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Monday 29 June 2020
Man Sentenced to Three Years in Prison for Sending Threatening Mail to Miami Federal CourthouseRead the Press Release
MIAMI – Today, a federal judge in South Florida sentenced an inmate to three years in federal prison for mailing threatening communications to a Miami federal courthouse. Freddy Velazquez, 47, mailed the threats from a state prison in Monticello, Florida, where he was serving a sentence on a prior conviction.
Ariana Fajardo Orshan, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida and George L. Piro, Special Agent in Charge, FBI, Miami Field Office, made the announcement.
According to court documents, Velasquez, while in state prison, wrote and mailed a letter to the Wilkie D. Ferguson Federal Courthouse in downtown Miami. Among other things, the letter said that, “[i]nside this letter, you [will] find ‘chemicals’ that are going to kill many of you…I hate all of you pigs and hope you all die. I fight you all till you all die.” Along with the letter, Velasquez put a powdery white substance inside the mailing envelope that he addressed to the courthouse. Velazquez put his name and prison location on the return address section of the envelope.
On February 15, 2019, a federal courthouse employee opened Velasquez’s envelope. When the employee saw the white powder -- a possible biological substance -- the employee triggered the emergency protocols that are in place to handle such situations. Occupants of the courthouse evacuated the building. Four federal law enforcement agencies and a City of Miami Police Department Hazardous Materials (Hazmat) Unit responded to the potential biological threat. For about eight hours, law enforcement shut down traffic on several blocks around the downtown Miami courthouse. The courthouse employee who opened the envelope and discovered the powder underwent a decontamination process inside a biohazard tent, followed by a visit to a local hospital.
Testing showed that the white powder was not hazardous or a biological material. Additional testing found that the powder was consistent with detergent. When asked about the mailing, Velazquez admitted that he wrote the letter and addressed the envelope, that the letter correctly described his feelings, and that he put white powder in the envelope to trigger an emergency response from law enforcement.
On February 4, 2020, Velazquez pled guilty to mailing a threatening communication, a violation of federal law.
U.S. Attorney Fajardo Orshan commended the efforts of the FBI, United States Marshals Service, Department of Homeland Security, Federal Protective Service, and City of Miami Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Bertila Fernandez and Andrea Goldbarg prosecuted this case.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or on http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov.
Man Sentenced for $3.9 Million International Fraud ConspiracyRead the Press Release
NORFOLK, Va. – A Suffolk man was sentenced today to over nine years in prison for his role in an international fraud conspiracy that stole over $3.9 million from hundreds of victims.
“William Onyebuchi Ogbonna was an organizer and leader of a large, international conspiracy to defraud hundreds of victims, many of who were elderly, of millions of dollars,” said G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. “Elder justice has been a priority for this office for the past two years and this case is proof positive of that commitment. We are combatting these scams through education and awareness, deterrence, and prosecution.”
According to court documents, Ogbonna, 44, originally from Nigeria and now a naturalized citizen, spent at least three years conspiring with local, national, and international conspirators to steal over $3.9 Million from unwitting victims. The victims were subjects of lottery, inheritance, romance, and real estate scams, among other types of fraud, who were tricked into sending money to dozens of bank accounts Ogbonna opened in his name, in the fake name “Donald Miller,” and in the name of various business entities he created to further the scheme. Ogbonna would take a percentage, and then send the remaining money to Nigeria, China, and other countries. The majority of victims were elderly and many became destitute as a result of Ogbonna and his conspirators’ actions.
Combatting elder abuse and financial fraud targeted at seniors is a key priority of the Department of Justice. Elder abuse is an intentional or negligent act by any person that causes harm or a serious risk of harm to an older adult. It is a term used to describe five subtypes of elder abuse: physical abuse, financial fraud, scams and exploitation, caregiver neglect and abandonment, psychological abuse, and sexual abuse. Elder abuse is a serious crime against some of our nation’s most vulnerable citizens, affecting at least 10 percent of older Americans every year. Together with our federal, state, local and tribal partners, the Department of Justice is steadfastly committed to combatting all forms of elder abuse and financial exploitation through enforcement actions, training and resources, research, victim services, and public awareness. This holistic and robust response demonstrates the Department’s unwavering dedication to fighting for justice for older Americans.
G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Martin Culbreth, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Norfolk Field Office; and Kelly R. Jackson, Special Agent in Charge, Washington, D.C. Field Office, IRS-Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), made the announcement after sentencing by Senior U.S. District Judge Robert G. Doumar. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth M. Yusi prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:19-cr-084.
Leader of North Philadelphia Drug Gang Sentenced to Sixteen Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – First Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer Arbittier Williams announced that George Felts, 33, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was sentenced to sixteen years in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release, by United States District Court Judge C. Darnell Jones.
In November 2019, the defendant pleaded guilty to multiple counts of controlled substance offenses including conspiracy to distribute and possession with intent to distribute controlled substances. The charges arose from his leadership role in a large drug trafficking organization which shipped hundreds of pounds of narcotics including methamphetamine, cocaine, heroin, and fentanyl from California to Philadelphia via United States mail, from at least early 2016 until November 2017. To obtain the narcotics, Felts and other members of the organization flew from Philadelphia to Los Angeles to purchase the drugs directly from a source in California, concealing large amounts of cash between clothing packed in their carry-on luggage. After purchasing the drugs, members of the organization shipped the narcotics in boxes addressed to businesses in the Feltonville neighborhood of North Philadelphia, and then coordinated the delivery of the drugs to various locations, so they could then be prepared for distribution.
“Felts and other members of this drug organization pumped huge quantities of highly toxic and often deadly drugs into our community,” said First Assistant U.S. Attorney Williams. “Simply put, drug trafficking delivers destruction to our neighborhoods. The sentencing of Mr. Felts cannot undo the damage he caused, but his conviction and lengthy sentence have made our community safer. When it comes to drug trafficking, our Office is determined to investigate and convict these criminals, and put them behind bars."
“Today, a dangerous individual was sentenced to sixteen years in prison for his role in importing large quantities of illegal and dangerous narcotics to the streets of Philadelphia,” said Damon Wood, Postal Inspector in Charge of the Philadelphia Division of the United States Postal Inspection Service. “I would like to thank and congratulate the Philadelphia Police Department, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the United States Attorney’s Office, and the Postal Inspectors who worked tirelessly on this case to protect the US mail system from criminal misuse and to ensure Mr. Felts faced justice for the harm he has caused to the Philadelphia community.”
The case was investigated by the United States Postal Inspection Service, with the assistance of the Philadelphia Police Department, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Nancy Beam Winter.
Jones County Man Sentenced to over 12 Years in Prison for Drug ConspiracyRead the Press Release
Jackson, Miss. – Matthew Williams, 33, of Jones County, Mississippi, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Henry T. Wingate to serve 146 months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, for conspiracy to distribute 2.6 pounds of methamphetamine and 2.1 pounds of heroin, announced U.S. Attorney Mike Hurst and Brad L. Byerley, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). Williams was also ordered to pay a $1,500 fine.
In May, 2019, Williams and Soto-Leon, an illegal alien from Mexico, reached an agreement to distribute heroin and methamphetamine. To assist Soto-Leon, Williams made contact with one or more individuals in order to find a buyer for illegal drugs in the possession of Soto-Leon. Through these contacts by Williams, a buyer was identified. Williams spoke directly to the buyer and stated that Soto-Leon was in possession of approximately 3 pounds of methamphetamine known as “ICE” and one kilogram of heroin that he was trying to sell. Williams connected the buyer to Soto-Leon, who began communicating directly with the buyer. Soto-Leon and the buyer reached an agreement on the price for all of the methamphetamine and heroin. Unknown to either Williams or Soto-Leon, the buyer was actually an undercover agent.
On May 2, 2019, Soto-Leon and the buyer met at a location near the Blair E. Batson Hospital in Jackson where Soto-Leon provided the buyer with methamphetamine and heroin. Williams had assisted the buyer and Soto-Leon by giving them directions to the place where they met. Lab tests later confirmed that Soto-Leon had provided 414.7 grams of methamphetamine which was 99% pure and 424.2 grams of heroin.
On May 3, 2019, Soto-Leon and the buyer met again at a location in Pearl, Mississippi, where Soto-Leon again gave the buyer methamphetamine and heroin. Lab tests later confirmed that Soto-Leon had provided 772.4 grams of methamphetamine which was 98% pure and two containers of heroin containing 344.6 grams heroin and 228.8 grams of heroin. Once the second batch of controlled substances were given to the buyer, law enforcement immediately arrested Soto-Leon. Williams was arrested a few days later.
In total, Soto-Leon and Williams conspired to sell and sold 2.6 pounds of methamphetamine and 2.1 pounds of heroin to the undercover DEA officer. The methamphetamine sold is a type of methamphetamine known as “ICE” due to its purity.
The defendants were indicted and pled guilty before Judge Wingate on October 18, 2019. Edgar Soto-Leon remains in federal custody and is awaiting sentencing.
The case was investigated by the DEA, the Hinds County Sheriff’s Department, the Jones County Sheriff’s Department, the Pearl Police Department, and the Richland Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Dave Fulcher.
Jamestown Man Pleads Guilty to Meth ChargeRead the Press Release
CONTACT: Barbara Burns
PHONE: (716) 843-5817
FAX #: (716) 551-3051BUFFALO, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy, Jr. announced today that Terrence M. McRae, 40, of Jamestown, NY, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Lawrence J. Vilardo to possessing with intent to distribute methamphetamine. The charge carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison and a $1,000,000 fine.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua A. Violanti, who is handling the case, stated that on September 6, 2019, members of the Jamestown Metro Drug Task Force executed a New York State search warrant at the residence of Richard Kinsey on Newland Avenue in Jamestown. Before the execution of the warrant, investigators observed co-defendants Richard Kinsey and Brandi Whitford arrive and enter the residence. A short time later, the defendant and another individual entered the residence. As investigators moved into the residence to begin executing the search warrant, they observed McRae exit the residence to a second story porch roof. The defendant was subsequently detained.
During the execution of the search warrant, investigators recovered nine plastic wax baggies with skull and Viking hat logos, methamphetamine, marijuana, three suspected alprazolam pills, two cellular telephones, and a black scale.
Charges remain pending against co-defendants Richard Kinsey and Brandi Whitford. 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 plea is the result of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Ray Donovan, New York Field Division; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge John B. Devito, New York Field Division; and the Jamestown Metro Drug Task Force, under the direction of Jamestown Police Chief Harry Snellings.
The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
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Jamaican National Sentenced to 40 Months in Federal Prison for Conspiracy to Smuggle Cocaine Aboard a Cargo ShipRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Brandon Fremin announced that United States District Court Judge Brian A. Jackson sentenced Stephano Walkers, age 25, of Jamaica, to serve 40 months in federal prison following his conviction for conspiracy to bring or possess cocaine on board of a vessel arriving in the United States.
According to admissions made as part of his guilty plea, Walters was arrested on February 13, 2019 by Homeland Security Investigations (“HSI”) agents that were conducting surveillance of cargo ships arriving into the United States. Walters had smuggled over nine kilograms of cocaine onto a Jamaican cargo ship called the “Bulk Pangea” that was bound for the United States. After docking in the United States, Walters then transported the cocaine to Baton Rouge. There, he was arrested by HSI agents while attempting to deliver the cocaine to members of a drug trafficking organization.
U.S. Attorney Fremin stated, “Aliens who come into the United States with the intent of committing crimes pose a serious threat to the safety of our citizens. Our office is committed to working with our federal, state, and local partners to apprehend, convict, and remove this menace from our country. I want to commend our prosecutor and our partners at HSI who worked diligently throughout this investigation and prosecution.
“HSI is committed to holding all those involved in transnational drug smuggling accountable,” said Jere T. Miles, Special Agent in Charge for HSI New Orleans. “We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Louisiana to keep our communities safe.”
This matter was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Homeland Security Investigations and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Peter J. Smyczek.
Itasca County Man Charged with Assault on White Earth ReservationRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Erica H. MacDonald today announced a federal indictment charging KEVIN ROGER DOERR, 34, with assault with a dangerous weapon and assault resulting in serious bodily injury. DOERR was arraigned earlier today before Magistrate Judge Jon T. Huseby in U.S. District Court in Bemidji, Minnesota. DOERR was ordered to remain in detention pending further proceedings.
According to the allegations in the indictment and documents filed in court, on April 7, 2020, within the exterior boundaries of the White Earth Indian Reservation, DOERR assaulted two individuals with a vehicle, resulting in serious bodily injuries.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI Headwaters Safe Trails Task Force, the Becker County Sheriff’s Office, and the White Earth Police Department.
This case is being prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Gina L. Allery.
The charges contained in the indictment are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Defendant Information:
KEVIN ROGER DOERR, 34
Deer River, Minn.
Charges:
- Assault with a dangerous weapon, 2 counts
- Assault resulting in serious bodily injury, 2 counts
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United States Attorney’s Office, District of Minnesota: (612) 664-5600
Indian Man Arrested After Attempting to Smuggle More Than 9000 Pounds of Marijuana into the United StatesRead the Press Release
CONTACT: Barbara Burns
PHONE: (716) 843-5817
FAX #: (716) 551-3051BUFFALO, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy, Jr. announced today that Prabjot Nagra, 26, a citizen of India, was arrested and charged by criminal complaint with possessing with the intent to distribute 1000 kilograms or more of marijuana and importation of marijuana into the United States. The charges carry a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years in prison and a maximum of life.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Misha A. Coulson, who is handling the case, stated that according to the complaint, the defendant attempted to enter the United States at the Peace Bridge Port on Entry just before midnight on June 25, 2020. Nagra was driving a commercial truck with Ontario, Canada license plates. According to an electronic manifest, the truck was carrying a shipment of 55 storage containers.
The commercial truck was referred to the Vehicle and Cargo Inspection System for a non-intrusive x-ray exam. The x-ray showed inconsistencies of the cargo within the entire trailer. As a result, the truck was referred to the Peace Bridge warehouse loading dock for physical examination. During the physical exam of the crates, Customs and Border Protection Officers recovered multiple packages of vacuum sealed bags containing a green leafy substance, which field tested positive for the presence of marijuana. Approximately 8,320 vacuum sealed packages of suspected marijuana weighing approximately 9,472 pounds were removed from the original shipment containers. The marijuana is valued at approximately $20,000,000. This represents the largest marijuana seizure ever in the Western District, and one of the largest—if not the largest—ever at the northern border.
“For the third time in as many weeks, the diligence of Customs and Border Protection Officers has resulted in the seizure of literally tons of illegal controlled substances destined for our country,” stated U.S. Attorney Kennedy. “In just three weeks, CBP Officers have prevented thousands of pounds of illicit drugs, valued at nearly $30,000,000, from entering our country. We will remain vigilant to protect our border from those who seek to profit from the importation of these illegal substances, as they not only fuel the violent drug trafficking organizations who distribute them but jeopardize the health and well-being of those, including minors, who use them. Because the health, safety, and security of every American matters, so too do our borders.”
“This was an excellent job by our officers from start to finish,” said Port Director Jennifer De La O. “From recognizing a shipment that needed further screening, to the identification of the anomaly during the secondary scan, to the coordination with our partners at Homeland Security Investigations, our officers are committed to intercepting these illicit drugs from being smuggled in.”
“The resurgence of large-scale illicit marijuana seizures is alarming and brazen given the public health crisis,” said Kevin Kelly, HSI Special Agent-in-Charge. “HSI and CBP will always work together to thwart and deter those criminal organizations that attempt to exploit our borders.”
“The work of the officers has been incredible and their dedication to CBP's enforcement mission is evident in these recent large load narcotics seizures,” said Buffalo Field Office Director Rose Brophy. “Criminal organizations are not going to stop just because the border has restricted travel and CBP officers continue to work and ensure our borer is secure.”
The defendant was arraigned before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jeremiah J. McCarthy and is being held pending a detention hearing on July 1, 2020.
The complaint is the result of an investigation by Customs and Border Protection, under the direction Rose Brophy, Director of Field Operations, and Homeland Security Investigations - Border Enforcement Security Team, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Kevin Kelly.
The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
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Huntington Man Pleads Guilty to Firearm and Heroin ChargesRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – A Huntington man has pled guilty to drug and gun crimes, announced United States Attorney Mike Stuart. Johnny Ray Francis III, 19, pled guilty to possession with intent to distribute heroin and using and carrying a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime.
“Through Operation Synthetic Opioid Surge and other law enforcement actions, we have prosecuted a historic number of opioid dealers in and around Huntington,” said United States Attorney Mike Stuart. “We won’t stop until the day the last drug dealer and poison peddler are out of town or in prison.”
Francis admitted that on June 12, 2019, in a residence at 1281 26th St. in Huntington, he possessed a plastic baggie containing suspected heroin and a Glock 23 .40 caliber/9mm pistol. After forensic testing, the substance possessed by Francis was determined to be approximately eight grams of heroin. Francis admitted that he intended to distribute the heroin he possessed, and that he possessed the firearm for the purpose of protecting himself and the heroin he possessed.
Francis faces a minimum mandatory five years in prison with a maximum of 40 years when sentenced on September 28, 2020.
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Ryan A. Keefe is handling the prosecution.
This case is being prosecuted as part of Operation Synthetic Opioid Surge (S.O.S.), a focused enforcement effort that seeks to reduce the supply of deadly synthetic opioids in high impact areas.
Follow us on Twitter: SDWVNews and USAttyStuart
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Honduran Man Sentenced to Prison for Illegally Reentering the United States After Being DeportedRead the Press Release
A man who illegally returned to the United States after being deported was sentenced today to more than four months in federal prison.
Dagoberto Pacheco-Mata, age 29, a citizen of Honduras illegally present in the United States and residing in Tama, Iowa, received the prison term after a March 11, 2020, guilty plea to one count of illegal reentry into the United States.
At the guilty plea, Pacheco-Mata admitted he had previously been deported from the United States in November 2011 and illegally reentered the United States without the permission of the United States government. Pacheco-Mata was arrested in February 2020 after his illegal presence in the United States came to the attention of immigration agents.
Pacheco-Mata was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams. Pacheco-Mata was sentenced to 130 days’ imprisonment. He must also serve a one-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
Pacheco-Mata is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be turned over to immigration officials.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Daniel C. Tvedt and investigated by Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Enforcement and Removal Operations.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 20-CR-15.
Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.
Hampton Woman Sentenced to 18 Months for Mail Fraud Targeting Restaurants and Insurance CompaniesRead the Press Release
CONCORD - Jacqueline Masse, 49, of Hampton, was sentenced to 18 months in federal prison for participating in a mail fraud scheme that targeted restaurants and insurance companies, United States Attorney Scott W. Murray announced today.
According to court documents and statements made in court, for nearly four years, Masse defrauded or attempted to defraud restaurants and insurance companies of nearly $400,000. Masse mailed letters to restaurants and food companies in which she falsely claimed that she (or another member of her family) became seriously ill after eating food served by the restaurants or packaged by the food companies. In some letters, Masse impersonated her children, claiming to have become seriously ill after eating food served by the restaurants or packaged by the food companies.
In each of the letters, Masse falsely stated that the purported letter-writer paid or borrowed money to pay their medical expenses because they did not have health insurance. The defendant demanded that the restaurant or food company reimburse the supposed letter-writer for their medical expenses and compensate them for their pain and suffering. None of this was true.
According to the court documents and statements made in court, to support each demand letter, Masse provided to the affected business and their insurance companies fraudulent medical records allegedly obtained from hospitals in New Hampshire and Massachusetts as false evidence of the fictitious illnesses. Masse stole, and later altered, some of the medical records from the client files of a law firm, where she worked as an office manager and paralegal. Masse also stole checks from the law firm, which she altered to support her fraudulent insurance claims.
In correspondence with the insurance carriers, Masse demanded payments totaling more than $399,000. Some of the insurance companies responded by mailing insurance settlement checks totaling more than $206,000 to either Masse’s home in Hampton or the homes of her children, who were unwitting participants in the scheme to defraud. To conceal her involvement in the fraud, Masse had her children deposit checks mailed to them into their personal bank accounts and then write Masse a check for the full amount of the payout.
Masse pleaded guilty on November 14, 2019. In addition to her prison sentence, she was ordered to pay $206,609.19 in restitution.
“White collar criminals cause real harm to businesses, as well as the general public,’” said U.S. Attorney Murray. “They steal money through lies and deceit, driving up costs for everyone. This defendant’s cynical scheme stole hundreds of thousands of dollars by falsely claiming that she and her family members became ill from consuming food at restaurants. I am grateful to the law enforcement investigators from the FBI and New Hampshire Insurance Department for their hard work in bringing her to justice.”
“In an appalling scheme, Jacqueline Masse stole the identities of innocent family members to defraud restaurants, food companies, and their insurers out of hundreds of thousands of dollars by falsely claiming on a dozen occasions that she or a loved one had suffered food poisoning,” said Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Boston Division. “Every policyholder who has felt the financial impact of rising insurance premiums resulting from fraud should find some level of satisfaction in today’s sentence. The FBI would like to thank the New Hampshire Insurance Department for their great work and partnership on this investigation.”
“I want to commend the Insurance Fraud Unit at the Department for all of their hard work on this case,” said Insurance Commissioner Chris Nicolopoulos. “This fraud scheme harmed consumers, businesses, and insurance companies. Our highest priority is to protect these entities, and we are thankful to the United States Attorney’s Office and the FBI for partnering with us to combat insurance fraud in New Hampshire.”
This matter was investigated by the New Hampshire Insurance Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew T. Hunter and former AUSA Robert M. Kinsella.
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Grays Harbor County woman charged with production of child pornographyRead the Press Release
Tacoma – A 34-year-old woman who resides in Hoquiam, Grays Harbor County in Southwest Washington State appeared in U.S. District Court in Tacoma Friday charged with production of child pornography, announced U.S. Attorney Brian T. Moran. TAMARA STANLEY was arrested without incident on June 25, 2020, and remains detained at the Federal Detention Center at SeaTac.
According to the criminal complaint, investigators obtained a judicially authorized search warrant for STANLEY’s email account. A review of the account revealed sexually explicit images STANLEY had created of a young child.
Production of child pornography is punishable by a mandatory minimum 15 years in prison and up to 30 years in prison.
The charges contained in the complaint are only allegations. A person is presumed innocent unless and until he or she is proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc
The case is being investigated by the FBI with assistance from the Airway Heights and Hoquiam Police Departments.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Matthew Hampton.
Glendale Man Pleads Guilty to Bank Fraud for Role in Credit Card ‘Bust-Out’ Scheme Used to Buy Cemetery Plots, Luxury CarsRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – A Glendale man pleaded guilty today to federal criminal charges that he led a series of scams, including “bust-out” schemes where he and others fraudulently charged millions of dollars to credit cards sometimes opened with “synthetic identities” and later used them to buy luxury cars and cemetery plots that he sold for profit.
Mikayel Hmayakyan, 43, pleaded guilty to two counts of bank fraud and one count of aggravated identity theft.
United States District Judge George H. Wu has scheduled a November 16 sentencing hearing, at which time Hmayakyan will face a statutory maximum sentence of 62 years in federal prison.
In his plea agreement, Hmayakyan, the case’s lead defendant, admitted to running a series of fraudulent schemes, including one from November 2014 to September 2015, where he used fraudulently obtained credit cards to purchase hundreds of thousands of dollars’ worth of liquor and luxury watches.
Hmayakyan and others obtained the credit cards – sometimes using their real names, but often with synthetic identities created with a combination of real and fictitious information – that were run up to the credit limit. Members of the scheme then “paid down” by submitting payments from accounts with insufficient funds or through fake accounts to restore the credit line, which allowed them to make additional purchases.
As part of the scheme, Hmayakyan and others used the fraudulently obtained credit cards to purchase hundreds of thousands of dollars in alcoholic beverages on behalf of the now-closed Liquor Spot in Glendale, where co-defendant Vahan Aloyan, 45, of Glendale, was a manager.
During the execution of a search warrant in 2016, law enforcement seized more than 37,000 bottles of alcoholic beverages, worth approximately $300,000, from the Liquor Spot. They also seized nearly $13,000 in U.S. currency from the store, as well as nearly $13,000 and 37 watches and other jewelry items from Aloyan’s residence.
In criminal conduct dating back to August 2010 and continuing until April 2016, Hmayakyan fraudulently applied for loans under an alias to obtain a Kia Optima and in a real person’s name for luxury cars, including Lexus automobiles, according to the plea agreement. Hmayakyan admitted that he never intended to pay any credit card bills nor made any payments on the loans.
Hmayakyan also admitted that from March 2014 until January 2017, he used fraudulent credit cards in the names of various aliases – including “Liam Sarcozzy” and “Marco Reus” – to purchase plots at Forest Lawn Cemetery in Glendale, which he later sold at a profit.
The total intended loss to which the financial institutions were exposed was $5,232,383, according to the plea agreement.
Co-defendant Gayane Hakobyan, 70, of Hollywood Hills, also pleaded guilty today to one count of bank fraud. Hakobyan admitted that she participated in the “bust-out” scheme by allowing others to open credit card accounts in her name with the victim financial institutions.
Judge Wu has scheduled an October 8 sentencing hearing for Hakobyan, at which time she will face a statutory maximum sentence of 30 years in federal prison.
Co-defendant Mikayel Hovhannisyan, 38, of North Hollywood, pleaded guilty in June 2019 to one count of bank fraud and is serving a nine-month federal prison sentence. Aloyan, the sole remaining defendant, is scheduled to go on trial in this matter on October 6.
The United States Secret Service, Homeland Security Investigations and the Glendale Police Department investigated this matter.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Poonam G. Kumar of the Major Frauds Section.
Georgia Man Sentenced for Failing to Register as a Sex OffenderRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS - U.S. Attorney Peter Strasser announced that on June 25, 2020, JAMES A. MOORE (“MOORE”), age 32, of Atlanta, Georgia was sentenced to time served after spending fourteen (14) months in prison by U.S. District Court Judge Carl Barbier for failure to register as a sex offender under the federal Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA).
According to court documents, MOORE was convicted of aggravated assault with intent to rape in the State of Georgia. MOORE was sentenced to four (4) year imprisonment to be followed by four (4) years on probation. Following his release, MOORE was required to register as a sex offender for life. He absconded from supervision and a warrant for his arrest was issued by the authorities in Georgia in October 2017. MOORE was subsequently located and arrested in New Orleans on the Georgia warrant. After his arrest in New Orleans, Moore was charged in federal court for failing to register as a sex offender in Louisiana.
In addition to being sentenced to fourteen (14) months in prison, MOORE also was sentenced to three (3) years of supervised release.
U.S. Attorney Strasser praised the work of the United States Marshals Service, the New Orleans Police Department, the Orleans Parish Sheriff’s Office, the Louisiana State Police, and the Fulton County Sheriff’s Office of Atlanta, Georgia in this matter. He also extended his thanks to the Orleans Parish District Attorney’s Office for their assistance. Assistant United States Attorney Spiro G. Latsis is in charge of the prosecution.
Gallatin Man Sentenced for Crimes Involving Sexual Exploitation of ChildrenRead the Press Release
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – June 29, 2020 – Scott C. House, 31, of Gallatin, Tennessee, was sentenced Friday in U.S. District Court to 56 years in prison for child pornography and exploitation crimes, announced U.S. Attorney Don Cochran for the Middle District of Tennessee.
“This sentence will ensure that no other innocent child will ever have to suffer the twisted abuse inflicted by this horrible individual,” said U.S. Attorney Cochran. “Evil doers who seek sexual gratification through the abuse of children are being relentlessly pursued by our office and our law enforcement partners and we will go to extraordinary lengths to bring them to justice.”
House was indicted in February 2019 on two counts of sexual exploitation of a child, including production of child pornography, one count of possession of child pornography and one count of distribution of child pornography. The investigation began in March 2018 when House was identified as the user on the Kik messenger phone app who sent sexually explicit images depicting the rape of a 22-month-old toddler girl. House had also discussed his sexual abuse of a seven-year-old autistic boy.
Law enforcement immediately obtained a search warrant for House’s Gallatin home and seized phones and other computers and electronics. A forensic examination of the electronics discovered over 2000 images and over 300 videos depicting the sexual abuse of children. The collection included images and videos of the rape of very small children, many of whom were babies and/or infants. Additionally, some of the children in the recordings were clearly in pain and crying. Evidence also indicated that House had shared the videos and images that he produced and others, over the Internet with other like-minded individuals.
House admitted to this conduct when he pleaded guilty to all counts in December 2019.
U.S. Attorney Cochran commended the swift action of the FBI and the Gallatin Police Department, and Assistant U.S. Attorney S. Carran Daughtrey in preventing the additional victimization of these children and bringing House to justice.
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Fort Dodge Man who Operated a Large Scale Methamphetamine Distribution Operation Sentenced to 25 Years in Federal prisonRead the Press Release
A man who operated a methamphetamine distribution ring in the Dubuque area from 2013 through 2014 was sentenced today to 25 years in federal prison.
Brian Ausborn, age 48, from Fort Dodge, Iowa, received the prison term after a guilty plea to conspiracy to distribute and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine after having been previously convicted of a serious drug felony.
In a plea agreement, Ausborn admitted he worked with other individuals over a two-year period to make multiple trips to purchase large quantities of methamphetamine. These large quantities were then redistributed in the Dubuque area. Ausborn had previously been convicted of felony drug offenses in Black Hawk County, Polk County, and Calhoun County, Iowa.
Ausborn was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams. Ausborn was sentenced to 300 months’ imprisonment and fined $100. He must also serve a 10-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Liz Dupuich and Tim Vavricek and investigated by the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement and the Dubuque Police Department.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 19-CR-1005.
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Former little league softball coach charged with producing child pornography and possessing child pornographyRead the Press Release
HONOLULU, Hawaii – Rian Harold Ishikawa, 42, of Kailua, was charged on June 29, 2020 by federal complaint with one count of producing child pornography and two counts of possessing child pornography.
U.S. Attorney Kenji M. Price for the District of Hawaii announced that the complaint alleges that the defendant has been and is currently involved with managing and/or coaching youth sports teams, and was the agent and President of Kainalu Little League, Inc. The complaint further alleges, in substance and in part, that the defendant was the subscriber of an email account that contained recorded videos and photographs of what appears to be prepubescent children in a bathroom.
“My office will continue to protect our keiki by vigorously pursuing and prosecuting those who sexually exploit them. The allegations in the complaint, if proven beyond a reasonable doubt, will trigger a penalty that sends an unequivocal message to those who exploit the precious keiki who hold our future in their hands,” said U.S. Attorney Price.
“This case is particularly troubling in light of the defendant’s access to young people,” said Lucy Cabral-DeArmas, acting Special Agent in Charge for Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Honolulu. “HSI will continue to work closely with our federal and local law enforcement partners to investigate those who sexually exploit our young people and ensure that these predators feel the full weight of the law.”
The charges in the complaint are merely allegations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
This case is being investigated by Homeland Security Investigations. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Craig Nolan.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorney’s Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Former Cincinnati City Council president pleads guilty to charge of honest services wire fraud through briberyRead the Press Release
CINCINNATI – Former Cincinnati City Council president pro tem Tamaya Dennard, 40, pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court to accepting $15,000 in bribe money she sought and accepted as payment in exchange for her vote on a proposal before Council.
“Dennard pleaded guilty to one count of honest services wire fraud,” said David M. DeVillers, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio. “She sought to deprive the citizens of Cincinnati of their rights to honest services by an elected official in order to enrich herself through corruption.”
“It is completely unacceptable for an elected official to solicit money in exchange for official actions,” stated Cincinnati Special Agent in Charge Chris Hoffman. “Today’s plea should serve as a reminder that the FBI considers public corruption to be a top priority and we will continue to vigorously investigate fraud and abuse in order to hold public officials accountable.”
Court documents filed with her plea say that in August 2019, Dennard contacted someone she knew who had business before the Cincinnati City Council and sought money, including by sending the individual a text message saying “If you are willing to meet with me, I’m sure that I will be able to help you.” Dennard received $10,000 on September 9, 2019 and $5,000 in cash about two weeks later in exchange for promising to provide and providing favorable official action. Her plea includes a $15,000 money judgment against her.
By law, honest services wire fraud is punishable by up to 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000. The court will determine an appropriate sentence based on several factors including federal sentencing guidelines and her acceptance of responsibility. No sentencing date has been set.
David M. DeVillers, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; and Chris Hoffman, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division; announced the plea entered before U.S. District Judge Susan J. Dlott. Deputy Criminal Chief Emily N. Glatfelter and Assistant United States Attorney Matthew Singer are representing the United States in this case.
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Final Defendant Sentenced to Prison in Mille Lacs Heroin Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Erica H. MacDonald today announced the sentencing of DAVID LEE SNODDY, 38, to 33 months in prison for his role in a heroin distribution conspiracy on the Mille Lacs Indian Reservation. SNODDY, who pleaded guilty on February 12, 2020, was sentenced today before Judge Eric C. Tostrud in U.S. District Court in St. Paul, Minnesota. Co-defendants TYRONE JAMES NELSON, 39, ROBERT DONTELL SYKES, 49, RAMON FORD, 60, DEVONN ROSE MITCHELL, 24, KRISTIN RAE BOYD, 30, DUWAYNE IVAN SCHWENSEN, 27, and CHASE REED NICKABOINE, 21, have all entered guilty pleas and have been sentenced for their roles in the conspiracy.
According to the defendant’s guilty plea and documents filed in court, from March 2018 through June 2018, SNODDY knowingly conspired with NELSON, the main source and distributor in the conspiracy, and others to distribute heroin on the Mille Lacs Indian Reservation and surrounding communities. SNODDY admitted to distributing and assisting in distributing up to 400 grams of heroin.
This case was the result of an investigation led by the Bureau of Indian Affairs and the Mille Lacs Tribal Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Deidre Y. Aanstad prosecuted the case.
Defendant Information:
TYRONE JAMES NELSON, 39
City of residence unknown
Convicted:
- Conspiracy to distribute heroin, 1 count
Sentenced:
- 77 months in prison
- Four years of supervised release
ROBERT DONTELL SYKES, 49
City of residence unknown
Convicted:
- Conspiracy to distribute heroin, 1 count
Sentenced:
- 60 months in prison
- Four years of supervised release
DAVID LEE SNODDY, 38
Minneapolis, Minn.
Convicted:
- Conspiracy to distribute heroin, 1 count
Sentenced:
- 33 months in prison
- Four years of supervised release
RAMON FORD, 60
Brooklyn Park, Minn.
Convicted:
- Aiding and abetting possession with intent to distribute heroin, 1 count
Sentenced:
- 46 months in prison
- Three years of supervised release
DEVONN ROSE MITCHELL, 24
Onamia, Minn.
Convicted:
- Aiding and abetting distribution of heroin, 1 count
Sentenced:
- 60 months in prison
- Three years of supervised release
KRISTIN RAE BOYD, 30
Onamia, Minn.
Convicted:
- Aiding and abetting distribution of heroin, 1 count
Sentenced:
- 24 months in prison
- Three years of supervised release
DUWAYNE IVAN SCHWENSEN, 27
Onamia, Minn.
Convicted:
- Aiding and abetting distribution of heroin, 1 count
Sentenced:
- 78 months in prison
- Three years of supervised release
CHASE REED NICKABOINE, 21
Onamia, Minn.
Convicted:
- Aiding and abetting distribution of heroin, 1 count
Sentenced:
- 37 months in prison
- Three years of supervised release
###
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United States Attorney’s Office, District of Minnesota: (612) 664-5600
Fayette County man sentenced for drug distributionRead the Press Release
CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Keith Edward Ross, of Oak Hill, West Virginia, was sentenced today to 24 months incarceration for heroin distribution, U.S. Attorney Bill Powell announced.
Ross, age 45, pled guilty to one count of “Aiding and Abetting Possession with Intent to Distribute Heroin” in February 2020. Ross admitted to working with another to distribute heroin in March 2019 in Harrison County.Assistant U.S. Attorney Zelda E. Wesley prosecuted the case on behalf of the government. The West Virginia State Police investigated.
U.S. District Judge Thomas S. Kleeh presided.
El Salvadorian National Pleads Guilty to Felony Illegal Re-EntryRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS – U.S. Attorney Peter Strasser announced today that MARLON TORRES-HERRERA, age 50, an El Salvadorian national, pled guilty on June 24, 2020 to a one-count indictment for illegal reentry of a removed alien in violation of Title 8, United States Code, Section 1326(a) before U.S. District Judge Sarah Vance.
According to the indictment, MARLON TORRES-HERRERA (“TORRES”), reentered the United States after he was previously deported on May 16, 2011. TORRES faces a maximum term of imprisonment of two years, a maximum fine of $250,000, a maximum term of supervised release of one year, and a mandatory $100 special assessment. Sentencing is scheduled for July 29, 2020.
U.S. Attorney Strasser praised the work of the United States Department of Homeland Security in investigating this matter. Assistant U. S. Attorney Carter K. D. Guice, Jr. is in charge of the prosecution.
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El Salvadoran Man Pleads Guilty to Human Smuggling of Illegal Aliens; Two Illegal Aliens Sentenced for Unlawful Return After RemovalRead the Press Release
Gulfport, Miss. – Juan Andres Garcia-Hernandez, 33, a citizen of El Salvador and a legal permanent resident living in Maryland, pled guilty today before U.S. District Judge Sul Ozerden in connection with human smuggling of illegal aliens in Jackson County, announced U.S. Attorney Mike Hurst, Jere T. Miles, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New Orleans, and Michael J. Harrison, Acting Chief Patrol Agent of the Border Patrol’s New Orleans Sector.
Garcia-Hernandez will be sentenced by Judge Ozerden on October 1, 2020, at 9:30 a.m., and faces a maximum penalty of 5 years in federal prison and a $250,000 fine, as well as $5,100 in special assessments. He also faces removal proceedings to remove him from the United States.
On December 16, 2019, in Jackson County, a U.S. Border Patrol Agent conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle eastbound on Interstate-10. The agent approached the driver, Juan Andres Garcia-Hernandez. When asked for his driver’s license, Garcia-Hernandez provided a permanent resident card and said he had lost his Maryland driver's license. The agent saw six passengers in the SUV, and detected numerous signs of smuggling. He eventually determined that none of the passengers had proper documents to be legally in the United States.
All vehicle occupants were transported to the Border Patrol station in Gulfport, where the passengers were identified as four citizens of Guatemala; one citizen of Mexico; and one citizen of El Salvador. All six passengers were identified as being illegally present in the United States. Three of the six were confirmed to be illegal aliens who had been previously deported or removed from the U.S. and had knowingly returned without lawful permission.
Two illegal aliens who had been passengers of Garcia-Hernandez pled guilty and were sentenced for unlawful return after removal. Obel Juventino Miguel-Perez, 35, a citizen of Guatemala, and Ivan Sanchez-Gonzalea, 27, a citizen of Mexico, were each sentenced to “time served” (or effectively 6 months imprisonment) and one year of supervised release. They will also face Department of Homeland Security removal proceedings to remove them back to their home nations.
U.S. Attorney Hurst praised the cooperation exhibited by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Border Patrol, Homeland Security Investigations, the South Mississippi Metro Enforcement Team, and the Jackson County Sheriff’s Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Stan Harris is the prosecutor for the case.
Egyptian national charged with committing offenses against South Texas minorRead the Press Release
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – A 45-year-old man has been indicted on charges of online solicitation of a minor, travel with intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct and transfer of obscene materials to a minor, announced U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Patrick.
A Corpus Christi grand jury returned an indictment against Ehab Sadeek today. He resided in Winchester, Massachusetts, but is an Egyptian citizen with no legal status in the United States. He was initially charged by criminal complaint and made an initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Julie K. Hampton. At that time, the court found probable cause that Sadeek committed the alleged offenses and ordered him into custody. He will appear again in federal court in the near future on the indictment.
The charges allege Sadeek used interstate and foreign commerce to knowingly persuade, induce, entice and coerce a minor victim in Live Oak County to engage in sexual activity. From May 7 to May 26, Sadeek allegedly transferred obscene material to the same victim, knowing she was less than 16 years of age. Sadeek traveled from Massachusetts to Texas with the intent to commit sexual offenses, according to the allegations.
The George West Police Department, Live Oak County Sheriff’s Office, Texas Department of Public Safety and Immigration and Custom’s Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation.
This case, prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Sara Popejoy, was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. For more information about internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. and click on the tab "resources."
An indictment is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.
Dominican National Pleads Guilty to Distributing FentanylRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Dominican national pleaded guilty today in federal court in Boston to distributing fentanyl.
Yokasta Aybar-Soto, 27, pleaded guilty to one count of distribution of and possession with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl and one count of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute 40 grams of more of fentanyl. U.S. District Court Judge William G. Young scheduled sentencing for Sept. 3, 2020. Aybar-Soto was initially charged by criminal complaint and has been in custody since Sept. 12, 2019.
With a companion, Aybar-Soto sold over 40 grams of fentanyl to an undercover officer in Lawrence on Sept. 12, 2019.
The charging statutes provide for a mandatory minimum sentence of five years and up to 40 years in prison, at least four years of supervised release and a fine of up to $5 million. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
United States Attorney Andrew Lelling; Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Office; Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey; and Colonel Christopher Mason, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney James R. Drabick of Lelling’s Criminal Division is prosecuting the case.
Delaware Man Indicted for Violating Federal Controlled Substances ActRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – U.S. Attorney Peter G. Strasser announced that DEMETRIUS LAMONT FIORENTINO, JR., age 25, a resident of New Castle, Delaware, was indicted on June 26, 2020 by Federal Grand Jury in a one count indictment, charging him with possession with the intent to distribute more than five kilograms of cocaine hydrochloride (cocaine).
According to court documents, this charge stems from a consensual search of FIORENTINO’s bags by Amtrak Police as FIORENTINO was about to board an Amtrak train in New Orleans to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on June 1, 2020. During the search of FIORENTINO’s bags, law enforcement found approximately 6.5 kilograms of a white powdery substance that tested positive for the presence of cocaine hydrochloride.
FIORENTINO, if convicted, faces a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of 10 years and a maximum of life imprisonment, a fine of up to $10,000,000.00, and at least five years of supervised release following any term of imprisonment.
U.S. Attorney Strasser reiterated that the indictment is merely a charging document and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
The case was investigated by Amtrak, Louisiana State Police, and the Drug Enforcement Administration. Assistant United States Attorney Bayonle Osundare is in charge of the prosecution.
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Cromwell Man Involved in Auto Loan Fraud Scheme Receives Additional Prison TimeRead the Press Release
John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that GEORGE HAJATI, 41, of Cromwell, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Alvin W. Thompson to 21 months of imprisonment for violating the conditions of his supervised release from a prior federal conviction. Judge Thompson ordered the sentence to run consecutively with a 27-month federal sentence imposed on Hajati last week, for a total effective sentence of 48 months of imprisonment.
Pursuant to the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act), the sentencing occurred via videoconference.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Hajati was previously convicted of federal conspiracy and fraud offenses related to a Hartford-area mortgage fraud scheme that defrauded various lenders of more than $1 million. In August 2015, Judge Thompson sentenced Hajati to 12 months and one day of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release. He was released from federal prison in August 2016.
After his release from prison, and while he was on supervised release, Hajati owned and operated a used car dealership located at 1075 Newfield Street in Middletown known as Car Nation, LLC, Car Nation CT, LLC, and Middletown Motorcars. In connection with automobile loan applications for multiple borrowers, Hajati, and employees at his direction, submitted documents and statements to victim lenders that falsely represented the borrower’s employment, salary, sources of income, and the fact and amount of a down payment. The false documents included fictitious or altered borrower pay stubs and income verification letters purportedly from the Social Security Administration. Hajati falsely indicated that borrowers made salaries they did not make, worked at jobs they did not work, received income from the Social Security Administration they did not receive, and made down payments they did not make. In some instances, the borrower was not aware of, and did not consent to, Hajati using his or her personal identifying information to obtain automobile loans in these ways.
Between approximately April 2016 and July 2019, Hajati defrauded victim lenders of $654,952.56 through this scheme. Hajati is required to pay full restitution.
Hajati was arrested on a federal criminal complaint on July 2, 2019. On December 20, he pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud.
On June 25, 2020, Hajati was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Robert N. Chatigny to 27 months of imprisonment, followed by five years of supervised release, for operating the auto loan fraud scheme. Judge Chatigny also ordered Hajati to serve the first six months of his supervised release in home confinement, and to perform 120 hours of community service.
Hajati, who is released on a $560,000 bond, is required to report to prison on September 25, 2020.
This matter was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Social Security Administration Office of Inspector General. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys David T. Huang and Conor M. Reardon.
Colombian National Sentenced for Illegal ReentryRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Colombian national, previously deported following a conviction for cocaine trafficking, pleaded guilty and was sentenced today in federal court in Boston.
Fabian Herrera Vasquez, 36, who previously resided in East Boston, pleaded guilty to one count of unlawful reentry of a deported alien and was sentenced by U.S. Senior District Court Judge Douglas P. Woodlock to two years in prison and three years of supervised release. Herrera Vasquez was arrested and charged by criminal complaint in October 2019 and has been held in federal custody since that time.
Herrera Vasquez was deported to Colombia on June 19, 2009, after a 2007 conviction for six counts of cocaine trafficking in Middlesex County. At the time of his deportation, Herrera Vasquez’s fingerprints and photograph were affixed to his warrant of removal.
In 2014, Herrera Vasquez was arrested by police for cocaine trafficking, at which time immigration authorities lodged a detainer. For reasons unknown, Herrera Vasquez was released from state custody, defaulted at his next court date and a warrant was issued for his arrest. On Sept. 19, 2019, Herrera Vasquez was arrested in Revere for various motor vehicle violations. At that time he presented a Pennsylvania driver’s license with his photograph, but in the identity of a Puerto Rican born United States citizen.
Herrera Vasquez’s fingerprints were difficult to obtain because of noticeable alterations. Ultimately, Herrera Vasquez was identified by, among other things, a fingerprint match of the print on his warrant of removal and the prints taken from his September 2019 arrest.
United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling and Todd Lyons, Field Office Director, Enforcement and Removal Operations, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Boston made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lindsey E. Weinstein of Lelling’s Criminal Division prosecuted the case.
Chiropractor Pleads Guilty to Health Care Fraud, Tax EvasionRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE – A Providence chiropractor today admitted that he created and executed a scheme to defraud a health care benefits program and that he failed to pay taxes on some of the income he received from his business.
Eugene Kramer, 51, sole owner of New England Spine and Disc Center, admitted to the court that he committed health care fraud by billing for days a patient did not attend treatment, for treatment not provided, and by falsifying medical notes and documentation to support a nonexistent personal injury claim.
As part of the scheme, from January 1, 2018, to December 31, 2018, Kramer provided invoices for chiropractic treatment to an attorney, who then, in order to support a patient’s bodily injury claim, provided those invoices to an automobile insurance company in Rhode Island. To bolster the claim, Kramer created falsified medical notes and documentation.
According to court documents, an individual electronically monitored by the FBI visited Kramer’s office on 15 occasions for chiropractic treatment, under the pretext of having been involved in an automobile accident. In most instances little or no treatment was provided and few if any medical notes were taken. At no time did Kramer provide the person with a diagnosis or discuss a treatment plan. The individual was emailed a package requesting a monetary settlement in connection with a supposed injury claim to Progressive Insurance requesting, among other things, reimbursement for chiropractic services.
In addition to admitting to executing the health care fraud scheme, Kramer admitted that for tax years 2015, 2016, and 2017, he failed to report a portion of his personal income, resulting in him owing the IRS $66,914.
Appearing today before U.S. District Court William E. Smith, Kramer pleaded guilty to one count each of health care fraud and filing a false tax return, announced United States Attorney Aaron L. Weisman, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Boston Division Joseph R. Bonavolonta, and Special Agent in Charge of Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation Kristina O'Connell.
Kramer is scheduled to be sentenced on October 2, 2020.
Health care fraud is punishable by statutory penalties of up to 10 years in federal prison, a fine of $250,000, and three years of supervised release. Filing a false tax return is punishable by up to three years in prison, a fine of $100,000, and one year of supervised release.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Dulce Donovan.
The matter was investigated by the FBI and IRS Criminal Investigation.
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Chinese National Guilty of Laundering Millions for Mexican Drug CartelsRead the Press Release
A Chinese national pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to commit money laundering in connection with laundering more than $4 million in drug proceeds generated by large-scale cocaine trafficking in the United States.
Assistant Attorney General Brian A. Benczkowski of the Justice Department's Criminal Division; U.S. Attorney G. Zachary Terwilliger for the Eastern District of Virginia; Special Agent in Charge Wendy C. Woolcock of the Drug Enforcement Administration's (DEA) Special Operations Division and Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey T. Scott of the DEA Louisville Field Division; Jason Crosby, Chief of the Criminal Investigations Division of the U.S. Department of State's Diplomatic Security Service (DSS); and Special Agent in Charge James Gibbons of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Chicago, Illinois, made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Leonie M. Brinkema accepted the plea.
According to court documents, Xueyong Wu, 40, cultivated relationships with Latin American drug trafficking organizations to transport and launder their United States-based drug proceeds. Wu is scheduled to be sentenced on Sept. 29.
Much of this money was repatriated to Mexico through a complex series of international financial transactions. Wu received a percentage of the money involved in these transactions as compensation for organizing these laundering activities. Much of this money was generated through movement of cocaine or payment for cocaine that took place within the Eastern District of Virginia.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael P. Ben’Ary and David A. Peters, along with Trial Attorneys Steve Sola and Kerry Blackburn of the Criminal Division’s Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section are prosecuting the case.
The year 2020 marks the 150th anniversary of the Department of Justice. Learn more about the history of our agency at www.Justice.gov/Celebrating150Years.
Chinese National Guilty of Laundering Millions for Mexican Drug CartelsRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Chinese national pleaded guilty today to laundering more than $4 million in drug proceeds generated by large-scale cocaine trafficking in the United States.
According to court documents, Xueyong Wu, 40, cultivated relationships with Latin American drug trafficking organizations to transport and launder their United States-based drug proceeds. Much of this money was repatriated to Mexico through a complex series of international financial transactions. Wu received a percentage of the money involved in these transactions as compensation for organizing these laundering activities. Much of this money was generated through movement of cocaine or payment for cocaine that took place within the Eastern District of Virginia.
Wu pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit money laundering, and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison when sentenced on September 29. 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.
G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Wendy C. Woolcock, Special Agent in Charge for the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) Special Operations Division; Jeffrey T. Scott, Special Agent in Charge of DEA's Louisville, Kentucky Field Division; Jason Crosby, Chief of the Criminal Investigations Division of the U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service (DSS); and James Gibbons, Special Agent in Charge of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Chicago, Illinois, made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Leonie M. Brinkema accepted the plea. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael P. Ben’Ary and David A. Peters, along with Trial Attorneys Steve Sola and Kerry Blackburn of the Justice Department Criminal Division’s Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section are prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:20-cr-15.
Charleston Doctor Sentenced to over Five Years in Federal Prison for Illegal Distribution of MethadoneRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A Charleston doctor who practiced at Neurology & Pain Center, PLLC was sentenced to prison for illegal distribution of controlled substances that were not for legitimate medical purposes, announced United States Attorney Mike Stuart. Muhammed Samer Nasher-Alneam, 48, was sentenced to 63 months in prison for writing prescriptions in July 2014 for methadone pills that were not within the bounds of professional medical practice or for legitimate medical purposes. Nasher also will be on supervised release following his incarceration for a period of three years. As a result of this conviction, Nasher agreed to permanently surrender both his medical license and DEA registration. He further agreed to never seek reinstatement of a license to practice as a medical doctor in any other state. As part of his plea agreement, Nasher agreed to forfeit $149,480.75 and an Acura RDX Sport Utility Vehicle.
“As I’ve said before, a drug dealer in a lab coat is still just a drug dealer,” said United States Attorney Mike Stuart. “This drug dealer will not only be losing his freedom for more than five years, he is losing his medical license- FOREVER. Nasher will never practice medicine again – not in West Virginia or any other state.”
Nasher has been in custody since his arrest on July 27, 2018.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Department of Health and Human Services – Office of Inspector General, the Department of Labor – Office of Inspector General, the West Virginia State Police and the West Virginia Insurance Commission conducted the investigation. Senior United States District Judge David A. Faber imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorneys Alan McGonigal, Jennifer Herrald and Steve Loew, and former Assistant United States Attorneys C. Haley Bunn and Meredith Thomas handled the prosecution.
This case was prosecuted by the Opioid Fraud and Abuse Detection Unit (OFADU), a Department of Justice initiative that uses data to identify and prosecute individuals that are contributors to the national opioid crisis. The Southern District of West Virginia is one of 12 districts nationally to participate in the pilot program. OFADU is an integral part of the United States Attorney’s Healthcare Fraud Abuse, Recovery and Response Team (ARREST), an innovative approach utilizing criminal and civil enforcement efforts in a comprehensive attack on the opioid epidemic and healthcare fraud. This case was also part of the Appalachian Regional Opioid (ARPO) Strike Force which is made up of prosecutors and data analysts with the HCF Unit, prosecutors with the ten U.S. Attorney’s Offices in the region, and special agents with the FBI, HHS-OIG and DEA.
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Buffalo Man Going to Prison for Selling Heroin and FentanylRead the Press Release
CONTACT: Barbara Burns
PHONE: (716) 843-5817
FAX #: (716) 551-3051BUFFALO, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy, Jr. announced today that Julian Rivera, 30, of Buffalo, NY, who was convicted of possessing with intent to distribute heroin, butyryl fentanyl, and U-47700, was sentenced to serve 38 months in prison by U.S. District Judge Lawrence J. Vilardo.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Paul C. Parisi and Meghan E. Leydecker, who handled the case, stated that between March and May 2017, an undercover officer purchased heroin, butyryl fentanyl, and U-47700 from Rivera, co-defendant Craig Lester, and others, on 12 separate dates. On several occasions, the defendant was the person who negotiated the price of the drugs with the undercover officer. Many of the transactions took place inside a residence at 28 Echols Lane in Buffalo.
On April 7, 2017, Rivera was walking in the Towne Gardens Housing Complex in Buffalo, where Buffalo Police officers observed him holding what appeared to be heroin and its packaging. The defendant fled from officers but was subsequently arrested carrying 231 glassine envelopes of a mixture of heroin, butyryl fentanyl, and U-47700 in his pocket. Officers also recovered packaging for heroin and a large rock of suspected heroin in the doorway at 28 Echols Lane and two bundles of suspected heroin from Rivera’s clothing.
Defendant Craig Lester was previously convicted and sentenced.
The sentencing is the result of an investigation by the Buffalo Police Department, under the direction of Commissioner Byron Lockwood, and the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction Special Agent-in-Charge Ray Donovan, New York Field Division.
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Brentwood Man Pleads Guilty to Distribution of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
CONCORD - Kyle Desroche, 36, of Brentwood, pleaded guilty in federal court on Friday to distributing child pornography, United States Attorney Scott W. Murray announced today.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on November 21, 2017, Dropbox, a cloud-based storage service, sent a CyberTip report to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) with 2,325 files of apparent child pornography images and videos loaded to an account belonging to Desroche from an IP address assigned to his residence in Brentwood.
On March 23, 2018, investigators executed a search warrant at Desroche’s residence. During an interview, Desroche admitted using Dropbox and Kik, an online messaging application, on his iPhone and stated he may have received “young stuff” from Kik but claimed to have deleted those items. As authorized by the search warrant, officer seized cellular phones, computer equipment, and other electronic devices. Subsequent forensic examination of those items revealed that Desroche used the Dropbox and Kik applications on his iPhone to share child pornography with like-minded collectors.
On July 11, 2018, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant for Desroche’s Dropbox account. Officers identified approximately 5,942 still images and 2,092 video files of apparent child pornography. NCMEC confirmed that 1,013 still images and 317 video files were of identified child victims.
Desroche is scheduled to be sentenced on October 5, 2020.
“Child pornography is created through the exploitation and abuse of innocent young victims and violates the law,” said U.S. Attorney Murray. “Those who distribute these horrific images are re-victimizing these children in a way that has long-term consequences. To protect children from this criminal exploitation, the U.S. Attorney’s Office is committed to working with our law enforcement partners to identify and bring to justice those who distribute child pornography.”
“Transmitting online images of child exploitation is a repulsive crime that causes repeated re-victimization when those images are distributed around the globe. HSI’s commitment to combatting these crimes and to holding the distributors of them accountable, is stronger than ever,” said Michael Shea, acting Special Agent in Charge, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Boston. “We’re grateful for the continued dedication of our partners in the New Hampshire Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, the Brentwood Police Department, the Portsmouth Police Department, the Exeter Police Department, the Derry Police Department, the Chester Police Department, and the U.S. Attorney for New Hampshire and for their work that has allowed justice to be done for the victims in this case.”
This matter was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the New Hampshire Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, with assistance from the Brentwood Police Department, Portsmouth Police Department, Exeter Police Department, Derry Police Department, and Chester Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Cam Le.
In February 2006, the Department of Justice introduced Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney’s Offices, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
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Baton Rouge Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Illegally Possessing a FirearmRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Brandon J. Fremin announced today that that United States District Judge Brian A. Jackson sentenced Charles Hunt, age 28, of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, to 32 months in federal prison following his conviction for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. This sentence is to run consecutive to any sentence imposed on state charges pending against Hunt. The Court further sentenced Hunt to three years of supervised release following his term of imprisonment.
According to admissions Hunt made as part of his guilty plea, on April 25, 2018, agents with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), along with Baton Rouge Police Department officers, went to a residence in Baton Rouge to execute an active arrest warrant for Hunt. After Hunt was brought to East Baton Rouge Parish Prison, law enforcement obtained evidence indicating that Hunt, a convicted felon, was in possession of a firearm that he kept in the residence where he was arrested. Law enforcement secured a search warrant for the residence and located a Smith & Wesson, Model SD 40, .40 caliber handgun, in a bedroom were Hunt was residing.
Prior to possessing the firearm, Hunt was convicted in 2014 of attempted simple burglary and simple burglary
U.S. Attorney Fremin stated, “This investigation, which involved a collective effort by several of our Violent Crime Strike Force partners, and the resulting conviction and sentencing of Hunt, exemplifies our effort to pursue offenders who have previously committed serious crimes and continue to engage in such conduct. Our collective efforts also reflect our continuing commitment to keep our community safe. I want to thank the ATF and Baton Rouge Police Department for their efforts.”
“The sentence imposed today sends a message to individuals who are prohibited from possessing firearms that they will be held accountable for their actions,” said ATF New Orleans Field Division Special Agent in Charge Kurt Thielhorn. “Reducing firearm related crimes and keeping our neighborhoods and communities safe is the top priority for ATF.”
This matter was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, and the Baton Rouge Police Department, with critical assistance provided by the Louisiana State Police Crime Laboratory. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Demetrius Sumner and Paul L. Pugliese.
This case is part of Project Guardian, the Department of Justice’s signature initiative to reduce gun violence and enforce federal firearms laws. Initiated by the Attorney General in the fall of 2019, Project Guardian draws upon the Department’s past successful programs to reduce gun violence; enhances coordination of federal, state, local, and tribal authorities in investigating and prosecuting gun crimes; improves information-sharing by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives when a prohibited individual attempts to purchase a firearm and is denied by the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS), to include taking appropriate actions when a prospective purchaser is denied by the NICS for mental health reasons; and ensures that federal resources are directed at the criminals posing the greatest threat to our communities. For more information about Project Guardian, please see: https://www.justice.gov/projectguardian.
Assistant Attorney General Jody Hunt Announces Departure from Civil DivisionRead the Press Release
Assistant Attorney General Jody Hunt of the Department of Justice’s Civil Division recently announced his departure from the Department, effective July 3, 2020.
“Jody has served the Department of Justice with honor and distinction for over two decades,” said Attorney General William P. Barr. “Under his direction as Assistant Attorney General for these past two years, the Civil Division has vigorously defended the Administration’s most important policies and achieved many successes, from regaining billions of dollars from those who sought to defraud our government, to protecting our nation’s seniors by bringing to justice those who sought to abuse and exploit them. On behalf of the Department, I want to thank him for his dedication to the rule of law and his service to the Department and our nation.”
“Having spent more than two decades of my professional career at the Department of Justice, I have a deep and abiding respect for those who have devoted their careers to public service,” said Assistant Attorney General Jody Hunt. “I have had the wonderful privilege of working alongside the many talented public servants of the Civil Division, and have witnessed firsthand their dedication and commitment to the values and principles for which this Department stands. I am grateful for the opportunity to have led the Civil Division as Assistant Attorney General, and in that role to have helped support and defend the interests of the Executive Branch. I am confident that the Civil Division will continue its outstanding work on behalf of the Government going forward.”
Under Assistant Attorney General Hunt’s leadership, the Civil Division defended many of the Administration’s most important policies and priorities, including suits concerning the Emoluments Clauses and challenges to the President’s Executive Orders, such as the travel proclamation and the border wall emergency declaration. The Civil Division also successfully opposed suits against numerous immigration-related policies, including the migrant protection protocols, the third-country asylum rule, and the public charge rule. In combatting the opioid epidemic, the Civil Division helped to secure a $1.4 billion settlement in July 2019 from a pharmaceutical company, the largest recovery in history in a case involving an opioid manufacturer.
Under Mr. Hunt’s leadership, the Civil Division also prioritized protecting American seniors, announcing in early 2020, the largest-ever sweep of elder fraud cases in Department history, charging more than 400 defendants with causing over $1 billion in victim losses and surpassing the record-setting 2019 elder fraud sweep. Similarly, in September 2019, a pharmaceutical company agreed to pay $95.9 million to resolve allegations that it paid kickbacks and engaged in false and misleading marketing of its drug to induce providers in long term care facilities, including nursing homes, to prescribe it for behaviors commonly associated with dementia patients, which was not an approved use. More recently, under Mr. Hunt’s leadership, the Civil Division announced first of a kind civil actions against those responsible for fraudulent robocalls.
Beyond vigorously pursuing and defending the Administration’s policies and priorities, during Mr. Hunt’s time as Assistant Attorney General, the Civil Division protected the public fisc in suits seeking monetary relief on behalf of the government and its officials. This included prioritizing enforcement of the False Claims Act, the government’s primary civil tool for protecting taxpayer funds against fraud. In each of the last two years, the government recovered approximately $3 billion under the act. At the same time, the Civil Division increased the use of its authority to dismiss unwarranted qui tam actions. In this area, Mr. Hunt developed guidelines to help ensure transparency and consistency in the Department’s evaluation of the credit to award defendants who cooperate in False Claims Act cases.
Mr. Hunt also prioritized bringing justice to terrorists, war criminals, sex offenders, and other fraudsters who illegally obtained naturalization. As just one example, the Civil Division succeeded in securing the civil denaturalization of an individual convicted of terrorism offenses in Egypt who admitted recruiting for al Qaeda within the United States and running a communications hub in California for the Egyptian Islamic Jihad terrorist organization. Due to enormous successes in this area and growing referrals from law enforcement agencies, Mr. Hunt spearheaded the creation of a new section within the Civil Division’s Office of Immigration Litigation – the Denaturalization Section – dedicated to investigating and litigating revocation of naturalization.
The Department of Justice thanks Assistant Attorney General Hunt for his leadership and for his 21 years of service to the Department and our nation.
Alameda Resident Pleads Guilty to Illegally Importing NarcoticsRead the Press Release
OAKLAND –James Heyward Silcox III pleaded guilty to all three counts in an indictment charging him with illegally importing controlled substances, announced United States Attorney David L. Anderson, Homeland Security Investigations Special Agent in Charge Tatum King, Coast Guard Investigative Service Special Agent in Charge Kelly Hoyle, and Customs and Border Protection Director of Field Operations Brian J. Humphrey. Silcox entered the guilty plea without a plea agreement. The plea was accepted by the Hon. Jon S. Tigar, United States District Judge.
Silcox, 42, of Alameda, Calif., was originally charged by complaint on September 18, 2019. The complaint alleged that he illegally imported Tramadol from Singapore and Germany to post office boxes he held. Tramadol is a Schedule IV controlled substance and narcotic.
Silcox, a U.S. Coast Guard Commander, was arrested on the complaint on September 17, 2019, at Coast Guard Island, in Alameda.
During the change of plea hearing, the government advised the court of evidence that Silcox began purchasing tramadol in 2017 online from an unknown person he believed was in Singapore. The government offered further evidence that Silcox had received shipments of tramadol from three separate overseas suppliers from 2017 to 2019, and sent shipments to downstream buyers of 500-1000 pills per month, which Silcox received from his overseas suppliers at his P.O. boxes. According to the government, Silcox used end-to-end encrypted communication applications and email services to communicate with his overseas suppliers and his downstream domestic customers, and used crytpocurrency to make payments.
On September 26, 2019, a federal grand jury indicted Silcox charging him with three counts of importation of a Schedule IV narcotic drug, in violation of 21 U.S.C. §§ 952(a) and 960(b)(6). Pursuant to the guilty plea, Silcox pleaded guilty to all three counts.
Silcox faces a maximum sentence of 5 years in prison, and a fine of $250,000, for each count in the indictment. However, any sentence would be imposed by the court after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal statute governing the imposition of a sentence, 18 U.S.C. § 3553. His next court appearance has been set for September 25, 2020, which is a status hearing concerning the sentencing.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah E. Griswold is prosecuting the case with the assistance of Mimi Lam. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the Homeland Security Investigations; the High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area-Transnational Narcotics Team (HIDTA-TNT); the U.S. Postal Inspection Service; the Department of Homeland Security Office of Inspector General; and the Coast Guard Investigation Service. The prosecution is part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force National Heroin Initiative to combat the opioid crisis.
Sunday 28 June 2020
Department of Justice Announces $42 Million to Combat Illegal Manufacture and Distribution of Methamphetamine and OpiodsRead the Press Release
TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA – The Department of Justice‘s Office of Community Oriented Policing Services
(COPS Office) Tuesday announced nearly $42 million in funding to support state-level law
enforcement agencies in combating the illegal manufacturing and distribution of methamphetamine,
heroin, fentanyl, carfentanil, and prescription opioids.In the Northern District of Florida, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement will receive
$2,208,052.00 million in funding to support investigations into trafficking in heroin, fentanyl, or
carfentanil or the unlawful distribution of prescription opioids.“The award of this funding to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement is a tangible demonstration
of the Justice Department and U.S Attorneys’ commitment to our partnerships with law enforcement
agencies at all levels. We will continue to implement every tool at our disposal to combat the
national epidemic of opioid abuse and misuse,” said Lawrence Keefe,
U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.“The scourge of opioid and methamphetamine use continues to take a devastating toll on our nation’s
communities,” said COPS Office Director Phil Keith. “By providing these resources to law
enforcement to help combat the further spread, the COPS Office is demonstrating our commitment to
this Administration’s priority of reducing drug use and protecting our citizens from this public
health and safety crisis.”Drug overdose deaths and opioid-involved deaths continue to increase in the United States. Deaths
from drug overdose are up among both men and women, all races, and adults of nearly all ages, with
more than three out of five drug overdose deaths involving an opioid. More than 130 people die
every day in the United States after overdosing on opioids, while methamphetamine continues to be
one of the most commonly misused stimulant drugs in the world and is the drug
that most contributes to violent crime.The COPS Office is awarding more than $29.7 million in grant funding to 14 state law enforcement
agency task forces through the Anti-Heroin Task Force Program (AHTF). AHTF provides three years
of funding directly to state-level law enforcement agencies with multijurisdictional reach and
interdisciplinary team (e.g., task force) structures, in states with high per capita rates of primary
treatment admissions for heroin, fentanyl, carfentanil, and other opioids. This funding will support
the location or investigation of illicit activities through statewide collaboration related to the distribution
of heroin, fentanyl, or carfentanil or the unlawful distribution of prescription opioids.Through the COPS Anti-Methamphetamine Program (CAMP), the COPS Office is also awarding
$12 million to 12 state law enforcement agencies. These state agencies have demonstrated numerous
seizures of precursor chemicals, finished methamphetamine, laboratories, and laboratory dump
seizures. State agencies are being awarded three years of funding through CAMP to support the
location or investigation of illicit activities related to the manufacture and distribution of
methamphetamine, including precursor diversion, laboratories, or methamphetamine trafficking.The AHTF and CAMP funding has a tremendous impact on state investigative and seizure work. During
the five month period between October 2019 and February 2020, current AHTF grantees reported the
seizure of over $4 million in cash and 1,213 firearms. Similarly, for CAMP, grantees reported
seizures of more than $7 million in cash and 1,577 firearms.The complete list of Anti-Heroin Task Force Program award recipients, including funding amounts,
can be found here: https://cops.usdoj.gov/ahtfThe complete list of COPS Anti-Methamphetamine Program award recipients, including funding amounts,
can be found here: https://cops.usdoj.gov/campThe COPS Office is a federal agency responsible for advancing community policing nationwide. Since
1994, the COPS Office has invested more than $14 billion to advance community policing, including
grants awarded to more than 13,000 state, local and tribal law enforcement agencies to fund the
hiring and redeployment of approximately 135,000 officers and provide a variety of knowledge
resource products including publications, training and technical assistance. For additional
information about the COPS Office, please visit www.cops.usdoj.gov.The year 2020 marks the 150th anniversary of the Department of Justice. Learn more about the
history of our agency at www.Justice.gov/Celebrating150Years.The United States Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that
serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access
available public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern
District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office for
the Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.
Saturday 27 June 2020
Three South Dakota Men Sentenced in Meth ConspiracyRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced that three South Dakota men convicted of Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance have been sentenced by U.S. District Judge Karen E. Schreier.
Darryl Anthony Randle, age 37, was sentenced on June 8, 2020, to 132 months in federal prison, followed by 5 years of supervised release. Manuel Joseph Lopez, age 33, was sentenced on August 5, 2019, to 120 months in federal prison, followed by 5 years of supervised release. Dustin Wayne McGhee, age 31, was sentenced on September 23, 2019, to 120 months in federal prison, followed by 5 years of supervised release. All three defendants were ordered to pay $100 to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Randle, Lopez, and McGhee were indicted for Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance by a federal grand jury on February 5, 2019. Randle pled guilty on March 24, 2020; Lopez pled guilty on August 5, 2019; and McGhee pled guilty on June 26, 2019.
Beginning on an unknown date and continuing until on or about November 14, 2018, in the District of South Dakota and elsewhere, Randle, Lopez, and McGhee did knowingly and intentionally combine, conspire, confederate, and agree together, with others known and unknown to the Grand Jury, to knowingly and intentionally distribute a mixture and substance containing 500 grams or more of methamphetamine, a Schedule II controlled substance.
This case was investigated by the Sioux Falls Area Drug Task Force and the Drug Enforcement Administration. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer D. Mammenga prosecuted the case.
All defendants were immediately turned over to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service following their respective sentencing.
Four Men Charged in Federal Court for Attempting to Tear Down Statue of Andrew Jackson in Lafayette Square Amid ProtestsRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Lee Michael Cantrell, 47, of Virginia; Connor Matthew Judd, 20, of Washington, D.C.; Ryan Lane, 37, of Maryland; and Graham Lloyd, 37, of Maine, were charged by criminal complaint yesterday with destruction of federal property, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Michael R. Sherwin, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Washington Field Office’s Criminal Division James A. Dawson, and Acting Chief of the United States Park Police (USPP) Gregory T. Monahan.
The complaint, unsealed today, alleges that on June 22, 2020, the four men along with other unidentified individuals, damaged and attempted to tear down the statue depicting Andrew Jackson located in Lafayette Square. The complaint further alleges that Cantrell was captured on video attempting to pry the statue off its base with a wooden board and trying to pull the statue down with the aid of a yellow strap. The complaint alleges that Judd is seen on video trying to pull down the statue, and that Lane is seen on video affixing a rope to one part of the statue and then pulling on another rope tied to the statue. The complaint also alleges that video of the incident shows Lloyd as he breaks off and destroys the wheels of cannons located at the base of the statue. Lloyd is also captured on video pulling on ropes in an effort to topple the statue, and handing a hammer to an unidentified individual involved in the incident.
Judd was arrested on Friday and appeared in Superior Court of the District of Columbia today. The matter will be transferred to the United States District Court for the District of Columbia on Monday, June 29, 2020, where Judd will make his initial appearance before United States Magistrate Judge Robin M. Meriweather. The remaining defendants have not yet been apprehended.
A criminal complaint is a formal accusation of criminal conduct for purposes of establishing probable cause, not evidence of guilt. A defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty.
“The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia will not stand idly by and allow our national monuments to be vandalized and destroyed. This Office remains steadfast in its commitment to protect the sacred First Amendment right of individuals to peacefully protest, but these charges should serve as a warning to those who choose to desecrate the statues and monuments that adorn our nation’s capital: your violent behavior and criminal conduct will not be tolerated,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Michael R. Sherwin.
“The FBI respects the peaceful exercise of First Amendment rights, but we will not allow opportunists to hijack peaceful protests to incite violence and destruction of property,” said James A. Dawson, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Washington Field Office’s Criminal Division. “We will continue to work with our partners to enforce federal laws prohibiting damage to government facilities and property.”
“Members of the United States Park Police are working tirelessly to provide quality law enforcement, safeguard lives, protect our national treasures and symbols of democracy, and preserve the natural and cultural resources entrusted to its service. We are committed to ensuring that citizens are able to freely exercise their constitutional rights in a safe and peaceful manner. The deplorable acts of violence and destruction of property are unacceptable and will continue to be pursued through ongoing collaborative investigations and enforcement efforts,” said Gregory T. Monahan, Acting Chief of the United States Park Police.
In announcing the charges, Acting U.S. Attorney Sherwin, Special Agent in Charge Dawson, and Acting Chief Monahan commended the work of the FBI agents and USPP officers who apprehended the four men and are investigating the incident. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Gilead Light, Sara Vanore, and Laura Crane of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia.
This joint investigation was conducted by the United States Park Police and the FBI Washington Field Office’s Violent Crime Task Force. Significant assistance was also provided by the Washington Metropolitan Police Department. The Violent Crime Task Force is charged with investigating acts of violence impacting the District of Columbia. Tips associated with this matter or other acts of violence can be reported to the FBI at 202-278-2000 or tips.fbi.gov.
Convicted felon charged with possessing loaded firearm at Columbus protestRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – A federal complaint alleging possession of a firearm by a convicted felon has been filed against Ronnie Earl Murdock Jr, 31, of Columbus.
According to an affidavit filed with the complaint on Friday afternoon, an officer in the Columbus Police Emergency Operations Center monitoring a demonstration near Broad and Front streets on June 24 recognized Murdock and saw Murdock holding a rifle. The officer knew that Murdock was a convicted felon and not allowed to own, possess or control a firearm.
Columbus SWAT officers responded and arrested Murdock. Officers recovered a semiautomatic 2.23-caliber rifle with 31 live rounds of ammunition in the magazine.
Murdock pleaded guilty in Franklin County Common Pleas Court in October 2007 to attempted burglary and in October 2016 to robbery. Both crimes are felonies. Possession of a firearm by a convicted felon is punishable by up to ten years in prison. A judge will schedule a hearing for Murdock in federal court.
“Peaceful protests can turn into tragedies if illegal possession of firearms becomes part of the mix,” said David M. DeVillers, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio.
Mr. DeVillers, along with Jonathan McPherson, Special Agent in Charge, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and Columbus Police Chief Thomas Quinlan announced the charge. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kevin M. Kelley is representing the United States in this case.
A criminal complaint merely contains allegations. All defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.
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Friday 26 June 2020
Worcester Man Indicted on Firearms ChargesRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Worcester man was indicted yesterday in connection with brandishing a loaded sawed-off shotgun in an apartment while arguing with teenaged residents in December 2019.
Steven Dillon, 36, was indicted yesterday on one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition and one count of unlawful possession of an unregistered firearm. Dillon was previously charged by criminal complaint in June 2020.
According to charging documents, on Dec. 25, 2019, Dillon brandished a loaded sawed-off shotgun in an apartment while arguing with teenaged residents. Police found the shotgun and ammunition in a bedroom used by Dillon, who was previously convicted of a felony punishable by more than one year in prison and therefore prohibited from possessing a firearm.
The charging statute provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling; Kelly D. Brady, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, Boston Field Division; and Worcester Police Chief Steven M. Sargent made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristen Noto of Lelling’s Worcester Branch Office is prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Virtual Five Country Ministerial Meeting – Joint CommuniquéRead the Press Release
On June 17 and 18, 2020, United States Attorney General William P. Barr and United States Acting Deputy Secretary of Homeland Security Ken Cuccinnelli joined ministers from the ‘Five Eyes’ partnership for a virtual meeting to agree joint action to tackle emerging security threats during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
This final communiqué was published following the meeting:
BEGIN TEXT:
We, the Home Affairs, Interior, and Security Ministers of Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and the United States of America (the ‘Five Countries’) have met via video conference on June 17 and 18, 2020. Guided by our shared responsibility and commitment to build a more peaceful and secure world for our citizens, we discussed the challenges and implications of the COVID-19 pandemic for our security and reconfirmed our determination to protect our nations from these threats.
The COVID-19 pandemic has seen a change in state based and non-state activity as new opportunities to interfere in our societies and commit crime have emerged. Our law enforcement and security agencies have been agile in responding to these threats. As many of these threats cross borders, we discussed how we can redouble our efforts to respond to these challenges.
With many of our citizens staying at home during the pandemic and relying on the internet to conduct business, learn, and socialize, criminals and hostile actors are exploiting this increased online activity as an opportunity to conduct criminal activity, and capitalizing on anxieties about the pandemic. This sort of malicious activity on the internet is unacceptable. We agreed to share information and develop joint assessments on these threats and explore ways to strengthen our collective responses. We will work with all partners to promote the framework of responsible state behavior in cyberspace and uphold the role of all States to help counter irresponsible activity being carried out by criminal groups in their countries.
The COVID-19 pandemic has also exacerbated the terrible reality that, as children increasingly use the internet for education, socializing, and entertainment, they are at higher risk of online child sexual exploitation and abuse. We agreed to exchange information on this issue in light of COVID-19, and share lessons in order to continue to strengthen our fight against those who seek to exploit children. We call on the digital industry to take immediate, tangible action to implement the Voluntary Principles to Counter Online Child Sexual Exploitation and Abuse, launched in March 2020.
Finally, we discussed the vital importance of collaboration between governments and the digital industry to address concerns with end-to-end encryption where it impacts public safety and the lawful access to information necessary to prevent or investigate serious crimes. We continue to urge technology companies to make real progress on this issue and work with governments in a meaningful way to resolve this challenge in ways that protect our citizens. We will continue to work with like-minded international partners and institutions to ensure complementary approaches to this issue.
We reaffirmed our commitment to keep working together and look forward to meeting face to face when it is safe to do so. Until then, we will continue to meet virtually to advance cooperation among our nations on security, border and migration issues that ensure the public continue to be protected.
Virginia Man Sentenced for Operating Interstate Prostitution RingRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Virginia man was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Boston for his role in operating a long-running interstate prostitution ring.
Yoon Kim, 39, of Haymarket, Va., was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge William G. Young to 20 months in prison and two years of supervised release. In November 2018, Kim pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to persuade, induce, entice, or coerce individuals to travel in interstate commerce to engage in prostitution, and one count of conspiracy to engage in money laundering.
On March 15, 2018, Kim was charged and arrested with co-defendants Taehee Kim, a/k/a “Hyunsook Kim” (Yoon Kim’s wife), of Haymarket, Va.; Susan Bashir, a/k/a “Susan Redmon,” a/k/a “Susan Redmond,” of Stone Mountain, Ga.; Jineok Kim, of Watertown, Mass; and Kyung Song, of Lexington, Mass.
From at least 2013 until March 2018, Kim and his co-defendants operated an interstate prostitution network with multiple brothels in high-end apartments in Cambridge, Mass.; Atlanta, Ga.; and eastern Virginia. They advertised appointments with Asian women primarily on three websites. The women advertised on the websites were moved from city to city within the network, at Taehee Kim’s direction, working as prostitutes for the organization. Yoon Kim and co-conspirators collected a portion of the cash earnings from the women working at the brothels and funneled the money into accounts controlled by Yoon Kim and his wife. Co-conspirators also used U.S. Postal money orders and the mail to transport and launder proceeds from the prostitution network. Yoon Kim rented several of the brothel locations, including multiple apartments in and around Cambridge, managed the websites advertising the prostitution network, and handled other aspects of the business.
Taehee Kim, Jineok Kim, Susan Bashir, and Kyong Song previously pleaded guilty. Taehee Kim is pending sentencing; Jineok Kim was sentenced in April 2019 to three months in prison; Susan Bashir was sentenced in May 2019 to 45 days in prison; and Kyung Song was sentenced in March 2019 to one year of home confinement.
United States Andrew E. Lelling; Michael Shea, Acting Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Boston; Joseph W. Cronin, Postal Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Boston Field Division; and Cambridge Police Commissioner Branville G. Bard Jr. made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney David J. D’Addio of Lelling’s Civil Rights Enforcement Team prosecuted the case.
Virginia Man Indicted for Using Stolen Identity in Attempt to Secure Loan from Worcester Credit UnionRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Virginia man, currently on federal supervised release for a previous conviction, was indicted yesterday in federal court in Worcester with making a false statement on a loan application and aggravated identity theft.
Rashad Al-Terek Walker, 39, of Hampton, Va., was indicted on one count of making a false statement on a loan application and one count of aggravated identity theft. Walker was charged by criminal complaint in April 2020.
According to court documents, in November 2019, Walker attempted to obtain a loan using a stolen identity from a Worcester-area credit union. Walker provided employees of the credit union several fraudulent records, including a counterfeit license, employer pay record and utility bill. Employees of the credit union immediately reported the matter to law enforcement authorities, who responded to the credit union and arrested Walker.
Walker was previously convicted of bank fraud in U.S. District Court in the Eastern District of Virginia and was on supervised release for that offense when he is alleged to have committed the crimes in Worcester.
The charge of false information on a loan application provides for a sentence of up to 30 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $1 million. The charge of aggravated identity theft provides for a mandatory sentence of two years in prison to be served consecutive to any other sentence imposed and one year of supervised release. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling; Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Division; and Worcester Police Chief Steven M. Sargent made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney John T. Mulcahy of Lelling’s Worcester Branch Office is prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Virginia Beach Man Arrested on Charge of Transmitting in Interstate Commerce a Threat to Injure or Kill U.S. SenatorRead the Press Release
ABINGDON, Va. – A Virginia man, who allegedly transmitted a threat via interstate commerce to kill a United States Senator, was arrested yesterday in Virginia Beach on a federal criminal complaint. United States Attorney Thomas T. Cullen and U.S. Capitol Police Chief Steven A. Sund made the announcement today following the defendant’s initial court appearance this afternoon.
Dylan Stephen Jayne, 37, of Virginia Beach, Va., was arrested yesterday on a federal criminal complaint and charged with one count of transmitting a threat via interstate commerce by leaving a voicemail message and threatening to kill a United States Senator.
According to court documents, on the morning of September 2, 2019, Jayne called the Abingdon office of United States Senator Mark Warner and threatened to kill the Senator regarding Jayne’s perceived lack of receiving Social Security payments.
The investigation of this matter is being conducted by the United States Capitol Police, and the Burlington, Vermont Police Department. The Virginia Beach Police Department and U.S. Marshals Service assisted in the apprehension of the suspect. Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer R. Bockhorst is prosecuting the case for the United States.
A criminal complaint is only a charge and not evidence of guilt. All defendants are considered innocent until proven guilty.
United States Settles Disability Discrimination Case Involving Residents and Prospective Residents of a Senior Housing CommunityRead the Press Release
The United States announced yesterday that the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania has approved a consent order resolving allegations that three defendants — Heritage Senior Living LLC; Westrum Hanover LP; and GAHC3 Bethlehem PA ILF LLC — violated the Fair Housing Act by discriminating against residents and prospective residents with disabilities at Traditions of Hanover (Traditions), a senior housing apartment complex in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania.
The lawsuit, which the United States filed on May 13, 2020, alleges that from at least 2005 to the present, defendants created and implemented a series of discriminatory tenant occupancy and eligibility policies and practices that discriminate against persons with disabilities, including requiring residents to sign a lease that imposes conditions such as requiring an initial physical assessment as a requirement of tenancy and potential eviction if a resident develops certain health conditions. In addition, Traditions maintained policies that required residents who use wheelchairs to transfer from their wheelchairs into a dining room chair and required residents who used motorized and non-motorized wheelchairs to pay a non-refundable deposit. In addition, the complaint alleges that the defendants provide transportation as an amenity and that until 2013, that transportation was inaccessible to people who used wheelchairs, in violation of the Fair Housing Act.
Under the consent order, defendants will pay a minimum of $250,000 and a maximum of $325,000 into a settlement fund to compensate residents and prospective residents who were harmed by these policies. Defendants will also pay a $55,000 civil penalty to the United States. In addition, defendants will appoint a Fair Housing Act compliance officer at Traditions and other senior living facilities, and will implement new resident policies, including a new reasonable accommodation policy and a new motorized wheelchair policy.
“The Fair Housing Act protects the right of individuals with disabilities to enjoy a home to the same extent as everyone else. Common decency, our shared humanity, our nation’s commitment to justice, and our inalienable right to pursue happiness demands no less, and so does the law. Discriminating against people with disabilities is wrong and illegal, and the Justice Department will vigorously continue to enforce the Fair Housing Act to combat this unlawful conduct and obtain relief for its victims,” said Assistant Attorney General Eric Dreiband of the Civil Rights Division. “This consent order will ensure that all prospective and current residents at Traditions and other senior living facilities are treated equally and that victims of past discrimination receive compensation for the harms they have suffered.”
“Seniors should not have to worry about losing their lease simply because they become disabled,” said U.S. Attorney McSwain for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. “The Fair Housing Act protects them, and everyone, from discrimination in housing, and my office will continue to ensure that apartment buildings follow the law.”
Individuals who are entitled to share in the settlement fund will be identified through a process established in the consent order. Persons who believe that they or their family members were subjected to unlawful discrimination at Traditions should contact the Justice Department toll-free at 1-800-896-7743 mailbox #92 or e-mail the Justice Department at [email protected].
The federal Fair Housing Act prohibits discrimination in housing based on race, color, religion, national origin, sex, disability and familial status. More information about the Civil Rights Division and the laws it enforces is available at www.justice.gov/crt. Individuals who believe that they may have been victims of housing discrimination can call the Justice Department at 1-800-896-7743, e-mail the Justice Department at [email protected], or contact the Department of Housing and Urban Development at 1-800-669-9777 or through its website at http://portal.hud.gov/hudportal/HUD?src=/program_offices/fair_housing_equal_opp.
United States Resolves Allegations of Disability Discrimination at Bethlehem Senior Housing ComplexRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney William M. McSwain announced today that the United States has reached a settlement agreement to resolve allegations of disability discrimination filed in a civil lawsuit against Heritage Senior Living LLC, its owner, and former owner. The complaint alleges that Traditions of Hanover, an apartment complex for seniors located in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, discriminated against residents and prospective residents based on disability in violation of the federal Fair Housing Act, which prohibits discrimination in housing based on race, color, religion, national origin, sex, disability and familial status.
According to the complaint, since at least 2013, Traditions of Hanover required residents to be able to “live independently” as a condition of their lease. In doing so, the apartment complex allegedly decided who could live independently, rather than allowing residents and their families to decide for themselves. Traditions of Hanover allegedly reserved its right to assess residents’ physical health, and to terminate leases based on health condition. The apartment complex also allegedly screened prospective residents to determine if they were appropriate to live in the building based on their health condition.
In addition, Traditions of Hanover allegedly charged residents a fee to use motorized wheelchairs, prohibited residents from using wheelchairs in the common dining area, and, before 2013, offered transportation services that were not accessible to wheelchair users.
The United States and defendants have reached a settlement to resolve the case through a consent order. Under the order, defendants must establish a tiered settlement fund of up to $325,000 to compensate persons harmed by the policies and practices, as well as pay a penalty of $55,000. The United States and defendants adjusted the deadlines in the consent order to accommodate concerns about the COVID-19 pandemic.
Besides the monetary payments, the consent order requires defendants to modify their policies, appoint a compliance officer, train employees about the Fair Housing Act, and provide periodic compliance reports to the United States. These requirements apply to 16 different facilities managed by Heritage Senior Living, including one in Bucks County (The Birches at Newtown); four in Berks County (Keystone Villa at Douglassville, The Manor at Market Square in Reading, Chestnut Knoll in Boyertown, and Keystone Villa at Fleetwood); and one in Montgomery County (The Birches at Harleysville). The consent order prohibits defendants from raising rent or fees to pay for any of these obligations, or to pay for the settlement fund.
“Seniors should not have to worry about losing their lease simply because they become disabled,” said U.S. Attorney McSwain. “The Fair Housing Act protects them, and everyone, from discrimination in housing, and my Office will continue to ensure that apartment buildings follow the law.”
“Discriminating against people with disabilities is wrong and illegal, and the Justice Department will vigorously enforce the Fair Housing Act to combat this unlawful conduct and obtain relief for its victims,” said Assistant Attorney General Eric Dreiband of the Civil Rights Division. “This consent order will ensure that all prospective and current residents at Traditions and other senior living facilities are treated equally and that victims of past discrimination receive compensation for the harms they have suffered.”
Individuals who are entitled to share in the settlement fund will be identified through a process established in the consent order. Persons who believe they were subjected to unlawful discrimination at Traditions of Hanover should contact the Justice Department toll-free at 1-800-896-7743 mailbox #92 or e-mail the Justice Department at [email protected].
The case is docketed as United States v. Heritage Senior Living, LLC, et al., Civil Action No. 20-cv-2272 (E.D. Pa.). There has been no determination of civil liability. The settled civil claims are allegations only.
Assistant United States Attorney Michael S. Macko handled the case in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, working jointly with the Civil Rights Division of the Department of Justice.
US Attorney MacDonald Warns Minnesotans of Fraudulent “Face Mask Exempt” DocumentsRead the Press Release
U.S. Attorney Erica H. MacDonald today urged the public to be aware of fraudulent postings, cards, or flyers on the internet regarding the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the use of face masks due to the COVID-19 pandemic, many of which include the United States Department of Justice’s seal. An example of these cards appears below:
These postings, cards, and flyers were not issued by the Department of Justice and are not endorsed by the Department. The Department also has not granted permission for the use of its seal for this purpose. Misuse of the Department seal is a federal crime.
U.S. Attorney MacDonald urges the public not to rely on the information contained in these postings and flyers and to visit http://www.ADA.gov for official information about the Americans with Disabilities Act. For more information and technical assistance about the ADA, please contact the ADA Information Line at 800-514-0301 (voice) and 800-514-0383 (TTY).
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends wearing cloth facial coverings in areas where social distancing guidelines may be difficult to maintain, especially in areas of significant community-based transition.
The Minnesota COVID-19 Action Team (MCAT), led by the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the Minnesota Attorney General’s Office, and the Minnesota County Attorneys Association, is a coordinated statewide effort focused on investigating and prosecuting unlawful activity associated with the COVID-19 pandemic. Any COVID-19-related criminal behavior, scams, price-gouging, cybercrimes, hate crimes, or other unlawful activity can be reported to the National Center for Disaster Fraud hotline at (866) 720-5721 or [email protected] or to the Minnesota Attorney General’s Office via their dedicated COVID-19-specific complaint form.
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United States Attorney’s Office, District of Minnesota: (612) 664-5600
U.S. Attorney’s Office Joins the Florida Department of Juvenile Justice and the Florida Youth Justice Commission to Launch the Florida Race Equity ChallengeRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida has joined with the Florida Department of Juvenile Justice and other Florida Youth Justice Commission partners to launch the Florida Race Equity Challenge. The Florida Race Equity Challenge is a web-based, interactive experience that will provide juvenile justice stakeholders with the education and tools to identify and tackle issues related to race, equity, and inclusion (REI) within the juvenile justice system. The statewide, team-based project extends from June through December 2020.
Over the course of several months, teams will participate in live webinars, complete tasks, and ultimately submit proposals for systematic changes designed to create more equitable outcomes for youth. Topics to be covered include implicit bias, assessing race equity in policies, and utilizing data in decision-making. Teams include representatives from Florida’s schools, courts, law enforcement, community partners and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida (USAO-MDFL).
In 1997, the USAO-MDFL officially formed a Hate Crimes Working Group, in response to African American church arsons that were occurring across the southeastern United States. Since, the group has addressed a plethora of issues and concerns affecting protected classes. In May 2015, the group – renamed the “Civil Rights Working Group” – continued to expand its focus by collaborating with local, state, federal, and community stakeholders throughout the district to address broader issues and concerns, including criminal and civil matters, enhanced training for law enforcement/public safety personnel and educators, developing and facilitating opportunities for civil discourse, and providing tools, resources and best practices to advance civil and human rights protections.
“The duty to protect and serve all citizens is paramount to our public mission,” said U.S. Attorney Maria Chapa Lopez. “As we seek to improve the quality of life within our communities, we must entreat greater accountability and responsibility from everyone involved. Our team is proud to join with and support our state and local partners in this effort to gain a better understanding and improve equity among diverse groups and communities throughout the state of Florida. We look forward to participating in this Challenge and promoting justice for all.”
“Florida’s juvenile justice system has implemented significant reforms designed to better match youth with services and to prevent them from moving deeper into the system while still holding them accountable for their actions. While we’ve seen a downward trend in juvenile arrests across the state, we haven’t seen a similar trend in the overrepresentation of youth of color in the juvenile justice system,” said DJJ Secretary Simone Marstiller. “We have an obligation, as a system and community, to come together to address this important issue and affect meaningful change.”
The Florida Youth Justice Commission is a partnership established to promote continuous juvenile justice system improvement using the Annie E. Casey Foundation’s Juvenile Detention Alternative Initiative (JDAI) strategies. One of these strategies is improving racial and ethnic equity with a focus on eliminating bias and creating a level playing field for youth of color. Along with the Florida Department of Juvenile Justice, other Florida Youth Justice Commission partners include the Department of Children and Families, Florida Association of District School Superintendents, the Office of State Courts Administrator, Guardian Ad Litem, members of law enforcement, prosecutors and defense attorneys. DJJ staff help to coordinate the efforts of the commission both at the local and state level and created the concept and programming for the Florida Race Equity Challenge.
Additional information about the Florida Race Equity Challenge can be found here and more information about JDAI and the Florida Youth Justice Commission can be found here.
U.S. Attorney's Office Reaches ADA Settlement with Connecticut and Pennsylvania Child Care CentersRead the Press Release
John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that the U.S. Attorney’s Office has reached a settlement agreement with Bradford Child Care Services, Inc., which owns Tender Care Learning Centers (“Tender Care”), to resolve allegations that Tender Care was not operating in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (“ADA”). Tender Care provides child care services at more than 20 locations in Connecticut and western Pennsylvania.
The settlement agreement addresses an ADA complaint filed by the parents of a child with epilepsy alleging that Tender Care established a policy to prevent staff from administering prescribed emergency rescue medication. Under the terms of the settlement agreement, Tender Care will implement new nondiscriminatory policies, practices and procedures regarding the administration of medication for children with disabilities who wish to attend their day care centers, camp, before care program, after care program or any other educational programs owned or operated by Tender Care in the United States. Tender Care also will train its managers, teachers and other staff on compliance with Title III of the ADA. Additionally, Tender Care will evaluate each request for reasonable modifications on an individualized basis, relying on objective evidence and current medical standards and will adopt, maintain and enforce an Emergency Anti-Seizure Medication Administration (EASMA) Policy and Procedure. The revised materials for parents of children with disabilities will be posted in a general location at the center and will post to its website the nondiscrimination policy approved by the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
Tender Care also has agreed to pay a total of $20,000 in compensatory damages to certain individuals identified during the government’s investigation of this matter.
Under federal law, private entities that own or operate places of “public accommodation,” including learning centers and other places of education and recreation, are prohibited from discriminating on the basis of disability. The ADA authorizes the U.S. Department of Justice to investigate complaints and undertake periodic reviews of compliance of covered entities. The Justice Department is also authorized to commence a civil lawsuit in federal court in any case that involves a pattern or practice of discrimination or that raises issues of general public importance, and to seek injunctive relief, monetary damages, and civil penalties.
U.S. Attorney Durham noted that the counsel and management of Tender Care were cooperative with the U.S. Attorney’s Office and are committed to addressing the issues raised by the ADA investigation without litigation.
This matter was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ndidi N. Moses of the District of Connecticut in coordination with the Disability Rights Section of the U.S. Department of Justice Civil Rights Division.
Any member of the public who wishes to file a complaint alleging that any place of public accommodation or public entity in Connecticut is not accessible to persons with disabilities may contact the U.S. Attorney’s Office at 203-821-3700. Additional information about the ADA can be found at www.ada.gov, or by calling the Justice Department’s toll-free information line at (800) 514-0301 and (800) 514-0383 (TTY).
The Justice Department also has a Civil Rights Reporting Portal, an online tool that allows the public to report a civil rights violation. The Reporting Portal – located at www.civilrights.justice.gov – is fully accessible to people with disabilities. It is also available in both English and Spanish, with more languages to be added in the future.
Individuals who believe that they may have been victims of civil rights violations should contact the department by visiting www.civilrights.justice.gov. Those who believe they are a victim of criminal violation of their civil rights, such as misconduct by law enforcement officers, a hate crime, or human trafficking, should contact their local FBI office.