Latest Records
Newest first across public DOJ and U.S. Attorney press releases.
Tuesday 15 December 2020
Ross Township Woman Sentenced for Financial FraudRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, Pa. - A resident of suburban Pittsburgh has been sentenced in federal court to 14 months in prison, which has already been served, followed by five years of supervised release, which includes 90 days of home incarceration followed by 90 days of home detention, on her conviction of mail fraud conspiracy and bank fraud conspiracy, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced today.
United States District Judge Arthur J. Schwab imposed the sentence on Rachel Naill, 43.
According to information presented to the court, Rachel Naill, and her husband, Joseph Naill, obtained and used individuals’ personal identifying information to obtain fraudulent credit cards. The Naills then used the fraudulent credit cards to take cash advances, make online purchases and make point-of-sale purchases. The overall loss to financial institutions was approximately $178,500. Additionally, Rachal Naill also used stolen personal identifying information to attempt to obtain a fraudulent loan through Marquette Savings Bank.
Joseph Naill was previously sentenced to 45 months in prison and two years of supervised release.
Assistant United States Attorney Lee J. Karl prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
United States Attorney Brady commended the United States Postal Inspection Service and the Department of Homeland Security - Homeland Security Investigations for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Rachel Naill.
Rapid City Man Sentenced to 12.5 Years for Meth Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced that a Rapid City, South Dakota, man who pleaded guilty to Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance was sentenced on December 1, 2020, by U.S. District Court Judge Jeffrey L. Viken.
Keeler Stands, age 24, was sentenced to 12.5 years in federal prison, five years’ supervised release, and a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. From approximately July 2019 to late December 2019, methamphetamine was brought to South Dakota from Nevada by others. Stands then dispersed the methamphetamine to others for use or additional distribution.
This case was investigated by the Unified Narcotics Enforcement Team (UNET), Drug Enforcement Agency, the South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. UNET is comprised of law enforcement from the Pennington County Sheriff’s Office, the Rapid City Police Department, South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation and the South Dakota National Guard.
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.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kathryn N. Rich prosecuted the case.
Stands was immediately returned to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Randolph County woman indicted on drug and firearms chargesRead the Press Release
ELKINS, WEST VIRGINIA – Melissa Elaine Caprio, of Elkins, West Virginia, is facing firearms and drug charges, U.S. Attorney Bill Powell announced.
Caprio, 31, was indicted on one count of “Possession with Intent to Distribute More Than 5 Grams of Methamphetamine” and one count of “Unlawful Possession of a Firearm as Drug User.” Caprio is accused of having more than five grams of methamphetamine, also known as “ice,” and a .22 caliber rifle in June 2019 in Randolph County.
Torres faces at least five and up to 40 years of incarceration and a fine of up to $5,000,000 for the drug count and faces up to 10 years of incarceration and a fine of up to $250,000 for the firearms count. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher L. Bauer is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives and the Mountain Region Drug Task Force investigated.
An indictment is merely an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Randolph County man indicted on methamphetamine chargesRead the Press Release
ELKINS, WEST VIRGINIA – Edwin Mack Taylor, of Elkins, West Virginia, is facing drug charges, U.S. Attorney Bill Powell announced.
Taylor, 53, was indicted today on five counts of “Distribution of Methamphetamine.” Taylor is accused of selling methamphetamine, also known as “crystal meth” and “ice,” in January 2020 in Randolph County.
Taylor faces up to 20 years of incarceration and a fine of up to $1,000,000 for each count. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen D. Warner is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The Mountain Region Drug Task Force investigated.
An indictment is merely an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Randolph County man indicted on methamphetamine chargesRead the Press Release
ELKINS, WEST VIRGINIA – Billy Ray Shamblin, II, of Elkins, West Virginia, is facing drug charges, U.S. Attorney Bill Powell announced.
Shamblin, 36, was indicted today on three counts of “Distribution of Methamphetamine.” Shamblin is accused of selling methamphetamine, also known as “crystal meth” and “ice,” in February 2020 in Randolph County.
Shamblin faces up to 20 years of incarceration and a fine of up to $1,000,000. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen D. Warner is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The Mountain Region Drug Task Force investigated.
An indictment is merely an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Randolph County man indicted on firearms chargeRead the Press Release
ELKINS, WEST VIRGINIA – Anthony Eugene McDonald, of Elkins, West Virginia, is facing a firearms charge, U.S. Attorney Bill Powell announced.
McDonald, 44, was indicted on one count of “Unlawful Possession of a Firearm.” McDonald, a person prohibited from having a firearm because of prior convictions, is accused of having a .22 caliber rifle in June 2019 in Randolph County.
McDonald faces up to 10 years of incarceration and a fine of up to $250,000. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher L. Bauer is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives and the Mountain Region Drug Task Force investigated.
An indictment is merely an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Protecting the Greatest Generation: U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Texas Sets Forth Strategy for War Against Transnational Elder FraudRead the Press Release
DALLAS, Texas – United States Attorney Stephen J. Cox addresses the North Texas Crime Commission (NTCC) today via a Zoom meeting for their regular monthly meeting.
U.S. Attorney Cox was introduced by Assistant U.S. Attorney Camelia Lopez and NTCC Chair David Dean:
“Thank you, David, for that introduction, and thank you to the North Texas Crime Commission for hosting us. I’ve heard about your good work supporting law enforcement since I arrived in the Eastern District of Texas in June, so it is a privilege to speak with you today.
I am especially grateful that you are hosting this forum that allows us to focus on one of the significant challenges facing our nation’s law enforcement community and those we serve. In particular, I’m glad to speak about what we can do to protect our senior citizens.
Whether part of the “Greatest Generation,” or “Baby Boomers,” or the “Silent Generation” in between, our parents, grandparents, and great grandparents worked hard to ensure a better future for us. While the challenges we face individually or as a society may be great, we owe our elders a great debt and should be working to ensure their days are safe and secure.
Safety and well-being have been a focus for all of us over the past few months. We have been home bound. Witnessed businesses large and small suffer to the point of collapse. Adapted our work, education, and social lives around obstacles we could not have imagined a year ago.
Yet many of our challenges pale in comparison to what seniors have dealt with: enforced isolation … even enforced or encouraged sheltering with Covid-19-positive patients in care facilities. At their most vulnerable moments many are unable to be with loved ones, friends, or even a minister due to lockdown restrictions.
Due to the pandemic, we have learned a great deal about our society over the past few months. Some of it has been inspiring. Some of it disappointing, even troubling.
One of the takeaways should be that our elders deserve far better than what our society provides them. To that end, I’d like to focus our attention today on what we as law enforcement authorities can do to address one particularly challenging problem: the very real and ongoing threat of transnational crime rings that prey on our nation’s seniors.
When you hear talk of elder fraud, it is all too easy to think about one-off scams or swindles, whether for credit card charges, identity theft, or some other form of financial fraud.
But I want to challenge all of you to think about this problem in a wholistic and deeper way. Think of elder fraud as a noxious weed in an otherwise well-tended garden. You can see the weed above the surface, but not the deep roots under the soil that are the real problem. Without addressing the root, the blight continues and spreads.
The same can be said of elder fraud. You see the phone scam, but not the Russian mafia, the Indian call center, the shadowy money laundering or cryptocurrency network that operates in the distant background. These crime networks are the root of the problem.
As an example, let me tell you a story about an elderly widower; let’s call him Grandpa Larry. His children are grown and live out of state. It’s been years since he experienced true companionship. But as with so many like Larry, he is able to connect to his family – and others – via the Internet. While on an online dating app for seniors, he meets a wonderful woman who is attentive to him and interested in what he shares of his daily life.
This relationship seemingly deepens over a number of weeks. But then the woman online needs a favor. She wants to visit him, but she has to clear some debts and her family won’t help her.
Larry sends her money once, then again, and again in ever increasing amounts, and months later, he finds himself with little savings. Worse than losing his money, however, is the shame and embarrassment of being the victim of a romance scam and not telling his grown children he needs help.
Or, consider an elderly woman we’ll call Aunt Sally who is incredibly proud of her family, especially her youngest niece, who is the first in the family to attend college. One day Aunt Sally receives an e-mail message from her niece who is studying abroad for a semester in Paris. The message says that she’s been arrested during a trip to Spain. Aunt Sally didn’t know about the trip, but given that her niece is studying abroad, the trip isn’t unusual. The niece asks Aunt Sally to purchase gift cards from a local grocery store and to read those numbers from the back of the cards over the phone to the “police.” Sally’s niece says time is of the essence so she can get back to school in Paris, and it’s the quickest way to have American dollars converted into the foreign currency. Of course, in reality, her niece isn’t in Spain, and there is no jail. But Aunt Sally goes to her local CVS, buys $500 in gift cards, and gives it all away over the phone.
When we hear the phrase “elder fraud,” we tend to think of a single victim, Sally or Larry, who is taken advantage of by a single bad actor. We see the victims. We see the fraud techniques. What we do not see … until we dig below the surface … are the true culprits.
Yes, there are a number of cases in which a caretaker steals a checkbook from a client and forges checks. But what I’m asking you to envision is a much larger, better funded, and much more organized, form of elder fraud. These international fraud rings are the root systems of the weed; they are the great threat on the other end of the phone or that email. They are what is driving elder fraud in America today.
Consider the broader picture. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau recently released a report after reviewing 180,000 Suspicious Activity Reports – or SARs – of elder financial exploitation filed between 2013 and 2017. The total losses? $6 billion. The FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center issued a report just a few months ago noting that, in 2019, 68,031 complaints from victims over 60 were filed with reported losses of $835 million. That’s a single year and only based on what’s reported to the IC3.
But we need to go deeper. The CFPB estimates that 3.5 million elder financial crimes occur annually, and the average loss per crime is between $45,000 and $50,000. Tens of billions of dollars each year in theft are not penny-ante profits; it’s drug cartel-level profits.
The Department of Justice under Attorney General Barr has taken strong action against these fraudsters and their despicable crimes. As the Attorney General has noted, “Fraud against the elderly is a massive problem, and one that is often perpetrated by transnational criminal organizations. And due to the victims’ stage in life, the cost is especially high and the losses frequently catastrophic and irreversible.”
We are doing our part in Texas. Earlier this year the Eastern District of Texas took down a multi-defendant international fraud and money laundering ring that predominantly targeted the elderly.
This alleged scheme targeted more than four thousand victims, and ultimately siphoned off more than $3.2 million dollars in ill-gotten wire transfers that were laundered through India and the United Arab Emirates. While this takedown was a big win for the Eastern District, it barely scratches the surface of what we must do to combat these crime networks.
Last year the Justice Department conducted an international elder fraud sweep. It was the largest in our nation’s history, netting 260 defendants. This sweep included schemes of every stripe: technical support fraud, mass-mailing fraud, false loan fraud, sweepstakes fraud, even fraud involving psychics, affected more than two million Americans and accounted for approximately $750 million dollars in losses.
The size and scope of this takedown revealed several common attributes amongst these fraud rings.
First, these schemes are what we like to call “commodity neutral” … meaning that these criminal enterprises seek ill-gotten gains any way they can, whether by garden-variety identify theft, stealing taxpayer money through COVID-19 stimulus fraud or unemployment insurance fraud.
While these criminal syndicates’ tactics are diverse, their targets are focused on seniors. Why? Not to oversimplify, but the fraudsters know that what makes our elders great citizens also makes them ripe to be conned. They tend to be more respectful of legitimate authority, more trusting and willing to listen, and less likely to immediately hang up on a stranger. They also are perhaps less tech savvy than younger generations, making them susceptible to impostors who may appear to be helpful with a computer or mobile phone issue but are really steering them toward a scam.
Second, the sheer breadth and depth of some of these criminal fraud schemes is remarkable. While a victim may interact with a single fraudster over the phone, the grifter is actually part of multi-layered fraud operations. In the background, there are call centers that flood land line and mobile phone accounts with spam calls to find those trusting individuals who won’t immediately hang up. There are other boots on the ground for these criminal conspiracies. These fraud rings also utilize domestic “money mules:” persons who receive ill-gotten proceeds directly from victims and forward funds to the conspiracy leaders.
These mules – sometimes unwitting, sometimes eager participants – are integral of these fraud schemes, and their ranks are not insignificant. Over the past two months, U.S. law enforcement agencies took action in just about all 50 states against more than 2,300 individuals identified as money mules.
These multi-tiered organizations aren’t even the most complex when you also consider the fraudulent shell corporations, “prize promotion” companies, and phony websites, all launched for the sole purpose of ripping off our nation’s seniors.
Third, beyond the scope and complexity is the global nature of these threats; most of the roots of these scammers stretch overseas. Large-scale call centers operate from India to Canada, while a constellation of smaller operations can be found running out of internet cafes in Lagos, Nigeria, or Tbilisi, Georgia. As a result, federal law enforcement teams with overseas partners, both public and private, to identify fraud and to share intelligence.
I’ve told my office, the Eastern District of Texas, that they really are uniquely equipped to take these fraud syndicates on. Our district has long been the tip of the spear in fighting international drug cartels. We have identified and extradited the leadership classes of drug cartels from Colombia and Central America, on the premise that if we tear a weed’s roots out whole it is less likely to grow back.
In response to the unique harm posed to our nation’s seniors, I have asked my team to reimagine our fight against elder fraud and to use the same tactics and tools we use to root out transnational drug cartels to decimate the criminal transnational syndicates preying on our seniors. That means leveraging the same organizational strategies, borrowed from our OCDETF toolkit, to follow the money, identify the network, and build a case against those pulling the strings overseas.
I want us to find these foreign criminals, extradite them to meet our local judges and have them experience East Texas justice up close and personal. In doing so, we will create a greater deterrence, and most importantly, get the money back for our victimized seniors.
By the way, this is more than just talk. Our District has taken concrete steps to target and prosecute these fraudsters. We launched a dedicated Elder Fraud Initiative, and I have appointed Camelia Lopez, on my senior leadership team to head it up—you’ll hear from her shortly. Although the Initiative is only a few months old, we have already made great strides and we’re starting to see our efforts bear fruit.
The District has established three separate Financial Investigation Groups (or “FIGs”) where we partner with law enforcement to conduct an expansive review of Suspicious Activity Reports, which have identified financial transactions that might be related to criminal activity.
Against that backdrop, we’ve established an open, working dialogue with some of the world’s biggest banks so that we can share information and foster better referrals. Through these partnerships we can better recognize fraud in real time, cut it off at the source, and trace any ill-gotten funds to accounts overseas.
Our District also participated in the Department of Justice’s Money Mule Initiative with great results. As I mentioned earlier, money mules are the lifeblood of these international fraud rings, and the Eastern District is punching back against these enablers. In the past two months, with the assistance of the FBI and IRS, our District identified and disrupted at least 13 money mules through interviews, warning letters, and criminal charges.
Enforcement, however, is but one facet of the money mule fight. We’re also working with Texas retailers and grocers on what to look for when they suspect a large gift card purchase is being used to facilitate money laundering.
Finally, we have established great partnerships in the public sphere, teaming with the Consumer Protection Branch and the Criminal Division at Main Justice, as well as the Federal Trade Commission. Less than two months ago, based on referrals from one of these new partners, our District, along with the Secret Service, dismantled a phony Amazon Alexa tech support fraud ring, seizing six websites in the process. In other cases, our District obtained four asset seizures leading to the recovery of nearly $150,000 in ill-gotten proceeds. These are all shining examples of what we can accomplish through coordination and cooperation and there is more – a lot more – to come.
At the risk of stating the obvious, this is not a battle we can fight alone, it is not a battle we can win alone. It will take everyone. And I don’t just mean cooperation between federal and state law enforcement – although that will, of course, be essential. I also mean cooperation between the public and private spheres. Working with our nation’s financial institutions – as well as foreign banks, and the emerging money transfer businesses used for mobile banking – to identify suspicious transactions, identify accounts tainted with fraud proceeds, and to name the account holders, will allow us to take the fight to where these fraud syndicates operate, seize their ill-gotten gains, and bring closure and relief to our citizens.
America owes its elders a great debt. In the past century they have defended our nation abroad and protected our streets at home. They have built businesses large and small, enduring and innovative. They have raised families and educated them. Today’s opportunities we take for granted are the result of our elders’ decades-long toil to create them for us. It is fitting then, that we work to ensure a more secure present for those who endowed the life we lead. We can and must come together – all of us – to protect our seniors from this unique threat. For in serving them, we will put in place protections for future generations, including ours.
I thank you for your time today and invite you to join me in this worthy fight.”
The North Texas Crime Commission (formerly the Greater Dallas Crime Commission) was established in 1950. Its belief is that proper enforcement and enlightened prevention can be achieved through a comprehensive and cooperative effort involving concerned citizens and law enforcement. In addition to monthly membership breakfasts, the NTCC travels to Austin monthly during the Legislative Session to meet with key lawmakers and annually to Washington, D.C., to meet with law enforcement officials and lawmakers.
Prolific turtle trapper indicted for illegally trapping thousands of freshwater turtlesRead the Press Release
ATLANTA - Nathan Horton has been indicted by a federal grand jury for allegedly illegally trapping and exporting thousands of freshwater turtles in Georgia in violation of the Lacey Act, which regulates the trafficking and labeling of wildlife, fish, and plants.
“Illegal wildlife trafficking both decimates species and undermines the rule of law,” said U.S. Attorney Byung J. “BJay” Pak. “We are committed to working with our law enforcement partners to prosecute those who violate our nation’s wildlife protection statutes for the sake of illegal profit.”
“The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Office of Law Enforcement, considers the illegal trapping and commercialization of Georgia’s protected turtle species a high priority, and we will continue to work closely with our State partners to protect the irreplaceable natural resources,” said Assistant Director Ed Grace.
“Wildlife crime has no place in Georgia! It is no longer lawful to trap freshwater turtles on a commercial basis in Georgia or export them out of the state, period. Georgia is filled with pristine natural resources and diverse ecosystems that are protected daily by Georgia DNR. I want to say thank you to our Georgia Game Wardens and federal partners for their hard work on this case and for strictly upholding our state’s conservation laws,” said Commissioner Mark Williams, Georgia Department of Natural Resources.
According to U.S. Attorney Pak, the charges, and other information presented in court: the Lacey Act, 16 U.S.C. §§ 3371-3378, regulates the trafficking and labeling of wildlife, fish, and plants and makes it unlawful for individuals to, among other things, knowingly export and sell wildlife that has been illegally taken in violation of state law.
In Georgia, the Department of Natural Resources (“GA-DNR”) regulates the collecting, trapping, exporting, trading, and selling of freshwater turtles from land belonging to the State of Georgia. Like it does with other wildlife, such as deer and bears, GA-DNR regulates both the number of freshwater turtles that may be collected and the manner in which they may be trapped. In this respect, Georgia defines by statute that a lawful turtle trap “must be constructed of netting and shaped as hoop nets . . . [and] must also have one open muzzle or throat at least 32 inches wide with a ring ten inches in diameter made into the rear of the trap to permit fish to escape.”
The indictment and other information before the court alleges that beginning by at least July 2015 and continuing until at least July 2017, Horton shipped thousands of freshwater turtles from Georgia to California that had been trapped using turtle nets that were illegal under Georgia law. Although Horton held a Commercial Turtle Permit during this time and GA-DNR sends all commercial permit holders the applicable Georgia statutes and GA-DNR regulations on turtle traps, Horton repeatedly used illegal traps to capture freshwater turtles. Indeed, in October 2016 and August 2017, while holding a commercial permit, GA-DNR cited Horton for using illegal traps to capture freshwater turtles. Among the species of turtles Horton allegedly trapped illegally were: Stripe-necked musk turtle (Sternotherus minor peltifer), Loggerhead musk turtle (Sternotherus minor), Common musk turtle or stinkpot or eastern musk turtle (Sternotherus odoratus), and Eastern mud turtles (Kinosternon subrubrum).
Nathan Horton, 36, formerly of Bainbridge, Georgia, was indicted for violating the Lacey Act. He was arraigned on December 10, 2020 before U.S. Magistrate Judge Justin S. Anand. Members of the public are reminded that the indictment only contains charges. The defendant is presumed innocent of the charges and it will be the government’s burden to prove the defendant’s guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial.
This case is being investigated by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Office of Law Enforcement and Georgia Department of Natural Resources.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Alex R. Sistla and Samir Kaushal are prosecuting the case.
For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at [email protected] or (404) 581-6016. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.
Previously Convicted Felon Admits to Unlawfully Possessing FirearmRead the Press Release
TRENTON, N.J. – A Burlington County, New Jersey, man today admitted illegally possessing a firearm, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito announced.
James Mobley, 41, of Riverside, New Jersey, pleaded guilty by videoconference before U.S. District Judge Brian R. Martinotti to an information charging him with one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
On Feb. 8, 2020, officers from the Burlington County Police Department responded to a 911 call regarding a man fitting Mobley’s description arguing with an unidentified woman. Officers driving in marked police vehicles located Mobley, identified themselves, and instructed him not to run. Despite the officers’ verbal commands, Mobley ran and crouched behind a nearby vehicle. Officers exited their vehicles and pursued Mobley on foot. As one of the officers approached, Mobley tossed a Glock 17 firearm that was loaded with 10 rounds of 9mm caliber ammunition on to the ground. Mobley has at least five prior felony convictions, including two controlled substance offenses and two resisting arrest offenses.
The charge of possession of a weapon by a convicted felon carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentencing is scheduled for April 14, 2021.
This case is part of Project Guardian, the Department of Justice’s signature initiative to reduce gun violence and enforce federal firearms laws. Initiated by the Attorney General in the fall of 2019, Project Guardian draws upon the Department’s past successful programs to reduce gun violence; enhances coordination of federal, state, local, and tribal authorities in investigating and prosecuting gun crimes; improves information sharing by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives when a prohibited individual attempts to purchase a firearm and is denied by the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS), to include taking appropriate actions when a prospective purchaser is denied by the NICS for mental health reasons; and ensures that federal resources are directed at the criminals posing the greatest threat to our communities. For more information about Project Guardian, please see https://www.justice.gov/projectguardian.
U.S. Attorney Carpenito credited special agents of the FBI, Trenton Resident Agency, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge George M. Crouch Jr. in Newark; and special agents of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Charlie J. Patterson, with the investigation leading to today’s guilty plea. He also thanked the Burlington Township Police Department, under the direction of Chief John Fine, and the Burlington County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Prosecutor Scott A. Coffina, for their assistance.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ray Mateo of the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Criminal Division in Trenton.
Portland Tax Preparer Pleads Guilty to Filing False Tax ReturnsRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Ore.—A Portland, Oregon, tax return preparer pleaded guilty today to preparing and filing false and fraudulent tax returns for clients and for herself, announced U.S. Attorney Billy J. Williams.
Elizabeth Munoz, 37, pleaded guilty to 13 counts of preparing and filing false income tax returns for clients and to four counts of filing false income tax returns for herself.
According to court documents, from 2015 to 2018, Munoz operated a federal and state income tax return preparation business from her home in Southeast Portland. Munoz advertised on business cards that she would obtain for her clients the “Biggest Refund Guaranteed.” Munoz allegedly prepared 1,196 false and fraudulent individual income tax returns for about 629 clients, resulting in an approximately $3 million tax loss through fraudulent refunds. The exact tax loss will be determined at Munoz’s sentencing on March 16, 2021.
Munoz’s allegedly used fraudulent tax schedules, tax credits, and filing statuses to carry out the refund fraud. Though Munoz charged her clients up to $150 per tax return, she reported no business income on her own personal income tax returns from 2014 through 2017.
On August 5, 2020, a federal grand jury in Portland returned a 25-count indictment charging Munoz with filing false income tax returns and aiding and assisting in the preparation of false income tax returns.
Each count of conviction carries a maximum sentence of three years in prison, a $250,000 fine, and a one-year term of supervised release. Munoz will also be ordered to pay full restitution to the IRS.
This case was investigated by IRS Criminal Investigation and prosecuted by Seth D. Uram, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon.
Pittsburgh-Area Copper-Processing Company Pleads Guilty to Felony Violations of the Clean Water ActRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, Pa. – A copper-processing company headquartered in Leetsdale, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty in federal court to three counts under the Clean Water Act, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced today.
United States District Court Judge William S. Stickman, IV, accepted the guilty plea of Libertas Copper, LLC d/b/a Hussey Copper ("Hussey") to one count each of submitting a false discharge monitoring report, discharging a quantity of oil that may be harmful to the environment, and failing to make immediate, required notification of such discharge of oil. Judge Stickman also proceeded directly to sentencing and ordered Hussey to pay a $550,000 fine and serve a three-year term of probation.
During today’s hearing, Hussey was represented by its Chief Executive Officer, who made admissions on behalf of the company. The Court was advised that Hussey operated a manufacturing facility on the Ohio River that produced flat-rolled copper products for the electrical distribution, industrial, and residential construction markets. Hussey also managed wastewater generated as a result of its copper processing via a wastewater treatment plant (WWTP). The WWTP discharged wastewater via designated internal and external outfalls, including outfalls on the Ohio River. Hussey further admitted that at all relevant times, it operated pursuant to the terms of a National Pollution Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit issued by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (PADEP), as authorized by the federal Clean Water Act.
As part of its guilty plea, Hussey admitted that its NPDES permit set specific discharge limits for copper and oil, among other parameters. Hussey’s NPDES permit also required the company to submit discharge monitoring reports (DMRs) on a monthly basis to PADEP, documenting the quantity and quality of the discharges authorized by its NPDES permit during the preceding month. Each DMR was required to be signed and certified as to its accuracy by a responsible corporate officer on behalf of Hussey. Hussey further acknowledged that between at least June 2012 and continuing through at least May 2017, the company knowingly submitted numerous falsified DMRs to PADEP, indicating that various discharges from its outfalls were within applicable permit limits, when in truth and in fact Hussey’s own internal sampling data showed that such discharges had exceeded the relevant limits. Hussey also admitted reporting false values in monthly DMR submissions to PADEP as to at least 140 parameters subject to discharge limits, including a substantial number of copper discharges. The false parameter values reported to PADEP concealed permit exceedances on at least 21 monthly DMRs.
Separate from the alleged DMR falsifications, Hussey also admitted engaging in a years-long pattern of discharging oil in a quantity sufficient to generate oil sheens on the Ohio River, in violation of the Clean Water Act. Between at least January 2012 and continuing until at least 2018, Hussey admitted that it documented in internal logs hundreds of observed oil sheens at two of the company’s outfalls on the Ohio River. Notwithstanding these documented observations, Hussey admitted that it did not report any of the observed oil sheens to EPA or PADEP, as required by the Clean Water Act. Further, after PADEP issued a notice of violation to Hussey in June 2015, following a citizen complaint of an oil sheen at the company’s outfall, the company admitted that a responsible corporate officer responded to the state agency that Hussey would report any future oil sheens. The next year, in July 2016, a responsible corporate officer communicated to PADEP that there had been no observed oil sheens at Hussey’s outfalls for the prior thirteen months, when, in fact, as Hussey admitted, the company’s internal logs reflected dozens of sheen observations during that time. Moreover, as part of its guilty plea, Hussey admitted that it did not make an affirmative, required report to regulatory authorities of the presence of oil sheens at its outfalls until June 2018—and even then its reporting was incomplete. To that end, Hussey’s oil-sheen reporting in June 2018 referenced sheens observed on three specific days, despite the fact that Hussey’s own internal logs documented observed sheens on fifteen additional days during the relevant month, including multiple sheens during the same week.
As a condition off Hussey’s probation, the company is also required to enter into a civil Consent Decree within 180 days of judgment in this case in connection with a pending parallel civil investigation, pursuant to which Hussey will implement a comprehensive environmental compliance program at its Leetsdale facility. Upon entry of such Consent Decree, Hussey’s probation in the criminal matter will terminate.
Assistant United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan prosecuted this case on behalf of the government, with assistance from Martin Harrell, Associate Regional Criminal Enforcement Counsel of the Environmental Protection Agency. The EPA’s Criminal Investigation Division conducted the investigation of Hussey.
Pine Ridge Man Indicted on Assault ChargesRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced that a Pine Ridge, South Dakota, man has been indicted by a federal grand jury for Assault With a Dangerous Weapon, Assault Resulting In Serious Bodily Injury, and Discharge of a Firearm During the Commission of a Crime of Violence.
Charles Schrader, age 54, was indicted on December 8, 2020. He appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Daneta L. Wollmann on December 9, 2020, and pleadded not guilty to the Indictment.
The maximum penalty upon conviction is up to 10 years in federal prison and/or a $250,000 fine, 3 years of supervised release, and $100 to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Restitution may also be ordered.
The Indictment alleges that on November 10, 2020, Schrader shot an individual with a firearm with the intent to do bodily harm and the assault resulted in serious bodily injury. The charges are merely accusations and Schrader is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
The investigation is being conducted by the Oglala Sioux Tribe Department of Public Safety and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Eric Kelderman is prosecuting the case.
Schrader was detained pending trial. A trial has been set for February 16, 2020.
Phony Immigration Attorney Who Filed over 215 Fraudulent Asylum Applications Pleads GuiltyRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Maria Chapa Lopez announces that Elvis Harold Reyes (56, Brandon) today pleaded guilty to mail fraud and aggravated identity theft in connection with a scheme where he posed as an immigration attorney and filed hundreds of fraudulent asylum applications. Reyes faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison for the mail fraud offense and a mandatory consecutive 2 years’ imprisonment for the aggravated identity theft offense. A sentencing date has not yet been set.
According to court documents, Reyes, who owned and operated EHR Ministries Inc., portrayed himself as an immigration attorney. Reyes is not and has never been a licensed attorney. Reyes targeted undocumented immigrants from Spanish-speaking countries who were seeking Florida driver licenses and work authorizations. Reyes gave false, inaccurate, and incomplete legal and immigration advice to victims in order to induce them to retain his services and those of EHR Ministries.
Victims retained and paid Reyes to represent them in immigration-related matters before U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) and other agencies. Reyes filed fraudulent immigration applications in the victims’ names, seeking asylum relief and withholding-of-removal protections provided for under the United Nations Convention Against Torture. In doing so, Reyes falsified answers to questions in the asylum applications—fabricating stories about threats, persecution, and the applicants’ fear of returning to their native countries. Reyes did not inform the victims of the answers that he had provided on their behalf. He also did not inform the victims about the legal, administrative, and other immigration-related consequences that might follow from filing for asylum relief or for Convention Against Torture protection.
Reyes filed more than 215 fraudulent applications, with intended losses to victims exceeding $1 million. Any person who was, or knows of someone who may have been, a possible victim is urged to contact the Homeland Security Investigations, at 1-866-DHS-2ICE or http://www.ice.gov/webform/hsi-tip-form.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service, and the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Frank Murray.
Philadelphia Man Sentenced to 6 ½ Years for Series of Greater Philadelphia Area Bank Robberies in 2019Read the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – First Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer Arbittier Williams announced that Michael Edmondson, 53, of Philadelphia, PA, was sentenced to 78 months in prison, three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay more than $6,700 in restitution by United States District Judge Mitchell S. Goldberg for robbing four banks in a spree across the Southeastern Pennsylvania counties of Delaware, Montgomery, Bucks, and Philadelphia.
In September 2019, the defendant pleaded guilty to a four-count Indictment charging him with four counts of bank robbery. The charges arose from Edmondson’s early 2019 crime spree, targeting the Wells Fargo Bank in Trevose on February 19; the Citizens Bank in Havertown’s Giant Foods on February 24; the Wells Fargo Bank in King of Prussia on February 27; and the Santander Bank on Market Street in Philadelphia on March 6. The defendant stole a total of $7,958 from the four banks, committing the offenses shortly after absconding from a halfway house where he was living while on state parole. In all four cases, Edmondson threatened to shoot himself and other people if the bank employees did not hand him cash.
“The defendant, now in his fifties, has a decades-long history of run-ins with the law,” said First Assistant United States Attorney Williams. “The simple fact is that Edmondson is a danger to the community. He has proven that, when given the opportunity, he will revert to threatening the safety of others and himself. The streets of Philadelphia and the surrounding counties are safer with the defendant behind bars once again.”
“At each stop on Michael Edmondson’s bank robbery spree, he told tellers he had a gun and was about to start shooting,” said Michael J. Driscoll, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Philadelphia Division. “Taking those who terrorize the community off the street is a priority for the FBI and our law enforcement partners, as we work together to crack down on violent crime and keep the public safe.”
The case was investigated by the Bensalem Township Police Department, the Haverford Township Police Department, the Philadelphia Police Department, the Upper Merion Township Police Department, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kevin Jayne.
Pennsylvania Man Sentenced for Smuggling Six Endangered Tropical Birds into Vermont from QuebecRead the Press Release
The Office of the United States Attorney for the District of Vermont stated that Jafet Rodriguez, 40, of Hazleton Pennsylvania, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge William K. Sessions III to a two-year term of federal supervised release. Rodriguez previously pled guilty to unlawfully smuggling six tropical birds into Vermont from Canada, in violation of the Endangered Species Act and the federal anti-smuggling statute. The Court also ordered Rodriguez to pay $1,905 to the government to cover the costs of quarantining the birds.
According to court documents, on December 30, 2019, at 10:30 A.M., the defendant walked across the Canadian border near the Haskell Free Library in Derby Line, Vermont and approached a car parked in Stanstead, Quebec. The defendant retrieved a black duffle bag containing the six birds from the vehicle parked in Quebec and then walked back into the United States. United States Border Patrol Agents intercepted Rodriquez after he entered another vehicle (with Pennsylvania license plates) in Derby Line, Vermont. The agents recovered the six tropical birds from this vehicle.
Rodriguez told law enforcement that he intended to give these birds to his mother and sister as Christmas gifts. The government questioned the credibility of that claim pointing out that these birds were collectively worth at least $10,000 and the defendant had a history of profit motivated crimes involving theft, fraud, and drug dealing.
According to court records, the National Fish and Wildlife Forensics Laboratory determined that four of the birds were Yellow-headed Amazon Parrots (Amazona oratrix) and the remaining two birds were White-bellied Parrots (Pionites leucogaster). These birds are protected by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (commonly referred to as “CITES”). Under the Endangered Species Act, species which are protected under CITES cannot be imported without the appropriate permits.
The birds were turned over to the U.S. Department of Agriculture and transported to the New York Animal Import Center in Rock Tavern, New York for a period of quarantine. The birds were then transported to a zoo in North Carolina.
This matter was investigated by the U.S. Border Patrol and Homeland Security Investigations with assistance from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph Perella. Rodriguez is represented by David McColgin of the Federal Public Defender’s Office in Burlington, Vermont.
Surveillance photograph of alleged taking custody of duffel bag containing birds. 4 yellow-headed amazon parrots inside an animal carrier. Yellow-headed amazon parrot inside a cardboard box.
The following photographs were contained in the Government’s Criminal Complaint Affidavit filed with the Court on January 28, 2020. The first photograph depicts Rodriguez retrieving the duffle bag from the car in Quebec just across the Derby Line, Vermont border. The last two photographs are of the Yellow-headed Amazon Parrots.Old Orchard Beach Man Sentenced for Fentanyl and Crack Cocaine ConspiracyRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Maine: An Old Orchard Beach man was sentenced today in federal court for conspiring to distribute fentanyl and crack cocaine, U.S. Attorney Halsey B. Frank announced.
Chief U.S. District Judge Jon D. Levy sentenced Aboubacar Congo, 32, to 78 months imprisonment and three years of supervised release. Congo pleaded guilty in October 2019.
According to court records, between September and November 2018, Congo conspired with several other individuals to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl and crack cocaine. Congo served as the leader of a group that obtained the drugs from out-of-state suppliers and distributed them to customers in the Old Orchard Beach area. Congo maintained an apartment in Old Orchard Beach where he and other conspirators lived. When agents executed a search warrant at the apartment in November 2018, they found fentanyl and crack cocaine inside.
The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency investigated the case.
Ohio man who pretended to be missing Illinois boy sentenced to prisonRead the Press Release
CINCINNATI – An Ohio man who pretended to be a missing Illinois boy was sentenced in U.S. District Court here today to 24 months in prison for aggravated identity theft.
Michael Rini, 24, formerly of Medina, Ohio, was charged by criminal complaint on April 6, 2019 and indicted by a grand jury on April 18, 2019. He pleaded guilty in January 2020.
According to court documents, Newport, Ky. police officers responded to a call on April 3, 2019 in which the caller described Rini as wandering the street, looking confused and in need of assistance.
Rini told officers his name was a minor who had been abducted when he was six years old and he “just wanted to go home.”
Local authorities confirmed that the identity Rini provided was associated with a missing and possibly abducted child. Specifically, in 2011, the then six-year-old boy went missing from Aurora, Ill.
Posing as the missing child, Rini claimed he was 14 and had recently escaped from a hotel room in which two men had been holding him captive. He said he had been sexually and physically abused for years while in captivity and that he was having abdominal pain.
Rini was transferred to Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Emergency Room because of the complaint of abdominal pain, and there, FBI task force officers met with Rini to potentially investigate sex trafficking and crimes against children. FBI special agents and a detective from the Aurora, Ill. police department also spoke with Rini.
Rini continued to claim to be the missing boy throughout conversations in the hospital. He refused to provide his fingerprints to investigators at Children’s Hospital; however, eventually, he agreed to submit a buccal swab for DNA testing.
DNA test results confirmed Rini’s identity. As a prior felon, Rini’s DNA was known to the FBI. Ohio Department of Corrections records indicate Rini was released from an Ohio prison on March 7, 2019.
Once law enforcement officers confronted Rini about his true identity, Rini immediately stated he was not the missing child. He said he watched a story about the child on 20/20 and stated he wanted to get away from his own family.
Further investigation by the FBI found that Rini had allegedly portrayed himself as a juvenile sex trafficking victim on two prior occasions. In those instances, he was only identified once he was fingerprinted.
David M. DeVillers, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Chris Hoffman, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division; Robert Brown, Special Agent in Charge, FBI, Louisville, Ky. Division; Cincinnati Police Chief Eliot K. Isaac; Newport Police Chief Thomas Collins; Vance Callender, Special Agent in Charge, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI); Hamilton County Coroner Dr. Lakshmi Sammarco; Hamilton County Sheriff Jim Neil and officials with the Aurora, Ill. Police Department announced the sentence imposed today by U.S. District Judge Michael R. Barrett. Assistant United States Attorney Kyle J. Healey and Deputy Criminal Chief Christy L. Muncy are representing the United States in this case.
# # #
Ohio Man Indicted for Traveling to KC to Meet Child Victim for SexRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – An Ohio man was indicted by a federal grand jury today for traveling to Missouri in an attempt to engage in illicit sexual conduct with a 12-year-old child.
Timothy M. Zukoski, 34, of Southington, Ohio, was charged in a three-count indictment returned by a federal grand jury in Kansas City, Mo. Today’s indictment replaces a criminal complaint that was filed against Zukoski on Nov. 27, 2020.
According to an affidavit filed in support of the original criminal complaint, Zukoski began communicating through Instagram on Oct. 21, 2020, with a person he believed to be 12 years old. In reality, the Instagram account had been set up by a Kansas City area woman for her daughter. The woman communicated with Zukoski under the identity of her daughter, the affidavit says, before contacting the FBI. An FBI undercover employee then began communicating with Zukoski through the Instagram account, assuming the identity of the 12-year-old girl. Zukoski began making arrangements to travel to the Kansas City area so that he could meet the child victim for sex.
Zukoski allegedly made plans with the FBI undercover employee to stay in Kansas City while the child victim’s mother was purportedly out of town over Thanksgiving weekend. Zukoski also suggested, the affidavit says, that the child victim could come live with him. When Zukoski arrived in Kansas City on Nov. 27, 2020, he was arrested. Investigators found numerous images of child pornography on his cell phone.
Today’s indictment charges Zukoski with one count of attempting to entice a minor to engage in sexual activity, one count of traveling across state lines to engage in illicit sexual conduct, and one count of possessing child pornography.
The charges contained in this indictment are simply accusations, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charges must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Catherine A. Connelly. It was investigated by the FBI and the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department.
Project Safe Childhood
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc . For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab "resources."Northwest Arkansas Man Sentenced to over 11 Years in Federal Prison for Attempted Enticement of A MinorRead the Press Release
Fayetteville, Arkansas – David Clay Fowlkes, First Assistant United States Attorney for the Western District of Arkansas, announced that Eric Butler, age 46, was sentenced today to 135 months in federal prison without the possibility of parole followed by 20 years of supervised release on one count of Attempted Enticement of a Minor to Engage in Illegal Sexual Activity. The Honorable Timothy L. Brooks, United States District Judge, presided over the sentencing hearing in the United States District Court in Fayetteville.
According to court records, in September of 2019, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Northwest Arkansas Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force, the Arkansas State Police, and several local law enforcement agencies conducted a joint operation to target online sexual predators in Northwest Arkansas. As part of the operation, undercover law enforcement investigators placed multiple advertisements on various online websites and mobile applications representing themselves to be minors.
On September 25, 2019, Butler responded to a Craigslist advertisement and began emailing and text messaging with an undercover law enforcement officer who was posing as a 13-year-old female. Over the course of two days, Butler exchanged several emails with the 13-year-old persona, in which he discussed having sexual intercourse with the purported minor. Butler arranged a meeting with the purported 13 year old for a sexual encounter and was arrested upon arriving at the predetermined meeting location.
Butler was indicted by a federal grand jury in November of 2019, and entered a guilty plea in August of 2020.
This case was investigated by the Department of Homeland Security Investigations Fayetteville, the Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force, and the Arkansas State Police. Assistant United States Attorney Amy Driver prosecuted the case for the United States.
This case was prosecuted 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 U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
North Carolina Man Sentenced to 15 Years in Prison for Enticing Arkansas Minor to Engage in Sexual ConductRead the Press Release
LITTLE ROCK—A North Carolina man was sentenced late Monday after traveling to Arkansas twice to have sex with a minor he enticed over the internet. United States District Court Judge Brian S. Miller sentenced Jonathan Berrier, 53, of Lexington, North Carolina, to 180 months in federal prison. Cody Hiland, the United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, and Diane Upchurch, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Little Rock Field Office, announced the sentencing.
In January 2017, Berrier reached out to a 13-year-old minor on Facebook, and they began talking through text messaging and telephone as well. The conversations became sexual in nature and continued through spring 2018. As the sexual content of their conversations increased, the defendant sent gifts and packages to the minor, which included cell phones.
The defendant travelled from North Carolina to Arkansas in February and March of 2018. On both occasions, he gave the minor a cell phone to communicate with him. Text messages retrieved from one of the phones revealed additional sexually explicit messages between the defendant and the minor. On both visits to Arkansas, the defendant had sexual intercourse with the minor.
“This defendant cultivated a long term, sexually explicit online relationship with a 13-year-old child, and he then leveraged that relationship to come into our state and sexually abuse her,” said U.S. Attorney Hiland. “Today’s 15-year sentence should serve as a warning to anyone who would take advantage of a minor online: if you come to Arkansas with the intent to sexually abuse a child, we will investigate and prosecute, and we will seek a lengthy sentence.”
Berrier was originally charged in a two-count indictment with one count of enticement of a minor and one count of travel to engage in illicit sexual conduct. The defendant pleaded guilty to enticement of a minor on September 25, 2020.
In addition to the prison term, Berrier was sentenced to ten years of supervised release following his imprisonment. He was also ordered to pay $2400 in restitution to the victim to assist in paying for counseling services. The investigation was conducted by the FBI.
# # #
This news release, as well as additional information about the office of the
United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, is available online at
https://www.justice.gov/edar
Twitter:
@EDARNEWS
Ms-13 Financier Sentenced to Four Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
Audrey Strauss, the Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that KELLY RIVAS, a/k/a “La Grumpy,” was sentenced today to four years in prison for managing dues collection and distribution for the transnational criminal organization La Mara Salvatrucha, also known as MS-13. RIVAS previously pled guilty to conspiracy to commit extortion in connection with the use of force to collect payments from MS-13 members and associates. U.S. District Judge Paul A. Engelmayer imposed the sentence in Manhattan federal court.
Acting U.S. Attorney Audrey Strauss said: “Kelly Rivas collected dues from MS-13 members in several states, and funneled those payments to MS-13 leaders in El-Salvador, as well as MS-13 members in U.S. prisons. For her role in funding this vicious gang, she has been sentenced to a significant term in prison.”
According to statements in the Indictment, and other filings and statements at public court proceedings in the case:
MS-13 is a transnational gang that operates in El Salvador and throughout the United States, among other places. MS-13 is infamous for being a brutally violent organization. Its leadership, members, and associates engage in a variety of serious and violent criminal activity, including acts of murder and attempted murder, malicious wounding with serious injury, assaults, kidnappings, firearms trafficking, extortion, and international and interstate narcotics distribution. One hallmark of the gang is its use of machetes to commit brutal attacks, including murders, in furtherance of the gang’s activities.
RIVAS belonged to an MS-13 “clique” known as Hollywood Locos Salvatrucha (HLS). HLS operates in Washington, D.C., Maryland, Virginia, New York, and elsewhere. HLS members have committed murder and other acts of violence, and generated revenue on behalf of MS-13, including through robbery, extortion, and narcotics and firearms trafficking. HLS members are required to pay monthly dues, which MS-13 uses to support various gang activities and to support other MS-13 members, including those who are incarcerated or who live in El Salvador. Members are induced to pay dues, including through threats of violence, and members who fall behind on dues are subjected to physical beatings carried out by other members of the gang. In addition to the violent consequences for failure to pay dues, MS-13 rules establish that MS-13 members who try to withdraw from the gang will be “green lit,” meaning that the gang’s leadership will authorize the gang to murder the withdrawing member.
RIVAS collected, and oversaw the collection, of dues in New York, Virginia, Maryland, and elsewhere. She also transmitted and ensured the transmission of the collected funds to other MS-13 members, including incarcerated members and members in El Salvador, to support the gang’s activities. In the course of overseeing the collection of dues, RIVAS pressured MS-13 members to meet their dues payment obligations by any means necessary, including through criminal activities that would generate income, such as narcotics and firearms trafficking. Like other MS-13 leaders, RIVAS resorted to threats of violence to extort dues from MS-13 members and relied on physical beatings carried out by other MS-13 members to enforce payment.
* * *
In addition to the prison term, RIVAS, 34, of Manassas Park, Virginia, was sentenced to three years of supervised release. She was further ordered to forfeit $19,346 in dues that she had collected or transmitted.
Ms. Strauss praised the outstanding investigative work of Homeland Security Investigations, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, and the Albemarle County Police Department, and thanked the Albermarle County Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office for its assistance.
The case is being handled by the Office’s Violent and Organized Crime Unit. Assistant United States Attorneys Hagan Scotten, Danielle R. Sassoon, and Daniel G. Nessim are in charge of the prosecution.
Morrow County Felon Sentenced to Federal Prison for Drug Distribution and Illegal Firearm PossessionRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Ore.—A Morrow County, Oregon man with a decades-long criminal history who was on probation following his recent release from federal prison was ordered to return to prison today for illegally possessing a firearm and distributing methamphetamine, announced U.S. Attorney Billy J. Williams.
Jeremy Michael Carroll, 39, of Boardman, Oregon, was sentenced to 63 months in federal prison and four years of supervised release. Carroll previously pleaded guilty to illegally possessing a firearm as a convicted felon and possessing with the intent to distribute methamphetamine.
“Methamphetamine abuse and addiction continues to plague rural communities throughout Oregon and across the country,” said Billy J. Williams, U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon. “I applaud the Blue Mountain Enforcement Narcotics Team and its member agencies for their steadfast work to protect communities in Eastern Oregon from the deadly scourge of illegal drug trafficking. Their hard work saves lives and prevents violent crime.”
“The Blue Mountain Enforcement Narcotics Team (BENT) appreciates the working relationship our detectives have with the U.S. Attorney’s Office. FBI and U.S. Marshals Service deputation allows our state and local detectives to work seamlessly with federal law enforcement,” said Oregon State Police Lieutenant and BENT Board Chairman Karl Farber. “In this case, federally-deputized BENT detectives from the Morrow County Sheriff’s Office and Boardman Police Department worked closely with federal prosecutors from the U.S. Attorney’s Office.”
According to court documents, in July of 2019, BENT detectives were investigating Carroll, a known drug trafficker in Morrow County. During the investigation, officers conducted two separate controlled purchases of methamphetamine from Carroll. In late July, officers obtained and conducted a search warrant on Carroll’s Boardman residence. Inside the residence, officers located a .243 caliber rifle, a .22 caliber revolver, assorted ammunition, 35 grams of methamphetamine, 3 grams of heroin, scales, drug packaging, and drug ledgers.
In August of 2019, investigators learned that Carroll was staying at a hotel in Hermiston, Oregon. Officers surveilled the hotel, located Carroll, and arrested him. A search of Carroll’s hotel room returned a second .22 caliber pistol, a box of .22 caliber long rifle ammunition, a loaded .22 caliber long rifle magazine, brass knuckles, laser sights, scope mounts, and glass smoking pipes, among other items.
Carroll’s criminal history spans two decades with prior convictions for criminal mischief, carrying a concealed weapon, theft, strangulation, resisting arrest, attempted burglary, driving under the influence of intoxicants, felon in possession of a firearm, and felon in possession of a destructive device.
This case was investigated by BENT with assistance from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF). It was prosecuted by Ashley Cadotte, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon.
BENT is a High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) task force comprised of detectives from the Pendleton Police Department, Hermiston Police Department, Boardman Police Department, Oregon State Police, Morrow County Sheriff’s Office, Milton-Freewater Police Department, Umatilla Tribal Police Department.
Middle Georgia PT Provider Agrees to Pay $500k+ to Resolve Fraud ClaimsRead the Press Release
MACON, Ga. – A civil settlement has been reached with former Warner Robins-based physical therapy provider McLeod-Hughes and Associates, LLC, and its owner Barry McLeod-Hughes, to resolve allegations of fraud, said Peter D. Leary, the Acting U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of Georgia.
McLeod-Hughes agreed to pay $506,811.18 to the United States to resolve allegations that it violated the False Claims Act by submitting bills to the Medicare and TRICARE programs for physical therapy services provided by unlicensed, uncredentialed or otherwise unapproved individuals. Additionally, McLeod-Hughes has voluntarily agreed to be excluded as a provider from Medicare and other federal health care programs.
The settlement marks the end of a years-long investigation into McLeod-Hughes’s billing practices that began with a referral from the Department of Defense’s (DOD) Defense Health Agency. Federal health care programs, such as Medicare and TRICARE, allow services to be provided and billed only by certain licensed and approved providers and only under certain circumstances. The alleged scheme resolved by the settlement concerned McLeod-Hughes’s submission of claims to Medicare and TRICARE for physical therapy services purportedly provided by approved providers when, in fact, athletic trainers and other unlicensed, uncredentialed, or otherwise unapproved individuals furnished the physical therapy services. McLeod-Hughes fully cooperated in the investigation, after which the parties agreed to resolve the allegations described herein. The claims covered by the settlement are allegations only, and there has been no determination of liability.
“We are committed to protecting the public trust and will carefully investigate allegations of fraud in pursuit of this mission,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Leary. “I want to thank the Departments of Defense and Health and Human Services for their work investigating these allegations.”
“Our warfighters and their families deserve the best medical care,” said Special Agent in Charge Cynthia A. Bruce of DOD’s Defense Criminal Investigation Service (DCIS) Southeast Field Office. “The DCIS and partnering investigative agencies will thoroughly investigate and bring to justice those who sacrifice the integrity of our military healthcare system.”
“Medicare pays only for medical services administered by licensed, credentialed and approved professionals. These criteria help to uphold the quality and integrity of federal health care programs,” said Derrick L. Jackson. Special Agent in Charge for the Office of Inspector General of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. “Therefore, we continue to investigate and resolve situations in which unapproved providers are billing Medicare and other federal health care programs, as shown in this case.”
The case was investigated by Special Agent Lam Hoang of the Department of Defense--Office of Inspector General, Shawn McAleer of the Department of Health & Human Services--Office of Inspector General, and Investigators Shaketia Morgan and Enedelia Bostrup of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Georgia. The Government’s civil settlement was reached by Assistant U.S. Attorney W. Taylor McNeill. Questions can be directed to Pamela Lightsey, Public Information Officer, U.S. Attorney’s Office, at (478) 621-2603 or Melissa Hodges, Public Affairs Officer (Contractor), U.S. Attorney’s Office, at (478) 765-2362.
McLaughlin Woman Sentenced for Maintaining Drug Involved PremisesRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced that a McLaughlin, South Dakota, woman convicted of Maintaining a Drug Involved Premises was sentenced on December 14, 2020, by U.S. District Judge Charles B. Kornmann.
Michelle Rose Helper, age 36, was sentenced to 30 months in federal prison, three years of supervised release, a $1,000 fine, and a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $100.
Helper was indicted by a federal grand jury on January 14, 2020. She pled guilty on August 17, 2020.
The conviction stemmed from a conspiracy beginning in 2011 and continuing through 2019, wherein Helper unlawfully and knowingly used her residence located in McLaughlin, South Dakota, for the purpose of distributing and using marijuana with Brady Claymore. Helper and Claymore distributed between 40 and 60 kilograms of marijuana at the residence. Claymore was sentenced on October 19, 2020, to 50 months in federal prison.
This case was investigated by the Northern Plains Safe Trails Drug Enforcement Task Force, the Mobridge Police Department, and the Bureau of Indian Affairs. Assistant U.S. Attorney Cameron J. Cook prosecuted the case.
Helper will self-report to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service on December 29, 2020.
Massachusetts Man Sentenced for Bank Fraud and Identity Theft OffensesRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Maine: A Boston man was sentenced today in federal court for conspiring to commit bank fraud and aggravated identity theft, as well as bank fraud and aiding and abetting aggravated identity theft, U.S. Attorney Halsey B. Frank announced.
U.S. District Judge D. Brock Hornby sentenced Rahshjeem Benson, 38, to 57 months in prison and three years of supervised release. He was also ordered to pay $123,292.11 in restitution. Benson pleaded guilty on October 31, 2019.
According to court records, beginning in about December of 2018, Benson participated in a scheme to defraud banks and credit unions throughout New England. Members of the conspiracy obtained the names and personal identifying information of individuals with good credit scores. They then applied for unsecured personal loans in the names of victims with no intention of repaying. In connection with those loan applications, members of the conspiracy presented fictitious identification documents (such as driver’s licenses) bearing the names of individuals whose identities had been stolen, and a photograph of the co-conspirator who was posing as the victim. Members of the conspiracy also created bogus paystubs and purported residential lease agreements in the names of the victims to support the fraudulent loan applications.
As part of the conspiracy, Benson and his co-conspirators fraudulently obtained loans from financial institutions in Buxton and Kittery in January 2019. The scheme ended when a loan officer became suspicious and alerted local law enforcement. Kittery police officers arrested Benson while he was attempting to obtain $20,000 in loan proceeds from one of the financial institutions.
Homeland Security Investigations and the Kittery Police Department investigated the case.
Martinsburg woman admits to role in drug trafficking enterpriseRead the Press Release
MARTINSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Barbara Jean Feltner, of Martinsburg West Virginia, has admitted to her role in a drug distribution enterprise, U.S. Attorney Bill Powell announced.
Feltner, 32, pled guilty to one count of “Aiding and Abetting Distribution of Heroin and Fentanyl.” Feltner admitted to working with others to sell heroin and fentanyl in February 2020 in Berkeley County.Feltner faces up to 20 years of incarceration and a fine of up to $1,000,000. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Lara Omps-Botteicher is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The FBI; the Department of Homeland Security Investigations; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the U.S. Marshals Service; the West Virginia State Police; the Eastern Panhandle Drug & Violent Crimes Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative; and the West Virginia Air National Guard investigated. The Eastern District of Pennsylvania U.S. Attorney’s Office and the Kent County Sheriff’s Office assisted.
These charges are the result of investigations supported by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) under the Attorney General-led Synthetic Opioid Surge (SOS)/Special Operations Division (SOD) Project Clean Sweep. This initiative seeks to reduce the supply of synthetic opioids in “hot spot” areas previously identified by the Attorney General of the United States, thereby reducing drug overdoses and drug overdose deaths, and identify wholesale distribution networks and sources of supply operating nationally and internationally.
OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Robert W. Trumble presided.
Find the related case here: https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndwv/pr/22-people-indicted-drug-trafficking-enterprise-spanned-several-states
Manitowoc Resident Sentenced to Ten Years in Prison for Methamphetamine OffenseRead the Press Release
Matthew D. Krueger, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, announced that on December 15, 2020, Keynan J. Juul (age: 23) of Manitowoc, Wisconsin, was sentenced to ten years in prison for possessing with the intent to distribute over 50 grams of actual methamphetamine, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Section 841(a)(1) and (b)(1)(A).
According to court documents, on April 24, 2020, Two Rivers Police observed Juul leaving a known drug location. Juul was driving with a suspended license. The officers attempted to initiate a traffic stop, but Juul drove off at a high rate of speed, leading the officers on a high speed chase that at times reached 110 MPH. While pursuing Juul, the officers observed him throwing items from the vehicle. Officers recovered the items which included approximately 90 grams of methamphetamine and various items of drug paraphernalia. The pursuit ended when Juul lost control and struck another vehicle.
In pronouncing sentence, Senior U.S. District Judge William C. Griesbach noted the serious nature of Juul’s offense and the need to send a strong message of deterrence to Juul and anyone else who might attempt to distribute drugs in Northeast Wisconsin. The judge ordered Juul’s incarceration in federal prison for a term of ten years to be followed by five years of supervised release.
The case was investigated by the Two Rivers Police Department and the Manitowoc County Metropolitan Enforcement Group. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Daniel R. Humble.
The year 2020 marks the 150th anniversary of the Department of Justice. Learn more about the history of our agency at www.Justice.gov/Celebrating150Years.
# # #
For Additional Information Contact: Public Information Officer Kenneth Gales
414-297-1700
Man from Pojoaque, New Mexico, sentenced for domestic abuseRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Jake Martin Roybal, 43, of Pojoaque, New Mexico, was sentenced today in federal court on a federal domestic violence charge for assaulting his wife.
Roybal pleaded guilty on Sept. 10. In the plea agreement, Roybal admitted to knowingly and recklessly assaulting the victim on the Pueblo of Pojoaque in Santa Fe County, New Mexico, on Oct. 22, 2019. As a result of this conviction, Roybal will be placed on two years of supervised probation, prohibited from purchasing, possessing, or consuming alcohol and ordered to obtain a substance abuse evaluation and attend counseling for domestic violence. Roybal will also be prohibited from possessing firearms, ammunition and explosives.
The case was originally charged as a citation through the Central Violation Bureau, which processes citations written by federal officers for petty misdemeanor offenses. In certain circumstances, a citation can result in formal criminal charges.
In April of 2019, John C. Anderson, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, implemented a misdemeanor docket through the Central Violations Bureau with the approval of the United States District Court for the District of New Mexico. The program allows tribal officers to issue federal citations for forty-six misdemeanor offenses occurring on tribal lands, including criminal trespass, simple possession of narcotics, deprivation of property of a household member, criminal damage to property, and certain traffic offenses. Citations also may be issued to non-natives on or passing through tribal lands where the crime directly affects tribal members or tribal interests. These citations include misdemeanor violations of non-native versus native domestic violence.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of New Mexico has been working with the Bureau of Indian Affairs, Office of Justice Services and with local tribal police departments including the Pueblo of Isleta and the Pueblo of Pojoaque to train officers in the process of issuing these citations.
“The goal of this additional CVB docket is to close jurisdictional gaps and thereby improve public safety within Indian Country. In this case, the CVB docket has allowed us to hold a domestic violence offender, accountable in federal court. within Indian Country,” said Anderson.
The Pojoaque Department of Public Safety and Bureau of Indian Affairs Northern Pueblos Agency investigated this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas J. Aliberti prosecuted the case.
Man from Albuquerque sentenced to 18 years in federal prison for armed robberiesRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Jared Barnhill, 29, of Albuquerque, New Mexico was sentenced in federal court on Dec. 1 to 18 years in prison on three counts of interference with interstate commerce by robbery and violence and two counts of using, carrying, or possessing a firearm during a crime of violence.
In Barnhill’s plea agreement, he admitted to committing three armed robberies of businesses in Albuquerque. On June 28, 2018, Barnhill robbed a gas station convenience store. He entered the store, brandished a gun, and demanded money and merchandise from an employee. Barnhill robbed another business on July 3, 2018, and a third business on July 5, 2018.
A co-defendant in the case, Jeyden Barnhill, pleaded guilty on Oct. 24, 2019, to interference with interstate commerce by robbery and violence. Barnhill was sentenced to 46 months in prison. Another co-defendant, Samuel Perez, was indicted on Apr. 24, 2019 and is still awaiting trial. Charges in an indictment are only accusations. A defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.
The FBI investigated this case with the Albuquerque Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas A. Outler prosecuted the case as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods, a nationwide initiative that brings together federal, state, local and tribal law enforcement officials, prosecutors, and community leaders to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in a community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them.
Man Sentenced to 66 Months for Distributing Methamphetamine in Eau ClaireRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Scott C. Blader, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Alexander Cappard, 26, Apple Valley, Minnesota, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge William Conley to 66 months in prison for distributing methamphetamine. Cappard pleaded guilty to this charge on September 29, 2020.
On March 16, 2020, a government confidential informant bought 52 grams of methamphetamine from Cappard and his co-defendant, Alisha Heiman, at a hotel room in Eau Claire, Wisconsin. Later that day, officers executed a search warrant at Cappard’s hotel room. Cappard attempted to flee the hotel room but was arrested after a brief chase. During the search, officers found a loaded firearm, a bag containing 69 grams of methamphetamine, and a digital scale in the bathroom. Officers found an additional 32 grams of methamphetamine in other areas of the hotel room.
During a post-arrest interview with officers, Cappard admitted to traveling to Eau Claire from Minnesota for the purpose of selling methamphetamine. Cappard stated that he was working with Heiman to sell one pound of methamphetamine from the hotel room.
At the sentencing hearing, Judge Conley noted Cappard currently has four pending felony cases in Minnesota, with several of the cases involving methamphetamine and firearms.
Heiman pleaded guilty on September 29 to distributing methamphetamine. She is scheduled to be sentenced by Judge Conley on December 22.
The charge against Cappard was a result of an investigation conducted by the West Central Drug Task Force, the Eau Claire County District Attorney’s Office, and the Drug Enforcement Administration. The prosecution of the case has been handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron Wegner.
Man Pleads Guilty to Conspiracy to Distribute Meth on the DarknetRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – An Alexandria man pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to distribute 500 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine.
According to court documents, from about May 2019 through about Nov. 4, 2019, Dat Nguyen, 35, conspired to distribute peach tablets advertised as Adderall, but in fact containing methamphetamine, nationwide through the U.S. mail. Nguyen used the moniker “addy4cheap” on darknet markets, the Empire Market and Cryptonia. Between August 2019 and December 2019, law enforcement agents conducted 20 controlled purchases from “addy4cheap” on both markets for a total of 767 peach tablets received weighing approximately 268 grams total.
On Dec. 9, 2019, search warrants were executed at co-conspirators’ residences including the home of Lien Kim Thi Phan and Tyler Pham and the home of Hon Lam Luk. In the home of Phan and Pham, agents found 95 peach tablets, and in Luk’s residence, investigators found over 6,000 peach tablets weighing approximately 2.2 kilograms, all of which resembled those advertised on “addy4cheap” and those received by law enforcement through controlled purchases.
As of Dec. 10, 2019, “addy4cheap” had completed 3,665 sales on the Empire Market and received 2,568 reviews. Based on these reviews, “addy4cheap” had received approximately $482,572.10 in sales for an approximate 44,872 pills sold. As of Nov. 7, 2019, “addy4cheap” had fulfilled 140 transactions on Cryptonia.
Nguyen’s five co-conspirators all previously entered guilty pleas in connection with the conspiracy. One co-conspirator remains a fugitive.
Nguyen is scheduled to be sentenced on March 23, 2021. He faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years in prison. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; James A. Dawson, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Washington Field Office Criminal Division; Mark S. McCormack, Special Agent in Charge, FDA Office of Criminal Investigations, Metro Washington Field Office; Peter R. Rendina, Inspector in Charge of the Washington Division of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service; Colonel Edwin C. Roessler Jr., Fairfax County Chief of Police; and Jesse R. Fong, Special Agent in Charge for the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) Washington Field Division, made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Leonie M. Brinkema accepted the plea.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Bibeane Metsch and Jay V. Prabhu are prosecuting the case.
This investigation was conducted by the FBI Washington Field Office’s Hi-Tech Opioid Task Force, which is composed of FBI agents and task force partners, including special agents and officers of the Food and Drug Administration’s Office of Criminal Investigations, DEA, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and detectives from local assisting police agencies. The task force is charged with identifying and investigating the most egregious Dark Web marketplaces, and the vendors operating on the marketplaces who are engaged in the illegal acquisition and distribution of controlled substances, to include fentanyl, methamphetamine, and other opioids.
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. 1:20-cr-265, and related cases 1:20-cr-24, 1:20-cr-29, 1:20-cr-32, 1:20-cr-155, 1:20-cr- 266and 1:19-mj-548.
Mail Carrier Indicted for Stealing Mail, ChecksRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A U.S. Postal Service mail carrier was indicted by a federal grand jury today for stealing mail from customers on his route and depositing their checks into his own bank account.
Lane A. Snider, 21, of Kansas City, Kansas, was charged in a 13-count indictment returned by a federal grand jury in Kansas City, Mo.
Snider was employed as a mail carrier for the U.S. Postal Service in Kansas City, Mo., from June 13 to Aug. 6, 2020. Snider allegedly took then opened mail addressed to customers on his route. He removed checks from the opened mail, the indictment says, and deposited them into his own bank account.
Today’s indictment charges Snider with one count of stealing mail, and 12 counts of bank fraud. Each of the 12 bank fraud counts is related to the deposit of a stolen check, in amounts ranging from $25 to $500.
The charges contained in this indictment are simply accusations, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charges must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence.
This case is being prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Courtney R. Pratten. It was investigated by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service.
Lowell Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Federal Prison for Money LaunderingRead the Press Release
Fayetteville, Arkansas – David Clay Fowlkes, First Assistant United States Attorney for the Western District of Arkansas announced that, Jonathan Terry, age 35, was sentenced today to 120 months in federal prison followed by three years of supervised release on one count of Money Laundering. The Honorable Judge Timothy L. Brooks presided over the sentencing hearing today in the United States District Court in Fayetteville.
Beginning in July of 2019, Terry began fraudulently obtaining the banking and personally identifying information of individuals throughout the Fayetteville Division of the Western District of Arkansas through various means, primarily from stealing mail from unattended mailboxes. After he obtained that information, Terry opened financial accounts at various financial institutions, to include TD Ameritrade and Fidelity, and funded those accounts with stolen checks. Terry also attempted to take advantage of the “pending” status of large deposits to transfer funds amongst the various accounts he opened. In all, the Court found that Terry attempted $2,256,727.50 in transactions on those fraudulent accounts, though he and his coconspirators only obtained approximately $4,000 in the overall scheme. The Court found that Terry was an “organizer or leader” of the scheme, that he victimized over 10 individuals, and that he obstructed justice during the investigation.
Terry was indicted by a federal grand jury in March of 2020 and entered a guilty plea in June of 2020.
This case was investigated by the Madison County Sheriff’s Office, the Fayetteville Police Department, the Washington County Sheriff’s Office, the Arkansas State Police, IRS, the FBI and the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA). Assistant United States Attorney Ben Wulff prosecuted the case for the Western District of Arkansas.
Louisiana Company Sentenced for Role in Conspiracy to Defraud the Government and Violate the Procurement Integrity ActRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – United States Attorney Peter G. Strasser and Makan Delrahim, Assistant Attorney General for the Antitrust Division of the Department of Justice, announced that CAJAN WELDING & RENTALS, LTD., a company located in Opelousas, Louisiana, was sentenced by United States District Judge Greg G. Guidry after previously pleading guilty to one count of conspiracy to defraud the United States and to violate the Procurement Integrity Act, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 371.
According to the plea agreement, CAJAN WELDING & RENTALS, LTD. conspired with unnamed co-conspirators to defraud the United States by corrupting and impairing the government procurement process, and by obtaining non-public pricing and cost information in order to obtain subcontract awards and payments from the U.S. Department of Energy in connection with its operation of the nation’s Strategic Petroleum Reserve.
Judge Guidry sentenced CAJAN WELDING & RENTALS, LTD. to a criminal fine of $400,000 and a mandatory special assessment fee of $400.
“Fraud against the U.S. government, regardless of its scope and means of orchestration, is a serious crime. Especially egregious is fraud that undermines the government procurement processes, which erodes public trust,” said U.S. Attorney of the Eastern District of Louisiana Peter G. Strasser. “It is imperative that fair bidding procedures are preserved. This sentencing sends a clear message that our office will vigorously investigate and prosecute all such corruption cases.
“The investigation and prosecution of organizations that cheat, collude, and seek to undermine the integrity of government procurement remain priorities for the division,” said Assistant Attorney General Makan Delrahim of the Department of Justice’s Antitrust Division. “The division is dedicated to protecting the public purse from conspiracies that rob taxpayers and critical federal programs — like the Strategic Petroleum Reserve — of the benefits of competition.”
The case is the result of a federal investigation being conducted by the United States Attorney’s Office in the Eastern District of Louisiana, the Department of Justice Antitrust Division’s Washington Criminal II Section, and the Department of Energy’s Office of the Inspector General.
* * *
Lockport Man Going to Prison for Possessing Cocaine with the Intent to Distribute ItRead the Press Release
CONTACT: Barbara Burns
PHONE: (716) 843-5817
FAX #: (716) 551-3051BUFFALO, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy, Jr. announced today Gilberto Marchese, 38 of Lockport, NY, who was convicted of possessing with intent to distribute cocaine, was sentenced to serve 46 months in prison by U.S. District Judge Richard J. Arcara.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin G. Bish, who handled the case, stated that, between December of 2015 and March of 2019, the defendant unlawfully possessed with intent to distribute cocaine. In addition, on March 27, 2019, law enforcement officers conducted a search warrant at Marchese’s residence on Grand Street in Lockport and recovered approximately 29 grams of cocaine, a grinder with suspected marijuana residue, and two digital scales.
The sentencing is the result of an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Kevin Kelly; the Niagara County Drug Task Force, under the direction of Niagara County Sheriff Michael Filicetti; and the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Ray Donovan.
# # # #
Leader of Newark Drug Trafficking Organization Admits Participation in Heroin ConspiracyRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – An Essex County, New Jersey, man today admitted his role as a member of a heroin trafficking conspiracy in Newark, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito announced.
Keith Herd, 32, of Newark, pleaded guilty by videoconference before U.S. District Judge Susan D. Wigenton to a third superseding indictment charging him with one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute one kilogram or more of heroin and distribution of and possession with intent to distribute heroin.
Between March and August 2018, Herd and 27 other individuals were charged by complaint with conspiracy to distribute heroin and cocaine base; one individual also was charged with firearms offenses relating to his drug trafficking. On Aug. 20, 2019, a grand jury returned a 22-count third superseding indictment charging Herd and four other defendants with conspiracy to distribute one kilogram or more of heroin and various other drug and firearms offenses; Herd was charged with continuing criminal enterprise for his leadership role in the long-term drug conspiracy. The charges in the third superseding indictment remain pending against two defendants. They are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
Herd was the leader of a drug trafficking organization that dealt heroin and crack cocaine in and around Newark, specifically around Hayes Street and 14th Avenue in the area of the New Community Corporation community development (NCC). The organization was comprised of members of the Brick City Brim set of the Bloods street gang.
The investigation revealed that in addition to selling drugs, members of the organization alerted each other to police presence and the presence of rival gang members or drug dealers within NCC. The members also shared narcotics supply, narcotics proceeds, and customers, and raised bail money for each other following their numerous arrests. Members of the organization have also engaged in violence and been the subjects of violent crime in connection with their narcotics trafficking activities.
The heroin trafficking conspiracy count carries a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years in prison, a maximum potential penalty of life in prison, and a $10 million fine. The drug distribution and possession with intent to distribute count carries a maximum potential penalty of 20 years in prison, and a $1 million fine. Herd’s sentencing is scheduled for April 26, 2021.
U.S. Attorney Carpenito credited special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge George M. Crouch Jr. in Newark, and members of the Newark Department of Public Safety, under the direction of Director Anthony F. Ambrose, with the investigation leading to today’s guilty plea. He also thanked the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office, the Essex County Sheriff’s Office, the New Jersey Department of Corrections, the New Jersey State Parole Commission, and the U.S. Marshals Service for their assistance.
The case was investigated as part of the Violent Crime Initiative (VCI). The VCI was formed in August 2017 by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey, the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office, and the City of Newark’s Department of Public Safety for the purpose of combatting violent crime in and around Newark. As part of this partnership, federal, state, county, and city agencies collaborate and pool resources to prosecute violent offenders who endanger the safety of the community. The VCI is composed of the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the FBI, the ATF, the DEA, the U.S. Marshals, the Newark Department of Public Safety, the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office, the Essex County Sheriff’s Office, N.J. State Parole, Union County Jail, N.J. State Police Regional Operations and Intelligence Center/Real Time Crime Center, N.J. Department of Corrections, the East Orange Police Department, and the Irvington Police Department.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Elaine K. Lou and Christopher D. Amore of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Newark.
Laurel man admits COVID-19 relief fraud with Paycheck Protection ProgramRead the Press Release
BILLINGS – A Laurel man admitted today that he attempted to illegally obtain $35,000 from the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), a federal loan program created to help businesses struggling during the coronavirus pandemic, Acting U.S Attorney Leif Johnson said.
Matthew Jason Welch, 37, pleaded guilty to wire fraud. Welch faces a maximum of 20 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release.
The indictment against Welch is the first PPP fraud case to be charged in Montana. The PPP program was created through the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act to help businesses struggling with the financial effects of the pandemic.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Timothy J. Cavan presided. Judge Cavan released Welch pending further proceedings. A sentencing date has not yet been set.
In court documents filed in the case, the prosecution said that on April 23, Welch submitted a false PPP loan application to one of the participating lenders in the name of Welch Sole Proprietorship seeking about $35,000 to support payroll, lease and mortgage interest costs and utility costs. The PPP application identified Welch as the 100 percent owner of Welch Sole Proprietorship and was signed by Welch.
Welch falsely certified in the application that he was not “subject to an indictment, criminal information, arraignment, or other means by which formal criminal charges are brought in any jurisdiction.” Welch was actually subject to felony criminal charges in Montana and Wyoming. Through email and by phone, Welch repeatedly asserted falsely that he did not have any pending criminal charges and was eligible for a PPP loan.
On May 14, in a phone call with a law enforcement agent posing as a representative of the lender, Walsh falsely stated that he did not have any criminal charges pending against him as of the date of the PPP application, April 23. Investigators also later learned that Welch did not plan to use the loan funds to maintain his payroll but rather to pay off a restitution obligation in one of his felony cases.
In a telephone interview with agents, Welch admitted to submitting the application and materials to the lender and confirmed he was in Montana at the time.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Colin Rubich and Michael Kakuk and William Johnston, assistant chief of the Fraud Section, Criminal Division, of the U.S. Department of Justice, are prosecuting the case. The Small Business Administration and the U.S. Secret Service investigated the case.
XXX
Laredo woman facing criminal charges for attempting to smuggle ammunitionRead the Press Release
LAREDO, Texas – A federal grand jury has returned an indictment against a 40-year-old Laredo woman for attempting to smuggle goods from the United States, announced U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Patrick.
According to the complaint originally filed in the case, Zaira Coronel attempted to pass through the Lincoln-Juarez Port of Entry in Laredo on Nov. 18. However, authorities conducted a search and allegedly discovered five boxes of ammunition on the floor of her vehicle.
The boxes contained 5,000 rounds of 7.62x39 millimeter ammunition, according to the charges.
If convicted of attempting to smuggle goods from the United States, Coronel faces up to 10 years in federal prison and a maximum fine of up to $250,000.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation with the assistance of Customs and Border Protection. Assistant U.S. Attorney April Ayers-Perez is prosecuting the case.
An indictment is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.
Kokomo Man Convicted After Five Day Jury TrialRead the Press Release
FORT WAYNE--Bradley M. Cox, 30, of Kokomo, Indiana, was convicted, late yesterday, on all counts of a six-count Superseding Indictment charging him with extortion, production and attempted production of child pornography, and receipt of child pornography, announced United States Attorney Thomas L. Kirsch II.
Sentencing is scheduled for March 18, 2021.
According to evidence presented at trial, Cox, while pretending to be a woman, began communicating on social media with a Rochester, Indiana, man. With nude pictures he had gotten of females, Cox and the Rochester man began to exchange nude pictures. Eventually, Cox threatened publicly to release the nude pictures of the Rochester man unless the man gave Cox the login to his social media account. Once inside the Rochester man’s account, Cox found the nude pictures of several thousand women and girls. Using another account hacked by Cox and belonging to a high school boy, Cox then sent multiple females nude pictures of themselves, threatening to publicize these pictures online if they did not send more sexually explicit pictures and videos. At least two of these were high school girls at the time.
When one of the victims refused Cox’s demands, Cox posted her nude pictures to a pornographic website. Using the hacked social media account, Cox demanded sexually explicit pictures and videos from a pregnant 15-year-old girl, bragging to others online that he had this girl “on the payroll,” which was a reference to her sending him pictures and videos. Cox divulged his scheme to at least one other women that he met online and eventually met in person.
Through forensic analysis of Cox’s work computer and cellular telephone, the Federal Bureau of Investigation identified Cox as the person using the relevant social media accounts, despite Cox’s use of sophisticated concealment efforts. Cox also admitted much of this conduct during later interviews with the FBI.
“Terrorizing young victims through social media and using the anonymity of the internet to hide will never be tolerated by the FBI. This case highlights the perseverance and dedication of our agents and law enforcement partners,” said FBI Indianapolis Special Agent in Charge Paul Keenan. “Make no mistake, if you engage in sextortion, we will continue to investigate until we uncover your identity and hold you accountable for the mental anguish and terror you have imposed on your victims and their families.”
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation with assistance from the Fulton County Police Department, the Rochester, Indiana Police Department, and the Peru Indiana Police Department. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Lesley J. Miller Lowery and Sarah E. Nokes.
###
Justice Department Files Race Discrimination Lawsuit Against Housing Authority in OklahomaRead the Press Release
The Justice Department announced today that it has filed a lawsuit alleging that the Housing Authority of the Town of Lone Wolf, Oklahoma, along with its former employees, David Haynes and Myrna Hess, violated the Fair Housing Act and Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 when they denied housing to an African-American applicant and her young child because of their race.
The lawsuit, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Oklahoma, stems from the experience of an African-American mother and her then-five-year-old daughter who, in 2015, were living in a shelter and, with the help of the Legal Aid Services of Oklahoma Inc., were seeking affordable housing.
“Denying people housing opportunities because of their race or color is an egregious violation of the Fair Housing Act,” said Assistant Attorney General Eric Dreiband of the Civil Rights Division. “Discrimination by those who receive federal taxpayer dollars to provide housing to lower-income applicants is particularly odious. The Justice Department will not tolerate illegal housing discrimination in any form and we will continue to fight to protect the rights of all Americans to rent and own their homes without regard to their race or color.”
“Families have a tough enough time finding decent affordable housing without having their options limited because of their race,” said Anna María Farías, Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Assistant Secretary for Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity. “HUD applauds today’s action and will continue working with the Justice Department to take appropriate action when the nation’s fair housing laws are violated.”
The complaint alleges that when a Legal Aid employee first contacted the Housing Authority on behalf of the woman, the Housing Authority told the employee that units were available and invited the woman to apply. But when the Housing Authority learned from her application that she and her child are black, the Housing Authority denied the application and falsely told the applicant that no apartments were available. Legal Aid then conducted testing confirming that the Housing Authority was discriminating against African-American applicants. As the complaint alleges, defendants told the white tester that there were multiple apartments available to her and her daughter and showed her three vacant apartments. By contrast, the next day, defendants told the African-American tester that no apartments were available for her and her granddaughter and did not show her an apartment. The Housing Authority receives funds from HUD and manages 25 apartments.
The applicant and Legal Aid subsequently filed a complaint with HUD. After an investigation, HUD determined that the defendants had violated the Fair Housing Act and Title VI and referred the matter to the Department of Justice for litigation.
The lawsuit seeks monetary damages for the complainants and a court order barring future discrimination.
Individuals who believe they have been victims of housing discrimination at the Housing Authority of the Town of Lone Wolf should contact the Department of Justice toll-free at 1-833-591-0291 or by email at [email protected]. Individuals who have information about this or another matter involving alleged discrimination may submit a report online at civilrights.justice.gov.
The federal Fair Housing Act prohibits discrimination in housing on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, familial status, national origin and disability. Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibits discrimination on the ground of race, color, or national origin in programs or activities that receive federal funds. More information about the Civil Rights Division and the laws it enforces is available at www.justice.gov/crt.
The complaint contains allegations of unlawful conduct. The allegations in the complaint must be proven in court.
Illegal Alien Sentenced After Fourth Illegal Reentry into U.S.Read the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A citizen of El Salvador was sentenced today to 21 months in prison and 2 years of supervised release for illegal reentry into the U.S. after removal subsequent to a conviction for an aggravated felony.
According to court documents, Giovanni Omar Medrano-Urrutia, 41, reentered the U.S. after having been removed on four prior occasions between 2005 and 2018. Medrano-Urrutia’s criminal history spans two decades in the U.S. Notably, in January 2000, he was convicted of the aggravated felony of carnal knowledge of a child in Fairfax County. Additionally, on Jan. 28, 2008, and Jan. 12, 2018, respectively, Medrano-Urrutia was convicted of illegal reentry.
G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Shawn Byers, Acting Field Office Director for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) Washington, D.C., made the announcement after sentencing by Senior U.S. District Judge Liam O’Grady.
Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Viviana Vasiu 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. 1:20-cr-179 and Case No. 1:17-cr-206.
Houston man indicted in Laredo for transporting 138 inside trailerRead the Press Release
LAREDO, Texas – A federal grand jury has returned an indictment against a 40-year-old Houston man on charges of conspiracy to transport 138 undocumented aliens, announced U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Patrick.
Joseph Earl Stovall is expected to appear for this arraignment before a U.S magistrate judge in Laredo in the near future.
The charges allege Stovall approached the Border Patrol Checkpoint in Freer driving a tractor trailer on Dec. 4. He was referred to secondary inspection, at which time authorities allegedly discovered a total of 138 individuals, including seven juveniles inside the trailer. All were from various countries including Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador, Dominican Republic, Honduras, Nicaragua and Ecuador.
Law enforcement allegedly had to break the seal on the doors in order to open the trailer.
The complaint alleges Stovall was hired to drive the vehicle from Laredo to San Antonio via U.S. Highway 59.
If convicted, Stovall faces up to 10 years in prison as well as a possible $250,000 maximum fine.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation with assistance from Border Patrol. Assistance U.S. Attorney Yoona Lim is prosecuting the case.
An indictment is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.
Harrison County man indicted for bank robberyRead the Press Release
ELKINS, WEST VIRGINIA – Clint Monroe Utter, of West Milford, West Virginia, is facing a charge of bank robbery, U.S. Attorney Bill Powell announced.
Utter, 43, was indicted today on one count of “Bank Robbery.” Utter is accused of robbing the Summit Community Bank in Salem, West Virginia, of $69,100 on November 17, 2020.
Utter faces up to 20 years of incarceration and a fine of up to $250,000. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
The government is also seeking a money judgment in the amount of $69,100.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Brandon S. Flower is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The FBI and the Harrison County Sheriff’s Office investigated.
An indictment is merely an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Hampton Man Pleads Guilty to Possession of Methamphetamine with the Intent to Distribute While in Possession of a GunRead the Press Release
A Hampton man who possessed methamphetamine with the intent to deliver, while possessing a gun, pled guilty on November 18, 2020 in federal court in Sioux City.
David Hirsch, age 55, from Hampton, Iowa, was convicted of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
In a plea agreement, Hirsch admitted that on April 16, 2020 he was in possession of methamphetamine, which he intended to distribute. At that time, he also possessed a loaded Glock .45 caliber handgun.
On April 16, 2020, police executed a search warrant at a residence in Franklin County. Upon entry, law enforcement found Hirsch attempting to flush methamphetamine down the toilet. Law enforcement located a loaded Glock .45 caliber handgun on Hirsch. Hirsch has a prior 2002 felony conviction for manufacturing methamphetamine.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). PSN is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
This case is also part of Project Guardian, the Department of Justice’s signature initiative to reduce gun violence and enforce federal firearms laws. Initiated by the Attorney General in the fall of 2019, Project Guardian draws upon the Department’s past successful programs to reduce gun violence; enhances coordination of federal, state, local, and tribal authorities in investigating and prosecuting gun crimes; improves information-sharing by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives when a prohibited individual attempts to purchase a firearm and is denied by the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS), to include taking appropriate actions when a prospective purchaser is denied by the NICS for mental health reasons; and ensures that federal resources are directed at the criminals posing the greatest threat to our communities. The United States Attorney’s Office has prosecuted this case with support from the following Project Guardian partners. For more information about Project Guardian, please see /media/1122011/dl?inline.
Sentencing before United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Hirsch remains in custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing. For possession with the intent to distribute methamphetamine, Hirsch faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 5 years’ imprisonment and a possible maximum sentence of 40 years’ imprisonment, a $5,000,000.00 fine, and 4 years up to life of supervised release following any imprisonment. For possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, Hirsch faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 5 years’ imprisonment, which must be served consecutively to the drug charge, and a possible maximum sentence of life imprisonment, a $250,000.00 fine, and up to 3 years of supervised release following imprisonment.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jack Lammers and was investigated by the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 20-3019.
Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.
Fort Hood Resident Enters Guilty Plea to Endangering a ChildRead the Press Release
In Waco today, 31-year-old Emily Pait admitted to endangering children when she fired a gun inside her Fort Hood residence, announced U.S. Attorney Gregg N. Sofer.
Appearing before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jeffrey C. Manske, Pait pleaded guilty to one count of endangering a child and one count of deadly conduct. By pleading guilty, Pait admitted that on March 10, 2020, she discharged a pistol inside her residence that was occupied by two children. The bullet then penetrated an interior wall and went into an adjoining residence where her neighbor’s child was located at the time. All of the children are under the age of 15. None of the children were injured.
Pait faces up to 10 years in federal prison. She remains on bond pending sentencing. Sentencing has yet to be scheduled.
Military Police Investigations (MPI) on Fort Hood conducted this investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Frazier and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney MAJ Aaron Salter are prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
#####
The year 2020 marks the 150th anniversary of the Department of Justice. Learn more about the history of our agency at www.Justice.gov/Celebrating150Years.
Former UGA Professor Pleads Guilty in Project Safe Childhood InvestigationRead the Press Release
ATHENS, Ga. – A former University of Georgia (UGA) professor who admitted to authorities that he possessed hundreds of images of child pornography enetered a guilty plea in federal court today for his crime, said Peter D. Leary, the Acting U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of Georgia.
James Edward Monogan, III, 39, of Athens, pleaded guilty to one count possession of child pornography before U.S. District Judge C. Ashley Royal. Monogan faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison to be followed by a maximum lifetime of supervised release and a $250,000 fine. Monogan will also have to register as a sex offender. A sentencing date has not yet been scheduled. There is no parole in the federal system.
According to the plea agreement, Homeland Security Investigation’s Atlanta Office (HSI-Atlanta) received information in 2019 that KIK user “utbballplaya03” had distributed child pornography to another KIK user in February 2019. KIK, formally known as Kik Messenger, is an internet based instant messaging mobile application. HSI also received a second child pornography distribution complaint for KIK user “texan21225053.” Both KIK usernames belonged to Monogan. On September 5, 2019, HSI, the GBI and the Athens-Clarke County Police Department executed a federal search warrant at the defendant’s residence in Athens, seizing several electronic devices. Monogan’s UGA office was also searched. A forensic review of the defendant’s electronics located 452 images of child pornography and eight videos depicting child sexual exploitation material on his UGA laptop, as well as an additional 119 images of child sexual exploitation material on his cell phone. Some of these images involved minors under the age of 12.
“Monogan actively participated in the evil world of child pornography and brazenly engaged in his criminal behavior using a computer belonging to his employer. He will spend many years inside a federal prison for his crime, ” said Acting U.S. Attorney Leary. “I want to thank our law enforcement partners for tirelessly working to protect the most vulnerable members of our society and holding child sex offenders accountable.”
“Today’s plea is the result of the strong partnership that Homeland Security Investigations has with the Georgia Bureau of Investigation and the Athens-Clarke County Police Department,” said Katrina W. Berger, special agent in charge, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Atlanta. “By working together to leverage our respective resources and expertise, we have removed a dangerous child predator from the community.”
“This investigation demonstrates that no matter who you are, you will be held accountable for preying on children. We value our law enforcement partnerships to be able to work together in these type investigations to catch and punish criminals who seek to exploit one of our most vulnerable populations,” said GBI Director Vic Reynolds.
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 the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
The case was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement – Homeland Security Investigations (ICE-HSI), the GBI and the Athens-Clarke County Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney C. Shanelle Booker is prosecuting the case for the Government. Questions can be directed to Pamela Lightsey, Public Information Officer, U.S. Attorney’s Office, at (478) 621-2603 or Melissa Hodges, Public Affairs Officer (Contractor), U.S. Attorney’s Office, at (478) 765-2362.
Former D.C. Government Employee Sentenced for Distributing FentanylRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A former Washington, D.C. government employee with a prior murder conviction was sentenced today to 63 months in prison for distributing fentanyl and illegally possessing multiple firearms.
According to court documents, while employed in the Permitting Department of the D.C. Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs (DCRA) in Southwest D.C., Darrell Marcellus Pope, 51, of Clinton, Maryland, regularly sold fentanyl to customers in front of his office building. The DCRA is located within 1,000 feet of Amiden Bowen Elementary School. Over the course of the investigation, Pope sold a total of 87 grams of fentanyl—more than 43,000 potentially lethal doses—to an undercover law enforcement officer and a confidential source.
Pope had a broad network of customers, including several who lived in the Eastern District of Virginia. One of Pope’s customers, identified in court documents as A.D., regularly traveled from Woodbridge to buy heroin and fentanyl from Pope. On March 14, 2019, Pope sold drugs to A.D., who brought them back to Woodbridge. The drugs that Pope sold to A.D. ultimately contributed to the fatal overdose of a Lake Ridge woman.
When Pope was arrested in September 2019, law enforcement executed search warrants at his home and office. In his residence, agents seized three firearms, which Pope is prohibited from possessing because of his prior felony conviction. Also when he was arrested, law enforcement identified Pope’s fentanyl supplier, Ronald Gorham, whom Pope met when both Pope and Gorham were both serving prison sentences for unrelated murder convictions.
G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; James A. Dawson, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Washington Field Office Criminal Division; and Jarad L. Phelps, Acting Chief of Prince William County Police, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Liam O’Grady.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Katherine E. Rumbaugh 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. 1:19-cr-355.
Former Amarillo Banker Pleads Guilty to EmbezzlementRead the Press Release
A former Amarillo banker pleaded guilty for her role in embezzling thousands of dollars from a local bank, announced U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Erin Nealy Cox.
Heather M. Cooper, 40, pleaded guilty to a felony information charging one count of theft, embezzlement, or misapplication by a bank officer or employee on Monday before Magistrate Judge Lee Ann Reno.
According to court documents, Ms. Cooper began working at FirstCapital Bank of Texas in Amarillo in 2012 as a mortgage loan processor where she met with customers at loan closings and guided them through the mortgage and loan process.
From August 2017 to January 2020, Ms. Cooper admitted to making more than 19 fraudulent withdrawals from at least four bank customers accounts. On at least 18 separate occasions, Ms. Cooper signed a withdrawal slip from the bank customer’s account, which she then used to purchase a cashier's check – each exceeding $1,000 in value. Additionally, Ms. Cooper admitted to making a cash withdrawal from a bank customer's account by forging the customer’s signature on the withdrawal slip.
In plea papers, Ms. Cooper also admitted to using a credit card issued by FirstCapital Bank of Texas for personal expenses including payments to a cell phone company and various restaurants.
In total, Mrs. Cooper caused at least $32,171.00 of losses to the bank and its customers. She now faces up to 30 years in federal prison. A sentencing date is set for April 20, 2021 before U.S. District Judge Matthew J. Kacsmaryk.
The FBI and Amarillo Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sean Taylor is prosecuting the case.
Five Individuals Charged with Conspiracy to Commit Robberies and Related Offenses in Queens, Staten Island, Suffolk County and New JerseyRead the Press Release
A superseding indictment has been unsealed in federal court in Brooklyn charging John Martin, Brandon Daniels, Lamonte Johnson, Shi Zhen Lin and Corey Mobley with conspiring to commit robberies in Queens, Staten Island, Suffolk County and New Jersey, committing and threatening to commit physical violence in furtherance of a May 4, 2019 home-invasion robbery in Little Neck, Queens, and brandishing a firearm during the Queens robbery. Mobley is also charged with five counts relating to a March 2019 robbery of a drug dealer. Lin was arrested this afternoon and will be arraigned via videoconference tomorrow before United States District Judge Raymond J. Dearie. Daniels was arrested on December 8, 2020 and was ordered detained pending trial. Mobley and Martin, who are in federal custody, were previously arraigned and ordered detained. Johnson is in state custody and will be arraigned at a later date.
Seth D. DuCharme, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, John B. DeVito, Special Agent-in-Charge, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, New York Field Office (ATF), and Dermot F. Shea, Commissioner, New York City Police Department (NYPD), announced the charges and arrests.
“As our charges allege, the defendants targeted and terrorized numerous victims at gun point, including a family inside their home in Queens where two of the defendants sexually assaulted a woman,” stated Acting United States Attorney DuCharme. “With this prosecution, the defendants’ crime spree has been put to an end. This Office will continue to commit our people and our resources to bringing to justice those who participate in such brutal crimes.” Mr. DuCharme extended his grateful appreciation to the New York State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision, Office of Special Investigations for its assistance in the investigation.
"These defendants, as alleged, terrorized communities from eastern Long Island to New Jersey. But thanks to the dedication of the men and woman of the ATF/NYPD Joint Robbery Task Force, all five now face life sentences in federal prison,”stated ATF Special Agent-in-Charge DeVito.
As set forth in the indictment and other court filings, in May 2019 during the commission of a home invasion robbery in Little Neck, Queens, the defendants allegedly held a group of eight women and children at gunpoint. Mobley and Daniels forced the screaming occupants into a downstairs bedroom, dragging an elderly woman who could not walk and the child she was holding across the floor. Mobley threatened to kill all of the occupants if they did not reveal where money was in the house, and Mobley and Daniels sexually assaulted one of the victims. Although the defendants expected to find tens of thousands of dollars in the home, they found only a few thousand dollars that one victim had set aside as a gift to her family. Mobley and Daniels were later identified by law enforcement through DNA left at the scene. A substantial portion of the crime was recorded on surveillance cameras located inside and outside the home.
The Queens robbery was part of a string of robberies and attempted robberies allegedly committed by the defendants over a three-month period from March to May 2019. Lin’s role was to identify robbery victims for Martin, Mobley and Daniels. Johnson recruited Lin and Martin to participate in the robberies, with the expectation that he would get a share of the proceeds.
The charges in the indictment are allegations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. If convicted of the charged offenses, the defendants face a maximum sentence of life in prison.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. The Department of Justice reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of its renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorneys’ 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 government’s case is being handled by the Office’s Organized Crime and Gangs Section. Assistant United States Attorneys Jonathan Siegel and Michael W. Gibaldi are in charge of the prosecution.
The Defendants:
JOHN MARTIN (also known as “Lil John” and “LJ”)
Age: 48
Brooklyn, New YorkBRANDON DANIELS
Age: 26
Brooklyn, New YorkLAMONTE JOHNSON
Age: 52
Auburn, New YorkSHI ZHEN LIN (also known as “Kevin Lin” and “Kev”)
Age: 29
Maspeth, New YorkCOREY MOBLEY
Age: 50
Brooklyn, New YorkE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 19-CR-221 (S-3)
Final Defendant Sentenced for Role in Series of Robberies Targeting Marijuana TraffickersRead the Press Release
EUGENE, Ore.—The fifth and final member of a robbery crew that stole drugs and money from marijuana traffickers operating in Oregon in a series of violent robberies was sentenced to federal prison today, announced U.S. Attorney Billy J. Williams.
Marcus Cox, 38, of Eugene, was sentenced to 110 months in federal prison and three years of supervised release after previously pleading guilty to interfering with commerce by robbery and using, carrying, and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence.
The crew’s leader, Jorge Rubio, 37, of Reedsport, Oregon, was sentenced on October 29, 2020 to 121 months in federal prison and five years’ supervised release for the same charges. Three other crew members have also been sentenced for their roles in the robbery scheme. Shawn Dunaway, 39, of Veneta, Oregon and Jason Brooks, 37, of Eugene were each sentenced to 101 months in federal prison. Antonio Vizcaino, 30, of Austin, Texas was sentenced to 71 months in federal prison. All three are subject to three years of supervised release after they complete their prison sentences.
“In a misguided attempt to avoid detection by law enforcement, Jorge Rubio and his gang of thugs preyed on people they believed would not report their crimes. In doing so, they callously threatened the lives of their targets and risked the safety of the entire community,” said U.S. Attorney Williams. “These violent crimes are the direct result of an illegal and thriving marijuana black market. I commend the hard work and dedication of law enforcement for bringing this gang to justice.”
“These defendants targeted drug dealers while hiding in the dark underworld of illegal marijuana production and distribution. Using death threats and violent attacks against their targets, they stole weapons, tens of thousands of dollars in cash, and hundreds of thousands of dollars in drugs,” said Renn Cannon, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in Oregon.
According to court documents, in March 2017, law enforcement began investigating a group using assault rifles and other firearms to violently rob individuals set up to sell or purchase large quantities of marijuana or invest in marijuana operations in Oregon. On March 6, 2017, the crew robbed two individuals who had traveled from Austin to Eugene to purportedly meet with Rubio to discuss investing in a marijuana grow operation and to purchase marijuana for resale in Texas. One of the robbery targets, who had purchased pound quantities of marijuana from Rubio several times prior, traveled to Oregon with approximately $50,000 in cash.
Rubio arranged to meet the two individuals at a motel in Eugene. Shortly thereafter, Dunaway, Cox, and Vizcaino barged into the room with guns drawn and ordered the targets onto the floor. When one of the individuals tried to fight back, Vizcaino struck him in the head with his firearm. The assailants bound the individuals with zip ties and duct tape, and demanded to know where the money was located. They searched the room and found the $50,000 hidden under a seat cushion. At one point during the robbery, Dunaway told the targets that he was going to kill them. The crew left the individuals restrained in the motel room. After the targets freed themselves and summoned help, the target assaulted by Vizcaino was transported by Life Flight to Portland for medical treatment.
In August 2017, the crew orchestrated two separate robberies. First, the crew set up a group of individuals who sought to do business with Rubio. As part of the transaction, Dunaway instructed the individuals to follow him to a marijuana grow. On the way, Cox and an accomplice robbed the targets at gun point, seizing their cash, wallets, cell phones, and keys. The individuals were then abandoned in a nearby field after being warned not to cooperate with law enforcement.
In a second heist, Brooks posed as a marijuana buyer from New York who knew Rubio. Brooks agreed to purchase 200 pounds of marijuana and up to 15 pounds of a marijuana concentrate known as “crumble” from drug traffickers in Medford, Oregon for $260,000. Instead of purchasing the drugs, Brooks, Dunaway, and Vizcaino robbed the individuals at gun point in a Medford-area residence, stealing the drugs, a handgun, and the targets’ wallets and cell phones.
In September 2017, Dunaway and Cox robbed another individual who believed they were arranging a marijuana deal with Rubio. While meeting in a car, Dunaway beat the individual as Cox, from the backseat, held him in a choke hold at gun point and threatened to kill him. After Dunaway and Cox stole the individual’s money, phone, and 43 pounds of marijuana, the individual jumped from the moving vehicle to escape the assault. Dunaway later led police on a high-speed chase and crashed the vehicle. Dunaway and Cox tried to flee on foot, but were arrested nearby.
This case was investigated by the FBI, U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, Eugene Police Department, and Austin Police Department. It was prosecuted by Joseph Huynh; Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). PSN is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.