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Wednesday 13 January 2021
Richard D. Westphal Appointed Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of IowaRead the Press Release
DES MOINES, Iowa — On Friday, January 8, 2021, Richard D. Westphal was appointed as Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of Iowa following the resignation of Marc Krickbaum. Mr. Westphal will serve as Acting United States Attorney until November 16, 2021, or until the new presidential administration selects a nominee, if prior to November 16.
Mr. Westphal was born and raised in Davenport, Iowa. He graduated from the University of Iowa in 1986 with a bachelor’s degree in business administration, and in 1990 received a law degree from the University of Iowa, College of Law. Mr. Westphal was admitted into the State of Iowa bar in June of 1990. He began private practice from 1990-1993 at Reynolds and Kenline in Dubuque, Iowa. From 1993-1996, Mr. Westphal served as an assistant county attorney in Johnson County and Muscatine County.
Mr. Westphal has extensive federal prosecution experience. In April 1996, he was designated as a Special Assistant U.S. Attorney in both the Northern and Southern Districts of Iowa specializing in methamphetamine prosecutions. From June 1997 to the present, Mr. Westphal has been an Assistant United States Attorney in the Southern District of Iowa. While at the U.S. Attorney’s Office he has been Branch Chief of the Davenport Branch Office (2013), Criminal Chief (June 2018), and First Assistant United States Attorney (January 2021).
Restaurant Chain Manager Pleads Guilty to Employment Tax FraudRead the Press Release
The manager of the San Diego Home Cooking restaurant chain pleaded guilty today to employment tax fraud, announced Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Richard E. Zuckerman of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and U.S. Attorney Robert S. Brewer Jr. for the Southern District of California.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Aleksandar Sreckovic was a manager for San Diego Home Cooking, a restaurant group with over 110 employees and five restaurants in the San Diego area, including Café 56 & Bar and Mission Valley Café & Bar in San Diego, Lake Murray Café in La Mesa, Lakeside Café in Lakeside, and Centre City Café in Escondido. Sreckovic had significant control over the finances of the company and had a duty to account for and pay over the employment taxes on behalf of the company’s employees to the IRS.
In November 2014, Sreckovic directed an outside payroll company to stop making employment-tax payments. From the last quarter of 2014 through 2017, Sreckovic did not file employment tax returns nor pay employment taxes for San Diego Home Cooking. In total, Sreckovic caused a tax loss of over $1.5 million. Instead of paying employment taxes, Sreckovic paid other creditors and his own personal expenses. Sreckovic has agreed to pay over $2.2 million in restitution, interest, and penalties to the IRS.
U.S. District Judge Cathy Ann Bencivengo scheduled sentencing for April 2, 2021. At sentencing, Sreckovic faces a maximum sentence of five years in prison. He also faces a period of supervised release and monetary penalties.
Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Zuckerman and U.S. Attorney Brewer commended the special agents of IRS Criminal Investigation, who conducted the investigation, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew Galvin and Trial Attorney Matthew Hoffman, who are prosecuting the case.
Additional information about the Tax Division and its enforcement efforts may be found on the Division’s website.
Researcher Charged with Theft of Trade Secrets from New Jersey-Based Pharmaceutical CompanyRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A former director of medical and scientific affairs at a New Jersey pharmaceutical company was arrested today on charges of stealing and illegally transmitting trade secrets, Acting U.S. Attorney Rachael A. Honig announced.
Shafat A. Quadri, 57, of North Potomac, Maryland, is charged by complaint with one count of theft of trade secrets and one count of unauthorized transmission of trade secrets. He is made his initial appearance by videoconference before U.S. Magistrate Judge Cathy L. Waldor and was released on $100,000 unsecured bond.
According to the documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
“Company 1” is a based in New Jersey and is one of the largest pharmaceutical companies in the world, creating vaccines, medicines and consumer healthcare products. Company 1 is incorporated in New Jersey and maintains email servers in New Jersey.
In October 2019, Company 1 contacted the FBI to report suspicious activity by Quadri, who had been employed there since 2015 as director of medical and scientific affairs, immune oncology. Company 1’s global immuno-oncology department specializes in research and development related to the diagnosis and treatment of more than 30 cancer types with biopharmaceutical products. Quadri had access to sensitive intellectual property of the company, including research and other trade secrets. He remained at the company through Sept. 30, 2019.
Company 1 reported that an internal investigation revealed that before he left in September 2019, Quadri copied and removed thousands of files containing Company 1’s proprietary information, including research protocols, compound data, strategic plans. Quadri used unauthorized USB devices and personal email accounts to copy, transfer, and retain proprietary information from Company 1. Some documents that were copied and removed were outside of Quadri’s area of work responsibility. Quadri was not authorized to keep or transfer any sensitive or proprietary documents.
A subsequent review of Quadri’s work-issued computer further revealed the theft and transmission of Company 1 trade secrets, including:
- Quadri used his Company 1 email account to send Company 1 proprietary documents to private email accounts used by Quadri. At least twelve of Company 1’s documents were sent to Quadri’s private email addresses, some of which contained proprietary information related to an immunotherapy drug that helps fight certain cancers and is identified as Company 1’s leading oncology asset.
- Quadri used his Company 1 email account to send three of Company 1’s documents containing proprietary information to an email address used by Quadri and controlled by Quadri’s subsequent employer (Company 2), one of Company 1’s competitors. At least one of these documents related to research in the pre-indication stage, which could cause Company 1 significant loss as competitors would not have knowledge of these development plans.
The count of theft of trade secrets charge carries a maximum potential penalty of up to 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000, or twice the gross pecuniary gain or loss.
Acting U.S. Attorney Honig credited special agents of the FBI’s Newark Division, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge George M. Crouch Jr., with the investigation leading to today’s charges. She also thanked security officials at Company 1 and Company 2 for their assistance.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Dean C. Sovolos of the U.S. Attorney’s Office National Security Unit in Newark.
The charge and allegations contained in the complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Registered Sex Offender from Freeport Charged with Traveling to Iowa to Engage in Sexual Conduct with a MinorRead the Press Release
ROCKFORD — A Freeport man was indicted Tuesday by a federal grand jury on charges related to sexual conduct with a minor.
ERICH M. BRINKMEIER, 25, was charged with two counts of travel with intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct with a minor and one count of committing a felony offense involving a minor when he was required to be registered as a sex offender.
The indictment was announced by John R. Lausch, Jr., United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois; Emmerson Buie, Jr., Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI; and Matt Summers, Chief of the Freeport Police Department. The Rockford Police Department assisted in the investigation. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael D. Love.
According to the indictment, Brinkmeier on Oct. 28, 2019, and Nov. 4, 2019, traveled from Illinois to Iowa with the intent of engaging in a sexual act with a 14-year-old child. The indictment also alleges that the interstate travel and sexual acts with a child by Brinkmeier occurred while he was required to be registered as a sex offender.
Each count of travel with intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct with a minor carries a maximum penalty of up to 30 years in federal prison, and a fine of up to $250,000. The count of committing a felony offense involving a minor carries a mandatory minimum prison sentence of ten years that must be served after any sentence on the travel counts is completed. If Brinkmeier is 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 indictment contains only charges and 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.
Queens Felon Charged with Illegal Possession of AmmunitionRead the Press Release
A criminal complaint was filed today in federal court in Broolyn charging Eduard Florea with being a felon in possession of ammunition. Florea was arrested yesterday at his home in Queens, New York, and made his initial appearance this afternoon before United States Magistrate Judge Sanket J. Bulsara who ordered the defendant detained pending trial.
Seth D. DuCharme, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, and William F. Sweeney, Jr., Assistant Director-in-Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI), announced the arrest and charge.
“This Office will dutifully and responsibly enforce our nation’s gun and ammunition laws and will act swiftly and decisively where an individual who violates such laws threatens our institutions with acts of violence,” stated Acting United States Attorney DuCharme. “Respectful of our citizens’ rights and our obligation to protect their safety and their liberties, we will ensure the orderly functioning of our country’s democratic institutions and the safety of those we are sworn to protect through our diligent investigations and, where appropriate, federal prosecution.” Mr. DuCharme expressed his grateful appreciation to the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York for their assistance on the case.
“As alleged, Florea, a previously convicted felon, made various social media posts about his plan to travel to Washington D.C. to engage in acts of violence. We saved him a trip and paid him a visit instead. Yesterday evening members of the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force, to include our partners at the New York City Police Department, placed him under arrest for illegally possessing ammunition. For those of you out there with similar intentions, heed this warning—knock it off, or expect to see us at your door,” stated FBI Assistant Director-in-Charge Sweeney.
According to the complaint and statements made in court, Florea operated a social media account on Parler using the name “LoneWolfWar.” Florea who was previously convicted of a New York state firearms-related felony, posted threatening statements online about killing a United States Senator-elect and about intending to travel to Washington D.C. as part of a group armed with firearms ready to engage in violence. For example, on January 6, 2021, Florea posted “dead men can’t pass [expletive] laws” in response to a post about a United States Senator-elect. Additionally, Florea posted on social media:
- “Let’s go . . . I will be reaching out to patriots in my area so we can come up with a game plan . . . Here in New York we are target rich[] . . . . Dead men can’t pass [expletive] law. . . . I will fight so help me god.”
- “The time for peace and civility is over . . . ./3 cars full of armed patriots are enroute from NY / 3 cars of armed patriots heading into DC from NY / Guns cleaned loaded . . . got a bunch of guys all armed and ready to deploy . . . we are just waiting for the word.”
- “Its time to unleash some violence.”
n January 12, 2021, FBI Special Agents and Task Force Officers with the New York Joint Terrorism Task Force executed a search warrant at Florea’s home in Middle Village, Queens. Law enforcement recovered over 1,000 rounds of ammunition.
The charges in the complaint are allegations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. If convicted, Florea faces up to 10 years’ imprisonment.
The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s National Security and Cybercrime Section. Assistant United States Attorney Francisco J. Navarro is in charge of the prosecution.
The Defendant:
EDUARD FLOREA
Age: 40
Middle Village, New YorkE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 21-MJ-35
Producing, possessing child pornography sends Glendive man to prison for 40 yearsRead the Press Release
BILLINGS — A Glendive man who admitted producing and possessing child pornography videos for years was sentenced today to 40 years in prison followed by supervised release for life, Acting U.S. Attorney Leif Johnson said.
Anthony Dwayne Boldt, 44, pleaded guilty on July 16, 2020 to production of child pornography and to possession of child pornography.
U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters presided. Judge Watters also ordered $36,972 in restitution.
“Not only are vulnerable child victims harmed by the production of this explicit and unlawful material, they are harmed again and again and again when that material is shared, usually through the internet, and then possessed. This sentence sends a powerful message that those who commit these crimes will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law,” Acting U.S. Attorney Johnson said.
The prosecution said in court documents filed in the case that in January 2020, law enforcement received information that Boldt may have been videotaping sexual activity with a juvenile girl. Law enforcement also received digital storage cards from Boldt’s residence and files on the cards confirmed the reported activity.
Law enforcement served a search warrant on Bolt’s residence and seized multiple items of electronic media. A forensic analysis of the media found videos of Boldt and the victim engaging in sexually explicit conduct, in addition to videos of other victims, including prepubescent children, engaging in similar conduct. In an interview with law enforcement, the victim confirmed that she was the person depicted with Boldt in many of the videos and that Boldt had sexually assaulted her since about 2014.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Zeno Baucus prosecuted the case, which was investigated by the FBI.
This case was initiated under the Department of Justice’s Project Safe Childhood initiative, which was launched in 2006 to combat the proliferation of technology-facilitated crimes involving the sexual exploitation of children. Through a network of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies and advocacy organizations, Project Safe Childhood attempts to protect children by investigating and prosecuting offenders involved in child sexual exploitation. It is implemented through partnerships including the Montana Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force. The ICAC Task Force Program was created to assist state and local law enforcement agencies by enhancing their investigative response to technology facilitated crimes against children.
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Postal Supervisor in Middletown Who Stole Packages is SentencedRead the Press Release
John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that ZOHEB A. DEURA, 34, of Derby, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Kari A. Dooley in Bridgeport to three years of probation, the first nine months of which Deura must serve in home confinement, for stealing mail while he was a U.S. Postal Service employee. Judge Dooley also ordered Deura to pay a $20,000 fine.
According to court documents and statements made in court, between February and April 2020, while he was employed as a supervisor at the U.S. Post Office in Middletown, Deura stole numerous packages, including packages containing an Apple computer, PlayStation and Nintendo gaming devices, an iPhone, footwear, and clothing items.
On October 21, 2020, Deura pleaded guilty to embezzlement of mail by a U.S. Postal Service employee.
Deura has resigned from the U.S. Postal Service.
This investigation was conducted by the U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General, and the case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert S. Ruff.
Individuals who believe they are a victim of mail theft should file a complaint by calling 888-USPS-OIG, or by visiting https://www.uspsoig.gov/form/file-online-complaint.
Onawa Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Failing to Register as a Sex OffenderRead the Press Release
An Onawa man who failed to register as a sex offender was sentenced today to more than 2 years in federal prison.
Tyrone Haskell Tyndall, age 44, from Onawa, Iowa, received the prison term after a September 16, 2020, guilty plea to failure to register as a sex offender.
In a plea agreement, Tyndall admitted to residing in Onawa, Iowa while failing verify his relevant information as a sex offender with the Monona County, Iowa Sheriff’s Office. Tyndall was convicted in 2004 of sexually abusing a child in Nebraska. Tyndall admitted to violating his requirement to register as a sex offender in Iowa and Nebraska from July 2018 to August 2019, even though he lived in both states during this timeframe.
Tyndall was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand. Tyndall was sentenced to 27 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a 5-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
Tyndall is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Kevin Fletcher and Ron Timmons and investigated by the United States Marshals Service.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 20-4044.
Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.
Ohio man admits to selling cocaineRead the Press Release
WHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA – Erick Lamont Stanback Singleton, of Cleveland, Ohio, has admitted to a drug charge, U.S. Attorney Bill Powell announced.
Singleton, also known as “Gotti,” age 26, pled guilty to one count of “Distribution of Heroin within 1000 feet of a Protected Location.” Singleton admitted to selling heroin near Madison Elementary School on Wheeling Island in February 2020.
Singleton faces at least one and up to 40 years of incarceration and a fine of up to $2,000,000. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Shawn M. Adkins and Clayton J. Reid are prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The Ohio Valley Drug and Violent Crimes Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, which includes the Drug Enforcement Administration, West Virginia State Police, Ohio County Sheriff’s Office, and the Wheeling Police Department, investigated. The U.S. Marshal Service, Columbus Police Department Gang Crimes Unit, the Martins Ferry Police Department, and the Bellaire Police Department also assisted.
U.S. Magistrate Judge James P. Mazzone presided.
Find related press release here: https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndwv/pr/26-charged-drug-conspiracy-involving-heroin-fentanyl-crack-cocaine-and-meth-wheeling
Minnesota Man Pleads Guilty to Providing Material Support to ISISRead the Press Release
The Justice Department today announced the guilty plea of Abdelhamid Al-Madioum, 24, to one count of providing material support and resources, namely personnel and services, to ISIS, a designated foreign terrorist organization.
Al-Madioum, a native of Morocco and naturalized U.S. citizen, previously had been detained overseas by the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and was subsequently transferred into FBI custody and returned to Minnesota. Al-Madioum entered his guilty plea today before Judge Ann D. Montgomery in U.S. District Court in Minneapolis, Minnesota. A sentencing date will be scheduled at a later time.
According to the defendant’s guilty plea and documents filed with the court, on June 23, 2015, Al-Madioum and his family traveled from St. Louis Park, Minnesota, to Casablanca, Morocco, to visit their extended family. On July 8, 2015, Al-Madioum left Morocco and traveled to Istanbul, Turkey. There, Al-Madioum met up with members of ISIS who aided his border-crossing into Syria. Once in Syria, the defendant joined other members of ISIS who brought him to Mosul, Iraq.
According to the defendant’s guilty plea, after Al-Madioum arrived in Mosul, he was administratively ISIS and received military training from its members. Al-Madioum was then assigned to the Tariq Bin-Ziyad Battalion of the Abu Mutaz al-Qurashi Division of ISIS, where he served as a solider for ISIS until 2016, when he was injured conducting military activities on behalf of ISIS. Following Al-Madioum’s injury, he remained a member of ISIS and continued to receive a stipend until his surrender to the SDF in or near Baghouz, Syria, in March of 2019. In September of 2020, Al-Madioum was returned to Minnesota.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew R. Winter and Trial Attorney Danielle S. Rosborough of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section are prosecuting the case.
Minnesota Man Pleads Guilty to Providing Material Support to ISISRead the Press Release
U.S. Attorney Erica H. MacDonald today announced the guilty plea of ABDELHAMID AL-MADIOUM, 24, to one count of providing and attempting to provide material support and resources, namely personnel and services, to ISIS, a designated foreign terrorist organization. AL-MADIOUM entered his guilty plea today before Judge Ann D. Montgomery in U.S. District Court in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Sentencing is currently scheduled for May 26, 2021 at 1:30 pm.
According to the defendant’s guilty plea and documents filed with the court, on June 23, 2015, AL-MADIOUM and his family traveled from St. Louis Park, Minnesota, to Casablanca, Morocco, to visit their extended family. On July 8, 2015, AL-MADIOUM left Morocco and traveled to Istanbul, Turkey. There, AL-MADIOUM met up with members of ISIS who aided his border-crossing into Syria. Once in Syria, the defendant joined other members of ISIS who brought him to Mosul, Iraq.
According to the defendant’s guilty plea, after AL-MADIOUM arrived in Mosul, he enrolled into ISIS and received military training from its members. AL-MADIOUM was then assigned to the Tariq Bin-Ziyad Battalion of the Abu Mutaz al-Qurashi Division of ISIS, where he served as a solider for ISIS until 2016, when he was injured conducting military activities on behalf of ISIS. Following AL-MADIOUM’s injury, he remained a member of ISIS and continued to receive a stipend until his surrender to Syrian Democratic Forces in or near Baghouz, Syria, in March of 2019. In September of 2020, AL-MADIOUM was returned to Minnesota.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew R. Winter and Trial Attorney Danielle S. Rosborough of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section are prosecuting the case.
Defendant Information:
ABDELHAMID AL-MADIOUM, 24
St. Louis Park, Minn.
Convicted:
- Providing material support to a designated foreign terrorist organization (ISIS), 1 count
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United States Attorney’s Office, District of Minnesota: (612) 664-5600
Methuen Man Indicted for Armed Bank RobberyRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Methuen man was indicted on Monday, Jan. 11 by a federal grand jury on charges of armed bank robbery.
Caio Costa, 25, was indicted on one count of armed bank robbery and one count of using and carrying a firearm during the commission of a crime of violence.
According to charging documents, on Sept. 25, 2020, Costa, armed with a loaded revolver and donning a black motorcycle helmet, entered a branch of the Salem Five Bank in Tewksbury. Inside the bank, Costa brandished a black revolver and stole over $7,000. Following the robbery, Costa allegedly escaped on a black motorcycle. Law enforcement pursued Costa in a high-speed chase, reaching speeds up to 100 m.p.h. Costa eventually crashed the motorcycle in Lawrence and escaped on foot. Law enforcement later located the black motorcycle helmet and clothing consistent with that worn by Costa during the robbery. The next day, Costa was arrested at a Salem, N.H. motel. At the time of his arrest, Costa was in possession of a large sum of cash.
During an interview with law enforcement on Sept. 28, 2020, it is alleged that Costa admitted to robbing the Salem Five Bank three days earlier and committing four other armed bank robberies between Aug. 28 and Sept. 25, 2020. Costa directed law enforcement to a dumpster where a loaded black revolver, black gloves, a black backpack and other items of clothing used during the robbery were recovered.
The charge of armed bank robbery provides for a sentence of up to 25 years in prison, five years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The charge of brandishing a firearm during the commission of a crime of violence provides for a mandatory sentence of seven years in prison to be served consecutive to any sentence on the armed robbery charges. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the 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; Middlesex District Attorney Marian Ryan; Tewksbury Police Chief Ryan M. Columbus; Lowell Police Chief Christopher Hurst; Wilmington Police Chief Joseph Desmond; and Chelmsford Police Chief James M. Spinney made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kenneth G. Shine of Lelling’s Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Martinsburg man admits to role in drug trafficking operationRead the Press Release
MARTINSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Michael Pierre Christian, of Martinsburg West Virginia, has admitted to his role in a drug distribution operation, U.S. Attorney Bill Powell announced.
Christian, 44, pled guilty to one count of “Aiding and Abetting Possession with Intent to Distribute 28 Grams or More of Cocaine Base.” Christian admitted to working with another to distribute cocaine base in April 2020 in Berkeley and Jefferson Counties.Christian faces at least five and up to 40 years of incarceration and a fine of up to $5,000,000. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Lara Omps-Botteicher is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The FBI; the Department of Homeland Security Investigations; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the U.S. Marshals Service; the West Virginia State Police; the Eastern Panhandle Drug & Violent Crimes Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative; and the West Virginia Air National Guard investigated.
This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Robert W. Trumble presided.
Find the related case here: https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndwv/pr/west-virginia-and-virginia-residents-indicted-drug-trafficking-operation-berkeley-and
Man Pleads Guilty to Attempted Robbery of ATMRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – THEODORE KEYS, age 40, a resident of New Orleans, pled guilty on January 12, 2021 to conspiracy to commit bank larceny, announced U.S. Attorney Peter G. Strasser. KEYS faces 5 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, 1 year of supervised release and a $100 special assessment. Sentencing is scheduled for April 13, 2021 before the Honorable Susie Morgan.
According to court records, on or about February 5, 2020, KEYS and others attempted to break into an ATM located in the drive-through of a Capital One Bank using sledgehammers, crowbars, chains, and a truck. Just prior to this robbery attempt, KEYS and others were observed in the same truck attempting to break into an ATM at a Hancock Whitney Bank.
U.S. Attorney Strasser praised the work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the New Orleans Police Department in investigating this matter. The prosecution of this case is being handled by Assistant U. S. Attorney G. Dall Kammer, Supervisor of the General Crimes Unit.
Man Charged with Illegal Importation of over 50 Machinegun Conversion Devices from China to Puerto RicoRead the Press Release
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – A federal grand jury returned a five-count indictment charging Lucas E. Izagas Figueroa with illegal importation of firearms, conspiracy to import and possess illegally imported firearms, illegal possession of machineguns, smuggling goods into the United States, and conspiracy to smuggle goods into the United States, announced W. Stephen Muldrow, United States Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico. The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) was in charge of the investigation.
According to the indictment, between June 2017 and November 2019, defendant Lucas E. Izagas Figueroa, aiding and abetting others, imported into the United States from China over 50 devices designed exclusively to convert a semi-automatic weapon into a machinegun. According to the indictment, the seller fraudulently described the items with names such as ‘Nylon Fiber Mag” and “Hardware Accessories.” In reality, those items were machinegun conversion devices with a Glock logo.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jeanette M. Collazo-Ortiz and Jonathan L. Gottfried, Chief of the Violent Crimes and National Security Section, are in charge of the prosecution of the case. If convicted, the defendant faces up to 20 years in prison.
An indictment contains only charges and is not evidence of guilt. Defendants are presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty.
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Madison Man Sentenced to 96 Months for Possessing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. - Scott C. Blader, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Diorian Smith, 30, Madison, Wisconsin, was sentenced today by Chief U.S. District Judge James D. Peterson to 96 months in federal prison for possessing child pornography. This prison term will be followed by 20 years of supervised release.
Smith came to the attention of law enforcement on November 19, 2018, when the investigation revealed he was involved in a shooting on the west side of Madison. While interviewing Smith regarding the shooting, law enforcement became aware that he was involved in a sexual relationship with a minor and possessed pornographic images of her.
Smith pleaded guilty in federal court on September 28, 2020, to possessing child pornography. Smith was charged and pleaded guilty in Dane County Circuit Court to 1st Degree Reckless Endangerment in connection with the shooting.
The charges against Smith were the result of an investigation conducted by the Madison Police Department. The prosecution of the case has been handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Julie S. Pfluger.
Lodge Grass man who strangled girlfriend sentenced to prisonRead the Press Release
BILLINGS — A Lodge Grass man who admitted strangling his girlfriend on the Crow Indian Reservation was sentenced today to 15 months in prison and three years of supervised release, Acting U.S. Attorney Leif Johnson said.
Augustus Christopher Wolfblack, also known as Augustus Christopher Flatmouth, 19, pleaded guilty to assault by strangulation of a dating partner on Aug. 11, 2020.
U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters presided.
In court documents filed in the case, the prosecution said Wolfblack assaulted the victim on Sept. 15, 2019 in Lodge Grass. Wolfblack struck the victim with his fists, put her in a headlock and strangled her. The victim was treated at the Indian Health Services in Crow Agency for injuries. When interviewed, Wolfblack initially denied assaulting the victim except to say he grabbed her arm after she hit him in the head. After being pressed, Wolfblack admitted he had assaulted the victim, although he claimed that he did not squeeze her neck.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Lori Suek prosecuted the case, which was investigated by the FBI.
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Local woman indicted for transporting a minor for the purpose of female genital mutilationRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – A federal grand jury has returned the first-ever indictment regarding the specific allegation of circumcision, excision or infibulation of a minor’s labia majora, labia minora or clitoris.
Zahra Badri, 39, a resident of Houston originally from the United Kingdom, is set to appear before a U.S. magistrate judge in the near future.
“Female genital mutilation is child abuse,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Patrick. “The long term damage, both physically and physiologically, is well documented. Unnecessary medical procedures on children will not be tolerated.”
“The brutal practice of female genital mutilation not only subjects victims to the immediate trauma of the violent act, but also often condemns them to suffer a lifetime of physical and psychological harms,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General David P. Burns of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “This indictment represents the first time the Department has brought charges against a defendant for transporting a child outside U.S. borders to facilitate this abhorrent form of gender-based violence and demonstrates that we will not rest in pursuing and holding to account those who engage in this cruelty.”
“It is rare this type of crime is brought to the attention of law enforcement,” said FBI Houston Special Agent in Charge Perrye K. Turner. “We want the American people to know it is the FBI's responsibility to investigate allegations of Human Rights violations, like female genital mutilation. This is an example of our commitment to protect Human Rights.”
The indictment alleges from on or about July 10 through Oct. 14, 2016, Badri knowingly transported a minor from the United States in foreign commerce for the purpose of female genital mutilation.
The FBI’s Houston Field Office conducted the investigation with the support of the Human Rights Violators and War Crimes Center (HRVWCC).
Established in 2009, the HRVWCC furthers the government’s efforts to identify, locate and prosecute human rights abusers in the United States, including those who are known or suspected to have participated in persecution, war crimes, genocide, torture, extrajudicial killings, female genital mutilation and the use or recruitment of child soldiers. The HRVWCC leverages the expertise of a select group of agents, lawyers, intelligence and research specialists, historians and analysts who direct the government’s broader enforcement efforts against these offenders. The HRVWCC is comprised of Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations Human Rights Violators and War Crimes Unit, ICE’s Human Rights Law Section, FBI’s International Human Rights Unit and the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section (HRSP).
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kimberly Leo and Sherri Zack of the Southern District of Texas and HRSP Trial Attorneys Rami S. Badawy, Susan Masling and Christian Levesque are jointly prosecuting the case.
The charges contained in the indictment are merely allegations and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Las Vegas Resident Sentenced to Prison for Elder Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
A Las Vegas resident who participated in a fraudulent prize-notification scheme that bilked victims out of more than $9 million was sentenced today to federal prison, the Department of Justice announced.
U.S. District Judge Gloria M. Navarro sentenced Andrea Burrow, 50, to 36 months in prison, followed by 36 months of supervised release. Judge Navarro also ordered Burrow to forfeit $272,000. Burrow pleaded guilty in August 2020 to conspiracy to commit mail fraud based on her participation in a scheme that preyed upon hundreds of thousands of victims, many of whom were elderly and vulnerable, with fraudulent prize notices. The notices led victims to believe that they could claim a large cash prize if they paid a fee of $20 to $30. This was false; victims who paid the fees did not receive anything of value.
Burrow is the first defendant to be sentenced in connection with the scheme. Three other individuals – Patti Kern, Edgar Del Rio, and Sean O’Connor – pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit mail fraud in 2019. Following these guilty pleas, Burrow was indicted in November 2019 along with five codefendants: Mario Castro, Jose Salud Castro, Salvador Castro, Miguel Castro, and Jose Luis Mendez. The trial of the remaining five defendants, who are presumed innocent until proven guilty, is currently scheduled for June 7, 2021.
“The Department of Justice has substantially increased its focus and resources on combating schemes that defraud American seniors, prioritizing cases like this one,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Jeffrey Bossert Clark of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “The Department of Justice takes every step possible to prosecute perpetrators of elder fraud scams so that it can deliver justice for victims.”
“Our office will continue our efforts to dismantle schemes like this one, preying on the vulnerable and elderly,” said U.S. Attorney Nicholas A. Trutanich of the District of Nevada. “Whether they are operating in Nevada or elsewhere in the country, fraudsters will be apprehended and will face stiff consequences for their callous actions.”
“Criminals who target the elderly through heartless scam tactics via the U.S. Mail should know that Postal Inspectors are prepared to unravel their scheme, no matter how complex,” said Inspector in Charge Delany De Léon-Colón of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service’s Criminal Investigations Group. “This case highlights the importance of reporting these scams to authorities, so law enforcement agents like our Postal Inspectors can have the information necessary to help bring justice to hundreds of thousands of victims through these large, successful cases.”
The scheme operated from 2010 to February 2018, when postal inspectors executed multiple search warrants and the Department of Justice obtained a court order shutting down the fraudulent mail operation. The indictment and other court filings alleged that Mario Castro, Jose Salud Castro, Salvador Castro, Miguel Castro, Jose Luis Mendez, and Edgar Del Rio worked at the printing and mailing businesses that sent the fraudulent mail, and each shared the profits from the fraudulent prize notices with Patti Kern, who helped manage the scheme. Sean O’ Connor provided laser printing and data processing services to the scheme. Burrow opened victim return mail, sorted cash and other payments, and entered data from the victims’ responses into a database that the scheme used to target past victims with more fraudulent mail, according to the indictment.
The U.S. Postal Inspection Service investigated the case. The case is being prosecuted by Trial Attorneys Timothy Finley and Daniel Zytnick of the Department of Justice’s Consumer Protection Branch and Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicholas Dickinson of the District of Nevada.
Since President Trump signed the bipartisan Elder Abuse Prevention and Prosecution Act (EAPPA) into law, the Department of Justice has participated in hundreds of enforcement actions in criminal and civil cases that targeted or disproportionately affected seniors. In January 2020, the department designated “Preventing and Disrupting Transnational Elder Fraud” as an Agency Priority Goal, one of its top four priorities. In March 2020, the department announced the largest elder fraud enforcement action in American history, charging more than 400 defendants in a nationwide elder fraud sweep. The department has also conducted hundreds of trainings and outreach sessions across the country since the passage of the Act.
The department’s extensive efforts to combat elder fraud seek to halt the billions of dollars seniors lose each year to fraud schemes, including those perpetrated by transnational criminal organizations. The best method for prevention, however, is sharing information about the various types of elder fraud schemes with relatives, friends, neighbors, and other seniors who can use that information to protect themselves.
If you or someone you know is age 60 or older and has been a victim of financial fraud, help is standing by at the National Elder Fraud Hotline: 1-833-FRAUD-11 (1-833-372-8311). This U.S. Department of Justice hotline, managed by the Office for Victims of Crime, is staffed by experienced professionals who provide personalized support to callers by assessing the needs of the victim, and identifying relevant next steps. Case managers will identify appropriate reporting agencies, provide information to callers to assist them in reporting, connect callers directly with appropriate agencies, and provide resources and referrals, on a case-by-case basis. Reporting is the first step. Reporting can help authorities identify those who commit fraud and reporting certain financial losses due to fraud as soon as possible can increase the likelihood of recovering losses. The hotline is staffed 7 days a week from 6:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. eastern time. English, Spanish and other languages are available.
For more information about the Consumer Protection Branch and its enforcement efforts, visit its website at http://www.justice.gov/civil/consumer-protection-branch.
Las Vegas Resident Sentenced to Prison for Elder Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
LAS VEGAS, Nev. - A Las Vegas resident who participated in a fraudulent prize-notification scheme that bilked victims out of more than $9 million was sentenced today to federal prison, the Department of Justice announced.
U.S. District Judge Gloria M. Navarro sentenced Andrea Burrow, 50, to 36 months in prison, followed by 36 months of supervised release. Judge Navarro also ordered Burrow to forfeit $272,000. Burrow pleaded guilty in August 2020 to conspiracy to commit mail fraud based on her participation in a scheme that preyed upon hundreds of thousands of victims, many of whom were elderly and vulnerable, with fraudulent prize notices. The notices led victims to believe that they could claim a large cash prize if they paid a fee of $20 to $30. This was false; victims who paid the fees did not receive anything of value.
Burrow is the first defendant to be sentenced in connection with the scheme. Three other individuals – Patti Kern, Edgar Del Rio, and Sean O’Connor – pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit mail fraud in 2019. Following these guilty pleas, Burrow was indicted in November 2019 along with five codefendants: Mario Castro, Jose Salud Castro, Salvador Castro, Miguel Castro, and Jose Luis Mendez. The trial of the remaining five defendants, who are presumed innocent until proven guilty, is currently scheduled for June 7, 2021.
“The Department of Justice has substantially increased its focus and resources on combating schemes that defraud American seniors, prioritizing cases like this one,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Jeffrey Bossert Clark of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “The Department of Justice takes every step possible to prosecute perpetrators of elder fraud scams so that it can deliver justice for victims.”
“Our office will continue our efforts to dismantle schemes like this one, preying on the vulnerable and elderly,” said U.S. Attorney Nicholas A. Trutanich of the District of Nevada. “Whether they are operating in Nevada or elsewhere in the country, fraudsters will be apprehended and will face stiff consequences for their callous actions.”
“Criminals who target the elderly through heartless scam tactics via the U.S. Mail should know that Postal Inspectors are prepared to unravel their scheme, no matter how complex,” said Inspector in Charge Delany De Léon-Colón of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service’s Criminal Investigations Group. “This case highlights the importance of reporting these scams to authorities, so law enforcement agents like our Postal Inspectors can have the information necessary to help bring justice to hundreds of thousands of victims through these large, successful cases.”
The scheme operated from 2010 to February 2018, when postal inspectors executed multiple search warrants and the Department of Justice obtained a court order shutting down the fraudulent mail operation. The indictment and other court filings alleged that Mario Castro, Jose Salud Castro, Salvador Castro, Miguel Castro, Jose Luis Mendez, and Edgar Del Rio worked at the printing and mailing businesses that sent the fraudulent mail, and each shared the profits from the fraudulent prize notices with Patti Kern, who helped manage the scheme. Sean O’ Connor provided laser printing and data processing services to the scheme. Burrow opened victim return mail, sorted cash and other payments, and entered data from the victims’ responses into a database that the scheme used to target past victims with more fraudulent mail, according to the indictment.
The U.S. Postal Inspection Service investigated the case. The case is being prosecuted by Trial Attorneys Timothy Finley and Daniel Zytnick of the Department of Justice’s Consumer Protection Branch and Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicholas Dickinson of the District of Nevada.
Since President Trump signed the bipartisan Elder Abuse Prevention and Prosecution Act (EAPPA) into law, the Department of Justice has participated in hundreds of enforcement actions in criminal and civil cases that targeted or disproportionately affected seniors. In January 2020, the department designated “Preventing and Disrupting Transnational Elder Fraud” as an Agency Priority Goal, one of its top four priorities. In March 2020, the department announced the largest elder fraud enforcement action in American history, charging more than 400 defendants in a nationwide elder fraud sweep. The department has also conducted hundreds of trainings and outreach sessions across the country since the passage of the Act.
The department’s extensive efforts to combat elder fraud seek to halt the billions of dollars seniors lose each year to fraud schemes, including those perpetrated by transnational criminal organizations. The best method for prevention, however, is sharing information about the various types of elder fraud schemes with relatives, friends, neighbors, and other seniors who can use that information to protect themselves.
If you or someone you know is age 60 or older and has been a victim of financial fraud, help is standing by at the National Elder Fraud Hotline: 1-833-FRAUD-11 (1-833-372-8311). This U.S. Department of Justice hotline, managed by the Office for Victims of Crime, is staffed by experienced professionals who provide personalized support to callers by assessing the needs of the victim, and identifying relevant next steps. Case managers will identify appropriate reporting agencies, provide information to callers to assist them in reporting, connect callers directly with appropriate agencies, and provide resources and referrals, on a case-by-case basis. Reporting is the first step. Reporting can help authorities identify those who commit fraud and reporting certain financial losses due to fraud as soon as possible can increase the likelihood of recovering losses. The hotline is staffed 7 days a week from 6:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. eastern time. English, Spanish and other languages are available.
For more information about the Consumer Protection Branch and its enforcement efforts, visit its website at http://www.justice.gov/civil/consumer-protection-branch.
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Lake in the Hills Man Charged with Traveling to Kentucky to Engage in Illicit Sexual Conduct with a MinorRead the Press Release
ROCKFORD — A man from Lake in the Hills, Ill. was indicted Tuesday by a federal grand jury on charges of traveling in interstate commerce for the purpose of engaging in illicit sexual conduct with a minor.
KEVIN R. DUFFY, 35, was charged with four counts of traveling in interstate commerce for the purpose of engaging in illicit sexual conduct with a minor who was 15 years old and at least four years younger than Duffy.
The indictment 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 Lake in the Hills Police Department assisted in the investigation. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica S. Maveus.
According to the indictment, Duffy traveled from Illinois to Kentucky on June 25, 2020, July 3, 2020, Aug. 5, 2020, and Oct. 1, 2020, with the intent to engage in sexual conduct with the minor. Duffy has been in law enforcement custody since his arrest on Nov. 18, 2020.
Each count in the indictment carries a maximum penalty of up to 30 years in federal prison, and a fine of up to $250,000. 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 indictment contains only charges and is not evidence of guilt. The defendant is presumed innocent and is entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
Kansas Sex Offender Pleads Guilty to Illicit Sex with a ChildRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A registered sex offender from Kansas City, Kansas, pleaded guilty in federal court today to crossing state lines to engage in illicit sexual activity with a 14-year-old Missouri victim he met on Facebook.
Montoryon Harris, 44, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Gary A. Fenner to one count of traveling across state lines to engage in illicit sexual conduct with a minor and one count of committing the felony offense while he was required to register as a sex offender.
Harris, who remains in federal custody without bond, has a 1997 felony conviction for aggravated indecent solicitation of a minor.
On Jan. 24, 2019, the Western Missouri Cyber Crimes Task Force received a Cybertip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. Facebook reported that Harris was suspected of engaging in the sexual exploitation of a child victim. Harris began communicating with the child victim via Facebook on Dec. 14, 2018. Soon afterward, he told her that he wanted to see her in person. Harris’s text messages quickly became sexual in nature.
A law enforcement officer contacted the child victim, who confirmed that Harris drove to her house on Dec. 17, 2018. They engaged in sexual activity in his pickup truck while parked outside her house. Afterward, Harris continued to message the child victim for the purpose of arranging another sexual encounter.
Under federal statutes, Harris is subject to a sentence of up to 30 years in federal prison without parole on the first count, plus a mandatory consecutive sentence of 10 years in federal prison without parole on the second count. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney David Luna. It was investigated by Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Western Missouri Cyber Crimes Task Force, and the Wyandotte County, Kan., Sheriff’s Department.
Project Safe Childhood
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc . For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab "resources."Justice Department Welcomes Passage of the Competitive Health Insurance Reform Act of 2020Read the Press Release
On Jan. 13, 2021, President Donald J. Trump signed into law the Competitive Health Insurance Reform Act of 2020 (the “Act”), which limits the antitrust exemption available to health insurance companies under the McCarran-Ferguson Act. The Act, sponsored by Rep. Peter DeFazio, passed the House of Representatives on Sept. 21, 2020 and passed the Senate on Dec. 22, 2020.
“We thank the President, the Senate, and the House of Representatives for recognizing the importance of competition in American health insurance markets,” said Assistant Attorney General Makan Delrahim of the Department of Justice’s Antitrust Division. “Limiting the scope of conduct exempt from the antitrust laws will strengthen the Antitrust Division’s ability to investigate and prosecute anticompetitive behavior. Americans deserve competition in health insurance markets just as they do in any other industry.”
The McCarran-Ferguson Act exempts certain conduct that constitutes the “business of insurance” from the federal antitrust laws. This exemption has sometimes been interpreted by courts to allow a range of harmful anticompetitive conduct in health insurance markets. The Competitive Health Insurance Reform Act amends the McCarran-Ferguson Act and will assist the Antitrust Division in its mission to enforce the antitrust laws by narrowing this defense and clarifying that, except for certain activities that improve health insurance services for consumers, the conduct of health insurers is subject to the federal antitrust laws.
The Justice Department has a track record of successfully enforcing the antitrust laws against health insurers. Over the past five years, for instance, the department has enforced the antitrust laws against health insurers involved in transactions valued at over 160 billion dollars. The Act will help the department build upon those successes by requiring health insurers to play by the same rules as competitors in other industries. It will end distracting arguments about when health insurers qualify for the McCarran-Ferguson exemption, and it will enable the Antitrust Division to spend resources more efficiently to achieve results that make a difference for American consumers.
Justice Department Settles with New Jersey-Based Staffing Company to Resolve Immigration-Related Discrimination ClaimsRead the Press Release
The Justice Department announced today that it reached a settlement with Collabera, Inc., a Basking Ridge, New Jersey-based information technology (IT) staffing agency. The settlement resolves the department’s claims that Collabera violated the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) when it discriminated against work-authorized non-U.S. citizens.
“IT staffing companies and their end clients must not impose unlawful barriers to employment on non-U.S. citizens who have legal authorization to work in the United States,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General John B. Daukas of the Civil Rights Division. “We look forward to working with Collabera to ensure compliance with the anti-discrimination provision of the Immigration and Nationality Act.”
Based on its investigation, the department concluded that Collabera implemented a discriminatory applicant screening process in which its recruiters refused to pass on to clients non-U.S. citizens who held permanent work authorization unless they could provide an unexpired immigration document. The department also concluded that on at least 39 occasions Collabera required non-U.S. citizens to present specific documentation to prove their work authorization because of their citizenship. The INA prohibits employers from requesting more or different documents than necessary to prove work authorization based on employees’ citizenship, immigration status or national origin. Instead, in the INA, Congress determined that all work-authorized individuals, regardless of citizenship status, may choose which valid, legally acceptable documents to present to demonstrate their ability to work in the United States. The INA does, however, permit employers to reject non-genuine looking documents.
Under the terms of the settlement agreement, Collabera will pay to the United States a civil penalty of $53,000. Collabera will also pay $35,475.92 as back pay to an affected worker. Additionally, Collabera will train its employees on the requirements of the INA’s anti-discrimination provision, including an IER-provided training.
The Civil Rights Division’s Immigrant and Employee Rights Section (IER) is responsible for enforcing the anti-discrimination provision of the INA. The statute prohibits citizenship status and national origin discrimination in hiring, firing, or recruitment or referral for a fee; unfair documentary practices; and retaliation and intimidation.
Learn more about IER’s work and how to get assistance through this brief video. Applicants or employees who believe they were discriminated against based on their citizenship, immigration status, or national origin in hiring, firing, recruitment, or during the employment eligibility verification process (Form I-9 and E-Verify); or subjected to retaliation, can file a charge. The public also can contact IER’s worker hotline at 1-800-255-7688; call IER’s employer hotline at 1-800-255-8155 (1-800-237-2515, TTY for hearing impaired); email [email protected]; sign up for a free webinar; or visit IER’s English and Spanish websites. Subscribe to GovDelivery to receive updates from IER.
The Civil Rights Division wants to hear about civil rights violations. Members of the public can report possible civil rights violations through the Civil Rights Division’s reporting portal.
Justice Department Publishes Statement on 2016 President's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology ReportRead the Press Release
Today, the Justice Department published a statement on the 2016 President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST) Report, Forensic Science in Criminal Courts: Ensuring Scientific Validity of Feature-Comparison Methods. The statement is a response to PCAST’s claims regarding what it described as forensic “feature comparison methods.”
Published in September 2016, the PCAST report has been cited by several courts that have recently limited the scope of opinion testimony by firearms and toolmarks examiners regarding the source of a bullet or shell casing. These courts relied on certain aspects of the PCAST Report to support their decisions. In its Report, PCAST claimed that forensic “feature comparison” methods belong to the scientific discipline of metrology (measurement science); that feature comparison methods can only be deemed “foundationally valid” by adhering to PCAST’s mandatory and non-severable set of experimental design criteria; and that error rates for feature comparison methods can only be established using these “appropriately designed” black box studies.
The Department disagrees with these claims and explains why they are erroneous. Specifically, it is the Department’s position that:
- Traditional forensic pattern examination methods—as currently practiced—do not belong to the scientific discipline of metrology. Forensic examiners visually compare the individual features observed in two examined samples, they do not measure The result of this comparison is a conclusion that is stated in words (nominal terms), not magnitudes (measurements).
- PCAST’s claim that forensic pattern examination methods can only be validated using its non-severable set of nine experimental design criteria is inconsistent with its own examples, international laboratory standards, and authorities in experimental design. There is no single scientifically recognized means by which to validate a scientific method.
- Casework error rates cannot be established through the exclusive and non-severable application of PCAST’s experimental design criteria. No single error rate is applicable to all labs, examiners, or cases.
The full statement can be found here: U.S. Department of Justice Statement on the PCAST Report: Forensic Science in Criminal Courts: Ensuring Scientific Validity of Feature-Comparison Methods and a link to the abstract can be found here: U.S. Department of Justice Statement on the PCAST Report: Abstract.
Justice Department Issues Business Review Letter for Proposed University Technology Licensing ProgramRead the Press Release
The Justice Department’s Antitrust Division announced today that it has completed its review of a proposed joint patent licensing pool known as the University Technology Licensing Program (UTLP). UTLP is a proposal by participating universities to offer licenses to their physical science patents relating to specified emerging technologies.
As part of its review, the division interviewed potential participants and considered its prior guidance on patent pools. The department has concluded that, on balance, and based on the representations in UTLP’s letter request, the proposed joint patent licensing program is unlikely to harm competition.
“University research is a key driver of innovation,” said Acting Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Michael Murray for the Antitrust Division. “In the physical science area, however, some university research may never be commercialized due to the costs associated with negotiating multiple licenses and combining the complementary university patents that may be necessary for cutting-edge implementations. To the extent that UTLP makes it easier for universities to commercialize inventions that may be currently unlicensed and under-utilized, industry participants, university researchers, and ultimately the public can benefit.”
Currently 15 participating universities intend to cooperate in licensing certain complementary patents through UTLP, which will be organized into curated portfolios relating to specific technology applications for autonomous vehicles, the “Internet of Things,” and “Big Data.” The overarching goal of UTLP is to centralize the administrative costs associated with commercializing university research and help participating universities to overcome the budget, institutional relationship, and other constraints that make licensing in these areas particularly challenging for them.
UTLP has incorporated a number of safeguards into its program to help protect competition, including admitting only non-substitutable patents, with a “safety valve” if a patent to accomplish a particular task is inadvertently included in a portfolio with another, substitutable patent. The program also will allow potential sublicensees to choose an individual patent, a group of patents, or UTLP’s entire portfolio, thereby mitigating the risk that a licensee will be required to license more technology than it needs. The department’s letter notes that UTLP is a mechanism that is intended to address licensing inefficiencies and institutional challenges unique to universities in the physical science context, and makes no assessment about whether this mechanism if set up in another context would have similar procompetitive benefits.
Under the Department of Justice’s business review procedure, an organization may submit a proposed action to the Antitrust Division and receive a statement as to whether the Antitrust Division currently intends to challenge the action under the antitrust laws based on the information provided. The department’s conclusions in this business review apply only to UTLP. They are not applicable to any other agreements or initiatives relating to patent licensing by universities or other entities. The department reserves the right to challenge the proposed action under the antitrust laws if the actual operation of the proposed conduct proves to be anticompetitive in purpose or effect.
Copies of the business review request and the department’s response are available on the Antitrust Division’s website at https://www.justice.gov/atr/business-review-letters-and-request-letters, as well as in a file maintained by the Antitrust Documents Group of the Antitrust Division. After a 30-day waiting period, any documents supporting the business review will be added to the file, unless a basis for their exclusion for reasons of confidentiality has been established under the business review procedure. Supporting documents in the file will be maintained for a period of one year, and copies will be available upon request to the FOIA/Privacy Act Unit, Antitrust Documents Group at [email protected].
Judge sentences St. Louis man for using online marketplaces to rob victims of iPhonesRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS, MO – United States District Judge E. Richard Webber sentenced Clyde Jefferson to 120 months in prison today. The 27-year-old St. Louis, Missouri resident pleaded guilty, last October, to five counts of interference with commerce by robbery and one count of brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence. The robberies occurred on August 3, September 21, and October 8, 2018, and on January 8 and 29, 2019 in St. Louis City and St. Louis County.
The victims placed ads to sell their iPhones on various online marketplaces including Facebook Marketplace, OfferUp, and Letgo. Jefferson responded to those ads and arranged to meet the victims purportedly to complete the purchase of the phones. When Jefferson and the victims met, Jefferson gave the victims counterfeit currency in exchange for their iPhones and brandished a firearm before stealing their phones.
U.S. Attorney Sayler A. Fleming adds, “While using online platforms such as these is especially convenient for us all, I strongly encourage everyone to take precautions. Consider conducting your transactions in a public place and with a friend or family member, never divulge personal information, and arrange in advance for an e-transfer or instant payment, if possible.”
This case was investigated by the United States Secret Service, the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department, the Richmond Heights Police Department and the Missouri State Highway Patrol. Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer Roy handled the case for the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
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Investigation of drug trafficking conspiracy indicts 48 defendants, including three prison guardsRead the Press Release
WAYCROSS, GA: Nearly 50 people have been indicted in a drug trafficking investigation that targeted violent gang members distributing methamphetamine and other drugs in the Coffee County area.
Dubbed Operation Sandy Bottom, the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force investigation centered in the Sand Ridge neighborhood on the east side of Douglas, Ga., in an area known as “the bottoms,” said Bobby L. Christine, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. The 57-count indictment alleges that the conspiracy, controlled by a subset of the violent Gangster Disciples street gang, used guns, violence and fear to control methamphetamine trafficking operations throughout the community and to enable contraband distribution inside Georgia prisons.
“This operation once again demonstrates the success of our relentless pursuit of criminal street gangs and their violent, illegal activities,” said U.S. Attorney Christine. “Thanks to the outstanding work of our law enforcement partners, drug traffickers are getting the message that they have no place to operate in the Southern District of Georgia.”
“Operation Sandy Bottom is another example of the FBI’s willingness to respond when our partners in law enforcement and their communities ask for help,” said Chris Hacker, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. “When we team our resources with the resources of our local, state and federal partners, gang members better beware. The removal of drugs, weapons and gang members from the streets of Douglas and surrounding communities immediately makes those communities safer.”
“ATF will continue to dedicate federal resources in pursuit of eradicating firearms related violent criminal activity in the Southern District of Georgia,” said Beau Kolodka, Assistant Special Agent in Charge of the Atlanta Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).
“The Georgia Department of Corrections maintains a zero-tolerance policy for individuals who perpetrate criminal activity from behind the walls of our facilities and jeopardize our non-negotiable mission of public safety,” said Corrections Commissioner Timothy C. Ward. “We appreciate the support of our state and federal partners in ensuring that justice is served on these individuals.”
The investigation began in 2018 when the Coffee County Drug Unit, responding to complaints about the increasing level of violence and drug activity in the Sand Ridge neighborhood, enlisted the assistance of the FBI and the Coastal Georgia Violent Gang Task Force. The indictment alleges that the conspiracy controlled multiple “trap houses” to store and distribute illegal drugs, primarily methamphetamine, coordinated by leaders of a violent street gang who distributed drugs throughout Coffee, Bacon, Emanuel, Jeff Davis, Pierce and Wheeler counties, along with other parts of Georgia.
Investigators infiltrated the operation, intercepting multiple kilograms of drugs and nearly two dozen illegally possessed firearms, along with seven vehicles and more than $12,000 in cash identified as drug-trafficking proceeds.
The operation also identified and charged at least three Georgia state correctional officers alleged to have worked with gang members to smuggle contraband cell phones and illegal drugs to inmates affiliated with the conspiracy. In some cases, contraband phones were used from inside prisons to facilitate drug trafficking operations.
Multiple law enforcement agencies on Tuesday, Jan. 12, conducted raids to arrest defendants who were not already in custody. Initial appearance hearings for the defendants are scheduled today and Thursday, Jan. 13 and 14, in U.S. District Court in Waycross.
Each of the defendants in Operation Sandy Bottom is charged with Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute and to Distribute 50 Grams or More of Methamphetamine, and an amount of Cocaine, Crack Cocaine, Oxycodone, Hydrocodone, Marijuana, Eutylone (Bath Salts), and Alprazolam (Xanax). The charge carries a possible penalty upon conviction of up to life in prison, and there is no parole in the federal system.
The defendants, and any additional charges, include:
- Jackie Kavaskia McMillan, a/k/a “Bijay,” 40, an inmate at Dooly State Prison;
- Christina Veronda Alexander, 40, of Atlanta, also charged with Distribution of 50 Grams or More of Methamphetamine; Possession with Intent to Distribute 50 Grams or More of Methamphetamine; Possession with Intent to Distribute 50 Grams or More of Methamphetamine, and an amount of Marijuana and Alprazolam; and Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon;
- Micah Jason Ivey, a/k/a “Scorpio,” 44, an inmate in the Coffee County Correctional Facility, also charged with Possession with Intent to Distribute 50 Grams or More of Methamphetamine;
- Brad Nikita Vickers, 33, of Douglas, also charged with Conspiracy to Use, Carry, or Possess Firearms; Distribution of Methamphetamine; Distribution of Crack Cocaine; Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine, Crack Cocaine, Eutylone, Marijuana, and Alprazolam; Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime; two counts of distribution of 5 Grams or More of Methamphetamine, and an amount of Eutylone; and 19 counts of Unlawful Use of Communication Facility, a charge that refers to the use of a telephone for illegal drug distribution;
- Shanazia Shazane Brock, a/k/a “Nan,” 25, of Douglas, also charged with Distribution of Methamphetamine; Distribution of Cocaine; Distribution of 5 Grams or More of Methamphetamine; Distribution of Marijuana and Eutylone; and Unlawful Use of Communication Facility;
- Joshua Demond McGinty, a/k/a “Oou,” 33, of Douglas, also charged with Conspiracy to Use, Carry or Possess Firearms;
- James Lamar McGinty, a/k/a “Gang Gang,” 36, of Douglas, also charged with Conspiracy to Use, Carry or Possess Firearms;
- Anthony Qashawn Killiebrew, a/k/a “Luk,” 25, of Douglas, also charged with Distribution of 50 Grams or More of Methamphetamine; and Distribution of 5 Grams or More of Methamphetamine;
- Antion DeWayne Byrd, a/k/a “Rabbit,” 42, of Nichols, Ga., also charged with Unlawful Use of Communication Facility;
- Phillip Lloyd Morgan, a/k/a “Tree Top,” 37, of Douglas, also charged with Distribution of 50 Grams or More of Methamphetamine;
- Tabitha Nicole Wheldon, a/k/a “Pink,” 27, of Douglas, also charged with Conspiracy to Use, Carry or Possess Firearms;
- Leo Vonza Pender, a/k/a “Metro,” 38, of Alma, Ga., also charged with Possession with Intent to Distribute 50 Grams or More of Methamphetamine;
- Coty Keatron Bailey, a/k/a “Codeen,” 39, of Willacoochee, Ga., also charged with Conspiracy to Use, Carry or Possess Firearms; and Distribution of 5 Grams or More of Methamphetamine;
- Ellis Lowe Jr., a/k/a “Bukk,” 38, of Douglas;
- Robert Lee Peak IV, a/k/a “Peako,” 35, of Valdosta, Ga., also charged with Distribution of Cocaine;
- Daniel Laronn Lowe, a/k/a “Boochie,” 33, of Douglas, also charged with Conspiracy to Use, Carry or Possess Firearms;
- Javarra Deshon Vickers, a/k/a “Shon,” 36, of Pembroke, Ga.;
- Alfonzo Jerrod Brewton, 32, of Douglas, also charged with Unlawful Use of Communication Facility;
- Montel Jermaine Jackson, a/k/a “Teezy,” 25, of Pearson, Ga., also charged with two counts of Unlawful use of Communication Facility;
- Ana Lisa Maria Garcia, 29, of Douglas, also charged with Unlawful Use of Communication Facility;
- George William Reliford, 55, of Douglas, also charged with two counts of Unlawful Use of Communication Facility;
- Brenda Lynn Sloan, 55, of Douglas, also charged with two counts of Unlawful Use of Communication Facility;
- Jeffrey Brian Voorhees, 37, of Douglas, also charged with Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon;
- Gloria Jean Vickers, 56, of Douglas, also charged with two counts of Unlawful Use of Communication Facility;
- Rodney Antonio Shaw, a/k/a “Black,” 32, of Douglas, also charged with Distribution of Methamphetamine;
- Kenric Jamal Lott, a/k/a “Big Lott,” 44, of Blackshear, Ga., also charged with two counts of Distribution of 50 Grams or More of Methamphetamine;
- Marquis Jerome Jacques, a/k/a “Joc,” 29, of Nicholls, Ga., also charged with Distribution of Methamphetamine; two counts of Distribution of 5 Grams or More of Methamphetamine; and Distribution of 50 Grams or More or Methamphetamine;
- Montana McGinty, 35, of Douglas, also charged with Distribution of Methamphetamine;
- Amos Tyrone Brantley III, 38, of Ambrose, Ga., also charged with Distribution of Methamphetamine; and Distribution of 5 Grams or More of Methamphetamine;
- Avie Ann Wright, 31, of Douglas, also charged with Unlawful Use of Communication Facility;
- Erick Eugene Hunter, 39, of Douglas, also charged with Unlawful Use of Communication Facility;
- Eden Dianne Wright, a/k/a “E,” 33, of Douglas, also charged with Unlawful Use of Communication Facility;
- Richard Young, 54, of Hazlehurst, Ga.;
- Reggie Raynard Johnson, a/k/a “Twin,” 43, of Douglas;
- Alexander Reyes Tyson, 44, of Douglas;
- Ricardo Leon, a/k/a “Migo,” a/k/a “Ricky,” 29, of Swainsboro, Ga.;
- Michael Latrella Scott, a/k/a “Micah Scott,” a/k/a “Mike G,” 35, of Tifton, Ga.;
- Naiyah Nicole Williams, 30, of Hazlehurst, also charged with Possession with Intent to Distribute 50 Grams or More of Methamphetamine, and an amount of Marijuana and Alprazolam; and Maintaining a Drug-Involved Premises;
- Tomika Nicole Evans, a/k/a T-Dog,” 37, of Lakeland, Ga.;
- Michael Anthony Thomas, a/k/a “Big Mike,” of Savannah, also charged with two counts of Unlawful Use of Communication Facility;
- Zachary Brian Rodrigues, 29, of Douglas, also charged with Possession with Intent to Distribute 50 Grams or More of Methamphetamine;
- Christopher Downing Stone, 32, of Broxton, Ga., also charged with Possession with Intent to Distribute 50 Grams or More of Methamphetamine;
- Idalis Qua Dazia Harrell, 24, of Douglas, a guard at Coffee County Correctional Facility, also charged with Possession with Intent to Distribute Marijuana; s
- Jessica Azaelae Burnett, a/k/a “The Madam,” 41, of Douglas, a senior guard at Coffee County Correctional Facility, also charged with Unlawful Use of Communication Facility;
- Ebony Desiree Smiley, a/k/a “Baby Girl, 24, of Vidalia, Ga., a guard at Wheeler State Prison;
- Nathan Fabron Irving, 24, of Forsyth, Ga. an inmate a Wheeler State Prison;
- Makarosi Maurice Walker, a/k/a “Jazz,” 26, of Douglas; and,
- Ronnie Dale Moore, a/k/a “Guap,” 36, of Douglas, also charged with Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine, Oxycodone, Marijuana and Alprazolam.
Altogether, the 48 defendants are charged with 129 felonies.
Criminal indictments contain only charges; defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
The case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. It is being investigated by the FBI and the FBI Coastal Georgia Safe Streets Violent Gang Task Force; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the U.S. Marshals Service; the Coffee County Sheriff’s Office and the Coffee County Drug Unit; the Georgia Department of Corrections; the Jeff Davis County Sheriff’s Office; Pierce County Sheriff’s Office; Bacon County Sheriff’s Office; Emanuel County Sheriff’s Office; Lanier County Sheriff’s Office; the Blackshear Police Department; Nicholls Police Department; Douglas Police Department; Alma Police Department; the Glynn County Police Department; the Brunswick Police Department; the Swainsboro Police Department; and the Coffee County Department of Family and Children Services.
The cases is being prosecuted for the United States by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joseph McCool, Frank Pennington II and E. Greg Gilluly, with asset forfeitures coordinated by Xavier A. Cunningham, Section Chief of the Asset Forfeiture Recovery Unit of the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
Illinois Man Indicted on Production of Child Pornography ChargeRead the Press Release
BOSTON – An Illinois man was indicted yesterday by a federal grand jury in connection with producing child pornography.
Domenique Dequon Hines, 23, of Crystal Lake, Ill., was indicted on one count of production of child pornography. Hines was charged by criminal complaint and arrested in Illinois on Dec. 3, 2020.
According to the charging documents, Hines and a 14-year-old Massachusetts victim initially met on Instagram and exchanged phone numbers and began communicating via iMessage. A review of the iMessages revealed that Hines informed the victim that he is 23 years old and the victim confirmed her age. It is alleged that thereafter, at Hines request, the victim took sexually explicit photos of herself and sent them to Hines.
According to the criminal complaint, Hines was previously convicted of a child pornography offense in Illinois.
Due to Hines’s prior conviction, the charging statute provides for a mandatory minimum sentence of 25 years and up to 50 years in prison, a mandatory minimum of five years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a $250,000 fine. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based on the United States Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling; Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigations, Boston Field Division; and Norfolk County District Attorney Michael Morrissey made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Suzanne Sullivan Jacobus of Lelling’s Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.
The case is brought as part of Project Safe Childhood. In 2006, the Department of Justice created Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identity and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov/.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Grant County Gang Leader and Drug Trafficker Sentenced to 20 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
Spokane – William D. Hyslop, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Washington, announced that Joshua Isaac Stine, age 34, a resident of Ephrata, Washington, was sentenced today after having pleaded guilty on May 28, 2020, to Conspiracy to Distribute 500 Grams or More of a Mixture or Substance Containing a Detectable Amount of Methamphetamine and a Mixture or Substance Containing Heroin, Possession with Intent to Distribute 500 Grams or More of a Mixture or Substance Containing a Detectable Amount of Methamphetamine, Distribution of 50 Grams or More of Actual (Pure) Methamphetamine, and Felon in Possession of a Firearm. Senior United States District Court Judge Wm. Fremming Nielsen sentenced Stine to a 240 month term of imprisonment, to be followed by a 10 year term of court supervision after he is released from federal prison.
According to information disclosed during court proceedings, this case involved a long-term coordinated investigation lead by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (“ATF”) and the Drug Enforcement Administration (“DEA”) into drug trafficking activities in the greater Grant County, Washington and surrounding areas. The U.S. Border Patrol and multiple local law enforcement agencies in Grant County were also involved. Joshua Isaac Stine has been a validated member and a leader of the East Side Familia (“ESF”) Norteno criminal street gang. In this role, Stine engaged in significant, multi-pound-level, trafficking of both methamphetamine and heroin. Further, Stine recruited and trained young gang members to distribute controlled substances for ESF and himself. Those individuals face federal sentencing for their criminal activities later this month.
On July 16, 2019, numerous search warrants were executed by law enforcement as part of this case. Stine was found to have multiple pounds of methamphetamine and an arsenal of weapons, to include assault rifles, in a “stash house.” Multiple firearms were also located at Stine’s primary residence in Ephrata, Washington.
In the sentencing hearing, the Court found Stine to be a leader / organizer of this criminal venture and that he engaged in this criminal conduct as a livelihood. The Court noted the entire Moses Lake and surrounding communities are victims of Stine’s choice to engage in the serious drug trafficking – feeding countless addictions as well as facilitating the creation of new addicts. The Court noted Stine knew he should not engage in this conduct, but chose to do it anyway.
United States Attorney Hyslop said, “As a gang member and repeated large scale prolific drug trafficker, Stine caused great harm to so many families and the community. With the Court’s significant sentence, Stine is now removed from the community and the public is protected from his continued criminal activities – and the inevitable violence that follows the gang subculture from which he refused to separate himself. We thank the ATF, DEA, Border Patrol and all the outstanding work by so many local law enforcement agencies in Grant and Adams County that together deserve great credit for this result.”
“Stine’s lengthy sentence was well justified,” said ATF Seattle Field Division Special Agent in Charge Jonathan T. McPherson. “His actions in directing his criminal associates to sell drugs in the Moses Lake area are abhorrent. This sentence should serve as a warning to others that actions such as Stine’s will be investigated and prosecuted to the fullest by ATF and our local, state, and federal partners.”
"Drugs and violence are inextricably linked and major factors in the destabilization of our communities,” said DEA Special Agent in Charge Frank Tarentino. “Today, this collaborative and coordinated law enforcement effort stopped this violent offender from threatening our youth and terrorizing our communities. DEA is fully committed to working closely with our federal, state and local law enforcement counterparts to thwart this ever present threat.”
This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation entitled Operation Dave’s Song. The OCDETF program provides supplemental federal funding to the federal and state agencies involved in the investigation of drug-related crimes. This OCDETF investigation is being conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
This case was prosecuted as part of the Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) program. PSN is a federal, state, and local law enforcement collaboration to identify, investigate, and prosecute individuals responsible for violent crimes in our neighborhoods. The U.S. Attorney’s Office is partnering with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement to specifically identify the criminals responsible for violent crime in the Eastern District of Washington and pursue criminal prosecution.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the United States Border Patrol, the Moses Lake Police Department, the Grant County Sheriff’s Office, the Ephrata Police Department, the Washington State Patrol, the Othello Police Department, the Adams County Sheriff’s Office, and the Northwest High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area. This case was prosecuted by Caitlin Baunsgard, an Assistant United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Washington.
Grand jury indicts more than a dozen people in drug ring stretching from LA to St. LouisRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – The U.S. Marshals arrested 16 people Tuesday as the result of a federal grand jury indictment returned January 6, 2021, charging them with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine, and conspiracy to commit money laundering.
For more than a year, the Drug Enforcement Administration, Homeland Security Investigations, U.S. Postal Inspection Service and Jefferson County Municipal Enforcement Group, conducted an investigation targeting a drug trafficking organization responsible for the distribution of crystal methamphetamine in the St. Louis region, with a network connected to Los Angeles, California.
According to the indictment, on June 18, 2020, investigators joined with the St. Charles County Regional Drug Task Force and the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department to execute search warrants at locations associated with Dedrick Jordan, Joseph Holliman and Brandon Thomas. Investigators seized more than $140,000 in cash, crystal methamphetamine and high-grade marijuana, as well as two assault rifles and four handguns. Another gun was seized from a secret compartment in a vehicle, which was stopped on its way to St. Louis, containing 28 pounds of methamphetamine with a purity level of more than 90 percent.
Four of the individuals indicted are from Los Angeles, with the remainder being based in the St. Louis metropolitan area. The defendants are:
Brendon Darnell Thomas, 44, of St. Louis
Joseph Robert Holliman, 46, of St. Louis
Dedrick Deshon Jordan, 32, of Los Angeles
Terry James Williams, 34, of Carson, California
Clifford Dwight Davis, Jr., 40, of Los Angeles
Maria D. Flores-Cervantes, 32, of Los Angeles
Jacqueline Renee Harris, 39, of St. Charles
Thomas William Fogle, 41, of Bonne Terre, Mo.
Richard Leroy Clark, 61, of Farmington, Mo.
Sarah Nicole Reynolds, 36, of DeSoto, Mo.
Joseph Michael Suraud, 41, of Arnold, Mo.
Alexandra Marni Chambers, 27, of Arnold, Mo.
Deidre Denise Medcalf, 51, of Eureka, Mo.
David Michael Nuelle, 34, of St. Louis
Matthew Joseph Aubin, 43, of Imperial, Mo.
Kevin John Karll, 66, of High Ridge, Mo.
Ebony Silinzy, 43, of St. Louis, was indicted separately for obtaining firearms on behalf of Holliman, who is a convicted felon and prohibited from purchasing or possessing firearms. Thomas and Holliman, who are previously convicted felons, were also charged with unlawful possession of firearms.
“It takes a collective effort with our DEA counterparts to identify and investigate members of these illegal drug trafficking organizations,” noted Marissa Lee, DEA St. Louis Division Acting Assistant Agent in Charge. “As a result, this investigation yielded a successful outcome on the dismantlement of a major criminal enterprise.”
“Criminals who use the U.S. mail to transport illegal and dangerous narcotics into our nation’s communities will be brought to justice,” said William Hedrick, Inspector in Charge of the Chicago Division of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. “With the assistance from our state and federal law enforcement partners, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service will continue its investigative efforts toward targeting and dismantling drug trafficking organizations.”
“HSI remains steadfast in our commitment to keeping criminal enterprises from distributing dangerous narcotics in our communities,” said Greg Paris, Resident Agent in Charge of HSI, St. Louis. “We are proud of the work accomplished with our federal, state and local law enforcement partners.”
“The investigation lasted approximately 15 months and involved nearly a dozen law enforcement agencies,” said U.S. Attorney Sayler A. Fleming. “This multi-agency and multi-jurisdictional investigation returned results consistent with the hard work law enforcement in our community demonstrate every day to rid our community of armed drug traffickers.”
The methamphetamine offense carries a maximum term of imprisonment of life, a fine of up to $10 million or both. The money laundering offense carries a maximum term of 20 years imprisonment, a fine of up to $500,000, or both. Possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 60 months imprisonment and/or a fine of up to $250,000, consecutive to any other sentence imposed. The defendants charged with being felons in possession of a firearm face a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years, a fine of up to $250,000, or both. Charges set forth in the indictment are merely accusations and do not constitute proof of guilt. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent unless proven guilty.
Assistant United States Attorney Paul D’Agrosa is handling the case. The investigation involved the following law enforcement agencies: DEA, HSI, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, U.S. Marshals Service, Jefferson County Sheriff’s Department, St. Charles City and County Police, Phelps County Sheriff’s Department, Arnold Police Department and the Normandy Police Department, all in Missouri.
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Forty Nine Individuals Indicted in October, November, and December 2020 Federal Grand JuriesRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – United States Attorney Brian J. Kuester today announced the results of the October, November, and December 2020 Federal Grand Juries. The combined grand jury sessions returned 41 unsealed and 11 sealed indictments on crimes ranging from kidnapping, federal firearms offenses, robbery, drug trafficking/distribution, child exploitation, aggravated sexual assaults in Indian Country, manslaughter, and murder in Indian Country.
The following named individuals have been charged with a federal crime or crimes by the return of an indictment by the Grand Jury. A grand jury Indictment does not constitute evidence of guilt. A grand jury Indictment is a method of bringing formal charges against the defendant. A defendant is presumed innocent of the charges and may not be found guilty unless evidence establishes guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. United States Sentencing Guidelines may be considered, upon conviction, by the sentencing court. Federal prison sentences are non-parolable.
HUNTER JACOB JAMES HOPE
Sexual Exploitation Of A Child / Use Of A Child To Produce A Visual Depiction
Possession Of Certain Material Involving The Sexual Exploitation Of A MinorHope, 20, of Muldrow, Oklahoma, is charged with willfully coercing a minor to engage in sexually explicit conduct and using a child to produce visual depictions of a sexual nature.
Homeland Security Investigations is the primary investigative agency.
MARVIN LEVERNE ARNETT, JR.
Sexual Exploitation Of A Child / Use Of A Child To Produce A Visual Depiction
Possession Of Certain Material Involving The Sexual Exploitation Of A MinorArnett, 30, of Okmulgee, Oklahoma, is charged with willfully persuading a minor to engage in sexually explicit conduct and using a child to produce visual depictions of a sexual nature.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation is the primary investigative agency.
BRANDON ALLEN HOWE
First Degree Burglary In Indian Country (2 Counts)
Theft In Indian Country (3 Counts)Howe, 38, of Wagoner, is charged with burglarizing motor vehicles of multiple victims. The vehicles included a Braggs Public School bus.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation is the primary investigative agency.
SEBRON DEJUAN BROWN
TRACY LADON MAHONEConspiracy To Commit Odometer Tampering
Odometer Fraud
Conspiracy To Commit Wire FraudMuskogee residents Brown, 35, and Mahone, 30, are charged with conspiring to defraud insurance companies through sophisticated means, including wire fraud. Mahone is charged with Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud only.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation is the primary investigative agency.
RICKY DEWAYNE STONE
Sexual Abuse Of A Minor In Indian Country (2 Counts)
Stone, 47, of Holdenville, is charged with two counts of sexual abuse of a minor. Stone allegedly engaged in sexual acts with a child under the age of 16.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation is the primary investigative agency.
MICHAEL DAVID JACKSON
Aggravated Sexual Abuse In Indian Country (2 Counts)
Abusive Sexual Contact With A Child Under 12 Years
Sexual Exploitation Of A Child / Use Of A Child To Produce A Visual Depiction
Possession Of Certain Material Involving The Sexual Exploitation Of A Minor (2 Counts)Jackson, 38, of Tahlequah, is charged with multiple counts of sex crimes in relation to the sexual abuse of a minor in Indian Country. The Indictment alleges that in 2019, Jackson knowingly engaged in aggravated sexual activity with a child under the age of 12.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation is the primary investigative agency.
ASHLEY ALYSSA JOHNSON
DOUGLAS LEE SAIL, JR.Conspiracy To Interfere With Commerce By Robbery
Attempted Interference With Commerce By Robbery
Use, Carry, Brandish And Discharge Of Firearm During And In Relation To A Crime Of Violence (2 Counts)
Conspiracy To Commit Robbery In Indian Country
Attempted Robbery In Indian Country
Felon In Possession Of Firearm (2 Counts)Porum residents Johnson, 47, and Sail, 42, are charged with conspiring to commit robbery of a jewelry store owner with the use of a firearm.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation is the primary investigative agency.
CHAD HEATH FIELDS
Assault Resulting In Serious Bodily Injury In Indian Country
Assault By Striking, Beating, Or Wounding (Misdemeanor)Fields, 34, of Muskogee, is charged with the beating of a female, resulting in serious bodily harm in Indian Country.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation is the primary investigative agency.
JOSHUA TOWNSLEY
MEGAN LEANNE TILLERYAggravated Sexual Abuse In Indian Country (Townsley Only)
Child Neglect In Indian Country (Tillery Only)Muskogee residents Townsley, 29, and Tillery, 28, are charged with the sexual abuse and neglect of a minor under the age of 12 in Indian Country. Tillery is only charged with Child Neglect in Indian Country.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation is the primary investigative agency.
PATRICK DWAYNE MURPHY
Murder In Indian Country
Murder In Indian Country In Perpetration Of Kidnapping
Kidnapping Resulting In Death (2 Counts)Murphy, 51, of Vernon, is charged with the kidnapping and premeditated murder of George Jacobs, on August 28, 1999, with a knife.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation is the primary investigative agency.
WILLIAM CLAYTON BROWN
Murder In Indian Country
Brown, 37, of Eufaula, is charged with the September 2017 premeditated stabbing murder of Damion Martin.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation is the primary investigative agency.
FLOYD JOSEPH BALL, JR.
Kidnapping In Indian Country
Aggravated Sexual Abuse In Indian CountryBall, 35, of Checotah, is charged with kidnapping and sexually assaulting a victim at knifepoint on May 5, 2018.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation is the primary investigative agency.
AMY LEANN HALL
Murder In Indian Country (2 Counts)
Assault With Intent To Commit Murder In Indian CountryHall, 40, of Okemah, is charged with the premeditated shooting murder of Kayson Toliver and Kloee Hall, two of her children. Hall is also charged with intent to commit murder in Indian Country on a third child.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation is the primary investigative agency.
JERRY WAYNE DICK
Involuntary Manslaughter In Indian Country
Dick, 27, of Wagoner, is charged with involuntary manslaughter after striking and causing the death of Zachary O’Connell while traveling at a rate of speed in a motor vehicle.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation is the primary investigative agency.
COURTNEY EUGENE ELLIOTT
Involuntary Manslaughter In Indian Country
Elliott, 40, of Red Oak, is charged with involuntary manslaughter after causing a car accident while driving impaired, resulting in the death of Taylor Renee Littleman Daniel.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation is the primary investigative agency.
SEAN ELLIS
Assault With Intent To Commit Murder In Indian Country
Assault With A Dangerous Weapon In Indian CountryEllis, 47, of Muskogee, is charged with shooting towards law enforcement officers and assaulting a family member with a dangerous weapon.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation is the primary investigative agency.
GLEN THOMAS WEST
ROBERT CODY ATKINSMurder In Indian Country (West Only)
Murder In Perpetration Of Burglary In Indian Country (2 Counts – 1 Count Each)
First Degree Burglary In Indian Country (2 Counts – 1 Count Each)
Use, Carry, Brandish, And Discharge Of Firearm During And In Relation To A Crime Of Violence
ConspiracyWest, 35, of Weleetka, and Atkins, 31, of Okmulgee, are charged with burglarizing and conspiring to murder Edwin Dominic Reid.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation is the primary investigative agency.
TIMOTHY DON REED
Felon In Possession Of Firearm & Ammunition
Possession Of Stolen FirearmReed, 40, of Seminole, is charged with unlawfully possessing firearms and ammunition as a prior convicted felon.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives is the primary investigative agency.
JOSEPH EUGENE MEYER
Kidnapping In Indian Country
Felon In Possession Of FirearmMeyer, 37, of Muskogee, is a prior convicted felon charged with the kidnapping of a female at gunpoint in December 2019.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation is the primary investigative agency.
JAMES MICHAEL STEWART
Aggravated Sexual Abuse In Indian Country (2 Counts)
Stewart, 42, of Muskogee, is charged with two counts of sexual abuse of a female while patronizing a tavern in Muskogee County.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation is the primary investigative agency.
JEANNIE RENE WELCH
Possession With Intent To Distribute Methamphetamine
Welch, 35, of Oklahoma City, is charged with possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute while traveling through the Eastern District of Oklahoma.
The Drug Enforcement Administration is the primary investigative agency.
RICHARD LLOYD JACK, JR.
KENDALL WHITLOW
ALEXANDER HARRISONAssault Resulting In Serious Bodily Injury In Indian Country
Mounds residents Jack, 57, Whitlow, 23, and Harrison, 23, are charged with the stabbing of one of Mr. Jack’s family members.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation is the primary investigative agency.
JOHN EDWARD CHASE
Felon In Possession Of Firearm & Ammunition (2 Counts)
Chase, 61, of Muskogee, is charged with two counts of unlawfully possessing a firearm and ammunition as a prior convicted felon.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation is the primary investigative agency.
MARCUS ALLEN HETHERINGTON
Felony Child Abuse In Indian Country
Child Neglect In Indian CountryHetherington, 37, of Okmulgee County, is charged with willfully throwing a minor child to the ground and failing to seek medical attention for the injuries sustained by the child.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation is the primary investigative agency.
JAMES MICHAEL STEWART
Aggravated Sexual Abuse In Indian Country (2 Counts)
Attempted Aggravated Sexual Abuse In Indian CountryIn this superseding indictment, Stewart, 42, of Muskogee, is additionally charged with one count of attempted aggravated sexual abuse of a female, in a Muskogee County hotel.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation is the primary investigative agency.
STANLEY WAYNE ZACKERY, JR.
Assault Resulting In Substantial Bodily Injury To Spouse, Intimate Partner, Or Dating Partner In Indian Country
Assault Resulting In Serious Bodily Injury In Indian CountryZackery, 38, of Weleetka, is charged with assaulting his female partner by beating her, resulting in substantial bodily injury.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation is the primary investigative agency.
DAMAREA WAYNE BELL
Felon In Possession Of Firearm
Bell, 20, of Muskogee, is charged with unlawfully possessing a firearm as a prior convicted felon.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives is the primary investigative agency.
KENDALL LEN BURGESS
POLLY ANNE SANDERSAggravated Sexual Abuse In Indian Country
Abusive Sexual Contact In Indian Country
Assault With A Dangerous Weapon With Intent To Do Bodily Harm In Indian Country
Assault By Striking, Beating, Or Wounding In Indian Country (Misdemeanor)Burgess, 21, of Henryetta, and Sanders, 36, of Tulsa, are charged with evading law enforcement apprehension in relation to alleged crimes committed by Burgess involving the sexual abuse of a child under the age of 12 years old. Sanders is charged with assault with a dangerous weapon with intent to do bodily harm in Indian Country only.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation is the primary investigative agency.
EDMOND CARL WARRINGTON
Aggravated Sexual Abuse In Indian Country (3 Counts)
Sexual Abuse In Indian Country (3 Counts)Warrington, 71, of Okemah, is charged with multiple counts of sexual abuse involving a mentally-handicapped minor female.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation is the primary investigative agency.
KEVIN MARVELL JACKSON
Murder In Indian Country
Murder In Indian Country In Perpetration Of Robbery
Robbery In Indian Country (2 Counts)
Use, Carry, Brandish, And Discharge Of Firearm During And In Relation To A Crime Of ViolenceJackson, 19, of Muskogee, is charged with the robbing and shooting murder of Bradley Dillon, on October 18, 2020.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation is the primary investigative agency.
CONRAD EDWARD NEDD
Hobbs Act Robbery
Robbery In Indian CountryNedd, 36, of Broken Arrow, is charged with robbing an EZ Mart convenience store located in Broken Arrow on May 29, 2020.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation is the primary investigative agency.
DUSTIN KYLE MARRIS
Assault With Intent To Commit Murder In Indian Country
Assault With A Dangerous Weapon With Intent To Do Bodily Harm In Indian Country
Use, Carry, Brandish And Discharge Of Firearm During And In Relation To A Crime Of Violence
Possession With Intent To Distribute Methamphetamine
Felon In Possession Of FirearmMarris, 39, of Okmulgee County, a prior-convicted felon, is charged with discharging a fireman towards a law enforcement officer in attempts to evade apprehension while in possession of methamphetamine.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation is the primary investigative agency.
NACOLE RYAN BAIN
a/k/a NACOLE RYAN SPEARSMurder In Indian Country
Use, Carry, Brandish And Discharge Of Firearm During And In Relation To A Crime Of ViolenceBain, 39, of Schulter, is charged with the premeditated shooting murder of Addison Waddell, on June 24, 2018.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation is the primary investigative agency.
MARVIN LEE BURLESON
Felon In Possession Of Firearm
Possession Of Firearm By Prohibited Person
False Statement During Purchase Of A Firearm
Aggravated Identity Theft During Purchase Of A Firearm (3 Counts)Burleson, 49, a prior convicted felon of Welling, is charged with using a false statement and committing identity theft on multiple occasions to illegally acquire firearms.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives is the primary investigative agency.
TRENTON ROSS
Robbery In Indian Country
Use, Carry, And Brandishing Firearm During And In Relation To A Crime Of ViolenceRoss, 19, of Okmulgee, is charged with robbing two separate victims of jewelry and a firearm at gunpoint.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives is the primary investigative agency.
JIMMY RAY MENDENHALL, JR.
Transportation Of Certain Material Involving Sexual Exploitation Of A Minor
Possession Of Certain Material Involving Sexual Exploitation Of A Minor (2 Counts)Mendenhall, 42, of Warner, is charged with willfully transporting and possessing multitudes of images of children engaging in sexually explicit conduct.
The Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation is the primary investigative agency.
WESLEY ALLAN HAHN
Assault With Dangerous Weapon With Intent To Commit Bodily Harm In Indian Country
Maiming In Indian CountryHahn, 37, of Broken Arrow, is charged with repeatedly striking a female victim and dousing her with a caustic substance.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation is the primary investigative agency.
RONALD WESLEE SPEARS
Assault With Intent To Commit Murder In Indian Country
Spears, 58, of Okmulgee, is charged with the shooting of a male victim during an altercation.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation is the primary investigative agency.
DERRICK LERON JORDAN
Assault With Dangerous Weapon With Intent To Commit Bodily Harm In Indian Country
Assault Resulting In Serious Bodily Injury In Indian CountryJordan, 50, of Okmulgee County, is charged with using a dangerous weapon in an assault on an a fellow male Indian inmate at the Okmulgee County Jail.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation is the primary investigative agency.
RACHEL JEAN STEVENS
KAYLA ANN JONESChild Abuse In Indian Country
Child Neglect In Indian CountryMuskogee residents Stevens, 33, and Jones, 30, are both charged with beating and causing harm to a child under the age of 18, and ultimately failing to provide as appropriate caretakers for the well-being of the child.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation is the primary investigative agency.
JOSHUA LEE PURDOM
Aggravated Sexual Abuse in Indian Country (2 Counts)
Kidnapping In Indian Country
Use, Carry, And Brandish Of Firearm During And In Relation To A Crime Of ViolencePurdom, 41, of Hughes County, is charged with raping and kidnapping a former partner of an intimate nature at gunpoint.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation is the primary investigative agency.
Fort Stanton man pleads guilty to possession of child pornographyRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Christopher Bryant, 47, of Fort Stanton, New Mexico, pleaded guilty on Jan. 12 to possession of child pornography. Bryant will remain in custody pending sentencing.
In the plea agreement, Bryant admitted that on or about Aug. 13, 2020, he used a social media application on his cell phone to obtain images of child pornography and then emailed the images to himself. Bryant also admitted that he knew the images depicted children engaging in sexually explicit conduct and that the images were of real children, rather than computer generated images or adult actors portraying children. “At the time of the offense, Bryant was a detective for the Ruidoso Police Department.”
By the terms of the plea agreement, Bryant will serve three years in federal prison. Bryant must also register as a sex offender.
The case was investigated by the FBI with the support of the Ruidoso Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matilda McCarthy Villalobos and Dustin Segovia are prosecuting the case.
Former Houston, Texas Pastor Sentenced to Federal Prison for His Role in a Multimillion-Dollar Investment SchemeRead the Press Release
SHREVEPORT, La. - Acting United States Attorney Alexander C. Van Hook announced that Kirbyjon H. Caldwell, 67, was sentenced today by United States District Judge S. Maurice Hicks, Jr. to 72 months (6 years) in prison followed by 1 year of supervised release for conspiracy to commit wire fraud. Caldwell was ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $3,588,500, as well as a fine of $125,000.
“The defendants in this case abused the trust that the victims had placed in them,” stated Acting United States Attorney Van Hook. “This defendant used his status as the pastor of a mega-church to help convince the many victim investors that they were making a legitimate investment but instead he took their hard-earned money from them and used it for his own personal gain. This office will continue to investigate and prosecute those who scheme and prey upon the elderly and others.”
Kirbyjon H. Caldwell, the former senior pastor of Windsor Village United Methodist Church in Houston, Texas, had previously obtained a master’s degree from the Wharton School of Business and worked in the financial industry. In the spring of 2013, Caldwell, through his co-defendant, Gregory Alan Smith, from Shreveport, approached Smith’s existing clients and acquaintances about an investment opportunity in historical Chinese bonds. Potential investors were told that they would be obtaining a partial ownership interest in the bonds and that they would receive exponential returns on their investments in a short period of time. Caldwell and Smith neglected to tell these individuals that historical Chinese bonds, bonds issued by the former Republic of China prior to losing power to the communist government in 1949, held no value. In fact, the bonds were considered by the Securities and Exchange Commission to be mere collectables with no value outside of the memorabilia market.
After hearing Smith’s fraudulent pitch, victim-investors who believed and trusted him agreed to invest in these bonds. These victims were provided with a “participation agreement” indicating that if the sale of the bonds failed to occur within a certain number of days, the invested funds would be returned within a defined period of time. They were instructed to wire funds to various bank accounts held by or controlled by Caldwell. In total, in 2013 and 2014, approximately $3.5 million was “invested” in these bond deals.
The funds were then divided between Smith, Caldwell, and others. Caldwell personally received approximately $900,000. Caldwell used a portion of that money to pay down debt including personal loans, mortgages, and credit cards and maintain his lifestyle, among other things. The investors were told their funds were used to purchase bonds and pay for expenses incurred from selling or redeeming the bonds.
As time passed and victim-investors questioned why they had yet to receive the promised returns, Caldwell and Smith, through texts and emails, offered excuses as to why the deals had not yet closed, defended the legitimacy of the deals, and assured the investors that they would receive their promised returns. The victim-investors never received returns from these Chinese bonds.
Caldwell was ordered to report to the Bureau of Prisons on June 22, 2021.
The FBI conducted the investigation and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Seth D. Reeg and C. Mignonne Griffing prosecuted the case.
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Former CFO of Connecticut Healthcare Staffing Agency Pleads Guilty to Federal Tax ChargeRead the Press Release
John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, and Joleen Simpson, Acting Special Agent in Charge of IRS Criminal Investigation in New England, today announced that PAMELA SMITH, 72, of Kirkland, Washington, formerly of Guilford, Connecticut, pleaded guilty yesterday to aiding in the preparation of a false tax return.
Pursuant to the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act), the court proceeding before U.S. District Judge Victor A. Bolden occurred via videoconference.
According to court documents and statements made in court, between approximately 2009 and 2018, Smith was the Chief Financial Officer of Equinox Home Care, LLC (“EHC”), a home healthcare staffing agency based in Stratford, Connecticut. EHC was established as a partnership between Theresa Foreman and another individual. In September 2012, the partnership ended, and, by court order, Foreman was obligated to make payments to her partner for the purchase of the partner’s interest in EHC.
At Foreman’s direction, Smith and EHC’s payroll manager helped Foreman receive money from EHC in a manner that hid the fact that Foreman was the true recipient of the funds. Beginning in 2012, EHC’s payroll included payments to “ghost employees” who did not work for EHC, and those funds were actually for Foreman’s benefit. As the CFO of EHC, Smith became aware that the payroll checks were being issued to the “ghost employees” and that EHC and its payroll manager were causing the false payroll checks to be issued. Smith also assisted Foreman by issuing or causing to be issued bonus checks from EHC to approximately 30 EHC employees. The employees cashed the checks and provided the cash to Foreman. Some of the employees later noticed that the amount of funds cashed had been included on their Forms W-2. Smith would issue a corrected W-2 only if an employee made a request. Several EHC employees did not request a corrected W-2 and, as a result, overpaid taxes to the IRS.
In addition, Foreman received funds through cashed mileage checks that were issued to two individuals who did not drive on behalf of EHC.
Smith interacted with the tax return preparer who prepared the partnership tax return in addition to Foreman’s own individual income tax returns, and failed to inform the return preparer about funds that Foreman received through these various mechanisms. More than $600,000 of such funds were not reported on Foreman’s 2014 tax return alone.
At sentencing, Smith faces a maximum term of imprisonment of three years. A sentencing date is not scheduled.
Foreman pleaded guilty to one count of tax evasion and, on January 6, 2020, was sentenced to 12 months and one day of imprisonment and ordered to pay $641,941.46 in restitution.
As part of Smith’s plea agreement with the government, the government submits that approximately $266,000 of the tax loss was foreseeable to Smith as a result of her conduct.
This matter is being investigated by the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation Division. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jennifer R. Laraia and Peter S. Jongbloed.
Former Boston Police Clerk Arrested for Overtime Fraud and Aggravated Identity TheftRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A former clerk for Boston Police Department’s (BPD) District A-1 Detectives Unit was arrested and charged today in connection with an investigation of overtime fraud at the Boston Police Department.
Marilyn Golisano, 68, was indicted on one count of embezzlement from an agency receiving federal funds, six counts of wire fraud and one count of aggravated identity theft. She will appear in federal court in Boston later today.
According to the indictment, the investigation revealed that Golisano, who handled the overtime paperwork for her unit, submitted dozens of false and fraudulent overtime slips on which she had forged the signatures of at least three different BPD supervisors. During the period of the alleged fraud, Golisano’s overtime compensation from the BPD more than doubled, increasing from just over $15,000 in 2016 to $26,000 in 2017 and to over $33,000 in 2018. This increase occurred despite the fact that Golisano’s duties did not change, her rate of pay did not significantly increase and no significant new overtime hours were approved by her supervisor. It is alleged that during several overtime shifts that Golisano claimed to be working in downtown Boston, she was actually miles away from Boston according to her cellphone’s geolocation records.
Golisano is alleged to have stolen $11,094 from BPD in 2017 and $18,090 in 2018.
“Rather than working in service of her community, Ms. Golisano did a disservice to taxpayers and to the reputation of her colleagues in law enforcement,” said United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling. “The vast majority of law enforcement officers serve their communities honorably and with selflessness but, in those instances where public servants cross the line, we will not hesitate to get involved. I applaud the Boston Police Department for their commitment to rooting out corruption, and for their dedication to protecting the City day in and day out.”
“The public needs to know that they can trust law enforcement officials to be honest and trustworthy. Golisano’s alleged fraud and forgery undermines the public’s trust. The DOJ OIG will continue to hold those accountable who try to steal and cheat,” said Russell W. Cunningham, Special Agent in Charge of the Department of Justice Office of the Inspector General Washington Field Office.
“For years, Marilyn Golisano allegedly forged her supervisor’s signature and submitted scores of fraudulent overtime slips for work she did not do, cheating taxpayers out of at least $29,000. Her self-serving actions have not only eroded the morale of her hard-working co-workers at the Boston Police Department, but have the potential to undermine the public’s trust in civil servants,” said Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Boston Division. “We would like to thank the Boston Police Department for bringing this matter to our attention, and for their shared commitment in rooting out public corruption.”
From 2016 through 2018, BPD received annual benefits from the U.S. Department of Transportation and U.S. Department of Justice in excess of $10,000, which were funded pursuant to numerous federal grants.
The charge of theft of government funds provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss. The charge of wire fraud provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. The charging statute for aggravated identity theft provides for a mandatory sentence of two years in prison to be served consecutive 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 upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
U.S. Attorney Lelling, DOJ-OIG SAC Cunningham and FBI Boston SAC Bonavolonta made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Grady of Lelling’s Public Corruption Unit is prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the indictment are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Former Border Patrol Agent Charged with Damaging Government PropertyRead 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 Eduardo Flores, Jr., 50, of Amherst, NY, was charged by criminal complaint with depredation of government property. The charge carries a maximum penalty of one year in prison and a $100,000 fine.
Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey T. Fiut, who is handling the case, stated that according to the criminal complaint, shortly before his retirement from the Border Patrol in August 2020, the defendant entered a co-worker’s cubicle space at the Border Patrol Station in Tonawanda, NY, and began to spray and pour a substance throughout the cubicle. As a result, the Customs and Border Protection Office of Professional Responsibility initiated an investigation into Flores’s activities, which included a physical inspection of the cubicle. Over a week after the incident, the cubicle continued to emanate a pungent odor resembling the smell of urine. In order to restore the cubicle to the condition it was in prior to Flores’s actions, Border Patrol hired and paid a cleaning company over $400 to clean the cubicle and its contents.
Flores is scheduled to make an initial appearance on January 19, 2021, before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jeremiah J. McCarthy.
The criminal complaint is the result of an investigation by the Customs and Border Protection, Office of Professional Responsibility, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Vance Kuhner.
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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Essex County Man Admits Carjacking and Assaulting U.S. Postal Service EmployeeRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – An Essex County, New Jersey, man today admitted assaulting and carjacking at knifepoint a U.S. Postal Service employee, Acting U.S. Attorney Rachael A. Honig announced.
Wallace Johnson, 32, of Newark, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge John Michael Vazquez in Newark federal court to an indictment charging him with carjacking and assaulting a federal employee.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
Johnson admitted that on June 6, 2020, he walked up to a postal employee who was sitting in the car’s driver seat while on a break from delivering mail in Newark. Johnson held a box cutter against the postal employee’s neck and the box cutter’s blade pierced the postal employee’s skin, causing a small laceration. While Johnson held the box cutter against the postal employee’s neck, he demanded that the postal employee get out of the car and leave everything inside of the car. After the postal employee got out of the car, Johnson got into the car and drove away.
Shortly thereafter, law enforcement officers saw the carjacked car driving at a very high rate of speed and attempted to conduct a car stop, not knowing at that time about the carjacking. During a subsequent car chase, Johnson crashed the car and fled on foot. Several minutes later, during a canvass of the nearby neighborhood, law enforcement officers found Johnson as he hid behind a parked car and then arrested him following a foot pursuit. Law enforcement officers recovered the postal employee’s cellular telephone and the boxcutter that Johnson used during the assault and carjacking.
The charge of assaulting a federal employee carries a maximum potential penalty of 20 years in prison. The charge of carjacking carries a maximum potential penalty of 15 years in prison. Each of these counts carries a maximum fine of $250,000. Sentencing is scheduled for May 18, 2021.
Acting U.S. Attorney Rachael A. Honig credited members of the Newark Police Department, under the direction of Public Safety Director Anthony F. Ambrose and postal inspectors of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, under the direction of Acting Inspector in Charge Raimundo Marrero in Newark, with the investigation leading to today’s guilty plea.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin Levin of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Violent Crimes Unit in Newark.
El Paso Man Charged Federally with Posting Threats on Social MediaRead the Press Release
In El Paso today, a federal grand jury returned an indictment against 49-year-old El Paso resident Michael Reyes for allegedly posting threats on a social media platform, announced U.S. Attorney Gregg N. Sofer and FBI Special Agent in Charge Luis M. Quesada, El Paso Division.
The indictment charges Reyes with one count of interstate communication with threat to injure. The indictment alleges that Reyes transmitted threatening communications between December 12, 2020 and December 14, 2020. Court records reflect that on December 14, 2020, the FBI received a report that a Parler user posted comments advocating murder and terrorism aimed at federal government officials and other individuals.
Reyes has remained in federal custody since FBI agents arrested him on December 18, 2020. Upon conviction, Reyes faces up to five years in federal prison and a maximum $250,000 fine.
The FBI investigated this case with assistance from El Paso Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mallory Rasmussen is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
An indictment is merely a charge and should not be considered as evidence of guilt. The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
EOIR Announces the Release of a Comprehensive Policy ManualRead the Press Release
FALLS CHURCH, VA – The Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR) today announced the release of its first interactive Policy Manual, the culmination of a multi-year project that represents the agency’s first comprehensive review of its policies. This effort involved cross-component collaboration and the dedication of many employees to identify redundancies, clarify ambiguities, eliminate surplusage, and update policies to reflect current law and practice.
"EOIR is pleased to present this comprehensive and dynamic resource," said Director McHenry. "The Policy Manual provides interested parties with swift access to all existing EOIR operational policies related to case adjudications, without the need to download separate documents. It also contains the first Office of the Chief Administrative Hearing Officer Practice Manual. I am confident the Manual will prove to be a helpful resource for both internal and external stakeholders."
The Policy Manual provides stakeholders with access to all of EOIR’s policies in a single resource, and includes the Immigration Court and Board of Immigration Appeals Practice Manuals, the Office of the Chief Administrative Hearing Officer Practice Manual, and all current agency policy memoranda.
The Policy Manual will be regularly updated, and the most current version of the Manual is available through EOIR’s website.
— EOIR —
The Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR) is an agency within the Department of Justice. EOIR’s mission is to adjudicate immigration cases by fairly, expeditiously, and uniformly interpreting and administering the Nation’s immigration laws. Under delegated authority from the Attorney General, EOIR conducts immigration court proceedings, appellate reviews, and administrative hearings. EOIR is committed to ensuring fairness in all cases it adjudicates
Dominican National Sentenced for False Identity CrimesRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Dominican national who previously resided in Lawrence was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Boston for aggravated identity theft and fraudulent use of a Social Security number.
Robely Eladio De Jesus Guerrero, 32, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Richard G. Stearns to two years and one day in prison. In May 2020, De Jesus Guerrero pleaded guilty to one count of aggravated identity theft and one count of false representation of a Social Security number.
On Jan. 4, 2016, De Jesus Guerrero used the name, date of birth and Social Security number of a U.S. citizen to submit a renewal application for a Massachusetts driver’s license under the victim’s name.
The investigation was conducted by Homeland Security Investigation’s Document and Benefit Fraud Task Force (DBFTF), a specialized investigative group comprising personnel from various state, local 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. Walker, Acting Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Boston; and Phillip M. Coyne, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, Office of Inspector General made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the U.S. Marshals Service, District of Massachusetts; Social Security Administration, Office of Inspector General, Office of Investigations, Boston Field Office; U.S. Secret Service; U.S. Postal Inspection Service; U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Diplomatic Security, Boston Field Office; U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations, Boston; the Massachusetts State Police; and the Massachusetts Office of Inspector General. Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam W. Deitch of Lelling’s Major Crimes Unit prosecuted the case.
Denver Man Sentenced to Five Years in Federal Prison for Possession of Firearm While Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Jason R. Dunn announced that Alexander Uhey-Medina, 32, of Denver, Colorado, was sentenced to five years (60 months) in federal prison for possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. The sentence will be followed by three years of supervised release.
According to facts contained in the plea agreement, on May 26, 2020, Denver police officers were attempting to locate Uhey-Medina for outstanding warrants. They located Uhey-Medina and followed him to a motel in Aurora, where he was taken into custody. Uhey-Medina stated that he had a weapon inside of the backpack he was carrying. An officer searched the backpack and located a loaded firearm, a loaded magazine, three baggies containing methamphetamine, three baggies, each of which contained fentanyl, cocaine, and heroin, respectively, a digital scale, two cell phones, $1,819 cash, syringes, a glass narcotic pipe, and a fentanyl “test strip.”
“Despite challenges from coronavirus, this office is continuing our critical work improving our communities by prosecuting drug traffickers,” said U.S Attorney Jason Dunn. “I commend our law enforcement partners for keeping their laser focus on this mission, which makes a real difference for the people of Colorado.”
“Those that bring illegal drugs into our communities directly disrupt public safety. ATF will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to ensure that any such individuals are brought to justice,” said ATF Special Agent in Charge David Booth.
United States District Court Judge R. Brooke Jackson sentenced Uhey-Medina on January 11, 2021.
This case was investigated by the ATF and the Denver Police Department Firearm Assault Shoot Team (FAST). The defendant was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Celeste Rangel.
CASE NUMBER: 20-cr-00155-RBJ
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Defendant Charged in Brooklyn Federal Court with For-Profit Visa Fraud and Alien Smuggling SchemeRead the Press Release
BROOKLYN, NY – Earlier today, in federal court in Brooklyn, an indictment was unsealed charging Haiyan Liao in connection with a scheme to commit visa fraud, money laundering and illegally bring Chinese nationals into the United States for financial gain. Liao was arrested this morning in Las Vegas, Nevada and will make her initial appearance tomorrow in United States District Court, District of Nevada before U.S. Magistrate Judge Elayna Youchah.
Seth D. DuCharme, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, David P. Burns, Acting Assistant Attorney General of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, and Jeffrey A. Thomas, Deputy Assistant Director of Investigations, U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service, announced the arrest and charges.
“As alleged in the indictment, Liao aided and abetted aliens who paid thousands of dollars for her fraudulent immigration services,” stated Acting United States Attorney DuCharme. “The defendant provided fake documents and coached her accomplices regarding how to lie during visa interviews and customs checks. Our Office and our law enforcement agency partners remain vigilant and committed to protecting the integrity of the immigration process and our border security and preventing criminals from seeking profit in the subversion of the rule of law.”
The United States benefits from the rich diversity of culture and experience which results from lawful immigration into our country,” stated Acting Assistant Attorney General Burns. “This defendant, however, is charged with submitting false applications for visitor visas to the U.S. Consulate in Guangzhou and engaging in money laundering as part of a multi-year alien smuggling business that brought Chinese nationals into the United States illegally. This indictment underscores that those who seek to thwart our system of legal immigration to line their own pockets will be prosecuted.”
“The Diplomatic Security Service (DSS) is firmly committed to protecting the integrity of all U.S. visas and travel documents,” stated DSS Deputy Assistant Director Thomas. “This case is the result of a strong partnership among federal law enforcement agencies and DSS’ global network of special agents working together to stop visa and passport crimes, and to stop criminals from earning illegal income by exploiting U.S. visas, passports, and foreign nationals.”
According to the indictment, between January 2014 and December 2015, Liao conspired with others in a scheme to fraudulently obtain visitor visas for aliens from China by submitting applications containing false statements to the U.S. Consulate in Guangzhou, China. In addition, Liao and her co-conspirators obtained fraudulent documents for aliens to present to the Department of State Bureau of Consular Affairs, including fake birth certificates, marriage certificates, national identity cards, property deeds and employment verification purportedly to show they had strong ties to China and were likely to return to their homeland. Liao and her co-conspirators allegedly met with alien applicants and instructed them to falsely answer questions during their visa interviews. For the aliens whose applications were approved, Liao and her co-conspirators facilitated their travel to the United States by purchasing airline tickets, accompanying them on commercial flights and instructing them how to clear customs after they arrived in the United States. The aliens and their families paid the defendant thousands of dollars to obtain the fraudulent visas. Liao and her co-conspirators allegedly wired proceeds of the scheme from China to the United States. Liao’s co-defendant in the indictment, Ned Michael Moriearty, was recently deceased.
The charges contained in the indictment are allegations and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. If convicted, Liao faces up to 20 years’ imprisonment.
This case is being investigated by the Diplomatic Security Service, Criminal Fraud Investigations Unit.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Nomi Berenson of the Eastern District of New York and Trial Attorney Rami S. Badawy of the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section.
The Defendant:
HAIYAN LIAO
Age: 43
Las Vegas NevadaE.D.N.Y. Docket No.: 20-CR-500 (SJ)
Columbia Man Sentenced to Year and Half in Federal Prison for Failure to Pay Employment Withholding TaxesRead the Press Release
Columbia, South Carolina ---- United States Attorney Peter M. McCoy, Jr. announced that Rafael Salas, Jr., 52, of Columbia, was sentenced to a year and a half in federal prison after pleading guilty to failing to pay to the government taxes he withheld from his employees’ paychecks. Salas spent the funds for personal expenses and entertainment, including on a boat and at a strip club.
Evidence presented in court established that, from January 2014 through August 2016, Salas owned and operated Moonshiner's Patio Bar and Grill in Lexington, and employed approximately 20 employees during each tax period. While failing to file Moonshiner’s quarterly tax returns and failing to fully pay the company’s employment taxes, Salas withheld trust fund taxes from his employees’ wages. Salas used the withholdings to pay personal expenses including $36,000 for his personal dwelling, $11,000 for a boat and trailer, and expenses of roughly $10,000 at a local strip club.
Salas was also on probation for a 2016 federal conviction for conspiracy to introduce misbranded drugs into interstate commerce at the time of this offense.
“I am thankful for the partnership of the IRS and our U.S. Attorney’s Office to see justice on this case,” said U.S. Attorney McCoy. “We stand ready to continue protecting taxpayers from criminal activity.”
"Employers have a legal obligation to withhold and pay the appropriate amount of taxes for their employees," said Matthew D. Line, Special Agent in Charge, IRS Criminal Investigation, Charlotte Field Office. "The defendant’s federal prison sentencing is clear recognition of the serious consequences awaiting those who skirt this obligation."
United States District Judge Mary G. Lewis sentenced Salas to 18 months in federal prison, to be followed by a three-year term of court-ordered supervision. There is no parole in the federal system.
This case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). Assistant United States Attorney T. DeWayne Pearson of the Columbia office prosecuted the case.
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Chinese National Sentenced to 28 Months in Prison for Importing Fentanyl Analogues and Money LaunderingRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A Chinese national who held high-level executive positions at chemical and pharmaceutical companies in China was sentenced today to 28 months in prison for drug and money laundering offenses, including the importation of fentanyl analogues into New Jersey, Acting U.S. Attorney Rachael A. Honig announced.
According to the charging documents and statements made in court:
Hao Qin, (a/k/a “John Chin”), 34, of Shanghai, China, was identified as being responsible for importing over 500 kilograms of controlled substance analogues into the United States. Among the substances imported by Qin and his conspirators through Qin’s chemical business were furanyl fentanyl and 4-FIBF, two potent analogues of the opioid drug fentanyl.
Qin also laundered the proceeds of his international drug business, including accepting wire payments designed to pay off a $500,000 drug debt incurred by one of his former clients in the United States.
In addition to the prison term, U.S. District Judge Claire C. Cecchi sentenced Qin to three years of supervised release.
This case was conducted under the auspices of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF). 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.
Acting U.S. Attorney Honig credited special agents with the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Susan A. Gibson, with the investigation leading to today’s sentencing.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Melissa M. Wangenheim, Chief of the Office’s Opioid Abuse Prevention and Enforcement Unit, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan L. O’Neill, also of the Office’s Opioid Abuse Prevention and Enforcement Unit.
Career criminals sentenced for trafficking fentanyl-laced heroin between Florida and AtlantaRead the Press Release
ATLANTA – William Brown, Ronald Williams, and McLane Ricardo Haddocks III have been sentenced for trafficking and conspiring to trafficking fentanyl and heroin. The three were long-time Florida drug dealers, and both Brown and Williams had been released from prison only a few months before resuming their criminal conduct in Atlanta, Georgia.
“Synthetic opioids such as fentanyl killed tens of thousands of Americans, destroyed countless families, and devastated communities throughout our nation in 2020,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Bobby L. Christine. “The outstanding efforts of the federal law enforcement officers and prosecutors in this district ensures that lifelong criminals like these defendants are brought to justice instead of flitting in and out of state prisons.”
“ATF is committed to working with our federal partners to target those responsible for drug trafficking and gun violence in our communities,” said John Schmidt, Assistant Special Agent in Charge of ATF’s Atlanta Field Division. “This coordinated effort between ATF and our partners demonstrates our continued dedication to identify, target, and investigate criminals who lessen the quality of life in our neighborhoods. The sentences will help ensure these individuals are not able to continue with their illegal activities.”
According to Acting U.S. Attorney Christine, the charges and other information presented in court: In July 2019, ATF agents observed William Brown and Ronald Williams—two multi-convicted felons with lengthy criminal histories in Florida—sell approximately three ounces of fentanyl-laced heroin in the parking lot of an apartment complex in southwest Atlanta, Georgia.
A few weeks later, Brown and Williams met with McLane Ricardo Haddocks, III—a career criminal who had relocated from Florida to Georgia after serving numerous prison terms for trafficking in cocaine, fleeing from police, and violating probation. Brown, Williams, and Haddocks drove to a public storage facility in Stockbridge, Georgia where Williams retrieved a plastic baggie of fentanyl-laced heroin and handed it to Haddocks. Shortly thereafter, while under surveillance by ATF, Haddocks sold approximately five ounces of fentanyl-laced heroin to a government informant in a hotel parking lot.
Williams and Brown took their drug trafficking operation from Florida to Georgia. The drug deal that agents witnessed in July 2019 was committed only three months after Williams’s release from a Florida prison for a gun crime. Williams had previously spent more than a half-decade in prison for trafficking cocaine, violating probation, and unlawful possession of a firearm.
Similarly, Brown had been released from prison in Florida just nine months before the July 2019 drug transaction. He too had spent more than a half-decade in Florida prisons for possession of cocaine, selling cocaine within 1,000 feet of a park, sale of marijuana, armed robbery, aggravated battery, and trafficking hydromorphone.
All three defendants pleaded guilty. They were sentenced by U.S. District Judge Michael L. Brown as follows:
- William Brown, 31, of Jupiter, Florida, was sentenced on January 12, 2021, to 15 years in prison followed by eight years of supervised release.
- Ronald Williams, a/k/a Mandela, 43, of Riviera Beach, Florida, was sentenced on March 9, 2020, to 12 years, seven months in prison followed by six years of supervised release. Additionally, Williams agreed to forfeit his interest in more than $100,000 worth of seized jewelry.
- McLane Ricardo Haddocks III, a/k/a Rick, 43, of Stockbridge, Georgia, was sentenced on December 3, 2020, to five years, 10 months in prison followed by four years of supervised release.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg prosecuted the case.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Atlanta recommends parents and children learn about the dangers of drugs at the following web site: www.justthinktwice.gov.
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.
Caldwell Man Sentenced to More Than a Dozen Years for Federal Drug ChargeRead the Press Release
BOISE – Ismael Rodriguez, 41, of Caldwell, was sentenced in U.S. District Court to 151 months in federal prison for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, U.S. Attorney Bart M. Davis announced today. Chief U.S. District Judge David C. Nye also ordered Rodriguez to pay a $1,000 fine and serve five years of supervised release following his prison sentence. Rodriguez pled guilty to the charge on October 9, 2020.
According to court records, a federal grand jury indicted Rodriguez on April 10, 2019, after Nampa Police Department officers found him in possession of a firearm, over four pounds of methamphetamine, and nearly a pound of heroin. In imposing his sentence, Chief Judge Nye noted that Rodriguez has thirteen prior adult criminal convictions including firearms offenses and robbery, is an admitted gang member, and previously served time in federal prison.
This case was investigated by the Nampa Police Department.
This case was part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. The Department of Justice reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime.
This case was prosecuted by the Special Assistant U.S. Attorney hired by the Treasure Valley Partnership and the State of Idaho to address gang crimes. The Treasure Valley Partnership is comprised of a group of elected officials in southwest Idaho dedicated to regional coordination, cooperation, and collaboration on creating coherent regional growth. For more information, visit www.treasurevalleypartners.org.
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Butler Man Sentenced for Meth Trafficking, Illegal Homemade FirearmRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Butler, Missouri, man has been sentenced in federal court for distributing methamphetamine and possessing a homemade firearm.
Lyle Scott Jennings, 49, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Gary A. Fenner on Tuesday, Jan. 12, to 10 years in federal prison without parole.
On Feb. 10, 2020, Jennings pleaded guilty to participating in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and to possessing an unregistered firearm.
Jennings was stopped by officers from the Bates County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department on two occasions in June 2018. On the first stop, he was in possession of materials used to manufacture methamphetamine; on the second stop, he was in possession of a homemade firearm. Officers searched his residence and found more methamphetamine.
Jennings admitted that he purchased and distributed methamphetamine on a regular basis. He traded a 1997 Camaro for an ounce of methamphetamine and a 1971 Harley Davidson motorcycle for two ounces of methamphetamine. He gave methamphetamine to others to distribute as well.
Jennings also admitted that he manufactured the homemade firearm, a “slam-fire”-type destructive device made from three pieces of pipe and a wrench handle, in June 2018. The device was not registered to him in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Gregg Coonrod. It was investigated by the Bates County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Bus Driver Sentenced to 19 Years in Federal Prison for Child Enticement Offense, Planning Murder of VictimRead the Press Release
John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that JOSE MANUEL SANTOS, 38, of Bridgeport, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Jeffrey A. Meyer in New Haven to 228 months of imprisonment, followed by seven years of supervised release, for enticing a minor to engage in illegal sexual activity, and for obstructing justice by attempting to have the minor victim murdered.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Santos was employed by Curtin Livery as a bus/van driver in Connecticut with responsibilities that included transporting children going to and from a middle school in Wallingford. In October 2018, law enforcement received information that Santos was sexually soliciting a 13-year-old girl who was a passenger on his route. Analysis of the minor victim’s cell phone records revealed more than 200 text messages or calls between Santos and the victim, a sexually explicit photo of Santos that Santos sent to the minor victim, and multiple messages in which Santos coerced the victim to send him a sexually explicit photo of her.
Santos has been detained since his arrest on November 2, 2018.
In the fall of 2019, while Santos was in federal custody and awaiting trial, Santos engaged an individual and, subsequently, an undercover law enforcement officer, to have the 13-year-old victim murdered to prevent her from testifying against him. In a phone call on December 2, 2019, the undercover officer told Santos that the victim had been murdered. Immediately after receiving the information, Santos asked the undercover officer to begin collecting background information on an Assistant U.S. Attorney who was prosecuting Santos’ case.
On February 20, 2020, Santos pleaded guilty to one count of enticing a minor to engage in illegal sexual activity.
Santos’ criminal history includes convictions for reckless endangerment, assault and larceny offenses. In 2003, he was convicted of offenses related to his running from police, stealing a police cruiser, striking the officer with the car door when the officer attempted to stop him, and dragging the officer as Santos sped off in the stolen cruiser.
This matter was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Connecticut Department of Correction. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Nancy V. Gifford and Brian P. Leaming.
This prosecution is part of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Project Safe Childhood Initiative, which is aimed at protecting children from sexual abuse and exploitation. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
To report cases of child exploitation, please visit www.cybertipline.com.
Boise Man Sentenced for Federal Building Bomb ThreatRead the Press Release
BOISE – Kristopher Allen Wrede, 30, of Boise, was sentenced in U.S. District Court to one year in federal prison for making a telephonic bomb threat, U.S. Attorney Bart M. Davis announced today. Chief U.S. District Judge David C. Nye also ordered Wrede serve three years of supervised release following his prison sentence. Wrede pleaded guilty to the charge on October 13, 2020.
According to court records, on February 13, 2020, Wrede was arrested on a Bonneville County warrant for charges that he made terroristic threats. The following day, February 14, Wrede called the Boise Suicide Hotline and informed an employee that he had placed several bombs in the “federal courthouse at 550 W. Fort Street” which would be detonated that weekend. There were no bombs at the courthouse. Wrede willfully made this threat and maliciously conveyed false information concerning an alleged attempt to unlawfully damage or destroy the James A. McClure Federal Building and United States Courthouse by explosives.
This case was investigated by the United States Marshals Service.
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