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Wednesday 7 October 2020
Raleigh County Woman Pleads Guilty to Conspiracy to Obstruct JusticeRead the Press Release
Defendant conspired to fake her own death to avoid federal fraud sentence found hiding in her own closet
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – United States Attorney Mike Stuart announced that Julie M. Wheeler entered a guilty plea to the federal felony offense of conspiracy to obstruct justice. Wheeler, 44, of Beaver, faces up to five years of incarceration, a $250,000 fine, and three years of supervised release when she is sentenced on January 6, 2021.
“Egregious. Wheeler risked the lives of first responders and wasted the critical resources of law enforcement and taxpayers in an attempt to evade her sentence in a federal fraud case only to be found safely hiding in a closet at her home,” said United States Attorney Mike Stuart. “The only thing she gained was a subsequent federal conviction, up to an additional 5 years behind bars and a fine of up to $250,000.”
In a case that garnered national attention, Julie Wheeler admitted to conspiring with her husband, Rodney Wheeler, to fake her own death at the New River Gorge. To fake her death, her husband and another family member placed a 911 call on May 31, 2020, claiming Julie Wheeler had fallen from the Grandview Overlook in the New River Gorge in West Virginia. The overlook is a steep cliff with a series of ledges leading down to the New River. This 911 call prompted a massive search and rescue operation with hundreds of people looking for Wheeler at the base of the overlook and the surrounding area. False statements were given to state and federal investigators by Julie Wheelers’ family as part of the conspiracy, including statements to National Park Service officers and the United States Probation Office. The purpose of these statements was to continue Wheeler’s ruse that she had fallen and was missing. Julie Wheeler was actually hiding in her own home.
After two days of searching, the West Virginia State Police located Julie Wheeler in her home hiding in the closet. Once removed from her closet, she was taken into custody. In statements to state and federal investigators, Wheeler admitted she faked her disappearance to avoid her pending federal sentencing in a health care fraud case. Julie Wheeler was sentenced on June 30, 2020, to 42 months in prison and three years of supervised release for health care fraud relating to her overbilling a VA program for spina bifida care. She was also ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $289,055.07 for the overbilling scheme.
The National Park Service and the West Virginia State Police conducted the criminal investigation, assisted by the Raleigh County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office. The United States Probation Office in the Southern District of West Virginia also conducted an independent investigation of Julie Wheeler’s disappearance and conduct related to the obstruction. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Veterans Affairs - Office of Inspector General (VA-OIG), the Office of Veterans Affairs (VA), and the United States Department of Health and Human Services - Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG) conducted the investigation of the underlying health care fraud.
Co-defendant Rodney Wheeler’s case is set for trial on November 17, 2020 and he is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. The Wheelers are both presently charged with numerous felony and misdemeanor offenses in Raleigh County Circuit and Magistrate Courts relating to the false reporting of an emergency.
Senior United States District Judge John T. Copenhaver, Jr. presided over the plea hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Erik S. Goes is handling the prosecution.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:20-cr-00145.
Follow us on Twitter: SDWVNews and USAttyStuart
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Project Safe Neighborhoods Grant AnnouncementRead the Press Release
SHREVEPORT/LAFAYETTE/ALEXANDRIA/LAKE CHARLES/MONROE, La. – Acting United States Attorney Alexander C. Van Hook and the Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Task Force announced the availability of approximately $154,931 in PSN grant funds for the Western District of Louisiana. The Department of Justice, the Office of Justice Programs and the Bureau of Justice Assistance is seeking applications for funding of a grant under the Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program. At least 30% ($41,831) of the grant funds must be designated for grants under the PSN Program to fund new and/or current gang violence reduction strategies in the Western District. In addition, approximately $97,607 can be designated to fund both new and/or current comprehensive gun crime and gang violence reduction strategies within the Western District.
PSN furthers the Department of Justice=s mission to reduce violent crime by providing support to state, local and tribal efforts to create safer neighborhoods through a sustained reduction in violent crime and gang violence committed with firearms utilizing prevention, enforcement and intervention methods.
Various types of single or multi‑grantee grant proposals are welcome including those that address the following:
- Gang violence and gun violence reduction, deterrence, prevention, community outreach and education;
- Enforcement, adjudication and supervision programs;
- Prisoner re-entry programs; or
- Other innovative related projects.
Grant proposals must be submitted to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, ATTN: PSN Grant Competition, 800 Lafayette Street, Suite 2200, Lafayette, LA 70501, no later than 5 p.m. on Monday, October 30, 2020.
The FY 2020 PSN Grant Announcement, OMB No. 1121-0329 can be found on the website for the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Western District of Louisiana at: . More information about the program can be located at www.psn.gov or www.bja.gov/programs/psn.
Interested applicants may also contact Assistant U.S. Attorney and PSN Coordinator Jamilla A. Bynog at (337) 262-6618 for additional information.
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Postal Employee Arrested for Dumping Mail, Including Election Ballots Sent to West Orange ResidentsRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A U.S. Postal Service (USPS) mail carrier from Hudson County was arrested today for discarding mail, including 99 general election ballots sent from the County Board of Elections and intended to be delivered to West Orange residents, from his assigned routes in Orange and West Orange, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito announced.
Nicholas Beauchene, 26, of Kearny, New Jersey, is charged by complaint with one count of delay, secretion, or detention of mail and one count of obstruction of mail. He is scheduled to appear this afternoon before U.S. Magistrate Judge Cathy L. Waldor in Newark federal court.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
Approximately 1,875 pieces of mail – including 627 pieces of first class, 873 pieces of standard class, two pieces of certified mail, 99 general election ballots destined for residents in West Orange, and 276 campaign flyers from local candidates for West Orange Town Council and Board of Education – were recovered from dumpsters in North Arlington and West Orange on Oct. 2, 2020, and Oct. 5, 2020. The mail had been scheduled to be delivered on Sept. 28, Oct. 1, and Oct. 2, 2020, to addresses on certain postal routes in Orange and West Orange. On the delivery dates for which mail was recovered, Beauchene was the only mail carrier assigned to deliver mail to the addresses on the recovered mail.
The recovered mail was placed back into the mail stream for delivery to its intended recipients. Copies of the recovered mail were made and retained as evidence.
The delay of mail charge is punishable by a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The obstruction of mail charge is punishable by a maximum penalty of six months in prison and a $5,000 fine.
U.S. Attorney Carpenito credited special agents of the USPS-Office of Inspector General, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Matthew Modafferi, Northeast Area Field Office, with the investigation leading to today’s arrest. He also thanked the North Arlington Police Department, under the direction of Scott Hedenberg, for their assistance.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Sara F. Merin of the Special Prosecutions Division in Newark.
The charge and allegations in the complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Portland Residents Accused of Obstructing Federal Officers Protecting Federal PropertyRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Ore. – Essence Maya Sylvester, 18, and Alexis Richter, 20, both of Portland, Oregon, made initial appearances today in federal court before U.S. Magistrate Judge Stacie F. Beckerman.
The court arraigned Sylvester and Richter on a 2-count information alleging two misdemeanors: Failing to Obey a Lawful Order and Disorderly Conduct on Federal Property.
On the early morning hours of October 7, 2020, a protest group was protesting in front of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Building, where Department of Homeland Security, Federal Protective Services (FPS) Officers were assigned to protect federal property during protests and demonstrations taking place in Portland. Sylvester and Richter blocked the entrance to the building by lying across the entryway, preventing law enforcement vehicles from entering or leaving the premises. Both failed to move despite repeated warnings not to impede vehicular traffic. Both were arrested and refused to provide their names to officers. Sylvester and Richter were released on conditions pending trial scheduled for December 8, 2020 before U.S. District Court Judge Marco A. Hernandez.
This case was investigated by Federal Protective Services and is being prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office.
An information is only an accusation of a crime, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Plainville Man Indicted for Child Enticement and Child Pornography OffensesRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Plainville man was indicted yesterday by a federal grand jury in Boston on child enticement and child pornography offenses.
David Cerasuolo, 47, of Plainville, Mass., was indicted on one count of attempted enticement of a minor, one count of attempted transfer of obscene material to a minor and one count of possession of child pornography. Cerasuolo was arrested and charged by criminal complaint in July 2020.
According to charging documents, Cerasuolo used chat applications to engage in conversations with an individual he believed to be a 13-year-old girl, but was actually an undercover federal agent. During these conversations, Cerasuolo attempted to entice the 13-year-old to engage in sexual activity and sent her several photographs of himself, including one displaying his genitalia. He was also found in possession of child pornography.
The charge of enticement of a minor carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years and up to life in prison, at least five years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. The charge of transfer of obscene material to a minor provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. The charge of possession of child pornography provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, at least five years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling and Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Division made the announcement. The Plainville, Arlington, Boston and Newton Police Departments and Massachusetts Department of Correction provided assistance with the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam Deitch of Lelling Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Pittsburgh Man Sentenced to 5+ Years in Prison for Drug and Gun OffensesRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH – Raymont Harris was sentenced to 68 months in prison for committing fentanyl and heroin trafficking and gun crimes, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced today.
Harris, age 25, of Pittsburgh, was sentenced by United States District Judge William S. Stickman IV. Judge Stickman also sentenced Harris to serve three years of supervised release at the conclusion of his prison sentence.
In September 2018, while on bond in a state heroin-trafficking case, Harris distributed fentanyl and heroin and possessed a 9mm Ruger pistol in furtherance of his drug trafficking crimes. He was subsequently indicted and convicted in federal court via guilty pleas.
Assistant United States Attorney Craig W. Haller prosecuted this case on behalf of the United States.
The Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General, the North Fayette Police Department, the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the fBureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives conducted the investigation leading to the convictions and sentence in this case.
This case was prosecuted as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) which 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.
Owner of Rockstar Burgers Among 18 Defendants Indicted for $1.7 Million Drug-Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – The owner of the Rockstar Burgers restaurant in Kansas City, Missouri, is among 18 defendants indicted by a federal grand jury for their roles in a conspiracy to distribute more than 150 kilograms of methamphetamine and more than 10 kilograms of heroin, valued at more than $1.7 million. Most of the defendants are also charged with illegally possessing firearms.
Rockstar Burgers owner Brian Douglas Smith, 42, Kamel Mahgub Elburki, 32, Ashley Brooke Clevenger, 38, Rachel Gale Simpson, 37, Daniel Jessie Ruiz, 36, Matthew John Fabulae, 31, and Ian Lee Cook, 27, all of Kansas City, Mo.; Cory Matthew Jobe, 28, of Independence, Mo.; Mary Ruth Craft, 42, of Gladstone, Mo.; Tayler Charles Jones, 26, of Liberty, Mo.; Ashley Anne Fries, 23, of Riverside, Mo.; Justin Ren’e Ramirez, 24, of Bolivar, Mo.; James Russell Schroeder, 47, of Marshfield, Mo.; Michael Paul Lambert, 43, of Hartville, Mo.; Seth Alan Turbyfill, 31, of Chillicothe, Mo; Amy Leann Nieman, 49, of Moorseville, Mo.; and Richard Dean Saettone II, 39, and Megan Elizabeth (Lawson) Jackson, 27, addresses unknown, were charged in a 25-count superseding indictment returned under seal by a federal grand jury in Kansas City, Mo., on Sept. 30, 2020.
The indictment was unsealed and made public today upon the arrests and initial court appearances of several defendants, including Smith. This superseding indictment replaces the original indictment returned on Dec. 12, 2019, and includes eight additional defendants and additional charges.
The federal indictment alleges that all 18 defendants participated in a conspiracy from Jan. 1, 2017, to Sept. 30, 2020, to distribute more than 150 kilograms of methamphetamine and more than 10 kilograms of heroin. All of the defendants are also charged in a money-laundering conspiracy involving the proceeds of the drug-trafficking conspiracy.
In addition to the drug-trafficking and money-laundering conspiracies, Elburki, Jones, Simpson, Jobe, Ramirez, Ruiz, Fabulae, Saettone, Craft, Schroeder, Lambert, and Jackson are charged together in one count of possessing 500 grams or more of methamphetamine and one kilogram or more of heroin to distribute.
Smith, Elburki, Jones, Jobe, Ramirez, Ruiz, Fries, Fabulae, Saettone, Craft, Turbyfill, and Nieman each also is charged with illegally possessing firearms in connection with their drug-trafficking crimes.
Elburkie, Jones, Jobe, Fries, Fabulae, Saettone, Craft, Turbyfill, and Nieman each also is charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition. Ramirez, Ruiz, and Fabulae each also is charged with being an unlawful user of controlled substances in possession of firearms and ammunition.
The federal indictment also contains forfeiture allegations, which would require the defendants to forfeit to the government all property derived from the proceeds of the drug-trafficking conspiracy, including a money judgment of $1,745,000. This sum, in aggregate, was received in exchange for, or is traceable thereto, the unlawful distribution of more than 150 kilograms of methamphetamine, based on an average street price of $250 per ounce, and the unlawful distribution of more than 10 kilograms of heroin, based on an average street price of $1,200 an ounce.
The charges contained in this indictment are simply accusations, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charges must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Bruce Rhoades. It was investigated by the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Buchanan County Drug Strike Force, the Missouri State Highway Patrol, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Clay County, Mo., Sheriff's Department.
Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force
This case is part of the Department of Justice’s Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) program. The OCDETF program is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s drug supply reduction strategy. OCDETF was established in 1982 to conduct comprehensive, multilevel attacks on major drug trafficking and money laundering organizations. Today, OCDETF combines the resources and expertise of its member federal agencies in cooperation with state and local law enforcement. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt, and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking organizations, transnational criminal organizations, and money laundering organizations that present a significant threat to the public safety, economic, or national security of the United States.Owner of North Carolina Temporary Staffing Firms Sentenced to Prison for Employment Tax FraudRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – A Greensboro, North Carolina, business owner was sentenced to 42 months in prison yesterday for failing to pay employment taxes, announced Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Richard E. Zuckerman of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and U.S. Attorney Matthew G.T. Martin for the Middle District of North Carolina.
According to documents and information provided to the court, Rebecca Adams, 57, and her daughter Elizabeth Wood, 40, operated temporary staffing businesses in Greensboro under the names A & R Staffing Solutions Inc., Wood Executive Services Inc., and Adams Staffing Enterprises Inc. Adams and her daughter withheld federal and state taxes from employees’ paychecks, but did not pay those taxes to the IRS. In 2015, Wood pleaded guilty to embezzling employee tax withholdings that were due to the state and was sentenced to prison. During Wood’s period of incarceration for the state payroll tax fraud, Adams continued to withhold taxes from employees’ paychecks, but did not pay those taxes over to the IRS. Adams also did not file with the IRS a required quarterly payroll tax return.
In addition to the term of imprisonment, U.S. District Judge N. Carlton Tilley Jr., ordered Adams to serve three years of supervised release and to pay approximately $2,222,834 in restitution to the United States.
On June 25, 2020, Wood was sentenced to 18 months in prison for failing to pay over employment taxes, and ordered to pay approximately $2,338,766 in restitution to the United States.
Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Zuckerman and U.S. Attorney Martin thanked special agents of IRS-Criminal Investigation, who conducted the investigation, and Trial Attorney Kevin Schneider of the Tax Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Frank Chut, who prosecuted the case.
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Owner of North Carolina Temporary Staffing Firms Sentenced to Prison for Employment Tax FraudRead the Press Release
A Greensboro, North Carolina, business owner was sentenced to 42 months in prison yesterday for failing to pay employment taxes, announced Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Richard E. Zuckerman of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and U.S. Attorney Matthew G.T. Martin for the Middle District of North Carolina.
According to documents and information provided to the court, Rebecca Adams, 57, and her daughter Elizabeth Wood, 40, operated a temporary staffing businesses in Greensboro under the names A & R Staffing Solutions Inc., Wood Executive Services Inc., and Adams Staffing Enterprises Inc. Adams and her daughter withheld federal and state taxes from employees’ paychecks, but did not pay those taxes to the IRS. In 2015, Wood pleaded guilty to embezzling employee tax withholdings that were due to the state and was sentenced to prison. During Wood’s period of incarceration for the state payroll tax fraud, Adams continued to withhold taxes from employees’ paychecks, but did not pay those taxes over to the IRS. Adams also did not file with the IRS a required quarterly payroll tax return.
In addition to the term of imprisonment, U.S. District Judge N. Carlton Tilley Jr., ordered Adams to serve three years of supervised release and to pay approximately $2,222,834 in restitution to the United States.
On June 25, 2020, Wood was sentenced to 18 months in prison for failing to pay over employment taxes, and ordered to pay approximately $2,338,766 in restitution to the United States.
Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Zuckerman and U.S. Attorney Martin thanked special agents of IRS-Criminal Investigation, who conducted the investigation, and Trial Attorney Kevin Schneider of the Tax Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Frank Chut, who prosecuted the case.
Operation Rubber Stamp: Major health care fraud investigation results in significant new chargesRead the Press Release
USAO-SDGA From left: Peter M. McCoy, U.S. Attorney, District of South Carolina; Bobby L. Christine, U.S. Attorney, Southern District of Georgia; Glen Kessler, Resident Agent in Charge, U.S. Secret Service Savannah Office; Will Clarke, Supervisory Special Agent, FBI Savannah Office; Douglas Dye, Special Agent, FBI; and Jonathan Porter, Assistant U.S. Attorney, Southern District of Georgia.SAVANNAH, GA: The third in a nationwide series of telemedicine fraud prosecutions includes cases in the Southern District of Georgia identifying more than $1.5 billion in fraudulent billings to government healthcare insurance programs.
The takedown – dubbed Operation Rubber Stamp, and following two similar nationwide Department of Justice initiatives in 2019 – brings prosecution totals up to 30 defendants now charged in the Southern District of Georgia, said Bobby L. Christine, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. The cases were announced in a joint news conference with District of South Carolina U.S. Attorney Peter M. McCoy.
At its core, this criminal network targeted by these investigations involves individuals and companies that collect patient data and sell it to one or more durable medical equipment (DME) suppliers, pharmacies, or labs. Patients often were lured into the scheme by an international telemarketing network and the co-conspirators promise of often inappropriate durable medical equipment, test results, and medication misled patients and delayed their chance to seek appropriate treatment for medical complaints. As part of these schemes, defendant telemedicine executives allegedly paid doctors and nurse practitioners to order unnecessary durable medical equipment, genetic and other diagnostic testing, and pain medications, either without any patient interaction or with only a brief telephonic conversation with patients they had never met or seen. Durable medical equipment companies, genetic testing laboratories, and pharmacies then purchased those orders in exchange for illegal kickbacks and bribes and submitted false and fraudulent claims to Medicare and other government insurers.
“This coordinated, deliberate and methodical series of investigations and prosecutions in the Southern District represents an ongoing, exhaustive team effort with our law enforcement partners to protect the taxpayers’ safety net programs from fraud and theft,” said U.S. Attorney Christine. “The warning should now be abundantly clear: Unscrupulous providers will find themselves in hot water if they attempt to illegally enrich themselves from these programs.”
Charges announced today include those against a former compliance officer for a company that facilitated more than $1 billion in fraudulent durable medical equipment billings to the Medicare program and other health benefit programs. Cases brought by the Southern District of Georgia team include prosecutions of Georgia medical professionals, marketers, and telemedicine companies who caused millions in fraudulent claims, including:
- An indictment charging Sherley Leon Beaufils, a Georgia nurse practitioner, for Conspiracy to Commit Wire and Health Care Fraud; five counts of Health Care Fraud; five counts of False Statements Related to Health Care; and one count of False Statements. Beaufils is alleged to have facilitated orders for more than 3,000 orthotic braces that generated more than $3 million in fraudulent or excessive charges to Medicare.
- An Information charging Toni De Lanoy, the former compliance officer of one of the more prolific facilitators of the overall conspiracy, with Conspiracy to Commit Health Care Fraud. As alleged in the Information, the defendant and her employer provided access to an extensive digital platform that processed more than $1 billion in fraudulent or excessive orders for durable medical equipment billed to Medicare, Medicaid, and others.
“Telemedicine has become a valuable tool for delivering health services in this time of pandemic. However, bad actors are abusing these tools to commit health care fraud,” said Derrick L. Jackson, Special Agent in Charge for the Office of Inspector General of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. “When marketing and so-called telehealth services are misused, alleged violators can expect aggressive investigation and swift prosecution.”
“Fraudulent billing schemes cost every taxpayer and our healthcare system, and when it targets programs like Medicare that assist the elderly and poor, it potentially threatens their health care needs,” said Chris Hacker, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. “Our partnerships within law enforcement are so important in uncovering such abuse by individuals driven by thoughtless greed and we remain determined to expose it.”
“Cases of this magnitude can only be tackled using a strategy that recognizes that the most effective way to fight these large criminal networks is by combining the strengths, resources, and expertise of our federal agencies,” said Resident Agent in Charge Glen M. Kessler, U.S. Secret Service. “Our nation’s healthcare system cannot tolerate kickbacks to physicians and pharmacies while criminals line their pockets with taxpayer-funded healthcare dollars.”
The most recent takedown – dubbed Operation Rubber Stamp, and following two similar nationwide Department of Justice initiatives in 2019 – brings prosecution totals up to 30 defendants now charged in the Southern District of Georgia. Across the nation, the most recent takedown brings the total charges and guilty pleas in 19 judicial districts involving the submission of over $4.5 billion in false billings from fraudulent telemedicine schemes for 86 criminal defendants.
Defendants include telemedicine executives, more than two dozen licensed medical professionals, marketers, and the owners of durable medical equipment (DME) companies, genetic testing laboratories, and pharmacies. As part of the takedown, guilty pleas by more than 30 individuals will be entered or unsealed, including those by more than a dozen medical professionals.
In conjunction with the takedown, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services/Center for Program Integrity separately took the largest number of adverse administrative actions resulting from a single administrative health care fraud investigative initiative in history in revoking the Medicare billing privileges of over 250 additional medical professionals for their involvement in telemedicine schemes.
Criminal indictments and informations contain only charges; defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
The cases brought today in the Southern District of Georgia are part of the joint FBI and HHS Operation Rubber Stamp and the 2020 telemedicine takedown, coordinated by the recently-announced National Rapid Response Strikeforce of the Health Care Fraud Unit of the Criminal Division Fraud Section of the U.S. Department of Justice, led by Assistant Chief Jacob Foster and Trial Attorney Catherine Wagner.
The cases were investigated by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General; the FBI; and the U.S. Secret Service. The cases were prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys J. Thomas Clarkson and Jonathan Porter in the Southern District of Georgia and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jim May, Derek A. Shoemake, and Will Lewis in the District of South Carolina.
Operation Legend: Case of the DayRead the Press Release
Each weekday, the Department of Justice will highlight a case that has resulted from Operation Legend. Today’s case is out of the Northern District of Illinois. Operation Legend launched in Chicago on July 22, 2020, in response to the city facing increased homicide and non-fatal shooting rates.
An Indiana man has been charged with a federal firearm offense for allegedly illegally selling dozens of handguns and assault rifles in the Chicago area.
Wayne Adam Tucker, 55, of Albion, IN, was charged with one count of dealing firearms without a license and one count of distribution of a controlled substance. According to the charging document, Tucker sold 39 guns on four occasions from April 2019 to February 2020. Three of the alleged sales occurred in south suburban Dolton, while one deal was allegedly conducted in Hammond, IN. Unbeknownst to Tucker, the buyer in all of the deals was confidentially working on behalf of law enforcement, the complaint states.
It is alleged that Tucker carried out the four unlicensed sales of firearms to the confidential source on April 28, 2019, Aug. 17, 2019, Nov. 16, 2019, and Feb. 8, 2020. In setting up the deals, Tucker allegedly explained to the confidential source that he had several people supplying him with firearms that had been purchased at gun shows in Indiana.
The drug charge accuses Tucker of selling approximately a pound of marijuana to the confidential source during the February transaction.
The details contained in the charging document are all allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Background on Operation Legend
Since its inception, Operation Legend has yielded more than 3,500 local, state, and federal arrests, with more than 800 defendants charged with federal crimes.
President Trump promised to assist America’s cities that have been plagued by violence. In July, Attorney General William P. Barr announced the launch of Operation Legend, a sustained, systematic and coordinated law enforcement initiative across all federal law enforcement agencies working in conjunction with state and local law enforcement officials to fight violent crime in cities across America that were experiencing an uptick in violence. Operation Legend is named after four-year-old LeGend Taliferro, who was shot and killed on June 29th in Kansas City, Missouri, while asleep in his home.
Operation Legend was launched in Kansas City, Mo., on July 8, 2020, and expanded to Chicago and Albuquerque on July 22, 2020; to Cleveland, Detroit, and Milwaukee on July 29, 2020; to St. Louis and Memphis on Aug. 6, 2020; and to Indianapolis on Aug. 14, 2020. As part of Operation Legend, Attorney General Barr has directed federal agents from the FBI, U.S. Marshals Service, DEA and ATF to surge resources to these cities to help state and local officials fighting violent crime. The Department of Homeland Security is also contributing agents to these efforts in St. Louis.
Ocean Springs Man Sentenced to 8 Years in Prison for Selling Sawed Off ShotgunRead the Press Release
Gulfport, Miss – Shiloh Kalani Pisarich, 29, of Ocean Springs, Mississippi, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Sul Ozerden to 96 months in prison for selling an illegal sawed-off shotgun, announced U.S. Attorney Mike Hurst and Special Agent in Charge Brad L. Byerley of the Drug Enforcement Administration. Pisarich was also ordered to serve 3 years of supervised released following his prison sentence and pay a $5,000 fine.
In March 2019, Pisarich sold methamphetamine on two separate occasions. In addition, on March 29, 2019, Pisarick sold a shotgun that had been modified to have a barrel length less than 18 inches, which is illegal under federal law.
The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Annette Williams.
Ocala Convicted Felon Receives Almost Six Years in Federal Prison for Possessing A FirearmRead the Press Release
Ocala, Florida – Senior United States District Judge James Whittemore has sentenced Kwasi Francis (30, Ocala) to 5 years and 10 months in federal prison for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. The court also ordered Francis to forfeit the firearm and all ammunition associated with the offense.
Francis had pleaded guilty to the offense on January 30, 2020.
According to court documents, officers from the City of Ocala Police Department arrested Francis on state burglary and drug possession charges on May 7, 2019. While he was being processed at the Marion County Jail, the jail staff discovered that Francis had concealed a 9mm firearm on his person, between multiple pairs of pants. The firearm was loaded, including a bullet in the chamber. Francis, who has prior felony convictions for burglary and heroin distribution, is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition under federal law.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the City of Ocala Police Department, and the Marion County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Robert E. Bodnar, Jr.
This is another case prosecuted as part of the Department of Justice’s “Project Safe Neighborhoods” Program (PSN), which is a nationwide, crime reduction strategy aimed at decreasing violent crime in communities. It involves a comprehensive approach to public safety — one that includes investigating and prosecuting crimes, along with prevention and reentry efforts. In the Middle District of Florida, U.S. Attorney Maria Chapa Lopez coordinates PSN efforts in cooperation with various federal, state, and local law enforcement officials.
Ocala Armed Career Criminal Sentenced to 15 Years in Federal Prison for Possession of A Firearm/AmmunitionRead the Press Release
Ocala, Florida – Senior United States District Judge James Whittemore has sentenced Shelley Devaughn Cook (42, Ocala) to 15 years in federal prison for possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon. The court also ordered Cook to forfeit the firearm and all ammunition associated with the offense.
Cook had pleaded guilty on January 8, 2020.
According to court documents, detectives from the City of Ocala Police Department observed Cook with an open container of an alcoholic beverage in a public area—a violation of a city ordinance. Cook ignored repeated requests from the detectives to pour out his drink, then fled on foot when the detectives approached him. Once apprehended, the detectives discovered a loaded semi-automatic pistol in Cook’s waistband. He also had quantities of MDMA (ecstasy), heroin, fentanyl and marijuana on his person.
Cook has eight prior state felony convictions, including for robbery with a deadly weapon (firearm), aggravated battery, felony battery, fleeing and eluding law enforcement, and illegal drug possession. Because of these felony convictions, Cook is prohibited from possessing either firearms or ammunition under federal law.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Ocala Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Robert E. Bodnar, Jr.
This is another case prosecuted as part of the Department of Justice’s “Project Safe Neighborhoods” Program (PSN), which is a nationwide, crime reduction strategy aimed at decreasing violent crime in communities. It involves a comprehensive approach to public safety — one that includes investigating and prosecuting crimes, along with prevention and reentry efforts. In the Middle District of Florida, U.S. Attorney Maria Chapa Lopez coordinates PSN efforts in cooperation with various federal, state, and local law enforcement officials.
Niagara Falls Man Going to Prison for 11 Years for Selling FentanylRead the Press Release
CONTACT: Barbara Burns
PHONE: (716) 843-5817
FAX #: (716) 551-3051BUFFALO, NY—U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy Jr. announced today that Jake Seright, 40, of Niagara Falls, NY, who was convicted of possessing with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl, was sentenced to serve 132 months in prison by Senior U.S. District Judge William M. Skretny.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Misha A. Coulson, who handled the case, stated that on five separate occasions between October 2018 and June 2019, the defendant sold fentanyl and cocaine to an individual working with the Drug Enforcement Administration. At approximately 11:20 p.m. on August 5, 2019, a stop was conducted of the defendant’s vehicle, and Seright was arrested after a quantity of marijuana was discovered. The defendant was also in possession of approximately $500 in cash and $625 worth of money orders. On August 6, 2019, a search warrant was executed at Seright’s apartment on Zito Drive in Niagara Falls. Investigators recovered a digital scale, suspected cocaine and fentanyl, cutting agents, a kilogram press, and a vacuum sealer with bags.
The sentencing is the result of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent-in Charge Ray Donovan, New York Field Division, and the Niagara Falls Police Department, under the direction of Superintendent Thomas Licata.
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New Jersey Man Sentenced for Shipping Fentanyl Analogue to North CarolinaRead the Press Release
RALEIGH, N.C. – A Plainfield, New Jersey man was sentenced to 48 months in prison for Conspiracy to Distribute and Possess With Intent to Distribute 4-Fluroisobutyryl Fentanyl.
According to court documents, Darrell Lee Watson, 39, pled guilty to the charge on May 21, 2020.
The investigation was initiated on October 11, 2017, when agents observed co-conspirator Thornton Lewis Watson IV conducting what appeared to be hand-to-hand drug transactions in Raleigh. Agents found Thornton Watson in possession of $3,485, a 9mm handgun and 70 pills that appeared to be Oxycodone.
When tested, the pills were determined to contain 4-Fluroisobutyryl Fentanyl, an analogue of Fentanyl.
On December 14, 2017, agents seized marijuana, $7,869, a firearm, and a cell phone from Thornton Watson. The cell phone was later searched pursuant to a search warrant, and agents found text messages in which Thornton Watson provided Darrell Watson with the Durham address of a woman named Shantevia Evans. Darrell Watson responded by providing a tracking number for a package.
Agents then determined that between October and December 2017, seven packages had been sent to Evans, and one was still in transit.
On December 15, 2017, agents seized the package that was still in transit, and it was found to contain 414 pills that were marked as if they were Oxycodone. In fact, they were found to contain 47.83 grams of 4-Fluroisobutyryl Fentanyl.
Further analysis of Thornton Watson’s cell phone showed that Darrell Watson had sent a total of 13 tracking numbers to Thornton Watson. Based on the investigation, Darrell Watson is accountable for approximately 5,382 pills containing 621.79 grams of 4-Fluroisobutyryl Fentanyl.
Thornton Watson and Shantevia Evans pleaded guilty and were sentenced in connection with this investigation. Thornton Watson was sentenced to 114 months custody (Case No. 5:18-cr-315-D-1), and Shantevia Evans was sentenced to 24 months custody (Case No. 5:18-cr-315-D-2).
Robert J. Higdon, Jr., U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge James C. Dever III.
Mr. Higdon commented: “This case is a perfect example of the dangers in buying and using prescription drugs you get on the street or in some way illegally. You have no guarantee that you are getting what you are paying for. These pills appeared to be oxycodone – a dangerous enough drug when abused – but, in reality they were actually fentanyl analogues which could cause an unbreakable addiction and perhaps death. Stay away from any drug not prescribed to you by a reputable and responsible doctor.”
Wake County Board of Alcoholic Control (ABC) Law Enforcement Division and the United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) investigated the case and Assistant U.S. Attorney Scott A. Lemmon prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on our website. Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:19-cr-00292-D-1.
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The year 2020 marks the 150th anniversary of the Department of Justice. Learn more about the history of our agency at www.Justice.gov/Celebrating150Years.
Nevada Man Admits Role in Defrauding Banks in $9 Million Shotgun Mortgage Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A Henderson, Nevada, man today admitted his role in a scheme to use bogus information and simultaneous loan applications at multiple banks – known as “shot-gunning” – to attempt to obtain home equity lines of credit (HELOCs), U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito announced.
Joseph A. Gonzalez, 46, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge John Michael Vazquez to Count One of an indictment charging him with one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud. Gonzalez is the sixth person to plead guilty as part of the scheme.
According to documents filed in the case and statements made in court:
From 2010 through 2018, Jorge Flores and Simon Curanaj, a real estate broker in the Bronx who has previously pleaded guilty and is awaiting sentencing, ran a mortgage fraud scheme in which they applied for more than $9 million in HELOCs from banks on residential properties in New Jersey and New York.
Gonzalez and Flores used a property in Jersey City, New Jersey, as part of the scheme. Gonzalez had been allowed by the owner of the property to live there in exchange for management services, but neither he nor Flores owned the property. Gonzalez also recruited an individual with good credit to act as a straw buyer (Individual 1). Unbeknownst to the owner of the property, a “quitclaim” deed – which contains no warranties of title – was prepared transferring the property to Individual 1. The signatures on the deed were forged.
Gonzalez and Flores then applied for two HELOCs from multiple banks using the Jersey City property as collateral in Individual 1’s name. They concealed the fact that the property offered as collateral was either already subject to senior liens that had not yet been recorded, or that the same property was offered as collateral for a line of credit from another lender. The applications also contained false information concerning Individual 1’s income, which was stated to be higher than his actual income. At the time the applications were made, the value of the property was less than the amount of the HELOC loans for which Gonzalez and Flores applied.
The victim banks eventually issued loans to Individual 1 in excess of $500,000. After the victim banks funded the HELOCs and deposited money into Individual 1’s bank account, Individual 1 disbursed almost all of it to Gonzalez, Flores, and others. Gonzalez used $43,000 of the illicit proceeds to buy a luxury car. Individual 1 eventually defaulted on both HELOC loans.
The conspiracy to commit bank fraud carries a maximum potential penalty of 30 years in prison, a fine of $1 million or twice the gross pecuniary gain to the defendants or twice the gross pecuniary loss to others, whichever is greater. Sentencing is scheduled for Feb. 10, 2021.
U.S. Attorney Carpenito credited special agents of the Federal Housing Finance Agency, Office of Inspector General, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Robert Manchak; and special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge George M. Crouch Jr. in Newark, with the investigation leading to the guilty plea.
The government is represented by Senior Trial Counsel Jason S. Gould of the U.S. Attorney’s Health Care Fraud Unit in Newark and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Kevin DiGregory of the FHFA, Office of the Inspector General.
Murdo Woman Sentenced on Meth ChargeRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced that a Murdo, South Dakota, woman convicted of Possession of Methamphetamine was sentenced on October 6, 2020, by U.S. Magistrate Mark A. Moreno.
Moriah Moran, age 33, was sentenced to 2 years’ probation and a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $25.
Moran was indicted by a federal grand jury on March 10, 2020. She pled guilty on October 6, 2020.
The conviction stemmed from a traffic stop that occurred on May 7, 2019, on the Rosebud Sioux Indian Reservation in South Dakota. An eventual search of the vehicle revealed a small amount of methamphetamine and several items of drug paraphernalia.
This case was investigated by the Rosebud Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services and the Northern Plains Safe Trails Drug Enforcement Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Meghan N. Dilges prosecuted the case.
Moreno Valley Man Indicted on Federal Robbery Charges for Month-Long Pharmacy Crime Spree in Inland EmpireRead the Press Release
RIVERSIDE, California – A Riverside County man who allegedly wore medical masks over his face during a month-long robbery spree of Inland Empire pharmacies was indicted today on federal criminal charges.
David Anthony Battle, 50, of Moreno Valley, is charged in a federal grand jury indictment with six counts of interference with commerce by robbery (Hobbs Act robbery) and two counts of attempted Hobbs Act robbery.
Battle was arrested by local law enforcement on August 10 and was transferred over to federal custody on August 23. He has been ordered jailed without bond while he awaits trial. His arraignment is scheduled for October 13 in United States District Court in Riverside.
According to the indictment, from July 6 to August 4, Battle robbed six pharmacies in Moreno Valley, Colton and San Bernardino. He allegedly attempted to rob two other Moreno Valley pharmacies on July 10 and August 10.
During each incident, Battle allegedly wore similar clothing – including wearing medical masks covering his nose and mouth – and used a similar method of brandishing what appeared to be a handgun by pulling it out from his waistband and holding it at his side. He then demanded that money in the cash register be placed in a bag and handed over, according to an affidavit filed with the complaint in this case.
Law enforcement reviewed store surveillance videos, which led them to arrest Battle, court documents state. During Battle’s arrest, a black BB-gun-style pistol was found on the ground near him, the affidavit states.
Battle allegedly netted $5,453 in illicit gains from the robberies, though $3,200 of that came from the July 6 robbery of a Walgreens store in Moreno Valley.
An indictment contains allegations that a defendant has committed a crime. Every defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
If convicted of all charges, Battle would face a statutory maximum sentence of 160 years in federal prison.
The FBI, the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department, the San Bernardino Police Department, and the Colton Police Department investigated this matter.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Peter Dahlquist of the Riverside Branch Office.
More Than 40 Facing Federal Charges for Bilking Federal Health Care Programs Out of Millions Across South Carolina and Georgia in Operation Rubber StampRead the Press Release
Columbia, South Carolina --- Peter M. McCoy, Jr., U.S. Attorney for the District of South Carolina, and Bobby L. Christine, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia, announced today that more than 40 people are facing federal charges for their roles in expansive health care fraud schemes across South Carolina and Georgia resulting in hundreds of millions of dollars in fraudulent billings. The charges mark the third in a nationwide series of telemedicine fraud prosecutions, which began through investigative efforts out of the District of South Carolina.
The District of South Carolina and the Southern District of Georgia have been on the vanguard of combating health care fraud across the country and globe. Playing instrumental roles in three nationwide operations, Operation Brace Yourself, Double Helix, and now Rubber Stamp, the Districts have obtained convictions of the owners of international telemarketing firms; owners of genetic testing centers; owners of pharmacies; owners of medical supply businesses; CEOs of marketing companies; compliance officers; doctors; and nurses. Working cooperatively with other federal districts and the Department of Justice’s Health Care Fraud Strike Force, cases have been brought in over 20 Districts across the country, resulting in over 175 individuals being charged and or convicted, with over a billion dollars in restitution. Additionally, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services/Center for Program Integrity separately took the largest number of adverse administrative actions resulting from a single administrative health care fraud investigative initiative in history in revoking the Medicare billing privileges of over 250 additional medical professionals for their involvement in telemedicine schemes.
In the District of South Carolina, in the last week five individuals were charged in a telemedicine-based health care fraud and kickback conspiracy, involving more than $100 million dollars in fraudulent billings in South Carolina. The individuals were all medical providers - four doctors and one nurse - who signed prescriptions over a web-based platform, often times without meeting or speaking with the patients. Additionally, charges were filed against eight individuals and one corporation related to a health care fraud and kick back conspiracy that used offshore call centers and fraudulent telemedicine to bill hundreds of millions of dollars for durable medical equipment that was not medically necessary. These charges are in addition to the dozens of individuals previously charged.
In the Southern District of Georgia, four individuals were charged in the last week for telemedicine-based fraud and kickback schemes, adding to the 26 defendants charged previously. The four new defendants, three of whom were medical professionals, were alleged to have participated in this telemedicine-based scheme, which now collectively totals in excess of $1.4 billion in fraudulent claims for defendants charged in the Southern District of Georgia alone. Among the recent defendants charged, a former compliance officer was charged with conspiracy to commit health care fraud for her role as part of a company that connected various parties through an online-based platform where patients’ health information would be uploaded, prescriptions would be signed electronically by medical professionals, and the package of health information with a signed prescription could then be sold to durable medical equipment companies for eventual billing to Medicare and other programs.
“Those who steal from federal health care programs are taking money from the pockets of taxpayers. This is reprehensible,” said U.S. Attorney McCoy. “Along with our federal law enforcement partners and our colleagues in the Southern District of Georgia, we have worked tirelessly to identify and prosecute those who seek to harm the citizens of South Carolina and Georgia. We have also ensured that millions of dollars have been returned, or will be returned, to these essential health care programs.”
“This coordinated, deliberate and methodical series of investigations and prosecutions in the Southern District represents an ongoing, exhaustive team effort with our law enforcement partners to protect the taxpayers’ safety net programs from fraud and theft,” said U.S. Attorney Christine. “The warning should now be abundantly clear: Unscrupulous providers will find themselves in hot water if they attempt to illegally enrich themselves from these programs.”
“Thousands of Americans have had their health jeopardized and personal information bartered, while these illegal enterprises have reaped our tax dollars,” said Jody Norris, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) in Columbia, South Carolina. “The FBI, working with our federal partners, have stopped these criminal networks and we will remain dedicated to seeking out and dismantling others.”
“Fraudulent billing schemes cost every taxpayer and our health care system, and when it targets programs like Medicare that assist the elderly and poor, it potentially threatens their health care needs,” said Chris Hacker, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in Atlanta. “Our partnerships within law enforcement are so important in uncovering such abuse by individuals driven by thoughtless greed, and we remain determined to expose it.”
“Telemedicine has become a valuable tool for delivering health services in this time of pandemic. However, bad actors are abusing these tools to commit health care fraud,” said Derrick L. Jackson, Special Agent in Charge of the Atlanta region for the Office of Inspector General (OIG) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). “When marketing and so-called telehealth services are misused, alleged violators can expect aggressive investigation and swift prosecution.”
“Cases of this magnitude can only be tackled using a strategy that recognizes that the most effective way to fight these large criminal networks is by combining the strengths, resources, and expertise of our federal agencies,” said Glen M. Kessler, Resident Agent in Charge of the U.S. Secret Service in Savannah, Georgia. “Our nation’s health care system cannot tolerate kickbacks to physicians and pharmacies while criminals line their pockets with taxpayer funded health care dollars.”
At its core, the federal filings allege that this criminal network targeted by these investigations involves individuals and companies that collect patient data and sell it to one or more durable medical equipment (DME) suppliers, pharmacies, or labs. Patients were often lured into the scheme by an international telemarketing network. According to the filings, the co-conspirators’ promise of often inappropriate durable medical equipment, test results, and medication misled patients and delayed their chance to seek appropriate treatment for medical complaints. As part of these schemes, telemedicine executives allegedly paid doctors and nurse practitioners to order unnecessary durable medical equipment, genetic and other diagnostic testing, and pain medications, either without any patient interaction or with only a brief telephonic conversation with patients they had never met or seen. The filings allege that durable medical equipment companies, genetic testing laboratories, and pharmacies then purchased those orders in exchange for illegal kickbacks and bribes and submitted false and fraudulent claims to Medicare and other government insurers.
The cases were investigated by agents from the FBI, HHS OIG, and Secret Service; specifically, Special Agents Neil Power, Su Kim, Ryan Schubert, Randy Dye, T.J. Smith, Dave Graupner, Karen Corbett, and Matt Britsch. The cases were prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jim May, Derek A. Shoemake, and Will Lewis with the District of South Carolina; Assistant U.S. Attorneys Tom Clarkson and Jonathan Porter with the Southern District of Georgia; and Assistant Chief Jacob Foster and Trial Attorney Catherine Wagner with the Department of Justice’s Health Care Fraud Strike Force.
The charges in these cases are only accusations of a crime, and defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
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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.
Monmouth County Man Admits Unlawfully Possessing a FirearmRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A Monmouth County, New Jersey, man today admitted illegally possessing a firearm, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito announced.
Ahmed A-Hady, 36, of Keyport, pleaded guilty by videoconference before U.S. District Court Judge Katharine S. Hayden to an information charging him with possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
On Dec. 10, 2019, there was a mass shooting in Jersey City in which two individuals, David Nathaniel Anderson and Francine Graham, killed three civilians after earlier killing a law enforcement officer. After the shooting, law enforcement recovered from Anderson’s right rear pants pocket a handwritten note that contained a telephone number ending in 4115, and a Keyport, New Jersey, address. Law enforcement also recovered several weapons carried by Anderson and Graham, including an AR-15 rifle.
FBI agents determined that the phone number ending in 4115 contained on the note belonged to A-Hady. Law enforcement also determined that the Keyport address listed on the note was a storefront for a pawn shop. On the evening of Dec. 13, 2019, law enforcement officers traveled to the pawnshop and interviewed A-Hady and two of his relatives.
Law enforcement lawfully searched both the pawnshop and A-Hady’s private residence. During the search of the pawnshop, law enforcement recovered multiple rifles, handguns, and one shotgun. In addition, during the searches of the pawnshop and A-Hady’s private residence, law enforcement recovered over 400 rounds of ammunition, including a large number of hollow point bullets.
One of the weapons recovered from the pawnshop was a Sig Sauer .22 caliber rifle capable of accepting a large capacity magazine. Records showed that A-Hady purchased this rifle in Florida on Oct. 23, 2012, a time when he, as a convicted felon, was prohibited from possessing firearms. The purchase of this rifle came approximately five months after A-Hady was convicted in New Jersey Superior Court of a crime that was punishable by a term of imprisonment of more than one year.
As part of the guilty plea, A-Hady also agreed to forfeit his interest, if any, in the firearms recovered during the search of the pawnshop.
The charge of being a felon in possession of a firearm carries a maximum potential penalty of up to 10 years in prison and a maximum fine of $250,000. Sentencing is scheduled for Feb. 9, 2021.
U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito credited special agents with the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge George M. Crouch Jr. in Newark; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Charlie J. Patterson in Newark; the Office of the New Jersey Attorney General, under the direction of Attorney General Gurbir S. Grewal; and the N.J. State Police, under the direction of Col Patrick J. Callahan, with the investigation leading to the plea. U.S. Attorney Carpenito also thanked the Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Prosecutor Esther Suarez, and the Jersey City Police Department, under the direction of Director James Shea, for their assistance.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ronnell Wilson, Chief of the National Security Unit of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey, and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Dean C. Sovolos and Thomas S. Kearney, also of the National Security Unit.
Member of Pueblo of Jemez faces charges of sexual abuse of a minorRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Edward Ray Loretto, 39, an enrolled member of the Pueblo of Jemez, made an initial appearance in court on Oct. 1 pursuant to a two-count federal indictment charging one count of aggravated sexual abuse and one count of sexual abuse of a minor.
According to the indictment, on July 27, 2020, Loretto allegedly forcibly sexually assaulted the victim, who was then between 12 and 16 years of age. According to a criminal complaint filed prior to the grand jury’s indictment, the assault took place at the victim’s home on the Pueblo of Jemez after Loretto and another individual provided alcohol to the victim.
A federal arrest warrant was issued for Loretto on Aug. 17. The University of New Mexico Police Department arrested Loretto on Sept. 24, and the FBI subsequently took custody.
An indictment is only an accusation. A defendant is considered innocent unless and until proven guilty. If convicted, Loretto faces a minimum of 30 years and up to life in prison.
The FBI and the Pueblo of Jemez Police Department investigated this case. Assistant U.S. Jennifer M. Rozzoni is prosecuting the case.
Maryland U.S. Attorney Robert K. Hur Announces More Than $1 Million in Grant Funding to Assist Victims in MarylandRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – U.S. Attorney Robert K. Hur today announced $1,047,593 in Department of Justice grants to Howard County to assist human trafficking victims in Maryland. 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, administers a flagship formula grant program 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.”
“I am so pleased that Howard County has received funds to support their collaborative task force to end human trafficking and to provide services to victims of this terrible crime,” said U.S. Attorney Robert K. Hur. “Through these local task forces, as well as the Maryland Human Trafficking Task Force, local, state and federal law enforcement partners are working with non-profit organizations to help human trafficking victims and prosecute the traffickers. Working to end human trafficking is a priority for the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office.”
The awards made to organizations in Maryland and other states will support local direct 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.
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.
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Maryland U.S. Attorney Robert K. Hur Announces Almost $1.7 Million in Federal Grants to Improve Services for Crime Victims in MarylandRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – U.S. Attorney Robert K. Hur today announced $1,697,084 in U.S. Department of Justice grants to improve services for crime victims in Maryland. The grants, awarded by the Department’s Office of Justice Programs, are part of over $144 million distributed nationwide to enhance the response to victims of crime throughout the United States.
“The Department of Justice is steadfast in its commitment to protecting public safety and bringing justice to those who have been victimized,” said Attorney General William P. Barr. “The investments we are making today will support service providers as they work to secure the legal rights of victims and put survivors of criminal acts on the road to recovery.”
U.S. Attorney Robert K. Hur stated, “These grants will be used to provide services to children and youth in Maryland who are victims of crime as a result of the drug addiction crisis, and to assist Maryland jurisdictions to implement the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act, which is designed to prevent children from becoming victims by identifying and registering those who have sexually abused a minor in the past. We must do all we can to heal and protect our children.”
The awards made to organizations in Maryland will advance the use of technology, improve community preparedness and law enforcement training, and provide emergency and transitional shelter to assist victims of crime. Programs will also support victims of child abuse and fund research projects related to perpetrators and victims of elder abuse. Nationwide, approximately $64.3 million was awarded under Office for Victims of Crime grant programs; over $54.1 million was awarded under Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention programs; over $19.9 million was awarded under Office of Sex Offender Sentencing, Monitoring, Apprehending, Registering, and Tracking grant programs; and nearly $5.7 million was awarded under two National Institute of Justice grant programs.
“As lockdowns and lawlessness fuel crime in America’s homes and communities, more people are vulnerable to victimization and those who have been victimized face new hurdles,” said OJP Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Katharine T. Sullivan. “The Office of Justice Programs is committed to giving our victim service partners the tools they need to better serve their clients and protect victims’ rights.”
The following organizations in Maryland received funding:
- JBS International, Inc. received $1,499,960 to support training and technical assistance for the direct services grantees under the Enhancing Community Responses to America’s Drug Crisis: Serving Our Youngest Crime Victims program.
- The Maryland Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services received $180,000; Dorchester County received $11,370; and Frederick County received $5,754 under the Adam Walsh program to assist with developing enhancing programs designed to implement the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA).
More information about OJP and its components can be found at www.ojp.gov.
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Manhattan Resident Charged in Tribeca ShootingRead the Press Release
Audrey Strauss, the Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and New York Police Department Commissioner Dermot Shea, announced that JEMFFORD PEREZ, a Manhattan resident, was arrested this morning and charged with being a felon in possession of ammunition in connection with a shooting that occurred in the Tribeca neighborhood of Manhattan on September 27, 2020. PEREZ was presented before United States Magistrate Gabriel W. Gorenstein in Manhattan federal court today.
Acting U.S. Attorney Audrey Strauss said: “On a typically tranquil Sunday of last month, the streets of Tribeca were disrupted with the alarming sound of gunfire, as Jemfford Perez is alleged to have recklessly fired four shots in broad daylight at an individual who was thankfully not struck. Thanks to the outstanding investigative work of the N.Y.P.D, Perez now faces serious prison time for his alleged potentially deadly conduct which put innocent lives at risk.”
NYPD Commissioner Dermot Shea said: “We applaud our NYPD detectives and partners in the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District for answering this unacceptable crime with swift and strong consequences.”
According to the allegations contained in the Complaint[1]:
On September 27, 2020, around 4:56 p.m., PEREZ was outside near 155 Franklin Street in Tribeca, when an individual arrived at the same location and parked his vehicle on the street. PEREZ armed himself, approached the individual, and opened fire four times at close range while an individual stood next to his vehicle, though the individual was not struck by the gunfire. PEREZ then fled the scene.
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PEREZ, 24, of Manhattan, New York is charged with one count of being a felon in possession of ammunition, which carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison. The statutory maximum penalty is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant would be determined by the judge.
Ms. Strauss praised the outstanding investigative work of the NYPD.
This case is being handled by the Office’s General Crimes Unit. Assistant United States Attorney Andrew Jones is in charge of the prosecution.
The charge contained in the complaint is merely an accusation, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
[1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Complaint and the descriptions of the Complaint set forth below constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.
Man from Pine Ridge Sentenced to Federal Prison for AssaultsRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced that a Pine Ridge, South Dakota, man convicted of Assault by Strangulation and Suffocation, two counts of Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury, and Assault Resulting in Substantial Bodily Injury to a Spouse, Intimate Partner, or Dating Partner was sentenced by Jeffrey L. Viken, U.S. District Judge.
Dallas Yellow Shield Condon, age 25, was sentenced for the charges on October 1, 2020. On each charge he received 57 months in federal prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. It was further ordered that the time in federal prison and supervised release run concurrently.
Yellow Shield Condon was indicted by a federal grand jury in December 2018. On July 20, 2015, Yellow Shield Condon assaulted his sister in the face with his fist. She sustained maxillary sinus and orbital basement fractures. Following this assault in Pine Ridge, Yellow Shield Condon traveled to Wounded Knee and assaulted his dating partner by strangling her with his hands to the point of her losing consciousness. When she started to regain consciousness, Yellow Shield Condon physically assaulted her in the face, chest, and abdomen.
On October 28, 2015, just three months after the initial assaults, Yellow Shield Condon assaulted his dating partner multiple times with a closed fist injuring her face and nose. In October 2016, Yellow Shield Condon assaulted his dating partner in Pine Ridge by striking her in the face repeatedly. The victim’s nose was fractured, requiring surgical intervention.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Indian Affairs, Oglala Sioux Tribe Department of Public Safety. Assistant U.S. Attorney Megan Poppen prosecuted the case.
Yellow Shield Condon was immediately turned over to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Man Who Sold Midland/Odessa Shooter AR-15 Used in Massacre Pleads Guilty to Unlicensed Firearms DealingRead the Press Release
The man who sold the AR-15 used to gun down 32 people in Midland and Odessa, Texas last year has pleaded guilty to a gun crime, announced U.S. Attorney Erin Nealy Cox.
Marcus Anthony Braziel, 45, of Lubbock, Texas, pleaded guilty to one count of dealing firearms without a license and one count of subscribing to a false tax return before U.S. District Judge James Wesley Hendrix Wednesday afternoon.
“If you’re a firearms dealer – whether you’re selling out of a brick-and-mortar store, in your basement, or online – you must ensure that a background check is conducted on your purchasers,” said U.S. Attorney Erin Nealy Cox. “As this case makes clear, dealing firearms without a license isn’t some obscure, technical violation. It is unlawful conduct that has real-world impact and the potential for devastating results. The Justice Department is committed to enforcing our nation’s long-held gun laws, designed to prevent firearms from falling into the wrong hands.”
“The thoroughness of this investigation shows the dedication of ATF and all of its law enforcement partners,” said Special Agent in Charge of ATF’s Dallas Field Division Jeffrey C. Boshek II. “This plea shows that people engaged in the business of manufacturing and selling firearms must do so lawfully to prevent prohibited persons from acquiring them. ATF provides potential dealers a straightforward way of becoming licensed without extensive complications or burdens.”
According to plea papers, Mr. Braziel admitted he sold Midland Odessa shooter Seth Aaron Ator an AR-15-style rifle on October 8, 2016 – nearly three years before Mr. Ator used the gun to murder seven people and wound 25 more.
Mr. Ator, who had been adjudicated “mentally defective” and was therefore legally prohibited from possessing firearms, first attempted to purchase a gun from a sporting goods store, but was rejected after the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) flagged his mental status. He later circumvented the NICS system by purchasing a gun from Mr. Braziel, who elected not to run background checks on any of his buyers.
Background checks are not necessarily required for in-state, private transfers. However, Mr. Braziel admitted he was “engaged in the business of selling firearms” – repeatedly devoting time and attention to purchasing and reselling guns for pecuniary gain – and thus should have been licensed and conducting background checks.
In his plea papers, Mr. Braziel admitted he routinely bought firearm firing mechanisms (termed “lower receivers”), used milling equipment to build them into full-fledged guns, and then sold the completed weapons for roughly $100 - $200 profit. He said he typically listed his firearms for sale on Armslist.com and conducted the sales in the parking lot of a local sporting goods store or out of his garage.
In a four-year span, Mr. Braziel inadvertently sold firearms to four prohibited persons: a convicted felon, an man under felony indictment, an immigrant in the U.S. illegally, and Mr. Ator, a man who the courts deemed unfit to possess a firearm.
Agents traced the lower receiver of the gun Mr. Braziel sold to Mr. Ator to Mulehead Dans, a federally licensed firearm dealer in Lubbock. The owner of Mulehead Dans confirmed that Mr. Braziel often purchased lower receivers and firearms there.
In addition to concealing his unlicensed dealing, Mr. Braziel admitted he also concealed the income from his firearms sales from the IRS.
“The prosecution of individuals who intentionally conceal income and file false returns is a vital element of IRS Criminal Investigation’s enforcement strategy,” said IRS Criminal Investigation Special Agent in Charge Tamera Cantu. “IRS-CI is pleased with the successful resolution of this investigation due to the cooperative efforts of our law enforcement partners. This case shows there is no tolerance for illegal actions such as those taken by Mr. Braziel.”
Mr. Braziel now faces up to faces up to five years in federal prison. His sentencing has been set for January 7, 2021, at 10:00 a.m.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, IRS-Criminal Investigations Division, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Homeland Security Investigations, the United States Postal Inspection Service, the Texas Department of Public Safety, and the Lubbock Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey Haag, NDTX’s West Texas Branch Chief, is prosecuting the case.
Man Traveling from the Dominican Republic Indicted after Presenting False Passport at Boston Logan AirportRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A man traveling from the Dominican Republic under an assumed identity was indicted by a federal grand jury today in Boston for attempting to enter the United States using a false U.S. passport.
The defendant, whose identity has not yet been confirmed and who was charged as John Doe, was indicted on one count of misuse of a passport and one count of aggravated identity theft. The defendant was arrested and charged by criminal complaint in March 2020, and has been detained since that time.
As alleged in the charging documents, the defendant arrived at Boston Logan International Airport on a commercial flight from the Dominican Republic on March 4, 2020. While attempting to pass inspection by Customs and Border Protection, he provided officers a U.S. passport bearing his image, but the name, date of birth and Social Security number of a different person.
An investigation revealed that the defendant allegedly applied for the passport in November 2019 in Brighton. In the application, he fraudulently listed the personal identifying information of a United States citizen from Puerto Rico. He also attached a copy of the citizen’s birth certificate in support of the application.
The charge of aggravated identity theft provides for a mandatory sentence of two years in prison to be served consecutive to any other sentence imposed, up to one year of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. The charge of misuse of a passport provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
United States attorney Andrew E. Lelling and William B. Gannon, Special Agent in Charge of the Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service, Boston Field Office made the announcement. Assistance was provided by Customs and Border Protection and Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Fred M. Wyshak, III of Lelling’s Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Long Island Chiropractor Charged with Health Care FraudRead the Press Release
A complaint was unsealed today in federal court in Brooklyn charging Joseph Stephan, a chiropractor licensed by New York State, with health care fraud for submitting false claims to the U.S. Department of Labor’s (DOL) Office of Workers Compensation Programs (OWCP) for services that were not actually rendered. Stephan was arrested this morning and will make his initial appearance this afternoon before United States Magistrate Judge Vera M. Scanlon.
Seth D. DuCharme, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, Michael Mikulka, Special Agent-in-Charge, U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General (DOL-OIG), and Matthew Modafferi, Special Agent-in-Charge, United States Postal Service, Office of the Inspector General (USPS-OIG), announced the arrest and charges.
“As alleged, Stephan abused the trust of an important federal benefit program for employees injured on the job by billing for numerous fraudulent claims, including those for an undercover Special Agent investigating the defendant,” stated Acting United States Attorney DuCharme. “This Office will continue working closely with our law enforcement partners to hold healthcare providers accountable for fraud and abuse.”
“Medical providers who submit false claims to DOL’s OWCP and other federal health care programs for medically unnecessary services are putting illegal profits above patients’ safety. We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners and OWCP to protect the integrity of DOL’s benefit programs,” stated DOL-OIG Special Agent-in-Charge Mikulka.
“The U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General is dedicated to protecting the public’s safety and the U.S. Postal Service,” stated USPIS-OIG Special Agent-in-Charge Modafferi. “The Special Agents of the USPS OIG will tirelessly investigate and seek justice against those who choose to defraud federal benefit programs and put profits above the safety of their patients. The USPS OIG is thankful for the great longstanding relationships we have developed with our law enforcement partners and the U.S. Attorney’s Office to combat healthcare frauds.”
Stephan has been enrolled in OWCP since 2008. Certain federal employees, including employees of the United States Postal Service, who become disabled due to occupational injuries sustained during the performance of their official duties qualify for OWCP benefits. As charged in the criminal complaint, Stephan fraudulently billed OWCP for services (i) provided to patients on dates when the patients did not visit him, and (ii) that were not in fact provided during patient visits. The complaint also alleges that Stephan fraudulently billed OWCP for services purportedly provided to a USPS-OIG special agent posing as a postal employee on 23 dates when, in fact, the undercover agent did not have an appointment or meet with him.
The charges in the complaint are allegations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. If convicted, Stephan faces a statutory maximum of 10 years’ imprisonment.
The case is being investigated by DOL-OIG and USPS-OIG, and was brought by the Medicare Fraud Strike Force, under the supervision of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York. Trial Attorney Sarah Wilson Rocha of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section is prosecuting the case.
The Defendant:
JOSEPH STEPHAN
Age: 50
Farmingdale, New YorkE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 20-MJ-855
Liberty Man Charged with Illegal FirearmsRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Liberty, Missouri, man has been charged in federal court with illegally possessing firearms.
Aaron S. Calton, 43, was charged in a criminal complaint filed in the U.S. District Court in Kansas City, Missouri, on Friday, Oct. 2, with two counts of being a felon in possession of a firearm. Calton remains in federal custody without bond.
According to an affidavit filed in support of the federal criminal complaint, Calton sold 3.5 grams of methamphetamine to a confidential law enforcement source for $100 on Aug. 23, 2020. Law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Calton’s residence on Oct. 1, 2020. As Calton attempted to flee from the residence, the affidavit says, he threw a loaded Smith and Wesson 9mm pistol into the woods near the residence. Calton was taken into custody and the pistol was recovered. Another man who fled on foot was apprehended and a woman at the residence was also taken into custody. Officers seized 15 grams of methamphetamine and a sawed-off Mossberg pump action 20-gauge shotgun from the residence.
Calton had also been arrested while in possession of a firearm on April 6, 2020, during an investigation into his alleged plan to assault a Branson, Missouri, woman whom he believed had stolen a large quantity of methamphetamine from him. The intended victim, according to the affidavit, told law enforcement that Calton threatened to shoot her in the legs and break out all of her teeth in an attempt to compel her to say where the stolen methamphetamine was located.
Calton was a passenger in a vehicle that was stopped by a sergeant with the Missouri State Highway Patrol on Interstate 49 on April 6, 2020. The sergeant searched the vehicle and found a loaded Ruger .380-caliber pistol on the floorboard of the front passenger seat, where Calton had been seated. Calton also had six additional .380-caliber rounds of ammunition in his pocket.
Under federal law, it is illegal for anyone who has been convicted of a felony to be in possession of any firearm or ammunition. Calton has prior felony convictions for burglary/stealing and assault.
The charges contained in this complaint are simply accusations, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charges must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney D. Michael Green. It was investigated by the Missouri State Highway Patrol, the Liberty, Mo., Police Department, the Clay County Drug Unit and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Project Safe Neighborhoods
The U.S. Attorney’s Office is partnering with federal, state, and local law enforcement to specifically identify criminals responsible for significant violent crime in the Western District of Missouri. A centerpiece of this effort is Project Safe Neighborhoods, a program that brings together all levels of law enforcement to reduce violent crime and make neighborhoods safer for everyone. Project Safe Neighborhoods is an evidence-based program that identifies the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develops comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, Project Safe Neighborhoods focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.Lewiston Man Sentenced to 6 Years for Federal Firearms ChargesRead the Press Release
COEUR D'ALENE – Bren Allen Goodnight, 31, of Lewiston, was sentenced in U.S. District Court to six years in federal prison for unlawful possession of a firearm and unlawful possession of ammunition, U.S. Attorney Bart M. Davis announced today. U.S. District Judge David C. Nye also ordered Goodnight serve three years of supervised release following his prison sentence, and stated his intent to sentence Goodnight to an additional three years of supervised release if he violated the terms imposed by the Court. Goodnight pleaded guilty to the charges on July 16, 2020.
According to court records, Lewiston Police Department detectives contacted Goodnight in March 2019, outside a Lewiston grocery store. Detectives developed probable cause to believe that drugs were within the vehicle Goodnight was driving and searched the vehicle. Detectives located and seized a Glock handgun and ammunition. Goodnight could not possess the firearm or ammunition because he had previously been convicted of a felony drug offense in Asotin County, Washington.
The investigation showed that Goodnight obtained this firearm from Benjamin Negrete. In July 2020, Negrete was sentenced to 37 months in federal prison followed by six years of supervised release, for possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute. Lewiston PD detectives also investigated that case.
Multiple law enforcement agencies contributed to the investigation and prosecution of this case including the Lewiston Police Department, Nez Perce County Prosecutor’s Office, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Quad Cities Drug Task Force. The Quad Cities Drug Task Force is a multi-jurisdictional group of law enforcement officers working together to target drug trafficking in Lewiston and Moscow, Idaho, and Clarkston and Pullman, Washington.
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.
Las Vegas Man Sentenced to Prison for Fraudulent Tax Return SchemeRead the Press Release
A Las Vegas, Nevada, man was sentenced to 70 months in prison for conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud, announced Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Richard E. Zuckerman, U.S. Attorney Nicholas A. Trutanich for the District of Nevada, and Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation Special Agent in Charge Tara Sullivan.
On Aug. 22, 2018, a federal jury in Las Vegas found Terry Williamson guilty of conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1349.
The evidence at trial proved that Williamson played a leading role in a mail and wire fraud conspiracy from January 2009 through April 2011. As part of the scheme, Williamson’s co-conspirators filed false tax returns with the IRS to fraudulently obtain tax refunds. They used the names and social security numbers of deceased taxpayers in order to facilitate the fraud.
To handle the fraudulently obtained refund checks, Williamson opened a bank account using the business name Refund and Rebates Management Inc. (Refund and Rebates). After Williamson or his compatriots deposited the refund checks into the Refund and Rebates bank account, Williamson transferred large amounts of cash to his personal account and to the accounts of his co-conspirators, and used the remaining funds in the account for his own personal enrichment, including a $60,000 fully loaded pick-up truck. More than 480 fraudulent tax refund checks totaling almost $2 million were deposited into Williamson’s account.
In addition to the term of imprisonment imposed, U.S. District Judge Miranda Du ordered Williamson to serve one year of supervised release.
Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Zuckerman and U.S. Attorney Trutanich commended special agents of IRS-Criminal Investigation, who investigated the case, and Trial Attorney Sarah Kiewlicz of the Tax Division and AUSA John Mulcahy (former Tax Division Trial Attorney), who prosecuted the case.
Additional information about the Tax Division and its enforcement efforts may be found on the division’s website.
Las Vegas Man Sentenced to Prison for Fraudulent Tax Return SchemeRead the Press Release
LAS VEGAS, Nev. – A Las Vegas, Nevada, man was sentenced to 70 months in prison for conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud, announced Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Richard E. Zuckerman, U.S. Attorney Nicholas A. Trutanich for the District of Nevada, and Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation Special Agent in Charge Tara Sullivan.
On Aug. 22, 2018, a federal jury in Las Vegas found Terry Williamson guilty of conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1349.
The evidence at trial proved that Williamson played a leading role in a mail and wire fraud conspiracy from January 2009 through April 2011. As part of the scheme, Williamson’s co-conspirators filed false tax returns with the IRS to fraudulently obtain tax refunds. They used the names and social security numbers of deceased taxpayers in order to facilitate the fraud.
To handle the fraudulently obtained refund checks, Williamson opened a bank account using the business name Refund and Rebates Management Inc. (Refund and Rebates). After Williamson or his compatriots deposited the refund checks into the Refund and Rebates bank account, Williamson transferred large amounts of cash to his personal account and to the accounts of his co-conspirators, and used the remaining funds in the account for his own personal enrichment, including a $60,000 fully loaded pick-up truck. More than 480 fraudulent tax refund checks totaling almost $2 million were deposited into Williamson’s account.
In addition to the term of imprisonment imposed, U.S. District Judge Miranda Du ordered Williamson to serve one year of supervised release.
Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Zuckerman and U.S. Attorney Trutanich commended special agents of IRS-Criminal Investigation, who investigated the case, and Trial Attorney Sarah Kiewlicz of the Tax Division and AUSA John Mulcahy (former Tax Division Trial Attorney), who prosecuted the case.
Additional information about the Tax Division and its enforcement efforts may be found on the division’s website.
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Las Vegas Man Sentenced to Eight Years in Prison for Trading Child Pornography over Instant Messaging ApplicationRead the Press Release
LAS VEGAS, Nev. — A Las Vegas resident who admitted to receiving and distributing child pornography over Kik Messenger with other users was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge James C. Mahan to eight years in federal prison to be followed by lifetime supervised release, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas A. Trutanich for the District of Nevada.
Dustin Randall, 25, pleaded guilty in December 2019 to one count of receipt of child pornography and one count of distribution of child pornography. In addition to the terms of imprisonment and supervised release, Randall will be required to register as a sex offender and comply with all requirements under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act, as well as follow applicable registration requirements imposed by state law.
According to court documents, between June 10 and 12, 2017, Randall — using Kik user account “dustinwr31” — traded numerous child pornography files with another Kik user, “funnseeker24.” Funnseeker24 sent Randall five cloud storage links containing hundreds of images and videos of child pornography, and Randall sent Funnseeker24 two links containing over a hundred files of child pornography.
The charges resulted from an investigation by the FBI's Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force and the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Bianca Pucci and Christopher Burton prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and 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 http://www.justice.gov/psc.
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Kingsport Man Sentenced to 20 Years on Firearm and Methamphetamine ChargesRead the Press Release
GREENEVILLE, Tenn. – Following the conviction on October 2, 2020, Larry W. Hutchins, 37, of Kingsport, was sentenced to 20 years in federal prison by the Honorable Clifton L. Corker, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee at Greeneville, for his participation in the distribution of methamphetamine and the possession of firearms.
On March 28, 2018, Kingsport Police Officers encountered the defendant at Model City Apartments. The defendant, an armed career criminal, was in possession of two loaded firearms. On June 10, 2018, Sullivan County Sheriff’s deputy responded to a call for service by a citizen. Upon arrival, the deputy found the defendant standing in the roadway near the house. The deputy was aware that the defendant had an outstanding warrant for his arrest. During a search of the defendant, the deputy located more than 10 grams of methamphetamine, which was packaged individually for resale.
“Prosecuting those who violate federal gun laws is one of our top priorities. Our office is committed to working side by side with the community and law enforcement partners to rid these neighborhoods of violent offenders and reduce crime in our communities,” said U.S. Attorney Overbey.
ATF Acting Special Agent in Charge, Toby Taylor remarked, “ATF’s Crime Gun Intelligence partnerships as part of Project Guardian focuses on the devastating impact of firearms violence and works with the entire community to provide a safe environment.”
Hutchins entered a plea of guilty to possession of a firearm by a felon, and to possession of over five grams of methamphetamine with the intent to distribute. Hutchins received 240 months in prison, followed by five years’ of supervised release. Hutchins’s related cases in Sullivan County were dismissed upon his sentencing.
The criminal indictment resulted from investigations of the Kingsport Police Department (KPD), Sullivan County Sheriff’s Office (SCSO), and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).
Assistant U.S. Attorney Todd Martin represented the United States in court.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a comprehensive national strategy that creates local partnerships with law enforcement agencies to enforce existing gun laws. It provides more options to prosecutors, allowing them to use local, state, and federal laws to ensure that criminals who commit gun crime face tough sentences. PSN gives each federal district the flexibility it needs to focus on individual challenges that a specific community faces.
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Justice Department Charges 500+ Domestic Violence-Related Firearm Cases in Fiscal Year 2020Read the Press Release
Today, the Justice Department announced it has charged more than 500 domestic violence cases involving firearms during Fiscal Year (FY) 2020. A department priority since 2019 when Attorney General William P. Barr created the Department of Justice’s first ever-Domestic Violence Working Group, these charges are the result of the critical law enforcement partnership between U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, led by Acting Director Regina Lombardo, who has made domestic violence firearms-related investigations a priority.
“Keeping firearms out of the hands of dangerous criminal offenders is one of the Department of Justice’s top priorities,” said Attorney General Barr. “This is especially important when it comes to individuals with prior domestic violence convictions. The statistics are clear that when domestic violence offenders have access to guns, their partners and their families are at much greater risk of falling victim to gun violence. In fact, in some communities across America, roughly half of the homicides are related to domestic violence. The Department of Justice is committed to keeping guns out of the hands of those who are prohibited from having them, and we will continue investigating and prosecuting all domestic violence firearms related crimes.”
“According to the CDC, data suggests that about one in six homicide victims are killed by an intimate partner,” said ATF Acting Director Lombardo. “Nearly half of female homicide victims in the U.S. are killed by a current or former male intimate partner. ATF is committed to aggressively pursuing prohibited possession of firearms due to domestic violence convictions and certain protective orders. It is another way we prevent violent gun crime within our communities.”
Under federal law, individuals with domestic violence misdemeanor and felony convictions, as well as individuals subject to domestic violence protective orders, are prohibited from possessing firearms. The data shows that offenders with domestic violence in their past pose a high risk of homicide. In fact, domestic violence abusers with a gun in the home are five times more likely to kill their partners.
The Working Group, chaired by U.S. Attorney Erin Nealy Cox, of the Northern District of Texas, disseminates legal guidance on keeping guns out of the hands of domestic violence abusers using three federal statutes:
- 18 USC § 922 (g)(1), felon in possession of a firearm
- 18 USC § 922 (g)(9), possession of a firearm by a prohibited person (misdemeanor crime of domestic violence)
- 18 USC § 922 (g)(8), possession of a firearm while subject to a domestic violence protective order
Based on the Working Group’s guidance, in FY 2020, U.S. Attorneys’ Offices nationwide brought 337 domestic violence felon-in-possession charges, 54 possession while subject to a protective order charges, and 142 possession by a prohibited person charges.
For more information on domestic violence or to get help, visit the National Domestic Violence Hotline website or call 1-800-799-SAFE (7233).
Jury Convicts Three Time Felon of Illegally Possessing A Firearm and AmmunitionRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – A federal jury has found Valdez Williams (61, Altamonte Springs) guilty of one count of possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon. Williams faces a minimum mandatory penalty of 15 years, and up to life, in federal prison. His sentencing hearing is scheduled for December 28, 2020.
Williams had been indicted on November 20, 2019.
According to evidence presented at trial, during the execution of a search warrant at his apartment, law enforcement officers recovered a .380 caliber firearm and ammunition from a safe in Williams’s bedroom. The officers also found a plate of cocaine base and stolen property in the apartment. Williams admitted that he sold cocaine base and had purchased the stolen property, and he said that he had obtained the firearm for protection because his apartment had been burglarized about a month earlier.
Williams was prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition under federal law both because he had prior felony convictions and because he was still on federal supervised released.
This case was investigated by the Seminole County Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Daniel P. Jancha and Karen L. Gable.
This is another case prosecuted as part of the Department of Justice’s “Project Safe Neighborhoods” Program (PSN), which is a nationwide, crime reduction strategy aimed at decreasing violent crime in communities. It involves a comprehensive approach to public safety — one that includes investigating and prosecuting crimes, along with prevention and reentry efforts. In the Middle District of Florida, U.S. Attorney Maria Chapa Lopez coordinates PSN efforts in cooperation with various federal, state, and local law enforcement officials.
Judge sentences St. Louis doctor for distribution of child pornographyRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS, MO – United States District Judge John A. Ross sentenced Dr. Ashu Joshi to 96 months in prison for distribution of child pornography. The 48-year-old St. Louis resident pleaded guilty in September.
Dr. Joshi was 46 years old when he began a relationship with a 16-year-old Kentucky girl who Dr. Joshi met through her mother, a former patient of the doctor’s in Kentucky. The doctor and victim had sex and took pornographic pictures, exchanging photos over Facebook messenger.
In October 2018, a St. Louis County Police Officer received four cyber-tips from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children regarding Dr. Joshi. The tips were first directed to the Bowling Green, Kentucky Police Department, which then asked St. Louis County Police for help after investigators learned Dr. Joshi lived in St. Louis County. Investigators learned from the tips that between August and September 2018, a Facebook account linked to Doctor Joshi uploaded and sent several pictures containing child pornography. The investigators then gathered and developed evidence which led to the charges against Dr. Joshi.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation, St. Louis County Police Department and the Regional Computer Crimes Education and Enforcement Group investigated this case. Assistant United States Attorney Colleen Lang and Investigator Donya Jackson handled the case for the United States Attorney’s Office.
Irondequoit Man Going to Prison for 30 Years for Producing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
CONTACT: Barbara Burns
PHONE: (716) 843-5817
FAX #: (716) 551-3051ROCHESTER, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy, Jr. announced today that Logan Nedo, 34, of Irondequoit, NY, who was convicted of producing child pornography, was sentenced to serve 30 years in prison by U.S. District Judge Elizabeth A. Wolford.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kyle P. Rossi, who handled the case, stated that on May 19, 2019, Nedo turned himself in to the Brighton Police Department after allegedly sexually abusing two minor children. After discovering that the abuse primarily took place in the Town of Irondequoit, the Brighton Police Department turned Nedo over to the Irondequoit Police Department. Irondequoit Police continued the investigation, which ultimately led to the arrest of the defendant on state charges involving the physical sexual abuse of the children.
During their investigation, Irondequoit investigators discovered that Nedo had produced and saved videos and images of the abuse. As a result, several electronic items were seized from the defendant’s home and person turned over to the FBI Child Exploitation Task Force for processing. In addition to videos and photographs depicting the sexual abuse of the minor victims, approximately 2,500 images of unrelated child pornography were also discovered.
The sentencing is the result of an investigation by the Irondequoit Police Department, under the direction of chief Alan Laird; the Brighton Police Department, under the direction of Chief David Catholdi; and the Federal Bureau of Investigations Child Exploitation Task Force, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Stephen Belongia. Additional assistance was provided by the Regional Computer Forensics Laboratory and the Bivona Child Advocacy Center. Nedo is also facing a parallel New York State prosecution by the Monroe County District Attorney’s Office.
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ISIS Militants Charged with Deaths of Americans in SyriaRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – Two militant fighters for the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS), a foreign terrorist organization, are expected to arrive here today in FBI custody on charges related to their participation in a brutal hostage-taking scheme that resulted in the deaths of four American citizens, as well as the deaths of British and Japanese nationals, in Syria.
Former British citizens Alexanda Amon Kotey, 36, and El Shafee Elsheikh, 32, are expected to make their initial appearances here in federal court this afternoon.
“These charges are the product of many years of hard work in pursuit of justice for our citizens slain by ISIS,” said William P. Barr, Attorney General of the United States. “Although we cannot bring them back, we can and will seek justice for them, their families, and for all Americans. Our message to other terrorists around the world is this — if you harm Americans, you will face American arms on the battlefield or American law in our courtrooms. Either way, you will be pursued to the ends of the earth until justice is done.”
According to allegations in the indictment, from 2012 to 2015, Kotey, Elsheikh, Mohamed Emwazi (deceased), and a fourth British citizen (CC-1) currently incarcerated in Turkey, were ISIS fighters and participated in the abduction of American and European hostages in Syria. The men also allegedly engaged in a prolonged pattern of physical and psychological violence against the hostages, including against American citizens James Wright Foley, Kayla Jean Mueller, Steven Joel Sotloff, and Peter Edward Kassig. Due to their English accents and their history together in the United Kingdom, the four men were often referred to by hostages as “The Beatles.”
“Kotey and Elsheikh are alleged to have committed horrific crimes in support of ISIS, including hostage taking resulting in the deaths of four American citizens,” said G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. “Their alleged acts have shattered the lives of four American families. What each of these families have sought more than anything else is for these defendants to have their day in court. Well, that day has come. While we cannot return their loved ones or undo the pain that these families face each day, we can do everything possible to ensure that the defendants are held accountable for their alleged savage actions.”
From August 2014 through October 2014, ISIS released videos depicting Emwazi’s barbaric beheadings of Foley, Sotloff, and British citizens David Haines and Alan Henning. In November 2014, ISIS released a video depicting the decapitated head of Kassig. In January 2015, ISIS released videos with images of two dead Japanese citizens.
“Today, we remember the victims, Jim Foley, Steven Sotloff, Peter Kassig, and Kayla Mueller, and their families who are forever affected by these senseless acts of violence,” said Christopher Wray, FBI Director. “These families have suffered with the painful loss of their loved ones at the hands of brutal killers; today’s charges demonstrate the FBI’s dedication and commitment to giving them the justice they deserve. We, along with our partners in the U.S. Government, remain steadfast in our duty to bring to justice those who have harmed our citizens — no matter where they are, and no matter how long it takes. I’m grateful to the men and women of the FBI, the victims’ families, and our domestic and international partners, for their tireless efforts to bring us to where we stand today with the prosecution of these men on U.S. soil.”
According to allegations in the indictment, Kotey, Elsheikh, and Emwazi worked closely with Abu Muhammed al-Adnani, a former leading commander of ISIS and chief media spokesperson. Until he was killed by the United States military in August 2016, Adnani reported directly to Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, the former self-proclaimed leader of ISIS. Baghdadi was killed during a United States military operation in Syria in October 2019.
“The indictments of Alexanda Kotey and Elshafee Elsheikh are the result of more than eight years of tireless work by the FBI Washington Field Office and personnel across the U.S. Government and the international law enforcement community,” said James A. Dawson, Acting Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Washington Field Office. “These individuals allegedly conducted a litany of heinous and barbaric crimes as part of their duties as members of ISIS and for too long, the families of their victims have suffered while awaiting the day they would finally see justice for their loved ones. The men and women of the FBI remain dedicated to bringing the full force of the US justice system upon those who harm our citizens in furtherance of terrorism.”
According to allegations in the indictment, Kotey, Elsheikh, and Emwazi met repeatedly with Adnani concerning the hostage taking scheme and other matters. Between November 2012 and February 2015, Kotey, Elsheikh, Emwazi, and other ISIS fighters committed acts inflicting pain, suffering, cruelty and mistreatment on American, British, European, and other hostages in captivity, including murders; forced witnessing of murders; mock executions; shocks to the torso and extremities with an electric taser; and forced “rumbles” where all hostages were placed in a room and forced to fight one another, among others.
Throughout the captivity of the American hostages and others, Kotey, Elsheikh, and Emwazi allegedly supervised detention facilities holding hostages and were responsible for transferring hostages between detention facilities, in addition to engaging in a prolonged pattern of physical and psychological violence against hostages. From November 2013 to February 2015, Kotey and Elsheikh allegedly coordinated the Western-hostage ransom negotiations conducted by email. Kotey and Elsheikh knew and understood that the release of American and other hostages was conditioned on the transfer of large sums of money or concessions from the United States government, such as the release of Muslim prisoners. The email communications to the families of the American victims were written with clear English using British phrases and idioms, as well as other phrases and language used by Kotey and Elsheikh.
According to allegations in the indictment, on or about April 25, 2014, Kotey, Elsheikh, and Emwazi forcibly moved the Italian, Danish, and German citizens, along with two other European humanitarian aid workers, to an isolated area approximately two miles from their prison to witness the execution of Syrian prisoner. Kotey and Elsheikh knew and understood this execution was part of the hostage negotiation process. Emwazi executed the Syrian prisoner by shooting him in the back of the head and then numerous times in the torso as he fell into a grave. Kotey instructed the hostages to kneel at the side of the grave and witness the execution while holding handmade signs pleading for their release. Elsheikh videotaped the execution of the Syrian hostage, and after the execution the three men returned the European hostages to the prison with Elsheikh telling one hostage, “You’re next, [First name].”
The indictment alleges that ISIS fighters also forcibly seized the following individuals: Two United Kingdom citizens, an Italian citizen, a Danish citizen, a German citizen, four French citizens, three Spanish citizens, a New Zealand citizen, and a Russian citizen.
Kotey and Elsheikh were captured together in January 2018 by the Syrian Democratic Forces as they attempted to escape Syria for Turkey. Emwazi was killed in a United States military airstrike conducted in November 2015 in Syria.
The American Victims
James Wright Foley – In November 2012, Kotey, Elsheikh, Emwazi, and other ISIS fighters forcibly seized and detained Foley, a citizen of both the United States and the United Kingdom. On or about Aug. 19, 2014, ISIS’s media center released a video depicting Emwazi beheading Foley.
Kayla Jean Mueller – In August 2013, ISIS fighters forcibly seized and detained Mueller in Syria. Beginning in or about October 2014, Baghdadi sexually abused Mueller against her will while she was held captive in Syria. On or about Feb. 7, 2015, Mueller’s family received an email from ISIS fighters confirming Mueller’s death in Syria.
Steven Joel Sotloff – In August 2013, ISIS fighters forcibly seized and detained Sotloff in Syria. On or about Sept. 2, 2014, ISIS’s media center released a video depicting Emwazi beheading Sotloff.
Peter Edward Kassig – In October 2013, ISIS fighters forcibly seized and detained Kassig in Syria. On or about Nov. 16, 2014, ISIS’s media center released a video depicting the decapitated head of Kassig.
Kotey and Elsheikh are each charged with conspiracy to commit hostage taking resulting in death; four counts of hostage taking resulting in death; conspiracy to murder United States citizens outside of the United States; conspiracy to provide material support to terrorists — hostage taking and murder — resulting in death; and conspiracy to provide material support to a designated foreign terrorist organization resulting in death. If convicted, each defendant faces a maximum penalty of life in prison.
The Department of Justice expresses its profound appreciation to the United Kingdom government as well as the Syrian Democratic Forces for their dedicated commitment to assist the United States in seeking justice for all the victims of the alleged crimes.
This case is being investigated by the FBI’s Washington Field Office. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs are providing assistance with this case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Dennis M. Fitzpatrick, First Assistant U.S. Attorney Raj Parekh, and Assistant U.S. Attorneys John T. Gibbs and Aidan Taft Grano are handling the prosecution, with the assistance of Trial Attorney Alicia Cook of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section (CTS) and CTS Deputy Chief Bridget Behling.
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.
An indictment is merely an accusation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty.
ISIS Militants Charged with Deaths of Americans in SyriaRead the Press Release
Two militant fighters for the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS), a foreign terrorist organization, are expected to arrive in the United States today in FBI custody on charges related to their participation in a brutal hostage-taking scheme that resulted in the deaths of four American citizens, as well as the deaths of British and Japanese nationals, in Syria.
Former British citizens Alexanda Amon Kotey, 36, and El Shafee Elsheikh, 32, are expected to make their initial appearances in federal court in Alexandria, Virginia this afternoon.
“These charges are the product of many years of hard work in pursuit of justice for our citizens slain by ISIS. Although we cannot bring them back, we can and will seek justice for them, their families, and for all Americans,” said Attorney General William P. Barr. “Our message to other terrorists around the world is this — if you harm Americans, you will face American arms on the battlefield or American law in our courtrooms. Either way, you will be pursued to the ends of the earth until justice is done.”
“Today, we remember the victims, Jim Foley, Steven Sotloff, Peter Kassig, and Kayla Mueller, and their families who are forever affected by these senseless acts of violence,” said FBI Director Christopher Wray. “These families have suffered with the painful loss of their loved ones at the hands of brutal killers; today's charges demonstrate the FBI's dedication and commitment to giving them the justice they deserve. We, along with our partners in the U.S. Government, remain steadfast in our duty to bring to justice those who have harmed our citizens -- no matter where they are, and no matter how long it takes. I'm grateful to the men and women of the FBI, the victims' families, and our domestic and international partners, for their tireless efforts to bring us to where we stand today with the prosecution of these men on U.S. soil.”
According to allegations in the indictment, from 2012 to 2015, Kotey, Elsheikh, Mohamed Emwazi (deceased), and a fourth British citizen (CC-1) currently incarcerated in Turkey, were ISIS fighters and participated in the abduction of American and European hostages in Syria. The men also allegedly engaged in a prolonged pattern of physical and psychological violence against the hostages, including against American citizens James Wright Foley, Kayla Jean Mueller, Steven Joel Sotloff, and Peter Edward Kassig. Due to their English accents and their history together in the United Kingdom, the four men were often referred to by hostages as “The Beatles”.
From August 2014 through October 2014, ISIS released videos depicting Emwazi’s barbaric beheadings of Foley, Sotloff, and British citizens David Haines and Alan Henning. In November 2014, ISIS released a video depicting the decapitated head of Kassig. In January 2015, ISIS released videos with images of two dead Japanese citizens.
“Kotey and Elsheikh are alleged to have committed horrific crimes in support of ISIS, including hostage taking resulting in the deaths of four American citizens,” said G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. “Their alleged acts have shattered the lives of four American families. What each these families have sought more than anything else is for these defendants to have their day in court. Well, that day has come. While we cannot return their loved ones or undo the pain that these families face each day, we can do everything possible to ensure that the defendants are held accountable for their alleged savage actions.”
According to allegations in the indictment, Kotey, Elsheikh, and Emwazi, worked closely with Abu Muhammed al-Adnani, a former leading ISIS commander and chief media spokesperson. Until he was killed in a United States military airstrike in August 2016, Adnani reported directly to Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, the former self-proclaimed leader of ISIS. Baghdadi was killed during a United States military operation in Syria in October 2019.
“The indictments of Alexanda Kotey and Elshafee Elsheikh are the result of more than eight years of tireless work by the FBI Washington Field Office and personnel across the U.S. Government and the international law enforcement community,” said Acting Assistant Director in Charge James A. Dawson, FBI Washington Field Office. “These individuals allegedly conducted a litany of heinous and barbaric crimes as part of their duties as members of ISIS and for too long, the families of their victims have suffered while awaiting the day they would finally see justice for their loved ones. The men and women of the FBI remain dedicated to bringing the full force of the US justice system upon those who harm our citizens in furtherance of terrorism.”
Kotey, Elsheikh, and Emwazi met repeatedly with Adnani concerning the hostage-taking scheme and other matters. Between November 2012 and February 2015, Kotey, Elsheikh, Emwazi, and other ISIS fighters committed acts inflicting pain, suffering, cruelty and mistreatment on American, British, and other hostages in captivity.
Throughout the captivity of the American hostages and others, Kotey, Elsheikh, and Emwazi allegedly supervised detention facilities holding hostages and were responsible for transferring hostages between detention facilities, in addition to engaging in a prolonged pattern of physical and psychological violence against hostages. From November 2013 to February 2015, Kotey and Elsheikh allegedly coordinated the Western-hostage ransom negotiations conducted by email. Kotey and Elsheikh knew and understood that the release of American and other hostages was conditioned on the transfer of large sums of money or concessions from the United States government, such as the release of Muslim prisoners.
According to allegations in the indictment, on or about April 25, 2014, Kotey, Elsheikh, and Emwazi forcibly moved the Italian, Danish, and German citizens, along with two other European humanitarian aid workers, to an isolated area approximately two miles from their prison to witness the execution of a Syrian prisoner. Kotey and Elsheikh knew and understood this execution was part of the hostage negotiation process. Emwazi executed the Syrian prisoner by shooting him in the back of the head and then numerous times in the torso as he fell into a grave. Kotey instructed the hostages to kneel at the side of the grave and witness the execution while holding handmade signs pleading for their release. Elsheikh videotaped the execution of the Syrian hostage, and after the execution the three men returned the European hostages to the prison with Elsheikh telling one hostage, “You’re next, [First name].”
The indictment alleges that ISIS fighters also forcibly seized the following additional individuals: Two United Kingdom citizens, an Italian citizen, a Danish citizen, a German citizen, four French citizens, three Spanish citizens, a New Zealand citizen, and a Russian citizen.
Kotey and Elsheikh were captured together in January 2018 by the Syrian Democratic Forces as they attempted to escape Syria for Turkey. Emwazi was killed in a United States military airstrike conducted in November 2015 in Syria.
The American Victims
James Wright Foley – In November 2012, Kotey, Elsheikh, Emwazi, and other ISIS fighters forcibly seized and detained Foley, a citizen of both the United States and the United Kingdom. On or about Aug. 19, 2014, ISIS’s media center released a video depicting Emwazi beheading Foley.
Kayla Jean Mueller – In August 2013, ISIS fighters forcibly seized and detained Mueller in Syria. Beginning in or about October 2014, Baghdadi sexually abused Mueller against her will while she was held captive in Syria. On or about Feb. 7, 2015, Mueller’s family received an email from ISIS fighters confirming Mueller’s death in Syria.
Steven Joel Sotloff – In August 2013, ISIS fighters forcibly seized and detained Sotloff in Syria. On or about Sept. 2, 2014, ISIS’s media center released a video depicting Emwazi beheading Sotloff.
Peter Edward Kassig – In October 2013, ISIS fighters forcibly seized and detained Kassig in Syria. On or about Nov. 16, 2014, ISIS’s media center released a video depicting the decapitated head of Kassig.
Kotey and Elsheikh are each charged with conspiracy to commit hostage taking resulting in death; four counts of hostage taking resulting in death; conspiracy to murder United States citizens outside of the United States; conspiracy to provide material support to terrorists — hostage taking and murder — resulting in death; and conspiracy to provide material support to a designated foreign terrorist organization resulting in death. If convicted, each defendant faces a maximum penalty of life in prison.
The Department of Justice expresses its profound appreciation to the United Kingdom government as well as the Syrian Democratic Forces for their dedicated commitment to assist the United States in seeking justice for all the victims of the alleged crimes.
This case is being investigated by the FBI’s Washington Field Office. The Justice Department’s National Security Division and Office of International Affairs provided valuable assistance.
First Assistant U.S. Attorney Raj Parekh, and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Dennis M. Fitzpatrick, John T. Gibbs and Aidan Taft Grano, and Trial Attorney Alicia Cook of the National Security Division‘s Counterterrorism Section (CTS) are handling the prosecution, with the assistance of CTS Deputy Chief Bridget Behling.
An indictment is merely an accusation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty.
Gunman sentenced for shooting postal workerRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – A 25-year-old Magnolia man has been ordered to federal prison following his convictions in relation to the December 2019 shootings of a U.S. Postal Service (USPS) mail carrier and a Costco gas station attendant, announced U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Patrick.
Matthew Anthony Williams pleaded guilty June 3 to assaulting a federal employee with a deadly weapon and discharging a firearm during a crime of violence.
Today, U.S. District Judge Nancy Atlas ordered Williams to serve 100 months for the assault and a consecutive 10 years for the firearms conviction. The total 220-month sentence will be immediately followed by five years of supervised release. Williams was further ordered to pay $75,512 in restitution. In handing down the sentence, Judge Atlas noted this was one of the worst crime sprees she has seen, adding that he was lucky no one was dead from his dangerous conduct.
The court enhanced the sentence, finding Williams committed the shootings while under a court protective order for threatening behavior against his girlfriend. Judge Atlas also found Williams had obstructed justice by asking his girlfriend to retract her statement about stealing her car and handgun as well as his whereabouts during the time of the shootings. He also asked her to destroy evidence and contact the victim.
“Postal inspectors’ duties include protecting postal employees and investigating violent crimes that are committed against them,” said Adrian Gonzalez, Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), Houston Division. “These types of crimes are rare, but when someone attempts to take the life of one of our employees, USPIS will stop at nothing to identify those responsible and bring them to justice. We extend our appreciation to all our local, state and federal law enforcement partners that assisted with this investigation.”
On Dec. 28, 2019, Williams shot the USPS mail carrier while he was delivering mail in west Houston. Shortly thereafter, he drove to a Costco located at Interstate 10 and Bunker Hill and shot a gas station attendant. Both victims survived, but the mail carrier suffered permanent, debilitating injuries.
Williams has been and will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
USPIS conducted the investigation with the assistance of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; Houston Police Department and sheriff’s offices in Harris and Montgomery Counties. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Richard Hanes and Heather Winter prosecuted the case.
Gun store burglar sentenced to nearly five years in prisonRead the Press Release
Seattle - The suspect in the theft of nearly 40 firearms from two different gun stores was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Seattle to 58 months in prison for two counts of theft of firearms from a federal firearms licensee, announced U.S. Attorney Brian T. Moran. JOEY A. MAILLET, 39, pleaded guilty in February 2020. At the sentencing hearing, U.S. District Judge Richard A. Jones ordered MAILLET to serve three years of supervised release following the prison term.
In May 2019, MAILLET was identified as the suspect in the April 13, 2019, burglary of Fred’s Guns in Sequim, Clallam County, and in the May 3, 2019, burglary of All American Armory in Bow, Skagit County. According to records filed in the case, forensic evidence, including blood and fingerprints, as well as surveillance video, link MAILLET to the crimes. In Sequim, MAILLET used a backhoe to ram the doors of the store and then broke glass display cases to steal 26 firearms. MAILLET cut his arm on the glass case and left blood and fingerprints at that scene. At All American Armory in Bow, surveillance video showed MAILLET used a stolen pick-up truck to back into the doors of the store, shattering them. MAILLET then used a garbage can, stolen from the neighboring post office, to load up 13 rifles from the store and drove away with them in the stolen pick-up.
The pick-up truck was ultimately found abandoned in Birch Bay State Park in Whatcom County, Washington. Shattered glass was in the truck bed, as well as a stolen boat motor and battery. The truck was reported stolen from an agricultural operation not far from the Bow gun store, and the boat motor and battery were reported stolen by a resident of Ferndale, Washington.
On May 10, 2019, a Ferndale Police Officer encountered MAILLET and arrested him on an outstanding warrant for an Everett, Washington, burglary. After obtaining a court-authorized search warrant, investigators determined items in MAILLET’s backpack linked him to the thefts at the Bow gun store. Additionally, video from the boat motor and battery theft clearly showed MAILLET was the thief.
As for the status of the guns, prosecutors noted in their sentencing memo: “To date, seven of the handguns have been recovered by law enforcement agencies in Canada. The government does not have the full information about these recoveries, but is aware that one was recovered from a woman arrested for theft in Vancouver, BC, and another was recovered from two men arrested in Calgary, AB, with about 250 fentanyl pills and several grams of methamphetamine.” None of the rifles taken in the Bow gun store burglary have been recovered.
Under the terms of the plea agreement, MAILLET is to pay restitution to both stores for the damages to the buildings and the value of the guns. MAILLET is also responsible for damages to the businesses from which he stole the truck and backhoe used in the burglaries. He also will pay restitution to the owner of the stolen boat motor and battery.
At the sentencing hearing, the owners of Fred’s Guns told the judge the burglary had severely impacted their business and their family’s sense of security and wellbeing.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives (ATF), with assistance from the Clallam County Sheriff’s Office, Sequim Police Department, Washington State Patrol, Skagit County Sheriff’s Office, Ferndale Police Department, and Washington State Parks Rangers.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Erin H. Becker.
Grand jury indicts St. Louis County man accused of producing child pornographyRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS, MO –A federal grand jury indicted Mark A. Bennett on one count of sexual exploitation of a child. The 47-year old is a resident of Ferguson, Missouri.
The investigation revealed Bennett to be in possession of more than 750 videos and images of child pornography involving children who appeared to be under the age of 12 years. Further, the investigation revealed that Bennett sexually abused a child who was under the age of twelve years, and produced child pornography by photographing his abuse of that child.
During the years that Bennett sexually abused the minor victim, Bennett was employed as a school security officer by the Ferguson-Florissant School District. Bennett was not a member of law enforcement nor employed by any police department.
Bennett faces a minimum punishment of 15 years imprisonment and a fine of up to $250,000. Charges set forth in the indictment are merely accusations and do not constitute proof of guilt. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation, Missouri Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force and the St. Louis County Police Department Special Investigations Unit investigated this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jillian Anderson is handling the case.
Law enforcement is requesting community assistance in identifying further victims. Anyone with information is asked to please contact the St. Louis County Special Investigations Unit at 314-615-8618.
Franklin County man pleads guilty to production of child pornographyRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS, MO – United States District Judge Henry E. Autrey accepted a plea, today, from Gabriel Trevino. The 35 year old pleaded guilty to the production of child pornography.
According to the plea agreement, between November 11, 2019 and November 18, 2019, Trevino stayed at the residence of a woman he was in a relationship with. After noticing a red light on the side of a picture frame in her children’s bathroom, the woman took the frame apart. She found a hidden camera with a SD card in a slot on the side of the picture frame.
She took the picture frame to a computer store and discovered that on the SD card were 300 video files, including some of her minor children. The woman said some of the videos of her children showed their private areas.
On November 18, 2019, the woman contacted the St. Louis County Police Department. During the Department’s investigation, Trevino admitted to placing the photo frame in the bathroom of the residence in order to attempt to record the woman. Trevino further admitted that he knew he would record the woman’s minor children in the bathroom as well.
The charge of production of child pornography carries a maximum penalty of no more than 30 years of imprisonment and a fine of no more than $250,000.
Judge Autrey has set sentencing for January 13, 2021.
The St. Louis County Police Department, the Washington Police Department, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated this case. Assistant United States Attorney Robert Livergood is handling the case for the United States Attorney’s Office.
Fort Wayne Man Sentenced to 60 Month in PrisonRead the Press Release
FORT WAYNE – Said El-Khatib, 34, of Fort Wayne, Indiana was sentenced before U.S. District Court Judge Holly A. Brady to 60 months in prison, followed by 2 years of supervised release announced U.S. Attorney Kirsch.
According to the documents in this case, from July 2018 through and including September 26, 2018, Said El-Khatib knowingly possessed a firearm after having been convicted in 2006 of Criminal Recklessness in Allen County, Indiana.
This case is the result of the investigative efforts of the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives- Fort Wayne Field Office, Indiana State Police, Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives- Toledo, Ohio Field Office, Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives Special Response Team 1, New York City Police Department Threat Assessment Protection Unit, Ohio State Police, and the Bronx, New York District Attorney’s Office The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Lesley J. Miller Lowery.
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Fort Thompson Man Charged with Sexual Abuse of a MinorRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced that a Fort Thompson, South Dakota, man has been indicted by a federal grand jury for Sexual Abuse of a Minor.
Dawson Donner, age 22, was indicted on September 9, 2020. He appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Mark A. Moreno on October 5, 2020, and pled not guilty to the Indictment.
The maximum penalty upon conviction is up to 15 years in federal prison and/or a $250,000 fine, 5 years and up to life of supervised release, and $100 to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Restitution may also be ordered.
The Indictment alleges that in February 2020, in Buffalo County on the Crow Creek Reservation, Donner knowingly engaged in, and attempted to engage in, sexual acts with two minor victims who had not attained the age of 16.
The charge is merely an accusation and Donner is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
The investigation is being conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Troy R. Morley is prosecuting the case.
Donner was released on bond pending trial. A trial date has not been set.
Former Torrington Resident Sentenced to 4 Years in Federal Prison for Trafficking Heroin and CocaineRead the Press Release
John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that HENLY FELIZ SANTIAGO, 43, a citizen of the Dominican Republic last residing in Torrington, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Victor A. Bolden in Bridgeport to 48 months of imprisonment for trafficking heroin and cocaine
According to court documents and statements made in court, in January 2018, law enforcement in Indiana seized approximately three kilograms of heroin that was being transported to Santiago, and investigators subsequently learned that Santiago was involved in the cross-country transportation of heroin and cocaine to Connecticut. On January 20, 2018, an Orange County (N.Y) Sheriff conducted a motor vehicle stop of a tractor-trailer at a toll barrier on Interstate 87 in Newburgh, New York. Saul Onzures of El Paso, Texas, was driving the truck and Francisco Castillo, also of El Paso, was a passenger in the truck. A search of the truck revealed 10 kilograms of cocaine that was destined for Santiago in Torrington.
Santiago has been detained since his arrest on November 8, 2018. On January 15, 2019, he pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute, and distribution of, one kilogram or more of heroin.
Santiago faces immigration proceedings at the conclusion of his prison term.
Onzures and Castillo pleaded guilty to related charges and were sentenced to prison terms of 27 months and 25 months, respectively.
This matter was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Orange County Sheriff’s Office. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jocelyn Courtney Kaoutzanis.
Former Special Police Officer Charged with Wire Fraud in Connection with Fraudulent Online CampaignRead the Press Release
OAKLAND – Dominic Deandre Gregory has been charged in a criminal complaint with wire fraud in connection with a scheme to raise money with an online campaign purporting to raise money for the funeral of fallen officer Patrick Underwood, announced U.S. Attorney David L. Anderson and Acting Special Agent in Charge Shawn M. Bradstreet of the U.S. Secret Service San Francisco Field Office.
According to the complaint filed September 28, 2020, and unsealed today, Gregory, 27, of Washington D.C., was a Special Police Officer in the District of Columbia when he created the online campaign. Gregory used the website GoFundMe to create the campaign and represented on the website and in communications to donors that he was a family member of Officer Patrick Underwood. Gregory also stated on the website that the campaign was created to raise money for Officer Underwood’s funeral.
Officer Underwood was a Federal Protective Service Officer who was shot and killed on May 29, 2020, while on duty guarding the federal building in Oakland, Calif. Gregory allegedly created the campaign on May 30, 2020, the day after the murder, and at times posted pleas for Underwood’s funeral, his wife, and his kids. Gregory set various fundraising goals on the website, including one for up to $90,000. According to the complaint, Gregory has no known connection to the Underwood family; also, Underwood was unmarried, and he had no children. The complaint alleges that even after the GoFundMe account was deactivated, Gregory encouraged donors to make contributions using an alternative payment service.
Gregory is charged with wire fraud, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1343.
The charges contained in the criminal complaint are mere allegations. As in any criminal case, the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law. If convicted of the charge, Gregory faces a maximum statutory sentence of 20 years imprisonment, a three-year term of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine.
Gregory made his initial federal court appearance this morning before Chief U.S. Magistrate Judge Joseph C. Spero. Chief Magistrate Judge Spero ordered Gregory released on $25,000 bond. Gregory’s next appearance is scheduled for November 2, 2020, before Magistrate Judge Jacqueline Scott Corley for a status conference.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Molly K. Priedeman is prosecuting the case with the assistance of Alexa Leisure. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the United States Secret Service.
Former School Athletic Trainer Pleads Guilty to Enticing A MinorRead the Press Release
CONTACT: Barbara Burns
PHONE: (716) 843-5817
FAX #: (716) 551-3051ROCHESTER, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy, Jr. announced today that Austin Pratt, 32, of Conesus, NY, pleaded guilty to enticement of a minor before U.S. District Judge Elizabeth A. Wolford. The charge carries a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years in prison, a maximum of life, and a $250,000 fine.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Melissa M. Marangola, who is handling the case, stated that between November 2018 and February 2019, the defendant, while working as a school athletic trainer, engaged in an ongoing relationship with the minor victim. Pratt used Instagram and Facebook to communicate with the minor, encouraging the victim to engage in a sexual relationship and to exchange sexually explicit photos with him.
The plea is the result of an investigation by the New York State Police, under the direction of Major Barry Chase; the Rochester Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Stephen Belongia; and the Livingston County District Attorney’s Office, under the direction of District Attorney Gregory J. McCaffrey.
Sentencing is scheduled for January 11, 2021, at 3:30 p.m. before Judge Wolford.
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