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2 February 2021
Statement of United States Attorney Lawrence KeefeRead the Press Release
TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA - This morning FBI Special Agent Daniel Alfin and Special Agent Laura Schwartzenberger were killed in the line of duty and three other agents were wounded while executing a federal court-ordered search warrant in a crimes against children investigation in Sunrise, Florida. Lawrence Keefe, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida, issued the following statement:
“Our hearts are filled with concern and grief about the FBI agents who lost their lives or were wounded in the line of duty today in south Florida. All of us in local, state, and federal law enforcement recognize and honor the daily risk taken by the brave women and men who dedicate themselves to keeping the public safe. This tragic incident is especially heart-wrenching as it affects our U.S. Department of Justice family here in Florida. Our thoughts and prayers are with the agents, their loved ones, and their colleagues on this most difficult day.”
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.
Press Release - Statement of U.S. Attorney KeefeStatement by U.S. Attorney J. Douglas Overbey on the Deadly Shooting of FBI Special Agents in FloridaRead the Press Release
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – United States Attorney J. Douglas Overbey, along with Acting Attorney General Monty Wilkinson and FBI Director Christopher Wray, mourn the loss of the two FBI Special Agents who died in the line of duty today in Sunrise, Florida.
“Our office stands together with our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners and mourns the loss of these two heroes who paid the ultimate sacrifice. Our office sends our deepest condolences to their families, and we pray for a speedy recovery for the officers who were injured during the incident,” said U.S. Attorney J. Douglas Overbey.
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South Texas woman sent to prison for trying to drive across border with drugs hidden in car doorsRead the Press Release
LAREDO, Texas – A 42-year-old Brownsville resident has been sentenced following her conviction in Laredo federal court to conspiring with others to import more than 10 kilograms of meth from Mexico, announced U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Patrick.
Ana Lisa Lopez pleaded guilty Dec. 3, 2020, to importing meth and conspiracy to do so.
Today, U.S. District Judge Marina Garcia Marmolejo ordered Lopez to serve a 63-month sentence to be immediately followed by three years of supervised release. In handing down the sentence, the court noted the serious nature and amount of narcotics she attempted to smuggle.
On Nov. 8, 2019, Lopez approached the Juarez-Lincoln International Bridge in Laredo driving a Chevrolet Aveo. At that time, authorities conducted an inspection of the vehicle and found 21 bundles of meth concealed within the door frames.
The drugs weighed approximately 10.5 kilograms and have a street value of approximately $73,500.
She was permitted to remain on bond and surrender to a U.S. Bureau of Prison facility to be determined in the near future.
The Drug Enforcement Administration conducted the investigation with assistance from Customs and Border Protection. Assistant U.S. Attorney Yoona Lim is prosecuting the case.
Siloam Springs Man Sentenced to over 7 Years in Federal Prison for Child Pornography OffenseRead the Press Release
Fayetteville, Arkansas – David Clay Fowlkes, Acting United States Attorney for the Western District of Arkansas, announced today that Jon Anderson, age 44, of Siloam Springs, Arkansas, was sentenced today to 87 months in federal prison without the possibility of parole followed by 20 years of supervised release on one count of Accessing the Internet with the Intent to View Child Pornography. The Honorable Judge 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 May 2019, the Cyber Crimes Division of the Benton County Sheriff’s Office received information that a residence in Northwest Arkansas was downloading images of child pornography. On July 31, 2019, detectives with the Benton County Sheriff’s Office traveled to the residence in Siloam Springs, and encountered Anderson. During that interaction detectives found evidence of child pornography on the devices in the home. On or about August 1, 2019, Anderson was arrested.
Anderson was indicted in January of 2020 and was convicted after a trial in Fayetteville in October 2020.
This case was investigated by the Benton County Sheriff’s Office and the Department of Justice-Office of Inspector General. Assistant United States Attorneys Carly Marshall and Dustin Roberts 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.
Sedalia Man Sentenced to 20 Years for Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – A Sedalia, Missouri, man was sentenced in federal court today for distributing crack cocaine.
Jeffery Wayne Taylor, 55, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Stephen R. Bough to 20 years in federal prison without parole.
On July 6, 2020, Taylor was convicted at a bench trial of two count of distributing crack cocaine and one count of possessing crack cocaine with the intent to distribute.
Taylor sold a total of 32.8 grams of crack cocaine to a confidential informant, working with law enforcement, on 10 separate occasions from March 2 to June 8, 2018. Law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Taylor’s residence on June 8, 2018, and seized crack cocaine packaged for sale, which was hidden under the lowest piece of vinyl siding attached to the house.
Taylor’s initial sale of crack cocaine to the confidential informant on March 2, 2018, was approximately six months after his release on probation following his third drug-trafficking conviction in state court. Taylor had been sentenced to 15 years of imprisonment under Missouri’s shock incarceration program and was released to a term of five years of probation on Aug. 9, 2017. In addition to manufacturing crack cocaine, Taylor was also found in possession of several firearms. Although he knew he faced a 15-year prison sentence, Taylor began selling crack cocaine to the confidential informant about six months later.
Taylor’s extensive criminal history began in 1990 when he started a fight in which the victim was punched and kicked in the head, face, and chest, and suffered a broken nose, abrasion to the left cornea, laceration to the upper lip, and a number of bruises and abrasions which required hospitalization for several days. The next year, Taylor was convicted of driving while intoxicated, an offense for which he was also convicted six years later in 1997. While on probation from his 1991 felony assault conviction, Taylor was charged in four different cases with felony distribution of a controlled substance, twice in 1993, and twice again in 1996. Just a year after completing his term of probation for his felony assault conviction, in 1997, Taylor was arrested and charged with felony statutory rape, two driving while intoxicated offenses, and three counts of felony distribution of a controlled substance. That same year, in a separate case, he was convicted of three counts of distributing cocaine and one count of possessing cocaine with the intent to distribute. He was sentenced to 15 years in prison in November 1997 (the maximum sentence the state court could impose). Taylor served about seven years of his term and was granted parole in June 2004. He was also convicted in 1998 of two additional counts of distributing cocaine and sentenced to the maximum sentence of 15 years of imprisonment. Taylor was paroled in 2004 and, while on parole, arrested for stalking his ex-wife in 2010.
This case was prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron M. Jolly. It was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Sedalia, Mo., Police Department.
Roofing Business Owner Sentenced for Tax EvasionRead the Press Release
DURANGO – United States Attorney Jason R. Dunn announced that Ryan Wilkinson, age 42, of Durango, Colorado was sentenced on February 2, 2021, to serve 3 months in prison, followed by 6 months of home confinement to be served during 3 years of supervised release for tax evasion. Wilkinson was also ordered to pay restitution of $228,300.41 to the IRS. Wilkinson pleaded guilty on October 23, 2020.
According to the Information and plea agreement, Wilkinson is the sole owner and operator of a roofing company in Durango, Colorado. From at least January 2015, through December 2017, Wilkinson earned substantial personal income from this company but did not file federal income tax returns despite being aware of his legal obligation to do so. During this time, Wilkinson hired a bookkeeper to assist with the QuickBooks for his company yet refused to provide sufficient records and information for the bookkeeper to accurately record Wilkinson’s income and expenses. Additionally, Wilkinson had his company pay the rent on his personal residence and make payments for one of his personal investments. He instructed the bookkeeper to classify these payments as business expenses, despite being told that these personal expenses could not be classified as business expenses. Wilkinson also used a company credit card to pay other personal expenses.
“You’re not going to get away with cheating the IRS in the District of Colorado,” said U.S. Attorney Jason Dunn. “Cheating on your taxes hurts everyone. If you try it, you can be sure that the excellent agents with IRS-CI together with the federal prosecutors in my office are going to catch you and hold you accountable. This cheater will now have a federal felony conviction on his record for the rest of his life.”
“The term voluntary compliance means that each of us is responsible for filing a tax return when required and for paying the correct amount of tax,” according to Special Agent in Charge Andy Tsui. “Mr. Wilkinson ignored his duty to file federal tax returns to evade paying taxes and is now a convicted felon with a prison term to serve.”
This case was investigated by IRS Criminal Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Pegeen D. Rhyne is prosecuting this matter.
Case Number: 20-cr-00332-REB
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Real Estate Developer Among Four Individuals Charged in Mortgage Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — A federal grand jury has indicted a real estate developer and three others for allegedly participating in a mortgage fraud scheme that defrauded financial institutions out of at least $3 million.
ANDRZEJ LAJEWSKI, who owned Des Plaines-based Highland Consulting Corp., and Chicago-based Quality Management and Remodeling Inc., schemed with two mortgage professionals and the owner of a remodeling company to fraudulently obtain at least $3 million in mortgage loans by making and causing to be made materially false representations to financial institutions regarding the buyers’ qualifications for the loans, according to an indictment returned Jan. 28, 2021, in U.S. District Court in Chicago. The false representations concerned the buyers’ employment history, income, assets, source of down payment, and intention to occupy the properties, the indictment states. In some instances Lajewski fraudulently claimed to lenders that the buyers were employed by his companies – even though he knew that was untrue – to help the buyers qualify for the mortgage loans, the indictment states.
The alleged fraud scheme lasted from 2010 to 2016 and involved numerous properties on the South Side of Chicago.
The indictment charges multiple counts of financial institution fraud against Lajewski, 53, formerly of Wheeling, the two mortgage professionals – loan originator AGNIESZKA SIEKOWSKI, 46, of Northbrook, and loan processor ALDONA BOBROWICZ, 45, of Arlington Heights – and the home remodeler, ANDRZEJ BUKOWSKI, 66, formerly of Wheeling. Arraignments for Siekowski and Bobrowicz are scheduled for Friday at 10:00 a.m. before U.S. District Judge Martha M. Pacold. Arraignments for Lajewski and Bukowski have not yet been scheduled.
The indictment was announced by John R. Lausch, Jr., United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois; and Brad Geary, Special Agent-in-Charge of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Office of Inspector General. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kalia Coleman and Jason Yonan.
The public is reminded that an indictment is not evidence of guilt. The defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. Each count of financial institution fraud is punishable by up to 30 years in federal prison. If convicted, the Court must impose a reasonable sentence under federal statutes and the advisory U.S. Sentencing Guidelines.
Pittsburgh Man Charged with Escape from Federal CustodyRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH - A resident of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, has been indicted by a federal grand jury on a charge of escaping federal custody, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced today.
The one-count Indictment named Stephen Gaza, aged 40, as the sole defendant.
According to the Indictment, Gaza escaped from federal custody on October 6, 2020: after being granted a furlough to report to Renewal, Inc. in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Gaza failed to report.
The law provides for a maximum total sentence of not more than five years in prison, a fine of not more than $250,000.00, a term of supervised release of not more than three years, or a combination thereof. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan D. Lusty is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The United States Marshals Service conducted the investigation leading to the Indictment in this case.
An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Pittsburgh Felon Found with Illegal Firearm Indicted on Gun ChargeRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, PA. - One resident of Pittsburgh, PA, has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh on a charge of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced today.
The one-count Indictment named Juan Santiago, 41, no known address, as the sole defendant.
According to the Indictment, on or about January 28, 2021, Santiago was found to be in possession of a firearm. His prior felony convictions make it unlawful for him to possess a firearm.
The law provides for a maximum total sentence of 10 years in prison, a fine of $250,000 or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant. The defendant is currently being detained at Butler County Jail.
Assistant United States Attorney Michael R. Ball is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Drug Enforcement Agency and the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police conducted the investigation leading to the Indictment in this case.
An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Pittsburgh Felon Charged with Illegally Possessing a FirearmRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, PA- A resident of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh on a charge of violating federal firearms laws, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced today.
The one-count Indictment named Ombrah Lane, 33, as the sole defendant.
According to the Indictment, on or about May 18, 2020, the defendant possessed a firearm, after being convicted of a crime punishable by more than one year in prison. Federal law prohibits anyone who has been convicted of a crime punishable by a term of imprisonment exceeding one year from possessing a firearm or ammunition.
The law provides for a maximum total sentence of 10 years in prison, a fine of $250,000 or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant. The defendant remains incarcerated pending the resolution of the case.
Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan D. Lusty is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police conducted the investigation leading to the Indictment in this case. The case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods. Project Safe Neighborhoods (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.
An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Pharmaceutical Distributor Vistapharm, Inc. Agrees to Pay $325,000 to Resolve Alleged Violations of the Controlled Substances ActRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Maria Chapa Lopez announces today that Vistapharm, Inc. has agreed to pay the United States $325,000 to resolve allegations that Vistapharm violated the Controlled Substances Act (CSA) by failing to maintain records required by the CSA. In addition to paying a civil penalty, Vistapharm has agreed to sign separately a Memorandum of Agreement with the Drug Enforcement Administration.
The United States alleges that Vistapharm failed to make available or to maintain in a readily retrievable format more than nine hundred copies of DEA 222 Forms, which are a required record for purchases and sales of Schedule II controlled substances. The United States also alleges that Vistapharm failed to maintain adequate records for six categories of controlled substances handled by its distribution facility in Largo, Florida, which led to overages or shortages in Vistapharm’s expected inventory.
“Scrupulous recordkeeping is essential to maintaining the CSA’s closed system of distribution and preventing dangerous drugs from being diverted and falling into the wrong hands,” said U.S. Attorney Chapa Lopez. “We expect all DEA registrants, regardless of the size of their organization, to be especially meticulous in their recordkeeping because the CSA and the welfare of the public demand it.”
“Pharmaceutical distributors are responsible for helping to ensure that controlled substances are not diverted.” said DEA Miami Field Division’s Special Agent in Charge Keith Weis. “In addition to monitoring employees and customers, distributors are required to inventory their controlled substances, to verify their receipt and distribution, and to maintain complete and accurate records. When one or more of these responsibilities break down, diversion can occur with the consequence of controlled substances potentially falling into the wrong hands.”
This settlement results from a coordinated effort by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida and the Tampa District Office of the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Miami Field Division. Assistant United States Attorneys Lindsay Saxe Griffin and Christopher Emden pursued this civil settlement on behalf of the United States.
The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only, and there has been no determination of liability.
Parmelee Man Sentenced for Failure to Register as Sex OffenderRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced that a Parmelee, South Dakota, man convicted of Failure to Register as a Sex Offender was sentenced on February 1, 2021, by Chief Judge Roberto A. Lange, U.S. District Court.
Trudell Smith, Jr., age 30, was sentenced to time served through May 13, 2021, equal to approximately 21 months in custody, five years of supervised release, and a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $100.
Smith was indicted by a federal grand jury on August 14, 2019. He pled guilty on November 30, 2020.
Smith was convicted of a sex offense in February 2008. As a result of this conviction, he is required to register as a sex offender and to update his registration within three business days of relocation or changing employment. Between May 27, 2019, and August 13, 2019, Smith failed to properly register as a sex offender and update his registration.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Marshals Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael J. Elmore prosecuted the case.
Smith was immediately turned over to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Orlando Man Sentenced to Nine Years in Federal Prison and Lifetime Supervision for Receiving Images Depicting the Sexual Abuse of ChildrenRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – United States District Judge Roy B. Dalton, Jr. has sentenced Willie Humes (65, Orlando) to nine years in federal prison for receiving images over the internet depicting children being sexually abused. Humes was also ordered to serve a lifetime term of supervised release and to register as a sex offender upon his release from prison. Humes had pleaded guilty on August 17, 2020.
According to court documents, Humes was identified during an undercover investigation when FBI agents discovered that he was using peer-to-peer networks to download child sex abuse materials. During an interview with law enforcement, Humes admitted to viewing child exploitation materials for many years. Humes was arrested after a search warrant was executed at his residence and a subsequent search of his electronic devices revealed multiple images of child exploitation materials.
According to evidence and testimony presented at sentencing, Humes had sexually abused a family member when the individual was a child. After learning about the current investigation and Humes’s arrest, the victim provided a statement during the sentencing hearing describing Humes’s prior sexual abuse.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney John Gardella.
This is another case brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Oklahoma City Resident Pleads Guilty to Drug and Money Laundering ConspiracyRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Lilliana Alvarez Soto, age 22, of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma entered a guilty plea to Drug Conspiracy in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Section 846, punishable by not less than 10 years and not more than life imprisonment, a fine up to $10,000,000.00, or both; and to Money Laundering Conspiracy, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1956(a)(2)(A), punishable by not more than 20 years’ imprisonment, a fine up to $500,000.00, or both.
The Indictment alleged that beginning on November 4, 2016 and continuing until on or about the date of Indictment, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma and elsewhere, LILLIANA ALVAREZ SOTO did willfully and knowingly combine, conspire, confederate, and agree with others known and unknown, including Enrique Pacheco, to violate federal drug laws by acquiring kilograms of heroin and distributing it for money.
The Indictment further alleged that from on or about July 15, 2019 through on or about the date of Indictment, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma and elsewhere, the defendant, did knowingly combine, conspire, and agree with others, persons known and unknown to the Grand Jury, to commit offenses against the United States in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1956, to wit: to transport, transmit and transfer and attempt to transport, transmit and transfer a monetary instrument and funds from a place in the United States to and through a place outside the United States with the intent to promote the carrying on of specified unlawful activity.
The charges arose from a joint investigation led by the Drug Enforcement Administration, along with the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Internal Revenue Service, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs, the Oklahoma Department of Corrections, the Oklahoma Highway Patrol, the Muskogee County Sheriff’s Office, the Muskogee Police Department, and the Tulsa County Sheriff’s Office. Additionally, many prominent agencies which are members of the DEA High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Task Force (“HIDTA”), contributed to this investigation, including: the Tulsa Police Department, the Broken Arrow Police Department, the Chickasaw Nation Lighthorse Police Department, the Miami Police Department, the Moore Police Department, the El Reno Police Department, the Yukon Police Department, the Duncan Police Department, the Norman Police Department, the Choctaw Police Department, the Edmond Police Department, the Oklahoma County Sheriff’s Office, the Canadian County Sheriff’s Office, the Rogers County District Attorney’s Office, and the Oklahoma County District Attorney’s Office. The investigation was coordinated by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (“OCDETF”) of the Eastern District of Oklahoma. OCDETF is an initiative led and coordinated by the Office of the United States Attorney.
The Honorable Kimberly E. West, U.S. Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, in Muskogee, accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report.
Assistant United States Attorney Rob Wallace and Assistant United States Attorney Ryan Conway represented the United States.
Ohio woman admits to role in drug trafficking operationRead the Press Release
WHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA – Jennifer M. Cuffman, of Martins Ferry, Ohio, has admitted to her role in a drug trafficking conspiracy, U.S. Attorney Bill Powell announced.
Cuffman, also known as “Jennifer Proctor,” age 32, pled guilty to one count of “Conspiracy to Distribute and Possess with the Intent to Distribute Cocaine Base, Methamphetamine, Heroin, and Fentanyl.” Cuffman admitted to working with others distribute the drugs from February 2019 to July 2020 in Ohio County and elsewhere.
Cuffman 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. Attorneys Shawn M. Adkins and Clayton J. Reid are prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The Ohio Valley Drug and Violent Crimes Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, which includes the Drug Enforcement Administration, West Virginia State Police, Ohio County Sheriff’s Office, and the Wheeling Police Department, investigated. The U.S. Marshal Service, Columbus Police Department Gang Crimes Unit, the Martins Ferry Police Department, and the Bellaire Police Department also assisted.
U.S. Magistrate Judge James P. Mazzone presided.
Original case indictment here: https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndwv/pr/26-charged-drug-conspiracy-involving-heroin-fentanyl-crack-cocaine-and-meth-wheeling
Ohio woman admits to role in drug trafficking operationRead the Press Release
WHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA – Brookelyn Myers, of Bellaire, Ohio, has admitted to her role in a drug trafficking conspiracy, U.S. Attorney Bill Powell announced.
Myers, also known as “Brooke,” age 24, pled guilty to one count of “Distribution of Heroin and Fentanyl.” Myers admitted to selling a mixture of heroin and fentanyl in December 2019 in Ohio County.
Myers 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. Attorneys Shawn M. Adkins and Clayton J. Reid are prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The Ohio Valley Drug and Violent Crimes Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, which includes the Drug Enforcement Administration, West Virginia State Police, Ohio County Sheriff’s Office, and the Wheeling Police Department, investigated. The U.S. Marshal Service, Columbus Police Department Gang Crimes Unit, the Martins Ferry Police Department, and the Bellaire Police Department also assisted.
U.S. Magistrate Judge James P. Mazzone presided.
Original case indictment here: https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndwv/pr/26-charged-drug-conspiracy-involving-heroin-fentanyl-crack-cocaine-and-meth-wheeling
Nashua Man Sentenced to 35 Months for Fentanyl TraffickingRead the Press Release
CONCORD - Charles Daye, 28, of Nashua, was sentenced to 35 months in federal prison on Monday for possession of fentanyl with intent to distribute and distribution of fentanyl, United States Attorney Scott W. Murray announced today.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on October 23, 2019, following a traffic stop, Nashua police officers located fentanyl and cash on Daye’s person. Evidence located on his cellphone, as well as Daye’s admissions, confirmed that he was distributing fentanyl in Nashua. Subsequently, on December 17, 2019, and January 16, 2020, a cooperating individual working with law enforcement officers made controlled purchases of fentanyl from Daye.
Daye previously pleaded guilty on October 27, 2020.
“Fentanyl trafficking is a crime that can have deadly consequences,” said U.S. Attorney Murray. “In order to protect public health and safety, Operation SOS is targeting the fentanyl dealers whose actions are damaging Nashua and other communities in Hillsborough County. We are committed to working with our law enforcement partners to identify, prosecute, and incarcerate the drug dealers who are distributing fentanyl and other dangerous drugs in the Granite State.”
This matter was investigated by the Nashua Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Joachim H. Barth.
This case is part of Operation Synthetic Opioid Surge (S.O.S.). In July of 2018, Attorney General Jeff Sessions announced the creation of S.O.S., which is being implemented in the District of New Hampshire and nine other federal districts. The goal of S.O.S. is to combat the large number of overdoses and deaths associated with fentanyl and other synthetic opioids. In New Hampshire, the U.S. Attorney’s Office is focusing its efforts on prosecuting synthetic opioid trafficking cases arising in Hillsborough County, which includes Manchester and Nashua.
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Montgomery Man Sentenced to 30 Months in Prison for Robbing Credit UnionRead the Press Release
Montgomery, Alabama – On Monday, February 1, 2021, Bryan Dennard, a 36-year-old from Montgomery, Alabama, was sentenced to 30 months in prison after pleading guilty to bank robbery, announced United States Attorney Louis V. Franklin, Sr. Dennard was also ordered to serve three years of supervised release after he completes his prison sentence. There is no parole in the federal system. Dennard has a pending forfeiture order against him for the stolen bank proceeds.
According to court records and statements made in open court, on June 16, 2020, Dennard walked into the Guardian Credit Union on Taylor Road in Montgomery, Alabama, and handed the teller a backpack and a note. The note demanded that the teller place money in the bag and further warned, “You don’t want to see me when I get angry.” The teller put money in the bag totaling $3,675.55, and handed it back to him. Dennard then exited the credit union, got into a waiting car, and sped away. The Montgomery Police Department (MPD) put out a “be on the lookout” bulletin with Dennard’s picture taken from surveillance video from the credit union. Later, MPD officers responded to a call of a person being shot. When they arrived on the scene, officers recognized the shooting victim as Dennard, who stated he had been robbed and was shot in the leg. Dennard was transported to the hospital to treat his injuries. Ultimately, Dennard was charged with bank robbery and admitted he had robbed the credit union. Dennard also stated that the money stolen from him during the shooting was the proceeds from the bank robbery.
On July 14, 2020, a federal grand jury indicted Dennard and his driver for bank robbery. Dennard pleaded guilty to the charge on October 6, 2020. The driver’s charge is still pending.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Montgomery Police Department investigated this case. Assistant United States Attorney Russell T. Duraski prosecuted the case.
Monongalia County man indicted on child pornography chargesRead the Press Release
WHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA – Jason Steven Kokinda, of Westover, West Virginia, was indicted today on a child pornography charge, U.S. Attorney Bill Powell announced.
Kokinda, 42, was indicted today on one count of “Second Offense Possession of Child Pornography” and one count of “Failure to Update Sex Offender Registry.” Kokinda, who was previously convicted of sex offenses against children and child pornography charges, is accused of having a cell phone with child pornography images in Randolph County in September 2019. He is also accused of failing to update his sex offender registration after traveling from Vermont and New Jersey to West Virginia in August 2019.
Kokinda is facing at least 10 years and up to 20 years of incarceration and a fine of up to $250,000 for the child pornography charge. He is facing up to 10 years of incarceration and a fine of up to $250,000 for the registration charge. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Brandon S. Flower is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The Bridgeport Police Department and the U.S. Marshal Service investigated.
An indictment is merely an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Mission Man Indicted on Firearm ChargeRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced that a Mission, South Dakota, man has been indicted by a federal grand jury for Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person.
Patrick Leonard Iron Cloud, Jr., age 40, was indicted on November 10, 2020. He appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Mark A. Moreno on January 29, 2021, and pled not guilty to the Indictment.
The maximum penalty upon conviction is up to 10 years in federal prison and/or a $250,000 fine, three years of supervised release, and $100 to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Restitution may also be ordered.
The Indictment alleges that on October 2, 2020, in Mission, Iron Cloud, being an unlawful user of and addicted to a controlled substance, and having previously been convicted of a of a crime punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year, knowingly possessed a firearm.
The charge is merely an accusation and Iron Cloud is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. The Department of Justice reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of its renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and local communities to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime.
This case is also part of Project Guardian, the Department of Justice’s signature initiative to reduce gun violence and enforce federal firearms laws. Initiated by the Attorney General in the fall of 2019, Project Guardian draws upon the Department’s past successful programs to reduce gun violence; enhances coordination of federal, state, local, and tribal authorities in investigating and prosecuting gun crimes; improves information-sharing by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives when a prohibited individual attempts to purchase a firearm and is denied by the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS), to include taking appropriate actions when a prospective purchaser is denied by the NICS for mental health reasons; and ensures that federal resources are directed at the criminals posing the greatest threat to our communities. For more information about Project Guardian, please see: https://www.justice.gov/projectguardian.
The investigation is being conducted by the Rosebud Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Elmore is prosecuting the case.
Iron Cloud was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending trial. A trial date has not been set.
Middle District of Pennsylvania Celebrates Black History MonthRead the Press Release
Harrisburg –The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania joins with the Eastern District of Virginia and other United States Attorney’s Offices across the country to honor the contributions and history of the African American community during this year’s Black History Month.
According to Acting United States Attorney Bruce D. Brandler, for over the last fifty years, the Department of Justice has established Special Emphasis Programs that try to develop a diverse and talented workforce in the Department and United States Attorney’s Offices nationwide. Today, these programs include support for racial/ethnic minorities, women, persons and veterans with disabilities, and lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender applicants and employees in various categories and occupations and in all organizational components throughout the Department.
This month we celebrate African Americans contributions in history. The annual tradition of Black History Month in February is commemorated by the Association for the Study of African American Life and History, which establishes a national theme for each year. The theme for 2021 is “The Black Family: Representation, Identity, and Diversity.” The theme acknowledges the rich tapestry of the African American family.
We echo the sentiment of Raj Parekh, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia who stated, “we are deeply committed in EDVA to ensuring that all participants in the legal process—including victims, parties, and members of the Bench and Bar—are treated with respect and dignity as we seek equal justice under the law. As part of that commitment, we are dedicated to furthering our collective efforts to promote diversity and inclusion in all forms through our hiring, advancement, and community outreach practices.” His sentiments ring true. “This February we renew our own commitment in Middle District of Pennsylvania of seeking to promote the goals of diversity and inclusion in both our criminal and civil practices,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Brandler. “We will work with the Department of Justice and the all United States Attorneys Offices across the United States to fulfill this mission.”
More information about the Department of Justice’s Special Emphasis Programs and commitment to a diverse workforce can be found at https://www.justice.gov/jmd/affirmative-employment-special-emphasis-programs.
Mercer County Man Pleads Guilty in Two Bank Robberies on Pittsburgh’s South SideRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, PA - A former resident of Hadley, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty in federal court to charges related to two bank robberies that occurred in the Southside neighborhood of Pittsburgh, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced today.
Daryle Devlin, 29, pleaded guilty to two counts before Senior United States District Judge Nora Barry Fischer.
In connection with the guilty plea, the court was advised that on October 20, 2018, and October 26, 2018, Devlin robbed the Farmers National Bank, located at 1812 East Carson Street, of a total of $4,554.
Judge Fischer scheduled sentencing for May 25, 2021 at 9:30 a.m. The law provides for a total sentence of not more than 25 years in prison, a fine of $250,000, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney Rebecca L. Silinski is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Devlin.
Man from Lordsburg pleads guilty to federal child pornography chargesRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Gilbert Gallegos, 44, of Lordsburg, New Mexico, pleaded guilty in federal court on Jan. 29 to production and possession of child pornography.
According to information based on court records and statements made in open court, on April 8, 2020, Gallegos’ phone was seized and searched following a search warrant. Gallegos admitted to producing and possessing child pornographic videos on his cellphone from July 2, 2019, depicting a minor victim who is partially nude, and another video of child pornography involving two minor victims.
Gallegos is currently in custody pending sentencing. He faces 15 to 30 years in prison.
Homeland Security Investigations and the Lordsburg Police Department investigated this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Marisa A. Ong and Dustin C. Segovia are prosecuting the case.
Man Sentenced for Conspiring to Launder Money in Methamphetamine Trafficking OperationRead the Press Release
One of three men who ran a methamphetamine trafficking and money laundering operation in Tulsa and the surrounding area was sentenced today in federal court, announced U.S. Attorney Trent Shores.
U.S. District Judge Gregory K. Frizzell sentenced Javier Passement, 55, of Tulsa, to nine years in federal prison.
“Money laundering is the lifeblood of criminal organizations. These corrupt banking transactions move dirty money all across the globe so that the criminal organization can operate outside the law,” said U.S. Attorney Trent Shores. “Thanks to our Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force, a local money laundering operation with international ties has been shut down. Javier Passement and his ilk are just as responsible as the traffickers from Mexico for the methamphetamine flowing onto our streets. This nine year sentence shows that there are serious consequences for getting involved in any aspect of the drug game.”
In 2018, Passement, along with Alfredo Herrera and Domingo Aguirre, was charged with violating federal money laundering and drug conspiracy statutes. Herrera was the owner and operator of Casa Herrera, a local money remitter business that was used to launder illegal drug proceeds.
In his plea agreement, Passement admitted that from December 2015 to September 2018 he received money and sent it back to the Mexican source of supply using local money remitter businesses, including Casa Herrera. At Casa Herrera, the three men sent drug proceeds to Felix Ordaz-Miranda in Mexico, using nominee names. Ordaz-Miranda would also provide nominee names to use to list as the recipients of the wire transfers. The “fake” names were used in order to conceal the true nature of the transactions and to further the drug conspiracy by paying money owed to the source of supply. Passement stated that he generated the wire transfers under the direction of Herrera and Aguirre.
Passement further admitted that he knowingly conspired to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute 500 grams or more of a methamphetamine. Specifically, Passement received bulk quantities of methamphetamine from Ordaz-Miranda and distributed the drug to individuals identified by him throughout Tulsa and the surrounding areas.
The Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force investigation, titled Operation Ripped Ice, involved the Drug Enforcement Administration, FBI, Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations, and Tulsa Police Department. Twenty-two individuals were charged as a result of the operation. Domingo Aguirre was convicted and sentenced to 44 months in federal prison. Alfredo Herrera passed away during the prosecution.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Joel-lyn A. McCormick prosecuted the case. AUSA McCormick serves as the lead attorney for the United States Attorney’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces.
Madison Man Sentenced to 130 Months for Methamphetamine DistributionRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. - Scott C. Blader, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Phillip Thomas, Madison, Wisconsin, pleaded guilty and was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge William M. Conley to 100 months in federal prison for distributing 50 grams or more of methamphetamine, and an additional 30 months for revocation of his federal supervised release. This prison term will be followed by 4 years of supervised release.
In March and April 2020, several sources reported to law enforcement that Thomas was selling various controlled substances in the Madison area. Agents with the Wisconsin Department of Justice Division of Criminal Investigation arranged a series of controlled buys with a confidential informant. The confidential informant successfully purchased crack cocaine and methamphetamine from Thomas in March 2020, and additional crack cocaine and approximately 52 grams of methamphetamine from him on April 1, 2020. During a search of Thomas’s bedroom inside a Sun Prairie apartment on April 3, 2020, agents located three firearms and additional controlled substances. That same day, Thomas was arrested and had both cocaine and heroin in his pockets.
At the time of the offense in this case, Thomas was serving a term of supervised release in connection to a 2012 federal conviction in the Western District of Wisconsin for distribution of 100 grams or more of heroin. Judge Conley revoked that supervision and sentenced Thomas to the additional 30 months in prison.
In sentencing Thomas, Judge Conley noted that the quantities of controlled substances recovered by law enforcement in the present case were likely far below what Thomas had been selling, based on his statements to law enforcement following his arrest. Judge Conley stated a significant sentence was warranted given that the defendant had resumed selling drugs following his 2018 release from prison, including selling drugs while residing at a drug treatment facility. Judge Conley commented that it appeared as though Thomas “reveled” in his continued criminal lifestyle and the power it brought him.
The charges against Thomas were the result of an investigation conducted by the Wisconsin Department of Justice Division of Criminal Investigation, Madison Police Department, Sun Prairie Police Department, Drug Enforcement Administration and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. The prosecution of the case has been handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Taylor L. Kraus.
Jury Convicts Wilmington Man of Narcotics Distribution and Possession of a Firearm by a FelonRead the Press Release
RALEIGH, N.C. – Yesterday, a federal jury convicted Shawn Fonville, 34, of Wilmington on charges of conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute heroin; possess with the intent to distribute a quantity of heroin; possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime; and possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon.
According to court records and evidence presented at trial, Fonville was distributing narcotics from three residences in the Wilmington area. While under surveillance, Fonville and his associates were observed orchestrating purchases and distributing heroin to other individuals from the residences. Following those purchases, officers from the Wilmington Police Department received information that the defendant had traveled to New York to get additional supplies of heroin. The day after Fonville returned to his apartment in Wilmington, multiple vehicles were seen leaving his residence. Officers conducted a traffic stop on one of the vehicles. The driver, co-defendant Zabar Irick, attempted to flee, and officers observed Irick throwing bundles of heroin while fleeing. Officers secured a search warrant for the defendant’s apartment and discovered 3,000 dosage units of heroin, a loaded revolver, and over $40,000 in the defendant’s bedroom. An additional firearm was located in the center console of the defendant’s vehicle. This conduct occurred while Fonville was on federal supervised release for prior convictions of possession with intent to distribute heroin and possession of a firearm by a felon.
Fonville faces a maximum penalty of 35 years imprisonment when sentenced during the May 3, 2021 term of court.
Robert J. Higdon, Jr., U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after U.S. District Judge James C. Dever III accepted the verdict. The Federal Bureau of Investigation and Wilmington Police Department investigated the case and Assistant U.S. Attorneys J. Bradford Knott and Caroline Webb prosecuted the case.
Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 7:18-cr-00185-D.
Judge sentences St. Louis County woman for making false statements to the Social Security Administration and defrauding Mercedes BenzRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – United States District Ronnie L. White sentenced Tayon Hutchins-Fowler to 12 months and one day in prison today. The 43-year-old Florissant, Missouri resident pleaded guilty, in December, to one count of making a false statement to the Social Security Administration and one count of wire fraud regarding a scheme to defraud Mercedes Benz.
Hutchins-Fowler submitted an application to the U.S. Social Security Administration for disability payments in which she claimed to be disabled and unable to work because of major depression and other conditions. In reliance on her representations, SSA paid Hutchins-Fowler periodic disability payments from November 2012 through March 2019. These SSA payments totaled approximately $200,000.
During 2012-17, Hutchins-Fowler owned a home health care business and annually received over $100,000 in income from this business during 2014, 2015, 2016 and 2017. In 2018, Ms. Hutchins Fowler made a series of false statements to SSA in order to continue to receive disability payments from SSA, telling the agency she had not worked, had not received income from working, and had difficulty with shopping, driving, understanding directions, remembering, and getting along with people.
During December 2017, Ms. Hutchins-Fowler purchased a 2018 Mercedes Benz GLC 43 automobile at a dealership located in St. Louis, Missouri, using falsified monthly bank statements, checks, corporate records and tax materials to fraudulently obtain financing for the vehicle.
"This case exemplifies the collaborative nature of our investigative work protecting Social Security’s critical programs from fraud," said Gail S. Ennis, Inspector General for the Social Security Administration. “I want to thank the FBI for working with us to bring this individual to justice, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for its support of our investigation.”
This case was investigated by the Office of Inspector General for the Social Security Administration and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, with assistance from the Medicaid Fraud Control Unit of the Missouri Attorney General’s Office.
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Georgia man sentenced after admitting fraud in attempt to sell 50 million non-existent N-95 face masks to foreign governmentRead the Press Release
SAVANNAH, GA: A Georgia man has been sentenced after admitting he attempted to sell 50 million non-existent facemasks to a foreign government.
Paul Penn, 64, of Johns Creek, Ga., was sentenced to five months and 29 days of home confinement by U.S. District Court Judge R. Stan Baker after pleading guilty to Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud, said Bobby L. Christine, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. Judge Baker also fined Penn $1,500 and ordered him to serve three years of probation.
“If not for the vigilance of the U.S. Secret Service, Paul Penn and his co-conspirators likely would have lit the fuse on an international scandal by ripping off a friendly foreign government for more than $300 million,” said U.S. Attorney Christine. “Instead, they halted the scheme before the criminals got a dime, and prevented these crooks from profiting from pandemic fear.”
As described in court documents and testimony, Penn, through his company, Spectrum Global Holdings, LLC, agreed with unnamed co-conspirators to act as a middleman in the attempted sale of 50 million 3M Model 1860 Respirator Masks that he and his co-conspirators did not actually possess. Under the deal, Penn was to broker the sale in exchange for a cut of the $317 million sales price, which was more than 500 percent higher than the previous normal market value for N-95 masks.
Based on representations from Penn and others, the buyer, a foreign government, wired the funds to complete the purchase, which was disrupted by the U.S. Secret Service just before the transaction could be completed. All of the funds were returned to the foreign government.
“This case should serve as a strong deterrent to those considering exploiting the COVID-19 pandemic to enrich themselves through fraud. The nation’s citizens, businesses and our international partners are counting on the U.S. Secret Service and its federal law enforcement and private sector partners to safeguard it and maintain the public trust,” said Glen M. Kessler, Resident Agent in Charge of the Secret Service Savannah Office. “Tackling the threat of cyber-enabled COVID-19 scams requires an immediate response to safeguard our nation during these unprecedented times.”
Please report COVID-19 fraud, hoarding or price-gouging to the National Center for Disaster Fraud’s National Hotline at (866) 720-5721, or go to justice.gov/disastercomplaintform.
U.S. Attorney Christine acclaimed the hard work of the investigatory team, led by the U.S. Secret Service, for disrupting the scheme.
The case was prosecuted for the United States by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Georgia.
Former Postal Carrier Pleads Guilty to Stealing MailRead the Press Release
RENO, Nev. – A former U.S. Postal Service mail carrier pleaded guilty today to stealing mail packages, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas A. Trutanich of the District of Nevada and Acting Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey E. Krafels of the U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General (USPS OIG), Western Area Field Office.
Russell Francis Marks, 58, of Reno, pleaded guilty to one count of theft of mail by a postal employee. U.S. District Judge Robert C. Jones scheduled a sentencing hearing for May 3, 2021.
According to court documents and admissions made in court, between May 1 and November 24, 2017, Marks worked as a U.S. Postal Service City Letter Carrier at the Carson City post office. Marks admitted that he stole coins from five mail packages at the post office, and sold them to a coin dealer in Santa Rosa, California. Marks obtained $31,605 from selling the stolen coins. Postal customers filed missing mail complaints, which led to an investigation by the USPS OIG.
If convicted, the statutory maximum penalty faced by Marks is five years in prison, supervised release, and a $250,000 fine.
The case was investigated by the USPS OIG. Assistant U.S. Attorney Richard Casper of the District of Nevada and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeremy Robbins of the USPS OIG are prosecuting the case.
Complaints for mail crimes involving employees can be submitted at: https://www.uspsoig.gov/.
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Former Navy Chief Petty Officer and Naval Reservist Indicted for ID Theft SchemeRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — On Jan. 28, a federal grand jury in Fresno indicted Selma couple Marquis Asaad Hooper, 30, and Natasha Renee Chalk, 37, charging them with conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud, and aggravated identity theft, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced.
According to court documents, Hooper was stationed in Japan as a chief petty officer with the Navy’s Seventh Fleet until October 2018. His wife, Chalk, was a naval reservist stationed at Naval Air Station Lemoore in California. Hooper separated from the Navy in October 2018. Shortly before Hooper’s separation was final, Hooper and Chalk fraudulently obtained access to a database containing millions of people’s personal information. The company that operates the database only grants access to legitimate businesses and government agencies and only for business or government purposes, such as police departments attempting to locate suspects or banks confirming the information in account applications.
In late August 2018, Hooper contacted the company, falsely claiming that the Seventh Fleet needed access to the database to run background checks on Navy personnel. Based on that information, the company approved the account. Hooper signed the company’s subscriber agreement, purporting to act on behalf of his fleet. In reality, Hooper was not acting on behalf of his fleet, and Hooper did not access the database for a legitimate government purpose. Instead, he added Chalk, who was not a member of his fleet, and other individuals to the database account. Over the next approximately two and a half months, Hooper and Chalk searched for tens of thousands of individuals on the database and sold the information they obtained on those individuals to third parties in exchange for bitcoin. The third parties used the information to commit identity theft.
For instance, in November 2018, a man in Gilbert, Arizona, attempted to withdraw money from another person’s bank account using a fake driver’s license created with information Hooper had retrieved from the database. The company shut down Hooper’s and Chalk’s database account in December 2018. Three months later, they tried again to get access to the database through one of Hooper’s Navy contacts stationed on the U.S.S. George Washington, docked in Newport News, Virginia. Hooper had the contact falsely state that another Navy member, L.B., was the contact’s supply officer. Hooper and Chalk then conspired to send the contact a subscriber agreement for the database, a fake driver’s license for L.B., and a fake letter from the contact’s commanding officer, all containing forged signatures.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Naval Criminal Investigative Service, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Homeland Security investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Vincente A. Tennerelli and Joseph D. Barton are prosecuting the case.
If convicted, Hooper and Chalk face a maximum statutory penalty of 20 years in prison on the conspiracy and wire fraud charges and a mandatory two-years in prison, consecutive to any other sentence, on the aggravated identity theft charges. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Fitchburg Man Pleads Guilty to Wide-Ranging Drug Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Fitchburg man pleaded guilty today in federal court in Worcester to his role in a wide-ranging fentanyl, heroin, crack and cocaine trafficking conspiracy.
Pedro Baez, 52, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute one kilogram or more of heroin, 400 grams or more of fentanyl, 280 grams or more of cocaine base (commonly known as crack cocaine) and 500 grams or more of cocaine and one count of distribution and possession with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl, 100 grams or more of heroin and cocaine. U.S. District Court Judge Timothy S. Hillman scheduled sentencing for May 18, 2021.
According to charging documents, following a fatal fentanyl overdose in September 2018, law enforcement began investigating a drug trafficking organization in the Fitchburg area and discovered that Baez led the organization along with his son, Anthony Baez. Court-authorized interceptions of phones used by Baez and other members of the drug trafficking organization and its suppliers revealed that Baez worked with Anthony Baez, and others, to distribute a fentanyl and heroin mixture, cocaine, and crack cocaine on a regular basis to individuals in the Fitchburg area, some of whom resold all or a portion of those drugs to their own customers.
Baez and 17 others were charged in a superseding indictment on July 22, 2020. Anthony Baez pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 13 years in prison in December 2020. Defendants Valerie Lucier and Shastaalena Blair have also pleaded guilty to the superseding indictment.
United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling; Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Division; Commissioner Carol Mici of the Massachusetts Department of Correction; and Colonel Christopher Mason, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police made the announcement today. The Fitchburg Police Department, U.S. Postal Inspection Service and the Lunenburg Police Department also provided valuable assistance. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alathea Porter of Lelling’s Narcotics and Money Laundering Unit is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The remaining defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Federal Grand Jury Charges Rochester Man with Sex Trafficking, Enticement, and Possession of Child Pornography in Superseding IndictmentRead the Press Release
CONTACT: Barbara Burns
PHONE: (716) 843-5817
FAX #: (716) 551-3051ROCHESTER, N.Y. — U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy, Jr. announced today that a federal grand jury has returned a superseding indictment charging Peter R. Kiwitt, 62, of Rochester, NY, with sex trafficking of a minor, sex trafficking by coercion, sexual enticement of a minor, and possession of child pornography. The superseding indictment also alleges that the defendant, as a registered sex offender, faces enhanced penalties in the event he is convicted of certain of the crimes with which he is charged. The charges carry a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years in prison, a maximum of life, and a $250,000 fine.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Melissa M. Marangola, who is handling the case, stated that according to the superseding indictment and a previously filed complaint, on December 10, 2018, the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office stopped a vehicle being driven by defendant. Also in the vehicle were two females, Adult Victim 1 (AV1) and Minor Victim 1 (MV1). The three were questioned regarding drug related activity but were released and eventually followed to a room at a motel in Penfield, NY. Officers went to the room and knocked on the door. Kiwitt indicated that he was dating AV1 but knew her to be a prostitute who belonged to another pimp known to law enforcement. He denied any involvement in prostitution at that time. Officers did not make any arrests at the time.
On January 23, 2019, Rochester Police Department officers responded to a residence in the City of Rochester for the report of a fatal overdose involving MV1. The owner of the apartment found MV1 deceased on his living room floor and called 911. He told officers he met MV1 through AV1, and that the night before, he brought MV1 back to his residence to engage in commercial sex acts with her.
Subsequent cell phone and Facebook searches uncovered conversations between the defendant, AV1, and MV1 regarding prostitution activities. Investigators also uncovered naked photos, some of which depicted child pornography.
In June 2017, Kiwitt was convicted in Monroe County, NY, of Possession of a Sexual Performance by a Child, and sentenced to serve 10 years’ probation, and designated as a Level 1 Sex Offender.
The defendant was arraigned before U.S. Magistrate Judge Mark W. Pedersen and was detained.
The superseding indictment is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Stephen Belongia, and the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Sheriff Todd Baxter.
The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
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Farrell, PA Felon Charged with Illegal Possession of a Pistol and AmmunitionRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, PA. - A resident of Farrell, Pennsylvania has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh on a charge of possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced today.
The one-count Indictment named Darwin Lamel Green, 38, of Farrell, Pennsylvania as the sole defendant.
According to the Indictment, on or about July 30, 2019, Green, a convicted felon, unlawfully possessed a Spikes Tactical Crusader semi-automatic rifle, Ruger semi-automatic 9-millimeter caliber pistol, and numerous rounds of ammunition. The Indictment also alleges that the defendant had been convicted in October 2013 of possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance. Federal law prohibits an individual who has been convicted of a felony from possessing a firearm or ammunition.
The law provides for a maximum total sentence of 10 years in prison, a fine of not more than $250,000, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorneys Brendan Conway and David Lew are prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Drug Enforcement Administration, and Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General conducted the investigation leading to the Indictment in this case.
An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Escondido Man Admits to Tax Evasion Scheme with Former Chabad of Poway RabbiRead the Press Release
Assistant U. S. Attorneys Michelle L. Wasserman (619) 546-8431 and Oleksandra Johnson (619) 546-9769
NEWS RELEASE SUMMARY – February 2, 2021
SAN DIEGO – Stuart Weinstock of Escondido pleaded guilty in federal court today to filing a false tax return as part of a years’ long tax-evasion scheme with former Chabad of Poway Rabbi Yisroel Goldstein.
Until around 2018, Rabbi Goldstein was the director and head rabbi at Chabad of Poway, a tax-exempt religious organization. For approximately eight years, Weinstock made supposed “donations” to Chabad of Poway, and Rabbi Goldstein funneled approximately 75 percent of those “donations” back to Weinstock in cash, allowing Weinstock to evade more than $100,000 in taxes.
According to Weinstock’s plea agreement, between 2010 and 2018, Weinstock provided Rabbi Goldstein with at least approximately $872,815 in checks that fraudulently described the funds as “contributions,” “donations,” or “business expenses.” Weinstock gave these “donations” to Rabbi Goldstein monthly. Rabbi Goldstein then secretly returned 75 percent of the money, or approximately $654,611, to Weinstock. To do so, Rabbi Goldstein met with Weinstock in person at Weinstock’s home or business to pick up the checks and give cash back – less the rabbi’s 25 percent cut – to Weinstock in an envelope. Weinstock then falsely claimed on his tax returns that the full amount of his fraudulent donations were tax deductible donations or business expenses, thereby fraudulently reducing his taxes. Through this scheme, Weinstock avoided over $100,000 in taxes that he should have paid to the IRS.
In his plea agreement, Weinstock also admitted that in October 2018, one of Rabbi Goldstein’s acquaintances contacted Weinstock to tell him that Rabbi Goldstein had been arrested and that Rabbi Goldstein wanted to warn Weinstock not to accept any more envelopes. Weinstock understood this as a warning that the rabbi was cooperating with law enforcement and their future interactions could be recorded.
In July 2020, Rabbi Goldstein pleaded guilty to fraud charges, admitting that he participated in a complex, years-long, multi-million dollar tax-evasion scheme and other financial deceptions involving theft of public money. Rabbi Goldstein’s plea agreement outlined the tax evasion scheme with Weinstock.
So far, 10 people have pleaded guilty to crimes discovered in this investigation, including Weinstock and two others who have agreed to deferred prosecution agreements. Rabbi Goldstein has agreed to cooperate with the ongoing investigation. He is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Cynthia Bashant on April 26, 2021.
“This was a deceptive, carefully-planned scheme and the victims are honest taxpayers,” said U.S. Attorney Robert Brewer. “Those who cheat the system by exploiting the tax-exempt status of non-profits and religious organizations will be held to account for their illegal conduct.” Brewer praised prosecutors Michelle Wasserman and Oleksandra Johnson and FBI and IRS agents for their excellent work on this case.
“Mr. Weinstock admitted that he broke the law and cheated the United States out of over $100,000, and in so doing, he also cheated honest taxpayers who pay their fair share,” said Special Agent in Charge Ryan L. Korner. “Mr. Weinstock’s tax evasion scheme spanned eight years, exploiting charitable giving laws and abusing a tax-exempt religious organization. IRS Criminal Investigation will pursue all who defraud the U.S. Treasury and we are committed to working with our law enforcement partners to uphold the law and protect our Nation’s tax and financial systems.”
“This years-long fraud and tax evasion scheme brought to light by this investigation has resulted in ten guilty pleas, including defendant Stuart Weinstock and previously convicted Rabbi Yisroel Goldstein,” said Suzanne Turner, Special Agent in Charge of FBI's San Diego Field Office. “Dedicated FBI agents uncovered and worked diligently to piece together a complex financial scheme perpetrated by those who exploited a non-profit and religious organization to cheat a system designed to benefit those in need. As shown in this case, the FBI, working with our IRS and DOJ partners, will bring justice to those who commit fraud and cheat honest taxpayers.”
Stuart Weinstock is next scheduled to appear at a sentencing hearing on April 26, 2021 at 9 a.m. before Judge Bashant.
SUMMARY OF CHARGES Case Number 21CR0042-BAS
Stuart Weinstock Age: 64 Escondido, CA
Filing False Tax Return, in violation of Title 26, U.S.C. §7206(1)
Maximum Penalty: Three years in prison
PREVIOUSLY CHARGED DEFENDANTS AND SUMMARY OF CHARGES
Yisroel Goldstein, Case Number 20CR1916-BAS Age: 58 Poway
Conspiracy to Defraud the United States and Commit Wire Fraud, in violation of Title 18, USC 371
Maximum Penalty: Five years in prison
Alexander Avergoon, Case Number 19CR2955-BAS Age: 44 San Diego
Wire Fraud, in violation of Title 18, USC 1343
Maximum Penalty: Twenty years in prison
Aggravated Identity Theft, in violation of Title 18, USC 1028A
Maximum Penalty: Two years minimum consecutive term in prison
Money Laundering, in violation of Title 18, USC 1956(a)(1)(B)(i)
Maximum Penalty: Twenty years in prison
Bruce Baker, Case Number 20CR1912-BAS Age: 74 La Jolla
Conspiracy to Defraud the United States and file false tax returns, in violation of Title 18, USC 371
Maximum Penalty: Five years in prison
Bijan Moossazadeh, Case Number 20CR1893-BAS Age: 63 San Diego
Filing a False Tax Return, in violation of Title 26, USC 7206(1)
Maximum Penalty: Three years in prison
Yousef Shemirani, Case Number 20CR1895-BAS Age: 74 Poway
Filing a False Tax Return, in violation of Title 26, USC 7206(1)
Maximum Penalty: Three years in prison
Boris Shkoller, Case Number 20CR1913-BAS Age: 83 Del Mar
Filing a False Tax Return, in violation of Title 26, USC 7206(1)
Maximum Penalty: Three years in prison
Mendel Goldstein, Case Number 20CR2772-BAS Age: 63 Brooklyn, NY
Conspiracy to Defraud the United States and Commit Wire Fraud, in violation of Title 18, USC 371
Maximum Penalty: Five years in prison
Rotem Cooper, Case Number 20CR3968-BAS Age: 54 San Diego
Deferred Prosecution Agreement
Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud, in violation of Title 18, USC 371
Igor Shtilkind, Case Number 20CR3955-BAS Age: 55 San Diego
Deferred Prosecution Agreement
Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud, in violation of Title 18, USC 371
INVESTIGATING AGENCIES
Internal Revenue Service
Federal Bureau of Investigation
Defendant Sentenced to Federal Prison for Threatening Agents with FirearmRead the Press Release
In San Antonio today, U.S. District Judge Fred Biery sentenced 45-year-old Luther Otis Foster IV, to a total of 90 months in federal prison followed by five years of supervised release for pointing a shotgun at federal agents during the execution of a search warrant at his Bandera County residence, announced U.S. Attorney Gregg N. Sofer and Drug Enforcement Administration Special Agent in Charge Steven S. Whipple, Houston Division.
According to court records, DEA agents executed a search warrant at Foster’s residence in Lakehills on July 21, 2016. Agents announced their presence and entered the residence. Upon entry, Foster leveled a shotgun at the agents and threatened them. Foster was shot and then taken to a nearby hospital for treatment. Inside Foster’s residence, agents discovered a large number of growing marijuana plants and discarded marijuana plant stalks.
“Pointing a weapon at or threatening a federal agent is never a wise choice,” stated U.S. Attorney Sofer. “It is fortunate that no one lost their life in this incident. Unfortunately, today in Florida, a similar scenario ended in heartbreaking tragedy. We should never forget the dangers our law enforcement officers face every day.”
On November 15, 2018, Foster pleaded guilty to one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime and four counts of assaulting a federal officer with a dangerous weapon.
The DEA investigated this case together with the Bandera County Sheriff’s Office and the Texas Department of Public Safety. Assistant U.S. Attorney John Gibson prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
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Corporate insider sent to prisonRead the Press Release
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – A 42-year-old San Antonio man has been ordered to federal prison after he admitted to wire fraud that resulted in a loss of $1,878,615.84, announced U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Patrick.
Robert Morales Munguia Jr. pleaded guilty July 28, 2020.
Today, U.S. District Judge David Morales handed Munguia a 24-month sentence to be immediately followed by three years of supervised release. He was further ordered to pay a $1,878,615.84 in restitution. At the hearing, the court heard additional testimony from the victim describing the effect of the fraud on the corporation.
Munguia knowingly submitted false work orders to his company in order to receive gifts and payments from outside vendors. He also admitted he knew the work would never be completed.
From Feb. 27, 2015, until April 12, 2018, Munguia worked as an environmental specialist at a Texas-based corporation. During that time, he conspired with outside contractors to bill for 68 false work orders that were never completed. In return, he received various gifts and cash.
As a result of the scheme, the company paid almost $2 million.
Mungui was permitted to remain on bond and voluntarily surrender to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
The Secret Service conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney (AUSA) Robert Thorpe and former AUSA Jeremy C. Fugate prosecuted the case.
Complaint Seeks Forfeiture of Iranian Oil Aboard Tanker Based on Connection to Terror GroupRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – The United States filed a forfeiture complaint in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia alleging that all oil aboard a Liberian-flagged vessel, the M/T Achilleas (Achilleas), is subject to forfeiture based on U.S. terrorism forfeiture laws.
The complaint alleges a scheme involving multiple entities affiliated with Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and the IRGC-Qods Force (IRGC-QF) to covertly ship Iranian oil to a customer abroad. Participants in the scheme attempted to disguise the origin of the oil using ship-to-ship transfers, falsified documents, and other means, and provided a fraudulent bill of lading to deceive the owners of the Achilleas into loading the oil in question.
The complaint alleges in part that the oil constitutes the property of, or a “source of influence” over, the IRGC and the IRGC-QF, both of which have been designated by the United States as foreign terrorist organizations. The documents allege that profits from oil sales support the IRGC’s full range of nefarious activities, including the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and their means of delivery, support for terrorism, and a variety of human rights abuses, at home and abroad.
“The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia will continue working with our law enforcement partners to stem the flow of illicit oil from Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and Qods Force,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Michael R. Sherwin. “We will use all available tools, including our jurisdiction to seize and forfeit assets located abroad, to combat funding for terrorists and those who would do harm to the United States.”
“The forfeiture complaint filed today serves as a reminder that the IRGC and IRGC-QF continue to exert significant control over the sale of Iranian oil,” said Assistant Attorney General John C. Demers for the National Security Division. “As we have demonstrated in the past, the department will deploy all tools at its disposal to ensure that the IRGC and IRGC-QF cannot use profits from the sale of Iranian oil to fund terrorism and other activities that threaten the safety and security of all Americans.”
“This latest civil forfeiture action exemplifies the remarkable work of this multi-agency task force that works tirelessly toward furthering our shared goal of protecting the homeland from regimes that threaten our national security,” said Special Agent in Charge Peter C. Fitzhugh for the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), New York. “This investigation sends a message that the attempted circumvention of U.S. sanctions by the IRGC-QF will not be tolerated. HSI will continue to work with our partners and utilize the full scope of our authorities to disrupt the attempts of hostile countries and regimes to generate profits from oil sales used to support terrorism and the proliferation and delivery of weapons of mass destruction.”
“Iran uses profits from its petroleum sector to fund the malign activities of the IRGC-QF, a designated terrorist group,” said Special Agent in Charge Michael F. Paul of the FBI’s Minneapolis Field Office. “The FBI will continue to prioritize the enforcement of sanctions, and we applaud the efforts of our agents and partners on this investigation.”
A civil forfeiture complaint is merely an allegation. The United States bears the burden of proving that the oil in question is subject to forfeiture in a civil forfeiture proceeding. Funds successfully forfeited with a connection to a state sponsor of terrorism may in whole or in part be directed to the United States Victims of State Sponsored Terrorism Fund (http://www.usvsst.com/) after the conclusion of the case.
HSI New York and the FBI’s Minneapolis Field Office are leading the investigation of Iranian petroleum shipments. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael P. Grady and Brian P. Hudak of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia and Trial Attorney David Lim of the Counterintelligence and Export Control Section of the National Security Division are prosecuting the case, with support from Paralegal Specialist Brian Rickers and Legal Assistant Jessica McCormick of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia. The Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section’s Program Operations Staff of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division has provided extensive assistance throughout the investigation.
Columbus man indicted on methamphetamine chargeRead the Press Release
WHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA – Devante Crutez Taylor, of Columbus, Ohio, was indicted today on a drug charge, U.S. Attorney Bill Powell announced.
Taylor, 28, was indicted today on one count of “Possession with Intent to Distribute 50 Grams or More of Methamphetamine.” Taylor is accused of having 50 grams or more of methamphetamine in August 2019 in Ohio County.
The government is also seeking the forfeiture of $3,638 in cash found with Taylor that is believed to be proceeds from drug sales.
Taylor is facing at least 10 years and up to life incarceration and a fine of up to $10,000,000. 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 Shawn M. Adkins is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The Wheeling Police Department investigated.
An indictment is merely an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Clinton Pharmacist Sentenced to 10 Years in Federal Prison for Conspiracy to Commit Health Care FraudRead the Press Release
Jackson, Miss. – Marco Bisa Hawkins Moran, 45, of Clinton, Mississippi, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Keith Starrett to 120 months in federal prison followed by 3 years of supervised release for conspiring to commit health care fraud, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Darren J. LaMarca, Special Agent in Charge Michelle Sutphin of the Federal Bureau of Investigation in Mississippi, Special Agent in Charge James Dorsey of IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), Special Agent in Charge Cynthia Bruce of Defense Criminal Investigative Services (DCIS) Southeast Field Office, and Director Steven Maxwell of the Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics (MBN).
Moran was also ordered to pay a monetary judgment of $12,195,740, restitution in the amount of $22,096,697, and a $20,000 fine.
Between 2014 and 2016, Moran, as co-owner of Medworx Compounding and Custom Care Pharmacy, participated in a scheme to defraud TRICARE and other health care benefit programs, including those that provided coverage to employees of the City of Jackson, Mississippi. In total, the pharmacies submitted $22,068,144 in fraudulent claims to Tricare and other health care benefit programs. As part of the scheme, Moran and his co-conspirators, among other things, adjusted prescription formulas to ensure the highest reimbursement, paid marketers and physicians kickbacks and bribes to obtain prescriptions for high-yield compounded medications irrespective of whether they were medically necessary, and routinely waived and/or reduced the collection of copayments.
Moran was charged in a Criminal Information and pled guilty before Judge Starrett on September 13, 2018.
The FBI’s Jackson Field Office investigated the case with assistance from the IRS-CI, DCIS, and MBN. Principal Assistant Deputy Chief Dustin M. Davis and Trial Attorney Sara E. Porter of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Kathlyn R. Van Buskirk of the Southern District of Mississippi prosecuted the case.
Cleveland man sentenced to 10 years for cocaine distributionRead the Press Release
WHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA – Clarence Maceo Carter, Jr., of Cleveland, Ohio, was sentenced today to 120 months of incarceration for a drug charge, U.S. Attorney Bill Powell announced.
Carter, also known as “Moe,” age 34, pleaded guilty to one count of “Possession with Intent to Distribute Cocaine Base” in July 2020. Admitted to having cocaine base, also known as “crack,” in Ohio County in February 2020.
Later testing of drugs found in Carter’s possession indicated 26 grams of fentanyl, enough to kill 8,000 people
Assistant U.S. Attorney Shawn M. Adkins prosecuted the case on behalf of the government. The Ohio Valley Drug & Violent Crimes Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, and the Wheeling Police Department investigated.
U.S. District Judge John Preston Bailey presided.
Chicago Man Charged in Federal Court with CarjackingRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — A Chicago man has been charged in federal court with carjacking for allegedly violently taking a vehicle from a victim last summer.
OMARION FRANKLIN, 18, carjacked an Infiniti G35 sedan from a victim in Skokie on July 12, 2020, according to an indictment returned Monday in U.S. District Court in Chicago. The indictment charges Franklin with one count of carjacking, which is punishable by up to 15 years in federal prison.
Franklin is currently in law enforcement custody. Arraignment in U.S. District Court in Chicago has not yet been scheduled.
The indictment was announced by John R. Lausch, Jr., United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois; and Emmerson Buie, Jr., Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI. Valuable assistance was provided by the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office, Skokie Police Department, and Chicago Police Department. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Kelly.
The public is reminded that an indictment is not evidence of guilt. The defendant is presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. If convicted, the Court must impose a reasonable sentence under federal statutes and the advisory U.S. Sentencing Guidelines.
Cherokee County Domestic Violence Offender Sentenced for Possessing FirearmRead the Press Release
TYLER, Texas – A 53-year-old Rusk, Texas man has been sentenced to prison for a federal firearms violation in the Eastern District of Texas, announced Acting United States Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
Larry Van Butcher, a.k.a. “Red,” pleaded guilty on Oct. 29, 2020, to being a prohibited person in possession of a firearm and was sentenced to 21 months in federal prison by United States District Judge Jeremy D. Kernodle today.
“Domestic violence offenses represent a significant public safety concern in our communities, and, in the most tragic circumstances, result in a pattern of abuse and escalating violence,” said Acting United States Attorney Nicholas Ganjei. “Restricting domestic violence offenders from possessing the tools to perpetrate similar or more severe crimes is a priority for the Department of Justice.”
According to information presented in court, on Nov. 5, 2019, Butcher was interviewed by law enforcement about illegal drug and firearms activities occurring at his residence. After confessing to using methamphetamine and marijuana as well as possessing numerous firearms, Butcher admitted that he had been previously convicted in Cherokee County, Texas, for the misdemeanor offense of Assault Family Violence, which is a crime of domestic violence resulting in a federal prohibition on possessing firearms. Butcher advised that he knew he was prohibited from possessing firearms and could not purchase firearms for himself. Law enforcement officers then traveled to Butcher’s residence and seized 20 firearms, including two that had been reported stolen. Butcher was indicted by a federal grand jury on June 18, 2020, and charged with federal firearms violations.
This case is a part of Project Guardian, the Department of Justice’s signature initiative to reduce gun violence and enforce federal firearms laws. Initiated by the Attorney General in the fall of 2019, Project Guardian draws upon the Department’s past successful programs to reduce un 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: the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the Drug Enforcement Administration; the Texas Department of Public Safety; the Smith County Sheriff’s Office; and the Tyler Police Department. This case was investigated by and is prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Lucas Machicek.
Champaign Man Pleads Guilty to Inciting RiotRead the Press Release
URBANA, Ill.– A Champaign, Ill., man, Shamar N. Betts, 20, today pleaded guilty to inciting a riot in Champaign, Ill., that began on May 31 and continued overnight to June 1, 2020. Sentencing has been scheduled on June 14, 2021.
In court today, before U.S. Magistrate Judge Eric I. Long, Betts admitted to his role in inciting the riot that began at Market Place Mall and spread to area businesses and moved to the commercial area of North Prospect Ave.:
On May 31, 2020, at 10:31 a.m., Betts posted a statement to Facebook and attached a flyer of a stock image of a burning vehicle overlaid with a date and time: “RIOT @ MarketPlace Mall, Time: 3.” The flyer listed items to bring including “friends, family, posters, bricks, bookbags, etc.” In a post accompanying the flyer, Betts wrote, in part, “We gotta put Champaign/Urbana on the map - expletive – gone hear and fear us too. SLIDE let’s get busy.”
Before 3:00 p.m., Champaign Police Department officers went to Market Place Mall to attempt to prevent a riot. When officers arrived, approximately 50 to 75 people had gathered. The group continued to grow in number, and at approximately 3:12 p.m., the group began breaking out windows at businesses located in the mall, including Old Navy and Macy’s, and looting merchandise from within. Betts is pictured in video footage of the riot exiting the Old Navy store with a handful of clothing items.
During the riot, Betts also used his cell phone to make and post a Facebook Live video. The video depicts Betts carrying multiple items, including numerous pairs of khaki pants with Old Navy tags attached. Betts is heard in the video repeatedly stating, “We out here…” In another video, taken by a bystander, Betts is seen carrying multiple items, including khaki pants, and walking from Old Navy. As Betts walked by the bystander, he stated, “I started this s---.” Betts also used his cell phone during the riot to instigate others to join or to brag about starting the riot including statements such as “I started this,” and “Are you sliding to my riot?”
Dozens of off-duty officers were called to the riot where there were multiple assaults of officers and intense confrontations with the police by the group. This activity continued throughout the night and into the early morning hours of June 1, 2020. By the end of the night, approximately 50 businesses in the area had been vandalized and / or looted, including multiple small businesses that were set to reopen on June 1, after being shut down due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Further, Betts admitted that after the riot, he fled to Mississippi where he used his cell phone to conduct internet searches such as, “can police find your location by logging in messenger,” “can police track your facebook,” and “what are charges for starting a riot.”
Betts was arrested in Mississippi on June 5, 2020, by the U.S. Marshals Service Gulf Coast Regional Fugitive Task Force.
The Champaign Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Springfield Division, conducted the investigation in coordination with the Champaign County State’s Attorney’s Office. Supervisory Assistant U.S. Attorney Eugene L. Miller is representing the government in the prosecution.
For the offense of inciting a riot, the statutory penalty is up to five years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, and three years of supervised release following imprisonment.
Following today’s hearing, Betts was remanded to the custody of Champaign County, where he is being held on related burglary charges.
Canton Felon Sentenced to 30 Months for Possessing Firearm under Project EJECTRead the Press Release
Jackson, Miss. – Xavier D. Cooper, 27, of Canton, was sentenced today by Senior U.S. District Court Judge David C. Bramlette III to 30 months in prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release, for being a felon in possession of a firearm, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Darren LaMarca and Special Agent in Charge Michelle A. Sutphin of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Cooper was also ordered to pay a $1500 fine.
On May 22, 2017, during a traffic stop in Clinton, Mississippi, Clinton Police Department officers discovered Cooper was in possession of a Romarm/Cugir semi-automatic pistol, coupled with an extended magazine and a round “drum” magazine. Cooper had been previously convicted of felonies in both Copiah and Hinds Counties.
Cooper was indicted on March 5, 2019 and pled guilty before Judge Bramlette on October 27, 2020.
This case was investigated by the Clinton Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Andrew W. Eichner.
This case was part of Project EJECT, an initiative by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Mississippi under the U.S. Department of Justice’s Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) and Project Guardian. EJECT is a holistic, multi-disciplinary approach to fighting and reducing violent crime through prosecution, prevention, re-entry and awareness. EJECT stands for “Empower Justice Expel Crime Together.” PSN is bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. 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.
Broken Arrow Resident Pleads Guilty to Robbery in Indian CountryRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Conrad Edward Nedd, age 36, of Broken Arrow, Oklahoma entered a guilty plea to Robbery In Indian Country, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 2111, 1151 and 1153, punishable by not more than 15 years imprisonment, a fine up to $250,000.00, or both.
The Indictment alleged that on or about May 29, 2020, within the Eastern District of Oklahoma, in Indian Country, the defendant, an Indian, by force, violence, and intimidation, did take and attempt to take items of value from K.H.’s person and presence.
The charges arose from an investigation by the Wagoner County Sheriff’s Office the Broken Arrow Police Department, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
The Honorable Kimberly E. West, U.S. Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, in Muskogee, accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report.
Special Assistant United States Attorney Robert Reeves represented the United States.
Bozeman doctor sentenced, fined $150,000 for illegal drug dispensing at weight loss clinicsRead the Press Release
BILLINGS — A Bozeman doctor who admitted illegally dispensing appetite suppressants without seeing clients at clinics in Bozeman and Billings was sentenced today to three years of probation and fined $150,000, Acting U.S. Attorney Leif Johnson said.
Dr. Ronald M. Buss, 71, pleaded guilty on Oct. 1, 2020 to an information charging him with two counts of unlawful dispensing and distribution of controlled substances by registrant, a misdemeanor.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Timothy J. Cavan presided. Judge Cavan further prohibited Dr. Buss from personally dispensing or prescribing three weight loss drugs involved in the case for the duration of his probation.
Court documents filed by the prosecution said that in 2009, Buss became the medical director for Go Figure, a weight loss clinic in Bozeman, and a year later became the director for Go Figure in Billings. Buss is registered with the Drug Enforcement Administration and is authorized to dispense controlled substances.
Go Figure prescribed three types of weight loss drugs: Phendimetrazine and Benzphetamine, both Schedule III controlled substances, and Phentermine, a Schedule IV controlled substance.
In August 2016, the Billings DEA received information from a pharmacist that Go Figure was illegally dispensing these appetite suppressants from its clinic. In July 2016, Buss began pre-signing prescriptions for Go Figure staff to complete. An employee at the Billings clinic told investigators Buss pre-signed prescriptions for new and current clients, and that staff would choose one of the three drugs and complete the written prescription.
At the Bozeman clinic an employee told law enforcement that she was a "consultant" who met with patients and prescribed controlled substances on blank, pre-signed prescriptions from Buss. Patients confirmed to DEA investigators that they rarely, if ever, met with Buss.
When interviewed, Buss admitted to investigators to pre-signing blank prescriptions and not seeing patients until after they started taking the drugs. Buss claimed that was only way to run the practice effectively.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Karla Painter prosecuted the case, which was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration.
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Beaver, PA Man Charged with Making a False Statement to a Firearms DealerRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, PA – A resident of Beaver, Pennsylvania, has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh on a charge of violating federal firearm laws, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced today.
The one-count Indictment named Calvin Brady, Jr., age 24, of Beaver, Pennsylvania, as the sole defendant.
According to the Indictment, on December 12, 2020, Brady, Jr. knowingly made a false statement to a federally licensed firearms dealer in order to purchase firearms for others.
The law provides for a maximum total sentence of not more than ten years in prison, a fine of $250,000 or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney Brendan J. McKenna is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives conducted the investigation leading to the Indictment in this case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Bandidos member gets enhanced federal sentence after obstructing justiceRead the Press Release
McALLEN, Texas – A 53-year-old Los Ebanos resident has been ordered to federal prison for his role in a conspiracy to transport undocumented aliens, announced U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Patrick along with Acting Special Agent in Charge Craig Larrabee of Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).
Benito Lopez III aka Chamuco, identified as a member of the Bandidos Outlaw Motorcycle Organization, pleaded guilty Feb. 3, 2020.
Today, U.S. District Judge Micaela Alvarez handed him an 82-month term of imprisonment to be immediately followed by three years of supervised release. The court found Lopez responsible for smuggling 25-99 undocumented aliens over the course of a four-month conspiracy. Additionally, he had created a substantial risk of death or serious bodily injury based on the conditions in which he housed the undocumented aliens. Judge Alvarez enhanced the sentence, finding Lopez obstructed justice by providing detailed confidential information to co-conspirators regarding the investigation. He was also in possession of firearms and used minors during and in furtherance of the conspiracy.
At the hearings, which took place over the course of two days – Nov. 3, 2020, and today - the court heard how Lopez seriously jeopardized an ongoing investigation into an organization capable of smuggling hundreds of undocumented aliens through the Los Ebanos area. The court also heard testimony regarding the extensive surveillance system he utilized to conduct counter-surveillance of law enforcement in order to further the conspiracy.
In handing down the sentence, Judge Alvarez noted how Lopez endangered others, both during the conspiracy and while on bond. She stated she needed to impose a sentence to promote respect for the rule of law and deter his future criminal conduct.
“HSI is dedicated to working closely with all of our law enforcement partners to effectively identify, arrest and prosecute individuals involved in exploiting people,” said Larrabee. “Criminals who illegally smuggle people into and throughout the country place personal profit ahead of public safety. For this reason, HSI will continue to utilize its broad authorities to dismantle human smuggling organizations."
On Oct. 1, 2019, authorities conducted surveillance on what they suspected to be an alien stash house located across the street from the Rio Grande river in Los Ebanos. There, they observed several suspected undocumented aliens fleeing from the location. Law enforcement quickly apprehended a total of seven of the individuals, all determined to be aliens illegally present in the United States.
At that time, they identified Lopez as the caretaker of the stash house where he held them in a 5-by-8 foot dilapidated bathroom with no electricity, anything to eat or drink or running water for approximately 12 hours before they managed to escape.
Law enforcement arrested Lopez at the stash house on Oct. 4 for his role in the conspiracy. He he was paid for each undocumented alien successfully crossed from Mexico and out of the Los Ebanos area.
Lopez has been in custody since he violated his conditions of release where he will remain pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
HSI and Border Patrol conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Redavid prosecuted the case.
Baltimore Drug Dealer Sentenced to 30 Years in Federal Prison for a 2017 Execution-Style Murder Linked to Drug Turf WarRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Richard D. Bennett today sentenced Cortez Weaver, a/k/a Corty and Tez, age 29, of Baltimore, Maryland, to 30 years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, for possessing, brandishing, and discharging a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, resulting in the death of Maurice Finney.
The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Robert K. Hur; Special Agent in Charge Jennifer C. Boone of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office; and Commissioner Michael Harrison of the Baltimore Police Department.
“Disputes between rival drug gangs lead to many shootings and murders in Baltimore City,” said United States Attorney Robert K. Hur. “Drug traffickers must know that gun crime will lead to federal time, which has no parole—ever. We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to remove those who would commit violence from our community.”
“Turf war gang violence is a serious threat to our communities and we are using the power of partnerships to combat and thwart that threat,” said Jennifer C. Boone, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Baltimore Field Office. “The lengthy federal sentence Cortez Weaver received today sends a strong message that the FBI and our law enforcement partners will not tolerate illegal guns, drugs and violence on our streets.”
According to Weaver’s guilty plea, Weaver was a member of a drug trafficking organization (DTO) that distributed heroin and crack cocaine in the Abington Avenue area of Baltimore. Beginning in approximately mid-July 2017, the Abington Avenue DTO became involved in a dispute with a rival DTO over who could sell drugs at a gas station at the intersection of Baltimore Street and Hilton Avenue. As a result of the dispute, on July 14, 2017, a member of the rival DTO shot and killed a member of the Abington Avenue DTO.
As detailed in his plea agreement, on July 17, 2017, Weaver and another member of the Abington Avenue DTO went to the gas station to retaliate against members of the rival DTO. There, they encountered Maurice Finney, a/k/a Mitch. Weaver murdered Finney, shooting him in the head at close range with a .40-caliber handgun. Weaver also attempted to murder Victim 2, chasing him across Hilton Avenue while firing multiple shots at him. Meanwhile, Weaver’s co-conspirator attempted to murder Victim 3, shooting him multiple times with a 9mm handgun and causing life-threatening injuries. The shootings were captured on surveillance cameras at the gas station. Afterward, Weaver sent his co-conspirator a text message directing him to burn the clothes he had been wearing during the incident.
In November 2018, a confidential informant (CI) met with Weaver and recorded the conversation. During their recorded conversation, Weaver confessed that he had killed Maurice Finney and described the murder using specific details that were consistent with the surveillance footage and other physical evidence recovered during the investigation. For instance, Weaver explained that he wore a “scully cap” and “skipped down on” the victim (which was corroborated by the surveillance footage), and that he shot the victim “one time” using a “40” (which was corroborated by the physical evidence from the scene).
During the same recorded conversation, the CI told Weaver about a potential robbery of a drug stash house. Weaver agreed to carry out the robbery, stating that he had been committing other such robberies with another member of the Abington Avenue DTO. Weaver showed the CI a .45-caliber firearm and talked about owning other firearms, including a “357” and a “40.” Unbeknownst to Weaver, the robbery opportunity was a fiction and the drug stash house did not exist.
In January 2019, Weaver was introduced to an undercover Baltimore Police Officer (the UC) posing as a drug dealer who wanted to rob his source of supply of three kilograms of heroin. During the meeting, which was recorded, Weaver confirmed his desire to commit the robbery, and described another drug robbery he had committed in the recent past. Weaver also stated that he intended to kill the individuals who were guarding the stash location. Weaver told the UC, “Nobody coming out of there alive . . . All I gotta do is get in and waste ‘em.” Weaver had two additional meetings with the UC to discuss the robbery logistics, including how to break down and distribute the heroin they planned to steal. Weaver brought co-conspirators to both of these meetings, and they also agreed to assist with the robbery.
On March 7, 2019, Weaver and three co-conspirators met the UC to commit the robbery. Weaver and the co-conspirators were arrested. Law enforcement searched Weaver and his vehicle, recovering a loaded .357 revolver, 11 pink-top vials of suspected cocaine, a mask, and gloves. From the co-conspirators and their vehicle law enforcement recovered two masks, a 9mm handgun loaded with 10 rounds of ammunition, including a round in the chamber, and two pairs of gloves.
Weaver admitted that from at least July 2017 through March 7, 2019, he conspired to distribute heroin and crack cocaine in Baltimore, and that it was foreseeable to Weaver that the members of the conspiracy would distribute between three and eight kilograms of heroin.
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. Project Safe Neighborhoods (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 an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
United States Attorney Robert K. Hur commended the FBI and the Baltimore Police Department for their work in the investigation. Mr. Hur thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christina A. Hoffman and Peter J. Martinez, who prosecuted the case.
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Acting Attorney General Monty Wilkinson Issues Statement on the Shootings of FBI Special Agents in FloridaRead the Press Release
This morning FBI Special Agent Daniel Alfin and Special Agent Laura Schwartzenberger were killed in the line of duty and three other agents were wounded while executing a federal court-ordered search warrant in a crimes against children investigation in Sunrise, Florida. Acting Attorney General Monty Wilkinson issued the following statement:
“We mourn the tragic loss of two of our FBI colleagues who were killed today in the line of duty,” said Acting Attorney General Monty Wilkinson. “Our thoughts are with their families and loved ones and with their three colleagues who were shot in today’s devastating events. On this dark day, we pay tribute to the brave men and women of the FBI who put their lives on the line every day in support of our mission. We will never forget the ultimate sacrifice made by these special agents.”