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23 September 2020
46 indicted for involvement in Marion drug trafficking organization; 43 arrested during early morning takedownRead the Press Release
Federal, county and local law enforcement officials today announced that 46 individuals were charged for their roles in a drug trafficking conspiracy that involved the distribution of heroin, cocaine, crack cocaine and fentanyl in the Marion area. 43 were arrested during an early morning takedown. The operation is ongoing.
First Assistant U.S. Attorney Bridget Brennan, FBI Special Agent in Charge Eric B. Smith, Marion Police Chief William Collins and Marion County Sheriff Tim Bailey made the announcement.
“Organizations like the one dismantled here today target communities like Marion because they mistakenly assume that they can operate either without detection or without people speaking up,” said First Assistant U.S. Attorney Bridget Brennan. “Let these indictments serve as notice that law enforcement partners in this District and the residents of Marion are paying attention. And we will act.”
“Possession and distribution of illegal narcotics and the illegal possession of firearms will not be tolerated in our communities or by the good citizens who live there,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Eric B. Smith. “Likewise, the FBI will continue it’s targeted, exhaustive, and collaborative efforts with our local, state and federal partners to identify and dismantle drug trafficking organizations that bring poison and violence into our neighborhoods.”
“These arrests are the result of dedicated work of multiple agencies with one shared goal -- to keep this community safe and free from dangerous drugs,” said DEA Detroit Field Division Special Agent in Charge Keith Martin.
“Our unending commitment to this community is to work relentlessly in collaboration with our law enforcement partners at every level, bringing every combined resource to bear with the unified mission to deliver those persons to justice who contribute to this deadly scourge,” said Marion Police Chief William Collins. “I'm immensely proud of the collective achievements born from this 2-year investigation, while I also remain dedicated to ensuring that this important work continues well into the future.”
The following is a breakdown of the charges:
Charged in a 29-count indictment with conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute and distribution of controlled substances, distribution of a controlled substance, possession with the intent to distribute a controlled substance and use of a communications facility to facilitate a drug trafficking offense are:
Raheem Brown, age 28, of Marion; Eric Carter, age 57, of Marion; Tawana Cochran, age 37, in state custody; Harold Cowans, age 81, of Columbus; Brittany Crabtree, age 29, of Marion; Rex Cumston, age 58, of Marion; Jeff Ellinwood, age 38, of Marion; Andy Fernandez, age 39, of Ypsilanti, Michigan; Paula Foreman, age 58, of Marion; Juan Demetrius Hartwell, age 46, of Marion; Mitchem Hopper, age 30, in state custody; Marty Keifer, age 29, of Marion; Ricky Kensler, in federal custody; Jamal Mincey, age 32, of Marion; Andre Pearson, age 40, of Marion; Terry Phillips, age 61, of Marion; Lawrence Redrick, age 43, in federal custody; Clifton Ross, age 45, of Columbus; Toni Sparks, age 29, of Marion; Terell Steen, age 43, in state custody; William Swartz, Jr, age 61, of Marion; Billie Jean White, age 32, of Marion; Taylor Williams, age 27, of Marion.
Charged in a 22-count indictment with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances, distribution of a controlled substance, possession with the intent to distribute a controlled substance, felon in possession of a firearm and use of a communications facility in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense are:
Robert Baker, age 38, of Marion; Corey Cesar, age 28, of Marion; Tawana Cochran, age 37, in state custody; Kenneth Crumpton, age 31, of Farmington Hills, Michigan; Kenneth Drake, age 40, of Marion; Rodney Tyson Hall, age 37, of Larue, Ohio; Warren Harris, age 40, of Marion; Josten Jones, age 29, of Marion; Ronald Jordan, age 33, in state custody; Courtney Miles, age 35, in state custody; Lindsay Pacha, age 26, of Marion; Clifton Ross, age 45, of Columbus and Terry Worthington, age 41 in state custody.
Charged in a 16-count indictment with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances, distribution of controlled substance and use of a communications facility in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense are:
Kendall Bender, age 33; Michael Collins, age 41; Meghan Landon, age 34; Destiny Pyles, age 23; Timothy Reed, age 36 and Alisha Taylor, age 24, all of Marion.
Charged in six separate indictments with possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance distribution of a controlled substance are:
Otis Oliver, age 32; Darrius Kevin Karl Young-Owens, age 26; Anthony Robinson, age 32; all of Marion; James Glass, age 36; Curtis Thomas, age 33 and Johnny Thomas, age 34, both in state custody.
According to the indictments, from October 2015 to January 2019, these 46 individuals are accused of operating a drug trafficking organization that distributed large quantities of cocaine, crack cocaine, heroin and fentanyl throughout the Marion area via suppliers in Ohio, Michigan, Illinois and elsewhere. The conspirators are accused of using multiple cellular devices and code words to conceal their activity. In some instances, the indictments states that members of the drug trafficking organization used firearms in the conduct of their drug trafficking activity.
An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. A defendant is entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
If convicted, each defendant’s sentence will be determined by the Court after review of factors unique to this case, including the defendant’s prior criminal records, if any, the defendant’s role in the offense and the characteristics of the violation. In all cases, the sentence will not exceed the statutory maximum and, in most cases, it will be less than the maximum.
The investigation preceding the indictments was conducted by the Cleveland Division of the FBI, DEA, Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Taskforce (OCDETF), Marion Police and Marion County Sheriff’s Office. This case is being investigated by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matthew Simko and Robert Melching.
22 September 2020
Whitman Man Sentenced for Child Pornography OffensesRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Whitman man was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for child pornography offenses.
Matthew Kulikowski, 38, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Richard G. Stearns to 151 months in prison and five years of supervised release. In January 2020, Kulikowski pleaded guilty to one count of receipt of child pornography and one count of possession of child pornography. Kulikowski was arrested and charged in September 2018, and has been in custody since that time.
Law enforcement learned that an internet user at Kulikowski’s Whitman home distributed child pornography using the Kik messenger application. A search of the home resulted in the seizure of a tablet located in Kulikowski’s bedroom that contained at least 300 images and videos depicting child pornography, including the sexual assault of girls who appeared to be between four-and-eight-years-old.
At the time of his arrest, Kulikowski was on pretrial release from Plymouth County Superior Court, where he had a case pending for multiple child exploitation offenses, including possession of child pornography, disseminating obscene material to a minor, indecent assault and battery on a child under 14, and enticement of a child under 16. He has since been convicted of those offenses.
United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling and Michael Shea, Acting Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Boston made the announcement. Assistance was provided by the Massachusetts State Police, Whitman Police Department and the Plymouth County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Anne Paruti, Lelling’s Project Safe Childhood Coordinator and a member of the Major Crimes Unit, prosecuted the case.
The case is brought as part of Project Safe Childhood. In 2006, the Department of Justice created Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov/.
United States Obtains Court Order Requiring City of Mount Vernon to Address Polluting Storm SewersRead the Press Release
Audrey Strauss, the Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and Peter D. Lopez, Regional Administrator of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (“EPA”), announced today that the federal District Court has ordered the City of Mount Vernon, New York (“Mount Vernon”), to bring its polluting storm sewer system into compliance with the Clean Water Act. U.S. District Judge Cathy Seibel issued the order and permanent injunction yesterday, in a lawsuit brought by the United States and New York State.
Acting U.S. Attorney Audrey Strauss said: “Mount Vernon’s longstanding failure to comply with its Clean Water Act obligations, including flouting EPA administrative orders, will now be remedied through judicial relief. This lawsuit was brought to protect the waters of this District, and the Court’s detailed and comprehensive order requires Mount Vernon to fix its ongoing violations, including the discharge of raw sewage and other illicit pollutants from its storm sewer system into the Hutchinson and Bronx Rivers.”
EPA Regional Administrator Peter D. Lopez said: “I am pleased that the City of Mount Vernon is being required to take the appropriate actions to protect its residents and downstream communities from threats posed by raw sewage and other pollutants. EPA and New York State have worked with Mount Vernon over the past several years and we look forward to seeing the problems with the storm sewer system resolved to protect public health and the environment.”
The Clean Water Act generally prohibits discharges of pollutants into navigable waters, absent a permit. Many municipalities, like Mount Vernon, operate “municipal separate storm sewer systems” that carry storm water and discharge it without treatment into nearby waters. Because separate storm sewer systems do not treat the water they discharge, a municipality is required by its Clean Water Act permit to maintain a program for identifying and eliminating any sewage or other illicit pollutants that are flowing into the storm sewers. On June 28, 2018, the United States filed a complaint in White Plains federal court, alleging that since at least January 2012, Mount Vernon has failed to comply with these permit obligations and, as a result, has allowed raw sewage to flow into its storm sewer system, and then to be discharged into the Hutchinson and Bronx Rivers. Mount Vernon has also failed to comply with two EPA Administrative Orders issued to compel Mount Vernon’s compliance with these requirements.
Before the Court, Mount Vernon did not dispute that it was liable for violating the Clean Water Act, and admitted that it was not in compliance with its legal obligations. The Court concluded that the undisputed facts regarding Mount Vernon’s non-compliance with the Clean Water Act were likely to cause irreparable injury and warranted the issuance of a permanent injunction to require Mount Vernon to come into full compliance and halt illicit discharges into the Hutchinson and Bronx Rivers. The Court ordered Mount Vernon to:
- Track down and identify all sources of illicit discharge for impaired storm sewer system outfalls, and eliminate all sources of illicit discharge;
- Perform necessary construction and repairs for impaired outfalls;
- Complete inspections to ensure detection of future illicit discharge;
- Obtain the necessary equipment, staffing, and funding to comply with its Clean Water Act and permit obligations;
- Develop an updated storm water management plan;
- Perform a sewer system evaluation survey of the sanitary sewer system to identify possible discharges of sewage and develop a sewer system corrective action plan; and
- Submit periodic reports to EPA and New York’s Department of Environmental Conservation.
The Court deferred a determination of civil penalties owed by Mount Vernon until a later date.
The State of New York and the Commissioner of the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation are co-plaintiffs in this lawsuit, asserting parallel claims under state law.
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Ms. Strauss thanked EPA’s attorneys and program staff for their invaluable efforts in this matter.
This case is being handled by the Office’s Environmental Protection Unit. Assistant United States Attorney Natasha W. Teleanu and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Emily E. Bretz have been in charge of the case.
United States Attorney's Office Debuts Circles and SilenceRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE – United States Attorney Aaron L. Weisman today announced that the United Attorney’s Office will debut its Circles and Silence community outreach program on September 24, during a virtual opioid addiction and prevention town hall Zoom meeting for residents of the Blackstone Valley hosted by the Woonsocket Prevention Coalition.
On Thursday, September 24, the Woonsocket Prevention Coalition will be joined by Dr. James McDonald, Medical Director of the Rhode Island Department of Health, Major Dennis Leahey (Ret.), Program Manager, RI State Police HOPE Initiative, and United States Attorney’s Office Community Engagement & Crime Prevention Coordinator David Neill. The program, beginning at 6:30pm on Zoom, will discuss the opioid epidemic and its effect on individuals, families and our communities and host the premiere screening of the Circles and Silence.
The public is encouraged to join the Zoom Town Hall Meeting by clicking https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85449845545?pwd=MXdiR2pQMkVGNjV2eTB0ckVUVkpTZz09 or use Zoom meeting ID 854 4984 5545, Passcode 337318.
Circles and Silence, a powerful, locally produced sixteen minute documentary film is narrated by a diverse group of Rhode Island young adults whose personal true-life stories delve deeply into their distinct journeys of drug dependency and recovery. The film documents their paths from addiction, in some instances to prison, to successful management of addiction, to working daily to lead productive and healthy lifestyles.
“Recognizing and coping with substance abuse disorder, whether personally or by assisting a family member or friend who is struggling, is even more urgent during these difficult times in which we have witnessed a significant increase in substance abuse,” commented United States Attorney Aaron L. Weisman. “The individuals we meet in Circles and Silence bravely share their challenges and their successes as they work hard to remain on a positive path forward.”
In addition to sharing their stories in this remarkable documentary, individuals who appear in the film will participate in live talk-backs with audiences. Additionally, the United States Attorney’s Office makes available to audiences critical information about substance abuse disorder and the many prevention, recovery, and social service programs available statewide through an expansive network.
The documentary film Circles and Silence was produced collaboratively by the United States Attorney’s Office and two Rhode Island-based production companies, Left of Creative, with offices in South Kingstown and Los Angeles, CA, and DK Communications in Providence.
Video clips from Circles and Silence can be viewed at https://www.justice.gov/usao-ri/circles-and-silence .
The United States Attorney's Community Outreach Office is available to provide a Circles and Silence program to all Rhode Island schools and students grades 7-12, and to community and not-for-profit organizations at no cost. To learn more about the Circles and Silence Program or to schedule a presentation contact United States Attorney’s Office Community Engagement & Crime Prevention Coordinator David Neill at (401) 709-5035 or at [email protected]
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U.S. Attorney J. Douglas Overbey Announces $749,718 in Department of Justice Grant Award to WillowBend Farms, Inc.Read the Press Release
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – United States Attorney J. Douglas Overbey of the Eastern District of Tennessee announced today that $749,718 was awarded to WillowBend Farms, Inc. of Cleveland, Tennessee, in Department of Justice grant funding to combat human trafficking.
The Services for Victims of Human Trafficking Program awards more than $23.6 million to 43 organizations to support services specific to victims of human trafficking. The Office for Victims of Crime awarded over $97.4 million to state, local and tribal jurisdictions, service providers and task forces all over the country, while OJP’s National Institute of Justice awarded the remaining $3.5 million to support research and evaluation on human trafficking.
"Human trafficking takes the depravity of everyone involved and exploits minors and adults for profit. Millions of people worldwide are affected by this type of forced labor and human trafficking. Our office will remain persistent by bringing perpetrators to justice and assisting victims rescued from a cycle of abuse," said U.S. Attorney Overbey.
WillowBend Farms is a faith based non-profit organization who focuses on the restoration of minor and adult survivors of human trafficking. WillowBend Farms also develops a collaborative environment of change that addresses the entire supply and demand of human trafficking.
If you suspect human trafficking report it to the police immediately. Warning signs include when the person: Appears to be controlled or intimidated by someone else, stops talking to friends or family members. For the Tennessee Human Trafficking Hotline, contact 1-855-55-TNHTH or for immediate assistance text "are you awake" to (423) 226-1302.
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U.S. Attorney J. Douglas Overbey Announces $406,092 in Department of Justice Grant Awards to East TennesseeRead the Press Release
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – United States Attorney J. Douglas Overbey of the Eastern District of Tennessee announced today that $406,092 was awarded in Department of Justice grants for the Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance grant (JAG) program.
The JAG program is the leading source of federal justice funding to state and local jurisdictions. The JAG Program provides states, and local governments with critical funding necessary to support a range of program areas including law enforcement, prosecution, indigent defense, courts, crime prevention and education, corrections and community corrections.
FY20 EDWARD BYRNE MEMORIAL ASSISTANCE GRANT (JAG) PROGRAM
• Blount County - $23,615
• City of Chattanooga - $127,295
• City of Cleveland - $35,670
• City of Johnson City - $15,895
• City of Kingsport - $22,847
• City of Knoxville (to share with Knox County) - $138,069
• Hamblen County - $12,999
• Sullivan County - $18,751
• Washington County - $10,951
"These grants will help address crime at various levels, and provide resources to protect and serve the citizens of East Tennessee more effectively. State and local law enforcement agencies can leverage these funds to purchase much needed equipment and hire more personnel, ultimately helping departments prepare for and respond to the community’s needs," said U.S. Attorney Overbey.
The Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) Program allows states and units of local government, including tribes, to support a broad range of activities to prevent and control crime based on their own state and local needs and conditions. Grant funds can be used for state and local initiatives, technical assistance, training, personnel, equipment, supplies, contractual support, and information systems for criminal justice, including for anyone or more of the following program areas: 1) law enforcement programs; 2) prosecution and court programs; 3) prevention and education programs; 4) corrections and community corrections programs; 5) drug treatment and enforcement programs; 6) planning, evaluation, and technology improvement programs; and 7) crime victim and witness programs (other than compensation) and 8) mental health programs and related law enforcement and corrections programs.
This JAG award will be used to support criminal justice initiatives that fall under one or more of the allowable program areas above. Funded programs or initiatives may include multi-jurisdictional drug and gang task forces, crime prevention and domestic violence programs, courts, corrections, treatment, justice information sharing initiatives, or other programs aimed at reducing crime and/or enhancing public/officer safety.
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Two Active-Duty Marines Charged in Indictment Alleging Drug Trafficking Conspiracy After Fellow Marine’s Fatal Drug OverdoseRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – Two active-duty United States Marines stationed at Camp Pendleton were arrested today on a federal grand jury indictment charging one Marine and three civilians with conspiring to distribute narcotics – including oxycodone pills laced with fentanyl – to civilians and members of the United States Marine Corps, one of whom suffered a fatal drug overdose in May. The second Marine is charged in the indictment with being an accessory after the fact.
The 14-count superseding indictment charges five defendants:
- Jordan Nicholas McCormick, 26, of Palmdale, the lead defendant and the conspiracy’s alleged supplier who provided LSD, ecstasy, cocaine, and oxycodone pills laced with fentanyl to co-conspirators;
- Gustavo Jaciel Solis, 24, of Sylmar, who allegedly distributed McCormick’s drugs to civilians and military personnel;
- Anthony Ruben Whisenant, 20, a lance corporal in the United States Marine Corps, who allegedly distributed narcotics to active service members, including an active-duty Marine who died after ingesting an oxycodone pill laced with fentanyl purchased from Solis;
- Jessica Sarah Perez, 23, of Pacoima, who allegedly distributed narcotics including fentanyl and cocaine to the conspiracy’s civilian customers; and
- Ryan Douglas White, 22, a lance corporal in the United States Marine Corps, who is charged with being an accessory after the fact for allegedly attempting to hinder law enforcement’s apprehension of Whisenant and Solis.
Whisenant and White were taken into federal custody today and are expected to make their initial appearances this afternoon in United States District Court in Los Angeles.
On August 11, Solis and Perez were indicted on fentanyl and cocaine distribution charges, and Solis was indicted on firearms-related charges. They have pleaded not guilty to these charges and their trial date is scheduled for October 27. Solis is in federal custody and Perez is free on $25,000 bond. Today’s superseding indictment adds McCormick, Whisenant and White as defendants, in addition to adding charges to the original indictment. McCormick also is in federal custody.
According to the indictment, the conspiracy lasted from November 2019 to September 2020 and involved multiple sales of fentanyl-laced oxycodone to an undercover buyer, often for amounts exceeding $1,000 per buy.
On May 22, Solis sold 10 pills of oxycodone laced with fentanyl to an active-duty Marine who died of a drug overdose in the early morning hours of May 23, the indictment alleges.
In addition to the conspiracy charge, McCormick, Solis, Whisenant and Perez face substantive charges of distribution of narcotics, including fentanyl. McCormick and Solis are also charged with possessing firearms in furtherance of drug crimes.
An indictment contains allegations that a defendant has committed a crime. Every defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
If convicted, McCormick and Solis would face a mandatory minimum of 15 years in federal prison and a statutory maximum sentence of life imprisonment. Whisenant and Perez would face a statutory maximum of 20 years in federal prison if convicted. White, if convicted, would face a statutory maximum sentence of 10 years in federal prison.
This matter was investigated by the Naval Criminal Investigative Service, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the FBI, the United States Postal Inspection Service, and the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office.
This case is being prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Patrick Castañeda and Assistant United States Attorneys Jenna Williams and Gregg E. Marmaro of the General Crimes Section.
Texas Woman Sentenced to Prison for Role in $5.5 Million Federal Worker’s Compensation Overbilling SchemeRead the Press Release
A Texas woman was sentenced to 18 months in prison today for her role in a $5.5 million scheme to overbill the U.S. Department of Labor Office of Workers’ Compensation Program for physical therapy and other services.
Acting Assistant Attorney General Brian C. Rabbitt of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Erin Nealy Cox of the Northern District of Texas, Special Agent in Charge Robert Bourbon of the U.S. Department of Justice Office of the Inspector General’s (DOJ-OIG) Dallas Field Office, Special Agent in Charge Steven Grell of the U.S. Department of Labor Office of Inspector General’s (DOL-OIG) Dallas Regional Office, Special Agent in Charge Scott Pierce of the U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General’s (USPS-OIG) Southern Area Field Office, Acting Special Agent in Charge Patrick Roche of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General’s (VA-OIG) Criminal Investigations Division South Central Field Office, and Special Agent in Charge Ray Rayos of the U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Command's Major Procurement Fraud Unit (MPFU) Southwest Fraud Field Office made the announcement.
Melissa Sumerour, 49, of Lorena, Texas, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Karen Gren Scholer of the Northern District of Texas to 18 in prison followed by three years of supervised release. After a trial in December 2019, Sumerour was convicted of six counts of health care fraud.
According to evidence presented at trial, from approximately January 2011 to March 2017, Sumerour engaged in a scheme to defraud the DOL’s Office of Workers’ Compensation Program by overbilling for physical therapy. The evidence established that the fraud, in which Sumerour billed for more physical therapy than was provided, cost the Office of Workers’ Compensation Program in excess of $5.5 million.
One other defendant has been charged in this matter. Latosha Morgan, 42, of Grand Prairie, Texas, pleaded guilty and is awaiting sentencing.
This case was investigated by DOJ-OIG, DOL-OIG, USPS-OIG, VA-OIG, and Army CID-MPFU. Trial Attorneys Brynn Schiess and Amy Markopoulos of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section are prosecuting the case.
The Fraud Section leads the Medicare Fraud Strike Force. Since its inception in March 2007, the Medicare Fraud Strike Force, which maintains 15 strike forces operating in 24 districts, has charged more than 4,200 defendants who have collectively billed the Medicare program for nearly $19 billion. In addition, the HHS Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, working in conjunction with the HHS-OIG, are taking steps to increase accountability and decrease the presence of fraudulent providers.
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.
Suburban Pittsburgh Man Pleads Guilty to Destroying a Pittsburgh Police Vehicle during May 30th ProtestRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, Pa. – Brian Bartels of suburban Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty today in federal court in Pittsburgh to a charge of obstruction of law enforcement during civil disorder, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced today. While others were lawfully protesting over the death of George Floyd, Bartels initiated the damage to a police car outside of PPG Paints Arena, including spray painting the car and smashing its windshield. Others then joined Bartels and the police car was set on fire.
Bartels, 20, of of Allison Park, PA 15101, pleaded guilty to one count before Senior United States District Judge Arthur J. Schwab.
"On May 30, 2020, Brian Bartels incited the largest and most destructive riot in Pittsburgh history since 1968," said U.S. Attorney Brady. "Armed with his homemade agitator toolkit, this self-identified extreme left-wing anarchist came to the protest in downtown Pittsburgh that day with one goal: to incite violence. Bartels succeeded – he was the first to incite violence during the protest. While protesters yelled for him to stop, Bartels spray painted and then smashed and jumped on the windshield of a Pittsburgh Police cruiser. Others then joined in and the cruiser was set on fire and destroyed."
"Bartels’s actions were the inflection point in the demonstration," U.S. Attorney Brady added. "What was peaceful became lawless. Ultimately, Pittsburgh police cars were burned. Mounted Pittsburgh Police Officers were attacked. Projectiles were thrown at Pittsburgh Police Officers. Reporters were attacked and their camera destroyed. What started as a peaceful demonstration, turned into a violent evening of destruction and looting throughout downtown Pittsburgh."
"The violent actions of this young person were appalling," said FBI Pittsburgh Special Agent in Charge Michael Christman. "Mr. Bartels went downtown with the intent to incite panic and violence. His poor decisions put everyone, including those exercising their First Amendment
rights peacefully, in danger. This type of behavior will not be tolerated in the city we all call home. Let this guilty plea send a message to others that we will use all of our investigative resources to bring to justice those who choose to participate in criminal activity."
According to information provided to the court, on the afternoon of May 30, 2020, there was amarch/protest in downtown Pittsburgh. The defendant was part of a large crowd of protesters milling around the area of Centre Avenue above the PPG Paints Arena, near an unoccupied Pittsburgh Police SUV. At that time, Bartels removed a can of red spray paint from his backpack and sprayed an "A" on the police vehicle. Bartels then jumped on the hood of the vehicle, sprayed more paint on the vehicle, and stomped on the windshield, breaking it. Several people in the crowd began to cheer him on, and some people joined in hitting and kicking the vehicle. Bartels then jumped off the hood and attempted to break the passenger side window of the vehicle.
When interviewed by investigators, Bartels admitted to his conduct in initiating the attack on the police vehicle, and expressed remorse and regret for it. Bartels was charged federally in a criminal complaint on June 5, 2020. He was then indicted by the federal grand jury on June 9, 2020.
Judge Schwab scheduled sentencing for January 27, 2021 at 11:30 a.m. The law provides for a maximum total sentence of five years in prison, a fine of $250,000, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney Shaun E. Sweeney is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
U.S. Attorney Brady commended the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police for conducting the investigation leading to the charge in this case.
Statement by Department of Justice Spokesperson Kerri Kupec on the Execution of William Emmett Lecroy Jr.Read the Press Release
Department of Justice Spokesperson Kerri Kupec has issued the following statement:
“Today, William Emmett LeCroy Jr., 50, was executed at U.S. Penitentiary Terre Haute in accordance with the capital sentence recommended by a federal jury and imposed by the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia in 2004. LeCroy was pronounced dead at 9:06 p.m. EDT.
In October 2001, LeCroy robbed, raped and murdered Joann Lee Tiesler, a 30-year-old nurse. LeCroy had previously served 10 years in federal and state prison for, among other crimes, aggravated assault, burglary, child molestation, and statutory rape. After his release to supervised probation, LeCroy began planning to flee the country. In furtherance of that plan, LeCroy broke into Tiesler’s home in Gilmer County, Georgia. Once she returned, LeCroy attacked her with a shotgun, bound her hands behind her back with cable ties, strangled her with an electrical cord, and raped and sodomized her at the foot of her bed. He then slashed her throat with a knife and repeatedly stabbed her in the back. After murdering her, LeCroy stole her vehicle and drove to the Canadian border, where he was arrested. In March 2004, a federal jury found LeCroy guilty of carjacking resulting in death and unanimously recommended a sentence of death, which the district court imposed. His conviction and sentence were affirmed on appeal, and his requests for collateral relief were rejected by every court that considered them.
Nearly 19 years after brutally ending the life of Joann Lee Tiesler, William Emmett LeCroy finally has faced the justice he deserved. Family members and loved ones of Tiesler, including her father and her fiancé, witnessed the execution.”
St. Albans Man Sentenced for Federal Drug CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A St. Albans man was sentenced today for his role in a drug crime that spanned several states, announced United States Attorney Mike Stuart. John Harvey Bush Jr., 27, was sentenced to 51 months in prison to be followed by four years of supervised release. Bush had previously pled guilty to possession with intent to distribute five grams or more of methamphetamine.
“I couldn’t be prouder of the work of law enforcement in this case which kept 18 pounds of 96% pure meth from hitting our streets,” said United States Attorney Mike Stuart. “Our collaborative efforts are putting a real dent in area meth trafficking.”
On September 4, 2019, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service intercepted a package shipped from Los Angeles, California to a Charleston residence. Upon obtaining a search warrant for the package, they discovered over 18 pounds of methamphetamine inside. The majority of the methamphetamine was removed, except for 11.2 grams which remained inside the package in order to conduct a controlled delivery. As law enforcement was delivering the package, the National Guard provided helicopter surveillance of the area. Bush was recorded driving to the residence and taking the package from the front porch. He was then followed as he drove the package to his girlfriend’s residence, where he unloaded and opened the package.
Upon opening the package, Bush discovered there to be only 11.2 grams of methamphetamine and attempted to flush the shipping label to the package. Shortly afterwards, law enforcement knocked on the front door of the girlfriend’s residence. Bush saw them through the window and was arrested as he tried to flee out the back door. Bush’s cell phone was seized and searched pursuant to a federal search warrant. On the phone were text messages from a Thomas Drew Bess of Florida making Bush aware of the contents of the package, its tracking number, and when it would be arriving.
The methamphetamine was sent to the DEA laboratory, where it tested 96% pure. Law enforcement officers were able to determine that Bess had mailed the package from California. Flight records confirmed that Bess had traveled to California from Florida to mail the package of methamphetamine. Bess was subsequently arrested in Florida and brought to the Southern District of West Virginia on conspiracy charges. Bess’ phone was searched pursuant to a federal warrant, wherein evidence of drug trafficking and distribution was discovered. Bess pled guilty on August 24, 2020. Bess’ sentencing date is scheduled for December 8, 2020. He faces up to life in prison at sentencing.
The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the United States Postal Service - Office of Inspector General, and the United States Postal Inspection Service conducted the investigation. The West Virginia National Guard assisted law enforcement with their investigation. Senior United States District Judge David A. Faber imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney L. Alexander Hamner is handling the prosecution.
The Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) is an independent component of the U.S. Department of Justice. Established in 1982, OCDETF is the keystone of the Attorney General’s strategy to reduce the availability of illicit narcotics throughout the United States using a prosecutor-led, multi-agency approach to combat transnational organized crime. OCDETF agents and prosecutors nationwide handle complex investigations and prosecutions of the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, and other priority transnational criminal organizations that threaten the citizens of the United States. OCDETF facilitates joint operations by focusing its partner agencies on priority targets, by managing and coordinating multi-agency efforts, and by leveraging intelligence across multiple investigative platforms.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:19-cr-00256.
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Sparta Man Sentenced to 14 Years for Meth ConspiracyRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Sparta, Missouri, man was sentenced in federal court today for leading a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine in Christian County, Mo.
Travis W. Robinson, 40, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Brian C. Wimes to 14 years in federal prison without parole.
On March 11, 2020, Robinson pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and one count of possessing methamphetamine to distribute on premises in which a minor resides.
Robinson came to the attention of law enforcement in August 2016 as a distributor of methamphetamine in the southwest Missouri area. Law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Robinson’s residence and seized approximately 47.32 grams of methamphetamine, $7,628, marijuana, and drug paraphernalia. At the time the warrant was executed, Robinson’s young child was located in the living room of the residence.
In June 2017, a confidential informant told law enforcement that his/her source of methamphetamine had acquired anywhere from one-fourth of an ounce to one-fourth of a pound of methamphetamine from Robinson each week and had been doing so for several years.
Robinson imported methamphetamine to southwest Missouri, which he provided to co-conspirators for them to further distribute. Co-conspirators also assisted with activities related to drug distribution, including the collection of drug debts.
Robinson is the first defendant to be sentenced in this case. Co-defendant Candace L. Medlock, 34, of Nixa, Missouri, has pleaded guilty to her role in the conspiracy and awaits sentencing.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jessica R. Sarff and Byron H. Black. It was investigated by the Christian County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department, the Missouri State Highway Patrol, and the Drug Enforcement Administration.
Shreveport Man Sentenced to 19 Years in Federal Prison for Selling Drugs and Possessing FirearmsRead the Press Release
SHREVEPORT, La. – Acting United States Attorney Alexander C. Van Hook announced that Brien Keith Powell, 51, of Shreveport, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Donald E. Walter. Powell was sentenced to 168 months for Possession of Crack Cocaine, and 60 months for Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of Drug Trafficking Crime, for a total of 228 months in prison (19 years), followed by 5 years of supervised release. Powell pleaded guilty to the charges on January 10, 2020.
On March 28, 2018, officers with the Caddo/Shreveport Narcotics Task Force obtained a search warrant of Brien Keith Powell’s residence and property. Upon execution of the search warrant, officers found drug paraphernalia and a revolver in the residence. Officers also found powder and crack cocaine, ecstasy, a digital scale, another handgun and ammunition in Powell’s vehicle. Powell had over $1,500 in cash in his pocket.
After Powell was arrested by officers, he admitted that all of the narcotics and firearms belonged to him and that he was selling the narcotics to make a living. Further investigation by law enforcement revealed that the firearms had both been reported stolen. The North Louisiana Criminalistics Laboratory analyzed the narcotics and determined the drugs to be 38.34 grams of cocaine base, crack cocaine.
Powell has a lengthy criminal history, having been convicted of aggravated battery with a dangerous weapon (1986 and 1990), possession of narcotics (1990), Second Degree Kidnapping (1994), Armed Robbery (1995), Felon in Possession of Firearm (2000), Possession of a Controlled Substance (2007) and Possession of Counterfeit (2014).
The ATF and Caddo/Shreveport Narcotics Task Force conducted the investigation and Assistant United States Attorney Tennille Gilreath prosecuted the case.
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Seventeen Defendants Charged in Midlands-based Federal Drug Conspiracy after Multi-Year InvestigationRead the Press Release
Columbia, South Carolina --- United States Attorney Peter M. McCoy, Jr. announced today that federal, state, and local law enforcement officers charged 17 individuals in federal court for their roles in a drug trafficking organization that operated out of the Midlands region of South Carolina.
The charges follow a more than two-year long investigation by federal, state, and local law enforcement into a methamphetamine distribution ring in the Lexington area. The investigation resulted in the seizure of approximately 35 kilograms of methamphetamine, 116 firearms, and various quantities of heroin and fentanyl.
“The people of South Carolina deserve safe places to call home,” said U.S. Attorney McCoy. “When we work deliberatively with our federal, state, and local partners, we are able to dismantle entire drug-dealing organizations and make communities safer. These charges speak to those efforts.”
“Collaborative public safety efforts such as this investigation have an immediate and long-lasting impact on our communities,” said Vincent Pallozzi, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Special Agent in Charge. “The work we do in partnership with our local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies has made significant and ongoing progress in creating safer neighborhoods.”
“This operation shows how local and federal agencies can work together to make communities safer,” said Lexington County Sheriff Jay Koon. “In operations like these, deputies and agents teamed up to get sources of drugs and weapons off the street. We’re thankful for the relationships we have with our counterparts at the federal level. When we have a united front against crime that really makes a difference in the lives of those we serve.”
The following defendants have been charged in the criminal complaint for conduct related to their alleged roles in the drug trafficking organization:
Matthew Ward, 36, of Lexington;
Alecia Youngblood, 38, of Lexington;
Cynthia Rooks, 52, of Lexington;
Rebecca Martinez, 33, of Lexington;
Richard Ford, 62, of Lexington;
Amber Hoffman, 26, of Lexington;
Samuel Judy, 29, of Lexington;
Brian Bruce, 48, of West Columbia;
Montana Barefoot, 25, of Lexington;
John Johnson, 36, of Gaston;
Benjamin Singleton, 46, of Gaston;
Kayla Mattoni, 38, of Lexington;
Clifford Kyzer, 35, of Lexington;
Kelly Jordan, 34, of Williamston;
Kelly Still, 43, of Windsor;
Tiffanie Brooks, 36, of Columbia; and
Robert Figueroa, 43, of West Columbia.
The case began in July 2017 as an investigation by a number of agencies, including ATF, the Lexington County Multi-Agency Narcotics Enforcement Team, and the Eleventh Circuit Solicitor’s Office, into methamphetamine trafficking and the illegal sale of firearms. According to the criminal complaint, the investigation identified Youngblood, Ward, and others as key methamphetamine suppliers for major distributors in the Lexington area. Further, the investigation ultimately identified Ward as a leader of the drug trafficking organization, which would move drugs across state lines and which also participated in the unlicensed dealing of firearms. During the course of the investigation, law enforcement officers used controlled purchases, confidential informants, and other means to identify, arrest, and charge the other alleged members of the drug trafficking organization.
The case was investigated by the ATF, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Lexington County Sheriff’s Department, Lexington County Multi-Agency Narcotics Enforcement Team, Greenville County Sheriff’s Office, Anderson County Sheriff’s Office, and South Carolina Department of Corrections.
This case is being prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Casey Rankin Smith of the Eleventh Judicial Circuit is prosecuting the case, alongside Trial Attorney Lisa Man with the Department of Justice Criminal Division’s Organized Crime and Gang Section, and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brandi Hinton and Justin Holloway of the Greenville office.
The United States Attorney stated that all charges against these defendants are merely accusations and that all defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
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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.
dsc_press_release_drugconsp.pdfSerial Fraudster Sentenced for Multiple Financial SchemesRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Maryland man was sentenced today to six years in prison for aggravated identity theft and conspiring to defraud over 20 financial institutions.
According to court documents, Chea S. Yarl, 31, was the leader of a conspiracy to defraud 20 banks located throughout Maryland, Washington, D.C., and Virginia for at least seven years. From 2013 through 2019, Yarl organized a card-cracking scheme in which he and at least four other individuals deposited counterfeit checks and other worthless financial instruments into hundreds of bank accounts and then quickly made cash withdrawals or purchased money orders with debit cards associated with the accounts. Yarl and his co-conspirators recruited hundreds of accountholders of different financial institutions to provide their debit cards and PINs in exchange for payment. Yarl then created counterfeit checks purportedly issued by 20 different financial institutions, which he and others acting at his direction then deposited into the accounts. These deposits fraudulently induced the targeted financial institutions to credit thousands of dollars to those accounts, which Yarl and others immediately withdrew. Between 2013 and 2019, Yarl and others deposited over 300 worthless checks and money orders totaling more than $1 million into over 200 compromised accounts and successfully withdrew at least $316,000 of the credited proceeds.
During the same period, Yarl used various other techniques to defraud individuals and companies of hundreds of thousands of dollars. In April 2019, Yarl and an unknown conspirator fraudulently accessed a retirement account belonging to a U.S. Postal Service employee and caused $108,000 to be transferred to a bank account controlled by Yarl. In November 2019, Yarl organized a business e-mail compromise scam to fraudulently induce a company to wire over $87,000 to a bank account controlled by Yarl and his co-conspirators and then successfully withdrew $60,000 of those funds.
G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Robert E. Bornstein, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Washington Field Office Criminal Division; Peter R. Rendina, Inspector in Charge of the Washington Division of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service; and Colonel Gary T. Settle, Virginia State Police Superintendent, made the announcement after sentencing by Senior U.S. District Judge Liam O'Grady. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Rachael C. Tucker prosecuted the case.
This case was investigated by the FBI WFO's Transnational Organized Crime Task Force which is composed of FBI Agents, along with task force officers from local, state, and federal partners. This task force is charged with identifying and investigating the most egregious organized crime syndicates operating in Northern Virginia. Significant investigative assistance was provided by the USPIS and Virginia State Police.
The FBI’s Cleveland Field Office provided significant assistance to this investigation.
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-49.
Sargeant Marine Inc. Pleads Guilty and Agrees to Pay over $16 Million in Criminal Fines to Resolve Foreign Bribery CaseRead the Press Release
Earlier today, in federal court in Brooklyn, Sargeant Marine Inc., an asphalt company incorporated and formerly headquartered in Boca Raton, Florida, pleaded guilty and agreed to pay $16.6 million to resolve foreign bribery charges stemming from conduct by the company and its employees and agents in Brazil, Venezuela and Ecuador. In each one of the countries, the company paid bribes to government officials to obtain contracts to purchase or sell asphalt to the countries’ state-owned companies in violation of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA). Today’s proceedings took place by video before the United States District Judge Eric N. Vitaliano. Previously, a corporate executive for Sargeant Marine, Daniel Sargeant; two Sargeant Marine traders who were active in Brazil, Venezuela and Ecuador, Roberto Finocchi and Jose Tomas Meneses; an agent and a consultant who acted as bribe intermediaries in Brazil and Venezuela, Luiz Eduardo Andrade and David Diaz; and a former Venezuelan government official, Hector Nunez Troyano, who received some of the bribes, pled guilty. In addition, on September 10, 2020, a criminal complaint was unsealed in federal court in Brooklyn charging another former Venezuelan official with conspiracy to commit money laundering, in part for his alleged role in the Sargeant Marine Venezuela scheme.
Seth D. DuCharme, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, Brian C. Rabbitt, Acting Assistant Attorney General of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, and Calvin A. Shivers, Assistant Director, Federal Bureau of Investigtion, Criminal Investigative Division (FBI), announced the guilty pleas and resolution.
“Today’s resolution is the result of a multi-year, multi-national, collaborative effort to root out corruption perpetrated by an American company in three countries,” stated Acting U.S. Attorney DuCharme. “We will continue to investigate and prosecute any company that corrupts foreign government officials in order to gain a competitive edge, as well as any of their executives and employees who participate in those efforts.”
“With today’s guilty plea, Sargeant Marine has admitted to engaging in a long-running pattern of paying bribes to corrupt officials in three South American countries to obtain lucrative business,” stated Acting Assistant Attorney General Rabbitt. “Today’s resolution, together with charges the department has brought against individuals involved in Sargeant Marine’s illegal schemes, demonstrates the department’s continuing commitment to holding companies and their executives responsible for international corruption.”
“The FBI is dedicated to rooting corruption out of our market, keeping the United States fair for vendors and consumers alike," stated FBI Assistant Director Shivers. “Sargeant Marine, Inc. attempted to get ahead of competitors by paying bribes to foreign officials in violation of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act. As today's guilty pleas demonstrate, the FBI will relentlessly investigate those attempting to cheat the market, and we will bring them to justice.”
According to the Statement of Facts stipulated to by Sargeant Marine in connection with its guilty plea and other court documents, between approximately 2010 and 2018, Sargeant Marine, through its employees and agents, conspired to pay bribes to foreign officials in Brazil, Venezuela and Ecuador to secure lucrative contracts. As a result of these bribes, Sargeant Marine and its affiliated companies earned profits of over $38 million.
In Brazil, Sargeant Marine and its related companies bribed officials at the state-owned oil company, Petróleo Brasileiro S.A. - Petrobras (Petrobras), to obtain contracts to sell asphalt to Petrobras. From approximately 2010 to 2015, Sargeant Marine and its affiliates, through its employees and agents, concealed bribe payments to Brazilian government officials by creating fake consulting contracts and fake invoices by using cash payments and by wiring millions of dollars from the United States to offshore bank accounts held in the name of shell companies of bribe middlemen. As a result of the Brazilian bribery scheme, Sargeant Marine and its affiliated companies earned profits of approximately $26.5 million.
The conduct in Brazil began when a Sargeant Marine senior executive officer traveled to Brazil in January 2010 in an effort to identify an agent with connections to a government official who could help the company obtain business from Petrobras. Eventually, the company began paying bribes to a “lobbyist” who was known to receive payments for his connections to Petrobras officials. At a dinner arranged by the Sargeant Marine intermediary with a Petrobras official and a Brazilian politician, the intermediary promised bribes in return for securing contracts between Petrobras and Sargeant Marine. After a company affiliated with Sargeant Marine completed shipments of asphalt to Petrobras in August 2010, the affiliate’s executive emailed Daniel Sargeant stating, “Wow guess last Brazil trip with crooks paid off. Should go again before contract next year gets hot and heavy.”
Between approximately 2012 and 2018, Sargeant Marine engaged in similar conduct in Venezuela, this time to purchase asphalt from the state-controlled oil company, Petroleos de Venezuela S.A. (PDVSA). Sargeant Marine and its affiliates—which had been blacklisted by PDVSA—used a Swiss company that would resell the asphalt to Sargeant Marine at a small premium. As it did in Brazil, Sargeant Marine concealed the bribes by creating fake consulting contracts and fake invoices and by making payments to offshore bank accounts held by a bribe middleman. The bribe middleman then paid bribes to a PDVSA official. Sargeant Marine’s bribe payments also gave it access to non-public information from PDVSA officials to give Sargeant Marine a corrupt edge on its competition. As a result of the Venezuela bribery scheme, Sargeant Marine earned about $8.2 million in profits.
Sargeant Marine paid bribes to an official working for Empresa Publica de Hidrocarburos del Ecuador (Petroecuador), a state-owned oil company of Ecuador that needed asphalt to supply the country. Sargeant Marine and its affiliates used the same tactics as in Brazil and Venezuela to conceal bribe payments, made through an intermediary to a Petroecuador official, which were made to secure a contract with Petroecuador. As a result of this scheme, Sargeant Marine earned profits of approximately $3.2 million.
In September 2017, Andrade pleaded guilty to conspiring to violate the FCPA. In November 2017, Finocchi pleaded guilty to conspiracy to defraud the United States. In March 2018, Diaz pleaded guilty to two counts of conspiring to violate the FCPA. In August 2018, Meneses pleaded guilty to conspiring to violate the FCPA. In March 2019, Troyano pleaded guilty to money laundering conspiracy. In December 2019, Daniel Sargeant pleaded guilty to conspiracy to violate the FCPA and conspiracy to commit money laundering. The defendants are awaiting sentencing.
The investigation is being conducted by FBI's International Corruption squad in Miami. The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s Business and Securities Fraud Section and the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section. Assistant United States Attorneys Whitman Knapp, Mark E. Bini and Andrey Spektor of the Eastern District of New York and Fraud Section Trial Attorney Derek J. Ettinger are prosecuting the case.
The government of Brazil provided significant assistance in this matter, as did the Criminal Division’s Office of International Affairs.
The Defendant:
SARGEANT MARINE, INC.
E.D.N.Y. Docket No.: 20-CR-363 (ENV)
DANIEL SARGEANT
Age: 53
Florida, United StatesE.D.N.Y. Docket No.: 19-CR-319 (ENV)
ROBERTO FINOCCHI
Age: 58
Country of Origin: VenezuelaE.D.N.Y. Docket No.: 17-CR-600 (ENV)
JOSE TOMAS MENESES
Age: 65
Country of Origin: VenezuelaE.D.N.Y. Docket No.: 18-CR-358 (ENV)
LUIZ EDUARDO ANDRADE
Age: 61
Country of Origin: BrazilE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 17-CR-497 (ENV)
DAVID DIAZ
Age: 56
Country of Origin: VenezuelaE.D.N.Y. Docket No.: 18-CR-140 (ENV)
Hector Nunez Troyano
Age: 43
Country of Origin: VenezuelaE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 19-CR-135 (ENV)
Sargeant Marine Inc. Pleads Guilty and Agrees to Pay $16.6 Million to Resolve Charges Related to Foreign Bribery Schemes in Brazil, Venezuela, and EcuadorRead the Press Release
Sargeant Marine Inc., an asphalt company formerly based in Boca Raton, Florida, pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to violate the anti-bribery provisions of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) and agreed to pay a criminal fine of $16.6 million to resolve charges stemming from a scheme to pay bribes to foreign officials in three South American countries.
According to its admissions, between 2010 and 2018, the company paid millions of dollars in bribes to foreign officials in Brazil, Venezuela, and Ecuador to obtain contracts to purchase or sell asphalt to the countries’ state-owned and state-controlled oil companies, in violation of the FCPA.
“With today’s guilty plea, Sargeant Marine has admitted to engaging in a long-running pattern of paying bribes to corrupt officials in three South American countries to obtain lucrative business,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Brian C. Rabbitt of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Today’s resolution, together with charges the department has brought against individuals involved in Sargeant Marine’s illegal schemes, demonstrates the department’s continuing commitment to holding companies and their executives responsible for international corruption.”
“Today’s resolution is the result of a multi-year, multi-national, collaborative effort to root out corruption perpetrated by an American company in three countries,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Seth DuCharme of the Eastern District of New York. “We will continue to investigate and prosecute any company that corrupts foreign government officials in order to gain a competitive edge, as well as any of their executives and employees who participate in those efforts.”
“The FBI is dedicated to rooting corruption out of our market, keeping the United States fair for vendors and consumers alike,” said Assistant Director Calvin Shivers of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division. “Sargeant Marine Inc. attempted to get ahead of competitors by paying bribes to foreign officials in violation of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act. As today's guilty pleas demonstrate, the FBI will relentlessly investigate those attempting to cheat the market, and we will bring them to justice.”
According to the company’s admissions, Sargeant Marine Inc. and its affiliated companies (Sargeant Marine) engaged in an eight-year scheme to bribe foreign officials in Brazil, Venezuela, and Ecuador. In Brazil, Sargeant Marine admitted to bribing a Minister in the Brazilian government, a high-ranking member of the Brazilian Congress, and senior executives at Petróleo Brasileiro S.A.-Petrobras to obtain valuable contracts to sell asphalt. To execute the scheme and conceal the bribe payments, Sargeant Marine entered into fake consulting agreements with bribe intermediaries. After receiving fake invoices, it then sent international wires from Sargeant Marine bank accounts to offshore bank accounts held in the names of shell companies controlled by the bribe intermediaries. The bribe intermediaries used a portion of the commissions to pay bribes to Brazilian government officials on Sargeant Marine’s behalf, either by wire to the officials’ offshore shell companies, or in cash in Brazil.
Sargeant Marine also admitted that between approximately 2012 and 2018, it bribed four Petróleos de Venezuela, S.A. (PDVSA) officials in Venezuela in exchange for inside information, and for their assistance in steering contracts to purchase asphalt from PDVSA to a Sargeant Marine nominee. The Sargeant Marine co-conspirators used code names to hide the identities of some of the PDVSA officials receiving the bribes, referring to them simply as “Oiltrader,” “Tony,” and “Tony 2” in emails and texts. The inside information was called “Chocolates.” Similar to Brazil, Sargeant Marine covered up the bribes by entering into fake consulting agreements with a bribe intermediary and wiring commission payments into U.S. and offshore bank accounts he controlled. The bribe intermediary then paid the PDVSA officials on behalf of Sargeant Marine.
Sargeant Marine also admitted that it bribed an official at Ecuador’s state-owned oil company EP Petroecuador (Petroecuador) to secure a 2014 contract to supply asphalt. The company used the same tactics as in Brazil and Venezuela to conceal the bribe payments. In particular, it engaged a bribe intermediary with close ties to a decisionmaker at Petroecuador and then paid commissions to the bribe intermediary pursuant to a sham consulting agreement. The intermediary used the commission payments to pay the bribes to the Petroecuador official on Sargeant Marine’s behalf.
The department recently unsealed charges against, and the guilty pleas of, five of the individuals who played a major role in the bribery scheme, including Daniel Sargeant, a senior executive of the company; Jose Tomas Meneses, a Sargeant Marine trader; Luiz Eduardo Andrade and David Diaz, consultants who acted as bribe intermediaries in Brazil and Venezuela, respectively; and Hector Nuñez Troyano, a former PDVSA official who received bribes in connection with the Venezuela contracts. A sixth individual, Roberto Finocchi, also a Sargeant Marine trader, pleaded guilty in November 2017 for his role in the Brazil scheme.
On Sept. 10, 2020, a criminal complaint was unsealed in federal court in Brooklyn charging another former PDVSA official with conspiracy to commit money laundering, in part, for his alleged role in the Sargeant Marine Venezuela scheme.
The investigation is being conducted by the FBI’s International Corruption Unit. The government’s case is being handled by the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York. Fraud Section Trial Attorney Derek J. Ettinger and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Whitman Knapp, Mark E. Bini, and Andrey Spektor are prosecuting the case.
The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs provided substantial assistance. The Ministerio Publico Federal in Brazil provided significant cooperation.
The Fraud Section is responsible for investigating and prosecuting all FCPA matters. Additional information about the Justice Department’s FCPA enforcement efforts can be found at www.justice.gov/criminal/fraud/fcpa.
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.
Salem Man Sentenced to 60 Months for Distribution of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
CONCORD - Leonidas N. Mavrogenis, Jr., 62, of Salem, was sentenced to serve 60 months in federal prison for distribution of child pornography, United States Attorney Scott W. Murray announced today. Mavrogenis was also ordered to pay $8,000 in restitution.
According to court documents and statements made in court, during an ongoing undercover investigation, a member of the New Hampshire Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force accessed a peer-to-peer network to identify users who may be sharing images of child pornography. Between February 8, 2018, and March 23, 2018, law enforcement officers conducted downloads of child pornography from an I.P. address later found to belong to Mavrogenis. On August 1, 2018, law enforcement executed a search warrant at the defendant’s residence in Salem. During the search, law enforcement seized computer equipment and electronic devices for forensic examination. Subsequent forensic examination revealed thousands of still images and hundreds of video files containing child pornography, including videos and images downloaded by law enforcement during their investigation.
“Those who distribute child pornography are sharing horrific images of young people who have been abused,” said U.S. Attorney Murray. “In order to stop this savage exploitation of children, we will continue to work closely with our law enforcement partners to see that those responsible are held accountable in court. This serious crime will result in serious federal prison time.”
“This sentence serves as a warning to any who diminish the seriousness of the sharing of such disturbing images.” said Michael Shea, acting Special Agent in Charge, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Boston. “Together with our partners in the New Hampshire Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, HSI Boston congratulates the U.S. Attorney’s office for their success in ensuring justice was done in this case. We hope today’s sentence brings some measure of restoration to the lives of those who are victimized by the actions of Mavrogenis and any others who spread this garbage online.”
This matter was investigated by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations and the New Hampshire Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Cam Le.
In February 2006, the Department of Justice introduced Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney’s Offices, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
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Rotterdam Man Pleads Guilty to Attempted Online Enticement of a MinorRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK –Randy Eignor, age 50, of Rotterdam, New York, pled guilty today to attempted online enticement of a minor.
The announcement was made by Acting United States Attorney Antoinette T. Bacon and Thomas F. Relford, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).
As part of his guilty plea, Eignor admitted that he attempted to entice and coerce an individual, whom he believed to be a 12-year-old girl, to engage in sex. After days of exchanging sexually explicit text messages with the person whom he believed to be a 12-year-old girl, Eignor arranged to meet her in Colonie, where Eignor was arrested by law enforcement on February 12, 2020.
As a result of his conviction, Eignor faces at least 10 years and up to life in prison, a term of post-release supervision of at least 5 years and up to life, and a fine of up to $250,000. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, and other factors. Sentencing is scheduled for January 22, 2021 before United States District Judge Mae A. D’Agostino. Eignor will also have to register as a sex offender upon his release from prison.
This case was investigated by the FBI and its Child Exploitation Task Force, which includes members of state and local law enforcement agencies, including the New York State Police, the Colonie Police Department, and the Rotterdam Police Department, and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua R. Rosenthal.
This case is being prosecuted as part of Project Safe Childhood. Launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice, Project Safe Childhood is led by United States Attorney’s’ 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 https://www.justice.gov/psc.
Recidivist Felon Sentenced to 17 Years for Possession with Intent to Distribute MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
Jackson, TN – Jeffery Lee Davis, 58, of Trenton, Tennessee, has been sentenced to 210 months in federal prison for possession with the intent to distribute more than 5 grams of actual methamphetamine. D. Michael Dunavant, U.S. Attorney announced the sentence today.
According to information presented in Court, on July 6, 2017, agents with the 28th Judicial District Drug Task Force, as well as deputies with Gibson Co. Sheriff's Office, were attempting to serve an arrest warrant on the defendant, Jeffery Lee Davis, at his home in Trenton, Tennessee.
Prior to entering Davis's home, an agent observed Davis sitting at a desk weighing methamphetamine on a set of digital scales. Also in plain view were two clear plastic bags containing approximately 13 grams of methamphetamine. Law enforcement entered the home and took Davis into custody. While searching Davis, agents found another clear plastic bag containing 14 grams of methamphetamine. Davis later admitted that the drugs were his and this offense was his "third-strike."
On May 8, 2018, the Drug Enforcement Administration issued a Chemical Analysis Report confirming the drugs contained 27 grams of actual methamphetamine with a 98% purity level.
In January, 2020, Davis proceeded to trial where a jury convicted him of possession with the intent to distribute more than 5 grams of actual methamphetamine in violation of 21 U.S.C. 841(a)(1). In addition to the evidence concerning the July 6, 2017 incident, the government also presented evidence concerning Davis's sale of methamphetamine to an individual at his home on February 28, 2017. Testifying in his own defense, Davis attempted to place the blame on other individuals for his conduct on
July 6 and February 28, 2017. The jury rejected Davis's claims and returned a guilty verdict against him.
Davis has an extensive criminal history, including four prior felony convictions involving the manufacturing and/or distribution of methamphetamine, as well as convictions for assault and burglary.
On September 18, 2020, Chief U.S. District Judge S. Thomas Anderson sentenced Davis to 210 months imprisonment followed by four years of supervised release. Chief Judge Anderson also found that Davis obstructed justice in this case by testifying falsely at trial, and that he used his residence for the purpose of storing and distributing methamphetamine.
U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant said, "Davis is a recidivist drug offender who was destroying this rural community by his sale of highly potent and poisonous drugs, and despite his refusal to accept responsibility, his prior felony convictions have finally caught up with him. This sentence removing him from the community for 17 years is just punishment for the countless people he has victimized with his repeated criminal conduct."
The 28th Judicial District Drug Task Force, the Gibson County Sheriff’s Office and the Drug Enforcement Administration investigated this case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Josh Morrow and Matt Wilson prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
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RI Man Charged with Fraudulently Seeking $4.7 Million in Covid-19 Stimulus LoansRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE – A Middletown, RI, man currently on federal supervised release having been previously sentenced for robbing four banks, is facing charges in federal court in Providence for allegedly filing fraudulent loan applications seeking more than $4.7 million in Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) forgivable loans guaranteed by the Small Business Administration (SBA) under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. The CARES Act was passed by Congress to assist businesses impacted by the pandemic.
It is alleged that Michael C. Moller, 41, applied for and received nearly $600,000 in PPP loans to pay employees for Fall River, MA, businesses, none of which are incorporated with the Massachusetts Secretary of State, or for which investigators could locate any tax or bank records.
According to court documents, it is alleged that Moller filed a PPP loan application in his name, and caused applications to be filed in the name of his father and his girlfriend’s brother. As a result of those bank loan applications, financial institutions provided Moller a total of $599,251 dollars in stimulus PPP loans he was not entitled to receive.
Additionally, it is alleged that Moller, alone or with family members and associates, filed eight fraudulent PPP loan applications, all in the name of his girlfriend’s son, to pay employees for a Fall River-based business for which investigators could find no records. Among the eight applications were three nearly identical ones filed with different financial institutions, each seeking $734,300 in SBA guaranteed PPP loans. None of the eleven applications allegedly filed in the name of Moller’s girlfriend’s son resulted in the disbursement of PPP loans.
Moller, arrested today by FBI and IRS- Criminal Investigation agents on a criminal complaint charging him with making false statements to influence the Small Business Administration and with bank fraud, appeared before U.S. District Court Magistrate Judge Lincoln D. Almond and was ordered detained.
According to court records, Moller was convicted in the District of Massachusetts in 2010 for fraud and received a sentence of twenty-four months of supervised release. During his term of supervised release, Moller was convicted of four counts of bank robbery and sentenced to 108 months imprisonment and three years of supervised release. His term of supervised release is scheduled to terminate in July 2022.
A federal criminal complaint is merely an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Lee H. Vilker.
The matter is being investigated by the FBI and IRS-Criminal Investigation, with the assistance of the SBA Office of Inspector General and the FDIC Office of Inspector General.
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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Prolific sextortionist sentenced to 40 yearsRead the Press Release
ATLANTA - Benjamin Jenkins has been sentenced to 40 years in prison after a jury found him guilty of producing and distributing child pornography that he coerced more than 100 young girls to create.
“Jenkins exploited as many as 150 girls for his perverse satisfaction, causing unbelievable trauma to these children and their families,” said U.S. Attorney Byung J. “BJay” Pak. “The sheer degradation and depravity that Jenkins forced his victims to endure is unimaginable. This sentence will hopefully help these courageous victims and their families heal.”
“No sentence will ever bring back the innocence that this monster stole from hundreds of girls,” said acting Special Agent in Charge Robert Hammer, who oversees Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) operations in Georgia and Alabama. “These victims were trapped in a vicious cycle from which they could not escape. We will continue to go after these predators while educating our youth about the dangers of sextortion.”
According to U.S. Attorney Pak, the charges and other information presented in court: Beginning in 2015, Jenkins allegedly used different identities to contact girls between the ages of 13 and 16 years. To lure the girls, he would use different aliases and profiles where he would persuade them to send a sexually suggestive photo of themselves. After a girl sent him a photo, Jenkins would threaten her into sending him more photos and videos by claiming that he would post their photos online or send them to their family and friends. Jenkins instructed the girls on what body parts to show, what poses to make, and what objects to insert into their genitals and anus. If a girl did not provide him with a photo or video quickly enough, he would start a countdown clock: the girl had a certain amount of time to provide him with an image before he started posting her other images online. Jenkins further humiliated his victims by forcing them to send him videos showing them drinking their own urine or licking toilets. He also humiliated many of his victims by making them watch him masturbate.
Once a girl blocked Jenkins online, he would send her explicit photos to her parents and friends with demands that the girl resume communications with him. Jenkins also posted his victim’s nude photos and contact information online with messages for men to contact the girls directly for more photos or for sex. In total, Jenkins sextorted as many as 150 girls or more.
Benjamin Jenkins, 25, of Mableton, Georgia, was sentenced to 40 years in prison to be followed by a lifetime of supervised release. He will also be required to register as a sex offender upon release. Jenkins was charged with nine counts of producing child pornography and three counts of distributing child pornography. He was convicted of all of these charges by a federal jury on January 16, 2020.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations with the assistance from the Highland (Illinois) Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Paul R. Jones and L. Skye Davis, Deputy Chief of the Violent Crime & National Security Section, prosecuted the case.
This case is being brought as part of Project Safe Childhood. In February 2006, the Attorney General launched Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney’s Offices around the country, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at [email protected] or (404) 581-6016. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.
Pittsburgh Man Sentenced for Distributing Fentanyl and HeroinRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH - A resident of Pittsburgh has been sentenced in federal court to 21 months’ imprisonment and three years’ supervised release on his conviction of violating federal narcotics laws, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced today.
United States District Judge William S. Stickman IV, imposed the sentence on St. John Williams, age 29, of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
According to information presented to the court, Williams conspired from January 2018 to June 2019, with more than 30 other individuals, many of whom were members of the Darccide/Smash 44, or DS44, neighborhood gang operating in the South Side area of Pittsburgh, to distribute quantities of fentanyl and heroin. Members of the Greater Pittsburgh Safe Streets Task Force conducted the investigation of the DS44 gang and its drug-trafficking activity. As part of this large-scale narcotics and firearms investigation, the United States received authorization to conduct a federal wire investigation. The investigation revealed that Williams was obtaining distribution quantities of fentanyl and heroin from his codefendant, Anthony Jeeter, for further distribution, and was distributing fentanyl and heroin on behalf of his coconspirator Christopher Highsmith.
Assistant United States Attorneys Carolyn J. Bloch and Brendan J. McKenna prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation led the multi-agency investigation of this case, which also included the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives, Allegheny County Adult Probation, Allegheny County Police Department, Allegheny County Sheriff’s Office, Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office Bureau of Narcotics, Pittsburgh Bureau of Police, and the Wilkinsburg Police Department. Other assisting agencies include the Green Tree Police Department, New York City Police Department, Mount Oliver Police Department, Pennsylvania State Police, Yonkers Police Department, United States Marshals Fugitive Task Force, and the United States Postal Inspection Service.
The investigation was funded by the federal Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force Program (OCDETF). The OCDETF program supplies critical federal funding and coordination that allows federal and state agencies to work together to successfully identify, investigate, and prosecute major interstate and international drug trafficking organizations and other criminal enterprises.
Okmulgee Man Pleads Guilty to Assault of an Intimate Partner and Dating Partner in Indian CountryRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Nathan Joe Checotah, age 26, of Okmulgee, Oklahoma entered a guilty plea to Assault of an Intimate Partner and Dating Partner in Indian Country, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 113(a)(8), 1151 and 1153, punishable by not more than 10 years imprisonment, a fine up to $250,000.00, or both.
The Indictment alleged that on or about January 15, 2020, within the Eastern District of Oklahoma, in Indian Country, Nathan Joe Checotah, an Indian, did assault the person of T.G., a person who was an intimate and dating partner, by strangling and suffocating, and attempting to strangle and suffocate T.G.
The charges arose from an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
The Honorable Kimberly E. West, U.S. Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, in Muskogee, accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report.
Special Assistant United States Attorney David Youll represented the United States at the plea hearing.
Oil Trader Indicted in International Bribery and Money Laundering Conspiracy Involving Corrupt Payments to Ecuadorian OfficialsRead the Press Release
A federal grand jury in the Eastern District of New York returned an indictment today against a trader at the U.S. subsidiary of a multinational oil distributor and trading company (Trading Company), for his alleged participation in a five-year international bribery and money laundering scheme involving corrupt payments to Ecuadorian officials.
Acting Attorney General Brian C. Rabbitt, Acting U.S. Attorney Seth D. DuCharme for the Eastern District of New York, and Special Agent in Charge George L. Piro of the FBI’s Miami Field Office made the announcement.
The two-count indictment charges Javier Aguilar, 46, a citizen of Mexico and resident of the United States, with conspiracy to violate the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) and conspiracy to commit money laundering.
As alleged in court documents, including the criminal complaint that was unsealed today, between approximately 2015 and July 2020, Aguilar and others participated in a conspiracy to pay and conceal bribes to then-Ecuadorian officials, including at Empresa Publica de Hidrocarburos del Ecuador (Petroecuador) in order to obtain and retain business for Trading Company, in particular, a $300 million contract to purchase fuel oil that was awarded to a state-owned entity for the benefit of Trading Company.
To promote the bribery scheme and conceal its proceeds, Aguilar and his co-conspirators allegedly agreed to use sham consulting agreements between bribe paying intermediaries and offshore shell companies, into whose accounts Trading Company paid funds while knowing that they would be used to pay bribes to the Ecuadorian government officials.
According to the allegations, during the scheme, Aguilar and his co-conspirators caused the payment of approximately $870,000 in bribes that they had promised to then-Ecuadorian officials on behalf of Trading Company.
The charges in the indictment and in the original complaint are allegations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
The investigation is being conducted by FBI's International Corruption squad in Miami. The government’s case is being handled by the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section (MLARS) and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York. Fraud Section Trial Attorneys Derek J. Ettinger, Jonathan P. Robell, and Clayton P. Solomon, MLARS Trial Attorneys Ann Brickley and Adam Schwartz, and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Mark E. Bini and Andrey Spektor are prosecuting the case. The Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs provided assistance in the investigation.
The Fraud Section is responsible for investigating and prosecuting all FCPA matters. Additional information about the Justice Department’s FCPA enforcement efforts can be found at www.justice.gov/criminal/fraud/fcpa.
The Kleptocracy Asset Recovery Initiative is led by a team of dedicated prosecutors in the Criminal Division’s Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section, in partnership with federal law enforcement agencies, and often with U.S. Attorney’s Offices, to forfeit the proceeds of foreign official corruption and, where appropriate, to use those recovered assets to benefit the people harmed by these acts of corruption and abuse of office. In 2015, the FBI formed International Corruption Squads across the country to address national and international implications of foreign corruption. Individuals with information about possible proceeds of foreign corruption located in or laundered through the United States should contact federal law enforcement or send an email to [email protected] (link sends e-mail) or https://tips.fbi.gov/.
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.
Northern California Man Sentenced to Prison for Receipt and Distribution of over 1,000 Images of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
LAS VEGAS, Nev. — A northern California man was sentenced today to seven years and six months in prison, to be followed by lifetime supervision, for receiving and distributing more than 1,000 images of child pornography, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas A. Trutanich for the District of Nevada.
Cody Nathan Patterson, 32, of northern California, resided in Henderson, Nev., at the time of the offense. In March 2020, he pleaded guilty to one count of receipt and distribution of child pornography before U.S. District Judge Andrew P. Gordon, who sentenced Patterson today. In addition to imprisonment and supervised release, Patterson was ordered to pay $89,000 in restitution to victims. Under the Sex Offender Registration Notification Act, Patterson is also required to register as a sex offender.
According to court documents, between May 2013 and November 2015, Patterson distributed and received nearly 1,200 images of child pornography using Skype. In November 2015, Skype reported to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) that a user — subsequently identified by investigators as Patterson — uploaded images depicting child pornography. When executing search warrants at Patterson’s residence and vehicle, law enforcement seized electronic devices. Those devices contained more than 10,000 images and videos of child pornography, some of which included sadistic and masochistic content.
The investigation was conducted by the Henderson Police Department and the FBI’s Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica Oliva prosecuted the case.
To report child sexual abuse and exploitation, please contact the NCMEC at 1-800-THE-LOST (1-800-843-5678) or online at https://report.cybertip.org/.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit http://www.justice.gov/psc.
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Nigerian National Sentenced for Trafficking 30 Kilograms of HeroinRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Nigerian man was sentenced today to over five years in prison for trafficking more than 30 kilograms of heroin intended for importation into the United States.
According to court documents, Edwin Anyaoku, 54, was a heroin trafficker residing in Johannesburg, South Africa. In that part of the world, heroin typically originates in Pakistan or Afghanistan, then transits the southern part of Africa before being smuggled elsewhere. In December 2017, a law enforcement confidential source (CS) negotiated to buy one kilogram of heroin from Anyaoku in exchange for $15,000. Anyaoku understood that the CS would be distributing the heroin for profit in the United States.
The one kilogram, however, was merely a test run for a larger load. And in June 2018, Anyaoku negotiated another deal with the CS, this time for a load of 29 kilograms of heroin, at a cost of $14,000 per kilogram. Anyaoku understood that the heroin would be sold in New York for more than $60,000 per kilogram. On June 19, 2018, Anyaoku and one of his associates arrived at a hotel in Johannesburg with the 29 kilograms of heroin hidden in a duffel bag and a rolling suitcase. Anyaoku was then arrested by South African authorities and detained pending extradition proceedings.
G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Jesse R. Fong, Special Agent in Charge for the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) Washington Field Division, made the announcement after sentencing by Senior U.S. District Judge Liam O'Grady. Assistant U.S. Attorney Katherine E. Rumbaugh prosecuted the case.
The South African Police Service (SAPS) provided significant assistance in the investigation of this 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. 1:18-cr-270.
New York City Man Arrested for Trafficking Drugs into VermontRead the Press Release
The Office of the United States Attorney for the District of Vermont announced that Mark Anthony Eusebio, aka “Slim,” 27, of New York City, was arrested yesterday after having been charged with conspiracy to distribute and distribution of 28 grams or more of cocaine base, a Schedule II drug. Eusebio appeared today before the Honorable John M. Conroy, United States Magistrate Judge, and was ordered detained pending a detention hearing.
According to court records, the Vermont State Police’s Northeastern Vermont Drug Task Force, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Homeland Security Investigations began investigating Eusebio earlier this month. On September 4, 2020, Eusebio and a criminal associate distributed approximately 74 grams of cocaine base to a confidential informant at the Vermont Welcome Center in Guilford, Vermont, just off Interstate 91. On September 21, 2020, law enforcement located Eusebio operating a Toyota Rav 4 in Springfield, Massachusetts. Agents arrested Eusebio and searched his vehicle. Inside a hidden compartment, agents located a Ruger handgun and approximately 60 grams of suspected cocaine base. Hidden elsewhere in the vehicle, agents located approximately 10 grams of suspected cocaine base and 20 grams of suspected fentanyl.
If convicted, Eusebio faces a mandatory minimum of five years of imprisonment and a maximum of forty years of imprisonment on each count. The actual sentence however, would be determined by the Court with guidance from the advisory Federal Sentencing Guidelines. The United States Attorney emphasizes that the charges in the complaint are merely accusations, and that the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until he is proven guilty.
United States Attorney Christina E. Nolan commended the coordinated investigative efforts of the Vermont State Police, the Federal Bureau of Investigation in Vermont, Homeland Security Investigations in Derby Line, Homeland Security Investigations in Springfield, Massachusetts, the Federal Bureau of Investigation Western Massachusetts Gang Task Force, and the Massachusetts State Police Gang Unit.
The United States is represented in this matter by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan Ophardt. Defendant Eusebio is represented by the Office of the Federal Public Defender.
New Haven Man Pleads Guilty to Drug Trafficking Offense, Assaulting Federal Correctional OfficerRead the Press Release
John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, and David J. Freed, United States Attorney for the Middle District of Pennsylvania, announced that SHAWN HILL, also known as “SB,” 37, of New Haven, pleaded guilty today to assaulting a federal correctional officer, and distributing heroin and crack cocaine shortly after his release from federal custody.
Pursuant to the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act), the guilty plea proceeding before U.S. Magistrate Judge Robert M. Spector in the District of Connecticut occurred via videoconference.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on March 11, 2016, Hill was sentenced in Hartford federal court to 72 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. After his sentencing, Hill was incarcerated at USP Canaan, a high-security federal prison in Waymart, Pennsylvania. On June 30, 2017, a correctional officer located a 6-inch metal “ice pick” style weapon in Hill’s left sock. About an hour later, as prison staff attempted to put hand restraints on Hill so that Hill could be transported to the prison’s Special Housing Unit, Hill slipped his arm out of the restraints and struck a correctional officer in the head with a restraint that was still attached to one of his hands, causing injury to the correctional officer.
On September 19, 2017, a grand jury in the Middle District of Pennsylvania returned an indictment charging Hill with one count of assaulting a federal correctional officer, and one count of possessing contraband in prison.
On April 4, 2019, after he had completed his 72-month sentence, Hill was released on bond while his charges in the Middle District of Pennsylvania were pending.
On April 11, 2019, Hill was intercepted over a court-authorized wiretap during an investigation being conducted by the FBI’s New Haven Safe Streets/Gang Task Force and New Haven Police Department addressing drug trafficking and related acts of violence by members, former members and associates of the “Island Brothers” street gang in New Haven. The wiretap confirmed that Hill was involved in the acquisition and distribution of heroin and crack cocaine.
On July 9, 2019, a grand jury in New Haven returned a 15-count indictment charging 25 individuals with federal narcotics offenses related to the distribution of crack cocaine, cocaine and heroin. Hill and another individual were added as defendants in a superseding indictment that was returned on November 25, 2019.
Hill has been detained since November 26, 2019. His case in the Middle District of Pennsylvania was subsequently transferred to the District of Connecticut for further prosecution.
Today, Hill pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine base (“crack”) and heroin, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years, and one count of assault on a correctional officer, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of eight years. Hill also admitted that he violated the conditions of his supervised release, which carries a maximum term of imprisonment of two years.
Hill is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Robert N. Chatigny in Hartford on December 15, 2020.
This matter is being investigated by the FBI’s New Haven Safe Streets/Gang Task Force, New Haven Police Department, Milford Police Department, Hamden Police Department, East Haven Police Department, Connecticut State Police, Connecticut Department of Correction, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, and the U.S. Bureau of Prisons.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Anthony E. Kaplan, Peter D. Markle and Elena L. Coronado of the District of Connecticut, and Robert J. O’Hara of the Middle District of Pennsylvania.
Neosho Sex Offender Sentenced to 15 Years for Child PornographyRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A prior sex offender in Neosho, Missouri, was sentenced in federal court today for receiving and distributing child pornography.
Benjamin H. Cole, 39, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Brian C. Wimes to 15 years and eight months in federal prison without parole. The court also sentenced Cole to spend the rest of his life on supervised release following incarceration, and to pay $3,000 in victim restitution. Cole will be required to register as a sex offender upon his release from prison and will be subject to federal and state sex offender registration requirements, which may apply throughout his life.
Cole, who was sentenced as a prior sex offender, has a prior conviction for second degree sodomy.
On Feb. 11, 2020, Cole pleaded guilty to receiving and distributing child pornography. The investigation began when law enforcement received a series of Cybertips from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children in 2018. Law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Cole’s residence on Aug. 5, 2019, and seized his cell phone and a desktop computer, which both contained images and videos of child pornography.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney James J. Kelleher. It was investigated by the Neosho, Mo., Police Department, the FBI, and the Southwest Missouri Cyber Crimes Task Force.
Project Safe Childhood
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab "resources."NDTX Charges Alleged DarkWeb Drug Trafficker Arrested in DOJ Operation DisrupTorRead the Press Release
Today, the Department of Justice, through the Joint Criminal Opioid and Darknet Enforcement (JCODE) team, joined Europol to announce the results of Operation DisrupTor, a coordinated international effort to disrupt opioid trafficking on the Darknet. The operation, which was conducted across the United States and Europe, demonstrates the continued partnership between JCODE and Europol against the illegal sale of drugs and other illicit goods and services.
Operation DisrupTor actions have resulted in the arrest of 179 Darknet drug traffickers and fraudulent criminals who engaged in tens of thousands of sales of illicit goods and services across the United States and Europe — including a 39-year-old alleged Darknet cocaine and heroin trafficker charged in the Northern District of Texas.
121 of Operation DisrupTor arrests were made in the United States, including two in Canada at the request of the United States, 42 in Germany, eight in the Netherlands, four in the United Kingdom, three in Austria, and one in Sweden. A number of investigations are still ongoing to identify the individuals behind dark web accounts.
The operation also resulted in the seizure of over $6.5 million; approximately 500 kilograms of drugs worldwide (including approximately 275 kilograms of drugs in the U.S.); and 63 firearms. Darknet vendor accounts were identified and attributed to real individuals selling illicit goods on Darknet market sites such as AlphaBay, Dream, WallStreet, Nightmare, Empire, White House, DeepSea, Dark Market and others.
By leveraging complementary partnerships and surging resources across the U.S. government and Europol, Operation DisrupTor was used to significantly disrupt the online opioid trade and send a strong message that criminals operating on the Darknet are not beyond the reach of law enforcement.
“Criminals selling fentanyl on the Darknet should pay attention to Operation DisrupTor,” said Deputy Attorney General Jeffrey Rosen. “The arrest of 179 of them in seven countries—with the seizure of their drug supplies and their money as well — shows that there will be no safe haven for drug dealing in cyberspace.”
The extensive operation, which lasted nine months, resulted in over dozens of federal prosecutions including:
- Aaron Brewer, 39, of Corsicana, Texas, was charged with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute a controlled substance and distribution of a controlled substance in a two-count indictment returned by a grand jury in the Northern District of Texas. According to court documents, the defendant allegedly sold cocaine, heroin, and other drugs via the dark web. He allegedly accepted payment in cryptocurrency, primarily bitcoin, and then shipped the drugs to customers’ addresses through the U.S. mail and other shipping services. Following Brewer’s arrest on July 2, agents with the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and FBI Dallas Field Office seized roughly 650 grams of black tar heroin, cocaine, and OxyContin, two computers, and more than $870 in postage stamps, as well as a ledger outlining 757 drug shipments sent to 609 unique addresses between December 2019 and March 2020.
- The Los Angeles JCODE Task Force, in conjunction with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California, successfully dismantled a drug trafficking organization that used online monikers such as “Stealthgod” to sell methamphetamine and MDMA on multiple Darknet marketplaces. Investigators have linked the crew to more than 18,000 illicit drug sales to customers in at least 35 states and numerous countries around the world. During law enforcement actions in Southern California earlier this year, members of JCODE arrested five defendants and seized approximately 120 pounds of methamphetamine, seven kilograms of MDMA and five firearms. Two of the five – Teresa McGrath, 34, of Sunland-Tujunga, and Mark Chavez, 41, of downtown Los Angeles – have since pleaded guilty to narcotics-trafficking and other offenses, and each faces a 15-year mandatory minimum sentence. As the investigation continued, the Los Angeles JCODE Task Force made additional seizures, including $1.6 million in cryptocurrency, 11 pounds of methamphetamine and 14 pounds of pills pressed with methamphetamine. Andres Bermudez, 37, of Palmdale, California, who allegedly was a main supplier of methamphetamine to the “Stealthgod” crew, was charged last week with a narcotics-trafficking offense that carry a 10-year mandatory minimum sentence. He is considered a fugitive.
- Arden McCann, 32, of Quebec, Canada, was charged with conspiring to import drugs into the United States and money laundering conspiracy, in a four-count indictment returned by a grand jury in Atlanta, Georgia. According to court documents, the defendant is alleged to have imported alprazolam, fentanyl, U-47700, and fentanyl analogues such as carfentanil, furanyl fentanyl, 4-fluoroisobutyryl fentanyl, acryl fentanyl, and methoxyacetyl fentanyl into the United States from Canada and China. The superseding indictment alleges that fentanyl analogues the defendant imported into the United States resulted in a non-fatal overdose in April 2016, and fentanyl the defendant imported into the United States resulted in an overdose death in December 2016.
- Khlari Sirotkin, 36, of Colorado; Kelly Stephens, 32, of Colorado; Sean Deaver, 36, of Nevada; Abby Jones, 37, of Nevada; and Sasha Sirotkin, 32, of California, were charged with drug trafficking and money laundering conspiracy, in a 21-count indictment returned by a grand jury in Cincinnati, Ohio. According to court documents, the defendants are alleged to be members of one of the most prolific online drug trafficking organizations in the United States and allegedly specialized in the manufacturing and distribution of more than one million fentanyl-laced counterfeit pills and laundered approximately $2.8 million over the course of the conspiracy. The pressed fentanyl pills, along with heroin, methamphetamine and cocaine, were shipped to the Southern District of Ohio and throughout the country. FBI, DEA, FDA, HSI and USPIS agents seized 2.5 kilograms of fentanyl; 5,095 pressed xanax; 50 suboxone; 16.5 grams of cocaine; 37 grams of crystal meth; 12 grams of black tar heroin; an industrial pill press; 5,908 pounds of dried marijuana with an estimated street value of $9 million; $80,191 in cash, 10 firearms and one pound of fentanyl.
- The FBI Washington Field Office’s Hi-Tech Opioid Task Force, in conjunction with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia, successfully thwarted a firebomb attack plot involving explosives, firearms, the Darknet, prescription opioid trafficking, cryptocurrency, and sophisticated money laundering. William Anderson Burgamy, 33, of Hanover, Maryland, and Hyrum T. Wilson, 41, of Auburn, Nebraska, pleaded guilty in the Eastern District of Virginia to charges related to a conspiracy to use explosives to firebomb and destroy a competitor pharmacy in Nebraska. Burgamy, who is not a pharmacist, operated as the Darknet vendor NeverPressedRX (NPRX) since at least August 2019. Wilson, who was a licensed pharmacist, illegally mailed to Burgamy over 19,000 dosage units of prescription medications, including opioids, from his pharmacy in Nebraska. Burgamy illegally sold prescription drugs through his Darknet vendor account to customers nationwide, and claimed at one point that he made nearly $1 million total. Burgamy and Wilson agreed that Burgamy and another individual would carry multiple firearms during the attack operation and use explosives, specifically Molotov cocktails enhanced with Styrofoam as a thickening agent, to burn the victim pharmacy down in furtherance of their drug trafficking scheme. Law enforcement agents seized thousands of opioid pills, eight unsecured firearms, including two loaded AR-15 assault rifles with high capacity magazines, and over $19,000 cash. Prior to Burgamy’s arrest in April 2020, which uncovered and thwarted the firebombing plot, Burgamy and Wilson fully intended on the attack occurring after COVID-19 restrictions were lifted.
An indictment and criminal complaint merely alleges that crimes have been committed. The defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Operation DisrupTor was a collaborative initiative across JCODE members, including the Department of Justice; Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI); U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA); U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS); U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)’s Homeland Security Investigations (HSI); U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP); Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN); Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms (ATF); Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) and Department of Defense (DOD). Local, state and other federal agencies also contributed to Operation DisrupTor investigations. The investigations leading to Operation DisrupTor were significantly aided by essential support and coordination by the Department of Justice’s multi-agency Special Operations Division, the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section, Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section, and Organized Crime and Gang Section, the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs, the National Cyber Joint Investigative Task Force (NCJITF), Europol and its Dark Web team and international partners Eurojust, Austrian Federal Investigation Bureau (Bundeskriminalamt), Cyprus Police (Αστυνομία Κύπρου), German Federal Criminal Police Office (Bundeskriminalamt), Canada’s Royal Canadian Mounted Police, Portuguese Judicial Police (Polícia Judiciária), Dutch Police (Politie), Swedish Police (Polisen), the British National Crime Agency, Australia's Western Australia Police Force and Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission.
Federal prosecutions are being conducted in more than 20 Federal districts, including: the Central District of California, the Eastern District of California, the Northern District of California, the Southern District of California, the District of Colorado, the District of Columbia, the District of Connecticut, the Middle District of Florida, the Southern District of Florida, the Northern District of Georgia, the District of Hawaii, the Western District of Missouri, the District of New Jersey, the Western District of North Carolina, the Northern District of Ohio, the Southern District of Ohio, District of Oregon, the Western District of Pennsylvania, the Northern District of Texas, the Eastern District of Virginia, the District of the Virgin Islands and the Western District of Washington.
JCODE is an FBI-led Department of Justice initiative, which works closely with the DEA-led, multi-agency, Special Operations Division to support, coordinate and de-conflict investigations targeting for disruption and dismantlement of the online sale of illegal drugs, especially fentanyl and other opioids. Additionally, JCODE targets the trafficking of weapons and other illicit goods and services on the internet. Operation DisrupTor illustrates the investigative power of federal and international partnerships to combat the borderless nature of online criminal activity.
Photos of seizures can be obtained by clicking here, relevant court documents can be obtained by clicking here, and graphic can be downloaded here.
- Aaron Brewer, 39, of Corsicana, Texas, was charged with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute a controlled substance and distribution of a controlled substance in a two-count indictment returned by a grand jury in the Northern District of Texas. According to court documents, the defendant allegedly sold cocaine, heroin, and other drugs via the dark web. He allegedly accepted payment in cryptocurrency, primarily bitcoin, and then shipped the drugs to customers’ addresses through the U.S. mail and other shipping services. Following Brewer’s arrest on July 2, agents with the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and FBI Dallas Field Office seized roughly 650 grams of black tar heroin, cocaine, and OxyContin, two computers, and more than $870 in postage stamps, as well as a ledger outlining 757 drug shipments sent to 609 unique addresses between December 2019 and March 2020.
Muskogee Man Pleads Guilty to Child Neglect in Indian CountryRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Brandon Edward Bridges, age 24, of Muskogee, Oklahoma entered a guilty plea to Child Neglect In Indian Country, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 1151, 1153 and Title 21, Oklahoma Statutes, Section 843.5(C), punishable by not more than life imprisonment, a fine up to $5,000.00, or both.
The Indictment alleged that on or about December 7, 2019, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma, in Indian Country, the defendant, Brandon Edward Bridges, an Indian, did willfully and maliciously fail and omit to provide JS1, JS2, JS3, AS, BB1, and BB2, adequate food, clothing, shelter, sanitation and hygiene and appropriate care and supervision and failed to protect JS1, JS2, JS3, AS, BB1, and BB2 from exposure to the use and possession of illegal drugs and illegal activities all while BRANDON EDWARD BRIDGES was responsible for the health, safety and welfare of JS1, JS2, JS3, AS, BB1, and BB2, children under the age of eighteen.
The charges arose from an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
The Honorable Steven P. Shreder, U.S. Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, in Muskogee, accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report.
Assistant United States Attorney Jarrod Leaman represented the United States at the plea hearing.
Middlesex County Man Admits Role in Heroin Distribution ConspiracyRead the Press Release
TRENTON, N.J. – A Middlesex County, New Jersey, man today admitted that he conspired to distribute more than 100 grams of heroin as part of a conspiracy responsible for distributing significant quantities of heroin and cocaine in the Bayshore area of Monmouth and Middlesex counties, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito announced.
Daniel McHugh, 50, of Sayreville, New Jersey, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Brian R. Martinotti via videoconference to an information charging him with one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 100 grams or more of heroin. McHugh also admitted to conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute a quantity of cocaine and possessing with intent to distribute a quantity of crack cocaine.
Today’s guilty plea follows a coordinated takedown in November 2018 of 15 defendants charged by complaint with conspiracy to distribute heroin and cocaine. To date, 13 defendants have pleaded guilty, including supplier Gregory Gillens and lead defendant Guy Jackson. Gillens was sentenced on Sept. 8, 2020, to 10 years in prison. Jackson is awaiting sentencing.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
From May 2017 to November 2018, McHugh and others engaged in a narcotics conspiracy that operated in the Raritan Bayshore region of Middlesex and northern Monmouth counties. Through the interception of telephone calls and text messages pursuant to court-authorized wiretap orders, controlled purchases of heroin and cocaine, the use of confidential sources of information, and other investigative techniques, law enforcement learned that McHugh regularly obtained heroin and cocaine for further distribution from Jackson. Some of the heroin distributed by the conspiracy contained fentanyl, a dangerous synthetic opioid.
On the date of his arrest, McHugh gave consent to search his residence. During that search, law enforcement recovered quantities of heroin, cocaine, and crack cocaine intended for further distribution.
The heroin conspiracy count to which McHugh pleaded guilty carries a statutory mandatory minimum term of five years in prison, a maximum of 40 years in prison, and a fine of up to $5 million. Sentencing is scheduled for Jan. 20, 2021.
U.S. Attorney Carpenito credited Special Agents of the FBI, Newark Division, Red Bank Resident Agency, Jersey Shore Gang and Criminal Organization Task Force (including representatives from the Bradley Beach Police Department, Brick Police Department, Howell Police Department, Marlboro Police Department, Monmouth County Sheriff's Office, Toms River Police Department, and Union Beach Police Department) under the direction of Special Agent in Charge George M. Crouch Jr.; Special Agents of the FBI, Philadelphia Division, Scranton Resident Agency, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Michael J. Driscoll; the New Jersey State Police, under the direction of Colonel Patrick J. Callahan, Superintendent; the Matawan Police Department, under the direction of Chief Thomas J. Falco, Jr.; the Holmdel Police Department, under the direction of Chief John Mioduszewski; the Highlands Police Department, under the direction of Chief Robert Burton; the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Prosecutor Christopher J. Gramiccioni; the Old Bridge Police Department, under the direction of Chief William A. Volkert; the Keansburg Police Department, under the direction of Chief James K. Pigott; the Hazlet Police Department, under the direction of Chief Philip Meehan; and the Aberdeen Police Department, under the direction of Chief Richard A. Derechailo, with the investigation leading to today’s guilty plea.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Elisa T. Wiygul of the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Criminal Division in Trenton.
The charges and allegations against the two remaining defendants are merely accusations and they are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Meth Dealing and Firearm Possession Lands Oklahoma City Woman in Federal Prison for a Quarter of a CenturyRead the Press Release
OKLAHOMA CITY – CRYSTAL LEANN RODRIGUEZ, 28, of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, has been sentenced to 300 months in prison for possessing methamphetamine with intent to distribute, as well as possessing firearms in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime, announced U.S. Attorney Timothy J. Downing.
Rodriguez was arrested on May 8, 2019, after law enforcement observed multiple drug transactions at her residence in southwest Oklahoma City. Law enforcement thereafter executed a court authorized search warrant on Rodriguez’ home. That search resulted in the seizure of more than 68 pounds of methamphetamine, more than $95,000 in cash, and thirteen firearms.
Three other individuals—Tara Humphries, Cheyenne Delodge, and Aimee Salem—were also arrested in connection with the illicit activity taking place at the residence. Public records reflect that all four women have pled guilty to both possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute and possession of firearms in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime.
At a sentencing hearing yesterday, U.S. District Judge Patrick R. Wyrick sentenced Rodriguez to 240 months in federal prison on the drug dealing count, to be followed by 60 months of imprisonment on the firearm count. Judge Wyrick also imposed five years of supervised release. In imposing Rodriguez’ sentence, Judge Wyrick noted the nature and circumstances of the offense and Rogriguez’ criminal history. Public records reflect that Rodriguez’ arrest came approximately two months after her release from state prison, where she was serving sentences for other controlled substances offenses.
Judge Wyrick has previously sentenced Delodge to 210 months of incarceration, Salem to 120 months of incarceration, and Humphries to 352 months of incarceration.
This case is the result of an investigation by the Oklahoma City Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation—Oklahoma City Field Office, with assistance from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the U.S. Marshals Service. Assistant U.S. Attorneys David McCrary and Jason Harley prosecuted the case.
This case is part of the work of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces, the Department of Justice’s signature initiatives to address and reduce drug-related criminal activity.
Reference is made to court filings for further information. To download a photo of U.S. Attorney Downing, click here.
McKeesport Man Charged with Possessing Images of Minors Engaged in Sexually Explicit ConductRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, PA – A resident of McKeesport, PA, has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh on a charge of violating federal law relating to the sexual exploitation of children, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced today.
The one-count Indictment, returned on September 15, 2020 and unsealed today, names Joseph Teasdale, age 42, as the sole defendant.
According to the Indictment, on or about March 5, 2020, Teasdale possessed images depicting minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct, some of whom had not reached the age of 12.
The law provides for a maximum total sentence of 20 years imprisonment, a maximum term of lifetime supervised release, and a fine of $250,000. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant. The defendant remains under home detention pending the resolution of the case.
Assistant United States Attorney Robert C. Schupansky is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Allegheny Police Department conducted the investigation leading to the Indictment in this 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.justice.gov/psc.
An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
MS-13 Gang Member Sentenced for Role in Armed RobberyRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – An illegal alien and admitted MS-13 gang member was sentenced today to 28 months in prison for serving as a getaway driver for three men associated with MS-13 who had just committed an armed robbery.
“This case is a prime example of our need for strong borders,” said G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. “After previously being deported, this admitted MS-13 gang member again illegally crossed our southern border to get back into the United States. Then, as we’ve seen so often, once back here in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area he continued his criminal activity and participation in MS-13. My thanks to the dedicated anti-gang task force agents for their outstanding work on this important case.”
According to court documents, William Alexis Benavides Pena, 27, is in the United States illegally and is a member of MS-13’s Pinos Locos Salvatruchos (PLS) clique. On the morning of Aug. 18, 2017, several PLS members and associates travelled from Maryland to Herndon at the direction of the clique’s then-leader in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area. Some of those individuals, wearing masks and brandishing firearms, proceeded to rob a store in the 1100 block of Elden Street of approximately $19,500. Those men then entered a neighboring restaurant and kept its patrons and staff on the floor for several minutes before fleeing through the rear exit. Benavides Pena, knowing that a robbery had been committed, drove three of the armed robbers away from the scene and back to Maryland.
"This prosecution and sentencing demonstrates the combined efforts of local, state and federal agencies in disrupting and dismantling the MS13 threat in our communities," said Robert E. Bornstein, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Washington Field Office Criminal Division.
The case was investigated as part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF), Operation Blue Heat. 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.
This case was investigated by the FBI, Washington Field Office's Northern Virginia Safe Streets/HIDTA Task Force which is composed of FBI agents, along with Task Force Officers from local, state, and federal partners throughout Northern Virginia. The task force is charged with identifying and investigating the most egregious and violent gangs in Northern Virginia, to include MS13. Significant investigative assistance in this case was provided by the Herndon PD and Northern Virginia Gang Task Force.
This case is also 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; Robert E. Bornstein, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Washington Field Office Criminal Division; and Maggie A. DeBoard, Town of Herndon Police Chief, made the announcement after sentencing by Senior U.S. District Judge Liam O'Grady. Assistant U.S. Attorney John C. Blanchard prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:20-cr-123.
Lincoln Man Sentenced to 10 Years for Child PornographyRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Joe Kelly announced that Joshua Clutter, 24, of Lincoln, Nebraska, was sentenced today in federal court in Lincoln for Receipt of Child Pornography. Senior United States District Judge Richard G. Kopf sentenced Clutter to 120 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After his release from prison, Clutter will begin a 20-year term of supervised release. He will also be required to register as a sex offender. The Court further ordered that Clutter pay restitution in the sum of $4,400 to three victims whose images were found in his collection.
On December 11, 2018, agents of Homeland Security Investigations served a federal search warrant on Clutter’s Lincoln residence. Forensic analysis revealed 465 videos of child pornography on various devices. More than 90 images included children in bondage.
During an interview, Clutter admitted downloading child pornography from age 4 and upward. He admitted to viewing child pornography for sexual gratification. Shortly after the warrant was served on his residence, Clutter went on the internet seeking to babysit young children.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by 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 www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations.
Kalamazoo Man Gets 30 Months for Bank RobberyRead the Press Release
GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN - U.S. Attorney Andrew Birge announced today that Daniel Augustine Solis, 28, of Kalamazoo, Michigan, was sentenced to serve 30 months in the Federal Bureau of Prisons for bank robbery. Chief U.S. District Judge Robert J. Jonker also imposed a period of supervised release of 3 years and ordered Solis to pay $7038.50, in restitution.
On February 12, 2020, Solis entered the Chase Bank located at 141 E. Michigan Avenue, in Kalamazoo, Michigan. He used a demand note to rob a teller and fled with $7,038.50 in cash. A Kalamazoo Township law enforcement officer recognized Solis from the bank surveillance photo. When confronted by police, Solis confessed to robbing the bank and claimed that he just wanted to see what it felt like, and if he was successful, he might try it again.
At sentencing, Chief Judge Jonker rejected Solis’s request for leniency and the claim that the robbery was out of character for him. Judge Jonker emphasized the research and preparations that Solis made and seriousness of bank robbery.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Birge stated, “Bank robbery is not a ‘life experience.’ It is a serious violent offense, often resulting in sobering life-altering consequences for the victims. My office and our partners at the Kalamazoo Department of Public Safety, Kalamazoo Township Police and at the FBI are committed to holding bank robbers accountable.”
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel Mekaru,and investigated by the Kalamazoo Department of Public Safety, Kalamazoo Township Police, and the FBI.
Justice Department Obtains $20,000 Settlement Against Tampa, Florida Towing Company for Unlawfully Selling Deployed Servicemember’s CarRead the Press Release
The Justice Department today announced that Target Recovery Towing Inc. (Target) has agreed to enter into a court-enforceable consent order to resolve allegations that it failed to obtain a legally required court order before auctioning off a car belonging to a U.S. Marine Corps sergeant who was deployed overseas.
The Justice Department filed a lawsuit against Target on Aug. 18, 2020, alleging that the auction violated the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (SCRA). Under the proposed consent order, which is still subject to approval by the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida, Target must adopt new policies, pay the Marine $17,500, and pay a $2,500 civil penalty to the United States.
The SCRA, which provides a wide variety of financial and housing protections to members of the military, prohibits towing companies from auctioning off servicemembers’ vehicles without a court order. The law places the burden on towing companies and other lienholders to determine whether the property in their possession belongs to a servicemember. The complaint alleges that several facts should have put Target on notice that the owner of this particular vehicle was a servicemember, including that the Marine's car had at least one military decal, military documents were in the car, her address of record was at a U.S. Marine Corps base, and she obtained her vehicle loan through Navy Federal Credit Union.
“This settlement should send a clear message that the Justice Department will not tolerate the illegal taking of servicemembers’ vehicles,” said Assistant Attorney General Eric Dreiband of the department’s Civil Rights Division. “Servicemembers must be able to count on their country to protect their rights, and we are committed to doing just that.”
“I am pleased that we were able to reach a swift and effective resolution to this matter. The SCRA exists to protect the brave men and women of our Armed Forces serving overseas and minimize undue financial burdens associated with military deployments,” said Maria Chapa Lopez, U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of Florida. “We will continue to aggressively hold accountable those businesses and institutions who are required to comply with the Act. Our brave servicemembers deserve nothing less.”
This lawsuit resulted from a referral to the Justice Department from the U.S. Marine Corps. Servicemembers and their dependents who believe their SCRA rights have been violated should contact the nearest Armed Forces Legal Assistance Program Office. Office locations may be found at http://legalassistance.law.af.mil/. The department’s enforcement of the SCRA is conducted by the Civil Rights Division’s Housing and Civil Enforcement Section and U.S. Attorney’s Offices throughout the country. Since 2011, the department has obtained over $474 million in monetary relief for over 120,000 servicemembers through its enforcement of the SCRA. Additional information on the Justice Department’s enforcement of the SCRA and other laws protecting servicemembers is available at www.servicemembers.gov.
Jury Convicts Virginia Man of Distributing More than 500 Grams of Methamphetamine, Illegal Possession of Firearm at Conclusion of Three-Day Jury TrialRead the Press Release
ABINGDON, Va. – At the conclusion of a three-day jury trial, jurors sitting in U.S. District Court in Abingdon convicted Tracy Leonard Brown of federal drug and gun charges related to the defendant’s distribution of methamphetamine. Acting United States Attorney Daniel P. Bubar and Ashan M. Benedict, Special Against in Charge of the Washington Field Office for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) made the announcement.
The jury convicted Brown, 45, on four counts—one count of possession with the intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine, one count of possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, one count of possessing firearms after having been convicted of a crime punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year, and while knowingly being an unlawful user of a controlled substance, and one count of distribution of methamphetamine.
According to evidence presented at trial, Carroll County deputies arrested Brown on July 3, 2019, after a high-speed pursuit. Before the pursuit, Brown had been traveling north through Carroll County toward Wytheville and had been using a scout to avoid law enforcement. Searches of Brown’s person and car uncovered more than two pounds of methamphetamine, two pistols, digital scales, baggies, and roughly $3,800 in cash. The evidence also showed that Brown had sold methamphetamine to a confidential informant in Wytheville just weeks before the high-speed pursuit.
The investigation of the case was conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the Carroll County Sheriff’s Office; the Wythe County Sheriff’s Office; and the Virginia State Police. Assistant United State Attorneys Whit Pierce and Lena Busscher prosecuted the case for the United States.
Judge sentences armed fentanyl trafficker and felon to eight years for firearms and narcotics violationsRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS, MO – U.S. District Judge Henry E. Autrey sentenced Darrise Ball to 96 months in federal prison. The 33-year-old St. Louis resident pleaded guilty today to being a felon in possession of a firearm, possession with intent to distribute cocaine and fentanyl, and being in possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking.
On the evening of August 5, 2019, St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department detectives were patrolling in the area of Romaine Place and Hodiamont Avenue when a Nissan Rogue ran a stop sign and almost hit the detectives, who were driving an unmarked car. Detectives checked the Nissan’s license plate and learned the Nissan had been reported stolen. St. Louis officers activated their lights and sirens in an attempt to pull over the Nissan. Ball, who was driving the Nissan fled at a high rate of speed, violating traffic signs and causing people to run out of the street to avoid being hit. While turning at the intersection of Ridge and Hodiamont Avenues, the Nissan slid into a vacant lot at 6001 Ridge Avenue and came to a stop.
The front seat passenger fled from the Nissan. Ball crawled from the driver’s seat into the passenger’s seat and out of the passenger’s side door. Ball ran across a field while disobeying officers’ commands to stop. Detectives were able to catch Ball and arrest him.
The detectives searched the Nissan and discovered a 9mm Glock pistol with an extended magazine, loaded with 33 rounds, a .45 caliber Glock pistol with an extended magazine, loaded with 28 rounds, and fentanyl and cocaine packaged in multiple individually wrapped plastic bags. It was further discovered the .45 Glock pistol had been reported stolen.
The St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department investigated the case. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer Szczucinski prosecuted the case for the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
Jamestown Man Sentenced After Being Caught with Meth and Gun in A CarRead 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 Jacob Graham, 19, of Jamestown, NY, who was convicted of possessing with intent to distribute five grams or more of actual methamphetamine, and possessing a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking, was sentenced to serve 120 months in prison by U.S. District Judge Richard J. Arcara.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua A. Violanti, who handled the case, stated that on May 7, 2019, Jamestown Police officers observed two males fighting with another male in the area of Crescent and Cheney Streets. The suspects quickly got into a silver vehicle and sped away from the scene. Detectives followed the suspect vehicle in an unmarked police car, but also requested the assistance of a marked patrol unit. The marked patrol unit initiated a traffic stop at the driveway of a residence on Lincoln Street in Jamestown.
A detective approached the passenger side of the vehicle and opened the front passenger door. Inside, the detective observed two baggies of what appeared to be methamphetamine. The front seat passenger, identified as defendant Graham, exited the vehicle and was placed under arrest. Another officer approached the driver's side door of the vehicle and had the driver exit the vehicle. The driver was also placed under arrest. A back seat passenger was detained but later released.
During a subsequent search of the vehicle, investigators recovered a book bag which contained a loaded 12 gauge shotgun. The book bag also contained a digital scale with white powder residue on it and 16 rounds of 12 gauge shotgun ammunition. A records check determined that the firearm was stolen from a Federal Firearms Licensee in Hamilton, Ohio in March 2017.
The sentencing is the result of an investigation by the Jamestown Police Department, under the direction of Acting Chief Timothy Jackson; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge John B. Devito; and the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Ray Donovan, New York Field Division.
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International Law Enforcement Operation Targeting Opioid Traffickers on the Darknet Results in over 170 Arrests Worldwide and the Seizure of Weapons, Drugs and over $6.5 MillionRead the Press Release
Today, the Department of Justice, through the Joint Criminal Opioid and Darknet Enforcement (JCODE) team joined Europol to announce the results of Operation DisrupTor, a coordinated international effort to disrupt opioid trafficking on the Darknet. The operation, which was conducted across the United States and Europe, demonstrates the continued partnership between JCODE and Europol against the illegal sale of drugs and other illicit goods and services. Operation DisrupTor builds on the success of last year’s Operation SaboTor and the coordinated law enforcement takedown of the Wall Street Market, one of the largest illegal online markets on the dark web.
Following the Wall Street Market takedown in May 2019, U.S. and international law enforcement agencies obtained intelligence to identify Darknet drug traffickers, resulting in a series of complementary, but separate, law enforcement investigations. Operation DisrupTor actions have resulted in the arrest of 179 Darknet drug traffickers and fraudulent criminals who engaged in tens of thousands of sales of illicit goods and services across the United States and Europe.
This operation resulted in the seizure of over $6.5 million in both cash and virtual currencies; approximately 500 kilograms of drugs worldwide; 274 kilograms of drugs, including fentanyl, oxycodone, hydrocodone, methamphetamine, heroin, cocaine, ecstasy, MDMA, and medicine containing addictive substances in the United States; and 63 firearms. Darknet vendor accounts were identified and attributed to real individuals selling illicit goods on Darknet market sites such as AlphaBay, Dream, WallStreet, Nightmare, Empire, White House, DeepSea, Dark Market and others. By leveraging complementary partnerships and surging resources across the U.S. government and Europol, Operation DisrupTor was used to significantly disrupt the online opioid trade and send a strong message that criminals operating on the Darknet are not beyond the reach of law enforcement.
Operation DisrupTor led to 121 arrests in the United States including two in Canada at the request of the United States, 42 in Germany, eight in the Netherlands, four in the United Kingdom, three in Austria, and one in Sweden. A number of investigations are still ongoing to identify the individuals behind dark web accounts.
“Criminals selling fentanyl on the Darknet should pay attention to Operation DisrupTor,” said Deputy Attorney General Jeffrey Rosen. “The arrest of 179 of them in seven countries—with the seizure of their drug supplies and their money as well—shows that there will be no safe haven for drug dealing in cyberspace.”
“With the spike in opioid-related overdose deaths during the COVID-19 pandemic, we recognize that today’s announcement is important and timely,” said FBI Director Christopher Wray. “The FBI wants to assure the American public, and the world, that we are committed to identifying Darknet drug dealers and bringing them to justice. But our work does not end with today’s announcement. The FBI, through JCODE and our partnership with Europol, continues to be actively engaged in a combined effort to disrupt the borderless, worldwide trade of illicit drugs. The FBI will continue to use all investigative techniques and tools to identify and prosecute Darknet opioid dealers, wherever they may be located.”
“The 21st century has ushered in a tidal wave of technological advances that have changed the way we live,” said DEA Acting Administrator Timothy J. Shea. “But as technology has evolved, so too have the tactics of drug traffickers. Riding the wave of technological advances, criminals attempt to further hide their activities within the dark web through virtual private networks and tails, presenting new challenges to law enforcement in the enduring battle against illegal drugs. Operation DisrupTor demonstrates the ability of DEA and our partners to outpace these digital criminals in this ever-changing domain, by implementing innovative ways to identify traffickers attempting to operate anonymously and disrupt these criminal enterprises.”
“U.S. Immigration and Custom’s Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) has played an integral role in Operation DisrupTor which has effectively removed opioids from our communities,” said ICE Acting Deputy Director Derek Benner. “It has been an honor to work alongside our domestic and international law enforcement partners and pursue bad actors hiding on the Darknet. Our trained cyber analysts and investigators have conducted undercover efforts that target dark website operators, vendors and prolific buyers of these dangerous drugs. HSI special agents employ unique investigative capabilities to trace and identify the proceeds stemming from the distribution and online sales of fentanyl and other illicit opioids. These efforts will continue to thwart a significant amount of criminal drug sale activity and deter criminals believing they can operate with anonymity on the Darknet.”
“The U.S. Postal Inspection Service has worked diligently for years to rid the mail of illicit drug trafficking and preserve the integrity of the mail,” said Chief Postal Inspector Gary Barksdale. “Most importantly, these efforts provide a safe environment for postal employees and the American public. Today’s announcement serves as an outstanding example of the worldwide impact Postal Inspectors can make through our ever-growing partnerships with federal and international law enforcement agencies. On behalf of the U.S. Postal Service, we offer our sincere appreciation to all of our partners in this operation who helped protect the nation’s mail, and we pledge to never relent in our pursuit of criminals seeking to exploit the U.S. mail.”
“Law enforcement is most effective when working together, and today’s announcement sends a strong message to criminals selling or buying illicit goods on the dark web: the hidden internet is no longer hidden, and your anonymous activity is not anonymous,” said Edvardas Šileris, the Head of Europol’s European Cybercrime Centre (EC3). “Law enforcement is committed to tracking down criminals, no matter where they operate – be it on the streets or behind a computer screen.”
The extensive operation, which lasted nine months, resulted in over dozens of federal prosecutions including:
- The Los Angeles JCODE Task Force, in conjunction with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California, successfully dismantled a drug trafficking organization that used online monikers such as “Stealthgod” to sell methamphetamine and MDMA on multiple Darknet marketplaces. Investigators have linked the crew to more than 18,000 illicit drug sales to customers in at least 35 states and numerous countries around the world. During law enforcement actions in Southern California earlier this year, members of JCODE arrested five defendants and seized approximately 120 pounds of methamphetamine, seven kilograms of MDMA and five firearms. Two of the five – Teresa McGrath, 34, of Sunland-Tujunga, and Mark Chavez, 41, of downtown Los Angeles – have since pleaded guilty to narcotics-trafficking and other offenses, and each faces a 15-year mandatory minimum sentence. As the investigation continued, the Los Angeles JCODE Task Force made additional seizures, including $1.6 million in cryptocurrency, 11 pounds of methamphetamine and 14 pounds of pills pressed with methamphetamine. Andres Bermudez, 37, of Palmdale, California, who allegedly was a main supplier of methamphetamine to the “Stealthgod” crew, was charged last week with a narcotics-trafficking offense that carry a 10-year mandatory minimum sentence. He is considered a fugitive.
- Arden McCann, 32, of Quebec, Canada, was charged with conspiring to import drugs into the United States and money laundering conspiracy, in a four-count indictment returned by a grand jury in Atlanta, Georgia. According to court documents, the defendant is alleged to have imported alprazolam, fentanyl, U-47700, and fentanyl analogues such as carfentanil, furanyl fentanyl, 4-fluoroisobutyryl fentanyl, acryl fentanyl, and methoxyacetyl fentanyl into the United States from Canada and China. The superseding indictment alleges that fentanyl analogues the defendant imported into the United States resulted in a non-fatal overdose in April 2016, and fentanyl the defendant imported into the United States resulted in an overdose death in December 2016.
- Khlari Sirotkin, 36, of Colorado; Kelly Stephens, 32, of Colorado; Sean Deaver, 36, of Nevada; Abby Jones, 37, of Nevada; and Sasha Sirotkin, 32, of California, were charged with drug trafficking and money laundering conspiracy, in a 21-count indictment returned by a grand jury in Cincinnati, Ohio. According to court documents, the defendants are alleged to be members of one of the most prolific online drug trafficking organizations in the United States and allegedly specialized in the manufacturing and distribution of more than one million fentanyl-laced counterfeit pills and laundered approximately $2.8 million over the course of the conspiracy. The pressed fentanyl pills, along with heroin, methamphetamine and cocaine, were shipped to the Southern District of Ohio and throughout the country. FBI, DEA, FDA, HSI and USPIS agents seized 2.5 kilograms of fentanyl; 5,095 pressed xanax; 50 suboxone; 16.5 grams of cocaine; 37 grams of crystal meth; 12 grams of black tar heroin; an industrial pill press; 5,908 pounds of dried marijuana with an estimated street value of $9 million; $80,191 in cash, 10 firearms and one pound of fentanyl.
- The FBI Washington Field Office’s Hi-Tech Opioid Task Force, in conjunction with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia, successfully thwarted a firebomb attack plot involving explosives, firearms, the Darknet, prescription opioid trafficking, cryptocurrency, and sophisticated money laundering. William Anderson Burgamy, 33, of Hanover, Maryland, and Hyrum T. Wilson, 41, of Auburn, Nebraska, pleaded guilty in the Eastern District of Virginia to charges related to a conspiracy to use explosives to firebomb and destroy a competitor pharmacy in Nebraska. Burgamy, who is not a pharmacist, operated as the Darknet vendor NeverPressedRX (NPRX) since at least August 2019. Wilson, who was a licensed pharmacist, illegally mailed to Burgamy over 19,000 dosage units of prescription medications, including opioids, from his pharmacy in Nebraska. Burgamy illegally sold prescription drugs through his Darknet vendor account to customers nationwide, and claimed at one point that he made nearly $1 million total. Burgamy and Wilson agreed that Burgamy and another individual would carry multiple firearms during the attack operation and use explosives, specifically Molotov cocktails enhanced with Styrofoam as a thickening agent, to burn the victim pharmacy down in furtherance of their drug trafficking scheme. Law enforcement agents seized thousands of opioid pills, eight unsecured firearms, including two loaded AR-15 assault rifles with high capacity magazines, and over $19,000 cash. Prior to Burgamy’s arrest in April 2020, which uncovered and thwarted the firebombing plot, Burgamy and Wilson fully intended on the attack occurring after COVID-19 restrictions were lifted.
- Aaron Brewer, 39, of Corsicana, Texas, was charged with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute a controlled substance and distribution of a controlled substance in a two-count indictment returned by a grand jury in the Northern District of Texas. According to court documents, the defendant allegedly sold cocaine, heroin, and other drugs via the dark web. He allegedly accepted payment in cryptocurrency, primarily bitcoin, and then shipped the drugs to customers’ addresses through the U.S. mail and other shipping services. Following Mr. Brewer’s arrest on July 2, agents with the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and FBI Dallas Field Office seized roughly 650 grams of black tar heroin, cocaine, and OxyContin, two computers, and more than $870 in postage stamps, as well as a ledger outlining 757 drug shipments sent to 609 unique addresses between December 2019 and March 2020.
An indictment and criminal complaint merely alleges that crimes have been committed. The defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Operation DisrupTor was a collaborative initiative across JCODE members, including the Department of Justice; Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI); U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA); U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS); U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)’s Homeland Security Investigations (HSI); U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP); Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN); Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms (ATF); Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) and Department of Defense (DOD). Local, state and other federal agencies also contributed to Operation DisrupTor investigations. The investigations leading to Operation DisrupTor were significantly aided by essential support and coordination by the Department of Justice’s multi-agency Special Operations Division, the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section, Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section, and Organized Crime and Gang Section, the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs, the National Cyber Joint Investigative Task Force (NCJITF), Europol and its Dark Web team and international partners Eurojust, Austrian Federal Investigation Bureau (Bundeskriminalamt), Cyprus Police (Αστυνομία Κύπρου), German Federal Criminal Police Office (Bundeskriminalamt), Canada’s Royal Canadian Mounted Police, Portuguese Judicial Police (Polícia Judiciária), Dutch Police (Politie), Swedish Police (Polisen), the British National Crime Agency, Australia's Western Australia Police Force and Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission.
Federal prosecutions are being conducted in more than 20 Federal districts, including: the Central District of California, the Eastern District of California, the Northern District of California, the Southern District of California, the District of Colorado, the District of Columbia, the District of Connecticut, the Middle District of Florida, the Southern District of Florida, the Northern District of Georgia, the District of Hawaii, the Western District of Missouri, the District of New Jersey, the Western District of North Carolina, the Northern District of Ohio, the Southern District of Ohio, District of Oregon, the Western District of Pennsylvania, the Northern District of Texas, the Eastern District of Virginia, the District of the Virgin Islands and the Western District of Washington.
JCODE is an FBI-led Department of Justice initiative, which works closely with the DEA-led, multi-agency, Special Operations Division to support, coordinate and de-conflict investigations targeting for disruption and dismantlement of the online sale of illegal drugs, especially fentanyl and other opioids. Additionally, JCODE targets the trafficking of weapons and other illicit goods and services on the internet. Operation DisrupTor illustrates the investigative power of federal and international partnerships to combat the borderless nature of online criminal activity.
Documents related to this announcement can be viewed here.
The year 2020 marks the 150th anniversary of the Department of Justice. Learn more about the history of our agency at www.Justice.gov/Celebrating150Years.
- The Los Angeles JCODE Task Force, in conjunction with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California, successfully dismantled a drug trafficking organization that used online monikers such as “Stealthgod” to sell methamphetamine and MDMA on multiple Darknet marketplaces. Investigators have linked the crew to more than 18,000 illicit drug sales to customers in at least 35 states and numerous countries around the world. During law enforcement actions in Southern California earlier this year, members of JCODE arrested five defendants and seized approximately 120 pounds of methamphetamine, seven kilograms of MDMA and five firearms. Two of the five – Teresa McGrath, 34, of Sunland-Tujunga, and Mark Chavez, 41, of downtown Los Angeles – have since pleaded guilty to narcotics-trafficking and other offenses, and each faces a 15-year mandatory minimum sentence. As the investigation continued, the Los Angeles JCODE Task Force made additional seizures, including $1.6 million in cryptocurrency, 11 pounds of methamphetamine and 14 pounds of pills pressed with methamphetamine. Andres Bermudez, 37, of Palmdale, California, who allegedly was a main supplier of methamphetamine to the “Stealthgod” crew, was charged last week with a narcotics-trafficking offense that carry a 10-year mandatory minimum sentence. He is considered a fugitive.
Human Traffickers Ordered to Serve Significant Federal Prison Sentences and Pay $183,600 in RestitutionRead the Press Release
Spokane – William D. Hyslop, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Washington, announced that Robert S. Tillman, age 30, of Sacramento, California, and Brandon C. Campbell, age 23, of Troy, New York, have been sentenced to significant terms of custody after their convictions on federal sex trafficking charges. Following their guilty pleas earlier this summer, United States District Judge Salvador Mendoza, Jr., sentenced Tillman to 15 years and Campbell to 7.5 years in federal prison, to be followed by lengthy terms of court supervision after they are released. Judge Mendoza also ordered Tillman and Campbell to pay a total of $163,200 in restitution ($81,600 per victim) to two victims in this case. Tillman was ordered to pay an additional $20,400 to another victim. The restitution awards represent the income that Tillman and Campbell gained by forcing and coercing their victims to engage in commercial sex acts, sometimes under the threat of a firearm that Tillman carried.
According to information disclosed during court proceedings, Tillman and Campbell engaged in a scheme that involved pimping out at least three victims in Arizona, Utah, and eventually Wenatchee and Pasco, Washington. One of these victims was a minor. Tillman and Campbell posted online advertisements for their victims’ sexual services, and then forced their victims to engage in prostitution acts at hotel rooms throughout Eastern Washington. Sometimes they hid in the hotel rooms themselves to rob unsuspecting “johns” while brandishing a firearm or threatening violence, a practice known as “trapping” or “tricking.” Tillman used his firearm to threaten victims if they did not follow his specific instructions, and Campbell guarded the doors to the hotel rooms and posted the online advertisements for sex with the victims.
In addition to using force and threats of force to ensure compliance, Tillman and Campbell also made victims take methamphetamine so they could stay awake while they engaged in as many as ten commercial sex encounters in a day, sometimes for seven days a week. Tillman and Campbell kept the money that their victims were forced to earn at their direction; in only a few months, they profited more than a hundred thousand dollars. Judge Mendoza ordered them to pay their victims back the actual value of the commercial sex acts they forced the victims to perform. As Judge Mendoza noted, Tillman and Campbell’s conduct was incredibly damaging to their victims – physically, emotionally, and psychologically.
United States Attorney Hyslop said, “Human trafficking is modern-day slavery, and it cannot be tolerated in a just society. Judge Mendoza’s sentence sends a clear message not only to the traffickers themselves, but also to potential customers who seek out children or adults for sex online. These victims are human beings who have been threatened, beaten, and coerced at the point of a gun to engage in commercial sex acts. It is a priority of the United States Attorney’s Office to protect all women and girls from sexual exploitation. Human traffickers in Eastern Washington should know that federal agents are actively looking for them and are waiting for them in every online forum from Craigslist to SkipTheGames. We are deeply committed to investigating, prosecuting, and stopping sex trafficking to the fullest extent possible. I commend the outstanding investigative efforts by the Yakima Office of HSI, and I thank the Support, Advocacy, and Resource Center in Richland for their unwavering support of victims.”
This case was pursued as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the United States 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. The Project Safe Childhood Initiative (“PSC”) has five major components:
· Integrated federal, state, and local efforts to investigate and prosecute child exploitation cases, and to identify and rescue children;
· Participation of PSC partners in coordinated national initiatives;
· Increased federal enforcement in child pornography and enticement cases;
· Training of federal, state, and local law enforcement agents; and
· Community awareness and educational programs.
For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. For information about internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab “resources.”
This case was investigated by the Yakima Office of HSI, and Special Agent Daina Nunez. This case was prosecuted by Meghan McCalla and David M. Herzog, Assistant United States Attorneys for the Eastern District of Washington. Victim services were provided by Desiree Reynolds at the Support Advocacy Resource Center (“SARC”) in Richland, Washington.
Honduran National Indicted for Possession of Fraudulent Immigration DocumentsRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS – U.S. Attorney Peter G. Strasser announced that DANIEL IGNACIO MEJIA-CASTILLO (MEJIA), age 31, a citizen of the Honduras, was charged on September 18, 2020 in a one-count indictment for possession of fraudulent immigration documents, in violation of 18 U.S.C. ' 1546(a).
According to the indictment, MEJIA was charged with possessing a counterfeit Permanent Resident card that was not assigned to him by the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services.
MEJIA faces a maximum term of imprisonment of ten years, a fine of up to $250,000.00, two years supervised release after imprisonment, and a $100 special assessment.
U.S. Attorney Strasser praised the work of the Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Spiro George Latsis is in charge of the prosecution.
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Harrisburg Man Sentenced to 10 Years’ Imprisonment for Child ExploitationRead the Press Release
HARRISBURG - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Robert L. Hayes, Sr., age 74, of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, was sentenced on September 21, 2020 to 10 years’ imprisonment followed by 15 years of supervised release by Chief U.S. District Court Judge John E. Jones III, on child exploitation charges.
According to United States Attorney David J. Freed, Hayes possessed images of prepubescent minors under the age of 12 years old on October 16, 2018 and November 20, 2018, in Harrisburg. Hayes was on federal Supervised Release following a prison term after pleading guilty to a similar federal child exploitation offense in 2007.
The case was investigated by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and the U.S. Probation Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney 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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Fort Washington Felon Sentenced to More Than 12 Years in Federal Prison for Heroin Distribution ConspiracyRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – U.S. District Judge George L. Russell, III today sentenced Garrick Richardson, age 50, of Fort Washington Maryland, today to 151 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for a heroin distribution conspiracy during which Richardson was aware that more than a kilogram of heroin would be possessed for distribution.
The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Robert K. Hur and Assistant Special Agent in Charge Orville O. Greene of the Drug Enforcement Administration.
According to Richardson’s guilty plea, during the week of November 17, 2019, a DEA confidential source engaged in a series of conversations with Richardson’s co-conspirator regarding the purchase of a kilogram of heroin, finally agreeing on a purchase price. Richardson agreed to work with the co-conspirator to acquire the heroin and to distribute it to the purchaser.
As detailed in the plea agreement, on November 26, 2019, the confidential source agreed to meet the co-conspirator at a hotel in Clinton, Maryland. The source got into the co-conspirator’s vehicle and after the co-conspirator placed multiple calls to arrange for the delivery of the drugs, Richardson got into the back seat of the co-conspirator’s vehicle with a brick-like object wrapped in aluminum foil. Richardson cut a piece of the heroin off for the co-conspirator and source to examine. The source then exited the vehicle, notifying DEA agents that there was a kilogram of heroin in the vehicle.
Richardson admitted that when DEA agents attempted to detain him and the co-conspirator, they fled in the co-conspirator’s vehicle. However, the co-conspirator crashed the vehicle and he and Richardson fled into the nearby woods. Law enforcement located and arrested Richardson and found the heroin near where the co-conspirator had fled.
United States Attorney Robert K. Hur commended the DEA for its work in the investigation. Mr. Hur thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney LaRai N. Everett, who is prosecuting the case.
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Forsyth Sex Offender Sentenced to 20 Years for Child PornographyRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A prior sex offender in Forsyth, Missouri, was sentenced in federal court today for receiving and distributing child pornography.
Timothy Wayne Carnelison Jr., 35, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Brian C. Wimes to 20 in federal prison without parole. The court also sentenced Carnelison to spend the rest of his life on supervised release following incarceration. Carnelison will be required to register as a sex offender upon his release from prison and will be subject to federal and state sex offender registration requirements, which may apply throughout his life.
Carnelison, who was sentenced as a prior sex offender, has two prior convictions for statutory sodomy in the first degree and a prior conviction for child molestation.
On Feb. 20, 2020, Carnelison pleaded guilty to receiving and distributing child pornography.
The investigation began when Google initiated a CyberTip with the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children after locating files of suspected child pornography in Carnelison’s Google Photo application. Investigators confirmed the child pornography and, on Sept. 24, 2019, executed a search warrant at Carnelison’s residence. They found images of child pornography on his cell phone.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ami Harshad Miller. It was investigated by Immigration and Custom Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the Southwest Missouri Cybercrime Task Force.
Project Safe Childhood
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab "resources."Former Xerox Employee Going to Prison for the Rest of His Life for Credit Union Robbery and MurderRead 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 Richard Leon Wilbern, 60, of Rochester, NY, who was convicted by a federal jury of the August 12, 2003, armed robbery of the Xerox Federal Credit Union which resulted in the death of Raymond Batzel, was sentenced to serve life in prison by U.S. District Judge Charles J. Siragusa.
“After 17 years, and thanks to the tireless and relentless dedication of our federal, state, and local law enforcement professionals, a cold-blooded murderer has finally been held accountable and the family of his victim has finally received some measure of justice,” stated U.S. Attorney Kennedy. “Notwithstanding the current widespread effort to demonize our Nation’s law enforcers, both their shortcomings and the virtues are but a reflection of their humanity. Fortunately, their virtues routinely outweigh their shortcomings, and in this case, the compassion and commitment exhibited by our law enforcers helped to deliver our community’s best—and last—hope for justice.”
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Douglas E. Gregory and Joel L. Violanti, who handled the prosecution of the case, stated that on August 12, 2003 at approximately 9:45 a.m., the defendant walked into Xerox Federal Credit Union (XFCU), located on the Xerox Corporation campus at 800 Phillips Road in Webster, NY. Wilbern was wearing a dark blue nylon jacket with the letters “FBI” written in yellow on the back of the jacket, sunglasses and a poorly fitting wig. The defendant was also carrying a large briefcase, a green and gray-colored umbrella and had what appeared to be a United States Marshals badge hanging on a chain around his neck.
Wilbern went into the cubicle of a female employee and told the employee that he was there to conduct a security assessment and to “stage” a robbery. The defendant subsequently removed two firearms from the briefcase, one described as a handgun, the other a sawed-off shot gun or sawed-off rifle. Wilbern also removed a bag and instructed the employee to fill the bag with money from behind the teller counter. The employee complied with the demands.
Shortly after, the defendant ordered employees and customers to lay down on the floor. While doing so, Wilbern confronted a customer Raymond Batzel who had just finished a banking transaction with the teller. After a very brief verbal altercation, the defendant shot Batzel in the neck which resulted in his death. As Wilbern shot Batzel, a second customer, Joseph Doud, entered the credit union and attempted to turn and run back outside after witnessing the shooting. The defendant shot and wounded the customer in the back as he fled. After shooting the two customers, Wilbern returned to the teller counter area and, while holding the firearm in the air, told credit union employees to fill the bag with cash. The defendant then took the money and fled the credit union leaving behind the umbrella.
In the aftermath of the robbery/homicide at the Xerox Federal Credit Union, the Monroe County Public Safety Laboratory attempted to obtain DNA samples from the green and gray umbrella which was left behind by Wilbern. Two sets of swabs were taken from various locations on the umbrella, including the “external wrap around closure and button”, the “lower latch mechanism”, the “metal shaft and upper latch mechanism” and an “internal strap.” One set of swabs was tested for the presence of DNA while the second set was allowed to dry, packaged and appropriately stored at the lab for future testing. Based upon the technology available at the time, insufficient amounts of DNA were located on the first set of swabs and therefore no conclusions could be drawn.
On November 15, 2011, Webster Police investigators transferred the second set of swabs from the Monroe County Public Safety Building to the Office of Chief Medical Examiner (OCME) in New York City. OCME had developed the expertise and facilities necessary to perform a DNA testing technique that enables testing to be performed on trace amounts of evidence. This testing technique is referred to as High Sensitivity DNA testing, also referred to as Low Template testing.
On December 28, 2011, OCME issued a report advising that they were able to recover human DNA from each of submitted swabs from the umbrella, and that two of the submitted swabs contained sufficient levels of human DNA to conduct High Sensitivity PCR DNA testing and comparison. Regarding DNA taken from the “umbrella closure wrap around”, the Medical Examiner concluded that DNA from at least two people was located, but included one major male contributor, referred to as “Male Donor A.” The DNA profile of “Male Donor A”, based on a 15 loci result, is expected to be found in only 1 in 6.80 trillion people. As for the second sample, which was taken from the “umbrella latch mechanism (lower)” of the umbrella, based on a 10 loci result, is expected to be found in in one in 138 million people. The DNA profile was placed in a local and state data base with no positive hits.
In March 2016, a press conference was held to seek new leads in the investigation. Details of the crime were released as well as photographs of Wilbern committing the robbery. Anyone with information was asked to call a dedicated hotline.
On March 27, 2016, a concerned citizen contacted the Federal Bureau of Investigation and indicated that the person who committed the crime was likely a former Xerox employee named Richard Wilbern. The citizen indicated that the defendant worked for Xerox prior to the robbery but had been fired. The citizen also stated that they recognized Wilbern’s face from the photos.
In July 20016, FBI agents met with Wilbern regarding a complaint he had made to the FBI regarding an alleged real estate scam. During one of their meetings, agents obtained a DNA sample from Wilbern after he licked and sealed an envelope. That envelope was sent to OCME, and after comparing the DNA profile from the envelope to the DNA profile previously developed from the umbrella, determined there was a positive match.
Wilbern was employed by Xerox between September 1996 and February 23, 2001 as which time he was terminated for repeated employment related infractions. In 2001, Wilbern filed a lawsuit against Xerox alleging that the company unlawfully discriminated against him with respect to the terms and conditions of his employment, subjected him to a hostile work environment, failed to hire him for a position for which he applied because of his race, and retaliated against him for complaining about Xerox’s discriminatory treatment. Wilbern also maintained a checking and savings accounts at the Xerox Federal Credit Union. Evidence at trial demonstrated that Wilbern was in significant financial distress from roughly 2000 – 2003, including filing for bankruptcy.
The sentencing is the culmination of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Stephen Belongia; the Webster Police Department, under the direction of Chief Joseph P. Rieger, the New York State Police, under the direction of Acting Major Barry Chase, the Monroe County Sheriff’s Department, under the direction of Todd Baxter, the Rochester Police Department, under the direction of Acting Chief Mark Simmons, the United States Marshals Service, under the direction of Charles Salina, and the Monroe County District Attorney’s Office, under the direction of Sandra Doorley.
Former St. Thomas Student Pleads Guilty to Hoax Bomb Threat Against the University's St. Paul CampusRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Erica H. MacDonald today announced the guilty plea of RAY GHANSHAM PERSAUD, 21, to calling in a bomb threat to the University of St. Thomas on September 17, 2019. PERSAUD entered his guilty plea this morning before Judge Eric C. Tostrud in U.S. District Court in St. Paul, Minnesota.
According to the defendant’s guilty plea and documents filed with the court, on three separate occasions – April 17, 2019; August 20, 2019; and September 17, 2019 – PERSAUD, who was at the time an undergraduate student at the University of St. Thomas, called in to the University’s main switchboard and falsely stated that there was a bomb on the St. Paul campus. The three bomb threats caused substantial disruption to the University, including the evacuation of campus buildings and a child care center, re-routing of traffic on nearby streets, and a full response by the University’s Public Safety personnel. PERSAUD admitted that on the dates he called in the bomb threats he had failed to complete his homework and was unprepared for class. PERSAUD pleaded guilty to count three of the indictment, charging him with the September 17, 2019, bomb threat. At the time of sentencing, the U.S. Attorney’s Office will ask the Court to dismiss the April 17, 2019, and August 20, 2019, charges.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI and the St. Paul Police Department.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney John Docherty.
Defendant Information:
RAY GHANSHAM PERSAUD, 21
Blaine, Minn.
Convicted:
- Using an instrumentality of interstate commerce to maliciously make a threat to damage and destroy any building, by means of explosives, 1 count
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United States Attorney’s Office, District of Minnesota: (612) 664-5600