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Friday 4 September 2020
NDTX Round-Up: August 28-September 3Read the Press Release
SENTENCING – ANDREW TYLER MOLINA
On August 31, Andrew Tyler Molina, 31, was sentenced to 18 years in prison for transporting and shipping child pornography. Tumblr, a social media app popular amoung teenagers, reported to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, that a user, Mr. Molina, was involved in communications about the sexual molestation of children. Law enforcement executed a search warrant on Mr. Molina’s residence and conducted a forensic review of his cell phones. Mr. Molina admitted to transporting videos and images depicting sadistic child pornography with infants and toddlers. Law enforcement recovered 88 images and 16 vides of child pornography on Mr. Molina’s two cell phones. This case was investigated by the FBI and Grand Prairie PD. Assistant United States Attorney Camille Sparks is prosecuting this case.
GUILTY PLEA – ILDERALDO DEANDRE LIMA-MOSLEY
On September 1, Ilderaldo Deandre Lima-Mosley, 31, pled guilty to felon in possession of a firearm. In May 2020, Mr. Lima-Mosley, a previously convicted felon, met an individual at a Dallas area tobacco shop to sell a .380 pistol and several magazines containing ammunition for $740. Mr. Lima-Mosley faces up to 10 years in prison for his crimes. This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant United States Attorney Phelesa Guy is prosecuting this case.
GUILTY PLEA – PETE TORRES
On September 1, Pete Torres, 30, plead guilty to conspiracy to launder money. Two individuals supplied Mr. Torres with cocaine. He sold the cocaine to others and earned a profit from his drug transactions. Mr. Torres used then profits to purchase more controlled substances from his suppliers to sell. Mr. Torres faces up to 20 years in prison for his crimes. This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, Dallas PD, Irving PD, Dallas County SO, Richardson PD, and Carrolton PD. Assistant United States Attorney George Leal is prosecuting this case.
SENTENCING – JASON CRAIG WILLIAMS
On September 1, Jason Craig Williams, 33, was sentenced to 150 months for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine. Mr. Williams engaged in this conspiracy form June 2017 through on or about June 28, 2017 in the Dallas Division of the Northern District of Texas. The case was investigated by the Department of Homeland Security Investigations, Texas Department of Public Safety, and Carrollton PD. Assistant United States Attorney George Leal is prosecuting this case.
SENTENCING – JEFFREY BRYAN DOUGHERTY
On September 2, Jeffrey Bryan Dougherty, 28, was sentenced to 9 years in prison for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Law enforcement located Mr. Dougherty in a motel in Hutchins, Texas. In plain view, officers observed drug paraphernalia and a black backpack containing a 9 mm firearm, methamphetamine, heroin, and Mr. Dougherty’s wallet. Mr. Dougherty admitted that his was in possession of a 9 mm firearm and that he was at the motel selling the methamphetamine and heroin. This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Texas Department of Public Safety. Assistant United States Attorney Gary Tromblay is prosecuting this case.
Mountain View Man Sentenced to 15 Years for Attempted Enticement of a Minor for SexRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Mountain View, Missouri, man has been sentenced in federal court for attempting to entice a minor for illicit sex.
Jason Matthew Perdue, 47, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge M. Douglas Harpool on Thursday, Sept. 3, to 15 years in federal prison without parole. Perdue will be required to register as a sex offender upon his release from prison and will be subject to federal and state sex offender registration requirements, which may apply throughout his life.
On March 2, 2020, Perdue pleaded guilty to attempting to entice a minor for illicit sexual activity.
Law enforcement received CyberTips on July 13, 2018, when Perdue uploaded images of child pornography to his Google account. Officers executed a search warrant at Perdue’s residence on Sept. 6, 2018. Officers found a safe that contained a SanDisk flash drive with a large volume of videos and images of child pornography. Officers also seized multiple devices from Perdue’s residence, including a laptop, hard drives, a camera, a cell phone, and flash drives. Investigators conducted a forensic examination of Perdue’s devices and found numerous Skype chat messages in which Perdue engaged in sexually explicit communications with purported minors.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ami Harshad Miller. It was investigated by the Southwest Missouri Cyber Crimes Task Force and Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).
Project Safe Childhood
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc . For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab "resources."Milwaukee Man Sentenced to Ten Years’ Imprisonment for Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine and Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
Matthew D. Krueger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, announced that on September 4, 2020, Khamphanh Phakousonh (age: 46) of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, was sentenced to a term of ten years in federal prison, followed by four years of supervised release, for possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Section 841(a)(1); and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 924(c).
According to court documents, on February 22, 2019, Phakousonh sold a DEA confidential source approximately 2 ounces (59.75 grams) of methamphetamine. Laboratory testing later confirmed the methamphetamine was 100% pure. On February 25, 2019, law-enforcement authorities executed a search warrant at Phakousonh’s Milwaukee residence. The officers found several items consistent with drug-trafficking activity, including over 6 kilograms (over 13 pounds) of marijuana, $25,700 in U.S. currency, and a loaded Ruger LCP, .380 caliber, semi-automatic pistol. Law-enforcement authorities subsequently determined that Phakousonh had obtained the firearm from an individual in satisfaction of a drug debt.
In pronouncing sentence, U.S. District Judge Lynn Adelman noted the serious nature of the offense and the history and characteristics of the defendant.
The case was investigated by the North Central HIDTA Office and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Robert J. Brady, Jr.
The year 2020 marks the 150th anniversary of the Department of Justice. Learn more about the history of our agency at www.Justice.gov/Celebrating150Years.
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Mexican National Sentenced to 16 Years for Meth ConspiracyRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Mexican national who resided in Springfield, Missouri, was sentenced in federal court today for his role in a conspiracy to distribute large amounts of methamphetamine in the Kansas City, Missouri, area and in the Springfield area.
Luis Manuel Gonzalez-Rodriguez, 44, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Greg Kays to 16 years and eight months in federal prison without parole.
On Jan. 6, 2020, Gonzalez-Rodriguez pleaded guilty to participating in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime, and illegally reentering the United States after having been deported.
Gonzalez-Rodriguez was arrested on Nov. 2, 2017, when law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at his residence. Gonzalez-Rodriguez attempted to flush approximately 157.1 grams of methamphetamine down the toilet as officers entered the residence. Officers searched the residence and found an additional 3.7 grams of pure methamphetamine, cocaine, a Walther .380-caliber semi-automatic pistol that had been reported stolen in Arkansas, ammunition, 14 cell phones, ledgers and drug notes, and $21,558. Gonzalez-Rodriguez admitted that he was illegally present in the United States. He was deported in October 2011 after previously having been convicted of illegally reentering the United States.
Gonzalez-Rodriguez’s plea agreement cites several controlled purchases of methamphetamine by cooperating law enforcement sources, as well as his involvement in several controlled purchases by a cooperating source from co-defendant Jason Edward Hochard, 41, of Kansas City, Kansas, during the investigation of the drug-trafficking organization.
Hochard was sentenced on July 30, 2020, to 14 years and eight months in federal prison without parole.
On Nov. 1, 2017, co-defendant Darely Dominguez-Bustillos, 26, of Kansas City, Kansas, delivered one pound of methamphetamine to Gonzalez-Rodriguez. Dominguez-Bustillos then transported $8,000 in illicit drug proceeds from Gonzalez-Rodriguez back to her residence. Law enforcement discovered this money when they later executed a search warrant at her residence and in the vehicles located at that residence.
Dominguez-Bustillos was sentenced on May 20, 2020, to four years in federal prison without parole.
Gonzalez-Rodriguez’s plea agreement also cites multiple deliveries of methamphetamine to co-defendant Tara Hageman, 45, of Springfield. When law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Hageman’s residence, they seized 103 grams of pure methamphetamine and two handguns.
Hageman, who admitted she distributed the methamphetamine to others, was sentenced on March 11, 2020, to seven years in federal prison without parole.
Co-defendant Armando Quintana-Galaz, 38, a citizen of Mexico residing in Springfield, was sentenced on May 26, 2020, to 16 years and eight months in federal prison without parole. Quintana-Galaz had been deported from the United States six times before being arrested on Nov. 2, 2017, in Springfield. At that time, he was again illegally present in the United States. When law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Quintana-Galaz’s residence on that day, they found approximately 3.159 kilograms of pure methamphetamine in a hamper in the master bathroom and approximately 189 grams of pure methamphetamine in a dresser in the master bedroom. They found a Ruger 9mm semi-automatic handgun, a Norinco SKS 762-caliber rifle, various ammunition, a bag that contained approximately four grams of cocaine, and six cell phones. They also found a Taurus 9mm semi-automatic handgun in his Jeep Grand Cherokee. Officers also found $40,020 in a dresser in the master bedroom, $6,295 in the pocket of his pants that were on a TV stand, and $293 in a suitcase in the master bathroom closet. According to his plea agreement, the $46,608 seized from Quintana-Galaz’s residence would convert to more than 2.6 kilograms (2,642.6 grams) of methamphetamine.
Co-defendant Miguel Angel Ramirez-Romero, 27, a citizen of Mexico residing in Kansas City, Kan., was sentenced on Nov. 13, 2019, to 14 years in federal prison without parole.
Gonzalez-Rodriguez is the final defendant in this case to be sentenced, among six defendants who have been convicted.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Trey Alford. It was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).
Member of Paterson Drug Ring Charged with Conspiracy to Distribute Heroin and FentanylRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A Paterson, New Jersey, woman was arrested today in connection with her alleged role in a conspiracy to distribute heroin and fentanyl in New Jersey and Vermont, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito announced.
Nysifah Deaveareaux, 27, is charged by criminal complaint with conspiracy to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl and 100 grams or more of heroin. She is scheduled to make her initial court appearance today by videoconference before U.S. Magistrate Judge James B. Clark III.
Caron J. Abrams, 26, of Paterson, was charged by criminal complaint on Aug.14, 2020, with possession with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl. He appeared by videoconference before the U.S. Magistrate Judge Joseph A. Dickson and was detained without bail.
Shamir Williams, 25, of Paterson, was charged by complaint on Aug. 14, 2020, along with Deaveareaux, with conspiracy to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl and 100 grams or more of heroin. On Aug. 20, 2020, Williams appeared by videoconference before U.S. Magistrate Judge Cathy L. Waldor and was detained without bail.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
From May 2020 through Aug. 13, 2020, Williams negotiated sales of heroin to another individual. On June 11, 2020, pursuant to these negotiations, Deaveareaux transported approximately 250 “bricks,” or over 12,000 individual doses of heroin, from Paterson and distributed the heroin in Vermont. On Aug. 13, 2020, Abrams attempted to deliver 200 “bricks,” or over 9,000 individual doses of heroin and fentanyl, to an individual at a Passaic County Home Depot parking lot, where he was taken into custody.
Each of the crimes charged carries a minimum penalty of five years in prison, a maximum penalty of 40 years in prison, and a fine of at least $5 million.
U.S. Attorney Carpenito credited special agents and task force officers with the DEA in New Jersey and New England, under the direction of Special Agents in Charge Susan Gibson and Brian D. Boyle, respectively, with the investigation leading to the charges.
This investigation was conducted as part of the Paterson Violent Crime Initiative (VCI). The VCI was formed in 2020 by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey and the Passaic County Prosecutor’s Office, for the sole purpose of combatting violent crime in and around Paterson. As part of this partnership, federal, state, county, and city agencies collaborate to strategize and prioritize the prosecution of violent offenders who endanger the safety of the community. The VCI is composed of the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) New Jersey Division, the Department of Homeland Security – Homeland Security Investigations, the Paterson Police Department, the Passaic County Prosecutor’s Office, the Passaic County Sheriff’s Office, New Jersey State Parole, and the New Jersey State Police Regional Operations and Intelligence Center/Real Time Crime Center.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Francesca Liquori of the Organized Crime and Gangs Unit.
The charges and allegations contained in the complaint are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Manchester Man Arrested for Bank RobberyRead the Press Release
CONCORD – Alex Stoltman, 23, of Manchester, was arrested today and charged with bank robbery, United States Attorney Scott W. Murray announced today.
According to court documents, Stoltman is charged with robbing a Citizens Bank branch on Elm Street in Manchester on September 2, 2020. Court documents show that the robber wore a hat and mask and handed a note to the teller threatening to use a gun if the teller did not comply with his demands.
Stoltman was taken into custody on September 4, 2020. A court appearance is scheduled for 11 a.m. on Tuesday, September 8, 2020.
This matter was investigated by the FBI and Manchester Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Anna Krasinski and Charles Rombeau.
The charges in the complaint are only allegations. The defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Ludington Man Sentenced to 63 Months' Imprisonment for Embezzling from the Lake Michigan Carferry and Filing False Tax ReturnRead the Press Release
Paul Patrick Piper, the Carferry’s former Financial Controller, stole in excess of $1.7 million over 11 years and failed to pay federal income taxes of $363,000
GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN — Paul Patrick Piper, 58, of Ludington, Michigan, was sentenced to 63 months’ imprisonment today on charges of bank fraud and filing a false federal income tax return. The sentencing hearing took place in the United States District Court in Grand Rapids, Michigan, before Chief U.S. District Judge Robert J. Jonker. In imposing sentence, Judge Jonker commented that the amount Piper embezzled over many years was "a frightening number that caused substantial financial hardship" to the Lake Michigan Carferry and resulted from a "pattern of conduct that needs deterrence."
"Mr. Piper earned his sentence," said U.S. Attorney Andrew Birge. "His greed caused significant financial damage to one of the largest employers in the Ludington, Michigan area. Vigorous prosecution of white collar crime and enforcement of our country’s tax laws remains an important priority in my office."
Piper served for many years as the financial controller for Lake Michigan Carferry, the company operating the SS Badger ferry between Ludington, Michigan, and Manitowoc, Wisconsin. Piper embezzled in excess of $1,700,000.00, between 2007 and May 2018, by overriding normal company accounting systems and writing checks directly to himself and to two of his affiliated businesses, Piper Tax & Accounting and Piper Group. Piper either forged the signatures of company owners on these checks or used a signature stamp without the authorization of the owners. Piper hid these transactions in the accounting system by booking these checks to an insurance expense code and by otherwise making false entries to balance company accounts. Additionally, Piper filed false personal income tax returns with the Internal Revenue Service because he knowingly failed to include the income he stole from the Carferry, and other income earned from his tax business, on his federal income tax returns.
"Piper violated the trust of the company that hired him and endangered the financial well-being of one of Ludington’s largest employers," said Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in Michigan, Steven M. D’Antuono. "Financial crime is not a victimless crime. The FBI and our law enforcement partners will continue to pursue anyone who uses their position of trust for personal gain."
"For over a decade Mr. Piper repeatedly took advantage of his position as controller and committed criminal financial crimes that resulted in a large tax due and owing," said IRS-CI Special Agent in Charge Sarah Kull. "Of course activity like this hurts the ‘Carferry,’ but it also hurts every U.S. taxpayer. IRS-CI will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to investigate tax fraud committed by trusted professionals."
As part of his sentence, the court imposed a forfeiture money judgment in the amount of $1,740,037.91. Pursuant to prior forfeiture efforts, Piper forfeited a 2018 Ram Truck, a 2008 Glacier Bay 5th Wheel Recreational Vehicle, and cash in lieu of forfeiture of other assets. The court will impose mandatory restitution for the victim in an amount of at least $1,740,037.91 after receiving information and arguments from the parties about possible additional losses within the next 30 days.
Assistant United States Attorney, Ronald M. Stella, conducted the prosecution of the case. The Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigation Division and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, with significant assistance from the Mason County Sheriff’s Office, handled the investigation of the case.
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Local “Cell Head” and Two Others Plead Guilty to Drug Conspiracy in Transnational Heroin Trafficking OperationRead the Press Release
Three additional men pleaded guilty this week for their roles in a heroin trafficking operation with ties to Mexico’s New Generation Cartel, announced U.S. Attorney Trent Shores.
Jose Garcia Solis, 38; Oseil Serafin Calderon, 24; and Rudolph Gorniak, 29, pleaded guilty to drug conspiracy. Garcia, a “cell head” for the trafficking organization, was sent from Mexico to northeastern Oklahoma specifically to run the operation. He was responsible for overseeing the distribution of heroin to local dealers and for the collection of drug proceeds.
The three were among more than 30 individuals indicted in 2019 for drug conspiracy and other crimes related to the cartel’s heroin operations. The prosecution resulted from Operation Smack Dragon, an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force investigation.
“Cartels and their conspirators are responsible for flooding our communities with deadly drugs. They profit hand over fist while families are torn apart by addiction and loss,” said U.S. Attorney Trent Shores. “This prosecution highlights the diligent investigative work and cooperation between federal, state, and local partners in identifying, tracking, and dismantling this drug trafficking organization. We remain committed to protecting Oklahoma’s neighborhoods and communities.”
According to court documents, the transnational criminal organization’s hierarchy had clearly defined roles, as leaders from Mexico supplied heroin to the Tulsa “cell heads.” These “cell heads” were originally from Mexico but lived in Tulsa. Stille Giovanni Gutierrez Vivanco, allegedly directed, from Mexico, the overall drug trafficking operations in Tulsa by delegating responsibilities for the import and distribution of the heroin and for the movement of the proceeds from heroin sales. The criminal organization smuggled heroin into the United States and transported the drug to storage locations in Tulsa where they prepared it for distribution throughout the United States. After preparing the heroin, the coconspirators would repackage it for distribution to mid-level distributers, who would then redistribute it to street-level dealers until it eventually found its way into the hands of customers.
“This investigation demonstrates Homeland Security Investigation’s (HSI) unique authorities and steadfast commitment to vigorously pursue members of transnational criminal organizations that exploit and endanger the American people,” said Ryan L. Spradlin, special agent in charge, HSI Dallas. “HSI will continue to use every available resource to protect communities and secure the homeland from dangerous contraband and the criminals who bring them into our country.”
“Investigations such as these cannot be successful without DEA Tulsa’s relationship with numerous law enforcement partners in Eastern Oklahoma and the Texoma High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) Initiative,” said Eduardo A. Chávez, special agent in charge, DEA Dallas Field Division. “These individuals are being held responsible for their actions. Whether it is a gram or a kilogram, heroin is poisoning our streets, and the DEA will never cease its efforts to rid these drugs from the streets of Oklahoma.”
In his Sept. 4 plea agreement, Jose Garcia Solis admitted that from November 2018 through June 2019, he knowingly conspired with others to distribute heroin. Garcia stated that he supplied heroin to numerous individuals for re-distribution, collected payment from dealers and returned the funds to the Mexican source of supply. U.S. District Judge Claire V. Eagan set sentencing for Dec. 8, 2020.
On Sept. 3, 2020, Oseil Serafin Calderon pleaded guilty to conspiring with others to distribute heroin from January 2019 through June 2019. Specifically, the defendant assisted in delivering heroin to Jose Garcia by transporting the heroin from Southern California to the northeastern Oklahoma. He also assisted in collecting drug proceeds from Garcia. U.S. District Judge Claire V. Eagan set sentencing for Dec. 7, 2020.
On Sept. 2, 2020, Rudolph Gorniak pleaded guilty to conspiring with others to distribute heroin from January 2019 through June 2019. Over the course of several weeks, Gorniak purchased quantities of heroin from defendants Alphonso Caldwell and Devin Hartzell. He purchased heroin, redistributed it to third parties, and relied on the payment from customers to purchase additional heroin. U.S. District Judge Claire V. Eagan set sentencing for Dec. 4, 2020.
The Drug Enforcement Administration and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations led the investigation in partnership with the U.S. Department of Treasury, Internal Revenue Service- Criminal Investigation; the Oklahoma State Attorney General’s Office; and Tulsa Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joel-lyn McCormick is prosecuting this case. AUSA McCormick is the Lead Attorney for the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force Unit for the Northern District of Oklahoma.
You can find the May 2019 Indictment announcement here.
Lincoln Man Sentenced for Conspiracy to Distribute MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Joe Kelly announced that Nathan Steven Larsen, 30, of Lincoln, was sentenced on September 4, 2020 by Chief United States District Judge John M. Gerrard to 14 years 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. Following the prison term, Larsen will serve five years on supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
Information provided to law enforcement indicated that Larsen was responsible for the distribution of at least 5 kilograms (approximately 11 pounds) of methamphetamine in the Lincoln area between November of 2018 and November of 2019.
On September 24, 2019, officers arrested Larsen on an outstanding warrant at his Lincoln apartment. Officers saw methamphetamine in the apartment, and Larsen later admitted he had attempted to flush about five grams of methamphetamine down the toilet when he heard officers at the door. He said any drugs found in the apartment belonged to him. Officers found small amounts of methamphetamine and marijuana in the apartment along with pipes, scales, and packaging materials during the execution of a search warrant at the apartment.
This case was investigated by the Lincoln/Lancaster County Narcotics Task Force.
Lincoln Man Sentenced for Conspiracy to Distribute Drugs and Felon in Possession of FirearmRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Joe Kelly announced that Tracy James Abrams, 48, of Lincoln, was sentenced today by Chief United States District Judge John M. Gerrard to 12 years and seven 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 a mixture or substance containing cocaine base (crack cocaine). Abrams was also sentenced to seven years for being a felon in possession of a firearm. Those sentences were ordered to run concurrent to each other (at the same time). Following the prison terms, Abrams will serve five years on supervised release on the drug charge and three years on the gun charge. Those terms will also run concurrent with each other. There is no parole in the federal system.
Information provided to law enforcement indicated between January of 2015 and August of 2019, Abrams was responsible for the distribution of more than 500 grams (approximately 18 ounces) of methamphetamine mixture. In July and August of 2019, an undercover officer made three purchases of methamphetamine from Abrams totaling approximately 1 ½ ounces. On one of those occasions, Abrams also sold approximately ½ gram of cocaine base, also known as crack cocaine, to the undercover officer. On August 23, 2019, a search warrant was executed at Abrams’s Lincoln residence. A handgun with ammunition was found in a kitchen cabinet. Abrams’s criminal record showed he had two prior state felony convictions for attempted robbery and theft by receiving stolen property.
This case was investigated by the Lincoln/Lancaster County Narcotics Task Force.
Leader of 33 Oak Street Drug Trafficking Ring Sentenced to Nine Years of ImprisonmentRead the Press Release
The Office of the United States Attorney for the District of Vermont announced that Chyquan Cupe, aka “Cash,” was sentenced yesterday to 9 years of imprisonment for possessing firearms in furtherance of his drug trafficking activities and being the leader of a drug trafficking conspiracy which distributed cocaine base, heroin, and fentanyl in the area of Brattleboro, Vermont. Chief U.S. District Judge Geoffrey W. Crawford also sentenced Cupe to a 4-year term of supervised release to follow his imprisonment.
According to Court documents, Cupe was the leader and organizer of a drug trafficking organization which distributed narcotics from an apartment located at 33 Oak Street in Brattleboro over a five-month period. On December 28, 2018, Brattleboro Police Officers executed a state search warrant at the apartment, resulting in the seizure of a sawed-off shotgun, a .38 caliber handgun with an obliterated serial number, a nautical flare gun, and a safe. Inside the safe, officers located approximately 200 grams of cocaine base, 68 oxycodone/morphine pills of various dosages, numerous rounds of ammunition, and a bill of sale for a vehicle purchased by Cupe. After this search, Cupe was a fugitive, but the drug trafficking activities continued at the 33 Oak Street apartment unabated.
A Southern Vermont Drug Task Force investigation in January and February 2019 resulted in multiple controlled purchases of heroin and fentanyl from Desiree Wells-Cooper and Linda Wainwright. On February 28, 2019, the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Southern Vermont Drug Task Force executed a federal search warrant at the 33 Oak Street apartment, resulting in the seizure of approximately 10 grams of cocaine, 5 grams of cocaine base, a 9mm pistol, and $2,500 of U.S. currency. Wells-Cooper, Wainwright, Juan Sanchez, Jr., and Francis Macie were all arrested on federal drug trafficking charges.
Subsequent witness interviews and searches of the contents of cellular phones and Facebook accounts revealed that Cupe’s drug organization trafficked hundreds of grams of heroin and hundreds of grams of cocaine base into Brattleboro for distribution. The investigation also revealed that Pedro Ocasio, aka “Pluto,” played a vital role in the drug trafficking. After Cupe became a fugitive, Ocasio supervised and managed the drug distribution activities at 33 Oak Street, Ocasio collected drug proceeds on Cupe’s behalf, and Ocasio armed himself with firearms to protect the illicit drugs being sold at the apartment. The investigation also revealed that Cupe transported drugs from Connecticut to Brattleboro by using multiple female coconspirators, including a 17-year-old child suffering from substance abuse disorder.
During the investigation of Ocasio’s involvement in Cupe’s drug trafficking organization, Ocasio was arrested on July 29, 2019 for aggravated assault stemming from a shooting at the intersection of Elliot Street and Elm Street in Brattleboro, Vermont. On August 14, 2019, Ocasio was charged by the federal grand jury with conspiracy to distribute controlled substances along with Cupe, Wells-Cooper, Wainwright, Sanchez, and others.
Chief Judge Crawford sentenced Ocasio to 8 years of imprisonment for his possession of firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking. Wainwright received a sentence of 4 years of imprisonment for her role in the drug trafficking conspiracy. Sanchez was sentenced to time served for his drug trafficking activity and possession of firearms, which equated to approximately 13 months of imprisonment. For hosting the drug traffickers in his apartment, Macie received a time-served sentence which equated to approximately 8 months of imprisonment. Wells-Cooper is currently a participant in the Burlington Federal Drug Court, after she pleaded guilty to conspiring to distribute controlled substances.
United States Attorney Christina E. Nolan commended the investigative efforts of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the Vermont State Police, and the Brattleboro Police Department. Nolan added: “This violent and heavily armed drug trafficking organization openly and notoriously peddled poison in Brattleboro, undeterred by multiple police enforcement efforts. This case highlights the violence that follows drug trafficking, and the dangers to the most vulnerable Vermonters. The U.S. Attorney’s Office and our law enforcement partners will continue to pursue out-of-state profit-driven drug traffickers and the Vermonters who facilitate their crimes.”
“Mr. Cupe is a dangerous individual who terrorized the Brattleboro community with his violent behavior," said Thomas F. Relford, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation's (FBI) Albany Field Office. “This sentencing should prove the FBI, along with our local, state, and federal law enforcement partners, is focused on stopping the movement and sale of drugs on our streets and ensuring our neighborhoods are free from illegal firearms.”“ATF will continue to work with our local, state and federal law enforcement partners, to vigorously combat drug traffickers and the threat they pose to our citizens by illegally possessing firearms in furtherance of their illegal drug trade,” stated Kelly D. Brady Special Agent in Charge, ATF Boston Field Division
“This case is another fine example of local, state, and federal law enforcement collaborating in their investigations to take down a violent drug trafficking organization,” added Major Daniel Trudeau of the Vermont State Police. “The Brattleboro community is now a safer place with this group off the streets.”
Brattleboro Police Chief Michael Fitzgerald stated, "The Brattleboro Police Department appreciates the time and effort invested by partner law enforcement agencies in this cooperative investigation and prosecution. Several illegal guns and deadly drugs were removed from our streets, and dangerous offenders are being held accountable. Our department remains committed to assisting those struggling with substance use disorder to get the treatment they need, while at the same time aggressively investigating armed drug dealers."
The United States was represented in this matter by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan A. Ophardt. Cupe was represented by Assistant Federal Defender David McColgin, Esq. Ocasio was represented by Thomas Sherrer, Esq. Wainwright was represented by Ernest Allen, Esq. Macie was represented by John-Claude Charbonneau, Esq. Wells-Cooper was represented by Mark D. Oettinger, Esq.
This prosecution is part of an extensive investigation by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Program. 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.
Leader of Human Trafficking Ring Sentenced to 25 Years’ ImprisonmentRead the Press Release
HARRISBURG - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that on September 3, 2020, Miguel Scott Arnold, age 33, of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, was sentenced to 25 years’ imprisonment by United States District Court Judge Sylvia H. Rambo, for his role as the leader of a human trafficking operation.
According to United States Attorney David J. Freed, Arnold was convicted on June 21, 2019, after a four-day jury trial. He was convicted of (1) conspiracy to commit sex trafficking by force, fraud, and coercion; (2) sex trafficking by force, fraud, and coercion; (3) conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute heroin and marijuana; and (4) possession with intent to distribute heroin. Arnold was part of a significant sex trafficking operation that exploited over 20 victims, including juveniles. Arnold and his co-conspirators coerced the sex trafficking victims though fraud, physical assault, the deprivation of heroin to addicted victims, and threats of violence.
Four co-defendants in the case previously pleaded guilty to engaging in sex trafficking by force, fraud, and coercion, participated in a conspiracy that began in Harrisburg in the fall of 2015, and continued until it was dismantled in August 2016. Arnold and the co-conspirators rented hotel rooms and posted “escort” advertisements and photographs on backpage.com, a website that the FBI has since seized and which is no longer operational. Arnold and his co-conspirators would frequently solicit women to engage in prostitution by lying to them about the services that they would be expected to perform. Arnold and his co-conspirators would also target victims who were vulnerable by virtue of their age, financial insecurity, or drug addiction. At least three victims of the conspiracy were minors, one as young as 14 years old. Arnold and the others would take the majority of the money made during the course of the prostitution business, and distributed drugs to the women, including heroin.
In addition to Arnold, four others from Harrisburg were charged in the indictment:
- Tevin Bynoe, age 27, pleaded guilty to sex trafficking by force, fraud, and coercion on September 20, 2018, and is awaiting sentencing;
- Terrence Hawkins, age 26, pleaded guilty to sex trafficking by force, fraud, and coercion on September 20, 2018, and is awaiting sentencing;
- Joshua Guity-Nunez, age 31, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to engage in sex trafficking by force, fraud, and coercion, and was sentenced to 15 years’ imprisonment on July 10, 2020; and
- Emonie Murphy, age 23, pleaded guilty to sex trafficking by force, fraud, and coercion on August 27, 2018, and was sentenced to six years’ imprisonment on September 3, 2020.
Arnold faced a mandatory sentence of 15 years in prison for his role as the leader of sex trafficking operation. Judge Rambo noted the seriousness of the criminal conduct as the compelling reason justifying the sentence.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc For more information about internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab "resources."
The FBI coordinated the investigation and was aided by law enforcement agencies in the Harrisburg area. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael A. Consiglio and Christian T. Haugsby prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.
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Informational: Federal Court arraignmentsRead the Press Release
The U.S. Attorney’s Office announced that the following persons were arraigned or appeared this week before U.S. Magistrate judges on indictments handed down by the Grand Jury or on criminal complaints. The charging documents are merely accusations and defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty:
Appearing in Billings before U.S. Magistrate Judge Timothy J. Cavan and pleading not guilty on Sept. 1 was:
Martin Shane Waddingham, 46, of Billings, on charges of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and prohibited person in possession of a firearm. If convicted of the most serious crime, Waddingham faces a minimum mandatory five years to 40 years in prison, a $5 million fine and at least four years of supervised release. Waddingham was detained pending further proceedings. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case. Pacer case reference. 20-102.
Courage Dane DeCrane, 20, of Pryor, on charges of aggravated sexual abuse and abusive sexual contact. If convicted of the most serious crime, DeCrane faces life in prison, a $250,000 fine and at least five years to life in prison. DeCrane was detained pending further proceedings. The FBI investigated the case. Pacer case reference. 20-16.
Destiny Nilsen, 27, of Billings, on charges of receipt of a firearm by a person under indictment. If convicted of the most serious crime, Nilsen faces a maximum five years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release. Nilsen was detained pending further proceedings. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case. Pacer case reference. 20-98.
Appearing on Sept. 3 was:
Courtney Nicole Lienemann, 31, of Billings, on charges of possession with intent to distribute meth and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. If convicted of the most serious crime, Lienemann faces a maximum 20 years in prison, a $1 million fine and three years of supervise release. Lienemann was released pending further proceedings. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case. Pacer case reference. 20-94.
Appearing in Great Falls before U.S. Magistrate Judge John T. Johnston and pleading not guilty on Sept. 1 was:
Jose Manuel Villalobos Medina, 25, of Phoenix, AZ, on charges of possession with intent to distribute meth, heroin and fentanyl. If convicted of the most serious crime, Medina faces a minimum mandatory 10 years to life in prison, a $10 million fine and at least five years of supervised release. Medina was released pending further proceedings. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Great Falls Police Department investigated the case. Pacer case reference. 20-41.
John Michael Dunne, 31, of Deer Lodge, on charges of prohibited person in possession of a firearm. If convicted of the most serious crime, Dunne faces a maximum 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release. Dunne was detained pending further proceedings. The Deer Lodge Police Department, Montana Probation and Parole and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case. Pacer case reference. 20-19.
Harry B. Azure, 20, Wolf Point, on charges of assault resulting in serious bodily injury. If convicted of the most serious crime, Azure faces a maximum 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release. Azure was detained pending further proceedings. Fort Peck Law Enforcement and the FBI investigated the case. Pacer case reference. 20-58.
If any of the above cases are of interest to your media organization and the community it serves, we encourage you to monitor the progress of the case regularly through the U.S. District Court calendar and the PACER system.
To establish a PACER account, which will allow you to review documents filed in the case, please go to, http://www.pacer.gov/register.html. To access the district court’s calendar, please go to https://ecf.mtd.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/PublicCalendar.pl.
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Indictment Charges Man with Using His Position at Hurricane Business to Solicit and Obtain Kickbacks from Chinese CompaniesRead the Press Release
SALT LAKE CITY – A federal indictment unsealed Friday morning charges Nan Ma, 37, of Washington, Utah, with using his position and authority as the officer in charge of production and sourcing at a home audio products company in Hurricane, Utah, to solicit and obtain kickbacks for his personal benefit from Chinese companies. Ma is a Chinese citizen with legal permanent resident status in the United States.
In exchange for the kickbacks, the indictment alleges Ma awarded lucrative contracts to these companies to manufacture and sell products to his employer. Ma used a portion of the kickback money to purchase a luxurious house and expensive cars. Ma concealed the source of the funds he was getting through the alleged kickbacks by making false representations to his employer, according to the indictment.
Ma received approximately $2.1 million in kickbacks in exchange for awarding approximately $12.4 million in contracts to the Chinese companies, all of which he concealed from his employer, identified in the indictment by the initials SVT, the indictment alleges.
After Ma purchased a home for approximately $450,000, SVT’s CEO, who knew Ma’s salary, asked Ma how he was going to pay for the home. Ma responded that the money came from his ailing father in China, who was trying to get money out of China to avoid having the Chinese government take it upon his death. The indictment alleges Ma’s explanation about the source of the funds was false.
The indictment charges Ma with three counts of wire fraud and six counts of money laundering. It also seeks the forfeiture of five properties in St. George and one in Washington along with two vehicles.
According to the indictment, SVT produces home audio products and purchases most of its component parts from suppliers in China. SVT hired Ma, who has a master’s degree in electronic marketing, in May 2011 as vice president of production/sourcing. His responsibilities included taking SVT’s engineering drawings, ideas, and designs to Chinese factories and obtaining bids from the factories to manufacture SVT’s component parts. His responsibilities also included establishing and maintain good relationships with Chinese suppliers to ensure SVT obtained quality products and favorable prices, the indictment alleges.
SVT took steps, including paying $18,000 in legal fees, to help secure Ma’s immigration status so he could live and work in the United States as well as travel to China on behalf of the business. The company later raised Ma’s salary so he could qualify for a professional work visa, and later petitioned to have Ma’s immigration status adjusted again so he could be a permanent resident immigrant with the designation of “professional holding an advanced degree.”
The indictment alleges that in his capacity as an officer at SVT assigned to establish and maintain relationships with suppliers, Ma owed a fiduciary duty of loyalty to SVT. The business was entitled to have Ma evaluate and select suppliers without being secretly rewarded for his decision through payments from the suppliers he selected. It was a violation of Ma’s duty, and of SVT’s right to honest services, for Ma to accept kickback payments from SVT’s suppliers, particularly when Ma was responsible for determining which suppliers SVT would contract with to manufacture its products, the indictment alleges.
The indictment alleges Ma provided personal bank account information to the suppliers he selected, including the seven suppliers identified in the indictment as suppliers A through G, so they could pay him after they received payments for products from SVT. After receiving funds from the suppliers, Ma transferred the money among various accounts, banks, and investment companies, according to the indictment.
Ma also told suppliers that funds for repairs to products SVT had purchased should be routed to an account he or his wife held. It was contrary to SVT policies for employees to have funds from a supplier sent to personal accounts.
Ma was arrested Thursday. He had an initial appearance this morning in federal court in St. George. He is detained pending a detention hearing Wednesday in St. George.
The potential maximum penalty for each of the three wire fraud counts is 20 years in federal prison. The six money laundering counts each have a potential maximum penalty of 10 years in prison. Indictments are not findings of guilt. Individuals charged in an indictment are presumed innocent unless or until proven guilty in court.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys in the U.S. Attorney’s Office are prosecuting the case. Special agents of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations and IRS-Criminal Investigation are investigating the case.
Illinois Woman Sentenced to Prison for Conspiring to Commit Wire Fraud and Aggravated Identity TheftRead the Press Release
Lamesha Conley of Chicago, Illinois, was sentenced to 24 months in prison today for conspiracy and identity theft charges related to a scheme to obtain fraudulent tax refunds using stolen identity information, announced Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Richard E. Zuckerman of the Justice Department’s Tax Division, and U.S. Attorney John R. Lausch, Jr. for the Northern District of Illinois.
According to documents and information provided to the court, beginning in 2014, Conley provided more than 6,000 stolen identities to Dominque King and Roxann Gist for the purpose of filing fraudulent income tax returns. Between 2014 and July 2015, King and Gist used those stolen identities to file fraudulent income tax returns with the IRS seeking more than $2.6 million in refunds. King and Gist directed that some of the refunds be mailed to Conley and other co-conspirators.
In addition to the term of imprisonment, U.S. District Judge Robert William Gettlemen ordered Conley to serve 1 year of supervised release and to pay approximately $1,196,460 in restitution to the United States.
King, Gist, and other co-defendants previously pleaded guilty for their roles in the scheme. King was sentenced to 30 months in prison and Gist was sentenced to 36 months in prison. They were ordered to pay $1,332,935 in restitution to the IRS.
Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Zuckerman and U.S. Attorney Lausch commended special agents of IRS-Criminal Investigation, who conducted the investigation, and Trial Attorney Lee F. Langston, and former Trial Attorney Timothy M. Russo, of the Tax Division, who prosecuted this case. Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Zuckerman also thanked the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Illinois for their substantial assistance in the case.
Additional information about the Tax Division and its enforcement efforts may be found on the Division’s website.
Illegal Drug User in Possession of a Gun Sentenced to Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
Rodney Cook, age 40, of Starke, Florida, received the prison term after an August 24, 2020 guilty plea and sentencing on one count of possession of a firearm by an illegal drug user.
Information disclosed during the change of plea and sentencing hearings revealed that on May 5, 2019, law enforcement was dispatched to the Park Motel in Denison, Iowa, in response to reports that a man had fired a gun from inside his room into the parking lot on the south side of the motel. When police responded they did not see the shooter but noticed that the door to a particular hotel room was open and the window had been broken out. As law enforcement approached that room, they observed Cook standing in his hotel room reloading a revolver. Cook told one officer he had used methamphetamine earlier and there was meth in the room. Cook told another officer he had fired the revolver in an attempt to scare some people away. A subsequent search of his room revealed methamphetamine and a second handgun. Cook has twice before been convicted of misdemeanor violence, including an assault and battery on a law enforcement officer.
Cook was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand. Cook was sentenced to 24 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a 3-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
Cook is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). PSN is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
This case is also part of Project Guardian, the Department of Justice’s signature initiative to reduce gun violence and enforce federal firearms laws. Initiated by the Attorney General in the fall of 2019, Project Guardian draws upon the Department’s past successful programs to reduce gun violence; enhances coordination of federal, state, local, and tribal authorities in investigating and prosecuting gun crimes; improves information-sharing by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives when a prohibited individual attempts to purchase a firearm and is denied by the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS), to include taking appropriate actions when a prospective purchaser is denied by the NICS for mental health reasons; and ensures that federal resources are directed at the criminals posing the greatest threat to our communities. For more information about Project Guardian, please see /media/1122011/dl?inline.
The case was investigated by the Denison, Iowa Police Department and the Tri-State Drug Task Force based in Sioux City, Iowa (that consists of law enforcement personnel from the Drug Enforcement Administration; Sioux City, Iowa, Police Department; Homeland Security Investigations; Woodbury County Sheriff’s Office; South Sioux City, Nebraska, Police Department; Nebraska State Patrol; Iowa National Guard; Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement United States Marshals Service; South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation), and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Forde Fairchild.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 19-CR-4070.
Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.
Grand jury indicts St. Charles County man for sex trafficking of a childRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – A federal grand jury indicted Thomas J. Bowles, in a five-count indictment, for sex trafficking of a child. The 44 year old is a resident of St. Charles County.
According to court documents, between January 2016 and August 2020, Bowles used social media (Kik) to knowingly recruit, entice, transport, provide, obtain, maintain, patronize and solicit ‘Jane Doe 1’ and ‘Jane Doe 2’. Both under the age of 18.
Also during the time mentioned above, Bowles used interstate commerce and persuaded, induced, enticed and coerced twos minor, under 18 years of age, to have sex and engage in prostitution.
Bowles faces no less than 10 years and a maximum of life in prison if convicted. He could also face a fine of no more than $250,000. Bowles is presumed innocent until proven guilty.
"It's not uncommon for child predators to cast a wide net on social media to see who responds and whom they can victimize," said Special Agent in Charge Richard Quinn of the FBI St. Louis Division. "In this case, that's how the defendant met his victims, underscoring just how careful we all need to be when engaging with strangers on-line."
The Federal Bureau of Investigation, St. Charles County Police. St. Louis County Police and Jefferson County Sheriff’s Department investigated this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jillian Anderson is handling the case.
Law enforcement is asking for help identifying other victims. Please contact the St. Louis County Special Investigations Unit at 314-615-8618 with info.
Gloucester City Man Charged with Bombing and Unlawful Possession of Explosives and Short-Barreled RifleRead the Press Release
CAMDEN, N.J. – A Camden County, New Jersey, man was charged today for detonating an explosive device at a local business and unlawfully possessing unregistered destructive devices and a short-barreled rifle, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito announced.
Dwayne A. Vandergrift Jr., 35, of Gloucester City, New Jersey, is charged by complaint with malicious use of explosives, unlawful possession of two destructive devices, and unlawful possession of a short-barreled rifle. Vandergrift will make his initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Karen M. Williams at a later date.
According to the complaint:
During the early morning hours of Aug. 26, 2020, Vandergrift placed an explosive device on the front door of a local gym near his home in Gloucester City. Security camera footage recorded Vandergrift fleeing the area moments before the device exploded, badly damaging the front door and shattering its glass. On Aug. 28, 2020, federal and local law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Vandergrift’s home and found substantial quantities of bomb making materials, numerous weapons, including an unregistered short barreled rifle, several tactical vests outfitted with body armor and loaded 30-round ammunition magazines, and a marijuana grow operation containing approximately 85 marijuana plants. Upon examining Vandergrift’s personal computer devices, investigators discovered that he had recently researched how to construct and utilize various explosive devices, including pipe and pressure cooker bombs. Vandergrift was arrested by local authorities on Aug. 28, 2020, and charged by the Camden County Prosecutor’s Office. He is presently in custody on those charges.
The malicious use of explosive charge carries a maximum prison term of 20 years and a maximum fine of $250,000. The charges for possession of the unregistered destructive devices and short-barreled rifle carry maximum prison terms of 10 years each and maximum fines of $250,000.
U.S. Attorney Carpenito credited special agents and task force officers of the FBI’s South Jersey Resident Agency, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Michael J. Driscoll and the FBI’s Philadelphia Joint Terrorism Task Force, with the investigation leading to today’s arrest. He also thanked officers of the Gloucester City Police Department, under the direction of Police Chief Brian Morrell; the Camden County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Acting Prosecutor Jill S. Mayer; the Camden County Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Sheriff Gilbert L. Wilson; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Newark Field Division, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Charlie J. Patterson; the New Jersey Office of Homeland Security and Preparedness, under the direction of Director Jared Maples; Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jason Molina; and the New Jersey State Police, under the direction of Col. Patrick J. Callahan.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Gabriel J. Vidoni of the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Criminal Division in Camden.
The charges and allegations contained in the complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Georgia Resident Sentenced to Federal Prison for Theft in Panama City, Florida, Following Hurricane MichaelRead the Press Release
PANAMA CITY, FLORIDA – United States Attorney Lawrence Keefe, of the Northern District of Florida, today announced that Michaelo Moore of Stone Mountain, Georgia, was sentenced to 21 months in federal prison, followed by supervised release, after pleading guilty on June 25, 2020, to conspiracy to commit mail theft and mail theft. The Panama City Police Department arrested Moore on February 19, 2019, after receiving reports that he had attempted to recruit several members of the city’s transient population to help him cash fraudulent checks.
“This individual not only stole from the citizens of our District who were still recovering in the aftermath of Hurricane Michael, he then exploited desperate and displaced individuals to help him complete his criminal acts,” said U.S. Attorney Keefe. “Our prosecutors worked hand in hand with our federal and local law enforcement partners to ensure Mr. Moore was held duly accountable for his crimes, and we will continue to prosecute those who attempt to prey on the good people of Northern Florida.”
Moore, 45, was found in possession of three stolen checks when he was stopped by officers of the Panama City Police Department in February 2019. One of the passengers in the vehicle told authorities that Moore and another passenger, Maurice Senior, were in the area for the purpose of stealing checks from the mail and asking transient individuals to cash those checks. The third passenger in the vehicle was a transient individual who admitted he had agreed to cash checks for Moore and his co-conspirator in exchange for money. Senior, 43, of Atlanta, Georgia, whose fingerprints were later discovered on the stolen checks, received a prison sentence of 10 months for mail theft on April 21, 2020.
“The Postal Inspection Service is committed to securing the nation’s mail system, it’s customers, and making sure those responsible with violating the Sanctity of the Seal answer for their crimes,” said Antonio Gomez, Inspector in Charge of the United States Postal Inspection Service, Miami Division.
Assistant United States Attorney Aine Ahmed prosecuted this case following a joint investigation by the United States United States Postal Inspection Service, the Panama City Police Department, the Bay County Sheriff’s Office and the Panama City Beach Police Department.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.
Press Release - Michaelo MooreGang-member rapper who glorified guns sentenced to federal prison for illegal possession of a firearmRead the Press Release
AUGUSTA, GA: A gang member and self-styled rapper with a felony criminal record has been sentenced to seven years in federal prison for illegally possessing a gun.
Antonio Dondrell Bell, 29, of Grovetown, Ga., was sentenced to 84 months in prison by U.S. District Court Chief Judge J. Randal Hall after pleading guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon, said Bobby L. Christine, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. After completion of his prison term, Bell will be required to serve three years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
“Antonio Bell knew that as a convicted felon he is not allowed to carry firearms, yet he chose not only to violate the law but to brazenly glorify gun possession in his videos posted online,” said U.S. Attorney Christine. “Now, inside a prison, he might have a live audience – but he won’t be able to flash firearms in his performances.”
According to court documents and information shared in court, Bell was arrested in Dec.7, 2018, after a traffic stop in Augusta by Richmond County sheriff’s deputies who found a loaded Ruger 9mm handgun with high-capacity magazine under the driver’s seat of the 2015 Chevrolet Corvette Bell was driving.
In online videos in which he performs under the name “Yayo,” Bell is seen holding a firearm while also flashing large stacks of cash. He claimed the videos were staged for his budding music career, while also admitting that he was a member of the 5-9 Brims, a subset of the violent Bloods criminal street gang. Bell faces additional state charges, including indictments on multiple counts of the Georgia Street Gang Terrorism and Prevention Act.
Bell has previous felony convictions, which make it illegal for him to possess a firearm.
“The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) considers Richmond County Sheriff’s Office a critical partner in its long-term mission of removing criminals and gangs from our communities in the Augusta area,” said Beau Kolodka, Assistant Special Agent in Charge of the Atlanta Field Division of the ATF.
Fraud Alert: Scammers Who Claim to be with the Department of Justice are Preying on the ElderlyRead the Press Release
U.S. Attorney Robert S. Brewer Jr. (619) 557-5690
NEWS RELEASE SUMMARY – September 4, 2020
SAN DIEGO – The U.S. Department of Justice has received multiple reports that individuals claiming to represent the DOJ are calling members of the public as part of an imposter scam. The department strongly encourages the public to remain vigilant and not to provide personal information during these calls, which appear to target the elderly.
Reports to the National Elder Fraud Hotline indicate these scammers falsely represent themselves as Department of Justice investigators or employees and attempt to obtain personal information from the call recipient, or they leave a voicemail with a return phone number. The return phone number directs users to a recorded menu that matches the recorded menu for the department’s main phone number. Eventually, the user reaches an “operator” who steers the user to someone claiming to be an investigator. That “investigator” then attempts to gain the user’s personal information.
“We don’t want anyone – particularly our seniors – to be fooled by scammers posing as employees of the Department of Justice,” said U.S. Attorney Robert Brewer. “Please protect yourself! Do not be fooled by scammers, and don’t give out your personal information to a random caller claiming to be a DOJ employee.”
“Phone scams are an ugly and pervasive act of victimization. The scams being reported to our National Elder Fraud Hotline are especially heinous because they show the perpetrators are preying upon one of the most vulnerable segments of our society – the elderly,” said Director Jessica Hart of the Office of Justice Programs’ Office for Victims of Crime (OVC). “As if this were not despicable enough, the scammers do so posing as employees of the Justice Department, usurping public trust in the agency that serves as a bastion of fairness and lawfulness while these scams exploit the elderly for financial gain. The first step to identifying these criminals is to have their crimes reported.”
Those who receive these calls are encouraged not to provide personal information and to report these scams to the FTC via their website or by calling 877–FTC–HELP (877-382-4357). Fraud can also be reported to the FBI for law enforcement action at https://www.justice.gov/criminal-fraud/report-fraud.
The National Elder Fraud Hotline is a resource created by OVC for people to report fraud against anyone age 60 or older. Reporting certain financial losses due to fraud as soon as possible, and within the first 2–3 days, can increase the likelihood of recovering losses. The hotline is open seven days a week. For more information about the hotline, please visit https://stopelderfraud.ovc.ojp.gov/
Fraud Alert: Scammers Claiming to be with DOJ, Preying on ElderlyRead the Press Release
The Office of Justice Programs’ Office for Victims of Crime (OVC) has received multiple reports that individuals claiming to represent the Department of Justice are calling members of the public as part of an imposter scam. The department strongly encourages the public to remain vigilant and not to provide personal information during these calls, which appear to target the elderly.
Reports to the National Elder Fraud Hotline indicate these scammers falsely represent themselves as Department of Justice investigators or employees and attempt to obtain personal information from the call recipient, or they leave a voicemail with a return phone number. The return phone number directs users to a recorded menu that matches the recorded menu for the department’s main phone number. Eventually, the user reaches an “operator” who steers the user to someone claiming to be an investigator. That “investigator” then attempts to gain the user’s personal information.
“Phone scams are an ugly and pervasive act of victimization. The scams being reported to our National Elder Fraud Hotline are especially heinous because they show the perpetrators are preying upon one of the most vulnerable segments of our society – the elderly,” said OVC Director Jessica Hart. “As if this were not despicable enough, the scammers do so posing as employees of the Justice Department, usurping public trust in the agency that serves as a bastion of fairness and lawfulness while these scams exploit the elderly for financial gain. The first step to identifying these criminals is to have their crimes reported.”
Those who receive these calls are encouraged not to provide personal information and to report these scams to the FTC via their website or by calling 877–FTC–HELP (877-382-4357). Fraud can also be reported to the FBI for law enforcement action at https://www.justice.gov/criminal-fraud/report-fraud.
The National Elder Fraud Hotline is a resource created by OVC for people to report fraud against anyone age 60 or older. Reporting certain financial losses due to fraud as soon as possible, and within the first 2–3 days, can increase the likelihood of recovering losses. The hotline is open seven days a week. For more information about the hotline, please visit https://stopelderfraud.ovc.ojp.gov/.
Former postal worker sentenced for stealing cash from mail at Sweet Grass post officeRead the Press Release
GREAT FALLS – A former U. S. Postal Service worker who admitted going through mail and stealing cash and gift cards from envelopes was sentenced on Sept. 3 to two years of probation, fined $1,000 and ordered to pay $2,065 restitution, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said today.
Amanda Holland, 38, of Sunburst, pleaded guilty in May to theft of mail by a postal employee and destruction of mail by a postal employee.
Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided.
In court documents filed in the case, the prosecution said that Holland began working in January 2017 for the U.S. Postal Service as a part-time employee in the Sweet Grass and Sunburst post offices, where she assisted customers, processed money orders and sorted mail for delivery. In early 2019, the Postal Service received several reports from individuals indicating that cash and greeting cards sent through the Sweet Grass office did not reach their destinations. Some individuals reported that the envelopes were delivered but that they had been torn open and resealed and were missing cash.
An investigation using test mailings with envelopes containing gift cards and surveillance cameras led to Holland. The gift cards were redeemed to buy jewelry, clothes and candy, and the cameras showed Holland acting suspiciously while working, including placing mail in her apron and cash in a personal bag.
When interviewed by law enforcement, Holland initially denied knowing anything about the mail thefts but then admitted to taking money about three to four times a week, including stealing $30 that day prior to the interview. Holland told law enforcement she would target what appeared to be holiday or birthday cards, open and take items of value, attempt to reseal the envelopes and throw them away if she could not.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Karla Painter prosecuted the case, which was investigated the U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General.
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Former Executive Officer for Southern Ute Indian Tribe Indicted for Sexual Assault on A ChildRead the Press Release
DURANGO – United States Attorney Jason R. Dunn today announced that McKean Walton, age 51, of Ignacio, Colorado, was indicted on multiple charges stemming from the alleged sexual assault of a child on the Southern Ute Indian Reservation. According to publically available information, Walton was the Executive Officer for the Southern Ute Indian Tribe.
The indictment was returned on September 1, 2020, charging Walton with two counts of aggravated sexual abuse of a child in Indian Country, and one count of sexual abuse of a minor in Indian Country. The indictment alleges that the conduct took place between 2009 and 2011.
Walton made his initial appearance today by video-teleconference from the La Plata County Detention Facility before U.S. Magistrate Judge James Candelaria. He was advised of his rights and the charges pending against him. A detention hearing is scheduled for September 10, 2020. If convicted on the counts alleged in the indictment, Walton faces a mandatory minimum sentence of thirty years imprisonment.
The charges are allegations and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.
This case was investigated by the FBI.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado. Related court documents can be found on PACER by searching for Case Number 20-cr-260.
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.
Florida Man Indicted in Skimming Scheme at New England Gas StationsRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A federal grand jury returned an indictment against a Florida man for his role in a scheme to install and maintain a network of electronic skimming equipment at gas stations across New England, in order to steal thousands of customers’ debit and credit card account numbers and other personally identifying information.
Luis Angel Naranjo Rodriguez, 29, of Hialeah, Fla., was charged with eight counts of wire fraud, four counts of bank fraud, four counts of aggravated identity theft, one count of possessing 15 or more counterfeit or unauthorized access devices (the debit and credit card account numbers) and one count of possessing device-making equipment (the card skimming devices). Naranjo Rodriguez was previously arrested on related federal charges on March 9, 2020 and has been detained since that time.
As alleged in the charging documents, Naranjo Rodriguez secretly installed card skimming devices in gas pumps in Massachusetts gas stations and in other New England states. The devices were programmed to send Naranjo Rodriguez’s mobile phone a text message with captured account information after customers had used their debit or credit cards to purchase gas at the pumps where the devices were installed. Card skimming devices sending stolen account information to Naranjo Rodriguez’s mobile phone were traced to at least 11different gas stations located in Lynnfield, Concord, Malden, Taunton, Randolph and Raynham; Portland, Maine; Nashua, N.H.; and Willington, Conn.
Between April 2019 until November 2019, Naranjo Rodriguez traveled frequently from Florida to Massachusetts to maintain this network of card skimmers. During the course of the scheme, Naranjo Rodriguez’s mobile phone allegedly received nearly 5,000 text messages containing stolen debit and credit card account numbers. Many of these text messages also included the account holders’ names and Personal Identification Numbers (PINs).
Naranjo Rodriguez cloned the account information stolen from unwitting gas station customers onto branded prepaid debit cards. On Nov. 16, 2019, Naranjo Rodriguez allegedly used four cloned cards to withdraw money from victims’ bank accounts at ATMs in Framingham.
The charge of aggravated identity theft provides for a mandatory sentence of two years in prison to be served consecutive to any other sentence imposed, up to one year of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. The charge of bank fraud provides for a sentence of up to 30 years in prison, five years of supervised release and a $1 million fine. The charge of wire fraud provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a $250,000 fine. The charge of possessing device-making equipment provides for a sentence of up to 15 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a $250,000 fine. The charge of possessing 15 or more counterfeit or unauthorized access devices provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a $250,000 fine. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based on the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling and Frederick J. Regan, Special Agent in Charge of the United States Secret Service, Boston Field Office made the announcement. Special assistance was provided by the Concord, Lunenburg and Raynham Police Departments in Massachusetts, Nashua (N.H.) Police Department and the Portland (Maine) Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys William Abely and Fred Wyshak III of Lelling’s Major Crimes Unit are prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Federal Jury Convicts Boise Methamphetamine TraffickerRead the Press Release
BOISE – A federal jury sitting in Boise convicted Edward Eric Behrens, 42, of Boise, of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, U.S. Attorney Bart M. Davis announced today. The trial began on Monday, August 31, 2020, and concluded Thursday evening when the jury returned their verdict.
During the four-day trial, the jury heard evidence that on February 2, 2019, Behrens was driving his car when he was stopped by Boise Police for a traffic infraction. During the stop, a drug-sniffing canine alerted to the odor of drugs in the car. A search of the car then revealed a large plastic bag containing 435.68 grams of pure methamphetamine. The evidence showed that this methamphetamine was possessed by Behrens and that he intended to distribute it to others.
Sentencing is scheduled for December 10, 2020, before U.S. District Judge B. Lynn Winmill at the federal courthouse in Boise. Behrens faces a sentence of 15 years to life in federal prison, a maximum fine of $10 million, and up to five years of supervised release.
This case was investigated by the Boise Police Department, Ada County Sheriff's Office, Idaho State Police, and Drug Enforcement Administration.
This case was prosecuted by the Special Assistant U.S. Attorney hired by the Ada County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office, with funds provided by the Oregon-Idaho High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA). The HIDTA program is a national drug-prohibition enforcement program run by the United States Office of National Drug Control Policy. The Oregon-Idaho HIDTA is a collaboration of local law enforcement drug task forces and prosecuting agencies dedicated to addressing regional drug trafficking organizations. Idaho uses HIDTA funds to investigate and prosecute drug trafficking organizations that operate in and around Ada, Canyon, and Bannock counties.
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Everett, Washington, man charged federally for possessing firearm stolen from Seattle Police Department vehicle during May 30 riotRead the Press Release
Seattle – A 24-year-old Everett resident appeared in U.S. District Court in Seattle today charged with possession of a stolen firearm in connection with a high-powered rifle taken during a downtown Seattle riot on May 30, 2020, announced U.S. Attorney Brian T. Moran. JACOB D. LITTLE was captured by both Seattle Police surveillance photos and images posted online with the large bag used to store the Colt M4 rifle with a suppressor. The rifle still has not been recovered.
Using not only the images captured of the riot scene, but tips from the public, Seattle Police investigators linked LITTLE to the stolen firearm. Images show a man that appears to be LITTLE removing the heavy bag from a Seattle Police vehicle parked outside the downtown Nordstrom store. The vehicles were heavily damaged and ultimately burned by rioters. The investigation reveals that in electronic messages following the theft, LITTLE appears to be negotiating the sale of the firearm. He states in the messages that he has removed the sling and suppressor and the “red dot” (a type of optical sight) from the rifle. All those accessories were present on the rifle when stolen from the Seattle Police vehicle.
The charges contained in the complaint are only allegations. A person is presumed innocent unless and until he or she is proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Possession of a stolen firearm is punishable by up to ten years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
The case is being investigated by the Seattle Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives (ATF), with assistance from the Snohomish County Violent Offender Task Force and the United States Marshals Service. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kate Crisham.
Convicted Felon with Prior Domestic Violence History Given 5 Year Sentence for Gun PossessionRead the Press Release
Memphis, TN – Clinton Towles, 39, has been sentenced to 60 months in federal prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm. D. Michael Dunavant, U.S. Attorney announced the sentence today.
According to information presented in Court, on April 28, 2019, at approximately 3:00 a.m., Memphis Police Officers responded to an aggravated assault call in the 600 block of Pearce Street. A victim advised that an unknown male was intoxicated and beating on her mother's vehicle parked on the street and when she confronted the suspect, he threatened to shoot her and pointed a revolver at her and other family members.
When officers arrived on the scene, a person matching the suspect's description was walking nearby the house. Officers searched him and found a revolver in his waistband along with 6 spent shell casings. The victims immediately recognized the person as the suspect who pointed the gun at them. The defendant initially gave the police his name as Curtis Gilchrease. When the officers discovered Towles gave false identification, he advised law enforcement that he used his uncle’s name because he was a convicted felon.
As a result of his prior felony convictions including reckless aggravated assault, and several misdemeanor convictions for domestic assault involving bodily injury, Towles is prohibited by federal law from possession of firearms or ammunition.
On February 21, 2020, Towles pled guilty to being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm and possessing a firearm after having been convicted of a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence.
On September 3, 2020, U.S. District Court Judge Thomas L. Parker sentenced Towles to 60 months in federal prison, followed by 3 years supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system. Towles is also charged with aggravated assault in state court, and that case is still pending.
U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant said, "Based upon his prior criminal history, Towles has demonstrated his propensity for violence. Under our PSN and Project Guardian initiatives, we focus on removing firearms from the hands of prohibited persons, and removing dangerous offenders from our streets. Clearly, this recidivist had no hesitation in committing another violent crime with a firearm, and he will now be rightly punished and removed from the community for 5 years."
This case was investigated by the Memphis Police Department and Project Safe Neighborhoods Task Force. The Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) initiative is a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. In 2017, PSN was reinvigorated as part of the Justice Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally based strategies to reduce violent crime. Project Guardian is a new DOJ initiative designed to reduce gun violence and enforce federal firearms laws across the country by focusing on investigating, prosecuting, and preventing gun crimes.
Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Samuel D. Winnig prosecuted this case on behalf of the government. SAUSA Winnig is currently assigned from the Shelby County District Attorney General’s Office for the purpose of prosecuting violent crimes and firearms offenses in federal court.
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Convicted Felon Sentenced to 9 Years in Prison for Drug Trafficking and Firearm Related OffensesRead the Press Release
GAINESVILLE, FLORIDA – Burgess Green, 41, of Ocala, Florida, was sentenced on September 1, 2020, to a total of 9 years in federal prison after pleading guilty on September 19, 2019, to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute more than 50 grams methamphetamine and possessing a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking. Green is now a fourteen-time convicted felon with prior convictions for sale of cocaine and possession with intent to sell cocaine and cannabis, evidence tampering, fleeing/eluding law enforcement, and possession of cocaine. Lawrence Keefe, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida, announced the sentence.
“The sale and use of methamphetamines in our communities has devastating and wide-reaching effects and must be stopped,” said U.S. Attorney Keefe. “With the help of our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners, we will continue to pursue, prosecute, and punish those who bring these drugs into hometowns across Northern Florida.”
Agents from the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) have been working with deputies from the Dixie County Sheriff’s Office (DCSO) to investigate and prosecute individuals who are distributing large amounts of methamphetamine in the Dixie County area. On June 5, 2019, agents learned that Green was in Dixie County to deliver methamphetamine. As he was leaving Dixie County, DCSO deputies alerted the Levy County Sheriff’s Office (LCSO). LCSO deputies identified the vehicle Green was traveling in and conducted a traffic stop. During the search that followed, deputies found that Green was in possession of more than $2,000 cash. They also located a loaded pistol in the vehicle. Green admitted that he had just delivered methamphetamine to individuals in Dixie County and that the cash was proceeds from those sales. Green also admitted the firearm was his.
“Those who distribute dangerous drugs in our communities endanger lives,” said Keith Weis, Acting Special Agent in Charge for the DEA Miami Field Division. “The DEA Miami Field Division will continue our commitment to working with our law enforcement partners at all levels to investigate and stop violent drug trafficking in Florida.”
Further investigation by the DEA revealed that Green was involved with several others in an ongoing conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine in the Dixie County area. Agents determined that over the course of the conspiracy, Green had supplied over 5 kilograms worth of methamphetamine to individuals in Dixie County.
Green will serve 7 years on the conspiracy to traffic in methamphetamine charge followed by 2 years on the firearm charge. The Court also ordered 5 years of supervised release following Green’s prison term. This sentencing resulted from the collaborative work of the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Dixie County Sheriff’s Office, and the Levy County Sheriff’s Office. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Chris Elsey.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.
Press Release U.S. vs Burgess GreenControlled Substance Disposal Company Pays to Resolve Allegations of Civil LiabilityRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney William M. McSwain announced that Specialty Disposal Services, Inc., a controlled substance disposal company with its principal place of business in New Jersey, will pay $137,500 and enter into an administrative memorandum of agreement with the Drug Enforcement Administration to resolve allegations that the company negligently failed to complete required records regarding the disposal of certain controlled substances.
Specialty Disposal Services (SDS) is registered with the DEA as a reverse distributor. The settlement announced today resolves allegations that SDS negligently failed to make and keep records required by the Controlled Substances Act for reverse distributors arising from SDS’s transportation of controlled substances to a third-party facility in Morrisville, PA. In particular, the settlement resolves allegations that SDS negligently failed to properly complete the DEA form requiring verification that SDS’s employees witnessed the destruction of the controlled substances, which ultimately led to some of those controlled substances being subject to diversion by employees of the third-party facility. There are no allegations, however, that SDS was aware of or involved in the diversion. The settlement resolves liability for SDS’s record-keeping from January 9, 2017 through September 30, 2018.
In addition to the $137,500 civil penalty, SDS entered into an administrative agreement with the DEA, in which it agreed to various compliance and monitoring measures such as ensuring its compliance with these regulatory obligations. SDS and the third-party facility cooperated with the government’s investigation.
“The accountability and record-keeping requirements imposed by the DEA for companies that handle controlled substances are critical in preventing diversion,” said U.S. Attorney McSwain. “This civil settlement acknowledges the important responsibilities that all controlled substance disposal companies have to comply with those requirements and to do their part to prevent controlled substances from falling into the wrong hands.”
“Reverse distributors like Specialty Disposal Services play an important role in the closed distribution system of pharmaceutical controlled substances,” said Jonathan A. Wilson, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) Philadelphia Field Division. “As such, their observation and documentation of the proper disposal of these same substances are essential to their responsibilities under the Controlled Substances Act.”
The civil investigation was conducted by the Philadelphia Field Division of the Drug Enforcement Administration. For the United States Attorney’s Office, Assistant United States Attorney Anthony D. Scicchitano handled the investigation and settlement.
The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only; there has been no determination of liability and no admission of any facts.
Clovis Man Charged with Attempted Online Enticement of Minor to Engage in Illegal Sex Acts and Receipt of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned a two-count indictment yesterday against Thomas Layman Binford, 55, of Clovis, California, charging him with separate counts of attempting coercion and enticement of a minor and receipt of material involving the sexual exploitation of minors, as well as receipt of child pornography, United States Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced.
According to court documents, Binford traveled to a park in Fresno, California on the evening of July 28, 2020, with the intent of meeting and engaging in illegal sex acts with a 13 year-old minor he had earlier met online through the Skout social media application. Upon his arrest at the park, his cell phone was seized and subsequently searched, where over 250 images of minors being sexually exploited were found.
This case was the product of an investigation by the Fresno County Sheriff’s Office, Clovis Police Department, Fresno Police Department, and the Fresno Office of Homeland Security Investigations, the investigative arm of the Department of Homeland Security. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian W. Enos is prosecuting the case.
If convicted of the attempted online enticement charge, Binford faces a mandatory minimum sentence of ten years and maximum statutory penalty of life in prison, and a $250,000 fine. If convicted of the receipt of child pornography charge, Binford faces a mandatory minimum sentence of fifteen years and maximum statutory penalty of forty years in prison, and a $250,000 fine. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute those who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. Click on the “resources” tab for information about Internet safety education.
Cedar Rapids Man Sentenced to 30 Years in Federal Prison for Sexual Exploitation of Children in the PhilippinesRead the Press Release
A man who sexually exploited children in the Philippines was sentenced today to 30 years in federal prison.
William Meyer, age 65, of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, received the sentence after a February 4, 2020 guilty plea to one count of sexual exploitation of children. At the plea hearing, Meyer admitted that between 2012 and 2019 he persuaded, induced, or enticed minors to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing visual depictions or transmitting live visual depictions of this conduct. The record at the sentencing hearing established that Meyer had traveled to the Philippines for charitable work. The live visual depictions included sexually explicit Skype video transmissions from at least six children in the Philippines, including three prepubescent girls.
Meyer was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams. Meyer was sentenced to 360 months’ imprisonment and fined $50,000. Special assessments of $5,100 were imposed and Meyer must also serve a five-year term of supervised release. He must comply with all sex offender registration and public notification requirements.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Mark Tremmel and was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc.
Court file information is available at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is CR 19-105.
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Catonsville Drug Dealer Pleads Guilty to Federal Charge of Conspiring to Distribute Fentanyl and Heroin in BaltimoreRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – Jermol McCoy, age 37, of Catonsville, Maryland, has pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute heroin and fentanyl. At the guilty plea hearing yesterday, McCoy also admitted that he committed this crime while on supervised release for a previous federal drug conviction.
The guilty plea was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Robert K. Hur; Assistant Special Agent in Charge Orville O. Greene of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Baltimore District Office; Special Agent in Charge Timothy Jones of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Baltimore Field Division; Commissioner Michael Harrison of the Baltimore Police Department; Colonel Woodrow W. Jones III, Superintendent of the Maryland State Police (MSP); Secretary Robert L. Green of the Maryland Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services (DPSCS); and Baltimore City State’s Attorney Marilyn Mosby.
According to his guilty plea, from at least 2018 through 2019, McCoy conspired with others to distribute heroin, fentanyl, and crack cocaine in and around Baltimore. During the investigation, law enforcement intercepted phone calls and text messages in which McCoy made plans to distribute drugs, spoke about the hierarchy of the drug trafficking organization, and discussed methods to avoid detection by law enforcement.
On November 21, 2019, law enforcement executed a search warrant at McCoy’s apartment in Catonsville, which he used to manufacture and distribute controlled substances. Law enforcement recovered 4.9 grams of fentanyl in a plastic bag behind the microwave, cutting agent, and drug paraphernalia, including a kilogram press, digital scales, three boxes of plastic baggies, and cellular phones. In addition, law enforcement recovered a loaded 9mm semi-automatic pistol concealed in a bag in the bedroom. McCoy is prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition as a result of his previous felony conviction.
McCoy and the government have agreed that, if the Court accepts the plea agreement, McCoy will be sentenced to 10 years in federal prison. U.S. District Judge Richard D. Bennett has scheduled sentencing for December 15, 2020.
United States Attorney Robert K. Hur commended the DEA, the ATF, the Baltimore Police Department, MSP, DPSCS and the Office of the State’s Attorney for Baltimore City for their work in the investigation. Mr. Hur thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joan C. Mathias and Michael C. Hanlon, who are prosecuting this Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force case.
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Career Drug Trafficker Sentenced to 15+ Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
MACON, Ga. – A drug trafficker with past criminal convictions was sentenced to more than 15 years in prison as the result of a lengthy investigation in the Warner Robins, Georgia area, said Charles “Charlie” Peeler, the United States Attorney for the Middle District of Georgia.
Robert Law, 36, of Lizella, Georgia was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Marc Treadwell on Tuesday, September 1 to 188 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release after he pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine and cocaine base. There is no parole in the federal system.
Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and Warner Robins Police Department (WRPD) agents received information from confidential informants that Law was trafficking illegal drugs, including cocaine, in Warner Robins, Georgia. During the course of the investigation from May 2018 until September 2018, agents recorded Law coordinating the distribution of cocaine and conducted controlled buys through confidential informants. In all, Law distributed 1091.1 grams cocaine hydrochloride and 121.67 cocaine base. Law is a career offender, with previous convictions for possession with intent to distribute cocaine, sale of cocaine and trafficking cocaine.
“Law has demonstrated zero respect for the laws that govern our communities with his continued and prolific distribution of cocaine in Middle Georgia,” said Charlie Peeler, the U.S. Attorney. “Thanks to the excellent investigative work by the DEA and the Warner Robins Police Department, another drug trafficker is off the streets and won’t be able to push illicit and deadly substances in Warner Robins.”
“We want to send a clear message that Robert Law’s sentencing illustrates the seriousness that comes with the distribution of large volumes of poison to the community. This sentence appropriately fits the defendant’s level of criminal activity,” said Robert J. Murphy, the Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Division. “The investigation of this case was a success because of the efforts between DEA and its law enforcement counterparts.”
“Warner Robins Police are appreciative of the dedication, determination and cooperation of the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the DEA to rid our community of a long-serving drug dealer. Mr. Law’s drug tradecraft has resulted in criminal acts and violence that immeasurably affects all aspects of community life. We can be assured he will no longer be an obstacle to a safer environment for our future,” said Warner Robins Police Chief John Wagner.
The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the Warner Robins Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Charles Calhoun and Steven Ouzts prosecuted the case for the Government. Questions can be directed to Pamela Lightsey, Public Information Officer, United States Attorney’s Office, at (478) 621-2603 or Melissa Hodges, Public Affairs Director (Contractor), United States Attorney’s Office, at (478) 765-2362.
Broken Arrow Man Receives 36 Months Probation for Making Counterfeit ObligationRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Aaron Robert Schupp, age 36, of Broken Arrow, Oklahoma was sentenced to 3 years of probation for Making Counterfeit Obligation, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 471. The charges arose from an investigation by the Broken Arrow Police Department and the United States Secret Service.
The Indictment alleged that beginning in or about September 2018, and continuing until on or about September 17, 2019, the Defendant, with intent to defraud, falsely made, forged, counterfeited and altered an obligation of the United States, fifteen counterfeited twenty-dollar Federal Reserve Notes, and six counterfeited one-hundred-dollar Federal Reserve Notes.
United States Attorney Brian J. Kuester said, “Counterfeiters can very quickly do a lot of harm to a community by injecting worthless currency into unsuspecting local businesses. Fortunately for the City of Broken Arrow and the surrounding areas, a prompt and thorough investigation by the Broken Arrow Police Department and the United States Secret Service, this scheme came to an abrupt halt.”
“The United States Secret Service aggressively investigates the manufacturing and distribution of counterfeit currency in order to protect the integrity of our financial systems,” said Douglas Farrell, Resident Agent in Charge of the Tulsa U.S. Secret Service Office. “Counterfeiting victimizes everyone in our community and can be especially devastating to small business where a significant loss can cripple an operating budget. The effective partnership between the Secret Service and the Broken Arrow Police Department led to successful prosecution of this case and sends a strong message that our community will not tolerate these type of criminal offenses.”
The Honorable Ronald A. White, U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, in Muskogee, presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Clay Compton represented the United States.
Boulder Man Sentenced for Possessing Tens of Thousands of Images and Videos of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
DENVER – United States Attorney Jason R. Dunn announced that Wesley David Gilreath, age 30, of Boulder, was sentenced today to serve 186 months in federal prison (15.5 years) followed by 10 years on supervised release for possession of child pornography. Gilreath was remanded at the conclusion of the sentencing hearing. The Denver office of the FBI joined in today’s announcement.
According to the stipulated facts contained in his plea agreement, the FBI searched Gilreath’s phone pursuant to a federal search warrant after it was found on a bus. The contents of Gilreath’s phone included approximately 12,000 images and 200 videos depicting child pornography. Gilreath also used the phone to seek out child pornography.
On July 31, 2019, the defendant was arrested pursuant to a federal warrant. During a subsequent search of his residence, FBI agents seized a thumb drive with approximately 22,000 images and 2,400 videos depicting child pornography. Agents also seized a second phone with approximately 4,750 images and 1,400 videos depicting child pornography. The child pornography on the thumb drive and both of the defendant’s phones included images and videos depicting the sexual abuse and torture of toddlers and infants. In addition, Gilreath used various social media, including three Twitter accounts and one Gab account, to knowingly receive, transport and distribute child pornography.
During the sentencing hearing, evidence was presented to the court that Gilreath had posted “hunting guides” online targeting Jews, Muslims, and other groups. During the search of the defendant’s residence, agents found: a full-size Nazi flag, two full-size black and white flags bearing symbols associated with white supremacy; a book titled “National Anarchism”; a book titled “American Terrorist: Timothy McVeigh and the Oklahoma City Bombing”; a book titled “In Bad Company: America’s Terrorist Underground”; and a tee-shirt bearing Timothy McVeigh’s face, among other items. Agents also found hand-written notes bearing the names and addresses of 15 Mosques, Synagogues, religious centers and other locations, all less than 35 miles from the defendant’s apartment. Additionally, the investigation revealed that in May 2019, Gilreath attempted to purchase a firearm, but that purchase was denied following a query of the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS).
“While one image of child pornography is horrific, tens of thousands of images and videos in the possession of one person is almost incomprehensible in its depravity and wickedness. While we can never return the lost innocence that this defendant has stolen, this sentence ensures that he can no longer contribute to the market for these images,” said U.S. Attorney Jason Dunn. “Mr. Gilreath was also a credible threat to various religious communities in Colorado. They can now rest assured that that threat has been stopped for at least a very long time.”
“The FBI will continue to do everything in its power to stop children from being exploited and bring justice to those responsible,” said FBI Denver Special Agent in Charge Michael Schneider. “This case is a great example of the work that can be done when state and federal partners collaborate to hold those accountable for their actions. We appreciate the dedication of the Boulder Police Department, RTD, and United States Attorney's Office in this investigation.”
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Julia Martinez.
The sentence was pronounced by U.S. District Court Judge Raymond P. Moore. This case was investigated by the FBI with support from the Boulder Police Department, RTD, and the Rocky Mountain Regional Computer Forensic Lab.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado. Related court documents can be found on PACER by searching for Case Number 19-cr-384.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Blue Springs Man Sentenced to 30 Years for Meth ConspiracyRead the Press Release
Neal A. NorlesSPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Blue Springs, Missouri, man was sentenced in federal court today for his role in a conspiracy to distribute large quantities of methamphetamine in southwest Missouri.
Neal A. Norles, 31, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Roseann Ketchmark to 30 years in federal prison without parole.
On Sept. 5, 2019, Norles pleaded guilty to possessing methamphetamine with the intent to distribute.
Norles served as a methamphetamine source for a large-scale, multi-state drug-trafficking organization that distributed at least 13.28 kilograms of pure methamphetamine. Norles transported the methamphetamine from California to Missouri and distributed that methamphetamine to high-level dealers in Kansas City and southwest Missouri.
During the course of the investigation, a Missouri State Highway Patrol trooper seized nearly 2.4 kilograms of methamphetamine from a Dodge Charger in which Norles was a passenger during a traffic stop on Interstate 44 in Newton County, Missouri, on Jan. 22, 2019. During a search of the Charger, a trooper found five vacuum-sealed packages of methamphetamine, weighing approximately 2,384 grams, hidden in the rear-windshield-deck trim. The traffic stop was made while Norles was returning from a trip to Los Angeles, California.
Norles possessed firearms in connection with his drug-trafficking activities and exchanged methamphetamine for firearms.
The government introduced evidence at court that Norles glamorized this violent life with his posts on social media. In one image, Norles is pointing three firearms at the viewer and the image is captioned, “Last sight he seen.” In the second image, Norles is pointing a firearm at the viewer with the caption “…IMA SHOOTER!!” In a third image, Norles is pointing a firearm at himself, while consuming what appears to be marijuana, with the caption “going out by the gun.” In the last image, Norles is holding a firearm and what appears to be a marijuana roach with the caption “…on me foreva!!”
Norles is the second defendant sentenced in this case. Co-defendant Brent A. Tribble, 30, of Kirbyville, Missouri, was sentenced on March 5, 2020, to 24 years in federal prison without parole. Co-defendants Stephan D. Samons, 30, of Camdenton, Missouri, and April E. Luke, 32, of Springfield, Missouri have pleaded guilty and await sentencing.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Nhan D. Nguyen. It was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Missouri State Highway Patrol, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Alabama Man Pleads Guilty to Violating Federal Sex Offender Registration and Notification ActRead the Press Release
John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that YAMIL DIAZ, 48, formerly of Alabama, waived his right to be indicted and pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Judge Jeffrey A. Meyer in New Haven to one count of failing to register as a sex offender.
The Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (“SORNA”), which was passed by Congress in 2006 as part of the Adam Walsh Act, provides a comprehensive set of minimum standards for sex offender registration and notification in the United States and seeks to strengthen the nationwide network of sex offender registration and notification programs. In part, SORNA requires registered sex offenders to register and keep their registration current in each jurisdiction in which they reside, work, or go to school.
According to court documents and statements made in court, in May 2019, Diaz was convicted in Alabama of attempted sexual abuse of a child less than 12 years of age. He received a sentenced of 120 months of incarceration, suspended after seven months, and two years of supervised probation. In July 2019, Diaz registered as a sex offender with the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency Sex Offender Registration Unit. Diaz acknowledged in writing that he was required to register as a sex offender in each jurisdiction where he resided.
In August 2019, Diaz traveled from Alabama to Connecticut and, from at least November 2019 to February 24, 2020, he resided and worked as a mechanic in Waterbury. Diaz failed to register as a sex offender with the Connecticut Sex Offender Registry, as required under SORNA.
In September 2019, a court in Coffee County issued an arrest warrant for Diaz for violating his probation. On February 24, 2020, the U.S. Marshals Service Fugitive Task Force located Diaz in Waterbury and arrested him on the outstanding Alabama warrant. He has been detained since his arrest.
Judge Meyer scheduled sentencing for November 30, 2020, at which time Diaz faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years.
This matter is being investigated by the United States Marshal Service. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Hal Chen.
3 Florida men charged with stealing credit, tax refunds, COVID-19 stimulus checks in bank fraud conspiracy involving more than $1 million in lossesRead the Press Release
CINCINNATI – A federal grand jury has charged three Florida men in a financial fraud conspiracy that allegedly involved stealing identities in order to fraudulently obtain credit, tax refunds, and COVID-19 stimulus checks. Several of the victims of their alleged scheme resided in the Southern District of Ohio.
Adesh Alvin Bissoon, 41, of Miami Beach, Fla.; Michael Jacques Joseph, 37, of Miami Beach, Fla.; and Victor Torres, 38, of Apollo Beach, Fla.; are charged with defrauding at least 11 banks.
According to the indictment, from 2012 through August 2020, the co-conspirators used the Dark Web to obtain personally identifiable information (PII) on individuals, including victims who at the time lived in the Southern District of Ohio.
As part of the conspiracy, the three defendants allegedly used the IRS’s eAuthentication service to verify that the stolen PII was accurate and therefore useful in furtherance of the fraud. After verifying the PII, the defendants allegedly filed fraudulent tax returns in the names of some of the victims, causing those victims’ tax refunds and COVID-19 stimulus checks to be deposited into bank accounts controlled by the defendants.
It is also alleged that the defendants used the victims’ information to create fraudulent Social Security cards and driver’s licenses, which they then used to open financial accounts in the victims’ names. The conspirators allegedly profited from the scheme by requesting convenience checks in high dollar amounts from the fraudulently opened accounts. Bissoon, Joseph and Torres also registered LLCs with states and the IRS in order to obtain business credit cards with higher credit limits, according to the five-count indictment.
Bissoon was initially charged by criminal complaint and released on bond in the Florida. The government later moved to revoke Bissoon’s pretrial release, alleging he had committed new crimes. On Aug. 28, United States Magistrate Judge Karen L. Litkovitz revoked Bissoon’s pretrial release after finding probable cause to believe that Bissoon had attempted to steal another $150,000 from a bank while on release by falsely claiming to be the victim of unauthorized bank transfers.
To date, agents have identified more than $1 million in suspected criminal proceeds flowing through accounts associated with Bissoon alone.
Each of the three defendants has now been arrested and charged with conspiracy to commit bank fraud (up to 30 years in prison), two counts of mail fraud affecting a financial institution (up to 30 years in prison) and two counts of aggravated identity theft (additional two years in prison).
David M. DeVillers, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, and J. Russell George, the United States Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration, announced the charges. Assistant United States Attorneys Julie D. Garcia and Ebunoluwa A. Taiwo are representing the United States in this case.
An indictment merely contains allegations, and defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.
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27 Members of International Cocaine Conspiracy That Trafficked HundredsRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, PA – Twenty-seven members of an international drug organization were indicted by a federal grand jury for trafficking significant quantities of cocaine from Mexico into the United States, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced today. "Operation Tripwire," a two-year investigation with international, federal, state and local partners, identified and dismantled the organization’s national network and operations from California and Arizona to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. This investigation and prosecution relied on critical partnerships and resources, made available by the Office of National Drug Control Policy’s designation of Allegheny County as a High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) on September 24, 2018.
"We stand shoulder to shoulder with our state and local partners to fight Mexican cartels from operating in western Pennsylvania," said U.S. Attorney Brady. "This investigation dismantled a large-scale drug trafficking pipeline that brought major quantities of cocaine from Mexican cartels, into the United States through California and Arizona, and across the country to the streets of Pittsburgh. ‘Operation Tripwire’ began shortly after Allegheny County’s designation as a High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area, and represents the most significant HIDTA prosecution to date. The HIDTA designation of our largest counties enhances our ability to identify and dismantle international drug trafficking organizations which pose a serious, sustained threat to our communities."
"Today the DEA District Office in Pittsburgh, the United States Postal Service’s Office of Inspector General, and our other law enforcement counterparts dismantled an international cocaine drug trafficking organization that operated in Los Angeles, Tucson, and Mexico," said Jonathan A. Wilson, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) Philadelphia Field Division. "This case is another example of how essential law enforcement collaboration is in combatting drug trafficking. The DEA is thankful for its partnerships across Western Pennsylvania."
"We won’t back down, communities need law enforcement to work together as we’ve done in Operation Tripwire," Attorney General Josh Shapiro said. "We work every day to stop those who bring dangerous drugs and guns into our neighborhoods. We are dedicated to working collaboratively to ensure the safety of communities across Pennsylvania."
"The function of the Postal Service is to deliver the nation’s mail, not transport illegal drugs into our community for drug traffickers. Special agents with the United States Postal Service Office of Inspector General, using advanced analytical tools, are always on the look-out for those who seek to abuse the mail system by sending drug parcels in the mail," said USPS OIG Special Agent in Charge Kenneth Cleevely of the Eastern Area Field Office. "Drug traffickers should be put on notice that when we identify a suspicious parcel, we will use all of our investigative resources to identify those responsible. We will work with our law enforcement partners to seize drug traffickers’ narcotics and money, and seek to put them in prison. To report drug traffickers abusing the mail, or to report other crimes involving postal employees, contact USPS OIG special agents at www.uspsoig.gov or 888-USPS-OIG."
The Indictment charges the following individuals with conspiring to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine, in the Western District of Pennsylvania and elsewhere, from in and around October 2018, and continuing until in and around June 2020:
- Jamaal Maragh (a/k/a “Alrick Williams” a/k/a “Frederick Vanlierop”), 38, of Turtle Creek, PA;
- Noel Perez Aguilar (a/k/a “Venado”), 48, of Los Angeles, CA;
- Juan Carlos Alejandres, 26, of Los Angeles, CA;
- Dino Aquiline, 61, of Pittsburgh, PA;
- Ramon S. Araiza-Vega, 27, of Rio Rico, AZ;
- Jose D. Delosrios Benitez (a/k/a “McQueen”), 30, of Inglewood, CA;
- Johnny Bravo, Jr., 32, of Los Angeles, CA;
- Lucien Burton, 50, of Los Angeles, CA;
- Keith L. Clark, 49, of Pittsburgh, PA;
- Antonio Egurrola-Gamboa (a/k/a “Chango”), 32, of Tucson, AZ;
- Roberto Egurrola-Vasquez (a/k/a “Gordito”), 32, of Tucson, AZ;
- Sherita James, 34, of McKees Rocks, PA;
- Howard E. Johnson III, 30, of Pittsburgh, PA;
- Alexis A. Perez Lopez, 44, of Los Angeles, CA;
- Clayton F. Manning, 43, of Los Angeles, CA;
- John W. Montgomery, 32, of Tarentum, PA;
- Manuel J. Murrietta, 52, of Nogales, AZ;
- Patricia Murrietta, 49, of Nogales, AZ;
- Rachel M. Novalesi, 37, of Rochester, PA;
- Justo Edgardo Parra Jr., 28, of Nogales, AZ;
- Robert E. Reed II, 60, of Verona, PA;
- Odean Samuels (a/k/a “Martin ONeil”, a/k/a “Smokey”), 32, of Canoga Park, CA;
- Manuel Silvestre, 49, of Los Angeles, CA;
- Kevin Thomas Jr., 33, of Pittsburgh, PA;
- Steven L. Trent Jr., 50, of Penn Hills, PA;
- Darrick Watkins, 50, of Los Angeles, CA; and
- Kressmore J. Watson, 33, of Los Angeles, CA.
The Indictment additionally charges Defendant Trent with possessing with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine, and with unlawfully possessing a firearm and ammunition as a convicted felon, in Western District of Pennsylvania, on or about March 4, 2020. Federal law prohibits a convicted felon from possessing a firearm or ammunition.
The law provides for a maximum total sentence of not less than ten years to a maximum of life imprisonment, a fine of up to $10,000,000, or both, as to each charged Defendant. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentences imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history of the defendants.
Assistant United States Attorney Jerome A. Moschetta is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Drug Enforcement Administration (in Pittsburgh, PA) and the United States Postal Service – Office of Inspector General led the multi-agency investigation that included members of the Drug Enforcement Administration (in Los Angeles, CA; in Tucson, AZ; in New York, NY; in Nashville, TN; at the Special Operations Division; and in Mexico); the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General; the Los Angeles Police Department; the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police; the Allegheny County Police Department; the New Castle Police Department; the Monessen Police Department; and the Pennsylvania State Police.
An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Thursday 3 September 2020
Zephyrhills Man Sentenced to 150 Years for Sexually Exploiting Multiple Young ChildrenRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – U.S. District Judge Carlos E. Mendoza today sentenced Edgar Johan Diaz-Colon (34, Zephyrhills) to 150 years in federal prison for sexually exploiting children. Diaz-Colon had pleaded guilty on April 22, 2020.
According to court documents and evidence presented at sentencing, in 2018 and 2019, Diaz-Colon sexually abused three young children. Two of the victims (who were then six and seven years old) lived near Diaz-Colon, and he lured them to the studio where he was staying. There, on multiple occasions, he repeatedly raped the children and forced them to perform sex acts on him. Diaz-Colon video-recorded some of those incidents. He also hit at least one of the children with a belt and taped her mouth shut when she cried for help. Diaz-Colon threatened to kill the child if she told her parents about his abuse.
The third victim was three years old when Diaz-Colon had abused her. In at least one instance, he video-recorded himself molesting the child.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Sanford Police Department, and the Pasco County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Emily C. L. Chang.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Washington State Man Charged with Civil Disorder After Assaulting Portland Police OfficerRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Ore.—Kristopher Michael Donnelly, 26, of Kelso, Washington, has been charged by criminal complaint with civil disorder after assaulting a local police officer and being arrested during East Portland riots on August 5 and 8, 2020.
According to court documents, at approximately 10:30pm on August 5, 2020, Donnelly was observed using a hammer to destroy a window at the police bureau’s East Precinct on Southeast 106th Avenue in Portland. Donnelly was spotted by police throwing hard objects capable of causing injury, refusing to disperse, and blocking traffic. When a Portland officer attempted to arrest Donnelly, he forcefully struck the officer in the face with his elbow. He continued to resist arrest, requiring several more officers to assist. Donnelly was eventually arrested by Portland Police for riot, second degree disorderly conduct, interfering with a public safety officer, assaulting a public safety officer, vandalism, and resisting arrest.
On August 8, 2020, Donnelly was again arrested by Portland Police during a declared riot outside the Penumbra Kelly Building, a police facility on East Burnside Street in Portland, for interfering with a public safety officer, riot, and second degree disorderly conduct. Donnelly was observed by law enforcement blocking the street and throwing hard objects. Donnelly attempted to flee from officers and resisted arrest before successfully being taken into custody.
On August 30, 2020, Donnelly was arrested a third time for riot-related offenses. He was transferred to federal authorities on September 2, 2020 for his first appearance in federal court. If convicted in federal court, Donnelly faces a maximum sentence of five years in federal prison.
This case was investigated by the FBI. It is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Oregon.
A criminal complaint is only an accusation of a crime, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Ville Platte Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Federal Drug ChargesRead the Press Release
LAFAYETTE, La. – Acting United States Attorney Alexander C. Van Hook announced that Rondrekus Soileau a/k/a “Drake,” aka “D,” 28, of Ville Platte, Louisiana, was sentenced today. United States District Judge Michael J. Juneau sentenced Soileau to 74 months (6 years, 2 months) in prison followed by 4 years of supervised release for conspiracy to distribute and possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance. Soileau pleaded guilty on December 12, 2019.
According to information presented to the court, between January and April of 2019, Rondrekus Soileau purchased methamphetamine from a co-defendant approximately every other week. Soileau arranged purchases of methamphetamine using his cell phone and the transactions involved quantities of one-half ounce of methamphetamine. After purchasing the methamphetamine, Soileau sold some of it for profit and kept some of it for his own personal use.
This prosecution is part of a larger investigation conducted by the DEA through its Southwest Louisiana HIDTA Task Force and Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Forces. The Louisiana State Police Narcotics Division initiated the investigation, and Special Agents with DEA, as well as Task Force Officers assigned to the Southwest Louisiana HIDTA Task Force, completed the investigation. In addition to the above conviction and sentence, the investigation resulted in the dismantling of a drug trafficking organization in Ville Platte, Louisiana. Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert C. Abendroth prosecuted the case.
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Ventura County Man Arrested on Federal Indictment for Alleged Attempted Enticement of Minors to Produce Child PornographyRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – A Ventura County man was arrested today by FBI special agents on a five-count federal grand jury indictment charging him with using the Skype internet messenger service to pay facilitators overseas to live-stream the sexual and physical abuse of female minors.
William Hayes, 57, of Newbury Park, whose online aliases include “ko hong,” “hokong69,” and “brianwilson2461,” is charged with one count of attempted production of child pornography, two counts of attempted enticement of a minor to engage in criminal sexual activity, and two counts of possession of child pornography.
Hayes is expected to make his initial appearance in United States District Court this afternoon.
According to the indictment, from April 2017 to August 2019, Hayes used Skype to attempt to entice underage girls to engage in illicit sexual activity that would be live-streamed on the internet for him to watch. Hayes allegedly offered to pay money after the acts were live-streamed. In other messages, he offered to pay to have acts of torture and cruelty inflicted on the minors, the indictment alleges.
Hayes also allegedly possessed images child pornography – depicting prepubescent minors – on his personal computer and a hard drive.
An indictment contains allegations that a defendant has committed a crime. Every defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
If convicted of all charges, Hayes would face a statutory maximum sentence of life in federal prison and a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years.
The FBI investigated this case. Anyone with information concerning this matter is encouraged to contact the FBI’s Los Angeles field office at (310) 477-6565.
This matter is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Jeffrey M. Chemerinsky and Kevin J. Butler of the Violent and Organized Crime Section.
Vallejo Man Pleads Guilty to Illegally Possessing a FirearmRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Joshua Wayne Thompson, 25, of Vallejo, pleadedd guilty today to being a felon in possession of a firearm, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced.
According to court documents, on Nov. 18, 2019, law enforcement arrested Thompson on multiple felony warrants. Before the arrest, law enforcement witnessed Thompson exit a home in Vallejo and approached him. Thompson ran toward and entered the driver’s side door of a Ford Fusion. While attempting to flee, Thompson rammed the Ford into a Deputy U.S. Marshal’s vehicle. Law enforcement converged on the Ford, removed Thompson, and placed him under arrest. At the time of the arrest, Thompson possessed a loaded pistol with a 25-round extended magazine. Thompson cannot possess a firearm or ammunition because he previously was convicted of a felony offense.
This case is a product of an investigation by the U.S. Marshals Service, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, and the California Highway Patrol. Assistant United States Attorney Matthew Thuesen is prosecuting the case.
U.S. District Judge Morrison C. England, Jr., is scheduled to sentence Thompson on December 3, 2020. Thompson faces a maximum statutory penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. The Department of Justice reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally based strategies to reduce violent crime. To learn more about Project Safe Neighborhoods, go to www.justice.gov/psn.
This case also 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 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, please see https://www.justice.gov.
Urgent Care Provider Convicted of Health Care Fraud and Ordered to Pay $12.5 MillionRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – Last week, UCXtra Umbrella, LLC, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Michael T. Liburdi and ordered to pay $12,500,000 in restitution. UCXtra Umbrella, LLC, had previously pleaded guilty to health care fraud and engaging in monetary transactions derived from unlawful activity.
UCXtra Umbrella, LLC, which did business in Arizona under the name “Urgent Care Extra,” owned and operated a network of more than 30 urgent care centers, primarily in the Phoenix and Tucson areas. From 2012 through 2016, more than one million patient visits occurred at UCXtra clinics in Arizona.
As part of its guilty plea, UCXtra admitted that it intentionally created patient care practices and billing procedures that caused its providers and staff to overstate the complexity of the medical services provided to patients and claim falsely inflated reimbursement rates from health insurance companies. UCXtra also admitted that it encouraged providers and staff to order tests and procedures that may not have been medically necessary to justify higher billing codes and obtain higher reimbursement rates. The estimated loss to health insurance companies caused by UCXtra’s health care fraud scheme is $12,500,000.
“Greed-driven schemes like this one drive up health care costs and hurt all Americans,” said United States Attorney Michael Bailey. “This excellent investigation by the FBI and IRS will send a clear message to health care providers that fraudulent billing will be held to account.”
The Federal Bureau of Investigation and Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation conducted the investigation. Assistant United States Attorneys Peter Sexton and Bridget Minder handled the prosecution.
Update on Twin Cities Violent Crime Task ForceRead the Press Release
On July 8, 2020, United States Attorney Erica H. MacDonald announced the formation of a new Twin Cities Violent Crime Task Force (Task Force) in response to an extraordinary spike in gun violence and violent crime across the Twin Cities. The Task Force brought together Minnesota-based federal, state and local law enforcement resources to investigate, arrest, and prosecute individuals responsible for gun violence in our communities. Over the last 60 days, as a result of the efforts of the Task Force and its partner agencies, more than 156 illegal firearms have been taken off the streets and at least 22 individuals have been charged with federal firearms violations and related federal crimes such as robbery and carjacking. In addition, at least 19 individuals have been charged in state court. Operating out of a centralized command center, hosted first by FBI and then by the Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office, Task Force members have participated in daily briefings, shared information in real-time, and leveraged immediate access to data and intelligence analysis. Moving forward into the fall and winter, the collaborative efforts and interagency resources brought to bear by federal, state, and local partners will continue through a virtual platform. U.S. Attorney MacDonald remains steadfast in her commitment to make our streets safe by stemming the tide of gun violence.
The public may report tips by calling 1-800-CALLFBI (800-225-5324) or submit pictures and/or videos at www.fbi.gov/violence.
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United States Attorney’s Office, District of Minnesota: (612) 664-5600
U.S. Attorney’s Office Provides Update on Operation Legend in ChicagoRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — John R. Lausch, Jr., United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, today announced an update on Operation Legend in Chicago.
Operation Legend is a sustained, systematic and coordinated law enforcement initiative in which federal law enforcement agencies work in conjunction with state and local law enforcement to fight violent crime. As part of the initiative, the Department of Justice allocated additional investigators and resources to the FBI, DEA, ATF, and U.S. Marshals Service. The Department of Homeland Security’s Homeland Security Investigations also committed additional agents.
Since the operation’s launch in Chicago on July 22, 2020, through Aug. 31, 2020, 103 defendants have been charged with federal felony offenses relating to violent crime affecting the city of Chicago. Most defendants have been charged in the Northern District of Illinois, including more than 60 defendants facing a lead firearms-related charge, and more than 25 defendants facing a lead drug trafficking charge. In addition to the charges filed in the Northern District of Illinois, several cases involving false statements in the acquisition of a firearm have been filed in the Northern District of Indiana. Those cases were investigated with the assistance of the influx of ATF agents under Operation Legend, and some of the guns were later discovered in the Chicago area.
“The mission of Operation Legend is clear: reduce violent crime and save lives,” said John R. Lausch, Jr., United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois. “Enforcing the rule of law and holding offenders accountable for the crimes they commit are essential components of every reasonable strategy to ensure public safety in Chicago.”
“My Office is committed to focusing investigative and prosecutorial efforts on reducing gun violence in Northern Indiana,” said Thomas L. Kirsch II, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Indiana. “Our coordinated effort with the Northern District of Illinois proves that state borders do not save criminals from aggressive prosecution. We are working hard across the Districts to rid our streets of violent crime. Today with the announcement of more arrests from Operation Legend, we emphasize that we are working together to focus our resources on reducing violent crime and violence due to illegal firearms on both sides of the state line.”
Recent federal cases filed in Chicago with the assistance of Operation Legend include:
- A man was charged with a firearm offense for allegedly “straw purchasing” multiple guns in Indiana on behalf of a convicted felon in Chicago.
- A man was arrested on a federal robbery charge for allegedly robbing a United Parcel Service delivery truck last month. The driver was ordered to lay face down in the street while the man and two accomplices allegedly stole several boxes from the UPS truck.
- A man was indicted on carjacking charges for allegedly stealing a vehicle from two women at gunpoint in Chicago. The man allegedly discharged a handgun during the carjacking, which led to an additional firearm charge that is punishable by a maximum sentence of life in federal prison.
- A convicted felon with a history of firearm convictions was charged with a federal firearm offense after HSI agents and CPD officers executing an arrest warrant discovered two handguns and 70 rounds of ammunition in his Volvo convertible.
Several of the cases involving felons in illegal possession of firearms were charged directly in federal court after ATF agents worked side-by-side with the Chicago Police Department in neighborhoods of the city that have suffered through the highest number of shootings and homicides. In other firearm investigations, the U.S. Attorney’s Office has worked with the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office to determine the best forum in which to bring a prosecution.
During Operation Legend, the U.S. Attorney’s Office and its federal partners have also worked closely with the Cook County Sheriff’s Office and Illinois State Police.
Operation Legend is named in honor of four-year-old LeGend Taliferro, who was shot and killed while he slept on June 29, 2020, in Kansas City, Mo. A 22-year-old Kansas City man has been charged with LeGend’s murder. The arrest was the product of a coordinated effort by the Kansas City Police Department, FBI, and U.S. Marshals Service.
Operation Legend began in Kansas City on July 8, 2020. In addition to Chicago, it has expanded to Albuquerque, Cleveland, Detroit, Milwaukee, St. Louis, Memphis, and Indianapolis. In all of the operation’s cities thus far, there have been more than 2,000 state, local, and federal arrests. Of the individuals arrested, 476 have been charged in federal courts, including 249 with firearms offenses and 185 with drug-related offenses. In addition, law enforcement has seized 544 firearms, more than seven kilograms of fentanyl, 14 kilograms of heroin, 12 kilograms of cocaine, and 50 kilograms of methamphetamine.
U.S. Attorney Justin Herdman announces update on Operation Legend in the city of ClevelandRead the Press Release
On July 8, 2020, Attorney General William P. Barr announced the launch of Operation Legend, a sustained, systematic and coordinated law enforcement initiative in which federal law enforcement agencies work in conjunction with state and local law enforcement officials to fight violent crime. The initiative is named in honor of four-year-old LeGend Taliferro, who was shot and killed while he slept early in the morning of June 29 in Kansas City.
Launched first in Kansas City, MO., on July 8, 2020, the operation was expanded to Chicago and Albuquerque on July 22, 2020, to Cleveland, Detroit, and Milwaukee on July 29, 2020, to St. Louis and Memphis on August 6, 2020, and to Indianapolis on August 14, 2020.
Since the operation’s launch through Monday, August 31, 2020, more than 2000 arrests – included 147 for homicide – have been made; more than 544 firearms have been seized; and more than seven kilos of fentanyl, 14 kilos of heroin, 12 kilos of cocaine, and 50 kilos of methamphetamine have been seized.
Of those individuals arrested, 476 have been charged with federal offenses. Two hundred and forty-nine (249) of those defendants have been charged with firearms offenses, while 185 have been charged with drug-related crimes. The remaining defendants have been charged with various offenses.
“Operation Legend has had a strong start in the city of Cleveland and we hope to build upon this early success,” said U.S. Attorney Justin Herdman. “This initiative has already seen more than 50 defendants charged with federal crimes and has removed numerous firearms and drugs off our streets. This success is due to the strong partnership that we have here in Cleveland between city, state and federal law enforcement.”
The breakdown of federal charges in Cleveland is below.
Cleveland, Ohio
54 defendants have been charged with federal crimes outlined below.
- 39 defendants have been charged with narcotics-related offenses;
- 13 defendants have been charged with firearms-related offenses; and
- 2 defendants have been charged with other violent crimes.
To view Operation Legend results in other cities, click here.
U.S. Attorney Justin Herdman and city of Youngstown announce Operation Red-Zone ahead of Labor Day weekendRead the Press Release
U.S. Attorney Justin Herdman, Youngstown Mayor Jamael Tito Brown and Police Chief Robin Lees announced today the launch of Operation Red-Zone in the city of Youngstown over the Labor Day holiday weekend. Joining the U.S. Attorney, Youngstown Mayor and Police Chief today were representatives from the ATF, DEA, FBI, U.S. Marshals, Mahoning County Prosecutor, Mahoning County Sherriff and the Ohio State Highway Patrol.
“We are here today ahead of the Labor Day holiday weekend to announce the launch of Operation Red-Zone in the city of Youngstown,” said U.S. Attorney Herdman. “What this means is that if you are prohibited from possessing a firearm under federal law, either because you have a prior felony conviction, a prior misdemeanor conviction, or some other disqualifying condition, then you are in the Red-Zone. If you possess a firearm this weekend while in the Red-Zone, we are going to stop you and prosecute you in federal court.”
“These type of partnerships are beneficial to the city of Youngstown and its residents,” said Police Chief Robin Lees. “The city’s 19 homicides this year are just one shy from last year’s total. This is just one of many reasons why we need to target repeat gun offenders, put them behind bars, and make sure they stay there.”
“ATF is here with our law enforcement partners to encourage everyone to take a step back from the violence and enjoy a peaceful Labor Day weekend,” stated Roland Herndon, ATF’s Special Agent in Charge for the Columbus Field Division. “But be aware, if you choose to use firearms to commit crimes, ATF and our law enforcement partners will be there, working to hold you accountable for those acts.”
During the press conference, U.S. Attorney Herdman announced that the Northern District will pursue federal charges, where applicable, against individuals who are prohibited under federal law from possessing firearms, or who otherwise use firearms in a violent crime or drug trafficking offense. In addition, the U.S. Attorney announced that law enforcement agents with ATF, DEA, FBI and U.S. Marshals will be out in full force over the holiday weekend.
“The people of the city of Youngstown deserve peace and days and nights free from anxiety and fears caused by violent criminals, said U.S. Attorney Herdman. "We will stop at nothing to ensure that people who are causing this violence are put in federal prison.”