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29 June 2020
Brentwood Man Pleads Guilty to Distribution of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
CONCORD - Kyle Desroche, 36, of Brentwood, pleaded guilty in federal court on Friday to distributing child pornography, United States Attorney Scott W. Murray announced today.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on November 21, 2017, Dropbox, a cloud-based storage service, sent a CyberTip report to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) with 2,325 files of apparent child pornography images and videos loaded to an account belonging to Desroche from an IP address assigned to his residence in Brentwood.
On March 23, 2018, investigators executed a search warrant at Desroche’s residence. During an interview, Desroche admitted using Dropbox and Kik, an online messaging application, on his iPhone and stated he may have received “young stuff” from Kik but claimed to have deleted those items. As authorized by the search warrant, officer seized cellular phones, computer equipment, and other electronic devices. Subsequent forensic examination of those items revealed that Desroche used the Dropbox and Kik applications on his iPhone to share child pornography with like-minded collectors.
On July 11, 2018, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant for Desroche’s Dropbox account. Officers identified approximately 5,942 still images and 2,092 video files of apparent child pornography. NCMEC confirmed that 1,013 still images and 317 video files were of identified child victims.
Desroche is scheduled to be sentenced on October 5, 2020.
“Child pornography is created through the exploitation and abuse of innocent young victims and violates the law,” said U.S. Attorney Murray. “Those who distribute these horrific images are re-victimizing these children in a way that has long-term consequences. To protect children from this criminal exploitation, the U.S. Attorney’s Office is committed to working with our law enforcement partners to identify and bring to justice those who distribute child pornography.”
“Transmitting online images of child exploitation is a repulsive crime that causes repeated re-victimization when those images are distributed around the globe. HSI’s commitment to combatting these crimes and to holding the distributors of them accountable, is stronger than ever,” said Michael Shea, acting Special Agent in Charge, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Boston. “We’re grateful for the continued dedication of our partners in the New Hampshire Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, the Brentwood Police Department, the Portsmouth Police Department, the Exeter Police Department, the Derry Police Department, the Chester Police Department, and the U.S. Attorney for New Hampshire and for their work that has allowed justice to be done for the victims in this case.”
This matter was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the New Hampshire Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, with assistance from the Brentwood Police Department, Portsmouth Police Department, Exeter Police Department, Derry Police Department, and Chester Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Cam Le.
In February 2006, the Department of Justice introduced Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney’s Offices, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
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Baton Rouge Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Illegally Possessing a FirearmRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Brandon J. Fremin announced today that that United States District Judge Brian A. Jackson sentenced Charles Hunt, age 28, of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, to 32 months in federal prison following his conviction for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. This sentence is to run consecutive to any sentence imposed on state charges pending against Hunt. The Court further sentenced Hunt to three years of supervised release following his term of imprisonment.
According to admissions Hunt made as part of his guilty plea, on April 25, 2018, agents with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), along with Baton Rouge Police Department officers, went to a residence in Baton Rouge to execute an active arrest warrant for Hunt. After Hunt was brought to East Baton Rouge Parish Prison, law enforcement obtained evidence indicating that Hunt, a convicted felon, was in possession of a firearm that he kept in the residence where he was arrested. Law enforcement secured a search warrant for the residence and located a Smith & Wesson, Model SD 40, .40 caliber handgun, in a bedroom were Hunt was residing.
Prior to possessing the firearm, Hunt was convicted in 2014 of attempted simple burglary and simple burglary
U.S. Attorney Fremin stated, “This investigation, which involved a collective effort by several of our Violent Crime Strike Force partners, and the resulting conviction and sentencing of Hunt, exemplifies our effort to pursue offenders who have previously committed serious crimes and continue to engage in such conduct. Our collective efforts also reflect our continuing commitment to keep our community safe. I want to thank the ATF and Baton Rouge Police Department for their efforts.”
“The sentence imposed today sends a message to individuals who are prohibited from possessing firearms that they will be held accountable for their actions,” said ATF New Orleans Field Division Special Agent in Charge Kurt Thielhorn. “Reducing firearm related crimes and keeping our neighborhoods and communities safe is the top priority for ATF.”
This matter was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, and the Baton Rouge Police Department, with critical assistance provided by the Louisiana State Police Crime Laboratory. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Demetrius Sumner and Paul L. Pugliese.
This case is part of Project Guardian, the Department of Justice’s signature initiative to reduce gun violence and enforce federal firearms laws. Initiated by the Attorney General in the fall of 2019, Project Guardian draws upon the Department’s past successful programs to reduce gun violence; enhances coordination of federal, state, local, and tribal authorities in investigating and prosecuting gun crimes; improves information-sharing by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives when a prohibited individual attempts to purchase a firearm and is denied by the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS), to include taking appropriate actions when a prospective purchaser is denied by the NICS for mental health reasons; and ensures that federal resources are directed at the criminals posing the greatest threat to our communities. For more information about Project Guardian, please see: https://www.justice.gov/projectguardian.
Assistant Attorney General Jody Hunt Announces Departure from Civil DivisionRead the Press Release
Assistant Attorney General Jody Hunt of the Department of Justice’s Civil Division recently announced his departure from the Department, effective July 3, 2020.
“Jody has served the Department of Justice with honor and distinction for over two decades,” said Attorney General William P. Barr. “Under his direction as Assistant Attorney General for these past two years, the Civil Division has vigorously defended the Administration’s most important policies and achieved many successes, from regaining billions of dollars from those who sought to defraud our government, to protecting our nation’s seniors by bringing to justice those who sought to abuse and exploit them. On behalf of the Department, I want to thank him for his dedication to the rule of law and his service to the Department and our nation.”
“Having spent more than two decades of my professional career at the Department of Justice, I have a deep and abiding respect for those who have devoted their careers to public service,” said Assistant Attorney General Jody Hunt. “I have had the wonderful privilege of working alongside the many talented public servants of the Civil Division, and have witnessed firsthand their dedication and commitment to the values and principles for which this Department stands. I am grateful for the opportunity to have led the Civil Division as Assistant Attorney General, and in that role to have helped support and defend the interests of the Executive Branch. I am confident that the Civil Division will continue its outstanding work on behalf of the Government going forward.”
Under Assistant Attorney General Hunt’s leadership, the Civil Division defended many of the Administration’s most important policies and priorities, including suits concerning the Emoluments Clauses and challenges to the President’s Executive Orders, such as the travel proclamation and the border wall emergency declaration. The Civil Division also successfully opposed suits against numerous immigration-related policies, including the migrant protection protocols, the third-country asylum rule, and the public charge rule. In combatting the opioid epidemic, the Civil Division helped to secure a $1.4 billion settlement in July 2019 from a pharmaceutical company, the largest recovery in history in a case involving an opioid manufacturer.
Under Mr. Hunt’s leadership, the Civil Division also prioritized protecting American seniors, announcing in early 2020, the largest-ever sweep of elder fraud cases in Department history, charging more than 400 defendants with causing over $1 billion in victim losses and surpassing the record-setting 2019 elder fraud sweep. Similarly, in September 2019, a pharmaceutical company agreed to pay $95.9 million to resolve allegations that it paid kickbacks and engaged in false and misleading marketing of its drug to induce providers in long term care facilities, including nursing homes, to prescribe it for behaviors commonly associated with dementia patients, which was not an approved use. More recently, under Mr. Hunt’s leadership, the Civil Division announced first of a kind civil actions against those responsible for fraudulent robocalls.
Beyond vigorously pursuing and defending the Administration’s policies and priorities, during Mr. Hunt’s time as Assistant Attorney General, the Civil Division protected the public fisc in suits seeking monetary relief on behalf of the government and its officials. This included prioritizing enforcement of the False Claims Act, the government’s primary civil tool for protecting taxpayer funds against fraud. In each of the last two years, the government recovered approximately $3 billion under the act. At the same time, the Civil Division increased the use of its authority to dismiss unwarranted qui tam actions. In this area, Mr. Hunt developed guidelines to help ensure transparency and consistency in the Department’s evaluation of the credit to award defendants who cooperate in False Claims Act cases.
Mr. Hunt also prioritized bringing justice to terrorists, war criminals, sex offenders, and other fraudsters who illegally obtained naturalization. As just one example, the Civil Division succeeded in securing the civil denaturalization of an individual convicted of terrorism offenses in Egypt who admitted recruiting for al Qaeda within the United States and running a communications hub in California for the Egyptian Islamic Jihad terrorist organization. Due to enormous successes in this area and growing referrals from law enforcement agencies, Mr. Hunt spearheaded the creation of a new section within the Civil Division’s Office of Immigration Litigation – the Denaturalization Section – dedicated to investigating and litigating revocation of naturalization.
The Department of Justice thanks Assistant Attorney General Hunt for his leadership and for his 21 years of service to the Department and our nation.
Alameda Resident Pleads Guilty to Illegally Importing NarcoticsRead the Press Release
OAKLAND –James Heyward Silcox III pleaded guilty to all three counts in an indictment charging him with illegally importing controlled substances, announced United States Attorney David L. Anderson, Homeland Security Investigations Special Agent in Charge Tatum King, Coast Guard Investigative Service Special Agent in Charge Kelly Hoyle, and Customs and Border Protection Director of Field Operations Brian J. Humphrey. Silcox entered the guilty plea without a plea agreement. The plea was accepted by the Hon. Jon S. Tigar, United States District Judge.
Silcox, 42, of Alameda, Calif., was originally charged by complaint on September 18, 2019. The complaint alleged that he illegally imported Tramadol from Singapore and Germany to post office boxes he held. Tramadol is a Schedule IV controlled substance and narcotic.
Silcox, a U.S. Coast Guard Commander, was arrested on the complaint on September 17, 2019, at Coast Guard Island, in Alameda.
During the change of plea hearing, the government advised the court of evidence that Silcox began purchasing tramadol in 2017 online from an unknown person he believed was in Singapore. The government offered further evidence that Silcox had received shipments of tramadol from three separate overseas suppliers from 2017 to 2019, and sent shipments to downstream buyers of 500-1000 pills per month, which Silcox received from his overseas suppliers at his P.O. boxes. According to the government, Silcox used end-to-end encrypted communication applications and email services to communicate with his overseas suppliers and his downstream domestic customers, and used crytpocurrency to make payments.
On September 26, 2019, a federal grand jury indicted Silcox charging him with three counts of importation of a Schedule IV narcotic drug, in violation of 21 U.S.C. §§ 952(a) and 960(b)(6). Pursuant to the guilty plea, Silcox pleaded guilty to all three counts.
Silcox faces a maximum sentence of 5 years in prison, and a fine of $250,000, for each count in the indictment. However, any sentence would be imposed by the court after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal statute governing the imposition of a sentence, 18 U.S.C. § 3553. His next court appearance has been set for September 25, 2020, which is a status hearing concerning the sentencing.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah E. Griswold is prosecuting the case with the assistance of Mimi Lam. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the Homeland Security Investigations; the High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area-Transnational Narcotics Team (HIDTA-TNT); the U.S. Postal Inspection Service; the Department of Homeland Security Office of Inspector General; and the Coast Guard Investigation Service. The prosecution is part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force National Heroin Initiative to combat the opioid crisis.
28 June 2020
Department of Justice Announces $42 Million to Combat Illegal Manufacture and Distribution of Methamphetamine and OpiodsRead the Press Release
TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA – The Department of Justice‘s Office of Community Oriented Policing Services
(COPS Office) Tuesday announced nearly $42 million in funding to support state-level law enforcement agencies in combating the illegal manufacturing and distribution of methamphetamine, heroin, fentanyl, carfentanil, and prescription opioids.In the Northern District of Florida, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement will receive
$2,208,052.00 million in funding to support investigations into trafficking in heroin, fentanyl, or carfentanil or the unlawful distribution of prescription opioids.“The award of this funding to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement is a tangible demonstration of the Justice Department and U.S Attorneys’ commitment to our partnerships with law enforcement agencies at all levels. We will continue to implement every tool at our disposal to combat the national epidemic of opioid abuse and misuse,” said Lawrence Keefe, U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
“The scourge of opioid and methamphetamine use continues to take a devastating toll on our nation’s communities,” said COPS Office Director Phil Keith. “By providing these resources to law enforcement to help combat the further spread, the COPS Office is demonstrating our commitment to this Administration’s priority of reducing drug use and protecting our citizens from this public health and safety crisis.”
Drug overdose deaths and opioid-involved deaths continue to increase in the United States. Deaths from drug overdose are up among both men and women, all races, and adults of nearly all ages, with more than three out of five drug overdose deaths involving an opioid. More than 130 people die every day in the United States after overdosing on opioids, while methamphetamine continues to be one of the most commonly misused stimulant drugs in the world and is the drug that most contributes to violent crime.
The COPS Office is awarding more than $29.7 million in grant funding to 14 state law enforcement agency task forces through the Anti-Heroin Task Force Program (AHTF). AHTF provides three years of funding directly to state-level law enforcement agencies with multijurisdictional reach and interdisciplinary team (e.g., task force) structures, in states with high per capita rates of primary treatment admissions for heroin, fentanyl, carfentanil, and other opioids. This funding will support the location or investigation of illicit activities through statewide collaboration related to the distribution of heroin, fentanyl, or carfentanil or the unlawful distribution of prescription opioids.
Through the COPS Anti-Methamphetamine Program (CAMP), the COPS Office is also awarding
$12 million to 12 state law enforcement agencies. These state agencies have demonstrated numerous seizures of precursor chemicals, finished methamphetamine, laboratories, and laboratory dump seizures. State agencies are being awarded three years of funding through CAMP to support the location or investigation of illicit activities related to the manufacture and distribution of methamphetamine, including precursor diversion, laboratories, or methamphetamine trafficking.The AHTF and CAMP funding has a tremendous impact on state investigative and seizure work. During the five month period between October 2019 and February 2020, current AHTF grantees reported the seizure of over $4 million in cash and 1,213 firearms. Similarly, for CAMP, grantees reported seizures of more than $7 million in cash and 1,577 firearms.
The complete list of Anti-Heroin Task Force Program award recipients, including funding amounts, can be found here: https://cops.usdoj.gov/ahtf
The complete list of COPS Anti-Methamphetamine Program award recipients, including funding amounts, can be found here: https://cops.usdoj.gov/camp
The COPS Office is a federal agency responsible for advancing community policing nationwide. Since
1994, the COPS Office has invested more than $14 billion to advance community policing, including grants awarded to more than 13,000 state, local and tribal law enforcement agencies to fund the hiring and redeployment of approximately 135,000 officers and provide a variety of knowledge resource products including publications, training and technical assistance. For additional information about the COPS Office, please visit www.cops.usdoj.gov.The year 2020 marks the 150th anniversary of the Department of Justice. Learn more about the history of our agency at www.Justice.gov/Celebrating150Years.
The United States Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access available public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern
District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.
27 June 2020
Three South Dakota Men Sentenced in Meth ConspiracyRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced that three South Dakota men convicted of Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance have been sentenced by U.S. District Judge Karen E. Schreier.
Darryl Anthony Randle, age 37, was sentenced on June 8, 2020, to 132 months in federal prison, followed by 5 years of supervised release. Manuel Joseph Lopez, age 33, was sentenced on August 5, 2019, to 120 months in federal prison, followed by 5 years of supervised release. Dustin Wayne McGhee, age 31, was sentenced on September 23, 2019, to 120 months in federal prison, followed by 5 years of supervised release. All three defendants were ordered to pay $100 to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Randle, Lopez, and McGhee were indicted for Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance by a federal grand jury on February 5, 2019. Randle pled guilty on March 24, 2020; Lopez pled guilty on August 5, 2019; and McGhee pled guilty on June 26, 2019.
Beginning on an unknown date and continuing until on or about November 14, 2018, in the District of South Dakota and elsewhere, Randle, Lopez, and McGhee did knowingly and intentionally combine, conspire, confederate, and agree together, with others known and unknown to the Grand Jury, to knowingly and intentionally distribute a mixture and substance containing 500 grams or more of methamphetamine, a Schedule II controlled substance.
This case was investigated by the Sioux Falls Area Drug Task Force and the Drug Enforcement Administration. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer D. Mammenga prosecuted the case.
All defendants were immediately turned over to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service following their respective sentencing.
Four Men Charged in Federal Court for Attempting to Tear Down Statue of Andrew Jackson in Lafayette Square Amid ProtestsRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Lee Michael Cantrell, 47, of Virginia; Connor Matthew Judd, 20, of Washington, D.C.; Ryan Lane, 37, of Maryland; and Graham Lloyd, 37, of Maine, were charged by criminal complaint yesterday with destruction of federal property, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Michael R. Sherwin, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Washington Field Office’s Criminal Division James A. Dawson, and Acting Chief of the United States Park Police (USPP) Gregory T. Monahan.
The complaint, unsealed today, alleges that on June 22, 2020, the four men along with other unidentified individuals, damaged and attempted to tear down the statue depicting Andrew Jackson located in Lafayette Square. The complaint further alleges that Cantrell was captured on video attempting to pry the statue off its base with a wooden board and trying to pull the statue down with the aid of a yellow strap. The complaint alleges that Judd is seen on video trying to pull down the statue, and that Lane is seen on video affixing a rope to one part of the statue and then pulling on another rope tied to the statue. The complaint also alleges that video of the incident shows Lloyd as he breaks off and destroys the wheels of cannons located at the base of the statue. Lloyd is also captured on video pulling on ropes in an effort to topple the statue, and handing a hammer to an unidentified individual involved in the incident.
Judd was arrested on Friday and appeared in Superior Court of the District of Columbia today. The matter will be transferred to the United States District Court for the District of Columbia on Monday, June 29, 2020, where Judd will make his initial appearance before United States Magistrate Judge Robin M. Meriweather. The remaining defendants have not yet been apprehended.
A criminal complaint is a formal accusation of criminal conduct for purposes of establishing probable cause, not evidence of guilt. A defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty.
“The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia will not stand idly by and allow our national monuments to be vandalized and destroyed. This Office remains steadfast in its commitment to protect the sacred First Amendment right of individuals to peacefully protest, but these charges should serve as a warning to those who choose to desecrate the statues and monuments that adorn our nation’s capital: your violent behavior and criminal conduct will not be tolerated,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Michael R. Sherwin.
“The FBI respects the peaceful exercise of First Amendment rights, but we will not allow opportunists to hijack peaceful protests to incite violence and destruction of property,” said James A. Dawson, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Washington Field Office’s Criminal Division. “We will continue to work with our partners to enforce federal laws prohibiting damage to government facilities and property.”
“Members of the United States Park Police are working tirelessly to provide quality law enforcement, safeguard lives, protect our national treasures and symbols of democracy, and preserve the natural and cultural resources entrusted to its service. We are committed to ensuring that citizens are able to freely exercise their constitutional rights in a safe and peaceful manner. The deplorable acts of violence and destruction of property are unacceptable and will continue to be pursued through ongoing collaborative investigations and enforcement efforts,” said Gregory T. Monahan, Acting Chief of the United States Park Police.
In announcing the charges, Acting U.S. Attorney Sherwin, Special Agent in Charge Dawson, and Acting Chief Monahan commended the work of the FBI agents and USPP officers who apprehended the four men and are investigating the incident. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Gilead Light, Sara Vanore, and Laura Crane of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia.
This joint investigation was conducted by the United States Park Police and the FBI Washington Field Office’s Violent Crime Task Force. Significant assistance was also provided by the Washington Metropolitan Police Department. The Violent Crime Task Force is charged with investigating acts of violence impacting the District of Columbia. Tips associated with this matter or other acts of violence can be reported to the FBI at 202-278-2000 or tips.fbi.gov.
Convicted felon charged with possessing loaded firearm at Columbus protestRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – A federal complaint alleging possession of a firearm by a convicted felon has been filed against Ronnie Earl Murdock Jr, 31, of Columbus.
According to an affidavit filed with the complaint on Friday afternoon, an officer in the Columbus Police Emergency Operations Center monitoring a demonstration near Broad and Front streets on June 24 recognized Murdock and saw Murdock holding a rifle. The officer knew that Murdock was a convicted felon and not allowed to own, possess or control a firearm.
Columbus SWAT officers responded and arrested Murdock. Officers recovered a semiautomatic 2.23-caliber rifle with 31 live rounds of ammunition in the magazine.
Murdock pleaded guilty in Franklin County Common Pleas Court in October 2007 to attempted burglary and in October 2016 to robbery. Both crimes are felonies. Possession of a firearm by a convicted felon is punishable by up to ten years in prison. A judge will schedule a hearing for Murdock in federal court.
“Peaceful protests can turn into tragedies if illegal possession of firearms becomes part of the mix,” said David M. DeVillers, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio.
Mr. DeVillers, along with Jonathan McPherson, Special Agent in Charge, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and Columbus Police Chief Thomas Quinlan announced the charge. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kevin M. Kelley is representing the United States in this case.
A criminal complaint merely contains allegations. All defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.
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26 June 2020
Worcester Man Indicted on Firearms ChargesRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Worcester man was indicted yesterday in connection with brandishing a loaded sawed-off shotgun in an apartment while arguing with teenaged residents in December 2019.
Steven Dillon, 36, was indicted yesterday on one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition and one count of unlawful possession of an unregistered firearm. Dillon was previously charged by criminal complaint in June 2020.
According to charging documents, on Dec. 25, 2019, Dillon brandished a loaded sawed-off shotgun in an apartment while arguing with teenaged residents. Police found the shotgun and ammunition in a bedroom used by Dillon, who was previously convicted of a felony punishable by more than one year in prison and therefore prohibited from possessing a firearm.
The charging statute provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling; Kelly D. Brady, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, Boston Field Division; and Worcester Police Chief Steven M. Sargent made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristen Noto of Lelling’s Worcester Branch Office is prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Virtual Five Country Ministerial Meeting – Joint CommuniquéRead the Press Release
On June 17 and 18, 2020, United States Attorney General William P. Barr and United States Acting Deputy Secretary of Homeland Security Ken Cuccinnelli joined ministers from the ‘Five Eyes’ partnership for a virtual meeting to agree joint action to tackle emerging security threats during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
This final communiqué was published following the meeting:
BEGIN TEXT:
We, the Home Affairs, Interior, and Security Ministers of Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and the United States of America (the ‘Five Countries’) have met via video conference on June 17 and 18, 2020. Guided by our shared responsibility and commitment to build a more peaceful and secure world for our citizens, we discussed the challenges and implications of the COVID-19 pandemic for our security and reconfirmed our determination to protect our nations from these threats.
The COVID-19 pandemic has seen a change in state based and non-state activity as new opportunities to interfere in our societies and commit crime have emerged. Our law enforcement and security agencies have been agile in responding to these threats. As many of these threats cross borders, we discussed how we can redouble our efforts to respond to these challenges.
With many of our citizens staying at home during the pandemic and relying on the internet to conduct business, learn, and socialize, criminals and hostile actors are exploiting this increased online activity as an opportunity to conduct criminal activity, and capitalizing on anxieties about the pandemic. This sort of malicious activity on the internet is unacceptable. We agreed to share information and develop joint assessments on these threats and explore ways to strengthen our collective responses. We will work with all partners to promote the framework of responsible state behavior in cyberspace and uphold the role of all States to help counter irresponsible activity being carried out by criminal groups in their countries.
The COVID-19 pandemic has also exacerbated the terrible reality that, as children increasingly use the internet for education, socializing, and entertainment, they are at higher risk of online child sexual exploitation and abuse. We agreed to exchange information on this issue in light of COVID-19, and share lessons in order to continue to strengthen our fight against those who seek to exploit children. We call on the digital industry to take immediate, tangible action to implement the Voluntary Principles to Counter Online Child Sexual Exploitation and Abuse, launched in March 2020.
Finally, we discussed the vital importance of collaboration between governments and the digital industry to address concerns with end-to-end encryption where it impacts public safety and the lawful access to information necessary to prevent or investigate serious crimes. We continue to urge technology companies to make real progress on this issue and work with governments in a meaningful way to resolve this challenge in ways that protect our citizens. We will continue to work with like-minded international partners and institutions to ensure complementary approaches to this issue.
We reaffirmed our commitment to keep working together and look forward to meeting face to face when it is safe to do so. Until then, we will continue to meet virtually to advance cooperation among our nations on security, border and migration issues that ensure the public continue to be protected.
Virginia Man Sentenced for Operating Interstate Prostitution RingRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Virginia man was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Boston for his role in operating a long-running interstate prostitution ring.
Yoon Kim, 39, of Haymarket, Va., was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge William G. Young to 20 months in prison and two years of supervised release. In November 2018, Kim pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to persuade, induce, entice, or coerce individuals to travel in interstate commerce to engage in prostitution, and one count of conspiracy to engage in money laundering.
On March 15, 2018, Kim was charged and arrested with co-defendants Taehee Kim, a/k/a “Hyunsook Kim” (Yoon Kim’s wife), of Haymarket, Va.; Susan Bashir, a/k/a “Susan Redmon,” a/k/a “Susan Redmond,” of Stone Mountain, Ga.; Jineok Kim, of Watertown, Mass; and Kyung Song, of Lexington, Mass.
From at least 2013 until March 2018, Kim and his co-defendants operated an interstate prostitution network with multiple brothels in high-end apartments in Cambridge, Mass.; Atlanta, Ga.; and eastern Virginia. They advertised appointments with Asian women primarily on three websites. The women advertised on the websites were moved from city to city within the network, at Taehee Kim’s direction, working as prostitutes for the organization. Yoon Kim and co-conspirators collected a portion of the cash earnings from the women working at the brothels and funneled the money into accounts controlled by Yoon Kim and his wife. Co-conspirators also used U.S. Postal money orders and the mail to transport and launder proceeds from the prostitution network. Yoon Kim rented several of the brothel locations, including multiple apartments in and around Cambridge, managed the websites advertising the prostitution network, and handled other aspects of the business.
Taehee Kim, Jineok Kim, Susan Bashir, and Kyong Song previously pleaded guilty. Taehee Kim is pending sentencing; Jineok Kim was sentenced in April 2019 to three months in prison; Susan Bashir was sentenced in May 2019 to 45 days in prison; and Kyung Song was sentenced in March 2019 to one year of home confinement.
United States Andrew E. Lelling; Michael Shea, Acting Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Boston; Joseph W. Cronin, Postal Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Boston Field Division; and Cambridge Police Commissioner Branville G. Bard Jr. made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney David J. D’Addio of Lelling’s Civil Rights Enforcement Team prosecuted the case.
Virginia Man Indicted for Using Stolen Identity in Attempt to Secure Loan from Worcester Credit UnionRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Virginia man, currently on federal supervised release for a previous conviction, was indicted yesterday in federal court in Worcester with making a false statement on a loan application and aggravated identity theft.
Rashad Al-Terek Walker, 39, of Hampton, Va., was indicted on one count of making a false statement on a loan application and one count of aggravated identity theft. Walker was charged by criminal complaint in April 2020.
According to court documents, in November 2019, Walker attempted to obtain a loan using a stolen identity from a Worcester-area credit union. Walker provided employees of the credit union several fraudulent records, including a counterfeit license, employer pay record and utility bill. Employees of the credit union immediately reported the matter to law enforcement authorities, who responded to the credit union and arrested Walker.
Walker was previously convicted of bank fraud in U.S. District Court in the Eastern District of Virginia and was on supervised release for that offense when he is alleged to have committed the crimes in Worcester.
The charge of false information on a loan application provides for a sentence of up to 30 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $1 million. The charge of aggravated identity theft provides for a mandatory sentence of two years in prison to be served consecutive to any other sentence imposed and one year of supervised release. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling; Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Division; and Worcester Police Chief Steven M. Sargent made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney John T. Mulcahy of Lelling’s Worcester Branch Office is prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Virginia Beach Man Arrested on Charge of Transmitting in Interstate Commerce a Threat to Injure or Kill U.S. SenatorRead the Press Release
ABINGDON, Va. – A Virginia man, who allegedly transmitted a threat via interstate commerce to kill a United States Senator, was arrested yesterday in Virginia Beach on a federal criminal complaint. United States Attorney Thomas T. Cullen and U.S. Capitol Police Chief Steven A. Sund made the announcement today following the defendant’s initial court appearance this afternoon.
Dylan Stephen Jayne, 37, of Virginia Beach, Va., was arrested yesterday on a federal criminal complaint and charged with one count of transmitting a threat via interstate commerce by leaving a voicemail message and threatening to kill a United States Senator.
According to court documents, on the morning of September 2, 2019, Jayne called the Abingdon office of United States Senator Mark Warner and threatened to kill the Senator regarding Jayne’s perceived lack of receiving Social Security payments.
The investigation of this matter is being conducted by the United States Capitol Police, and the Burlington, Vermont Police Department. The Virginia Beach Police Department and U.S. Marshals Service assisted in the apprehension of the suspect. Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer R. Bockhorst is prosecuting the case for the United States.
A criminal complaint is only a charge and not evidence of guilt. All defendants are considered innocent until proven guilty.
United States Settles Disability Discrimination Case Involving Residents and Prospective Residents of a Senior Housing CommunityRead the Press Release
The United States announced yesterday that the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania has approved a consent order resolving allegations that three defendants — Heritage Senior Living LLC; Westrum Hanover LP; and GAHC3 Bethlehem PA ILF LLC — violated the Fair Housing Act by discriminating against residents and prospective residents with disabilities at Traditions of Hanover (Traditions), a senior housing apartment complex in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania.
The lawsuit, which the United States filed on May 13, 2020, alleges that from at least 2005 to the present, defendants created and implemented a series of discriminatory tenant occupancy and eligibility policies and practices that discriminate against persons with disabilities, including requiring residents to sign a lease that imposes conditions such as requiring an initial physical assessment as a requirement of tenancy and potential eviction if a resident develops certain health conditions. In addition, Traditions maintained policies that required residents who use wheelchairs to transfer from their wheelchairs into a dining room chair and required residents who used motorized and non-motorized wheelchairs to pay a non-refundable deposit. In addition, the complaint alleges that the defendants provide transportation as an amenity and that until 2013, that transportation was inaccessible to people who used wheelchairs, in violation of the Fair Housing Act.
Under the consent order, defendants will pay a minimum of $250,000 and a maximum of $325,000 into a settlement fund to compensate residents and prospective residents who were harmed by these policies. Defendants will also pay a $55,000 civil penalty to the United States. In addition, defendants will appoint a Fair Housing Act compliance officer at Traditions and other senior living facilities, and will implement new resident policies, including a new reasonable accommodation policy and a new motorized wheelchair policy.
“The Fair Housing Act protects the right of individuals with disabilities to enjoy a home to the same extent as everyone else. Common decency, our shared humanity, our nation’s commitment to justice, and our inalienable right to pursue happiness demands no less, and so does the law. Discriminating against people with disabilities is wrong and illegal, and the Justice Department will vigorously continue to enforce the Fair Housing Act to combat this unlawful conduct and obtain relief for its victims,” said Assistant Attorney General Eric Dreiband of the Civil Rights Division. “This consent order will ensure that all prospective and current residents at Traditions and other senior living facilities are treated equally and that victims of past discrimination receive compensation for the harms they have suffered.”
“Seniors should not have to worry about losing their lease simply because they become disabled,” said U.S. Attorney McSwain for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. “The Fair Housing Act protects them, and everyone, from discrimination in housing, and my office will continue to ensure that apartment buildings follow the law.”
Individuals who are entitled to share in the settlement fund will be identified through a process established in the consent order. Persons who believe that they or their family members were subjected to unlawful discrimination at Traditions should contact the Justice Department toll-free at 1-800-896-7743 mailbox #92 or e-mail the Justice Department at [email protected].
The federal Fair Housing Act prohibits discrimination in housing based on race, color, religion, national origin, sex, disability and familial status. More information about the Civil Rights Division and the laws it enforces is available at www.justice.gov/crt. Individuals who believe that they may have been victims of housing discrimination can call the Justice Department at 1-800-896-7743, e-mail the Justice Department at [email protected], or contact the Department of Housing and Urban Development at 1-800-669-9777 or through its website at http://portal.hud.gov/hudportal/HUD?src=/program_offices/fair_housing_equal_opp.
United States Resolves Allegations of Disability Discrimination at Bethlehem Senior Housing ComplexRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney William M. McSwain announced today that the United States has reached a settlement agreement to resolve allegations of disability discrimination filed in a civil lawsuit against Heritage Senior Living LLC, its owner, and former owner. The complaint alleges that Traditions of Hanover, an apartment complex for seniors located in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, discriminated against residents and prospective residents based on disability in violation of the federal Fair Housing Act, which prohibits discrimination in housing based on race, color, religion, national origin, sex, disability and familial status.
According to the complaint, since at least 2013, Traditions of Hanover required residents to be able to “live independently” as a condition of their lease. In doing so, the apartment complex allegedly decided who could live independently, rather than allowing residents and their families to decide for themselves. Traditions of Hanover allegedly reserved its right to assess residents’ physical health, and to terminate leases based on health condition. The apartment complex also allegedly screened prospective residents to determine if they were appropriate to live in the building based on their health condition.
In addition, Traditions of Hanover allegedly charged residents a fee to use motorized wheelchairs, prohibited residents from using wheelchairs in the common dining area, and, before 2013, offered transportation services that were not accessible to wheelchair users.
The United States and defendants have reached a settlement to resolve the case through a consent order. Under the order, defendants must establish a tiered settlement fund of up to $325,000 to compensate persons harmed by the policies and practices, as well as pay a penalty of $55,000. The United States and defendants adjusted the deadlines in the consent order to accommodate concerns about the COVID-19 pandemic.
Besides the monetary payments, the consent order requires defendants to modify their policies, appoint a compliance officer, train employees about the Fair Housing Act, and provide periodic compliance reports to the United States. These requirements apply to 16 different facilities managed by Heritage Senior Living, including one in Bucks County (The Birches at Newtown); four in Berks County (Keystone Villa at Douglassville, The Manor at Market Square in Reading, Chestnut Knoll in Boyertown, and Keystone Villa at Fleetwood); and one in Montgomery County (The Birches at Harleysville). The consent order prohibits defendants from raising rent or fees to pay for any of these obligations, or to pay for the settlement fund.
“Seniors should not have to worry about losing their lease simply because they become disabled,” said U.S. Attorney McSwain. “The Fair Housing Act protects them, and everyone, from discrimination in housing, and my Office will continue to ensure that apartment buildings follow the law.”
“Discriminating against people with disabilities is wrong and illegal, and the Justice Department will vigorously enforce the Fair Housing Act to combat this unlawful conduct and obtain relief for its victims,” said Assistant Attorney General Eric Dreiband of the Civil Rights Division. “This consent order will ensure that all prospective and current residents at Traditions and other senior living facilities are treated equally and that victims of past discrimination receive compensation for the harms they have suffered.”
Individuals who are entitled to share in the settlement fund will be identified through a process established in the consent order. Persons who believe they were subjected to unlawful discrimination at Traditions of Hanover should contact the Justice Department toll-free at 1-800-896-7743 mailbox #92 or e-mail the Justice Department at [email protected].
The case is docketed as United States v. Heritage Senior Living, LLC, et al., Civil Action No. 20-cv-2272 (E.D. Pa.). There has been no determination of civil liability. The settled civil claims are allegations only.
Assistant United States Attorney Michael S. Macko handled the case in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, working jointly with the Civil Rights Division of the Department of Justice.
US Attorney MacDonald Warns Minnesotans of Fraudulent “Face Mask Exempt” DocumentsRead the Press Release
U.S. Attorney Erica H. MacDonald today urged the public to be aware of fraudulent postings, cards, or flyers on the internet regarding the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the use of face masks due to the COVID-19 pandemic, many of which include the United States Department of Justice’s seal. An example of these cards appears below:
These postings, cards, and flyers were not issued by the Department of Justice and are not endorsed by the Department. The Department also has not granted permission for the use of its seal for this purpose. Misuse of the Department seal is a federal crime.
U.S. Attorney MacDonald urges the public not to rely on the information contained in these postings and flyers and to visit http://www.ADA.gov for official information about the Americans with Disabilities Act. For more information and technical assistance about the ADA, please contact the ADA Information Line at 800-514-0301 (voice) and 800-514-0383 (TTY).
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends wearing cloth facial coverings in areas where social distancing guidelines may be difficult to maintain, especially in areas of significant community-based transition.
The Minnesota COVID-19 Action Team (MCAT), led by the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the Minnesota Attorney General’s Office, and the Minnesota County Attorneys Association, is a coordinated statewide effort focused on investigating and prosecuting unlawful activity associated with the COVID-19 pandemic. Any COVID-19-related criminal behavior, scams, price-gouging, cybercrimes, hate crimes, or other unlawful activity can be reported to the National Center for Disaster Fraud hotline at (866) 720-5721 or [email protected] or to the Minnesota Attorney General’s Office via their dedicated COVID-19-specific complaint form.
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United States Attorney’s Office, District of Minnesota: (612) 664-5600
U.S. Attorney’s Office Joins the Florida Department of Juvenile Justice and the Florida Youth Justice Commission to Launch the Florida Race Equity ChallengeRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida has joined with the Florida Department of Juvenile Justice and other Florida Youth Justice Commission partners to launch the Florida Race Equity Challenge. The Florida Race Equity Challenge is a web-based, interactive experience that will provide juvenile justice stakeholders with the education and tools to identify and tackle issues related to race, equity, and inclusion (REI) within the juvenile justice system. The statewide, team-based project extends from June through December 2020.
Over the course of several months, teams will participate in live webinars, complete tasks, and ultimately submit proposals for systematic changes designed to create more equitable outcomes for youth. Topics to be covered include implicit bias, assessing race equity in policies, and utilizing data in decision-making. Teams include representatives from Florida’s schools, courts, law enforcement, community partners and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida (USAO-MDFL).
In 1997, the USAO-MDFL officially formed a Hate Crimes Working Group, in response to African American church arsons that were occurring across the southeastern United States. Since, the group has addressed a plethora of issues and concerns affecting protected classes. In May 2015, the group – renamed the “Civil Rights Working Group” – continued to expand its focus by collaborating with local, state, federal, and community stakeholders throughout the district to address broader issues and concerns, including criminal and civil matters, enhanced training for law enforcement/public safety personnel and educators, developing and facilitating opportunities for civil discourse, and providing tools, resources and best practices to advance civil and human rights protections.
“The duty to protect and serve all citizens is paramount to our public mission,” said U.S. Attorney Maria Chapa Lopez. “As we seek to improve the quality of life within our communities, we must entreat greater accountability and responsibility from everyone involved. Our team is proud to join with and support our state and local partners in this effort to gain a better understanding and improve equity among diverse groups and communities throughout the state of Florida. We look forward to participating in this Challenge and promoting justice for all.”
“Florida’s juvenile justice system has implemented significant reforms designed to better match youth with services and to prevent them from moving deeper into the system while still holding them accountable for their actions. While we’ve seen a downward trend in juvenile arrests across the state, we haven’t seen a similar trend in the overrepresentation of youth of color in the juvenile justice system,” said DJJ Secretary Simone Marstiller. “We have an obligation, as a system and community, to come together to address this important issue and affect meaningful change.”
The Florida Youth Justice Commission is a partnership established to promote continuous juvenile justice system improvement using the Annie E. Casey Foundation’s Juvenile Detention Alternative Initiative (JDAI) strategies. One of these strategies is improving racial and ethnic equity with a focus on eliminating bias and creating a level playing field for youth of color. Along with the Florida Department of Juvenile Justice, other Florida Youth Justice Commission partners include the Department of Children and Families, Florida Association of District School Superintendents, the Office of State Courts Administrator, Guardian Ad Litem, members of law enforcement, prosecutors and defense attorneys. DJJ staff help to coordinate the efforts of the commission both at the local and state level and created the concept and programming for the Florida Race Equity Challenge.
Additional information about the Florida Race Equity Challenge can be found here and more information about JDAI and the Florida Youth Justice Commission can be found here.
U.S. Attorney's Office Reaches ADA Settlement with Connecticut and Pennsylvania Child Care CentersRead the Press Release
John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that the U.S. Attorney’s Office has reached a settlement agreement with Bradford Child Care Services, Inc., which owns Tender Care Learning Centers (“Tender Care”), to resolve allegations that Tender Care was not operating in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (“ADA”). Tender Care provides child care services at more than 20 locations in Connecticut and western Pennsylvania.
The settlement agreement addresses an ADA complaint filed by the parents of a child with epilepsy alleging that Tender Care established a policy to prevent staff from administering prescribed emergency rescue medication. Under the terms of the settlement agreement, Tender Care will implement new nondiscriminatory policies, practices and procedures regarding the administration of medication for children with disabilities who wish to attend their day care centers, camp, before care program, after care program or any other educational programs owned or operated by Tender Care in the United States. Tender Care also will train its managers, teachers and other staff on compliance with Title III of the ADA. Additionally, Tender Care will evaluate each request for reasonable modifications on an individualized basis, relying on objective evidence and current medical standards and will adopt, maintain and enforce an Emergency Anti-Seizure Medication Administration (EASMA) Policy and Procedure. The revised materials for parents of children with disabilities will be posted in a general location at the center and will post to its website the nondiscrimination policy approved by the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
Tender Care also has agreed to pay a total of $20,000 in compensatory damages to certain individuals identified during the government’s investigation of this matter.
Under federal law, private entities that own or operate places of “public accommodation,” including learning centers and other places of education and recreation, are prohibited from discriminating on the basis of disability. The ADA authorizes the U.S. Department of Justice to investigate complaints and undertake periodic reviews of compliance of covered entities. The Justice Department is also authorized to commence a civil lawsuit in federal court in any case that involves a pattern or practice of discrimination or that raises issues of general public importance, and to seek injunctive relief, monetary damages, and civil penalties.
U.S. Attorney Durham noted that the counsel and management of Tender Care were cooperative with the U.S. Attorney’s Office and are committed to addressing the issues raised by the ADA investigation without litigation.
This matter was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ndidi N. Moses of the District of Connecticut in coordination with the Disability Rights Section of the U.S. Department of Justice Civil Rights Division.
Any member of the public who wishes to file a complaint alleging that any place of public accommodation or public entity in Connecticut is not accessible to persons with disabilities may contact the U.S. Attorney’s Office at 203-821-3700. Additional information about the ADA can be found at www.ada.gov, or by calling the Justice Department’s toll-free information line at (800) 514-0301 and (800) 514-0383 (TTY).
The Justice Department also has a Civil Rights Reporting Portal, an online tool that allows the public to report a civil rights violation. The Reporting Portal – located at www.civilrights.justice.gov – is fully accessible to people with disabilities. It is also available in both English and Spanish, with more languages to be added in the future.
Individuals who believe that they may have been victims of civil rights violations should contact the department by visiting www.civilrights.justice.gov. Those who believe they are a victim of criminal violation of their civil rights, such as misconduct by law enforcement officers, a hate crime, or human trafficking, should contact their local FBI office.
U.S. Attorney Warns Public about Fraudulent Face Mask DocumentsRead the Press Release
Portland, Maine: United States Attorney Halsey B. Frank today advised the public that cards and other documents bearing the Department of Justice seal and claiming that individuals are exempt from face mask requirements are fraudulent.
There have been reports of individuals in Maine handing out cards claiming that the bearer is exempt from face mask requirements under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). The Department of Justice also is aware of postings or flyers on the internet making the same claims. Many of these documents include the Department’s seal. The following is an example of a card that has been distributed in Maine:
These documents were not issued by the Department, and the Department does not endorse them. The Department also has not granted permission for the use of its seal for this purpose. Misuse of the Department seal is a federal crime.
The Department urges the public not to rely on the information contained in these documents and to visit https://www.ada.gov/ for ADA information issued by the Department.
For more information and technical assistance about the ADA, please contact the ADA Information Line at 800-514-0301 (voice) and 800-514-0383 (TTY).
U.S. Attorney Appoints First Missing and Murdered Indigenous Persons Coordinator for UtahRead the Press Release
SALT LAKE CITY – U.S. Attorney John W. Huber announced today the appointment of Brian Speelman as the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Persons (MMIP) coordinator in Utah.
As Utah’s first MMIP coordinator, Speelman will gather reliable data to identify MMIP cases connected to Utah; conduct outreach with tribal communities to assist in the creation and implementation of community action plans; and coordinate with tribal, local, state, and federal law enforcement in the development of protocols and procedures for responding to and addressing MMIP cases.
Speelman, who will coordinate with tribal communities and serve victims throughout Utah, will work in the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Salt Lake City.
U.S. Attorney General William Barr launched a national strategy in November to address missing and murdered Native Americans. As a part of the initiative, the Department of Justice made funding available to hire MMIP coordinators in 11 states, including Utah.
“American Indian and Alaska Native people suffer from unacceptable and disproportionately high levels of violence, which can have lasting impacts on families and communities. Native American women face particularly high rates of violence, with at least half suffering sexual or intimate-partner violence in their lifetime. Too many of these families have experienced the loss of loved ones who went missing or were murdered,” said Attorney General William P. Barr. “This important initiative will further strengthen the federal, state, and tribal law enforcement response to these continuing problems.”
“My office is fully committed to our tribal partners in Utah, and this new position will add to our combined capabilities. The position is designed to help serve crime victim families who have suffered from missing or murdered family members. It will also enable my office to better collaborate with other groups in Utah working on MMIP issues,” U.S. Attorney Huber said today. “Brian Speelman brings decades of experience, and is committed to working with our tribal communities and other stakeholders to reduce violent crime and deliver justice.”
Prior to joining the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Speelman worked as an FBI agent, retiring as a Supervisory Special Agent in 2011. Following his retirement, he was appointed Director of the Utah Statewide Information and Analysis Center (SIAC), which was recognized in 2015 with the Governor’s Award for Excellence in Public Services. Most recently, Speelman worked as an associate with the Argonne National Laboratory focusing on homeland security issues. He is a graduate of the University of Maryland.
The strategy announced in November by DOJ has three parts:
Establish MMIP coordinators: The Department of Justice is investing resources to hire 11 MMIP coordinators in 11 states to serve with all U.S. Attorney’s offices in those states, and others who request assistance. The states are Alaska, Arizona, Montana, Oklahoma, Michigan, Utah, Nevada, Minnesota, Oregon, New Mexico, and Washington. MMIP coordinators will work closely with federal, tribal, state and local agencies to develop common protocols and procedure for responding to reports of missing or murdered indigenous people.
Specialized FBI Rapid Deployment Teams: The strategy will bring needed tools and resources to law enforcement. Upon request by a tribal, state, or local law enforcement agency, the FBI will provide expert assistance based upon the circumstances of a missing indigenous persons case. FBI resources and personnel, which may be activated to assist with cases include: Child Abduction Rapid Deployment (CARD) teams, Cellular Analysis Support Teams, Evidence Response Teams, Cyber Agents for timely analysis of digital evidence/social media, Victim Services Division Response Teams, and others. MMIP coordinators will assist in developing protocols.
Comprehensive Data Analysis: The department will perform in-depth analysis of federally supported databases and analyze data collection practices to identify opportunities to improve data and share the results of this analysis with our partners in this effort.
More broadly, the MMIP Initiative will involve a coordinated effort by more than 50 U.S. Attorneys on the Attorney General’s Native American Issues Subcommittee (NAIS), the FBI, and the Office of Tribal Justice, with support from the Office of Justice Programs (OJP) and the Office on Violence Against Women (OVW).
Two Sentenced for Tax EvasionRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Scott C. Blader, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Dudley Hellenbrand, 68, and Cherie Hellenbrand, 46, both of Middleton, Wisconsin, were sentenced today by U.S. District Judge James D. Peterson to each serve six months in federal prison for filing a false income tax return with the Internal Revenue Service. The judge staggered the prison sentences to allow one parent to stay home with their children. Dudley Hellenbrand reports to prison on July 27, 2020. Cherie Hellenbrand must report on June 14, 2021.
On July 11, 2019, both defendants pleaded guilty to a one-count information that charged them with filing a false 2017 income tax return with the IRS. The information alleged that the Hellenbrands owned and operated a sports bar/bowling alley in Middleton called Middleton Sport Bowl.
According to the information, the defendants contracted with a video gambling machine (“VGM”) vendor to have VGMs placed at Middleton Sport Bowl. The defendants split the cash receipts generated by the VGMs with the vendor, with the defendants most recently receiving 75% of the VGM profits, and the vendor receiving the remaining 25%.
As part of the plea agreement, the Hellenbrands admitted they skimmed the VGM cash receipts from Middleton Sport Bowl, and did not report the skimmed receipts on their state and federal income tax returns. The Hellenbrands agreed the total tax loss from the skim, for both state and federal income taxes, totaled $268,852.04 for the years 2010-2017.
This tax investigation started with a U.S. Department of Treasury Special Agent working as an undercover agent and posing as a buyer of a bar listed for sale by Cherie and Dudley Hellenbrand in August 2017. The bar was Middleton Sport Bowl (MSB) in Middleton. On May 31, 2018, the undercover agent met with the Hellenbrands and their VGM vendors at Middleton Sport Bowl. During that meeting, the vendors told the undercover agent they skimmed the cash receipts from the VGMs and prepared fake handwritten collection tickets showing much lower numbers for what came in, what came out, and what was the profit. These fake tickets were then used to report a fraction of the skim on the state and federal tax returns for the vendors as well as the Hellenbrands.
At today’s sentencing, Judge Peterson noted the Hellenbrands were good and decent people, but they compartmentalized an area of their lives to justify the cash skim of the VGM receipts at Middleton Sport Bowl, and not report all of these receipts on their tax returns. Judge Peterson stated that a term of incarceration was necessary to punish these defendants for their criminal conduct because it was knowing, calculated, and deliberate. Lastly, Judge Peterson explained that a period of incarceration was necessary to send a general deterrence message to the taxpaying community – “the tax laws must be respected and if you violate those laws you will not receive a slap on the wrist, and you may end up going to federal prison, like these two defendants.”
On June 19, 2020, Judge Peterson sentenced Tom Laugen to 1 year and 1 day in federal prison for his role in this VGM skim and tax evasion scheme. Laugen pleaded guilty to federal income tax evasion on July 12, 2019 and admitted he was a VGM vendor who supplied VGMs to the Hellenbrands at Middleton Sport Bowl from 2004 to 2017, and split the skimmed VGM cash receipts with the Hellenbrands.
The case against the Hellenbrands and Laugen is the result of an ongoing investigation being conducted by IRS Criminal Investigation and the Wisconsin Department of Revenue, Office of Criminal Investigation. The prosecution of this case is being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Daniel Graber and Chadwick Elgersma.
Two Alleged Boston Gang Members Arrested for Drug ConspiracyRead the Press Release
BOSTON – Two alleged members of the Franklin Hill street gang in Boston were arrested on federal drug charges.
Trevel Brewster, 25, and Timmy Hunt, 29, of Boston, were each charged in an indictment with two counts of distribution and possession with intent to distribute cocaine base and one count of distribution and possession with intent to distribute over 28 grams of cocaine base. Brewster was arrested yesterday and Hunt, who is on pretrial release on a state court matter, was arrested on Wednesday, June 24, 2020. Following arraignments via videoconference in federal court in Boston, both men were detained pending a detention hearing set for July 2, 2020.
According to the indictment, Brewster and Hunt distributed and possessed with intent to distribute cocaine base in Boston on Feb. 26, 2020 and March 2, 2020, and conspired to distribute and possess with intent to distribute over 28 grams of cocaine base.
The charge of distributing or possessing with intent to distribute cocaine base carries a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of up to $1 million. The charge of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 28 grams or more of cocaine base provides for a minimum mandatory sentence of five years and up to 40 years in prison, four years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of up to $5 million. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based on the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling; Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Division; Boston Police Commissioner William Gross; Colonel Christopher Mason, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police; Suffolk County Sheriff Steven W. Tompkins; and Brockton Police Chief Emanuel Gomes made the announcement today.
This case is 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.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Three charged with money laundering conspiracy involving online romance scamRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – A federal indictment accuses three central Ohio men of conspiring to launder the proceeds of online romance scams for more than five years.
Those charged include Robert Asante, 35, of Canal Winchester, Kwame Yeboah, 36, of Columbus, and Eric Ahiekpor, 49, of Lewis Center.
According to the indictment, which was unsealed yesterday, individuals committing fraud created several profiles on online dating sites. They then contacted men and women throughout the United States and elsewhere, with whom they cultivated a sense of affection, and often, romance.
After establishing relationships, perpetrators of the romance scams allegedly requested money, typically for investment or need-based reasons, and provided account information and directions for where money should be sent. In part, these accounts were allegedly in the names of the defendants, in the names of the defendants’ family members, and in the names of the defendants’ companies.
The indictment alleges that the funds were not used for the purposes claimed by the perpetrators of the romance scams. Instead, the defendants conducted transactions designed to conceal, such as withdrawing cash, transferring funds to other accounts, buying official checks, sending wires to Ghana, China, and the United States, and more. It is alleged that part of the conspiracy was for the defendants to move the romance fraud proceeds from the United States to Ghana.
“The defendants allegedly laundered proceeds earned from an online romance scam through a series of financial transactions intended to conceal the fraud,” said Bryant Jackson, Special Agent in Charge, IRS Criminal Investigation, Cincinnati Field Office.
Conspiracy to launder money is punishable by up to 20 years in prison and a $500,000 fine, as well as forfeiture of any proceeds involved in the conspiracy. U.S. Marshals arrested Ahiekpor Tuesday. He was arraigned before a U.S. Magistrate Judge yesterday. Asante and Yeboah have court appearances scheduled for Monday, June 29.
David M. DeVillers, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Bryant Jackson, Special Agent in Charge, Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI); and Pete Tobin, U.S. Marshal for the Southern District of Ohio announced the charges. Assistant United States Attorney Peter K. Glenn-Applegate is representing the United States in this case.
An indictment merely contains allegations, and defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.
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Texas Man Charged with Defrauding Alameda-Based Union of $4.5 MillionRead the Press Release
OAKLAND – Scott A. Wilson was arrested today in connection with a complaint unsealed in Oakland alleging that he defrauded the Operating Engineers Local Union No. 3, based in Alameda, California, of approximately $4.5 million, announced United States Attorney David L. Anderson, Federal Bureau of Investigation Special Agent in Charge John L. Bennett, and U.S. Department of Labor Office of Inspector General Special Agent in Charge Quentin Heiden.
According to the complaint, Wilson, 52, of Corsicana, Texas, was the director of the union’s information technology department, where he had authority to purchase goods and services. While working for the union, Wilson allegedly set up a front company called OST. Using the alias, “John Lasson,” Wilson allegedly used OST to receive funds from the union, at first directly and then through two other front companies set up by a friend and a relative under Wilson’s direction. Between 2011 and 2017, Wilson allegedly used these front companies to fraudulently invoice the union for IT-related goods and services that were never to be delivered, taking some funds directly through OST, and others through kickbacks paid by his friend and relative. Wilson also allegedly used the front companies to conceal payments made with union funds to his own family members, primarily for work that was never done. At one point, according to the complaint, Wilson arranged for the union funds to be withdrawn from the front companies’ accounts and delivered to him at various restaurants around the Bay Area in the form of cash, wrapped in the shape of bricks and placed in silver bags.
The complaint alleges that over the course of six years, in total Wilson fraudulently directed approximately $4.5 million to the front companies, of which $2.5 million was kicked directly back to Wilson in various ways. The complaint further alleges that Wilson used the allegedly embezzled funds to, among other things, purchase land in Corsicana, Texas, and build himself a house there.
According to the complaint, the scheme was discovered when the union’s finance department learned that Wilson had concealed that he was the principal behind one of the front companies with which his IT department was conducting business.
Wilson was arrested on June 26, 2020, in Corsicana, Texas, and made an appearance in federal court in Dallas this afternoon. He was ordered to appear in federal court in Oakland on July 13, 2020.
A complaint merely alleges that crimes have been committed, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. If convicted, the defendant faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, and a fine of up to $250,000, along with potential restitution and forfeiture. However, any sentence following conviction would be imposed by the court after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal statute governing the imposition of a sentence, 18 U.S.C. § 3553.
The case is being prosecuted by the Special Prosecutions Section of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of California. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Department of Labor’s Office of Inspector General and Office of Labor Management Standards.
Tampa Man Sentenced to over Five Years for Manufacturing Counterfeit Credit Cards, Fake IDs, and Illegal FirearmsRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge James S. Moody, Jr. has sentenced Michael Prime (40, formerly of Brandon) to 5 years and 10 months in federal prison for access device (credit card) fraud, identity theft, and possession of a firearm as a convicted felon. Prime was also ordered to pay a $2,000 fine. He had pleaded guilty on December 12, 2019.
According to court documents, on September 29, 2018, law enforcement officers searched Prime’s residence in Tampa. Prime, a multiple-convicted felon, unlawfully possessed firearms and ammunition. While searching Prime’s residence, law enforcement officers seized 1,774 counterfeit credit and debit cards; 1,490 blank cards, some of which contained magnetic stripes and credit or debit card chips; 37 counterfeit driver licenses and IDs; counterfeit Social Security card templates; sheets of holograms used for manufacturing credit cards, debit cards and IDs; counterfeit chips for credit and debit card manufacturing; and printers and engravers (including a credit card printing machine and 3D printers). A search of Prime’s electronic equipment resulted in the discovery of hundreds of additional credit and debit account numbers, images of approximately 32 driver licenses and ID cards, driving permits from approximately 12 different issuing states, a counterfeit United States Army ID card purportedly for a lieutenant colonel, 5 images of Canadian driver licenses, 2 Portuguese citizen identification cards and the image of a counterfeit Republic de Angola passport, 5 images of Social Security cards, and 4 images of a counterfeit $100 U.S. Federal Reserve note.
Investigators learned that Prime sold “ghost guns” (untraceable firearms) that he manufactured and advertised for $1,500 on the Dark Web, along with counterfeit credit cards and fake IDs. He also sold counterfeit credit cards on the website Republic of Lampeduza, which facilitated the commission of credit card fraud by hosting, receiving, and selling stolen credit and debit card account information resulting from online breaches.
In total, investigators seized approximately 5,493 access (credit card) devices from Prime, including credit card account numbers, debit card account numbers, and Social Security numbers. As a previously convicted felon, Prime is prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition under federal law.
This case was investigated by the United States Secret Service, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Mandy Riedel.
Tampa Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Passing Counterfeit Federal Reserve NotesRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – U.S. District Judge Brian J. Davis has sentenced Brett Lawrence Rozenburgh (55, Tampa) to 13 months in federal prison for passing counterfeit Federal Reserve notes. The court also ordered Rozenburgh to pay restitution to the victims he defrauded. Rozenburgh had pleaded guilty on January 16, 2020.
According to court documents, Rozenburgh was part of a group of individuals passing counterfeit Federal Reserve notes. The group traveled throughout Florida, stopping at various shopping centers in order to pass counterfeit $100 bills. In March 2019, Rozenburgh and others, including his co-defendant, Charles Alexander Coriaty III, traveled to north Florida to commit fraud. On March 26, 2019, law enforcement officers stopped a vehicle that Rozenburgh, Coriaty, and others were riding in. During a search of the vehicle, the officers recovered multiple counterfeit $100 bills and a large amount of merchandise that had previously been purchased by Rozenburgh and Coriaty, using counterfeit $100 bills.
On February 24, 2020, Coriaty (27, New Port Richey) was sentenced to 16 months in federal prison for his part in the scheme.
This case was investigated by the United States Secret Service (Jacksonville Field Office) and the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kevin C. Frein.
Tampa Man Indicted for Attempting to Provide Material Support to Isis and Firearms OffensesRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Maria Chapa Lopez announces the return by a federal grand jury of an indictment charging Muhammed Momtaz Al-Azhari (23, Tampa) with attempting to provide material support or resources to a designated foreign terrorist organization, namely the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (“ISIS”), and with violations of the National Firearms Act. If convicted on all counts, Al-Azhari faces a maximum penalty of 40 years in federal prison.
According to court documents, Al-Azhari was an ISIS supporter who planned and attempted to carry out an attack on behalf of that terrorist organization. Since at least 2019, Al-Azhari has consumed ISIS propaganda and spoken favorably about ISIS. Al-Azhari, who has a criminal history that includes prior terrorism charges in Saudi Arabia, acquired multiple firearms, including a Glock pistol and silencer. Al-Azhari also expressed admiration for Pulse nightclub shooter Omar Mateen and spoke of his desire to carry out a similar mass shooting. Additionally, Al-Azhari researched and scouted potential targets in the Tampa area, including beaches and the FBI Tampa Field Office. He also rehearsed portions of an attack and statements that he would make during or in connection with such an attack.
FBI agents arrested Al-Azhari on May 24, 2020, after he took possession of weapons, including a Glock handgun and silencer, to be used in an attack.
An indictment 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 FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force, including Homeland Security Investigations, the Tampa Police Department, the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office, the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office, the Pasco Sheriff’s Office, the St. Petersburg Police Department, the Clearwater Police Department, and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Patrick Scruggs, with assistance from Trial Attorney Ranganath Mathripragada of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section.
Statement from Assistant Attorney General Eric Dreiband on Federal Court's Religious Liberty Ruling Concerning New York City and New York StateRead the Press Release
Assistant Attorney General Eric Dreiband of the Civil Rights Division issued the following statement in response to the federal court ruling today regarding religious liberty in New York City and New York State:
"Today’s federal court decision is a win for religious freedom and the civil liberties of New Yorkers. Government cannot discriminate by protecting free speech and the right to assemble while threatening or limiting religious exercise – it must protect all rights guaranteed under the First Amendment. The court’s decision is consistent with positions and arguments made by the United States Department of Justice in similar filings and letters, including in New York City and elsewhere around the country. The Department of Justice will continue to support people of faith who seek equal treatment against threats and actions by public officials who discriminate against them because of their religion. The Constitution and our oath to defend and protect it require nothing less."
The federal case is Soos et al., v. Cuomo et al., No. 1:20-cv-651 (N.D.N.Y).
The court opinion can be found here https://www.thomasmoresociety.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Dist.-Ct.-Memo-and-Order-June-26-2020.pdf. The department's previous statement on religious concerns in New York City can be found here https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/statement-assistant-attorney-general-eric-dreiband-and-us-attorney-matthew-schneider-new-york.
St. Louis Man Sentenced to 60 Months in Prison for Attempting to Possess with Intent to Distribute Approximately 8 Kilograms of FentanylRead the Press Release
St. Louis, Missouri – United States District Judge Ronnie L. White sentenced Kaylin Robinson, 22, of St. Louis, to 60 months in prison for attempting to possess with the intent to distribute in excess of 400 grams of fentanyl.
According to the plea agreement, on Friday, January 18, 2019, the United Parcel Service (UPS) attempted to deliver a package addressed to “Robert Anderson” at 2110 McLaran Avenue, Jennings, Missouri. The UPS driver went to 2110 McLaran but did not deliver the package because the house appeared to be vacant. The driver went back to the truck and Robinson approached the driver to request delivery of the package. Robinson said that he was picking the package up for his grandfather from 2110 McLaran. The driver asked for Robinson’s identification and he said he did not have any. The UPS driver returned the package to the Earth City customer service center.
On Monday, January 21, 2019, UPS security personnel opened the package in an effort to determine the correct address for delivery of the package. A plastic tote was inside the cardboard box and there were several bundles that were wrapped in green and clear cellophane with lotion, coffee grounds, and dryer sheets. Because the wrapping was suspicious, UPS security contacted the St. Louis County Police Department narcotics unit. The St. Louis County Police Department took custody of the package and found it to contain 7.99 kilograms of fentanyl.
On Tuesday, January 22, 2019, Robinson went to the UPS Earth City customer service lobby and identified himself as “Robert Anderson.” A UPS employee told the defendant that he would need to present photo identification showing that he was “Robert Anderson.” He declined to present identification at that time.
Officers prepared an imitation package that looked like the original package to deliver to Robison if he returned to UPS. On January 23, 2019, Robinson went to the UPS customer service center in Earth City and again identified himself as “Robert Anderson.” Robinson presented a false Missouri Department of Revenue Temporary Driver License with his picture on it. The license was in the name of “Robert Anderson” with an address of 2110 McLaran Avenue, Jennings, Missouri. The issue date purported to be January 19, 2019. A UPS employee made a copy of the identification and informed Robinson that the package was out for delivery.
On January 23, 2019, Robinson returned to the UPS customer service center where he was given the imitation package. He placed the package in the trunk of a car waiting in the parking lot, got into the passenger seat, and then left the area. Officers attempted to stop the car, but the car fled at a high rate of speed and went the wrong way down a one-way street. Officers were unable to locate the car, however, they did locate the imitation package which had been discarded in the 12000 block of St. Charles Rock Road.
The St. Louis County Police Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration investigated this case, with the cooperation and assistance of the United Parcel Service.
San Francisco Venture Capitalist Charged in Wide-Ranging Schemes to DefraudRead the Press Release
SAN FRANCISCO – Michael Brent Rothenberg was charged in a criminal complaint with wire fraud in connection with a scheme to invest in a privately-traded software company in 2016, and in an information in connection with multiple schemes to defraud spanning from 2013 to 2016, announced United States Attorney David L. Anderson, Federal Bureau of Investigation Special Agent in Charge John F. Bennett, and Kareem Carter, Special Agent in Charge of Criminal Investigation at the Internal Revenue Service. Rothenberg made his initial appearance in federal court today before Magistrate Judge Westmore.
According to the complaint and information, Rothenberg, 36, of San Francisco, California, is alleged to have orchestrated multiple schemes to defraud his victims. Rothenberg founded a venture capital company, Rothenberg Ventures Management Company, LLC (“RVMC”), that he used between 2013 and 2016 to raise and manage four annual funds whose purpose was to invest in Silicon Valley start-up companies, and particularly companies in the field of virtual reality technologies.
The information filed today alleges that Rothenberg partially funded his capital commitment to the second of those funds by committing bank fraud. Specifically, in 2014, Rothenberg made false statements about his wealth to his bank while refinancing his home mortgage and while obtaining a $300,000 personal loan, and poured some of the ill-gotten money he obtained from the bank into the second of his funds.
In 2015, the information alleges that Rothenberg took excess money in venture capital fees from one of the funds he was raising and managing at RVMC, and therefore faced a shortfall at the end of the year that he did not wish to report to his investors. At the end of 2015, the information alleges that Rothenberg engaged in a scheme to defraud a bank by making false statements and misrepresentations to the bank in order to obtain a $4 million line of credit to pay back the fund from which he had taken excess fees. In so doing, Rothenberg attempted to deceive his investors into believing the fund was well-managed and that RVMC was following the operating agreements the investors understood controlled the management of the fund.
In February 2016, according to the allegations laid out in the information, Rothenberg engaged in a scheme to defraud an investor with respect to a $2 million investment that it believed it was making directly into a virtual reality content production company operating as River Studios that Rothenberg contended he wholly-owned. It is alleged that, rather than using that investment at River Studios as he had represented, Rothenberg used most of it for non-River Studios purposes.
The complaint then alleges that, in July 2016, Rothenberg engaged in a scheme to defraud as many as five separate investors when he induced them to wire a total of $1.35 million under the premise of investing in the untraded stock of a privately-held software company. The complaint charges Rothenberg with knowingly engaging in a scheme to defraud one investor by representing to that organization that its money would be used to purchase the software company’s shares. According to the complaint, on the same day the money was wired, Rothenberg took the money from the bank account designed to make the investment and sent it to RVMC’s main operating bank account, from which it was used for many purposes. The complaint alleges that no stock in the software company was ever purchased.
Finally, the information sets out allegations about a series of investors as to whom Rothenberg engaged in a scheme to defraud in 2015 and 2016 by inducing their investments in his RVMC-managed funds under the premise he would use the money for investments in “frontier edge” technologies and take only certain limited fees for the management of the funds. Instead, Rothenberg took more fees than to which he was entitled and invested far less of the money he raised than the operating agreements disclosed to the investors contemplated.
Today’s allegations in the criminal complaint and information state that the evidence has established that since 2013 Rothenberg fraudulently obtained at least $18.8 million through his illegal conduct.
The criminal complaint unsealed today charges Rothenberg with wire fraud, in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 1343 and 2.
The information filed today charges Rothenberg with 23 crimes, including the one set out in the criminal complaint. For his two schemes to defraud a bank, Rothenberg is charged with two counts of bank fraud, in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 1344 and 2, and two counts of making a false statement in a loan application to an FDIC-insured lender, in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 1014 and 2. With respect to his scheme to defraud an investor in River Studios, Rothenberg is charged with three counts of wire fraud, in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 1343 and 2, and four counts of engaging in monetary transactions in property derived from specified unlawful activity, commonly known as money laundering, in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 1957 and 2. For his scheme to defraud investors in the untraded stock in a privately held software company in July 2016, Rothenberg is charged with four counts of wire fraud, in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 1343 and 2. Finally, for his scheme to defraud investors in his funds in 2015 and 2016, Rothenberg is charged with eight counts of wire fraud, in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 1343 and 2.
Each of the wire fraud charges carries maximum statutory penalties of up to 20 years in prison, not more than three years supervised release, and a $250,000 fine. The two bank fraud charges and the two false statement to a bank charges each carry a maximum of 30 years in prison, not more than five years supervised release, and a $1,000,000 fine. Finally, the money laundering charges carry a penalty of imprisonment of not more than ten years, not more than three years of supervised release, and a fine of not more than twice the amount of the criminally derived property involved in the transaction at issue. However, any sentence following conviction would be imposed by the court only after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal statute governing imposition of a sentence, 18 U.S.C. § 3553.
The charges contained in the criminal complaint and information are mere allegations. As in any criminal case, the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.
Magistrate Judge Westmore ordered Rothenberg released on $250,000 bond pending the outcome of the case. Rothenberg’s next appearance is scheduled for August 27, 2020, at 10:30 a.m.
The case is being prosecuted by the Special Prosecutions Section of the U.S. Attorney’s Office. The case is being investigated by the FBI and IRS Criminal Investigations.
Russian National Sentenced to Prison for Operating Websites Devoted to Fraud and Malicious Cyber ActivitiesRead the Press Release
A Russian national was sentenced today to nine years in prison for his operation of two websites devoted to the facilitation of payment card fraud, computer hacking, and other crimes before Senior U.S. District Judge T.S. Ellis III in the Eastern District of Virginia.
Assistant Attorney General Brian A. Benczkowski of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney G. Zachary Terwilliger for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Special Agent in Charge Matthew S. Miller of the U.S. Secret Service’s Washington Field Office made the announcement.
According to court documents, Aleksei Burkov, 30, ran a website called “Cardplanet” that sold payment card numbers (e.g., debit and credit card numbers) that had been stolen primarily through computer intrusions, victimizing hundreds of thousands. Many of the card numbers offered for sale belonged to U.S. citizens. The stolen credit card data sold on Burkov’s site has resulted in over $20 million in fraudulent purchases made using U.S. credit card accounts.
Burkov also ran another website that served as an invite-only club where elite cybercriminals could advertise stolen goods, such as personal identifying information and malicious software, and criminal services, such as money laundering and hacking services. To obtain membership in Burkov’s cybercrime forum, prospective members needed three existing members to “vouch” for their good reputation among cybercriminals and to provide a sum of money, normally $5,000, as insurance. These measures were designed to keep law enforcement from accessing Burkov’s cybercrime forum and to ensure that members of the forum honored any deals made while conducting business on the forum.
Burkov was arrested at Ben-Gurion Airport near Tel Aviv, Israel in December 2015. An Israeli district court approved his extradition in 2017. He was extradited to the United States from Israel on Nov. 11, 2019, after appeals to the Israeli Supreme Court and the Israeli High Court of Justice were denied. On Jan. 23, 2020, he pleaded guilty to one count of access device fraud and one count of conspiracy to commit access device fraud, identity theft, computer intrusions, wire fraud, and money laundering.
Senior Trial Attorney Laura Fong of the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kellen S. Dwyer and Alexander P. Berrang of the Eastern District of Virginia prosecuted the case. The Criminal Division’s Office of International Affairs provided significant assistance in securing the defendant’s extradition from Israel.
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.
Russian National Sentenced for Operating Websites Devoted to Fraud and Malicious Cyber ActivitiesRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Russian national was sentenced today to nine years in prison for his operation of two websites devoted to the facilitation of payment card fraud, computer hacking, and other crimes.
“Aleksei Burkov’s massive fraud victimized hundreds of thousands of people and resulted in over $20 million in losses,” said G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. “Tackling global cybercrime means holding accountable leaders like Burkov who have allowed cybercrime to become organized and hyper-specialized. I want to thank our prosecutors and investigative partners for their terrific work on this complex case.”
According to court documents, Burkov, 30, ran a website called “Cardplanet” that sold payment card numbers (e.g., debit and credit card numbers) that had been stolen primarily through computer intrusions. Many of the card numbers offered for sale belonged to United States citizens. The stolen credit card data sold on Burkov’s site has resulted in over $20 million in fraudulent purchases made using United States credit card accounts.
Burkov also ran another website that served as an invite-only club where elite cybercriminals could advertise stolen goods, such as personal identifying information and malicious software, and criminal services, such as money laundering and hacking services. To obtain membership in Burkov’s cybercrime forum, prospective members needed three existing members to “vouch” for their good reputation among cybercriminals and to provide a sum of money, normally $5,000, as insurance. These measures were designed to keep law enforcement from accessing Burkov’s cybercrime forum and to ensure that members of the forum honored any deals made while conducting business on the forum.
Burkov was arrested at Ben-Gurion Airport near Tel Aviv, Israel in December 2015. An Israeli district court approved his extradition in 2017. He was extradited to the United States from Israel on Nov. 11, 2019, after appeals to the Israeli Supreme Court and the Israeli High Court of Justice were denied. On January 23, 2020, Burkov pleaded guilty to one count of access device fraud and one count of conspiracy to commit access device fraud, identity theft, computer intrusions, wire fraud, and money laundering.
G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Brian A. Benczkowski, Assistant Attorney General of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; and Matthew S. Miller, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Secret Service’s Washington Field Office, made the announcement after sentencing by Senior U.S. District Judge T.S. Ellis, III. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kellen S. Dwyer and Alexander P. Berrang prosecuted the case, along with Senior Trial Attorney Laura Fong of the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section.
The Office of International Affairs of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division provided significant assistance in securing the defendant’s extradition from Israel.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:15-cr-245.
Russian National Pleads Guilty for Role in Transnational Cybercrime Organization Responsible for more than $568 Million in LossesRead the Press Release
One of the leaders of the Infraud Organization pleaded guilty today to RICO conspiracy. Infraud was an Internet-based cybercriminal enterprise engaged in the large-scale acquisition, sale, and dissemination of stolen identities, compromised debit and credit cards, personally identifiable information, financial and banking information, computer malware, and other contraband. Assistant Attorney General Brian A. Benczkowski of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division made the announcement.
Sergey Medvedev, aka “Stells,” “segmed,” “serjbear,” 33, of the Russian Federation, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Court Judge James C. Mahan in the District of Nevada. According to the indictment, the Infraud Organization was created in October 2010 by Svyatoslav Bondarenko aka “Obnon,” “Rector,” and “Helkern,” 34, of Ukraine, to promote and grow interest in the Infraud Organization as the premier destination for “carding”—purchasing retail items with counterfeit or stolen credit card information—on the Internet. Under the slogan, “In Fraud We Trust,” the organization directed traffic and potential purchasers to the automated vending sites of its members, which served as online conduits to traffic in stolen means of identification, stolen financial and banking information, malware, and other illicit goods. It also provided an escrow service to facilitate illicit digital currency transactions among its members and employed screening protocols that purported to ensure only high quality vendors of stolen cards, personally identifiable information, and other contraband were permitted to advertise to members. In March 2017, there were 10,901 registered members of the Infraud Organization.
During the course of its seven-year history, the Infraud Organization inflicted approximately $2.2 billion in intended losses, and more than $568 million in actual losses, on a wide swath of financial institutions, merchants, and private individuals, and would have continued to do so for the foreseeable future if left unchecked.
The investigation was conducted by the Las Vegas Office of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations and the Henderson, Nevada Police Department. The Criminal Division’s Office of International Affairs provided significant assistance in securing the defendant’s extradition from Thailand. Deputy Chief Kelly Pearson and Trial Attorneys Chad W. McHenry and Alexander Gottfried of the Criminal Division’s Organized Crime and Gang Section are prosecuting the case.
The year 2020 marks the 150th anniversary of the Department of Justice. Learn more about the history of our agency at www.Justice.gov/Celebrating150Years.
Rockingham Man Sentenced to 5 Years in Federal Prison for Throwing Molotov Cocktail into a Laurinburg ResidenceRead the Press Release
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. - On Wednesday, June 24, 2020, a judge in federal district court sentenced former Rockingham resident A D MCRAE IV, to a 60-month prison term for throwing a Molotov cocktail into an occupied residence, announced United States Attorney Matthew G.T. Martin of the Middle District of North Carolina.
MCRAE, age 30, pleaded guilty on December 4, 2019, to one count of malicious use of explosive materials.
According to documents filed with the Court, two people were inside a Laurinburg residence on March 1, 2017, when an ignited Molotov cocktail came through a bedroom window. The glass bottle landed on a pile of clothing, failing to break and explode, and one of the occupants was able to extinguish the wick of the device. MCRAE had been seen in the area 30-45 minutes prior to the incident. Police responded to the scene that evening, and returned a week later with agents of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (BATFE), finding a second Molotov cocktail under the residence. An examination of that second device yielded a fingerprint left by MCRAE. Under federal law, Molotov cocktails are classified as improvised incendiary bombs, which are destructive devices prohibited under federal law.
The Honorable Judge Stephanie D. Thacker, a judge from the Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit, sitting by designation, imposed a 5-year prison term, to be followed by a 3-year period of supervised release.
The case was investigated by the Laurinburg Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Anand Ramaswamy.
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Ridin’ High Proprietor Sentenced to 5 years of Probation for Distributing MarijuanaRead the Press Release
The Office of the United States Attorney for the District of Vermont announced that John Van Hazinga, aka “Big John,” 42 years old, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Christina Reiss to 5 years of probation following his felony conviction for distributing marijuana, a Schedule I controlled substance. Van Hazinga agreed in his plea agreement to the forfeiture of $67,189 of drug proceeds seized from three of his properties, and also agreed to file amended tax returns for this undeclared income.
According to Court documents, Van Hazinga has been involved in the cultivation and distribution of marijuana in Chittenden County since at least 2004, utilizing his business Ridin’ High to facilitate those efforts. In 2009, Van Hazinga was convicted in state court of selling marijuana. In 2013, Van Hazinga was convicted in state court of felony marijuana possession for his possession of more than a pound of marijuana. In 2015, while on state probation, Van Hazinga was again convicted of felony marijuana possession for his possession of more than a pound of marijuana. Van Hazinga was on state parole at the time of his 2019 federal arrest.
During the summer of 2018, the Burlington Police Department (BPD), with assistance from the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), began an investigation into the distribution of marijuana for profit out of defendant Van Hazinga’s business, Ridin’ High, located at 2 Pearl Street in Burlington, Vermont. The investigation was spurred by community reports that individuals at the store were selling marijuana to juveniles. One woman reported that she worked as an interventionist, and had spoken to multiple boys between the ages of 13 and 15 who reported they had purchased marijuana at Ridin’ High.
An undercover BPD detective conducted five purchases of marijuana and/or THC-infused edible products. Law enforcement efforts revealed a potential grow operation at Van Hazinga’s residence in Underhill, Vermont; e-mail correspondence with Van Hazinga’s co-defendant revealed her willingness to sell a bulk order of THC-infused products, and links were discovered between Van Hazinga and a rural camp located in Keene, New York.
On July 24, 2019, law enforcement obtained federal search warrants for the Ridin’ High commercial location in Burlington, Van Hazinga’s residence in Underhill, Vermont, and the rural camp in Keene, New York. On August 5, 2019, the undercover BPD detective conducted a final controlled purchase of marijuana from defendant Van Hazinga, utilizing serialized currency during the transaction.
On August 6, 2019, BPD and DEA executed the search warrants for the Ridin’ High location, the Underhill residence, and the Keene camp. At the Ridin’ High location, agents seized three bags of suspected marijuana, nine jars of suspected marijuana, marijuana-growing literature, a marijuana grinder with residue, and two small digital scales. A large safe in the bathroom contained suspected marijuana, marijuana extracts, and THC-infused edibles. At the Underhill residence, agents discovered a suspected grow operation that laboratory testing revealed to be a mix of hemp and marijuana plants. $9,000 in cash was seized from Van Hazinga’s vehicle, and an additional $33,289 in cash was seized from inside the residence. Within the currency, agents located the serialized bills used during the August 5, 2019 controlled purchase from Van Hazinga. At the Keene camp, agents seized $24,900 in cash, 18 jars of suspected marijuana, a jar of suspected hallucinogenic mushrooms, five bags of suspected marijuana, and eight suspected marijuana plants.
United States Attorney Christina E. Nolan commended the investigative efforts of the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Burlington Police Department, and thanked the Vermont Air National Guard for their assistance.
“DEA has a sworn duty and responsibility to enforcing drug laws enacted by Congress, which make marijuana illegal,” said DEA Special Agent in Charge Brian D. Boyle. “DEA will continue to enforce federal laws as it pertains to our mission. This investigation demonstrates the strength of collaborative local, state and federal law enforcement partners in Vermont and our strong relationship with the U.S. Attorney’s Office.”
The United States was represented in this matter by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan A. Ophardt. Van Hazinga was represented by Paul Volk, Esq.
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
Project Safe Neighborhoods Missoula County continues violent crime decrease for second yearRead the Press Release
MISSOULA—For the second straight year, murders, robberies and aggravated assaults in Missoula County have decreased as law enforcement continues investigating and prosecuting methamphetamine trafficking, firearms offenses and armed robberies through Project Safe Neighborhoods, announced federal, state and local prosecutors today.
Crime statistics show that in Missoula County, these violent crimes decreased by 9.2 percent in the 12-month period ending May 2020. Overall, violent crime has decreased 25.7 percent since PSN was launched in May 2018, and 85 fewer people were the victim of a violent crime than in the 12 months before PSN began.
PSN is a reinvigorated U.S. Department of Justice initiative that targets the most violent criminals in high-crime areas and works with federal, state, local and tribal law enforcement and community partners to reduce crime.
PSN Missoula County’s partners include the U.S. Attorney’s Office; Missoula County Attorney’s Office; Montana Department of Justice’s Prosecution Services Bureau, Highway Patrol and Division of Criminal Investigation; the Montana Department of Correction’s Adult Probation and Parole Division; the Missoula Police Department; the Missoula County Sheriff’s Office; Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; Drug Enforcement Administration; FBI, Homeland Security Investigations and the U.S. Marshal’s Service.
"The continuing decline in violent crime in Missoula County is great news for the community. This focus on taking meth dealers and the most dangerous offenders off the street is working. But we're not done. We also must reduce demand for meth through a comprehensive prevention, treatment and diversion plan. I want to recognize the cooperation and hard work of all of our PSN partners for making Missoula County a safer place to live," U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.
“Our continued success in reducing violent crime in Missoula County is due to hard work, multi-agency collaboration, and targeted enforcement,” Montana Attorney General Tim Fox said. “I am proud of our city, county, state, and federal law enforcement officers and prosecutors and the great results we have achieved working together.”
"Working together with our law enforcement and justice partners is beginning to pay off. We’re bringing the highest risk offenders to justice while, at the same time, building a foundation for local drug treatment and prevention efforts. I am proud of our law enforcement team’s great work,” Missoula County Attorney, Kirsten Pabst said.
From 2011 to 2017, the City of Missoula’s violent crime rate had increased 49 percent. Methamphetamine was identified as a primary cause of the increase.
In the 24 months PSN has been in effect, Missoula’s murders, robberies and aggravated assaults have fallen 25.7 percent to 246 crimes.
Since May 1, 2018, the U.S. Attorney’s office has charged 73 defendants with federal meth trafficking, armed robbery and firearms crimes.
In addition, 60 pounds of meth, representing 217,440 doses and having an estimated $450,000 street value, have been seized in the federal cases. Law enforcement officers also have seized 65 firearms, including three semi-automatic assault-style rifles. The U.S. Marshals Service Violent Offender Task force has served 938 federal and state warrants on violent offenders in Missoula County.
Since May 2018, Missoula County Attorney's Office has charged 39 persons identified as high risk with charges including meth or heroin possession, assault with a weapon, burglary, deliberate homicide and strangulation.
In addition to continuing its enforcement strategy to further cut the violent crime rate by reducing the meth supply, PSN is working with a community coalition called Missoula Substance Abuse Connect. A coalition of more than 30 nonprofit and government organizations, coordinated by United Way of Missoula County, has formed to develop a community plan to reduce the demand for meth through prevention and treatment.
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Previously Deported Aggravated Felon Sentenced for Returning to U.S.Read the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Front Royal man was sentenced late yesterday to ten months in prison for illegally reentering the United States after previously being deported following an aggravated felony conviction.
“Castillo Garcia was convicted of reckless driving and five separate drunk driving offenses in a seven-year period,” said G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. “After serving a prison sentence, he was removed from the United States, only to illegally return. Castillo Garcia has consistently demonstrated a complete lack of regard for the safety of others by repeatedly—at least five times—taking to the roads drunk, and has shown a blatant disregard for America’s state and federal laws over the course of two decades. Defendants like Castillo Garcia represent a significant threat to public safety, and cases such as this one are precisely why we prioritize criminal immigration prosecutions and value the critical federal, state, and local law enforcement, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), collaboration here in the Eastern District.”
According to court documents, Jose Guillermo Castillo Garcia, 45, is a Salvadoran national who previously entered the United States illegally and was convicted of five DWIs and multiple felonies, one of which constituted an “aggravated felony” as defined by federal law, before being deported in 2007. Despite being barred from returning, Castillo Garcia clandestinely reentered the United States. In 2018, he was convicted of a sixth DWI in his absence after failing to appear in court in Fairfax County.
“Castillo Garcia repeatedly flouted the law, as evidenced by his multiple reckless and drunk driving convictions—each instance putting the community at risk—and by his choice to reenter the country after being ordered removed,” said Lyle Boelens, Acting Director of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) Washington Field Office.
G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Lyle Boelens, Acting Director of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) Washington Field Office, made the announcement after sentencing by Senior U.S. District Judge T.S. Ellis, III. Assistant U.S. Attorney John C. Blanchard prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:20-cr-14.
President’s Commission on Law Enforcement and the Administration of Justice Holds Hearing on Policing Culture and Community EngagementRead the Press Release
This week, the President’s Commission on Law Enforcement and the Administration of Justice continued its series of hearings on community engagement, with testimony from faith leaders, and held a hearing on policing culture. The hearings were conducted via teleconference and featured expert witnesses who provided testimony and answered questions from the commissioners.
On Tuesday, June 23, 2020, the commission received testimony from Robin Engel, Ph.D., Professor, University of Cincinnati; Michael Ranalli, Chief (Retired), Glenville, New York, Police Department; Hampton (Virginia) Police Chief Terry Sult; and Springboro (Ohio) Police Chief Jeff Kruithoff.
The panelists discussed policing culture and reasonable use of force. An overarching theme throughout the panel was the need to use evidence-based research to inform successful reforms regarding police use of force.
On Wednesday, June 24, 2020, the commission received testimony from Sheriff James McDonell (retired), Los Angeles (Calif.) County; Ronal Serpas, Superintendent of Police of the New Orleans Police Department (retired) and Professor with the Loyola University New Orleans Criminal Justice Department; Chief Robert White (retired), Denver Police Department; and Sheriff Mike Chitwood, Volusia (Fla.) County.
The panel focused on the use of force and culture change. The panelists discussed the importance of leading by example within the department, especially with regards to new officers; integrating community policing values throughout an entire academy curriculum instead of teaching it as a standalone course; acknowledging that while no single police incident represents an entire department, nothing undermines years of work developing community trust as quickly as incidents where police use unnecessary or excessive force; and learning from the successes of other departments and agencies.
On Thursday, June 25, 2020, the commission received testimony from Jeff Ballabon, CEO B2 Strategic, Washington, DC; Rabbi Jack Moline, Executive Director, Interfaith Alliance, Washington DC; and Imam Talib Shareef, President of Masjid Muhammad, The Nation's Mosque.
The panel focused on the relationship between religious minorities and law enforcement. The panelists discussed the importance of building relationships with law enforcement at a community level in order to change dynamics; the need for law enforcement to take steps at every level to investigate and prevent hate-based crime, as well as hold officers accountable for engaging in racial or religious profiling, targeting, and surveillance; and the value of breaking stereotypes and “challenging the narrative.”
For more information on the commission, please visit: https://www.justice.gov/ag/presidential-commission-law-enforcement-and-administration-justice
Audio recordings and transcripts of the hearings will be posted online once available.
Polk County Man Sentenced to More Than Ten Years for Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Charlene Edwards Honeywell has sentenced Antonie Latimore (36, Winter Haven) to 10 years and 10 months years in federal prison for conspiring to distribute cocaine base. Latimore had pleaded guilty on March 6, 2020.
According to court documents, the FBI received information that Latimore and others were distributing narcotics in Polk County. Between March 2 and July 20, 2019, Latimore sold crack cocaine to a confidential source multiple times. Latimore also negotiated to sell methamphetamine to the confidential source.
On August 10, 2019, the Florida Highway Patrol arrested Latimore for driving with a suspended license and found crack cocaine and other drugs in his car.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Florida Highway Patrol. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michael Sinacore.
Pharmacist Pleads Guilty to Prescription Drug ConspiracyRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A licensed pharmacist who owned and operated CARE4U Pharmacy in Manassas pleaded guilty today to illegally distributing prescription drugs, including oxycodone, Adderall, and Xanax, by filling fake or fraudulent prescriptions.
According to court documents, between November 2016 and July 2018, George Appiah, 47, of Manassas, filled at least 128 fake or fraudulent prescriptions, including 85 prescriptions for oxycodone, brought to the pharmacy by his two co-conspirators (identified in court filings as CC-1 and CC-2). Appiah provided CC-1 and CC-2 the names and medical credentials of at least five unwitting doctors for use in forging the prescriptions, and provided templates of the doctors’ prescription pads, so that CC-1 and CC-2 could “Photoshop” the image and make the fake prescriptions look legitimate.
Appiah pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute controlled substances. He faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison when sentenced on October 23, 2020. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; James A. Dawson, Special Agent in Charge, Criminal Division, FBI Washington Field Office; and Barry M. Barnard, Chief of Prince William County Police, made the announcement after Senior U.S. District Judge T.S. Ellis, III accepted the plea. Assistant U.S. Attorney Katherine E. Rumbaugh is prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:20-cr-111.
Petersburg Man Sentenced for Burglarizing Post OfficeRead the Press Release
Anchorage, Alaska – U.S. Attorney Bryan Schroder announced that a Petersburg man has been sentenced in federal court for burglarizing the Petersburg Post Office with the intent to steal parcels for pecuniary gain.
Christopher Scott Manske, 38, was sentenced today by Chief U.S. District Judge Timothy M. Burgess to serve four months in prison, followed by 150 hours of community service, after previously pleading guilty to burglary of a post office. As part of his sentence, Manske was also ordered to pay restitution to the victims in this case, as well as $2,100 in restitution to the U.S. Forest Service.
According to court documents, on Feb. 24, 2020, Manske broke into the Petersburg Post Office’s secured mail sorting area through a parcel locker. The investigation revealed that Manske forcibly entered the parcel locker by breaking the steel pole that was designed to prevent unauthorized access. While inside, Manske took approximately 70 parcels and placed them inside other parcel lockers. Manske then took the parcel keys with the intent to go back and retrieve those parcels so he could sell the contents. While exiting with the parcel keys, Manske activated the alarm system, triggering a law enforcement investigation.
Manske was arrested on Feb. 24, after a search of Manske’s boat revealed a number of opened parcels belonging to other people, as well as a stolen heater belonging to the U.S. Forest Service.
At the sentencing hearing, Judge Burgess stated the need to protect the public and to deter Manske from future criminal conduct. Following Manske’s prison term, he will have to comply with conditions of release such as submitting to a mental health and drug treatment assessment and will have to follow recommendations.
The U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) and the Petersburg Police Department conducted the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of this case. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jack Schmidt of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Alaska.
New Orleans Attorneys Indicted for Tax FraudRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, La. – United States Attorney for the Western District of Louisiana David C. Joseph announced that a federal grand jury in New Orleans returned an 11-count indictment today charging Jason R. Williams, 47, of New Orleans, and Nicole E. Burdett, 39, of Kenner, Louisiana, with conspiracy to defraud the United States, aiding and assisting in the preparation and presentation of false and fraudulent tax returns, and failure to file IRS Forms 8300 relating to cash received in trade or business.
According to the indictment, Jason R. Williams is the owner of Jason Rogers Williams &Associates, LLC Law Firm (JRWA), located in New Orleans. Williams also currently serves as a Councilman-at-Large on the New Orleans City Council. Nicole E. Burdett is an attorney at JRWA and performs administrative functions for the firm. Burdett is responsible for paying the law firm bills, receiving client payments, and inputting and maintaining the firm’s books and records in the accounting program “QuickBooks” and other software programs.
According to the indictment, Williams and Burdett conspired to reduce Williams’ tax liability for the 2013 through 2017 tax years by classifying personal expenses as business expenses on the “Schedule C” (Profit and Loss from a Business) portion of Williams’ tax returns. Specifically, for the 2013 through 2017 tax years, Burdett compiled QuickBooks information that included many personal expenses of Jason Williams and provided this false information to the tax preparer for the preparation of tax returns. Throughout the conspiracy, Burdett, at the direction of Williams, would instruct the tax preparer to artificially increase the business expenses on the Schedule C in order to further reduce Williams’ tax liability. After Williams and Burdett were satisfied with the tax liability amount, Burdett instructed the tax preparer to electronically file the returns with the IRS.
Throughout the course of the conspiracy, Williams’ and Burdett’s conduct caused fraudulent tax returns to be filed on behalf of Williams, which reflected inflated Schedule C business expenses in the amounts of approximately $200,000 for 2013, $90,000.00 for 2014, $170,000.00 for 2015, $140,000 for 2016, and $120,000.00 for 2017. These fraudulent tax returns reduced Williams’ tax liability in excess of $200,000.
The indictment further alleges that between June 2017 and August 2018, Williams and Burdett failed to file the required IRS Forms 8300 for receipt of cash payments over $10,000. On five separate occasions charged in the Indictment, the defendants received and failed to report cash payments in excess of $10,000 from clients for legal services, totaling $66,516.
If convicted, Williams and Burdett each face a maximum sentence of five years in prison on the conspiracy count, three years in prison on each false return count, and five years in prison on each count of failing to file Forms 8300. The defendants also face a period of supervised release, restitution, and monetary penalties.
Assistant United States Attorneys Kelly P. Uebinger and David J. Ayo of the Western District of Louisiana are prosecuting the case. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the IRS-Criminal Investigation Division with assistance from the FBI. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Louisiana is prosecuting this case due to the recusal of the Eastern District of Louisiana U.S. Attorney’s Office.
The charges in the indictment are only accusations. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
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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.
Nampa Man Sentenced to Five Years for Distributing MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
BOISE - Alfredo Esparza, Jr., 49, of Nampa, Idaho, was sentenced in U.S. District Court to 60 months in prison for distribution of methamphetamine, U.S. Attorney Bart M. Davis announced today. Chief U.S. District Judge David C. Nye also ordered Esparza serve four years of supervised release following his prison sentence. Esparza pleaded guilty to the charge on January 9, 2020.
According to court records, Esparza’s charge stemmed from an investigation into the West Side Loma gang that spanned from October 2018 to October 2019. Law enforcement used a confidential informant to purchase methamphetamine from Esparza, who has a history of drug dealing. According to court records, a federal grand jury indicted Esparza on November 13, 2019. Esparza has a lengthy criminal history including two prior convictions for delivering or possessing with intent to deliver a controlled substance. At the time he committed this federal offense, Esparza was on felony probation.
This case was investigated by Treasure Valley Metro Violent Crimes Task Force. The Task Force is comprised of federal, state, and local agencies. These agencies include the Federal Bureau of Investigation; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; Ada County Sheriff’s Office; Boise Police Department; Caldwell Police Department; Canyon County Sheriff’s Office; Meridian Police Department; Nampa Police Department; and Idaho Department of Correction, Bureau of Probation and Parole.
This indictment was also the result of a joint investigation by the Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF). The OCDETF program is a federal multi-agency, multi-jurisdictional task force that supplies supplemental federal funding to federal and state agencies. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking, weapons trafficking and money laundering organizations, and those primarily responsible for the nation’s illegal drug supply. Program participants include Federal Bureau of Investigation; Drug Enforcement Administration; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations; Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation; and U.S. Marshals Service.
This case was prosecuted by the Special Assistant U.S. Attorney hired by the Treasure Valley Partnership and the State of Idaho to address gang crimes. The Treasure Valley Partnership is comprised of a group of elected officials in southwest Idaho dedicated to regional coordination, cooperation, and collaboration on creating coherent regional growth. For more information, visit www.treasurevalleypartners.org.
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Multiple-Time Convicted Monroe Felon is Sentenced to 10 Years in Federal Prison for Illegally Possessing a FirearmRead the Press Release
MONROE, La. – United States Attorney David C. Joseph announced that Fletcher Terrell Minor, 43, of Monroe, was sentenced June 24, 2020, by U.S. District Judge Terry A. Doughty, to 10 years in prison, a three-year term of supervised release following his release from prison, and forfeiture of the firearm related to this charge. Minor pled guilty on March 9, 2020, to possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
On December 20, 2018, officers with the Monroe Police Department responded to a trespassing complaint on Outlet Road. The resident told the police department’s dispatch that Minor was armed with a weapon and was asleep by her front door. When officers made contact with Minor he fled. Minor was eventually detained and taken into custody. During Minor’s apprehension, a Hi Point, Model: C9 .9mm caliber Luger handgun fell from his possession.
It is a violation of federal law for a person previously convicted of a felony offense to possess firearms or ammunition. Minor has multiple prior felony convictions in Ouachita Parish that include possession of cocaine, attempted possession of PCP, battery of a police officer, possession of cocaine with intent to distribute, resisting an officer, and aggravated robbery with a deadly weapon (Dallas, TX).
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and Monroe Police Department conducted the investigation. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Michelle A. Thompson prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of the Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) initiative. PSN is a program that has been historically successful in bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make neighborhoods safer for everyone. PSN plays a major role in the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction strategy. 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. To learn more about Project Safe Neighborhoods, go to www.justice.gov/psn.
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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.
Moss Point Man Sentenced to 9 Years in Federal Prison Under Project EJECT for Armed Robbery of a BusinessRead the Press Release
Gulfport, Miss. – Antwone Malik Coleman Booker, 19, of Moss Point, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Sul Ozerden to 108 months in prison, followed by five years of supervised release, for armed robbery of a business and using a firearm during a crime of violence, announced U.S. Attorney Mike Hurst and Special Agent in Charge Kurt Thielhorn with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Booker was also ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $1,285 to victims and a $1500 fine.
On August 15, 2019, Antwone Malik Coleman Booker entered a Waffle House restaurant in Moss Point and pointed a black handgun at the cashier and demanded money. While the waitress was opening the cash register, Booker shot one round of ammunition from the firearm into the ceiling of the restaurant. After the waitress handed the money to Booker, he shot one additional round into the ceiling. Booker then fled the restaurant, but was arrested shortly thereafter.
Booker was indicted on September 10, 2019 and he pled guilty before Judge Ozerden on February 19, 2020.
The case was investigated by The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, as well as the Moss Point, Ellisville, and Pascagoula Police Departments. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrea Jones.
This case is part of Project EJECT, an initiative by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Mississippi under the U.S. Department of Justice’s Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) and Project Guardian. EJECT is a holistic, multi-disciplinary approach to fighting and reducing violent crime through prosecution, prevention, re-entry and awareness. EJECT stands for “Empower Justice Expel Crime Together.” PSN is bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. 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.
Montana Resident Found Guilty of Smuggling Bald Eagle Feathers into ArizonaRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. – Today, United States District Court Judge James A. Soto found Dennis Raymond McPherron, 74, of Hamilton, Montana, guilty of illegally smuggling bald eagle feathers (and other feathers from protected species) into the United States, in violation of the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act. The case was tried before District Court Judge Soto in January. McPherron faces up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Sentencing is scheduled for October 9.
The United States Fish and Wildlife Service conducted the investigation in cooperation with United States Customs and Border Protection. The United States Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, Tucson, prosecuted the case.
CASE NUMBER: CR17-00242-JAS-EJM
RELEASE NUMBER: 2020-061_McPherron# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.Meth Dealer, Mule and Distributor Plead Guilty in Atlanta-to-Macon Drug Trafficking OperationRead the Press Release
MACON, Ga. – Three defendants involved in a methamphetamine drug trafficking operation involving nearly 2,000 grams of “ice” methamphetamine pleaded guilty to federal criminal drug charges Thursday, said Charlie Peeler, the U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of Georgia. Jose E. Ordez Avalos, 39, of Ellenwood, Georgia, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine. Avalos faces a maximum sentence of life in prison, a $10,000,000 fine and five years supervised release. Alex Raymond, 43, of Warner Robins, Georgia, pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, a $1,000,000 fine and three years supervised release. Albruce Green, 40, of Macon, is charged with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine. Green faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, a $1,000,000 fine and three years supervised release. All three defendants entered guilty pleas before U.S. District Judge Marc Treadwell, and sentencing dates have not been scheduled by the Court. There is no parole in the federal system.
“DEA agents and Butts County Sheriff’s deputies intercepted a large quantity of pure ice methamphetamine before it entered the Macon community. I have no doubt their efforts saved lives in Middle Georgia, and we owe these officers a debt of gratitude for their good work,” said U.S. Attorney Peeler. “Our office will prosecute all those engaged in pushing methamphetamine, heroin, opioids and other illegal, deadly drugs into our communities.”
“Drug distribution delivers misery to the community. DEA’s mission is about removing the supply before it gets to the consumer. This case was successful because of the collaborative efforts of our federal, state and local law enforcement partners and the United States Attorney’s Office,” said Robert J. Murphy, Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Division.
Methamphetamine obtained from Avalos in Atlanta was transported by Raymond for distribution by Green in Macon. The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) conducted surveillance on the drug trafficking operation in August 2018. On August 19, 2018, a Butts County deputy stopped Raymond’s vehicle for following too closely and weaving. The deputy’s canine alerted on the passenger side door of Raymond’s vehicle. During a legal search of the vehicle, 1990.8 grams of pure “ice” methamphetamine was found inside a Michelob Ultra beer box. The methamphetamine was provided by Avalos to Raymond for transport to Green in Macon.
This case was investigated by the DEA. Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles Calhoun is prosecuting 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.
Memphis Man Sentenced to 20 Years in Federal Prison for Distribution of Heroin and Fentanyl Resulting in DeathRead the Press Release
MEMPHIS, TN – Dwayne Tullous, 57, has been sentenced to 240 months in federal prison for distribution of heroin and fentanyl resulting in death. D. Michael Dunavant, U.S. Attorney announced the sentence today.
According to information presented in court, on July 30, 2018, victim Larry House was found deceased in his Lakeland, Tennessee residence from a heroin and fentanyl overdose. Investigators from the Shelby County Sheriff's Office and the United States Postal Inspection Service responded to the scene and conducted an investigation which revealed that the victim had been visited by a drug dealer, Tullous, earlier that evening. Tullous sold the victim various amounts of black tar heroin and fentanyl. A few hours later, the victim died from using the heroin and fentanyl distributed to him by the defendant, Tullous.
Investigators with the Postal Inspection Service determined that Tullous received packages from the Los Angeles, California area to a house in Cordova. Upon further investigation and after execution of a search warrant, investigators recovered black tar heroin, fentanyl, a firearm, and oxycodone pills from Tullous' residence. The heroin and fentanyl found at Tullous' residence was wrapped in the same packaging as the substances found at the residence of the victim. An autopsy revealed that the cause of victim's death was a heroin and fentanyl overdose.
On March 12, 2020, Tullous pled guilty, admitting he caused the death of Larry House by distributing heroin and fentanyl to him in July 2018.
On June 25, 2020, U.S. District Court Judge Mark S. Norris sentenced Tullous to 20 years imprisonment followed by 3 years supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant said, "Distribution of illegal narcotics is NOT a victimless crime, and poses an immense threat to public safety. The drug seller, at every level of distribution, is at the root of the pervasive cycle of drug abuse. Measured thus by the harm it inflicts upon the addict, and, through him, upon society as a whole, drug dealing of heroin and fentanyl in its present epidemic proportions is a grave offense of high rank. In order to prevent needless addiction, injury, violence, and death in our communities, we must act with urgency to stop and punish drug dealers that deliver this deadly poison to citizens in West Tennessee. This case demonstrates the significant penalty that we will use to hold dealers accountable, deter others from dealing death to our citizens, and save lives. We commend the outstanding investigative work of our federal and local law enforcement partners, and we hope this sentence will achieve some measure of justice for the House family."
Heroin and fentanyl are extremely dangerous substances that have caused the deaths and non-fatal overdoses of thousands of people every year. Fentanyl is 50 times more potent than heroin and a dosage less than a grain of table salt is enough to cause death. This year in Shelby County, over 200 people have died and over 2,000 people have suffered a non-fatal overdose as a result of the continued availability and distribution of heroin and fentanyl in our community. If you or someone you know is suffering from substance abuse or addiction, please call the Tennessee Redline for help at 1-800-889-9789, or visit the Memphis Area Prevention Coalition at https://memphisprevention.org for information and resources.
This case was investigated by the Shelby County Sheriff's Office and the United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS).
Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph Griffith prosecuted this case on behalf of the government. This case was part of the Heroin Initiative in collaboration with the Shelby County District Attorney General’s Office.
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Memphis Man Indicted for Fraud Scheme Targeting Nonprofit OrganizationsRead the Press Release
Memphis, TN– Jaime Walsh, 53, has been charged in an eight-count federal indictment for multiple forms of fraud, including wire fraud, mail fraud, bank fraud, and fraudulent claims against the government. D. Michael Dunavant, U.S. Attorney announced the indictment today.
According to the indictment, between June of 2013 and March of 2019, Walsh carried out a scheme to defraud various organizations including charities, nonprofit entities, and the Peace Corps. Walsh’s scheme was to make an online donation to an organization, contact the organization claiming the donation amount was in error, and ask for a refund to correct the error.
For example, Walsh would make an online donation of $4500 to an organization. He would then contact the organization, claiming he intended to donate only $45, and ask for a refund of $4455. The organization would issue the requested refund and Walsh would immediately withdraw the money from his account. Meanwhile, the original donation made by Walsh would be rejected due to insufficient funds and the targeted organization would suffer a complete loss of the refunded amount.
If convicted, Walsh faces up to 20 years imprisonment followed by three years of supervised release.
U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant said, "Fraudulent schemes that steal precious resources from nonprofit victims represent the very worst acts of dishonesty and betrayals of trust. We commend our federal and state law enforcement partners for their outstanding investigation in this disturbing case."
This case was investigated by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), U.S. Secret Service, Tennessee Highway Patrol, and the Peace Corps Office of the Inspector General.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Scott Smith is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The charges and allegations contained in the indictment are merely accusations, and the defendant is considered innocent unless and until proven guilty.
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McLoud Man Pleads Guilty to Unlawfully Possessing a Fully Automatic MachinegunRead the Press Release
OKLAHOMA CITY – Christopher Steven Ledbetter, 29, of McLoud, Oklahoma, has pled guilty to unlawfully possessing a fully automatic machinegun, announced U.S. Attorney Timothy J. Downing.
According to an affidavit in support of a criminal complaint, in March 2020, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) learned that Ledbetter might be in possession of a fully automatic machinegun. The FBI then reviewed publicly available materials on the internet associated with Ledbetter that depicted Ledbetter on multiple occasions shooting what appeared to be a fully automatic machinegun. The affidavit further indicates on June 4, 2020, the FBI encountered Ledbetter in Oklahoma City driving a 2017 Jeep Wrangler vehicle. In that vehicle, the FBI discovered a fully automatic AK-47 style carbine machinegun.
Federal law prohibits the possession, except under limited circumstances, of a fully automatic machinegun as defined in the National Firearms Act. The affidavit further indicates that the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives searched its federal licensing system. That search determined that Ledbetter does not have the required licenses to possess a machinegun.
Today, Ledbetter pleaded guilty to possessing the automatic machinegun in violation of federal law. At sentencing, Ledbetter faces a maximum penalty of ten years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a $250,000.00 fine. Sentencing will take place in approximately 90 days.
This case is a result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation Oklahoma City Field Office, with assistance from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives Dallas Field Division, and the Oklahoma Highway Patrol, along with other law enforcement partners. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matt Dillon and Jessica Perry are prosecuting the case.
Reference is made to court filings for further information. To download a photo of U.S. Attorney Downing, click here.