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5 November 2020
Monongalia County man indicted on firearms chargeRead the Press Release
CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Carlentez McDaniel, of Morgantown, West Virginia, is facing a firearms charge, U.S. Attorney Bill Powell announced.
McDaniel, 32, was indicted on one count of “Unlawful Possession of a Firearm.” McDaniel, who is prohibited from having a gun, is accused of having a .45 caliber Glock pistol in February 2020 in Monongalia County.
McDaniel faces up to 10 years of incarceration and a fine of up to $250,000. 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 Sarah E. Wagner is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives investigated.
An indictment is merely an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Monongalia County man indicted on child pornography chargeRead the Press Release
CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Thomas John Winston, of Westover, West Virginia, is facing a child pornography charge, U.S. Attorney Bill Powell announced.
Winston, 30, was indicted on one count of “Possession of Child Pornography – Previous Conviction.” Winston, who was previously convicted of child pornography possession, is accused of having child pornography in his possession in August 2019 in Preston County.
Winston faces at least 10 years and up to 20 years of incarceration and a fine of up to $250,000. 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 David J. Perri is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The FBI and the West Virginia State Police investigated.
This case is prosecuted as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ 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/.
An indictment is merely an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Mississippi Tax Preparer Sentenced to Prison for False IRS ReturnsRead the Press Release
A Moss Point, Mississippi, resident was sentenced to 22 months in prison for preparing false tax returns, announced Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Richard Zuckerman of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and U.S. Attorney Mike Hurst for the Southern District of Mississippi.
According to information provided to the court, Talvesha Glaude owned and operated a tax return preparation business under multiple names, including TMG Tax Service and Regional Tax Service. From 2013 through 2019, Glaude prepared tax returns for clients seeking from the IRS inflated refunds based on fraudulent dependents, federal income tax withholdings, and education credits. In addition to preparing false returns for her clients, Glaude also filed false returns for herself for the tax years 2014 through 2018.
In addition to the term of imprisonment, U.S. District Judge Halil Ozerden also ordered Glaude to serve one year of supervised release and to pay restitution to the IRS in the amount of $183,360.
Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Zuckerman and U.S. Attorney Hurst thanked special agents of IRS-Criminal Investigation, who are investigating the case, and Trial Attorney Kevin Schneider of the Tax Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Stan Harris, who are prosecuting this case.
Additional information about the Tax Division and its enforcement efforts may be found on the division’s website.
Minnetonka Personal Injury Attorney Sentenced to Prison for Health Care Fraud ConspiracyRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Erica H. MacDonald today announced the sentencing of WILLIAM KYLE SUTOR III, 38, to 16 months in prison for health care fraud. SUTOR, who pleaded guilty on February 3, 2020, was sentenced yesterday before Judge Nancy E. Brasel in U.S. District Court in St. Paul, Minnesota.
According to the defendant’s guilty plea and documents filed in court, between 2015 and 2016, SUTOR, a licensed personal injury attorney, engaged in a scheme to defraud providers of automobile insurance policies. Specifically, SUTOR conspired with chiropractors and patient recruiters, referred to as “runners.” As part of the scheme, the chiropractor would pay the runner a fee, typically between $1,000 and $1,500, for every individual that the runner brought to the chiropractor’s clinic to become a patient. In addition, SUTOR would pay the runner a fee, typically $300, for every individual that became a client of SUTOR’s. The result was that patients got paid to receive chiropractic services. SUTOR, the chiropractors, and the runners took steps to conceal their scheme, including making kickback payments in cash or by checks written out to appear that they were payments for legitimate legal services. In his plea agreement, SUTOR acknowledged sending an attorney demand letter on behalf of a recruited patient to an insurance company for chiropractic services he knew had not in fact been performed.
This case was the result of an investigation conducted by the Minnesota Commerce Fraud Bureau and the FBI.
Assistant U.S. Attorney David J. MacLaughlin prosecuted the case.
Defendant Information:
WILLIAM KYLE SUTOR III, 38
Minnetonka, Minn.
Convicted:
- Conspiracy to commit health care fraud, 1 count
Sentenced:
- 16 months in prison
- One year of supervised release
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United States Attorney’s Office, District of Minnesota: (612) 664-5600
Minneapolis Man Sentenced to 17 Years in Prison for Violent Armed Robbery of Downtown Minneapolis Bar and Violent Assault of Corrections Officer While in CustodyRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Erica H. MacDonald today announced the sentencing of HAKEEM ALEXANDER COLES, 25, to 204 months in prison for Hobbs Act robbery and assault of a person assisting federal law enforcement officers. COLES, who pleaded guilty on July 16, 2020, was sentenced today before Senior Judge Ann D. Montgomery in U.S. District Court in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
United States Attorney Erica H. MacDonald said, “Mr. Coles inflicted extreme violence and injury on his victims. This type of violence is unacceptable in our communities and my office, along with our dedicated law enforcement partners, remains committed to holding accountable violent offenders such as this.”
According to the defendant’s guilty plea, on August 17, 2019, COLES committed a violent armed robbery of Cowboy Jacks Bar and Grill in downtown Minneapolis. COLES, who had been fired from the restaurant the night before, held the general manager at gunpoint with a short-barreled shotgun and demanded that she fill a backpack with cash from the safe. COLES tied the victim’s hands with a phone cord and violently punched the victim in the side of her head, causing her to lose consciousness. COLES stole more than $24,000 from the business. COLES then fled to Texas where he allegedly committed another armed robbery and was eventually stopped and arrested in Louisiana, where he was found in possession of a semiautomatic pistol and another short-barreled shotgun. COLES has been federally charged with Hobbs Act robbery and firearms violations in Texas and Louisiana.
In January 2020, after being transferred back to the District of Minnesota on the Hobbs Act robbery indictment for Cowboy Jacks, COLES was ordered to remain in detention at the Sherburne County Jail in United States Marshal’s custody pending trial in the Cowboy Jack’s robbery case. On January 27, 2020, COLES attacked and violently assaulted a Sherburne County Sheriff’s Office Corrections Officer, who was making rounds in the jail where COLES was housed, causing significant injuries including a traumatic brain injury.
This case was the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI, the Sherburne County Sheriff’s Office, and the United States Marshal’s Service.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin Bejar prosecuted the case.
Defendant Information:
HAKEEM ALEXANDER COLES, 25
Minneapolis, Minn.
Convicted:
- Hobbs Act robbery, 1 count
- Assault of a person assisting federal law enforcement officers, 1 count
Sentenced:
- 204 months in prison
- Three years of supervised release
- $86,200 in restitution
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United States Attorney’s Office, District of Minnesota: (612) 664-5600
Milledgeville Convicted Felon Sentenced to Prison for Meth PossessionRead the Press Release
MACON, Ga. – A convicted felon who admitted to possessing methamphetamine with the intent to distribute the lethal drug was sentenced to federal prison today, said Charlie Peeler, the U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of Georgia.
Anthony Hitchcock, 29, of Milledgeville, Georgia was sentenced to 188 months in prison to be followed by six years of supervised release by U.S. District Judge Marc Treadwell after previously pleading guilty to one count possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. There is no parole in the federal system.
After midnight, on June 2, 2018, a Jasper County Sheriff’s deputy pulled over Hitchcock for several traffic violations. The deputy, smelling marijuana from the car, called for back-up due to the defendant’s behavior and remote location. When back-up arrived, the deputies conducted a legal search of the vehicle, finding drugs. Hitchcock took off on foot, tripped on a railroad tie and was safely taken into custody. Deputies located a large amount of cash, three loaded firearms, multiple rounds of ammunition and 32.997 grams of methamphetamine in Hitchcock’s car. Hitchcock, who has two previous convictions for possession with intent to distribute cocaine in Baldwin County, Georgia, Superior Court in 2009 and 2010, admitted he intended to distribute methamphetamine.
“Guns, drugs, fleeing police and prior convictions is the perfect recipe for years in federal prison without parole. Law enforcement in Middle Georgia is committed to finding, arresting and prosecuting criminals who push deadly methamphetamine into our communities,” said U.S. Attorney Charlie Peeler. “I want to thank ATF and the Jasper County Sheriff’s Office for their work investigating this case.”
The case was investigated by the Jasper County Sheriff’s Office and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth Howard. 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.
Michigan man charged for traveling to Toledo to engage in sexual conduct with a minorRead the Press Release
U.S. Attorney Justin Herdman announced today that a grand jury sitting in Toledo has returned a one-count indictment charging Chandos Bemus, age 30, of Trenton, Michigan, with traveling with intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct with a minor.
According to court documents, the defendant allegedly began an online conversation with an undercover operative of the FBI’s Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force in Toledo. The defendant reportedly believed this person to be an underage, 14-year-old minor and did knowingly solicit the operative to engage in sexual conduct.
According to the criminal complaint, on October 1st, 2020, the defendant agreed to meet the undercover operative at a hotel in Toledo, Ohio. The defendant allegedly traveled to the operative’s hotel from Monroe, Michigan, with the intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct. Upon arrival, the defendant was arrested.
An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. A defendant is entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
If convicted, the defendant’s sentence will be determined by the Court after review of factors unique to this case, including the defendant’s prior criminal record, if any, the defendant’s role in the offense and the characteristics of the violation.
In all cases, the sentence will not exceed the statutory maximum, and in most cases, it will be less than the maximum.
The investigation preceding the indictment was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation in Toledo, Ohio. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Deyana Unis and Tracey Ballard Tangeman.
Mexican National Sentenced to 26 Years in Prison for Drug Trafficking Conspiracy and Gun PossessionRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — Francisco Javier Ochoa-Anaya, 49, residing in Denair, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Dale A. Drozd to 26 years in prison for conspiring to distribute methamphetamine and possessing a gun in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced.
“Methamphetamine continues to be a scourge in California with devastating consequences to drug users and our communities,” said U.S. Attorney Scott. “Today’s sentence marks an end to this defendant’s long criminal history in the United States and Mexico. The U.S. Attorney’s Office and our law enforcement partners will not waver in our resolve to end the scourge of illegal drugs flooding our neighborhoods.”
According to court documents, on Sept. 3, 2019, Ochoa received a shipment of approximately 118 pounds (54 kilograms) of methamphetamine. Ochoa enlisted the aid of co-defendant Victoria Rodriguez to assist him in weighing and packaging the methamphetamine. On Sept. 5, 2019, agents seized the methamphetamine during a search of Ochoa’s vehicle. In addition, agents seized a cooler stored with the methamphetamine that contained one kilogram of cocaine, five loaded firearms, a bulletproof vest, several high capacity magazines, a substance used to dilute the drugs, and a digital scale.
This case was the product of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration and Sheriff’s Special Investigations Unit, composed of agents from the Stanislaus County Sheriff’s Department, the California Highway Patrol, the Stanislaus County District Attorney’s Office, Stanislaus County Probation, and the Ceres Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kathleen A. Servatius prosecuted the case.
Victoria Rodriguez is in custody serving a 30-month sentence.
Metro Atlanta brothers sentenced to federal prison for gun traffickingRead the Press Release
ATLANTA – A pair of Union City, Georgia, brothers have been sentenced after pleading guilty to numerous federal firearms offenses. Antonio Turrentine, a convicted felon, was sentenced for dealing firearms without a license and possessing firearms after having been convicted of a felony offense. His older brother, Dominique Turrentine, was sentenced for unlicensed firearms dealing.
“The Turrentine brothers sought to trade in firearms and illegal drugs; conduct that often fuels violence and death in our communities,” said U.S. Attorney Byung J. “BJay” Pak. “Smart and proactive work by federal law enforcement ensured that the Turrentines will pay for their crimes rather than profit from them.”
“Placing guns in the hands of criminals is a particularly insidious offense,” said Arthur Peralta, Special Agent in Charge of ATF Atlanta. “Turrentine, and others like him, circumvent the gun laws that are designed to protect communities and supply guns that are sometimes used to victimize innocent people and terrorize our communities.”
According to U.S. Attorney Pak, the charges and other information presented in court: between August 2019 and January 2019, Antonio Turrentine sold a total of 32 firearms, including assault rifles, shotguns, and semi-automatic pistols loaded with large capacity magazines, to an informant participating in an ATF-sting operation. Turrentine sold several stolen guns, including one that had been used in a murder. Turrentine knew which of the guns had been reported stolen, and he advised the informant to “ship” those particular weapons out-of-state.
During some of the gun deals, Turrentine was accompanied and assisted by his older brother, Dominique Turrentine. Along with the guns, the Turrentine brothers occasionally sold illegal drugs, specifically marijuana and methamphetamine, to the informant while armed. At no time was either brother licensed by ATF to engage in the business of selling firearms. Additionally, Antonio Turrentine was specifically prohibited from possessing firearms because he had been convicted of a drug trafficking offense in 2016. At the time of their federal crimes, both men were on probation for having trafficked drugs in Oklahoma.
The Turrentine brothers were arrested on February 27, 2020, after arriving at an agreed-upon location where they expected to sell guns and a pound of marijuana. At the time of their arrests, both men were carrying loaded semi-automatic pistols. The marijuana was concealed inside a Girl Scouts cookies box.
Antonio Turrentine, 29, of Union City, Georgia, was sentenced on July 29, 2020, by U.S. District Judge J. P. Boulee to 10 years in prison followed by three years of supervised release.
Dominique Turrentine, 30, also of Union City, Georgia, was sentenced on November 5, 2020, by U.S. District Judge J. P. Boulee to three years, six months in prison. His sentence will be followed by two years of supervised release.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated this case with assistance from the Georgia Department of Community Supervision.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). In keeping with the Attorney General’s mission to reduce violent crime, the Northern District of Georgia’s PSN program focuses on prosecuting those individuals who most significantly drive violence in our communities, and supports and fosters partnerships between law enforcement and schools, the faith community, and local community leaders to prevent and deter future criminal conduct.
This case was also brought as part of Project Guardian, a national Department of Justice initiative to reduce gun violence and enforce federal firearms laws, including those related to firearms trafficking. More information about Project Guardian can be found at https://www.justice.gov/projectguardian.
For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at [email protected] or (404) 581-6016. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.
Merced County Man Indicted for Unlawfully Possessing AmmunitionRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned a one-count indictment today against Angelo Frank Salaz, 31, of Los Banos, charging him with being a felon in possession of ammunition, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced.
According to court documents, on May 19, officers attempted to stop Salaz for traffic violations, including no front license plate and expired registration tags. Salas fled, however, running stop signs and driving on the wrong side of the street. Once the vehicle came to a stop, Salaz ran from the vehicle but was apprehended by the officers. When Salaz was searched, officers found .40‑caliber ammunition in his pockets and a loaded .40‑caliber handgun in the car under the driver’s seat. Salaz had been convicted of burglary in 2014, and in 2019, was convicted for being a felon in possession of a firearm.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Los Banos Police Department, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (BATFE). Assistant United States Attorney Laurel J. Montoya is prosecuting 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. 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.
This case was part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF is the largest anti-crime task force in the country, and its mission is to disrupt and dismantle the most significant drug trafficking and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States. The prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi‑agency task force leverages the authorities and expertise of federal, state, and local law enforcement.
Member of New Bedford Latin Kings Chapter Pleads Guilty to Racketeering Conspiracy ChargesRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A former member of the New Bedford Chapter of the Massachusetts Almighty Latin King and Queen Nation (“Latin Kings”) pleaded guilty yesterday to racketeering charges.
Josue Carrasquillo, a/k/a “King Playboy,” 25, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to conduct enterprise affairs through a pattern of racketeering activity, more commonly referred to as RICO conspiracy. U.S. Senior District Court Judge Rya W. Zobel scheduled sentencing for March 10, 2021. Carrasquillo was charged in December 2019, at which time he was a member of the New Bedford Chapter of the Latin Kings.
The Latin Kings are a violent criminal enterprise comprised of thousands of members across the United States. The Latin Kings adhere to a national manifesto, employ an internal judiciary and use a sophisticated system of communication to maintain the hierarchy of the organization. As alleged in court documents, the gang uses drug distribution to generate revenue, and engages in violence against witnesses and rival gangs to further its influence and to protect its turf. During the plea hearing, Carrasquillo admitted to participating in the violent acts of the gang and distributing controlled substances on behalf of the gang.
In December 2019, a federal grand jury returned an indictment alleging racketeering conspiracy, drug conspiracy and firearms charges against 62 leaders, members and associates of the Latin Kings. Carrasquillo is the 18th defendant to plead guilty in the case.
The RICO conspiracy charge provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling; Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Division; Commissioner Carol Mici of the Massachusetts Department of Correction; and New Bedford Police Chief Joseph C. Cordeiro made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was also provided by the FBI North Shore Gang Task Force and the Bristol County and Suffolk County District Attorney’s Offices. Assistant U.S. Attorney Philip A. Mallard, Mark Grady and Lauren Graber of Lelling’s Criminal Division are prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The remaining defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
The operation was conducted by a multi-agency task force through the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF), a partnership between federal, state and local law enforcement agencies. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking, weapons trafficking and money laundering organizations, and those primarily responsible for the nation’s illegal drug supply. More information on the OCDETF program is available here: https://www.justice.gov/ocdetf/about-ocdetf.
Marienville Man Sentenced to 48 Months’ Imprisonment for Using the Mail to Threaten Bodily InjuryRead the Press Release
SCRANTON- The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that on November 4, 2020, Quintin Kinchen, age 37, of Marienville, Pennsylvania, was sentenced to 48 months’ imprisonment and a three-year term of supervised release by United States District Court Judge Malachy E. Mannion, for using the United States Mail and Postal Service to send threatening communications.
According to United States Attorney David J. Freed, on or about March 15, 2019, and again on or about April 2, 2019, while serving a prior prison sentence for a 2016 aggravated assault conviction, Kinchen sent two threatening letters to his victim, the former Lackawanna County Assistant District Attorney who prosecuted him for the aforementioned 2016 aggravated assault offense. In these letters, Kinchen threatened serious physical violence against both the victim and her family.
The case was investigated by the United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS). Assistant United States Attorney Jeffery St John prosecuted the case.
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Man Sentenced to over 10 Years for Child Exploitation CrimesRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Vienna man was sentenced today to 130 months in prison followed by 20 years of supervised release for possessing images of child sexual abuse and the transfer of obscene material to minors.
According to court documents, in or around 2005, Alan Tabish, 37, met a 15-year-old victim over AOL Instant Messenger. After she had identified herself as a minor online, Tabish picked her up from her parents’ home and brought her to his home in Fairfax, where he provided her with alcohol and showed her pornography. Tabish then brought her to the basement of his home, where he recorded videos and images of himself engaging in sexually explicit conduct with her. The victim reported the crime in 2019.
Based on the information she provided, law enforcement identified Tabish and executed a warrant to search his home in Vienna. During the search, law enforcement found a hard drive containing nine images and two videos depicting Tabish engaging in sexual activity with the minor when she was 15 years old, including at least one video in which the victim appears to be unsteady and is struggling to keep her eyes open. Additionally, law enforcement recovered from the hard drive approximately 84 other online chats with individuals purporting to be minors, including one chat with a self-identified 14-year-old in which Tabish pressed her to discuss sexually explicit and personal topics and sent her sexually explicit images of himself, and another chat with a self-identified 13-year-old in which Tabish asked her about her sexual history and also sent her sexually explicit images of himself.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; James A. Dawson, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Washington Field Office Criminal Division; and Colonel Edwin C. Roessler Jr., Fairfax County Chief of Police, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Rossie D. Alston, Jr.
This investigation was conducted by the FBI Washington Field Office’s Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force which is composed of FBI Agents along with Detectives from Northern Virginia law enforcement agencies and the Washington Metropolitan Police Department. The task force is charged with identifying, investigating and disrupting child predators and those engaged in Human Trafficking.
Special Assistant U.S. Attorney William G. Clayman prosecuted the case with assistance from former Assistant U.S. Attorney Whitney Dougherty Russell.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:20-cr-45.
Man Receives 78-Month Sentence for Shooting at an Occupied StructureRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. – Yesterday, Jose Maria Moreno, 20, of Tucson, Arizona, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge James A. Soto to 78 months in prison. Moreno previously pleaded guilty to Discharging a Firearm at an Occupied Structure.
On December 12, 2018, Moreno drove by the victim’s residence multiple times on the Pascua Yaqui Indian Reservation. Moreno then got out of the vehicle and fired three shots at the residence, hitting a bedroom at the front of the home. At the time of the shooting, Moreno knew that multiple people lived at the residence. Five people were in the house when he fired the shots including three adults, two of whom were registered members of the Pascua Yaqui tribe, and two minor children. No one was injured.
The Federal Bureau of Investigations and the Pascua Yaqui Police Department conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant United States Attorney Serra M. Tsethlikai, District of Arizona, Tucson, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR19-113-TUC-JAS(EJM)
RELEASE NUMBER: 2017-097_Moreno# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.Man Pleads Guilty to Multi-Million Dollar Elder Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
NORFOLK, Va. – An Arizona man pleaded guilty today to a massive investment fraud conspiracy that cost victims tens of millions of dollars.
According to court documents, Kent Maerki, 78, of Scottsdale, the founder of Dental Support Plus Franchise, LLC, and Janus Spectrum, LLC, made a multitude of misrepresentations about those businesses in materials used to solicit investments, including during appearances on radio shows and in a presentation about investments in wireless spectrum he called “Money From Thin Air.”
Maerki, who has been barred since 1984 from working in the securities industry, acknowledged that he and his conspirators used a team of salesmen to solicit investments in extremely risky businesses that ultimately failed; made numerous material misrepresentations about the claimed investment opportunities; and continued to sell the investments without disclosing that the Securities and Exchange Commission, the Virginia State Corporation Commission, and the Arizona State Corporation Commission were investigating the conspirators for fraud. Many of the victims in this scheme were elderly and losses exceeded $23 million, over $4 million of which went to Maerki.
Maerki pleaded guilty to conspiring to commit mail and wire fraud related to two investment schemes. He faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison when sentenced on March 15, 2021. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Combatting elder abuse and financial fraud targeted at seniors is a key priority of the Department of Justice. Elder abuse is an intentional or negligent act by any person that causes harm or a serious risk of harm to an older adult. It is a term used to describe five subtypes of elder abuse: physical abuse, financial fraud, scams and exploitation, caregiver neglect and abandonment, psychological abuse, and sexual abuse. Elder abuse is a serious crime against some of our nation’s most vulnerable citizens, affecting at least 10 percent of older Americans every year. Together with our federal, state, local and tribal partners, the Department of Justice is steadfastly committed to combatting all forms of elder abuse and financial exploitation through enforcement actions, training and resources, research, victim services, and public awareness. This holistic and robust response demonstrates the Department’s unwavering dedication to fighting for justice for older Americans.
G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Karl Schumann, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Norfolk Field Office; Peter R. Rendina, Inspector in Charge of the Washington Division of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service; and Kelly R. Jackson, Special Agent in Charge, Washington, D.C. Field Office, IRS-Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Raymond A. Jackson accepted the plea.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Melissa E. O’Boyle, Elizabeth M. Yusi, and Andrew Bosse are prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:19-cr-47.
Madison County Man Arrested on Federal Drug and Firearms ChargesRead the Press Release
SYRACUSE, NEW YORK - Shawn Tompkins, age 40, of Hubbardsville, New York, appeared in federal court yesterday afternoon on a criminal complaint charging him with federal methamphetamine and marijuana distribution charges, and possession of firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, announced Acting United States Attorney Antoinette T. Bacon and Kevin M. Kelly, Special Agent in Charge of the Buffalo Field Office of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).
Tompkins was arrested and charged by complaint on November 4, 2020. The criminal complaint alleges that Tompkins possessed with the intent to distribute more than 50 grams of methamphetamine, and marijuana. It further alleges that he possessed one or more firearms in furtherance of those offenses. During a search of Tompkins’s residence, law enforcement recovered approximately 35 firearms, including assault rifles; thousands of rounds of ammunition; two silencers; 17 lower receivers; and a replica grenade launcher.
The defendant is currently held in custody without bail pending a detention hearing.
If convicted of the charges set forth in the complaint, the defendant faces up 40 years’ imprisonment, with a mandatory minimum term of five years’ imprisonment, on the drug charge, and up to life imprisonment, with a mandatory minimum term of five years’ consecutive imprisonment, on the firearms charge. 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.
The charges in the complaint are merely accusations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
This case is being investigated the United States Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), the Oneida County Sheriff’s Office, the Madison County Sheriff’s Office, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew D. Beaty.
Lubbock Man Who Plotted Mass Shooting SentencedRead the Press Release
A Lubbock man who plotted a mass shooting has been sentenced to two years in federal prison for making false statements to a federally-licensed firearms dealer, and the court recommended he be evaluated for civil commitment prior to his release, announced U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Erin Nealy Cox.
William Patrick Williams, 20, was charged via criminal complaint in August 2019 with making a false statement during the purchase of a firearm. He pleaded guilty earlier this month and was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge James Wesley Hendrix in Lubbock.
“We are grateful to the many people – both within the defendant’s family and inside law enforcement – who came together to avert tragedy,” said U.S. Attorney Erin Nealy Cox. “We are hopeful Mr. Williams will get the treatment he needs while incarcerated.”
According to the criminal complaint, Mr. Williams told his grandmother he had recently purchased an AK-47 rifle and planned to “shoot up” a local hotel and then commit suicide by cop. Sensing he was both homicidal and suicidal, she convinced him to allow her to bring him to a local hospital instead.
Mr. Williams gave officers consent to search the room he had rented at the hotel, where they found an AK-47 rifle, seventeen magazines loaded with ammunition, multiple knives, a black trench coat, black tactical pants, a black t-shirt that read “Let ‘Em Come,” and black tactical gloves with the fingers cut off. Mr. Williams told officers he had laid out his weapons on the bed so that law enforcement could take custody of them.
According to his plea papers, Mr. Williams admits he lied on the form 4473 he used to purchase the AK-47 from a local sporting goods store, listing an address where he no longer resided.
Court documents indicate that the residents of the address Mr. Williams listed on the form told agents they had changed the locks after Mr. Williams moved out; at the time of the purchase, he was actually living with a different roommate at a different address.
The defendant admitted to misrepresenting his current address on the firearms transaction form.
As a convicted felon, Mr. Williams will now be legally barred from possessing a weapon after he is released from prison. The Court recommended that Williams serve his 24-month incarceration at the Federal Medical Center in Fort Worth, Texas, and further recommended that prior to his release from prison, Williams be evaluated for the possibility of civil commitment under 18 USC § 4246. (18 USC § 4246 establishes a federal commitment procedure for mentally ill persons who are due to be released but whose release would create a substantial risk of serious bodily injury or serious property damage to others.)
The Lubbock Police Department, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jeffrey Haag, NDTX’s West Texas Branch Chief, and Stephen Rancourt are prosecuting the case.
Leader of Latin Kings Sentenced for Racketeering Conspiracy and Drug Conspiracy ChargesRead the Press Release
BOSTON – The former second in command of the Massachusetts Almighty Latin King and Queen Nation (“Latin Kings”) was sentenced yesterday to racketeering and drug conspiracy charges.
Jorge Rodriguez, a/k/a “King G,” 32, was sentenced by U.S. Senior District Court Judge Rya W. Zobel to 18 years in prison and three years of supervised release. In June 2020, Rodriguez pleaded guilty to conspiracy to conduct enterprise affairs through a pattern of racketeering activity, more commonly referred to as RICO conspiracy, and conspiracy to distribute cocaine and cocaine base.
Rodriguez was arrested and charged in December 2019, at which time he was the second in command of Massachusetts for the Latin Kings, and had held leadership positions in the New Bedford Chapter.
The Latin Kings are a violent gang comprised of thousands of members across the United States. The Latin Kings adhere to a national manifesto, employ an internal judiciary and use a sophisticated system of communication to maintain the hierarchy of the criminal organization. As alleged in court documents, the gang uses drug distribution to generate revenue, and is motivated by a desire to further its influence and to protect its turf from rival gangs.
In addition to his statewide leadership of the Latin Kings, Rodriguez also held a leadership position in the New Bedford Chapter. In New Bedford, Rodriguez ran a vast cocaine base distribution network that used multi-unit apartment buildings known as “trap houses” to distribute the narcotics. Members of the Latin Kings dealt drugs in the trap houses, obtaining their supply of cocaine base from Rodriguez. As detailed in court filings in the case, evidence developed during the course of the investigation included multiple recordings of Rodriguez cooking cocaine base, directing violence against rival gang members, meting out discipline and handling firearms used to protect the Latin Kings’ drug distribution network.
In December 2019, a federal grand jury issued an indictment alleging racketeering conspiracy, drug conspiracy and firearms charges against 62 leaders, members and associates of the Latin Kings. Rodriguez is the fourth defendant sentenced in the case.
United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling; Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Division; Commissioner Carol Mici of the Massachusetts Department of Correction; and New Bedford Police Chief Joseph C. Cordeiro made the announcement. Valuable assistance was also provided by the FBI North Shore Gang Task Force and the Bristol County and Suffolk County District Attorney’s Offices. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Philip A. Mallard, Mark Grady and Lauren Graber of Lelling’s Criminal Division are prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The remaining defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
The operation was conducted by a multi-agency task force through the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF), a partnership between federal, state and local law enforcement agencies. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking, weapons trafficking and money laundering organizations, and those primarily responsible for the nation’s illegal drug supply. More information on the OCDETF program is available here: https://www.justice.gov/ocdetf/about-ocdetf.
Leader of Drug Trafficking Organization and Money Launderer SentencedRead the Press Release
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – On November 4, 2020, Brooke Hensley, was sentenced to 126 months in prison for her role in leading a methamphetamine and heroin drug trafficking organization that distributed kilograms of methamphetamine and heroin throughout the Eastern District of Tennessee and elsewhere. Hensley was also sentenced to 126 months in prison for her role in laundering nearly $1 million in dirty money generated by a phony loan fraud scheme, to be run concurrently with her drug trafficking sentence.
Hensley, 26, of Knoxville, Tennessee, was sentenced by the Honorable Thomas A. Varlan, U.S. District Judge for the Eastern District of Tennessee at Knoxville. The defendant was also ordered to forfeit real property and to pay a $200,000 money judgment.
The extensive investigation revealed that Hensley and others distributed kilo-levels of methamphetamine and heroin throughout east Tennessee. Hensley was the leader of the conspiracy and obtained the methamphetamine and heroin from a co-conspirator in Atlanta, Georgia. The conspiracy involved eight other co-defendants, all of whom have been sentenced in federal court.
Hensley also was sentenced for her role in a money laundering and bank fraud conspiracy in which two others have been charged. Hensley and others received monies from fraudulent loans by making false representations to financial institutions as to income and employment. The defendant and others altered documents to support the loan requests, including providing false income tax return information to support fictitious income. Hensley conspired to launder the proceeds of these fraudulently-obtained loans by opening bank accounts in the names of nominees and transferring the loan proceeds to other conspirators. Hensley laundered over $800,000 of fraudulent loan proceeds.
“Drug traffickers sometimes engage in multiple schemes to illegally make money and ‘wash’ it. Brooke Hensley is one of those such traffickers, and she did so in running this fraudulent loan scam while she was peddling deadly poison in the Knoxville area.,” said U. S. Attorney J. Douglas Overbey. “Thanks to DEA and IRS-CI, she has many years ahead of her to think about the consequences of her conduct and the lives she ruined.”
“The fines and prison term handed down in this significant sentencing reflect the seriousness of the charges and the wide scope of criminal activity in which the defendant was engaged, including drug trafficking, money laundering and other financial schemes,” said Special Agent in Charge Matthew D. Line. “IRS Criminal Investigation will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to ensure that those who profit from illegal activity are brought to justice.”
This drug, money laundering and fraud prosecution, which has led to nine convictions so far, results from an investigation by IRS-CI, DEA, Knoxville Police Department, Knox County Sheriff’s Office, Blount County Sheriff’s Office, Oak Ridge Police Department, Anderson County Sheriff’s Office, Tennessee Department of Safety, and Metropolitan Knoxville Airport Authority Police.
The investigation that led to this prosecution, as described above, falls under the auspices of the Department of Justice’s Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s drug supply reduction strategy. OCDETF was established in 1982 to conduct comprehensive, multi-level attacks on major drug trafficking and money laundering organizations. Today, OCDETF combines the resources and expertise of its member federal agencies in cooperation with state and local law enforcement. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt, and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking and money laundering organizations and those primarily responsible for the nation’s drug supply.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Anne-Marie Svolto represented the United States in the prosecution of this case.
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Keams Canyon Man Sentenced to 15 Years in Prison for Sexually Abusing MinorRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – On Tuesday, Emmett Youyetewa, 53, of Keams Canyon, Arizona, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Dominic Lanza to 15 years in prison for sexually abusing a minor. Youyetewa was also sentenced to lifetime supervised release and is required to register as a sex offender. Youyetewa previously pleaded guilty to Sexual Abuse of a Minor.
Youyetewa sexually abused the twelve-year-old victim at a home in Keams Canyon, Arizona, on the Hopi Indian Reservation. Youyetewa is an enrolled member of the Gila River Indian Community.
The Bureau of Indian Affairs investigated this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Tracy Van Buskirk, District of Arizona, Phoenix, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-19-08256-PCT-DWL
RELEASE NUMBER: 2020-096_Youyetewa# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.Kansas Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Methamphetamine ConspiracyRead the Press Release
A Kansas man transporting methamphetamine from Kansas to South Dakota was sentenced November 4, 2020 to more than 15 years in federal prison.
Billy Carter, age 45, from Tonganoxie, Kansas, received the prison term after a June 15, 2020, guilty plea to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine.
In a plea agreement, Carter admitted that he engaged in a conspiracy to sell large amounts of methamphetamine. On July 29, 2019, Carter was stopped by law enforcement for speeding in Woodbury County. After a K-9 detected the presence of drugs in the vehicle, law enforcement located 5 packages of methamphetamine, weighing a total of approximately 5 pounds, in the trunk of the car. Carter has an extensive criminal history with a total of 38 prior convictions. His prior convictions include several convictions for forgery and theft, as well as convictions for assault, aggravated escape from custody, and domestic assault.
Carter was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand. Carter was sentenced to 188 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a 5-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
Carter is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ron Timmons and investigated by the Tri-State Drug Task Force based in Sioux City, Iowa, that consists of law enforcement personnel from the Drug Enforcement Administration; Sioux City, Iowa, Police Department; Homeland Security Investigations; Woodbury County Sheriff’s Office; South Sioux City, Nebraska, Police Department; Nebraska State Patrol; Iowa National Guard; Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement; United States Marshals Service; South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation; and Woodbury County Attorney’s Office.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 19-4052.
Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.
KC Man Sentenced to 20 Years for Seven Armed RobberiesRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City, Missouri man has been sentenced in federal court for his role in a conspiracy to commit a series of armed robberies at area businesses.
Aaron Fisher, 49, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Roseann Ketchmark on Wednesday, Nov. 4, to 20 years in federal prison without parole.
On June 16, 2020, Fisher pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit robbery, seven counts of armed robbery, and one count of brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence.
Fisher was arrested on April 5, 2018, when Kansas City, Mo., police officers attempted to conduct a traffic stop while he was driving a stolen 2017 Nissan Sentra. The Nissan Sentra closely matched the vehicle that was captured on surveillance footage from several of the robberies. Fisher fled in the vehicle until the vehicle became disabled, then fled from the vehicle on foot, but was ultimately arrested. His co-defendant remained in the vehicle during the incident and also was arrested.
Fisher and a co-defendant committed several armed robberies and one attempted robbery of businesses between Dec. 20, 2017, and April 2, 2018. These robberies occurred in Kansas City, Lee’s Summit, Independence, Raytown, North Kansas City, Grain Valley, and Lathrop, Missouri, and in Overland Park, Kansas. Fisher committed at least five robberies by himself. Fisher and his co-defendant committed at least three robberies and one attempted robbery together (as the co-defendant robbed the businesses while Fisher was the getaway driver). In each of the completed robberies, they were armed with a black revolver and stole money.
Fisher admitted to the armed robbery of Blue Ridge Food Stop, 4704 Blue Ridge Blvd., Kansas City, Mo., on Dec. 20, 2017; the armed robbery of Subway, 3380 Fascination, Lee’s Summit, Mo., on Dec. 20, 2017; the armed robbery of Papa Murphy’s, 9027 E. 350 Hwy., Raytown, Mo., on Jan. 4, 2018; the armed robbery of Four Points Sheraton, 4011 Blue Ridge, Kansas City, Mo., on Jan. 15, 2018; and the armed robbery of Trex Mart, 7812 E. 116 Hwy., Lathrop, Mo., on April 2, 2018.
Fisher also admitted to the armed robberies, together with his co-defendant, of Holiday Inn Express, 19901 E. Valley View Parkway, Independence, Mo., on Dec. 31, 2017; and with the armed robbery of Comfort Inn Motel, 210 N.W. Jefferson St., Grain Valley, Mo., on Jan. 21, 2018.
Fisher also admitted to brandishing an H7R .22-caliber revolver during the robberies. The loaded firearm was recovered by law enforcement officers during the execution of a search warrant at Fisher’s residence.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Moeder. It was investigated by the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department, the FBI, the Independence, Mo., Police Department, the Lee’s Summit, Mo., Police Department, the Raytown, Mo., Police Department, the Grain Valley, Mo., Police Department, the Blue Springs, Mo., Police Department, the Overland Park, Kan., Police Department and the Clinton County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department.
Justice Department Sues to Block Visa's Proposed Acquisition of PlaidRead the Press Release
Today, the Department of Justice filed a civil antitrust lawsuit to stop Visa Inc.’s $5.3 billion acquisition of Plaid Inc. Visa is a monopolist in online debit services, charging consumers and merchants billions of dollars in fees each year to process online payments. Plaid, a successful fintech firm, is developing a payments platform that would challenge Visa’s monopoly.
“American consumers and business owners increasingly buy and sell goods and services online, and Visa – a monopolist in online debit services – has extracted billions of dollars from those transactions,” said Assistant Attorney General Makan Delrahim of the Justice Department’s Antitrust Division. “Now, Visa is attempting to acquire Plaid, a nascent competitor developing a disruptive, lower-cost option for online debit payments. If allowed to proceed, the acquisition would deprive American merchants and consumers of this innovative alternative to Visa and increase entry barriers for future innovators.”
According to the complaint, Plaid powers some of the most innovative fintech apps. Plaid’s technology allows developers to plug into consumers’ various financial accounts, with consumer permission, to aggregate spending data, look up balances, and verify other personal financial data. Plaid connects to 200 million consumer bank accounts and 11,000 U.S. banks. Because it accesses data on behalf of so many fintech app customers, Plaid has become the leading financial data aggregation company in the United States. Plaid is planning to leverage its connections to build a bank-linked payments network that would compete with Visa. Plaid’s money movement platform would allow consumers to pay merchants directly from their bank accounts using bank credentials rather than a debit card. Plaid’s established connections and technology uniquely positions it to enter the payments market and disrupt Visa’s monopoly.
The complaint alleges that Visa’s CEO viewed the acquisition as an “insurance policy” to protect against a “threat to our important US debit business.” This acquisition is the second-largest in Visa’s history, with an extraordinary price tag of $5.3 billion. Visa’s CEO justified the deal to Visa’s Board of Directors as a “strategic, not financial” move, and noted that in part because “our US debit business i[s] critical and we must always do what it takes to protect this business.” Unless acquired, Visa feared that Plaid “on their own or owned by a competitor [was] going to create some threat” with a “potential downside risk of $300-500M in our US debit business” by 2024. If Plaid remained free to develop its competing payment platform, then “Visa may be forced to accept lower margins or not have a competitive offering.”
Millions of American consumers and merchants depend on debit services to transact business online. The complaint alleges that Visa has dominated online debit for years and has protected its monopoly with exclusionary tactics that have prevented rivals, including Mastercard, from expanding or entering. The lawsuit alleges that Visa’s proposed acquisition of Plaid is a violation of both Section 2 of the Sherman Act and Section 7 of the Clayton Act. The Department filed its lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California.
Visa Inc. is a Delaware corporation headquartered in Foster City, California. Visa is a global payments company that operates the largest debit network in the United States. Visa’s 2019 revenues were approximately $23 billion.
Plaid Inc. is a Delaware corporation headquartered in San Francisco, California. Plaid is a financial services company that operates the leading financial data aggregation platform in the United States. In 2019, Plaid earned approximately $100 million in revenues.
Justice Department Settles Claims Against City of Meriden, Connecticut, Involving Denial of MosqueRead the Press Release
The Justice Department and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Connecticut today announced an agreement with the City of Meriden, Connecticut to resolve allegations that the city violated the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act of 2000 (RLUIPA) by denying the application of the Omar Islamic Center to establish a mosque in March 2019, and by maintaining a zoning code that treats religious assemblies and institutions on less than equal terms with nonreligious assemblies and institutions in nine zoning districts.
“The United States of America is, and must always be, a nation that protects the religious freedom of all people,” said Assistant Attorney General Eric Dreiband of the Civil Rights Division. “For more than four centuries, religious people from all over the world have found refuge here. Our Constitution protects the right of all people in this free nation to exercise of religion. But that right will mean little if people cannot gather together in a place of their choosing and practice their faith. The Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act marked its 20th anniversary last month, and it ensures that people of all faiths can establish houses of worship. The Justice Department will continue to enforce this important law against any government that violates the right of faith communities to build gathering places for worship.”
“We have alleged that the Meriden Planning Commission’s denial of the Omar Islamic Center’s application to establish a mosque in Meriden was unfair and in clear violation of RLUIPA,” said U.S. Attorney John H. Durham of the District of Connecticut. “We’re pleased that the City of Meriden has agreed to settle this matter without additional litigation, and that members of the Omar Islamic Center will be able to worship in a location of their choice without undue government restraint.”
The proposed consent decree, which was filed today in the U.S. District Court for the District of Connecticut and must still be approved by the court, resolves a lawsuit the United States also filed today. After the city denied the Omar Islamic Center’s application to establish a mosque, the United States opened an investigation of the city’s actions in July 2019. In January 2020, the United States notified the city that it had concluded that the city had violated RLUIPA and intended to file suit, and offered the city an opportunity to negotiate a resolution.
The United States’ complaint alleges that the city’s denial of the Omar Islamic Center’s application to establish a mosque imposed a substantial burden on the center’s religious exercise and treated the center, a religious assembly or institution, on less than equal terms with a nonreligious assembly or institution. The United States’ complaint also alleges that the city’s zoning code treats religious assemblies or institutions on less than equal terms with nonreligious assemblies or institutions in nine zoning districts. The city denies the allegations. As part of the agreement, the city has agreed to review and amend its zoning ordinance to comply with the requirements of RLUIPA, to provide training to its officials and employees about their obligations under RLUIPA, and to notify the public about the city’s compliance with RLUIPA in its zoning and land use actions.
RLUIPA is a federal law that protects religious institutions from unduly burdensome or discriminatory land use regulations. On Sept. 22, the 20th anniversary of RLUIPA’s enactment, the department issued a comprehensive report on its enforcement of the law. In June 2018, the Justice Department announced its Place to Worship Initiative, which focuses on RLUIPA’s provisions that protect the rights of houses of worship and other religious institutions to worship on their land. More information is available at www.justice.gov/crt/placetoworship.
In July 2018, the Department of Justice announced the formation of the Religious Liberty Task Force. The Task Force brings together department components to coordinate their work on religious liberty litigation and policy, and to implement the Attorney General’s 2017 Religious Liberty Guidance.
Individuals who believe they have been subjected to discrimination in land use or zoning decisions may contact the Civil Rights Division Housing and Civil Enforcement Section at (800) 896-7743, or through the complaint portal on the Place to Worship Initiative website. More information about RLUIPA, including questions and answers about the law and other documents, may be found at http://www.justice.gov/crt/about/hce/rluipaexplain.php.
Investment Professional and Author is Sentenced for Defrauding National Women’s SororityRead the Press Release
A Florida woman was sentenced to 24 months in prison today for her role in an investment management scheme.
Acting Assistant Attorney General Brian C. Rabbitt of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney James Douglas Overbey for the Eastern District of Tennessee, and Assistant Director in Charge Steven D’Antuono of the FBI’s Washington Field Office made the announcement.
Cheryl Broussard, 63, of Miami, Florida, was sentenced in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee by Chief Judge Gregory N. Stivers of the Western District of Kentucky. Judge Stivers also ordered the defendant to pay $106,000 in restitution and $106,000 in forfeiture. Broussard pleaded guilty on Aug. 14, 2019, to one count of wire fraud.
Broussard, the author of multiple books on women and finance, advertised herself as a financial professional with over two decades of experience in investment management and fiscal independence for women. As part of her plea, Broussard admitted to entering into an investment agreement with a professional women’s sorority pursuant to which she would manage $100,000 of the sorority’s funds in February 2015. Beginning in June 2015, Broussard sent regular investment portfolio reports to the sorority purporting to detail investments in securities. Unbeknownst to the sorority, Broussard had used its funds for personal expenses, and the periodic reports were fake. Broussard admitted that, when the sorority noticed inconsistencies in the periodic reports and sought to terminate the agreement, she fabricated a termination penalty that appeared to be part of the original agreement to prevent the sorority from going forward with the termination. When the sorority eventually terminated the agreement, Broussard failed to remit any funds to the sorority.
This case was investigated by the FBI. Trial Attorney Michelle Pascucci of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Frank M. Dale are prosecuting the case.
The Criminal Division’s Fraud Section plays a pivotal role in the Department of Justice’s fight against white collar crime around the country.
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.
Inmates and Illinois woman indicted on drug chargesRead the Press Release
CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Two inmates and an Illinois woman are facing charges involving smuggling suboxone into FCI Gilmer in Glenville, West Virginia, U.S. Attorney Bill Powell announced.
Quadiri Ayodele, 41, and Francisco Masias, 41, both inmates at FCI Gilmer, and Joanna Masias, 36, of Cicero, Illinois, are each facing one count of “Conspiracy to Introduce and Obtain a Prohibited Object (Narcotic)” and one count of “Attempt to Introduce a Prohibited Object (Narcotic).” Joanna is also facing one count of “False Statement to a Federal Agency.” The three are accused of developing a plan to smuggle suboxone into FCI Gilmer in March and April 2019. Joanna is also accused of lying on a form at the prison that stated she didn’t have narcotics in her possession.
Ayodele, Francisco Masias, and Joanna Masias each face up to five years of incarceration and a fine of up to $250,000 for the conspiracy count and up to 20 years of incarceration and a fine of up to $250,000 for the contraband count. Joanna Masias also faces up to five years o incarceration and a fine of up to $250,000 for the false statement count. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher L. Bauer is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The Bureau of Prisons Special Investigative Services investigated.
An indictment is merely an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Independence Financial Advisor Sentenced for $1 Million Fraud Against Elderly ClientsRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – An Independence, Missouri, financial advisor was sentenced in federal court today for a fraud scheme in which he stole more than $1 million from two elderly clients.
Kraig Gier, 59, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Gary A. Fenner to five years and three months in federal prison without parole.
On Jan. 31, 2020, Gier pleaded guilty to two counts of wire fraud. Gier, who operated a business called Security Planning Corporation, admitted that he stole a total of $1,087,964 from a 96-year-old client and an 84-year-old client. Through his scheme to defraud, Gier caused losses to one victim client of $879,602 and to another victim client of $208,362. According to court documents, Gier depleted the life savings of his victims, which resulted in one of his victims having to move out of the family home which she and her husband shared with her children for many years.
Gier began making fraudulent withdrawals from the various investment accounts of these clients in February 2015, and had the money deposited into either his personal checking account or his business account. This fraud scheme continued until July 2018.
Gier sometimes forged the signature of the client victims on the paperwork associated with a particular withdraw request. At other times, Gier would contain with the withdrawal paperwork a fraudulent voided check with the victim’s name on it but with his personal or business account number as the intended recipient of the requested funds.
In order to cover up his fraudulent scheme, Gier prepared false and fictitious documentation purportedly from the financial company holding the victim clients’ investment. This documentation would fraudulently represent they were making a significant profit even though he had often significantly depleted their account.
This case was prosecuted by Executive Assistant U.S. Attorney David Ketchmark. It was investigated by the FBI and the Independence, Mo., Police Department.
Illegal alien sentenced to federal prison for lying about identity - after previous stint in prison under fake nameRead the Press Release
STATESBORO, GA: A Jamaican national who assumed multiple identities has been sentenced to federal prison for committing perjury in U.S. District Court.
Patrick Davis, a/k/a Andrew Leadbeater, a/k/a Jamaican Pat, 53, of Statesboro, Ga., was sentenced in U.S. District Court by Chief Judge J. Randal Hall to 21 months in prison after pleading guilty to False Declarations Before Court, said U.S. Attorney Bobby L. Christine. Upon completion of his prison term, Davis will be required to serve three years of supervised release and will be subject to deportation as an illegal alien.
“Patrick Davis wove a bizarre series of lies to the court to maintain a fake identity as he wound his way through the legal system,” said U.S. Attorney Christine. “Once unraveled the lies have led to his imprisonment.”
As described in court documents and testimony, Davis was arrested under the name Andrew Leadbeater in September 2014 as part of a federal cocaine trafficking investigation. He was sentenced to prison in November 2015 after pleading guilty, and at the time admitted that he was an illegal alien. The immigration records for Andrew Leadbeater showed a person by that name had been deported from the United States at age 15, and after release from prison, “Andrew Leadbeater” was transferred for deportation processing.
In May 2019, while being interviewed by a Jamaican consulate official, he then claimed his name was Patrick Davis, that he had never been deported, and that he had used the name Andrew Leadbeater for fraudulent purposes.
When his fingerprints were determined to be different than the Andrew Leadbeater who had a record of deportation from 1985, investigators determined that Davis had assumed the identity of the previously deported Jamaican national named Andrew Leadbeater, while also using eight other alias names, three alias Social Security numbers, and three alias dates of birth. The determination led to Davis being charged with False Declarations before Court for testifying during his 2015 guilty plea hearing that his name was Andrew Leadbeater when he knew that information was false.
“This alien’s tangled web of schemes and aliases were unraveled and he is now facing the consequences of his lies,” said Thomas Giles, director of ICE’s ERO-Atlanta Field Office. “ICE prioritizes the identification, arrest and removal of dangerous criminal aliens from our community.”
The case was investigated by Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and prosecuted for the United States by Assistant U.S. Attorney Alejandro V. Pascual IV.
Hunterdon County Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for His Role in Plot to Distribute CocaineRead the Press Release
TRENTON, N.J. – A Hunterdon County, New Jersey, man was sentenced today to 120 months in prison for possession of cocaine with intent to distribute and conspiring to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito announced.
Javier Maldonado, 46, of Hampton, New Jersey, previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Anne E. Thompson in Trenton federal court to an information charging him with one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine and one count of possession with intent to distribute over 500 grams of cocaine. Judge Thompson imposed the sentence by videoconference today.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
In June 2019, Maldonado agreed with one or more other individuals to purchase 10 kilograms of cocaine. Law enforcement arrested Maldonado after he provided $280,000 to an individual to purchase the narcotics, which he intended to redistribute. A search of Maldonado’s residence revealed a large quantity of bulk cocaine, cutting agents, processing equipment, and packaging materials.
In addition to the prison term, Judge Thompson sentenced Maldonado to five years of supervised release.
U.S. Attorney Carpenito credited special agents with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Ray Donovan in New York, with the investigation leading to these charges.
The government is represented by Assistant United States Attorney Shawn Barnes of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force/Narcotics Unit.
Grand Jury Indicts St. Louis Man for Armed CarjackingRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS, MO – A federal grand jury indicted Najee Neal today on one count of carjacking, one count of brandishing a firearm in the furtherance of a crime of violence and two counts of being a felon in possession of a firearm. The 29 year old is a resident of St. Louis, Missouri. The indictment charges Neal with the February 27, 2020, armed carjacking of victim’s 2017 Nissan Altima.
Neal faces a maximum punishment of 15 years’ imprisonment on the carjacking count; seven years imprisonment on the count of brandishing a firearm in the furtherance of a crime; and 10 years maximum for each count of being a felon in possession of a firearm. Neal faces a fine of up to $250,000.
Charges set forth in the indictment are merely accusations and do not constitute proof of guilt. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Special Assistant United States Attorney (SAUSA) Jen Szczucinski is handling the case as part of the Safer Streets Initiative. The initiative was launched by Attorney General Schmitt and U.S. Attorney Jeff Jensen in January of 2019 as an unprecedented state and federal partnership to prosecute violent crime in St. Louis.
Fresno Antiviolence Operation Results in 2 More Indictments Charging Firearm OffensesRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — As part of an ongoing concerted effort by local and federal law enforcement to address the significant uptick in violent crime in the City of Fresno, a federal grand jury returned indictments today against two Fresno residents with being a felon in possession of either a firearm or ammunition, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced.
“We are fully committed to working with local law enforcement in the City of Fresno and Fresno County to reduce violent crime there,” said U.S. Attorney Scott. “Both defendants charged today have multiple felony convictions including firearms related ones. In short order, six men have been indicted and face federal charges in support of this effort by law enforcement to reduce violence. We’ve just gotten started, and we’re not going away.”
Lane Kelly Whittenberg, 32, was charged with one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm. According to court documents, on Oct. 27, Whittenberg was involved in a verbal dispute at a restaurant and was observed to be in possession of a firearm. As police approached the location, they heard two gun shots, later determined to be fired by Whittenberg. Inside Whittenberg’s car, police saw a handgun on the front passenger seat. Whittenberg has been convicted of reckless evading of a peace officer and robbery in 2014, and possession of a firearm by a felon in 2018.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Fresno Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Antonio J. Pataca is prosecuting the case.
Simon Meza Jr., 38, was charged with one count of being a felon in possession of ammunition that was found in his loaded gun. According to court documents, Meza was driving while not wearing his seatbelt, and officers tried to conduct a traffic stop. Meza continued to drive, at times recklessly. Officers discontinued the pursuit but later located Meza’s vehicle abandoned at a business on South Sarah Avenue. They found Meza hiding in a nearby park. Meza was allegedly seen discarding a bag containing a loaded firearm and a wallet with Meza’s California identification card inside. According to Fresno County Superior Court records, Meza has multiple prior convictions for illegal weapons and drug possession.
This case is the product of an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations, the Fresno Police Department, and the Fresno County Sheriff’s Office. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Philip Tankovich is prosecuting the case.
If convicted, Whittenberg and Meza face a maximum statutory penalty of 10 years in prison 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 defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
These cases are 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.
These cases are 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.
Four Southwest Mississippi Men Plead Guilty to Federal Wildlife CrimesRead the Press Release
Jackson, Miss. – Kenneth R. Britt, Jr., 51, of Wesson, Tony Grant Smith, 26, of Wesson, Barney Leon Bairfield, III, 28, of Brookhaven, and Dustin Corey Treadway, 28, of Brookhaven, pled guilty today before Senior U.S. District Judge David Bramlette III to federal charges of killing in excess of the legal limit of Kansas wild turkeys while unlicensed and transporting the wild turkeys across state lines to Mississippi, announced U.S. Attorney Mike Hurst, Colonel Steve Adcock of the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks, and Special Agent in Charge Stephen Clark of the United States Fish and Wildlife Service.
The defendants pled guilty to illegally killing wild turkeys in 2017 and 2018 in Kansas and traveling in interstate commerce with the turkeys to Mississippi. The defendants traveled to Kansas and Nebraska and hunted wild turkeys taking over 25 wild turkeys without the required hunting licenses and in excess of the limit of two per person per season, in violation of Kansas law. They returned to Mississippi with trophy spurs and beards of the illegally-killed turkeys. Under the federal Lacey Act, it is unlawful for any person to transport across state lines any wildlife taken in violation of state law.
Judge Bramlette has scheduled sentencing of the defendants in the United States District Courthouse in Natchez, Mississippi, for February 9, 2021, beginning at 10:00 a.m.
“We take our mission partnering with the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks in conserving, protecting, and enhancing fish, wildlife, plants and their habitats very seriously. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Office of Law Enforcement, considers the illegal taking of native wildlife a high priority, and we will continue to work closely with our state agencies to assist them in these important joint investigations,” said Special Agent in Charge Stephen Clark of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
“The fine sportsmen and women of this state can rest assured that, nationwide, conservation enforcement agencies, along with Agents of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, will continue working together to stop the thievery and abuse of our valuable natural resources,” said Colonel Steve Adcock of the Mississippi Department of Wildlife Fisheries and Parks.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Office of Law Enforcement and the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks. It is being prosecuted by First Assistant United States Attorney Darren J. LaMarca.
Former Leader of New Bedford Latin Kings Chapter Pleads Guilty to Firearms ChargesRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A former leader of the New Bedford Chapter of the Massachusetts Almighty Latin King and Queen Nation (“Latin Kings”) pleaded guilty today to firearms charges.
Damian Cornieles, a/k/a “Arnoldo Rodriguez,” 25, pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of firearms. U.S. District Court Judge William G. Young scheduled sentencing for March 4, 2021. Cornieles was charged in December 2019, following the execution of a search warrant at his residence during which multiple firearms were recovered. At the time of the search, Cornieles was a member of the New Bedford Chapter of the Latin Kings.
In December 2019, a federal grand jury returned an indictment alleging racketeering conspiracy, drug conspiracy and firearms charges against 62 leaders, members and associates of the Latin Kings. Twenty of the Latin Kings leaders and members charged in that indictment have pleaded guilty.
As part of the operation, a search warrant was executed at Cornieles’ New Bedford residence, during which six firearms and ammunition were recovered. Following the search, Cornieles was charged separately. According to court documents, Cornieles was previously convicted of a felony and is therefore prohibited from lawfully possessing firearms. During today’s plea hearing, Cornieles admitted to being a member of the Latin Kings and a former leader of the gang. He also admitted that he stored the six firearms on behalf of the New Bedford Chapter of the Latin Kings.
The Latin Kings are a violent criminal enterprise comprised of thousands of members across the United States. The Latin Kings adhere to a national manifesto, employ an internal judiciary and use a sophisticated system of communication to maintain the hierarchy of the organization. As alleged in court documents, the gang uses drug distribution to generate revenue, and engages in violence against witnesses and rival gangs to further its influence and to protect its turf.
The charge of being a felon in possession of a firearm provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a fine of $250,000. The RICO conspiracy charge provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling; Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Division; Commissioner Carol Mici of the Massachusetts Department of Correction; and New Bedford Police Chief Joseph C. Cordeiro made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was also provided by the FBI North Shore Gang Task Force and the Bristol County and Suffolk County District Attorney’s Offices. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Philip A. Mallard, Mark Grady and Lauren Graber of Lelling’s Criminal Division are prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The remaining defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
The operation was conducted by a multi-agency task force through the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF), a partnership between federal, state and local law enforcement agencies. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking, weapons trafficking and money laundering organizations, and those primarily responsible for the nation’s illegal drug supply. More information on the OCDETF program is available here: https://www.justice.gov/ocdetf/about-ocdetf.
Former Corrections Officer Sentenced for Smuggling Contraband into PrisonRead the Press Release
VALDOSTA, Ga. – A former Valdosta State Prison corrections officer was sentenced to federal prison today after being caught smuggling contraband cell phones and methamphetamine into the prison, said Charlie Peeler, the U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of Georgia.
Melissa Crawford, 53, of Macon, Georgia, was sentenced to serve 46 months in prison to be followed by four years of supervised release by U.S. District Judge W. Louis Sands after previously pleading guilty to one count of distribution of methamphetamine. There is no parole in the federal system.
On January 8, 2019, Georgia Department of Corrections (DOC) investigators received information that Crawford, a corrections officer at Valdosta State Prison, would be smuggling contraband into the prison the following day. On January 9, Crawford and another corrections officer chosen at random were informed that their vehicles were to be searched. Crawford attempted to leave the premises in her car, nearly hitting another officer, but was stopped. Crawford admitted she attempted to leave because there were narcotics in her car. A search of the car revealed 27.53 grams of methamphetamine, a quantity of marijuana and four cell phones packaged in Ziplock bags. Crawford admitted to DEA agents that she smuggled in contraband on at least four prior occasions and was paid via Green Dot cards for her deliveries of contraband to an inmate.
“Smuggling contraband cell phones and drugs into prisons endangers prisoners, prison staff and the public. The fact that the contraband in this case was being smuggled in by a corrections officer, whose duty it was to protect our citizens, makes this crime even more egregious, and does a disservice to all the honorable women and men who work in the prison system,” said U.S. Attorney Charlie Peeler. “We will prosecute those caught smuggling contraband into prison to the fullest extent of the law, and, those caught with contraband in prison will also face serious punishment. I want to thank the DEA and Georgia’s Department of Corrections for their work investigating this case.”
“The public places trust in law enforcement officers and expects them to protect and serve,” said the Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Field Division Robert J. Murphy. “When an officer violates this oath, that public trust is eroded. The defendant in this case does not reflect the honest and hardworking men and women in law enforcement who put their lives on the line daily to protect and serve. This case is a reminder that no officer is above the law, and the officer in this case will spend well-deserved time in prison. This case is a shining example of what can be achieved when DEA works hand-in-hand with its law enforcement partners.”
“The GDC maintains a zero-tolerance policy for individuals who choose to ignore their oath and jeopardize our non-negotiable mission of public safety. We appreciate the support of our federal partners in our efforts to see that justice is served on this former officer,” said GDC Commissioner Timothy C. Ward. “The actions of this individual do not reflect the hundreds of officers who are committed each and every day to ensuring the safety of the public and the safe operations of our facilities.”
The case was investigated by the Georgia Department of Corrections and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert McCullers 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.
Former Cape Cod Bookkeeper Pleads Guilty to Embezzlement Charges in Two Criminal CasesRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Cape Cod woman pleaded guilty today to charges in two separate criminal cases for embezzling more than $1.3 million from two previous employers.
Jessica L. Greenan, 42, of Centerville, pleaded guilty to charges in two separate criminal cases. Greenan pleaded guilty to a September 2019 indictment charging five counts of wire fraud and five counts of filing false federal tax returns for embezzling $1.1 million from a previous employer. She also pleaded guilty to a December 2019 indictment charging seven counts of wire fraud, two counts of bank fraud and two counts of aggravated identity theft for embezzling more than $390,000 from a different employer. Several of the charges in the December indictment occurred after Greenan was released on conditions in the earlier prosecution. U.S. District Court Judge Allison D. Burroughs scheduled sentencing for Feb. 25, 2021.
At the plea, Greenan acknowledged embezzling company funds from a Hyannis company for which she handled bookkeeping and payroll services. From October 2014 until she was terminated in March 2018, Greenan embezzled $1,135,460, including 536 occasions when she wired funds from the store’s operating bank account to pay her credit card bills. Greenan doctored the company bank statements and internal records to make the payments to her credit cards appear to be legitimate expenses, and also failed to report any of her illegal income to the IRS over the five year duration of the embezzlement scheme, thereby evading more than $325,000 in federal taxes.
After Greenan was fired by the first employer, she obtained employment as the bookkeeper for a Cape Cod construction company in August 2018 and immediately began stealing company funds. Until her new scheme was discovered, Greenan embezzled more than
$287,000 by wiring payments from a company bank account to pay her credit cards, made more than $5,300 in unauthorized charges to a company credit card, and converted more than $11,000 of company funds to pay auto loans. Greenan forged the company owner’s signature to transfer company funds, and then fraudulently obtained more than $6,300 in unauthorized payroll after her employment had been terminated.
Each charge of wire fraud provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release, a fine of $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss, whichever is greater, forfeiture and restitution to the victim. Each charge of bank fraud provides for a sentence of up to 30 years in prison, five years of supervised release, a fine of $1 million, forfeiture and restitution. Each charge of false tax returns carries a sentence up to three years in prison, one year of supervised release, a fine of $250,000 and restitution to the IRS. The charge of aggravated identity theft carries a mandatory two year prison sentence to be served consecutive to any other sentence imposed. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling and Joleen Simpson, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigation in Boston made the announcement today. The Chatham Police Department provided assistance with the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Victor A. Wild of Lelling’s Securities, Financial & Cyber Fraud Unit is prosecuting the cases.
Former CEO of Bay Area Medical Device Startup Sentenced to More Than 11 Years in Prison for Fraud and Money LaunderingRead the Press Release
SAN FRANCISCO – Lawrence J. Gerrans, former chief executive officer of a San Rafael-based medical device company, was sentenced to 135 months in prison for wire fraud, money laundering, and related charges announced United States Attorney David L. Anderson and Federal Bureau of Investigation Special Agent in Charge Craig D. Fair. The sentence was handed down by the Honorable Edward M. Chen, U.S. District Judge.
The sentence follows a guilty verdict after a two-week trial in January 2020. Evidence at trial showed that Gerrans, 50, of San Anselmo, Calif., was the president and chief executive officer of San Rafael-based medical device company Sanovas. From January 12, 2015, through March 16, 2015, Gerrans employed a number of fraudulent methods to siphon funds out of Sanovas. For example, Gerrans systematically transferred more than $2.6 million from Sanovas to himself and two shell companies he controlled, Halo Management Group and Hartford Legend Capital Enterprises, and then used the money to make an all-cash purchase of a luxury home in San Anselmo. The home was purchased for more than $2.5, at least $2.3 million of which was laundered through Hartford Legend before being paid to the escrow account for the purchase.
Evidence at trial also showed that Gerrans made false statements to a newly-created board of directors to seek their approval for a lucrative compensation plan and for reimbursement of retirement account funds that Gerrans had liquidated in 2013 and 2014. Evidence at trial showed that Gerrans had used the retirement account funds for personal expenditures, including a Maserati, a diamond ring, and rent on his personal residence, but he told the board of directors he had used the retirement account funds to benefit Sanovas. In another part of the scheme to defraud, evidence also showed that in 2017 Gerrans used a Sanovas corporate credit card for lavish personal expenditures, including a $44,000 vacation timeshare, $12,500 for high-end carpets for his home, and $32,000 to pay the property taxes on his personal residence.
Evidence at trial further showed that Gerrans provided false documents to the FBI during the criminal investigation, and that after he was first charged in the case he violated a court-ordered bond condition, attempted to tamper with a witness, and obstructed justice.
A federal grand jury indicted Gerrans on August 27, 2019, by a second superseding indictment, charging him with five counts of wire fraud, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1343; one count of engaging in monetary transactions in criminally derived property, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1957; three counts of making false statements to a government agency, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1001(3); one count of contempt of court, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 401(3); one count of witness tampering, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1512(b)(1); and one count of obstruction of justice, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1503. The jury convicted Gerrans on all counts.
In addition to the prison term, Judge Chen also ordered Gerrans to serve a three-year term of supervised release to begin after the prison term.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Robin Harris and Lloyd Farnham are prosecuting the case with the assistance of Patricia Mahoney and Kimberly Richardson. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Five Union Members Plead Guilty to Health Care FraudRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Five union members have pled guilty to defrauding their union’s health care benefit program.
The announcement was made by Acting United States Attorney Antoinette T. Bacon; Michael C. Mikulka, Special Agent in Charge, New York Region, United States Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General (DOL-OIG); and Carol Hamilton, Boston Regional Director of the Employee Benefits Security Administration (EBSA).
Christopher Roberts, age 36, of Fort Edwards, New York; Earl Graham, age 43, of Glens Falls, New York; Jamie Ruggiero, age 40, of Lake Luzerne, New York; Shawn Martindale, age 43, of Glens Falls; and Torey Gannon, age 47, of South Glens Falls, New York, all received health care benefits under a welfare plan provided by the United Association of Journeymen and Apprentices of the Plumbing and Pipefitting Industry of the United States and Canada, Local Union Number 773, based in Glens Falls. In addition to health insurance, the plan offered participants a health expense benefit, which reimbursed medical costs not covered by insurance.
In pleading guilty, Roberts, Graham, Ruggiero, Martindale, and Gannon each admitted to submitting fake receipts, purportedly reflecting medical expenses, for reimbursement under the health expense benefit, and to falsely certifying that the expenses reflected in the fake receipts were incurred. In reliance on the fake receipts, the welfare plan paid the defendants a total of more than $67,000, as follows:
Roberts
$11,500
Graham
$14,052.72
Ruggiero
$15,721.70
Martindale
$3,748.89
Gannon
$22,505
The defendants pled guilty between July 30, 2020 and November 5, 2020, before Senior United States District Judge Lawrence E. Kahn.
Acting U.S. Attorney Antoinette T. Bacon stated: “These defendants stole thousands of dollars from their union and, ultimately, from their fellow union members, who depend on the health care fund to pay their medical expenses. We will continue to pursue greedy people who steal from benefit programs and enrich themselves at the expense of others.”
DOL-OIG Special Agent in Charge Michael Mikulka stated: “The defendants submitted false documents to a union-affiliated benefit plan in order to fraudulently obtain funds from the plan that they were not entitled to. The Office of Inspector General will vigorously pursue those who defraud employee benefit plans of funds needed to pay legitimate claims. We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to investigate these types of allegations.”
EBSA Boston Regional Director Carol Hamilton stated: “Submitting fraudulent health expense claims to obtain reimbursements defrauds not only the health plan, it also breaks trust with other plan participants who depend on the plan for their health care expenses. The Employee Benefits Security Administration will continue to work with our law enforcement colleagues to identify and deter health plan fraud.”
The defendants, who are charged in separate cases, each face up to 10 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, and a term of post-release supervision of up to 3 years. They will also be required to pay restitution. 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.
These cases were investigated by the U.S. DOL-OIG and the EBSA, and are being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Cyrus P.W. Rieck.
Fentanyl Dealer Sentenced to Nearly 12 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH – Dorian Dawson was sentenced to 11 years and 10 months (142 months) in prison for fentanyl trafficking while on state parole for prior heroin trafficking, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced today.
Dawson, age 31, of Pittsburgh, was sentenced by United States District Judge David S. Cercone. Judge Cercone also sentenced Dawson to serve six years of supervised release at the conclusion of his prison sentence.
On October 17, 2016, Dawson was arrested for trafficking fentanyl as a result of an investigation into the overdose death of one of his customers earlier that day. At the time, Dawson was on state parole following a four-year to 10-year state prison sentence that was imposed in 2012 for heroin trafficking. Dawson was convicted of heroin trafficking four times in four state prosecutions between 2010 and 2012.
Assistant United States Attorney Craig W. Haller prosecuted this case on behalf of the United States.
The Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office and the Brentwood Police Department conducted the investigation in this case.
Felon Pleads Guilty to Possession of Firearm and AmmunitionRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Lawrence man pleaded guilty today to being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition.
Nathaniel Toribio, 22, pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition. U.S. District Court Judge George A. O’Toole Jr. scheduled sentencing for March 11, 2021. Toribio was federally charged in July 2020.
On Nov. 24, 2019, state parole officers were in Lawrence in an attempt to locate Toribio, who had removed his GPS monitoring device and absconded from parole supervision. Upon locating Toribio, the officers discovered an un-holstered, loaded firearm inside Toribio’s waistband. The firearm was identified as a Ruger Security-9 9mm pistol with 10 rounds of ammunition in the magazine.
Due to previous convictions punishable by more than one year in prison, Toribio is prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition.
The charge of being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling and Kelly D. Brady, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Boston Field Division made the announcement. Valuable assistance was provided by the Massachusetts Parole Board, Lawrence Police Department and the Essex County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Philip C. Cheng of Lelling’s Narcotics and Money Laundering Unit is prosecuting 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.
Federal Prisoner Sentenced to 46 Months in Prison for Assault on Another InmateRead the Press Release
SCRANTON – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that on November 4, 2020, Jory Rhodes, age 32, formerly of Ashtabula County, Ohio, was sentenced to 46 months’ imprisonment by U.S. District Court Judge Malachy E. Mannion, for assault resulting in serious bodily injury to an inmate.
According to United States Attorney David J. Freed, Rhodes previously admitted that while a prisoner at the United States Penitentiary Canaan, Waymart, Pennsylvania, on November 1, 2017, he and an accomplice attacked a third inmate by punching and kicking the victim about the head and chest. The victim suffered severe injuries, including right orbital deformity, a broken nose, broken left jaw and cheek, and a skull fracture.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Bureau of Prisons. Assistant U.S. Attorney Todd K. Hinkley prosecuted the case.
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Federal Agents Arrest El Paso Man Indicted for Healthcare Insurance SchemeRead the Press Release
In El Paso this morning, federal authorities arrested 65-year-old businessman Daniel Steadley for knowingly selling fraudulent healthcare insurance to customers and pocketing their monthly premiums, announced U.S. Attorney Gregg N. Sofer and FBI Special Agent in Charge Luis Quesada, El Paso Division.
A 19-count indictment unsealed today, charges Steadley with 15 counts of wire fraud and four counts of mail fraud. According to the indictment, from December 2014 through September 2018, Steadley operated two companies in El Paso which marketed and sold a healthcare insurance plan known as the Unique MEC Healthcare Plan (Plan). The indictment alleges that Steadley intentionally misled customers into purchasing the Plan for financial enrichment. Authorities estimate that Steadley stole approximately $1.5 million in premiums from unsuspecting victims during his scheme.
The indictment alleges that the defendant falsely claimed to customers that he was an attorney, an expert in healthcare law, and a veteran of the Armed Services. Furthermore, Steadley sold the healthcare insurance by making false claims that it was in compliance with the requirements of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA). Some of those false claims included that the Plan provided minimum essential healthcare coverage; that members of the Plan would not owe monies to the IRS for failure to comply with the ACA; that the Plan provided specific healthcare benefits, including maternity care and hospitalization; and, that specific healthcare providers were covered by the Plan. The indictment also alleges that Steadley caused others to issue IRS Forms 1095 to insurance agents and Plan members, which IRS Forms 1095 falsely stated Steadley’s companies provided minimum essential coverage to the listed individual.
Enacted into law in March 2010, the ACA required certain individuals to maintain minimum essential healthcare coverage. A qualified healthcare plan under the ACA requires the following ten essential healthcare benefits: (1) ambulatory patient services; (2) emergency services; (3) hospitalization; (4) maternity and newborn care; (5) mental health and substance use disorder services, including behavioral health treatment; (6) prescription drugs; (7) rehabilitative and habilitative services and devices; (8) laboratory services; (9) preventive and wellness service and chronic disease management, and; (10) pediatric services, including oral and vision care. The ACA also required healthcare insurance issuers to file with the IRS an IRS Form 1095 for every individual the healthcare insurance issuer provided minimum essential coverage.
Steadley faces up 20 years in federal prison upon conviction.
This indictment resulted from an investigation conducted by FBI special agents together with investigators from the U.S. Department of Labor - Employee Benefits Security Administration (EBSA) and the Texas Department of Insurance. An investigator with the Office of the Texas Attorney General Medicaid Fraud Control Unit and an El Paso County Constable provided assistant with today’s arrest. Assistant U.S. Attorney J. Chris Skillern is prosecuting this case on behalf of the Government.
An indictment is merely a charge and should not be considered as evidence of guilt. The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
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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.
Fayetteville’s Market House Arson Defendants Plead Guilty to Federal ChargesRead the Press Release
WILMINGTON, N.C. – Two Fayetteville men pled guilty to charges stemming from the burning of Fayetteville’s Market House during the period of civil unrest in May 2020.
According to court documents, Charles Anthony Pittman, 32, and Andrew Salvarani Garcia-Smith, 32, took part in the burning of Fayetteville’s Market House, a National Historic Landmark. As recorded by several media outlets, Pittman carried a gasoline container to the second story of the Market House and waived it to the crowd before pouring gasoline onto the floor inside. As the gasoline-soaked area caught ablaze, a City of Fayetteville employee saw Pittman run out of the building.
Investigators discovered the identity of Garcia-Smith after a social media post went viral. As reported by local and national media outlets, the video showed Garcia-Smith picking up a bottle filled with flammable liquids and throwing it into the Market House. The liquid spilled back onto Garcia-Smith, setting his clothes and hair on fire. Investigators found Garcia-Smith in a local burn center, where Garcia-Smith admitted to being the individual in the video.
On September 29, 2020, Pittman pled guilty to two charges of the malicious burning of a building and inciting a riot. On November 5, 2020, Garcia-Smith pled guilty to one charge of malicious burning of a building. Both Pittman and Garcia-Smith face mandatory minimum sentences of 5 years’ imprisonment for their actions. Pittman and Garcia-Smith’s sentencings are scheduled for the January 2021 and February 2021 terms of court, respectively.
Robert J. Higdon, Jr., U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Richard E. Myers II accepted the plea. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Fayetteville Police Department investigated the case and Assistant U.S. Attorneys J.D. Koesters and Chad Rhoades are prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on our website. Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case Nos. 5:20-CR-305-M and 5:20-CR-304-M.
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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.
Fairfax Man Convicted at Trial After Evidence Showed He Sold More Than 25 Pounds of MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
A man who sold methamphetamine out of his residence in Fairfax, Iowa, and also possessed firearms in connection with his drug trafficking was convicted by a jury on November 4, 2020, after a three day trial in federal court in Cedar Rapids.
Jason Richard Corey, age 54, formerly from Fairfax, Iowa, was convicted of conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance, distribution of a controlled substance, two counts of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. The verdict was returned following just over an hour of jury deliberations.
The evidence at trial showed that Corey sold a quarter pound of methamphetamine to a confidential informant in August of 2019 at Corey’s home in Fairfax. Shortly after the sale, Corey was in a car that was stopped and found to have more than 70 grams of meth inside. The meth was hidden in the bottom of a disinfectant wipes container and a bag. Law enforcement searched Corey’s home and found a half pound of methamphetamine. Officers also found two guns in the house. During an interview after the search, Corey admitted dealing more than 25 pounds of methamphetamine during 2019 and that one of his meth sources gave him the two firearms that Corey could use to protect himself.
Sentencing before United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Corey remains in custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing. Corey faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years’ imprisonment and a possible maximum sentence of a lifetime of imprisonment, a $10,250,000 fine, and at least 10 years of supervised release following any imprisonment.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Emily K. Nydle and was investigated as part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) program of the United States Department of Justice through a cooperative effort of the Cedar Rapids Police Department, the Marion Police Department, the Hiawatha Police Department, the Linn County Sheriff’s Office, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, and the Drug Enforcement Administration.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 20-cr-00029.
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Elkins Man Sentenced to over 33 Years in Federal Prison for Sexual Exploitation of A MinorRead the Press Release
Fayetteville, Arkansas – David Clay Fowlkes, First Assistant United States Attorney for the Western District of Arkansas and Gilbert Trill, Acting Special Agent in Charge for Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) New Orleans, announced today that Aaron Gatewood, age 32, of Elkins, Arkansas, was sentenced yesterday to 405 months in federal prison without the possibility of parole followed by lifetime supervised release on two counts of Sexual Exploitation of a Minor by Production of Child Pornography. The Honorable Timothy L. Brooks, United States District Judge, presided over the sentencing hearing in the United States District Court in Fayetteville.
According to court records, on or about September 24, 2019, Gatewood was arrested on state charges pursuant to an undercover operation being conducted in the Western District of Arkansas, Homeland Security Investigations Fayetteville, and the Northwest Arkansas Internet Crimes Against Children Taskforce. According to court records, Gatewood arranged to meet with the undercover officer in order to have sexual contact with a minor. Subsequent to his arrest, a search of Gatewood’s cell phone resulted in law enforcement discovering child pornography that had been produced by Gatewood. A follow up investigation determined that Gatewood video recorded himself sexually abusing a 7-year-old female on two different occasions.
“This case is a great example of some of the most important work that we do in the Western District of Arkansas,” said First Assistant Fowlkes. “The work of protecting our communities from child predators, from child pornographers, and from other criminals who seek to abuse children is one of our top priorities. We are proud to work with our state and local partners at the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force in this effort. The officers and agents on the task force work hard every day to build cases like this one and help protect our communities from child predators. They should be commended for their hard work on this case and the many others like it that the task force has developed.”
“Our special agents are committed to protecting innocent children and our communities from the scourge of child predators. Combining HSI efforts with our law enforcement partners enables us to increase capabilities, save lives, and prevent future atrocities,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Gilbert Trill. “We hope the lengthy prison sentence provides an opportunity for healing for the victims and their families.”
Gatewood was indicted in January of 2020 and entered a guilty plea in April of 2020.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations Fayetteville, the Northwest Arkansas Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force and the Benton County Sheriff’s Department. Assistant United States Attorney Carly Marshall prosecuted the case for the United States.
Dyersburg Man Sentenced to Life in Federal Prison for Methamphetamine TraffickingRead the Press Release
Jackson, TN – Christopher Lee Faulcon, a/k/a "Wheezy", 35, of Dyersburg, Tennessee, has been sentenced to life in federal prison for conspiracy to distribute 50 grams or more of actual methamphetamine. D. Michael Dunavant, United States Attorney announced the sentence today.
According to information presented in court, beginning in early 2017, the FBI and Dyersburg Police Department became aware of an ongoing drug trafficking organization in the West Tennessee area, specifically Dyer County, Tennessee. The investigation, which lasted approximately one year, revealed that the organization was trafficking crystal methamphetamine (ice) from multiple residential locations within the City of Dyersburg. As a result, law enforcement officers developed further information from numerous sources which led to the execution of search warrants at residences of targets, search warrants for a stash house and a storage unit, search warrants for Facebook information, and search warrants for text messages. In order to further the investigation, agents also conducted traffic stops, obtained information from confidential sources, and made controlled purchases from the targets.
The majority of the crystal methamphetamine (ice) recovered was tested at Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) laboratories and was determined to be 99% pure crystal methamphetamine. The investigation further revealed that the drug trafficking organization distributed over 14 kilograms of ice during the time in question. Law enforcement recovered five firearms and over $79,000 in currency. As a result of his three prior felony convictions, Faulcon is prohibited by federal law from possession of firearms or ammunition.
In February, 2018, Faulcon was charged in an 18-count indictment along with six other co-defendants with conspiracy to distribute 50 grams or more of actual
methamphetamine. https://www.justice.gov/usao-wdtn/pr/seven-suspects-arrested-west-tennessee-federal-drug-trafficking-charges-1
On November 8, 2018, Faulcon pled guilty to conspiracy to distribute more than 50 grams of methamphetamine. On November 4, 2020, U.S. District Court Judge J. Daniel Breen sentenced Faulcon to life in federal prison. There is no parole in the federal system.
U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant said: "Drug trafficking offenses are at the root of some of the gravest problems facing our country. The ‘fruit’ of the drug plague is everywhere; it fills our jails, our courts, our streets, and our nurseries. Accordingly, given that drug dealers themselves sentence many individuals to a lifetime of addiction and dependency, a life sentence for repeatedly dealing large quantities of dangerous drugs is a just and proper punishment in this case. Criminal enterprises that distribute harmful drugs into our rural communities can no longer hide, and this maximum sentence demonstrates our ability to dismantle their organizations."
Other members of the drug trafficking organization have been previously been sentenced, including:
• On May 3, 2019, Damien Nixon, 39, of Gates, TN, was sentenced to 240 months in federal prison. https://www.justice.gov/usao-wdtn/pr/damien-nixon-sentenced-240months-imprisonment-his-involvement-drug-trafficking
• On February 26, 2019, Patricia Wilson, a/k/a “PJ”, 31, of Dyersburg, TN, was sentenced to 240 months in federal prison. https://www.justice.gov/usao-wdtn/pr/dyersburg-resident-sentenced-20-years-imprisonment-federal-drug-trafficking-charges
The FBI’s Safe Streets Task Force and the Dyersburg Police Department investigated this case.
This prosecution is part of an extensive investigation by the Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF). OCDETF is a joint federal, state and local cooperative approach to combat 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 their assets.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jerry Kitchen prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
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Drug User and Dealer Sentenced to Three Years in Federal Prison After Firing a Stolen Gun at Other Drug DealersRead the Press Release
A drug user and marijuana seller who shot a gun at fellow drug traffickers was sentenced November 4, 2020, to three years in federal prison.
Jacob Tyler Ray Foss, age 21, from Evansdale, Iowa, received the prison term after pleading guilty to being a drug user in possession of a firearm.
In his plea agreement, Foss admitted he was at his apartment when two men attempted to kick in the door. Foss fired shots to scare the men off. After the men left his door, Foss continued to fire at their car. Foss also admitted that he possessed the firearm in connection with other offenses, including possession with intent to deliver marijuana. Foss was also aware the firearm was stolen.
Foss was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams. Foss was sentenced to 36 months’ imprisonment and fined $1,000. He must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system. Foss is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Emily K. Nydle and was investigated by a Federal Task Force composed of the Waterloo Police Department, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms assisted by the Black Hawk County Sheriff’s Office and Cedar Falls Police Department.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). PSN is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
This case is also part of Project Guardian, the Department of Justice’s signature initiative to reduce gun violence and enforce federal firearms laws. Initiated by the Attorney General in the fall of 2019, Project Guardian draws upon the Department’s past successful programs to reduce gun violence; enhances coordination of federal, state, local, and tribal authorities in investigating and prosecuting gun crimes; improves information-sharing by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives when a prohibited individual attempts to purchase a firearm and is denied by the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS), to include taking appropriate actions when a prospective purchaser is denied by the NICS for mental health reasons; and ensures that federal resources are directed at the criminals posing the greatest threat to our communities. For more information about Project Guardian, please see /media/1122011/dl?inline.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 20-CR-2008.
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Driver in Armed Robbery of Madera Pharmacy IndictedRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned a two-count indictment today against Michael Erin Vandeventer, 21, of Sparks, Nevada, charging him with interference with commerce by robbery, known as Hobbs Act Robbery, and conspiracy to commit interference with commerce by robbery, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced.
According to court documents, on April 19, Vandeventer and others robbed a CVS Pharmacy in Madera. The additional currently unidentified suspects, one armed with a handgun, entered the pharmacy and breached the barrier to enter the employee-only area. Using the firearm as intimidation, the robbers then demanded controlled substances — “oxy,” “promethazine,” and others — and after obtaining them, fled to a getaway car, alleged to have been operated by Vandeventer. A search of Vandeventer’s phone revealed conversations and web searches showing knowledge of and preparation for the robbery.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Madera Police Department, the Fresno Police Department, and the Reno Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Justin J. Gilio and Laura Jean Berger are prosecuting the case.
If convicted, Vandeventer faces a maximum statutory penalty of 20 years in prison 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.
Dominican National Pleads Guilty to Fentanyl TraffickingRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Dominican national pleaded guilty today in connection with drug trafficking activities involving fentanyl.
Jonathan Mejia, 32, pleaded guilty to two counts of distribution of and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and two counts of distribution of and possession with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl. U.S. District Court Judge Nathaniel M. Gorton scheduled sentencing for March 4, 2021.
On July 22, 2020, Mejia was charged by criminal complaint and was arrested. He has been in federal custody since.
Mejia made three separate sales of fentanyl to an undercover law enforcement officer in June and July 2020 in Lawrence. While on his way to make a fourth sale of fentanyl, agents arrested Mejia.
The charges of distribution of and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl carry a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, at least three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $1 million. The charges of distribution of and possession with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl carry a mandatory minimum sentence of five years and up to 40 years in prison, at least four years of supervised release and a fine of up to $5 million. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling and Brian D. Boyle, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Boston Field Office made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Lawrence Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen W. Hassink of Lelling’s Narcotics and Money Laundering Unit is prosecuting the case.
Davenport Woman Charged with Firearms OffensesRead the Press Release
DAVENPORT, Iowa- United States Attorney Marc Krickbaum announced on November 5, 2020, Andrea Renee Culberson, age 37, of Davenport, was indicted by a federal grand jury for one count of Unlawful Drug User in Possession of a Firearm and one count of False Statement during the Purchase of a Firearm. The potential penalty for both these offenses is up to ten years in prison, up to a $250,000 fine, and not more than three years of supervised release to follow any prison term.
The public is reminded that charges contain only accusations and are not evidence of guilt. The defendant is presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. If convicted, the Court must impose a reasonable sentence under federal sentencing statutes and the advisory United States Sentencing Guidelines.
These cases are part of Project Guardian (PG) and Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), programs bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce gun crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone.
This matter is being investigated by the Davenport Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa.
Cybertip Report Leads to Lengthy Prison Sentence for Vinton ResidentRead the Press Release
LAKE CHARLES, La. – Gerald Allen Beaudeaux, 32, of Vinton, Louisiana, was sentenced today for possession and receipt of child pornography, Acting United States Attorney Alexander C. Van Hook announced. United States District Judge James D. Cain, Jr. sentenced Beaudeaux to 160 months (13 years, 4 months) in prison followed by 10 years of supervised release.
Evidence presented at the guilty plea hearing on August 13, 2020, revealed that law enforcement agents received a Cybertip report from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) in August 2018 indicating a Dropbox user had uploaded images and videos containing child pornography through the internet to an account. An investigation revealed that Gerald Allen Beaudeaux was the suspected user and owner of the Dropbox account and on December 19, 2018, law enforcement agents executed a search warrant for his residence and cellular phone. On Beaudeaux’s cellular phone, agents discovered over 600 images of child pornography, including images of prepubescent children who had not attained the age of 12 and infant children. Beaudeaux admitted that he had in fact uploaded the images to his the Dropbox account and used his cellular phone to view the child pornography.
The Department of Homeland Security – Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel J. Vermaelen prosecuted the case.
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