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21 July 2020
Duquesne Felon Charged with Illegal Gun PossessionRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, PA - A resident of Duquesne, has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh on a charge of violating federal firearms law, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced today.
The one-count Indictment named Mitchell Johnson, age 26, as the sole defendant.
According to the Indictment, Johnson was found to be in possession of a firearm after having previously been convicted of a felony.
The law provides for a maximum total sentence of 10 years in prison, a fine of not more than $250,000, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney Rebecca L. Silinski is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives conducted the investigation leading to the Indictment in this case.
An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Dominican Man Sentenced to 37 Months for Illegal Re-entry into United StatesRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Jose Gonzalez-Reyes, age 53, a citizen of the Dominican Republic, was sentenced today to 37 months in prison for illegally re-entering the United States.
The announcement was made by United States Attorney Grant C. Jaquith and Thomas E. Feeley, Director of the Buffalo Field Office of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO).
Gonzalez-Reyes admitted as part of his guilty plea that he is a citizen of the Dominican Republic, and that he was removed from the United States to the Dominican Republic on June 5, 2002 and again on July 27, 2011.
On March 21, 2018, he was found by an ICE Officer in the Albany County Jail. A check of fingerprint records resulted in the discovery of the prior removals. Gonzalez-Reyes was an inmate at the Albany County Jail after his arrest for selling controlled substances in the city of Albany during the summer of 2017. Gonzalez-Reyes was convicted in Albany County Court of Criminal Sale of a Controlled Substance, Third Degree, and sentenced on November 2, 2018 to 30 months in state prison .
This case was investigated by ICE-ERO and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Edward P. Grogan.
Dentist and Nurse Practitioner Sentenced to Prison for Conspiracy to Commit Health Care FraudRead the Press Release
Hattiesburg, Miss. – Gregory Parker, 51, of Laurel, Mississippi and Brantley Paul Nichols, D.M.D., 42, of Oxford, Mississippi were sentenced today by Senior U.S. District Judge Keith Starrett for conspiracy to commit health care fraud, announced U.S. Attorney Mike Hurst, Special Agent in Charge Michelle Sutphin with the Federal Bureau of Investigation in Mississippi, and Special Agent in Charge Cyndy Bruce of the Defense Criminal Investigative Service’s (“DCIS”) Southeast Field Office.
Gregory Parker was sentenced to 18 months in federal prison followed by three years of supervised release. He was also ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $566,979.69.
Brantley Paul Nichols was sentenced to 12 months and one day in federal prison followed by three years of supervised release with 6 months of electronic monitoring. He was also ordered to pay a $75,000 fine along with restitution in the amount of $696,026.
Between 2012 and 2015, while Parker was a nurse practitioner, he conspired with Hope Thomley, owner of Total Care Marketing and Advantage Pharmacy in Hattiesburg, Mississippi, and others to sign numerous blank prescriptions for very expensive compounded creams that Parker knew were not medically necessary. Some of the prescriptions were for patients Parker never examined, including some of Thomley’s family members. As part of the conspiracy, Parker agreed with Thomley that he would be given a kickback for prescribing dietary supplements that were compounded by Advantage Pharmacy. Parker admitted that he would not have written the prescriptions unless he was being reimbursed. Parker’s fraudulent prescriptions cost health care benefit programs, including Tricare, $566,979.69.
Like Parker, beginning in October 2014 and continuing through January 2016, Nichols conspired with others to sign numerous blank prescriptions for expensive compounded medications for patients he did not examine. Nichols admitted to knowing the prescriptions would be submitted to Advantage Pharmacy and Tricare, and other health care benefit programs would ultimately be billed for the prescriptions that were not medically necessary. In total, Tricare reimbursed Advantage Pharmacy approximately $696,000 for the prescriptions that were signed by Nichols.
Hope E. Thomley, 52, previously pled guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud and one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering and tax evasion. She will be sentenced by Judge Starrett on July 23, 2020.
The IRS-CI, DCIS, FBI, and the Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics investigated the case. Assistant Chief Dustin M. Davis and Trial Attorney Sara E. Porter of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section of the U.S. Department of Justice and Assistant U.S. Attorney Kathlyn R. Van Buskirk of the Southern District of Mississippi prosecuted the case.
Convicted Sex Offender Sentenced for Possessing Child PornRead the Press Release
TOPEKA, KAN. – A convicted sex offender was sentenced today to eight years in federal prison for possessing child pornography, U.S. Attorney Stephen McAllister said today.
Bryan S. Duncan, 35, Manhattan, Kan., pleaded guilty to one count of possession of child pornography. In his plea, he admitted that undercover investigators downloaded child pornography from his account via a peer-to-peer file-sharing program. When investigators served a search warrant at Duncan’s home in Manhattan they found electronic devices containing 450 video files.
Duncan had a previous child pornography conviction from 2005.
McAllister commended the FBI and Assistant U.S. Attorney Christine Kenney for their work on the case.
Convicted Murderer Sentenced on Federal Charges of Re-Entering the United States Illegally and Possessing Counterfeit DocumentsRead the Press Release
CONTACT: Barbara Burns
PHONE: (716) 843-5817
FAX #: (716) 551-3051ROCHESTER, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy, Jr. announced today that Everardo Donoteo-Reyes, 29, of Mexico, who was convicted of possession of a counterfeit social security card and alien registration card, and illegal re-entry after deportation, was sentenced to serve 30 months in prison by U.S. District Judge Charles J. Siragusa.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kyle P. Rossi, who handled the case, stated that in September 2016, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO), administratively arrested the defendant in Gretna, Louisiana, and in October 2016, he was ordered removed from the United States. Upon his departure, Donoteo-Reyes was advised that he could not re-enter the United States without the permission of the United States Attorney General, or his Successor, the Secretary of Homeland Security.
On March 1, 2017, United States Border Patrol encountered the defendant in the United States and administratively arrested him in Laredo, Texas. Two days later, on March 3, 2017, Donoteo-Reyes pleaded guilty to entering the United States unlawfully and was sentenced to 15 days confinement. On March 15, 2017, the defendant was physically removed from the United States to Mexico. Donoteo-Reyes was once again advised that he could not re-enter the United States without permission.
On May 24, 2018, the defendant was arrested by the Wayne County Sheriff’s Office on New York State criminal charges. The sheriff’s office sent Donoteo-Reyes’s fingerprints to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). An immigration records check determined that the defendant had no valid immigration status and was again illegally present in the United States. During the course of an investigation into the defendant’s missing girlfriend and her son, the Wayne County Sheriff's Office located fraudulent documents belonging Donoteo-Reyes, including a counterfeit alien registration card bearing defendant’s photograph, as well as a fraudulent social security card.
Donoteo-Reyes was subsequently indicted for the murder of his girlfriend and her toddler son. He pleaded guilty to 1st Degree Manslaughter and was sentenced to serve 20 years in prison on November 7, 2019. Donoteo-Reyes will serve his federal prison sentence once his state sentence is complete.
“Having been twice previously deported, the defendant unlawfully returned to the United States and murdered a young mother and her 14-month old son,” stated U.S. Attorney Kennedy. “Sadly, no amount of punishment for this defendant will undo those harms. Nevertheless, this federal prosecution does provide some measure of additional punishment for the defendant and, with it, some additional protection for our community.”
Today’s sentencing is the result of an investigation by agents of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Kevin Kelly, and the Wayne County Sheriff’s Department, under the Direction of Sheriff Barry Virts.
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Convicted Money Launderer Pleads Guilty to Defrauding Bank While He Was Serving Term of Supervised ReleaseRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Deallto McQuil Key Davis, 25, of Maryland, pled guilty today to conspiring to defraud Wells Fargo Bank out of hundreds of thousands of dollars, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Michael R. Sherwin and James A. Dawson, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s (FBI) Washington Field Office Criminal Division.
Davis pled guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 371, in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. The charge carries a statutory maximum sentence of five years in prison. Under federal sentencing guidelines, Davis faces a likely recommended sentence of 24 to 30 months in prison. The plea agreement calls for Davis to pay $144,117 in restitution and the same amount in a forfeiture money judgment.
In 2015, Davis was convicted of conspiracy to commit money laundering in federal court in Virginia. He was sentenced to six months in prison and three years of supervised release for that offense.
From January 2018 through April 2018, while he was on supervised release, Davis conspired with others to defraud Wells Fargo Bank. The conspiracy involved Davis traveling to Wells Fargo ATMs in the District of Columbia, Maryland, and Virginia, depositing worthless checks into accounts belonging to other account holders, and causing the ATMs to malfunction. The checks Davis deposited were ultimately dishonored by the issuing banks, but in some cases, any hold that Wells Fargo placed on the deposited checks expired before Wells Fargo discovered the fraud. In total, Davis used Wells Fargo ATMs to conduct 24 fraudulent check deposits totaling approximately $390,000 into various Wells Fargo accounts. Participants in the conspiracy accessed approximately $144,000 from the accounts before Wells Fargo discovered the fraud.
The Honorable Trevor N. McFadden accepted Davis’ guilty plea and scheduled his sentencing for October 8, 2020.
In announcing the plea, Acting U.S. Attorney Sherwin and Special Agent in Charge Dawson commended the work of those from the FBI’s Washington Field Office who investigated the case. They also expressed appreciation to Paralegal Specialists Mariela Andrade and Amanda Rohde. Finally, they commended the work of former Assistant U.S. Attorney Anthony Saler, and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kondi Kleinman and David Kent, for prosecuting the case.
Convicted Felon Sentenced for Selling Stolen Firearms in WythevilleRead the Press Release
ABINGDON, VIRGINIA – John Benjamin Webb was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Abingdon to 42 months in federal prison on charges he illegally possessed and later sold stolen firearms. United States Attorney Thomas T. Cullen made the announcement today following Webb’s sentencing hearing.
Webb, 44, of Pipestem, West Virginia, previously pleaded guilty to possession of stolen firearms, the illegal transfer of stolen firearms, and the illegal possession of a firearm by a previously convicted felon.
According to court documents, Webb admitted to breaking into the home of a neighbor and stealing two shotguns, two rifles, and cash. Webb then took the stolen guns to Wytheville, Virginia where he sold them at a pawnshop. At the time Webb sold the firearms, he previously had been convicted of several felony offenses.
The investigation of the case was conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, West Virginia State Police, Mercer County West Virginia Sheriff’s Office, and Virginia State Police. Assistant United States Lena Busscher prosecuted the case for the United States.
Convicted Felon Removed from the United States by ICE Following the Dismissal of Multiple Lawsuits Attempting to Stay in the United StatesRead the Press Release
CONTACT: Barbara Burns
PHONE: (716) 843-5817
FAX #: (716) 551-3051ROCHESTER, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy, Jr. announced today that Rohan Brown, 40, of Kingston, Jamaica, was removed from the United States and returned to Jamaica by Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Emergency Removal Operations, (ICE-ERO) after multiple failed litigation attempts to remain in the United States.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam A. Khalil, who litigated the case for the United States Attorney’s Office, stated that in 2007, Brown, who was present in the United States illegally, was convicted following a jury trial in Queens County Court of multiple felonies, including: Criminal Sale of a Controlled Substance, Criminal Possession of a Loaded Firearm, Criminal Possession of an Assault Weapon, and Criminal Sale of a Firearm. Brown sold cocaine and eight firearms to an undercover police officer. The firearms included revolvers, pistols, an assault rifle, and a machine gun. The defendant was sentenced to serve more than 14 years in prison. After being released from state prison in 2018, Brown was arrested, taken into custody by ICE, and held in detention pending his removal from the United States.
Brown attempted to evade removal to Jamaica by claiming that he was an American citizen, born in the U.S. Virgin Islands. He filed multiple federal lawsuits seeking release into the United States. One of those lawsuits was brought by the New York Civil Liberties Union on Brown’s behalf.
In support of his claim to American citizenship, Brown produced a fraudulent birth certificate and driver’s license from the U.S. Virgin Islands. He also claimed that he lacked any living family members who could support his claims to American citizenship, and argued in his lawsuits that ICE could not prove his Jamaican citizenship, and therefore could not deport him. During the investigation into these claims, ICE obtained a letter from the Registrar for the U.S. Virgin Islands Department of Health, Bureau of Statistics, which certified that not only did no record of birth exist for someone named Rohan Brown, but the city of birth on the birth certificate was misspelled, and the person listed as registrar never held such a position.
With assistance from ICE and the U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service (DSS), the United States Attorney’s Office was able to identify Brown’s brother and sister, both living, who had visited him while he was in prison. DSS was able to retrieve information pertaining to these siblings. Using this information, DSS and ICE located Brown’s mother in Jamaica, and identified his father, which ultimately led to ICE obtaining Brown’s actual birth certificate in Kingston, Jamaica.
As a result of this evidence, Brown’s lawsuits were dismissed, blocking his release into the United States. Brown was removed to his native country of Jamaica on June 25, 2020.
“This marks the end of the defendant’s long and protracted effort to remain in the United States,” stated U.S. Attorney Kennedy. “While in this country illegally, Rohan Brown committed serious crimes for which he was justly convicted and punished. Thanks to the diligent investigative efforts of our partners at ICE and DSS, the defendant’s dishonest and fraudulent attempt to remain in our country as a convicted drug dealer and armed felon was exposed, and his effort failed.”
“The prosecution and ultimate removal of Mr. Brown is the culmination of an extensive collaborative effort by ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations, the U.S. Attorney’s Office, and the U.S.
Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service,” said Thomas Feeley, ICE ERO Field Office Director for Buffalo. “I want to applaud the skilled deportation officers and talented prosecutors whose determination ensured Mr. Brown’s removal, despite multiple attempts to block his rightful repatriation to Jamaica.”Brown’s removal is the result of an investigation by Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Enforcement and Removal Operations, under the direction of Director of Field Operations Thomas Feeley, and the U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service, under the direction of Resident Agent-in-Charge Kenneth M. Haynes.
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Convicted Felon Pleads Guilty to Possession of a Stolen FirearmRead the Press Release
Memphis, TN – Reginald McFarland, 38, has pleaded guilty to being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm. D. Michael Dunavant, U.S. Attorney announced the guilty plea today.
According to the information presented in court, on August 7, 2018, the Shelby County Shelby’s Office Fugitive Apprehension Team (FAT) had an arrest warrant for McFarland, who was residing at the Villa Inn hotel in Memphis. Law enforcement verified that McFarland had a state arrest warrant for criminal attempt: murder first degree.
Upon entering the hotel room, officers observed McFarland standing in the bathroom and noticed a bullet in the toilet bowl. A gun was recovered from the toilet tank. Further investigation from Memphis Police revealed this gun was purchased by D.H., who had reported it stolen from him by McFarland on August 1, 2018. McFarland was previously convicted of a felony drug offense. The state prosecution against McFarland for attempted murder is still pending in the Shelby County Criminal Court.
Sentencing is set for November 4, 2020, before U.S. District Court Judge Mark S. Norris. If convicted, McFarland faces up to 10 years in federal prison followed by 3 years supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant said, "Under our PSN initiative, we focus on removing firearms from the hands of prohibited persons, and removing dangerous felons from our streets. This federal conviction will remove this gun-toter from the community while he awaits trial on violent state charges, and will make Memphis and West Tennessee a safer place."
This case was investigated by the Memphis Police Department; the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office and Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Task Force. The Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) initiative is a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. In 2017, PSN was reinvigorated as part of the Justice Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally based strategies to reduce violent crime.
Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Samuel D. Winnig is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government. SAUSA Winnig is currently assigned from the Shelby County District Attorney General’s Office for the purpose of prosecuting violent crimes and firearms offenses in federal court.
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Convicted Felon Is Sentenced to More Than Five Years in Prison for Firearms OffenseRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – U.S. District Judge Frank D. Whitney handed down a 68-month sentence Monday afternoon to Delmond Dmonta Cunningham for a firearms offense, announced Andrew Murray, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. In addition to the prison term imposed, Cunningham, 26, of Charlotte, was also ordered to serve three years under court supervision.
U.S. Attorney Murray is joined in making today’s announcement by Vincent C. Pallozzi, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Charlotte Field Division, and Chief Johnny Jennings of the Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department (CMPD).
According to court documents and yesterday’s sentencing hearing, on August 30, 2018, at about 7:30 a.m., CMPD offices responded to a call regarding shots being fired near Villa Heights Elementary School in Charlotte. Court records show that a male, later identified as Cunningham, fired two shots at his ex-girlfriend and a relative, while they were in their vehicle dropping off the victim’s daughter at school. According to court documents, Cunningham followed the victim throughout the school parking lot, and once the victim left the parking lot Cunningham pointed a firearm out of his car window and fired two shots at the victim’s car. After the shots were fired, Cunningham fled the scene. Court records show that Cunningham has a history of domestic violence, and that, at the time of the incident, the victim had obtained a restraining order against him.
Over the course of the investigation, law enforcement determined that two .45 caliber shell casings were found in the school parking lot, which were later matched up with a stolen .45 caliber pistol found in Cunningham’s possession at the time of his arrest. One of the rounds fired penetrated a bedroom of a nearby house. Cunningham has a prior felony conviction and is prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition. On April 23, 2019, Cunningham pleaded guilty to possession of ammunition by a convicted felon. At yesterday’s sentencing hearing, Judge Whitney varied upward and imposed on Cunningham a sentence above the statutory guidelines.
At the sentencing hearing, in discussing the nature and circumstances of the offense, Judge Whitney described the defendant’s actions as “extraordinarily reckless” and noted that, luckily, “the round that went into another house did not hurt anyone.” Cunningham is currently in custody and will be transferred to the custody of the Federal Bureau of Prisons upon the designation of a federal facility.
The investigation was handled by the ATF and CMPD. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Robert Gleason of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte.
Cincinnati Man Sentenced to 288 Months for Fentanyl and Heroin TraffickingRead the Press Release
COVINGTON, Ky. - A Cincinnati man, Quintin Tyler Brian Davis, 37, was sentenced in federal court on Tuesday, to 288 months in prison, by U.S. District Judge David Bunning, after previous being convicted of conspiracy to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl and one kilogram or more of heroin, and possession with the intent to distribute.
According to testimony at trial, Davis conspired with Ronnie Teets and Donald Hoffman to distribute kilograms of fentanyl and heroin, which were received through delivery services, cut the substances with lactose, and distributed them in the Greater Cincinnati area. Agents seized more than $100,000 in currency, a loaded handgun, and several quantities of heroin and fentanyl from locations in Cincinnati and Florence, Kentucky, in August of 2018.
Davis, Teets, and Hoffman were indicted in December 2018. Davis’ co-defendants previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy charges. Teets was sentenced to 192 months in federal prison, in March 2020, and Hoffman was sentenced to 72 months in federal prison, in June 2020.
Under federal law, Davis, Teets, and Hoffman must serve 85 percent of their prison sentences; and upon their release, they will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for five years.
“Fentanyl and heroin cause misery and death for many in our communities, and the defendants in this case were distributing a significant amount of these drugs in the Greater Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky region,” said Robert M. Duncan, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky. “Because of the cooperation and coordination of several law enforcement agencies, their drug trafficking business was dismantled and deadly drugs were removed from the community. The sentences imposed should also serve as a warning that, if you are convicted of trafficking in illegal opioids, you face significant time in federal prison.”
U.S. Attorney Duncan; Keith Martin, Special Agent in Charge, DEA Detroit Field Division; Director Christopher Conners, Northern Kentucky Drug Strike Force; and Chief Eliot Isaac, Cincinnati Police Department, jointly announced the sentences.
The investigation was conducted by the DEA, the Northern Kentucky Drug Strike Force, and Cincinnati Police Department. The United States was represented in the case by Assistant U.S. Attorney Tony Bracke.
The year 2020 marks the 150th anniversary of the Department of Justice. Learn more about the history of our agency at www.Justice.gov/Celebrating150Years.
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Brooklyn Park Man Charged with Illegally Possessing A FirearmRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Erica H. MacDonald today announced the unsealing of a federal indictment charging TYAIREON MARTEZ WEST-PORTER, 23, with one count of possession of a firearm by a felon. WEST-PORTER, who was arrested on July 20, 2020, made his initial appearance earlier today before Magistrate Judge Katherine M. Menendez in U.S. District Court in Minneapolis, Minnesota. WEST-PORTER was ordered to remain in custody pending a formal detention hearing, which is scheduled for Thursday, July 23, 2020.
According to allegations in the indictment, on March 6, 2020, WEST-PORTER was found to be in possession of a .40 caliber Glock 22 Gen 4 semi-automatic pistol. Because WEST-PORTER has prior felony convictions in Hennepin County, he is prohibited under federal law from possessing firearms or ammunition at any time.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the Minneapolis Police Department and the FBI. This case was brought as part of the Twin Cities Violent Crime Task Force, a multi-agency effort that brings together additional federal and state resources to assist local law enforcement to investigate, arrest, and prosecute individuals responsible for gun violence in the Twin Cities. For more information about the Twin Cities Violent Crime Task Force, please visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-mn/pr/united-states-attorney-announces-new-twin-cities-violent-crime-task-force.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin A. Wesley is prosecuting the case.
The charges contained in the indictment are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Defendant Information:
TYAIREON MARTEZ WEST-PORTER, 23
Brooklyn Park, Minn.
Charges:
- Felon in possession of a firearm, 1 count
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Boylston Business Owner Sentenced to PrisonRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Boylston man was sentenced today to prison for filing false and fraudulent corporate and individual tax returns.
Robert Fuller, 70, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Timothy S. Hillman to six months in prison, one year of supervised release and ordered to pay restitution of $451,535 to the Internal Revenue Service. In February 2020, Fuller pleaded guilty to a two counts of filing false corporate and personal tax returns.
In 2013, 2014, 2015 and 2016, Fuller, who is the owner of Fuller Motor Home in Boylston, Mass, omitted more than $900,000 in income from his corporate tax returns by cashing checks written to the business and not reporting the cashed checks to his tax preparers. Fuller also failed to report any of this diverted income as income on his personal tax returns as he was required to do.
United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling and Kristina O’Connell, Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigations in Boston made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney John T. Mulcahy of Lelling’s Worcester Branch Office prosecuted the case.
Billings man admits strangling partner on Crow Indian ReservationRead the Press Release
BILLINGS – A Billings man today admitted he strangled his partner during an argument at a residence on the Crow Indian Reservation and also was an habitual domestic assault offender, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.
Leslie Charles Hogan, Jr., 37, pleaded guilty to assault of a dating partner by strangulation and to domestic assault by an habitual offender. Hogan faces a maximum 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release on each crime.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Timothy J. Cavan presided. Hogan was released on conditions pending further proceedings.
The prosecution said in court records that on May 17, 2017, the victim and Hogan, who were in a relationship, were in the victim's residence when the couple got into a verbal argument. The fight turned physical. Hogan pushed and shoved the victim then pushed her up against a wall and strangled her until she was almost unconscious. The assault stopped when another person in the residence struck and pushed Hogan to halt the strangulation.
The victim sought immediate medical attention and experienced pain in her neck and throat. The victim returned to the hospital three days later because she was having problems swallowing.
Hogan has two prior convictions for domestic assault.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Lori Suek is prosecuting the case, which was investigated by the FBI.
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Bay Point Man Charged and Detained on Charges of Distributing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
OAKLAND - Sergio Luiz Cruz Esparza was charged with distribution of child pornography in a criminal complaint, announced United States Attorney David L. Anderson and Homeland Security Investigations Special Agent in Charge Tatum King. Cruz Esparza appeared in federal court today in San Francisco for a detention hearing in the matter before the Honorable U.S. Magistrate Judge Sallie Kim, who detained Cruz Esparza pending trial.
According to an affidavit filed in connection with the complaint, Cruz Esparza, 22, of Bay Point, is alleged to have distributed images of child pornography using social media mobile applications. The affidavit alleges that at least one of the images depicted a minor female committing a sexual act on Cruz Esparza. The affidavit also describes that Cruz Esparza transmitted links to an online cloud storage site to other individuals, one of whom was a law enforcement agent acting in an undercover capacity. Those links led to videos depicting sexually explicit conduct by adult males inflicted on minor females as young as 4 years old.
Cruz Esparza is currently detained, and his next scheduled appearance is at 10:30 a.m on July 29, 2020, for a status conference and preliminary hearing before Magistrate Judge Kim.
A complaint merely alleges that crimes have been committed, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. If convicted, Cruz Esparza faces maximum penalties of 20 years imprisonment with a minimum imprisonment term of 5 years, a life term of supervised release with a minimum supervised release term of 5 years, and a maximum fine of $250,000. However, any sentence following conviction 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.
Jonathan U. Lee is the Assistant U.S. Attorney who is prosecuting the case with the assistance of Jessica Gonzalez Rodriguez and Kathleen Turner. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Silicon Valley Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force.
Bank Robber Sentenced to 216 Months' ImprisonmentRead the Press Release
GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN — U.S. Attorney Andrew Birge announced that David Wilson Floyd, formerly of Michigan City, Indiana, was sentenced to serve 216 months’ imprisonment by U.S. District Judge Paul L. Maloney. Floyd pled guilty in March 2020 to armed bank robbery and attempted bank robbery. Upon release, Floyd will be supervised for 3 years.
On September 9, 2019, Floyd entered the New Buffalo Savings Bank, located in Three Oaks, Michigan, wearing a clear plastic mask. Floyd pointed a handgun at the teller and stated “Get your money out.” Floyd stole $11,344 U.S. currency and fled. On September 18, 2019, Floyd drove to the G.W. Jones Exchange Bank, located in Edwardsburg, Michigan, again wearing a mask and carrying a gun. Floyd attempted to open the door to the bank, but, because the bank closed at noon, the doors were locked. Employees of the bank reported the attempt.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), working with local Indiana and Michigan authorities, investigated and determined Floyd committed the September 9, 2019, armed bank robbery, the September 18, 2019, attempted bank robbery, as well as six additional robberies of convenience stores and gas stations in northern Indiana and southwestern Michigan between June 2019 and September 2019. Floyd was ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $12,294.
“Mr. Floyd did not get much cash, but he did inflict a lot of terror on the employees,” said U.S. Attorney Birge. “And for that he earned the 18 years in prison he received. Crime does not pay in West Michigan.”
“Thanks to the great cooperative work of federal, state, local and Tribal law enforcement agencies, David Floyd is off the street and won’t pose a threat to our communities for years to come,” said Steven M. D’Antuono, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in Michigan.
The case was investigated by the FBI, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Michigan. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristin M. Pinkston represented the United States.
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Baltimore Police Officer Pleads Guilty to Federal Charge of Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland - James Robert Wissmann, IV, age 35, of Baltimore, Maryland, a police officer with the Baltimore City Police Department, pleaded guilty today to possession of child pornography. Baltimore Police Department officials suspended Wissmann on July 31, 2019, after a search at his residence.
The guilty plea was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Robert K. Hur; Special Agent in Charge Jennifer C. Boone of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office; Commissioner Michael Harrison of the Baltimore Police Department; and Chief Melissa R. Hyatt of the Baltimore County Police Department.
According to his guilty plea, starting no later than July 2017, using fake names and fake e-mail addresses, Wissmann created accounts on a mobile application that allows users to join a “room” where they can message, video chat, watch videos and images, and share files, and used those accounts to distribute and receive files of child pornography and to discuss the sexual exploitation of children. The application monitored the activity on its platform and identified Wissmann’s accounts as sharing contraband files, shut down Wissmann’s accounts, and subsequently submitted reports to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (“NCMEC”). Each time Wissmann’s accounts were shut down, Wissmann created a new account, using fake names and e-mail addresses, and continued to share child pornography and discuss child exploitation.
In 2018 and 2019, Wissmann created at least seven separate accounts on the application after being banned based on trafficking in child pornography. On October 11, 2018, the application sent five reports to NCMEC relating to child exploitation activity in Wissmann’s account. All five reports contained images that depict naked prepubescent females.
As detailed in his plea agreement, Wissmann took a variety of steps to avoid detection by the online platforms and law enforcement. Those steps included the use of fake names and e-mail addresses when creating accounts; the purchase of a Virtual Private Network account (a service that lets a user access the web privately by routing the connection through a server and hiding the user’s online actions); the use of the Tor anonymity network (used to conceal a user’s location, usage, and identity); regularly deleting, reinstalling, and then deleting various applications; and by using a file-wiping utility to permanently delete files.
On July 31, 2019, investigators executed a search warrant at Wissmann’s residence and seized Wissmann’s laptop computer, removable digital media, and mobile phones, which he used to commit the offense. During a forensic examination of the seized items, investigators found images and videos of child pornography on Wissmann’s laptop, including images depicting prepubescent minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct.
As a result of his guilty plea, Wissmann will be required to register as a sex offender in the places where he resides, where he is an employee, and where he is a student, under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA).
Wissmann and the government have agreed that, if the Court accepts the plea agreement, Wissmann will be sentenced to at least four years in federal prison, followed by at least 10 years of supervised release. U.S. District Judge George L. Russell, III has scheduled sentencing for October 15, 2020 at 10:00 a.m.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc. For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.justice.gov/psc and click on the "Resources" tab on the left of the page.
United States Attorney Robert K. Hur commended the FBI, the Baltimore City Police Department, and the Baltimore County Police Department for their work in the investigation. Mr. Hur thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul E. Budlow, who is prosecuting the case.
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Alleged Members of La Oficina de Envigado – a Criminal Organization that Provided Enforcement and Collection Services for Medellín Cartel – Arrested for Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
BOSTON – Two Colombian men and two Massachusetts men have been arrested and charged in connection with organized crime in the Republic of Colombia.
Fabio de Jesus Yepes Sanchez, 54, and Mario Zapata Velez, 39, both of Medellín, were charged in indictments unsealed today with conspiracy to commit extortion, conspiracy to commit money laundering, conspiracy to make extortionate threats, interstate travel in aid of racketeering, collection of credit by extortionate means and conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine. Yepes and Zapata were arrested by Colombian authorities on Wednesday, July 15, 2020.
Miguel Colindres, 59, and Juan Pablo Ariasgil, 39, both of Lowell, were indicted today on conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine. Colindres and Ariasgil were previously charged by criminal complaint and arrested on July 15.
According to charging documents, Yepes and Zapata were members of La Oficina de Envigado (La Oficina), a criminal organization based in Medellín, Colombia. La Oficina originated in the 1980s when its members provided enforcement and collection services for the Medellín Cartel, including deceased Medellín Cartel leader Pablo Escobar. Today, La Oficina is allegedly involved in international narcotics trafficking, drug debt collection, money laundering, extortion and murder for hire.
It is alleged that Yepes and Zapata conspired to use threats to extort approximately $750,000 in drug debt from two cocaine traffickers based in Massachusetts. Yepes and Zapata also conspired with Colindres and Ariasgil to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine in Massachusetts. Colindres and Ariasgil also allegedly possessed with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine.
The operation, dubbed “Operation Týr,” was conducted by a multi-agency task force through the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF). The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking, weapons trafficking and money laundering organizations and those primarily responsible for the nation’s illegal drug supply.
The charges of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine provides for a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years and up to life in prison, a minimum of five years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of up to $10 million. The charges of extortion conspiracy and collection of extensions of credit by extortionate means each provide for a sentence up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. The charge of interstate travel in aid of racketeering provides for a sentence of up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. The charges of money laundering and money laundering conspiracy each provide for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $500,000, or twice the value of the property involved in the transaction, whichever is greater. 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 and Brian D. Boyle, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division, made the announcement today. The Criminal Division’s Office of International Affairs of the Justice Department, Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigations in Boston and the Government of Colombia provided critical assistance with the investigation.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
2nd Duquesne Man Charged with Illegal Possession of a Firearm as a FelonRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, PA - A resident of Duquesne, has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh on a charge of violating federal firearms law, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced today.
The one-count Indictment named Aaron Pirl, age 22, as the sole defendant.
According to the Indictment, Pirl was found to be in possession of a firearm after having previously been convicted of a felony.
The law provides for a maximum total sentence of 10 years in prison, a fine of not more than $250,000, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney Rebecca L. Silinski is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives conducted the investigation leading to the Indictment in this case.
An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
20 July 2020
Woodland Man Indicted for Fentanyl Overdose Death and Fentanyl Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — A Woodland resident has been charged by indictment with distribution of fentanyl resulting in an overdose death and with distributing fentanyl on two separate dates after the overdose death, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced.
According to the indictment, Joshua Cabanillas, 20, distributed fentanyl that resulted in the overdose death of a person in Woodland in February 2020. Additionally, Sacramento residents Gregory Tabarez, 22, and Joseph Elijah Cuaron, 20, are charged by complaint with distributing fentanyl alongside Cabanillas.
The complaint alleges that Cabanillas was arrested on May 15, after meeting with Tabarez and Cuaron to distribute an additional 1,000 counterfeit blue “M30” pills containing fentanyl. The counterfeit pills are designed to look like authentic oxycodone hydrochloride 30 mg pills that could be obtained from a pharmacy. Unlike authentic pharmaceuticals, the counterfeit pills are pressed illicitly and actually contain fentanyl.
Today, the United States faces an unprecedented drug epidemic. The Centers for Disease Control estimates that more than 70,000 Americans died of drug overdoses in 2019. Many of these deaths are attributed to the increased abuse of potent and dangerous synthetic opioids like fentanyl. The Drug Enforcement Administration has reported that fentanyl-containing counterfeit pills continue to be associated with overdose deaths across the country.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation; the Woodland Police Department; the Sacramento County Probation Department; the Sacramento County Sheriff's Department; the Sacramento Police Department; the Yolo County Sheriff’s Office, Coroner Section; the Yolo County District Attorney’s Office; the Yolo County Probation Department; Placer County Sheriff’s Office; the California Highway Patrol; the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, Special Service Unit; and the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, Division of Adult Parole Operations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Vincenza Rabenn is prosecuting the case.
Cabanillas, Tabarez and Cuaron are currently in custody. If convicted of the distribution of fentanyl resulting in death, Cabanillas faces a maximum statutory penalty mandatory minimum of 20 years in prison and a maximum of life in prison. If convicted of the conspiracy or distribution charges, Cabanillas, Tabarez and Cuaron face a maximum statutory penalty of 20 years in prison. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Visiting Stanford University Researcher Charged with VISA FraudRead the Press Release
SAN FRANCISCO – Song Chen has been charged in a criminal complaint with visa fraud in connection with a scheme to lie about her status as an active member of the People’s Republic of China’s military forces while in the United States conducting research at Stanford University, announced United States Attorney David L. Anderson and Federal Bureau of Investigation Special Agent in Charge John L. Bennett. Song made her initial federal court appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Sallie Kim this morning to face the charge.
The allegations describing the crime appear in an affidavit supporting the complaint filed on July 17, 2020. According to the affidavit, Song, 38, a Chinese national, entered the United States on December 23, 2018, using a J-1 non-immigrant visa. Song obtained the J-1 visa, a document “for individuals approved to participate in work-and study-based exchange visitor programs,” with an application she submitted in November 2018. In that application, Song stated that she had served in the Chinese military only from September 1, 2000, through June 30, 2011. She further stated that her employer was “Xi Diaoyutai Hospital” located at “No. 30 Fucheng Road, Beijing, 100142.” Song described herself in her visa application as a neurologist who was coming to the U.S. to conduct research at Stanford University related to brain disease.
The affidavit alleges that these were lies, and that Song was a member of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA), the Chinese military, when she entered and while she was in the United States, and that the hospital she listed on her visa as her employer was a cover for her true employer, the PLA. Specifically, the affidavit identifies four research articles that she co-authored. These articles were identified on a resume that Song submitted to Stanford. The versions of the articles available via open sources on the Internet show her as affiliated with institutions subordinate to the PLA Air Force. Specifically, the articles list Song as affiliated with the Air Force General Hospital in Beijing and the Fourth Military Medical University (FMMU), a PLA Air Force university in Xi’an. In addition, as of July 13, 2020, a Chinese health care website listed Song as an attending physician of the Department of Neurology of the PLA Air Force General Hospital, a hospital that shared an address with the “Xi Diaoyutai Hospital” listed on her visa application. The listing allegedly included a photograph of Song wearing what appears to be a military uniform. Further, an article published in 2015 identifies Song as the doctor at the PLA Air Force hospital who performed the autopsy on the former chief physician of the MRI Department at the hospital.
Finally, according to the affidavit, a search of Song’s external hard drive, recovered pursuant to a court-authorized search warrant, found that, on June 21, 2020, Song had deleted a folder titled, in Chinese, “2018 Visiting School Important Information.” The search recovered deleted documents from this folder. The affidavit alleges that one of the recovered documents was a letter from Song to the Chinese Consulate in New York, which explained that she was extending her time in the United States for another year, and wrote that her stated employer, Beijing Xi Diaoyutai Hospital, is a false front, and that, as a result, she had obtained approval for her extension from the PLA Air Force and FMMU. The letter further allegedly explained that, as these Chinese military approval documents were classified, she could not transmit them online.
Song was charged with obtaining a visa by material false statements, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1546(a).
The complaint merely alleges that a crime has been committed, and Song, like all defendants, is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
If convicted, she faces a maximum statutory penalty of up to 10 years in prison and a fine of $250,000. In addition, the court may order additional terms of supervised release. However, any sentence following conviction would be imposed by the court only after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal statute governing the imposition of a sentence, 18 U.S.C. § 3553.
Song’s next appearance is scheduled for Tuesday, July 21, 2020, before Magistrate Judge Kim for further proceedings regarding detention.
The prosecution is being handled by the Office of the U.S. Attorney, Northern District of California’s Special Prosecutions Section and is the result of an investigation by the FBI.
Virginia Fraudster Pleads Guilty in U.S. District Court in Maryland to Federal Charges of Wire Fraud and Investment Adviser Fraud in Connection with a Scheme to Steal More Than $6 MillionRead the Press Release
Greenbelt, Maryland – Michael Barry Carter, age 47, of Potomac Falls, Virginia, pleaded guilty today to federal charges of wire fraud and investment adviser fraud, in connection with a scheme to steal more than $6 million.
The guilty plea was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Robert K. Hur and Special Agent in Charge Jennifer C. Boone of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office.
“For over 12 years, Michael Carter perpetrated a brazen scheme that defrauded victim account holders whose investments he was supposed to protect,” said U.S. Attorney Robert K. Hur. “When his fraud was discovered, Carter repaid some victims by taking money from other victim accounts. The U.S. Attorney’s Office will do everything we can to ensure that justice is served by holding accountable financial advisers who defraud investors of their life savings.”
According to his guilty plea, from August 7, 2006 to April 29, 2011, and again from November 16, 2011 to July 29, 2019, Carter was employed by a financial institution and worked primarily out of the financial institution’s Tysons Corner, Virginia location. In 2012, Carter was promoted to financial adviser in the wealth management section of the financial institution and was registered to sell securities and act as an investment adviser in Maryland and Virginia, among other locations. Carter managed and had authority over multiple investment accounts maintained by Victims 1 through 5 with the financial institution, which contained a mix of assets including securities and cash deposits. As a financial adviser, Carter was required to manage the victim accounts in the best interests of his clients, consistent with their investment objectives, and not for his personal benefit.
As detailed in the statement of facts, from at least October 2007 to at least July 2019, Carter made numerous unauthorized transactions from the victim accounts for his personal benefit, defrauding Victims 1 through 5 of at least $5 million. To effect the unauthorized wire transfers, Carter caused the submission of an internal bank authorization form that falsely stated that Carter had received verbal client instructions from each victim authorizing the transfer at a specific date and time. Carter caused the wire transfers to be sent to his personal accounts and used the money to pay for his lifestyle expenses, including Carter’s mortgage, credit card bills, and country club membership fees.
Carter’s fraud was first discovered when Victim 1 and her adult daughter attempted to obtain a bridge loan from the financial institution to cover relocation expenses to an assisted living facility in Florida until the sale of Victim 1’s home in Columbia, Maryland, was completed. When they applied for the loan, Victim 1 and her daughter discovered that an $800,000 loan had already been obtained in Victim 1’s name, without Victim 1’s knowledge or permission. The financial institution determined that the disbursement of the loan proceeds went to Carter’s personal bank account and that Carter used his personal e-mail address in furtherance of the fraud. The financial institution then learned that Carter had transferred approximately $5 million in unauthorized funds associated with clients of the financial institution.
On July 29, 2019, Carter was fired from the financial institution. On August 2, 2019, during a call with employees from the financial institution, Carter admitted that he had defrauded the five victims over a period of years, that he had forged clients’ signatures on bank authorization forms, that he had created false financial statements to disguise his theft, and in some cases had mailed those financial statements. With respect to Victim 1, Carter further admitted that he met with the victim at her home and answered Victim 1’s phone in order to authorize the transactions, unbeknownst to Victim 1. Carter did this in order to overcome the financial institution’s multi-factor verification system required to execute the transactions.
According to the plea agreement, during the course of the scheme Carter made at least 53 unauthorized transfers from his clients’ accounts to his own accounts. In addition, Carter admitted that he embezzled over $50,000 from a non-profit sports organization located in Loudoun County, Virginia. In all, Carter stole at least $6,149,162.77. Prior to his offenses being detected, Carter caused $1,794,052.38 to be returned to the victims. After learning that his fraud had been discovered, in October 2019, Carter also repaid the non-profit organization for its loss. Of the total amount repaid, $1,118,318.52 was repaid through transfers Carter made from other victim accounts.
The net proceeds obtained by Carter was at least $4,355,110.39. As part of his plea agreement, Carter will be required to pay a money judgment in that amount.
Carter faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison for wire fraud and a maximum sentence of five years in federal prison for investment adviser fraud. 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. U.S. District Judge Paul W. Grimm has scheduled sentencing for November 9, 2020 at 1:00 p.m.
United States Attorney Robert K. Hur commended the FBI for their work in the investigation and recognized the Securities and Exchange Commission, which has filed a related civil proceeding. Mr. Hur thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Erin B. Pulice and Jennifer L. Wine, who are prosecuting the criminal case.
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U.S. Attorney's Office in New Hampshire Launches Public Service Announcements to Combact Drug and Gun CrimeRead the Press Release
CONCORD – U.S. Attorney Scott W. Murray announced the launch of public service announcements primarily aimed at increasing awareness about drug trafficking and related gun crimes.
The opioid crisis has had a dramatic negative impact on New Hampshire. Several of the public service announcements solicit the public’s assistance in fighting back against drug traffickers. One unfortunate side effect of the opioid crisis is the increased number of incidents where individuals from New Hampshire have traded guns in order to obtain drugs. Drug traffickers actively solicit customers to obtain guns for them. Additionally, convicted felons, individuals convicted of domestic violence, and others who are prohibited from possessing guns often offer money or drugs to get New Hampshire residents to buy guns for them. All of this unlawful conduct presents a serious safety risk to the citizens of the Granite State. The U.S. Attorney’s Office has developed a variety of social media public service announcements in order to educate people about the consequences of these illegal activities.
“Drug trafficking and violent crime jeopardize the safety and security of the citizens of New Hampshire,” said U.S. Attorney Murray. “Armed drug dealers are a menace to everyone. Law enforcement officers are working to protect the community each day. With these public service announcements, we are seeking to raise awareness about these crimes and to solicit the public’s assistance in helping us to make the Granite State safer. A fully informed public is a powerful deterrent against the harm caused by drug traffickers.”
The public service announcements released by the U.S. Attorney’s Office include three 60- second videos and three 30-second videos, as well as three 15- second videos and five 6-second videos on various social media platforms. All of these announcements are available for download. These announcements serve several purposes, including:
• Increasing awareness about the dangers and consequences of exchanging guns for drugs;
• Educating and warning people about the criminal consequences of buying a gun for someone you don’t know or someone who cannot legally possess a gun;
• Addressing the opioid crisis in New Hampshire;
• Educating the public about the damage drug cartels are doing to New Hampshire;
• Sending a message to armed drug dealers that they are the number one prosecution priority for the U.S. Attorney.
Additionally, the audio messages and the messages on social media platforms aim to increase awareness of the dangers and consequences of exchanging guns for drugs and the criminal consequences of buying a gun for someone you don’t know or someone who cannot legally possess a gun.
For more information about the campaign and to see the public service announcements, please visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-nh/crimefreenh.
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U.S. Attorney's Office Partners with the FBI and AARP in North Carolina to Host Facebook Live Seminar About Online Romance Scams Targeting Older AdultsRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of North Carolina, in partnership with the FBI and the AARP in North Carolina, hosted a virtual informational seminar via Facebook Live today, to discuss the rise of online romance
scams targeting older adults and to offer tips on how to avoid becoming a victim of fraud, announced U.S. Attorney Andrew Murray.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, older adults are increasingly turning to the internet to obtain information, stay in touch with loved ones, connect with friends on social media, and form new romantic relationships. Scammers are taking advantage of older Americans’ increased online presence to perpetuate romance scams and steal elder victims’ money and identities, and, even worse, turn older adults into unwitting “money mules.” A money mule is a person that uses an existing or new bank account to conduct wire transfers or other types of financial transactions at the request of a scammer. Typically, the funds the money mules receive and engage in transactions with are proceeds of fraudulent schemes and, in many instances, the account holders are not aware they are being exploited as money mules to carry out financial fraud.
During today’s livestream presentation, Assistant U.S. Attorney and Elder Fraud Coordinator for the Western District Maria Vento, and Supervisory Special Agent for the FBI Brian Cyprian provided an overview of romance scams, money mule schemes and identity theft, and shared useful tips on how to spot those types of scams and how to avoid becoming a victim of fraud. Here are some of the tips shared with the audience:
- Be mindful of what information you post and make public online, as scammers can use details shared on social media and dating sites to better understand and target you.
- If someone contacts you and wants to start a romantic relationship with you, research the person’s photo and profile using online searches to see if the image, name, or details have been used elsewhere.
- Go slowly and ask lots of questions.
- Beware if the individual seems too perfect or quickly asks you to leave a dating service or social media site to communicate directly on your own phone or through a third party app.
- Beware if the individual attempts to isolate you from friends and family or requests inappropriate photos or financial information that could later be used to extort you.
- Beware if the individual promises to meet in person, but always comes up with excuses as to why he or she can’t.
- Never send money to anyone you have only communicated with online or by phone.
- If an online prospect claims to be a United States citizen living or working in another country and asks you for help or money, refer him or her to the local U.S. Embassy or Consulate. If you want to send money, consider using a U.S. Department of State Office of Overseas Citizens Services (OCS) Trust.
- Do not use your personal bank account to transfer money or conduct financial transactions at the direction of someone you met online.
- Do not give out personal information via the phone, mail, or internet/email unless you initiated the contact and are certain you are dealing with a trusted organization or individual.
- Verify requests for personal information from any business or financial institution by contacting them using the main contact information on their official website.
- Do not open, respond to, or click on links contained within unsolicited emails.
- Use strong and different passwords to secure banking accounts, credit accounts, etc., and change passwords and check accounts routinely.
- Limit personal information shared publicly on social networking sites. Never post your full name, Social Security number, address, phone number, or account numbers in publicly accessible sites.
- Regularly obtain and check your credit reports from the three credit bureaus to ensure you recognize all accounts.
- Tell someone you trust if you have become a victim.
- If you suspect fraud or have fallen victim to an online scam report the fraud to the authorities and the dating website.
- Keep in mind that if you send money once, you’ll be a target for life.
- Remember, it’s not rude to say, “NO,” if someone approaches you online.
- A good rule of thumb is, if it’s too good to be true, it’s likely a scam.
To report suspicious activity or if you’ve fallen victim to a scam, please call the Department of Justice’s National Elder Fraud Hotline at 1-833-FRAUD-11 (1-833-372-8311), or online at www.IC3.gov.
For more information about the U.S. Attorney’s Office Elder Justice Initiative, please visit: https://www.justice.gov/usao-wdnc/elder-justice-initiative.
A recording of the seminar can be viewed at https://www.facebook.com/AARPNC/videos/vb.86880509778/291438361931498/?type=2&theater.
Two Individuals Indicted in July Federal Grand JuryRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office announced today the results of the July 2020 Federal Grand Jury.
“The following named individuals have been charged with a federal crime or crimes by the return of an indictment by the Grand Jury. A grand jury Indictment does not constitute evidence of guilt. A grand jury Indictment is a method of bringing formal charges against the defendant. A defendant is presumed innocent of the charges and may not be found guilty unless evidence establishes guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. United States Sentencing Guidelines may be considered, upon conviction, by the sentencing court. Federal prison sentences are non-parolable.”
BILLY RAY FLYNN, age 65, of Stilwell, Oklahoma a/k/a Billy Ray Abbott
Aggravated Sexual Abuse In Indian Country
IncestThe Indictment alleges that from on or about January 31, 2020, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma, in Indian Country, the defendant, BILLY RAY FLYNN a/k/a Billy Ray Abbott, an Indian, did knowingly cause J.F. to engage in a sexual act as defined in Title 18, United States Code, Section 2246, to wit, penetration, however slight, of the vulva of J.F. by the penis, by the use of force against J.F., in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 1153, 2241(a)(1) and 2246, punishable by not more than life imprisonment, a fine up to $250,000.00, or both.
The Indictment further alleges that from on or about January 31, 2020, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma, in Indian Country, the defendant, BILLY RAY FLYNN a/k/a Billy Ray Abbott, an Indian, did fornicate with J.F., a person within the degrees of consanguinity within which marriages are by the laws of Oklahoma declared incestuous and void, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 1153 and 13; Title 21, Oklahoma Statutes, Section 885, punishable by not more than 10 years imprisonment, a fine up to $250,000.00, or both.
The charges arose from an investigation by the Cherokee Nation Marshal Service and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Special Assistant United States Attorney Courtney Jordan
DARIN DAWAYNE TATE, age 42, of Broken Bow, Oklahoma
Felon In Possession Of Ammunition
The Indictment alleges that on or about March 4, 2020, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma the defendant, DARIN DAWAYNE TATE, having previously been convicted of a crime punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year, and knowing of such conviction, did knowingly possess in and affecting commerce, ammunition which had been shipped and transported in interstate and foreign commerce, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922(g)(1) and 924(a)(2), punishable by not more than 10 years imprisonment, a fine up to $250,000.00, or both.
The charges arose from an investigation by the Idabel Police Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration.
Assistant United States Attorney Ryan Heatherman
Three Alabama U.S. Attorneys Warn of Misleading Information and Fake Documents Regarding Face Mask ExemptionsRead the Press Release
Montgomery, Alabama – The three United States Attorneys in Alabama join together to warn citizens that cards and other documents bearing the Department of Justice seal and claiming that individuals are exempt from face mask requirements are fraudulent.
Inaccurate flyers or other postings have been circulating on the web and via social media channels regarding the use of face masks and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Many of these notices include the use of the Department of Justice seal and the Civil Rights Division’s ADA Information Line phone number.
As stated in a previous alert, the Department of Justice did not issue and does not endorse them in any way. The public should not rely on the information contained in these postings.
The ADA does not provide a blanket exemption to people with disabilities from complying with legitimate safety requirements necessary for safe operations. The public can visit ADA.gov or call the ADA Information Line at 800-514-0301 (voice) and 800-514-0383 (TTY) for more information.
The Department of Justice Will Host a Virtual Press Conference Announcing Criminal Charges in a National Security Cyber MatterRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON -- Assistant Attorney General for National Security John C. Demers, FBI Deputy Director David L. Bowdich, U.S. Attorney William D. Hyslop for the Eastern District of Washington, and Special Agent in Charge Ray P. Duda of the FBI Seattle Field Office will participate in a press conference announcing charges in a national security cyber matter.
Following the press conference, reporters may stay on the line for a background briefing on the indictment with a DOJ prosecutor.
WHEN: Tuesday, July 21, 2020, at 11:30 a.m. EST
WHERE: JUSTICE.GOV/LIVE
POOL CAMERA: CNN will be the POOL camera for the event.
NOTE: Members of the news media who wish to only listen/watch to the press conference are encouraged to view it online at www.justice.gov/live. News media who wish to participate in the questions and answers session in this virtual press conference must RSVP to www.justice.gov/mediarsvp with the email address of the person(s) attending the event. Participant dial-in information will only be provided to members of the news media that properly RSVP.
Any inquiries regarding logistics should be directed to [email protected].Tax Evasion Charge Added in Case of Southern California Man Accused of Health Care FraudRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Ore.—U.S. Attorney Billy J. Williams announced today that Matthew Hogan Peters, 36, of Dana Point, California, has been charged by superseding information with healthcare fraud and tax evasion.
Peters, who owned and operated local compounding pharmacies, was previously indicted by a federal grand jury on December 19, 2019, on charges that he submitted dozens of fraudulent patient attestations in support of reimbursement claims to CVS Caremark, a national pharmacy benefit manager.
“Seeking to defraud pharmaceutical insurance providers is a crime that impacts all Americans in the form of increased health care costs. Mr. Peters added to Americans’ shared losses resulting from his crimes by further depriving the U.S. of millions in personal income taxes owed,” said U.S. Attorney Williams. “These charges demonstrate our commitment to stopping health care fraud in any form and preventing anyone from cheating the IRS.”
“When people infect our health care system with fraudulent schemes as Peters has done, everyone pays. The greed and the self-dealing of scams like this one impact not only the insurance companies and federal health programs like Medicare and Medicaid, but all Americans who depend on affordable health care options to take care of their families,” said Renn Cannon, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in Oregon.
“Mr. Peters made calculated decisions to divert health care fraud proceeds with the intent of evading his more than $5 million dollar tax liability. His actions hurt all Americans who pay their fair share of taxes,” said IRS-Criminal Investigation Special Agent in Charge Justin Campbell.
The new charges, filed today, accuse Peters of willfully evading the payment of approximately $5.49 million in federal income taxes from 2014 through 2017. Peters is accused of diverting millions of dollars in corporate revenue for various personal uses, including funding real estate projects in Belize and purchasing homes in Incline Village, Nevada, and San Carlos and Laguna Beach, California.
Peters owned and operated Professional Center 205 Pharmacy and Portland Professional Pharmacy, compounding pharmacies located in Southeast Portland. The pharmacies filled prescriptions for, among other things, compounded pain creams, a lucrative line of products. Private and federal healthcare insurance programs reimburse compounding pharmacies for such creams at rates far higher than comparable over-the-counter or bulk-manufactured medications.
CVS Caremark administered prescription drug benefits for many patients the pharmacies served. From April 1, 2014, through May 15, 2015, Peters sought reimbursements of more than $3.4 million from CVS Caremark, which in turn paid him nearly $1.69 million. In mid-2015, CVS Caremark audited Professional Center Pharmacy’s claims for reimbursement and identified approximately 185 claims that lacked records proving customers’ receipt of medications.
Facing possible suspension from CVS Caremark’s network, Peters submitted documentation to explain the discrepancies identified in the audit. This documentation included 41 written attestations, each purporting to bear the electronic signature of an individual patient, confirming that the patient received the prescription in question. Peters is alleged to have created each of their electronic signatures himself.
Peters will remain on pre-trial release pending a four-day jury trial scheduled to begin on September 8, 2020.
This case was investigated by the FBI, IRS Criminal Investigation, the Offices of Inspectors General for the United States Postal Service and the Departments of Labor and Health and Human Services, the United States Postal Inspection Service, and the Defense Criminal Investigative Service. It is being prosecuted by Ryan W. Bounds and Seth D. Uram, Assistant U.S. Attorneys, and Elizabeth Ballard Colgrove, Special Assistant U.S. Attorney, for the District of Oregon.
A criminal information is only an accusation of a crime, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
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.
Statement by Attorney General William P. Barr on the Killing of Judge Salas’ Son and the Shooting of Her HusbandRead the Press Release
Attorney General William P. Barr has issued the following statement:
“On behalf of the entire Justice Department, I send my deepest condolences to Judge Salas and her family on the death of their son and wish her husband a swift and complete recovery. This kind of lawless, evil action carried out against a member of the federal judiciary will not be tolerated, and I have ordered the full resources of the FBI and U.S. Marshals Service to investigate the matter.”
Statement of Acting U.S. Attorney Audrey Strauss on the Resentencing of Sheldon SilverRead the Press Release
“Twice convicted by unanimous juries for abusing his powerful state office to enrich himself, Sheldon Silver will now finally report to prison to begin serving a sentence that can begin to repair the harm his conduct caused to the people of this District and to their trust in local government. I commend the career prosecutors and agents who have seen this case through two trials and two appeals, ensuring that Silver’s crimes did not go unpunished and proving once again that this Office and our law enforcement partners will never stop pursuing corruption, without fear or favor, at all levels of government.”
Statement from U.S. Attorney’s OfficeRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – The FBI has identified Roy Den Hollander as the primary subject in the attack that occurred at the home of the Honorable Esther Salas on July 19, 2020. Den Hollander is now deceased. The investigation remains ongoing. Individuals who believe they have information relevant to the investigation should contact FBI-Newark at 973-792-3000, press option 2.
Santa Clara Man Charged with Running Bogus Artificial Intelligence Investment Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
SAN FRANCISCO – A criminal complaint was unsealed today in federal court alleging that Shaukat Shamim fraudulently obtained millions of dollars in venture capital funding for an artificial intelligence company by making false and misleading statements about the company’s technology and its revenue, announced United States Attorney David L. Anderson and Federal Bureau Investigation Special Agent in Charge John L. Bennett. Shamim is charged in the complaint with one count of securities fraud and one count of wire fraud.
“Silicon Valley is a global leader when it comes to ingenuity and entrepreneurship. Fraud is neither ingenuity nor entrepreneurship. We are committed to protecting the Valley’s innovation leaders from fraudulent investment schemes,” said U.S. Attorney David L. Anderson.
“The FBI will not allow deceit, corporate greed, and federal criminal activity to run rampant in Silicon Valley," said FBI Special Agent in Charge John F. Bennett. "This scheme allegedly falsified revenue and faked clients to swindle investors of over $17 million."
According to the complaint, beginning in 2013, Shamim, 49, of Santa Clara, is alleged to have raised over $17 million in funds for his startup company, Youplus. To woo investors, Shamim lied about the number of clients who had purchased Youplus’ software, and about Youplus’ revenue. In particular, Shamim is alleged to have provided investors with a fake bank statement in August of 2019 showing that Youplus had over $600,000 in revenue from 35 different client companies, including Coca-Cola, Kraft, and Netflix, when the true bank statement showed only one client, providing $65,000 in revenue. The complaint also alleges that Shamim used investor funds on personal expenses, including purchases at luxury clothing, eyewear, and duty-free stores.
Shamim also allegedly claimed that Youplus had developed proprietary artificial intelligence software that could interpret video reviews posted by customers of particular products, enabling the companies behind those products to analyze how their brands were trending online. Shamim allegedly pitched Youplus’s software as the “world’s first Video Opinion Search engine,” telling investors that “similar to how Google is indexing the textual web by looking inside and indexing keywords, Youplus is using computer vision, audio, and text analysis to look inside videos” to understand market trends. According to the complaint, though, Youplus had not developed AI that could perform these functions. Instead, a review of the software and the company suggested that Youplus was paying workers through its corporate offices in India to watch videos and record their impressions. In other words, the market analysis Youplus was producing was the result of human intelligence, rather than AI software.
Shamim was served with a summons today in Santa Clara, ordering him to appear in federal court on Tuesday, July 21, 2020, in San Francisco.
A complaint merely alleges that crimes have been committed, and Shamim is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. If convicted of wire fraud under 18 U.S.C. § 1343 (wire fraud), Shamim faces a maximum sentence of 20 years’ imprisonment, a fine of $250,000, and restitution if appropriate. If convicted of securities fraud under 15 U.S.C. § 78j(b) and 78ff, and 17 C.F.R. § 240.10b-5, Shamim faces a maximum sentence of 20 years’ imprisonment, a fine of $5,000,000, and restitution if appropriate. However, any sentence following conviction 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.
The case is being prosecuted by the Corporate Fraud Strike Force of the U.S. Attorney’s Office. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The United States Attorney’s Office and the Federal Bureau of Investigation also thank the San Francisco Regional Office of the Securities and Exchange Commission, which conducted a parallel investigation that was also announced today.
Rochester Man Sentenced to 262 Months in Prison for Methamphetamine DistributionRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Erica H. MacDonald today announced the sentencing of DWIGHT FREDERICK BARNES, 50, to 262 months in prison for distributing methamphetamine. On February 7, 2020, following a seven-day jury trial, BARNES was convicted by a federal jury on one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. BARNES was sentenced today before Judge Nancy E. Brasel in U.S. District Court in St. Paul, Minnesota.
As proven at trial, between May 12, 2017, and October 20, 2017, BARNES received at least four packages, sent from the west coast, containing methamphetamine, which he sold in Rochester, Minnesota. On October 20, 2017, the Rochester Police Department seized a fifth package sent by BARNES that contained two pounds of methamphetamine.
This case was the result of an investigation conducted by the Rochester Police Department, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the United States Postal Inspection Service, and the FBI.
Assistant United States Attorney LeeAnn K. Bell prosecuted the case.
Defendant Information:
DWIGHT FREDERICK BARNES, 50
Rochester, Minn.
Convicted:
- Conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, 1 count
Sentenced:
- 262 months in prison
- 10 years of supervised release
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United States Attorney’s Office, District of Minnesota: (612) 664-5600
Rapid City Woman Sentenced on Firearm ChargeRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced that a Rapid City, South Dakota, woman convicted of Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person was sentenced on July 20, 2020, by Chief Judge Roberto A. Lange, U.S. District Court.
Journey Austin, age 24, was sentenced to 14 months in federal prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release, forfeiture of firearms and ammunition, and a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $100.
Austin was indicted by a federal grand jury on March 9, 2020. She pled guilty on May 6, 2020.
The conviction stemmed from an incident that occurred on November 12, 2019. Following a routine traffic stop, law enforcement found and seized firearms and ammunition from the car. Austin admitted being a user of and addicted to a controlled substance, methamphetamine, making it illegal for her to possess firearms. Austin’s DNA was located on the magazine of one of the firearms. Austin will forfeit ownership of the firearms and ammunition seized in this case to the United States.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. The Department of Justice reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of its renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and local communities to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime.
This case is also part of Project Guardian, the Department of Justice’s signature initiative to reduce gun violence and enforce federal firearms laws. Initiated by the Attorney General in the fall of 2019, Project Guardian draws upon the Department’s past successful programs to reduce gun violence; enhances coordination of federal, state, local, and tribal authorities in investigating and prosecuting gun crimes; improves information-sharing by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives when a prohibited individual attempts to purchase a firearm and is denied by the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS), to include taking appropriate actions when a prospective purchaser is denied by the NICS for mental health reasons; and ensures that federal resources are directed at the criminals posing the greatest threat to our communities. For more information about Project Guardian, please see: https://www.justice.gov/projectguardian.
This case was investigated by the Rosebud Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Elmore prosecuted the case.
Austin was immediately turned over to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Presidential Task Force on Missing and Murdered American Indians and Alaska Natives Announces Virtual ConsultationsRead the Press Release
The Presidential Task Force on Missing and Murdered American Indians and Alaska Natives announced 12 Tribal consultations to occur virtually across the United States in the coming months.
American Indians and Alaska Natives experience disproportionately high rates of violence. President Trump has called the crisis of missing and murdered Native Americans “sobering and heartbreaking.”
The Presidential Task Force on Missing and Murdered American Indians and Alaska Natives, also known as Operation Lady Justice, announces the upcoming series of Tribal consultations under Executive Order 13898. The Executive Order requires the Task Force to “conduct appropriate consultations with Tribal governments on the scope and nature of the issues regarding missing and murdered American Indians and Alaska Natives.” While the Task Force had plans in place for a robust schedule of consultations and listening sessions in various locations in Indian country and elsewhere beginning in March, postponement of those sessions was required by the current public health crisis. Therefore, the Task Force has established a series of Tribal consultations to be held virtually. The sessions are regional, based on Bureau of Indian Affairs regions. The schedule, link to register, Dear Tribal Leader letter and framing paper are available on the Operation Lady Justice website, which can be found at OperationLadyJustice.usdoj.gov.
Confirmed Dates and TimesAugust 17th, 1:30 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. Eastern
- BIA Eastern Region – Virtual Consultation via WebEx.
August 19th, 1:30 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. Eastern
- BIA Midwest Region – Virtual Consultation via WebEx.
August 21st, 1:30 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. Eastern
- BIA Southern Plains and Eastern Oklahoma Regions – Virtual Consultation via WebEx.
August 25th, 1:30 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. Eastern
- BIA Great Plains and Rocky Mountain Regions – Virtual Consultation via WebEx.
August 27th, 1:30 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. Eastern
- BIA Southwest Region – Virtual Consultation via WebEx.
August 31st, 1:30 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. Eastern
- BIA Northwest Region – Virtual Consultation via WebEx.
September 2nd, 1:30 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. Eastern
- BIA Western and Navajo Regions – Virtual Consultation via WebEx.
September 4th, 1:30 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. Eastern
- BIA Pacific Region First session – Virtual Consultation via WebEx.
September 8th, 1:30 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. Eastern
- BIA Pacific Region Second Session – Virtual Consultation via WebEx.
September 10th, 1:30 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. Eastern
- BIA Alaska Region First Session – Virtual Consultation via WebEx.
September 14th, 1:30 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. Eastern
- BIA Alaska Region Second Session – Virtual Consultation via WebEx.
September 17th, 1:30 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. Eastern
- Final session for any leader who could not make their scheduled Regional Session via WebEx.
The members of the Task Force are:
- Katharine (Katie) Sullivan, Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General, Office of Justice Programs, designee for the Attorney General;
- Tara Sweeney, Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs, designee for the Secretary of the Interior;
- Terry Wade, Executive Assistant Director, Criminal, Cyber, Response, and Services Branch, Federal Bureau of Investigation;
- Laura Rogers, Acting Director, Office on Violence Against Women;
- Charles (Charlie) Addington, Deputy Bureau Director, Bureau of Indian Affairs, Office of Justice Services;
- Trent Shores, U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Oklahoma and Chair of the Native American Issues Subcommittee of the Attorney General’s Advisory Committee; and
- Jean (Jeannie) Hovland, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Native American Affairs and Commissioner, Administration for Native Americans, Department of Health and Human Services.
Marcia Good of the Department of Justice serves as the Executive Director of the Task Force. The Task Force will present a progress report to the President by Nov. 26, 2020, and a final report detailing its activities and accomplishments by Nov. 26, 2021.
The year 2020 marks the 150th anniversary of the Department of Justice. Learn more about the history of the Department of Justice at www.Justice.gov/Celebrating150Years. 2020 also marks 171st anniversary of the Department of the Interior. Learn more about the history of DOI at www.doi.gov/history/.
Pittsburgh Resident Pleads Guilty to Narcotics Trafficking for DS44 Neighborhood GangRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, PA - A resident of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty in federal court to a charge of narcotics trafficking in connection with a large-scale investigation conducted by the Greater Pittsburgh Safe Streets Task Force, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced today.
Ronika Somerville, 23, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute heroin and fentanyl before United States District Judge William S. Stickman IV. The defendant acknowledged her responsibility for the distribution of six grams of a mixture of heroin and fentanyl. Ms. Somerville was one of 37 defendants charged in the original Indictment and is one of 22 defendants charged in the Superseding Indictment.
In connection with the guilty plea, the court was advised that in 2017, the Greater Pittsburgh Safe Streets Task Force, led by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, initiated an investigation primarily targeting the Darccide/Smash 44, or DS44, neighborhood gang, and drug-trafficking activity in and around the South Side area of Pittsburgh. As part of this large-scale narcotics and firearms investigation, the United States received authorization to conduct a federal wire investigation, which continued through June of 2019. Intercepted communications revealed that Ronika Somerville was involved in the distribution of heroin and fentanyl. Specifically, Ms. Somerville conducted narcotics transactions on behalf of her brother and codefendant, Ronald Williams, by obtaining the drugs from stash locations and physically distributing heroin and fentanyl to customers.
Judge Stickman scheduled sentencing for December 1, 2020, at 10:30 am. The law provides for a total sentence of 20 years in prison, a fine of $1,000,000, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant. Ms. Somerville remains on bond pending sentencing.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation led the multi-agency investigation of this case, which also included the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives, Allegheny County Adult Probation, Allegheny County Police Department, Allegheny County Sheriff’s Office, Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office Bureau of Narcotics, Pittsburgh Bureau of Police, and the Wilkinsburg Police Department. Other assisting agencies include the Green Tree Police Department, New York City Police Department, Mount Oliver Police Department, Pennsylvania State Police, Yonkers Police Department, United States Marshals Fugitive Task Force, and the United States Postal Inspection Service.
The investigation was funded by the federal Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force Program (OCDETF). The OCDETF program supplies critical federal funding and coordination that allows federal and state agencies to work together to successfully identify, investigate, and prosecute major interstate and international drug trafficking organizations and other criminal enterprises.
Pierre Man Sentenced on Firearm ChargeRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced that a Pierre, South Dakota, man convicted of Prohibited Person in Possession of a Firearm was sentenced on July 20, 2020, by Chief Judge Roberto A. Lange, U.S. District Court.
Kyle Bordeaux, age 27, was sentenced to time served, totaling 144 days in federal prison, 2 years of supervised release, a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $100, and ordered to forfeit a .45 AUTO caliber, semi-automatic pistol.
Bordeaux was indicted by a federal grand jury on February 11, 2020. He pled guilty on May 5, 2020.
The conviction stemmed from an incident that occurred on March 16, 2019, in Hughes County, where Bordeaux knowingly being an unlawful user of and addicted to a controlled substance, knowingly possessed a .45 AUTO caliber, semi-automatic pistol.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. The Department of Justice reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of its renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and local communities to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime.
This case is also part of Project Guardian, the Department of Justice’s signature initiative to reduce gun violence and enforce federal firearms laws. Initiated by the Attorney General in the fall of 2019, Project Guardian draws upon the Department’s past successful programs to reduce gun violence; enhances coordination of federal, state, local, and tribal authorities in investigating and prosecuting gun crimes; improves information-sharing by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives when a prohibited individual attempts to purchase a firearm and is denied by the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS), to include taking appropriate actions when a prospective purchaser is denied by the NICS for mental health reasons; and ensures that federal resources are directed at the criminals posing the greatest threat to our communities. For more information about Project Guardian, please see: https://www.justice.gov/projectguardian.
This case was investigated by the Northern Plains Safe Trails Drug Enforcement Task Force, the Pierre Police Department, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorney Meghan N. Dilges prosecuted the case.
Obion County Resident Sentenced to Federal Prison for Drug DistributionRead the Press Release
Jackson, TN – Nakeia Shakiece Smith, 27, has been sentenced to federal prison for 18 months for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, cocaine base and cocaine. D. Michael Dunavant, U.S. Attorney announced the sentence today.
According to information presented in court, on April 17, 2019, the Fulton County, Kentucky Sheriff’s Office conducted a traffic stop for a window tint violation on the defendant’s vehicle and discovered a large amount of money and five cell phones. Smith admitted that she was delivering narcotics for her boyfriend Jamal Rollins, in Union City, Tennessee.
When law enforcement from Kentucky and Obion County arrived at her residence in Obion County, the defendant was advised of her Miranda rights, and agreed to speak with law enforcement. While searching the residence, deputies found a Sentry safe in Smith’s bedroom which contained cocaine, crack cocaine, methamphetamine, digital scales, seven amphetamine pills, and a Smith & Wesson .45 caliber handgun.
Again, Smith admitted to distributing narcotics for her boyfriend Rollins while he was in jail during the past several weeks. Rollins would tell her where to pick up bottles filled with narcotics; Smith would then deliver the drugs to several individuals in the Union City, Tennessee area.
The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation forensic laboratory tested the narcotics confiscated from Smith and determined that she possessed 44.19 grams of cocaine, 6.21 grams of crack cocaine, and 1.45 grams of methamphetamine.
U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant said, "The U.S. Attorney’s Office is a full-service federal prosecution office, and we have the ability and intention to charge any violations of federal law, no matter where they occur in the Western District of Tennessee. This case demonstrates our focus on the priority area of interstate narcotics distribution that impacts public safety in our rural communities, and we appreciate the partnerships with our local law enforcement agencies in Obion County."
On December 11, 2019, the defendant pled guilty to one count of possessing with the intent to distribute methamphetamine, cocaine base, and cocaine.
On June 16, 2020, U.S. Senior District Court Judge J. Daniel Breen sentenced the defendant to 18 months in prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
This case was investigated by the Obion County, Tennessee Sheriff’s Department and the Fulton County, Kentucky Sheriff’s Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Josh Morrow prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
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Nora Springs Man Sentenced to 40 Years in Federal Prison for Child Sexual Exploitation OffensesRead the Press Release
A man who sexually exploited two children and possessed child pornography was sentenced today to 40 years in federal prison.
Aaron Olson, age 36, of Nora Springs, Iowa, received the sentence after a December 6, 2019 guilty plea to two counts of possession of child pornography, including depictions involving prepubescent children. In a plea agreement, Olson agreed to be sentenced to 40 years’ imprisonment. Evidence at the sentencing hearing established that Olson produced child pornography images of two children.
Olson was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams. Olson was sentenced to 480 months’ imprisonment. Olson must also serve a five-year term of supervised release. He must comply with all sex offender registration and public notification requirements.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Mark Tremmel and was investigated by the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation and the Nora Springs Police Department.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab “resources.”
Court file information is available at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is CR 19-2029.
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Native Mob Gang Member Charged with Illegally Possessing A FirearmRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Erica H. MacDonald today announced a criminal complaint charging CHARLES THOMAS ORTLEY, 30, with one count of possession of a firearm by a felon. ORTLEY made his initial appearance today before Magistrate Judge Katherine M. Menendez in U.S. District Court in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
According to the allegations in the criminal complaint and law enforcement affidavit, on April 21, 2020, the Minnesota State Patrol (MSP) conducted a traffic stop of a Chevrolet Suburban for speeding. ORTLEY was identified as the front seat passenger. During a search of the vehicle, officers found a bag that contained a Sig Sauer P224 .40 caliber handgun, two small notebooks, a digital scale, and three Native Mob related medallions. One of the notebooks contained online account user name and passwords in the name of “ortleycharles.” Officers also recovered from the glovebox approximately 45 separate bindles of heroin. Because ORTLEY has prior felony convictions in Hennepin County, he is prohibited under federal law from possessing firearms at any time.
On June, 30, 2020, ORTLEY was charged by the Hennepin County Attorney’s Office with one count of illegal possession of a firearm and one count of second-degree assault in connection with a shooting that occurred on June 25, 2020, in south Minneapolis.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Minneapolis Police Department, the Minnesota State Patrol, and the White Earth Police Department. This case was brought as part of the Twin Cities Violent Crime Task Force, a multi-agency effort that brings together additional federal and state resources to assist local law enforcement to investigate, arrest, and prosecute individuals responsible for gun violence in the Twin Cities. For more information about the Twin Cities Violent Crime Task Force, please visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-mn/pr/united-states-attorney-announces-new-twin-cities-violent-crime-task-force.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Bradley M. Endicott is prosecuting the case.
The charges contained in the complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Defendant Information:
CHARLES THOMAS ORTLEY, 30
Minneapolis, Minn.
Charges:
- Felon in possession of a firearm, 1 count
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United States Attorney’s Office, District of Minnesota: (612) 664-5600
Missouri Man Sentenced to 84 Months after Pleading Guilty to Child Pornography ChargesRead the Press Release
Montgomery, Alabama – On Tuesday, July 14, 2020, Christopher Dean Miers, a 33-year-old former United States Marine Corps recruiter from Missouri, was sentenced to 84 months in prison after pleading guilty to child pornography charges, announced United States Attorney Louis V. Franklin, Sr. Miers was also ordered to serve five years of supervised release after he completes his prison sentence. There is no parole in the federal system.
According to court documents, from about February 2019, until April 2019, while living on Fort Rucker, Miers was utilizing the internet to access peer-to-peer file sharing networks in order to receive and distribute child pornography. On May 1, 2019, law enforcement obtained a search warrant and found illegal content on his computer, including at least 197 images and 248 videos depicting child porn. Among them were pictures of prepubescent children, as well as sadistic and masochistic images.
On January 15, 2020, Miers was indicted by a federal grand jury for distribution, receipt, and possession of child pornography. He was arrested the following day and has remained in custody since. He pleaded guilty to all three charges on March 23, 2020.
The United States Army Criminal Investigation Command (CID) Major Cybercrime Unit (MCU) investigated this case, with assistance from the Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS). Assistant United States Attorney Hollie Reed prosecuted the case.
Minnesota Man Sentenced for Delivering Methamphetamine to WausauRead the Press Release
Madison, Wis. – Scott C. Blader, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Dao Thao, 40, Saint Paul, Minnesota, was sentenced on July 17 by Chief U.S. District Judge James D. Peterson to five years in federal prison for distributing methamphetamine. Thao pleaded guilty to this charge on March 2, 2020.
Thao possessed methamphetamine with intent to deliver to a local drug trafficker in Wausau, Wisconsin on June 19, 2019. On that date Thao possessed over 114 grams of almost pure methamphetamine. Telephone records confirmed that Thao delivered at least the same amount on one other occasion in the weeks leading up to his arrest. Telephone records also confirmed that Thao had been distributing various drugs for the year prior to his arrest in this case.
While records indicate Thao had been engaging in this behavior for at least a year, Judge Peterson considered Thao’s limited criminal history in arriving at an appropriate sentence.
The charge against Dao Thao was the result of an investigation conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation; Central Wisconsin Narcotics Task Force; Marathon County Sheriff’s Office; Wisconsin Department of Justice Division of Criminal Investigation; Wausau Police Department; Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office; National Guard Counterdrug Program; Wisconsin State Patrol; and Everest Metro Police Department. The prosecution of the case has been handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Diane Schlipper.
Miami Beach Man Who Stole Millions from Miccosukee Tribe’s Casino and Woman Who Helped Him Launder It Sentenced to Federal Prison TermsRead the Press Release
Miami, Fl. - Today, U.S. District Judge Darrin P. Gayles, sentenced 44-year-old Lester Lavin to 51 months in federal prison for his role in a computer fraud scheme that he and his co-workers created and used to steal over $5 million from their casino employer, Miccosukee Indian Gaming. Judge Gayles also sentenced Lavin’s girlfriend, Anisleydi Vergel Hermida, 31, of Miami Beach, to six months’ imprisonment for helping Lavin launder his cut of the stolen money.
Ariana Fajardo Orshan, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, George L. Piro, Special Agent in Charge, FBI, Miami Field Office, and Roland D. Pandolfi, Chief of Police, Miccosukee Police Department, made the announcement.
Lavin worked for Miccosukee Indian Gaming, at its casino, for 12 years -- from 2003 to 2015. For the first six years, Lavin worked as a video technician at the casino, servicing the casino’s electronic gaming machines such as video slot machines. In 2009, Miccosukee Indian Gaming promoted Lavin to Video Supervisor. Two years into his new job, in 2011, Lavin began conspiring with his own supervisor, Michel Aleu, two of his video technicians, Yohander Jorrin Melhen, and Leonardo Betancourt, and others, to steal money from the casino. To accomplish their theft, Lavin and his co-conspirators tampered with the gaming machines’ computers, causing the machines to generate credit vouchers or tickets falsely showing that they had won money. Other members of the conspiracy, who did not work at the casino, would then exchange the credit vouchers for cash at ATMs located on the casino floor and at floor cashiers. Lavin and his co-conspirators perpetrated their fraud and embezzlement scheme for more than four years. From January 2011 through May 2015, they stole about $5.3 million from the Miccosukee Indian Gaming casino.
Among other things, Lavin used his share of the stolen money to purchase a condominium in Miami Beach, to pay down various debts, including mortgages on properties in Miami-Dade County, and to purchase Florida Prepaid College Plans for two of his children. Lavin laundered at least $654,150 of fraud proceeds, on his own, and with help from others, including his co-defendant, Vergel Hermida. Lavin and Vergel Hermida lived together in the Miami Beach condominium that Lavin purchased with fraud money.
On December 19, 2019, Lavin pleaded guilty to three counts in the indictment charging him with conspiracy to steal funds in excess of $1,000 from Miccosukee Indian Gaming, conspiracy to commit computer fraud, and conspiracy to commit money laundering. On January 9, 2020, Vergel Hermida pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit money laundering. As part of their pleas, Lavin and Vergel Hermida agreed to forfeit Lavin’s Miami Beach condominium, another residential property in Miami, and the Florida Prepaid College Plans.
Six other defendants have pleaded guilty, and are awaiting sentencing later this month and in August 2020. Michel Aleu, Yohander Jorrin Melhen, and Leonardo Betancourt, all former employees and licensees of Miccosukee Indian Gaming, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to steal funds in excess of $1,000 from Miccosukee Indian Gaming, conspiracy to commit computer fraud, and conspiracy to commit money laundering offenses. Their respective spouses and co-defendants, Maria Del Pilar Aleu, Milagros Marile Acosta Torres, and Yusmary Shirley Duran pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit money laundering offenses.
U.S. Attorney Fajardo-Orshan commended the investigative efforts of the FBI and the Miccosukee Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Dwayne E. Williams prosecuted this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicole Grosnoff is handling asset forfeiture.
You may find a copy of this press release on the website of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida at www.usdoj.gov/usao/fls.
You may find related court documents and information 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, under Case No. 19-20435-Cr-Gayles.
Long Island Felon Sentenced to Nearly 9 Years in Prison for Possessing a Loaded Firearm in Furtherance of Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Hassan Raheem, age 43, of Uniondale, New York, was sentenced today to 106 months in prison for possessing and intending to distribute crack cocaine, and possessing a loaded firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
The announcement was made by United States Attorney Grant C. Jaquith and John B. Devito, Special Agent in Charge of the New York Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).
United States Senior District Judge Frederick J. Scullin, Jr. also ordered that Raheem serve a 3-year term of supervised release following his release from prison.
As part of his December 3, 2019 guilty plea, Raheem, who has 6 prior felony convictions, admitted that on July 26, 2016, he possessed a loaded .22 caliber semiautomatic pistol and 17 grams of crack cocaine packaged for distribution at a motel in Colonie, New York. He further admitted that he intended to sell the crack cocaine, and that he possessed the pistol in order to guard against the potential theft of his drugs and drug proceeds.
This case was investigated by ATF and the Colonie Police Department, and was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Emmet O’Hanlon
Lebanese National Sentenced to 42 Months in Prison for Illegally Exporting Drone Parts and TechnologyRead the Press Release
Assistant Attorney General for National Security John C. Demers and U.S. Attorney Erica H. MacDonald for the District of Minnesota today announced the sentencing of Usama Darwich Hamade, 55, to 42 months in prison, for conspiring to illegally export goods and technology in violation of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA), the Export Administration Regulations, the Arms Export Control Act, and the International Traffic in Arms Regulations. The sentence was handed down by Chief Judge John R. Tunheim in U.S. District Court in Minneapolis, Minn.
According to the defendant’s guilty plea and documents filed in court, from 2009 through 2011, Hamade conspired with others to export U.S. origin goods and technology including inertial measurement units suitable for use in uncrewed aerial vehicles, or “UAVs,” digital compasses suitable for UAV use, a jet engine, piston engines, and recording binoculars, without obtaining the required export licenses from the U.S. Department of Commerce and the U.S. Department of State, in violation of IEEPA, the Export Administration Regulations, the Arms Export Control Act, and the International Traffic in Arms Regulations. According to evidence presented by the government, the ultimate beneficiary of Hamade’s actions was the designated foreign terrorist organization Hizballah.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI, the U.S. Department of Commerce Office of Export Enforcement, and Homeland Security Investigations.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys John Docherty and David MacLaughlin and Trial Attorney David Recker of the National Security Division.
Lebanese National Sentenced to 42 Months in Prison for Illegally Exporting Drone Parts and TechnologyRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Erica H. MacDonald today announced the sentencing of USAMA DARWICH HAMADE, 55, to 42 months in prison for conspiring to illegally export goods and technology in violation of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (“IEEPA”), the Export Administration Regulations, the Arms Export Control Act, and the International Traffic in Arms Regulations. The sentence was handed down by Chief Judge John R. Tunheim in U.S. District Court in Minneapolis, Minn.
According to the defendant’s guilty plea and documents filed in court, from 2009 through 2011, HAMADE conspired with others to export U.S. origin goods and technology, including inertial measurement units suitable for use in uncrewed aerial vehicles, or “UAVs,” digital compasses suitable for UAV use, a jet engine, piston engines, and recording binoculars, without obtaining the required export licenses from the U.S. Department of Commerce and the U.S. Department of State, in violation of IEEPA, the Export Administration Regulations, the Arms Export Control Act, and the International Traffic in Arms Regulations. According to evidence presented by the government, the ultimate beneficiary of HAMADE’s actions was the designated foreign terrorist organization Hizballah.
This case was the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI, the U.S. Department of Commerce Office of Export Enforcement, and Homeland Security Investigations.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys John Docherty and David J. MacLaughlin and Trial Attorney David Recker of the National Security Division.
Defendant Information:
USAMA DARWICH HAMADE, 55
Citizen of Lebanon and South Africa
Convicted:
- Illegal export conspiracy, 1 count
Sentenced:
- 42 months in prison
- Immediate deportation to follow
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United States Attorney’s Office, District of Minnesota: (612) 664-5600
Latin Dragon Nation Member Sentenced to 17 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
HAMMOND- Luis Colunga, 27, of Hobart, Indiana, was sentenced, on July 17, 2020, by U.S. District Court Judge Philip P. Simon to 204 months in prison following his guilty plea to conspiracy to participate in racketeering activity as a member of the Latin Dragons Nation street gang, announced U.S. Attorney Kirsch.
“A 17 year sentence should send a strong message that gang activity and associated criminal acts will not be tolerated,” said U.S. Attorney Thomas L. Kirsch II. “Gang members should know that my office will continue to investigate and prosecute criminal gang activity as a cohesive law enforcement partnership.”
According to documents in the case, the Latin Dragons Nation is a criminal street gang that originated in Chicago and spread to other areas, including the Northern District of Indiana. Members and associates of the Latin Dragons Nation allegedly engage in acts of violence, including murder, attempted murder, witness tampering, and assault, to protect the gang’s territory. The Latin Dragon Nation members have been charged with crimes involving in excess of 50 victims, including 15 murder victims.
Luis Colunga has been a member of the Latin Dragons Nation street gang since approximately 2006. As a member of the Latin Dragons, Colunga was involved in shootings of suspected rival gang members and participated in trafficking firearms and drugs. In this case, a total of 19 members and associates have been charged with racketeering conspiracy for their participation in Latin Dragon Nation activity. Of those, 13 defendants have pled guilty to the conspiracy with 10 defendants awaiting sentencing.
This case is the result of the investigative efforts of the Federal Bureau of Investigation; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; the Chicago Police Department Criminal Enterprise Unit; the Cook County Sheriff’s Office; the Bartlett Police Department; the Hammond Police Department; the East Chicago Police Department; the Merrillville Police Department; the Hobart Police Department; the Lake County Sheriff’s Department; and the Calumet City Police Department, with assistance from the Lake County, Indiana Prosecutor’s Office, the Cook County, Illinois State’s Attorney’s Office, the Indiana Department of Corrections, and the Illinois Department of Corrections. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joseph A. Cooley and Kevin F. Wolff and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael J. Toth, with assistance from the Criminal Division’s Organized Crime and Gang Section Trial Attorney Hans Miller.
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Last of 15 Defendants Convicted and Sentenced for Prescott-Area Heroin SalesRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – Last week, Jaime Rene Calderon, 28, of Prescott, Arizona, was sentenced by United States District Judge Steven P. Logan to three concurrent terms of 150 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release. In December 2019, a federal jury found Calderon guilty of three counts of aiding and abetting the sale of heroin on three separate occasions.
“The nationwide epidemic of opioid overdoses impacts small and large communities alike,” said United States Attorney Michael Bailey. “Collaborative investigations like Operation Blackwater that bring together state and federal agencies will make Prescott and Prescott Valley a safer place for everyone.”
The Department of Public Safety (DPS), with assistance from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), conducted “Operation Blackwater” over approximately two years. The operation focused on eliminating the heroin trade in the Prescott and Prescott Valley areas and in particular, to dismantling the criminal activities of the local Creekside Chicanos gang. Evidence at trial proved that Calderon, while incarcerated at the Arizona Department of Corrections, Rehabilitation and Reentry in 2017 for an unrelated offense, recruited two associates outside the prison to sell heroin for profit. Calderon was the last of 15 defendants to be convicted and sentenced for heroin possession with the intent to distribute in connection with the investigation.
“We are grateful for the unwavering collaboration with our federal partners throughout Arizona,” said Heston Silbert, Director of the Arizona Department of Public Safety. “We successfully leveraged each other’s investigative resources and effectively displaced a dangerous criminal organization.”
In addition to Calderon, the following individuals were previously convicted of Possession with Intent to Distribute Heroin and sentenced as follows:
- Adrian Anderson, 38: Sentenced by U.S. District Judge Susan M. Brnovich to 30 months in prison followed by four years of supervised release; September 9, 2019; CR-18-8125-PCT-SMB
- Erbey Balderaz, III, 34: Sentenced by U.S. District Judge John J. Tuchi to 31 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release; May 14, 2018; CR-17-8232-PCT-JJT
- Angela Blackwater, 46: Sentenced by U.S. District Judge John J. Tuchi to time served followed by three years of supervised release; April 30, 2018; CR-17-8225-001-PCT-JJT
- Alisia Gamez, 26: Sentenced by U.S. District Judge John J. Tuchi to 15 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release; May 14, 2018; CR-17-8225-002-PCT-JJT
- Nicholas Cowan, 33: Sentenced by U.S. District Judge Douglas L. Rayes to18 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release; April 2, 2018; CR-17-8228-PCT-DLR
- John Delgado, 33: Sentenced to U.S. District Judge G. Murray Snow to 46 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release; October 29, 2018; CR-17-8223-PCT-GMS
- Andre Enciso, 37: Sentenced by U.S. District Judge John J. Tuchi to 12 months and one day in prison followed by three years of supervised release; March 19, 2018; CR-17-1258-PHX-JJT
- Lisa Gazzam, 40: Sentenced by U.S. District Judge Susan M. Brnovich to 30 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release; April 29, 2019; CR-18-578-PHX-SMB
- Veronica James, 39: Sentenced by U.S. District Judge Douglas L. Rayes to 12 months and one day in prison followed by three years of supervised release; September 10, 2018; CR-17-8229-PCT-DLR
- Craig Livermore, 35: Sentenced by U.S. District Judge David G. Campbell to three years of probation; January 11, 2019; CR-17-8224-PCT-DGC
- Bryant Montoya, 26: Sentenced by U.S. District Judge Diane J. Humetewa to 66 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release; June 4, 2018; CR-17-8231-001-PCT-DJH
- Marcos Ochoa, 24: Sentenced by U.S. District Judge Diane J. Humetewa to 36 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release; August 22, 2018; CR-17-8226-PCT-DJH
- Yeni Guevara Solis, 28: Sentenced by U.S. District Judge Diane J. Humetewa to 24 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release; May 14, 2018; CR-17-8231-002-PCT-DJH
- Evangeline Wilson, 32: Sentenced by U.S. District Judge David G. Campbell to18 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release; May 21, 2018; CR-17-8230-PCT-DGC
"We are thankful for the impact this collaborative, long-term investigation has made in the Prescott community," said Sean Kaul, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Phoenix Division. "Working together, we were able to get dangerous drugs and dangerous individuals off the streets. The FBI is proud to work with our state, local, and federal partners and will continue to do so to protect the communities we serve in the fight against drugs."
Arizona DPS (Prescott) and the FBI conducted the investigation into these matters. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christina Covault, District of Arizona, Phoenix handled the prosecutions with assistance from Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason Crowley on the Calderon case.
CASE NUMBER: CR-18-8126-PCT-SPL
RELEASE NUMBER: 2020-063_Calderon# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.- Adrian Anderson, 38: Sentenced by U.S. District Judge Susan M. Brnovich to 30 months in prison followed by four years of supervised release; September 9, 2019; CR-18-8125-PCT-SMB
Kanawha County Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Drug ChargeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A Kanawha County man has pled guilty to a federal drug crime, according to United States Attorney Mike Stuart. Stephen Hayden, 51, pled guilty to cultivation of marijuana.
“This man seems to have had quite a green thumb and a big basement. He should have cultivated something legal like tomatoes or corn,” said United States Attorney Mike Stuart. “Tomatoes and corn are far easier and you can grow them outside and actually sell them. They are good for you too. Marijuana is and remains illegal under federal law. In my district, we prosecute cases involving all illegal drugs including marijuana.”
Hayden admitted that on April 9, 2018, law enforcement smelled the odor of marijuana coming from his residence. Based on the odor, the West Virginia State Police obtained a search warrant. In Hayden’s basement, officers discovered a room that contained fertilizer, grow lights, fans and other cultivation equipment. There were approximately 289 marijuana plants, in various stages of growth, with harvested marijuana hanging and drying in a closet.
Hayden faces up to five years in prison when he is sentenced on October 13, 2020.
The West Virginia State Police conducted the investigation. Senior United States District Judge David A. Faber presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney L. Alexander Hamner is handling the prosecution.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:20-cr-0055.
Follow us on Twitter: SDWVNews and USAttyStuart
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KC Man Charged with Illegal FirearmsRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City, Missouri, man was charged in federal court today with illegally possessing firearms, the first arrest under Operation LeGend, a federal partnership with local law enforcement agencies to address violent crime.
“Illegal drugs and illegal guns are a lethal combination,” Garrison said. “A fugitive from justice, driving a stolen vehicle and carrying stolen firearms, is a violent crime waiting to happen. Federal and local law enforcement worked together to bring him to justice and protect our community from further violence.”
Monty W. Ray, 20, was charged with being an unlawful drug user in possession of firearms in a criminal complaint filed in the U.S. District Court in Kansas City, Mo. He remains in federal custody pending a detention hearing.
According to an affidavit filed in support of the federal criminal complaint, law enforcement officers saw Ray driving a vehicle that had been reported stolen in the area of 107th Street and Blue Ridge Boulevard in Kansas City, Mo., on July 17, 2020. Officers stopped Ray, who had active warrants for assaulting a law enforcement officer and fleeing (for an incident in which Ray ran over an officer’s foot and rammed his own vehicle into a patrol vehicle before escaping from officers in a pursuit that reached speeds of 110 miles per hour) as well as a probation violation. Ray fled from the vehicle on foot but was apprehended by officers.
Officers saw a loaded Glock 9mm semi-automatic handgun lying in plain view on the driver’s seat, the affidavit says. A loaded Sig Sauer 9mm semi-automatic handgun was found in the center console cup holder. Both firearms had been reported stolen. Officers searched the vehicle and found five rounds of 9mm ammunition and one .223-caliber round in the glove box of the vehicle. They also found a spent 9mm shell casing on the driver’s side floorboard of the vehicle.
Ray admitted to officers that he is an habitual user of marijuana, according to the affidavit, and that he has been smoking marijuana daily since he was 12 years old. He also admitted to using methamphetamine, most recently on the day before his arrest.
The charge contained in this complaint is simply an accusation, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charge must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert M. Smith. It was investigated by the Independence, Mo., Police Department and the U.S. Marshals Service.
Operation LeGend
Operation LeGend is a federal partnership with local law enforcement to address the increase in homicides and violent crime in Kansas City, Mo., in 2020. The operation honors the memory of four-year-old LeGend Taliferro, one of the youngest fatalities during a record-breaking year of homicides and shootings. Additional federal agents were assigned to the operation from the FBI, Drug Enforcement Administration, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the U.S. Marshals Service.