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Wednesday 4 November 2020
San Gabriel Valley Man Admits to Role in Scheme in Which He Arranged Fraudulent ‘Green Card’ Marriages for Chinese NationalsRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – A San Gabriel Valley man pleaded guilty today to a federal conspiracy charge and admitted that he helped orchestrate a scheme in which Chinese nationals paid up to $60,000 to enter into sham marriages with U.S. citizens in the hope of obtaining “green cards.”
Chang Yu “Andy” He, 55, of Monterey Park, the owner of Fair Price Immigration Service, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit marriage fraud.
According to his plea agreement, from January 2018 to November 2019, He recruited United States citizens to enter into marriages with Chinese nationals, who then filed immigration documents with United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).
Specifically, He planned to arrange fraudulent marriages for three pairs of Chinese nationals and U.S. citizens to obtain green cards. The U.S. citizens in these situations were actually undercover agents with Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). He also met with a co-defendant and two other undercover agents for the purpose of arranging the agents into sham marriages with Chinese nationals.
He admitted coaching the Chinese nationals and United States citizens on how to make their marriages appear genuine and how to pass interviews conducted by the USCIS, such as by creating a fraudulent paper trail for the couples and memorizing answers to questions immigration service officers could ask during their USCIS interviews.
According to court documents, He also instructed the “couples” to obtain joint bank accounts and joint apartment leases, keep clothes in the apartments where the couples supposedly lived together, and visit the apartment several days a week so the neighbors would see them together.
In October 2018, He introduced a U.S. citizen, who actually was an undercover federal agent, to co-defendant Xiaojun Han, 40, of Irvine, for the purpose of entering into a sham marriage to obtain a green card. He paid the undercover agent $10,000 to enter into the sham marriage and, in April 2019, met with the agent at the Rosemead Public Library to help with Han’s immigration paperwork, the plea agreement states. He admitted telling the agent that he would be paid $25,000 when Han received her green card, as well as $5,000 at the end of the immigration process.
United States District Judge Michael W. Fitzgerald has scheduled a February 1, 2021 sentencing hearing, at which time He will face a statutory maximum sentence of five years in federal prison.
Co-defendants Huanzhang Wu, 29, of St. Paul, Minnesota, Zhongnan Liu, 34, of San Diego, who paid He to arrange sham their sham marriages, each pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit marriage fraud. Wu was sentenced to one year of probation. Liu’s sentencing hearing is scheduled for November 5.
Han and Xiulan “Cindy” Wang, 47, of San Gabriel, the owner of Pacific Bizhub Consulting, have a March 16, 2021 trial date scheduled in this case.
This investigation began in March 2017 based on information provided by an anonymous source. Law enforcement authorities believe the defendants’ clients learned about the service through word of mouth and from advertisements in Chinese newspapers.
This case is the result of an undercover investigation by the Los Angeles Document and Benefit Fraud Task Force, which is led by HSI and includes representatives of the U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service and USCIS’ Fraud Detection and National Security unit. The San Gabriel Police Department, the West Covina Police Department, and the Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk assisted in the investigation.
This matter is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Robert S. Trisotto of the Riverside Branch Office and Jerry C. Yang, Chief of the Riverside Branch Office.
San Fernando Valley Medical Supply Company that Defrauded Federal Health Care Programs Pays U.S. $565,873 to Resolve Civil ClaimsRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – A Canoga Park-based company that sells home medical equipment has paid $565,873 to resolve allegations that it knowingly submitted false claims to federal health care programs for medically unnecessary medical supplies and supplies never delivered to patients.
Valley Home Medical Supply, Inc., which provides medical supplies and durable medical equipment, paid the settlement on Tuesday as part of an agreement that resolves a “whistleblower” lawsuit that alleged the company defrauded the Medicare and TRICARE programs from July 2006 until May 2013. With the payment of the settlement, United States District Judge Dale S. Fischer today dismissed the lawsuit.
Valley Home Medical Supply’s former president and chief executive officer, Kenneth Greenlinger, 75, of Oxnard, pleaded guilty in May 2017 to two counts of health care fraud and served an eight-month federal prison sentence. In the criminal case, Greenlinger was ordered to pay restitution of $1,072,618.
Kari Kitamura, a former employee of Valley Home Medical Supply, filed the civil lawsuit, United States ex rel. Kitamura v. Valley Home Medical Supply, CV12-11036 DSF(AGRx), in 2012 in United States District Court in Los Angeles. The United States elected to intervene in the lawsuit in 2017.
Ms. Kitamura filed the lawsuit under the qui tam – or whistleblower – provisions of the False Claims Act, which permit private parties to sue on behalf of the United States and to receive a share of any recovery. As a result of the settlement, Ms. Kitamura will receive $124,492, which equals 22 percent of the settlement proceeds. Valley Home Medical Supply will also pay Ms. Kitamura $80,000 for attorney’s fees.
This case was handled by Assistant United States Attorney Lisa A. Palombo of the Civil Fraud Section, who worked closely with the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services – Office of Inspector General.
Rochester Man Going to Prison for Six Years Following Child Pornography ConvictionRead 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 Jordan Dunn, 26 of Rochester, NY, who was convicted of receipt of child pornography, was sentenced, by U.S. District Judge Elizabeth A. Wolford, to serve 72 months in prison, followed by 10 years of supervised release.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kyle P. Rossi, who handled the case, stated that members of the FBI’s Child Exploitation Task Force executed a search warrant on September 18, 2019, at the defendant’s home in Rochester following a cybertip from an online social media company. The tip indicated that an account holder had uploaded an image of child pornography using the company’s messaging application. The image was traced to Dunn’s Rochester apartment, which he shared with co-defendant Jeffrey Wehs. Computers belonging to Wehs and Dunn were previewed and found to contain multiple images and videos of child pornography.
Dunn and Wehs previously worked with children, including disabled children, within various organizations in the Rochester area. Wehs was previously sentenced to time-served and eight years of supervised release on August 20, 2020, after being convicted of possession of child pornography.
The sentencing is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Child Exploitation Task Force, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Stephen Belongia.
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Robbing a Small Town Bank at Gunpoint Sends Man to Federal Prison for More Than Nine YearsRead the Press Release
A man who robbed a bank at gunpoint was sentenced on November 3, 2020, to more than nine years in federal prison.
Luis Angel Vega, age 28, from Austin, Minnesota, received the prison term after a June 18, 2020 guilty plea to bank robbery and using a firearm during a violent crime.
Information from a plea agreement and at sentencing showed that, on September 3, 2019, Vega robbed a bank in Lime Springs, Iowa. Vega walked into the bank armed with a Colt .45 caliber pistol and wearing a balaclava. Vega pointed the pistol at three bank employees and demanded that a teller fill a bag with cash in thirty seconds. He then took $6,869 in cash from the bank. Based on the description given by the bank employees and the fact that Vega drove his own truck to the robbery, law enforcement officers were able to locate and arrest Vega less than three hours after the robbery.
Vega was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams. Vega was sentenced to 114 months’ imprisonment. He was ordered to make $6,869 in restitution to the bank. He must also serve a five-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system. Vega is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kyndra Lundquist and investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 20-CR-2011.
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Rehab Operator Sentenced to 10 Years for Heroin Trafficking and Tax FraudRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH - A resident of McKees Rocks, PA, has been sentenced in federal court to 10 years’ imprisonment on his convictions of conspiracy to distribute heroin and aiding in the preparation of false income tax returns, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced today.
United States District Judge Joy Flowers Conti imposed the sentence on David Francis, age 69.
According to information presented to the court, Francis was the owner and operator of Next Step Recovery Housing, LLC, a purported drug rehabilitation center, located in McKees Rocks, PA. While operating Next Step Recovery Housing, the defendant also conspired to distribute more than 100 grams of heroin with suppliers from New York City, codefendants William Rosario and Jose Ortega, from November 2016 through February 2017. Francis redistributed the heroin that he obtained from Rosario and Ortega to his own customers, many of whom were current or former clients of Next Step Recovery Housing. During the same timeframe, Francis was also the owner and operator of All Personal Matters, an income tax return preparation business. Through All Personal Matters, Francis aided in the preparation and filing of fraudulent federal income tax returns on behalf of clients of All Personal Matters, resulting in a loss to the Internal Revenue Service of $1,681,607.54. Francis funded the heroin trafficking operations, in part, through the money he unlawfully obtained through the scheme to defraud the Internal Revenue Service.
Prior to imposing sentence, Judge Conti stated that the sentence satisfied the goals of punishment, rehabilitation and deterrence.
Assistant United States Attorney Tonya Sulia Goodman prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
United States Attorney Brady commended the Drug Enforcement Administration, Internal Revenue Service, Monroeville Police Department, Stowe Township Police Department, Ingram Borough Police Department, Pennsylvania State Police, and Monaca Police Department for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Francis.
Rayne Man with History of Committing Sexual Crimes Sentenced in Federal CourtRead the Press Release
LAFAYETTE, La. – Joseph Emery Menard, 44, of Rayne, Louisiana, was sentenced today on child pornography charges, Acting United States Attorney Alexander C. Van Hook announced. United States District Judge S. Maurice Hicks, Jr. sentenced Menard to 360 months (30 years) in prison followed by 15 years of supervised release for receiving child pornography.
Evidence presented at Menard’s guilty plea hearing on May 5, 2020 and the sentencing hearing held today revealed that law enforcement officers received information that the defendant was sexually abusing two young prepubescent children. In order to obtain evidence of that crime, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Menard’s residence. During the search, they seized a computer from his residence. The computer was found to have over 600 images of child pornography, some of which were of prepubescent children. Further investigation revealed that the images were downloaded from the internet and received by Menard on November 6, 11, and 12, 2018 and he knew that the images contained child pornography.
Menard was previously prosecuted in the 15th Judicial District Court for Lafayette Parish, Louisiana. On May 15, 2000, he pled guilty to two counts of molestation of a juvenile, an offense relating to abusive sexual conduct involving a young prepubescent minor.
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security – Homeland Security Investigation conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney J. Luke Walker prosecuted the case.
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The year 2020 marks the 150th anniversary of the Department of Justice. Learn more about the history of our agency at www.Justice.gov/Celebrating150Years.
Owner of Tennessee Drug Screening Lab Sentenced to Probation, Home Detention, and Community Service on Federal Health Care Fraud ChargeRead the Press Release
ABINGDON, Va. – Regan Dube, who along with her husband Michael Dube formerly owned and operated American Toxicology Labs, was sentenced this week in U.S. District Court in Abingdon, Virginia to three years of probation, four months of home detention, and 400 hours of community service. Acting United States Attorney Daniel P. Bubar and Virginia Attorney General Mark G. Herring made the announcement today.
The Dubes, of Johnson City Tenn., previously pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in Abingdon. Regan Dube pleaded guilty to one felony count of health care fraud in the Western District of Virginia. Michael Dube pleaded guilty to two felony counts of health care fraud (one filed in the Western District of Virginia and one filed in the Eastern District of Kentucky). Michael Dube is scheduled to be sentenced February 11, 2021.
“Regan and Michael Dube repeatedly defrauded the health care system for their own greed,” United States Attorney Bubar said today. “I am grateful to our state and federal partners for quickly working together to investigate this case and for their continued efforts to remove fraud from the health care system.”
“Individuals who take advantage of the health care system to line their own pockets should be held accountable and this sentencing sends a message that this will not be tolerated in Virginia,” said Attorney General Herring. “I want to thank my Medicaid Fraud Control Unit for all of their hard work on this and I also want to thank our local, state, and federal partners for their continued collaboration on important cases like this one.”
According to court documents, in March 2011, Michael Dube pleaded guilty in the Eastern District of Tennessee to one count of intentionally omitting information from reports as required under the Controlled Substances Act. As a result of his conviction, the Department of Health and Human Services [HHS] informed Dube in a letter dated June 29, 2012, that he was excluded from participating in any federal health care program.
Nonetheless, in May 2013, Michael and Regan Dube established American Toxicology Labs [ATL] in Johnson City, Tennessee, with Regan Dube serving as the company’s registered agent, and using the couple’s home address as the principal office and mailing address. ATL then applied to participate in Medicare and Medicaid. On the applications, Regan Dube was listed as the owner of ATL, and Michael Dube’s name and participation in ATL was omitted.
ATL conducted urine screens for various entities who represented themselves to be opioid treatment facilities. Between May 1, 2014, and January 31, 2020, Medicare, Virginia Medicaid, Kentucky Medicaid and TennCare made payments to ATL that totaled approximately $8.5 million. During this time, Michael Dube made employment decisions, negotiated business arrangements with providers, and otherwise participated in the management of ATL.
In addition, Michael Dube also received kickback payments from third parties for referring individuals to those third parties for services for which payment was made (in whole or in part) by federal health care programs. These payments were deposited in Michael and Regan Dube’s personal checking account in a total amount of $441,646.
As a result of their guilty pleas, Regan and Michael Dube will pay a total of $9,015,046, plus interest, to be divided between special assessments, fines, restitution, and forfeiture. They will have to repay all of the money they received from Medicare and Medicaid programs.
The investigation of the case was conducted by the Food and Drug Administration Office of Criminal Investigations, Virginia Medicaid Fraud Control Unit of the Office of the Attorney General, the Department of Health and Human Services Office of the Inspector General, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Virginia State Police, and Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigations, and the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation. The prosecution of the case was conducted by Special Assistant United States Attorney and Assistant Attorney General Janine Myatt, and Assistant United States Attorneys Krista Frith, Randy Ramseyer, and Whit Pierce of the United States Attorneys’ Offices for the Western District of Virginia. The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Kentucky and the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Tennessee provided valuable assistance.
Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force Operations “Trap Mansion” and “Two Birds One Stone” Delivers Strong Blow to International Drug SmugglersRead the Press Release
SHERMAN, Texas – The United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Texas, Stephen J. Cox, announced today the results of two Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) operations targeting international drug and firearm trafficking between Mexico and Texas. Operations Trap Mansion and Two Birds and One Stone were a sustained state-wide effort of numerous federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies from throughout Texas spanning from October of 2018 to June of 2020.
Operations Trap Mansion and Two Birds One Stone targeted several large Sinaloa and Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG) drug trafficking cells located in the Dallas, Texas area. These cartel cells would also purchase quantities of firearms which they would smuggle back to Mexico along with bulk U.S. currency that the Sinaloa Cartel and CJNG would use to conduct acts of violence, kidnappings and extortions in Mexico. Trap Mansion and Two Birds One Stone specifically aimed to interdict trailers loaded with quantities of illegal drugs imported from Mexico across the Texas/Mexico border, and the seizure of firearms smuggled to Mexico from Texas.
The agencies’ efforts resulted in the indictment of 96 defendants in federal court for charges related to drug trafficking, continuing criminal enterprise, unlawful possession of firearms, using firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking, money laundering and other federal criminal violations. Further, during these operations law enforcement seized 49 firearms, of which, several were AR-15 style rifles and multiple short-barreled weapons that were not registered as required by the National Firearms Act, stolen from local Texans, or otherwise illegally possessed. Law enforcement also seized approximately 511.9 kilograms of methamphetamine, 40 kilograms of cocaine, 19.3 kilograms of heroin, 67 kilograms of marijuana, 19 kilograms of controlled pharmaceuticals, 800 grams of fentanyl, and approximately $6.6 million in assets.
U.S. Attorney Cox stated: “Today’s announcement of the results of Operations Trap Mansion and Two Birds One Stone represents the pinnacle of sustained multi-agency cooperation focused on the dual threat of narcotics and firearms trafficking. We will continue to collaborate with all of our law enforcement partners to stem the flood of deadly drugs and illegal firearms, and to punish those who seek to profit from trafficking contraband.”
U.S. Attorney Cox commended the investigative efforts of, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Internal Revenue Service, Flower Mound Police Department, Rockwall County Sheriff’s Office, and the Lewisville Police Department. Multiple local police departments and sheriff’s offices throughout the state assisted throughout the operation.
“Criminals cannot hide. While these individuals may have enjoyed a lavish lifestyle brought on the backs of those struggling with addiction, these operations send a clear message that the story only ends with confiscated drugs, assets and justice served,” said Special Agent in Charge Eduardo Chavez of the DEA Dallas Field Division. “I am especially proud of our law enforcement partners that leverage subject-matter expertise to arrest and prosecute over 90 individuals whose actions have negatively impacted so many lives. DEA Dallas will continue to do our part to make our neighborhoods throughout the Eastern District of Texas safer for all our families.”
These operations were part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Program. OCDETF is a joint federal, state, and local cooperative approach to combat drug trafficking and is the nation’s primary tool for disrupting and dismantling major drug trafficking organizations, targeting national and regional level drug trafficking organizations, and coordinating the necessary law enforcement entities and resources to disrupt or dismantle the targeted criminal organization and seize their assets. Prosecutions arising from these operations are 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 enhances coordination of federal, state, local, and tribal authorities in investigating and prosecuting firearm use and possession crimes; prioritizes prosecuting persons who make false statements when attempting to obtain firearms; improves information-sharing by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives concerning persons who attempt to obtain firearms illegally; coordinates responses to persons prevented from obtaining firearms for mental health reasons; and ensures the use of modern intelligence tools and technology to focus on the criminals posing the greatest threat to our communities.
Ohio man sentenced for drug conspiracyRead the Press Release
WHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA – Ryan Thomas Savage, of Wintersville, Ohio, was sentenced today to 37 months of incarceration for his role in a cocaine, crack cocaine, heroin, and fentanyl distribution operation, U.S. Attorney Bill Powell announced.
Savage, age 37, pled guilty to one count of “Conspiracy to Distribute Cocaine Hydrochloride, Cocaine Base, Heroin, and Fentanyl” in December 2019. Savage admitted to working with others to distribute cocaine, crack cocaine, heroin and fentanyl in Hancock County and elsewhere from February 2018 to August 2019.Assistant U.S. Attorneys Danae DeMasi-Lemon and Robert H. McWilliams, Jr. prosecuted the case on behalf of the government. The Drug Enforcement Administration; the Hancock-Brooke-Weirton Drug & Violent Crimes Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative; the West Virginia State Police; the Marshall County Drug & Violent Crimes task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative; The Ohio Valley Drug & Violent Crimes task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative; the Jefferson County, Ohio, Drug & Violent Crimes Task Force; the Hancock County Sheriff’s Office; the Brooke County Sheriff’s Office; the Weirton Police Department; and the West Virginia Division of Natural Resources Police investigated.
The investigation was funded by the federal Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force Program (OCDETF). 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.
U.S. District Judge John Preston Bailey presided.
Ohio County man sentenced for methamphetamine distributionRead the Press Release
WHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA – Benjamin John Woodring, of Wheeling, West Virginia, was sentenced today to 77 months incarceration for drug distribution, U.S. Attorney Bill Powell announced.
Woodring, age 28, pled guilty to one count of “Aiding and Abetting the Distribution of Methamphetamine within 1000 feet of a Protected Location” in December 2019. Woodring admitted to selling methamphetamine near Luau Manor in Ohio County in March 2019.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Shawn M. Adkins prosecuted the case on behalf of the government. The Ohio Valley Drug & Violent Crimes Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, investigated.
U.S. District Judge John Preston Bailey presided.
Norman Man Pleads Guilty to Money Laundering as Part of a Nigerian Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
A Norman man pleaded guilty Tuesday in U.S. District Court for his role as a money launderer in a Nigerian romance scam that defrauded multiple victims, including elder Americans, of millions, announced U.S. Attorney Trent Shores.
Afeez Olajide Adebara, 35, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit money laundering before U.S. District Court Judge Gregory K. Frizzell. Adebara’s sentencing hearing is set for Feb. 3, 2021.
“Adebara organized and led a money laundering operation from Oklahoma in order to conceal the proceeds of a Nigerian Romance Scam. He and his co-conspirators defrauded an Oklahoman and two other victims of more than $1.5 million,” said U.S. Attorney Trent Shores. “Romance scams inflict the highest reported financial losses yearly, totaling about $200 million in 2019, when compared to other online scams. Con artists like Adebara have no shame. They care not if their victims are elders, veterans, or hard working Americans living paycheck to paycheck. I commend the FBI agents and federal prosecutors who took down this international money laundering operation.”
In his plea agreement, Adebara admitted that he knew the money involved in the financial transactions involved the proceeds from unlawful activity. He further stated that he knew the financial transactions were designed, in whole or in part, to conceal or disguise the nature, the location, the source, the ownership, or the control of the proceeds of the unlawful activity.
From 2017 through and November 2019, Adebara knowingly concealed the proceeds of a romance scam operation by moving money between and among multiple bank accounts that were opened under various aliases using fake passports and other fraudulent identification documents to obscure the source of the funds and the identities of the co-conspirators. Court documents state that he and his co-conspirators took further steps to conceal the source of the funds, took a commission, and directed the remainder of the funds back to the online romance scammers in Nigeria, including in the form of vehicles and vehicle parts.
According to court documents, Adebara coordinated with overseas co-conspirators who had assumed false identities on online dating websites and social media platforms with the intent to defraud victims. Adebara opened multiple accounts using fraudulent identities then provided the account and routing numbers to the overseas co-conspirators. The overseas co-conspirators told victims they were U.S. residents working abroad. In fact, the investigation revealed that these overseas co-conspirators were located in Nigeria. As these online “relationships” continued, the overseas co-conspirators’ would request increasingly larger sums of money, claiming that the funds were needed to complete business projects or to return to the United States. The victims were directed by the overseas co-conspirators to send funds to Adebara and others’ bank accounts, assuring the victims that he would allocate the money as needed.
Adebara was charged on Nov. 13, 2019, along with nine co-defendants. John Oluwaseun Ogundele, 31, formerly of Norman, pleaded guilty on June 15, 2020.
The remaining defendants are Joshua Naandom Ditep, 25, Nigerian citizen and lawful permanent resident of the United States residing in Norman; Paul Usoro, 26, Nigerian citizen and lawful permanent resident of the United States residing in Norman; Chibuzo Godwin Obiefuna, Jr., 27, U.S. citizen residing in Long Beach, California; Tobiloba Kehinde, 28, Nigerian citizen residing in Norman; Jamiu Ibukun Adedeji, 24, Nigerian citizen, residing in Norman; First and last name unknown #1, who maintained an address in Brooklyn, New York; First and last name unknown #2, who maintained an address in Dallas, Texas; and First and last name unknown #3, who maintained an address in Dallas, Texas. Ditep, Usoro, Obiefuna, Kehinde, and Adedeji await trial while the three additional co-defendants remain fugitives. These remaining defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
The FBI’s Oklahoma City Field Office conducted the investigation. Trial Attorney Babasijibomi Moore of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Nassar of the Northern District of Oklahoma are prosecuting the case.
This case is part of an ongoing national effort by the Department of Justice to address online fraud schemes often based out of Nigeria that target U.S. citizens. The public is encouraged to report potential online fraud activity or scams to the FBI at https://www.ic3.gov/.
New York Woman Sentenced to Prison for Role in Counterfeit Check Bank Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that MEEM JANNAT, 25, of Brooklyn, New York, formerly of Waterbury, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Vanessa L. Bryant in Hartford to seven months of imprisonment, followed by one year of supervised release, for her role in a counterfeit check bank fraud scheme.
According to court documents and statements made in court, between approximately December 2017 and January 2019, Jannat and her co-conspirators, including Jonell Bonilla, Tania Cruz and Lilibeth Perez, obtained access to bank accounts by recruiting individuals through social media and persuading the individuals to share their account information, including debit cards and associated PIN numbers. The account holders were paid for providing access to their bank accounts. Jannat and her co-conspirators misrepresented to the account holders that U.S. Postal Service money orders or authentic checks would be deposited into their accounts. After the co-conspirators had access to the accounts, they deposited counterfeit checks into those accounts, and withdrew money from the accounts before the banks discovered the checks to be counterfeit.
The co-conspirators attempted to steal more than $500,000 through this scheme, and were successful in defrauding at least 12 banks of approximately $319,000.
Jannat has agreed that the loss attributable to her role in the scheme is $50,389.05. Judge Bryant will order restitution after additional court submissions.
Jannat was arrested on January 14, 2019. On July 1, 2020, she pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud.
Jannat, who is released on a $100,000 bond, is required to report to prison on December 16, 2020.
Bonilla, Cruz and Perez previously pleaded guilty to related charges and await sentencing. On September 12, 2020, Bonilla was sentenced to 46 months of imprisonment. Cruz and Perez await sentencing.
This matter is being investigated by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and the U.S. Secret Service. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney John T. Pierpont, Jr.
Montgomery Man Sentenced to 205 Months in Federal Prison for His Role in Committing Multiple Armed RobberiesRead the Press Release
Montgomery, Alabama— On October 30, 2020, DeGregory Deon Lee, 24, a resident of Montgomery, Alabama, was sentenced to 205 months in federal prison for his role in committing multiple armed robberies and violating federal firearms laws, announced U.S. Attorney Louis V. Franklin, Sr. and FBI Special Agent in Charge James Jewell. Following his 17-year prison sentence, Lee will be on supervised release for three years. There is no parole in the federal system. He was also ordered to pay $6,957.00 in restitution to the victims.
According to the July 2019 indictment, Lee’s crime spree took place from October 24, 2016 until October 31, 2016, and included the robberies of the ten Montgomery businesses listed below:
- Hyundai Market Store on Woodmere Boulevard, October 24, 2016;
- Midori Sushi Bar on Woodmere Boulevard, October 24, 2016;
- Alabama Hotel on Monticello Drive, October 25, 2016;
- King Garden Restaurant on Atlanta Highway, October 26, 2016;
- San Marcos Restaurant on North Burbank Drive, October 26, 2016;
- China King Restaurant on Zelda Road, October 30, 2016;
- Tai Ji Acupressure store on Minnie Brown Road, October 30, 2016; and
- Satsuki Japanese Restaurant on Atlanta Highway, October 30, 2016;
- New China Restaurant on Harrison Road, October 31, 2016;
- El Campesino 2 Restaurant on the North Eastern Boulevard, October 31, 2016.
Lee pleaded guilty in November 2019 to taking part in the string of armed robberies that occurred with co-defendant, Diamond Markayla Mathis, 24, also from Montgomery. However, evidence indicates that Mathis only participated in six of those crimes, with Lee committing the other four without her. Mathis was sentenced in February 2020 to eleven years in prison for her participation in the robberies.
A firearm was used during each of the robberies and the judge noted the extremely violent nature of the crimes, which included Lee pointing a gun at his victims and Mathis spraying one victim with pepper spray and striking another.
“Our communities continue to be plagued by violent crime,” stated U.S. Attorney Franklin. “The victims of these robberies were simply carrying out their daily activities and working to provide for their families when Lee and his co-defendant injected fear and terror into their lives. Everyone has a right to feel safe, whether at home or at work. This sentence was justified because of Lee’s disregard for the safety and wellbeing of his victims and I hope that it sends a clear message that violence has serious consequences.”
“This type of reckless behavior cannot be tolerated in our communities,” stated Special Agent in Charge Jewell. “The harshness of the court imposed sentence should sound the warning to those who are considering putting the lives of citizens in danger to further their criminal lifestyle.”
The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Montgomery Police Department investigated this case. Assistant United States Attorney Russ Duraski prosecuted the case.
Minnesota Man Indicted for Unlawful Taking of Golden EagleRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced that a Wheaton, Minnesota, man has been indicted by a federal grand jury for Unlawful Taking of Golden Eagle.
Richard Michael Grohs, age 68, was indicted on October 14, 2020. He appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge William D. Gerdes on November 2, 2020, and pled not guilty to the Indictment.
The maximum penalty upon conviction is one year in prison and/or a $100,000 fine, one year of supervised release, and $25 to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Restitution may also be ordered.
The Indictment alleges that between April and May of 2018, Grohs, without being permitted to do so, did knowingly and with wanton disregard for the consequences of his actions, take a golden eagle in Roberts County, South Dakota.
The charge is merely an accusation and Grohs is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
The investigation is being conducted by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Meghan N. Dilges is prosecuting the case.
Grohs was released on bond pending trial. A trial date has not been set.
Mid-State Tax Preparer Headed to Federal Prison AgainRead the Press Release
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – November 4, 2020 – A Collinwood, Tennessee tax preparer was sentenced yesterday to 21 months in federal prison for preparing false tax returns for clients, announced U.S. Attorney Don Cochran for the Middle District of Tennessee.
Steve Lewis Newell, 73, was charged in September 2019 with three counts of preparing false tax returns. He pleaded guilty to all counts in November 2019. U.S. District Court Judge Eli J. Richardson also ordered Newell to pay $230,066in restitution to te IRS.
According to court documents, Newell ed and controlled Tax Masters and Accounting in Collinwood and assisted in the preparation of individual tax returns on behalf of his clients. Between 2014 and 2018, Newell prepared and filed more than 7,700 federal income tax returns, several of which contained inflated or fictitious deductions in Schedule A, including state and local taxes, charitable contributions, and employee business expenses. Newell also falsified other items on his clients’ tax returns, such as the filing status of the taxpayer. Each of these fraudulent misrepresentations served to lower the tax liability for his clients.
The scheme resulted in clients obtaining refunds, which they were not entitled to and caused a tax loss to the IRS of at least $230,000.
Court documents also reveal that Newell’s fraudulent tax schemes date back to the 1990’s when he was caught aiding and assisting in the filing of false tax returns—the same crime for which he was sentenced in this case. He eventually pleaded guilty to these charges and was to report to federal prison in February 2002. Newell however, sent false medical records to the U.S. Attorney’s Office and to the Court, claiming that he was terminally ill. Newell also submitted a forged affidavit from a physician, which stated that he only had three months to live. This resulted in numerous continuances by the Court to delay Newell’s report date to prison. IRS agents later discovered that Newell had fraudulently obtained the records of a patient who had died from colon cancer and altered the records to reflect that he was terminally ill. Newell had submitted a medical release form to the patient’s physician claiming to need the records for IRS purposes. Agents also discovered that during this period, Newell had continued to perform tax work, despite the Court’s order not to engage in tax work as a condition of his delay in reporting to prison. Newell subsequently pleaded guilty in 2004 to charges arising from that conduct. Also in 2004, Newell pleaded guilty to additional crimes of making false statements to the IRS when he prepared and filed false tax forms for a company for which he was the tax return preparer. For all these crimes he was sentenced to 43 months in prison.
This case was investigated by the IRS-Criminal Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kathryn Booth prosecuted the case.
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Memphis Man Pleads Guilty to Multiple Armed Business RobberiesRead the Press Release
Memphis, TN – Joshua Beason, 26, has pleaded guilty to three (3) counts of Hobbs Act Robbery and three (3) counts of brandishing a firearm during those crimes of violence. D. Michael Dunavant, United States Attorney announced the guilty plea today.
According to information presented in court, on June 28, 2019, Beason, along with two co-defendants, robbed the Mapco Express on Raleigh Millington Road, and Murphy's Express and Exxon, both on Summer Avenue. Beason and one of the co-defendants entered the businesses brandishing firearms at the employees and/or customers and left after taking money from the cash registers. The other co-defendant acted as the getaway driver.
Shortly after committing the last robbery, Beason and co-defendants committed a home invasion and Beason’s two co-defendants were shot during the home invasion. Beason took his wounded co-defendants to Methodist Hospital North. While there, law enforcement identified Beason and his co-defendants from the businesses' surveillance video system. At the hospital, Beason was wearing a unique jeans brand and a red hoodie worn during each of the three business robberies.
Sentencing is scheduled for February 18, 2021, before U.S. District Court Judge John T. Fowlkes Jr, where Beason faces up to 20 years in federal prison for each the 3 Hobbs Act Robbery offenses, as well as a mandatory minimum consecutive sentence of 7 years on each of the 3 brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence offenses. There is no parole in the federal system.
U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant said: "Robberies of businesses with a firearm are especially dangerous and violent due to the high risk of death and serious bodily injury by the simple squeeze of a trigger. Business robberies also have a substantially negative impact on the local economy and interstate commerce, which victimizes the entire community. Within one day, this violent offender’s selfish and impulsive greed terrorized multiple victims. For that, his own future is now destroyed because he will spend decades in a federal prison."
The FBI’s Safe Street Task Force investigated this case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kevin Whitmore is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
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Member of New Bedford Latin Kings Chapter Pleads Guilty to Racketeering Conspiracy ChargesRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A former member of the New Bedford Chapter of the Massachusetts Almighty Latin King and Queen Nation (“Latin Kings”) pleaded guilty yesterday to racketeering charges.
Taliyah Barboza, a/k/a “Queen Taliyah,” 25, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to conduct enterprise affairs through a pattern of racketeering activity, more commonly referred to as RICO conspiracy. U.S. Senior District Court Judge Rya W. Zobel scheduled sentencing for Nov. 4, 2021. Barboza was charged in December 2019, at which time she was a member of the New Bedford Chapter of the Latin Kings.
The Latin Kings are a violent criminal enterprise comprised of thousands of members across the United States. The Latin Kings adhere to a national manifesto, employ an internal judiciary and use a sophisticated system of communication to maintain the hierarchy of the organization. As alleged in court documents, the gang uses drug distribution to generate revenue, and engages in violence against witnesses and rival gangs to further its influence and to protect its turf. As discussed during the plea hearing, Barboza drove gang members to a robbery and shooting in September 2019, and participated in the drug distribution activities of the gang.
In December 2019, a federal grand jury returned an indictment alleging racketeering conspiracy, drug conspiracy and firearms charges against 62 leaders, members and associates of the Latin Kings. Barboza is the seventeenth defendant to plead guilty in the case.
The RICO conspiracy charge provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling; Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Division; Commissioner Carol Mici of the Massachusetts Department of Correction; and New Bedford Police Chief Joseph C. Cordeiro made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was also provided by the FBI North Shore Gang Task Force and the Bristol County and Suffolk County District Attorney’s Offices. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Philip A. Mallard, Mark Grady and Lauren Graber of Lelling’s Criminal Division are prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The remaining defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
The operation was conducted by a multi-agency task force through the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF), a partnership between federal, state and local law enforcement agencies. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking, weapons trafficking and money laundering organizations, and those primarily responsible for the nation’s illegal drug supply. More information on the OCDETF program is available here: https://www.justice.gov/ocdetf/about-ocdetf.
Man Pleads Guilty to Sending Threatening Messages to Female VictimRead the Press Release
A Tulsa man admitted today in federal court that he violated a protective order by sending harassing and threatening emails to a female victim.
Parris Deshaunte Evitt, 30, of Tulsa, pleaded guilty to Cyber Stalking. From Oct. 20, 2018 to Sept. 3, 2020, Evitt used email, Facebook messaging, text messages and phone calls to harass, intimidate and threaten the victim, thus violating a protective order issued against the him on July 5, 2017. During his plea hearing, Evitt admitted to using different aliases to harass the victim. In several messages, he threatened to publicly share personal information about the victim.
“This is the second cyberstalking guilty plea in our district in recent weeks. Obviously, it is a crime to which we are paying attention and about which people should be aware. Cyberstalking impacts the mental, emotional, and physical well-being of victims. In this case, Parris Evitt used threats and intimidation via Facebook, phone calls, text messages, and email to harass, scare, and violate the victim,” said U.S. Attorney Trent Shores. “The Parris Evitts of the world will not be allowed to violate protective orders and threaten their victims from behind a keyboard. If they do, they’ll find themselves in a courtroom answering for their crimes.”
Chief U.S. District Judge John E. Dowdell will make the final sentencing determination at a hearing set for Feb. 4, 2021.
The defendant faces a maximum sentence of five years in federal prison, a $250,000 fine, and a maximum of three years of supervised release following imprisonment.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Chantelle D. Dial is prosecuting the case. Ms.Dial is a prosecutor from the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Western District of Washington. She volunteered to assist prosecution efforts here in the Northern District of Oklahoma due to the increased volume of cases since the Supreme Court’s ruling which stated the Creek Nation Reservation had never been officially disestablished by Congress. The United States and the Muscogee (Creek) Nation have jurisdiction of all cases that occur on the reservation involving Native American victims or defendants.
Man Pleads Guilty in Connection with Fatal Fentanyl OverdoseRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Reston man pleaded guilty today to selling fentanyl to an individual who later overdosed on the drug and died.
According to court documents, Peter Andrew Romm, 35, regularly traveled to Baltimore to buy heroin and fentanyl that he then sold to customers in Northern Virginia. Romm sold the drugs in two forms: enclosed in small plastic capsules, and folded in small slips of paper. Romm’s customers included an individual identified in court documents as Individual 1. On October 7, 2019, Romm sold fentanyl to Individual 1 through a middle-man. Individual 1 later consumed the fentanyl and fatally overdosed; he was found dead in his home the next morning. The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner determined that the cause of Individual 1’s death was acute fentanyl poisoning.
As recently as February of this year, Romm was still traveling to Baltimore regularly to buy fentanyl. On February 11, Romm was arrested on his way back from Baltimore in possession of approximately 75 capsules of fentanyl. Only eight days later, on February 19, he was arrested again on his way back from Baltimore with another 72 capsules of fentanyl in his vehicle.
Romm pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute one kilogram or more of heroin and 400 grams or more of fentanyl; and one count of distribution of fentanyl. As part of his plea agreement, he admitted that the fentanyl he distributed caused Individual 1’s death.
Romm is scheduled to be sentenced on March 17, 2021, and faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years in prison.
G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Mark R. Herring, Attorney General of Virginia; and Colonel Edwin C. Roessler Jr., Fairfax County Chief of Police, made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Anthony J. Trenga accepted the plea.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Katherine E. Rumbaugh and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Karolina Klyuchnikova are prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:20-cr-176.
Man Charged with Illegal Possession of Firearm and Destructive DeviceRead the Press Release
RICHMOND, Va. – A federal grand jury has returned an indictment charging a Henrico man with various charges including possession of a firearm by a prohibited person, possession of a destructive device, and receipt of images of child sexual abuse.
According to allegations in the indictment, on or about March 8, Ryan J. Millican, 22, knowingly aided and abetted the making of a false and fictitious written statement to Green Top Sporting Goods in connection with the acquisition of a Bravo Company Manufacturing Inc., Model BCM4, .556 caliber rifle.
According to allegations in the indictment, from on or about March 8 through April 25, Millican possessed a Bravo Company Manufacturing Inc., Model BCM4, .556 caliber rifle and accompanying ammunition. Millican was prohibited from possessing firearms due to a previous conviction of a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence.
According to allegations in the indictment, on or about April 18, Millican knowingly made and possessed a Molotov Cocktail, which is a destructive device as defined by Title 26, United States Code.
According to allegations in the indictment, on or about June 14, Millican knowingly received child pornography.
Millican is charged with possession of a firearm by a prohibited person; making a false statement in connection with the acquisition of a firearm; possession of a destructive device; and receipt of child pornography. If convicted, Millican faces a mandatory minimum sentence of five years on the child pornography charge, and a maximum penalty of forty-five years in prison on all charges. 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.
This case is part of Project Guardian, the Department of Justice’s signature initiative to reduce gun violence and enforce federal firearms laws. Initiated by the Attorney General in the fall of 2019, Project Guardian draws upon the Department’s past successful programs to reduce gun violence; enhances coordination of federal, state, local, and tribal authorities in investigating and prosecuting gun crimes; improves information-sharing by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives when a prohibited individual attempts to purchase a firearm and is denied by the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS), to include taking appropriate actions when a prospective purchaser is denied by the NICS for mental health reasons; and ensures that federal resources are directed at the criminals posing the greatest threat to our communities. Click here for more information about Project Guardian.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and David W. Archey, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Richmond Field Office, made the announcement.
This case is being investigated by FBI Richmond’s Joint Terrorism Task Force and the Henrico County Police Division.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Peter S. Duffey is prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:20-cr-122.
An indictment is merely an accusation. The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.
MS-13 Associate Pleads Guilty to Federal Charge of Conspiracy to Commit Murder in Aid of Racketeering and is Sentenced to 10 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – Chief U.S. District Judge James K. Bredar sentenced MS-13 associate Luis Cruz Rodriguez, age 23, of Frederick, Maryland, to 10 years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, after Cruz Rodriguez pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit murder in aid of racketeering. The guilty plea was entered on November 3, 2020, and Chief Judge Bredar imposed the sentence immediately following the plea.
The guilty plea and sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Robert K. Hur; Special Agent in Charge Jennifer C. Boone of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office; Special Agent in Charge John Eisert of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Baltimore Office; Acting Chief Dwight Sommers of the Frederick City Police Department; Frederick County State’s Attorney J. Charles Smith, III; Chief William Lowry of the Anne Arundel County Police Department; Anne Arundel County State’s Attorney Anne Colt Leitess; Interim Chief Hector Velez of the Prince George’s County Police Department; Prince George’s County State’s Attorney Aisha N. Braveboy; Chief Marcus Jones of the Montgomery County Police Department; and Montgomery County State’s Attorney John McCarthy.
MS-13 is a national and international gang composed primarily of immigrants or descendants from El Salvador. Branches or “cliques” of MS-13, one of the largest street gangs in the United States, operate throughout Frederick County, Anne Arundel County, Prince George’s County, and Montgomery County, Maryland. Cruz Rodriguez admitted that from at least January 2017, he was an associate of the Fulton clique of MS-13 and agreed with members of MS-13 to conduct and participate in the gang’s affairs through a pattern of racketeering activity, including conspiracy to commit murder, extortion, and drug distribution.
At all times of this conspiracy, members of MS-13 were expected to protect the name, reputation, and status of the gang from rival gang members and other persons. To protect the gang and to enhance its reputation, MS-13 members were expected to use any means necessary to force respect from those who showed disrespect, including acts of intimidation and violence. MS-13 had mottos consistent with its rules, beliefs, expectations and reputation including “mata, viola, controla,” which translates as, “kill, rape, control,” and “ver, oir y callar,” which means, “see nothing, hear nothing and say nothing.”
MS-13 members are required to commit acts of violence both to maintain membership and discipline within the gang, as well as against rival gang members. Participation in criminal activity by a member, particularly in violent acts directed at rival gangs or as directed by gang leadership, increase the respect accorded to that member, resulting in that member maintaining or increasing his position in the gang, and opens the door to a promotion to a leadership position. One of the principal rules of MS-13 is that its members must attack and kill rivals, often referred to as “chavalas,” whenever possible.
According to his plea agreement, in April 2017, Cruz Rodriguez conspired with MS-13 gang members to murder Victim 14. According to court documents, the MS-13 members believed Victim 14 was a member of a rival gang. Cruz Rodriguez was present when gang members were talking about how to kill Victim 14, and who would participate in the murder. On the day of the murder, Cruz Rodriguez drove other gang members to a secluded area of Frederick, Maryland, where the MS-13 members were going to kill Victim 14. Cruz Rodriguez was aware that he was transporting gang members so that they could participate in a murder. At the spot in Frederick, MS-13 gang members murdered Victim 14, dismembered him, and buried his body. After the murder, Cruz Rodriguez (who was not present during the murder) traveled back to the site of the murder and picked up gang members who had participated in the murder.
In July 2017, investigators recovered Victim 14’s body from a clandestine grave in Frederick, Maryland. The body had suffered from sharp force traumas and had been severed into seven pieces and decapitated.
The murder of Victim 14 was intended to maintain and increase the status of MS-13 and to allow Cruz Rodriguez and other MS-13 members and associates to maintain or increase their status within the gang.
A total of 30 defendants have been charged in this case with participating in a racketeering conspiracy and/or other crimes related to their association with MS-13. A total of 20 defendants, including Cruz Rodriguez, have pleaded guilty to crimes related to their participation in MS-13 gang activities.
Anyone with information about MS-13 is encouraged to provide their tips to law enforcement. The FBI and Homeland Security Investigations both have nationwide tiplines that you can call to report what you know. You can reach the FBI at 1-866-STP-MS13 (1-866-787-6713), or you can call HSI at 1-866-DHS-2-ICE.
United States Attorney Robert K. Hur commended the FBI; HSI; the Frederick City Police Department; the Anne Arundel, Montgomery, and Prince George’s County Police Departments; and the Anne Arundel, Frederick, Montgomery, and Prince George’s County State’s Attorneys for their work in the investigation, and recognized the Baltimore County Police Department for its assistance. Mr. Hur thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kenneth S. Clark, Catherine K. Dick, and Matthew DellaBetta, who are prosecuting this Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force case.
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Local man pleads guilty to firearms crime, sold machine guns to undercover officerRead the Press Release
DAYTON – Jordan D. Carpenter, 30, of Dayton, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court to illegally possessing a firearm as a convicted felon.
According to court documents, in July 2019, Carpenter met an undercover officer at a parking lot in Lebanon, Ohio, to sell the officer a 5.56mm rifle that functions as a machine gun. Carpenter sold the firearm for $2,500.
Carpenter described other types of firearms he could sell the undercover, and offered the officer a discount if he bought guns in bulk from Carpenter.
In August 2019, the two met again at a parking lot in Lebanon, Ohio, and Carpenter sold two more firearms for $3,200, one of which was a machine gun as well.
Carpenter was previously convicted of felonious assault in Montgomery County Court of Common Pleas, which prohibits him from possessing firearms. Possessing a firearm as a convicted felon is a federal crime punishable by up to 10 years in prison.
Congress sets the minimum and maximum statutory sentence. Sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the Court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors.
David M. DeVillers, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Roland Herndon, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF); and the Warren County Drug Task Force announced the plea entered into today before U.S. District Judge Douglas R. Cole. Assistant United States Attorney Andrew J. Hunt is representing the United States in this case.
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Lengthy Investigation Related to Drug Trafficking Results in Indictment of Nineteen DefendantsRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced today that nineteen defendants have been indicted for their roles in a conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute methamphetamine in the Eastern District of Oklahoma and elsewhere. Drug Conspiracy is punishable by not less than 10 years imprisonment, and up to a $10,000,000 fine or both. Two of the nineteen defendants indicted are also charged with firearm offenses carrying punishment of not more than 10 years imprisonment, and up to a $250,000 fine or both. A coordinated law enforcement operation to arrest the defendants charged in the indictment began this morning and is ongoing. A copy of the full indictment can be found online at go.usa.gov/x7kAM.
The indictment alleges the defendants conspired to acquire and distribute methamphetamine in Eastern Oklahoma as well as other locations. All nineteen defendants were indicted for Drug Conspiracy with some indicted for other charges related to the conspiracy such as Possession of Methamphetamine with the Intent to Distribute, Distribution of Methamphetamine, and Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime. The indictment alleges the conspiracy began in June 2019.
The charges arose from a joint investigation led by the Drug Enforcement Administration (“DEA”), along with the Bureau of Indian Affairs (“BIA”), the United States Marshals Service, the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs (“OBNDD”), the Mayes County Sheriff’s Office, the District 18 District Attorney’s Drug Task Force, the Tulsa County Sheriff’s Office, the Rogers County District Attorney's Office, the Oklahoma Department of Corrections - Office of the Inspector General, the Oklahoma Highway Patrol, the Tahlequah Police Department, the Muskogee Police Department, the Tulsa Police Department, the Broken Arrow Police Department, the Miami Police Department, the Oklahoma City Police Department, the Norman Police Department, and the Edmond Police Department. The investigation was part of and included members of the DEA High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (“HIDTA”) Task Force, which includes several of the above mentioned agencies. The United States Marshals Service for the Eastern District of Oklahoma and the Fort Gibson Police Department also played important roles in today’s operation to bring the defendants into custody.
“Every year hundreds of Oklahomans die as a result of methamphetamine overdose. Each fatal dose travels great distances as they move from producers to high level distributors to street dealers to users. Drug trafficking organizations are only concerned with pushing product and making profits. Death does not concern them. Justice is the only thing that will put an end to this deadly business,” said United States Attorney Brian J. Kuester. “For 18 months a dedicated team of law enforcement professionals led by the DEA have worked tirelessly to identify and investigate this drug trafficking organization alleged to have been a major supplier of methamphetamine to Muskogee, Cherokee, and Wagoner Counties as well as other parts of Eastern Oklahoma. Last week a grand jury determined there was probable cause to believe these defendants played a role in this drug conspiracy.”
“Through the cooperation of countless law enforcement partners in Oklahoma, DEA Tulsa’s High-Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) Task Force was able to dismantle one of the most significant and reliable methamphetamine distribution organizations operating in Eastern Oklahoma.” stated Eduardo A. Chavez, Special Agent in Charge of DEA operations in Oklahoma. “Annually, this distribution organization was responsible for hundreds of pounds of methamphetamine plaguing our streets. The DTO was sourced from Transnational Criminal Organizations based in Mexico and distributed throughout Northeastern Oklahoma, and parts of Texas, Arkansas, and Missouri. This investigation has had a devastating effect on this particular organization’s ability to make money though the distribution of illegal drugs and has undoubtedly made a positive impact on Northeastern Oklahoma.”
Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics Director Donnie Anderson said, “Methamphetamine continues to be one of the most destructive drugs on the streets of Oklahoma. And today we aggressively targeted and removed nearly two-dozen defendants, including prison gang members, who were operating a pipeline of methamphetamine into eastern Oklahoma. My agency is committed to working with our local, state and federal partners to dismantle these drug distribution networks that threaten the safety of our citizens.”
Defendants indicted are Eric Ysidro Castillo, age 45, of Cushing, Oklahoma; Blanche Elizabeth Dyer a/k/a Blanche Elizabeth Jackson, age 35, of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma; Mark Lewis Crowell a/k/a Carl Crowell, age 24, of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma; Anita Lorene Cooper, age 47, of Wagoner, Oklahoma; Angela Marie McDaniel a/k/a Angela Marie Williams, age 47, of Joplin, Missouri; Michael Otis Hunsaker Jr., age 38, of Muskogee, Oklahoma; Jason Don Rowan, age 37, of Muskogee, Oklahoma; Clint England Cooper, age 34, of Fort Gibson, Oklahoma; Scott James Lively, age 50, of Muskogee, Oklahoma; Richard Dean Mealer, age 66, of Okay, Oklahoma; Jessica Lynn Baker, age 40, of Muskogee, Oklahoma; Bobbi Dawn Benefield, age 38, of Muskogee, Oklahoma; Mark Robert Pierce, age 54, of Braggs, Oklahoma; Mark Wayne Stubblefield, age 35, of Muskogee, Oklahoma; Cara Dawn Nicole O’ Laughlin a/k/a Cara Dawn Nicole Martin, age 33, of Fort Gibson, Oklahoma; Jarrod Lee Shanks, age 41, of Webbers Falls, Oklahoma; Amanda Joyce King, age 36, of Muskogee, Oklahoma; Joseph Michael Phillips, age 40, of Muskogee, Oklahoma; and Everett Wayne Hood Jr. a/k/a E.J. Hood, age 29, of Muskogee, Oklahoma.
This case is part of the Department of Justice’s Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) program. The OCDETF program is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s drug supply reduction strategy. OCDETF was established to conduct comprehensive, multilevel attacks on major drug trafficking and money laundering organizations. 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 and money laundering organizations and those primarily responsible for the nation’s illicit drug supply.
A grand jury Indictment does not constitute evidence of guilt. A grand jury Indictment is a method of bringing formal charges against the defendant. A defendant is presumed innocent of the charges and may not be found guilty unless evidence establishes guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
Lancaster man pleads guilty to attempting to sexually coerce a minorRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – A prior sex offender currently on parole supervision pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court today to a child exploitation crime punishable by at least 10 years and up to life in prison.
Larry Richard Dickerson, 56, attempted to coerce a minor to engage in unlawful sexual activity.
According to court documents, in May 2020, officers with the Franklin County Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force were conducting undercover online chats to identify individuals who were attempting to solicit and engage in illegal sexual activity with minors.
An officer posing as a juvenile on a social media application received a message from Dickerson and the two became in regular contact. Dickerson requested nude photos of the purported teenager. In one instance, he asked her to send a shirtless picture with the name “Rick” written across her chest so that he could be sure she was not a “cop.”
In a phone call with the undercover officer, Dickerson asked numerous questions about the supposed 15-year-old’s sexual history and preferences. The defendant asked the undercover officer to describe what her pubic region looked like. The two made a plan to meet to engage in illicit sexual conduct.
Dickerson and the officer decided to meet first in public before going somewhere private to engage in sex. Law enforcement observed Dickerson arrive at the designated meeting place and he was subsequently arrested.
Dickerson has two prior child sex offense convictions. In 2002, he was sentenced to 21 months in prison in the District of South Carolina on a child pornography charge. In 2018, he was convicted in the Delaware County Court of Common Pleas with three counts of unlawful sexual conduct with a minor, based on his communications with a 13-year-old girl via MeetMe, and his subsequent meeting with a sexual abuse of the child.
David M. DeVillers, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Franklin County Sheriff Dallas Baldwin and Franklin County ICAC partnering agencies announced the plea entered into today before U.S. District Judge Sarah D. Morrison. Assistant United States Attorney Heather A. Hill and Special Assistant United States Attorney Roger Dinh are representing the United States in this case.
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Justice Department Honors Two Fayetteville Arkansas Police Officers in the Fourth Annual Attorney General’s Award for Distinguished Service in PolicingRead the Press Release
Fort Smith, Arkansas – David Clay Fowlkes, First Assistant United States Attorney for the Western District of Arkansas, United States Attorney General William P. Barr and Justice Department leadership announced today that two Fayetteville, Arkansas Police Officers are recipients of the Fourth Annual Attorney General’s Award for Distinguished Service in Policing.
The Attorney General’s Award recognizes individual state, local, and tribal sworn rank-and-file police officers and deputies for exceptional efforts in policing. The awarded officers and deputies have demonstrated active engagement with the community in one of three areas: criminal investigations, field operations or innovations in community policing. This year, the department received 214 nominations recognizing a total of 355 individual officers, deputies, and troopers. There were 39 states represented in the nomination pool, covering state, local, campus, sheriff, and other agency types.
“We are so proud and thankful to work with tremendous law enforcement officers throughout the Western District of Arkansas,” said First Assistant United States Attorney David Clay Fowlkes. “Officer Eucce and Corporal Floyd both exemplify what we see in officers throughout Arkansas: dedication, bravery, and excellence in policing. The bravery and sound tactics that Officer Eucce and Corporal Floyd showed in the face of terrible danger and tragedy is remarkable. They are both certainly very deserving of this recognition. We are fortunate to have such courageous, selfless, and well-trained officers keeping our communities safe.”
“There is no career nobler than that of a police officer, and the 23 officers we honor this year demonstrate that clearly,” said Attorney General William P. Barr. “These individuals are distinguished in their service for field operations and criminal investigations – from investigating homicides to drug trafficking to sexual exploitation and assault – to making positive change in their communities through innovative outreach to local residents. Their actions are a testament to what law enforcement officers contribute to our nation each day, keeping us safe from violent crime and building more trusting communities, and they are deserving of our collective thanks. I am pleased to honor these 23 officers for their distinguished service in policing.”
The Department of Justice works closely with local law enforcement and strives to be a ready resource for them. The Attorney General’s Award for Distinguished Service in Policing is just one more way the department can show its continued commitment to the profession and honor the men and women who so bravely serve it.
Attorney General Awards for Distinguished Service in Policing 2020
Officer Natalie Eucce and Corporal Seay-Peter Floyd, Fayetteville Police Department (Arkansas)
In December 2019, in Fayetteville, Arkansas, an individual determined to assassinate law enforcement officers, and armed with 100 rounds of ammunition, approached a police car and fired 10 times, killing Officer Stephen Carr. Hearing the shots and seeing the suspect, Corporal Seay-Peter Floyd – with no regard for his personal safety – pursued the suspect and fired. Officer Natalie Eucce (Officer Carr’s partner) and Sergeant James Jennings joined Corporal Floyd in pursuing the suspect and fired as well. The suspect was pronounced dead on the scene. It is very likely more officers would have lost their lives that night, if it were not for the bravery of Corporal Floyd and Officer Eucce.
Twenty-two other law enforcement officers and deputies from 12 jurisdictions across the country also received awards from the Attorney General.
Justice Department Announces Two Million Dollar Settlement of Race Discrimination Lawsuit Against Baltimore County, MarylandRead the Press Release
The Justice Department announced today that it has reached a settlement, through a court-supervised settlement agreement, with Baltimore County, Maryland, resolving the United States’ claims that the Baltimore County Police Department (BCPD) discriminated against African American applicants for employment in violation of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Title VII is a federal law that prohibits discrimination in employment on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, and national origin.
“This country’s communities are better protected and better served when police departments, like the one in Baltimore County, recruit and select qualified officers using job-related criteria,” said Assistant Attorney General Eric S. Dreiband of the Civil Rights Division. “When police departments fail to do so, and instead disproportionately screen out members of protected classes, they violate federal law. This settlement agreement requires the Baltimore County Police Department to develop and implement hiring criteria that do not discriminate on the basis of race and further reflects the Civil Rights Division’s continued commitment to the eradication of race discrimination in hiring through the vigorous enforcement of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.”
Under the terms of the settlement agreement, subject to court approval, Baltimore County will pay $2,000,000 in back pay to eligible African Americans who were previously denied employment because of the employment tests challenged by the United States. The BCPD also must hire up to twenty of these previous applicants as entry-level police officers or cadets after the applicants demonstrate that they meet BCPD’s current qualifications for hire and successfully complete the county’s other selection requirements. In addition to back pay and priority hiring, the settlement agreement requires the county to develop a new hiring examination that is lawful under Title VII.
In a joint filing today in the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland, the Justice Department and Baltimore County moved for a court order provisionally approving the terms of the settlement agreement. The motion also asks the court to schedule a fairness hearing to provide an opportunity for individuals potentially affected by the proposed agreement to provide comments on the terms of the settlement.
The proposed settlement, once approved by the District Court, will resolve the United States’ complaint filed on Aug. 27, 2019. The suit alleged that the county, through the Baltimore County Police Department, violated Title VII since Jan. 1, 2013, by making hiring decisions for entry-level police officer and cadet positions based on the results of hiring examinations that were not job-related and that disproportionately excluded African American applicants.
The case was brought by Trial Attorneys Kathleen Lawrence and Ejaz Baluch Jr. of the Civil Rights Division’s Employment Litigation Section. The full and fair enforcement of Title VII is a top priority of the Justice Department’s Employment Litigation Section of the Civil Rights Division. Additional information about the Civil Rights Division and the jurisdiction of the Employment Litigation Section is available on its websites at www.justice.gov/crt/ and https://www.justice.gov/crt/employment-litigation-section.
Judge sentences armed bank robber who caused car crash while fleeing from policeRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS, MO – United States District Judge Catherine D. Perry sentenced Darvell Wharton to 144 months (12 years) in prison for his role in an armed bank robbery. The 39 year old is a resident of St. Louis, Missouri.
On December 28, 2018, Wharton robbed the U.S. Bank located in the 3800 block of Gravois and brandished a firearm in a crime of violence.
Wharton pointed a loaded .45 caliber pistol at multiple bank employees and demanded money. Wharton succeeded in taking more than $2,000 in cash during the robbery.
St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department responded to an all-points bulletin and pursued Wharton as he drove at speeds of more than 80 miles per hour, disregarded traffic signals and caused a three-car crash. Officers arrested Wharton, recovered a loaded Colt 1911 .45 caliber pistol, a loaded .380 caliber pistol, cash taken in the bank robbery and clothing worn during the bank robbery.
Wharton caused damage to a bystander’s vehicle during the pursuit.
“Wharton deserves every day of this sentence. He terrorized bank employees by pointing a large firearm at them,” said United States Attorney Jeff Jensen. “He recklessly endangered innocent members of the community and law enforcement officers when he fled.”
U.S. Attorney Jensen commended the quick and effective response by SLMPD officers resulting in the arrest of Wharton and the recovery of evidence. U.S. Attorney Jensen further commended the Federal Bureau of Investigation for their support of the investigation and prosecution.
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Jefferson County man sentenced for role in drug distribution operationRead the Press Release
WHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA –Victor Lamont Carr, of Ranson, West Virginia, was sentenced today to 12 months and one day of incarceration for his role in a drug distribution operation, U.S. Attorney Bill Powell announced.
Carr, age 61, pled guilty to one count of “Aiding and Abetting Distribution of Cocaine Hydrochloride” in October 2019. Carr admitted to selling cocaine hydrochloride for $40 in July 2018 in Jefferson County.
These charges are the result of investigations supported by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) under the Attorney General-led Synthetic Opioid Surge (SOS)/Special Operations Division (SOD) Project Clean Sweep. This initiative seeks to reduce the supply of synthetic opioids in “hot spot” areas previously identified by the Attorney General of the United States, thereby reducing drug overdoses and drug overdose deaths, and identify wholesale distribution networks and sources of supply operating nationally and internationally.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Lara K. Omps-Botteicher, Special Assistant U.S. Attorney C. Lydia Lehman, also with the Berkeley County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office, and Assistant U.S Attorney Timothy D. Helman, prosecued the case on behalf of the government. The Federal Bureau of Investigation; the West Virginia State Police; the Eastern Panhandle Drug & Violent Crimes Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative; the Berkeley County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office, the Berkeley County Sheriff’s Office, the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office, the Martinsburg Police Department, the Charles Town Police Department, and the Ranson Police Department investigated.
The investigation was funded by the federal Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force Program (OCDETF). 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.
U.S. District Judge John Preston Bailey presided.
Jamestown Man Pleads Guilty to Possessing Firearms While Selling DrugsRead 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 Omar Vera-Velazquez, 23, of Jamestown, NY, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Lawrence J. Vilardo to possession of firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking. The charge carries a mandatory minimum penalty of five years in prison, a maximum of life, and a $250,000 fine.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Misha A. Coulson, who is handling the case, stated that in September 2019, the defendant sold and distributed heroin in the Jamestown area. During this time period, Vera-Velazquez possessed various firearms in furtherance of his drug trafficking in order to protect himself, his drugs, and his drug proceeds.
On September 19, 2019, investigators executed a search warrant at the defendant’s Bowen Street residence. Law enforcement officers seized four firearms; ammunition; two pistol magazines; approximately 60 grams of a heroin and fentanyl substance; two scales; several empty plastic baggies; and packaging materials.The plea is the result of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, New York Field Division, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge John B. Devito, and the Jamestown Police Department, under the direction of Acting Chief Timothy Jackson.
Sentencing is scheduled for March 21, 2021, before Judge Vilardo.
# # # #Indictment: Convicted Sex Offender Sexually Exploited MinorRead the Press Release
WICHITA, KAN. – A convicted sex offender who lives in Wichita was indicted today on federal charges of sexually exploiting a minor, U.S. Attorney Stephen McAllister said.
Bryan Anthony Hale, 35, Wichita, is charged with one count of producing child pornography, one count of committing a crime involving a minor while registered as a sex offender, one count of providing child pornography to a minor and one count of possessing child pornography. The crimes are alleged to have occurred during September and October 2020 in Sedgwick County, Kan.
In 2016, Hale was convicted in Sedgwick County District Court of a sex act involving a 6-year-old victim. He is registered on the Dru Sjodin National Sex Offender Public Website at https://www.nsopw.gov/ .
Upon conviction, the crimes carry the following potential penalties:
Producing child pornography: Not less than 15 years and not more than 30 years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000.
Crime involving a minor: Up to 10 years (consecutive).
Providing child pornography to a minor: Not less than five years and not more than 20 years and a fine up to $250,000.
Possession: Up to 20 years and a fine up to $250,000.
The FBI investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason Hart is prosecuting.
OTHER INDICTMENTS
Clinton Wade McElroy, 49, Ellis, Kan., is charged with one count of producing child pornography and one count of committing a crime involving a minor child while registered as a sex offender. The crimes are alleged to have occurred May 27 through June 23, 2020 in Ellis, Kan.
In 2017, he was convicted in Ellis County District Court of sexually exploiting a 14-year-old victim. He is registered on the Dru Sjodin National Sex Offender Public Website at https://www.nsopw.gov/ .
If convicted, he could face a penalty of not less than 15 years and not more than 30 years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000 on the production charge, and up to 10 years (consecutive) on the other count. The FBI investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason Hart is prosecuting.
Jorge Aaron Valdez-Torres, 27, Wichita, Kan., is charged with one count of failure to register as required by the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act. The crime is alleged to have occurred from May 2018 to July 2020 in Sedgwick County, Kan.
If convicted, he could face up to 10 years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000. The U.S. Marshals Service investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason Hart is prosecuting.
Christina Cook, 32, Wichita, Kan., is charged with one count of unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon. The crime is alleged to have occurred Aug. 28, 2020, in Sedgwick County, Kan.
If convicted, she could face up to 10 years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ola Odeyemi is prosecuting.
Anthony Garcia, 58, Wichita, Kan., is charged with one count of obstructing justice. The crime is alleged to have occurred Aug. 27, 2020, in Wichita, Kan.
The indictment alleges Garcia retaliated against a family member of a witness in an official proceeding.
If convicted, he could face up to 20 years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000. The Wichita Police Department investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Debra Barnett is prosecuting.
In all cases, defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. The indictments merely contain allegations of criminal conduct.
Idaho Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Federal Prison for Attempting to Solicit Sexual Abuse Images of A 9-Year-Old ChildRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – United States District Judge Brian J. Davis has sentenced Aaron Kirk Woolman (58, Hagerman, Idaho) to 10 years in federal prison for attempting to entice a 9-year-old child to engage in sexual activity and produce pornographic images of herself. Woolman was also ordered to serve a 10-year term of supervised release and to register as a sex offender. He had pleaded guilty on June 16, 2020.
According to court documents, on August 7, 2019, an undercover FBI agent from Jacksonville, posing as a parent of a 9-year-old child, made online contact with Woolman in an online chat application. During several online chat sessions, Woolman solicited the “parent” to send him pornographic images of the purported child. Woolman also engaged in conversations via text messaging with an undercover FBI agent posing as the 9-year-old child. During these conversations, Woolman solicited the “child” to engage in sexual activity, produce explicit images of herself, and send these images to Woolman. Woolman tried to convince the “child” to comply with his requests by sending the “child” explicit images of himself and adult pornography.
On December 13, 2019, FBI agents and other law enforcement personnel executed a search warrant at Woolman’s home in Hagerman, Idaho, where he was arrested. Woolman admitted that he had sent the “girl” a picture of his penis and acknowledged that he had asked the “girl” for a picture of her in the shower and for other explicit pictures of her.
A search of Woolman’s online cloud storage account revealed that it contained several images and videos depicting young children engaged in sexual activity with adults. One of the videos depicted a 3 to 4-year-old child being forced to perform oral sex on an adult male. Woolman’s smart phone also contained child sex abuse images as well as images and videos depicting Woolman’s genitals.
“This defendant was not only willing to commit heinous crimes against a child, he was caught with horrific images that victimized others,” said Rachel L. Rojas, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Jacksonville Division. “This case is a great example of the work that can be done when law enforcement agencies collaborate across state lines, and do everything in our power to stop additional children from being exploited in the future.”
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation in Jacksonville and Boise, Idaho, as well as the Gooding County (Idaho) Sheriff’s Office and the Twin Falls (Idaho) Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney D. Rodney Brown.
This is another case brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Honduran National Charged with Illegal Re-EntryRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Honduran national was charged in federal court in Worcester with illegally reentering the United States.
Milton Javier Cardona-Guevara, 34, was charged with one count of illegal re-entry into the United States after deportation. Cardona-Guevara was detained following an initial appearance yesterday.
According to charging documents, on Aug. 13, 2006, Cardona-Guevara illegally entered the United States and was convicted of improper entry by an alien in August 2006. On Sept. 5, 2006, he was removed from the U.S. In 2008 and 2011, Cardona-Guevara was apprehended after illegally entering the United States, and was deported. It is alleged that on Oct. 2, 2018, Cardona-Guevara was arrested in Worcester County for assault with a dangerous weapon. Cardona-Guevara admitted to immigration authorities that he had been deported three times previously. On Jan. 25, 2019, he was removed from the U.S. On Oct. 13, 2020, Cardona-Guevara was arrested in Worcester on an outstanding warrant for criminal charges, and has been custody on state criminal charges until he was charged in this case.
The charging statute provides for a sentence of up to two years in prison, up to one year of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling and Todd Lyons, Field Office Director, Enforcement and Removal Operations, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Boston made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney John T. Mulcahy of Lelling’s Worcester Branch Office is prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
High-Ranking Member of Nine Trey Gangsta Bloods Sentenced to 24 Years in Prison After TrialRead the Press Release
Audrey Strauss, the Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced today that ANTHONY ELLISON, a/k/a “Harv,” was sentenced to 288 months in prison in connection with his participation in the Nine Trey Gangsta Bloods (“Nine Trey”), the July 22, 2018, kidnapping of Daniel Hernandez, a/k/a “Tekashi 6ix 9ine,” and the October 24, 2018, slashing of a victim in furtherance of the Nine Trey enterprise. ELLISON was convicted following a three-week jury trial in October 2019 before U.S. District Judge Paul A. Engelmayer, who imposed today’s sentence.
Acting U.S. Attorney Audrey Strauss said: “Anthony Ellison was a high-ranking member of the Nine Trey Gangsta Bloods, a violent gang that wreaked havoc across New York City, and he was convicted of racketeering, kidnapping, and a violent assault with a dangerous weapon. Now, thanks to the outstanding work of our partners at the NYPD, HSI, and ATF, he will spend the next 24 years in federal prison.”
According to court documents and the evidence presented at the trial of ELLISON and co-defendant Aljermiah Mack:
Nine Trey was a criminal enterprise involved in committing numerous acts of violence, including shootings, robberies, and assaults in and around Manhattan and Brooklyn. Members and associates of Nine Trey engaged in violence to retaliate against rival gangs, to promote the standing and reputation of Nine Trey, and to protect the gang’s narcotics business. Members and associates of Nine Trey enriched themselves by committing robberies and selling drugs, such as heroin, fentanyl, furanyl fentanyl, MDMA, dibutylone, and marijuana.
The leadership structure of Nine Trey is divided into two parts: the Prison Lineup, which consists of incarcerated members, and the Street Lineup, which consists of members who are not incarcerated. ELLISON was a high-ranking member of the Street Lineup.
ELLISON was found guilty after trial of racketeering conspiracy for his participation in the Nine Trey enterprise, kidnapping in aid of racketeering, and maiming and assault with a dangerous weapon in aid of racketeering.
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In addition to the prison term, ELLISON, 33, of Brooklyn, New York, was sentenced to five years of supervised release.
Ms. Strauss praised the outstanding investigative work of the New York City Police Department, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Ms. Strauss also praised the New York City Department of Correction, Correction Intelligence Bureau, and the Kings County District Attorney’s Office for their assistance in the investigation.
This case is being handled by the Office’s Violent and Organized Crime Unit. Assistant United States Attorneys Michael Longyear, Jacob Warren, and Jonathan Rebold are in charge of the prosecution.
Guatemalan National Sentenced for Passport FraudRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Guatemalan national who resided in Lynn was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for passport fraud.
Gladys Reynoso Zapet, 39, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Leo T. Sorokin to time served (one day). Reynoso Zapet will face deportation proceedings. In January 2020, Reynoso Zapet pleaded guilty to making a false statement in an application for a United States passport.
In February 2012, Reynoso Zapet applied for a U.S. passport at a post office in Lynn under the name of a U.S. citizen from Puerto Rico. On the passport application, Reynoso Zapet used the name, date of birth and Social Security number of the other individual. She also submitted a Puerto Rican birth certificate and a Massachusetts identification card, both in the name of the other individual, as well as a photograph of herself with the application.
United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling and Jonathan Davidson, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Suzanne Sullivan Jacobus of Lelling’s Major Crimes Unit prosecuted the case.
Georgetown Man Sentenced to 37 Months for Nationwide Swatting IncidentsRead the Press Release
WILMINGTON, Del. – David C. Weiss, United States Attorney for the District of Delaware, announced today that Rodney Phipps, 30, of Georgetown, was sentenced today to 37 months in prison by the Honorable Richard G. Andrews, United States District Judge for the District of Delaware.
Phipps pled guilty in January 2020 to five counts of making interstate threats and one count of making a false threat involving explosives in relation to a string of “swatting” phone calls he made to police departments and emergency dispatch centers across the country. “Swatting” involves making hoax emergency calls in order to elicit an armed police response (e.g., from a SWAT team) for the purpose of harassing someone believed to be at the location of the purported emergency.
According to court documents, from August 2015 through August 2017, Phipps placed swatting calls from Delaware to police departments and emergency dispatch centers across the country, including calls to Harrison, New Jersey; Opelousas, Louisiana; Russel County, Kentucky; Pasco County, Florida; and Forsyth County, Georgia. Those swatting calls included false reports that murder, shooting incidents, arson, and a hostage situation had taken place or would take place.
Many of the calls also contained explicit threats that the caller would shoot with a firearm any law enforcement personnel who responded to the emergency call. In several instances, those hoax calls provoked significant law enforcement responses to the purported victim’s residences.
U.S. Attorney Weiss stated, “Swatting phone calls are not harmless pranks. Those who engage in swatting activity intentionally create a serious risk of physical harm to law enforcement officers, the intended victims, and innocent bystanders. Swatting calls also disrupt the operations of local emergency response agencies by misdirecting resources that could be needed for legitimate emergencies. My office will continue to prosecute those who engage in swatting activity to the fullest extent allowed by law and will seek sentences that reflect the serious danger created by such conduct.”
"These calls are dangerous not only to the victims but also to first responders who are placed in danger as unsuspecting residents try to defend themselves. The communities are also placed in danger as responders rush to the scene, taking them away from real emergencies. The FBI works closely with law enforcement partners and continues to collect investigative information to help identify key individuals and groups conducting swatting incidents such as today's sentence reflects. We will continue such efforts to stop these crimes and perpetrators from continuing these dangerous hoaxes," said Jennifer C. Boone, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Baltimore field office.
This case is being investigated by FBI-Baltimore Division’s Wilmington Resident Office and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jesse S. Wenger.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Delaware. Related court documents and information is located on the website of the District Court for the District of Delaware or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:19-cr-69.
Florida Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Mail Fraud Conspiracy Charge in Maryland for Scamming Elderly Victims of More Than $939,000Read the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – David Green, age 25, of Miami Gardens, Florida, pleaded guilty yesterday to a federal mail fraud conspiracy charge, in connection with a scheme in which he defrauded more than 28 elderly victims of more than $939,000.
The guilty plea was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Robert K. Hur and Special Agent in Charge Jennifer C. Boone of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office.
“Schemes where fraudsters falsely claim that a family member needs money to pay legal or other expenses—sometimes pretending to be the victim’s relative to convince them to send cash—prey on vulnerable and elderly victims,” said U.S. Attorney Robert K. Hur. “We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to bring to justice those who perpetrate these heartless schemes that target elderly victims. I encourage anyone who believes they may be a victim of financial fraud to contact the Elder Fraud Hotline at 833-FRAUD-11 (833-372-8311).”
According to Green’s plea agreement, from about September 2018 through at least December 2019, he was part of a conspiracy to defraud elderly victims by persuading them to send thousands of dollars in cash to members of the conspiracy by falsely stating that the money would be used to help the victims’ relatives pay legal or other expenses in connection with crimes and other incidents that had not occurred or that the money would be sent to particular individuals at their addresses, rather than to members of the conspiracy falsely claiming to reside at those addresses. Green’s co-conspirators telephoned elderly victims throughout the United States, posing as a police officer, lawyer, or other individual, falsely telling the victim that a relative, typically the victim’s grandchild, had been incarcerated in connection with a car accident or traffic stop involving a crime, and needed money—often tens of thousands of dollars—for bail, legal fees, and other expenses.
As detailed in the plea agreement, during the telephone calls, the co-conspirators directed victims to send cash to a particular address via an overnight delivery service. The co-conspirators allegedly even posed as the victims’ relatives to further induce them to send the cash. Once the victims did send money, the co-conspirators called the victims asking for more cash, regularly obtaining tens of thousands of dollars from the retirement savings of victims. To prevent the victims from sharing the information with anyone, the co-conspirators allegedly told the victims that a “gag order” had been placed on the case requiring secrecy, or that the situation was embarrassing for the grandchild and they didn’t want anyone else to know about it.
Green admitted that, in order to conceal the crime, he and other co-conspirators identified residential locations across the country where the cash should be sent, including in Maryland, Pennsylvania, Delaware, and Florida. Green and his co-conspirators identified locations that were either vacant or for sale, so that no one would be at those locations at the time of the deliveries, then retrieved the packages of cash when they were delivered. Green and other co-conspirators recruited and instructed additional people to assist in retrieving packages of cash from specified locations.
For example, in January 2019 Green and another co-conspirator flew from Florida to the Maryland area, for the purpose of retrieving packages containing fraud proceeds.
On January 7, 2019, Victim #4, 91 years old from Bainbridge Island, Washington, received a phone call from a co-conspirator who told the victim that his grandson was a passenger in a vehicle stopped with large amounts of cocaine and was being held on federal drug charges. The individual directed Victim #4 to send $13,000 cash for bail to an address in Baltimore, Maryland. On January 8, 2019, Green sent text messages to another co-conspirator with information about the package from Victim #4, including the tracking number. He further directed the other co-conspirator that the package required a signature upon delivery. The other co-conspirator collected the package, and falsely stated that he was the intended recipient. At the further direction of a co-conspirator, Victim #4 sent an additional $9,000 for the purported purpose of retaining an attorney.
Also in January 2019, Victim #5, an 89 year old from Westland, Michigan, was contacted by an individual representing himself to be “Officer Booth.” This individual told Victim #5 that her grandson had been in a car accident and that drugs were found in the trunk. At the direction of the caller, on January 14, 2019, Victim #5 sent $8,000 in cash to an address in Baltimore via FedEx. In total, Victim #5 lost $30,000 to the scam.
In January 2019, Victim #6, an 89 year old from Fort Pierce, Florida, received a phone call from someone purporting to be Victim #6’s niece. Victim #6 was told that his niece had been in a car accident. At the instruction of the caller, Victim #6 sent $8,000 in cash to an address in Baltimore via UPS. On January 18, 2019, Green retrieved this package along with another co-conspirator. In total, Victim #6 lost $17,500 to the scam.
On March 26, 2019, Green was arrested by New Castle County Police in Delaware while trying to retrieve a package sent from another victim to a location in Newark, Delaware.
As a result of the execution of the scheme to defraud, between September 2018 and March 2019, Green and his co-conspirators caused at least 28 different victims to send a total of at least $939,300, resulting in substantial financial hardship to between five and 24 of the victims.
Green faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison for mail fraud conspiracy. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. U.S. District Judge George L. Russell, III has scheduled sentencing for March 26, 2021, at 11:00 a.m.
Co-defendant McArnold Charlemagne, age 33, of Miramar, Florida, pleaded guilty to the same charge on October 30, 2020, and is scheduled to be sentenced on March 26, 2021, at 1:00 p.m.
The Department of Justice has an interactive tool for elders who have been financially exploited to help determine to which agency they should report their incident, and also a senior scam alert website. Victims are encouraged to file a complaint online with the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center at this website or by calling 1-800-225-5324. Elder fraud complaints may be filed with the FTC at www.ftccomplaintassistant.gov or at 877-FTC-HELP.
United States Attorney Robert K. Hur commended the FBI for its work in the investigation. Mr. Hur thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sean R. Delaney and Matthew J. Maddox, who are prosecuting the case.
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Fitchburg Man Convicted of Fentanyl TraffickingRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Fitchburg man was convicted today of trafficking fentanyl following a bench trial.
Sebastian Batista, 26, was convicted of one count of possession with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl. U.S. District Court Judge Douglas P. Woodlock scheduled sentencing for March 4, 2021.
The court heard evidence that on Feb. 28, 2019, Batista participated in multiple phone calls in which he agreed to sell 200 grams of fentanyl to a cooperating witness in a residential area of Waltham. Later that night, Batista arrived at the meeting location and was arrested by law enforcement officers. Officers searched Batista’s vehicle and found approximately 200 grams of fentanyl in plastic wrapping underneath the driver’s seat.
The charge of possession with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl carries a mandatory minimum sentence of five years and up to 40 years in prison, at least four years of supervised release and a fine of up to $5 million. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling and Brian D. Boyle, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Waltham Police Department and the Middlesex County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen W. Hassink of Lelling’s Narcotics and Money Laundering Unit is prosecuting the case.
Federal Inmate Admits Participating in Scheme to Sell Controlled Substances Inside PrisonRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH - Michael S. Frawley pleaded guilty to conspiring to distribute at least 500 grams of cocaine and a quantity of Schedule I synthetic cannabinoid controlled substances between 2017 and 2019, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced today.
Frawley, age 49, formerly a resident of Allegheny County, pled guilty before United States District Judge J. Nicholas Ranjan. Judge Ranjan scheduled sentencing to occur on March 3, 2021, at 10:00 a.m. Frawley was serving a federal prison sentence for a prior cocaine-trafficking conviction when he committed the additional drug-trafficking crime to which he pled guilty.
The law provides for a sentence of at least 10 years and up to life in prison and a fine of up to $8,000,000. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is to be based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney Craig W. Haller is prosecuting this case on behalf of the United States.
The Drug Enforcement Administration, the Internal Revenue Service, the federal Bureau of Prisons, and the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General led the multi-agency investigation that also included the United States Postal Inspection Service, the Beaver County District Attorney’s Office, the Department of Homeland Security/Homeland Security Investigations, the Pittsburgh Police Department, the United States Marshals Service, the Pennsylvania State Police, the Munhall Police Department, the Robinson Township Police Department, the McKees Rocks Police Department, the Stowe Township Police Department, the Etna Police Department, and the Erie County District Attorney’s Office.
This prosecution 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.
Fayetteville Man Sentenced in Federal Court to 24 Years in Prison for Conduct Stemming from the Armed Robbery of Man and DaughterRead the Press Release
RALEIGH, N.C. – A Fayetteville man was sentenced today to 288 months in prison for possessing a firearm while a felon during the course of an armed robbery at the home of a man and his daughter.
According to court documents, Mark Leon Andrews, 44, and another man, Joshua Montraze Stephens, who was sentenced to 120 months in federal prison on September 10, 2019, laid in wait outside of the Fayetteville home of a man and his then-14-year-old daughter. When they arrived home on the evening of April 5, 2018, Andrews and Stephens confronted them at gunpoint and forced both victims into the home. Andrews bound the father with zip-ties, while Stephens held the girl at gunpoint. They then began to search the house for money and guns. Members of the Fayetteville Police Department were called out to the scene and spoke with the victim outside, while Andrews and Stephens held the daughter at gunpoint in the bathroom of the home. Shortly thereafter, the daughter was able to escape and officers moved in. They located Andrews and Stephens, hiding in the master bedroom closet. Andrews was still in possession of a loaded 9mm pistol, along with the victim’s jewelry, money, and car keys. The revolver that Stephens had been using was recovered from inside the closet.
Robert J. Higdon, Jr., U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge James C. Dever III. The Fayetteville Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case and Assistant U.S. Attorney Laura S. Howard prosecuted the case.
Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:18-cr-00208-D.
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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.
Fannin County Woman Guilty of Tax FraudRead the Press Release
PLANO, Texas – A 45 year-old Texas woman has pleaded guilty to tax evasion in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Stephen J. Cox today.
Chelsea Jolynn Tucker pleaded guilty to tax evasion before U.S. Magistrate Judge Kimberly C. Priest Johnson on Nov. 3, 2020.
According to public court records, from approximately 1997 to 2016, Tucker was employed by a staffing and contract services company located in Addison, Texas. In her role with the company, Tucker had various financial responsibilities, including administering payroll, preparing W-2 Forms, making employment tax deposits, paying business expenses, and monitoring the company’s tax obligations using QuickBooks and TaxGuard.
Between approximately 2012 and 2017, Tucker knowingly and willfully misappropriated and embezzled funds from the company in multiple ways. For instance, she (1) paid herself as both an employee and a vendor; (2) issued herself unauthorized bonuses; (3) issued herself fraudulent expense reimbursements; (4) used a corporate credit card for personal purchases; (5) used company funds to pay personal credit cards; and (6) issued company checks to a former employee.
Tucker also willfully attempted to evade her income tax obligations by preparing false and fraudulent W-2 Forms, which substantially underreported the income owed to the Internal Revenue Service. In addition, Tucker failed to pay the company’s employment taxes, which she had a duty to both truthfully account for and pay. As a result of Tucker’s criminal conduct, the amount still owed to the Internal Revenue Service totals approximately $779,664.
Under the federal statute, Tucker faces up to 5 years in federal prison at sentencing and a $100,000 fine. The maximum statutory sentence prescribed by Congress is provided here for information purposes, as the sentences will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. Sentencing hearings will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the U.S. Probation Office.
This case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Anand Varadarajan.
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Erie Man Indicted on Child Sexual Exploitation ChargesRead the Press Release
ERIE, Pa. - A resident of Erie, Pennsylvania, has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Erie on charges of violating federal laws relating to the sexual exploitation of children, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced today.
The seven-count Indictment named Ryan Matthew Holden, 36, as the sole defendant.
According to the Indictment presented to the court, Holden used Instagram to induce a minor female to provide him sexually explicit images and sent images of his penis to the minor victim. Holden also sent images of child pornography to the minor victim. Holden also received and possessed thousands of other items of child pornography.
The law provides for a maximum total sentence of life imprisonment, a fine of $1,750,000, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney Christian A. Trabold is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Pennsylvania State Police conducted the investigation leading to the Indictment in this case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Drug Trafficker Sentenced to 57 Months in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that ALEXIS VELEZ, 56, formerly of Connecticut and Maine, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Vanessa L. Bryant in Hartford to 57 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for trafficking narcotics.
According to court documents and statements made in court, in August 2018, the FBI’s Northern Connecticut Gang Task Force and the Hartford Police Department received information that Danny Castillo and Pascual Ivan Medina were distributing large quantities of fentanyl in and around Hartford. An investigation revealed that Castillo used his family business, the Albany Grocery Store located at 1160 Albany Avenue in Hartford, to conduct narcotics transactions. Between October 2018 and January 2019, investigators made multiple controlled purchases of distribution quantities of fentanyl from Castillo, sometimes with Medina’s assistance, at both the Albany Grocery Store and Castillo’s apartment on Woodland Street in Hartford.
On January 25, 2019, investigators conducting surveillance observed Velez arrive by car at Castillo’s apartment building, interact with Castillo, enter his apartment, exit the apartment and then drive away from the location. After a Hartford Police cruiser conducted a traffic stop of Velez’s vehicle, a search of Velez’s person revealed quantities of cocaine and crack cocaine, and a search of a bag that Velez was seen carrying as he entered and exited Castillo’s apartment revealed approximately 102 grams of a mixture of fentanyl and heroin, 46 grams of cocaine, 15 grams of crack, two ounces of marijuana, and $4060 in cash. Velez was arrested at that time.
Castillo was arrested a short time later at his Woodland Street apartment. A search of the residence revealed approximately 436 grams of fentanyl, 229 grams of heroin, 231 grams of a mixture with both fentanyl and heroin, 543 grams of a mixture of tramadol and methamphetamine, numerous items used to process and package narcotics for distribution, a loaded short-barrel shotgun, and a loaded Smith & Wesson .357 revolver. Investigators later recovered a third firearm from Castillo’s residence.
U.S. Attorney Durham noted that the quantity of the fentanyl and heroin seized from Castillo would have produced at least 35,000 dose bags of the drugs.
On February 28, 2020, Velez pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute cocaine and cocaine base (“crack”). He is currently detained.
Castillo and Medina pleaded guilty to related charges. On August 25, 2020, Castillo was sentenced to 128 months of imprisonment and, on January 23, 2020, Medina was sentenced to 30 months of imprisonment.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Northern Connecticut Gang Task Force includes members of the Hartford Police Department, East Hartford Police Department, Connecticut State Police and Connecticut Department of Correction. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian P. Leaming.
Deatsville Man Sentenced for Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
Montgomery, Alabama – On Wednesday, October 28, 2020, Hunter Lavon Brown, a 26-year-old from Deatsville, Alabama, was sentenced to 78 months in prison for possession of child pornography, announced United States Attorney Louis V. Franklin, Sr. and FBI Special Agent in Charges James Jewell. In addition to his six and a half year prison sentence, Brown was ordered to serve five years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
The investigation began on January 10, 2019, when the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) received a cyber-tip from Google that there was possible child pornography materials being uploaded to a Google Photos account. This information was forwarded to the FBI who identified Brown’s address as being involved in the uploads. Agents also discovered that the Google account was registered to Brown with an email address associated with him. Then, on August 22, 2019, agents executed a search warrant at Brown’s residence and seized a number of electronic devices. During the search, Brown admitted to the agents that they would find child pornography images on the devices being taken. The FBI reviewed the materials they found and identified suspected child pornography images, which was later confirmed by NCMEC. Further forensic analysis of the electronic devices revealed that Brown knowingly searched and downloaded child pornography, which he admitted when he pleaded guilty to the charges. He also admitted that some of the child porn images contained beastiality. During the sentencing hearing, the judge expressed concern that Brown had previously been exchanging text messages with minor children and actually arranged to meet with a 17-year-old girl before backing out.
“Child pornography is a despicable crime,” stated U.S. Attorney Franklin. “Defendants like Brown participate in an industry that targets and exploits innocent children. Crimes like these inflict lasting harm on victims. My office will continue to work with law enforcement to protect our children and bring to justice those that harm the young.”
“The FBI will continue to devote resources to these cases and appreciates the partnership with the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children,” said Special Agent in Charge Jewell. “The prison sentence imposed by the court will help safeguard the children of our communities.”
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) investigated this case, with assistance from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC). Assistant United States Attorney Russell Duraski prosecuted the case.
Crossville Man Sentenced to over 17 Years on Methamphetamine Trafficking ChargesRead the Press Release
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – On November 2, 2020, Jason L Howard, 36, of Crossville, was sentenced to 210 months in a federal prison, by the Honorable Thomas W. Phillips, U.S. District Court Judge for the Eastern District of Tennessee at Knoxville. Howard was caught transporting nearly a kilogram of methamphetamine and a firearm. Howard pleaded guilty to possession with the intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine.
On February 26, 2019, Howard was stopped by Tennessee Highway Patrol officers for a routine traffic stop as he was traveling westbound on Highway 68 in Tennessee. A lawful search of Howard’s vehicle led to the discovery of a plastic bag containing approximately 938 grams of methamphetamine and a loaded 9mm handgun. Howard was earlier surveilled by law enforcement in Georgia meeting with another known methamphetamine trafficker.
“Traffickers move large amounts of narcotics up and down the highways and interstates of East Tennessee every day, and it is a serious challenge to law enforcement to intercept them. We are grateful the Tennessee Highway Patrol’s vigilance in this case led to this arrest and what will hopefully be a message that Howard’s sentence delivers,” said U.S. Attorney J. Douglas Overbey.
“Methamphetamine destroys lives. HSI will continue to work with our federal and state and local law enforcement partners to help remove illegal drugs and arrest those who traffic these dangerous substances. We owe it to the communities and people we serve,” said HSI Nashville Special Agent in Charge Jerry C. Templet, Jr.
This prosecution resulted from a joint investigation by the HSI, TBI, 9th Judicial Drug Task Force, Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office, Middle Tennessee HIDTA Task Force, and the Tennessee Highway Patrol.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kevin Quencer represented the United States.
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Convicted Felon Sentenced to Prison for Defrauding Victim of Her Life Savings While on Pretrial Release for Another Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Erica H. MacDonald today announced that JAY DEAN LOW, 57, was sentenced to an above guideline sentence of 72 months in prison for wire fraud. LOW, who pleaded guilty on December 18, 2019, was sentenced yesterday before Judge Patrick J. Schiltz in U.S. District Court in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
According to the defendant’s guilty plea and documents filed in court, between September 2014 and April 2016, LOW devised and executed an investment scheme to defraud Victim A. After LOW made false representations about an investment opportunity, Victim A provided LOW with her life savings of approximately $266,000, believing the money was going to be invested in a pharmaceutical company. In reality, there was no investment opportunity, and LOW created authentic-looking documents that he periodically provided to Victim A in order to give his sham investment the appearance of legitimacy. Rather than invest as promised, LOW fraudulently misappropriated all of Victim A’s investment funds for his own personal use and benefit, including the purchase of a BMW, tuition payment for a family member, a $10,000 hot tub, jewelry, and other personal expenses. LOW committed this fraud scheme while he was on pretrial release after being charged in 2015 in a separate, unrelated $400,000 embezzlement case.
This case was the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI and the United States Postal Inspection Service.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew S. Ebert prosecuted the case.
Defendant Information:
JAY DEAN LOW, 57
Plymouth, Minn.
Convicted:
- Wire fraud, 1 count
Sentenced:
- 72 months in prison
- Three years of supervised release
- $266,737 in restitution
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Cleveland man admits to selling cocaineRead the Press Release
WHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA – Jalen Deshon Dalton, of Cleveland, Ohio, has admitted to a drug charge, U.S. Attorney Bill Powell announced.
Dalton, also known as “NBA J” and “J,” age 27, pled guilty to one count of “Distribution of Cocaine Base within 1000 feet of a Protected Location.” Dalton admitted to selling cocaine near Madison Elementary School on Wheeling Island in December 2019.
Dalton faces at least one and up to 40 years of incarceration and a fine of up to $2,000,000. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Shawn M. Adkins and Clayton J. Reid are prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The Ohio Valley Drug and Violent Crimes Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, which includes the Drug Enforcement Administration, West Virginia State Police, Ohio County Sheriff’s Office, and the Wheeling Police Department, investigated. The U.S. Marshal Service, Columbus Police Department Gang Crimes Unit, the Martins Ferry Police Department, and the Bellaire Police Department also assisted.
U.S. Magistrate Judge James P. Mazzone presided.
Buffalo Man Arrested, Charged with Drug and Gun Charges Following Traffic AccidentRead 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 Jarmaine Dunbar, 43, of Buffalo, NY, was arrested and charged by criminal complaint with possessing with intent to distribute cocaine, and possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. The charges carry a minimum penalty of five years in prison, a maximum of life, and a $1,000,000 fine.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Douglas A. C. Penrose, who is handling the case, stated that according to the complaint, on October 10, 2020, the defendant was involved in a traffic accident in the City of Buffalo. When officers arrived on the scene, they observed a loaded, semi-automatic pistol on the front passenger seat of Dunbar’s car. When patting down the defendant, officers also retrieved a plastic bag containing suspected cocaine.
The defendant made an initial appearance today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael J. Roemer and was detained.
The criminal complaint is the result of an investigation by the Buffalo Police Department, under the direction of Commissioner Byron Lockwood and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge John B. Devito, New York Field Division.
The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
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Bucksport Woman Sentenced for Aiding and Abetting Counterfeit DVD SchemeRead the Press Release
BANGOR, Maine: A Bucksport woman was sentenced in federal court in Bangor on November 2 for aiding and abetting a mail fraud scheme, U.S. Attorney Halsey B. Frank announced.
U.S. District Judge John A. Woodcock, Jr. sentenced Heidi Pugliese, 54, to five years of probation. She was also ordered to pay restitution to victims defrauded in the scheme.
Pugliese pleaded guilty in August 2019 to aiding and abetting Douglas Gordon in carrying out his Maine-based scheme to sell counterfeit DVDs online. An investigation conducted by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) revealed that Gordon, the former owner of a chain of video rental stores in eastern Maine, operated three websites from which he made hundreds of thousands of dollars in sales of more than 48,000 counterfeit copies of copyright-protected movies. Pugliese assisted the scheme over a 21‑month period from 2013 to 2015, during which time it brought in approximately $140,000.
Gordon was convicted of mail fraud and copyright infringement charges in October 2019 after a seven-day jury trial in which Pugliese testified for the government.HSI investigated the case, with assistance from the Maine Attorney General’s Office, the Brewer Police Department, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and the Better Business Bureau.
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Bronx Man Charged with Kidnapping Girlfriend and Her 7-Year-Old ChildRead the Press Release
Audrey Strauss, the Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, William F. Sweeney Jr., Assistant Director-in-Charge of the New York Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), and Dermot Shea, Commissioner of the New York City Police Department (“NYPD”), announced the arrest of AQUILINO TORRES in connection with the kidnapping of his girlfriend and her 7-year-old son. TORRES was arrested yesterday and will be presented in Manhattan federal court later today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Stewart D. Aaron.
Acting U.S. Attorney Audrey Strauss said: “As alleged, Aquilino Torres threatened to kill a 7-year-old child in carrying out a brutal kidnapping of the child and his mother. Torres then allegedly held his victims captive for several days, during which he physically abused both mother and child, and sexually assaulted the woman. Thankfully, the victims managed to escape, and thanks to the FBI and NYPD, Torres is in custody and facing federal prosecution for horrific crimes.”
FBI Assistant Director William F. Sweeney Jr. said: “The conduct we allege in this case is horrific. Torres allegedly broke a mother’s jaw, tied her hands to a bed frame after physically and sexually assaulting her, and held her and her seven-year-old child against their will for several days. In spite of all she endured, the victim was able to escape her captor with her son and bring them both to safety. The resiliency she and her son showed is commendable, and as a result of their heroic actions, Torres will now face justice. I sincerely hope that provides them some comfort; we will do everything in our power to help them heal.”
NYPD Commissioner Dermot Shea said: “In kidnaping a mother and her son, as alleged in this case, the defendant harmed innocent victims and that will never be tolerated. I commend our NYPD investigators and federal partners for their hard work to bring justice in this case.”
According to the allegations in the Complaint[1]:
On or about October 5, 2020, TORRES approached his girlfriend (“Victim-1”) in the vicinity of Harlem in New York, New York, and threatened to kill Victim-1’s 7-year-old son (“Minor Victim-1”) if she did not come with TORRES. TORRES brought Victim-1 and Minor Victim-1 to a motel in the Bronx, where he proceeded to lock the door and physically assault Victim-1, including by punching Victim-1 several times in the face and body. TORRES then had sex with Victim-1 against her will. The following day, TORRES directed Victim-1 to order an Uber to take TORRES, Victim-1, and Minor Victim-1 to an apartment in Washington Heights (the “Apartment”). TORRES forced Victim-1 and Minor Victim-1 to stay in the Apartment against their will for multiple days. On at least one occasion, TORRES tied Victim-1’s hands to a bed frame to prevent her from leaving the Apartment while he was away. TORRES also physically assaulted Victim-1 and Minor Victim-1 while at the Apartment. On or about October 10, 2020, Victim-1 and Minor Victim-1 escaped from the Apartment. Thereafter, Victim-1 was admitted to a hospital, where she was found to have a broken jaw that required surgery.
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TORRES is charged with: one count of kidnapping, which carries a maximum term of life in prison, and one count of kidnapping of a minor, which carries a mandatory minimum term of 20 years in prison and a maximum term of life. The maximum potential sentences and the mandatory minimum sentences are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant would be determined by the judge.
Ms. Strauss praised the outstanding investigative work of the FBI and NYPD, in particular, the Violent Crimes Task Force. The prosecution of this case is being handled by the Office’s General Crimes Unit. Assistant United States Attorney David Robles is in charge of the prosecution.
The charges contained in the Complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
[1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Complaint, and the description of the Complaint set forth herein, constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.
Boston Man Charged with Bank RobberyRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Boston man, who is currently on supervised release for a 2010 bank robbery conviction, was arrested today and charged with bank robbery.
Dennis C. Taylor, 47, was charged by criminal complaint with one count of bank robbery. He was detained following an initial appearance before Chief Magistrate Judge M. Page Kelley.
According to charging documents, on April 29, 2020, Taylor, dressed in a dark hooded jacket, blue latex gloves and a facemask entered a branch of the Santander Bank on Massachusetts Avenue in Boston, approached a teller and demanded the bank’s money. The teller handed Taylor cash, which Taylor placed in a white plastic bag and exited the bank. Included within the cash was a red dye pack. Surveillance cameras on Massachusetts Avenue captured video of O’Neil exiting the area and running towards a local parking garage as the red dye pack explodes into a plume of red smoke. During a subsequent search of the parking garage, law enforcement recovered a white plastic bag containing red dye stained money and a pair of blue latex gloves, which were found to match Taylor’s DNA profile.
The charge of bank robbery provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling; Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Division; and Boston Police Commissioner William Gross made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kenneth G. Shine of Lelling’s Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.
The details contained in charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.