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14 October 2020
Man Charged in Miami Federal Court with Making Online Threats to Injure and Kill Young WomanRead the Press Release
Miami, Fl. -- South Florida federal prosecutors have charged 21-year-old Mario F. Perez, of Spring, Texas, with cyberstalking by making repeated threats on social media to kill a young woman.
Ariana Fajardo Orshan, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, and George L. Piro, Special Agent in Charge, FBI, Miami Field Office, made the announcement.
The criminal complaint filed in the Southern District of Florida alleges that over the past six months, Perez created dozens of fake social media profiles to cyber stalk his victim, a young woman. Perez posted racist and derogatory comments in connection with the victim, including racist comments about black Americans. According to the complaint, Perez posted the location of the Florida home of the victim’s parents. He threatened to go to the home and hurt them.
When the victim moved from South Florida to Los Angeles in July 2020, the harassment and threats continued. The complaint alleges that Perez found the young woman’s home address and shared it on-line under a fake social media account and threatened to hurt or kill her.
Perez was arrested in Texas. He made his initial appearance in the Southern District of Texas before U.S. Magistrate Judge Frances Stacey, who sits in Houston. Hearings will occur in the Southern District of Texas and the Southern District of Florida. If convicted, Perez faces up to five years in federal prison.
FBI Miami and FBI Houston investigated this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Hillary Irvin is prosecuting it.
A criminal complaint is merely an accusation that contains allegations. A defendant is innocent unless and until found guilty in a court of law.
You may find a copy of this press release on the website of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida at www.usdoj.gov/usao/fls. You may find related court documents and information on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or on http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov. A copy of the complaint is attached.
Madison County Man Charged in Both Federal and State Courts for Unlawful Possession of Firearms and Possession of a Hoax Device During Civil UnrestRead the Press Release
Jackson, TN – Justin Coffman, 29, has been federally charged with being a drug user in possession of firearms, and has been indicted in state court for the criminal offense of possession of a hoax device. D. Michael Dunavant, U.S. Attorney announced the unsealing of the federal criminal complaint, and 26th Judicial District Attorney General Jody Pickens announced the state indictment by the Madison County Grand Jury today.
According to a federal complaint unsealed today, on June 1, 2020, Jackson Police Department began investigating Coffman who was posting photographs to his Facebook page and another page titled, "The Gunpowder Plot" that depicted him holding a Molotov cocktail near the Jackson City Court building. The photo also showed a Jackson Police Department transport van. Above the photo was a quote, "You will bathe in the flames born from your hatred." Coffman was also seen at two protests against police violence in the days leading up to the investigation.
Officers obtained a state search warrant for Coffman’s residence to search for the potential incendiary device, and located a glass bottle containing a liquid substance fashioned to appear like a Molotov cocktail, as well as two firearms: a Spikes Tactical model ST15 multi caliber AR type rifle, and a Sarsilmaz model SARK2P 9mm pistol in Coffman’s bedroom. Marijuana was also recovered.
As a result of further investigation by law enforcement, a federal criminal complaint was filed charging Coffman with being an unlawful user of drugs in possession of firearms, in violation of 18 USC §922(g)(3).
Coffman was also indicted by the Madison County Grand Jury and charged in state court by the 26th Judicial District Attorney General, Jody Pickens, for the Class C Felony offense of possession of a hoax device in violation of T.C.A. §39-17-1302, as well as the Class A misdemeanor offenses of possession of a Schedule VI controlled substance in violation of T.C.A. §39-17-418 and five counts of possession of drug paraphernalia in violation of T.C.A. §39-17-425.
U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant said: "Prohibited persons in possession of firearms such as unlawful users of illegal narcotics are always a public safety concern, but especially so when multiple weapons are recovered during a potentially volatile situation, such as civil unrest. We take all threats against law enforcement very seriously, and I commend the outstanding investigative work of our federal and local law enforcement partners in quickly responding to remove firearms and potentially dangerous devices from this offender."
Madison County District Attorney General Jody Pickens said: "I applaud the work of law enforcement in the investigation of this matter. It stands as a great example of cooperation between state and federal law enforcement."
If convicted, Coffman faces a sentence of up to 10 years in federal prison, followed by three years supervised release and a fine of $250,000 for the federal firearms offense; and a sentence from 3-15 years for the state felony hoax device offense. The federal charges will be presented to a federal grand jury at a later date to consider an indictment against the defendant. There is no parole in the federal system.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and Jackson Police Department investigated this case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Hillary Lawler Parham is prosecuting this case on behalf of the United States. The Madison County District Attorney General’s Office is prosecuting the case on behalf of the State of Tennessee.
The charges and allegations contained in the federal criminal complaint and state indictment are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
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Luray, Virginia Man Pleads Guilty to Drug ConspiracyRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Stanislaus John Richard Hensh, age 48, of Luray, Virginia entered a guilty plea to Drug Conspiracy, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Section 846, punishable by not less than 10 years imprisonment, a fine up to $10,000,000.00, or both.
The Indictment alleged that beginning on or about January 11, 2020, and continuing until on or about February 12, 2020, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma and elsewhere, the defendant, did willfully and knowingly combine, conspire, confederate, and agree with others known and unknown to the Grand Jury, to commit offenses against the United States.
The charges arose from an investigation by the Oklahoma Highway Patrol and the Drug Enforcement Administration.
The Honorable Steven P. Shreder, U.S. Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, in Muskogee, accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report.
Assistant United States Attorney Ryan Conway represented the United States.
Las Vegas Man Charged in Firearms Trafficking Case; Allegedly Made False Statements to Purchase FirearmsRead the Press Release
SALT LAKE CITY – A Las Vegas man is charged with nine counts of making a false statement during the acquisition of a firearm in a federal indictment returned by a grand jury in Salt Lake City, along with one count of dealing in firearms without a license and one count of travel within the United States with intent to violate federal law prohibiting dealing in firearms without a license.
The indictment alleges Gregory Alan Nelson, 32, knowingly made false written statements in connection with the acquisition of firearms intended to deceive the firearms dealer. Specifically, the indictment alleges Nelson falsely answered “yes” on an ATF form asking whether he was the actual buyer of the firearm. The counts in the indictment refer to a variety of firearms Hansen purchased from federal firearms licensees (FFLs) in Utah during May, June, July and August.
Charges allege Nelson purchased approximately 283 guns in Utah in 2020. Using a conservative estimate, he spent about $176,000 on the guns, including 147 Glock pistols.
“The time-to-crime evidence in this prosecution is troubling. Allegations portray hundreds of guns purchased in Utah, too many of which were later recovered in criminal investigations outside of Utah in a relatively short period of time,” U.S. Attorney John W. Huber said. “To be sure, these charges are serious as far as the potential consequences if he is found guilty of federal felonies. More serious, though, are the negative effects on public safety as a result of the conduct outlined in the allegations. Gun crime endangers our communities.”
“ATF prioritizes illegal firearms trafficking. Most firearms start out as a legal commodity but in this case multiple firearms purchased by Nelson were transferred illegally, some ending up at crime scenes. In order to help keep the public safe, ATF agents interdicted and stopped the flow of these firearms,” ATF Special Agent in Charge, Denver Field Division, David Booth said.
According to a complaint filed in the case, Nelson came to the attention of ATF agents in Salt Lake City in July after purchasing a large number of similar firearms over a short period of time throughout Utah. The ATF received information from a FFL with numerous locations in Utah that Nelson’s firearms purchases were suspicious in nature given the multiple purchases of firearms he was making and the different, potentially conflicting explanations he offered as he interacted with store employees during the transactions.
Under federal law, FFLs are required to send a report to ATF when there is a sale of multiple firearms to the same purchaser within a short period of time. ATF uses the information to investigate potential firearms trafficking cases. If one or more firearms recovered from a crime are part of a multiple purchase, this could be an indicator of potential firearms trafficking. A gun recovered from a crime shortly after being purchased in a multiple sale is known as a short time-to-crime ratio. It refers to the time between when a firearm is purchased, and when that same firearm is recovered at a crime scene.
The ATF also received a tip that Nelson was purchasing firearms in Utah and trafficking them in Las Vegas.
ATF firearms tracing shows that as of Oct. 9, 2020, 19 firearms, originally purchased by Nelson, have been recovered in California by law enforcement officers investigating various crimes. All 19 of the recovered firearms were recovered within a short time-to-crime ratio of between 2 and 91 days. One of the recovered firearms was used to commit a double murder, according to the complaint. All firearms were recovered in different areas of California and were traced to Nelson as the original purchaser.
Examples from the complaint include:
- On May 28, 2020, Nelson purchased a semi-automatic pistol from Sportsman’s Warehouse in St. George. This gun was recovered on Aug. 27, 2020 (just over 3 months time to crime) by DEA during a narcotics distribution investigation in California.
- On June 5, 2020, Nelson purchased a semi-automatic pistol from Rowdy’s Range and Supply in St. George. This gun was recovered on July 7, 2020 (29 days time to crime) by the Walnut Creek Police Department while executing a search warrant during the course of a murder investigation.
- On June 17, 2020, Nelson purchased a semi-automatic pistol from Gunnies in Orem. This gun was recovered on Aug. 2, 2020 (46 days time to crime) by the East Palo Alto Police Department during the investigation of a double murder in California.
- As of Aug. 28, 2020, the investigation shows Nelson purchased firearms recently from 29 FFLS in Utah and paid for them with cash. Nelson made one purchase in excess of $13,000. He also made purchases around $11,000, and three in excess of $7,000. During the months of July and August, Nelson purchased 171 firearms.
Nelson has no known employment for 2020 and, according to the complaint, does not have the monetary means to purchase the quantity of firearms he has to date – an indication Nelson is buying the pistols at the direction of and through the financing of another individual. Nelson has repeatedly purchased duplicate models of handguns that are not typically considered to be of collector value, including the 147 Glock pistols, which is an indication of straw purchases, investigators say.
Nelson was arrested on the Utah complaint in Las Vegas in August. He was released on conditions of supervised release imposed by a federal magistrate in Las Vegas. He had an initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Cecilia M. Romero on Sept. 21, 2020, in Salt Lake City. He was arraigned on charges in the indictment Thursday.
Each count of making a false statement during the acquisition of a firearm carries a potential sentence of 10 years in federal prison. Count 10, dealing in firearms without a license, has a potential five-year sentence. The final count of the indictment, travel within the United States with intent to violate federal law prohibiting dealing in firearms without a license, has a maximum sentence of 10 years.
Indictments are not finding of guilt. Individuals charged in indictments are presumed innocent unless or until proven guilty in court.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys in the Utah U.S. Attorney’s Office are prosecuting the case. Special agents with the ATF are conducting the investigation.
Jonesboro Man Arrested for Allegedly Producing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
LITTLE ROCK-A Jonesboro man has been charged with producing child pornography. A federal grand jury has charged Justin Palmer, 41, with two counts of production of child pornography and one count of attempted production of child pornography. Palmer was charged on October 8, 2020, and was arrested the following day. He was arraigned today before United States Magistrate Judge Beth Deere.
Cody Hiland, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, and Diane Upchurch, FBI Special Agent in Charge of the Little Rock Field Office, announced the charges today.
The indictment alleges that Palmer attempted to get one minor to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing a visual depiction of that conduct. The indictment also alleges that Palmer succeeded in getting two other minors to send him photos or videos of themselves engaged in sexually explicit conduct.
“At this point in time, federal investigators have not identified any alleged victims in the northeast Arkansas area,” stated Connor Hagan, FBI Public Affairs Officer. “If our investigation later uncovers victims in Arkansas, FBI Victim Specialists stand ready to assist the victims and their families.” More information regarding FBI Violent Crimes Against Children investigations can be found here: www.fbi.gov/cac.
The penalty for producing and for attempting to produce child pornography is not less than 15 years’ imprisonment up to life imprisonment. All three charges carry a fine of up to $250,000 and not less than five years of supervised release.
The investigation is being conducted by the FBI with assistance from the Jonesboro Police Department, Jonesboro Police Department Internet Crimes Against Children, and Arkansas State Police Company F. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Allison W. Bragg.
An indictment only contains allegations. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
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This news release, as well as additional information about the office of the
United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, is available online at
https://www.justice.gov/edar
Twitter:
@EDARNEWS
J&F Investimentos SA Pleads Guilty and Agrees to Pay More Than $256 Million in Criminal Fines to Resolve Foreign Bribery CaseRead the Press Release
Earlier today, in federal court in Brooklyn, J&F Investimentos SA (J&F), a global conglomerate holding company based in Brazil and primarily involved in the meat and agriculture businesses, pleaded guilty to conspiring to violate the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) and agreed to pay a criminal fine of more than $256 million. The charges arose from a scheme by J&F, through certain of its employees and agents, to pay millions of dollars in bribes to Brazilian government officials through, among other means, bank accounts based in New York. Today’s proceedings took place via video conference before United States District Judge Margo K. Brodie.
Seth D. DuCharme, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, Brian C. Rabbitt, Acting Assistant Attorney General of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, and James A. Dawson, Special Agent-in-Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Washington Field Office (FBI), announced the charges and guilty plea.
“Today’s resolution and guilty plea, including a $256 million fine, demonstrates our Office’s full commitment to holding accountable those entities that seek to gain an improper advantage over competitors by bribing foreign officials and using the U.S. financial system to carry out the crimes,” stated Acting United States Attorney DuCharme. “Protecting the integrity of the financial system is a core priority of the Department of Justice.”
“With today’s guilty plea, J&F has admitted to engaging in a long-running pattern of paying bribes to corrupt officials in Brazil to obtain financing and other benefits,” stated Acting Assistant Attorney General Rabbitt. “J&F’s corrupt conduct involved executives at the highest levels of the company using New York banks and real estate to carry out a scheme to pay millions of dollars in bribes to government officials in Brazil. Today’s resolution demonstrates the department’s continuing commitment to combating international corruption and holding companies accountable for violations of the FCPA.”
“No matter where it occurs, the FBI and our global partners are committed to diligently rooting out corruption which betrays public trust and threatens a fair economy,” stated FBI Special Agent-in-Charge Dawson. “Today’s plea demonstrates the FBI’s commitment to combatting foreign corruption reaching the U.S., and today’s actions send a strong message that we will not relent in our efforts to uphold the law and hold everyone accountable to play by the same, fair rules.”
According to the Statement of Facts stipulated to by J&F in connection with its guilty plea and other court documents, between approximately 2005 and 2017, J&F, through certain of its employees and agents, paid millions of dollars in bribes to, and for the benefit of, Brazilian government officials in order to obtain financing from two Brazilian state-owned and state-controlled banks and to obtain approval for a merger from a Brazilian state-owned and state-controlled pension fund. In furtherance of the scheme, J&F used New York-based bank accounts in the name of shell companies to make hundreds of millions of dollars in corrupt payments for the benefit of Brazilian officials.
Specifically, between approximately 2005 and 2014, using bank accounts based in New York, J&F caused more than $148 million in corrupt payments to be made for the benefit of a former high-ranking executive at Banco Nacional de Desenvolvimento Econômico e Social (BNDES), a Brazilian state-owned bank. The bribe payments were made for the benefit of the former BNDES executive, who later during the bribery scheme served as a high-ranking official in the executive branch of the Brazilian government, for the purpose of ensuring that BNDES would enter into certain financing and equity transactions with J&F-related entities.
In addition, between approximately 2011 and 2017, J&F caused approximately $4.6 million in corrupt payments to be made, and items of value to be transferred, for the benefit of a high-ranking executive at Petrobras de Seguridade Social (Petros), a Brazilian state-owned pension fund. The bribes were paid through, among other things, the purchase of an apartment in New York for the high-ranking Petros executive. The bribe payments were made to ensure that Petros approved a merger involving a J&F-related entity.
Finally, between 2011 and 2014, J&F caused approximately $25 million in corrupt payments to be made for the benefit of a former high-ranking official in the legislative branch of the Brazilian government. The bribes were paid for the purpose of ensuring that Caixa Econômica Federal, a Brazilian state-owned bank, entered into certain transactions with J&F-related entities.
The government reached this resolution with J&F based on a number of factors, including J&F’s failure to voluntarily disclose the conduct to the government, and the nature, seriousness and pervasiveness of the offense, which included executives at the highest levels of the company and the payment of millions of dollars in bribes to high-level government officials in Brazil over multiple years. The criminal monetary penalty for J&F reflects a 10 percent reduction off the bottom of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines fine range because J&F received partial credit for its remediation and cooperation with the government’s investigation.
In a related matter with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) announced today, a J&F majority-owned subsidiary, JBS S.A., agreed to pay the SEC disgorgement and prejudgment interest totaling approximately $26,866,565.
J&F previously entered into a resolution with the Ministério Público Federal (Public Prosecutor’s Office) in Brazil relating to the same conduct described in the Statement of Facts. The United States will credit approximately $128 million of the fine J&F pays to the Brazilian authorities toward payment of the criminal fine in this case.
The investigation is being conducted by the FBI’s International Corruption Unit in Washington, D.C. The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s Business and Securities Fraud Section and the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section. Assistant United States Attorney David Gopstein of the Eastern District of New York and Fraud Section Trial Attorneys Michael Culhane Harper and Joseph S. McFarlane are prosecuting the case.
The government of Brazil provided significant assistance in this matter, as did the Criminal Division’s Office of International Affairs.
The Defendant:
J&F INVESTIMENTOS SA
E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 20-CR-365
J&F Investimentos S.A. Pleads Guilty and Agrees to Pay over $256 Million to Resolve Criminal Foreign Bribery CaseRead the Press Release
J&F Investimentos S.A. (J&F), a Brazil-based investment company that owns and controls companies involved in multiple industries, including the meat and agriculture industry, has agreed to pay a criminal monetary penalty of $256,497,026 to resolve the department’s investigation into violations of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA). The resolution arises out of J&F’s scheme to pay millions of dollars in bribes to government officials in Brazil in exchange for obtaining financing and other benefits for J&F and J&F-owned entities.
J&F pleaded guilty and entered into a cooperation plea agreement with the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York in connection with a criminal information filed today in the Eastern District of New York charging J&F with one count of conspiracy to violate the anti-bribery provisions of the FCPA.
“With today’s guilty plea, J&F has admitted to engaging in a long-running scheme to bribe corrupt officials in Brazil to obtain financing and other benefits for the company,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Brian C. Rabbitt of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “As part of this scheme, executives at the very highest levels of the company used U.S. banks and real estate to pay tens of millions of dollars in bribes to corrupt government officials in Brazil in order to obtain hundreds of millions of dollars in financing for the company and its affiliates. Today’s resolution demonstrates the department’s continuing commitment to combating international corruption and holding companies accountable for violations of the FCPA.”
“Today’s resolution and guilty plea, including a $256 million fine, demonstrates our office’s full commitment to holding accountable those entities that seek to gain an improper advantage over competitors by bribing foreign officials and using the U.S. financial system to carry out the crimes,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Seth D. DuCharme for the Eastern District of New York. “Protecting the integrity of the financial system is a core priority of the Department of Justice.”
“No matter where it occurs, the FBI and our global partners are committed to diligently rooting out corruption which betrays public trust and threatens a fair economy,” said Special Agent in Charge James A. Dawson of the FBI Washington Field Office Criminal Division. “Today’s plea demonstrates the FBI’s commitment to combatting foreign corruption reaching the United States, and today’s actions send a strong message that we will not relent in our efforts to uphold the law and hold everyone accountable to play by the same, fair rules.”
According to admissions by J&F, between 2005 and 2017, the company conspired with others to violate the FCPA by paying bribes to government officials in Brazil in order to ensure that Brazilian state-owned and state-controlled banks would enter into debt and equity financing transactions with J&F and J&F-owned entities, as well as to obtain approval for a merger from a Brazilian state-owned and state-controlled pension fund.
Specifically, between 2005 and 2014, J&F engaged in a bribery scheme involving more than $148 million in corrupt payments that were promised and made to and for the benefit of high-level Brazilian government officials, including a then-high-ranking executive at Banco Nacional de Desenvolvimento Econômico e Social (BNDES), a Brazilian state-owned and state-controlled bank. In exchange for the bribe payments, J&F was able to obtain hundreds of millions of dollars in financing from BNDES. In addition, J&F paid bribes worth more than $4.6 million to and for the benefit of a high-ranking executive of Fundação Petrobras de Seguridade Social (Petros), a Brazilian state-controlled pension fund in exchange for obtaining Petros’s approval for a significant merger that benefited J&F. J&F also paid approximately $25 million in bribes to a high-ranking official in the legislative branch of the Brazilian government in order to secure hundreds of millions of dollars of financing from Caixa Econômica Federal (Caixa), a Brazilian state-owned and state-controlled bank.
In furtherance of the bribery scheme, among other things, J&F executives used New York-based bank accounts to facilitate the bribery scheme and to make corrupt payments, purchased and transferred a Manhattan apartment as a bribe, and met in the United States to discuss and further aspects of the illegal scheme.
As part of the plea agreement, for a three-year period, J&F agreed to continue to cooperate with the U.S. government in any ongoing or future criminal investigations concerning J&F, its executives, employees, or agents; enhance its compliance program; and report to the government on the implementation of its enhanced compliance program.
The department reached this resolution with J&F based on a number of factors, including the company’s failure to voluntarily disclose the conduct to the department and the nature, seriousness, and pervasiveness of the offense, which included executives at the highest levels of the company and the payment of tens of millions of dollars in bribes to high-level government officials in Brazil over a period of years. The criminal monetary penalty for J&F reflects a 10 percent reduction off the bottom of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines fine range because J&F received partial credit for its remediation and cooperation with the department’s investigation.
In a related matter with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) announced today, a J&F majority-owned subsidiary, JBS S.A., agreed to pay the SEC disgorgement and prejudgment interest totaling approximately $26,866,565.
J&F previously entered into a resolution with the Ministério Público Federal (Public Prosecutor’s Office) in Brazil relating to the same conduct that forms the basis of J&F’s plea agreement announced today. Pursuant to the Brazilian resolution, J&F agreed to pay a fine of BRL 8,000,000,000 (the approximate equivalent of $1,441,505,636) and to contribute BRL 2,300,000,000 (the approximate equivalent of $414,432,870) to social projects in Brazil. Under the J&F plea agreement announced today, the Fraud Section and the Eastern District of New York will credit up to 50 percent ($128,248,513) of the criminal penalty owed to the United States to payments J&F makes pursuant to the resolution with the Brazilian authorities. The department determined that partial crediting was appropriate based on the specific facts and circumstances of this case in light of, among other things, the company’s prior efforts to coordinate with the department and Brazilian authorities.
The FBI’s Washington Field Office investigated the case. Trial Attorneys Michael Culhane Harper and Joseph McFarlane of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney David Gopstein of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York are prosecuting the case. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs of the Department’s Criminal Division provided valuable assistance in this matter.
The Fraud Section is responsible for investigating and prosecuting all FCPA matters. Additional information about the Justice Department’s FCPA enforcement efforts can be found at www.justice.gov/criminal-fraud/foreign-corrupt-practices-act.
Indictment: Man and Woman Robbed Three Stores in KansasRead the Press Release
TOPEKA, KAN. – A man and woman who are in custody in Topeka were indicted today on federal charges of robbing three Kansas businesses, U.S. Attorney Stephen McAllister said.
Lekeith Markez Mosley, 29, Liberal, Kan., and Shelbi Paige Ricks, 25, Liberal, Kan., are charged with three counts of robbery. The indictment alleges they committed the following robberies:
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- Sept. 27, 2020: Jimmy John’s restaurant, 1025 Southwest Wanamaker Road in Topeka.
- Sept. 7, 2020: Family Dollar, 303 E. Kansas Avenue, Greensburg, Kan.
- Sept. 6, 2020: Subway restaurant, 711 N. Main Street, Hutchinson, Kan.
If convicted, they could face up to 20 years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000 on each count. The FBI investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jared Maag is prosecuting.
OTHER INDICTMENTS
Daniel Ray Galloway Jr., 22, who is in custody, is charged with one count of unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon. The crime is alleged to have occurred July 17, 2020, in Topeka, Kan.
If convicted, he could face up to 10 years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000. The FBI investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jared Maag is prosecuting.
Shannon J. Wright, 30, who is in custody, is charged with one count of unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon. The crime is alleged to have occurred Aug. 13, 2020, in Topeka, Kan.
If convicted, he could face up to 10 years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000. The FBI investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jared Maag is prosecuting.
In all cases, defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. The indictments merely contain allegations of criminal conduct.
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Houston man imprisoned for stashing over $400,000 worth of marijuana at his homeRead the Press Release
LAREDO, Texas – A 37-year-old Texan has been ordered to federal prison following his conviction of possession with intent to distribute a large quantity of marijuana, announced U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Patrick.
Roberto Garcia Saldana pleaded guilty June 9, admitting he knew there were narcotics inside the travel trailer he was storing for others.
Today, U.S. District Judge Diana Saldana ordered Garcia Saldana to serve a 60-month sentence to be immediately followed by four years of supervised release.
On May 2, 2017, authorities conducted surveillance on what they suspected to be a marijuana stash house in Zapata. As law enforcement approached, Garcia Saldana had attempted to run from the rear of the residence. He was soon apprehended.
A search of a travel trailer on the property led to the discovery of 50 bundles of marijuana. The drugs weighed a total of approximately 476 kilograms with an approximate value of $420,000.
Saldana has been and will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
The Drug Enforcement Administration conducted Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation dubbed Operation Falcon Talon with assistance from FBI, Border Patrol and Texas National Guard. OCDETF is the largest anti-crime task force in the country. Its mission is to disrupt and dismantle the most significant drug trafficking and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States through prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven and multi-agency task forces that leverage the authorities and expertise of federal, state and local law enforcement.
Deputy Criminal Chief Mary Lou Castillo and Assistant U.S. Attorney Anthony J. Evans prosecuted the case.
Henryetta Woman Sentenced to 110 Months for Methamphetamine DistributionRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Brandis Nicole Fish, age 36, of Henryetta, Oklahoma was sentenced to 110 months’ imprisonment, and 4 years of supervised release for Possession With Intent To Distribute Methamphetamine, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1) and 841(b)(1)(B).
The Indictment alleged that from on or about January 27, 2020, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma, the defendant knowingly and intentionally possessed with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of a mixture or substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine, a Schedule II controlled substance.
The charges arose from an investigation by the Okmulgee County Sheriff’s Office and the Federal Bureau of Investigation Safe Trails Task Force. The Safe Trails Task force is made up of a coalition of numerous Federal, State, Local and Tribal partners. The Safe Trails Task Force allows participating agencies to combine limited resources and increase investigative coordination to target violent crime, drugs, gangs, and gaming violations.
United States Attorney Brian J. Kuester said, “The distribution of methamphetamine is often times linked to violent crime. Investigations and prosecutions of distributors disrupts drug trafficking organizations and makes communities safer. The FBI Safe Trails Task Force along with the partner agencies that unite to create it are making a positive impact on Eastern District communities.”
“This sentence shows that violating our federal drug laws carries serious consequences,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Melissa Godbold. “The FBI will continue to stand shoulder to shoulder with our law enforcement colleagues to fight those who peddle this poison in our communities.”
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 Ryan Conway represented the United States.
Hazleton Man Sentenced to 21 Months’ Imprisonment for Distributing 1.5 Grams of HeroinRead the Press Release
SCRANTON—The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Gene Hawkins, age 50, of Hazleton, Pennsylvania, was sentenced on October 9, 2020, by U.S. District Court Judge Robert D. Mariani to 21 months’ imprisonment for selling 1.5 grams of heroin in 2015.
According to United States Attorney David J. Freed, Hawkins pleaded guilty to distributing a “brick” (approximately 50 individual doses) of heroin on August 3, 2015 in Hazleton.
The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the Hazleton Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Francis P. Sempa prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. The Department of Justice reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime.
This case was also brought as part of a district wide initiative to combat the nationwide epidemic regarding the use and distribution of heroin. Led by the United States Attorney’s Office, the Heroin Initiative targets heroin traffickers operating in the Middle District of Pennsylvania and is part of a coordinated effort among federal, state and local law enforcement agencies to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who commit heroin related offenses.
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Harrison Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Federal Prison for Attempted Enticement of A MinorRead the Press Release
Fayetteville, Arkansas – David Clay Fowlkes, First Assistant United States Attorney for the Western District of Arkansas, announced that Wayne King, age 66, of Harrison, Arkansas, was sentenced today to 120 months in federal prison without the possibility of parole followed by 10 years of supervised release on one count of Attempted Enticement of a Minor to Engage in Illegal Sexual Activity. The Honorable Timothy L. Brooks, United States District Judge, presided over the sentencing hearing in the United States District Court in Fayetteville.
According to court records, in September of 2019, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Northwest Arkansas Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force, the Arkansas State Police, and several local law enforcement agencies conducted a joint operation to target online sexual predators in Northwest Arkansas. As part of the operation, undercover law enforcement investigators placed multiple advertisements on various online websites and mobile applications representing themselves to be minors.
On September 17, 2019, an individual who called himself Wayne (later identified as King) responded to a Craigslist advertisement and began emailing and text messaging with an undercover law enforcement officer who was posing as a 14-year-old female. Over the course of eight days, King exchanged several emails with the 14-year-old persona, in which he discussed performing sexual activities with the purported minor. King arranged a meeting with the purported 14 year old for a sexual encounter and was arrested upon arriving at the predetermined meeting location.
King was indicted by a federal grand jury in November of 2019, and entered a guilty plea in April of 2020.
This case was investigated by the Department of Homeland Security Investigations, the Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force, and the Arkansas State Police. Assistant United States Attorney Amy Driver prosecuted the case for the United States.
Guatemalan Man Indicted on Enticement Charge and Transporting A Minor to Have SexRead the Press Release
CONTACT: Barbara Burns
PHONE: (716) 843-5817
FAX #: (716) 551-3051BUFFALO, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy, Jr. announced today that a federal grand jury has returned an indictment charging Yeison Lopez-Martinez, 19, a native of Guatemala living in Trenton, New Jersey, with enticing a minor to travel and transportation of a minor to engage in sexual activity. The charges carry a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years in prison and a maximum of life in prison.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Meghan A. Tokash, who is handling the case, stated that according to the indictment, between March and April 2, 2020, the defendant enticed a minor victim to travel from New Jersey to New York to engage in sexual activity. In addition, on March 30, 2020, Lopez¬ Martinez, transported the minor victim from New Jersey to New York with the intent to engage in sexual activity.
The defendant made an initial appearance in U.S. District Court in New Jersey and was detained. Lopez-Martinez will be returned to the Western District of New York at a later date.
The indictment is the result of an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Kevin Kelly.
The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
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Gansevoort Woman Indicted on Charges of Supplemental Security Income Fraud and Theft of Government PropertyRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Santa Sanabria, a.k.a. Santa Cordero, age 74, of Gansevoort, New York, was arraigned on an indictment charging her with using two different names and Social Security numbers to collect Social Security benefits under both identities.
The announcement was made by Acting United States Attorney Antoinette T. Bacon and John F. Grasso, Special Agent in Charge of the Social Security Administration (SSA), Office of the Inspector General, New York Field Office.
The indictment alleges that while collecting Social Security benefits under the name Santa Cordero, and the Social Security number associated with that name, Sanabria used a different name and Social Security number to apply for and collect Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits to which she was not entitled. SSI is a needs-based program, available to elderly, blind, and disabled individuals, that provides money to pay for living expenses. The charges in the indictment are merely accusations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Sanabria was arraigned today in Albany before United States Magistrate Judge Christian F. Hummel, and ordered released pending trial.
The charges against Sanabria carry a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, and a term of supervised release of up to 3 years. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other factors.
This case is being investigated by the SSA Office of the Inspector General and is being prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Adrian S. LaRochelle.
Four Charged with Stealing from Housing Assistance ProgramRead the Press Release
Greenville, South Carolina --- United States Attorney Peter M. McCoy, Jr., announced today that four defendants were charged in three separate indictments with fraud and misrepresenting occupancy in order to steal thousands of dollars in federal assistance. This assistance, taken from the Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP) multi-billion dollar component Hardest Hit Fund (HHF), was provided to South Carolina’s housing finance agency to help unemployed or underemployed homeowners stay in their homes. The indictments allege that each defendant took the assistance but did not live in his or her home.
“When individuals wrongfully take from programs designed to provide assistance to others, they are stealing from those who need help the most,” said U.S. Attorney McCoy. “Our office will not allow this type of conduct to go unpunished, especially in light of the pressing economic circumstances facing so many across South Carolina.”
“These defendants are charged with stealing from, and defrauding, a Federal government program that brings long term economic stability to help people stay in their homes, knowing that they did not qualify for the program,” said Christy Goldsmith Romero, Special Inspector General (SIG) for TARP. “We commend the Office of the U.S. Attorney for the District of South Carolina for standing with SIGTARP to combat rescue fraud.”
The following defendants have been indicted related to their alleged theft of TARP funds:
- Marvette Thompson Easterling, 53, of Gaffney, was indicted for bank fraud, pursuant, theft of government funds in excess of $1,000, and false statement on a loan application. The property at issue is in Gaffney, SC.
- Joshua David Armato, 36, of Blarisville, GA, was indicted for bank fraud, pursuant and theft of government funds in excess of $1,000. The property at issue is in Simpsonville, SC.
- Laura Beth Armato, 35, also of Blarisville, GA, was indicted for bank fraud, pursuant and theft of government funds in excess of $1,000. The property at issue is in Simpsonville, SC.
- Keylon Wright, 39, of Greenville, was indicted for bank fraud, pursuant, theft of government funds in excess of $1,000, and false statement on a loan application. The property at issue is in Mauldin, SC.
Each defendant faces a maximum fine of $1 million, and a maximum sentence of 30 years for bank fraud, their most serious charge.
SC HELP was a federally funded mortgage payment assistance program that provided eligible homeowners with temporary mortgage assistance so that they could avoid foreclosure and stay in their homes. The SC HELP program was part of a broader effort by the federal government to stabilize the nation’s housing market where states with the most distressed markets received federal funds to develop locally tailored foreclosure prevention solutions.
According to the allegations, all defendants received thousands in SC HELP homeowner relief funds, including mortgage payment assistance. Defendants Easterling and Wright allegedly also received direct loan payment assistance funds.
This cases are being investigated by SIGTARP, and are being prosecuted Assistant United States Attorney Winston Marosek of the Greenville office. SIGTARP was created as an independent law enforcement agency to investigate fraud, waste, and abuse related to the TARP bailout. To date, SIGTARP investigations have resulted in the recovery of over $11.2 billion, 389 criminal convictions and 305 defendants sentenced to prison.
U.S. Attorney McCoy stated that all charges in this case are merely allegations at this stage and that the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
To report a suspected crime related to TARP, call SIGTARP’s Crime Tip Hotline: 1-877-SIG-2009 (1-877-744-2009). To receive alerts about reports, audits, media releases, and other SIGTARP news, sign up at www.SIGTARP.gov/pages/press.aspx.
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The year 2020 marks the 150th anniversary of the Department of Justice. Learn more about the history of our agency at www.Justice.gov/Celebrating150Years.
- Marvette Thompson Easterling, 53, of Gaffney, was indicted for bank fraud, pursuant, theft of government funds in excess of $1,000, and false statement on a loan application. The property at issue is in Gaffney, SC.
Fort Wayne Indiana Woman Ordered to Pay $646,690.32 in RestitutionRead the Press Release
FORT WAYNE – Susanne “Suzi” Gawel, age 57, of Fort Wayne, Indiana, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Holly A. Brady after her plea of guilty to health care fraud and aggravated identity theft, announced U.S. Attorney Kirsch.
Gawel was sentenced to 48 months in prison, 1 year of supervised release and ordered to pay $646,690.32 in restitution.
According to documents in this case, in March of 2020, Gawel was charged by way of Information and subsequently entered a plea of guilty to the charges. She worked as an office manager at her Fort Wayne company which sold durable medical equipment (DME) to clients across northern Indiana. Some of the company’s clients were Medicaid beneficiaries. Through her work, Gawel had access to Medicaid patient information, including patients’ names, addresses, dates of birth, Medicaid ID numbers and treating physician information. From about January 2015 and continuing to about October 2018, Gawel devised a scheme to defraud Medicaid. During this time period, she submitted over 200 reimbursement claims to Indiana Medicaid for DME, including oximetry devices and pneumatic compressors, which were not provided to Medicaid recipients and/or for which they had no medical necessity and/or for which there was no physician order. In total, her scheme defrauded Indiana Medicaid of approximately $646,690.32.
“My Office is focused on prosecuting fraud cases such as this one,” said United States Attorney Thomas L. Kirsch II. “Defrauding a federally funded health care program like Medicaid cheats all taxpayers. This case demonstrates that when individuals exploit a federally funded program, our law enforcement partners will investigate and my Office will prosecute and hold accountable those responsible.”
“The investigation of health care fraud is a priority for the FBI and this type of illegal conduct will not be tolerated,” said FBI Indianapolis Special Agent in Charge Paul Keenan. "This sentence not only emphasizes the cooperation between federal, state and local law enforcement agencies to identify and investigate those who engage in this type of crime, but also sends a clear message to those who would exploit federally funded health care programs that they will be held accountable.”
“We are committed to exposing waste, fraud and abuse of Medicaid funds and bringing to justice those who have broken the law,” Attorney General Curtis Hill said. “I am proud of the investigative work of our Medicaid Fraud Control Unit in this case, and I am grateful as well for the contributions of our federal partners.”
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Indiana Attorney General’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit. This case was handled by Assistant United States Attorney Sarah E. Nokes.
Former Postal Worker Sentenced to Prison for Stealing over 400 Mobile Phones Out of Packages in the MailRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Ore.—A former U.S. Postal Service employee was sentenced to federal prison today for stealing mobile phones out of packages at the Portland postal sorting facility, announced U.S. Attorney Billy J. Williams.
Rico Alvarez, 24, was sentenced to one year and one day in federal prison and three years’ supervised release.
“It is imperative that the community has confidence and trust in the integrity of the U.S. Postal Service” said United States Attorney Billy J. Williams “Thanks to the dedicated efforts of the U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General, this defendant is held to account for violating that trust.”
U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General, Western Area Field Office, Executive Special Agent-in-Charge John D. Masters said, “The U.S. Postal Service has a long and proud history dating back to 1775. The Postal Service employs over 630,000 men and woman who are dedicated public servants. For over two centuries, the Postal Service has honored its fundamental commitment to protect the sanctity of the U.S. Mail. Mr. Rico Alvarez willfully chose to violate that public trust and his duties. Today’s sentencing of Mr. Alvarez demonstrates that theft of U.S. Mail, committed by a Postal Service employee, will not be tolerated and carries serious consequences. The public we serve can rest assured that the Postal Service Office of Inspector General, U.S. Attorney’s Office, and our partner law enforcement agencies, remain committed to safeguarding the integrity of the U.S. Mail and ensuring the accountability and integrity of U.S. Postal Service employees.”
According to court documents, beginning in about August, 2019, Alvarez, an employee of the United States Postal Service, began stealing smartphones placed into the mail for delivery to customers. Over the course of the next three months, Alvarez stole more than 400 phones, by surreptitiously opening the box as it passed his mail sorting station, removing the phone, and then sending the empty package on for delivery to the intended recipient. On the day he was caught by OIG Special Agents, he had over a dozen stolen phones in his possession. When interviewed, Alvarez admitted to stealing high end, recently released, smartphones, which he subsequently sold for his own profit.
On June 25, 2020 Alvarez was charged by criminal information with Theft of Mail. He plead guilty to the charge on July 20, 2020.
During sentencing, U.S. District Court Judge Michael Simon ordered Alvarez to pay $253,550 in restitution.
The United States Postal Service Office of Inspector General investigated this case. It was prosecuted by Quinn Harrington, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon.
Former Pittsburgh Woman Sentenced for Role in Drug Trafficking RingRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH - A former resident of the Beltzhoover neighborhood in Pittsburgh, has been sentenced in federal court to two years’ probation and 100 hours of community service on her conviction of a drug trafficking charge in connection with a large-scale investigation conducted by the Greater Pittsburgh Safe Streets Task Force, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced today.
United States District Judge William S. Stickman, IV, imposed the sentence on Amber Rogers, age 28, of North Carolina.
According to information presented to the court, the Greater Pittsburgh Safe Streets Task Force conducted an investigation targeting the Darccide/Smash 44, or "DS44", neighborhood gang, and its drug-trafficking activity, in and around the South Side area of Pittsburgh. As part of this large-scale narcotics and firearms investigation, in February 2019, the United States received authorization to conduct a federal wire investigation, which continued through June 2019.
Intercepted communications confirmed that Ms. Rogers was conspiring with others to distribute controlled substances, including heroin and fentanyl, in and around the South Side of Pittsburgh. Specifically, Ms. Rogers conducted narcotics transactions on behalf of other members of the conspiracy by obtaining the drugs from stash locations and distributing them to individual customers. The Court has earlier accepted Ms. Rogers’ guilty plea to conspiracy to distribute 10 grams of heroin and fentanyl.
Prior to imposing sentence, Judge Stickman stated that he was imposing a term of probation, rather than imprisonment, because, among other things, Rodgers was one of the least culpable of the defendants charged in the case, because she had no criminal history, and because she was lawfully employed.
Assistant United States Attorneys Carolyn J. Bloch and Brendan J. McKenna prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
United States Attorney Brady commended the Federal Bureau of Investigation for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Rogers. The Federal Bureau of Investigation led the multi-agency investigation of this case, which also included the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives, Allegheny County Adult Probation, Allegheny County Police Department, Allegheny County Sheriff’s Office, Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office Bureau of Narcotics, Pittsburgh Bureau of Police, and the Wilkinsburg Police Department. Other assisting agencies include the Green Tree Police Department, New York City Police Department, Mount Oliver Police Department, Pennsylvania State Police, Yonkers Police Department, United States Marshals Fugitive Task Force, and the United States Postal Inspection Service.
The investigation was funded by the federal Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force Program (OCDETF). The OCDETF program supplies critical federal funding and coordination that allows federal and state agencies to work together to successfully identify, investigate, and prosecute major interstate and international drug trafficking organizations and other criminal enterprises.
Five Arrested, More Than $1.1M Seized in Federal, State Investigation into CARES Act Unemployment Benefits Fraud in Rhode IslandRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE – Five individuals in Florida have been arrested and more than $1.1 million dollars in cash has been seized in a wide-ranging, ongoing joint federal and state investigation into a significant number of fraudulent unemployment insurance claims submitted to the Rhode Island Department of Labor and Training (RIDLT), and elsewhere, for benefits funded in part by the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. The CARES Act was passed by Congress to assist, among others, individuals whose employment has been impacted by the pandemic.
On Tuesday, four individuals were arrested in the Southern District of Florida by Rhode Island-based FBI and IRS agents. A fifth defendant was arrested in the Middle District of Florida on Wednesday.
At the time of the arrests, court-authorized searches resulted in the seizure of more than $1.2 million dollars in cash, several hundred debit cards in the names of individuals whose identities were allegedly stolen, a large collection of high-end jewelry, and six firearms.
According to court documents, it is alleged that Allen Bien-Aime, 29, of Lehigh Acres, James Legerme, 29, of Sunrise, Junior Mertile, 30, of Pembroke Pines, Tony Mertile, 28, of Miramar, and Irvin Vilneus, 28, of North Lauderdale, were involved in complex schemes to use stolen personal identifying information belonging to Rhode Islanders, and others, to apply online for unemployment benefits, and to have those benefits direct deposited into one of many bank accounts opened expressly for receiving fraudulently obtained unemployment insurance benefit payments, as well as fraudulently obtained federal and state tax refunds.
It is alleged that, using stolen personal identifying information, at least three of the individuals filed fraudulent applications with RIDLT or other state unemployment systems to obtain unemployment benefits. All five are alleged to have withdrawn fraudulently obtained funds shortly after the funds were deposited and posted to bank accounts in the names of other individuals.
“As today's announcement makes clear, there are serious, criminal, consequences to making use of stolen personal identification information, filing fraudulent applications for unemployment insurance, and withdrawing such fraudulently obtained funds for one's own, unlawful, benefit,” said United States Attorney Aaron L. Weisman. “The federal government, with its many dedicated components and with the invaluable assistance of our state and local law enforcement partners, is committed to and will spare no effort in ensuring that unemployment insurance funds not be fraudulently misdirected by scammers and away from the hardworking Rhode Islanders entitled to and deserving of unemployment benefits.”
“What these individuals are accused of doing is absolutely despicable. They cashed in on a public health crisis by allegedly stealing the identities of innocent victims and unemployment benefits that are a lifeline for thousands of Rhode Islanders trying to feed their families,” said Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Boston Division. “It’s critical that every dollar spent goes to someone who actually needs it, and not to con artists trying to cheat the system. That’s why the FBI and our law enforcement partners will not stop until everyone responsible has been identified and brought to justice.”
“When people collect benefits they aren’t entitled to, as is alleged here, they reduce the amount of benefits that are available to those who are eligible and who really need them,” said Attorney General Peter F. Neronha. “These defendants’ alleged conduct sought to defraud the government during a crucial time as it provided assistance to struggling Rhode Islanders. That’s why this work is important, and that's why we do it.”
Colonel James M. Manni, Superintendent of the Rhode Island State Police and Director of the Department of Public Safety stated, “During a time when life was brought to a standstill by an unprecedented pandemic, these individuals chose to prey on the most vulnerable and those in need of the government’s assistance. Their indiscriminate criminal actions affected tens of thousands of Americans and the full weight of Federal, State and Local investigative forces was used to bring them to justice.”
“Investigating fraud involving the Unemployment Insurance Program is an important part of the mission of the U.S. Department of Labor Office of Inspector General, particularly now when our nation is providing billions of dollars in unemployment benefits to American workers in need due to the economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Office of Inspector General will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to vigorously investigate unemployment insurance fraud,” stated Michael C. Mikulka, Special Agent-in-Charge, New York Region, U.S. Department of Labor Office of Inspector General.
“Stealing funds designated to help American taxpayers during the COVID pandemic is both disgraceful and criminal,” stated Acting Special Agent in Charge Joleen Simpson of the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation Division. “Today’s arrests exemplify IRS-CI’s commitment to provide resources to combat COVID related fraud and to work jointly with our law enforcement partners in pursuit of this endeavor.”
The five defendants, each charged by way of federal criminal complaints with bank fraud, wire fraud, conspiracy to commit bank and wire fraud, access device fraud, money laundering, conspiracy to commit money laundering, aggravated identity theft, theft of public money, conspiracy to commit theft of public money, conspiracy to commit access, conspiracy to commit access device fraud, and conspiracy to commit aggravated identity theft, were arrested without incident and have made initial appearances in U.S. District Courts in Florida. The defendants will appear in U.S. District Court in Providence on dates yet to be determined.
A federal criminal complaint is merely an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Tony Mertile, Junior Mertile, James Legerme, and Irvin Vilneus made their initial appearances in Magistrate Court this morning in the Southern District of Florida. They have been detained in custody pending further proceedings scheduled for Monday, October 26.
The case is being prosecuted in U.S. District Court by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Denise M. Barton and Stacey P. Veroni and Rhode Island Assistant Attorney General John M. Moreira, chief of the Rhode Island Attorney General’s Public Integrity Unit.
This ongoing investigation is being conducted by the United States Attorney’s Office, Rhode Island Department of the Attorney General, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Rhode Island State Police, Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigations, and the Department of Labor – Office of Inspector General, with substantial assistance from the United States Postal Inspection Service, United States Secret Service, and United States Social Security Administration, Office of Inspector General/Office of Investigations.
United States Attorney Aaron L. Weisman, Rhode Island Attorney General Peter F. Neronha and FBI Boston Division Special Agent in Charge Joseph R. Bonavolonta thank the Miami Division of the FBI and the Fort Myers Resident Agency of the FBI Tampa Division for assistance they provided to the FBI’s Complex Financial Crimes Unit in the arrest of the defendants, and the U.S. Marshal Service in Florida for their assistance detaining the defendants.
United States Attorney Weisman extends his gratitude to the United States Attorneys and prosecutors in the Middle District of Florida and the Southern District of Florida for their assistance.
Rhode Islanders who believe their personal identification has been stolen and used to fraudulently obtain unemployment benefits from the RIDLT are urged to contact the Rhode Island State Police at [email protected] or the FBI Providence office at (401) 272-8310.
Final Member of Violent Baltimore "Trained to Go" Gang Sentenced to More Than 11 Years in Federal Prison for Racketeering and Drug ConspiraciesRead the Press Release
A Baltimore, Maryland, man was sentenced today to 138 months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release for federal charges of conspiring to participate in a violent racketeering enterprise known as Trained To Go (TTG), and for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances.
Roger Taylor, aka Milk, 28, a fugitive since July 2017, was arrested on June 30, 2019, and sentenced today before U.S. District Judge Catherine C. Blake. Taylor previously pleaded guilty to racketeering activities including narcotics distribution and robbery of rival drug dealers and gang members in TTG territory.
As detailed in his plea agreement, Taylor was associated with a drug trafficking organization that operated in the Sandtown neighborhood of West Baltimore. Taylor was a self-identified member of a group known as the “Young Go Getters” (YGG), which assisted members and associates of the drug trafficking organization in their activities. As of 2014, the organization became known as TTG. Taylor, along with other members of YGG, provided support to TTG in the form of money, drugs, and other types of assistance, such as providing a vehicle to TTG members looking for several individuals that had robbed a TTG member of narcotics. Further, Taylor and his co-conspirators agreed that each of them would commit at least two acts of racketeering activity.
On Aug. 10, 2015, Postal Inspectors interdicted four packages addressed to a fictitious residence and addressee in Windsor Mill, Maryland. Because of the false address and name, the packages could not be delivered. Taylor, in an effort to obtain the packages, contacted the post office and requested the packages be re-delivered to a different address in Windsor Mill. Additional investigation revealed that the four packages contained 9.9 kilograms of cocaine.
During the course of the conspiracy, the quantity of cocaine within the scope of Taylor’s agreement with his co-conspirators and reasonably foreseeable to Taylor was the equivalent of between 15 and 50 kilograms of cocaine.
The leader of the gang, Montana Barronette, aka Tana, and Tanner, 23, and his brother, Terrell Sivells, aka Rell, 27, both of Baltimore, were each sentenced to life in prison on Feb. 15 and April 26, 2019, respectively. Co-defendants Brandon Wilson, aka Ali, 24, and Taurus Tillman, aka Tash, age 30, both of Baltimore, were each sentenced to 25 years in prison on March 1 and May 21, 2019, respectively. Two other co-defendants, John Harrison, aka Binkie, 28, and Linton Broughton, aka Marty, 25, both from Baltimore, were sentenced to life in prison and to 30 years in prison, respectively, on March 15, 2019. Three other TTG members previously pleaded guilty and were sentenced to between five and 25 years in prison.
The investigation was conducted by the FBI Baltimore Safe Streets Violent Gang Task Force, which includes FBI special agents and task force officers from the Baltimore, Baltimore County, and Anne Arundel County Police Departments. FBI Baltimore Safe Streets Violent Gang Task Force is responsible for identifying and targeting the most violent gangs in the Baltimore metropolitan area, to address gang violence and the associated homicides in Baltimore. The vision of the program is to use federal racketeering statutes to disrupt and dismantle significant violent criminal threats and criminal enterprises affecting the safety and well-being of our citizens and our communities.
This case was further assisted by investigative leads generated from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives’ National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (NIBIN). NIBIN is the only national network that allows for the capture and comparison of ballistic evidence to aid in solving and preventing violent crimes involving firearms. NIBIN is a proven investigative and intelligence tool that can link firearms from multiple crime scenes, allowing law enforcement to quickly disrupt shooting cycles. For more information on NIBIN, visit https://www.atf.gov/firearms/national-integrated-ballistic-information-network-nibin.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. The Department of Justice reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of its renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally based strategies to reduce violent crime.
The Justice Department commended the FBI, the Baltimore Police Department, U.S. Marshals Service, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the ATF, the DEA, the Anne Arundel County Police Department, and the Office of the State’s Attorney for Baltimore City for their work in these investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher J. Romano, Daniel C. Gardner, and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney John C. Hanley formerly of the Criminal Division’s Organized Crime and Gang Section prosecuted this Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force case.
Ex-‘Arsenio Hall Show’ Musical Director Sentenced to over 2 Years in Prison for Embezzling Nearly $1 Million Intended for Charity ConcertRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – The former musical director of “The Arsenio Hall Show” was sentenced today to 27 months in federal prison for embezzling nearly $1 million from a charity concert intended to raise money for children made homeless by wars.
Robin DiMaggio, 49, of Woodland Hills, was sentenced by United States District Judge Dolly M. Gee, who described his actions as “a despicable crime of sheer greed.” Judge Gee also ordered DiMaggio to service one year of home confinement once he has finished serving his prison sentence. A restitution hearing in this case will be scheduled in the coming months.
During the summer of 2016, DiMaggio promised to help the Bulgaria-based non-profit organization Peace for You Peace for Me Foundation organize a concert in the Bulgarian capital of Sofia. The concert was intended to raise money to help children who lost their homes because of global conflicts.
DiMaggio, a professional drummer who also had served as a musical director for the United Nations, offered to get world-famous musicians and celebrities to perform at the concert, and he claimed to need money to book these artists. Relying on these promises, the foundation’s financial sponsor wired nearly $1 million to DiMaggio.
Rather than use the money for the charity concert, DiMaggio instead used it to fund his personal lifestyle and pay his debts. Within weeks of the last wire transfer of $750,000, he used $251,370 of the funds to purchase a Calabasas home for his ex-wife. DiMaggio also bought his mother a $35,000 car and bought his son a $24,000 car. He also wired $150,000 of the funds to a bank account in the name of his company, DiMagic Entertainment Inc. None of the transfers was sent to artists or their management in connection with the charity concert in Bulgaria.
“The concert never happened and this much-needed money was never raised for this charitable cause,” prosecutors wrote in their sentencing memorandum. “[DiMaggio] lined his own pockets at the expense of [the foundation’s financial sponsor] and the children that would have benefited from the concert’s proceeds.”
The sponsor later sued DiMaggio in Los Angeles Superior Court, where DiMaggio continued to lie in court proceedings that someone else had stolen the money. DiMaggio also forged bank documents and deleted correspondence while this civil litigation was pending, and he ultimately filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy protection. In his September 2017 bankruptcy filing, DiMaggio made false statements that he had not made alimony payments or given any gifts worth more than $600 to any person in the prior two years.
The FBI investigated this matter.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Poonam G. Kumar of the Major Frauds Section.
Ex-oil exec admits to stealing more than $2 millionRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – A 45-year-old Katy man has entered a guilty plea to embezzling over $2 million from a local oil services company, announced U.S. Attorney Ryan. K. Patrick.
Robert Andrew Bishop was the vice president of resource management at International Professional Management (IPM), an oil services company located in Houston. As part of his duties, he was in charge of securing short term loans to cover IPM’s monthly operating capital.
Today, he admitted he would inflate the loan amount needed and then divert the excess money to fake vendor accounts he controlled.
Over the span of approximately six years, Bishop diverted roughly $2.1 million from the company’s operating expenses.
The owners of IPM discovered his fraud scheme in August 2019.
Sentencing has been set for Jan. 5, 2021, before U.S. District Judge Keith Ellison. At that time, Bishop faces up to 20 years in federal prison and a possible $250,000 maximum fine.
The FBI conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas Carter is prosecuting the case.
Essex County Man Indicted for Armed Robbery of Three PharmaciesRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A federal grand jury today indicted an Essex County, New Jersey, man for his role in three armed robberies of pharmacies in West Orange, Belleville and East Orange, New Jersey, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito announced.
Malik Conley, 27, of Newark, is charged with three counts of Hobbs Act robbery, three counts of brandishing firearms in furtherance of the robberies and one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. He will be arraigned on a date to be determined.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
On Oct. 21, 2019, Conley and a conspirator entered a pharmacy in West Orange, New Jersey, while wearing face masks. One of the men entered the pharmacy holding a silver handgun pointed at employees. The men demanded cash from the register as well as prescription medication. Conley and his conspirator fled the pharmacy with stolen medication and cash.
On Dec. 3, 2019, Conley entered a pharmacy in Belleville, New Jersey, while wearing a face covering and pointing a silver gun at employees. He demanded cash from the register as well as prescription medication, and ultimately fled the pharmacy with stolen medication and cash. Law enforcement recovered the firearm believed to be used in this robbery later that day in Conley’s girlfriend’s car.
On Jan. 13, 2020, Conley and a conspirator entered a pharmacy in East Orange, New Jersey, while both wearing face masks. One of the men entered the pharmacy holding a gun pointed at employees. Both men demanded cash and prescription medication, and ultimately fled the pharmacy with stolen medication and cash. Conley was arrested later that evening with the car keys to the vehicle believed to be used in the East Orange robbery in his pocket. Law enforcement searched the vehicle and recovered prescription medication traceable to the East Orange Pharmacy.
Each count of Hobbs Act robbery carries a maximum potential penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine, or twice the gross gain or loss from the offense. The count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon charge carries a maximum potential penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine, or twice the gross gain or loss from the offense. Each count of brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a bank robbery carries a mandatory minimum of seven years in prison and a $250,000 fine, or twice the gross gain or loss from the offense.
U.S. Attorney Carpenito credited special agents of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Charlie Patterson in Newark; the West Orange Police Department, under the direction of Chief James P. Abbott; the Belleville Police Department, under the direction of Chief Mark Minichini; and the East Orange Police Department, under the direction Chief William C. Robinson, with the investigation leading to today’s indictment.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Emma Spiro of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Newark.
The charges and allegations in the indictment are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Enfield Man Sentenced to Prison for Putting Dozens of Guns on the Street to Feed Drug AddictionRead the Press Release
John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that NORMAN KLOSEK, also known as Rich Klosek, 36, of Enfield, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Janet Bond Arterton in New Haven to 46 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for illegally purchasing and selling numerous firearms.
According to court documents and statements made in court, in 2018, the FBI’s Northern Connecticut Gang Task Force began investigating Ricardo Reyes, also known as “Rick the Ruler,” a member of the Los Solidos street gang who was distributing fentanyl, heroin, cocaine and crack in the area of Park Street and Hungerford Street in Hartford. During the investigation, law enforcement conducted multiple controlled purchases of narcotics from Reyes. Court-authorized wiretaps confirmed that Reyes was distributing narcotics to numerous customers, and identified individuals who supplied drugs to Reyes and associates who sold drugs on his behalf.
Intercepted communications also revealed Reyes was acquiring and trafficking firearms, and that Klosek, who had a valid state pistol permit, was acting as a “straw purchaser” of firearms for Reyes. Klosek was addicted to heroin/fentanyl, and he purchased and transferred the firearms to support his drug addiction.
On April 22, 2019, Reyes picked up Klosek in Enfield and drove to the Newington Gun Exchange, a licensed gun dealer in Newington, where Klosek purchased two handguns. During the purchase, Klosek completed and signed an ATF Form 4473 form in which he falsely represented that he was the actual purchaser of the firearms and was not acquiring the firearms for another person. He also represented that he was not an unlawful user, or addicted to, any controlled substances. Klosek provided the guns to Reyes after the purchase. Later that day, investigators conducted a traffic stop of Reyes’ vehicle and recovered the two firearms.
Reyes and several co-defendants were arrested on federal criminal complaints on June 17, 2019. On that date, investigators seized two additional guns that had been purchased by Klosek.
The investigation revealed that Klosek first purchased and registered a firearm with the State of Connecticut on November 6, 2018. Since that date, Klosek purchased a total of 47 handguns. Twenty-five of the guns were purchased in a six-week period between March 8 and April 22, 2019.
On April 24, 2019, a search of Klosek’s residence revealed empty gun boxes and receipts for firearm purchases, but no firearms. Klosek was arrested the following day in Hartford. He possessed fentanyl/heroin at the time of his arrest.
To date, approximately 10 of the 47 handguns purchased by Klosek have been recovered by law enforcement. One gun was recovered after it was used in a shooting in Hartford on August 22, 2019. In September 2020, handguns purchased by Klosek were recovered as part of criminal investigations in Brimfield, Massachusetts, and Riverside, California.
On March 2, 2020, Klosek pleaded guilty to one count of dealing firearms without a license and one count of making a false statement during the acquisition of a firearm.
Klosek, who is released on a $50,000 bond, is required to report to prison on November 17, 2020.
On June 27, 2019, a grand jury Hartford returned a 32-count indictment charging Reyes and 14 other members and associates of Los Solidos with various narcotics trafficking and firearm possession offenses. Reyes has pleaded guilty and awaits sentencing.
The FBI’s Northern Connecticut Gang Task Force includes members of the Hartford Police Department, East Hartford Police Department, Connecticut State Police and Connecticut Department of Correction. The Hartford Police Department’s Vice and Narcotics Division and the New Britain Police Department have provided valuable assistance to the investigation. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian P. Leaming.
Yesterday, the Justice Department announced that more than 14,200 defendants were charged with federal firearms-related offenses during Fiscal Year (FY) 2020. “The number one priority of government is to keep its citizens safe,” said Attorney General Barr. “By preventing firearms from falling into the hands of individuals who are prohibited from having them, we can stop violent crime before it happens. Violating federal firearms laws is a serious crime and offenders face serious consequences. The Justice Department is committed to investigating and prosecuting individuals who illegally buy, sell, use, or possess firearms.”
East Bay Man Convicted of United States Postal Service Mail BombingRead the Press Release
SAN FRANCISCO – A federal jury convicted Ross Gordon Laverty of multiple felonies in connection with mailing two explosive devices with the intent to injure or kill his targets, announced United States Attorney David L. Anderson and U.S. Postal Inspection Service Inspector in Charge Rafael Nuñez. The verdict was delivered after a one-week trial before the Hon. William H. Orrick, United States District Judge.
“A federal jury convicted Ross Laverty of mailing two bombs through United States Post Office to homes in East Palo Alto and Alameda. In addition to his intended victims, Laverty put others, including postal workers and mail carriers in grave danger,” said U.S. Attorney Anderson. “The guilty verdicts are a reminder that law enforcement will investigate unlawful use of the mail, whether for the violent ends Laverty sought, or other illegal purposes.”
“As the law enforcement and security arm of the U.S. Postal Service, the safety of postal employees and the public is our top priority,” said Postal Inspector in Charge Nuñez. “Postal Inspectors worked closely with the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the East Palo Alto Police Department, the San Mateo County Sheriff’s Department, the Alameda Police Department, the Oakland Police Department, the Alameda County Sheriff’s Department, the FBI, the Verdugo Crime Laboratory, and especially the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives to arrest and prosecute the individual responsible for mailing two explosive devices, one to East Palo Alto, CA and one to Alameda, CA, endangering U.S. Postal Service employees and the public.”
The evidence at trial established that on or about October 9, 2017, Laverty, 59, of Oakland, mailed an improvised explosive device to an address in East Palo Alto, Calif., that the victim opened on October 19. The victim carried the package outside of his home and opened it in his back yard, causing it to detonate, inflicting injuries to him, and blasting a hole through a wood frame and fence. Further, the evidence at trial established that on or about November 24, 2017, Laverty mailed an identical explosive device to an address in Alameda. The intended victim’s wife opened the package inside of her home, causing it to explode. Additional evidence proved Laverty’s motives for mailing the devices. First, evidence demonstrated Laverty sought revenge against a corrections officer sharing the same name as the East Palo Alto victim who had strip searched Laverty while he was incarcerated at San Mateo jail in April of 2014. Second, the evidence demonstrated Laverty sought revenge against an Alameda Police Department Officer involved in the probation search of his residence and his arrest in October of 2013.
On May 21, 2019, a federal grand jury handed down a superseding indictment charging Laverty with two counts of mailing an explosive devise with the intent to injure or kill, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1716(a) and (j)(2); two counts of possession of an unregistered firearm, in violation of 26 U.S.C. § 5861(d); and two counts of using an explosive during the commission of a felony, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 844(h)(1) and (2). Laverty was found guilty on all counts.
Laverty faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 20 years’ imprisonment, maximum fines of $10,000 to $250,000 per count, a term of supervised release, and restitution. The sentence following conviction will be imposed by the court after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal statute governing the imposition of a sentence, 18 U.S.C. § 3553.
The prosecution was handled by the Special Prosecutions Unit at the United States Attorney’s Office. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service with assistance from numerous local and federal law enforcement agencies.
Dominican National Sentenced for Illegal ReentryRead the Press Release
BOSTON - A Dominican national who was previously deported was sentenced today for illegal reentry.
Irvin Gabriel Bautista Chala, 28, a/k/a Luis Figueroa-Cabrera, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Richard G. Stearns to 12 months and one day in prison. The Court ordered Bautista Chala’s sentence to be served consecutive to a sentence imposed by the Suffolk Superior Court in September 2019. Following the completion of his prison term, Bautista Chala will be placed into removal proceedings and deported to the Dominican Republic.
In 2017, Bautista Chala was arrested by the Boston Police during the execution of a search warrant and charged with distribution of heroin. At that time, Bautista Chala was determined to be illegally present in the United States and on Aug. 7, 2017, he was deported to the Dominican Republic. Sometime after his removal, Bautista Chala, using the alias Luis Figueroa-Cabrera, illegally reentered the United States and was rearrested, and later convicted of distribution of heroin in the Suffolk County Superior Court and sentenced to two years’ imprisonment. In October 2019, while serving this sentence, Bautista Chala, was encountered by ICE agents and again determined to be illegally present in the United States.
United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling and Michael Shea, Acting Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Boston, made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kenneth G. Shine of Lelling’s Major Crimes Unit prosecuted the case.
Domestic Violence Awareness Month featured grant and organizationRead the Press Release
Evansville – United States Attorney Josh J. Minkler announced today’s Department of Justice, Office on Violence Against Women featured grant and grant recipient.
“To date, we have been able to help 142 victims and their children have peace of mind with safe supervised visits and exchanges,” said Judge Mary Margaret Lloyd, of the Vanderburgh Superior Court. “More than 1,600 victims have obtained help with their protection orders, navigating the court system, and obtaining referrals to local agencies to give them further aid. Twenty- seven family cases have had guardian ad litems represent the child of a domestic violence victim in court on custody or visitation issues. Our appreciation to the Justice for Families Program for allowing us to continue our work providing these services to the children and victims of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual abuse and stalking is immense.”
Justice for Families Program
The Grants to Support Families in the Justice System program (referred to as the Justice for Families Program) was authorized in the Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2013 to improve the response of the civil and criminal justice system to families with a history of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking, or in cases involving allegations of child sexual abuse.
The program supports the following activities for improving the capacity of courts and communities to respond to families affected by the targeted crimes: court-based and court-related programs; supervised visitation and safe exchange by and between parents; training for people who work with families in the court system; civil legal services; and the provision of resources in juvenile court matters. Projects supported by the Justice for Families Program are those that focus on keeping victims and their children safe from further abuse and holding offenders accountable.
Vanderburgh County Superior Court and its Collaborative Partners
Vanderburgh County Superior Court and its collaborative partners, Parenting Time Center, Albion Fellows Bacon Center, YWCA, CASA, Holly’s House, Amends Program of Evansville, Legal Aid Society of Evansville, and multiple law enforcement agencies, will use this continuation award to:
- Continue to provide supervised child visitation and safe exchange services to victims of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual abuse, and stalking;
- Continue to provide services of the Protective Order Assistance Office to victims of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual abuse, and stalking;
- Continue to provide trained guardian ad litems to represent the children of domestic violence victims in their visitation and custody cases; and
- To provide training within the civil justice system to gain awareness of victim safety issues and barriers that victims face when accessing the justice system.
For more information about this grant, contact the Office on Violence Against Women at 202/307-6026 and ask for the Outreach and Communications Division.
DOJ Charges More Than 14,200 Defendants with Firearms-Related Crimes in Fiscal Year 2020 - Middle District of Louisiana Charged 72 CasesRead the Press Release
This week, the Department of Justice announced it has charged more than 14,200 defendants with firearms-related crimes during Fiscal Year (FY) 2020, despite the challenges of COVID 19 and its impact on the criminal justice process. These cases have been a Department priority since November 2019 when Attorney General William P. Barr announced his commitment to investigating, prosecuting, and combatting gun crimes as a critical part of the Department’s anti-violent crime strategy. These firearms-related charges are the result of the critical law enforcement partnership between United States Attorney’s Offices and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, led by Acting Director Regina Lombardo, who has made firearms-related investigations a priority.
“The number one priority of government is to keep its citizens safe,” said Attorney General Barr. “By preventing firearms from falling into the hands of individuals who are prohibited from having them, we can stop violent crime before it happens. Violating federal firearms laws is a serious crime and offenders face serious consequences. The Department of Justice is committed to investigating and prosecuting individuals who illegally buy, sell, use, or possess firearms. Reducing gun violence requires a coordinated effort, and we could not have charged more than 14,000 individuals with firearms-related crimes without the hard work of the dedicated law enforcement professionals at the ATF, our U.S. Attorney’s Offices across the country, and especially all of our state and local law enforcement partners.”
“Protecting the public from violent crime involving firearms is at the core of ATF’s mission,” commented ATF Acting Director Regina Lombardo. “Every day the men and women of ATF pursue and investigate those who use firearms to commit violent crimes in our communities, many of whom are prohibited from possessing firearms from previous convictions. ATF, in collaboration with the U.S. Attorney’s Offices across the nation, is committed to bringing these offenders to justice for their egregious and violent criminal acts.”
Of the more than 14,200 cases charged nationwide, 72 firearms cases have been filed in the Middle District of Louisiana during the same period, announced United States Attorney Brandon Fremin. The majority of these cases have involved convicted felons who illegally possessed firearms. However, the district has also addressed, among other gun crimes, false statements to licensed firearms dealers and domestic violence offenders who themselves cannot legally possess firearms. The 72 local case total also reflects matters where firearms were possessed, carried, or used in connection with federal violent crime or narcotics trafficking offenses. Even with COVID 19 challenges, United States Attorney Fremin noted, the Middle District of Louisiana continues to obtain successful results against dangerous firearms offenders. Recently a federal trial jury convicted Robert Earl Tucker, Jr., age 45, of various gun charges, to include brandishing a loaded firearm at a Wal-Mart in Baton Rouge and illegally possessing a firearm and ammunition. Tucker now faces a maximum sentence of ten years in federal prison.
United States Attorney Fremin stated: “Our office has made protecting the community from violent crime a top priority in the Middle District of Louisiana. We have successfully used some of the best tools available to law enforcement to keep firearms out of the hands of those who pose a danger to the innocent, and to prosecute and convict prohibited persons from possessing or using firearms to bring violence. We are joined in this by the various federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies who are the front line defenders of the public, and without their tireless efforts, our success would not be possible.”
Under federal law, it is illegal to possess a firearm if you fall into one of nine prohibited categories including being a felon, illegal alien, or unlawful user of a controlled substance. Further, it is unlawful to possess a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense or violent crime. It is also illegal to purchase – or even to attempt to illegally purchase - firearms if the buyer is a prohibited person or illegally purchasing a firearm on behalf of others. Lying on ATF Form 4473, which is used to lawfully purchase a firearm, is also a federal offense. The Department is committed to prosecuting these firearms offenses as well as using all modern technologies available to law enforcement such as the National Integrated Ballistic Information Network, known as NIBIN, to promote gun crime intelligence. Keeping illegal firearms out of the hands of violent criminals will continue to be a priority of the Department of Justice and we will use all appropriate, available means to keep the law abiding people of this country safe from gun crime.
For more information on the lawful purchasing of firearms, please see: https://www.atf.gov/qa-category/atf-form-4473.
DOJ Charges More Than 14,200 Defendants with Firearms-Related Crimes in Fiscal Year 2020Read the Press Release
Columbia, South Carolina --- Today, the Department of Justice announced it has charged more than 14,200 defendants with firearms-related crimes during Fiscal Year (FY) 2020, despite the challenges of COVID-19 and its impact on the criminal justice process. U.S. Attorney Peter M. McCoy, Jr. announced that 183 of those cases have been brought in the District of South Carolina, and have targeted the most violent offenders in the state. Of the nearly 100 judicial districts across the country, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of South Carolina is among the top ten offices for the number of defendants who received sentences of five years or more for firearms-related charges.
These cases have been a Department priority since November 2019 when Attorney General William P. Barr announced his commitment to investigating, prosecuting, and combatting gun crimes as a critical part of the Department’s anti-violent crime strategy. These firearms-related charges are the result of the critical law enforcement partnership between United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, led by Acting Director Regina Lombardo, who has made firearms-related investigations a priority.
“The number one priority of government is to keep its citizens safe,” said Attorney General Barr. “By preventing firearms from falling into the hands of individuals who are prohibited from having them, we can stop violent crime before it happens. Violating federal firearms laws is a serious crime and offenders face serious consequences. The Department of Justice is committed to investigating and prosecuting individuals who illegally buy, sell, use, or possess firearms. Reducing gun violence requires a coordinated effort, and we could not have charged more than 14,000 individuals with firearms-related crimes without the hard work of the dedicated law enforcement professionals at the ATF, our U.S. Attorneys’ Offices across the country, and especially all of our state and local law enforcement partners.”
“Protecting the public from violent crime involving firearms is at the core of ATF’s mission,” commented ATF Acting Director Regina Lombardo. “Every day the men and women of ATF pursue and investigate those who use firearms to commit violent crimes in our communities, many of whom are prohibited from possessing firearms from previous convictions. ATF, in collaboration with the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices across the nation, is committed to bringing these offenders to justice for their egregious and violent criminal acts.”
“Working hand-in-hand with our state and local partners, this office identifies, investigates, and prosecutes those who use firearms to commit crime,” said U.S. Attorney McCoy. “Despite the challenges of the ongoing pandemic, this office has made extraordinary strides in bringing cases against the most violent offenders and those with lengthy rap sheets. This approach has allowed this office, and the ATF here in South Carolina, to lead the way in quality firearms-related prosecutions.”
Of the more than 14,200 cases charged across the country, 183 cases have been brought by the District of South Carolina in Fiscal Year 2020, announced U.S. Attorney McCoy. The charges led to the seizure of hundreds of firearms. Further, more than 50% of the defendants charged with firearms-related offenses in the District of South Carolina received sentences of at least five years or more, putting the office among the top U.S. Attorney’s Offices in the country. These lengthy sentences highlight the office’s focus on the worst offenders with the most serious prior records. Such sentences also show the significant, long-term impact each case can have on the safety of affected communities.
Operation Soda City illustrates the efforts here in the District of South Carolina. The operation was a violent-crime proactive effort led by ATF and the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Columbia, in partnership with numerous state and local agencies. Agents with Operation Soda City cultivated data to prioritize violent crime targets associated with shots fired reports and shell casings collected in Columbia. For three months in 2020, undercover ATF agents purchased guns and drugs that led to charges against at least 24 defendants and the removal 49 firearms from the streets. Of the 49 recovered firearms, 18 were stolen and five were associated with prior crimes.
Under federal law, it is illegal to possess a firearm if you fall into one of nine prohibited categories, including being a felon, illegal alien, or unlawful user of a controlled substance. Further, it is unlawful to possess a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense or violent crime. It is also illegal to purchase – or even to attempt to illegally purchase - firearms if the buyer is a prohibited person or illegally purchasing a firearm on behalf of others. Lying on standard ATF forms used to lawfully purchase a firearm is also a federal offense, as is unlicensed dealing in firearms and possession of certain types of illegal weapons. The Department is committed to prosecuting these firearms offenses as well as using all modern technologies available to law enforcement such as the National Integrated Ballistic Information Network, known as NIBIN, to promote gun crime intelligence. Keeping illegal firearms out of the hands of violent criminals will continue to be a priority of the Department of Justice and we will use all appropriate, available means to keep the law abiding people of this country safe from gun crime.
For more information on the lawful purchasing of firearms, please see: https://www.atf.gov/qa-category/atf-form-4473.
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The year 2020 marks the 150th anniversary of the Department of Justice. Learn more about the history of our agency at www.Justice.gov/Celebrating150Years.
DOJ Charges More Than 14,200 Defendants with Firearms-Related Crimes in Fiscal Year 2020Read the Press Release
PORTLAND, Maine: The Department of Justice announced that it has charged more than 14,200 defendants with firearms-related crimes during Fiscal Year (FY) 2020, despite the challenges of COVID-19 and its impact on the criminal justice process.
These cases have been a Department priority since November 2019 when Attorney General William P. Barr announced his commitment to investigating, prosecuting and combatting gun crimes as a critical part of the Department’s anti-violent crime strategy. These firearms-related charges are the result of the critical law enforcement partnership between United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, led by Acting Director Regina Lombardo, who has made firearms-related investigations a priority.
“The number one priority of government is to keep its citizens safe,” said Attorney General Barr. “By preventing firearms from falling into the hands of individuals who are prohibited from having them, we can stop violent crime before it happens. Violating federal firearms laws is a serious crime and offenders face serious consequences. The Department of Justice is committed to investigating and prosecuting individuals who illegally buy, sell, use or possess firearms. Reducing gun violence requires a coordinated effort, and we could not have charged more than 14,000 individuals with firearms-related crimes without the hard work of the dedicated law enforcement professionals at the ATF, our U.S. Attorneys’ Offices across the country, and especially all of our state and local law enforcement partners.”
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maine charged 25 defendants with firearms-related crimes in FY 2020, U.S. Attorney Halsey Frank announced.
“Our office has always prioritized bringing to justice those who are in illegal possession of firearms, and will continue to so,” Frank said. “The prosecutions we have pursued here in Maine underscore our commitment to keeping dangerous weapons out of the hands of those who are prohibited from having them.”
Under federal law, it is illegal to possess a firearm if you fall into one of nine prohibited categories including being a felon, illegal alien or unlawful user of a controlled substance. Further, it is unlawful to possess a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense or violent crime. It is also illegal to purchase—or even to attempt to illegally purchase—firearms if the buyer is a prohibited person or illegally purchasing a firearm on behalf of others. Lying on ATF Form 4473, which is used to lawfully purchase a firearm, is also a federal offense. The Department is committed to prosecuting these firearms offenses as well as using all modern technologies available to law enforcement such as the National Integrated Ballistic Information Network, known as NIBIN, to promote gun crime intelligence. Keeping illegal firearms out of the hands of violent criminals will continue to be a priority of the Department of Justice and we will use all appropriate, available means to keep the law-abiding people of this country safe from gun crime.
For more information on the lawful purchasing of firearms, please see: https://www.atf.gov/qa-category/atf-form-4473.
DOJ Charges More Than 14,200 Defendants with Firearms-Related Crimes in FY20Read the Press Release
LAS VEGAS, Nev. – Today, the Department of Justice announced it has charged more than 14,200 defendants with firearms-related crimes during Fiscal Year (FY) 2020, despite the challenges of COVID 19 and its impact on the criminal justice process.
These cases have been a Department priority since November 2019 when Attorney General William P. Barr announced his commitment to investigating, prosecuting, and combatting gun crimes as a critical part of the Department’s anti-violent crime strategy. These firearms-related charges are the result of the critical law enforcement partnership between United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, led by Acting Director Regina Lombardo, who has made firearms-related investigations a priority.
“The number one priority of government is to keep its citizens safe,” said Attorney General Barr. “By preventing firearms from falling into the hands of individuals who are prohibited from having them, we can stop violent crime before it happens. Violating federal firearms laws is a serious crime and offenders face serious consequences. The Department of Justice is committed to investigating and prosecuting individuals, who illegally buy, sell, use, or possess firearms. Reducing gun violence requires a coordinated effort, and we could not have charged more than 14,000 individuals with firearms-related crimes without the hard work of the dedicated law enforcement professionals at the ATF, our U.S. Attorneys’ Offices across the country, and especially all of our state and local law enforcement partners.”
“Protecting the public from violent crime involving firearms is at the core of ATF’s mission,” commented ATF Acting Director Regina Lombardo. “Every day the men and women of ATF pursue and investigate those who use firearms to commit violent crimes in our communities, many of whom are prohibited from possessing firearms from previous convictions. ATF, in collaboration with the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices across the nation, is committed to bringing these offenders to justice for their egregious and violent criminal acts.”
“Project Guardian — along with Project Safe Neighborhoods and our recent initiative, Project Veronica — is a cornerstone of our office’s violent crime reduction strategy,” said U.S. Attorney Trutanich. “To reduce gun violence in Nevada, we will continue prosecuting those who use firearms during a drug trafficking or violent crime offense; felons, domestic abusers, and others prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition; and those who knowingly buy guns for prohibited persons.”
“Protecting the public is at the forefront of ATF’s mission,” said Special Agent in Charge Patrick Gorman, San Francisco Field Division, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). “In November 2019, the United States Attorney General announced the launch of the Project Guardian initiative. The initiative focuses on ATF’s central role to combat gun violence. Project Guardian leverages three long-standing pillars of ATF’s comprehensive violent crime reduction strategy, which are the close collaboration between ATF, the U.S. Attorney’s Offices and our law enforcement partners, as well as vigorous prosecution of federal firearms laws and the robust use of crime gun intelligence. Since the start of the Project Guardian initiative, the San Francisco Field Division has worked diligently with our partners to reduce gun violence in our local communities and will continue to advocate the comprehensive use of our National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (NIBIN), firearm tracing and Crime Gun Intelligence Centers by our local, state, and federal partners. We will also continue to deploy our investigative resources strategically and stay intensely focused on our core mission of investigating violent criminals and the firearm traffickers and straw purchasers that arm them.”
Of the more than 14,200 cases charged, over 130 cases have been brought by the District of Nevada, announced U.S. Attorney Trutanich.
Under federal law, it is illegal to possess a firearm if you fall into one of nine prohibited categories including being a felon, illegal alien, or unlawful user of a controlled substance. Further, it is unlawful to possess a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense or violent crime. It is also illegal to purchase – or even to attempt to illegally purchase - firearms if the buyer is a prohibited person or illegally purchasing a firearm on behalf of others. Lying on ATF Form 4473, which is used to lawfully purchase a firearm, is also a federal offense. The Department is committed to prosecuting these firearms offenses as well as using all modern technologies available to law enforcement such as the National Integrated Ballistic Information Network, known as NIBIN, to promote gun crime intelligence. Keeping illegal firearms out of the hands of violent criminals will continue to be a priority of the Department of Justice and we will use all appropriate, available means to keep the law-abiding people of this country safe from gun crime.
For more information on the lawful purchasing of firearms, please see: https://www.atf.gov/qa-category/atf-form-4473.
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Cortland County Farm Worker Indicted for Illegal Reentry Following Prior DeportationRead the Press Release
SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – Timoteo Ramirez-Lopez, age 32, was indicted today by a federal grand jury in Syracuse for illegally re-entering the United States without authorization after being deported previously. The indictment was announced by Acting United States Attorney Antoinette T. Bacon and Thomas E. Feeley, Field Office Director, Buffalo Field Office, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO).
In charging Ramirez-Lopez, the government has alleged that he was previously deported from Texas to his native country of Guatemala in March 2008, returned to the United States without permission at some point afterward, and was then found on July 29, 2020 working on a farm in Cortland County, where he was arrested for having allegedly returned to the United States without authorization.
The charges in the indictment are merely accusations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. The defendant has the right to a jury trial, a date for which has not yet been set.
If convicted, Ramirez-Lopez faces up to two years in prison, a term of supervised release of up to one year, and a fine of up to $250,000. He may also face immigration consequences, including deportation or removal, which are adjudicated in a separate civil proceeding in immigration court.
This case is being investigated by ICE-ERO, and it is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael F. Perry.
Collin County Man Found Guilty of Financial Fraud and Money Laundering Scheme Victimizing Senior Citizens, School Districts, and CharitiesRead the Press Release
SHERMAN, Texas –A 30-year-old Plano, Texas man has been convicted of federal violations related to a bank fraud and money laundering conspiracy in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Stephen J. Cox today.
Babatope Joseph Aderinoye was convicted by a jury of conspiracy to commit bank fraud, wire fraud, and money laundering; wire fraud, aggravated identity theft, and mail fraud. The guilty verdict came following a four-day trial before U.S. District Judge Amos Mazzant.
“We are committed to protecting East Texas victims—and especially our senior citizens—from financial threats, both foreign and domestic,” said U.S. Attorney Stephen J. Cox. “We will hold perpetrators of these fraudulent schemes accountable wherever they are and will use all tools at our disposal to punish offenders and recover their ill-gotten gains.”
According to information presented in court, Aderinoye would obtain fake passports in the names of others. He would then use those fraudulent passports and the identifying information of others to establish false business entities and fraudulent bank accounts. To this date, 13 individual aliases and 12 business aliases have been tied to Aderinoye, and there is evidence to suggest more aliases exist. Once Aderinoye would open the fraudulent bank accounts, co-conspirators would engage in various business email compromise scams and telephone compromise scams to defraud individuals and businesses out of money. In these scams, co-conspirators would pose as a known individual and direct the targeted victims to wire or send funds to Aderinoye or the fraudulent accounts Aderinoye had set up. Once the money hit Aderinoye’s fraudulent accounts, he would immediately withdraw the funds, transfer them to other fraudulent accounts, or wire them internationally to a bank account he had set up in Nigeria. The illicit proceeds were used to pay off co-conspirators and further fund their fraudulent schemes. From June 2018 through September 2019, over $6.7 million was deposited into alias accounts of Aderinoye, with almost all of those funds being withdrawn or wired internationally. The victims of the BEC scams included school districts such as Community ISD, Project 4031, a non-profit organization that helps families of the terminally ill, an individual whose identity was used to drain his retirement account, and an elderly man who had over $352,000 stolen from his investment account. The investigation is ongoing, as co-conspirators and victims continue to be identified.
Under federal statutes, Aderinoye faces up to 30 years in federal prison at sentencing. The maximum statutory sentence prescribed by Congress is provided here for information purposes, as the sentencing will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the U.S. Probation Office.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Wes Wynne and Will Tatum.
California Inmate Pleads Guilty to Arranging Drug Shipments from PrisonRead the Press Release
NORFOLK, Va. – A Lancaster, California man pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
According to court documents, while he was serving a life sentence in a California prison, Nicholas Everet Thurman, 38, acted as a contact between drug customers and suppliers, using various means including contraband mobile telephones. Thurman arranged for methamphetamine and other controlled substances to be shipped from drug suppliers in California and Mexico to drug distributors in the Eastern District of Virginia and New Jersey for further distribution.
On May 24, 2019, a federal grand jury in Norfolk returned an indictment charging Thurman and others with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine. Following his indictment, Thurman was transported to Norfolk, where the U.S. Marshal placed Thurman in custody at the Western Tidewater Regional Jail in Suffolk. Upon arrival, Thurman regularly communicated with Sallie Renee Jones, a Chesapeake resident. From September 2019, and continuing thereafter until October 2019, Thurman and Jones routinely discussed ongoing shipments of controlled substances and corresponding payments for drug shipments. It was revealed to investigators that Thurman had access to multiple drug trafficking organizations based in California, as well as Mexico, which he used to have methamphetamine and other illegal controlled substances mailed to the Eastern District of Virginia and elsewhere for distribution.
Between June 2019 and October 2019, Thurman caused approximately 24 parcels containing methamphetamine and other controlled substances to be shipped through the U.S. Mail from California to Jones in the South Hampton Roads area. Jones received the final such parcel on October 21, 2019, at her residence in Chesapeake. On October 24, 2019, the police seized 207.07 grams of methamphetamine from Jones and her passenger during a traffic stop in Virginia Beach. On the same date, the police seized 303.4 grams of methamphetamine from Jones’ residence in Chesapeake.
Jones pleaded guilty on July 26 and is scheduled to be sentenced on November 30.
Thurman pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine. Thurman faces a mandatory minimum sentence of ten years’ imprisonment and a maximum sentence of life in prison when sentenced on February 25, 2021. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Raymond Villanueva, Special Agent in Charge of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Washington, D.C.; Peter R. Rendina, Inspector in Charge of the Washington Division of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service; and Anthony F. Zucaro, Jr., Interim Chief of Virginia Beach Police, made the announcement after U.S. Magistrate Judge Douglas E. Miller accepted the plea.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Darryl J. Mitchell is prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:19-cr-83.
California Fraudster Sentenced in Maryland to Three Years in Federal Prison for International Mail and Wire Fraud ConspiracyRead the Press Release
Greenbelt, Maryland – U.S. District Judge George J. Hazel yesterday sentenced Saulina Helen Eady, age 38, of Los Angeles, California, to three years in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud, in connection with a scheme to fraudulently obtain goods using what appeared to be a military e-mail address, but was actually a registered Yahoo e-mail address. Judge Hazel also entered an order requiring Eady to forfeit and to pay restitution in the full amount of one of the victim’s losses, which is $640,172.80. Eady has been detained since her arrest in October 2018.
The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Robert K. Hur; Special Agent in Charge Robert E. Craig, Jr. of the Defense Criminal Investigative Service - Mid-Atlantic Field Office; Special Agent in Charge John Eisert of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Baltimore; and Special Agent in Charge Nasir Khan of the U.S. Department of Commerce, Office of Export Enforcement's Washington Field Office.
According to Eady’s plea agreement, a co-conspirator established and used what was purported to be a U.S. Navy e-mail address, authentic forms, titles, addresses and other indicia to pose as A U.S. government contracting agent and fraudulently obtain merchandise, including large-screen televisions, specialized communications equipment, cellular telephones and computers. Much of the fraud scheme was conducted from outside the United States, including from Nigeria. Three victim companies—one that provided wireless voice and data services that was headquartered in Washington State, one that was a wholesale audio-video distributor and manufacturer’s representative located in Virginia, and a defense contractor that designed, manufactured, and marketed communications equipment that was headquartered in Maryland—shipped merchandise, without prior payment, to Eady’s East Coast co-conspirators. Those individuals then shipped the stolen items to Eady and others on the West Coast.
Specifically, Eady admitted that from October 2015 until March 2017, she assisted in receiving, transporting, and storing the stolen televisions, ostensibly on behalf of the United States government, by renting trucks and transporting the stolen televisions to storage locations in the Los Angeles area, where Eady and others had rented storage units. Following the sale of the televisions, Eady was paid in cash for receiving and moving the televisions. According to her plea agreement, the organization obtained approximately 2,109 televisions over the course of the scheme, and the number of televisions and loss attributable to Eady is 493 televisions worth at least $1,181,290.80, but no more than $3.5 million.
However, based on bank records, surveillance footage, financial and business records of the victim companies, and other information, the Court determined at the sentencing that the loss foreseeable to Saulina Eady was between $1.5 million and $3.5 million.
Of the nine defendants charged in this case, seven have pleaded guilty to their roles in the fraud scheme, including Saulina Eady. In February 2020, Saulina’s brother, Saul Eady was sentenced to four years in federal prison and ordered to pay restitution of $640,127.80. One defendant, Eunice Nkongho, is scheduled for trial in December, and one defendant, Peter Unakalu, is a fugitive.
United States Attorney Robert K. Hur praised the Defense Criminal Investigative Service, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Department of Commerce’s Office of Export Enforcement for their work in the investigation, and thanked the FBI Washington Field Office and the Naval Criminal Investigative Service for their assistance. Mr. Hur thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jennifer R. Sykes and Joseph R. Baldwin, who are prosecuting the case.
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Broken Bow Man Pleads Guilty to Ammunition PossessionRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Darin Dawayne Tate, age 42, of Broken Bow, Oklahoma entered a guilty plea to Felon In Possession Of Ammunition, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922(g)(1) and 924(a)(2), punishable by not more than 10 years imprisonment, a fine up to $250,000.00, or both.
The Indictment alleged that on or about March 4, 2020, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma the defendant, having previously been convicted of a crime punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year, and knowing of such conviction, did knowingly possess in and affecting commerce, ammunition which had been shipped and transported in interstate and foreign commerce.
The charges arose from an investigation by the Idabel Police Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration.
The Honorable John F. Heil, III, U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, in Muskogee, accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report.
Assistant United States Attorney Clay Compton represented the United States.
Boston Man Indicted for Being a Felon in PossessionRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Boston man was indicted today for being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition, specifically a loaded Taurus 9mm pistol with an obliterated serial number.
Tevin Abercrombie, 25, was indicted on one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition. Abercrombie is currently detained on a supervised release violation and will be arraigned in federal court in Boston at a later date.
According to the criminal complaint, on April 16, 2020, Abercrombie possessed a black Taurus 9mm pistol with an obliterated serial number, loaded with one round in the chamber and an additional 7 rounds of 9mm ammunition in the magazine. In 2016, Abercrombie was convicted in federal court of being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition and conspiracy to distribute cocaine base, cocaine and heroin and sentenced to 60 months in prison. Abercrombie was on federal supervised release at the time of this offense.
The charging statute provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling; Kelly D. Brady, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Boston Field Division; and Boston Police Commissioner William Gross made the announcement today. The case is being prosecuted by Lelling’s Organized Crime and Gang Unit.
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.
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.
Baton Rouge Man Sentenced to 144 Months in Federal Prison for Multi-Million Dollar Bank and Fraud Wire SchemesRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Brandon J. Fremin announced today that United States District Judge John W. deGravelles sentenced Michael Allen Worley, age 60, of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, to 144 months in federal prison following his convictions for bank fraud and wire fraud. The Court further sentenced Worley to serve 3 years of supervised release following his term of imprisonment. Worley was also ordered to pay $15,751,905.26 to his various victims. Worley was remanded to federal prison at the conclusion of the hearing.
According to admissions made as part of his guilty plea, Worley executed schemes to defraud both banks and private equity firms by submitting multiple false and fraudulent loan applications on behalf of himself and businesses he owned, operated, or controlled. Between 2014 and 2018, Worley obtained more than $27 million in new loans from federally-insured banks in Baton Rouge and around the country through materially false and fraudulent statements and representations. Through a similar scheme, Worley obtained at least an additional $13 million from private equity firms in Louisiana and Texas, also through materially false and fraudulent statements and representations. During the course of his bank and wire fraud schemes, Worley inflated his assets, understated and omitted his liabilities, misrepresented his income, and often misrepresented other things, including the intended use(s) of millions in loan proceeds. In some instances, Worley and his businesses defaulted on the loans, causing the financial institutions and private equity funds to suffer financial losses of over $15 million. Worley filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in January 2018.
U.S. Attorney Brandon J. Fremin stated, “Mr. Worley defrauded banks and other lenders for his own personal benefit and is held accountable by today’s sentence. We will continue to vigorously prosecute those who participate in these types of schemes and, more importantly, restore justice to the victims to the best of our ability. I would like to recognize the efforts of our prosecutor and the FBI for their exemplary work in this case.”
“Today’s sentencing sends a clear message that individuals who engage in fraudulent schemes that impact the security of financial institutions will be held accountable. In addition to this sentencing Mr. Worley will be responsible for restitution in excess of $15,500,000. This should be a deterrent to others who would attempt to manipulate the nation’s banking system,” said Bryan Vorndran, FBI New Orleans Special Agent in Charge.
This matter was investigated by the Baton Rouge Resident Agency of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Peter J. Smyczek.
Attorney General William P. Barr and U.S. Attorney Justin Herdman announce update on Operation LegendRead the Press Release
At a roundtable event with law enforcement in Albuquerque today, Attorney General William P. Barr and U.S. Attorney Justin Herdman announced updates on Operation Legend.
Since Operation Legend’s launch in July 2020, more than 5,000 arrests – including approximately 263 for homicide – have been made; more than 2,000 firearms have been seized; and nearly 22 kilos of heroin, more than 15 kilos of fentanyl (enough to deliver more than 7.5 million fatal doses), more than 130 kilos of methamphetamine, more than 28 kilos of cocaine, and more than $7.3 million in drug proceeds have been seized.
Of the more than 5,000 individuals arrested, approximately 1,057 have been charged with federal offenses. Approximately 568 of those defendants have been charged with firearms offenses, while approximately 411 have been charged with drug-related crimes. The remaining defendants have been charged with various offenses.
In Cleveland, 94 defendants have been charged with federal crimes, including 54 defendants charged with narcotics-related offenses, 36 charged with firearms-related offenses and 4 with other violent crimes. U.S. Attorney Justin Herdman released the following statement:
“Operation Legend continues to send a strong message that law enforcement in Cleveland and around the country will not stand around while our neighbors live in fear of senseless violence. As long as drugs, violence, and illegal firearms continue to harm our communities, we will use our collaborative law enforcement partnerships and any resources available under Operation Legend to fight back.”
The Attorney General launched Operation Legend on July 8, 2020, as 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 in Kansas City, MO. on July 8, 2020, the operation 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. A breakdown of the federal charges in each district can be found here.
Attorney General William P. Barr Announces Updates on Operation LeGend at Roundtable in AlbuquerqueRead the Press Release
MEMPHIS, TN - At a roundtable with law enforcement in Albuquerque today, Attorney General William P. Barr announced updates on Operation LeGend, which was expanded to Albuquerque on July 22, 2020.
Since Operation LeGend’s launch in July 2020, more than 5,000 arrests – including approximately 263 for homicide – have been made; more than 2,000 firearms have been seized; and nearly 22 kilos of heroin, more than 15 kilos of fentanyl (enough to deliver more than 7.5 million fatal doses), more than 130 kilos of methamphetamine, more than 28 kilos of cocaine, and more than $7.3 million in drug proceeds have been seized.
Of the more than 5,000 individuals arrested, approximately 1,057 have been charged with federal offenses. Approximately 568 of those defendants have been charged with firearms offenses, while approximately 411 have been charged with drug-related crimes. The remaining defendants have been charged with various offenses.
The Attorney General launched the operation as 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.
Breakdown of Operation LeGend charges:
The initiative, which was first launched first in Kansas City, MO., on July 8, 2020, 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. The operation was subsequently 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. A breakdown of the federal charges in each district is below.
Kansas City, MO.
136 defendants have been charged with federal crimes outlined below.
- 49 defendants have been charged with narcotics-related offenses;
- 76 defendants have been charged with firearms-related offenses; and
- 11 defendants have been charged with other violent crimes.
Chicago, Ill.
176 defendants have been charged with federal crimes outlined below.
- 40 defendants have been charged with narcotics-related offenses;
- 130 defendants have been charged with firearms-related offenses; and
- 6 defendants have been charged with other violent crimes.
Albuquerque, NM.
113 defendants have been charged with federal crimes outlined below.
- 47 defendants have been charged with narcotics-related offenses;
- 56 defendants have been charged with firearms-related offenses; and
- 10 defendants have been charged with other violent crimes.
Cleveland, OH.
94 defendants have been charged with federal crimes outlined below.
- 54 defendants have been charged with narcotics-related offenses;
- 36 defendants have been charged with firearms-related offenses; and
- 4 defendants have been charged with other violent crimes.
Detroit, MI.
96 defendants have been charged with federal offenses outlined below.
- 31 defendants have been charged with narcotics-related offenses;
- 62 defendants have been charged with firearms-related offenses; and
- 3 defendants have been charged with other violent crimes.
Milwaukee, WI.
54 defendants have been charged with federal crimes outlined below.
- 25 defendants have been charged with narcotics-related offenses;
- 25 defendants have been charged with firearms-related offenses; and
- 4 defendant has been charged with other violent crimes.
St. Louis, MO.
274 defendants have been charged with federal crimes.
- 125 defendants have been charged with narcotics-related offenses;
- 125 defendants have been charged with firearms-related offenses; and
- 24 defendants have been charged with other violent crimes.
Memphis, TN.
51 defendants have been charged with federal offenses.
- 30 defendants have been charged with narcotics-related offenses;
- 14 defendants have been charged with firearms-related offenses; and
- 7 defendants have been charged with other violent crimes.
Indianapolis, Indiana
65 defendants have been charged with federal crimes outlined below.
- 10 defendants have been charged with narcotics-related offenses;
- 46 defendants have been charged with firearms-related offenses; and
- 9 defendants have been charged with other violent crimes.
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Attorney General William P. Barr Announces Updates on Operation Legend at Roundtable in Albuquerque, New MexicoRead the Press Release
At a roundtable with law enforcement in Albuquerque today, Attorney General William P. Barr announced updates on Operation Legend, which was expanded to Albuquerque on July 22, 2020.
Since Operation Legend’s launch in July 2020, more than 5,000 arrests – including approximately 247 for homicide – have been made; more than 2,000 firearms have been seized; and nearly 22 kilos of heroin, more than 15 kilos of fentanyl (enough to deliver more than 7.5 million fatal doses), more than 130 kilos of methamphetamine, more than 28 kilos of cocaine, and more than $7.3 million in drug proceeds have been seized.
Of the more than 5,000 individuals arrested, approximately 1,057 have been charged with federal offenses. Approximately 568 of those defendants have been charged with firearms offenses, while approximately 411 have been charged with drug-related crimes. The remaining defendants have been charged with various offenses.
The Attorney General launched the operation as 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.
Breakdown of Operation Legend charges:
The initiative, which was first launched first in Kansas City, MO., on July 8, 2020, 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. The operation was subsequently 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. A breakdown of the federal charges in each district is below.
Kansas City, MO.
136 defendants have been charged with federal crimes outlined below.
- 49 defendants have been charged with narcotics-related offenses;
- 76 defendants have been charged with firearms-related offenses; and
- 11 defendants have been charged with other violent crimes.
Chicago, IL.
176 defendants have been charged with federal crimes outlined below.
- 40 defendants have been charged with narcotics-related offenses;
- 130 defendants have been charged with firearms-related offenses; and
- 6 defendants have been charged with other violent crimes.
Albuquerque, NM.
113 defendants have been charged with federal crimes outlined below.
- 47 defendants have been charged with narcotics-related offenses;
- 56 defendants have been charged with firearms-related offenses; and
- 10 defendants have been charged with other violent crimes.
Cleveland, OH.
94 defendants have been charged with federal crimes outlined below.
- 54 defendants have been charged with narcotics-related offenses;
- 36 defendants have been charged with firearms-related offenses; and
- 4 defendants have been charged with other violent crimes.
Detroit, MI.
96 defendants have been charged with federal offenses outlined below.
- 31 defendants have been charged with narcotics-related offenses;
- 62 defendants have been charged with firearms-related offenses; and
- 3 defendants have been charged with other violent crimes.
Milwaukee, WI.
54 defendants have been charged with federal crimes outlined below.
- 25 defendants have been charged with narcotics-related offenses;
- 25 defendants have been charged with firearms-related offenses; and
- 4 defendant has been charged with other violent crimes.
St. Louis, MO.
274 defendants have been charged with federal crimes.
- 125 defendants have been charged with narcotics-related offenses;
- 125 defendants have been charged with firearms-related offenses; and
- 24 defendants have been charged with other violent crimes.
Memphis, TN.
51 defendants have been charged with federal offenses.
- 30 defendants have been charged with narcotics-related offenses;
- 14 defendants have been charged with firearms-related offenses; and
- 7 defendants have been charged with other violent crimes.
Indianapolis, IN.
65 defendants have been charged with federal crimes outlined below.
- 10 defendants have been charged with narcotics-related offenses;
- 46 defendants have been charged with firearms-related offenses; and
- 9 defendants have been charged with other violent crimes.
Arkansas Businessman Pleads Guilty to Income Tax EvasionRead the Press Release
A Bentonville, Arkansas, resident pleaded guilty today to income tax evasion announced Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Richard E. Zuckerman of the Justice Department’s Tax Division.
According to court-filed documents, James Brassart filed a 2006 individual income tax return reporting adjusted gross income of $1,502,749 and total tax due of $486,438. He did not pay all of the tax due and was assessed penalties and interest. In an effort to continue receiving income but to make it appear as if he did not have income or assets, Brassart used three nominee corporations, Eagle Creek Construction and Development Inc., Mono Pro LLC, and Sierra Madre Contracting LLC, to conduct his business and purchase assets. Between approximately 2010 and 2016, in an effort to further evade paying money owed on his taxes, Brassart filed four false bankruptcy petitions. Each of these petitions listed the IRS as a creditor. During the course of his bankruptcies, Brassart made false statements and filed fraudulent documents in which he concealed his ownership interests in the nominee corporations. As a result of Brassart’s actions, he caused a tax loss of approximately $1,360,682 to the IRS.
U.S. District Court Judge Timothy L. Brooks set sentencing for a later date. At sentencing, Brassart faces a maximum sentence of five years imprisonment on the charge. He also faces a period of supervised release, restitution and monetary penalties.
Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Zuckerman thanked special agents of IRS Criminal Investigation, who conducted the investigation, and Tax Division Trial Attorneys Robert Kemins and Terri-Lei O’Malley, who are prosecuting the case. Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Zuckerman also thanked the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Arkansas (Fayetteville Division) for their substantial assistance.
Additional information about the Tax Division’s enforcement efforts can be found on the division’s website.
Acting United States Attorney Seth D. DuCharme Announces Expansion of Strategies for Rapid Federal Response to Spikes in Gun-Related Violence in the Eastern District of New YorkRead the Press Release
RASP’s Expansion Is Part of Department of Justice’s Project Guardian Initiative to Maximize Impact of Gun Crime Prosecution Strategy
Seth D. DuCharme, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York (EDNY), announced today strategies that are being implemented, in coordination with federal and local law enforcement partners, to address the significant spike in gun-related violence in the district. The strategies represent an expansion of the Office’s Rapid and Strategic Prosecution (RASP) Initiative to ensure rapid intake of federal prosecutions in response to gun violence. In September 2020, RASP was expanded to more effectively use crime data to identify, investigate, disrupt and prosecute violent armed criminals and organizations.
“In the middle of a global pandemic, we have also seen a local epidemic of shootings in our city, and we are responding with responsible, data-driven measures to protect our communities from armed repeat offenders and violent gang members to prevent neighborhoods and public housing from being turned into battle zones,” stated Acting U.S. Attorney DuCharme. “Our message is clear: violent criminal offenders will be arrested, detained and incapacitated in the court system.” Mr. DuCharme thanked the District Attorneys of Brooklyn, Queens and Staten Island for their cooperation and coordination, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office; New York City Police Department; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, New York Field Office; United States Marshal Service, EDNY; and Homeland Security Investigations for their partnership.
In October 2019, the EDNY instituted the RASP Initiative. RASP was developed to ensure a rapid federal response by the USAO-EDNY and its federal law enforcement partners to spikes in gun violence in specific areas of responsibility such as precincts, neighborhoods and housing developments. The RASP program was created in response to upticks in violent crime in various areas within the district. The goal of the expanded initiative is to support local law enforcement by rapidly deploying federal resources in order to protect communities from violent crime. The intake considerations include the individual’s prior criminal history; position, if any, in a criminal organization; any threats of witness tampering; the risk of recidivism; the likelihood of detention if charged in the state; current status, if applicable, in federal supervised release or state parole.
Since October 2019, 18 individuals have been charged with various firearms offenses as part of the RASP Initiative under the shared umbrella of the Triggerlock and Project Safe Neighborhood programs – long-standing and successful programs through which federal, state and local law enforcement agencies collaboratively address gun violence. The majority of the defendants have been detained pending trial, some of whom were found to be a danger to the community.
These arrests are in addition to the Office’s pre-existing anti-violence efforts by the General Crimes, Organized Crimes & Gangs, International Narcotics & Money Laundering, National Security & Cybercrime Sections, and the Long Island Criminal Division. For example, in February 2020, 12 members and associates of the 5-9 Brims set of the Bloods street gang were arrested and charged with multiple offenses, including racketeering conspiracy, narcotics trafficking and murder. In May 2020, 10 members and associates of La Mara Salvatrucha (“MS-13”) were arrested and charged variously with racketeering, murder, narcotics and firearms offenses. In June 2020, seven members and associates of the Elite Assassin Millas set of the Bloods street gang were arrested and charged variously with racketeering conspiracy, murder, stalking and firearms offenses. Between June and September 2020, 14 members and associates of the Bully Gang were arrested and charged variously with narcotics and firearms possession. In addition, since August 7, 2020, the Organized Crime & Gangs and General Crimes Sections have charged approximately 33 defendants with illegal firearms possession, of which 31 have been ordered detained pending trial.
In September 2020, the EDNY expanded RASP to identify individuals and groups responsible for spikes in gun violence and conduct investigations into a host of federal crimes, including Hobbs Act robbery, domestic violence with a firearm, narcotics trafficking, violent crime in aid-of-racketeering and fraud. RASP is utilizing the following strategies:
- Using data and analytics to identify trends and the drivers of gun violence.
- Aggressively using federal firearms statutes and other statutes like Hobbs Act robbery to address gun violence in the district.
- Assembling a team of more than a dozen experienced Assistant U.S. Attorneys to lead the prosecutions.
- Using three NYPD detectives to assist EDNY federal prosecutors in the investigations of fatal and non-fatal shootings.
- Partnering with two Special Assistant U.S. Attorneys designated by the Brooklyn District Attorney’s Office to facilitate the presentation of firearms and violence cases for prosecution in federal court.
RASP’s expansion is part of the Department of Justice’s Project Guardian initiative focusing on coordinated prosecutions to maximize the impact of federal resources and maintain a robust and effective gun crime prosecution strategy, utilizing crime data to guide the focus. Initiated by the Attorney General in the fall of 2019, Project Guardian draws upon the Department’s past successful programs, including Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), 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.
22 people indicted in drug trafficking enterprise that spanned several statesRead the Press Release
MARTINSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Twenty-two people are facing charges in a multi-state organized drug trafficking enterprise dubbed the “19th Street Enterprise,” U.S. Attorney Bill Powell announced.
“Protecting the community is both my biggest responsibility and greatest honor. This case involves a tangled web of drugs, violence, and money and it was being orchestrated by those outside of our state, with enough fentanyl to kill two and half times the population of West Virginia. We will not tolerate others preying on our residents and will continue to work to bring all of those who do so to justice,” said Powell.
The 22 were indicted by a federal grand jury sitting in Wheeling on October 7, 2020 on charges involving a drug distribution operation spanning Pennsylvania, Maryland, West Virginia and other locations. The criminal enterprise consisted of racketeering to hide thousands of dollars in proceeds from drug sales, acts of violence, and the distribution of more than 400 grams of fentanyl, heroin, cocaine base, and cocaine hydrochloride. They are:
• Christopher Arthur Jones, also known as “Smooth,” 35, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
• Gregory Reese, also known as “Geez,” 38, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
• Tyrone Kareem Thomas, also known as “Mack,” 40, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
• Eric Jones, 36, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
• Catia Quinones, 36, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
• Christian Lamar Goode, also known as “Lil Chris,” 35, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
• Dominic Asquith, also known as “Dom,” 35, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
• Kathryn Annette Batis, also known as “Kitty,” 35, of Martinsburg, West Virginia
• Keyontray Daniel Johnson, also known as “38,” 24, of Worton, Maryland
• Michael Davon Moore, also known as “Smiley,” 26, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
• Anthony Peterson, also known as “Ant Man,” 34, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
• Cody Xavier Brown, also known as “Bricks,” 21, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
• Brian Jones, also known as “B,” 61, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
• Arnel Hategekimana, also known as “Homie,” 21, of Harpers Ferry, West Virginia
• Andre Jason Burgos, also known as “Ghost,” 30, of Wilmington, Delaware
• Joshua Raymond, 32, of Martinsburg, West Virginia
• John Suffare Beavers, II, 34, of Hedgesville, West Virginia
• Barbara Jean Feltner, 32, of Martinsburg, West Virginia
• Maxwell Edward Sanderlin, 33, of Martinsburg, West Virginia
• Kevin Gene Barron, 44, of Martinsburg, West Virginia
• Bonnie Lou Breeden, 51, of Martinsburg, West Virginia
• Rebecca Branham, 50, of Martinsburg, West VirginiaThe indictment charges 11 of the 22 defendants with crimes under the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO) and Violent Crimes in Aid of Racketeering statute (VICAR). These racketeering-based statutes provide criminal penalties up to life imprisonment for acts performed as part of a criminal organization, and support charges for those who only ordered or assisted others to carry out the illegal acts. The indictment alleges that the “19th Street Enterprise” enriched the leaders, members, and associates of the enterprise through among other things, acts of violence, robbery, money laundering, and drug trafficking.
The crimes are alleged to have occurred in Berkeley and Jefferson Counties and elsewhere from June 2019 to October 2020.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Lara Omps-Botteicher is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The FBI; the Department of Homeland Security Investigations; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the U.S. Marshals Service; the West Virginia State Police; the Eastern Panhandle Drug & Violent Crimes Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative; and the West Virginia Air National Guard investigated. The Eastern District of Pennsylvania U.S. Attorney’s Office and the Kent County Sheriff’s Office assisted.
These charges are the result of investigations supported by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) under the Attorney General-led Synthetic Opioid Surge (SOS)/Special Operations Division (SOD) Project Clean Sweep. This initiative seeks to reduce the supply of synthetic opioids in “hot spot” areas previously identified by the Attorney General of the United States, thereby reducing drug overdoses and drug overdose deaths, and identify wholesale distribution networks and sources of supply operating nationally and internationally.
OCDETF was established in 1982 to conduct comprehensive, multilevel attacks on major drug trafficking and money laundering organizations and is the keystone of the Department of Justice’s drug reduction strategy. Today, OCDETF combines the resources and expertise of its member federal agencies in cooperation with state and local law enforcement. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt, and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking organizations, transnational criminal organizations, and money laundering organizations that present a significant threat to the public safety, economic, or national security of the United States.
An indictment is merely an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
13 October 2020
York Man Sentenced to 57 Months’ Imprisonment for Firearms and Drug Trafficking OffensesRead the Press Release
HARRISBURG - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that on October 8, 2020, United States District Court Judge Jennifer P. Wilson sentenced Edward Lee McDowell, III, age 23, to 57 months’ imprisonment for firearms and drug trafficking offenses.
According to United States Attorney David J. Freed, McDowell previously pleaded guilty to firearms and drug trafficking offenses based on conduct that occurred in York County in December 2016 and February 2017. In addition to the 57 months in prison, McDowell was ordered to serve three years of supervised release following his prison term.
The case was investigated by the York County Drug Task Force and the Harrisburg Office of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney James T. Clancy and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Meredith Taylor.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. The Department of Justice reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime.
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Unlicensed New Jersey Investment Adviser Charged with Defrauding Clients Out of More than $2 MillionRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney William M. McSwain announced that Alexander S. Rowland, 29, of Penns Grove, NJ, was charged by Indictment with seven counts of mail fraud, 30 counts of wire fraud, one count of bank fraud, one count of securities fraud, one count of investment adviser fraud, and two counts of money laundering related to a scam in which he purported to be an investment adviser and either stole or lost victims’ money, resulting in total losses of more than $2 million.
The Indictment alleges that Rowland, a former warehouse operator, started an investment company in July 2016 that he incorporated in New Jersey, called Roaring Investments, Inc., and which he operated out of his apartment. The defendant held himself out to potential investors as a licensed investment adviser who would invest their money in stocks and cryptocurrency, and promised them a minimum rate of return of 25%, with potential returns of 50% or higher. Through these and other misrepresentations, Rowland was able to dupe his victims into investing almost $3 million in Roaring Investments. Eventually, the defendant was able to move his company from his apartment in New Jersey into office space in Philadelphia.
According to the Indictment, despite telling investors that he was a licensed investment adviser, in reality Rowland did not hold any licenses to sell securities or offer investment advice. Further, the defendant invested only approximately $518,000 of the almost $3 million he obtained from his clients, and those investments lost more than $100,000. The remaining client funds (almost $2.5 million) were used by Rowland in a variety of ways that were never disclosed to his clients, including spending more than $1 million on himself by: taking large cash withdrawals; paying his own personal bills; buying luxury vehicles; paying for vacations and jewelry; paying for gym memberships; and buying more than $47,000 worth of firearms.
The Indictment also alleges that Rowland was able to deceive his clients into believing that their investments were safe and profitable through a variety of fraudulent means, including: (a) operating a “Ponzi” scheme by using new client funds to make payments to earlier clients who had invested with Roaring Investments, thereby tricking those earlier clients into believing that their investments were making money; (b) creating a website, “roaringinvestments.com,” through which clients could check their account balances and on which defendant Rowland posted false account balances for his clients; and (c) emailing false account statements to clients that listed their fictitious account balances and showed non-existent profits.
Finally, the Indictment alleges that the defendant received and ignored an August 2018 cease and desist letter from the Pennsylvania Department of Banking and Securities that instructed Roaring Investments to stop selling unregistered securities and for Rowland to stop serving as an unlicensed investment adviser. Instead, Rowland continued to solicit new investments from clients. All told, due to Rowland’s alleged fraudulent conduct, Roaring Investments’ clients lost more than $2,139,000.
“Honesty, integrity, and trust all play critical roles in the relationship between a financial adviser and a client,” said U.S. Attorney McSwain. “Here, Rowland wasn’t even a legitimate advisor: he is an alleged con man who lived lavishly on his clients’ money – funds they expected him to invest responsibly. The damage done to victims of such fraud can be disastrous. I want to especially thank the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and the Pennsylvania Department of Banking and Securities for their substantial assistance with this case.”
Rowland faces a maximum sentence of 835 years in prison, a five-year period of supervised release, a fine of $15,345,987.58, and a $4,200 special assessment.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation with assistance from the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and the Pennsylvania Department of Banking and Securities, and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michael S. Lowe.
An indictment, information, or criminal complaint is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
United States Department of Justice Charges More Than 14,200 Defendants with Firearms-Related Crimes in FY20Read the Press Release
Spokane – Today, the Department of Justice announced it has charged more than 14,200 defendants with firearms-related crimes during Fiscal Year (FY) 2020, despite the challenges of COVID 19 and its impact on the criminal justice process. These cases have been a Department priority since November 2019 when Attorney General William P. Barr announced his commitment to investigating, prosecuting, and combatting gun crimes as a critical part of the Department’s anti-violent crime strategy. These firearms-related charges are the result of the critical law enforcement partnership between United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, led by Acting Director Regina Lombardo, who has made firearms-related investigations a priority.
“The number one priority of government is to keep its citizens safe,” said Attorney General Barr. “By preventing firearms from falling into the hands of individuals who are prohibited from having them, we can stop violent crime before it happens. Violating federal firearms laws is a serious crime and offenders face serious consequences. The Department of Justice is committed to investigating and prosecuting individuals who illegally buy, sell, use, or possess firearms. Reducing gun violence requires a coordinated effort, and we could not have charged more than 14,000 individuals with firearms-related crimes without the hard work of the dedicated law enforcement professionals at the ATF, our U.S. Attorneys’ Offices across the country, and especially all of our state and local law enforcement partners.”
“Protecting the public from violent crime involving firearms is at the core of ATF’s mission,” commented ATF Acting Director Regina Lombardo. “Every day the men and women of ATF pursue and investigate those who use firearms to commit violent crimes in our communities, many of whom are prohibited from possessing firearms from previous convictions. ATF, in collaboration with the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices across the nation, is committed to bringing these offenders to justice for their egregious and violent criminal acts.”
United States Attorney Hyslop said, “Prosecuting firearm-related crimes continues to be a priority here in the Eastern District ofWashington. The number of firearms-related cases prosecuted in the past year is indicative of the close working relationship the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District ofWashington has with its federal, state, local and Tribal law enforcement partners and our joint commitment to making the community safer.”
Of the more than 14,200 cases charged nationally, 54 cases have been brought by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District ofWashington, announced U.S. Attorney Hyslop.
The following examples highlight some of the firearm-related cases prosecuted in the Eastern District of Washington during the past year:
Jesus Valencia-Morfin, a resident of Yakima, Washington, was sentenced to an 11-year term of imprisonment following his guilty plea to drug trafficking. A firearm recovered during a search of his residence was linked via the NIBIN shell casing tracing system to a shooting on December 24, 2018, in Yakima, Washington. As a result, Valencia-Morfin pled guilty to Assault with a Deadly Weapon charges stemming from that incident in the Yakima County Superior Court as well.
Michael Lorenzo Martinez Castoreno, a resident of Moses Lake, Washington, was sentenced to a 9-year term of imprisonment following his guilty plea for possessing stolen firearms. Martinez Castoreno, a documented Sureno gang member, led police on a high speed chase that ended when he crashed into a police vehicle. Multiple stolen firearms were located in his vehicle.
Joseph Aarnes, a resident of Spokane, Washington, was sentenced to a 7.5 year term of imprisonment following his guilty plea to possessing a stolen silencer. Aarnes was on Washington State Department of Corrections’ supervision at the time he unlawfully possessed the silencer.
Randall Gross, a resident of Coulee City, Washington, was sentenced to a 10-year term of imprisonment following his guilty plea to drug trafficking charges. During a search warrant of his residence, an AR-15 assault rifle was located next to Gross’ bed.
Raymond Guerrero-Garcia, a resident of Toppenish, Washington, was sentenced to a 10-year term of imprisonment following his guilty plea to discharging a firearm during a crime of violence. In a dispute that stemmed from the reported theft of drugs, Guerrero-Garcia, a documented Sureno gang member, approached the victim who had arrived to give condolences to Guerrero-Garcia for the death of his mother. Guerrero-Garcia pulled out a firearm and shot the victim. Guerrero-Garcia then entered the victim’s vehicle and stole property, including a stereo.
Francisco Salazar, Jr., a resident of Yakima, Washington was sentenced to a term of imprisonment of just over 7 years following his guilty plea to a drug trafficking offense and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. During a search of his residence stemming from a drug trafficking investigation in October 2018, law enforcement located a large quantity of fentanyl-laced pills as well as a firearm. Salazar, Jr. was released pre-trial on state charges. Months later, Salazar Jr., still on pre-trial release, continued to sell fentanyl-laced pills. Another search warrant was served on his residence and vehicle in September 2019. Fentanyl-laced pills and a loaded firearm were located.
Martel Chavez-Mendoza, a resident of Yakima, Washington was sentenced to a 14-year term of imprisonment following his guilty plea to a drug trafficking offense, which included the possession of approximately 90 pounds of methamphetamine. In addition to the drugs, search of Chavez-Mendoza’s residence also resulted in the seizure of multiple firearms.
Gary Jack Gallager, a resident of Colfax, Washington, was sentenced to an 85-month term of imprisonment following his guilty plea to felon in possession of a firearm.
Maria Andrea Gonzalez, a resident of Yakima, Washington, was sentenced to a 20-year term of imprisonment following jury trial convictions for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and heroin, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition, and also after having pleaded guilty to attempted aggravated sexual assault of a female federal inmate. When she was arrested, Gonzalez possessed 337 grams of methamphetamine, 135 grams of heroin, a loaded firearm and a large amount of U.S. currency. While awaiting trial, Gonzalez and several other female inmates sexually assaulted another female inmate while searching the other female inmate for drugs.
Gabriel Anthony Zavala, a resident of Yakima, Washington, was sentenced to a 10-year term of imprisonment for discharging a firearm at tribal officers on the Yakama Nation Indian Reservation. Tribal officers responded to the scene of a reported shooting, whereupon Zavala exchanged gunfire with the officers from his vehicle. No one was injured and Zavala managed to flee, but his DNA later linked him to the abandoned vehicle and firearm. Zavala was ordered to serve the federal sentence consecutively to a separate 20-year state term of imprisonment for a different assault involving a deadly weapon.
Under federal law, it is illegal to possess a firearm if the person falls into one of nine prohibited categories including being a felon, illegal alien, or unlawful user of a controlled substance. Further, it is unlawful to possess a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense or violent crime. It is also illegal to purchase – or even to attempt to illegally purchase - firearms if the buyer is a prohibited person or illegally purchasing a firearm on behalf of others. Lying on ATF Form 4473, which is used to lawfully purchase a firearm, is also a federal offense.
The Department is committed to prosecuting these firearms offenses as well as using all modern technologies available to law enforcement such as the National Integrated Ballistic Information Network, known as NIBIN, to promote gun crime intelligence. Keeping illegal firearms out of the hands of violent criminals will continue to be a priority of the Department of Justice and we will use all appropriate, available means to keep the law abiding people of this country safe from gun crime.
A recent study by the United States Sentencing Commission found that offenders convicted of a firearm offense were the most likely to be re-arrested after their release from incarceration at 68.3%. See Recidivism & Federal Sentencing Policy, Recidivism of Federal Offenders: A Comprehensive Overview, United States Sentencing Commission.
For more information on the lawful purchasing of firearms, please see: https://www.atf.gov/qa-category/atf-form-4473.
United States Attorney Shappert Announces USVI Efforts to Address Violent Crime: Project Guardian and Project Safe NeighborhoodsRead the Press Release
St. Thomas, USVI – United States Attorney Gretchen C.F. Shappert announced today continuing efforts by federal and territorial law enforcement agencies to investigate and prosecute violent crime in the Territory, as part of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Project Guardian initiative and Project Safe Neighborhoods. “On April 14, 2020, Attorney General William Barr instructed each of the 93 United States Attorney’s Offices to implement Project Guardian, the Department’s initiative to reduce gun violence and enforce federal firearms laws,” U.S. Attorney Shappert said. “Specifically, Project Guardian focuses on the investigation, prosecution, and prevention of gun crimes. Project Safe Neighborhoods includes our collaboration and partnership with members of our community.”
“ In September, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) released its 2019 edition of Crime in the United States, which showed that violent crime decreased nationwide for the third consecutive year,” Shappert said. “After decreases in both 2017 and 2018, the violent crime rate dropped an additional one percent during the year and the property crime rate decreased 4.5 percent. In 2019, there were an estimated 1,203,808 violent crimes and an estimated violent crime rate of 366.7 violent crimes per 100,000 inhabitants. This represents a one percent decrease from the prior year. The FBI’s Uniform Crime Report (UCR) data indicates that the violent crime rate dropped 0.7 percent in 2017 and 3.5 percent in 2018 from the prior years.”
“In the U.S. Virgin Islands, however, violent, gun-related crime continues to threaten public safety.” Shappert noted that the U.S. Virgin Islands, with a population of roughly 103,000 people, has averaged 40 homicides a year during the past several years, and has already exceeded that number for 2020. “We are continuing to work closely with our federal and local partners to help turn this situation around. Some of what we do is known to the public, and some of what we do must remain confidential until prosecutions are initiated. We are encouraged by increased levels of coordination among law enforcement agencies and by intelligence information provided to us by citizens in our community.”
Shappert cited examples of Project Guardian initiatives focused on public safety:
I. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF) Firearms Trafficking Initiative
ATF is continuing to support firearms tracing of crime guns in the USVI. Firearms tracing is the systematic research of the history of a particular firearm, from the manufacturer or importer through the wholesale Federal Firearms Licensees (FFLs) and retailer FFL to the first retail purchaser, in an effort to identify persons involved in gun crimes and potential gun traffickers. A total of 370 firearms were submitted for tracing from the U.S. Virgin Islands to ATF between January 1, 2017, and September 30, 2020. More than 90 percent of firearms traces were handguns, with the majority of those being traced to Florida, Georgia, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
Beginning the week of October 19, 2020, ATF Special Agents and a civilian ATF firearms tracing expert will commence a review and reconciliation of the VIPD firearms evidence vaults on both St. Thomas and St. Croix. Firearms in the VIPD vaults will be cataloged and submitted to eTrace, an internet-based application that tracks the purchase and/or use history of firearms involved in violent crimes. Upon conclusion of the reconciliation and submission of firearms into eTrace, ATF’s Violent Crime Analysis Branch (VCAB) will conduct a complete Firearm Trace Study. Results of the trace study will be added to the ATF Crime Gun Intelligence (CGI) arsenal.
ATF’s CGI encompasses all available information gleaned from firearms tracing, NIBIN, Gunshot Detection Technology, local intelligence, crime analysis and social media. CGI leads will be used to assist in identifying offenders who are illegally purchasing or transferring firearms and the offenders who use firearms to commit violent crimes. CGI focuses analysis and criminal intelligence to precisely identify and target criminal shooters and their sources of crime guns. The CGI will distribute the intelligence information to law enforcement, so that they can identify the source of crime guns and track down criminals before those criminals can commit additional violent acts. Timely information-sharing enables investigators to access and respond to information quickly, leading to the apprehension of suspects.
ATF has also purchased and delivered two bullet trap devices to the USVI for use by ATF, other federal law enforcement agencies and by VIPD. A bullet trap is a device designed to apprehend and collect projectiles fired at as a shooting range, to prevent over-penetrations and stray shots. The bullet traps will be used by law enforcement on St. Thomas and St. Croix to safely test-fire crime guns so that their fired cartridge casings can be submitted into the National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (NIBIN), a national database of digital images of spent bullets and cartridge cases that are found at crime scenes or test-fired from confiscated weapons. NIBIN allows for comparison of ballistic evidence to aid in solving and preventing violent crimes involving firearms.
In addition, ATF plans to provide firearms identification training to federal and local law enforcement in the USVI, the BVI and Puerto Rico in FY2021.
II. Virgin Islands U.S. Attorney’s Office Initiatives (VI-USAO)
Prosecutors and staff in the VI-USAO continue to prioritize federal firearms prosecutions and to work closely with law enforcement to develop investigations of firearms trafficking in the Territory.
The VI-USAO has continued to provide virtual training opportunities for federal and local law enforcement in the Territory during the COVID-19 pandemic. These trainings have included roll-call training for VIPD officers regarding federal firearms offenses.
In support of its public outreach, the VI-USAO has developed Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) posters and training materials regarding domestic violence to increase community awareness and encourage information-sharing.
The VI-USAO has also produced a public service announcement (PSA) titled “U.S. Virgin Islands Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) and Crime Stoppers PSA”. The video is accessible on YouTube (https://youtu.be/9FEUfmCEgAI) and emphasizes the importance of, “if you see something, say something.” The PSA was created to encourage more community intelligence sharing with law enforcement in the USVI.
Prosecutors in the VI-USAO continue to prioritize federal firearms prosecutions and to work closely with law enforcement to develop investigations of firearms trafficking in the Territory.
Representatives of the VI-USAO meet regularly with community representatives, service organizations, and community leaders to discuss strategies for increased community engagement and public safety initiatives.
For more information on Project Guardian, see Department of Justice Project Guardian. To Report Illegal Firearms Activity: 1-800-ATF-GUNS (1-800-283-4867), [email protected].
U.S. Department of Justice Charges More than 14,200 Defendants with Firearms-Related Crimes in FY2020Read the Press Release
SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – Today, the U.S. Department of Justice announced it has charged more than 14,200 defendants with firearms-related crimes during Fiscal Year (FY) 2020, despite the challenges of COVID 19 and its impact on the criminal justice process. These cases have been a Department priority since November 2019 when Attorney General William P. Barr announced his commitment to investigating, prosecuting, and combatting gun crimes as a critical part of the Department’s anti-violent crime strategy. These firearms-related charges are the result of the critical law enforcement partnership between United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, led by Acting Director Regina Lombardo, who has made firearms-related investigations a priority.
“The number one priority of government is to keep its citizens safe,” said Attorney General Barr. “By preventing firearms from falling into the hands of individuals who are prohibited from having them, we can stop violent crime before it happens. Violating federal firearms laws is a serious crime and offenders face serious consequences. The Department of Justice is committed to investigating and prosecuting individuals, who illegally buy, sell, use, or possess firearms. Reducing gun violence requires a coordinated effort, and we could not have charged more than 14,000 individuals with firearms-related crimes without the hard work of the dedicated law enforcement professionals at the ATF, our U.S. Attorneys’ Offices across the country, and especially all of our state and local law enforcement partners.”
“Protecting the public from violent crime involving firearms is at the core of ATF’s mission,” commented ATF Acting Director Regina Lombardo. “Every day the men and women of ATF pursue and investigate those who use firearms to commit violent crimes in our communities, many of whom are prohibited from possessing firearms from previous convictions. ATF, in collaboration with the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices across the nation, is committed to bringing these offenders to justice for their egregious and violent criminal acts.”
“2020 has been a grim and tragic year in cities throughout our District,” said Acting United States Attorney Antoinette Bacon. “In Albany, more than 100 people have been shot, including one this weekend, and there have been 15 homicides, including a 17-year old murdered on his way home from a funeral. In Syracuse, 149 people have been shot, and homicides are on pace to set a year-end record. In Troy, an 11-year-old boy was killed last month in a drive-by shooting. The time to take a stand against gun violence is now. Reducing gun violence has been, and will continue to be, one of our District’s top priorities. We must do all we can to ensure that the next time we read about a child in the news, it’s because they won a spelling bee, not because they were the victim of gun violence.”
Of the more than 14,200 cases charged in fiscal year 2020, 64 cases have been brought by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of New York, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Antoinette Bacon.
“Across the 32-county Northern District of New York we work daily with law enforcement agencies at all levels and local prosecutors to charge criminals who arm themselves with guns,” said Assistant U.S. Attorneys Richard Southwick and Emmet O’Hanlon, who are assigned to prosecute firearms cases for the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of New York.
Under federal law, it is illegal to possess a firearm if you fall into one of nine prohibited categories including being a felon, illegal alien, or unlawful user of a controlled substance. Further, it is unlawful to possess a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense or violent crime. It is also illegal to purchase – or even to attempt to illegally purchase - firearms if the buyer is a prohibited person or illegally purchasing a firearm on behalf of others. Lying on ATF Form 4473, which is used to lawfully purchase a firearm, is also a federal offense. The Department is committed to prosecuting these firearms offenses as well as using all modern technologies available to law enforcement such as the National Integrated Ballistic Information Network, known as NIBIN, to promote gun crime intelligence. Keeping illegal firearms out of the hands of violent criminals will continue to be a priority of the Department of Justice and we will use all appropriate, available means to keep the law abiding people of this country safe from gun crime.
For more information on the lawful purchasing of firearms, please see: https://www.atf.gov/qa-category/atf-form-4473
U.S. Attorney’s Office Announces YouTube Video Promoting Project Safe Neighborhoods, Project Guardian, and the USVI Crime Stoppers PartnershipRead the Press Release
St. Thomas, USVI – United States Attorney Gretchen C.F. Shappert for the District of the Virgin Islands announced today a YouTube video promoting the partnership between the USVI Project Safe Neighborhoods, Project Guardian, and Crime Stoppers. This initiative encourages reporting violent and gun-related crimes as a means of combatting violent crime and illegal guns in the Territory. This renewed partnership targets violence in the Territory in attempt to reduce crime and make our island a safer place to live. The public service announcement (PSA) is titled “U.S. Virgin Islands Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) and Crime Stoppers PSA”. The video is accessible on YouTube (https://youtu.be/9FEUfmCEgAI) and emphasizes the importance of “if you see something, say something.” The PSA was created to encourage more community intelligence sharing with law enforcement in the USVI.
According to U.S. Attorney Shappert, "Project Safe Neighborhoods is a centerpiece of our crime reduction strategy. Together with our Project Guardian firearms prosecution initiative, PSN is a tested and proven program to invest in our communities and foster vital partnerships. PSN enables the United States Attorney’s Office, together with our law enforcement partners, to target and prioritize criminal prosecutions on the most violent people in the most violent areas. Second, we engage with a wide variety of stakeholders—from federal and local law enforcement, to community groups, educators, faith-based organizations, and victims’ advocates—in order to identify the needs specific to our communities and to develop strategies to reduce crime.”
“While federal law enforcement and prosecutors work to take violent offenders off our streets, we are collaborating with USVI Crime Stoppers and members of this community who care deeply about the well-being of our Island home. Please support this effort by sharing our video and audio clip,” Shappert said.
Individuals wanting to know more about Project Safe Neighborhoods can check out the
Project Safe Neighborhoods website. For those wishing to participate in the PSN initiative, please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Office, 340-774-5757.To find more information about Crime Stoppers or report an anonymous tip online go to http://www.crimestoppersvi.org/ to submit a web tip. Two other easy ways to submit a Tip and possibly receive a cash reward by Calling 1-800-222-TIPS (8477) where you will be connected to a trained representative who will assist you or on your mobile device using the P3 Tips App. where you can provide crime-solving information, submit photos of suspects and videos of crimes, and have two-way conversations with Crime Stoppers about the crime, their tip, and a reward, ALL WHILE REMAINING ANONYMOUS.