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21 September 2020
Seven Charged with Trafficking Heroin and Crack in New HavenRead the Press Release
John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, and Brian D. Boyle, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration for New England, today announced the unsealing of an indictment charging seven individuals with New Haven-area narcotics trafficking and related offenses.
On September 9, 2020, a federal grand jury in New Haven returned an indictment charging the following individuals with conspiring to distribute heroin and crack cocaine:
MICHAEL SMITH, also known as “Head,” 34, of New Haven
KEILAH BORIA, 39, of New Haven
ERNEST HOLCOMB, also known as “Ern,” 32, of North Branford
JONATHAN DUARTE, 35, of New Haven
CHAWN BATTLE, 47, of New Haven
ALEX REYES, 33, of New Haven
ALEXIS VIERA, 32, of New Haven
As alleged in court documents and statements made in court, in 2019, the DEA New Haven Task Force began an investigation into a New Haven-based drug trafficking network headed by Michael Smith. The investigation revealed that Smith, Duarte, Reyes and Holcomb were distributing heroin and crack cocaine throughout the New Haven area. During the investigation, Viera was identified as a supplier of crack to Smith’s organization, and Battle was identified as customer who bought heroin from the organization and sold the drug to his own customers. The investigation also revealed that Boria maintained bank accounts that Smith used to launder the cash proceeds of his drug trafficking activity, and that Smith spent some of the drug proceeds to pay for rental cars that he used to transport narcotics, and to travel to meet his drug customers.It is further alleged that on December 19, 2019, Smith possessed a firearm and used the firearm in a drug-related shooting.
If convicted of conspiring to distribute heroin and cocaine base (“crack”), based on the type and quantity of drug attributable to each defendant, Smith, Boria and Duarte face a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of five years and a maximum term of imprisonment of 40 years, and Holcomb, Battle, Reyes and Viera face a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years.
The indictment also charges Smith with one count of possession with intent to distribute, and distribution of heroin, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years, and one count of use of a firearm during and in relation to, and in furtherance of, a drug trafficking crime, an offense that carries a mandatory term of imprisonment of at least 10 years.
The indictment also charges Smith and Boria with one count of conspiracy to launder monetary instruments, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years.
Smith has been detained since his arrest on state charges on December 23, 2019. The other six defendants were arrested on September 16, 2020, after the indictment was returned.
Smith, Duarte, Battle and Viera are detained, and Boria, Holcomb and Reyes are released pending trial.
U.S. Attorney Durham noted that an indictment is not evidence of guilt. Charges are only allegations, and each defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This investigation is being conducted by the DEA New Haven Task Force, the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation Division, and the New Haven, West Haven, Hamden, East Haven, North Haven, Ansonia, Meriden and Derby Police Departments.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys H. Gordon Hall and John T. Pierpont, Jr.
SIX ELN Members and Associates Charged with Narco-Terrorism and International Cocaine Distribution ConspiracyRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – A total of three Colombian nationals associated with the National Liberation Army (Ejército de Liberación Nacional aka ELN), a paramilitary group designated as a foreign terrorist organization, have been taken into Colombian custody at the request of the United States on charges alleging a 20-year international drug conspiracy.
“When my predecessor visited Colombia last year, he said to approximately 100 Colombian National police officers that he was directing all U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) components stationed at the U.S. Embassy, to include FBI, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and our DOJ Attaches, to make cases against ELN a top priority,” said Attorney General William Barr. “These enforcement efforts against six ELN members including federal criminal charges against ELN leader Wilver Villegas-Palomino reaffirms our commitment in dismantling and disrupting this narco-terrorist group. The United States and Colombia have a shared mission of combatting narco-trafficking and narco-terrorism and the long-standing cooperation and teamwork between U.S. and Colombian law enforcement is stronger in addressing transnational crime and weakening foreign terrorist organizations.”
“Colombia is an excellent law enforcement partner,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Patrick. “They made a commitment to work with the United States combatting ELN’s narco-terrorism. With major cities acting as drug trafficking hubs, the Southern District of Texas is uniquely situated in continuing our prosecution of these cases and working with our Colombian colleagues.”
Colombian authorities arrested Yamit Picon-Rodriguez aka Choncha, 36, Jose Gabriel Alvarez-Ortiz aka Alex, 26, and Henry Trigos-Celon aka Moncho Picada, 43, based on a provisional arrest request of the United States.
Suspected ELN leader Villegas-Palomino aka Carlos El Puerco, 38, is also charged and considered a fugitive as are Jaime Miguel Picon-Rodriguez aka Chencho and Jairo, 38, and Diomedes Barbosa-Montaño aka El Burro, 38. A warrant remains outstanding for their arrests. Anyone with information about their whereabouts is asked to contact the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI or submit tips online at tips.fbi.gov.
A federal grand jury in Houston returned the three-count indictment Feb. 12. All six defendants are charged with distribution of a controlled substance, knowing or intending to provide anything of pecuniary value to a person or organization that engages in terrorism or terrorist activity (narco-terrorism), participating in an international cocaine distribution conspiracy and international cocaine distribution.
According to the indictment, Villegas-Palomino and his co-defendants were involved in an ongoing 20-year conspiracy to distribute cocaine from Colombia to the United States knowing or intending to provide pecuniary support to the ELN.
In early 2019, Villegas-Palomino, Picon-Rodriguez, Trigos-Celon, Barbosa-Montaño and Alvarez-Ortiz also allegedly participated in distributing approximately 30 kilograms of cocaine in Colombia having reasonable cause to believe it would be imported into the United States.
“The success of Operation Catatumbo Lightning was a direct result of the outstanding collaboration between the FBI and many of our law enforcement and military partners both here in the United States and in Colombia,” said FBI Director Christopher Wray. “These arrests should serve as a warning that the FBI will relentlessly target and disrupt any narco-terrorist activity that threatens the health and safety of the American people and our international community.”
“As alleged, for decades, ELN produced and exported tons of cocaine to the U.S., using communities in America to fund their terrorist activities,” said DEA Acting Administrator Timothy J. Shea. “These enforcement actions have dealt a major blow to the ELN and are a true testament to the power of partnerships. DEA remains dedicated to our partners around the globe in the shared mission of bringing narco-terrorists to justice.”
On Oct. 8, 1997, the State Department officially designated ELN as a foreign terrorist organization. It continues to operate as one of the largest narco-terrorism organizations in the world. The U.S. Department of State through its Narcotics Rewards Program, is offering up to a $5 million reward for information leading to the arrest and/or conviction of Villegas-Palomino.
The Houston Divisions of the FBI and DEA conducted the investigation as part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF). FBI and DEA agents in Bogota provided substantial support as did DOJ’s multi-agency Special Operations Division, including assigned attorneys from the Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section and National Security Division as well as the Office of International Affairs with the cooperation of Colombian authorities. Houston Police Department, U.S. Southern Command and international partners including the Colombian Army, National Police, National Prosecutor's Office and Technical Body of Investigation also provided assistance.
OCDETF brings together the combined expertise and unique abilities of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies. Its principal mission is to identify, disrupt, dismantle and prosecute high-level members of drug trafficking, weapons trafficking and money laundering organizations and enterprises.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Casey N. MacDonald and Anibal Alaniz of the Southern District of Texas are prosecuting the case.
An indictment is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
certified.indictment.eln_.pdf palomino_wanted_english.pdf palomino_wanted_spanish.pdf diomedes_barbosa-montano.pdf jaime_miguel_picon-rodriguez.pdfRome Man Charged with Sexually Exploiting a ChildRead the Press Release
SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – Michael Mayhew, age 55, of Rome, New York, appeared today in federal court before United States Magistrate Judge Therese Wiley Dancks on charges that he sexually exploited a child. The defendant was ordered detained without bail pending a hearing on September 24, 2020.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).
The criminal complaint alleges that in December 2018, Mayhew took several sexually explicit photographs of a 6-year-old child using his cellular telephone. The charges in the complaint are merely accusations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
If convicted, the defendant faces a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of 15 years and a maximum term of imprisonment of 30 years, a maximum fine of $250,000, and a term of supervised release of between five years and life. He will also be required to register as a sex offender. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other factors.
This case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Oneida County Sherriff’s Office, Rome Police Department, Oneida County District Attorney’s Office, New York State Police, United States Air Force Office of Special Investigations and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Geoffrey J. L. Brown 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.
Rhode Island Man Sentenced to 17 Years in Prison for Somerville Armed Bank RobberyRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Rhode Island man was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for the May 1, 2019 armed bank robbery in Somerville that resulted in shots fired.
Daniel Rosado, 32, of Providence, R.I., was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Leo T. Sorokin to 17 years in prison and five years of supervised release. In February 2020, Rosado pleaded guilty to one count of armed bank robbery, one count of brandishing and discharging a firearm during a crime of violence and one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm. Rosado was arrested and charged on May 23, 2019, and has been in custody since.
“As Rosado was robbing a Somerville bank at gunpoint, a passing police officer entered the bank, exchanged gunfire with Rosado, and chased him out the door. Good police work later led to his arrest and conviction,” said U.S. Attorney Andrew E. Lelling. “This is today’s reminder of what police officers actually do each day: they risk their lives to keep us safe.”
“For his own greed and selfishness, Daniel Rosado robbed a bank, shot at a police officer, and terrorized innocent bystanders at gunpoint. Had he not been identified and arrested by the FBI’s Violent Crimes Task Force, this convicted felon would still pose a significant threat to public safety. Our communities are now safer with him behind bars,” said Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Boston Division.
On May 1, 2019, a man, later identified as Rosado, entered the Middlesex Federal Savings Bank in Somerville, brandished a handgun, fired a shot into the ceiling, and pointed the firearm at customers and bank employees. Rosado yelled: “Get down!,” “Everybody on the ground!,” “Second Drawer,” “Hurry Up!” and “Give me money or I’ll shoot!” Customers and bank employees laid on the floor, while the robber approached a teller window, threw a backpack at the teller and demanded money.
While the teller filled the backpack with money, a customer exited the bank and flagged down a marked police cruiser. The police officer entered the bank, pointed his gun at the robber and ordered him to freeze. In response, Rosado faced the officer, pointed his gun in the officer’s direction and fired one shot. The officer shot back. During the exchange of gunfire, Rosado exited the bank and the officer chased after him on foot.
As Rosado fled down College Avenue in Somerville, a bystander, noticing that Rosado was being pursued by a police officer, attempted to tackle Rosado, which caused Rosado to drop his backpack. Rosado kept running, and witnesses eventually lost sight of him. A Webley revolver loaded with four unfired rounds of ammunition, two cartridge casings and more than $500 was recovered from the backpack.
Further investigation, including forensic analysis of the backpack, linked the DNA profile found on the backpack to Rosado. A subsequent review of Rosado’s driver’s license photo matched the images of the robber captured on video surveillance at the bank.
According to court records, Rosado has prior felony convictions, including negligent operation of a motor vehicle, larceny from a person and witness intimidation and assault by means of a dangerous weapon. Due to these prior convictions, Rosado is prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition.
U.S Attorney Lelling; Boston FBI SAC Bonavolonta; Colonel Christopher Mason, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police; and Somerville Police Chief David Fallon made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Rhode Island and the Providence (R.I.) Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kenneth G. Shine and Lindsey E. Weinstein of Lelling’s Criminal Division prosecuted the case.
Raleigh County Pharmacist Pleads Guilty to Wire Fraud and Money LaunderingRead the Press Release
BECKLEY, W.Va. – Natalie P. Cochran, 39, of Daniels, pled guilty in federal court today to fraud charges, announced United States Attorney Mike Stuart. Cochran, a Raleigh County pharmacist and owner of two companies in Beckley - Technology Management Solutions (TMS) and Tactical Solutions Group (TSG) - pled guilty to wire fraud and money laundering. Pursuant to her plea agreement, Cochran also agreed to pay nearly $2.6 million in restitution to her victims and to forfeit her interest to the United States in the assets she obtained through her fraudulent activities, including two pieces of real property, a 1965 Shelby Cobra, multiple vehicles, pieces of jewelry, and nearly $45,000 seized from her business’ bank account.
“Today, Natalie Cochran admitted and pled guilty of committing the federal crimes of wire fraud and money laundering,” said United States Attorney Mike Stuart. “In terms of this agreement, trust me, this is a difficult day for Natalie Cochran. Not only could she be sentenced to more than 11 years in prison, Cochran agreed to forfeiture of a substantial amount of cash and assets. Cochran also waived her right to appeal. Cochran pled guilty. I am pleased that this agreement results in the goal I have in every case - justice for victims and taxpayers.”
Cochran admitted that from approximately June 2017 through at least August 22, 2019, she knowingly defrauded and took money and property from individuals, a financial institution and several other companies. She induced them to invest in TMS and TSG and in phony government contracts by making false misrepresentations regarding her and her companies’ experience and purported success as government contractors. Cochran further admitted that she convinced at least 11 people to invest approximately $2.5 million in alleged government contracts. The investors paid through personal checks, cashier’s checks and wire transfers. She also convinced an investor to send $511,920 through a wire transfer from North Carolina. She further admitted she never invested the money she received but put it into her personal and business bank accounts for personal purposes unrelated to the investments. Cochran admitted to using investor funds to make numerous purchases over $10,000, including withdrawing more than $37,500 to purchase a 1965 Shelby Cobra. She also admitted to knowing that at least one of her investors suffered a financial hardship as a result of her scheme. In order to keep up appearances, Cochran admitted to using some investors’ funds to pay other investors a partial return on their investment.
Cochran faces up to 135 months in prison when sentenced on January 4, 2021.
The West Virginia State Police, the United States Secret Service, and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation – Office of Inspector General (FDIC-OIG) conducted the investigation. United States District Judge Frank W. Volk presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorneys Kathleen Robeson and Greg McVey are handling the prosecution.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:19-cr-00247.
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Queens Man Charged in Insider Trading SchemeRead the Press Release
A criminal complaint was unsealed earlier today in federal court in Brooklyn charging Yinghang Yang with securities fraud for his role in an insider trading scheme. Yang and a co-conspirator allegedly executed a series of securities transactions based on nonpublic information stolen from Yang’s employer, which resulted in profits of more than $900,000. Yang was arrested this afternoon and is scheduled to make his initial appearance tomorrow via videoconference before United States Magistrate Judge Roanne L. Mann.
Seth D. DuCharme, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, and William F. Sweeney, Jr., Assistant Director-in-Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI), announced the charge and arrest.
“Yang abused the trust placed in him by his employer and allegedly broke the law by trading on, and profiting from, nonpublic information that he stole from his employer,” stated Acting United States Attorney DuCharme. “As today’s arrest demonstrates, we are committed to protecting the integrity of our financial markets from dishonest profiteers.” Mr. DuCharme thanked the Securities and Exchange Commission, New York Regional Office (SEC), for their significant cooperation and assistance during the investigation.
“It’s a plain and simple fact—those who base trading decisions on proprietary information they shouldn’t have access to are not only engaging in unfair business practices, they’re breaking the law. As we allege, Yinghang Yang did just that. His arrest today once again highlights the FBI’s ongoing efforts to uphold the integrity of our financial markets,” stated FBI Assistant Director-in-Charge Sweeney.
According to the complaint, since September 2018, Yang has been employed by a publicly traded company (“the Company”) that specializes in financial information and analytics. The Company publishes several market indices, including American stock market indices based on the market capitalizations of groups of companies with shares listed on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) or the NASDAQ Stock Market (NASDAQ). Yang’s job at the Company includes managing American stock market indices with more than $60 billion in asset value tracking.
Between April 2019 and October 2019, Yang and a co-conspirator allegedly executed securities transactions in the co-conspirator’s brokerage account based, in whole or in part, on nonpublic information obtained by Yang through his employment at the Company, about issuers that were to be added or subtracted from market indexes published by the Company. For example, on October 2, 2019, beginning at 2:47 p.m., the co-conspirator’s brokerage account entered orders to buy call options of Cleveland Cliffs (CLF), a publicly traded mining company. The same day, at 5:15 p.m., the Company announced the addition of CLF to one of its indices effective prior to the open of trading on October 8, 2019. The co-conspirator’s brokerage account subsequently sold the CLF call options on October 3, 2019, realizing a gain of approximately $155,029. This sequence was followed in 13 additional transactions in the co-conspirator’s brokerage account during the charged conspiracy.
In total, the securities transactions engaged in by the co-conspirator’s brokerage account during the relevant time period generated more than $900,000 in profits, some of which were transferred to three different bank accounts held by Yang. Funds from those accounts were then used by Yang for personal expenses, including credit card payments, repayment of student loans and trading activity in Yang’s own brokerage account.
The charge in the complaint is an allegation, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. If convicted, Yang faces up to 20 years in prison.
The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s Business and Securities Fraud Section. Assistant United States Attorneys Alixandra Smith and Lindsay K. Gerdes are in charge of the prosecution, with assistance from Assistant United States Attorney Brian Morris of the Office’s Asset Forfeiture Section.
The Defendant:
YINGHANG YANG (also known as “James Yang”)
Age: 27
Flushing, QueensE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 20-MJ-820
Puerto Rican Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Cocaine OffenseRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Puerto Rican man pleaded guilty today to his role in a cocaine conspiracy.
William Torres, a/k/a Poro, 34, of Tao Baja, P.R., pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine before U.S. District Court Judge Timothy Hillman, who scheduled sentencing for Jan. 19, 2020. In April 2019, Torres was charged and arrested in San Juan, P.R.
A federal investigation revealed that, around October 2018, Torres made arrangements for his associate, Melvin Burgos, to obtain a kilogram of cocaine from Julio Rivera. Torres provided Burgos with Rivera’s number, and on Nov. 1, 2018, Burgos and Rivera met at a storage facility in Worcester. Police subsequently stopped the men and inside the vehicle driven by Burgos they found approximately 900 grams of cocaine. Inside Rivera’s vehicle, law enforcement found a phone that had been used to contact Torres.
Burgos and Rivera were arrested on state charges that day and have since been charged in federal court in Worcester. Burgos pleaded guilty to conspiracy and possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine and is scheduled to be sentenced on Feb. 8, 2021. Rivera has pleaded not guilty and is awaiting trial.
Torres faces a mandatory minimum sentence of five years and up to 40 years in prison, a minimum of four years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of $5 million. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based on the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling and Brian D. Boyle, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division, made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Bill Abely and John Mulcahy of Lelling’s Criminal Division are prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The remaining defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Portage Man Sentenced to 9 Years for Madison Bank RobberiesRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. - Scott C. Blader, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Ramon Howard, 37, Portage, Wisconsin, was sentenced Friday, September 18, by U.S. District Judge William Conley to nine years in federal prison for three bank robberies. Howard pleaded guilty to these charges on June 25, 2020.
Over the course of two weeks in September 2019, Howard robbed a bank and two credit unions in Madison, Wisconsin. He robbed the Associated Bank on East Towne Boulevard on September 13, the Summit Credit Union on Thierer Road on September 16, and the UW Credit Union on Northport Drive on September 26.
After the September 26 robbery, Howard and his co-defendant Antonio Rowe fled in a vehicle. Rowe drove at high speeds through residential neighborhoods, striking other vehicles and eventually crashing on East Washington Avenue. Howard and Rowe both fled on foot but were apprehended by Madison police. Howard was in possession of the stolen cash.
When sentencing Howard to nine years in prison for these bank robberies, Judge Conley noted that Howard has spent his adult life incarcerated or under supervision. At age 15, Howard was prosecuted as an adult for robbing and assaulting an elderly man. Judge Conley said that Howard frightened and traumatized the bank tellers, particularly in the last robbery where Howard threatened to kill them. Judge Conley remarked that these were serious offenses and that Howard would be held accountable for this “indefensible conduct.” In his allocution, Howard thanked the police department for how they handled his arrest, saying that it could have ended much worse.
Antonio Rowe has pleaded guilty to committing the September 13 and September 26 robberies with Howard, and to robbing the BMO Harris Bank on Sherman Avenue on September 10, 2019. Rowe will be sentenced by Judge Conley on October 20.
The charges against Howard and Rowe were the result of an investigation conducted by the Madison Police Department and Federal Bureau of Investigation. The prosecution of the case has been handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Corey C. Stephan.
Parkersburg Man Sentenced to Seven Years in Prison for Firearm and Methamphetamine ChargesRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A Parkersburg man was sentenced to federal prison today as a result of federal charges related to the trafficking of methamphetamine and the possession of a firearm while involved in drug trafficking, announced United States Attorney Mike Stuart. James Daniel Canty, 60, was sentenced to 84 months in prison for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and using and carrying a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime. Canty will serve four years of supervised release following his release from prison.
“At the age of 60, Canty will be going to federal prison for seven years,” said United States Attorney Mike Stuart. “He has led a life a crime, receiving the first of his eight felony convictions at age 19. I commend the Parkersburg Police Department and ATF for getting this repeat offender, his meth and gun off the streets.”
Canty previously admitted that on November 30, 2019, following a traffic stop by members of the Parkersburg Police Department on Plum Street near Jefferson Elementary School in Parkersburg, he was found to be in possession of approximately 55 grams of methamphetamine as well as a .loaded 25 caliber semi-automatic pistol with an obliterated serial number and a box of .25 caliber ammunition. Further investigation revealed that Canty had another two ounces of methamphetamine hidden in the vehicle. Canty further admitted that he intended to distribute the methamphetamine that he possessed, and that he possessed the firearm for the purpose of protecting himself and the methamphetamine that he was carrying. Canty has a long criminal history, which includes six prior felony convictions. The sentence imposed today is the result of Canty’s 7th and 8th felony convictions. The United States sought a strong sentence of imprisonment in this case due not only to the offense conduct, but also the lifetime of criminal activity engaged in by Canty. That criminal activity began when Canty received his first felony conviction in 1979 at the age of 19.
The Parkersburg Police Department conducted the investigation with the assistance of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF). Senior United States District Judge John T. Copenhaver, Jr., presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Jeremy B. Wolfe is handling the prosecution.
This case is part of Project Guardian, the Department of Justice’s signature initiative to reduce gun violence and enforce federal firearms laws. Initiated by the Attorney General in the fall of 2019, Project Guardian draws upon the Department’s past successful programs to reduce gun violence; enhances coordination of federal, state, local, and tribal authorities in investigating and prosecuting gun crimes; improves information-sharing by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives when a prohibited individual attempts to purchase a firearm and is denied by the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS), to include taking appropriate actions when a prospective purchaser is denied by the NICS for mental health reasons; and ensures that federal resources are directed at the criminals posing the greatest threat to our communities. The United States Attorney’s Office has prosecuted this case with support from the Project Guardian partners listed above. For more information about Project Guardian, please see: https://www.justice.gov/projectguardian.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:20-cr-00023 and 2:20-cr-00081.
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Operation Legend: Case of the Day Tennessee: Three Memphis Men Charged with Stealing 32 FirearmsRead the Press Release
Each weekday, the Department of Justice will highlight a case that has resulted from Operation Legend. Today’s case is out of the Western District of Tennessee. Operation Legend launched in Memphis on Aug. 6, 2020, in response to the city facing increased homicide and non-fatal shooting rates.
United States vs. Kendrick Monger, Corey Groves, and Martez Banks
On Sept. 10, 2020, a federal grand jury returned a two-count indictment against three Memphis men for conspiracy and theft of firearms from a federally licensed firearms dealer.
“The proliferation of stolen firearms on the streets of Memphis contributes to the increased frequency and severity of shooting incidents and violent crime in our neighborhoods,” said U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant for the Western District of Tennessee. “Under Operation LeGend, we are surging federal resources to assist local law enforcement, and we are committed in our resolve to reduce violent crime by aggressively prosecuting federal firearms offenses. This indictment does just that.”
According to the indictment, on Aug. 2, 2020, Kendrick, Monger, 24; Corey Groves, 25; and Martez Banks, 25, all of Memphis, stole 32 firearms from the Shoot Point Blank gun range, a federally licensed firearms dealer in Memphis.
If convicted, the defendants each face up to 10 years in prison. There is no parole in the federal system.
The details contained in the charging document are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Background on Operation Legend
Since its inception, Operation Legend has yielded more than 2,000 local, state, and federal arrests, with more than 592 defendants charged with federal crimes.President Trump promised to assist America’s cities that have been plagued by violence. In July, Attorney General William P. Barr announced the launch of Operation Legend, a sustained, systematic and coordinated law enforcement initiative across all federal law enforcement agencies working in conjunction with state and local law enforcement officials to fight violent crime in cities across America that were experiencing an uptick in violence. Operation Legend is named after four-year-old LeGend Taliferro, who was shot and killed on June 29th in Kansas City, Missouri, while asleep in his home.
Operation Legend was launched in Kansas City, Mo., on July 8, 2020, and expanded to Chicago and Albuquerque on July 22, 2020; to Cleveland, Detroit, and Milwaukee on July 29, 2020; to St. Louis and Memphis on Aug. 6, 2020; and to Indianapolis on Aug. 14, 2020. As part of Operation Legend, Attorney General Barr has directed federal agents from the FBI, U.S. Marshals Service, DEA and ATF to surge resources to these cities to help state and local officials fighting violent crime. The Department of Homeland Security is also contributing agents to these efforts in St. Louis.
Operation Legend: Case of the DayRead the Press Release
Each weekday, the Department of Justice will highlight a case that has resulted from Operation Legend. Today’s case is out of the Western District of Tennessee. Operation Legend launched in Memphis on Aug. 6, 2020, in response to the city facing increased homicide and non-fatal shooting rates.
United States vs. Kendrick Monger, Corey Groves, and Martez Banks
On Sept. 10, 2020, a federal grand jury returned a two-count indictment against three Memphis men for conspiracy and theft of firearms from a federally licensed firearms dealer.
“The proliferation of stolen firearms on the streets of Memphis contributes to the increased frequency and severity of shooting incidents and violent crime in our neighborhoods,” said U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant for the Western District of Tennessee. “Under Operation LeGend, we are surging federal resources to assist local law enforcement, and we are committed in our resolve to reduce violent crime by aggressively prosecuting federal firearms offenses. This indictment does just that.”
According to the indictment, on Aug. 2, 2020, Kendrick, Monger, 24; Corey Groves, 25; and Martez Banks, 25, all of Memphis, stole 32 firearms from the Shoot Point Blank gun range, a federally licensed firearms dealer in Memphis.
If convicted, the defendants each face up to 10 years in prison. There is no parole in the federal system.
The details contained in the charging document are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Background on Operation Legend
Since its inception, Operation Legend has yielded more than 2,000 local, state, and federal arrests, with more than 592 defendants charged with federal crimes.President Trump promised to assist America’s cities that have been plagued by violence. In July, Attorney General William P. Barr announced the launch of Operation Legend, a sustained, systematic and coordinated law enforcement initiative across all federal law enforcement agencies working in conjunction with state and local law enforcement officials to fight violent crime in cities across America that were experiencing an uptick in violence. Operation Legend is named after four-year-old LeGend Taliferro, who was shot and killed on June 29th in Kansas City, Missouri, while asleep in his home.
Operation Legend was launched in Kansas City, Mo., on July 8, 2020, and expanded to Chicago and Albuquerque on July 22, 2020; to Cleveland, Detroit, and Milwaukee on July 29, 2020; to St. Louis and Memphis on Aug. 6, 2020; and to Indianapolis on Aug. 14, 2020. As part of Operation Legend, Attorney General Barr has directed federal agents from the FBI, U.S. Marshals Service, DEA and ATF to surge resources to these cities to help state and local officials fighting violent crime. The Department of Homeland Security is also contributing agents to these efforts in St. Louis.
Okmulgee Man Pleads Guilty to Carrying A Firearm During and in Relation to A Crime of ViolenceRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Jatavier Bradford, age 17, of Okmulgee, Oklahoma entered a guilty plea to Carrying A Firearm During And In Relation To A Crime Of Violence, punishable by not less than 5 years imprisonment, a fine up to $250,000.00, or both. Bradford, who will be 18 next month, entered a plea of guilty after being transferred to adult status in court.
The Information alleged that on or about July 7, 2020, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma within the territorial boundaries of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation reservation, the defendant, JATAVIER BRADFORD did carry a firearm, that is, a Taurus Model PT111, 9mm S/N TCY95849, during and in relation to a crime of violence for which he may be prosecuted in a court of the United States, in violation of Title 18 U.S.C. § 924(c)(1)(A)(i).
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.
Special Assistant United States Attorney David Youll represented the United States at the plea hearing.
Northwest Louisiana Human Trafficking Task Force Announces "Project R.I.S.K."Read the Press Release
SHREVEPORT, La. – The Northwest Louisiana Human Trafficking Task Force is comprised of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies and non-governmental organizations, and was formed in an effort to promote enhanced collaboration between all agencies involved in combatting human trafficking cases in our area. This Task Force has launched a campaign to fight sexual predator cases called “Project R.I.S.K.,” Acting United States Attorney Alexander C. Van Hook announced.
Members of the Task Force have noticed a disturbing trend in the rise of sexual predator cases in the Western District of Louisiana. Because of this trend, the Task Force has launched “Project R.I.S.K.” (Reliable Internet Safety for Kids).
Since March 2020, the coronavirus pandemic has pushed our youth to be on the internet more than ever before. Today, the internet not only entertains and connects our youth with their peers, but a vast majority of them are using the internet for virtual schooling. The Louisiana Attorney General’s Office has reported a 200% increase in online sexual predator cases since the beginning of the pandemic. This increase in internet activity allows more opportunity for predators to interact with our youth. As we see in all cases, predators will also adapt to their changing environments.
The Task Force has created a Public Service Announcement (PSA) to launch Project R.I.S.K. and contains messages from leaders of area law enforcement agencies providing advice to help prevent predators from victimizing children.
Leaders advise all guardians, including parents, teachers, and custodians, to place ALL devices such as computers, laptops, tablets, and smart phones in common areas. Smart phones, even those with no service, allow the same access to predators as a computer or other device. Guardians need to know what apps are on these devices and also know their children’s passwords. Project R.I.S.K. also encourages all guardians to engage in their children’s activities.
All agencies in this Task Force share a united front to eliminate all human trafficking type cases; however, to be more successful, they need assistance from the public. Many parents and guardians want to protect their children but may not know where to look for reliable internet safety information. Project R.I.S.K. is designed to assist with that. The Project R.I.S.K. PSA will provide reliable information and the law enforcement agencies involved in this Task Force can help as well. Members of the Task Force will be available to meet with citizens, local government officials, community organizations, school boards, churches, and other groups to discuss Project R.I.S.K. and internet safety.
The members of the Northwest Louisiana Human Trafficking Task Force are:
Law Enforcement Members
Bossier City Marshal’s Office
Bossier City Police Department
Bossier Parish Sheriff’s Office
Caddo Parish Sheriff’s Office
Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force (FBI-Shreveport Field Office)
Claiborne Parish Sheriff’s Office
DeSoto Parish Sheriff’s Office
Federal Bureau of Investigations, Shreveport Field Office
Greenwood Police Department
Homeland Security Investigations, Shreveport Field Office
Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force
Louisiana Alcohol Tobacco Commission
Louisiana State Police
Office of Special Investigations, Barksdale Air Force Base
Sabine Parish Sherriff’s Office
Shreveport Police Department
United States Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General
United States Department of State
United States Marshal Service, Western District of Louisiana
Webster Parish Sheriff’s Office
Prosecutorial Members
United States Attorney’s Office (Western District of Louisiana)
Caddo Parish District Attorney’s Office
Bossier/Webster Parish District Attorney’s Office
For further information regarding Project R.I.S.K., contact any of the members above or Assistant United States Attorney Earl Campbell at 318-676-3600.
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New York City Police Department Officer Charged with Acting as an Illegal Agent of the People’s Republic of ChinaRead the Press Release
UPDATE
The charges described in the press release below were dismissed by the Court on January 19, 2023. See No. 20-CR-442 (EK), ECF No. 140.
BROOKLYN, NY – A criminal complaint was unsealed today in federal court in Brooklyn charging Baimadajie Angwang, a New York City Police Department officer and United States Army reservist, with acting as an illegal agent of the People’s Republic of China (PRC) as well as committing wire fraud, making false statements and obstructing an official proceeding. Angwang was arrested today and will make his initial appearance this afternoon before United States Magistrate Judge Roanne L. Mann.
Seth D. DuCharme, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York; John C. Demers, Assistant Attorney General for National Security; Alan E. Kohler, Jr., Assistant Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Counterintelligence Division; William F. Sweeney, Jr., Assistant Director-in-Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI); and Dermot F. Shea, Commissioner, New York City Police Department (NYPD), announced the arrest and charges.
“The defendant allegedly violated his sworn oath to serve the New York City community and defend the Constitution against all enemies by reporting to PRC government officials about the activities of Chinese citizens in the New York area and developing intelligence sources within the Tibetan community in the United States,” stated Acting United States Attorney DuCharme. “This Office, together with our law enforcement partners, remains vigilant in rooting out any attempts at foreign influence though criminal activity taken on behalf of a foreign power in whatever form they may take.”
“State and local officials should be aware that they are not immune to the threat of Chinese espionage,” said Assistant Attorney General for National Security John C. Demers. “According to the allegations, the Chinese government recruited and directed a U.S. citizen and member of our nation’s largest law enforcement department to further its intelligence gathering and repression of Chinese abroad. Our police departments provide for our public safety and are often the first line of defense against the national security threats our country faces. We will continue to work with our state and local partners to protect our nation’s great police departments.”
“The defendant allegedly violated the trust of his community and the New York City Police Department on behalf of a foreign power, the People’s Republic of China. This type of conduct simply cannot be tolerated,” stated FBI Assistant Director Kohler. “This case serves as yet another reminder that China represents the biggest counterintelligence threat to the United States and that the FBI and our partners will be aggressive in investigating and stopping such activities within our nation.”
“This is the definition of an insider threat - as alleged, Mr. Angwang operated on behalf of a foreign government; lied to gain his clearance, and used his position as an NYPD police officer to aid the Chinese government's subversive and illegal attempts to recruit intelligence sources,” stated FBI Assistant Director-in-Charge Sweeney. “The FBI is committed to stopping hostile foreign governments from infiltrating our institutions, and we will we not tolerate the behavior of those who willingly violate their oath to the United States, and covertly work against their fellow citizens. We want to thank the NYPD for its extraordinary partnership on this investigation.”
“As alleged in this federal complaint, Baimadajie Angwang violated every oath he took in this country. One to the United States, another to the U.S. Army, and a third to this Police Department,” stated NYPD Commissioner Shea. “From the earliest stages of this investigation, the NYPD’s Intelligence and Internal Affairs bureaus worked closely with the FBI’s Counterintelligence Division to make sure this individual would be brought to justice.”
According to the publicly filed complaint and the government’s detention memorandum, Angwang, an ethnic Tibetan native of the PRC and naturalized U.S. citizen, is assigned to the NYPD’s community affairs unit where he serves as a liaison to the community served by the 111th Precinct.
Since at least 2014, Angwang allegedly acted at the direction and control of officials at the PRC Consulate in New York City. Specifically, Angwang reported on the activities of Chinese citizens in the New York area, spotted and assessed potential intelligence sources within the Tibetan community in New York and elsewhere, and provided PRC officials with access to senior NYPD officials through invitations to official events. One of the PRC Consular officials at whose direction Angwang acted worked for the China Association for Preservation and Development of Tibetan Culture, a division of the PRC’s United Front Work Department. This Department is responsible for, among other things, neutralizing potential opponents of the PRC and co-opting ethnic Chinese individuals living outside the PRC.
Angwang is also charged with committing wire fraud, making material false statements and obstructing an official proceeding. As part of his employment with the U.S. Army Reserve, Angwang maintained a “SECRET”-level security clearance. According to court documents, in 2019, Angwang completed and electronically submitted an SF-86C form for a background investigation. On the form, Angwang lied by denying that he had contacts with a foreign government or its consulate and by denying that he had close and continuing contacts with foreign nationals, including his family members who live in the PRC, some of whom are affiliated with the People’s Liberation Army.
The charges in the complaint are allegations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. If convicted, Angwang faces a maximum sentence of 55 years’ imprisonment.
The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s National Security and Cybercrime Section. Assistant United States Attorney Michael T. Keilty is in charge of the prosecution, with assistance from Trial Attorney Scott A. Claffee of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section.
The Defendant:
BAIMADAJIE ANGWANG
Age: 33
Williston Park, New YorkE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 20-MJ-837
New York City Police Department Officer Charged with Acting as an Illegal Agent of the People’s Republic of ChinaRead the Press Release
A criminal complaint was unsealed today in federal court in the Eastern District of New York charging Baimadajie Angwang, 33, a New York City Police Department officer and United States Army reservist, with acting as an illegal agent of the People’s Republic of China (PRC) as well as committing wire fraud, making false statements and obstructing an official proceeding. Angwang was arrested earlier today in Williston Park, New York, and his initial appearance is scheduled for this afternoon before United States Magistrate Judge Peggy Kuo at the United States Courthouse in Brooklyn, New York.
“State and local officials should be aware that they are not immune to the threat of Chinese espionage,” said Assistant Attorney General for National Security John C. Demers. “According to the allegations, the Chinese government recruited and directed a U.S. citizen and member of our nation’s largest law enforcement department to further its intelligence gathering and repression of Chinese abroad. Our police departments provide for our public safety and are often the first line of defense against the national security threats our country faces. We will continue to work with our state and local partners to protect our nation’s great police departments.”
“The defendant is charged with violating his sworn oath as a New York City police officer to protect and serve the citizens of New York by instead reporting to PRC government officials about the activities of Chinese citizens in the New York area and developing intelligence sources within the Tibetan community in the United States,” stated Acting United States Attorney Seth D. DuCharme. “Today’s arrest shows that no one – especially one sworn to uphold the law – is immune from prosecution for illegal acts on behalf of foreign governments.”
“The defendant allegedly violated the trust of his community and the New York City Police Department on behalf of a foreign power, the People’s Republic of China. This type of conduct simply cannot be tolerated,” said Alan E. Kohler, Jr., Assistant Director of the FBI’s Counterintelligence Division. “This case serves as yet another reminder that China represents the biggest counterintelligence threat to the United States and that the FBI and our partners will be aggressive in investigating and stopping such activities within our nation.”
“This is the definition of an insider threat - as alleged, Angwang operated on behalf of a foreign government; lied to gain his clearance, and used his position as an NYPD police officer to aid the Chinese government's subversive and illegal attempts to recruit intelligence sources,” stated FBI Assistant Director-in-Charge of the New York Field Office William F. Sweeney. “The FBI is committed to stopping hostile foreign governments from infiltrating our institutions, and we will we not tolerate the behavior of those who willingly violate their oath to the United States, and covertly work against their fellow citizens. We want to thank the NYPD for its extraordinary partnership on this investigation.”
“As alleged in this federal complaint, Baimadajie Angwang violated every oath he took in this country. One to the United States, another to the U.S. Army, and a third to this Police Department,” stated NYPD Commissioner Dermot F. Shea. “From the earliest stages of this investigation, the NYPD’s Intelligence and Internal Affairs bureaus worked closely with the FBI’s Counterintelligence Division to make sure this individual would be brought to justice.”
According to the publicly filed complaint and detention memorandum, Angwang, an ethnic Tibetan native of the PRC and naturalized U.S. citizen who resides in Williston Park, New York, is assigned to NYPD’s community affairs unit where, among other things, he serves as a liaison to the community served by the 111th Precinct.
Since at least 2014, Angwang acted at the direction and control of officials at the PRC Consulate in New York City. Specifically, Angwang reported on the activities of Chinese citizens in the New York area, spotted and assessed potential intelligence sources within the Tibetan community in New York and elsewhere, and provided PRC officials with access to senior NYPD officials through invitations to official events. One of the PRC Consular officials at whose direction Angwang acted worked for the “China Association for Preservation and Development of Tibetan Culture,” a division of the PRC’s United Front Work Department. This Department is responsible for, among other things, neutralizing potential opponents of the PRC and co-opting ethnic Chinese individuals living outside the PRC.
According to court documents, Angwang was explicit about his motivations, telling his PRC official handler that was wanted to get promoted within the NYPD so that he could assist the PRC and bring “glory to China.” In addition, Angwang told his handler that the handler’s superiors in Beijing “should be happy . . . because you have stretched your reach into the police.”
In addition to acting as an illegal agent of the PRC, Angwang is also charged with committing wire fraud, making material false statements and obstructing an official proceeding. As part of his employment with the U.S. Army Reserve, Angwang maintained a “SECRET”-level security clearance. According to court documents, in 2019, Angwang completed and electronically submitted an SF-86C form for a background investigation. On the form, Angwang lied by denying that he had contacts with a foreign government or its consulate and by denying that he had close and continuing contacts with foreign nationals, including his family members who live in the PRC, some of whom were affiliated with the People’s Liberation Army.
The charges in the complaint are merely allegations and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. If convicted, Angwang faces a maximum sentence of 55 years’ imprisonment.
The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s National Security and Cybercrime Section. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael T. Keilty is in charge of the prosecution, with assistance from Trial Attorney Scott A. Claffee of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section.
New Orleans Man Charged in Federal Court for Hobbs Act Robberies, Possession, and Brandishing of a Firearm during a Crime of ViolenceRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS – U.S. Attorney Peter G. Strasser announced that JARRELL FOX, (“FOX”) age 29, of New Orleans, was charged on September 18, 2020 in an eight-count Indictment with four Hobbs Act Robberies, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1951(a), three counts of Brandishing a Firearm During a Crime of Violence in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 924(c)(1)(a)(ii), and one count of Possession of a Firearm During a Crime of Violence in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 924(c)(1)(a)(i).
The federal indictment alleges that FOX committed the armed robberies of four businesses located in the New Orleans East and Mid-City areas of New Orleans while either brandishing or possessing a firearm.
If convicted of the Hobbs Act Robbery violations, FOX faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years, a fine of up to $250,000.00, a period of up to 3 years supervised release, and a mandatory special assessment (”MSA”) of $100.00. If convicted of Brandishing a Firearm During a Crime of Violence, FOX faces a mandatory consecutive sentence of 7 years to life imprisonment, up to a $250,000.00 fine, up to 5 years supervised release, and a $100 MSA. If convicted of Possessing a Firearm During a Crime of Violence, FOX faces a mandatory consecutive sentence of 5 years to life imprisonment, up to a $250,000.00 fine, up to 5 years supervised release, and a $100 MSA. Any sentence imposed regarding the firearm offenses will run consecutive to the sentence imposed for the violation of the Hobbs Act Robbery offenses.
U. S. Attorney Strasser reiterated that an indictment is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
This case is also part of Project Guardian, the Department of Justice’s signature initiative to reduce gun violence and enforce federal firearms laws. Initiated by the Attorney General in the fall of 2019, Project Guardian draws upon the Department’s past successful programs to reduce gun violence; enhances coordination of federal, state, local, and tribal authorities in investigating and prosecuting gun crimes; improves information-sharing by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives when a prohibited individual attempts to purchase a firearm and is denied by the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS), to include taking appropriate actions when a prospective purchaser is denied by the NICS for mental health reasons; and ensures that federal resources are directed at the criminals posing the greatest threat to our communities. The United States Attorney’s Office has prosecuted this case with support from the following Project Guardian partners: Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. For more information about Project Guardian, please see https://www.justice.gov/usao-edla/project-guardian.
This case was investigated by the New Orleans Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Brittany Reed of the Violent Crime/Strike Force Unit of the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
New Orleans Man Charged in Federal Court for Hobbs Act Robberies and Possession and Brandishing of a Firearm during a Crime of ViolenceRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS – U.S. Attorney Peter G. Strasser announced that JARRELL FOX, (“FOX”) age 29, of New Orleans, was charged in an eight-count Indictment with four Hobbs Act Robberies, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1951(a), three counts of Brandishing a Firearm During a Crime of Violence in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 924(c)(1)(a)(ii), and one count of Possession of a Firearm During a Crime of Violence in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 924(c)(1)(a)(i).
The federal indictment alleges that FOX committed the armed robberies of four businesses located in the New Orleans East and Mid-City areas of New Orleans while either brandishing or possessing a firearm.
If convicted of the Hobbs Act Robbery violations, FOX faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years, a fine of up to $250,000.00, a period of up to 3 years supervised release, and a mandatory special assessment (”MSA”) of $100.00. If convicted of Brandishing a Firearm During a Crime of Violence, FOX faces a mandatory consecutive sentence of 7 years to life imprisonment, up to a $250,000.00 fine, up to 5 years supervised release, and a $100 MSA. If convicted of Possessing a Firearm During a Crime of Violence, FOX faces a mandatory consecutive sentence of 5 years to life imprisonment, up to a $250,000.00 fine, up to 5 years supervised release, and a $100 MSA. Any sentence imposed regarding the firearm offenses will run consecutive to the sentence imposed for the violation of the Hobbs Act Robbery offenses.
U. S. Attorney Strasser reiterated that an indictment is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
This case is also part of Project Guardian, the Department of Justice’s signature initiative to reduce gun violence and enforce federal firearms laws. Initiated by the Attorney General in the fall of 2019, Project Guardian draws upon the Department’s past successful programs to reduce gun violence; enhances coordination of federal, state, local, and tribal authorities in investigating and prosecuting gun crimes; improves information-sharing by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives when a prohibited individual attempts to purchase a firearm and is denied by the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS), to include taking appropriate actions when a prospective purchaser is denied by the NICS for mental health reasons; and ensures that federal resources are directed at the criminals posing the greatest threat to our communities. The United States Attorney’s Office has prosecuted this case with support from the following Project Guardian partners: Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. For more information about Project Guardian, please see https://www.justice.gov/usao-edla/project-guardian.
This case was investigated by the New Orleans Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Brittany Reed of the Violent Crime/Strike Force Unit of the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
Neurosurgeon Medical Practice Director to Pay over $1 Million to Resolve False Claims Act Liability Arising from Billing of P-Stim DevicesRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – First Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer Arbittier Williams announced that neurosurgeon Sagi M. Kuznits, practice director Pnina Kuznits, and Neurosurgical Care LLC (collectively, “Kuznits”), have agreed to pay $1,017,375.03 to resolve liability under the False Claims Act for the alleged improper billing of electro-acupuncture devices called Stivax and/or P-Stim and a memory-loss device called eVox.
From February 2017 through July 2018, Kuznits billed Medicare, TRICARE, and the Federal Employees Health Benefit Program for the implantation of neuro-stimulators – a surgical procedure which usually requires an operating room and which is reimbursed by federal healthcare programs – when in fact the only procedures performed had been the non-surgical application of P-Stim and Stivax by a physician assistant. P-Stim and Stivax are applied with an adhesive and insertion of a limited number of needles, and they do not involve surgery, anesthesia, or take place in an operating room. Federal healthcare programs do not reimburse for devices such as P-Stim or Stivax, whether they are characterized as an electro-acupuncture device or as an implantable neuro-stimulator. Other brand names for this device include NeuroStim, ANSiStim, E-Pulse, and NSS-2 Bridge.
In addition, Kuznits billed Medicare for a physician assistant’s application of an “eVox” device. Manufactured by Evoke Neuroscience, Inc., eVox consists of a cap with electrodes that are placed on the head and connected to a laptop by wires, purporting to measure certain “biomarkers” to assist in treatment of memory loss. Kuznits submitted claims to Medicare for payment using a combination of six reimbursable codes apparently in an effort to maximize reimbursement. The United States alleges that Medicare does not reimburse for eVox as billed, and especially not when one diagnostic test is mis-billed under multiple codes as if it were multiple different tests.
“Dr. Kuznits, as a surgeon, should have known better. P-Stim is clearly not surgery and should not be billed using the surgical codes improperly pushed by marketers,” said First Assistant U.S. Attorney Williams. “Dr. Kuznits failed to do his own independent due diligence which would have shown that he could not bill federal healthcare programs for P-Stim. Instead, he chose to take the money based on the self-serving representations of those selling the product that Medicare would pay for it.”
Now, in addition to this settlement, Dr. Kuznits is suing those marketers. See Neurosurgical Care, LLC v. Doc Solutions LLC, Civil Case No. 19-5751 (E.D. Pa.). “As this settlement shows,” continued First Assistant U.S. Attorney Williams, “if a marketer pushes a healthcare scheme like P-Stim that sounds too good to be true, it likely is – and you shouldn’t do it.”
This is the third electro-acupuncture device settlement announced in this District as part of an ongoing investigation. In recent months, other jurisdictions including the Southern District of Texas and the Middle District of Tennessee have also taken action to hold providers accountable. See https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdtx/pr/pain-doctor-pays-settle-allegations-deceptive-medicare-billing; https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdtx/pr/pain-doctor-pays-settle-allegations-deceptive-medicare-billing);https://www.justice.gov/usao-mdtn/pr/united-states-and-tennessee-file-suit-against-comprehensive-pain-specialists-and); https://www.tn.gov/attorneygeneral/news/2020/6/10/pr20-27.html#:~:text=Nashville%2D%20Tennessee%20Attorney%20General%20Herbert,Tennessee%20Medicaid%20False%20Claims%20Act.
“We continue to work closely with our partners at CMS’s Center for Program Integrity, the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General, other federal healthcare programs, state partners, and sister U.S. Attorney’s Offices around the country to hold accountable any other providers who inappropriately billed this device and any product distributors or marketers who may have devised or carried out such a billing scheme,” stated First Assistant U.S. Attorney Williams.
“Every dollar saved is critical to the sustainability of our Medicare program and the needs of our beneficiaries,” said Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Administrator Seema Verma. “We thank our partners at the Department of Justice and Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General for working hard with us to identify, investigate, and eliminate waste, fraud and abuse in our federal healthcare programs.”
“Accurately billing for services provided to Medicare beneficiaries is required of all health care providers,” said Maureen R. Dixon, Special Agent in Charge for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the Inspector General. “HHS-OIG, CMS’s Center for Program Integrity, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office will continue to evaluate and pursue inaccurate billings of P-Stim and similar devices.”
The settled civil claims are allegations only. There has been no determination of civil liability. This case was investigated by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of the Inspector General. It was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew E. K. Howatt, Civil Chief Gregory B. David, and Auditor Dawn Wiggins.
Monroeville Felon Admits Possessing Fentanyl and Unlawfully Possessing a Gun and AmmoRead the Press Release
PITTBSURGH – A former resident of Monroeville, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty in federal court to violating the federal narcotics and firearms laws, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced today.
Alexander Bishop Cole, age 38 pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Robert J. Colville to a three-count Information charging him at two of the counts with possessing fentanyl with the intent to distribute it on June 30, 2017. The third count of the Information charged Cole, a felon previously convicted in 2009 of federal narcotics and firearms law violations in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania, with unlawfully possessing a firearm and ammunition on June 30, 2017. Federal law prohibits a person with a prior felony conviction from possessing a firearm or ammunition.
In connection with the guilty plea, the court was advised that on June 30, 2017, detectives with the Monroeville Police Department performed a traffic stop on a vehicle occupied by Cole – a subsequent search of Cole’s person revealed ten "bricks" of fentanyl, which was packaged for resale. A subsequent search of Cole’s apartment revealed additional quantities of fentanyl, fentanyl packaging materials, and a .40 caliber Browning Arms pistol, and assorted ammunition.
Judge Colville scheduled sentencing for January 20, 2021, at 1:30 p.m. The law provides for a total sentence of not less than five years and up to 40 years in prison, a fine not to exceed $5,000,000, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history of the defendant.
Pending sentencing, the court remanded Cole to the custody of the United States Marshals Service.
Assistant United States Attorney Jerome A. Moschetta is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Monroeville Police Department, conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Cole.
Mexican National Sentenced to 10 years in Prison for Cultivating Marijuana in Sequoia National ForestRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — U.S. District Judge Dale A. Drozd sentenced Marco Lizandro Duarte-Beltran, 34, of Michoacán, Mexico, today to 10 years in prison for conspiring to manufacture, distribute, and possess with intent to distribute marijuana, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced.
Judge Drozd also ordered Duarte-Beltran to pay $12,644 in restitution to clean up the area.
According to court documents, Duarte-Beltran cultivated 1,082 marijuana plants in the Millwood Creek area of the Sequoia National Forest for four months. Duarte-Beltran was apprehended at the marijuana cultivation site after a two‑month investigation, wearing camouflage clothing and armed with a loaded revolver.
The marijuana cultivation operation caused extensive environmental damage: native vegetation and tree limbs had been cut down to make room for the plants; three areas had been terraced for the campsite where Duarte-Beltran resided; water had been diverted from a water source on federal land to irrigate the plants; and irrigation tubing, trash, seed trays, seed pots, fertilizers, and pesticides were scattered throughout the grow site.
This case was the product of an investigation by the U.S. Forest Service. Homeland Security Investigations, Enforcement and Removal Operations, the Campaign Against Marijuana Planting (CAMP), the California National Guard, and the Fresno County Sheriff’s Office assisted in the investigation. Integral Ecology Research Center, a non-profit organization dedicated to the research and conservation of wildlife and their ecosystems, analyzed and documented the environmental damage. Assistant U.S. Attorney Karen A. Escobar prosecuted the case.
Mexican National Sentenced for Unlawful Possession of AmmunitionRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON W.Va. – A Mexican national who was in the United States illegally and caught in possession of .40 caliber ammunition was sentenced to time served, or six months and 17 days, in federal prison today, according to United States Attorney Mike Stuart. Juan Martin Sotelo-Rodriguez, 26, previously pled guilty to being an illegal alien in possession of ammunition.
“Sotelo-Rodriguez illegally entered our country only to further violate our laws,” said United States Attorney Mike Stuart. “My advice to him is that if he wants to come to the United States, he needs to follow the legal process to do so and while he is here, he must follow all of our laws.”
On October 25, 2019, Sotelo-Rodriguez was operating a car on Beechwood Drive in Huntington when he was stopped by a patrol officer with the Huntington Police Department. During the stop, Sotelo-Rodriguez was found to be intoxicated and was arrested for driving under the influence. Officers then located and seized multiple rounds of .40 caliber ammunition laying in the driver’s seat of the vehicle. Sotelo-Rodriguez admitted that he possessed the ammunition. Sotelo-Rodriguez also admitted that he was a citizen of Mexico and not a citizen or national of the United States, that he was illegally and unlawfully present in the United States, and therefore, was prohibited from possessing ammunition.
The United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and the Huntington Police Department conducted the investigation. United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers imposed the sentenced. Assistant United States Attorney Joseph F. Adams handled the prosecution.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:20-cr-00041.
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Members of Stock Fraud Ring Indicted for Securities Fraud, Two Defendants ArrestedRead the Press Release
Assistant U. S. Attorneys Andrew J. Galvin (619) 546-9721 and Aaron P. Arnzen (619) 546-8384
NEWS RELEASE SUMMARY – September 21, 2020
SAN DIEGO – An indictment unsealed today charges four individuals, including a securities attorney, with securities fraud for running an illegal pump-and-dump scheme surrounding two publicly-traded stocks. The investigation that led to these charges involved a co-conspirator-turned-confidential-informant who was cooperating with the FBI.
According to court documents, Ongkaruck Sripetch (a resident of Gig Harbor, Washington, who used the aliases “King Richards” and “Shelby Saint-Claire”), Canadian resident Michael Wexler, Canadian resident and securities attorney Ashmit Patel, and Grand Cayman resident Andrew McAlpine were members of a stock fraud ring who worked together to artificially inflate the prices of penny stocks, then quickly unload their own shares before the prices collapsed. The defendants did not know that, while the scheme was underway, one of their partners had begun cooperating with the Government’s investigation and was collecting evidence against his co-conspirators.
Defendant McAlpine was arrested Friday when he entered the United States from Grand Cayman, and defendant Sripetch was also arrested Friday, in Gig Harbor, Washington. The United States is seeking the arrest of defendants Patel and Wexler.
As alleged in the indictment, a pump-and-dump scheme takes place when subjects acquire publicly-traded stock at low prices, issue misleading news releases or promotional materials to artificially increase the price of the stock, sell the stock to unsuspecting investors, and split the proceeds. The stock fraud ring charged here carried out pump-and-dump schemes on the stock of two companies: Ottawa, Canada-based VMS Rehab Systems, which claimed to sell “quality of life orthopedic seat cushions for the home healthcare sector,” and Argus Worldwide, a company headquartered in Cheyenne, Wyoming, which purportedly focused on “digital/internet products and services, smart consumer electronic products and health industries.”
“These defendants sought to boost the stock price of two companies, and then leave innocent investors with investments that they knew would almost immediately lose most or all of their value,” said U.S. Attorney Robert Brewer. “We will continue to investigate and prosecute this type of stock fraud.” Brewer praised prosecutors Andrew Galvin and Aaron Arnzen, as well as the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Securities and Exchange Commission for their investigation in this case.
“The FBI's complex financial crimes investigators diligently work securities fraud cases like this pump-and-dump scheme in order to maintain the integrity of our financial markets,” said Suzanne Turner, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI's San Diego Division. “Today, Grand Cayman resident Andrew McAlpine and co-conspirator Ongkaruck Sripetch were arrested by FBI Agents and will face the charges for this alleged conspiracy. The FBI will continue to seek justice for those who are victmized by unscrupulous actors that manipulate our financial markets no matter where they reside.”
The indictment also alleges that, as part of the scheme, the conspirators traded the stock of VMS Rehab and Argus Worldwide between themselves. They made these trades to create the appearance that investors were genuinely interested in and actively trading the stocks. Sadly for victim investors, it was a façade – this manipulative trading was just part of defendants’ effort to entice investors to purchase VMS Rehab and Argus Worldwide stock at artificially high prices.
DEFENDANTS Case Number 20cr0160-H
Ongkaruck Sripetch Age: 45 Gig Harbor, WA
aka King Richards
aka Shelby Saint-Claire
Michael Wexler Age: 74 Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Ashmit Patel Age: 36 Oakville, Ontario, Canada
Andrew McAlpine Age: 47 Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands
SUMMARY OF CHARGES
Conspiracy to Commit Securities Fraud – Title 18, U.S.C., Section 371
Securities Fraud – Title 15, U.S.C., Sections 78j(b), 78ff, and Title 17, C.F.R., Section 240.10b-5
Manipulative Securities Trading – Title 15, U.S.C., Sections 78i(a)(1), 78ff.
Maximum penalty: Twenty years in prison and $5 million fine
AGENCIES
Federal Bureau of Investigation
Securities and Exchange Commission
*The charges and allegations contained in an indictment or complaint are merely accusations, and the defendants are considered innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Member of timber poaching group that set Olympic National Forest wildfire sentenced to 2 ½ years in prisonRead the Press Release
Tacoma — One of two men charged in a scheme to steal maple wood that resulted in a massive 2018 forest fire on the Olympic Peninsula was sentenced to prison today in U.S. District Court in Tacoma, announced U.S. Attorney Brian T. Moran. SHAWN EDWARD WILLIAMS, 49, was sentenced to 30 months in prison and three years of supervised release for theft of public property and setting timber afire. At the sentencing hearing, U.S. District Judge Benjamin H. Settle said that “the consequences of your actions . . . resulted in horrendous consequences to the forests.”
According to records filed in the case, between April and August 2018, lead defendant Justin Andrew Wilke conducted an illegal logging operation in the Elk Lake area of the Olympic National Forest, near Hood Canal. In July 2018, just days after his release from state prison, WILLIAMS joined the conspiracy, helping Wilke remove maple from the National Forest and transporting it with Wilke to a mill in Tumwater, Washington. The type of maple harvested by the defendants is highly prized and used to produce musical instruments.
On August 3, 2018, the group decided to cut a maple tree that contained a wasp’s nest near the base of the tree. To remove the nest, the group sprayed insecticide and gasoline on the nest and base of the tree and then lit the nest on fire. The group failed to extinguish the fire, which developed into a wildfire later named the “Maple Fire.” The Maple Fire consumed more than 3,300 acres between August and November 2018 and cost approximately $4.2 million to contain. WILLIAMS did not himself set the fire, but was present when others set the fire.
WILLIAMS pleaded guilty in December 2019.
In their sentencing memo, prosecutors highlighted the danger of Wilke and WILLIAMS’s conduct. “Forest fires present a dire and growing threat in this region. They destroy our forests, poison our air, and endanger responders, local residents, recreationalists, and wildlife. When this fire occurred in early August 2018, the Puget Sound region was (as it is today) already experiencing significant smoke from existing wildfires, and the high risk of fire was evident to everyone in Western Washington. Despite this atmosphere, Williams participated in taking the extreme risk of setting fire to a portion of a tree—deep in the forest, in mid-summer. The consequences of that decision—thousands of acres burned, millions of dollars in containment costs, and the release of huge amounts of smoke—were easily foreseeable.”
The case was investigated by the United States Forest Service. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Seth Wilkinson and Will Dreher.
Maryland man admits to firearms offenseRead the Press Release
MARTINSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Lemonte Green, of Hagerstown, Maryland, has admitted a firearms charge, U.S. Attorney Bill Powell announced.
Green, 36, pled guilty to one count of “Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime.” Green admitted to having a 9mm pistol while trafficking drugs in October 2019 in Berkeley County.
Green no less than five years and up to life incarceration and a fine of up to $250,000. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Lara Omps-Botteicher is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Robert W. Trumble presided.
Man Admits Using Kik to Solicit, Receive and Distribute Child PornographyRead the Press Release
John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, and Michael Shea, Acting Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) in Boston, announced that DYLAN KOERNER, 29, of New Britain, formerly of West Hartford, waived his right to be indicted and pleaded guilty today to one count of distribution of child pornography.
Pursuant to the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act), the court proceeding before U.S. District Judge Janet Bond Arterton occurred via videoconference.
According to court documents and statements made in court, between July 2019 and October 2019, Koerner used a false identity and posed as a teenager on Kik, an internet mobile application, to solicit child pornography from Kik users who he believed to be minor females. He also distributed images and videos of child pornography to other Kik users.
Analysis of Koerner’s cell phone and an external hard drive seized from him in October 2019 revealed approximately 121 unique images and nine unique videos depicting child pornography.
Judge Arterton scheduled sentencing for December 14, 2020, at which time Koerner faces a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of five years and a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years.
Koerner is released on a $100,000 bond pending sentencing.
This matter is being investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Nancy V. Gifford.
This prosecution is part of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Project Safe Childhood Initiative, which is aimed at protecting children from sexual abuse and exploitation. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
To report cases of child exploitation, please visit www.cybertipline.com.
Kernersville Man Who Tried to Shoot a State Trooper Sentenced to 30 Years on Federal Drug and Gun ChargesRead the Press Release
GREENSBORO, N.C. - A man formerly from Kernersville was sentenced today in federal court for drug and firearm offenses, announced United States Attorney Matthew G.T. Martin of the Middle District of North Carolina.
TYLER LLOYD GRANTZ, age 21, was charged with possession of a stolen firearm, possession with intent to distribute cocaine, possession with intent to distribute oxycodone, and carry/use, by discharging, firearms during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime. He was convicted of all charges on February 12, 2020, after a three day jury trial.
GRANTZ was sentenced by United States District Court Judge William L. Osteen, Jr., in Greensboro. GRANTZ was sentenced to 240 months in prison as to Counts One through Three, to run concurrently with one another, and 120 months as to Count Four, to run consecutively thereto, for an aggregate sentence of 360 months. He was sentenced to 3 years of supervised release as to Counts One through Three and five years of supervised release as to Count Four.
According to evidence presented at the trial, at approximately 2:09 am on March 5, 2019, GRANTZ was speeding down Interstate 40 eastbound at 100 mph in a stolen GMC Acadia when a trooper with the North Carolina State Highway Patrol attempted to pull him over. GRANTZ, while driving, fired multiple rounds from a stolen Glock .40 caliber handgun at the trooper’s car. GRANTZ then pulled over at the New Hope Church Road exit in Orange County and crashed his car along the wood line. As the trooper approached GRANTZ’s car, GRANTZ fired multiple rounds at him with a Draco Arms AK-style 7.62x39mm pistol grip assault rifle and then ran into the woods. Law enforcement searched the GMC Acadia and found the stolen Glock .40 caliber handgun, a hard hat bearing GRANTZ’s name, and a cell phone bearing his DNA and containing pictures of him, as well as text messages discussing drug sales. Law enforcement also found multiple .40 caliber shell casings along Interstate 40 and multiple 7.62x39mm shell casings at the crash site.
After a multiple hour manhunt, law enforcement arrested GRANTZ a few miles from the crash site. GRANTZ had the Draco Arms assault rifle and distribution quantities of cocaine hydrochloride and oxycodone with him, as well as multiple other controlled substances, a large amount of cash, drug packaging materials, and digital scales. A forensic scientist confirmed that recovered shell casings matched the two firearms.
“Let the 30 year sentence in this case put violent drug dealers on notice. If you are using guns to help your drug business and if you shoot at a cop, you will suffer serious federal consequences,” said U.S. Attorney Matt Martin. “I commend the FBI, Orange County Sheriff, NC State Highway Patrol, and Chapel Hill Police Department for excellent work in this case.”
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Orange County Sheriff’s Office with assistance from the North Carolina State Highway Patrol and the Chapel Hill Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney JoAnna G. McFadden prosecuted the case.
The year 2020 marks the 150th anniversary of the Department of Justice. Learn more about the history of our agency at www.Justice.gov/Celebrating150Years.
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Justice Department Awards Nearly $101 Million to Combat Human TraffickingRead the Press Release
The Department of Justice today announced it has awarded nearly $101 million, through the department’s Office of Justice Programs (OJP) in funding to combat human trafficking and provide vital services to trafficking victims throughout the United States.
“The scourge of human trafficking is the modern-day equivalent of slavery, brutally depriving victims of basic human rights and essential physical needs as it erodes their sense of dignity and self-worth,” said Attorney General William P. Barr. “The Department of Justice is relentless in its fight against the perpetrators of these heinous crimes. Working with state and local law enforcement and community victim service providers, we will continue to bring these criminals to justice and deliver critical aid to survivors.”
The Office for Victims of Crime (OVC) 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 is a massive global enterprise with roots in cities and communities here in America and across the world,” said OJP Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Katharine T. Sullivan. “The Office of Justice Programs is using all the resources at its disposal to help our state, local and tribal partners uncover and eradicate trafficking operations and help victims open the door to a new life.”
Grants awarded under fiscal year (FY) 2020 OVC programs aim to enhance the quality and quantity of services available to survivors of human trafficking. Specific programs:
- The Enhanced Collaborative Model Task Force to Combat Human Trafficking program awards over $22.7 million total. OVC awards over $17.7 million to 27 programs to support the effectiveness of collaborative and multidisciplinary task forces to combat human trafficking. The purpose of this program is to develop and strengthen programs for victims of human trafficking, including enhancing the capacity of law enforcement and other stakeholders to identify victims and provide justice for those victims through the investigation and prosecution of their traffickers. OVC also awards nearly $5 million in grants to three organizations for training and technical assistance for the task forces.
- The Housing Assistance Grants for Victims of Human Trafficking program awards over $35.1 million total to 73 organizations to provide six to 24 months of transitional or short-term housing assistance for trafficking victims, including rental, utilities or related expenses, such as security deposits and relocation costs. The grants will also provide funding to help victims locate permanent housing, secure employment and receive occupational training and counseling.
- The Improving Outcomes for Child and Youth Victims of Human Trafficking program awards over $4.2 million total to four recipients to integrate human trafficking policy and programming at the state or tribal level. This program will enhance coordinated, multidisciplinary and statewide approaches to at-risk populations to improve outcomes for children and youth who are victims of human trafficking.
- The Preventing Trafficking of Girls program awards $1.8 million total to four organizations, including a training and technical assistance provider, to support prevention and early intervention services, including mentoring and other direct support services for girls who are at risk of or are victims of sex trafficking.
- The Services for Minor Victims of Sex Trafficking program gives over $6.8 million to four recipients to develop, expand and strengthen assistance programs for minor victims of sex trafficking. Under this program, the funded states, tribes, and units of local government will provide (directly and through partnerships) an array of services that minor victims of human trafficking often require to address their need for safety, security, and healing.
- The Services for Minor Victims of Labor Trafficking program awards nearly $2 million total to three organizations to develop, expand, or strengthen victim service programs for minor victims of labor trafficking whose victimization occurred when they were under the age of 18.
- 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 Specialized Training and Technical Assistance on Housing for Victims of Human Trafficking program awards $643,163 total to deliver specialized training and technical assistance to victim service organizations to enhance their ability to provide appropriate housing for victims of human trafficking.
- OVC awards the Promoting Employment Opportunities for Survivors of Trafficking Training and Technical Assistance Project continuation funding in the amount of $300,000 to increase access to quality educational and employment opportunities for survivors of human trafficking.
Grants awarded under FY 2020 NIJ programs aim to understand law enforcement practices with regard to preventing and responding to victims of trafficking. Specific programs:
- The Research and Evaluation of Trafficking in Persons program awards over $2.5 million total to four organizations to build upon research and evaluation efforts to better understand, prevent and respond to trafficking in persons in the United States.
- The Research on Law Enforcement Responses to Sex Trafficking of Minors program awards nearly $1 million to understand how law enforcement practices with regard to preventing and responding to the sex trafficking of minors have evolved since passage of the Victims of Trafficking and Violence Protection Act of 2000. NIJ was specifically interested in understanding how widely law enforcement agencies have adopted practices based on the perspective that the minor is a victim rather than a delinquent and the challenges that agencies have faced in adopting such practices.
For a complete list of individual grant programs, award amounts, and jurisdictions that will receive funding, visit: https://www.ojp.gov/sites/g/files/xyckuh241/files/media/document/ovchumantraffickingfactsheet.pdf. More information about OJP and its components can be found at www.ojp.gov.
Jury Convicts Man of Producing Images of Child Sexual AbuseRead the Press Release
RICHMOND, Va. – A federal jury has convicted a Mathews County man of charges of conspiracy to produce child pornography, production of child pornography and coercion and enticement of a child.
According to court records and evidence presented at trial, William Wellington Hooper, Jr., 53, conspired with Jennifer Hutchens, 53, of Gloucester, to produce images of child sexual abuse of Jane Doe #1 and Jane Doe #2. During the months of April and May 2019, Hooper and Hutchens coerced Jane Doe #1 to engage in sexually explicit conduct in Gloucester County and Mathews County. Hutchens, at the request of Hooper, recruited other minor girls to participate in what Hooper called “teen modeling”. He promised these children, whose families were struggling financially, that they would be compensated. Hooper also sexually abused Jane Doe #1.
Hutchens previously pleaded guilty to producing child pornography and is scheduled to be sentenced on October 13.
Hooper was convicted on Friday and faces a mandatory minimum of 15 years to life in prison when sentenced on Feb. 9, 2021. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Raymond Villanueva, Special Agent in Charge of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Washington, D.C.; L. Mark Barrick, Mathews County Sheriff; Darrell W. Warren, Jr., Gloucester County Sheriff; and Colonel Gary T. Settle, Virginia State Police Superintendent, made the announcement after U.S. District Judge David J. Novak accepted the verdict. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lisa R. McKeel, Howard J. Zlotnick and Brittany M. Fisher are prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 4:20-cr-18.
Judge sentences UK National for role in ‘Dark Overlord’ Hacking GroupRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS, MO – A United Kingdom national pleaded guilty today to conspiring to commit aggravated identity theft and computer fraud, and was sentenced to five years in federal prison.
U.S. District Judge Ronnie White for the Eastern District of Missouri sentenced Nathan Wyatt, 39, who participated in a computer hacking collective known as “The Dark Overlord,” which targeted victims in the St. Louis area beginning in 2016. Wyatt was extradited from the United Kingdom to the Eastern District of Missouri in December 2019. Judge White also ordered Wyatt to pay $1,467,048 in restitution.
“Nathan Wyatt used his technical skills to prey on Americans’ private data and exploited the sensitive nature of their medical and financial records for his own personal gain,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Brian C. Rabbitt of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Today’s guilty plea and sentence demonstrate the department’s commitment to ensuring that hackers who seek to profit by illegally invading the privacy of Americans will be found and held accountable, no matter where they may be located.”
“The Dark Overlord has victimized innumerable employers in the United States, many of them repeatedly, said U.S Attorney Jeff Jensen of the Eastern District of Missouri. “I am grateful to the victims who came forward despite ransom threats and to the prosecutors and agents who were the first to catch and punish a member of the Dark Overlord in the United States.”
“Cyber hackers mistakenly believe they can hide behind a keyboard,” said Special Agent in Charge Richard Quinn of the FBI’s St. Louis Field Office. “In this case, the FBI demonstrated once again that it will impose consequences on cyber criminals no matter how long it takes or where they are located.”
Wyatt admitted that, beginning in 2016, he was a member of The Dark Overlord, a hacking group that was responsible for remotely accessing the computer networks of multiple U.S. companies without authorization. Victims in the Eastern District of Missouri included healthcare providers, accounting firms, and others. Wyatt admitted that The Dark Overlord co-conspirators acted by obtaining sensitive data from victim companies, including patient medical records and personal identifying information, and then threatening to release the companies’ stolen data unless the companies paid a ransom of between $75,000 and $350,000 in bitcoin.
Wyatt further admitted that he participated in the conspiracy by creating, validating, and maintaining communication, payment, and virtual private network accounts that were used in the course of the scheme to, among other things, send threatening and extortionate messages to victims within the Eastern District of Missouri.
The investigation was conducted by the FBI’s St. Louis Field Office. Support was also provided by the FBI’s Atlanta Field Office. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs coordinated the extradition of Wyatt. The department thanks law enforcement authorities in the United Kingdom, including the Metropolitan Police Service, for their substantial assistance in the investigation.
Senior Counsel Laura-Kate Bernstein of the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section (CCIPS) and Assistant U.S. Attorney Gwendolyn Carroll prosecuted the case.
Indictment Charges Alaska Man for Threatening a California SynagogueRead the Press Release
A federal grand jury in Alaska, returned an indictment charging William Alexander, 49, for threatening to kill the congregants of a California synagogue, the Justice Department announced today.
Count One charges Alexander with making threatening interstate communications, in violation of Title 18, U.S. Code, Section 875. Count Two charges Alexander with intentionally obstructing and attempting to obstruct persons in the enjoyment of their free exercise of religious beliefs through the threatened use of force, in violation of Title 18, U.S. Code, Section 247.
The indictment alleges that, on Nov. 1, 2019, Alexander called the California synagogue and left a voice message threatening to “kill” its Jewish congregants.
If convicted, Alexander faces a maximum of five years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000. An indictment is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, and not evidence of guilt. The defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty.
The case is being investigated by the FBI’s Anchorage Field Office with assistance from the Anchorage Police Department and the Los Angeles Police Department, and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonas Walker of the District of Alaska and Civil Rights Division Trial Attorney Sanjay Patel.
Huntington Man Sentenced to More Than Eight Years in Federal Prison for Heroin OffenseRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON W.Va. – A Huntington man caught with a large quantity of heroin was sentenced to 100 months in federal prison today, announced United States Attorney Mike Stuart. Jason Chinn, 44, previously pled guilty to possession with intent to distribute 100 grams or more of heroin.
“By prosecuting opioid dealers like Chinn, we continue to make a notable positive impact in Huntington through Operation S.O.S.,” said United States Attorney Mike Stuart. “Every time we put a poison peddler behind bars, we disrupt the supply of opioids in the community.”
Chinn admitted that on May 8, 2018, officers executed a search warrant on his residence at 3001 5th Avenue in Huntington. Officers recovered 370 grams of heroin during the search and Chinn admitted that he planned on selling the heroin. As part of his plea agreement, Chinn also admitted that he participated with others in distribution of heroin for several years and that he was responsible for the distribution of up to 3 kilograms of the drug.
The Cabell County Sheriff’s Department conducted the investigation. United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Joseph F. Adams handled the prosecution.
The case was prosecuted as part of Operation Synthetic Opioid Surge (S.O.S.), an enforcement surge that seeks to reduce the supply of deadly synthetic opioids in high impact areas.
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. 3:19-cr-00202.
Follow us on Twitter: SDWVNews and USAttyStuart
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Harrisburg Man Sentenced to Five Years’ Imprisonment for Drug Trafficking and Firearms OffensesRead the Press Release
HARRISBURG - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Shaquan Jones, age 25, of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, was sentenced on September 18, 2020, by U.S. District Court Judge Jennifer Wilson to 60 months’ imprisonment for possession of a gun in furtherance of drug trafficking and possession of crack cocaine with intent to distribute it. Jones had entered a guilty plea to the charges in February 2020.
According to United States Attorney David J. Freed, the charges arose from a September 26, 2018, arrest by the Harrisburg Bureau of Police of Jones. Dauphin County Probation and Parole Officers were dealing with another individual on supervision when they encountered Jones. During their interaction with him, they realized he had a gun in his pocket. They also knew that Jones was previously convicted of drug trafficking, because Jones had just completed parole three days earlier. Harrisburg Police responded and found that Jones was in possession of a stolen handgun. During the arrest, police also recovered two bags of crack cocaine.
Judge Wilson cited Jones’ long criminal history and the circumstances of the incident as aggravating factors for the sentence.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Harrisburg Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Consiglio prosecuted the case.
This case is also part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program that has been historically successful in bringing together all levels of law enforcement to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. The Department of Justice reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local and tribal enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce crime.
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Guide Rock Man Sentenced for Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Joe Kelly announced that Robert Rose, 65, of Guide Rock, Nebraska, was sentenced on September 18, 2020, in Lincoln, Nebraska by Chief United States District Judge John M. Gerrard to four years’ imprisonment for Possession of Child Pornography. There is no parole in the federal system. Rose was also ordered to pay $3,000 in restitution. After his release from prison, Rose will have to serve a 12-year term of supervised release and be required to register as a sex offender.
On July 19, 2018, investigators with the Nebraska State Patrol executed a search warrant at Rose’s residence in Guide Rock. Rose’s laptop was seized during the search warrant and it was forensically examined by the Nebraska State Patrol. On Rose’s laptop, investigators found more than 600 images and videos of children under the age of 18 years old, including infants and toddlers, nude and/or engaging in sexually explicit conduct. Rose admitted to obtaining these images from the internet.
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 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 www.projectsafechildhood.gov .
This case was investigated by the Nebraska State Patrol.
Former Omaha Restaurant Manager Sentenced for Wire FraudRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Joe Kelly announced that Robert Giardina, 39, who most recently resided in Florida, was sentenced today in Omaha, Nebraska, by Senior United States District Judge Laurie Smith Camp to 30 months’ imprisonment for Wire Fraud. There is no parole in the federal system. Giardina was also ordered to pay $30,075.16 in restitution. After his release from prison, Giardina will have to serve a 3-year term of supervised release.
On July 24, 2017, Giardina was hired to be an Area Manager for a multi-branded restaurant management company based in Manhattan, Kansas to run three fast food franchise locations in the Omaha metropolitan area. Giardina used his brother’s information to pass a background check in the hiring process and to complete an I-9 and W-4. These three franchise locations utilized Aloha Point-of-Sale EDC software, which uses the internet to process credit card transactions. From on or about October 24, 2017, to June 5, 2018, Giardina initiated and completed approximately 275 fraudulent credit card refunds from the three franchise locations that he managed in the Omaha area. These fraudulent refunds that Giardina initiated were done so over an interstate wire and caused for funds from Victim Company’s bank account in Equity Bank in Kansas to be refunded to eight of Giardina’s personal credit cards. Giardina had not made purchases eligible for refunds and therefore each false refund to his personal credit cards involved no sales transactions forming the basis for the purported refunds. As a result of these activities, Giardina fraudulently obtained $30,075.16.
This case was investigated by the Social Security Administration-Office of the Inspector General and the Omaha Police Department.
Former Brooklyn Business Owners Plead Guilty in Scheme to Sell Misbranded Beef ProductsRead the Press Release
Earlier today, at the federal courthouse in Brooklyn, Howard Mora and Alan Buxbaum pleaded guilty before United States District Judge Kiyo A. Matsumoto to conspiracy to commit wire fraud by using counterfeit United States Department of Agriculture stamps to sell misbranded lower quality beef at inflated prices to consumers. When sentenced, each defendant faces up to 20 years in prison and criminal forfeiture of $250,000.
Seth D. DuCharme, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, and Bethanne M. Dinkins, Special Agent-in-Charge, United States Department of Agriculture, Office of Inspector General (USDA-OIG), announced the guilty pleas.
“Mora and Buxbaum rang up hundreds of thousands of dollars in fraudulent profits by charging customers more than the defendants’ products were worth, and now they will pay a price for their avarice,” stated Acting United States Attorney DuCharme.
Between September 2011 and October 2014, the defendants were co-owners of A. Stein Meat Products, Inc., a wholesale meat processing and distribution business located in Brooklyn. During this period, the defendants purchased beef products that had been graded “Choice” quality by graders at the USDA Agricultural Marketing Service and directed their employees to carve off the “Choice” markings and re-stamp them as “Prime,” using counterfeit stamps. The meat was then sold at inflated prices to customers in the New York City metropolitan area.
The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s Public Integrity Section. Assistant United States Attorneys Ryan Harris and Turner Buford are in charge of the prosecution.
The Defendants:
HOWARD MORA
Age: 68
Westbury, NYALAN BUXBAUM
Age: 66
Monroe, NJE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 19-CR-425 (KAM)
Former Attorney Sentenced to Prison for Embezzlement in Connection with Restaurant GroupRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – Gregory McClure, 42, of Willcox, Arizona, was sentenced today by United States District Court Judge G. Murray Snow to just over six months in prison, followed by six months of home detention. After serving home detention, McClure must serve three years of supervised release. McClure was also ordered to pay $1,339,252.69 in restitution.
Last year, McClure pleaded guilty to embezzling funds from bank accounts owned by Boomtown Management, Inc., an enterprise that owned and operated various restaurants associated with popular music artists throughout the United States. Using his access as Boomtown’s in-house attorney, McClure took money from Boomtown bank accounts in order to gamble at local casinos.
Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant United States Attorney Monica Edelstein, District of Arizona, Phoenix, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-19-00051-PHX-GMS
RELEASE NUMBER: 2020-073_McClure# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.Fitchburg Man Pleads Guilty to Child Pornography ChargesRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Fitchburg man pleaded guilty today to enticement of a minor and child pornography charges in federal court in Worcester.
Ryan Decarolis, 27, pleaded guilty to five counts of sexual exploitation of a minor, two counts of distribution of child pornography and one count of possession of child pornography before U.S. District Court Judge Timothy S. Hillman, who scheduled sentencing for Jan. 15, 2021. Decarolis has been in custody since his arrest on Aug. 2, 2019.
Decarolis admitted that he used a social media account to communicate with an individual who was subsequently charged with production and distribution of child pornography. With the consent of that individual, an undercover federal agent assumed control of that individual’s account and began communicating in an undercover capacity with Decarolis. In January 2019, Decarolis distributed child pornography to the undercover officer, and in April 2019, Decarolis provided the undercover officer with access to his Dropbox account, which contained hundreds of images and videos depicting child pornography. Included in that material was at least one video that depicted Decarolis sexually assaulting a young boy.
In August 2019, during a search of Decarolis’s Fitchburg residence, agents seized a tablet belonging to Decarolis that contained additional videos depicting child pornography. In addition, agents identified a second Dropbox account used by Decarolis that contained videos depicting the sexual exploitation of several children. Included within that material were numerous images and videos that Decarolis produced himself, some of which depicted Decarolis separately sexually assaulting at least four boys under the age of 12.
The charge of sexual exploitation of a minor provides for a minimum mandatory sentence of 15 years and up to 30 years in prison, a minimum mandatory of five years and up to life of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The charge of distribution of child pornography provides for a mandatory minimum sentence of five years and up to 20 years in prison, a minimum mandatory of five years and up to life of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The charge of possession of child pornography provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison because the material involved a child who had not attained the age of 12, a minimum mandatory of five years and up to life of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based on the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling; Michael Shea, Acting Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations, Boston Field Division; and Fitchburg Police Chief Ernest F. Martineau made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michelle L. Dineen Jerrett from Lelling’s Worcester Office is prosecuting the case.
The case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorney’s 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.
Federal Grand Jury Indicts New Orleans Man for Firearms ViolationRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – U.S. Attorney Peter G. Strasser announced on Friday, September 18, 2020, that TYREET JOURNEE, age 29, a resident of New Orleans, Louisiana was charged in a one-count indictment by a federal grand jury. In the indictment, JOURNEE is charged with possession of firearms and ammunition by a convicted felon in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922(g)(1) and 924(a)(2).
If convicted, JOURNEE faces a maximum sentence of 10 years imprisonment, a fine up to $250,000.00, a period of supervised release up to 3 years, and a mandatory special assessment fee of $100.00.
U. S. Attorney Strasser reiterated that the indictment is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
This case was made possible by investigative leads generated from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives’ (ATF) National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (NIBIN). NIBIN is the only national network that allows for the capture and comparison of ballistic evidence to aid in solving and preventing violent crimes involving firearms. NIBIN is a proven investigative and intelligence tool that can link firearms from multiple crime scenes, allowing law enforcement to quickly disrupt shooting cycles.
Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
This case is also part of Project Guardian, the Department of Justice’s signature initiative to reduce gun violence and enforce federal firearms laws. Initiated by the Attorney General in the fall of 2019, Project Guardian draws upon the Department’s past successful programs to reduce gun violence; enhances coordination of federal, state, local, and tribal authorities in investigating and prosecuting gun crimes; improves information-sharing by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives when a prohibited individual attempts to purchase a firearm and is denied by the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS), to include taking appropriate actions when a prospective purchaser is denied by the NICS for mental health reasons; and ensures that federal resources are directed at the criminals posing the greatest threat to our communities. The United States Attorney’s Office has prosecuted this case with support from the following Project Guardian partners: Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. For more information about Project Guardian, please see https://www.justice.gov/usao-edla/project-guardian.
The case was investigated by the New Orleans Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Brittany Reed of the Violent Crime/Strike Force Unit of the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
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Federal Grand Jury Indicts New Orleans Man for Firearm ViolationRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – U.S. Attorney Peter G. Strasser announced on Friday, September 18, 2020, that LLOYD WASHINGTON, (“WASHINGTON”) age 25, a resident of New Orleans, Louisiana was charged in a three-count indictment by a federal grand jury. In Count 1, WASHINGTON is charged with Possession of Firearms and Ammunition by a Convicted Felon in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922(g)(1) and 924(a)(2). In Count 2, WASHINGTON is charged with Possession of Machine Guns in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922(o) and 924(a)(2). In Count 3, WASHINGTON is charged with Possession of Non-Registered Firearms in violation of Title 26, United States Code, Sections 5841, 5861(d), and 5871.
If convicted, WASHINGTON faces a maximum sentence of 10 years imprisonment, a fine up to $250,000.00, a period of supervised release up to 3 years, and a mandatory special assessment fee of $100.00 for each charge.
U. S. Attorney Strasser reiterated that the indictment is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
This case is also part of Project Guardian, the Department of Justice’s signature initiative to reduce gun violence and enforce federal firearms laws. Initiated by the Attorney General in the fall of 2019, Project Guardian draws upon the Department’s past successful programs to reduce gun violence; enhances coordination of federal, state, local, and tribal authorities in investigating and prosecuting gun crimes; improves information-sharing by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives when a prohibited individual attempts to purchase a firearm and is denied by the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS), to include taking appropriate actions when a prospective purchaser is denied by the NICS for mental health reasons; and ensures that federal resources are directed at the criminals posing the greatest threat to our communities. The United States Attorney’s Office has prosecuted this case with support from the following Project Guardian partners: Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. For more information about Project Guardian, please see https://www.justice.gov/usao-edla/project-guardian.
This case was investigated by the New Orleans Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Brittany Reed of the Violent Crime/Strike Force Unit of the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
Executives of Lexington Medical Companies Sentenced for Defrauding the United States of TaxesRead the Press Release
LEXINGTON, Ky. - Ann Sonderman Giles, 56, and Lu Anne Wallace, 66, both of Lexington, were sentenced on Monday, before U.S. District Judge Karen Caldwell, to 30 months and 33 months, respectively, for conspiring to defraud the United States.
According to their plea agreements, Giles and Wallace operated various health care related companies in the Commonwealth of Kentucky, Giles as the Chief Executive Officer and Wallace as the Chief Financial Officer. They admitted to knowingly failing to pay over to the IRS mandated trust fund taxes derived from the operations of their companies, including federal income, Social Security, and Medicare taxes that had been withheld from their employees’ paychecks. Giles and Wallace further admitted that between January 2014 and July 2017, they conspired to defraud the United States out of $1,595,725 in tax revenue. .
Giles and Wallace pleaded guilty in June 2020.
In addition to their respective terms of incarceration, Giles and Wallace were ordered to pay $1,595,725 to the IRS in restitution, jointly and severally. Under federal law, Giles and Wallace must serve 85 percent of their prison sentences. Upon their release, they will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for three years, respectively.
Robert M. Duncan, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Bryant Jackson, Special Agent in Charge, Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation; and Rafiq Ahmad, Special Agent in Charge, DOL Office of Inspector General, jointly announced the sentences.
The investigation was conducted by the IRS and Department of Labor. The United States was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Will Moynahan.
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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Duxbury Man Sentenced for Child Pornography ChargeRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Duxbury man was sentenced in federal court today for a child pornography offense.
Louis Ackerman Jr., 46, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Chief Judge F. Dennis Saylor IV to 78 months in prison and five years of supervised release. In May 2020, Ackerman pleaded guilty to possession of child pornography. Ackerman was arrested and charged in November 2019.
On Nov. 15, 2019, federal agents executed a search warrant at Ackerman Jr.’s home and located an iMac computer and two hard drives belonging to him. An onsite forensic review revealed images and videos of child pornography on that computer. From under Ackerman Jr.’s bed, agents recovered printed material which depicted child pornography. Elsewhere in the residence, agents recovered DVDs which depicted child pornography. Further review of the computer and other materials seized from the residence revealed approximately 295 videos and approximately 322 images of child pornography, including prepubescent minors under the age of 12.
United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling; Plymouth County District Attorney Timothy J. Cruz; Joseph W. Cronin, Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Boston Field Division; Barnstable Police Chief Matthew Sonnabend; and Duxbury Police Chief Stephen McDonald made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Suzanne Sullivan Jacobus of Lelling’s 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/.
Department of Justice Files Statement of Interest Challenging New Mexico's More Stringent COVID-19 Capacity Limits on Private Schools than Public SchoolsRead the Press Release
The Department of Justice today filed a statement of interest in a New Mexico federal court asserting that the State's COVID-19 rules limiting private schools to operating at 25% of capacity but allowing public schools to operate at 50% of capacity violate the Equal Protection Clause of the United States Constitution. The brief, filed in the U.S. District Court in Albuquerque, explains that the Supreme Court has recognized parents’ educational choices for their children as a fundamental right under the Constitution, and that New Mexico has no grounds for abridging that right in adopting stricter rules for private schools than for public schools.
“Parents have a fundamental right under the United States Constitution, without interference from the government, to select the school for their children of their choice, whether a public school, a parochial school, or a non-religious private school,” said Assistant Attorney General Eric Dreiband for the Civil Rights Division. “New Mexico’s response to COVID-19 has infringed that right by adopting one rule for public schools and another for private schools, resulting in private schools remaining closed for in-person instruction, without justification. There is no pandemic exception to the Constitution and New Mexico’s differential standards for private and public schools cannot stand.”
"I respect Governor Lujan Grisham’s good faith efforts to manage the COVID-19 pandemic and protect the health of New Mexicans,” said John Anderson, U.S. Attorney for the District of New Mexico. “But COVID-related restrictions must be applied and implemented equally and impartially, and that simply did not happen here. There is no good reason to penalize students just because they choose to attend a private school.”
In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, New Mexico has issued various orders imposing limitations on a range of activities to reduce disease transmission. Public schools are permitted to operate at 50% of capacity, and day care centers can operate at 100% of capacity with social distancing and hygiene measures in place. Private schools, however, are limited to 25% capacity, regardless of social distancing and hygiene measures adopted.
Douglas Peterson, who sends his daughter to Albuquerque Academy, a private school, filed a federal lawsuit against state officials on his and his daughter’s behalf after the school determined that it could not open for live instruction of its students with the 25% capacity limit, although it could accommodate all of its currently enrolled students if allowed to operate at 50% capacity. On Sep. 11, 2020, they moved for an injunction mandating equal treatment.
The United States' brief explains that nearly 100 years ago, the Supreme Court held that parents’ decision whether to send their children to public or private school is part of parents’ fundamental right to direct the upbringing of their children. As such, under the Equal Protection Clause, the government has the burden to show that any differential treatment that abridges that right, even in part, must be supported by a compelling government interest, pursued through the means that are no more restrictive on that right than necessary. New Mexico has not done so here, the brief argues.
Department of Justice Awards $1 Million in Grants to San Diego County OrganizationsRead the Press Release
Assistant U. S. Attorney Cindy Cipriani (619) 546-9608
NEWS RELEASE SUMMARY – September 21, 2020
SAN DIEGO – U.S. Attorney Robert Brewer announced today that the U.S. Department of Justice has awarded more than $1 million in grants to organizations based in San Diego County that provide resources to victims of domestic violence and sexual assault.
San Diego-based Alliance for Hope International, led by former San Diego City Attorney Casey Gwinn, received $675,000; Valley Center-based Strong Hearted Native Women’s Coalition received $353,615.
“These are significant grants that will help these organizations provide important services to our community,” said U.S. Attorney Robert Brewer. “This funding supports our goal to put an end to violence against women. These strong partnerships with community organizations put us closer to that goal and bring us together for an important cause.”
The Office on Violence Against Women (OVW) Training and Technical Assistance (TA) Initiative provides OVW grantees such as Alliance for Hope International with the expertise and support they need to develop and implement successful state, local, tribal, and campus projects; increase victim safety; and bolster offender accountability. Through cooperative agreements, OVW supports educational initiatives, conferences, peer-to-peer consultations, and targeted assistance, allowing current and potential grantees to learn from experts and one another about how to overcome obstacles and incorporate promising practices in their efforts to address violence against women. In addition, OVW is focused on building the capacity of the criminal and civil justice systems and victim services organizations to respond effectively to domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking and to foster partnerships between organizations that have not traditionally worked together to address violence against women.
With this FY 2020 TA award, Alliance for HOPE International will continue to implement the Identifying, Investigating, and Prosecuting Strangulation Project. During the course of the project period, Alliance will continue to implement the Training Institute on Strangulation Prevention, maintain the project website with new and revised tools and resources for multidisciplinary professions, conduct stand-alone webinars, and provide on-going technical assistance on addressing strangulation in domestic violence and sexual assault cases.
The Tribal Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Coalitions Program (Tribal Coalitions Program) supports the development and operation of nonprofit, nongovernmental tribal domestic violence and sexual assault coalitions. The Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2013 changed the program from a discretionary program to a mixed formula and discretionary program, with each recognized coalition receiving an equal amount of available funds and organizations that propose to incorporate and operate new tribal coalitions eligible to apply for discretionary funding. This program is funded through statutory set-asides from the STOP Violence Against Women Formula Program (34 U.S.C. § 10446(b)(4)) and the Improving Criminal Justice Responses to Sexual Assault, Domestic Violence, Dating Violence, and Stalking Grant Program (34 U.S.C. § 10461(f)). The Tribal Coalitions Program also includes a statutory set-aside from the Sexual Assault Services Program (SASP), specifically for tribal sexual assault coalitions (34 U.S.C. § 12511(d)(3)(A)).
The Strong Hearted Native Women's Coalition (SHNWC) serves tribal reservations and communities located in the Counties of San Diego, Santa Barbara, San Bernardino, and Riverside in California. Additionally, SHNWC also works with many of the non-native service providers within San Diego and Riverside Counties, including four shelter programs and three rape crisis centers, as well as with San Bernardino-Riverside Indian Health under the Kiicha, Safe Home project. With this award, SHNWC will provide technical assistance, training, and services to the community service area to enhance access to and awareness of services for victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, dating violence, stalking, and sex trafficking.
Department of Justice Identifies New York City, Portland and Seattle as Jurisdictions Permitting Violence and Destruction of PropertyRead the Press Release
UPDATE
The guidance and designations described in the press release below were withdrawn on February 25, 2021 pursuant to a memorandum signed by Acting Attorney General Monty Wilkinson.
All Department grantmaking components shall ensure that no state or local jurisdictions are disfavored in any Departmental programs on the basis of the withdrawn guidance and designations below.
The U.S. Department of Justice today identified the following three jurisdictions that have permitted violence and destruction of property to persist and have refused to undertake reasonable measures to counteract criminal activities: New York City; Portland, Oregon; and Seattle, Washington. The Department of Justice is continuing to work to identify jurisdictions that meet the criteria set out in the President’s Memorandum and will periodically update the list of selected jurisdictions as required therein.
The list was published on DOJ’s website today in response to President Trump’s memorandum of September 2, 2020, entitled “Memorandum on Reviewing Funding to State and Local Government Recipients That Are Permitting Anarchy, Violence, and Destruction in American Cities.”
“When state and local leaders impede their own law enforcement officers and agencies from doing their jobs, it endangers innocent citizens who deserve to be protected, including those who are trying to peacefully assemble and protest,” said Attorney General William P. Barr. “We cannot allow federal tax dollars to be wasted when the safety of the citizenry hangs in the balance. It is my hope that the cities identified by the Department of Justice today will reverse course and become serious about performing the basic function of government and start protecting their own citizens.”
Criteria for evaluating each city is below:
- Whether a jurisdiction forbids the police force from intervening to restore order amid widespread or sustained violence or destruction.
- Whether a jurisdiction has withdrawn law enforcement protection from a geographical area or structure that law enforcement officers are lawfully entitled to access but have been officially prevented from accessing or permitted to access only in exceptional circumstances, except when law enforcement officers are briefly withheld as a tactical decision intended to resolve safely and expeditiously a specific and ongoing unlawful incident posing an imminent threat to the safety of individuals or law enforcement officers.
- Whether a jurisdiction disempowers or defunds police departments.
- Whether a jurisdiction unreasonably refuses to accept offers of law enforcement assistance from the Federal Government.
- Any other related factors the Attorney General deems appropriate.
New York City
- Shootings in New York City have been on the rise since looting and protests began on or about May 28, 2020. For July 2020, shootings increased from 88 to 244, an increase of 177% over July 2019. In August 2020, shootings increased from 91 to 242, a 166% increase over August 2019.
- While the city faced increased unrest, gun violence, and property damage, the New York City Council cut $1 billion from NYPD’s FY21 budget.
- The budget resulted in the cancellation of the new police recruiting class, cuts to overtime spending, and the transfer of certain police functions, including school safety, out of the NYPD.
- Meanwhile, the Manhattan and Brooklyn District Attorneys have declined to prosecute charges of disorderly conduct and unlawful assembly arising from the protests, and the District Attorneys in Queens and the Bronx have declined to prosecute other protest-related charges.
- Both Mayor de Blasio and Governor Cuomo have forcefully rejected federal law enforcement support.
Portland, Oregon
- This month, Portland marked 100 consecutive nights of protests marred by vandalism, chaos, and even killing.
- Those bent on violence regularly started fires, threw projectiles at law enforcement officers, and destroyed property. Numerous law enforcement officers, among others, suffered injury.
- Shootings increased by more than 140% in June and July 2020 compared to the same period last year.
- In the midst of this violence, the Portland City Council cut $15 million from the police bureau, eliminating 84 positions. Crucially, the cuts included the Gun Violence Reduction Team, which investigates shootings, and several positions from the police team that responds to emergency incidents.
- In August, Portland Mayor Wheeler sent a letter to President Trump expressly rejecting the Administration’s offer of federal law enforcement to stop the violent protests.
Seattle, Washington
- For nearly a month, starting in June, the City of Seattle permitted anarchists and activists to seize six square blocks of the city’s Capitol Hill neighborhood, naming their new enclave the “Capitol Hill Autonomous Zone” (CHAZ) and then the “Capitol Hill Occupied Protest” (CHOP).
- Law enforcement and fire fighters were precluded from entering the territory. The Seattle Police Department was ordered to abandon their precinct within the CHOP.
- Person-related crime in the CHOP increased 525% from the same period of time in the same area the year before, including by Mayor Durkan’s own count “two additional homicides, 6 additional robberies, and 16 additional aggravated assaults (to include 2 additional non-fatal shootings).”
- The CHOP was allowed to stand for nearly a month, during which time two teenagers were shot and killed in the zone.
- The Seattle City Council, Mayor Durkan, and Washington Governor Jay Inslee publicly rejected federal involvement in law enforcement activities within the city of Seattle.
Currituck County Man Sentenced for Possession of AmmunitionRead the Press Release
RALEIGH, N.C. – A Jarvisburg man was sentenced today to 96 months in prison for being a felon in possession of ammunition.
According to court documents, Antonio Rishawn Taylor, 31, an eight-time previously convicted felon, illegally possessed ammunition in October 2017. A law enforcement search of Taylor’s residence revealed the ammunition, a quantity of cocaine, and drug paraphernalia. Taylor was under state probation supervision at the time.
Robert J. Higdon, Jr., U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge James C. Dever III. The Federal Bureau of Investigation, Currituck County Sheriff’s Office, and Currituck County Probation Office investigated the case and Assistant U.S. Attorney Lucy Brown prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on our website. Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:18-CR-25-D.
Council Bluffs Man Pleads Guilty to Multistate Scheme to Defraud Auto Parts DealersRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Joe Kelly announced that Richard Lang, age 43, of Council Bluffs, Iowa, pleaded guilty in federal court today in Omaha, Nebraska, to conspiracy to commit wire fraud. Lang faces up to five years in prison. Senior United States District Judge Laurie Smith Camp will sentence Lang following the completion of a presentence report. Daniel Hendrickson, one of Lang’s co-conspirators, pleaded guilty to the same crime on July 28, 2020, in federal court in Omaha.
From between about February 11, 2018, through about May 17, 2018, Lang and co-conspirators, including Hendrickson, engaged in a scheme in which they obtained property from auto parts stores under false pretenses. Lang and the co-conspirators went to auto parts stores including NAPA Auto Parts, O’Reilly Auto Parts, Bauer Built Tire & Service, Allied Oil & Tire, and GCR Tire & Service, and obtained items, including tires, by falsely claiming to be associated with other business entities. Lang and his co-conspirators did not pay for the items they obtained. Instead, they had the victim auto parts stores bill the business entities that Lang and the co-conspirators claimed to work for. They perpetrated the scheme on at least 70 occasions among auto parts stores in Nebraska, Iowa, and Minnesota. They perpetrated the scheme more than 30 times at auto parts stores in Omaha. At least about $67,000 in property was obtained via the scheme.
The case was investigated by Omaha Police Department, the Bellevue Police Department, the Fremont, Nebraska Police Department, the Council Bluffs, Iowa Police Department, the Des Moines, Iowa Police Department, the Blue Earth, Minnesota Police Department, and the United States Secret Service.
Convicted child molester sentenced to 25 years for producing child pornography of teens in his careRead the Press Release
ROME, GA– Daniel Strickland, who molested two minors in his care and produced child pornography of them, has been sentenced to 25 years in prison.
“Strickland’s crimes will haunt his victims and their families for years,” said U.S. Attorney Byung J. “BJay” Pak. “Instead of safeguarding the children in his care, he sexually exploited them. Thankfully, one of his victims came forward and reported him to law enforcement. Her courage prevented Strickland from traumatizing other children.”
“Strickland will spend the next 25 years of his life in prison, which should send a strong message to anyone who even contemplates harming a vulnerable and defenseless child,” said Chris Hacker, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. “Along with our state and local law enforcement partners, the FBI is committed to working collectively to prosecute child predators.”
“It is the mission of the Murray County Sheriff’s Office to serve its citizens with dignity and honor. The safety of our children is the utmost importance and dearest to our heart. We are thankful that a victim in this case was brave enough to come forward and bring this matter to our attention so that justice could be served to Strickland,” said Jimmy Davenport, Chief Deputy, Murray County Sheriff’s Office.
According to U.S. Attorney Pak, the charges and other information presented in court: Strickland molested and took sexually explicit photos of two minor girls who had been in his care. Strickland first came to the attention of law enforcement in February 2019 when one of the victims contacted the Murray County Sheriff’s Office (“MCSO”) to report his actions. This victim had been staying at his home when Strickland molested and photographed her.
A subsequent investigation by the FBI and MCSO revealed that Strickland took sexually explicit photos of this girl and another minor girl, who he had babysat several years earlier in 2015. Both girls were approximately 13 years old when Strickland victimized them, and in both cases Strickland abused and photographed them when they were asleep (or appeared to be asleep). In July 2019, he pleaded guilty to two counts of child molestation arising from these incidents in Murray County Superior Court.
Daniel Strickland, 46, of Chatsworth, Georgia, was sentenced to 25 years in prison to be followed by a lifetime of supervised release. He will be required to register as a sex offender upon release. Strickland pleaded guilty to two counts of producing child pornography on June 18, 2020.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Murray County (GA) Sheriff’s Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Alex R. Sistla and Nicholas Hartigan 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.
Convicted Sex Trafficker Sentenced to 270 Months in PrisonRead the Press Release
The Justice Department today announced that Senior Judge William K. Sessions III sentenced Brian Folks, 45, to 270 months in prison today.
A federal jury in Burlington, Vermont, previously found Folks guilty of 13 federal felonies after a nearly three-week trial back in May 2019. Evidence presented at trial showed that Folks ran an extensive and violent sex and drug trafficking operation that sold heroin and cocaine base throughout the greater Burlington area and forced young, drug-addicted women to prostitute
In May 2019, a federal jury convicted Folks of five counts of sex trafficking by force, fraud, or coercion, one count of sex trafficking of a minor, one count of operating an unlawful prostitution business enterprise, four counts of distributing heroin, one count of possessing heroin and cocaine base with the intent to distribute, and one count of conspiracy to distribute heroin and cocaine base.
“This defendant used intimidation, humiliation, degrading acts, and violence to force young women suffering from opioid addictions to perform commercial sex acts,” said Assistant Attorney General Eric Dreiband of the Civil Rights Division. “His barbaric bullying caused them immeasurable harm, and he helped destroy people and their families by illegally dealing opioid drugs. Today’s sentence will help the victims in the healing process and show that depraved conduct, like this defendant’s, will not be tolerated. The Department of Justice will continue its vigorous efforts to hold human traffickers accountable, bring justice to their victims, and prevent them from harming others.”
“This significant term of imprisonment reflects the inhumanity with which Folks treated his victims and the depravity of his conduct,” said U.S. Attorney Christina E. Nolan for the District of Vermont. “The U.S. Attorney’s Office will continue to work alongside our community partners and law enforcement agencies to identify victims of human trafficking, get them support, and bring serious consequences to those who abuse them mentally and physically. We in Vermont law enforcement simply won’t tolerate this conduct.”
“As we all know, drug trafficking in our communities, along with the gun and physical violence that often accompanies it, is a serious threat to our families and our communities,” said the Drug Enforcement Agency’s (DEA) Special Agent in Charge Brian D. Boyle. “These crimes rob the neighbors of safety and hold law abiding citizens of Vermont hostage to drug fueled lawlessness. Today’s sentence not only holds Folks accountable for his crimes but serves as a warning that DEA and its local, state and federal law enforcement partners will do everything in our power to bring to justice anyone who engages in these crimes.”
Evidence presented at trial, including the testimony of four victims, established that defendant Brian Folks operated two, intertwined criminal operations between June 2012 and March 2016. One operation sold heroin and cocaine base throughout the greater Burlington area. The other forced young, drug-addicted women to prostitute. The defendant used his access to drugs to target and recruit young, vulnerable women. After providing them with drugs, he manipulated their addictions as part of his coercive scheme to prostitute them. He also often engaged in extreme acts of humiliation and degradation to assert his power and control over the victims. He forced the victims to perform commercial sex acts for his profit or face serious consequences. This included beating them, often in front of other victims, creating a climate of fear and intimidation, and he sexually assaulted them as well. He withheld heroin from the victims, causing them to suffer painful physical and mental withdrawal symptoms, until they saw commercial sex clients. He also videotaped them performing explicit and humiliating sex acts on him, with him, and for him, and threatened to expose those videos to the public. Among the defendant’s victims was a 17-year-old, who also suffered from heroin-addiction. The defendant recruited her to prostitute, photographed her, and advertised her online for prostitution.
This case was investigated by the DEA’s New England Division, with assistance from the Burlington, Winooski, and Essex, Vermont, Police Departments and the FBI. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew Gilman for the District of Vermont and Special Litigation Counsel Matthew Grady for the Civil Rights Division’s Human Trafficking Prosecution Unit. Former Assistant U.S. Attorney William Darrow for the District of Vermont and former Trial Attorney Emily Savner for the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section also prosecuted the case.
Convicted Sex Trafficker Brian Folks Sentenced to over 22 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
The Honorable William K. Sessions III sentenced Brian Folks, 45, to twenty-two years and six months in prison today, followed by ten years of supervision upon release. A federal jury in Burlington, Vermont, previously found Folks guilty of 13 federal felonies after a nearly three-week trial back in May 2019. Evidence presented at trial showed that Folks ran an extensive and violent sex and drug trafficking operation that sold heroin and cocaine base throughout the greater Burlington area and forced young, drug-addicted women to prostitute. Assistant Attorney General Eric Dreiband for the Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division, U.S. Attorney Christina E. Nolan for the District of Vermont, and DEA Special Agent in Charge-Boston Brian D. Boyle announced the sentence.
In May 2019, a federal jury convicted Folks of five counts of sex trafficking by force, fraud, or coercion, one count of sex trafficking of a minor, one count of operating an unlawful prostitution business enterprise, four counts of distributing heroin, one count of possessing heroin and cocaine base with the intent to distribute, and one count of conspiracy to distribute heroin and cocaine base. Following trial, the Court dismissed one of two counts of sex trafficking by force, fraud, or coercion with respect to one victim. When imposing the sentence, Judge Sessions indicated that he would later determine the amount of restitution Folks owes the victims of the crimes.
U.S. Attorney Christina E. Nolan stated: “This significant term of imprisonment reflects the inhumanity with which Folks treated his victims and the depravity of his conduct. The U.S. Attorney’s Office will continue to work alongside our community partners and law enforcement agencies to identify victims of human trafficking, get them support, and bring serious consequences to those who abuse them mentally and physically. We in Vermont law enforcement simply won’t tolerate this conduct.”
“This defendant used intimidation, humiliation, degrading acts, and violence to force young women suffering from opioid addictions to perform commercial sex acts,” said Assistant Attorney General Eric Dreiband of the Civil Rights Division. “His barbaric bullying caused them immeasurable harm, and he helped destroy people and their families by illegally dealing opioid drugs. Today’s sentence will help the victims in the healing process and show that depraved conduct, like this defendant’s, will not be tolerated. The Department of Justice will continue its vigorous efforts to hold human traffickers accountable, bring justice to their victims, and prevent them from harming others.”“As we all know, drug trafficking in our communities, along with the gun and physical violence that often accompanies it, is a serious threat to our families and our communities,” said DEA Special Agent in Charge Brian D. Boyle. “These crimes rob the neighbors of safety and hold law abiding citizens of Vermont hostage to drug fueled lawlessness. Today’s sentence not only holds Mr. Folks accountable for his crimes but serves as a warning that DEA and its local, state and federal law enforcement partners will do everything in our power to bring to justice anyone who engages in these crimes.”
Evidence presented at trial, including the testimony of four victims, established that defendant Brian Folks operated two, intertwined criminal operations between June 2012 and March 2016. One operation sold heroin and cocaine base throughout the greater Burlington area. The other forced young, drug-addicted women to prostitute. The defendant used his access to drugs to target and recruit young, vulnerable women. After providing them with drugs, he manipulated their addictions as part of his coercive scheme to prostitute them. He also often engaged in extreme acts of humiliation and degradation to assert his power and control over the victims. He forced the victims to perform commercial sex acts for his profit or face serious consequences. This included beating them, often in front of other victims, creating a climate of fear and intimidation, and he sexually assaulted them as well. He withheld heroin from the victims, causing them to suffer painful physical and mental withdrawal symptoms, until they saw commercial sex clients. He also videotaped them performing explicit and humiliating sex acts on him, with him, and for him, and threatened to expose those videos to the public. Among the defendant’s victims was a 17-year-old, who also suffered from heroin addiction. The defendant recruited her to prostitute, photographed her, and advertised her online for prostitution.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Agency’s New England Division, with assistance from the Burlington, Winooski, and Essex, Vermont, Police Departments and the FBI. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew Gilman for the District of Vermont and Special Litigation Counsel Matthew Grady for the Civil Rights Division’s Human Trafficking Prosecution Unit. Former Assistant U.S. Attorney William Darrow for the District of Vermont and former Trial Attorney Emily Savner for the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section also prosecuted the case.
Connecticut Men Arrested and Charged with Theft of Seventeen Firearms from West Springfield Gun StoreRead the Press Release
BOSTON – Two Connecticut men were charged in federal court in Springfield on Friday, Sept. 18, 2020 in connection with the theft of 17 firearms from a firearms store in West Springfield.
Fernando Rivera, 24, and Christian Castro, 29, were charged in a criminal complaint with one count each of stealing firearms from a federal firearms licensee.
As alleged in charging documents, on Aug. 29, 2020, Rivera, Castro and others drove in two cars, one of which was stolen and driven by Castro, from Connecticut through Massachusetts to Vermont and New Hampshire, and then back through those three states to Connecticut. At various locations in Massachusetts, Vermont and New Hampshire, members of this group either stole, or attempted to steal, ATMs. Finally, in West Springfield, both cars stopped near a firearms store, and three men exited the car driven by Castro, broke the doors of the store and stole 17 firearms of various calibers. The cars then returned to Connecticut, where the stolen car was abandoned.
The charging statute provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. Sentences are imposed based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling and Kelly D. Brady, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, Boston Feld Division made the announcement. The West Springfield Police Department, New Britain (Conn.) Police Department and the Massachusetts State Police provided assistance with the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven H. Breslow of Lelling’s Springfield Branch Office is prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the complaint are allegations. The defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.