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Monday 9 November 2020
Three Men Face Federal Charges for Violent Twin Cities CarjackingsRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Erica H. MacDonald today announced federal carjacking charges against DELANEY NICHOLAS HARRIS, 19, JOSHOAMEI DEANGELO RICHARDSON, 19, and JAMES BROCK WILLIAMS, JR., 19. HARRIS was charged with aiding and abetting carjacking and, in a separate indictment, RICHARDSON and WILLIAMS were charged with aiding and abetting carjacking and firearms violations. The defendants made their initial appearances in U.S. District Court and have been ordered to remain in detention pending further proceedings.
United States Attorney Erica H. MacDonald stated, “This disturbing spike in carjackings throughout the Twin Cities has not gone unnoticed by federal law enforcement. This is unacceptable and we will not hesitate to hold accountable individuals who perpetrate this type of violence in our communities.”
According to the allegations in the indictment and documents filed with the court, on June 1, 2020, officers with the Minneapolis Police Department responded to a report of a carjacking in the downtown area. A witness told officers that two men, one later identified as HARRIS, the second a yet unidentified accomplice, approached a man who was exiting his vehicle, and threw him to the ground. One of the men displayed a gun, threatened to kill the victim, and demanded his car keys. The witness also told officers that HARRIS had been holding a red plastic cup just prior to the incident. Officers recovered the cup and later found that the fingerprints and DNA on the cup were a match for HARRIS.
According to the allegations in a separate indictment and documents filed in state court, on August 25, 2020, in St. Paul, Minnesota, RICHARDSON and WILLIAMS used force and violence, while brandishing a firearm, to steal a 2012 Dodge Charger. WILLIAMS allegedly brandished a firearm, demanded the keys, and threatened the driver of the Dodge Charger as he exited his vehicle. RICHARDSON and WILLIAMS then fled the scene in the Charger.
These cases are the result of investigations conducted by the FBI, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Minneapolis Police Department, and the Saint Paul Police Department.
Assistant United States Attorney David P. Steinkamp is prosecuting the HARRIS case. Assistant United States Attorney Benjamin Bejar is prosecuting the RICHARDSON and WILLIAMS case.
The charges contained in the indictments are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Defendant Information:
DELANEY NICHOLAS HARRIS, 19
Chicago, Ill.
Charges:
- Aiding and abetting carjacking, 1 count
JOSHOAMEI DEANGELO RICHARDSON, a/k/a “Yoshi,” 19
St. Paul, Minn.
Charges:
- Aiding and abetting carjacking, 1 count
- Aiding and abetting using, carrying, and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence, 1 count
JAMES BROCK WILLIAMS, JR., 19
St. Paul, Minn.
Charges:
- Aiding and abetting carjacking, 1 count
- Aiding and abetting using, carrying, and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence, 1 count
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United States Attorney’s Office, District of Minnesota: (612) 664-5600
Three Defendants Plead Guilty in $300 Million Nationwide Telemarketing Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Erica H. MacDonald today announced the guilty pleas of TERRY LYNN CHRISTENSEN, 73, TODD ALLEN HUGHES, 47, and JESSICA MARIE PRINCE, 40, for their roles in a $300 million telemarketing fraud scheme. The defendants were indicted on October 27, 2020, and entered their guilty pleas before Chief Judge John R. Tunheim in U.S. District Court in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
According to his guilty plea and documents filed with the court, CHRISTENSEN worked as a call center manager for several fraudulent magazine companies including MO Management LLC, Preferred Media Source Inc., Preferred Media Solutions, American Readers Service, Atlantic Media Source, North American Direct Service, Inc., and North America’s Readers Choice. These companies had telemarketing call centers in Fort Lauderdale and Cape Coral, Florida. These companies were owned by MICHAEL OELRICH, who pleaded guilty to mail fraud on July 2, 2020, and were operated on behalf of co-defendant RUSSELL RAHM. In his role, CHRISTENSEN trained telemarketers to use deceptive sales scripts designed to defraud victim-consumers—many of whom were elderly or otherwise vulnerable—by tricking them into signing up for expensive magazine subscription packages. Between June 2009 and 2020, the fraudulent magazine companies defrauded victims out of approximately $98,788,421. As part of his guilty plea, CHRISTENSEN agreed to pay $100,000 in restitution to victims of his fraud conspiracy.
According to his guilty plea and documents filed with the court, HUGHES worked from his home in Holstein, Iowa, as a telemarketer for a company called The Magazine Deal. At the direction of the company and its owners, HUGHES used fraudulent sales scripts to defraud elderly victim-consumers out of hundreds or even thousands of dollars. Among other misrepresentations he made, HUGHES would falsely claim that a victim-consumer owed a large debt for an existing magazine subscription and fraudulently offered to pay off the balance in exchange for a single lump sum payment. In reality, HUGHES was simply defrauding victims out of thousands of dollars. As part of his guilty plea, HUGHES agreed to pay $50,000 in restitution to all identified victims in this and related cases.
According to her guilty plea and documents filed with the court, PRINCE worked as a call center manager for Readers Club of America (“RCA”), a Missouri-based company involved in fraudulent magazine sales. RCA employed a similar fraud scheme that also targeted victim-consumers who were elderly or otherwise vulnerable. RCA telemarketers used deceptive sales scripts and, through a series of knowing and deliberate lies and misrepresentations, signed up elderly and vulnerable individuals for expensive magazine subscriptions. Between 2014 and 2020, RCA collected $4,070,549.01 from victims as a result of this fraudulent scheme. As part of her guilty plea, PRINCE agreed to pay $4,070,549.01 in restitution to all identified victims in this and related cases.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the United States Postal Inspection Service and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Additional assistance was provided by the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA) and the Minnesota Attorney General’s Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joseph H. Thompson, Harry M. Jacobs, and Melinda A. Williams are prosecuting the case.
Defendant Information:
TERRY LYNN CHRISTENSEN, 73
Fort Myers, Fla.
Convicted:
- Conspiracy to commit mail fraud, 1 count
TODD ALLEN HUGHES, 47
Holstein, Iowa
Convicted:
- Conspiracy to commit wire fraud, 1 count
JESSICA MARIE PRINCE, 40
Thayer, Mo.
Convicted:
- Conspiracy to commit mail fraud, 1 count
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United States Attorney’s Office, District of Minnesota: (612) 664-5600
Telemarketing Fraudster Sentenced; Second Awaits SentencingRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE – An Indian national has been sentenced to 33 months in federal prison for his participation in a scheme to steal from the bank accounts of elderly victims across the United States using their online-banking usernames and passwords, which had previously been taken from their computers.
Chirag Sachdeva, 30, admitted to the court that as a participant in a technical support telemarketing fraud scheme that targeted elderly individuals in the United States he had access to personal information that had been surreptitiously taken from victims’ computers and that that information included both personal identification information, such as social security numbers, and means of electronically accessing the victims bank accounts. Sachdeva further admitted, and the FBI’s information confirmed, that he sought to use the banking information of seven of those victims in hopes of stealing approximately $600,000 from their bank accounts. These victims had already lost approximately $4,442 to the telemarketing fraud scheme.
Sachdeva also admitted to enlisting the assistance of an acquaintance in Rhode Island to assist in the theft effort. Sachdeva provided that acquaintance information sufficient to obtain online access to the victims’ accounts as well as personal information about the victims, all of whom were over the age of 65. Sachdeva anticipated that the acquaintance would access the victims accounts and direct money from their accounts to accounts under the control of the acquaintance. Sachdeva expected to receive half of the stolen money.
Unbeknownst to Sachdeva, his acquaintance in Rhode Island was assisting the FBI in an investigation into telemarking fraud scheme. Sachedva was arrested by FBI agents on February 16, 2020, as he deplaned in Boston from a flight from India.
Sachdeva, having pled guilty to seven counts of wire fraud, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Chief Judge John J. McConnell, Jr., to 33 months in federal prison to be followed by 3 years of supervised release. He was ordered to pay $4,442 in restitution to victims of the schemes.
A second Indian national, Manish Kumar, 32, arrested by the FBI for his participation in three related fraud schemes: two telemarketing schemes, technical support fraud and refund fraud, and credit card fraud. Kumar, who is awaiting sentencing, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud, four counts of wire fraud, and two counts of aggravated identity theft.
Kumar admitted that he directed telephone calls to call centers in India as part of a scheme to mislead callers into believing that their computers were infected by malware and that they needed to buy computer protection services from the call center operators. Kumar also admitted to participation in the later part of this scheme as well by providing accounts where additional money taken from the victims could be wired. Those who had fallen prey to the first part of the scheme were told that they were entitled to refunds, were told that they had accidentally been sent more than they were due, and were asked to return the excess money. Because no money had in fact been sent to the victims, those who were convinced to return the “excess” money were in fact sending their own money. Additionally, Kumar admitted that he schemed to place false charges on credit cards.
Kumar, who was arrested by FBI agents on August 24, 2019, as he deplaned in New York City from a flight from India, is scheduled to be sentenced on January 20,2021.
The cases are being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Milind M. Shah.
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South Jersey Doctor Charged in Health Care Fraud Billing SchemeRead the Press Release
CAMDEN, N.J. – A South Jersey doctor was charged in connection with his role in a longstanding billing fraud scheme, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito announced today.
Morris Antebi, 68, of Long Branch, New Jersey, is charged by complaint with three counts of health care fraud, wire fraud, and mail fraud for his role in the scheme. Antebi is scheduled to appear today by videoconference before U.S. Magistrate Judge Joel Schneider.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
Antebi, a physician specializing in pain management and anesthesia, owned and operated a pain management clinic chain with locations throughout South Jersey. Antebi was a participating provider in Medicare, Medicaid, and several private insurance plans. Between approximately 2014 through 2020, Antebi billed over $24.6 million for services he purportedly provided, including billing more than $15.3 million to Medicaid and more than $8 million to Medicare.
The investigation showed that Antebi engaged in various forms of billing fraud. For example, Antebi frequently billed Medicare, Medicaid, and private insurance companies on dates when travel records show he was overseas, including on trips to China, Israel, Turkey, the Dominican Republic, and across Europe, or when he was otherwise outside the State of New Jersey. Antebi billed approximately $230,700 to Medicaid, Medicare, and private insurance plans between November 2015 and January 2020 for services he purportedly rendered while he was traveling and not in the office.
The investigation also showed that Antebi billed for excessive billings for one-day periods of time. For example, Antebi billed insurance plans for more than 24 hours’ worth of services in a one-day period of time on more than 900 occasions between 2014 and 2020. Antebi also billed insurance companies for between 12 and 23.99 hours of purported services in a one-day period of time on more than 300 occasions. On certain occasions, law enforcement surveilled Antebi on days when he left the clinics early, but nevertheless billed as though he saw many patients on those days.
Despite these high billings, individuals interviewed during the investigation stated that Antebi commonly saw them for only very brief periods of time, and he often did not perform any medical exams or evaluations during their visits. Individuals also indicated that that there sometimes was no medical equipment or examination tables in the rooms at the clinics in which patients met with providers, and that patients sometimes met with providers on folding chairs in the hallway of the clinics.
The health care fraud count carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine, or twice the gross gain or loss from the offense. The wire fraud and mail fraud counts each carry a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine, or twice the gross gain or loss from the offense.
U.S. Attorney Carpenito credited agents of the FBI’s Atlantic City Resident Agency Health Care Fraud Task Force, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge George M. Crouch Jr. in Newark; the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services – Office of Inspector General, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Scott J. Lampert, the U.S. Department of Labor – Office of Inspector General, New York Region, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Michael C. Mikulka, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Susan A. Gibson in Newark, and IRS-Criminal Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Michael Montanez in Newark with the investigation leading to the criminal complaint. U.S. Attorney Carpenito also thanked agents of FBI’s Headquarters Health Care Fraud Unit Data Analysis Response Team under the direction of Special Agent Greg Heeb in Washington, D.C. and officers of the Northfield Police Department for their assistance with the case.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christina O. Hud and Daniel A. Friedman of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Camden.
The charges and allegations contained in the complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Defense counsel: TBD
Slidell Man Indicted for Social Security FraudRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS – U.S. Attorney Peter G. Strasser announced that MICHAEL R. MATHERNE (“MATHERNE”), age 60, of Slidell, Louisiana was charged by a grand jury on November 6, 2020, in a 1-count Indictment for Theft of Federal Funds.
According to the Indictment, the Social Security Administration (“SSA”), an agency or department of the United States of America, operated the Retirement Survivor Insurance Benefit program (“RSI Program”). The purpose of the RSI Program is to provide benefits to certain persons, including widows and widowers, in their retirement.
On or around January 1993, M.F. applied for and began receiving RSI Program benefits. The SSA sent the benefits to M.F. at her address in Slidell, Louisiana in the form of a paper check, which she regularly deposited into her Whitney bank account, ending in 5817.
On or about September 24, 2006, M.F. and MATHERNE were married. In or around July 2012, MATHERNE created a joint Whitney bank account ending in 5817. On about November 3, 2012, M.F. died. MATHERNE never advised the SSA of M.F.’s death.
From December 2012 through March 2019, SSA continued sending checks to M.F., at her home address in Slidell, Louisiana, and MATHERNE continued depositing the checks into the Whitney bank account, ending in 5817. From December 2012 through March 2019, MATHERNE received monthly SSA benefits totaling approximately $75,838, which he deposited into the Whitney bank account, ending in 5817, and used for his living expenses.
If convicted, MATHERNE faces a maximum of 10 years imprisonment, a fine of not more than $250,000, supervised release of at least 3 years, and a special assessment of $100 as to each count.
The case was investigated by the Social Security Administration, Office of Inspector General. 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.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Sharan E. Lieberman.
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Schertz Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Pointing Laser at San Antonio Police HelicopterRead the Press Release
In San Antonio today, a federal judge sentenced 39-year-old Justin John Shorey of Schertz, TX, to 51 months in federal prison after he pleaded guilty to aiming a laser pointer at a San Antonio Police Department helicopter, announced U.S. Attorney Gregg N. Sofer, FBI Special Agent in Charge Christopher Combs, San Antonio Division, and San Antonio Police Chief William McManus.
In addition to the prison term, U.S. District Judge David A. Ezra ordered that Shorey be placed on supervised release for a period of three years after completing his prison term.
“Pointing lasers at law enforcement is extremely dangerous and can cause serious injury. This is particularly true when the pilots of an aircraft are involved,” stated U.S. Attorney Sofer. “Today’s 51-month prison sentence demonstrates the seriousness of this offense. We will aggressively prosecute anyone who purposely points a laser at an aircraft, endangering both people in the air and those in our communities on the ground.”
On November 20, 2019, Shorey pleaded guilty to aiming a laser pointer at an aircraft. According to the factual basis filed in this case, on February 17, 2019, Shorey knowingly aimed the beam of a laser pointer at an aircraft in flight. The San Antonio Police Department helicopter was flying just north of Highway 90 West, assisting in the search of a shooting suspect. When the laser beam made contact with the helicopter, it hit the pilot in the eyes affecting his ability to see and read his gauges.
At the time, the helicopter was flying in the path of the San Antonio International Airport, and Shorey’s actions endangered both civilian flights and the public on the ground. The pilot and his tactical officer onboard began a search for the laser suspect. Shorey admitted to aiming the laser at the aircraft once as it approached his location in the 2100 block of Hays Street in San Antonio and twice as it circled above him.
The pilot managed to land safely at the San Antonio International Airport. The injury to the pilot’s eyes caused by the defendant’s actions resulted in the pilot being unable to fly for a week.
“When aimed at an aircraft, the powerful beam of light from a hand-held laser can travel more than a mile and illuminate a cockpit, disorienting and temporarily blinding pilots. Lasing an aircraft represents a significant public safety threat, which endangers pilots, aircrew, passengers, and individuals on the ground, should an aircraft crash or require an emergency landing,” stated FBI Special Agent in Charge Combs. “This case should serve as a warning to others who engage in this dangerous criminal activity.”
“Actions such as lasering law enforcement helicopters are dangerous for the pilots assisting officers on the ground. I was glad to hear that the Department of Justice does not tolerate this behavior and held Mr. Shorey accountable for his actions,” stated San Antonio Police Chief McManus.
If you have information about a lasing incident, contact the San Antonio FBI at 210-225-6741. If you see someone pointing a laser at an aircraft, call the nearest local law enforcement agency immediately by dialing 911. Tips can also be submitted online at https://tips.fbi.gov.
The FBI and San Antonio Police Department conducted this investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Mark Roomberg and William R. Harris prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
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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.
Rochester Man Going to Prison for More Than 21 Years for His Role in Drug Trafficking Organization: Shot at Both Law Enforcers and Rival Gang MembersRead the Press Release
CONTACT: Barbara Burns
PHONE: (716) 843-5817
FAX #: (716) 551-3051ROCHESTER, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy, Jr. announced today that Obed Torres Garcia, 23, of Rochester, NY, who was convicted of conspiring to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine and one kilogram or more of heroin, and using, carrying and discharging firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime, was sentenced to serve 255 months in prison by Chief U.S. District Judge Frank P. Geraci, Jr.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Robert A. Marangola, Cassie M. Kocher, and Katelyn M. Hartford, who handled the case, stated that between 2015 and January 29, 2018, the defendant was part of a drug trafficking organization led by Carlos Javier Figueroa, which was responsible for the transportation and sale of cocaine and heroin, and for acts of violence in furtherance of the organization’s drug trade, including an exchange of gunshots with members of the Greater Rochester Area Narcotics Enforcement Taskforce (G.R.A.N.E.T.). Various locations throughout Rochester were utilized to receive, store, and sell the supply of illegal narcotics, which were shipped from Puerto Rico.
As an active member of the Figueroa drug trafficking organization, Garcia, among other things, packaged cocaine and heroin for distribution, and personally distributed significant quantities of cocaine and heroin. Also, in furtherance of the conspiracy, the defendant and other members of the organization used and maintained a residence at 820 East Main Street in Rochester, for the purpose of packaging, storing, and distributing quantities of cocaine and heroin. Between December 2017 and January 29, 2018, Garcia lived in the apartment, which Figueroa paid for in exchange for the defendant’s work for the organization.
On January 29, 2018, at 6 Burbank Street in Rochester, Garcia discharged a handgun in the direction of G.R.A.N.E.T. officers who were attempting to execute a search warrant at that location. Officers, who the defendant admits were justified in their use of force, exchanged fire and Garcia suffered a traumatic brain injury from a gunshot wound. As a result of the traumatic brain injury, the defendant has no memory of the events that day, but after reviewing the evidence collected as part of the government’s investigation, Garcia admitted his involvement in it. In addition to admitting his role in these police involved shooting, defendant also admitted that in December 2016, while distributing heroin in the vicinity of the Valero gas station located near the intersection of Clinton Avenue and Hoeltzer Street in Rochester, he shot a 9 mm handgun at rival drug dealers.
The sentencing is the result of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Violent Crime Task Force, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge John B. Devito, New York Field Division; the Rochester Police Department, under the direction of Chief Cynthia Herriott-Sullivan; the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Sheriff Todd Baxter; the Monroe County District Attorney’s Office, under the direction of District Attorney Sandra Doorley; the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Buffalo Division, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Stephen Belongia; the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Ray Donovan, New York Field Division; the Greece Police Department, under the direction of Chief Patrick Phelan; the Brighton Police Department, under the direction of Chief David Catholdi; and U.S. Border Patrol, under the direction of Patrol Agent-in-Charge Eduardo Payan.
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Repeat Offender Sentenced for Crack Cocaine DistributionRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Joe Kelly announced Senior United States District Court Judge Joseph F. Bataillon sentenced Alex Kellum today to 120 months in federal prison for distributing crack cocaine. His sentence was enhanced due to his previous serious drug felony conviction. There is no parole in the federal prison system. Kellum, age 39, of Omaha, Nebraska, will serve an eight-year term of supervised release following his release from the Bureau of Prisons.
A confidential informant (CI) working with FBI’s Safe Streets Task Force made multiple controlled buys from Kellum, a crack dealer in the Omaha area. Between September 6, 2017 and April 27, 2018, a CI made 12 buys of narcotics from Kellum resulting in the seizure of 600.3 grams of crack cocaine and 27.9 grams of powder cocaine.
On December 11, 2019, Kellum proceeded to a bench trial and was found guilty of three counts of crack cocaine distribution. Kellum has a previous serious drug felony conviction from 2003 when he was sentenced to 70 months’ incarceration for possession with the intent to distribute more than 5 grams of crack cocaine in the District of Nebraska.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Omaha Police Department.
Project Safe Neighborhoods Grant AnnouncementRead the Press Release
SHREVEPORT / LAFAYETTE / ALEXANDRIA / LAKE CHARLES / MONROE, La. – Acting United States Attorney Alexander C. Van Hook and the Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Task Force announced the availability of approximately $154,931 in PSN grant funds for the Western District of Louisiana. The Department of Justice, the Office of Justice Programs and the Bureau of Justice Assistance is seeking applications for funding of a grant under the Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program. At least 30% ($41,831) of the grant funds must be designated for grants under the PSN Program to fund new and/or current gang violence reduction strategies in the Western District. In addition, approximately $97,607 can be designated to fund both new and/or current comprehensive gun crime and gang violence reduction strategies within the Western District.
PSN furthers the Department of Justice=s mission to reduce violent crime by providing support to state, local and tribal efforts to create safer neighborhoods through a sustained reduction in violent crime and gang violence committed with firearms utilizing prevention, enforcement and intervention methods.
Various types of single or multi‑grantee grant proposals are welcome including those that address the following:
- Gang violence and gun violence reduction, deterrence, prevention, community outreach and education;
- Enforcement, adjudication and supervision programs;
- Prisoner re-entry programs; or
- Other innovative related projects.
Grant proposals must be submitted to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, ATTN: PSN Grant Competition, 800 Lafayette Street, Suite 2200, Lafayette, LA 70501, no later than 5 p.m., Monday, November 16, 2020.
The FY 2020 PSN Grant Announcement, OMB No. 1121-0329 can be found on the Western District of Louisiana U.S. Attorney’s Office website at: www.justice.gov/usao-wdla. More information about the program can be located at www.psn.gov or www.bja.gov/programs/psn.
Interested applicants may also contact Assistant U.S. Attorney and PSN Coordinator Jamilla A. Bynog at (337) 262-6618 for additional information.
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Pittsburgh Man Involved in Supplying Drug Gang Sentenced to Nearly 5 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, PA - A former resident of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, was sentenced in federal court to 57 months of imprisonment and 3 years of supervised release on his conviction of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute heroin and fentanyl, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced today.
United States District Judge William S. Stickman, IV imposed sentence on Rico Taylor, 35.
According to information presented to the Court, in 2017, the Greater Pittsburgh Safe Streets Task Force initiated an investigation primarily targeting the Darccide/Smash 44, or DS44, neighborhood gang, and drug-trafficking activity in and around the South Side area of Pittsburgh. As part of this large-scale narcotics and firearms investigation, in February of 2019, the United States received authorization to conduct a federal wire investigation, which continued through June of 2019.
Intercepted communications revealed that Mr. Taylor was involved in the distribution of heroin and fentanyl. Specifically, Mr. Taylor served as a source of supply of heroin and fentanyl for Christopher Highsmith, who is among the most culpable co-defendants. As a condition of his guilty plea on April 29, 2020, Mr. Rico accepted responsibility for possessing with the intent to distribute 39 grams of a mixture containing heroin and fentanyl.
Assistant United States Attorneys Carolyn Bloch and Brendan J. McKenna prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation led the multi-agency investigation of this case, which also included the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives, Allegheny County Adult Probation, Allegheny County Police Department, Allegheny County Sheriff’s Office, Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office Bureau of Narcotics, Pittsburgh Bureau of Police, and the Wilkinsburg Police Department. Other assisting agencies include the Green Tree Police Department, New York City Police Department, Mount Oliver Police Department, Pennsylvania State Police, Yonkers Police Department, United States Marshals Fugitive Task Force, and the United States Postal Inspection Service.
This case is part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force program, known as OCDETF. OCDETF was established in 1982 to support comprehensive investigations and prosecutions of major drug trafficking and money laundering organizations. It is the keystone of the drug reduction strategy of the Department of Justice. By combining the resources and expertise of federal agencies and their state and local law enforcement partners, OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the most serious drug trafficking, money laundering, and transnational criminal organizations.
Pittsburgh Felon Illegally Possessed a Loaded Handgun on Two OccasionsRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, PA – A resident of Pittsburgh pleaded guilty in federal court on charges related to federal firearms laws, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced today.
Clayton Sowell, 27, pleaded guilty to two counts of possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon, before United States District Judge Jagan N. Ranjan.
In connection with the guilty plea, the court was advised that in the early evening of December 19, 2019, Pittsburgh Police conducted a traffic stop of a vehicle driven by Clayton Sowell. During the traffic stop, officers recovered a loaded handgun containing 17 rounds of ammunition in the driver’s side door.
The court was further advised that in the late morning of April 28, 2020, an officer of the Penn Hills Police Department conducted a separate traffic stop of a vehicle driven by Mr. Sowell. During the traffic stop, law enforcement recovered a loaded handgun containing 18 rounds of ammunition in Mr. Sowell’s front waistband.
Finally, the Court was advised that Mr. Sowell has two prior felony convictions. On May 21, 2012, Mr. Sowell pled guilty to Fleeing or Attempting to Elude Officer in the Court of Common Pleas, County of Allegheny, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. On June 20, 2016, Mr. Sowell pled guilty to Firearms Not to be Carried Without a License in the Court of Common Pleas, County of Allegheny, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
Judge Ranjan scheduled sentencing for March 4, 2021, at 10:00 am. The law provides for a total sentence of not more than ten years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant. Mr. Sowell remains detained pending sentencing.
Assistant United States Attorney Brendan J. McKenna is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Pittsburgh Bureau of Police and Penn Hills Police Department conducted the investigation in this case.
Pennsylvania Man Pleads Guilty to Meth ChargeRead 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 Jerry J. Roneker, Jr., 43, of Correy, PA, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Lawrence J. Vilardo to possessing with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. The charge carries a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years in prison, a maximum of life, and a $10,000,000 fine.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Misha A. Coulson, who is handling the case, stated that on March 9, 2019, while on routine patrol in the Town of Chautauqua, Chautauqua County Sheriff’s Deputies observed the defendant’s vehicle, bearing Pennsylvania license plates, cross the center line of the road. After conducting a traffic stop, deputies observed a smoking pipe in the front of the vehicle. Deputies asked Roneker and a passenger to exit the vehicle at which time they noticed two large chunks of suspected methamphetamine. During a pat down of the defendant, deputies located a loaded 9mm handgun. In addition, deputies recovered $10,210 in U.S. currency, suspected ecstasy pills, packaging materials, a digital scale, drug paraphernalia, Xanax pills, MDMA pills, Suboxone strips, and two hypodermic needles, from the vehicle.
The plea is the result of an investigation by the Chautauqua County Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Sheriff James Quattrone, and the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Ray Donovan, New York Field Division.
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Omaha Man Sentenced for Aggravated Identity TheftRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Joe Kelly announced that Thomas Povondra, 54, of Omaha, Nebraska, was sentenced today in Omaha by Senior United States District Judge Joseph F. Bataillon to 42 months’ imprisonment for Sale of a Card Purporting to be a Social Security Card and Aggravated Identity Theft. There is no parole in the federal system. After his release, Povondra will serve a three-year term of supervised release.
From on or about October 11, 2019, to December 17, 2019, Povondra and co-defendant, Sheila Likness, engaged in a scheme to provide a police officer working in an undercover capacity with personal identification documents with the name and personal identifying information that had been obtained off the dark web.
On October 11, 2019, Povondra drove Likness to meet with the undercover officer at a Starbucks location. During that October 11, 2019 meeting, Likness informed the undercover officer that she could and would sell him identification documents such as a fake driver’s license, social security card, birth certificate, passport and secondary forms of identification such as a YMCA card for $4,000. Likness stated that she obtains the identification information off of the dark web and that it would be able to pass a check from law enforcement if the undercover officer came into contact with law enforcement.
Likness met with the undercover officer on October 31, November 5, and November 11, 2019. During these meetings, while engaging in narcotics activity, Likness would discuss the progress on the identification documents that were promised. At the November 5, 2019 meeting, Likness received $1,750 as a down payment for the documents. On November 21, 2019, Likness sent the undercover officer a picture message of passport in the name of Victim 1 with Victim 1’s date of birth.
On December 3, 2019, Povondra met with the undercover officer in the area of 153rd and Q Streets in Omaha. Povondra gave the undercover officer a blue plastic folder, which had documents purporting to be a Social Security Card, a birth certificate, a high school diploma, and high school transcripts in the name of Victim 1 with Victim 1’s personal identifying information such as date of birth and Social Security Number. Povondra discussed the progress of the passport with the undercover officer and the status of its production. Povondra also received an additional $100 from the undercover officer for the delivery of the documents.
On December 17, 2019, a search warrant was executed at the residence shared by Likness and Povondra in Omaha. Numerous computers, a credit card scanner, blank ID and credit cards, laminate material, blank checks, and papers with the identifying information of other individuals were located. Following the December 17 search warrant, Povondra provided a laptop belonging to Likness to a third-party that had not been found by law enforcement during the search warrant. Povondra told the third-party to place the contents of the laptop on the external hard drive and then destroy the laptop.
Likness’s case is still pending and is set for trial on December 8, 2020. The fact that Likness has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and she is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Omaha Police Department, the Social Security Administration-Office of the Inspector General, and the United States Department of State.
Oklahoma man charged with cyberstalking of Savannah residentRead the Press Release
SAVANNAH, GA: An Oklahoma man is in custody after being charged with stalking a former acquaintance who moved to Savannah for safety.
Brannon Jeffries, 34, of Tulsa, Okla., has been charged with one count of Cyberstalking after his indictment by a U.S. District Court grand jury, said Bobby L. Christine, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. The charge carries a penalty of up to five years in prison and substantial financial penalties upon conviction, and there is no parole in the federal system.
“The near-infinite reach of the internet has opened vast avenues for legitimate commerce and communication,” said U.S. Attorney Christine. “But we will pursue anyone who uses those tools to stalk and harass innocent victims.”
According to court documents, the victim, then a Kansas resident, entered a romantic relationship with Jeffries in November 2018 after connecting with him online. She later terminated the relationship. Following the break-up, the complaint alleges, Jeffries created social media pages and websites in her likeness, posted intimate photos to them, and attempted to contact the victim and her family from the imposter accounts. Additionally, Jeffries used the United States mail to harass and intimidate the victim.
Based on a criminal complaint preceding the indictment, Jeffries was taken into custody by U.S. Marshals and is awaiting further court proceedings.
“It is alleged that this defendant tried to hide in the shadows of the internet to harass and create immense trauma and pain to the victim and her family,” said Chris Hacker, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. “By prosecuting this abhorrent behavior, the FBI and U.S. Attorney are hoping to bring some semblance of peace to those victims.”
Anyone with knowledge of any incidents or cases that might be related to this investigation is asked to email the Savannah FBI Office at [email protected].
Indictments and criminal complaints contain only charges; defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
The case is being investigated by the FBI, and prosecuted for the United States by Assistant U.S. Attorney Frank Pennington.
Notice to Potential Victims Regarding Microcap Securities Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
BOSTON – Roger Knox, the founder and operator of a Swiss asset management firm, and Richard Targett-Adams, who assisted in the firm’s operation, participated in a massive global securities fraud scheme that the government believes generated up to approximately $165 million in fraudulent stock sale proceeds. Individuals who believe they may be potential victims are encouraged to notify the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the District of Massachusetts.
The defendants were previously charged in federal court in Boston. Knox pleaded guilty to securities fraud and conspiracy to commit securities fraud in January 2020, and he is currently scheduled to be sentenced on Jan. 28, 2021. Targett-Adams pleaded guilty to securities fraud, conspiracy to commit securities fraud and money laundering in June 2019, and he is currently scheduled to be sentenced on April 2, 2021.
Knox and Targett-Adams participated in a conspiracy to commit securities fraud in which ownership and control of dozens of publicly traded companies was disguised so that, among other things, criminal control groups could engage in pump-and-dump schemes and other forms of market manipulation in the companies’ microcap securities. These microcap securities, also known as “penny stocks,” primarily traded on the over-the-counter market.
Individuals who traded in one or more of the securities listed here during the time period indicated, and believe that they may be potential victims of this fraud, should contact the U.S. Attorney’s Office at [email protected]. In the email, please indicate the security traded and the transaction details for the trade(s): date(s), number of shares, price, whether it was bought or sold, and an assessment of gains or losses. Please also indicate whether there is supporting documentation, and a victim assistance specialist will assist you in transferring it in a secure manner.
Email submissions are due by Nov. 30, 2020. For more information, visit the U.S. Attorney’s Office website.
New York City Police Department Officer and Four Others Arrested for Conspiracy to Import and Distribute CocaineRead the Press Release
An indictment was unsealed today in federal court in Brooklyn charging Amaury Abreu, an NYPD Police Officer, and two co-defendants, Julio Bautista and Gustavo Valerio, with conspiring to import and distribute cocaine. Between at least January 2016 and October 2020, Abreu, Bautista and Valerio were allegedly members of a multinational drug trafficking organization (DTO) with distributors in the New York-metropolitan area and the Dominican Republic. The indictment also charges Bautista and a fourth defendant, Cesar Diaz-Bautista, with possession with the intent to distribute cocaine. A fifth defendant, Junior Ortiz, is charged in a complaint with cocaine importation conspiracy. Abreu, Julio Bautista, Cesar Diaz-Bautista, Valerio and Ortiz were arrested this morning and are scheduled to be arraigned this afternoon before United States Magistrate Judge Sanket J. Bulsara.
Seth D. DuCharme, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, Peter C. Fitzhugh, Special Agent-in-Charge, Homeland Security Investigations, New York (HSI), William F. Sweeney, Jr., Assistant Director-in-Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI), Madeline Singas, Nassau County District Attorney, and Dermot F. Shea, Commissioner, New York City Police Department (NYPD), announced the arrests and charges.
“As alleged, Police Officer Abreu conspired with drug traffickers who distributed large quantities of cocaine in the Eastern District of New York. By joining forces with his co-conspirators, Abreu has allegedly committed serious crimes, disgraced his NYPD badge and betrayed the public trust as well as fellow members of law enforcement who put their lives on the line to interdict drugs that endanger our communities,” stated Acting United States Attorney DuCharme. Mr. DuCharme thanked the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, New York Field Division, HSI Office of Inspector General, the New York City Police Department’s Internal Affair Bureau and the Office of the Special Narcotics Prosecutor for the City of New York for their assistance with the investigation.
"Abreu is a sworn law enforcement officer who abused his badge and brought shame to his brothers and sisters in blue with his alleged involvement in a drug trafficking organization. There is no such thing as being above the law and we will stop anyone who exploits their position in public trust to conduct illicit acts. Dismantling this dangerous criminal organization is critical to protecting the homeland and our communities and HSI, working with its law enforcement partners, remains committed to making sure that Abreu, along with his co-conspirators, will face the consequences of their actions,” stated HSI Special Agent-in-Charge Fitzhugh.
“Officer Abreu and his co-conspirators served as a direct pipeline for the importation and distribution of cocaine in our city, as we allege today. While Abreu’s principal role in the DTO was more behind the scenes than out on the street, his double-dealing method of providing information and guidance to those who were on the front line of the illegal enterprise put the lives and safety of both the citizens of this city and his fellow NYPD officers at risk. The law enforcement community has no tolerance for imposters like Abreu, and we’ll be the first to show them the door when they engage in illegal activity of this magnitude,” stated FBI Assistant Director-in-Charge Sweeney.
“This criminal network allegedly trafficked more than 350 kilos of cocaine and was assisted by an NYPD officer, who used his knowledge and access to help them stay one step ahead of the law,” stated District Attorney Singas. “I am grateful we were able to assist our partners at the Eastern District of New York, Federal Bureau of Investigation and Homeland Security Investigations in unraveling this complex narcotics ring, which flooded New York with illicit drugs.”
“There is no place for corruption in the NYPD and it will always be prosecuted fully. We commend our IAB investigators and law enforcement partners in this case,” stated NYPD Commissioner Shea.
As set forth in the indictment and other court filings, the DTO imported multi-kilogram quantities of cocaine into the United States through a variety of means, including by sending drug couriers on flights to the United States, concealing narcotics in mail and tractor trucks that entered the United States from Mexico, and concealing narcotics in produce shipments that were imported into the United States. Since 2016, law enforcement agents have seized more than 350 kilograms of cocaine belonging to the DTO.
As alleged, Abreu, Bautista and Valerio played key roles in the DTO. Specifically, Bautista and Valerio were high-ranking members of the DTO based in New York, and were responsible for distributing and overseeing the distribution of cocaine once it arrived in New York. Abreu used his position as a police officer to protect his co-conspirators by providing information to the DTO about law enforcement procedures, performing warrant checks on DTO members on the NYPD arrest database and, on at least one occasion, distributing cocaine for the DTO. For example, in January 2016, Abreu messaged the DTO’s leadership, stating: “Today I’m going to find out the thing I couldn’t yesterday because there were too many people at the office.” One day later, Abreu messaged the DTO’s leadership that an associate of the DTO was “fine, because here in New York you don’t see information from another state when we run a license from another state only if they’re wanted so if they stop him tell him to say he lives in Pennsylvania and not in New York and it’s cool . . . .” On March 11, 2016, the DTO’s leadership sent Abreu a message containing defendant Valerio’s full name, date of birth and social security number. An audit of the NYPD’s arrest database revealed on that same day, Abreu searched for Valerio’s name in the warrants database despite having no legitimate law enforcement purpose for doing so. Ortiz allegedly operated a produce importation business that accepted shipments of cocaine from the DTO.
The charges in the indictment are allegations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. If convicted, the defendants each face a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years’ imprisonment and a maximum of life imprisonment on each of the charges.
The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s International Narcotics and Money Laundering Section. Assistant United States Attorney Erin Reid is in charge of the prosecution.
The Defendants:
AMAURY ABREU
Age: 34
Hauppauge, New YorkJULIO BAUTISTA
Age: 35
Roosevelt, New YorkCESAR DIAZ-BAUTISTA
Age: 43
Roosevelt, New YorkGUSTAVO VALERIO
Age: 38
South Ozone Park, New YorkE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 20-CR-433 (RRM)
JUNIOR ORTIZ
Age: 29
Uniondale, New YorkE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 20-MJ-243
New Law Enforcement Coordinator for the U.S. Attorney's OfficeRead the Press Release
SYRACUSE, NEW YORK - Acting United States Attorney Antoinette T. Bacon announced today that the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of New York has a new Law Enforcement Coordinator, Dennis Murphy.
Mr. Murphy, who has a Masters of Science, Criminal Justice, has lengthy and broad law enforcement experience. Since March 2016, he has investigated fraud cases for the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
“I am pleased to welcome Dennis Murphy to our team as our Law Enforcement Coordinator,” said Acting United States Attorney Antoinette T. Bacon. “Mr. Murphy’s experience and expertise will help us build relationships with law enforcement agencies, task forces, and community groups throughout the thirty-two counties we serve. He will also be an important part of our community outreach program working closely with our Public Affairs Specialist/Community Outreach Coordinator, Marilyn Morey.”
“I am very pleased to be working for the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of New York as the new Law Enforcement Coordinator,” said Law Enforcement Coordinator Dennis Murphy. “I look forward to interacting with all the law enforcement agencies in the district, as well as interacting with community and school groups on a regular basis.”
Mr. Murphy began his law enforcement career as an Officer for the Town of Camillus Police Department in January 1986. He transferred to the City of Syracuse Police Department (SPD) in October 1990 where he worked as a Detective, Detective Sergeant, and Detective Lieutenant. While at SPD, he worked in the anti-crime, narcotics, sex crimes, and major crimes units, and spent twelve years as an operator on the Emergency Response Team.
After retiring honorably from SPD in April 2012, he worked for the New York State Justice Center as a Supervising Criminal Investigator, where he oversaw three offices in the seventeen county Central New York Region until July 2015.
Mr. Murphy is also a United States Navy veteran who served as an Intelligence Specialist reservist with the Office of Naval Intelligence and then the Defense Intelligence Agency. After September 11, 2001, Mr. Murphy volunteered for active duty. He served with the Naval Criminal Investigative Service as a Technical Representative. During his service he collaborated on Operation Green Quest, that conducted Force Protection in the Middle East, and he also was assigned to the Office of Special Projects Special Surveillance Team which conducted Counter Terrorism and Espionage operations for NOBLE EAGLE and ENDURING FREEDOM.
In 2004, he transferred to the United States Air Force Reserve as a Special Agent for the Office of Special Investigations where he attended the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center – Brunswick, Georgia. Mr. Murphy's specialty for USAF-OSI was conducting Protective Service Operations in the New York City area. Specifically, he provided protection for the Secretary of the United States Air Force, Chief of Staff for the United States Air Force, and other high-ranking military officials visiting the city.
The Law Enforcement Coordination (LEC) program was implemented in 1986 in each U.S. Attorney’s Office with the goal of fostering cooperative and coordinated local, state, tribal and federal law enforcement efforts in each federal district. The program helps to develop training on emerging crime issues, conducts strategic planning, and establishes task forces and working groups to address current crime trends. During the past several years, the LEC program in the NDNY has broadened its coordination efforts beyond just law enforcement, including collaboration with many community partners to focus on national and district-wide priorities.
The Law Enforcement Coordinator also coordinates activities to promote citizen awareness, such as providing speakers for community and school groups; and initiatives designed to promote crime reduction and prevention, such as Project Safe Neighborhood, Street Smarts, Internet Safety, and Drug Awareness.
Mr. Murphy follows a distinguished set of past Law Enforcement Coordinators, including most recently Mr. Armond ‘Skip’ Scipione, serving from 2004 to 2008 as Assistant Law Enforcement Coordinator, and 2008 to 2020 as Law Enforcement Coordination Manager. Mr. Scipione was preceded as Law Enforcement Coordinator by Mr. Peter Laun, serving from 1989 to 2005 as Law Enforcement Coordination Manager.
Mr. Murphy will be based in our Syracuse office, and Ms. Morey is based in our Albany office.
To schedule a meeting or invite them to a meeting of yours, call the Syracuse Office at 315-448-0672 or the Albany Office at 518-431-0247.
Nashville Man Sentenced to 17 Years in Federal Prison for Drug Distribution and Firearms ViolationsRead the Press Release
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – November 9, 2020 – A Nashville man with a lengthy criminal history spanning two decades was sentenced last week to 17 years in federal prison, announced U.S. Attorney Don Cochran for the Middle District of Tennessee.
Timothy Lamont Page, 50, was sentenced Thursday, after he pleaded guilty in July to possession with intent to distribute crack cocaine, cocaine and heroin, and being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm.
In April 2019, officers with the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department – Madison Crime Suppression Unit, executed a search warrant at Page’s apartment, following months of surveillance based on complaints of illegal drug activity. During the search, officers found crack cocaine, cocaine and heroin packaged for sale, along with digital scales and over $4,000 cash. A loaded 9mm Smith & Wesson handgun was also found in Page’s vehicle. A federal grand jury indicted Page and his co-defendant, Isabell Slusher, 23, of Bell Buckle, Tennessee in November 2019.
On January 2, 2020, Page was transferred from the Sumner County Jail to federal custody and was released from custody the following week after a detention hearing. One of the conditions of his pre-trial release was that he have no contact with Slusher. Page left the United States Courthouse after the hearing and immediately contacted Slusher and just three days later, he picked her up from her mother’s house. On February 2, 2020, Slusher overdosed on heroin at the Strike and Spare Family Fun Center in Nashville, and lost consciousness in a bathroom stall. A volunteer firefighter was present and administered NARCAN, which likely saved Slusher’s life. It was later learned that Page had also accompanied Slusher to Vanderbilt Medical Center on two occasions after being released. In addition to likely continuing to supply Slusher with heroin, which almost killed her, Page also threatened Slusher, telling her that people would kill her if she cooperated with law enforcement. Slusher pleaded guilty to drug charges earlier this year and is awaiting sentencing.
Page’s criminal history includes facilitation of murder in 1993; possession with intent to distribute cocaine in 2003; distribution of cocaine in 2007; being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm in 2008; and attempt to possess heroin for resale in 2015.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives and the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua A. Kurtzman is prosecuting the case.
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Montour Falls Man Going to Prison for Possessing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
CONTACT: Barbara Burns
PHONE: (716) 843-5817
FAX #: (716) 551-3051ROCHESTER, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy, Jr. announced today that Michael J. Truesdail, 39, of Montour Falls, NY, who was convicted of possession of child pornography involving prepubescent minors, was sentenced to serve 24 months in prison by Chief U.S. District Judge Frank P. Geraci, Jr.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Meghan K. McGuire, who handled the case, stated that on March 27, 2019, a federal search warrant was executed at the defendant’s Henry Street residence. A number of electronic items were seized including two computers, a hard drive, an SD card, and two thumb drives. A forensic analysis recovered more than 8,000 images and 10 video files, some of which depict children engaged in sexual activity with other children and with adults.
The sentencing is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Stephen Belongia.
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Memphis Woman Sentenced in Healthcare Fraud Case; Charged in New Criminal Complaint for Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) Loan Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
Memphis, TN –Princess Terry, 27, has been sentenced to 65 months in federal prison for healthcare fraud and aggravated identity theft, and has also been charged with wire fraud and making a false statement in connection with a loan application. D. Michael Dunavant, U.S. Attorney announced the sentence and the new unsealed complaint today.
According to the federal indictment in the healthcare fraud case, Terry owned and operated Caring Hearts Memphis, a home healthcare services business, which purported to provide healthcare services to mostly elderly patients, including home health aides, skilled nursing, and physical and occupational therapy.
Between approximately January 1, 2016 and June 27, 2019, Terry submitted over $2 million in fraudulent billing to Humana, a private health insurance provider, for services that were not actually rendered. Terry's fraudulent billing practices included numerous instances of billing for home health services on days when patients were actually hospitalized, billing for services in excess of 24 hours in a given day for the same patient, and billing for services purportedly rendered after the patient was deceased.
In executing this scheme, Terry also committed aggravated identity theft by forging patients' signatures without their knowledge or permission on consent-for-services forms and progress notes containing fraudulent misrepresentations about services not actually performed. On September 17, 2019, she was indicted based on that scheme; and on August 25, 2020, she entered a plea of guilty to charges of healthcare fraud and aggravated identity theft.
On November 6, 2020, U.S. District Judge Thomas L. Parker sentenced Parker to 65 months in federal prison, 3 years of supervised release, and a criminal forfeiture money judgment of $2 million on charges of healthcare fraud and aggravated identity theft. The Court reserved ruling on the question of restitution for a later date.
U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant said: "Fraudulent schemes and crimes of dishonesty do not pay, and will be exposed. This case represents our commitment to expose healthcare fraudulent schemes, protect the integrity of the health insurance system, hold offenders accountable for their dishonest criminal conduct, and to recover ill-gotten proceeds on behalf of victims. Likewise, protection of the United States Treasury is a top priority for the Department of Justice, and our office is absolutely committed to bringing to justice those who would seek to take unfair advantage of critical government resources through PPP fraud during this challenging and uncertain time of the COVID-19 pandemic."
While she was on pretrial release in that case, Terry was also further charged with wire fraud and making a false statement in connection with a loan application. According to information in the unsealed criminal complaint, Terry allegedly executed a scheme to defraud the Small Business Administration's (SBA) Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), a loan program enacted in response to the COVID-19 public health crisis which provides forgivable loans to small businesses adversely affected by the pandemic.
In April and May of 2020, it is alleged that Terry falsely represented to the SBA and two different financial institutions that Caring Hearts Memphis was still a going business with employees and payroll obligations, despite the fact that it had not been in active operation since 2017 and had no employees. She also falsely certified that she was not under indictment, and submitted forged bank statements to document her loan applications. In this manner, Terry fraudulently obtained $290,000 in PPP loan funds.
The new charges will be presented to a federal grand jury at a later date to consider an indictment against the defendant. If convicted on the new wire fraud charge, the defendant faces a sentence of up to 20 years in federal prison, three years supervised release and a $1 million dollar fine. For the offense of making a false statement in connection with a loan application, Terry faces a sentence of up to 30 years in federal prison, 3 years supervised release and a $1 million fine. There is no parole in the federal system.
The charges and allegations contained in the complaint are merely accusations of criminal conduct, not evidence. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt, and convicted through due process of law.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) investigated both of these cases.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Cotten is prosecuting both cases on behalf of the government.
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Member of Santo Domingo Pueblo pleads guilty to assault on federal officersRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Stephen Reano, 22, of Santo Domingo, New Mexico, and an enrolled member of Santo Domingo Pueblo, pleaded guilty on Oct. 30 in federal court to an indictment charging him with two counts of assault on a federal officer with a dangerous weapon.
According to his plea agreement, Reano acknowledged that on June 11 he was carrying a rifle in the village area of Santo Domingo Pueblo. Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) patrol officers, responding to calls about an armed individual in the village, located Reano standing near a utility pole beneath a street light. Reano admitted that he pointed his shouldered rifle at one of the officers. Reano then pointed his weapon at the second officer when the officer used the patrol unit’s public address system to order Reano to put down his weapon.
Reano remains in custody pending sentencing, which has yet to be scheduled. He faces up to 20 years in prison for the two counts of assault.
The Albuquerque office of the FBI and the BIA investigated this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer M. Rozzoni is prosecuting the case.
Medical Doctor Settles Civil Fraud Allegations in Adult Homes InvestigationRead the Press Release
Dr. Dominick Piacente, a New York family physician, has agreed to pay the United States $150,000 to resolve civil allegations that he paid kickbacks and caused false claims to be submitted to Medicare in connection with care that he purportedly provided to residents of adult homes.
Seth D. DuCharme, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, and William F. Sweeney Jr., the Assistant Director-in-Charge of the New York Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) announced the settlement. Mr. DuCharme thanked the United States Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General, for its assistance in the investigation.
“Patients requiring the care of adult home service providers deserve to have the benefit of Medicare, and to be treated as people, not commodities. Doctors who bilk our federal healthcare programs, in the guise of caring for disabled and elderly patients, will be held accountable for their actions,” stated Acting United States Attorney DuCharme.
Adult homes are privately-owned residential facilities licensed by the State of New York to provide long-term care and supervision to adults with disabilities or mental illnesses. An investigation by the FBI revealed that from October 2015 through April 2016, Dr. Piacente paid medical management companies in adult homes to induce the companies to allow him to receive payment from Medicare for services that he did not actually provide to residents. The settlement resolves potential claims that Piacente’s alleged conduct violated the False Claims Act.
The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only. The government’s case is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney Lisa Kutlin of the Office’s Civil Division.
Mechanicsburg Physician to Pay $850,000 to Resolve Potential Liability Under the False Claims ActRead the Press Release
HARRISBURG - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced today that Nava K. Nawaz, M.D. of Mechanicsburg, PA has agreed to pay the United States $850,000 to resolve allegations that she submitted fraudulent travel claims to the Medicare program. As part of the settlement, Dr. Nawaz has also agreed not to seek or be an owner or operator of a laboratory for the next 18-months.
According to U.S. Attorney David J. Freed, Dr. Nawaz used her laboratory company Perll Diagnostics, Inc. to defraud Medicare by submitting over 23,000 false and inflated travel reimbursement claims for specimen collection and testing between 2014 and 2017. In doing so, the government contends that Dr. Nawaz misrepresented the distances traveled by Perll’s lab technicians and wrongly obtained taxpayer dollars for travel that never occurred.
“Our office has zero tolerance for those who invent or inflate Medicare reimbursement claims,” said U.S. Attorney Freed. “We will continue to use all available tools, including the civil remedies of the False Claims Act, to protect our seniors and safeguard the Medicare Trust Fund.”
“Incorrect billing of taxpayer-funded health care programs, such as Medicare, diverts funding from the necessary treatment and care beneficiaries need,” said Maureen R. Dixon, Special Agent in Charge for the Office of Inspector General of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. “We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to identify fraudulent activities and protect funding for our government health care programs.”
The settlement agreement is neither an admission of liability by Dr. Nawaz nor a concession by the United States that its claims are not well founded.
This matter was investigated and handled by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Samuel S. Dalke and D. Brian Simpson, with assistance from the Office of the Inspector General, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
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Manchester Man Pleads Guilty to Bank RobberyRead the Press Release
CONCORD - Alex Stoltman, 23, of Manchester, pleaded guilty in federal court to bank robbery, United States Attorney Scott W. Murray announced today.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on September 2, 2020, Stoltman entered a Citizens Bank branch in Manchester and handed a note to the bank teller that read, in part, “This is a robbery. Keep your hands where I can see them. Do not look at anyone. Do not think about hitting the alarm, I will blow your brains out. Give me all the money I can reach.” The victim bank teller gave Stoltman all of the money in the teller’s cash drawer.
Stoltman was arrested two days after the robbery.
Stoltman is scheduled to be sentenced on February 10, 2021.
“By entering a bank and threatening a teller, robbers endanger bank employees, as well as members of the public,” said U.S. Attorney Murray. “In order to maintain public safety, we will work closely with the FBI, the Manchester Police Department, and all of our law enforcement partners to identify and prosecute those who are responsible for bank robberies and other violent crimes. Crimes such as this will not be tolerated in New Hampshire.”
“In threatening an armed bank robbery, Alex Stoltman made it clear that he is a threat to public safety, and with today’s guilty plea, he has accepted responsibility for putting innocent people in fear for their lives,” said Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Boston Division. “The FBI and our partners at the Manchester Police Department are committed to taking violent criminals like him off the street in order to make our communities safer.”
“Dangerous individuals like Mr. Stoltman need to be held accountable for their actions,”
said Manchester Police Chief Allen Aldenberg. “We are pleased that this incident came to such a swift resolution. It is a credit to the collaboration between Manchester Police and the FBI.”This matter was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Manchester Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Anna Krasinski.
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Magnolia Woman Sentenced to over 9 Years in Federal Prison for Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
El Dorado, Arkansas – David Clay Fowlkes, First Assistant United States Attorney for the Western District of Arkansas, announced that Ashley Martin (a/k/a “Hey Bae Bae”), 34, of Magnolia, Arkansas, was sentenced November 6, 2020, to 110 months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release for possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute. The Honorable Chief Judge Susan O. Hickey presided over the sentencing hearing, in the United States District Court’s El Dorado Division.
According to court records, on June 3, 2019, while conducting operations in the Columbia County area, investigators with the FBI and 13th Judicial District Drug Task Force saw Martin and co-defendant, Jarred “Chase” McDaniel, 34, also of Magnolia, Arkansas, in a vehicle traveling east on Highway 82. Knowing that Martin had an outstanding felony arrest warrant and that McDaniel (who was driving) did not have a valid driver’s license, investigators contacted Arkansas State Police. After an Arkansas State Trooper stopped the vehicle and placed Martin and McDaniel under arrest, the Trooper conducted a vehicle search. During the search, the Trooper located a red Nike shoebox that contained two zip-lock bags of suspected methamphetamine.
The DEA crime laboratory has since determined that the zip-lock bags contained approximately three and a half pounds of a substance containing methamphetamine.
Martin and McDaniel were indicted by a federal grand jury in June of 2019. Martin pleaded guilty in February 2020. McDaniel has also pleaded guilty, and is currently awaiting sentencing.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation, 13th Judicial District Drug Task Force, Magnolia Police Department and Columbia County Sheriff’s Department investigated the case. Assistant United States Attorney Graham Jones prosecuted the case for the Western District of Arkansas.
Local man charged with theft of over 100 pieces mail including absentee ballotRead the Press Release
HOUSTON ‐ A 24-year-old resident of Houston has been arrested on charges of mail theft, announced U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Patrick.
Daruin Anelby Rosario is set to make his initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Christina A. Bryan at 2 p.m. today.
On Nov. 5, local authorities conducted a traffic stop which led to a search of Rosario’s vehicle, according to the complaint. Inside, law enforcement allegedly found a large quantity of unopened and opened mail in the names of others.
A subsequent inventory of the mail pieces revealed letters, financial checks as well as an unopened mail-in ballot for the State of Washington, according to the charges. Law enforcement immediately forwarded the ballot to election authorities in Washington.
If convicted, Rosario faces up to five years in federal prison and a possible $250,000 maximum fine.
The U.S. Postal Inspection Service and Humble Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Luis Batarse and Kate Suh are prosecuting the case.
A criminal complaint is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.
Las Vegas Man Indicted in Human Trafficking Case, Allegedly Coercing and Enticing Four Underage Girls via Social Media to Work as Prostitutes for HimRead the Press Release
LAS VEGAS, Nev. – A Las Vegas resident — charged in a 10-count indictment with coercing underage girls via Facebook to work as prostitutes for him — made his initial appearance in U.S. District Court today, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas A. Trutanich of the District of Nevada.
“Our office is honored to support Nevada law enforcement’s continued efforts to crack down on human trafficking rings and bring traffickers to justice,” said U.S. Attorney Trutanich. “We remain committed to using all available tools to combat human trafficking and help survivors.”
In October 2020, a federal grand jury indicted Denzel Renyal Michael Loyd, 35, of Las Vegas, with four counts of coercion and enticement; three counts of sexual exploitation of a child; one count of transfer of obscene material to minor; one count of sex trafficking of children; and one count of possession of child pornography. Loyd appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Cam Ferenbach, who ordered him to be detained in federal custody pending a jury trial.
As alleged, from February 5, 2020 to March 9, 2020, Loyd coerced and enticed four underage victims via Facebook to engage in prostitution for him. The indictment further alleges that Loyd sent obscene material to a victim, and that he possessed child pornography on his cell phone.
The minimum statutory penalty for coercion and enticement is 10 years in prison; the minimum statutory penalty for sexual exploitation of children is 15 years in person, with a maximum statutory penalty of 30 years in prison; the minimum statutory penalty for sex trafficking of a child is 10 years in prison; the maximum statutory penalty for sending obscene material to a minor is 10 years in prison; and the maximum statutory penalty is 10 years in prison for possession of child pornography.
The charges resulted from an investigation by the FBI and Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Supriya Prasad is prosecuting the case.
An indictment merely alleges that crimes have been committed. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
If you have information regarding possible child sexual exploitation, please make a report to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children by calling the 24-hour hotline at 1-800-THE-LOST (1-800-843-5678) or by making a report at www.cybertipline.com.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Department of Justice’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, 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 http://www.justice.gov/psc.
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Laplace Woman Charged with Bank FraudRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS – U.S. Attorney Peter G. Strasser announced that ARLENE TRANCHINA, age 55, of Laplace, was charged in a one-count Bill of Information with bank fraud on November 6, 2020.
According to court records, TRANCHINA was employed as the office manager for a company located in Reserve, Louisiana. From 2017 to October of 2019, she embezzled approximately $234,000 from her employer by making over ninety (90) checks for company expenses payable to herself or cash.
TRANCHINA faces a sentence of up to thirty years in prison, up to $250,000 in fines, up to five years of supervised release and a $100.00 mandatory special assessment fee.
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.
U.S. Attorney Strasser praised the work of the United States Secret Service, along with assistance from the St. John the Baptist Parish Sheriff’s Office, in investigating this matter. Assistant U.S. Attorney Edward J. Rivera is in charge of the prosecution.
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Justice Department Reaches Settlement with the Town of Irmo, South Carolina, to Resolve Allegations of Discrimination Against Homeowner with DisabilityRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON -- The Justice Department announced today that the Town of Irmo, South Carolina, has agreed to pay $25,000 to a homeowner with a disability as part of a settlement agreement resolving the government’s Fair Housing Act (FHA) lawsuit.
The department’s complaint, filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of South Carolina in November 2018, alleged that the town violated the FHA by refusing to allow the Irmo homeowner to build a carport adjacent to her home to accommodate her physical disability. According to the complaint, the homeowner, after falling and suffering injuries on several occasions outside her home, applied for a zoning variance in 2016 to build a carport to protect her driveway and mobility ramp in inclement weather and prevent future falls; the town summarily denied the variance. The homeowner filed a complaint with the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), which conducted an investigation and referred the matter to the Justice Department.
“The homeowner in this case requested a simple, straightforward, and reasonable accommodation: to build a carport adjacent to her own single-family home so she would be protected from the elements and could safely enter and exit her home. She should not have been forced to wait three years for this accommodation,” said Assistant Attorney General Eric Dreiband of the Civil Rights Division. “This settlement is a reminder that the Justice Department is committed to working tirelessly to enforce the Fair Housing Act and protect the rights of persons with disabilities. The department’s lawsuit should also serve as a warning that federal law protects the right of persons with disabilities to be secure in their homes and that the Justice Department will do whatever is necessary to protect that right.”
“This office will take action to protect those with disabilities,” said Peter M. McCoy, Jr., U.S. Attorney for the District of South Carolina. “This settlement not only compensates an individual who was initially prevented from making reasonable accommodations for her disability, but it helps ensure that those in similar situations are protected in the future.”
“Today’s settlement is a victory for persons with disabilities, who often need basic modifications to their living space in order to fully utilize and enjoy the place they call home,” said Anna María Farías, HUD’s Assistant Secretary for Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity. “HUD will continue to work with the Justice Department to take appropriate action when a municipality’s housing practices violate the law.”
After the department filed the lawsuit, the town adopted an ordinance allowing persons with disabilities to request reasonable accommodations in rules, policies, practices or services to afford them an equal opportunity to use or enjoy their home. More than a year later, the town finally granted the homeowner’s reasonable accommodation request and allowed her to build a carport so she could live safely in her home. Under the terms of the settlement agreement, the town is prohibited from engaging in future disability discrimination or interfering with the homeowner’s use of her carport, and town officials must participate in fair-housing training and report to the department any denial of a request for a reasonable accommodation.
The federal FHA prohibits discrimination in housing based on disability, race, color, religion, national origin, sex, and familial status. More information about the Civil Rights Division and the laws it enforces is available at www.justice.gov/crt.
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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.
Jury Convicts Doctor of Scheme to Perform Unnecessary Surgeries on WomenRead the Press Release
NORFOLK, Va. – A federal jury convicted a Chesapeake doctor today on 52 counts related to his scheme to bill private and governmental insurers millions of dollars for irreversible hysterectomies and other surgeries and procedures that were not medically necessary for his patients.
According to court records and evidence presented at trial, Dr. Javaid Perwaiz, an obstetrician-gynecologist who has practiced in Hampton Roads since the 1980s, executed a scheme to defraud health insurance programs between at least 2010 and 2019. During that period, Perwaiz billed private and governmental insurers millions of dollars for irreversible hysterectomies and other surgeries and procedures that were not medically necessary for his patients. In many instances, Perwaiz would falsely tell his patients that they needed the surgeries to avoid cancer in order to induce them to agree to the surgeries.
“Dr. Perwaiz preyed upon his trusting patients and committed horrible crimes to feed his greed,” said G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. “Dr. Perwaiz has a history of fraud including having his medical license and hospital privileges revoked. Nothing was going to stop him but the brave victims who testified against him and law enforcement. My thanks to the trial team for their outstanding work in what was a very complex case, and to our investigative partners for their efforts in helping bring Dr. Perwaiz to justice.”
The evidence at trial also demonstrated that Perwaiz falsified records for his obstetric patients so that he could induce their labor early, prior to the recommended gestational age that minimizes risk to the mother and baby, to ensure he would be able to conduct and be reimbursed for the deliveries. Perwaiz also violated the 30-day waiting period Medicaid requires for elective sterilizations by submitting backdated forms to falsely make it appear as if he had complied with the waiting period. Finally, Perwaiz billed insurance hundreds of thousands of dollars for diagnostic procedures that he only pretended to perform at his office.
“Not only did this doctor defraud our health care system out of millions of dollars, he did so by putting the health and safety of his patients at risk by performing unnecessary surgeries on women,” said Mark R. Herring, Attorney General of Virginia. “Doctors who take advantage of the trust their patients put in them must be brought to justice. I want to thank my team for their hard work on this egregious case and our local, state, and federal partners for their continued partnership in holding dangerous individuals accountable.”
The witnesses at trial included dozens of former patients, some of whom testified to the complications they continue to endure as a result of the unnecessary surgeries Perwaiz performed. Witnesses also included nurses who worked at the hospitals where Perwaiz performed his surgeries, who testified that they repeatedly complained about his practices to their supervisors.
“Doctors are in positions of authority and trust and take an oath to do no harm to their patients,” said Karl Schumann, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Norfolk Field Office. “With unnecessary, invasive medical procedures, Dr. Perwaiz not only caused enduring complications, pain and anxiety to his patients, but he assaulted the most personal part of their lives and even robbed some of their future. The brave patients and nurses who came forward and testified deserve our gratitude for helping end this horrible scheme. Let this case demonstrate the FBI’s commitment to hold accountable anyone who abuses their position of trust.”
“In his desire to line his pockets, Dr. Perwaiz callously ignored his patients’ health and well-being by conducting medically unnecessary and irreversible medical procedures,” said Maureen R. Dixon, Special Agent in Charge, Department of Health and Human Services – Office of Inspector General. “Physicians who recklessly place patients at risk to boost their own profits will be held accountable for their actions.”
Perwaiz faces a maximum penalty of 465 years in prison. He is scheduled to be sentenced on March 31, 2021. 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; Karl Schumann, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Norfolk Field Office; Mark R. Herring, Attorney General of Virginia; Maureen R. Dixon, Special Agent in Charge, Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General; and Chris Dillard, Acting Special Agent in Charge, Defense Criminal Investigative Service, Mid-Atlantic Field Office, made the announcement after Senior U.S. District Judge Rebecca Beach Smith accepted the verdict.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Elizabeth M. Yusi, E. Rebecca Gantt, and John F. Butler 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. 2:19-cr-189.
Judge sentences St. Louis man who left behind trail of blood during armed robbery at Vincent’s Jewelers in Creve CoeurRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS, MO – U.S. District Judge Audrey G. Fleissig sentenced Michael Gladney to 112 months in prison today. The 44-year-old St. Louis, Missouri resident pleaded guilty, in January, to one count of armed robbery affecting interstate commerce and one count of brandishing a firearm in the furtherance of a crime of violence.
On March 19, 2018, Gladney and three other men entered Vincent’s Jewelers in Creve Coeur. Gladney and the others ordered the workers to the back of the business at gunpoint. Gladney and two others were armed with firearms and a fourth person was armed with a pipe.
One man discharged a firearm into the case and Gladney and another man used the pipe to smash the glass to gain access to and ultimately take several pieces of jewelry.
During the robbery, Gladney shot himself and left blood near a glass case as he ran away. A trail of blood led investigators outside to where a get-away vehicle was parked.
The Creve Coeur Police Department, St. Louis County Police Department and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case. Special Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer Szczucinski handled the case as part of the Safer Streets Initiative. The initiative was launched by Attorney General Schmitt and U.S. Attorney Jeff Jensen in January of 2019 as an unprecedented state and federal partnership to prosecute violent crime in St. Louis.
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Jefferson County man admits to role in drug conspiracyRead the Press Release
MARTINSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Shaquan Omar Richardson, of Harpers Ferry, West Virginia, has admitted to his role in a drug conspiracy that spanned several states, U.S. Attorney Bill Powell announced.
Richardson, also known as “Wave,” 24, pled guilty today to one count of “Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute and to Distribute One Kilogram or More of a Mixture and Substance Containing Phencyclidine (PCP)” and one count of “Possession with Intent to Distribute 280 Grams or More of Cocaine Base.” Richardson admitted to working with others to distribute PCP from August 2019 to September 2019 in Jefferson County and elsewhere. He also admitted to distributing more than 280 grams or more of cocaine base or “crack” in September 2019 in Jefferson County.
Richardson faces at least 10 years and up to life incarceration and a fine of up to $10,000,000 for each count. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
This case is the result of investigations supported by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) under the Attorney General-led Synthetic Opioid Surge (SOS)/Special Operations Division (SOD) Project Clean Sweep. This initiative seeks to reduce the supply of synthetic opioids in “hot spot” areas previously identified by the Attorney General of the United States, thereby reducing drug overdoses and drug overdose deaths, and identify wholesale distribution networks and sources of supply operating nationally and internationally.
OCDETF was established in 1982 to conduct comprehensive, multilevel attacks on major drug trafficking and money laundering organizations and is the keystone of the Department of Justice’s drug reduction strategy. Today, OCDETF combines the resources and expertise of its member federal agencies in cooperation with state and local law enforcement. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt, and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking organizations, transnational criminal organizations, and money laundering organizations that present a significant threat to the public safety, economic, or national security of the United States.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Lara Omps-Botteicher and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney C. Lydia Lehman, also with the Berkeley County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office, are prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The FBI; Homeland Security Investigations; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives; and the Eastern Panhandle Drug Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, investigated.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Robert W. Trumble presided.Jamaican National Indicted for Conspiracy to Commit Mail and Wire FraudRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS – U.S. Attorney Peter G. Strasser announced that ACDANE CAMPBELL, age 24, a resident of Jamaica, was charged by a grand jury on November 6, 2020, in a 1-count Indictment for Conspiracy to Commit Mail and Wire Fraud.
According to the Indictment, from in or around August 2016, CAMPBELL and others conspired to operate a scheme to obtain money unlawfully by falsely informing elderly victims that they had won a lottery, sweepstakes, or car. The unknown co-conspirators called the victims and promised that the victims receive their winnings if they first paid taxes and fees.
After being instructed by an unidentified co-conspirator that they needed to send payments to CAMPBELL, the victims would send their payments electronically through a money services business or in the mail via FedEx or the United States Postal Service. CAMPBELL either kept the money that he received from the victims or sent it to unknown persons in Jamaica.
If convicted, CAMPBELL faces a minimum of 5 years imprisonment, a fine of not more than $250,000, supervised release of at least 3 years, and a special assessment fee of $100.00.
The case was investigated by the United States Postal Inspection Service and Homeland Security Investigations.
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.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U. S. Attorney Sharan E. Lieberman.
Elder fraud complaints may be filed with the Federal Trade Commission at www.ftccomplaintassistant.gov or at 1-877-FTC-HELP. The Department of Justice provides a variety of resources relating to elder fraud victimization through its Office of Victims of Crime at www.ovc.gov. Additional elder justice resources, training, and outreach materials can be found at the Elder Justice Website at www.elderjustice.gov.
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Inmate at Camden County jail charged with providing drugs resulting in fellow inmate's overdose deathRead the Press Release
BRUNSWICK, GA: An inmate at the Camden County Detention Facility has been charged with providing the drugs resulting in another inmate’s death by overdose.
Joshua Swing, 35, of Woodbine, Ga., is charged in a federal indictment with Distribution of a Controlled Substance Resulting in Death, said U.S. Attorney Bobby L. Christine. The charge carries a possible penalty of up to life in prison, and there is no parole in the federal system.
“Fentanyl is a deadly, highly unpredictable drug that increasingly fuels the nation’s opioid addiction,” said U.S. Attorney Christine. “It’s particularly disturbing to learn of this poison’s presence as contraband in a detention facility.”
The investigation began May 17, 2020, when an inmate at the Camden County Detention Facility identified as J.D. was found unresponsive in his cell. He later died, and a subsequent autopsy found that his cause of death was acute fentanyl toxicity. The indictment alleges that Swing provided the fentanyl to J.D.
“The death of any person is a tragedy, but a death caused as a result of illegal narcotic distribution is even more terrible for the families of victims, said Lowndes County Sheriff Ashley Paulk. “I was honored the Lowndes County Sheriff’s Office was able to work with our law enforcement partners to bring this case forward and help in providing closure for the affected families.”
Criminal indictments contain only charges; defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
The case is being investigated by the Lowndes County Sheriff’s Office at the request of the Camden County Sheriff’s Office, and is being prosecuted for the United States by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matthew Josephson and E. Greg Gilluly Jr.
Illinois Man Sentenced to More Than 32 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – United States Attorney Prim F. Escalona and Drug Enforcement Administration Special Agent in Charge Brad L. Byerley, announce that NOLBERTO ORTEGA, 54, of Chicago, Illinois, was sentenced to 390 months in prison on October 28th for distribution of heroin, cocaine, methamphetamine, and fentanyl. U.S. District Judge Liles C. Burke imposed the sentence.
In August 2019, a federal grand jury charged ORTEGA in a multi-count indictment with leading a drug trafficking organization that transported heroin, cocaine, methamphetamine, and fentanyl from Mexico to Talladega, Alabama. The charges stemmed from an investigation led by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Talladega County Drug Task Force in early 2019. Officers arrested ORTEGA in California after seizing a shipment of drugs in Talladega.
“This dealer went to extreme lengths to profit from this deadly poison with no regard to the devastation and destruction he left behind,” said U.S. Attorney Escalona. “The lengthy sentence sends the message that drug trafficking in our communities will not be tolerated and will be severely punished. The citizens of the Northern District of Alabama have one less drug dealer to worry about for years to come.”
“We will continue to attack the scourge of illegal and dangerous drug distribution in Alabama and beyond,” said Special Agent in Charge Byerley. “The lengthy sentencing of this individual should be taken as a message to those who want to sell drugs. We are going to catch you and put you in prison for a long time if you distribute this poison in our communities.”
DEA investigated the case, along with the Talladega County Drug Task Force. Assistant United States Attorneys Blake Milner and Austin Shutt prosecuted the case.
Houma Man Charged for Machine Gun and Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS – United States Attorney Peter G. Strasser announced that KENDALL PARKER, age 26, of Houma, Louisiana, was charged on November 6, 2020 in a three-count indictment by a Federal Grand Jury with possession of marijuana with intent to distribute, possession of a firearm during a drug trafficking crime, and possession of a machinegun in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Section 841 and Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922 and 924.
According to court documents, PARKER was found in possession of a quantity of marijuana for distribution purposes and a machine-gun within the Eastern District of Louisiana. If convicted of drug trafficking and the firearms offenses, PARKER face a maximum term of life imprisonment, a fine of $250,000, and five (5) years of supervised release following any term of imprisonment, and a $100.00 special assessment fee.
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.
The case was investigated by the Terrebonne Parish Sheriff’s Office and Homeland Security Investigations. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles D. Strauss.
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High Ranking MS-13 Gang Member Facing Federal Firearms Charges After South Nashville ShootingRead the Press Release
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – November 9, 2020 – A criminal complaint was unsealed Friday charging the local leader of an MS-13 Gang clique with being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm, announced U.S. Attorney Don Cochran for the Middle District of Tennessee.
Sergio Alvarado, aka Sergio Ochoa, 27, of Nashville, was initially arrested on October 31st by Metropolitan Nashville Police Department (MNPD) officers after fleeing from officers following a shootout at Club Miami. This incident began around 4:00 a.m. when a MNPD officer heard gunfire coming from the vicinity of the nightclub. The officer proceeded toward the nightclub and upon arrival, heard a volley of gunshots and saw two cars speeding out of the parking lot. The officer then found one individual in the parking lot suffering from a gunshot wound.
Additional officers arrived on the scene and approached a car believed to be involved in the shooting. As officers approached the car, they saw Alvarado running toward the back of the parking lot and toward several dumpsters. Officers continued to pursue Alvarado and eventually found him in a wooded area and arrested him. After tracing the flight path taken by Alvarado, officers recovered a 9mm pistol and a .380 caliber pistol near the dumpsters. Alvarado was later released on bond. On Thursday, Alvarado was arrested on the federal firearms charge.
A detention motion filed Friday by the government asserts that Alvarado is the leader of the local MS-13 clique – Thompson Place Locos Salvatrucha, and he has returned to distributing controlled substances. This gang is a violent, international street gang that operates in middle Tennessee and elsewhere. The motion also asserts that Alvarado has a substantial criminal history, including several drug trafficking and firearm offenses and is currently on supervised release from a 2017 case in which he received a 30-month sentence for drug trafficking and firearm offenses; and that he has further violated the terms of his release by associating with a known felon, Michael Mosely, at the Dogwood Bar in Nashville, moments before Mosely stabbed two individuals to death on December 21, 2019.
This case is being investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives; Homeland Security Investigations; the U.S. Marshals Service; the Drug Enforcement Administration; and the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ahmed Safeeullah and Trial Attorney Matthew Hoff of the Criminal Division’s Organized Crime and Gang Section are prosecuting the case.
A criminal complaint is merely an accusation. The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
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High Ranking MS-13 Gang Member Facing Federal Firearms Charges After Nightclub ShootingRead the Press Release
A criminal complaint was unsealed Nov. 6 charging the local leader of an MS-13 Gang clique with being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm, announced Acting Assistant Attorney General Brian C. Rabbitt of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and U.S. Attorney Don Cochran for the Middle District of Tennessee.
Sergio Alvarado, aka Sergio Ochoa, 27, of Nashville, Tennessee, was initially arrested on Oct. 31 by Metropolitan Nashville Police Department (MNPD) officers after fleeing from officers following a shootout at Club Miami. This incident began around 4:00 a.m. when a MNPD officer heard gunfire coming from the vicinity of the nightclub. The officer proceeded toward the nightclub and upon arrival, heard a volley of gunshots and saw two cars speeding out of the parking lot. The officer then found one individual in the parking lot suffering from a gunshot wound.
Additional officers arrived on the scene and approached a car believed to be involved in the shooting. As officers approached the car, they saw Alvarado running toward the back of the parking lot and toward several dumpsters. Officers continued to pursue Alvarado and eventually found him in a wooded area and arrested him. After tracing the flight path taken by Alvarado, officers recovered a 9mm pistol and a .380 caliber pistol near the dumpsters. Alvarado was later released on bond. On Nov. 5, Alvarado was arrested on the federal firearms charge.
A detention motion filed Friday by the government asserts that Alvarado is the leader of the local MS-13 clique – Thompson Place Locos Salvatrucha. This gang is a violent, international street gang that operates in middle Tennessee and elsewhere. The motion also asserts that Alvarado has a substantial criminal history, including several drug trafficking and firearm offenses; is currently on supervised release from a 2017 case in which he received a 30-month sentence for drug trafficking and firearm offenses; and that he has further violated the terms of his release by associating with a known felon, Michael Mosely, at Dogwood Bar in Nashville, moments before Mosely stabbed two individuals to death on Dec. 21, 2019.
This case is being investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives; U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations; and MNPD. Trial Attorney Matthew Hoff of the Criminal Division’s Organized Crime and Gang Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Ahmed Safeeullah are prosecuting the case.
A criminal complaint is merely an accusation. The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
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.
Georgia Man Arrested Today for Defrauding a California Car DealershipRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — A resident of Georgia was arrested today in Grayson, Georgia, for a scheme conducted online that defrauded a business owner in in California and a second business owner in New Jersey, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced.
On Oct. 22, a federal grand jury returned a one-count indictment against Michael Uziewe, 61, of Grayson, Georgia, charging him with bank fraud. This indictment was unsealed today.
According to court documents, Uziewe owned a purported business named God’s Word Christian Book Store. In March 2020, the first victim, an owner of a classic car dealership in Irvine, began communicating with a purported seller of two transmissions. At the seller’s direction, the victim sent more than $13,000 to the God’s Word business account that Uziewe controlled at Ameris Bank. The victim never received the transmissions.
Also in April 2020, the second victim, an owner of a nail salon in Jersey City, New Jersey, sent more than $100,000 to Uziewe’s Ameris Bank account. She sent the funds to assist the return to the United States of an individual who claimed he was a surgeon working for the United Nations in Yemen and needed money to pay for costs associated with traveling to the United States.
When Uziewe attempted to withdraw the funds from the God’s Word account, he falsely claimed that they were proceeds of book sales.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the U.S. Department of Defense Office of Inspector General. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Thuesen is prosecuting the case.
If convicted, Uziewe faces a maximum statutory penalty of 30 years in prison and a $1 million fine. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Georgia Correctional Officer Pleads Guilty to Civil Rights Offense for Assaulting InmateRead the Press Release
Brian Ford, 23, a correctional officer at the Valdosta State Prison (VSP) in Valdosta, Georgia, pleaded guilty today to one count of using excessive force against an inmate housed at the facility.
According to documents filed in connection with the guilty plea, on Dec. 29, 2018, Ford, while on duty as a correctional officer at VSP, struck an inmate with his fist multiple times while the inmate was handcuffed and lying on the ground. Specifically, Ford and other prison officials escorted the handcuffed inmate to an outdoor area on the grounds of the prison for the purpose of assaulting the inmate in retaliation for a previous altercation between the inmate and a female officer. Ford and another officer, carrying out a directive from a supervisor, took the inmate to the ground and struck him multiple times in the body. The inmate was handcuffed and compliant at the time of the assault.
“These acts are egregious for any person to commit, let alone a member of our law enforcement,” said Assistant Attorney General Eric Dreiband for the Civil Rights Division. “It is the duty of law enforcement to uphold the law and protect others, not dole out punishment as they see fit. The Department of Justice takes these acts seriously and works tirelessly to ensure that officers who violate the civil rights of others are held accountable.”
“The overwhelming majority of law enforcement officers make daily sacrifices upholding their oath to serve and protect,” said Charlie Peeler, the U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of Georgia. “When one officer breaches that oath, it diminishes the good work of so many. By choosing to violate the civil rights of an inmate in his charge, this defendant has done a grave disservice to the many women and men who serve honorably as correctional officers in our prison system. I want to commend the Civil Rights Division for bringing justice in this case, and for their work protecting the rights of all Americans.”
“Every law enforcement officer who takes an oath knows it is never appropriate to take the law into his or her own hands,” said Chris Hacker, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. “There are many legitimate ways to hand out punishment to inmates who misbehave, but assaulting a handcuffed inmate is not one of them. We will never accept criminal conduct on the part of our law enforcement officers.”
Ford faces a maximum statutory penalty of up to 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000.
This case was investigated by the FBI, and was prosecuted by Trial Attorneys Katherine G. DeVar and Nicole Raspa of the Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division, with assistance from Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Solis of the Middle District of Georgia.
Four Indicted on Federal Firearms Charges in Burglary of Granny’s GunsRead the Press Release
Anchorage, Alaska – U.S. Attorney Bryan Schroder announced today four Anchorage men were indicted on charges related to the June 6, 2019 burglary of Granny’s Guns, a federally licensed firearms dealer located in Anchorage.
In a recently unsealed indictment, Gian Carlo Clemente Pangilinan aka “G,” 24; Muna Junior Rhode, 21; Kao Chiang Saelee, aka “Robbie,” 38; and Hans Mikaele Wells, aka “Mika,” 24, have each been charged with conspiracy, theft of firearms, possession of stolen firearms, and tampering with evidence. Additionally, Rhode and Saelee were also charged with felon in possession of firearms.
The indictment alleges that on June 6, 2019, Pangilinan, Rhode, Saelee, and Wells drove a stolen Chevrolet Trailblazer to Wrightway Auto Carriers. The defendants burglarized Wrightway Auto Carriers and stole several items, including a GMC Sierra. The defendants then drove both stolen vehicles to Whaley School and abandoned the Chevrolet Trailblazer. Sometime later, the defendants obtained another stolen SUV and crashed it into the front windows of Granny’s Guns in order to gain access to the business. Defendants Pangilinan, Rhode, and Wells loaded 22 firearms into the bed of the stolen GMC Sierra, and all four defendants fled the scene, abandoning the stolen SUV. The defendants transferred the stolen guns into a black GMC Denali, and Wells and two others set the stolen GMC Sierra ablaze in an effort to destroy evidence.
Later that day, Anchorage Police Department (APD) officers tried to stop Rhode, who was driving the black GMC Denali, when multiple shots were fired from a nearby truck occupied by Pangilinan and Wells. APD officers discontinued pursuit, and both vehicles successfully eluded police. The indictment further alleges that between June 18, 2019 and June 20, 2019, Pangilinan, Rhode, and Wells attempted to recover an impounded vehicle which contained one of the stolen firearms from the Granny’s Guns burglary.
According to the indictment, Rhode and Saelee were previously convicted of felony offenses and were prohibited from possessing firearms.
If convicted, they each face a maximum sentence of 20 years’ imprisonment.
In January of this year, Pangilinan was found guilty in federal court of one count of possession with the intent to distribute more than 50 grams of methamphetamine after a three-day federal jury trial. Read the detailed press release here. The Anchorage Police Department (APD) and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) conducted the investigation leading to the indictment in this case. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer Ivers.
The charges in the indictments are merely allegations, and the defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Former employee sentenced to prison for embezzling from HondaRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – Charles Michael Stratton, 63, of Fairborn, Ohio, was sentenced in U.S. District Court to 42 months in prison for wire fraud and money laundering. Stratton was also ordered to pay more than $750,000 in restitution to his former employer, Honda, and $10,000 to Scioto Industrial Services.
“Stratton devised not just one, but multiple methods for defrauding Honda of more than three-quarters of a million dollars,” U.S. Attorney David M. DeVillers said. “The defendant skimmed from overages, arranged for double billing, and approved false invoices. Now, he will spend time in federal prison.”
Stratton served as the Facilities Manager for Honda of America Manufacturing, Inc. in Marysville, Ohio, from 2008 until March 2015. In his role, he oversaw various vendor contracts, including those for security services, janitorial services, food service and uniform/laundry on behalf of Honda.
Acrux Investigation Agency, located in Lakeview, provided physical and personal security services for Honda. Surmount, also located in Lakeview, was a subsidiary of Acrux and provided monitoring services to Honda.
Stratton executed a scheme to defraud Honda using Acrux and Surmount by creating multiple purchase orders for payments in amounts just under $100,000, a threshold in which additional oversight and approval is required.
Using these purchase orders, as well as the main labor contract, Stratton caused Acrux and Surmount to submit false invoices to Honda and instructed them to keep the money in a “future fund.” Money allocated to the future fund was then used, in part, to pay Stratton directly or through his organization, SAFE. Springfield Area Fastball Elites, Inc. (SAFE) was an Ohio non-profit created by Stratton to support local baseball teams; however, SAFE lost its classification as a 501(c)(3) in 2010.
Stratton was indicted by a grand jury in May 2018 and pleaded guilty to wire fraud and money laundering in October 2019.
David M. DeVillers, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, and Chris Hoffman, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division, announced the sentence imposed on Nov. 6 by Senior U.S. District Court Judge James L Graham. Assistant United States Attorneys Jessica W. Knight and Peter K. Glenn-Applegate represented the United States in this case.
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Former corrections officer pleads guilty providing drugs to prison inmatesRead the Press Release
ROME, Ga. – Former correctional officer Michael L. Jones pleaded guilty to accepting bribes to provide prison inmates with methamphetamine, marijuana, and tobacco, all of which were destined to be smuggled into Floyd County Correctional Institution (“FCCI”) in Rome, Georgia.
“Correctional officers across the state serve our citizens by faithfully executing their duties with integrity,” said U.S. Attorney Byung J. “BJay” Pak. “Jones, however, violated both the oath of his office and the law when he provided drugs to prison inmates. As a result, Jones must now account for his betrayal of trust.”
“Jones jeopardized the safety of staff and inmates by smuggling drugs into the Floyd County Correctional Institution and his actions also fostered criminal activity inside and outside the facility,” said Chris Hacker, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. “By violating his sworn oath he betrayed every honest, hardworking corrections officer.”
“The GDC maintains a zero-tolerance policy for individuals who choose to disregard their oath and jeopardize our non-negotiable mission of public safety. We appreciate the support of our federal partners to see that justice is served on this former officer.”
According to U.S. Attorney Pak, the charges, and other information presented in court: the Floyd County Correctional Institution (“FCCI”) in Rome, Georgia is a medium-security prison that houses state and county offenders. FCCI also provides a general labor force that supports Floyd County Government, including employing inmates to work at the Rome/Floyd Recycling Center.
From approximately June 20, 2017 to September 26, 2019, Jones served as a Floyd County Corrections Officer. During his service, Jones supervised inmates detailed to work at the recycling center.
From that position, from approximately April to September 2019, Jones executed a conspiracy in which he collected contraband packages from the friends and families of prison inmates. For a price (usually $200 per package), Jones delivered the packages to inmates who were detailed to work at the Floyd County Recycling Center. Thereafter, the inmate/s smuggled the methamphetamine, marijuana, and tobacco contained in the packages into FCCI. Typically, the inmates or their associates paid Jones via Cash App, a mobile payment service based in San Francisco, California.
For example, on September 26, 2019, Jones was assigned to oversee a group of inmates who had been detailed to work at the Rome/Floyd Recycling Center. On that date, Jones intended to deliver several contraband packages to an inmate on the work detail; however, law enforcement thwarted Jones’s plan. In particular, law enforcement officers caught Jones with: (a) several packages containing marijuana and tobacco in his boots, and (b) three packages containing marijuana and more than 13 grams of methamphetamine in his truck. All of the contraband packages were tightly wrapped with black electrical tape. Based on that conduct, Jones was arrested.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office charged Michael L. Jones, 31, of Chattooga County, Georgia, with conspiratorial drug trafficking and extortion under the color of official right. Jones pleaded guilty to both charges.
Federal Bureau of Investigation and Georgia Department of Corrections are investigating this case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey W. Davis, Chief of the Public Integrity and Special Matters Section, is prosecuting the case. Former Assistant U.S. Attorney DeLana Jones previously prosecuted the case.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Atlanta recommends parents and children learn about the dangers of drugs at the following web site: www.justthinktwice.gov.
For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at [email protected] or (404) 581-6016. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.
Former Sioux City Wastewater Treatment Plant Shift Supervisor Sentenced for Violating the Clean Water ActRead the Press Release
A Sioux City man who conspired to rig environmental testing at a large Iowa regional wastewater treatment plant was sentenced today.
Patrick James Schwarte, age 71, from Sioux City, Iowa, received the sentence after a January 23, 2019, guilty plea to one count of conspiracy and one count of knowingly falsifying, tampering with, and rendering inaccurate a monitoring device or method required to be maintained under the Clean Water Act.
The evidence at the guilty plea and sentencing hearings showed that Schwarte was employed at the Sioux City Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP) for over 30 years, most recently as shift supervisor. Schwarte maintained a wastewater treatment certification from the State of Iowa’s Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) and possessed extensive training and experience in municipal wastewater treatment.
The WWTP is a large regional sewage treatment plant for wastewater from industrial, commercial, and residential sources throughout Siouxland, including Sergeant Bluff, Iowa, South Sioux City, Nebraska, North Sioux City, South Dakota, and Dakota Dunes, South Dakota. The WWTP’s more than 20 industrial users produce a large volume of high-strength wastewater. Under a Clean Water Act (CWA) permit, the WWTP was required to treat wastewater before discharging it into the Missouri River, which has heavy local recreational use. Between March 15 and November 15 each year, when public use of the Missouri River was at its highest levels, the WWTP was also required to disinfect its wastewater to remove potentially dangerous human pathogens, including fecal coliform bacteria or E. coli.
The WWTP treated its wastewater with liquid chlorine, which kills bacteria but is potentially toxic to aquatic life. The WWTP’s permit required WWTP to periodically test its wastewater not only for the presence of fecal coliform bacteria or E. coli, but also total residual chlorine (TRC) levels, to ensure that the Missouri River was not polluted.
From July 2012 through June 2015, Schwarte and his direct supervisor, the WWTP Superintendent, tampered with the monitoring methods at the WWTP in order to ensure the WWTP would pass all of its tests. Specifically, early in the morning on testing days for bacteria, Schwarte and the Superintendent instructed first-shift operators at the WWTP to increase the rate of liquid chlorine supplied to the wastewater. After an hour or two passed, and an artificially high level of chlorine was fully mixed into wastewater, they ordered the WWTP’s first-shift operators to use hand-held colorimeters to gauge the levels of chlorine. Only when the colorimeter “maxed out” would the Superintendent take a sample for fecal coliform bacteria or E. coli. This fraudulent procedure allowed for the chlorine in the wastewater to reach sufficient concentrations to avoid showing elevated levels of fecal coliform bacteria or E. coli, which would violate the WWTP’s CWA permits. The WWTP never reported any exceedances of its CWA permit limits for bacteria or residual chlorine after July 2012.
The liquid chlorine rate was increased from about 2.5 gallons per hour, to somewhere between 70 to 120 gallons per hour, for up to two hours. On non-testing days, WWTP employees maintained the chlorine feed rate at minimal levels, well below the designed feed rate of the WWTP and at a rate clearly insufficient to ensure the WWTP consistently and adequately disinfected its wastewater, as the WWTP’s CWA permits required. The engineering firm that designed the liquid chlorine feed system at the WWTP estimated that approximately 16.7 gallons of chlorine would need to be fed per hour to properly kill bacteria.
Then, in the afternoon on fecal coliform bacteria or E. coli testing days, well after the high amounts of chlorine had dissipated from the WWTP’s chlorine contact basin, and when an insufficiently low rate of liquid chlorine was supplied to the basin, Schwarte and the Superintendent would test again for TRC. In the afternoon, they were certain the TRC would pass, because only a minimal rate of liquid chlorine was supplied to the chlorine contact basin at that time. Again, this minimal rate was clearly insufficient to ensure the WWTP consistently and adequately disinfected its wastewater, as required.
The WWTP was also not operated or maintained in good working order, which also violated the WWTP’s permit. For example, the WWTP’s computer system was not only insufficiently connected and inadequately programmed to work with the various parts of the WWTP, but also it worked only intermittently. Although the WWTP was designed to have two operational chlorine contact basins, for years the City operated the WWTP with only one operational chlorine contact basin. Because both chlorine contact basin gates were “old and very leaky,” as reflected in an engineering report provided to the City in April 2012, wastewater constantly poured into the “offline” chlorine contact basin and later, out of the “offline” chlorine contact basin and into the Missouri River.
Schwarte was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand. Schwarte was sentenced to two years of probation, including two months of home confinement, and fined $5,000.
“Patrick Schwarte intentionally cheated on environmental tests, knowing he was violating the Sioux City Wastewater Treatment Plant’s environmental permit and polluting the Missouri River,” said United States Attorney Peter E. Deegan, Jr. “By doing so, he put recreational users at risk and endangered the river’s aquatic life. This blatant disregard for the law and reprehensible treatment of one of our nation’s treasured waterways was nothing short of outrageous.”
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Timothy L. Vavricek and Matthew J. Cole and investigated by the Environmental Protection Agency, Criminal Investigation Division, the Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Inspector General, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 19-CR-4001.
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Former Microsoft software engineer sentenced to nine years in prison for stealing more than $10 million in digital value such as gift cardsRead the Press Release
Seattle – A former Microsoft software engineer was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Seattle to nine years in prison for 18 federal felonies related to his scheme to defraud Microsoft of more than $10 million, announced U.S. Attorney Brian T. Moran. VOLODYMYR KVASHUK, 26, a Ukrainian citizen residing in Renton, Washington, worked first as a contractor at Microsoft and then as an employee from August 2016 until he was fired in June 2018. In February 2020, KVASHUK was convicted by a jury of five counts of wire fraud, six counts of money laundering, two counts of aggravated identity theft, two counts of filing false tax returns, and one count each of mail fraud, access device fraud, and access to a protected computer in furtherance of fraud. At his sentencing hearing, U.S. District Judge James L. Robart said KVASHUK “didn’t have any respect for the law.”
“Stealing from your employer is bad enough, but stealing and making it appear that your colleagues are to blame widens the damage beyond dollars and cents,” said U.S. Attorney Moran. “This case required sophisticated, technological skills to investigate and prosecute, and I am pleased that our law enforcement partners and the U.S. Attorney’s Office have the skill sets needed to bring such offenders to justice.”
According to records filed in the case and testimony at trial, KVASHUK was involved in the testing of Microsoft’s online retail sales platform and used that testing access to steal “currency stored value” (CSV) such as digital gift cards. KVASHUK resold the value on the internet, using the proceeds to purchase a $1.6 million dollar lakefront home and a $160,000 Tesla vehicle. Initially, KVASHUK stole smaller amounts totaling about $12,000 in value using his own account access. As the thefts escalated into millions of dollars of value, KVASHUK used test email accounts associated with other employees. KVASHUK, a knowledgeable software developer, attempted to mask digital evidence that would trace the fraud and the internet sales back to him. He used a bitcoin “mixing” service in an attempt to hide the source of the funds ultimately passing into his bank account. In all, over the seven months of KVASHUK’s illegal activity, approximately $2.8 million in bitcoin were transferred to his bank and investment accounts. KVASHUK then filed fake tax return forms, claiming the bitcoin had been a gift from a relative.
In their sentencing memo, prosecutors noted that KVASHUK’s scheme cast other Microsoft employees under the glare of suspicion. “Kvashuk used the proceeds to live the life of a millionaire, driving a $160,000 car and living in a $1.6 million waterfront home. Kvashuk’s scheme involved lies and deception at every step. He put his colleagues in the line of fire by using their test accounts to steal CSV. Rather than taking responsibility, he testified and told a series of outrageous lies. There is no sign that Kvashuk feels any remorse or regret for his crimes,” prosecutors wrote to the Court.
KVASHUK testified at trial that he did not intend to defraud Microsoft. He claimed to be working on a special project to benefit the company. The jury deliberated about five hours following a five-day jury trial before returning the guilty verdicts.
“The Volodymyr Kvashuk trial marked a big win for IRS-CI and the federal cybercrimes team. Kvashuk’s criminal acts of stealing from Microsoft, and subsequent filing false tax returns, is the nation’s first Bitcoin case that has a tax component to it,” said IRS-CI Special Agent in Charge Ryan L. Korner. “Simply put, today’s sentencing proves you cannot steal money via the Internet and think that Bitcoin is going to hide your criminal behaviors. Our complex team of cybercrimes experts with the assistance of IRS-CI’s Cyber Crimes Unit will hunt you down and hold you accountable for your wrongdoings.”
KVASHUK was ordered to pay $8,344,586 in restitution. He may be deported following his prison term.
The case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation, Western Cyber Crimes Unit and the U.S. Secret Service.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Michael Dion and Siddharth Velamoor.
Former Elkhart, Indiana Resident Sentenced to over Six Years in Prison for Financing of TerrorismRead the Press Release
Samantha Marie Elhassani, aka Samantha Sally, 35, formerly of Elkhart, Indiana, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Philip P. Simon to 78 months in prison and three years of supervised release after pleading guilty to Financing Terrorism, announced Assistant Attorney General for National Security John C. Demers, U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Indiana Thomas L. Kirsch II, FBI Assistant Director of the Counterterrorism Division Jill Sanborn, and FBI Special Agent in Charge of the Indianapolis field office Paul Keenan.
“Once again, the Justice Department has held accountable an individual who turned her back on her country to support a terrorist organization,” said Assistant Attorney General for National Security John C. Demers. “As Elhassani admitted, she made multiple trips to Hong Kong to smuggle tens of thousands in cash and gold, knowing that the funds would be used to support ISIS in Syria. We repatriated Elhassani from Syria because every nation is responsible for holding its citizens accountable and addressing the future threat they may pose. We will not stop.”
"Today's sentencing of Ms. Elhassani should serve as a stark reminder that ISIS and other terrorist organizations have no limits when it comes to recruiting people to join their violent agenda,” said Jill Sanborn, Assistant Director of the FBI’s Counterterrorism Division. “But it also demonstrates our resolve to diligently go after anyone who makes the fateful choice to provide material support to any terrorist organization, especially those who not only betray their country but who would also put their own children in harm’s way during the process.”
“Samantha Elhassani was sentenced today for providing financial support to individuals who desired to support ISIS, a terrorist organization that has committed acts of violence against Americans,” said U.S. Attorney Thomas L. Kirsch II for the Northern District of Indiana. “She traveled with her husband and brother-in-law to Syria, both of whom became ISIS fighters, putting the lives of her children at risk. My Office and our law enforcement partners are committed to prosecuting those like Elhassani who provide support to terrorist organizations. ”
“Today's sentence serves as a strong reminder that the FBI will never relent in ensuring those who abandon their country to support a violent terrorist organization, such as Ms. Elhassani did, will be held accountable and justice will be served,” said FBI Indianapolis Special Agent in Charge Paul Keenan. “Adding to her betrayal, Ms. Elhassani willfully chose to put her young children's lives at risk through her selfish actions, exposing them to an atmosphere of violence and hatred. She knew exactly what she was doing and why. She was an active participant in this heinous activity and is now facing the consequences.”
According to documents in this case, in November 2014, Elhassani was informed by her husband that he and his brother wanted to travel to Syria to join ISIS, which she knew at the time was a terrorist organization that engaged in terrorist activities. Between November 2014 and April 1015, Elhassani helped the two men join ISIS by making multiple trips to Hong Kong and transporting more than $30,000 in cash and gold from the United States and depositing it in a safe deposit box in Hong Kong. Elhassani melted down the gold to look like jewelry and did not disclose the cash and gold on customs declaration forms. At the time Elhassani transported the money and gold, she knew that her husband and brother-in-law had expressed an interest in joining ISIS and that they intended to use these resources to support ISIS.
During her last trip to Hong Kong, in late March 2015, Elhassani procured tactical gear, including rifle scopes and image-stabilized binoculars. From there, Elhassani and her family, including her seven year old son and two year old daughter, departed for Istanbul, Turkey, and entered ISIS-controlled territory in Syria sometime in or around June 2015. In the months leading up to the move to Syria, Elhassani helped conceal the plans by lying to family, friends and federal agents about her travel.
In July of 2018, Elhassani and her children were transferred from the custody of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) to U.S. law enforcement custody.
This case was investigated by the FBI’s Indianapolis Division and Joint Terrorism Task Force. This case was prosecuted by the Assistant United States Attorneys Abizer Zanzi, Jennifer Chang and Nathaniel Whalen and the National Security Divisions Counterterrorism Section.
Former Elkhart, Indiana Resident Sentenced to over Six Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON - Samantha Marie Elhassani, aka Samantha Sally, 35, formerly of Elkhart, Indiana, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Philip P. Simon to 78 months in prison and three years of supervised release after pleading guilty to Financing Terrorism, announced Assistant Attorney General for National Security John C. Demers, U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Indiana Thomas L. Kirsch II, FBI Assistant Director of the Counterterrorism Division Jill Sanborn and FBI Special Agent in Charge of the Indianapolis field office Paul Keenan.
“Once again, the Justice Department has held accountable an individual who turned her back on her country to support a terrorist organization,” said Assistant Attorney General for National Security John C. Demers. “As Elhassani admitted, she made multiple trips to Hong Kong to smuggle tens of thousands in cash and gold, knowing that the funds would be used to support ISIS in Syria. We repatriated Elhassani from Syria because every nation is responsible for holding its citizens accountable and addressing the future threat they may pose. We will not stop.”
“Samantha Elhassani was sentenced today for providing financial support to individuals who desired to support ISIS, a terrorist organization that has committed acts of violence against Americans,” said U.S. Attorney Thomas L. Kirsch II for the Northern District of Indiana. “She traveled with her husband and brother-in-law to Syria, both of whom became ISIS fighters, putting the lives of her children at risk. My Office and our law enforcement partners are committed to prosecuting those like Elhassani who provide support to terrorist organizations. ”
“Today's sentence serves as a strong reminder that the FBI will never relent in ensuring those who abandon their country to support a violent terrorist organization, such as Ms. Elhassani did, will be held accountable and justice will be served,” said FBI Indianapolis Special Agent in Charge Paul Keenan. “Adding to her betrayal, Ms. Elhassani willfully chose to put her young children's lives at risk through her selfish actions, exposing them to an atmosphere of violence and hatred. She knew exactly what she was doing and why. She was an active participant in this heinous activity and is now facing the consequences.”
According to documents in this case, in November 2014, Elhassani was informed by her husband that he and his brother wanted to travel to Syria to join ISIS, which she knew at the time was a terrorist organization that engaged in terrorist activities. Between November 2014 and April 1015, Elhassani helped the two men join ISIS by making multiple trips to Hong Kong and transporting more than $30,000 in cash and gold from the United States and depositing it in a safe deposit box in Hong Kong. Elhassani melted down the gold to look like jewelry and did not disclose the cash and gold on customs declaration forms. At the time Elhassani transported the money and gold, she knew that her husband and brother-in-law had expressed an interest in joining ISIS and that they intended to use these resources to support ISIS.
During her last trip to Hong Kong, in late March 2015, Elhassani procured tactical gear, including rifle scopes and image-stabilized binoculars. From there, Elhassani and her family, including her seven year old son and two year old daughter, departed for Istanbul, Turkey, and entered ISIS-controlled territory in Syria sometime in or around June 2015. In the months leading up to the move to Syria, Elhassani helped conceal the plans by lying to family, friends and federal agents about her travel.
In July of 2018, Elhassani and her children were transferred from the custody of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) to U.S. law enforcement custody.
This case was investigated by the FBI’s Indianapolis Division and Joint Terrorism Task Force. This case was prosecuted by the Assistant United States Attorneys Abizer Zanzi, Jennifer Chang and Nathaniel Whalen and the National Security Divisions Counterterrorism Section.
Former CFO of Long Island Pharmaceutical Company Pleads Guilty to Insider TradingRead the Press Release
Earlier today, at the federal courthouse in Central Islip, Douglas Roth, the former Chief Financial Officer (CFO) of Aceto Corporation (Aceto), a pharmaceutical company based in Port Washington, New York, pleaded guilty to securities fraud for insider trading. Roth obtained material non-public information about Aceto’s financial condition while serving as the company’s CFO, then sold shares of Aceto ahead of a public announcement detailing negative information about the company’s finances and avoided more than $145,000 in losses. Today’s proceeding took place before United States District Judge Joan M. Azrack. When sentenced, Roth faces up to 20 years in prison, as well as forfeiture and a fine of up to $5 million.
Seth D. DuCharme, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, and William F. Sweeney, Jr., Assistant Director-in-Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI), announced the guilty plea.
“Corporate officers cannot use their positions of trust for personal benefit at the expense of shareholders,” stated Acting United States Attorney Seth D. DuCharme. “As demonstrated by today’s guilty plea, this Office will vigorously prosecute those who abuse their positions to defraud the financial markets.” Mr. DuCharme thanked the New York Regional Office of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) for their cooperation and assistance during the investigation.
According to court filings and facts presented during the plea proceeding, Roth was CFO of Aceto from approximately May 2001 to March 31, 2018. During the relevant time period, shares of Aceto traded on the NASDAQ exchange under the ticker ACETQ. Between January and March 2018, Roth was aware of non-public information that Aceto’s financial performance had worsened substantially as compared to its most-recent publicly-released financial statements, including that Aceto was likely to breach certain financial covenants it owed to its bank lenders, and that Aceto might need to write down more than $100 million in goodwill assets. While in possession of that non-public information, Roth sold approximately 69,549 shares of Aceto stock. Shortly thereafter, Aceto issued a press release publicly announcing that its financial condition had worsened, that it had breached certain financial covenants and that it would need to write down significant goodwill assets, after which Aceto’s share price dropped significantly. By selling his shares before the press release was issued, Roth avoided more than $145,000 in losses.
The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s Business and Securities Fraud Section. Assistant United States Attorneys Alixandra E. Smith and Mathew S. Miller are in charge of the prosecution.
The Defendant:
DOUGLAS ROTH
Age: 63
East Northport, New YorkE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 20-481 (JMA)
Federal Grand Jury Indicts New Orleans Man for Narcotics and Firearm ViolationsRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – U.S. Attorney Peter G. Strasser announced on Friday, November 6, 2020, that DEREK NOLAN, a/k/a “Pop,” age 25, a resident of New Orleans, Louisiana was charged in a ten-count indictment by a federal grand jury. In Count 1, NOLAN is charged with a conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute 100 grams or more of a mixture or substance containing a detectable amount of heroin; 50 grams or more of a mixture or substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine; and a quantity of a mixture or substance containing a detectable amount of N-phenyl-N-[1-(2-phenylethyl)-4-piperidinyl] propanamide, that is fentanyl in violation of Title 21 U.S.C. §§ 841(a)(1), (b)(1)(B), (b)(1)(C) and § 846. If convicted for the heroin and methamphetamine violations, NOLAN faces a term of imprisonment with mandatory minimum sentence of 5 years and a maximum sentence of 40 years, a fine of up to $5,000,000, a period of supervised release of at least 4 years, and a mandatory special assessment fee of $100. For the fentanyl offense, if convicted, NOLAN faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years, a fine up to $1,000,000.00, a period of supervised release of at least 3 years, and a mandatory special assessment fee of $100.
In Counts 2 and 3, NOLAN is charged with distribution of a quantity of a mixture or substance containing a detectable amount of N-phenyl-N-[1-(2-phenylethyl)-4-piperidinyl] propanamide, that is fentanyl, in violation of 21 U.S.C. §§ 841(a)(1) and (b)(1)(C). If convicted, NOLAN faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years, a fine of up to $1,000,000.00, a period of supervised release of at least 3 years, and a mandatory special assessment fee of $100.
In Counts 4 and 5, NOLAN is charged with distribution of a quantity of a mixture or substance containing a detectable amount of heroin, in violation of Title 21 U.S.C. §§ 841(a)(1) and (b)(1)(C). If convicted, NOLAN faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years, a fine of up to $1,000,000.00, a period of supervised release of at least 3 years, and a mandatory special assessment fee of $100.
In Counts 6 and 8, NOLAN is charged with distribution of a quantity of a mixture or substance containing a detectable amount of heroin and a quantity of a mixture or substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine, in violation of Title 21 U.S.C. §§ 841(a)(1) and (b)(1)(C). If convicted, NOLAN faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years, a fine of up to $1,000,000.00, a period of supervised release of at least 3 years, and a mandatory special assessment fee of $100.
In Counts 7 and 11, NOLAN is charged with possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking crimes, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 924(c)(1)(A) and 924(c)(1)(A)(i). If convicted, NOLAN faces a consecutive mandatory minimum sentence of 5 years of imprisonment, a fine of up to $250,000.00, a period of supervised release up to 5 years and a mandatory special assessment fee of $100.
In Count 9, NOLAN is charged with distribution of 50 grams or more of a mixture or substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine and a quantity of a mixture or substance containing a detectable amount of heroin, in violation of Title 21 U.S.C. §§ 841(a)(1), (b)(1)(B), and (b)(1)(C). If convicted for the methamphetamine violation, NOLAN faces a term of imprisonment with a mandatory minimum sentence of 5 years and a maximum sentence of 40 years, a fine of up to $5,000,000 fine, a period of supervised release of at least 4 years, and a mandatory special assessment fee of $100. For the heroin offense, if convicted, NOLAN faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years, a fine up to $1,000,000.00, a period of supervised release of at least 3 years supervised release, and a mandatory special assessment fee of $100.
In Count 10, NOLAN is charged with being a felon in possession of firearms and ammunition in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 922(g)(1) and 924(a)(2). If convicted, NOLAN faces a maximum sentence of 10 years imprisonment, a fine up to $250,000.00, a period of supervised release up to 3 years, and a mandatory special assessment fee of $100.00 for each charge.
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 partners: Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. For more information about Project Guardian, please see https://www.justice.gov/usao-edla/project-guardian.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Brittany Reed of the Violent Crime/Strike Force Unit of the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
Essex County Man Sentenced to 80 Months in Prison for Three Felon in Possession Charges, One in Connection with A ShootingRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – An Essex County, New Jersey, man was sentenced today to 80 months in prison for three felony charges in connection with his possession of firearms and ammunition on three different days in April and May of 2019, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito announced.
Samaad Kelly, a/k/a “Spud,” 33, previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Esther Salas in Newark federal court to an information charging him with two counts of being a felon in possession of a firearm and one count of being a felon in possession of ammunition. U.S. District Judge Brian R. Martinotti imposed the sentence today by videoconference.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
On April 24, 2019, officers from the Essex County Sheriff’s Office received information that Kelly was driving in Newark in a silver BMW with a temporary registration and was in possession of a firearm. The officers observed the BMW, which had a fictitious registration, and conducted a stop. Kelly, who was driving the BMW, could not provide the officers with any identification, registration, or proof of insurance. After conducting a search of the BMW, the officers located a Taurus semi-automatic 9 millimeter handgun in the glove box. The officers arrested Kelly, and Kelly remained in custody until May 2, 2019, when he was released on bail.
On May 7, 2019, officers from the Newark Police Department responded to a report of gun shots near Astor Street in Newark. Upon their arrival, they found one 9 millimeter discharged shell casing and one 9 millimeter round of live ammunition. The officers obtained video footage from surveillance cameras located nearby, which showed Kelly point and fire a black handgun in the direction of another individual.
On May 10, 2019, detectives from the Newark Police Department were patrolling a section of Newark in the vicinity of Astor and Brunswick streets. One of the detectives observed Kelly wearing a fanny pack that appeared to be heavily weighed down. When the detectives approached Kelly, he fled on foot. While running away from the detectives, Kelly unclipped the fanny pack and attempted to throw it over a fence. As he was throwing the fanny pack, he slipped and fell to the ground. The detectives apprehended Kelly, recovered the fanny pack, and found inside of it a Ruger 9 millimeter semi-automatic pistol, loaded with 10 rounds of ammunition. The detectives arrested Kelly.
In addition to the prison term, Judge Martinotti sentenced Kelly to 3 years of supervised release.
This case is part of Project Guardian, the Department of Justice’s signature initiative to reduce gun violence and enforce federal firearms laws. Initiated by the Attorney General in the fall of 2019, Project Guardian draws upon the Department’s past successful programs to reduce gun violence; enhances coordination of federal, state, local and tribal authorities in investigating and prosecuting gun crimes; improves information sharing by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives when a prohibited individual attempts to purchase a firearm and is denied by the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS), to include taking appropriate actions when a prospective purchaser is denied by the NCIS for mental health reasons; and ensured that federal resources are directed at the criminals posing the greatest threat to our communities. For more information about Project Guardian, please see https://www.justice.gov/projectguardian .
U.S. Attorney Carpenito credited special agents of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Charlie J. Patterson, Newark Field Division, with the investigation leading to today’s sentencing. He also thanked the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Acting Prosecutor Theodore N. Stephens II, police officers and detectives of the Newark Police Department, under the direction of Public Safety Director Anthony F. Ambrose, and the Essex County Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Sheriff Armando B. Fontoura, for their work on the case.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher D. Amore of the Government Fraud Unit in Newark.
Defense counsel: Lisa M. Mack Esq., Assistant Federal Public Defender, Newark