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22 February 2021
Pittsburgh Felon Sentenced to Prison for Cocaine Trafficking Offenses, Money Laundering, and Unlawful Possession of 32 Firearms, Including an AK-47 Semi-Automatic Rifle and a Fully Automatic M16 MachinegunRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH – A resident of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, was sentenced in federal court following his earlier guilty plea to one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute cocaine, one count of distribution of and possession with intent to distribute cocaine, two counts of money laundering, and one count of possession of firearms and ammunition by a convicted felon, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced today.
On February 18, 2021, United States District Judge David S. Cercone sentenced Anthony Bentley, a/k/a Poundcake, 45, to four years of imprisonment followed by four years of supervised release. Bentley has been detained since his arrest on August 28, 2018.
In connection with his guilty plea on December 2, 2019, Bentley admitted that between at least May 2015 and continuing until January 2016, he engaged in a drug trafficking conspiracy involving 500 grams or more of powder cocaine, and that on October 20, 2015, he distributed approximately 489 grams of cocaine to a cooperating informant. Bentley further admitted that he laundered the proceeds of his cocaine trafficking through certain financial transactions related to his purchase of real estate in the Pittsburgh area, including a $156,649.01 cashier’s check used to purchase a commercial property on Laketon Road on May 23, 2014, and a $20,000 payment toward the purchase of a residence on Curtis Street on July 8, 2015. Bentley, a previously convicted felon, also admitted to unlawfully possessing weapons and ammunition recovered during the searches of properties he owned or controlled. Recovered firearms included an AK-47 semi-automatic rifle and an M16 fully automatic machinegun.
Pursuant to a written plea agreement, Bentley also accepted responsibility for engaging in money laundering in connection with three additional real estate transactions dating back to 2013, as well as his possession of the machinegun. As part of his sentence, Bentley agreed to forfeit, among other things, various items of jewelry and approximately $218,000 in cash seized during a search of his home. He also agreed to an additional forfeiture money judgment in the amount of $75,000.
Assistant United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
This prosecution is a result of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. The task force comprises members drawn from federal law enforcement agencies, including the Drug Enforcement Administration, Homeland Security Investigations, Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, in partnership with state and local law enforcement agencies, including the Allegheny County Police Department, Pittsburgh Bureau of Police, and the Pennsylvania State Police. OCDETF uses a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
Philadelphia Man Sentenced to 12+ Years for Gunpoint Robbery of East Mount Airy Corner StoreRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – Acting United States Attorney Jennifer Arbittier Williams announced today that Donnie Smith, 41, of Philadelphia, PA was sentenced to 12 years and three months in prison, and five years of supervised release, by United States District Court Judge Jan E. DuBois for Hobbs Act robbery, carrying and using a firearm during the commission of a violent crime, and illegally possessing a weapon as a convicted felon. The charges stem from an armed robbery of a corner grocery store in the East Mount Airy section of Philadelphia in March 2019.
In February 2020, the defendant and two co-defendants, Abid Stevens and Maurice Quinn, were convicted on all charges after trial. During the incident, Quinn entered RD Grocery and complained to a store employee that the store’s ATM had given him fake money. Quinn then attempted to grab both money from the register and a firearm kept by the owner behind the counter. Unable to grab the money or firearm, Quinn left and returned with Smith and Stevens, both of whom were armed with black semi-automatic handguns. Smith brandished his firearm in the store employee’s face and took the firearm from behind the counter. Quinn then again attempted to take cash from the register but failed. He demanded that the store employee open the register for him; the employee withdrew $100 in cash and the defendants left.
“The defendants were so determined to rob this store, that the first would-be robber brazenly returned with armed reinforcements after failing to accomplish his goal on his own,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Williams. “His complete disregard for others and for the law is shocking. Hopefully others will learn from Smith’s example -- if you rob a store in Philadelphia with a firearm, you are going to face serious federal prison time as a result. Our Office is committed to working with our law enforcement partners to bring criminals like Smith to justice.”
“The imposition of this sentence by the court sends an important message that there are significant consequences for committing acts of violence within our community. The dedicated law enforcement personnel responsible for investigating and prosecuting this defendant should be commended for bringing closure to those personally affected by the crime, as well as protecting the entire community,” said Matthew Varisco, Special Agent in charge of ATF’s Philadelphia Field Division. “The robust partnership between ATF and the Philadelphia Police Department led to a quick arrest, undoubtedly preventing additional violence and harm to the community. I would like to thank the United States Attorney’s Office for their work in prosecuting this 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.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Philadelphia Police Department, and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Robert Eckert and Special Assistant United States Attorney Ashley N. Martin.
Peoria Sex Offender Sentenced to 15 Years in Prison for Receiving, Possessing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
PEORIA, Ill. –U.S. District Judge James Shadid has sentenced a Peoria man, Nicky McDonald, who is a registered sex-offender, to 15 years in prison for downloading and possessing images and videos of children being sexually exploited. In addition, at sentencing, on Feb. 11, 2021, Judge Shadid ordered that McDonald, 61, remain on supervised release for a period of life following the completion of his prison term.
On Oct. 26, 2020, McDonald entered guilty pleas to downloading and possessing child pornography in August 2019. At the time of the offense, McDonald was homeless and living at the Peoria Rescue Mission at 601 SW Adams St., across the street from the Peoria Police Department. McDonald admitted that he used the free Peoria Police Department Wi-Fi to view and download child pornography on his cellphone.
At the time of the crimes, McDonald was required to register as a sex offender under Illinois law after pleading guilty in 1993, to aggravated criminal sexual abuse of a minor in Edgar County, Ill. McDonald was also convicted of attempted aggravated criminal sexual abuse of a minor in Edgar County, Ill., in 1997.
McDonald has remained in law enforcement custody since he was arrested and charged in October 2019, in Peoria County. He was indicted on the federal charges in January 2020, and was ordered to remain detained in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
The U.S. Secret Service; the Peoria County Sheriff’s Office; and, the Peoria Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul Morris represented the federal government in the case prosecution in coordination with the Peoria County State’s Attorney’s Office.
Patrick announces resignationRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Patrick has announced he will resign as chief law enforcement officer for the Southern District of Texas (SDTX) effective midnight Feb. 28.
“It has been the honor of a lifetime to serve our nation and our state as United States Attorney,” said Patrick. “The Southern District is staffed with amazing career men and women who wake up every day ready to represent the United States, and I consider it a high honor that I was able to do the same alongside them for the past three years.”
Patrick was the 23rd presidentially-appointed U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Texas (SDTX). He was responsible for prosecuting and defending the interests of the United States in one of the largest districts in the country - covering 44,000 square miles and representing nearly nine million people. He oversaw over 450 employees, including approximately 210 Assistant U.S. Attorneys who cover the seven offices across the district.
In just over three years as U.S. Attorney, prosecutors in his office charged nearly 25,000 defendants in almost 22,000 cases consistently ranking as the top or second highest district nationally in overall criminal prosecutions. In fact, felony prosecutions increased 39% in fiscal year 2019 from the previous 12% increase, setting a new case record. Overall, criminal matters referred to the office increased 121% in his first year. The office maintained a 95-96% conviction rate while Patrick served as U.S. Attorney.
Patrick began serving as U.S. Attorney Jan. 8, 2018. In his first year alone, his office found itself at the forefront of a nationwide immigration debate, in the middle of investigating one of the deadliest school shootings and dealing with the complexities associated with an almost unprecedented budget sequestration.
Soon after his arrival to the office in 2018, Patrick emerged as a prominent leader of the ever-increasing immigration debate. He frequently discussed and addressed challenging border issues and protecting people from the harms associated with illegal immigration and human smuggling.
In May 2018, the district also saw the tragedy of the deadly school shooting in Santa Fe. Patrick witnessed the aftermath firsthand. He communicated with parents and others and worked with federal, state and local law enforcement, pledging office resources wherever needed.
Also in 2018, Patrick significantly starting increasing staffing in what is now the busiest criminal docket in the country. The office hired more than 80 attorneys and 80 support staff during his tenure to meet increasing caseloads in South Texas and Houston – due in part to the rising number of illegal entrants and reentrants in Laredo, McAllen and Brownsville, spiking violent street crime in Houston and Corpus Christi and the need for a cadre of civil prosecutors for border fence construction projects along the Rio Grande.
During his administration, the district saw the arrest, conviction and sentencing of a unique case against a local couple who committed international kidnapping of their grandson. Similarly, Patrick fought for the rights of victims, as evidenced by the unprecedented check presented to a woman subjected to labor trafficking. “This woman now has a better chance at a fresh start,” he said.
Particular emphasis in Houston was placed on prosecuting violent crime, with significant prosecutions for bank and armored robberies as well as firearms offenses. In 2019, the SDTX increased violent crime prosecutions by 57%. That year, a judge granted to government’s request for an upward variance and sent a Houston man to prison for 540 months for the killing of a postal worker and another imposed life sentences for an armored car murder crew. The office also pursued similar crimes in other divisions, such as a Laredoan who was ordered to serve 300 months for carjacking and other violent crimes.
The district also saw the first increase in drug prosecutions in five years thanks to a renewed emphasis on local impact drug cases including deadly synthetic drugs and the growing opioid epidemic. In Brownsville, for example, a local man is now serving life in prison for his conviction of meth distribution. Corpus Christi also saw the conviction and sentencing of eight people involved in the deadly distribution of synthetic cannabinoids.
Fraud has also been a consistent problem SDTX prosecutors have battled. One notable case diligently pursued under his administration involved a woman who swindled professional athletes out of millions. She later received the maximum sentence under federal law.
Patrick also placed a significant emphasis on matters of public corruption, believing that those in positions of public trust must be held to the highest levels of integrity. Under Patrick’s leadership, former Houston police officers now face federal civil rights charges. A former Texas judge himself, Patrick was also particularly incensed with a state judge ultimately sent to prison for bribery and obstructing justice, noting “He didn’t just tip the scales of justice, he knocked it over with a wad of cash and didn’t look back.”
Patrick also noted “The protection of life is the most sacred job law enforcement has.” Two notable matters of national security that began under his administration remain pending – one against a Sugar Land man who is pending trial and the other who was convicted of attempting to provide material support to a foreign terrorist organization.
Not to be forgotten is the large caseload of civil litigation in some of the most difficult and important cases the government faces, including resolution of the border fence issues, defending serious medical malpractice claims and recovering millions in criminal debt and civil fraud. Of note, a Laredo doctor Laredo eye doctor paid over $3M to resolve fraud claims. The division’s civil rights group also helped resolve numerous claims such as an employment discrimination matter on behalf of U.S. Army National Guard reservist.
Additionally, the SDTX continued to consistently rank as one of highest in terms of federal health care fraud prosecutions throughout the nation. Continuing its partnership with the Health Care Fraud Strike Force, the district successfully convicted durable medical equipment owners, doctors, billers and many more to include a Texas rheumatologist for a $325 million health care fraud scheme. Patrick noted “Patients were put through unneeded anxiety and pain so the doctor could make millions. He won’t need it where he’s headed.”
Under his leadership, prosecutors also continued the fight in bringing criminals to justice and protecting the most vulnerable members of our society through the efforts of Project Safe Childhood. In addition to speaking at annual Children’s Assessment Center’s kickoff events, he was also proud to open the new Human Trafficking Rescue Alliance offices. The SDTX convicted, on average, one defendant each week charged with these types of crimes during his tenure. Notable matters included men who are now serving life in federal prison for stealing the childhood of their young victims - one who exploited a barely teenage girl he met via social media and another who trafficked a 10-year-old girl for three years.
During his tenure, Patrick also lead other efforts, such as hosting roundtables on sexual harassment in housing and in the workplace and helped SDTX become part of the Transnational Elder Fraud Task Force.
Patrick is also a strong advocate of our law enforcement partners, placing an emphasis on outreach to them and making sure every chief, sheriff and constable had his phone number. He strongly conveyed that federal law enforcement was willing to assist any agency with any problem, to include cases he cited as “white collar storm looting” in relation to Hurricane Harvey.
Patrick began his career as an Assistant District Attorney in Harris County. During that time, he prosecuted all types of criminal cases, including spending three years as an on-call prosecutor and investigator with the Vehicle Crimes Section focusing on drunk driving fatalities. He finished his time at the office as a member of the Major Offenders Division.
In 2012, then Texas Governor Rick Perry appointed Patrick Presiding Judge of the 177th state district court. He was elected to a full four-year-term later in 2012.
Immediately prior to serving as U.S. Attorney, Patrick was in private practice.
Patrick graduated from Baylor University in 2001 and South Texas College of Law in 2006. He is married with four children.
Oyster Company and 12 Others Indicted for Illegally Harvesting Raw OystersRead the Press Release
LAFAYETTE, La. - Acting United States Attorney Alexander C. Van Hook announced that a federal grand jury has returned an indictment charging a Cameron Parish company and 12 individuals with illegal harvesting and selling raw oysters in violation of the Lacey Act.
Those charged in the indictment are as follows:
- Bay Fresh Oyster Company, Inc. (“BFO”), with its principal place of business in San Leon, Texas, and which also maintained and operated a location in Cameron, Louisiana;
- Adley Leo Dyson, 71, of Cameron, Louisiana;
- Clarence Dyson, III, 46, of Cameron, Louisiana;
- Kirk Patrick Daigle, 47, of Cameron, Louisiana;
- Brandon Kent Duhon, 24, of Lake Charles, Louisiana;
- Kent Anthony Duhon, 58, of Cameron, Louisiana;
- Robert Alton Watson, 41, of Cameron, Louisiana;
- Kerwin Tyler Perry, 25, of Cameron, Louisiana;
- Jenson Kyle Griffith, 28, of Cameron, Louisiana;
- Kasey Lyn Mock, 28, of Cameron, Louisiana;
- Terry Wayne Dickens, 41, of Cameron, Louisiana;
- Phillip Cecil Dyson, 59, of Cameron, Louisiana; and
- Phillip Cecil Dyson, II, 38, of Cameron, Louisiana.
The indictment alleges that from approximately March 1, 2019 through May 5, 2019, BFO and the 12 named co-defendants listed above (“Defendants”), conspired to harvest raw oysters from Calcasieu Lake in violation of Louisiana law and knowingly made and submitted and caused to be submitted, false records for those harvested oysters that were intended to be transported in interstate commerce.
According to the indictment, the Defendants knowingly engaged in conduct that involved the sale and purchase of oysters knowing that they had been taken in violation of the laws and regulations of Louisiana. The indictment further alleges that oysters were not reported as required; oysters were harvested in amounts in excess of those authorized by state law to be harvested; oysters were harvested during illegal harvesting hours; oysters were not refrigerated within the required time by state law; oysters were harvested by those who failed to possess a valid Calcasieu Lake Harvest Permit or whose permit had been revoked; oysters were falsely reported as being harvested by those with valid permits; and oysters were harvested from areas closed to oyster harvesting.
The illegally harvested oysters were then sold by the harvester and purchased by BFO at its Cameron, Louisiana, location where records were falsified to reflect that the oysters had been harvested in compliance with Louisiana law. BFO subsequently transported those oysters across state lines to their facility in San Leon, Texas. Sacks of oysters were not tagged prior to removal from the vessels as required by Louisiana law but were later tagged by BFO employees and agents as being harvested by harvesters other than the actual harvesters. Oysters had been harvested by harvesters with revoked permits, were harvested in excess of the sack limit set by Louisiana law, and/or were harvested outside the harvesting hours set by Louisiana law. The indictment alleges that the harvesting and dealing in raw oysters in violation of state law violated the federal Lacey Act, which among other things, makes it unlawful to transport, sell, receive, acquire, or purchase in interstate commerce any fish or wildlife that is taken, possessed, transported or sold in violation of any law or regulation of any state.
An indictment is merely an accusation and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
An initial appearance for the Defendants has been set for March 10, 2021.
The U.S. Department of Wildlife & Fisheries and Louisiana Department of Wildlife & Fisheries are conducting the investigation and Assistant U.S. Attorney David J. Ayo is prosecuting the case.
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Orlando Man Sentenced to More Than Four Years for Multi-Million Dollar Investment Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – U.S. District Judge Paul G. Byron has sentenced Edison Denizard (41, Orlando) to four years and nine months in federal prison for participating in a conspiracy to commit wire fraud. As part of Denizard’s sentence, the court also ordered him to forfeit the real property located at 7617 Toscana Boulevard in Orlando, which is traceable to proceeds of the offense. In addition, the court entered a $1,677,794.57 money judgment against Denizard, which represents the proceeds that Denizard received as part of the offense.
Denizard had pleaded guilty on October 19, 2020.
According to court documents, between March 2016 and June 2017, Denizard raised millions of dollars from dozens of victims who believed that they were investing in specific music concerts through legitimate businesses owned by Denizard and a co-conspirator, Andres Fernandez. Fernandez and Denizard lured investors by guaranteeing them large monetary returns and promising that all of the funds that they provided would be invested in events by top artists, including Drake, Garth Brooks, Pitbull, The Weeknd, and Maná. In fact, neither Denizard nor Fernandez was involved in most of the events.
Denizard used most of the funds that he had received from investors to pay fraudulent “investment returns” to earlier investors and for his own personal use, including to purchase a new lakefront residence, to make payments on his new luxury vehicle, and to stay in luxury hotels. The total amount of victims’ losses attributable to Denizard are $7,479,453.
Fernandez, who was the instigator of the scheme, previously pleaded guilty to 12 counts of wire fraud and was sentenced last year to 10 years in federal prison.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Chauncey A. Bratt. The forfeiture was handled by Assistant United States Attorney Nicole Andrejko.
Omaha Woman Sentenced to 72 Months for Conspiracy to Distribute MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Joe Kelly announced that Michelle Jensen, 36, of Omaha, Nebraska, was sentenced on February 19, 2021 by United States District Judge Robert F. Rossiter, Jr. for Conspiracy to Distribute 5 grams or more of pure methamphetamine. Jensen received a sentence of 72 months with a four-year term of supervised release to follow. There is no parole in the federal system.
Beginning in March of 2019, investigators with the Omaha Police Department began investigating Isaiah Nevins and Michelle Jensen for distributing methamphetamine in the Omaha-metro, area. Using a confidential witness, investigators made a series of controlled buys from Nevins and Jensen. Jensen was involved in controlled buys that occurred on March 20, 2019 and March 29, 2019 for 12.3 grams and 24 grams of pure methamphetamine, respectively.
Nevins was also arrested for his role in the conspiracy, which included the same two controlled buys that Jensen was involved in, as well as additional controlled buys that occurred on April 4, June 4, and June 25, 2019. Nevins is scheduled to enter a plea of guilty on March 5, 2021, before United States District Judge Robert F. Rossiter, Jr.
This case was investigated by the Omaha Police Department.
Omaha Woman Sentenced for Methamphetamine and Identity TheftRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Joe Kelly announced that Sheila Likness, 44, of Omaha, Nebraska, was sentenced today in Omaha by Senior United States District Judge Joseph F. Bataillon to 72 months’ imprisonment for Possession with Intent to Distribute 5 Grams or More of Methamphetamine (Actual), Sale of a Card Purporting to be a Social Security Card, and Aggravated Identity Theft. There is no parole in the federal system. After her release, Likness will serve a 5-year term of supervised release.
From October 11, 2019 to December 17, 2019, Likness and Thomas Povondra engaged in a scheme to provide a police officer working in an undercover capacity with personal identification documents with a name and personal identifying information that had been obtained off the dark web. On October 11, 2019, Povondra drove Likness to meet with the undercover officer at a Starbucks location in Omaha. During that October 11, 2019 meeting, Likness informed the undercover officer that she could and would sell him identification documents such as a fake driver’s license, social security card, birth certificate, passport and secondary forms of identification such as a YMCA card for $4,000. Likness stated that she obtains the identification information off the dark web. She also claimed that these documents would be able to pass scrutiny from law enforcement if the undercover officer came into contact with law enforcement.
Likness met with the undercover officer on October 31, November 5, and November 11, 2019. During these meetings, Likness sold the undercover officer 13.37 grams, 22.52 grams, and 25.08 grams of methamphetamine (actual). During these meetings, Likness discussed the progress on the identification documents that she had promised. At the November 5, 2019 meeting, Likness received $1,750 as a down payment for the documents. On November 21, 2019, Likness sent the undercover officer a picture of a passport in the name of Victim 1 with Victim 1’s date of birth.
On December 3, 2019, Povondra met with the undercover officer in the area of 153rd and Q Streets in Omaha. Povondra gave the undercover officer a blue plastic folder, which had documents purporting to be a Social Security Card, a birth certificate, a high school diploma, and high school transcripts in the name of Victim 1 with Victim 1’s personal identifying information such as date of birth and Social Security Number. Povondra discussed the progress of the passport with the undercover officer and the status of its production. Povondra also received an additional $100 from the undercover officer for the delivery of the documents.
On December 17, 2019, a search warrant was executed at the residence shared by Likness and Povondra in Omaha. Numerous computers, a credit card scanner, blank ID and credit cards, laminate material, blank checks, and papers with the identifying information of other individuals were located. Following the December 17 search warrant, Povondra provided a laptop belonging to Likness to a third-party that had not been found by law enforcement during the search warrant. Povondra told the third-party to place the contents of the laptop on the external hard drive and then destroy the laptop.
Povondra was sentenced to 42 months’ imprisonment on November 9, 2020.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Omaha Police Department, the Social Security Administration-Office of the Inspector General, and the United States Department of State-Diplomatic Security Service.
Omaha Man Sentenced to 20 Years for Conspiring to Distribute Methamphetamine and Possessing a FirearmRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Joe Kelly announced that Felipe Hernandez Molina, age 26, of Omaha, Nebraska, was sentenced today in federal court in Omaha, after having pleaded guilty to Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine and Possession of a Firearm in Connection with a Drug Trafficking Crime. Senior United States District Court Judge Joseph F. Bataillon sentenced Felipe Hernandez Molina to 20 years’ imprisonment. Molina’s sentence included a consecutive 5-year term of imprisonment for possessing a firearm while distributing drugs. After completing his term of imprisonment, Molina will be required to serve a 10-year term of supervised release as there is no parole in the federal system. Molina also forfeited all the U.S. currency seized during his arrest.
On September 20, 2019, officers with the Omaha Police Department made a traffic stop near 17th and Castelar in Omaha, after observing a car driven by Molina commit two traffic infractions. Upon making contact officers noticed several indicators that Molina was involved in criminal activity and he was ordered out of the car for a pat down search. While exiting the car, Molina placed a bundle of U.S. currency inside the driver’s door. A separate bundle of currency was found on his person. Officers called for a drug detecting canine that alerted to the odor of narcotics coming from within the car. A search revealed drug paraphernalia, a total of $7,836 in cash, approximately 144 grams of methamphetamine, and a black Ruger SR22 handgun all near the center console. During a post-arrest interview at the scene, Molina admitted to selling methamphetamine and purchasing multiple pounds.
This case was investigated by the Omaha Police Department and Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives task force 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.
This case was investigated by the Omaha Police Department.
Omaha Man Sentenced for Distribution of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Joe Kelly announced that Andrew L. Foster, 36, of Omaha, Nebraska, was sentenced today in federal court in Omaha for distribution and receipt of Child Pornography. Senior United States District Judge Joseph F. Bataillon sentenced Foster to 60 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal prison system. After his release from prison, Foster will serve 8 years of supervised release.
In July 2019, members of the FBI Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force began investigating a Cyber Tipline Report from Dropbox stating that a user had uploaded multiple images and videos of child pornography. On August 1, 2019, officers executed at search warrant at Foster’s residence in Omaha and seized several electronic devices. During execution of the warrant, officers contacted Foster who admitted to collecting child pornography in multiple online storage platforms and admitted to sending child pornography to other online users in order to gain their trust. Four of the devices seized from Foster’s residence were determined to contain at least 1,989 images and 673 videos depicting child pornography.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Office Manager Is Charged with Embezzling More Than $1 Million from His Former EmployerRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – A federal grand jury sitting in Charlotte returned a federal criminal indictment last week, charging Richard Allen Clark, 55, of Lenoir, North Carolina, with federal offenses arising from his embezzlement of more than $1 million from his former employer, announced Andrew Murray, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. The federal charges include mail fraud, money laundering and filing false tax returns. Clark had his initial appearance in court today before U.S. Magistrate Judge David C. Keesler.
Matthew D. Line, Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation Division, Charlotte Field Office (IRS-CI), and Tommy D. Coke, Inspector in Charge of the Atlanta Division of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, which oversees Charlotte, join U.S. Attorney Murray in making today’s announcement.
According to allegations in the criminal bill of indictment, beginning January 1, 2013 through May 31, 2019, Clark was employed as an office manager for two family owned businesses in Lenoir. As an office manager, Clark was responsible for, among other things, handling the companies’ bookkeeping and financial records, making payments to vendors and the IRS, and reconciling the companies’ bank accounts. As the indictment alleges, Clark used his position and his access to the companies’ financial records and bank accounts to embezzle more than $1 million from his employers.
According to allegations in the indictment, Clark embezzled money from his employers in a number of ways. In some instances, the indictment alleges, Clark created company checks payable to himself and falsified the entries in financial records. Clark also allegedly diverted to himself company payments to IRS that were supposed to cover payroll taxes. In addition, indictment also alleges that Clark stole money from a company bank account the owner had directed Clark to close. Instead of closing the account, Clark allegedly used it to steal from his employer, by instructing customers to make payments to that account and then diverting the funds for his personal use.
According to allegations in the indictment, Clark used the stolen funds to pay for his personal lifestyle, including to make payments for his home mortgage, to make auto loan payments for an F-150 truck and other vehicles, to install a home theater system, and to pay for travelling and shopping expenses, among other things.
During the relevant period, Clark allegedly failed to claim the additional income he stole on his IRS tax returns. The indictment alleges that in addition to his earned wages, Clark moved over $1 million from his employers into various personal bank accounts he controlled. However, Clark falsely declared only his legitimate W-2 income on his 2014 through 2018 U.S. Joint Income Tax Returns, resulting in approximately $195,000 in lost taxes to the United States.
Clark is charged with five counts of mail fraud affecting a financial institution, which carry a maximum prison term of 30 years in prison and a $ 1 million fine per count; five counts of making and subscribing a false return, which carry a maximum term of three years in prison and a $100,000 fine per count; and one count of money laundering, which carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $500,000 fine.
The charges in the indictment are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond reasonable doubt in a court of law.
In making today’s announcement U.S. Attorney Murray thanked IRS-CI, the USPIS, and the Caldwell County Sheriff’s office for their investigation which led to the charges.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Savage of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte is prosecuting the case.
Morris County Man Sentenced to 18 Months in Prison for Filing False Tax ReturnsRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A Morris County, New Jersey, man who owned and operated construction businesses in Morris County was sentenced today to 18 months in prison for filing false tax returns that failed to report all his personal income, acting U.S. Attorney Rachael A. Honig announced.
Roger Magill, 51, of Wharton, the owner and operator of Reliable Construction, aka Reliable Paving, and Hackensack Pavers, aka Hackensack Paving, previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Susan D. Wigenton to one count of an information charging him with tax evasion. Judge Wigenton imposed the sentence by videoconference today.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
Between 2014 and 2016, obtained hundreds of thousands of dollars in personal income from his construction businesses, which he attempted to hide from the IRS by using a fictitious identity to cash business checks at several check cashing businesses. Magill attempted to hide his personal income by depositing money into bank accounts that he did not report to the IRS. He evaded paying $261,758 in personal income taxes.
In addition to the prison term, Judge Wigenton sentenced Magill to two years of supervised release.
Acting U.S. Attorney Honig credited agents of IRS-Criminal Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Michael Montanez, with the investigation leading to today’s sentencing.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jamel Semper, Chief of the Organized Crime and Gangs Unit in Newark.
Monongalia County woman sentenced for firearms violationRead the Press Release
CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Teresa Miller, of Morgantown, West Virginia, was sentenced today to 41 months for a firearms violation, U.S. Attorney Bill Powell announced.
After a bench trial in October 2020, Miller, age 47, was found guilty of one count of “Unlawful Possession of a Firearm.” Miller, having previously been convicted of a drug crime, is prohibited from having a firearm. Miller had a .380 caliber pistol and a .45 caliber pistol in July 2018 in Monongalia County.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Zelda E. Wesley prosecuted the case on behalf of the government. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Morgantown Police Department investigated.
Senior U.S. District Judge Irene M. Keeley presided.
Lowell Man Sentenced for Distributing FentanylRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Lowell man was sentenced today for conspiracy to distribute fentanyl.
Steven Perez, 30, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge William G. Young to 70 months in prison and four years of supervised release. In September 2020, Perez pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possession with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl. Perez was arrested and charged with co-defendant Anthony Holloway, of Methuen, in December 2019.
Over the course of several months, law enforcement investigated Perez and Holloway’s fentanyl distribution operation. Perez and, allegedly, Holloway used an elderly housing complex run by the Methuen Housing Authority to conduct drug sales. Upon an execution of a search warrant at Perez’s residence, agents seized 61 grams of fentanyl.
Holloway previously pleaded not guilty and is pending trial.
United States Attorney Andrew Lelling; Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Boston Field Office; and Acting Methuen Police Chief Kristopher McCarthy made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Philip C. Cheng of Lelling’s Narcotics and Money Laundering Unit is prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The remaining defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Local, state and federal prosecutors launch Georgia Cyber Fraud Task ForceRead the Press Release
ATLANTA – The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia has joined forces with Metro-Atlanta District Attorneys, the Office of the Attorney General, the FBI Atlanta Field Office, U.S. Secret Service, state, and local law enforcement to combat the criminal movement of cyber fraud proceeds through banks in the Atlanta area by employing Business Email Compromise (BEC) fraud schemes.
“We are grateful for the participation and commitment of our metro District Attorneys to come together in a coordinated effort to address this criminal enterprise,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Kurt Erskine. “The money mules that facilitate the transfer of fraud proceeds make these cyber fraud crimes lucrative. Interrupting that flow of money is an important part of disrupting the criminal enterprise. Working together creates a strong network of prosecutors and law enforcement, across counties, who are addressing the problem through criminal prosecution and community outreach. It is this kind of intelligence and resource sharing that make our law enforcement efforts more effective and our businesses and citizens safer.”
“Those perpetrating BEC scams can target anyone who relies on email for both personal and professional communications,” said Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr. “In fact, in recent years, the FBI reported BEC crimes account for 40 percent of all cybercrime losses. Our Prosecution Division is joining federal, state and local partners to educate Georgia citizens and businesses about the telltale signs and stop the criminals facilitating this crime.”
“As District Attorney I’m committed to protecting the citizens of Clayton County from any and all crimes. The advancements in technology have created new ways to victimize the citizens of the State of Georgia. I look forward to working with the Georgia Cyber Fraud Task Force and the other agency partners,” said Clayton County District Attorney Tasha Mosley.
“Our Office is pleased to join the Georgia Cyber Fraud Task Force in the fight against cyber fraud. Our small businesses and senior citizens have been victimized by cyber fraud crimes at home and abroad. By focusing on individuals who move those stolen funds here in Georgia together we can make a real difference in this fight. Prevention is most important. Anyone who uses email and/or cellular communication is susceptible to cyber fraud. Be suspicious. Verify all such requests with a phone call. Understand that once the money is sent, it's gone,” said Cobb County District Attorney Flynn D. Broady Jr.
“Cyber fraud knows no bounds. By working with our local, state, and federal partners, we can curtail the fraud that harms businesses and individuals- often elder persons-who are unwittingly caught up in these fraudulent schemes. The DeKalb County District Attorney’s Office welcomes the opportunity to join forces with law enforcement agencies across the state and across the country,” said DeKalb County District Attorney Sherry Boston.
"I promised the citizens of Fulton County that I would modernize the efforts of our office to protect our community from criminal enterprises. This opportunity to join with the Acting U.S. Attorney and fellow metro Atlanta District Attorneys to fight BEC fraud schemes is an important part of that process,” said Fulton County District Attorney Fani T. Willis.
“Financial cyber fraud is a crime that our office takes seriously. It is not a victim-less crime and must be prosecuted at every turn! Our District is thankful for the Cyber Fraud Task Force and the opportunity to continue working to curb this type of crime,” said Patsy Austin-Gatson, District Attorney, Gwinnett Judicial Circuit.
“The FBI makes it a top priority to investigate these cyber-crimes that have affected thousands of victims, many of them elderly citizens, small businesses, and people whose entire livelihoods have been wiped out by scammers,” said Chris Hacker, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. “But it takes more than one law enforcement agency. Together with our federal, state, and local partners we are taking on this problem by educating our community and investigating and prosecuting criminals to make it less lucrative to commit these crimes.”
“We are proud to join with our law enforcement partners to collaboratively bring to justice those who prey on our communities,” said Special Agent in Charge Steven Baisel, U.S. Secret Service Atlanta Field Office. “The damage these schemes cause to people is often devastating. Any effort we can make to turn the tide of these crimes is worthwhile.”
“With advancements in technology, now more than ever, Georgians and Georgia businesses are highly susceptible to online fraud. By partnering with the members of this task force, the GBI plans to use the expertise we have in cyber investigations to help combat these fraudulent schemes,” said Vic Reynolds, Director, Georgia Bureau of Investigation.
“I’m confident that the work of the Georgia Cyber Fraud Task Force will change the behavior of criminals and unmask those who hide behind computers and technology to commit such heinous crimes. The collaborative efforts among law enforcement partners will put the pressure on scam artists and make them think twice before committing any type of fraud schemes in the metro Atlanta area,” said Chief Rodney Bryant, Atlanta Police Department.
“Cyber fraud is a daily threat that continues to grow at an alarming rate with Business Email Compromise (BEC) schemes costing individuals and corporations millions of dollars each year. We are excited to be a part of this Cyber Fraud Task Force with dedicated investigators and prosecutors from the local, State, and Federal levels. Gathering the best fraud investigators and prosecutors in one Task Force is the innovative formula needed to combat these sophisticated criminal networks that operate without jurisdictional boundaries,” said Chief Kenneth DeSimone, Sandy Springs Police Department.
“Cyber criminals are not constrained by geographical boundaries when they conduct their fraudulent schemes against our communities. The Smyrna Police Department continually and actively fosters relationships with our local, state, and federal law enforcement partners to actively seek out and apprehend these criminals no matter where they are,” said Chief Robert Harvey, Smyrna Police Department.
Business Email Compromises exploit the fact that so many of us rely on email to conduct business—both personal and professional. In a BEC scam, criminals send an email message that appears to come from a known source making a legitimate request, as in the examples below:
- A vendor a company regularly uses sends an invoice with an updated bank account number.
- A company CEO asks their assistant to purchase dozens of gift cards to send out as employee rewards, and then asks for the serial numbers so they can email them out right away.
A homebuyer receives a message from their title company with instructions on how to wire the down payment.
In scams like these, the unsuspecting victim sends thousands—or even hundreds of thousands—of dollars to the criminal.
Over the last five years, BEC crimes have evolved into the predominant cyber threat businesses face.
In 2020, the FBI IC3 – the primary law enforcement arm to combat BEC crimes – reported 1,303 incidents with $462,967,963.72 in losses and $380,211,432.04 reported frozen by financial partners (yielding a 79 percent success rate of funds frozen).
From global reporting, comprised of multiple law enforcement and financial partners, between 2016 and 2019, businesses have lost at least $26 billion as a result of BEC scams. Based on the most recent FBI IC3 report, losses from BEC attacks grew another 6 percent in 2020—accounting for 45 percent of all cybercrime losses over the course of the year.
Surprisingly, a quarter of all BEC attackers had a home base in the United States. Nearly half of U.S.-based BEC actors were located in five states with clusters of actors around a handful of metro areas, including the metro-Atlanta area.
By making a coordinated and concerted effort to focus on suspects moving fraud proceeds in the metro-Atlanta area, the Cyber Fraud Task Force hopes to disrupt the financial structure that makes BEC fraud schemes so lucrative for criminals. Additionally, the task force aims to partner with community leaders and organizers to educate the public about avoiding these scams.
The Cyber Fraud Task Force is comprised of members from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia, the Office of the Georgia Attorney General, FBI Atlanta, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, the U.S. Secret Service Atlanta Field Office, the Atlanta Police Department, the Sandy Springs Police Department, the Smyrna Police Department, the DeKalb County District Attorney’s Office, the Gwinnett County District Attorney’s Office, the Fulton County District Attorney’s Office, the Clayton County District Attorney’s Office, and the Cobb County District Attorney’s Office.
For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at [email protected] or (404) 581-6016. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.- A vendor a company regularly uses sends an invoice with an updated bank account number.
Leader of cocaine trafficking organization sentenced to two decades in federal prisonRead the Press Release
BRUNSWICK, GA: An Atlanta man born and raised in Savannah who led a drug trafficking organization that transported and distributed cocaine and other drugs into the coastal Georgia area has been sentenced to 20 years in federal prison.
Omar Griffin, 41, of Atlanta, was sentenced to 240 months in federal prison by U.S. District Court Judge Lisa Godbey Wood after pleading guilty to Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute Five Kilograms or More of Cocaine, said David H. Estes, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. After completion of his prison term, Griffin also must serve 10 years of supervised release.
There is no parole in the federal system.
“Omar Griffin was a major importer of cocaine and other drugs into the Savannah area, a wholesaler who delivered illegal drugs for widespread distribution in the coastal area,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Estes. “We commend the tireless investigation and relentless pursuit by the DEA, U.S. Marshals Service and other agencies in Operation Snowplow, who identified, pursued, and captured Griffin and his co-conspirators, shutting down their organization.”
Twelve other defendants in the investigation have been sentenced to prison terms of up to 240 months after all pleading guilty to related charges. Two other defendants are fugitives.
Operation Snowplow was the largest single seizure of cocaine to date by the Chatham-Savannah Counter Narcotics Team (CNT). According to court documents and testimony, Griffin, who has several prior Chatham County convictions for drug trafficking, managed an organization that trafficked more than 35 kilograms of cocaine and other drugs from Texas and California destined for the Savannah area, from as early as February 2014 until his capture in March 2020. Some of the drugs were packaged in children’s toys and DVD players, concealed in cargo vans and truck trailers for shipment to Savannah, and distributed to mid-level dealers operating from several Savannah-area residences.
On March 5, 2018, law enforcement officers intercepted a shipment of 25 kilograms of cocaine that had been driven from Texas to a hotel in Richmond Hill, Ga., concealed inside a cargo trailer. Officers also seized more than $387,000 in cash that had been exchanged for the cocaine. Griffin evaded capture by stealing, and then crashing, a police car.
Following his escape, Griffin fled to Texas where he continued to traffic significant quantities of narcotics. In January 2020, he attempted to transport approximately four kilograms of cocaine in a commercial flight from Texas to Georgia. On March 31, 2020, law enforcement arrested Griffin in Houston and seized nearly seven kilograms of cocaine and more than a kilogram of ecstasy (MDMA) in connection with arrest.
In total in this investigation, investigators seized approximately 35 kilograms of cocaine, more than 30 pounds of marijuana, nearly 2 kilograms of MDMA, approximately $900,000 in cash, nearly two dozen firearms – including semi-automatic rifles – and other narcotics.
“Drug traffickers who distribute illegal and dangerous drugs are a menace to society,” said the Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Field Division Robert J. Murphy. “The cocaine distributor in this case has been removed from the streets and will now serve well-deserved time in prison. The success of this investigation hinged upon the collaborative efforts between all law enforcement agencies involved. The citizens of the Savannah area can rest better at night knowing that this criminal is headed to federal prison.”
Two defendants indicted in the conspiracy are still being sought: Kia Hickman, 49, of Savannah, and Jamaal Singleton, 42, of Savannah. Individuals with information on their whereabouts can anonymously contact the Chatham-Savannah Counter Narcotics Team (CNT) at 912-652-3900, or Savannah Crime Stoppers at 912-234-2020.
The case was investigated as 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, and conducted by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the U.S. Marshals Service, the Chatham-Savannah Counter Narcotics Team, Savannah Police Department, Chatham County Police Department, and the Chatham County Sheriff’s Office K9 Unit and the Chatham County Aviation Unit, and prosecuted for the United States by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Georgia.
Jacksonville Felon Sentenced to More Than Eight Years in Prison for Firearms PossessionRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – U.S. District Judge Marcia Morales Howard has sentenced Tyrone Lee Jones (33, Jacksonville) to eight years and four months in federal prison for possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. Jones had pleaded guilty on March 4, 2020.
According to court documents, in July 2019, a confidential source (“CS”) working for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives met with Jones at a residence where Jones showed the CS a cooler bag containing at least five firearms with an additional firearm tucked underneath the bag. The CS left the residence and returned later the same day to purchase one of the firearms from Jones. An associate of Jones handed the CS a .357 caliber revolver and an ounce of cocaine. That evening, the CS met with Jones at a hotel in Jacksonville to discuss payment for the revolver. During this meeting, Jones displayed a Glock-style pistol on a table next to him.
In September 2019, Jones was arrested at the same Jacksonville hotel by the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office. At the time, Jones was the only occupant of a hotel room where a lockbox containing three firearms, one of which was a stolen Glock pistol; drugs; and more than $10,000 in cash was recovered. The key to the lockbox was attached to Jones’s shorts.
Prior to these events, Jones had been convicted of three felonies, including sale or delivery of cocaine, and was therefore prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition under federal law.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Laura Cofer Taylor.
Jacksonville Armed Drug Dealer Sentenced to Ten Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – U.S. District Judge Timothy J. Corrigan has sentenced Levi Ta’shae Goodman (33, Jacksonville) to 10 years in federal prison for selling drugs and possessing a firearm in furtherance of his drug trafficking. Goodman had pleaded guilty on September 22, 2020.
According to court documents, Goodman sold drugs and guns to undercover detectives with the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office (“JSO”) on multiple occasions during 2019. In May 2019, Goodman sold methamphetamine. On July 10, 2019, Goodman sold heroin and crack cocaine and stated that he had shot someone two weeks earlier. Two days later, Goodman sold a 9mm pistol and heroin and, the following day, he sold crack cocaine and fentanyl. On July 19, 2019, Goodman sold a loaded .38 caliber revolver, fentanyl, and crack cocaine to JSO detectives. On July 23, 2019, Goodman, who was armed with a Glock pistol, sold methamphetamine to the detectives. Later that month, he sold detectives crack cocaine and while armed with a Glock pistol, Goodman sold methamphetamine and fentanyl, and remarked that he was a known “gun-toter, gun slinger.” On August 1, 2019, Goodman sold a 9mm pistol and an AK-47 style rifle, as well as a mixture of heroin and fentanyl to JSO detectives. The next day, he was arrested while in possession of his Glock pistol.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Laura Cofer Taylor.
Inmate Sentenced to 20 Years’ Imprisonment for AssaultRead the Press Release
SCRANTON - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that on February 19, 2021, Corey Treadwell, age 49, previously of Los Angeles, California, was sentenced to 240 months’ imprisonment by U.S. District Court Judge Robert D. Mariani, for assault with intent to commit murder.
According to Acting United States Attorney Bruce D. Brandler, in November 2015, while Treadwell was an inmate at the United States Penitentiary Lewisburg, Lewisburg, Pennsylvania, Treadwell repeatedly stabbed his cellmate causing serious injury to that individual. The victim was treated and recovered from his wounds.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Bureau of Prisons. Assistant U.S. Attorney Geoffrey W. MacArthur prosecuted the case.
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Indictment Charges 8 Gang Members with Drug Trafficking, Multiple Attempted MurdersRead the Press Release
As part of an ongoing investigation into gang-related drug trafficking and related violence in Bridgeport, a federal grand jury in New Haven has returned a superseding indictment charging eight Bridgeport gang members with conspiring to engage in a pattern of racketeering activity, including drug trafficking and multiple attempted murders.
Today’s announcement was made by John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut; Joseph T. Corradino, State’s Attorney for the Fairfield Judicial District; Bridgeport Acting Police Chief Rebeca Garcia; David Sundberg, Special Agent in Charge of the New Haven Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation; Kelly D. Brady, Special Agent in Charge, ATF Boston Field Division; and Brian D. Boyle, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration for New England.
The eight-count superseding indictment, which was returned on February 16 and unsealed today, charges
MARQUIS ISREAL, a.k.a. “Garf,” 24
ASANTE GAINES, a.k.a. “Santi,” 24
DESTINE CALDERON, 26
DIOMIE BLACKWELL, a.k.a. “Yamo,” 24
LAHEEM JONES, a.k.a. “Heemie,” 25
TYIESE WARREN, a.k.a. “Loose Screw,” 20
JACQUON BENEJAN, a.k.a. “Blick,” 19
UNDREA KIRKLAND, a.k.a. “Spooda,” 24Benejan was arrested on February 19. He appeared today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Sarah A.L. Merriam via videoconference and was ordered detained. The other defendants were previously charged with federal offenses and are detained pending trial.
As alleged in court documents and statements made in court, in an effort to address escalating violence in Bridgeport, the FBI, ATF, DEA, U.S. Marshals, and Bridgeport Police are actively investigating multiple Bridgeport-based groups whose members are involved in narcotics trafficking, murder and other acts of violence. Gaines, Calderon, Blackwell, Jones, Benejan and Kirkland are members of the “Greene Homes Boyz,” (“GHB/Hotz”), based in the Charles F. Greene Homes Housing Complex in Bridgeport’s North End. Isreal and Warren are members of the “Original North End” (“O.N.E.”), a Bridgeport gang whose members have been allies with GHB/Hotz members since approximately 2017. GHB/Hotz and O.N.E. have been aligned against rival groups in Bridgeport, including the East End, East Side and PT Barnum gangs, as well as 150, which is a is a geographic gang based on the West Side of Bridgeport
The indictment alleges that GHB/Hotz members and associates distributed heroin, crack cocaine, marijuana and Percocet pills; committed numerous acts of violence against rival gang members and other individuals, and celebrated their criminal conduct on social media websites such as Facebook and YouTube. GHB/Hotz members and associates also committed acts of intimidation and made threats to deter potential witnesses to their crimes and to protect gang members and associates from detection and prosecution by law enforcement authorities.
Among the violent acts committed by the defendants, the indictment alleges that:
- On May 22, 2015, Kirkland shot and attempted to kill “KJ,” a member or associate of the 150 gang;
- On February 7, 2018, Benejan and Blackwell shot and attempted to kill “MJ,” a member or associate of the 150 gang;
- On February 27, 2018, Kirkland shot and attempted to kill “TH,” a member or associate of the East End gang;
- On October 4, 2018, Kirkland and Benejan shot and attempted to kill “MS,” a member or associate of the East End gang;
- January 27, 2020, Gaines, Calderon, Blackwell, Jones, Isreal and Warren shot and attempted to kill members and associates of the East End gang.
As to the January 27, 2020, shooting, at 12:11 p.m. on that date, Bridgeport Police responded to the area of 172 Golden Hill Street in Bridgeport after a Shot Spotter activation detected approximately 20 shots being fired in front of the state courthouse located there. Upon arrival, investigators discovered that four victims had been shot while sitting inside a black Chevrolet Impala. The victims’ vehicle had approximately 23 entry bullet holes in the driver’s side and windshield area.
The indictment charges Gaines, Calderon, Blackwell, Jones, Benejan and Kirkland with one count of conspiracy to engage in a pattern of racketeering activity, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years.
In addition, Gaines, Calderon, Blackwell, Jones, Isreal and Warren are charged with one count of assault with a dangerous weapon, attempted murder/aiding and abetting in assault with a dangerous weapon, and attempted murder, all in violation of the Violent Crimes in Aid of Racketeering (“VCAR”) statute. The assault offense carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years and the attempted offenses carry a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years. The six defendants are also charged with conspiracy to commit murder/conspiracy to commit assault with a dangerous weapon. The conspiracy to commit murder offense carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years and the conspiracy to commit assault offense carries a maximum term of imprisonment of three years.
The indictment also charges Isreal with one count of using and discharging a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence, an offense that carries a mandatory consecutive sentence of at least 10 years. He is also charged with one count of possession with intent to distribute heroin, cocaine base (“crack”) and fentanyl, and one count of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl. Each of the drug offenses carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years.
Finally, the indictment charges Benejan with one count of possession with intent to distribute cocaine base, which carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years, and one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, which carries a mandatory consecutive sentence of at least five years.
U.S. Attorney Durham noted that, in the past year, 22 members of the GHB/Hotz, O.N.E. and East End gangs have been charged with federal offenses as a result of this ongoing investigation.
U.S. Attorney Durham stressed that an indictment is not evidence of guilt. Charges are only allegations, and each defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This ongoing investigation is being conducted by the FBI’s Safe Streets and Violent Crimes Task Forces, ATF, DEA, U.S. Marshals Service, Bridgeport Police Department, Connecticut State Police and the Bridgeport State’s Attorney’s Office, with the assistance of the Connecticut Forensic Science Laboratory and the Waterbury Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Rahul Kale, Jocelyn Courtney Kaoutzanis, Peter D. Markle and Karen L. Peck.
This prosecution is a part of the Justice’s Department’s Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), Project Longevity and Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) programs.
PSN is a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make neighborhoods safer for everyone. Project Longevity is a comprehensive initiative to reduce gun violence in Connecticut’s major cities. Through Project Longevity, community members and law enforcement directly engage with members of groups that are prone to commit violence and deliver a community message against violence, a law enforcement message about the consequences of further violence and an offer of help for those who want it. OCDETF identifies, disrupts and dismantles drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs and transnational criminal organizations through a prosecutor-led and intelligence-driven approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
Ghanian Fraudster Sentenced to Nine Years in Federal Prison for a $1.4 Million Bank and Wire Fraud Conspiracy and a Conspiracy to Transport Stolen Vehicles to AfricaRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – U.S. District Judge George L. Russell, III sentenced Issah Mohammed, a/k/a Yissa and Ali, age 33, a citizen of Ghana previously residing in Laurel, Maryland, to nine years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, for conspiracy to commit bank and wire fraud in connection with a fraud scheme in which Mohammed and his co-conspirators impersonated individual victims to remove funds from the victims’ investment accounts and for conspiracy to transport stolen motor vehicles to Africa. Judge Russell also ordered Mohammed to pay $697,982.30 restitution. The sentence was imposed on February 19, 2021.
Mohammed was a fugitive after he cut off his ankle monitor on February 21, 2018, and absconded, assuming the identity of another person. On January 4, 2021, Mohammed was arrested in Sacramento, California driving a black Porsche SUV.
The sentence was announced by Acting United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Jonathan F. Lenzner; Special Agent in Charge James R. Mancuso of Homeland Security Investigations - Baltimore; Acting Director Keith Fleming of the U.S. Customs and Border Protection Baltimore Field Office; Chief Melissa R. Hyatt of the Baltimore County Police Department; and Interim Chief Hector Velez of the Prince George’s County Police Department.
According to his plea agreement, from at least January 31, 2013, through May 12, 2014, Mohammed was part of a conspiracy that acquired stolen vehicles, some of which were stolen from other states and transported to Maryland, and then shipped the stolen vehicles to Africa for sale. Members of the conspiracy in the United States would hire others to steal vehicles – with the keys – so that the vehicles could be more easily sold. Mohammed and other members of the conspiracy: purchased the stolen vehicles from the thieves or an intermediary; arranged to store the vehicles at parking lots and other locations, known as “cooling spots”; loaded the vehicles into a shipping container; and transported the containers to a port, including the Port of Baltimore, for export to destinations including Lagos, Nigeria and Accra, Ghana.
In order to ship vehicles overseas, shipping companies are required to have valid titles for the vehicles. As part of the scheme, Mohammed and other members of conspiracy used fraudulent title information in an effort to conceal the fact that the cars they sought to ship had been stolen. Mohammed and other conspirators acquired false Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) and replaced the true VINs on the stolen vehicles, and they also registered businesses with the state of Maryland, and then used these businesses to create registration paperwork for the vehicles, including false bills of sale utilizing the false VINs. In that manner, the conspirators were able to acquire or forge title(s), registration(s), and proof(s) of insurance for the vehicles to fill out the necessary paperwork so they could ship the cars overseas. The loss for the cars, both recovered and not recovered, was over $200,000.
As detailed in his plea agreement and other court documents, from March through November 2014, Mohammed, co-defendant Mohammed Kwaning, and other conspirators participated in a bank and wire fraud scheme in which they acquired account information of individual victims, including from investment account management firms and impersonated the victims to steal money from their accounts.
Issah Mohammed recruited individuals, including Mark Dennis, Charles Mensah, and others, who registered corporate shell entities with the state of Maryland. The recruits set up bank accounts at multiple banking institutions in the names of these shell entities. Kwaning then either directed that the funds from the compromised accounts be wired into the bank accounts opened in the names of the shell entities or provided altered or fabricated checks from the compromised accounts to Issah Mohammed. Mohammed then provided the checks to Mark Dennis, Charles Mensah, and the other recruits to be deposited into the shell entities’ bank accounts. Mohammed and the recruits then withdrew or transferred the funds from the business accounts they maintained to receive the victims’ funds to other accounts the conspirators controlled before the bank discovered that the funds were from compromised accounts.
Some of the victim accounts were compromised by individuals who called investment firms pretending to be the actual account holders and were able to reset the password for the investment accounts. Individuals also hacked the e-mails of victims and, posing as the account holders, requested funds be wired from their retirement accounts to the bank accounts of the shell corporations controlled by the conspirators. The attempted loss during the nine months of the scheme was over $1.3 million, and the conspirators were able to withdraw over $229,000 of the stolen funds, which they then split amongst themselves.
Mohammed “Kofi” Kwaning, age 40, of Laurel, Maryland, Mark Dennis, age 33, also of Laurel, Maryland, and Charles Mensah, age 35, of the Bronx, New York, were all convicted at trial and sentenced to 121 months, 27 months and 30 months in federal prison, respectively, each followed by five years of supervised release.
Acting United States Attorney Jonathan F. Lenzner commended HSI Baltimore, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, and the Baltimore County and Prince George’s County Police Departments for their work in the investigation. Mr. Lenzner thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Judson T. Mihok and Paul E. Budlow, who prosecuted this case.
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Georgia Woman Sentenced to 22 Years in Federal Prison for Organizing Numerous Shipments of Methamphetamine and Heroin from Mexico to the Port of TampaRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Steven D. Merryday today sentenced Yolanda Herrera (43, Rex, GA) to 22 years in federal prison for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and heroin, and attempted possession with the intent to distribute methamphetamine and heroin.
Herrera had pleaded guilty on June 4, 2020.
According to court documents, between October 24, 2018, and March 18, 2019, Herrera organized and coordinated the shipment of numerous containers of methamphetamine and heroin aboard the cargo ship Leticia, which repeatedly traveled from Altamira, Mexico, to the Port of Tampa.
On or about March 11, 2019, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agents at the Port of Tampa inspected a container onboard the Leticia that, according to the ship’s manifest, contained stone blocks, typically used for the building of stone fountains. Agents from Homeland Security Investigations (“HSI”) imaged the blocks and observed that several of them contained anomalies. After breaching the blocks, the agents uncovered 14 large packages that had been shrink-wrapped with black carbon paper, which contained more than 50 kilograms of methamphetamine and 3 kilograms of heroin.
On March 15, 2019, HSI agents observed the blocks being loaded into a yellow rental truck. They then followed the truck as it exited the Port of Tampa and continued to Atlanta, Georgia. On March 16, 2019, at approximately 10:00 a.m., agents arrested two Mexican nationals, Nestor Vazquez-Morales and Adan Martinez-Onofre, as they attempted to offload the truck outside a residential home.
Agents searched Vazquez-Morales’s residence in Georgia and seized approximately two kilograms of heroin, three firearms (including a rifle), $12,725 in U.S. currency, and one stone block that was identical to the blocks discovered in the Port of Tampa. Next to the stone block, agents found some clear plastic wrapping that contained a square white sticker with black letters displaying the message “Hecho en Mexico” (Made in Mexico). This same sticker was also found on the narcotics from March 11, 2019.
Cellphones obtained from the individuals showed that Herrera, who flew from Tampa to Atlanta after the shipment arrived in Tampa, was actively planning and coordinating the pickup of the narcotics from the port to their eventual destination.
Between October 2018 and March 2019, Herrera rented six other trucks. During that time, Herrera’s co-conspirators completed seven shipments on the Leticia, all of which departed from Mexico, arrived in Tampa, and were identified as stone fountains in the cargo manifest. GPS data obtained from the rental trucks show that the trucks were all rented in Tampa, and dropped off in Atlanta, with stops at the same Atlanta residence.
On September 18, 2019, Herrera was arrested in Atlanta. During an interview with law enforcement, she admitted that she had been hired and paid to coordinate, supervise, and organize the transportation of narcotics sent from Mexico to Tampa, and deliver them to Georgia. Federal agents searched Herrera’s home and found a stone block in her backyard. That stone block contained the same “Hecho en Mexico” sticker as the stone blocks shipped on the Leticia.
In July 2020, Nestor Vazquez-Morales and Adan Martinez-Onofre were sentenced to federal prison terms of 15 years and 8 months and 5 years and 10 months, respectively, for their roles in this case.
“Narcotics trafficking poses a deadly threat, bringing in dangerous and addictive drugs and related criminal activity to our communities,” said HSI Tampa acting Special Agent in Charge Kevin Sibley. “Our HSI special agents are deeply committed to working with our law enforcement partners to disrupt and dismantle drug trafficking efforts in our communities.”
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Diego F. Novaes.
Georgia Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Drug and Firearm ChargesRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – United States Attorney Mike Stuart announced that Brandon Quane Hudson, 36, of Macon, Georgia, pled guilty to possession with intent to distribute cocaine base and methamphetamine and being a felon in possession of a firearm.
“Hudson had four previous felony convictions when he was caught with meth, crack, and a gun in Huntington,” said United States Attorney Mike Stuart. “I commend law enforcement for their work to hold this repeat offender accountable.”
Hudson admitted that on August 20, 2019, members of the Huntington Violent Crime Drug Task Force executed a search warrant at his residence in Huntington. Officers located approximately 17.41 grams of crack cocaine and 4 grams of methamphetamine. Hudson admitted that he intended to distribute the methamphetamine and crack cocaine for money. Officers also located a Ruger EC9s, 9mm pistol and 8 rounds of 9mm ammunition, which Hudson admitted were in his possession. Hudson also admitted that he knew he was a convicted felon and that he was prohibited from possessing a firearm. Hudson has three previous felony convictions in Georgia as well as a prior felony conviction in Cabell County Circuit Court.
Hudson faces up to 20 years in prison when sentenced on May 24, 2021.
The Huntington Police Department, the Huntington Violent Crime Drug Task Force and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) conducted the investigation. United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Courtney L. Cremeans is handling the prosecution.
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Georgetown Man Sentenced to More than 28 Years in Prison for Child Sex CrimesRead the Press Release
URBANA, Ill. – Ian J. Dukes, 38, of Georgetown, Ill., was sentenced today to 342 months (28 ½ years) for his role in child sex crimes involving two minors. Chief U.S. District Judge Sara L. Darrow imposed the sentence which also includes 15 years of supervised release to follow his prison term.
On Aug. 14, 2020, Dukes pled guilty to all counts as charged: attempted enticement of a minor, under age 18, to engage in sexual activity in July 2019; attempted sexual exploitation of the same minor; enticement of a second minor; sex trafficking of children; and, receiving child pornography of a second minor.
A co-defendant, Julie P. Snyder, 43, of the 400 block of W. University Ave., Urbana, Ill., was also charged, with Dukes, for attempted enticement of a minor. On Nov. 12, 2020, Snyder pled guilty to the charge and is scheduled to be sentenced on April 28, 2021.
Both Dukes and Snyder have remained in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service since their arrests on the charges: Dukes on Feb. 11, 2020, and Snyder on March 6, 2020.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Elly M. Peirson represents the government in the prosecution. The charges are the result of investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Springfield Division; the Illinois State Police, and the Urbana Police Department, in coordination with the Illinois Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force.
This case is prosecuted as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide Department of Justice initiative to combat child sexual exploitation and abuse. Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
Fraudster Sentenced to Five Years in Prison for $2 Million Ponzi SchemeRead the Press Release
A Honduran man who conned investors out of roughly $2 million has been sentenced to five years in federal prison, announced Acting U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Prerak Shah.
Jose Anibal Linares, 42, pleaded guilty to one count of mail fraud in October 2020. He was sentenced today to 60 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge David C. Godbey, who also ordered him to pay more than $2.3 million in restitution. A Honduran citizen in the U.S. formerly on Temporary Protected Status, Mr. Linares may be subject to removal from the U.S. after serving his sentence.
According to plea papers, Mr. Linares admitted to running a Ponzi-type scheme, luring investors into handing over “principal” that he later deposited in bank accounts at Wells Fargo, Bank of America, and Legacy Texas, then paying them “interest” from other investors’ principal payments.
Mr. Linares, who operated JC Loans Finance and Inversiones JC Dallas, admitted he falsely told investors their funds were “insured by the FDIC” and promised monthly returns based on investments in commercial and residential real estate, including a water resort and shopping centers in Honduras. He then mailed investors letters thanking them for joining the JC “family.”
Instead of investing their money, however, Mr. Linares admits he spent substantial amounts of investor funds on personal expenditures, and even wired some of the money to family members in Honduras.
In the meantime, he made lulling payments to investors by withdrawing large sums from his Bank of America and Wells Fargo accounts, generally using funds that had been deposited immediately beforehand from other investors. On some occasions, he even took investors’ cash payments from one set of investors in his office, then turned the cash over to other investors waiting in his lobby for their monthly disbursements.
By summer 2017, Mr. Linares admits, he had ceased all monthly payments and did not return investors’ principal investments.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Dallas Field Office conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Katherine Miller is prosecuting the case.
Fort Thompson Man Charged with Involuntary ManslaughterRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced that a Fort Thompson, South Dakota, man has been indicted by a federal grand jury for Involuntary Manslaughter.
Patrick Dion, age 54, was indicted on February 8, 2021. He appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Mark A. Moreno on February 18, 2021, and pled not guilty to the Indictment.
The maximum penalty upon conviction is up to eight 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 January 14, 2021, in Fort Thompson, Dion unlawfully killed another human being by operating a vehicle in a grossly negligent manner.
The charge is merely an accusation and Dion is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
The investigation is being conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Bureau of Indian Affairs, Crow Creek Agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Troy R. Morley is prosecuting the case.
Dion was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending trial. A trial date has not been set.
Fort Thompson Man Charged with Assaulting a Federal OfficerRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced that a Fort Thompson, South Dakota, man has been indicted by a federal grand jury for Assaulting, Resisting, Opposing, and Impeding a Federal Officer.
Warren Dion, age 22, was indicted on November 10, 2020. He appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Mark A. Moreno on February 18, 2021, and pled not guilty to the Indictment.
The maximum penalty upon conviction is up to 20 years in federal prison and/or a $250,000 fine, three years of supervised release, and $100 to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Restitution may also be ordered.
The Indictment alleges that on October 18, 2020, in Fort Thompson, Dion forcefully resisted a federal officer, who was engaged in the performance of his official duties, in a manner that involved physical contact. The indictment further alleges that the officer suffered bodily injury as a result of the incident.
The charge is merely an accusation and Dion is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
The investigation is being conducted by the Bureau of Indian Affairs, Crow Creek Agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Troy R. Morley is prosecuting the case.
Dion was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending trial. A trial has been set for March 9, 2021.
Former Vice President of Construction Management Company Sentenced for Corporate Accounting Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
RICHMOND, Va. – A former corporate executive of a construction management company was sentenced today to 27 months in prison for his role in a corporate accounting scheme that concealed millions of dollars in debt owed by the company.
“Over a five-year period, Patrick Lindsey served an integral role in a large-scale corporate accounting fraud scheme designed to conceal the fact that MGT Construction was more than $20 million in debt,” said Raj Parekh, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. “That deceit not only maintained the defendant’s job and padded his annual compensation package, but it also proved devastating to the individuals who worked on MGT Construction projects and were left holding the bag after the fraud scheme was uncovered and the company subsequently collapsed. This Office is committed to working with our law enforcement partners to combat corporate malfeasance and hold accountable executives who manipulate others for personal gain.”
According to court documents, Patrick Lindsey, 43, of Midlothian, was the Vice President of Preconstruction Services at MGT Construction, a Richmond-based construction company offering preconstruction planning and construction management services. From 2011 through November 2016, MGT Construction engaged in a fraudulent accounting scheme that sought to conceal MGT’s true financial position through job-cost manipulations within the company’s accounting software system.
Lindsey had primary day-to-day management of the accounting scheme, which involved the regular movement of job-cost invoices from nearly finished projects to more recent construction projects. This cost-shifting falsely inflated profit margins and concealed losses, which generated a wholly inaccurate picture of MGT’s profitability. MGT and its parent company submitted the products of these fraudulent accounting manipulations as part of MGT’s application packages to banks and insurance companies for lines of credit and bonding coverage.
During the conspiracy, Lindsey moved or deleted thousands of job cost invoices, concealing the fact that, by the time the scheme was uncovered in November 2016, MGT Construction was over $20 million in debt. When the accounting fraud was exposed, MGT Construction owed millions of dollars in outstanding invoices that it could not pay to dozens of contractors, subcontractors, and vendors who had provided their services or products to MGT Construction. As a result, MGT filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy in early 2018.
Raj Parekh, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Christopher R. Derrickson, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Richmond Field Office; Kelly R. Jackson, Special Agent in Charge, Washington, D.C. Field Office, IRS-Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI); and Peter R. Rendina, Inspector in Charge of the Washington Division of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge M. Hannah Lauck.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas A. Garnett 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. 3:20-cr-22.
Former Owner of Aquarium Business Sentenced to Prison for Illicit Trafficking of Protected Reef CreaturesRead the Press Release
The Justice Department announced today that a Puerto Rico man was sentenced to a year and a day in federal prison for felony violations of the Lacey Act that involved the trafficking and false labeling of protected reef creatures as part of an effort to subvert Puerto Rican laws designed to protect coral reef organisms.
In 2013 through 2016, Aristides Sanchez, of Arecibo, was the owner of the Arecibo-based saltwater aquarium business, Wonders of the Reef Aquarium. A large part of the business was devoted to the sale of native Puerto Rican marine species that are popular in the saltwater aquarium trade.
Sanchez sent live specimens to customers in the mainland United States and foreign countries by commercial courier services. One of the most popular items that Sanchez sent off-island was a coral-like organism from the genus Ricordea. These animals are known as “rics,” “polyps,” or “mushrooms” in the aquarium industry. Members of the genus form part of the reef structure and spend their adult lives fastened in place to the reef. These animals are colorful in natural light, but what makes them particularly interesting to aquarium owners is that they “glow” under the UV lights that are typically used in high-end saltwater aquariums.
It is illegal to harvest Ricordea, zoanthids, and anemones in Puerto Rico if the specimens are going to be sent off-island or otherwise sold commercially, nor is there a permit available to do so. Sanchez personally collected some of the Ricordea and other reef creatures that he sold off-island. Because Ricordea are attached to the reef substrate, Sanchez would utilize a hammer and chisel to break off the animals, and in doing so, take chunks of the reef with him. At other times, Sanchez would purchase the Ricordea from other sources, knowing or suspecting that the specimens had been harvested illegally.
In order to cover up the nature of his shipments and to avoid detection from governmental inspection authorities, Sanchez would falsely label each shipment. Sanchez would refer to living marine organisms as “pet supplies,” “aquarium supplies,” “LED lights,” or similar inanimate objects on shipping labels and invoices. At times, he used a fake name to cover his actions.
From January 2013 to March 2016, Sanchez sent or caused to be sent at least 130 shipments of falsely labeled marine species that were illegally harvested in the waters of Puerto Rico. While there is some variation in the price of Ricordea depending on coloration, size, and other factors, the retail value of Ricordea shipped by Sanchez typically ranges from $25 to $50 per item. From on or about Jan. 7, 2013, through on or about March 16, 2016, the retail value of the falsely labeled and/or unlawfully harvested marine invertebrates shipped personally by Sanchez or on his behalf with his knowledge, was at least $800,000.
In addition to the prison time, Sanchez was sentenced to a supervised release term of two years and 120 hours of community service. The court also banned Sanchez from collecting or procuring marine life, shipping marine life off-island and scuba diving and snorkeling in Puerto Rico.
To view pictures of the seized coral, click here: /media/911501/dl?inline.
This case was investigated as part of Operation Rock Bottom and Operation Borinquen Chisel by Special Agents of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration with support from the USFWS Inspectors. The case is being prosecuted by Christopher L. Hale of the Justice Department’s Environmental Crimes Section along with Assistant U.S. Attorney Carmen Marquez of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Puerto Rico.
Former Bossier Parish Community College Comptroller Sentenced for Stealing More Than $280,000Read the Press Release
SHREVEPORT, La. - Carol Bates, the former comptroller for Bossier Parish Community College (BPCC), was sentenced today for conspiracy to commit wire fraud, announced Acting United States Attorney Alexander C. Van Hook. Chief U.S. District Judge S. Maurice Hicks, Jr. sentenced Bates, 50, of Shreveport, Louisiana, to 60 months (5 years) in prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release. Bates was also ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $286,987.08.
Bates and her co-defendants, Faith Alexander, Marquise Perry, and Audrey Williams, all of Shreveport, were indicted on September 25, 2019 and charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud and wire fraud.
Bates pleaded guilty on July 20, 2020 and at the hearing admitted that from 2013 to 2016, she used her position as comptroller of BPCC to access an internal BPCC computer database and make entries falsely showing individuals were due refunds by the school. These individuals were not qualified to receive the funds, and, in most cases, they were not even attending BPCC during the semesters they received the money. As a part of the scheme, Bates and her sister, Audrey Williams, recruited Faith Alexander and Marquise Perry, along with seven other individuals to receive fraudulent refunds from BPCC. Once the individual received the funds, they were instructed to deliver between one-half and two-thirds of the money to Carol Bates or her sister, Audrey Williams.
In total, Bates caused 45 fraudulent refunds totaling $286,987.08 to be issued to nine individuals. Alexander received eight refunds totaling $45,482.65 from 2014 through 2016. Perry received seven refunds totaling $49,524.65 from 2015 through 2016. The remaining 30 refunds were issued to seven other individuals who, after receiving the money, transferred two-thirds or half of it to Bates.
Acting United States Attorney Alexander C. Van Hook stated: “Those who work in places of trust in business such as the comptroller position held by this defendant, are held to a higher standard of accountability. This defendant failed in that regard and instead selfishly stole hundreds of thousands of dollars for her own personal gain. Our office will be vigilant in continuing to investigate this, and any other type of fraud, in the Western District of Louisiana.”
“Abuse of high trust is among the worst things a public employee can do,” stated Louisiana Inspector General Stephen Street. “Ms. Bates engaged in a deliberate and complex scheme to steal hundreds of thousands of taxpayer dollars from an institution of higher learning, with no regard for the significant harm it would cause. The substantial prison sentence imposed by the court today is entirely proper, and will hopefully send the message to anyone else who might consider stealing from the public – we have zero tolerance for it and will do everything we can to send you to jail.”
“I want to thank Acting U.S. Attorney Alexander Van Hook and his staff for an excellent job on the case, as well as our partners at the U.S. Department of Education Inspector General.”
Marquise Perry, 36, pleaded guilty on December 9, 2019 and was sentenced on December 11, 2020 to 5 years of supervised probation. Perry was also ordered to pay $49,524.65 in restitution.
The sentencing hearing for Faith Alexander is scheduled for March 22, 2021 at 10:00. The sentencing hearing for Audrey Williams has not yet been set.
The U.S. Department of Education, Office of Inspector General, and the Louisiana Office of State Inspector General, conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Seth D. Reeg prosecuted the case.
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Former Bearcreek Township Trustee Entered A Plea of GuiltyRead the Press Release
FORT WAYNE – On January 21, 2021, the U.S. Attorney’s Office charged Katina Miller, the former Trustee of the Bearcreek Township Trustee’s Office located in Bryant, Indiana, with two counts of wire fraud, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Gary T. Bell.
On February 2, 2021, Miller pled guilty to one count of wire fraud and admitted devising a scheme to divert money for her benefit. On February 19, 2021 United States District Court Judge Holly A. Brady accepted the guilty plea. According to documents filed in the case, from January 2015 through on December 31, 2018, Miller embezzled $86,755.39 by using township bank accounts to pay personal expenses through debit cards, ATM withdrawals or checks made payable to herself.
Any specific sentence to be imposed will be determined by the Judge after a consideration of federal statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
This case is a result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Stacey Speith.
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Federal Indictment Charges Charlotte Man for Defrauding COVID-19 Government Benefits ProgramsRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – A federal grand jury sitting in Charlotte has indicted Rashawn Prioleau, 35, of Charlotte, on multiple financial institution fraud and aggravated identity theft charges, for stealing more than $60,000 from government-funded COVID-19 benefit programs, announced Andrew Murray, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina.
Tommy D. Coke, Inspector in Charge of the Atlanta Division of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, which oversees Charlotte, joins U.S. Attorney Murray in making today’s announcement.
According to allegations in the criminal bill of indictment, Prioleau engaged in a scheme to defraud the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL), the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) and other North and South Carolina state agencies by filing fraudulent claims for COVID-19 related unemployment insurance (UI) benefits using stolen information of identity theft victims. The indictment further alleges that Prioleau also fraudulently applied for two Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL) based on false information.
As alleged in the indictment, from at least April 2020 to September 2020, Prioleau obtained the personal identifying information (PII) of at least seven identity theft victims, including names, Social Security Numbers, dates of birth, and addresses, and used it to file for fraudulent UI benefits in North and South Carolina. Prioleau allegedly directed the payments of the UI benefits be made to debit cards or bank accounts under his control. As alleged in the indictment, in July 2020, Prioleau also applied with the SBA for two EIDLs, using fraudulent business information. Over the course of the scheme, Prioleau allegedly obtained approximately $60,397 in government-funded COVID-19 benefits.
Prioleau is charged with nine counts of bank fraud, which carry a maximum prison term of 30 years and a $1,000,000 fine per count; two counts of making a false statement to the SBA, which carry a maximum term of 30 years in prison and a $1,000,000 fine per count; and two counts of aggravated identity theft, which carry a minimum prison term of two years per count, consecutive to any other prison term imposed, and a $250,000 fine. Prioleau had his initial court appearance today before U.S. Magistrate Judge David C. Keesler.
The charges in the indictment are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond reasonable doubt in a court of law.
In making today’s announcement U.S. Attorney Murray thanked the U.S. Postal Inspection Service for their investigation which led to the charges.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Graham Billings, of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte is prosecuting the case.
The Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act is a federal law enacted March 29, 2020, designed to provide emergency financial assistance, including expanded UI benefits, to millions of Americans suffering the economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) sponsored by the United States Small Business Administration (SBA) was expanded under the CARES Act, and it is designed to provide support for small businesses to remedy economic harm caused by the COVID-19 outbreak.
The Department of Justice and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of North Carolina remain vigilant in detecting, investigating, and prosecuting wrongdoing related to the COVID-19 pandemic. If you think you are a victim of coronavirus fraud or have information pertaining to fraud involving COVID-19, contact the National Center for Disaster Fraud Hotline at 866-720-5721 or submit a complaint online using the NCDF Web Complaint Form. Members of the public in the Western District of North Carolina are also encouraged to call 704-344-6222 to reach their local Coronavirus Fraud Coordinator.
Drug Trafficker Is Sentenced to More Than Seven Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Today, U.S. District Judge Frank D. Whitney sentenced Jose Flores Romero, 29, of Mexico, to 87 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release on drug trafficking charges, announced Andrew Murray, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina.
According to filed court documents and today’s sentencing hearing, on February 21, 2020, law enforcement in Kansas seized 25 kilograms of cocaine from two individuals operating as drug couriers, who were traveling from California to Charlotte. According to court records, the couriers informed law enforcement that they had made multiple drug deliveries from California to Charlotte. Over the course of the investigation, law enforcement identified Romero as one of the intended recipients of the seized cocaine in Charlotte, and determined that Romero was involved in numerous previous drug deliveries, including a drug delivery worth over $800,000. On July 23, 2020, Romero pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine, and attempt to possess with intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine.
Romero is currently in federal custody. Upon designation of a federal facility he will be transferred to the custody of the federal Bureau of Prisons. The defendant will also be subject to deportation proceedings upon the completion of his federal sentence.
In making today’s announcement U.S. Attorney Murray thanked the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and the Kansas Highway Patrol for their investigation of this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Taylor G. Stout, of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte, prosecuted the case.
This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
Detroit Man Sentenced to Prison for Federal Drug CrimeRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – United States Attorney Mike Stuart announced today that Quandale Turk, also known as “Q”, 43, of Detroit, Michigan, was sentenced to 16 months in prison for his conviction on federal drug charges. Turk previously pled guilty to an indictment charging him with two counts of aiding and abetting the distribution of heroin.
“Throughout my tenure as U.S. Attorney, my team has worked in close partnership with law enforcement to get poison peddlers off the streets of Huntington,” said United States Attorney Mike Stuart. “Without question, we have made a difference.”
Turk admitted that on February 16, 2017 and May 1, 2017, he directed Dahran Montgomery to distribute heroin to a confidential informant in Huntington.
The Huntington Police Department conducted the investigation. United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Stephanie S. Taylor handled the prosecution.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:18-cr-00213.
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Council Bluffs Pair Sentenced to Prison for Methamphetamine OffensesRead the Press Release
COUNCIL BLUFFS, IA – On February 19, 2021, Casey Gantt, age 33, of Council Bluffs, was sentenced to 151 months in prison and five years of supervised release announced Acting United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal. On December 15, 2020, Gantt’s co-defendant Angela Garges, age 42, also of Council Bluffs, was sentenced to 120 months in prison and five years of supervised release. Both sentences imposed by United States District Court Chief Judge John A. Jarvey.
This investigation was initiated by the Iowa Department of Correctional Services Fourth Judicial District when Gantt failed to meet with his parole officer. Iowa parole officers went to Gantt’s home located at the 300 Block of Huntington Avenue in Council Bluffs and upon arrival encountered numerous people,including Garges, inside his home. Officers located over 500 grams of methamphetamine, drug paraphernalia, and $4,600 in United States currency in Gantt’s home.
On January 24, 2020, Council Bluffs Police responded to Best Western Inn in Council Bluffs to serve a warrant for a room rented by Garges. Officers searched the hotel room for the wanted person and located 111 grams of methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia.
This investigation was conducted by the Council Bluffs Police Department, Southwest Iowa Narcotics Task Force, and the Iowa Fourth Judicial District Probation and Parole Office. The case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa.
College Student Convicted for Role in International Fraud ConspiracyRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, KAN. – Oyindamola Akinrinola, 23, of Lawrence, Kansas, has pleaded guilty in federal court for her role in Nigerian fraud schemes that targeted victims across the United States.
“Akinrinola and her co-conspirator in Nigeria victimized individuals, several elderly, through a variety of online scams,” said U.S. Attorney Stephen McAllister. “She now faces time in federal prison for her crimes. We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to prioritize the investigation and prosecution of fraud schemes like these, no matter where they originate. I also take this conviction as an opportunity to reiterate to all Kansans the vulnerability of our senior citizens to scams and con artists, who prey upon them. We must all be vigilant to protect our parents, grandparents, elderly relatives, friends and neighbors from such frauds and fraudsters.”
“Scams such as lottery, online dating, and impersonating Internal Revenue Service (IRS) employees continue to be a major threat to taxpayers, especially senior citizens,” said J. Russell George, the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration. “Scammers will use a variety of techniques to cheat taxpayers. TIGTA will do everything within its power to ensure that those involved in the impersonation of IRS employees are prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. We appreciate the assistance of the U.S. Department of Justice in this effort.”
According to U.S. Attorney McAllister, the charges, and other information presented in court: Akinrinola, a Nigerian national who was granted legal permanent residency in the United States in 2018, was part of a scheme to defraud U.S.-based victims out of money and property. Akinrinola’s co-conspirator in Nigeria orchestrated several scams, such as tricking victims into believing they were eligible for fictitious awards or establishing purported (but false) romantic relationships with victims and exploiting their affections.The co-conspirator in Nigeria directed victims to send money to Akinrinola. While in Kansas as a college student, she received funds from the scam victims—in amounts ranging from hundreds of dollars to as much $20,000—via wire transfers, money orders, financial applications, Wal-Mart money grams, Western Union, the United States Postal Service, and various other means. Akinrinola kept a portion for herself as her reward and sent the bulk of the funds to her co-conspirator in Nigeria. To do so, she generally used the Sendwave, WorldRemit, or Boss Revolution mobile applications.
The following are just a few examples of the scams Akinrinola and her co-conspirator perpetrated:
- Victims 1 and 2 received Facebook messages from an individual who purported to be with FedEx. They were told they won a $130,000 grant and that FedEx would deliver the cash after Victim 2 paid a “case file fee.” Victim 2 then deposited $2,500 cash into a Bank of America account for the fee. Victim 2 was then told she needed to pay another $1,000 for a “winning certificate.” Because Victims 1 and 2 did not have $1,000, they allowed the purported Facebook account holder to purchase three iPhones through their Verizon account. Victims 1 and 2 were instructed to mail the iPhones to Akinrinola (in Kansas). Victim 2 then received an image from the Facebook account claiming to be from the IRS and requesting $15,000 before release of the grant funds.
- Victim 3 was the victim of an online dating scam and lost approximately $8,000, of which he sent $900 to Akinrinola via a kiosk at a Walgreens store.
- Victim 4 also was the victim of an online dating scam. Victim 4 lost approximately $3,815, and he sent $710 to Akinrinola. Victim 4 believed the money was for musical instruments for children in Nigeria.
- Victim 5 was the victim of a Facebook scam. A man on Facebook, known to Victim 5 as “Steven,” told Victim 5 that he was in the military and needed money, and Victim 5 sent $1,000 to Akinrinola in this scam.
Sentencing is scheduled for June 15, 2021 at 9:00 am, before U.S. District Judge Holly L. Teeter.
This case is being investigated by the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan J. Huschka is prosecuting the case.
The Justice Department’s extensive efforts to combat elder fraud seek to halt the billions of dollars our beloved but sometimes vulnerable senior citizens lose to fraud schemes. DOJ prosecutes the criminal fraudsters to the full extent of the law when it can catch them. But such prosecutions arise only after the fraud has occurred, and it is far better that we protect our senior citizens from these harms in the first place. Prevention is better than punishment. Prevention works when we all educate ourselves and share information about the various types of elder fraud schemes that are being perpetrated. We must inform our relatives, friends, neighbors, and other seniors, who then can use that information to protect themselves.
If you or someone you know is age 60 or older and has been a victim of financial fraud, help is available at the National Elder Fraud Hotline: 1-833-FRAUD-11 (1-833-372-8311 or 833–FRAUD–11). This hotline, managed by the Justice Department’s Office for Victims of Crime, is staffed by experienced professionals who provide personalized support to callers by assessing the needs of the victim and identifying relevant next steps. Case managers will identify appropriate reporting agencies, provide information to callers to assist them in reporting, connect callers directly with appropriate agencies and provide resources and referrals, on a case-by-case basis. Reporting can help authorities identify those who commit fraud and reporting certain financial losses due to fraud as soon as possible can increase the likelihood of recovering losses. The hotline is staffed daily from 6:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. eastern time. English, Spanish and other languages are available. For more information, please visit https://stopelderfraud.ovc.ojp.gov.
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Clinton Man Sentenced to Prison for Firearm OffenseRead the Press Release
DAVENPORT, Iowa — On February 22, 2021, United States District Court Chief Judge John A. Jarvey sentenced Kyle Charles Julian, age 26, of Clinton, to 46 months in prison for Felon in Possession of a Firearm announced Acting United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal. Julian was ordered to serve three years of supervised release to follow his prison term as well as pay $100 to the Crime Victims’ Fund.
The charge in this case was based on a May 1, 2020, traffic stop conducted by the Clinton Police Department where Julian was found to be in possession of a firearm after having been convicted of a felony offense.
This matter was investigated by the Clinton Police Department and the case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa.
Charlotte Woman Who Allegedly Exploited the Coronavirus Pandemic to Obtain A Fraudulent Loan Appears in Federal CourtRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – U.S. Attorney Andrew Murray announced that Jasmine Johnnae Clifton, 24, of Charlotte, appeared in court today on federal charges, for fraudulently obtaining a COVID-19 loan for almost $150,000 from the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA).
Matthew D. Line, Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation Division, Charlotte Field Office (IRS-CI), and Tommy D. Coke, Inspector in Charge of the Atlanta Division of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, which oversees Charlotte, join U.S. Attorney Murray in making today’s announcement.
On Wednesday, February 17, 2021, a federal grand jury sitting in Charlotte indicted Clifton on charges of wire fraud in relation to a disaster benefit, and fraud in connection with major disaster or emergency benefits. According to allegations in the criminal bill of indictment, Clifton engaged in a scheme to defraud the SBA by obtaining an Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) based on false information.
The CARES Act is a federal law enacted March 29, 2020, and it is designed to provide emergency financial assistance to millions of Americans suffering the economic effects caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The CARES Act established several new temporary programs and provided for the expansion of others, including the EIDL program, which is an SBA program that provides low-interest financing to small businesses, renters, and homeowners in regions affected by declared disasters.
The indictment alleges that Clifton created Jazzy Jas LLC, an online retail clothing sales business, in April 2019. On July 24, 2020, Clifton submitted a fraudulent loan application to the SBA for Jazzy Jas, despite the fact the company had been dissolved by Clifton several months prior. As a result of the fraudulent application, which included false information about revenues and a fraudulent tax document, Clifton obtained $149,900 in disaster relief funds that were intended to be provided to an existing business harmed by the COVID-19 pandemic. On or about August 14, 2020, the EIDL funds were deposited directly into Clifton’s bank account. Clifton allegedly used the government funds to make purchases at numerous retail stores, including at Nordstrom, Ikea, Neiman Marcus, Rooms To Go, Louis Vuitton, Best Buy and other retail shopping outlets. Clifton also made purchases at multiple diamond stores.
Clifton was released on bond following today’s court appearance. The charge of wire fraud in relation to disaster benefit carries a maximum prison term of 30 years and a $1,000,000 fine. The maximum penalty for fraud in connection with major disaster or emergency benefits is 30 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
The charges in the indictment are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond reasonable doubt in a court of law.
In making today’s announcement U.S. Attorney Murray thanked IRS-CI and USPIS for their investigation which led to the charges.
Assistant U.S. Attorney William Bozin, of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte, is prosecuting the case.
The Department of Justice and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of North Carolina remain vigilant in detecting, investigating, and prosecuting wrongdoing related to the COVID-19 pandemic. If you think you are a victim of coronavirus fraud or have information pertaining to fraud involving COVID-19, contact the National Center for Disaster Fraud Hotline at 866-720-5721 or submit a complaint online using the NCDF Web Complaint Form. Members of the public in the Western District of North Carolina are also encouraged to call 704-344-6222 to reach their local Coronavirus Fraud Coordinator.
Champaign Man Sentenced to Prison for Counterfeit Check SchemeRead the Press Release
URBANA, Ill. – Chief U.S. District Judge Sara L. Darrow today sentenced a Champaign, Ill., man, Tommie Slayton, 36, of the 2400 block of Clayton Boulevard, to serve 24 months in prison for engaging in a counterfeit check scheme that resulted in an estimated loss of more than $100,000. Slayton was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals and will begin serving his sentence immediately. In addition, Slayton was ordered to serve three years of supervised release upon completion of his prison term.
On Oct. 20, 2020, U.S. District Judge James E. Shadid sentenced Slayton’s co-defendant Stephanie Lemons, 43, of the 1200 block of South Vine Street, Urbana, Ill. to serve 18 months in prison for her role in engaging in the counterfeit check scheme. Lemons was ordered to report to the federal Bureau of Prisons on March 2, 2021, to begin serving her sentence. Following her sentence, Lemons was ordered to serve two years of supervised release.
Slayton pleaded guilty to the charges immediately prior to today’s sentencing. In addition to the conspiracy charge, Slayton was charged with seven counts of bank fraud. On Feb. 6, 2020, Lemons entered pleas of guilty to the conspiracy and 19 counts of fraud as charged in the indictment.
Lemons and Slayton conspired together and with others to engage in a scheme to pass more than 120 counterfeit checks from July through December 2018. As a result of the scheme, counterfeit checks were presented at Walmart Stores in Champaign and Bloomington, Ill., and forged checks at Heartland Bank of Champaign, Ill.
The charges are the result of investigation by the FDIC Office of Inspector General and the Champaign and Urbana Police Departments, in cooperation with the Champaign County State’s Attorney’s Office. The government was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Elly M. Peirson in the prosecution.
Canton man sentenced for attempted overseas transport of child pornographyRead the Press Release
ATLANTA - Nathaniel Barber has been sentenced to prison for trying to leave the country with a cell phone and a tablet containing more than 100 files of child pornography. Barber belonged to an online group that shared videos and photographs of child pornography.
“Every video and image of child pornography is a crime scene depicting the sexual abuse of a child,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Kurt R. Erskine. “This case reaffirms our office’s determination to leverage our federal, state, and local law enforcement partnerships to prosecute individuals who revictimize exploited children by downloading and viewing these horrific images.”
“Stopping predators from spreading this filth, that victimizes innocent children every time it is shared, is one of the most important actions we do,” said Special Agent in Charge Katrina W. Berger, who oversees Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) operations in Georgia and Alabama. “Luckily, he was not able to complete his trip and others engaged in this depravity should be on the lookout because we won’t stop searching for them.”
According to Acting U.S. Attorney Erskine, the charges and other information presented in court: in January 2020, special agents with Homeland Security Investigations received a tip that Nathaniel Barber might be traveling outside the country to commit sex crimes against minors. The agents learned that he had purchased a plane ticket to the Philippines and was departing from Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport on January 28, 2020. Agents approached Barber at the boarding gate and questioned him about his trip.
Barber denied that he was traveling to the Philippines to engage in sex with anyone under the age of 18 years. But he admitted that he possessed child pornography on a tablet and cell phone. A forensic search of the items revealed that Barber had joined an online group where members posted and shared child pornography. Barber had downloaded seven videos and 133 images of child pornography, with many of the materials depicting girls under 10 years old being sexually abused.
Nathaniel Barber, 40, of Canton, Georgia, was sentenced to five years in prison to be followed by ten years of supervised release and ordered to pay a special assessment in the amount of $5,100. Barber was convicted of attempted international transport of child pornography on November 17, 2020, after he pleaded guilty.
This case is being investigated by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul R. Jones prosecuted the case.
This case is being brought as part of Project Safe Childhood. In February 2006, the Attorney General launched Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorney’s Offices around the country, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at [email protected] or (404) 581-6016. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.
Brunswick woman to repay Social Security after continuing to receive deceased grandmother's checksRead the Press Release
BRUNSWICK, GA: A Brunswick woman who continued to receive her grandmother’s Social Security payments for 18 years after the relative’s death has been sentenced in U.S. District Court.
Stephanie Taylor, 60, of Brunswick, Ga., was sentenced to five months in prison by U.S. District Court Judge Lisa Godbey Wood after pleading guilty to one count of Theft of Government Property, said David H. Estes, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. Taylor must repay $146,342 to account for proceeds illegally obtained from October 1998 to October 2016, and was ordered to serve three years of supervised release after completion of her prison term.
The excess payments were discovered during a routine review by the Office of Inspector General for the Social Security Administration, and charged and prosecuted for the United States by Assistant U.S Attorney Steven H. Lee.
Brooklyn Man Charged with Armed Robbery of Soho Luxury Retail StoreRead the Press Release
Audrey Strauss, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, William F. Sweeney Jr., the Assistant Director-in-Charge of the New York Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), and Dermot Shea, Commissioner of the New York City Police Department (“NYPD”), announced today that ERIC SPENCER has been arrested for his participation in an armed robbery of a luxury retail store in New York, New York, on February 2, 2021. SPENCER was apprehended on Saturday, February 20, in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, and will be presented in federal court in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, later today.
U.S. Attorney Audrey Strauss said: “As alleged, Eric Spencer put the public and store personnel in grave danger when he committed a brazen daylight armed robbery of a SoHo boutique earlier this month. Spencer allegedly threatened a store security guard by displaying the handle of his gun as he barked orders to his co-conspirators to ‘grab everything.’ Now the FBI and NYPD have grabbed Spencer, who is in federal custody and awaiting his day in court.”
NYPD Commissioner Dermot Shea said: “Spencer’s arrest highlights the importance of good investigative work and the continuing efforts of the FBI-NYPD Joint Major Theft Task Force. I commend our partners in the United States Attorney’s Office in the Southern District of New York for their commitment to bringing justice for the victims in this despicable crime.”
FBI Assistant Director William F. Sweeney Jr. said: “We allege Mr. Spencer was part of a robbery crew, and in this instance he carried a firearm, during a violent takeover of a retail store. Mr. Spencer’s alleged actions violated federal law, and he is now in our custody. For others who plan to behave in the same manner, listen up – the FBI is committed to using every tool at our disposal to hold violent criminals accountable for their decisions, and our partnership with the NYPD is airtight. When you break federal law, expect to spend some time in one of our courtrooms. As always, thank you to the NYPD detectives for their outstanding work in this investigation, their constant efforts are essential to keeping our citizens safe.”
According to the allegations in the Complaint[1]:
On the afternoon of February 2, 2021, SPENCER robbed a luxury retail store located in the SoHo neighborhood in Manhattan. SPENCER and three other co-conspirators entered the store and began grabbing handbags and other items off the walls. When a security guard confronted SPENCER, he said, “What are you going to do? Shoot me?” SPENCER then reached into his waistband, where the security guard could see the handle of a firearm. SPENCER yelled, “Nobody touch me! Get everything! Grab everything!” SPENCER and his co-conspirators made off with handbags and other merchandise valued at $189,500.
The next day, SPENCER bragged on social media about having so many items from the store that he could “OPEN A SMALL BOUTIQUE.”
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SPENCER, 29, of Brooklyn, New York, is charged with one count of robbery, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. The maximum potential sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant would be determined by a judge.
Ms. Strauss praised the outstanding investigative work of the FBI-NYPD Joint Major Theft Task Force and the NYPD’s Manhattan North Grand Larceny Squad, and thanked the FBI’s Miami Field Office for its assistance. She added that the investigation is ongoing.
The prosecution of this case is being handled by the Office’s General Crimes Unit. Assistant United States Attorney Matthew R. Shahabian is in charge of the prosecution.
The charges contained in the Complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
[1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Complaint, and the description of the Complaint set forth herein, constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.
Asheville Resident Is Sentenced to 7 Years for Distribution of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
ASHEVILLE, N.C. – On February 19, 2021, U.S. District Judge Max O. Cogburn Jr. sentenced Michael Lawrence Feith, 34, of Asheville, to 84 months in prison for distribution of child pornography, announced Andrew Murray, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. Feith was also ordered to serve a lifetime of supervised release and to register as a sex offender after he is released from prison.
Chief David Zack of the Asheville Police Department joins U.S. Attorney Murray in making today’s announcement.
According to filed documents and statements made in court, on April 6, 2019, and May 13, 2019, law enforcement became aware that an individual, later identified as Feith, was using a peer-to-peer network to share with other users files containing images and videos depicting the sexual abuse of children. According to court records, on July 30, 2019, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Feith’s residence in Asheville. During the execution of the search warrant, law enforcement seized a custom built desktop computer. A forensic examination of the device revealed that it contained multiple images and videos depicting children being sexually abused. In total, law enforcement located 18 images and 150 videos of child pornography on Feith’s device. Court records also show that the peer-to-peer software was also located on the device. A forensic examination indicated that 128 different child pornography files had been shared 5,886 times with others via the peer-to-peer network.
On July 27, 2020, Feith pleaded guilty to distribution and attempted distribution of child pornography. He is currently in custody and will be transferred to the custody of the federal Bureau of Prisons upon designation of a federal facility.
In making today’s announcement, U.S. Attorney Murray commended the APD for their investigation of the case and thanked the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation and the Boone Police Department for their invaluable assistance. The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Asheville handled the prosecution.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in 2006 by the Department of Justice, aimed at combating the growing online sexual exploitation of children. By combining resources, federal, state and local agencies are better able to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue those victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
Arch Family Dentistry Office Managers ChargedRead the Press Release
HAMMOND- Justyn Arch, age 34, and Trystan Arch, age 31 both of Valparaiso, Indiana were charged with healthcare fraud by way of a single count Grand Jury Indictment which was unsealed today, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Gary T. Bell.
According to documents in this case, Arch Complete Family Dentistry, with offices located in Chesterton, Crown Point, and briefly in Knox, Indiana, was an authorized Indiana Medicaid provider of dental procedures. In October 2017, Justyn Arch, Vice President of Arch Complete Family Dentistry, also managed the Crown Point office. Trystan Arch managed the Chesterton office.
The Indictment alleges that Justyn and Trystan Arch executed a scheme to defraud Indiana Medicaid by causing false and fictitious entries in patient files. The false entries showed that Arch dentists performed dental surgery when in fact no surgery had been performed. The claims totaled more than $350,000 in false and fictitious claims to Indiana Medicaid.
The United States Attorney’s Office emphasizes that an Indictment is merely an allegation and that all persons are presumed innocent until, and unless proven guilty in court.
If convicted, any specific sentence to be imposed will be determined by the Judge after a consideration of federal statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
This case is a result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Indiana Attorney General’s Office Medicaid Fraud Control Unit, Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation Division and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services with the assistance of the Porter County Prosecutor’s Office. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Philip C. Benson.
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20 February 2021
WWII Nazi Concentration Camp Guard Removed to GermanyRead the Press Release
Today a Tennessee resident with German citizenship was removed to Germany for participating in Nazi-sponsored acts of persecution while serving as an armed guard at a Nazi concentration camp in 1945.
In February 2020, Friedrich Karl Berger, 95, was ordered removed from the U.S. based on his participation in Nazi-sponsored persecution while serving in Nazi Germany in 1945 as an armed guard of concentration camp prisoners in the Neuengamme Concentration Camp system (Neuengamme).
“Berger’s removal demonstrates the Department of Justice’s and its law enforcement partners’ commitment to ensuring that the United States is not a safe haven for those who have participated in Nazi crimes against humanity and other human rights abuses,” said Acting Attorney General Monty Wilkinson. “The Department marshaled evidence that our Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section found in archives here and in Europe, including records of the historic trial at Nuremberg of the most notorious former leaders of the defeated Nazi regime. In this year in which we mark the 75th anniversary of the Nuremberg convictions, this case shows that the passage even of many decades will not deter the Department from pursuing justice on behalf of the victims of Nazi crimes.”
“We are committed to ensuring the United States will not serve as a safe haven for human rights violators and war criminals,” said Acting ICE Director Tae Johnson. “We will never cease to pursue those who persecute others. This case exemplifies the steadfast dedication of both ICE and the Department of Justice to pursue justice and to hunt relentlessly for those who participated in one of history’s greatest atrocities, no matter how long it takes.”
Friedrich Karl Berger (1959)In November 2020, the Board of Immigration Appeals upheld a Memphis, Tennessee, Immigration Judge’s Feb. 28, 2020, decision that Berger was removable under the 1978 Holtzman Amendment to the Immigration and Nationality Act because his “willing service as an armed guard of prisoners at a concentration camp where persecution took place” constituted assistance in Nazi-sponsored persecution. The court found that Berger served at a Neuengamme sub-camp near Meppen, Germany, and that the prisoners there included “Jews, Poles, Russians, Danes, Dutch, Latvians, French, Italians, and political opponents” of the Nazis. The largest groups of prisoners were Russian, Dutch and Polish civilians.
After a two-day trial in February 2020, the presiding judge issued an opinion finding that Meppen prisoners were held during the winter of 1945 in “atrocious” conditions and were exploited for outdoor forced labor, working “to the point of exhaustion and death.” The court further found, and Berger admitted, that he guarded prisoners to prevent them from escaping during their dawn-to-dusk workday, on their way to worksites and on their way back to the SS-run subcamp in the evening.
At the end of March 1945, as allied British and Canadian forces advanced, the Nazis abandoned Meppen. The court found that Berger helped guard the prisoners during their forcible evacuation to the Neuengamme main camp – a nearly two-week trip under inhumane conditions, which claimed the lives of some 70 prisoners. The decision also cited Berger’s admission that he never requested a transfer from concentration camp guard service and that he continues to receive a pension from Germany based on his employment in Germany, “including his wartime service.”
In 1946, British occupation authorities in Germany charged SS Obersturmführer Hans Griem, who had headed the Meppen sub-camps, and other Meppen personnel with war crimes for “ill-treatment and murder of Allied nationals.” Although Griem escaped before trial, the British court tried and convicted other defendants of war crimes in 1947.
The trial and appeal of the removal case were handled by Eli Rosenbaum, Director of Human Rights Enforcement and Policy in the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section (HRSP), HRSP Senior Trial Attorney Susan Masling, and attorneys from ICE New Orleans, Office of the Principal Legal Advisor (Memphis), with assistance from HRSP Chief Historian Jeffrey S. Richter. Daniel I. Smulow, Senior Counsel for National Security in the Justice Department Civil Division’s Office of Immigration Litigation has participated in the litigation of Berger’s appeal.
The investigation was initiated by the HRSP and was conducted in partnership with the Nashville HSI office.
Acting Attorney General Monty Wilkinson expressed gratitude for assistance provided by the FBI, our German colleagues, and by the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum.
Since the 1979 inception of the Justice Department’s program to detect, investigate, and remove Nazi persecutors, it has won cases against 109 individuals. Over the past 30 years, the Justice Department has won more cases against persons who participated in Nazi persecution than have the law enforcement authorities of all the other countries in the world combined. HRSP’s case against Berger was part of its ongoing efforts to identify, investigate and prosecute individuals who engaged in genocide, torture, war crimes, recruitment or use of child soldiers, female genital mutilation, and other serious human rights violations. HRSP attorneys prosecuted the first torture case brought in the United States and have successfully prosecuted criminal cases against perpetrators of human rights violations committed in Guatemala, Ethiopia, Liberia, Cuba, and the former Yugoslavia, among others.
This removal was supported by ICE’s Enforcement and Removal Operations and Office of the Principal Legal Advisor as well as the Human Rights Violators and War Crimes Center (HRVWCC). The HRVWCC is comprised of HSI’s Human Rights Violators and War Crimes Unit, ICE’s Human Rights Law Division, FBI’s International Human Rights Unit, and HRSP. Established in 2009, the HRVWCC furthers the government’s efforts to identify, locate and prosecute human rights abusers in the United States, including those who are known or suspected to have participated in persecution, war crimes, genocide, torture, extrajudicial killings, female genital mutilation and the use or recruitment of child soldiers. The HRVWCC leverages the expertise of a select group of agents, lawyers, intelligence and research specialists, historians and analysts who direct the government’s broader enforcement efforts against these offenders.
To learn more about HRSP, visit https://www.justice.gov/criminal-hrsp.
Statement of United States Attorney James P. Kennedy, Jr. on the Passing of the Honorable Hugh B. Scott, United States Magistrate JudgeRead the Press Release
CONTACT: Barbara Burns
PHONE: (716) 843-5817
FAX #: (716) 551-3051Judge Scott devoted his life to the pursuit of justice and recognized that our system of justice depends vitally on the humanity of those working in it. As a prosecutor and as a jurist, he exuded those human traits which both instill confidence in and breathe life into our system of justice—impartiality, fairness, decency, efficiency, and above all, heart. Blending wisdom and wit, he had an uncanny ability to connect, in a heartfelt way, with all who appeared before him. Though he was a trailblazer, serving as the first black Assistant United States Attorney here in this Office and the first black federal judge ever in this District, his greatness was truly defined not by the color of his skin but by the contents of both his remarkable character and his overflowing heart. I and my entire Office extend our deepest condolences to his wife Trudy, his sons, and the rest of his family.
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19 February 2021
Youngstown man with prior drug trafficking convictions charged with possession with intent to distribute 2.8 kilos of fentanylRead the Press Release
A Youngstown man with prior convictions for drug trafficking, possession of heroin and assault on a peace officer was charged in a seven-count indictment handed down by a federal grand jury in Cleveland today. Raphael Ortiz, age 40, was charged with possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, distribution of fentanyl, using and maintaining a drug premise, possessing firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime and as a felon in possession of firearms.
According to the affidavit in support of the criminal complaint, on January 6, 2021, law enforcement officers with the FBI, Mahoning Valley Violent Crimes Task Force (MVVCTF) and Mahoning Valley Law Enforcement Task Force (MVLETF) executed a search warrant at the defendants’ Youngstown-area residence. During the execution of the warrant, law enforcement investigators discovered a semi-automatic pistol and approximately $26,000 in cash.
That same day, law enforcement officers executed a second and third search warrant at
two additional residences known to be used for the distribution and storage of narcotics by the defendant. During the execution of these search warrants, the affidavit states that investigators discovered approximately 2.8 kilograms of fentanyl, a Sig Sauger semi-automatic pistol, Remington pump-action shotgun, Springfield Armory semi-automatic pistol, Smith & Wesson semiautomatic rifle, and a Springfield Armory semiautomatic rifle.
The defendant is prohibited from possessing firearms due to a 2008 conviction for drug trafficking and 2004 convictions for possession of heroin and assault on a peace officer.
An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. A defendant is entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
If convicted, the defendant’s sentence will be determined by the Court after review of factors unique to this case, including the defendant’s prior criminal record, if any, the defendant’s role in the offense, and the characteristics of the violation.
In all cases, the sentence will not exceed the statutory maximum, and in most cases, it will be less than the maximum.
The investigation preceding the indictment was conducted by the FBI and Mahoning Valley Law Enforcement Task Force. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Yasmine Makridis.
Vidor Woman Sentenced to Federal Prison for Opioid Overdose DeathsRead the Press Release
BEAUMONT, Texas – A 51-year-old Vidor, Texas, woman has been sentenced to federal prison for maintaining a drug-involved premises in the Eastern District of Texas, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei today.
Michelle Lea Harrington pleaded guilty on Sep. 10, 2020. Today, she was sentenced to 60 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Marcia A. Crone.
“Individuals who contribute to the unlawful trafficking of prescription opiates will be punished,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei. “This conviction of a landlord who permitted the distribution of opioid pills in her residence is a clear message that our community will not tolerate those perpetuating the opioid crisis in southeast Texas.”
According to information presented in court, Harrington rented out a residence in Vidor, Texas to three individuals, including Catherine Ardis. Harrington lived there as well and knew that Ardis distributed hydromorphone pills, also known as Dilaudid, from the residence. At least three persons died as a result of opiates purchased at the home. Medical examination determined that the victims died from poly-drug toxicity resulting from the use of hydromorphone pills.
Catherine Ardis was previously sentenced to 15 years.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, Vidor Police Department, Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office, Beaumont Police Department, Port Arthur Police Department, and was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael A. Anderson.
United States Penitentiary Inmate Sentenced to 18 Months’ Imprisonment for AssaultRead the Press Release
SCRANTON- The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Justin Petty, age 44, of Charleston, South Carolina, was sentenced on February 18, 2021, to 18 months’ imprisonment by United States District Court Judge Robert D. Mariani, for assaulting another inmate in retaliation for that individual’s past cooperation with law enforcement as a witness or informant.
According to Acting United States Attorney Bruce D. Brandler, on or about February 28, 2019, while incarcerated at the United States Penitentiary, Canaan (USP Canaan), located in Waymart, Pennsylvania, Petty, along with a co-defendant, conspired to assault and did assault the victim, also an inmate at USP Canaan, by repeatedly striking the victim several times about the head and body with closed fists. The motivation for this assault was Petty’s belief that the victim had been a government witness or informant.
The 18-month sentence that Petty received was ordered to run consecutively to the federal sentence that Petty was serving at the time of the assault.
The matter was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Prisons (FBP) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffery St John prosecuted the case.
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U.S. Attorney's Office Releases First Annual Missing and Murdered Indigenous Persons Program ReportRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Ore.—The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Oregon released its first annual Missing and Murdered Indigenous Persons (MMIP) program report today, announced U.S. Attorney Billy J. Williams. The report is the first of its kind produced by a U.S. Attorney’s Office since the Justice Department launched a new national strategy to address missing and murdered Native Americans in November 2019.
“For generations, American Indians and Alaskan Natives have suffered from disproportionately high levels of violence. Tragically, this is not a crisis of the past; it’s a crisis of the present,” said U.S. Attorney Williams. “In this report, we look back and forward, summarizing what is known about missing and murdered Indigenous people in Oregon and outlining our plans and goals for the year ahead. While we won’t solve this problem overnight, our office is working closely with Oregon law enforcement partners, other U.S. Attorney’s Offices, and the U.S. Department of Justice to end endemic violence in Indian Country.”
The District of Oregon report provides tribal communities, law enforcement and the public with an overview of current MMIP cases connected to Oregon and the U.S. Attorney Office MMIP strategy for 2021. As outlined in the report, an initial analysis of available MMIP data conducted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office indicates there are eleven missing and eight murdered Indigenous persons connected to Oregon.
In 2021, the U.S. Attorney’s Office will conduct formal tribal consultations with Oregon’s nine tribal governments to discuss MMIP issues, develop MMIP community response plans, create a District of Oregon MMIP Working Group, further develop data surrounding Oregon MMIP cases, and increase collaboration among all involved entities who interact with MMIP cases.
MMIP is an important and sensitive issue to tribal communities. Addressing MMIP in Indian Country is particularly challenging due to jurisdictional issues, lack of coordination and inadequate resources. However, for the first time in U.S. history, a national federal strategy—formalized by legislation, executive order, and departmental directive—is in place to address MMIP issues.
If you or someone you know have information about missing or murdered Indigenous people in Oregon, please contact the FBI Portland Field Office by calling (503) 224-4181 or by visiting tips.fbi.gov. If you have questions about the U.S. Attorney’s Office MMIP program, please contact MMIP program coordinator Cedar Wilkie Gillette by emailing [email protected] or by calling (503) 727-1000.