian, the Department of Justice’s signature initiative to reduce gun violence and enforce federal firearms laws. Initiated by the Attorney General in the fall of 2019, Project Guardian draws upon the Department’s past successful programs to reduce gun violence; enhances coordination of federal, state, local, and tribal authorities in investigating and prosecuting gun crimes; improves information-sharing by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives when a prohibited individual attempts to purchase a firearm and is denied by the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS), to include taking appropriate actions when a prospective purchaser is denied by the NICS for mental health reasons; and ensures that federal resources are directed at the criminals posing the greatest threat to our communities. The United States Attorney’s Office has prosecuted this case with support from our Project Guardian partners. For more information about Project Guardian, please see /media/1122011/dl?inline.
The case was investigated by the Sioux City, Iowa Police Department and the U.S. Department of Justice’s Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Forde Fairchild.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 20-4010.
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Convicted Felon Sentenced for Escaping Federal CustodyRead the Press Release
LAFAYETTE, La. - Acting United States Attorney Alexander C. Van Hook announced that Kyle Robert Dore, 37, of Lake Charles, Louisiana, was sentenced today by United States District Judge James D. Cain, Jr. to 13 months in prison, followed by 1 year of supervised release, for escaping from federal custody.
Evidence introduced at the guilty plea hearing on December 3, 2020 established that Dore had been convicted of a felony offense in the Western District of Louisiana and was committed to the custody of the Bureau of Prisons (BOP) for a total term of 33 months. In September 2019, Dore was transferred to the CINC II Halfway House in Lake Charles to serve out the remainder of his sentence. Dore soon after secured employment and was approved by BOP to begin a period of home confinement. Dore signed an agreement with BOP to remain at his place of residence, except for employment, unless given specific permission to do otherwise. He was scheduled to be released from federal custody on February 28, 2020.
On January 30, 2020, a caseworker with the CINC II Halfway House in Lake Charles conducted an employment check and learned from Dore’s employer that he had not appeared for work that day. Dore had not been given permission to leave federal custody. Law enforcement agents began an investigation into Dore’s whereabouts and learned that he had vacated his residence in Lake Charles and failed to report to work on January 30 and 31. Soon after on February 5, 2020, local law enforcement officers in Oklahoma apprehended Dore in their jurisdiction and he was returned back to Lake Charles and charged with escape from federal custody.
The United States Marshal Service’s Task Force conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Danny Siefker prosecuted the case.
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Coffee County man sentenced to federal prison for trafficking methamphetamineRead the Press Release
WAYCROSS, GA: A Coffee County man has been sentenced to nearly six years in federal prison after admitting to trafficking methamphetamine.
Israel Moreno, 56, of Wray, Ga., was sentenced to 70 months in prison by U.S. District Court Judge R. Stan Baker after pleading guilty to Possession with Intent to Distribute and to Distribute 50 Grams or More of a Substance Containing Methamphetamine, said David H. Estes, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. After completion of his prison term, Moreno will be required to serve four years of supervised release and will be referred for deportation proceedings. There is no parole in the federal system.
“As these meth merchants continue to earn hard time in federal prison, they should be getting an unmistakable warning,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Estes. “With the relentless efforts of our law enforcement partners, we will track down and remove drug traffickers like Israel Moreno from our communities.”
As described in court documents and testimony, investigators with the Coffee County Drug Unit and the South-Central Drug Task Force in June 2019 identified Moreno as a major drug distributor in the Coffee County area.
“Methamphetamine is not only toxic, but it destroys families, communities and lives,” said Robert J. Murphy, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration Atlanta Field Division. “Because of spirited law enforcement cooperation, this defendant will no longer be able to distribute this poison and will spend well-deserved time in prison.”
“This is just the latest in what will, undoubtedly, continue to be a very long string of convictions and long prison sentences for meth pushers in Coffee County,” said Coffee County Sheriff Doyle Wooten. “We are extremely grateful, as always, for the assistance from other local, state, and federal agencies who work alongside us to rid our area of this epidemic.”
The case was investigated by the DEA, the Coffee County Drug Unit, and the South-Central Drug Task Force, and prosecuted for the United States by Assistant U.S. Attorney and Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force Coordinator Marcela C. Mateo.
Chicago Street Gang Member Sentenced to Ten Years in Prison on Racketeering Conspiracy ChargeRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — A member of a violent Chicago street gang has been sentenced to ten years in federal prison for engaging in a pattern of racketeering activity that included attempted murder, drug trafficking, and obstruction of justice.
RONTRELL TURNIPSEED, 28, of Matteson, pleaded guilty in 2019 to a racketeering conspiracy charge. Turnipseed admitted in a plea agreement that he conspired with leadership of the Four Corner Hustlers street gang to engage in a pattern of racketeering activity that included using violence and intimidation to protect the gang’s cocaine and heroin dealing in Chicago. Turnipseed also admitted participating in the attempted murder of a 15-year-old girl on Aug. 31, 2012, in the West Garfield Park neighborhood of Chicago. A dispute with a man about selling drugs at a particular location in the neighborhood escalated into a shootout, with Turnipseed and the man firing shots. Two bullets struck the girl as she walked home from school. The girl was seriously injured but survived.
While Turnipseed’s case was pending, he obstructed justice by instructing individuals to delete photographs and videos from his social media accounts. The images showed Turnipseed illegally possessing firearms and drugs and represented evidence in the case against him.
U.S. District Judge Thomas M. Durkin imposed the ten-year sentence Monday after a hearing in federal court in Chicago.
The sentence was announced by John R. Lausch, Jr., United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois; Emmerson Buie, Jr., Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI; Kristen deTineo, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Division of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; and David Brown, Superintendent of the Chicago Police Department. The investigation was conducted with support from the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) and assistance from the Chicago FBI’s Safe Street Task Force, the Chicago High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Task Force (HIDTA), ATF’s Chicago Crime Gun Strike Force, and the Chicago Police Gang Investigations Division. Additional assistance was provided by the Illinois Secretary of State Police Department, U.S. Bureau of Prisons, Illinois Department of Corrections, and Illinois State Police.
“The distribution of controlled substances, such as cocaine and heroin, leads to predictably dire consequences in the communities in which the drugs are sold and ingested,” Assistant U.S. Attorneys Peter S. Salib, William Dunne, and Kavitha J. Babu argued in the government’s sentencing memorandum. “And when those sales were combined with the power of the Four Corner Hustlers — a street gang willing and ready to use violence to protect itself — it made for an often lethal combination.”
Turnipseed was indicted on the racketeering charge in 2017 along with eight other alleged members of the Four Corner Hustlers and two additional defendants. Eight of the co-defendants have pleaded guilty, while three have pleaded not guilty and are awaiting trial. Turnipseed is the third defendant to be sentenced.
Canton man sentenced to 8 years for distributing carfentanil and possession of firearms as a felonRead the Press Release
A Canton, Ohio, man was sentenced to 105 months imprisonment and ordered to pay a $25,000 fine by U.S. Judge Pamela A. Barker after pleading guilty to distribution of carfentanil and felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition.
Rollins Babb, 27, was arrested on April 23, 2020, by federal agents with the Canton FBI Safe Streets Task Force and members of the Canton Police Department after the execution of a federal search warrant.
“This case presents another example of the danger our communities face when those who are already prohibited from having firearms do so in order to advance and support their illegal narcotics trafficking, here the distribution of carfentanil," said Acting U.S. Attorney Bridget M. Brennan. “We remain committed to the coordinated law enforcement efforts throughout this District, and especially in Canton, that prioritize this threat and seek to protect us all.”
"Guns, violence and illegal narcotics often go hand-in-hand, and Mr. Babb will now answer for his actions," said FBI Special Agent in Charge Eric. B. Smith. "The FBI will continue to work shoulder to shoulder with our partners to ensure those who bring violence and narcotics to our communities are held accountable. "
According to court documents, Babb became under federal investigation after he sold 51 grams of carfentanil to an FBI source on January 10, 2020. On April 23, law enforcement searched Babb’s residence pursuant to a federal search warrant and seized and located two Glock pistols, approximately $8,000 in cash, multiple packages of marijuana, digital scales, oxycodone, a security system, multiple cell phones, cutting agents and promethazine and codeine syrup. Investigators located one of the firearms in a secret compartment hidden above the front door of the home and the other in a couch in Babb’s living room.
Babb is prohibited from possessing a firearm due to previous convictions for robbery and felonious assault in 2015 in Stark County.
The investigation preceding the indictment was conducted by the Canton FBI Safe Streets Taskforce and the Canton Police Department. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron P. Howell.
California Man Admits He Mailed Fentanyl Pills to PennsylvaniaRead the Press Release
ERIE, Pa. - A former resident of California, pleaded guilty in federal court to a charge of violating federal drug laws, Acting United States Attorney Stephen R. Kaufman announced today.
Victor Daniel Gutierrez, 48, pleaded guilty to one count before United States District Judge Susan Paradise Baxter.
In connection with the guilty plea, the court was advised that between May 28, 2020 and June 8, 2020, Gutierrez conspired to possess with intent to distribute and distribute forty grams or more of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of fentanyl. The charge is based on an intercepted United States Mail parcel that Gutierrez shipped to Pennsylvania from California containing approximately 340 grams of fentanyl pills. As part of the plea, Gutierrez also acknowledged his responsibility for attempting to possess with intent to distribute 2.125 kilograms of cocaine and 1.535 kilograms of heroin in and around September of 2019.
Judge Baxter scheduled sentencing for July 8, 2021 at 1:30 p.m. The law provides for a total sentence of 40 years in prison, a fine of $5,000,000, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney Paul S. Sellers is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The United States Postal Inspection Service conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Gutierrez.
Buffalo Man Arrested, Charged for His Role in A Scheme to Defraud Medicaid Out of Thousands of DollarsRead the Press Release
CONTACT: Barbara Burns
PHONE: (716) 843-5817
FAX #: (716) 551-3051BUFFALO, N.Y.- U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy, Jr. announced today that Saleh Mozeb, 65, of Buffalo, NY, was arrested and charged by criminal complaint with healthcare fraud. The charge carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
“The Medicaid program is intended to provide healthcare benefits to those in need,” noted U.S. Attorney Kennedy. “This Office and our partners will do all that we can in order to ensure that dishonest individuals who seek to enrich themselves by exploiting the Medicaid program are brought to justice.”
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan P. Cantil, who is handling the case, stated that the defendant is a co-owner of Great Lake Transportation, which is a non-emergency medical transportation provider for Medicaid recipients. Great Lake, which has been operating since August 2016, has approximately 15 vehicles in its fleet and employs approximately 20 drivers, primarily providing rides to and from methadone clinics in the Buffalo area. Between September 2016, and December 2020, representatives from Great Lake submitted fraudulent claims for payment to Medicaid, seeking reimbursement for non-emergency transportation allegedly provided by Mozeb. The fraud involved the billing of Medicaid transportation trips that were not actually being performed, and individual rides that were billed as group rides, resulting in a greater reimbursement. Great Lake billed approximately $34,825 between September 2016, and December 2020, for rides provided by the defendant.
The defendant made an initial appearance this afternoon before U.S. Magistrate Judge H. Kenneth Schroeder, Jr. and was released on conditions, including electronic monitoring.
The criminal complaint is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Stephen Belongia; the New York State Medicaid Fraud Control Unit, under the direction of New York State Attorney General Letitia James; the New York State Police, Special Investigation Unit, under the direction of Major James Hall; the New York State Department of Financial Services, under the direction of Superintendent Linda A. Lacewell; the New York State Comptroller's Office, under the direction of Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli; and U.S. Border Patrol, under the direction of Acting Chief Patrol Agent Buffalo Sector Andrew K. Scharnweber.
The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
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Berkeley County man admits to roles in drug conspiracyRead the Press Release
MARTINSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Theodore Richardson, of Martinsburg, west Virginia, has admitted to his role in a drug conspiracy that spanned several states, Acting United States Attorney Randolph J. Bernard announced.
Richardson, also known as “JR,” age 56, pleaded guilty to one count of “Aiding and Abetting the Distribution of Fentanyl and Cocaine.” Richardson admitted to selling cocaine hydrochloride, also known as “coke,” and fentanyl in June 2019 in Berkeley County.
Richardson faces up to 20 years of incarceration and a fine of up to $1,000,000. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
This case is the result of investigations supported by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) under the Attorney General-led Synthetic Opioid Surge (SOS)/Special Operations Division (SOD) Project Clean Sweep. This initiative seeks to reduce the supply of synthetic opioids in “hot spot” areas previously identified by the Attorney General of the United States, thereby reducing drug overdoses and drug overdose deaths, and identify wholesale distribution networks and sources of supply operating nationally and internationally.
OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Lara Omps-Botteicher and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney C. Lydia Lehman, also with the Berkeley County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office, are prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The FBI; Homeland Security Investigations; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives; and the Eastern Panhandle Drug and Violent Crimes Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, investigated.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Robert W. Trumble presided.Beresford Man Charged with Receipt and Distribution of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney Dennis Holmes announced that a Beresford, South Dakota, man has been indicted by a federal grand jury for Receipt and Distribution of Child Pornography.
Anthony James Berst, age 33, was indicted on March 2, 2021. He appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Veronica L. Duffy on March 4, 2021 and pled not guilty to the Indictment.
The maximum penalty upon conviction is up to 20 years in federal prison and/or a $250,000 fine, life of supervised release, and $100 to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Restitution may also be ordered.
The Indictment alleges that on or about between September 7, 2020, and on or about January 6, 2021, Berst knowingly received and attempted to receive child pornography that had been mailed, shipped, and transported in or affecting interstate or foreign commerce by any means, including a computer.
The charge is merely an accusation and Berst is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
The investigation is being conducted by the Division of Criminal Investigation and Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey C. Clapper is prosecuting the case.
Berst was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending trial, which has been set for May 11, 2021.
Attleboro Man Pleads Guilty to Child Pornography ChargesRead the Press Release
BOSTON – An Attleboro man pleaded guilty yesterday to receipt and possession of child pornography.
Garry Bienvenue, 58, of Attleboro, pleaded guilty to one count of receipt of child pornography and one count of possession of child pornography involving a prepubescent minor and a minor who had not attained 12 years of age. U.S. District Court Judge F. Dennis Saylor scheduled sentencing for July 12, 2021. On March 12, 2020, Bienvenue was arrested and charged by criminal complaint, and he has been in custody since that time.
Law enforcement learned that an internet user at Bienvenue’s Attleboro home had solicited and received child pornography from children over the internet using the Snapchat messaging application. A search of the home resulted in the seizure of Bienvenue’s smartphone, which was found to contain child pornography videos that had been received through Snapchat, including one depicting the rape of a child as young as 3-5 years old.
The charge of receipt of child pornography provides for a mandatory minimum sentence of five years and up to 20 years in prison. The charge of possession of child pornography provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison. Each charge also provides for a mandatory minimum of five years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based on the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Acting United States Attorney Nathaniel R. Mendell; William S. Walker, Acting Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Boston; Colonel Christopher Mason, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police; and Attleboro Police Chief Kyle P. Heagney made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elianna Nuzum of Mendell’s Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.
The case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood. In 2006, the Department of Justice created Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov/.
Albion, PA Felon Charged with Gun Law ViolationRead the Press Release
ERIE, Pa. - A resident of Albion, Pennsylvania has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh on a charge of violating federal firearms laws, Acting United States Attorney Stephen R. Kaufman announced today.
The one-count Indictment named John Erik Frombach, 43, as the sole defendant.
According to the Indictment presented to the court, on or January 22, 2021, Frombach possessed a firearm while being a convicted felon.
The law provides for a maximum total sentence of 10 years in prison, a fine of $250,000, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney Paul S. Sellers is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation leading to the indictment in this case.
Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
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 www.justice.gov/projectguardian.
An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Oklahoma Issues Statement Regarding OCCA Decisions of Hogner and BosseRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – Since the United States Supreme Court decision in McGirt v. Oklahoma was handed down in July 2020, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma has been committed to ensuring that public safety is our top priority. The opinions released today by the Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals in Hogner v. Oklahoma and Bosse v. Oklahoma only reinforce that commitment, said Acting United States Attorney Christopher J. Wilson. “The Hogner and Bosse cases expand federal criminal jurisdiction to prosecute crimes committed by Indians or upon Indian victims in the territorial boundaries of the Cherokee and Chickasaw Nations.”
“In anticipation of today’s rulings, the U.S. Attorney’s Office has partnered with the district attorneys and tribal prosecutors within the Eastern District to identify cases which will be impacted by these decisions, said Acting United States Attorney Christopher J. Wilson. “We have also forged strong working relationships with local, state, tribal and federal law enforcement agencies to investigate crimes occurring within Indian Country. Our office will be building on the framework we set in place to address crimes occurring within the Muscogee (Creek) Nation after the McGirt opinion. This framework includes creating Indian Country prosecution teams, securing attorneys and support staff from other U.S. Attorney’s offices to serve terms in the Eastern District, as well as establishing case intake and referral procedures in cooperation with the Federal Bureau of Investigation.”
“The expansion of federal criminal jurisdiction resulting from the Hogner & Bosse rulings will no doubt dramatically increase our caseload, but I am confident the men and women of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District will rise to the challenge,” said Wilson.
Acting U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson’s Statement Regarding the Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals’ Ruling in Hogner v. OklahomaRead the Press Release
“The men and women of the U.S. Attorney’s Office have worked tirelessly to pursue justice and support victims of crime, and we will continue to do so in response to the Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals’ ruling in Hogner v. Oklahoma,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. “So far in 2021, the Northern District of Oklahoma has welcomed a team of new Assistant U.S. Attorneys, legal support staff and victim specialists to help address the increased caseload resulting from the changing jurisdictional landscape in Oklahoma, and we continue to advocate for more federal resources. A group of federal prosecutors, operating since the McGirt decision, has also been charged with reviewing cases that occur on Cherokee Nation lands involving Native American defendants or victims. These prosecutors will either refer the cases to Cherokee Nation for prosecution or accept them for federal prosecution. Rest assured, our office will work in close partnership with local District Attorneys, the Cherokee Nation Attorney General as well as local, state, tribal, and federal law enforcement agencies to ensure the continued provision of public safety for the people of northeastern Oklahoma.”
14 Charged with Participating in Fentanyl Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
Fourteen individuals were indicted by a federal grand jury on Monday and charged with participating in a conspiracy to distribute, and possession with intent to distribute, fentanyl, Acting United States Attorney John J. Farley announced today. Those charged in the indictment are:
Manuel Emilio Delacruz-Diaz, 41, of Lawrence, MA
Francisco Valdez-Aybar, 36, of Lawrence, MA
Santo Luis Araujo-Guerrero, 48, of Lawrence, MA
Edwin Flores, 41, of Lawrence, MA
Ramon Jacquez-Diaz, 50, of Methuen, MA
Ambiory Monegro-Reynoso, 51, of Methuen, MA
Wandy Rosario, 29, of Methuen, MA
Maribel Benjamin, 57, of Lawrence, MA
Vivian Last Name Unknown (“LNU”) of Lawrence, MA
Carlos Patricio Ozuna Gonzalez, 39, of Lawrence, MA
Victor Tejada-Gonzalez, 30, of Connecticut
Mikael Canario-Batista, 45, of Lawrence, MA
Estiviz Estepan-Ortiz, 37, unknown residence
Danaury Espinal-Lara, 40, unknown residence
Of those charged, Delacruz-Diaz, Valdez-Aybar, Araujo-Guerrero, Jacquez-Diaz, Monegro-Reynoso, Rosario, Benjamin, and Gonzalez were arrested during a coordinated law enforcement action on Wednesday. Tejada-Gonzalez and Canario-Batista were already in custody on other charges. Espinal-Lara, Estepan-Ortiz, Flores and Vivian LNU have not yet been taken into custody. Those arrested appeared before a magistrate judge on Wednesday. 5 of those arrested were ordered detained pending further proceedings.
This matter was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, Homeland Security Investigations, the Massachusetts State Police, the Methuen Police Department, the Lawrence Police Department, and the Nashua Police Department.
The charges in the indictment are only allegations. The defendants are presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
This investigation 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.
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12-Time Convicted Felon Charged with Firearm Offenses Under Operation UndauntedRead the Press Release
A 12-time convicted felon, who waived arraignment Tuesday and pleaded not guilty, remains in federal custody charged with multiple firearms offenses, announced U.S. Attorney Ashley C. Hoff and Special Agent in Charge Fred J. Milanowski, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Houston Field Division.
A federal grand jury indictment unsealed last week, charges 41-year-old Louis Duane Rhyne of Austin, with two counts of being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm and one count of possession of a stolen firearm. The indictment alleges that on March 19, 2020, Rhyne possessed a stolen .223 caliber Smith and Wesson model M&P-15 rifle. The indictment further alleges that on December 29, 2020, Rhyne was in possession of a .38 special caliber Smith & Wesson model 38 revolver.
On December 29, 2020, the U.S. Marshal Service Lone Star Fugitive Task Force apprehended Rhyne in Austin. At that time of his arrest, Rhyne was in possession of the loaded .38 caliber revolver. Public court records reveal that Rhyne has amassed a dozen felony convictions all in Texas ranging from assault and organized criminal activity to evading arrest and unlawful use of a motor vehicle.
Rhyne faces up to ten years in federal prison for each charge upon conviction. Jury selection and trial is scheduled for 9 a.m. on May 17, 2021, before U.S. District Judge Robert Pitman in Austin.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) investigated this case along with the Austin and Manor Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alan Buie is prosecuting this case.
An indictment is merely a charge and should not be considered as evidence of guilt. The defendant is considered innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
This case is part of Operation Undaunted, a program which draws on the partnerships among federal, state and local law enforcement coupled with prosecution authorities to tackle violent crime and protect the communities of central and west Texas.
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10 March 2021
Yankton Man Convicted of Possession of a Controlled SubstanceRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney Dennis R. Holmes announced that Michael Wayne Zephier, age 40, of Yankton, South Dakota, was found guilty of Possession of a Controlled Substance (methamphetamine) as a result of a federal jury trial in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.
The charge carries a minimum penalty of 90 days and maximum penalty of 3 years in custody and/or a minimum of a $5,000 fine, up to one year of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Zephier was indicted by a federal grand jury on March 3, 2020. The grand jury charged that on or about February 2, 2020, in the District of South Dakota, Zephier, did knowingly and intentionally, possess with the intent to distribute 5 or more grams of methamphetamine (actual), a Schedule II controlled substance, in violation of 21 U.S.C. § 841(a)(1). The trial jury found Zephier not guilty of that charge, but found him guilty of the lesser included crime of possession of methamphetamine.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, U.S. Department of Homeland Security, and Yankton Sioux Tribal Law Enforcement. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Hodges prosecuted the case.
A presentence investigation was ordered and a sentencing date was set for April 19, 2021. The defendant was returned to the custody of the State of South Dakota, where he is currently incarcerated for violation of his parole.
Wilmington Man Receives 10 Years in Prison for Heroin DistributionRead the Press Release
NEW BERN, N.C. – Jarrin Anthony Clarida, age 27, of Wilmington was sentenced today to 120 months in prison for three counts of distribution of a quantity of heroin and one count of possession with the intent to distribute a quantity of heroin. On December 18, 2019 Clarida pled guilty to these charges. All the counts arose out of acts that occurred in the City of Wilmington.
According to court documents, in January 2019, investigators with the Wilmington Police Department (WPD) launched an investigation into Clarida’s drug distribution activities. Using a Confidential Informant, law enforcement conducted three controlled purchases of heroin from Clarida on January 8, 10, & 15, 2019. Following the controlled purchases, members of the WPD Gang Unit executed a search warrant at Clarida’s residence. A search of the residence uncovered heroin packaged in 220 bindles, marijuana, 3 dosage units of MDMA, miscellaneous ammunition, gang related documents, a 9mm magazine, an unloaded EKOL Volga 9mm starter gun and $5,601.00. Clarida was taken into custody and provided a statement to law enforcement officials admitting that the heroin and a large portion of the currency found in the residence were his. Per court documents, Clarida is a validated gang member and has prior state convictions that include, but are not limited to, selling a Schedule I controlled substance, interference with an electronic monitoring device, and possession with the intent to sell or deliver marijuana.
G. Norman Acker, III, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Louise W. Flanagan. The Wilmington Police Department and Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) investigated the case and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Murphy Averitt prosecuted the case.
This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) operation and the Take Back North Carolina Initiative of The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of North Carolina. This initiative emphasizes the regional assignment of federal prosecutors to work with law enforcement and District Attorney’s Offices on a sustained basis in those communities to reduce the violent crime rate, drug trafficking, and crimes against law enforcement.
Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 7:19-cr-00140-FL.
Two Postal Service Employees Face Federal Charges of Using Funds from Unemployment Insurance Scheme to Buy Postal Money OrdersRead the Press Release
SANTA ANA, California – Federal authorities this morning arrested two employees of the U.S. Postal Service who allegedly abused their positions to purchase and cash Postal money orders with tens of thousands of dollars of unemployment benefits fraudulently obtained with false claims of COVID-related job losses.
Christian Jeremyah James, 31, of South Los Angeles, who works in the Culver City Main Post Office, and Armand Caleb Legardy, 32, of Inglewood, who works in the La Tijera Post Office on Crenshaw Boulevard in South Los Angeles, are expected to make their initial court appearances this afternoon in United States District Court in Los Angeles.
A criminal complaint filed on March 3 and unsealed after today’s arrests charges James and Legardy with conspiracy, aggravated identity theft, access device fraud, and fraud in connection with major disaster or emergency benefits.
The affidavit in support of the criminal complaint alleges that James and Legardy obtained debit cards issued by the California Employment Development Department (EDD), which administers the state’s unemployment insurance program. Those debit cards were issued based on applications for pandemic-related unemployment benefits submitted under 10 stolen identities.
Both James and Legardy used the fraudulently obtained EDD debit cards to purchase Postal money orders and cash Postal money orders that had been purchased with those debit cards, according to the complaint, which notes instances in which unidentified individuals used the EDD debit cards to purchase Postal money orders from the defendants while they were on duty at the Post Office.
James and Legardy also allegedly used the EDD debit cards issued in other people’s names to withdraw thousands of dollars in cash from ATMs. And, according to the complaint, James and Legardy deposited multiple fraudulently purchased Postal money orders directly into their own bank accounts, including one instance in which James purchased a $1,000 money order that was then deposited into Legardy’s bank account. According to the complaint, more than $25,000 in fraudulently purchased Postal money orders were deposited into James’ own bank account.
As of late December, the 10 fraudulently obtained EDD debit cards had been used to make $168,758 in purchases and $31,133 in ATM cash withdrawals.
The complaint does not accuse James or Legardy of submitting the fraudulent applications to the EDD.
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 they were to be convicted of the conspiracy and two fraud offenses alleged in the complaint, James and Legardy would each face a statutory maximum sentence of 45 years in federal prison. The charge of aggravated identity theft carries a mandatory two-year prison sentence that would run consecutively to any other prison term imposed in the case.
This matter is being investigated by the United States Postal Service – Office of Inspector General, the U.S Department of Labor – Office of Inspector General, IRS Criminal Investigation, and the California Employment Development Department.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Charles Pell of the Santa Ana Branch Office.
Texas Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Federal Prison for Possessing over 20 Pounds Combined of Fentanyl and CocaineRead the Press Release
Hot Springs, Arkansas – David Clay Fowlkes, Acting United States Attorney for the Western District of Arkansas, announced today that Johnny Rodriguez, age 22, of Houston, Texas, was sentenced to 120 months in federal prison followed by five years of supervised release on one count of Possession with Intent to Distribute more than 400 grams of Fentanyl. The Honorable Chief Judge Susan O. Hickey presided over the sentencing hearing in the United States District Court in Hot Springs.
In August 2019, an Arkansas State Police Trooper stopped a vehicle operated by Rodriguez, for a traffic offense. After receiving consent and searching the vehicle, the Trooper discovered a false compartment in the vehicle. A search of the compartment resulted in the Trooper locating approximately 12 kilograms of a controlled substance that field tested positive for cocaine. Rodriguez was arrested without incident.
The substance was submitted to the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Crime lab for testing and tested positive for 4909 grams of fentanyl and 4469 grams of cocaine.
Rodriguez plead guilty to an information in June of 2020.
This case was investigated by the Arkansas State Police and the Drug Enforcement Administration. Assistant United States Attorney Bryan Achorn prosecuted the case for the Western District of Arkansas.
Ten individuals indicted on federal firearms charges as part of agencies' collaborative effortRead the Press Release
SAVANNAH, GA: Ten defendants face federal felony firearms charges after indictment by a U.S. District Court grand jury in the Southern District of Georgia.
All of those charged are prohibited from possessing firearms. The cases are being investigated under the Department of Justice initiative targeting illegal firearms, and in coordination with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) and local law enforcement agencies.
“A fundamental requirement for safe streets is keeping guns out of the hands of individuals who are prohibited from possessing them,” said David H. Estes, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. “We applaud our collaboration with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and our state and local law enforcement partners in enforcing laws to remove illegally possessed firearms from our communities.”
In the past three years, more than 660 defendants were federally charged in the Southern District of Georgia for illegal firearms offenses – most often for carrying a firearm after having been convicted of a previous felony. The charge carries a penalty upon conviction of up to 10 years in prison, and there is no parole in the federal system.
“ATF will continue to dedicate federal resources in conjunction with those crucial law enforcement contributions of local agencies to target defendants that have no business carrying firearms, given their previous criminal conduct,” said Beau Kolodka, Assistant Special Agent in Charge of the Atlanta Field Division of the ATF.
Those named in federal indictments from the March 2021 term of the U.S. District Court grand jury include:
- Malcolm Robinson Brown, 38, of Augusta, charged with Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon, and Possession of Ammunition by a Prohibited Person, referring to a prior conviction for a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence;
- Matthew Kearse, 29, of Savannah, charged with Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon;
- Brandon Demarcus Reedy, 34, of Augusta, charged with Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon;
- Kijordan Markel Ceaser, 21, of Thomson, Ga., charged with Illegal Receipt of a Firearm by a Person Under Indictment;
- Timetrius Dontrel Neal, 23, of Thomson, Ga., charged with Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person, referring to a prior conviction on a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence; Possession of a Firearm by an Unlawful Drug User; and Illegal Receipt of a Firearm by a Person Under Indictment;
- Telly Green, 33, of Savannah, charged with Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon;
- Marcus Rashad Allen, 33, of Savannah, charged with Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon.
- Dameon Duncan, 21, of Savannah, charged with Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon.
- Darius Edwards, 33, of Pembroke, Ga., charged with Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon; and,
- John Calvin Young Jr., 35, of Rincon, Ga., charged with Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon.
The charge of Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person carries a possible penalty upon conviction of up to 10 years in prison. There is no parole in the federal system.
Criminal indictments contain only charges; defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
These cases also are investigated under the Prosecutor to Prosecutor Program (P3), in which federal and state prosecutors collaborate to determine the most appropriate venue for adjudication of alleged crimes.
In addition to these cases, at least three defendants recently have appeared in U.S. District Court on federal firearms charges, including:
- Courtney Raynard Spann, 29, of Statesboro, sentenced to 96 months in prison and ordered to serve three years of supervised release upon completion of his prison term after pleading guilty to Possession of Ammunition by a Convicted Felon;
- Onesimo Ochoa-Santos, 35, of Brunswick, sentenced to 18 months in prison and ordered to serve one year of supervised release upon completion of his prison term after pleading guilty to Possession of a Firearm by an Illegal Alien.
- Alexander Wallace, 36, of Savannah, sentenced to 95 months in prison and ordered to serve three years of supervised release upon completion of his prison term after pleading guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon.
Agencies investigating these cases include the ATF; Savannah Police Department; the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office; Columbia County Sheriff’s Office; the McDuffie County Sheriff’s Office; the Rincon Police Department; the Brunswick Police Department; and the Port Wentworth Police Department, with assistance from the U.S. Marshals Service.
The cases are being prosecuted for the United States by Southern District U.S. Attorney’s Office Assistant U.S. Attorneys, including Project Guardian Coordinator Henry W. Syms; Jennifer Stanley; Tara M. Lyons; Alejandro V. Pascual IV; Joshua S. Bearden; Tania D. Groover; Jennifer Kirkland; Edwin Caban; Joseph McCool; Marcela C. Mateo; John P. Harper III; and Noah Abrams.
Under federal law, it is illegal for an individual to possess a firearm if he or she falls into one of nine prohibited categories including being a felon; illegal alien; or unlawful user of a controlled substance. Further, it is unlawful to possess a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense or violent crime. It is also illegal to purchase – or even to attempt to purchase – firearms if the buyer is a prohibited person or illegally purchasing a firearm on behalf of others. Lying on ATF Form 4473, which is used to lawfully purchase a firearm, also is a federal offense.
For more information on the lawful purchasing of firearms, please see: https://www.atf.gov/qa-category/atf-form-4473.
Tampa Gang Member Pleads Guilty to Firearms OffensesRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – Gabriel Antonio Thompkins, II (25, Tampa) has pleaded guilty to making a false statement to a federally licensed firearms dealer in connection with the attempted purchase of a firearm, and to possessing firearms and ammunition as a convicted felon. Thompkins faces a maximum penalty of five years in federal prison for the false statement charge and up to 10 years’ imprisonment for the firearms possession offense.
According to the plea agreement, Thompkins was a member of the Grant Park neighborhood gang in Tampa. In furtherance of the gang’s activities, he sold drugs, illegally possessed firearms and ammunition, fled from law enforcement, and posted videos to social media.
On November 17, 2017, Thompkins fled the scene of a shooting in Tampa, driving away in a vehicle at a high rate of speed. He then crashed the vehicle into a pole and fled on foot as Tampa Police officers pursued him. The officers ultimately found Thompkins hiding under a house. On December 18, 2017, Thompkins pleaded guilty to the felony charge of fleeing to elude (high speed) in the Thirteenth Judicial Circuit Court in Hillsborough County.
On December 8, 2019, Thompkins went to Shoot Straight Tampa, a shooting range/gun store, and attempted to purchase a .45 caliber pistol. Thompkins filled out Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Form 4473 and falsely claimed that he had not been convicted of a felony. Shoot Straight Tampa conducted a background check and denied the purchase because of Thompkins’s convicted felon status.
On January 11, 2020, officers from the Tampa Police Department attempted a traffic stop on a vehicle Thompkins was driving. Thompkins fled, first in the vehicle and then on foot. From a backpack found in the car, the officers recovered approximately 170 grams of marijuana. They also located a Kel-Tec 556 pistol.
On October 6, 2020, law enforcement executed arrest and search warrants at Thompkins’s home in Tampa. Inside his bedroom they found a loaded, stolen .40 caliber handgun. They also recovered a loaded, stolen Mini Draco 7.62x39 mm firearm in a shed. As a previously convicted felon, Thompkins is prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition under federal law.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Tampa Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Christopher F. Murray.
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 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.
Stoughton Man Sentenced for Distributing FentanylRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Stoughton man was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Boston for distributing fentanyl and crack cocaine.
Matthew Pizarro, 32, was sentenced by U.S. Senior District Court Judge Rya W. Zobel to 10 years in prison and eight years of supervised release. In November 2019, Pizarro pleaded guilty to two counts of distribution of fentanyl, one count of distribution of 40 grams or more of fentanyl and one count of possession with intent to distribute 28 grams or more of crack cocaine. Pizarro was indicted in October 2018 and has been in custody since his arrest in August 2018.
In July 2018, agents began an investigation into an overdose death, and learned that the victim obtained fentanyl from a friend, who had purchased the fentanyl from Pizarro. As part of the investigation, over the course of the next month, Pizarro sold approximately 100 grams of fentanyl to an undercover agent. On Aug. 7, 2018, Pizarro was arrested. A search of his residence resulted in the seizure of approximately 45 grams of crack cocaine, 20 grams of powder cocaine and a .25 caliber handgun and ammunition.
Acting United States Attorney Nathaniel R. Mendell; Christopher Algieri, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General, Northeast Field Office; and Brian D. Boyle, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Division, made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Katherine Ferguson and Alathea Porter of Mendell’s Narcotics and Money Laundering Unit are prosecuted the case.
Staten Island Man Charged with Attempted Production of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
A criminal complaint was unsealed today in federal court in Brooklyn charging Ryan Behar with attempted sexual exploitation of a child. The charges relate to sexually explicit live streamed and recorded depictions that the defendant requested from a minor whom he targeted on Instagram. Behar was arrested today and will make his initial appearance via videoconference this afternoon before United States Magistrate Judge Sanket J. Bulsara.
Seth D. DuCharme, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York and William F. Sweeney, Jr., Assistant Director-in-Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI), announced the arrest and charge.
“As alleged, Behar misused social media in an effort to lure an underage teenager into having sexually explicit communications with him,” stated Acting United States Attorney DuCharme. “This Office will continue to make every effort to protect minors and hold to account those who contribute to their victimization.” Mr. DuCharme extended his grateful appreciation to the FBI Violent Crimes Against Children Squad for its investigative work, the New York City Police Department and the Richmond County District Attorney’s Office for their assistance on the case.
“Predators are appallingly aggressive in targeting society’s youth. If you think your child or teen is shielded from this type of predator, who can quietly target your child without ever having to physically enter your home, please think again. Do you know who your children are interacting with online? Have you asked? Adults did not grow up with this type of threat. Technology has changed, and we need your help educating and protecting our children,” stated FBI Assistant Director-in-Charge Sweeney. “We believe Mr. Behar had contact with many more victims, and we are urging those victims or their parents or guardians to call us at 1-800-CALL-FBI, or reach out for us online at tips.fbi.gov.”
As set forth in court filings, beginning on September 13, 2020, Behar, age 42, falsely claimed he was a teenage boy and engaged in a series of sexually explicit communications with the 16-year-old victim. Using an Instagram account, Behar repeatedly messaged the victim requesting that the victim create pornographic videos, photographs and live visual depictions. These communications occurred between September 2020 and October 2020. During these communications, Behar also sent the victim sexually explicit images he represented to be of himself and directed her to perform sexual acts while participating in video calls.
The charge in the complaint is an allegation, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. If convicted of attempted sexual exploitation of a child, Behar faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years’ imprisonment and a maximum of 30 years in prison.
This prosecution is 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 United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Department of Justice Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, 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.
The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s General Crimes Section. Assistant United States Attorney Garen S. Marshall is in charge of the prosecution.
The Defendant:
RYAN BEHAR
Age: 42
Staten Island, New YorkE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 21-MJ-293
St. Louis man charged with Hobbs Act RobberyRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – A federal criminal complaint charged Jonathan Davis with one count of Hobbs Act Robbery. Davis, a 21-year-old St. Louis resident, appeared in court today for his initial appearance in front of United States Magistrate Judge Nannette A. Baker.
According to the complaint, around 12:20 a.m. on January 23, 2021, a Steak N’ Shake employee was sitting in the back office of the restaurant located in the 9500 block of Natural Bridge Road. The restaurant was closed and the employee was talking to another employee while preparing bank deposits. While the employees were talking, Davis entered the office with a gun and demanded money from the safe. Davis, a former employee of the restaurant, held the gun (shown in the attached photo) against one of the employee’s neck.
The employee handed the money from the cash register drawer to Davis. After receiving the money, Davis ran through the back door of the restaurant.
Charges set forth in the complaint are merely accusations and do not constitute proof of guilt. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation and Berkeley Police Department investigated the case. Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer Szczucinski is handling this case.
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Springfield Woman Pleads Guilty to Sex Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Springfield woman pleaded guilty in federal court in Springfield yesterday to conspiracy to commit sex trafficking.
Shannon Yelinek, 36, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit sex trafficking before U.S. District Court Judge Mark G. Mastroianni, who scheduled sentencing for June 4, 2021. Yelinek was charged in August 2019.
Co-conspirator William Coleman previously pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit sex trafficking and nine counts of sex trafficking and was sentenced to 186 months in prison in September 2020.
As stated during court proceedings, Yelinek conspired with Coleman who operated a prostitution business that used violence and the drug addictions of female victims to coerce them into engaging in commercial sex acts with paying customers. The victims were typically required to turn over all of their earnings to Coleman and were subject to his tight control over their daily lives. Most of the women were not allowed to keep any of the money they earned, and they were only to obtain the drugs they needed from Coleman. In most cases, the victims were addicted to heroin.
Victims who did not engage in prostitution for Coleman, or who did not follow his rules, were subjected to physical assaults, sexual violence and the withholding of drugs. Coleman enlisted Yelinek, among others, to carry out tasks associated with the business. Yelinek admitted that she posted prostitution advertisements on the internet and arranged “dates” between prostitution customers and some of Coleman’s victims. She also admitted to picking up money from the victims and delivering it to Coleman and to delivering drugs to the victims at Coleman’s direction. Additionally, Yelinek, at Coleman’s behest, attempted to recruit female inmates while Yelinek was in jail in 2017.
The charge of conspiracy to commit sex trafficking provides for a sentence of up to life in prison, a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Acting United States Attorney Nathaniel R. Mendell; Hampden County District Attorney Anthony D. Gulluni; William S. Walker, Acting Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Boston; Hampden County Sheriff Nicholas Cocchi; Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Division; Springfield Police Commissioner Cheryl Clapprood; and Colonel Christopher Mason, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alex J. Grant of Mendell’s Springfield Branch Office prosecuted the case.
This case is the result of the efforts of the Western Massachusetts Human Trafficking Working Group, which was established in August 2015 to investigate and prosecute crimes involving commercial sex trafficking.
Springfield Man Sentenced to 15 Years for Child PornographyRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Springfield, Missouri, man was sentenced in federal court today for receiving and distributing child pornography.
Brian M. Turner, 38, was sentenced by U.S. Chief District Judge Beth Phillips to 15 years in federal prison without parole.
On Sept. 14, 2020, Turner pleaded guilty to receiving and distributing child pornography.
The investigation began in December 2018 when law enforcement received a Cybertipline report that Facebook had identified an image of possible child pornography sent by Turner via his Facebook Messenger account to another user in Australia. On Jan. 29, 2019, a law enforcement officer located Turner at a Springfield McDonald’s restaurant. Turner admitted to viewing child pornography for the past 10 years. He explained that he received the child pornography from others utilizing Facebook Messenger. Turner also admitted that he stored images of child pornography in his Google Photos account.
Investigators conducted a forensic examination of Turner’s cell phone and found 236 images and one video of child pornography.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Stephanie Wan and Nhan D. Nguyen. It was investigated by Southwest Missouri Cyber Crimes Task Force, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Springfield, Mo., Police Department.
Project Safe Childhood
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc . For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab "resources."