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Friday 9 October 2020
Colorado Tax Evader Sentenced to Prison for Fleeing to Avoid Previously Imposed Prison SentenceRead the Press Release
Colorado tax defier Lawrence Martin Birk was sentenced to an additional 78 months in prison for failing to surrender to serve his previously imposed tax evasion prison sentence and for unlawfully possessing firearms, announced Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Richard E. Zuckerman of the Justice Department’s Tax Division.
“Let the message from today’s sentencing be loud and clear: the Tax Division will vigorously pursue and prosecute those who defraud the United States and flee punishment, wherever they may go,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Zuckerman.
Birk, 66, was found guilty of tax evasion by a jury in July 2019. According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Birk founded a sole proprietorship, Tarryall River Log Homes LLC, which built and sold log homes. Although the company was profitable, Birk did not voluntarily pay federal taxes on its income. When the IRS began collection efforts, Birk hired a tax firm to prepare eight years’ worth of delinquent tax returns, but concealed from the firm $400,000 of retirement distributions. Even after filing returns, Birk still did not pay what the returns acknowledged he owed in taxes. Instead, he sent the IRS threatening correspondence and sought to impede its efforts to seize money from his bank accounts. He did not make any voluntary tax payments for 2006 through 2018.
Based on this conduct, on Oct. 30, 2019, U.S. District Judge Robert E. Blackburn sentenced Birk to 60 months in prison, to serve three years of supervised release, and to pay restitution to the IRS in the amount of $1,858,826.
Birk was ordered to report to prison to begin serving his sentence in November 2019. Instead, he fled Colorado with a fully automatic assault rifle, two pistols, over a dozen loaded magazines, hundreds of additional rounds of ammunition, ballistic helmets, ballistic vests, and gas masks. Birk remained a fugitive until he was caught and arrested in Florida in January 2020 and has been in custody ever since.
Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Zuckerman commended special agents of IRS-Criminal Investigation, the U.S. Marshals Service, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, who conducted the investigation, and Trial Attorney Christopher Magnani, who prosecuted the case. Additional information about the Tax Division and its enforcement efforts may be found on the division’s website.
Chesapeake Man Sentenced to 31 Years for Sexually Abusing ChildRead the Press Release
NORFOLK, Va. – A Chesapeake man was sentenced today to 380 months in prison for sexually abusing a child.
“Child sexual abuse is heinous and causes incalculable and unknowable harm to survivors,” said G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. “Sadly, this horrendous crime is likely to have personal and public reverberations for years to come. I want to thank and applaud our law enforcement partners and prosecutors for ensuring that this defendant will now be in a place where he cannot sexually abuse minors.”
According to court documents, in July or August of 2017, Jacob Earl Gilmore, 38, sexually abused a minor girl at St. Julian’s Creek Annex, a controlled Naval Facility and Gillmore’s place of work. During a weekend in July or August, Gillmore secreted the child onto the installation in the trunk of his car. Once on the installation, brought the child to his office and sexually abused her multiple times. During their investigation, the Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) learned that Gillmore had been escorting the girl on to St. Julian’s Creek Annex for years.
“This sentencing should serve as a warning that child sexual predators will always be exposed and rooted out,” said Gregory Scovel, NCIS Special Agent in Charge of the Norfolk Field Office. “NCIS remains committed to fully investigating all criminal threats to communities where our Department of the Navy family live and work.”
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 Gregory Scovel, Special Agent in Charge of NCIS Norfolk Field Office, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Arenda Wright Allen. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew J. Heck prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:19-cr-114.
Brooklyn Man Sentenced to 224 Months’ Imprisonment for Home Invasion Armed Robbery ConspiracyRead the Press Release
Earlier today, in federal court in Brooklyn, Devone Jefferys was sentenced by United States District Judge Kiyo A. Matsumoto to 224 months’ imprisonment for Hobbs Act robbery conspiracy, attempted Hobbs Act robbery of heroin and cash, and the unlawful use and possession of a firearm. Jefferys was found guilty at a jury trial in October 2019.
Seth D. DuCharme, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, John B. Devito, Special Agent-in-Charge, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and Dermot F. Shea, Commissioner, New York City Police Department (NYPD), announced the sentence.
On July 31, 2015, Jefferys and a co-conspirator, impersonating NYPD police officers, entered an apartment in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, to steal heroin and cash from a drug dealer. They pointed their guns at those present in the apartment – including a pregnant woman who was in labor, the drug dealer’s sister and the drug dealer’s mother – threatened them with violence, ordered them to lie on the floor, and bound them with duct tape. Jefferys ransacked the apartment searching for drugs and cash, with his and his co-conspirator’s guns aimed on the victims’ heads and the pregnant woman’s stomach. When Jefferys learned that the drug dealer’s sister had thrown a bag of heroin out a window, he forcibly took her to an outside alleyway and raped her.
“Today’s substantial sentence will protect the community by incapacitating this violent predator, who inflicted injury and terror upon his victims before he was brought to justice,” stated Acting United States Attorney DuCharme. “I commend the prosecutors and the investigators who worked tirelessly to make this case and to bring a measure of closure to the victims.”
“Thanks to the diligent work of the ATF agents and NYPD detectives of the Joint Robbery Task Force, today the victims and the community finally have justice for this horrific crime,” stated ATF Special Agent-in-Charge DeVito.
“We work tirelessly to keep people from being victims of this kind of violence and join with our law enforcement partners in embracing today’s sentencing,” stated NYPD Commissioner Shea.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. The Department of Justice reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the its renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorneys’ Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime.
The government’s case is being prosecuted by the Office’s International Narcotics and Money Laundering Section. Assistant United States Attorneys Nathan Reilly and Ryan Harris are in charge of the prosecution.
The Defendant:
DEVONE JEFFERYS (also known as “Moneybags”)
Age: 28
Brooklyn, New YorkE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 18-CR-359 (KAM)
Bronx Woman Pleads Guilty to Bank FraudRead the Press Release
CONCORD - Ashley Washington, 33, of Bronx, New York, pleaded guilty in federal court on Tuesday to bank fraud, United States Attorney Scott W. Murray announced today.
According to court documents and statements made in court, between approximately January 17, 2020, and February 28, 2020, Washington entered a number of different bank branches in New Hampshire and made withdrawals from other people’s bank accounts. For each transaction, Washington used customers’ personal identification information, including their name, bank account numbers and false drivers’ licenses that contained the bank customers’ personal identifying information and Washington’s photograph. In total, Washington withdrew over $18,000 and attempted to withdraw approximately $1,600 from other persons’ bank accounts.
Washington is scheduled to be sentenced on January 14, 2021.
“Fraud crimes deprive victims of their money and are particularly troubling when personal identifying information is misused,” said U.S. Attorney Murray. “We are committed to protecting the identity and finances of our citizens and will work closely with our law enforcement partners to identify and prosecute those who come into the Granite State to commit fraud crimes.”
This matter was investigated by the United States Postal Service with assistance from the Concord Police Department and Pembroke Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew T. Hunter.
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Baltimore Felon Arrested on Federal Charge for Illegal Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – Frank William Robertson Perry, age 39, of Dundalk, Maryland, has been arrested on a federal criminal complaint, charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm. According to court documents, Perry has been identified by law enforcement as a member of the Boogaloo Movement. “Boogaloo” is a term referencing a violent uprising or impending civil war, and is sometimes used by militia extremists and racially or ethnically motivated extremists. Perry was arrested late on October 7, 2020. A virtual initial appearance is scheduled in U.S. District Court in Baltimore at 4:00 p.m. today before U.S. Magistrate Judge J. Mark Coulson.
The arrest was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Robert K. Hur; Special Agent in Charge Jennifer C. Boone of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office; and Special Agent in Charge Timothy Jones of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Baltimore Field Division.
According to the criminal complaint and court documents, a search warrant was executed at Perry’s residence, which he shares with his girlfriend. Agents recovered from the bedroom: a black tactical vest containing two ballistic plates on the interior of the vest; two loaded rifle magazines located in pouches affixed to the exterior of the vest; a third loaded rifle magazine located on top of the vest; an AM-15 rifle which was partially concealed behind a nightstand; eight rounds of .223-caliber ammunition located in the nightstand; and other firearms-related accessories.
As detailed in the criminal complaint, Perry’s girlfriend was in the home at the time of the search and agreed to speak with agents. She advised that she had purchased the AM-15 lower receiver in April at the suggestion of Perry, who said that she needed the weapon for self-defense. She told agents that she learned Perry was obtaining firearms parts and shipping them to the residence in her name, and law enforcement found that the items were purchased using Perry’s credit card. In addition, Perry’s girlfriend stated that she had not been involved in building the rifle—that was done by Perry and a neighbor. Perry was arrested while he was en route to the residence.
According to court documents, Perry is prohibited from possessing firearms and/or ammunition as a result of a previous felony conviction. Investigation revealed that while the firearm is registered to Perry’s girlfriend, a review of her social media indicates no apparent interest or involvement with firearms, hunting, the Second Amendment, or the Boogaloo Movement, nor was there any record of Perry’s girlfriend ever having a hunting license, or any other firearms registered in her name. In contrast, as detailed in the court documents, Perry’s social media reflects a substantial interest in firearms and militia extremist activities.
If convicted, Perry faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in federal prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm. 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.
A criminal complaint is not a finding of guilt. An individual charged by criminal complaint is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty at some later criminal proceedings.
United States Attorney Robert K. Hur commended the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force, which includes the ATF, for their work in the investigation and thanked the Baltimore County Police Department for its assistance. Mr. Hur thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kathleen O. Gavin and P. Michael Cunningham, who are prosecuting the case.
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Arizona Man Pleads Guilty to Sexually Assaulting A Woman on the Fort Mohave Indian Reservation in LaughlinRead the Press Release
LAS VEGAS, Nev. — An Arizona resident pleaded guilty yesterday to sexually assaulting a woman on the Fort Mohave Indian Reservation in Laughlin, announced United States Attorney Nicholas A. Trutanich for the District of Nevada.
Richard Hernandez, 25, of Fort Mohave, Ariz., pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Richard Boulware II to one count of aggravated sexual abuse. A sentencing hearing has been scheduled on January 14, 2021.
“Native American women have experienced unacceptably high rates of violence, including sexual assaults and physical attacks,” said U.S. Attorney Trutanich. “Our office will continue supporting and working closely with our tribal partners to bring perpetrators to justice, and increase public safety at all tribal communities within our district.”
According to court documents and admissions made in court by Hernandez, on or about September 24, 2018, he hit a woman with his fists to coerce her to engage in a sexual act with him. As a result of the assault, the victim suffered multiple facial abrasions and contusions, ear pain, bleeding to the head, and loss of consciousness with a concussion, all of which required medical treatment at a hospital.
Hernandez faces a maximum statutory penalty of life in prison and a $250,000 fine. The sentencing of a defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
This case was the product of an investigation by the FBI and Fort Mohave Tribal Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Bianca Pucci and Penelope Brady are prosecuting the case.
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Another Clan Del Golfo associate extradited to face charges for international cocaine distribution conspiracyRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – An alleged associate of one most serious transnational organized criminal organizations has landed in the United States on charges of distributing kilogram quantities of cocaine from Colombia, announced U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Patrick.
Jhony Fidel Cuello-Petro aka Mocho, 45, is set to appear before U.S. Magistrate Judge Frances H. Stacy at 2 p.m. in Houston today.
A federal grand jury returned an indictment against Cuello-Petro and others Aug. 16, 2018. Colombian authorities took him into custody in November 2018. He was extradited and landed in Houston yesterday.
Cuello-Petro is an alleged close associate of Joaquin Guillermo David-Usuga aka Guillermo, 43, who is believed to be a ranking member of the Clan Del Golfo. David-Usuga was extradited to Houston Dec. 5, 2019, and is pending trial.
The Department of Justice designated Clan Del Golfo as one of the most serious transnational organized criminal organizations that threatens the United States.
The indictment alleges Cuello-Petro, David-Usuga and others were involved in the importation of kilogram quantities of cocaine into the United States. Both are charged with conspiracy to distribute cocaine internationally and one count of international cocaine distribution.
Cuello-Petro and David-Usuga were allegedly involved in an ongoing five-year conspiracy to distribute cocaine from Colombia to the United States. In May 2019, they and others participated in distributing approximately 20 kilograms of cocaine in Colombia knowing it was to be imported into the United States, according to the allegations.
The FBI and DEA led the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation dubbed Operation Macondo. OCDETF is a partnership that brings together the combined expertise and unique abilities of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies. OCDETF’s principal mission is to identify, disrupt, dismantle and prosecute high level members of drug trafficking, weapons trafficking and money laundering organizations and enterprises.
The Criminal Division’s Office of International Affairs provided substantial assistance in the extradition. The Justice Department also extends its gratitude to the government of Colombia and the Colombian police and military for its cooperation and assistance.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Casey N. MacDonald and Anibal Alaniz are prosecuting the case.
An indictment is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.
Afghan Man Sentenced to 106 Months for Conspiracy to Commit Kidnapping and Conspiracy to Commit Murder for HireRead the Press Release
LEXINGTON, Ky. - An Afghan man, known as “John” Sadiqullah, 32, was sentenced in federal court on Thursday, to 106 months in prison, by U.S. District Judge Karen Caldwell, following his convictions for conspiracy to commit kidnapping and conspiracy to commit murder-for-hire.
According to the evidence presented at his trial, Sadiqullah believed that the victim, L.E., owed him a substantial amount of money. After repeated attempts to try to get his money back, through persistent visits to L.E.’s place of business, Sadiqullah contacted Mahmoud Shalash, a local religious leader, to help him get his money back. Shalash had been working with an individual known as Thomas Smith, for whom Shalash had laundered approximately $100,000. Shalash then introduced Smith to Sadiqullah, as an individual who could collect debts by any means necessary.
The evidence also established that Sadiqullah and Smith agreed to kidnap L.E., or his son, in an attempt to retrieve the money; and then, if necessary, they would kill L.E. Three days later, when Sadiqullah learned that L.E. was in Lexington, Sadiqullah, along with others, cornered L.E. at his place of business and called Smith to carry out the plan. Smith, who had been working for the FBI during this entire period of time, reported the incident to the FBI, which then took L.E. and his son into protective custody.
Shalash was sentenced on June 22, 2020, for conspiring to commit kidnapping and committing money laundering. Shalash received two years in prison and five years of supervised release, including one year of home incarceration. Shalash was also ordered to pay a $20,000 fine and forfeit $81,861.99 in illegally laundered proceeds.
Under federal law, Sadiqullah must serve 85 percent of his prison sentence. Following his release, Sadiqullah will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for five years.
Robert M. Duncan, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky, and James Robert Brown, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation-Louisville Division, jointly announced the sentence.
The investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The United States was represented by Assistant United States Attorneys Andrew T. Boone and Kathryn M. Anderson.
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.
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2 charged with MS-13 execution-style murder involving baseball bat and macheteRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – Two alleged high ranking gang members are set to appear in federal court an allegations they committed murder in furtherance of the of the Mara Salvatrucha aka MS-13 international street gang, announced U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Patrick.
Walter Chicas-Garcia, 23, and Jimmy Villalobos-Gomez, 23, are set to make their appearances via video conference today at 10 a.m. before U.S. Magistrate Judge Frances H. Stacy.
A federal grand jury returned an indictment Sept. 29 against the Salvadorian nationals who resided in Houston. They are charged with murder in aid of racketeering and conspiracy to do so.
The two men allegedly murdered the victim July 3. The charges allege Chicas-Garcia and Villalobos-Gomez beat the victim to death with a baseball bat and machete so they could increase their position in the MS-13 enterprise.
If convicted, they face up to life in federal prison or the possibility of death.
The FBI, Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations and Houston Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys John Michael Lewis and Britni Cooper are prosecuting the case along with Trial Attorneys Julie A. Finocchiaro and Matthew Hoff from the Department of Justice’s Organized Crime and Gang Section.
An indictment is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.
11 charged in conspiracy to steal account information, money from bank customersRead the Press Release
CINCINNATI – A federal grand jury has charged 11 Cincinnatians in a conspiracy to steal bank customers’ information in Greater Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky in an indictment unsealed here today.
According to the indictment, five of the defendants were employed as customer service representatives at Fifth Third Bank in Cincinnati, and in conspiracy with the other defendants, stole customer account information from 2018 until August 2020.
“Fifth Third had protective measures and a culture in place to help identify potential misuse of customer information and should be commended for coming forward to work together with law enforcement to hold these alleged fraudsters accountable,” said U.S. Attorney David M. DeVillers.
It is alleged the bank employees were recruited into the scheme through social media. The employees were allegedly paid by other co-conspirators to identify bank customers with high cash balances, and steal and provide the customer information to the other co-conspirators.
Other individuals known as “runners” were recruited to enter Fifth Third bank branches to withdraw money from the compromised accounts. These runners were often homeless or drug-addicted. It is alleged they were given false ID cards with their picture and the name of the account theft victim. The indictment details that runners were sometimes taken to thrift stores and bought clothing to more appropriately match the victims’ identities. Co-conspirators drove the runners to and from the bank branches. After withdrawing $3,000 to $8,000, the runners would receive a small payment.
Those charged include:
Name
Also Known As
Age
Keyonte Bronson
Dom
25
Juan Leonard
Tim
27
Duane Grigsby
34
Marcus Knox
Sleepy
28
Patrick H. Walker
Sin Wolf
46
Gregory Palmer
Cook LaFlare
28
Diamond Brocks
25
Kenisha Cavitt
29
Kellielle Berry
25
Jalen Rowe
25
Sharnese Davis
26
Each of the defendants is charged with conspiring to commit bank fraud, a crime punishable by up to 30 years in prison. Bronson, Grigsby, Knox, Palmer and Walker are also charged with aggravated identity theft, which carries a mandatory penalty of two years in prison.
Bronson was arrested Thursday evening and is scheduled to appear at 2:30pm today in federal court in Cincinnati.
David M. DeVillers, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, and Yvonne DiCristoforo, Special Agent in Charge, United States Secret Service, announced the charges. They also commended the investigative coordination of the Warren County Sheriff’s Office, Springfield Police Department, Drug Abuse Reduction Taskforce (DART) and Cincinnati Police Department. Assistant Deputy Criminal Chief Timothy S. Mangan is representing the United States in this case.
An indictment merely contains allegations, and defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.
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Thursday 8 October 2020
Worley Man Sentenced for Role in High Speed ChaseRead the Press Release
COEUR D'ALENE – Joseph Louis James, 37, of Worley, Idaho, was sentenced in U.S. District Court to 46 months in federal prison for unlawful possession of a firearm, U.S. Attorney Bart M. Davis announced today. Chief U.S. District Judge David C. Nye also ordered James to serve three years of supervised release following his prison sentence. James pleaded guilty to the charge on June 10, 2020.
According to court records, on March 6, 2020, a Coeur d’Alene Tribal police officer attempted to pull over the vehicle James was in for a traffic violation. Instead of pulling over, the vehicle sped up and led the officer on a high-speed chase. During the chase, multiple gunshots came from the passenger side of the vehicle towards the pursing officer’s vehicle. Neither the officer nor his vehicle were struck. Due to safety concerns, the officer ended the pursuit. Later, officers were able to locate the vehicle, James, and others involved in the incident in Spokane, Washington. During James’ arrest, officers located the firearm that was used during the police pursuit. During his interview, James admitted to possessing the firearm prior to the car chase. James is prohibited from possessing firearms due to multiple prior felony convictions.
This case was investigated by the Coeur d'Alene Tribal Police Department, Bureau of Indian Affairs, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Kootenai County Sheriff’s Office, Benewah County Sheriff’s Office, Idaho State Police, and Spokane County Sheriff’s Office.
This case was prosecuted as part of the Department of Justice’s Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) program. PSN is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime
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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.
Washington State Resident Charged with Distribution of Child Pornography After Allegedly Sending Videos to Undercover AgentRead the Press Release
SAN FRANCISCO – Christopher Michael David was arrested for distribution of child pornography, announced United States Attorney David L. Anderson and Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Special Agent in Charge John F. Bennett.
According to the criminal complaint filed on October 5, 2020, and unsealed on October 6, 2020, David, 43, of Fife, Washington, allegedly delivered seven videos containing child pornography to an undercover agent.
“This case should serve as a warning to child predators,” said United States Attorney David L. Anderson. “The patience and persistence with which this investigation was pursued demonstrates how relentlessly we will hunt down people who exploit minor children and distribute child pornography. Law enforcement is watching.”
“Fighting child exploitation is a top priority of the FBI,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Bennett. “We will continue to go after those who prey on society's most vulnerable and hold them accountable for their reprehensible crimes.”
The complaint describes how an individual—subsequently identified as David—used the handle “pervyguy40” to contact individuals on a social media application. In April of 2020, David contacted an undercover agent who claimed to be a “bad momma” looking for a “teacher” for her 7- and 9-year-old daughters. David told the agent that his “dark desires” included “incest and young sharing.” In subsequent chats, David claimed to have had previous sexual contact with at least four minors. David also communicated a desire to travel to the Northern District of California to engage in a long-term sexual relationship with the agent’s purported minor children. David exchanged messages with the undercover agent about the difficulties of arranging travel in light of the Covid-19 pandemic and his difficulties in getting time off from work.
To acclimate the purported children to this idea, he sent pictures of his genitalia. He also repeatedly asked for photos of the purported children. On August 17, 2020, in the context of anticipated travel in September, he asked the agent whether her minor children “would like to see examples of what they will learn?” David then sent seven (7) videos containing child sexual abuse material.
The complaint further describes how David claimed to have collected “hundreds” of pictures and videos containing child pornography. David allegedly obtained the child pornography by trading online. In addition, David sent text messages to coach the agent on how to obtain such images without attracting law enforcement attention.
David is charged with distribution of child pornography, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 2252(a)(2).
Criminal complaints merely allege that crimes have been committed, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. If convicted on the distribution of child pornography charge, the defendant faces a minimum sentence of five years, a maximum sentence of 20 years imprisonment, a supervised release term of five years to life, a fine of $250,000, a special assessment of $5,000, criminal forfeiture, and restitution. However, any sentence following conviction would be imposed by the court only after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal statute governing the imposition of a sentence, 18 U.S.C. § 3553.
David was arrested in Fife, Washington and made his initial federal court appearance before Magistrate Judge J. Richard Creatura in the Western District of Washington. Magistrate Judge Creatura ordered David’s pre-trial detention pending transport to the Northern District of California for his initial appearance in this District.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Christoffer Lee is prosecuting the case with the assistance of Marina Ponomarchuk and Angelica Jao. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the FBI.
Wolverine Watchmen Press ConferenceRead the Press Release
Good afternoon. All of us in Michigan can disagree about politics. But those disagreements can never, ever, result in violence. And because of the hard work of the men and women in law enforcement – police officers and federal agents – violence has been prevented today.
This case is being brought in the Western District of Michigan. Some of the defendants reside in the Eastern District, where search warrants have been executed. But at the end of the day, what matters most is that the people of Michigan should be reassured that our state and federal governments are working together to keep us all safe.
I want to thank Attorney General Nessel and her office, for their outstanding work and her committed partnership.
I also thank Colonel Gasper, Special Agent Hauxhurtst, and of course, U.S. Attorney Birge.
Every day, police officers and federal agents put their lives on the line for us. In this case, arrests were made swiftly and safely by those officers and agents. We are most thankful to them. Thank you.
Virginia Businessman Pleads Guilty to Bribery of FBI OfficialRead the Press Release
POCATELLO – Robert Bailey, 63, of Centreville, Virginia, pleaded guilty to paying a bribe to a public official, U.S. Attorney Bart M. Davis announced today. Bailey pleaded guilty to a one-count criminal information filed in connection with his plea agreement. Sentencing is set for December 16, 2020, before U.S. District Judge B. Lynn Winmill at the federal courthouse in Pocatello.
According to court records, in 2001, Bailey purchased L-1, a construction management and operations company located in Chantilly, Virginia. In 2008, Bailey became a business acquaintance of an FBI employee when they worked together on a FBI construction project. The FBI employee was a Management and Program Analyst with the United States Department of Justice, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). In that position, the FBI employee was responsible for managing construction and services contracts for FBI buildings across the country.
According to court records, in 2017, the FBI broke ground on the construction of a data center in Pocatello, Idaho (the Pocatello Data Center project). The Pocatello Data Center project involved construction of a two-building, 140,000 square-foot complex that would accommodate data halls containing computer equipment and office space. The purpose was to consolidate multiple FBI data centers from across the country and improve efficiency and cyber-security. In 2017, the FBI employee became the Contracting Officer Representative (COR) for the Pocatello Data Center project. In that position, the FBI employee had management and oversight responsibilities over the construction of the Pocatello Data Center.
According to court records, in 2016 through 2018, Bailey and L-1 made payments, and gave items of value, to the FBI employee. These payments included 18 deposits totaling $120,000 into a bank account controlled by the FBI employee. From this account, the FBI employee made payments on a personal loan, home mortgage, car, credit card, and vacation travel costs, among other personal expenditures at retail stores, such as a pair of diamond earrings that cost $5,300. In addition, Bailey and L-1 provided the following items of value to the FBI employee: a fiftieth birthday party in Dallas, Texas, including first-class airfare, hotel accommodations, and tickets to a Dallas Cowboys football game; a beach house rental in Nags Head, North Carolina; first-class Amtrak train tickets; invitations to a L-1 company holiday party; and tickets to a Washington Nationals baseball game, among other gratuities. The total value of the payments and gratuities was $128,128.
According to court records, Bailey and L-1 made these payments, and gave these items of value, to the FBI employee with the intent to influence the FBI employee in performing official acts at FBI to benefit L-1 on the Pocatello Data Center project. These official acts included the following: the FBI employee seeking and receiving authorization for approximately $16,000 monthly per diem payments from the FBI to Bailey for L-1 employees who stayed at Bailey’s house instead of a hotel; the FBI employee soliciting and including Bailey’s edits in the statement of work to a $12.2 million construction and services bridge contract (related to the Pocatello Data Center project) that the FBI later awarded to S-1 (as general contractor) and L-1 (as subcontractor); and the FBI employee convincing his FBI superiors to pay L-1 for its work on the bridge contract at higher Washington, D.C. metropolitan-area labor rates, rather than lower Idaho labor rates.
“Public officials who are responsible for administering government contracts bear a great responsibility to do so fairly and with integrity,” U.S. Attorney Davis stated. “Individuals who seek to entice these public officials to reap an unfair advantage in the contracting process will be held accountable and prosecuted to fullest extent of the law.”
“Bailey sought to bribe an FBI official – with direct deposits, sports tickets, travel, and gifts – in order to personally benefit from the FBI’s contracting process. Bailey, like all others who try to undermine the integrity of government contracting, will be held accountable for his selfish actions,” said Douglas B. Bruce, Special Agent in Charge of the Department of Justice Office of the Inspector General Denver Field Office.
The charge of paying a bribe to a public official is punishable by up to 15 years in federal prison, a $250,000 fine or not more than three times the monetary equivalent of the thing of value, whichever is greater, disqualification from any office of honor, trust, or profit under the United States, and up to three years of supervised release.
This case was investigated by the Department of Justice Office of the Inspector General.
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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.
Update: US v. Alexanda Amon Kotey and El Shafee ElsheikhRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – Defendants Alexanda Amon Kotey, 36, and El Shafee Elsheikh, 32, two militant fighters for the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS) charged for their alleged participation in a brutal hostage-taking scheme that resulted in the deaths of four American citizens, will next appear in federal court in Alexandria tomorrow.
Both defendants will appear via video link for their respective detention hearings at 11:30 a.m. EST. The hearings are open to the public and will occur in courtroom 1000 before U.S. Magistrate Judge Theresa C. Buchanan. The hearings will also be available via public teleconference. The call-in information is below.
Public Teleconference Access Information for U.S. Magistrate Judge Theresa C. Buchanan:
Teleconference #: 1-877-336-1829
Access Code: 7800850
Later tomorrow afternoon, both defendants will appear via video link for their respective arraignment hearings at 2 p.m. EST. The hearings are open to the public and will occur in courtroom 900 before Senior U.S. District Judge T.S. Ellis III. The hearings will also be available via public teleconference. The call-in information is below.
Public Teleconference Access Information for Senior U.S. District Judge T.S. Ellis III:
Teleconference #: 1-888-398-2342
Access Code: 8324646
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-239.
U.S. Attorney, Crimestoppers Announce the Top 15 Most Wanted FugitivesRead the Press Release
MACON, Ga. – Charlie Peeler, the U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of Georgia, is urging citizens to report the whereabouts of fifteen of the most wanted fugitives to authorities.
U.S. Attorney Peeler, together with Macon Regional Crimestoppers (MRCS) and its law enforcement partners, announced the new list of the Top 15 Most Wanted Fugitives in Middle Georgia during a press conference in Macon today. The fugitives are wanted for charges ranging from conspiracy to commit murder, aggravated assault, kidnapping and possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony. To view the list of wanted persons, please visit www.crimestop.us. Citizens can safely and anonymously report tips at 1-877-68CRIME. Crimestoppers provides automatic rewards of $1,000 minimum payout on the Top 15 Fugitive List and up to $2,000 for tips leading to the arrest of wanted fugitives.
All individuals charged with a crime are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of competent jurisdiction.
“It takes law abiding citizens willing to team up with law enforcement to collectively make our communities safer places to live, work and raise our families. Crimestoppers plays an important role in helping bring our community members together, focused on a shared goal—safer neighborhoods,” said U.S. Attorney Charlie Peeler. “I want to commend the outstanding efforts of Crimestoppers, our law enforcement partners and the public for the continued commitment to curbing violence and building safer communities for us all.”
In addition to today’s announcement of the new Top 15 Most Wanted Fugitives in Middle Georgia, MRCS is launching new social media platforms via TikTok and Instagram, adding to its online network on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube and the MRCS website at crimestop.us. MRCS will begin running announcements on these social media websites with photos and videos of wanted fugitives and information for the public to quickly and safely report a fugitive’s whereabouts. To find MRCS on social media, please visit https://crimestop.us/about/social-media/ for links to our social media channels.
“Thanks to a 2019 grant from the Peyton Anderson Foundation, Macon Regional Crimestoppers is able to publish our Top 15 Most Wanted Fugitives List to a broader audience, and we are able to create new social media platforms. These new tools will better involve the public in helping law enforcement capture wanted fugitives and make our communities safer, which is the goal of Crimestoppers,” said Warren Selby, Chairman of Macon Regional Crimestoppers. “I want to thank the Peyton Anderson Foundation for making these advancements possible and our law enforcement partners for their extraordinary support of our mission to increase the safety of citizens.”
In February 2019, the U.S. Attorney’s Office made a public commitment with MRCS to release a quarterly list throughout 2019 of the Most Wanted violent offenders. 41 of the 45 Top 15 Most Wanted fugitives in 2019 were captured. Macon Regional Crimestoppers is a local non-profit dedicated to increasing the safety of citizens, serving Bibb, Baldwin, Houston, Jones, Twiggs, Crawford, Monroe and Peach counties. The organization partners with law enforcement agencies and community groups to provide anonymous rewards for tips that lead to criminal arrests. To learn more about Macon Regional Crimestoppers, please visit www.crimestop.us.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office partnership with Macon Regional Crimestoppers is a part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders works together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
The partnership is also part of Project Guardian, the Department of Justice’s signature initiative to reduce gun violence and enforce federal firearms laws. Initiated by the Attorney General in the fall of 2019, Project Guardian draws upon the Department’s past successful programs to reduce gun violence; enhances coordination of federal, state, local, and tribal authorities in investigating and prosecuting gun crimes; improves information-sharing by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives when a prohibited individual attempts to purchase a firearm and is denied by the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS), to include taking appropriate actions when a prospective purchaser is denied by the NICS for mental health reasons; and ensures that federal resources are directed at the criminals posing the greatest threat to our communities. For more information about Project Guardian, please see https://www.justice.gov/archives/projectguardian.
Questions can be directed to Pamela Lightsey, Public Information Officer, United States Attorney’s Office, at (478) 621-2603 or Melissa Hodges, Public Affairs Director (Contractor), United States Attorney’s Office, at (478) 765-2362.
U.S. Attorney Weisman Announces $208,000 Grant to Help Track Sex OffendersRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE - United States Attorney Aaron L. Weisman today announced an award of $208,803 to the RI Public Safety Grant Administration Office in Department of Justice grants to develop and improve systems to register and track sex offenders in Rhode Island. Awarded by the Department’s Office of Justice Programs, these grants help states, U.S. territories and tribal communities register and track sex offenders and enable them to meet the requirements of the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA). Funds also help maintain the Dru Sjodin National Sex Offender Public Website.
“Citizens are better protected from sexual violence when jurisdictions follow SORNA’s standards,” said OJP Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Katharine T. Sullivan. “The Office of Justice Programs is committed to giving state, territory and tribal officials the resources they need to register and track sex offenders and prevent known threats in one community from posing new dangers to others.”
OJP’s Office of Sex Offender Sentencing, Monitoring, Apprehending, Registering and Tracking (SMART Office) is awarding approximately $16 million to jurisdictions across the country to develop and enhance programs designed to implement the provisions of SORNA. The SMART Office is awarding almost $800,000 to provide training and technical assistance to jurisdictions implementing SORNA standards. The U.S. Center for SafeSport will receive the $2.3 million Keep Young Athletes Safe grant to continue developing a comprehensive training and prevention program to prevent abuse in the athletic programs of the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee and related sports organizations. The SMART Office will award nearly $1 million to the Institute for Intergovernmental Research to support maintenance, operations and technological improvements for the Dru Sjodin National Sex Offender Public Website, NSOPW.gov, which links state, territorial and tribal public registry websites and allows the public to search for registered sex offenders on a national scale.
“Our mission at the SMART Office is to help our state, tribal and territorial partners register and provide notification to the public of sex offenders within their jurisdictions,” said Kendel Ehrlich, Director of the SMART Office. “We will continue to provide both law enforcement and the public with the tools they need to better inform and protect their communities and themselves.”
More information about OJP and its components can be found at www.ojp.gov.
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U.S. Attorney Trutanich Announces $886,256 in Grants to Help the District of Nevada Track Sex Offenders and Protect Young AthletesRead the Press Release
LAS VEGAS, Nev. – U.S. Attorney Nicholas A. Trutanich today announced $886,256 in Department of Justice grants to develop and improve systems to register and track sex offenders in the District of Nevada. Awarded by the Department’s Office of Justice Programs, these grants help states, U.S. territories, and tribal communities register and track sex offenders and enable them to meet the requirements of the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA). Funds will also help maintain the Dru Sjodin National Sex Offender Public Website.
“Citizens are better protected from sexual violence when jurisdictions follow SORNA’s standards,” said OJP Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Katharine T. Sullivan. “The Office of Justice Programs is committed to giving state, territory and tribal officials the resources they need to register and track sex offenders and prevent known threats in one community from posing new dangers to others.”
“These new grants will improve public safety in our district and across the country, helping law enforcement track sex offenders as they move into and out of Nevada,” said U.S. Attorney Trutanich. “Our office and our law enforcement partners are grateful to the Office of Justice Programs for continuing to provide resources for us to better serve our communities.”
OJP’s Office of Sex Offender Sentencing, Monitoring, Apprehending, Registering and Tracking (SMART Office) is awarding approximately $16 million to jurisdictions across the country to develop and enhance programs designed to implement the provisions of SORNA. The SMART Office is awarding almost $800,000 to provide training and technical assistance to jurisdictions implementing SORNA standards. The U.S. Center for SafeSport will receive the $2.3 million Keep Young Athletes Safe grant to continue developing a comprehensive training and prevention program to prevent abuse in the athletic programs of the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee and related sports organizations. The SMART Office will award nearly $1 million to the Institute for Intergovernmental Research to support maintenance, operations and technological improvements for the Dru Sjodin National Sex Offender Public Website, NSOPW.gov, which links state, territorial and tribal public registry websites and allows the public to search for registered sex offenders on a national scale.
“Our mission at the SMART Office is to help our state, tribal and territorial partners register and provide notification to the public of sex offenders within their jurisdictions,” said Kendel Ehrlich, Director of the SMART Office. “We will continue to provide both law enforcement and the public with the tools they need to better inform and protect their communities and themselves.”
The following organizations received funding:
• Nevada Department of Public Safety received $345,681
• Shoshone-Paiute Tribes of the Duck Valley Indian Reservation received $390,575
• Te-Moak Tribe of Western Shoshone received $150,000
More information about OJP and its components can be found at www.ojp.gov.
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U.S. Attorney Terwilliger Announces $8.6 Million in Awards to Combat Human Trafficking in VirginiaRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – United States Attorney G. Zachary Terwilliger today announced that the Department of Justice’s Office of Justice Programs (OJP), through its Office for Victims of Crime (OVC), has awarded over $8.6 million to fund efforts that combat human trafficking and provide vital services to trafficking victims throughout the Commonwealth of Virginia.
“The scourge of human trafficking is the modern-day equivalent of slavery, brutally depriving victims of basic human rights and essential physical needs as it erodes their sense of dignity and self-worth,” said Attorney General William P. Barr. “The Department of Justice is relentless in its fight against the perpetrators of these heinous crimes. Working with state and local law enforcement and community victim service providers, we will continue to bring these criminals to justice and deliver critical aid to survivors.”
“Human trafficking is modern day slavery,” said Terwilliger. “As a former human trafficking prosecutor myself, I know firsthand that there is no more just prosecution than holding accountable those who would sell, sexually and physically exploit, and ultimately discard a human being. Thank you to the Department of Justice for supporting efforts here in the Commonwealth of Virginia, and to our critical partners in this all important fight to protect vulnerable individuals and hold traffickers accountable.”
Nationally, OVC awarded over $97.4 million to state, local and tribal jurisdictions, service providers and task forces all over the country, while OJP’s National Institute of Justice awarded the remaining $3.5 million to support research and evaluation on human trafficking.
The below awards were issued to organizations here in Virginia:
Awardee
Program
Amount of Award
Office of Attorney General of Virginia
Enhanced Collaborative Model (ECM) Task Force to Combat Human Trafficking
$525,352
Transitions Family Violence Services
Enhanced Collaborative Model (ECM) Task Force to Combat Human Trafficking
$588,868
ICF Incorporated, LLC
Enhanced Collaborative Model (ECM) Task Force to Combat Human Trafficking
$1,499,911
International Association of Chiefs of Police:
Enhanced Collaborative Model (ECM) Task Force to Combat Human Trafficking
$2,500,000
National White Collar Crime Center
Enhanced Collaborative Model (ECM) Task Force to Combat Human Trafficking
$1,000,000
Survivor Ventures
Housing Assistance Grants for Victims of Human Trafficking
$498,546
Transitions Family Violence Services
Housing Assistance Grants for Victims of Human Trafficking
$368,130
Virginia Department of Criminal Justice
Services for Minor Victims of Sex Trafficking
$1,684,000
“Human trafficking is a massive global enterprise with roots in cities and communities here in America and across the world,” said OJP Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Katharine T. Sullivan. “The Office of Justice Programs is using all the resources at its disposal to help our state, local and tribal partners uncover and eradicate trafficking operations and help victims open the door to a new life.”
Grants awarded under fiscal year (FY) 2020 OVC programs aim to enhance the quality and quantity of services available to survivors of human trafficking. Specific programs:
- The Enhanced Collaborative Model Task Force to Combat Human Trafficking program awards over $22.7 million total. OVC awards over $17.7 million to 27 programs to support the effectiveness of collaborative and multidisciplinary task forces to combat human trafficking. The purpose of this program is to develop and strengthen programs for victims of human trafficking, including enhancing the capacity of law enforcement and other stakeholders to identify victims and provide justice for those victims through the investigation and prosecution of their traffickers. OVC also awards nearly $5 million in grants to three organizations for training and technical assistance for the task forces.
- The Housing Assistance Grants for Victims of Human Trafficking program awards over $35.1 million total to 73 organizations to provide six to 24 months of transitional or short-term housing assistance for trafficking victims, including rental, utilities or related expenses, such as security deposits and relocation costs. The grants will also provide funding to help victims locate permanent housing, secure employment and receive occupational training and counseling.
- The Improving Outcomes for Child and Youth Victims of Human Trafficking program awards over $4.2 million total to four recipients to integrate human trafficking policy and programming at the state or tribal level. This program will enhance coordinated, multidisciplinary and statewide approaches to at-risk populations to improve outcomes for children and youth who are victims of human trafficking.
- The Preventing Trafficking of Girls program awards $1.8 million total to four organizations, including a training and technical assistance provider, to support prevention and early intervention services, including mentoring and other direct support services for girls who are at risk of or are victims of sex trafficking.
- The Services for Minor Victims of Sex Trafficking program gives over $6.8 million to four recipients to develop, expand and strengthen assistance programs for minor victims of sex trafficking. Under this program, the funded states, tribes, and units of local government will provide (directly and through partnerships) an array of services that minor victims of human trafficking often require to address their need for safety, security, and healing.
- The Services for Minor Victims of Labor Trafficking program awards nearly $2 million total to three organizations to develop, expand, or strengthen victim service programs for minor victims of labor trafficking whose victimization occurred when they were under the age of 18.
- The Services for Victims of Human Trafficking program awards more than $23.6 million to 43 organizations to support services specific to victims of human trafficking.
- The Specialized Training and Technical Assistance on Housing for Victims of Human Trafficking program awards $643,163 total to deliver specialized training and technical assistance to victim service organizations to enhance their ability to provide appropriate housing for victims of human trafficking.
- OVC awards the Promoting Employment Opportunities for Survivors of Trafficking Training and Technical Assistance Project continuation funding in the amount of $300,000 to increase access to quality educational and employment opportunities for survivors of human trafficking.
Grants awarded under FY 2020 NIJ programs aim to understand law enforcement practices with regard to preventing and responding to victims of trafficking. Specific programs:
- The Research and Evaluation of Trafficking in Persons program awards over $2.5 million total to four organizations to build upon research and evaluation efforts to better understand, prevent and respond to trafficking in persons in the United States.
- The Research on Law Enforcement Responses to Sex Trafficking of Minors program awards nearly $1 million to understand how law enforcement practices with regard to preventing and responding to the sex trafficking of minors have evolved since passage of the Victims of Trafficking and Violence Protection Act of 2000. NIJ was specifically interested in understanding how widely law enforcement agencies have adopted practices based on the perspective that the minor is a victim rather than a delinquent and the challenges that agencies have faced in adopting such practices.
For a complete list of individual grant programs, award amounts, and jurisdictions that will receive funding, visit: https://www.ojp.gov/sites/g/files/xyckuh241/files/media/document/ovchumantraffickingfactsheet.pdf. More information about OJP and its components can be found at www.ojp.gov.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia.
U.S. Attorney Michael Bailey Announces over $1.6 Million to Help Arizona Track Sex Offenders and Protect Young AthletesRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – U.S. Attorney Michael Bailey today announced awards of over $1.6 million in Department of Justice grants to develop and improve systems to register and track sex offenders in Arizona. Awarded by the Department’s Office of Justice Programs, these grants help states, U.S. territories, and tribal communities register and track sex offenders and enable them to meet the requirements of the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA). Funds also help maintain the Dru Sjodin National Sex Offender Public Website.
“Citizens are better protected from sexual violence when jurisdictions follow SORNA’s standards,” said OJP Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Katharine T. Sullivan. “The Office of Justice Programs is committed to giving state, territory and tribal officials the resources they need to register and track sex offenders and prevent known threats in one community from posing new dangers to others.”
OJP’s Office of Sex Offender Sentencing, Monitoring, Apprehending, Registering and Tracking (SMART Office) is awarding approximately $16 million to jurisdictions across the country to develop and enhance programs designed to implement the provisions of SORNA. The SMART Office is awarding almost $800,000 to provide training and technical assistance to jurisdictions implementing SORNA standards. The U.S. Center for SafeSport will receive the $2.3 million Keep Young Athletes Safe grant to continue developing a comprehensive training and prevention program to prevent abuse in the athletic programs of the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee and related sports organizations. The SMART Office will award nearly $1 million to the Institute for Intergovernmental Research to support maintenance, operations and technological improvements for the Dru Sjodin National Sex Offender Public Website, NSOPW.gov, which links state, territorial and tribal public registry websites and allows the public to search for registered sex offenders on a national scale.
“Our mission at the SMART Office is to help our state, tribal and territorial partners register and provide notification to the public of sex offenders within their jurisdictions,” said Kendel Ehrlich, Director of the SMART Office. “We will continue to provide both law enforcement and the public with the tools they need to better inform and protect their communities and themselves.”
The following organizations in Arizona received funding:
- The Havasupai Tribe - $100,000.00
- Yavapai-Apache Nation - $150,000.00
- Colorado River Indian Tribes - $360,978.00
- The Hopi Tribe - $279,601.00
- Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community - $391,501.00
-
White Mountain Apache Tribe - $385,208.00
More information about OJP and its components can be found at www.ojp.gov.
RELEASE NUMBER: 2020-084_SMART Grants
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For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.U.S. Attorney McCoy Announces More Than $1.3 Million to Improve Public Safety, Serve Crime Victims in Tribal Communities in District of South CarolinaRead the Press Release
Columbia, South Carolina --- United States Attorney Peter M. McCoy, Jr., today announced more than $1.3 million in Department of Justice grants to improve public safety, serve victims of crime and support youth programs in tribal communities in the District of South Carolina.
“American Indian and Alaska Native communities experience rates of violent crime and domestic abuse that are among the highest in the nation,” said Attorney General William P. Barr. “The awards announced today underscore the Department of Justice’s deep commitment to improving public safety in tribal communities throughout the United States. This administration will continue to work closely with our tribal partners to guarantee that they have the resources they need to combat violence and bring criminals to justice.”
“All those within the District of South Carolina deserve to be safe in their communities,” said U.S. Attorney McCoy. “These awards will go directly to the tribal communities within South Carolina to provide critical resources to this end. Further, this office remains at the ready to assist these communities as needed.”
A total of more than $103 million is being awarded to tribes across the country under the Justice Department’s Coordinated Tribal Assistance Solicitation. CTAS supports activities that enhance law enforcement and tribal justice practices, expand victim services and sustain crime prevention and intervention efforts. CTAS grants are administered by the Department’s Office of Justice Programs ($41.5 million), Office on Violence Against Women ($39.1 million) and Office of Community Oriented Policing Services ($22.5 million).
An additional $113 million is being awarded to 133 applicants nationwide under the Tribal Victim Services Set-Aside Program. This program, managed by OJP’s Office for Victims of Crime, is designed to help tribes develop, expand and improve services to victims of crime and promote other public safety initiatives.
“Public safety officials and victim service providers in Indian country face exceptional challenges, but they bring to their work an extraordinary array of skills and resources that enable them to meet and overcome any obstacle,” said OJP Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Katharine T. Sullivan. “The Office of Justice Programs is proud to help fulfill Attorney General Barr's strong commitment – and the federal government's long-standing responsibility – to our tribal partners in the matter of their citizens' safety and wellbeing.”
In addition to the CTAS and Tribal Victim Services Set-Aside awards, the Office on Violence Against Women is making additional tribal awards of more than $31 million to support a wide range of efforts to address the crimes of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, stalking and human trafficking.
“OVW’s funding supports Native American and Alaska Native communities as they work across their communities to prevent and respond to gender based violence,” said OVW Principal Deputy Director Laura L. Rogers. “These awards represent the strong commitment that OVW has made to help protect the most vulnerable members of tribal communities.”
Additional awards to support tribal public safety efforts are being made by OJP and the COPS Office. These grants will provide community policing training and other training and technical assistance. Awards will also address the needs of tribal youth, fund tribal reentry efforts, help tribes combat substance abuse and manage sex offenders, and support tribal research. In addition, funds support efforts in 17 tribal communities to address the challenges posed by the outbreak of COVID-19.
“Ensuring our nation’s tribal communities have the resources they need is paramount for the COPS Office and the Department of Justice,” said COPS Office Director Phil Keith. “These awards are a critical component to the overall public safety strategy for tribal law enforcement and the COPS Office is honored to provide vital resources to hire more sworn officer positions, advance tribal training and procure equipment needed to keep communities safe.”
The following organizations in the District of South Carolina received funding:
- Catawba Indian Nation: $898,003.00
- Catawba Indian Nation Tribal Youth Program: $416,030
A full listing of all the announced CTAS awards is available here. A full listing of all Tribal Victim Services Set-Aside Program awards is available here.
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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.
U.S. Attorney McCoy Announces $33 Million to Assist Victims in the District of South CarolinaRead the Press Release
Columbia, South Carolina --- United States Attorney Peter M. McCoy, Jr., announced today announced more than $33 million in Department of Justice grants to assist victims in the District of South Carolina. The grants, awarded by the Department’s Office of Justice Programs, are part of almost 1.8 billion distributed to state victim assistance and compensation programs to fund thousands of local victim assistance programs across the country and to provide millions in compensation to victims of crime.
The Office for Victims of Crime, a component of the Department’s Office of Justice Programs, flagship formula grant program is supported by the Crime Victims Fund (the Fund), which was established under The Victims of Crime Act. The Fund supports a broad array of programs and services that focus on helping victims in the immediate aftermath of crime and continuing to support them as they rebuild their lives. In FY 2019 alone, VOCA grants served over seven million victims and paid more than $399 million in compensation claims.
“Advocates, service providers, and law enforcement agencies from around the country stand ready to help crime victims exercise their legal rights and reclaim their lives,” said Attorney General William P. Barr. “These new funding resources continue this administration’s unprecedented commitment to providing the support necessary for victims of crimes to be able to heal and recover.”
The awards made to organizations in the District of South Carolina will support local victim service programs, including children’s advocacy centers, domestic violence shelters, rape crisis centers, human trafficking and elder abuse programs, civil legal services, crime victims’ rights enforcement, as well as victim assistance positions in prosecutors’ offices and law enforcement departments.
“It is a top priority of this office to take care of victims,” said U.S. Attorney McCoy. “These funds help ensure that those who provide direct support to crime victims are able to continue their critical work. Although we can never undo what has happened to victims of criminal activity, we can work with our partners to provide services and compensation for victims to rebuild, refocus, and recover.”
State victim compensation programs will receive over $133 million to supplement the state funds that offset victims’ financial burdens resulting from crime. This compensation is often extremely vital to victims who face enormous financial setbacks from medical fees, lost income, dependent care, funeral expenses and other costs.
“The services made available by this funding represent a lifeline for tens of thousands of survivors each month, many of whom otherwise would have no place to turn in a moment of profound crisis,” said Katharine T. Sullivan, Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General of the Office of Justice Programs. “These awards will help service providers, as well as law enforcement agencies and prosecutors’ offices respond to the many emotional and material challenges that crime victims in our country face every day.”
The Fund is financed by fines and penalties paid by convicted federal offenders and does not include tax dollars. More information about OJP and its components can be found at www.ojp.gov. Additional information about FY 2020 grant awards made by OVC can be found online at the OVC Awards Listing webpage.
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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.
U.S. Attorney John C. Anderson announces $399,499 to help Pueblo of Acoma track sex offenders and protect young athletesRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – U.S. Attorney John C. Anderson today announced an award of $399,499 in Department of Justice grants to develop and improve systems to register and track sex offenders in Pueblo of Acoma. Awarded by the Department’s Office of Justice Programs, these grants help states, U.S. territories and tribal communities register and track sex offenders and enable them to meet the requirements of the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA). Funds also help maintain the Dru Sjodin National Sex Offender Public Website.
“One of the most important resources to keep our communities safe is information,” said Anderson. “It is vital that we are able to update and coordinate information so that it is easy to access and use. I am very pleased to have this award coming to the Pueblo of Acoma to help enhance public safety here in the District of New Mexico.”
“Citizens are better protected from sexual violence when jurisdictions follow SORNA’s standards,” said OJP Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Katharine T. Sullivan. “The Office of Justice Programs is committed to giving state, territory and tribal officials the resources they need to register and track sex offenders and prevent known threats in one community from posing new dangers to others.”
OJP’s Office of Sex Offender Sentencing, Monitoring, Apprehending, Registering and Tracking (SMART Office) is awarding approximately $16 million to jurisdictions across the country to develop and enhance programs designed to implement the provisions of SORNA. The SMART Office is awarding almost $800,000 to provide training and technical assistance to jurisdictions implementing SORNA standards. The U.S. Center for SafeSport will receive the $2.3 million Keep Young Athletes Safe grant to continue developing a comprehensive training and prevention program to prevent abuse in the athletic programs of the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee and related sports organizations. The SMART Office will award nearly $1 million to the Institute for Intergovernmental Research to support maintenance, operations and technological improvements for the Dru Sjodin National Sex Offender Public Website, NSOPW.gov, which links state, territorial and tribal public registry websites and allows the public to search for registered sex offenders on a national scale.
“Our mission at the SMART Office is to help our state, tribal and territorial partners register and provide notification to the public of sex offenders within their jurisdictions,” said Kendel Ehrlich, Director of the SMART Office. “We will continue to provide both law enforcement and the public with the tools they need to better inform and protect their communities and themselves.”
More information about OJP and its components can be found at www.ojp.gov.
Two Former Ebay Employees Plead Guilty to Aggressive Cyberstalking Campaign Targeting Natick CoupleRead the Press Release
BOSTON – Two former employees of eBay, Inc. pleaded guilty today to their roles in a cyberstalking campaign targeting the editor and publisher of a newsletter that eBay executives viewed as critical of the company.
Stephanie Popp, 32, of San Jose, Calif., eBay’s former Senior Manager of Global Intelligence, and Veronica Zea, 26, of San Jose, Calif., a former eBay contractor who worked as an intelligence analyst in eBay’s Global Intelligence Center (GIC), pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit cyberstalking and conspiracy to tamper with witnesses. U.S. District Court Judge William G. Young scheduled sentencing for Feb. 25, 2021.
Popp and Zea were charged along with co-defendants Brian Gilbert, 51, of San Jose, Calif., a former Senior Manager of Special Operations for eBay’s Global Security Team and Stephanie Stockwell, 26, of Redwood City, Calif., the former manager of eBay’s GIC. Gilbert and Stockwell are scheduled to plead guilty on Oct. 29, 2020.
Former eBay executives, James Baugh and David Harville, were charged on June 15, 2020. Phil Cooke, another former member of eBay’s Global Security Team, was also charged and is scheduled to plead guilty on Oct. 27, 2020
According to the charging documents, the victims of the cyberstalking campaign were a Natick couple who are the editor and publisher of an online newsletter that covers ecommerce companies, including eBay. Members of the executive leadership team at eBay followed the newsletter’s posts, often taking issue with its content and the anonymous comments underneath the editor’s stories.
It is alleged that in August 2019, after the newsletter published an article about litigation involving eBay, two members of eBay’s executive leadership team sent or forwarded text messages suggesting that it was time to “take down” the newsletter’s editor.
In response, Popp and Zea, and allegedly Baugh, Harville, Gilbert and Stockwell, executed a three-part harassment campaign. Among other things, several of the defendants allegedly ordered anonymous and disturbing deliveries to the victims’ home, including a preserved fetal pig, a bloody pig Halloween mask, a funeral wreath, a book on surviving the loss of a spouse, and pornography addressed to the victims but delivered to their neighbor’s homes. Zea used cash to purchase prepaid debit cards for use in the campaign and ordered insects to the victims’ home.
As part of the second phase of the campaign, Popp sent private Twitter messages and public tweets, drafted or approved by Baugh, Gilbert, or Cooke, criticizing the newsletter’s content and threatening to travel to the victims in Natick. The charging documents allege that Baugh, Gilbert, Popp and Cooke planned for these messages to become increasingly disturbing, culminating with “doxing” the victims (i.e., publishing their home address). It is alleged that the very same group intended to then have Gilbert, a former Santa Clara police captain, approach the victims with an offer to help stop the harassment that the defendants were secretly causing, in an effort to promote good will towards eBay, generate more favorable coverage in the newsletter, and identify the individuals behind the anonymous comments.
The third phase of the campaign allegedly involved covertly surveilling the victims in their home and community. According to the complaint, Harville and Zea registered for a software development conference to explain their trip to Boston on Aug. 15, 2019. Baugh, Harville, and Zea (and later Popp) drove to the victims’ home in Natick several times, with Harville and Baugh allegedly intending to break into the victims’ garage and install a GPS tracking device on their car. As protection in the event if they were stopped by police, Baugh and Harville allegedly carried false documents purporting to show that they were investigating the victims as “Persons of Interest” who had threatened eBay executives. The victims spotted this surveillance, and notified the Natick Police Department who began investigating.
Aware that the police were investigating, the defendants allegedly sought to interfere with the investigation by lying about eBay’s involvement while pretending to offer the company’s assistance with the harassment. They also allegedly lied to eBay’s lawyers and deleted digital evidence that showed their involvement.
The charges of conspiracy to commit cyberstalking and conspiracy to tamper with witnesses each carry a sentence of up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release, a fine of up to $250,000 and restitution. 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; and Natick Chief of Police James G. Hicks made the announcement today. eBay provided valuable assistance and cooperation with the federal investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Seth B. Kosto of Lelling’s Securities, Financial and Cyber Fraud Unit is prosecuting the case.
The details contained in charging documents are allegations. The remaining defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Two Bossier City Men Sentenced for Federal CrimesRead the Press Release
Joshua B. Kimes, 36, of Bossier City, was sentenced to 120 months (10 years) in prison followed by 5 years of supervised release for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine. Kimes pled guilty to the charge on October 30, 2019.
While conducting a narcotics investigation in 2018, law enforcement agents set up surveillance of Joshua B. Kimes and others who were known to be distributing large amounts of methamphetamine in the Shreveport/Bossier City area. Kimes and other co-conspirators were found to be arranging transactions to sell methamphetamine in various quantities. Between April and May 2018, agents observed Kimes traveling from the Western District of Louisiana to Waskom, Texas to purchase methamphetamine. According to information presented to the court, Kimes arranged purchases of methamphetamine from a co-defendant for eventual resale.
On May 9, 2018, law enforcement agents intercepted phone communications wherein Kimes and a co-defendant made arrangements to travel from the Western District of Louisiana to Waskom, Texas to purchase methamphetamine. The next day, agents observed Kimes and the co-defendant travel from Shreveport to Waskom, Texas. Shortly after crossing the Louisiana state line back into the Western District of Louisiana, the vehicle driven by Kimes was stopped for a traffic violation. During the traffic stop, agents located and seized approximately 1.5 ounces of methamphetamine and Kimes and his co-defendant were arrested. The North Louisiana Criminalistics Laboratory confirmed the substance to be methamphetamine.
The DEA and Caddo Parish Sheriff’s Office conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brandon B. Brown prosecuted the case.
Illegal Possession of Firearm Leads to Federal Prison Sentence for Bossier City Man
Laterreon Daron Morrison, 24, of Bossier City, was sentenced to 78 months (6 years, 6 months) in prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release, for being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm. Morrison pled guilty to the charge on February 4, 2020.
According to documents filed with the court, Morrison was involved in a hit and run accident at Hearne Avenue and Hilry Huckaby Boulevard in Shreveport on May 1, 2018. When Morrison fled the scene of the accident, the vehicle that he struck began to follow him. Shreveport Police officers were able to get behind Morrison’s vehicle with lights and sirens activated and he eventually stopped in the middle of Hilry Huckaby Boulevard, exited the vehicle and officers ordered him to the back of the car. While officers attempted to conduct a pat down, Morrison fled on foot. He was subdued and taken into custody. Officers found a pistol inside the vehicle while inventorying it for impound. Morrison, who was previously convicted of a felony charge of aggravated battery in Bossier Parish in 2014, is prohibited from possessing a firearm. Morrison also has prior state arrests for aggravated second degree battery and attempted armed robbery.
The ATF and Shreveport Police Department conducted the investigation and Assistant U.S. Attorney Brandon B. Brown 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.
St. Thomas Man Who Mailed Drugs Concealed in Candy Bar Wrappers Sentenced to Prison for Mailing a Package Containing CocaineRead the Press Release
St. Thomas, USVI – United States Attorney, Gretchen C.F. Shappert for the District of the Virgin Islands announced today that Kemo Riley, 43, of St. Thomas was sentenced for mailing a package containing cocaine.
According to court documents filed in this case, Riley mailed a package to an individual in New York containing more than 250 grams of cocaine concealed in candy bar wrappers. The package was mailed from the Ottley post office in St. Thomas, V.I. and it was seized on May 28, 2019 by Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers in San Juan, P.R. who discovered the cocaine inside the candy wrappers. Surveillance video from the Ottley post office showed Riley mailing the package. Riley had been previously convicted for unauthorized possession of a firearm in the Superior Court of the Virgin Islands.
United States District Court Judge Robert A. Molloy sentenced Riley to fifteen (15) months imprisonment followed by three years of supervised release.
The case was investigated by the U.S. Postal Service and the Department of Homeland Security, and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Juan Albino and Nathan Brooks.
St. Thomas Man Apprehended in Hospital Ground Sentenced to Prison for Possession with Intent to Distribute Marijuana and Crack CocaineRead the Press Release
St. Thomas, USVI – Aubrey Frett, 31, was sentenced today on his conviction for possession of marijuana and crack cocaine with intent to distribute, United States Attorney Gretchen C.F. Shappert announced.
District Court Judge Robert A. Molloy, sentenced Frett to 18 months incarceration, three years supervised release, $1,000 fine, and ordered him to pay $200 as a special assessment.
According to the trial record, members of the Virgin Islands Police Department (VIPD) were seeking to execute an arrest warrant on Frett when they spotted him under a car port in the area of Hospital Ground. A chase ensued and officers noticed Frett discard an object over a fence. A search of the area discovered a firearm linked to Frett. Officers apprehended Frett and discovered baggies of marijuana and a vile containing crack cocaine.
On January 24, 2020, a St. Thomas federal jury convicted Frett of the marijuana and crack cocaine offenses.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Virgin Islands Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Everard E. Potter.
Six Arrested on Federal Charge of Conspiracy to Kidnap the Governor of MichiganRead the Press Release
The Department of Justice today announced that six men have been arrested and charged federally with conspiring to kidnap the Governor of Michigan, Gretchen Whitmer. According to a complaint filed Tuesday, October 6, 2020, Adam Fox, Barry Croft, Ty Garbin, Kaleb Franks, Daniel Harris and Brandon Caserta conspired to kidnap the Governor from her vacation home in the Western District of Michigan. Under federal law, each faces any term of years up to life in prison if convicted. Fox, Garbin, Franks, Harris, and Caserta are residents of Michigan. Croft is a resident of Delaware.
U.S. Attorney Birge said that “Federal and state law enforcement are committed to working together to make sure violent extremists never succeed with their plans, particularly when they target our duly elected leaders.”
The federal complaint in this case alleges that the FBI began an investigation earlier this year after becoming aware through social media that a group of individuals was discussing the violent overthrow of certain government and law enforcement components. Through confidential sources, undercover agents, and clandestine recordings, law enforcement learned particular individuals were planning to kidnap the Governor and acting in furtherance of that plan. This group used operational security measures, including communicating by encrypted messaging platforms and used code words and phrases in an attempt to avoid detection by law enforcement. On two occasions, members of the alleged conspiracy conducted coordinated surveillance on the Governor’s vacation home. Fox and Croft discussed detonating explosive devices to divert police from the area of the vacation home and Fox even inspected the underside of an M-31 highway bridge for places to seat an explosive, according to the complaint. Among other activities, the complaint alleges Fox purchased a taser for use in the kidnapping and that the group successfully detonated an improvised explosive device wrapped with shrapnel to test its anti-personnel capabilities. The FBI and Michigan State Police executed arrests as multiple conspirators met to pool funds for explosives and exchange tactical gear.
“All of us can disagree about politics, but those disagreements should never, ever result in violence,” stated U.S. Attorney Matthew Schneider. “The allegations in this complaint are deeply disturbing. We owe our thanks to the men and women of law enforcement who uncovered this plot and have worked so hard to protect Governor Whitmer.”
“These alleged extremists undertook a plot to kidnap a sitting governor,” said Assistant Special Agent in Charge Josh P. Hauxhurst. “Whenever extremists move into the realm of actually planning violent acts, the FBI Joint Terrorism Task Force stands ready to identify, disrupt and dismantle their operations, preventing them from following through on those plans.”
The investigation is ongoing. Agents of the Detroit Field Office of the FBI and other members of their Joint Terrorism Task Force, including the Michigan State Police, are conducting the investigation. FBI Agents and JTTF members in the Baltimore Field Office of the FBI, which covers Delaware, are also involved. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Michigan is prosecuting the federal charges. U.S. Attorney’s Offices in the Eastern District of Michigan and Delaware have assisted.
Based on information developed in the investigation, State of Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel announced the simultaneous arrest of seven other individuals on state charges of providing material support of terroristic activities and of possessing a firearm in the course of that offense.
The charges in a complaint are merely accusations, and a defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty in a court of law.
Six Arrested on Federal Charge of Conspiracy to Kidnap the Governor of MichiganRead the Press Release
The Michigan Attorney General Charged Seven Additional Individuals Following a Coordinated Disruption of the Plan
GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN — United States Attorney Andrew Birge announced today that six men have been arrested and charged federally with conspiring to kidnap the Governor of Michigan, Gretchen Whitmer. According to a
complaint filed Tuesday, October 6, 2020, Adam Fox, Barry Croft, Ty Garbin, Kaleb Franks, Daniel Harris and Brandon Caserta conspired to kidnap the Governor from her vacation home in the Western District of Michigan. Under federal law, each faces any term of years up to life in prison if convicted. Fox, Garbin, Franks, Harris, and Caserta are residents of Michigan. Croft is a resident of Delaware.U.S. Attorney Birge said that “Federal and state law enforcement are committed to working together to make sure violent extremists never succeed with their plans, particularly when they target our duly elected leaders.”
The federal
complaint in this case alleges that the FBI began an investigation earlier this year after becoming aware through social media that a group of individuals was discussing the violent overthrow of certain government and law enforcement components. Through confidential sources, undercover agents, and clandestine recordings, law enforcement learned particular individuals were planning to kidnap the Governor and acting in furtherance of that plan. This group used operational security measures, including communicating by encrypted messaging platforms and used code words and phrases in an attempt to avoid detection by law enforcement. On two occasions, members of the alleged conspiracy conducted coordinated surveillance on the Governor’s vacation home. Fox and Croft discussed detonating explosive devices to divert police from the area of the vacation home and Fox even inspected the underside of an M-31 highway bridge for places to seat an explosive, according to the complaint. Among other activities, the complaint alleges Fox purchased a taser for use in the kidnapping and that the group successfully detonated an improvised explosive device wrapped with shrapnel to test its anti-personnel capabilities. The FBI and Michigan State Police executed arrests as multiple conspirators met to pool funds for explosives and exchange tactical gear.“All of us can disagree about politics, but those disagreements should never, ever result in violence,” stated U.S. Attorney Matthew Schneider, Eastern District of Michigan. “The allegations in this
complaint are deeply disturbing. We owe our thanks to the men and women of law enforcement who uncovered this plot and have worked so hard to protect Governor Whitmer.”“These alleged extremists undertook a plot to kidnap a sitting governor,” said Assistant Special Agent in Charge Josh P. Hauxhurst. “Whenever extremists move into the realm of actually planning violent acts, the FBI Joint Terrorism Task Force stands ready to identify, disrupt and dismantle their operations, preventing them from following through on those plans.”
The investigation is ongoing. Agents of the Detroit Field Office of the FBI and other members of their Joint Terrorism Task Force, including the Michigan State Police, are conducting the investigation. FBI Agents and JTTF members in the Baltimore Field Office of the FBI, which covers Delaware, are also involved. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Michigan is prosecuting the federal charges. U.S. Attorney’s Offices in the Eastern District of Michigan and Delaware have assisted.
This case falls with the purview of the Attorney General’s Task Force to Combat Violent Anti-Government Extremism. Launched in June 2020, the Task Force is dedicated to supporting the investigation and prosecution of any person or group who commits violence in the name of an anti-government ideology.
Based on information developed in the investigation, State of Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel announced the simultaneous arrest of seven other individuals on state charges of providing material support of terroristic activities and of possessing a firearm in the course of that offense.
The charges in a
complaint are merely accusations, and a defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty in a court of law.###
Sioux City Man Selling Meth, Cocaine, and Heroin Sentenced to Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
A Sioux City man selling methamphetamine, cocaine, and heroin from his home was sentenced October 8, 2020 to more than 32 years in federal prison.
Monee Yodprasit, age 42, from Sioux City, Iowa, received the prison term after a May 18, 2020, guilty plea to one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
In a plea agreement, Yodprasit admitted that between June of 2019 and November 2019, he conspired to sell more than 50 grams of pure methamphetamine. On November 7, 2019, after law enforcement intercepted over 9 pounds of methamphetamine on its way to Yodrapsit’s home, officers executed a search warrant on Yodprasit’s residence where they seized more than 2 pounds of cocaine, approximately 11 pounds of methamphetamine, approximately 55.8 grams of heroin, two loaded handguns in the vicinity of the drugs, and approximately $24,000 in cash. Yodprasit’s criminal history includes a conviction from the United States District Court for South Dakota, Southern Division, Case No. 98-CR-40170-1, for conspiracy to possess a controlled substance, possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance, and distribution of a controlled substance. In that case, between May 1998 and November 1998, Yodprasit and codefendant, were distributing drugs, including multiple pounds of methamphetamine, cocaine, and marijuana. Both carried firearms during drug buys; and Yodprasit owned at least three firearms, including an AK-47 and two handguns. Yodprasit and the codefendant repeatedly traveled to Sioux Falls, South Dakota, and sold drugs out of hotel rooms.
Yodprasit was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand. Yodprasit was sentenced to 387 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a 10-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
“Yodprasit was a major source of deadly methamphetamine in our community - but not anymore,” said United States Attorney Peter Deegan. “Today’s sentence brings to justice an armed and dangerous predator who caused untold damage to so many, including those suffering from addiction, their families, and their loved ones. Through the outstanding work of our tireless law enforcement partners he is done poisoning others and threatening our community and will spend the next 32 years behind bars. I want to thank the DEA, the Postal Inspection Service, the Sioux City Police Department and all other members of the Tri-State Drug Task Force for continuing to take the fight to methamphetamine traffickers. Today is a victory in our continuing battle against the plague of methamphetamine.”
DEA Omaha Division Special Agent in Charge Richard W. Salter Jr. stated, “The DEA is fully committed to the unrelenting support of our state, local and tribal law enforcement partners in holding the line between decent citizens and families and those who traffic drugs and firearms and have no regard for civility,” DEA Special Agent in Charge Richard Salter Jr., said. “This case represents what can be accomplished when law enforcement agencies and prosecutors combine and focus intelligence, technical and enforcement resources toward a common threat. Our collective missions are to protect our communities and prevent illegal drugs and drug traffickers from stealing the futures of our citizens.”
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ron Timmons and was investigated by the United States Postal Inspection Service and Tri-State Drug Task Force based in Sioux City, Iowa, that consists of law enforcement personnel from the Drug Enforcement Administration; Sioux City, Iowa, Police Department; Homeland Security Investigations; Woodbury County Sheriff’s Office; South Sioux City, Nebraska, Police Department; Nebraska State Patrol; Iowa National Guard; Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement; United States Marshals Service; South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation; and Woodbury County Attorney’s Office. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). PSN is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
This case is also part of Project Guardian, the Department of Justice’s signature initiative to reduce gun violence and enforce federal firearms laws. Initiated by the Attorney General in the fall of 2019, Project Guardian draws upon the Department’s past successful programs to reduce gun violence; enhances coordination of federal, state, local, and tribal authorities in investigating and prosecuting gun crimes; improves information-sharing by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives when a prohibited individual attempts to purchase a firearm and is denied by the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS), to include taking appropriate actions when a prospective purchaser is denied by the NICS for mental health reasons; and ensures that federal resources are directed at the criminals posing the greatest threat to our communities. For more information about Project Guardian, please see /media/1122011/dl?inline.
Yodprasit is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 19-4088.
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Sex Offender Sentenced to 30 Years in Federal Prison for Production of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Deborah K. Chasanow today sentenced John Wright III, age 36, of Edgewood, Maryland, to 30 years in federal prison, followed by lifetime supervised release, for production of child pornography. Judge Chasanow also ordered that, upon his release from prison, Wright must register as a sex offender in the places where he resides, where he is an employee, and where he is a student, under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA).
The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Robert K. Hur; Special Agent in Charge John Eisert of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Baltimore; Harford County Sheriff Jeffrey R. Gahler; Colonel Woodrow W. Jones III, Superintendent of the Maryland State Police; and Harford County State’s Attorney Albert Peisinger.
According to his guilty plea, between December 2016 and January 2018, Wright sexually abused two minor female victims and was convicted in Harford County Circuit Court for two counts of sex abuse of a minor. The investigation also revealed that Wright produced sexually explicit images of one of the victims, who was nine-years-old at the time. In addition, Wright distributed at least one such visual depiction to another person in exchange for other child pornography. The investigation showed that Wright possessed and stored numerous images of child pornography on two cell phones and in cloud storage via the Internet.
As detailed in his plea agreement, between May and December 2017, Wright posted ads on an Internet marketplace requesting sexual services and referencing children, including ads looking for “pics/vids” of children. On December 3, 2017, Wright was contacted by Keith Taylor in reference to one of his ads. The communication between the two men was conducted through a mobile messaging application. During their conversations Wright offered to “pay for good links” of “kids or infant.” Taylor responded that he liked to trade. Taylor and Wright exchanged videos and Wright offered to send a sexually explicit image Wright had produced of the nine-year-old victim to Taylor, which he did. Over the course of several conversations, Taylor requested pornographic videos of the victim and requested that Wright have the victim “strip.” Wright agreed to try but requested “better” images from Taylor. Taylor sent Wright multiple links to child pornography stored on one of Taylor’s cloud storage accounts.
Law enforcement executed a search warrant on two of Wright’s cloud storage accounts, which revealed that Wright had saved 124 child pornography videos and numerous still images of child pornography.
In a separate case, on December 10, 2018, Judge Chasanow sentenced Keith Edward Taylor, age 33, of Kingsville, Maryland, to 27 years in prison, followed by lifetime supervised release, for production of child pornography.
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 Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc. For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.justice.gov/psc and click on the "Resources" tab on the left of the page.
United States Attorney Robert K. Hur commended HSI-Baltimore, the Harford County Sheriff’s Office, the Maryland State Police, and the Harford County State’s Attorney’s Office for their work in the investigation and thanked the Harford County Child Advocacy Center for its assistance. Mr. Hur thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew J. Maddox, who prosecuted the federal case.
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Sex Offender Arrested in Menands for Attempting to Entice a ChildRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Matthew Peters, a 45 year old sex offender from Schenectady, New York, was arrested yesterday and charged with attempting to entice or coerce a child.
The announcement was made by Acting United States Attorney Antoinette T. Bacon and Thomas F. Relford, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).
The charges in the complaint are merely accusations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
The criminal complaint alleges that between October 2 and October 7, 2020, Peters initiated and exchanged sexually explicit text messages with an undercover law enforcement officer who was posing as a 14-year-old child named “Brandon” on a popular online social networking site. After learning “Brandon” was 14 years old, Peters repeatedly asked “Brandon” for “nudes” and “live” pictures. Peters also asked “Brandon” to meet him on multiple occasions and discussed engaging in oral and anal sex with “Brandon” when they met. On October 6, Peters arranged to meet “Brandon” the following day in Menands, NY. On October 7, Peters arrived at the prearranged meeting location in Menands, where he was encountered by law enforcement officers and arrested.
Peters appeared in court today for an initial appearance before United States Magistrate Judge Christian Hummel. Judge Hummel scheduled a detention hearing for Friday October 9, 2020. Peters will remain detained pending that hearing.
Due to Peters’ status as a convicted sex offender, the charge against Peters could carry a sentence of at least 10 years and up to life in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, and a term of supervised release of at least 5 years and up to life. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, and other factors.
This case is being investigated by the FBI and its Child Exploitation Task Force, and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Rachel Williams.
San Francisco Man Sentenced to 100 Months Imprisonment in Credit Card Fraud and Identity Theft CaseRead the Press Release
SAN FRANCISCO – Marcus Dieter Felder was sentenced to 100 months in prison and ordered to pay restitution to numerous victims following his convictions for access device fraud, aggravated identity theft, and other offenses, announced United States Attorney David L. Anderson, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Special Agent in Charge Tatum King, and U.S. Secret Service Acting Special Agent in Charge Shawn M. Bradstreet. The sentence was handed down by the Honorable Maxine M. Chesney, U.S. District Judge.
Felder, 54, of San Francisco, was convicted of access device fraud and aggravated identity theft in February 2018, after a six-day jury trial. The jury found that Felder had engaged in numerous instances of credit card fraud in San Francisco, Hawaii, Placer County in Calif., and elsewhere in April 2013, June 2014, and October 2014. In addition, the jury found that Felder committed aggravated identity theft. Specifically, the jury concluded that while Felder committed credit card fraud in June 2014, he illegally used personal information associated with another individual who shared his first and last names.
Evidence at trial showed that Felder used Visa, MasterCard, and American Express credit cards issued to other persons to engage in transactions at high-end or boutique hotels, including the Fairmont Hotel, the Hotel Nikko, the Hilton Union Square, the Grand Hyatt, and the Hotel Metropolis, all in San Francisco, and the Four Seasons Resort in Maui. The evidence at trial also showed that, among other transactions, the defendant used credit cards issued to other persons to pay for first-class air travel from San Francisco to Maui on United Airlines and to rent SUVs from Enterprise Rent-A-Car and Hertz. Felder originally came into federal custody shortly after he was arrested at the Thunder Valley Casino Resort in Placer County on October 30, 2014, for presenting a counterfeit credit card there.
On September 19, 2017, a federal grand jury returned a superseding indictment charging Felder with one count of fraudulent use of unauthorized access devices, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1029(a)(2); two counts of effecting transactions with access devices issued to other persons, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1029(a)(5); and one count of aggravated identity theft, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1028A(a)(1). Felder was released on bond in October 2017, but failed to appear for his sentencing hearing in April 2019. He was then charged in a new indictment with one count of failure to appear for sentencing, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 3146(a)(1), and one count of contempt of court, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 401(3). Felder was apprehended in October 2019, and later pleaded guilty to the failure to appear and contempt charges on June 24, 2020.
The 100-month prison sentence was comprised of 66 months imprisonment related to the access device fraud convictions, a consecutive sentence of 10 months for the failure to appear and contempt convictions, and a 24-month sentence for the aggravated identity theft conviction. In addition to the prison term, Judge Chesney sentenced the defendant to a three-year period of supervised release and ordered him to pay more than $60,000 in restitution. The defendant is in custody and will begin serving his prison sentence immediately.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kyle F. Waldinger, Katherine M. Lloyd-Lovett, Noah Stern, and Molly Smolen prosecuted the two cases with the assistance of Kathy Tat. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by HSI and the U.S. Secret Service.
San Diego Man Pleads Guilty to Three RobberiesRead the Press Release
For Further Information, Contact:
Assistant U. S. Attorney Matthew Brehm (619) 546-8983SAN DIEGO – Ryan W. Nelson of San Diego pleaded guilty in federal court today to three robberies, including two bank robberies and the armed robbery of a shoe store.
Nelson entered his guilty pleas to the three counts before U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael S. Berg. Nelson admitted that on July 29, 2019, at approximately 8:45 a.m., he entered the Shoe Palace, located within the Plaza Bonita Mall in National City, dressed as a construction worker with a safety vest, safety glasses, and a hard hat.
According to Nelson’s plea agreement, he told a Shoe Palace clerk that he was working on construction in the store above Shoe Palace and needed to inspect an electrical breaker panel in a room in the back of the store. When Nelson returned to the front of the store, he approached a clerk, who was pregnant at the time, and pointed a handgun at her. He demanded cash from the cash register, stating, "Give me all the money."
The clerk gave Nelson access to the cash register, and he took approximately $600 from the register and a nearby safe. After he took the cash, Nelson told the clerk, "Don’t call anyone or I will be back in five minutes!" He then fled the store, walked outside the mall, removed his construction worker disguise, retrieved a backpack hidden outside the mall, and changed his shirt.
Nelson also admitted that on August 15, 2019, at approximately 10:10 a.m., he entered the Vons Supermarket at 6155 El Cajon Boulevard, San Diego, and approached the teller window of the U.S. Bank branch located inside. Nelson pretended to talk on his cell phone but in fact gave the teller step-by-step verbal commands, demanding the teller to give him money by stating something similar to, "Grab a bag. Start with the hundreds. Put all the money in the bag and give it to me, or I’m gonna shoot." The teller complied with demands and provided Nelson with money from his teller drawer, totaling approximately $1,372. Prior to fleeing, Nelson told the victim teller, "Wait seven minutes, I’ve got someone in the store." He then turned and exited the bank area, leaving out the east exit of the Vons Supermarket.
Nelson at the U.S. Bank teller window at Vons Supermarket on August 15, 2019Nelson further admitted on August 23, 2019, at approximately 11:56 a.m., he entered the Vons Supermarket at 8011 University Avenue, La Mesa, California, and approached the teller window of the Wells Fargo branch located inside. Nelson pretended to talk on his cell phone but in fact demanded money from the three victim tellers by giving step-by-step verbal commands, stating something similar to, "Start with your 100s and put them in a bag, or I’ll start shooting." The tellers complied with the demands and provided Nelson with a bag containing money from each of the teller’s drawers totaling approximately $9,600. He then left out of the Vons Supermarket’s main entrance.
Nelson at the Wells Fargo teller window at Vons Supermarket on August 23, 2019Nelson also admitted that on August 29, 2019, FBI agents executed a federal search warrant at his residence and found a black bomber jacket, dark colored pants with white stripes down the sides, a navy blue-colored backpack, and a large black wristwatch, which were all items he was recorded wearing by surveillance cameras during, or just after, one of the bank robberies. FBI agents found a loaded .380 Smith and Wesson semi-automatic handgun in a drawer in Nelson’s room, which matched the description of the firearm he brandished during the Shoe Palace robbery. Agents also found $2,030 in cash on Nelson’s person, during his arrest.
"These robberies were meticulously planned for maximum impact on the victims and maximum payout," said U.S. Attorney Robert Brewer. "The threat of violence is a terrifying experience that these victims will never forget." Brewer praised prosecutor Matthew Brehm, FBI agents and officials with the San Diego, National City and La Mesa police departments for their excellent work on this case.
"The San Diego FBI Violent Crimes Task Force takes their work very seriously, said FBI Special Agent in Charge Suzanne Turner. "Robberies committed with the threat of violence and while using a firearm is a top priority for our agents and task force officers. The bank tellers, store workers, and San Diego citizens have the right to be free from violent criminal acts that threaten the safety and security of our community."
Nelson will be sentenced on January 11, 2021 at 9 a.m. by District Court Judge Cynthia Bashant.
This case is the result of the ongoing efforts of the Violent Crime and Human Trafficking (VCHT) Section. Formed in 2019 by U.S. Attorney Brewer, the VCHT is tasked with leading collaborations between federal and local law enforcement in the investigation and prosecution of cases involving violent crimes, firearms and gang cases; sex trafficking and child exploitation; civil rights, and labor trafficking. The VCHT Section oversees the Southern District of California Coordinators for Project Safe Neighborhoods, Human Trafficking, and Project Safe Childhood.
DEFENDANT Case Number 19cr3563-BASRyan W. Nelson Age: 38 San Diego, California
SUMMARY OF CHARGESBank Robbery – Title 18, U.S.C., Section 2113(a)
Maximum penalty: Twenty years in prison and $250,000 fine
Hobbs Act Robbery – Title 18, U.S.C., Section 1951
Maximum penalty: Twenty years in prison and $250,000 fine
AGENCYFederal Bureau of Investigations
San Diego Police Department
National City Police Department
La Mesa Police Department
Rosebud Man and Woman Charged with Burglary and LarcenyRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced that a Rosebud, South Dakota, man and woman have been indicted by a federal grand jury for Second Degree Burglary and Larceny.
Jesse Phillip Clairmont, Jr., age 42, and Tera Jo Larvie, age 27, were indicted on March 9, 2020. Clairmont appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Mark A. Moreno on April 13, 2020, and Larvie appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Mark A. Moreno on October 7, 2020. On those respective dates, both pled not guilty to the Indictment. Clairmont changed his plea to guilty on August 12, 2020.
The maximum penalty upon conviction is up to 15 years in federal prison and/or a $250,000 fine, 3 years of supervised release, and $100 to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Restitution may also be ordered.
The Indictment alleges that on January 23, 2020, in Todd County, South Dakota, Clairmont and Larvie unlawfully entered a home and stole personal property valued at over $1,000.
The charges are merely accusations and Larvie is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
The investigation is being conducted by the Rosebud Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael J. Elmore is prosecuting the case.
Larvie was released on bond pending trial. A trial date has not been set for Larvie. Clairmont was released pending sentencing set for November 2, 2020.
Prolific Dark Web Dealer of Carfentanil and Fentanyl Sentenced to 17½ Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
Audrey Strauss, Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that RICHARD CASTRO, a/k/a “Chemsusa,” a/k/a “Chems_usa,” a/k/a “Chemical_usa,” a/k/a “Jagger109,” was sentenced to 210 months in prison today for participating in a conspiracy to distribute carfentanil, fentanyl, and a fentanyl analogue over the “dark web,” including on AlphaBay and Dream Market, and for laundering the proceeds of his narcotics trafficking. CASTRO also was ordered to forfeit more than $4 million in criminal proceeds. CASTRO previously pled guilty before U.S. District Judge Denise L. Cote, who imposed today’s sentence.
Acting U.S. Attorney Audrey Strauss said: “For several years, Richard Castro used the dark web to sell prolific quantities of powerful opioids, including fentanyl and carfentanil. Castro’s drugs put lives in danger virtually every day – including the lives of the postal carriers who unknowingly delivered his product. Today’s lengthy sentence sends a clear message about this type of dangerous conduct.”
According to the allegations in the Indictment to which RICHARD CASTRO pled guilty, public court filings, and statements made in court:
From November 2015 through March 2019, CASTRO conspired to distribute carfentanil, fentanyl, and phenyl fentanyl (an analogue of fentanyl). Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid that is significantly stronger than heroin, and carfentanil is a fentanyl analogue that is approximately 100 times stronger than fentanyl. For most of the conspiracy, CASTRO and a co-conspirator dealt drugs over the dark web, using the monikers “Chemsusa,” “Chems_usa,” and “Chemical_usa.” CASTRO was an operator of these online monikers and the leader of this conspiracy. On one dark web marketplace, Dream Market, CASTRO boasted that he had completed more than 3,200 transactions on other dark web markets, including more than 1,800 on AlphaBay. The customer feedback for “Chemsusa” included, “Extremely potent and definitely the real Carf,” as well as “The Carfent is unbelievably well synthesized, keep up the amazing work.”
In June 2018, CASTRO, using the “Chemsusa” moniker, informed his customers that he was moving his business off dark web marketplaces and would accept purchase requests for narcotics only via encrypted email. To learn the off-market email address, “Chems_usa” required willing customers to pay a fee. An undercover law enforcement officer paid this fee, obtained the encrypted email address, and placed multiple orders with CASTRO. CASTRO’s co-defendant, Luis Fernandez, shipped narcotics on behalf of the conspiracy, including from New York City.
CASTRO’s customers paid him in bitcoin. CASTRO laundered his narcotics proceeds in several ways, including by funneling millions of dollars through his bitcoin wallets and by buying approximately 100 quadrillion Zimbabwe bank notes, among other valuables.
In March 2019, law enforcement searched CASTRO’s residence in Windermere, Florida. During this search, officers found, among other things, nine firearms, including an AR-15 assault rifle, and two safes that secured private keys to multiple bitcoin wallets. CASTRO also had several cars, including a Lamborghini and a Tesla.
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In addition to his prison term, CASTRO, 37, of Windermere, Florida, was sentenced to five years of supervised release and ordered to forfeit $4,156,198.18.
CASTRO’s co-conspirator, Luis Fernandez, was previously sentenced to 151 months in prison and four years of supervised release, and was ordered to forfeit $269,623.
Ms. Strauss praised the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and the New York City Police Department for their outstanding investigative work. Ms. Strauss also thanked the Internal Revenue Service and the Orange County, Florida, Sheriff’s Office for their assistance in this case.
This matter is being handled by the Office’s Narcotics Unit. Assistant United States Attorneys Michael D. Neff, Aline R. Flodr, and Ryan B. Finkel are in charge of the prosecution.
Post Falls Man Sentenced to over 11 Years for Drug DistributionRead the Press Release
COEUR D’ALENE – Adam Christopher Horty, 57, of Post Falls, Idaho, was sentenced in U.S. District Court to 137 months in federal prison, U.S. Attorney Bart M. Davis announced today. U.S. Circuit Judge Richard C. Tallman, sitting as a U.S. District Court judge, also ordered Horty to pay a $1,000 fine and serve five years of supervised release following his prison sentence. In November 2019, a federal jury sitting in Coeur d’Alene convicted Horty of three counts of distribution of methamphetamine, one count of possession of methamphetamine with the intent to distribute, and one count of felon in possession of firearms.
Evidence presented at trial established that law enforcement officials began investigating Horty in July of 2018 for distributing methamphetamine out of a home in Post Falls. During the investigation, law enforcement conducted controlled purchases of methamphetamine from Horty at this residence on three occasions. On August 14, 2018, law enforcement served a search warrant at Horty’s residence. During the warrant service, Horty was found in possession of 230 grams of actual methamphetamine and drug distribution paraphernalia. Officers also located three firearms in Horty’s bedroom. Horty has multiple prior felony convictions in the State of Washington, which prohibit him from possessing firearms.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Kootenai County Sheriff’s Office, Homeland Security Investigations, Post Falls Police Department, Idaho State Police, Idaho Department of Correction, and Rathdrum Police Department.
This case was prosecuted as part of the Department of Justice’s Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) program. PSN is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime
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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.
Pittsburgh Man Indicted in Project Safe Childhood CaseRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH - A resident of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh on charges of production and attempted production of material depicting the sexual exploitation of a minor, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced today.
The three-count Indictment, returned on September 16 and unsealed October 5, named Matthew Joseph Gourley, age 48, as the sole defendant.
According to the Indictment, on January 6, 2020, January 14, 2020 and March 2, 2020, Gourley coerced Minor A, a minor female victim, to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing a visual depiction, namely, digital images and videos, depicting Minor A engaging in sexually explicit content.
The law provides for a maximum total sentence of not less than 15 years in prison but not more than 90 years in prison, a fine of $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 Heidi M. Grogan is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Allegheny County Police Department conducted the investigation leading to the Indictment in this case.
An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Owner of Local Oil and Gas Company Pleads Guilty to Employing Illegal AliensRead the Press Release
SHREVEPORT, La. - Acting United States Attorney Alexander C. Van Hook announced that Tim Icenhower, 58, of Marshall, Texas, the Owner and President of Icenhower Oil and Gas, Inc. (IOG) in Bossier City, Louisiana, pled guilty today to unlawful employment of aliens. In addition, IOG pled guilty to one count of harboring aliens. The hearing was before United States District Judge Donald E. Walter.
According to information presented in court, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) in Shreveport began receiving complaints in early 2016 that IOG was hiring undocumented individuals from Mexico. In March 2016, during their investigation of IOG, DHS requested employment documents from IOG to verify employees’ legal status and visited the IOG facility in Bossier City, Louisiana. DHS agents met with an IOG human resources official to inspect the documents and assess IOG’s employment verification process. DHS agents provided IOG officials with a handbook for employers that discussed the rules and regulations for employing individuals in the United States and other information about a free online program offered by DHS to employers so they can verify the legal status of potential employees.
On October 16, 2016, IOG officials issued a letter to DHS advising of the results of its internal investigation and audit. The letter identified 69 individuals that IOG terminated because they were “unauthorized.” The letter also identified 22 undocumented employees that IOG claimed it needed to retain because they were essential to fulfill certain pending contractual obligations.
On January 27, 2017, DHS agents visited the IOG facility in Bossier City again and conducted another audit and found that IOG still had undocumented employees that were not authorized to work there. DHS agents issued a Warning Notice to IOG that they were still in violation and advised that there would be a follow-up audit in six months.
DHS conducted a follow-up audit of IOG in June 2017 and identified at least 17 individuals who were still employed at IOG that had been identified in the October 2016 audit as undocumented and unauthorized employees. Neither Icenhower nor IOG terminated the employment of these individuals after learning that they were undocumented aliens.
Icenhower faces a maximum penalty of up to six months in prison, and his company, IOG, could be ordered to pay a fine of up to $500,000. Sentencing is scheduled for February 11, 2021.
The Department of Homeland Security conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Earl M. Campbell is prosecuting 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 Japanese fishing vessel pleads guilty to unlawful trafficking of shark fins and is sentenced to largest criminal monetary penalty ever imposed in shark finning case in the United StatesRead the Press Release
HONOLULU—Hamada Suisan Co. Ltd., the owner of the Japanese-flagged fishing vessel, M.V. Kyoshin Maru No. 20, plead guilty, pursuant to a plea agreement, to aiding and abetting the attempted export of shark fins out of Hawaii in violation of the Lacey Act, the Department of Justice announced today. The company’s attorney entered the guilty plea in person in Honolulu on behalf of the company, and company representatives appeared by video from Japan.
The company was sentenced to pay a fine of $126,000, forfeiture of $119,000 (representing the value of the vessel), and a period of probation of three years. This sentence represents the largest monetary penalty ever imposed for a federal shark finning case. During the three-year probation period, the company must comply with a robust compliance plan developed in coordination with the Department of Justice and supervised by the Probation Officer. The company must also retire and relinquish the fishing license in Japan previously associated with the Kyoshin Maru.
According to court documents, the case arose from the November 2018 discovery of approximately 962 shark fins, weighing approximately 190 pounds, from the checked luggage of fisherman working aboard the Kyoshin Maru. The Kyoshin Maru had engaged in longline tuna fishing in the southern Pacific Ocean for approximately one year prior, utilizing a crew of officers who were Japanese nationals and fishermen who were Indonesian nationals. When sharks were caught as bycatch by the Kyoshin Maru, the fishing master of the vessel directed the crew members to haul the shark into the vessel and kill the shark, instead of cutting the line and letting the shark swim free, in order to save the hook. The crew members followed this instruction, though at times they cut the line when the fishing master was not looking, in order to avoid the danger of handling a live shark. The fishermen dried the shark fins without the corresponding shark carcasses, in plain view of the captain and crew. The Captain and the Fishing Master personally observed the shark finning that took place on the vessel, and did nothing to stop it. In the course of the voyage, crew members harvested fins from approximately 300 sharks.
On or about Nov. 6, 2018, the Kyoshin Maru traveled near Hawaii, and its Indonesian crew members legally entered the United States in order to board return flights departing from Honolulu International Airport. During routine screening, Transportation Security Administration officers discovered the shark fins in 10 of the fishermen’s checked luggage. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service seized the shark fins, which it later determined were worth as much as $57,850 on the black market.
Some of the shark fins were from oceanic whitetip sharks, which are listed as threatened species under the Endangered Species Act and are protected under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES), an international convention with over 180 parties, including the United States, Japan, and Indonesia. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the oceanic whitetip shark has declined by approximately 80-95 percent across the Pacific Ocean since the mid-1990s. Other fins were from silky sharks and bigeye thresher sharks, which are also protected under the CITES Convention.
The ten Indonesian nationals with shark fins in their luggage were arrested and eventually pled guilty to a violation of the Lacey Act in United States v. Abdurahman et al., Cr. No. 18-00192 KJM. The Captain of the vessel, the fishing master, and the other Japanese officers have been terminated from their employment with Hamada Suisan.
The Japan Fisheries Agency, which is the government agency in Japan responsible for enforcement of Japan's shark finning laws, conducted a parallel investigation. On March 27, 2019, Japan found a violation of Japan's shark finning ordinances, and imposed an administrative penalty upon the Kyoshin Maru, specifically a “stoppage” that prohibited the vessel from operating for a period of 67 days, and also prohibited maintenance or repairs during the stoppage period. The Kyoshin Maru did not operate and remained at port from the time it arrived in Japan after dropping off the fishermen in Honolulu, until the time it was eventually sold—a period of approximately 8 months, during which the vessel deteriorated. The parties stipulated that $119,000 in substitute assets is appropriate in lieu of forfeiture of the Kyoshin Maru, which is now beyond the control of the defendants.
At sentencing, the judge, Hon. J. Michael Seabright, described the defendant’s conduct as “callous, cruel, and unnecessary.” Judge Seabright noted that the contract used by the defendant’s manning agent in Indonesia to hire the Indonesian crew members specifically contemplated that shark finning would take place and described how to divide the proceeds. Judge Seabright noted, however, that the company had engaged in prompt cooperation with government. Judge Seabright said, “I hope this sentence deters long-line tuna fishermen from engaging in shark finning and causes them to comply with international norms and the rule of law. Hopefully ship owners get word of this.”
Mr. Shinichi Hamada, Managing Director of Hamada Suisan Co. Ltd., participated in the proceedings by video from Japan, with the assistance of a Japanese translator. He apologized for the offense, accepted responsibility, and committed to changing Hamada Suisan’s corporate culture through the compliance plan.
“Shark finning is a cruel practice, prohibited by federal law, numerous states, including Hawaii, and multilateral bodies to which both the United States and Japan belong,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Jonathan D. Brightbill for the Environment and Natural Resources Division. “The sentence imposed today, and Japan’s related actions holding this Japanese company to account, reflects the seriousness of these offenses and the United States’ and international commitment to ending this practice.”
“Shark finning is inhumane, intolerable, and takes a very real toll on our precious ocean ecosystem," said U.S. Attorney Kenji M. Price for the District of Hawaii. “My office is committed to combatting this cruel practice by prosecuting to the fullest extent of the law anyone found to be trafficking in these types of shark fins.”
The possession and sale of shark fins are regulated by several international treaties, to which both Japan and the United States are parties. These treaties obligate member nations to pass domestic laws prohibiting the retention onboard of any part of certain protected shark species, including oceanic whitetip sharks and silky sharks; and to require shark fins to comprise no more than 5% of the weight of sharks on board, among other requirements. Japan and the United States have passed domestic laws that implement these treaty obligations by restricting the shark fin trade. The State of Hawaii goes beyond these treaty obligations and completely bans the shark fin trade. It is unlawful to possess, sell, offer for sale, trade, or distribute shark fins in Hawaii, and Hawaii was the first state to impose an outright ban on the shark fin trade.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Office of Law Enforcement, with assistance from: the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Office of Law Enforcement; Homeland Security Investigations; U.S. Customs and Border Protection; the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and; the U.S. Coast Guard. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Marc A. Wallenstein, U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Hawaii, and Senior Counsel for Wildlife Programs Elinor Colbourn, Environmental Crimes Section, U.S. Department of Justice. The prosecution team coordinated with the U.S. Department of State on this matter.
Operator of Underground, International Financial Institution Pleads Guilty to Operating Unlicensed Money Transmitting BusinessRead the Press Release
For Further Information, Contact:
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Daniel C. Silva (619) 546-9713 and Mark W. Pletcher (619) 546-9714SAN DIEGO – Liang Zhou pleaded guilty in federal court today to operating an unlicensed money transmitting business. His guilty plea is the third in this ongoing investigation targeting operators of unlawful underground financial institutions that transfer money between the United States and China, thereby circumventing domestic and foreign laws regarding monetary transfers and reporting, including United States anti-money laundering scrutiny and Chinese capital flight controls.
As part of his agreement to plead guilty, Zhou agreed to forfeit $446,330 to the United States as property involved in the operation of his unlicensed money transmitting business.
As admitted in the plea agreement entered today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Karen S. Crawford, Zhou sold hard currency in U.S. dollars that he collected from various, and occasionally unknown, third parties. His customers were typically individuals with bank accounts in China who could not readily access cash in the United States due to capital controls that cap the amount of Chinese yuan that an individual can convert to foreign currency. Often these customers needed the money to gamble at the casinos in Las Vegas. Upon receiving U.S. dollars, the customers would transfer from a Chinese bank account an equivalent value in yuan, over their mobile phones in the United States, to a separate bank account in China designated by Zhou.
"Individuals and organizations operating outside the conventional financial system represent a clear and present danger to the international banking system and the ability of law enforcement to detect and confront the criminal activity," said U.S. Attorney Robert S. Brewer. He commended prosecutors Daniel Silva and Mark Pletcher, as well as federal agents from Homeland Security Investigations, IRS Criminal Investigation Las Vegas Financial Crimes Task Force and the Drug Enforcement Administration for their excellent work on this case.
Sentencing is scheduled for January 8, 2021 before U.S. District Court Judge Dana Sabraw.
DEFENDANTS Case Numbers 20-CR-3084Liang Zhou Las Vegas, NV Age: 37
SUMMARY OF CHARGES*Operation of Unlicensed Money Transmitting Business – Title 18, U.S.C., Section 1960
Maximum penalty: Five years in prison, forfeiture, and $250,000 fine
AGENCIESHomeland Security Investigations
IRS Criminal Investigation Las Vegas Financial Crimes Task Force
Drug Enforcement Administration
*The charges and allegations contained in an indictment or information are merely accusations, and the defendants are considered innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Oklahoma City Man Convicted of Child Sex TraffickingRead the Press Release
OKLAHOMA CITY – RODERICK GLENN HOUSTON, JR., 36, of Oklahoma City, has pleaded guilty to child sex trafficking, announced U.S. Attorney Timothy J. Downing.
On September 1, 2020, a federal grand jury returned a Superseding Indictment against Houston that charged him with child sex trafficking, production of child pornography, and transportation of child pornography.
Today, Houston pleaded guilty to child sex trafficking before Senior U.S. District Judge Stephen P. Friot. According to public records and admissions made as part of his guilty plea, between April 2015 and March 9, 2016, Houston served as the pimp of a girl known as Jane Doe #1. Houston placed advertisements for Jane Doe #1 as an escort on the internet, provided her to men for commercial sex, and kept the cash proceeds. In spite of knowing that she was a child, he sold her to men for sex in Oklahoma, Florida, Louisiana, and Texas.
At sentencing, which will occur in approximately 90 days, Houston faces not less than 10 years and up to life in federal prison. If sentenced to less than life, he will be required to comply with terms of supervised release for at least five years and up to life and be required to register as a sex offender. Houston also faces a fine of up to $250,000 and could be ordered to pay restitution to Jane Doe #1.
This case is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation – Oklahoma City Field Office, the Oklahoma City Police Department, and the Los Angeles (California) Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brandon Hale and McKenzie Anderson prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative by the Department of Justice (DOJ) to combat child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the DOJ Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Reference is made to court filings for further information. To download a photo of U.S. Attorney Downing, click here.
OC Man Who Fraudulently Obtained VA Benefits by Falsely Claiming to Be a Wounded Marine Sentenced to over One Year in PrisonRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – An Orange County man who falsely held himself out to be a United States Marine Corps combat veteran and two-time Purple Heart recipient to fraudulently obtain veterans’ health care and housing benefits was sentenced today to 16 months in federal prison.
James Stiles, 43, of Orange, was sentenced by United States District Judge John A. Kronstadt, who also ordered him to pay $167,234 in restitution. Stiles pleaded guilty on June 18 to one count of health care fraud.
In November 2012, Stiles applied for health care benefits through the United States Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) by submitting and signing a fraudulent application. On the form, Stiles falsely claimed that he had served in the Marine Corps from 1995 to 2005, and that he was awarded the Purple Heart after being wounded in combat.
Once he was enrolled in the VA’s health care benefit program, Stiles scheduled medical appointments at will. From December 2012 to March 2016, Stiles received 692 outpatient treatments, primarily at the Tibor Rubin VA Medical Center in Long Beach.
Stiles admitted in his plea agreement that in December 2015 he also applied for housing benefits intended for homeless veterans, and he submitted forms where he falsely claims to be the recipient of two Purple Hearts. As a result of this application, Stiles was accepted into the HUD-Veterans Affairs Supporting Housing program. The Orange County Housing Authority, HUD's local housing partner in Orange County automatically provided his landlord with vouchers on Stiles’s behalf each month beginning in February 2016.
Also, in February 2016, Stiles submitted a form to the VA for the purpose of obtaining disability benefits in which he falsely claimed that he was a veteran.
Stiles’s scheme to defraud ended in April 2016 when the VA confronted him, and he admitted he had never served in the U.S. military and was not entitled to receive VA benefits.
The total loss in this case was $167,234, with a loss of $162,900 to the Veterans Health Administration and a $4,334 loss to the Orange County Housing Authority.
In a sentencing memorandum, prosecutors cited a March 2016 audio recording where Stiles falsely told a religious outreach group for veterans “that he was a captain in the Marine Corps, that he served for 10 years, that he was simultaneously shot in the head by a 5-year-old ‘kid’ and in the back by a sniper, that he was subsequently in a coma for approximately two years, and that he still lives with the bullet in his head.”
“His comments have no basis in the truth,” prosecutors wrote. “[Stiles’s] statements are deeply offensive to those that have actually served in the United States military.”
This matter was investigated by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs – Office of Inspector General and the Department of Housing and Urban Development – Office of Inspector General.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Eli A. Alcaraz of the Riverside Branch Office.
North Judson, Indiana Man Sentenced to 14 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
SOUTH BEND –Henry Wood, 41, of North Judson, Indiana was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Damon R. Leichty upon his plea of guilty to receipt of child pornography, announced U.S. Attorney Kirsch.
Mr. Woods was sentenced to 168 months in prison followed by 5 years of supervised release.
“Those who engage in crimes exploiting children are among the worst offenders in the criminal justice system. Lengthy prison sentences, like that imposed on Mr. Wood, are often the result in these types of cases,” said United States Attorney Thomas L. Kirsch II. “Every view or share of child pornography re-victimizes some of the most vulnerable victims. My Office and our investigative partners will do everything in our power to investigate and prosecute individuals who engage in this type of activity.”
According to documents filed in this case, Mr. Wood admitted that he downloaded child pornography to his cell phone in December of 2018. Wood, a former gang member with an extensive criminal history, possessed over 2000 images of child pornography, including multiple videos. Many of these images contained sadistic images of children under 12 engaging in sex acts.
“This sentence demonstrates the FBI’s commitment to investigating cases of child pornography with a sense of urgency to protect children from predators who engage in this type of activity,” said Special Agent in Charge Paul Keenan, FBI Indianapolis. “Protecting the most innocent and vulnerable members of our community, and ensuring those who would harm them are held accountable, is a responsibility the FBI and our law enforcement partners take seriously.”
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The case was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney John M. Maciejczyk.
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New York Donut Shop Operators Indicted for Tax EvasionRead the Press Release
A federal grand jury in Syracuse, New York, returned an indictment charging the operators of three donut shops with conspiracy to defraud the IRS, tax evasion, and aiding and assisting in the filing of false tax returns, announced Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Richard E. Zuckerman of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and Acting U.S. Attorney Antoinette T. Bacon for the Northern District of New York.
According to the indictment, John Zourdos, his wife, Helen Zourdos, and their son, Dimitrios Zourdos, all of Rome, New York, operated three Dippin Donuts stores with locations in Rome and New Hartford. From 2013 to 2017, the defendants allegedly concealed more than $1 million in cash sales from the IRS by depositing cash directly into their personal bank accounts instead of business bank accounts, providing incomplete information to their accountant, and causing their accountant to file false individual and corporate tax returns with the IRS. The indictment further alleges that the defendants committed employment tax fraud by paying employees some wages “off the books” in cash.
If convicted, the defendants face a maximum sentence of five years in prison for the conspiracy charge and each count of tax evasion, and three years in prison for each false return charge. The defendants also face a period of supervised release, restitution, and monetary penalties.
An indictment merely alleges that crimes have been committed. The defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Zuckerman and Acting U.S. Attorney Bacon commended special agents of IRS-Criminal Investigation, who conducted the investigation. They also thanked Assistant Chief John Kane and Trial Attorney Kimberly Ang of the Tax Division, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Perry who are prosecuting the case.
Additional information about the Tax Division and its enforcement efforts may be found on the division’s website.
New York City Man Sentenced to 12 Years in Prison for Supplying DS44 Gang with Heroin and FentanylRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH - A former resident of the Bronx borough of New York City, has been sentenced in federal court to 12 years’ imprisonment to be followed by a term of supervised release of 3 years on his conviction of charges related to drug trafficking in connection with a large-scale investigation conducted by the Greater Pittsburgh Safe Streets Task Force, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced today.
United States District Judge William S. Stickman, IV imposed the sentence on Holiday Vaughn, age 36, formerly of New York, New York.
According to information presented to the court at the time of his guilty plea, the Greater Pittsburgh Safe Streets Task Force initiated an investigation in 2017, targeting the Darccide/Smash 44, or DS44, neighborhood gang, and its drug-trafficking activity, in and around the South Side area of Pittsburgh. As part of this large-scale narcotics and firearms investigation, in February 2019, the United States received authorization to conduct a federal wire investigation, which continued through June of 2019.
The court was further advised that Mr. Vaughn was a supplier of heroin and fentanyl to the drug trafficking organization, and that law enforcement officials intercepted conversations between Vaughn and his co-conspirator, Christopher Highsmith, discussing drug transactions. Additionally, law enforcement recovered 23 grams of fentanyl and heroin during a traffic stop on May 29, 2019, when Vaughn was traveling to Pittsburgh from New York. In connection with his guilty plea, Vaughn also accepted responsibility for distributing and possessing with intent to distribute 39 grams of heroin and fentanyl in the Pittsburgh area.
Prior to imposing sentence, Judge Stickman noted the defendant’s early admission of criminal conduct and his obvious desire to turn his life around going forward.
Assistant United States Attorneys Carolyn J. Bloch and Brendan J. McKenna prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation led the multi-agency investigation of this case, which also included the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives, Allegheny County Adult Probation, Allegheny County Police Department, Allegheny County Sheriff’s Office, Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office Bureau of Narcotics, Pittsburgh Bureau of Police, and the Wilkinsburg Police Department. Other assisting agencies include the Green Tree Police Department, New York City Police Department, Mount Oliver Police Department, Pennsylvania State Police, Yonkers Police Department, United States Marshals Fugitive Task Force, and the United States Postal Inspection Service.
This case is part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force program, known as OCDETF. OCDETF was established in 1982 to support comprehensive investigations and prosecutions of major drug trafficking and money laundering organizations. It is the keystone of the drug reduction strategy of the Department of Justice. By combining the resources and expertise of federal agencies and their state and local law enforcement partners, OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the most serious drug trafficking, money laundering, and transnational criminal organizations.
New Jersey Man Admits Armed Robbery of BarbershopRead the Press Release
CAMDEN, N.J. – A New Jersey man today admitted robbing a Camden barbershop at gunpoint, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito announced.
Benjamin Daye, 34, pleaded guilty by videoconference before U.S. District Judge Robert B. Kugler to an information charging him with one count of Hobbs Act robbery and one count of brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
On Nov. 23, 2019, Daye entered a barbershop in Camden armed with a loaded handgun. He grabbed a juvenile customer, pointed the gun at the customer’s head, and demanded cash and belongings from employees and customers. Daye fled and was apprehended shortly thereafter next to a bag containing the handgun and the stolen items.
The Hobbs Act charge carries a maximum potential penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The brandishing a firearm charge carries a mandatory minimum sentence of seven years which must be served consecutively to any other sentence imposed. Sentencing is scheduled for Feb. 9, 2021.
This case is part of Project Guardian, the Department of Justice’s signature initiative to reduce gun violence and enforce federal firearms laws. Initiated by the Attorney General in the fall of 2019, Project Guardian draws upon the Department’s past successful programs to reduce gun violence; enhances coordination of federal, state, local and tribal authorities in investigating and prosecuting gun crimes; improves information sharing by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives when a prohibited individual attempts to purchase a firearm and is denied by the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS), to include taking appropriate actions when a prospective purchaser is denied by the NICS for mental health reasons; and ensured that federal resources are directed at the criminals posing the greatest threat to our communities. For more information about Project Guardian, please see https://www.justice.gov/projectguardian
U.S. Attorney Carpenito credited special agents of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Charlie J. Patterson in Newark; the Camden County Police Department, under the direction of Chief Joseph Wysocki; and the Camden County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Acting Prosecutor Jill S. Mayer, with the investigation leading to today’s charges. This investigation was a joint effort of the ATF Camden Field Office and the Camden County Police Department (CCPD) Shooting Response Team (SRT). ATF and CCPD have formulated a partnership composed of special agents, detectives, and intelligence analysts that investigate shooting incidents in real time.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel A. Friedman of the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Criminal Division in Camden.
New Haven Drug Dealer Sentenced to 30 Months in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that GERARD SENIOR, 21, of New Haven, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Robert N. Chatigny to 30 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for distributing cocaine, crack and heroin.
Pursuant to the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act), the sentencing occurred via videoconference.
According to court documents and statements made in court, this matter stems from an investigation headed by the FBI’s New Haven Safe Streets/Gang Task Force and New Haven Police Department that targeted drug trafficking and related acts of violence by members, former members and associates of the “Island Brothers” street gang in New Haven. The investigation, which included court-authorized wiretaps and controlled purchases of narcotics, also revealed that the drug trafficking organization had established a base of operation in Fitchburg, Massachusetts. The investigation subsequently identified a second drug trafficking network that involved the large-scale distribution of heroin.
Numerous conversations and text messages intercepted during the investigation revealed that Senior was distributed cocaine, crack and heroin.
On July 9, 2019, a grand jury in New Haven returned a 15-count indictment charging Senior and 24 other individuals with federal narcotics offenses related to the distribution of crack cocaine, cocaine and heroin. Two defendants were added in a superseding indictment that was returned on November 25, 2019.
Senior has been detained since his arrest on July 10, 2019. On November 22, 2019, he pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute cocaine, cocaine base (“crack”) heroin,
This matter is being investigated by the FBI’s New Haven Safe Streets/Gang Task Force, New Haven Police Department, Milford Police Department, Hamden Police Department, East Haven Police Department, Connecticut State Police, Connecticut Department of Correction and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Anthony E. Kaplan, Peter D. Markle, Elena L. Coronado and Tara E. Levens.
Myrtle Point Dairy Pleads Guilty to Violating Clean Water ActRead the Press Release
EUGENE, Ore.—A Myrtle Point, Oregon Corporation pleaded guilty today to repeatedly discharging milk and other pollutants into the public water treatment facility which caused waste water with elevated E Coli bacteria to enter the South Fork of the Coquille River resulting in a public health advisory, announced U.S. Attorney Billy J. Williams.
Valley Crest Foods, Inc. (Valley Crest), a creamery, pleaded guilty today to four counts of violating the Clean Water Act.
“The United States Attorney’s Office takes seriously any business, corporation, or individual that bypasses federal environmental laws to maximize profits.” said Billy J. Williams, U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon. “We will continue to aggressively prosecute individuals and corporations whose illegal conduct threatens our region’s natural resources and public health.”
“We are all responsible for keeping our communities safe and protecting our natural resources, and you can’t send significant amounts of corrosive wastes down the drain and expect the sewage treatment process to work properly – especially after being told repeatedly that it would not. Today’s guilty plea demonstrates that we will hold violators responsible – even criminally responsible where that is warranted – for breaking our environmental laws” said Jessica Taylor, Director of EPA’s Criminal Investigation Division.
According to court documents, in 2017 and 2018, Defendant Valley Crest Foods, Inc. was regularly discharging wastewater to the sewer system that caused disruptions at the City of Myrtle Point’s publicly owned treatment works (POTW). These disruptions resulted in the POTW’s inability to effectively process the waste it received from the local community.
Specifically, Valley Crest turns raw milk into finished milk products such as half and half, whole milk (4%), and different percentages there after 2%, 1%, and skim (0%). The investigation determined the equipment at the facility would occasionally “back up” or “clog.” When such clogs occurred, employees would drain the milk products from the equipment and then clean the system. During cleaning, the clogs would break free. Clogs based on the investigation, ranged up to several hundred gallons or more at a time. When the clogs were dislodged, a “slug” or “slug load” of milk would flow directly into the sewer system and the sewage treatment plant where it overwhelmed the treatment process.
The Defendant was regularly discharging slugs of milk that interfered with the normal disinfectant process, causing the POTW to discharge waste with elevated bacteria (E. coli) levels to the South Fork of the Coquille River, in violation of the City’s Clean Water Act discharge permit. As a result, on several of those occasions, the levels of bacteria were significant enough that it led to public service announcements warning the community to avoid using the river.
On October 7, 2020, Valley Crest appeared before Magistrate Judge Mustafa Kasubhai, and entered a plea of guilty to the criminal information charging four counts of violating title 33 of the Clean Water Act. Valley Crest was ordered to pay a fine of $20,000 per count.
The investigation was conducted by EPA Special Agent Eric Martenson. The case was prosecuted by Pam Paaso, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon and Karla Gebel Perrin, Special Assistant United States Attorney for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
Montgomery Man Sentenced to Five Years in Prison for Illegal Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
Montgomery, Alabama – On Tuesday, October 6, 2020, John Frederick Wheeler, a 29-year-old man from Montgomery, Alabama, was sentenced to 60 months in prison for possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, announced United States Attorney Louis V. Franklin, Sr. There is no parole in the federal system.
According to court records and statements made in open court, in June of 2016, the United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) suspected that Wheeler was using the mail to receive illegal narcotics to sell. After obtaining a search warrant, the USPIS found marijuana and firearms at Wheeler’s residence. Under federal law, it is a crime to use, carry, or possess a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. A violation of that statute carries a minimum sentence of five years. Wheeler pleaded guilty to the charge on July 8, 2020. During his plea hearing, Wheeler admitted that he possessed the firearm in order to further his marijuana distribution operation.
The United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and the Montgomery Police Department investigated this case. Assistant United States Attorney Brandon Bates prosecuted the case.