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Wednesday 3 June 2020
DOJ Awards Nearly $400 Million for Law Enforcement Hiring to Advance Community PolicingRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – The Department of Justice has announced nearly $400 million in grant funding through the Department’s Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Office) COPS Hiring Program (CHP).
The Attorney General announced funding awards to 596 law enforcement agencies across the nation, which allows those agencies to hire 2,732 additional full-time law enforcement professionals. The awards announced today are inclusive of the $51 million announced in May as part of Operation Relentless Pursuit.
Four agencies in the Eastern District of Virginia, the Chesterfield County Police Department, City of Manassas, Stafford County Sheriff's Department, and the Westmoreland County Sheriff's Department, were awarded $3,375,000 in funding. The Chesterfield County Police Department received $1,875,000, City of Manassas received $250,000, Stafford County Sheriff's Department received $750,000, and the Westmoreland County Sheriff's Department received $500,000. These Virginia agencies will use the funds to hire new officers and support efforts to address crime.
“The Department of Justice is committed to providing the police chiefs and sheriffs of our great nation with needed resources, tools, and support. The funding announced today will bolster their ranks and contribute to expanding community policing efforts nationwide,” said Attorney General William P. Barr. “A law enforcement agency’s most valuable assets are the men and women who put their lives on the line every day in the name of protecting and serving their communities.”
The COPS Hiring Program is a competitive award program intended to reduce crime and advance public safety through community policing by providing direct funding for the hiring of career law enforcement officers. In addition to providing financial support for hiring, CHP provides funding to state, local, and tribal law enforcement to enhance local community policing strategies and tactics. In a changing economic climate, CHP funding helps law enforcement agencies maintain sufficient sworn personnel levels to promote safe communities. Funding through this program had been on hold since the spring of 2018 due to a nationwide injunction that was lifted earlier this year.
CHP applicants were required to identify a specific crime and disorder problem focus area and explain how the funding will be used to implement community policing approaches to that problem focus area. 43 percent of the awards announced today will focus on violent crime, while the remainder of the awards will focus on a variety of issues including school-based policing to fund school resource officer positions, building trust and respect, and opioid education, prevention, and intervention. The COPS Office received nearly 1,100 applications requesting more than 4,000 law enforcement positions.
The complete list of awards can be found here. To learn more about CHP, please visit cops.usdoj.gov/chp. For additional information about the COPS Office, please visit cops.usdoj.gov.
The year 2020 marks the 150th anniversary of the Department of Justice. Learn more about the history of our agency at www.Justice.gov/Celebrating150Years.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia.
Department of Justice Awards Nearly $400 Million for Law Enforcement Hiring to Advance Community PolicingRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – The Department of Justice announced nearly $400 million in grant funding through the Department’s Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Office) COPS Hiring Program (CHP). United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced $2,352,745 in grant funding for twelve law enforcement agencies in South Dakota. These monies will pay for 19 new law enforcement officers in South Dakota.
The Attorney General announced funding awards to 596 law enforcement agencies across the nation, which allows those agencies to hire 2,732 additional full-time law enforcement professionals. The awards announced today are inclusive of the $51 million announced in May as part of Operation Relentless Pursuit.
“From Box Elder to Yankton, these well-timed DOJ grants will go a long way toward increasing the number of police officers protecting and serving communities across South Dakota,” said U.S. Attorney Parsons.
“The Department of Justice is committed to providing the police chiefs and sheriffs of our great nation with needed resources, tools, and support. The funding announced today will bolster their ranks and contribute to expanding community policing efforts nationwide,” said Attorney General William P. Barr. “A law enforcement agency’s most valuable assets are the men and women who put their lives on the line every day in the name of protecting and serving their communities.”
The COPS Hiring Program is a competitive award program intended to reduce crime and advance public safety through community policing by providing direct funding for the hiring of career law enforcement officers. In addition to providing financial support for hiring, CHP provides funding to state, local, and tribal law enforcement to enhance local community policing strategies and tactics. In a changing economic climate, CHP funding helps law enforcement agencies maintain sufficient sworn personnel levels to promote safe communities. Funding through this program had been on hold since the spring of 2018 due to a nationwide injunction that was lifted earlier this year.
CHP applicants were required to identify a specific crime and disorder problem focus area and explain how the funding will be used to implement community policing approaches to that problem focus area. Forty three percent of the awards announced will focus on violent crime, while the remainder of the awards will focus on a variety of issues including school-based policing to fund school resource officer positions, building trust and respect, and opioid education, prevention, and intervention. The COPS Office received nearly 1,100 applications requesting more than 4,000 law enforcement positions.
The South Dakota awards include:
South Dakota Police Department Award Amount Box Elder Police Department $125,000 Butte County Sheriff's Department $125,000 City of Sioux Falls Police Department $250,000 Codington County Sheriff's Department $125,000 Rapid City Police Department $375,000 Sisseton Wahpeton Law Enforcement $125,000 Stanley County Sheriff's Office $125,000 Sturgis Police Department $125,000 Summerset Police Department $374,998 Turner County Sheriff's Department $102,747 Watertown Police Department $375,000 Yankton Police Department $125,000The complete list of awards can be found here (COPS Grant list). To learn more about CHP, please visit https://cops.usdoj.gov/chp. For additional information about the COPS Office, please visit www.cops.usdoj.gov.
The year 2020 marks the 150th anniversary of the Department of Justice. Learn more about the history of our agency at www.Justice.gov/Celebrating150Years.
Department of Justice Awards Nearly $400 Million for Law Enforcement Hiring to Advance Community PolicingRead the Press Release
Along with the Justice Department, United States Attorneys Matthew D. Krueger (Eastern District of Wisconsin) announced today nearly $400 million in grant funding through the Department’s Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Office) COPS Hiring Program (CHP). The Attorney General announced funding awards to 596 law enforcement agencies across the nation, which allows those agencies to hire 2,732 additional full-time law enforcement professionals. The awards announced today are inclusive of the $51 million announced in May as part of Operation Relentless Pursuit.
“The Department of Justice is committed to providing the police chiefs and sheriffs of our great nation with needed resources, tools, and support. The funding announced today will bolster their ranks and contribute to expanding community policing efforts nationwide,” said Attorney General William P. Barr. “A law enforcement agency’s most valuable assets are the men and women who put their lives on the line every day in the name of protecting and serving their communities.”
The COPS Hiring Program is a competitive award program intended to reduce crime and advance public safety through community policing by providing direct funding for the hiring of career law enforcement officers. In addition to providing financial support for hiring, CHP provides funding to state, local, and tribal law enforcement to enhance local community policing strategies and tactics. In a changing economic climate, CHP funding helps law enforcement agencies maintain sufficient sworn personnel levels to promote safe communities. Funding through this program had been on hold since the spring of 2018 due to a nationwide injunction that was lifted earlier this year.
CHP applicants were required to identify a specific crime and disorder problem focus area and explain how the funding will be used to implement community policing approaches to that problem focus area. 43 percent of the awards announced today will focus on violent crime, while the remainder of the awards will focus on a variety of issues including school-based policing to fund school resource officer positions, building trust and respect, and opioid education, prevention, and intervention. The COPS Office received nearly 1,100 applications requesting more than 4,000 law enforcement positions.
The complete list of awards can be found here here . To learn more about CHP, please visit https://cops.usdoj.gov/chp. For additional information about the COPS Office, please visit www.cops.usdoj.gov.
The year 2020 marks the 150th anniversary of the Department of Justice. Learn more about the history of our agency at www.Justice.gov/Celebrating150Years.
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Convicted Felon Sentenced to 68 Months Imprisonment for Gun PossessionRead the Press Release
MEMPHIS, TN – Angelo Bell, 37, has been sentenced to 68 months imprisonment for illegal possession of a firearm. D. Michael Dunavant, U.S. Attorney announced the sentencing today.
According to information presented in court, on April 12, 2019, Memphis Police Officers were patrolling the area of Leland and Kerr, where they saw Angelo Bell, a suspect they knew from prior encounters, and knew to have active warrants. Officers verified that Bell had several misdemeanor warrants, made contact with the suspect, and detained him. Officers recovered a loaded black handgun in Bell’s waistband. Bell had several prior felony convictions, including one for aggravated assault.
On January 13, 2020, Bell pleaded guilty. On April 12, 2020, U.S. District Court Judge Thomas L. Parker sentenced Bell to 68 months imprisonment followed by 3 years supervised release.
U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant said, "Convicted felons who possess firearms are an inherent danger to the community, and in this case, Bell was a violent offender who continued to possess a firearm despite his prior felony conviction history. There is and ought to be a significant consequence for such recidivist criminal behavior, and this is one more gun-toter that will be removed from our streets."
This case was investigated by the Memphis Police Department and Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Task Force. 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 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 K. Winnig prosecuted this case on behalf of the government. SAUSA Winnig is currently assigned from the Shelby County District Attorney General’s Office for the purpose of prosecuting violent crimes and firearms offenses in federal court.
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Convicted Felon Charged with Impersonating A Deputy United States Marshal at George Floyd ProtestRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – United States Attorney Maria Chapa Lopez announces the filing of a criminal complaint charging John Wesley Mobley, Jr. (36, Orlando) with false impersonation of a federal officer. If convicted, Mobley faces a maximum penalty of three years in federal prison.
According to the
complaint , on May 31, 2020, during a protest in Orlando, Florida, Mobley was forced to stop his vehicle because of passing protestors. Mobley got out of the vehicle, walked towards the protestors, pulled out what appeared to be a law enforcement badge, waved it at the protestors, and stated something to the effect of “Do you want to get arrested? Do you want to go to jail?” In response, a protestor responded, “He’s a Marshal!”Later, members of the Orlando Police Department (OPD) who had been observing the protest received information that Mobley was in a crowd of protestors with a firearm in his waistband causing a disturbance.
As a result of the disturbance, two OPD officers approached Mobley in the crowd. One of the officers secured Mobley by the arm and removed him from the group for the safety of the public. Upon further examination, it was later determined that Mobley had possessed a BB gun replica of a Glock pistol, which is not a firearm. Mobley was also found in possession of a silver set of metal handcuffs and a silver badge with the words “United States Marshal” written on the front. Mobley has two prior convictions for impersonating a member of law enforcement.
A criminal complaint is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case was investigated by the United States Marshals Service and the Orlando Police Department. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Sean P. Shecter.
Colombian Nationals Sentenced for Conspiring to Distribute CocaineRead the Press Release
BOSTON – Two Colombian nationals were sentenced today in federal court in Boston for conspiracy to distribute cocaine.
Fredi Catano, a/k/a “Leonardo Favio Gonzalez-Patino,” 35, a Colombian national previously residing in Revere, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Chief Judge F. Dennis Saylor IV to five years in prison and four years of supervised release. Catano previously pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine, and one count each of distribution of 500 grams or more of cocaine and possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine.
Wilson Acevedo, a/k/a “Edwin Morales Lozada,” 43, a Colombian national previously residing in East Boston, was sentenced by Judge Saylor to 30 months in prison and three years of supervised release. Acevedo previously pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine and one count of distribution of 500 grams or more of cocaine.
Both defendants will be deported upon completion of their sentences.
Between November 2017 and May 2019, Catano and Acevedo conspired to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine. During that period, Catano supplied Acevedo with approximately one ounce of cocaine on multiple occasions, which Acevedo subsequently sold to a cooperating witness. On May 2, 2019, in a drug deal arranged by Acevedo, Catano sold 500 grams of cocaine to the same cooperating witness. Catano and Acevedo were arrested immediately thereafter. A search of Catano’s Revere residence resulted in the seizure of an additional half-kilogram of cocaine, drug distribution paraphernalia and approximately $13,000 in U.S. currency.
United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling and Brian D. Boyle, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Division made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Katherine Ferguson of Lelling’s Narcotics and Money Laundering Unit prosecuted the case.
Chicago Man Facing Federal Firearm Charge After Allegedly Pointing Loaded Gun at Federal AgentRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — A Chicago man who allegedly pointed a loaded semiautomatic handgun at a federal agent early this morning has been charged with a federal firearm offense.
The agents approached JOSEPH HAMMOND near the 6800 block of South Sangamon Street in Chicago’s Englewood neighborhood while investigating a report of a man holding a gun and a toddler, according to a criminal complaint filed in U.S. District Court in Chicago. As the agents approached in a vehicle, Hammond pointed the gun at one of the agents’ faces and told them to “keep moving,” the complaint states. Hammond then picked up the toddler and ran from the area. The agents pursued Hammond and later arrested him nearby, the complaint states. Neither the toddler nor the agents were injured.
Hammond, 33, is charged with one count of illegal possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Hammond was previously convicted of criminal felonies, including firearm offenses and attempted murder, and was not lawfully allowed to possess a firearm. A detention hearing in federal court in Chicago has been set for June 8, 2020.
The complaint was announced by John R. Lausch, Jr., United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois; Kristen deTineo, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Division of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; and David Brown, Superintendent of the Chicago Police Department. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Misty N. Wright.
Holding gun offenders accountable through federal prosecution is a centerpiece of Project Guardian and Project Safe Neighborhoods – the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction strategies. Project Guardian focuses specifically on investigating, prosecuting, and preventing gun crimes, and it emphasizes the importance of using modern technologies to promote gun crime intelligence. In the Northern District of Illinois, U.S. Attorney Lausch and law enforcement partners have deployed the Guardian and PSN programs to attack a broad range of violent crime issues facing the district, including by prosecuting individuals who illegally possess firearms.
The public is reminded that a complaint is not evidence of guilt. The defendant is presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. Illegal possession of a firearm by a convicted felon is punishable by up to ten years in federal prison. If convicted, the Court must impose a reasonable sentence under federal statutes and the advisory U.S. Sentencing Guidelines.
Cheyenne Carjacking Suspects Arraigned in Federal CourtRead the Press Release
OSCAR ALDREDO ORTIZ, age 19, recently of Cheyenne, Wyoming and JACOB NATHANIEL HOPKINS TRIGG, age 18, of Erie, Colorado entered pleas of not guilty at their arraignments on June 1, 2020. Both were indicted on May 21, 2020 in federal court for one count of carjacking and aiding and abetting each other in the carjacking, and one count of using, carrying, and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to the carjacking. The charges were filed as a result of an investigation into a reported carjacking that occurred in Cheyenne on April 21, 2020.
Ortiz and Trigg are alleged to have been walking on Southwest Drive in Cheyenne in the late night hours of April 21, 2020 when the victim stopped his vehicle to avoid hitting them. The suspects first asked for a ride then demanded the victims vehicle from him and produced a rifle and handgun. After taking the vehicle Ortiz and Trigg demanded the victim empty his pockets. The suspects then, according to reports, fled to Colorado and were latter apprehended after returning to Cheyenne.
Their trial has been set for July 27, 2020 in Cheyenne before Federal District Court Judge Nancy D. Freudenthal, and is expected to take up to 5 days. Ortiz and Trigg were both remanded to the custody of the United States Marshal’s Service. Both are presumed innocent until proven guilty. Carjacking carries a potential penalty of up to fifteen years imprisonment, and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence has a potential penalty of seven years to life imprisonment.
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. Former Attorney General Jeff Sessions reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally based strategies to reduce violent crime.
Boston Man Pleads Guilty to Drug Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Boston man pleaded guilty today in federal court in Boston to conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and oxycodone.
Yonatan Lara, 35, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute 100 grams or more of heroin, 400 grams or more of fentanyl, cocaine, cocaine base, oxycodone, and marijuana. U.S. District Court Judge Nathaniel M. Gorton scheduled sentencing for Oct. 1, 2020. Lara has been in custody since he was charged by criminal complaint and arrested on May 30, 2019.
In 2018, a federal and state investigation into the members of a drug trafficking organization in and around the Boston area revealed that Jose Perez Felix, a/k/a “Eugenio Piedraita-Rivera,” a/k/a “Roberto Patricio Ramirez,” a/k/a “Grande,” distributed large quantities of narcotics, including heroin, fentanyl, and cocaine, from a base of operations in Boston. Lara and, allegedly, Perez Felix used a 2008 black Subaru Outback, registered to Lara, to distribute narcotics. Federal agents observed Lara and, allegedly, Perez Felix take “meaningless” rides in the Subaru – essentially driving the car around the block or a short distance as a means of shielding their transactions from law enforcement – and saw Lara use the Subaru to distribute narcotics to street-level dealers and users. Agents intercepted Lara and, allegedly, Perez Felix discussing the acquisition and distribution of oxycodone pills. Over the course of the investigation, agents seized oxycodone and fentanyl pills from Lara after two street-level sales.
The charge of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 100 grams or more of heroin, 400 grams or more of fentanyl, cocaine, cocaine base, oxycodone, and marijuana, provides for a sentence of up to life in prison, up to life of supervised release and a fine of up to $10 million. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based on the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling; Michael Shea, Acting Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Boston; Brian D. Boyle, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, Boston Field Division; Colonel Christopher Mason, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police; Brockton Police Chief Emanuel Gomes; John Gibbons, U.S. Marshal for the District of Massachusetts; and Plymouth County District Attorney Timothy Cruz made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher Pohl and Alathea Porter of Lelling’s Narcotics and Money Laundering Unit are prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the complaint are allegations. The remaining defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Billings meth trafficker sentenced to 15 years in prisonRead the Press Release
BILLINGS—A Billings man convicted in a drug investigation in which agents found six pounds of methamphetamine and guns in a motel room was sentenced today to 15 years in prison and five years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.
Dameon Pierre Beasley, 41, pleaded guilty in November to possession with intent to distribute meth and to possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking.
U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters presided.
The prosecution said in court records that Drug Enforcement Administration agents went to a Billings motel in July 2018 where they had observed a man and a woman known to be involved in drug trafficking enter the building. Agents knocked on the door of the suspects’ room. The man consented to a search, and agents found drug paraphernalia. The woman volunteered that they had returned from Missoula where they had been helping Beasley transport drugs.
Beasley also was staying at the motel. Agents went to his room, and co-defendant Jessica Lynn Denny, answered the door. While speaking to Denny, agents witnessed movement behind her and secured the room. Agents found Beasley and another co-defendant, David Lopez, in the room. A firearm was on a table. Agents executed a search warrant on the room and found six pounds of meth, two handguns and $11,190 in currency. Six pounds of meth is the equivalent of about 21,744 doses.
Beasley admitted he was selling meth and distributing to Denny and Lopez and that Lopez had brought one of the guns to trade it to him for meth. Text messages on phones seized from Denny and Beasley indicated that Denny had brokered the gun trade and that she and Lopez were completing the firearm for meth deal when agents entered the room. Denny pleaded guilty in the case and was sentenced to six years in prison. Lopez has pleaded guilty to charges and is awaiting sentencing.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Colin Rubich prosecuted the case, which was investigated by the DEA, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Billings Police Department.
This case is part of Project Guardian, the U.S. Department of Justice’s recent initiative to reduce gun violence and enforce federal firearms laws, and Project Safe Neighborhoods, the USDOJ’s initiative to reduce violent crime. According to the FBI’s Uniform Crime Reports, violent crime in Montana increased by 36% from 2013 through 2018. Through these initiatives, federal, tribal, state and local law enforcement partners in Montana focus on violent crime driven by methamphetamine trafficking, armed robbers, firearms offenses and violent offenders with outstanding warrants.
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Billings meth dealer sentenced to six years in prisonRead the Press Release
BILLINGS—A Billings man who admitted supplying methamphetamine for a drug deal with a confidential informant was sentenced today to six years in prison and four years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.
Patrick Bryan Cleveland, 39, pleaded guilty in January to distribution of meth.
U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters presided.
The prosecution said in court records that in June 2019, drug task force agents met with a confidential informant about drug trafficking in the Laurel and Billings areas and arranged for the informant to buy meth from co-defendant Shawna Bercier, of Laurel. The informant bought about two grams of meth from Bercier in a transaction observed by law enforcement. Agents arranged another controlled buy in which the informant bought one ounce from Bercier. For the second deal, Bercier advised the informant she would be getting the meth from "Pat" and that it was worth the wait. Agents observed Cleveland arrive at Bercier's workplace and provide her with a cigarette box, which contained about an ounce of meth. The cigarette box was provided to the informant.
Agents followed Cleveland's vehicle to a Billings residence, where a third co-defendant, Lynn Kuntz, lived. Kuntz had been identified as a source of supply for meth.
Bercier and Kuntz have pleaded guilty to charges in the case and are awaiting sentencing.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Julie Patten prosecuted the case, which was investigated by the Eastern Montana High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Task Force.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods, a U.S. Department of Justice initiative to reduce violent crime. According to the FBI’s Uniform Crime Reports, violent crime in Montana increased by 36% from 2013 to 2018. Through PSN, federal, tribal, state and local law enforcement partners in Montana focus on violent crime driven by methamphetamine trafficking, armed robbers, firearms offenses and violent offenders with outstanding warrants.
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Arnold Felon Sentenced to 13½ Years in Prison for Causing the Fentanyl Overdose Death of a Westmoreland County ManRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, PA – Jarrel Williams was sentenced today to 13 years and six months (162 months) in prison for distributing fentanyl, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced today.
Williams, age 32 of Arnold, was sentenced by United States District Judge Mark R. Hornak. Judge Hornak ordered Williams to serve a term of six years of supervised release following his release from prison.
Prior to sentencing, the prosecution informed the Court that Williams was the source of supply for fentanyl that caused the death of M.S., a 33-year-old male who lived in Westmoreland County, and that Williams has a long history of committing drug crimes and domestic assaults. Williams was on parole when he distributed the fentanyl that killed M.S. At that time he had already been convicted of trafficking cocaine and possessing heroin in two state cases and was on bond in two additional state cases for possessing heroin.
Assistant United States Attorney Craig W. Haller prosecuted this case on behalf of the United States.
The Drug Enforcement Administration, the Westmoreland County District Attorney’s Office, the West Leechburg Police Department, the Allegheny Township Police Department, and the Pennsylvania State Police conducted the investigation leading to the conviction and sentence in this case.
Armed Robber Sentenced to 20 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
ALBANY, Ga. – One of two defendants who committed a string of violent convenience store robberies in Albany in 2016, shooting and injuring two clerks, was sentenced to prison for his crime, announced Charlie Peeler, the U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of Georgia.
Javarius Mallory, 26, of Albany, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Leslie Gardner during a video conference this afternoon to a total of 240 months in prison, 120 months per count, after pleading guilty in January to two counts of possession and discharge of a firearm during a crime of violence. His co-defendant, Anthony Parks, 28, of Albany, also pleaded guilty in January to two counts of possession and discharge of a firearm during a crime of violence. He will be sentenced at a later date. There is no parole in the federal system.
“Let me underscore that the use of weapons to terrorize hard-working citizens in peaceful places of business will not be tolerated in the Middle District of Georgia. Criminals who engage in this conduct will face prosecution and severe punishment,” said U.S. Attorney Charlie Peeler. “I want to thank the FBI and the Albany Police Department for their excellent work in helping bring this defendant to justice.”
The defendants were involved in a violent robbery spree across Albany during 2016, both admitting guilt in a total of four of the seven robberies charged in the indictment. Parks and Mallory, armed and masked, robbed the Neighborhood Grocery on West Gordon Avenue close to midnight on September 9, 2016. During the course of the robbery, Parks fired three shots into a locked office door, stealing a total of $8,702. A little more than two weeks later, on September 23, 2016, Mallory admitted he held up the same Neighborhood Grocery Store on West Gordon Avenue, armed with a loaded 9mm pistol. Every time Mallory demanded more money from the store clerk, he would discharge his weapon into the ceiling. Five spent 9mm shell casings were found inside the store, and Mallory ran off with $3,923. The defendants held up the BP store on Dawson Road in the early morning hours of October 6, 2016 with two clerks inside. One clerk, who got on the floor when the pair walked in, armed and masked, was shot by Parks in the buttocks. The other clerk chased the defendants after they ran off on foot with cash stolen from the store, and fired his own gun at them, shattering the back windshield of a customer’s vehicle. Both Parks and Mallory, armed with handguns and wearing ski masks to cover their faces, robbed the Dawson Food Mart on Dawson Road on November 3, 2016. Mallory shot the clerk in his leg.
This case was prosecuted as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
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/archives/projectguardian.
The case was investigated by the FBI and the Albany Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney and Criminal Chief Michael Solis prosecuted the case for the Government. Questions can be directed to Pamela Lightsey, Public Information Officer, United States Attorney’s Office, at (478) 621-2603 or Melissa Hodges, Public Affairs Director (Contractor), United States Attorney’s Office, at (478) 765-2362.
Tuesday 2 June 2020
Woman Pleads Guilty to Laundering Money in Heroin Trafficking OperationRead the Press Release
A woman illegally residing in the United States pleaded guilty Monday in U.S. District Court for her involvement in a large scale heroin trafficking operation, announced U.S. Attorney Trent Shores.
Sonia Hernandez, 55, pleaded guilty to money laundering conspiracy. From January 2018 until June 2019, Hernandez knowingly sent drug proceeds to a Mexican source of supply while working at a Tulsa money remitter business. She admitted to using nominee names during the transactions in order to conceal her criminal acts and to further the drug conspiracy. A “nominee name” is used to hide the true recipient of illicit money. Hernandez will be responsible for laundering drug proceeds for not less than 10 kilograms and nor more than 30 kilograms of heroin.
“Drug traffickers launder money as a means of concealing the illegal profits that they hope to pocket. This happens right here in Oklahoma,” said U.S. Attorney Trent Shores. “Unfortunately, the illegal drug trade leaves American families devastated by addiction. This case is being prosecuted by the experienced prosecutors in my Organized Crime and Drug Trafficking Unit. They are relentless in their pursuit of justice and will hold accountable these peddlers of addiction.”
Hernandez was one of more than 30 individuals charged with money laundering, drug conspiracy and other crimes. The initial indictment was first announced by U.S. Attorney Trent Shores in May 2019. The investigation involved the Giovanni Drug Trafficking Organization and was given the name Operation Smack Dragon. See the indictment press release here.
U.S. District Judge Claire V. Eagan scheduled set sentencing for Sept. 8, 2020.
The Drug Enforcement Administration and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations led this investigation in partnership with the U.S. Department of Treasury, Internal Revenue Service—Criminal Investigation, the Oklahoma State Attorney General’s Office, and Tulsa Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joel-lyn McCormick prosecuted the case. AUSA McCormick is the Lead Attorney for the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force Unit for the Northern District of Oklahoma.
Waterbury Resident Charged with Violating Federal Sex Offender Registration LawRead the Press Release
John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that YAMIL DIAZ, 48, last residing in Waterbury, has been charged by federal criminal complaint with violating the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA).
Diaz made his initial appearance today before U.S. District Judge Stefan R. Underhill via videoconference. He has been detained since February 24, 2020.
As alleged in court documents, on May 8, 2019, Diaz was convicted in circuit court for Coffee County, Alabama, of attempted sexual abuse of a child less than 12 years of age. For that offense, he received a sentence of 10 years of incarceration, suspended after serving seven months, and two years of supervised probation. He was also ordered to register as a sex offender and comply with the requirements of SORNA.
It is alleged that, in September 2019, a court in Coffee County issued an arrest warrant for Diaz for violating his probation.
On February 24, 2020, the U.S. Marshals Service Fugitive Task Force located Diaz in Waterbury and arrested him on the outstanding Alabama warrant.
It is alleged that Diaz has failed to register as a sex offender in Connecticut, where he has resided since at least December 2019, and failed to update his sex offender registration in Alabama.
If convicted of violating SORNA, Diaz faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years.
This matter is being investigated by the U.S. Marshals Service and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Hal Chen.
Waterbury Man Sentenced to 23 Months in Federal Prison for Illegal Gun PossessionRead the Press Release
John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that JOHNATHEN LOPEZ, 30, of Waterbury, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Robert N. Chatigny to 23 months of imprisonment, time already served, and three years of supervised release, for illegally possessing a firearm.
Pursuant to the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act), the sentencing occurred via videoconference.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on April 27, 2017, members of the Waterbury Police Department’s Street Crimes Unit arrested Lopez after he was found in possession of a loaded Glock 27 .40 caliber handgun.
Lopez’s criminal history includes felony drug and weapon offenses. It is a violation of federal law for a person previously convicted of a felony offense to possess a firearm or ammunition that has moved in interstate or foreign commerce.
Lopez has been detained since his federal arrest on July 2, 2018. On March 9, 2020, he pleaded guilty to one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
This matter was investigated by the Waterbury Police Department’s Gang Task Force, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Natasha Freismuth and Patrick Caruso.
This prosecution has been brought through Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make neighborhoods safer for everyone.
Washington supplier of meth to Montana sentenced to prisonRead the Press Release
HELENA—A Washington man who admitted supplying methamphetamine for drug runs to Montana in 2018 was sentenced today to 17 years and six months in prison and five years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.
Hugo Yanez, 38, of Everett, WA, pleaded guilty in October to conspiracy to distribute meth and possession with intent to distribute meth.
Senior U.S. District Judge Charles C. Lovell presided.
The prosecution said in court documents filed in the case that in an interview in 2019 with law enforcement, Yanez said that he and a co-defendant, Breanne Bame, of Kenmore, WA, moved into the residence of a third co-defendant, Tavia Dion Blume, of Monroe, WA. Yanez admitted to supplying narcotics for Blume to distribute on four trips to Montana.
In December 2018, the Montana Highway Patrol stopped a vehicle driven by Blume and occupied by a fourth co-defendant, Kyle Douglas Alverson, of Lake Stevens, WA, east of Missoula. During a search of the vehicle, officers found firearms, ammunition, about 1.5 pounds of meth and U.S. currency. One and a half pounds of meth is the equivalent of 5,436 doses.
Blume was sentenced to 14 years in prison, while Alverson was sentenced to 14 years and 11 months in prison for their convictions in the case. Bame was sentenced to 97 months for her conviction in the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Tom Bartleson prosecuted the case, which was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Montana Highway Patrol and the Missouri River Drug Task Force.
This case is part of Project Guardian, the U.S. Department of Justice’s recent initiative to reduce gun violence and enforce federal firearms laws, and Project Safe Neighborhoods, the USDOJ’s initiative to reduce violent crime. According to the FBI’s Uniform Crime Reports, violent crime in Montana increased by 36% from 2013 through 2018. Through these initiatives, federal, tribal, state and local law enforcement partners in Montana focus on violent crime driven by methamphetamine trafficking, armed robbers, firearms offenses and violent offenders with outstanding warrants.
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Virginia Pharmacist Pleads Guilty to a Pair of Federal Drug ChargesRead the Press Release
ABINGDON, Va. – A pharmacist who worked at Rite Aid in Saltville, Virginia who was filling prescriptions in the names of at least five different dogs connected to his girlfriend’s veterinary clinic, pleaded guilty yesterday in U.S. District Court in Abingdon. United States Attorney Thomas T. Cullen and Jesse R. Fong, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration [DEA], Washington Field Division, made the announcement today.
Ryan Lowry Patrick, 34, of Gray, Tennessee, pleaded guilty yesterday in federal court to one count of obtaining drugs by fraud and one count of using the registration number of another in the course of acquiring a controlled substance. Patrick will be sentenced on August 28, 2020. At sentencing, he faces up to four years in prison and/or a fine of up to $250,000.
“We place great trust in our pharmacists to ensure that controlled substances are carefully and properly dispensed. When they break this trust and divert pharmaceutical drugs for illegal purposes, the cycle of addiction continues, with all of its harms,” said First Assistant United States Attorney Daniel P. Bubar. “We will continue to tirelessly prosecute anyone who participates in the opioid crisis.”
“From the street corner to the clinic to our pharmacies, DEA Washington will continue the critical work of bringing to justice those who are taking advantage of the system for their own gain and fueling the opioid crisis in Virginia,” Special Agent in Charge Fong said today.
According to evidence provided at his guilty plea hearing by Assistant United States Attorney Whit Pierce, Patrick worked as a pharmacist at Rite Aid in Saltville, Virginia. Patrick’s girlfriend operated a veterinary clinic located in Bluff City, Tennessee.
The DEA’s investigation uncovered that Patrick was filling multiple prescriptions in the names of five dogs that belonged to Patrick and his girlfriend for his own use. The prescriptions were written by a veterinarian who worked at the veterinary clinic operated by Bailey’s girlfriend.
A review by the DEA of the Virginia Prescription Monitoring Program [PMP] confirmed that between January 7, 2019 and December 29, 2019 approximately 47 prescriptions were filled in the names of the five dogs. All of these prescriptions were allegedly issued or authorized by the veterinarian.
Agents with the DEA reviewed records at the Saltville Rite Aid and were unable to trace the origins of the prescriptions listed in the PMP. When questioned, the veterinarian confirmed that many of the prescriptions for controlled substances the DEA found at the Rite Aid had been altered, and many were simply photocopies of previously written prescriptions. She further stated that one dog had been euthanized in August 2019 and the seven prescriptions filled for him after that date were clearly unauthorized.
The investigation of this case was handled by the Drug Enforcement Administration. Assistant United States Attorney Whit D. Pierce is prosecuting the case for the United States.
United States Attorney William M. McSwain Announces his Office’s Efforts to Preserve Integrity of Today’s Primary Elections in Eastern District of PennsylvaniaRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney William M. McSwain announced that Assistant United States Attorney Richard P. Barrett has been appointed to serve as the District Election Officer for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania for today’s primary elections as part of the Department of Justice’s nationwide Election Day Program. In that capacity, AUSA Barrett is responsible for overseeing the District’s handling of complaints of election fraud and voting rights abuses in consultation with Justice Department headquarters in Washington.
The Department of Justice has an important role in deterring ballot fraud and discrimination at the polls, and combating these violations whenever and wherever they occur. The Department’s long-standing Election Day Program furthers these goals, and also seeks to ensure public confidence in the integrity of the election process by providing local points of contact within the Department for the public to report possible ballot fraud and voting rights violations while the polls are open.
Federal law protects against such crimes as intimidating or bribing voters, buying and selling votes, altering vote tallies, stuffing ballot boxes, and marking ballots for voters against their wishes or without their direction. For example, actions of persons designed to interrupt or intimidate voters at polling places by questioning or challenging them, or by photographing or videotaping them, under the pretext that these are actions to uncover illegal voting, may violate federal voting rights law. Further, federal law protects the right of voters to mark their own ballot or to be assisted by a person of their choice.
“Every citizen must be able to vote without interference or discrimination and to have that vote counted without it being impacted by fraud,” said U.S. Attorney McSwain. “Ensuring free and fair elections depends in large part on the cooperation of the American electorate. The Department of Justice will act promptly and aggressively to protect the integrity of the election process, but we need anyone with specific information about voter interference or election fraud to report it immediately to my Office, the FBI, or the Civil Rights Division.”
In order to respond to complaints of ballot fraud or voting rights abuses today, and to ensure that such complaints are directed to the appropriate authorities, AUSA Barrett will be on duty in this District while the polls are open. He can be reached by the public at the following telephone number: 215-861-8420. In addition, the FBI will have special agents available to receive allegations of ballot fraud and other election abuses today. The local FBI field office can be reached by the public at 215-418-4000.
Complaints about ballot access problems or discrimination can also be made directly to the Civil Rights Division’s Voting Section in Washington at 1-800-253-3931 or 202-307-2767.
United States Attorney Mike Stuart Issues Statement Regarding Protests and RiotsRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – United States Attorney Mike Stuart issued the following statement regarding protests and riots in the wake of the death of George Floyd.
“The death of George Floyd is tragic. I pray for his family, the community of Minneapolis, and all those affected by his death.
This nation is grounded in the right to protest and in the rule of law. While peaceful protests are powerful, the violence, looting and property destruction occurring across our country are not acceptable forms of protest but, rather, criminal acts. This type of violence undermines the cause and defies the memory of George Floyd and those who protest peacefully.
A few bad apples don’t ruin an orchard - 99.99% of police and law enforcement are noble public servants, and 99.99% of the protestors are noble concerned Americans who love their country and are deeply troubled by George Floyd’s death. The vast majority of police and the vast majority of protestors are law abiding caring people. I “Back the Blue” and I support the right of protest. Sadly, however, ANTIFA and anarchists that have a goal of civil unrest, violence and destruction are overwhelming the purpose of the protests.
Communities are fed up with the violence. Peaceful protestors are fed up with the violence. In West Virginia, protests must remain peaceful. If you pick up a brick to throw it at law enforcement officers or a business, if you burn a business or a car, if you cause violence, or if you target law enforcement, you will be arrested, charged, and prosecuted to the full extent of the law.
I am in constant contact with Bill Powell, the United States Attorney for the Northern District of West Virginia, and I am in regular communication with the Governor’s team, the head of the WV State Police, state and local law enforcement partners and elected leaders.
I support the unified intent to protect the rights of peaceful protestors to exercise their fundamental right and to ensure the lawlessness occurring in other states does not occur here. I assure you that my office stands ready to take federal law enforcement action against violent criminal agitators and inciters who undermine the power of peaceful protests. We will act, and quickly, if violence occurs in West Virginia. The rule of law must be maintained. Public safety must be our priority.”
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U.S. Attorney McAllister Announces Grants to Kansas Police Departments for Hiring OfficersRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, KAN. – U.S. Attorney Stephen McAllister today announced grants for law enforcement agencies in Kansas to hire officers.
The Kansas grants are part of nearly $400 million nationwide for law enforcement hiring announced today by the Department of Justice.
“The grants put the money where it is needed – on the streets,” McAllister said. “Kansans will be safer because of these grants.”
Departments receiving grants in Kansas include:
Arkansas City Police Department: $125,000
Atchison County Sheriff’s Department: $125,000
Bonner Springs Police Department: $125,000.
Bourbon County Sheriff’s Department: $118,792
Cheney Police Department: $250,000
Cherryvale Police Department: $125,000.
Gardner Police Department: $125,000.
Goodland Police Department: $125,000.
Hesston Police Department: $125,000
Hiawatha Police Department: $125,000.
Kansas City, Kan., Police Department: $1,322,150
Pratt Police Department: $125,000.
Wabaunsee County Sheriff’s Department: $224,965
Wellsville Police Department: $123,624
City of Wichita: $875,000
The funding comes through the Department’s Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Office) COPS Hiring Program (CHP).
“The Department of Justice is committed to providing the police chiefs and sheriffs of our great nation with needed resources, tools, and support: The funding announced today will bolster their ranks and contribute to expanding community policing efforts nationwide,” said Attorney General William P. Barr. “A law enforcement agency’s most valuable assets are the men and women who put their lives on the line every day in the name of protecting and serving their communities.”
The complete list of awards can be found here https://cops.usdoj.gov/pdf/2020AwardDocs/CHP/Award_List.pdf . To learn more about CHP, please visit https://cops.usdoj.gov/chp. For additional information about the COPS Office, please visit www.cops.usdoj.gov.
U.S. Attorney Keefe Announces Additional Grants Awarded to Local Communities to Address COVID-19 PandemicRead the Press Release
TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA – Lawrence Keefe, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida,
today announced that grants were awarded to five additional law enforcement agencies in the
district with a combined total of more than $500,000 in Department of Justice grants to respond to
the public safety challenges posed by the outbreak of COVID-19.The grants, awarded to Gainesville Police Department, Alachua County Sheriff’s Office, Santa Rosa
County Sheriff’s Office, Taylor County Sheriff’s Office, and Pensacola Police Department, were
provided under the Coronavirus Emergency Supplemental Funding program, authorized by the recent
stimulus legislation signed by President Trump. These awards are among $1.3 million directed to 14
Florida counties and cities under the program, which also provided $31.8 million to the Florida
Department of Law Enforcement for use statewide. Numerous other communities within the Northern
District of Florida were eligible for funding under the grant program, and the Justice Department
is moving quickly to award grants on a rolling basis, aiming to have funds available for drawdown
as soon as possible after receiving applications.“Throughout the many weeks our district and the nation have been dealing with the threat of
COVID-19, our public safety first responders have worked tirelessly to make sure members of the
public are safe,” U.S. Attorney Keefe said. “The resources of local agencies have been stretched
thin, and these grant funds will help ease the financial burden on public safety agencies so they
can continue protecting and serving our citizens.”The grant awards announced include - Gainesville Police Department: $213,171; Alachua County
Sheriff’s Office: $130,054; Santa Rosa County Sheriff’s Office: $52,441; Taylor County Sheriff’s
Office: $41,132; and the Pensacola Police Department: $81,254. Last month it was announced that Bay
County, Leon County, Madison County, and Walton County were awarded a combined total of over
$240,000 in Department of Justice grants.“The outbreak of COVID-19 and the public health emergency it created are sobering reminders that
even the most routine duties performed by our nation’s public safety officials carry potentially
grave risks,” said Katharine T. Sullivan, Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney Generalfor the Office of Justice Programs. “These funds will provide hard-hit communities with critical
resources to help mitigate the impact of this crisis and give added protection to the brave
professionals charged with keeping citizens safe.”The law establishing the grant program allows jurisdictions considerable latitude in the use of
these funds for dealing with COVID-19. Potential uses include hiring personnel, paying overtime,
purchasing protective equipment, distributing resources to hard-hit areas, and addressing inmate
medical needs.Agencies that were eligible for the fiscal year 2019 State and Local Edward Byrne Memorial Justice
Assistance Grant Program are candidates for the emergency funding. Local units of government will
receive direct awards separately according to their jurisdictions’ allocations.The Office of Justice Programs provides federal leadership, grants, training, technical assistance,
and other resources to improve the nation’s capacity to prevent and reduce crime, assist victims,
and enhance the rule of law by strengthening the criminal and juvenile justice systems. More
information about OJP and its components can be found at www.ojp.gov.The United States Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that
serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access
available public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern
District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office,
Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.Two from Lexington Plead Guilty to Conspiracy to Distribute MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
LONDON, Ky. Chris Michael Moberly, 33, and Caitlin Sue Maggard, 31, both from Lexington, pleaded guilty in federal court Tuesday, before U.S. District Judge Claria Horn Boom, for their roles in conspiring to distribute methamphetamine.
According to their plea agreements, between September 2019 and October 2019, Moberly and Maggard conspired with others to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. They both admitted that, on multiple occasions, they travelled to Scott County, Tennessee, for the purpose of distributing methamphetamine to other distributors in Tennessee and Kentucky, including McCreary County. Moberly admitted to enlisting other individuals to assist with transportation to make methamphetamine deliveries. In October 2019, law enforcement disrupted a drug transaction, seizing 50 grams of methamphetamine from Moberly and Maggard.
Moberly and Maggard were indicted in January 2020.
Robert M. Duncan, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Jeffrey Todd Scott, Special Agent in Charge, DEA Louisville Field Division; and Sheriff Ronnie Phillips, Scott County, Tennessee Sheriff’s Department, jointly announced the guilty pleas.
The investigation was conducted by the DEA and Scott County, Tennessee Sheriff’s Department. The United States was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew Trimble.
Moberly is scheduled to be sentenced on October 6. He faces a minimum of ten years in prison. Maggard is scheduled to be sentenced on October 9. She faces a minimum of five years in prison. However, any sentence will be imposed by the Court after its consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal sentencing statutes.
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Two Sentenced to 5 Years in Prison for Modesto Bank Robbery ConspiracyRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — Soledad residents Enrique Lopez, 28, and Victor Bravo, 25, were each sentenced today to five years in prison for conspiracy to commit armed bank robbery, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced.
According to court documents, on Nov. 16, 2018, a deputy sheriff noticed a Nissan Altima parked in a parking lot at an apartment complex in Modesto that had been reported stolen from Salinas. Officers set up surveillance on the stolen Nissan and watched four cars carrying the five co-conspirators leave the apartment complex.
The cars traveled close to each other to a shopping area in Modesto that contained a Chase Bank. One co-conspirator drove back and forth past the Chase Bank, talking to the other conspirators on the phone.
The stolen Nissan, driven by Bravo, parked in a loading area behind the shopping center next to a car driven by Lopez. Lopez got out of his car and started loading items into the stolen Nissan. The stolen Nissan then left the loading area, drove through an alley, and parked in a parking lot near Chase Bank. Officers stopped the car and detained all four occupants. Inside the stolen Nissan, officers found two assault rifle-style firearms, a handgun, a revolver, masks, gloves, and a large duffel bag.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Stanislaus County Sheriff’s Department, the Modesto Police Department, the Monterey County Sheriff’s Department, San Mateo County Sheriff’s Department, Tulare County Sheriff’s Department, and Fresno County Sheriff’s Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ross Pearson is prosecuting the case.
Three other defendants have pleaded guilty are scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Dale A. Drozd. The defendants face a maximum statutory penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The actual sentences, however, will 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.
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 the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally based strategies to reduce violent crime. To learn more about Project Safe Neighborhoods, go to www.justice.gov/psn.
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 www.justice.gov/projectguardian.
Two Men Sentenced for Traveling to Engage in Sex with MinorRead the Press Release
BLUEFIELD, W.Va. – Two men were sentenced today for sex offenses involving minors, announced United States Attorney Mike Stuart. Arun Dhavamani, 41, of Camp Creek, was sentenced to 30 months in prison for traveling in interstate commerce in order to engage in sexual activity. Jeffrey William Sexton, Jr., of Virginia Beach, Virginia., was sentenced to 63 months in prison. Both men will served a term of 15 years on supervised release following their release from prison.
“The children of this district have no better champion than my office. I will seek maximum penalties for those who prey on West Virginia’s most vulnerable,” United States Attorney Mike Stuart said.
Dhavamani was convicted by a jury in November 2019. During trial, the evidence demonstrated that on June 1, 2019, Dhavamani engaged in conversations with a person he believed to be a 15-year-old female, but was actually an undercover law enforcement officer. Dhavamani initially communicated with the person via a cell phone social messaging and dating application and later via text messages. After discussing having sexual intercourse with the 15-year-old, Dhavamani traveled from near Ghent to Bluefield, Virginia, to meet the purported minor in order to engage in sexual intercourse.
Sexton was convicted by a jury in January 2020. At trial, evidence revealed that Sexton began communicating with an undercover law enforcement officer posing as a 13-year-old girl on a social messaging and dating application on approximately May 28, 2019. During the conversations, Sexton brought up the topic of oral sex with the purported minor. At approximately 1 a.m. on June 1, 2019, Sexton traveled from Bluefield, Virginia, to Bluefield, West Virginia, to meet the alleged 13-year-old after telling her to sneak out of her house. On May 31, 2019, Sexton had also reached out to chat with two other law enforcement officers posing as minors on the same messaging application, discussing oral sex with one officer who stated she was only 14 years old.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation’s West Virginia Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force, in conjunction with the West Virginia State Police Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force and the Mercer County Sheriff’s Department, conducted the investigations. Senior United States District Judge David A. Faber presided over the hearings. Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer Rada Herrald handled the prosecutions.
These cases were prosecuted as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative of the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute those who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
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Two Individuals Charged in Federal Court with Illegally Possessing Loaded Handguns in Downtown ChicagoRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — Two individuals have been charged with federal firearm offenses for allegedly illegally possessing loaded handguns in downtown Chicago this past weekend.
BRANDON PEGUES, 28, of Riverdale, and AMBER L. PELTZER, 28, of Lansing, are each charged with one count of illegal possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Pegues and Peltzer were previously convicted of criminal felonies and were not lawfully allowed to possess a firearm. Initial court appearances in U.S. District Court in Chicago have not yet been scheduled.
The federal charges were announced by John R. Lausch, Jr., United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois; Kristen deTineo, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Division of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; and David Brown, Superintendent of the Chicago Police Department. Valuable assistance was provided by the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office in bringing these charges. The government is represented in the Pegues case by Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew J. McCrobie, and in the Peltzer case by Assistant U.S. Attorney Albert Berry.
“We are working with the Chicago Police Department and our federal and state law enforcement partners to arrest and prosecute anyone involved in violence and destruction in Chicago,” said U.S. Attorney Lausch. “We will continue our efforts to apprehend and charge illegal gun offenders and others engaging in violent crime.”
Holding gun offenders accountable through federal prosecution is a centerpiece of Project Guardian and Project Safe Neighborhoods – the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction strategies. Project Guardian focuses specifically on investigating, prosecuting, and preventing gun crimes, and it emphasizes the importance of using modern technologies to promote gun crime intelligence. In the Northern District of Illinois, U.S. Attorney Lausch and law enforcement partners have deployed the Guardian and PSN programs to attack a broad range of violent crime issues facing the district, including by prosecuting individuals who illegally possess firearms.
Pegues and Peltzer were arrested separately early Sunday morning by Chicago Police Officers who were investigating reports of various malfeasances and unrest in the downtown area of the city. A city of Chicago curfew took effect at 9:00 p.m. Saturday, and the defendants were arrested nearly four hours later.
According to the charges, Pegues was arrested near the 800 block of South Federal Street after officers observed a loaded semiautomatic handgun fall from his waistband. Peltzer was arrested near the 1600 block of South Michigan Avenue after officers observed her peering out of a bar that had its glass front door shattered, the complaint states. She was later taken into custody while in possession of a loaded handgun, the complaint states.
The public is reminded that a complaint is not evidence of guilt. The defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. Illegal possession of a firearm by a convicted felon is punishable by up to ten years in federal prison. If convicted, the Court must impose a reasonable sentence under federal statutes and the advisory U.S. Sentencing Guidelines.
Two Individuals Charged with Throwing Molotov Cocktails into Dakota County Government BuildingRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Erica H. MacDonald today announced a federal criminal complaint against GARRETT PATRICK ZIEGLER, 24, and FORNANDOUS CORTEZ HENDERSON, 32, charging them with arson and possession of Molotov cocktails. ZIEGLER and HENDERSON, made their initial appearance earlier today before Magistrate Judge Becky R. Thorson in U.S. District Court in Minneapolis, Minnesota. ZIEGLER and HENDERSON were ordered to remain in custody pending a formal detention hearing, which is scheduled for Thursday, June 4, 2020.
According to the allegations in the complaint, in the early morning hours of May 29, 2020, the Apple Valley Police Department (“AVPD”) was dispatched to a fire alarm at the Dakota County Western Service Center (“DCWSC”) in Apple Valley, Minnesota. The DCWSC houses state and local agencies and organizations, including Dakota County court facilities, as well as a U.S. Passport center. Once on scene, officers observed broken windows, smoke, and flames coming from the west side of the building where the judges’ chambers and clerks’ offices are located. Located at the scene were items consistent with those used in Molotov cocktails, including broken glass jars and liquor bottles, pushpins, intact glass jars containing ignitable liquid and a charred red bandana.
According to the allegations in the complaint, officers found a set of car keys in the grass near the DCWSC belonging to a Ford Fiesta parked in a neighboring business’ parking lot. Officers later executed a search warrant on the vehicle, which was registered to ZIEGLER, and recovered several items, including liquor bottles, a store receipt dated May 28, 2020, for three bandanas, partially full and empty boxes of push pins, an empty cardboard box for twelve Ball brand mason jars, an empty Kingsford brand lighter fluid bottle, isopropyl alcohol bottles, a plastic jar containing a clear unidentified liquid and T-pins, and a store receipt dated May 27, 2020 for nail polish remover. Officers located ZIEGLER and HENDERSON on a road near the DCWSC, and they were taken into custody.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Apple Valley Police Department, and the Dakota County Sheriff’s Office, with assistance from the Dakota County Attorney’s Office.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Alexander D. Chiquoine, Chelsea A. Walcker, and Joseph S. Teirab.
The charges contained in the complaint are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Defendant Information:
GARRETT PATRICK ZIEGLER, 24
Long Lake, Minn.
Charges:
- Arson, 1 count
- Possession of unregistered destructive devices (Molotov cocktails), 1 count
FORNANDOUS CORTEZ HENDERSON, 32
Savage, Minn.
Charges:
- Arson, 1 count
- Possession of unregistered destructive devices (Molotov cocktails), 1 count
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United States Attorney’s Office, District of Minnesota: (612) 664-5600
Toledo man sentenced to 20 years for role in drug trafficking conspiracyRead the Press Release
Justin E. Herdman, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio, announced today that Jayvon Wynne, age 25, of Toledo, has been sentenced to a term of 240 months imprisonment after pleading guilty to federal charges including drug conspiracy, possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
“Today’s two-decade sentence reflects the severe consequences of trafficking drugs in our neighborhoods,” said U.S. Attorney Justin Herdman. “This 20-year sentence sends a simple message - we will not let people like Jayvon Wynne and his associates profit off of the pain and suffering they cause from their illegal activities.”
“This individual is responsible for bringing danger and violence to our neighborhoods, and for this, he will spend significant time behind bars,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Eric Smith. “The FBI will continue collaborative efforts to rid our communities of armed drug dealing criminals.”
“The 20-year sentence of Jayvon Wynne should continue to send a message to those in our community who wish to break the law," said Toledo Police Chief George Kral. "That message being, that we will not rest until you are off of our streets. Wynne was the third defendant who was involved in a felonious assault where TPD officers were the targets. I appreciate and value the relationships TPD has with of federal partners, and will tirelessly work to keep Toledo safe.”
According to the indictment filed in this matter, from 2014 to 2017, Wynne and nine other defendants worked together and conspired to distribute large amounts of heroin and fentanyl in the Toledo area. Wynne admitted to playing an aggravating role in the conspiracy and exercised a degree of control over the activities of the other defendants. Wynne admitted to initiating a strategy of providing free half grams of heroin to customers on Sundays who had purchased narcotics from the group throughout the week. On July 25, 2017, Wynne possessed more than five grams of heroin and a Glock 9 mm pistol, which he used in furtherance of drug trafficking.
Wynne is currently serving 18 years in state prison for two convictions of felonious assault, one of which carries a firearm specification. His federal sentence will run concurrently.
Previously sentenced in this matter are:
- Chad Burkholder, age 37, of Toledo, sentenced to 70 months imprisonment on one count of conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute and distribution of controlled substances.
- Ryin Douglas-Reed, age 30, of Toledo, sentenced to 100 months imprisonment on one count of conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute and distribution of controlled substances.
- Laurie Lehman, age 51, of Toledo, sentenced to 65 months imprisonment on one count of conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute and distribution of controlled.
- Julie Murdock, age 49, of Toledo, was sentenced to 30 months imprisonment on one count of conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute and distribution of controlled.
- Russell Watson, age 36, of Toledo, sentenced to 68 months imprisonment on one count of conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute and distribution of controlled and one count of possession with the intent to distribute a controlled substance.
Terrance Allen, 28; Nathaniel Barringer, 25; Megan Champion, 42, and Donte Walker, 32, all of Toledo have previously pled guilty for their roles in this conspiracy and are scheduled to be sentenced in September 2020.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Toledo Police Department, the Toledo Metro Drug Task Force and Northwest Ohio Violent Crime Task Force. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Alissa M. Sterling and Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew D. Simko.
Texas Man Indicted for Investment Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Houston, Texas, man has been indicted by a federal grand jury for an investment fraud scheme.
Duc Nguyen, also known as “Doug,” 56, was charged in a 12-count indictment returned by a federal grand jury on May 27, 2020.
According to the federal indictment, Nguyen proposed an opportunity for high net worth individuals to invest in the purchase, refurbishing, and sale of used oil equipment. He allegedly told Phillip and Brian Hudnall that profit from these transactions would be three to five times the amount of the investment. Brian and Phillip Hudnall raised money from investors based upon these representations from Nguyen.
For example, Brian Hudnall wire transferred $415,000 to Nguyen between May 3 and Sept. 19, 2018, for the purchase, refurbishment, and shipping of the oil equipment. Phillip Hudnall transferred $1,075,000 to Nguyen between April 15 and June 17, 2019, for the purchase, refurbishment, and shipping of the oil equipment.
Nguyen did not use any of the monies for the purchase, refurbishment, and shipment of used oil equipment, the indictment says, but instead spent the money on personal expenses. The federal indictment cites tens of thousands of dollars spent at several casinos.
The federal indictment charges Nguyen with 12 counts of wire fraud related to wire transfers of funds into his bank accounts.
The charges contained in this indictment are simply accusations, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charges 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 Paul S. Becker. It was investigated by the FBI.
Texas Couple Sentenced to Prison for Transportation of Stolen Property, Wire Fraud, and Identity TheftRead the Press Release
Yuniel Sanchez, age 36, from Grand Prairie, Texas, and Shannon Marlowe, age 35, from Fort Worth, Texas, each received prison terms, of over five years for their roles in a conspiracy to transport stolen property, wire fraud and identity heft.
Yuniel Sanchez and Shannon Marlowe were each convicted of one count of conspiracy to commit interstate transportation of stolen property, one count of interstate transportation of stolen property, one count of wire fraud and one count of identity theft.
Evidence presented by the United States in court revealed between January 1, 2019 until on or about June 11, 2019, Marlowe and Sanchez knowingly and willfully conspired to transport a Penske moving truck they rented using a fraudulent credit card in Dallas, Texas. As part of the conspiracy Marlowe and Sanchez acquired valid credit card numbers and personal identifiers of unsuspecting victims. They then forged fraudulent identification cards and credit cards in the names of the victims. Marlowe and Sanchez acquired a credit card embossing machine, valid gift cards and other tools and supplies and forged identification cards in the names of the victims bearing their own images instead of the images of the unsuspecting victims. Marlowe and Sanchez travelled to multiple retailers in multiple states, including, Iowa, Minnesota and Tennessee, and presented the forged and fraudulent credit cards and identification cards to retailers. On June 11, 2019, law enforcement officers in Sioux City, Iowa conducted a search of the Penske truck. Officers located stolen property and receipts from various retailers, a credit card embossing machine, multiple gift cards, and about 15 completed forged and fraudulent credit cards. Marlowe and Sanchez used the fraudulent credit cards to make $35,828.06 worth of purchases.
Marlowe and Yuniel Sanchez were each sentenced on May 29, 2020, in Sioux City by United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand. Each was sentenced to 61 months’ imprisonment. Each was ordered to pay make restitution and pay special assessments of $400. They each must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
Both are being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until they can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was investigated by the Sioux City, Iowa Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Forde Fairchild
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 19-CR-4069.
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Temple Woman Pleads Guilty to Possessing and Distributing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
In Waco today, 33-year-old Temple, Texas, resident Lydia Brynn Christensen, pleaded guilty to possessing and distributing child pornography, announced U.S. Attorney John F. Bash; FBI Special Agent in Charge Christopher Combs, San Antonio Division; and, Temple Police Chief Shawn Reynolds.
Appearing before U.S Magistrate Judge Jeffrey C. Manske, Christensen pleaded guilty to one count of possession of child pornography and one count of distribution of child pornography. According to court records,
On August 30, 2019, authorities executed a federal search warrant at the defendant’s residence based on information they had received concerning the contents of her cellular telephone. During the search, authorities seized the phone. A subsequent search of the phone revealed the presence of numerous images and videos depicting child pornography. Also, authorities discovered numerous communications on the phone whereby Christensen had transmitted and received child pornography.
Christensen, who has remained in custody since her arrest on November 7, 2019, faces up to 20 years in federal prison for each charge. Sentencing, before U.S. District Judge Alan Albright in Waco, is scheduled for October 7, 2020.
The FBI and the Temple Police Department Special Crimes Unit conducted this investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Greg Gloff is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
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The year 2020 marks the 150th anniversary of the Department of Justice. Learn more about the history of our agency at www.Justice.gov/Celebrating150Years.
Tahlequah Man Pleads Guilty to ArsonRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that John Cole Haeberle, age 23, of Tahlequah, Oklahoma entered a guilty plea to Arson, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 844(i), punishable by not less than 5 years to not more than 20 years imprisonment, a fine up to $250,000.00 or both.
The Indictment alleged that from on or about February 24, 2020, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma, the defendant, maliciously damaged and destroyed, and attempted to damage and destroy, by means of fire and explosive materials, a building which was used in any activity affecting interstate commerce, to-wit: the Garden Walk Apartments located at 18106 W. 794 Road, APT 40B, Tahlequah, Oklahoma.
The charges arose from an investigation by the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
The Honorable Steven P. Shreder, U.S. Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, in Muskogee, accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report.
Assistant United States Attorney Sarah McAmis represented the United States at the change of plea hearing.
Statement of U.S. Attorney Robert Brewer on George Floyd’s Death and DOJ’s Commitment to the First Amendment and Public SafetyRead the Press Release
Assistant U.S. Attorney Chris Tenorio (619) 909-7556
SAN DIEGO – Last week on Memorial Day, in Minneapolis, MN, George Floyd’s life was taken violently and without justification by law enforcement. His death awakened echoes of recent and historic racism, inequality, and excessive force that has disproportionately affected African-Americans in our country. While this tragic event and subsequent violence over several days affects us all, I appreciate that many of our neighbors are in particular pain and feel vulnerable simply because of the color of their skin.
Having proudly taken an oath to uphold our Constitution, I am always mindful that the laws must be enforced without prejudice or favor: For the benefit and protection of all, regardless of the identity of the perpetrator. The Constitution protects against unreasonable force under color of law. As law enforcement leaders, we must hold everyone—including those who wear the uniform—to the same standard under the law. The obligation to do so is self-evident, but it bears emphasizing that the equal commitment to the law is the only way to protect both victims of police violence and those men and women in uniform who serve our communities with honor.
Wearing a police uniform is one of the hardest jobs in society. We are all indebted to the self-sacrifice and commitment to our communities by those who protect us. But everyone in law enforcement—prosecutors and peace officers—can, and must, do better. The United States Attorney’s Office remains steadfast in its commitment to assisting our law enforcement partners to adopt and employ best policing practices and most effectively and fairly protect all members of our communities.
At the same time, we are equally committed to our long-standing involvement with civic, faith, and other community organizations to combat hate and help our communities chart a better path forward. We will continue our collaboration with the San Diego Regional Hate Crime Coalition to coordinate community outreach, open dialogue, and the prevention of hate incidents and discrimination. With our local and state partners, we will continue to zealously investigate and prosecute hate crimes that cause far-reaching damage to entire communities.
The Constitution strongly protects the First Amendment right of all to speak out and peacefully protest. The violence by a relatively small number of opportunists who have sought to wreak havoc, destroy property, and threaten the safety of peaceful protestors and law enforcement alike, clearly detract from our ability to heal from the wounds of Mr. Floyd’s death and to seek that better path forward. One of the great defining features of this country is our adherence to the rule of law. We do not have to choose between our obligation to enforce the law and our personal outrage. Nor are we required to leave behind our own feelings of empathy and sadness in enforcing the law against those who seek to break it, while facilitating peaceful protest, another hallmark of American democracy.
We are fortunate to be a part of a strong, resilient and collaborative San Diego community. I have been in constant contact over the last four days with our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners to support and coordinate our collective response to acts of violence as we protect peaceful protestors and our communities. The cooperation and collaboration among our first responders has been impressive, and their intent to work with our community and address their concerns is clear. Together, while condemning the underlying problems that led to Mr. Floyd’s senseless death and the violence in the aftermath, we are taking a strong stand and affirming our enduring commitment to the equal protection and justice for all.
Statement of U.S. Attorney Craig CarpenitoRead the Press Release
As I said in the wake of the despicable hate crimes committed in Jersey City last December, we are confronting problems in this state and this country that I cannot believe we are still facing at this point in our history. I emphatically reject the idea that violence is the solution to those problems. I am proud of the people of Newark, Camden and elsewhere who have raised their voices in peaceful protest to seek justice for George Floyd and the many other victims like him, and to call for change.
A few individuals are using these protests as cover to commit violent acts and damage our communities. They are not honoring the memory of George Floyd. They do not work to ensure justice for his memory, his family or his loved ones. They hide behind his name to further their own agendas. They may think that they can worsen the divide that responsible community, civic and governmental leaders have engaged with one another to try to close for years. They are wrong.
I know this engagement works because I see the impact of productive community and law enforcement partnerships every day in Newark, Camden, and elsewhere. As I watch the police and the community grow together, I see crime go down. I know that members of the community intervened during the past several days to prevent a few individuals from turning a peaceful protest violent. I commend their brave stand, and I say to them: we will not allow the actions of the lawless few to silence the voice of the many.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office will continue to protect the right of all people to assemble and protest peacefully, without interruption from those bent on violence or destruction. We will continue to investigate and prosecute those police officers who abuse their power through the unlawful use of force and other violations of our citizens’ civil rights. We will also intervene wherever individuals try to distract from these valid causes by engaging in riots, arson and looting. We will bring all of these wrongdoers to justice.
Our work sends a strong message: New Jersey will not tolerate the victimization of our people, our cities, our businesses, our law enforcement and our government. Justice will prevail.
Statement from United States Attorney G. Zachary TerwilligerRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – These have been difficult and challenging times over the past 10 weeks due first to a pervasive pandemic and now as a result of great societal unrest. We witnessed the harrowing and disturbing video images of the death of George Floyd. We watched many peaceful protestors exercise their constitutional rights to protest legitimate grievances. And while it should be a time for the nation to grieve, scream, pray, shake with anger, reconcile, and heal, some have turned to violence, destruction, arson, assault, and domestic terrorism.
Many individuals gathering to protest in the Eastern District have done so peacefully. Unfortunately, there are some individuals who seek to actively undermine the efforts of peaceful protestors by inciting violence and destroying the very physical and figurative sinew of local communities of which they are not members.
Following the decisive leadership of Attorney General Barr, we will utilize the existing framework of the Joint Terrorism Task Force model to identify, apprehend and prosecute anyone who uses the guise of protest to incite violence and violate federal laws.
As always, we stand ready to support our federal, state, and local law enforcement officers who bravely put themselves in harm’s way to ensure citizens across the Commonwealth can safely exercise their First Amendment rights.
Statement from Assistant Attorney General Eric Dreiband and Michigan U.S. Attorneys on Michigan Governor's Decision to Adjust Reopening PlansRead the Press Release
Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights Eric Dreiband, U.S. Attorney Matthew Schneider for the Eastern District of Michigan, and U.S. Attorney Andrew Birge for the Western District of Michigan issued the following statement:
“Following action by the Department of Justice Civil Rights Division, Governor Whitmer provided much-needed relief for Michiganders by rescinding her executive orders which had required certain retail business to operate ‘by appointment only,’ prohibited other businesses that sued the governor from having the face-to-face meetings necessary to operate, even while practicing social distancing, and had required Michiganders to stay home.”
“We thank the governor for moving to Stage 4 of the Michigan Safe Start Plan, which better respects the constitutional liberties of Michiganders, especially when it comes to their ability to maintain their economic livelihood. Some Michigan businesses, such as indoor gyms, hair salons, barbershops, indoor theaters and some similar venues remain closed. Additionally, there is ongoing litigation challenging whether state law authorizes the governor’s COVID-19 orders. The Department of Justice will continue to prioritize Attorney General Barr’s Memorandum regarding Balancing Public Safety with the Preservation of Civil Rights and to monitor the legality of the process of reopening in Michigan."
Background
On Friday, May 29, 2020, the Department of Justice filed a statement of interest in a Michigan federal court in support of a lawsuit filed by seven businesses challenging the restrictions imposed by Governor Gretchen Whitmer in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. That statement of interest explained that the governor’s COVID-19 orders, however well-intentioned, raised constitutional concerns by imposing what appeared to be arbitrary and unreasonable limits on how and ultimately whether certain businesses could operate in Michigan relative to other similarly situated businesses. The statement of interest also explained that the federal Constitution provides for a cohesive national economy for all 50 states and all Americans and that the governor’s COVID-19 orders may be unduly interfering with interstate commerce.
Matthew Schneider, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Michigan, and Assistant Attorney General Dreiband, are overseeing the Justice Department’s effort to monitor state and local policies relating to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The federal case is Signature Sotheby’s International Realty, Inc., et al. v. Whitmer, No. 1:20-00360 and additional information about the department’s May 29 statement of interest can be found here: https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/department-justice-files-statement-interest-support-businesses-suffering-arbitrary-and
Statement from Assistant Attorney General Eric Dreiband and Michigan U.S. Attorneys on Michigan Governor's Decision to Adjust Reopening PlansRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON - Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights Eric Dreiband, U.S. Attorney Matthew Schneider for the Eastern District of Michigan, and U.S. Attorney Andrew Birge for the Western District of Michigan issued the following statement:
“Following action by the Department of Justice Civil Rights Division, Governor Whitmer provided much-needed relief for Michiganders by rescinding her executive orders which had required certain retail business to operate ‘by appointment only,’ prohibited other businesses that sued the governor from having the face-to-face meetings necessary to operate, even while practicing social distancing, and had required Michiganders to stay home.”
“We thank the governor for moving to Stage 4 of the Michigan Safe Start Plan, which better respects the constitutional liberties of Michiganders, especially when it comes to their ability to maintain their economic livelihood. Some Michigan businesses, such as indoor gyms, hair salons, barbershops, indoor theaters and some similar venues remain closed. Additionally, there is ongoing litigation challenging whether state law authorizes the governor’s COVID-19 orders. The Department of Justice will continue to prioritize Attorney General Barr’s Memorandum regarding Balancing Public Safety with the Preservation of Civil Rights and to monitor the legality of the process of reopening in Michigan."
Background
On Friday, May 29, 2020, the Department of Justice filed a statement of interest in a Michigan federal court in support of a lawsuit filed by seven businesses challenging the restrictions imposed by Governor Gretchen Whitmer in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. That statement of interest explained that the governor’s COVID-19 orders, however well-intentioned, raised constitutional concerns by imposing what appeared to be arbitrary and unreasonable limits on how and ultimately whether certain businesses could operate in Michigan relative to other similarly situated businesses. The statement of interest also explained that the federal Constitution provides for a cohesive national economy for all 50 states and all Americans and that the governor’s COVID-19 orders may be unduly interfering with interstate commerce.
Matthew Schneider, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Michigan, and Assistant Attorney General Dreiband, are overseeing the Justice Department’s effort to monitor state and local policies relating to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The federal case is Signature Sotheby’s International Realty, Inc., et al. v. Whitmer, No. 1:20-00360 and additional information about the department’s May 29 statement of interest can be found here: https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/department-justice-files-statement-interest-support-businesses-suffering-arbitrary-and
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.
Sioux City Husband and Wife Sentenced for Encouraging Aliens from Guatemala to Enter the United States IllegallyRead the Press Release
A husband and wife who encouraged and induced a father and his minor daughter to illegally enter in the United States were recently sentenced in federal court in Sioux City. Cristobal Francisco Nicolas was sentenced on May 29, 2020, to 18 months’ in federal prison. Amy Francisco was sentenced on March 20, 2020, to 12 months’ and 1 day in federal prison.
Amy Francisco, age 40, a citizen of the United States, and Cristobal Nicolas, age 37, a citizen of the Republic of Guatemala, both residing in Sioux City, Iowa, received the prison terms after pleading guilty to encouraging and inducing an alien to enter or reside in the United States in violation of law. Cristobal Nicolas was also convicted for unlawful possession of identification documents.
Information disclosed during the case showed that Amy Francisco and Cristobal Francisco illegally encouraged and induced aliens to enter or reside in the United States. Specifically, they encouraged aliens from Guatemala to enter the country. The Franciscos arranged for them to come to Sioux City, Iowa. Amy Francisco and Cristobal Francisco knew the aliens, a father and daughter, were citizens of Guatemala and were not permitted to enter or reside in the United States.
Further information showed that Amy Francisco and Cristobal Francisco encouraged a father and his minor daughter to enter the United States. The Franciscos admitted they intended to have the minor daughter serve as a surrogate mother for their baby. The Franciscos proposed to pay for all expenses incurred during the pregnancy, birth, and adoption of the baby. They also promised the daughter she could further her education and work to earn money while in the United States. The Franciscos also agreed to help find the father work in the country.
In the spring of 2019, the Franciscos, using the services of individuals outside the United States, arranged for the father and daughter to travel from Guatemala to the United States. After the father and daughter arrived in the country, the Franciscos paid for them to fly to Omaha, Nebraska, and eventually to travel to the Franciscos’ Sioux City home. The father and daughter stayed at the Franciscos’ home from May 31, 2019, through June 4, 2019. On June 4, 2019, the daughter ran away from the home. Officers from the Sioux City Police Department found her after she ran away.
Cristobal Francisco Nicolas was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand. Cristobal Francisco Nicolas was sentenced to 18 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a 2-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system. Amy Francisco was also sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand. Amy Francisco was sentenced to 12 months’ and 1 day imprisonment. She must also serve a 2-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
Cristobal Francisco Nicolas and Amy Francisco are being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until they can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kevin C. Fletcher and investigated by the Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Sioux City Police Department.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl. The case file number is 19-CR-4045.
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Rochester Man Pleads Guilty to Unlawfully Possessing a FirearmRead the Press Release
CONCORD - Remy Martin Lopez, 35, of Rochester, pleaded guilty in federal court to unlawfully possessing a firearm, United States Attorney Scott W. Murray announced today.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on August 23, 2019, Lopez was found in possession of a firearm that had been reported stolen earlier in the week. Lopez had previously been convicted of a felony in the State of Florida and is legally prohibited from possessing firearms.
Lopez is scheduled to be sentenced on September 9, 2020.
“In order to prevent gun-related violence, federal law prohibits convicted felons from possessing firearms,” said U.S. Attorney Murray. “Aggressive enforcement of this law clearly helps to maintain public safety. We will continue to work closely with the Rochester Police Department, ATF, and all of our law enforcement partners to identify and prosecute criminals who unlawfully possess firearms or otherwise threaten the public.”
“Today’s guilty plea demonstrates the outstanding partnership between the Rochester Police Department, the ATF, and the United States Attorney’s Office and the commitment we share to work together to interdict illegal firearms and the criminals that compromise the safety of our communities.” Kelly D. Brady, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (“ATF”) Special Agent in Charge.
This matter was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives with assistance from the Rochester Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Anna Krasinski.
The case is part of ATF’s Project Safe Neighborhoods initiative, which is a federally-funded program intended to reduce gun violence through law enforcement training, public education, and aggressive law enforcement efforts to investigate and prosecute gun-related crimes.
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Reno Resident Indicted for Possession, Receipt, and Distribution of Thousands of Images of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
RENO, Nev. – Brandon Eric Navarrete, 27, of Reno, was arraigned in federal court today on an indictment charging him for allegedly unlawfully possessing, receiving, and distributing approximately 17,000 images and videos of child pornography, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas A. Trutanich for the District of Nevada.
Navarrete was arrested Monday morning. He appeared today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Carla L. Baldwin who scheduled a jury trial before Chief U.S. District Judge Miranda M. Du on July 14, 2020.
According to allegations presented in the indictment and during today’s court proceedings, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children received a CyberTip from SmugMug Inc. — a paid image sharing, image hosting service, and online video platform — regarding possible child pornography on its servers. On the basis of that tip, a search warrant was executed at Navarrete’s residence in Reno. A forensic analysis of the electronic devices that were seized revealed approximately 14,000 images of child pornography and approximately 300 video files depicting child pornography. The images and videos included children under 12 years old.
If convicted, Navarrete faces a statutory maximum sentence of 20 years in prison and a $250,000.00 fine. In addition to imprisonment and fines, Navarrete also faces a period of supervised release following any term of imprisonment imposed, restitution, and monetary penalties. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes only. If convicted of an offense, the sentencing of a defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
An indictment merely alleges that crimes have been committed. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
This case is the product of a joint investigation by the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, the FBI's Northern Nevada Child Exploitation & Human Trafficking Task Force, the Washoe County Sheriff’s Office, the Sparks Police Department, the Reno Police Department, and the Nevada Highway Patrol. Assistant U.S. Attorney Randolph St. Clair is prosecuting the case.
If you have information regarding possible child sexual exploitation, please make a report to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children by calling the 24-hour hotline at 1-800-THE-LOST (1-800-843-5678) or by making a report at www.cybertipline.com.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Department of Justice’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
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Pittsburgh Teen was Drug Runner for South Side Gang’s Distribution NetworkRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, PA – A resident of Pittsburgh pleaded guilty in federal court to charges related to drug 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.
Roderick Ferguson, 19, 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. Mr. Ferguson is one of 36 defendants charged in the Indictment.
In connection with the guilty plea, the court was advised that in 2017, the Greater Pittsburgh Safe Streets Task Force initiated an investigation primarily targeting the Darccide/Smash 44, or DS44, neighborhood gang, and its drug-trafficking activity, in and around the South Side area of Pittsburgh. As part of this large-scale narcotics and firearms investigation, in February of 2019, the United States received authorization to conduct a federal wire investigation, which continued through June of 2019.
Intercepted communications revealed that Mr. Ferguson was a drug runner for his co-defendant, Christopher Highsmith, who is among the leaders of the drug trafficking organization. As a condition of the guilty plea, Ferguson accepted responsibility for the distribution of 15 grams of a mixture of fentanyl and heroin in the Pittsburgh area. The court was further informed that on June 20, 2019, law enforcement seized a Sig Sauer firearm and ammunition during the execution of a search warrant at the defendant’s residence at on West Warrington Avenue in Pittsburgh.
Judge Stickman scheduled sentencing for October 15, 2020, at 10:30 a.m. The law provides for a total sentence of not more than 20 years in prison, a fine of up to $1,000,000, 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. Ferguson is on bond pending sentencing.
Assistant United States Attorney Christy C. Wiegand is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
Pierre Man Sentenced for Meth TraffickingRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced that a Pierre, South Dakota, man convicted of Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine was sentenced on June 1, 2020, by Chief Judge Roberto A. Lange, U.S. District Court.
Charles Olson, a/k/a Chip Olson, age 48, was sentenced to 84 months in federal prison, followed by 4 years of supervised release, a $1,000 fine, and a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $100.
Olson was indicted by a federal grand jury on October 16, 2019. He pled guilty on March 9, 2020.
The conviction stemmed from a conspiracy that occurred between December 1, 2018, and October 16, 2019, in which Olson, knowingly and intentionally, conspired and agreed with others to knowingly and intentionally distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine in and around the Pierre and Ft. Pierre Communities. As part of the conspiracy, Olson and his co-defendants traveled to Denver, Colorado to pick up methamphetamine. On June 23, 2019, Olson was involved in a traffic stop, wherein 236 grams of methamphetamine, a scale, pipes, and other items of distribution were found.
This case was investigated by the Northern Plains Safe Trails Drug Enforcement Task Force, the Pierre Police Department, and the South Dakota Highway Patrol. Assistant U.S. Attorney Meghan N. Dilges prosecuted the case.
Olson was immediately turned over to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Philadelphia Woman Indicted in $68 Million Securities Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – An investment fund manager was indicted today in connection with an alleged $68 million securities fraud scheme, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito announced.
Brenda Smith, 59, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was indicted on six counts of wire fraud and one count of securities fraud. Smith was initially charged by complaint in August 2019.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
Smith managed and controlled Broad Reach Capital LP, a purported investment fund. Broad Reach Capital was a pooled investment fund/hedge fund that was established in February 2016 and was open to accredited investors with a minimum investment of $1 million.
From February 2016 through August 2019, Smith allegedly orchestrated a scheme in which she made misrepresentations to investors and promised that she would invest their funds in particular trading strategies that Broad Reach Capital was optimally situated to execute. Smith referred to these strategies as dividend capture, VIX Convergence, and opportunistic trading. Instead of investing the money as she advertised, Smith diverted tens of millions of dollars of investor funds out of Broad Reach Capital for purposes inconsistent with the trading strategies, including for personal use and to pay out millions of dollars to other investors.
Smith misrepresented the success and performance of Broad Reach Capital to investors and prospective investors. She touted Broad Reach Capital as a trade-focused investment fund that was highly liquid and employed a robust risk management program. Smith distributed written materials about Broad Reach Capital to investors and prospective investors that included purported historical performance information, such as claimed annual returns of over 33 percent in 2017 and positive monthly returns in 2018. In fact, the total cash and securities in the Broad Reach Capital bank and brokerage accounts decreased from December 2016 through June 2019. For example, the written materials claimed that Broad Reach Capital had a 1.76 percent return in February 2018 when in reality, Broad Reach Capital’s brokerage accounts lost over 50 percent of their value.
To lull investors and induce them to continue investing, Smith provided monthly account statements that falsely showed that their investments were safe and earning significant returns. Smith also falsely represented that she was personally invested in Broad Reach Capital and provided a fictitious account statement to at least one investor.
As part of the fraudulent scheme, Smith collected more than $68 million of cash into Broad Reach Capital from approximately 40 investors. At its peak, however, the value of cash and securities in the Broad Reach Capital bank and brokerage accounts did not exceed $32 million. Instead of investing the money as she promised, Smith transferred tens of millions of dollars out of Broad Reach Capital to entities she controlled for purposes inconsistent with its trading strategies, including more than $10 million for mineral mining operations and $2 million for American Express credit card bills. When investors requested redemption of their investments, Smith diverted other investors’ funds to pay the requested redemption amounts.
The wire fraud counts carry a maximum penalty of 20 years and a $250,000 fine, or twice the gross amount of gain or loss from the offense, whichever is greater. The securities fraud count carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $5 million fine.
The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Philadelphia Regional Office previously filed a civil complaint against Smith based on the same conduct.
U.S. Attorney Carpenito credited special agents of the FBI Philadelphia Division, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Michael Driscoll, and special agents of the U.S. Attorney’s Office with the investigation leading to today’s charges. He also thanked the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission’s Philadelphia Regional Office, under the direction of Director Kelly L. Gibson, for its assistance.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Catherine R. Murphy and Andrew Macurdy of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Economic Crimes Unit.
The charges and allegations in the indictment are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Owners of Texas and Mississippi Laboratories Admit Roles in Kickback Scheme Related to Genetic TestingRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – The owners of two clinical laboratories in Texas and Mississippi today admitted their roles in a scheme to pay kickbacks in exchange for referrals of patient DNA samples and genetic tests to the laboratories, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito announced.
Sherman Kennerson, 55, of Plano, Texas, and Jeffrey Madison, 54, of DeSoto, Texas, each pleaded guilty by videoconference before U.S. District Judge Brian R. Martinotti to one count of conspiracy to defraud the United States in connection with a scheme to violate the Anti-Kickback Statute.
According to documents filed in this case and a related matter and statements made in court:
Kennerson and Madison co-owned and operated with other individuals Spectrum Diagnostic Labs LLC (Spectrum Lab) and Metric Lab Services LLC (Metric Lab), two clinical laboratories, located in Texas and Mississippi, respectively, that performed genetic tests and submitted claims to Medicare. Kennerson and Madison oversaw the laboratories’ marketing and sales operations through which outside marketing groups recruited physicians to refer patients’ DNA samples to the laboratories for genetic tests and related services.
Kennerson and Madison paid bribes to Ark Laboratory Network LLC (Ark), one the marketing groups for Spectrum Lab and Metric Lab, and Jeffrey Tamulski, to induce Ark to refer patients’ DNA samples to the laboratories. Tamulski and the owners of Ark, Edward B. Kostishion, Jeremy M. Richey, and Kacey C. Plaisance, were previously charged by indictment in September 2019 in connection with a related kickback conspiracy involving referrals to laboratories for genetic testing. Plaisance pleaded guilty to his role in the conspiracy on May 6, 2020.
As part of the scheme, the laboratories entered into sham agreements with Ark and Tamulski under which Ark purported to provide various consulting, marketing, and other services at an hourly rate. Kennerson and Madison, however, paid Ark and Tamulski in exchange for referrals and DNA samples based on a percentage of the revenue the laboratories received from federal health care programs, including Medicare. Once the amount of the bribe was calculated, Ark and Tamulski drafted and submitted sham invoices to the laboratories that backed into the agreed upon bribe amount and attempted to conceal the scheme through describing various services provided at hourly rates. Metric Lab paid Ark over $136,000 in bribes and the laboratories received over $517,000 in payments from Medicare for claims connected to the kickback scheme with Ark and Tamulski.
The conspiracy charge to which Kennerson and Madison each pleaded guilty carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a fine of $250,000, or twice the gross grain or loss from the offense, whichever is greatest. Sentencing for both defendants is scheduled for Oct. 5, 2020.
U.S. Attorney Carpenito credited the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Scott J. Lampert; and special agents of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey, with the investigation leading to today’s guilty pleas.
The government is represented by Senior Trial Counsel Bernard J. Cooney of the Health Care Fraud Unit of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Newark.
The charge and allegations against the remaining defendants are merely accusations, and they are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Owings Mills Man Sentenced to Eight Years in Federal Prison for Possessing a Firearm in Furtherance of Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Ellen L. Hollander today sentenced Timothy Herndon, age 29, of Owings Mills, Maryland, to eight years in federal prison, followed by four years of supervised release, for possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Robert K. Hur and Special Agent in Charge Timothy Jones of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Baltimore Field Division.
United States Attorney Robert K. Hur stated, “Timothy Herndon brought danger to our community through the deadly combination of guns and drugs. Now he will serve eight years in federal prison, where there is no parole—ever. Please, put down the guns and save a life—maybe even your own.”
According to Herndon’s plea agreement, on the morning of May 16, 2019, members of the ATF executed a search warrant at Herndon’s residence. After being read his Miranda warnings, Herndon told investigators that he had placed a firearm in a shoebox in the second-floor bedroom. Investigators recovered that firearm, then searched the rest of the residence.
In the living room, investigators recovered one clear bag containing multiple black plastic zip lock baggies of crack cocaine and approximately $2,000 in cash. In the kitchen trashcan under the trash bag, they found drug paraphernalia and one round of 9-millimeter ammunition. From underneath the dishwasher, investigators recovered three loaded firearms; two clear plastic sandwich bags containing cocaine; additional drug paraphernalia; and a paper bag containing a large amount of cash.
United States Attorney Robert K. Hur commended the Bureau of ATF for their work in the investigation. Mr. Hur thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Zachary Stendig and Lindsey McCulley, who prosecuted the case.
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Oklahoma Contractors to Pay $2.8 Million to Settle False Claims Act Allegations Concerning Fraudulently Obtained Small Business ContractsRead the Press Release
OKLAHOMA CITY – Tulsa, Oklahoma-based contractor the Ross Group Construction Corporation (Ross Group), and its corporate affiliates, have agreed to pay over $2.8 million to settle allegations that they violated the False Claims Act by improperly obtaining federal set-aside contracts reserved for disadvantaged small businesses, the Justice Department announced today.
"Small business set-aside contracts provide opportunities for small businesses to participate in federal contracting and gain valuable experience to help them compete for future economic opportunities," said Assistant Attorney General Jody Hunt of the Department of Justice’s Civil Division. "We will pursue those who knowingly obtain set-aside contracts to which they are not entitled and thereby prevent deserving small businesses from receiving the assistance that Congress intended."
To qualify as a small business for purposes of U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) programs, companies must meet defined eligibility criteria, including requirements concerning size, ownership, and operational control. The settlement with Ross Group resolves allegations that the company fraudulently induced the government to award certain small business set-aside contracts to several affiliated entities that did not meet eligibility requirements. The United States alleged that Ross Group created two companies, PentaCon LLC and C3 LLC, to obtain small business set-aside contracts for which Ross Group itself was ineligible. The United States further alleged that Ross Group maintained operational control over the day-to-day and long-term management decisions of the two purported small businesses, including controlling their financial affairs and business operations, and that, as a result, neither PentaCon nor C3 satisfied the size and eligibility requirements to participate in the set-aside programs. Ross Group, PentaCon, and C3 allegedly concealed their affiliation from the United States and knowingly misrepresented the eligibility of PentaCon and C3 for the set-aside contracts.
"It is critical that we protect the integrity of federal government contract programs so that taxpayer money goes only to those who legitimately qualify for assistance," said U.S. Attorney Timothy J. Downing for the Western District of Oklahoma. "We will continue to hold accountable those who make false statements to take unfair advantage of programs for which they would not otherwise qualify, because it deprives legitimate applicants from obtaining these necessary benefits. I want to specifically thank the Defense Criminal Investigative Service for their outstanding and thorough investigative work in this case."
"SBA’s preferential contracting programs are intended to promote development of eligible small businesses," said Small Business Administration Inspector General Hannibal "Mike" Ware. "OIG will continue to work with its law enforcement partners to identify, investigate, and pursue people and businesses who abuse these programs by trying to participate through front companies. I want to thank the Department of Justice and the other Federal agencies involved for their dedication to pursuing justice in this case."
"This settlement highlights the commitment of the Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS) and its law enforcement partners to protect the integrity of the Department of Defense (DoD) contracting process," said Michael Mentavlos, Special Agent in Charge of the DCIS Southwest Field Office. "DCIS will continue to investigate fraud and corruption targeting DoD programs by pursuing all available remedies possible."
The settlement with Ross Group and its corporate affiliates resolves a lawsuit filed under the whistleblower provision of the False Claims Act, which permits private parties to file suit on behalf of the United States for false claims and share in a portion of the government’s recovery. The civil lawsuit was filed in federal district court in the Western District of Oklahoma and is captioned United States ex rel. Southwind Construction Services, LLC v. The Ross Group Construction Corporation, et al., Case No. 15-0102-R (W.D. Okla.). As part of today’s resolution, the whistleblower will receive approximately $520,000.
The settlement is the result of a coordinated effort among the Civil Division’s Commercial Litigation Branch, the United States Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Oklahoma, DCIS, the Inspector General Offices of the SBA, General Services Administration, and the Department of Veterans Affairs, and the Army Criminal Investigation Division Major Procurement Fraud Unit.
To learn more about the Civil Division, please visit https://www.justice.gov/civil. To learn more about the U.S. Attorney’s Office for Western District of Oklahoma, please visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-wdok. To download a photo of U.S. Attorney Downing, click here.
The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only, and there has been no determination of liability.
Oklahoma Contractors to Pay $2.8 Million to Settle False Claims Act Allegations Concerning Fraudulently Obtained Small Business ContractsRead the Press Release
Tulsa, Oklahoma-based contractor the Ross Group Construction Corporation (Ross Group), and its corporate affiliates, have agreed to pay over $2.8 million to settle allegations that they violated the False Claims Act by improperly obtaining federal set-aside contracts reserved for disadvantaged small businesses, the Justice Department announced today.
“Small business set-aside contracts provide opportunities for small businesses to participate in federal contracting and gain valuable experience to help them compete for future economic opportunities,” said Assistant Attorney General Jody Hunt of the Department of Justice’s Civil Division. “We will pursue those who knowingly obtain set-aside contracts to which they are not entitled and thereby prevent deserving small businesses from receiving the assistance that Congress intended.”
To qualify as a small business for purposes of U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) programs, companies must meet defined eligibility criteria, including requirements concerning size, ownership, and operational control. The settlement with Ross Group resolves allegations that the company fraudulently induced the government to award certain small business set-aside contracts to several affiliated entities that did not meet eligibility requirements. The United States alleged that Ross Group created two companies, PentaCon LLC and C3 LLC, to obtain small business set-aside contracts for which Ross Group itself was ineligible. The United States further alleged that Ross Group maintained operational control over the day-to-day and long-term management decisions of the two purported small businesses, including controlling their financial affairs and business operations, and that, as a result, neither PentaCon nor C3 satisfied the size and eligibility requirements to participate in the set-aside programs. Ross Group, PentaCon, and C3 allegedly concealed their affiliation from the United States and knowingly misrepresented the eligibility of PentaCon and C3 for the set-aside contracts.
“It is critical that we protect the integrity of federal government contract programs so that taxpayer money goes only to those who legitimately qualify for assistance,” said U.S. Attorney Timothy J. Downing for the Western District of Oklahoma. “We will continue to hold accountable those who make false statements to take unfair advantage of programs for which they would not otherwise qualify, because it deprives legitimate applicants from obtaining these necessary benefits. I want to specifically thank the Defense Criminal Investigative Service for their outstanding and thorough investigative work in this case.”
“SBA’s preferential contracting programs are intended to promote development of eligible small businesses,” said Small Business Administration Inspector General Hannibal “Mike” Ware. “OIG will continue to work with its law enforcement partners to identify, investigate, and pursue people and businesses who abuse these programs by trying to participate through front companies. I want to thank the Department of Justice and the other federal agencies involved for their dedication to pursuing justice in this case.”
“This settlement highlights the commitment of the Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS) and its law enforcement partners to protect the integrity of the Department of Defense (DoD) contracting process,” said Michael Mentavlos, Special Agent in Charge of the DCIS Southwest Field Office. “DCIS will continue to investigate fraud and corruption targeting DoD programs by pursuing all available remedies possible.”
The settlement with Ross Group and its corporate affiliates resolves a lawsuit filed under the whistleblower provision of the False Claims Act, which permits private parties to file suit on behalf of the United States for false claims and share in a portion of the government’s recovery. The civil lawsuit was filed in federal district court in the Western District of Oklahoma and is captioned United States ex rel. Southwind Construction Services, LLC v. The Ross Group Construction Corporation, et al., Case No. 15-0102-R (W.D. Okla.). As part of today’s resolution, the whistleblower will receive approximately $520,000.
The settlement is the result of a coordinated effort among the Civil Division’s Commercial Litigation Branch, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Oklahoma, DCIS, the Inspector General Offices of the SBA, General Services Administration, and the Department of Veterans Affairs, and the Army Criminal Investigation Division Major Procurement Fraud Unit.
To learn more about the Civil Division, please visit https://www.justice.gov/civil. To learn more about the U.S. Attorney’s Office for Western District of Oklahoma, please visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-wdok.
The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only, and there has been no determination of liability.
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.
Ohio Man Sentenced to 120 Months for Methamphetamine TraffickingRead the Press Release
COVINGTON, Ky. - An Ohio man, Isaac Benson, 44, was sentenced in federal court on Tuesday, to 120 months in prison, by U.S. District Judge David Bunning, after being convicted of possession with intention to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine.
According to Benson’s guilty plea agreement, in June 2019, he admitted to bringing 100 grams of methamphetamine, from Dayton, Ohio, to Newport, Ky., to sell to a confidential informant. Benson’s vehicle was stopped by law enforcement, who found the methamphetamine and $3,624 in cash.
Benson pleaded guilty in November 2019.
Under federal law, Benson must serve 85 percent of his prison sentence and will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for five years.
Robert M. Duncan, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Jeffrey Todd Scott, Special Agent in Charge, DEA Louisville Field Division; and Christopher Conners, Director of the Northern Kentucky Drug Strike Force, jointly made the announcement.
The investigation was directed by the DEA and the Northern Kentucky Drug Strike Force. The United States was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Wade Napier.
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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Niagara Falls Police Department Getting $2.3 Million Dollars as Department of Justice Awards Nearly $400 Million Dollars for Law Enforcement Hiring to Advance Community Policing; Chemung County to Receive $125,000Read the Press Release
CONTACT: Barbara Burns
PHONE: (716) 843-5817
FAX #: (716) 551-3051BUFFALO, NY – U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy, Jr. announced today that the Niagara Falls Police Department has been awarded $2,313,738 through the Justice Department’s Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Office) COPS Hiring Program (CHP). The funding will be used to hire eight additional police officers. In addition, Chemung County will receive $125,000 in COPS funding.
“This is a critical time for the Niagara Falls Police Department,” stated U.S. Attorney Kennedy. “Shootings involving injury jumped 48%, and the number of victims jumped 70%, from 2018 to 2019, and at the same time, the department is understaffed. This grant will allow Niagara Falls to add an additional eight officers to the force to fight violent crime, and without question, these resources will assist Superintendent Licata in his continuing effort to make the streets of Niagara Falls safer for its citizens.”
“The Department of Justice is committed to providing the police chiefs and sheriffs of our great nation with needed resources, tools, and support. The funding announced today will bolster their ranks and contribute to expanding community policing efforts nationwide,” said Attorney General William P. Barr. “A law enforcement agency’s most valuable assets are the men and women who put their lives on the line every day in the name of protecting and serving their communities.”
The Attorney General announced $400,000,000 in funding awards to 596 law enforcement agencies across the nation, which allows those agencies to hire 2,732 additional full-time law enforcement professionals.
The COPS Hiring Program is a competitive award program intended to reduce crime and advance public safety through community policing by providing direct funding for the hiring of career law enforcement officers. In addition to providing financial support for hiring, CHP provides funding to state, local, and tribal law enforcement to enhance local community policing strategies and tactics. In a changing economic climate, CHP funding helps law enforcement agencies maintain sufficient sworn personnel levels to promote safe communities. Funding through this program had been on hold since the spring of 2018 due to a nationwide injunction that was lifted earlier this year.
CHP applicants were required to identify a specific crime and disorder problem focus area and explain how the funding will be used to implement community policing approaches to that problem focus area. 43 percent of the awards announced today will focus on violent crime, while the remainder of the awards will focus on a variety of issues including school-based policing to fund school resource officer positions, building trust and respect, and opioid education, prevention, and intervention. The COPS Office received nearly 1,100 applications requesting more than 4,000 law enforcement positions.
To learn more about CHP, please visit https://cops.usdoj.gov/chp. For additional information about the COPS Office, please visit www.cops.usdoj.gov.
The year 2020 marks the 150th anniversary of the Department of Justice. Learn more about the history of our agency at www.Justice.gov/Celebrating150Years.
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New York Man Pleads Guilty to Drug Charges following Safe Streets Task Force Investigation of South Side Pittsburgh GangRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, PA – A former resident of the Bronx borough of New York City pleaded guilty in federal court to charges related to drug 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.
Holiday Vaughn, 35, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute or possess with intent to distribute heroin and fentanyl, and one count of possession of heroin and fentanyl, before United States District Judge William S. Stickman IV. Mr. Vaughn is one of 36 defendants charged in the Indictment.
In connection with the guilty plea, the court was advised that in 2017, the Greater Pittsburgh Safe Streets Task Force initiated an investigation primarily targeting the Darccide/Smash 44, or DS44, neighborhood gang, and its drug-trafficking activity, in and around the South Side area of Pittsburgh. As part of this large-scale narcotics and firearms investigation, in February of 2019, the United States received authorization to conduct a federal wire investigation, which continued through June of 2019.
The court was further advised that Mr. Vaughn was a supplier of heroin and fentanyl to the drug trafficking organization, and that law enforcement officials intercepted conversations between Vaughn and his co-conspirator, Christopher Highsmith, discussing drug transactions. Additionally, law enforcement recovered 23 grams of fentanyl and heroin during a traffic stop on May 29, 2019, when the defendant was traveling to Pittsburgh from New York. In connection with his guilty plea, Vaughn accepted responsibility for the distributing or possessing with intent to distribute 39 grams of heroin and fentanyl in the Pittsburgh area.
Judge Stickman scheduled sentencing for October 8, 2020 at 10:30 am. The law provides for a total sentence of not more than 20 years in prison, a fine of up to $1,000,000, 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 each defendant. Vaughn remains detained pending sentencing.
Assistant United States Attorney Christy C. Wiegand is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation led the multi-agency investigation of this case, which also included the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives, Allegheny County Adult Probation, Allegheny County Police Department, Allegheny County Sheriff’s Office, Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office Bureau of Narcotics, Pittsburgh Bureau of Police, and the Wilkinsburg Police Department. Other assisting agencies include the Green Tree Police Department, New York City Police Department, Mount Oliver Police Department, Pennsylvania State Police, Yonkers Police Department, United States Marshals Fugitive Task Force, and the United States Postal Inspection Service.
This case is part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force program, known as OCDETF. OCDETF was established in 1982 to support comprehensive investigations and prosecutions of major drug trafficking and money laundering organizations. It is the keystone of the drug reduction strategy of the Department of Justice. By combining the resources and expertise of federal agencies and their state and local law enforcement partners, OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the most serious drug trafficking, money laundering, and transnational criminal organizations.