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Thursday 21 January 2021
Gregg County Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Trafficking Anabolic SteroidsRead the Press Release
MARSHALL, Texas – A 53-year-old Longview, Texas man has been sentenced to federal prison for drug trafficking violations in the Eastern District of Texas announced Acting U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei today.
Tony Goss pleaded guilty on Sep. 30, 2020 to possession with the intent to distribute anabolic steroids and was sentenced to 19 months in federal prison today by U.S. District Judge Rodney Gilstrap.
According to evidence presented in court, On August 22, 2019, state and federal law enforcement agents executed a search warrant at an office located at 107 Community Blvd, in Longview. Goss admitted that he possessed approximately 5,493 pills or tablets containing anabolic steroids, approximately 4,192 grams of anabolic steroid powder and, approximately 2,960 milliliters of liquid anabolic steroids at the location with the intent to distribute them for commercial profit. Goss further admitted that he distributed anabolic steroids through mass-marketing by means of an interactive computer service.
Goss also agreed to the forfeiture of seven firearms, a 2016 Ford F – 350 pickup, and $459,285.25 which he obtained by selling anabolic steroids online.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration Tyler Field Office, and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service – Ft. Worth Office and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jim Noble.
Former State Regional Officer of Latin Kings Pleads Guilty to Racketeering Conspiracy ChargesRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A former Regional Officer for the Massachusetts Almighty Latin King and Queen Nation (“Latin Kings”) pleaded guilty today to racketeering charges.
Michael Cotto, a/k/a “King Gordo,” 26, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to conduct enterprise affairs through a pattern of racketeering activity, more commonly referred to as RICO conspiracy. U.S. Senior District Court Judge Rya W. Zobel scheduled sentencing for April 28, 2021.
The Latin Kings are a violent criminal enterprise comprised of thousands of members across the United States. The Latin Kings adhere to a national manifesto, employ an internal judiciary and use a sophisticated system of communication to maintain the hierarchy of the organization. As alleged in court documents, the gang uses drug distribution to generate revenue, and engages in violence against witnesses and rival gangs to further its influence and to protect its turf.
Cotto, a former member of the New Bedford Chapter, admitted to his role in the drug distribution activity of the Latin Kings in New Bedford, and a variety of violent acts committed in furtherance of the Latin Kings. One such violent act was a February 2018 beating, known as a “termination,” of an individual who was suspected of cooperating with law enforcement. The victim was found by New Bedford Police bleeding from his injuries and transported to the hospital.
Cotto also admitted to conspiring in August of 2018 to terminate a leader of the Fitchburg Chapter who was suspected of cooperating with law enforcement. On intercepted phone calls, Cotto discussed an elaborate ruse to trick this leader into attending a meeting at which he would be ambushed and beaten by other Latin Kings members.
In December 2018, a surveillance video depicted Cotto participating in a group assault of another individual. Cotto can be observed striking the victim with a baseball bat.
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. Cotto is the 30th defendant to plead guilty in the case.
The RICO conspiracy charge provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling; Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Division; Commissioner Carol Mici of the Massachusetts Department of Correction; and New Bedford Police Chief Joseph C. Cordeiro made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was also provided by the FBI North Shore Gang Task Force and the Bristol County and Suffolk County District Attorney’s Offices. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Philip A. Mallard and Lauren Graber of Lelling’s Criminal Division are prosecuting the case.
The operation was conducted by a multi-agency task force through the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF), a partnership between federal, state and local law enforcement agencies. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking, weapons trafficking and money laundering organizations, and those primarily responsible for the nation’s illegal drug supply. More information on the OCDETF program is available here: https://www.justice.gov/ocdetf/about-ocdetf.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The remaining defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Former Jackson Police Officer Pleads Guilty to Obstruction of a Federal InvestigationRead the Press Release
Jackson, Miss. - Mark Coleman, 57, a former Jackson Police Officer, pled guilty today before United States District Judge Tom S. Lee to obstruction of a federal investigation by destroying and concealing text messages and images of a minor female, announced Acting United States Attorney Darren LaMarca and Special Agent in Charge Michelle Sutphin with the Federal Bureau of Investigation in Mississippi.
Upon learning that a 16 year old female with whom Coleman had a relationship had been reported as a runaway, Coleman attempted to delete text messages and images of the female from his phone in an attempt to prevent federal investigators from connecting him to the runaway. His attempt at concealing his relationship failed, and Coleman was arrested. He was charged in a federal criminal indictment on July 14, 2020.
Coleman’s sentencing hearing is set for April 29, 2021 at 9:30 a.m. He faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison.
The case was investigated by the The Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Glenda R. Haynes is prosecuting the case.
Former Department of Unemployment Assistance Employee and Husband Indicted on Fraud Charges Arising from Pandemic Unemployment ClaimsRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A married couple was indicted today by a federal grand jury in Boston on fraud charges arising from their claims for Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) funds.
Tiffany Pacheco, a/k/a Tiffany Tavery, 35, and Arthur Pacheco, 47, who, until recently, resided in New Bedford, Mass., were each indicted on one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud. Tiffany Pacheco was also indicted on five counts of wire fraud and Arthur Pacheco on two counts. The defendants were arrested in San Antonio, Texas in December 2020 and have been detained since.
According to charging documents, Tiffany was hired by the Massachusetts Department of Unemployment Assistance (DUA) in April 2020, shortly after her release from federal prison following a conviction for aggravated identity theft. While employed by DUA, Tiffany allegedly misused her position to submit fraudulent PUA claim information on behalf of herself and her husband, Arthur, who was incarcerated in Texas until Sept. 4, 2020, and thus ineligible for PUA funds.
Specifically, it is alleged that in June 2020, PUA claims submitted for Tiffany and her husband reflected 2019 income of $0 and no dependents. In July 2020, via her employment with DUA, Tiffany obtained access to the PUA computer system, and later changed claim information for herself and Arthur so as to increase the amount of PUA funds they would receive. For example, Tiffany allegedly increased the amount of 2019 income for her and Arthur to more than $240,000, and increased the number of their dependents to seven. Tiffany further used her access to the PUA system to verify the increased reported 2019 income on both claims without the required income verification documents.
It is further alleged that the PUA claim for Arthur was fraudulent because he was incarcerated in Texas until Sept. 4, 2020, and thus ineligible for PUA funds. In November 2020, Arthur called DUA and falsely denied that he had been incarcerated during the timeframe leading up to September 2020, and that he was only incarcerated for approximately a month. Tiffany also spoke with DUA and misrepresented the period of time for which Arthur had been incarcerated.
A search of the New Bedford apartment where Tiffany and Arthur resided uncovered various tools of identity fraud, including an ID laminator, 100 blank ID cards, 68 hologram overlays, 150 card lamination sheets and 649 sheets of blank checks. Law enforcement also seized approximately $17,000 cash and a notebook that appeared to contain the personal identifying information of various individuals. On Sept. 23, 2020, DUA terminated Tiffany’s employment.
The charges of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and wire fraud provide for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The investigation was conducted by Homeland Security’s Investigation’s Document and Benefit Fraud Task Force (DBFTF), a specialized field investigative group comprised of personnel from various local, state, and federal agencies with expertise in detecting, deterring, and disrupting organizations and individuals involved in various types of document, identity, and benefit fraud schemes.
United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling; William S. Waolker, Acting Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Boston; and Michael Mikulka, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General, Labor Racketeering and Fraud Investigation made the announcement. The New Bedford Police Department, Massachusetts Parole Board and Massachusetts Department of Unemployment Assistance, Program Integrity Unit provided valuable assistance with the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Bill Abely and Dustin Chao of Lelling’s Criminal Division are prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Former City of Rochelle Employee Charged with Fraudulently Obtaining at Least $150,000 from a Non-Profit Business AssociationRead the Press Release
ROCKFORD — A former employee of the City of Rochelle was charged today with fraudulently obtaining at least $150,000 from a non-profit business association.
SCOTT KOTESKI, 58, of Rochelle, is charged with one count of wire fraud, according to a criminal information filed in federal court in Rockford. Arraignment has not yet been scheduled.
The charge was announced by John R. Lausch, Jr., United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois; and Emmerson Buie, Jr., Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI. The Illinois State Police assisted in the investigation. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Scott R. Paccagnini.
According to the information, Koteski was selected by the city to sit on the board of directors of a non-profit business association that provided broadband internet technology to smaller municipalities in northern Illinois. Starting in 2011, Koteski was selected as the treasurer of that association. As treasurer, Koteski handled the invoicing and billing of the member municipalities, and as of February 2012 had signatory authority on the association’s bank account. According to the information, from September 2012 through April 2018, Koteski fraudulently obtained from the association at least $150,000, which he used for his own benefit without the association’s knowledge or consent. Koteski wrote numerous checks to himself from the association’s bank account and deposited them into a personal account for his benefit, the information states.
Koteski allegedly concealed his acts by writing false information on the memo line to make it appear the checks were for reimbursement of personal monies Koteski spent for the association when, in fact, Koteski was not entitled to reimbursement. In 2018, Koteski made online payments from the association’s bank account to a credit card company to pay balances on his personal credit card, and to an online loan financing company to pay balances on Koteski’s loan, the information states.
Wire fraud carries a maximum sentence of 20 years’ imprisonment. If convicted, the Court must impose a reasonable sentence under federal sentencing statutes and the advisory United States Sentencing Guidelines.
The public is reminded that an information is not evidence of guilt. The defendant is presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
Former City of Rochelle Employee Charged with Fraudulently Obtaining at Least $150,000 from a Non-Profit Business AssociationRead the Press Release
ROCKFORD — A former employee of the City of Rochelle was charged today with fraudulently obtaining at least $150,000 from a non-profit business association.
SCOTT KOTESKI, 58, of Rochelle, is charged with one count of wire fraud, according to a criminal information filed in U.S. District Court in Rockford. Arraignment has not yet been scheduled.
The charge was announced by John R. Lausch, Jr., United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois; and Emmerson Buie, Jr., Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI. The Illinois State Police assisted in the investigation. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Scott R. Paccagnini.
According to the information, Koteski was selected by the city to sit on the board of directors of a non-profit business association that provided broadband internet technology to smaller municipalities in northern Illinois. Starting in 2011, Koteski was selected as the treasurer of that association. As treasurer, Koteski handled the invoicing and billing of the member municipalities, and as of February 2012 had signatory authority on the association’s bank account. According to the information, from September 2012 through April 2018, Koteski fraudulently obtained from the association at least $150,000, which he used for his own benefit without the association’s knowledge or consent. Koteski allegedly wrote numerous checks to himself from the association’s bank account and deposited them into his personal bank account for his personal benefit.
Koteski concealed his acts by writing false information on the memo line to make it appear the checks were for reimbursement of personal monies Koteski spent for the association when, in fact, Koteski was not entitled to reimbursement, the information states. In 2018, Koteski made online payments from the association’s bank account to a credit card company to pay balances on his personal credit card, and to an online loan financing company to pay balances on Koteski’s loan, the information states.
Wire fraud carries a maximum sentence of 20 years’ imprisonment. If convicted, the Court must impose a reasonable sentence under federal sentencing statutes and the advisory United States Sentencing Guidelines.
The public is reminded that an information is not evidence of guilt. The defendant is presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
Florida Man Pleads Guilty in Multi-Million Dollar Medicare Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Florida man pleaded guilty today to his role in a multi-million dollar Medicare fraud scheme involving durable medical equipment.
Nathan LaParl, 34, of Boca Raton, Fla., pleaded guilty to one count of receiving kickbacks in connection with a federal health care program and one count of violating the HIPAA statute. U.S. Senior District Court Judge George A. O’Toole, Jr. scheduled sentencing for May 20, 2021.
According to charging documents, LaParl and co-defendant Talia Alexandre sold Medicare patients’ personal and medical data to Juan Camilo Perez Buitrago. LaParl and Alexandre worked with foreign call centers to contact Medicare patients to ask if they were interested in durable medical equipment (DME) such as arm, back, knee and shoulder braces “at little to no cost.” The call centers collected demographic and insurance information from Medicare patients, which LaParl and Alexandre sold to Perez. Together, LaParl and Alexandre received more than $1.6 million from Perez for the patient data. Perez Buitrago used that patient data to submit more than $109 million in false and fraudulent claims, submitting claims for DME that was not prescribed, not necessary, and, in many instances, never requested or received.
To perpetuate the scheme, LaParl checked Medicare patients’ insurance eligibility by improperly accessing a patient eligibility tool provided by co-defendant Stefanie Hirsch. Hirsch owned EI Medical, Inc., a Medicare-enrolled wheelchair and scooter repair company that qualified for access to a health care clearinghouse that contains Medicare patients’ personal, medical and insurance information. Hirsch improperly gave LaParl access to that clearinghouse and charged him about $0.25 per patient eligibility check. Using Hirsch’s credentials, LaParl accessed the personal and medical data of more than 350,000 patients.
In October 2020, Perez pleaded guilty to health care fraud and paying kickbacks in connection with a federal health care program and is scheduled to be sentenced on March 4, 2021. Alexandre and Hirsch are scheduled to plead guilty on Feb. 24, 2021.
Two other defendants, Jessica Jones and Elizabeth Putulin, pleaded guilty yesterday.
United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling; Johnnie Sharp Jr., Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Birmingham Field Division; Phillip Coyne, Special Agent in Charge of the Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the Inspector General, Boston Division; and Joseph W. Cronin, Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elysa Q. Wan of Lelling’s Health Care Fraud Unit is prosecuting the case.
Florence Man Pleads Guilty to Methamphetamine TraffickingRead the Press Release
COVINGTON, Ky.- A Florence, Ky., man, Robert Picklesimer, 34, pleaded guilty on Thursday, before U.S. District Judge David Bunning, to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
According to Picklesimer’s plea agreement, on September 17, 2020, law enforcement responded to a report of a possible overdose in a hotel room in Florence. Picklesimer was the sole occupant of the hotel room, and officers located over 18 grams of methamphetamine, drug paraphernalia, and a handgun in the room. Picklesimer admitted that he owned the methamphetamine and indicated that he had been distributing it to make money.
Picklesimer was indicted in November 2020.
Robert M. Duncan, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; J. Todd Scott, Special Agent in Charge, DEA, Louisville Field Division; and Chief Tom Grau, Florence Police Department, jointly announced the guilty plea.
The investigation was conducted by the DEA and Florence Police Department. The United States was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Tony Bracke.
Picklesimer is scheduled to be sentenced on May 20, 2021. He faces a minimum of five years and a maximum of 40 years in federal prison. However, any sentence will be imposed by the Court, after its consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal sentencing statutes.
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Fifth and Final Member of Local Multi-State Drug Trafficking Organization Sentenced to Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
PENSACOLA, FLORIDA – Kevin C. Bui, of Fort Walton Beach, was sentenced yesterday to 78 months in federal prison following his August conviction on drug and money laundering conspiracy charges. Bui and four co-conspirators trafficked thousands of pounds of marijuana into North Florida from California and laundered hundreds of thousands of dollars in proceeds to send back to their supplier in California. Lawrence Keefe, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida, announced the sentence.
“This man and his co-conspirators polluted North Florida with their drugs, then laundered the proceeds to be shipped out of state. Their federal prison sentences are key to disrupting and dismantling this drug trafficking organization,” U.S. Attorney Keefe said. “This case is another example of how federal, state, and local law enforcement can work effectively to put organizations like this out of business.”
After a 14-month investigation led by federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies in the Northern District of Florida, all five defendants have now been sentenced for their roles in the multi-state drug trafficking and money laundering organization, which operated in Florida, California, and elsewhere.
Bui and three other Florida-based defendants conspired with and relied upon a fifth defendant – the organization’s California-based source of supply – to mail thousands of pounds of marijuana into the Northern District of Florida. In exchange, the Florida-based defendants funneled hundreds of thousands of dollars in cash through bank accounts and purchased money orders and cashier’s checks at local grocery and convenience stores with marijuana trafficking proceeds, in order to transfer the money back to the source in California. During the execution of search and arrest warrants, law enforcement seized thousands of dollars in United States currency, precious jewelry, controlled substances, and other items of significant value.
"So much crime is motivated by greed. IRS Special Agents play a unique role on task forces aimed at dismantling criminal enterprises: we follow the money. That’s exactly what we did in this case,” said Special Agent in Charge Brian Payne of Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation. “We are proud to add our financial investigative skills to this operation, and we commend the exemplary efforts of our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners in bringing these criminals to justice.”
Bui and his co-conspirators were each charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute marijuana and one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering. Bui’s co-conspirators all pled guilty to the charges, while Bui was convicted by a federal jury in August 2020. The sentences imposed for all five defendants are:
- Phi T. Nguyen, of Fort Walton Beach, Florida, 120 months in federal prison;
- Kevin C. Bui, of Fort Walton Beach, Florida, 78 months in federal prison;
- Larry Millard Harrison, II, of Mary Esther, Florida, 84 months in federal prison;
- Philip H. Ly, of Mary Esther, Florida, 60 months in federal prison; and
- Hoang B. Pham, of Temple City, California, 40 months in federal prison.
These prosecutions resulted from an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) operation that since the beginning of 2017 targeted a drug trafficking organization responsible for the distribution of marijuana throughout northern Florida. OCDETF is a joint federal, state, and local cooperative approach to combat drug trafficking. OCDETF is the nation’s primary tool for disrupting and dismantling major drug trafficking organizations, targeting national and regional-level drug trafficking organizations and coordinating the necessary law enforcement entities and resources to take down criminal organizations and seize assets.
“These traffickers funneled large amounts of illegal drugs into our Northwest Florida communities,” said FDLE Pensacola Special Agent in Charge Jack Massey. “I appreciate the hard work of our FDLE agents, members of the OCDETF and U.S. Attorney Keefe. There is no doubt that our community is a safer place with these traffickers behind bars.”
These sentences resulted from the collaborative work of the Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the United States Postal Inspection Service, and the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant United States Attorneys David L. Goldberg and Lazaro P. Fields prosecuted the cases.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.
Press Release - U.S. v. BuiFairbanks Man Indicted on Federal Gun ChargesRead the Press Release
Anchorage, Alaska – U.S. Attorney Bryan Schroder announced today that Bradley Kruger, 20, of Fairbanks, has been indicted for Felon in Possession of a Firearm.
According to state court documents, on July 27, 2020, Kruger was stopped by Alaska State Troopers for a traffic violation. During the stop, Troopers observed loose ammunition on the front passenger seat of the vehicle. Kruger self -identified that he was on felony probation and his probation officer requested a search of Kruger and the vehicle for prohibited weapons and controlled substances. During the search, Troopers located drugs and drug paraphernalia, a loaded Smith and Wesson 22 caliber pistol, 2 loaded AR15 magazines, and a backpack containing a pry bar, bolt cutters, screwdriver and wire snips. Further investigation revealed the pistol had been reported as lost one week earlier. Kruger has a prior felony conviction and is prohibited from possessing firearms.
If convicted on the federal charges, Kruger faces a maximum of 10 years in prison. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Alaska State Troopers (AST) conducted the investigation leading to the charges in this case. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Dan Doty.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), 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 visit https://www.justice.gov/ag/about-project-guardian
The charges in the indictment are merely allegations, and the defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Fairbanks Man Indicted for StalkingRead the Press Release
Anchorage, Alaska – U.S. Attorney Bryan Schroder announced today that Roger Keeling, 54, of Fairbanks has been indicted by a federal grand jury for stalking.
According to court documents, Keeling allegedly strangled his girlfriend in October 2020. The victim obtained a Domestic Violence Protective Order. Keeling pleaded to a misdemeanor assault charge in state court, and upon release, violated the DVPO numerous times over several weeks while on ankle monitoring. Keeling continued to harass and contact the victim by emailing her, following her and leaving notes for her, slashing her vehicle tires, and placing her in fear for her life.
If convicted, Keeling could face a sentence of up to five years. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Alaska State Troopers (AST) conducted the investigation leading to the indictment in this case. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Dan Doty.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), 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.
The charges in the indictment are merely allegations, and the defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Essex County Man Indicted for Drug Offenses and Illegally Possessing Three Firearms with Extended MagazinesRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A federal grand jury today indicted an Essex County, New Jersey, man for illegally possessing several firearms, including an AM-15 rifle, as well as quantities of crack cocaine and heroin with the intent to distribute, Acting U.S. Attorney Rachael A. Honig announced.
Cedric Lewis, 30, of Bloomfield, New Jersey, is charged with two counts of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, two counts of possession with intent to distribute controlled substances and two counts of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Lewis was previously charged by complaint in October 2020. He will be arraigned on a date to be determined.
According to documents filed in the case and statements made in court:
In September 2020, law enforcement officers began investigating Lewis for his involvement in distributing controlled substances in Newark. They learned about Lewis’ involvement in an incident on Sept. 20, 2020, in which Lewis was in a car in the Newark/Elizabeth area while he possessed 118 jugs containing suspected crack cocaine, as well as an AM-15 rifle with a high-capacity magazine that contained 30 rounds of .300 caliber ammunition.
On Sept. 25, 2020, law enforcement officers lawfully searched Lewis’ apartment and recovered: one 9 millimeter pistol with an extended magazine; one .40 caliber pistol with an extended magazine; drug paraphernalia and a scale; $800 in United States currency; one clear plastic bag containing a distribution quantity of suspected crack cocaine; several bundles of distribution quantities of suspected heroin; and nine suspected Xanax pills.
The narcotics offenses each carry a maximum potential penalty of 20 years in prison, and a fine of $1 million. The counts of being a felon in possession of a firearm each carry a maximum potential penalty of 10 years in prison. The counts of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime each carry a statutory mandatory minimum penalty of five years in prison, which must run consecutively to any other sentence imposed – and a maximum potential penalty of life in prison. Each firearm count carries a maximum fine of $250,000.
Acting U.S. Attorney Honig credited members of the Essex County Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Sheriff Armando B. Fontoura; special agents of the ATF, Newark Field Division, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Charlie J. Patterson; deputy marshals with the U.S. Marshals Service in the District of New Jersey, under the supervision of U.S. Marshal Juan Mattos Jr.; as well as deputy marshals with the U.S. Marshals Service in the Northern District of Georgia, under the supervision of U.S. Marshal Michael S. Yeager, with the investigation leading to today’s indictment. She also thanked the Bloomfield Police Department for its assistance with this case.
This case is a part of Project Guardian, the Department of Justice’s signature initiative to reduce gun violence and enforce federal firearms laws. Initiated by the Attorney General in the fall of 2019, Project Guardian draws upon the Department’s past successful programs to reduce gun violence; enhances coordination of federal, state, local and tribal authorities in investigating and prosecuting gun crimes; improves information sharing by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives when a prohibited individual attempts to purchase a firearm and is denied by the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS), to include taking appropriate actions when a prospective purchaser is denied by the NICS for mental health reasons; and ensured that federal resources are directed at the criminals posing the greatest threat to our communities. For more information about Project Guardian, please see: https://www.justice.gov/projectguardian
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin Levin of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Violent Crimes Unit in Newark.
The charges and allegations against the defendant are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Dominican National Sentenced for Identify FraudRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Dominican national was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Boston for aggravated identity theft.
Luis Rafael Noble Diaz, 43, who previously resided in Brockton, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Douglas P. Woodlock to 35 months in prison and two years of supervised release. Noble Diaz will be subject to deportation proceedings upon completion of his sentence. In Sept. 2020, Noble Diaz pleaded guilty to false representation of a Social Security number and aggravated identity theft.
On Aug. 20, 2014, Noble Diaz submitted an application for an identification card at the Registry of Motor Vehicles office in Boston using the name, date of birth and Social Security number of a U.S. citizen from Puerto Rico. Noble Diaz is a citizen on the Dominican Republic and in the United States without legal authority. At the time he submitted the fraudulent RMV application, Noble Diaz was on supervised release after serving a 10-year federal prison sentence for distributing heroin and cocaine base, commonly referred to as crack. After he was charged in this case, Noble Diaz was sentenced to 10 months in federal prison for violating the conditions of his supervised release.
United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling and William S. Walker, Acting Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Boston made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney David G. Tobin of Lelling’s Major Crimes Unit prosecuted the case.
Dominican National Sentenced for Drug Trafficking ChargesRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Utah-based cocaine trafficker was sentenced today in federal court in Boston after previously being convicted by a federal jury.
Droel Jared Encarnacion, 28, of Medford, Mass. and Salt Lake City, Utah, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Allison D. Burroughs to one year and one day in prison and three years of supervised release. In October 2020, Encarnacion was convicted following a jury trial of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine and possession with intent to distribute cocaine.
In August and September 2018, federal investigators were conducting a wiretap investigation into Encarnacion and his co-conspirator, Robin Manuel Suazo, who lived in Lynn, Mass. The two men discussed their fentanyl and cocaine distribution activities in several calls and discussed shipping drugs from Utah to Boston. On Sept. 17, 2018, Encarnacion shipped, via, FedEx, a package containing approximately 427 grams of cocaine from his home in Utah to his mother’s address in Medford, Mass. Encarnacion then flew to Boston to pick up the cocaine. Agents stopped the two men as they drove together in a vehicle toward Lynn, and located the FedEx package of cocaine in the vehicle, showing Encarnacion as the sender of the package.
United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling and Brian D. Boyle, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division made the announcement today. Assistant United States Attorneys Lauren A. Graber and Jared Dolan of Lelling’s Narcotics and Money Laundering Unit prosecuted the case.
Dominican National Pleads Guilty to Fentanyl TraffickingRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Dominican national pleaded guilty today in federal court in Boston to fentanyl trafficking.
Andres Arias, 48, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl and five counts of distribution of and possession with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl. U.S. District Court Judge Nathaniel M. Gorton scheduled sentencing for May 20, 2021.
According to court documents, Arias and his co-defendant Cristian Lara Diaz, conspired to distribute fentanyl and engaged in five separate controlled sales of fentanyl to a cooperating witness for the government in Boston between April 2017 and January 2018.
On Jan. 12, 2021, Lara Diaz was sentenced to 63 months in prison and four years of supervised release.
The charge of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years and up to life in prison, at least five years of supervised release and a fine of up to $10 million. The charges of distribution of and possession with the intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl carry a mandatory minimum sentence of five years and up to 40 years in prison, at least four years of supervised release and a fine of up to $5 million. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The operation was conducted by a multi-agency task force through the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF), a partnership between federal, state and local law enforcement agencies. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking, weapons trafficking and money laundering organizations, and those primarily responsible for the nation’s illegal drug supply. More information on the OCDETF program is available here: https://www.justice.gov/ocdetf/about-ocdetf.
United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling; Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Division; and Boston Police Commissioner William Gross made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen W. Hassink of Lelling’s Narcotics and Money Laundering Unit is prosecuting the case.
Defendant Accused of Kidnapping and Torture Extradited to U.S. to Face Federal Charges in MiamiRead the Press Release
Miami, Fl. -- Sergei Nkorina, a 55-year-old American citizen indicted in the Southern District of Florida on kidnapping charges, arrived in Miami last night on a flight from Spain pursuant to a request from the U.S. government to extradite the fugitive.
According to an indictment returned by a South Florida grand jury, on January 14, 2019, Nkorina and his co-defendant, Justin Boccio, abducted their victim from a Walmart parking lot in Broward County, Florida, by grabbing the victim, blindfolding him, and forcing him into a van. It is alleged that Nkorina and Boccio drove the victim to a storage facility where they blowtorched the victim’s hands and threatened to kill him with a firearm and other weapons. Nkorina and his co-defendant demanded the address and entry code to the victim’s home, which the conspirators later visited while armed, says the indictment. According to other court documents, on January 15, 2019, local law enforcement officers found the victim, with his hands and feet bound, hands burned, and lacerations on his face, inside a car parked at a Broward County gentlemen’s club.
Nkorina was classified as a fugitive on May 24, 2019. Nkorina was arrested in Spain for purposes of extradition based on a request from the United States in accordance with the U.S.-Spain Extradition Treaty. He arrived in Miami last night.
Ariana Fajardo Orshan, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, and George L. Piro, Special Agent in Charge, of the FBI’s Miami Field Office made the announcement.
Boccio, Nkorina’s co-defendant, pled guilty to the kidnapping charges on September 26, 2019. On December 5, 2019, United States District Judge Cecilia M. Altonaga sentenced Boccio to more than 11 years in prison.
An indictment is merely an accusation and Nkorina is presumed innocent unless and until found guilty in a court of law. Nkorina made his initial appearance today in federal court. A pre-trial detention hearing is scheduled for Tuesday, January 26, 2021, at 10:00 a.m., in federal magistrate court in Miami.
FBI Miami investigated this case. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen Demanovich and Lisa H. Miller, former South Florida Assistant U.S. Attorney, now Chief of the Market Integrity & Major Frauds Unit, within the Department of Justice, Criminal Division’s Fraud Section.
U.S. Attorney Fajardo Orshan extends her gratitude to the FBI Miami Violent Crimes/Fugitive Task Force and the Hallandale Beach Police Department for their work, to the government of Spain for making the extradition possible, and to the Department of Justice, Criminal Division’s Office of International Affairs who provided significant assistance in securing the defendant’s extradition. The U.S. Attorney also extends her gratitude to the Spanish Civil Guard and Interpol for their assistance in capturing this fugitive and in bringing him back to the United States.
You may find related court documents on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or on http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov under case number 19-cr-20261.
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Columbia Man Facing Federal Charges in Maryland for Making Internet Threats to Blow up the IRS HeadquartersRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – A federal criminal complaint has been filed in Maryland charging Cody Wolf Gideon Mohr, age 27, of Columbia, Maryland, on the federal charges of making Internet threats to destroy a building by use of explosive. The criminal complaint was signed on January 20, 2021, and Mohr was arrested late that day.
The criminal complaint was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Robert K. Hur and Inspector General J. Russell George of the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA).
U.S. Attorney Robert K. Hur stated, “We take threats to bomb a federal building and injure federal employees seriously. The U.S. Attorney’s Office and our law enforcement partners will use all the tools at our disposal to identify and prosecute those who make such threats.”
According to the affidavit filed in support of the criminal complaint, on January 19, 2021 the TIGTA Criminal Intelligence and Counterterrorism Division conducted a routine review of publicly accessible social media accounts to identify and prevent threats to the Internal Revenue Service. The review resulted in the identification of tweets from “@BonaFried” in which the user threatened the IRS and federal employees, including political officials and law enforcement officers.
As detailed in the affidavit, a tweet dated January 15, 2021 stated, “I am going to explode the IRS headquarters with a bomb.” Additional tweets on or around the same date made reference to the original tweet and allegedly confirmed the user’s intent to bomb the IRS, but said that “I am simply announcing my intentions to give employees a fair shot at escaping alive.” The user posted other tweets since January 15, 2021, allegedly making additional threats including that he was “laser focused on thinking about ways to kill [Speaker of the House] Nancy Pelosi,” “[it would be cool to] drive 80 mph into a million people,” and that “…if a cop pulls you over for something minor like speeding or a busted tail light, you can just threaten his life and he’ll let you go with no trouble.” The user also allegedly discussed how easy it was to build a semi-automatic rifle, and discussed obtaining firearms.
Further investigation identified the user of the account as Mohr and that the IP addresses used during recent logins to the account were located in the area in or around Columbia, Maryland.
If convicted, Mohr faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in federal prison for making Internet threats to destroy a federal building by use of explosive. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. An initial appearance for Mohr is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. on Friday, January 22, 2021, in U.S. District Court in Baltimore.
A criminal complaint is not a finding of guilt. An individual charged by criminal complaint is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty at some later criminal proceedings.
United States Attorney Robert K. Hur commended TIGTA for its work in the investigation. Mr. Hur thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kathleen O. Gavin and P. Michael Cunningham, who are prosecuting the case.
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College of Staten Island Agrees to Settle Claims Related to Research MisconductRead the Press Release
The College of Staten Island (“CSI”), a college within the City University of New York (“CUNY”), has agreed to repay $98,237.86 in federal assistance awarded by the United States to perform research with the United States National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (“NOAA”), to resolve a federal investigation concerning alleged fabricated research results.
Seth D. DuCharme, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, and Duane E. Townsend, Special Agent-in-Charge, U.S. Department of Commerce, Office of the Inspector General, announced the resolution.
“Maintaining the highest levels of integrity and accuracy must be the bedrock of scientific research. This resolution demonstrates how research institutions should respond upon learning of alleged misconduct or fraud in connection with federally funded projects,” stated Acting U.S. Attorney DuCharme. “When a federal award recipient fully cooperates with the government’s investigation, our Office will work with them to arrive at a fair and just resolution.”
“This investigation demonstrates the government's resolve to protect the integrity of federally funded research and ensure taxpayer money is not wasted on dishonesty. We greatly appreciate the efforts of the U.S. Attorney's Office and the cooperation of the college in resolving this matter,” stated U.S. Department of Commerce Special Agent-in-Charge Townsend.
NOAA is a component of the United States Department of Commerce. In 2015, the Research Foundation of CUNY, on behalf of CSI, applied for and was awarded federal assistance pursuant to a cooperative agreement with NOAA to conduct a component of a research project to study the role of ocean eddies on the productivity of certain fish stock. The principal investigator for CSI was a professor who is no longer employed by the school. The work was required to be performed between September 2015 and August 2017. As a condition for receiving the funds, CSI certified, in part, that it was capable of managing the research project and ensuring that the required work was done.
In 2018, NOAA notified CSI that the principal investigator had not conducted the work required under the cooperative agreement and allegedly had fabricated research results submitted to NOAA. CSI then conducted an internal investigation and concluded, in part, that the principal investigator had committed research misconduct. After receiving CSI’s findings, the United States Attorney’s Office, with the support of the U.S. Department of Commerce, Office of the Inspector General, independently investigated NOAA’s allegations regarding the fabrication of research results. CSI cooperated fully throughout the investigation, providing documents and responding to government inquiries. The United States concluded that CSI failed to ensure proper management and completion of the research required under the cooperative agreement, and negotiated the resolution.
In addition to repayment of the $98,237.86 that CSI received under the cooperative agreement, CSI has agreed to modify its current policies and procedures concerning the supervision of federal funded research projects to ensure that the work required under federal awards is completed and to safeguard against research misconduct and fraud.
The government’s case is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney Bonni J. Perlin.
Charlotte Man Is Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison on Drug and Gun ChargesRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – U.S. District Judge Kenneth D. Bell sentenced Nathaniel Jerome Steele, 45, of Charlotte, to 10 years in federal prison today, on drug trafficking and gun charges, announced Andrew Murray, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. Steele was also ordered to serve six years under court supervision after he is released from prison.
Vincent C. Pallozzi, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Charlotte Field Division, and Chief Johnny Jennings of the Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department (CMPD), join U.S. Attorney Murray in making today’s announcement.
According to filed court documents and today’s sentencing hearing, in June 2019, law enforcement became aware that Steele was selling narcotics out of his residence in Charlotte. On June 14, 2019, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Steele’s residence, where they recovered fentanyl, cocaine, crack cocaine, and methamphetamine. Law enforcement also seized a firearm and a loaded high-capacity magazine. Steele has a prior federal firearm conviction and he is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition.
On October 14, 2020, Steele pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, possession with intent to distribute cocaine, possession with intent to distribute crack cocaine, possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking. He is currently in federal custody and will be transferred to the custody of the federal Bureau of Prisons upon designation of a federal facility.
U.S. Attorney Murray thanks the ATF and CMPD for handling this investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Hess, of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte, prosecuted the case.
Charleston Woman Sentenced to Federal Prison for Bank Fraud and Possession of Stolen MailRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – United States Attorney Mike Stuart announced today that Samantha Miller, 36, of Charleston, was sentenced to one year in federal prison for the felony offenses of bank fraud and possession of stolen mail matter. After Miller completes her sentence of federal incarceration, she will be placed on supervised release for a term of five years. Miller is also required to pay restitution back to the victim banks in the amount of $1,965.51.
“Miller stole a number of checks from the mail and attempted to alter and cash them for herself,” said United States Attorney Mike Stuart. “In addition to her one year prison sentence, she will also pay restitution to the victims for the almost $2,000 she fraudulently received through her scheme.”
Samantha Miller previously pled guilty and admitted that in 2018 she traveled to various banks in Kanawha County and she presented stolen checks that had been altered in an attempt to cash them. On January 28, 2018, she successfully cashed an $800 check to obtain money that did not belong to her and that was not under her lawful control. On February 9, 2018, she was caught in possession of a number of stolen checks that had been taken from the United States mail. Samantha Miller knew that she possessed stolen mail matter and was in the process of further altering these checks to attempt to cash them. In total, she received nearly $2,000 that did not belong to her through manipulating checks that had been stolen from the U.S. mail.
The United States Postal Inspection Service, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Dunbar Police Department, and the West Virginia State Police conducted the investigation. United States District Judge Irene C. Berger imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Erik S. Goes handled the prosecution.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:19-cr-00114.
Follow us on Twitter: SDWVNews and USAttyStuart
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Central Falls Man Admits to Illegally Possessing AmmunitionRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE – A Central Falls man on Wednesday admitted to a federal court judge that in April 2020 he possessed .223 caliber ammunition after previously being convicted of a felony.
According to information presented to the court during an earlier detention hearing, Jayquan Parker, 25, opened fire shortly after he and others were involved in a verbal dispute. Police recovered 24 spent Remington brand .223 shell casings.
Based on information developed by Pawtucket Police and gleaned from surveillance videos recorded in the surrounding area of the shooting, Pawtucket Police identified Parker as the shooter. He was located and arrested by the Fugitive Task Force and Pawtucket Police on April 19, 2020.
Prior to the incident, Parker had been convicted and sentenced in Rhode Island state court on felony charges on multiple occasions. In addition to state charges filed against Parker in connection with the April 7 incident, the Government filed a federal criminal complaint charging Parker with being a felon in possession of ammunition. He was later indicted on the same charge.
Appearing before U.S. District Court Judge William E. Smith, Parker pleaded guilty as charged in the indictment, announced United States Attorney Aaron L. Weisman, Pawtucket Police Chief Tina Goncalves, United States Marshal Wing Chau,
Parker is scheduled to be sentenced on April 23, 2021 and is awaiting trial in Providence Superior Court on related state charges.
The case in U.S. District Court is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney William J. Ferland.
The Rhode Island Violent Fugitive Task Force is run by the U.S Marshals Service along with the Rhode Island State Police. The Task Force is comprised of members from the U.S. Marshals Service, the Rhode Island State Police, and the Warwick, Cranston, Coventry, East Providence, Middletown, Pawtucket, Portsmouth and Providence Police Departments who work full time to track down and apprehend the most violent and dangerous fugitives both within the United States and Internationally.
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Case manager and property agent plead guilty to stealing federal funds designated to help homeless veteransRead the Press Release
ATLANTA - Camelia Revels, a former case manager at HOPE Atlanta, and Katrise Jones, a property agent, have pleaded guilty to a criminal information charging them with conspiring to steal approximately $124,000 in federal funds intended to help homeless veterans.
“The defendants betrayed the trust of veterans who came to them for help,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Bobby L. Christine. “The victims are men and women who sacrificed for their country and deserve more than being taken advantage of for personal greed.”
David Spilker, Special Agent in Charge at the U.S. Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General (VA OIG) stated, “VA OIG’s continued oversight of VA’s grant programs, which are used to provide housing for at-risk homeless veterans, is one of the agency’s highest priorities because it safeguards the integrity of VA’s programs designed to end veteran homelessness. As detailed in the charging document, the defendants’ fraud scheme adversely impacted the well-being of homeless veterans, their families, and the programs designed to assist them during a time of need.”
“This is a case of financial predators that actively sought to pilfer federal housing funds fittingly dedicated to assist our nation’s homeless veterans,” said Wyatt Achord, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Office of Inspector General. “It is our mission to tirelessly root out such individuals with the intent to willfully undermine federal housing programs dedicated toward improving the quality of life of those who devotedly served in our country’s armed services.”
According to Acting U.S. Attorney Christine, the charges and other information presented in court: The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) provide funds through a variety of programs, including the Supportive Services for Veterans program (SSVF), in order to assist homeless veterans. SSVF monies are in turn provided as grants to various organizations, including HOPE Atlanta (a/k/a Traveler’s Aid of Metropolitan Atlanta).
HOPE Atlanta is a non-profit organization dedicated to combatting homelessness that has served metro-Atlanta for more than 100 years. Between approximately October 2013 and November 2015, Revels was employed at HOPE Atlanta as a case manager for the SSVF program. As part of her duties, Revels was responsible for confirming a veteran’s eligibility to participate in the SSVF program, assisting veterans in finding suitable housing, and preparing the SSVF vouchers to secure issuance of funds. Although Revels did not have final approval over SSVF vouchers, she provided all the relevant information to her supervisor, including the name of the vendor to whom the check would be issued on behalf of a veteran.
Among the vendors Revels provided to her supervisor as the payee were companies that were owned and operated by Jones, including Stratford Corporate Realty, Strategic Consultants, and Reserve at Bay Bridge. Jones was supposed to act as a “property agent,” who would assist the veterans find suitable housing. In other words, rather than listing the rental property as the payee, Revels provided one of Jones’s companies.
In December 2014, HOPE Atlanta learned that Jones was not making rental payments on behalf of veterans who received SSVF funds and directed Revels to no longer work with her. Revels ignored this directive but continued her scheme with Jones. In particular, Revels did not disclose to HOPE Atlanta that the “vendors” receiving SSVF funds were various entities controlled and operated by Jones. As part of the conspiracy, Revels and Jones in fact opened a joint bank account in the name of Strategic Consultants—one of Jones’s companies—in which stolen SSVF funds were deposited. The scheme lasted until November 2015 when HOPE Atlanta learned that Revels had continued to work with Jones and that Jones’s companies had continued to receive SSVF funds that were not being used to help homeless veterans.
Separately, Jones also stole HUD-VA Supportive Housing funds (VASH) funds from the Marietta Housing Authority (MHA) in August and September 2015. HUD-VASH is a collaborative program between HUD and VA that combines HUD rental assistance (Housing Choice Vouchers) with VA supportive services to help veterans and their families who are homeless. To receive the VASH funds, an individual must represent that they are the owner of the property to be rented or a registered agent of the property owner. MHA also required the applicant to show that the mortgage payments for the property were up to date (or otherwise the owner held free and clear title to the property). MHA imposed these latter requirements to avoid placing veterans in properties that were subsequently foreclosed upon.
Jones falsely misrepresented to MHA that she was a registered agent of a large, legitimate property management company in order to participate in the VASH program. As a result of Jones’s misrepresentations to MHA, she received approximately $3,000 on behalf of several veterans for rental payments but never made the payments.
Sentencing for Camelia Revels, 50, of Hiram, Georgia, is scheduled for April 6, 2021 at 10:00 a.m. Sentencing for Katrise Jones, 47, of Lexington, South Carolina, is scheduled for April 15, 2021 at 9:30 a.m. Both sentencings will be held before U.S. District Judge Mark H. Cohen.
This case is being investigated by the Department of Veterans Affairs, Office of the Inspector General, Office of Inspector General-Department of Housing and Urban Development, and the Cobb County Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Alex R. Sistla is prosecuting the case.
For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at [email protected] or (404) 581-6016. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.
Carroll County Man Indicted for Selling Firearm to Convicted Felon Jason AutryRead the Press Release
Jackson, TN –Danny Joe Ivy, 55, of Buena Vista, Tennessee, has been indicted for selling a firearm to a convicted felon and making false statements to a federal law enforcement agent. D. Michael Dunavant, U.S. Attorney announced the filing of the indictment today.
According to allegations contained in the January 14, 2021 two-count indictment, Ivy is charged with selling a firearm to convicted felon, Jason Autry, and also for knowingly making materially false, fictitious, and fraudulent statements to an ATF Special Agent during the criminal investigation.
During the same grand jury session, Jason Autry's previous indictment returned on December 10, 2020 for being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm was superseded to add and include a second count for possession of ammunition while being a convicted felon. https://www.justice.gov/usao-wdtn/pr/jason-autry-federally-indicted-being-convicted-felon-possession-firearm.
If convicted, Ivy faces up to ten years in federal prison followed by three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. There is no parole in the federal system.
U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant said, "Selling or providing a firearm to a known prohibited person such as a convicted felon is a serious violation of federal law with significant consequences. The government has a strong interest in preventing dangerous and prohibited persons from obtaining firearms, and this office will always vigorously prosecute any persons who sell guns to felons."
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Benton County Sheriff’s Office investigated this case.
The charges and allegations contained in the indictment are merely accusations of criminal conduct, not evidence. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt, and convicted through due process of law.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Josh Morrow and Beth Boswell are prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
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Cameraman Pleads Guilty in GirlsDoPorn Sex Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
Assistant U. S. Attorneys Joseph Green (619) 546-6955 and Alexandra F. Foster (619) 546-6735
NEWS RELEASE SUMMARY – January 21, 2021
SAN DIEGO – Cameraman Theodore Wilfred Gyi, aka Teddy, pleaded guilty today to conspiring with the operators of the adult websites GirlsDoPorn and GirlsDoToys to fraudulently coerce young women to appear in sex videos.
Gyi pleaded guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jill L. Burkhardt to Conspiracy to Commit Sex Trafficking by Force, Fraud and Coercion, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 371. Gyi, the second of six defendants to plead guilty, admitted that he worked from 2015 to 2017 as a camera operator for the GirlsDoPorn and GirlsDoToys adult websites, which were run by co-defendants Michael James Pratt and Matthew Isaac Wolfe.
Gyi admitted in his plea agreement that at the start of his employment he was instructed by Matthew Wolfe that, if any of the young female models asked, he should tell them that the videos would not be posted on the internet. Gyi admitted that over the course of his employment, he became aware that Matthew Wolfe and Michael Pratt were posting many of the sex videos that he filmed on GirlsDoPorn and GirlsDoToys, where they were publicly available to all willing purchasers. Nonetheless, Gyi continued to lie and personally assured the young women he filmed that the videos would not be posted publicly. To help convince them that the sex videos would not be posted on the internet, Gyi told some that he believed on-line pornography was “cheap.” Gyi also admitted that he was aware that Pratt, Wolfe, co-defendant Ruben Andre Garcia, and others were falsely assuring the women that if they agreed to appear in a video, the video would not be posted on the internet. Garcia pled guilty on December 17, 2020, to one count of Sex Trafficking by Force, Fraud and Coercion, and one count of Conspiracy to Sex Trafficking by Force, Fraud, and Coercion.
Gyi admitted that he filmed approximately 120 videos for GirlsDoPorn and GirlsDoToys.
“There is a high price to be paid by those who fraudulently exploit young women and forever alter their lives for profit,” said U.S. Attorney Robert Brewer. “Our prosecutors will leave no stone unturned in our effort to stop the tragedy of human trafficking and bring justice and restorative resources to its victims.” U.S. Attorney Brewer commended the excellent work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joseph Green and Alexandra F. Foster, as well as FBI agents and members of the San Diego Human Trafficking Task Force, for their continuing effort to investigate and prosecute this important case.
FBI Special Agent in Charge Suzanne Turner said, “Today’s plea underscores the FBI’s commitment to aggressively pursuing anyone who seeks to profit from the exploitation of young women. Theodore Gyi’s actions, in support of the GirlsDoPorn conspiracy, caused significant emotional pain and distress to the victims they targeted. This conviction is another step forward in the pursuit of justice for sex trafficking victims and the FBI’s role in holding perpetrators accountable for their crimes.”
Gyi is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Janis L. Sammartino on April 9, 2021 at 9 a.m. The next hearing in the ongoing case is January 22, 2021 at 2:00 p.m.
Any additional victims of the alleged crime are encouraged to call the San Diego FBI at 858-320-1800.
The FBI is offering a reward of up to $10,000 for information leading to the arrest of Michael James Pratt. Individuals with information about Pratt should contact their local FBI office or the nearest American Embassy or Consulate.
For further information, please see:
- Wanted Poster: https://www.fbi.gov/wanted/additional/michael-james-pratt
- Press Release: https://www.fbi.gov/contact-us/field-offices/sandiego/news/press-releases/fbi-seeks-public-assistance-in-locating-sex-trafficking-suspect
DEFENDANT Case Number 19cr4488-JLS
Theodore Wilfred Gyi Age: 42 Aliso Viejo, CA*
*Pleaded guilty to a Superseding Information charging Conspiracy to Commit Sex Trafficking by Force, Fraud and Coercion, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 371.
Maximum Penalty: Five years in prison, $250,000 fine, a special assessment of $100.
CO-DEFENDANTS
Michael James Pratt Age: 36 Fugitive
Matthew Isaac Wolfe Age 37 San Diego, CA
Ruben Andre Garcia Age: 31 San Diego, CA**
**Pleaded guilty to Counts 1 and 7
Valorie Moser Age: 37 San Diego, CA
Amberlyn Dee Nored Age: 27 San Diego, CA
SUMMARY OF CHARGES
Count 1 (charging all defendants)
Conspiracy to Commit Sex Trafficking by Force, Fraud and Coercion, 18 U.S.C. § 1594(c)
Maximum Penalty: Life in prison, $250,000 fine, and a special assessment of $5,000 under 18 U.S.C. § 3014.
Count 2 (Pratt)
Production of Child Pornography, 18 U.S.C. § 2251(a) and (e)
Minimum penalty: Fifteen years in prison; Maximum penalty: 30 years in custody, $250,000 fine, and a special assessment of $5,000 under 18 U.S.C. § 3014.
Count 3 (Pratt)
Sex Trafficking of a Minor by Force, Fraud and Coercion, 18 U.S.C. § 1591(a)(1) and (2)
Minimum penalty: Fifteen years in prison; Maximum penalty: life in custody, $250,000 fine, and a special assessment of $5,000 under 18 U.S.C. § 3014.
Counts 4 (Pratt, Wolfe, Garcia), 5 (Pratt, Garcia), 6 (Pratt, Wolfe, Garcia), 7 (Pratt, Garcia, Gyi), 8 (Pratt, Garcia, Gyi)
Sex Trafficking by Force, Fraud and Coercion, 18 U.S.C. § 1591(a) and (b)(1)
Minimum penalty: Fifteen years in prison; Maximum penalty: life in custody, $250,000 fine, and a special assessment of $5,000 under 18 U.S.C. § 3014.
INVESTIGATING AGENCY
Federal Bureau of Investigation – San Diego Field Office
San Diego Human Trafficking Task Force
*The charges and allegations contained in an indictment or complaint are merely accusations, and the defendants are considered innocent unless and until proven guilty.
California Woman Sentenced to Federal Prison for Iowa Meth ConspiracyRead the Press Release
A woman who conspired to distribute methamphetamine was sentenced on January 20, 2021, to more than 7 years in federal prison.
Marissa Weisbly, 34, from Los Osos, CA, received the prison term after an August 19, 2020, guilty plea to one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine.
At sentencing, Weisbly was found to have been involved with trafficking 70 pounds of methamphetamine across California, Iowa, and South Dakota. On February 8, 2020, while patrolling the Grand Falls Casino parking lot in Larchwood, IA, law enforcement searched a vehicle connected to Weisbly and ultimately recovered nearly 3 pounds of methamphetamine, and drug trafficking materials. Earlier that winter, Weisbly and her coconspirators had brought pounds of methamphetamine to the Midwest for distribution.
Weisbly was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand. Weisbly was sentenced to 93 months’ imprisonment. She must also serve a 3-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Mikala Steenholdt and was investigated by the Lyon County Sheriff’s Office, Lyon County Attorney’s Office, and Iowa Department of Criminalistics Investigation.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 20-4064.
Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.
Caldwell Man Sentenced to 25 Years in Federal Prison for Producing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
BOISE - Andrew Neil Smith, 33, of Caldwell, Idaho, was sentenced in U.S. District Court to 300 months in federal prison for producing child pornography, U.S. Attorney Bart M. Davis announced today. U.S. District Judge B. Lynn Winmill also ordered Smith to serve ten years of supervised release following his prison sentence. Smith pleaded guilty to the charge on November 4, 2019.
According to court records, the investigation began after a ten-year-old child disclosed that Smith had sexually abused her. FBI agents served a federal search warrant at Smith’s residence in Caldwell and located images of child pornography on Smith’s cellphone. Smith admitted the images depicted the ten-year-old child and that he asked her to send him the images through social media. Smith also admitted to sexually abusing the child and to producing videos of the abuse.
At sentencing, Judge Winmill also ordered Smith to forfeit the cell phone used in the commission of the offense. As a result of conviction, Smith will be required to register as a sex offender.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, with assistance from the Idaho Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force and the Caldwell Police Department.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. As part of Project Safe Childhood, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Idaho and the Idaho Attorney General’s Office partner to marshal 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.usdoj.gov/psc.
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Businessowner Pleads Guilty to Bribing Former Chief of Collections for D.C. Office of Tax and RevenueRead the Press Release
Mohammad Ezazul Hoque, 57, the owner of several Washington, D.C. restaurants, pled guilty today to one count of bribery for paying bribes to the former Chief of Collections of the D.C. Office of Tax and Revenue (“OTR”) in exchange for the OTR official taking actions favorable to Hoque’s businesses. Hoque also pled guilty to one count of wire fraud for his execution of a multi-year scheme to obtain credit cards in others’ names, without their knowledge or consent, to fund his personal and business expenses.
The announcement was made by Acting U.S. Attorney Michael R. Sherwin and Special Agent in Charge James A. Dawson of the FBI Washington Field Office, Criminal Division.
As part of his plea, Hoque, of Alexandria, Virginia, admitted that from 2015 to 2017, as the unpaid tax liabilities on his businesses grew to be hundreds of thousands of dollars, Hoque paid more than $45,000 in bribes to the OTR official so that the official would change the status and limit the negative effects of the unpaid liabilities on the businesses. Hoque further admitted that, in 2016, in exchange for the bribes Hoque was paying, the OTR official released a lien on one of his businesses and provided a false certification that it had no outstanding tax liabilities so that Hoque could sell the business to a third party. In fact, Hoque still owed tens of thousands of dollars in taxes and related fees. As a result of the OTR official’s actions, Hoque was able to sell the business and make a more than $84,000 profit.
Hoque further admitted that, between 2013 and 2017, Hoque carried out a fraud scheme in which he obtained more than 15 credit cards from various financial institutions in the names of others without their knowledge or consent. Hoque admitted that he charged more than $40,000 in personal and business expenses to the cards he fraudulently obtained.
In announcing the plea, Acting U.S. Attorney Sherwin and Special Agent in Charge Dawson commended the work of those who investigated the case from the FBI’s Washington Field Office. They also acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the Public Corruption and Civil Rights Section of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia, including Assistant U.S. Attorney Amanda R. Vaughn, former Assistant U.S. Attorney Bianca Forde, and Paralegal Specialist Joseph McClanahan.
Buffalo Man Going to Prison for Lying on the Stand While Testifying About A Murder in A Federal TrialRead 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 Jonathan Singletary a/k/a Freeze, 38, of Buffalo, NY, who was convicted of obstructing an official proceeding, was sentenced to serve 62 months in prison by Chief U.S. District Judge Frank P. Geraci, Jr.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Justin G. Bish, Charles J. Volkert, Jr., Meghan A. Tokash, and Nicholas T. Cooper, who handled the case, stated that in January 2010, the defendant informed his New York State parole officer that he had information concerning the murder of Jabril Harper, which occurred on December 16, 2009, and the robbery of Morris Singer, which occurred on January 4, 2010.
On January 11, 2010, Singletary provided a signed, sworn statement to the Buffalo Police Department. In his statement, defendant said that Rodshaun Black came to his house on December 23, 2009, and told him that he and Ernest Green had robbed and killed Jabril Harper in Roosevelt Park. Singletary also told the detectives that Black admitted that Harper’s murder was part of a $10,000 contract killing. The defendant shared these details once again on December 6, 2011, while testifying before a federal grand jury.
On October 25, 2017, representatives of the United States Attorney’s Office and the FBI met with Singletary to prepare Singletary for testimony in the trial of Rodshaun Green and Ernest Black. Singletary expressed reluctance to testify and did not want to read his prior 2010 Buffalo Police statement or his 2011 grand jury testimony, so and Assistant U.S. Attorney read it to Singletary who agreed that both his prior statement and grand jury testimony were true and accurate.
On November 29, 2017, representatives of the United States Attorney’s Office and the FBI again met with the defendant prior to his trial testimony scheduled for that day. Singletary again expressed reluctance to testify, but agreed to do so. The defendant told the government representatives that he had a problem testifying in front of Rodshaun Black’s mother because he had known her for a long time. Singletary then again refused to review both his 2011 grand jury and his 2010 statement to the Buffalo Police but stated that he was not worried because everything he had said previously was true.
On November 29, 2017, the prosecution called Singletary as a witness in United States v. Rodshaun Black and Ernest Green, et al., an official criminal trial proceeding in United States District Court for the Western District of New York. The defendant was sworn and then testified falsely and evasively. Specifically, Singletary: denied ever speaking to Rodshaun Black about the Jabril Harper murder; denied knowing Rodshaun Black’s mother; denied discussing his relationship with Rodshaun Black’s mother with an FBI agent and an AUSA earlier that day in preparation for his trial testimony; denied that he learned about Jabril Harper’s murder directly from Rodshaun Black; and testified that his prior statement to the Buffalo Police Department consisted of information he was told to say by the detectives who interviewed him.
The sentencing is the result of an investigation by the Buffalo Police Department, under the direction of Commissioner Byron Lockwood; the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Stephen Belongia; and the New York State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision, under the direction of under the direction of Acting Commissioner Anthony J. Annucci.
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Birmingham Man Arrested in Mississippi for Unlawful Dealing in FirearmsRead the Press Release
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – On Thursday, January 14, 2021, a Birmingham man was arrested in the Southern District of Mississippi, announced U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Explosives, and Firearms (ATF) Special Agent in Charge Mickey French.
A 21-count indictment filed in U.S. District Court charges JECOREY TYSHAWN EDWARDS ALLEN, 26, with one count of dealing in firearms without a license, one count of traveling across state lines while dealing in firearms without a license, and 19 counts of falsifying information on firearm acquisition records. A federal grand jury in the Northern District of Alabama indicted Allen on January 29, 2020.
According to the indictment, between November 2018 through July of 2019, Allen purchased at least 19 pistols from several licensed Birmingham firearm dealers and traveled out of state to sell the illegally purchased guns. Allen falsified the ATF form 4473, specifically stating that he was the actual purchaser when in fact he was purchasing the firearms for other individuals. ATF form 4473 is a form purchasers must complete when buying a gun from a licensed firearm dealer.
The maximum penalty for dealing in firearms without a license is five years in prison, a $250,000 fine, and no more than three years of supervised release. The maximum penalty for crossing state lines while dealing in firearms without a license is 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, and no more than three years of supervised release. The maximum penalty for each count of falsifying information on ATF form 4473 is 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, and no more than three years of supervised release.
The ATF investigated the case, which Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan Cross is prosecuting.
An indictment contains only charges. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Bath Man Arrested for Trafficking in Child PornographyRead the Press Release
CONTACT: Barbara Burns
PHONE: (716) 843-5817
FAX #: (716) 551-3051ROCHESTER, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy, Jr. announced today that Jeffrey Clark, 34, of Bath, NY, was arrested and charged by criminal complaint with receiving and distributing child pornography. The charge carries a minimum penalty of five years imprisonment a maximum of 20 years, and a fine up to $250,000.
Assistant U.S. Attorney John J. Field, who is handling the case, stated that according to the complaint, in September 2020, an undercover law enforcement officer in Rochester, NY, received video files of suspected child pornography, including a file named “6Yo Babyj - Bedtime Rape.” In November 2020, undercover law enforcement officers in Rochester, Buffalo, North Dakota, and Texas, also received video files of suspected child pornography. Subsequent investigation traced the files to the defendant’s residence in Bath, NY. A search warrant was executed at the residence on January 13, 2021, during which investigators seized multiple digital devices, including Clark’s cell phone.
The defendant made an initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Marian W. Payson and was detained.
The criminal complaint is the result of an investigation by Special Agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, acting under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Stephen Belongia.
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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Aniak Man Indicted on Federal Gun ChargesRead the Press Release
Anchorage, Alaska – U.S. Attorney Bryan Schroder announced today that Alfred Morgan, 35, of Aniak, has been indicted for Felon in Possession of a Firearm.
According to court documents, on September 6, 2020, Alaska State Troopers (AST) responded to a domestic violence report at a residence in Aniak. During the interaction, Troopers contacted a male at the residence, who brandished a knife at the responding Trooper. Morgan then allegedly approached the Trooper, positioned himself between the male and the Trooper, then raised the barrel of a Ruger Mini 14 rifle at the Trooper. The Trooper gave commands to drop the rifle, which the defendant did, only to retrieve the rifle again when a second Trooper arrived on scene. Troopers were able to secure Morgan and the rifle, then began to apprehend the other male on scene. While Troopers were apprehending the other male, Morgan fled the scene in handcuffs. He was apprehended and transported to the Aniak jail. Morgan has 2 prior felony convictions and is prohibited from possessing firearms.
If convicted on the federal charges, Morgan faces a maximum of 10 years in prison. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Alaska State Troopers (AST) conducted the investigation leading to the charges in this case. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Dan Doty.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), 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 visit https://www.justice.gov/ag/about-project-guardian
Additionally, this case is part of the Rural Alaska Anti-Violence Enforcement Network (RAAVEN), the U.S. Attorney’s Office is increasing engagement, coordination, and action on public safety in Alaska Native communities.
The charges in the indictment are merely allegations, and the defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Anchorage Woman Sentenced for Filing False Income Tax Returns on Behalf of Other IndividualsRead the Press Release
Anchorage, Alaska – U.S. Attorney Bryan Schroder announced that Sanh Sunni Thampithak, a/k/a “Allysia” or “Ally”, 54, of Anchorage, was sentenced to one year and one day in federal prison, followed by one year of supervised release for Aiding and Advising False Income Tax Returns, while preparing fraudulent income tax returns on behalf of other individuals. Thampithak pleaded guilty to the charges in September 2020.
According to court documents, Thampithak had been filing fraudulent tax returns as an informal tax preparer, for tax years 2015-2017. Thampithak routinely misrepresented herself to her clients as a legitimate tax preparer. Thampithak did taxes for the Lao community and others in Anchorage, charging them $100-$300 per return, but would obtain unwarranted refunds for her clients by inflating certain Schedule A deductions and expenses. All tax return preparers who are paid to prepare or assist substantially in the preparation of any U.S. federal tax return, claim for refund or other tax form submitted to the IRS must have a PTIN. It is further alleged that Thampithak consistently fabricated the figures in order to generate refunds for her clients, and although she had a Preparer Tax Identification Number (PTIN), she failed to input her PTIN on her client’s returns. Thampithak filed at least 89 fraudulently prepared tax returns.
Thampithak became the subject of a federal investigation after her IP addresses were linked to questionable Form 1040’s that had been referred to IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI). During the investigation, Thampithak knowingly prepared a fraudulent return for an IRS-CI undercover agent, and then lied to investigators to conceal the criminal conduct.
U.S. District Judge Sharon L. Gleason noted the need for general deterrence in the imposition of the 1 year and 1-day sentence. In addition to the term of imprisonment, Thampithak was ordered to complete 1 year of supervised release and pay restitution in the amount of $348,759.
The IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) conducted the investigation leading to the successful prosecution in this case. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam Alexander of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Alaska.
Return preparer fraud is one of the IRS’s Dirty Dozen Tax Scams and taxpayers seeking a return preparer should remain vigilant. The IRS has information on its website for choosing a tax preparer and has launched a free directory of federal tax preparers.
Albuquerque man charged with sending threatening messages to local familyRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Stephen Yochim, 48, of Albuquerque, made his initial appearance on Jan. 19 in federal court where he was charged with transmitting threatening interstate communications. A preliminary hearing has been scheduled for Jan. 26.
According to a criminal complaint, Yochim allegedly sent a series of messages from multiple Google email (gmail) accounts to an Albuquerque couple. In highly graphic language, the messages, received between Jan. 11 and Jan. 15, threatened physical violence against one of the recipients and expressed morbid joy at the prospect of cancer afflicting the other recipient. Included in the profane terms directed toward the family was the repeated use of an ethnic slur.
“Those who engage in online threats and harassment cross a line and they should know that they will be subject to prosecution,” said Fred Federici, Acting U.S. Attorney for the District of New Mexico.
"The type of behavior the defendant is accused of committing is unacceptable," said James Langenberg, Special Agent in Charge of the Albuquerque FBI Division. "The FBI will aggressively investigate those who maliciously threaten others and we will work closely with the U.S. Attorney's Office to hold these offenders accountable."
A complaint is only an allegation. A defendant is considered innocent unless and until proven guilty. If convicted, Yochim faces up to five years in prison.
The FBI investigated this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Samuel A Hurtado is prosecuting the case.
Acting U.S. Attorney Brandler Announces Partnership with Special Inspector General for Pandemic RecoveryRead the Press Release
HARRISBURG– Acting United States Attorney Bruce D. Brandler announced today that his office has entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Special Inspector General Brian D. Miller of the Office of the Special Inspector General for Pandemic Recovery (SIGPR), regarding the investigation and prosecution of fraud relating to CARES Act funding.
Acting U.S. Attorney Bruce D. Brandler stated: “This partnership is part of our on-going efforts to investigate and prosecute the fraudsters who have stolen millions of dollars from government backed relief programs during the pandemic. This is a high-priority area for our office and we look forward to working with SIGPR to hold accountable anyone who illegally profited at the expense of the American taxpayer.”
Special Inspector General Brian D. Miller stated: “This partnership is an important step in protecting taxpayer money. We will work together to hold accountable and bring to justice those who steal, or misuse, money meant to support the Nation’s economic health and recovery.”
The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act of 2020 created SIGPR to investigate the spending of government funds meant to provide economic relief to people and businesses impacted by the coronavirus pandemic.
The MOU will allow the U.S. Attorney’s Office and SIGPR to enhance their cooperative efforts in investigating and prosecuting matters involving loans, loan guarantees and other investments made by the Secretary of the Treasury under the CARES Act.
The MOU outlines four objectives: 1) to provide a coordinated response to CARES Act funding fraud, with an emphasis on organized criminal activity, as well as criminal and civil fraud affecting federal money, vulnerable victims, and fraud recidivists; 2) to speed up legal process, case intake, and prosecution of CARES Act-related fraud; 3) to link and associate isolated CARES Act-related complaints with larger schemes and related, unlawful activity; and 4) to deter future CARES Act funding fraud by increasing awareness of successful criminal prosecutions and civil enforcement actions against individuals and companies involved in CARES-related financial fraud.
As part of the MOU, the U.S. Attorney’s Office will designate two Assistant United States Attorneys – one from the Criminal Division and one from the Civil Division – to serve as liaisons for the partnership between SIGPR and the U.S. Attorney’s Office. These AUSAs will be direct points of contact for case-related inquiries from SIGPR.
The MOU also calls for the U.S. Attorney’s Office to create a streamlined, accelerated process for SIGPR investigations to obtain needed preliminary legal process, including grand jury subpoenas and court orders, subpoenas, and civil investigative demands.
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ADT Technician Pleads Guilty to Hacking Home Security FootageRead the Press Release
A home security technician has pleaded guilty to repeatedly hacking into customers’ video feeds, announced Acting U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Prerak Shah.
Telesforo Aviles, a 35-year-old former ADT employee, pleaded guilty to computer fraud on Thursday before Magistrate Judge David Horan.
“This defendant, entrusted with safeguarding customers’ homes, instead intruded on their most intimate moments,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Prerak Shah. “We are glad to hold him accountable for this disgusting betrayal of trust.”
“The defendant used his position of employment to illegally breach the privacy of numerous people. The FBI works with our law enforcement partners to thoroughly investigate all cyber intrusions and hold criminals accountable for their actions,” said FBI Dallas Special Agent in Charge Matthew J. DeSarno. “Cyber intrusions do not only affect businesses, but also members of the public. We encourage everyone to practice cyber hygiene with all their connected devices by reviewing authorized users and routinely changing passwords. If you become the victim of a cybercrime, please contact the FBI through ic3.gov or 1-800-CALL FBI.”
According to plea papers, Mr. Aviles admits that contrary to company policy, he routinely added his personal email address to customers’ “ADT Pulse” accounts, giving himself real-time access to the video feeds from their homes. In some instances, he claimed he needed to add himself temporarily in order to “test” the system; in other instances, he added himself without their knowledge.
Mr. Aviles took note of which homes had attractive women, then repeatedly logged into these customers’ accounts in order to view their footage for sexual gratification, he admits. Plea papers indicate he watched numerous videos of naked women and couples engaging in sexual activity inside their homes.
Over a four and a half year period, Mr. Aviles secretly accessed roughly 200 customer accounts more than 9,600 times without their consent, he admits.
Mr. Aviles, who waived indictment and was charged via an information, now faces up to five years in federal prison.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Dallas Field Office conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sid Mody is prosecuting the case.
15-year Prison Sentence for Indiana Man Who Travelled to Wisconsin to Meet a Child for Sex and Pornography ProductionRead the Press Release
Matthew D. Krueger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, announced that on January 21, 2021, Ronald P. Ortgea (age: 47) of Dyer, Indiana, was sentenced to 180 months in federal prison by Senior United States District Judge William C. Griesbach.
In June of 2020, Ortega began corresponding via a popular messaging platform with someone he believed to be a 40-year-old woman in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. During these conversations Ortega sent videos containing child pornography and stated his desire to have sexual intercourse with the woman’s 15-year-old daughter. On July 6, 2020, Ortega travelled from Indiana to Oshkosh to meet the woman and her child at a local motel. Ortega brought lingerie, sex toys, and electronic devices for the purpose of capturing images of himself engaged in sexual activity with the child. The “woman” was, in fact, an undercover law enforcement officer, and Ortega was arrested.
Ortega’s indictment and subsequent conviction were part of Operation Kick Boxer, a collaborative effort involving the Milwaukee Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, and the Winnebago County Sheriff's Office. (https://go.usa.gov/xfPHh).
In handing down the sentence, Senior District Judge Griesbach noted the very serious nature of the charge and the need for just punishment. Following his release from prison, Ortega will spend seven years on supervised release. He will also be required to register as a sexual offender.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006, by the U.S. Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Milwaukee and Green Bay Offices, as well as the Winnebago County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Daniel R. Humble.
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For Additional Information Contact: Public Information Officer Kenneth Gales
414-297-1700
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Wednesday 20 January 2021
Woodinville Water Commissioner pleads guilty to possession of child pornographyRead the Press Release
Seattle – A current Woodinville, Washington Water District Commissioner, who is also a general contractor, pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in Seattle to possession of child pornography, announced U.S. Attorney Brian T. Moran. DALE KNAPINSKI, 67, was indicted in November 2019. KNAPINSKI is scheduled for sentencing by U.S. District Judge John C. Coughenour on April 20, 2021.
According to records filed in the case, in April and May 2019, the FBI, through the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force (ICAC), began an investigation of an IP address in Woodinville, Washington. An electronic device at the IP address was using a peer-to-peer file sharing program to download images of child rape and abuse. On July 9, 2019, agents executed a court authorized search warrant at the address and seized a laptop computer belonging to KNAPINSKI. A subsequent forensic evaluation revealed approximately 280 images of child rape and abuse.
Possession of child pornography is punishable by up to 20 years in prison. Prosecutors have agreed to recommend a sentence at the low end of the guidelines range determined by the court at sentencing. KNAPINSKI is required to register as a sex offender.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
The case was investigated by the FBI as part of the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney William Dreher.
Walcott Man Sentenced to 19 Years in Prison for Firearm and Robbery OffensesRead the Press Release
DAVENPORT, Iowa — On January 19, 2021, United States District Court Judge Rebecca Goodgame Ebinger sentenced Curlie Marquee Quarterman, age 35, of Walcott, to 228 months in prison for Felon in Possession of a Firearm and Robbery announced Acting United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal. Following his prison term, Quarterman was ordered to serve five years of supervised release, as well as immediately pay $200 to the Crime Victims’ Fund.
Quarterman was charged with Felon in Possession of a Firearm in May of 2016, after police were called regarding a domestic dispute and Quarterman was found in possession of a stolen firearm. On July 20, 2017, Quarterman was placed on federal pretrial release. Quarterman subsequently cut off his ankle monitor and fled from supervision, stole a truck and a haircut, and on July 22, 2017, committed Interference with Commerce by Threats and Violence (Hobbs Act Robbery). Following the robbery, Quarterman was spotted by law enforcement in Johnson County and fled at speeds over 100 mph. Quarterman’s vehicle was debilitated, and he was eventually apprehended in Muscatine, Iowa.
Quarterman had three prior felony convictions for robbery, which qualified him as an Armed Career Criminal under federal law.
These matters were investigated by the Scott County Sheriff’s Office, Davenport Police Department, Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. This case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa.
Virginia man who participated in Columbus murder sentenced to 30 years in prison for participating in MS-13 racketeering conspiracyRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – A Virginia man was sentenced in federal court in Columbus today to 360 months in prison for participating in a racketeering conspiracy in Columbus on behalf of the transnational gang MS-13.
Jose Daniel Gonzalez-Campos (a/k/a Flaco), 31, of Falls Church, Va., took part in the November 2015 murder of 17-year-old high school student Wilson Villeda.
Gonzalez-Campos is one of 23 members and associates of MS-13 in Columbus charged in a February 2018 second superseding indictment.
The defendants are charged in a racketeering conspiracy, which includes five murders as well as attempted murder, extortion, money laundering, drug trafficking, assault, obstruction of justice, witness intimidation, weapons offenses and immigration-related violations.
Court documents detail that the defendants committed a host of overt acts in furtherance of the conspiracy, including: 1) the December 2006 murder of Jose Mendez, a suspected confidential informant, in Perry County; 2) the November 2008 murder of Ramon Ramos on Lockbourne Road in Columbus; 3) the mid-2015 murder of Carlos Serrano-Ramos, a suspected rival gang member, near Innis Road in Columbus; 4) the November 2015 murder of Wilson Villeda near Innis Road in Columbus; and 5) the December 2016 murder of Salvador Martinez-Diaz, a suspected rival gang member, on Melroy Avenue in Columbus.
The murders sometimes involved defendants using weapons like machetes, knives and hammers to attack and beat their victims to death.
In the murder of Wilson Villeda, MS-13 members and associates attacked and killed the victim with bladed weapons and buried his body in a shallow grave in the woods in Innis Park.
David M. DeVillers, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Chris Hoffman, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division; Rebecca Adducci, Detroit Field Office Director, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations; Franklin County Sheriff Dallas Baldwin; and Columbus Police Chief Thomas Quinlan announced the sentence imposed today by U.S. District Judge Edmund A. Sargus, Jr.
Deputy Criminal Chief Brian J. Martinez and Assistant United States Attorney Noah R. Litton are representing the United States in this case.
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United States Attorney's Office District of Arizona December 2020 Immigration and Border Crimes ReportRead the Press Release
I. Illegal Reentry After Deportation (8 U.S.C. 1326)
241 individuals were charged in December with illegal reentry
A. 153 of those 241 individuals had previously been convicted of non-immigration criminal offenses in the U.S.
Of the 153 individuals with non-immigration criminal records:
1. 39 had violent crime convictions, including:
1 individual had a homicide conviction
5 individuals had sex offense convictions
8 individuals had domestic violence convictions2. 12 had property crime convictions
3. 42 had DUI convictions
4. 70 had drug crime convictions
B. 99 of those 241 individuals had been deported three or more times
II. Alien Smuggling (8 U.S.C. 1324)
34 individuals were charged in December with alien smuggling
III. Illegal Entry (Criminal Consequence Initiative) (8 U.S.C. 1325)
0 individuals were charged in December with illegal entry on the CCI calendar
Criminal conviction information is based on preliminary criminal history reports provided by the arresting agency.
These numbers represent United States Attorney's Office prosecutions only. These numbers do not include individuals apprehended by immigration enforcement officials and subjected solely to administrative process.
*The Department of Homeland Security instituted a policy in late March of expeditiously returning aliens who illegally enter the United States rather than detaining them. The decreased number of individuals presented to this Office for prosecution coincides with the implementation of that policy and other COVID-19 related border restrictions.
RELEASE NUMBER: 2021-002_December Immigration and Border Crimes Report
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For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.United States Attorney Mark a. Klaassen Announces ResignationRead the Press Release
Cheyenne, WY – United States Attorney Mark A. Klaassen, of Cheyenne, Wyoming, has announced his resignation from office effective midnight January 31, 2021. Upon his resignation, Klaassen will be taking a post with the State of Wyoming.
Klaassen, a graduate of Notre Dame Law School, had previously served as Assistant United States Attorney for the Civil Division, and as Chief of Staff to the General Counsel for the United States Department of Homeland Security. He was nominated by President Trump on July 21, 2017, confirmed by the Senate on November 9, 2017, and sworn into office on November 21, 2017. During his tenure as United States Attorney, he served as chair of the Attorney General’s Advisory Committee, Subcommittee on Asset Recovery.
“It was an honor to serve the people of Wyoming in this role,” said Klaassen. “I had the privilege of working alongside an amazing group of prosecutors and staff, as well as law enforcement partners across the state who are truly making a difference in our communities. I know this office will continue to uphold the high standards of competence, fairness, and respect for the rule of law that I inherited upon taking over, and hopefully built upon during my tenure”
Under Klaassen’s leadership, the United States Attorney’s Office refocused its efforts on violent crime prosecution, including firearms offenses. He led an inter-agency effort to reinvigorate the District’s current Project Safe Neighborhood program, a cooperative arrangement with state and local law enforcement partners to identify and aggressively target the most violent offenders in a given community. As United States Attorney, Klaassen also focused on major drug crimes, including the prosecution of one of the largest single drug interdictions on record in Wyoming.
In addition to violent crime reduction and drug enforcement, Mr. Klaassen emphasized prosecutions of child exploitation offenses, with particular attention to cases involving those who were abusing children to produce images of pornography. The efforts of prosecutors and agents in this area of emphasis led to the rescue of 16 child victims in 2020 alone.
The District of Wyoming encompasses the entire state and all of Yellowstone National Park. The United States Attorney’s Office, with staffed offices in Cheyenne, Casper, Lander, and Mammoth, WY is responsible for conducting all criminal and civil litigation in the district involving the United States government.
Two Men Indicted on Fraud Charges Involving Small Business Administration Disaster FundsRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Lawrence man and a Methuen man were indicted yesterday by a federal grand jury in connection with a scheme involving the use of stolen identities to fraudulently obtain Economic Injury Disaster Loans from the Small Business Administration (SBA) and to launder the funds.
Darwyn Joseph, 24, of Lawrence, and Ramon Joseph Cruz, Jr., 24, of Methuen, were each indicted on one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, four counts of wire fraud and aiding and abetting and one count of aggravated identity theft. The defendants were charged by criminal complaint and arrested in December 2020.
According to the charging documents, the defendants were involved in a conspiracy to use stolen identity information of United States citizens to apply for SBA Economic Injury Disaster Loans. Specifically, Joseph and Cruz used stolen identity information of U.S. citizens to open fraudulent bank accounts which were then linked to other fraudulent bank accounts set up to receive the SBA funds. Joseph and Cruz also received through the mail some of the debit cards associated with fraudulent bank accounts into which SBA funds were deposited, and then laundered those funds by using them to purchase large numbers of iPhones for re-sale. Joseph and Cruz also wired a portion of the funds to the Dominican Republic in furtherance of the scheme.
It is alleged that over $452,000 in SBA funds were fraudulently obtained in connection with this scheme. Approximately $250,000 of this money was used to purchase iPhones in Massachusetts and New Hampshire.
The charges of wire fraud and conspiracy to commit wire fraud provide for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss from the offense. The charge of aggravated identity theft carries a mandatory two-year sentence that must run consecutively to any other sentence imposed, up to one year 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.
United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling and William S. Walker, Acting Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Boston made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Elianna Nuzum and Adam Deitch of Lelling’s Major Crimes Unit are prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Two Defendants Plead Guilty to Multi-Million Dollar Medicare Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Colorado woman and a Florida woman pleaded guilty today in connection with a multi-million dollar Medicare fraud scheme.
Jessica Jones, 30, of Louisville Colo., and Elizabeth Putulin, 30, of Coconut Creek, Fla., each pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud. U.S. District Court Senior Judge George A. O’Toole, Jr. scheduled sentencing for May 19, 2021.
Jones and Putulin conspired with Juan Camilo Perez Buitrago to submit more than $109 million in false and fraudulent claims for durable medical equipment (DME) such as arm, back, knee and shoulder braces. In October 2020, Perez pleaded guilty to health care fraud and paying kickbacks in connection with a federal health care program and is scheduled to be sentenced on March 4, 2021.
Jones and Putulin helped Perez manufacture and submit false and fraudulent Medicare claims by establishing shell companies in more than a dozen different states, including Massachusetts. Perez directed employees, including Jones and Putulin, to list his mother, wife and yacht captain as corporate directors and to use fictitious names when registering the shell companies as DME providers. At Perez’s request, Jones and Putulin purchased Medicare patient data from foreign and domestic call centers that targeted elderly patients, and instructed call centers to contact the Medicare beneficiaries with an offer of ankle, arm, back, knee and/or shoulder braces “at little to no cost.” Perez then submitted Medicare claims for those patients without obtaining a prescriber’s order to ensure that the braces were medically necessary. It is further alleged that he submitted blatantly fraudulent claims, including claims for deceased patients and repeat claims for the same patient and the same DME. Perez failed to provide any DME for more than $7.5 million in claims. When Perez did provide DME to patients, he typically billed insurance policies more than 12 times the average price of the DME that he provided to the patient.
Jones and Putulin further facilitated the fraud by answering frequent phone calls from Medicare patients who received DME that they did not request, want or need. Jones and Putulin also responded to insurance companies’ requests for prescriber’s orders and medical records, which they were unable to provide.
The charging statute provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling; Johnnie Sharp Jr., Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Birmingham Field Division; Phillip Coyne, Special Agent in Charge of the Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the Inspector General, Boston Division; and Joseph W. Cronin, Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elysa Q. Wan of Lelling’s Health Care Fraud Unit is prosecuting the case.
Two Brothers Wanted on Federal Kidnapping Charges Captured by the US Marshal's ServiceRead the Press Release
Fairview Heights, Ill. – Two East St. Louis men wanted on federal kidnapping charges were captured
earlier today by the U.S. Marshal’s Service. Arrest warrants were issued for Kenwyn
L. Frazier (age 36) and Kendrick A. Frazier (age 34) on December 21, 2020, after a criminal
complaint charged the brothers in connection with the kidnapping and shooting of a man named Kein
Eastman. The U.S. Marshals Service has been searching for the Fraziers since that date.On January 20, 2021, at approximately 7:45 am, the U.S. Marshals Service, Great Lakes Regional
Fugitive Task Force in the Southern District of Illinois, East St. Louis Office, located and
arrested Kendrick Frazier and Kenwyn Frazier on Hillwood Drive in Belleville, Illinois. They were
taken into custody and no injuries are reported.United States Attorney Steven D. Weinhoeft credited U.S. Marshal Brad Maxwell and his Task Force
for apprehending the Fraziers safely. Weinhoeft said, “The United States Marshals Service Task
Force is made up of incredibly brave agents who risk their personal safety to locate and apprehend
the most violent fugitives. We thank them for their courage and for seeing to it that those charged
with the most serious crimes see their day in court.”The complaint and arrest warrants against Kendrick Frazier and Kenwyn Frazier were unsealed and
made public on December 23, 2021, at a press conference held at the Jackie Joyner Kersee Center. At
that press conference, Illinois State Police Director Brendan Kelly announced the creation of a new
ISP Public Safety Enforcement Group (PSEG) that conducted this investigation, along with the East
St. Louis Police Department.The federal charges allege that on August 13, 2020, Kenwyn Frazier kidnapped Kein Eastman from a
residence in East St. Louis after accusing Eastman of stealing personal property. Kendrick Frazier
is alleged to have joined in the kidnapping later in the day. An affidavit filed in the case states
that video evidence recorded Kendrick Frazier shooting Eastman with a .45 caliber handgun outside
of a home on Kansas Avenue as Eastman tried to escape.The SUV used in the kidnapping was discovered burned following the shoot ng.
Eastman’s body has never been found, and he has not been seen or heard from since that day.Upon conviction, Kenwyn Frazier and Kendrick Frazier face up to life in prison, and a fine
of up to $1,000,000. No court date has been scheduled at this time.Jasmine M. Crawford (age 23), also of East St. Louis, was charged in United States District Court
on November 16, 2020, with obstruction of justice for tampering with a Ring doorbell as it recorded
portions of the crime. She faces up to 20 years’ imprisonment, and a $1,000,000 fine. Crawford is
scheduled for an Initial Appearance and Arraignment in U.S. District Court on January 25, 2021.U.S. Attorney Weinhoeft commended the Illinois State Police for their role in the investigation,
“These charges were made possible by excellent investigative work by the Illinois State Police’s
new Public Safety Enforcement Group (PSEG). This case demonstrates that PSEG is already working. We
are grateful to Director Kelly and the ISP for their continued commitment to the region.”An indictment is merely a formal charge against a defendant. Under the law, the defendants are
presumed to be innocent of the charges until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt to the
satisfaction of a jury.The Great Lakes Regional Fugitive Task Force located and arrested Kenwyn Frazier and Kendrick
Frazier. The Task Force in the Southern District of Illinois is composed of the U.S. Marshals;
Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; Illinois State Police; Illinois Department of
Corrections; Effingham County Sheriff's Office; St. Clair County Sheriff's Department; Belleville
Police; East St. Louis Police; Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office and Fairmont City Police.The criminal investigation was conducted by agents from the Illinois State Police Public Safety
Enforcement Group and the East St. Louis Police Department.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ali Summers.Two Aiken Residents Each Sentenced to Eight Years in Federal Prison on Meth ChargesRead the Press Release
Columbia, South Carolina---- United States Attorney Peter M. McCoy, Jr. announced today that Casey C. Kohler, 36, and Anna E. Mason, 28, both of Aiken County, were each sentenced to over eight years in federal prison for conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine.
Evidence presented in court established that the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) initiated an investigation into the narcotics distribution activities of Kenneth Evans and Eddie Brockington, co-defendants in the case. Through controlled purchases and other investigative techniques, agents learned that members of the conspiracy purchased and distributed large amounts of methamphetamine and heroin for Evans and Brockington. Some of the individuals charged were responsible for transporting multi-kilogram amounts of methamphetamine and heroin into South Carolina and then distributing the drugs throughout the state. Both Kohler and Mason were involved in purchasing and distributing methamphetamine in the Aiken County area for Evans. Mason was also involved in collecting money owed on drug debts and forwarding the money to others on Evans’s behalf.
United States District Judge J. Michelle Childs sentenced Kohler to 100 months in federal prison, followed by eight years of supervised release. Mason was also sentenced to 100 months in federal prison, followed by eight years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
The case was investigated by agents of the DEA and Aiken County Sheriff's Office. Assistant United States Attorney William K. Witherspoon prosecuted the case.
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Tulsa Man Pleads Guilty to Drug and Firearms ChargesRead the Press Release
A Tulsa man pleaded guilty in federal court to multiple drug offenses including distribution of methamphetamine and heroin, announced U.S. Attorney Trent Shores.
In a blind plea, Richard Howard Barnett III, 24, admitted to two counts of possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute; possession of heroin with intent to distribute; and two counts of possession of firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking crimes. U.S. District Judge Gregory K. Frizzell set Barnett’s sentencing for April 9, 2021.
“The Tulsa Police Narcotics Unit and DEA closed the door on Richard Barnett’s illicit drug trafficking operation,” said U.S. Attorney Trent Shores. “Combined with the advocacy of Assistant U.S. Attorney Joel-lyn McCormick, this law enforcement team successfully removed large quantities of meth and heroin from the illegal drug market.”
On Feb. 5, 2019, the Tulsa Police Department Special Investigations Division’s Narcotics Unit executed a probable cause warrant on Barnett’s residence in Tulsa. After announcing their presence, a male identified as Richard Barnett attempted to flee from a door along the side of the garage. Officers subdued Barnett, and as he was being taken into custody, a Taurus semi-auto pistol fell from his waistband. During a search of the home, officers found Barnett’s photo identification and Cherokee Nation paperwork. They also discovered 1,837 grams of methamphetamine, 13 grams of heroin, multiple firearms and ammunition, and items used in the distribution of narcotics such as digital scales and baggies. Three others were also taken into custody.
Just weeks after his arrest, Barnett bonded out of custody and immediately resumed his drug operation by obtaining another stash of methamphetamine and another firearm. On March 15, 2019, officers executed a search warrant at the same residence, where they found methamphetamine, numerous pills in baggies, and a loaded .25 caliber pistol. Four others were also taken into custody.
The Tulsa Police Department and Drug Enforcement Administration conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joel-lyn A. McCormick is prosecuting the case. AUSA McCormick is the Lead Attorney for the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force in the Northern District of Oklahoma.
Texas Man Sentenced to 240 Months in Federal Prison on Gun and Drug ChargesRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Brandon J. Fremin announced that U.S. District Judge Brian A. Jackson sentenced Hugo Gomez, age 34, of Laredo, Texas, to 240 months in federal prison following his convictions for possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime. The Court further sentenced Gomez to serve five years of supervised release following his term of imprisonment and ordered that the firearm involved be forfeited.
According to admissions made as part of his guilty plea, on February 6, 2019, Gomez possessed with the intent to distribute more than 50 grams of methamphetamine and a firearm in furtherance of his intent to distribute the methamphetamine as he traveled through Iberville Parish, Louisiana, in the Middle District of Louisiana. Shortly after 9 p.m., patrol agents with the Iberville Parish Sheriff’s Office conducted a traffic stop of Gomez’s vehicle. At the time of the stop, Gomez had in his possession, a black leather bag containing 4902 grams of methamphetamine, (98% purity) and a loaded .357 Caliber H&K pistol.
U.S. Attorney Fremin stated, “Our office remains committed to disrupting the drug trade by prosecuting those who ply this dangerous trade in our communities. We will continue to work tirelessly with our law enforcement partners to protect the Middle District from career offenders. I applaud the excellent work of our prosecutors along with DEA and the Iberville Parish Sheriff’s Office.”
Iberville Parish Sheriff Brett Stassi praised the hard work and dedication of his interdiction team and said, “We remain committed to our partnerships with federal, state and other local law enforcement agencies to stop drugs and gun in our parish.”
This matter was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, with substantial assistance from the Iberville Parish Sheriff’s Office, and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney William Morris.
Statement of Acting Attorney General Jeffrey A. Rosen Regarding Nationwide Safety and Security for Inauguration DayRead the Press Release
Tomorrow, the Nation and the world will witness an orderly and peaceful transfer of power in the United States, as the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court swears in President-Elect Biden. Throughout our Nation’s proud history, this ceremony has served as a beacon of democracy and a testament to the enduring strength of our Constitution.
By contrast, the violence we witnessed at the Capitol two weeks ago was an intolerable travesty, which is why the Justice Department has now brought charges against more than one-hundred individuals and has investigations of many others underway.
The Department of Justice is committed, together with our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners, to ensuring a safe and peaceful Inauguration – one that reflects our Nation’s enduring highest values.
As I have repeatedly said over the last two weeks, the Justice Department will have no tolerance for anyone who attempts to mar the day with violence or other criminal conduct. Anyone who does that will be caught, and they will be prosecuted.
Indeed, over the past two weeks, we have seen friends, family members, co-workers, and others reporting information to us about those who were involved in the breach of the Capitol on January 6th. The FBI has received nearly 200,000 digital tips from the public. The American people have demonstrated that they will not allow mob violence to go unanswered. Violence and senseless criminal conduct are not the right way to resolve differences or promote change in our country.
So, rest assured that every level of law enforcement and the National Guard are working around the clock here in Washington, D.C., to provide safety and security for Inauguration Day, and that federal, state, and local law enforcement all around the country are doing the same in our state capitols and government buildings across all fifty states.
As Americans, we all should seek to have a safe and peaceful Inauguration Day, and if we hold fast to our country’s Constitution and traditions, we will.
St. Clair Man Sentenced to 127 Months’ Imprisonment for Conspiring to Distribute MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
SCRANTON- The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Angel Romeu, age 37, of St. Clair, Pennsylvania, was sentenced on January 15, 2021 to 127 months’ imprisonment followed by five years of supervised release by United States District Court Judge Robert D. Mariani, for conspiracy to distribute more than 500 grams of methamphetamine.
According to Acting United States Attorney Bruce D. Brandler, between October 1, 2015 and April 9, 2016, Romeu conspired to distribute over 1.5 kilograms but less than 5 kilograms of methamphetamine in Schuylkill County.
The matter was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI)- Philadelphia Division, the Pennsylvania State Police, and the Schuylkill County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant United States Attorney Jenny P. Roberts 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.
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Seven individuals indicted on federal firearms charges under agencies' Project Guardian collaborationRead the Press Release
SAVANNAH, GA: Seven defendants face federal felony firearms after their indictments by a grand jury in U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Georgia.
All of those charged are previously convicted felons, which prohibits them from possessing firearms. The cases are being investigated under the umbrella of Project Guardian, the Department of Justice initiative targeting illegal firearms, and in coordination with local law enforcement agencies and the Bureau of Alcohol, Firearms, Tobacco and Explosives (ATF).
“It couldn’t be more clear: Convicted felons are prohibited from possessing firearms - period,” said U.S. Attorney Bobby L. Christine. “We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to enforce existing law.”
In the past three years, more than 650 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. Nationwide, more than 14,200 defendants were charged with federal firearms violations in the past year – 168 of them in the Southern District.
Those named in federal indictments from the first 2021 term of the U.S. District Court grand jury include:
- April Nina Hawthorne, 32, of Augusta, charged with Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon.
- Jamerson Brandon Turner, 27, of Augusta, charged with Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon.
- Blake McDuffie, 26, of Winder, Ga., charged with Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon.
- James Stallings III, 28, of Augusta, charged with Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon.
- Kenneth Wayne Jones III, 26, of Augusta, charged with Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon.
- Joseph Edward Palmer, 28, of Thomson, Ga., charged with Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon.
- Marquise Grant, 31, of Savannah, charged with Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon.
The charge of Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon 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 Project Guardian 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 prosecuting crimes.
In addition to the ATF, agencies investigating the cases include the Savannah Police Department; the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office; and the Pooler Police Department.
The cases are being investigated for the United States by Southern District U.S. Attorney’s Office Assistant U.S. Attorneys, including Project Guardian Coordinator Henry W. Syms; Patricia G. Rhodes; Frank Pennington III; Edwin Caban; and Steven Lee.
Under federal law, it is illegal to possess a firearm if you fall 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.