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Wednesday 6 January 2021
Anchorage Doctor Sentenced for Prescribing Medically Unnecessary Opioids in Health Care Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
Anchorage, Alaska – U.S. Attorney Bryan Schroder announced today that U.S. District Court Judge Sharon L. Gleason sentenced Michael Don Robertson, 68, a former Anchorage psychiatrist, to 12 months home confinement and 5 years of probation for conspiracy to commit controlled substance fraud and one count of health care fraud. Robertson knowingly and intentionally distributed controlled substances outside the usual course of professional practice and without a legitimate medical purpose.
According to court documents, from May 2015 to March 2018, Robertson issued 465 prescriptions of meperidine to 30 different recipients, totaling 32,109 meperidine pills, knowing that the recipients did not truly need the medication for a legitimate medical purpose. The investigation revealed that Robertson issued the meperidine prescriptions as part of a conspiracy in which the recipients filled the meperidine prescriptions and, then, distributed the meperidine to Robertson. In exchange for the recipients diverting the meperidine to Robertson, Robertson provided prescriptions for controlled substances, including fentanyl and oxycodone, to the recipients. Meperidine, commonly known as Demerol, is a Schedule II controlled substance, and is an opioid with an abuse liability similar to morphine.
The investigation further revealed that Robertson failed to make and preserve accurate records regarding approximately 790 prescriptions for controlled substances and failed to keep any medical records whatsoever regarding five patients to whom he wrote prescriptions for controlled substances. In a scheme to obtain money from Medicaid, Robertson caused claims to be submitted to Medicaid regarding these 790 prescriptions, resulting in Medicaid paying $3,286.87 to Robertson’s medical practice. Further, Medicaid paid $3,601.52 to pharmacies for these 790 controlled substance prescriptions.
Robertson pleaded guilty to the charges on July 31, 2019. At sentencing today, Robertson apologized to the people that he involved in the scheme, the medical profession, and his family. Robertson surrendered his medical license and DEA Registration after being questioned by law enforcement.
The Court held that 12 months of home incarceration was appropriate due the COVID pandemic and the need to impose a just sentence due to the severity of the crime, while also avoiding disparity with sentences for other similar drug crimes. In addition to the 12-month home confinement, Robertson was ordered to complete 5 years of probation and pay restitution in the amount of $6,888.39 to Medicaid to reimburse the cost of the illegally prescribed drugs.
United States Attorney Bryan Schroder commended the law enforcement team that investigated this case. “This conviction is a reminder that COVID is not the only pandemic confronting America and Alaska; fighting the opioid epidemic remains an important priority for the Department of Justice. Federal law enforcement investigates and prosecutes unlawful drug distribution, including that crime committed by doctors.”
The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS OIG), the State of Alaska Medicaid Fraud Control Unit (MFCU), and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) conducted the investigation leading to the successful prosecution in this case. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonas M. Walker.
Acting Attorney General Jeffrey A. Rosen Regarding the Overrunning of the U.S. Capitol BuildingRead the Press Release
Acting Attorney General Jeffrey A. Rosen issued the following statement:
"The violence at our Nation’s Capitol Building is an intolerable attack on a fundamental institution of our democracy. From the outset, the Department of Justice has been working in close coordination with the Capitol Police and federal partners from the Interior Department, the Department of Homeland Security, and the National Guard, as well as the Metropolitan Police and other local authorities. Earlier this afternoon, the Department of Justice sent hundreds of federal law enforcement officers and agents from the FBI, ATF, and the U.S. Marshals Service to assist the Capitol Police in addressing this unacceptable situation, and we intend to enforce the laws of our land."
73-Year-Old Fayetteville Man Sentenced to 5 Years of Probation for Obtaining Almost $1M in VA Benefits Through FraudRead the Press Release
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. – A man who pleaded guilty to obtaining healthcare benefits from the Department of Veterans Affairs through fraud was sentenced yesterday, announced Matthew G.T. Martin, United States Attorney for the Middle District of North Carolina.
WILLIE DOSHER CAIN, 73, of Fayetteville, North Carolina, pleaded guilty on June 17, 2020, to one count of embezzlement. On January 5, 2021, United States District Judge Thomas D. Schroeder sentenced CAIN to five years of probation and ordered him to perform 250 hours of community service. Judge Schroeder cited the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic and the defendant’s age and prior military service as factors in determining the sentence. CAIN was also ordered to pay $903,668.08 in restitution and a forfeiture money judgment in the amount of $150,000, and forfeited $155,041.30 in cash, a modified 2018 Toyota Sienna van, and a mobility scooter. In a related civil forfeiture action, CAIN forfeited a Carolina Beach condominium.
According to documents filed with the court, CAIN, a US Army and Fayetteville Police Department veteran, represented to the VA that as a result of shrapnel wounds sustained in Vietnam in 1965, he had suffered the loss of use of both legs, as well as loss of bowel and bladder control, that he was unable to perform daily activities such as dressing and bathing without assistance, and that he was dependent on a wheelchair or motorized scooter for mobility. Filed documents further state, however, that CAIN in fact maintained an active lifestyle throughout this time, including working as a firearms and concealed carry instructor, enjoying beach activities, playing basketball, dancing, and attending social events. He also bought a condominium at Carolina Beach on the third floor of a building which had no elevator. The investigation revealed that as a result of his false claims, CAIN received hundreds of thousands of dollars of VA benefits to which he was not entitled, in the form of direct payments for aid and attendance, modifications to his home, and the purchase and adaptation of vehicles.
This case was investigated by the Veterans Affairs – Office of the Inspector General. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Frank J. Chut and Meredith Ruggles.
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Tuesday 5 January 2021
Yellowstone National Park Treasure Hunter Pleads GuiltyRead the Press Release
RODRICK DOW CRAYTHORN, 52, of Syracuse, Utah entered pleas of guilty to charges of excavating or trafficking in archeological resources, and injury or depredation to United States property in U.S. District Court on January 4, 2021. He was indicted by a federal grand jury on September 16, 2020. The indictment alleged that Craythorn was found digging in the Fort Yellowstone Cemetery between October 1, 2019 and May 24, 2020 inside Yellowstone National Park while looking for the treasure buried by Forrest Fenn. By pleading guilty Craythorn admits he is, in fact, guilty of the crimes charged.
“The hunt for the Forrest Fenn treasure was often viewed as a harmless diversion, but in this case it led to substantial damage to important public resources,” said US Attorney Mark Klaassen. “The Defendant let his quest for discovery override respect for the law.”
Excavating or trafficking in archeological resources carries a potential penalty of up to two years in prison, a fine of up to $20,000, and one year of supervised release. Injury or depredation to United States Property carries a penalty of not more than ten years imprisonment, up to a $250,000 fine, and three years of supervised release. Chief U.S. District Court Judge Scott W. Skavdahl accepted Craythorn’s plea and scheduled his sentencing on March 17, 2021 in Casper, Wyoming at the Ewing T. Kerr Federal Court House.
White Supremacist Sentenced for Role in Murder of Fellow Federal Prison InmateRead the Press Release
BEAUMONT, Texas – A 40-year-old federal inmate has been sentenced for his role in the murder of a fellow prisoner in the Eastern District of Texas announced U.S. Attorney Stephen J. Cox today.
Michael Jason Shelton, of Henagar, Alabama, pleaded guilty on July 13, 2020, to accessory after the fact-murder, and was sentenced to 180 months in federal prison today by U.S. District Judge Marcia Crone.
On June 13, 2018, Rickey Fackrell, 36, of Vernal, Utah, and Christopher Cramer, 38, of Ogden, Utah, were both sentenced to death after being convicted by a jury of first degree murder following a six-week federal trial before Judge Crone.
According to information presented in court, beginning in March 2014, Cramer and Fackrell, inmates of the U.S. Penitentiary in Beaumont, Texas, murdered fellow inmate, Leo Johns. On June 9, 2014, Cramer and Fackrell stabbed Leo Johns to death at the federal prison. Shelton pleaded guilty to being an accessory to the murder. All three inmates were members of the white supremacy group, Soldiers of the Aryan Culture.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Bureau of Prisons-SIS. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys John B. Ross and Rachel Grove.
Waterloo Drug User Sentenced to Federal Prison for Possessing a Stolen FirearmRead the Press Release
A man who possessed a stolen firearm while being a drug user was sentenced today to more than two years in federal prison.
Chase David Grant, age 20, from Waterloo, Iowa, received the prison term after a July 17, 2020 guilty plea to possession of a firearm by a drug user.
In April 2018, law enforcement officers observed videos on social media showing Grant using drugs, including marijuana, and that, in at least one video, he appeared to have a gun. Later that month, officers were preparing to conduct a search at Grant’s home when they saw three individuals attempting to enter his home with a gun. Officers stopped the individuals. One of the individuals told officers that they had previously stolen the gun they had from Grant. He also told officers that they were there to collect money from Grant. Grant later admitted that the gun the three individuals possessed had been stolen from him. He also admitted that he had stolen that gun from someone in Colorado. Grant was a user of controlled substances at the time he possessed this stolen gun.
Since April 2018, Grant has been convicted of a number of state offenses, including burglary, forgery, malicious prosecution, possession of marijuana with the intend to deliver, failure to affix a tax stamp, and carrying weapons. The carrying weapons offense stemmed from a November 2018 traffic stop during which Grant was driving a car that smelled like marijuana and a firearm was found in the driver’s side door panel of the vehicle.
Grant was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams. Grant was sentenced to 30 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a 3-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). PSN is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
This case is also part of Project Guardian, the Department of Justice’s signature initiative to reduce gun violence and enforce federal firearms laws. Initiated by the Attorney General in the fall of 2019, Project Guardian draws upon the Department’s past successful programs to reduce gun violence; enhances coordination of federal, state, local, and tribal authorities in investigating and prosecuting gun crimes; improves information-sharing by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives when a prohibited individual attempts to purchase a firearm and is denied by the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS), to include taking appropriate actions when a prospective purchaser is denied by the NICS for mental health reasons; and ensures that federal resources are directed at the criminals posing the greatest threat to our communities. For more information about Project Guardian, please see /media/1122011/dl?inline.
Grant is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Emily K. Nydle and was investigated by a Federal Task Force composed of the Waterloo Police Department, Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms assisted by the Black Hawk County Sheriff’s Office and Cedar Falls Police Department.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 19-cr-2047.
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U.S. Government Collects $7 Million in Iranian Assets for Victims of Terrorism FundRead the Press Release
The Justice Department announced the United States has collected $7 million of Iranian funds that will be allocated to provide compensation to American victims of international state-sponsored terrorism.
The funds are the United States’ share of a civil forfeiture investigation that is part of the government’s pursuit of a complex international conspiracy which spanned the globe. The conspiracy’s purpose was to violate the United States imposed international economic sanctions regime on Iran and included several Iranian nationals and others, who fraudulently transferred approximately $1 billion worth of Iranian-owned funds to accounts around the world.
“The funds subject to today’s stipulation had been destined to benefit criminal actors who engaged in an elaborate scheme to violate U.S. sanctions against Iran, one of the world’s leading state sponsors of terrorism,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General David Burns of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Thanks to assistance from our foreign partners and the combined efforts of the Criminal Division, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Alaska, the FBI, and the IRS, the forfeited funds will instead be used to directly compensate victims of state sponsors of terrorism.”
“I thank our law enforcement partners for their long-term and dedicated diligence in securing these funds for victims of state-sponsored terrorism,” said U.S. Attorney Bryan D. Schroder for the District of Alaska. “The United States also acknowledges and expressed appreciation for the cooperation of UAE authorities, the Dubai Police Department’s Anti-money Laundering and Financial Crimes Division and the Government of Ras al Khaimah, the Office of the Prosecutor General of Georgia, and the Supreme Prosecutor’s Office and Ministry of Justice of the Republic of Korea, without whom this resolution would not have been possible.”
“The FBI will aggressively pursue those who aid terrorist financiers and those who abuse the U.S. financial system in the process,” said Special Agent in Charge Robert Britt of the FBI’s Anchorage Field Office. “Due to the collaborative effort put forth by the FBI and our partners, it is with great satisfaction that a portion of these successfully forfeited funds will go to American victims of international state-sponsored terrorism.”
“IRS-CI special agents are experts at tracing the flow of funds and throughout this investigation their skills were on display,” said IRS-Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) Special Agent in Charge Justin Campbell. “We are pleased that victims of state sponsored terror will receive these funds, and we will continue working with our partners to unravel financial transactions that promote terrorism.”
Beginning in 2011 and continuing up to 2014, the conspirators, including three Iranian nationals and, allegedly, one U.S. citizen, defrauded South Korean banks by submitting false documents purporting to show that Iranian companies were doing legitimate business with Korean companies. Based on these false documents, the conspirators succeeded in unlawfully transferring approximately $1 billion worth of Iranian-owned funds out of South Korea and into the world’s financial markets.
The American who is an alleged conspirator, Kenneth Zong, was indicted in December 2016 in the District of Alaska, for 47 counts of violating the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) and the Iranian Transaction and Sanctions Regulations (ITSR), providing unlawful services to the Government of Iran, conspiracy to commit money laundering, and money laundering. Kenneth Zong remains in South Korea, where he recently completed serving a sentence of longer than five years for violating Korean law as part of the same scheme.
The conspirators transferred the Iranian-owned funds to accounts worldwide, including to Anchorage, Alaska. In 2018, a federal judge sentenced Mitchell Zong (i.e. Kenneth Zong’s son) to two and a half years imprisonment for his role in laundering approximately $968,000 of Iranian-derived funds, knowing the funds came from his father’s illegal transactions with Iranian nationals. In a separate forfeiture civil action, Mitchell Zong and other members of his family were ordered to forfeit to the United States approximately $10 million in assets, which were purchased with funds traceable to Kenneth Zong’s 2011 illegal IEEPA activity in Seoul, South Korea.
In addition to the prosecutions of Kenneth Zong and Mitchell Zong, the U.S. Attorney’s Office filed a forfeiture complaint seeking to seize money held in a sovereign wealth fund in the United Arab Emirates. These funds, which are also traceable to the scheme, were part of a down-payment made by the Iranian co-conspirators for the purchase of a Sheraton Hotel in Tbilisi, Georgia in 2011 and 2012. The agreement announced today resolves that forfeiture case with a proposed order that $7 million be forfeited to the United States. The forfeiture case, Civil No. 3:20-cv-00126-JMK, was filed and remains pending in the U.S. District Court for the District of Alaska.
The $7 million will be allocated to the U.S. Victims of State Sponsored Terrorism Fund, which Congress established to provide compensation to certain individuals who were injured in acts of international state-sponsored terrorism, including victims of the 1979 U.S. embassy hostage situation in Iran, among others.
The Justice Department commended the FBI and IRS-CI for the successful investigation.
The forfeiture case and the case against Mitchell and Kenneth Zong were litigated by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Steven Skrocki and Jonas Walker. Former Deputy Chief Woo S. Lee and Senior Trial Attorney Michael Olmsted of the Criminal Division’s Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section handled the prosecution. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs provided valuable assistance in this matter.
An indictment is merely an allegation. A defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
For more information regarding the U.S. Victims of State Sponsored Terrorism Fund, see U.S. VICTIMS OF STATE SPONSORED TERRORISM FUND (usvsst.com).
U.S. Government Collects $7 Million in Iranian Assets for Victims of Terrorism FundRead the Press Release
Anchorage, Alaska –U.S. Attorney Bryan Schroder announced today that the United States has collected $7 million dollars of Iranian funds that will be allocated to provide compensation to American victims of international state-sponsored terrorism.
According to U.S. Attorney Schroder, the funds are the United States’ share of a civil forfeiture investigation that is part of the Government’s pursuit of a complex international conspiracy which spanned the globe. The conspiracy’s purpose was to violate the U.S. imposed international economic sanctions regime on Iran and included several Iranian nationals and others, who fraudulently transferred approximately one billion dollars-worth of Iranian-owned funds to accounts around the world.
Beginning in 2011 and continuing up to 2014, the conspirators, including three Iranian nationals and, allegedly, one U.S. citizen, defrauded South Korean banks by submitting false documents purporting to show that Iranian companies were doing legitimate business with Korean companies. Based on these false documents, the conspirators succeeded in unlawfully transferring approximately one billion dollars-worth of Iranian-owned funds out of South Korea and into the world’s financial markets.
The American who is an alleged conspirator, Kenneth Zong, was indicted in December 2016 in the District of Alaska, for 47 counts of violating the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) and the Iranian Transaction and Sanctions Regulations (ITSR), Providing Unlawful Services to the Government of Iran, Conspiracy to Commit Money Laundering, and Money Laundering. Kenneth Zong remains in South Korea, where he recently completed serving a sentence of longer than five years for violating Korean law as part of the same scheme.
The conspirators transferred the Iranian-owned funds to accounts worldwide, including to Anchorage, Alaska. In 2018, a federal judge sentenced Mitchell Zong (i.e. Kenneth Zong’s son) to two and a half years imprisonment for his role in laundering approximately $968,000 of Iranian-derived funds, knowing the funds came from his father’s illegal transactions with Iranian nationals. In a separate forfeiture civil action, Mitchell Zong and other members of his family were ordered to forfeit to the United States approximately $10 million in assets, which were purchased with funds traceable to Kenneth Zong’s 2011 illegal IEEPA activity in Seoul, South Korea.
In addition to the prosecutions of Kenneth Zong and Mitchell Zong, the U.S. Attorney’s Office filed a forfeiture complaint seeking to seize money held in a sovereign wealth fund in the United Arab Emirates. These funds, which are also traceable to the scheme, were part of a down-payment made by the Iranian co-conspirators for the purchase of a Sheraton Hotel in Tbilisi, Georgia in 2011 and 2012. The agreement announced today resolves that forfeiture case with a proposed order that $7 million be forfeited to the United States. The forfeiture case, Civil No. 3:20-cv-00126-JMK, was filed and remains pending in the U.S. District Court for the District of Alaska.
The $7 million dollars will be allocated to the U.S. Victims of State Sponsored Terrorism Fund, which Congress established to provide compensation to certain individuals who were injured in acts of international state-sponsored terrorism, including victims of the 1979 U.S. embassy hostage situation in Iran, among others.
The United States acknowledged and expressed appreciation for the cooperation of UAE authorities, the Dubai Police Department’s Anti-money Laundering and Financial Crimes Division and the Government of Ras al Khaimah, the Office of the Prosecutor General of Georgia, and the Supreme Prosecutor’s Office and Ministry of Justice of the Republic of Korea, without whom this resolution would not have been possible.
U.S. Attorney Schroder commended the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) for the successful investigation. “I thank our law enforcement partners for their long-term and dedicated diligence in securing these funds for victims of state-sponsored terrorism.”
“The FBI will aggressively pursue those who aid terrorist financiers and those who abuse the U.S. financial system in the process,” said Robert Britt, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Anchorage Field Office. “Due to the collaborative effort put forth by the FBI and our partners, it is with great satisfaction that a portion of these successfully forfeited funds will go to American victims of international state-sponsored terrorism.”
“IRS-Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) special agents are experts at tracing the flow of funds and throughout this investigation their skills were on display,” said IRS-CI Special Agent in Charge Justin Campbell. “We are pleased that victims of state sponsored terror will receive these funds, and we will continue working with our partners to unravel financial transactions that promote terrorism.”
The forfeiture case and the case against Mitchell and Kenneth Zong were litigated by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Steven Skrocki and Jonas Walker. Former Deputy Chief Woo S. Lee and Senior Trial Attorney Michael Olmsted of the Criminal Division’s Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section litigated the forfeiture cases with Assistant U.S. Attorneys Steven Skrocki and Jonas Walker. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs provided valuable assistance in this matter.
An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. A defendant is presumed innocent and is entitled to a fair trial at which the government must prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
For more information regarding the U.S. Victims of State Sponsored Terrorism Fund, see U.S. VICTIMS OF STATE SPONSORED TERRORISM FUND (usvsst.com)
U.S. Attorney’s Office collects more than $40 million in civil and criminal actions for fiscal year 2020Read the Press Release
U.S. Attorney Justin Herdman announced today that the Northern District of Ohio office collected $28,603,085.75 in civil and criminal actions in the fiscal year 2020 (FY 2020). Of this amount, $21,612,213.13 was collected in civil actions, and $6,990,872.62 was collected in criminal actions.
Additionally, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Ohio, working with partner agencies and divisions, collected $11,469,460.00 in asset forfeiture actions in FY 2020. Forfeited assets deposited into the Department of Justice Assets Forfeiture Fund are used to restore funds to crime victims and for various law enforcement purposes.
Accordingly, a combined $40,072,545 was collected by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Ohio in FY 2020.
“This year, when many of our processes and procedures were forced to change due to the pandemic, the Northern District was nonetheless able to recover a substantial number of funds from numerous civil and criminal judgments,” said U.S. Attorney Justin Herdman. “When we represent the United States of America and secure a collection judgment, we will seek to recover every dollar possible.”
The Justice Department collected more than $15.9 billion in civil and criminal actions in FY 2020, ending Sept. 30, 2020. The $15,988,516,670 in collections in FY 2020 represents more than five times the approximately $3.2 billion appropriated budget for the 94 U.S. Attorneys’ offices and the main litigating divisions of the Justice Department combined in that same period. The total includes all monies collected as a result of Justice Department-led enforcement actions and negotiated civil settlements. It includes more than $13.5 billion in payments made directly to the Justice Department and more than $2.4 billion in indirect payments made to other federal agencies, states and other designated recipients.
Notable collections in fiscal year 2020 include:
The Cannon Corporation, aka Cannon Design, $9,000,000
In 2016, Cannon Design agreed to pay a $12 million dollar penalty, implement a series of corporate reforms and divest itself from a large project to resolve the company’s criminal liability for the conduct of more than a dozen employees, including paying bribes and kickbacks to obtain confidential information related to Department of Veterans Affairs construction projects.
Mu Sigma, Inc, $1,600,000
This settlement resulted in a recovery of $1.6 million after a joint criminal investigation into an international analytics service company alleged to be illegally using B-1 visitor for business visas to circumvent the H1-B nonimmigrant worker visa cap. This was a joint investigation by the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Northern District of Ohio, Northern District of Texas, Department of Homeland Security and the Department of State.
Alex Spirikaitis, $671,366.90
Spirikaitis was ordered to pay $15,000,000 in restitution in December of 2014 after entering a guilty plea to leading a conspiracy that defrauded a credit union out of $15 million.
Donald R. Peyatt, $250,000
Peyatt was ordered to pay $250,000 in restitution in August of 2019 after entering a guilty plea to making material false statements to the IRS regarding income from a scrap steel business he owned with another person.
Ryan Driscoll, $208,693
Driscoll was ordered to pay $208,693.00 in restitution in July of 2020 after entering a guilty plea to running an illegal sports gambling business with others, laundering the proceeds and filing a false income tax return.
The U.S. Attorneys’ Offices, along with the department’s litigating divisions, are responsible for enforcing and collecting civil and criminal debts owed to the U.S. and criminal debts owed to federal crime victims. The law requires defendants to pay restitution to victims of certain federal crimes who have suffered a physical injury or financial loss.
While restitution is paid to the victim, criminal fines and felony assessments are paid to the department’s Crime Victims Fund, which distributes the funds collected to federal and state victim compensation and victim assistance programs.
Forfeited assets deposited into the Department of Justice Assets Forfeiture Fund are used to restore funds to crime victims and for a variety of law enforcement purposes.
U.S. Attorney Peter McCoy Launches Campaign to Thank Law Enforcement OfficersRead the Press Release
Columbia, South Carolina --- With the national Law Enforcement Appreciation Day on Saturday, U.S. Attorney Peter McCoy announced today the launch of his office’s “Thank a Law Enforcement Officer” campaign. The campaign encourages the public to send thank you notes to the law enforcement offices in their area.
“Each and every day, our law enforcement officers put on their uniforms and leave the safety of their homes and the comfort of their families to protect and serve our communities,” said U.S. Attorney McCoy. “Some days on the job, they are put in extremely dangerous situations; and, unfortunately, some give their lives to protect ours. This campaign ensures our law enforcement officers know how much we appreciate their sacrifice. We stand with them as they work to make our communities safer.”
Due to COVID-19, U.S. Attorney McCoy encourages the public to mail the thank you notes to the law enforcement offices, instead of dropping them off in person. Additionally, the Law Enforcement Coordinator for the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Lori Vernali, can help distribute the thank you notes.
“The U.S. Attorney’s Office cannot complete the work it does without the support of our law enforcement partners,” said Vernali. “Should the public have any trouble determining the offices that have jurisdiction in their area, we are here to help deliver the messages to the appropriate agencies for them.”
Those wishing to participate should send a note to any law enforcement agency in their area or to the following for delivery by the U.S. Attorney’s Office:
United States Attorney’s Office
Attn: Law Enforcement Coordinator
1441 Main Street, Suite 500
Columbia, SC 29201
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U.S. Attorney G. Zachary Terwilliger Announces DepartureRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – United States Attorney G. Zachary Terwilliger today announced that he will step down from his post as U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia (EDVA) effective 11:59 p.m. on January 15.
“It is with tremendous gratitude for the women and men of Team EDVA, our selfless federal, state, and local law enforcement partners, and my incredibly supportive family that I conclude my time in public service,” said Terwilliger. “It has been the honor of honors to be in the arena with so many dedicated individuals in the pursuit of justice, and I feel so fortunate to conclude my service as the United States Attorney in the district where it all began. To the people of the EDVA, thank you for the extraordinary opportunity to serve you. May you and your families have a safe, healthy, and productive 2021.”
Terwilliger’s tenure at EDVA will be remembered for his relentless efforts to increase public safety and security across the Commonwealth, as well as his commitment to the approximately 300 employees of the Eastern District whom he always referred to as “Team EDVA.”
Terwilliger directed significant resources towards combatting the opioid epidemic; developed a new illegal firearms trafficking initiative designed to thwart gun running in the DMV; worked tirelessly to further the District’s white-collar footprint by enhancing collaboration with DOJ’s Fraud Section; signed the first MOU with the new Special Inspector General for Pandemic Recovery; oversaw some of the most important national security cases in the country; was the embodiment of federal, state, and local law enforcement collaboration by regularly hosting and attending law enforcement roundtables and summits, including the Peninsula Violent Crime Summit in June 2019, and the Tri-Cities Violent Crime Summit in September 2019, where he oversaw transformational violent crime initiatives in both Richmond and the Tri-Cities (Petersburg, Colonial Heights, and Hopewell) areas; and frequently traveled the District to meet with police chiefs and sheriffs with a commitment to work hand and glove to provide support to their efforts.
Terwilliger began his career at EDVA as an intern in 1999, returned in 2005 as a summer law clerk, was appointed as a Special Assistant U.S. Attorney in 2008, and was hired as an Assistant U.S. Attorney in 2010. Terwilliger prosecuted numerous violent crime, fraud, organized crime, and human trafficking cases, and managed law enforcement task forces focusing on human trafficking and firearms. In addition to his prosecutorial duties, Terwilliger served as a counselor to former U.S. Attorney Neil H. MacBride, then served as a detailed AUSA and counsel to Senate Judiciary Chairman Senator Chuck Grassley. In January of 2017, Terwilliger, then a career prosecutor, was named co-lead of the Department of Justice Beachhead Team and helped to standup the Department during the first weeks of the new administration. Often working 20-hour days, Terwilliger provided critical support to components across the Justice Department as an Associate Deputy Attorney General in the Office of Deputy Attorney General (ODAG). He also supported the Attorney General, Deputy Attorney General, and had responsibility for oversight and collaboration with the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, as well as many other areas.
“I first met Zach when he arrived in the Deputy Attorney General’s office on January 20, 2017,” said Lee Lofthus, Assistant Attorney General for Administration, Department of Justice. “He hit the ground running and never stopped. Zach’s close work with Justice Department leadership and his teamwork with the Justice Management Division was outstanding.”
In May 2018, after nearly 18 months of service in ODAG including as Chief of Staff, Terwilliger was appointed as U.S. Attorney. With the support of Virginia’s two Democratic Senators, Mark Warner and Tim Kaine, Terwilliger was nominated by the President and in September 2018 was unanimously confirmed by the United States Senate as the 62nd United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia.
In a joint statement, Senators Warner and Kaine said: “We were pleased to recommend Mr. Terwilliger to fill the role of U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. He has done critical work these past few years in the position, and we thank Mr. Terwilliger for his service to the Eastern District.”
Notably, Terwilliger supervised investigations into and secured charges or convictions in numerous internationally significant cases, including against two alleged ISIS militants charged with a hostage-taking scheme that led to multiple deaths of Americans in Syria; a Russian national charged with interfering in the U.S. political system; a former CIA officer convicted of espionage; MS-13 gang members charged in connection with multiple murders of juveniles; the extradition of a Senior Sinaloa Cartel leader to the U.S.; the trial conviction of a doctor who performed unnecessary and irreversible surgeries on women; a prolific firearms trafficker sentenced for illegally dealing over 200 guns; a former doctor sentenced for operating a pill mill that illegally distributed over 600,000 oxycodone pills; arrests of 35 defendants in Operation Cookout and recovery of enough fentanyl to potentially kill 14 million people; and corporate resolutions including an $850 million agreement with Petrobras, a $33 million agreement with Lumber Liquidators, a $46 million agreement with Hydro Extrusion Portland, Inc., a $137 million agreement with Walmart, and a $75 million agreement with Samsung Heavy Industries, among many others.
“On behalf of the women and men of ATF, I would like to express my sincerest appreciation to U.S. Attorney G. Zachary Terwilliger for his unwavering support of ATF’s mission – protecting the public from violence in our communities and enforcing federal firearms laws,” said Regina Lombardo, Deputy Director of ATF. “U.S. Attorney Terwilliger has been an active member of ATF’s Crime Gun Intelligence Governing Board; he understands the value of using technology and science to identify and prosecute criminals who use firearms to terrorize communities and kill innocent people. U.S. Attorney Terwilliger has been a driving force behind the Department of Justice’s Project Guardian initiative, promoting enhanced intelligence collection, information sharing, and coordinated responses necessary to address gun violence. As a United States Attorney, his work epitomizes true leadership and public service, and it was my honor to present him with the ATF Director’s Award this year. U.S. Attorney Terwilliger’s partnership with ATF’s Washington Field Division has been nothing short of extraordinary, and the Eastern District of Virginia is a safer place because of him. I sincerely wish him all the best in his next endeavor. He has my utmost respect.”
Under Terwilliger’s leadership, EDVA saw an increase in the number of criminal defendants charged in 2018 and 2019, going from 924 in 2017 to 1,029 in 2018, and to 1,091 in 2019.
“Our approach was to fish with a spear, not a net,” said Terwilliger. “Meaning it was not about mass arrests, but about strategically using federal resources to arrest those repeat and violent offenders that commit a disproportionate amount of violent crime and who have already had multiple opportunities at the state level.”
Leveraging EDVA’s strong partnerships with federal, state, and local law enforcement, during Terwilliger’s first full fiscal year after being confirmed by the U.S. Senate in September 2018, EDVA increased by over 18 percent the number of defendants charged with public safety and violent crime offenses, including cases involving the Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF), Project Guardian, Project Safe Neighborhoods, Project Safe Childhood, and/or other violent crimes.
“U.S. Terwilliger showed extraordinary commitment as a partner in the efforts to rid the City of Petersburg of dangerous criminals and change the lives of our citizens who lived in constant fear,” said Travis Christian, Chief of Petersburg Bureau of Police. “His efforts were not just conversations from an office. He helped put actual boots on the ground here in Petersburg. He traveled to the city, walked the streets and met with citizens, and ensured them that he was committed to providing the city with the necessary resources to restore peace and comfort back into our communities. As a result, U.S. Attorney Terwilliger helped remove from the streets some of Petersburg’s most dangerous criminals and prevented them from continuing to bring harm and danger to our city. His effort is representative of the team of true professionals at EDVA that have proven to be invaluable to the safety of the citizens of the City of Petersburg, Commonwealth of Virginia, and the United States of America.”
Under Terwilliger’s leadership, the civil litigation practice in EDVA has achieved significant and numerous successes, including a final Judgement and Permanent Injunction against former CIA employee Edward Snowden; the Justice Department’s largest ever settlement against a property management company for Alleged Violations of Servicemembers Civil Relief Act; an Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) settlement agreement with a durable medical equipment company which operates approximately 800 centers in 48 states; and the establishment of a new Civil Rights Enforcement Unit at EDVA, which is the first at a U.S. Attorney’s Office nationwide to have multiple Assistant U.S. Attorneys 100 percent dedicated to enforcing the rights of persons with disabilities under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). For Terwilliger, who overcame severe dyslexia to become a successful student, the establishment of a unit focused on disability rights was a goal from Day One.
Terwilliger invested heavily in filling the attorney ranks across EDVA with accomplished and seasoned lawyers from a diversity of educational and familial backgrounds and welcomed nearly 60 Assistant U.S. Attorneys and long-term Special Assistant U.S. Attorneys in his approximately 32 months as U.S. Attorney. Terwilliger also showed a strong commitment to diversity across EDVA, building the most diverse supervisory team in EDVA history with unprecedented numbers of minorities and women serving in senior management.
“We are pleased to see Mr. Terwilliger’s commitment to pursuing diversity across the attorney ranks in EDVA, ensuring that the office reflects the communities they serve,” said Jane Reynolds, member of the Old Dominion Bar Association. “He has been a thoughtful and dedicated partner, and we are thankful for his continued support of ODBA. We wish Mr. Terwilliger and his family the very best.”
Upon Terwilliger’s departure, Raj Parekh, a career federal prosecutor and EDVA’s First Assistant U.S. Attorney, will serve as Acting U.S. Attorney. Parekh will become the first Indian-American and minority in the 232-year history of the Office to serve as EDVA’s U.S. Attorney (acting or otherwise).
“Lest there be any doubt, the accomplishments above are a credit to the amazing women and men of EDVA and our partner agencies,” said Terwilliger. “I am so humbled to have had the privilege to work alongside them.”
After a brief transition period and a few days off, Terwilliger will be joining Vinson & Elkins LLP as a partner in its Washington, D.C. office.
Terwilliger’s biography and high-resolution photo can be found here.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia.
U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito Recognizes Newark Public Safety Director Anthony F. Ambrose’s Significant Contributions to Cooperative Law EnforcementRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – City of Newark Public Safety Director Anthony F. Ambrose was recognized today by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey for his exceptional contributions to cooperative law enforcement in the State of New Jersey, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito announced.
“As I have said many times, Director Ambrose is a national treasure,” U.S. Attorney Carpenito said. “Through his leadership, we have benefited from an unprecedented level of cooperation and proactive participation in our efforts to suppress crime in the great City of Newark. Over the past five years, he has transformed the Newark Police Department under the Department of Justice’s Consent Decree and produced record levels of crime reduction in this city.”
As the leader of the City of Newark’s Department of Public Safety, Director Ambrose has fostered collaborative, productive working relationships among federal, state, and local partners, including the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the Newark Police Department, the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office, the FBI, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the New Jersey State Police, the New Jersey Attorney General’s Office, the New Jersey Office of Homeland Security & Preparedness, and numerous other state and local agencies and police departments. The information-sharing and investigative partnerships that have resulted from these relationships has proven critical to investigating, prosecuting, and suppressing violent crime in the City of Newark and surrounding areas.
Among other achievements during Director Ambrose’s tenure, the Newark Violent Crime Initiative (VCI) was awarded an Attorney General’s Award by then-U.S. Attorney General William P. Barr in October 2019. The Newark VCI was formed in August 2017 as a community-wide cooperative effort aimed at combatting violent crime in and around Newark. As part of this partnership, federal, state, county, and city agencies collaborate, share intelligence, and pool resources to prosecute violent offenders who endanger the safety of the community. The Newark VCI has not only improved the community, but has strengthened relationships among federal, state, county and city agencies as a result of the trust developed among the participants.
The VCI’s community-wide, collaborative approach has had a powerful impact on improving the community. Due in part to the VCI’s concentrated efforts, between 2017 and 2018, Newark saw a 30 percent reduction in the number of shooting victims city-wide. In 20l9, the number of shooting victims and shooting incidents declined another 39 percent when compared to the same time period in 2018. In that same year, the number of murders in Newark reached its lowest level in nearly six decades. And in 2020, a year in which violent crime spiked in various places across the country, including other New Jersey cities, Newark maintained the same low in the number of murders.
Director Ambrose has also worked closely with the U.S. Attorney’s Office as part of the Department of Justice’s Project Guardian, which was announced by the Department in November 2019 and is a targeted approach to reducing gun crime. Project Guardian is based on five core principles, which include coordinated prosecution and improved information sharing. In the fiscal year that ended Sept. 30, 2020, the U.S. Attorney’s Office charged 342 individuals with gun offenses. Of those individuals, 252 were prior convicted felons who were prohibited from possessing firearms, and almost 90 possessed firearms in furtherance of, or in relation to, drug trafficking offenses or crimes of violence, such as carjackings and shootings. Many of these cases were the result of close coordination and information sharing with Director Ambrose and the Newark Department of Public Safety.
Director Ambrose was born and raised in Newark. He received both his Bachelor of Arts and Master of Arts degrees from Farleigh Dickinson University. He is also a graduate of the FBI National Academy. In 1986, Director Ambrose joined the Newark Police Department as a police officer, rising through the ranks to become the Chief of Police in 1999 and the Police Director in 2006. Director Ambrose then served as Essex County Undersheriff from 2006 to 2008, at which point he became Chief of Detectives for the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office. In January 2016, Director Ambrose accepted Mayor Ras Baraka’s invitation to become the City of Newark’s first ever Director of Public Safety, overseeing the consolidation of police, fire, and emergency management operations. As Director, he oversees more than 1,960 employees, comprising 996 sworn police officers, 611 firefighters, and 346 civilian employees, and manages a budget that exceeds $200 million.
Two Florida men charged with stealing campers and attempting to transport them across state linesRead the Press Release
CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Two Florida men were indicted today on charges involving the stealing of campers from a business in Elkins, West Virginia, U.S. Attorney Bill Powell announced.
Taylon Batista Garcia, 35, and Yankier Gaston Garcia, 32, are each charged with one count of “Conspiracy to Commit Offense against the United States” and one count of “Attempted Transportation of Stolen Property in Interstate Commerce.” Both men are accused of driving heavy-duty pickup trucks into Elkins, West Virginia, and stealing a 2020 Jayco North Point Camper and a 2021 Grand Design Reflection camper from Roy’s RV Supercenter in July 2020. The Garcias are then accused of attempting to transport the stolen campers across state lines. The campers were valued at $145,260.
The theft at Roy’s RV involved four campers being hauled by four different trucks. The other two stolen campers, both 2020 Keystone Passport models, were later recovered that day just off Interstate 77 in Odd, West Virginia. The identities of the drivers of the other two trucks are still being investigated.
Taylon and Yankier are each facing up to five years of incarceration and a fine of up to $250,000 for the conspiracy charge and each face up to 10 years of incarceration and a fine of up to $250,000 for the stolen property charge. 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 Jarod J. Douglas is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The FBI and the West Virginia State Police investigated.
An indictment is merely an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Tulsa Man Sentenced for Bank RobberiesRead the Press Release
A man who robbed two Tulsa banks, claiming to have a bomb and firearms, was sentenced today in federal court, announced U.S. Attorney Trent Shores.
Thomas Lawrence Dean, 52, of Tulsa, has been sentenced to 12 years in federal prison and 3 years of supervised release for two counts of bank robbery using a dangerous weapon, conveying false information on hoaxes, and being a felon in possession of a .38 Special revolver and associated ammunition. Further, restitution is mandatory to IBC Bank in the amount of $1,448.00.
“Thomas Dean earned every day of this twelve-year sentence when he used the threat of bombs and guns to rob two banks, even going so far as to create a fake explosive device. Moreover, the note he passed to the teller was just as scary as he threatened a ‘killing spree,’” said U.S. Attorney Trent Shores. “Thank goodness for the swift response of the Tulsa Police Department and Federal Bureau of Investigation. Their joint investigation paired with the prosecutorial efforts of Assistant U.S. Attorney Rob Raley achieved this just result and accountability for this criminal.”
In his plea agreement, Dean admitted to robbing an International Bank of Commerce (IBC) on July 1, 2019. Dean stated that he disguised himself and carried a black bag containing an apparatus that looked like an explosive device. According to court documents, Dean approached a teller and handed her a note demanding money. In the note, Dean indicated that he was in possession of a bomb and firearm. He left the bank with a total of $500 then discarded the black bag with the fake explosive device and two BB guns inside.
On July 10, 2019, Dean also robbed an Arvest Bank, handing the teller a note that stated, “This is a robbery….Don’t make this a killing spree.” Dean also indicated in the note that he had a firearm. The defendant left the bank with $1,250 but was later located by Tulsa Police Officers.
The Tulsa Police Department and FBI conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert T. Raley prosecuted the case. AUSA Raley is the National Security Anti-Terrorism (ATAC) Prosecutor for the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Northern District of Oklahoma.
Three FCI Hazelton Inmates indicted on assault and contraband chargesRead the Press Release
CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Three inmates at Federal Correction Institution Hazelton in Bruceton Mills, West Virginia, were indicted today on various charges, U.S. Attorney Bill Powell announced.
Edward Smith, 38, was indicted on one count of “Assault with a Dangerous Weapon with Intent to do Bodily Harm.” Smith is accused of assaulting another inmate in October 2019.
Dell Dingle, 44, was indicted on one count of “Assault of a Correctional Officer Involving Physical Contact” and one count of “Possession of a Prohibited Object (Narcotic).” Dingle is accused of attacking a federal correctional officer during the officer’s workday in May 2019. Dingle is also accused of having suboxone inside the prison in October 2019.
Sebastian M. Moore, 23, was indicted on one count of “Assault of a Correctional Officer Involving Physical Contact.” Moore is accused of assaulting a federal correctional officer while the officer was on duty in March 2020.
Smith is facing up to 10 years of incarceration and a fine of up to $250,000. Dingle faces up to eight years of incarceration and a fine of up to $250,000 for the assault charge and faces up to 20 years of incarceration and a fine of up to $250,000 for the drug charge. Moore faces up to eight years of incarceration and a fine of up to $250,000. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher L. Bauer is prosecuting all three cases on behalf of the government. The Federal Bureau of Prisons investigated.
An indictment is merely an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Statement Regarding Federal Civil Rights Investigation into Shooting of Mr. Jacob BlakeRead the Press Release
Statement Regarding Federal Civil Rights Investigation
Into Shooting of Mr. Jacob BlakeMatthew D. Krueger, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, and Eric S. Dreiband, Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division of the Department of Justice, released the following statement related to the August 23, 2020 shooting of Mr. Jacob Blake.
As previously announced, a federal civil rights investigation into the shooting of Mr. Jacob Blake is ongoing. The investigation is being conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, in cooperation with the Wisconsin Division of Criminal Investigation. The federal investigation is being overseen by prosecutors from the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the U.S. Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division who will make an independent charging decision. Federal authorities are committed to investigating this matter as thoroughly and efficiently as possible.
Also ongoing are federal investigations into arson, rioting, and other violent crimes that occurred in Kenosha in August 2020. United States Attorney Krueger and Assistant Attorney General Dreiband urged everyone to act peacefully and abide by the law.
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For Additional Information Contact: Public Information Officer Kenneth Gales
414-297-1700
Statement Regarding Federal Civil Rights Investigation into Shooting of Jacob BlakeRead the Press Release
Eric S. Dreiband, Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division of the Department of Justice, and Matthew D. Krueger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin released the following statement related to the Aug. 23, 2020, shooting of Jacob Blake:
“As previously announced, a federal civil rights investigation into the shooting of Jacob Blake is ongoing. The investigation is being conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, in cooperation with the Wisconsin Division of Criminal Investigation. The federal investigation is being overseen by prosecutors from the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the U.S. Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division who will make an independent charging decision. Federal authorities are committed to investigating this matter as thoroughly and efficiently as possible.
Also ongoing are federal investigations into the arson, rioting, and other violent crimes that occurred in Kenosha in August 2020. U.S. Attorney Krueger and Assistant Attorney General Dreiband urged everyone to act peacefully and abide by the law.”
Serial Stalker Sentenced to Nearly Five Years for Making Threats and Mailing A Dead AnimalRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Virginia Hernandez Covington today sentenced Romney Christopher Ellis (57, Indianapolis) to 4 years and 10 months in federal prison for making threats and mailing a dead animal using the U.S. Mail. The court also ordered Ellis not to have contact with any of the victims associated with the case.
Ellis had pleaded guilty on April 23, 2020.
According to court documents, for at least four years, Ellis engaged in a campaign of harassment against a victim residing in Hillsborough County. Between 2012 and 2018, a Hillsborough County judge issued multiple domestic violence injunctions against Ellis on the victim’s behalf. Ellis repeatedly violated the orders, including by stalking and threatening the victim, and, in 2013, was convicted of aggravated stalking.
In 2019, Ellis continued his harassment campaign against the victim through text messages, photographs, and videos. Ellis’s communications involved threats of violence, including messages indicating that he intended to travel from Indiana to Florida, and planned to decapitate and set the victim on fire. Ellis routinely made racially and sexually charged statements in the text messages, including sending sexually explicit images of himself to the victim. Ellis also used the U.S. Mail to harass the victim and victim’s family and friends. One on occasion, Ellis mailed a package to the victim’s home containing a dead rat and black rose.
In February 2020, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Ellis’s home in Indianapolis and recovered a handwritten note containing the names and addresses of the victim and the victim’s family and friends.
The investigation also revealed that Ellis had a history of repeatedly stalking and victimizing people throughout his life. Court documents showed that since as early as 1993 and continuing through Ellis’s date of arrest in March 2020, 14 individuals had sought and obtained protective orders against Ellis based on his harassment, stalking, threats, and acts of violence.
This case was investigated by U.S. Postal Inspection Service. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Lisa M. Thelwell.
Ross Township Man Sentenced to 10 Years for Attempted Coercion of a Minor for SexRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH - A former resident of Ross Township, Pennsylvania, has been sentenced in federal court to 10 years’ imprisonment followed by 10 years’ supervised release on his conviction of Attempted Coercion and Enticement of a Minor to Engage in Illegal Sexual Activity, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced today.
Senior United States District Judge Arthur J. Schwab imposed the sentence on Thomas Perry Stultz, age 38.
According to information presented to the court, from February 6, 2019 until on or about April 5, 2019, Stultz communicated online and via text messages with an undercover FBI agent, believing the agent to be a minor, to knowingly attempt to persuade, induce, entice and coerce the purported minor to engage in sexual activity with him. Law enforcement arrested Stultz on April 5, 2019, when Stultz attempted to meet the purported minor for the purpose of engaging in sexual activity.
Assistant United States Attorney Heidi M. Grogan prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
United States Attorney Brady commended the Federal Bureau of Investigation for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Stultz.
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.justice.gov/psc.
Rapid City Woman Sentenced on Firearm ChargeRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced that a Rapid City, South Dakota, woman convicted of Possession of an Unregistered Firearm was sentenced on January 4, 2021, by Chief Judge Roberto A. Lange, U.S. District Court.
Bonnie Jean Estes, age 25, was sentenced to time served through January 19, 2021, equal to approximately eight months in custody, three years of supervised release, and a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $100.
Estes was indicted by a federal grand jury on February 11, 2020. She pled guilty on November 5, 2020.
The conviction stemmed from an incident that occurred on December 26, 2019, in Jones County, South Dakota. On that date, Estes was a passenger in a vehicle driven by Jose Rodriguez. While driving through Murdo, South Dakota, Rodriguez attracted the attention of a Murdo Police Officer, who attempted to initiate a traffic stop. Rather than stop, Rodriguez led officers on a high-speed chase that ended when Rodriguez’s vehicle became stuck in a field in Lyman County. Rodriguez and Estes fled the vehicle on foot, but were apprehended after a short pursuit. Multiple firearms, including an illegal short-barrel rifle, were located in the vehicle, along with multiple rounds of ammunition.
Rodriguez was also indicted based on his involvement in the incident. On June 30, 2020, he pled guilty to Felon in Possession of a Firearm, and was sentenced on September 21, 2020, to 52 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. The Department of Justice reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of its 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 local communities to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime.
This case is also part of Project Guardian, the Department of Justice’s signature initiative to reduce gun violence and enforce federal firearms laws. Initiated by the Attorney General in the fall of 2019, Project Guardian draws upon the Department’s past successful programs to reduce gun violence; enhances coordination of federal, state, local, and tribal authorities in investigating and prosecuting gun crimes; improves information-sharing by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives when a prohibited individual attempts to purchase a firearm and is denied by the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS), to include taking appropriate actions when a prospective purchaser is denied by the NICS for mental health reasons; and ensures that federal resources are directed at the criminals posing the greatest threat to our communities. For more information about Project Guardian, please see: https://www.justice.gov/projectguardian.
This case was investigated by the Murdo Police Department, the Lyman County Sheriff’s Office, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kirk Albertson prosecuted the case.
Estes was immediately turned over to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Raleigh Man Sentenced to 72 Months in Federal Prison for Possession of Firearms by a FelonRead the Press Release
WILMINGTON, N.C. – A Raleigh man was sentenced today to 72 months in prison for possessing firearms while being a convicted felon.
According to court documents and information presented in court today, on December 11, 2019, the Raleigh Police Department conducted a search at the residence of Nicholas Travon Edwards, 21. Inside a bedroom safe, RPD officers located a 7.62mm caliber pistol; two 9mm caliber pistols, a model RF-15 5.56 caliber rifle, a .40 caliber pistol, two extended magazines containing 60 rounds of ammunition; 45 rounds of 45mm ammunition; 31 rounds of 9mm ammunition; 37 rounds of .40 ammunition; 30 rounds of 7.62 x 39mm; a .40 caliber extended magazine; a Glock extended magazine with a 31-round capacity; 9 oxycodone pills; 10 plastic bags containing .28 gram of marijuana; 80 grams of marijuana; a rifle mount with a light and laser; a scope; and (10) 9mm rounds. Further investigation revealed one of the firearms was stolen.
Edwards became a convicted felon on November 16, 2017, when he pled guilty to Breaking and Entering in Johnston County District Court. On June 20, 2017, Edwards broke into a building in Wendell, North Carolina, and stole equipment belonging to Traynor’s Tree Service.
Robert J. Higdon, Jr., U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Richard E. Myers II.
The Raleigh Police Department, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Drug Enforcement Administration investigated the case and Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel W. Smith prosecuted the case.
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Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:20-CR-00262-M.
Oxycodone Trafficker Pleads GuiltyRead the Press Release
John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that JOSEPH ANTHONY CARBONE, 64, of Queens, New York, formerly of Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Judge Kari A. Dooley in Bridgeport to one count of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute oxycodone
According to court documents and statements made in court, from approximately May 2017 to August 2019, Carbone conspired with others to acquire and sell approximately 8,100 oxycodone pills in Connecticut, New York, Massachusetts and Rhode Island. Carbone and others acting at his discretion sold the pills at various locations in Connecticut, including at the Foxwoods Resort Casino.
Carbone was arrested on August 5, 2019.
Judge Dooley scheduled sentencing for March 30, 2021, at which time Carbone faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years.
Carbone is released on a $200,000 bond pending sentencing.
This investigation is being conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation Division, and the Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Police Department, with the assistance of the Town of Groton and Stamford Police Departments, the New London State’s Attorney’s Office, and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Peter S. Jongbloed and Supervisory Assistant State’s Attorney Paul Narducci, who has been cross designated as a Special Assistant U.S. Attorney in this matter.
Mission Woman Sentenced for AssaultRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced that a Mission, South Dakota, woman convicted of Assault by Striking, Beating, or Wounding was sentenced on January 4, 2021, by U.S. Magistrate Judge Mark A. Moreno.
Thomasine Noela Charging Bear, age 35, was sentenced to time served through July 21, 2021, equal to approximately 12 months in custody, one year of supervised release, and a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $100.
Charging Bear was indicted by a federal grand jury on August 11, 2020. She pled guilty on October 15, 2020.
The conviction stemmed from an incident that occurred on June 19, 2020, in Mission. On that date, Charging Bear stabbed her domestic partner in the neck with a razor blade.
This case was investigated by the Rosebud Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael J. Elmore prosecuted the case.
Charging Bear was immediately turned over to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Mission Man Sentenced on Meth Trafficking and Firearm ChargesRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced that a Mission, South Dakota, man convicted of Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine and Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person was sentenced on January 4, 2021, by Chief Judge Roberto A. Lange, U.S. District Court.
Colt Shaw, age 31, was sentenced to 60 months in federal prison on each count to run concurrent, four years of supervised release, a $1,000 fine, and a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $200. Forfeiture of firearms was also ordered.
Shaw was indicted by a federal grand jury on March 10, 2020. He pled guilty on October 19, 2020.
The conviction stemmed from a conspiracy that began in at least January 2019, wherein Shaw was involved with others to distribute over 300 grams of methamphetamine in and around the Rosebud Sioux Indian Reservation in South Dakota. Further, on November 8, 2019, at Mission, Shaw was in possession of two firearms, while being a regular user of methamphetamine.
Drug trafficking is an inherently violent activity. Firearms are tools of the trade for drug dealers. It is common to find drug traffickers armed with guns in order to protect their illegal drug product and cash, and enforce their illegal operations.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. The Department of Justice reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of its 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 local communities to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime.
This case is also part of Project Guardian, the Department of Justice’s signature initiative to reduce gun violence and enforce federal firearms laws. Initiated by the Attorney General in the fall of 2019, Project Guardian draws upon the Department’s past successful programs to reduce gun violence; enhances coordination of federal, state, local, and tribal authorities in investigating and prosecuting gun crimes; improves information-sharing by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives when a prohibited individual attempts to purchase a firearm and is denied by the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS), to include taking appropriate actions when a prospective purchaser is denied by the NICS for mental health reasons; and ensures that federal resources are directed at the criminals posing the greatest threat to our communities. For more information about Project Guardian, please see: https://www.justice.gov/projectguardian.
This case was investigated by the Northern Plains Safe Trails Drug Enforcement Task Force, the Rosebud Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Meghan N. Dilges prosecuted the case.
Shaw was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Mission Man Sentenced for Illegally Possessing Firearm and AmmunitionRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced that a Mission, South Dakota, man convicted of Felon in Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition was sentenced on January 4, 2021, by Chief Judge Roberto A. Lange, U.S. District Court.
David D. Larvie, Jr., age 38, was sentenced to 60 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $100.
Larvie was indicted by a federal grand jury on November 13, 2019. He was convicted on September 30, 2020, following a two-day jury trial in Pierre, South Dakota.
The charge stems from an incident that occurred on October 25, 2019. On that evening, law enforcement responded to a report that a shot had been fired from a vehicle driven by Larvie in the South Antelope Community, near Mission. Law enforcement subsequently located the suspect vehicle and arrested Larvie. Larvie had a plastic bag containing .22 caliber ammunition in his pants pocket and a search of the vehicle revealed a .22 caliber revolver.
Larvie has three prior felony convictions. He was convicted of Third Degree Burglary and Failure to Appear in U.S. District Court in 2003. He was convicted of Use of a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence in U.S. District Court in 2008. As a result of these convictions, it is illegal for Larvie to possess firearms or ammunition. Larvie will forfeit ownership of the firearm and ammunition to the United States.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. The Department of Justice reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of its 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 local communities to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime.
This case is also part of Project Guardian, the Department of Justice’s signature initiative to reduce gun violence and enforce federal firearms laws. Initiated by the Attorney General in the fall of 2019, Project Guardian draws upon the Department’s past successful programs to reduce gun violence; enhances coordination of federal, state, local, and tribal authorities in investigating and prosecuting gun crimes; improves information-sharing by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives when a prohibited individual attempts to purchase a firearm and is denied by the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS), to include taking appropriate actions when a prospective purchaser is denied by the NICS for mental health reasons; and ensures that federal resources are directed at the criminals posing the greatest threat to our communities. For more information about Project Guardian, please see: https://www.justice.gov/projectguardian.
This case was investigated by the Rosebud Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kirk Albertson prosecuted the case.
Larvie was immediately turned over to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Mission Man Sentenced for Failure to Register as a Sex OffenderRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced that a Mission, South Dakota, man convicted of Failure to Register as a Sex Offender was sentenced on January 4, 2020, by Chief Judge Roberto A. Lange, U.S. District Court.
Scirgio Iron Shell, age 28, was sentenced to time served through May 3, 2021, equal to ten months in custody, five years of supervised release, and a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $100.
Iron Shell was indicted by a federal grand jury on August 11, 2020. He pled guilty on October 19, 2020.
Iron Shell was convicted of Attempted Possession of Child Pornography in June 2017. As a result of the conviction, he is required to register as a sex offender for a period of 15 years. Between September 10, 2019, and August 11, 2020, Iron Shell failed to properly update his registration.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Marshals Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael J. Elmore prosecuted the case.
Iron Shell was immediately turned over to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Mission Man Sentenced for Assaulting a Federal OfficerRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced that a Mission, South Dakota, man convicted of Assaulting, Resisting, and Impeding a Federal Officer was sentenced on January 4, 2021, by Chief Judge Roberto A. Lange, U.S. District Court.
Dayton Thin Elk, a/k/a Dayton Haukaas, age 25, was sentenced to 15 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $100.
Thin Elk was indicted by a federal grand jury on July 16, 2020. He pled guilty on October 19, 2020.
The conviction stemmed from an incident that occurred on April 27, 2020, in Todd County, South Dakota. On that date, he was arrested for driving under the influence. After being transported to the Rosebud Sioux Tribe Adult Correctional Facility, Thin Elk was combative and spit on a corrections officer.
This case was investigated by the Rosebud Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kirk Albertson prosecuted the case.
Thin Elk was immediately turned over to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Mission Man Indicted on Firearm ChargesRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced that a Mission, South Dakota, man has been indicted by a federal grand jury for Prohibited Person in Possession of a Firearm.
Patrick Medearis, age 36, was indicted on July 16, 2020. He appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Mark A. Moreno on December 29, 2020, and pled not guilty to the Indictment.
The maximum penalty upon conviction is up to 10 years in federal prison and/or a $250,000 fine, three years of supervised release, and $100 to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Restitution may also be ordered.
The Indictment alleges that on April 22, 2020, at Mission, Medearis being an unlawful user of and addicted to a controlled substance, and having previously been convicted of a crime punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year, knowingly possessed a firearm.
The charge is merely an accusation and Medearis is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. The Department of Justice reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of its 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 local communities to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime.
This case is also part of Project Guardian, the Department of Justice’s signature initiative to reduce gun violence and enforce federal firearms laws. Initiated by the Attorney General in the fall of 2019, Project Guardian draws upon the Department’s past successful programs to reduce gun violence; enhances coordination of federal, state, local, and tribal authorities in investigating and prosecuting gun crimes; improves information-sharing by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives when a prohibited individual attempts to purchase a firearm and is denied by the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS), to include taking appropriate actions when a prospective purchaser is denied by the NICS for mental health reasons; and ensures that federal resources are directed at the criminals posing the greatest threat to our communities. For more information about Project Guardian, please see: https://www.justice.gov/projectguardian.
The investigation is being conducted by the Rosebud Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kirk Albertson is prosecuting the case.
Medearis was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending trial, which has been set for March 2, 2021.
Michigan Restaurant and Strip Club Owner Sentenced to Two Years n Prison for Tax CrimesRead the Press Release
A Walled Lake, Michigan, business owner was sentenced today to two years in prison, announced Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Richard E. Zuckerman of the Justice Department’s Tax Division.
According to court statements and filings, Johni Semma owned Bayside Sports Bar & Grill (Bayside) and The Coliseum, an adult entertainment business. As the owner of Bayside, Semma was responsible for collecting and paying to the IRS Bayside’s employment taxes. From the first quarter of 2008 through the first quarter of 2015, however, Semma timely filed only two employment tax returns with the IRS, despite being obligated to file 29 such returns during this period. He also did not pay approximately $1.3 million in employment taxes that were due.
In 2012, Semma sold The Coliseum for approximately $5.9 million, but did not file an individual income tax return or pay taxes for that year. As a result he caused an additional tax loss of approximately $463,000 to the IRS.
Semma previously pleaded guilty on Aug. 28, 2019, to one count of employment tax fraud and one count of failure to file his individual income tax return.
In addition to the term of imprisonment, U.S. District Court Judge Paul D. Borman ordered Semma to pay $1,793,771 in restitution to the IRS.
Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Zuckerman commended special agents of IRS-Criminal Investigation, who conducted the investigation, and Tax Division Trial Attorneys Kenneth Vert and Brittney Campbell, who prosecuted the case.
Additional information about the Tax Division and its enforcement efforts may be found on the division’s website.
Mexican National Sentenced for Firearm and Drug ChargesRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Joe Kelly announced that Jose Mena-Valdez, 36, of Mexico, was sentenced today by Senior United States District Judge Joseph F. Bataillon for possession with intent to distribute fifty grams or more of methamphetamine and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense. Mena-Valdez received a sentence of 120 months’ imprisonment with a five-year term of supervised release to follow. There is no parole in the federal system. Mena-Valdez will be deported back to Mexico following his term of imprisonment.
Mena-Valdez was convicted on September 30, 2020, following a jury trial. At trial, Omaha Police officers testified that on October 30, 2018, they stopped Mena-Valdez after observing several traffic violations. Mena-Valdez was alone in the vehicle. When making contact with Mena-Valdez, the officers smelled a strong odor of alcohol and observed an open container of alcohol. During a search of the vehicle, half a pound of methamphetamine was located on the passenger side floorboard and a stolen firearm was located between the passenger seat and the center console. The jury watched video and audio recordings of the encounter that were taken from body and cruiser cameras.
In addition to the testimony of the officers, a Nebraska Public Service Laboratory technologist, based out of the University of Nebraska Medical Center, testified to the identification, purity, and weight of the methamphetamine.
This case was investigated by the Omaha Police Department as 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.
Mexican Man Sentenced for Cocaine Distribution Conspiracy and Distributing MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Joe Kelly announced that Francisco Carrillo-Noriega, 26, was sentenced January 4, 2021, in federal court in Omaha, Nebraska, for conspiracy to distribute cocaine and distribution of methamphetamine. Senior United States District Judge Joseph F. Bataillon sentenced Carrillo-Noriega to 60 months in the Bureau of Prisons. There is no parole in the federal system. Carrillo-Noriega was also sentenced to a 4-year term of supervised release. Carrillo-Noriega is a citizen of Mexico and will be deported upon completion of his prison term.
Beginning in January 2018, Carrillo-Noriega distributed cocaine to a confidential informant in Omaha on multiple occasions. Carrillo-Noriega also sold a confidential informant methamphetamine. On August 28, 2019, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Carrillo-Noriega’s Council Bluffs, Iowa, home and recovered an AR-15 rifle, firearm magazines, and ammunition.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Omaha Police Department.
Lawrence Woman Indicted on Charges Stemming from Tax Refund SchemeRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Lawrence woman was indicted today by a federal grand jury in connection with her role in a scheme to cash checks obtained through filed fraudulent tax returns.
Luz Paulino, 38, was indicted on one count of bank fraud conspiracy, three counts of bank fraud and three counts of aggravated identity theft. Paulino was charged by criminal complaint and arrested on Dec. 12, 2020.
As alleged in charging documents, Paulino owned Agape Financial Services, a Massachusetts company that provided tax preparation and notary services. Between approximately January 2020 and February 2020, Paulino filed tax returns with the IRS in the names and Social Security numbers of individuals who had neither hired nor authorized Paulino or Agape to use their personally identifiable information. The tax returns reported false wage, employer, and dependent information, among other things. To conceal her role in the scheme, Paulino filed the returns using the names and IRS-issued identification numbers of two former employees. Based on refunds claimed in the false tax returns, Paulino obtained Refund Advance Loan checks payable to the victims, which she and others cashed using the victims’ forged endorsements and false identification documents.
The charges of bank fraud conspiracy and bank fraud provide for a sentence of up to 30 years in prison, five years of supervised release, a fine of $1 million, restitution and forfeiture. The charge of aggravated identity theft provides for a mandatory sentence of two years to be served consecutively to any other sentence imposed, up to one year of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling; Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Division; Joleen Simpson, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigations; and Lawrence Police Chief Roy P. Vasque made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sara Miron Bloom of Lelling’s Securities, Financial & Cyber Fraud Unit is prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Jemez man charged with assaultRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Tyler Sando, 30, an enrolled member of the Pueblo of Jemez, made his initial appearance today in federal court where he was charged with assault resulting in serious bodily injury. Sando will remain detained pending a detention hearing scheduled for Jan. 7.
According to a criminal complaint, on Aug. 11, Sando allegedly got out of his vehicle, approached the victim and proceeded to strike the victim about the head and face without provocation. Sando allegedly returned to his car and left. The assault occurred on the Jemez Pueblo Reservation in Sandoval County, New Mexico.
Emergency Medical Services transported the victim to Sandoval Regional Medical Center, and the victim later was transferred to the University of New Mexico Hospital due to the severity of the injuries.
A complaint is only an allegation. A defendant is considered innocent unless and until proven guilty. If convicted, Sando faces up to 10 years in prison.
The FBI and the Jemez Pueblo Police Department investigated this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Novaline D. Wilson is prosecuting the case.
Illegal Possession of Drugs Leads to Lengthy Federal Prison Sentences for Three Louisiana MenRead the Press Release
SHREVEPORT, La. - Three Louisiana men have been sentenced for their involvement in the trafficking of dangerous illegal drugs in the Western District of Louisiana, Acting United States Attorney Alexander C. Van Hook announced today.
Ringgold Man to Spend 10 Years in Prison
Xxavier Reed, 28, of Ringgold, was sentenced by United States District Judge Elizabeth E. Foote to 120 months (10 years) in prison followed by 3 years of supervised release for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine. Reed pleaded guilty on November 14, 2019.
This case was dubbed “Operation Meltdown” and was part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) operation. From at least January 2017 through June 2018, Xxavier Reed and other co-conspirators were distributing methamphetamine and crack cocaine in the Ringgold area. On four separate occasions during this time period, law enforcement agents conducted controlled purchases of crack cocaine and methamphetamine from Xxavier Reed and agents were able to video and audio record each transaction. A lab analysis of the drugs purchased on these four occasions revealed that a total of 11.2 grams of cocaine base and 26.79 grams of methamphetamine were attributable to Reed’s drug trafficking activities. Reed agreed that the scope of his involvement in the conspiracy was between 1,000 and 3,000 kilograms of cocaine base and methamphetamine. Reed is a convicted felon previously convicted of distribution of controlled substances in 2011.
The FBI, ATF and Bienville Parish Sheriff’s Office conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Allison L. Duncan prosecuted the case.
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—riven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
Alexandria Man Sentenced for Distribution of Fentanyl
ALEXANDRIA, La. – Demario Marquel Jones, 32, of Alexandria, Louisiana, was sentenced today by United States District Judge Dee D. Drell to 130 months (10 years, 10 months) in prison followed by 3 years of supervised release for distributing fentanyl. Jones pleaded guilty on August 13, 2020.
According to information presented to the court, Jones a/k/a “Yoda Black” was known to be a narcotics dealer in the Alexandria area. On four separate occasions between August and September 2019, law enforcement agents conducted controlled purchases of narcotics from Jones. Agents were able to video and audio record each transaction. A lab analysis of the drugs purchased on these four occasions revealed that a total of 8.29 grams of fentanyl and 6.8 grams of heroin were sold by Jones.
Jones was sentenced as an Armed Career Criminal, having prior felony convictions for possession with intent to distribute a dangerous substance (2010); conspiracy to commit armed robbery (2011); possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance (2018); and obstruction of justice (2018).
The FBI conducted the investigation and Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert F. Moody prosecuted the case.
Drug Trafficker Sentenced to 9+ Years in Prison
ALEXANDRIA, La. - Raymond Dixon, 45, of Alexandria, was sentenced by United States District Judge Dee D. Drell to 110 months (9 years, 2 months) in prison followed by 3 years of supervised release for possession of fentanyl with intent to distribute. Dixon pleaded guilty on August 13, 2020.
Law enforcement agents attempted to stop a vehicle for a traffic violation on January 24, 2019 in Alexandria. Once the agents activated their lights, the driver began to accelerate to a high rate of speed, which led to a short pursuit. The driver lost control of the vehicle and crashed into a yard. Agents then observed the driver, determined to be Raymond Dixon, toss a wrapped up package from the driver’s window into the yard. Law enforcement officers took Dixon into custody and located the wrapped package which he had tossed into the yard. Inside the package was a quart-size freezer bag containing a brownish powder substance, a pill bottle with 29 small individually tied packages of similar brownish powder, and another pill bottle labeled and identified as an antibiotic. The brownish powder substance was taken to the North Louisiana Crime Lab in Alexandria and was confirmed to contain fentanyl and had an aggregate weight of 87.54 grams. Dixon told officers that he thought the substance he was selling was heroin and that he had been selling it for several months.
The FBI and Rapides Parish Sheriff’s Office conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney J. Aaron Crawford prosecuted the case.
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Grand Coulee Man Indicted for Setting Fire at Teamsters Building in SpokaneRead the Press Release
Spokane – Today, William D. Hyslop, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Washington, announced the Indictment of Peter James Yeager, 45, of Grand Coulee, Washington, in connection with arson at the Teamsters Building in Spokane, Washington. The Indictment charges Defendant Yeager with Damage by Fire to a Building Used in Interstate and Foreign Commerce, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 844(i).
According to state court documents, on or about December 9, 2020, Yeager, drove from his home in Grand Coulee to Spokane with a preconceived plan to burn down the office of the Spokane County Democrats, located at 1912 North Division Street, Suite 100, Spokane, Washington, in the Teamsters Building. Yeager entered the building and told multiple individuals he encountered that he had a “bomb.” Although Yeager had fashioned miscellaneous items in such a way that it would appear he possessed an explosive device, Yeager was determined to not actually possess a completed “bomb.” Yeager did, however, possess gasoline, oil, a roll of toilet paper, and a camping lighter, which he had brought with him. Using paper he had located in the hallway, along with the gasoline, oil, toilet paper, and lighter, Yeager is alleged to have started a fire within the internal office of the Spokane County Democrats, which resulted in damage to multiple offices in the Teamsters Building.
United States Attorney Hyslop said, “Endangering others in this manner and starting this fire must be addressed. Damage by fire to a building used in interstate commerce is a federal crime. If proved, it is punishable by a minimum 5-year term of imprisonment up to a 20-year term of imprisonment; a $250,000 fine; and a 3-year term of court supervision following any term of imprisonment.”
Earl D. Camp, Acting FBI Special Agent in Charge, Seattle Field Office, said, “Operating 24 hours a day, joint terrorism task forces gather the resources, skills, and information of various federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies to safeguard our communities. The Inland Northwest Joint Terrorism Task Force’s swift actions, especially by our partners at Spokane Police Department, averted an already hazardous situation from spiraling dangerously out of control.”
The charge and allegations contained in an Indictment are merely accusations, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Independent charges have also been filed by the Spokane County Prosecuting Attorney.
This case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Spokane Police Department, with the assistance of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Explosive Disposal Unit, which is a joint effort of the Spokane Police Department and the Spokane County Sheriff’s Office, and the Spokane Fire Department. This case is being prosecuted by Dominique Juliet Park, an Assistant United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Washington.
ecf_1_-_indictment_yeager.pdfFormer Operator of Waterville Medical Marijuana Business Pleads Guilty to Federal Drug and Firearms OffensesRead the Press Release
BANGOR, Maine: A Benton man pleaded guilty today in federal court to distribution of cocaine and marijuana, possession of marijuana with intent to distribute and possession of firearms by an unlawful user of controlled substances, U.S. Attorney Halsey B. Frank announced.
According to court records, on January 29, 2020, Daniel Hall, 32, distributed cocaine and marijuana to a confidential informant at Green Thumb Organics (GTO), Hall’s Waterville medical marijuana store. The informant did not have a medical marijuana patient card.
On February 19, 2020, investigators executed federal search warrants at GTO and Hall’s residence in Benton. At GTO, agents seized approximately three pounds of processed marijuana and “edible” marijuana items that in total weighed less than 50 kilograms. Agents also seized records, approximately $16,000 in cash proceeds, a video surveillance system and items of paraphernalia. At Hall’s residence, agents seized personal use quantities of drugs, drug paraphernalia, a handgun, two shotguns and ammunition.
Hall faces up to 20 years in prison, between three years and life on supervised release and a $1 million fine on the drug distribution charge. He faces up to five years imprisonment, two years of supervised release and a $250,000 fine on the drug possession charge. He faces up to 10 years imprisonment, three years of supervised release and a $250,000 fine on the firearms charge. He will be sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigation report by the U.S. Probation Office.
The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the Waterville Police Department and the Somerset County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case.
Former Chairman of Massachusetts Latin Kings Crown Council Pleads Guilty to Racketeering Conspiracy ChargesRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A former member of the Boston-based Devon Street Chapter of the Massachusetts Almighty Latin King and Queen Nation (“Latin Kings”) pleaded guilty today to racketeering charges.
Angel Rodriguez, a/k/a “King Ace,” 29, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to conduct enterprise affairs through a pattern of racketeering activity, more commonly referred to as RICO conspiracy. U.S. Senior District Court Judge Rya W. Zobel scheduled sentencing for April 15, 2021.
Named for its origin on Devon Street in Boston, the Devon Street Kings or D5K Chapter of the Latin Kings, included approximately a dozen members. The Devon Street Kings, in turn, reported to the Massachusetts State Leadership of the Latin Kings, providing information, structure, funds and other resources to further the Latin Kings goals and directives in the state. During the investigation, various meetings were covertly recorded where members of the Devon Street Kings discussed the business of the racketeering enterprise.
Evidence developed during the investigation proved that Rodriguez conspired with other members and leaders of the Latin Kings to distribute controlled substances, including a video depicting Rodriguez bagging up crack cocaine for distribution. In December 2019, Rodriguez served as Chairman of the Crown Council for the D5K Chapter. The Crown Council is a body that sits independently of the leadership and provides guidance to the leadership team and resolves disputes that arise.
The Latin Kings are a violent criminal enterprise comprised of thousands of members across the United States. The Latin Kings adhere to a national manifesto, employ an internal judiciary and use a sophisticated system of communication to maintain the hierarchy of the organization. As alleged in court documents, the gang uses drug distribution to generate revenue, and engages in violence against witnesses and rival gangs to further its influence and to protect its turf.
In December 2019, a federal grand jury returned an indictment alleging racketeering conspiracy, drug conspiracy and firearms charges against 62 leaders, members and associates of the Latin Kings. Angel Rodriguez is the 28th defendant to plead guilty in the case.
The RICO conspiracy charge provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling; Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Division; Commissioner Carol Mici of the Massachusetts Department of Correction; and Boston Police Commissioner William Gross made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was also provided by the FBI North Shore Gang Task Force and the Bristol County and Suffolk County District Attorney’s Offices. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Philip A. Mallard and Lauren Graber of Lelling’s Criminal Division are prosecuting the case.
This 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. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The remaining defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Federal Grand Jury Indicts 11 in Heroin Distribution ConspiracyRead the Press Release
GREENEVILLE, Tenn. – On August 4, 2020 a federal grand jury in the Eastern District of Tennessee returned a 12-count indictment against the following individuals for their roles in the distribution of heroin:
Jonathan Bryant Taylor, also known as “Marquis”, 45, of Charlotte, North Carolina;
Kendall Pitts, also known as “Face”, 44, of Raleigh, North Carolina;
Rodney Jenkins, also known as “Unk”, 54, of Brooklyn, New York;
Ricky Allen Overbay, 59, of Kingsport, Tennessee;
Angela Beth Bernard, 37, of Kingsport, Tennessee;
Tessa Rae Hines, 39, of Kingsport, Tennessee;
Cierra Brionna Long, 25, of Kingsport, Tennessee;
Bethany Kay Childress, 51, of Kingsport, Tennessee;
Alexander Shamell Powell, also known as “Big Mike”, 43, of Kingsport, Tennessee;
Clarence L. Benjamin, also known as “Streets”, 43, of Johnson City, Tennessee;
Kirk Estes, 61, of Kingsport, Tennessee.
The case was unsealed on January 4, 2021 after the final defendant was apprehended. The case has not yet been set for trial. The case will be heard by the Honorable Clifton L. Corker, U.S. District Court Judge.
The indictment, on file with the U.S. District Court, alleges that each of these individuals was involved in a conspiracy to distribute one kilogram or more of heroin in the Eastern District of Tennessee and elsewhere. The indictment also alleges other charges related to the distribution and possession with the intent to distribute heroin. Additionally, Long is charged with distributing a quantity fentanyl; Benjamin is charged with possessing with the intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine; and Taylor and Benjamin were also each charged with possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
If convicted of the heroin conspiracy charge, each faces a minimum mandatory term of imprisonment of at least 10 years and up to life, at least five years of supervised release, a fine of up to $10,000,000, any applicable forfeiture, and a $100 special assessment. The punishment for the firearm charges returned against Taylor and Benjamin is a minimum mandatory term of at least five years and up to life in prison, which must be served consecutively to any other prison term imposed, up to five years supervised release, a fine of up to $250,000, and a $100 special assessment.
Law enforcement partners have established task forces aimed at combating an increase of heroin overdoses in and around Kingsport, Tennessee. This operation targeted a network of individuals believed to be responsible for bringing heroin into the area from out-of-state sources of supply, and then distributing it in the Tri-Cities area. The on-going investigation is the product of a partnership between Sullivan County Sheriff’s Department, Kingsport Police Department, Second Judicial Drug Task Force, Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, Tennessee National Guard Counter-Drug Task Force, Tennessee Highway Patrol, Sullivan County District Attorney’s Office, Appalachia High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas Task Force (AHIDTA), United States Marshal Service, Homeland Security Investigations, Drug Enforcement Administration, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Robert Reeves and J. Christian Lampe will represent the United States.
Members of the public are reminded that an indictment constitutes only charges and that every person is presumed innocent until his or her guilt has been proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
The effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at OCDETF.
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Fond Du Lac Psychiatrist and Nurse Indicted for Unlawful Distribution of Controlled SubstancesRead the Press Release
Matthew D. Krueger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, announced that on January 5, 2021, a federal grand jury indicted John D. Whelan (age: 74), a psychiatrist, and Tina Montezon (age: 58), a licensed nurse, both of Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, for conspiring to distribute controlled substances, including Buprenorphine, Ritalin, Xanax, and Adderall outside the course of a professional medical practice and not for a legitimate medical purpose, in violation of 21 U.S.C. §§ 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(C) and 846.
The indictment also charges Whelan and Montezon with maintaining a drug-involved premises, in violation of 21 U.S.C. § 856(a)(1), and making false statements to federal agents, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1001. If convicted, Whelan and Montezon face a maximum sentence of twenty years in prison, up to three years of supervised release, up to a $1,000,000 fine, and a $100 Special Assessment.
According to the indictment, defendants prescribed controlled substances outside the course of professional medical practice from a residence located on Clinton Street in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin. Defendants gave those prescriptions from the residence on Saturdays in exchange for $200 to $300 per prescription.
“The Justice Department will hold accountable medical professionals who abuse their prescribing privileges for personal gain,” stated United States Attorney Krueger.
“This indictment demonstrates the value of federal law enforcement working closely with state/local law enforcement and prosecutors,” said Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Chicago Division Special Agent in Charge Robert J. Bell. “DEA and our partners continue to work in harmony to improve public health and safety, while holding rogue practitioners and medical professionals accountable for the diversion of controlled substances.”
The Drug Enforcement Administration and the Lake Winnebago Area Metropolitan Enforcement Group investigated the case, which Assistant United States Attorneys Julie F. Stewart and Kevin Knight will prosecute.
An indictment is only a charge and not evidence of guilt. The defendant is presumed innocent and is entitled to a fair trial at which the government must prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt
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For Additional Information Contact: Public Information Officer Kenneth Gales
414-297-1700
Ex-Labor Union President Sentenced to 12 Years in Prison for Embezzling Union Health Plan Funds, Lying to Federal OfficialsRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – The former president of a Colton-based labor union was sentenced today to 144 months in federal prison for stealing nearly $800,000 from the union’s health plan trust fund, which he used to pay for personal expenses including legal bills and a car loan for his son’s sports car.
John S. Romero, 74, of Loma Linda, was sentenced by United States District Judge Virginia A. Phillips, who scheduled an April 5 hearing to determine the amount of restitution Romero owes to his victims.
At the conclusion of a five-day trial in February, a jury found Romero guilty of one count of conspiracy, 12 counts of theft in connection with health care, and one count of making a false statement to a government agency.
Romero appointed himself president of United Industrial Services Workers of America (UISWA) and trustee of the UISWA health plan trust fund. Money paid into the fund was supposed to be used exclusively for health care benefits of its participants. Instead, Romero stole the union’s health funds for the benefit of himself and his immediate family.
In furtherance of his scheme, Romero appointed a sham trustee who had no prior experience with unions. He also actively misled the third-party administrators of the health plan into making improper payments from the trust fund.
From 2008 to 2014, Romero embezzled health plan funds to pay a $110,000 personal civil judgment against himself and his son, John J. Romero, 55, also of Loma Linda. He also embezzled $40,000 to pay criminal defense lawyers who represented Romero in a separate case. Romero funneled more than $310,000 to himself by disguising the funds as rent payments on two properties he owned and held under a shell company.
In addition, he stole more than $300,000 in union health plan money to make “salary” payments to his family, even though none of his family members ever worked for the plan. He also used plan funds to pay off a $25,000 loan on his son’s Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 sports car.
Romero also filed a false financial report with the U.S. Department of Labor in which he concealed the existence of more than $100,000 in union receipts and disbursements that Romero held in a secret bank account and from which he made regular payments to his mistress.
Romero advanced his scheme by appointing his son as the secretary and treasurer of the union. He later appointed his ex-wife, Evelyn Romero, 71, as the UISWA president and trustee in 2010, shortly before Romero began serving a two-year federal prison sentence for making false statements to federal officials while he was president of a different labor union. Romero’s son, ex-wife, and daughter, Danae Romero, 42, of Loma Linda, pleaded guilty to criminal charges in this case. Evelyn and Danae Romero each were sentenced to two years’ probation in this case. John J. Romero was sentenced to time served in prison, plus three years of supervised release.
At a September 9 hearing, Judge Phillips ordered this case’s other defendants to pay restitution in the following amounts: Evelyn Romero – $316,502; John J. Romero – $273,350; and Danae Romero – $200,552.
“To execute this scheme, (John S. Romero) manipulated others, including his own family members,” prosecutors wrote in their sentencing memorandum. “He employed sophisticated means in furtherance of the scheme, including by diverting trust money through a Nevada shell company to hide his theft. He lied to brokers and administrators. And he bullied and pressured those around him to get his way, thereby intimidating and abusing those who trusted him most.”
This case was investigated by the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General; the U.S. Department of Labor, Employee Benefits Security Administration; and the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Labor Management Standards.
This matter was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Susan S. Har and Aaron B. Frumkin of the General Crimes Section.
Eastern Oregon Medical Practice Employee Sentenced to Federal Prison for Tax Crimes, Bank FraudRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Ore.—Anndrea D. Jacobs, 49, the former office manager and bookkeeper for a La Grande, Oregon medical practice was sentenced to federal prison today for defrauding two separate employers and filing false tax returns, announced U.S. Attorney Billy J. Williams.
Jacobs, a resident of La Grande, was sentenced to four years in federal prison and five years’ supervised release after previously pleading guilty to filing a false personal income tax return, falsely impersonating an IRS employee, aggravated identity theft, and bank fraud.
According to court documents, beginning on or about January 2011 and continuing until her termination in December 2015, Jacobs used her position and access to a medical practice’s finances to steal money from the practice by, among other means, writing business checks to herself or for her own benefit. Jacobs used the stolen funds to make payments on personal credit cards and pay other personal expenses unrelated to the medical practice.
In an attempt to hide her illicit actions, Jacobs prepared and maintained false business financial records, overstating expenses and estimated tax payments. Further, without the knowledge or consent of the medical practice owner, she opened a business bank account in his name; deposited a business check payable to the Oregon Department of Revenue into her own personal account; gave the practice owner falsified property tax statements with total due balances of zero; and convinced the practice owner to grant her limited power of attorney to handle the practice’s pending IRS tax-collection action.
In perhaps her most brazen attempt to conceal her embezzlement activity, Jacobs created a fictitious identity as an IRS Taxpayer Advocate named “Linda Gibson”; established a phone number and voicemail account for the fictitious identity; and purported to assist the medical practice owner with his IRS tax collection issues while purporting to be “Linda Gibson.”
On September 12, 2018, a federal grand jury in Portland returned a 15-count indictment charging Jacobs with wire fraud, filing false tax returns, aiding or assisting the preparation of false tax returns, falsely impersonating an employee of the U.S., and aggravated identity theft. On June 5, 2020, Jacobs’ pre-trial release was revoked for committing bank fraud while embezzling from a second employer: a dental practice in Hood River. On June 9, 2020, Jacobs was indicted a second time for the new scheme.
During sentencing, U.S. District Court Chief Judge Marco A. Hernandez ordered Jacobs to pay more than $1.2 million in restitution to two former employers, Wells Fargo Bank, and the IRS.
The cases were investigated by IRS-Criminal Investigation, the FBI, and the U.S. Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA). It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Bounds.
Dominican Man Indicted on Fentanyl Trafficking ChargeRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Dominican national was indicted by a federal grand jury today in connection with drug trafficking activities involving fentanyl.
Angel Aybar Carmona, 25, was indicted on one count of distribution of and possession with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl. Carmona was previously charged by criminal complaint and has been in custody since his arrest on Dec. 8, 2020.
As alleged in charging documents, Carmona provided a sample of fentanyl along with his phone number to an undercover law enforcement officer on Dec. 2, 2020. In subsequent text message conversations with Carmona, the undercover officer arranged to purchase 120 grams of fentanyl on Dec. 8, 2020 inside a store in Lawrence. After completing the sale, Carmona was arrested.
The charge of distribution and possession with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl carries a mandatory minimum sentence of five years and up to 40 years in prison, a least four years of supervised release and a fine of up to $5 million. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling and Brian D. Boyle, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Lawrence Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen Hassink of Lelling’s Narcotics and Money Laundering 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.
Declaración sobre la Investigación Federal de Derechos Civiles sobre el tiroteo a Jacob BlakeRead the Press Release
Eric S. Dreiband, Secretario Adjunto de Justicia para la División de Derechos Civiles del Departamento de Justicia y Matthew D. Krueger, Fiscal de EE.UU. del Distrito Este de Wisconsin publicó la siguiente declaración relacionada al tiroteo a Jacob Blake el 23 de agosto de 2020:
“Como se anunció previamente, una investigación de Derechos Civiles federales sobre el tiroteo a Jacob Blake está en curso. La investigación está siendo llevada a cabo por el Buró Federal de Investigación, en cooperación con la División de Investigación Criminal de Wisconsin. La investigación federal está siendo supervisado por el Buró Federal de Investigación, en cooperación con la División de Investigación Criminal de Wisconsin y la División de Derechos Civiles del Departamento de Justicia de EE.UU. y que tomará una decisión de cargo autónoma. Las autoridades federales están comprometidas a investigar esta materia tan minuciosamente y eficientemente como sea posible.
También en curso están investigaciones federales sobre incendios provocados, disturbios y otros crímenes violentos que ocurrieron en Kenosha en agosto de 2020. El Fiscal de EE.UU. Krueger y el Fiscal General Adjunto Dreiband exhortó a todos a actuar pacíficamente y cumplir con la ley”.
Cuban Credit Card Skimming Crew Sentenced to PrisonRead the Press Release
NORFOLK, Va. – Six Cuban nationals have been sentenced, including the leader of the crew, for conspiracy to commit bank fraud and aggravated identity theft.
According to court documents, the six conspirators placed skimming devices on gas pumps located in Northampton County within the Eastern District of Virginia. The skimming devices were capable of recording the credit and debit card numbers, along with their PINs, of the customers that used their cards at the gas pumps. In April and May 2018, using the stolen card information, the defendants traveled between Harris Teeter store locations, among other destinations, to withdraw money from the victims’ bank accounts and purchase prepaid gift cards.
In addition, many of the conspirators had significant criminal histories involving the same conduct and were known to travel the country perpetrating this scheme. The leader of the crew, Yasmani Granja Quijada, was found to be trading over 9,800 additional stolen credit card numbers using his email account over the past few years. The crew was attributed with aggregate losses of over $5,000,000 over several years. The FBI and U.S. Marshals Service seized numerous vehicles and other items that were purchased by the defendants with funds stolen through credit cards, including a 2006 Triton 2895CC Boat and trailer, a 2017 Ford F250 Super Cab truck, a 2016 Cruise Radiance Travel Trailer RV, a 2017 Ford Escape SUV, a 2017 Maserati Ghibli, and a 2013 Porsche Panamera. Several other conspirators remain at large and are believed to be living in Mexico.
Below is a table that lists the name, age, hometown, respective charge(s) for which each defendant was convicted, and the sentence he received:
Name (Age)
Hometown
Charge(s)
Sentence (Date)
Yasmani Granja Quijada (33)
South Miami, FL
Conspiracy to Commit Bank Fraud, Aggravated ID Theft
120 months (01/04/2021)
Luis Miguel Fernandez Cardente (29)
Miami, FL
Conspiracy to Commit Bank Fraud, Aggravated ID Theft
64 months (12/14/2020)
Jorge Bello Fuentes (31)
Homestead, FL
Conspiracy to Commit Bank Fraud, Aggravated ID Theft
60 months (07/17/2020)
Guillermo Bello Fuentes (34)
Miami, FL
Conspiracy to Commit Bank Fraud, Aggravated ID Theft
47 months (08/28/2020)
Pedro Emilio Duran (40)
Miami, FL
Conspiracy to Commit Bank Fraud
30 months (07/31/2020)
Yariel Monsibaez Ruiz (29)
Hialeah, FL
Conspiracy to Commit Bank Fraud
19 months (08/28/2020)
G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; David L. Doughty, Jr., Northampton County Sheriff; and Brian Dugan, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Norfolk Field Office, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge John A. Gibney, Jr.Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth M. Yusi prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:19-cr-109.
Convicted Felon Who Possessed a Gun After His Release from Federal Prison Sent Back to Prison for over Three YearsRead the Press Release
A man who possessed a firearm as a felon was sentenced today to more than three years in federal prison.
Rhamond Bolden, age 27, from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, received the prison term after a July 8, 2020 guilty plea to being a felon in possession of a firearm.
Evidence in the case showed that in 2013, Bolden was convicted of being a drug user in possession of a firearm in federal court in Cedar Rapids. The court initially sentenced him to 16 months in prison, but after multiple violations of his supervised release, Bolden ultimately served 30 months in prison. He was released in 2017. During a traffic stop in early 2020, law enforcements officers found him in possession of a loaded handgun.
Bolden was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams. Bolden was sentenced to 37 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). PSN is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
This case is also part of Project Guardian, the Department of Justice’s signature initiative to reduce gun violence and enforce federal firearms laws. Initiated by the Attorney General in the fall of 2019, Project Guardian draws upon the Department’s past successful programs to reduce gun violence; enhances coordination of federal, state, local, and tribal authorities in investigating and prosecuting gun crimes; improves information-sharing by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives when a prohibited individual attempts to purchase a firearm and is denied by the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS), to include taking appropriate actions when a prospective purchaser is denied by the NICS for mental health reasons; and ensures that federal resources are directed at the criminals posing the greatest threat to our communities. The United States Attorney’s Office has prosecuted this case with support from the following Project Guardian partners: Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Cedar Rapids Police Department. For more information about Project Guardian, please see /media/1122011/dl?inline.
Bolden is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Lisa C. Williams and investigated by the Cedar Rapids Safe Streets Task Force. The task force is composed of representatives from the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Cedar Rapids Police Department.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 20-CR-0035.
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Colorado Man Sentenced for Distributing MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Joe Kelly announced that Francisco Herrera, 37, of Sterling, Colorado, was sentenced on January 4, 2021, in federal court in Omaha, Nebraska, for possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine. Senior United States District Judge Joseph F. Bataillon sentenced Herrera to 262 months’ imprisonment. Herrera has at least two prior drug convictions, which classified him under the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines as a career offender. This enhanced his sentencing guideline range to 262-327 months. His sentencing range without the enhancement would have been 151-188 months. There is no parole in the federal system. After his release from prison, he will begin a five-year term of supervised release.
On May 10, 2019, local law enforcement executed a search warrant on a residence in Sidney, Nebraska. During the execution of that search warrant, Herrera’s vehicle was located in the driveway. Law enforcement obtained a search warrant for his vehicle, where approximately ten pounds of methamphetamine were seized.
This case was investigated by the Sidney Police Department.
Charleston Woman Pleads Guilty to Wire Fraud ConspiracyRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – United States Attorney Mike Stuart announced that Lois Brotherton, 65, of Charleston, pled guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud. She faces up to 20 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release when she is sentenced on April 7, 2021. Brotherton has also agreed to pay restitution in the amount of $48,509.
“Brotherton is a fraudster that carried out this scheme for personal enrichment,” said United States Attorney Mike Stuart. “Small businesses are the backbone of our economy. We take these cases very seriously and do all that we can to bring justice to the victims. I commend our law enforcement partners for their excellent work in this case.”
Brotherton once provided bookkeeping and accounting services to a Kanawha County non-profit organization that formally dissolved in 2014. In 2019, Lois Brotherton asked a co-conspirator to write her checks from the non-profit’s bank account. Brotherton knew she was not entitled to those funds and that there were no funds available for her use. The co-conspirator agreed to do so. Brotherton would receive checks as though the non-profit organization had paid her money and would then electronically deposit the money into her personal account. To cover the wire fraud, the co-conspirator would electronically transfer money from three different companies for which the co-defendant provided accounting services, and without the companies knowledge, consent, or permission. As a result of this fraud scheme, Lois Brotherton defrauded the companies of at least $48,509.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigations (IRS-CI), the United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) and the West Virginia State Tax Department-Criminal Investigation Division conducted the investigation.
Senior United States District Judge John T. Copenhaver, Jr. presided over the guilty plea hearing. United States Attorney Mike Stuart and Assistant United States Attorneys Erik Goes and Katie Robeson are handling the prosecution.
Please note: In a related matter, Misty Brotherton-Tanner, 40, was charged in an 18-count indictment with wire fraud, aggravated identity theft, unlawful monetary transactions and making false statements. An indictment is merely an allegation and Misty Brotherton Tanner is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:20-cr-00147.
Follow us on Twitter: SDWVNews and USAttyStuart
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Charleston Man Pleads Guilty to Dealing MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – United States Attorney Mike Stuart announced that Jawhar Baruti Jones, 41, of Charleston, pled guilty to distribution of methamphetamine.
“Jones distributed 161 grams of 98% pure meth in Charleston,” said United States Attorney Mike Stuart. “Great job by DEA and the West Virginia State Police in getting him off of our streets. Charleston families are no doubt safer.”
Jones admitted that he sold methamphetamine to a confidential informant on three separate occasions in May of 2017. All the transactions occurred in Charleston. In total, Jones distributed approximately 161 grams of 98% pure methamphetamine during the investigation. A search warrant was executed at Jones’ residence shortly after the third transaction, where several bills of United States currency were found which matched the serial numbers of those utilized by the confidential informant to purchase methamphetamine from the defendant.
Jones faces up to life in prison when sentenced on April 6, 2021.
The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) conducted the investigation with the assistance of the West Virginia State Police. Senior United States District Judge John T. Copenhaver, Jr., presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Jeremy B. Wolfe is handling the prosecution.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:19-cr-00070.
Follow us on Twitter: SDWVNews and USAttyStuart
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Camden County Man Admits Trafficking in Oxycodone PillsRead the Press Release
CAMDEN, N.J. – A Camden County, New Jersey, man today admitted conspiring to distribute and selling oxycodone pills in connection with his role in a drug trafficking ring, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito announced.
Anwar Abdulah, 32, of Pennsauken, pleaded guilty today by videoconference before U.S. District Judge Renée Marie Bumb to an information charging him with conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute oxycodone and distributing and possessing with intent to distribute quantities of oxycodone.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
Abdullah admitted that on multiple occasions from January 2020 to March 10, 2020, he obtained oxycodone from Erick Bell in and around Camden and resold that oxycodone. For example, Abdullah admitted that, on Feb. 21, 2020, he provided $1,440 to Bell so that Bell could purchase 120 15 mg oxycodone pills from another individual. Bell then provided Abdullah with the oxycodone pills that Bell bought using Abdullah’s money, and Abdullah resold the pills to others. Oxycodone is a Schedule II controlled substance, meaning that it has a high potential for abuse, a currently accepted medical use with severe restrictions, and abuse of the drug may lead to severe psychological or physical dependence.
Both charges carry a maximum potential punishment of 20 years in prison and a fine of $1 million, or twice the gross loss or gain caused by the offenses, whichever is greater. Sentencing is scheduled for May 10, 2021.
Nine other defendants – Bell; Rocco DePoder, 67, Marcus Rushworth, 47, and Kenneth Rushworth, 59, all of Gloucester City; Alfred Kee, Jr., 52, of Blackwood, New Jersey; Wayne Muse, 74, of Lindenwold, New Jersey; Robert Pratt, 57, of Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, formerly of Blackwood, New Jersey; and Steven Walker, 47, and Alexander Siaca, 55, both of Camden – previously pleaded guilty before Judge Bumb to informations charging them with drug trafficking offenses involving the distribution of prescription drugs. They are all awaiting sentencing.
U.S. Attorney Carpenito credited special agents of FBI, Philadelphia Division, South Jersey Resident Agency, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Michael J. Driscoll; the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services-Office of the Inspector General, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Scott J. Lampert; the Camden County Sheriff's Office, under the direction of Sheriff Gilbert L. Wilson; the New Jersey Office of Homeland Security and Preparedness, under the direction of Director Jared M. Maples; the Camden County Police Department, under the direction of Chief Joseph Wysocki; and the U.S. Department of Agriculture-Office of Inspector General, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Bethanne M. Dinkins, with the investigation leading to today’s guilty plea.
He also thanked the FBI Newark Division, New Jersey State Police, Camden County Prosecutor’s Office, and U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration for their assistance.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Gabriel J. Vidoni of the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Camden Office and Sara F. Merin of the Newark Office.
Bulldog Street Gang Member Involved in Hit-and-Run Sentenced to 4 Years in Prison for Illegally Possessing FirearmRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — Mario Alberto Rangel, 29, of Fresno, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Dale A. Drozd to four years in prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced.
According to court documents, on Oct. 22, 2019, law enforcement officers attempted to stop Rangel for a traffic violation, but he failed to yield. Moments later, Rangel crashed into another car, then exited his car and fled the scene on foot. Fresno Police officers eventually caught up to him and arrested him. The car that he abandoned was searched, and a loaded shotgun was found in the back seat. Rangel is prohibited from possessing firearms because of his prior criminal record, including a 2018 conviction for assault with a firearm on a person.
This case was the product of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Fresno Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin J. Gilio prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. The Department of Justice reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally based strategies to reduce violent crime. To learn more about Project Safe Neighborhoods, go to www.justice.gov/psn.
This case is also part of Project Guardian, the Department of Justice’s signature initiative to reduce gun violence and enforce federal firearms laws. Initiated by the Attorney General in the fall of 2019, Project Guardian draws upon the Department’s past successful programs to reduce gun violence; enhances coordination of federal, state, local, and tribal authorities in investigating and prosecuting gun crimes; improves information-sharing by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives when a prohibited individual attempts to purchase a firearm and is denied by the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS), to include taking appropriate actions when a prospective purchaser is denied by the NICS for mental health reasons; and ensures that federal resources are directed at the criminals posing the greatest threat to our communities. For more information about Project Guardian, please see www.justice.gov/projectguardian.