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Monday 28 September 2020
Huntsville Man Sentenced to More Than 17 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
HUNTSVILLE, Ala. – A federal judge today sentenced a Huntsville man on gun and drug charges, announced U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives Acting Special Agent in Charge Toby Taylor.
U.S. District Judge Annemarie C. Axon sentenced STEVEN LEWIS EMERY, 42, to 211 months in prison on two-counts of being a felon in possession of a firearm, one-count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug crime, and one-count of possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine between January 2018 and July 2019. Emery pled guilty to these charges in March.
“We will not tolerate felons who possess guns and peddle drugs in our communities,” Escalona said. “Lengthy sentences for those who threaten violence in our communities will have a lasting impact of public safety in Alabama.”
ATF Acting Special Agent in Charge, Toby Taylor remarked ” ATF’s Crime Gun Intelligence partnerships as part of Project Guardian focuses on the devastating impact of firearms violence and works with the entire community to provide a safe environment.”
ATF and DEA investigated the case along with the Madison County Sheriff’s Department, and United States Marshal Service Gulf Coast Regional Fugitive Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert J. Becher, Sr. prosecuted the case.
Hills Man Sentenced to 22 years in Prison for Child Sex Trafficking, Methamphetamine, and Firearms OffensesRead the Press Release
DES MOINES, Iowa – On September 24, 2020, Kendall Andrew Streb, age 53, of Hills, Iowa, was sentenced to a total of 268 months in prison after being found guilty by a jury of three counts of child sex trafficking, two counts of distributing methamphetamine to children, one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, one count of being an unlawful user in possession of a firearm, and one count of possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. The case was presided over by United States District Court Judge Stephanie M. Rose.
During trial, the government presented evidence that Streb trafficked three teenagers in Iowa City, Coralville, and Cedar Rapids, primarily from November 2018 through February 2019. Streb solicited the three minors, aged 15 through 17 years old, by paying them in cash and methamphetamine in exchange for sex acts. Streb, at times, transported the teenagers to hotel rooms where he engaged in commercial sex acts with them. The evidence at trial showed that Streb knew one or more of the girls was under 18 years old, and he was otherwise was in reckless disregard of the fact that they were under the age of 18. Sex trafficking of a child is punishable by a minimum of ten years in prison, and up to life imprisonment.
United States Attorney Marc Krickbaum stated, “Kendall Streb will spend the next two decades in federal prison because he knowingly exploited teenage girls by paying them for sex. This sentence should serve as a wake-up call to anyone who believes he can escape serious criminal consequences if he is ‘just a john.’ We will continue to aggressively prosecute both buyers and sellers who sexually abuse children.”
Human trafficking is defined as a crime involving the exploitation of youth under the age of 18 for commercial sex; the exploitation of adults for commercial sex through the use of force, fraud, or coercion; and the exploitation of any individual for compelled labor. Human trafficking does not require the transportation of individuals across state lines, or that someone is physically restrained. Signs that a person is being trafficked can include working excessively long hours, unexplained gifts, physical injury, substance abuse issues, running away from home, isolation from others, or having a person in their life controlling them or monitoring them closely.
Anyone who suspects human trafficking is occurring, be it a minor engaging in paid sex acts, or anyone being coerced into prostitution or labor, is urged to call the National Human Trafficking Hotline at 1-888-373-7888.
This matter was investigated by the Iowa City Police Department, with assistance from the Johnson County Sheriff’s Office, Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation, and the Coralville Police Department. The case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa.
Heroin Trafficker Sentenced in Federal CourtRead the Press Release
LAFAYETTE, La. – Acting United States Attorney Alexander C. Van Hook announced that Billy Louviere, 44, of Lafayette, Louisiana, was sentenced today. United States District Judge Michael J. Juneau sentenced Louviere to 55 months (4 years, 7 months) in prison followed by 3 years of supervised release for possession of heroin with intent to distribute. Louviere pled guilty to the charge on January 7, 2020.
Law enforcement agents received information that Louviere and other co-conspirators were buying and selling heroin in the Lafayette area. Agents obtained authorization to intercept wire and electronic communications for a cell phone utilized by a known heroin dealer in Lafayette. Beginning on January 29, 2019 and continuing thereafter, law enforcement agents intercepted communications between Louviere and other co-conspirators regarding transactions wherein a co-conspirator provided a supply of heroin to Louviere nearly every day. Louviere would use some of the heroin but would also redistribute the heroin to other people for profit. Louviere was supplied approximately 3.5 grams of heroin per transaction.
On February 22, 2019, law enforcement agents intercepted a communication between Louviere and the heroin dealer and afterwards, observed Louviere have a brief meeting with the dealer. Later, Lafayette Police Department officers stopped the vehicle Louviere was driving for a traffic violation. The Lafayette Police Department K-9 officer conducted an open-air sniff of the vehicle and alerted to narcotics in the vehicle. Officers searched the vehicle and found a scale, baggies, and a burnt spoon. Louviere admitted to purchasing the heroin earlier that day.
The FBI and Lafayette Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert C. Abendroth prosecuted the case.
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The year 2020 marks the 150th anniversary of the Department of Justice. Learn more about the history of our agency at www.Justice.gov/Celebrating150Years.
Hazleton Man Sentenced to 11 Months’ Imprisonment for Fraud and Naturalization OffensesRead the Press Release
SCRANTON – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that on September 24, 2020, Lucas Hernandez-Torres, age 48, of Hazleton, Pennsylvania, was sentenced to 11 months’ imprisonment by United States District Court Judge Robert D. Mariani, for defrauding the United States, and for the unlawful procurement of naturalization.
According to United States Attorney David J. Freed, Hernandez-Torres was convicted of defrauding the IRS by allowing other conspirators to claim his dependents as their own, thereby incurring federal tax credits and refunds. Hernandez-Torres received kickbacks in return, and also made false claims in his personal tax returns for wages that he had not earned, thus accruing additional tax credits. The offenses occurred for tax years 2010 through 2014.
Hernandez-Torres, a Mexican national, also was convicted of making false statements on a naturalization application. He faces deportation after the conclusion of his sentence of imprisonment. As part of the sentence, Judge Mariani ordered Hernandez-Torres to pay $56,395 in restitution to the IRS.
Hernandez-Torres’s wife, Leticia Salazar, previously was convicted of passport fraud, and deported to Mexico after serving approximately six months in prison. Salazar had submitted a fraudulent application for a United States passport in May 2008. In the ultimately unsuccessful application, Corona-Salazar used a United States citizen’s identity as her own. Corona-Salazar was deported before charges were filed in 2015, but identified and re-arrested in Hazleton, Pennsylvania, in May 2018, having re-entered the United States at an unknown time and place.
The matter was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service and by Homeland Security Investigations. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Phillip J. Caraballo.
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Harrison County woman admits to methamphetamine and heroin distributionRead the Press Release
CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Stephanie Cottrill, of Shinnston, West Virginia, has admitted to methamphetamine and heroin distribution, U.S. Attorney Bill Powell announced.
Cottrill, age 37, pled guilty to one count of “Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute and Distribute Methamphetamine and Heroin.” Cottrill admitted to working with others to distribute methamphetamine and heroin from November 2019 to January 2020 in Ritchie County.Cottrill faces up to 20 years incarceration and a fine of up to $1,000,000. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew R. Cogar is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. Drug Enforcement Administration and the Ritchie County Sheriff’s Office investigated.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael John Aloi presided.
Harrisburg Man Sentenced to 40 Years’ Imprisonment for Drug Trafficking and Firearms ChargesRead the Press Release
HARRISBURG – The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that on September 16, 2020, Maurice Lackey, age 40, of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, was sentenced to 40 years’ imprisonment for drug trafficking and firearms charges. Lackey was also sentenced to 46 months’ imprisonment to be served concurrent to his 40-year sentence, for violating the terms of his supervised release.
According to United States Attorney David J. Freed, Lackey was arrested by the Harrisburg Bureau of Police on June 18, 2017, after two firearms and approximately 167 baggies of crack cocaine were found in his vehicle during a traffic stop. One of the firearms was loaded at the time of his arrest and both firearms had previously been reported as stolen. In 2003, Lackey had been convicted of possession with intent to distribute more than 5 grams of crack cocaine and possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking. Lackey was sentenced to 15 years’ imprisonment for those offenses, and was released from prison less than eight months prior to his arrest on June 18, 2017. On December 5, 2019, Lackey was convicted by a jury of possession with intent to distribute crack cocaine, possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking, and possession of a firearm as a felon and armed career criminal.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Harrisburg Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Scott Ford prosecuted the case.
This case is also part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program that has been historically successful in bringing together all levels of law enforcement 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 enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce crime.
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Gang Member Headed for Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, KAN. – A member of a Traviesos street gang in Kansas City was sentenced today to 27 months in federal prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Stephen McAllister said.
Cristiane Maese-Salano, 24, Kansas City, Kan., pleaded guilty to one count of unlawful possession of ammunition by a felon. The Kansas City, Kan., Police department arrested Maese-Salano when he drove an armed juvenile to a McDonald’s to sell some marijuana. The juvenile fled on foot and was found in a dumpster with a .45 caliber handgun. Maese-Solano remained in the car and was arrested with a 14-round magazine that fit the juvenile’s gun.
The defendant’s criminal history shows that he has been arrested repeatedly since he joined the Traviesos gang when he was 12. He was twice shot, once at age 19 and again at age 22. He has a scalp tattoo identifying him as a “Traviesos gangster.”
McAllister commended the Kansas City, Kansas, Police Department, the FBI, and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Trent Krug and Terra Morehead for their work on the case.
Fugitive Charged in Montrose Drug Conspiracy Found and Arrested in MexicoRead the Press Release
DENVER – United States Attorney Jason R. Dunn announced that fugitive Omar Briceno-Quijano was found by the U.S. Marshals in Los Mochis, a city in the State of Sinaloa in the Republic of Mexico. In January 2020, Briceno-Quijano was charged with 12 other individuals with conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and heroin. The day before law enforcement made arrests in and around Montrose, Briceno-Quijano left Colorado.
After about eight months on the run, Briceno-Quijano was found in Mexico and then, on September 23, 2020, flown on a commercial flight to Houston, where he made his initial appearance in this case. He was then remanded into custody and ordered to be returned to Colorado where proceedings will continue.
“As the old saying goes, the long arm of the law will eventually find you if you are a fugitive on the run,” said U.S. Attorney Dunn. “Thanks to the great work of the United States Marshal Service, we will find them even if they try and hide in another country.”
This investigation was conducted by the Denver Division of the DEA, the Montrose County Sheriff’s Office, and the Montrose Police Department, as well as representatives from the 7th Judicial District Attorney’s Office.
The defendant is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Zachary Phillips. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado. Related court documents can be found on PACER. The case number is 19-cr-535.
The charges in the indictment are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
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.
Fresno Man Guilty of Conspiring to Produce False Identification DocumentsRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — Isaias Herrera-Ortiz, 29, pleaded guilty today to conspiracy and production of false identification documents, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced.
According to court documents, between February 2018 and November 2019, Herrera-Ortiz and his co-conspirators produced, possessed, transferred, and sold false identification documents. These documents included fraudulent lawful permanent resident or LPR cards and fraudulent social security number or SSN cards. In particular, Herrera-Ortiz admitted that on Feb. 28, 2018, he sold three LPR cards and three SSN cards to a customer for $390.00. A search of Herrera‑Ortiz’s electronic devices and those belonging to his co-conspirators prove that he participated in the manufacture of at least 36 and no more than 99 fraudulent documents or sets of documents.
This case is the product of an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Laura D. Withers is prosecuting the case.
Herrera-Ortiz is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Dale A. Drozd on Dec. 14. He faces a maximum statutory penalty of 15 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The actual sentence, however, will 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.
Former Roanoke Pharmacist Pleads Guilty to TamperingRead the Press Release
ROANOKE, Va. – Bryan Wade Lewis, a former Pharmacist at Home Choice Partners in Roanoke, pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court here to tampering with a consumer product, hydromorphone, that affected interstate commerce. Acting United States Attorney Daniel P. Bubar made the announcement today following the guilty plea hearing.
Lewis, 34, of Roanoke, pleaded guilty today to one count of tampering with a consumer product. At sentencing he faces up to 10 years in prison.
“Medical workers violate the public’s trust when they divert powerful narcotics for illicit use,” Acting United States Attorney Bubar said today. “We will continue to partner with the FDA, DEA, and others, to bring to justice anyone who violates that trust and brings potential harm to patients.”
“The FDA oversees the U.S. drug supply to ensure that the medicines are safe and effective; those who knowingly tamper with medicines put patients’ health at risk,” said Special Agent in Charge Mark S. McCormack, FDA Office of Criminal Investigations Metro Washington Field Office. “We will continue to protect the public health and bring to justice health care professionals who take advantage of their unique position and compromise their patients’ health and comfort by tampering with needed drugs.”
According to court documents, in January 2018 an employee at Home Choice Partners in Roanoke discovered a needle, alcohol pad, and a bloody tissue in the toilet of an employee bathroom and reported it to another employee. When asked by that employee if he knew anything about the items, Lewis said the items may have fallen out of his pocket. The employee contacted human resources and a decision was made to drug test all employees.
Lewis, who was scheduled to be off work on the day of the drug test, was instructed to report to work to be administered a drug screening. However, Lewis contacted an employee and explained that he was the employee responsible for the items in the toilet. When asked, Lewis explained he had been engaging in such conduct for nine months. Lewis admitted there was a 50 ml vial of hydromorphone in the back of the narcotics cabinet that did not contain hydromorphone, but instead had been replaced, by him, with saline.
The investigation of the case was conducted by the U.S. Food, Drug Administration and the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Virginia State Police, and the Virginia Department of Health Professions. Assistant United States Attorney Randy Ramseyer is prosecuting the case for the United States.
Former Nashville-Based Healthcare President Sentenced to Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – September 28, 2020 – The former president of Nashville-based Omnis Health, Inc. was sentenced today in U.S. District Court to 35 months in prison for wire fraud and tax evasion, and fined $15,000, announced U.S. Attorney Don Cochran for the Middle District of Tennessee.
Robert R. Burton, 50, of Madisonville, Louisiana, formerly of Brentwood, Tennessee, was also ordered to pay $1,059,016.67 in restitution - $763,887 to Omnis Health and $295,129 to the IRS. Burton was charged in a criminal information in February and pleaded guilty in May.
According to court documents, between July 2013 and May 2017, Burton was the president of Nashville-based Omnis, which sold diabetic testing kits. From December 2013 through January 2017, he embezzled approximately $763,887 from Omnis by submitting false and fraudulent reimbursement requests to the controller of Omnis, claiming that he had purchased supplies and incurred travel expenses, which he had not. To justify his reimbursement requests, Burton fabricated receipts to include with his fraudulent reimbursement requests.
To accomplish a large portion of his scheme, Burton submitted reimbursement requests for diabetic testing products, falsely claiming he had purchased those products. Burton claimed that he was using personal funds to purchase “grey market” diabetic testing supplies on the open market; that he was purchasing the supplies so Omnis could conduct research; that he was purchasing lower-priced “bootleg” diabetic testing supplies to take them off the market; and that he was sending the products to Omnis’s parent company for testing. Burton never actually purchased the supplies, but instead he visited multiple online vendors, such as Amazon or Diabetessupplies4less.com, placed the products in his online shopping cart, printed the computer screens displaying his shopping cart as the “receipt,” and then attached those “receipts” to his reimbursement requests. Burton also fabricated credit card transaction receipts falsely showing he had purchased the products, and attached those fabricated receipts with his reimbursement requests. Burton was reimbursed at least $484,328 for supplies that he never purchased.
Burton frequently submitted false travel expense reimbursements and travel advances, claiming that he traveled for business to meet with suppliers, customers, and individuals from the corporate office, and to attend conferences. In fact, Burton did not take the majority of the flights for which he was reimbursed approximately $203,747.83. Similar to how he falsified his expense reports for diabetic testing supplies, Burton would visit an airline’s website, print an itinerary that displayed a cost for the flight, and submit that as the receipt without ever purchasing the flights.
In addition to airline reimbursements, Burton falsely claimed he had attended conferences and paid fees in the amount of at least $102,056. Burton fabricated credit card transaction receipts falsely showing he had paid the conference fees and submitted them with his reimbursement requests.
In an effort to further conceal the fraud, rather than depositing the reimbursement checks into his bank accounts, Burton cashed them at a bank or a check cashing business and either spent the cash or deposited it onto prepaid debit cards. Burton often used the funds for gambling.
Burton also failed to report the embezzled funds on his personal tax returns for tax years 2014 through 2016 and failed to timely file his 2017 personal tax return. In addition, he provided false income information to his tax return preparer by omitting the embezzled income. The total loss to the IRS for tax years 2014 through 2017 is $295,129.
This case was investigated by the IRS-Criminal Investigation and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kathryn Booth.
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Former Music Teacher Sentenced for Producing Images of Child Sexual AbuseRead the Press Release
RICHMOND, Va. – A former Richmond City Public Schools elementary music teacher was sentenced today to the statutory maximum of 30 years in prison for producing images of child sexual abuse.
According to court documents, Kellen Thomas Donelson, 32, came to the attention of law enforcement in 2019 for uploading multiple images of child pornography via Snapchat and Kik Messenger. During a court-authorized search of his home and electronic devices in December 2019, law enforcement discovered additional images and videos of child sexual abuse.
According to the statement of facts, Donelson admitted that he produced several images and videos of child pornography using his personal cell phone, including with a victim as young as 4 years old.
Donelson was arrested on Dec. 5, 2019. At the time of his arrest, he was employed as an elementary school music teacher with Richmond City Public Schools and an Associate Minister/Music Director at Mount Hope Baptist Church.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Raymond Villanueva, Special Agent in Charge of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Washington, D.C., made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge M. Hannah Lauck. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kevin Elliker prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:20-cr-55.
Former Madison County Postal Employee Charged with Stealing MailRead the Press Release
A federal grand jury for the Southern District of Illinois has returned an indictment charging Tia
M. Taylor, 27, of Alton, Illinois, with one count of theft of mail by a postal service employee.
The indictment charges that in July 2020, Taylor stole four packages addressed to Godfrey residents
from the Godfrey post office, where she worked as a clerk.The arraignment for Taylor will be held on Oct. 8, 2020 at 10:30 a.m. at the federal courthouse in
East St. Louis, Illinois.Taylor is the second postal employee charged this month with stealing mail in the Southern District
of Illinois. Athens A. Shorey, 33, of Cobden, Illinois, was indicted earlier this month with taking
mail from the Carbondale post office back in May.An indictment is a formal charge against a defendant. Under the law, a defendant is presumed to be
innocent of a charge until proved guilty beyond a reasonable doubt to the satisfaction of a jury.The charge against Taylor resulted from a referral and investigation by the United States Postal
Service, Office of the Inspector General. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S.
Attorney Peter T. Reed.Former Executive Director of Daycare in Tama County Sentenced to Federal Prison for Stealing from her EmployerRead the Press Release
The former director of a daycare in Tama County, Iowa, was sentenced today to eight months of imprisonment.
Kristine Daniel, age 49, from Kellogg, Iowa, received the prison term after an October 31, 2019 guilty plea to theft from a federal program.
At the guilty plea, Daniel admitted she stole money from a daycare operating in Tama County. She further admitted that the daycare received federal funds as part of its operating budget. Part of the money she stole from the daycare came from those federal funds.
Information disclosed at sentencing showed that Daniel stole, embezzled, or misappropriated $113,829.73 from the daycare while she was employed as the Executive Director of the daycare from December 2009 through April 2016. Daniel obtained the money in various ways. She misappropriated approximately $33,000 by using daycare credit cards to buy items for her own personal use, including video games, clothing, and home furnishings. Daniel also issued herself over $34,000 in gross pay to which she was not entitled. Further, Daniel stole cash payments that parents gave to the daycare to pay for childcare. She stole over $42,000 in cash payments that she then deposited into her own bank account. During the time she was stealing from the daycare, Daniel was making approximately $40,000 a year in salary from the daycare.
Daniel was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams. Daniel was sentenced to eight months’ confinement, four months of which must be spent in prison and four months of which will be spent in home detention. She must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term. She was also ordered to pay $113,829.73 in restitution to the daycare. There is no parole in the federal system.
Daniel was released on the bond previously set and is to surrender to the Bureau of Prisons on a date yet to be set.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Anthony Morfitt and investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Tama County Sheriff’s Office, and the Iowa State Auditor’s Office.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 19-CR-109.
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Filipino Seaman Who Allegedly Stabbed to Death Fellow Crewmember on Container Ship Faces Federal ChargesRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – A crewmember on a container ship has been arrested and charged with a federal offense stemming from the fatal stabbing of a fellow crewmember.
Michael Dequito Monegro, 41, a resident of the Philippines, was named in a criminal complaint filed today that charges him with one count of performing an act of violence against a person onboard a ship that is likely to endanger the safe navigation of the ship.
The complaint, which was filed in federal court in Los Angeles, alleges that Monegro used two knives to repeatedly stab the victim on the MSC Ravenna on September 20 while the vessel was travelling to the Port of Los Angeles, its destination after a voyage from China. The victim, also a citizen of the Philippines, died from the stab wounds. Other members of the crew witnessed the attack, after which the captain of the ship convinced Monegro to surrender the knives, according to the complaint. Monegro was then detained in a cabin aboard the ship, where other members of the crew took turns guarding him.
Personnel from the FBI and the United States Coast Guard Investigative Service (CGIS) responded to the Liberian-flagged Ravenna on September 22 after the ship had docked. After obtaining consent from the ship’s owner, the investigators boarded the vessel, took custody of the victim’s body and recovered two knives identified by witnesses as the murder weapons. “Based on an initial assessment of the body, it appears that [the victim] was stabbed approximately 17 times, had multiple defensive wounds to his hands, and lacerations to his throat, face, and leg,” according to an affidavit in support of the complaint.
During a shipboard interview by two FBI agents on September 22, Monegro admitted to stabbing the victim repeatedly, according to the affidavit.
The homicide had a significant impact on the ship’s operations, including forcing the captain and other crew members to deal with the aftermath of the attack, restrain Monegro and interact with the Coast Guard to obtain information on securing the crime scene and storing the victim’s body, according to the affidavit. The incident also appears to have traumatized some of the crew members who witnessed the attack, the affidavit states.
On Sunday, special agents with the FBI and Coast Guard Investigative Service arrested Monegro, who had remained onboard the Ravenna. Monegro is expected to make his initial appearance this afternoon in United States District Court in downtown Los Angeles.
A criminal complaint contains allegations that a defendant has committed a crime. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent until and unless proven guilty in court.
The felony offense charged in the indictment carries a statutory maximum sentence of death or life in federal prison.
This case is the result of an ongoing investigation being conducted by the FBI and the CGIS.
The case against Monegro is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Matthew O’Brien and Mark Williams of the Environmental and Community Safety Crimes Section and Jeffrey Chemerinsky of the Violent and Organized Crime Section.
Federal Carjacking and Firearm Charges Filed Against Man for Allegedly Stealing Vehicle at Gunpoint in ChicagoRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — A federal grand jury has indicted a man on carjacking and firearm charges for allegedly stealing a vehicle at gunpoint in Chicago.
On the afternoon of May 27, 2020, ELIAS QUINONES-FIGUEROA forcibly took a 2008 Chevrolet Tahoe sport-utility vehicle from a victim in the West Town neighborhood of Chicago, according to an indictment unsealed Friday in U.S. District Court in Chicago. Quinones-Figueroa brandished a handgun during the carjacking, the indictment states.
The indictment charges Quinones-Figueroa, 19, of Chicago, with one count of carjacking and one count of brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence. Quinones-Figueroa was taken into federal custody on Friday. He pleaded not guilty at a Friday afternoon arraignment in federal court in Chicago. U.S. Magistrate Judge Sunil R. Harjani scheduled a detention hearing for Oct. 1, 2020.
The carjacking charge is punishably by up to 25 years in federal prison, while the firearm charge carries a mandatory minimum sentence of seven years, which must run consecutively to the carjacking sentence.
The indictment was announced by John R. Lausch, Jr., United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois; Emmerson Buie, Jr., Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI; and David Brown, Superintendent of the Chicago Police Department. Valuable assistance was provided by the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office in bringing these charges. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Shawn D. McCarthy. The case was investigated by the Vehicular Hijacking Task Force, a multi-agency initiative that includes FBI agents and CPD officers.
The case was brought under Operation Legend, a Department of Justice initiative in which federal law enforcement agencies work in conjunction with state and local law enforcement to fight violent crime. As part of Operation Legend, the Department of Justice significantly increased resources in Chicago to help state and local officials investigate and prosecute violent crime, particularly firearm-related offenses.
The public is reminded that an indictment is 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 statutes and the advisory U.S. Sentencing Guidelines.
FBI Report on Crime Shows Decline in Violent Crime Rate for Third Consecutive YearRead the Press Release
Today, the Federal Bureau of Investigation released its 2019 edition of Crime in the United States, which showed that violent crime decreased nationwide for the third consecutive year. After decreases in both 2017 and 2018, the violent crime rate dropped an additional one percent this past year and the property crime rate decreased 4.5 percent.
Since 1930, the FBI has tracked nationwide data on crimes and publishes its compilation each year. Submitting data to the FBI is a collective effort on the part of city, county, state, tribal, and federal law enforcement agencies to present a nationwide view of crime.
“For the last three years the Department of Justice has worked tirelessly with our federal, state, local, and tribal partners to pursue those violent criminals, cartels, and gangs who seek to harm our communities,” said Deputy Attorney General Jeffrey A. Rosen. “We are steadfast in our commitment to protect the public safety of citizens and communities across the United States through violent crime initiatives like Project Safe Neighborhoods, Project Guardian and, most recently, Operation Legend. Violent crime rates had been increasing during 2015-2016, so I am proud of the hard work by all prosecutors and law enforcement agents across the nation who have reduced violent crime rates during each of the last three years. I look forward to continuing our joint efforts to protect the American public from the violence of criminals.”
“I am encouraged by the great work being done by law enforcement to combat violent crime across the nation,” said FBI Deputy Director Dave Bowdich. “The FBI continues to make clear that violence will not be tolerated, and we are committed to continuing our work with state, local, and tribal partners across the country to confront and deter violence, dismantle criminal organizations and gangs, eradicate drug trafficking, and bring justice to victims.”
This past year, a total of 16,554 law enforcement agencies reported Uniform Crime Report (UCR) data to the FBI. In 2019, there were an estimated 1,203,808 violent crimes and an estimated violent crime rate of 366.7 violent crimes per 100,000 inhabitants. This represented a one percent decrease from the prior year. The FBI’s UCR data indicates that the violent crime rate dropped 0.7 percent in 2017 and 3.5 percent in 2018 from the prior years.
In October 2017, the Department of Justice reinvigorated Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a crime reduction initiative targeting gun and gang violence in particular geographic hotspots. Each United States Attorney around the nation, in conjunction with state and local law enforcement, developed a customized strategy to prioritize prosecutions of the most violent criminals in the most dangerous areas in their district and to support locally based prevention and reentry programs to prevent additional violence. Independent academic research found that PSN successfully reduced violent crime by an average of 4 to 20 percent, and as high as 42 percent in some locations.
In November 2019, the Department launched Project Guardian, a comprehensive law enforcement strategy specifically aimed at gun crime. United States Attorney’s Offices, coordinating with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and state and local law enforcement, developed a strategy for coordinating prosecution, enforcing background checks, improving information sharing, coordinating response to mental health denials, and coordinating on crime gun intelligence.
Through violent crime initiatives, the Department charged the largest number of violent crime defendants since the Department began tracking this category more than 25 years ago. The Department has also increased federal firearm prosecutions by 43 percent in the last three years.
While the downward trends of the past three years are encouraging, the Department remains steadfast in its efforts. On Sept. 15, 2020, the FBI published its Preliminary Uniform Crime Report, January–June, 2020, which revealed overall declines in the number of violent crimes and property crimes reported for the first six months of 2020 when compared with figures for the first six months of 2019. While there were significant decreases in the number of rapes and robberies, there was a significant spike in murders and an increase in aggravated assaults.
The report is based on information from 12,206 law enforcement agencies that submitted three to six months of comparable data for both years.
The Department continues to closely monitor violent crime nationally and in July 2020, launched Operation Legend in Kansas City, Missouri, as a sustained, systematic, and coordinated law enforcement initiative where federal law enforcement agencies partner with state and local law enforcement to fight violent crime. It has now expanded to Chicago, Albuquerque, Cleveland, Detroit, Milwaukee, St. Louis, Memphis, and Indianapolis.
Since Operation Legend’s launch, approximately 3,500 arrests have been made – including approximately 200 arrests for homicide. Defendants have been charged in state and local courts, and approximately 815 of those 3,500 defendants have been charged with federal crimes. Together, the FBI, ATF, DEA, U.S. Marshals Service, and state and local law enforcement have seized over 1,200 firearms and weapons, nearly 19 kilos of heroin, over 11 kilos of fentanyl (enough to deliver more than five million fatal doses), over 94 kilos of methamphetamine, nearly 14 kilos of cocaine, and more than $6.5 million in drug proceeds. For more information on the successes of Operation Legend, please visit the Department of Justice’s website.
Ellicott City Drug Trafficker Convicted After Trial in Federal Court of Possessing Narcotics and Firearms to Further His Drug Business, Including Two Semi-Automatic Riles with Large-Capacity MagazinesRead the Press Release
Greenbelt, Maryland – After a four-day trial that ended on Friday, September 25, 2020, a federal jury convicted Tiba Sakuri Conley, age 31, of Ellicott City, Maryland, on federal drug distribution and firearms charges.
The conviction was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Robert K. Hur; Special Agent in Charge Jennifer C. Boone of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office; Chief Lisa D. Myers of the Howard County Police Department; Interim Chief Hector Velez of the Prince George’s County Police Department; and Prince George’s County State’s Attorney Aisha N. Braveboy.
According to the evidence presented at trial, on April 21, 2016, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Conley’s residence in Ellicott City, Maryland. When law enforcement entered his residence, Conley was in the kitchen with bags of cocaine base (also known as crack cocaine), powder cocaine, digital scales with white residue, baking powder, a pyrex measuring cup with white residue, and a loaded .45 caliber pistol on the kitchen counters on either side of him. Law enforcement recovered approximately 70 grams of crack cocaine and approximately 72 grams of powder cocaine, which Conley possessed with the intent to distribute, as well as four digital scales and $9,495 in United States currency ($495 of which was recovered from Conley’s person).
In furtherance of his drug trafficking, Conley also possessed another .45-caliber semi-automatic pistol, a 5.56x45 millimeter semi-automatic rifle, and a 7.62x39 millimeter semi-automatic rifle There were almost 200 rounds of ammunition recovered from the residence—much of it loaded into large capacity magazines for the rifles. The evidence showed that Conley was prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition as a result of a previous felony conviction. In a recording played at trial, Conley acknowledged that he was “cooking” when law enforcement entered his residence and that, “They got me.”
Conley faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 60 months in federal prison for possession with intent to distribute over 28 grams of cocaine base; a consecutive mandatory minimum sentence of 60 months in federal prison for possession of firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime; and a maximum of 10 years in federal prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. U.S. District Judge Peter J. Messitte has scheduled sentencing for January 7, 2021 at 11:00 a.m.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
United States Attorney Robert K. Hur commended the FBI; PGPD; Prince George’s County States Attorney’s Office and the Howard County Police Department for their work in the investigation. Mr. Hur thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joseph R. Baldwin and Dwight J. Draughon, who are prosecuting the case.
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Eau Claire Man Sentenced to 10 Years for Methamphetamine ConspiracyRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. - Scott C. Blader, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Travis Hanson, 40, Eau Claire, Wisconsin was sentenced on Friday, September 25 by U.S. District Judge William M. Conley to 10 years in federal prison for conspiracy to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine and heroin. This prison term will be followed by eight years of supervised release. Hanson pleaded guilty to this charge on July 6, 2020.
On February 6, 2020 and February 20, 2020, Hanson sold heroin to a confidential informant. On February 25, 2020, law enforcement officers conducted surveillance on Hanson. He was observed driving from his hotel in Menominee, Wisconsin to meet his drug source in St. Paul, Minnesota. Hanson and his girlfriend returned to Menominee, with the drug source following in a separate vehicle. They were all taken into custody upon arrival back in Menominee. In the drug source’s car, officers located 236 grams of methamphetamine, 11.5 grams of heroin, small amounts of crack cocaine and marijuana, as well as a digital scale and baggies.
In an interview with law enforcement, Hanson admitted to being involved in drug trafficking and selling large quantities of methamphetamine. He admitted to travelling to St. Paul to meet his drug source and that he was supposed to help his source sell the methamphetamine and heroin discovered by law enforcement.
The charge against Hanson was the result of an investigation conducted by the West Central Drug Task Force; Chippewa County, Dunn County, and Eau Claire County Sheriffs’ Departments; Chippewa Falls, Eau Claire, and Menomonie Police Departments; Drug Enforcement Administration; and Dunn County District Attorney’s Office. The prosecution of the case has been handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven P. Anderson.
Dominican National Sentenced for Twenty-Year Old Felony Drug ChargesRead the Press Release
SCRANTON - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that on September 24, 2020, U.S. District Court Judge Robert D. Mariani sentenced Jose Rafael Hidalgo, age 43, a Dominican national, to 70 months’ imprisonment for drug trafficking.
According to United States Attorney David J. Freed, Hidalgo admitted that between 1994 and 1999, he conspired with Luzerne County resident David Drozdowski and others to distribute and possess with intent to distribute cocaine. Hidalgo supplied Drozdowski with cocaine, which he admitted was between 5 and 15 kilograms, which Drozdowski and others then distributed in and around Luzerne County.
Hidalgo was arrested on August 25, 1999, and, after entering an agreement with the United States to plead guilty, he was granted conditional release. At some point between October 12, 1999, and February 2000, while residing in New Jersey under supervised pre-trial release, Hidalgo removed an electronic monitoring device and absconded.
On February 22, 2000, the United States District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania issued an arrest warrant for Hidalgo. The United States Marshals Service took charge of the investigation to locate and apprehend Hidalgo, and, in 2016, confirmed that Hidalgo was living in the Dominican Republic. The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania initiated extradition procedures in conjunction with the Department of Justice Office of International Affairs and the U.S. State Department, leading to Hidalgo’s arrest by Dominican law enforcement authorities on January 17, 2019. Extradition was granted on March 25, 2019, and the U.S. Marshals returned Hidalgo to the United States where he appeared before a federal Magistrate Judge for an initial appearance on May 20, 2019.
The original drug trafficking case was investigated by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the Pennsylvania State Police. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sean A. Camoni prosecuted the case.
This prosecution is part of an extensive investigation by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF). OCDETF is a joint federal, state, and local cooperative approach to combat drug trafficking and is the nation’s primary tool for disrupting and dismantling major drug trafficking organizations, targeting national and regional level drug trafficking organizations and coordinating the necessary law enforcement entities and resources to disrupt or dismantle the targeted criminal organization and seize their assets.
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Deputy Attorney General Jeffrey Rosen Writes Op-ed about Qualified ImmunityRead the Press Release
Deputy Attorney General Jeffrey A. Rosen
New York Post
George Floyd’s death prompted lawmakers on both sides of the aisle to consider ways to reform policing. Some of their suggestions hold promise. But other radical ideas are wide of the mark and, if enacted, would pose a serious threat to public safety. Eliminating qualified immunity falls squarely in that category.
Qualified immunity is a legal doctrine that prevents law-enforcement officers and other officials from being personally subjected to civil lawsuits when they have acted lawfully and haven’t violated clearly established rights. The US Supreme Court has repeatedly observed that qualified immunity from civil suits is critical to preserving safety and ensuring a robust police force.
Qualified immunity is not a get-out-of-jail-free card for abusive policing. Criminal charges already can be — and are — brought against cops who break the law. The Department of Justice vigorously investigates and prosecutes allegations against officers, including excessive-force cases.
Since 2009, the DOJ has charged more than 700 law-enforcement officials for willfully violating civil rights or for breaking related laws. Officers know that, with or without qualified immunity in civil cases, they can be criminally charged, lose their jobs and go to prison if they break the law.
With all this in place, it’s hard to see what good would come from ending qualified immunity in civil lawsuits.
The more likely result will be less safe communities. Officers are constantly put in dangerous situations, where they must make split-second decisions to protect innocent lives. The International Association of Chiefs of Police has warned that ending qualified immunity “would have a profoundly chilling effect on police officers and limit their ability and willingness to respond to critical incidents without hesitation.”
The growing risk to officers’ own lives heightens the risk. Assaults against police jumped 20 percent from 2014 to 2017, to about 60,000 a year.
Police officers must be able to respond decisively and responsibly. When a bad guy is threatening to slash innocents on a sidewalk with a knife, officers don’t have time to analyze legal memos.
Ending qualified immunity would also impose heavy financial burdens on courts and taxpayers, as lawsuits against police, prosecutors, judges, guards and wardens are already common.
Prison inmates account for nearly 20 percent of all civil cases launched in federal courts, according to government stats, totaling more than 50,000 a year. About 45,000 cases a year raise claims seeking monetary damages against law enforcers. That number would spike without qualified immunity. State and local governments would bear much of the financial burden of these new cases. Trial lawyers would rub their hands; the public wouldn’t benefit.
About 85 percent of law enforcers are state and local. A recent study of 44 of the largest US law-enforcement agencies found that even with qualified immunity, state and local governments pay 99.98 percent of the settlements and judgments that plaintiffs recover in lawsuits where qualified immunity potentially might apply.
In 2018 alone, the four largest city police departments in the United States — those in New York, LA, Chicago and Philadelphia — paid $397.7 million in settlements and judgments, despite the benefit of qualified immunity. If they have their way, anti-qualified-immunity activists would have those already-huge costs skyrocket.
Unscrupulous lawyers would file still more lawsuits, even if their claims are frivolous. Although each party generally pays its own attorneys’ fees, one of the limited exceptions applies to certain lawsuits against state and local law enforcement. The potential to receive attorneys’ fees would provide an added incentive for opportunistic or media-savvy lawyers and plaintiffs to bring actions against cops, seeking settlements even where no misconduct had occurred.
Eliminating qualified immunity is plainly the wrong way to implement police reform. Every day, we ask our law-enforcement officers to put themselves in harm’s way to protect our streets.
Officers should be — and are — held accountable when they violate the law. They shouldn’t also have to worry about being personally sued for doing their jobs, when they follow the law. Congress, the states and our courts need to preserve qualified immunity: to protect public safety and to save money for real and urgent needs.
https://nypost.com/2020/09/24/sorry-this-criminal-justice-reform-would-be-disaster-for-policing
Crew Member Sentenced to 40 Months in Federal Prison for Assault on the High Seas After Stabbing Ship's CaptainRead the Press Release
PENSACOLA, FLORIDA – Robert Lester Odom, 47, of Pensacola, Florida, was sentenced on Friday, September 25, to 40 months in federal prison after having pled guilty to the charge of assault with a dangerous weapon with intent to do bodily harm. The sentence was announced by Lawrence Keefe, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
“This vicious attack was made even more serious due to the vessel’s location, so far away from help,” said U.S. Attorney Keefe. “Reducing violent crime is a top priority for the Justice Department and our District, and as federal prosecutors we will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to hold these criminals accountable for their actions.”
The facts introduced at the sentencing hearing revealed that on September 27, 2019, Odom, a crew member on a commercial fishing boat, attacked and wounded the vessel’s captain with a pellet rifle and a long-blade knife. At the time of the offense, the vessel was at sea approximately 20-26 nautical miles south-southeast of Perdido Pass, with a captain and two crew members. While fishing shortly before 9:30 pm, Odom shot the captain in the chest with a pellet rifle and then, after a struggle, stabbed the captain twice, causing immediate, profuse bleeding. United States Coast Guard and Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission officers responded to a call for help, and United States Coast Guard personnel administered first aid to the captain. The captain was then flown by helicopter to Sacred Heart Hospital in Pensacola.
"The Coast Guard's commitment to protecting life at sea, and upholding our nation's laws, are our highest priorities," said Rear Admiral John Nadeau, Commander, Eighth Coast Guard District. “I’m proud of our dedicated men and women who responded to save the victim in this case, and worked with our law enforcement partners to ensure justice was served.”
As part of his sentence, Odom was ordered to pay $12,180 in restitution to the victim. In addition, after serving his term of imprisonment, Odom will begin a three year term of federal supervised release.
This case was investigated by the United States Coast Guard Investigative Service. Assistant United States Attorney Ryan Love prosecuted the case.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.
Press Release - U.S. v. Robert OdomConvicted Felon Gets 9 Year Sentence for Gun PossessionRead the Press Release
Memphis, TN – Fred Lee Williams, 37, has been sentenced to 108 months in federal prison for being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm. D. Michael Dunavant, U.S. Attorney announced the sentence today.
According to information presented in court, on July 12, 2018, at approximately 7:30 p.m., DEA Task Force Officers conducted surveillance at North Watkins Street in Memphis, Tennessee. Officers observed Williams, who was sitting in a 2007 Honda Accord in a parking lot with the driver’s side door open, pull a bag from the driver’s side door, and show it to another male. Williams then pulled a gun from the center area of the car and began waving it around. Williams put the gun down and exited the vehicle. He was temporarily detained while officers assessed the situation.
The gun, which had been reported stolen, was found in plain view, on the driver’s side floorboard. While opening the door to retrieve the gun, officers observed a clear bag of marijuana in the driver's door, weighing 114.9 grams. The gun, a Smith and Wesson .40 caliber pistol, was loaded with five rounds of ammunition. Further evidence proved Williams purchased the gun that same day in exchange for three grams of marijuana.
As a result of his two prior felony convictions for aggravated assault in 2007 and 2012, and three prior felony convictions for possession of marijuana with intent to sell in 2003, 2009, and 2017, Williams is prohibited by federal law from possession of firearms or ammunition. Additionally, Williams was on probation for a drug trafficking offense at the time of his arrest for the instant offense.
On September 25, 2020, U.S. District Court Judge Jon P. McCalla sentenced Williams to 108 months in federal prison followed by three years supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant said, "Targeted, persistent law enforcement can make a difference in our neighborhoods. Each illegal firearm that we can take off the streets and every dangerous felon in possession that we can punish and incapacitate makes our communities a safer place to live."
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), and the Memphis Police Department (MPD) investigated this case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Raney Irwin prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
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Concord Township man indicted for threatening communicationsRead the Press Release
U.S. Attorney Justin Herdman announced that a federal grand jury sitting in Cleveland has returned a one-count indictment against Thomas G. Bares, age 53, of Concord Township, Ohio for interstate threatening communications.
According to court documents, between on or about August 18, 2020 and on or about August 21, 2020, the defendant is accused of knowingly and willfully transmitting communications containing threats to injure students, teachers, and staff at Gilmour Academy in Gates Mills, Ohio. The defendant allegedly posted online videos, images and sent a text message to a person whose identity is known to the grand jury, all threatening physical harm against the school.
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 Cleveland Division of the FBI and the Village of Gates Mills Police Department. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ranya Elzein.
Chapel Hill Man Convicted of Federal Firearms Offenses During Assault of Estranged WifeRead the Press Release
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – September 28, 2020 – Laqueston Goff, 33, of Chapel Hill, Tennessee, was convicted last week of being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition, announced U.S. Attorney Don Cochran for the Middle District of Tennessee.
Goff was found guilty of the charges by U.S. District Judge William L. Campbell, Jr. after a three-day bench trial that ended Thursday.
“Tennessee regularly ranks among the nation’s leaders in men who kill their female domestic partners,” said U.S. Attorney Cochran. “One of the reasons we aggressively prosecute gun crimes against domestic abusers is that when a gun is introduced in a violent relationship the chances of it turning into a murder increase exponentially. I commend our trial team and our law enforcement partners, particularly Chief Andrew Kon of the Chapel Hill Police Department who led this investigation and built an excellent case with very limited resources. Now, justice has been served and perhaps lives have been saved from any future assault at the hands of this individual.”
On June 7, 2017, Goff phoned his estranged wife and asked her come to Lewisburg, Tennessee and pick him up. Reluctantly, she agreed and drove to Lewisburg, where she found him outside a bowling alley. As they drove, Goff would not tell her where he wanted to go and she became concerned and apprehensive and decided it would be safer for her to return home. When she arrived at her home, Goff wanted to come inside but she refused. Goff then began to physically assault her, striking her and pulling her hair. She was ultimately able to flee the vehicle and went inside the house and locked the door. Goff continued to yell and curse at her and as she cowered in a bedroom, she heard the sound of glass being broken at the front door and multiple gunshots.
A neighbor, an off-duty correctional officer with the Maury County Sheriff’s Office, also heard the gunshots and called local law enforcement to report it. Shortly thereafter, he heard someone rustling in the woods behind his home and ordered them to come out. Goff then appeared from the woods and was bleeding profusely and claimed he had been shot. Goff was transported to Vanderbilt Hospital and continued to maintain that he had been shot by unknown assailants who had attempted to break into his estranged wife’s house. The treating physician who examined Goff found no evidence of a gunshot wound and found that Goff’s injuries were instead consistent with broken glass shards. Physical evidence obtained at the crime scenes, including the recovery of a blood-covered assault rifle, also discredited Goff’s claim and proved him to be the gunman.
Goff had previously been convicted of aggravated assault, reckless endangerment and several drug felonies. He faces up to 10 years in prison when he is sentenced later this year.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives and the Chapel Hill Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Robert McGuire and Kathryn W. Booth prosecuted the case.
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Cedar Rapids Man Pleads Guilty to Being a Felon in Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
A felon who possessed a firearm pled guilty today in federal court in Cedar Rapids.
Anthony Rush, age 31, from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, was convicted of one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm. At the plea hearing, Rush admitted that, in May 2020, he knowingly possessed a .380 auto caliber pistol after having been convicted of a crime punishable by more than one year of imprisonment. According to the indictment, Rush was convicted of attempted burglary in the second degree in Linn County in 2012.
Sentencing before United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Rush remains free on bond previously set pending sentencing. Rush faces a possible maximum sentence of ten years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and three years of supervised release following any imprisonment.
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.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Mark Tremmel and was investigated by the Cedar Rapids Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Court file information is available at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl. The case file number is CR 20-62.
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California’s Four US. Attorneys Announce $33 Million in Domestic Violence Funding from DOJ’s Office on Violence Against WomenRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – The Justice Department’s Office on Violence Against Women (OVW) will direct more than $33 million in grant funding to California to support efforts to curb domestic violence throughout the state, announced U.S. Attorney for the Central District of California Nicola T. Hanna, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of California McGregor W. Scott, U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of California David L. Anderson, and U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of California Robert S. Brewer Jr.
As the state grapples with the COVID-19 pandemic, reports indicate that many cities are experiencing surges in domestic violence. The OVW grants will provide resources to local prosecutors, victim service providers, healthcare professionals, training organizations, and academic researchers, including several with national scope. Even with limited prosecutorial authority in domestic violence cases, the federal government remains committed to working with all of its partners to end the scourge of domestic violence.
Disturbing research shows that intimate partner homicides are common. According to the CDC, roughly 1 in 6 homicide victims are killed by an intimate partner. In 2019, California law enforcement received 161,123 domestic violence-related calls for assistance, and 47 percent of those calls involved a weapon. Research shows that abusers with a gun in the home are five times more likely to kill their partners than abusers who don’t have access to a firearm.
Given these troubling statistics, Attorney General William P. Barr formed a Domestic Violence Working Group in June 2019 to encourage prosecution of armed domestic violence offenders. Federal law bars domestic violence offenders – those subject to certain protective orders or convicted of domestic violence misdemeanors or felonies – from possessing firearms. Districts across the nation, including all four districts in California, have prioritized their own initiatives designed to keep guns out of the hands of abusers.
“Domestic violence crimes, especially those involving firearms, are a horrific victimization of some of the most vulnerable among us,” said U.S. Attorney Hanna. “These grants will provide substantial assistance to an array of entities, including those that provide immediate assistance to victims and others that are seeking long-term solutions. We value our ongoing partnerships with these community organizations and look forward to assisting, where we can, by filing federal domestic violence cases.”
“We remain committed to reducing domestic violence through enforcement and prevention, working together with our local law enforcement partners and service providers,” said U.S. Attorney Scott. “We must do everything we can to combat the rise in domestic violence during COVID, and these grants will be of great assistance.”
“We are proud to stand with the Office on Violence Against Women in announcing these grants to deter domestic violence throughout the state,” said U.S. Attorney Anderson. “These tens of millions of dollars in grants will result in a better trained and more effective law enforcement community and will strengthen the coordination between the federal government and our state and local partners when confronted with domestic violence issues.”
Among the $33 million in awards that will be issued to organizations and government agencies in California are:
- $14.77 million to the state to support law enforcement, prosecutors, victim services providers, and courts to respond to domestic and sexual violence, including over $1 million to improve criminal justice responses in Marin and Alameda counties;
- $4.2 million to domestic violence organizations to provide legal service to victims, including $600,000 to the Los Angeles-based Peace Over Violence to provide no-cost legal assistance to victims of domestic violence, including those with disabilities;
- $4.13 million for improving criminal justice responses grant program also known as the Arrest Program, including $999,700 to Sacramento County and $1 million to Tulare County;
- $1.5 million to advocacy groups to help culturally and linguistically specific services programs, including $300,000 to the Sacramento-based My Sister’s House;
- $2.1 million to domestic violence shelters to provide transitional housing and therapy services, including $450,000 to Crisis Intervention Services dba Tahoe SAFE Alliance;
- $91,000 to the California Partnership to End Domestic Violence and $552,000 to the California Coalition Against Sexual Assault, two statewide organizations working to address violence against women; and
- $400,000 to promote enhanced training and services to end violence and abuse of elderly women in Contra Costa County.
“Putting an end to domestic violence requires effort from everyone in a community and OVW is proud to support the work being done in California,” said OVW Principal Deputy Director Laura L. Rogers. “Our funding supports law enforcement, prosecutors and brings people together to work for a common cause. These strong partnerships lead to creative solutions to prevent violence.”
New projects to provide training and technical assistance throughout the country include:
- The $5 million National Violence Against Women Law Enforcement Training and Technical Assistance Consortium, a project with the Institute for Intergovernmental Research, in Florida, that will deliver training on investigating and responding to domestic violence, sexual assault, and stalking;
- $675,000 to continue the work of the San Diego-based Alliance for HOPE’s Training Institute for Strangulation Prevention, which provides education on investigating and prosecuting nonfatal strangulation in domestic violence cases; and
- $400,000 to the International Association of Forensic Nurses, headquartered in Maryland, to develop a national protocol to guide medical-forensic care for domestic violence victims who seek treatment for their injuries.
For more information on the Justice Department’s Office on Violence Against Women, visit: https://www.justice.gov/ovw.
California U.S. Attorneys Announce $33 Million in Domestic Violence Funding from DOJ’s Office on Violence Against WomenRead the Press Release
The Justice Department’s Office on Violence Against Women (OVW) will direct more than $33 million in grant funding to California to support efforts to curb domestic violence throughout the state, announced U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of California McGregor W. Scott, U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of California David L. Anderson, U.S. Attorney for the Central District of California Nicola T. Hanna, and U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of California Robert S. Brewer Jr.
As the state grapples with the COVID-19 pandemic, reports indicate that many cities are experiencing surges in domestic violence. The OVW grants will provide resources to local prosecutors, victim service providers, healthcare professionals, training organizations, and academic researchers, including several with national scope. Even with limited prosecutorial authority in domestic violence cases, the federal government remains committed to working with all of its partners to end the scourge of domestic violence.
Disturbing research shows that intimate partner homicides are common. According to the CDC, roughly 1 in 6 homicide victims are killed by an intimate partner. In 2019, California law enforcement received 161,123 domestic violence-related calls for assistance, and 47% of those calls involved a weapon. Research shows that abusers with a gun in the home are five times more likely to kill their partners than abusers who don’t have access to a firearm.
Given these troubling statistics, in June 2019, Attorney General William P. Barr formed a Domestic Violence Working Group to encourage prosecution of armed domestic violence offenders. Federal law bars domestic violence offenders – those subject to certain protective orders or convicted of domestic violence misdemeanors or felonies – from possessing firearms. Districts across the nation, including all four districts in California, have prioritized their own initiatives designed to keep guns out of the hands of abusers.
“Putting an end to domestic violence requires effort from everyone in a community and OVW is proud to support the work being done in California,” said OVW Principal Deputy Director Laura L. Rogers. “Our funding supports law enforcement, prosecutors and brings people together to work for a common cause. These strong partnerships lead to creative solutions to prevent violence.”
“We remain committed to reducing domestic violence through enforcement and prevention, working together with our local law enforcement partners and service providers,” said U.S. Attorney Scott. “We must do everything we can to combat the rise in domestic violence during COVID, and these grants will be of great assistance.”
“Domestic violence crimes, especially those involving firearms, are a horrific victimization of some of the most vulnerable among us,” said U.S. Attorney Hanna. “These grants will provide substantial assistance to an array of entities, including those that provide immediate assistance to victims and others that are seeking long-term solutions. We value our ongoing partnerships with these community organizations and look forward to assisting, where we can, by filing federal domestic violence cases.”
“We are proud to stand with the Office of Violence Against Women in announcing these grants to deter domestic violence throughout the state,” said U.S. Attorney Anderson. “These tens of millions of dollars in grants will result in a better trained and more effective law enforcement community and will strengthen the coordination between the federal government and our state and local partners when confronted with domestic violence issues.”
Among the $33 million in awards that will be issued to organizations and government agencies in California are:
- $14.77 million to the state to support law enforcement, prosecutors, victim services providers, and courts to respond to domestic and sexual violence, including 0ver $1 million to improve criminal justice responses in Marin and Alameda counties;
- $4.2 million to domestic violence organizations to provide legal service to victims, including $600,000 to the Los Angeles-based Peace Over Violence to provide no-cost legal assistance to victims of domestic violence, including those with disabilities;
- $4.13 million for improving criminal justice responses grant program also known as the Arrest Program, including $999,700 to Sacramento County and $1 million to Tulare County;
- $1.5 million to advocacy groups to help culturally and linguistically specific services programs, including $300,000 to the Sacramento-based My Sister’s House;
- $2.1 million to domestic violence shelters to provide transitional housing and therapy services, including $450,000 to Crisis Intervention Services dba Tahoe SAFE Alliance;
- $91,000 to the California Partnership to End Domestic Violence and $552,000 to the California Coalition Against Sexual Assault, two statewide organizations working to address violence against women; and
- $400,000 to promote enhanced training and services to end violence and abuse of elderly women in Contra Costa County.
New projects to provide training and technical assistance throughout the country include:
- The $5 million National Violence Against Women Law Enforcement Training and Technical Assistance Consortium, a project with the Institute for Intergovernmental Research, in Florida, that will deliver training on investigating and responding to domestic violence, sexual assault, and stalking;
- $675,000 to continue the work of the San Diego-based Alliance for HOPE’s Training Institute for Strangulation Prevention, which provides education on investigating and prosecuting nonfatal strangulation in domestic violence cases; and
- $400,000 to the International Association of Forensic Nurses, headquartered in Maryland, to develop a national protocol to guide medical-forensic care for domestic violence victims who seek treatment for their injuries.
For more information on the Justice Department’s Office on Violence Against Women, visit: https://www.justice.gov/ovw.
California U.S. Attorneys Announce $33 Million in Domestic Violence Funding from DOJ’s Office on Violence Against WomenRead the Press Release
The Justice Department’s Office on Violence Against Women (OVW) will direct more than $33 million in grant funding to California to support efforts to curb domestic violence throughout the state, announced U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of California David L. Anderson, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of California McGregor W. Scott, U.S. Attorney for the Central District of California Nicola T. Hanna, and U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of California Robert S. Brewer Jr.
As the state grapples with the COVID-19 pandemic, reports indicate that many cities are experiencing surges in domestic violence. The OVW grants will provide resources to local prosecutors, victim service providers, healthcare professionals, training organizations, and academic researchers, including several with national scope. Even with limited prosecutorial authority in domestic violence cases, the federal government remains committed to working with all of its partners to end the scourge of domestic violence.
Disturbing research shows that intimate partner homicides are common. According to the CDC, roughly 1 in 6 homicide victims are killed by an intimate partner. In 2019, California law enforcement received 161,123 domestic violence-related calls for assistance, and 47% of those calls involved a weapon. Research shows that abusers with a gun in the home are five times more likely to kill their partners than abusers who don’t have access to a firearm.
Given these troubling statistics, in June 2019, Attorney General William P. Barr formed a Domestic Violence Working Group to encourage prosecution of armed domestic violence offenders. Federal law bars domestic violence offenders – those subject to certain protective orders or convicted of domestic violence misdemeanors or felonies – from possessing firearms. Districts across the nation, including all four districts in California, have prioritized their own initiatives designed to keep guns out of the hands of abusers.
“We are proud to stand with the Office on Violence Against Women in announcing these grants to deter domestic violence throughout the state,” said U.S. Attorney Anderson. “These tens of millions of dollars in grants will result in a better trained and more effective law enforcement community and will strengthen the coordination between the federal government and our state and local partners when confronted with domestic violence issues.”
“Putting an end to domestic violence requires effort from everyone in a community and OVW is proud to support the work being done in California,” said OVW Principal Deputy Director Laura L. Rogers. “Our funding supports law enforcement, prosecutors and brings people together to work for a common cause. These strong partnerships lead to creative solutions to prevent violence.”
“We remain committed to reducing domestic violence through enforcement and prevention, working together with our local law enforcement partners and service providers,” said U.S. Attorney Scott. “We must do everything we can to combat the rise in domestic violence during COVID, and these grants will be of great assistance.”
“Domestic violence crimes, especially those involving firearms, are a horrific victimization of some of the most vulnerable among us,” said U.S. Attorney Hanna. “These grants will provide substantial assistance to an array of entities, including those that provide immediate assistance to victims and others that are seeking long-term solutions. We value our ongoing partnerships with these community organizations and look forward to assisting, where we can, by filing federal domestic violence cases.”
Among the $33 million in awards that will be issued to organizations and government agencies in California are:
• $400,000 to promote enhanced training and services to end violence and abuse of elderly women in Contra Costa County;
• $14.77 million to the state to support law enforcement, prosecutors, victim services providers, and courts to respond to domestic and sexual violence, including 0ver $1 million to improve criminal justice responses in Marin and Alameda counties;
• $4.2 million to domestic violence organizations to provide legal service to victims, including $600,000 to the Los Angeles-based Peace Over Violence to provide no-cost legal assistance to victims of domestic violence, including those with disabilities;
• $4.13 million for improving criminal justice responses grant program also known as the Arrest Program, including $999,700 to Sacramento County and $1 million to Tulare County;
• $1.5 million to advocacy groups to help culturally and linguistically specific services programs, including $300,000 to the Sacramento-based My Sister’s House;
• $2.1 million to domestic violence shelters to provide transitional housing and therapy services, including $450,000 to Crisis Intervention Services dba Tahoe SAFE Alliance; and
• $91,000 to the California Partnership to End Domestic Violence and $552,000 to the California Coalition Against Sexual Assault, two statewide organizations working to address violence against women.New projects to provide training and technical assistance throughout the country include:
• The $5 million National Violence Against Women Law Enforcement Training and Technical Assistance Consortium, a project with the Institute for Intergovernmental Research, in Florida, that will deliver training on investigating and responding to domestic violence, sexual assault, and stalking;
• $675,000 to continue the work of the San Diego-based Alliance for HOPE’s Training Institute for Strangulation Prevention, which provides education on investigating and prosecuting nonfatal strangulation in domestic violence cases; and
• $400,000 to the International Association of Forensic Nurses, headquartered in Maryland, to develop a national protocol to guide medical-forensic care for domestic violence victims who seek treatment for their injuries.
Burlington Man Sentenced to over 15 Years in Prison for Meth OffenseRead the Press Release
DAVENPORT, Iowa—On September 25, 2020, United States District Court Chief Judge John A. Jarvey sentenced Norris Davison, age 39, of Burlington, to 188 months in prison for trafficking methamphetamine, announced United States Attorney Marc Krickbaum. Following his prison term, Davison will be required to serve a five-year term of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
Davison admitted to conspiring to distribute four kilograms of ice methamphetamine in the Burlington area. Davison’s criminal history included convictions for a felony drug offense, and three felony convictions for unlawfully possessing weapons.
This matter was investigated by the Southeast Iowa Narcotics Taskforce, Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, Des Moines County Sheriff’s Office, and the Burlington Police Department. The case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa.
Bon Aqua Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Child Pornography CrimeRead the Press Release
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – September 28, 2020 – A Bon Aqua, Tennessee man, who is also a previously convicted sex offender, was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison Friday for possession of child pornography, announced U.S. Attorney Don Cochran for the Middle District of Tennessee.
Randall Eugene Bateman, 38, was charged in March with possession of child pornography after an investigation determined that he was the administrator of an online chat room dedicated to the discussion of child exploitation and the trading of sexually explicit images of children. The investigation determined that in February, Bateman used the “Kik” application to post and share several videos of adults engaged in sexually activity with male and female children between the ages of four and thirteen.
A search warrant was executed at Bateman’s home on March 11, 2020, during which a cell phone and electronic storage media were seized and approximately 100 images and videos of child sexual abuse were discovered.
Bateman pleaded guilty to the charge in June. He was previously convicted in 2006 of especially aggravated sexual exploitation of a child and aggravated sexual exploitation of a child in Rutherford County, Tennessee and sentenced to eight years in prison.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the FBI, with assistance from the Hickman County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney S. Carran Daughtrey prosecuted the case.
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Board of Elections Agrees to Address ADA Compliance IssuesRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE – The Rhode Island Board of Elections has today agreed to a Settlement Agreement with the United States under which it is required to promptly undertake steps to ensure that all individuals, regardless of disability, can fully access its newly leased and renovated facility at 2000 Plainfield Pike in Cranston. This agreement will remedy a number of significant deficiencies and will bring the facility into compliance with the American with Disabilities Act (ADA), announced United States Attorney Aaron L. Weisman.
This agreement follows an extensive investigation by the United States Attorney’s Office, prompted by a citizen’s complaint that the Plainfield Pike facility was not fully accessible to individuals with disabilities. Under Title II of the ADA, which prohibits discrimination against persons with disabilities by public entities, “no qualified individual with a disability shall, because a public entity’s facilities are inaccessible to or unusable by individuals with disabilities, be excluded from participation in, or be denied the benefits of the services, programs, or activities of a public entity, or be subjected to discrimination by a public entity.”
Under this Agreement, the Board of Elections is required, within 30 days, to engage the services of a registered design professional to survey the Plainfield Pike facility and to create a remediation plan to ensure that, among other things, that individuals with disabilities can readily park, enter, and exit the building, as well as ensuring their ability to access and participate in public hearings and use other facilities at the Board of Elections office. According to the Agreement, within two months the Board of Elections shall submit a design plan to the United States Attorney’s Office for approval. Upon approval by the United States, the Board of elections shall promptly select a contractor to begin work. Remediation work must be completed within six months of the execution of the Agreement.
The matter was litigated for the United States by Assistant U.S. Attorney Amy R. Romero.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Rhode Island is committed to investigating alleged violations of the Americans with Disabilities Act. Those interested in learning more about architectural barriers to access under the Americans with Disabilities Act may access www.ada.gov, visit the web site of the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Rhode Island at www.justice.gov/usao-ri/civil-rights-enforcement, or call the Department of Justice’s toll-free information line at (800) 514-0301 or (800) 514-0383 (TTY). Information about filing a complaint, including instructions for filing a complaint online, can be found at www.ada.gov/filing_complaint.htm.
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Acting U.S. Attorney Announces Charges Against Correctional Officer Who Demanded Bribe in the Form of Sex from A Female Prison VisitorRead the Press Release
Audrey Strauss, the Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and William F. Sweeney Jr., the Assistant Director in Charge of the New York Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), announced today the unsealing of an Indictment charging ROBERT ADAMS with bribery and blackmail. ADAMS was arrested this morning and is expected to be presented before U.S. Magistrate Judge Robert W. Lehrburger. The case is assigned to U.S. District Judge Paul G. Gardephe.
Acting U.S. Attorney Audrey Strauss said: “As alleged, Robert Adams was derelict in his duties as an MCC correctional officer, not only by turning a blind eye to the smuggling of contraband, thereby putting inmates and fellow officers at risk, but also by exploiting his position of authority to pressure a prison visitor into having unwanted sex with him. Now Adams, a sworn law enforcement officer, is facing prosecution for these alleged serious violations of the law.”
FBI Assistant Director William F. Sweeney Jr. said: “Correctional officers are supposed to serve as society’s guardians – protecting us all from some of the worst offenders while they complete their sentences, not making offenders’ lives more comfortable by breaking rules, and certainly not engaging in their own extortionate behavior while doing so. We allege Adams did just that – he allowed illegal contraband into the MCC, risked the overall security of the facility and safety of his co-workers, and even more egregiously, he used his position of authority to blackmail a victim to have sex. Today we want to remind those who guard federal facilities the consequences for illegal behavior are just as severe for sworn officers as they are for anyone else in society.”
According to the allegations contained in the Indictment unsealed today in Manhattan federal court:[1]
ADAMS is a correctional officer employed by the United States Bureau of Prisons (“BOP”) at the Metropolitan Correctional Center (“MCC”), a federal prison located in New York, New York. Between June 2019 to August 2019, ADAMS was, among other responsibilities, assigned to work in the visit area of the MCC. Among his official responsibilities in that capacity, ADAMS was required to conduct searches, deny entry, detain visitors, and make reports when, among other things, he believed a visitor was smuggling contraband into the MCC.
ADAMS abused his official position as a correctional officer by blackmailing and corruptly demanding that a visitor, whom he had caught smuggling contraband into the MCC (“Visitor-1”), engage in sexual acts with him, or else be arrested and denied future entry to the MCC. Specifically, on or about July 5, 2019, while working as a correctional officer in the MCC’s visit area, ADAMS escorted an inmate away from a visit with Visitor-1, who was still in the visit area. After discovering that the inmate was carrying contraband, ADAMS confronted Visitor-1 and told her that he had caught the inmate with contraband she had provided to him. ADAMS further told Visitor-1 that she would be in trouble unless she met him at a nearby pizzeria.
As instructed by ADAMS, Visitor-1 left the MCC – without being reported or arrested for smuggling contraband – and walked to the nearby pizzeria. Soon thereafter, ADAMS met Visitor-1 at the pizzeria, where he requested that Vistor-1 get in his car and travel with him to a motel to have sex. ADAMS conveyed to Visitor-1that unless she had sex with him, she would be prohibited from visiting the MCC and would be arrested. After arriving at the motel, ADAMS and Visitor-1 had sex. Visitor-1 did not want to have sex with ADAMS, but agreed to it in exchange for not being reported to law enforcement or having her visiting privileges at the MCC revoked.
After the July 5, 2019, incident, Visitor-1 was permitted to continue to visit the MCC. Not only did ADAMS not report Visitor-1 on July 5, 2019, for smuggling contraband, in dereliction of his official duties, but he was also present on other occasions where she returned to the MCC with contraband.
* * *
ADAMS, 39, of New York, New York, is charged with one count of bribery, which carries a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison, and one count of blackmail, which carries a maximum penalty of one year in prison. The maximum potential sentences in this case are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the judge.
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Ms. Strauss praised the outstanding investigative work of the FBI. She also thanked the Department of Justice’s Office of the Inspector General for its assistance in this matter.
The prosecution of this case is being handled by the Office’s Public Corruption Unit. Assistant United States Attorneys Nicolas Roos and Rushmi Bhaskaran are in charge of the prosecution.
The charges contained in the Indictment are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
[1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Indictment and the descriptions set forth herein, constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.
10 Defendants Arrested on Federal Drug Conspiracy and Firearms Charges out of Chesterfield CountyRead the Press Release
Florence, South Carolina --- United States Attorney Peter M. McCoy, Jr., announced today that a joint team of federal, state, and local law enforcement officers arrested 10 individuals who have all been charged in federal court for their roles in a conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
“Methamphetamine trafficking operations like this are a danger to our communities,” said U.S. Attorney McCoy. “In spite of the challenges faced during the pandemic, federal, state, and local law enforcement partners continue to diligently work together to make our communities safe by targeting drug trafficking operations. I commend the excellent work of all law enforcement who took part in this case. Our hard-working law enforcement partners make cases like this possible.”
“Investigations like these should remind criminals in Chesterfield County, and elsewhere, who flood the drug market with methamphetamine that DEA and its law enforcement partners will ultimately destroy their meth-trafficking activities,” said Robert J. Murphy, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Atlanta Field Division.
“The sale of illicit drugs is a continuous problem in Chesterfield County,” said James Dixon, Chesterfield County Sheriff. “The arrest of these 10 defendants is a positive effort in diminishing drug dealing in Chesterfield County. I would like to thank all the listed agencies for their hours of work expended to arrest and prosecute these defendants.”
The following defendants have been arrested and arraigned on an indictment for charges related to their alleged roles in the drug conspiracy:
Michael Gary Pruitt, a/k/a “White Mike,” 30, of Kershaw, is charged in the conspiracy with 500 grams or more of methamphetamine. This charge carries a potential penalty of 10 years to Life imprisonment. He is also charged with two counts of possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, each of which carries a potential penalty of at least five years, consecutive to any other penalty imposed.
Brian Thomas Huey, 47, of Mount Croghan, is charged in the conspiracy with 500 grams or more of methamphetamine. This charge carries a potential penalty of 10 years to Life imprisonment.
Matthew Sidney McIntyre, 31, of Jefferson, is charged in the conspiracy with 500 grams or more of methamphetamine. This charge carries a potential penalty of 10 years to Life imprisonment.
Christopher Kent McClain, 49, of Jefferson, is charged in the conspiracy with 500 grams or more of methamphetamine. This charge carries a potential penalty of 10 years to Life imprisonment.
Christopher Jacob McClain, a/k/a “White Boy,” 29, of Pageland, is charged in the conspiracy with 500 grams or more of methamphetamine. This charge carries a potential penalty of 10 years to Life imprisonment.
Franklin Lee Laney, Jr., a/k/a “Pops,” 42, of Jefferson, is charged in the conspiracy with 500 grams or more of methamphetamine. This charge carries a potential penalty of 10 years to Life imprisonment.
Ridge Steven Oliver, a/k/a “Stevie,” 55, of Ruby, is charged in the conspiracy with 500 grams or more of methamphetamine. This charge carries a potential penalty of 10 years to Life imprisonment.
Jonathan Ray Gordon, a/k/a “Jon G,” 37, of Jefferson, is charged in the conspiracy with 500 grams or more of methamphetamine. This charge carries a potential penalty of 10 years to Life imprisonment.
William Chester Miles, a/k/a “Bug,” 31, of Lancaster, is charged in the conspiracy with 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. This charge carries a potential penalty of 5 to 40 years imprisonment.
Sheila Ann Hicks, 47, of Pageland, is charged in the conspiracy with 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. This charge carries a potential penalty of 5 to 40 years imprisonment.
The case was investigated by the DEA, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Chesterfield County Sheriff’s Office, Cheraw Police Department, Darlington County Sheriff’s Office, Hartsville Police Department, Florence County Sheriff’s Office, Florence Police Department, and Williamsburg County Sheriff’s Office.
This case is being prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders 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.
Assistant United States Attorneys Lauren Hummel and Everett McMillian are prosecuting the case.
The United States Attorney stated that all charges against these defendants are merely accusations and that all defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
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The year 2020 marks the 150th anniversary of the Department of Justice. Learn more about the history of our agency at www.Justice.gov/Celebrating150Years.
Sunday 27 September 2020
White Horse Man Sentenced for AssaultRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced that a White Horse, South Dakota, man convicted of Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury was sentenced on September 21, 2020, by Chief Judge Roberto A. Lange, U.S. District Court.
Kip Blue Coat, age 29, was sentenced to 28 months in federal prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release, and a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $100.
Blue Coat was indicted by a federal grand jury on February 11, 2020. He pled guilty on June 29, 2020.
The conviction stemmed from an incident on October 26, 2019, in Eagle Butte, when Blue Coat assaulted an individual who was sleeping by repeatedly punching him in the face. The assault caused serious injury to the victim and surgery was required.
This case was investigated by the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jay Miller prosecuted the case.
Blue Coat was immediately turned over to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Rapid City Man Indicted for Assault and Commission of a Crime of Violence While Failing to Register as Sex OffenderRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced that a Rapid City, South Dakota, man has been indicted by a federal grand jury for Assault With a Dangerous Weapon, Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury, Failure to Register as a Sex Offender, and Commission of a Crime of Violence While Failing to Register as a Sex Offender.
Patrick Luke Black Spotted Horse, age 31, was indicted on August 11, 2020. He appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Mark A. Moreno on September 23, 2020, and pled not guilty to the Indictment.
The maximum penalty upon conviction is up to 30 years in federal prison and/or a $250,000 fine, 5 years of supervised release, and $100 to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Restitution may also be ordered.
The Indictment alleges that on June 14, 2020, in Mellette County, South Dakota, Black Spotted Horse assaulted an individual with a sharp-edged instrument with the intent to do bodily harm and that the assault resulted in serious bodily injury. Black Spotted Horse is alleged to have committed the assault while having failed to Register as a Sex Offender. Black Spotted Horse was convicted of Sexual Abuse of a Minor in March 2010. As a result of this conviction, he is required to register as a sex offender. The Indictment further alleges that between May 1, 2020, and June 14, 2020, and again between June 19, 2020, and August 11, 2020, Black Spotted Horse, a person required to register under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act, and a sex offender by reason of conviction under Federal Law, failed to properly register as a sex offender and update his registration.
The charges are merely accusations and Black Spotted Horse is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
The investigation is being conducted by the Rosebud Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services and the U.S. Marshals Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kirk Albertson is prosecuting the case.
Black Spotted Horse was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending trial. A trial date has not been set.
New Jersey Man Pleads Guilty to Traveling to Albany Area to Have Sex with Thirteen-Year-Old GirlRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Recep Sandikci, age 46, of North Plainfield, New Jersey, pled guilty on Friday to traveling to New York to have sex with a child, and sending that child sexually explicit photos over the internet.
The announcement was made by Acting United States Attorney Antoinette T. Bacon and Thomas F. Relford, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).
As part of his guilty plea, Sandikci admitted to driving from New Jersey to New York on August 6, 2019, in order to meet and have sex with a 13-year-old Albany-area girl. During communications between the defendant and the girl over a cellphone application in the days leading up to the arrest, the defendant sent the girl sexually explicit images. Sandikci was arrested by the FBI shortly after his arrival in New York, and prior to meeting the girl.
United States District Judge Mae D. Agostino will sentence Sandikci on January 25, 2021. He faces up to 30 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, and a term of supervised release of at least 5 years and up to life.
A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other factors.
This case was investigated by the FBI and its Child Exploitation Task Force, and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Emily C. Powers.
Launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice, Project Safe Childhood is led by United States Attorney’s offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS). Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc
Mission Man Indicted for Failure to Register as Sex OffenderRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced that a Mission, South Dakota, man has been indicted by a federal grand jury for Failure to Register as a Sex Offender.
Scirgio Iron Shell, age 28, was indicted on August 11, 2020. He appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Mark A. Moreno on September 23, 2020, and pled not guilty to the Indictment.
The maximum penalty upon conviction is up to 10 years in federal prison and/or a $250,000 fine, 5 years of supervised release, and $100 to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Restitution may also be ordered.
Iron Shell was convicted of Attempted Possession of Child Pornography in June 2017. As a result of the conviction, he is required to register as a sex offender. The Indictment alleges between September 10, 2019, and August 11, 2020, Iron Shell, a person required to register under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act, and a sex offender by reason of conviction under Federal Law, failed to properly register as a sex offender and update his registration.
The charge is merely an accusation and Iron Shell is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
The investigation is being conducted by the U.S. Marshals Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael J. Elmore is prosecuting the case.
Iron Shell was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending trial. A trial date has not been set.
Mission Man Indicted for Burglary and Theft of Government PropertyRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced that a Mission, South Dakota, man has been indicted by a federal grand jury for Third Degree Burglary and Theft of Government Property.
Preston White Feather, age 24, was indicted on August 11, 2020. He appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Mark A. Moreno on September 23, 2020, and pled not guilty to the Indictment.
The maximum penalty upon conviction is up to 10 years in federal prison and/or a $250,000 fine, 3 years of supervised release, and $100 to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Restitution may also be ordered.
The Indictment alleges that on multiple dates between April 8, 2020, and April 21, 2020, White Feather unlawfully entered multiple businesses and Government buildings in Mission, South Dakota, with the intent to commit the crime of larceny therein. The Indictment further alleges that on one of the occasions, the Defendant stole a pickup truck, the property of the United States.
The charges are merely accusations and White Feather is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
The investigation is being conducted by the Rosebud Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kirk Albertson is prosecuting the case.
White Feather was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending trial. A trial date has not been set.
Minnesota Man Indicted on Firearm ChargeRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced that a Sauk Rapids, Minnesota, man has been indicted by a federal grand jury for Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person.
Ron Carlos Carter, age 43, was indicted on September 9, 2020. He appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge William D. Gerdes on September 22, 2020, and pled not guilty to the Indictment.
The maximum penalty upon conviction is up to 10 years in federal prison and/or a $250,000 fine, 3 years of supervised release, and $100 to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Restitution may also be ordered.
The Indictment alleges that on April 9, 2020, Carter, then being an unlawful user of a controlled substance, and knowing he was an unlawful user of a controlled substance, knowingly possessed a firearm, which had been shipped and transported in interstate commerce and foreign commerce, on the Standing Rock Sioux Reservation.
The charge is merely an accusation and Carter is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
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 its 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 local communities to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent 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: https://www.justice.gov/projectguardian.
The investigation is being conducted by the Northern Plains Safe Trails Drug Enforcement Task Force, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Bureau of Indian Affairs, Standing Rock Agency, and the Mobridge Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Cameron J. Cook is prosecuting the case.
Carter was released on bond pending trial. A trial date has not been set.
Fort Thompson Man Sentenced for ManslaughterRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced that a Fort Thompson, South Dakota, man convicted of Involuntary Manslaughter was sentenced on September 21, 2020, by Chief Judge Roberto A. Lange, U.S. District Court.
Antoine Medicine Crow, Jr., age 38, was sentenced to 30 months in federal prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release, and a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $100.
Medicine Crow was indicted by a federal grand jury on August 13, 2019. He pled guilty on June 29, 2020.
The conviction stemmed from an incident on April 26, 2019, in Buffalo County, on the Crow Creek Reservation, when Medicine Crow operated a motor vehicle while under the influence of alcohol. Medicine Crow attempted to pass another vehicle, at a high rate of speed, and lost control of the car. The vehicle careened into the ditch and rolled over multiple times. Medicine Crow and another individual were both ejected from the car, with the ejected passenger ultimately dying from her injuries.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Bureau of Indian Affairs, Crow Creek Agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Troy R. Morley prosecuted the case.
Medicine Crow was immediately turned over to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Feds Charge Armed Felon Threatening Louisville PoliceRead the Press Release
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – A Louisville, Kentucky, man, who allegedly threatened police in a social media video while brandishing weapons has been charged federally, announced U.S. Attorney Russell Coleman. The resulting investigation and arrest will help keep police safe, and shows all levels of law enforcement working in coordination to take an armed felon who was threatening officers off of the streets.
"Louisville needs healing and safety for its citizens, not armed felons seeking bids to shoot police," said U.S. Attorney Russell Coleman. "Federal law enforcement here will continue to respond as one to swiftly mitigate threats to our city."
“Threats against law enforcement are unacceptable”, stated Special Agent in Charge R. Shawn Morrow of the Louisville Field Division of ATF. “When you threaten police and brandish firearms, you can expect the attention of ATF. This morning ATF agents, with the immediate assistance of LMPD, HSI, U.S. Marshal’s, and the FBI, executed a warrant and arrested an armed felon ensuring he wouldn’t carry out those threats.”
Cortez Lamont Edwards, 29, of Louisville, Kentucky, has been charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm.
According to the criminal complaint, on September 23, 2020, Edwards went live on Facebook in possession of an AR variant pistol including a non-extendible support brace with an extended magazine. In the video Edwards states he is requesting being paid $30,000.00 to shoot Louisville Metro Police Department (LMPD) officers on scene for a disturbance in the street in front of his residence. An investigation revealed that Edwards is a convicted felon based on a felony conviction in case number 19-CR-001861 from Jefferson Circuit Court, Jefferson County, Kentucky for Complicity to Trafficking in a Controlled Substance and Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon.
On September 27, 2020, Special Agents from the ATF, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), United States Marshal Service, Federal Protective Service and officers and detectives from the Louisville Metro Police Department executed a search warrant at Edwards’ residence without incident. The defendant was located laying on a couch in the living room of his residence. A Glock model 19, 9-millimeter semi-automatic pistol, bearing serial number BPHA723, was located on the couch where Edwards was sleeping at the time of entry into the residence. At the time of entry into the living room, Edwards was the only adult present in that room and there a toddler present in a playpen.
If convicted at trial, the maximum sentence for unlawfully possessing a firearm is no more than ten years in prison, a $250,000 fine, and three years of supervised release.
A federal complaint is a written statement of the essential facts of the offense charged and must be made under oath before a United States Magistrate Judge. The charge set forth in a complaint is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.
The case is being investigated by Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives, Louisville Metro Police Department, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), U.S. Marshals Service, and United States Secret Service.
Eagle Butte Man Sentenced on Multiple ChargesRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced that an Eagle Butte, South Dakota, man convicted of Abusive Sexual Contact of a Child and Failure to Appear was sentenced on September 21, 2020, by Chief Judge Roberto A. Lange, U.S. District Court.
Theodore Taylor, Jr. a/k/a “Tedder”, age 35, was sentenced to 11 years and 6 months in federal prison, followed by 5 years of supervised release, and a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $200.
Taylor was indicted by a federal grand jury for the Abusive Sexual Contact of a Child on May 14, 2019, and on October 16, 2019, for the Failure to Appear. He pled guilty to both charges on July 7, 2020.
The Abusive Sexual Contact of a Child conviction stemmed from multiple incidents between 2013 and 2016, on the Cheyenne River Reservation, when Taylor knowingly engaged in and attempted to engage in sexual contact with a child who had not attainted the age of 12 years.
The Failure to Appear conviction stemmed from August 17, 2019, when Taylor was ordered to report to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service for violating the terms and conditions of his release on bond, and knowingly failed to do so.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Marshals Service, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jay Miller prosecuted the case.
Taylor was immediately turned over to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Eagle Butte Man Convicted by Federal Jury of Methamphetamine TraffickingRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced that Daniel Gray Eagle, age 39, of Eagle Butte, South Dakota, was found guilty of Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance and Possession of a Controlled Substance with Intent to Distribute as a result of a three-day federal jury trial in Pierre, South Dakota.
The convictions carry a maximum sentence of at least 10 years up to life in federal prison, and/or a $10,000,000 fine, a lifetime of supervised release, and a $300 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Restitution may also be ordered.
Gray Eagle was indicted by a federal grand jury on December 10, 2019, and a superseding indictment was filed on July 16, 2020.
The jury found that between January 1, 2017, and February 7, 2020, Gray Eagle knowingly and intentionally conspired with others to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute over 500 grams of methamphetamine in South Dakota. Gray Eagle routinely traveled to Rapid City, South Dakota, to acquire methamphetamine, which he primarily distributed in Eagle Butte.
The jury also found Gray Eagle guilty of two counts of Possession of a Controlled Substance with Intent to Distribute. The first count arose from a high-speed car chase with law enforcement in the southwest corner of the Cheyenne River Sioux Indian Reservation on January 22, 2018. During the chase, Gray Eagle instructed a passenger to throw a pill bottle containing 22 grams of methamphetamine out of the car. The methamphetamine was recovered, and Gray Eagle was taken into custody after crashing the car in a field. The second count arose from a foot pursuit and arrest of Gray Eagle on March 1, 2018, in Eagle Butte. After Gray Eagle was arrested on a tribal warrant, a search of his person revealed three baggies containing a small amount of methamphetamine in his pants pocket, as well as a cell phone containing drug-related messages.
This case was investigated by the Northern Plains Safe Trails Drug Enforcement Task Force, Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services, Rapid City Police Department, South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation, City of Faith Police Department, Drug Enforcement Administration, Bureau of Indian Affairs, Division of Drug Enforcement, and the South Dakota National Guard. Assistant U.S. Attorney Cameron J. Cook prosecuted the case.
A sentencing date was set for December 14, 2020. Gray Eagle was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Saturday 26 September 2020
Grand Jury - September 2020Read the Press Release
United States Attorney Joe Kelly announced the federal Grand Jury for the District of Nebraska has returned 10 unsealed Indictments charging 10 defendants. Indictments are charging documents that contain one or more individual counts that are merely accusations, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
* Lindsey L. Bixby, age 42, of Ellsworth, Nebraska, is charged with deprivation of rights under color of law beginning on or about March 4, 2016. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 10 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a three-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.
* Larry Brye, age 28, of Omaha, is charged in a twelve-count Indictment. Count I charges the defendant with distribution of fentanyl on May 4, 2020. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 20 years’ imprisonment, $1,000,000 fine, life term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment. Count II charges the defendant with distribution of fentanyl on May 8, 2020. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 20 years’ imprisonment, $1,000,000 fine, life term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment. Count III charges the defendant with distribution of marijuana on May 8, 2020. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 5 years’ imprisonment, $250,000 fine, life term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment. Count IV charges the defendant with distribution of fentanyl on May13, 2020. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 20 years’ imprisonment, $1,000,000 fine, life term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment. Count V charges the defendant with distribution of marijuana on May 13, 2020. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 5 years’ imprisonment, $250,000 fine, life term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment. Count VI charges the defendant with distribution of methamphetamine on June 30, 2020. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 20 years’ imprisonment, $1,000,000 fine, life term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment. Count VII charges the defendant with distribution of methamphetamine on August 11, 2020. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 20 years’ imprisonment, $1,000,000 fine, life term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment. Count VIII charges the defendant with felon in possession of a firearm on August 19, 2020. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 10 years’ imprisonment, $250,000 fine, three-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment. Count IX charges the defendant with possession with intent to deliver a mixture containing heroin, a mixture containing cocaine, a mixture containing fentanyl, and a mixture containing hydrocodone on August 19, 2020. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 20 years’ imprisonment, $1,000,000 fine, life term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment. Count X charges the defendant with possession with intent to deliver a mixture containing marijuana, on August 19, 2020. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 5 years’ imprisonment, $250,000 fine, life term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment. Count XI charges the defendant with possession with intent to deliver a mixture containing alprazolam and tramadol, on August 19, 2020. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 5 years’ imprisonment, $250,000 fine, life term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment. Count XII charges the defendant with possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, on August 19, 2020. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is life imprisonment consecutive to other counts, $250,000 fine, five-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.
* Miguel Escobar Garcia, age 39, is charged with illegal reentry after deportation on or about September 10, 2020. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 2 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a one-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.
* Jacob Fay, age 35, of Omaha, is charged in a three-count Indictment. Count I charges the defendant with a felon in possession of a firearm on or about January 16, 2020. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 10 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a three-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment. Count II charges the defendant with possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine (mixture) on January 16, 2020. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 20 years’ imprisonment, $1,000,000 fine, three-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment. Count III charges the defendant with using or possessing a firearm during a drug trafficking crime on or about January 16, 2020. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is life imprisonment consecutive, a $250,000 fine, a five-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.
* Joseph B. Levering, age 40, of Winnebago, Nebraska, is charged with domestic assault by a habitual offender beginning on or about September 16, 2020. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 5 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a three-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.
* Miguel Lucas-Bernabe, age 53, is charged with illegal reentry after deportation on or about August 27, 2020. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 2 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a one-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.
* Stacey Overly, age 52, is charged in a seven-count Indictment. Counts I – V charge the defendant with wire fraud beginning on or about April 3, 2012 and continuing through April 3, 2016. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 20 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a three-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment for each count. Count VI charges the defendant with conversion of SSI benefits by a representative payee, beginning on or about December 1, 2014, and continuing to on or about May 3, 2016. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 5 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a three-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment. Count VII charges the defendant with theft of government funds, beginning on or about December 1, 2014, and continuing to on or about May 3, 2016. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 10 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a three-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment
* Dajuan Parker, age 22, of Macy, Nebraska, is charged in a two-count Indictment. Count I charges the defendant with burglary in Indian Country on August 19, 2020. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 20 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a three-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment. Count II charges the defendant with child abuse in Indian Country on August 19, 2020. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 3 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, an eighteen-month term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.
* Victor Tyndall, age 30, of Macy, Nebraska, is charged in a two-count Indictment. Count I charges the defendant with strangulation on June 30, 2020. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 10 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a three-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment. Count II charges the defendant with domestic assault resulting in substantial bodily injury on June 30, 2020. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 5 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, an eighteen-month term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.
* Jordan R. Whipple, age 26, of Niobrara, Nebraska, is charged with involuntary manslaughter in Indian Country beginning on or about August 16, 2020. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 6 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a three-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.
Gang Member Sentenced to Serve More Than Sixteen Years in Federal Prison for CarjackingRead the Press Release
OKLAHOMA CITY – TREVOR KANE TAYLOR, 31, of Oklahoma City, has been sentenced to serve more than 16 years in federal prison for carjacking, announced Timothy J. Downing, United States Attorney for the Western District of Oklahoma.
A Superseding Information filed on March 4, 2020, charged Taylor with one count of conspiracy to commit carjacking and one count of carjacking. On March 5, 2020, Taylor pleaded guilty to both counts of the Superseding Information.
According to evidence presented at a sentencing hearing earlier this week, on October 28, 2019, Taylor and another individual carjacked a vehicle at gunpoint in Tuttle, Oklahoma. Senior United States District Judge Stephen P. Friot then sentenced Taylor to 60 months’ imprisonment on Count 1 and 140 months’ imprisonment on Count 2, with the prison terms to run consecutively. These consecutive terms resulted in a total sentence of 200 months’ imprisonment. Judge Friot also sentenced Taylor to serve three years of supervised release following his term of imprisonment. In imposing Taylor’s sentence, Judge Friot noted Taylor’s character and lengthy criminal history. Public records reflect that Taylor holds multiple felony convictions, including those for possession of a taken credit card, knowingly concealing stolen property, and possession of a controlled substance.
These charges are the result of an investigation conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the Tuttle Police Department, and the Chickasha Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Edward J. Kumiega.
Reference is made to court filings for further information. To download a photo of U.S. Attorney Downing, click here.
Friday 25 September 2020
West Springfield Man Pleads Guilty to Child Pornography ChargesRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A West Springfield man pleaded guilty yesterday in federal court in Springfield to child pornography charges.
Luke Gagnon, 34, pleaded guilty to one count of distributing child pornography and one count of possession of child pornography. U.S. District Court Judge Mark G. Mastroianni scheduled sentencing for Jan. 22, 2021. Gagnon was arrested and charged in January 2020.
From September 2019 to January 2020, Gagnon distributed child pornography. In addition, a hard-drive from a desktop computer belonging to Gagnon contained several videos and images of child pornography.
The charge of distribution of child pornography provides for a mandatory minimum sentence of five years and up to 20 years in prison and the charge of possession of child pornography provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison because the offense involved prepubescent minors. Both offenses provide for at least five years and up to life of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based on the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling; Frederick J. Regan, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Secret Service, Boston Field Office; West Springfield Police Chief Paul Connor; and South Hadley Police Chief Jennifer Gundersen made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michelle L. Dineen Jerrett from Lelling’s Springfield Branch Office is prosecuting the case.
The case is brought as part of Project Safe Childhood. In 2006, the Department of Justice created Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov/.
Vermont Man Accused of Repeatedly Assaulting Police Officers During Civil Disorder in PortlandRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Ore.—U.S. Attorney Billy J. Williams announced today that a White River Junction, Vermont man has been charged with repeatedly charging at police officers while holding a shield as officers were engaged in lawful crowd dispersal during a civil disorder event.
A federal grand jury in Portland, Oregon has returned a one-count indictment charging Charles Randolph Comfort, 24 with Civil Disorder.
According to court documents, during the late evening of June 25, 2020, a group of individuals blocked traffic on NE Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard and NE Emerson near Portland Police Bureau’s (PPB) North Precinct. Dumpsters were taken by members of the crowd from nearby businesses and rolled into the streets and fireworks were thrown over the barricade on NE Emerson Street at the officers stationed there. An unlawful assembly was declared in the early morning hours of June 26, 2020 and PPB made repeated public address announcements telling the group to leave the area.
A PPB Rapid Response Team officer was assisting with moving the crowd that was in the middle of NE MLK Blvd and observed Charles Randolph Comfort carrying a black shield which he repeatedly used as he charged at officers as they were attempting to disperse the crowd. Upon refusing to leave the area, Comfort was placed under arrest where he actively attempted to pull away and kicked a PPB officer multiple times.
Charles Randolph Comfort made his initial appearance in federal court today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Youlee Yim You. He was arraigned, pleaded not guilty, and ordered released pending a jury trial.
The FBI and PPB investigated this case. It is being prosecuted by an Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon. An indictment is only an accusation of a crime, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
United States Files Complaint Against Nutter Home Loans for Forging Certifications and Using Unqualified Underwriters to Approve Government-Insured Reverse MortgagesRead the Press Release
The United States has filed a complaint under the Financial Institutions Reform, Recovery and Enforcement Act of 1989 and the False Claims Act against Nutter Home Loans, f/k/a James B. Nutter & Co. (Nutter), for forging certifications and using unqualified underwriters to approve Federal Housing Administration (FHA) insured Home Equity Conversion Mortgages (HECM), the Department of Justice announced today.
“The HECM program benefits America’s seniors and our communities,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Jeffrey Bossert Clark of the Department of Justice’s Civil Division. “The Department is committed to holding accountable those who violate the bedrock requirements of this important program.”
“Companies participating in federal programs must operate with honor and integrity,” said Acting U.S Attorney Michael R. Sherwin for the District of Columbia. “This complaint sends a clear message that we will not tolerate fraud against programs designed to financially help our nation’s seniors.”
“Lenders who willfully disregard FHA requirements for HECM loans expose the program to significant financial losses that threaten the future availability of this important program to seniors,” said Rae Oliver Davis, Inspector General, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. “This complaint is evidence that we will tirelessly investigate allegations of abuses of the HECM program by FHA lenders.”
The FHA, part of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), offers numerous mortgage insurance programs intended to help build and sustain strong communities across America. The HECM program is a reverse mortgage program specifically for senior homeowners age 62 and older. The program allows seniors to access the equity in their residences, and thereby age in place in their family home, through a mortgage agreement with a lender that is insured against loss by the FHA. The United States’ complaint alleges that in order to significantly increase its loan production, Nutter used unqualified underwriters lacking the requirements established by HUD to review and approve HECMs that Nutter ultimately insured with the FHA. Moreover, on other loans, Nutter forged the signatures of qualified underwriters to make it appear that a qualified underwriter had reviewed and approved the loan.
This matter was investigated by the Commercial Litigation Branch of the Department of Justice’s Civil Division, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia, HUD, and HUD’s Office of Inspector General. The claims asserted against the defendant are allegations only, and there has been no determination of liability.
United States Attorney Statement Regarding Ongoing Violence in PortlandRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Ore.— Billy J. Williams, U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon, provides the below statement on ongoing violence in Portland:
“This nation’s most successful movement for racial equality and justice was led by a man dedicated to non-violent principles. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. believed in nonviolence, winning his opponents’ friendship and understanding without humiliation, and he held a deep faith in the future. His aspirations for racial justice unquestionably remain unfinished, but his philosophy on how to achieve it remains just as relevant today.
George Floyd’s death has forced law enforcement and the justice system to closely examine our work and has led our society to ask critical questions. For more than 100 consecutive nights, Portland has been the center of large demonstrations and protests. Peaceful protests, public dialogue, and ongoing legislative and policy reviews at every level are essential to identifying solutions and bringing about meaningful and positive changes. Civility and respect are key elements to this process.
By contrast, there has been nothing civil, respectful, or positive about the nightly violent and destructive protests in Portland, Oregon. On many nights, after peaceful demonstrations end, violent agitators have physically attacked police officers and firefighters, damaged buildings, and repeatedly attempted to set public buildings on fire. These agitators include not just local residents but people who have travelled from out of state.
On several occasions in August, demonstrations were held during the day where groups with opposing ideologies clashed and engaged in physical violence against one another. Following one of these political rallies, a man was shot and killed. Most recently, acts of violence towards law enforcement and first responders include a Portland firefighter being shot in the chest with a steel ball bearing launched from an arm-mounted slingshot, a man dousing several police officers with high-powered bear deterrent spray, a man punching a female police officer in the face, and a woman striking a police officer in the head from behind with a wooden shield.
This violent and senseless criminal conduct does nothing to promote meaningful or positive change. It forces the focus away from racial justice, instills fear in our community, and deters visitors. It is destroying the fabric of a city and a state that we love.
As a direct consequence of this criminal behavior and the media attention it generates, this community must now deal with the threat of even more outsiders traveling to Portland to participate in what they’ve been watching on social media and television for weeks. This too is not a new phenomenon for Portlanders. In August 2019, after a summer of violent clashes between opposing protest groups, several groups put out national calls for supporters to travel to Portland to join in a citywide melee.
Fortunately, despite hundreds of people answering this call and traveling to Portland, the outstanding work of the Portland Police Bureau and other local law enforcement agencies kept opposing groups mostly separated and violence to a minimum. The city now faces a similar scenario for Saturday, September 26th where numerous groups with opposing ideologies are gathering in the Portland area.
This comes at a time when our community and state continue to grapple with the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, a major uptick in gun violence, and, now, massive wildfires burning across the state. Already limited public safety resources are fatigued and stretched thin. Our community deserves an end to the violence. Together, we need to call out violent agitators on the right and the left and stand up for civility.
Local residents and anyone traveling to Portland with the intent to commit violence are on notice. There will be consequences for acts of violence. The U.S. Attorney’s Office is committed to prosecuting people who impede or assault law enforcement officers, damage federal property, and set fire to buildings. Make no mistake: those who commit violence in the name of protest, will be investigated, arrested, prosecuted, and face prison time. Already more than 100 people have been arrested and more than 80 people are facing federal charges related to protest violence.
Our office will work closely with our law enforcement partners, including the FBI, to monitor criminal activity, and will bring federal charges where appropriate. We are committed to supporting our community and will help our law enforcement partners perform their essential public safety duties.”