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12 November 2020
Macomb Township Resident Charged in COVID-19 Bank Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
A Macomb Township resident was charged in a Criminal Information for his alleged role in a scheme to fraudulently obtain approximately $931,000 from the Paycheck Protection Program, United States Attorney Matthew Schneider announced today.
Joining Schneider in the announcement were Special Agent in Charge John Crawford of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Office of Inspector General, Special Agent in Charge Douglas Zlotto of the United States Secret Service, and Special Agent in Charge Sharon Johnson of the United States Small Business Administration Office of Inspector General.
The Information charges Michael Bischoff, 60, of Macomb Township, Michigan, with one count of Bank Fraud.
According to the Information, Bischoff owned a number of pizza restaurants in Macomb County, Michigan, which operated through various corporate entities Bischoff controlled (the Bischoff entities). The Information alleges that Bischoff applied for at least nine loans on behalf of the Bischoff entities under the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). The PPP is a program overseen by the Small Business Administration designed to provide forgivable loans to small businesses affected by the coronavirus pandemic. Applicants for PPP loans apply directly to banks or financial institutions participating in the program; in those applications, applicants make affirmative certifications about, among other things, their average monthly payroll expenses and number of employees. Applicants also certify their intent to spend PPP proceeds on permissible business expenses, such as payroll costs, rent, utilities, and interest on mortgages. PPP loans may be entirely forgiven if the recipient spends the loan proceeds on these permissible expenses within a designated period of time after receiving the proceeds.
The Information alleges that at least nine of Bischoff’s PPP applications contained false and fraudulent representations to the participating lenders. All of the applications included false representations about the amount of payroll and number of employees working at the Bischoff entities. A number of the applications also included false documentation, purportedly from the IRS, to support the misrepresentations about payroll expenses at those entities. In other applications, Bischoff is alleged to have fraudulently used another person’s personal identifying information to secure approval for the loans.
In all, the Information alleges that, in his false and fraudulent loan applications, Bischoff sought approximately $931,772 in proceeds from the PPP. Bischoff is alleged to have actually received approximately $593,590 from PPP lenders as a result of his fraudulent loan applications.
An Information is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney John K. Neal of the Eastern District of Michigan, Trial Attorney Philip B. Trout of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Criminal Division, Fraud Section, and Trial Attorney Chad M. Davis of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Criminal Division, Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section. The investigation is being conducted jointly by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Office of Inspector General, the United States Secret Service and the Small Business Administration Office of Inspector General.
Lewis County Man Arrested on Child Pornography ChargesRead the Press Release
SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – Randell Adsit, age 49, of Martinsburg, New York, was arrested yesterday and charged with distributing child pornography, announced Acting United States Attorney Antoinette T. Bacon, Thomas F. Relford, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and New York State Police Superintendent Keith Corlett.
According to the complaint, Adsit, who was convicted in 2008 of possessing a sexual performance by a child less than 16 years old, used multiple usernames on a social media application to trade child pornography with other people over the internet. Due to his prior conviction, Adsit is required to register as a sex offender, and would also be required to do so if convicted of the charge alleged in the complaint.
The charge filed against Adsit carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years and a maximum of 40 years in prison, a post-release term of supervision of between five years and life, and a fine of up to $250,000. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, and other factors.
Adsit made his initial appearance yesterday before Magistrate Judge Thérèse Wiley Dancks and was detained pending further proceedings.
The charge in the complaint is merely an accusation. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
This case was investigated by the FBI Syracuse Mid-State Child Exploitation Task Force. This task force is comprised of FBI Special Agents and Investigators of the New York State Police, Bureau of Criminal Investigation (BCI), and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael D. Gadarian as a part of Project Safe Childhood.
Launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice, Project Safe Childhood is led by United States Attorney’s offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS). Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
Lassen County Man Charged with Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine and Being a Felon in Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned a four-count indictment today against Joshua Paul Doyle, 38, of Susanville, charging him with two counts of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and two counts of being a felon in possession of a firearm, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced.
According to court documents, Doyle was arrested twice in the span of six months during traffic stops, each time found to be in possession of methamphetamine for distribution and firearms. Doyle has been convicted previously of crimes punishable by more than a year in prison and is therefore prohibited under federal law from possessing firearms.
On May 12, when a law enforcement officer executed a traffic stop in Susanville on a vehicle for having no front license plate, the officer identified the driver as Doyle. During a pat-down search, deputies found methamphetamine in his pockets. In the search of Doyle’s vehicle that followed, deputies found a loaded handgun in the center console, as well as another loaded handgun and nearly a pound of methamphetamine in a backpack in the back seat. Doyle was arrested and later released on bail pending trail.
On Sept. 30, Doyle was again stopped in Susanville when a records check of the car’s license plate indicated it had been reported stolen. During a search of the car, officers found brass knuckles, roughly 5 ounces (150 grams) of methamphetamine, and a loaded handgun in the center console.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Lassen County Sheriff’s Office, the Lassen County District Attorney's Office, and the Susanville Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney James Conolly is prosecuting the case.
If convicted, Doyle faces a maximum statutory penalty of 40 years in prison and a $5 million fine for each of the narcotics charges, each of which also have a statutory minimum sentence of five years. He faces a maximum statutory penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for each of the felon in possession charges. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. The Department of Justice reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally based strategies to reduce violent crime. To learn more about Project Safe Neighborhoods, go to www.justice.gov/psn.
This case is also part of Project Guardian, the Department of Justice’s signature initiative to reduce gun violence and enforce federal firearms laws. Initiated by the Attorney General in the fall of 2019, Project Guardian draws upon the Department’s past successful programs to reduce gun violence; enhances coordination of federal, state, local, and tribal authorities in investigating and prosecuting gun crimes; improves information-sharing by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives when a prohibited individual attempts to purchase a firearm and is denied by the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS), to include taking appropriate actions when a prospective purchaser is denied by the NICS for mental health reasons; and ensures that federal resources are directed at the criminals posing the greatest threat to our communities. For more information about Project Guardian, please see www.justice.gov/projectguardian.
Las Vegas tax preparer pleads guilty to false returnsRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Carlos Perea, 44, of Las Vegas, New Mexico, pleaded guilty in federal court in Albuquerque today to two counts of aiding and abetting the preparation of false income tax returns.
Perea owned and operated Perea Fast Tax in Las Vegas where he prepared income tax returns for clients and filed them with the IRS electronically and by mail. In the plea agreement, Perea admitted to reporting false information to decrease tax liabilities and increase refunds. Among the deceptive practices employed by Perea were deducting bogus business expenses, falsely reporting head of household status to increase the standard deduction and improperly claiming dependents to increase exemptions.
He faces up to three years in prison on each count.
The IRS investigated this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin Christenson is prosecuting the case.
Justice Department’s Procurement Collusion Strike Force Announces Eleven New National PartnersRead the Press Release
The Justice Department announced today that the Procurement Collusion Strike Force (PCSF) is adding 11 new national partners to the Strike Force, for a total of 29 agencies and offices committed on the national level to combatting collusion, antitrust crimes and related fraudulent schemes, which undermine competition in government procurement, grant and program funding.
Of the new partners, nine are U.S. Attorneys’ Offices, with complementary enforcement priorities in U.S. cities with diverse government spending profiles:
- David L. Anderson, Northern District of California
- Robert K. Hur, District of Maryland
- Erica H. MacDonald, District of Minnesota
- Michael Hurst, Jr., Southern District of Mississippi
- Seth D. DuCharme, Eastern District of New York
- Matthew G.T. Martin, Middle District of North Carolina
- Stephen Muldrow, District of Puerto Rico
- Stephen J. Cox, Eastern District of Texas
- Ryan Patrick, Southern District of Texas
The PCSF is also welcoming as national partners the United States Air Force Office of Special Investigations and Department of Homeland Security, Office of Inspector General, two critically important law enforcement partners with proven track records of working with the PCSF as well as the Antitrust Division.
“I am excited to welcome these new partners to the PCSF effort,” Assistant Attorney General Makan Delrahim of the Justice Department’s Antitrust Division said announcing the new partners in Washington, D.C. “By growing our national footprint, and folding in additional subject-matter experts, the PCSF is poised for even more success in its next year.”
“DHS OIG is pleased to join our law enforcement partners on the PCSF,” said Inspector General Joseph V. Cuffari of the Department of Homeland Security. “We look forward to working with the Strike Force to combat antitrust crimes and related schemes on behalf of American taxpayers.”
“OSI, led by our Office of Procurement Fraud Investigations team, is pleased to be a full national partner in the PCSF effort,” said Brigadier General Terry L. Bullard, Commander, Air Force OSI. “We are committed to the principles of the PCSF in ensuring we educate and inform our stakeholders to deter bad actors, and in investigating crimes when they do occur. We look forward to furthering this project together with the Department of Justice and sister agencies.”
In remarks delivered to the American Bar Association, Antitrust Section’s Fall Forum, Assistant Attorney General Delrahim also provided recap of the PCSF’s first year of accomplishments, which are detailed in a recent post to the department’s “Justice Blog.”
The PCSF has a publicly available website at www.Justice.gov/Procurement-Collusion-Strike-Force, where members of the public can review information about the federal antitrust laws and training programs, and report suspected criminal activity affecting public procurement. Individuals and companies are encouraged to contact the PCSF if they have information concerning anticompetitive conduct involving federal taxpayer dollars by emailing [email protected] or filling out the PCSF anonymous complaint form, located on the PCSF website.
Federal, state, and local agencies can also contact the PCSF at [email protected] for any training needs or to report suspected antitrust violations.
Justice Department Settles with Transportation and Logistics Company to Resolve Immigration-Related Discrimination ClaimsRead the Press Release
The Justice Department announced today that it reached a settlement with IAS Logistics DFW LLC, d/b/a Pinnacle Logistics (Pinnacle Logistics), a transportation and logistics company headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas.
The settlement resolves claims that Pinnacle Logistics discriminated against an asylee worker based on his citizenship status by rejecting the worker’s valid work authorization documents and terminating him when he could not satisfy the company’s request for specific and unnecessary immigration documents.
“Employers must not interfere with a worker’s lawful right to present acceptable work authorization documents to prove authorization to work in the United States,” said Assistant Attorney General Eric Dreiband of the Civil Rights Division. “We applaud Pinnacle Logistics’ decision to work with the Department of Justice and to change its practices to comply with the Immigration and Nationality Act’s non-discrimination protections.”
Based on its investigation, the department concluded that Pinnacle Logistics asked the asylee worker to present an additional, DHS-issued document because of his status as a non-U.S. citizen, even though he had already presented sufficient documentation establishing his work authorization. When the worker could not produce the document Pinnacle Logistics requested, despite being work-authorized, the company terminated him.
The Immigration and Nationality Act’s (INA) anti-discrimination provision prohibits employers from requesting more or different documents than necessary to prove work authorization based on employees’ citizenship, immigration status or national origin. Instead, in the INA, Congress determined that all work-authorized individuals, regardless of citizenship status, may choose which valid, legally acceptable documents to present to demonstrate their ability to work in the United States. The INA does, however, permit employers to reject non-genuine looking documents.
Under the terms of the settlement agreement, Pinnacle Logistics will pay a civil penalty to the United States and back pay to the affected worker, will train its employees about the requirements of the INA’s anti-discrimination provision and proper E-Verify procedures, and will be subject to department reporting requirements over the term of the agreement.
The division’s Immigrant and Employee Rights Section (IER) is responsible for enforcing the anti-discrimination provision of the INA. The statute prohibits, among other things, citizenship status and national origin discrimination in hiring, firing, or recruitment or referral for a fee; unfair documentary practices; retaliation and intimidation.
Learn more about IER’s work and how to get assistance through this brief video. For more information about protections against employment discrimination under immigration laws, call IER’s worker hotline at 1-800-255-7688 (1-800-237-2515, TTY for hearing impaired); call IER’s employer hotline at 1-800-255-8155 (1-800-237-2515, TTY for hearing impaired); sign up for a free webinar; email [email protected]; or visit IER’s English and Spanish websites. Subscribe to GovDelivery to receive updates from IER.
The Civil Rights Division wants to hear about civil rights violations. Members of the public can report possible civil rights violations through the Civil Rights Division’s reporting portal.
Applicants or employees who believe they were subjected to discrimination based on their citizenship, immigration status, or national origin in hiring, firing, or recruitment or referral for a fee; or discrimination in the employment eligibility verification process (Form I-9 and E-Verify) based on their citizenship, immigration status, or national origin; or retaliation can file a charge or contact IER’s worker hotline for assistance.
The Civil Rights Division’s Protecting U.S. Workers Initiative, started in 2017 in the Immigrant and Employee Rights Section (IER), targets, investigates, and (where appropriate) brings enforcement actions against employers that intentionally discriminate against U.S. workers due to citizenship-status discrimination based on a preference for temporary visa workers. IER has reached numerous settlements under the Protecting U.S. Workers Initiative, and employers have distributed or agreed to pay a combined total of more than $1.2 million in back pay to affected U.S. workers and civil penalties to the United States. These settlements involve employers that discriminated in their use of the H-1B, H-2A, and H-2B visa programs.
Justice Department Issues Guidance on the Use of Arbitration and Launches Small Business Help CenterRead the Press Release
The Antitrust Division of the Department of Justice announced the publication of two new resources on its website today.
First, the division issued updated and supplemental guidance on the use of arbitration, which includes case selection criteria to help identify Antitrust Division cases that would benefit from the application of arbitration. This guidance reflects the Antitrust Division’s experience using arbitration to resolve a civil antitrust lawsuit challenging Novelis’s proposed merger with Aleris Corporation. The updated document also contains guidance regarding the arbitration agreement, the decision whether to file a complaint in federal district court before the matter is referred to arbitration, arbitrator selection, arbitrator compensation and cost shifting, and the training of Antitrust Division staff on the use of arbitration.
Second, the division launched a new web resource to provide targeted antitrust information and guidance to small business owners. The new “Antitrust and Your Small Business” section of the division’s website contains user-friendly guidance and links to DOJ materials on antitrust “hot topics” relevant to small businesses, including tips on identifying potential anticompetitive conduct that harms small businesses, tips on avoiding and reporting criminal antitrust violations, requirements for applying to the criminal leniency program, tips on avoiding antitrust issues related to hiring and management, materials on COVID-19 and disaster relief, guidance on information sharing and trade associations, and more.
“Earlier this year, the Division prevailed in the first-of-its-kind arbitration of a merger challenge. The new guidance crystallizes our learning from that case and outlines how that learning may be applied to future matters,” said Assistant Attorney General Makan Delrahim of the Department of Justice’s Antitrust Division. “Additionally, I am gratified that we are addressing the needs of small businesses in a targeted way. As we have repeatedly said, the antitrust laws are not solely applicable to the biggest businesses, but are meant to protect consumers, workers, and small businesses as well. Given these unprecedented times and the increased visibility of antitrust in the business community, the Antitrust Division hopes these resource pages will help small business owners better understand what the antitrust laws are, examples of conduct they prohibit, and ways to report potential violations.”
The arbitration guidance is available on the Antitrust Division’s website (/media/1104421/dl?inline) and will be published in the Federal Register.
The Antitrust Issues and Your Small Business resource pages can be accessed at www.justice.gov/atr/antitrust-issues-and-your-small-business.
Justice Department Files Race Discrimination Lawsuit Against Pearl, Mississippi Property Owners and Rental AgentRead the Press Release
The Department of Justice announced today that it has filed a lawsuit alleging that the owners, operators and rental agent of several apartment complexes in Pearl, Mississippi, violated the Fair Housing Act by discriminating against African Americans based on their race.
The department’s complaint seeks relief against three owners and operators of the properties — SSM Properties LLC; Steven Maulding; and Sheila Maulding — as well as James Roe, who acted as a rental agent for the apartment complexes on behalf of the other defendants. The lawsuit is based on the results of testing conducted by the Louisiana Fair Housing Action Center and a Charge of Discrimination issued by the Department of Housing and Urban Development (“HUD”). Testing is a simulation of a housing transaction that compares responses given by housing providers to different types of home-seekers to determine whether or not illegal discrimination is occurring.
The department’s complaint, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Mississippi, alleges that Roe discriminated against prospective renters on the basis of race by treating African Americans who inquired about available apartments differently and less favorably than similarly-situated white persons. The properties are:
- Oak Manor Apartments, located at 2592 Old Country Club Road, Pearl, Miss.;
- Pearl Manor Apartments, located at 200 George Wallace Drive, Pearl, Miss.; and
- 468 Place Townhomes, located at 2932-34 State Highway 468, Pearl, Miss.
“More than a half century ago, Congress enacted the Fair Housing Act to prohibit landlords and others from denying people the opportunity to live where they want because of their race, color, or other protected characteristics,” said Assistant Attorney General Eric Dreiband of the Civil Rights Division. “Some misguided people unfortunately continue to defy this law by segregating and excluding people because of their skin color. This uncivilized and cruel discrimination hurts people; it must end, now, and the Department of Justice is determined to put a stop to it. All Americans should be free to live anywhere in the United States without regard to the color of their skin. No one’s housing choices should be limited because of race or color or by more subtle differences in the way home-seekers are treated when they ask about available properties. This department is committed to ensuring equal housing opportunities, regardless of race, including by using fair-housing testing to uncover hidden discrimination that might otherwise go undetected.”
“Treating people differently in housing based on the color of their skin is not only morally and ethically reprehensible and incompatible with American principles, but against federal law,” said U.S. Attorney Mike Hurst of the Southern District of Mississippi. “We in the Department of Justice will always strive to ensure that justice is done and that people are treated equitably and fairly, especially when seeking and trying to access such an essential cornerstone of a free society as housing. This lawsuit is just one more step up the long staircase of liberty and justice for all.”
“A person’s race should not be a factor when searching for a place to call home,” said Anna María Farías, HUD’s Assistant Secretary for Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity. “HUD applauds today’s action and remains committed to working with the Justice Department to take appropriate action whenever the nation’s fair housing laws are violated.”
According to the department’s complaint, Roe encouraged white testers to rent at Pearl Manor Apartments but discouraged African-American testers from renting there, telling one African-American tester that if he rented to her at this complex, the residents would think he had “let the zoo out.” In addition, Roe told African-American testers about fewer rental units than white testers, allowed white testers to view certain apartments while not offering or allowing African-American testers the same opportunity, and imposed more stringent financial and employment criteria and inquiries on African-American testers than on white testers. The lawsuit alleges that SSM Properties and Steven and Sheila Maulding are legally responsible for Roe’s alleged discrimination because he worked as their rental agent.
Today’s lawsuit seeks monetary damages to compensate victims, civil penalties against the defendants to vindicate the public interest, and a court order barring future discrimination.
Individuals who believe they or someone they know may have been discriminated against at any of these properties should contact the department toll-free at 1-833-591-0291 or by email at [email protected]. Individuals who have information about this or another matter involving alleged discrimination may submit a report online at civilrights.justice.gov.
The federal Fair Housing Act prohibits discrimination in housing on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, familial status, national origin and disability. More information about the Civil Rights Division and the civil rights laws it enforces is available at www.justice.gov/crt. The complaint contains allegations of unlawful conduct. The allegations in the complaint must be proven in court.
Jury Convicts Hampton Roads Tax Preparer of FraudRead the Press Release
NORFOLK, Va. – A federal jury convicted a Norfolk woman today on 5 counts of wire fraud and 33 counts of aiding and assisting in the preparation of false and fraudulent income tax returns.
According to court records and evidence presented at trial, Nikia Tull, 43, served as the co-owner and operator of YT Phoenix Enterprises, Inc., aka Phoenix Financial Tax Service, a tax preparation service. Between 2014 and 2018, Tull willfully aided and assisted in, and counseled and advised the preparation and presentation to the IRS of 33 federal income tax returns containing numerous false and fraudulent items. In 2019, Tull continued her fraud by submitting forged and fraudulently altered bank statements to FORA Financial LLC, a private lending company located in New York, in support of loan applications for thousands of dollars.
Tull is scheduled to be sentenced on April 12, 2021.
G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Kelly R. Jackson, Special Agent in Charge, Washington, D.C. Field Office, IRS-Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), made the announcement after Senior U.S. District Judge Robert G. Doumar accepted the verdict.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Daniel P. Shean and Joseph L. Kosky are prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:20-cr-9.
Judge sentences armed St. Louis drug dealer for possessing and intending to distribute cocaine, heroin and fentanylRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS, MO – United States District Judge Catherine D. Perry sentenced Melvin A. Willis to 120 months in prison today. The 50-year-old St. Louis, Missouri resident pleaded guilty to three counts of possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance.
On July 12, 2018, members of the St. Louis County Multi-Jurisdictional Drug Task Force arrested Willis on an outstanding warrant. Willis had, in his pocket, a bag with several individually wrapped chunks of crack cocaine, a phone and $1,672 in cash.
That same day, officers conducted a search warrant at a home in the city of St. Louis that Willis shared with his girlfriend. In the master bedroom, officers found a plastic bag with several clear capsules containing a brown powder along with a plastic bag containing a black tar substance, a bag with an off-white powdery substance, Xanax, 9mm ammunition, a loaded 9mm High Point Rifle and a magazine loaded with five rounds ammunition.
In a second bedroom, officers found a Ruger, a semi-auto-automatic rifle, a plastic back with multiple empty clear capsule and a black grinder with a powder residue. In the kitchen, officers found a shoebox with a .22 caliber Sierra Six shot revolver with 41 live rounds of ammunition.
Willis possessed 6.92 grams of a substance containing fentanyl and heroin, .12 grams of heroin and .77 grams of marijuana.
The St. Louis County Multi-Jurisdictional Drug Task Force and FBI investigated this case. Assistant United States Attorney Paul D’Agrosa is handling the case.
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Jointly Prosecuted Case Across North and South Carolina Results in Man’s Conviction for Abusive Sexual Contact Aboard an AirplaneRead the Press Release
Columbia, South Carolina --- A federal jury sitting in Asheville, North Carolina, has convicted Siva K. Durbesula, 28, of India, of abusive sexual contact aboard an airplane, in a jointly prosecuted case that began in the District of South Carolina and culminated in the Western District of North Carolina, announced Peter M. McCoy, Jr., U.S. Attorney for the District of South Carolina, and R. Andrew Murray, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina.
“Every person deserves to feel safe when they travel, and that someone would violate that safety through sexual assault is reprehensible. Those who engage in this type of behavior will be prosecuted,” said U.S. Attorney McCoy. “I applaud the courage of the witnesses in the case to step forward. I also appreciate the great work by U.S. Attorney Murray and his team to ensure the defendant’s conviction.”
According to filed court documents, witness testimony, and evidence presented at trial, Durbesula was a passenger aboard Spirit Airlines Flight NK843 from Chicago O’Hare to Myrtle Beach International Airport on June 23, 2019, when he sexually assaulted the 22-year-old woman seated next to him. Specifically, the victim testified that Durbesula repeatedly pulled her toward him and rubbed her breast. After the flight crew separated Durbesula from his victim, he asked to return to his former seat so he could speak to her again. Witnesses to the events aboard the airplane included the lead flight attendant and an unaccompanied minor sitting next to the victim.
The jury also heard from a previous victim of Durbesula. She testified that on March 21, 2019, aboard a subway train in New York City, Durbesula sat immediately next to her although there were empty seats throughout the train car. The previous victim, who was pregnant at the time, testified that shortly after he sat down, Durbesula began groping her breast. She was able to record cell phone video of Durbesula exiting the train after the assault, which was admitted at trial.
The case was a particularly challenging logistical feat, especially in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. Originally indicted in the District of South Carolina, the case was transferred to the Western District of North Carolina for trial after Durbesula agreed that the plane travelled over North Carolina and venue was appropriate in that state. Witnesses in the case came from North Carolina, South Carolina, Wisconsin, Illinois, Florida, and Arkansas to testify.
Durbesula is currently in custody. At sentencing, the charge carries a maximum sentence of two years in federal prison, and Durbesula faces deportation.
In making today’s announcement U.S. Attorneys McCoy and Murray thanked the Horry County Police Department, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) for their work in investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Don Gast, of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of North Carolina in Asheville, and Derek A. Shoemake, of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of South Carolina in Florence, are prosecuting the case. Victim-Witness Coordinators Lynne Crout, with the Western District of North Carolina, and Clarissa Whaley, with the District of South Carolina, provided assistance for the two victims and witnesses across six states.
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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.
Inmate at USP Lee Indicted for 2018 Murder of CellmateRead the Press Release
ABINGDON, Virginia - A federal grand jury sitting in U.S. District Court in Abingdon has indicted Samuel Silva, an inmate a United States Penitentiary, Lee County and charged him with the premeditated murder of his cellmate in September 2018, Acting United States Attorney Daniel P. Bubar and David W. Archey, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Richmond Division announced today.
Silva, 45, is charged with one count of willfully, deliberately, maliciously, and with premeditation killing Abraham Aldana, Silva’s cellmate at the time, in September 2018, by stabbing him.
The investigation of the case was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Acting United States Attorney Daniel P. Bubar and Assistant United States Attorneys Zachary T. Lee, Daniel J. Murphy, and Aaron Stewart, a Trial Attorney with the Department of Justice’s Capital Case Unit are prosecuting the case for the United States.
An indictment is merely an accusation. The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
Indivior Solutions Sentenced as Part of $2 Billion Resolution of False Safety Claims Concerning SuboxoneRead the Press Release
ABINGDON, Virginia - Indivior Solutions was sentenced to pay $289 million in criminal penalties in connection with a previous guilty plea related to the marketing of the opioid-addiction-treatment drug Suboxone, the Department of Justice announced today.
U.S. District Judge James P. Jones of the Western District of Virginia entered the sentence against Indivior Solutions pursuant to a plea agreement. Together with Indivior’s civil penalties, it will pay $600 million to resolve its civil and criminal liability. Altogether, the investigation and prosecution of Indivior Solutions and its parent companies, Indivior Inc. and Indivior plc, and two former Indivior executives (its CEO and Medical Director) and a resolution with Indivior’s former parent, Reckitt Benckiser Group plc, resulted in recoveries of more than $2 billion.
Suboxone, which contains the powerful opioid buprenorphine, is a drug product approved for use by recovering opioid addicts to avoid or reduce withdrawal symptoms while they undergo treatment for opioid-use disorder. In connection with its guilty plea, Indivior Solutions admitted to making false statements to the Massachusetts Medicaid program (MassHealth) related to the relative safety of Suboxone Film, a version of Suboxone, around children.
“Combating the opioid epidemic is a top priority for the Department of Justice,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Jeffrey Bossert Clark of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “We will hold drug manufacturers accountable when they make misrepresentations that could affect consumers’ access to opioid addiction treatments.”
Indivior Solutions, a subsidiary of Indivior Inc., pleaded guilty on July 24, 2020, to a one-count felony criminal information charging false statements relating to health care matters. Indivior Inc. agreed to terms complementing the Indivior Solutions guilty plea and agreed to implement prospective measures that include permanently disbanding Indivior Inc.’s Suboxone sales force and taking steps to prevent promoting Suboxone to health care providers at a high risk of inappropriate prescribing.
On June 30, 2020, Indivior’s former CEO, Shaun Thaxter, pleaded guilty to a one-count misdemeanor information related to Indivior’s false and misleading representations to MassHealth. On October 22, 2020, the court sentenced Thaxter to a six-month term of incarceration and $600,000 in criminal fines and forfeiture.
On August 26, 2020, Indivior’s former medical director, Tim Baxter, pleaded guilty to a one-count misdemeanor information related to Indivior’s false and misleading representations to MassHealth. Baxter’s sentencing hearing is scheduled for December 17, 2020, before Judge Jones in Abingdon, Virginia.
“When a drug manufacturer claims to be part of the solution to the national opioid epidemic, we expect it to make honest representations to government officials, physicians and patients, who have to make crucial treatment decisions,” said Acting United States Attorney Daniel P. Bubar of the Western District of Virginia. “Instead, Indivior made false statements about Suboxone’s safety to increase its sales. I’m proud of the close relationship we have with our federal and state partners that led to today’s important result.”
In its guilty plea, Indivior Solutions, which employed marketing and sales personnel for the Indivior group of companies, admitted that in October 2012 it sought to convince MassHealth to expand Medicaid coverage of Suboxone Film in Massachusetts and sent MassHealth a misleading chart and false data indicating that Suboxone Film had the lowest rate of accidental pediatric exposure (i.e., children taking medication by accident) of all buprenorphine drugs in Massachusetts, when in fact it did not. Indivior Solutions further admitted that sending the false and misleading information occurred in the context of marketing and promotional efforts directed at MassHealth, which were overseen by top executives. MassHealth announced it would provide access to Suboxone Film for patients with children under the age of six shortly after Indivior provided the false and misleading information to agency officials.
“Opioid manufacturers and distributors must be held accountable for their illegal actions in the course of this national crisis that continues to devastate families and communities across the Commonwealth,” said Attorney General Herring. “I want to thank my Medicaid Fraud Unit for their hard work on this important case and I also want to thank our local, state, and federal partners for their help and collaboration. No dollar amount or criminal punishment alone will fix this epidemic, but my team and I remain dedicated to holding these pharmaceutical companies accountable for illegal conduct related to the sales of opioids.”
“The purposefully false assurances of Indivior Solutions leading to potential misuse of potent substances such as Suboxone have only added to the opioid epidemic plaguing our nation,” said Elton Malone, Assistant Inspector General for Investigations with the Office of Inspector General of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. “This sentencing, along with law enforcement’s continued focus on this public health crisis, should serve as a warning that large companies cannot rely on their corporate veils to protect them from prosecution.”
“The U.S. Postal Service spends billions of dollars per year in workers compensation-related costs, most of which are legitimate, said Kenneth Cleevely, Special Agent in Charge of the Eastern Field Office for the U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General.. “However, when medical providers or companies choose to flout the rules and profit illegally, special agents with the USPS OIG will work with our law enforcement partners to hold them responsible.”
“Pharmaceutical companies that falsely promote their drugs, intended to treat opioid addiction, as superior to other alternatives only worsens the opioid crisis that has touched far too many lives in the U.S. Such actions potentially narrow access to treatment for those who need it,” said Judy McMeekin, Pharm.D., Associate Commissioner for Regulatory Affairs, U.S. Food and Drug Administration. “We will continue to investigate and bring to justice those who devise and participate in these schemes to the detriment of the public health.”
“Suboxone is a vital treatment for patients recovering from opioid addiction, and Indivior thwarted lower-cost generic alternatives to maintain its lucrative monopoly of the drug,” said Gail Levine, a Deputy Director of the FTC’s Bureau of Competition. “Working closely with the DOJ, the FTC was able to secure compensation for patients harmed by Indivior’s anticompetitive scheme and ensure that the company does not engage in similar conduct in the future.”
The criminal case against Indivior was prosecuted by Randy Ramseyer of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Virginia; Albert P. Mayer and Carol Wallack of the Department of Justice Civil Division’s Commercial Litigation Branch; Charles J. Biro and Matthew J. Lash of the Department of Justice Civil Division’s Consumer Protection Branch; Kristin L. Gray, Joseph S. Hall and Janine M. Myatt of the Virginia Medicaid Fraud Control Unit of the Office of the Attorney General; and Garth W. Huston of the Federal Trade Commission. This matter was investigated by the Virginia Attorney General’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit; FDA’s Office of Criminal Investigation; the United States Postal Service Office of Inspector General; and the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General.
The joint effort advances the goals of the Department’s Prescription Interdiction & Litigation (PIL) Task Force to deploy all available criminal, civil, and regulatory tools to hold opioid manufacturers accountable for unlawful practices and to ensure that prescription opioid products are marketed truthfully.
For more information about the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Virginia, visit its website at https://www.justice.gov/usao-wdva. Additional information about the Consumer Protection Branch and the Civil Fraud Section and their enforcement efforts may be found at http://www.justice.gov/civil/consumer-protection-branch and http://www. justice.gov/civil/fraud-section. Tips and complaints from all sources about potential fraud, waste, abuse, and mismanagement, can be reported to the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General at 800-HHS-TIPS (800-447-8477). To report fraud or other criminal activity involving the Postal Service, contact USPS OIG special agents at www.uspsoig.gov or 888-USPS-OIG.
Indivior Solutions Sentenced to Pay $289 Million in Criminal Penalties for Unlawful Marketing of Opioid DrugRead the Press Release
Indivior Solutions was sentenced to pay $289 million in criminal penalties in connection with a previous guilty plea related to the marketing of the opioid-addiction-treatment drug Suboxone, the Department of Justice announced today.
U.S. District Judge James P. Jones of the Western District of Virginia entered the sentence against Indivior Solutions pursuant to a plea agreement. Altogether, Indivior Solutions will pay $600 million to resolve its civil and criminal liability in this matter. In total, the payments made by Indivior Solutions and its parent companies, Indivior Inc. and Indivior plc, along with payments made under a 2019 resolution with Indivior’s former parent, Reckitt Benckiser Group plc, and criminal penalties paid pursuant to plea agreements with two former Indivior executives will exceed $2 billion. That amount represents the second-largest monetary resolution obtained by the Department of Justice in a case involving an opioid drug.
Suboxone, which contains the powerful opioid buprenorphine, is a drug product approved for use by recovering opioid addicts to avoid or reduce withdrawal symptoms while they undergo treatment for opioid-use disorder. In connection with its guilty plea, Indivior Solutions admitted to making false statements to the Massachusetts Medicaid program (MassHealth) related to the relative safety of Suboxone Film, a version of Suboxone, around children.
“Combating the opioid epidemic is a top priority for the Department of Justice,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Jeffrey Bossert Clark of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “We will hold drug manufacturers accountable when they make misrepresentations that could affect consumers’ access to opioid addiction treatments.”
Indivior Solutions, a subsidiary of Indivior Inc., pleaded guilty on July 24, 2020, to a one-count felony criminal information charging false statements relating to health care matters. Indivior Inc. agreed to terms complementing the Indivior Solutions guilty plea and agreed to implement prospective measures that include permanently disbanding Indivior Inc.’s Suboxone sales force and taking steps to prevent promoting Suboxone to health care providers at a high risk of inappropriate prescribing.
On June 30, 2020, Indivior’s former CEO, Shaun Thaxter, pleaded guilty to a one-count misdemeanor information related to Indivior’s false and misleading representations to MassHealth. On Oct. 22, 2020, the court sentenced Thaxter to a six-month term of incarceration and $600,000 in criminal fines and forfeiture.
On Aug. 26, 2020, Indivior’s former medical director, Tim Baxter, pleaded guilty to a one-count misdemeanor information related to Indivior’s false and misleading representations to MassHealth. Baxter’s sentencing hearing is scheduled for Dec. 17, 2020, before Judge Jones in Abingdon, Virginia.
“When a drug manufacturer claims to be part of the solution to the national opioid epidemic, we expect it to make honest representations to government officials, physicians and patients, who have to make crucial treatment decisions,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Daniel P. Bubar of the Western District of Virginia. “Instead, Indivior made false statements about Suboxone’s safety to increase its sales. I’m proud of the close relationship we have with our federal and state partners that led to today’s important result.”
“Pharmaceutical companies that falsely promote their drugs, intended to treat opioid addiction, as superior to other alternatives only worsens the opioid crisis that has touched far too many lives in the U.S. Such actions potentially narrow access to treatment for those who need it,” said Judy McMeekin, Pharm.D., Associate Commissioner for Regulatory Affairs, U.S. Food and Drug Administration. “We will continue to investigate and bring to justice those who devise and participate in these schemes to the detriment of the public health.”
In its guilty plea, Indivior Solutions, which employed marketing and sales personnel for the Indivior group of companies, admitted that in October 2012 it sought to convince MassHealth to expand Medicaid coverage of Suboxone Film in Massachusetts and sent MassHealth a misleading chart and false data indicating that Suboxone Film had the lowest rate of accidental pediatric exposure (i.e., children taking medication by accident) of all buprenorphine drugs in Massachusetts, when in fact it did not. Indivior Solutions further admitted that sending the false and misleading information occurred in the context of marketing and promotional efforts directed at MassHealth, which were overseen by top executives. MassHealth announced it would provide access to Suboxone Film for patients with children under the age of six shortly after Indivior provided the false and misleading information to agency officials.
The criminal case against Indivior was prosecuted by Randy Ramseyer of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Virginia; Albert P. Mayer and Carol Wallack of the Department of Justice Civil Division’s Commercial Litigation Branch; Charles J. Biro and Matthew J. Lash of the Department of Justice Civil Division’s Consumer Protection Branch; Kristin L. Gray, Joseph S. Hall and Janine M. Myatt of the Virginia Medicaid Fraud Control Unit of the Office of the Attorney General; and Garth W. Huston of the Federal Trade Commission. This matter was investigated by the Virginia Attorney General’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit; FDA’s Office of Criminal Investigation; the United States Postal Service Office of Inspector General; and the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General.
The joint effort advances the goals of the department’s Prescription Interdiction & Litigation (PIL) Task Force to deploy all available criminal, civil, and regulatory tools to hold opioid manufacturers accountable for unlawful practices and to ensure that prescription opioid products are marketed truthfully.
For more information about the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Virginia, visit its website at https://www.justice.gov/usao-wdva. Additional information about the Consumer Protection Branch and the Civil Fraud Section and their enforcement efforts may be found at http://www.justice.gov/civil/consumer-protection-branch and http://www. justice.gov/civil/fraud-section. Tips and complaints from all sources about potential fraud, waste, abuse, and mismanagement, can be reported to the Department of Health and Human Services at 800-HHS-TIPS (800-447-8477).
Huntingdon Man Sentenced to 5 Years in Federal Prison for Unlawfully Possessing FirearmsRead the Press Release
Jackson, TN – Jamieson Maurice Esquivel, 27, of Huntingdon, TN has been sentenced to 60 months in federal prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm. D. Michael Dunavant, U.S. Attorney, announced the sentence today.
According to information presented in court, on September 30, 2017, officers with the Huntingdon Police Department attempted to serve an arrest warrant on Esquivel’s father, James H. Brown, Jr., at a residence in Huntingdon, TN. The officers subsequently obtained a search warrant for that residence, and during the search they discovered two firearms -- a Smith & Wesson Model M&P 9C 9mm pistol and a Rohm Model RG10 .22 caliber revolver. Further investigation revealed that both guns belonged to Esquivel.
Esquivel has an extensive criminal history, including prior felony convictions for Robbery in Madison County in 2012, and Sale of a Schedule II controlled substance in Carroll County in 2012. Esquivel was still on probation in both cases at the time he committed the present offense on September 30, 2017. As a result of his prior felony convictions, he is prohibited by federal law from possessing firearms or ammunition.
On June 16, 2020, the defendant pled guilty to being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm.
On November 10, 2020, U.S. District Court Chief Judge S. Thomas Anderson sentenced Esquivel to 60 months in federal prison followed by three years of supervised release. Chief Judge Anderson also ordered that the federal sentence run consecutive to the state sentence that Esquivel is currently serving for violating his probation in his prior Carroll County felony drug case, which is not scheduled to expire until August 2026. There is no parole in the federal system.
U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant said: "As a prior convicted felon, Esquivel has already disrespected the law and shown a manifest disregard for the rights of others. As a result, his possession of firearms continues to threaten the security of his fellow citizens. This sentence accomplishes what his prior state sentences and probation could not – just punishment and incapacitation that will protect public safety."
The Huntingdon Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) investigated this case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Josh Morrow prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
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Hendersonville Emergency Medical Doctor Sentenced to Prison for Unlawfully Distributing Controlled SubstancesRead the Press Release
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – November 12, 2020 – A Hendersonville, Tennessee emergency medical doctor was sentenced today to two years in prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for his role in unlawfully distributing controlled substances.
U.S. Attorney Don Cochran of the Middle District of Tennessee, Acting Assistant Attorney General Brian C. Rabbitt of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, and Special Agent in Charge J. Todd Scott of the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) Louisville Division made the announcement.
Lawrence J. Valdez, M.D., 51, was sentenced after pleading guilty in November 2019 to one count of unlawful distribution of controlled substances. U.S. District Judge Eli J. Richardson of the Middle District of Tennessee imposed the sentence.
Valdez admitted that in February 2017 he knowingly distributed oxymorphone, a Schedule II controlled substance, to a patient without a legitimate medical purpose and outside the usual course of professional practice. He further admitted to distributing Schedule II opioids to four different patients without a legitimate medical purpose and outside the course of professional practice on 16 other occasions between June 2016 and February 2017, and in exchange for sexual intercourse and other sexual acts with those patients.
The DEA, the District Attorney General’s Office for the 18th Judicial District and the 18th Judicial District Drug Task Force investigated the case. Assistant Chief Kilby Macfadden and Trial Attorney William M. Grady of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section are prosecuting the case
The Fraud Section leads the Appalachian Regional Prescription Opioid (ARPO) Strike Force. Since its inception in October 2018, the ARPO Strike Force, which operates in 10 districts, has charged more than 70 defendants who are collectively responsible for distributing more than 50 million pills. Thus far there have been 32 guilty pleas as a result of ARPO Strike Force’s efforts. The Fraud Section leads the Medicare Fraud Strike Force. Since its inception in March 2007, the Medicare Fraud Strike Force, which maintains 15 strike forces operating in 24 districts, has charged more than 4,200 defendants who have collectively billed the Medicare program for approximately $19 billion. In addition, the Health and Human Services (HHS) Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, working in conjunction with the HHS-Office of Inspector General, are taking steps to increase accountability and decrease the presence of fraudulent providers.
Individuals who believe that they may be a victim in this case should visit the Fraud Section’s Victim Witness website for more information.
The year 2020 marks the 150th anniversary of the Department of Justice. Learn more about the history of our agency at www.Justice.gov/Celebrating150Years.
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Harrison County residents indicted on methamphetamine chargesRead the Press Release
CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Two Harrison County residents are facing methamphetamine charges after a grand jury in Clarksburg indicted them on November 3, 2020, U.S. Attorney Bill Powell announced.
Larry Thomas Gregory, II, 43, and Angela Nicole Chapman, 33, both of Shinnston, West Virginia, are each charged with one count of “Conspiracy to Possess with the Intent to Distribute and Distribute 500 grams or more of Methamphetamine,” one count of “Possession with Intent to Distribute 500 grams or more of Methamphetamine ,” one count of “Possession with Intent to Distribute 50 grams or more of Methamphetamine,” and one count of “Maintaining a Drug-Involved Premises.”
The two are accused of working together to distribute more than 500 grams of methamphetamine from September 2019 to February 2020, sometimes from their residence on Morris Street in Shinnston, in Harrison County.
Gregory and Chapman each face at least 10 years and up to life incarceration and a fine of up to $10,000,000 for each of the 500 grams or more of methamphetamine charges. Gregory and Chapman face not less than five and up to 40 years of incarceration and a fine of up to $5,000,000 for the 50 grams of methamphetamine charge. They each also face up to 20 years of incarceration and a fine of up to $1,000,000 drug premises charge. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Brandon S. Flower is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The Greater Harrison Drug Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative; the U.S. Postal Inspection Service; and the Shinnston Police Department investigated.
An indictment is merely an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Grand jury indicts another individual for conspiracy to commit murder-for-hire and murder-for-hire schemeRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS, MO – A federal grand jury returned a superseding indictment against James Timothy Norman, Terica Taneisha Ellis, Waiel Rebhi Yaghnam and Travell Anthony Hill. Norman, Ellis and Hill are charged with conspiracy to commit murder-for-hire and murder-for hire resulting in the death of Andre Montgomery. Norman and Yaghnam are charged with conspiracy to commit wire and mail fraud and Yaghnam is charged with five counts of aggravated identity theft all in connection with Montgomery’s murder-for-hire.
According to the indictment and other court documents, James Timothy Norman conspired with Terica Ellis, Travell Anthony Hill and others to use a facility of interstate commerce, namely, a cellular telephone, to commit a murder-for-hire in exchange for United States currency, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1958. In 2014, Norman obtained a total of $450,000 in life insurance proceeds on his 20-year-old nephew, Andre Montgomery, on which Norman was the sole beneficiary.
In the days leading up to Montgomery’s murder, Ellis, an exotic dancer residing in Memphis, Tennessee, communicated with Montgomery and informed him she was planning to be in St. Louis. On March 13, 2016, the day before Montgomery’s murder, Norman flew to St. Louis, Missouri from his home in Los Angeles, California. On March 14, 2016, Ellis and Norman communicated using temporary phones activated that day. Ellis also used the temporary phone to communicate with Montgomery and learn his physical location for the purpose of luring Montgomery outside. Immediately after learning Montgomery’s location, Ellis relayed the address to Norman and Hill. On March 14, 2016, at approximately 8:02 p.m., Montgomery was killed by gunfire at 3964 Natural Bridge Avenue in the City of St. Louis. Ellis’s phone location information places her in the vicinity of the murder at time of the homicide. Immediately following Montgomery’s murder, Ellis placed a call to Norman and then began travelling to Memphis, Tennessee. In the days after the murder, Ellis deposited over $9,000 in cash into various bank accounts. On March 16, 2016, Hill received a cash payment of $5,000 at the direction of Norman. That same day Hill engaged in recorded phone conversation with an individual in jail and discussed Montgomery’s murder and his payment. On March 18, 2016, Norman contacted the life insurance company in an attempt to collect on the life insurance policy he had obtained on his nephew.
The indictment alleges prior to Montgomery’s murder, Norman conspired with Yaghnam, his insurance agent, to fraudulently obtain a life insurance policy on Montgomery. Beginning in October of 2014, Norman and Yaghnam submitted five separate life insurance applications, all containing numerous false statements regarding Montgomery’s income, net worth, medical history, employment and family background. In the life insurance policy that ultimately issued, Norman obtained a $200,000 policy, as well as a $200,000 accidental death rider that would pay out in the event that Montgomery died of something other than natural causes, and a $50,000 10 year-term rider that would pay out if Montgomery died within 10 years of the policy’s issuance in 2014.
“This murder-for-hire cold case from 2016 demonstrates once again the power of law enforcement partnership and persistence,” said Special Agent in Charge Richard Quinn of the FBI St. Louis Division. “By combining resources and expertise, the FBI and St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department overcame numerous challenges to uncover the details of this plot.”
The arrests of Norman, Ellis and Hill are part of Operation LeGend which is a federal partnership with local law enforcement to address the increase in homicides and violent crime in St. Louis in 2020. The operation honors the memory of four-year-old LeGend Taliferro, one of the youngest fatalities during a record-breaking year of homicides and shootings. Additional federal agents were assigned to the operation from the Department of Homeland Security, FBI, Drug Enforcement Administration, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the U.S. Marshals Service.
The St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department Homicide Section and Federal Bureau of Investigation are investigating these current charges.
If convicted of the conspiracy to commit murder-for-hire or murder-for-hire resulting in death, the penalty is life imprisonment or death and a fine of $250,000. Conspiracy to commit wire and mail fraud carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a fine of $250,000. Aggravated identity theft carries a minimum sentence of imprisonment of two years. In determining the actual sentence, a judge is required to consider the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, which provide recommended sentencing ranges.
As is always the case, the charge in an indictment is merely an accusation, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
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Getaway Driver Sentenced to More Than Seven Years in Federal Prison on Charges Related to Two 2019 Bank Robberies in BaltimoreRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Deborah K. Chasanow today sentenced Richard Adams, age 60, of Baltimore, Maryland, to 90 months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, for aiding and abetting armed bank robbery and aiding and abetting the brandishing of a firearm during a crime of violence, in connection with armed bank robberies committed in Baltimore on January 23 and February 1, 2019.
The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Robert K. Hur; Special Agent in Charge Jennifer C. Boone of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office; and Commissioner Michael Harrison of the Baltimore Police Department.
According to Adams’ guilty plea, he served as the getaway driver in connection with two armed bank robberies committed by his two co-defendants, Richard Tingler and David Gollahon. On January 23, 2019, Adams drove Tingler and Gollahon to a bank in the 3600 block of Boston Street in Baltimore, in a car he had rented two weeks earlier. The robbers were each armed and wore masks and gloves when they entered the bank. The robbers told everyone to put their hands up. Tingler approached the victim teller, pointed his firearm at her, and demanded $100 dollar bills and “loose bills” from the bottom drawer of the till. Meanwhile, Gollahon held the customers and other bank employees at gunpoint in the lobby area of the bank. The victim teller handed over the cash and the robbers ran away. As they ran through a parking lot adjacent to the bank, they accidentally dropped more than $5,000 in cash. They then got into the gray car driven by Adams, who had been waiting for them, and Adams drove them away from the area.
On February 1, 2019, Adams drove his co-defendants to a bank located in the 2900 block of O’Donnell Street in Baltimore, in a 2006 Chevy Monte Carlo that was registered to Adams. Tingler and Gollahon entered the bank armed with the same firearms they had used in the previous robbery and again wore masks and gloves to conceal their identities. The robbers pointed their firearms at the tellers and demanded money. After the tellers handed over cash from the till, the robbers demanded more cash. The tellers provided the robbers with cash from the bank’s vault and included a GPS tracker, which was activated. The robbers fled the bank and got into Adams’ car and Adams drove them away from the bank.
Baltimore Police Department (BPD) units responding to the robbery were provided with the GPS tracking information and located the vehicle with Adams and his co-defendants inside. All three were arrested. At the time of their arrests, Gollahon had the gun used in the robbery on his person. A subsequent search of the vehicle recovered the second firearm used by Tingler in both robberies, and a blue backpack containing the cash stolen during the robbery and the GPS tracking device. Later that day, a search was executed at Adams’ residence which recovered clothing and a leather duffel bag used during the first robbery.
Adams’ co-defendants, Richard Tingler, age 56, and David Gollahon, age 59, both of Baltimore, Maryland, pleaded guilty to the federal charges of armed bank robbery and brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence. If the court accepts their guilty pleas, Gollahon is expected to be sentenced to between 12 and 15 years in federal prison and Tingler is expected to be sentenced to up to 18 years in federal prison. Judge Chasanow has scheduled Gollahon’s sentencing for December 10, 2020, and set Tingler’s sentencing for January 19, 2021 at 9:30 a.m. All three defendants remain detained.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
United States Attorney Robert K. Hur commended the FBI and the Baltimore Police Department for their work in the investigation. Mr. Hur thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Paul A. Riley and Daniel A. Loveland, Jr., who are prosecuting the case.
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Former Massachusetts Man Indicted on Contempt Charges After Attempting to Flee the Country to Avoid Prison SentenceRead the Press Release
BOSTON – An Illinois man, who previously lived in Massachusetts, was charged in federal court in Worcester with contempt after attempting to flee the United States.
Ashokkumar Patel, a/k/a “Andy” Patel, 31, of Bartlett, Illinois, and formerly of Worcester and Plainville, Mass., was indicted on one count of contempt.
According to court records, Patel was convicted in June 2019 of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud and money laundering. As part of that case, Patel was released from custody pending sentencing, and was subject to court-ordered conditions of release which included, among other things, that his travel was restricted to Massachusetts, as well as parts of Illinois, Wisconsin and Indiana. In September 2020, Patel was sentenced to 40 months in prison and ordered to self-report to the Bureau of Prisons on Nov. 3, 2020.
It is alleged that on Oct. 15, 2020, Patel was encountered by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police in a ditch in an area of blueberry fields in Canada, just over the Washington state border. Patel was returned to the United States and arrested.
Patel faces a sentence of up to six months in prison and a $1,000 fine on the contempt charge plus up to an additional year in prison for committing this offense while on release, which must be served consecutive to any sentence he receives for contempt. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based on 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 today. Assistance was provided by U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Blaine Border Patrol Station in Washington. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michelle L. Dineen Jerrett of Lelling’s Springfield Branch Office is prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Folsom Man Indicted for Sexually Exploiting MinorsRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned a five-count indictment today against Matthew Goyder, 37, of Folsom, charging him with three counts of sexual exploitation of a child, distribution of child pornography, and receipt of child pornography, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced.
According to court documents, between July 2017 and March 2020, Goyder engaged in the sexual exploitation of three minor victims using the internet. In addition, he distributed and received child pornography.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Internet Crimes Against Children task force, the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office, the Pinellas Park Police Department, the Pasco County Sheriff’s Office, and the Folsom Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Roger Yang is prosecuting the case.
If convicted of sexual exploitation of a child, Goyder faces a mandatory statutory minimum sentence of 15 years in prison up to a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000. If convicted of the receipt and distribution of child pornography counts, Goyder faces a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in prison up to a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute those who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. Click on the “resources” tab for information about internet-safety education.
Florida Man Indicted for Selling Fentanyl on the Darknet in Exchange for CryptocurrencyRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — A Florida man was indicted today for distributing heroin, oxymorphone, oxycodone, and fentanyl as the narcotics vendor “chlnsaint” on Empire Market, a darknet hidden service, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced.
Chaloner Saintillus, 32, of Delray Beach, Florida, was charged with conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance and four counts of distribution of a controlled substance.
According to court documents, the vendor site for “chlnsaint” advertised the sale of fentanyl, carfentanyl, cocaine, oxymorphone, and other narcotics. From August 2019, when the vendor account was created, through August 2020, when Empire Market stopped its operations, “chlnsaint” completed over 1,100 narcotics sales and had a positive customer feedback rating of 98%. Saintillus also offered direct deals through the encrypted messaging app Wickr under the name “showstill.”
Through the course of the investigation, agents conducted numerous undercover buys of fentanyl, heroin, oxycodone, and oxymorphone. Surveillance footage from the post offices from where the parcels were mailed revealed that Saintillus paid for the postage. Agents also conducted surveillance of Saintillus in Florida and identified him mailing a parcel that was later seized and found to contain fentanyl. Agents conducted a search of Saintillus’ residence on Oct. 26, and found a loaded handgun, more than 2,000 rounds of ammunition, large quantities of narcotics, including fentanyl, and approximately $25,000 in the cryptocurrency XRP.
This case was investigated by the Northern California Illicit Digital Economy (NCIDE) task force, which is comprised of agents from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Homeland Security Investigations, the United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation, and the Drug Enforcement Administration. NCIDE agents received assistance from the West Palm Beach, Florida offices of USPIS, HSI, FBI, and DEA, and the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office and the Delray Beach Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Grant B. Rabenn is prosecuting the case.
If convicted of the conspiracy charge, Saintillus faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years in prison and a maximum statutory penalty of life in prison and a $10 million fine. If convicted of the drug distribution charges, he faces a statutory maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $1 million fine. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Federal Inmate Charged with Plotting to Hire Hitman to Kill Informant and then Kill ProsecutorRead the Press Release
Greenville, South Carolina --- United States Attorney Peter M. McCoy, Jr., announced today that a federal grand jury has indicted Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) inmate Richard Gilbert in connection with a murder-for-hire plot. According to the indictment, Gilbert, who was serving time at a federal prison in Edgefield for trafficking methamphetamine in Bowling Green, Kentucky, sought to hire a hitman to kill the federal prosecutor and a key witness from his Kentucky case.
The charges stem from an undercover operation during which Gilbert, from a contraband cell phone in prison, communicated with an undercover task force officer with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) who was posing as a hitman. According to the indictment, following multiple recorded phone calls, Gilbert sent the undercover officer a $2,000 check from his prison canteen account as a down payment for the retaliatory murder-for-hire. Masking the true purpose of this payment, Gilbert attempted to mislead BOP officials by misrepresenting the payment as being for an “investment firm.”
“Those who seek violent retribution on law enforcement and individuals who assist law enforcement will held accountable,” said U.S. Attorney McCoy. “Violence is a plague on our society that can only be cured with the faithful commitment of dedicated law enforcement officers and prosecutors. We must remember that they put their lives on the line every day to ensure the laws of our society are applied.”
Gilbert is charged with murder-for-hire, retaliation against an informant, and money laundering. According to the indictment, Gilbert drew maps of where he believed the witness from Kentucky lived and provided direction to the undercover officer, posing as the hitman, on how to avoid detection by nearby surveillance cameras. The Indictment further alleged that Gilbert, who owns several pieces of real property in Kentucky, planned to use the income from two of his rental properties to facilitate the attempted murder-for-hire and retaliation plot—and additionally had plans to use the value of his ownership stake in other land to pay for the murder of the federal prosecutor from Kentucky.
The case is being investigated by the FBI and the BOP Special Operations Response Team and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Jim May, Justin Holloway, and Will Jordan.
The United States Attorney stated all charges in this case are merely accusations at this stage, and the defendant is 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.
Federal Authorities Arrest 9 Defendants Charged in Relation to Scheme that Laundered over $30 Million in Fraud ProceedsRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – Federal authorities this morning arrested nine defendants, most of whom allegedly were involved in a sophisticated money laundering scheme that moved tens of millions of dollars derived from tax fraud and health care fraud schemes.
Two indictments unsealed this morning allege that a total of 10 defendants participated in a large operation that laundered more than $30 million in tax refunds that had been obtained from approximately 7,000 fraudulent tax returns filed using identities stolen from thousands of American taxpayers. Seven of the 10 defendants named in these two indictments were arrested this morning, and three are still being sought by authorities.
Two additional defendants arrested this morning are charged in two other indictments that allege fraud, one involving a car leasing scam and one involving a short sale scheme involving a $2 million residence that was forfeited to the United States earlier this year. A second defendant in the real estate scam is also a fugitive.
The leader of the schemes outlined in the two money laundering indictments – Gagik Airapetian – directed other conspirators to use altered foreign passports, mostly from the Republic of Armenia, to rent mailboxes and open bank accounts to launder funds from tax fraud and health care fraud, according to the indictments. Members of the conspiracies allegedly altered Republic of Armenia passports by placing their photographs on top of the real passport holders’ photographs, and then using the altered passports to open more than 500 bank accounts.
The nine defendants were arrested this morning by special agents with the FBI and IRS Criminal Investigation.
The defendants arrested pursuant to the money laundering indictments are: Gagik Airapetian, 62, of Woodland Hills; Tigran Galstyan, 48, of Sylmar; Moses Seraydarian, 54, of Northridge; Stepan Terakopyan, 35, of Granada Hills; Petros Terakopyan, 64, of Sun Valley; Karen Pogosian, 49, of Van Nuys; and Haroutioun Demirdjian, 54, of North Hollywood.
Authorities are continuing to search for three money laundering defendants: Davit Asoyan, 29, of Granada Hills; Nikoghos Petrosyan; and Albert Andriasov, 28, of Las Vegas.
Ara Sahakyan, 54, of Reseda, was arrested pursuant to the indictment alleging the car leasing scheme in which he leased three different vehicles by falsely claiming to be a CFO earning $189,000 per year.
In relation to the indictment that alleges the short sale scheme, Armen Oganesian, 56, of Los Feliz, was arrested this morning. Arsen Abrahamyan is also charged in this case, and he is believed to have fled the United States.
Members of the money laundering conspiracies used attorneys to try to unfreeze bank accounts that banks had frozen due to suspected fraud, according to court documents. Airapetian bribed a lawyer to use his attorney client trust account – which is supposed to be used by attorneys to segregate client funds from the attorney’s money – to launder more than $500,000 in tax fraud proceeds, the indictment states. Glendale lawyer Arthur S. Charchian previously pleaded guilty to one count of money laundering and one count of making a false statement to the Social Security Administration as he admitted laundering $549,000 for the scheme.
According to one of the indictments unsealed today, defendant Galstyan bribed bank managers to unfreeze bank accounts that contained funds suspected to have been derived from fraud. Last year, a former Wells Fargo Bank manager, Hakop Zakaryan, pleaded guilty to bank fraud for his role in the scheme.
The other money laundering indictment unsealed today describes a related conspiracy, also orchestrated by Airapetian, that laundered monies derived from health care fraud. Similar to the tax fraud money laundering scheme, members of this conspiracy allegedly opened bank accounts using fraudulent identities, and Airapetian allegedly charged a 30 percent laundering fee. As detailed in the indictment, the FBI also conducted an undercover operation where the schemers laundered funds they thought were from health care fraud.
The arrests this morning are part of a continuing multi-agency investigation into a Stolen Identity Refund Fraud (SIRF) scheme – dubbed Operation “SIRF’s Up” – that involved conspirators who used false identities and fake Republic of Armenia and other former Soviet Republic passports to open hundreds of bank accounts that were used to launder tens of millions of dollars in tax refunds fraudulently received from the IRS. After the arrests this morning, federal authorities have now charged a total of 35 defendants linked to the scheme. So far, the investigation has resulted in 15 convictions, and the seizure of at least five residential properties worth millions of dollars and more than $700,000 from bank accounts. Five defendants remain fugitives from justice.
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.
f convicted of all charges, Airapetian would face a statutory maximum sentence of more than 400 years in federal prison. The other defendants in the money laundering indictments unsealed today each face prison statutory maximum sentences of more than 100 years of imprisonment.
This matter was investigated by IRS Criminal Investigation, the FBI, and Homeland Security Investigations.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Charles E. Pell of the Santa Ana Branch Office.
Eranga Cardiology to Pay $500,000 to Resolve Health Care Fraud AllegationsRead the Press Release
WILMINGTON, Del. – U.S. Attorney David C. Weiss announced today that Eranga Cardiology, P.A. and Dr. Eranga Haththotuwa have agreed to a $500,000.00 settlement with the government to resolve allegations of health care fraud arising under the False Claims Act. Eranga Cardiology is a cardiology practice with locations in Milford and Dover.
From April 2014 to March 2020, the practice submitted claims for reimbursement to Medicare and Medicaid that required both performance of cardiology procedures and the generation of corresponding interpretive reports. The United States alleged that the practice submitted and received payment for these claims without generating the required interpretive reports. The civil claims settled by this False Claims Act agreement are allegations only; there has been no admission of fault.
“The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Delaware is committed to combating health care fraud and protecting Medicare beneficiaries using all available remedies,” said U.S. Attorney Weiss. “When providers cut corners by failing to ensure that procedures are adequately documented, it cheats both the patients and the government.”
The settlement announced today resolves a lawsuit filed under the whistleblower provision of the False Claims Act. The government’s claims are based on a whistleblower suit filed by a former employee of Eranga Cardiology. A whistleblower suit, or qui tam action under the False Claims Act, is commenced by an individual, known as a “relator,” filing a complaint under seal in the U.S. District Court, and providing a copy of the complaint and other evidence to the local U.S. Attorney. The United States then has an opportunity to investigate the claims. The False Claims Act provides the whistleblowers with a share of the government’s recovery.
The resolutions obtained in this matter were the result of a coordinated effort between the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Delaware, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, and the Delaware Department of Justice.
“Providers should bill taxpayer-funded government health programs for services actually provided—no less and certainly never more,” said Maureen R. Dixon, Special Agent in Charge for the Office of Inspector General of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. “We will continue aggressively investigating schemes that undermine the integrity of these vital programs. Anyone suspecting Medicare or Medicaid fraud is urged to please contact our investigative hotline at 1-800-HHS-TIPS (1-800-447-8477).”
This matter was investigated by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Shamoor Anis and Laura Hatcher.
Related court documents and information from the civil lawsuit are on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:17-cv-1742-MN.
El Departamento de Justicia Llega a un Acuerdo con una Agencia de Transporte y Logística que Resuelve unas Acusaciones de Discriminación Relacionada con la InmigraciónRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON, D.C. – El Departamento de Justicia anunció hoy que ha llegado a un acuerdo con IAS Logistics DFW, LLC, d/b/a Pinnacle Logistics (Pinnacle Logistics), una compañía de transporte y logística con sede en Fort Worth, Tejas. El acuerdo resuelve las acusaciones que Pinnacle Logistics había discriminado a un trabajador que era asilado con base en su estatus de ciudadanía al rechazar los documentos válidos de autorización para trabajar del trabajador y despedirlo cuando no pudo satisfacer la solicitud de la compañía de documentos migratorios específicos e innecesarios.
«Los empleadores no deben interferir en el derecho legal de un trabajador a presentar los documentos aceptables de autorización para trabajar para demostrar autorización para trabajar en los Estados Unidos», declaró Eric Dreiband, el Fiscal General Auxiliar de la División de Derechos Civiles. «Felicitamos a Pinnacle Logistics por decidir trabajar con el Departamento de Justicia y ajustar sus prácticas para que cumplan con las protecciones antidiscriminatorias de la ley de Inmigración y Nacionalidad».
Con base en su investigación, el Departamento concluyó que Pinnacle Logistics había pedido al trabajador asilado que presentara un documento adicional emitido por el Departamento de Seguridad Nacional debido a su condición como no ciudadano de los EE. UU., aunque ya había presentado suficiente documentación que demuestra su autorización para trabajar. Cuando el trabajador no pudo producir el documento que Pinnacle Logistics le había pedido, a pesar de estar autorizado para trabajar, la compañía lo despidió.
La disposición antidiscriminatoria de la ley de Inmigración y Nacionalidad («INA», por sus siglas en inglés) prohíbe que los empleadores pidan documentos adicionales o diferentes a los que sean necesarios para demostrar la autorización para trabajar con base en el estatus migratorio o de ciudadanía del empleado o bien por su nacionalidad de origen. A su vez, en la INA, el Congreso determinó que todo individuo con autorización para trabajar, independientemente de su estatus de ciudadanía, puede elegir los documentos válidos y legalmente aceptables que desea presentar para demostrar su elegibilidad para trabajar en los Estados Unidos. No obstante, la INA sí permite que los empleadores rechacen documentos que no parecen ser genuinos.
Conforme los términos del acuerdo conciliatorio, Pinnacle Logistics pagará una sanción civil a los Estados Unidos y pagos retroactivos al trabajador afectado, capacitará a sus empleados acerca de los requisitos de la disposición antidiscriminatoria de la INA y los procedimientos apropiados para E-Verify y se someterá a los requisitos de declaración del Departamento durante el plazo del acuerdo.
La Sección de Derechos de Inmigrantes y Empleados («IER», por sus siglas en inglés) de la División de Derechos Civiles es responsable de hacer cumplir la disposición antidiscriminatoria de la INA. La ley prohíbe la discriminación por motivos de estatus de ciudadanía y nacionalidad de origen en los procesos de contratación, despido o reclutamiento o recomendación por comisión; prácticas documentales injustas; y represalias o la intimidación.
Para más información sobre protecciones contra la discriminación en el empleo, llame a la línea directa de la IER para trabajadores al 1-800-255-7688 (1-800-237-2515, TTY para personas con discapacidades auditivas); llame a la línea directa para empleadores al 1-800-255-8155 (1-800-237-2515, TTY para personas con discapacidades auditivas); inscríbase a un seminario en línea gratuito; envíe en correo electrónico a [email protected]; o visite las páginas web de la IER en inglés y español. Para recibir las últimas noticias de la IER, inscríbase a GovDelivery.
La División de Derechos Civiles quiere enterarse de más vulneraciones de derechos civiles. Miembros del público pueden informarnos de posibles vulneraciones de derechos civiles mediante el portal de declaraciones de la División de Derechos Civiles.
Aquellos aspirantes o empleados que creen haber sido sometidos a: discriminación por motivos de su ciudadanía, estatus migratorio o nacionalidad de origen en los procesos de contratación, despido o reclutamiento o recomendación por comisión; discriminación en el proceso de la verificación de la elegibilidad para trabajar (Formulario I-9 e E-Verify) con base en su ciudadanía, estatus migratorio o nacionalidad de origen; o represalias pueden presentar una denuncia o llamar a la línea directa de la IER para trabajadores para pedir ayuda.
La Iniciativa para la Protección de Trabajadores en Este País, de la División de Derechos Civiles, se lanzó en el 2017 en la IER y señala, investiga y (donde proceda) aplica medidas de cumplimiento a empleadores que intencionalmente discriminen a trabajadores en este país por motivos de su estatus de ciudadanía para dar preferencia a trabajadores temporales de visa. La IER ha llegado a numerosos acuerdos bajo la Iniciativa para la Protección de Trabajadores en Este País y empleadores han distribuido o acordado distribuir un total combinado de más de 1,2 millónes de dólares por concepto de pagos retroactivos a trabajadores afectadso en este país y sanciones civiles a los Estados Unidos. Estos acuerdos implican empleadores que fueron discriminatorios en su uso de los programas de visa de H-1B, H-2A y H-2B.
Des Moines Man Sentenced to 20 Years in Prison for Child Pornography OffenseRead the Press Release
DES MOINES, IA – On Tuesday, November 10, 2020, Robert Joe Hennings, age 33, of Des Moines, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Rebecca Goodgame Ebinger to 240 months in federal prison, to be followed by 20 years of federal court supervision, for receipt of child pornography, announced United States Attorney Marc Krickbaum. Hennings was ordered to forfeit the electronic media used in the offense, pay $15,000 in restitution to victims, and pay $100 to the Crime Victims’ Fund. Hennings was also ordered to register as a sex offender after his release.
According to the record made at sentencing, Hennings collected in excess of 550,000 images of child pornography over a three-year period, including material involving sexual assaults on prepubescent minors, including an infant. The sentence was, in part, a reflection of the danger Hennings posed to children, based on the Court’s finding that he engaged in chats with others where he expressed his desire to have sex with boys younger than five years old and said he wanted to purchase a young prostitute under five years of age.
The case was a joint federal-state effort involving both the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Child Exploitation Task Force and the Iowa Department of Criminal Investigation’s Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force.
The case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa as part of the U.S. Department of Justice’s “Project Safe Childhood” initiative, which was started in 2006 as a nation-wide effort to combine law enforcement investigations and prosecutions, community action, and public awareness in order to reduce the incidence of sexual exploitation of children. Any persons having knowledge of a child being sexually abused are encouraged to call the Iowa Sexual Abuse Hotline at 1-800-284-7821.
Denver Man Charged with Aiming Laser Pointer at Denver Police Department Helicopter During Protest on November 4Read the Press Release
DENVER – United States Attorney Jason R. Dunn today announced that Logan Scott Debyle of Denver has been charged with aiming a laser pointer at a Denver Police Department (DPD) helicopter. According to the affidavit in support of the complaint, Debyle allegedly used a green laser pointer to illuminate the cockpit of a DPD helicopter called “Air 1” as the helicopter observed civil unrest during the evening of November 4, 2020. The flight crew of Air 1 viewed two men associated with the laser. The men were then detained by DPD ground officers.
Debyle made his initial appearance before the United States District Court for the District of Colorado today. Debyle is charged with violating 18 U.S.C. § 39A. If convicted, he faces a sentence of not more than five years imprisonment and a fine of not more than $250,000. The charge contained in the complaint is an allegation, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.
This matter is being investigated by the FBI’s Denver Field Office and the Denver Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney David Tonini is handling the prosecution on behalf of the United States. The case number is 20-mj-180.
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.
Delaware County Attorney Convicted of Bank Fraud and Identity Theft OffensesRead the Press Release
SCRANTON - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced today that Dory L. Sater, age 46, of Drexel Hill, Pennsylvania, was convicted on November 10, 2020, following a jury trial, of bank fraud and aggravated identity theft offenses. The six-day trial was held before United States District Court Judge Robert D. Mariani in Scranton.
According to United States Attorney David J. Freed, the jury returned the guilty verdict on both counts in the indictment after approximately one hour of deliberation. Sater was convicted of one count of bank fraud and one count of aggravated identity theft.
The evidence presented at trial showed that in August 2017, Sater forged a mortgage satisfaction piece and filed the instrument with the Luzerne County Recorder of Deeds Office. The forged document erased a mortgage held by Fidelity Deposit & Discount Bank on the Mountaintop, Pennsylvania residence of Sater’s parents. The mortgage had served as collateral for a $50,000 line of credit that Sater had withdrawn in its entirety. Evidence at trial established that Sater’s parents were considering selling their residence while the forged satisfaction piece was recorded. In the process of forging the mortgage satisfaction piece, Sater also forged the signatures of a Fidelity bank officer and of a public notary, whose notary stamp he stole to use on the forged document. Sater was a personal injury attorney in Delaware County, who ran The Sater Law Firm LLC.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Phillip J. Caraballo and James Buchanan are prosecuting the case.
The maximum penalty under federal law for the bank fraud offense is 30 years of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. The aggravated identity theft charge carries a mandatory, consecutive two-year term of imprisonment. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the Judge is also required to consider and weigh a number of factors, including the nature, circumstances and seriousness of the offense; the history and characteristics of the defendant; and the need to punish the defendant, protect the public and provide for the defendant's educational, vocational and medical needs. For these reasons, the statutory maximum penalty for the offense is not an accurate indicator of the potential sentence for a specific defendant.
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Danbury Man Who Embezzled $1.1 Million Sentenced to 41 Months in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that ANTHONY TEIXEIRA, 51, of Danbury, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Vanessa L. Bryant to 41 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for embezzling $1.1 million from his employer.
Pursuant to the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act), the court proceeding occurred via videoconference.
According to court documents and statements made in court, for more than 25 years, Teixeira was employed by Joseph Merritt & Company (“JMC”), a Hartford-based printing company. Teixeira most recently oversaw the JMC branch located in Danbury. Between approximately January 2012 and February 2019, Teixeira defrauded JMC and its customers by presenting sales orders, or test sales orders, to customers as though they were actually invoices. Customers, believing they were paying JMC for the work, then delivered payments into accounts that Teixeira controlled. Teixeira also stole printing-related inventory from JMC inventory and sold it online, but manipulated invoices to deceive JMC’s systems into thinking the company had sold the inventory. The loss attributable to Teixeira through these schemes is approximately $1.1 million.
Judge Bryant ordered Teixeira to make full restitution in an amount that is still to be determined.
Teixeira was arrested on a federal criminal complaint on December 12, 2019, and was subsequently released on a $50,000 bond. He has been detained since June 1, 2020, after Judge Bryant determined that Teixeira had violated the conditions of his release and revoked his bond. An investigation revealed that Teixeira spent more than $48,000 while released on bond, in violation of court-imposed restrictions on his financial activity.
On July 24, 2020, Teixeira pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud.
This investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Danbury Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys John T. Pierpont, Jr. and Amanda S. Oakes.
Convicted Felon Sentenced to Nearly 20 Years in Prison for Distributing MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
ALBANY, Ga. – An Albany resident with at least two previous felony convictions was sentenced to 235 months in federal prison for distributing methamphetamine out of his home, announced Charlie Peeler, the U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of Georgia.
Derry Marquez Brooks, 42, of Albany, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Leslie Gardner on Tuesday, November 10 to 235 months in prison to be followed by 5 years of supervised release after pleading guilty to distribution of methamphetamine. There is no parole in the federal system.
On December 13, 2018, a cooperating source (CS) placed a recorded phone call to Brooks to order two ounces of methamphetamine. The CS met with Brooks at the defendant’s home and acquired the methamphetamine. While there, the CS observed numerous firearms, and Brooks quoted a price for the sale of a rifle. The CS later returned to purchase a semi-automatic rifle from Brooks. Brooks has been previously convicted of aggravated assault and possession with intent to distribute cocaine in the Superior Court of Dougherty County, Georgia.
“Selling drugs and illegal firearms is a dangerous business that breeds crime and violence in our communities. We will not tolerate it. We are working closely with our local, state and federal law enforcement partners to crack down on this illicit activity across the Middle District of Georgia,” said U.S. Attorney Charlie Peeler. “I want to thank the many cooperating agencies involved in bringing Brooks to justice and working to make our communities safer.”
The case was investigated by the Lee County Sheriff’s Office, Albany-Dougherty Drug Unit, Georgia Bureau of Investigations (GBI), FBI and Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). Assistant U.S. Attorney Leah McEwen prosecuted the case for the Government. Questions can be directed to Pamela Lightsey, Public Information Officer, United States Attorney’s Office, at (478) 621-2603 or Melissa Hodges, Public Affairs Director (Contractor), United States Attorney’s Office, at (478) 765-2362.
Camden Man Admits Role in Drug Trafficking OrganizationRead the Press Release
CAMDEN, N.J. – A member of a Camden drug-trafficking organization today admitted conspiring to distribute heroin, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito announced.
Jose Agron, 26, of Camden, pleaded guilty by videoconference before U.S. District Judge Renée Marie Bumb to an information charging him with one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute at least one kilogram of heroin.
Fourteen other members of the drug-trafficking conspiracy based in the 500 block of Pine Street in Camden – Ronnie Lopez, Nelson Salcedo, Carlos Perez, Paul Salcedo, Waldemar Garcia, William Carrillo, Elisa Rivera, Ramon Velez, David Velez, Naeem Sadler, Jasmin Velez, Jameel Byng, Kaliel Johnson, and Meylin Troncoso – previously have pleaded guilty in this case. The charges against three other defendants remain pending.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
An investigation by led by the FBI used surveillance tactics, confidential informants, consensual recordings, over 40 controlled drug purchases, record checks, a GPS vehicle tracker, and several court-authorized wiretaps to uncover the operations of the Camden drug-trafficking organization. Members of the drug-trafficking organization sold heroin, crack cocaine, cocaine, and fentanyl in and around Camden.
The count to which Agron pleaded guilty carries a mandatory penalty of 10 years in prison, a maximum potential penalty of a lifetime in prison, and a $10 million fine. Sentencing is scheduled for March 15, 2021.
U.S. Attorney Carpenito credited special agents of the FBI’s South Jersey Violent Offender and Gang Task Force, South Jersey Resident Agency, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Michael J. Driscoll in Philadelphia; the Camden County Police Department, under the direction of Chief Joseph Wysocki; the Camden County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Acting Prosecutor Jill S. Mayer; the Camden County Sheriff’s Department, under the direction of Sheriff Gilbert L. Wilson; the Cherry Hill Police Department, under the direction of Chief William P. Monaghan; and the N.J. State Police, under the direction of Col. Patrick J. Callahan, with the investigation leading to today’s guilty plea. He also thanked the Drug Enforcement Administration, the U.S. Marshals Service, and the Department of Homeland Security for their assistance.
This case is being conducted under the auspices of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF). The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking, weapons trafficking and money laundering organizations, and those primarily responsible for the nation’s illegal drug supply.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sara A. Aliabadi and Patrick C. Askin of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Criminal Division in Camden.
For the defendants whose charges remain pending, the charges and allegations are merely accusations, and they are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
California Man Sentenced to 120 Months for Attempted Online Enticement of a MinorRead the Press Release
FRANKFORT, Ky. – A California man, Michael John Davidson, 31, was sentenced to 120 months in prison on Thursday, by U.S. District Judge Gregory Van Tatenhove, after previously being convicted by a federal jury of attempted online enticement of a minor to engage in sexual activity. The jury reached its verdict after approximately one hour of deliberations, following a day and a half trial.
According to testimony at trial, on February 20, 2019, Davidson contacted an individual, who self-identified as a 15-year-old female living in Franklin County, Kentucky, using the KiK messenger internet application on his cellular telephone. The person Davidson contacted was, in reality, an investigator with the Kentucky Office of the Attorney General’s Cyber Crimes Branch. From February 20-22, 2019, a conversation between Davidson and the investigator took place on the KiK messenger. Eventually, the Defendant turned the conversation sexual activity, and transmitted several images of himself.
The conversation between the Davidson and the investigator resulted in a planned meeting for sex, on February 22, 2019. On February 22, 2019, Davidson drove from Jamestown, Kentucky, to Frankfort, Kentucky, in order to meet the investigator and engage in criminal sexual activity. When the Davidson arrived at the agreed-upon meeting place, he was arrested by law enforcement.
Davidson was convicted in May 2020.
Under federal law, Davidson must serve 85 percent of his prison sentence and will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for 20 years, following his release. In addition to the prison sentence, Davidson was also ordered to pay $5,100 in special assessments.
“The importance of the law enforcement efforts to protect children from online sexual predators cannot be overstated,” said Robert M. Duncan, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky. “The defendant used the internet to knowingly plan to have sex with someone he believed was a 15 year old girl. Fortunately, because of the excellent work of law enforcement, he was identified and arrested. His federal prison sentence is deserved, and serves as a warning for those who would engage in similar conduct.”
“Investigators with our Cyber Crimes Unit work to stay one step ahead of cyber predators who target children,” said Attorney General Cameron. “As children spend more time online during the pandemic, these efforts and partnerships with law enforcement are more important than ever. I appreciate the work of our Department of Criminal Investigations, U.S. Attorney Duncan, and the Louisville Field Division of the U.S. Secret Service in this case.“
Robert M. Duncan, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Ralph Gerds, Assistant Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Secret Service Louisville Field Division; and Daniel Cameron, Attorney General for the Commonwealth of Kentucky, jointly announced the sentencing.
The investigation was conducted by the United States Secret Service and Kentucky Attorney General’s Cyber Crime Branch. The United States was represented in the case by Assistant U.S. Attorney Erin M. Roth and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney James T. Chapman.
This case was prosecuted as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, which was launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
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Boston Man Sentenced for Being Felon in Possession of FirearmRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Boston man was sentenced today for being a felon in possession of a firearm.
Naysaan Austin, 23, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Patti B. Saris to 66 months in prison and one year of supervised release. In August 2020, Austin pleaded guilty to one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm.
On June 16, 2019, Austin was arrested in Dorchester for carrying a Sig Sauer .22 caliber Mosquito Pistol loaded with five rounds of ammunition. The serial number on the gun was obliterated. Before he was arrested, Austin ran away from law enforcement officers, despite numerous orders to stop. At the time of his arrest, Austin was on probation and therefore prohibited from possessing a firearm.
United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling; Kelly D. Brady, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, Boston Field Division; and Boston Police Commissioner William Gross made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney John T. Mulcahy of Lelling’s Criminal Division prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. PSN is part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime.
Berkeley County woman indicted on drug chargeRead the Press Release
MARTINSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Jacqueline L. Krsul, of Falling Waters, West Virginia, was arrested today after an indictment charging her with cocaine possession, U.S. Attorney Bill Powell announced.
Krsul, 30, is charged with one count of “Possession with Intent to Distribute Cocaine Base.” Krsul is accused of having cocaine base or “crack” in April 2020 in Morgan County.
Krsul faces up to 20 years of incarceration and a fine of up to $1,000,000. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy D. Helman is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The Morgan County Sheriff’s Office investigated.
An indictment is merely an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Bedford Attorney Pleads Guilty to Wire Fraud and Money Laundering Related to Theft of Client FundsRead the Press Release
CONCORD - John Allen, 63, of Bedford, New Hampshire, pleaded guilty in federal court to wire fraud and money laundering, United States Attorney Scott W. Murray announced today.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Allen was a New Hampshire attorney who provided legal services related to, among other things, commercial real estate acquisition and development and secured lending transactions. As an attorney in New Hampshire who handled clients’ funds, Allen was required to maintain two Interest on Lawyer Trust Accounts (commonly known as IOLTA).
From approximately January of 2014 through October of 2019, Allen engaged in a scheme to defraud several of his clients of over $2.4 million. Allen’s clients gave him funds to hold in escrow for specific purposes, including private lending, real estate transactions, and particular business deals. Although Allen told his clients he would hold the funds in his IOLTA for these purposes, he transferred those funds between his IOLTAs and, without authority to do so, into another bank account he controlled. He then spent the funds on his own personal expenses and for unrelated business expenses. All the while, he misled these clients by representing that the funds were in one of his IOLTAs or were being used for their intended purposes.
For example, Allen caused one client to invest more than $1.5 million in fraudulent promissory notes that Allen created using other persons’ identities. Allen did not invest the money and instead kept it for himself. Allen also stole nearly $1 million from other clients by transferring money they had provided for specific real estate transactions from his IOLTA to other accounts he controlled. To hide the sources of the funds he stole from his clients, Allen comingled fraud proceeds and legitimate funds, made many transfers back and forth between accounts, and spent the funds in those accounts on unrelated business and personal expenses. In total, Allen stole at least $2,426,258 from his clients.
Allen is scheduled to be sentenced on February 25, 2021. His license to practice law in New Hampshire was suspended in 2019.
“When clients come to an attorney seeking assistance, they place their trust in that attorney,” said U.S. Attorney Murray. “John Allen betrayed that trust, took advantage of his clients, and stole their money. These are the actions of a white collar criminal rather than a dedicated counselor at law. Accordingly, John Allen is being prosecuted for wire fraud and money laundering. To protect the public and seek justice for victims, we work closely with the FBI and all of our law enforcement partners to identify and prosecute white collar criminals who steal money from clients.”
“Today, John Allen finally accepted the blame for betraying his clients’ trust and lying to them, claiming he had more than $2.4 million of their hard-earned money safely tucked away, when in reality he was bleeding them dry to make up for his own bad business decisions,” said Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Boston Division. “This is a teachable moment for anyone who thinks they can take advantage of their position for personal gain. Don’t do it, because the FBI will do everything in our power to ensure you will be held accountable.”
This matter was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew T. Hunter.
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Baltimore Man Sentenced to 21 Years in Federal Prison for Five Bank Robberies, Five Armed Robberies of Liquor Stores, and Related Firearms ChargesRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – U.S. District Judge George L. Russell today sentenced Anthony Eugene Wiggins, age 40, of Baltimore, Maryland, to 21 years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, for a string of robberies, and for violating his supervised release from a previous federal conviction. Wiggins committed five bank robberies and five armed robberies at liquor stores, between September 24, 2018 and November 15, 2018, as well as an attempted robbery on November 15, 2018, all while on supervised release for a previous federal conviction for being a felon in possession of a firearm.
The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Robert K. Hur; Special Agent in Charge Jennifer C. Boone of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office; Commissioner Michael Harrison of the Baltimore Police Department; Chief Melissa R. Hyatt of the Baltimore County Police Department; and Chief Charles Moore of the Bel Air Police Department.
“Anthony Wiggins was a walking crime spree, endangering the lives of employees and customers at the banks and liquor stores that he robbed,” said U.S. Attorney Robert K. Hur. “As a convicted felon, Wiggins should not have been able to purchase a gun, but he was able to obtain a gun that had been assembled from firearm parts kits. So-called ‘ghost guns’ circumvent the laws designed to prevent felons from possessing firearms because they have no serial numbers and do not require background checks. We will continue working with our partners to keep guns out of the hands of people who cannot possess them lawfully.”
“Anthony Wiggins committed 10 armed robberies in less than 60 days,” said Jennifer C. Boone, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Baltimore Field Office. “As a convicted felon, he should have never been in possession of a gun, but because ‘ghost guns’ have become so easy to obtain, the lives of customers and employees were put in danger. We hope today’s sentence sends a clear message that the FBI and our law enforcement partners will do everything in our power to bring these offenders to justice.”
According to his plea agreement, between September 24 and October 18, 2018, Wiggins committed robberies at five separate Maryland banks, including two banks in Baltimore, and one each in White Marsh, Bel Air, and Arbutus. Wiggins was on federal supervised release at the time of the robberies, having previously been convicted for being a felon in possession of a firearm.
As detailed in his plea agreement, between November 2 and November 15, 2018, Wiggins committed five armed robberies at four liquor stores in Dundalk, Middle River, and Baltimore, Maryland. Wiggins admitted that he discharged a firearm in two of those robberies, specifically, a robbery in Dundalk on November 2, 2018 and a robbery in Baltimore on November 13, 2018, and brandished a firearm in the other three robberies. Wiggins also attempted to rob a fifth liquor store, located in Dundalk, on November 15, 2018. In nearly all of the robberies, Wiggins threatened victim employees with physical violence and, during one robbery, fought with and assaulted a store customer and a victim employee.
As stated in the plea agreement and other court documents, the gun discharged by Wiggins in two of the robberies was an untraceable “ghost gun,” which was assembled from a firearm parts kit and did not have a serial number. These kits can be purchased from various kit manufacturers or secondary retailers, including Internet websites. Crucially, convicted felons, who are prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition as a result of their convictions, can order such firearm kits and assemble an untraceable working gun in the privacy of their homes in as little as one hour with minimal effort.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
United States Attorney Robert K. Hur commended the FBI, the Baltimore Police Department, the Baltimore County Police Department, and the Bel Air Police Department for their work in the investigation. Mr. Hur thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Paul A. Riley and Mary W. Setzer, who prosecuted the case.
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Bakersfield Man Indicted for Scheme Creating Dozens of Fraudulent Accounts and Siphoning More Than $900,000 from Financial InstitutionsRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned an eleven-count indictment today against Nahed Mishmish, 46, of Bakersfield, charging him with wire fraud, mail fraud and aggravated identity theft in a scheme that caused more than $900,000 in losses to the financial institutions, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced.
According to the indictment, between Jan. 1, 2015, and Jan. 15, 2020, Mishmish carried out a scheme to defraud Synchrony Bank, Capital One and other credit card companies and financial institutions. Mishmish obtained personally identifiable information (PII) of numerous individuals without their authorization and used the information to open credit card accounts. Mishmish allegedly used the cards to pay for personal expenses such as a vehicle lease and rent. The credit accounts were also being used to purchase large amounts of cigarettes at Rite Aid stores.
According to the criminal complaint, the FBI was tipped off that someone in Kern County was creating and using fraudulent credit card accounts, in part to buy large quantities of cigarettes from a Rite Aid store in McFarland. The FBI identified this individual as Mishmish. During a search of Mishmish’s residence, more than 60 cellphones were found and seized. The cellphones were marked with names, PII, and corresponding credit accounts.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation with the assistance of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and task force members: the Kern County Sheriff’s Office, the Bakersfield Police Department and the California Highway Patrol. Assistant U.S. Attorney Melanie L. Alsworth is prosecuting the case.
If convicted, Mishmish faces a maximum statutory penalty of 20 years in prison on each count of wire and mail fraud, a mandatory consecutive sentence of two years in prison on each count of aggravated identity theft and a $250,000 fine. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Attorney General William P. Barr Honors Department of Justice Employees and Others for the 68th Annual Attorney General’s AwardsRead the Press Release
Today, Attorney General William P. Barr announced the recipients for the 68th Annual Attorney General’s Awards, recognizing Department of Justice employees and partners for extraordinary contributions to the enforcement of our nation’s laws. This year, 240 DOJ employees received awards, while 27 non-department individuals are also being honored for their work. This year, due to coronavirus restrictions, Attorney General Barr is honoring recipients virtually here.
“I am honored to recognize the recipients of this year’s Attorney General’s Awards, whose tireless work and steadfast dedication have proven critical to enforcing the rule of law and protecting all Americans,” said Attorney General William P. Barr. “Those honored today have demonstrated exceptional efforts and made tremendous personal sacrifices throughout their time working at the Department of Justice, and for that, I am truly thankful.”
The 68th Annual Attorney General’s Awards and recipients are as follows.
The Attorney General’s David Margolis Award for Exceptional Service is the department’s highest award for employee performance. Attorney General Barr recognizes Justice Management Division, Office of the Assistant Attorney General, Assistant Attorney General for Administration, Lee J. Lofthus.
The Attorney General’s Award for Distinguished Service is the department’s second highest award for employee performance; there are thirteen Distinguished Service Awards being awarded today.
The first Distinguished Award is presented to Special Agents Brad S. Brasher, Ryan C. Caudill, Russel R. King, Louisville Field Division, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and; Majors Richmond (Kentucky) Police Department William J. O’Donnell and Rodney O. Tudor.
The second Distinguished Award is presented to Section Chief Lynda K. Marshall, Assistant Section Chief Caldwell Harrop, Trial Attorney Timothy S. Longman, and Paralegal Specialist Jessica A. Rodriguez of the Antitrust Division, International Section.
The third Distinguished Award is presented to September 11th Victim Compensation Fund Special Master Rupa Bhattacharyya and Deputy Special Master Stefanie G. Langsam, of the Civil Division.
The fourth Distinguished Award is presented to Deputy Chief, Special Operations Leonard H. LeVine, Jr., Acting Assistant Deputy Chief Adrienne L. Rose, and Trial Attorney Kaitlin J. Sahni Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section; Trial Attorney Margaret N. O’Malley of the Office of International Affairs, Criminal Division; Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher C. Myers, Supervisory Paralegal Specialist Debora J. Wilson, Victim/Witness Specialist Dimple A. Smith, Legal Assistant Lori E. Daly of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of North Dakota; Assistant U.S. Attorney Scott M. Kerin of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Oregon; Special Agent Michael A. Buemi, Miami Division, Drug Enforcement Administration; Special Agent Steven J. Gilpin, North Dakota Bureau of Criminal Investigations, and; Special Agents Guy Gino, Alexis J. Gregory, and Jeremy L. Grube, Homeland Security Investigations, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
The fifth Distinguished Award is presented to Deputy Chief Keith A. Becker and Trial Attorneys Ralph A. Paradiso and Lisa Marie Freitas, Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Criminal Division; Senior Trial Attorneys Judith H. Friedman and Lynn C. Holliday, Office of International Affairs, Criminal Division; Deputy Chief Michael J. Stawasz, Senior Counsels Jared S. Hosid and Nathan P. Judish, Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section, Criminal Division; Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kristi N. O’Malley and Thomas M. Sullivan of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland; Supervisory Special Agents J. Brooke Donahue and P. Michael Gordon, Criminal Investigative Division, FBI; Supervisory Agent Steven A. Smith, Jr., Cyber Division, FBI, and; Supervisory Special Agent Daniel E. O’Donnell, Critical Incident Response Group, FBI.
The sixth Distinguished Award is presented to Special Litigation Counsel Julia K. Gegenheimer, Trial Attorney Patricia A. Sumner, Supervisory Paralegal Specialist Kimberly N. Lawrence, Criminal Section, Civil Rights Division; Assistant U.S. Attorney Mack E. Jenkins and Paralegal Specialist Adriana Abalos of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California; Supervisory Special Agent Randy R. Gonzalez, Criminal Investigative Division, FBI; Supervisory Special Agent Ramon C. Johnson, New York Field Office, FBI; and Special Agents Caroline A. Walling and Michael Richard Ramsey, Los Angeles Field Office, FBI.
The seventh Distinguished Award is presented to Section Chief Lisa Lynne Russell, Principal Deputy Chief James D. Gette, Assistant Section Chief Guillermo A. Montero, Senior Litigation Counsel Frank J. Singer, Senior Attorney Marissa A. Piropato, Trial Attorneys Sean C. Duffy, Clare M. Boronow, and Erika D. Norman, Natural Resources Section, Environment and Natural Resources Division, and; Principal Deputy Chief Andrew C. Mergen, and Trial Attorneys Robert J. Lundman and Sommer H. Engels, Appellate Section, Environment and Natural Resources Division.
The eighth Distinguished Award is presented to Assistant U.S. Attorneys Celia V. Cohen, Scott A. Hartman, Jaqueline C. Kelly, Alexandra N. Rothman, and Hagan Scotten, Special Agent John J. Carillo, and Paralegal Specialist Shannon N. Becker of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York; Special Agents Christopher J. Munger, Elizabeth Nygaard, Theodore J. Otto III, and Cindy A. Peil, New York Field Office, FBI; Supervisory Special Agent Luigi Mondini, Chicago Division, FBI; Detective Darrell J. Julien and Task Force Officer William E. Dionne, New York City Police Department.
The ninth Distinguished Award is presented to Assistant U.S. Attorneys David G. Lazarus, Susan M. Poswistilo, Mark T. Quinlivan, Amanda P.M. Strachan, Fred M. Wyshak, Jr., K. Nathaniel Yeager, Victim Assistance Specialist Jessica M. Pooler, and Litigation Technology Specialist Helen R. Bower of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for District of Massachusetts; Special Agents Vivian M. Barrios, Paul S. Baumrind, Staff Operations Specialist Stacey Schlender, and Forensic Accountant Bridget Horan, Boston Field Office, FBI; Special Agent Sharon L. Moorefield, Office of Criminal Investigations, U.S. Food and Drug Administration; Special Agent Scott T. Wisnaskas, Office of Inspector General, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, and; Senior Investigator Christine M. Tang, Employee Benefits Security Administration, U.S. Department of Labor.
The tenth Distinguished Award is presented to Supervisory Attorney-Advisors Alan M. Fisher and Sean S. Park, Office of Intelligence, National Security Division; Trial Attorney Adam L. Small, Counterintelligence and Export Control Section, National Security Division; Assistant U.S. Attorney William N. Hammerstrom, Jr. of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia; Supervisory Special Agent Ryan C. Gaynor and Special Agents Christine A. Botz and Christina M. Sun, Washington Field Office, FBI.
The eleventh Distinguished Award is presented to Special Counsel Paul P. Colborn and Attorney-Advisors Kevin J. Barber, Christine M. Buzzard, Nathan A. Forrester, Jared M. Kelson, David K. Suska, Ryan N. Watzel, Office of Legal Counsel.
The twelfth Distinguished Award is presented to Pro Bono Program Manager Laura F. Klein, Professional Responsibility Advisory Office.
The thirteenth Distinguished Award is presented to Chief Senior Litigation Counsel Dennis M. Donohue and Senior Litigation Counsel Kari Madrene Larson, Office of Civil Litigation, Tax Division; Senior Litigation Counsel Judith A. Hagley, Appellate Section, Tax Division; Trial Attorneys Matthew S. Johnshoy, Gregory L. Jones and Harris J. Phillips, Civil Trial Section, Tax Division, and; Assistant U.S. Attorney William E. Farrior of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Oklahoma.
The Attorney General’s Award for Excellence in Law Enforcement recognizes outstanding professional achievements by law enforcement officers of the Department of Justice. This year, one Excellence in Law Enforcement Award is presented to Supervisory Special Agent Clifford R. Swindell, Special Agent Kevin W. McDonald, Baltimore Field Office, FBI; Task Force Officers Joseph Landsman, Jeffrey Lilly, Mark Neptune, Baltimore Police Department, and; Task Force Officer Daniel DeLorenzo, Anne Arundel County (Maryland) Police Department.
The Attorney General’s Award for Exceptional Service in Indian Country recognizes extraordinary efforts by those who demonstrated the department’s commitment to fighting crime in Indian Country. This year, two Exceptional Service in Indian Country Awards are being presented.
The first Exceptional Service in Indian Country is presented to Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jeffrey K. Starnes, Lori Harper Suek, Paralegal Tammy M. Farris, and Victim/Witness Specialist Keri B. Leggett of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Montana; Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sarah B. Collins and Eric Kelderman and Paralegal Lori E. Climis of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of South Dakota; Special Agent Fred Bennett, Office of Justice Services, Bureau of Indian Affairs; Special Agent in Charge Curt L. Muller, Assistant Special Agent in Charge Anissa D. Andrews, Special Agents Justin C. Christman and Justin W. Reedy, Office of Inspector General, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, and; Police Officers Frank Goings, Charlie Wolftail, and Sarah Wolftail, Blackfeet Law Enforcement Agency.
The second Exceptional Service in Indian Country is presented to Special Agent Elizabeth A. Green, San Francisco Field Office, FBI; Special Agents Aaron D. Christensen, Larry J. McGrail II, Victim Specialist Michele L. Stewart, and Evidence Technician Susan L. Stephenson, Salt Lake City Division, FBI; Assistant U.S. Attorney Lori HarperSuek of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Montana, and; Special Agent John J. Grinsell, Bureau of Indian Affairs, U.S. Department of the Interior.
The Attorney General’s Award for Excellence in Management recognizes outstanding administrative or managerial achievements, which have significantly improved operations, productivity, or reduced costs. This year, two Excellence in Management Awards are being presented.
The first Award for Excellence in Management is presented to Assistant U.S. Attorney Mary E. Toscano of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for District of New Jersey.
The second Award for Excellence in Management is presented to Deputy Assistant Inspector General Allison E. Russo, Evaluation and Inspections Division, Office of the Inspector General, and; Assistant Regional Audit Manager Elizabeth M. Smith, Auditors Gerardo Cartagena and Jessica M. Rivera, and Program Manager Jessica R. Brower, Audit Division, Office of the Inspector General.
The Attorney General’s Award for Excellence in Information Technology recognizes outstanding achievements in applying information technology to improve operations and productivity, reduce or avoid costs, and solve problems. One Excellence in Information Technology Award is presented to Supervisory Information Technology Specialists George A. Cramer, Omar S. Khan, Anmy D. Torres Lawrence P. Packard, Information Technology Specialists Dee A. Alkire, Natasha Gibson, Christopher M. Greer, Connie LaSalle, Darrell L. Lyons, Matthew K. Phillips, Eliot E. Schmidt, James W. Schreiner, Benjamin L. Schwarten, Jun B. Yun, Office of the Chief Information Officer, and; Supervisory Security Specialist Robert L. Mack II, Security and Emergency Planning Staff, Justice Management Division.
The Attorney General’s Award for Excellence in Furthering the Interests of U.S. National Security recognizes outstanding achievements and contributions towards protecting U.S. National Security. One Excellence in Furthering the Interests of U.S. National Security Award is presented to Supervisory Attorney-Advisors Tyrone A. Brown and Loyaan A. Egal, Foreign Investment Review Section, National Security Division.
The Attorney General’s Award for Equal Employment Opportunity is the department’s highest award for performance in support of the Equal Employment Opportunity Program. One Equal Employment Opportunity Award is presented to Senior Trial Attorney Liza Zamd and Trial Attorney Stacey I. Young, Immigrant and Employee Rights Section, Civil Rights Division; Trial Attorney Eliza P. B. Dermody, Disability Rights Section, Civil Rights Division; Trial Attorney Colleen M. Phillips, Educational Opportunities Section, Civil Rights Section; Senior Trial Attorney Patricia L. Stasco, Employment Litigation Section, Civil Rights Division; Trial Attorney Melanie Krebs-Pilotti, International Section, Antitrust Division; Trial Attorney Patricia L. Sindel, Technology and Financial Services Section, Antitrust Division; Trial Attorney Danielle Wolfson Young, Federal Programs, Civil Division; Trial Attorneys Lindsay C. Dunn, Allison Frayer, Stefanie Notarino Hennes, Office of Immigration Litigation, Appellate Section, Civil Division; Assistant Director Marc R. Salans, Office of Attorney Recruitment and Management, Justice Management Division, and; Supervisory Attorney-Advisor Shana N. Eaton, Office of Intelligence, National Security Division.
The Attorney General’s Award for Excellence in Legal Support recognizes outstanding achievements in the field of legal support to attorneys by paralegal specialists and other legal assistants. Three Excellence in Legal Support Awards are presented this year.
The first Excellence in Legal Support Award in the paralegal category is presented to Paralegal Specialist Minnie V. Becton, Environmental Enforcement Section, Environment and Natural Resources Division.
The second Excellence in Legal Support Award in the paralegal category is presented to Supervisory Paralegal Specialist Christina J. Griffiths of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida.
The third Excellence in Legal Support Award in the legal support category is presented to Legal Assistant Jennifer L. Goldbetter, Environmental Enforcement Section, Environment and Natural Resources Division.
The Attorney General’s Award for Excellence in Administrative Support recognizes outstanding performance in administrative or managerial support by administrative employees or secretaries. Two Excellence in Administrative Support Awards are being presented.
The first Excellence in Administrative Support Award in the Administrative category is presented to Administrative Officer Elaine A. Thompson, Atlanta Regional Office, U.S. Trustee Program.
The second Excellence in Administrative Support Award in the Secretarial category is presented to Warden’s Secretary Rodell T. Fletcher, Federal Correctional Institution – Edgefield, SC Federal Bureau of Prisons.
The John Marshall Awards are the department’s highest awards offered to attorneys, which recognizes attorneys for their contributions and excellence in specialized areas of legal performance. Thirteen awards in nine categories are being presented this year.
The first John Marshall Award in the Trial of Litigation category is presented to Assistant U.S. Attorneys David D. Leshner, Todd W. Robinson, U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of California.
The second John Marshall Award also in the Trial of Litigation category is presented to Trial Attorney Richard M. Rolwing, Northern Criminal Enforcement Section, Tax Division, and; Senior Litigation Counsel John E. Sullivan and Trial Attorneys Leslie A. Goemaat and Arthur J. Ewenczyk, Western Criminal Enforcement Section, Tax Division.
The third John Marshall Award in the Participation in Litigation category is presented to Assistant Section Chiefs Lisa A. Scanlon and Yvette F. Tarlov and Trial Attorneys Meagan K. Bellshaw, Lee F. Berger, Mona S.K. Haar, Sarah H. Licht, Craig D. Minerva, Media, Entertainment, and Professional Services Section, Antitrust Division.
The fourth John Marshall Award also in the Participation in Litigation category is presented to Associate Director Christopher J. Smith and Trial Attorney Rebecca A. Haciski, Office of International Affairs, Criminal Division, and; Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert J. Emery, U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida.
The fifth John Marshall Award in the Support of Litigation category is presented to Senior Counsel Wendy R. Waldron, Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section, Criminal Division; Criminal Division Deputy Chief Sarah M. Kauke and Trial Attorney Molly S. Braese, Office of Enforcement Operations, Criminal Division; Assistant U.S. Attorney Amy E. Larson of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia; Assistant General Counsel Christopher G. Bubb, Office of the General Counsel, FBI, and; Trial Attorney Jennifer Kennedy Gellie, Counterintelligence and Export Control Section, National Security Division.
The sixth John Marshall Award also in the Support of Litigation category is presented to Assistant U.S. Attorney Hollie W. Reed of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Alabama.
The seventh John Marshall Award in the Handling of Appeals category is presented to Trial Attorney John M. Pellettieri, Appellate Section, Criminal Division.
The eighth John Marshall Award in the Providing Legal Advice category is presented to Appellate Litigation Counsel Mark B. Stern and Trial Attorneys Daniel Aguilar and Joshua M. Salzman, Appellate Staff, Civil Division.
The ninth John Marshall Award also in the Providing Legal Advice category is presented to Assistant U.S. Attorney Herbert L. Bunton III of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Texas.
The tenth John Marshall Award in the Preparation or Handling of Legislation category is presented to General Counsel Rafael A. Madan, Office of the General Counsel, Office of Justice Programs.
The eleventh John Marshall Award in the Preparation of Asset Forfeiture category is presented to Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jonathan S. Galatzan, Michael R. Sew Hoy, John J. Kucera, Poonam G. Kumar, and Steven R. Welk, U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California; Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrea Duvall, U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia; Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Cardani, U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Oregon; Associate Director Jeffrey M. Olson, Senior Trial Attorney Colette L. Ford, Trial Attorney Erin E. Mikita, Office of International Affairs, Criminal Division, and; Deputy Chief, International Unit Mary K. Butler, Deputy Chief Woo S. Lee, Senior Trial Attorney Jonathan T. Baum, Trial Attorneys Barbara Yu. Levy and Joshua L. Sohn, Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section, Criminal Division.
The twelfth John Marshall Award in the Preparation of Alternative Dispute Resolution category is presented to Acting Chief John R. Read, Trial Attorneys Thomas P. DeMatteo, James K. Foster, Catherine S. Montezuma, Samer M. Musallam, Blake W. Rushforth, Lowell R. Stern, Angela Y. Ting, and Bashiri B. Wilson, Defense, Industrials, and Aerospace Section, Antitrust Division, and; Trial Attorneys William H. Jones II and Ethan D. Stevenson, Media, Entertainment, and Professional Services Section, Antitrust Division.
The thirteenth John Marshall Award in the Interagency Cooperation category is presented to Senior Assistant Regional Counsel D. Henry Elsen, Region 8 – Montana Operations Office, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
The Claudia J. Flynn Award for Professional Responsibility recognizes department attorneys who have made significant contributions in the area of professional responsibility by successfully handling a sensitive and challenging professional responsibility issue in an exemplary fashion and/or leading efforts to ensure that department attorneys carry out their duties in accordance with the rules of professional conduct. This year’s Claudia J. Flynn Award is presented to Senior Legal Advisor Patrice M. Mulkern, Professional Responsibility Advisory Office; Assistant U.S. Attorney Francis M. Hamilton III, U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Tennessee; Assistant U.S. Attorney Cecil VanDevender, U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Tennessee, and; Assistant U.S. Attorney Tony R. Arvin, U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Tennessee.
The Attorney General’s Award for Fraud Prevention recognizes exceptional dedication and effort to prevent, investigate, and prosecute fraud, white-collar crimes, and official corruption. This year’s Fraud Prevention Award is presented to Trial Attorneys Joshua D. Rothman and Philip M. Toomajian, Investigator Luke M. Shoemaker, Consumer Protection Branch, Civil Division; Senior Trial Attorney John A. Beasley, Jr., Office of International Affairs, Criminal Division; Assistant U.S. Attorneys Luis M. Perez, Kimberly A. Selmore, Paralegal Specialist Maureen Booker, U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida, and; Postal Inspectors Bryan Masmela and Luis F. Soler, Miami Division, U.S. Postal Inspection Service.
The Attorney General’s Award for Outstanding Contributions to Community Partnerships for Public Safety recognizes outstanding achievement in the development and support of community partnerships designed to address public safety within a community. Two Outstanding Contributions to Community Partnerships for Public Safety Awards are being presented this year.
The first Outstanding Contributions to Community Partnerships for Public Safety is presented to Special Agent Michael C. Coad, Tampa Field Division, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
The second Outstanding Contributions to Community Partnerships for Public Safety is presented to Counsel Amy M. Markopoulos, Health Care Fraud Unit, Fraud Section, Criminal Division.
The Cubby Dorsey Award for Outstanding Service by a Wage Grade System Employee recognizes extraordinary performance and contributions by wage grade system employees, including laborers, mechanics, and skilled craft workers. One Cubby Dorsey Award for Outstanding Service by a Federal Wage Grade System Employee is presented to, Utility System Repairer – Operator Leader Allen B. Hudson, Finance and Facilities Division, FBI.
The Attorney General’s Award for Outstanding Contributions by a New Employee recognizes exceptional performance and notable accomplishments towards the department’s mission by an employee with fewer than five years of federal career service. The Attorney General’s Award for Outstanding Contributions by a New Employee is presented to Trial Attorney Julie A. Finocchiaro, Organized Crime and Gang Section, Criminal Division.
The Edward H. Levi Award for Outstanding Professionalism and Exemplary Integrity pays tribute to the memory and achievements of former Attorney General Edward H. Levi. This award is presented to an individual whose career as an attorney, law professor and dean, and public servant exemplified these qualities in the best traditions of the Department. This year’s Edward H. Levi Award is presented to Deputy Assistant Attorney General Kevin R. Jones, Office of Legal Policy.
The Attorney General’s Award for Meritorious Public Service, the top public service award granted by the department, recognizes the most significant contributions of citizens and organizations that have assisted the department in the accomplishment of its mission and objectives. Two Meritorious Public Service Awards are being presented this year.
The first Award for Meritorious Public Service is presented to, Phoenix 11, a group of 11 survivors whose child sexual abuse was recorded, and in the majority of cases, distributed online. This group has banded together to challenge the inadequate responses to the prevalence of child sexual abuse images on the internet.
The second Award for Meritorious Public Service is presented to the Middle East Media Research Institute and its President and Founder, Yigal Carmon.
The last award presented this year is the Mary C. Lawton Lifetime Service Award, which recognizes employees who have served at least 20 years in the department and who have demonstrated high standards of excellence and dedication throughout their careers. This award is presented only in exceptional circumstances to those individuals of special merit and is not awarded to express general appreciation for tenure alone. This year’s the Mary C. Lawton Award is presented to Supervisory Criminal Investigator Daniel P. Wertheimer, Investigative Operations Division, U.S. Marshals Service.
Albany Man Sentenced to 241 Months for Armed Bank RobberiesRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK - Christopher J. Cohn, a/k/a “Wolf,” age 27, of Albany, was sentenced today to serve 241 months in prison for two armed bank robberies he committed in February 2019.
The announcement was made by Acting United States Attorney Antoinette T. Bacon; Thomas F. Relford, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI); Keith M. Corlett, Superintendent of the New York State Police; Chief Eric Hawkins of the Albany Police Department; and Chief David M. Keevern of the Town of North Greenbush Police Department.
Senior United States District Judge Lawrence E. Kahn also ordered Cohn to serve a 5-year term of supervised release following his term of incarceration, and to pay $193,863.57 in restitution to his victims. Cohn was also ordered to forfeit $14,954 in recovered proceeds and $150,570 in unrecovered proceeds of the robberies.
Acting U.S. Attorney Antoinette T. Bacon stated: “Christopher Cohn inflicted terror on everyone in the banks during the robberies and even fired a shot hitting an employee. Thanks to the tireless efforts of our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners, Cohn will now spend many years in prison. Our community is a safer place now that he has been held accountable for his shocking crimes.”
FBI Special Agent in Charge Thomas F. Relford stated: “Mr. Cohn’s violent crimes terrorized bank employees, customers, and members of our community. The FBI is committed to working with our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners to address violent crimes, including bank robberies, within our communities. This 20+ year sentence should send a clear message to criminals that we will never waiver in our pursuit of justice.”
As part of his March 2020 guilty plea to armed bank robbery, use of a firearm during a crime of violence, and related crimes, Cohn admitted to participating in two armed robberies. On February 6, 2019, Cohn and another man drove to a Trustco Bank branch in Albany, where Cohn declared he was about to “go do this,” meaning that he planned to rob the bank. Cohn and his accomplice then entered the bank wearing ski masks. In the bank, Cohn’s accomplice displayed a gun, and both men threatened to kill the bank’s employees, who surrendered $150,570 to the pair.
Cohn also admitted that on the morning of February 26, 2019, he and the same accomplice entered an M&T Bank branch in North Greenbush, each wearing a ski mask and brandishing a gun. In the course of the robbery, Cohn fired multiple shots, including one that grazed a bank employee. According to court documents, law enforcement tracked Cohn, his accomplice, and their getaway driver to an Albany motel using a GPS device that a bank employee had secretly placed with the stolen money. Cohn was arrested by officers with more than $10,000 in cash and wearing red sneakers matching those depicted in bank surveillance footage. Cohn’s accomplice was arrested in the motel’s lobby, where officers found him with several bags containing approximately $3,800 in cash along with ski masks matching those worn by the robbers.
This case was investigated by the FBI, the New York State Police, the Town of North Greenbush Police Department, and the Albany Police Department, with the assistance of the Albany County Sheriff’s Office and the Rensselaer County District Attorney’s Office, and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joshua R. Rosenthal and Wayne A. Myers.
Airline Passenger Arrested at Cyril E. King Airport for Having 5 Kilos of Marijuana in Carry-On SuitcaseRead the Press Release
St. Thomas, USVI – United States Attorney for the District of the Virgin Islands Gretchen C.F. Shappert announced that a complaint has been filed against Christopher Lloyd Turnbull, charging him with possession with intent to distribute marijuana. Turnbull made his initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Ruth Miller on Thursday, November 12, 2020.
According to the affidavit submitted in support of the complaint, upon Turnbull’s arrival to the Cyril E. King Airport on November 11, 2020, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers directed Turnbull to secondary inspection. Upon searching a black carry-on suitcase in Turnbull’s possession, which Turnbull admitted was his, CBP officers discovered approximately eight different sealed packages containing a green leafy substance that tested positive for the presence of marijuana. The parcels had a combined field weight of approximately 5 kilograms.
Turnbull, who originally departed from the Ronald Reagan airport in Washington, D.C., claimed that while he was waiting at the gate for his connecting flight in Charlotte, an unknown man approached him and offered him $15,000 to transport the black carry-on suitcase to St. Thomas. Turnbull also claimed that a friend of his (whose last name he did not know) paid for his one-way ticket to St. Thomas. Turnbull had no accommodations reserved for his stay in St. Thomas and did not know when he would be returning.
This case is being investigated by Customs and Border Protection, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of the Virgin Islands.
A complaint is merely a charging document, and it is not evidence of guilt. Every defendant is presumed innocent until and unless found guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
44 Charged Following 18 Month Investigation into Drug Trafficking OrganizationRead the Press Release
SANTA ROSA BEACH, FLORIDA – A total of 15 defendants have been indicted on federal drug-trafficking charges and an additional 29 co-conspirators face state drug-trafficking charges as a result of a multi-agency effort to bring down an organized drug trafficking operation in North Florida. Lawrence Keefe, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida, Walton County Sheriff Michael A. Adkinson, Jr., and Mike Dubet, Assistant Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Jacksonville District Office, made the announcement at a press conference on Tuesday in Santa Rosa Beach, Florida.
In May 2019, the Walton County Sheriff’s Office Narcotics Unit and the DEA Panama City Resident Office Task Force began investigating James Young and Shelley Johnson, a couple operating a methamphetamine, heroin, and fentanyl Drug Trafficking Organization (DTO) in Walton County, Florida.
Intelligence obtained during the investigation revealed Young routinely acquired multi-pound quantities of crystal methamphetamine and multi-ounce quantities of heroin and fentanyl from sources in the Atlanta, Georgia area. Young and Johnson distributed these controlled substances to other drug dealers and users in and around Walton County, Florida using Johnson’s waterfront residence in Freeport, Florida.
A variety of investigative techniques were utilized by investigators to identify the full scope of Johnson and Young's activities. These techniques included extensive physical surveillance, numerous purchases totaling more than 500 grams methamphetamine by a DEA undercover agent, and four federal wire intercepts of telephones used by Johnson, Young, and one of Johnson's local sources of supply for heroin, methamphetamine and diverted pharmaceutical pills.
On May 6, 2020, the wire intercepts lead investigators to information that Young and Johnson were returning to the Walton County area from Atlanta with a shipment of methamphetamine.
The DEA and WCSO coordinated a traffic stop of Young and Johnson shortly after they returned to Walton County, Florida. A search of the vehicle resulted in the discovery of $25,049.00 in U.S. Currency, approximately three pounds of crystal methamphetamine, and over 500 grams of suspected GHB (gamma-hydroxybutyrate). Following this traffic stop, WCSO and DEA Task Force investigators executed search warrants at three different locations associated with Young, Johnson, and one of their DTO distributors, where more evidence of drug trafficking was discovered and seized, along with four firearms.
In June and October of 2020, a federal grand jury at the U.S. District Court in Pensacola, Florida, returned indictments charging Johnson, Young, and 13 co-conspirators with conspiracy to possess controlled substances with the intent to distribute. Johnson and Young were also charged with possessing firearms as convicted felons. A copy of the indictment with more information about the federal defendants and the charges against them can be found at the bottom of this page.
State drug charges have been obtained in the 1st Judicial Circuit of Florida in Walton County against 29 additional individuals in this investigation.
To date, this investigation and other accompanying investigations have resulted in the seizure of the following:
· Nearly 20 pounds of crystal methamphetamine
· 672 grams of heroin
· 162 grams of carfentanil
· 32 grams of suspected fentanyl
· 533 grams of suspected GHB
· 5 motor vehicles valued at approximately $91,515.00
· Freeport waterfront property valued at $1.3 million
· $27,572.00 U.S. Currency
· Four firearms
The indictment and arrests resulted from an extensive investigation by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF), a joint federal, state, and local cooperative. The OCDETF approach to combating drug trafficking is the nation’s primary tool for disrupting and dismantling major drug trafficking organizations, targeting national and regional level drug trafficking organizations, and coordinating the necessary law enforcement entities and resources to disrupt and dismantle the targeted criminal organization and seize its assets.
These cases resulted from investigations by the Walton County Sheriff’s Office, the Drug Enforcement Administration, Department of Homeland Security Investigations, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms and Explosives, the U.S. Marshal Service, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, the Bay County Sheriff’s Office, the Panama City Beach Police Department, the Panama City Police Department, the Springfield Police Department, the Lynn Haven Police Department, the Washington County Sheriff’s Office, the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office, and the DeFuniak Springs Police Department. The federal cases are being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Aine Ahmed.
An indictment is merely an allegation by a grand jury that a defendant has committed a violation of federal criminal law and is not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial, during which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial.
The United States Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access available public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.
Press Release - Operation Mr. Clean Indictment - Operation Mr. Clean
11 November 2020
Statement by Assistant Attorney General Eric Dreiband for the Civil Rights Division on Veterans DayRead the Press Release
The Civil Rights Division of the U.S. Department of Justice and its Servicemembers and Veterans Initiative would like to wish a happy Veterans Day to our soldiers, both past and present. We owe you our thanks, but more than that, we owe you our freedom. As the head of the Civil Rights Division, I am entrusted with enforcing laws that protect the rights of the brave men and women of our nation’s armed forces, and the veterans who have served in the past. Enforcement of these very important federal civil rights laws helps ensure that these men and women can continue to safeguard our freedom.
Our nation’s servicemembers have been tasked with novel and difficult tasks this year. When COVID -19 reached our shores, tens of thousands of members of our National Guard in all 50 states responded to the pandemic. Many of these same servicemembers, as well as thousands of others, were also deployed in response to the public demonstrations in the past months. In March 2020, the Department of Defense issued stop movement orders on domestic and overseas travel for all military personnel and their families. These orders were necessary to slow the spread of the virus and to protect force readiness. Unfortunately, the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act did not protect servicemembers who had to terminate their leases in order to comply with these orders. This meant that servicemember-lessees could have been forced to pay rent for a property that they were unable to occupy or to make car payments for a vehicle they were unable to drive due to military orders.
Upon learning about this problem, the Civil Rights Division and its Servicemembers and Veterans Initiative mobilized to work on a solution. Fortunately, on July 20, Congress passed S. 3637, a bill to allow for lease termination based on stop movement orders. On Aug. 14, 2020, President Donald J. Trump signed the bill into law. As a result, servicemembers can rest assured that the law will protect them when stop movement orders related to COVID-19 – or any future local, national or global emergency – require them to terminate their leases.
While we maintain vigilance with respect to the deployments and orders related to COVID-19, we also continue to commit time and resources to protect the rights of servicemembers. The employees of the Department of Justice are proud to serve our nation’s men and women in uniform in this capacity. We at the Civil Rights Division ardently enforce three statutes that protect the rights of service members; the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA), the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (SCRA), and the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act (UOCAVA).
The right to vote is among our most fundamental civil rights. Protecting the rights of servicemembers and their families to vote in our nation’s federal elections, whether they are serving here or abroad, is one of our highest priorities. Through the enforcement of the UOCAVA, the department ensures that servicemembers and overseas U.S. citizens have the opportunity to request and receive absentee ballots in time to vote and have their votes counted in federal elections. The department vigilantly monitored nationwide compliance with UOCAVA for all federal elections in the 2020 cycle. In 2020, the department also filed statements of interest in lawsuits in Georgia and Massachusetts to ensure that eligible military and overseas voters would have sufficient time to vote. In each case, the private lawsuits sought modifications to election-related dates, and the department’s briefs explained the importance of the UOCAVA requirement that states transmit absentee ballots no later than 45 days prior to any federal election.
Our Housing and Civil Enforcement Section, in collaboration with U.S. Attorney’s offices nationwide, enforces the SCRA, and has to date obtained over $474 million in remediation to over 120,000 service members whose financial rights were violated. These cases involved unlawful home foreclosures, vehicle repossessions, interest rate reductions, lease terminations, and default judgments. In 2019, the Division obtained a $3 million settlement against a Nissan Motors for repossessing vehicles owned by 113 qualified servicemembers. On Sept. 3, 2020, the division reached a $259,000 settlement with the City of San Antonio, TX to resolve allegations that the city violated the SCRA by auctioning, or otherwise disposing of, cars owned by protected servicemembers without first obtaining court orders.
The division’s Employment Litigation Section, also in collaboration with U.S. Attorney’s offices nationwide, continues to enhance its enforcement of USERRA against private, state, and local government employers, through litigation, facilitated settlements, outreach, and advocacy. Since the division assumed USERRA enforcement authority in 2004, it has filed 105 lawsuits and favorably resolved 193 complaints through consent decrees or private settlements.
The Civil Rights Division also continually looks for new ways to protect the rights of service members, veterans and military family members. For our veterans with disabilities, the division’s Disability Rights Section has focused on outreach to the veteran population about the protections of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), which ensure equal access to all aspects of civic and community life. In recent months, the department resolved complaints from veterans who alleged that, because they use a service animal, they were denied access to restaurants, shops, and healthcare facilities.
America’s service members are willing to fight for us in the face of danger, and at great personal sacrifice especially in times like these.
While servicemembers carry the burdens of this nation, they should not have to worry that the financial sacrifices they are making will result in adverse actions, such as lenders foreclosing on their homes. They should not have to worry about facing employment discrimination due to their service. They should not have to worry about being able to vote while stationed away from home. They should not have to worry about being targeted for fraud and scams. And finally, our veterans should not face discrimination based on physical and mental disabilities.
We at the Department of Justice are committed to using all of the tools in our arsenal to fight for them. The violation of anyone’s civil rights is unacceptable and unlawful, and the Department of Justice will not tolerate any actions that violate the rights of service members or anyone else in our nation.
Bronx Man Charged with 2017 Murder of Joshua LopezRead the Press Release
Audrey Strauss, the Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Peter C. Fitzhugh, the Special Agent-in-Charge of the New York Field Office of Homeland Security Investigations (“HSI”), and Dermot Shea, the Commissioner of the New York City Police Department (“NYPD”), today announced a Superseding Indictment in United States v. Scales, et al. 19 Cr. 96 (JSR). In the initial indictment, unsealed on February 21, 2019, defendant SYDNEY SCALES, a/k/a “Sid,” a/k/a “Moe Black,” was charged with conspiracy to commit murder for hire, as well as narcotics and firearms offenses. A second defendant on the Indictment, ERNEST HORGE, a/k/a “Ern,” a/k/a “Mac,” was charged with narcotics and firearms offenses. In the Superseding Indictment, SCALES is charged with causing another person to shoot at rival drug dealers on June 9, 2017, in the vicinity of 1135 East Tremont Avenue in the Bronx, New York, causing the death of Joshua Lopez. SCALES and HORGE are also charged in the Superseding Indictment with engaging in multiple specific drug sales between November 2018 and February 2019, in addition to the narcotics conspiracy charged in the initial indictment. The case is proceeding before U.S. District Judge Jed S. Rakoff.
Acting U.S. Attorney Audrey Strauss said: “As alleged in the Superseding Indictment, Sydney Scales was responsible for the murder of Joshua Lopez. Thanks to the outstanding work of our law enforcement partners at HSI and the NYPD, Scales is now charged in federal court for this terrible crime.”
HSI Special Agent-in-Charge Peter C. Fitzhugh said: “The murder of a bystander during a drug-related shooting is a disturbing crime against the people of this City. Scales and Horge are charged with serious narcotics and firearms offenses that caused great harm the community, and ultimately resulted in the tragic loss of a young man’s life. HSI and its law enforcement partners remain committed to ridding our streets of armed and violent drug traffickers, and to doing justice for victims of such senseless violence.”
According to the allegations in the Superseding Indictment[1]:
Between in or about 2016 and in or about 2019, SCALES and HORGE participated in a conspiracy to distribute crack cocaine, cocaine, heroin, fentanyl, and marijuana in the Bronx and elsewhere. SCALES and HORGE also used, carried, and possessed firearms, which were brandished and discharged, in connection with the narcotics conspiracy, and aided and abetted such firearms offenses. In addition, in or about June 2017, SCALES conspired to commit murder for hire, agreeing to compensate another individual in return for locating and killing at least one rival drug dealer. On the night of June 9, 2017, SCALES caused another person to shoot at rival drug dealers, but the shooter missed the targets and hit Joshua Lopez, causing Lopez’s death.
SCALES, 41, and HORGE, 50, face maximum sentences of life in prison. The maximum potential sentences in this case are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendants will be determined by the judge.
Ms. Strauss praised the outstanding investigative work of HSI and the NYPD.
The case is being handled by the Office’s Violent and Organized Crime Unit. Assistant United States Attorneys Frank Balsamello, Sarah Krissoff, and Mathew Andrews are in charge of the prosecution.
The charges contained in the Indictments are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
[1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Superseding Indictment, and the description of the Superseding Indictment set forth herein, constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.
10 November 2020
York Man Sentenced for Attempted Cocaine DistributionRead the Press Release
HARRISBURG - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that on November 5, 2020, Olvin Manuel Ventura-Rivera, age 21, of York, Pennsylvania, was sentenced to 30 months’ imprisonment followed by three years of supervised release by United States District Court Judge Jennifer P. Wilson for attempted distribution of cocaine.
According to United States Attorney David J. Freed, Ventura-Rivera pled guilty to attempted possession with the intent to distribute more than 500 grams of cocaine hydrochloride on September 23, 2019, in York, Pennsylvania.
The case was investigated by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and Pennsylvania State Police. Assistant U.S. Attorney James T. Clancy prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. The Department of Justice reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime.
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West Virginia Woman Pleads Guilty in Coupon Fraud Scheme Targeting Kmart Stores in 25 StatesRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH - A resident of Martinsburg, West Virginia, pleaded guilty in federal court to a charge of wire fraud, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced today.
Tanya Thompson a/k/a Tanya Wetzel, 38, pleaded guilty to one count before Senior United States District Judge Joy Flowers Conti.
In connection with the guilty plea, the court was advised that, between June 2017 and December 2017, Thompson possessed and used fraudulent mobile device coupons at numerous Kmart stores in approximately 25 states. Thompson used the fraudulent coupons to purchase third party gift cards and prepaid credit cards. The total loss to Kmart was approximately $94,977.50.
Judge Conti scheduled sentencing for April 14, 2021 at 11:00 a.m. The law provides for a total sentence of 20 years in prison, a fine of $250,000, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Pending sentencing, the court permitted Thompson to remain free on bond.
Assistant United States Attorney Lee J. Karl is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Tanya Thompson a/k/a Tanya Wetzel.
Washington County Woman Pleads Guilty to Drug Conspiracy ChargeRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – April Allen, age 30, of Fort Ann, New York, pled guilty today to conspiring to distribute cocaine. The announcement was made by Acting United States Attorney Antoinette T. Bacon and Ray Donovan, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), New York Division.
As part of her guilty plea, Allen admitted that between July 2019 and November 2019, she agreed with another person to distribute cocaine.
Sentencing is scheduled for April 1, 2021, at which time the defendant faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years, a maximum fine of $1 million, and a term of post-imprisonment supervised release of at least 3 years and up to life. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other factors.
This case was investigated by the DEA, and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ashlyn Miranda.
Ulster County Man Pleads Guilty to Child Pornography OffensesRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Nicholas Rockwell, age 26, of Hurley, New York, pled guilty today to distributing, receiving, and possessing child pornography.
The announcement was made by Acting United States Attorney Antoinette T. Bacon and Thomas F. Relford, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).
As part of his guilty plea, Rockwell admitted that on October 11, 2019, he used a social media messaging application to send and receive numerous child pornography videos to another man over the Internet. Rockwell also admitted that at the time of his federal arrest on December 19, 2019, he possessed on his iPhone and in two cloud-based storage accounts approximately 281 images and 1,848 videos depicting the sexual exploitation of children.
Sentencing is scheduled for April 1, 2021, before Chief U.S. District Judge Glenn T. Suddaby. Rockwell, who has been ordered detained since his federal arrest, faces a minimum sentence of 5 years in prison, with a maximum of up to 20 years in prison on each count, a fine of up to $250,000, and a term of supervised release of at least 5 years and up to life. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, and other factors. Rockwell will also be required to register as a sex offender.
This case was investigated by the FBI and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua R. Rosenthal.
This case is being prosecuted as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney’s offices, 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 identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit http://www.justice.gov/psc/.
USDA Contractor Admits to Giving Gifts to USDA Officials to Influence Award of Contracts and Obstructing Federal Grand Jury InvestigationRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Eric Schneider, a 60-year-old Virginia resident and former Vice-President and Chief Operating Officer of Communications Resource, Inc. (CRI), pled guilty on November 6, 2020 in federal court in the District of Columbia to one count of conspiracy to violate the Procurement Integrity Act and one count of obstruction of justice.
According to court papers, Schneider admitted to giving gifts to multiple officials at the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) to influence the award of contracts worth over $19.2 million to CRI and another company he controlled. Schneider admitted to giving USDA officials Corvette wheels, concert tickets, PGA tour tickets, meals, alcohol, strip clubs, parking, concierge medical services, prescription drugs, and other cash tips. Schneider further admitted that, as part of the conspiracy, he drafted or instructed employees to draft procurement documents in such a way as to favor the award of a multi-million dollar contract to CRI. Schneider then provided the documents to a USDA official to whom he provided gifts, for use in the procurement process as if they had been prepared by the USDA. Schneider also admitted to directing two CRI employees to destroy documents responsive to a federal grand jury subpoena.
Schneider pled guilty in United States District Court for the District of Columbia. United States District Judge Carl J. Nichols is presiding over the case. A sentencing date has not yet been set. The maximum penalty for conspiracy is five years in prison and a fine of not more than $250,000 or twice the pecuniary gain or loss of the offense. The maximum penalty for obstruction of justice is ten years of imprisonment.
The Washington Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Beltsville Field Office of the United States Department of Agriculture, Office of the Inspector General (OIG) investigated the case, along with assistance from the Department of Health and Human Services OIG, the Department of State OIG and the Small Business Administration OIG. Assistant United States Attorney Elizabeth Aloi of the Public Corruption and Civil Rights Section is prosecuting the case.
U.S. Attorney’s Office Commemorates National Crime Victims’ Rights WeekRead the Press Release
FARGO – U.S. Attorney Drew H. Wrigley announced that on November 10, 2020, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of North Dakota recognized individuals throughout the state who provide outstanding services to victims. Victim assistance awards were presented to the following individuals:
Assistant United States Attorney Victim Assistance Award – James Patrick Thomas, Assistant U.S Attorney, U.S. Attorney’s Office, Bismarck.
Support Staff Victim Assistance Award – Fallon Clouse, Supervisory Probation Officer, U.S. Probation, Minot.
Victim-Witness Advocate Assistance Award – Gene Hughes, Victim Specialist, Bureau of Indian Affairs, Aberdeen, SD.
Special Agent Victim Assistance Award – Bruce Bennett, Special Agent (Retired), Federal Bureau of Investigation, Minot.
State Law Enforcement Victim Assistance Award – Sue Schwab, Detective, Devils Lake Police Department, Devils Lake.
Crime Victim Service Legacy Assistance Award – Joan Halvorson, Victim Specialist, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Fargo.
Special Courage Victim Assistance Award – Denise Stevenson, Survivor.
The U. S. Department of Justice’s Office for Victims of Crime (OVC) leads communities throughout the country in their annual observances of the National Crime Victims’ Rights Week. This year’s observance in North Dakota was postponed from April 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This year’s theme, Seek Justice | Ensure Victims’ Rights | Inspire Hope, recognizes the individuals and groups whose advocacy has propelled the victims’ rights movement forward for the past half century, inspiring in victims and their loved ones a feeling of hope for progress, justice, and healing.
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