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9 September 2020
Convicted Felon Pleads Guilty to Possessing Stolen GunRead the Press Release
Memphis, TN – Ronald Johnson, 30, has pleaded guilty to being a convicted felon in possession of a stolen firearm. D. Michael Dunavant, U.S. Attorney announced the guilty plea today.
According to information presented in Court, on March 11, 2019, Memphis Police Department officers observed a grey BMW on Yale Road near Ramill with a missing headlight and conducted a traffic stop. Officers could smell marijuana coming from the vehicle and asked both the driver and the passenger to step out of the vehicle. Law enforcement searched Johnson, and found a small amount of marijuana in his pocket. Johnson was detained.
After searching the vehicle, officers found in the glovebox, a black Sig Sauer P938 9mm handgun loaded with one live round in the chamber and six rounds in the magazine. Further investigation revealed the weapon had been reported stolen out of West Memphis, Arkansas. The driver, Johnson's girlfriend, advised she recently purchased the vehicle, but was out of town the previous weekend and that Johnson had been driving the vehicle.
As a result of his prior felony convictions, including aggravated robbery and aggravated kidnapping, Johnson is prohibited by federal law from possession of firearms or ammunition.
On September 9, 2020, Johnson pleaded guilty to knowingly possessing this gun after having previously been convicted of felony offenses. Sentencing is set before U.S. District Court Judge Thomas L. Parker on December 10, 2020, where the defendant faces up to 10 years in federal prison, followed by three years supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000. There is no parole in the federal system.
U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant said, "A stolen firearm in the hands of a violent felon threatens everyone. There is a good reason that federal law prohibits and punishes such illegal gun possession, and this conviction resulting in prison with no parole will help to reduce violent crime in Memphis."
This case was investigated by the Memphis Police Department and Project Safe Neighborhoods Task Force. The Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) initiative is a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. In 2017, PSN was reinvigorated as part of the Justice Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally based strategies to reduce violent crime. Project Guardian is a new DOJ initiative designed to reduce gun violence and enforce federal firearms laws across the country by focusing on investigating, prosecuting, and preventing gun crimes.
Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Samuel D. Winnig prosecuted this case on behalf of the government. SAUSA Winnig is currently assigned from the Shelby County District Attorney General’s Office for the purpose of prosecuting violent crimes and firearms offenses in federal court.
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Chinese National Facing Federal Indictment for Bribery of a Public OfficialRead the Press Release
Greenbelt, Maryland – A federal grand jury today indicted Zhiyang Yang, age 60, formerly of Silver Spring, Maryland, on federal charges for bribing an immigration official. Yang will have an initial appearance in U.S. District Court in Greenbelt, but no date has been set. Yang remains detained on a federal criminal complaint previously filed in this case.
The indictment was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Robert K. Hur Special Agent in Charge Michael T. Moreland of Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Office of Professional Responsibility (OPR); and Special Agent in Charge Ray Villanueva of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Washington, D.C.
According to the criminal complaint, on three occasions between September 27 and October 25, 2019, Yang, a Chinese national who is illegally present in the United States, made bribe payments of $100, $200, and $700 in order to secure more favorable conditions of required reporting to Immigration and Customs Enforcement. The indictment alleges that on February 14, 2020, Yang provided $5,000 to an undercover HSI agent as a down payment in order to obtain an illegal Permanent Resident Card, which would reflect that Yang had legal status in the United States.
If convicted, Yang faces a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison for bribery of a public official. 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.
Neither an indictment nor a criminal complaint is a finding of guilt. An individual charged by indictment or criminal complaint is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty at some later criminal proceedings.
United States Attorney Robert K. Hur commended ICE OPR and HSI for their work in the investigation. Mr. Hur thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth Wright, who is prosecuting the case.
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Chicago Street Gang Member Sentenced to 27 Years in Prison on Murder and Racketeering Conspiracy ChargesRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — A member of a violent Chicago street gang has been sentenced to 27 years in federal prison for engaging in a pattern of racketeering activity that included murder.
ALONZO G. HORTA, 23, of Hammond, Ind., pleaded guilty to the federal charges earlier this year. U.S. District Judge Virginia M. Kendall imposed the sentence Sept. 4, 2020, after a hearing in federal court in Chicago.
Horta admitted in a plea agreement that he conspired with leadership of the Latin Kings street gang to engage in a pattern of racketeering activity that included using violence and intimidation to protect the gang’s purported territory in Chicago. Horta admitted murdering Alfonso Calderon on the Southeast Side of the city on April 9, 2017, because Horta suspected that Calderon was a member of a rival gang. Horta was joined by two fellow members of the Latin Kings when they confronted him, and he fatally shot Calderon in order to advance the activities of the Latin Kings.
Horta was indicted in 2018 along with more than 30 other alleged members of the Latin Kings. The indictment charged numerous acts of violence allegedly committed by the gang’s members, including murder, attempted murder, and arson. Law enforcement uncovered the criminal activity through an investigation led by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF).
The sentence was announced by John R. Lausch, Jr., United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois; Emmerson Buie, Jr., Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI; and David Brown, Superintendent of the Chicago Police Department. Valuable assistance was provided by the Cook County Sheriff’s Office, and the Hammond, Ind., Police Department.
“Acting through the gang’s manifesto and constitution, members of the Latin Kings have infested the Southeast Side of Chicago and elsewhere with violence, drug-dealing, and witness intimidation,” Assistant U.S. Attorneys John D. Cooke, Ashley A. Chung, Brian J. Kerwin, and Grayson S. Walker argued in the government’s sentencing memorandum. “It is vital to communicate to the Southeast Side of Chicago and the rest of the district that carrying and using a gun can land you in federal prison for a long time, and that shooting a person to death will keep you in prison for decades.”
Charleston Woman Pleads Guilty to Bank Fraud and Mail TheftRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A Charleston woman pled guilty today to bank fraud and possession of stolen mail, announced United States Attorney Mike Stuart. Samantha Miller, 36, traveled to various banks in Kanawha County and presented stolen checks that had been altered in an attempt to cash them.
Miller admitted that on January 28, 2018, she successfully cashed an $800 check to obtain money that did not belong to her, and on February 9, 2018, she was caught with a number of stolen checks that had been taken from the United States mail. Miller knew that she possessed stolen mail and was in the process of altering the checks to attempt to cash them. She received several thousand dollars that did not belong to her through manipulating checks that had been stolen from the mail.
“This may not sound like a big deal but turn on the TV anywhere and you’ll understand the critical importance of the mail,” said United States Attorney Mike Stuart. “Miller’s actions tied up the investigative resources of state and federal agencies, undermined faith in the postal system for those who had checks stolen, and was a logistical nightmare for the victims to remedy the fraud.”
Miller faces up to 35 years in prison and a $1.25 million fine when she is sentenced on January 21, 2021. She also will be required to pay restitution to the victim banks.
The investigation was conducted by the United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Dunbar Police Department and the West Virginia State Police.
United States District Judge Irene C. Berger presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Erik S. Goes is handling the prosecution.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:19-cr-00114.
Follow us on Twitter: SDWVNews and USAttyStuart
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Carmel Attorney Sentenced to 18 Months in Prison for Tax Evasion and Failure to Pay over Payroll TaxesRead the Press Release
Audrey Strauss, Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced today that FRANCIS J. O’REILLY, a Carmel attorney, was sentenced in White Plains federal court to 18 months in prison for committing tax evasion and failing to pay over payroll taxes for the tax year 2015 as part of a long-running tax fraud scheme that cost the U.S. Treasury over $800,000, including penalties and interests. O’REILLY previously pled guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge Lisa Margaret Smith. U.S. District Judge Kenneth M. Karas, who accepted O’REILLY’s guilty plea, imposed today’s sentence.
Acting U.S. Attorney Audrey Strauss said: “Francis O’Reilly, an attorney for three decades, knew his obligations under the law to pay over payroll taxes and to report and pay income tax when due. Having admitted his crimes, O’Reilly will now pay the consequences in jail time.”
According to the allegations contained in the Information to which O’REILLY pled guilty, court filings, and statements made in public court proceedings:
In or about 1989, O’REILLY was admitted to practice law in New York State. At all relevant times, O’REILLY was a self-employed attorney who maintained a law practice in Putnam County, New York, that specialized in, among other things, bankruptcy, foreclosure defense, and criminal defense.
O’REILLY operated his law practice as a sole proprietorship and exercised control over its financial affairs. In particular, O’REILLY was responsible under federal law for collecting, truthfully accounting for, and paying over payroll taxes to the Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”) for his employees. Instead of fulfilling this responsibility, O’REILLY engaged in a decades-long scheme to defraud the IRS of the payroll taxes that were due and owing for his law practice. Between 1997 and 2018, O’REILLY failed to pay over a total of approximately $155,771 in payroll taxes, resulting in a liability of approximately $232,283 after interest and penalties.
In addition to failing to pay over payroll taxes, O’REILLY also engaged in substantial personal tax evasion. Between 2013 and 2017, O’REILLY withdrew a total of approximately $481,673 in untaxed funds from his attorney trust account for personal use, none of which he reported on his tax returns for those years. In addition to substantially underreporting his income and tax liabilities, O’REILLY failed to pay even those taxes that he did report, accruing large unpaid liabilities. In total, during the tax years 2007 through 2018, O’Reilly evaded approximately $566,027 in personal federal income taxes, including interest and penalties.
In or about late 2016, in an effort to settle with the IRS, O’REILLY submitted an offer in compromise to the IRS proposing to settle at least approximately $691,561 in outstanding tax liabilities for merely $12,400. In the 2016 offer in compromise, which O’REILLY signed under penalty of perjury, O’REILLY made several material misstatements and omissions regarding his income and assets. Among other things, O’REILLY’s offer in compromise: (a) failed to disclose the existence of O’REILLY’s attorney trust account, from which, as described above, O’REILLY drew substantial income; (b) failed to disclose real property and land that O’REILLY owned in Socorro County, New Mexico; and (c) failed to disclose a 2010 Lincoln vehicle that O’REILLY had recently purchased for approximately $16,000.
In all, O’REILLY caused the IRS to incur losses of over $800,000, including penalties and interest.
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In addition to the prison term, Judge Karas ordered O’REILLY, 62, of Danbury, Connecticut, to serve two years of supervised release, and to pay restitution to the IRS in the amount of $801,969, which represents O’REILLY’s unpaid tax liabilities, as well as certain penalties and interest, relating to his personal income taxes for the calendar years 2007 through 2018, payroll taxes for the calendar years 1997 through 2018, and Federal Unemployment Tax Act (FUTA) taxes for the calendar years 1998 through 2017.
Ms. Strauss praised the outstanding work of IRS Criminal Investigation in this case.
This case is being prosecuted by the Office’s White Plains Division. Assistant U.S. Attorney Olga I. Zverovich is in charge of the prosecution.
Canton man enters guilty plea to illegal possession of a firearmRead the Press Release
U.S. Attorney Justin Herdman announced today that Matthew Paul Slatzer, 36, of Canton has entered a plea of guilty to one charge of possession of a firearm by a person with a domestic violence conviction.
“This guilty plea will serve as an important reminder of the serious consequences of domestic violence,” said U.S. Attorney Justin Herdman. “The U.S. Attorney’s Office will continue to do everything possible to prohibit firearms possession by those, like this defendant, who are prohibited under federal law due to a prior domestic violence conviction.”
According to the indictment filed in this matter, On February 2, 2020, the Canton Police Department responded to a call at a bar for an intoxicated male with a gun inside the establishment. The indictment alleges that Slatzer knowingly possessed a .38 caliber revolver. Slatzer is prohibited from possessing a firearm due to a prior misdemeanor domestic violence conviction on October 29, 2010.
Slatzer is scheduled to be sentenced on December 17, 2020 before Judge Donald C. Nugent.
The investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Canton Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Toni Beth Schnellinger Feisthamel.
California Lawyer Pleads Guilty to Fraudulent Credit Card Payment Processing Scheme and ObstructionRead the Press Release
A Glendale, California lawyer pleaded guilty today in connection with a conspiracy to defraud a bank into processing more than $5 million in credit and debit card payments for a student loan debit relief merchant that had previously been terminated by the bank’s risk department and his attempt to obstruct a federal grand jury proceeding and a civil investigation conducted by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, both of which were investigating this scheme.
Acting Assistant Attorney General Brian C. Rabbit of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and U.S. Attorney Andrew E. Lelling of the District of Massachusetts made the announcement.
Rudy Dekermenjian, 42, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Randolph D. Moss of the District of Columbia to an information filed in the District of Massachusetts charging one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud affecting a financial institution and bank fraud and one count of alteration and falsification of records. A sentencing date has not yet been scheduled.
Dekermenjian admitted at the plea hearing that, from 2017 to 2018, while working as the General Counsel at a payment processing company based in Los Angeles, California (Company A), he conspired to fraudulently obtain payment processing services on behalf of a merchant providing student loan debt relief services. As alleged in the information, Company A had obtained payment card processing for the merchant from Fifth Third Bank beginning in 2016, but the bank’s risk department terminated the merchant in May 2017. Following the termination, executives at Company A counseled the merchant to re-apply for processing in the names of “sham merchants.”
The sham merchants’ applications, backstopped by fake websites that purported to sell housewares, jewelry, leather goods and other retail items made it appear to Fifth Third Bank that there was significanlty less risk associated with the business. In fact, the “sham merchants” were fronts for transactions that involved student-loan debt-relief and not retail goods. Dekermenjian learned of the scheme shortly after it commenced, joined the conspiracy, and subsequently earned commission payments of approximately $20,292 on the fraudulently obtained processing.
This scheme was the subject of two separate federal investigations. As described in the Information, in approximately November 2018, a federal grand jury sitting in the District of Massachusetts issued a subpoena to Company A for records relating to processing for merchants involved in loans and debt collection and records relating to the creation of merchant websites. In approximately May 2019, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) separately issued a civil investigative demand to Company A seeking documents relating to the “sham merchants” that Company A used to obtain payment processing for the student loan debt relief merchant. Dekermenjian admitted in the plea hearing held today to falsifying and altering the sham merchant applications in June 2019 with the intent to obstruct these investigations. Company A subsequently produced Dekermenjian’s altered and falsified documents to the CFPB.
The Food and Drug Administration – Office of Criminal Investigations, Rhode Island Task Force, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations are investigating the case. Trial Attorney Randall Warden of the Criminal Division’s Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section (MLARS), Bank Integrity Unit, and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Seth B. Kosto and David J. D’Addio of the District of Massachusetts’s Securities, Financial and Cyber Fraud Unit are prosecuting the case.
MLARS’s Bank Integrity Unit investigates and prosecutes banks and other financial institutions, including their officers, managers, and employees, whose actions threaten the integrity of the individual institution or the wider financial system.
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.
California Lawyer Pleads Guilty to Fraudulent Credit Card Payment Processing Scheme and ObstructionRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A California lawyer pleaded guilty today in connection with a conspiracy to defraud a bank into processing more than $5 million in credit and debit card payments for a student loan debit relief merchant that had been terminated by the bank’s risk department.
Rudy Dekermenjian, 42, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Randolph D. Moss of the District of Columbia to an Information filed in the District of Massachusetts charging one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud affecting a financial institution and bank fraud and one count of alteration and falsification of records. A sentencing date has not yet been scheduled.
Dekermenjian admitted at the plea hearing that, from 2017 to 2018, while working as the General Counsel at a payment processing company based in Los Angeles, California (Company A), he conspired to fraudulently obtain payment processing services on behalf of a merchant providing student loan debt relief services. Company A had obtained payment card processing for the merchant from Fifth Third Bank beginning in 2016, but the bank’s risk department terminated the merchant in May 2017. Following the termination, executives at Company A counseled the merchant to re-apply for processing in the names of “sham merchants”. The sham merchants’ applications, backstopped by fake websites that purported to sell housewares, jewelry and leather goods, disguised the student loan debt relief company as a relatively low fraud and compliance risk. Dekermenjian learned of the scheme shortly after it commenced, joined the conspiracy, and subsequently earned commission payments of approximately $20,292 on the fraudulently obtained processing.
The scheme was the subject of two separate federal investigations. In approximately November 2018, a federal grand jury sitting in the District of Massachusetts issued a subpoena to Company A for records relating to processing for merchants involved in loans and debt collection and records relating to the creation of merchant websites. In approximately May 2019, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) issued a civil investigative demand to Company A seeking documents relating to the “sham merchants” that Company A used to obtain payment processing for the student loan debt relief merchant. Dekermenjian admitted in the plea hearing to falsifying and altering the sham merchant applications in June 2019 to conceal the existence of the scheme and his knowledge of it. Company A subsequently produced Dekermenjian’s falsified documents to the CFPB.
United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling of the District of Massachusetts and Acting Assistant Attorney General Brian C. Rabbit of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division made the announcement. The Food and Drug Administration – Office of Criminal Investigations, Rhode Island Task Force, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Seth B. Kosto and David J. D’Addio of the District of Massachusetts’s of Lelling’s Securities, Financial & Cyber Fraud Unit and Trial Attorney Randall Warden of the Criminal Division’s Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section are prosecuting the case.
California Attorney Pleads Guilty in Multimillion Dollar Conduit Campaign Contribution Conspiracy CaseRead the Press Release
A Glendale, California attorney pleaded guilty today for conspiring to make and conceal conduit and excessive campaign contributions during the U.S. presidential election in 2016 and thereafter.
Acting Assistant Attorney General Brian C. Rabbitt of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and Acting Assistant Director in Charge James A. Dawson of the FBI’s Washington Field Office made the announcement.
Rudy Dekermenjian, 42, of Glendale, California, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to make conduit contributions, make excessive contributions, cause false statements, and cause false entries in records before the Honorable Randolph D. Moss of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. A sentencing hearing has not yet been scheduled.
According to admissions made in connection with his plea, between March 2016 and June 2018, Dekermenjian conspired with Ahmad “Andy” Khawaja and others to make unlawful contributions to political committees, thereby circumventing contribution limits and causing the political committees to unwittingly submit false reports to the Federal Election Commission. Specifically, Dekermenjian admitted that in October 2016, Khawaja gave him $50,000 to contribute in Dekermenjian’s name to a political committee supporting a candidate running for U.S. president in the 2016 election cycle. The purpose of making the contribution in Dekermenjian’s name was to allow Khawaja to exceed contribution limits set by federal law with respect to the political committee at issue. The contribution was made in connection with a political event hosted by Khawaja in October 2016.
Additionally, Dekermenjian admitted that in January 2018, Khawaja gave him approximately $50,000 to contribute in Dekermenjian’s name to another political committee. Again, the purpose of making the contribution in Dekermenjian’s name was to allow Khawaja to exceed contribution limits with respect to the political committee at issue. The contribution was made in connection with another political event hosted by Khawaja in March 2018.
Charges remain pending against Khawaja, who is a fugitive, and others in the indictment. An indictment is not a finding of guilt. It merely alleges that crimes have been committed. A defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
The case is being investigated by the FBI’s Washington Field Office and is being prosecuted by Trial Attorneys James C. Mann and Michael J. Romano of the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section.
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.
Bridgeport Man Sentenced to 5 Years in Federal Prison for Role in Large-Scale Heroin Trafficking RingRead the Press Release
John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that RANDY MARCHI, 39, formerly of Bridgeport, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Vanessa L. Bryant in Hartford to 60 months of imprisonment, followed by five years of supervised release, for his role in a large-scale heroin trafficking ring.
According to court documents and statements made in court, an investigation revealed that Ivan Rosario, also known as “Ghost,” headed a Bridgeport-based heroin trafficking organization that, between approximately April 2015 and March 2017, received at least 30 kilograms of heroin that had been transported from Mexico to Bridgeport hidden inside motorcycles equipped with secret compartments. The organization then distributed the drug in the Bridgeport area.
Marchi served as the “table manager” for Rosario’s organization, overseeing the processing and packaging of the organization’s heroin for street sale.
On March 16, 2017, a grand jury in Hartford returned an indictment charging Rosario, Marchi and five other individuals with heroin trafficking and related offenses.
Marchi has been detained since his arrest on April 1, 2017. On March 15, 2018, he pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute, and to possess with intent to distribute, heroin.
On April 24, 2018, a jury found Rosario guilty of one count of causing or inducing any person to destroy evidence. The jury could not reach a verdict on one count of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute one kilogram or more of heroin, and found Rosario not guilty of one count of witness tampering and one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
On July 18, 2019, Judge Bryant sentenced Rosario to 210 months of imprisonment.
This matter was investigated by the FBI’s Bridgeport Safe Streets Task Force, DEA’s Bridgeport High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Task Force, Bridgeport Police Department and Stratford Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph Vizcarrondo.
Bookkeeper to Plead Guilty to Embezzling $749,000; Fraudulently Collecting TDIRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE – A former bookkeeper/office manager for a Rhode Island law firm, accused of embezzling more than $740,000 from her employer and fraudulently collecting nearly $20,000 in temporary disability insurance payments, will plead guilty to bank fraud, wire fraud, and aggravated identity theft charges, according to signed documents filed today in federal court in Providence.
According to an information and plea agreement filed in U.S. District Court, Sarah Gaulin, 39, a former employee of the law firm of Hamel, Waxler, Allen and Collins (HWAC), allegedly devised and executed schemes to obtain law firm funds by preparing and cashing HWAC checks made payable to herself, which included the signature of a law firm partner which Gaulin signed without authorization; preparing HWAC checks payable to her own creditors; and preparing HWAC checks payable to law firm credit card companies for personal purchases she made.
It is alleged that from at least January 2012 to May 2019, Gaulin defrauded HWAC of approximately $740,953.
It is alleged in court documents that, in a separate scheme, Gaulin submitted fraudulent bank statements to a Rhode Island bank as part of a mortgage application she filed with the bank. It is alleged her submitted personal bank statements reflected a positive balance when in fact her actual account was routinely overdrawn. Additionally, it is alleged that she reflected her rent was among her monthly expenses she paid when in fact she had been using funds she illegally obtained from HWAC to make the payments.
In a third scheme, as detailed in court documents, it is alleged that from March 26, 2016, to July, 23, 2016, and from May 5, 2018, to August 11, 2018, Gaulin fraudulently collected approximately $19,588 in temporary disability insurance payments from the Rhode Island Department of Labor and Training by claiming she was unable to work due to injury or illness. Gaulin, in fact, remained employed during the time she was collecting the benefits.
According to a plea agreement filed with the court, Gaulin will plead guilty to an information charging her with two counts of bank fraud, and one count each of aggravated identity theft and wire fraud, announced United States Attorney Aaron L. Weisman, Superintendent of the Rhode Island State Police Colonel James M. Manni, and Christina D. Scaringi, Special Agent in Charge of the Northeast Region of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Office of Inspector General.
An information is merely an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Dulce Donovan.
The matter was investigated by Rhode Island State Police and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Office of Inspector General.
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Bogalusa Man Sentenced After Pleading Guilty to Violating the Federal Controlled Substances ActRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – U.S. Attorney Peter G. Strasser announced that on September 8, 2020, United States District Judge Greg G. Guidry sentenced ADAM LUMPKIN, age 35, a resident of Bogalusa, Louisiana, to 78 months’ imprisonment followed by 5 years’ supervised release after pleading guilty on October 22, 2019, to possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of actual methamphetamine.
According to court documents, on December 14, 2018, agents and officers with the Drug Enforcement Administration received information that LUMPKIN was traveling to a motel in Hammond, Louisiana with a quantity of methamphetamine. After LUMPKIN arrived at the motel, agents approached LUMPKIN’S vehicle and observed him throw a bag containing methamphetamine on to the floor of his vehicle. A search of the vehicle revealed more than 50 grams of methamphetamine, a box of sandwich bags, and two digital scales. In a post-arrest interview, LUMPKIN acknowledged that he was preparing to distribute the methamphetamine at the time of his arrest.
U.S. Attorney Strasser praised the work of the United States Drug Enforcement Administration, Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff’s Office, and Hammond Police Department. Assistant United States Attorneys Paige O’Hale and André Jones are in charge of the prosecution.
Beaverton Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Willfully Failing to Collect or Pay over Employment TaxesRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Ore.—Jeffrey Fitch, 49, of Beaverton, Oregon, was sentenced today to twelve months and one day in federal prison for willfully failing to collect or pay over employment taxes to the IRS, announced U.S. Attorney Billy J. Williams.
U.S. District Court Judge Michael H. Simon also ordered Fitch to pay more than $453,000 in restitution to the IRS.
According to court documents, since 2002, Jeffrey Fitch, an engineer, owned and operated SFA Engineering LLC and SFA Design Group LLC. Between March 1, 2013 and December 31, 2016, Fitch collected federal income, Social Security, and Medicare taxes from his employees’ paychecks and gave them paystubs reflecting the taxes withheld. However, during this time period, Fitch never paid the IRS the amount of tax withheld from his employees nor did he file the appropriate employer tax returns. In addition, Fitch also failed to pay his employer’s share of payroll taxes due to the IRS.
Fitch used a large portion of the withheld funds to pay for his and his family’s personal expenses. In total, Fitch owed the IRS $453,879.40, which he paid just prior to sentencing.
On January 15, 2020, Fitch was charged by criminal information with one count of failing to collect or pay over employment taxes. On February 26, 2020, he pleaded guilty to the same charge.
This case was investigated by IRS-Criminal Investigation and prosecuted by Claire M. Fay, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon.
Baltimore Man Facing Federal Indictment for Production of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – A federal grand jury returned an indictment today charging Marcus Street, age 25, of Baltimore, Maryland, with federal charges for production of child pornography.
The indictment was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Robert K. Hur; Special Agent in Charge John Eisert of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Baltimore; Commissioner Michael Harrison of the Baltimore Police Department; and Baltimore City State’s Attorney Marilyn J. Mosby.
The two count indictment alleges that on or about November 14, 2019, Street used the camera on his cellular phone to create videos documenting his sexual abuse of a 14-year-old minor.
If convicted, Street faces a minimum mandatory sentence of 15 years and a maximum sentence of 30 years in federal prison on each of the two counts of production of child pornography. 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. Street will have an initial appearance in U.S. District Court in Baltimore at a later date. He is currently detained on related state charges.
An indictment is not a finding of guilt. An individual charged by indictment is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty at some later criminal proceedings.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc. For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.justice.gov/psc and click on the "Resources" tab on the left of the page.
United States Attorney Robert K. Hur commended HSI, the Baltimore Police Department, and the Office of the State’s Attorney for Baltimore City for their work in the investigation. Mr. Hur thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Daniel A. Loveland, Jr. and Ayn B. Ducao, who are prosecuting the federal case.
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Attorney GeneralWilliamP. Barr Announces Updates on Operation LeGend at Press Conference in ChicagoRead the Press Release
Memphis, TN – At a press conference in Chicago today, Attorney General William P. Barr announced updates on Operation LeGend.
Since the operation’s launch, there have been more than 2,000 arrests, including defendants who have been charged in state and local courts. Of those arrests, approximately 588 defendants have been charged with federal crimes. In addition, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) has seized 587 firearms, more than 1.2 kilos of heroin, and more than five kilos of methamphetamine; the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) has seized almost 70 kilos of methamphetamine, more than 16 kilos of heroin, more than 7 kilos of fentanyl, more than 12 kilos of cocaine, 268 firearms, and approximately $5.19 million in drug proceeds; the FBI has recovered 241 weapons; and the United States Marshals Service have recovered 169 firearms and made 1810 arrests, including 163 for homicide and 120 for sexual assault.
In Chicago, there has been a 49% decrease in homicides in the first four weeks of the operation, when compared to the four weeks prior to the operation’s launch. In fact, between April 2020 and the end of July 2020, Chicago was experiencing a steady and distressing increase in fatal shootings, which precipitously declined in August.
The Attorney General launched Operation LeGend on July 8, 2020, as a sustained, systematic and coordinated law enforcement initiative in which federal law enforcement agencies work in conjunction with state and local law enforcement officials to fight violent crime. The initiative is named in honor of four-year-old LeGend Taliferro, who was shot and killed while he slept early in the morning of June 29 in Kansas City.
Launched first in Kansas City, MO., on July 8, 2020, the operation was expanded to Chicago and Albuquerque on July 22, 2020; to Cleveland, Detroit, and Milwaukee on July 29, 2020; to St. Louis and Memphis on August 6, 2020; and to Indianapolis on August 14, 2020. A breakdown of the federal charges in each district is below.
Kansas City, MO.
113 defendants have been charged with federal crimes outlined below.
- 34 defendants have been charged with narcotics-related offenses;
- 68 defendants have been charged with firearms-related offenses; and
- 11 defendants have been charged with other violent crimes.
Chicago, Ill.
120 defendants have been charged with federal crimes outlined below.
- 31 defendants have been charged with narcotics-related offenses;
- 85 defendants have been charged with firearms-related offenses; and
- 4 defendants have been charged with other violent crimes.
Albuquerque, NM.
45 defendants have been charged with federal crimes outlined below.
- 17 defendants have been charged with narcotics-related offenses;
- 22 defendants have been charged with firearms-related offenses; and
- 6 defendants have been charged with other violent crimes.
Cleveland, OH.
66 defendants have been charged with federal crimes outlined below.
- 41 defendants have been charged with narcotics-related offenses;
- 22 defendants have been charged with firearms-related offenses; and
- 3 defendants have been charged with other violent crimes.
Detroit, MI.
58 defendants have been charged with federal offenses outlined below.
- 29 defendants have been charged with narcotics-related offenses;
- 26 defendants have been charged with firearms-related offenses; and
- 3 defendants have been charged with other violent crimes.
Milwaukee, WI.
16 defendants have been charged with federal crimes outlined below.
- 2 defendants have been charged with narcotics-related offenses;
- 12 defendants have been charged with firearms-related offenses; and
- 2 defendant has been charged with other violent crimes.
St. Louis, MO.
123 defendants have been charged with federal crimes.
- 54 defendants have been charged with narcotics-related offenses;
- 53 defendants have been charged with firearms-related offenses; and
- 16 defendants have been charged with other violent crimes.
Memphis, Tenn.
16 defendants have been charged with federal offenses.
- 4 defendants have been charged with narcotics-related offenses;
- 9 defendants have been charged with firearms-related offenses; and
- 3 defendants have been charged with other violent crimes.
Indianapolis, Indiana
31 defendants have been charged with federal crimes outlined below.
- 10 defendants have been charged with narcotics-related offenses;
- 17 defendants have been charged with firearms-related offenses; and
- 4 defendants have been charged with other violent crimes.
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Attorney General William P. Barr and U.S. Attorney Justin Herdman announce update on Operation Legend during press conferenceRead the Press Release
At a press conference in Chicago today, Attorney General William P. Barr and U.S. Attorney Justin Herdman announced updates on Operation Legend.
Since the operation’s launch, there have been more than 2,000 arrests in Legend cities, including defendants who have been charged in state and local courts. Of those arrests, approximately 592 defendants have been charged with federal crimes. In addition, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) has seized 587 firearms, more than 1.2 kilos of heroin, and more than five kilos of methamphetamine; the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) has seized almost 70 kilos of methamphetamine, more than 16 kilos of heroin, more than 7 kilos of fentanyl, more than 12 kilos of cocaine, 268 firearms, and approximately $5.19 million in drug proceeds; the FBI has recovered 241 weapons; and the United States Marshals Service has recovered 169 firearms and made 1810 arrests, including 163 for homicide and 120 for sexual assault.
In Cleveland, 66 defendants have been charged with federal crimes, including 41 defendants charged with narcotics-related offenses, 22 charged with firearms-related offenses and 3 with other violent crimes. U.S. Attorney Justin Herdman released the following statement:
“We have made significant progress in Cleveland since the launch of Operation Legend. This progress includes arresting and charging drug traffickers, removing illegal firearms off our streets and putting repeat violent crime offenders behind bars. Additionally, thanks to a strong law enforcement partnership, police were able to arrest an individual suspected in the homicide of Eric Hakizamana. This investigation was the focus of law enforcement in Cleveland when Operation Legend was announced on July 29th.
The success we have had in this initiative is thanks, in large part, to law enforcement officers like Detective James Skernivitz, who was killed in the line of duty. Detective Skernivitz was a sworn Operation Legend task force officer assigned to the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Violent Crimes Task Force. The work he and his unit have done to help reduce violent crime in our community is invaluable and will have long-lasting effects. Operation Legend will not be the same without Detective Skernivitz, but the good work he has done will live on."
The Attorney General launched Operation Legend on July 8, 2020, as a sustained, systematic and coordinated law enforcement initiative in which federal law enforcement agencies work in conjunction with state and local law enforcement officials to fight violent crime. The initiative is named in honor of four-year-old LeGend Taliferro, who was shot and killed while he slept early in the morning of June 29 in Kansas City.
Launched in Kansas City, MO. on July 8, 2020, the operation expanded to Chicago and Albuquerque on July 22, 2020; to Cleveland, Detroit, and Milwaukee on July 29, 2020; to St. Louis and Memphis on August 6, 2020; and to Indianapolis on August 14, 2020. A breakdown of the federal charges in each district can be found here.
Attorney General William P. Barr Announces Updates on Operation Legend at Press Conference in ChicagoRead the Press Release
Today, at a press conference in Chicago, Attorney General William P. Barr announced updates to Operation Legend.
Since the operation’s launch, there have been more than 2,000 arrests, including defendants who have been charged in state and local courts. Of those arrests, approximately 592 defendants have been charged with federal crimes. In addition, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) has seized 587 firearms, more than 1.2 kilos of heroin, and more than five kilos of methamphetamine; the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) has seized almost 70 kilos of methamphetamine, more than 16 kilos of heroin, more than 7 kilos of fentanyl, more than 12 kilos of cocaine, 268 firearms, and approximately $5.19 million in drug proceeds; the FBI has recovered 241 weapons; and, the U.S. Marshals Service has recovered 169 firearms and made 1,810 arrests, including 163 for homicide and 120 for sexual assault.
In Chicago, there has been a 50 percent decrease in homicides in the first seven weeks of the operation, when compared to the five weeks prior to the operation’s launch. In fact, between April 2020 and the end of July 2020, Chicago was experiencing a steady and distressing increase in fatal shootings, which precipitously declined in August.
The Attorney General launched Operation Legend on July 8, 2020, as a sustained, systematic, and coordinated law enforcement initiative in which federal law enforcement agencies work in conjunction with state and local law enforcement officials to fight violent crime. The initiative is named in honor of four-year-old LeGend Taliferro, who was shot and killed while he slept early in the morning of June 29 in Kansas City.
Launched first in Kansas City, MO., on July 8, 2020, the operation was expanded to Chicago and Albuquerque on July 22, 2020; to Cleveland, Detroit, and Milwaukee on July 29, 2020; to St. Louis and Memphis on August 6, 2020; and to Indianapolis on August 14, 2020. A breakdown of the federal charges in each district is below.
Kansas City, MO.
113 defendants have been charged with federal crimes outlined below.
- 34 defendants have been charged with narcotics-related offenses;
- 68 defendants have been charged with firearms-related offenses; and
- 11 defendants have been charged with other violent crimes.
Chicago, IL.
124 defendants have been charged with federal crimes outlined below.
- 30 defendants have been charged with narcotics-related offenses;
- 90 defendants have been charged with firearms-related offenses; and
- 4 defendants have been charged with other violent crimes.
Albuquerque, NM.
45 defendants have been charged with federal crimes outlined below.
- 17 defendants have been charged with narcotics-related offenses;
- 22 defendants have been charged with firearms-related offenses; and
- 6 defendants have been charged with other violent crimes.
Cleveland, OH.
66 defendants have been charged with federal crimes outlined below.
- 41 defendants have been charged with narcotics-related offenses;
- 22 defendants have been charged with firearms-related offenses; and
- 3 defendants have been charged with other violent crimes.
Detroit, MI.
58 defendants have been charged with federal offenses outlined below.
- 29 defendants have been charged with narcotics-related offenses;
- 26 defendants have been charged with firearms-related offenses; and
- 3 defendants have been charged with other violent crimes.
Milwaukee, WI.
16 defendants have been charged with federal crimes outlined below.
- 2 defendants have been charged with narcotics-related offenses;
- 12 defendants have been charged with firearms-related offenses; and
- 2 defendant has been charged with other violent crimes.
St. Louis, MO.
123 defendants have been charged with federal crimes.
- 54 defendants have been charged with narcotics-related offenses;
- 53 defendants have been charged with firearms-related offenses; and
- 16 defendants have been charged with other violent crimes.
Memphis, TN.
16 defendants have been charged with federal offenses.
- 4 defendants have been charged with narcotics-related offenses;
- 9 defendants have been charged with firearms-related offenses; and
- 3 defendants have been charged with other violent crimes.
Indianapolis, IN.
31 defendants have been charged with federal crimes outlined below.
- 10 defendants have been charged with narcotics-related offenses;
- 17 defendants have been charged with firearms-related offenses; and
- 4 defendants have been charged with other violent crimes.
Attorney General William P. Barr Announces Updates on Operation Legend at Press Conference in ChicagoRead the Press Release
St. Louis, Missouri – At a press conference in Chicago today, Attorney General William P. Barr announced updates on Operation Legend.
Since the operation’s launch, there have been more than 2,000 arrests, including defendants who have been charged in state and local courts. Of those arrests, approximately 592 defendants have been charged with federal crimes. In addition, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) has seized 587 firearms, more than 1.2 kilos of heroin, and more than five kilos of methamphetamine; the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) has seized almost 70 kilos of methamphetamine, more than 16 kilos of heroin, more than 7 kilos of fentanyl, more than 12 kilos of cocaine, 268 firearms, and approximately $5.19 million in drug proceeds; the FBI has recovered 241 weapons; and the United States Marshals Service have recovered 169 firearms and made 1810 arrests, including 163 for homicide and 120 for sexual assault.
In Chicago, there has been a 50% decrease in homicides in the first seven weeks of the operation, when compared to the five weeks prior to the operation’s launch. In fact, between April 2020 and the end of July 2020, Chicago was experiencing a steady and distressing increase in fatal shootings, which precipitously declined in August.
The Attorney General launched Operation Legend on July 8, 2020, as a sustained, systematic and coordinated law enforcement initiative in which federal law enforcement agencies work in conjunction with state and local law enforcement officials to fight violent crime. The initiative is named in honor of four-year-old LeGend Taliferro, who was shot and killed while he slept early in the morning of June 29 in Kansas City.
Launched first in Kansas City, MO., on July 8, 2020, the operation was expanded to Chicago and Albuquerque on July 22, 2020; to Cleveland, Detroit, and Milwaukee on July 29, 2020; to St. Louis and Memphis on August 6, 2020; and to Indianapolis on August 14, 2020. A breakdown of the federal charges in each district is below.
Kansas City, MO.
113 defendants have been charged with federal crimes outlined below.
- 34 defendants have been charged with narcoticsrelated offenses;
- 68 defendants have been charged with firearmsrelated offenses; and
- 11 defendants have been charged with other violent crimes.
Chicago, Ill.
124 defendants have been charged with federal crimes outlined below.
- 30 defendants have been charged with narcoticsrelated offenses;
- 90 defendants have been charged with firearmsrelated offenses; and
- 4 defendants have been charged with other violent crimes.
Albuquerque, NM.
45 defendants have been charged with federal crimes outlined below.
- 17 defendants have been charged with narcoticsrelated offenses;
- 22 defendants have been charged with firearmsrelated offenses; and
- 6 defendants have been charged with other violent crimes.
Cleveland, OH.
66 defendants have been charged with federal crimes outlined below.
- 41 defendants have been charged with narcoticsrelated offenses;
- 22 defendants have been charged with firearmsrelated offenses; and
- 3 defendants have been charged with other violent crimes.
Detroit, MI.
58 defendants have been charged with federal offenses outlined below.
- 29 defendants have been charged with narcoticsrelated offenses;
- 26 defendants have been charged with firearmsrelated offenses; and
- 3 defendants have been charged with other violent crimes.
Milwaukee, WI.
16 defendants have been charged with federal crimes outlined below.
- 2 defendants have been charged with narcoticsrelated offenses;
- 12 defendants have been charged with firearmsrelated offenses; and
- 2 defendant has been charged with other violent crimes.
St. Louis, MO.
123 defendants have been charged with federal crimes.
- 54 defendants have been charged with narcoticsrelated offenses;
- 53 defendants have been charged with firearmsrelated offenses; and
- 16 defendants have been charged with other violent crimes.
Memphis, Tenn.
16 defendants have been charged with federal offenses.
- 4 defendants have been charged with narcoticsrelated offenses;
- 9 defendants have been charged with firearmsrelated offenses; and
- 3 defendants have been charged with other violent crimes.
Indianapolis, Indiana
31 defendants have been charged with federal crimes outlined below.
- 10 defendants have been charged with narcoticsrelated offenses;
- 17 defendants have been charged with firearmsrelated offenses; and
- 4 defendants have been charged with other violent crimes.
Attorney General William P. Barr Announces Updates on Operation Legend at Press Conference in ChicagoRead the Press Release
At a press conference in Chicago today, Attorney General William P. Barr announced updates on Operation Legend.
Since the operation’s launch, there have been more than 2,000 arrests, including defendants who have been charged in state and local courts. Of those arrests, approximately 588 defendants have been charged with federal crimes. In addition, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) has seized 587 firearms, more than 1.2 kilos of heroin, and more than five kilos of methamphetamine; the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) has seized almost 70 kilos of methamphetamine, more than 16 kilos of heroin, more than 7 kilos of fentanyl, more than 12 kilos of cocaine, 268 firearms, and approximately $5.19 million in drug proceeds; the FBI has recovered 241 weapons; and the United States Marshals Service have recovered 169 firearms and made 1810 arrests, including 163 for homicide and 120 for sexual assault.
In Chicago, there has been a 49% decrease in homicides in the first four weeks of the operation, when compared to the four weeks prior to the operation’s launch. In fact, between April 2020 and the end of July 2020, Chicago was experiencing a steady and distressing increase in fatal shootings, which precipitously declined in August.
The Attorney General launched Operation Legend on July 8, 2020, as a sustained, systematic and coordinated law enforcement initiative in which federal law enforcement agencies work in conjunction with state and local law enforcement officials to fight violent crime. The initiative is named in honor of four-year-old LeGend Taliferro, who was shot and killed while he slept early in the morning of June 29 in Kansas City.
Launched first in Kansas City, MO., on July 8, 2020, the operation was expanded to Chicago and Albuquerque on July 22, 2020; to Cleveland, Detroit, and Milwaukee on July 29, 2020; to St. Louis and Memphis on August 6, 2020; and to Indianapolis on August 14, 2020. A breakdown of the federal charges in each district is below.
Milwaukee, WI.
16 defendants have been charged with federal crimes outlined below.
- 2 defendants have been charged with narcotics-related offenses;
- 12 defendants have been charged with firearms-related offenses; and
- 2 defendant has been charged with other violent crimes.
Kansas City, MO.
113 defendants have been charged with federal crimes outlined below.
- 34 defendants have been charged with narcotics-related offenses;
- 68 defendants have been charged with firearms-related offenses; and
- 11 defendants have been charged with other violent crimes.
Chicago, Ill.
120 defendants have been charged with federal crimes outlined below.
- 31 defendants have been charged with narcotics-related offenses;
- 85 defendants have been charged with firearms-related offenses; and
- 4 defendants have been charged with other violent crimes.
Albuquerque, NM.
45 defendants have been charged with federal crimes outlined below.
- 17 defendants have been charged with narcotics-related offenses;
- 22 defendants have been charged with firearms-related offenses; and
- 6 defendants have been charged with other violent crimes.
Cleveland, OH.
66 defendants have been charged with federal crimes outlined below.
- 41 defendants have been charged with narcotics-related offenses;
- 22 defendants have been charged with firearms-related offenses; and
- 3 defendants have been charged with other violent crimes.
Detroit, MI.
58 defendants have been charged with federal offenses outlined below.
- 29 defendants have been charged with narcotics-related offenses;
- 26 defendants have been charged with firearms-related offenses; and
- 3 defendants have been charged with other violent crimes.
St. Louis, MO.
123 defendants have been charged with federal crimes.
- 54 defendants have been charged with narcotics-related offenses;
- 53 defendants have been charged with firearms-related offenses; and
- 16 defendants have been charged with other violent crimes.
Memphis, Tenn.
16 defendants have been charged with federal offenses.
- 4 defendants have been charged with narcotics-related offenses;
- 9 defendants have been charged with firearms-related offenses; and
- 3 defendants have been charged with other violent crimes.
Indianapolis, Indiana
31 defendants have been charged with federal crimes outlined below.
- 10 defendants have been charged with narcotics-related offenses;
- 17 defendants have been charged with firearms-related offenses; and
- 4 defendants have been charged with other violent crimes.
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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Attorney General William P. Barr Announces Updates on Operation LegendRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – At a press conference in Chicago today, Attorney General William P. Barr announced updates on Operation Legend, a law enforcement initiative launched in Kansas City, Mo., in July and since expanded to eight more cities.
Since the operation’s launch, there have been more than 2,000 arrests, including defendants who have been charged in state and local courts. Of those arrests, approximately 592 defendants have been charged with federal crimes, including 113 defendants in Kansas City.
In addition, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) has seized 587 firearms, more than 1.2 kilos of heroin, and more than five kilos of methamphetamine; the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) has seized almost 70 kilos of methamphetamine, more than 16 kilos of heroin, more than 7 kilos of fentanyl, more than 12 kilos of cocaine, 268 firearms, and approximately $5.19 million in drug proceeds; the FBI has recovered 241 weapons; and the United States Marshals Service have recovered 169 firearms and made 1,810 arrests, including 163 for homicide and 120 for sexual assault.
The Attorney General launched Operation Legend on July 8, 2020, as a sustained, systematic and coordinated law enforcement initiative in which federal law enforcement agencies work in conjunction with state and local law enforcement officials to fight violent crime. The initiative is named in honor of four-year-old LeGend Taliferro, who was shot and killed while he slept early in the morning of June 29 in Kansas City.
Launched first in Kansas City, Mo., on July 8, 2020, the operation was expanded to Chicago and Albuquerque on July 22, 2020; to Cleveland, Detroit, and Milwaukee on July 29, 2020; to St. Louis and Memphis on August 6, 2020; and to Indianapolis on August 14, 2020. A breakdown of the federal charges in each district is below.
Kansas City, MO.
113 defendants have been charged with federal crimes outlined below.
- 34 defendants have been charged with narcotics-related offenses; - 68 defendants have been charged with firearms-related offenses; and
- 11 defendants have been charged with other violent crimes.Chicago, Ill.
124 defendants have been charged with federal crimes outlined below.
- 30 defendants have been charged with narcotics-related offenses; - 90 defendants have been charged with firearms-related offenses; and
- 4 defendants have been charged with other violent crimes.Albuquerque, NM.
45 defendants have been charged with federal crimes outlined below.
- 17 defendants have been charged with narcotics-related offenses; - 22 defendants have been charged with firearms-related offenses; and
- 6 defendants have been charged with other violent crimes.Cleveland, OH.
66 defendants have been charged with federal crimes outlined below.
- 41 defendants have been charged with narcotics-related offenses; - 22 defendants have been charged with firearms-related offenses; and
- 3 defendants have been charged with other violent crimes.Detroit, MI.
58 defendants have been charged with federal offenses outlined below.
- 29 defendants have been charged with narcotics-related offenses; - 26 defendants have been charged with firearms-related offenses; and
- 3 defendants have been charged with other violent crimes.Milwaukee, WI.
16 defendants have been charged with federal crimes outlined below.
- 2 defendants have been charged with narcotics-related offenses; - 12 defendants have been charged with firearms-related offenses; and
- 2 defendant has been charged with other violent crimes.St. Louis, MO.
123 defendants have been charged with federal crimes.- 54 defendants have been charged with narcotics-related offenses; - 53 defendants have been charged with firearms-related offenses; and
- 16 defendants have been charged with other violent crimes.Memphis, Tenn.
16 defendants have been charged with federal offenses.- 4 defendants have been charged with narcotics-related offenses; - 9 defendants have been charged with firearms-related offenses; and
- 3 defendants have been charged with other violent crimes.Indianapolis, Indiana
31 defendants have been charged with federal crimes outlined below.
- 10 defendants have been charged with narcotics-related offenses; - 17 defendants have been charged with firearms-related offenses; and
- 4 defendants have been charged with other violent crimes.Armed meth trafficker sentenced to 12 years in prisonRead the Press Release
MISSOULA — A Spokane, WA, man who admitted possessing firearms while trafficking methamphetamine after law enforcement officers found the items in his backpack was sentenced today to 12 years in prison and five years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.
Lance Howard Garett, 42, pleaded guilty in April to possession with intent to distribute meth and to possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
U.S. District Judge Donald W. Molloy presided.
The prosecution said in court documents filed in the case that on Sept. 21, 2019 in Granite County, a Montana Highway Patrol officer searched Garett's backpack after a vehicle pursuit of a motorcycle driven by Garett. In Garett's backpack were two handguns, meth and heroin. Garett admitted to law enforcement that he had fled because he possessed the guns and drugs.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Tara Elliott prosecuted the case, which was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Montana Highway Patrol.
This case is part of Project Guardian, the U.S. Department of Justice’s recent initiative to reduce gun violence and enforce federal firearms laws, and Project Safe Neighborhoods, the USDOJ’s initiative to reduce violent crime. According to the FBI’s Uniform Crime Reports, violent crime in Montana increased by 36% from 2013 through 2018. Through these initiatives, federal, tribal, state and local law enforcement partners in Montana focus on violent crime driven by methamphetamine trafficking, armed robbers, firearms offenses and violent offenders with outstanding warrants.
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Alaska Pilot Sentenced in Connection with August 2014 Atigun Pass CrashRead the Press Release
Anchorage, Alaska – U.S. Attorney Bryan Schroder announced today that Forest M. Kirst, 63, of Fairbanks, Alaska, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Ralph R. Beistline to serve one year and one day in federal prison, to be followed by a three year term of supervised release. Kirst was also ordered to pay a $5,000 fine and a $200 Court Assessment Fee. In addition, as a condition of his supervised release, Kirst is not permitted to pilot a commercial aircraft during the term of his supervised release. Furthermore, he is not permitted to accept employment or be self-employed in any capacity as an aircraft mechanic without prior United States Probation approval.
After a ten day trial in November 2019, a federal jury deliberated just under 4 hours before convicting Kirst of two counts of obstruction of proceedings before a federal agency.
According to evidence presented at trial, a Ryan Navion airplane piloted by Kirst, d/b/a Kirst Aviation, was involved in an accident near Atigun Pass, Alaska, on Aug. 24, 2014. Three Canadian tourists were passengers aboard the airplane on a one-day sightseeing excursion before beginning an Alaska cruise. Kirst left Bettles, Alaska, and began flying too low over rising terrain. After circling over a moose in a pond, the airplane lacked the power and altitude to clear Atigun Pass in the Brooks Range. The airplane crashed on the side of the mountain below the Dalton Highway and above a pipeline maintenance road.
Fortunately, numerous people were in the vicinity maintaining the Dalton Highway and servicing the Trans-Alaska Pipeline, and were able to respond to the crash. All passengers sustained serious injuries and one of the passengers died 35-days later as a result of his injuries. The accident was investigated by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). Kirst’s airman certificate was revoked by the FAA following the accident and Kirst appealed the revocation.
Kirst was convicted of lying to the NTSB and the FAA during their investigations when he stated during an interview with NTSB officials that he was at a higher altitude than GPS evidence showed, and lying during the NTSBhearings when he testified that his airplane dropped in altitude approximately 1,500 feet just prior to the crash.
The Department of Transportation, Office of Inspector General, National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) conductedinvestigations leading to the successful prosecution of this case. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Retta Randall and Charisse Arce.
8 September 2020
Woman Formerly of Harleysville, PA, Indicted on Fraud Charges for “GoFundMe” Cancer SchemeRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney William M. McSwain announced that Vanessa O’Rourke, 32, formerly of Harleysville, PA, and last known to be residing in Queensland, Australia, was charged by Indictment with wire fraud in connection with falsely stating that she had cancer in order to solicit donations, including on gofundme.com. The Indictment was previously under seal and was unsealed earlier today.
The Indictment alleges that from approximately October 2015 through July 2016, O’Rourke falsely represented to others that she had a terminal form of brain cancer known as “Glioblastoma.” The defendant also allegedly lied about needing to raise money to travel to Australia to receive experimental cancer treatments. Based on these and other allegedly false representations, more than 140 people donated a total of $11,740 to O’Rourke’s fundraising campaign through gofundme.com, a legitimate online fundraising platform. The Indictment also alleges that while O’Rourke did travel to Australia, she did not receive any cancer treatment while she was there and instead used the donated money for personal expenses, including a variety of leisure activities.
“The allegations in this case are nauseating,” said U.S. Attorney McSwain. “O’Rourke is charged with preying upon the kindness and generosity of good people who wished to help those in need. As alleged, there was no need here – only lies, greed and callous manipulation.”
“Misleading people about a significant medical diagnosis in order to take advantage of their kind hearts and open wallets is reprehensible,” said Michael J. Driscoll, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Philadelphia Division. “As alleged, Vanessa O’Rourke scammed friends and family alike, convincing them to donate money toward her supposed medical care. Instead, those funds supported her lifestyle and leisure. When someone commits such financial fraud, the FBI and our law enforcement partners will work to hold them accountable.”
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Towamencin Township Police Department, and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kevin Jayne.
An indictment, information, or criminal complaint is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Whitewood Man Charged with Unlawful Possession of FirearmRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced that a Whitewood, South Dakota, man was charged in federal district court with Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person.
Travis Longfox, age 28, was charged on February 19, 2020. Longfox appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Daneta Wollmann on September 2, 2020, and pleaded not guilty to the charge.
The maximum penalty upon conviction is 10 years in federal prison and/or a $250,000 fine, 3 years supervised release, and a $100 assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Restitution may also be ordered.
The charge relates to Longfox, previously convicted of a felony and prohibited from possessing firearms, possessing a Kel-Tec .22 caliber semi-automatic pistol in July 2019 at Rapid City. The charge is merely an accusation and Longfox is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. The Department of Justice reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of its renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and local communities to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime.
This case is also part of Project Guardian, the Department of Justice’s signature initiative to reduce gun violence and enforce federal firearms laws. Initiated by the Attorney General in the fall of 2019, Project Guardian draws upon the Department’s past successful programs to reduce gun violence; enhances coordination of federal, state, local, and tribal authorities in investigating and prosecuting gun crimes; improves information-sharing by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives when a prohibited individual attempts to purchase a firearm and is denied by the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS), to include taking appropriate actions when a prospective purchaser is denied by the NICS for mental health reasons; and ensures that federal resources are directed at the criminals posing the greatest threat to our communities. For more information about Project Guardian, please see: https://www.justice.gov/projectguardian.
The investigation is being conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Rapid City Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin Patterson is prosecuting the case.
Longfox was detained pending trial. A trial date has not been set.
Washington Man Pleads Guilty to Assaulting Secret Service AgentsRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A Bremerton, Washington man pled guilty to assaulting two special agents with the United States Secret Service, announced United States Attorney Mike Stuart. Joshua Wills, 31, pled guilty to assaulting, resisting or impeding federal officers.
“One sure fire way not to see the President of the United States is to brandish a weapon and threaten the safety of local and federal officials,” said United States Attorney Mike Stuart. “Assaults on law enforcement officers will not be tolerated. Great work by the Secret Service and the St. Albans Police Department in stopping Wills before he could do serious harm.”
Wills admitted that he intended to drive from the state of Washington to Washington, D.C. to meet the President of the United States. The U.S. Secret Service began investigating Wills after they had received reports that Wills was traveling to see the President while possessing a dangerous weapon. Two special agents with the U.S. Secret Service located Wills in a campground in St. Albans and approached him for questioning. Officers with the St. Albans Police Department arrived at the campground for assistance. Wills admitted that he became agitated by the presence of the law enforcement officers and a standoff ensued for approximately 20 minutes. When Wills was told that he was going to be taken into custody for disorderly conduct, he unsheathed and raised a three-foot long Katana sword as a show of force. After further resisting law enforcement commands, Wills was disabled by a non-lethal beanbag gun possessed by a St. Albans police officer and taken into custody.
Wills faces up to 20 years in prison when sentenced on November 9, 2020.
The U.S. Secret Service and the St. Albans Police Department conducted the investigation. Senior United States District Judge John T. Copenhaver, Jr. presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Andrew Tessman is handling the prosecution.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:18-cr-00289.
Follow us on Twitter: SDWVNews and USAttyStuart
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Victoria man admits to child pornography charge as part of Project Safe ChildhoodRead the Press Release
CORPUS CHRISTI – A 40-year-old Texan has pleaded guilty to receipt of child pornography, announced U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Patrick.
Authorities had linked Paul Thomas Rosales to explicit materials found on a peer-to-peer network. The area task force investigation soon led them to his residence in Victoria.
They conducted a search and seized numerous digital devices. Forensic analysis ultimately revealed approximately 200 images of children engaged in sexually explicit conduct, some of which included children under the age of 5.
Today, he admitted to receiving the pornographic images.
Sentencing has been set for Dec. 11 before U.S. District Judge David S. Morales. At that time, Rosales faces up to 20 years in federal prison and a possible $250,000 maximum fine. He was permitted to remain on bond pending that hearing.
The FBI – Corpus Christi Resident Agency and Victoria Police Department conducted the investigation along with the Houston Metro Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Reid Manning is prosecuting the case, which was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood (PSC), a nationwide initiative the Department of Justice (DOJ) launched in May 2006 to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section leads PSC, which marshals federal, state and local resources to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children and identifies and rescues victims. For more information about PSC, please visit DOJ’s PSC page. For more information about internet safety education, please visit the resources tab on that page.
Ventura County Man Indicted for Allegedly Threatening Woman During Decades-Long Harassment Campaign Targeting Her FamilyRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – A Port Hueneme man was named today in a federal grand jury indictment that charges him with making threats to rape and kill a student who is the daughter of a woman he allegedly began stalking and harassing in 1991.
Serge Agopian, 49, was named in a three-count indictment that charges him with sending threatening communications in an email and letters sent through the U.S. Mail.
The charges against Agopian stem from three identical threatening communications he allegedly sent anonymously to the student in April. The victim is the daughter of a woman Agopian began harassing when they attended the University of California, Santa Barbara, according to a criminal complaint previously filed in this case.
During the investigation, FBI agents interviewed the victim’s mother, who described how Agopian apparently saw her at a party in 1991, contacted her “out of the blue” even though they had never met, and began sending “unsolicited roses, cassette tapes with recorded love songs, poetry, letters, and condoms to her residence,” according to the affidavit in support of the criminal complaint. The victim’s mother told investigators that she asked Agopian to stop all communications, but she believed he continued to send packages anonymously after she moved to her parents’ residence – including roses with dog feces and an item that resembled a bomb.
The victim’s mother obtained restraining orders against Agopian that were in effect for nearly 10 years. Nevertheless, Agopian continued to contact her, including in the fall of 1991 in the UCSB bookstore, where he pushed her into a shelf of books, resulting in Agopian’s arrest, according to the affidavit.
Agopian later filed a defamation lawsuit against the victim’s mother. For many years after the lawsuit was resolved, the victim’s mother and her family received “very vulgar, lewd, and obscene letters,” which she believed came from Agopian, according to the affidavit.
The criminal complaint notes that one of the letters sent to the victim in April had a fingerprint that matched fingerprints obtained from Agopian during the restraining order proceedings.
An indictment contains allegations that a defendant has committed a crime. Every defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
The indictment charges Agopian with one count of threats by interstate communications and two counts of mailing threatening communications, each of which carries a statutory maximum penalty of five years in federal prison.
Agopian was arrested on August 5 pursuant to a criminal complaint that alleged one count of making threats by interstate communication. Agopian is scheduled to be arraigned on the indictment on September 15.
This matter is being investigated by the FBI and the Los Angeles Police Department.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Damaris Diaz of the Violent and Organized Crime Section.
USP Lee Inmate Sentenced for Possessing with Intent to Distribute Heroin, Amphetamine and Methamphetamine and for Possessing Prohibited Objects in PrisonRead the Press Release
ABINGDON, Va. – Robert Barnes, an inmate at United States Penitentiary Lee in Jonesville, Virginia was sentenced last week for possessing with the intent to distribute heroin, amphetamine, and methamphetamine within the prison and for possessing prohibited objects in prison, United States Attorney Thomas T. Cullen announced today.
Barnes, 45, was sentenced in the United States District Court for the Western District of Virginia in Abingdon to a total term of 180 months imprisonment and a 3-year term of supervised release.
The investigation of the case was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Prisons. Special Assistant United States Attorney Debbie Stevens prosecuted the case for the United States.
US Attorney Wrigley announces additional Sexual Exploitation of Minors Charges against a Bismarck, ND, ManRead the Press Release
Bismarck – United States Attorney Drew H. Wrigley announced that Dawson M. Rouse of Bismarck, ND, has been indicted on 13 additional federal charges, appeared in Federal Court at an initial appearance and arraignment hearing on a Superseding Indictment on September 8, 2020. The United States District Court for the District of North Dakota unsealed a Superseding Indictment revealing that a federal grand jury indicted Rouse on thirteen additional counts in addition to the twenty-seven felony counts of Sexual Exploitation of Minors (Thirteen counts of Sexual Exploitation of Minors or attempted Sexual Exploitation of Minors; Ten counts of Coercion or Enticement of Minors, and Four counts of Transfer of Obscene Material to Minors under 16 years of age) that Rouse was previously Indicted for. At Rouse’s hearing, the court ordered Rouse to remain in detention pending trial on this matter.
Previously, the Grand Jury alleged that Rouse caused or attempted to cause the production of images depicting the sexual exploitation of minors; used the internet to arrange or attempt to arrange meeting with minors for the purposes of sexual misconduct; and sent obscene images to 15 minors under the age of 16. In the Superseding Indictment the Grand Jury further alleged that Rouse received images and videos depicting the sexual exploitation of minors and further added seven additional allegations that Rouse caused or attempted to cause the production of images depicting the sexual exploitation of minors; used the internet to arrange or attempt to arrange meeting with minors for the purposes of sexual misconduct; and finally, sent obscene images to several minors under the age of 16 involving three additional victims.
Allegedly, the minor female victims described similar conduct by Rouse, in that he would friend them on Snapchat and begin conversations with them and Rouse eventually turned the conversation to sex. Rouse harassed the minor victims until they sent him nude photographs or videos of themselves, then Rouse harassed them to meet him so they could have sex. Several of the victims sent nude pictures and videos of themselves to Rouse and six of the victims met with him at his residence and engaged in sexual acts with Rouse.
“The defendant stands accused of 40 felony crimes of various ghastly sexual intrusions into the lives of 18 minors,” said US Attorney Drew Wrigley, “and this remains an active and engaged criminal investigation.”
An Indictment is an accusation and notice of charges, and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.
This case is being investigated by the Bismarck Police Department and Department of Homeland Security Investigations, and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Gary Delorme.
UH agrees to resolve web accessibility issuesRead the Press Release
HOUSTON — The University of Houston (UH) has reached an agreement regarding web accessibility under Title II of the American with Disabilities Act (ADA), announced U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Patrick.
Web accessibility for people with disabilities in higher education is of critical importance, particularly in light of the increased reliance on the use of technology and web-based platforms as an integral part of its educational services, programs, and activities.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office initiated a compliance review in November 2016 to determine whether the school’s website and online course offerings were accessible to individuals with disabilities and in compliance with the ADA. The review evaluated the accessibility of the university’s primary learning management system to ensure students with disabilities have an equal opportunity to participate in programs. Audits uncovered multiple issues inconsistent with ADA accessibility and adversely impact the ability of individuals with disabilities to participate in the UH educational programs, services and activities.
UH is one of the largest schools in Texas. It is a Carnegie-designated tier one university with over 46,000 students. UH fully cooperated with this compliance review and has proactively and voluntarily taken steps to resolve the issues and increase accessibility.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Elizabeth Karpati and Keith Edward Wyatt handled this investigation.
U.S. Attorney: Scammers Claiming to be with DOJ Preying on ElderlyRead the Press Release
TOPEKA, KAN. - Individuals claiming to represent the Department of Justice are calling members of the public as part of an imposter scam, U.S. Attorney Stephen McAllister said today.
“Do not provide personal information over the telephone – even if the caller claims to be from the Department of Justice,” McAllister said. “These are fraudulent calls.”
The Office of Justice Programs’ Office for Victims of Crime (OVC) has received multiple reports that individuals claiming to represent the Department of Justice are calling members of the public as part of an imposter scam and appear to target the elderly.
Reports to the National Elder Fraud Hotline indicate these scammers falsely represent themselves as Department of Justice investigators or employees and attempt to obtain personal information from the call recipient, or they leave a voicemail with a return phone number. The return phone number directs users to a recorded menu that matches the recorded menu for the department’s main phone number. Eventually, the user reaches an “operator” who steers the user to someone claiming to be an investigator. That “investigator” then attempts to gain the user’s personal information.
“Phone scams are an ugly and pervasive act of victimization. The scams being reported to our National Elder Fraud Hotline are especially heinous because they show the perpetrators are preying upon one of the most vulnerable segments of our society – the elderly,” said OVC Director Jessica Hart. “As if this were not despicable enough, the scammers do so posing as employees of the Justice Department, usurping public trust in the agency that serves as a bastion of fairness and lawfulness while these scams exploit the elderly for financial gain. The first step to identifying these criminals is to have their crimes reported.”
Those who receive these calls are encouraged to report these scams to the FTC via their website or by calling 877–FTC–HELP (877-382-4357). Fraud can also be reported to the FBI for law enforcement action at https://www.justice.gov/criminal-fraud/report-fraud.
The National Elder Fraud Hotline is a resource created by OVC for people to report fraud against anyone age 60 or older. Reporting certain financial losses due to fraud as soon as possible, and within the first 2–3 days, can increase the likelihood of recovering losses. The hotline is open seven days a week. For more information about the hotline, please visit https://stopelderfraud.ovc.ojp.gov/.
U.S. Attorney Announces Partnership with Special Inspector General for Pandemic RecoveryRead the Press Release
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Texas (NDTX) has entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Office of the Special Inspector General for Pandemic Recovery (SIGPR) to investigate and prosecute fraud in the distribution of the massive relief package authorized by the CARES Act, announced U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Erin Nealy Cox.
“The CARES Act was passed by Congress and signed into law by the president to provide much needed relief to Americans suffering from the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic,” said U.S. Attorney Nealy Cox. “But it is an unfortunate reality that scammers, fraudsters, and criminal actors are working overtime to illegally exploit this pandemic for profit. The Department of Justice is committed to investigating and prosecuting these wrongdoers. We are eager to continue this fight against fraud by partnering with Special Inspector General Brian D. Miller and his team.”
In response to the widespread economic harm caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, Congress passed the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (“CARES”) Act, which included over $2 trillion in emergency financial assistance designed to provide immediate help for American businesses and individuals. The purpose and mission of the MOU is to develop a cooperative effort to investigate and prosecute wrongdoing involving the making, purchase, management, and sale of loans, loan guarantees, and other investments by the Secretary of the Treasury under Division A of the CARES Act, and the management by the Secretary of any program established under Division A of the CARES Act. This partnership will make efficient use of resources and help ensure coordination with regulators and law enforcement so that just results can be achieved, while at the same time taking care not to stymie legitimate businesses acting in good faith to access the important financial resources that Congress made available to the public.
“I look forward to working with U.S. Attorney Nealy Cox and her team in the Northern District of Texas to identify fraud, waste and abuse of the money provided under the CARES Act,” said Special Inspector General Brian D. Miller. “We will bring to justice to those who steal CARES Act money, and recover money for the taxpayers. Taxpayers should expect nothing less.”
Two NDTX Assistant U.S. Attorneys – Deputy Chief Ken Coffin from the Civil Division and Fabio Leonardi from the Criminal Division – will serve as liaisons to the NDTX-SIGPR partnership. These AUSAs will be direct points of contact for case-related inquiries from SIGPR.
Texas residents who believe they are victims of fraud or other criminal activity related to the pandemic should contact the National Center for Disaster Fraud Hotline at (866) 720-5721. Members of the public can also contact the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3).
Two Reno Residents Sentenced for Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
RENO, Nev. — Two Reno residents — who each pleaded guilty to possession of child pornography in separate cases — were sentenced today to federal prison, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas A. Trutanich for the District of Nevada. Chief U.S. District Judge Miranda Du presided over both sentencing hearings.
U.S. v. Edward C. Wright
Edward C. Wright, 60, of Reno (Sun Valley), Nevada, was indicted in February 2019 and pleaded guilty to possession of child pornography in September 2020. Wright was sentenced to four years and nine months in federal prison, to be followed by lifetime supervised release.
According to court documents, in March 2018, detectives with the Regional Sex Offender Notification Unit began investigating Wright for failure to change his address as a sex offender. Wright is required to register as a sex offender due to a prior felony conviction in 2003 for possession of child pornography. Since 2003, Wright had three convictions for failure to register as a sex offender.
In January 2019, a forensic examination of Wright’s tablet revealed approximately 250 images of child sexual assault, including masochistic or sadistic material. The images were stored in a specialized application that disguises itself as a clock, and is designed to hide user files in a hidden vault.
U.S. v. Luis O. Rodriguez
Luis O. Rodriguez, 59, of Fallon, Nevada, was indicted in January 2019 and pleaded guilty to possession of child pornography in August 2019. Rodriguez was sentenced to three years in federal prison, to be followed by lifetime supervised release. In addition, Rodriguez was ordered to pay a total of $24,000 in restitution to eight victims.
According to court documents, between January 2017 and July 2018, law enforcement downloaded child pornography (via a peer-to-peer file sharing network) from an electronic device located at Rodriguez’s residence. During the execution of a search warrant at Rodriguez’s residence, law enforcement seized four electronic devices. A forensic examination of the seized devices revealed more than 150,000 images and videos of child sexual assault, including sadistic and masochistic conduct involving children under 12 years old.
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Under the Sex Offender Registration Notification Act, both Wright and Rodriguez are required to register as sex offenders.
These cases were investigated by members of the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force (which includes Sparks Police Department, Washoe County Sheriff’s Office, Homeland Security Investigations, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Office of the Nevada Attorney General, Reno Police Department, Carson City Sheriff’s Office, and Lyon County Sheriff’s Office). Assistant U.S. Attorney Randy St. Clair prosecuted the cases.
These cases were 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 Department of Justice’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, 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.
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Two Maryland Men Admit Roles in Multi-State Patient Brokering and Bribery SchemeRead the Press Release
TRENTON, N.J. – Two Maryland men today admitted participating in a conspiracy to defraud health insurance companies through a multi-state patient brokering scheme in which they directed recruiters to bribe drug-addicted individuals to enroll in drug rehabilitation in exchange for referral fees from the rehabilitation centers, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito announced.
Seth Logan Welsh, 26, of Forest Hill, Maryland, and John C. Devlin, 33, of Baltimore, Maryland, each pleaded guilty by teleconference before U.S. District Judge Peter G. Sheridan to separate informations charging them with one count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud.
Peter Costas, of Red Bank, New Jersey, pleaded guilty to the same charge in May 2020.
According to documents filed in the case and statements made in court:
Welsh, Devlin, and their conspirators owned and operated a marketing company in California. Welsh and Devlin used the marketing company to help orchestrate a scheme in New Jersey, Maryland, California, and other states that involved bribing individuals addicted to heroin and other drugs to enter into drug rehabilitation centers so Welsh, Devlin, and their conspirators could generate referral fees from those facilities.
The marketing company maintained contractual relationships with drug treatment facilities around the country and engaged a nationwide network of recruiters – including Costas in New Jersey – to identify and recruit potential patients, from New Jersey and other states, who were addicted to heroin or other drugs and who had robust private health insurance.
To convince drug-addicted individuals to travel to and enroll in rehabilitation when they otherwise would not have, Costas and other recruiters offered to bribe them – often as much as several thousand dollars – with Welsh’s and Devlin’s approval. Once the patients agreed to enroll in drug rehabilitation in exchange for the offered bribe, Welsh, Devlin, and Costas would arrange and pay for cross-country travel to the drug treatment centers in California and other states. Costas would stay in touch with the New Jersey patients at the facilities and specifically instruct them to stay at the facilities long enough to generate referral payments, and he would pass along information to Welsh and Devlin about the patients’ status at the facilities. Welsh and Devlin would monitor the other patients they brokered by speaking to other recruiters or to the owners and employees of the drug treatment facilities themselves.
Welsh, Devlin, Costas, and their conspirators often directed patients to different rehabilitation facilities month after month to generate multiple referral payments without regard to whether the substance abuse treatment was medically necessary or effective.
Welsh, Devlin, Costas, and their conspirators also sent patients to facilities in California and other states that they knew provided ineffective drug treatment or actually fostered drug use on their premises. After sending one patient to a drug treatment facility in Los Angeles, California, the patient reported to Costas that “everyone’s high” that “it’s a flop,” meaning that it was not a legitimate substance abuse treatment facility providing bona fide drug treatment services. When that information was relayed to Devlin in a text message, he responded “Lol.” A few days later, Welsh texted Devlin and Costas to report that the patient was “smoking meth” at the drug treatment facility. Costas replied, “Yes. [The patient is] freaking out at me. [He] said out of the 10 ppl. [people] in [the drug treatment facility] only 4 are sober. The rest are smoking meth and dope . . . . [The patient] said everyone’s high and it’s a complete flop and [he] tried to stay sober around it without ‘ratting’ as long as he could.” Costas’s text message meant that the patient was trying to stay in drug rehabilitation long enough to trigger referral payments to Welsh’s and Devlin’s marketing company without relapsing.
The facilities typically paid Welsh’s and Devlin’s marketing company a fee of $5,000 to $10,000 per patient referral. Welsh, Devlin, and their conspirators shared that money among themselves. Costas and other recruiters received approximately half that amount for each patient they brokered. During the scheme, Welsh, Devlin, and their conspirators brokered scores of patients to drug treatment facilities around the country, and the conspiracy caused millions of dollars of losses for health insurers.
Welsh and Devlin face a maximum potential penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine, or twice the gross gain or loss from the offense. Sentencing is scheduled for Jan. 11, 2021.
U.S. Attorney Carpenito credited special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge George M. Crouch Jr. in Newark, with the investigation leading to today’s guilty pleas.
The government is represented by Senior Trial Counsel Jason S. Gould of the Health Care Fraud Unit in Newark.
Three Portlanders Charged with Civil Disorder After Assaulting Local Police OfficersRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Ore.—In separate criminal cases, three Portland residents have been charged with civil disorder for crimes committed during declared civil disturbances in Portland, announced U.S. Attorney Billy J. Williams.
William Grant Reuland, 24, is charged with civil disorder after assaulting police officers with a high-powered laser on June 13 and 14, 2020; Alexandra Eutin, 24, is charged with civil disorder after striking a police officer with a wooden shield on July 16, 2020; and Pedro Aldo Ramos, Jr., 20, is charged with civil disorder after punching a female police officer in the face on August 24, 2020.
U.S. v. Reuland
According to court documents, at approximately 10:00 p.m. on June 13, 2020, a civil disturbance was declared when a crowd gathered around the Multnomah County Justice Center in downtown Portland. A Portland Police Bureau (PPB) officer watching the crowd from the roof of the Justice Center observed two individuals, one later identified as Reuland, allegedly standing in the middle of the street and repeatedly hitting several officers in the face with high-powered lasers.
The officer moved to a lower floor and was able to photograph Reuland. The officer kept track of Reuland as the crowd was dispersed. In the early morning hours of June 14, 2020, Reuland joined a group of individuals marching from the Justice Center to Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler’s personal residence. Reuland was observed shining a laser at the Mayor’s residence and at other homes in the neighborhood. The officer who originally spotted Reuland with the laser, tracked his location until Reuland was contacted by other officers and taken into custody for assaulting a public safety officer. He was later released by state authorities.
On September 4, 2020, U.S. Marshals Service deputies arrested Reuland at his residence in northwest Portland.
U.S. v. Eutin
At approximately 11:45 p.m. on July 16, 2020, an unlawful assembly was declared after several people in a large crowd gathered near PPB’s southeast precinct on East Burnside Street in Portland began throwing rocks, bottles, and other hard objects and pointing high-powered lasers at officers. The group blocked traffic and ignored warnings to disperse.
Eutin is alleged to have used a wooden shield and hoses to strike a PPB officer in the head while he was attempting to arrest another individual. A second officer arrested Eutin for assaulting a public safety officer, and she was later released.
On September 6, 2020, Homeland Security Investigations special agents arrested Eutin at her residence in southeast Portland.
U.S. v. Ramos
At approximately 10:20 p.m. on August 23, 2020, an unlawful assembly was declared after several people in a large crowd gathered near PPB’s north precinct on Northeast Emerson Street in Portland began throwing chunks of ceramic, rocks, and glass bottles at officers. The group blocked traffic and ignored warnings to disperse. Shortly thereafter, the gathering was declared a riot due to ongoing criminal behavior.
At around the same time, Ramos is alleged to have grabbed a PPB officer by her vest while she was arresting another individual and pull her away from the arrestee. Ramos then punched the officer in the side of her face. He was arrested for assaulting a public safety officer and later released.
On September 8, 2020, Ramos turned himself in to the U.S. Marshals Service.
Reuland, Eutin, and Ramos made their initial appearances in federal court today before a U.S. Magistrate Judge. All were released pending further court proceedings. If convicted, the three face a maximum sentence of five years in federal prison.
These cases were investigated by the FBI with assistance from the U.S. Marshals Service and Homeland Security Investigations. They are being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Oregon.
A criminal complaint is only an accusation of a crime, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
To help identify actors who are actively instigating violence in the city of Portland, the FBI is accepting tips and digital media depicting violent encounters during demonstrations. If you have witnessed unlawful violent actions, we urge you to submit any information, photos, or videos that could be relevant to investigations at fbi.gov/PDviolence. You may also call 1-800-CALL-FBI (800-225-5324) to verbally report tips.
Teacher Sentenced to Five Years in Federal Prison for Traveling to Have Sex with Student and Selling AdderallRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – A former high school Spanish teacher from Huntington was sentenced to federal prison for traveling across state lines to have sex with one of her students and selling Adderall, announced United States Attorney Mike Stuart. Amy Adkins, 30, was sentenced to five years in prison for travel with intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct and distribution of Adderall. Adkins also was ordered to complete 20 years of supervised release and to register as a sex offender.
“Adkins abused her position of authority as a teacher to betray the trust of this student and his family,” said United States Attorney Mike Stuart. “Parents expect their kids to be safe from predatory behavior at school, not preyed upon.”
Adkins previously admitted that while she was a Spanish teacher at Fairland High School in Proctorville, Ohio during the 2017 to 2018 academic year, she communicated frequently with one of her young male students on social media. This student was under 16 years old at the time. On April 7, 2018, Adkins admitted that she drove from her home in Huntington to Proctorville, where she picked up her underage student and brought him back to Huntington with the intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct. Ultimately, Adkins had sex with the victim that day at her home in Huntington.
In addition to traveling with the intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct, Adkins admitted that from September 2017 to May 2018 she frequently sold a portion of her Adderall prescription to her friends and acquaintances. Specifically, Adkins admitted that she sold one close friend five pills of Adderall on March 9, 2018. Adderall is a Schedule II controlled substance.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the West Virginia State Police and the Lawrence County, Ohio Department of Job and Family Services conducted the investigation.
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Kristin F. Scott handled the prosecution.
The case was prosecuted as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative of the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute those who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
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-00044.
Follow us on Twitter: SDWVNews and USAttyStuart
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Taos domestic violence organization awarded $570,000 from the Department of Justice for transitional housing servicesRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – The Department of Justice today announced a grant award of $570,000 to Community Against Violence, Incorporated (CAV) of Taos New Mexico to provide transitional housing services to survivors of domestic violence.
“As we approach Domestic Violence Awareness Month, this is welcome news for northern New Mexico,” said John C. Anderson, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico. “The work of organizations such as Community Against Violence is critical in the network of support for victims of violence, and a key component of that work is assisting survivors with transitional housing. The flexibility of these Department of Justice funds is important as they may be utilized for other support services survivors need to transition to safer lives for themselves and their children.”
The Transitional Housing Assistance Grants for Victims of Domestic Violence, Dating Violence, Sexual Assault, and Stalking Program (Transitional Housing Program) assists victims who are homeless or in need of housing assistance and for whom emergency shelter services or other crisis intervention services are unavailable or insufficient. The program support a comprehensive approach to providing transitional housing and support services that move individuals into permanent housing and help them secure employment.
CAV is a non-profit organization located in Taos, New Mexico, a rural region of the state. Through the grant, CAV will provide 20 scattered-site residences for 20 survivors and their families in private housing units. CAV will collaborate with its five partners - the Protective Services Division of the Children Youth and Families Department, Rio Grande Alcohol Treatment Program, Taos Pueblo, Taos County: Inside/Out Recovery, and the Heart of Taos - to provide a victim-centered and multidisciplinary approach to transitional housing needs in the community.
The range of optional support services under this project include rental and utility assistance, case management, safety planning, childcare, transportation, career counseling, financial and credit counseling, support groups, individual counseling, job training, education attainment and housing advocacy.
For more information about CAV, visit their website at https://taoscav.org/.
For more information about this grant, contact the Office on Violence Against Women at (202) 307-6026 and ask for the Outreach and Communications Division.
Supplier in Drug Trafficking Organization Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Role in Heroin and Cocaine Trafficking in Bayshore Area of New JerseyRead the Press Release
TRENTON, N.J. – A Union County, New Jersey, man today was sentenced to 120 months in prison for his role as the supplier of large quantities of heroin and cocaine in a narcotics trafficking conspiracy in the Bayshore area of Monmouth and Middlesex counties, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito announced today.
Gregory Gillens, 47, of Hillside, New Jersey, previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Brian R. Martinotti in Trenton federal court to an information charging him with one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute more than one kilogram of heroin. Gillens also admitted to conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute a quantity of cocaine. Judge Martinotti imposed the sentence today via videoconference.
Today’s sentence follows a coordinated takedown in November 2018 of 15 defendants charged in a federal criminal complaint with conspiracy to distribute heroin and cocaine. To date, 12 defendants have pleaded guilty, including lead defendant Guy Jackson. Defendant Deberal Rogers has been indicted.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
From May 2017 to November 2018, Gillens and others engaged in a narcotics conspiracy that operated in the Raritan Bayshore region of Middlesex and northern Monmouth counties.
Through the interception of telephone calls and text messages pursuant to court-authorized wiretap orders, controlled purchases of heroin and cocaine, the use of confidential sources of information, and other investigative techniques, law enforcement officers learned that Gillens regularly supplied large quantities of heroin and cocaine for further distribution, including to co-defendant Jackson. Some of the heroin distributed by the conspiracy contained fentanyl, a dangerous synthetic opioid.
Pursuant to search warrants executed on the day of Gillens’ arrest or soon thereafter, law enforcement recovered more than $96,000 in cash and more than 600 grams of cocaine from Gillens’ former residence and from inside a vehicle he had previously used to deal narcotics. The vehicle and the cash have been administratively forfeited to the United States.
In addition to the prison term, Judge Martinotti sentenced Gillens to five years of supervised release.
U.S. Attorney Carpenito credited special agents of the FBI, Newark Division, Red Bank Resident Agency, Jersey Shore Gang and Criminal Organization Task Force (including representatives from the Bradley Beach Police Department, Brick Police Department, Howell Police Department, Marlboro Police Department, Monmouth County Sheriff's Office, Toms River Police Department, and Union Beach Police Department) under the direction of Special Agent in Charge George M. Crouch Jr.; special agents of the FBI, Philadelphia Division, Scranton Resident Agency, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Michael J. Driscoll; the New Jersey State Police, under the direction of Col. Patrick J. Callahan, Superintendent; the Matawan Police Department, under the direction of Chief Thomas J. Falco, Jr.; the Holmdel Police Department, under the direction of Chief John Mioduszewski; the Highlands Police Department, under the direction of Chief Robert Burton; the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Prosecutor Christopher J. Gramiccioni; the Old Bridge Police Department, under the direction of Chief William A. Volkert; the Keansburg Police Department, under the direction of Chief James K. Pigott; the Hazlet Police Department, under the direction of Chief Philip Meehan; and the Aberdeen Police Department, under the direction of Chief Richard A. Derechailo, with the investigation leading to today’s sentencing.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Elisa T. Wiygul of the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Criminal Division in Trenton.
The charges and allegations against the remaining three defendants are merely accusations and they are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
St. Clair County Fraud Ring Charged with Using Stolen Identities in Cell Phone ScamRead the Press Release
East St. Louis, Illinois – Four St. Clair County residents are facing federal fraud charges today after an East St. Louis grand jury returned a five-count indictment against them. Michael
Henderson, 36, of Fairview Heights, Kyetia Hines, 37, of Belleville, Antoinette Z. Davis, 23, of
Cahokia, and Jasmine Davison, 27, of Cahokia, are accused of devising and participating in a scheme to defraud Sprint stores in the Metro East using stolen identities.According to the indictment, the four defendants operated their scheme from October 2015 to May
2018, in St. Clair and Madison Counties and elsewhere. They allegedly set up new accounts for cellular service using the names and social security numbers of other people and then used those accounts to acquire new cellphones under contract. Instead of using the phones, however, the defendants allegedly sold them to other cellular retail stores for cash.The indictment alleges that Henderson worked at a Sprint store in Belleville during the conspiracy and used his position to help facilitate the fraud. Defendants Hines, Davis, and Davison would allegedly acquire up to four phones at a time and immediately cancel the accounts after the phones were acquired. The alleged ringleader of the scheme – Tamecia Buckley, 37, of Cahokia – is also named in the indictment but was charged separately back in July.
An indictment is merely a formal charge against a defendant. Under the law, a defendant is presumed to be innocent of a charge until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt to the satisfaction of a jury.
Buckley has already pleaded guilty to wire fraud conspiracy and aggravated identity theft, among other charges. She is scheduled to be sentenced on Oct. 20. Henderson and Davis appeared in federal district court yesterday for their initial appearances and pleaded not guilty. Their trial has been scheduled for Nov. 3. Hines is set to make her initial appearance on Sept. 10. Davison has not yet been arrested.
Each defendant is charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud and aggravated identity theft. The conspiracy charge carries a maximum possible sentence of 20 years imprisonment and a $250,000 fine.
Aggravated identity theft is punishable by a mandatory sentence of two years, which must run consecutively to any other sentence imposed.The investigation of this case was conducted by the United States Postal Inspection Service and the Cahokia Police Department.
South Texas woman sent to prison for human smuggling while on bondRead the Press Release
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas - A 23-year-old Edinburg woman has been sentenced to federal prison for multiple conspiracies of transporting illegal aliens, announced U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Patrick.
Today, U.S. District Judge David S. Morales ordered Joceline Esmeralda Garcia to serve a total of 51 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by three years of supervised release. At the hearing, the court heard how Garcia recruited, facilitated or directed more than five individuals to transport undocumented aliens, often in the enclosed trunks of vehicles. In one instance, humans had been concealed within wooden furniture in a U-Haul van.
Garcia had pleaded April 17, 2019, to an alien smuggling conspiracy involving seven smuggling events and 18 undocumented aliens. While on bond pending sentencing in that case, Garcia continued to lead a subsequent alien smuggling conspiracy involving three human smuggling events and eight additional undocumented aliens.
Garcia has been and will remain in custody pending transfer to a Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
Customs and Border Protection conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Reid Manning is prosecuting the case.
Six Facing Federal Charges for Crimes Committed During Protests Throughout South CarolinaRead the Press Release
Columbia, South Carolina --- United States Attorney Peter M. McCoy, Jr. announced today that six people are facing federal charges for participating in actions including arson, inciting riots, and other civil disorder in Columbia and Charleston, South Carolina, on May 30 and 31, 2020.
Following George Floyd’s death in Minnesota on May 25, 2020, protestors in Columbia and Charleston joined to peacefully demonstrate against racism and the use of excessive force by law enforcement. While the large majority of participants exercised their First Amendment rights in a lawful manner, others engaged in violent criminal acts and threatened public safety, including assaulting citizens and law enforcement officers and vandalizing and destroying public and private property.
“On May 30, 2020, violent agitators disrupted and distracted from peaceful protests in Columbia and Charleston and committed violent acts against citizens and law enforcement officers, vandalizing businesses and destroying public property,” said U.S. Attorney McCoy. “This is unacceptable and crosses a line, and this office will always stand up for law and order. We worked diligently with our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners to identify, arrest, and prosecute the individuals whose violence, vandalism, and destruction violated federal law. By escalating and inciting violence, these individuals interfered with the legitimate forms of expression and Constitutionally protected activity.”
“The FBI remains committed to safeguarding the Constitutional rights of our citizens, including the right to peacefully protest,” said Jody Norris, FBI Special Agent in Charge. “We are equally committed to investigating individuals who are inciting violence and engaged in other criminal activity. We support our state, local and federal partners in maintaining the safety of the communities we serve.”
“Over the last several months, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), has maintained a strong and productive relationship with our law enforcement partners, and shared the goal of quickly identifying and apprehending those that promoted violence and criminal acts during periods of peaceful protests,” said Vincent Pallozzi, ATF Special Agent in Charge. “We’ve successfully worked hand-in-hand to share resources, build cases, and bring to justice a number of violent individuals who posed a serious threat to our communities and businesses.”
In the last week, federal law enforcement authorities in the District of South Carolina have charged six individuals for crimes committed during demonstrations throughout South Carolina, including arson, inciting a riot, and civil disorders. Some of those defendants have agreed to plead guilty to the charged crimes. According to public documents filed with the federal district court, the following defendants have recently been charged with, or agreed to plead guilty to, the following federal crimes:
- Abraham Jenkins, 26, of Charleston, has agreed to plead guilty to civil disorders related to the violence and destruction on May 30, 2020.
- Kelsey Jackson, 28, of Charleston, has agreed to plead guilty to arson of a Charleston Police Department patrol car on May 30, 2020.
- Tearra Guthrie, 23, of Charleston, has agreed to plead guilty to civil disorders related to the violence and destruction on May 30, 2020.
- Orlando King, 31, of North Charleston, has agreed to plead guilty to a violation of the Anti-Riot Act related to the violence and destruction on May 30, 2020, and to being a felon in possession of a firearm stemming from an unrelated incident on April 25, 2020.
- Karlos Gibson-Brown, 24, of Columbia, has agreed to plead guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition for a riot-related incident on May 31, 2020.
- Marcello Woods, 28, of Columbia, has been charged with destroying a Columbia Police Department vehicle by means of fire for riot-related conduct on May 30, 2020.
Woods was arraigned in federal court Thursday, while court dates for the remaining defendants have not been scheduled. Several of the charges carry significant maximum prison sentences. For example, arson is punishable by up to 20 years in prison. Civil disorder and inciting a riot both carry a maximum possible penalty of five years imprisonment.
These cases are being investigated by the FBI, ATF, Charleston Police Department, Columbia Police Department, Richland County Sheriff’s Department, and South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED). Numerous other local police departments and Solicitors’ Offices across the state have assisted in these investigations. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of South Carolina continues to evaluate other cases for potential federal prosecution.
The charges in these cases are only accusations of a crime, and defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
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The year 2020 marks the 150th anniversary of the Department of Justice. Learn more about the history of our agency at www.Justice.gov/Celebrating150Years
kelsey_jackson_cpd_footage.pdf- Abraham Jenkins, 26, of Charleston, has agreed to plead guilty to civil disorders related to the violence and destruction on May 30, 2020.
Sioux Falls Man and Woman Sentenced in Methamphetamine Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced that two Sioux Falls, South Dakota, individuals convicted of Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance were sentenced on August 25, 2020, by U.S. District Judge Lawrence L. Piersol.
Tyler Justin Hausten, a/k/a “Red”, age 40, was sentenced to 126 months in federal prison, followed by 5 years of supervised release, and a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $100.
Tara Lynn Clark, age 35, was sentenced to 110 months in federal prison, followed by 5 years of supervised release, and a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $100.
Hausten and Clark were indicted by a federal grand jury on March 3, 2020. Hausten pled guilty on May 21, 2020, and Clark pled guilty on June 3, 2020.
The conviction stemmed from incidents beginning on an unknown date and continuing until on or about March 2020, when both Hausten and Clark reached an agreement or came to an understanding to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine in the District of South Dakota. Methamphetamine is a Scheduled II controlled substance. They voluntarily joined in the agreement and knew the purpose of the understanding.
Law enforcement conducted a traffic stop on Hausten’s and Clark’s vehicle on November 3, 2019. A search of the vehicle took place and law enforcement located in excess of 500 grams of methamphetamine.
This case was investigated by the South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation, Sioux Falls Police Department, and the South Dakota Highway Patrol. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Tamara Nash prosecuted the case.
Hausten and Clark was immediately turned over to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Sioux Falls Man and Woman Sentenced in Fentanyl Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced that two Sioux Falls, South Dakota, individuals convicted of Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance were sentenced on June 8, 2020, and August 31, 2020 respectively, by U.S. District Judge Karen E. Schreier.
Randi Nicole Sterud, a/k/a Randi Gunn, age 20, and Cade Marcus Wignes, age 21, were both sentenced to 37 months in federal prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release, and a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $100.
Sterud and Wignes were indicted by a federal grand jury on November 5, 2019. Sterud pled guilty on March 19, 2020, and Wignes pled guilty on June 8, 2020.
The convictions stemmed from conduct in 2019, when Sterud and Wignes conspired to distribute 40 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing fentanyl in the District of South Dakota. Fentanyl is a Scheduled II controlled substance.
This case was investigated by the Department of Homeland Security, the Sioux Falls Area Drug Task Force, and the South Dakota Highway Patrol. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer D. Mammenga prosecuted the case.
Sterud and Wignes were immediately turned over to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Sioux Falls Man Sentenced for Meth TraffickingRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced that a Sioux Falls, South Dakota, man convicted of Possession with Intent to Distribute a Controlled Substance was sentenced on August 31, 2020, by U.S. District Judge Karen E. Schreier.
Apiemi Kebaso, Jr., age 31, was sentenced to 120 months in federal prison, followed by 5 years of supervised release, and a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $100.
Kebaso was indicted by a federal grand jury on May 8, 2018. He pled guilty on June 15, 2020.
The conviction stemmed from on or about March 19, 2018, when Kebaso knowingly and intentionally possessed with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine (actual) in the District of South Dakota. On that date, he had in his possession 150.1 grams of methamphetamine, which was 97 percent pure, resulting in him possessing 145.5 grams of pure methamphetamine. Kebaso intended to distribute some or all of this methamphetamine to others.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Sioux Falls Area Drug Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer D. Mammenga prosecuted the case.
Kebaso was immediately turned over to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Sioux Falls Man Charged with Failure to Register as a Sex OffenderRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced that a Sioux Falls, South Dakota, man has been indicted by a federal grand jury for Failure to Register as a Sex Offender.
Charles Little Bear, Jr., age 54, was indicted on July 20, 2020. He appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Veronica L. Duffy on September 2, 2020, and pled not guilty to the Indictment.
The maximum penalty upon conviction is up to 10 years in federal prison and/or a $250,000 fine, life of supervised release, and $100 to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Restitution may also be ordered.
The Indictment alleges that between on or about July 19, 2019, and April 9, 2020, Little Bear, a person required to register under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act, failed to register and update his registration.
The charge is merely an accusation and Little Bear is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
The investigation is being conducted by the U.S. Marshals Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ann M. Hoffman is prosecuting the case.
Little Bear was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending trial. A trial date has not been set.
Simsbury Man Sentenced to 37 Months in Federal Prison for Illegally Possessing and Using ExplosivesRead the Press Release
John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that DAVID BOURNE, 38, of Simsbury, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Michael P. Shea in Hartford to 37 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for illegally possessing and using explosives.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on December 6, 2018, Connecticut State Police responded to Rory Mocarsky’s residence in Hartland after reports of gunfire and explosions at the property, and after viewing a YouTube video showing Mocarsky and Bourne engaged in activities involving firearms and explosives. A search of the property revealed an 8mm rifle, three .22 caliber rifles, a suspected homemade silencer, ammunition, a suspected improvised explosive device (“IED”), suspected post-blast IED devices and fragments, suspected explosive materials, and other electronic devices. A related search of a location in the Tunxis State Forest in East Hartland, where Mocarsky and Bourne had recorded explosions, revealed metal fragments, a section of PVC pipe, and PVC pipe fragments from a suspected IED.
On January 2, 2019, Bourne threw a pipe bomb, which he constructed, into the back of a victim’s truck, where it exploded.
Bourne was arrested on May 9, 2019. On September 24, 2019, he pleaded guilty to one count of possession of an unregistered destructive device.
Bourne, who is released on a $50,000 bond, is required to report to prison in 60 days.
On July 2, 2019, Mocarsky pleaded guilty to one count of possession of firearms by a convicted felon. He awaits sentencing.
This matter has been investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco Firearms and Explosives, and Connecticut State Police. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Douglas P. Morabito.
Sacramento Man Sentenced to 14 Years in Prison for Sex TraffickingRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Jaquorey Rashawn Carter, 24, of Sacramento, was sentenced today by Senior U.S. District Judge William B. Shubb to 14 years in prison for sex trafficking of a child, United States Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced.
According to evidence presented at a February 2020 jury trial, between 2013 and October 2018, Carter used a minor female and other adult women to work as prostitutes for him. As part of Carter’s pimping operation, he put the minor victim and other adult women in motel rooms and had them engage in prostitution on the street in order to make money from their prostitution activity. Carter ran his pimping operation in Sacramento, Stockton, Oakland, Sunnyvale, and Santa Ana.
In 2013, Carter began recruiting a then-14-year-old girl to work as a prostitute for him. In the years that followed, Carter took that minor victim to other cities where he would rent motel rooms in which the victim engaged in acts of prostitution. Carter continued to be involved in the use of this victim for acts of prostitution until 2018.
Evidence presented at the jury trial also showed that Carter had been arrested or contacted by law enforcement while he was transporting women to or from his illegal business opportunities. In September 2018, a federal judge authorized the wiretap of Carter’s cell phone. Sacramento-based task force agents then intercepted calls demonstrating that Carter was actively recruiting, harboring, transporting, and managing several women engaged in prostitution throughout California.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the California Department of Justice’s Special Operations Unit, and the Sacramento Police Department. The California Highway Patrol, Sacramento Sheriff’s Department, and the Sacramento District Attorney’s Office assisted in the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brian A. Fogerty and Jason Hitt prosecuted the case.
Rochester Drug Trafficking Organization Member Going to Prison for 25 Years for Murdering Rival Drug DealerRead the Press Release
CONTACT: Barbara Burns
PHONE: (716) 843-5817
FAX #: (716) 551-3051ROCHESTER, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy, Jr. announced today that Jonathan Cruz-Carmona, a/k/a Tapon, a/k/a Eneno, 29, of Rochester, NY, who was convicted of murder with a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking crime, was sentenced to serve 25 years in prison by Chief U.S. District Judge Frank P. Geraci, Jr.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Katelyn M. Hartford, Cassie M. Kocher, and Robert A. Marangola, who handled the case, stated that between 2015 and January 29, 2018, the defendant was a member of a Rochester drug trafficking organization run by co-defendant Carlos Javier Figueroa. The organization was responsible for selling cocaine and heroin in Rochester in the areas of Clinton Avenue, Burbank Street, LaForce Street, and Conkey Avenue. Carmona packaged, sold, and distributed quantities of cocaine and heroin, and acted as an enforcer to protect the interests of the organization.
On September 12, 2016, the defendant observed Walter Ross, a rival drug dealer, in the area of Clinton Avenue and Burbank Street in Rochester. Carmona had previously warned Ross not to sell drugs in that neighborhood because it was part of the Figueroa organization’s territory. At the direction of Carlos Javier Figueroa, the defendant approached the car Ross was sitting in at the corner of Clinton Avenue and Burbank Street, and shot several times through the window, striking and killing Ross.
“This senseless murder of one drug dealer killing another is sadly all too common,” stated U.S. Attorney Kennedy. “The human loss and havoc wrought by illicit drug dealing can hardly be overstated. My Office will remain steadfast in our commitment to uphold the rule of law and aggressively to prosecute those who deal drugs and engage in violence. While these violent drug dealers do what they do with the express purpose of destroying the lives of both their customers and their rivals, we, together with our law enforcement partners, do what we do as part of an effort to protect, preserve, and enhance the quality of life for all of the residents of our District.”
Charges remain pending against Carlos Javier Figueroa. The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation, and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
The sentencing is the result of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge John B. Devito; the Rochester Police Department, under the direction of Chief La’Ron Singletary; the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Sheriff Todd Baxter; the Monroe County District Attorney’s Office, under the direction of District Attorney Sandra Doorley; the Greece Police Department, under the direction of Chief Patrick Phelan; and U.S. Border Patrol, under the direction of Patrol Agent-in-Charge Eduardo Payan.
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Rapid City Man Sentenced for Attempted Receipt of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced that a Rapid City, South Dakota, man convicted of Attempted Receipt of Child Pornography was sentenced on August 28, 2020, by Jeffrey L. Viken, U.S. District Court Judge.
Logan Gienger, age 26, was sentenced to 5 years in federal prison, followed by 5 years of supervised release, and was ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
The conviction stemmed from an undercover sex trafficking operation conducted during the 2018 Sturgis Motorcycle Rally, targeting internet predators. Gienger was arrested and federally indicted following multiple text messages with a person Gienger believed to be a 14-year-old prostitute, but who was in fact an undercover agent. Gienger requested sexually explicit images from the 14-year-old undercover persona and proceeded to negotiate the time and place he would meet the minor to engage in unlawful sex acts. When Gienger went to the pre-determined location to meet the minor’s pimp, he was instead met by law enforcement agents and placed under arrest
The investigation was conducted by the South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation, the Department of Homeland Security, the Rapid City Police Department, and the Pennington County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah B. Collins prosecuted the case.
Gienger was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Raleigh County Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Drug ChargeRead the Press Release
BECKLEY, W.Va. – A Raleigh County man has pled guilty to a federal drug charge. Javon Lampkin, 23, of Stanaford, pled guilty to possession with intent to distribute a quantity of heroin, according to United States Attorney Mike Stuart.
“Heroin has been a source of tremendous pain for too many victims in West Virginia,” said United States Attorney Mike Stuart. “Great work by investigators getting this poison and poison peddler off the streets.”
Lampkin admitted that on September 25, 2018 and September 27, 2018, he sold heroin to a confidential informant working with the Beckley/Raleigh County Drug and Violent Crimes Task Force. On March 18, 2020, a car in which Lampkin was a passenger was stopped by law enforcement. Lampkin was found to be in possession of over 36 grams of heroin. The heroin was hidden inside a secret compartment on the interior of his pant leg.
Lampkin faces up to 20 years in prison when he is sentenced on December 21, 2020.
The investigation was conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Beckley/Raleigh County Drug and Violent Crimes Task Force.
United States District Judge Frank W. Volk presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney L. Alexander Hamner is handling the prosecution.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:20-cr-00110.
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