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Thursday 13 August 2020
Three Additional Members of Money Laundering Ring ChargedRead the Press Release
Audrey Strauss, the Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Patrick Freaney, Deputy Special Agent in Charge of the New York Field Office of the United States Secret Service (“Secret Service”), William F. Sweeney Jr., Assistant Director-in-Charge of the New York Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), and Troy Miller, Director of New York Field Operations for United States Customs and Border Protection (“CBP”), announced today the unsealing of a Superseding Indictment charging SUNDAY OKORO, COLLINS ENEH, and IKECHUKWU ELENDU with money laundering and bank fraud schemes. The case has been assigned to United States District Judge Denise L. Cote. SUNDAY OKORO will be presented before a United States Magistrate Judge in the Middle District of Georgia tomorrow and IKECHUKWU ELENDU will be presented before a United States Magistrate Judge in the Northern District of California tomorrow. A third defendant, COLLINS ENEH, remains at large. A prior Indictment in the case charged 11 additional defendants.
Acting U.S. Attorney Audrey Strauss said: “As alleged, three more defendants have been implicated in a conspiracy to launder the criminal proceeds of schemes to defraud corporate and individual victims of multiple millions of dollars. Thanks to the efforts of the Secret Service, the FBI, CBP, and Special Agents of my Office, the defendants face federal charges.”
Secret Service Deputy Special Agent in Charge Patrick Freaney said: “The U.S. Secret Service is committed to working with our law enforcement partners to combat cyber-enabled fraud. The continued success of this investigation is the result of this collaborative effort and highlights the relentless investigative pursuit by the U.S. Secret Service and our partners as we address the ever evolving threat posed by cyber-crime.”
FBI Assistant Director William F. Sweeney Jr. said: “The threat of a business email compromise is a cyber iceberg that will inflict serious losses on a victim company. This type of cyber threat is a constant hazard lurking below the surface to every business, regardless of its size, and many cannot sustain the damage it will cause. Companies small and large should continue to educate their workforce on cyber threats. Well done to the investigative teams involved in bringing today’s charges.”
CBP Director of New York Field Operations Troy Miller said: “U.S. Customs and Border Protection is proud of the expertise we provide in support of investigations that result in the takedown of criminal enterprises. It is through interagency partnerships and collaborative efforts, like the one leading to today’s arrests, that law enforcement successfully combats today’s criminal organizations.”
According to the allegations in the Superseding Indictment unsealed today in federal court:[1]
From at least in or about March 2018 up to and including at least in or about January 2020, OKORO, ENEH, and ELENDU conspired to launder the proceeds of at least seven business email compromise schemes and one romance scheme in which corporate, organizational, and individual victims were fraudulently induced to send over $10 million to bank accounts controlled by members of the conspiracy, in the mistaken belief that those accounts belonged to the intended recipients of the funds. Members of the conspiracy received the victim funds by opening bank accounts in the names of the intended recipients, transferred the funds through additional accounts to hide the origin and fraudulent nature of the proceeds, and ultimately transferred most of those proceeds to foreign bank accounts or withdrew them in cash.
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OKORO, ENEH, and ELENDU are each charged with one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering, which carries a maximum term of 20 years in prison, and one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud, which carries a maximum term of 30 years in prison. The maximum potential sentences are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencings of the defendants would be determined by the judge.
Ms. Strauss praised the outstanding investigative work of the FBI, the Secret Service and its Electronic Crimes Task Force, CBP, and special agents of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York. The prosecution of this case is being handled by the Office’s General Crimes Unit. Assistant United States Attorneys Jun Xiang and Kevin Mead are in charge of the prosecution.
The charges contained in the Superseding Indictment are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Defendant
Age
Hometown
Charges
SUNDAY OKORO
41
Jonesboro, GA
Money laundering conspiracy; bank fraud conspiracy
COLLINS ENEH
32
Long Beach, CA
Money laundering conspiracy; bank fraud conspiracy
IKECHUKWU ELENDU
41
San Leandro, CA
Money laundering conspiracy; bank fraud conspiracy
[1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Superseding Indictment and the description of the Superseding Indictment set forth herein constitute only allegations and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.
Texas Man Sentenced to 57 Months for Computer Hacking and Aggravated Identity TheftRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK –Tyler C. King, age 31, of Dallas, Texas, was sentenced today to 57 months in prison for computer fraud and aggravated identity theft in connection with his hacking of a New York-based technology company.
The announcement was made by United States Attorney Grant C. Jaquith and Thomas F. Relford, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).
United States Attorney Grant C. Jaquith stated: “Tyler King hacked into a major technology company, damaged its systems, stole its data, and laughed about it, all from the comfort of his sofa in Texas. He will now serve 57 months in federal prison. Those interested in hiding behind their keyboards to steal information and damage property should take today’s sentence as a stark reminder that computer hacking is a serious business with serious consequences. I thank the FBI for its exceptional work in bringing King to justice.”
FBI Special Agent in Charge Thomas F. Relford stated: “This kind of behavior is not a prank, and it isn’t harmless. Today’s sentence should serve as a reminder that cybercrime is a serious threat and the FBI is prepared to go to any lengths to apprehend criminals like Mr. King.”
Senior United States District Judge Thomas J. McAvoy ordered King to serve a 2-year term of supervised release, to begin after King is released from prison, and to pay a fine of $15,000 and $21,159 in restitution.
The evidence at King’s 5-day trial, in November 2019, established that he conspired with Ashley St. Andria in 2015 to gain access to the computer network of a New York-based technology company that employed St. Andria. While on the company’s network, King and St. Andria created unauthorized administrator accounts that gave them access to proprietary company information, including real-time access to the emails of senior company executives, personnel files, and financial records.
In response to the company shutting down the fake administrator accounts, King regained access to the network with the assistance of St. Andria, stole proprietary business records, and – through a series of sophisticated steps, including the use of password-cracking programs – bypassed the company’s security measures. In doing so, King illegally used the credentials of two company employees based overseas. The jury convicted King of conspiring to commit computer fraud, computer fraud, and two counts of aggravated identity theft.
In June 2020, King pled guilty to obstructing justice by falsifying evidence for use at his November 2019 trial.
King’s co-conspirator, Ashley St. Andria, age 31, of Irving, Texas, pled guilty to computer fraud on August 15, 2018 and was sentenced by Judge McAvoy to time served, and 2 years of supervised release, in March 2020.
This case was investigated by the FBI, and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Wayne A. Myers and Joshua R. Rosenthal.
Syracuse Man Sentenced to Nearly Eight Years in Prison for 110 Gang-Related RICO ConvictionRead the Press Release
SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – Jason Lebron, 28, of Syracuse, NY, was sentenced today to serve 92 months in federal prison based on his previous guilty plea for violating the Racketeering Influenced Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO), announced United States Attorney Grant C. Jaquith, Thomas F. Relford, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and Chief Kenton Buckner, City of Syracuse Police Department.
In imposing sentence, Senior U.S. District Judge Frederick J. Scullin, Jr. also ordered Lebron to serve three years of supervised release following his term of imprisonment. As part of his guilty plea, Lebron admitted that he was a member of the 110 Gang operating in the city of Syracuse, and that he repeatedly distributed cocaine base (“crack”) in the gang’s territory. In imposing sentence, the Court found that the 110 Gang members regularly possessed and used firearms to facilitate their drug trafficking, and that the defendant was aware of such use.
Jason Lebron was one of 14 defendants charged with violating RICO based on their membership in the 110 Gang. The other 13 men have all pled guilty or been convicted at trial. Co-defendant Damani Prince was sentenced in October 2019 to 6.5 years in prison, to be followed by three years supervised release; and co-defendant Rashawn Wynn was sentenced in July 2020 to 92 months in prison, to be followed by three years supervised release. The remaining defendants in the case are awaiting sentencing.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Syracuse Police Department, and the Gang Violence Task Force, which consists of members of the Syracuse Police, the FBI, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the U.S. Marshals Service, the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the New York State Police, the New York State Department of Corrections, the New York State Attorney General’s Office, and the Onondaga County District Attorney’s Office. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Nicolas Commandeur and Kristen Grabowski.
This prosecution was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
Statement from U.S. Attorney Tim GarrisonRead the Press Release
U.S. Attorney Tim Garrison participated in a press conference today with Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker (center) and Charron Powell, the mother of LeGend Taliferro, to announce state charges in the fatal shooting of LeGend.KANSAS CITY, Mo. – U.S. Attorney Tim Garrison participated in today’s press conference with Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker to announce state charges against Ryson Ellis in the fatal shooting of 4-year-old Legend M. Taliferro, who was asleep at home the morning of June 29, 2020, when a shot was fired into his residence and struck him.
“We are all pleased that we’re now a step closer to finding justice for the tragic murder of LeGend Taliferro,” Garrison said. “This case underscores the effectiveness of state, local, and federal law enforcement working together to reduce violent crime in Kansas City. Operation LeGend has resulted in significant numbers of arrests and seizures of dozens of firearms and illegal drugs. Today’s arrest is one of 16 homicide-related arrests under Operation LeGend.
“The alleged killer of LeGend Taliferro is in custody, but there are still too many armed and violent criminals roaming the streets of Kansas City. Operation LeGend will continue to provide federal support to assist our local law enforcement partners so that more criminals will be taken off the street, more victims will receive justice, and our neighborhoods will be more safe.”
Operation LeGend
Operation LeGend is a federal partnership with local law enforcement to address the increase in homicides and violent crime in Kansas City, Mo., in 2020. The operation honors the memory of four-year-old LeGend Taliferro, one of the youngest fatalities during a record-breaking year of homicides and shootings. Additional federal agents were assigned to the operation from the FBI, Drug Enforcement Administration, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the U.S. Marshals Service.Statement from Attorney General William P. Barr on the Arrest of Kansas City Man Charged with the Murder of Four-Year-Old LeGend TaliferroRead the Press Release
Attorney General William P. Barr issued the following statement in response to the arrest of a Kansas City man accused of murdering four-year-old LeGend Taliferro, after whom the Department of Justice’s Operation Legend is named.
“On June 29, 2020, four-year-old LeGend Taliferro was killed by gunfire while asleep in his bed in Kansas City, Missouri. His senseless death, which is part of an alarming increase in violent crime this summer, led the Department of Justice to launch Operation Legend. As part of that initiative, we have sent greater numbers of federal law enforcement agents, investigators, and analysts to work closely with state and local law enforcement partners to remove violent criminals from the streets of key American cities.
Today’s arrest of LeGend Taliferro’s suspected murderer marks a significant step forward in his case and illustrates the potential of Operation Legend more broadly. The arrest and state charges resulted from cooperation among Kansas City police officers, the FBI, and U.S. Marshals. This development is a model for joint efforts to solve crimes and reduce violence in other cities. I thank the state and local law enforcement officers who helped make possible this important step in bringing justice to LeGend, to his family, and to his community.
Although LeGend’s suspected murderer has been arrested, Operation Legend will go on. Inspired by this success, federal law enforcement will continue working tirelessly to support state and local partners in our shared mission to keep the American people safe and enforce the rule of law.”
St. Louis Man Faces Federal Firearms ChargeRead the Press Release
St. Louis – Deandre J. White, 24, of St. Louis, Missouri, was charged by a federal complaint with being a felon in possession of a firearm. White will appear in court on Friday, August 14, 2020, for his initial appearance in front of U.S. Magistrate David D. Noce.
According to the criminal complaint and motion seeking detention, agents with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives executed a search warrant at White’s residence on August 12, 2020. Officers located an Alien Armory Tactical, model AAT-15, .223 caliber pistol and ammunition, along with approximately 200 capsules of suspected fentanyl and drug packaging paraphernalia. During the last several months, White has been engaged in consistent and routine distribution of fentanyl and sales of firearms. During the course of their investigation, ATF agents have conducted numerous controlled purchases of both fentanyl and firearms from White. During many of these transactions, White was armed with a gun. In addition to the instant offense, White has been charged in St. Louis County with Unlawful Use of a Weapon for a shooting that occurred on April 21, 2020 (20SL-CR01697). On April 26, 2020, White was arrested in Bridgeton for being in possession of fentanyl and a firearm.
This is investigation is part of Operation LeGend which is a federal partnership with local law enforcement to address the increase in homicides and violent crime in St. Louis in 2020. The operation honors the memory of four-year-old LeGend Taliferro, one of the youngest fatalities during a record-breaking year of homicides and shootings. Additional federal agents were assigned to the operation from the Department of Homeland Security, FBI, Drug Enforcement Administration, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the U.S. Marshals Service.
These charges are the result of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives and the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Catherine Hoag is handling this case.
A criminal complaint is merely an accusation. The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
St. George Woman Sentenced to 33 Months in Federal Prison After Pleading Guilty to Distribution of FentanylRead the Press Release
ST. GEORGE, UT – Lacey Nichole Crawshaw, 33, of St. George will serve 33 months in federal prison after pleading guilty to distribution of fentanyl. U.S. District Judge David Nuffer imposed the sentence Wednesday in St. George. Crawshaw will serve 36-months of supervised release when she finishes her prison sentence. There is no parole in the federal criminal justice system.
Crawshaw was charged with distribution of fentanyl after she sold counterfeit Oxycodone 30 mg pills containing fentanyl to a confidential source four times over a one-month period. Each transaction included 10 to 30 pills.
Fentanyl is a potent synthetic opioid drug approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for use as an analgesic (pain relief) and anesthetic. It is approximately 100 times more potent than morphine and 50 times more potent than heroin, according to a DEA fact sheet. It is also one of the most dangerous cutting agents used by drug traffickers in making counterfeit pills, including oxycodone pills. Lacing the counterfeit pill with fentanyl makes the drug cheaper to produce and can generate large profits for drug dealers. It also increases the risk of overdose and loss of life since users may not know the pill they are buying contains fentanyl.
“Drug dealers in Utah should be on notice. If you deal in fentanyl, you will find yourself in federal prison where there is zero chance for parole. I have directed officers, agents and prosecutors that no case is too small for our review when it comes to fentanyl. It is too deadly of a substance to tolerate,” U.S. Attorney John W. Huber said today.
“This case is a perfect example of teamwork between the Washington County Drug Task Force, the DEA, and the United States Attorney’s Office. By now we’re all aware of the devastating effects fentanyl has on our communities, even in small quantities. This case illustrates the fact that it doesn’t matter the size of the case, we will collectively and tenaciously pursue drug dealers like Lacey Crawshaw,” Sgt. Sean Sparks of the Washington County Drug Task Force said today.
Crawshaw was charged in a four-counts of distribution of fentanyl in an indictment returned by a federal grand jury in December 2019. She pleaded guilty to one count of distribution of fentanyl in a plea agreement reached with federal prosecutors in April.
As a part of the plea agreement, Crawshaw, also known as Lacey Nichole Crawshaw-Leavitt and Lacey Nichole Crawshaw-Chavarria, admitted that on Sept. 24, 2019, she knowingly and intentionally distributed fentanyl. A Utah Bureau of Forensic Services senior forensic scientist determined that the tablets containing fentanyl that she distributed weighed approximately 3 grams. The plea agreement also included an understanding that relevant conduct that was either not charged or not included in the plea agreement could be taken into consideration by the court in determining a sentence in the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys from the St. George office of the United States Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case. The case was investigated by members of the Washington County Drug Task Force and special agents with the DEA.
Specialty Pharmacy Advanced Care Scripts Agrees to Pay $3.5 Million to Resolve Allegations that it Served as a Kickback ConduitRead the Press Release
BOSTON – The U.S. Attorney’s Office has reached a $3.5 million settlement with specialty pharmacy Advanced Care Scripts, Inc. (ACS), to resolve allegations that ACS conspired with pharmaceutical manufacturer Teva Neuroscience, Inc. (Teva), to enable Teva to pay kickbacks to Medicare patients taking Copaxone, a Teva drug approved for treatment of multiple sclerosis.
When a Medicare beneficiary obtains a prescription drug covered by Medicare Part B or Part D, the beneficiary may be required to make a partial payment, which may take the form of a co-payment, co-insurance, or deductible (collectively “co-pays”). These co-pay obligations may be substantial for expensive medications. Congress included co-pay requirements in these programs, in part, to encourage market forces to serve as a check on health care costs, including the prices that pharmaceutical manufacturers can demand for their drugs. The Anti-Kickback Statute prohibits pharmaceutical companies from offering or paying, directly or indirectly, any remuneration – which includes money or any other thing of value – to induce Medicare patients to purchase the companies’ drugs.
From approximately October 2006 through January 2015, ACS served as a contracted vendor for Teva and provided, among other things, benefits investigation services to certain patients who had been prescribed Copaxone. As part of today’s settlement, ACS acknowledged certain facts, including that it relayed data from two foundations, Chronic Disease Fund (CDF) and The Assistance Fund (TAF), to Teva so that Teva could correlate its payments to the foundations with the amounts of money the foundations spent on Copaxone patients. ACS further acknowledged that, when the foundations lacked funding and were not accepting new applications for Medicare co-pay coverage, ACS provided regular updates to Teva on the number of Medicare Part D patients serviced by ACS who had prescriptions for Copaxone, met the criteria for foundation co-pay coverage, and were awaiting foundation co-pay coverage. At least one ACS employee understood that Teva would use the number of waiting Copaxone patients to help determine the amount of its next payment to CDF or TAF. Teva sometimes provided ACS with advance notice of its payments to CDF or TAF. Once ACS learned that CDF or TAF had re-opened its co-pay fund, ACS promptly would send the foundation a “batch file” that consisted almost entirely of Copaxone patients’ applications for Medicare co-pay coverage. Thereafter, ACS often received notice from the foundation that most or all of the applications submitted by ACS had been approved to receive co-pay funding. When a Copaxone patient’s application was approved, ACS no longer included that patient in its reports to Teva on the number of Copaxone patients awaiting foundation co-pay coverage.
“According to the allegations in today’s agreement, ACS knowingly enabled a large pharmaceutical manufacturer to pay kickbacks to Medicare patients taking its expensive drug,” said Andrew E. Lelling, United States Attorney for the District of Massachusetts. “Such conduct undermined the Medicare program’s co-pay structure, which Congress created as a safeguard against inflated drug prices. We commend ACS for expeditiously resolving this matter.”
“Advanced Care Scripts (ACS) willingly served as a pawn in a kickback scheme, putting profit over patient needs, by helping Teva to time its foundation payments to boost sales of Teva's own drug, which ACS then dispensed,” said Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Boston Division. “Today’s settlement should be a warning to others that the FBI will continue to aggressively go after vendors like ACS who conspire with pharmaceutical companies to disguise kickbacks as charitable contributions, at the expense of hard-working taxpayers who support the Medicare program.”
“This settlement demonstrates the OIG’s commitment to safeguarding the Medicare program from kickback arrangements,” said Phillip M. Coyne, Special Agent in Charge, Office of Inspector General of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Service’s Boston Regional Office. “I appreciate the partnership with the Massachusetts U.S Attorney’s Office in identifying and prosecuting this type of fraud.”
The government previously entered into settlement agreements with TAF and CDF.
U.S. Attorney Lelling, Boston FBI SAC Bonavolonta, and HHS-OIG SAC Coyne made the announcement today. The matter was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Abraham George, Gregg Shapiro, and Evan Panich of Lelling’s Affirmative Civil Enforcement Unit, with assistance from Trial Attorneys Douglas Rosenthal and Nelson Wagner of the Department of Justice’s Civil Division.
South Charleston Man Pleads Guilty to Drug CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A South Charleston man pled guilty today to a federal drug crime, announced United States Attorney Mike Stuart. Eric Wiseman, 39, pled guilty to attempting to possess with intent to distribute marijuana.
“Arranging for the delivery of marijuana and the sale of marijuana amounts to drug trafficking,” said United States Attorney Mike Stuart. “U.S. Attorneys don’t make the laws. I don’t make the laws, I enforce the laws - all laws. Marijuana is illegal under federal law and my office prosecutes all federal crimes, including those involving marijuana.”
Wiseman admitted that on November 7, 2019, he attempted to possess approximately 6.1 kg of marijuana and had arranged for the delivery of this marijuana to his residence in South Charleston. Wiseman further admitted he had intended to distribute this marijuana for sale. Officers with the Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team (MDENT) intercepted the marijuana delivery and then conducted a controlled delivery of a package to his residence as part of their investigation.
Wiseman faces up to five years in prison when he is sentenced on November 12, 2020.
The Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team (MDENT) conducted the investigation. Senior United States District Judge John T. Copenhaver, Jr. presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Negar M. Kordestani is handling the prosecution.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:20-cr-00122.
Follow us on Twitter: SDWVNews and USAttyStuart
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South Bend Man Sentenced to 70 Months in PrisonRead the Press Release
SOUTH BEND – Jamar Sims, age 27, of South Bend, Indiana, was sentenced by United States District Court Chief Judge Jon E. DeGuilio upon his plea of guilty to distribution of methamphetamine, announced United States Attorney Thomas L. Kirsch II.
Mr. Sims was sentenced to 70 months in prison followed by 3 years of supervised release.
According to documents in this case, in November 2018, Mr. Sims sold methamphetamine to a person working for the police. In March of 2019, he sold methamphetamine to the same cooperating person. On both occasions, investigators watched Sims travel from a residence on Bowman Street in South Bend to conduct the transactions. Sims also indicated to the cooperator that he had a variety of drugs to sell.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration. The case is being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Joel Gabrielse.
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Río Grande Man Sentenced to 17 Years in Prison for Production of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
SAN JUAN, P.R. – United States District Court Chief Judge Gustavo A. Gelpí sentenced Enrique Sánchez Hernández to 210 months (17 years and six months) in prison followed by a supervised release term of 30 years for Production of Child Pornography, announced W. Stephen Muldrow, United States Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico.
On November 20, 2019, Sánchez Hernández pleaded guilty to the sole count in the indictment, one count of Production of Child Pornography. According to the government’s evidence, Sánchez Hernández had made a recording of his sexual abuse of an 8 year-old minor, utilizing his cellular phone. A civilian discovered the recording in June of 2018, when the abandoned phone was found in Río Grande, Puerto Rico. Police of Puerto Rico referred the case to Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) agents, who were able to identify Mr. Sánchez Hernández from the video and arrested him shortly thereafter.
“The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Puerto Rico will continue to protect and defend our children from those who seek to prey upon them and steal their innocence,” said U.S. Attorney W. Stephen Muldrow. “We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to investigate and prosecute these crimes, using all available resources to ensure that additional vulnerable victims aren’t abused.”
Project Safe Childhood is an initiative of the Department of Justice aimed at preventing the abuse and exploitation of children by the use of digital cameras, computers and other digital and electronic media.
The Department of Homeland Security was in charge of the investigation of the case and the criminal prosecution was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicholas W. Cannon.
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Rio Rico Resident Sentenced to Prison for Bank FraudRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. – Yesterday, Juan Diego Ibanez, 40, of Rio Rico, Arizona, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Scott Rash to 15 months in prison, followed by five years of supervised release. Ibanez previously pleaded guilty to bank fraud.
In 2017, Ibanez provided fraudulently-created documents to 1st Bank Yuma and received $690,000 in loan proceeds based on the false documents. Upon learning of the fraud, the bank immediately investigated the illegal conduct and reported it to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).
The FBI investigated this matter. The United States Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, Tucson, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR19-01049-SHR-BGM
RELEASE NUMBER: 2020-068_Ibanez# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.Randolph Man Charged with Production of Child PornographyRead 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 Alexander Carnahan, 27, of Randolph, NY, was arrested and charged by criminal complaint with production of child pornography. The charge carries a mandatory minimum penalty of 15 years in prison, a maximum of 30 years, and a $250,000 fine.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Charles M. Kruly and Elizabeth R. Moellering, who are handling the case, stated that according to the complaint, on June 9th, 2020, the Jamestown Police Department responded to a residence for a report of alleged child sexual abuse involving an 11 year-old (Victim). The Victim’s mother advised officers that another one of her children gave her a cell phone belonging to the defendant, who was staying with the family, and told her that there were nude images of the Victim on the phone. The Victim’s mother searched the phone and found what she believed to be nude images of the Victim. The mother then kicked Carnahan out of the family residence.
On June 16, Jamestown Police Officers executed a state search warrant on the defendant’s phone but did not locate any images or videos depicting child pornography. On June 17, 2020, a federal search warrant was executed on the defendant’s Google account. Investigators recovered several images and videos that appeared to match descriptions provided by the Victim’s mother. The investigation determined that the defendant transferred the images and videos from his phone to his Google account. Investigators also recovered child pornography images that Carnahan did not produce himself.
On August 13, 2020, a search warrant was executed at the defendant’s current residence in Randolph. A second warrant authorized photographs of Carnahan’s hands to determine whether his hands matched a hand seen in the images of child pornography recovered by investigators.
The complaint is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Stephen Belongia, and the Jamestown Police Department, under the direction of Acting Chief Timothy Jackson.
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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Rafael Pina-Nieves Indicted for Firearms ViolationsRead the Press Release
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – Today, a federal grand jury returned an indictment charging Rafael Pina-Nieves, a convicted felon and person prohibited from possessing or carrying firearms, with firearms violations, announced W. Stephen Muldrow, United States Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico. The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation, were in charge of the investigation of the case.
According to the indictment, on or about April 1, 2020, in the District of Puerto Rico, defendant Rafael Pina-Nieves, knowing that he had been convicted of a crime punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year, knowingly possessed: one Glock pistol, Model 19, 9mm caliber; one Smith & Wesson, Model SD40, .40 caliber, and 526 total rounds of live ammunition, including 148 rounds of .40 caliber handgun ammunition, 123 rounds of .357 caliber handgun ammunition, 3 rounds of .45 caliber handgun ammunition, 170 rounds of .25 caliber handgun ammunition, 3 rounds of 5.7 caliber handgun ammunition, 35 rounds of 7.62 caliber rifle ammunition, 18 rounds of 7.92 caliber rifle ammunition, 1 round of 12 gauge shotgun ammunition, and 25 rounds of 9mm caliber handgun ammunition.
The Glock pistol, Model 19, 9mm caliber possessed by Pina-Nieves was a machine gun, as it was modified to shoot more than one shot, without manual reloading, by a single function of the trigger.
Pina-Nieves has agreed that he shall surrender to federal authorities in Puerto Rico on August 14, 2020.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Edward G. Veronda is in charge of the prosecution of the case. If convicted, the defendant faces up to 10 years’ imprisonment for each count.
An indictment contains only charges and is not evidence of guilt. Defendants are presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty.
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Project Guardian: Two Men Plead Guilty to Firearm CrimesRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Two men pled guilty this week to federal firearm crimes, according to United States Attorney Mike Stuart.
Jeremy Vance, 38, of Charleston, pled guilty to being a felon in possession of several firearms in Logan County. Vance admitted that on August 15, 2019, he was carrying four guns while riding a bicycle in West Logan. He admitted that he knew he should not have had the guns because he had previously been convicted of breaking and entering in Logan County Circuit Court in 2011. Vance admitted that he had planned to take the four guns to a local flea market to sell them for money. The guns included two Mossberg 12 gauge shotguns, one Marlin .22 caliber rifle and one Marlin 12 gauge shotgun. Vance faces up to 10 years in prison when sentenced on December 9, 2020. The West Virginia State Police conducted the investigation. United States District Judge Irene C. Berger presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Kristin Scott is handling the prosecution.
Adam Michael Miller, 28, of Parkersburg, pled guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm. Miller admitted that he was driving a white Honda Pilot on October 28, 2019, when the vehicle was stopped by an officer with the Parkersburg Police Department in the 900 block of Williams Street in Parkersburg. Officers searched the vehicle and found a loaded Smith & Wesson .40 caliber semi-automatic pistol along with a digital scale, small empty plastic bags consistent with drug distribution, and quantities of marijuana and psilocybin mushrooms. Several .40 caliber bullets also were found on Miller’s person. The firearm had previously been reported to the Parkersburg Police Department as stolen. Miller was not legally permitted to possess a firearm due to his previous conviction for the felony offense of burglary on December 6, 2017, in the Circuit Court of Calhoun County. Miller’s prior burglary conviction was related to his role in the kidnapping and torture of Joshua Darwin Shrader of Parkersburg in July 2016. He was sentenced to prison in that case for an indeterminate sentence of not less than one year or more than 15 years. He was later released on supervised parole and was still on parole when this offense occurred. In addition to the burglary conviction, Miller has three convictions for battery on a corrections officer, four convictions for battery, three convictions for violation of a protective order, as well as convictions for reporting a false emergency, obstructing an officer, destruction of property and intimidation of a witness. Miller faces up to 10 years in prison when sentenced on December 8, 2020. The Parkersburg Police Department conducted the investigation with the assistance of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). Senior United States District Judge David A. Faber presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Jeremy B. Wolfe is handling the prosecution.
These cases are being prosecuted as part of the Project Guardian, the Department of Justice’s signature initiative to reduce gun violence and enforce federal firearms laws. Initiated by the Attorney General in the fall of 2019, Project Guardian draws upon the department’s past successful programs to reduce gun violence; enhances coordination of federal, state, local, and tribal authorities in investigating and prosecuting gun crimes; improves information-sharing by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives when a prohibited individual attempts to purchase a firearm and is denied by the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS), to include taking appropriate actions when a prospective purchaser is denied by the NICS for mental health reasons; and ensures that federal resources are directed at the criminals posing the greatest threat to our communities. The United States Attorney’s Office is prosecuting these cases with support from the Project Guardian partners noted above. For more information about Project Guardian, please see: https://www.justice.gov/projectguardian.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:20-cr-00094 (Vance) and Case No. 2:20-cr-00022 (Miller).
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Prison Sentence for Macon Felon Caught with Stolen GunRead the Press Release
MACON, Ga. – A convicted felon was sentenced to 54 months in prison for illegally possessing a stolen gun, said Charles “Charlie” Peeler, the United States Attorney for the Middle District of Georgia.
Howard Paul Hayes, 36, of Warner Robins, Georgia was sentenced on Wednesday, August 12 by U.S. District Judge Tillman E. “Tripp” Self to 54 months in prison after pleading guilty to one count possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. There is no parole in the federal system.
Hayes was captured in Macon by Georgia State Patrol (GSP) after attempting to outrun officers before sunrise on May 18, 2018. Hayes was initially pulled over for not having headlights. The defendant did not produce a license and gave the officer a false identity before he took off in the car he was driving. Hayes ultimately lost control of the vehicle, and was arrested. Hayes was captured wearing a holster, and officers found a stolen Glock semi-automatic pistol under the driver’s seat. Hayes admitted he knew it was illegal for him to have a firearm, due to prior felony convictions.
“It is illegal for convicted felons to possess a firearm. The punishment for those with a criminal record caught with guns is prison time without parole,” said U.S. Attorney Charlie Peeler. “I want to thank the GSP and the Bibb County Sheriff’s Office for their work in this case.”
The investigation was conducted as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
This case is also part of Project Guardian, the Department of Justice’s signature initiative to reduce gun violence and enforce federal firearms laws. Initiated by the Attorney General in the fall of 2019, Project Guardian draws upon the Department’s past successful programs to reduce gun violence; enhances coordination of federal, state, local, and tribal authorities in investigating and prosecuting gun crimes; improves information-sharing by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives when a prohibited individual attempts to purchase a firearm and is denied by the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS), to include taking appropriate actions when a prospective purchaser is denied by the NICS for mental health reasons; and ensures that federal resources are directed at the criminals posing the greatest threat to our communities. For more information about Project Guardian, please see https://www.justice.gov/archives/projectguardian.
The case was investigated by GSP and the Bibb County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Will R. Keyes prosecuted the case for the Government. Questions can be directed to Pamela Lightsey, Public Information Officer, United States Attorney’s Office, at (478) 621-2603 or Melissa Hodges, Public Affairs Director (Contractor), United States Attorney’s Office, at (478) 765-2362.
Plaquemines Parish Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Drug Trafficking ChargesRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – U.S. Attorney Peter G. Strasser announced that on August 12, 2020, DALE PHILLIPS, age 40, a resident of Plaquemines Parish, Louisiana, pled guilty to an indictment, charging him with distribution of 200 grams of cocaine.
These charges stem from an investigation by both the United States Drug Enforcement Administration and the Plaquemines Parish Sheriff’s Office into the illegal distribution of drugs in the Parish that were brought into the Parish from the Houston area. This investigation led to the Indictment of Paul Metz, Eugene Rudolph, Elbert Childs, Zyeta Rudolph, Yrian Devoure, and Dale Phillips back in May 2019 under case number 19-087 “H”.
Based on his guilty plea, PHILLIPS will face a sentence of not more than 20 years in prison, not more than $1,000,000.00 in fines, three years of supervised release, and a mandatory special assessment of $100.00. The other defendants are scheduled to stand trial on October 13, 2020. PHILLIPS is scheduled to be sentenced on October 21, 2020.
The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration (D.E.A.), the Plaquemines Parish Sheriff’s Office. Assistant United States Attorney Maurice Landrieu is in charge of the prosecution.
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Philadelphia Man Sentenced to 14+ Years for Shooting and Attempted Armed Robbery of West Philadelphia Convenience StoreRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney William M. McSwain announced that Jovaun Patterson, 31, of Philadelphia, PA was sentenced to 171 months in prison (14 years and three months) and 5 years of supervised release by United States District Judge Mitchell S. Goldberg for the attempted robbery of a convenience store in West Philadelphia in 2018.
In December 2019, Patterson pleaded guilty to charges of attempted Hobbs Act robbery, and using, carrying and discharging a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence. These charges stem from the defendant’s attempted armed robbery on May 5, 2018, of the KCJ, Inc. convenience store, during which Patterson shot the store owner, Li “Mike “ Poeng, with an assault rifle. Mr. Poeng is a refugee from Cambodia who became a U.S. citizen in 1998. As a result of the shooting, Mr. Poeng is confined to a wheelchair. The Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office originally charged Patterson with multiple crimes, including attempted murder and aggravated assault, but then dropped the attempted murder charges and agreed to an overly lenient plea deal of only 3 ½ to 10 years imprisonment. The U.S. Attorney’s Office then stepped in to correct this injustice.
“Violent crime is a severe problem in Philadelphia, as shootings and homicides have sharply increased in 2020 from already intolerable levels. Confronting this crime wave is a top priority of my Office,” said U.S. Attorney McSwain. “It is important for potential criminals to know that committing a violent crime will result in grave consequences. It is also important for the general public to know that we are fighting hard to protect Philadelphia neighborhoods and to seek justice for victims. Taking Jovaun Patterson off the streets for an appropriate amount of time is part of that fight. I want to thank Mike Poeng for his courage throughout this case. Sadly, we can never make him completely whole, but today’s sentence is part of his healing process and will also help to deter future violence.”
“Today an extremely violent offender has been sentenced to a lengthy prison term,” said John Schmidt, acting Special Agent in Charge of ATF’s Philadelphia Field Division. “The outcome is the result of ATF’s collaborative effort with the Philadelphia Police Department to combat gun violence. Along with our other local, state and federal partners, we are committed to investigating gun crimes in Philadelphia and working with the US Attorney’s Office to prosecute those who violate the gun laws.”
Committing a violent crime in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania carries a tremendous risk of a long prison sentence, which is the message of the Office’s new anti-violence public awareness campaign. You can learn more about this campaign on the District website.
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 case was investigated by The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Philadelphia Police Department, and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Salvatore L. Astolfi.
Paroled murderer from New York sentenced to federal prison for robbing Brunswick bankRead the Press Release
BRUNSWICK, GA: A New York man will spend the next six and half years in federal prison for an October 2019 bank robbery.
Lionel Valenzuela, 55, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Lisa Godbey Wood to 78 months in prison on one count of Bank Robbery, said Bobby L. Christine, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. After completion of his sentence, Valenzuela must serve three years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
“Bank robbery is a terrifying, dangerous crime, and no one should have to fear for their lives while in their workplace,” said U.S. Attorney Christine. “We’re grateful to the alert bystander and the Brunswick Police officers who stopped Valenzuela’s brief and foolish crime spree. The great work of the FBI will send the repeat offender Valenzuela to a system where there is no parole.”
In pleading guilty to the crime, Valenzuela admitted robbing the Ameris Bank at 3440 Cypress Road in Brunswick on Oct. 30, 2019. He threatened the clerk by saying he had a firearm and demanding money, and then ran from the bank with an undisclosed amount of cash. He was quickly captured by Brunswick Police officers after a private citizen identified him. While the cash from the robbery was recovered, no weapon was found.
Valenzuela was on lifetime parole from New York State at the time of his arrest after having been released from a prison sentence for second-degree murder.
“Without the help of our partners in law enforcement, and our citizens, our job of protecting American citizens and upholding the Constitution would be more difficult,” said Chris Hacker, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. “This bank robber was captured and will now be held accountable because a citizen witness stepped up and helped police.”
The case was investigated by the FBI and the Brunswick Police Department, and prosecuted for the United States by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jennifer Kirkland and Joshua Bearden.
Omaha Man Forfeits $150,000 for Employing Illegal AliensRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Joe Kelly announced that James R. Barger, Jr., 49, was sentenced today in federal court in Omaha for harboring illegal aliens for commercial advantage and private financial gain. United States District Judge Robert F. Rossiter, Jr., expressing concerns about COVID-19 in the jails, sentenced Barger to two years’ supervised release and required Barger to perform 80 hours of community service per year. Barger will also pay a money forfeiture judgment in the amount of $150,000.
Barger is the principal owner of J.R. Barger & Sons, Inc., an Omaha-based commercial concrete company. In April 2018, federal agents visited various J.R. Barger & Sons worksites and identified 27 field employees of the company who were in the United States illegally. Agents determined that several of the employees were employed under falsified identification documents and Barger was aware of the illegal status of at least some of his employees and had permitted employees to change identification documents during the course of their employment. Barger also permitted undocumented workers to purchase used company vehicles in order to further facilitate their employment at J.R. Barger & Sons.
“Protecting the integrity of the U.S. immigration system is a key component of our homeland security mission,” said Katherine Greer, Special Agent in Charge of HSI Kansas City. “Enforcing immigration and hiring laws helps protect jobs for U.S. citizens and lawful residents.”
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations with assistance from the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development Office of Inspector General and Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Ohio Man Sentenced for Gun TraffickingRead the Press Release
CONTACT: Barbara Burns
PHONE: (716) 843-5817
FAX #: (716) 551-3051BUFFALO, NY—U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy Jr. announced today that Diones Bowens, 24, of Ashtabula, Ohio, who was convicted of conspiracy to transfer firearms purchased outside of state of residency, was sentenced to serve two years supervised release by U.S. District Judge Elizabeth A. Wolford.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Charles J. Volkert, Jr. and Joshua A. Violanti, who handled the case, stated that between November 2017 and May 11, 2018, the defendant, without being a licensed firearm importer, manufacturer, dealer, or collector, conspired with Robert L. Williams, Jr., to transport firearms into New York State from the State of Ohio. Bowens conducted straw purchases of firearms in Ohio in his own name, while knowing that the firearms were actually paid, and intended, for Williams, who lived in New York.
Robert Williams was previously convicted and is awaiting sentencing.
The sentencing is the result of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, New York Field Division, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge John B. Devito, and the Buffalo Police Department, under the direction of Commissioner Byron Lockwood.
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Oak Creek Man Who Vandalized Racine Synagogue Pleads GuiltyRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Matthew D. Krueger of the Eastern District of Wisconsin announced that on August 12, 2020, Yousef O. Barasneh (age: 22) of Oak Creek, Wisconsin, pleaded guilty to conspiring to violate citizens’ rights to use property free from threats and intimidation, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 241.
According to court documents, Barasneh was a member of a neo-Nazi, white supremacist group called “The Base.” From September 13, 2019, through September 21, 2019, Barasneh participated in online group chats with other Base members in which they agreed to threaten and intimidate African Americans and Jewish Americans, who they viewed as enemies of the white race. Following this agreement, on the evening of September 21, 2019, Barasneh went to the Beth Israel Sinai Congregation in Racine and spray-painted anti-Semitic words and phrases, as well as a swastika and the symbol for “The Base,” on various parts of the synagogue building.
“Violence and intimidation motivated by white supremacist ideology are abhorrent and have no place in this country. The Justice Department is commitment to prosecution such civil rights violations aggressively,” stated United States Attorney Krueger.
Chief United States District Judge Pamela Pepper set a sentencing hearing for November 23, 2020. At sentencing, Barasneh faces up to ten years in prison and up to a $250,000 fine.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Eastern District of Wisconsin’s Joint Terrorism Task Force. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Benjamin Proctor and Adam Ptashkin.
The year 2020 marks the 150th anniversary of the Department of Justice. Learn more about the history of our agency at www.Justice.gov/Celebrating150Years.
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For further information contact: Public Information Officer Kenneth Gales
(414) 297-1700
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New Defendant Appears on Federal Charges for Alleged Role in Salt Lake City Police Arson CaseRead the Press Release
SALT LAKE CITY – A federal complaint unsealed Tuesday charges a fourth individual with one count of arson for using fire to destroy a Salt Lake City Police Department vehicle during May 30, 2020, riots in Salt Lake City.
An arrest warrant was issued for Lateesha Richards, also known as Lateesha Kahryn Ritchards, 24, of Salt Lake City on June 18, 2020. While she has yet to turn herself in to the U.S. Marshals Service, she appeared via Zoom with her attorney for an initial appearance Wednesday afternoon. U.S. Magistrate Judge Jared Bennett found her to be a danger to the community and ordered her detained pending trial. He ordered her to turn herself in by Friday morning.
During the afternoon of May 30, 2020, a peaceful protest in downtown Salt Lake City transitioned into acts of destruction, property damage, arson, and other criminal conduct. During the riot, a Salt Lake City police officer, driving a police vehicle, became boxed-in and immobilized by surrounding protestors. Fearing for her safety, the officer fled from her patrol car. Her patrol vehicle was subsequently overturned, vandalized, looted, and then set on fire. Video footage from the event shows individual rioters using fire and explosives to damage and destroy the police vehicle.
At the detention hearing Wednesday afternoon, federal prosecutors told the court that approximately 200 rounds of ammunition for a handgun and 90 rounds of rifle ammunition were in the car when the officer was forced to it. Video shown as evidence during the detention hearing shows the ammunition exploding during the fire.
Federal authorities are filing arson charges against those allegedly responsible for burning the patrol vehicle.
Video footage from the riot shows an individual, later identified by police as Richards, holding a cell phone in her right hand as she walks toward the overturned police car. Richards is then observed taking a selfie with the burning police car as the background. Richards walked away from the patrol car momentarily and then returned to the patrol car holding what appears to be an item of clothing in her right hand. The complaint alleges she bent down facing the burning patrol car and tossed the item onto the small flames before running away.
The complaint alleges the clothing item Richards threw onto the fire acted as kindling and increased the size of flames. Shortly after, the vehicle becomes engulfed in flames. According to the complaint, Richards returned to the area with Latroi Newbins, another defendant in the arson case, to take more selfies with the burning police car in the background. Law enforcement officers identified Richards based on her driver’s license photo, a booking photo, and a neck tattoo, according to the complaint.
Federal arson charges in the case are also pending against Jackson Stuart Tamowski Patton, 26, Latroi Devon Newbins, 28, and Christopher Rojas, 28, all of Salt Lake City, who were charged earlier. Patton remains in custody. Newbins and Rojas have been released on conditions of pretrial release. In addition to complaints filed in the case, Patton, Newbins, Rojas and Richards are charged with arson in a one-count indictment returned by a federal grand jury on July 23, 2020.
Complaints and indictments are not findings of guilt. Individuals charged in a complaint or indictment are presumed innocent unless or until proven guilty in court. Arson carries a potential sentence of 20 years in prison with a minimum-mandatory five-year sentence.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys from the Utah U.S. Attorney’s Office are prosecuting the case. Investigating agencies include members of the FBI’s JTTF, the Salt Lake City Police Department, the ATF and the Utah Department of Public Safety.
Nevada Woman Charged with COVID-Relief FraudRead the Press Release
A Nevada woman was charged in a criminal complaint unsealed Wednesday with fraudulently seeking over $1 million in Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans, announced Acting Assistant Attorney General Brian C. Rabbitt of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and U.S. Attorney Nicholas A. Trutanich of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Nevada.
Karen Chapon, aka Karen Hannafious, 50, of Las Vegas, Nevada, was charged by criminal complaint in the District of Nevada with one count of bank fraud and one count of making false statements to a financial institution. The complaint alleges that, in support of her six fraudulent loan applications, Chapon made numerous false and misleading statements about her companies’ respective business operations and payroll expenses, and falsely denied that she had been convicted of a felony in the past five years.
The complaint also alleges that, in further support of the fraudulent loan applications, Chapon submitted fake and altered documents, including fraudulent federal tax filings. For example, Chapon misrepresented to a lender that, in 2019, her company Heavenly Tahoe Properties paid several million dollars in employee wages. In support of Chapon’s loan application, she submitted a fraudulent IRS filing that appeared to be Heavenly Tahoe Properties’ 2019 Form 940 federal unemployment tax return showing that the company paid nearly $2.5 million in employee wages that year. In reality, the IRS has no record of the company filing any 2019 tax returns, and publicly available records show that the company’s Nevada corporate registration is no longer valid.
The government has executed seizure warrants recovering the majority of the nearly $600,000 in PPP loan proceeds that Chapon obtained in her alleged fraud, including more than $500,000 from the bank account of one of her companies and a Mercedes Benz SUV.
The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act is a federal law enacted March 29. It is designed to provide emergency financial assistance to millions of Americans who are suffering the economic effects resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic. One source of relief provided by the CARES Act is the authorization of up to $349 billion in forgivable loans to small businesses for job retention and certain other expenses through the PPP. In April 2020, Congress authorized over $300 billion in additional PPP funding.
The PPP allows qualifying small businesses and other organizations to receive loans with a maturity of two years and an interest rate of one percent. Businesses must use PPP loan proceeds for payroll costs, interest on mortgages, rent and utilities. The PPP allows the interest and principal to be forgiven if businesses spend the proceeds on these expenses within a set time period and use at least a certain percentage of the loan towards payroll expenses.
A criminal complaint is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
This case was investigated by the FBI, the U.S. Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration, and the Small Business Administration’s Office of Inspector General. Trial Attorney Blake Goebel of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica Oliva of the District of Nevada are prosecuting the case.
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
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.
Nevada Woman Charged with COVID-Relief FraudRead the Press Release
LAS VEGAS, Nev. – A Nevada woman was charged in a criminal complaint unsealed Wednesday with fraudulently seeking over $1 million in Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans, announced Acting Assistant Attorney General Brian C. Rabbitt of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and U.S. Attorney Nicholas A. Trutanich of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Nevada.
Karen Chapon, aka Karen Hannafious, 50, of Las Vegas, Nevada, was charged by criminal complaint in the District of Nevada with one count of bank fraud and one count of making false statements to a financial institution. The complaint alleges that, in support of her six fraudulent loan applications, Chapon made numerous false and misleading statements about her companies’ respective business operations and payroll expenses, and falsely denied that she had been convicted of a felony in the past five years.
The complaint also alleges that, in further support of the fraudulent loan applications, Chapon submitted fake and altered documents, including fraudulent federal tax filings. For example, Chapon misrepresented to a lender that, in 2019, her company Heavenly Tahoe Properties paid several million dollars in employee wages. In support of Chapon’s loan application, she submitted a fraudulent IRS filing that appeared to be Heavenly Tahoe Properties’ 2019 Form 940 federal unemployment tax return showing that the company paid nearly $2.5 million in employee wages that year. In reality, the IRS has no record of the company filing any 2019 tax returns, and publicly available records show that the company’s Nevada corporate registration is no longer valid.
The government has executed seizure warrants recovering the majority of the nearly $600,000 in PPP loan proceeds that Chapon obtained in her alleged fraud, including more than $500,000 from the bank account of one of her companies and a Mercedes Benz SUV.
The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act is a federal law enacted March 29. It is designed to provide emergency financial assistance to millions of Americans who are suffering the economic effects resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic. One source of relief provided by the CARES Act is the authorization of up to $349 billion in forgivable loans to small businesses for job retention and certain other expenses through the PPP. In April 2020, Congress authorized over $300 billion in additional PPP funding.
The PPP allows qualifying small businesses and other organizations to receive loans with a maturity of two years and an interest rate of one percent. Businesses must use PPP loan proceeds for payroll costs, interest on mortgages, rent and utilities. The PPP allows the interest and principal to be forgiven if businesses spend the proceeds on these expenses within a set time period and use at least a certain percentage of the loan towards payroll expenses.
A criminal complaint is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
This case was investigated by the FBI, the U.S. Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration, and the Small Business Administration’s Office of Inspector General. Trial Attorney Blake Goebel of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica Oliva of the District of Nevada are prosecuting the case.
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
The year 2020 marks the 150th anniversary of the Department of Justice. Learn more about the history of our agency at www.Justice.gov/Celebrating150Years.
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Montgomery County Man Sentenced to 78 Months for Drug Trafficking and Firearm OffensesRead the Press Release
LEXINGTON, Ky. - A Mt. Sterling, Kentucky man, Shawn Perkins, 22, was sentenced in federal court on Thursday, to 78 months in prison, by U.S. District Judge Karen Caldwell, for possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and heroin, possession of a firearm by prohibited person, and using a false statement to purchase a firearm.
According to Perkins’ plea agreement, on October 10, 2018, law enforcement received complaints that Perkins was firing an AR-15 rifle into the field across from his house. When officers arrived at the residence, Perkins was uncooperative; but upon entry into the residence, officers located a Bushmaster AR-15 box, ammunition, a jar of marijuana, and approximately $1,000 in cash. Officers also located a gun case, with an additional seven firearms, assorted ammunition, cash, scales, heroin, various pills, and $3,000 cash.
The Bushmaster AR-15 was located inside the safe and Perkins had purchased the firearm on October 2, 2018. However, on August 9, 2018, Perkins had been denied the ability to purchase the very same firearm, based upon his prior conviction for a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence. On the Firearms Transaction Record he filled out when he was allowed to purchase the firearm, Perkins falsely answered that he had never been convicted of a misdemeanor crime of violence. Perkins had been convicted of Assault Fourth Degree Domestic Violence Minor Injury by the Fleming District Court in September 2011.
Perkins also admitted that, on August 28, 2019, while serving the arrest warrant on his indictment, law enforcement officers encountered Perkins, at his home, and found him in possession of 728 oxycodone tablets, a 22 pistol, .38 caliber pistol, scales, and $8,712 in cash.
Perkins pleaded guilty in May 2020.
Under federal law, Perkins must serve 85 percent of his prison sentence; and upon his release, he will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for three years.
Robert M. Duncan, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Shawn Morrow, Special Agent in Charge, ATF, Louisville Field Division; and Sheriff David Charles, Montgomery County Sheriff’s Department, jointly made the announcement.
The investigation was directed by the ATF and the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Department. The United States was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Cynthia Rieker.
This is another case prosecuted as part of the Department of Justice’s “Project Safe Neighborhoods” Program (PSN), which is a nationwide, crime reduction strategy aimed at decreasing violent crime in communities. It involves a comprehensive approach to public safety — one that includes investigating and prosecuting crimes, along with prevention and reentry efforts. In the Eastern District of Kentucky, U.S. Attorney Robert Duncan Jr., coordinates PSN efforts in cooperation with various federal, state, and local law enforcement officials.
This case is also part of Project Guardian, the Department of Justice’s signature initiative to reduce gun violence and enforce federal firearms laws. Initiated by the Attorney General in the fall of 2019, Project Guardian draws upon the Department’s past successful programs to reduce gun violence; enhances coordination of federal, state, local, and tribal authorities in investigating and prosecuting gun crimes; improves information-sharing by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives when a prohibited individual attempts to purchase a firearm and is denied by the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS), to include taking appropriate actions when a prospective purchaser is denied by the NICS for mental health reasons; and ensures that federal resources are directed at the criminals posing the greatest threat to our communities. Click here for more information about Project Guardian.
The year 2020 marks the 150th anniversary of the Department of Justice. Learn more about the history of our agency at www.Justice.gov/Celebrating150Years.
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Mobile Meth Manufacturer Receives 119 Months in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
NEW BERN, N.C. – A Wilmington man was sentenced yesterday to 119 months in prison for conspiracy to manufacture, distribute and possess with the intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine, possession with intent to distribute more than 50 grams of methamphetamine and possession of pseudoephedrine with the intent to manufacture methamphetamine.
According to court documents and evidence presented in court, Robert Cox, 29, engaged in the manufacturing and distribution of methamphetamine in Raleigh and then Wilmington, North Carolina. On February 12, 2018, an officer with the Raleigh Police Department observed Cox’s car parked in an AutoZone parking lot after the business was closed. The officer made contact with Cox and a passenger and observed drug paraphernalia. Following a search of the car, members of the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation’s Clandestine Lab Unit found items that they determined were used for the manufacturing of methamphetamine and more than 300 grams of methamphetamine. Cox was arrested on State charges and subsequently posted a bond. In late May 2018, New Hanover County Sheriff’s Office Narcotic Detectives received information that Cox was now manufacturing methamphetamine in Wilmington. On June 19, 2018, detectives obtained a search warrant for Cox’s residence and car in Wilmington. Cox was stopped at a DMV parking lot in Wilmington. The car contained items involved in the manufacturing of methamphetamine including 158 grams of pseudoephedrine. A search of his residence uncovered additional items used to manufacture methamphetamine.
The investigation was part of OCDETF Operation Speed Bump. An Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) is a joint federal, state, and local cooperative approach to combat drug trafficking and is the nation’s primary tool for disrupting and dismantling major drug trafficking organizations, targeting national and regional level drug trafficking organizations, and coordinating the necessary law enforcement entities and resources to disrupt or dismantle the targeted criminal organization and seize their assets. This OCDETF focused on the manufacturing and distribution of methamphetamine into Eastern North Carolina.
Robert J. Higdon, Jr., U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Louise W. Flanagan. The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and North Carolina State Bureau of Investigations led the investigation, with assistance from the New Hanover County Sheriff’s Office and the Raleigh Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy Severo prosecuted the case.
Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:20-CR-00005-M.
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The year 2020 marks the 150th anniversary of the Department of Justice. Learn more about the history of our agency at www.Justice.gov/Celebrating150Years.
Michigan man sentenced to more than 8 years for heroin distributionRead the Press Release
CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Anthony Foy, of Detroit Michigan, was sentenced today to 100 months of incarceration for selling heroin, U.S. Attorney Bill Powell announced.
Foy, also known as “Duke,” age 42, pled guilty to one count of “Aiding and Abetting Distribution of Heroin” in September 2019. Foy admitted to selling heroin in October 2017 in Monongalia County.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Zelda E. Wesley prosecuted the case on behalf of the government. The Mon Metro Drug & Violent Crimes Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, and the West Virginia State Police investigated.
U.S. District Judge Thomas S. Kleeh presided.
Meth-trafficking gang member sentenced to federal prisonRead the Press Release
WAYCROSS, GA: An admitted methamphetamine trafficker and criminal street gang member has been sentenced to more than 17 years in federal prison.
Christopher Wells, a/k/a “Jugg,” 32, of Waycross, was sentenced to 210 months in prison by U.S. District Court Judge Lisa Godbey Wood after pleading guilty to Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute and to Distribute 50 Grams or More of Methamphetamine, and Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon, said Bobby L. Christine, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. After completion of his prison term, Wells will be required to serve five years of supervised release.
There is no parole in the federal system.
“Christopher Wells has been involved in criminal activity for his entire adult life, and despite ample, multiple opportunities to walk away from crime, he chose to immerse himself in a violent, lawless lifestyle,” said U.S. Attorney Christine. “While he’s locked away to protect society, he’ll have more than a decade to rethink his illegal choices and criminal associates.”
A leader in the “G-Shine” sect of the notorious Bloods criminal street gang, Wells was arrested in August 2017 as part of an FBI operation targeting a methamphetamine-trafficking operation in the Waycross area and beyond. He was named in a 47-count indictment in 2017 along with 34 other defendants targeted in the wide-ranging operation. Two of the defendants are awaiting sentencing; the remaining defendants all pled guilty, and have been sentenced to an average of 88 months in prison.
Wells’ criminal record started at age 15 and includes at least 25 arrests, with eight felony convictions as an adult.
“Waycross citizens are safer with Wells off the streets,” said Chris Hacker, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. “Unfortunately he decided, after many opportunities, not to turn his life around. He now has 17 years in federal prison to think that over once again.”
The case was investigated under the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF), the premier U.S. Department of Justice program to dismantle multi-jurisdictional drug trafficking organizations. It was investigated by the FBI, the Coastal Georgia Violent Gang Task Force, the Ware County Sheriff’s Office, the Waycross Police Department, the Glynn County Police Department, and the Brunswick Police Department, and prosecuted for the United States by Assistant U.S. Attorney and OCDETF Coordinator Marcela C. Mateo and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer Kirkland.
Man who fired on law enforcement helicopter sentenced to federal prisonRead the Press Release
AUGUSTA, GA: A Blythe man who shot a helicopter being used in support of a law enforcement operation has been sentenced to more than 15 years in federal prison.
Terry Kielisch, 56, was sentenced to 183 months in prison by U.S. District Court Judge Dudley H. Bowen on two counts of Assaulting a Person Assisting an Officer of the United States, and one count of Use of a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence, said Bobby L. Christine, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. After completion of his prison term, Kielisch will serve five years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
“When Terry Kielisch aimed and fired a high-powered rifle at a police helicopter, he callously endangered the lives of the officers aboard the aircraft and of any people on the ground,” said U.S. Attorney Christine. “The resulting sentence appropriately reflects the senselessness of this attack.”
As he admitted in pleading guilty to the charges, Kielisch used a .308 caliber rifle to fire two shots at a Georgia State Patrol helicopter piloted by a GSP trooper, with a Richmond County Sheriff’s Office investigator as a passenger, on March 12, 2019. The aircraft was providing support for Operation Gunsmoke, searching for fugitives accused of drug trafficking and illegal firearms possession in Georgia and South Carolina, and coordinated by agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).
Kielisch was not a target in the operation, but told investigators he fired at the helicopter because he didn’t like it flying near his home. Bullets struck the helicopter near its fuel lines, and Judge Bowen ordered Kielisch to pay $54,960 in restitution for the resulting damage.
The pilot was able to land the aircraft safely, and neither he nor the passenger were injured.
“The Georgia State Patrol is grateful the crew and those on the ground weren’t injured as a result of Kielisch’s careless actions,” said Lt. Stephanie L. Stallings, Public Information Director for the Georgia State Patrol. “This agency is equally grateful to U.S. Attorney Christine for the swift resolution in this case.”
The case was investigated by the ATF, the Georgia State Patrol and the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office, and was prosecuted for the United States by Assistant U.S. Attorney Hank Syms Jr.
Man Sentenced for Gang-Related Shootout at Music StudioRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A previously convicted felon was sentenced yesterday to over four years in prison for his involvement in a gang-related shootout at a recording studio in Alexandria in July 2019.
“A convicted felon in possession of a firearm poses a serious danger to the safety of our communities,” said G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. “Reginald Tolliver III has an extensive criminal record that includes assault and battery, and the distribution of narcotics. In this case, Tolliver illegally possessed a firearm, which he then utilized to engage in a gang-related shootout in broad daylight. Far too often, especially in recent months, we see the devastating result to communities and families when criminals engage in armed shootouts to settle their disputes. All communities should have the freedom to be outside without fear of being hit by gang cross-fire. We will continue to prosecute cases such as these, which place innocent lives in danger.”
According to court documents, Tolliver, 23, of Woodbridge, unlawfully possessed and fired a SigSauer semi-automatic pistol during a gang-related shootout, on July 2, 2019, at a recording studio in Alexandria. Surveillance video footage captured two masked individuals exit a vehicle and fire at a vehicle occupied by Tolliver and his associates. Video captured Tolliver fire his pistol at the masked individuals before police responded to the scene to find Tolliver and an associate wounded by gunfire.
This case is part of Project Guardian, the Department of Justice’s signature initiative to reduce gun violence and enforce federal firearms laws. Initiated by the Attorney General in the fall of 2019, Project Guardian draws upon the Department’s past successful programs to reduce gun violence; enhances coordination of federal, state, local, and tribal authorities in investigating and prosecuting gun crimes; improves information-sharing by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives when a prohibited individual attempts to purchase a firearm and is denied by the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS), to include taking appropriate actions when a prospective purchaser is denied by the NICS for mental health reasons; and ensures that federal resources are directed at the criminals posing the greatest threat to our communities. Click here for more information about Project Guardian.
G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Ashan M. Benedict, Special Agent in Charge of the ATF’s Washington Field Division; and Colonel Edwin C. Roessler Jr., Fairfax County Chief of Police, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Rossie D. Alston, Jr. Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicholas U. Murphy II prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:19-cr-374.
Man Indicted on Bank Robbery ChargeRead the Press Release
SOUTH BEND – Allen Hanuscak, 65, who has resided in Elkhart Indiana and Ohio, was charged by way of an Indictment with bank robbery, announced U.S. Attorney Kirsch.
On July 14, 2020, Magistrate Judge Joshua P. Kolar approved a criminal complaint against Hanuscak for the bank robbery that is the subject of the indictment. According to the affidavit, on July 13, 2020, the Old National Bank located at 320 North Main Street, Elkhart, Indiana, was robbed by a white male at about 10:30 am. The male entered the bank and slid a demand note to the teller. The man had his hand in his pocket leading the teller to believe he was concealing a firearm, and the teller then gave the man about $7000. The teller described the robber as an elderly, white male wearing glasses, a mask, jeans and a black backpack. Officers responding to the crime saw a white elderly man walking near the bank who was wearing a mask, glasses, jeans and carrying a backpack. Officers stopped him and he identified himself as Allen Hanuscak. He was searched and police found $6995 in his pants. Old National Bank’s money bands were still wrapped around the money. Mr. Hanuscak was on supervised release from federal courts in Ohio when this robbery occurred.
The United States Attorney’s Office emphasizes that an Indictment is merely an allegation and that all persons are presumed innocent until, and unless proven guilty in court.
If convicted, any specific sentence to be imposed will be determined by the judge after a consideration of federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
This case is being investigated by Federal Bureau of Investigation. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Frank E. Schaffer.
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Luzerne County Man Sentenced to 12 Years’ Imprisonment for Two Separate Drug Trafficking ChargesRead the Press Release
SCRANTON - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Jesse Carey, age 33, formerly of Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, was sentenced on August 12, 2020, by U.S. District Court Judge Malachy E. Mannion, to 12 years’ imprisonment for two separate drug trafficking crimes committed in Monroe and Luzerne Counties.
According to United States Attorney David J. Freed, Carey was indicted by a grand jury in 2017, after an incident on August 5, 2017, at the Mount Airy Casino in Monroe County, in which Carey was found in possession of approximately 47 grams of cocaine and 29 individual packets of heroin for further distribution, a scale, and $9,777 in U.S. Currency. Carey was also indicted for drug trafficking after a separate incident on January 12, 2017, in Plymouth Borough, Luzerne County, in which Carey was arrested and found in possession of 14 grams of cocaine and approximately 80 individual doses of heroin for further distribution, $2,086 in U.S. currency, scales and drug packaging materials. Carey committed these offenses while on probation for a previous offense he committed in Luzerne County.
The cases were investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Safe Streets Task Force, the Pennsylvania State Police, the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board, and the Plymouth Borough Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Robert J. O’Hara prosecuted the cases.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program that has been historically successful in bringing together all levels of law enforcement to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. The Department of Justice reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local and tribal enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce crime.
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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KC Man Charged with Illegal Firearm Used in Fatal ShootingRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City, Missouri, man has been charged in federal court with illegally possessing the firearm he accidentally fired in a fatal shooting at the Kansas City Zoo.
Anthony R. Meneses, 27, was charged in a criminal complaint filed in the U.S. District Court in Kansas City, Mo., on Tuesday, Aug. 11, with being a felon in possession of a firearm. Meneses was arrested today and will have his initial court appearance this afternoon.
According to an affidavit filed in support of the federal criminal complaint, Kansas City police officers were called to the scene of an accidental shooting in a parking lot at 6800 Zoo Drive, Kansas City, Mo., on Sunday, Aug. 9. The victim, identified in court documents as “J.S.,” had been shot while he was sitting in the driver’s seat of a 2005 Toyota Camry, which was occupied by three other persons.
Meneses, J.S.’s cousin, was sitting behind the driver’s seat. Meneses’s wife was also in the back seat; the victim’s girlfriend was in the front passenger seat. Meneses allegedly grabbed the gun, a Glock 9mm pistol, from the back pocket of the driver’s seat when the gun accidentally fired. The bullet traveled though the driver’s seat, striking J.S. in the chest.
J. S. was transported to Research Medical Center where he was later pronounced deceased.
Under federal law, it is illegal for anyone who has been convicted of a felony to be in possession of any firearm or ammunition. Meneses has a prior felony conviction for tampering with a motor vehicle.
The charge contained in this complaint is simply an accusation, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charge must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Bradley K. Kavanaugh. It was investigated by the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department, the FBI, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Operation LeGend
Operation LeGend is a federal partnership with local law enforcement to address the increase in homicides and violent crime in Kansas City, Mo., in 2020. The operation honors the memory of four-year-old LeGend Taliferro, one of the youngest fatalities during a record-breaking year of homicides and shootings. Additional federal agents were assigned to the operation from the FBI, Drug Enforcement Administration, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the U.S. Marshals Service.Justice Department Finds Yale Illegally Discriminates Against Asians and Whites in Undergraduate Admissions in Violation of Federal Civil-Rights LawsRead the Press Release
The Department of Justice today notified Yale University of its findings that Yale illegally discriminates against Asian American and white applicants in its undergraduate admissions process in violation of Title VI of the 1964 Civil Rights Act. The findings are the result of a two-year investigation in response to a complaint by Asian American groups concerning Yale’s conduct.
“There is no such thing as a nice form of race discrimination,” said Assistant Attorney General Eric Dreiband for the Civil Rights Division. “Unlawfully dividing Americans into racial and ethnic blocs fosters stereotypes, bitterness, and division. It is past time for American institutions to recognize that all people should be treated with decency and respect and without unlawful regard to the color of their skin. In 1890, Frederick Douglass explained that the ‘business of government is to hold its broad shield over all and to see that every American citizen is alike and equally protected in his civil and personal rights.’ The Department of Justice agrees and will continue to fight for the civil rights of all people throughout our nation.”
As a condition of receiving millions of dollars in taxpayer funding, Yale expressly agrees to comply with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, a cornerstone civil-rights law that prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, or national origin in programs and activities that receive federal financial assistance.
The Department of Justice found Yale discriminates based on race and national origin in its undergraduate admissions process, and that race is the determinative factor in hundreds of admissions decisions each year. For the great majority of applicants, Asian Americans and whites have only one-tenth to one-fourth of the likelihood of admission as African American applicants with comparable academic credentials. Yale rejects scores of Asian American and white applicants each year based on their race, whom it otherwise would admit.
Although the Supreme Court has held that colleges receiving federal funds may consider applicants’ race in certain limited circumstances as one of a number of factors, the Department of Justice found Yale’s use of race is anything but limited. Yale uses race at multiple steps of its admissions process resulting in a multiplied effect of race on an applicant’s likelihood of admission, and Yale racially balances its classes.
The Department of Justice has demanded Yale agree not to use race or national origin in its upcoming 2020-2021 undergraduate admissions cycle, and, if Yale proposes to consider race or national origin in future admissions cycles, it must first submit to the Department of Justice a plan demonstrating its proposal is narrowly tailored as required by law, including by identifying a date for the end of race discrimination.
Jamestown Man Indicted on Multiple Drug and Gun ChargesRead the Press Release
CONTACT: Barbara Burns
PHONE: (716) 843-5817
FAX #: (716) 551-3051BUFFALO, NY—U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy Jr. announced today that a federal grand jury has returned an indictment charging Wade J. Paulisick, Jr., 22, of Jamestown, NY, with possessing with intent to distribute 100 grams or more of acetyl fentanyl, 40 grams or more of fentanyl, five grams or more of methamphetamine, buprenorphine, possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking activities, and possession of a stolen firearm. The charges carry a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years in prison, a maximum of life, and a $10,000,000 fine.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles E. Watkins, who is handling the case, stated that according to the indictment and a previously filed complaint, on September 26, 2019, the Jamestown Metro Drug Task Force and the Jamestown Police Swat Team executed a search warrant at the defendant’s Tower Street residence. Officers recovered a quantity of suspected fentanyl and methamphetamine, as well as a handgun.
The indictment is the result of an investigation by the Jamestown Police Department, under the direction of Acting Chief Timothy Jackson; the New York State Police, under the direction of Major James Hall; the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Ray Donovan; and the Southern Tier Regional Drug Task Force, under the direction of Cattaraugus County Sheriff’s Office and Sheriff Timothy Whitcomb.
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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Jamestown Man Going to Prison for 6 1/2 Years for His Role in A Drug Trafficking RingRead 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 Bryan Ferrer-Vazquez, 27, of Jamestown, NY, who was convicted of conspiracy to distribute one kilogram or more of heroin, was sentenced to serve 78 months in prison by U.S. District Judge Richard J. Arcara.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Laura A. Higgins and Jeremiah E. Lenihan, who handled the case, stated that beginning in early 2016, Ferrer-Vazquez distributed heroin and cocaine for a drug trafficking organization led by co-defendant Sigfredo Martinez. The defendant was responsible for the “day shift” transactions, while another co-defendant, Alex Mercado, was responsible for “night shift” transactions. Ferrer-Vazquez would receive a couple hundred bundles of heroin from Martinez every few days and was tasked with distributing it to users and lower-level dealers. The defendant then turned over the proceeds to Martinez and took payment for his role in the distribution.
During the course of the investigation, the Drug Enforcement Administration conducted three controlled purchases of heroin and cocaine from Ferrer-Vazquez, who was arrested on April 6, 2017, at his Buffalo Street residence. A federal search warrant was executed at the residence and investigators recovered 19 cellphones, a quantity of suspected cocaine hidden in lunchboxes in the rafters of the basement, a quantity of suspected heroin, $2,994 in cash, three ledger notebooks, and a scale. A loaded.380 caliber semi-automatic handgun was found wrapped in rags and a plastic shopping bag locked inside a cabinet in the detached garage.
Alex Mercado and Sigfredo Martinez were both previously convicted and sentenced to serve 120 months and 175 months in prison respectively.
The sentencing is the culmination of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Ray Donovan; the Chautauqua County Sheriff’s Department, under the direction of Sheriff James B. Quattrone; the Southern Tier Regional Drug Task Force, under the direction of Cattaraugus County Sheriff Timothy Whitcomb; the Jamestown Police Department, under the direction of Acting Chief Timothy Jackson; the Town of Ellicott Police Department, under the direction of Chief William Ohnmeiss Jr.; the New York State Police, under the direction of Major James Hall; and the Dunkirk Police Department, under the direction of Chief David Ortolano.
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Greensboro Man Sentenced to 103 Months Imprisonment for Possessing a Stolen FirearmRead the Press Release
GREENSBORO, N.C. - A Greensboro resident was sentenced today in federal court in Greensboro for knowingly possessing a stolen firearm, announced United States Attorney Matthew G.T. Martin of the Middle District of North Carolina.
TEQUAN JAMEZ BARKLEY, age 31, was sentenced to a 103 month term of imprisonment by Senior United States District Judge N. Carlton Tilley, Jr. In addition to prison time, BARKLEY was ordered to serve three years of supervised release and to pay a special assessment of $100.00. BARKLEY pleaded guilty on February 3, 2020, to possession of a Smith & Wesson .38 caliber revolver, knowing and having reasonable cause to believe the firearm was stolen.
Court records show that on June 24, 2018, Sanford Police were investigating a shooting incident outside a nightclub when they received information about a gray Chevrolet Suburban seen near the nightclub. Police saw a gray Chevrolet Suburban traveling nearby, parking at a convenience store. BARKLEY was driving the vehicle, and he was arrested on unrelated outstanding warrants. After obtaining a search warrant for the vehicle, police found a loaded .38 caliber revolver on the front passenger seat under a plastic bag. The gun was reported stolen in Sanford in 2017. Police later obtained other warrants and conducted testing on the firearm, finding BARKLEY’S DNA on the gun.
The case was investigated by the Sanford Police Department and the United States Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Anand Ramaswamy.
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Global Disruption of Three Terror Finance Cyber-Enabled CampaignsRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON - The Justice Department today announced the dismantling of three terrorist financing cyber-enabled campaigns, involving the al-Qassam Brigades, Hamas’s military wing, al-Qaeda, and Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIS). This coordinated operation is detailed in three forfeiture complaints and a criminal complaint unsealed today in the District of Columbia. These actions represent the government’s largest-ever seizure of cryptocurrency in the terrorism context.
These three terror finance campaigns all relied on sophisticated cyber-tools, including the solicitation of cryptocurrency donations from around the world. The action demonstrates how different terrorist groups have similarly adapted their terror finance activities to the cyber age. Each group used cryptocurrency and social media to garner attention and raise funds for their terror campaigns. Pursuant to judicially-authorized warrants, U.S. authorities seized millions of dollars, over 300 cryptocurrency accounts, four websites, and four Facebook pages all related to the criminal enterprise.
Funds successfully forfeited with a connection to a state sponsor of terrorism may in whole or in part be directed to the United States Victims of State Sponsored Terrorism Fund (http://www.usvsst.com/) after the conclusion of the case.
“It should not surprise anyone that our enemies use modern technology, social media platforms and cryptocurrency to facilitate their evil and violent agendas,” said Attorney General William P. Barr. “The Department of Justice will employ all available resources to protect the lives and safety of the American public from terrorist groups. We will prosecute their money laundering, terrorist financing and violent illegal activities wherever we find them. And, as announced today, we will seize the funds and the instrumentalities that provide a lifeline for their operations whenever possible. I want to thank the investigators from the Internal Revenue Service, Department of Homeland Security, Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the prosecutors from the D.C. United States Attorney’s Office and National Security Division for their hard and innovative work in attacking the networks that allow these terrorists to recruit for and fund their dangerous actions.”
"Terrorist networks have adapted to technology, conducting complex financial transactions in the digital world, including through cryptocurrencies. IRS-CI special agents in the DC cybercrimes unit work diligently to unravel these financial networks," said Secretary of the Treasury Steven T. Mnuchin. "Today's actions demonstrate our ongoing commitment to holding malign actors accountable for their crimes.”
“The Department of Homeland Security was born after the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks and, nearly 20 years later, we remain steadfast in executing our critical mission to safeguard the American people, our homeland, and our values,” said Acting Secretary of Homeland Security Chad F. Wolf. “Today’s announcement detailing these enforcement actions targeting foreign terrorist organizations is yet another example of the Department’s commitment to our mission. After launching investigations that identified suspected online payments being funneled to and in support of terrorist networks, Homeland Security Investigations skillfully leveraged their cyber, financial, and trade investigative expertise to disrupt and dismantle cyber-criminal networks that sought to fund acts of terrorism against the United States and our allies. Together with our federal law enforcement partners, the Department will utilize every resource available to ensure that our Homeland is and remains secure.”
“These important cases reflect the resolve of the D.C. United States Attorney’s Office to target and dismantle these sophisticated cyber-terrorism and money laundering actors across the globe,” stated Acting United States Attorney Michael R. Sherwin. “While these individuals believe they operate anonymously in the digital space, we have the skill and resolve to find, fix and prosecute these actors under the full extent of the law.”
“IRS-CI’s ability to trace funds used by terrorist groups to their source and dismantle these radical group’s communication and financial networks directly prevents them from wreaking havoc throughout the world,” said Don Fort, Chief, IRS Criminal Investigation. “Today the world is a safer place.”
“As the primary law enforcement agency charged with defeating terrorism, the FBI will continue to combat illicit terrorist financing regardless of platform or method employed by our adversaries,” said FBI Director Christopher Wray. "As demonstrated by this recent operation, the FBI remains committed to cutting off the financial lifeblood of these organizations that seek to harm Americans at home and abroad."
“Homeland Security Investigations continues to demonstrate their investigative expertise with these enforcement actions,” said ICE Deputy Director and Senior Official Performing the Duties of the Director Matthew T. Albence. “Together with law enforcement partners, HSI has utilized their unique authorities to bring to justice those cyber-criminal networks who would do us harm.”
Al-Qassam Brigades Campaign
The first action involves the al-Qassam Brigades and its online cryptocurrency fundraising efforts. In the beginning of 2019, the al-Qassam Brigades posted a call on its social media page for bitcoin donations to fund its campaign of terror. The al-Qassam Brigades then moved this request to its official websites, alqassam.net, alqassam.ps, and qassam.ps.
The al-Qassam Brigades boasted that bitcoin donations were untraceable and would be used for violent causes. Their websites offered video instruction on how to anonymously make donations, in part by using unique bitcoin addresses generated for each individual donor.
However, such donations were not anonymous. Working together, IRS, HSI, and FBI agents tracked and seized all 150 cryptocurrency accounts that laundered funds to and from the al-Qassam Brigades’ accounts. Simultaneously, law enforcement executed criminal search warrants relating to United States-based subjects who donated to the terrorist campaign.
With judicial authorization, law enforcement seized the infrastructure of the al-Qassam Brigades websites and subsequently covertly operated alqassam.net. During that covert operation, the website received funds from persons seeking to provide material support to the terrorist organization, however, they instead donated the funds bitcoin wallets controlled by the United States.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia also unsealed criminal charges for two Turkish individuals, Mehmet Akti and Hüsamettin Karataş, who acted as related money launderers while operating an unlicensed money transmitting business.
Al-Qaeda Campaign
The second cyber-enabled terror finance campaign involves a scheme by al-Qaeda and affiliated terrorist groups, largely based out of Syria. As the forfeiture complaint details, these terrorist organizations operated a bitcoin money laundering network using Telegram channels and other social media platforms to solicit cryptocurrency donations to further their terrorist goals. In some instances, they purported to act as charities when, in fact, they were openly and explicitly soliciting funds for violent terrorist attacks. For example, one post from a charity sought donations to equip terrorists in Syria with weapons:
Undercover HSI agents communicated with the administrator of Reminder for Syria, a related charity that was seeking to finance terrorism via bitcoin donations. The administrator stated that he hoped for the destruction of the United States, discussed the price for funding surface-to air missiles, and warned about possible criminal consequences from carrying out a jihad in the United States.
Posts from another Syrian charity similarly explicitly referenced weapons and extremist activities:
Al-Qaeda and the affiliated terrorist groups together created these posts and used complicated obfuscation techniques, uncovered by law enforcement, to layer their transactions so to conceal their actions. Today’s complaint seeks forfeiture of the 155 virtual currency assets tied to this terrorist campaign.
ISIS Campaign
The final complaint combines the Department’s initiatives of combatting COVID-19 related fraud with combatting terrorism financing. The complaint highlights a scheme by Murat Cakar, an ISIS facilitator who is responsible for managing select ISIS hacking operations, to sell fake personal protective equipment via FaceMaskCenter.com (displayed below).
The website claimed to sell FDA approved N95 respirator masks, when in fact the items were not FDA approved. Site administrators claimed to have near unlimited supplies of the masks, in spite of such items being officially-designated as scarce. The site administrators offered to sell these items to customers across the globe, including a customer in the United States who sought to purchase N95 masks and other protective equipment for hospitals, nursing homes, and fire departments.
The unsealed forfeiture complaint seized Cakar’s website as well as four related Facebook pages used to facilitate the scheme. With this third action, the United States has averted the further victimization of those seeking COVID-19 protective gear, and disrupted the continued funding of ISIS.
The claims made in these three complaints are only allegations and do not constitute a determination of liability. The burden to prove forfeitability in a civil forfeiture proceeding is upon the government. Further, charges contained in criminal complaint are merely allegations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
IRS-CI Cyber Crimes Unit (Washington, D.C.), HSI’s Philadelphia Office, and FBI’s Washington D.C., New York, and Los Angeles field offices are investigating the case. Assistant U.S Attorneys Jessi Camille Brooks and Zia M. Faruqui, and National Security Division Trial Attorneys Danielle Rosborough and Alexandra Hughes are litigating the case, with assistance from Paralegal Specialists Brian Rickers and Bria Cunningham, and Legal Assistant Jessica McCormick. Additional assistance has been provided by Chainalysis and Excygent.
Global Disruption of Three Terror Finance Cyber-Enabled CampaignsRead the Press Release
The Justice Department today announced the dismantling of three terrorist financing cyber-enabled campaigns, involving the al-Qassam Brigades, Hamas’s military wing, al-Qaeda, and Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIS). This coordinated operation is detailed in three forfeiture complaints and a criminal complaint unsealed today in the District of Columbia. These actions represent the government’s largest-ever seizure of cryptocurrency in the terrorism context.
These three terror finance campaigns all relied on sophisticated cyber-tools, including the solicitation of cryptocurrency donations from around the world. The action demonstrates how different terrorist groups have similarly adapted their terror finance activities to the cyber age. Each group used cryptocurrency and social media to garner attention and raise funds for their terror campaigns. Pursuant to judicially-authorized warrants, U.S. authorities seized millions of dollars, over 300 cryptocurrency accounts, four websites, and four Facebook pages all related to the criminal enterprise.
Funds successfully forfeited with a connection to a state sponsor of terrorism may in whole or in part be directed to the United States Victims of State Sponsored Terrorism Fund (http://www.usvsst.com/) after the conclusion of the case.
“It should not surprise anyone that our enemies use modern technology, social media platforms and cryptocurrency to facilitate their evil and violent agendas,” said Attorney General William P. Barr. “The Department of Justice will employ all available resources to protect the lives and safety of the American public from terrorist groups. We will prosecute their money laundering, terrorist financing and violent illegal activities wherever we find them. And, as announced today, we will seize the funds and the instrumentalities that provide a lifeline for their operations whenever possible. I want to thank the investigators from the Internal Revenue Service, Department of Homeland Security, Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the prosecutors from the D.C. United States Attorney’s Office and National Security Division for their hard and innovative work in attacking the networks that allow these terrorists to recruit for and fund their dangerous actions.”
"Terrorist networks have adapted to technology, conducting complex financial transactions in the digital world, including through cryptocurrencies. IRS-CI special agents in the DC cybercrimes unit work diligently to unravel these financial networks," said Secretary of the Treasury Steven T. Mnuchin. "Today's actions demonstrate our ongoing commitment to holding malign actors accountable for their crimes.”
“The Department of Homeland Security was born after the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks and, nearly 20 years later, we remain steadfast in executing our critical mission to safeguard the American people, our homeland, and our values,” said Acting Secretary of Homeland Security Chad F. Wolf. “Today’s announcement detailing these enforcement actions targeting foreign terrorist organizations is yet another example of the Department’s commitment to our mission. After launching investigations that identified suspected online payments being funneled to and in support of terrorist networks, Homeland Security Investigations skillfully leveraged their cyber, financial, and trade investigative expertise to disrupt and dismantle cyber-criminal networks that sought to fund acts of terrorism against the United States and our allies. Together with our federal law enforcement partners, the Department will utilize every resource available to ensure that our Homeland is and remains secure.”
“These important cases reflect the resolve of the D.C. United States Attorney’s Office to target and dismantle these sophisticated cyber-terrorism and money laundering actors across the globe,” stated Acting United States Attorney Michael R. Sherwin. “While these individuals believe they operate anonymously in the digital space, we have the skill and resolve to find, fix and prosecute these actors under the full extent of the law.”
“IRS-CI’s ability to trace funds used by terrorist groups to their source and dismantle these radical group’s communication and financial networks directly prevents them from wreaking havoc throughout the world,” said Don Fort, Chief, IRS Criminal Investigation. “Today the world is a safer place.”
“As the primary law enforcement agency charged with defeating terrorism, the FBI will continue to combat illicit terrorist financing regardless of platform or method employed by our adversaries,” said FBI Director Christopher Wray. "As demonstrated by this recent operation, the FBI remains committed to cutting off the financial lifeblood of these organizations that seek to harm Americans at home and abroad."
“Homeland Security Investigations continues to demonstrate their investigative expertise with these enforcement actions,” said ICE Deputy Director and Senior Official Performing the Duties of the Director Matthew T. Albence. “Together with law enforcement partners, HSI has utilized their unique authorities to bring to justice those cyber-criminal networks who would do us harm.”
Al-Qassam Brigades Campaign
The first action involves the al-Qassam Brigades and its online cryptocurrency fundraising efforts. In the beginning of 2019, the al-Qassam Brigades posted a call on its social media page for bitcoin donations to fund its campaign of terror. The al-Qassam Brigades then moved this request to its official websites, alqassam.net, alqassam.ps, and qassam.ps.
The al-Qassam Brigades boasted that bitcoin donations were untraceable and would be used for violent causes. Their websites offered video instruction on how to anonymously make donations, in part by using unique bitcoin addresses generated for each individual donor.
However, such donations were not anonymous. Working together, IRS, HSI, and FBI agents tracked and seized all 150 cryptocurrency accounts that laundered funds to and from the al-Qassam Brigades’ accounts. Simultaneously, law enforcement executed criminal search warrants relating to United States-based subjects who donated to the terrorist campaign.
With judicial authorization, law enforcement seized the infrastructure of the al-Qassam Brigades websites and subsequently covertly operated alqassam.net. During that covert operation, the website received funds from persons seeking to provide material support to the terrorist organization, however, they instead donated the funds bitcoin wallets controlled by the United States.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia also unsealed criminal charges for two Turkish individuals, Mehmet Akti and Hüsamettin Karataş, who acted as related money launderers while operating an unlicensed money transmitting business.
Al-Qaeda Campaign
The second cyber-enabled terror finance campaign involves a scheme by al-Qaeda and affiliated terrorist groups, largely based out of Syria. As the forfeiture complaint details, these terrorist organizations operated a bitcoin money laundering network using Telegram channels and other social media platforms to solicit cryptocurrency donations to further their terrorist goals. In some instances, they purported to act as charities when, in fact, they were openly and explicitly soliciting funds for violent terrorist attacks. For example, one post from a charity sought donations to equip terrorists in Syria with weapons:
Undercover HSI agents communicated with the administrator of Reminder for Syria, a related charity that was seeking to finance terrorism via bitcoin donations. The administrator stated that he hoped for the destruction of the United States, discussed the price for funding surface-to air missles, and warned about possible criminal consequences from carrying out a jihad in the United States.
Posts from another Syrian charity similarly explicitly referenced weapons and extremist activities:
Al-Qaeda and the affiliated terrorist groups together created these posts and used complicated obfuscation techniques, uncovered by law enforcement, to layer their transactions so to conceal their actions. Today’s complaint seeks forfeiture of the 155 virtual currency assets tied to this terrorist campaign.
ISIS Campaign
The final complaint combines the Department’s initiatives of combatting COVID-19 related fraud with combatting terrorism financing. The complaint highlights a scheme by Murat Cakar, an ISIS facilitator who is responsible for managing select ISIS hacking operations, to sell fake personal protective equipment via FaceMaskCenter.com (displayed below)
The website claimed to sell FDA approved N95 respirator masks, when in fact the items were not FDA approved. Site administrators claimed to have near unlimited supplies of the masks, in spite of such items being officially-designated as scarce. The site administrators offered to sell these items to customers across the globe, including a customer in the United States who sought to purchase N95 masks and other protective equipment for hospitals, nursing homes, and fire departments.
The unsealed forfeiture complaint seized Cakar’s website as well as four related Facebook pages used to facilitate the scheme. With this third action, the United States has averted the further victimization of those seeking COVID-19 protective gear, and disrupted the continued funding of ISIS.
The claims made in these three complaints are only allegations and do not constitute a determination of liability. The burden to prove forfeitability in a civil forfeiture proceeding is upon the government. Further, charges contained in criminal complaint are merely allegations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
IRS-CI Cyber Crimes Unit (Washington, D.C.), HSI’s Philadelphia Office, and FBI’s Washington D.C., New York, and Los Angeles field offices are investigating the case. Assistant U.S Attorneys Jessi Camille Brooks and Zia M. Faruqui, and National Security Division Trial Attorneys Danielle Rosborough and Alexandra Hughes are litigating the case, with assistance from Paralegal Specialists Brian Rickers and Bria Cunningham, and Legal Assistant Jessica McCormick. Additional assistance has been provided by Chainalysis and Excygent.
Fugitive Apprehended and Faces Federal Firearms and Drug ChargesRead the Press Release
St. Louis – Troy Jackson, 28, of St. Louis, Missouri, was charged by a federal complaint with being a felon in possession of a firearm, possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
According to the criminal complaint, on July 2, 2020, a felony arrest warrant was issued for Jackson by the State of Missouri Probation and Parole for violating his parole, following his imprisonment on burglary first degree charges. Jackson was also wanted on murder first degree and armed criminal action charges in relation to a homicide occurring during June, 2020. Further, Jackson was wanted on assault second and assault third charges arising from a separate incident.
During their investigation into Jackson’s whereabouts, on August 9, 2020 investigators learned that Jackson was at the Best Western St. Louis Inn on Heimos Industrial Park Drive, in St. Louis, Missouri.
Upon arriving at the hotel, law enforcement officers confirmed that Jackson was staying in a room at the hotel, having registered under a false name. Once the officers entered the hotel room, they located Jackson inside the room holding the magazine of a gun. A Mossberg 9mm pistol was nearby, on a table in plain view in the room. The magazine that Jackson was holding appeared to be compatible with the 9mm pistol on the table.
Located in a closet of the hotel room was a distribution amount of fentanyl, along with empty capsules in a nightstand. Jackson admitted possession of the pistol and fentanyl, and confessed to being a drug dealer.
“I stand in awe at the great teamwork of the men and women of the U.S. Marshals Metropolitan Fugitive Task Force. Once again the partnership forged with municipal, county, state, and federal task officers working side by side led to the apprehension of this dangerous felon without incident.” John Jordan US Marshal
This investigation is part of Operation LeGend which is a federal partnership with local law enforcement to address the increase in homicides and violent crime in St. Louis in 2020. The operation honors the memory of four-year-old LeGend Taliferro, one of the youngest fatalities during a record-breaking year of homicides and shootings. Additional federal agents were assigned to the operation from the Department of Homeland Security, FBI, Drug Enforcement Administration, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the U.S. Marshals Service.
These charges are the result of an investigation by the U.S. Marshals Service Metropolitan Fugitive Apprehension Task Force and the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department.
A criminal complaint is merely an accusation. The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
Former Union Officer and Daughter Charged with EmbezzlementRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – The former secretary treasurer of a Jersey City Medical Center union and her daughter made their initial appearances today on charges they embezzled $40,455 from the union’s checking and savings accounts, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito announced.
Linda Rogers, 71, and her daughter, Jennifer Rogers, 38, both of Jersey City, were indicted by a federal grand jury with one count each of conspiracy to embezzle and embezzlement. They allegedly embezzled $40,500 from Local 2254 of the American Federal State County and Municipal Amalgamated Transit Workers Union (AFSCME). The defendants made their initial appearances today by videoconference before U.S. Magistrate Judge Joseph A. Dickson and were released on bond. They will be arraigned Aug. 19, 2020, by videoconference before U.S. District Judge Stanley R. Chesler.
According to the indictment :
Linda Rogers was formerly employed at the Jersey City Medical Center as a medical clerk; she also held a part-time position at Local 2254 as its secretary treasurer. She had sole control over the union’s checkbook and savings account. From July 2016 through August 2017, she and her daughter, also a former employee at the hospital, deposited 112 unauthorized checks from the Local 2254’s checkbook to their joint checking and savings accounts, totaling $35,267. From October 2016 through December 2016, Linda Rogers made six telephonic wire transfers from the Local 2254’s savings account, totaling $5,188, into her personal credit card account. None of the expenditures were authorized or for legitimate union purposes. The total loss to AFSCME Local 2254 was $40,455.
The counts of conspiracy to embezzle and embezzlement each carry a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
U.S. Attorney Carpenito credited the investigators of the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Labor Management Standards, under the direction of Adriana Vamvakas, Regional Director; and special agents of the Department of Labor (OIG), New York Region, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Michael Mikulka, with the investigation leading to the charges.
The government is represented by Senior Litigation Counsel V. Grady O’Malley of the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Organized Crime/Gangs Unit.
The charges and allegations contained in the indictment are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Former St. Ann Police Officer Indicted on Federal Civil Rights Charges for Causing Bodily Injury to an IndividualRead the Press Release
St. Louis – Former St. Ann Police Officer Ellis Brown has been indicted by a federal Grand Jury, United States Attorney Jeffrey B. Jensen announced today. According to the Indictment, Brown was working as an officer with the St. Ann Police Department on April 9, 2019 when he “willfully deprived” victim S.K. of his/her Constitutional right to be free from unreasonable seizures when Brown “repeatedly kicked S.K. while S.K. was compliant and not posing a physical threat to anyone.” According to the indictment, S.K. suffered bodily injury as a result of the incident.
"When making an arrest, a police officer is given the authority to use only the level of force necessary," said Special Agent in Charge Richard Quinn of the FBI St. Louis Division. "In this case, Officer Ellis Brown is accused of using unreasonable force by repeatedly kicking an individual who was compliant and not posing a physical threat to anyone."
Brown made his initial appearance today before United States Magistrate Judge David D. Noce. Brown was allowed to remain free on bond, and was ordered to surrender any and all firearms, and will not be permitted to possess a firearm for any purpose so long as the case remains pending.
The charge Deprivation of Rights Under Color of Law carries a maximum penalty of ten years in prison, a fine of $250,000, or both imprisonment and a fine.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated this case.
As is always the case, the charge in an indictment is merely an accusation, and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
Former Meridian Police Officer Charged Federally with ExtortionRead the Press Release
Jackson, Miss. – A former member of the City of Meridian Police Department has been charged in a federal indictment with extortion under color of official right, announced United States Attorney Mike Hurst and Michelle A. Sutphin, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation in Mississippi.
The indictment returned by a federal grand jury on July 28, 2020, and unsealed today, charges former Meridian Police Officer Royric “Roy” Benamon, 27, with two counts of extortion under color of official right, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1951(a).
“Fighting public corruption is a top priority of this office, as our society is undermined when those in positions of power become corrupted and abuse the public trust for personal gain. We will continue to root out corrupt officials who endanger our communities and tarnish the reputation of our law enforcement who serve and protect us so honorably,” said U.S. Attorney Hurst.
According to the indictment, in April 2020, then-Officer Benamon on two separate occasions pulled over drivers in the middle of the night in Lauderdale County, and received from each of them cash payment in exchange for not issuing the driver a ticket. Benamon resigned from the Meridian Police Department immediately following public disclosure of the alleged incidents.
FBI Agents and Task Force Officers arrested Benamon on Wednesday without incident. Benamon appeared for arraignment today before United States Magistrate Judge Linda Anderson in Jackson. The Court released Benamon on bond, subject to conditions including that he refrain from violations of state or federal law while awaiting trial.
Trial has been set for October 5, 2020 before Chief U.S. District Judge Daniel P. Jordan, III in Jackson.
If convicted Benamon faces maximum penalties of 20 years in prison for each count charged for extortion under color of official right. Each count also can merit a fine of up to $250,000.
U.S. Attorney Hurst commended the work of the Special Agents with the FBI’s Jackson Division who investigated the case with assistance from the Mississippi Attorney General’s office. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Theodore Cooperstein.
The public is reminded that an indictment is merely a charge and should not be considered as evidence of guilt. Every defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
Former Medical Student Pleads Guilty to Online Sextortion SchemeRead the Press Release
NORFOLK, Va. – A Canadian man pleaded guilty yesterday to orchestrating an online sextortion scheme and producing images of child sexual abuse.
“Marco Viscomi’s criminal conduct is nothing short of horrendous,” said G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. “Producing images of child sexual abuse is heinous and causes incalculable and unknowable harm to victims. The actions that Viscomi engaged in are one of the most offensive and serious crimes in the entire criminal code. We will continue to shine a light on the darkest areas of the web and protect those that are unable to protect themselves.”
“Let this case serve as notice to online predators. Homeland Security Investigations began this case with the Virginia Beach Police Department more than eight years ago and didn’t relent until justice was served,” said Raymond Villanueva, Special Agent in Charge of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations Washington, D.C. “Individuals who prey on children cannot hide behind their electronic devices and screen names. We will find and arrest you and ensure you are prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”
According to court documents, Viscomi, 35, of Ontario, was first identified by the Virginia Beach Police Department (VBPD) and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) in 2012. In January 2012, a father of two girls, then ages 13 and 17 years old, had reported to the VBPD that his daughters had been extorted by someone they met online. The person online threatened the girls and forced them to engage in sexually explicit conduct and produce images of child sexual abuse. The VBPD and HSI traced the culprit to Ontario and identified Viscomi as the person responsible. Viscomi was a 26-year-old medical student at that time.
Additional investigation uncovered Viscomi had engaged in similar sextortion conduct against dozens of other minor victims around the United States. In July 2012, Viscomi was charged in federal court in the Eastern District of Virginia and arrested in Canada. He fought extradition to the United States until December 2019, when the Canadian courts finally ordered him extradited to Norfolk to face the charges.
Viscomi pleaded guilty to two counts of production of child pornography. Viscomi faces a mandatory minimum of 15 years per count and a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison per count when sentenced on Jan. 14, 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.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Raymond Villanueva, Special Agent in Charge of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Washington, D.C.; and Anthony F. Zucaro, Jr., Interim Chief of Virginia Beach Police, made the announcement after U.S. Magistrate Judge Lawrence R. Leonard accepted the plea. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Attorney Elizabeth M. Yusi and E. Rebecca Gantt are prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:12-cr-312.
Former Leesburg Resident Pleads Guilty to Child Pornography OffenseRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A man who previously resided in Leesburg pleaded guilty yesterday to downloading images of child sexual abuse over the internet.
According to court documents, Jason E. Holmes, 49, of Martinsburg, West Virginia, is a design professional who previously resided in Leesburg prior to moving to West Virginia. Holmes admitted that from October 2016 to April 2018 he intentionally searched for, downloaded, and occasionally paid for access to images and videos depicting the sexual abuse of children. Holmes engaged in this conduct, and discussed these images and videos with others, using the dark web, peer-to-peer software, and password-protected websites on the open internet.
Law enforcement discovered tens of thousands of images and videos depicting the sexual abuse of children across 13 different electronic devices seized from his home, as well as evidence that Holmes used encryption technology on these devices. Additionally, during the search law enforcement recovered enlarged, printed-out images of child pornography that Holmes admitted to posting to foamboard cutouts and placing around his home.
HSI encourages the public to report suspected child predators and any suspicious activity through its toll-free Tip Line at 1-866-DHS-2-ICE or by completing its online tip form.
Holmes pleaded guilty to receipt of child pornography, and faces a mandatory minimum sentence of five years and a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison when sentenced on October 27. 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.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Raymond Villanueva, Special Agent in Charge of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Washington, D.C., made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Rossie D. Alston, Jr. accepted the plea. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney William G. Clayman is prosecuting the case. Former Assistant U.S. Attorney Laura Fong assisted with the prosecution.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:20-cr-57.
Former CEO Charged with Wire Fraud and Money LaunderingRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – United States Attorney Maria Chapa Lopez announces the return of an indictment charging Jason Cory (47, Jacksonville) with three counts of wire fraud and one count of money laundering. If convicted, he faces up to 20 years in federal prison for each count of wire fraud and up to 10 years’ imprisonment for the money laundering offense. The indictment also notifies Cory that the United States is seeking a money judgment of at least $558,701.40, the proceeds of the charged criminal conduct.
According to the
indictment , Cory was the Chief Executive Officer of an information technology services company. From approximately March 2017 through March 2019, Cory embezzled $547,071.10 from the company by authorizing and directing wire transfers out of its corporate accounts to an entity named Gambit Matrix LLC (Gambit). Cory informed employees that Gambit had performed consulting services for the company, when in reality, Gambit was a shell company controlled by Cory. Cory also controlled the Gambit bank account into which the embezzled funds were transferred, and used them for his personal expenses, including the purchase of a Rolex watch costing $11,630.30. Cory attempted to conceal his embezzlement by lying to employees and board members about his control over Gambit, attempting to persuade people to portray fictitious owners of Gambit, creating social media profiles and email addresses for those fictitious owners, and falsifying documents to substantiate the fictitious work being performed by Gambit.An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney David B. Mesrobian.
Five Men Indicted for Using Skimming Devices on Gas Pumps in Nevada and Southern California to Steal Customers' Credit Card InformationRead the Press Release
LAS VEGAS, Nev. – A federal grand jury returned an indictment last week against five men for allegedly installing skimming devices on gas pumps in Nevada and Southern California to steal credit and debit card information from unsuspecting customers, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas A. Trutanich for the District of Nevada, Special Agent in Charge Brian Spellacy of the U.S. Secret Service, and Sheriff Joseph Lombardo of the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department (LVMPD).
Five defendants, all of whom live in Las Vegas, face charges related to access device fraud, conspiracy, and aggravated identity theft: Juan Luis Sosa Tamayo, 31; Adrian Leyva Tamayo, 31; Dayner Manuel Alarcon Rodriguez, 22; Alen Boucourt Diaz, 39; and Francisco Rodriguez Gonzalez, 34.
According to allegations in the indictment, from about June 2018 to about June 2020, the defendants and their co-conspirators placed skimmers at gas pump terminals that compromised at least 2,500 credit and debit card numbers. The defendants traveled to gas stations in and around Las Vegas and Reno, Nevada, as well as to various cities in Southern California, to install the skimmers. They subsequently recoded the stolen account information and other personal data onto counterfeit cards. Then the defendants made multiple ATM withdrawals and purchases using the stolen credit and debit card account information obtained from the skimmers.
Sosa Tamayo, Leyva Tamayo, and Rodriguez Gonzalez made their initial appearances on August 7, 2020 in federal court before U.S. Magistrate Judge Daniel J. Albregts. Boucourt Diaz made his initial appearance on August 10, 2020, and Alarcon Rodriguez made his initial appearance on August 12, 2020 in federal court before U.S. Magistrate Judge Brenda Weksler.
The statutory maximum penalty for the conspiracy charge is 5 years in prison and a $250,000 maximum fine. The statutory maximum penalty is 10 years in prison and a $250,000 maximum fine for each count of use or possession of unauthorized or counterfeit access devices. The aggravated identity theft charges carry a mandatory penalty of two years in prison. In addition to imprisonment and fines, each defendant also faces a period of supervised release, restitution, and monetary penalties. The statutory maximum sentences are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only.
An indictment merely alleges that crimes have been committed. Every defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
This case is the product of an investigation by the U.S. Secret Service and the LVMPD. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jamie Mickelson is prosecuting the case.
If you are a victim of identity theft, you may make a report to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) by calling 1-877-438-4338 or online at www.identitytheft.gov. For identity theft prevention tips and free resources visit www.ftc.gov/idtheft.
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Five Indicted on Meth ChargesRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, PA – Four residents of Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, and one resident of Cypress, California, have been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh on charges of violating federal narcotics laws, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced today.
The three-count Indictment names the following five individuals:
• Zachary Miller, 27, of Greensburg, Pennsylvania;
• Alan Masecar, 33, of Latrobe, Pennsylvania;
• Joshua Birrell, 37, of Cypress, California;
• Samuel Miller, 25, of Greensburg, Pennsylvania; and
• Jessica Palmer, 39, of Greensburg, Pennsylvania.
According to the Indictment, from September 2017 to August 2020, the five defendants conspired to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine, a Schedule II controlled substance. The Indictment further charges Masecar with attempting to possess with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine, a Schedule II controlled substance, on or about December 23, 2019. The Indictment further charges Zachary Miller and Palmer with possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine, a Schedule II controlled substance, on or about February 15, 2020.
Zachary Miller is a fugitive from justice. Anyone with information is urged to contact the FBI at 412-432-4000. (SEE NOTE BELOW)
The law provides for a total sentence of not less than 10 years to a maximum of life in prison, a fine not to exceed $10,000,000 or both, as to Count One, and a total sentence of not less than five years to a maximum of forty years in prison, a fine not to exceed $5,000,000 or both, as to Counts Two and Three. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentences imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendants.
Assistant United States Attorney Rebecca L. Silinski is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation Greater Pittsburgh Safe Streets Task Force led the multi-agency investigation of this case, which also included the United States Postal Inspection Service, Drug Enforcement Administration, Allegheny County Sheriff’s Office, Pennsylvania State Police, and Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General Bureau of Narcotics Investigations.
This case is part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force program, known as OCDETF. OCDETF was established in 1982 to support comprehensive investigations and prosecutions of major drug trafficking and money laundering organizations. It is the keystone of the drug reduction strategy of the Department of Justice. By combining the resources and expertise of federal agencies and their state and local law enforcement partners, OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the most serious drug trafficking, money laundering, and transnational criminal organizations.
An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
NOTE: Zachary Miller self-surrendered to FBI on August 16, 2020.
Felon, living in federal half-way house, indicted for attempted sex trafficking of a minorRead the Press Release
(Seattle) — A repeat offender, who had just been released to a half-way house from federal prison, has been indicted by the grand jury for attempted sex trafficking of a juvenile and attempted enticement of a minor, announced U.S. Attorney Brian T. Moran. PRENTICE C. HOLLINGSWORTH, 45, faces a mandatory minimum ten years in prison if convicted of the charges. HOLLINGSWORTH will be arraigned on the charges August 20, 2020.
According to records filed in the case, HOLLINGSWORTH was released to a federal half-way house in Tacoma in December 2019. Less than a month later, he began communicating with an undercover Seattle Police Officer he had contacted via a web application. In these communications, HOLLINGSWORTH attempted to recruit the undercover officer, who presented herself as a 15-year-old girl, to work for him as a prostitute. HOLLINGSWORTH discussed many aspects of the prostitution business, including the fee he would charge the “juvenile” for his services as a pimp and the prices she should charge for various sex acts. HOLLINGSWORTH also advised the “juvenile” that she could earn more money from sex buyers because of her age, and he encouraged her to leave school so she could devote more time to earning money in the sex trade.
In January 2020, HOLLINGSWORTH was arrested at the half-way house in Tacoma shortly after he arranged for the “juvenile” to check into a hotel room in Fife, Washington, for the purpose of prostitution.
Both counts in the indictment are punishable by a mandatory minimum ten years in prison and up to life in prison. HOLLINGSWORTH is already on lifetime federal supervised release because of prior sex offenses.
The charges contained in the indictment are only allegations. A person is presumed innocent unless and until he or she is proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
The case is being investigated by the Seattle Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kate Crisham.