Latest Records
Newest first across public DOJ and U.S. Attorney press releases.
Wednesday 16 September 2020
Russian Nationals Indicted for Conspiracy to Defraud Multiple Cryptocurrency Exchanges and Their CustomersRead the Press Release
SAN FRANCISCO – A federal grand jury indicted Russian nationals Danil Potekhin a/k/a cronuswar and Dmitrii Karasavidi a/k/a Dmitriy Karasvidi, charging them with a wide range of crimes in connection with an alleged conspiracy to defraud three cryptocurrency exchanges and their customers of cryptocurrency valued at the time of the theft and manipulation at a minimum of $16.8 million in cryptocurrency, announced United States Attorney David L. Anderson and U.S. Secret Service Criminal Investigative Division Special Agent in Charge David Smith. In addition, the United States Attorney filed documents seeking the civil and criminal forfeiture of assets traceable to the alleged crimes. Further information about the announcement can be found here: https://youtu.be/RGAIsqmixdg.
The Superseding Indictment, filed February 18, 2020, was unsealed earlier today. According to the Superseding Indictment, Potekhin, of Voronezh, Russia, created numerous web domains that mimicked those of legitimate virtual currency exchanges. This tactic used a combination of “phishing” and “spoofing” to exploit Internet users’ trust in known companies and organizations to fraudulently obtain their login credentials, including email addresses, password information, and other personal information. When unwitting customers accessed the fraudulent websites and entered their login information, Potekhin and his co-conspirators stole the victims’ credentials and gained access to their cryptocurrency accounts, from which they stole funds or which they used to manipulate cryptocurrency markets for their own gain.
“My warning to internet fraudsters is that we will prosecute internet frauds against U.S. citizens regardless of where those frauds originate,” said U.S. Attorney Anderson. “My warning to the public is that digital currency exchanges are not like banks. The security of digital currency exchanges is only as good as your own vigilance. While law enforcement will do everything within our power to protect you, you must also protect yourself.”
“Since its inception in 1865 to combat U.S. currency counterfeiting, the Secret Service has remained committed to safeguarding the Nation’s financial infrastructure,” said Special Agent in Charge Smith. “The Secret Service mission has evolved to combat cyber fraud by tracing and seizing fraudulently obtained virtual currencies. These recent actions highlight the efforts of law enforcement to provide attribution to cybercriminals wherever they may reside.”
The Superseding Indictment describes similar attacks perpetrated against the customers of three cryptocurrency platforms, two of which are based in the United States, and one based abroad. Victims of the attacks are alleged to have included people residing in the Northern District of California.
The Superseding Indictment describes a number of complex fraud schemes used by the defendants and their co-conspirators to maximize the value of the cryptocurrency that they stole from the customers of these digital currency exchanges. The first fraud scheme, referred to as a theft attack in the Superseding Indictment, was a scheme to steal digital currency from as many users of a U.S.-based digital currency exchange as possible in a short amount of time. Beginning in July 2017, Potekhin created and controlled at least 13 separate fake domains for this digital currency exchange. Using the fake domains, the defendants induced more than 150 victim customers of the exchange to input their user identification and passwords. Potekhin and Karasavidi, of Moscow, also created multiple fictitious accounts with the same digital currency exchange, and used stolen information from at least three individuals from the United Kingdom to create three of those accounts. The defendants then used the stolen credentials from the victim customers to access the victims’ accounts in August 2017 and withdraw digital currency without authorization. By linking the fictitious accounts to the accounts of victim customers, the defendants were able to withdraw larger sums of digital currency from victim accounts without authorization.
The Superseding Indictment further describes a sophisticated market manipulation scheme that began in July 2017 using the stolen customer credentials of the same U.S.-based digital currency exchange and culminated in a manipulation attack that targeted three victim customers. The defendants first created a number of fictitious accounts on the same platform and each account purchased an inexpensive digital currency known as GAS prior to the manipulation. Then, on October 29, 2017, the defendants took control of the three victim customer accounts and used the digital currency contained in those accounts, with a value of over $5 million at that time, to purchased GAS at the same time, which increased demand and price. The defendants and their co-conspirators then quickly converted the digital currency in their fictitious accounts from GAS to Bitcoin and other digital currencies, causing the value of GAS to plummet and leaving the value of GAS that remained in the victim customer accounts worthless, causing a loss to these three victims of approximately $5 million.
The Superseding Indictment also alleges similar fraud schemes that took place between October 2017 and March 2018, and which resulted in theft attacks targeting victim customers of another U.S.-based digital currency exchange and one based abroad. The value of the stolen digital currency at the time of the thefts was over $11 million.
The Superseding Indictment alleges the defendants laundered the proceeds of the attacks and attempted to conceal the nature and source of the digital currency by transferring them in a layered and sophisticated manner through multiple accounts. Ultimately, a significant amount of the stolen digital currency was deposited into Karasavidi’s account.
In sum, Potekhin and Karasavidi have been charged with conspiracy to commit computer fraud and abuse, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1030(b); computer fraud, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1030(a)(4); conspiracy to commit wire fraud, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1349; money laundering conspiracy, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1956(h); and two counts of aggravated identity theft, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1028A(a)(1).
An indictment merely alleges that crimes have been committed, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. The defendants remain at large. If convicted, the defendants face the following maximum statutory penalties:
Charge
Statute
Maximum Penalties
Conspiracy to Commit Computer Fraud and Abuse
18 U.S.C. § 1030(b)
(1) 10 years’ imprisonment; (2) Maximum of 3 years of
supervised release;
(3) $250,000 fine or twice the gross gain or twice the gross
Loss
Unauthorized Access to a Protected
Computer To Obtain Value
18 U.S.C. §§ 1030(a)(4) and (c)(3)(A)
(1) 5 years’ imprisonment;
(2) Maximum of 3 years of
supervised release;
(3) $250,000 fine or twice the gross gain or twice the gross
Loss
Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud
18 U.S.C. § 1349
(1) 20 years’ imprisonment; (2) Maximum of 3 years of
supervised release;
(3) $250,000 fine or twice the gross gain or twice the gross
loss
Conspiracy to Commit Money Laundering
18 U.S.C. § 1956(h)
(1) 20 years’ imprisonment; (2) Maximum of 3 years of
supervised release;
(3) $250,000 fine or twice the gross gain or twice the gross
Loss
Aggravated Identity Theft
(2 counts)
18 U.S.C. § 1028A(a)(1)
Each count:
(1) 2 years’ imprisonment (to run consecutive to any other
term imposed);
(2) Maximum of 3 years of supervised release;
(3) $250,000 fine
or twice the gross gain or twice the gross loss
Any sentence following conviction would be imposed by the court only after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal statute governing the imposition of a sentence, 18 U.S.C. § 3553.
The U.S. Attorney also filed an action for forfeiture of millions of dollars of virtual currency that allegedly are traceable to the defendants’ crimes. According to the forfeiture complaint, law enforcement has seized, and the U.S. Secret Service currently is in custody of, over $6 million in U.S. dollars, and several million in digital currency, the value of which changes based on the market.
In addition to the criminal charges, the U.S. Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) announced it has issued sanctions against the two Russian nationals. The Treasury Department’s announcement can be viewed here: https://home.treasury.gov/news/press-releases/sm1123.
The prosecution and civil forfeiture actions are being handled by the Special Prosecutions Section and the Asset Forfeiture Unit of the Office of the U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of California. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the U.S. Secret Service San Francisco Field Office. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs and the Dutch National High Tech Crime Unit provided investigative assistance.
Rochester Man Pleads Guilty to Sex Trafficking Minors for MoneyRead the Press Release
CONTACT: Barbara Burns
PHONE: (716) 843-5817
FAX #: (716) 551-3051ROCHESTER, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy, Jr. announced today that Quondall Davis, 26, of Rochester, NY, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Charles J. Siragusa to sex trafficking of a minor. The charge carries a minimum penalty of 10 years in prison and a maximum of life in prison.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Melissa M. Marangola, who is handling the case, stated that between April 2017 and July 2018, the defendant, a/k/a Hotdog, recruited Minor Victim 1 and Minor Victim 2 to engage in commercial sex acts. Davis posted ads on “Cityxguide.com,” to entice customers to engage in commercial sex acts with the minor victims. Cityxguide.com is a website providing classified advertising across the United States and internationally. Minor Victim 1 and Minor Victim 2 each engaged in commercial sex acts and gave a portion of the profits the defendant. Davis knew that both victims were under the age of 18.
The plea is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation Child Exploitation Task Force, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Stephen Belongia.
Sentencing is scheduled for November 18, 2020, at 10:00 a.m. before Judge Siragusa.
# # # #
Rochester Felon Pleads Guilty to Possessing A Firearm and AmmunitionRead the Press Release
CONTACT: Barbara Burns
PHONE: (716) 843-5817
FAX #: (716) 551-3051ROCHESTER, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy, Jr. announced today that Charles Mobley, 25, of Rochester, NY, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge David G. Larimer to being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition. The charge carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Cassie M. Kocher, who is handling the case, stated that in the early evening hours of May 23, 2020, Rochester Police Officers responded to the area of 31 Lenox Street for a report of male with a gun. As officers approached the area, they observed defendant grab his waistband and run. Officers gave chase but momentarily lost sight of the defendant in the backyard of 81 Lenox Street. Mobley was ultimately located in a nearby garage on Lenox Street. Other officers searched the defendant’s path and located a loaded semiautomatic pistol with an obliterated serial number.
In October 2014, Mobley was convicted in Monroe County Court of Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the Second Degree and sentenced to 42 months in jail. As a result of that conviction, the defendant is legally prohibited from possession a firearm and ammunition.
The case was brought by the U.S. Attorney’s Office as part of its Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) initiative. 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.
The plea is the result of an investigation by the Rochester Police Department, under the direction of Acting Chief Mark Simmons, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge John B. Devito, New York Field Division.
Sentencing is scheduled for December 2, 2020, at 2:00 p.m. before Judge Larimer.
# # # #
Revised - Death Resulting Charges Filed in Waterford Homicide CaseRead the Press Release
The Office of the United States Attorney for the District of Vermont announced that a federal grand jury returned a 19-Count Fourth Superseding Indictment yesterday charging Krystal Whitcomb, 28, formerly of Waterford, VT, Michael Hayes a.k.a. Moe, 38, formerly of Washington, DC, and John Welch, 34, formerly of Woodsville, NH, with using and carrying a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime, during which Whitcomb, Hayes and Welch caused the death of Michael Pimental by murder. Whitcomb, Hayes and Welch were also charged with discharging a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime and conspiracy to use and carry a firearm during a drug trafficking crime. Two new defendants were added to the indictment: Michael Ashford, 31, of Ryegate, VT, who is charged in a cocaine conspiracy with Hayes and Welch; and a sealed defendant who is charged as an accessory after the fact along with Hayes. The defendants will be arraigned on the indictment before U.S. Magistrate Judge John M. Conroy at a date to be scheduled in the future.
According to court documents and proceedings, on October 14, 2018, the body of Michael Pimental was found along the side of the road in Concord, VT. Pimental had been shot and his death has been ruled a homicide. Pimental was the boyfriend of Krystal Whitcomb and investigation revealed that Whitcomb and Pimental had been distributing heroin out of their residence in Waterford, VT. Michael Hayes, Michael Ashford and John Welch, all acquaintances of Whitcomb’s, were also involved in the sale of drugs. In and around the weekend of October 12, 2018, Whitcomb, Hayes and Welch planned the homicide of Pimental and on October 13, 2018, John Welch shot Pimental in connection with a drug trafficking crime. On October 14, 2018, Whitcomb and Hayes were stopped in New Hampshire in a Cadillac registered to Pimental. A search of the vehicle recovered firearms, and a large quantity of drugs and U.S. currency. Pimental’s blood was also found in the trunk of the car.
In February 2019, John Welch offered to sell a firearm to a person in NH. Shortly thereafter, law enforcement found Welch along the side of the road in Bath, NH, attempting to dig in the ground with a shovel. Because it was February and the ground was frozen, law enforcement was not able to search the area where Welch had been digging. However, in June 2019, law enforcement returned to the same location where Welch had been digging and ultimately found a backpack containing a firearm believed to be the murder weapon.
The death resulting charge, 18 U.S.C. § 924(j), is punishable either by death or up to life imprisonment. The government has notified the court and the parties that the government will not seek the death penalty against the defendants. On the death resulting charge, Whitcomb, Hayes and Welch therefore each face a possible life sentence and up to a $250,000 fine.Whitcomb, Hayes and Welch also face a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years, a maximum of life, and up to a $250,000 fine on the charge of discharging a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime. On the cocaine conspiracy charge, Ashford faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 5 years, a maximum sentence of 40 years, and up to a $5,000,000 fine. The accessory after the fact charge carries a maximum of 15 years in prison and up to a $250,000 fine. The actual sentences would be determined by the Court with guidance from the advisory Federal Sentencing Guidelines. The United States Attorney emphasizes that the charges in the indictment are merely accusations, and that the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until he is proven guilty.
This case was investigated by the Vermont State Police Major Crime Unit, the Department of Homeland Security Investigations, the New Hampshire State Police, the Bath New Hampshire Police Department and the Grafton County Sheriff’s Department.
“Today’s indictment is the result of a longstanding and successful collaboration between state and federal law enforcement,” said Maj. Dan Trudeau, commander of the Vermont State Police Criminal Division. “The Vermont State Police would like to thank all the investigators for their tireless work on this case.” U.S. Attorney Christina Nolan stated: “The grand jury indictment is the product of a relentless focus by law enforcement on combatting violent crime and the strong partnerships amongst Vermont law enforcement at all levels.”
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.
The United States is represented in this matter by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Wendy L. Fuller and John J. Boscia. Krystal Whitcomb is represented by Michael Straub, Esq. Michael Hayes a.k.a. Moe is represented by Tom Sherrer, Esq. John Welch is represented by Robert S. Behrens, Esq. Michael Ashford is represented by Gordon Gebauer, Esq.
This case is part of Project Guardian, the Department of Justice’s signature initiative to reduce gun violence and enforce federal firearms laws. Initiated by the Attorney General in the fall of 2019, Project Guardian enhances coordination of federal, state, local, and tribal authorities in investigating and prosecuting firearm use and possession crimes; prioritizes prosecuting persons who make false statements when attempting to obtain firearms; improves information-sharing by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives concerning persons who attempt to obtain firearms illegally; coordinates responses to persons prevented from obtaining firearms for mental health reasons; and ensures the use of modern intelligence tools and technology to focus on the criminals posing the greatest threat to our communities.
For more information, please see https://www.justice.gov/projectguardian.
Portland Man Charged in June 26, 2020 Arson at Portland Police Bureau North PrecinctRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Ore.—U.S. Attorney Billy J. Williams announced today that Gavaughn Gaquez Streeter-Hillerich, 22, has been charged by criminal complaint with two counts of using fire to maliciously damage and attempt to damage a building housing the Portland Police Bureau’s North Precinct and various private businesses on June 26, 2020.
According to court documents, in the early morning hours of June 26, 2020, a group of demonstrators were present near the Portland Police Bureau’s North Precinct on NE Emerson Street in Portland. The precinct is located in a city-owned building containing multiple private businesses. Streeter-Hillerich was seen in video footage intentionally setting a large dumpster on fire near the building’s northwest exterior corner. The fire was set on top of the dumpster, which had been pushed up against plywood affixed to the building to protect windows and prevent break-ins. Officers used fire extinguishers to try and extinguish the fire before firefighters arrived.
The fire caused damage to the building and, were it allowed to spread, would have threatened the safety of 15 police personnel and four individuals in custody inside the building. Video evidence of the fire submitted by a private citizen led investigators to identify Streeter-Hillerich and bring charges in this case.
Streeter-Hillerich was arrested by the U.S. Marshals Service in Vancouver, Washington on September 15, 2020. He made his first appearance in federal court today before a U.S. Magistrate Judge and was ordered released pending further court proceedings. Arson is punishable by up to 20 years in prison with a mandatory minimum sentence of 5 years.
This case is being jointly investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the FBI with assistance from the U.S. Marshals Service. It is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Oregon.
Criminal complaints are only accusations of a crime, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
To help identify actors who are actively instigating violence in the city of Portland, the FBI is accepting tips and digital media depicting violent encounters during demonstrations. If you have witnessed unlawful violent actions, we urge you to submit any information, photos, or videos that could be relevant to investigations at fbi.gov/PDviolence. You may also call 1-800-CALL-FBI (800-225-5324) to verbally report tips.
Photograph depicting a tire being placed on top of the ignited dumpster, with a red circle around a tattoo on Streeter-Hillerich’s right-inner forearm.
Photograph depicting Streeter-Hillerich with a red circle around a tattoo on the right-inner forearm.
Photograph depicting Streeter-Hillerich attempting to ignite a fire on a dumpster pushed against the plywood affixed to the Portland Police Bureau’s North Precinct.
Photograph depicting the fire as it burned and the crowd, including Streeter-Hillerich, surrounding it.Park City Man Charged with Scheme to Sell N95 Masks, Claimed to Be Representative of 3M CompanyRead the Press Release
SALT LAKE CITY – A Park City man, who claimed to have access to millions of N95 masks made by 3M and made allegedly fraudulent representations in an effort to sell them, is charged with wire fraud in an indictment unsealed Tuesday in Salt Lake City.
John Anthony Taylor, 46, did not have the masks, was not an authorized representative of 3M, and attempted to sell the masks to an undercover FBI agent, charging documents allege.
“Rooting out pandemic-related fraud is one the highest priorities for the Department of Justice and my office. Experienced investigators and prosecutors are dedicated to holding accountable those who would use this challenging environment to pad their own pockets,” U.S. Attorney John W. Huber said today.
Taylor is the founder and owner of Positive Marketing, LLC and Wasatch Promotional Products, LLC. 3M Company is Delaware Corporation with its principal place of business in St. Paul, Minn. 3M sells a wide range of products, including N95 masks.
According to documents filed in court as a part of the case, in April 2020, the FBI in Houston, Texas, was contacted by an attorney representing a medical company concerned about an entity purporting to have access to one billion 3M N95 masks. At the time, publicly available information indicated the global production numbers of N95 masks was well below a billion a month.
The FBI opened an investigation that ultimately resulted in an introduction to Taylor in Utah. According to charging documents, an undercover agent made contact with Taylor and asked for documents proving Taylor actually had the masks. Taylor sent an email with a fake purchase order from 3M. 3M has confirmed it has no relationship with Taylor.
According to the indictment, Taylor made a variety of other alleged false representations as a part of his scheme including:
- He was a representative for the 3M company and was authorized to sell its 1860 N95 masks
- Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, he had recently started to focus on selling masks through his business, Wasatch Promotional Products
- He had contracts for “a million, 30 million, 60 million [masks] for a couple different state governments”
- He had completed several shipments of 3M 8210 masks
- He could broker a deal for 3 million 1860 N95 masks for $5.49 per mask
- He would receive “lot numbers” and show “proof of life” to prove that the order was legitimate
- He had successfully brokered deals with 3M previously
- A purchase order he attached to an email was from 3M
Taylor was initially arrested on a complaint and had an initial appearance in federal court in Salt Lake City on May 4, 2020. He was released on special conditions of supervised release. He was arraigned on the indictment Tuesday and entered a plea of not guilty to the wire fraud charge. A three-day trial is set for Nov. 23, 2020, before U.S. District Judge David Sam.The potential maximum penalty for the charge in the indictment is 20 years in federal prison. Indictments are not findings of guilt. Individuals charged in indictments are presumed innocent unless or until proven guilty in court.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys in the Utah U.S. Attorney’s Office in Salt Lake City are prosecuting the case. Special agents of the FBI in Houston, with the assistance of the FBI in Salt Lake City, are conducting the investigation.Owner of Long Island Diner Pleads Guilty to Not Paying Employment TaxRead the Press Release
A diner owner pleaded guilty today to failing to pay employment taxes, announced Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Richard E. Zuckerman of the Justice Department’s Tax Division.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Nikolaos Avgoustidis, the owner and operator of the Rocky Point Town House Diner, did not pay employment taxes for all of the diner’s employees. From 2011 to 2013, Avgoustidis paid certain employees in cash, without reporting it to the IRS, and further, without paying the social security and Medicare taxes that must be withheld from the employees’ wages. In total, Avgoustidis caused a tax loss to the IRS of approximately $130,000.
U.S. District Judge Gary R. Brown scheduled the sentencing for Jan. 15, 2021. At sentencing, Avgoustidis faces a maximum sentence of 5 years. He also faces a period of supervised release, restitution, and monetary penalties.
Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Zuckerman commended special agents of IRS-Criminal Investigation, who conducted the investigation, and Trial Attorneys Sean Green and Mark Kotila of the Tax Division, who are prosecuting the case.
Additional information about the Tax Division and its enforcement efforts may be found on the division’s website.
Operation Legend: Case of the DayRead the Press Release
Each weekday, the Department of Justice will highlight a case that has resulted from Operation Legend. Today’s case is out of the Northern District of Indiana. While not a designated Legend district, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Indiana works closely with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Illinois, which encompasses Chicago. Operation Legend launched in Chicago on July 22, 2020, in response to the city facing increased homicide and non-fatal shooting rates. Similarly, Legend was also launched in the Southern District of Indiana, which includes Indianapolis, on Aug. 14, 2020.
United States vs. Darryl Ivery Jr.
“This case demonstrates my office’s commitment to partnering with our neighbors in Chicago to aggressively prosecute those who illegally supply guns to criminals in Indiana and Illinois,” said Thomas L. Kirsch II, U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Indiana. “My office is committed to reducing gun violence, and the state line will not save criminals from federal investigations and prosecutions.”
Darryl Ivery Jr. was charged on Aug. 26, 2020, with making a material false statement in the acquisition of a firearm.
According to the charging document, during the course of an ATF investigation into straw purchasers, i.e. individuals who lie on ATF Form 4473 about their status as legal purchasers of firearms, Darry Ivery Jr. became a person of interest based on a large number of firearms he had purchased, some of which had been recovered by law enforcement.
It is alleged that between Jan. 7, 2019, and Aug. 10, 2020, Ivery purchased a minimum of 26 firearms from Federal Firearm Licensed (FFL) gun dealers in Indiana. Seven of the guns he purchased have been recovered by various law enforcement agencies, including six that were recovered in Chicago, Illinois, one of which was recovered at the scene of a shooting.
For each of the guns Ivery purchased, he answered, “Yes” on ATF Form 4473: “Are you the actual transferee/buyer of the firearm(s) listed on this form?”
When interviewed by ATF Special Agents, it is alleged that Ivery admitted that with the exception of one of the firearms that he purchased, all of the others were bought for individuals who resided in Chicago who asked him to buy firearms for them. They all paid Ivery in cash for every purchase he made.
Ivery purchased the following firearms:
01/07/2019
S & W
SD9VE
9mm
02/18/2020
Jimenez
IA
.380
02/18/2020
SCCY
CPX-1
9mm
03/03/2020
Jimenez
JA
9mm
03/03/2020
S & W
SD40
40
03/13/2020
Glock
27
40
03/13/2020
Glock
er
40
03/31/2020
S & W
M&P
40
04/19/2020
Glock
26
9mm
04/30/2020
Glock
43
9mm
04/30/2020
05/13/2020
Glock Century Arms
22
Micro Draco
40
7.62x.39
06/06/2020
Glock
17
9mm
06/10/2020
Glock
22
40
06/10/2020
Glock
48
9mm
06/10/2020
S & W
SD9VE
9mm
06/19/2020
Taurus
PT111 G2
9mm
06/19/2020
Taurus
PT111 G2
9mm
06/19/2020
HS Produkt
XD45
.45
07/06/2020
Glock
30
.45
07/07/2020
Glock
43x
9mm
07/13/2020
FN
509T
9mm
07/23/2020
Shadow
MR920
SSCO11797
07/23/2020
Springfield
XDM
.45
08/10/2020
Ruger
57
5.7x.28
The details contained in the charging document are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Background on Operation Legend
President Trump promised to assist America’s cities that have been plagued by violence. In July, Attorney General William P. Barr announced the launch of Operation Legend, a sustained, systematic and coordinated law enforcement initiative across all federal law enforcement agencies working in conjunction with state and local law enforcement officials to fight violent crime in cities across America that were experiencing an uptick in violence. Operation Legend is named after four-year-old LeGend Taliferro, who was shot and killed on June 29th in Kansas City, Missouri, while asleep in his home.Since its inception, Operation Legend has yielded more than 2000 local, state, and federal arrests, with more than 592 defendants charged with federal crimes.
Operation Legend was launched in Kansas City, Mo., on July 8, 2020, and expanded to Chicago and Albuquerque on July 22, 2020, to Cleveland, Detroit, and Milwaukee on July 29, 2020, to St. Louis and Memphis on Aug. 6, 2020, and to Indianapolis on Aug. 14, 2020. As part of Operation Legend, Attorney General Barr has directed federal agents from the FBI, U.S. Marshals Service, DEA and ATF to surge resources to these cities to help state and local officials fighting violent crime. The Department of Homeland Security is also contributing agents to these efforts in St. Louis.
Office on Violence Against Women Announces New Grants to Combat Domestic Violence in VermontRead the Press Release
Burlington, Vermont – The Justice Department’s Office on Violence Against Women (OVW) announced today that it will direct over $6 million in grant funding to Vermont victims service organizations to curb domestic violence. These awards are part of a larger portfolio of new grants designed to help law enforcement, victim services providers, and prosecutors identify and assist victims at high risk for being killed by an abusive partner.
Christina Nolan, United States Attorney for the District of Vermont, noted: “As hard as my office works – and will continue to work – to prevent violent offenders from causing harm and death, we know that victims need more than justice in court to recover and move forward. The OVW grants to victim services groups in Vermont will help identify victims, support their recovery, and give them the chance at living the rest of their lives free from abuse.” A pamphlet summarizing federal crimes that could potentially be charged against domestic violence offenders can be found at www.justice.gov/usao-vt/page/file/1204336/download.
Each year, a significant number of Vermont’s homicides occur in the domestic violence context – nearly half in recent years. And, according to data maintained by the FBI, across the country, over 1,500 women were murdered by a current or former intimate partner in a recent year. “Identifying victims who face a heightened risk of being killed by their husbands or boyfriends—and putting effective measures in place to keep them safe and stop their abusers—is something all justice and victim services professionals want to do. But training and proven strategies are key,” said OVW Principal Deputy Director Laura Rogers. “For that reason, we are building on our prior investments in domestic violence homicide reduction, and doing what we can to help communities in Vermont and across the country implement ways of spotting victims in grave danger and holding offenders accountable.”
OVW’s current and forthcoming investments in Vermont foster coordinated responses, making available resources for investigation and prosecution, transitional housing, and other services for victims. For example, a new National Domestic Violence Homicide Prevention Training and Technical Assistance Resource Center, funded through a grant to the New York-based Center for Court Innovation, will provide training to jurisdictions including the City of St. Albans, in Vermont, which has also received a $704,555 award to craft and implement a homicide reduction strategy and other crime response strategies in partnership with the victim service provider Voices Against Violence.
Included in the over $6 million in awards that will be issued to organizations and government agencies in Vermont are:
• $243,619 to the Vermont Network against Domestic and Sexual Violence to coordinate victim services and collaborate with federal, state, and local entities on addressing violence against women.• $450,000 to the Pride Center of Vermont to develop and implement strategies targeted at adult or youth victims in underserved populations, and to provide victim services to meet the needs of such populations.
• $549,922 to Champlain Valley Office of Economic Opportunity, Inc., in Burlington, and its collaborative partners, Vermont Legal Aid, Deaf Vermonters Advocacy Services, and Franklin and Grand Isle Superior Court, to provide legal assistance, supervised visitation in cases involving domestic violence, and training for community partners on serving deaf/hard of hearing victims.
• $485,000 to WomenSafe, Inc., in Middlebury; $465,000 to Project Against Violent Encounters, in Bennington; and $351,255 to Steps to End Domestic Violence, Inc., in Burlington, to provide transitional housing and related services to victims and their children.
• $439,754 to Umbrella, in St. Johnsbury, to provide services to children and youth who are victims of, or are otherwise exposed to, domestic and sexual violence, including support for their non-abusing parents and caretakers.
• $391,870 to Have Justice Will Travel, in Vershire, to help identify and provide services to victims in rural communities, prevent and raise awareness in rural areas, and provide legal services to victims in Bennington and Rutland counties.
• $1,308,392 in formula grant funds to the Vermont Center for Crime Victim Services to assist rape crisis centers and other organizations that provide services to sexual assault victims and to promote partnerships and collaboration amongst law enforcement, prosecutors, the court system, and victim services providers; and $749,985 to the Center to identify and support victims in rural communities.
WomenSafe, Inc., an organization whose work OVW is proud to support again this year, recently reported to OVW that grant funds afford survivors “a safety net, and a window of time to make and achieve financial goals for themselves, including finding employment and enrolling in training programs or other job readiness or educational pursuits, while still being housed quickly. This can result in shorter periods of homelessness.” OVW, recognizing that safe housing is vital to helping victims get back on their feet, redoubles its commitment to supporting such efforts in Vermont with this 2020 grants package.
Operation Legend: Case of the DayRead the Press Release
Each weekday, the Department of Justice will highlight a case that has resulted from Operation Legend. Today’s case is out of the Northern District of Indiana. While not a designated Legend district, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Indiana works closely with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Illinois, which encompasses Chicago. Operation Legend launched in Chicago on July 22, 2020, in response to the city facing increased homicide and non-fatal shooting rates. Similarly, Legend was also launched in the Southern District of Indiana, which includes Indianapolis, on Aug. 14, 2020.
United States vs. Darryl Ivery Jr.
“This case demonstrates my office’s commitment to partnering with our neighbors in Chicago to aggressively prosecute those who illegally supply guns to criminals in Indiana and Illinois,” said Thomas L. Kirsch II, U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Indiana. “My office is committed to reducing gun violence, and the state line will not save criminals from federal investigations and prosecutions.”
Darryl Ivery Jr. was charged on Aug. 26, 2020, with making a material false statement in the acquisition of a firearm.
According to the charging document, during the course of an ATF investigation into straw purchasers, i.e. individuals who lie on ATF Form 4473 about their status as legal purchasers of firearms, Darry Ivery Jr. became a person of interest based on a large number of firearms he had purchased, some of which had been recovered by law enforcement.
It is alleged that between Jan. 7, 2019, and Aug. 10, 2020, Ivery purchased a minimum of 26 firearms from Federal Firearm Licensed (FFL) gun dealers in Indiana. Seven of the guns he purchased have been recovered by various law enforcement agencies, including six that were recovered in Chicago, Illinois, one of which was recovered at the scene of a shooting.
For each of the guns Ivery purchased, he answered, “Yes” on ATF Form 4473: “Are you the actual transferee/buyer of the firearm(s) listed on this form?”
When interviewed by ATF Special Agents, it is alleged that Ivery admitted that with the exception of one of the firearms that he purchased, all of the others were bought for individuals who resided in Chicago who asked him to buy firearms for them. They all paid Ivery in cash for every purchase he made.
Ivery purchased the following firearms:
01/07/2019
S & W
SD9VE
9mm
02/18/2020
Jimenez
IA
.380
02/18/2020
SCCY
CPX-1
9mm
03/03/2020
Jimenez
JA
9mm
03/03/2020
S & W
SD40
40
03/13/2020
Glock
27
40
03/13/2020
Glock
er
40
03/31/2020
S & W
M&P
40
04/19/2020
Glock
26
9mm
04/30/2020
Glock
43
9mm
04/30/2020
05/13/2020
Glock Century Arms
22
Micro Draco
40
7.62x.39
06/06/2020
Glock
17
9mm
06/10/2020
Glock
22
40
06/10/2020
Glock
48
9mm
06/10/2020
S & W
SD9VE
9mm
06/19/2020
Taurus
PT111 G2
9mm
06/19/2020
Taurus
PT111 G2
9mm
06/19/2020
HS Produkt
XD45
.45
07/06/2020
Glock
30
.45
07/07/2020
Glock
43x
9mm
07/13/2020
FN
509T
9mm
07/23/2020
Shadow
MR920
SSCO11797
07/23/2020
Springfield
XDM
.45
08/10/2020
Ruger
57
5.7x.28
The details contained in the charging document are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Background on Operation Legend
President Trump promised to assist America’s cities that have been plagued by violence. In July, Attorney General William P. Barr announced the launch of Operation Legend, a sustained, systematic and coordinated law enforcement initiative across all federal law enforcement agencies working in conjunction with state and local law enforcement officials to fight violent crime in cities across America that were experiencing an uptick in violence. Operation Legend is named after four-year-old LeGend Taliferro, who was shot and killed on June 29th in Kansas City, Missouri, while asleep in his home.
Since its inception, Operation Legend has yielded more than 2000 local, state, and federal arrests, with more than 592 defendants charged with federal crimes.
Operation Legend was launched in Kansas City, Mo., on July 8, 2020, and expanded to Chicago and Albuquerque on July 22, 2020, to Cleveland, Detroit, and Milwaukee on July 29, 2020, to St. Louis and Memphis on Aug. 6, 2020, and to Indianapolis on Aug. 14, 2020. As part of Operation Legend, Attorney General Barr has directed federal agents from the FBI, U.S. Marshals Service, DEA and ATF to surge resources to these cities to help state and local officials fighting violent crime. The Department of Homeland Security is also contributing agents to these efforts in St. Louis.
###
Nigerian National Convicted After Six-Day Federal Trial for a Money Laundering Conspiracy Related to a Romance Scam and Other Fraud SchemesRead the Press Release
Greenbelt, Maryland – A federal jury in Maryland yesterday convicted Nigerian national Seun Banjo Ojedokun, age 37, for a money laundering conspiracy related to a romance scam and other fraud schemes.
The conviction was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Robert K. Hur and Special Agent in Charge Jennifer C. Boone of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office.
U.S. Attorney Robert K. Hur stated, “This defendant was part of a conspiracy that stole from many vulnerable and elderly victims across the United States, defrauding them through lies and laundering the funds internationally. The deceit used to steal from these victims was heartless, considering how vulnerable and financially devastated they were. Ojedokun was in Nigeria when he was committing these crimes. Law enforcement was able to arrest him when he came to the United States to attend school here. The U.S. Attorney’s Office and our law enforcement partners are committed to bringing to justice fraudsters who prey upon the elderly. We will continue our outreach efforts to make the public aware of scams and frauds targeting elderly victims and encourage anyone who believes they may be a victim to contact the newly launched Elder Fraud Hotline at 833-FRAUD-11 (833-372-8311).”
“These targeted scams are all to prevalent and the FBI, along with our law enforcement partners, are diligently working to alert and protect the public from falling victim,” said Jennifer C. Boone, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Baltimore Field Office. “The arrest and conviction of Mr. Ojedokun, who was operating in Nigeria during the conspiracy, demonstrates the lengths that the FBI will go in order to hold accountable the people who commit these heinous crimes.”
According to the evidence presented at his six-day trial, between 2013 and March 2015, Ojedokun conspired with Gbenga Benson Ogundele, Mukhtar Danjuma Haruna, a/k/a “Mukky,” and others to use money deposited into bank accounts by fraud victims to engage in financial transactions in order to promote the fraud scheme and conceal the nature, location, source, ownership, and control of the fraud proceeds.
According to evidence presented at trial, members of the conspiracy searched online dating websites to initiate romantic relationships with vulnerable men and women. They phoned, e-mailed, texted and used Internet chat messenger services to form romantic relationships with the victims, who lived throughout the United States.
Specifically, witnesses testified that members of the conspiracy used false stories and promises to convince the many victims to provide money to the conspirators, including fake hospital bills, plane trips to visit the victims, problems with overseas businesses, and foreign taxes. Ogundele and other conspirators opened bank accounts, called “drop accounts,” in order to receive millions of dollars from the victims. Testimony at trial showed that victims provided money to the conspirators as a result of the false stories and promises, either depositing money directly into drop accounts controlled by the conspirators, or by checks sent to the conspirators. The loss to the eight victims who testified at trial was well over $1 million and the overall total loss was substantially higher.
In addition, the evidence at trial showed that the conspirators engaged in other types of fraud, including a fraudulent employment scam in which the victim was led to believe she had been hired by a company, and was instructed to deposit the proceeds of a fraudulent check into a drop account controlled by the conspirators.
According to the evidence, Ojedokun, Ogundele, Haruna, and their co-conspirators laundered money received from the fraud victims by buying used cars and shipping them to Nigeria, among other methods. As part of the fraud schemes, Ojedokun and his co-conspirators transmitted and used images of financial transactions, including bank deposit receipts and wire transfer forms, as proof that a deposit of fraud money had been made by a victim.
Ogundele, age 61, formerly of Laurel, Maryland, was convicted in 2016 after a 17-day trial, of conspiracies to commit money laundering and wire fraud, as well as aggravated identity theft, and was sentenced to 234 months in federal prison. Haruna, age 46, of Nigeria, remains a fugitive and charges against him are still pending. In addition to Ogundele, eight other defendants were convicted for their roles in the fraud scheme and were sentenced to between a year and a day and 234 months in federal prison.
Ojedokun faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison for conspiracy to commit money laundering. 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 Paul W. Grimm has scheduled sentencing for January 20, 2021 at 10:00 a.m.
United States Attorney Robert K. Hur commended the FBI for its work in the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas P. Windom and U.S. Attorney Robert K. Hur represented the United States at trial.
# # #
New York State Lobbyist Pleads Guilty to Theft of Government MoneyRead the Press Release
CONTACT: Barbara Burns
PHONE: (716) 843-5817
FAX #: (716) 551-3051ROCHESTER, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy, Jr. announced today that Robert Scott Gaddy, 50, of Albany, NY, a lobbyist registered with the State of New York, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Elizabeth A. Wolford to theft of government money. The charge carries carry a maximum penalty of one year in prison and a $100,000 fine.
Assistant U.S. Attorney John J. Field, who is handling the case, stated that the defendant owns and operates the lobbying firm Excelsior Advocates, LLC. On September 8, 2017, an individual known to the FBI approached Gaddy about paying a bribe to a member of the New York State Assembly (Member A) in order to introduce certain legislation concerning a proposed development project in the Town of Brighton. That legislation would have had the effect of impeding the proposed project and making it more difficult to proceed. On September 26, 2017, the defendant took receipt of cash from the individual, with the understanding that it would be used to bribe Member A and induce Member A to introduce the proposed legislation.
Subsequently, Gaddy recommended to the individual that rather than having Member A introduce the proposed legislation, another member of the New York State Assembly—Joseph Errigo—would be used to do it. Gaddy then facilitated the introduction of the individual to Assemblyman Errigo. The defendant was aware that the individual began making bribe payments to Assemblyman Errigo for the purpose of introducing the proposed legislation. Thereafter, Gaddy transmitted the proposed legislation concerning the development project in the Town of Brighton to Assemblyman Errigo.
On February 9, 2018, in connection with facilitating the proposed legislation, Gaddy stated to the individual and Assemblyman Errigo that he (Gaddy) had also “greased the skids” with Member A. In truth and in fact, the defendant did not pay the intended bribe to Member A as represented, but wrongfully converted the money to his own personal benefit.
The plea is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Stephen Belongia.
Sentencing is scheduled for December 11, 2020, at 1:00 p.m. before Judge Wolford.
# # # #
Morris County Couple Admit Roles in Filing False Tax ReturnsRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A Morris County, New Jersey, couple who owned and operated construction businesses in Morris County admitted their roles in filing false tax returns that failed to report all their personal income, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito announced.
Roger Magill, 50, of Wharton, the owner and operator of Reliable Construction, a/k/a Reliable Paving and Hackensack Pavers, a/k/a Hackensack Paving – collectively, the Magill entities – pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Susan D. Wigenton in Newark federal court to an information charging him with three counts of tax evasion. His wife, Ruby Magill, 50, of Wharton, pleaded guilty before Judge Wigenton to an information charging her with one count of misprision of felony.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
Roger Magill admitted that, between 2014 and 2016, he owned the Magill entities that operated in Morris County, New Jersey. Roger Magill admitted to obtaining hundreds of thousands of dollars in personal income from the Magill entities and attempted to hide his personal income from the IRS by using a fictitious identity to cash business checks at several check cashing businesses. Roger Magill admitted that he evaded paying $261,758 in personal income taxes. Ruby Magill admitted that she purposefully facilitated Roger Magill’s tax evasion scheme by allowing him to deposit his hidden income into business bank accounts that she operated and controlled.
The charges to which Roger Magill pleaded guilty carry a maximum potential penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The charge to which Ruby Magill pleaded guilty carries a maximum potential penalty of three years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Sentencings are scheduled for Jan. 20, 2021.
U.S. Attorney Carpenito credited agents of IRS-Criminal Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Michael Montanez, with the investigation leading to today’s guilty pleas.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jamel Semper, Chief of the Organized Crime and Gangs Unit in Newark.
Montana Broker Sentenced to Prison for Multimillion-Dollar Investment-Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
A Montana man was sentenced to 87 months in prison Tuesday for his role in a multimillion-dollar international investment-fraud conspiracy.
Acting Assistant Attorney General Brian C. Rabbitt of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and Special Agent in Charge Aaron C. Rouse of the FBI’s Las Vegas Field Office made the announcement.
Sean Finn, 51, of Whitefish, Montana, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Kent J. Dawson of the District of Nevada. Judge Dawson also ordered Finn to pay $6,075,000 in restitution and to forfeit $830,000. On Feb. 4, 2020, after a one-week trial, Finn was convicted by a jury of one count of conspiracy to commit securities fraud and wire fraud, four counts of wire fraud, and four counts of securities fraud. He was acquitted of one count of wire fraud.
According to the evidence presented at trial, Finn conspired with others in the United States and Switzerland to promote investments and loan instruments that he knew to be fictitious. Finn and his co-conspirators told victims that, for an up-front payment ranging from $100,000 to $1 million, a Swiss company known as Malom Group AG (Malom), whose name stood for “Make A Lot Of Money,” would provide access to lucrative investment opportunities and substantial cash loans.
The evidence showed that to effectuate this scheme, the defendant and his co-conspirators provided victims with fabricated bank documents purporting to show that Malom held hundreds of millions of dollars in overseas bank accounts, as well as documents falsely stating that Malom had previously closed similar deals. The evidence showed that when victims wired their money into an escrow account controlled by the co-conspirators, the money was released and disbursed to, among others, Finn for his own personal use. The evidence further showed that shortly before he was indicted in 2013, Finn fled to Canada, where he was arrested in 2014 and ultimately extradited back to the United States in 2018. According to the evidence presented at trial, losses to the victims from the scheme totaled more than $3.8 million.
Finn was charged together with five other defendants. Two of these defendants, Anthony Brandel and James Warras, were found guilty of conspiracy and multiple counts of wire fraud and securities fraud following a jury trial in 2015. Brandel and Warras were each sentenced on Aug. 3, 2016 to 87 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release. A third defendant, Joseph Micelli, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and securities fraud in 2015 and was sentenced on Feb. 23, 2016 to 60 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release. The other two defendants, Martin Schlaepfer and Hans-Jurg Lips, remain at large outside the United States. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
The FBI’s Las Vegas Field Office investigated the case. Assistant Deputy Chief Anna G. Kaminska and Trial Attorney Blake C. Goebel of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section prosecuted the case with assistance from the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Nevada. Deputy Chief Brian Young of the Fraud Section previously handled the prosecution. The Securities and Exchange Commission’s Enforcement Division, which conducted a parallel civil-enforcement investigation, as well as the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, also provided valuable assistance.
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.
Minnesota Man Charged with Providing Material Support to ISISRead the Press Release
Assistant Attorney General for National Security John C. Demers and U.S. Attorney Erica H. MacDonald for the District of Minnesota today announced that Abdelhamid Al-Madioum, 23, of St. Louis Park, Minnesota, has been charged by indictment with providing material support to the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS), a designated foreign terrorist organization.
Al-Madioum was detained overseas by the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and recently transferred into FBI custody. Al-Madioum was returned to Minnesota where he made his initial appearance before Magistrate Judge Elizabeth Cowan Wright in U.S. District Court in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
According to the allegations in the indictment and a law enforcement affidavit, from July 8, 2015, through March 15, 2019, Al-Madioum knowingly provided material support and resources, including personnel (namely himself) and services to ISIS. On June 23, 2015, Al-Madioum, a native of Morocco and naturalized U.S. citizen, and his family traveled from St. Louis Park, Minnesota, to Casablanca, Morocco, to visit their extended family. On July 8, 2015, Al-Madioum left Morocco and traveled to Istanbul, Turkey, and then on to Iraq and Syria, where he joined ISIS. In March of 2019, Al-Madioum was captured and detained by the SDF.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew R. Winter and Trial Attorneys Danielle S. Rosborough and David Cora of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section are prosecuting the case.
The charges contained in the indictment are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.
Minnesota Man Charged with Providing Material Support to ISISRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON - Assistant Attorney General for National Security John C. Demers and U.S. Attorney Erica H. MacDonald for the District of Minnesota today announced that ABDELHAMID AL-MADIOUM, 23, of St. Louis Park, Minnesota, has been charged by indictment with providing material support to the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS), a designated foreign terrorist organization.
AL-MADIOUM was detained overseas by the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and recently transferred into FBI custody. AL-MADIOUM was returned to Minnesota where he made his initial appearance before Magistrate Judge Elizabeth Cowan Wright in U.S. District Court in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
According to the allegations in the indictment and a law enforcement affidavit, from July 8, 2015, through March 15, 2019, AL-MADIOUM knowingly provided material support and resources, including personnel (namely himself) and services to ISIS. On June 23, 2015, AL-MADIOUM, a native of Morocco and naturalized U.S. citizen, and his family traveled from St. Louis Park, Minnesota, to Casablanca, Morocco, to visit their extended family. On July 8, 2015, AL-MADIOUM left Morocco and traveled to Istanbul, Turkey, and then on to Iraq and Syria, where he joined ISIS. In March of 2019, AL-MADIOUM was captured and detained by the SDF.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew R. Winter and Trial Attorneys Danielle S. Rosborough and David Cora of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section are prosecuting the case.
Defendant Information:
ABDELHAMID AL-MADIOUM, 23
St. Louis Park, Minn.
Charges:
- Providing material support to a designated foreign terrorist organization (ISIS), 1 count
###
Additional news available on our website.
Follow us on Twitter and Facebook.
United States Attorney’s Office, District of Minnesota: (612) 664-5600
Menands Man Sentenced to 8 Years for Child Pornography OffensesRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Kenneth J. Monahan, age 45, of Menands, New York, was sentenced on Monday to serve 96 months in prison for distributing, receiving and possessing child pornography.
The announcement was made by Acting United States Attorney Antoinette T. Bacon and Thomas F. Relford, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).
As part of his guilty plea, Monahan admitted to using peer-to-peer software to distribute numerous images of child pornography in February and April 2018. He also admitted to downloading child pornography from the Internet from 2017 through April 2018 and to possessing over 1,300 images of child pornography in May 2018.
Senior United States Judge Thomas J. McAvoy also imposed a 20-year term of supervised release, which will start after Monahan is released from prison, ordered a $400 special assessment, and ordered restitution in the total amount of $19,500 to be divided among certain child victims depicted in the images and videos that Monahan distributed, received and possessed. As a result of his conviction, Monahan will be required to register as a sex offender.
This case was investigated by the FBI with assistance from the New York State Police, and was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Alicia G. Suarez.
This case was prosecuted as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit http://www.justice.gov/psc/.
Member of New Bedford Latin Kings Chapter Pleads Guilty to Racketeering Conspiracy ChargesRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A former member of the New Bedford Chapter of the Massachusetts Almighty Latin King and Queen Nation (“Latin Kings”) pleaded guilty today to racketeering charges. The defendant admitted to participating in a June 2019 shooting of another Latin Kings member who was in bad standing with the gang.
Shelton Johnson, a/k/a “King Shellz,” 31, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to conduct enterprise affairs through a pattern of racketeering activity, more commonly referred to as RICO conspiracy. U.S. Senior District Court Judge Rya W. Zobel scheduled sentencing for Jan. 6, 2021. Johnson was arrested and charged in December 2019, at which time he a member of the New Bedford Chapter of the Latin Kings.
The Latin Kings are a violent criminal enterprise comprised of thousands of members across the United States. The Latin Kings adhere to a national manifesto, employ an internal judiciary and use a sophisticated system of communication to maintain the hierarchy of the organization. As alleged in court documents, the gang uses drug distribution to generate revenue, and engages in violence against witnesses and rival gangs to further its influence and to protect its turf.
Johnson admitted that he conspired with other Latin Kings members and leaders and participated in a June 2019 shooting of a Latin Kings member who was in bad standing with the gang. Johnson also admitted to participating in a beating of members of the Latin Kings who had violated the rules of the gang.
In December 2019, a federal grand jury returned an indictment alleging racketeering conspiracy, drug conspiracy and firearms charges against 62 leaders, members and associates of the Latin Kings. Johnson is the fifteenth defendant to plead guilty in the case.
The RICO conspiracy charge provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling; Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Division; Commissioner Carol Mici of the Massachusetts Department of Correction; and New Bedford Police Chief Joseph C. Cordeiro made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was also provided by the FBI North Shore Gang Task Force and the Bristol County and Suffolk County District Attorney’s Offices. Assistant U.S. Attorney Philip A. Mallard and Mark Grady of Lelling’s Criminal Division are prosecuting the case.
The operation was conducted by a multi-agency task force through the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF), a partnership between federal, state and local law enforcement agencies. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking, weapons trafficking and money laundering organizations, and those primarily responsible for the nation’s illegal drug supply. More information on the OCDETF program is available here: https://www.justice.gov/ocdetf/about-ocdetf.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The remaining defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Maryland Man Charged with Arson in Federal Court for Igniting Police Cars on Fire Outside of the United States Supreme CourtRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Cody Michael Tarner, 23, of Hagerstown, Maryland, was indicted by a federal grand jury with multiple offenses related to his burning of two police cars and the attempted burning of a third police vehicle, announced Michael R. Sherwin, Acting U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia and Matthew R. Alcoke, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Washington Field Office Counterterrorism Division
On September 8, Tarner was indicted for Arson and Destruction of Government Property. On August 17, 2020, the Honorable Judge G. Michael Harvey held Tarner without bond pending trial.
The indictment stems from an incident on July 15, 2020, when Tarner poured a liquid from a gas can onto three Supreme Court Police vehicles igniting two of the vehicles. This also resulted in Tarner being engulfed in flames and suffering severe burns to himself. A Supreme Court Police Officer immediately rendered first aid to Tarner. Tarner was subsequently hospitalized and was brought to court for his initial appearance on August 13, 2020, when he was released from the hospital. Of the three police vehicles, one was completely burned, one was damaged, and the third did not catch fire.
An indictment is a formal finding by a grand jury that there is probable cause that the defendant committed the stated crimes; it is not evidence of guilt. A defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty.
“The actions taken by this individual destroyed federal property and were heinous and could have resulted in the loss of lives,” said Acting United States Attorney Michael R. Sherwin. “In addition, members of law enforcement were targeted and this type of action will never be acceptable as our office will continue to prosecute crimes such as this to the fullest extent of the law.”
“The attempted destruction of federal property will not be tolerated,” said Matthew R. Alcoke, Special Agent in Charge of the Washington Field Office’s Counterterrorism Division. “The FBI is committed to quickly responding with our partners at The Supreme Court Police, U.S. Capitol Police, and other members of the Joint Terrorism Task Force to diminish any potential risk to the public and government facilities in these situations.”
In announcing the charges, Acting U.S. Attorney Sherwin and Special Agent in Charge Dawson commended the work of those who investigated the case, including FBI, Supreme Court Police, as well as the United States Capitol Police, who provided valuable assistance. This case is being investigated by the Violent Crime and Narcotics Trafficking Section of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia.
Magna Man Charged with Alleged Threat to Federal Officer Arrested in Magna Tuesday MorningRead the Press Release
SALT LAKE CITY – A Magna, Utah, man is charged with threatening to assault and murder a Department of Veterans Affairs police officer while he was engaged in the performance of his official duties and with intent to retaliate against the officer on account of the performance of his official duties. The officer’s teenage daughter found the threat in the victim’s mail box on June 7, 2020.
Ryan David Lucero, 33, is charged with one count of influencing a federal officer by threat in an indictment unsealed Wednesday morning. He was arrested Tuesday at a home in Magna. The FBI, U.S. Postal Inspectors, U.S. Marshals Service and the Unified Police Department (UPD) executed the arrest warrant.
“Police officers and their families make great sacrifices to keep our communities safe. They have the right to live safely in their own homes, as we all do, and should not have to endure the threat that has been alleged in this indictment. We will bring to justice those who harm or threaten law enforcement officers in violation of federal law,” U.S. Attorney John W. Huber said today.
The alleged threat to the officer came about a week after a May 30, 2020, riot in Salt Lake City destroyed a police vehicle, injured police officers, and damaged the Salt Lake City Police Department building. Prior to the Salt Lake City riot, the victim in this case wore his VA uniform to and from work. He retired from the UPD two years ago and parked his UPD patrol car in his drive way for many years.
The potential penalty for the charge in the indictment is 10 years in prison.
An initial appearance for Lucero has been set for Friday at 2:30 p.m. before U.S. Magistrate Judge Cecilia M. Romero. Based on current information, federal prosecutors will be seeking detention for Lucero based on a risk of flight. The victim and his family are also concerned about their safety if the defendant is released.
In a filing outlining the United States’ position regarding detention, prosecutors are asking the magistrate judge to consider the defendant’s use of aliases or false documents in previous situations. In one instance, the defendant provided a false name and date of birth to law enforcement to avoid detection of multiple arrest warrants. He has also failed to appear for court proceedings on several occasions in the Salt Lake valley.
An indictment is not a finding of guilt. Individuals charged in an indictment are presumed innocent unless or until proven guilty in court.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys in the Utah U.S. Attorney’s Office are prosecuting the case. It is being investigated by inspectors with the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and special agents of the FBI.
MS-13 Member Sentenced to More Than 17 Years in Federal Prison for Participating in a Racketeering Conspiracy, Including Two Attempted MurdersRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – Chief U.S. District Judge James K. Bredar today sentenced MS-13 gang member Danny Hernandez Solarzano, a/k/a Titre, age 22, of Montgomery County, Maryland, to 210 months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release for conspiracy to participate in a racketeering enterprise, in connection with his gang activities, including two attempted murders and drug distribution.
The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Robert K. Hur; Special Agent in Charge Jennifer C. Boone of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office; Special Agent in Charge John Eisert of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Baltimore Office; Acting Chief Patrick Grossman of the Frederick City Police Department; Frederick County State’s Attorney J. Charles Smith, III; Chief William Lowry of the Anne Arundel County Police Department; Anne Arundel County State’s Attorney Anne Colt Leitess; Interim Chief Hector Velez of the Prince George’s County Police Department; Prince George’s County State’s Attorney Aisha N. Braveboy; Chief Marcus Jones of the Montgomery County Police Department; and Montgomery County State’s Attorney John McCarthy.
“The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Maryland and our local and state partners are committed to keeping our communities safe from the violent threat of MS-13,” said U.S. Attorney Robert K. Hur. “We continue to work with our counterparts here and abroad to prevent gang violence and bring to justice those who bring danger to our streets. We need the continued help of members of our communities in order to carry on our work against MS-13.”
MS-13 is a national and international gang composed primarily of immigrants or descendants from El Salvador. Branches or “cliques” of MS-13, one of the largest street gangs in the United States, operate throughout Frederick County, Anne Arundel County, Prince George’s County, and Montgomery County, Maryland. Hernandez Solarzano admitted that from January 2016 through 2018, he was a member and associate of the Fulton Locotes Salvatrucha (FLS) clique of MS-13.
At all times of this conspiracy, members of MS-13 were expected to protect the name, reputation, and status of the gang from rival gang members and other persons. To protect the gang and to enhance its reputation, MS-13 members were expected to use any means necessary to force respect from those who showed disrespect, including acts of intimidation and violence. MS-13 had mottos consistent with its rules, beliefs, expectations and reputation including “mata, viola, controla,” which translates as, “kill, rape, control,” and “ver, oir y callar,” which means, “see nothing, hear nothing and say nothing.”
MS-13 members are required to commit acts of violence both to maintain membership and discipline within the gang, as well as against rival gang members. Participation in criminal activity by a member, particularly in violent acts directed at rival gangs or as directed by gang leadership, increase the respect accorded to that member, resulting in that member maintaining or increasing his position in the gang, and opens the door to a promotion to a leadership position. One of the principal rules of MS-13 is that its members must attack and kill rivals, often referred to as “chavalas,” whenever possible.
According to his plea agreement, during the time of his membership in the FLS clique, Hernandez Solarzano and other FLS members distributed marijuana on behalf of MS-13 in Maryland and FLS members and associates also extorted money from legitimate and illegitimate businesses that operated in the gang’s perceived “territory.” Hernandez Solarzano regularly sold marijuana in and around Wheaton and Langley Park in order to maintain and increase his position in MS-13.
As detailed in his plea agreement, in December 2016, Hernandez Solarzano and other MS-13 members and associates planned and conspired to murder two individuals whom they believed to be rival gang members. Specifically, Hernandez Solarzano and two other FLS members traveled to Aspen Hill in Montgomery County, Maryland to find rival gang members, locating two individuals sitting in a parked car. Believing the two individuals in the car were rival gang members, the group contacted a fourth FLS member to provide them with a handgun. The fourth FLS member brought them the firearm and Hernandez Solarzano took possession of the handgun. Hernandez Solarzano then walked up to the car and fired into the vehicle at close range, striking both individuals. The victims both survived, but suffered serious physical injuries. All of this was done to maintain and increase Hernandez Solarzano’s position in the gang.
A total of 30 defendants have been charged in this case with participating in a racketeering conspiracy and/or other crimes related to their association with MS-13. A total of 19 defendants, including Hernandez Solarzano, have pleaded guilty to crimes related to their participation in MS-13 gang activities.
Anyone with information about MS-13 is encouraged to provide their tips to law enforcement. The FBI and Homeland Security Investigations both have nationwide tiplines that you can call to report what you know. You can reach the FBI at 1-866-STP-MS13 (1-866-787-6713), or you can call HSI at 1-866-DHS-2-ICE.
United States Attorney Robert K. Hur commended the FBI; HSI; the Frederick City Police Department; the Anne Arundel, Montgomery, and Prince George’s County Police Departments; and the Anne Arundel, Frederick, Montgomery, and Prince George’s County State’s Attorneys for their work in the investigation, and recognized the Baltimore County Police Department for its assistance. Mr. Hur thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kenneth S. Clark and Matthew DellaBetta, and Catherine K. Dick, who are prosecuting this Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force case.
# # #
Montana Broker Sentenced to Prison for Multimillion-Dollar Investment-Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – A Montana man was sentenced to 87 months in prison Tuesday for his role in a multimillion-dollar international investment-fraud conspiracy.
Acting Assistant Attorney General Brian C. Rabbitt of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and Special Agent in Charge Aaron C. Rouse of the FBI’s Las Vegas Field Office made the announcement.
Sean Finn, 51, of Whitefish, Montana, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Kent J. Dawson of the District of Nevada. Judge Dawson also ordered Finn to pay $6,075,000 in restitution and to forfeit $830,000. On Feb. 4, 2020, after a one-week trial, Finn was convicted by a jury of one count of conspiracy to commit securities fraud and wire fraud, four counts of wire fraud, and four counts of securities fraud. He was acquitted of one count of wire fraud.
According to the evidence presented at trial, Finn conspired with others in the United States and Switzerland to promote investments and loan instruments that he knew to be fictitious. Finn and his co-conspirators told victims that, for an up-front payment ranging from $100,000 to $1 million, a Swiss company known as Malom Group AG (Malom), whose name stood for “Make A Lot Of Money,” would provide access to lucrative investment opportunities and substantial cash loans.
The evidence showed that to effectuate this scheme, the defendant and his co-conspirators provided victims with fabricated bank documents purporting to show that Malom held hundreds of millions of dollars in overseas bank accounts, as well as documents falsely stating that Malom had previously closed similar deals. The evidence showed that when victims wired their money into an escrow account controlled by the co-conspirators, the money was released and disbursed to, among others, Finn for his own personal use. The evidence further showed that shortly before he was indicted in 2013, Finn fled to Canada, where he was arrested in 2014 and ultimately extradited back to the United States in 2018. According to the evidence presented at trial, losses to the victims from the scheme totaled more than $3.8 million.
Finn was charged together with five other defendants. Two of these defendants, Anthony Brandel and James Warras, were found guilty of conspiracy and multiple counts of wire fraud and securities fraud following a jury trial in 2015. Brandel and Warras were each sentenced on Aug. 3, 2016 to 87 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release. A third defendant, Joseph Micelli, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and securities fraud in 2015 and was sentenced on Feb. 23, 2016 to 60 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release. The other two defendants, Martin Schlaepfer and Hans-Jurg Lips, remain at large outside the United States. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
The FBI’s Las Vegas Field Office investigated the case. Assistant Deputy Chief Anna G. Kaminska and Trial Attorney Blake C. Goebel of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section prosecuted the case with assistance from the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Nevada. Deputy Chief Brian Young of the Fraud Section previously handled the prosecution. The Securities and Exchange Commission’s Enforcement Division, which conducted a parallel civil-enforcement investigation, as well as the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, also provided valuable assistance.
###
Luray Man Sentenced for Role in Methamphetamine ConspiracyRead the Press Release
HARRISONBURG, Va. – Casey Harvey, a Luray, Va. Man who conspired with others to traffic large quantities of methamphetamine from Oklahoma into the Western District of Virginia for redistribution, was sentenced yesterday in U.S. District Court in Harrisonburg to 66 months in federal prison. Acting United States Attorney Daniel P. Bubar and Jesse Fong, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Washington Field Division announced the sentence today.
Harvey, 30, pleaded guilty in May 2019 to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. Co-conspirator Bryan Lee Estep was sentenced in August 2020 to 78 months in prison.
According to court documents, from December 2017 to August 2018, Harvey conspired with Estep to traffic methamphetamine from Oklahoma into the Western District of Virginia. As part of the conspiracy, Harvey introduced Estep to individuals that could purchase methamphetamine from Estep. Harvey also distributed at least one pound of methamphetamine. In approximately June 2018, Harvey assisted Estep in picking up roughly six pounds of methamphetamine from a source of supply in Oklahoma and delivering it to the Western District of Virginia.
The investigation of the case was conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration, Luray Police Department, Augusta County Sheriff’s Office, the Page County Sheriff’s Office, the Shenandoah County Sheriff’s Office, and the Staunton Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Jeb Terrien prosecuted the case for the United States.
Lincoln Man Sentenced for Conspiracy to Distribute MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Joe Kelly announced that Travis Adam Griffin, 35, of Lincoln, was sentenced today by Chief United States District Judge John M. Gerrard to 11 years and three months in federal prison for conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute 500 grams or more of a mixture or substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine and 5 grams or more of methamphetamine actual (pure). Following the prison terms, Griffin will serve five years on supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
Information provided to law enforcement indicated between about January of 2017 and April 4, 2019, Griffin was responsible for the distribution of at least 1.5 kilograms (approximately three pounds) of methamphetamine mixture and at least 20 grams (approximately ¾ ounce) of methamphetamine actual. On April 4, 2019, Griffin was arrested on an outstanding warrant in the lobby of the Lancaster County Jail. During a search of his person, incident to the arrest, Griffin was found in possession of a baggie containing at least 24 grams of methamphetamine actual.
This case was investigated by the Lincoln/Lancaster County Narcotics Task Force.
Large drug distribution network busted in EvansvilleRead the Press Release
Evansville – United States Attorney Josh J. Minkler announced today, the dismantling of a drug trafficking organization that brought large quantities of illegal drugs into southwest Indiana. Eleven defendants were indicted by a grand jury in Evansville with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine and fentanyl.
“Drug trafficking organizations operate on greed and takes advantage of the addiction problem this community, our state and our nation faces,” said Minkler. “This illegal activity cannot and will not be tolerated. I am fully committed, my office is fully committed, and the federal, state, and local law enforcement partners are fully committed, to help stop the flow of narcotics into this state and this community.”
Those arrested and or are a fugitive include:
Rudolfo Ibarra-Hernandez, Aka “Rudy,”48, Mexico FUGITIVE
Juan Guzman, Aka “Hollywood,” 33, Mexico FUGITIVE
Juan Tellez, 44, Phoenix, AZ
Alexus Ortiz, 21, Clarksville, TN
Rayvin Yates, Aka “Ray,”26, Dayton, OH
Cesar Castro, 45, San Diego, CA
Jovanny Contreas-Vazquez, 30, Los Angeles, CA
Maria Castaneda-Villabolos , 33, Los Angeles, CA
Ruby Hernandez, 37, Federal Way, WA
Tania Gervacio, 30, El Cajon, CA
Angelique McCleary, 31, Carlsbad, CA
According to the indictment, beginning around January 2019, it is alleged that Ibarra-Hernandez and Guzman were the sources of supply for the drugs coming from the Mexican drug cartels to Evansville and Southwest Indiana. Tellez, Castro, Contreas-Vazquez and Castaneda-Villabolos, Gervacio, and McCleary were utilized as drug couriers within the organization, and Yates was a mid-level distributor. Ortiz and Ruby Hernandez were carriers of the money.
The organization used motor vehicles, commercial airlines, United States Postal Service, United Parcel Service and Federal Express to transport the methamphetamine, fentanyl and US currency to and from the southern Indiana area.
During the investigation, law enforcement recovered over 123 pounds of methamphetamine, 769 grams of fentanyl powder, 114 fentanyl pills, 500 oxycodone pills, 345 grams of heroin, and $14,346 in U.S. currency.
This case was investigated by the DEA, the Evansville Vanderburgh County Joint Task Force, Homeland Security Investigations, IRS Criminal Investigations, U.S. Marshal Service, and the U.S Postal Inspection Service.
DEA Assistant Special Agent in Charge, Michael Gannon said, “Today was a big win! Taking this much methamphetamine, fentanyl and heroin off the streets is huge. It is important for drug traffickers to know that the DEA and our partners will use all available resources to prevent drug dealers from peddling poison into our communities.”
“The aim of these types of investigations is to remove illegal narcotics and violent drug dealers from our community and country,” said Dan McClain, US Marshal, Southern District of Indiana. “This investigation is an example of the tremendous teamwork and comradery shown by all organizations involved from start to finish.”
According to Assistant United States Attorney Lauren M. Wheatley, who will prosecute this case for the government, the defendants face a maximum of life in federal prison, 5 years supervised release following their sentence, and up to a $10 million fine.
An indictment is only a charge and not evidence of guilt. All defendants are considered innocent until proven otherwise in federal court.
In October 2017, United States Attorney Josh J. Minkler announced a Strategic Plan designed to shape and strengthen the District’s response to its most significant public safety challenges. This prosecution demonstrates the office’s firm commitment to target, investigate, and prosecute more organizations that supply and distribute methamphetamine and heroin in the District. (See United States Attorney’s Office, Southern District of Indiana Strategic Plan Section 3.1, 3.4)
Kentucky Man Sentenced to 5 1/2 Years in Prison for Mail Theft SchemeRead the Press Release
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – September 16, 2020 – A Trenton, Kentucky man was sentenced today in U.S. District Court to 65 months in federal prison for mail fraud and possession of stolen mail, announced U.S. Attorney Don Cochran for the Middle District of Tennessee.
Adam Perrelli, 41, pleaded guilty in June to conspiracy to commit mail fraud and theft of mail, mail fraud, and receipt and possession of stolen mail. Perrelli along with Kaitlin Patterson, 31, and Natasha Pargellis, 36, also of Trenton, were indicted in November 2019, after a lengthy investigation into mail thefts in and around the Clarksville, Tennessee area.
According to court documents, the defendants obtained a master key that allowed them to open mail receptacles such as street collection boxes and panels of apartment house mailboxes. During the period of March 2018 through September 2018, the trio drove with each other and other individuals to various mail receptacles in and around the Clarksville, Tennessee area and stole large amounts of mail. They then sorted through the mail looking for documents to use for their personal benefit, including checks, money orders, credit cards and personal identifying information. The documents were then altered and made payable to another participant in the conspiracy and approximately $32,000 in altered checks and money orders were cashed or deposited. The investigation identified 540 victims and uncovered an additional $540,000 in stolen checks and money orders which they intended to alter.
Patterson and Pargellis have previously pleaded guilty and are awaiting sentencing.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and the Clarksville Police Department and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert Levine.
# # # # #
Kansas Man Indicted on Federal Child Pornography ChargesRead the Press Release
A resident of Topeka, Kansas, has been indicted by a federal grand jury in the U.S. District Court for the District of Kansas on federal child pornography charges, Acting Assistant Attorney General Brian Rabbitt of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division announced today.
The three-count indictment charged Jeffrey Pierce with producing and possessing child pornography. Pierce is alleged to have solicited sexually explicit images and videos from minor victims.
This case is brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit http://www.justice.gov/psc.
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.
Justice Department Files Sexual Harassment Lawsuit Against Owners of Minneapolis Area Rental PropertiesRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Erica H. MacDonald today announced the filing of a lawsuit against property managers/owners REESE PFEIFFER, JEANNE PFEIFFER, MICHAEL FRUEN, and JEREMY MARTINEAU and business entities FRUEN & PFEIFFER, LLP (“F&P”) and M. FRUEN PROPERTIES (“MFP”) (collectively, “Defendants”) for allegedly engaging in a pattern or practice of sexual harassment in violation of the Fair Housing Act.
“This lawsuit alleges sexual harassment and discriminatory conduct against vulnerable tenants. Such behavior is unacceptable and a violation of the federal Fair Housing Act, said U.S. Attorney Erica MacDonald. “The U.S. Attorney’s Office will not tolerate this type of discrimination and stands ready to deploy all available enforcement tools to see that justice is served.”
The complaint, filed today in U.S. District Court, alleges that REESE PFEIFFER, property manager for numerous single-family and multi-family rental properties in Minneapolis and surrounding suburbs, subjected multiple female tenants to sexually hostile housing environments. The complaint alleges that REESE PFEIFFER commented on female tenants’ looks and body parts, engaged in unwelcome touching, asked personal questions about their relationship status, made unwelcome sexual advances, discussed sexual topics without consent, and entered their homes under the pretense of collecting rent to solicit sexual favors. The complaint alleges that FRUEN, MARTINEAU, JEANNE PFEIFFER, F&P, and MFP are vicariously liable for PFEIFFER’s discriminatory conduct, because PFEIFFER acted as their agent when he sexually harassed tenants at properties in which they had an ownership interest.
In the complaint, the United States seeks to stop the alleged discrimination, compensate the victims, and payment of civil monetary penalties.
The civil complaint presents allegations only; there has been no determination of liability or wrongdoing. If you believe you have information relevant to this case, please contact the United States Attorney’s Office at (612) 296-3984.
This case is handled by the Civil Division of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Minnesota with the assistance of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division.
The Justice Department's Sexual Harassment in Housing Initiative is an effort to combat sexual harassment in housing led by the Civil Rights Division, in coordination with U.S. Attorney’s Offices across the country. The Attorney General recently reaffirmed this commitment by directing the Justice Department to deploy all available enforcement tools against anyone who tries to capitalize on the COVID-19 crisis by sexually harassing people in need of housing. The goal of the department’s initiative is to address sexual harassment by landlords, property managers, maintenance workers, loan officers, or other people who have control over housing. As part of the initiative, the Justice Department developed a public service announcement and formed a joint task force with HUD to combat sexual harassment in housing. Since launching the Initiative in October 2017, the Department of Justice has filed 18 lawsuits alleging sexual harassment in housing.
If you think you are a victim of sexual harassment by a landlord, or other forms of housing discrimination, contact the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division at (800) 896-7743 or [email protected].
###
Additional news available on our website.
Follow us on Twitter and Facebook.
United States Attorney’s Office, District of Minnesota: (612) 664-5600
Jury Finds Convicted Felon Guilty for Role in Large Scale Drug Trafficking OrganizationRead the Press Release
A New Bern man was convicted after a three (3) day federal trial. A jury returned guilty verdicts against Carlos Green, 33, for conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine, 280 grams or more of crack cocaine and 500 grams or more of cocaine, distribution of 50 grams or more of methamphetamine, distribution of a quantity of methamphetamine, possession with intent to distribute a quantity of cocaine and crack cocaine, possession with intent to distribute a quantity of cocaine and possession of a firearm by a felon. Green had a prior federal conviction and was prohibited from possessing this firearm.
On July 17, 2019, Craven County Sheriff’s Office and Kinston Police Detectives conducted a controlled purchase of a quantity of methamphetamine from Green at a sweepstakes business on Old Highway 70 in Cove City, North Carolina.
On July 24, 2019, ATF Agents, Craven County Sheriff Deputies and Kinston Police Detectives conducted a controlled purchase of more than 50 grams of methamphetamine from Green from the same sweepstakes business on Old Highway 70 in Cove City North Carolina. The methamphetamine was more than 97% purity.
On August 21, 2019, ATF Agents, Craven County and Beaufort Sheriff’s Detectives conducted a search of Green’s Residence on Mill Road in Chocowinity North Carolina (Beaufort County). Law enforcement found more than 100 grams of cocaine, a quantity of crack cocaine, pyric dishes with crack residue, a money counter and a load PLR-22 caliber handgun with a high capacity magazine.
On December 10, 2019, ATF Agents and Craven County Detectives arrested Green at a residence on Durham Street in New Bern. Law enforcement found on the stove a backpack that contained approximately three (3) ounce of cocaine.
During the investigation, Agents uncovered that Green was part of a drug trafficking organization that was importing pounds of methamphetamine through the mail for distribution into New Bern and Kinston, North Carolina. In addition, Green was receiving nine (9) ounces of cocaine at a time from another source. Green would cook four (4) ounces into crack cocaine. Then all of this would be distributed into Eastern North Carolina.
The investigation was part of OCDETF Operation Fighting JellyFish. An Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (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. This OCDETF focuses on a Multi-State Drug Trafficking Organization that has been involved in the distribution of large quantity of methamphetamine throughout the United States.
Robert J. Higdon, Jr., U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after the jury verdict before U.S. District Judge Louise W. Flanagan. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, Drug Enforcement Administration, with assistance from the Craven, Beaufort, and Onslow County Sheriff’s Offices and the Kinston Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy Severo prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on our website. Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 4:20-cr-00005-FL.
###
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.
Judge sentences St. Louis man for robbing 12 businessesRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS, MO – United States District Judge Audrey G. Fleissig sentenced Justin McGee to 18 years in prison for robbing a dozen businesses. The 39-year-old St. Louis resident pleaded guilty in February to 12 robberies.
On September 12, 2018, McGee, armed with a firearm, entered the Cricket Wireless store located at 10006 W. Florissant, approached an employee, and stated that he needed a phone repaired. While the employee was looking at the phone, McGee pulled a firearm from his pocket, pointed it at the employee and demanded he open the cash register. The employee was ordered to the floor as McGee stole money from the register and then fled the store.
On October 10, 2018, McGee entered the Game Stop on Maplewood Commons Drive armed with a firearm, pointed it at the employee and demanded she open the cash register. After grabbing money from the register, McGee ordered the employee to the ground and left.
On October 12, 2018, McGee entered the T-Mobile store on N. Highway 67, engaged an employee in conversation, pointed a firearm at her and told her he would kill her. He then confronted the store manager and had both employees lie on the floor. McGee had one of the employees crawl to the office to show him where the cash was located. McGee took money and left the store.
On October 17, 2018, McGee entered the Game Stop located on South Kingshighway, engaged an employee in conversation, pushed him to the floor as he pointed a firearm at him and demanded the cash register be opened. A second employee opened the register. McGee grabbed the store’s money and left the store.
On October 19, 2018, McGee entered the Boost Mobile store on Manchester, rushed toward an employee and pointed a firearm at her. He pushed her to the floor and poked her back with the firearm. She opened the cash register. McGee grabbed the store’s money and ran out the door.
On November 23, 2018, McGee entered the Smoothie King on Forest Park as the employees were preparing to close for the day. McGee placed his hand in his pocket as if he had a firearm and told them he wanted no problems. After he ordered the employees to kneel on the floor, McGee grabbed the store’s money and left.
On December 15, 2018, McGee entered Kings Beauty Supply on Aubert and engaged an employee in a conversation about a hair clipper. McGee produced a firearm and announced a robbery. Pointing the firearm at two employees, McGee ordered one to lie on the ground. He grabbed the store’s money and hair clippers and left the store.
On February 4, 2019, McGee entered the Boost Mobile Store in North Oaks Plaza and engaged an employee in a conversation before pulling out his firearm and walking behind the counter. The employee pulled his own firearm and fired a shot striking McGee in the head. McGee was able to flee.
On March 7, 2019, McGee entered the BP gas station on Olive Road and began to climb over the counter to open the cash register. As he climbed over the counter, he pointed an air pistol at the employee. A fight ensued. The employee was able to grab the air pistol and McGee ran from the store.
On March 26, 2019, McGee entered the Family Dollar on North Grand, approached a cashier and told her to open her cash drawer. When she told him she could not, he pointed a caliber firearm at her. At that time, the manager opened the cash register. McGee took money and fled the store.
On March 29, 2019, McGee entered the Qdoba Restaurant on Lindell and approached the cashier as if to place a food order. McGee brandished a firearm and demanded money. McGee took money and left the store.
On April 7, 2019, McGee entered the Dollar Tree on Aubert, approached the cashier and told him not to “trip” as he pointed a firearm at him. The cashier gave McGee money and McGee left the store.
The Saint Louis Metropolitan Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated this case. Assistant United States Attorney Tom Mehan is handling the case.
Judge sentences Charleston, South Carolina man to 80 months in prison for child enticementRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS, MO – United States Judge John A. Ross sentenced Ryan Palmieri to 80 months in prison for child enticement. The 37 year old is a resident of Charleston, South Carolina.
Palmieri traveled, in January 2019, from South Carolina to the St. Louis area to meet the victim who he had previously met through a cellular phone application. The victim, at the time, was 13 years old. During his six-day stay in the St. Louis area, Palmieri rented an Airbnb and engaged in several sexual acts, including sexual intercourse, with teenager.
On April 29, 2019, Palmieri traveled from South Carolina to the St. Louis area to meet the 13 year old for a second encounter. Again, Palmieri rented an Airbnb and engaged in several sexual acts, including sexual intercourse, with the victim.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation, St. Louis County Police Department, Jefferson County Police Department and the St. Louis Child Exploitation Task Force diligently investigated this case. Assistant United States Attorney Dianna Collins prosecuted the case.
Jacksonville Woman Pleads Guilty to Attempting to Illegally Exporting Maritime Raiding Craft and Engines to ChinaRead the Press Release
Yang Yang (34, Jacksonville) has pleaded guilty to conspiring to submit false export information through the federal government’s Automated Export System and to fraudulently export to China maritime raiding craft and engines in violation of United States (U.S.) law, and also to attempting to fraudulently export that equipment in violation of U.S. law. Yang faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set.
According to the plea agreement, Yang was employed by Shanghai Breeze Technology Co. Ltd., a company headquartered in Shanghai, People’s Republic of China. At the direction of co-conspirators in China, she attempted to order from a U.S. manufacturer seven combat rubber raiding craft equipped with engines that can operate using gasoline, diesel fuel, or jet fuel. These vessels and multi-fuel engines are used by the U.S. military and can be operated after being launched from a submerged submarine or dropped into the ocean by an aircraft. No comparable engine is manufactured in China. When the U.S. manufacturer suggested that Yang purchase cheaper gasoline-fueled engines, she insisted that she wanted to purchase the military-model multi-fuel engines.
To induce the manufacturer to sell this equipment, Yang falsely represented that her customer was an entity called United Vision Limited in Hong Kong, rather than Shanghai Breeze Technology Co. in Shanghai. One of Yang’s Chinese co-workers had told her that American manufacturers would be more likely to sell to an entity in Hong Kong rather than one in mainland China. By misrepresenting what company was buying the equipment, and where it was located, Yang caused the entry of false information in the Department of Commerce’s Automated Export System in violation of federal law.
When interviewed by federal agents on Oct. 17, 2019, Yang admitted that she had only one client, Shanghai Breeze, and that based on her communications with a co-conspirator, she knew that the combat raiding craft were not intended for Hong Kong, but instead, mainland China.
On Aug. 13, 2020, Yang’s co-defendant, Zheng Yan, also pleaded guilty to conspiring to submit false export information and to fraudulently export the raiding craft and engines in violation of U.S. law. The trial of their remaining co-defendants, Fan Yang and Ge Songtao, is scheduled to begin on Feb. 1, 2021.
This case was investigated by the FBI, the U.S. Naval Criminal Investigative Service, the U.S. Department of Commerce – Bureau of Industry and Security, and the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michael J. Coolican and Heather Schmidt, Senior Trial Attorney, Counterintelligence and Export Section, U.S. Department of Justice.
Jacksonville Woman Pleads Guilty to Attempting to Illegally Exporting Maritime Raiding Craft and Engines to ChinaRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, FL – Yang Yang (34, Jacksonville) has pleaded guilty to conspiring to submit false export information through the federal government’s Automated Export System and to fraudulently export to China maritime raiding craft and engines in violation of United States (U.S.) law, and also to attempting to fraudulently export that equipment in violation of U.S. law. Yang faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set.
According to the
plea agreement , Yang was employed by Shanghai Breeze Technology Co. Ltd., a company headquartered in Shanghai, People’s Republic of China. At the direction of co-conspirators in China, she attempted to order from a U.S. manufacturer seven combat rubber raiding craft equipped with engines that can operate using gasoline, diesel fuel, or jet fuel. These vessels and multi-fuel engines are used by the U.S. military and can be operated after being launched from a submerged submarine or dropped into the ocean by an aircraft. No comparable engine is manufactured in China. When the U.S. manufacturer suggested that Yang purchase cheaper gasoline-fueled engines, she insisted that she wanted to purchase the military-model multi-fuel engines.To induce the manufacturer to sell this equipment, Yang falsely represented that her customer was an entity called United Vision Limited in Hong Kong, rather than Shanghai Breeze Technology Co. in Shanghai. One of Yang’s Chinese co-workers had told her that American manufacturers would be more likely to sell to an entity in Hong Kong rather than one in mainland China. By misrepresenting what company was buying the equipment, and where it was located, Yang caused the entry of false information in the Department of Commerce’s Automated Export System in violation of federal law.
When interviewed by federal agents on Oct. 17, 2019, Yang admitted that she had only one client, Shanghai Breeze, and that based on her communications with a co-conspirator, she knew that the combat raiding craft were not intended for Hong Kong, but instead, mainland China.
On Aug. 13, 2020, Yang’s co-defendant, Zheng Yan, also pleaded guilty to conspiring to submit false export information and to fraudulently export the raiding craft and engines in violation of U.S. law. The trial of their remaining co-defendants, Fan Yang and Ge Songtao, is scheduled to begin on Feb. 1, 2021.
This case was investigated by the FBI, the U.S. Naval Criminal Investigative Service, the U.S. Department of Commerce – Bureau of Industry and Security, and the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michael J. Coolican and Heather Schmidt, Senior Trial Attorney, Counterintelligence and Export Section, U.S. Department of Justice.
Inmate at USP Lee Sentenced for Unlawfully Possessing WeaponRead the Press Release
ABINGDON, VIRGINIA – Antwan Johnson, an inmate at the USP Lee in Jonesville, Virginia, was sentenced earlier this month for unlawfully possessing a weapon inside the prison, Acting United States Attorney Daniel P. Bubar announced today.
Johnson, 28, of Jonesville, Va., was sentenced on September 3, 2020 in the United States District Court for the Western District of Virginia in Abingdon to 33 months in prison and 3 years of supervised release.
The investigation of the case was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Prisons. Special Assistant United States Attorney Steven J. Luckie prosecuted the case for the United States.
Indictment: Wamego Wastewater Operator Violated Clean Water ActRead the Press Release
TOPEKA, KAN. – An operator of the Wamego Wastewater Treatment Facility was indicted today on federal charges of violating the Clean Water Act, said U.S. Attorney Stephen McAllister.
David Schleif, 47, Belvue, Kan., was charged with discharging untreated or inadequately treated sewage from the Wamego Wastewater Treatment Facility into the Kansas River. The crime is alleged to have occurred between May 2017 and August 2019.
In addition, he was charged with 19 counts of including falsified data in discharge monitoring reports. The falsified reports showed lower levels of biochemical oxygen demand, total suspended solids and E. coli than indicated by actual tests results.
If convicted, Schleif could face a penalty of up to three years in federal prison on the discharge count and up to two years and a fine up to $10,000 on each of the other counts. The Environmental Protection Division – Office of Criminal Investigations investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christine Kenney is prosecuting.
OTHER INDICTMENTS
Angelica Maria Alvarez, 38, Topeka, Kan., is charged with one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. The crime is alleged to have occurred Jan. 27, 2020, in Shawnee County, Kan.
If convicted, she could face a penalty of not less than 10 years in federal prison and a fine up to $10 million. The U.S. Postal Service investigated. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Lindsey Debenham is prosecuting.
In all cases, defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. The indictments merely contain allegations of criminal conduct.
Harrison County man sentenced for drug distribution and firearms chargesRead the Press Release
CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Philip K. Finley, of Clarksburg, West Virginia, was sentenced today to 228 months incarceration for drug distribution and firearms charges, United States Attorney Bill Powell announced.
Finley, age 53, pled guilty to one count of “Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute and to Distribute Methamphetamine” and one count of “Possession of Firearm in Furtherance of Drug Trafficking Crime” in January 2019.
Finley admitted to distributing methamphetamine in Harrison County from March until September 2018. He also admitted to having 12 different firearms in his possession during the crime.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). Project Safe Neighborhoods 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.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Brandon S. Flower prosecuted the case on behalf of the government. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Greater Harrison Drug & Violent Crimes Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, investigated.
U.S. District Judge Thomas S. Kleeh presided.
Half-million-dollar federal grant will enable regional expansion of domestic violence shelter's programsRead the Press Release
BRUNSWICK, GA: A significant U.S. Department of Justice grant will allow a Jesup domestic violence shelter to expand its educational and crisis support programs into nearby rural communities in partnership with a Brunswick shelter.
The $495,357 grant from the U.S. Department of Justice Office on Violence Against Women (OVW) will fund services provided by the Safe Harbor Children’s Center and the Fair Haven Domestic Violence Shelter, announced Bobby L. Christine, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. The program will establish a domestic violence/rape crisis center in Jeff Davis County to provide regional services for Appling, Jeff Davis, and Wayne Counties.
“Like all sparsely populated areas, the rural communities of the Southern District often face challenges in providing vital services to their residents,” said U.S. Attorney Christine. “Safe Harbor and Fair Haven’s collaboration, fueled by this substantial OVW funding, will bring crisis assistance to those in need while assisting law enforcement in protecting these communities.”
“It is absolutely essential, as a society, to work together to prevent violence,” said OVW Principal Deputy Director Laura Rogers. “We are proud to do our part to support the people of Georgia as we all join together to keep victims safe and hold offenders accountable for their crimes.”
Safe Harbor, in Brunswick, is a sanctuary for abused, tormented and neglected children and older youths. Fair Haven is a domestic violence shelter in Jesup, Ga.
“Domestic violence and sexual assault against women is a steadily increasing concern in our community because of how COVID-19 has forced women and children to stay home with their abusers,” said Leslie Hartman, Executive Director of Safe Harbor Center. “We are thrilled to partner with Fair Haven Domestic Violence Shelter to ensure that all survivors receive the resources they need to ensure their safety and well-being. This unique partnership allows both organizations to leverage its expertise to effectively meet the needs of and enhance the response to domestic violence and sexual assault victims in the community.”
“We are honored to be able to collaborate with the U.S. Department of Justice and Safe Harbor to assist individuals who are suffering in sexual and domestic violence situations,” said Dana Mathis, Executive Director of Fair Haven. “Through this effort we will be able to work together to help those living in abusive situations to secure the services they need so their cases are investigated properly, and to ensure justice is served for the horrendous acts that they endured.”
The OVW funding, provided through a competitive grant process, is a component of the federal Rural Domestic Violence, Dating Violence, Sexual Assault, and Stalking Program. Safe Harbor and Fair Haven plan to use the funding to establish a regional domestic violence/rape crisis center in Jeff Davis County; provide two full-time and one part-time staff positions to provide client services; provide client transportation to the center; provide training to local law enforcement personnel; and to provide outreach events and increase community awareness.
The Office on Violence Against Women (OVW) provides federal leadership in developing the national capacity to reduce violence against women and administer justice for, and strengthen services to, victims of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking. For more information about grants, contact the Office on Violence Against Women at 202-307-6026 and ask for the Outreach and Communications Division.
Fort Wayne Man Sentenced to 121 Months in PrisonRead the Press Release
FORT WAYNE – Roderick Dedeaux, age 30, of Fort Wayne, Indiana, was sentenced before U.S. District Court Judge Holly A. Brady following his plea of guilty to distributing more than 50 grams of methamphetamine, announced U.S. Attorney Kirsch.
Dedeaux was sentenced to 121 months in prison followed by 5 years of supervised release and he was ordered to forfeit a 2011 Honda Pilot.
According to documents in this case, in May 2019, Dedeaux distributed 50 grams or more of methamphetamine.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation with the assistance of the Fort Wayne Safe Streets Gang Task Force comprised of the FBI, Indiana State Police, Allen County Police Department and the Fort Wayne Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Stacey R. Speith and Anthony W. Geller.
###
Fort Wayne Man Sentenced to 10 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
FORT WAYNE – Troy Topp, age 25, of Fort Wayne, Indiana, was sentenced before U.S. District Court Judge Holly A. Brady following his plea of guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm, announced U.S. Attorney Kirsch.
Topp was sentenced to 120 months in prison followed by 2 years of supervised release.
According to documents in this case, in July 2019, Topp was observed on video stealing from a vehicle. When officers approached Topp, he ran but was apprehended and narcotics and paraphernalia were recovered. A stolen firearm was also recovered and Topp admitted to acquiring the firearm in exchange for money and drugs. Topp has a prior state court felony conviction in June 2015 out of Allen County for dealing methamphetamine, possession of methamphetamine and possession of two or more precursors with the intent to manufacture a controlled substance.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives with the assistance of the Fort Wayne Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Stacey R. Speith
###
Fort Myers Drug Trafficker Convicted by Federal JuryRead the Press Release
Fort Myers, FL – A federal jury has found Edgar Vazquez (35, Fort Myers) guilty of possessing with the intent to distribute more than 500 grams of cocaine. Vazquez faces a minimum mandatory term of 5 years, and up to 40 years, in federal prison. His sentencing hearing is scheduled for December 14, 2020.
Vazquez had been indicted on May 22, 2019.
According to evidence presented at trial, on September 18, 2018, deputies from the Lee County Sheriff’s Office and special agents from the Drug Enforcement Administration seized more than one kilogram of cocaine, cash, and a loaded firearm from Vazquez’s residence and his vehicle.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Simon R. Eth and David P. Sullivan.
Former Wisconsin and New York City Schools Official Pleads Guilty to Child Pornography ChargeRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Matthew D. Krueger of the Eastern District of Wisconsin, announced that on September 15, 2020, David A. Hay (age: 40) most recently of Brooklyn, New York, entered a guilty plea to a charge of receiving child pornography.
According to court filings, in May of 2010, while living and employed in the Eastern District of Wisconsin, David A. Hay exchanged emails with a 15-year-old child. During the course of these communications, the defendant received sexually explicit digital images and videos from the child. Hay also provided sexually explicit images of himself to the 15-year-old.
Hay was principal at Tomah High School 2011 through 2014. Prior to that, Hay was principal at Kettle Moraine High School from 2008 through 2011 before resigning following the school district’s discovery of irregularities with Hay’s licensing and the misuse of a district credit card. Most recently, Hay served as Deputy Chief of Staff to the New York City Chancellor of Schools.
Hay faces a mandatory minimum sentence of five years and up to 20 years of incarceration in federal prison when he is sentenced in Green Bay’s Federal District Court on December 18, 2020.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006, by the U.S. Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ 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.projectsafechildhood.gov.
This case was investigated by the City of Neenah Police Department with the assistance of the Milwaukee County Sheriff’s Office and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Daniel R. Humble.
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.
# # # #
Former Paraguayan Congresswoman and Husband Admit Roles in International Money Laundering ConspiracyRead the Press Release
TRENTON, N.J. – A former member of Paraguay’s Congress and her husband have admitted their roles in an international money laundering conspiracy, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito announced today.
Raimundo Va, 45, pleaded guilty today before Chief Judge Freda L. Wolfson to an information charging him with one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering. His wife, Cynthia Elizabeth Tarrago Diaz, 41, pleaded guilty on Sept. 15, 2020, before Judge Wolfson to an information charging her with conspiracy to commit money laundering.
On Nov. 21, 2019, Tarrago and Va were arrested by the FBI after they arrived in Newark as part of their unlawful money laundering activities, and were charged in a criminal complaint along with a third individual, Rodrigo Alvarenga Paredes, who remains at large in Paraguay.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
Until January 2019, Tarrago was a member of Paraguay’s Congress, and in late 2019 had publicly announced her intention to run for mayor of the capital district of Asunción. While in office, Tarrago and her husband, Va, agreed to accept at least $2 million in United States currency from two individuals who represented themselves to be narcotics traffickers, believing the money to be proceeds of unlawful narcotics trafficking, and to launder the funds through an international network of accounts in order to disguise the unlawful source of the proceeds. Tarrago and Va traveled to New Jersey and Florida on multiple occasions and accepted approximately $800,000 in United States currency from the purported drug traffickers, and caused those funds to be laundered through the conspiracy’s network of accounts, and ultimately transferred back to an account maintained by the purported drug traffickers. To disguise the illicit source of the funds, members of the conspiracy generated fraudulent invoices that stated legitimate business reasons for the transfers of laundered funds to the purported drug traffickers’ account. Moreover, on multiple occasions during the purported drug dealers’ meetings with Tarrago and Va, Tarrago indicated that she would be able to assist the purported drug dealers with procuring large quantities of cocaine from Paraguay at an inexpensive price.
Unbeknownst to Tarrago and Va, the currency that they accepted from the purported drug traffickers and caused to be laundered was not actually illicit drug proceeds. Rather, those funds were provided to Tarrago and Va by two undercover FBI agents as part of an extensive investigation of the money laundering network. During the investigation, the undercover agents met with Tarrago and Va in the United States on numerous occasions, and obtained substantial video and audio recordings of their interactions with Tarrago and Va, during which details of the money laundering network were discussed. The evidence obtained during the investigation revealed that Alvarenga Paredes, operating through the auspices of a money-exchange company in Paraguay, coordinated the laundering of the funds that the undercover agents provided to Tarrago and Va.
The money laundering conspiracy counts against Tarrago and Va carry a statutory maximum potential penalty of 20 years in prison, and a maximum fine of the greater of $500,000 or twice the value of the funds involved in the conspiracy. Sentencing for both defendants is scheduled for Jan. 21, 2021. The investigation is continuing.
U.S. Attorney Carpenito credited special agents of the FBI, Newark Division, Trenton Resident Agency, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge George M. Crouch Jr., with the investigation leading to today’s guilty pleas. He also thanked the Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs and the FBI’s Legal Attaché in Buenos Aires for their assistance in the case.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys R. Joseph Gribko of the Criminal Division in Trenton and J. Brendan Day, Attorney in Charge of the Trenton Office of the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
The charges and allegations against Alvarenga Paredes contained in the complaint are merely accusations, and he is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Former Illinois State Senator Pleads Guilty to Federal Tax ChargeRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — Former Illinois State Sen. TERRANCE P. LINK pleaded guilty today to a federal tax charge and admitted willfully underreporting his income for several years.
Link admitted in a plea agreement that he willfully underreported his income on his tax returns for the calendar years 2012 through 2016. The conduct caused total losses to the IRS of at least $71,133, and to the Illinois Department of Revenue of at least $11,527, the plea agreement states. For the calendar year 2016, Link admitted that he underreported approximately $93,859, approximately $73,159 of which was money from a campaign fund – Friends of Terry Link – that Link spent on personal expenses, the plea agreement states.
Link, 73, pleaded guilty to one count of filing a false tax return, which is punishable by up to three years in federal prison. He agreed to pay restitution of $71,133 to the IRS, and $11,527 to the Illinois Department of Revenue.
U.S. District Judge Robert M. Dow, Jr., did not immediately set a sentencing date. A status hearing was set for March 30, 2021, at 9:00 a.m.
The guilty plea 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 Kathy A. Enstrom, Special Agent-in-Charge of IRS Criminal Investigation in Chicago. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher J. Stetler and James P. Durkin.
Former Enforcer of Boston Latin Kings Chapter Pleads Guilty to Racketeering Conspiracy ChargesRead the Press Release
BOSTON – The former Enforcer of the Boston-based Devon Street Kings Chapter of the Massachusetts Almighty Latin King and Queen Nation (“Latin Kings”) pleaded guilty today to racketeering charges.
Matthew Palacios, a/k/a “King Nene,” 26, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to conduct enterprise affairs through a pattern of racketeering activity, more commonly referred to as RICO conspiracy. U.S. Senior District Court Judge Rya W. Zobel scheduled sentencing for Jan. 7, 2021. Palacios was arrested and charged in December 2019, at which time he was the Enforcer of the Devon Street Kings.
The Latin Kings are a violent criminal enterprise comprised of thousands of members across the United States. The Latin Kings adhere to a national manifesto, employ an internal judiciary and use a sophisticated system of communication to maintain the hierarchy of the organization. As alleged in court documents, the gang uses drug distribution to generate revenue, and engages in violence against witnesses and rival gangs to further its influence and to protect its turf.
Named for its origin on Devon Street in Boston, the Devon Street Kings or D5K Chapter of the Latin Kings, included approximately a dozen members. As Enforcer, Palacios was responsible for ensuring discipline, meting out punishment to members for violating the rules of the gang and organizing violence against rival gang members and those believed to be cooperating with law enforcement. The Devon Street Kings, in turn, reported to the Massachusetts State Leadership of the Latin Kings, providing information, structure, funds and other resources to further the Latin Kings goals and directives in the state. During the investigation, various meetings were covertly recorded where Palacios and members of the Devon Street Kings discussed the business of the racketeering enterprise. Palacios was present during meetings where members were beaten and violence against rival gangs was discussed and decided upon.
In December 2019, a federal grand jury returned an indictment alleging racketeering conspiracy, drug conspiracy and firearms charges against 62 leaders, members and associates of the Latin Kings. Palacios is the fourteenth defendant to plead guilty in the case.
The RICO conspiracy charge provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling; Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Division; Commissioner Carol Mici of the Massachusetts Department of Correction; and Boston Police Commissioner William Gross made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was also provided by the FBI North Shore Gang Task Force and the Bristol County and Suffolk County District Attorney’s Offices. Assistant U.S. Attorney Philip A. Mallard and Mark Grady of Lelling’s Criminal Division are prosecuting the case.
The operation was conducted by a multi-agency task force through the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF), a partnership between federal, state and local law enforcement agencies. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking, weapons trafficking and money laundering organizations, and those primarily responsible for the nation’s illegal drug supply. More information on the OCDETF program is available here: https://www.justice.gov/ocdetf/about-ocdetf.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The remaining defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Former Business Executive Sentenced to Prison for $4 Million Bribery Scheme Involving DoD Contracts for Wounded Military VeteransRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – An Oregon man was sentenced today to 42 months in prison for his role in a $4 million bribery and fraud scheme related to a number of Department of Defense contracts to provide support services for the recovery and rehabilitation of wounded military veterans.
“Brodie Thomson’s greed caused him to put his own financial interests above the well-being of the wounded warriors,” said G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. “After receiving over $4 million in illegal kickbacks, Thomson admitted to attempting to obstruct the government’s investigation by creating fake business plans to make the kickback payments look like legitimate payments. Throughout the course of this investigation, Thomson made several poor and illegal decisions in an attempt to avoid being held accountable for his criminal conduct.”
According to court documents, Thomson, 45, of Redmond, a former executive for an Arlington company (referred to as Company A) solicited commercial bribes and kickbacks from an Oregon-based company (referred to as Company B), in exchange for influencing Company A to give favorable treatment to Company B in connection with the award of certain Defense Department subcontracts. From 2012 through 2015, Company A paid Company B over $16 million on labor that Company B performed for Company A in connection with running various athletic camps, clinics and games for wounded warriors around the United States. Thomson demanded that Company B pay him varying percentages of Company B’s profits on work received from Company A resulting in the payment of approximately $4.1 million in kickbacks during this three-year period. As part of the scheme to defraud Company A, Thomson directed employees of Company B how to mark up their invoices for labor when billing Company A for particular services Company B performed. Thomson did not disclose to Company A his receipt of the kickback payments from Company B for his own personal use.
“The illegal manipulation of Federal government contracts costs the taxpayer and warfighter alike,” said Robert E. Craig Jr., Special Agent in Charge of the DCIS Mid-Atlantic Field Office. “DCIS is committed to working alongside our law enforcement partners to detect and deter fraud and bring those to justice that criminally exploit the contracting process.”
“Mr. Thomson’s scheme to defraud the Department of Defense and wounded military veterans threatened the integrity of our military’s acquisition process and wasted taxpayer money,” said John Salazar, Special Agent in Charge of the NCIS Washington Field Office. “This sentencing emphasizes how important it is for our military personnel and family members to remain vigilant and always report suspected fraud. It also serves as a warning that crimes targeting our military family will be fully investigated and the criminals brought to justice.”
“The defendant thought he could outsmart the system, he was mistaken,” said Frank Robey, Director of the U.S. Criminal Investigation Command's Major Procurement Fraud Unit. “This investigation is yet another example of our agents and our law enforcement partners working together to uncover corruption, protect the DoD and hold unscrupulous businesses accountable.”
G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Robert E. Craig Jr., Special Agent in Charge for the Defense Criminal Investigative Service’s (DCIS) Mid-Atlantic Field Office; John Salazar, Special Agent in Charge of the Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) Washington Field Office; and Frank Robey, Director of the U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Command’s Major Procurement Fraud Unit (MPFU), made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Anthony J. Trenga. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Heidi B. Gesch, Kimberly R. Pedersen, and Jack Hanly 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. 1:20-cr-67.
Federal Grand Jury Indicts Men for Gun and Drug OffensesRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – U.S. Attorney Peter G. Strasser announced today that on Friday, September 4, 2020 TERRAN WILLIAMS, a/k/a “Funky,” age 22, and ALLEN GRAY, a/k/a “Kyedi,” age 24, both residents of New Orleans, Louisiana, were charged in a sealed three-count indictment by a Federal Grand Jury for violations of the Federal Gun Control Act and the Federal Controlled Substances Act. Both defendants are in federal custody and the Indictment was unsealed on September 15, 2020.
WILLIAMS and GRAY are charged in Count 1 with possession with intent to distribute a quantity of marijuana and fentanyl, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1), (b)(1)(C) and (b)(1)(D). In Count 2, WILLIAMS and GRAY are charged with possession of firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 924(c)(1)(A). In Count 3, WILLIAMS and GRAY are charged with possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 922(g)(1).
If convicted of Count 1, WILLIAMS and GRAY face a maximum sentence of 20 years imprisonment, a fine of $1,000,000, at least 3 years of supervised release, and a special assessment fee of $100. If convicted of Count 2, WILLIAMS and GRAY face a mandatory minimum sentence of 5 years up to life imprisonment, which is to run consecutively to all other sentences, a $250,000 fine, up to 5 years of supervised release and a special assessment fee of $100. If convicted of Count 3, WILLIAMS and GRAY face a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years, a $250,000 fine, up to 3 years of supervised release, and a special assessment fee of $100.
U. S. Attorney Strasser reiterated that the indictment is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
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.
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. The United States Attorney’s Office has prosecuted this case with support from the following Project Guardian partners: the New Orleans Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Elizabeth Privitera, Inga Petrovich and David Haller of the Violent Crime Unit of the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
* * *
Federal Court Bars Florida Tax Preparation Businesses and Their Tax Return Preparers from Preparing Tax ReturnsRead the Press Release
The Justice Department announced today that a federal court in Orlando, Florida, permanently enjoined Advanced Tax Services Inc. and Genson Financial Group LLC from preparing federal tax returns for others and ordered the businesses to disgorge $710,191.55, jointly and severally, representing the ill-gotten gains that they received for the preparation of tax returns. The court also entered permanent injunctions and disgorgement judgments against defendants Lenorris Lamoute and Dosuld Pierre, whom the court found prepared tax returns for compensation at Advanced Tax Services. The order was entered on default because the defendants failed to defend against the government’s allegations.
The court found that the defendants prepared tax returns making false or fraudulent claims for the Earned Income Tax Credit, often based on fabricated business income and expenses, bogus or improperly claimed dependents, and false filing status. The court further determined that the defendants prepared returns reporting non-existent Schedule A businesses, false itemized deductions, false or fraudulent fuel tax credits, and bogus education expenses.
Previously, the court entered permanent injunctions against Marcgenson Marc, the owner of Advanced Tax Services and Genson Financial Group, as well as Tiana Character and Character’s business, Character Financial Solutions LLC, and Shirleen Thales, and ordered Marc to disgorge $710,191.55.
“The Tax Division will work with its IRS partners to shut down return preparers who claim improper or illegal deductions and credits for their customers” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Zuckerman of the Justice Department’s Tax Division. “Taxpayers should be vigilant so they do not file tax returns claiming false deductions.”
In the past decade, the Tax Division has obtained injunctions against hundreds of unscrupulous tax preparers. Information about these cases is available on the Tax Division’s website. An alphabetical listing of persons enjoined from preparing returns and promoting tax schemes can be found here. If you believe that one of the enjoined persons or businesses may be violating an injunction, please contact the Tax Division with details.
Ellaville Defendant Pleads Guilty to Possessing A Stolen Gun Discovered During Perry PD Traffic StopRead the Press Release
MACON, Ga. – An Ellaville, Georgia man, found in possession of a stolen gun by Perry Police officers, pleaded guilty to his crime this week, said Charles “Charlie” Peeler, the United States Attorney for the Middle District of Georgia.p
Gary Michael Buck, 39, of Ellaville pleaded guilty to one count possession of a stolen firearm before U.S. District Judge Tripp Self on Tuesday, September 15. Buck faces a maximum ten years in federal prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release. Sentencing is scheduled for December 8, 2020.
“When we investigate violent crimes in the Middle District of Georgia we often find criminals in possession of stolen guns. We refuse to let stolen guns become the currency of criminals and will federally prosecute those who choose to possess a stolen firearm,” said U.S. Attorney Peeler. “I want to thank the Perry Police Department, FBI and ATF for their tireless efforts to make our communities safer by removing stolen guns from our streets.”
Perry Police Department officers discovered Buck with a stolen firearm on May 1, 2019, after an officer pulled him over for driving with an expired temporary tag and making an illegal traffic maneuver. Buck was recorded admitting the firearm was stolen and also spontaneously told a FBI officer on the way to his arraignment that he knew the gun he possessed was stolen. The stolen firearm was a Hi-Point, Model C-9, 9mm Luger caliber, semi-automatic pistol.
This case was prosecuted as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders 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 https://www.justice.gov/archives/projectguardian.
The case was investigated by the Perry Police Department, the FBI and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF). Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven Ouzts is prosecuting the case for the Government. Questions can be directed to Pamela Lightsey, Public Information Officer, United States Attorney’s Office, at (478) 621-2603 or Melissa Hodges, Public Affairs Director (Contractor), United States Attorney’s Office, at (478) 765-2362.
Drug Trafficker from Wilmington's Hilltop Neighborhood Sentenced to over 9 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
WILMINGTON, Del. – David C. Weiss, U.S. Attorney for the District of Delaware, announced today that Alfred Evans, 40, of Wilmington, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Colm F. Connolly to 9 ½ years in prison after a wiretap investigation revealed his extensive drug dealing activities in Wilmington’s Hilltop neighborhood.
According to court documents, the Defendant was arrested in March of 2018 with over 500 grams of powder cocaine and over 190 grams of crack cocaine. He pled guilty to conspiring to distribute those drugs. As mentioned in open court during the sentencing hearing, Evans has been convicted of ten prior felony offenses, and was previously declared a habitual offender by the State of Delaware.
U.S. Attorney Weiss stated, “This case demonstrates our continued commitment to work with our HIDTA partners to protect Wilmington neighborhoods from those who make the drug trade their profession.”
The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration (“DEA”) Group 41, which is part of the Liberty Mid-Atlantic High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (“HIDTA”). The DEA received significant assistance from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (“ATF”) and the Wilmington Police Department. Other agencies aiding the investigation included the New Castle County Police Department, and Delaware State Police. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher L. de Barrena-Sarobe and Laura D. Hatcher prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Delaware. Related court documents and information is located on the website of the District Court for the District of Delaware or on PACER by searching for Case No. 19-CR-00061 (CFC).
Dominican Republic National Sentenced to 32 Months in Prison for Passport FraudRead the Press Release
TRENTON, N.J. – A Dominican Republic national was sentenced today to 32 months in prison for illegally using the identity of another person to fraudulently obtain a U.S. passport, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito announced.
Arnaldo Antonio Medrano Bonilla, 56, of the Dominican Republic, previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Peter G. Sheridan to an information charging him with one count of passport fraud and one count of aggravated identity theft. Judge Sheridan imposed the sentence by videoconference today.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
In August 2015, Medrano submitted a fraudulent renewal application for a U.S. passport, listing the name, birth date, and Social Security number of a U.S. citizen, but providing his own photograph. Medrano presented that U.S. citizen’s birth certificate in further support of his fraudulent application. In this way, Medrano unlawfully obtained a U.S. passport bearing his own photograph and the identity of another person.
In addition to the prison term, Judge Sheridan sentenced Medrano to three years of supervised release.
U.S. Attorney Carpenito credited special agents of the U.S. Department of State, Diplomatic Security Service, New York Field Office, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Keith Byrne, with the investigation leading to today’s sentencing.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Trombly of the Cybercrime Unit in Newark.