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Tuesday 24 November 2020
Final Defendant and Drug Supplier in Anne Arundel and Calvert County Drug Conspiracy Pleads Guilty to Federal ChargesRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – Larry Michael Brown, age 62, of Baltimore, Maryland, pleaded guilty today to three counts of using a telephone to facilitate a drug trafficking conspiracy. Three co-defendants previously pleaded guilty to their roles in the drug conspiracy.
The guilty plea was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Robert K. Hur; Special Agent in Charge Jesse R. Fong of the Drug Enforcement Administration - Washington Field Division; and Calvert County Sheriff Mike Evans.
According to his guilty plea, in November 2018, Brown was identified as a heroin supplier to Watson Patrick Bruce, a/k/a “Tree,” whom the DEA had been investigating for dealing large quantities of narcotics in Anne Arundel and Calvert counties. During the course of the investigation, law enforcement overheard phone conversations between Brown and Bruce discussing the quality of narcotics supplied by Brown to Bruce.
For example, on February 27, 2019, Brown contacted Bruce to check on the quality of two batches of narcotics that Brown had provided to Bruce the previous day. On March 1, 2019, Bruce contacted Brown to express his preference for a particular batch, based on customer feedback, which Brown and Bruce called interchangeably “classic” or “old school.” Brown agreed to sell Bruce his preferred batch of narcotics in whatever amount he requested. On March 12, 2019, Brown again reached out to Bruce to discuss the quality of drugs he’d provided to Bruce two days prior.
On March 15, 2019, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Brown’s residence and seized a digital scale with heroin residue. Brown also consented to a search of his vehicle, where investigators found an additional scale with heroin residue.
Bruce, age 36, of Millersville, Maryland, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl, heroin, cocaine, and crack cocaine, and related charges. Bruce admitted that he committed these crimes while on supervised release for a previous federal felony drug conviction. On March 15, 2019, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Bruce’s residence and seized approximately 78 grams of heroin mixed with fentanyl and 69 grams of fentanyl. If the Court accepts his plea, Bruce is expected to be sentenced to 10 years in federal prison for the drug case, and a consecutive year in prison for violating his federal supervised release.
Co-defendants Lawrence Michael Branch, age 34, of Odenton, Maryland, and Todd Rayshard Thomas, a/k/a “Little Man,” age 36, of Annapolis, Maryland, were identified during the investigation as assisting Bruce with the distribution of narcotics. Thomas, who was on probation at the time for a previous state narcotics conviction, also assisted in collecting the proceeds of the drug dealing. On March 15, 2019, Thomas dumped heroin down the bathroom toilet and sink as investigators executed a search warrant at his residence. Meanwhile, Branch, fleeing in a vehicle from law enforcement, tossed small baggies containing heroin and fentanyl out of the window and dumped heroin and fentanyl out of the window. Both pleaded guilty to their roles in the drug conspiracy. Branch was sentenced to five years in federal prison. If the Court accepts his plea, Thomas is expected to be sentenced to seven years in federal prison.
Brown faces a maximum sentence of four years in federal prison for each of the three counts. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. U.S. District Judge Deborah K. Chasanow has scheduled sentencing for Bruce and Brown on January 21, 2021, at 10:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m., respectively. Judge Chasanow has scheduled sentencing for Thomas on February 18, 2021, at 11:30 a.m.
This case is part of 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 DEA and the Calvert County Sheriff’s Office for their work in the investigation and thanked the Anne Arundel and Prince George’s County Police Departments for their assistance. Mr. Hur thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Samika N. Boyd and Joseph R. Baldwin, who are prosecuting the case.
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Felon Pleads Guilty to Illegally Possessing a PistolRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, PA - A resident of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, has pleaded guilty in federal court to a charge of possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced today.
Aaron Lyons, 26, pleaded guilty before United States District Judge David Cercone to a one-count Superseding Indictment charging him with possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon.
In connection with the guilty plea, the court was advised that on November 19, 2019, Pittsburgh Police conducted a traffic stop in the East Liberty neighborhood of Pittsburgh of a vehicle in which Lyons was a traveling as a passenger. During the stop, officers conducted a pat down of Lyons for officer safety and felt a gun barrel in his jacket pocket. Following a scuffle resulting from Lyons’ failure to comply with officer instructions, a loaded .40 caliber Smith and Wesson pistol from recovered from Lyons. Lyons had been convicted of four offenses in three different cases between 2014 and 2018. 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.
Judge Cercone scheduled sentencing for April 6, 2021. For Lyons’ offense, the law provides for a maximum total sentence of not more than 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 offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney David Lew is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police conducted the investigation leading to the indictment in this case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). PSN is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reductions 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 prevent and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
Federal Grand Jury Indicts Man for Gun and Drug OffensesRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – U.S. Attorney Peter G. Strasser announced on Friday, November 20, 2020 that KESHAWN PATTON, age 25, a resident of New Orleans, Louisiana, was charged in a three-count indictment by a Federal Grand Jury for violations of the Federal Gun Control Act and the Federal Controlled Substances Act.
PATTON is charged in Count 1 with possession with intent to distribute a quantity of a substance containing a detectable amount of amphetamine, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1) and (b)(1)(E)(i). In Count 2, PATTON is charged with possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 924(c)(1)(A). In Count 3, PATTON is charged with possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 922(g)(1).
If convicted of Count 1, PATTON faces a maximum sentence of 10 years imprisonment, a $500,000 fine, up to 3 years of supervised release, and a special assessment fee of $100. If convicted of Count 2, PATTON faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 5 years up to life imprisonment, which is to run consecutively to all other sentences, a $250,000 fine, up to 5 years of supervised release and a special assessment fee of $100. If convicted of Count 3, PATTON faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years, a $250,000 fine, up to 3 years of supervised release, and a special assessment fee of $100.
U. S. Attorney Strasser reiterated that the indictment is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
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 part of Project Guardian, the Department of Justice’s signature initiative to reduce gun violence and enforce federal firearms laws. Initiated by the Attorney General in the fall of 2019, Project Guardian draws upon the Department’s past successful programs to reduce gun violence; enhances coordination of federal, state, local, and tribal authorities in investigating and prosecuting gun crimes; improves information-sharing by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives when a prohibited individual attempts to purchase a firearm and is denied by the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS), to include taking appropriate actions when a prospective purchaser is denied by the NICS for mental health reasons; and ensures that federal resources are directed at the criminals posing the greatest threat to our communities. The United States Attorney’s Office has prosecuted this case with support from the following Project Guardian partner, The U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. For more information about Project Guardian, please see https://www.justice.gov/usao-edla/project-guardian.
The case was investigated by the New Orleans Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney David Haller of the Violent Crime Unit of the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
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Federal Grand Jury Indicts Man for Gun and Drug OffensesRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – U.S. Attorney Peter G. Strasser announced on Friday, November 20, 2020 that KESHAWN PATTON, age 25, a resident of New Orleans, Louisiana, was charged in a three-count indictment by a Federal Grand Jury for violations of the Federal Gun Control Act and the Federal Controlled Substances Act.
PATTON is charged in Count 1 with possession with intent to distribute a quantity of a substance containing a detectable amount of amphetamine, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1) and (b)(1)(E)(i). In Count 2, PATTON is charged with possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 924(c)(1)(A). In Count 3, PATTON is charged with possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 922(g)(1).
If convicted of Count 1, PATTON faces a maximum sentence of 10 years imprisonment, a $500,000 fine, up to 3 years of supervised release, and a special assessment fee of $100. If convicted of Count 2, PATTON faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 5 years up to life imprisonment, which is to run consecutively to all other sentences, a $250,000 fine, up to 5 years of supervised release and a special assessment fee of $100. If convicted of Count 3, PATTON faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years, a $250,000 fine, up to 3 years of supervised release, and a special assessment fee of $100.
U. S. Attorney Strasser reiterated that the indictment is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
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 part of Project Guardian, the Department of Justice’s signature initiative to reduce gun violence and enforce federal firearms laws. Initiated by the Attorney General in the fall of 2019, Project Guardian draws upon the Department’s past successful programs to reduce gun violence; enhances coordination of federal, state, local, and tribal authorities in investigating and prosecuting gun crimes; improves information-sharing by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives when a prohibited individual attempts to purchase a firearm and is denied by the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS), to include taking appropriate actions when a prospective purchaser is denied by the NICS for mental health reasons; and ensures that federal resources are directed at the criminals posing the greatest threat to our communities. The United States Attorney’s Office has prosecuted this case with support from the following Project Guardian partner, The U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. For more information about Project Guardian, please see https://www.justice.gov/usao-edla/project-guardian.
The case was investigated by the New Orleans Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney David Haller of the Violent Crime Unit of the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
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Durham Attorney Charged in Bank Fraud ConspiracyRead the Press Release
RALEIGH, N.C. – Durham Attorney Tiffany Dawn Russell, age 41, had her initial appearance today before Magistrate Judge Robert T. Numbers, II, after a federal grand jury returned an indictment charging her, Rahne Cooper, age 31, and Darius Hinton, age 31, with conspiring to commit bank fraud and other related offenses.
According to the indictment, Russell, Cooper and Hinton applied for loans and credit cards with social security numbers that were not issued to them by the Social Security Administration. By doing so, the indictment alleges they created new credit profiles or synthetic identities for themselves to open financial accounts and make purchases from retailers without any intention of paying for the items and services obtained. The indictment alleges, among other things, that Cooper, Hinton and Russell conspired to use fraudulently obtained Care Credit cards from Synchrony Bank to make payments to Dr. Curves, who performed Russell’s 2016 plastic surgery. In addition to using a synthetic identity, the indictment also alleges that Russell falsely represented on credit applications that she resided in Florence, South Carolina when she was residing in the Eastern District of North Carolina.
Cooper, Hinton and Russell were also charged with multiple counts of bank fraud. According to the indictment, Cooper and Russell used their synthetic identities to finance the purchase of vehicles and Hinton used his synthetic identity to purchase John Deere lawn equipment from Quality Equipment and electronics from Conn Credit Corporation. Each was charged with unauthorized use of access devices and multiple counts of misuse of social security numbers.
If convicted, they face statutory maximum penalties for the conspiracy and each substantive bank fraud count of 30 years’ in prison, a $1,000,000 fine, restitution and forfeiture.
Robert J. Higdon, Jr., U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement. The Federal Bureau of Investigation, Internal Revenue Service, Social Security Administration, and Raleigh Police Department have jointly investigated the case and Assistant U.S. Attorney Susan Menzer is prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on our website.
An indictment is merely an accusation. The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.
District of Massachusetts Receives Funding to Hire Prosecutor to Combat Unemployment Insurance FraudRead the Press Release
BOSTON – United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling announced today that the District of Massachusetts has been allocated funding to hire an Assistant U.S. Attorney (AUSA) to focus on prosecuting cases involving fraudulent schemes to unlawfully obtain unemployment insurance (UI) benefits and related offenses through the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act of 2020.
The CARES Act allocated $270 billion for supplemental federal UI benefits. Additionally, President Donald J. Trump directed that $44 billion in federal Disaster Relief Funds be used to provide supplemental UI benefits to eligible claimants. The substantial increase in funding for UI benefits spurred a dramatic spike in UI fraud across the country, resulting in the theft of federal funds intended to help those struggling with unemployment during the current pandemic and economic crisis.
As part of its ongoing effort to investigate and prosecute fraud stemming from the Coronavirus pandemic, the District of Massachusetts will hire an AUSA for a one-year term, with the possibility of a one-year extension.
“Unfortunately, there are those who take advantage of national crises to enrich themselves at the expense of American taxpayers,” said U.S. Attorney Lelling. “From the onset of the pandemic, my office has aggressively investigated and prosecuted scams and fraud related to this national crisis, including efforts to steal funds intended for the millions of Americans who suddenly find themselves out of work and without an income. I look forward to doubling down on our prosecutions of unemployment insurance fraud with the welcomed addition of a prosecutor focused solely on these cases.”
The U.S. Department of Justice, in close coordination with the U.S. Department of Labor and other federal agencies, created the U.S. Department of Justice National Unemployment Insurance Fraud Task Force. This task force is charged with investigating numerous CARES Act fraud schemes targeting the unemployment insurance programs of state workforce agencies and will work closely with United States Attorneys’ Offices to prosecute those individuals who have fraudulently diverted these funds from those struggling with unemployment.
The Department encourages the public to report suspected fraud schemes related to COVID-19 to the National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) hotline by phone at (1-866-720-5721) or via an online reporting form available at https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
Denver Man Pleads Guilty to Unlawfully Dealing FirearmsRead the Press Release
DENVER – United States Attorney Jason R. Dunn today announced that Jorge Pena-Venzor of Denver pleaded guilty to the unlicensed dealing of firearms. Pena-Venzor purchased firearms, including semi-automatic assault weapons, for sale to buyers in Mexico and within the United States. The Denver ATF joined in this announcement.
According to the stipulated facts contained in Pena-Venzor’s plea agreement, from December 26, 2017, through February 11, 2019, Pena-Venzor worked to obtain firearms for the purpose of selling them to third parties. Pena-Venzor located the firearms, negotiated prices, and obtained them on behalf of an associate, who then provided most of the funding to buy the firearms.
Pena-Venzor profited financially from this arrangement by obtaining a markup or “finder’s fee” for the firearms that he procured. It was Pena-Venzor’s understanding that the these firearms would be ultimately transported to end users in Mexico. During this time period, Pena-Venzor procured more than eight firearms for the purpose of transporting these firearms to individuals in Mexico.
During this same time period, Pena-Venzor also sold firearms to other individuals. One of the firearms sold by the defendant was a fully automatic AR-15-style rifle, capable of shooting more than one round by a single pull of the trigger. Pena-Venzor did not possess a license to sell firearms and was aware that it was illegal to engage in the business of selling firearms without a license.
The guilty plea was tendered before U.S. District Court Judge Daniel D. Domenico on November 19, 2020. Pena-Venzor is scheduled to be sentenced by Judge Domenico on February 12, 2021. This case was investigated by the ATF. The defendant is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron M. Teitelbaum.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado. Related court documents can be found on PACER by searching for Case Number 19-cr-412.
This case was part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. The Department of Justice reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime.
The year 2020 marks the 150th anniversary of the Department of Justice. Learn more about the history of our agency at www.Justice.gov/Celebrating150Years.
Chelsea Man Pleads Guilty to 11 Armed RobberiesRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Chelsea man pleaded guilty in federal court in Boston to robbing 11 convenience and variety stores in 2017 and 2018. At the time of the offenses the defendant was on federal supervised release after having had his federal sentence reduced following a Supreme court decision.
Rigoberto Ramirez, 47, pleaded guilty on Nov. 19, 2020 to 11 counts of armed robbery, one count of conspiracy to commit armed robbery, and one count of using and carrying a firearm during the commission of a crime of violence. U.S. Senior District Court Judge Douglas P. Woodlock scheduled sentencing for March 22, 2021. Ramirez was arrested on March 28, 2019.
Between Dec. 9, 2017 and Jan. 24, 2018, a group of at least four individuals, including Ramirez, conspired to rob, and did rob, 10 convenience and variety stores in the greater Boston area, and attempted to rob another store. During a Jan. 8, 2018 robbery, a firearm was discharged.
Ramirez was sentenced to 12 years in prison following a conviction for distribution of cocaine base and conspiracy in in 2011, although that sentence was subsequently reduced to time served in 2016 based on a 2015 Supreme Court decision.
Each count of armed robbery and conspiracy to commit armed robbery carries a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000. The charge of using a firearm during the commission of a crime of violence carries a minimum mandatory sentence of five years and up to life in prison, which must run consecutively to any other sentence imposed, up to five years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling; Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Division; Colonel Christopher Mason, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police; Boston Police Commissioner William Gross; Everett Police Chief Steven A. Mazzie; Chelsea Police Chief Brian Kyes; Lynn Police Chief Michael Mageary; Malden Police Chief Kevin Molis; Peabody Police Chief Thomas M. Griffin; and Winthrop Police Chief Terence Delehanty made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kenneth G. Shine and Robert E. Richardson of Lelling’s Major Crimes Unit are prosecuting the case.
Bristol Man Pleads Guilty to Child Pornography OffenseRead the Press Release
John H. Durham. United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that JEFFREY L. BACON, 61, of Bristol, waived his right to be indicted and pleaded guilty today before to one count of soliciting child pornography.
Pursuant to the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act), the court proceeding before U.S. Magistrate Judge Donna F. Martinez occurred via videoconference.
According to court documents and statements made in court, in October 2018, Bacon began communicating with a 15-year-old girl through the Kik messaging application after he had met the girl in a Kik chat group for teens. Knowing that he was communicating with a minor, Bacon sent the girl sexually explicit pictures of himself and described various sexual acts that he wanted to engage in with the girl. The girl told her mother who reported the communications to the police.
On October 30, 2018, a law enforcement officer assumed the girl’s Kik identity to continue to correspond with Bacon. Bacon asked the undercover officer, who was posing as the girl, to remind Bacon of her age. The officer responded with “15.” From October 30 to November 1, Bacon repeatedly sent sexually explicit pictures and videos of himself to the undercover officer. Bacon also requested sexually explicit pictures in return. During their conversations, Bacon asked the undercover officer if he could pick her up from school so he could see her. Bacon suggested they could go to the mall where the girl could try on clothes while Bacon watched and engaged in a sexual act. Bacon also discussed going to a motel with the girl to engage in sexual acts with her.
On November 19, 2018, Bacon was arrested on related state charges. During a subsequent forensic examination of Bacon’s laptop computer, investigators found images of child pornography, including images depicting prepubescent females engaged in sexual acts with adults.
Bacon was arrested on a federal criminal complaint on July 26, 2019.
Bacon is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Vanessa L. Bryant on March 3, 2021, at which time he faces a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of five years and maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years. He is released on a $100,000 bond and is under electronic monitoring pending sentencing.
This matter is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Enfield Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Neeraj N. Patel.
This prosecution is part of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Project Safe Childhood Initiative, which is aimed at protecting children from sexual abuse and exploitation. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
To report cases of child exploitation, please visit www.cybertipline.com.
Belmont County man admits to firearms violationRead the Press Release
WHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA – Ricky Runner, of Martins Ferry, Ohio, has admitted to a firearms violation, United States Attorney Bill Powell announced.
Runner, age 33, pled guilty to one count of “Unlawful Possession of a Firearm.” Runner, a person prohibited from having firearms, admitted to possessing a .40 caliber pistol in Marshall County in October 2018.
Runner faces up to 10 years of incarceration and a fine of up to $250,000. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). Project Safe Neighborhoods 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.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert H. McWilliams, Jr. is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated.
U.S. Magistrate James P. Mazzone presided.
Another Greensburg Resident Charged in Meth Distribution SchemeRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH – A resident of Greensburg, Pennsylvania, has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh on a charge of violating federal narcotics laws, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced today.
The one-count Indictment named Haley Lynne Hoffman, 28, as the sole defendant.
According to the Indictment, from around December 2019 to around January 2020, Hoffman conspired to distribute 50 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine, a Schedule II controlled substance.
For Hoffman’s offense, the law provides for a maximum total sentence of 40 years imprisonment, a fine of $5,000,000 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 Attorney David Lew is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The United States Postal Inspection Service, Kiskiminetas Township Police Department, and Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office 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.
Agents Seize $3.5 Million in U.S. Currency and Massive Quantities of Cocaine, Fentanyl, and .50 Caliber Ammunition in Otay MesaRead the Press Release
Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew J. Sutton (619) 546-8941
NEWS RELEASE SUMMARY - November 24, 2020
SAN DIEGO – Three Mexican nationals suspected of trafficking huge quantities of illicit drugs for the Sinaloa Cartel were charged in federal court today in connection with what is believed to be the largest single seizure of cash, narcotics and ammunition in this district.
Jesus Burgos Arias, Juan Alatorre Venegas, and Jose Yee Perez were arrested on November 20, 2020, as a result of a long-term joint investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, Homeland Security Investigations, the San Diego Sheriff’s Department, San Diego Police Department, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of California, targeting associates of the Sinaloa Cartel.
In addition to the arrests, agents seized approximately $3.5 million in bulk U.S. currency, 685 kilograms of cocaine, 24 kilograms of fentanyl, and approximately 20,000 rounds of .50 caliber ammunition and hundreds of body armor vests at a truck yard in Otay Mesa.
The defendants were charged with a drug trafficking conspiracy in a complaint filed in federal court. They will be transferred from the San Diego Central Jail to federal custody and will be scheduled to make their initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Barbara L. Major this week.
“This historic seizure and prosecution is a clear indication of the success of our joint investigative efforts,” said U.S. Attorney Robert Brewer. “To eradicate this threat to San Diego and our partners in the Republic of Mexico, we will continue to aggressively attack the Sinaloa Cartel’s drug smuggling, money laundering, and arms smuggling operations – depriving them of their illegal merchandise, their profits, and a safe haven.” Brewer praised prosecutor Matthew J. Sutton and the federal and local agents and officers for their excellent work on this case.
“Thanks to the collaborative work with our state and federal law enforcement partners, we are able to announce this blow to the Mexican Cartels operating in San Diego,” said DEA Special Agent in Charge John W. Callery. “We are further encouraged that we were able to separate them from their dangerous .50 caliber ammunition and over $3 million in drug proceeds that they have gained through selling death here in our community and throughout the US.”
“This seizure is significant not just because of its size, but because it demonstrates the direct correlation between narcotics, illicit money, and guns that drives violence in our communities and destroys lives,” said Homeland Security Investigation (HSI) Special Agent in Charge Cardell T. Morant. “HSI will continue to work with our law enforcement partners and prosecutors to aggressively pursue the Sinaloa Cartel and other transnational criminal organizations.”
“The Sheriff's Department is committed in working with our justice partners throughout the region to combat the dangerous drugs and violence associated with narcotic trafficking,” said San Diego County Sheriff Bill Gore. “Sheriff's deputies see the destruction and damage that illegal drugs cause every day. We are proud of what this case has accomplished, and the continued work being done to hold these criminals accountable.”
This case is part of a five-year investigation led by the Southern District of California, that, in total, has resulted in charges against over 125 people and has had a significant impact on the worldwide operations of the Sinaloa Cartel. This investigation has also offered one of the most comprehensive views to date of the inner workings of one of the world’s most prolific, violent and powerful drug cartels. Cartel members and associates were targeted in this massive investigation involving multiple countries, numerous law enforcement agencies around the United States, a number of federal districts and over 250 court-authorized wiretaps in this district alone.
The investigation first began in late 2011 as an investigation of what was at first believed to be a small-scale drug distribution cell in National City and Chula Vista. It became evident that the drugs were being supplied by the Sinaloa Cartel, and the case evolved into a massive multi-national, multi-state probe that resulted in scores of arrests and seizures of 1,397 kilograms of methamphetamine, 2,214 kilograms of cocaine, 17.2 tons of marijuana, 95.84 kilograms of heroin, and $27,892,706 in narcotics proceeds.
This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
The United States is represented in court by Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew J. Sutton.
The public is reminded that a complaint 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.
Defendant Information
Defendant Criminal Case No: 20-mj-5099-BLM
Defendant Number
Name
Age
Hometown
1
Jesus Burgos Arias
32
Chula Vista, California
2
Juan Alatorre Venegas
44
Tijuana, Mexico
3
Jose Yee Perez
54
Tijuana, Mexico
Summary Of Charges
Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute a Controlled Substance, in violation of Title 21 U.S.C. §§ 841(a)(1) and 846. Term of custody including a mandatory minimum 10 years and up to life imprisonment, $10 million fine.
AGENCIES
Drug Enforcement Administration
Homeland Security Investigations
San Diego County Sheriff’s Department
San Diego Police Department
Border Crime Suppression Team
San Diego County District Attorney’s Office
Customs and Border Protection, Office of Field Operations
Customs and Border Protection, Office of Border Patrol
United States Marshals Service
Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation
Department of Justice, Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces
Department of Justice, Office of Enforcement Operations
Department of Justice, Office of International Affairs
Acting Manhattan U.S. Attorney Announces Settlement of Lawsuit Against Pharmacist for Fraudulent Billing PracticesRead the Press Release
Audrey Strauss, the Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and Scott J. Lampert, Special Agent in Charge of the New York Regional Office of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the Inspector General (“HHS-OIG”), announced today that the United States has settled a civil healthcare fraud lawsuit against RAMESH TADUVAI (“TADUVAI”), the former part-owner and Pharmacist-in-Charge of Manav II, Inc., d/b/a Good Health Pharmacy (“Good Health Pharmacy”) in Manhattan. The settlement resolves claims that, from February 2013 through February 2014, TADUVAI submitted false claims for payment to Medicare and Medicaid for prescriptions that Good Health Pharmacy never dispensed to patients, and received reimbursements to which the pharmacy was not entitled, in violation of the False Claims Act. Under the settlement approved yesterday by U.S. District Judge P. Kevin Castel, TADUVAI will pay $600,000 to the United States to resolve the fraudulent billing claims. TADUVAI also made admissions regarding his conduct as further described below.
Acting U.S. Attorney Audrey Strauss said: “For more than a year, pharmacist Ramesh Taduvai knowingly billed the Medicare and Medicaid programs for prescriptions that his pharmacy never dispensed to patients. This Office will continue to hold accountable those who engage in fraudulent billing schemes to personally profit at the expense of federally funded healthcare programs.”
HHS-OIG Special Agent in Charge Scott J. Lampert said: “Health care professionals must be held to a high standard of ethical behavior. HHS-OIG will continue to ensure that those individuals and entities that bill federal health care programs do so in an honest manner.”
According to the Complaint filed in Manhattan federal court:
TADUVAI has been a licensed pharmacist since 1999 and was a 50% owner of Good Health Pharmacy, a retail pharmacy in New York, New York, from late 2005 until October 2014. From February 2013 through February 2014, TADUVAI, on behalf of Good Health Pharmacy, knowingly billed Medicare and Medicaid for prescription drugs that were never actually dispensed to patients. After Pharmacy Benefit Manager CVS/Caremark (“CVS”) determined that Good Health Pharmacy had submitted claims for medications that were not supported by records showing that it had purchased the medications, TADUVAI presented checks that he had issued, purportedly to independent pharmaceutical wholesalers, and falsely claimed they were proof of the purchases. However, Good Health Pharmacy had in fact not purchased these drugs and the checks were instead deposited into bank accounts controlled by TADUVAI. In March 2017, TADUVAI, Good Health Pharmacy, and others were indicted by the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office for crimes related to underreporting income, some of which related to the issuance of these checks. In November 2018, TADUVAI pled guilty to three counts of criminal tax fraud in the second degree.
As part of the settlement, TADUVAI admits, acknowledges, and accepts responsibility for the following conduct:
- At all times during the relevant time period, TADUVAI was Good Health Pharmacy’s Pharmacist-in-Charge and was responsible for the pharmacy’s operations and the management of its staff.
- Good Health Pharmacy, under the management of TADUVAI, as Pharmacist-in-Charge, submitted false claims for payment to Medicare and Medicaid for prescriptions that were never dispensed to patients and received reimbursements on these prescriptions to which it was not entitled.
- TADUVAI issued checks, purportedly to independent pharmaceutical wholesalers, and claimed that these checks were proof that Good Health Pharmacy had ordered and paid for drugs for which the pharmacy billed CVS and federal healthcare programs, but the medications were not actually purchased and the checks were instead deposited into bank accounts controlled by TADUVAI and others.
Ms. Strauss thanked HHS-OIG for its assistance with the case.
The case is being handled by the Office’s Civil Frauds Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer Jude is in charge of the case.
Monday 23 November 2020
Woman facing charges for alleged tax fraud yielding $18,000+ refundRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – A tax preparer has been charged with preparing a fraudulent joint 2013 tax return for taxpayers, announced U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Patrick.
Norma Galvan is expected to make her initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Sam S. Sheldon at 2 p.m. today.
The charges allege Galvan prepared materially false information on her clients’ joint 2013 income tax return. She allegedly claimed those taxpayers had a business loss of more than $53,000 and over $25,000 in income tax withholdings. As a result the tax return falsely claimed a refund of more than $18,000, according to the criminal information.
If convicted, Galvan faces up to three years in federal prison and a possible $250,000 maximum fine.
IRS – Criminal Investigation conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles J. Escher is prosecuting the case.
A criminal information is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.
Woman Pleads Guilty to Aiming Laser Pointer at Police AircraftRead the Press Release
RICHMOND, Va. – A Henrico woman pleaded guilty today to aiming a laser pointer at a police aircraft while at the Robert E. Lee Monument during a period of civil unrest.
According to court documents, on June 4, Amanda Robinson, 33, traveled to the Robert E. Lee Monument traffic circle located in Richmond. While at the traffic circle, Robinson pointed her laser pointer at a 2006 Cessna aircraft flying above her location operated by police officers of the Metropolitan Aviation Unit. The Metropolitan Aviation Unit officers were conducting aerial surveillance patrols during a period of civil unrest. In aiming the laser pointer, Robinson struck the aircraft on at least two separate occasions and disrupted the pilot’s vision. Using an onboard camera, the police officers identified Robinson as the individual aiming the laser pointer and directed police units to her location. Upon arriving to the Robert E. Lee Monument traffic circle, police patrol units detained Robinson and recovered a green laser pointer from her possession.
The Metropolitan Aviation Unit is a multi-jurisdictional law enforcement aviation unit made up of the Henrico County Police Department, the Richmond Police Department, and the Chesterfield County Police Department that conducts aerial operations in the Central Virginia area.
Robinson is scheduled to be sentenced on March 23, 2021. She faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Jamie Mazzone, Mid-Atlantic Region Special Agent-In-Charge, U.S. Department of Transportation Office of Inspector General, made the announcement after U.S. District Judge David J. Novak accepted the plea.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Erik S. Siebert is prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:20-cr-120.
Woman Indicted and Arrested for Lying to an Agency of the United StatesRead the Press Release
SAN JUAN, P.R. –On November 18, 2020, a federal grand jury in the District of Puerto Rico returned a one-count indictment charging Krystal Marie Rivera with false statements made to an agency of the United States, announced United States Attorney W. Stephen Muldrow. The FBI and the Puerto Rico Police Bureau were in charge of the investigation. Rivera was arrested today without incident.
According to the information contained in the indictment, on October 22, 2020, defendant Rivera willfully and knowingly made a materially false, fictitious, and fraudulent statement and representation in a matter within the jurisdiction of the executive branch of the Government of the United States, by stating to FBI task force officers, at the Police of Puerto Rico Robbery Division, in the District of Puerto Rico, that she had been kidnapped by several individuals. The statements and representations were false because, as Krystal Marie Rivera then and there knew, she had not been kidnapped, but was rather voluntarily spending time with an acquaintance.
“The U.S. Attorney’s Office will investigate and prosecute individuals that mislead and disrupt law enforcement operations by providing false information to law enforcement agents,” said U.S. Attorney Muldrow.
“Every time a kidnapping is reported, a sophisticated law enforcement system is set into motion. Countless agents, analysts, and other law enforcement personnel are deployed to immediate action to locate and recover the victim,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Riviere. “Faking a kidnapping is no laughing matter. It is an irresponsible act, which costs law-abiding taxpayers a lot of money. The FBI will pursue the misuse of law enforcement power to its ultimate consequence.”
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney David T. Henek and the Chief of the Violent Crimes and National Security Unit, Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan Gottfried. If convicted, the defendant could face a maximum penalty of five years of imprisonment and a fine of not more than $250,000.00.
Indictments contain only charges and are not evidence of guilt. Defendants are presumed to be innocent until and unless proven guilty.
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Wheeling man admits to selling cocaineRead the Press Release
WHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA – Lorenzo Clark, of Wheeling, West Virginia, has admitted to a drug charge, U.S. Attorney Bill Powell announced.
Clark, also known as “Renny,” age 39, pled guilty to one count of “Distribution of Cocaine Base within 1000 feet of a Protected Location.” Clark admitted to selling cocaine near the Hil-Dar housing complex in Ohio County in May 2020.
Clark faces at least one and up to 40 years of incarceration and a fine of up to $2,000,000. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Shawn M. Adkins is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The Ohio Valley Drug 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.
U.S. Magistrate Judge James P. Mazzone presided.
Wetzel County man admits to drug chargeRead the Press Release
WHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA – Derrick Adams, of New Martinsville, West Virginia, has admitted to a heroin charge, U.S. Attorney Bill Powell announced.
Adams, age 30, pled guilty to one count of “Aiding and Abetting the Distribution of Heroin.” Adams admitted to selling heroin in June 2019 in Wetzel County.
Adams faces up to 20 years of incarceration and a fine of up to $1,000,000. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Shawn M. Adkins is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The West Virginia State Police investigated.
U.S. Magistrate Judge James P. Mazzone presided.
Virginia Man Pleads Guilty to Attempted Sex Trafficking of a MinorRead the Press Release
BECKLEY, W.Va. – United States Attorney Mike Stuart today announced that Jamie Otis Southern, 50, of Tazewell County, Virginia, pled guilty to attempted sex trafficking of a minor.
“Child sex trafficking is a most heinous crime,” said United States Attorney Mike Stuart. “I commend the work of the FBI Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force to identify and investigate perpetrators. We are committed to holding offenders accountable and bringing justice to victims.”
Southern admitted that in June 2020 he contacted a woman on Craigslist who identified herself as a mother who would allow him to have sex with her children in exchange for money. During the conversation, Southern arranged to have the woman travel from Beckley to a hotel in Princeton with the 11- and 14-year-old girls the woman stated were her daughters. Southern would then pay approximately $400 plus the cost of the hotel room in order to engage in oral sex and sexual intercourse with the children. Southern further admitted that in July 2020 he possessed images and videos of suspected child pornography on an SD card in his cell phone.
Southern faces at least 15 years and up to life in prison when sentenced on March 8, 2021. As a result of the conviction, Southern will also have to register as a sex offender.
The FBI Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force conducted the investigation. United States District Judge Frank W. Volk. presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorneys Jennifer Rada Herrald and Kristin Scott are handling the prosecution.
This case was prosecuted as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative of the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney’s 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 those who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:20-cr-00117.
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U.S. Attorneys Trent Shores and Brian Kuester Launch Pilot Project with Muscogee (Creek) Nation and Cherokee Nation to Address Missing and Murdered Indigenous Persons CasesRead the Press Release
Today, U.S. Attorneys Trent Shores of the Northern District of Oklahoma and Brian Kuester of the Eastern District of Oklahoma launched a pilot project to implement a Tribal Community Response Plan with Muscogee (Creek) Nation and Cherokee Nation, in accordance with Attorney General William P. Barr’s Missing and Murdered Indigenous Persons (MMIP) Initiative. Principal Chief David Hill of Muscogee (Creek) Nation and Principal Chief Chuck Hoskin Jr. of Cherokee Nation joined the U.S. attorneys in making the announcement.
The goal for the Tribal Community Response Plan pilot project is to establish a collaborative response from tribal governments, law enforcement agencies, and other partners by implementing culturally appropriate guidelines when investigating emergent cases of missing and murdered American Indians and Alaska Natives. The U.S. Department of Justice and other federal agencies developed draft guides for developing a Tribal Community Response Plan in conjunction with tribal leaders, law enforcement and tribal communities.
Each plan will be composed of guidelines addressing at least four different areas in response to MMIP cases: law enforcement, victim services, community outreach and media/public communications.
Oklahoma’s U.S. attorneys are the first to launch the pilot project. Five other U.S. attorneys’ offices are slated to do so at later dates. Lessons learned from the pilot project will be used to improve the draft guides for developing a Tribal Community Response Plan before they are used in states across the country.
“The first step in achieving justice for missing and murdered Native Americans was acknowledging the injustice of any historical indifference to or neglect of these tragic cases. Now, it is time for action to tackle this crisis head-on,” U.S. Attorney Trent Shores said. “I am proud to partner with the Muscogee (Creek) Nation and Cherokee Nation to announce the first of its kind pilot project to develop and implement protocols and community action plans for missing and murdered indigenous people cases. The Department of Justice continues to prioritize public safety in Indian country, especially when it comes to reducing the violent crime rates that seem to disproportionately impact Native American women and children.”
“ ‘Justice and liberty for all’ are not only the final words of our Pledge of Allegiance, they are at the heart and foundation of what the United States stands for. They create a standard that we must continually strive to achieve to preserve the critical principles they pronounce,” U.S. Attorney Brian J. Kuester said. “Tribal Community Response Plans will unite people, agencies, and sovereigns committed to justice and liberty for all. Together we will identify and implement the best practices for responding to and investigating cases involving missing and murdered indigenous people. I look forward to building upon the strong relationships the U.S. Attorney’s Office has with the Muscogee (Creek) Nation, the Cherokee Nation and our law enforcement partners as we move forward together.”
“We are unquestionably at our strongest when partnering with agencies and tribes working toward our shared goal, and that is enhancing public safety and protection for those who need it most,” Muscogee (Creek) Nation Principal Chief David Hill said. “Unfortunately, we know all too well the challenges we face and the trends we must reverse regarding Missing and Murdered Indigenous People. We feel these types of collaborations, in which our input is sought and utilized to craft culturally specific guidelines, are the best path forward and we can’t wait to get started.”
“Today’s new Missing and Murdered Indigenous Persons Pilot Program is an important partnership with the United States Department of Justice, and will further a goal that we all share: to protect Cherokees on the reservation and bring missing Cherokees home to their families and communities,” Cherokee Nation Principal Chief Chuck Hoskin Jr. said. “When one of our Cherokee citizens is hurt or missing, it’s an emergency. And now this pilot program will help pool our focus and resources on these cases with immediate, coordinated and professional response plans.”
“An effective strategy to combat violent crime on tribal lands can only be successful with a united front of our law enforcement partners working with the communities we serve,” FBI Special Agent in Charge Melissa Godbold of the Oklahoma City Field Office said. “This program unites all of us in our shared goal of creating a safer community with a focus on solving crimes affecting missing and murdered indigenous people in Oklahoma.”
The year 2020 marks the 150th anniversary of the Department of Justice. Learn more about the history of our agency at www.Justice.gov/Celebrating150Years.
U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme announces resignationRead the Press Release
BILLINGS — United States Attorney Kurt Alme today announced his resignation as the U. S. Attorney for the District of Montana effective Dec. 2, 2020.
A Montana native graduating high school in Miles City, Alme was recommended by Senator Daines, nominated by President Trump, and unanimously confirmed for the office by the Senate in September 2017. Prior to his confirmation, Alme was President and General Counsel of the Yellowstone Boys and Girls Ranch Foundation, which supports the Ranch as it serves over 600 emotionally troubled youth, including those with substance abuse disorders.
“I want to express my gratitude to Senator Daines for recommending me and to President Trump for nominating me for this position,” Alme said. “It has been the honor of a lifetime to serve with the outstanding attorneys and professional staff in this office.”
During his tenure at the U. S. Attorney’s Office (USAO), Alme focused on reducing meth-related violent crime, opioid overdose deaths and crime on our Native American reservations. Under his direction, Assistant U. S. Attorneys (AUSAs) and professional staff in the office increased federal criminal prosecutions by 15% to over 400 defendants per year, except during a short disruption from COVID earlier this year. Those prosecutions include drug trafficking, violent crime on Native American reservations, child pornography, human trafficking, financial and government fraud, immigration, and firearms violations. Alme oversaw over 70 employees in four offices, Billings, Great Falls, Helena and Missoula. The USAO also represented the United States in civil cases in the Montana.
Under his leadership, the USAO launched Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) in 2018 in partnership with federal, state and local law enforcement agencies to combat increasing meth-related violent crime. PSN placed priority on federal prosecutions of meth traffickers, armed robbers and violent felons with firearms. Since PSN began, more than 670 cases have been prosecuted statewide, and 293 cases alone in Yellowstone County where 333 pounds of meth and 343 firearms, including 78 semi-automatic rifles have been seized. After PSN began in Missoula County, murder, robbery and aggravated assaults decreased 25% until increasing again after COVID began.
"Methamphetamine trafficking and abuse has negatively affected the lives of so many in our community,” said Missoula County Sheriff TJ McDermott. “Under the leadership of U.S. Attorney Alme, PSN was successfully launched in Missoula County in 2018, where law enforcement partners focused their efforts on prosecuting violent and dangerous offenders and providing addiction and substance abuse treatment options for end users. This collaboration significantly decreased violent crime in Missoula County for the first two years of the initiative leading up to the coronavirus pandemic. I am very thankful for Kurt’s efforts in bringing all of us together to help reduce violent crime in Missoula County,” McDermott said.
Alme also led PSN efforts to reduce demand for meth through improved treatment and prevention, joining with many nonprofit and governmental organizations to form coalitions in both Yellowstone and Missoula counties. Yellowstone Substance Abuse Connect developed a community plan to improve meth treatment and prevention in the county and is now implementing that plan. Missoula Substance Abuse Connect recently received a $248,000 grant from the Rocky Mountain High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (RMHIDTA) to develop a meth treatment and prevention plan for that community.
“Kurt’s vision and leadership was the cornerstone in creating Yellowstone County's Substance Use Connect Coalition,” said Lenette Kosovich, CEO of Rimrock in Billings. “He saw first hand how the issues of meth related crime were negatively affecting our community and knew it would take all of us to create the solutions. Kurt's dedication and continual guidance to the work of the SAC catapulted all of us to work even harder to do better.”
To address both meth-related violent crime and opioid overdoses, Alme, together with Montana Attorney General Tim Fox and the Montana County Attorney’s Association, started the Montana Prosecuting Attorneys’ Drug Enforcement Coordinating Committee to coordinate drug enforcement activities by all law enforcement in Montana, and share information on drug trends and training.
Alme also served as Vice-Chair of the Executive Board of the RMHIDTA, which coordinates law enforcement agencies to address drug threats in a four-state region. In addition, Alme worked on national drug enforcement issues as a member of the Controlled Substances Subcommittee of the Attorney General’s Advisory Committee (AGAC).
“I have worked with Kurt on a broad range of public safety issues, from missing persons in Indian Country to our drug epidemic and have found him to be highly collaborative and engaged at every level,” said Bryan Lockerby, Administrator of the Division of Criminal Investigation at the Montana Department of Justice, and Chairman of the RMHIDTA. “Kurt has served thoughtfully as Vice-Chairman of RMHIDTA, stood up the Montana Prosecuting Attorney’s Drug Enforcement Coordinating Committee, and led the Project Safe Neighborhoods Initiatives. In my 40-year career, I’ve never worked with someone so committed to making our state safer and better,” Lockerby said.
To reduce opioid overdoses from pill diversion by health care workers, pharmacies and others with access to opioids, Alme started a statewide healthcare fraud task force composed of federal and state law enforcement. Alme also championed the DEA’s Take Back Days to help get unused pills out of bathroom cabinets and destroyed.
Alme served as Vice-Chair of the Native American Issues Subcommittee, the oldest and largest subcommittee of the AGAC. He prioritized communication and public safety issues with Montana’s tribal governments. During Kurt’s tenure, prosecutions of crimes from the six reservations where the federal government has primary felony jurisdiction increased. Before COVID hit Montana, Alme made more than 20 trips to Montana’s reservations to meet with tribal leaders about public safety, drug trafficking and abuse, missing and murdered indigenous persons (MMIP), and victim services. A dedicated AUSA meets monthly with multidisciplinary teams on the six reservations to ensure child abuse, rape and domestic violence cases are prosecuted and victims receive help.
Alme worked to ensure that federal drug enforcement funding, law enforcement resources, and criminal drug prosecutions on Montana’s reservations all increased.
Through Kurt’s leadership, Montana has been at the national forefront of addressing the issue of MMIP. Alme hired an experienced former FBI agent as the country’s first MMIP Coordinator, who, among other duties, has ensured that the lead law enforcement agency in missing Native American investigations is aware of all available federal resources, including FBI Rapid Deployment Teams. Alme chaired the U. S. Department of Justice MMIP Working Group, which created draft guides to develop Tribal Community Response Plans to improve responses in missing person cases. One of the first tribal partnerships to develop a Plan will be piloted on the Flathead Indian Reservation in Montana in December.
Under Kurt’s leadership, the USAO partnered with the Montana Department of Justice, FBI and Bureau of Indian Affairs to provide two statewide trainings for law enforcement on use of missing person databases and alerts, such as Amber Alerts, and for the public on what to do when a loved one goes missing. The USAO also partnered with tribal governments to provide training to community members on all seven of Montana’s reservations from the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NAMUS) on what to do when a loved one goes missing. The USAO is a member of the Montana Missing Indigenous Persons Task Force which, among other steps, has worked with its tribal representatives to ensure all missing tribal members are being looked for by including them in the state Missing Persons Clearinghouse.
With Kurt’s leadership, the USAO recently expanded its victim services plan to allow for earlier engagement with vulnerable child and female victims, and to work with tribal governments to expand victim services on the reservations. The U. S. Department of Justice recently awarded an additional victim services position to the USAO to implement the plan.
“I appreciate Kurt’s commitment to addressing the tragedy of missing and murdered Indigenous persons. Kurt’s collaboration and communication with Tribes, and his dedication to building strong partnerships, have served as exactly the type of leadership that was needed to combat MMIP,” said Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes’ Chairwoman Shelly Fyant.
Alme is a graduate of the University of Colorado and Harvard Law School. After graduation, he clerked for Montana U. S. District Judge Charles Lovell, was formerly a partner in the regional law firm now known as Crowley Fleck, served as Director of the Montana Department of Revenue under Governor Martz, and served as an AUSA and eventually First Assistant in the USAO.
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Three Men Charged in Violent Kidnappings of Several Victims in Chicago SuburbsRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — Three men have been indicted on federal kidnapping charges for allegedly abducting several victims at gunpoint in the Chicago suburbs.
The defendants last year carried out two kidnappings in Naperville and Westchester, and attempted a third in South Holland, according to a superseding indictment returned in U.S. District Court in Chicago.
Charged with participating in a kidnapping conspiracy are SEDGWICK WILLIAMS, 43, of Chicago; IVAN AYERS, 33, of Chicago; and TAI HON LA, 31, of Beach Park. The charge carries a maximum sentence of life in federal prison. All three defendants are currently detained in law enforcement custody. Arraignments are scheduled for Tuesday at 1:00 p.m. before U.S. Magistrate Judge Beth W. Jantz.
The indictment was announced by John R. Lausch, Jr., United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois; Emmerson Buie, Jr., Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI; and Robert Marshall, Chief of the Naperville Police Department. Valuable assistance in the investigation was provided by the Westchester Police Department and South Holland Police Department. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jared C. Jodrey and Corey B. Rubenstein.
According to the indictment and a recently unsealed federal search warrant, the first kidnapping occurred on Oct. 17, 2019, in Naperville, when the defendants posed as law enforcement officers to abduct a man outside of an electronics store he owned. The defendants allegedly physically assaulted the victim, extorted his family, and burglarized his business. The victim received medical treatment in a hospital.
The defendants carried out a second kidnapping on Nov. 16, 2019, in Westchester, the indictment states. Again posing as law enforcement officers, the defendants abducted a man outside of his residence and forced him back inside his home, where they seized another victim and forced them both into the basement, the indictment and search warrant state. Two other victims later arrived at the residence and were also forced into the basement at gunpoint, the search warrant states. The defendants allegedly stole cash and jewelry before leaving the residence.
The defendants attempted a third kidnapping on Dec. 11, 2019, in South Holland, but were unsuccessful in gaining entry to the intended victim’s home, the search warrant states.
In addition to the conspiracy count, the defendants are also charged with individual kidnapping and attempted kidnapping counts, as well as a count of illegal firearm and ammunition possession. Each of the defendants was prohibited from legally possessing a firearm or ammunition due to a previous felony conviction.
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. If convicted, the Court must impose reasonable sentences under federal statutes and the advisory United States Sentencing Guidelines.
Three Individuals Charged with Firearms Violations; Firearms Purchased for Individuals Unable to Legally Buy GunsRead the Press Release
SALT LAKE CITY – Three individuals are charged with travel within the United States with intent to deal firearms without a license in a complaint unsealed Thursday. The charges allege the defendants were involved in purchasing or attempting to purchase 27 firearms in Utah between Aug. 1, 2020, and Nov. 4, 2020.
Charged in the complaint are Erick Lopez, age 20, Christopher Lopez, 22, and Bryan Rodriguez, 21, all of California.
According to the complaint, an ATF special agent was contacted by a federal firearms licensee (FFL) regarding the suspicious attempted purchase of five pistols on Aug. 2, 2020, by a person referred to as Person A in the charging document. Person A was observed with two Hispanic males in a rental car with California plates. Ultimately, the FFL canceled the purchase and the sale was not completed.
Between Aug. 1 and Aug. 27, 2020, Person A made three separate purchases for a total of 12 pistols from three different FFLs. According to the complaint, the Person A paid cash for all of the purchases.
In late October, ATF learned that one of the firearms, a Glock pistol, had been recovered during a traffic stop in Arizona involving a convicted felon.
Investigators linked the rental car used during the attempted firearms purchase on Aug. 2, 2020, to an individual. Further investigation revealed Christopher and Erick Lopez were associated with the individual.
On Nov. 4, 2020, ATF agents learned Person A was attempting to purchase 10 Glock pistols from an FFL. The agent observed the individual fill out the paperwork to buy the weapons and provide cash for the firearms. However, the firearms were not transferred to Person A at that time, according to the complaint. Person A left the store and got into a car with a California license plate parked in a nearby alley. The vehicle left at that point.
Later that evening, the ATF investigator spoke with Person A. Person A admitted he/she had purchased or attempted to purchase 27 firearms in Utah since Aug. 1, 2020. The complaint alleges Person A indicated that all of the firearms were purchased for three males, who lived in California and were unable to legally purchase firearms in Utah. According to the complaint, prior to each transaction, the three males provided instructions to Person A as to the quantity and type of firearms to purchase and provided the individual with cash for each transaction.
Person A identified Erick and Christopher Lopez as two of the three males. Rodriquez was later identified by law enforcement officers. The three are believed to be related to each other.
Law enforcement officers located the three defendants. None of the defendants possessed a valid federal firearms license to deal, transport, or ship firearms. A federal arrest warrant was issued for their arrest.
Initial appearances for the three were held Thursday. Detention hearings were set for Dec. 4, 2020, for Bryan Rodriquez and Christopher Lopez. U.S. District Magistrate Judge Dustin Pead found Erick Lopez to be an unmanageable risk for non appearance and a risk of danger to the community. He will remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshals pending resolution of the case.
The potential maximum penalty for the charge in the complaint is 10 years, a fine of $250,000, and three years of supervised release following the completion of the sentence.
Complaints are not findings of guilt. Individuals charged in a complaint are presumed innocent unless or until proven guilty in court.
Sisters Plead Guilty to Distributing Spice and Laundering Drug ProceedsRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – Two Mississippi women pleaded guilty today to their involvement in distributing wholesale quantities of synthetic cannabinoids—commonly known as “spice” or “K2”—and laundering millions of dollars in proceeds of the sale of that spice.
According to court documents, from 2017 through November 2019, sisters Kimberly Drumm, 51, Bonnie Turner, 49, of Olive Branch, and their co-defendant, Joseph Ruis, 55, of Los Angeles, were the leaders of a southern-California based wholesale spice manufacturing and distribution operation. The illicit business held itself out as Aroma Superstore, and maintained a professional-looking website through which buyers around the country, including in the Eastern District of Virginia, could order packages of different varieties and flavors of spice. Drumm, Turner, and Ruis concealed the proceeds of their spice distribution by moving their profits through a network of shell corporations.
The spice that Aroma Superstore sold almost uniformly contained chemicals listed as Schedule I controlled substances. The spice was sold in packages bearing the label “Not For Human Consumption” in an attempt to avoid regulatory or law enforcement scrutiny. The products were, in reality, intended to be consumed and induce a “high” similar to other controlled substances. The spice connected to this conspiracy caused an individual from New Hampshire, referred to in court documents as J.S., to fatally overdose.
Drumm’s primary role in the conspiracy was to manage the finances of the operation. She prepared the payroll for the employees, picked up payments from customers, and deposited them into bank accounts used in the conspiracy. For a time, she ordered the chemicals used in the spice. Drumm also rented a storage locker where the chemicals were stored.
Turner had two roles in the conspiracy. First, she opened bank accounts in her name for the various business entities involved in the conspiracy. Second, Turner worked in the spice warehouse. At the warehouse, Turner and her co-conspirators stored thousands of packages of spice, organized by their different flavors and scents, and bearing a wide variety of different images and logos on the labels as well as stickers signifying the weight of each package.
In May 2019, law enforcement searched locations used by Ruis, Drumm, and Turner for their business. In one warehouse location, agents seized approximately 30 kilograms of spice as well as a large volume of packaging material and equipment used in the distribution of the spice. At another warehouse location, law enforcement seized approximately 4,500 pounds of marijuana, approximately 300 kilograms of butane honey oil, lab equipment for the extraction of Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), and approximately $45,000. Law enforcement also searched the storage locker that Drumm had rented, and recovered approximately one kilogram of 5F-MDMB-PICA, a Schedule I chemical used to manufacture the spice.
Drumm and Turner each pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering and one count of distribution of Schedule I controlled substances. They are scheduled to be sentenced on Feb. 17, 2021. They face a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison for each of the counts. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Raymond Villanueva, Special Agent in Charge of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Washington, D.C.; Jesse R. Fong, Special Agent in Charge for the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) Washington Field Division; Peter R. Rendina, Inspector in Charge of the Washington Division of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service; and Robert P. Mosier, Fauquier County Sheriff, made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Rossie D. Alston, Jr. accepted the plea.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Katherine E. Rumbaugh and Bibeane Metsch are prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:20-cr-76.
Sherwood Corrections Officer Pleads Guilty to Smuggling Drugs into Coffee Creek Women's PrisonRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Ore.—A Sherwood, Oregon man pleaded guilty today for smuggling drugs into the Coffee Creek Correctional Facility, announced U.S. Attorney Billy J. Williams.
Richard Steven Alberts II, 32, pleaded guilty to the charge of Conspiracy to Distribute Controlled Substances, in violation of 21 U.S.C. §§841(a)(1), 841 (b)(1)(C), and 846. He will be sentenced on February 22, 2021 by the Honorable Michael H. Simon.
According to court records, in 2019, Alberts was a Correctional Officer at Coffee Creek Correctional Facility, a women’s prison in Wilsonville, operated by the Oregon Department of Corrections. While employed there, defendant began an inappropriate and illegal sexual relationship with an inmate.
To foster the relationship, Alberts agreed to smuggle drugs, including OxyContin pills, methamphetamine, and heroin into the prison and to provide them to the inmate. In addition, Alberts smuggled multiple cell phones into the facility that the inmate used to communicate with Alberts and others outside the prison. Defendant knew that the smuggled methamphetamine and heroin were not for the inmate’s personal use, but, instead, were intended for distribution to other women incarcerated at Coffee Creek.
On the evening of June 3, 2019, defendant met co-defendant Joseph Jimenez in a parking lot in Portland, where Jimenez provided Alberts with heroin. The next day, on June 4, 2019, Alberts smuggled that heroin into Coffee Creek, and later provided it to the inmate. Just a few days later, an Oregon Department of Corrections investigator seized a small amount of methamphetamine and over 6 grams heroin from the inmate. An investigation by the ODOC and FBI revealed that the seized heroin was, in fact, the same heroin that Alberts had obtained from Jimenez and smuggled into Coffee Creek. Alberts was immediately placed on administrative leave from ODOC.
“This corrections officer selfishly abused his position of trust and in doing so, endangered the lives of vulnerable inmates fighting for their own sobriety” said United States Attorney Billy J. Williams. “Instead of protecting the inmates, he exploited them. The excellent investigative work of the Oregon Department of Corrections, the Oregon State Police, and the FBI now ensures that a man who once guarded inmates will become one himself.”
DOC Director Colette S. Peters said, “The Oregon Department of Corrections is committed to preventing sexual activity involving employees and the people in our care and custody; and take decisive action when allegations are brought forward. When DOC’s Inspector General’s Office and the leadership at Coffee Creek Correctional Facility received a tip about Alberts’s criminal behavior, the agency immediately acted by launching an internal investigation and contacting state and federal law enforcement. Our goal was to ensure a thorough investigation, a fair process, and prosecution, if warranted. We have thousands of employees who provide outstanding public service each and every day. I would like to thank our partners at the US Attorney General’s Office, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Oregon State Police, and the Washington County District Attorney’s office for their cooperation and seeing Alberts sentenced for his illegal and dishonorable behavior.”
"Alberts abused his position of power over the Coffee Creek inmates with the trafficking of meth and heroin," said Renn Cannon, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in Oregon. "Instead of ensuring a safe environment for these women as he should have been, he exploited addiction and targeted a vulnerable population for his own gain. We can't let such behavior stand."
Alberts faces a maximum sentence of is 20 years of imprisonment, three years of supervised release and a fine of $1,000,000. As part of the plea agreement, defendant agreed to immediately resign from the Oregon Department of Corrections, where he is currently on unpaid administrative leave. Defendant also agreed to immediately and permanently decertify as a law enforcement officer with the Oregon Department of Public Safety Standards and Training. So long as defendant demonstrates an acceptance of responsibility, the parties will jointly recommend a sentence of 12 months and 1 day of imprisonment, to be followed by a three-year term of supervised release.
In addition, Alberts has agreed with the Washington County District Attorney’s Office to waive indictment and plead guilty to the offense of Custodial Sexual Misconduct in the First Degree under ORS 163.452 (a Class C felony). At sentencing, both parties will recommend that Alberts receives a sentence of three years of formal probation, including conditions that Alberts will participate in an evaluation, and if indicated, participate in sex treatment.
The Oregon Department of Corrections, Oregon State Police and the FBI investigated this case. It is being prosecuted by Craig Gabriel and Scott Bradford, Assistant U.S. Attorneys for the District of Oregon.
The U.S. Department of Justice and U.S. Attorney’s Office are committed to enforcing the Prison Rape Elimination Act (PREA). PREA requires the development and promulgation of “national standards for the detection, prevention, reduction, and punishment of prison rape.” These standards, like the law mandating them, are intended to address a serious public safety, public health, and human rights problem—the incidence of sexual violence in our nation’s confinement facilities. To learn more about PREA, please visit: https://bja.ojp.gov/program/prison-rape-elimination-act-prea/overview.
Shallotte Man Sentenced to 14 Years for Drug Trafficking OffensesRead the Press Release
GREENVILLE, N.C. – A Shallotte man was sentenced today to 168 months in prison for one count of Conspiracy to Distribute and Possess with Intent to Distribute 28 Grams or More of Cocaine Base (Crack) and one count of Possession with Intent to Distribute Cocaine Base (Crack).
According to court documents, Malcolm Lamont Jackson, 47, pleaded guilty to the charges on May 11, 2020.
In 2018, investigators with the Brunswick County Sheriff’s Office received information that Jackson was selling large amounts of cocaine base (crack) and cocaine in Brunswick County, North Carolina.
On May 29, 2018, investigators received information that Jackson was going to be traveling to Whiteville, North Carolina to be re-supplied with cocaine. Investigators conducted a traffic stop of Jackson, and he was found in possession of marijuana, cocaine base (crack), cocaine, alprazolam (Xanax) pills, currency, and two cell phones. Jackson admitted that he had been selling cocaine base (crack) for more than four months.
On December 6, 2018, agents observed Jackson driving at a high rate of speed in Brunswick County. Jackson then stopped suddenly, causing agents to have to make an evasive lane change to avoid a collision. Jackson then made a U-turn and fled in the opposite direction before turning into a driveway, opening the door, and starting to flee. Agents ordered Jackson to stop, and he finally complied. On Jackson’s person, agents found 8.07 grams of cocaine base (crack) and marijuana. Jackson then admitted he had been selling cocaine.
On February 14, 2019, agents were at a gas station in Shallotte when they detected a strong odor of marijuana emanating from a nearby vehicle, and they noticed Jackson standing by it. Jackson entered the vehicle and departed the gas station. Agents attempted to conduct a traffic stop, but Jackson attempted to elude officers by turning down a dirt road. As he drove, Jackson threw objects from his car window, which were later recovered and determined to be cocaine base (crack), cocaine, and marijuana. Agents also found currency in Jackson’s vehicle. Jackson was arrested.
Information from additional witnesses determined that Jackson had been selling cocaine base (crack) since at least January 2017.
Robert J. Higdon, Jr., U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after sentencing by Chief U.S. District Judge Terrence W. Boyle. The Brunswick County Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) investigated the case and Assistant U.S. Attorney Scott A. Lemmon 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. 7:19-CR-113-BO-1.
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The year 2020 marks the 150th anniversary of the Department of Justice. Learn more about the history of our agency at www.Justice.gov/Celebrating150Years.
Passaic County Man Sentenced to 70 Months in Prison for Participation in Heroin ConspiracyRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A Paterson, New Jersey, man was sentenced today to 70 months in prison for conspiring to distribute 100 grams or more of heroin, and distributing a quantity of heroin, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito announced.
Tyson Jacobs, 21, previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Brian R. Martinotti in Newark federal court to an information charging him with conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute 100 grams or more of heroin and knowingly and intentionally distributing heroin. Judge Martinotti imposed the sentence today by videoconference.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
Jacobs and his conspirators are all members and associates of the 230 Boys street gang, which operates primarily in and around Rosa Parks Boulevard and Godwin Avenue in Paterson. Through numerous controlled purchases of narcotics, consensually recorded telephone calls and text messages, physical surveillance, and the analysis of telephone call detail records, law enforcement determined that from at least September 2018 through Oct. 1, 2019, the defendant and his conspirators conspired to distribute narcotics, including heroin and fentanyl.
In addition to the prison term, Judge Martinotti sentenced Jacobs to four years of supervised release.
This case is being conducted under the auspices of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF). The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking, weapons trafficking and money laundering organizations, and those primarily responsible for the nation’s illegal drug supply.
U.S. Attorney Carpenito credited special agents and task force officers with the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Newark Division, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Charlie J. Patterson; special agents of the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Susan A. Gibson in Newark; officers of the N.J. State Police, under the direction of Col. Patrick J. Callahan; officers of the Paterson Police Department, under the direction of Director Jerry Speziale and Police Chief Ibrahim Baycora; detectives of the Passaic County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Prosecutor Camelia M. Valdes; and the Passaic County Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Sheriff Richard H. Berdnik, with the investigation leading to the charges. He also thanked the U.S. Marshals Service, the Bergen County Sheriff's Office and the Belleville and Livingston police departments for their assistance with the case.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Francesca Liquori of the Organized Crime and Gangs Unit.
Passaic County Man Admits Distributing FentanylRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A Passaic County, New Jersey, man today admitted possessing and distributing fentanyl, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito announced.
Glen Lebron, 33, of Paterson, New Jersey, pleaded guilty by videoconference before U.S. District Court Judge Brian R. Martinotti to one count of distribution and possession with intent to distribute more than 40 grams of fentanyl.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
On April 29, 2019, Lebron arranged for the sale of 59.4 grams of fentanyl to an undercover agent of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).
The count to which Lebron pleaded guilty carries a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in prison, a maximum of 40 years in prison and maximum fine of $5 million.
U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito credited special agents of the DEA, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Susan A. Gibson in Newark, with the investigation leading to today’s guilty plea.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan L. O’Neill of the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Opioid Abuse Prevention & Enforcement Unit.
Omaha Man Sentenced for Bank RobberyRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Joe Kelly announced that Michael G. Hymes, 40, of Omaha, Nebraska, was sentenced today for bank robbery. United States District Judge Robert F. Rossiter, Jr. sentenced Hymes to 12 years’ imprisonment. He was also ordered to pay $2,950 in restitution for money not recovered. Hymes, who has two prior convictions for bank robbery, will serve a three-year term of supervised release following his release from the Bureau of Prisons. There is no parole in the federal prison system.
On July 15, 2019, Hymes entered the Creighton Federal Credit Union, dressed as a female wearing a long- haired wig, flip-flops, and carrying a purse. He verbally demanded money from the teller and claimed he had a bomb, but none was shown. He was able to leave the bank with $4,017.00. He got into a car that was tracked and followed into Council Bluffs, Iowa. Officers found the vehicle approximately a half hour after the robbery and Hymes’s disguise was found in it.
This case was investigated by the Omaha Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation Great Plains Violent Crime Task Force, comprised of FBI agents, Omaha Police Department detectives, Nebraska State Patrol Investigators and Papillion Police Department Detectives.
North Texas Financial Advisor Who is Alleged to Have PocketedRead the Press Release
PLANO, Texas –A 48-year-old Allen, Texas man has been indicted on federal wire fraud violations in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Stephen J. Cox.
Keith Todd Ashley was named in an indictment returned by a federal grand jury in Sherman, Texas on Nov. 12, 2020, charging him with six counts of wire fraud. Ashley was arrested on Nov. 13, 2020 and appeared in federal court today for a detention hearing before U.S. Magistrate Judge Kimberly C. Priest Johnson, which he waived.
According to the indictment, from December 23, 2013 through May 14, 2020, Ashley, as owner and chief executive officer of KBKK, LLC, devised and executed a scheme to defraud investors of approximately $1.1 million. Specifically, Ashley would solicit money from investors for purported investments that he represented were without risk. In reality, Ashley was diverting these investment funds for his own use.
If convicted, Ashley faces up to 20 years in federal prison. The United States is also seeking forfeiture in the amount of $1.143 million.
This case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Carrollton Police Department. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Heather Rattan.
A grand jury indictment is not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
North Carolina Man Sentenced for Violating Fair Housing Act and Threatening a Family Because of Their RaceRead the Press Release
GREENVILLE, N.C. – The Justice Department announced today that Douglas Matthew Gurkins, 34, was sentenced to 28 months in prison, followed by 3 years supervised release, for using threats of force against an African American family because of the family members’ race and because they were renting a dwelling.
On August 6, 2020, Gurkins pled guilty to one count of criminal interference with the Fair Housing Act. At his guilty plea hearing, Gurkins admitted that in December 2014, he drove to the home of an African American family and yelled racial slurs at the family. The defendant told the family that they did not belong in their home and then threatened to shoot the family, to include four minor children, and any other African American that came onto the property. After making this threat, the defendant brandished a metal rod in a threatening manner. The family moved out of the neighborhood a few days after this incident. Within the next four years, the defendant engaged in similar criminal conduct toward two other African American families living in the same neighborhood.
“Part of what makes the United States free is the guarantee that we can live anywhere in this country without regard to the color of our skin and without murderous threats directed at us and our children,” said Eric Dreiband, Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights. “This defendant terrorized an entire family by threatening to kill African American parents and their four children and others because of their race. This kind of cruel terror has no place in the United States of America, and the U.S. Department of Justice will remain vigilant in prosecuting anyone who interferes with any families’ housing rights.”
“This defendant threatened citizens of this District - a mom and her four children - because of their race. This is not who we are as Americans and prejudice of any kind is intolerable,” said U.S. Attorney Robert J. Higdon Jr. for the Eastern District of North Carolina. “The defendant’s threats violate the laws designed to ensure fair and equal treatment for us all and I am pleased we could bring this matter to federal court to vindicate those rights and to stand with this mom and her children to see that justice is served.”
"There is no way to undo the damage Gurkins did to these families with his hateful, repulsive, and violent behavior,” said Robert R. Wells, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in North Carolina. “The FBI hopes today's prison sentence can provide them some sense of comfort. No one should ever be targeted or threatened because of the color of their skin, especially in their own homes."
The case was investigated by the FBI’s Charlotte Division, Greenville Resident Agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Erin Blondel of the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Eastern District of North Carolina, and Trial Attorneys Shan Patel and Laura Gilson of the Civil Rights Division, Criminal Section, prosecuted the case.
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The year 2020 marks the 150th anniversary of the Department of Justice. Learn more about the history of our agency at www.Justice.gov/Celebrating150Years.
North Carolina Man Sentenced for Violating Fair Housing Act and Threatening a Family Because of Their RaceRead the Press Release
The Justice Department announced today that Douglas Matthew Gurkins, 34,was sentenced to 28 months in prison, followed by three years supervised release, for using threats of force against an African American family because of the family members’ race and because they were renting a dwelling.
On Aug. 6, 2020, Gurkins pled guilty to one count of criminal interference with the Fair Housing Act. At his guilty plea hearing, Gurkins admitted that in December 2014, he drove to the home of an African American family and yelled racial slurs at the family. The defendant told the family that they did not belong in their home and then threatened to shoot the family, including four minor children, and any other African American that came onto the property. After making this threat, the defendant brandished a metal rod in a threatening manner. The family moved out of the neighborhood a few days after this incident. Within the next four years, the defendant engaged in similar criminal conduct toward two other African American families living in the same neighborhood.
“Part of what makes the United States free is the guarantee that we can live anywhere in this country without regard to the color of our skin and without murderous threats directed at us and our children,” said Eric Dreiband, Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights. “This defendant terrorized an entire family by threatening to kill African American parents and their four children and others because of their race. This kind of cruel terror has no place in the United States of America, and the U.S. Department of Justice will remain vigilant in prosecuting anyone who interferes with any families’ housing rights.”
“This defendant threatened citizens of this district - a mom and her four children - because of their race. This is not who we are as Americans and prejudice of any kind is intolerable,” said U.S. Attorney Robert J. Higdon Jr. for the Eastern District of North Carolina. “The defendant’s threats violate the laws designed to ensure fair and equal treatment for us all and I am pleased we could bring this matter to federal court to vindicate those rights and to stand with this mom and her children to see that justice is served.”
“There is no way to undo the damage Gurkins did to these families with his hateful, repulsive, and violent behavior,” said Robert R. Wells, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in North Carolina. “The FBI hopes today's prison sentence can provide them some sense of comfort. No one should ever be targeted or threatened because of the color of their skin, especially in their own homes.
The case was investigated by the FBI’s Charlotte Division, Greenville Resident Agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Erin Blondel of the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Eastern District of North Carolina, and Trial Attorneys Shan Patel and Laura Gilson of the Civil Rights Division, Criminal Section, prosecuted the case.
Nine Indicted in Interstate Schemes to Steal and Sell Construction Equipment, Boats, Jet Skis, ATVSRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE – A federal indictment charging nine individuals with allegedly participating in schemes in several states to steal and sell nearly $700,000 worth of excavators, sport boats, jet skis, all-terrain vehicles, and trailers was unsealed today in U.S. District Court in Providence.
It is alleged that members of the conspiracy, working at the direction of or along-side Jose A. Montes, aka Jose Rivera, aka “Tuto”, 36, of Cranston, surveilled various dealerships and marinas under the cover of darkness in four states, looking to steal equipment from businesses.
An investigation launched by the Johnston and North Providence Police Departments, and joined by the FBI Safe Streets Task Force, that then merged with a parallel investigation by Rhode Island and Connecticut State Police, Easton, Mass., and the Hampstead, N.H., Police Departments, determined that between November 2019 and July 2020, three Bobcat excavators, ten jet skis, four boats, eight all-terrain vehicles, and ten trailers valued at nearly $700,000 were stolen.
It is alleged that members of the conspiracy, often times using rented and stolen trucks, hauled away the stolen excavators, boats, jet skis, ATVs, and trailers from businesses in South Kingstown and Tiverton, RI; Auburn, Rehoboth, and Easton, MA; Waterford, Vernon, and Stafford, CT; and Hampstead, NH. Many of the stolen items were stored in Providence, Johnston, Warwick, North Providence, Scituate, and Glocester, R.I. Several of the stolen items were hauled to Florida to be sold.
Two Bobcat excavators each valued at $60,000 and one valued at $75,000, were allegedly stolen from an Auburn, Mass., dealer between late Friday, April 10, 2020, and late Saturday April 11, 2020. Using GPS built into the equipment, the excavators were located on April 13, 2020, and recovered by law enforcement. Two of the excavators were discovered in Johnston. The third was found in North Providence. GPS data showed that two of the stolen machines were stored on a farm in North Scituate before being moved to Johnston. One of the excavators was brought briefly to a residence in Warwick.
GPS data showed that the third excavator was first taken to a location in Glocester then moved to North Providence, where it was located and seized by law enforcement.
An ATV stolen from a dealership in Hampstead, New Hampshire in July 2020 was discovered on Gallup Street in Providence and towed by police to an impound facility. The ATV was subsequently stolen again from the impound.
United States Attorney Aaron L. Weisman announces the unsealing of a thirteen-count indictment which charges interstate transportation of stolen property, receipt of stolen goods, and conspiracy to commit interstate transportation of stolen property.
In addition to Jose Montes, named in the indictment are Krystal K. Disano, 26, of Sarasota, Florida; Sorina Cruz, 43, of Cranston; Daniel J. Guerriero, 34, of North Scituate; Ronald S. Mosca, 48, of Sarasota, Florida; Irvin W. McLaughlin, Jr., 40, of Connecticut; Efrain A. Lopez, 32, of Providence; Jared J. Santiago, 28, of Providence; and Luis M. Morales, 37, of Providence.
A federal indictment is merely an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys William J. Ferland and Ly T. Chin.
United States Attorney Aaron L. Weisman acknowledges and thanks the Tiverton, South Kingstown, Scituate, Cranston and Providence, R.I., and Auburn Mass., Police Departments and Manatee County Sheriff’s Office, FL for their assistance in the investigation of this matter.
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Missouri Man Facing Child Pornography and Cyberstalking ChargesRead the Press Release
CONTACT: Barbara Burns
PHONE: (716) 843-5817
FAX #: (716) 551-3051BUFFALO, N.Y.- U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy, Jr. announced today that Andrew Neal, of Hallsville, Missouri, was charged by criminal complaint with production, receipt, and distribution of child pornography, as well as cyberstalking. The charges carry a minimum penalty of 15 years in prison, a maximum of 30 years, and a $250,000 fine.
Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey T. Fiut, who is handling the case, stated that according to the criminal complaint, in July 2018, Neal initiated a conversation with a minor female victim, living in the Western District of New York, on Instagram and asked her to send him pictures of her feet and face. After the victim complied with the defendant’s request, Neal demanded that she produce and send him sexually explicit images of herself or else he would send the images she previously sent to him to all of her Instagram followers. The victim complied and sent Neal the requested images. Over the next two years, the defendant continued to harass the victim through Instagram and text message, demanding that she take and send him more images or else he would distribute the sexually explicit images she previously provided to him to all of her Instagram contacts. In July 2020, Neal followed through with his threats and sent several images of the victim to four of her Instagram followers.
Neal made an initial appearance today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jeremiah J. McCarthy and was detained.
The criminal complaint is the result of an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Kevin Kelly.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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Michigan Man Charged with Transporting Minor for Criminal Sexual ActivityRead the Press Release
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Texas has charged a Michigan man with traveling with a child across state lines in order to commit a sex crime, announced U.S. Attorney Erin Nealy Cox.
Thomas John Boukamp, 20, was charged via criminal complaint Sunday with transportation of a minor with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity.
Mr. Boukamp was arrested at a residence in Alden, Michigan on Sunday morning, and made his initial appearance in federal court in Grand Rapids Monday afternoon.
FBI Victim Specialists reunited the minor with her family this weekend.
A criminal complaint is merely an allegation of wrongdoing, not evidence. Like all defendants, Mr. Boukamp is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
If convicted, he faces up to life in federal prison.
The Lubbock Police Department’s Special Victims Unit and the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Lubbock Resident Agency conducted the investigation with assistance from a Michigan State Police SWAT team and the Antrim County Sheriff’s Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jeff Haag and Callie Woolam are prosecuting the case.
Michigan Doctor Pleads Guilty to Unlawfully Selling Prescription Drug Controlled SubstancesRead the Press Release
A doctor who has practiced in Troy, Detroit and elsewhere in Southeast Michigan, pleaded guilty today to one count of unlawfully distributing the prescription drugs hydrocodone and valium, announced United States Attorney Matthew Schneider.
Schneider was joined in the announcement by Special Agent in Charge Keith Martin, U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration in Detroit.
Pleading guilty was Dr. Salvatore Cavaliere, 57. The guilty plea was entered before United States District Judge George Caram Steeh.
According to the plea agreement, Cavaliere admitted to unlawfully distributing the Schedule II controlled substance hydrocodone (Vicodin). In entering his guilty plea, the defendant admitted that for several years, up until approximately August of 2015, he sold hydrocodone in amounts of up to 2,000 dosage units at a time. He also sold diazepam (Valium) in amounts of up to 600 dosage units per month. Approximately 36,000 dosage units of hydrocodone and 6,000 dosage units of diazepam (a schedule IV controlled substance) were involved in this pattern of illegal conduct.
The defendant faces a maximum term of 24 months’ imprisonment, which is the maximum sentence under the federal sentencing guidelines for this offense. The actual sentence imposed will be determined by the judge at sentencing.
The Drug Enforcement Administration previously revoked the defendant’s DEA registration based on this conduct, and the defendant is therefore unable to purchase or prescribe controlled substances.
Cavaliere has also agreed to pay the United States $150,000 as part of a civil settlement resolving allegations that he violated certain provisions of the Controlled Substances Act.
This case was investigated by the United States Drug Enforcement Administration, under the supervision of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Michigan.
Medford Man Indicted on Felon in Possession of Ammunition ChargeRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Medford man was indicted by a federal grand jury on a charge of being a felon in possession of ammunition.
Kyle Evans, 34, was indicted on Nov. 19, 2020 on one count of being a felon in possession of ammunition.
According to the indictment, on Aug. 4, 2020, in Everett, Evans possessed four rounds of .22LR caliber ammunition. Due to a prior conviction punishable by at least one year in prison, Evans is prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition.
The charging statute provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling; Kelly D. Brady, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Boston Field Division; Everett Police Chief Steven A. Mazzie; and Medford Police Chief Jack D. Buckley made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Suzanne Sullivan Jacobus of Lelling’s Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. The Department of Justice reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime.
The details contained in the charging document are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Maryland Tax Preparer Indicted for Preparing False Tax ReturnsRead the Press Release
Greenbelt, Maryland – A federal grand jury in Greenbelt, Maryland, returned an indictment today charging Temple Hills tax return preparer Anita Fortune, age 56, with one count of conspiracy to defraud the United States and thirty-nine counts of aiding and assisting in the preparation of false tax returns.
The indictment was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Robert K. Hur; Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Richard E. Zuckerman of the Justice Department’s Tax Division; and Special Agent in Charge Kelly R. Jackson of the Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation, Washington, D.C. Field Office.
According to the indictment, Anita Fortune used multiple names for her tax preparation business, including Tax Terminatorz, Inc. For the tax years 2012 to 2018, Fortune, along with two co-conspirators, allegedly added fictitious or inflated itemized deductions and business losses to clients’ electronically filed federal income tax returns. The indictment further alleges that although the Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”) revoked Fortune’s e-file privileges, Fortune continued to prepare tax returns for her clients by filing the returns using her co-conspirators’ business and personal identifiers. Fortune allegedly provided money and office space in exchange for the use of her co-conspirators’ information.
If convicted, Fortune faces a maximum sentence of 5 years in prison for the conspiracy count and 3 years for each false return count. Fortune also faces a period of supervised release, restitution, and monetary penalties.
An indictment merely alleges that crimes have been committed. The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
U.S. Attorney Hur and Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Zuckerman commended IRS-Criminal Investigation for its work in the investigation, and thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Leah Grossi and Trial Attorney Kathryn Sparks of the Tax Division, who are prosecuting the case.
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Maryland Tax Preparer Indicted for Preparing False ReturnsRead the Press Release
A federal grand jury in Greenbelt, Maryland, returned an indictment today charging an Upper Marlboro tax return preparer with conspiracy to defraud the United States and aiding and assisting in the preparation of false tax returns, announced Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Richard E. Zuckerman of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland Robert K. Hur.
According to the indictment, Anita Fortune provided tax preparation services under multiple business names, including Tax Terminatorz Inc. Fortune allegedly prepared and filed returns using co-conspirators’ electronic filing identification numbers and identifiers. In addition, Fortune allegedly provided money and office space in exchange for her co-conspirators’ electronic filing credentials. For the tax years 2012 to 2018, Fortune, along with her two co-conspirators, allegedly added fictitious or inflated itemized deductions and business losses to clients’ returns, which fraudulently reduced their tax liabilities and increased their refunds.
If convicted, Fortune faces a maximum sentence of five years in prison for the conspiracy count and three years for each false return count. Fortune also faces a period of supervised release, restitution, and monetary penalties.
An indictment merely alleges that crimes have been committed. The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Zuckerman and U.S. Attorney Hur commended special agents of IRS-Criminal Investigation, who conducted the investigation, and Trial Attorney Kathryn Sparks of the Tax Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Leah Grossi, who are prosecuting the case.
Additional information about the Tax Division and its enforcement efforts may be found on the division’s website.
Man pleads not guilty to first degree murder on Crow Indian ReservationRead the Press Release
BILLINGS – A man pleaded not guilty today to an indictment charging him with first degree murder and other crimes in the shooting death of a victim and wounding of another victim on the Crow Indian Reservation, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.
The indictment charges Taylor Leigh Plain Bull, 27, a transient, with first degree murder, assault with intent to commit murder and two counts of use of a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence.
An indictment is merely an accusation, and Plain Bull is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
The indictment alleges that on Oct. 24, on Blue Creek Road, on the Crow Indian Reservation, Plain Bull unlawfully killed a person identified as Jane Doe with malice aforethought and that he intentionally assaulted a person identified as John Doe with intent to commit murder. The indictment further alleges Plain Bull used a .45 caliber semi-automatic pistol in committing the crimes.
First degree murder carries a sentence of mandatory life in prison, a $250,000 fine and five years of supervised release. Assault with intent to commit murder carries maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release. The firearms charge carries a penalty of a mandatory minimum 10 years to life in prison consecutive to any other sentence, a $250,000 fine and five years of supervised release.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Timothy J. Cavan presided and ordered Plain Bull detained pending further proceedings.
The FBI investigated the case.
PACER case reference. 20-136.
The progress of cases may be monitored through the U.S. District Court Calendar and the PACER system. To establish a PACER account, which provides electronic access to review documents filed in a case, please visit http://www.pacer.gov/register.html. To access the District Court’s calendar, please visit https://ecf.mtd.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/PublicCalendar.pl.
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Man and Woman Sentenced for Operating Interstate Prostitution RingRead the Press Release
GREENVILLE, N.C. – Chief Judge Terrence W. Boyle sentenced Daniel Phillip Griffin, 41, of Cleveland, Ohio, to 30 months’ imprisonment followed by 5 years’ supervised release for leading an interstate prostitution ring. Griffin previously pleaded guilty to one count of transporting a victim interstate to prostitute her. Judge Boyle previously sentenced Griffin’s codefendant, Starlett Lehti, 41, to 25 months’ imprisonment and 5 years’ supervised release for her role. Both defendants also were ordered to pay $10,000 in restitution.
Griffin and Lehti recruited three vulnerable women in Cleveland, Ohio, to prostitute for them. They manipulated the women to begin working for them, then transported the women to multiple states, ending up in Raleigh. Griffin and Lehti used a combination of methods to keep the victims prostituting for them. Griffin often misled victims to believe their relationship was romantic. He and Lehti promised big money and belonging to a “family.” In reality, Griffin took all victims’ earnings. He often threatened or intimidated victims, telling one victim, when she said that she was done, “You’ll be done when I say you’re done.” Other victims called police in a bid to escape.
Robert J. Higdon, Jr., U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, stated, “Daniel Griffin and Starlett Lehti exploited some of our most-vulnerable citizens for their greed. They falsely promised victims the good life; in reality, they did not care what emotional scars they left in their wake. This case is part of our office’s ongoing effort to combat human trafficking and related offenses and to ensure justice for victims.”
Robert J. Higdon, Jr., U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement. Homeland Security Investigations and the Raleigh Police Department investigated the case.
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The year 2020 marks the 150th anniversary of the Department of Justice. Learn more about the history of our agency at www.Justice.gov/Celebrating150Years.
Macomb Township Resident Pleads Guilty in COVID-19 Bank Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
A Macomb Township resident pleaded guilty today to a scheme to fraudulently obtain approximately $931,000 from the Paycheck Protection Program, United States Attorney Matthew Schneider announced today.
Joining Schneider in the announcement were Special Agent in Charge John Crawford of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Office of Inspector General, Special Agent in Charge Douglas Zloto of the United States Secret Service, and Special Agent in Charge Sharon Johnson of the United States Small Business Administration Office of Inspector General.
Michael Bischoff, 60, of Macomb Township, Michigan, pleaded guilty to one count of bank fraud arising from his effort to obtain some $931,000 by defrauding several financial institutions regarding loans from the Paycheck Protection Program.
According to the plea documents, Bischoff owned a number of pizza restaurants in Macomb County, Michigan, which operated through various corporate entities he controlled (the Bischoff entities). The plea documents further state that Bischoff applied for at least nine loans on behalf of the Bischoff entities under the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). The PPP is a program overseen by the Small Business Administration designed to provide forgivable loans to small businesses affected by the coronavirus pandemic. Applicants for PPP loans apply directly to banks or financial institutions participating in the program; in those applications, applicants make affirmative certifications about, among other things, their average monthly payroll expenses and number of employees. Applicants also certify their intent to spend PPP proceeds on permissible business expenses, such as payroll costs, rent, utilities, and interest on mortgages. PPP loans may be entirely forgiven if the recipient spends the loan proceeds on these permissible expenses within a designated period of time after receiving the proceeds.
According to the plea documents, at least nine of Bischoff’s PPP applications contained false and fraudulent representations to the participating lenders. All of the applications included false representations about the amount of payroll and number of employees working at the Bischoff entities. A number of the applications also included false documentation, purportedly from the IRS, to support the misrepresentations about payroll expenses at those entities. In other applications, Bischoff fraudulently used another person’s personal identifying information to secure approval for the loans.
In all, Bischoff sought approximately $931,772 in proceeds from the PPP. Bischoff actually received approximately $593,590 from PPP lenders as a result of his fraudulent loan applications.
“The pandemic has had a major economic impact on our community, and the Paycheck Protection Program is a critical lifeline for Michigan’s small businesses during this challenging time,” stated United States Attorney Schneider. “Fraud in this program takes dollars away from needy businesses and puts them into the hands of crooks and thieves. This is a serious crime, and my office is committed to finding anyone guilty of defrauding this program and prosecuting them quickly and aggressively.”
“Agents from the FDIC, SBA and US Secret Service - Detroit Field Office partnered together with the United States Attorney’s Office to investigate a local business owner, who took advantage of the global pandemic to enrich himself with COVID Relief disaster funds,” stated SAC Zloto. “Mr. Bischoff engaged is multiple instances of Payroll Protection Plan loan fraud, which was intended to help honest business owners weather these troubled times.”
A sentencing date has been set for March 22, 2021 at 2:30pm before United States District Judge Paul D. Borman.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney John K. Neal of the Eastern District of Michigan, Trial Attorney Philip B. Trout of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Criminal Division, Fraud Section, and Trial Attorney Chad M. Davis of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Criminal Division, Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section. The investigation is being conducted jointly by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Office of Inspector General, the United States Secret Service and the Small Business Administration Office of Inspector General.
Little Valley Man Arrested, Charged with Production of Child Pornography and CyberstalkingRead the Press Release
CONTACT: Barbara Burns
PHONE: (716) 843-5817
FAX #: (716) 551-3051BUFFALO, N.Y.- U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy, Jr. announced today that Dyllan Barber, 19, of Little Valley, NY, was arrested and charged by criminal complaint with production of child pornography and cyberstalking. The charges carry a minimum penalty of 15 years in prison, a maximum of 30 years, and a $250,000 fine.
Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey T. Fiut, who is handling the case, stated that according to the criminal complaint, in November 2019, Barber initiated a conversation with a minor female victim on the Snapchat social media application. Barber used his own Snapchat account during this conversation, but posed as a hacker who had gained control over the account. The defendant threatened the minor victim to produce and send to him sexually explicit images of herself or else he would publicly release information regarding the minor victim. In response to these threats, the minor victim produced and sent images of herself to Barber as requested.
Barber made an initial appearance today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jeremiah J. McCarthy and was released on conditions.
The criminal complaint is the result of an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Kevin Kelly, and the Cattaraugus County Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Timothy S. Whitcomb.
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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Leader of International Cocaine Trafficking Organization Sentenced to 15 YearsRead the Press Release
GREENVILLE, N.C. – A Mexican national was sentenced today to 180 months’ imprisonment for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine (Count One); and possession with intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine, and aiding and abetting (Count Two).
According to court documents and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Bernave Millan-Rascon, also known as “Berna,” 40 years old, was one of two leaders of an international cocaine trafficking organization based in Mexico. Millan-Rascon directed the shipment of multi-kilogram quantities of cocaine from Mexico into Texas, and then into other parts of the United States, including the Eastern District of North Carolina.
Agents conducted a wiretap investigation and seized 16 kilograms of cocaine, $173,100, and two firearms in Benson, North Carolina and Willow Spring, North Carolina. During the wiretap, agents recorded phone calls in which the Defendant directed the shipment of large amounts of cocaine into North Carolina. The Defendant was extradited from Colombia, South America for prosecution in the Eastern District of North Carolina.
Three co-conspirators have previously been convicted and sentenced: Carlos Miranda Lopez (120 months’ imprisonment); Francisco Javier Rascon-Millan (12 months and 1-day imprisonment); and Malcolm Jamar Hird (120 months’ imprisonment).
Robert J. Higdon, Jr., U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, made the announcement after Chief United States District Judge Terrence W. Boyle sentenced Millan-Rascon. The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Wilson Police Department, the Raleigh Police Department, the Rocky Mount Police Department, the Nash County Sheriff’s Office, and the Wayne County Sheriff’s Office assisted in this investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Scott A. Lemmon prosecuted the case.
Related court documents and information are located on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:18-CR-425-BO-1.
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The year 2020 marks the 150th anniversary of the Department of Justice. Learn more about the history of our agency at www.Justice.gov/Celebrating150Years.
Leader of Townsend Street Drug Trafficking Organization Going to Prison for 8 1/2 YearsRead the Press Release
CONTACT: Barbara Burns
PHONE: (716) 843-5817
FAX #: (716) 551-3051BUFFALO, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy, Jr. announced today that Lamario Mills, a/k/a Rio, 32, of Buffalo, NY, who was convicted of possessing with intent to distribute, and distributing, 500 grams or more of cocaine, was sentenced to serve 103 months in prison by U.S. District Judge Richard J. Arcara.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jeremiah E. Lenihan and Joshua A. Violanti, who handled the case, stated that in August 2018, investigators began looking into the drug trafficking activities of the defendant and multiple co-defendants, which were focused in the area of 67 Townsend and 76 Townsend Street in Buffalo. Between August 2018 and June 18, 2019, Mills and his co-defendants sold cocaine and crack cocaine in that area. Investigators conducted a total of 27 controlled purchases of crack cocaine and 12 purchases of cocaine.
Mills was an organizer in the drug trafficking organization, responsible for supplying members on a near-daily basis with crack cocaine, which they in turn sold on behalf of the organization. On June 18, 2019, investigators executed a search warrant at the defendant's Delaware Avenue residence, and seized a quantity of cocaine and marijuana, and utensils used to cook the cocaine into crack cocaine, such a pan, spatula, tongs, and plates. They also seized $35,562.00 in cash.
Mills was arrested in June 2019 along with nine other defendants, he is the third to be convicted.
The sentencing is the result of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Ray Donovan, New York Field Division; Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Kevin Kelly; the New York State Police, under the direction of Major James Hall; the Buffalo Police Department, under the direction of Commissioner Byron Lockwood; the Erie County District Attorney’s Office, under the direction of District Attorney John Flynn; and the Erie County Crime Analysis Center.
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La Crosse Man Sentenced to 11 Years for Distributing MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. - Scott C. Blader, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that James Vinson, 33, La Crosse, Wisconsin, pleaded guilty and was sentenced today by Chief U.S. District Judge James D. Peterson to 11 years in federal prison for distributing 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. This prison term will be followed by 6 years of supervised release.
On December 5, 2019, officers with the West Central Metropolitan Enforcement Group arrested Vinson after he sold 111 grams of pure methamphetamine to a confidential informant in La Crosse. At the time, Vinson was already on state supervision for a prior methamphetamine trafficking conviction.
The charge against Vinson was the result of an investigation conducted by the West Central Metropolitan Enforcement Group, La Crosse County Sheriff’s Office, La Crosse and Onalaska Police Departments, and the Drug Enforcement Administration. The prosecution of the case has been handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven P. Anderson.
Kansas Man Indicted with Hate Crime for Racially-Motivated Threat of a Minor and for Unlawfully Possessing a FirearmRead the Press Release
The Justice Department announced that a federal grand jury in Kansas City, Kansas, returned an indictment charging Colton Donner, 25, with threatening an African-American male juvenile, because of the victim’s race and because the victim was living in a home in Paola, Kansas, in violation of Title 42, U.S. Code, Section 3631.
For a separate incident, Donner was charged with unlawfully possessing a firearm while being a convicted felon, in violation of Title 18, U.S. Code, Section 922(g)(1) and 924(a)(2).
The indictment alleges that Donner shouted racial slurs and brandished a knife, a dangerous weapon, at the victim in Paola, Kansas. The indictment further alleges that Donner, knowing he was a convicted felon, possessed .44 caliber revolver.
An indictment is merely an allegation, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. Donner faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for both the civil rights and firearm charges.
The case is being investigated by the Kansas City Field Office of the FBI. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Tristan Hunt of the United States Attorney’s Office and Trial Attorney Anita Channapati of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section.
Kansas Man Charged with Hate Crime for Racially Motivated ThreatRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, KAN. – The Justice Department announced today that a federal grand jury in Kansas City, Kansas, returned an indictment charging Colton Donner, 25, with threatening an African-American male juvenile, because of the victim’s race and because the victim was living in a home in Paola, Kansas, in violation of Title 42, U.S. Code, Section 3631.
For a separate incident, Donner was charged with unlawfully possessing a firearm while being a convicted felon, in violation of Title 18, U.S. Code, Section 922(g)(1) and 924(a)(2).
The indictment alleges that Donner shouted racial slurs and brandished a knife, a dangerous weapon, at the victim in Paola, Kansas. The indictment further alleges that Donner, knowing he was a convicted felon, possessed .44 caliber revolver.
“Our office will protect the federal rights of all people, regardless of race, to live peacefully in Paola or anywhere else in Kansas,” said U.S. Attorney Stephen McAllister. “Freedom of speech does not give anyone license to wield a weapon and threaten others because of race. Racial intimidation must have no place in America and cannot be tolerated or ignored.”
An indictment is merely an allegation, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. Donner faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for both the civil rights and firearm charges.
The Kansas City Field Office of the FBI investigated. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Tris Hunt of the United States Attorney’s Office in the District of Kansas and Trial Attorney Anita Channapati of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section.
Jury finds man guilty of attempted enticement of a minorRead the Press Release
HONOLULU, Hawaii – A federal jury today found Noel Macapagal, 47, of Kaneohe, Hawaii, guilty of attempted enticement of a minor in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 2422(b). The verdict followed a four-day jury trial before United States District Judge Leslie E. Kobayashi. Sentencing is scheduled for March 11, 2021.
According to the evidence presented during trial, in March 2019, an undercover law enforcement officer posing as the mother of three young girls, aged 6, 9, and 11, exchanged messages on-line with the defendant in connection with making her daughters available for sexual activities. The defendant was later arrested when he drove to meet them in person.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorney’s 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.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Marc A. Wallenstein and Morgan Early.
Judge sentences Warren County man for drug and firearm chargesRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS, MO – United States District Judge Stephen R. Clark sentenced Jeffery Lynn Canter to 70 months in prison today. The 41-year-old Warrenton, Missouri resident pleaded guilty today to possession of methamphetamine with the intent to distribute and being a felon in possession of a firearm.
On September 5, 2019, law enforcement executed a search warrant at a residence in the 600 block of Salisbury Street in Montgomery City. Canter was present at the residence when police found an AR-15 pistol with a 100-round magazine in the kitchen. Police also found Canter’s backpack, which contained nine plastic bags of methamphetamine, a 15-round magazine for the AR and a plastic container of 9mm ammunition. Police also found two baggies containing methamphetamine on the kitchen table, various drug paraphernalia in the kitchen and bedroom and a digital scale in the living room.
Canter admitted the 172 grams of methamphetamine, gun and contents of the backpack were his. Canter also acknowledged he intended to sell the methamphetamine and was a felon prior to September 5, 2019.
The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office, Montgomery City Police Department and the Missouri State Highway Patrol Drug Task Force investigated this case. Assistant United States Attorney Paul D’Agrosa is handling the case.
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