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Friday 7 August 2020
Saltville Man Who Lied About His Own Death Sentenced on Series of Federal Charges including Bankruptcy Fraud, Wire FraudRead the Press Release
ABINGDON, VIRGINIA – A Saltville, Virginia man, who lied about his own death in order to hide assets from the federal bankruptcy court and later fraudulently assumed the identity of an attorney from Florida to further the scheme, was sentenced yesterday in U.S. District Court in Abingdon to 108 months in federal prison, United States Attorney Thomas T. Cullen announced.
Russell Geyer, 50, pleaded guilty in May 2020 to one count of contempt of court, one count of bankruptcy fraud, one count of wire fraud, and one count of aggravated identity fraud.
According to court documents, Geyer admitted to participating in a scheme to defraud the United States Bankruptcy Court through a series of deceptive statements designed to hide assets and maintain control of collateral. These actions included, but were not limited to, repeatedly lying about fake medical conditions, including prostate cancer, bone cancer, cardiac issues, a brain aneurysm, and pneumonia.
On August 30, 2019, the attorney working for Geyer informed the court that he had received an email purportedly from Russell Geyer’s wife, stating that Russell Geyer was dead. In fact, Russell Geyer had sent the email posing as his wife.
At a September 5, 2019 hearing, Mrs. Geyer testified that her husband was alive and that neither she, nor Russell Geyer, had been out of town and in the hospital for the serious medical conditions claimed by the defendant throughout the case.
During the September 5, 2019 hearing, Russell Geyer’s attorney read into the record an email he received from an attorney in Florida indicating that the Florida attorney had sold some of the assets involved in the bankruptcy proceedings without the Geyers’ knowledge. The email further stated that he had complete control of Russell and told him to kill himself. The attorney concluded the email with “I am on a plane out of the country.”
The investigation determined that the Florida attorney whose name was used in the email actually exists but had nothing to do with this case. Instead, Russell Geyer used the Florida attorney’s name and a bogus email account to send these emails without the Florida attorney’s knowledge.
Further investigation revealed that Geyer had assumed the Florida attorney’s identity to fraudulently obtain $70,000 from his own wife. Geyer told his wife that he was going to receive more than $1 million in a settlement from a case that the Florida attorney was handling for him. Geyer said he needed money to pay the attorney’s fees before the money would be released. Geyer then used a bogus email address and an app that disguised his voice to pose as the Florida attorney and to confirm that a settlement was imminent. It was all untrue.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Randy Ramseyer is prosecuting the case for the United States.
Postal Manager Indicted on Drug ChargesRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A U.S. Postal employee was indicted yesterday in connection with stealing mail believed to contain controlled substances.
Shawn M. Herron, 44, of Whitman, Mass., was indicted on one count of conspiracy to possess cocaine with intent to distribute and one count of theft of mail by a postal employee. Herron was arrested and charged by criminal complaint in February 2020.
According to court documents, Herron has been employed by the Postal Service since September 2005, most recently as a Manager of Customer Services at the Fall River Post Office (FPO). Prior to this position, he was the Supervisor of Customer Service at the Canton Post Office.
It is alleged that Herron tracked packages he suspected of containing narcotics and, rather than dealing with them appropriately, opened them and stole the contents. Herron profiled priority parcels from Puerto Rico and west coast U.S. states, and parcels flagged by law enforcement as potentially containing illegal narcotics, and then removed them from the U.S Mail stream. Herron tracked the suspected parcels through Postal Service databases and monitored their arrival at the FPO. After their arrival Herron located the parcels and brought them to his personal office space, where he stole the narcotics for distribution.
The charge of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, five years of supervised release and up to a $500,000 fine. The charge of theft of mail provides for a sentence of up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release and a $250,000 fine. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling; Matthew M. Modafferi, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General; and Joseph W. Cronin, Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Eugenia M. Carris of Lelling’s Public Corruption & Special Prosecutions Unit is prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Port Townsend, Washington, man who left overdose victim in car outside hospital emergency room pleads guilty to drug and gun crimesRead the Press Release
(Tacoma) — A Port Townsend, Washington, man who left a heroin overdose victim in a car outside a hospital emergency room pleaded guilty to drug trafficking and illegal firearms possession charges today, announced U.S. Attorney Brian T. Moran. ADAM MICHAEL KELLY, 38, pleaded guilty to possession of controlled substances with intent to distribute and being a drug user in possession of firearms. Under the terms of the plea agreement, both the prosecution and the defense will recommend a sentence of 66 months in prison. However, U.S. District Judge Benjamin Settle is not bound by the recommendation and can impose any sentence up to the ten-year maximum allowed by law when KELLY is sentenced on November 2, 2020.
According to the facts in the plea agreement, on March 27, 2019, KELLY and his then-girlfriend left a 43-year-old overdose victim in a car outside the hospital emergency room. They then called the hospital asking staff to check on the victim. The victim died within twenty minutes. Law enforcement traced the phone call to KELLY’s residence. When questioned by police, KELLY admitted that the victim had used drugs in his home, that the victim became unresponsive, and that KELLY had left him at the emergency room entrance when he could not revive him.
Police obtained a search warrant for KELLY’s home and found a sophisticated drug lab in the basement with pill presses, lab equipment, vent hoods, and over 75 pounds of Schedule III controlled substances, primarily steroids. Records seized at the lab indicate KELLY had a lucrative business selling and shipping illegal steroids across the country.
In addition to the drug lab, KELLY had a wide variety of firearms, silencers, and tactical gear. In the lab, KELLY had a .40 caliber Glock fitted with a silencer. In his bedroom, he had six guns, including two Glock handguns, a Bersa .22 caliber, a Winchester shotgun, a Remington 700, and a Bushmaster AR-15. A second silencer was found in the bedroom. Law enforcement seized a variety of ammunition, as well as a tactical vest.
As an admitted drug user, it is illegal for KELLY to possess firearms. When KELLY was arrested, he had both heroin and methamphetamine in his possession.
KELLY is currently serving a 68-month state sentence for controlled substance homicide, a charge arising out of this same investigation. As part of a global resolution of the state and federal charges, the parties will recommend that the federal sentence run concurrent to the state sentence. KELLY has been in custody since his arrest on March 28, 2019.
The case was investigated by the Port Townsend Police Department, Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office, and Federal Bureau of Investigation, with assistance from other local and federal law enforcement agencies.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney William Dreher.
Plano, Texas Man Sentenced to 6 Months Imprisonment, 6 Months at Halfway House for Transmitting Threatening CommunicationRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Stanley Colin Moldenhauer, age 39, of Plano, Texas was sentenced to 6 months’ imprisonment, 6 months at a halfway house and 3 years of supervised release for Transmitting a Threatening Communication in Interstate Commerce, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 875(c), The charges arose from an investigation by the Choctaw Nation Tribal Police and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
The Indictment alleged that on or about May 4, 2019, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma and elsewhere, the defendant, did knowingly and willfully transmit in interstate commerce, communications containing a threat to injure a person.
United States Attorney Brian J. Kuester said, “Threatening to injure others is not only unnecessary and wrong, it is illegal. The defendant now has a clear understanding of such. I hope others who might be inclined to make threats will make better decisions than he did.”
“Today's sentencing is a reminder that communicating a threat is a serious crime and will not be tolerated,” said Melissa Godbold, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI's Oklahoma City Field Office. "The FBI and our law enforcement partners will continue to aggressively investigate individuals who threaten violence against tribal nation facilities."
The Honorable Ronald A. White, U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, in Muskogee, presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Sarah McAmis represented the United States.
Perry County Man Sentenced to More Than 24 Years’ Imprisonment for Production of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
HARRISBURG- The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that on July 30, 2020, John Shover, age 58, of Duncannon, Pennsylvania, was sentenced by Senior U.S. District Court Judge Yvette Kane to 292 months’ imprisonment for using a minor to produce child pornography.
According to United States Attorney David J. Freed, Shover previously pleaded guilty to production of child pornography between January 2017 and March 2018. Judge Kane’s sentence includes a period of supervised release of 10 years following Shover’s jail term as well as a $5,000 assessment pursuant to the Justice of Victims of Trafficking Act.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Pennsylvania State Police-Newport Station. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Chelsea B. Schinnour and James T. Clancy prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc For more information about internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab "resources."
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Owner of Illegal Massage Parlor Sentenced to 400 Months in Prison for Sex TraffickingRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Erica H. MacDonald today announced the sentencing of OMAR KASHAKA TAYLOR a/k/a “Shaka,” 46, to 400 months in prison for sex trafficking two victims, including one minor victim. TAYLOR, who was convicted on all counts by a federal jury on February 5, 2019, was sentenced today before Senior Judge Donovan W. Frank in U.S. District Court in St. Paul, Minnesota.
“Omar Taylor is a coercive sex trafficker who pursued and exploited vulnerable victims for his own financial profit,” said United States Attorney Erica MacDonald. “The 400-month sentence handed down today is appropriate in light of the trauma Mr. Taylor inflicted upon his victims.”
“Today’s sentencing will hopefully close a painful chapter in the lives of the survivors of Mr. Taylor’s heinous actions,” said Tracy J. Cormier, HSI St. Paul special agent in charge. “We’re confident that this significant sentencing will empower others, who are facing similar circumstances to come forward, knowing that they will be fully supported and that their captors will face justice.”
As proven at trial, from August 2017 through March 2018, TAYLOR, a registered sex offender, operated an illegal massage business out of his northeast Minneapolis residence. TAYLOR recruited several young women and girls, at times targeting Native American and First Nation women and girls, to work in his illicit massage business and then, through force, threats of force, fraud, and coercion, caused them to perform commercial sex acts in exchange for money for his own financial benefit. TAYLOR used Backpage.com to solicit prospective clients by posting advertisements with photos of the victims, offering massage services that would include commercial sex acts.
This case was the result of an investigation conducted by Homeland Security Investigations, the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, the Minnesota Human Trafficking Investigators Task Force, and the Beltrami County Sheriff’s Office.
Assistant United States Attorneys Manda M. Sertich and Michelle E. Jones prosecuted the case.
Defendant Information:
OMAR KASHAKA TAYLOR, a/k/a “Shaka,” 46
Minneapolis, Minn.
Convicted:
- Sex trafficking of a minor, 1 count
- Sex trafficking by force, fraud and coercion, 2 counts
- Commission of a felony offense involving a minor when required to register as a sex offender, 1 count
Sentenced:
- 400 months in prison
- 25 years of supervised release
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United States Attorney’s Office, District of Minnesota: (612) 664-5600
Operation Legend Has Contributed to 32 Arrests and the Seizure of 27 Firearms in MilwaukeeRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Matthew D. Krueger of the Eastern District of Wisconsin announced today that local and federal law enforcement officers have made 32 arrests and recovered 27 firearms since the mid-July commencement of Operation Legend in Milwaukee. Those arrested include individuals alleged to have committed firearms-related offenses as well as fugitives wanted for violent crimes, including homicide, armed robbery, and recklessly endangering safety.
Resources from Operation Legend have also contributed to federal charges against 8 defendants for firearm-related crimes in Milwaukee, including charges for being a felon in possession of a firearm, lying to federally licensed firearms dealer, and possessing a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking. Some of these charges stemmed from conduct and investigations that began before Operation Legend but were aided by the additional resources brought by Operation Legend.
“Operation Legend reflects the Justice Department’s commitment to work collaboratively with state and local partners to make Milwaukee a safer city for all of its residents,” said United States Attorney Krueger. “By bringing to justice the shooters, the drug traffickers, and those who carry illegal firearms, we will reduce the levels of violence in our neighborhoods.”
Last week, United States Attorney Krueger held a press conference to explain that Operation Legend is a sustained, systematic, and coordinated law enforcement initiative in which federal law enforcement agencies work in conjunction with state and local law enforcement officials to fight violent crime. In addition to Milwaukee, Operation Legend is now underway in Kansas City, Chicago, Albuquerque, Detroit, and Cleveland. This week saw the expansion of Operation Legend into both Memphis and St. Louis.
In Milwaukee, Operation Legend is bringing over $12 million in funding for state and local law enforcement agencies to support violent crime reduction efforts. Operation Legend also entails bringing to Milwaukee 25 to 30 federal investigators from these four Justice Department agencies: the FBI, DEA, ATF, and United States Marshals Service. These investigators are joining the work already underway by existing joint federal, state and local task forces focused on combatting violent crime.
Ten of those federal investigators are assigned to work in Milwaukee temporarily to provide immediate assistance, and the others are being assigned over the coming year to Milwaukee permanently to provide long-term assistance.
The year 2020 marks the 150th anniversary of the Department of Justice. Learn more about the history of our agency at www.Justice.gov/Celebrating150Years.
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(414) 297-1700
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Operation LeGend Results in 59 More Arrests, Including Seven More Murder SuspectsRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – U.S. Attorney Tim Garrison announced today that 59 additional arrests have been made in the past week by local and federal law enforcement officers in Operation LeGend, for a total of 156 arrests since the start of the operation.
Pastor Darron Edwards welcomed U.S. Attorney Tim Garrison to a meeting with about 20 local pastors at United Believers Community Church to discuss Operation LeGend.Among those arrested since Aug. 1, new federal charges have been filed against six defendants, for a total of 17 new federal cases in Operation LeGend. All of the new federal defendants were charged with firearms-related crimes. Four of the six new defendants were charged with being felons in possession of firearms. One defendant was charged with heroin trafficking and illegally possessing a firearm. One defendant was charged with participating in a conspiracy to commit armed robberies at several local businesses.
Among the remaining 53 arrests in the past week, 35 were fugitives with either state or federal warrants for their arrest. The remaining 18 non-fugitive arrests were referred for prosecution in state court. Seven arrests were for homicides, for a total of 12 homicide arrests under Operation LeGend. Other offenses cited in the arrests included assault (including non-fatal shootings), drug trafficking, illegally possessing firearms, robbery, bank robbery, child molestation, sexual assault, possessing stolen property and possessing stolen firearms.
U.S. Attorney Tim Garrison met with a group of pastors this week to discuss Operation LeGend, listen to their concerns, and respond to their questions.In addition to the arrests, in the past week agents and officers seized 17 firearms (for a total of 52 firearms seized during Operation LeGend); a number of stolen vehicles and motorcycles; 210 THC cartridges; quantities of cocaine, crack cocaine, methamphetamine, heroin, and marijuana; and $52,000.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office is not able to track cases that are referred for prosecution in state court. The following defendants have been charged in federal court in the past week:
Terrell L. Releford, felon in possession of a firearm;
Dustin M. Jordan, felon in possession of a firearm;
Zackory Phillips, felon in possession of a firearm;
Travis J. Pipes, heroin trafficking, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime;
Dylan Pruett, felon in possession of a firearm;
Chase M. Murphy, armed robbery conspiracy, armed robbery, brandishing firearms during a crime of violence.Previously reported federal defendants:
Monty Ray, unlawful drug user in possession of a firearm;
Steven Younce, felon in possession of a firearm, meth trafficking, possessing firearms in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime;
Daniel Briscoe, methamphetamine trafficking, heroin trafficking;
Leamandreal Dorsey, felon in possession of a firearm;
Shannon Walz, felon in possession of a firearm, felon in possession of ammunition;
Maricela Lozano, carjacking, using a firearm during a crime of violence;
Gary Dorch, felon in possession of a firearm;
Patricia Nelson, felon in possession of a firearm;
Bobby Lynn King, felon in possession of a firearm;
Logan Tanner Laws, unlawful drug user in possession of a firearm;
Michael Glen Zeigers, felon in possession of a firearm;
Nelson, King, Laws, and Zeigers are co-defendants also charged with conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, money laundering, and possessing firearms in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime.
A group of local pastors met with U.S. Attorney Tim Garrison this week at United Believers Community Church to discuss Operation LeGend.
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.Onalaska Felon Sentenced to 69 Months for Possessing FirearmRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. - Scott C. Blader, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Curtis Green, 39, Onalaska, Wisconsin, was sentenced today by Chief U.S. District Judge James D. Peterson to 57 months in federal prison for possessing a firearm as a felon, and an additional 12 months for revocation of his federal supervised release. This prison term will be followed by two years of supervised release.
The investigation in this case stems from a shooting that occurred in West Salem, Wisconsin, on October 26, 2019. Green was identified as a suspect in that shooting, and on October 31, 2019, officers executed a search warrant at his residence where they located a firearm and ammunition consistent with that used in the shooting. Green is facing state charges for his alleged participation in the shooting.
At the time Green possessed the firearm, he was serving a term of supervised release in connection to a 2006 federal conviction in the Western District of Wisconsin for the theft of 38 firearms from a federally licensed firearms dealer. Judge Peterson revoked that supervision and sentenced Green to the additional 12 months.
In sentencing Green, Judge Peterson noted that Green’s possession of a firearm was aggravated because of his history of gun crime, which was made more serious by the fact he was on supervised release at the time. He noted that the crime was even further aggravated because he found by a preponderance of the evidence that Green possessed the firearm in connection to the shooting, and that Green posed a danger to the public.
The charge against Green was the result of an investigation conducted by the West Salem Police Department, La Crosse County Sheriff’s Department, and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. The prosecution of the case has been handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Taylor L. Kraus.
Newport News Tax Preparer Pleads Guilty to Preparing False ReturnRead the Press Release
A Newport News, Virginia, tax preparer pleaded guilty today to aiding and assisting the preparation of a false tax return, announced Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Richard E. Zuckerman of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and U.S. Attorney G. Zachary Terwilliger for the Eastern District of Virginia.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Angela C. Harper owned At Ease Tax Services, a tax preparation business that she operated from her home and hotel rooms in the Newport News area. Between 2014 and 2018, Harper falsified tax returns by claiming fraudulent credits and deductions on behalf of her clients in order to inflate the refunds paid to the clients by the IRS. Harper did not sign these returns as the paid preparer, thereby making it appear that the clients themselves had prepared the returns. She also did not provide copies of the returns to clients even when they specifically requested them.
U.S. District Court Judge Henry E. Hudson scheduled sentencing for Jan. 4, 2021. At sentencing, Harper faces a statutory maximum sentence of three years in prison. She also faces a period of supervised release, restitution and monetary penalties.
Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Zuckerman and U.S. Attorney Terwilliger commended special agents of IRS-Criminal Investigation, who conducted the investigation, and Trial Attorney Francine Davis and Assistant Chief Michael C. Boteler of the Tax Division, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian J. Samuels, who are prosecuting the case.
Additional information about the Tax Division and its enforcement efforts may be found on the Division’s website.
New Jersey Broker Sentenced to Prison for “Cherry-Picking” SchemeRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A former New Jersey broker was sentenced today in federal court in Newark for defrauding his clients by engaging in a multi-year “cherry-picking” scheme that netted nearly $800,000. The defendant was originally indicted in the District of Massachusetts before the case was transferred to New Jersey.
Michael Bressman, 63, of Montville, N.J., formerly of FCG Advisors and FCG Wealth Management of Chatham, N.J., was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Katharine S. Hayden to two years in prison and 18 months of supervised release. Bressman was also ordered to pay restitution of $793,680 and to forfeit that same amount. In June 2019, Bressman pleaded guilty to one count of securities fraud and one count of investment advisor fraud.
Bressman was originally indicted in the District of Massachusetts on Sept. 11, 2018, and the case was transferred to New Jersey pursuant to Federal Rule of Criminal Procedure 21 on Nov. 8, 2018.
Bressman misused his access to an omnibus or “allocation” account to obtain nearly $800,000 in illicit trading profits over a six-year period ending in February 2018. He used the allocation account to place trades and cherry-picked profitable trades, which he then transferred to his own account and the account of family members, while placing unprofitable trades in other customers’ accounts.
United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling and Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Division made the announcement today. The Securities and Exchange Commission in New York provided significant assistance with the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Eric Rosen of Lelling’s Securities, Financial & Cyber Fraud Unit and Assistant U.S. Attorney Courtney Howard, Chief of the Economic Crimes Unit for the District of New Jersey, prosecuted the case.
Multiple firearms-related indictments continue Project Guardian's collaborative law enforcement initiativeRead the Press Release
SAVANNAH, GA: Nine defendants have been indicted by a U.S. District Court grand jury on federal charges including illegal possession of firearms.
All of the indictments target previously convicted felons who are prohibited from possessing firearms, said Bobby L. Christine, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia.
“Identifying and removing gun criminals from our communities is a key component of Project Guardian, the Department of Justice initiative to fight gun crime,” said U.S. Attorney Christine. “With our law enforcement partners, we will continue to target offenders who illegally possess and use firearms.”
Those named in the federal indictments include:
- Terry Key, 33, of Jesup, Ga., charged with Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine; Distribution of Methamphetamine; Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime; and Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. Key was arrested in January after an investigation by the Jesup Police Department led to a search of his motel room in which drugs and firearms were found. The charges carry a possible penalty of up to life in prison.
- Reginald Terry, a/k/a “Pete,” 37, of Jesup, Ga., charged with Possession with Intent to Distribute Heroin, MDMA and Cocaine; Distribution of Heroin; Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime; Possession of a Stolen Firearm; and Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. Terry was arrested in November 2019 when Jesup Police searched his motel room and found drugs and firearms, including a pistol, an SKS rifle and an AR-15 rifle. The charges carry a possible penalty of up to life in prison.
- Khallid Marquese Wright, 24, of Augusta, charged with Possession of Cocaine, and Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. Wright, who was stopped in February by Richmond County Sheriff’s deputies for questioning in an unrelated case, was found in possession of a firearm. The charges carry a possible penalty of up to 10 years in prison.
- John Thomas Barnes III, 32, of Augusta, charged with Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. Barnes was arrested in March when Richmond County Sheriff’s deputies found a pistol in his vehicle during a traffic stop. The charge carries a possible penalty of up to 10 years in prison.
- Kinsey Lanier Jackson, 50, of Augusta, charged with Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. Jackson was charged in February after Richmond County Sheriff’s deputies found a pistol in his pocket during a traffic stop. The charge carries a possible penalty of up to 10 years in prison.
- Shaquaries Alexis Kimble, 25, of Augusta, charged with Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. Kimble was arrested in February after a he was found in possession of a pistol by Richmond County Sheriff’s deputies investigating a report of a stolen weapon. The charge carries a possible penalty of up to 10 years in prison.
- Zachary Brent Sadler, 27, of Augusta, charged with Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. Sadler was charged by agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) in October 2019 after he pawned a handgun. When he later returned to repurchase the gun, the purchase was denied during a background check. The charge carries a possible penalty of up to 10 years in prison.
- Damien Lamont Wimberly, 40, of Augusta, charged with Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. Wimberly initially was found in possession of a firearm at a Richmond County Sheriff’s Office traffic checkpoint, and was later arrested when he was determined to be a convicted felon. The charge carries a penalty of up to 10 years in prison.
- Larry Jackson III, 30, of Savannah, charged with Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. Jackson was arrested in July 2019 by Savannah Police officers investigating reports of gunshots found him in possession of a pistol. The charge carries a possible penalty of up to 10 years in prison.
Criminal indictments contain only charges; defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
“This inter-agency collaboration and the resulting indictments goes a long way towards addressing gun violence by removing from our streets firearms and those willing to obtain them illegally and potentially use them,” said Beau Kolodka, Assistant Special Agent in Charge of the Atlanta Field Office of the ATF.
The cases are investigated under Project Guardian, the Department of Justice’s signature initiative to reduce gun violence and enforce federal firearms laws, and the Prosecutor to Prosecutor Program (P3), in which federal and state prosecutors collaborate to determine the most appropriate venue for prosecuting crimes.
In addition to the ATF, agencies involved in investigation of the cases include the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, the Jesup Police Department, the Savannah Police Department, and the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office.
The cases are being investigated for the United States by Southern District U.S. Attorney’s Office Assistant U.S. Attorneys including Project Guardian Coordinator Henry W. Syms; Alejandro V. Pascual IV; Joshua S. Bearden; Patricia G. Rhodes; and Frank M. Pennington II.
Monroeville Man Sentenced in Marriage Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, PA- A resident of Monroeville, Pennsylvania, has been sentenced in federal court to three years of probation and a $5,000 fine on his conviction of conspiracy charges related to marriage fraud and visa fraud, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced today.
United States District Judge Nora Barry Fischer imposed the sentence on Makhan Singh, 53.
According to information presented to the court, from in and around 2011 through in and around October of 2018, Makhan Singh conspired with his brother, Rajinder Singh, and United States citizen Dawn Haroulakis, to knowingly facilitate or enter into a marriage for the purpose of evading the immigration laws. The court was further advised that Makhan Singh offered to pay Ms. Haroulakis if she would marry his brother so that Rajinder, a native and citizen of India, could obtain legal permanent residency in the United States. Ms. Haroulakis agreed to the sham marriage, and Makhan Singh then made payments of more than $15,000 to Ms. Haroulakis in exchange for her marriage to Rajinder Singh.
Assistant United States Attorneys Christy C. Wiegand and Brendan McKenna prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
The Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Haroulakis, in connection with the Pittsburgh Document and Benefit Fraud Task Force (DBFTF). The DBFTF is a multi-agency partnership established to focus on high-impact criminal investigations involving the use of fraudulent documents in furtherance of immigrations benefit applications and petitions, financial fraud, criminal work-site enforcement, and public benefits fraud. The Pittsburgh DBFTF consists of the following agencies: Homeland Security Investigations, US Citizenship and Immigration Services, the Social Security Administration-Office of the Inspector General, the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigations, US Department of State-Diplomatic Security Service, US Department of Agriculture- Office of the Inspector General, US Department of Labor- Office of the Inspector General, and the Pennsylvania Office of the Attorney General.
Minneapolis Man Charged with Illegally Possessing A FirearmRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Erica H. MacDonald today announced a criminal complaint charging DESHAWN TYRONE BRAZIEL, 35, with one count of possession of a firearm by a felon. A preliminary and detention hearing on this charge is scheduled for August 10, before Magistrate Judge Elizabeth Cowan Wright, in U.S. District Court in St. Paul, Minnesota.
According to the allegations in the criminal complaint and affidavit, on May 21, 2020, law enforcement received information that BRAZIEL was seen at a store that has an upper apartment unit accessible from the inside of the store. BRAZIEL had two outstanding warrants for his arrest and was a suspect in a shooting that occurred in Minneapolis on April 16, 2020. Law enforcement officers conducting physical surveillance observed BRAZIEL exit the property and enter the driver's side of a BMW that was parked nearby. Law enforcement officers approached BRAZIEL and placed him under arrest. At the time of his arrest, BRAZIEL was wearing a backpack. Law enforcement located a loaded, Springfield XD 9mm pistol, 94 ecstasy pills, BRAZIEL’s credit card, and other items including a digital scale in the backpack. Because BRAZIEL has prior felony convictions, including a previous conviction for a drive-by shooting in 2006, he is prohibited under federal law from possessing firearms or ammunition.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Minneapolis Police Department.
This case was brought as part of the Twin Cities Violent Crime Task Force, a multi-agency effort that brings together additional federal and state resources to assist local law enforcement to investigate, arrest, and prosecute individuals responsible for gun violence in the Twin Cities. For more information about the Twin Cities Violent Crime Task Force, please visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-mn/pr/united-states-attorney-announces-new-twin-cities-violent-crime-task-force.
The charges contained in the complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Allison Ethen is prosecuting the case.
Defendant Information:
DESHAWN TYRONE BRAZIEL, 35
Minneapolis, Minn.
Charges:
- Felon in possession of a firearm, 1 count
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United States Attorney’s Office, District of Minnesota: (612) 664-5600
Milwaukee Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Possessing a Loaded Firearm While Trafficking Drugs and Fleeing from PoliceRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Matthew D. Krueger of the Eastern District of Wisconsin announced that on August 6, 2020, U.S. District Judge Lynn Adelman sentenced Ronald J. Payne (age: 34) to six years’ imprisonment and two years’ supervised release after Payne pled guilty to Possessing a Firearm during and in relation to Drug Trafficking, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 924(c).
According to court records, on June 5, 2019, Milwaukee police officers attempted to pull Payne over for a traffic offense but Payne took off in his truck, leading officers on a high-speed chase through a residential area until he stopped and fled on foot while carrying a loaded .38-caliber handgun. Officers pursued and ordered him to drop the gun. Payne tossed the gun as he fell to the ground, and officers quickly arrested him and secured the gun. On his person and in his truck, Payne possessed cash and distribution-sized quantities of marijuana. Payne was a two-time convicted felon and admitted that he was a drug dealer and not a drug user. Investigation revealed that Payne also possessed two 9-mm pistols at his home and dozens of rounds of ammunition. Payne had been previously convicted of robbery and drug dealing and served time in state prison.
This case was prosecuted as part of the Project Safe Neighborhoods initiative. Project Safe Neighborhoods is a federal, state, and local law enforcement collaboration to identify, investigate, and prosecute individuals responsible for violent crimes in our neighborhoods. Project Safe Neighborhoods’ strategy brings together all levels of law enforcement and community resources to reduce violent crime and improve the quality of life in all our neighborhoods.
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://go.usa.gov/xpBrs.
This case was investigated by the Milwaukee Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. Assistant United States Attorney Tim Funnell prosecuted the case.
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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Media Advisory:Virtual Press Conference to Discuss Sentencing of Jeremy Kozak for Attempted Enticement of a Minor and the Dangers of Online Sexual PredatorsRead the Press Release
On August 10, 2020, at 2:00 p.m., Jeremy Kozak will be sentenced following his conviction for attempted enticement of a minor. Kozak, age 39, attempted to entice his victim, a 13 year-old girl, to engage in sexual activity. Kozak communicated with the victim online. Law enforcement took control of the victim’s account after Kozak attempted to entice her. An undercover officer continued to communicate with Kozak. Kozak eventually drove from Nebraska to Iowa for a meeting he thought would be with the victim. Instead, law enforcement was at the meeting and arrested him. Kozak faces a minimum of 10 years in federal prison and a maximum of life in prison.
On August 10, 2020, at 4:00 p.m., representatives of the United States Attorney’s Office, the Buena Vista County Attorney’s Office, the Buena Vista County Sheriff’s Office, and the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation will hold a virtual press conference. The purposes of the press conference will be to announce Kozak’s sentence and to discuss the dangers online sexual predators pose, particularly in a time when children are online more than ever.
Event Details
When: August 10, 2020
Where: Virtual Press Conference via WebEx
Time: 4:00 p.m.
A press release and interview opportunities will be available.
In order to participate, you must RSVP in advance and no later than 12:00 p.m. on August 10, 2020. After you RSVP, you will be provided with details on how to join the press conference via WebEx. To participate, please RSVP by sending an email to Tony Morfitt at [email protected] or calling 319-731-4025.
Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.
Massachusetts General Hospital Enters Agreement with U.S. Attorney’s Office to Better Ensure Equal Access for Individuals with DisabilitiesRead the Press Release
BOSTON – Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) and the U.S. Attorney’s Office entered an agreement today, under Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), to resolve allegations that MGH denied a patient with cystic fibrosis eligibility for a lung transplant because he was being treated with a prescription medication for opioid use disorder (OUD).
At the time MGH evaluated the patient to determine if he was eligible to receive a transplant, the patient was actively participating in a supervised rehabilitation program and not engaged in the illegal use of drugs. Because the patient was being treated with prescription medication to treat his OUD, MGH rejected him for consideration for a transplant and failed to further evaluate him in accordance with its standard transplant consideration process, including consultation with appropriate specialists.
When the patient was able to receive a lung transplant at a different hospital in another state, his mother, who was needed to provide support after the procedure, was required to leave her job and move from her Massachusetts home to be near the transplant hospital while the patient recovered from surgery. The distance from home, family and community caused them both considerable financial and emotional distress.
Under the agreement, MGH will: implement a non-discrimination policy stating that MGH will not unnecessarily deny or limit treatment for individuals on the basis of disability, including OUD, or the use of medication to treat OUD; provide ADA training to medical staff involved in decisions about transplants; and provide the patient and his mother $250,000 in monetary relief for their emotional distress and out of pocket expenses.
“By cooperating and doing the right thing, MGH is eliminating barriers to addiction treatment and fulfilling the promise of the ADA: full access to medical services, regardless of disability,” said United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling.
This year marks the 30th Anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act. The Justice Department plays a central role in advancing the nation’s goal of equal opportunity, full participation, independent living, and economic self-sufficiency for people with disabilities. The Justice Department will continue to use its enforcement and technical assistance tools to eliminate unlawful discrimination against individuals with disabilities.
The case was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Gregory Dorchak of Lelling’s Civil Rights Unit with Senior Trial Attorney Alyse Bass of the Justice Department’s Disability Rights Section.
The Civil Rights Unit of the U.S. Attorney’s Office was established in 2015 with the mission of enhancing federal civil rights enforcement. For more information on the Office’s civil rights efforts, please visit www.justice.gov/usao-ma/civil-rights.
Man who threatened to kill ex-girlfriend and her minor children sentenced to 8 years for illegal possession of a firearmRead the Press Release
Indianapolis – United States Attorney Josh J. Minkler announced today, Brian Jones, 30, Hamilton, Ohio, was sentenced to 8 years in federal prison by U.S. District Judge James R. Sweeney II. Jones previously pleaded guilty to charges of Unlawful Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon.
“During these challenging times, Indianapolis has seen an increase in domestic violence, murders, and shootings.” said Minkler. “I commend IMPD and ATF for getting Mr. Jones off our streets and into a federal prison before the results of his pattern of criminal behavior became more tragic.”
On May 7, 2019, IMPD responded to a 911 call for help from a residence located at 4006 Independence Drive, Indianapolis. When officers arrived, they were met by the visibly upset and frightened female victim. She said that her ex-boyfriend, Brian Jones, had arrived at her residence uninvited. She allowed Jones into the residence because she was fearful of him forcing his way in. She further stated that Jones had a small bag with him when he entered and then he went to sleep.
When Jones woke up, he became upset and accused her of taking his cell phone. Jones had a firearm with him and pointed it at her and threatened to kill her and the children. She was able to sneak downstairs to call 911 and meet police. Officers later discovered that Jones had exited the residence at some point. Officers located a firearm and small amounts of methamphetamine, heroin, and marijuana in a small blue bag that Jones arrived with.
Jones is not legally permitted to own or possess a firearm because he has more than eight felony convictions, including a previous federal conviction for illegally possession a firearm. His convictions include three firearms convictions, trafficking in controlled substances, and participating in a criminal gang. The evidence at the sentencing hearing revealed that Jones pointed a loaded 9mm semiautomatic handgun at his ex-girlfriend and threatened to kill her and her two minor children. Jones currently also faces pending violations of Ohio state parole and violations of his supervised release from the Southern District of Ohio.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, and the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department.
“Keeping guns out of the hands of serious violent felons is a critical part of the IMPD’s efforts to address violence,” said IMPD Chief Randal Taylor. “We will continue working alongside U.S. Attorney Minkler and the ATF to secure federal convictions for those who illegally-possess firearms and make Indianapolis a safer community.”
“No one, especially children, should live in fear of another. Domestic violence will not be tolerated. My hope is Mr. Jones’ victims can now live and sleep better, knowing he will not be able to threaten them, “ stated Roland H. Herndon, ATF’s Special Agent in Charge of the Columbus Field Division . “When convicted felons choose to knowingly possess and use firearms to threaten or bring harm to citizens, agents will pursue any and all available charges to quickly remove the offender from the community. ATF continues to display its full commitment to keeping the Indianapolis community safe through our partnership with the USAO and IMPD.”
According to Assistant U.S. Attorney Pamela S Domash, who prosecuted this case for the government, Jones must also serve two years of supervised release after his prison sentence.
In October 2017, United States Attorney Josh J. Minkler announced a Strategic Plan designed to shape and strengthen the District’s response to its most significant public safety challenges. This prosecution sentencing demonstrates the office’s firm commitment to prosecuting those who commit serious firearms offenses. (See United States Attorney’s Office, Southern District of Indiana Strategic Plan Sections 2.2)
Man Pleads Guilty to Illegally Purchasing FirearmsRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Washington, D.C. man pleaded guilty today to knowingly providing false information to a federal firearm licensee (FFL) in order to purchase multiple firearms.
“Hudson’s criminal conduct perfectly encapsulates the dangerous problem of illegally purchased firearms being trafficked in Virginia,” said G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. “In this case, there were two firearms found in the possession of convicted felons who were prohibited from owning a firearm. This created a major risk for our communities. We will continue to bring justice against those who perpetuate this dangerous trafficking and threaten to put our communities in danger.”
According to court documents, Marquette Hudson, 26, purchased eight firearms from or through two FFLs within the Eastern District of Virginia. To purchase these firearms, Hudson was required by law to fill out an ATF Form 4473 truthfully, to include providing his current residential address. However, on each occasion, Hudson listed his current residence as an address in Arlington when he did not live in the Commonwealth of Virginia. Police in Washington, D.C. later recovered six of the firearms purchased by Hudson from the Virginia FFLs, including two firearms recovered from convicted felons.
Hudson pleaded guilty to one count of knowingly making a false statement or representation of information required to be kept by an FFL when purchasing a firearm. Hudson faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison when sentenced on Dec. 11. 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 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, and Ashan M. Benedict, Special Agent in Charge of the ATF’s Washington Field Division, made the announcement after Senior U.S. District Judge T.S. Ellis, III accepted the plea. Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicholas U. Murphy, II and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Sara Hallmark 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. 1:20-cr-168.
Man Pleads Guilty to Straw Purchasing Ten RiflesRead the Press Release
LAS VEGAS, Nev. — Ethan Erhardt, 37, of Las Vegas, pleaded guilty in federal court today to making a straw purchase of ten semi-automatic rifles, announced United States Attorney Nicholas A. Trutanich for the District of Nevada.
According to court documents, on February 16, 2019, Erhardt straw purchased firearms from a Federal Firearms Licensee (FFL) in Henderson, Nevada, for another individual. He purchased ten semi-automatic rifles for approximately $88,000, using money obtained from the individual. At the time of purchase, Erhardt completed a Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) form representing that he was the actual buyer of the firearms, despite knowing that he would be providing the firearms to the other individual.
This case was the product of an investigation by the ATF. Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel Clarkson is prosecuting the case.
Erhardt is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge James C. Mahan on November 13, 2020. The maximum statutory penalty for the illegal acquisition of a firearm is ten years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The sentencing of a defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
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 ATF 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, visit https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/attorney-general-william-p-barr-announces-launch-project-guardian-nationwide-strategic-plan.
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Lexington Doctor and Office Manager Indicted in International Money Laundering Scheme Involving Non-Approved DrugsRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Lexington doctor and his wife, who works as his office manager, were charged in an international money laundering scheme involving importing illegal drugs.
Rahim Shafa, 62, and Nahid “Nina” Tormosi Shafa, 62, were each indicted on one count of international money laundering conspiracy. Shafa was also indicted on three counts of money laundering, one count of conspiracy to defraud the United States, three counts of importing merchandise contrary to law and one count of receiving and delivering misbranded drugs with an intent to defraud and mislead. The defendants will make an initial appearance in federal court in Worcester this afternoon.
“In order to make money, the defendants allegedly circumvented mandatory FDA drug inspections and took advantage of vulnerable patients who sought to escape addiction through legitimate treatment,” said United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling.
“Distributing illegally imported prescription drugs of unknown origin and ingredients instead of FDA-approved drugs places the U.S. public health at risk,” said Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey J. Ebersole, FDA Office of Criminal Investigations New York Field Office. “We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners and bring to justice those who attempt to subvert FDA requirements, which are designed to ensure the safety and quality of drugs distributed to American consumers.”
According to the indictment, Shafa was a psychiatrist who owned and operated Novel Psychopharmacology in Milford and Natick and Tormosi Shafa was the office manager. From approximately January 2008 through January 2018, Shafa and Tormosi Shafa engaged in an international money laundering scheme to purchase naltrexone pellet implants, disulfiram pellet implants and disulfiram injections from Hong Kong. Disulfiram is used to treat alcohol dependence and naltrexone is used to treat alcohol and opioid dependence. Disulfiram and naltrexone are approved by the FDA in certain forms; however, the forms of the drugs that Shafa and Tormosi Shafa allegedly purchased are not approved by the FDA. Shafa and Tormosi Shafa offered these drugs for sale to patients of Novel.
It is further alleged that Shafa engaged in a conspiracy to defraud the United States by falsifying shipping documents to make the packages containing the drugs shipped from Hong Kong to Shafa in Massachusetts look like lawful imports. For example, packages containing naltrexone pellet implants were falsely declared as ‘plastic beads in plastic tubes’ in shipping documents.
“We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to ensure that all medical providers properly follow healthcare rules and regulations,” 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 charges of money laundering and money laundering conspiracy provide for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. The charge of conspiracy to defraud provides for a sentence of up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. The charge of importing merchandise contrary to law provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. The charge of receiving and delivering a misbranded drug with an intent to defraud and mislead provides for a sentence of up to three years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
United States Attorney Lelling; FDA-OIC SAC Ebersole; Colonel Christopher Mason, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police; HHS-OIG SAC Coyne; and Michael Shea, Acting Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Boston made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney John T. Mulcahy of Lelling’s Worcester Branch Office is prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Leader of conspiracy that manufactured illegal drugs on an industrial scale sentenced to 20 years in federal prisonRead the Press Release
AUGUSTA, GA: A Georgia man who operated an industrial-scale illegal pill-manufacturing operation has been sentenced to 20 years in federal prison, representing the final sentence among the major members of the drug trafficking conspiracy.
Walker Christian Forrester, 25, of Loganville, Ga., was sentenced to 240 months in prison by U.S. District Court Chief Judge J. Randal Hall, said Bobby L. Christine, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. Forrester, who pled guilty to a charge of Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute and to Distribute Controlled Substances (Carfentanil, Alprazolam and marijuana), also must serve five years of supervised release after completion of his prison sentence.
There is no parole in the federal system.
“The criminals in this drug trafficking conspiracy distributed massive amounts of dangerous illegal drugs, including deadly synthetic opioids, on the streets of Georgia and beyond through the Dark Web,” said U.S. Attorney Christine. “Our federal, state and local law enforcement agencies did outstanding work in investigating and shutting down these manufacturers of misery and bringing them to justice.”
Other defendants in the conspiracy also pled guilty and have been sentenced:
- Kolbie Hadden Watters, 23, of Augusta, Ga., was sentenced to life in prison plus 10 years for Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute and to Distribute Controlled Substances, and Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime. He also must serve five years of supervised release after completion of his term.
- Jonathan Britt Lester, 23, of Loganville, Ga.; was sentenced to 210 months in prison for Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute and to Distribute Controlled Substances (Carfentanil, Alprazolam and marijuana), followed by five years of supervised release.
- Morgan McKenzie Slaton, 23, of Hoschton, Ga., was sentenced to three years’ probation for Conspiracy to Distribute and Possession with Intent to Distribute a Controlled Substance (Alprazolam), followed by years of supervised release.
Another defendant in the case, Armand Sananda Saedi, 28, of Atlanta, Ga., is awaiting sentencing after pleading guilty to Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute and to Distribute Controlled Substances (Alprazolam).
According to court documents and testimony, the co-defendants participated in a drug conspiracy dating back to 2016 that imported large amounts of drugs purchased with cryptocurrency on the Dark Web, used industrial-grade machinery to manufacture pills, and sold the drugs on the Dark Web and throughout Georgia. At its peak, the operation produced as many as 200,000 pills per month, yielding profits of up to $18,000 per month.
In addition to profiting from drug sales, Forrester testified that a Canadian drug trafficker paid him $10,000 per month to receive packages of Fentanyl shipped from China and then reship it to addresses in Canada and elsewhere. That trafficker is under federal indictment in the Northern District of Georgia.
Forrester first came to the attention of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration around Sept. 2017 after he purchased an industrial-grade pill press. Two months later, Forrester, Watters and a juvenile were arrested on state charges in Harlem, Ga., in November 2017 after a traffic stop in which Harlem police officers found more than 5,200 counterfeit Xanax pills, marijuana and a sawed-off shotgun in the vehicle.
Watters and Lester also face state charges in Walton County of felony murder and aggravated assault in the death of Chase David Loffler, 25, whose body was found buried in the backyard of Lester’s Loganville home in April 2018. The two are accused of beating and suffocating Loffler, a suspected co-conspirator, and burying his body in a shallow grave.
Robert J. Murphy, Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Division stated, “Drug Trafficking knows no boundaries and is driven by greed and power. These guilty pleas should serve as a reminder to drug traffickers that DEA and its law enforcement partners will expend the necessary resources to dismantle, disrupt and destroy those who distribute poison throughout our communities. Many thanks to the collaboration of law enforcement agencies and the U.S. Attorney’s Office who made this investigation a success.”
“This sentencing ends an exhaustive investigation that stopped a conspiracy that compounded an epidemic that is killing our citizens,” said Chris Hacker, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. “The lengthy sentences received by Forrester and three other defendants in this case serve as an example of the FBI and our law enforcement partners commitment to end the opioid crisis.”
“These criminals’ days of selling poison, destroying lives and spreading violence are over,” said acting Special Agent in Charge Robert Hammer, who oversees Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) operations in Georgia and Alabama. “HSI and its law enforcement partners worked tirelessly to bring an end to this criminal organization that profited by flooding the community with dangerous drugs. “
“The illegal manufacture and distribution of opioids can result in overdoses and deaths, fueling the national opioid crisis,” said Special Agent in Charge Justin C. Fielder, Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Office of Criminal Investigations Miami Field Office. “The FDA remains committed to working with our law enforcement partners to disrupt and dismantle illegal prescription drug manufacturing and distribution networks, including those that import illicit raw materials from overseas to make counterfeit drugs, and misuse the internet to distribute those drugs with reckless disregard of the risk to public health and safety.”
“This is yet another case of individuals distributing poison in our communities,” said James E. Dorsey, Special Agent in Charge, IRS Criminal Investigation. “Illegal drug distribution continues to plague our communities, leaving catastrophic physical, emotional, and financial effects. IRS-Criminal Investigation will continue to follow the money trail and work with our law enforcement partners to eradicate illegal drug distribution operations and protect our communities, even if it leads to the Dark Web.”
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. Agencies involved in the investigation include the FBI, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s Office of Criminal Investigations (FDA-OCI), the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), the U.S. Army Criminal Investigative Command (CID), the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the U.S. Marshals Service, and the Harlem Department of Public Safety.
The case was prosecuted for the United States by Assistant U.S. Attorney Patricia Rhodes.
Humboldt Man Receives Maximum Sentence of 10 Years for Felon in Possession of FirearmRead the Press Release
Jackson, TN – Taylor Cunningham, 25, has been sentenced to 120 months in federal prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm. D. Michael Dunavant, U.S. Attorney announced the sentence today.
According to information presented in Court, on June 7, 2019, agents with the 28th Judicial District Drug Task Force utilized a confidential source to arrange the purchase of approximately one ounce of methamphetamine (ICE) from Cunningham, who agreed to meet the confidential source at the Humboldt Lake parking lot. Once the defendant pulled into the parking lot, agents activated the blue lights on their vehicles and attempted to stop the vehicle. Cunningham immediately tried to evade the agents in his truck. He then jumped from the driver’s door of the vehicle while it was still moving.
Agents pursued Cunningham on foot, giving him verbal commands to stop. They observed a brown hand bag in his hands while running. Law enforcement then utilized a less lethal weapon known as the Taser; Cunningham stopped and started turning towards the agents. As he arrived partially turned towards the agents, they observed Cunningham pull a black firearm from his waist band. At this time, an agent deployed his Taser at Cunningham, striking him in the right arm, causing him to drop his firearm and fall to the ground. Cunningham was then taken into custody. One agent sustained minor injuries during the incident.
Agents located and seized a loaded Glock Model 19 9 mm pistol with a magazine that held 15 9 mm bullets; the firearm was found beside Cunningham on the ground. Agents also located and seized an extra fully-loaded 30 round magazine, a bag of methamphetamine weighing approximately 21 grams, and a set of digital scales. A search of the brown bag Cunningham was carrying revealed another three bags of methamphetamine weighing approximately 39.5 grams. Also seized were approximately 407 Xanax pills, 46 Amphetamine/Dextroamphetamine pills (approximate total weight of 16.5 grams), one ecstasy pill, two morphine pills, seven unidentifiable pills and $3,301 on Cunningham’s person.
After taking Cunningham into custody, agents verified that he was previously convicted of felony burglary in Humboldt, TN on September 15, 2017, and was therefore prohibited by federal law from possession of firearms or ammunition.
On August 4, 2020, U.S. District Court Chief Judge S. Thomas Anderson sentenced Cunningham to the maximum statutory sentence available, 120 months in federal prison, followed by 3 years supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant said: "As a convicted felon in possession of a firearm and drugs, Cunningham presented a danger to public safety and to law enforcement in multiple ways. The statutory maximum sentence imposed in this case removes him from the community, and makes West Tennessee a safer place. Felon+gun+drugs=a maximum federal prison sentence that achieves justice by providing proper punishment without the sanctuary of parole."
This case was investigated by the 28th Judicial District Drug Task Force, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).
Assistant U.S. Attorney Josh Morrow prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
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Hickory Man Is Sentenced to Nine Years for Trafficking Narcotics on the Dark WebRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – U.S. Attorney Andrew Murray announced today that Travis Justin Stout, 36, of Hickory, N.C., was sentenced to 108 months in prison and three years of supervised release for drug trafficking conspiracy and possession with intent to distribute narcotics on the Dark Web. The sentencing was held on Thursday, August 6, 2020.
Ronnie Martinez, Special Agent in Charge of ICE/Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) in Georgia and the Carolinas, Tommy D. Coke, Inspector in Charge of the Atlanta Division of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, which oversees Charlotte, and Chief Thurman Whisnant of the Hickory Police Department join U.S. Attorney Murray in making today’s announcement.
According to information contained in filed court documents and the sentencing hearing, in 2016, law enforcement began investigating Stout for trafficking narcotics in the greater Hickory area. Over the course of the investigation, law enforcement determined that Stout was purchasing narcotics, including MDMA (Ecstasy), methamphetamine, amphetamine, and marijuana, on the Dark Web, using various forms of cryptocurrency. Court records show that Stout also used the Dark Web to traffic narcotics throughout the United States and internationally, including on the AlphaBay Market, and stored the drug proceeds in multiple virtual currency wallets. Stout trafficked narcotics from the Netherlands and Belgium, among other locations, in this conspiracy.
In handing down Stout’s sentence, Judge Bell stated this was an extremely sophisticated international drug trafficking case, involving the Dark Web, and noted this sentence will deter others from completing similar sophisticated Dark Web crimes.
Stout is currently in custody and will be transferred to the custody of the federal Bureau of Prisons.
In making today’s announcement U.S. Attorney Murray thanked HSI in Charlotte, USPIS, and the Hickory Police Department for their investigation on this case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sanjeev Bhasker and Seth Johnson of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte prosecuted the case.
Healthcare Bookkeeper Ordered to Pay $321k in Restitution, Prison Time for Defrauding Former Valdosta EmployerRead the Press Release
ALBANY, Ga. – The former bookkeeper for a Valdosta, Georgia physical therapy business was ordered to pay back hundreds of thousands of dollars to her former employer and was sentenced to 41 months in prison for bank fraud, said Charles “Charlie” Peeler, the United States Attorney for the Middle District of Georgia.
Heather Nicole Gray, 33, of Norman Park, Georgia was sentenced on Thursday, August 6 by U.S. District Judge Louis Sands to 41 months in prison after pleading guilty to two counts bank fraud in September 2019. Gray was also ordered by Judge Sands to pay $321,000 in restitution. There is no parole in the federal system.
According to the stipulation of fact, Ms. Gray began doing financial work for Sutherland Physical Therapy, Inc. (SPT), in Valdosta, Georgia in September 2014 as an employee of Quick Consulting of Adel. In her capacity as bookkeeper, Ms. Gray also had access to the financials for Sutherland Yoga Studio, LLC (SYS). Ms. Gray was hired directly by SPT three years later, in September 2017. Very shortly after beginning work with SPT, in December 2014, Ms. Gray began to make automated clearinghouse (ACH) payments via the internet and mobile access from two bank accounts belonging to SPT without authorization, to pay-off credits cards that she and her ex-husband used. In August 2017, her scheme intensified when she began creating fraudulent checks without authorization, using SPT bank accounts, payable to herself or her ex-husband. She used several methods to hide her scheme, including removing pages of the monthly bank account statement that showed unauthorized checks written to her from the office and changing the “payee” field in the QuickBooks system from her name to a named legitimate expense to hide the true payee, herself. Ms. Gray made a total of 317 fraudulent payments enriching herself or her ex-husband from SPT and SYS accounts until her fraud was discovered in April 2018. In all, the fraud totaled $321,854, including $4,971.62 lost by SYS and $316,882.38 lost by SPT.
“Our office will protect small businesses and banks from theft and fraud by pursuing white collar criminals, and seeking justice on behalf of victims,” said Charlie Peeler, the U.S. Attorney. “The victims in this case trusted this defendant to keep their books. The defendant betrayed that trust by stealing hundreds of thousands of dollars. Thanks to the excellent work of the Lowndes County Sheriff’s Office and the Secret Service, this defendant is held accountable for her conduct and faces years in federal prison.”
“The United States Secret Service along with our local law enforcement partners remain committed to aggressively investigating those responsible for stealing from our local business communities in South Georgia,” said Clint Bush, Resident Agent-In-Charge of the Albany, Georgia Secret Service Office. “These types of crimes have a far reaching affect not only on the small business owners but also on their employees and families who rely on these jobs to bring income and money into our local communities.”
The case was investigated by the United States Secret Service and the Lowndes County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert McCullers 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.
Hartford Drug Trafficker Sentenced to 70 Months in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that VICTOR PERDOMO, also known as “Domi,” 35, of Hartford, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Michael P. Shea in Hartford to 70 months of imprisonment, followed by four years of supervised release, for trafficking heroin and fentanyl.
According to court documents and statements made in court, in August 2017, the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Hartford Task Force launched an investigation into a drug trafficking organization that was selling large amounts of heroin, fentanyl, cocaine and crack cocaine in Hartford. Julio Oliveras, also known as “Cuzzo Jay,” was identified as the leader of the organization. The investigation, which included approximately six months of court-authorized wiretaps, controlled purchases of narcotics and physical surveillance, revealed that Oliveras and his associates supplied distribution quantities of narcotics to several Hartford-area drug dealers and used multiple locations in Hartford to process, store and distribute narcotics. Perdomo was a supplier of heroin and fentanyl to Oliveras.
Perdomo, Oliveras and other members of the organization were arrested on July 19, 2018. On that date, investigators executed 10 search warrants and seized approximately 2.7 kilograms of fentanyl, one kilogram of heroin, approximately 500 grams of crack cocaine, 100 grams of cocaine, eight firearms, more than 1,000 rounds of ammunition, cash, and other evidence of narcotics trafficking activity. The drugs and firearms were found at a stash house Oliveras maintained, a storage unit he rented, and the residences of his associates.
On August 2, 2018, a grand jury in Hartford returned an indictment charging Perdomo, Oliveras and 14 co-defendants with various offenses.
Perdomo has been detained since his arrest. On October 21, 2019, he pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute 100 grams or more of heroin and 40 grams or more of fentanyl.
Perdomo, a citizen of the Dominican Republic lawfully residing in the U.S., faces immigration proceedings at the conclusion of his prison term.
Oliveras pleaded guilty to narcotics and firearm offenses and, on January 15, 2020, was sentenced to 186 months of imprisonment.
The Drug Enforcement Administration’s Hartford Task Force includes personnel from the DEA Hartford Resident Office and the Bristol, Hartford, East Hartford, Manchester, New Britain, Rocky Hill, Wethersfield, Windsor Locks and Willimantic Police Departments. Agencies assisting the investigation include the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Connecticut Department of Correction, and the East Hartford, New Britain, Newington and West Hartford Police Departments.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Geoffrey M. Stone.
Guatemalan National Pleads Guilty and Is Sentenced to Time Served for Illegal Re-EntryRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS – U.S. Attorney Peter Strasser announced today that ANIBAL LEONEL LOPEZ-DIAZ (“LOPEZ-DIAZ”), age 38, pled guilty today and was sentenced by Judge Carl Barbier to credit for time served on a one-count indictment for illegal reentry of a removed alien in violation of Title 8, United States Code, Section 1326(a) & 1326(b)(1). LOPEZ-DIAZ has been in jail since February of this year. The hearing was conducted by video conference because of the COVID-19 situation. He faces deportation once again.
According to the indictment, LOPEZ-DIAZ reentered the United States after he was previously deported on February 28, 2007. LOPEZ-DIAZ faced a maximum sentence of (10) ten years in prison, a maximum fine of $250,000, a maximum term of supervised release of (3) three years, and a mandatory $100 special assessment.
U.S. Attorney Strasser praised the work of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement in investigating this matter. Assistant U. S. Attorney Spiro G. Latsis is in charge of the prosecution.
Grovetown men named in separate indictments alleging possession of child pornographyRead the Press Release
AUGUSTA, GA: Two Grovetown men have been charged in separate federal indictments alleging possession of child pornography.
Jordan Logan, 35, and Johnathan Malone, 22, have been indicted by a U.S. District Court Grand Jury on one count each of Possession of Child Pornography, said Bobby L. Christine, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. The charge carries a penalty of up to 20 years in federal prison, followed by registration as a sex offender and a period of supervised release after completion of any prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
“Cyber exploitation of children is at epidemic levels, and we commend our law enforcement partners for their diligence in finding those who would engage in such abhorrent behavior,” said U.S. Attorney Christine. “We likewise will be diligent in prosecuting these cases to the fullest extent of the law.”
In both of these cases, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) received information that led to online investigations and subsequent searches that found illegal images on devices in possession of the defendants.
“This indictment illustrates the hard work of law enforcement to investigate crimes against children,” said GBI Director Vic Reynolds. “The GBI is committed to working with our local, state, and federal partners to ensure that child sexual exploitation cases are aggressively pursued. We are especially grateful to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for their dedication to prosecute these cases.”
Criminal indictments contain only charges; defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
The cases were investigated by the GBI and the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office, and prosecuted for the United States by Assistant U.S. Attorney and Project Safe Childhood Coordinator Tara Lyons.
Grayson County Man Arrested for Child Pornography ViolationsRead the Press Release
SHERMAN, Texas – A 48-year-old Denison, Texas man has been arrested for child pornography violations in the Eastern District of Texas announced U.S. Attorney Stephen J. Cox today.
David Pettigrew was arrested on August 6, 2020, for transporting child pornography.According to court documents, Pettigrew came to the attention of law enforcement officials through referrals sent by two electronic surveillance providers and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. Those referrals identified a computer user who uploaded suspected child pornography onto their online platforms. On August 6, 2020, Homeland Security Investigations agents executed federal search warrants at Pettigrew’s residence and the Denison Church of the Nazarene, after which, agents arrested Pettigrew.
If convicted, Pettigrew faces a minimum of 5 years and up to 20 years in federal prison.
Any members of the public with information about this case or possible victims are urged to contact the U.S. Attorney’s Office at 1-800-804-3547 or their local law enforcement.
This case is being brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to 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 Project Safe Childhood.
This case is being investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the Grayson County Sheriff’s Office and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Marisa J. Miller and Jay Combs.
It is important to note that a complaint, arrest, or indictment should not be considered as evidence of guilt and that all persons charged with a crime are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Grand Island Man Arrested, Charged with Multiple Drug and Gun ChargesRead 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 David Montemage, 37, of Grand Island, NY, was arrested and charged by criminal complaint with possessing with intent to distribute marijuana, maintaining a drug involved premises, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking crimes. The charges carry a minimum penalty of five years in prison, a maximum of 20 years, and a $500,000 fine.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin G. Bish, who is handling the case, stated that according to the complaint, on August 5, 2020, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), U.S. Border Patrol, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the Niagara County Sheriff’s Office, and the Erie County Sheriff’s Office, executed the search warrant at a residence on Blue Pointe Lane on Grand Island. During the search of the residence, investigators recovered a .22 caliber rifle; 28 rounds of .22 caliber ammunition with magazines; approximately 1.88 kilograms of marijuana; marijuana and THC based products; several large plastic vacuum seal type packages containing marijuana residue; several small plastic bags containing marijuana; a digital scale; $7,480 in cash; and marijuana smoking pipes.
Investigators believe Montemage, who was arrested at the conclusion of the search warrant execution, has been involved in the trafficking and distribution of drugs for over 10 years.
The complaint is the result of an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Kevin Kelly; Border Patrol, under the direction of Chief Patrol Agent Eduardo Payan; Customs and Border Protection, under the direction of Director of Field Operations Rose Brophy; the Niagara County Drug Task Force, under the direction of Acting Niagara County Sheriff Michael J. Filicetti, and the Erie County Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Sheriff Timothy Howard.
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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Getaway Driver Sentenced to 5 years for Role in Armed Business RobberyRead the Press Release
Memphis, TN – On February 7, 2020, Arkiest Young, 38, pleaded guilty to attempted Hobbs Act business robbery. Young has now been sentenced to 60 months in federal prison for his role in the violent crime. U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant announced the sentence today.
According to information presented in court, on January 3, 2018, two men entered the Circle K at 6565 Mt. Moriah, brandishing firearms and demanding money, one wearing blue latex gloves. One suspect also pointed a handgun at a customer who was already inside the business. The customer was armed, and fired at the suspects. As the suspects fled the business, they returned fire at the customer. A witness reported that the two suspects were driven away in a red or maroon cube-like vehicle.
Shortly thereafter, a shooting victim was dropped off at Delta Medical Hospital, who claimed he was shot in a drive-by shooting. Memphis Police Officers responded to both scenes, compared surveillance video from the Circle K with clothing from the individual at Delta Medical, and identified Davonte Gary, 21, as one of the robbery suspects.
As officers were executing a search warrant at suspect Cortez Young’s apartment, a red Chevrolet HHR, which could be described as a cube-like vehicle, arrived on the scene, occupied by Arkiest Young. The HHR had been reported stolen. Officers found a handgun and a box of blue latex gloves inside the HHR. Arkiest Young was taken into custody, waived his Miranda rights, and admitted to driving the HHR and dropping off Gary at Delta Medical Hospital on January 3.
Charges against Devonte Gary are still pending. Cortez Young, 23, has already pleaded guilty to this business robbery and other robbery and firearms offenses, and will be sentenced later this year.
On August 6, 2020, U.S. District Court Judge Thomas L. Parker sentenced Arkiest Young to 60 months in federal prison followed by 3 years supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant said, "Armed business robbery that harms store owners and threatens customers must be dealt with swiftly and certainly. That means holding all parties to the crime accountable, including getaway drivers and others who aid and abet such brazen violence. The FBI Safe Streets Task Force has dramatically increased the clearance rate of armed business robbery cases, and because of their quick response and outstanding investigation in this case, these violent offenders will be rightly incapacitated and punished."
The Memphis Police Department and the FBI Safe Streets Task Force investigated this case.
U.S. Attorneys Kevin Whitmore and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Samuel D. Winnig prosecuted this case on behalf of the government. SAUSA Winnig is currently assigned from the Shelby County District Attorney General’s Office for the purpose of prosecuting violent crimes and firearms offenses in federal court.
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Georgia Man Pleads Guilty to Traveling to Alabama with Intent to Engage in Illicit Sexual Contact with a MinorRead the Press Release
HUNTSVILLE, Ala. – A Georgia man pled guilty today to traveling to Alabama with intent to engage in illicit sexual contact with a minor, announced U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona and U.S. Immigration and Custom Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations Assistant Special Agent in Charge for Alabama James G. Hernandez.
William Park Winston, 35, pled guilty before U.S. District Judge Liles C. Burke to one-count of travelling with the intent to engage in illicit sexual contact. According to court documents, the defendant drove from Georgia to Alabama for the purpose of engaging in illicit sexual conduct with a 15 year old girl. He reserved an Airbnb in Huntsville and arranged for an Uber to transport the girl from her residence to him. The Uber driver became concerned for the minor and called 911.
U.S. Immigration and Custom Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations investigated the case, along with Huntsville Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney R. Leann White and Mary Stuart Burrell are prosecuting the case.
Four Las Vegas Residents Plead Guilty for Roles in Large Drug Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
LAS VEGAS, Nev. — Two men and two women pleaded guilty on Thursday for their roles in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and counterfeit Oxycodone pills laced with fentanyl, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas A. Trutanich of the District of Nevada and Assistant Special Agent in Charge Daniel Neill of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).
Esperanza Sanabia-Araujo (61), Marla Mariscal-Sanabia (31), Armando Mariscal (62), and Fernando Bueno (29), all of Las Vegas, each pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance before U.S. District Judge Gloria Navarro. Sentencing hearings are scheduled for December 16, 2020.
According to court documents, on October 2, 2019, law enforcement arrested Sanabia-Araujo, Mariscal-Sanabia, Mariscal, and Bueno during a delivery of 50 pounds of methamphetamine and 5,000 counterfeit Oxycodone pills laced with fentanyl. Law enforcement also recovered a firearm from the vehicle that the defendants used to deliver the drugs.
The mandatory minimum faced by each defendant is 10 years in prison, and the maximum statutory penalty is up to life in prison and a $10,000,000 fine. The sentencing of a defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
In addition to Sanabia-Araujo, Mariscal-Sanabia, Mariscal, and Bueno, four other individuals were each charged in the indictment, which was returned on October 2, 2019, by a federal grand jury: Victor Araujo, Reynaldo Sanabia-Araujo, and Renzo Mariscal-Sanabia. They are considered fugitives and a warrant remains outstanding for their arrests. Anyone with information as to their whereabouts is asked to contact your local law enforcement office. An indictment merely alleges that crimes have been committed. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
This case was the product of an investigation by the DEA.
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Fort Wayne Man Sentenced to over 21 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
FORT WAYNE – Juan M. Hernandez, age 40, of Fort Wayne, Indiana, was sentenced before U.S. District Court Judge Damon R. Leichty following his plea of guilty to possession with intent to distribute more than 50 grams of methamphetamine, announced U.S. Attorney Kirsch.
Hernandez was sentenced to 262 months in prison followed by 5 years of supervised release.
“Mr. Hernandez will serve a long prison term for possessing with the intent to distribute methamphetamine,” said U.S. Attorney Kirsch. “Distribution of highly addictive and destructive drugs like methamphetamine is criminal activity that law enforcement will aggressively pursue. The DEA works with all Fort Wayne law enforcement agencies as a well-coordinated team to investigate illegal drug distribution and my office, as this case shows, will support those investigations with federal court prosecution.”
According to documents in this case, in the summer of 2019, there were multiple controlled buys of methamphetamine made from Hernandez that ultimately led to his arrest and federal charges. In an interview, Hernandez admitted to federal agents that he would regularly obtain ¼ to ½ pound of crystal methamphetamine over several months, which methamphetamine he then distributed. He also admitted to the federal agents that the most methamphetamine he possessed at one time was 6-7 pounds.
DEA Assistant Special Agent in Charge, Michael Gannon said, “The sentencing of Mr. Hernandez to 21 years in federal prison was necessary and just for the fine citizens of Fort Wayne and the surrounding area. Mr. Hernandez peddled methamphetamine that had a purity level of 100 %. Anytime DEA and there partners can take methamphetamine off the streets it is a big win! Especially methamphetamine that is 100 % pure. DEA is committed to working with our state, local and federal partners and making our communities safe.”
The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration with the assistance of the Indiana State Police, Allen County Drug Task Force, Allen County Police Department, and the Fort Wayne Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Anthony W. Geller.
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Fort Wayne Man Sentenced to 84 Months in PrisonRead the Press Release
FORT WAYNE – Jimmy L. Faulkner, Jr., age 36, of Fort Wayne, Indiana, was sentenced before U.S. District Court Judge Damon R. Leichty following his plea of guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm, announced U.S. Attorney Kirsch.
Faulkner was sentenced to 84 months in prison followed by 2 years of supervised release.
According to documents presented in this case, in the early hours on September 12, 2018 officers responded to a distress call in Fort Wayne. The officers observed a man, later determined to be Faulkner, waving a firearm in the air. Officers heard a gunshot and took Faulkner into custody. Faulkner admitted possessing and firing a .38/.357 caliber revolver. Faulkner has numerous previous felony convictions in state court (dealing cocaine or a narcotic drug, and possession of cocaine) and federal court (possession with intent to distribute a Schedule I controlled substance and carrying a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime).
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives along with the Fort Wayne Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Sarah E. Nokes.
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Fort Wayne Man Sentenced to 150 Months in PrisonRead the Press Release
FORT WAYNE – Charles R. Byers, age 45, of Fort Wayne, Indiana, was sentenced before U.S. District Court Judge Damon R. Leichty following his plea of guilty to possession of 5 or more grams of methamphetamine along with possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, announced U.S. Attorney Kirsch.
Byers was sentenced to 150 months in prison followed by 5 years of supervised release.
According to documents presented in this case, in November of 2018, Byers, who had been convicted of multiple crimes since 1995, including various felony convictions, was charged in this case after being found to be in possession of a firearm and multiple grams of methamphetamine in the high crime area of Coliseum Boulevard and Interstate 69. The methamphetamine was packaged and intended for distribution.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives with the assistance of the Fort Wayne Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Anthony W. Geller.
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Former U.S. Postal Service Carrier Facing Federal Indictment for Making False Statements to Obtain Disability CompensationRead the Press Release
Greenbelt, Maryland – A federal grand jury has indicted Ronald S. Repass, age 56, of Poolesville, Maryland, on the federal charges of false statements or fraud to obtain federal employees’ disability compensation. The indictment was returned on August 5, 2020. At today’s initial appearance in U.S. District Court in Greenbelt, U.S. Magistrate Judge Timothy J. Sullivan ordered that Repass be released under the supervision of U.S. Pretrial Services.
The indictment was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Robert K. Hur; Special Agent in Charge Imari R. Niles of the U.S. Postal Service, Office of Inspector General; and Special Agent in Charge Derek Pickle, of the Washington Regional Office, U.S. Department of Labor - Office of Inspector General.
As stated in the indictment, the Department of Labor’s Office of Worker’s Compensation Programs (“OWCP”) administered major disability compensation programs which provided wage loss benefits, medical treatment, vocational rehabilitation, and other benefits for federal government employees who became disabled during the performance of their duties.
According to the indictment, beginning in October 1989, Repass was employed by the U.S. Postal Service at the Poolesville Post Office in Montgomery County, Maryland. Repass was a rural carrier on December 5, 2014, when he filed a workers’ compensation claim after he fell and hurt his right shoulder. OWCP granted his claim on February 11, 2015, for a “right rotator cuff tear” based on a finding that Repass was not able to perform any of the routine duties of his job. Repass began receiving benefits of approximately $3,227 per month on February 22, 2015.
The Department of Labor required disabled employees to annually sign and complete a form certifying that they had not worked for the past 15 months. The disabled employees were also required to immediately report any improvement in their medical condition or any part-time or full-time employment. The indictment alleges that in 2016, 2017, and 2018, Repass signed and submitted the form stating that he had not worked for any employer, nor was he self-employed or involved in a business enterprise. The indictment alleges that during those years Repass worked part-time as a snow plow driver, as a service advisor at an automotive repair shop, as a field supervisor for a home improvement company, as a plumber, and installed window blinds and mowed lawns, all in exchange for pay.
If convicted, Repass faces a maximum sentence of five years for false statements or fraud to obtain federal employees’ compensation. 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.
An indictment is not a finding of guilt. An individual charged by indictment is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty at some later criminal proceedings.
United States Attorney Robert K. Hur commended the U.S. Postal Service OIG and U.S. Department of Labor OIG for their work in the investigation. Mr. Hur thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Hollis R. Weisman, who is prosecuting the case.
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Former School Teacher Is Sentenced to Six Years for Receiving Child PornographyRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – On Thursday, August 6, 2020, U.S. District Judge Kenneth D. Bell sentenced a former teacher for receiving child pornography, announced Andrew Murray, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. Christopher David Muggler, 27, of Indian Trail, N.C. was sentenced to six years in prison and 10 years of supervised release. He was also ordered to register as a sex offender after he completes his prison term.
Joining U.S. Attorney Murray in making today’s announcement is John A. Strong, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Charlotte Division.
On February 28, 2020, Muggler, a former teacher at Covenant Day School in Matthews, N.C., pleaded guilty to receiving child pornography. According to filed court documents and yesterday’s sentencing hearing, FBI agents conducting an investigation into child exploitation became aware that an individual with the username “Muggadelphia12” was receiving child pornography via Dropbox links, specifically videos that depicted young male victims being sexually abused. Law enforcement linked the username “Muggadelphia12” to Muggler. On March 26, 2019, FBI agents executed a warrant at Muggler’s residence and seized Muggler’s two cell phones. At sentencing, Muggler was found to possess 110 images and 34 videos of child pornography.
Mugger is in federal custody and will be transferred to the custody of the federal Bureau of Prisons upon designation of a federal facility.
The case was investigated by the FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alfredo De La Rosa, of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte, prosecuted the case.
The case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
Former Newark High School Faculty Member Returned to the Western District of New York to Face Child Exploitation ChargesRead the Press Release
CONTACT: Barbara Burns
PHONE: (716) 843-5817
FAX #: (716) 551-3051ROCHESTER, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy, Jr. announced today that Matthew Holland, 28, of Newark, NY, who was arrested in Leesburg, Virgina, on July 17, 2020, has been returned to the Western District of New York to face charges which have been filed against him here. Specifically, defendant, who has been charged in the Western District of New York in a criminal complaint with production, receipt, and possession of child pornography, and online enticement of a minor, made an initial appearance today in Rochester before U.S. Magistrate Judge Marian W. Payson, and is being held pending a detention hearing on August 11, 2020.
Anyone with information concerning Matthew Holland or the social media accounts listed below is asked to contact Homeland Security Investigations at (716) 464-6070 or via email at [email protected].
Snapchat: sheltonmoore47; steph.johnson12; tjohnson755; tj6340; timjohnson755; shelly4794; and s123m321.
Skype: Tim Johnson tjohnson755.
Instagram: timj755; sheltonmoore8945; bkingsbury755; and stephj8882019.
Facebook: Josh GarmonAssistant U.S. Attorney Kyle P. Rossi, who is handling the case, stated that according to the complaint filed against Holland, on March 9, 2020, investigators with the Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office in Leesburg, Virginia, received a report that Snapchat user “Tjohnson755” had engaged in sexually explicit conversations with a 14-year-old minor. The complaint states that “Tjohnson755,” who was later identified as Matthew Holland, coerced the minor into sending him nude photographs. When the minor indicated that she did not wish to continue communicating, the defendant threatened to disseminate the minor’s photographs over the internet. Using this and other threats, Holland coerced the minor to continue to send him sexually explicit photographs and videos.
Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office detectives executed a search warrant on Holland’s “Tjohnson755” Snapchat account, and using IP information, located the defendant’s residence in Newark, NY. While analyzing the Snapchat account, investigators identified dozens of similar conversations with other suspected minors.
On March 9, 2020, with assistance from the Newark Police Department, and the Wayne County, New York, Sheriff’s Office, Loudoun County investigators executed a search warrant at Holland’s residence. A preliminary forensic analysis of computers and other digital items seized revealed hundreds of images and videos of child pornography, including child pornography depicting prepubescent minors, and child pornography that Holland produced, involving known and unknown minors, using his “Tjohnson755” Snapchat account. During the execution of the search warrant, Holland indicated to investigators that he operated Illumination Images on W. Union Street in Newark, New York. Within the dressing room at that business, Holland had installed hidden cameras in order to record customers, including minors, in various stages of undress. Following the execution of search warrant, Holland was arrested and extradited to Leesburg, Virginia, to face a state charges in that jurisdiction.
According to the complaint, Holland recently resigned as a faculty member at Newark High School. The defendant was also previously employed at the YMCA in Canandaigua, New York, and is believed to have surreptitiously recorded individuals at that location.
If convicted, the defendant faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 15 years in prison, a maximum penalty of life, and a $250,000 fine.
The criminal complaint is the result of an investigation by the Loudoun County, Virginia, Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Sheriff Michael L. Chapman; the Newark, New York Police Department, under the direction of Chief Mark Thoms; the Wayne County Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Sheriff Berry Virts; the Canandaigua, New York Police Department, under the direction of Chief Stephen Hedworth; and Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Kevin Kelly.
The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
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Former Key Worldwide Employee Agrees to Plead Guilty in College Admissions CaseRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A former employee of William “Rick” Singer’s “The Key” for-profit business has agreed to plead guilty in connection with her involvement in a scheme to use bribery and fraud to facilitate the admission of applicants to colleges nationwide.
Mikaela Sanford, 34, of Folsom, Calif., will plead guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit racketeering. A plea hearing has not yet been scheduled. According to the terms of the plea agreement, the government will recommend a sentence at the low end of the sentencing guidelines, one year of supervised release, a fine, forfeiture in the amount of $67,062 and restitution.
According to the superseding indictment, Sanford, who was employed by “The Key,” took online classes for students so that the students could submit the grades Sanford earned in their names as part of their application packages to college and universities. In other instances, Sanford helped fabricate athletic “profiles” and other documents to bolster students’ college applications by making the students appear to be highly successful high school athletes when, in fact, they were not.
Case information, including the status of each defendant, charging documents and plea agreements are available here: https://www.justice.gov/usao-ma/investigations-college-admissions-and-testing-bribery-scheme.
The charge of racketeering conspiracy provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release, a fine of $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss, whichever is greater and restitution. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling; Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Division; and Kristina O’Connell, Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigations in Boston made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Eric S. Rosen, Justin D. O’Connell, Leslie A. Wright and Kristen A. Kearney, Karin M. Bell and Stephen E. Frank of Lelling’s Criminal Division are prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The remaining defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Former Fort Stewart resident indicted on federal charges for sexual abuse of a childRead the Press Release
SAVANNAH, GA: A former resident of Fort Stewart faces up to life in prison on charges of sexually abusing a child.
Meighan O’Donnell, 28, of Huntington, N.Y., was indicted by a U.S. District Court grand jury on one count of Aggravated Sexual Abuse of a Child Under 12, and Abusive Sexual Contact With a Child Under 12, said Bobby L. Christine, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. The charges carry a potential penalty of up to life in prison. There is no parole in the federal system.
“Along with our law enforcement partners, we will aggressively pursue anyone who would exploit or endanger the most vulnerable members of our community,” said U.S. Attorney Christine. “We commend the investigators and child advocates who help protect these young citizens from harm.”
Redmond, Ore., police contacted the FBI after a juvenile reported to a child advocate that sexual abuse had occurred when the juvenile was a resident of Fort Stewart. O’Donnell later was located and charged in New York.
“Ending child sexual abuse takes strong partnerships between law enforcement, child advocacy groups and citizens,” said Chris Hacker, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. “This case is a perfect example of how that works. An arrest would not have been possible without the courage of a young child, the awareness of a child advocate, and the strong law enforcement partnerships that cross this country.”
Criminal indictments contain only charges; defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
The case is being investigated by the FBI and the U.S. Army Criminal Investigations Command (CID), and prosecuted for the United States by Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua S. Bearden.
Former Controller for Chicago Insurance Company Arrested on Federal Fraud Charge for Allegedly Stealing $5 Million in Company FundsRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — The former controller of a Chicago insurance company has been arrested on a federal fraud charge for allegedly stealing $5 million in company funds.
From approximately October 2018 to June 2020, KEVIN J. MIX initiated and authorized approximately 35 wire transfers from the insurance company to his bank accounts and the accounts of shell companies that he created, according to a criminal complaint filed in U.S. District in Chicago. Mix attempted to conceal the scheme by making false entries in the company’s records, creating fake emails, and making false statements to representatives of the insurance company and the company’s bank, the complaint states.
Mix allegedly used the stolen money to purchase a Lexus RX sport-utility vehicle, a Mercedes-Benz automobile, and real estate in Chicago and Columbus, Ohio.
The complaint charges Mix, 41, of Chicago, with one count of wire fraud. He was arrested Tuesday and remains in federal custody. U.S. District Judge Steven C. Seeger scheduled a detention hearing for Aug. 13, 2020, at 1:30 p.m.
The complaint and arrest were announced by John R. Lausch, Jr., United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois; and Emmerson Buie, Jr., Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Schneider.
The public is reminded that a complaint is not evidence of guilt. The defendant is presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. Wire fraud is punishable by up to 20 years in federal prison. If convicted, the Court must impose a reasonable sentence under federal statutes and the advisory U.S. Sentencing Guidelines.
Former Angels Employee Charged in Pitcher’s Fatal Fentanyl OverdoseRead the Press Release
An ex-employee of the Los Angeles Angels has been charged with conspiracy to distribute fentanyl in connection with the 2019 overdose death of Angels pitcher Tyler Skaggs, announced U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Erin Nealy Cox.
Former Angels Communications Director Eric Prescott Kay, 45, was charged via criminal complaint with conspiracy to distribute a mixture containing detectable amounts of fentanyl. He was arrested in Fort Worth, Texas and made his initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jeffrey L. Cureton at the Mahon Federal Courthouse Friday morning.
U.S. Attorney Erin Nealy Cox and DEA Special Agent in Charge Eduardo A. Chávez of the Dallas Field Division made the announcement in a video posted online this morning: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nc9E_Tyy1u0.
According to the criminal complaint, filed on July 30 and unsealed Friday, the investigation began on July 1, 2019, when the Southlake Police Department received a 911 call stating that Mr. Skaggs, then just 27 years old, had been found dead in his hotel room at the Southlake Town Square Hilton. The Tarrant County Medical Examiner’s office later determined that Mr. Skaggs had a mixture of ethanol, fentanyl, and oxycodone in his system at the time of his death; it was later ascertained that but for the fentanyl, Mr. Skaggs would not have died.
Inside Mr. Skaggs’s hotel room, investigators discovered a number of pills, including a single blue pill with the markings M/30. An analysis of the pill – which closely resembled a 30-milligram oxycodone tablet – revealed it had been laced with fentanyl, a powerful synthetic opiate.
In an initial interview with law enforcement, Mr. Kay allegedly denied knowing whether Mr. Skaggs was a drug user. He claimed the last time he’d seen Mr. Skaggs was at hotel check-in on June 30. However, a search of Mr. Skaggs’s phone revealed text messages from June 30 suggesting that he had asked Mr. Kay to stop by his room with pills late that evening.
Hotel key card records indicated that Mr. Kay’s room, no. 367, was opened at 11:29 p.m., and Mr. Skaggs’s room, no. 469, was opened nine minutes later, at 11:38 p.m.
Investigators later learned that, contrary to what he’d told law enforcement the day Mr. Skaggs’s body was discovered, Mr. Kay had allegedly admitted to a colleague that he had, in fact, visited Mr. Skaggs’s room the night of his death.
In the course of their investigation, the Drug Enforcement Administration determined that Mr. Kay allegedly regularly dealt the blue M/30 pills – dubbed “blue boys” – to Mr. Skaggs and to others, dolling out the pills at the stadium where they worked.
“Tyler Skaggs’s overdose – coming, as it did, in the midst of an ascendant baseball career – should be a wakeup call: No one is immune from this deadly drug, whether sold as a powder or hidden inside an innocuous-looking tablet,” U.S. Attorney Nealy Cox said. “Suppressing the spread of fentanyl is a priority for the Department of Justice.”
“Fentanyl does not discriminate in its potential deadly consequences,” said DEA Special Agent in Charge Eduardo A. Chávez. “With the prevalence of fentanyl in many of the counterfeit prescription drugs sold on the streets, every pill taken could be your last. The Dallas DEA mourns not only with the Skaggs family, but with all families who have endured loved ones taken too soon due to a drug overdose. As with Mr. Kay’s arrest, we will continue to identify and investigate those who distribute these drugs to ensure they face justice.”
A criminal complaint is merely an allegation of wrongdoing, not evidence. Like all defendants, Mr. Kay is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.
If convicted, he faces up to 20 years in federal prison.
The Drug Enforcement Administration’s Dallas Field Division and the Southlake Police Department conducted the investigation with the assistance of the Tarrant County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lindsey Beran and Errin Martin are prosecuting the case.
Florida man charged in drug distribution indictmentRead the Press Release
SAVANNAH, GA: A Florida man arrested after a high-speed chase in Liberty County has been indicted on a federal drug charge.
Sherick Sharari Leshane Brinson, 26, of Eatonville, Fla., is charged with Possession with Intent to Distribute Cocaine and Methamphetamine, said Bobby L. Christine, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. Because the amount of cocaine seized is alleged to be greater than 500 grams, the charge carries a possible sentence of life in prison. There is no parole in the federal system.
“We are grateful that our law enforcement partners safely brought the defendant into custody,” said U.S. Attorney Christine. “We applaud their vigilance in helping to keep illegal drugs out of our communities.”
Brinson was taken into custody after allegedly leading Georgia State Patrol troopers and Liberty County Sheriff’s deputies in a chase on Georgia highways 405 and 38 that reached speeds of up to 127 mph.
“Transporting illegal drugs leads to only one destination, prison,” said DEA Special Agent in Charge of the Atlanta Field Division Robert J. Murphy. “DEA, its law enforcement partners and the U.S. Attorney’s Office stand united and will not allow traffickers to turn our roads into cocaine and meth highways.”
Criminal indictments contain only charges; defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
The case is being investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Liberty County Sheriff’s Office with assistance from the Georgia State Patrol, and prosecuted for the United States by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer G. Solari.
Five Co-Defendants Sentenced in Peninsula-Based Drug ConspiracyRead the Press Release
NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – Five members of a Peninsula-based narcotics operation were sentenced over the last two days to a combined 51 years in prison and ordered to forfeit over $2,000,000 for their roles in a conspiracy to distribute, and possess with intent to distribute, large amounts of heroin, fentanyl, cocaine, and cocaine base in Hampton Roads.
“Our office will continue to diligently and aggressively prosecute those who distribute these dangerous and deadly substances,” said G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. “In addition to seeking the appropriate prison sentence for drug traffickers, our office will ensure that drug traffickers do not get to keep the ill-gotten gains they have made from poisoning the community. I want to thank our fellow federal, state, and local law enforcement partners for their coordinated work in Operation Cookout, which has led to apprehending these individuals and stopping the spread of dangerous substances.”
“Thanks to the investigative efforts of Homeland Security Investigations special agents and our law enforcement partners via Operation Cookout, we were able to take down one of the largest heroin and fentanyl trafficking rings in the region,” said Raymond Villanueva, Special Agent in Charge of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Washington, D.C. “I can confidently say that Operation Cookout helped save lives.”
According to court documents, Damarcus Mackie, 44, from Mississippi, acquired heroin and fentanyl in kilogram quantities, but would sell it, often through runners, in quantities as low as grams. Mackie also pressed heroin and fentanyl into pills to resemble pharmaceutical opioids like Oxycodone, and he distributed large quantities of cocaine and crack cocaine as well. Five co-conspirators maintained stash houses for Mackie at various times. In addition to those maintaining drug houses for him, Mackie directed at least four other co-conspirators in their drug acquiring and distribution activities. As part of his sentencing, Mackie was ordered to forfeit a money judgment of $1,314,120. Mackie also forfeited a Mercedes sedan as part of this case.
Marcid V. Byrd, 36, of Hampton, acquired cocaine in multi-kilogram quantities and sold cocaine by the ounce, the half-kilogram, and even by the kilogram. Byrd used a residence in Hampton to distribute cocaine to his co-conspirators, at least six of whom he supervised. On one occasion, Byrd demanded that one of his co-conspirators pay his drug debt to Byrd with a Draco firearm. When Byrd’s cocaine source dried up, Byrd tried to pool his money with Damarcus Mackie to obtain cocaine from Mackie’s source. As part of his sentencing, Byrd was ordered to forfeit a monetary judgment of $845,875, real property located in Hampton, as well as a 2016 BMW I8, valued at over $100,000.
Symphoni Wiggins, 39, of Hampton, allowed Damarcus Mackie to use her home as a stash house to store heroin and fentanyl. At Mackie’s direction, Wiggins would mix and prepare heroin and fentanyl with cutting agents and package it for distribution. At times, Wiggins would prepare over fifty grams of heroin/fentanyl a day for distribution through Mackie and his drug runners. Wiggins referred to herself as “the master mixer.”
Clarence Ford, 28, of Hampton, assisted Marcid Byrd with the distribution of cocaine and the collection and remission of drug proceeds. In addition to collecting cocaine proceeds from Byrd’s co-conspirators, Ford would also assist Byrd with his drug trafficking activities by checking for police surveillance.
Jill Hockaday, 54, from New Jersey, bought heroin in gram quantities for both personal use and redistribution. Damarcus Mackie served as the immediate source, and then later as an indirect source, for Hockaday’s heroin.
These sentences are part of a larger case that is focused on cracking down on the illegal distribution of narcotics throughout Virginia. Over 120 law enforcement officers from 30 law enforcement agencies in Virginia, North Carolina, Tennessee, California, and Texas have worked to execute this major operation. To date, 46 defendants have been charged in this case. Of those, 40 have admitted their criminal conduct and pleaded guilty. Six defendants are currently scheduled for trial.
This case was investigated as part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF), Operation Cookout. The OCDETF program is a federal multi-agency, multi-jurisdictional task force that supplies supplemental federal funding to federal and state agencies involved in the identification, investigation, and prosecution of major drug trafficking organizations. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt, and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking, weapons trafficking, and money laundering organizations, and those primarily responsible for the nation’s illegal drug supply.
The High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas (HIDTA) program, created by Congress with the Anti-Drug Abuse Act of 1988, provides assistance to federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement agencies operating in areas determined to be critical drug-trafficking regions of the United States. This grant program is administered by the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP). There are currently 28 HIDTAs, which include approximately 18 percent of all counties in the United States and 66 percent of the U.S. population.
This case also is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), which is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
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.; Kelly R. Jackson, Special Agent in Charge, Washington, D.C. Field Office, IRS-Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI); Jesse R. Fong, Special Agent in Charge for the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) Washington Field Division; Colonel Gary T. Settle, Superintendent of Virginia State Police; Steve R. Drew, Chief of Newport News Police; and Terry L. Sult, Chief of Hampton Police Division, made the announcement after sentencings by U.S. District Judge David J. Novak. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Peter G. Osyf, Kevin P. Hudson, and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Amy E. Cross prosecuted the cases.
The following law enforcement agencies provided significant assistance during the investigation and arrest operations: U.S. Marshals Service, Newport News Sheriff’s Office, Chesapeake Sheriff’s Office, York-Poquoson Sheriff’s Office, Tennessee Highway Patrol, Amarillo Police, and Brunswick County Sheriff’s Office. Approximately 30 law enforcement agencies assisted in the arrest operation in Virginia, North Carolina, and Texas.
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. 4:19-cr-47.
Federal Grand Jury Hands Down Record Number of Indictments in August as a Result of Supreme Court DecisionRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Trent Shores announced today the results of the August 2020 Federal Grand Jury B.
“My office’s public safety responsibilities increased substantially as a result of the Supreme Court’s decision in McGirt. This month the federal Grand Jury returned a record number of indictments for our district,” said U.S. Attorney Trent Shores. “The 50 total indictments reflect hours of hard work by federal prosecutors and local, state, tribal and federal investigators. I am incredibly proud of my team and our law enforcement partners for handling this tidal wave of cases. It is incredibly humbling to see these public servants give their blood, sweat, and tears in the pursuit of justice.”
The grand jury returned 39 unsealed and 11 sealed indictments. The following individuals have been charged with violations of United States law in indictments returned by the Grand Jury. The return of an indictment is a method of informing a defendant of alleged violations of federal law, which must be proven in a court of law beyond a reasonable doubt to overcome a defendant’s presumption of innocence.
Anthony Drake Ahaisse. Murder-First Degree in Indian Country; Carrying, Brandishing, Using, and Discharging a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence; Felon in Possession of Firearm and Ammunition. Ahaisse, 30, of Tulsa, is charged with the murder of Gregory Collins. He is also charged with knowingly carrying, brandishing and discharging a Glock 22, .40 caliber pistol during and in relation to a crime of violence. Finally, he is charged with being a felon in possession of the Glock 22, .40 caliber pistol, a Winchester SXP, 12-guage shotgun, and 20 rounds of associated ammunition. The FBI is the investigative agency.
Jonathan David Arneecher. Assault Resulting in Substantial Bodily Injury to an Intimate Partner and Dating Partner in Indian Country; Assault of an Intimate Partner, and Dating Partner by Strangling and Attempting to Strangle or Suffocate in Indian Country; Assault With a Dangerous Weapon. Archer, 36, of Tulsa, is charged with multiple counts related to the assault of his dating partner by strangling her, biting her face, and striking her with multiple objects, resulting in substantial bodily injury. The FBI and Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies.
Dexter Allen Backward. Possession of Methamphetamine With Intent to Distribute. Backward, 42, of Tulsa, is charged with knowingly and intentionally possessing with intent to distribute methamphetamine. The Tulsa Police Department and FBI are the investigative agencies.
John Allen Barton. Domestic Assault by Strangulation in Indian Country. Barton, 61, of Tulsa, is charged with strangling his spouse. The FBI and Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies.
Howdy Jonathan Carper. Assault With a Dangerous Weapon in Indian Country. Carper, 28, of Sand Springs, is charged with assault with a dangerous weapon, with attempt to do bodily harm.
Salpong Chaiyos Chotinikorn. Possession of Stolen Vehicle. Chotinikorn, 29, of Tulsa, is charged with possessing a stolen 1997 Chevrolet pickup truck. The Tulsa Police Department and FBI are the investigative agencies.
Natalie Ryann Compton. Child Neglect in Indian Country. Compton, 20, of Tulsa, is charged with willfully and maliciously failing to provide adequate nurturance, shelter, supervision, and appropriate caretakers for her young child. The FBI, Tulsa Police Department, and Tulsa Fire Department are the investigative agencies.
Dustin Dennis. Child Neglect in Indian Country. Dennis, 32, of Tulsa, is charged with willfully and maliciously failing to provide adequate nurturance, shelter, supervision, and appropriate caretakers for his two children. See the initial Criminal Complaint press release here. The FBI and Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies.
Ibanga Etuk and Olusola Ojo. Bank Fraud Conspiracy. Etuk, 40, of Tulsa, and Ojo, 41, of Owasso, are charged with conspiring to obtain loan proceeds from banks for federal Paycheck Protection Program forgivable loans guaranteed by the Small Business Administration under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. According to the Indictment, the defendants created various business entities, fraudulently represented on loan applications that they had a number of employees, and shared fraudulent payroll expenses that would qualify for PPP loans. The men further submitted multiple applications for the same purported business to several banks, without disclosing to the banks that they were submitting duplicate and overlapping applications. Etuk and Ojo received nearly $1 million as a result of the scheme. The Federal Reserve Office of Inspector General, FBI, and Small Business Administration Office of Inspector General are conducting the investigation.
Kyle Edwin Freeman. Murder-First Degree. Freeman, 34, of Tulsa, is charged with killing Donald Thomas by assaulting and beating him with a dangerous weapon. The Tulsa Police Department and FBI are the investigative agencies.
Lance Dylan Gatzman. Murder-First Degree. Gatzman, 22, of Glenpool, is charged with murdering Christian Jones using a knife. The Tulsa Police Department and FBI are the investigative agencies.
Jerod Lewayne Goolsby. Murder- First Degree. Goolsby, 22, of Tulsa, is charged with the murdering KendaleWright using a firearm. The FBI and Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies.
Michael Anthony Grayson. Assault With a Dangerous Weapon With Intent to do Bodily Harm in Indian Country; Kidnapping in Indian Country. Grayson, 50, of Tulsa, is charged with assault with intent to do bodily harm using a chair, a cigarette, and an ashtray as dangerous weapons. He is also charged with kidnapping the victim. The FBI and Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies.
Jose Daniel Guzman-Cruz. Possession of Methamphetamine With Intent to Distribute. Guzman-Cruz, 23, of Dallas, is charged with knowingly possessing with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine. The Tulsa Police Department, FBI and Drug Enforcement Administration are the investigative agencies.
Christopher Wayne Harjo. Assault With a Dangerous Weapon With Intent to do Bodily Harm in Indian Country. Harjo, 23, of Tulsa, is charged with assault with intent to do bodily harm using a firearm. The Tulsa Police Department is the investigative agency.
Robert Dean Hunsaker, Jr. Felon in Possession of Firearm and Ammunition. Hunsaker, 28, of Grove, is charged with being a felon in possession of a UTAS (Hatfield) 12 gauge semi-automatic shotgun and associated ammunition. The Custer County and Delaware County Sheriff’s Offices and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives are the investigative agencies.
Michael Leon Johnson. Murder-Second Degree in Indian Country. Johnson, 34, of Owasso, is charged with killing William Houseman by operating a vehicle recklessly and with disregard for human life. The Tulsa County Sheriff’s Office, Tulsa Police Department and FBI are the investigative agencies.
Bradon Bennett Kemp. Murder-First Degree in Indian Country. Kemp, 23, of Tulsa, is charged with murdering David Woods using a knife. The Tulsa Police Department and FBI are the investigative agencies.
James Michael Landry. Murder-First Degree in Indian Country. Landry, 29, of Tulsa, is charged murdering Crystal Bradley using a shotgun. The Tulsa Police Department and FBI are the investigative agencies.
Martin Wayne Littlebear. Assault With Intent to Commit a Felony in Indian Country; Robbery in Indian Country. Littlebear, 33, of Sapulpa, is charged with assault while committing a felony robbery. He is also charged with using violence and intimidation to take the victim’s 2009 Nissan Altima. The Sapulpa Police Department and FBI are the investigative agencies.
Sergio Lopez. Unlawful Reentry of Removed Alien. Lopez, 49, of Tulsa, is charged with reentry of a removed alien, having returned to the United States unlawfully after being deported July 28, 2006, at Nogales, Arizona. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations is the investigative agency.
Jimmie Luna III. Distribution of Heroin; Distribution of Alprazolam. Luna, 55, of Tulsa, is charged with knowingly distributing heroin and alprazolam. The Tulsa Country Sheriff’s Office is the investigative agency.
Corey Shamon McKinney. Felon in Possession of Firearms and Ammunition; Possession of Heroin With Intent to Distribute; Possession of Methamphetamine With Intent to Distribute; Possession of Marijuana With Intent to Distribute; Maintaining a Drug-Involved Premises; Maintaining a Drug-Involved Premises; Possession of Firearms in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime; Possession of an Unregistered Silencer. (superseding) McKinney, 43, of Tulsa, is charged with being a felon in possession of a Sarsilmaz, 9 mm Luger caliber semi-automatic pistol, a Sig Sauer, .22 caliber semi-automatic rifle, and 114 rounds of associated ammunition. He was previously convicted of eight felonies. He is also charged with possession of heroin, methamphetamine, and marijuana with intent to distribute; maintaining a drug involved premises for the purpose of distributing and using marijuana; possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime; and possessing a silencer not registered to him in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record. The Tulsa Police Department and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives are the investigative agencies.
Aarron Charles Merritt. Attempted Coercion and Enticement of a Minor. Merritt, 34, of Tulsa, is charged with using electronic means to attempt to persuade, coerce and entice an individual whom he believed was a minor to engage in sexual activity. The Tulsa Police Department and FBI are the investigative agencies.
Justus Edward Murphy. Interference with Commerce by Robbery; Carrying, Using, and Brandishing a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence. Murphy, 22, of Tulsa, is charged with three counts of affecting interstate commerce by robbery and is charged with carrying, using, and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to each of the robberies. The Tulsa Police Department is the investigative agency.
Douglas Eugene Norris. Felon in Possession of a Firearm. Norris, 55, a transient, is charged with being a 10-time felon in possession of a Norinco, 7.62 x 39mm caliber rifle. The Tulsa Police Department and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives are the investigative agencies.
Brian Leland Parker. Felon in Possession of a Firearm. Parker, 47, of Kellyville, is charged with being a felon in possession of a Savage Arms Inc., .25-06 Remington caliber bolt action rifle. The Creek County Sheriff’s Office, U.S. Marshals Service, and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives are the investigative agencies.
Daniel Stacey Rosson. Bank Robbery. Rosson, 42, of Checotah, is charged with robbing City National Bank using force, violence, and intimidation. The Tulsa Police Department is the investigative agency.
Rudin Joel Ruiz-Chirinos. Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition by an Alien Illegally in the United States. Ruiz-Chirinos, 25, of Tulsa, is charged with possessing a firearm and ammunition while being an alien unlawfully in the United States. The Tulsa Police Department and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations are the investigate agencies.
Kyle Sago. First Degree Murder in Indian Country. Kyle Sago, 30, of Mounds, is charged with murdering Daniel Morgan using a firearm. The FBI is the investigative agency.
Randy James Shell. Kidnapping in Indian Country; Assault by Strangulation in Indian Country. Shell, 36, of Tulsa, is charged with knowingly and unlawfully abducting and confining his dating partner. Shell is also charged with assaulting her by strangulation. The Tulsa Police Department and FBI are the investigative agencies.
Brandon Joseph Smith. First Degree Murder in Indian Country. Smith, 37, of Tulsa, is charged with murdering Cynthia Mayfield by assaulting and strangling her. The FBI is the investigative agency.
Daniel Ray Swake. Assault With Intent to Commit Murder in Indian Country; Assault of a Dating Partner by Strangling and Suffocating. Swake, 43, of Tulsa, did assault his dating partner with intent to commit murder by attempting to strangle and suffocate her. The Tulsa Police Department is the investigative agency.
Delawnsha Lemar Tiger. Attempted Coercion and Enticement of a Minor; Aggravated Sexual Abuse. Tiger, 26, of Bristow, is charged with using electronic means to attempt to persuade, coerce, and entice an individual he believed to be a minor to engage in sexual activity. He is also charged with knowingly engaging in sex acts with a minor victim between 12 and 16 years of age. The Bristow Police Department and FBI are the investigative agencies.
Miguel Angel Urquiza-Bustos. Unlawful Reentry of Removed Alien. Urquiza-Bustos, 42, of Tulsa, is charged with reentry of a removed alien, having returned to the United States unlawfully after being deported March 30, 2011, at Del Rio, Texas. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations is the investigative agency.
Mason Ray Razo and Callon Vinton Walling. Attempted Burglary in Indian Country; Attempted Robbery in Indian Country. Razo, 18, of Glenpool, and Walling, 20, of Tulsa, are charged with attempting to burglarize a Tulsa woman’s home and attempting to rob the woman, by trying to forcibly break down her door while carrying firearms. The FBI and The Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies.
Samuel Wayne Washington. Felony Murder-First Degree in Indian Country; Robbery in Indian Country. Washington, 42, of Sapulpa, is charged with murdering Michael Binder as the result of his participation in a robbery. Washington allegedly aided, abetted, counseled, induced, commanded, and procured others to rob Michael Binder, and during the commission of the robbery, the others killed the victim with a firearm.
Cheyenne Dakota Watkins. Attempted Coercion and Enticement of a Minor; Aggravated Sexual Abuse in Indian Country. Watkins, 21, of Glenpool, is charged with using electronic means to coerce and entice an individual whom he believed to be a minor to engage in sexual activity by means of force. The Tulsa Police Department and FBI are the investigative agencies.
Damion Lamos Zachary and Jeane Pachea Wesley. Conspiracy to Commit Armed Robbery in Indian Country; Robbery in Indian Country. Zachary, 28, and Wesley, 28, both of Tulsa, knowingly and willfully conspired together and with another to commit armed robbery by force, fear, and threats.
Marco Antonio Zavala-Cervantes. Possession of Methamphetamine With Intent to Distribute; Unlawful Reentry of Removed Alien. Zavala- Cervantes, 26, of Tulsa, is charged with being an alien already removed from the United States on Apr. 21, 2018, at or near McAllen, Texas. He is also charged with intentionally possessing with the intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine. The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration is the investigative agency.
Federal Court Terminates Paramount Consent DecreesRead the Press Release
A federal court in the Southern District of New York today terminated the Paramount Consent Decrees, which for over seventy years have regulated how certain movie studios distribute films to movie theatres. The review and termination of these Decrees were part of the Department of Justice’s review of legacy antitrust judgments that dated back to the 1890’s and has resulted in the termination of nearly 800 perpetual decrees.
“We appreciate the Court’s thoughtful opinion and ruling today granting our motion to terminate these outdated Paramount Decrees,” said Makan Delrahim, Assistant Attorney General for the Justice Department’s Antitrust Division. “As the Court points out, Gone with the Wind, The Wizard of Oz, and It’s a Wonderful Life were the blockbusters when these Decrees were litigated; the movie industry and how Americans enjoy their movies have changed leaps and bounds in these intervening years. Without these restraints on the market, American ingenuity is again free to experiment with different business models that can benefit consumers.”
In summary, the Court concluded that the government had offered a persuasive explanation for why termination of the Paramount Decrees serves the public interest in free and unfettered competition. The conspiracy and practices that existed decades ago no longer exist. New technology has created many different movie platforms that did not exist when the Decrees were entered into, including cable and broadcast television, DVDs, and streaming and download services.
The litigation underlying the Decrees dates back to 1938. After several years of litigation, including a Supreme Court’s decision in United States v. Paramount, 334 U.S. 131 (1948), the Antitrust Division and the defendants entered into a series of consent decrees, collectively called the Paramount Decrees. These Decrees required the movie studios to separate their distribution operations from their exhibition businesses. They also banned various motion picture distribution practices, including block booking (bundling multiple films into one theatre license), circuit dealing (entering into one license that covered all theatres in a theatre circuit), resale price maintenance (setting minimum prices on movie tickets), and granting overbroad clearances (exclusive film licenses for specific geographic areas).
The Court terminated the Decrees, effective immediately, but allowed for a two-year sunset period on the Decrees’ provisions banning block booking and circuit dealing to. This sunset provision was at the request of the Antitrust Division to allow the theatre and motion picture industry to have an orderly transition to the new licensing changes.
Dumpster Company Employee Sentenced to More than Four Years for Embezzling over $1M Through Shell Company Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
Columbia, South Carolina --- United States Attorney Peter M. McCoy, Jr. announced today that William Tye Grisel, 40, former IT manager of South Carolina-based company Big Red Box, a national dumpster brokerage firm, was sentenced to more than four years in federal prison after pleading guilty to embezzling over $1 million from the company from 2014 to 2017.
“The Defendant’s lies and fabrications bilked his employer out of more than $1 million and caused substantial damage to this small company doing business here in South Carolina,” said U.S. Attorney McCoy. “As the Defendant’s prison sentence shows, this office takes these types of crimes seriously. We will always stand up to protect victims here in South Carolina, whether they are individuals or businesses.”
Evidence presented in court established that, as IT manager of Big Red Box, Grisel was responsible for hiring and overseeing the work of several search engine optimization (SEO) companies, which generate internet-search leads for the company. Not long after assuming this role, Grisel created his own fictitious SEO, which he then used to siphon money from the company. Through his criminal scheme, Grisel was able to embezzle $1,049,996.97 from Big Red Box. Because this money went to a fictitious company that provided no customer leads, Big Red Box suffered substantial additional losses in revenue. While Big Red Box was forced to lay off employees, Grisel spent much of the money he stole from the company on lavish trips, cars, and an airplane.
United States District Judge Joe Anderson sentenced Grisel to 51 months in federal prison, to be followed by a three-year term of court-ordered supervision. There is no parole in the federal system. As part of his sentence, Grisel was ordered to pay back $1,050,000 in restitution to Big Red Box.
This case was the result of an investigation by the United States Secret Service. Assistant United States Attorneys Winston Holliday and Brook Andrews prosecuted the case.
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The year 2020 marks the 150th anniversary of the Department of Justice. Learn more about the history of our agency at www.Justice.gov/Celebrating150Years.
Dominican Man Sentenced to 108 Months for Participating in Heroin Distribution ConspiracyRead the Press Release
CONCORD - Geraldo De La Cruz Cabral Pena, 45, of the Dominican Republic, was sentenced on Thursday to 108 months in federal prison and a $30,000 fine for conspiring to distribute heroin, United States Attorney Scott W. Murray announced today.
According to court documents and statements made in court, from 2013 to 2016, Cabral Pena facilitated an international heroin distribution conspiracy with connections to Colombia, Guatemala, and Mexico. Multi-kilogram loads of heroin were smuggled into the United States from Mexico. Cabral Pena then facilitated deliveries of the heroin to numerous regional drug trafficking organizations along a route from Texas to Massachusetts. Heroin arriving in Lawrence, Massachusetts would then be distributed by a local drug trafficking organization to sub-distributors in New Hampshire and the rest of northern New England. Cabral Pena also collected payment from the regional drug trafficking organizations through multiple means including bulk cash smuggling.
Pena was arrested by Dominican Republic authorities in March 2018 at the request of the United States government, and he was extradited to the United States to face these charges on August 16, 2018.
Cabral Pena previously pleaded guilty on April 1, 2019. He faces likely removal to the Dominican Republic after serving his sentence.
“This case demonstrates the international scope of the heroin distribution network that has had such a damaging impact on New Hampshire,” said U.S. Attorney Murray. “It also demonstrates that we will not hesitate to reach into foreign countries to extradite criminals who are responsible for shipping illegal drugs into the Granite State. We will continue to aggressively pursue, prosecute, and incarcerate responsible parties regardless of where they are found.”
“DEA is committed to investigating and bringing to justice Drug Trafficking Organizations and individuals like Mr. Cabral Pena who are responsible for distributing lethal drugs like heroin to the citizens of New Hampshire,” said DEA Special Agent in Charge Brian D. Boyle. “Today’s substantial sentence not only holds Mr. Cabral Pena accountable for his crimes but serves as a warning to those traffickers who are fueling the opioid epidemic with deadly drugs in order to profit and destroy people’s lives. DEA’s top priority is combatting the opioid epidemic by working with our local, county, state and federal law enforcement partners.”
This investigation was conducted by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF). The OCDETF program is a federal multi-agency, multi-jurisdictional task force that supplies supplemental federal funding to federal and state agencies involved in the identification, investigation, and prosecution of major drug trafficking organizations.
The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration; U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations; the Massachusetts State Police; the Haverhill Police Department; the United States Marshals Service; the New Hampshire State Police; the Manchester Police Department; the Lawrence Police Department; the Lowell Police Department, the Methuen Police Department, and the Hillsborough County Drug Task Force. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney John S. Davis.
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Crestwood Mayor Indicted in Alleged Bribery Scheme Involving Red-Light Camera ServicesRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — The mayor of Crestwood has been indicted by a federal grand jury for using an interstate facility in aid of bribery, and lying to federal law enforcement about his request and receipt of benefits from a representative of a red-light camera company that provided services to the southwest suburb.
LOUIS PRESTA, 69, of Crestwood, is charged with three counts of using a facility in interstate commerce in aid of bribery and official misconduct, two counts of willfully filing a false income tax return, one count of willfully failing to file an income tax return, and one count of making false statements to the FBI and IRS. The indictment was returned Thursday in U.S. District Court in Chicago. Arraignment has not yet been scheduled.
The indictment was announced by John R. Lausch, Jr., United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois; Emmerson Buie, Jr., Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI; and Kathy A. Enstrom, Special Agent-in-Charge of the IRS Criminal Investigation Division in Chicago. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher J. Stetler and James P. Durkin.
According to the indictment, the red-light camera company provided camera services to Crestwood that enabled the municipality to issue tickets to motorists for certain traffic violations. During that time and while the company was attempting to provide additional such services to Crestwood, Presta asked for and accepted benefits from representatives of the company, the indictment states.
The false statement charge pertains to Presta’s September 2019 interview with the FBI and IRS, during which Presta denied receiving gifts, cash, or campaign contributions from the red-light camera company. When shown a recording of a March 7, 2018, meeting at which Presta allegedly accepted from the company representative an envelope containing $5,000 in cash, Presta falsely stated that there was no money in the envelope, the indictment states.
The tax charges in the indictment accuse Presta of willfully filing a false income tax return for the calendar years 2015 and 2018, and willfully failing to file an income tax return for the calendar year 2014.
The public is reminded that an indictment is not evidence of guilt. The defendant is presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
The bribery and false statement counts are each punishable by up to five years in prison. Filing a false tax return is punishable by up to three years, while failing to file a tax return carries a maximum sentence of one year. If convicted, the Court must impose a reasonable sentence under federal sentencing statutes and the advisory U.S. Sentencing Guidelines.