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Newest first across public DOJ and U.S. Attorney press releases.
25 June 2020
Ohio man sentenced for cocaine distributionRead the Press Release
WHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA – Mustafa Ali Vaughn, of Canal Winchester, Ohio, was sentenced today to 63 months incarceration for drug distribution, U.S. Attorney Bill Powell announced.
Vaughn, also known as “Moose” and “Fargo,” age 38, pled guilty to one count of “Distribution of Cocaine Base within 1000 feet of a Protected Location” in December 2019. Vaughn admitted to selling cocaine near Luau Manor in Ohio County in May 2019.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Shawn M. Adkins prosecuted the case on behalf of the government. The Ohio Valley Drug & Violent Crimes Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, investigated.
U.S. District Judge John Preston Bailey presided.
Ohio Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Drug ChargeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – An Ohio man has pled guilty to a federal drug charge, announced United States Attorney Mike Stuart. Robert Lamar Bates-Porter, 33, of Columbus, Ohio, pled guilty to possession with intent to distribute more than 400 grams of fentanyl.
“After serving five years in prison for his previous federal conviction, Bates-Porter didn’t even wait for his term of supervised release to end before picking up where he left off as a drug dealer,” said United States Attorney Mike Stuart. “Now he will be returning to federal prison where I hope he sets his sights on a different line of work upon release.”
During the late summer of 2019, the Washington County, Ohio Major Crimes Task Force (MCTF) was investigating a drug trafficking organization that was bringing fentanyl and heroin from Columbus, Ohio to be distributed in and around Marietta, Ohio and Parkersburg, West Virginia. MCTF joined forces with the Parkersburg Narcotics Task Force (PNTF) to investigate the organization. Investigators identified Bates-Porter as a key member of the organization. In September 2019, Bates-Porter ordered a package of drugs to be delivered to a residence on Roselynne Avenue in Parkersburg. The package was delivered on September 12, 2019. Bates-Porter drove from Columbus to Parkersburg and arrived at Roselynne Avenue after midnight on September 13, 2019. Shortly thereafter, PNTF personnel executed a search warrant at the residence where they found Bates-Porter in the basement preparing to open the drug package. Officers seized the package which contained a kilogram of fentanyl. Later the same day, police in Columbus, Ohio executed a search warrant at Bates-Porter’s residence where they seized approximately 260 grams of heroin, 94 grams of cocaine, and a small quantity of a mixture of heroin and fentanyl.
At the time of his arrest, Bates-Porter was on federal supervised release for a 2014 conviction in the Southern District of West Virginia for possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking. At the plea hearing, he admitted that he took possession of the package and intended to distribute the drugs inside which he claimed to believe was heroin.
In addition to facing 10 years to life in prison for the fentanyl charge, Bates-Porter also faces up to five years for violating the terms of his supervised release when he is sentenced on September 23, 2020.
The Washington County Major Crimes Task Force, the Parkersburg Narcotics Task Force, the United States Postal Inspection Service, and the Columbus, Ohio Police Department conducted the investigation. Senior United States District Judge John T. Copenhaver, Jr. presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Joshua Hanks handled the prosecution.
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Ohio County woman sentenced for methamphetamine chargeRead the Press Release
WHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA –Tiffany Markle, of Wheeling, West Virginia, was sentenced today to 120 months incarceration for a drug charge, U.S. Attorney Bill Powell announced.
Markle, age 33, pled guilty to one count of “Conspiracy to Distribute and to Possess with the Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine” in July 2019. Markle admitted to distributing methamphetamine in Marshall and Ohio Counties from July 2018 to February 2019. The government is also seeking the forfeiture of the Markles’ residence at 36 Fernwood Avenue in Wheeling.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert H. McWilliams, Jr., prosecuted the case on behalf of the government. The Marshall County Drug & Violent Crime Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, investigated.
U.S. District Judge John Preston Bailey presided.
Novartis Hellas S.A.C.I. and Alcon Pte Ltd Agree to Pay over $233 Million Combined to Resolve Criminal FCPA CasesRead the Press Release
Novartis Hellas S.A.C.I. (Novartis Greece), a subsidiary of Novartis AG, a Switzerland-based global pharmaceutical company, and Alcon Pte Ltd, a former subsidiary of Novartis AG and current subsidiary of Alcon Inc., a multinational eye care company, have agreed to pay a combined total of more than $233 million in criminal monetary penalties to resolve the department’s investigation into violations of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA).
The resolutions arise out of a Novartis Greece scheme to bribe employees of state-owned and state-controlled hospitals and clinics in Greece and to falsely record improper payments relating to the corrupt scheme and similar conduct, and an Alcon Pte Ltd scheme to make and falsely record improper payments in Vietnam. Novartis AG has also agreed to pay over $112 million to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) in a related matter.
Novartis Greece entered into a deferred prosecution agreement with the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey in connection with a criminal information filed today in the District of New Jersey charging Novartis Greece with one count of conspiracy to violate the anti-bribery provisions of the FCPA and one count of conspiracy to violate the books and records provision of the FCPA. Pursuant to the deferred prosecution agreement, Novartis Greece has committed to pay a total criminal monetary penalty of $225 million.
Alcon Pte Ltd, a subsidiary of Novartis AG at the time of the misconduct, separately entered into a deferred prosecution agreement in connection with a criminal information filed today in the District of New Jersey charging Alcon Pte Ltd with conspiracy to violate the books and records provision of the FCPA. Pursuant to the deferred prosecution agreement, Alcon Pte Ltd has committed to pay a total criminal monetary penalty of approximately $8.9 million.
“Novartis AG’s subsidiaries profited from bribes that induced medical professionals, hospitals, and clinics to prescribe Novartis-branded pharmaceuticals and use Alcon surgical products, and they falsified their books and records to conceal those bribes,” said Assistant Attorney General Brian A. Benczkowski of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “The resolutions announced today reflect the paramount importance of effective compliance programs and the department’s commitment to holding companies accountable when they fall short.”
“The agreement we’re announcing today shows that there will be a heavy price paid by companies that violate our laws, whether at home or overseas,” said U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito for the District of New Jersey. “Just as importantly, it includes a framework for compliance reforms that should ensure that these companies conduct their business legally moving forward.”
“The FBI is committed to fighting any corrupt acts that adversely impact our economy, our citizenry, or our way of life,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Douglas Korneski of the FBI’s Newark Field Office. “I say this to every company doing business on the stock exchange – if you think you can ignore the rules or make up your own, if your business model includes bribery or a quid pro quo, you can count the days until we show up on your company's doorstep. We will protect our citizens, our economy, our way of life, and bring to justice anyone who breaks the law.”
According to its admissions, between 2012 and 2015, Novartis Greece conspired with others to violate the FCPA by engaging in a scheme to bribe employees of state-owned and state-controlled hospitals and clinics in Greece in order to increase the sale of Novartis-branded pharmaceutical products. Specifically, Novartis Greece paid for employees of state-owned and state-controlled hospitals and clinics to travel to international medical congresses, including events held in the United States, as a means to bribe these officials in exchange for increasing the number of prescriptions they wrote for Lucentis, a prescription drug that Novartis Greece sold. In furtherance of the scheme, Novartis Greece employees traveled to the United States, and, while located in the United States, facilitated the provision of the improper benefits to publicly-employed Greek health care providers.
In connection with the resolution, Novartis Greece also admitted that between 2009 and 2010, Novartis Greece made improper payments to health care providers in connection with an epidemiological study that was intended to increase sales of certain Novartis-branded prescription drugs. The epidemiological study was used as a vehicle to make improper payments to the health care providers in order to increase sales of certain Novartis-branded prescription drugs, and Novartis Greece employees recognized that many participating health care providers believed that they were being paid in exchange for writing prescriptions of Novartis products and not for providing data as part of a clinical study.
In furtherance of both schemes, Novartis Greece, through its employees and agents, knowingly and willfully conspired with others to cause Novartis AG to mischaracterize and falsely record improper payments related to the international medical congresses and the epidemiological study in Novartis AG’s books, records, and accounts.
According to its admissions, from 2011 through 2014, Alcon Pte Ltd knowingly and willfully conspired with others to cause Novartis AG to maintain false books, records and accounts, as a result of a scheme to bribe employees of state-owned and state-controlled hospitals and clinics in Vietnam. Specifically, the false books and records resulted from a scheme in which Alcon employees in Vietnam made corrupt payments through a third-party distributor to employees of state-owned and state-controlled hospitals and clinics in Vietnam in order to increase sales of intraocular lenses. Intraocular lenses are artificial replacement lenses that are implanted in the eye as part of a treatment for a variety of ailments such as cataracts. Alcon employees in Vietnam, reimbursed the distributor for up to 50 percent of the cost of the corrupt payments, and these reimbursements were falsely recorded as, among other things, consulting expenses, marketing expenses, and human resource expenses.
As part of the agreement with Novartis Greece, Novartis Greece agreed to continue to cooperate with the U.S. government in any ongoing or future criminal investigations concerning Novartis Greece, its executives, employees, or agents. In addition, under the agreement, Novartis Greece and its parent company, Novartis AG, agreed to enhance their compliance programs and to report to the government on the implementation of their enhanced compliance programs.
As part of the agreement with Alcon Pte Ltd, Alcon Pte Ltd agreed to continue to cooperate with the government in any ongoing or future criminal investigations concerning Alcon Pte Ltd, its executives, employees, or agents. In addition, under the agreement, Alcon Pte Ltd and its parent company, Alcon Inc., agreed to enhance their compliance programs and to report to the government on the implementation of their enhanced compliance programs.
The government reached these resolutions with Novartis Greece and Alcon Pte Ltd based on a number of factors, including the failure to timely disclose the conduct that triggered the investigations; the nature and seriousness of the offenses, which spanned multiple years and involved high level employees; the lack of an effective compliance and ethics program at the time of the misconduct; and credit for each company’s respective cooperation. The companies also engaged in remedial measures, including terminating and disciplining individuals who orchestrated the misconduct, adopting heightened controls and anti-corruption protocols, and significantly increasing the resources devoted to compliance.
The criminal monetary penalty for Novartis Greece reflects a 25 percent reduction off a point near the midpoint of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines range because, although Novartis Greece fully cooperated and remediated, its parent company Novartis AG was involved in similar conduct for which it previously reached a resolution with the SEC in March 2016.
The criminal monetary penalty for Alcon Pte Ltd reflects a 25 percent reduction off the bottom of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines fine range because of Alcon Pte Ltd’s full cooperation with the government’s investigation.
In a related matter with the SEC, Novartis AG agreed to pay the SEC disgorgement and prejudgment interest totaling approximately $112 million for the conduct in Greece and Vietnam, as well as additional conduct.
The FBI’s Garrett Mountain, New Jersey Field Office is investigating the case. Trial Attorney Della Sentilles of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and Senior Trial Counsel Bernard J. Cooney and Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua L. Haber of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Health Care Fraud Unit are prosecuting the case.
The department appreciates the assistance of the Criminal Division’s Office of International Affairs and the significant cooperation provided by the SEC in this case.
The Fraud Section is responsible for investigating and prosecuting all FCPA matters. Additional information about the Justice Department’s FCPA enforcement efforts can be found at www.justice.gov/criminal-fraud/foreign-corrupt-practices-act.
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.
Novartis AG and Subsidiaries to Pay $345 Million to Resolve Foreign Corrupt Practices Act CasesRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – Switzerland-based global pharmaceutical company Novartis AG and a current and former subsidiary will pay $345 million in criminal and regulatory penalties to resolve violations of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA), U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito, Assistant Attorney General Brian A. Benczkowski of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, and FBI Acting Special Agent in Charge Douglas Korneski, Newark Field Office, announced today.
Novartis Hellas S.A.C.I. (Novartis Greece), a subsidiary of Novartis AG, and Alcon Pte Ltd, a former subsidiary of Novartis AG and current subsidiary of Alcon Inc., a multinational eye care company, have agreed to pay $233 million in criminal penalties to resolve the Department’s investigation into FCPA violations. The resolutions arise out of a Novartis Greece scheme to bribe employees of state-owned and state-controlled hospitals and clinics in Greece and to falsely record improper payments relating to the corrupt scheme and similar conduct, and an Alcon Pte Ltd scheme to make and falsely record improper payments in Vietnam. Novartis AG has also agreed to pay $112 million to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) in a related matter.
Novartis Greece entered into a deferred prosecution agreement with the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey in connection with a criminal information filed today in the District of New Jersey charging Novartis Greece with one count of conspiracy to violate the anti-bribery provisions of the FCPA and one count of conspiracy to violate the books and records provision of the FCPA. Pursuant to the deferred prosecution agreement, Novartis Greece has committed to pay a criminal penalty of $225 million.
Alcon Pte Ltd, a subsidiary of Novartis AG at the time of the misconduct, separately entered into a deferred prosecution agreement in connection with a criminal information filed today in the District of New Jersey charging Alcon Pte Ltd with conspiracy to violate the books and records provision of the FCPA. Pursuant to the deferred prosecution agreement, Alcon Pte Ltd has committed to pay a criminal penalty of approximately $8.9 million.
“The agreement we’re announcing today shows that there will be a heavy price paid by companies that violate our laws, whether at home or overseas,” U.S. Attorney Carpenito said. “Just as importantly, it includes a framework for compliance reforms that should ensure that these companies conduct their business legally moving forward.”
“Novartis AG’s subsidiaries profited from bribes that induced medical professionals, hospitals, and clinics to prescribe Novartis-branded pharmaceuticals and use Alcon surgical products, and they falsified their books and records to conceal those bribes,” Assistant Attorney General Brian A. Benczkowski of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division said. “The resolutions announced today reflect the paramount importance of effective compliance programs and the department’s commitment to holding companies accountable when they fall short.”
“The FBI is committed to fighting any corrupt acts that adversely impact our economy, our citizenry, or our way of life,” Acting Special Agent in Charge Douglas Korneski said. “I say this to every company doing business on the stock exchange – if you think you can ignore the rules or make up your own, if your business model includes bribery or a quid pro quo, you can count the days until we show up on your company's doorstep. We will protect our citizens, our economy, our way of life, and bring to justice anyone who breaks the law.”
According to its admissions:
Between 2012 and 2015, Novartis Greece conspired with others to violate the FCPA by engaging in a scheme to bribe employees of state-owned and state-controlled hospitals and clinics in Greece in order to increase the sale of Novartis-branded pharmaceutical products. Novartis Greece paid for those employees to travel to international medical congresses, including events held in the United States, as a means to bribe these officials in exchange for increasing the number of prescriptions they wrote for Lucentis, a prescription drug that Novartis Greece sold. Novartis Greece employees traveled to the United States facilitated the provision of the improper benefits to publicly employed Greek health care providers.
Novartis Greece also admitted that between 2009 and 2010, Novartis Greece made improper payments to health care providers in connection with an epidemiological study that was intended to increase sales of certain Novartis-branded prescription drugs. The epidemiological study was used as a vehicle to make improper payments to the health care providers in order to increase sales of certain Novartis-branded prescription drugs, and Novartis Greece employees recognized that many participating health care providers believed that they were being paid in exchange for writing prescriptions of Novartis products and not for providing data as part of a clinical study.
Novartis Greece, through its employees and agents, knowingly and willfully conspired with others to cause Novartis AG to mischaracterize and falsely record improper payments related to the international medical congresses and the epidemiological study in Novartis AG’s books, records, and accounts.
From 2011 through 2014, Alcon Pte Ltd knowingly and willfully conspired with others to cause Novartis AG to maintain false books, records and accounts, as a result of a scheme to bribe employees of state-owned and state-controlled hospitals and clinics in Vietnam. The false books and records resulted from a scheme in which Alcon Pte Ltd made corrupt payments through a third-party distributor to employees of state-owned and state-controlled hospitals and clinics in Vietnam in order to increase sales of intraocular lenses. Intraocular lenses are artificial replacement lenses that are implanted in the eye as part of a treatment for a variety of ailments, such as cataracts. Alcon employees in Vietnam, with the approval of executives and employees of Alcon Pte Ltd, reimbursed the distributor for up to 50 percent of the cost of the corrupt payments, and these reimbursements were falsely recorded as, among other things, consulting expenses, marketing expenses, and human resource expenses.
As part of the agreement, Novartis Greece agreed to continue to cooperate with the government in any ongoing or future criminal investigations concerning Novartis Greece, its executives, employees, or agents. Novartis Greece and its parent company, Novartis AG, agreed to enhance their compliance programs and to report to the government on the implementation of their enhanced compliance programs.
Alcon Pte Ltd agreed to continue to cooperate with the government in any ongoing or future criminal investigations concerning Alcon Pte Ltd, its executives, employees, or agents. Alcon Pte Ltd and its parent company, Alcon Inc., agreed to enhance their compliance programs and to report to the government on the implementation of their enhanced compliance programs.
The government reached these resolutions with Novartis Greece and Alcon Pte Ltd based on a number of factors, including: the failure to timely disclose the conduct that triggered the investigations; the nature and seriousness of the offenses, which spanned multiple years and involved high level employees; the lack of an effective compliance and ethics program at the time of the misconduct; and credit for each company’s respective cooperation. The companies also engaged in remedial measures, including terminating and disciplining individuals who orchestrated the misconduct, adopting heightened controls and anti-corruption protocols, and significantly increasing the resources devoted to compliance.
The criminal penalty for Novartis Greece reflects a 25 percent reduction off a point near the midpoint of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines range because, although Novartis Greece fully cooperated and remediated, its parent company Novartis AG was involved in similar conduct for which it previously reached a resolution with the SEC in March 2016.
The criminal penalty for Alcon Pte Ltd reflects a 25 percent reduction off the bottom of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines fine range because of Alcon Pte Ltd’s full cooperation with the government’s investigation.
In a related matter with the SEC, Novartis AG agreed to pay the SEC disgorgement and prejudgment interest of $112 million for the conduct in Greece and Vietnam, as well as additional conduct.
The government is represented by Senior Trial Counsel Bernard J. Cooney and Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua L. Haber of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Health Care Fraud Unit, District of New Jersey, and Trial Attorney Della Sentilles of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section.
The FBI’s Garrett Mountain, New Jersey Field Office is investigating the case. The Department appreciates the assistance of the FBI Legal Attaché in Athens, Greece, the Office of International Affairs and the significant cooperation provided by the SEC in this case.
The Fraud Section is responsible for investigating and prosecuting all FCPA matters. Additional information about the Justice Department’s FCPA enforcement efforts can be found at www.justice.gov/criminal-fraud/foreign-corrupt-practices-act.
North Central Iowa Methamphetamine Dealer Sentenced to Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
A Lakota, Iowa methamphetamine dealer was sentenced today to 14 years in federal prison.
Christopher Paul Hanson, age 30, from Lakota, IA received the prison term after a guilty plea to conspiracy to distribute at least 1,500 grams of pure methamphetamine and possession of a firearm by a drug user.
In a plea agreement, Hanson admitted to distributing at least 1,500 grams of pure methamphetamine in and around North Central Iowa. In September 2018, a vehicle was stopped and in the vehicle was approximately ten pounds of methamphetamine, part of which was packaged for delivery to Hanson for re-distribution. On September 26, 2018, Hanson’s residence was searched pursuant to a search warrant. Law enforcement seized drug paraphernalia, drug packaging materials, drug ledgers, marijuana, methamphetamine, and guns, including a rifle and a pistol, along with ammunition for both guns.
Hanson was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand. Hanson was sentenced to 168 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a five-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
Hanson is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). PSN is 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 case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jack Lammers and investigated by the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, Kossuth County Sheriff’s Office, and the North Central Drug Task Force.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 18-3057.
Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.
North Carolina Based Cartel Manager Pleads Guilty to Heroin and Methamphetamine Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
NORFOLK, Va. – A High Point, North Carolina woman pleaded guilty today to her role in an international drug-trafficking organization.
According to court documents, Vanessa Garcia, 34, was the manager of a Mexican-based drug cartel’s North Carolina distribution point for heroin and methamphetamine. She maintained a drug premises in High Point, where she stored wholesale amounts of drugs and recruited and supervised co-conspirators who trafficked the drugs and drug proceeds to communities outside the state, including to Hampton Roads. Three of her co-conspirators were arrested in Virginia Beach in possession of roughly one kilogram of heroin and one kilogram of methamphetamine, which they had transported from Garcia’s stash house at her direction. Garcia was arrested late last year in Detroit with 700 grams of heroin in her possession. After pleading guilty and being sentenced there, she was transferred to federal custody here to face this conspiracy charge.
Garcia pleaded guilty to conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute one kilogram or more of heroin and 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. Garcia faces a mandatory minimum penalty of ten years and a maximum of life in prison when sentenced on Oct. 26, 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.
The case was investigated as part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF), Operation Fallen Angel. The OCDETF program is a federal multi-agency, multi-jurisdictional task force that supplies supplemental federal funding to federal and state agencies involved in the identification, investigation, and prosecution of major drug trafficking organizations. 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.
G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Jesse R. Fong, Special Agent in Charge for the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) Washington Field Division; and Anthony F. Zucaro, Jr., Interim Chief of Virginia Beach Police, made the announcement after Senior U.S. District Judge Robert G. Doumar accepted the plea. Assistant U.S. Attorney William B. Jackson 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. 2:20-cr-22.
New Orleans Man Sentenced in Credit Card Fraud ConspiracyRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS – U.S. Attorney Peter G. Strasser announced that ANTOINE NARCISSE, age 24, a resident of New Orleans, was sentenced today to 18 months in prison by U.S. District Judge Barry W. Ashe for conspiracy to commit access device fraud.
According to court documents, NARCISSE and the other defendants engaged in a scheme to obtain merchandise and cash from stores through fraud. The defendants obtained stolen credit and debit card information, encoded it onto cards, and then used that information to purchase items at stores. The defendants would then return the items at a different store of the same chain, but they would deceive store workers in order to have the chargeback credited to their own own bank accounts. Court documents also detail how NARCISSE took flights with two other co-conspirators to perform fraudulent credit card transactions in various cities in the United States, including Portland, Oregon; Milwaukee, Wisconsin; and Cincinnati, Ohio. NARCISSE was also arrested in Minnetonka, Minnesota, and Franklin, Tennessee, while committing credit card fraud.
In addition to the sentence of 18 months in prison, NARCISSE was sentenced to two years of supervised release.
U.S. Attorney Strasser praised the agencies that contributed to this conviction, which represents a coordinated effort of federal and state law enforcement authorities within the Louisiana Financial Crimes Task Force. The Task Force includes representatives from the U.S. Secret Service, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Louisiana Attorney General’s Office, Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office, New Orleans Police Department, Covington Police Department, Hammond Police Department, Kenner Police Department, Louisiana State Police, Mandeville Police Department, Slidell Police Department, St. Bernard Parish Sheriff’s Office, St. John The Baptist Sheriff’s Office, St. Tammany Parish Sheriff’s Office, Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff’s Office, St. Tammany Parish District Attorney’s Office, Homeland Security Investigations, U.S. State Department, Internal Revenue Service, Social Security Administration-Office of Inspector General, and the Defense Criminal Investigative Service. U.S. Attorney Strasser also thanked the Franklin (TN) Police Department, the Mobile Police Department, the Gulfport Police Department, the Minnetonka (MN) Police Department, the Jefferson Parish District Attorney’s Office, and the Orleans Parish District Attorney’s Office for their assistance. Assistant United States Attorneys Matthew R. Payne and K. Paige O’Hale are in charge of the prosecution.
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New Jersey Man Arrested for Receiving Child Pornography and Concealing Objects to Impede FBI InvestigationRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A Middlesex County, New Jersey, man was charged today with allegedly receiving files depicting child sexual abuse and concealing objects to impede the FBI’s investigation, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito announced.
Charles F. Browne, 52, of South River, New Jersey, is charged by complaint with one count of receiving child pornography and one count of concealing an object to impede a federal investigation. He is scheduled to appear today by videoconference before U.S. Magistrate Judge Joseph A. Dickson.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
In September 2017, Dropbox Inc. noticed that child pornography had been uploaded to a Dropbox account with the screen name “Charles Browne” and an email address containing the term “cbrowne.” The FBI obtained the files that were uploaded to the Dropbox account, which included prepubescent child sexual abuse and a resume for Browne.
On April 8, 2019, law enforcement approached Browne, as he left his then-residence in Tom’s River, New Jersey, to interview him about an ongoing investigation. Subsequent to the interview, he disposed of items in the Kettle Creek, a coastal waterway.
On April 12, 2019, the Ocean County Sherriff’s Office deployed a drone at the end of the Pier and located an object of interest. FBI divers were deployed and recovered an iPad and iPhone, both of which had been previously registered with Browne’s Apple iCloud account.
Further review of the recovered devices indicated they had been at Brown’s residence and near a body of water north of Bay Terrace Road. One had been at the location where his care was pulled over. The recovered iPad contained videos depicting prepubescent child sexual abuse and emails to and from accounts linked to Browne.
The count of receipt of child pornography carries a mandatory minimum penalty of five years in prison, a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, and fine of $250,000. The count of concealing objects to impede a federal investigation count carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a fine of $250,000.
U.S. Attorney Carpenito credited special agents with the FBI Newark Child Exploitation Human Trafficking Task Force, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Douglas Korneski, with the investigation leading to today’s charges. He also thanked the FBI New York Underwater Search & Evidence Response Team, under the direction of Assistant Director in Charge William Sweeney, the FBI Laboratory Division, under the direction of Assistant Director G. Clayton Grigg, the Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Acting Prosecutor Christopher Kuberiet, the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Prosecutor Christopher J. Gramiccioni, the Monmouth County Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Sheriff Shaun Golden, the Ocean County Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Sheriff Michael G. Mastronardy, the Toms River Police Department, under the direction of Chief Mitchell Little, and the South River Police Department, under the direction of Chief Mark Tinitigan, for their assistance in this investigation.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jamie L. Hoxie of the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Cybercrime Unit in Newark, New Jersey.
The charges and allegations contained in the complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
New Haven Man Sentenced to 30 Months in Federal Prison for Drug and Gun OffensesRead the Press Release
John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that JESUS SEGUINOT, also known as “Chuchi,” 30, of New Haven, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Jeffrey A. Meyer in New Haven to 30 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for drug distribution and gun possession offenses.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on March 16, 2018, New Haven Police officers executed a state search warrant at Seguinot’s apartment on Congress Avenue and seized approximately 65 grams of cocaine, approximately 114 grams of marijuana, other items used to process and package drugs for distribution, and $5,480 in cash. Seguinot was arrested on state charges at that time.
On April 20, 2018, Stamford Police officers arrested Seguinot in Stamford after they found him in possession approximately 80 grams of cocaine and crack cocaine, a quantity of marijuana, a digital scale, drug packaging materials, and $1,613 in cash.
On May 17, 2018, a search of Seguinot’s new residence on Stevens Street in New Haven revealed approximately 20 grams of crack cocaine, drug packaging materials, a scale with white residue, a .38 caliber bullet on his bedroom nightstand, and a loaded .38 Special Taurus revolver with an obliterated serial number. He was arrested on state charges on May 26, 2018.
Prior to May 2018, Seguinot had been convicted in state court of felony drug, weapon and other offenses. It is a violation of federal law for a person previously convicted of a felony offense to possess a firearm or ammunition that has moved in interstate or foreign commerce.
On July 22, 2018, Seguinot sold a quantity of cocaine to another individual for $20 on Liberty Street in New Haven. He was arrested on state charges on July 27, 2018.
Seguinot has been detained since his federal arrest on April 11, 2019. On November 14, 2019, he pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute cocaine, and one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
This investigation was conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, New Haven Police Department and Stamford Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Patricia Stolfi Collins.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone.
NDTX Roundup: June 13-20Read the Press Release
GUILTY PLEA – DALTON HARRIS
On June 16, Dalton Harris, 21, pled guilty to making a false statement to a firearms dealer. Harris visited a local firearms deal to purchase a Ruger AR-556 rifle. To purchase the rifle, Harris made fictitious statements intended to deceive the firearms dealer into believing that he was the actual transferee or buyer of the firearm. Harris faces up to 57 months in federal custody for his crimes. This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Firearms, Tobacco, and Explosives and is prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Rebekah Ricketts.
GUILTY PLEA – JESSE KLU
On June 16, Jesse Klu, 33, pled guilty to possession with intent to use unlawfully five or more false identification documents. During a search warrant executed at Klu’s residence, agents discovered multiple passports and driver’s licenses all displaying Klu’s photograph, each counterfeit and not lawfully issued by the purported government entity. Klu admits to using the counterfeit identification to establish accounts at United States financial institutions. He faces up to 5 years in federal custody for his crimes. This case was investigated by Diplomatic Security Services and Department of Homeland Security and is prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Gregory Martin.
GUILTY PLEA – MONEE WILLIAMS
On June 18, Monee Williams, 34, pled guilty to conspiracy to transport stolen money, securities, and goods in interstate commerce. Williams worked at a national alarm company where she had access to the alarm codes of customers. Williams unlawfully provided the alarm codes of small businesses her co-conspirators in exchange for money. Her co-conspirators used the alarm codes to break into the businesses to steal cash and other items of value. The losses caused by the burglaries was valued at more than $550,000. Williams faces up to 5 years in federal custody for her crimes. This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and is prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Raybould.
GUILTY PLEA – GEOVANNI AARON LUNA
On June 18, Geovanni Aaron Luna, 22, pled guilty to possession of an unregistered firearm silencer. Luna was pulled over in Garland, Texas for a traffic offense. During the traffic stop, troopers uncovered a homemade silencer created from a modified fuel filter with an aluminum tube and threaded adapter to fit his .22 caliber pistol. Luna admitted that the silencer was not registered to in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record. Luna faces up to 10 years in federal custody for his crimes. This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Texas Department of Public Safety and is prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Abe McGlothin.
GUILTY PLEA – TIFFANY LANE
On June 18, Tiffany Lane, 44, pled guilty to destruction of mail. While an employee of the United States Postal Services, Lane began stealing mail by targeting credit cards from customers on the routes she worked. Lane admitted to providing the credit cards to another unauthorized individual after stealing them from her mail route. Lane faces up to 5 years in federal custody for her crimes. This case was investigated by the United States Postal Service Office of the Inspector General and was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer Bray.
Mountaintop Man Sentenced to 169 Months’ Imprisonment for Money Laundering ConspiracyRead the Press Release
SCRANTON - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Jonathan Jacome, age 30, of Mountain Top, Pennsylvania, was sentenced on June 23, 2020, to 169 months’ imprisonment by United States District Court Judge Robert D. Mariani for money laundering conspiracy.
According to United States Attorney David J. Freed, Jacome was a leader and organizer in a sophisticated scheme that used stolen identities to file fraudulent tax returns in 2011 and 2012, and obtained over $7.7 million in fraudulent federal tax refunds. Jacome opened three check cashing businesses in Luzerne County solely to carry out the fraud scheme, and through which he processed the fraudulently obtained Treasury checks. Jacome pleaded guilty pursuant to a plea agreement with the government to a single count of money laundering conspiracy. As part of that agreement, Jacome admitted that he committed the underlying crimes of theft of public money, wire fraud, and bank fraud.
Jacome also conspired with others to present false testimony to a federal grand jury investigating the scheme. The fabricated testimony was intended to hide the fact that Jacome used stolen funds to purchase a house in Mountaintop, and to otherwise shield Jacome from criminal liability. Jacome’s sentence reflected an enhancement for the obstruction.
Judge Mariani cited the widespread scope of the criminal activity, the degree of dishonesty involved during the scheme and after, and the extensive and intricate efforts to conceal the crimes in imposing the 169-month sentence. Jacome was also ordered to pay over $7.7 million in restitution and must forfeit certain properties acquired with stolen funds.
The case was investigated by the U.S. Internal Revenue Service and the Hazelton City Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sean A. Camoni is prosecuting the case.
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Mission Man Indicted on Meth, Gun, and Child Abuse ChargesRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced that a Mission, South Dakota, man has been indicted by a federal grand jury for Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine, Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person, and Child Abuse.
Colt Shaw, age 30, was indicted on March 9, 2020. He appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Mark A. Moreno on June 22, 2020, and pled not guilty to the Indictment.
The maximum penalty upon conviction is up to 40 years in federal prison and/or a $5,000,000 fine, at least 4 years of supervised release, and $300 to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Restitution may also be ordered.
The Indictment alleges that beginning at time unknown but no later than on or about January 1, 2019, and continuing to on or about March 9, 2020, Shaw conspired to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine on and around the Rosebud Sioux Indian reservation. Further, on or about November 9, 2019, and July 7, 2019, Shaw, knowing he was an unlawful user of and addicted to a controlled substance, knowingly possessed several firearms. Finally, on or about July 7, 2019, Shaw abused, exposed, tortured, tormented, and cruelly punished a child who had not attained the age of seven.
The charges are merely accusations and Shaw is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
Drug trafficking is an inherently violent activity. Firearms are tools of the trade for drug dealers. It is common to find drug traffickers armed with guns in order to protect their illegal drug product and cash, and enforce their illegal operations.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. The Department of Justice reinvigorated PSN in 2017, as part of its renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and local communities to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime.
This case is also part of Project Guardian, the Department of Justice’s signature initiative to reduce gun violence and enforce federal firearms laws. Initiated by the Attorney General in the fall of 2019, Project Guardian draws upon the Department’s past successful programs to reduce gun violence; enhances coordination of federal, state, local, and tribal authorities in investigating and prosecuting gun crimes; improves information-sharing by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives when a prohibited individual attempts to purchase a firearm and is denied by the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS), to include taking appropriate actions when a prospective purchaser is denied by the NICS for mental health reasons; and ensures that federal resources are directed at the criminals posing the greatest threat to our communities. For more information about Project Guardian, please see: https://www.justice.gov/projectguardian.
The investigation is being conducted by the Northern Plains Safe Trails Drug Enforcement Task Force, the Rosebud Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorney Meghan N. Dilges is prosecuting the case.
Shaw was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending trial. A trial date has not been set.
Middletown Used Car Dealer Sentenced to 27 Months in Federal Prison for Defrauding LendersRead the Press Release
John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that GEORGE HAJATI, 41, of Cromwell, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Robert N. Chatigny to 27 months of imprisonment, followed by five years of supervised release, for operating an auto loan fraud scheme while he was on federal supervised release from a prior federal conviction. Judge Chatigny also ordered Hajati to serve the first six months of his supervised release in home confinement, and to perform 120 hours of community service.
Pursuant to the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act), the sentencing occurred via videoconference.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Hajati owned and operated a used car dealership located at 1075 Newfield Street in Middletown known as Car Nation, LLC, Car Nation CT, LLC, and Middletown Motorcars. In connection with automobile loan applications for multiple borrowers, Hajati, and employees at his direction, submitted documents and statements to victim lenders that falsely represented the borrower’s employment, salary, sources of income, and the fact and amount of a down payment. The false documents included fictitious or altered borrower pay stubs and income verification letters purportedly from the Social Security Administration. Hajati falsely indicated that borrowers made salaries they did not make, worked at jobs they did not work, received income from the Social Security Administration they did not receive, and made down payments they did not make. In some instances, the borrower was not aware of, and did not consent to, Hajati using his or her personal identifying information to obtain automobile loans in these ways.
Between approximately April 2016 and July 2019, Hajati defrauded victim lenders of $654,952.56 through this scheme. Hajati is required to pay full restitution.
Hajati was arrested on a federal criminal complaint on July 2, 2019. On December 20, he pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud.
Hajati was previously convicted of federal conspiracy and fraud offenses related to a Hartford-area mortgage fraud scheme that defrauded various lenders of more than $1 million. In August 2015, Hajati was sentenced in Hartford federal court to 12 months and one day of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release. He was released from federal prison in August 2016, and was on supervised release at the time of the auto loan fraud.
Hajati’s supervised release hearing is scheduled for June 29, at which time he faces a maximum additional sentence of two years of imprisonment.
Hajati who is released on a $560,000 bond, is required to report to prison on September 25, 2020.
This matter is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Social Security Administration Office of Inspector General. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys David T. Huang and Conor M. Reardon.
Mexican National Sentenced for Illegally Entering the U.S. for the Seventh TimeRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Mexican national who was arrested for drunk driving after illegally entering the United States for the seventh time was sentenced in federal court today.
Martin Triana-Perez, 38, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Brian C. Wimes to three years in federal prison without parole.
On Oct. 9, 2019, Triana-Perez pleaded guilty to illegally reentering the United States after deportation subsequent to a felony conviction.
Triana-Perez was arrested by Kansas City police officers on Aug. 19, 2019, for driving while intoxicated. Officers responded to a report that Triana-Perez and another person were in a parked vehicle, creating a disturbance at the park. When officers arrived they saw open containers of alcohol in Triana-Perez’s vehicle and instructed them to leave the park on foot. A short time later they saw Triana-Perez driving the vehicle and conducted a traffic stop. This was Triana-Perez’s third drunk driving arrest.
Triana-Perez, who has been deported from the United States six times prior to this case, has four prior felony convictions for illegally reentering the United States.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Rudolph R. Rhodes IV. It was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO).
Members of the Mac Baller Brims Gang Charged with MurderRead the Press Release
Audrey Strauss, the Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Dermot Shea, the Commissioner of the New York City Police Department (“NYPD”), Peter C. Fitzhugh, Special Agent-in-Charge of the New York Field Office of Homeland Security Investigations (“HSI”), and Raymond P. Donovan, Special Agent in Charge of the New York Field Division of the Drug Enforcement Administration (“DEA”), today announced a Superseding Indictment in United States v. Lawrence, et al. 19 Cr. 761 (JPO). In the initial indictment, unsealed on October 24, 2019, 13 defendants were charged in connection with the activities of the Mac Baller Brims gang that operated in and around the Mount Hope section of the Bronx between 2017 and 2019. In the Superseding Indictment, defendants DERRICK CASADO, a/k/a “Big Bank,” a/k/a “Papa D,” and CARLOS ROSARIO, a/k/a “Baby Bottle,” a/k/a “Carlito,” a/k/a “Barlito,” a/k/a “Barlos,” are charged with offenses relating an October 5, 2019 robbery in Manhattan, during which ROSARIO shot and killed Jonathan Rodriguez, 27. A racketeering conspiracy charge was added against defendant JUAN TEJEDA, a/k/a “Gotti.” The case is proceeding before U.S. District Judge J. Paul Oetken.
Acting U.S. Attorney Audrey Strauss said: “As charged in the Superseding Indictment, Carlos Rosario and Derrick Casado were responsible for the murder of Jonathan Rodriguez. This is one of many acts of violence alleged to have been committed by members and associates of the Mac Baller Brims gang. Thanks to the outstanding work of our law enforcement partners at the NYPD, HSI, and DEA, Rosario and Casado now face federal charges for murder.”
Police Commissioner Dermot Shea said: “Today’s indictment reflects our continued focus on keeping criminal gangs off the city’s streets. I thank our NYPD detectives, agents, and prosecutors for their sustained work on this case.”
HSI Special Agent-in-Charge Peter C. Fitzhugh said: “Members of the Mac Baller Brims allegedly brandished firearms and fired those guns in order to preserve their territory and protect their illicit business. As alleged, in this case, gang members Derrick Casado and Carlos Rosario are charged with murder, after having shot and killed Jonathan Rodriguez in a Manhattan robbery. HSI New York’s strong partnerships with the NYPD and DEA, and the continued collaboration in criminal investigations, has led to the arrest of these two individuals and they will now face the consequences for their alleged deadly act.”
DEA Special Agent in Charge Raymond P. Donovan said: “With many acts of violence alleged to be committed by members of the Mac Baller Brims Gang – none were as savage as the murder of Jonathan Rodriguez. Gang violence threatens the safety of New Yorkers and puts communities in the crosshairs of drug trafficking and drug-related crime. I applaud our partners at the US Attorney’s Office, the NYPD, and HSI for their diligent work.”
According to the allegations in the Superseding Indictment[1]:
The Mac Baller Brims was a criminal enterprise, and its members and associates committed numerous acts of violence, including shootings, in and around the Bronx. They engaged in such acts to preserve and protect their power, territory, and profits, and to promote and enhance the gang and its criminal activities. Members of the gang also enriched themselves by committing robberies and by selling drugs, such as crack cocaine, heroin, fentanyl, cocaine, oxycodone, and marijuana, including in New York and in Maine. While conducting their drug business, members and associates of the gang used, carried, and possessed firearms, and members of the gang brandished and fired those guns on multiple occasions since 2017.
On October 5, 2019, CASADO and ROSARIO robbed two victims in the vicinity of 20 East 116th Street in New York, New York, and in the course of that robbery and the immediate flight therefrom, ROSARIO shot and killed a third victim, Jonathan Rodriguez. The Superseding Indictment charges CASADO and ROSARIO with one count of assault in aid of racketeering, and aiding and abetting the same; one count of brandishing a firearm, and aiding and abetting the same; one count of murder in aid of racketeering, and aiding and abetting the same; and one count of murder through use of a firearm, and aiding and abetting the same. CASADO and ROSARIO face a maximum sentence of life in prison.
In addition, the Superseding Indictment charges JUAN TEJEDA with conspiring to conduct and participate in the conduct and affairs of the Mac Ballers enterprise through a pattern of racketeering activity. The maximum sentence for this charge is life in prison.
The maximum potential sentences in this case are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendants will be determined by the judge.
Ms. Strauss praised the outstanding work of the NYPD, HSI, and DEA on this investigation.
This case is being handled by the Office’s Violent and Organized Crime Unit. Assistant United States Attorneys Frank Balsamello and Jamie Bagliebter are in charge of the prosecution.
The charges contained in the Superseding Indictment are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
[1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Superseding Indictment, and the description of the Superseding Indictment set forth herein, constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.
Mechanicsburg Man Sentenced to Two Years’ Probation for Depositing over A Million Dollars in Cash to Avoid Bank Reporting RequirementsRead the Press Release
HARRISBURG –The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Kenneth Hoffman, age 57, of Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania,
was sentenced on June 23, 2020, by United States District Court Judge Christopher C. Conner to two years’ probation and to pay a $9,700 fine for structuring cash deposits.
According to United States Attorney David J. Freed, between 2014 and 2017, Hoffman deposited over $2 million in cash into various bank accounts which were just below $10,000 to avoid having his cash deposits reported to federal authorities.
Judge Conner recognized the remedial steps Hoffman took since the IRS began their investigation in 2017. When the IRS initiated the case, Hoffman worked closely with outside professionals to reform his business practices. In addition, he has filed amended returns with appropriate taxing authorities to remedy prior deficiencies.
The case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael A. Consiglio is prosecuting the case.
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Manchester Man Pleads Guilty to Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
CONCORD – Eddil Ortez, 26, of Manchester, pleaded guilty in federal court to attempted possession of fentanyl and cocaine with intent to distribute, United States Attorney Scott W. Murray announced today.
According to court documents and statements made in court, beginning around December of 2017, a drug organization in Lawrence, Massachusetts maintained a series of telephone numbers to receive orders and distribute controlled substances, primarily fentanyl and crack cocaine. In early 2019, law enforcement officers began conducting judicially-authorized interception of communications occurring over a phone number used by the organization.
On June 19, 2019, law enforcement officers executed search warrants at locations known to be used by the organization, arrested the person believed to have been operating the phone, and seized the phone. To further identify and arrest those who were distributing drugs, the officers, pretending to be members of the drug organization, used the seized phone to communicate with individuals who were obtaining drugs from the organization.
During the evening of June 20, 2019, messages were exchanged between the seized phone and a phone belonging to Ortez. Ortez attempted to order quantities of crack cocaine and fentanyl from the organization. Ortez was directed to a parking lot in Nashua. After he provided the description of his car and his clothing, he was told to leave the drug money in the center console of the car. Investigating officers observed the car identified by Ortez arrive at the agreed-upon time for the deal. Ortez then left the car and walked toward a retail store. The officers sent a message to Ortez saying “you are all set.” Ortez returned to the car and was arrested. Ortez was in possession of the telephone that was used to arrange the drug deal.
Ortez will be sentenced on October 1, 2020.
“Interstate trafficking organizations make fentanyl, cocaine, and other dangerous drugs available for purchase in New Hampshire,” said U.S. Attorney Murray. “The results have been disastrous. Federal law enforcement agencies are working closely with all of our state and local partners to stop this deadly trade. Traffickers should be aware that they will be caught and prosecuted.”
This matter was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, with assistance from the Massachusetts State Police, Methuen Police Department, Andover, Massachusetts Police Department, Essex County Sheriff’s Office, New Hampshire State Police, Manchester Police Department, Nashua Police Department, Salem Police Department, Rockingham County Sheriff’s Office, Hudson Police Department, and the Goffstown Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Seth Aframe.
This case was supported by the Organized Crime 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 involved in the identification, investigation, and prosecution of major drug trafficking organizations.
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Malden Man Arrested on Fraud ChargesRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Malden man was arrested today and charged with using stolen identities to make purchases, rent cars and open credit accounts.
Wagner Sozi, 32, was arrested and charged by criminal complaint with wire fraud and will appear in federal court in Boston via videoconference this afternoon.
According to the criminal complaint, Sozi used the names and identities of various individuals to open credit accounts, rent cars and make large purchases. It is alleged that Sozi, along with a female accomplice, opened credit accounts at an office supply retailer under various fake identities and then used these accounts to purchase Visa gift cards, resulting in a loss to the retail chain of more than $100,000. He processed these accounts via an employee of the office retailer who was complicit in the scheme. Sozi also allegedly used stolen identities to: purchase a Rolex for more than $15,000; rent a Ford Mustang convertible from Logan Airport, which he then failed to return; and rent a Dodge Charger from Logan Airport, which he then failed to return.
Sozi also allegedly possessed a Maine driver’s license, bearing his photograph and the name of an identity theft victim, which was used to open a bank account and to make large purchases at the Apple Store.
The charge of wire fraud provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $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 and Frederick J. Regan, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Secret Service, Boston Field Office made the announcement today. The Massachusetts State Police and the Malden, Medford and Braintree Police Departments provided valuable assistance with the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Bill Abely, Deputy Chief of Lelling’s Major Crimes Unit, is prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the criminal complaint are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Louisville, KY Man Pleads Guilty for His Role in Conspiracy Stretching from El Paso, Texas to BuffaloRead the Press Release
CONTACT: Barbara Burns
PHONE: (716) 843-5817
FAX #: (716) 551-3051BUFFALO, N.Y. -- U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy, Jr. announced today that Daniel Sterling, a/k/a Pancho, a/k/a Jose, 43, of Louisville, KY, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge John L. Sinatra, Jr. to conspiring to possess with intent to distribute, and distributing, five kilograms or more of cocaine. The charge carries a mandatory minimum penalty of 15 years in prison, a maximum of life, and a $20,000,000 fine.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael J. Adler, who is handling the case, stated that between October 2017, and December 7, 2018, the defendant conspired with 11 others to sell cocaine. Sterling and co-defendant Edgar Pavia brokered bulk quantity cocaine to multiple areas in the country including Buffalo, Kentucky, and Georgia. Pavia coordinated shipments of cocaine to Sterling in Kentucky and co-defendant Adrian Goudelock in Buffalo. For example, on June 28, 2018, Pavia told Sterling that a shipment of 40 kilograms of cocaine would be the last shipment at $28,000 per kilogram, since the price would be going up. Sterling received multiple shipments of cocaine brokered by Pavia in amounts of 10 kilograms, 15 kilograms, and 20 kilograms.
In September 2018, shortly after a shipment of cocaine was delivered to Sterling in Louisville, KY, approximately $1,144,735 in cash, proceeds of narcotics trafficking, was seized from a commercial truck driver in Chicago, Illinois. Approximately $350,000 came from Sterling in Kentucky. The money was destined to be transported back to El Paso and, eventually, Mexico.
On December 6, 2018, investigators observed Sterling meeting with another co-defendant Martin Lopez to receive 20 kilograms of cocaine that was inside a hidden compartment in Lopez’s vehicle. A search inside Sterling’s vehicle found approximately $620,470 concealed in a black duffle bag. A warrant conducted at Sterling’s residence located an additional $114,200.
Of the 12 defendants charged in this case, Sterling is the first to be convicted. The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
The plea is the result of an investigation by Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Kevin Kelly; the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Acting Special Agent-in-Charge Robert Guyton; the New York State Police, under the direction of Major James Hall; the Erie County Sheriff’s Department, under the direction of Sheriff Timothy Howard; and Customs and Border Protection, Air and Marine Unit, under the direction of Brian Manaher, Director, Marine Operations. Additional assistance was provided by the New York National Guard. Additional assistance was provided by HIS-Louisville; the Kentucky State Police; the Louisville Metro Police; and the Greater Hardin County Drug Task Force.
Sentencing will be scheduled at a later date before Judge Sinatra.
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Local Man Pleads Guilty to Stealing $124,758.21 from Former EmployerRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Darryl Gale, 52, a former civilian employee of the Army Ten-Miler pled guilty to stealing vendor funds from the Army Ten-Miler’s race and exposition.
The announcement was made by Acting U.S. Attorney Michael R. Sherwin, and James A. Dawson, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Washington Field Office’s Criminal Division.
Gale pled guilty yesterday via teleconferencing in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia before the Honorable Emmet G. Sullivan to a one-count Information charging him with a wire fraud scheme. Gale is scheduled to be sentenced by the Honorable Emmet G. Sullivan on November 4, 2020. He faces a possible sentence of 15-21 months and will be required to pay restitution in the amount of $124,758.21, and a forfeiture money judgment.
According to the Statement of Offense, the Army Ten-Miler is an annual race and exposition that has been conducted in the District of Columbia by the U.S. Army Military District of Washington for the prior 35 years. Each year, the race and pre-race exposition attracts over 35,000 runners and 900 teams from around the world. Participants include military, civilians, wheel chair athletes and wounded warrior athletes. The Army Ten-Miler’s mission is to support Army outreach, build morale, and promote physical fitness. The Army Ten-Miler is a category-B Army Morale, Welfare, and Recreation (“MWR”) event, which is open to the public. All race proceeds benefit MWR programs. The Army Ten-Miler is organized and administered each year by a staff of employees based out of an office located in Washington, D.C.
Between 2012 and November 2018, Gale was employed as a civilian employee at the Army-Ten Miler office. Gale’s main responsibilities included selling exposition booth rentals and managing logistics on the day of the exposition and race. Gale devised a scheme to defraud the Army Ten-Miler by making false representations to exposition vendors in order to obtain vendor fees. Gale cashed and deposited into his own personal bank accounts checks, money orders, and payments through third-party payment processors from vendors who had purchased booths for an Army Ten-Miler exposition. The funds were all intended for and were due to the Army Ten-Miler as payments of fees for these booths, but Gale cashed these payments or deposited the funds into his own personal bank accounts for his own use. Through this scheme, Gale stole at least $124,758.21 in vendor fees between January 2017 and November 2018.
In announcing the plea, Acting U.S. Attorney Sherwin and Special Agent in Charge Dawson commended the work of those who investigated the case from the FBI’s Washington Field Office. They acknowledged the efforts of those who are handling the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia, including Paralegal Specialists C. Rosalind Pressley and Amanda Rohde.
Finally, they commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Diane Lucas and Kathryn Rakoczy of the Fraud and Public Corruption Section, of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia, who prosecuted the case.
Lobbyist Jack Abramoff and CEO Rowland Marcus Andrade Charged with Fraud in Connection with $5 Million Initial Coin Offering of Cryptocurrency AML BitcoinRead the Press Release
SAN FRANCISCO –Jack Abramoff has been charged in a criminal information with conspiracy to commit wire fraud and violating the Lobbying Disclosure Act. In a connected case, a federal grand jury in San Francisco has indicted Rowland Marcus Andrade for wire fraud and money laundering. The announcements were made by United States Attorney David L. Anderson, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation John F. Bennett, and Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation, Kareem Carter.
The allegations underlying the charges against Abramoff, 62, of Silver Spring, Md., and Andrade, 42, of Missouri City, Texas, are contained in two separate documents: the information filed June 25, 2020, charging Abramoff, and the indictment filed June 22, 2020, charging Andrade. According to the allegations in the charging documents, Andrade and Abramoff conspired to make false and misleading statements to potential purchasers of a proposed new cryptocurrency called AML Bitcoin. According to the indictment, Andrade was the founder and chief executive officer of NAC Foundation, also referred to as the “National AtenCoin Foundation,” an organization that was intended to develop and manage the new cryptocurrency AML Bitcoin. Andrade claimed to be the creator of AML Bitcoin and inventor of its technology that purportedly would prevent money laundering and anonymous use through “biometric technologies.” The charging documents allege Andrade claimed this technology would allow the AML Bitcoin cryptocurrency to comply with anti-money laundering and know-your-customer laws and regulations. According to the charging documents, the defendants misled purchasers through various means when raising money to fund the venture. In addition, the charging documents allege Andrade defrauded investors by misusing funds that were raised and laundered funds that were illegally obtained.
The indictment and information allege that beginning in July 2017 Andrade and his company NAC Foundation began raising money for the development of AML Bitcoin by selling AML Bitcoin to purchasers in the United States and elsewhere, and that sales continued through at least December 2018. According to the charging documents, NAC Foundation raised more than $5 million through the sale of AML Bitcoin. The charging documents allege the defendants engaged in the following criminal condu
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In January and February 2018, Andrade and Abramoff allegedly engaged in a false “rejection campaign” regarding a television commercial that they falsely stated was going to be aired during the 2018 Super Bowl television broadcast. The television commercial portrayed AML Bitcoin as impervious to hacking efforts by the North Korean government and its leader in a manner demeaning to the North Korean government and its leader. Andrade and Abramoff falsely claimed that the advertisement would have aired during the Super Bowl if the television network airing the Super Bowl and the National Football League had not rejected the advertisement as being too politically controversial. In fact, as Abramoff and Andrade knew, the NAC Foundation did not have the funds to purchase the advertising time, did not intend to air the television commercial, and the advertisement was not reviewed or rejected by the television network or the NFL. Abramoff and Andrade used paid op-ed articles, social media, and AML Bitcoin press releases to make statements that the commercial had been rejected in order to promote AML Bitcoin to prospective purchasers.
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Andrade, Abramoff, and Andrade’s NAC Foundation allegedly made false statements to the public and potential purchasers of AML Bitcoin that misrepresented the state of the development of the technology and the viability and timeline for the release of AML Bitcoin cryptocurrency.
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Andrade, with assistance of Abramoff, allegedly made statements that falsely stated and implied NAC Foundation had reached or was about to finalize agreements with various government agencies for the use of AML Bitcoin or AML Bitcoin technology. The statements were intended to convince prospective purchasers that the cryptocurrency was progressing toward widespread adoption. In addition, Abramoff allegedly retained writers to disseminate these statements as op-eds published on various news and financial websites. Included among the false claims were claims that the NAC Foundation was near a partnership with the Panama Canal Authority to permit AML Bitcoin to be used for ships passing through the Panama Canal when no such agreement or negotiations existed.
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Andrade allegedly diverted more than $1 million obtained through the sale of AML Bitcoin and spent it on personal expenses, including the purchase of two properties in Texas.
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Andrade allegedly laundered funds from the venture by steering investor assets through various bank accounts before moving them into an account for Andrade’s personal expenses and the purchase of the two properties.
The information filed against Abramoff also alleges that he knowingly and corruptly failed to register as a lobbyist, as required by the Lobbying Disclosure Act, after being retained for lobbying efforts that would involve one or more lobbying communications with a federal official. This is the first ever known prosecution of a lobbyist for a criminal violation of the Lobbying Disclosure Act. The information alleges that during part of 2017, Abramoff was retained by a client in the marijuana industry, and that the engagement in part involved efforts to advocate for changes in federal law and policy. The information also alleges that in June 2017, an FBI undercover agent, posing as a business person seeking to fund lobbying efforts, agreed to retain Abramoff for lobbying activities including lobbying contacts. After being retained, and after having a later lobbying contact with a federal elected official, Abramoff failed to register as a lobbyist with the Secretary of the Senate and the Clerk of the House of Representatives within 45 days of the retention or the contact, as required by the Act.
In sum, Andrade is charged in the indictment with one count of wire fraud, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1343, and one count of money laundering, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1956(a)(1). Abramoff is charged in the information with one count of conspiracy, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 371, and one count of violating the provisions of the Lobbying Disclosure Act, in violation of 2 U.S.C. § 1606(b).
Andrade was arrested on June 23, 2020, in Missouri City, Texas, and appeared before a U.S. Magistrate Judge in Houston, Texas. He was released on bond pending his initial San Francisco federal court appearance, which is set before the duty U.S. Magistrate Judge on July 1, 2020.
Abramoff has filed a stipulated notice of an intent to change plea pursuant to a plea agreement. The hearing for intended change of plea has not yet been scheduled.
An information and an indictment merely alleges that crimes have been committed, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. If convicted, Andrade faces a maximum sentence of 20 years, and a fine of $250,000, plus restitution if appropriate, for violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1343, and a maximum sentence of 20 years and a fine of $500,000 for violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1956(a)(1). Abramoff faces a maximum sentence of 5 years, and a fine of $250,000 for violation of 18 U.S.C. § 371, and a maximum sentence of 5 years and a fine of $250,000, for violation of 2 U.S.C. § 1606(b). 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.
In separate civil actions filed on June 25, 2020, the United States Securities and Exchange Commission filed civil charges against Andrade and Abramoff, alleging securities fraud and acting as unregistered brokers of securities, among other charges.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lloyd Farnham and Andrew Dawson are prosecuting the case with the assistance of Kimberly Richardson. The prosecution is being conducted by the United States Attorney’s Office new Corporate Fraud Strike Force. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigations with the assistance of the San Francisco Regional Office of the Securities and Exchange Commission.
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Lincoln Woman Sentenced for Conspiracy to Distribute MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Joe Kelly announced that Janalee M. Ramirez, 35, of Lincoln, Nebraska, was sentenced today to five years and three months, (63 months), in federal prison, by Chief United States District John M. Gerrard, for conspiracy to distribute 50 grams or more of actual (pure) methamphetamine and 500 grams or more of methamphetamine mixture. Following the prison term, Ramirez will serve three years on supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
Information provided to law enforcement indicated Ramirez was responsible for the distribution of at least 50 grams (approximately 1 ¾ ounces) of actual methamphetamine and at least 1.5 kilograms (approximately three pounds) of methamphetamine mixture in the Lincoln area between April 2018 and April 2019. On April 22, 2019, Ramirez agreed to let officers search her Lincoln apartment. During that search, two baggies containing methamphetamine residue were found. At that time, Ramirez admitted to officers that she had about five methamphetamine customers who were buying ¼ ounce to ½ ounce quantities at a time.
This case was investigated by the Lincoln/Lancaster County Narcotics Task Force.
Lafayette Convicted Felon Pleads Guilty to Illegally Possessing a Semi-Automatic PistolRead the Press Release
LAFAYETTE, La. – United States Attorney David C. Joseph announced that Patrick Comeaux, 30, of Lafayette, Louisiana, pled guilty today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Carol B. Whitehurst, to possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
On December 7, 2018, Lafayette Police Department officers were dispatched to a vehicle burglary in progress. Officers located the burglary suspect, Comeaux, in a separate vehicle at a Lafayette apartment complex. When Comeaux attempted to flee the complex in the vehicle, he crashed into an officer’s unit. Comeaux then fled on foot and was apprehended and arrested for multiple violations. During the encounter, officers saw an SCCY, Model CPX-2, 9mm semi-automatic pistol on the center console of the vehicle Comeaux was driving.
It is a violation of federal law for a person previously convicted of a felony offense to possess firearms or ammunition. Comeaux has prior felony convictions in the 15th Judicial District Court, Lafayette Parish, for domestic battery and theft (May 2017), possession of methamphetamine (May 2017), and aggregated theft (November 2018).
Comeaux faces up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine, as well as forfeiture of the firearm and ammunition related to this offense. The court set the sentencing date for September 22, 2020.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and Lafayette Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel J. McCoy is prosecuting 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.
Jamestown Man and Woman Sentenced for Threatening an InformantRead the Press Release
CONTACT: Barbara Burns
PHONE: (716) 843-5817
FAX #: (716) 551-3051BUFFALO, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy, Jr. announced today that Bobby Hunt, 27, and Amy Dean, 31, both of Jamestown, NY, who were convicted of conspiracy to retaliate against an informant, were sentenced by U.S. District Judge Lawrence J. Vilardo. Hunt was sentenced to serve 24 months in prison and Dean was sentenced to a period of time served (approximately three months).
Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua A. Violanti, who handled the case, stated that in October 2018, the defendants conspired to intimidate and/or retaliate against an individual (the Victim), whom they believed was sharing information with investigators regarding the drug trafficking activities of Ramael Fields, Jr. Hunt and Dean believed the Victim might also share information about Hunt’s possible involvement in a narcotics conspiracy. Fields was previously arrested in connection with a federal investigation of a largescale methamphetamine distribution operation in Jamestown.
On October 17 and October 25, 2018, Hunt posted a series of Facebook messages regarding individuals “snitching” on the defendant's “brother,” Ramael Fields, Jr. On October 25, 2018, Hunt posted a copy of the cover page of the indictment that charged Fields. The cover page included a list of individuals whom Fields and Hunt believed to be federal informants who provided information that led to the arrest of Fields. Hunt received the indictment cover page from Fields, who instructed the defendant to post the page on Facebook. Also on October 25, 2018, Hunt and Dean left the Victim several threatening Facebook voice messages, including:
Hunt: You know if I go to jail for conspiracy there's going to be a lot of females after you!
Dean: That's right [expletive] and his sister is one of them so go ahead and try [expletive] cause I live at 124 Barrows and you can come get yourself some, don't you threaten my little brother!The sentencing is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Acting Special Agent-in-Charge Robert Guyton.
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Hopkinton Man Sentenced on Firearms ChargesRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE – A Hopkinton, RI, man previously convicted on domestic assault and receiving stolen goods, and who admitted to illegally possessing firearms and to illegally ordering gun parts from China used to convert Glock 9mm pistols to automatic weapons, was sentenced on Thursday in U.S. District Court in Providence.
David Poole, 32, previously admitted to the court that in early 2019, he purchased at least two Glock conversion devices from a web site operated out of China. The parts, when added to a Glock pistol, convert a Glock pistol into a fully automatic weapon.
An investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) identified at least 3,800 transactions by U.S. customers who are believed to have illegally purchased conversion devices and had them shipped to the United States. Often times, the contents of the packages shipped to the United States were labeled as “MULTITOOL SWITCH” and/ or “HANDCRAFTED FINISHED PIECES.”
According to information presented to the court, as part of the investigation the U.S. Postal Inspection Service determined and reported to ATF that at least five packages from assorted vendors containing various firearms-related accessories were delivered to Poole’s residence between February and April 2019.
Poole was arrested on May 7, 2019, as he accepted delivery from the U.S. Postal Inspection Service of the package containing the conversion devices illegally ordered and shipped from China.
Poole pleaded guilty on November 5, 2019, to being a felon in possession of a firearm and possession of a machine gun (eight conversion switch parts each capable of enabling a Glock pistol to fire as a fully automatic weapon). He was sentenced on Thursday by U.S. District Court Judge William E. Smith to three years probation, the first six months to be served at the Neil J. Houston, Jr., House in Pawtucket to be followed by three months home confinement with electronic monitoring.
Poole’s sentence is announced by United States Attorney Aaron L. Weisman, Special Agent in Charge of the Boston Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Kelly D. Brady, and Joseph W. Cronin, Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Boston Division.
United States Attorney Aaron L. Weisman thanks U.S. Customs and Border Patrol for their assistance in the investigation of this matter.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ronald R. Gendron.
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Honduran National Sentenced to 7 Months in Federal Prison for Illegal Re-EntryRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS – U.S. Attorney Peter Strasser announced today that JOSE DE LA ROSA BUSTILLO-CASTRO (“BUSTILLO”), a Honduran National, age 51, was sentenced on June 24, 2020 by U.S. District Judge Martin Feldman to seven months in prison and one year of supervised release on a one-count indictment for illegal reentry of a removed alien in violation of Title 8, United States Code, Section 1326(a).
According to the indictment, JOSE DE LA ROSA BUSTILLO-CASTRO reentered the United States after he was previously deported on February 1, 2006. BUSTILLO faced a maximum term of imprisonment of two years, a maximum fine of $250,000, a maximum term of supervised release of one year, and a mandatory $100 special assessment.
U.S. Attorney Strasser praised the work of the United States Customs and Border Protection in investigating this matter. Assistant U. S. Attorney Spiro G. Latsis is in charge of the prosecution.
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Heroin Trafficker Sentenced to 12 YearsRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. - Scott C. Blader, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that D’Angelo Smith, 43, Madison, Wisconsin was sentenced today by Chief U.S. District Judge James D. Peterson to 12 years in prison for possessing more than 100 grams of heroin with the intent to distribute it. Smith pleaded guilty to this charge on January 21, 2020.
On June 17, 2019, police conducted searches of Smith’s home on Langdon Street in Madison, and his barbershop on Thierer Road in Madison. During the search of Smith’s home, police found 176 grams of heroin inside a disposable fast food coffee cup. Smith was stopped after driving away from one of the search locations. Police searched Smith’s car and found a case containing a digital scale and several tied off baggies of controlled substances, including heroin.
In sentencing Smith, Judge Peterson said a lengthy sentence was necessary because of Smith’s extensive criminal history which included prior drug trafficking convictions and his return to the drug activity soon after his release from a prior sentence.
The charges against D’Angelo Smith were the result of an investigation conducted by the Sun Prairie Police Department, Wisconsin Department of Justice Division of Criminal Investigation, and the Dane County Narcotics Task Force. The prosecution of the case has been handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert Anderson.
Hard time in federal prison ahead for five men sentenced in separate Augusta-area crimes involving gunsRead the Press Release
AUGUSTA, GA: Five Augusta-area men are headed to federal prison after being sentenced Thursday in U.S. District Court in separate cases involving firearms.
The five men, each facing U.S. District Court Chief Judge J.Randal Hall, were sentenced to federal prison terms to be followed by a period of supervised release, said Bobby L. Christine, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia.
“A cornerstone of our office’s prosecutions is the Prosecutor to Prosecutor Program, in which we collaborate with local district attorneys to determine the best venue for cases,” said U.S. Attorney Christine. “As these sentences demonstrate, federal court often is the best option for prosecuting violent criminals with illegally carried firearms, because substantial prison time awaits – with no parole.”
Sentenced in the cases are:
- Darryl Kennedy Daggett, 30, of Augusta, to 188 months in federal prison followed by five years of supervised release. Daggett pled guilty to Possession with Intent to Distribute Cocaine, Crack Cocaine and Marijuana, and Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. Daggett, who has a history of convictions on state narcotics charges, was arrested in December 2018 by Richmond County Sheriff’s deputies after a search of his vehicle revealed substantial amounts of illegal drugs and a stolen firearm. He was adjudicated as a career offender.
- Steven Williams, 31, of Hephzibah, to 188 months in federal prison followed by five years of supervised release. Williams, arrested in June 2019 by Richmond County Sheriff’s investigators, pled guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. Because of his substantial criminal record including state convictions for burglary, narcotics and firearms, Williams was adjudicated as an armed career criminal.
- Terry Benjamin Jr. 45, of Augusta, to 48 months in federal prison followed by three years of supervised release. Benjamin pled guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. Benjamin, who was found in possession of a pistol in April 2019 after a disturbance at an Augusta hotel, has an extensive record of criminal convictions including crimes involving violence, firearms and drugs.
- Larry Meminger Jr., 34, of Augusta, to 60 months in federal prison followed by three years of supervised release. Meminger pled guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. He was charged after a May 2018 report by Richmond County Sheriff’s deputies who responded to a call in which Meminger, claiming a home invasion, had suffered a minor gunshot wound. The investigation determined the wound was accidentally self-inflicted. Meminger, who had outstanding warrants at the time, was located and arrested six months later. Meminger has a substantial criminal record that includes multiple state convictions related to illegal drugs.
- Jerry Kemp Jr., 41, of Wrens, Ga., to 77 months in federal prison followed by three years of supervised release. Kemp pled guilty to an Information charging him with Possession of Ammunition by a Convicted Felon. He was arrested by the Wrens Police Department in October 2018 after officers responded to reports of a man pointing a firearm. Kemp has a lengthy criminal record that includes convictions for violence and firearms-related charges.
“These defendants have no business carrying firearms, given their previous criminal conduct,” said Beau Kolodka, Assistant Special Agent in Charge of the Atlanta Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). “These arrests have made the Southern District of Georgia a safer place.
This investigations took place under the umbrella of Project Guardian, the Department of Justice’s signature initiative to reduce gun violence and enforce federal firearms laws.
The cases were investigated by the ATF, the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office and the Wrens Police Department, and prosecuted for the United States by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Alejandro V. Pascual IV, Henry W. Syms Jr., and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael A. Marchman Jr.
Gulfport Man Pleads Guilty to Possession with Intent to Distribute MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
Gulfport, Miss – Xzavier Earl Damon Wilson, 24, of Gulfport, entered a guilty plea today before Senior U.S. District Judge Louis Guirola, Jr. to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, announced U.S. Attorney Mike Hurst and Brad L. Byerley, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration.
Wilson is scheduled for sentencing by Judge Guirola on September 24, 2020 at 10:00 a.m., and faces a minimum of 5 years and maximum of 40 years in prison. He further faces fines up to $5,000,000 and at least 5 years of supervised release.
The Harrison County Sheriff’s Department Narcotics Unit was investigating a heroin overdose and received information that Wilson was the source of supply. On September 30, 2019, during a traffic stop of Wilson, deputies found 55.15 grams of 100% pure Methamphetamine, a small amount of marijuana and a Schedule I controlled substance synthetic cannabinoid.
A search of a car at the house Wilson was observed leaving produced 27.873 grams of Heroin, 375.9 grams of pure Methamphetamine along with pills.
The Harrison County Sheriff’s Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration investigated the case. It is prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Annette Williams.
Guilty Plea in a Refund Fraud Scheme Conducted from Hotels and Motels Throughout Northern CaliforniaRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — A Salt Lake City man pleaded guilty Thursday to a conspiracy to commit bank fraud that attempted to defraud financial institutions of more than $1.5 million, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced.
According to court documents, between June 2018 and February 2019, Talalima Toilolo, 44, conspired with Johnathon Ward and Monica Nunes, to defraud financial institutions using a scheme that exploited the merchant refund process used by businesses and retail establishments to pay back customers for returns, reimbursements, and erroneous charges.
The defendants committed this scheme by stealing or purchasing point-of-sale (POS) terminals used by businesses to process bankcard transactions. The defendants programmed each terminal to make it appear as if it was authorized by a particular merchant, connected the terminals to payment processing intermediaries, and executed refund transactions even though no purchases had been made. The payment processors, falsely believing the terminals were authorized, approved the refunds and caused the merchants’ banks to transfer funds to the defendants’ accounts. The defendants then drained the stolen funds from the accounts. The indictment alleges that this scheme caused at least $3.5 million in intended victim losses.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Regional Enforcement Allied Computer Team (REACT) Task Force, which includes investigators from the Santa Clara County District Attorney’s Office and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert J. Artuz is prosecuting the case.
Nunes has pleaded guilty and is scheduled to be sentenced on Aug. 6. Charges are pending against Ward. The charges against him are only allegations; he is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Toilolo is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Morrison C. England Jr. on Sept. 17. Toilolo faces a maximum statutory penalty of 30 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.
Greenville Ambulance Company Manager Sentenced to Prison in Multimillion Dollar Fraud and Identity Theft SchemeRead the Press Release
RALEIGH, N.C. – Today a federal judge sentenced a Greenville ambulance company manager to 64 months in prison and 3 years of supervised release on charges of Conspiracy to Commit Health Care Fraud and Aggravated Identity Theft. He was also ordered to pay $4,726,464.42 in restitution.
United States Attorney Robert J. Higdon, Jr. stated, “Medicare entrusts its providers to only bill taxpayers for the work that they actually perform. In this case, the defendants blatantly abused that trust, stealing millions from taxpayers in the form of fake ambulance services. This case is a reminder to the public that the price of these crimes is spending years in federal prison.”
According to the Criminal Information and evidence discussed at the sentencing hearing, Davon Terrell Henderson, 32, of Greenville, worked as the manager of Med-1 Interfacility Care, LLC (“Med-1”), an ambulance transportation company, and was also the owner of a wheelchair transport company named H&H Transport Services, LLC (“H&H”).
Between 2014 and June of 2016, Henderson and billing clerk Pamela Dewitt Babb worked together to fraudulently bill Humana, a Medicare Part C contractor, for more than $6.1 Million dollars in fictitious ambulance services. To carry out the crime, Henderson paid others to steal Humana beneficiaries and Medicare identification numbers, mostly from assisted living facilities. Henderson and Babb then used the identities of the beneficiaries to “back-bill” Humana for the fake services. In total, Henderson and Babb reaped $4.7 Million from the fraud scheme, which they split amongst themselves.
Babb was previously sentenced in January of 2020 to serve 72 months in federal prison.
Robert J. Higdon, Jr., U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement. The United States Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the Inspector General, handled the investigation of this case, and Assistant U.S. Attorney William M. Gilmore served as the prosecutor.
Related court documents and information are located on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 4:19-cr-0061-BO
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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
Green County Man Sentenced for Trafficking MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. –Scott C. Blader, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Darrin Demrow, 41, Brodhead, Wisconsin, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge William M. Conley to six years in prison for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. Demrow pleaded guilty to this charge on January 16, 2020.
Demrow was arrested on November 21, 2019, after he purchased over 100 grams of methamphetamine in Texas and drove the drugs back to his home in Brodhead. The investigation revealed that prior to his arrest, Demrow received seven mail packages from Texas that likely contained methamphetamine. Federal agents searched and seized one of those packages on August 8, 2019, and found approximately one ounce of methamphetamine.
At the sentencing hearing, Judge Conley found that Demrow was a danger to society based on his lengthy criminal history, which included prior felony convictions for burglary, domestic abuse, bail jumping, and possession of narcotic drugs. Judge Conley also noted that Demrow’s criminal activity occurred while on supervision from a felony burglary conviction and on probation from a separate felony drug conviction.
The charge against Demrow was the result of an investigation conducted by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Green County Sheriff’s Department, Rock County Sheriff’s Department, Stateline Area Narcotics Task Force, and Drug Enforcement Administration. The prosecution of the case has been handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron Wegner.
Goshen Man Sentenced to over 15 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
SOUTH BEND – Brandon Kramer, age 29, of Goshen, Indiana was sentenced today by United States District Court Judge Jon E. DeGuilio upon his guilty plea to production of child pornography, announced U.S. Attorney Kirsch.
Mr. Kramer was sentenced to 188 months in prison followed by 5 years of supervised release.
According to documents filed in this case, on August 3, 2018, Kramer induced a pre-teen female to produce two visual depictions of child pornography.
This case was investigated by Federal Bureau of Investigation. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys John Maciejczyk.
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Fresno Man Sentenced for Credit Card Fraud and Possession of Stolen MailRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — U.S. District Judge Dale A. Drozd sentenced a Fresno man today to one year and one day in prison for credit card fraud and possession of stolen mail, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced.
According to court records, from Dec. 5, 2018, through March 28, 2019, Justin Deger, 28, broke into mail boxes at various Fresno area residences and stole over 2,000 pieces of mail, including checks and 26 credit cards. He subsequently activated some of those credit cards and made unauthorized purchases and cash withdrawals at retailers and casinos totaling thousands of dollars. Deger was also ordered to pay full restitution to the victims and forfeit the proceeds of his crimes.
This case was the product of an investigation by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and the Fresno Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Vincente Tennerelli and Joseph Barton prosecuted the case.
Fort Dodge Man Given Lengthy Prison Sentence for Methamphetamine ConspiracyRead the Press Release
A Fort Dodge man was sentenced June 23, 2020 to more than 24 years in federal prison.
Demetrius Johnson, age 34, from Fort Dodge, IA, received the prison term after a guilty plea to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and possession of firearms by a prohibited person.
In a plea agreement, Johnson admitted he was distributing methamphetamine from the fall of 2017 to on or about August 2019. In December 2019, Johnson sold methamphetamine on two separate occasions in Mason City, Iowa. On January 15, 2018, law enforcement searched Johnson’s Mason City storage locker and apartment where they seized methamphetamine, large quantities of marijuana, and three handguns, one of which was loaded. Johnson left Mason City and moved to Fort Dodge where Johnson was hiding from law enforcement pending his parole violation for another drug dealing offense. On August 1, 2019, Johnson was found in Fort Dodge. At the time of his arrest, law enforcement noticed a strong odor of marijuana which led them to search his residence finding approximately 4.5 pounds of pure methamphetamine, as well as another handgun.
During the course of his drug dealing, defendant used other people to sell drugs for him and maintained an apartment for the purpose of drug dealing. Johnson has three prior felony drug convictions and multiple convictions for violent offenses.
Johnson was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand. Jonson was sentenced to 292 months’ imprisonment for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and 120 months for possession of firearms by a prohibited person to run concurrently. He must also serve a 10-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
Johnson is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). PSN is 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 case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jack Lammers and investigated by the North Central Iowa Drug Task Force, the Cerro Gordo Sheriff’s Office, the Mason City Police Department, the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, the Fort Dodge Police Force, and the Webster County Sheriff’s Office.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 19-3037.
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Former Union General Hospital CEO and two Blairsville doctors sentenced to federal prison for illegally prescribing and obtaining pain pillsRead the Press Release
GAINESVILLE, Ga. - John Michael “Mike” Gowder, James Heaton, and George David Gowder have been sentenced to federal prison. Both Mike Gowder and Heaton were convicted on October 24, 2019, after a two-week jury trial on 102 counts related to illegally prescribing and obtaining more than 15,000 doses of prescription pain medications outside the usual course of professional practice and for no legitimate medical purpose. In addition, Heaton was convicted of 27 counts of issuing illegitimate prescriptions to two female patients. David Gowder pleaded guilty on March 15, 2019, to illegally dispensing opiates outside the scope of professional practice and without a legitimate medical purpose.
“The abuse of prescription drugs and its related criminal activity is a danger in many of our communities - one we have made a central focus of our office,” said U.S. Attorney Byung J. “BJay” Pak. “Jurors in this case sent a clear message that the illicit prescribing and obtaining of controlled substances will not be tolerated.”
Robert J. Murphy, the Special Agent in Charge of the DEA’s Atlanta Field Division stated, “In this case, the dispensing of addictive prescription pain medication under the guise of a licensed medical professional’s care is not about the good of the community or an individual’s specific health needs; it is about the greed of those involved in illegal prescribing practices.” DEA and its law enforcement partners will continue to expend its time, energy and resources in an effort to stem the tide against the growing opioid epidemic. The spirited level of law enforcement cooperation and the prosecution by the U.S. Attorney’s Office made this investigation a success.”
“I simply want to personally thank our federal partners, the DEA and their outstanding agent. Also, Assistant U.S. Attorneys William McKinnon and Laurel Boatright, and especially U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Georgia BJay Pak, who without his diligent interest in these cases prosecution and conviction would not have been possible. During my 37 years in law enforcement at the state and local level as Sheriff I have never seen or even heard of a federal prosecutor that was so intent on aiding local law enforcement as U.S. Attorney Pak. He helps make the system work as it should with cooperation, assistance, and a pro-found interest in our needs,” said Mack Mason, Sheriff, Union County.
“The Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office (NC) would like to thank all the partners involved with the investigation and prosecution of this case. It is great to know that a good working relationship among law enforcement agencies keeps drug users and dealers from hiding across state lines to conduct their illegal activities,” said Derrick Palmer, Sheriff, Cherokee County, North Carolina.
“An excellent job was done by all, from the local level, to the state level and at the federal level. The public places a great deal of trust in medical professionals and in order to combat the opioid crisis drug dealers in white coats must be weeded out as well,” said Dennis M. Troughton Sr., Director, Georgia Drugs and Narcotics Agency.
According to U.S. Attorney Pak, the charges and other information presented in court: From 2011 to 2015, Mike Gowder served as the Chief Operating Officer and later Chief Executive Officer of Union General Hospital (“the Hospital”) in Blairsville, Georgia. Dr. James Heaton operated a family practice clinic in Blairsville and worked as the Medical Director of the Nursing Home of the Hospital. Dr. David Gowder was the Emergency Room Director of the hospital and a member of the Hospital’s Board of Directors (until April 2015).
On April 11, 2015, Dr. David Gowder was arrested by the Union County Sheriff’s Office after presenting to two local pharmacies three forged oxycodone prescriptions purportedly issued by a hospital colleague. He admitted that he had become addicted to oxycodone. Investigators later learned that, since mid-2011, David Gowder had been routinely writing or “calling in” to local pharmacies high quantity, high-dose opiate prescriptions in the names of family members and fictitious patients (including alleged missionaries). Investigators also learned that many of the prescriptions were filled by hospital employees at the instruction of David Gowder. He also stole pills from some of his patients at the hospital and elsewhere.
During this same time, investigators also learned that Dr. James Heaton had illegally prescribed increasing quantities of hydrocodone and oxycodone to Mike Gowder between 2012 and 2015, knowing that those prescriptions were issued outside the usual course of professional practice and that the pills obtained with the prescriptions had no legitimate medical purpose. Heaton violated numerous standards of medical practice by prescribing the pills to Mike Gowder, without adequately documenting the medical need for the prescriptions in his patient file and without monitoring patient abuse of the pills he obtained. During the three-and-half years in which Heaton prescribed more than 15,000 hydrocodone and oxycodone pills to Mike Gowder, Heaton recorded only six of the prescriptions in his patient file for Mike Gowder.
Starting in 2012, Mike Gowder obtained oxycodone by fraud, subterfuge, and deception by filling the illegal prescriptions from Heaton at different pharmacies in an effort to conceal the large numbers of pills that Heaton was prescribing to him. In addition to filling the prescriptions at pharmacies in Georgia, Mike Gowder often travelled to North Carolina and Tennessee to fill multiple prescriptions a month at pharmacies in those states. On numerous occasions, Heaton wrote two prescriptions for oxycodone for Mike Gowder on the same day. On other occasions, Mike Gowder traveled to North Carolina to fill one prescription, and then traveled to Tennessee to fill a second prescription, to hide the fact that Heaton had written multiple prescriptions to him on the same day. During this time, Mike Gowder recommended that the hospital purchase Heaton’s sleep study, increase Heaton’s compensation for various roles at the hospital, and that Heaton serve as a member of the Hospital Board of Directors.
Investigators also learned that Heaton issued prescriptions for hydrocodone, oxycodone, and methadone to two female patients outside the usual course of professional practice and without a legitimate medical purpose, including by ignoring obvious signs that the two women were abusing the medications and/or had become addicted. Oxycodone, hydrocodone, and methadone are powerful pain medications that are listed as controlled substances under federal law because each has a high potential for psychological and physical abuse and dependence. Oxycodone, which may be combined with acetaminophen, is sold generically under brand names including Percocet, Endocet, Oxycontin, and Roxicodone. Hydrocodone is sold generically or under brand names including Lortab, Vicodin, and Norco. Methadone is an opioid pain medication that is also used in opioid dependence therapy
The defendants in this case have been sentenced as follows:
- John Michael “Mike” Gowder, 62, of Nashville, Tennessee, has been sentenced to one year and one day in prison.
- Dr. James Heaton, 63, of Blairsville, Georgia, has been sentenced to six years in prison.
- Dr. David Gowder, 63, of Blairsville, Georgia, was sentenced to one year, six months in prison on June 10, 2020, after pleading guilty to illegally dispensing opiates outside the scope of professional practice and without a legitimate medical purpose.
The Drug Enforcement Administration, the Union County (Georgia) Sheriff's Office, Cherokee County (North Carolina) Sheriff’s Office, Georgia Drugs and Narcotics Agency, and Zell Miller Mountain Parkway Drug Task Force are investigating this case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Laurel R. Boatright, Deputy Chief of the Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs Section (PSN), and former Assistant U.S. Attorney William McKinnon prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Operation SCOPE, Strategically Combatting Opioids through Prosecution and Enforcement. SCOPE is our initiative combining our efforts (criminal, civil, and educational) with those of our law enforcement partners to create one unified front in the battle against the opioid/heroin epidemic. One important aspect of Operation SCOPE is to prosecute those who are illegally prescribing, or distributing, painkillers.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Atlanta recommends parents and children learn about the dangers of drugs at the following web site: www.justthinktwice.gov.
For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at [email protected] or (404) 581-6016. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.
Former Postal Employee Re-Sentenced for Sexually Exploiting a ChildRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A former U.S. Postal Service (USPS) employee was re-sentenced yesterday in federal court in Worcester for sexually exploiting a child, using USPS computers to access child pornography and possessing child pornography.
Stephen Mantha, 66, of Spencer, was re-sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Timothy S. Hillman to 16 years and four months in prison and five years of supervised release. In February 2018, Mantha pleaded guilty to one count of producing child pornography, one count of accessing child pornography and one count of possession of child pornography. An identical sentence was imposed in August 2018, but the sentence was vacated on appeal due to an error in calculating the federal sentencing guidelines.
In the summer of 2015, federal investigators were alerted to suspicious internet searches being conducted on a computer at a Shrewsbury postal facility where Mantha worked as an electronic technician. In the course of the investigation, agents installed a computer activity recorder, which tracked all computer usage on that computer, and, a video camera, which recorded the identity of the person using the computer. Agents were then able to observe and record as Mantha searched for, and viewed, child pornography on USPS computers.
On Sept. 21, 2016, a search warrant was executed at Mantha’s residence where numerous thumb drives containing child pornography were recovered. During the review of the materials seized from Mantha’s home, a video was discovered, which had been recorded in approximately 2000 or 2001, depicting Mantha sexually abusing an approximately seven-year-old boy. That same month, agents were able to locate and interview the boy (now an adult), who confirmed the sexual abuse.
In 2000 and 2001, at the date of the offense, the charge of sexual exploitation of a child provided for a mandatory minimum of 10 years and up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. Although existing penalties for producing child pornography are substantially higher, the Constitution prohibits the government from subjecting individuals to more stringent penalties adopted after their crimes had been committed. The charges of accessing child pornography and possession of child pornography provide for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, five years and up to life 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; Matthew Modafferi, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Postal Service, Office of the Inspector General, Northeast Area Office; Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Division; Colonel Christopher Mason, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police; Spencer Police Chief David Darrin; and Shrewsbury Police Chief James Hester Jr. made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Grady of Lelling’s Worcester Branch Office prosecuted the case.
The case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood. In 2006, the Department of Justice created Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
Former D.C. Tax Official Pleads Guilty to Accepting Bribes to Erase Millions in Tax LiabilityRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON—A former official of the D.C. Office of Tax and Revenue (OTR) pled guilty today for participating in corruption schemes in which he accepted at least $75,000 in exchange for fraudulently erasing tax liability, inflicting more than $3 million in losses upon the District of Columbia.
The announcement was made by Acting U.S. Attorney Michael R. Sherwin, Special Agent in Charge James A. Dawson of FBI’s Washington Field Office, District of Columbia Inspector General Daniel W. Lucas, and District of Columbia Chief Financial Officer Jeffrey S. DeWitt.
Vincent Slater, 42, of Temple Hills, MD, pled guilty before the Honorable Reggie B. Walton in the District Court for the District of Columbia. The charge of bribery carries a statutory maximum of 15 years in prison and potential financial penalties. Under federal sentencing guidelines, Slater faces a possible range of 87 to 108 months’ imprisonment. A sentencing date has not yet been set.
The investigation into Slater’s schemes—which, to date, has resulted in the guilty pleas of two taxpayers and the indictment of two taxpayers and another former District of Columbia government employee—began in 2017 when internal auditors from the Office of the Chief Financial Officer noticed suspicious adjustments to certain taxpayers’ accounts.
In announcing Slater’s guilty plea, Acting U.S. Attorney Sherwin stated, “Corruption at any level of government should not be tolerated. Our Office is committed to holding accountable officials who abuse the public trust to line their pockets with taxpayer dollars. We will vigorously pursue corruption at all levels of government, and especially corruption targeted at the citizens of the District of Columbia.”
According to the statement of offense, between 2012 and 2017, Slater brokered bribery agreements with various bar and nightclub owners—including Davoud Jafari, 69, of Washington, D.C., and Andre De Moya, 47, Arman Amirshahi, 49, and Charles Zhou, 47, of Maryland—through a former employee of the D.C. Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs, Anthony Merritt, 45, of Washington, D.C. Slater then used his position as a manager in OTR’s Adjustment Unit to fraudulently eliminate or reduce the tax liabilities of their businesses, or otherwise act to fraudulently benefit bribe-paying taxpayers.
As part of his guilty plea, Slater admitted to causing a total loss of more than $3 million to the District. Slater explained that typically, he and Merritt agreed to solicit bribe payments equaling approximately half of the amount the taxpayer sought to evade paying, and then to split the bribe proceeds amongst themselves. Slater further admitted that $75,000 in cash deposits he made into his bank accounts during the scheme were bribe proceeds.
Taxpayers Amirshahi and Zhou previously pled guilty for their roles in the bribery schemes and are awaiting sentencing. De Moya, Jafari, and Merritt were indicted by a grand jury in the District of Columbia in 2019 and their cases have not yet been set for trial.
Slater’s plea marked the second time in two weeks that former D.C. tax officials have pled guilty to bribery. On June 12, 2020, Bobby Tucker, 64, of Virginia, former Chief of Collections at OTR, pled guilty to a federal bribery charge stemming from a scheme in which, after departing his OTR position to pursue private business opportunities, he paid bribes to an OTR official in order to reduce the tax liabilities of a business he consulted and to take other actions to benefit Tucker’s business interests. Tucker admitted that he agreed to pay an OTR official, who was working as a confidential source, to obtain referrals of city taxpayers with outstanding tax liabilities. Tucker would then attempt to broker a bribery agreement whereby he would be paid by a business owner to facilitate a bribe to the OTR official to fraudulently reduce or eliminate tax liabilities. The Honorable Beryl A. Howell scheduled Tucker’s sentencing for September 11, 2020.
These cases are being investigated by the FBI’s Washington Field Office and the District of Columbia Officer of the Inspector General, with substantial assistance by the District of Columbia Office of the Chief Financial Officer, Office of Integrity and Oversight. Assistant United States Attorneys Emily Miller and Molly Gaston of the Fraud and Public Corruption Section are prosecuting the Slater case on other individuals involved in his corruption scheme, and Assistant United States Attorney Peter Lallas, also of the Fraud and Public Corruption Section, is prosecuting the Tucker case.
Former Air Force Staff Sergeant Sentenced for Child PornographyRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Joe Kelly announced that Willis T. Brown, 31, formerly a Staff Sergeant for the United States Air Force, was sentenced today in federal court for possessing child pornography. United States District Judge Robert F. Rossiter, Jr. sentenced Brown to 54 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After his release from prison, Brown will begin a 7-year term of supervised release and will be required to register as a sex offender.
The Nebraska State Patrol was conducting an undercover investigation into individuals receiving child pornography through the internet. A computer at Brown’s residence was identified as sharing images of child pornography. Two of the files involved seven- to nine-year-old girls engaging in sexually explicit conduct. A search warrant was executed in October 2018. Forensic examination of Brown’s devices revealed five images of child pornography in unallocated space. Search terms indicating earlier searches of child pornography were also found.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
This case was investigated by the Nebraska State Patrol.
Five Defendants Sentenced for Marriage/Immigration SchemeRead the Press Release
DENVER – United States Attorney Jason R. Dunn today announced that five defendants have been sentenced this week for conspiracy to commit marriage fraud and making false statements regarding that fraud to the government. Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), and Army Criminal Investigations Division (Army CID), joined in the announcement.
Those sentenced this week were:
- Sergeant Galima Murry, age 29, was sentenced to serve 8 months in federal prison, followed by 2 years on supervised release.
- Diann Ramcharan, age 37, was sentenced to serve 4 months in federal prison, followed by 2 years on supervised release.
- Rajesh Ramcharan, age 45, was sentenced to serve 3 months in federal prison, followed by 2 years on supervised release.
- Pastor Ken Harvell, age 60, was sentenced to serve 3 years of probation with the first 4 months in home confinement.
- Angelica Guevara, age 31, was sentenced to serve 1 year of probation.
According to facts established at trial, the purpose of the conspiracy was to obtain immigration benefits for Rajesh Ramcharan, Diann Ramcharan, and one of their minor children. The Ramcharans, a married couple, came to the United States from Trinidad & Tobago on visitor visas in 2007. They overstayed their visitor visas and settled in Colorado. They then devised a scheme to defeat United States immigration laws and stay in the country illegally.
The scheme had several steps. First, in 2010, the couple was married by Pastor Ken Harvell, who signed a marriage certificate for the Ramcharans. The couple then filed for a divorce. Five days after that divorce was finalized, Pastor Harvell signed a new marriage certificate for Diann Ramcharan and Sergeant Galima Murry. Sergeant Murry is a citizen of the United States and at the time was a soldier at Fort Carson. Diann Ramcharan and Sergeant Murry entered into this marriage for the purpose of evading immigration laws and enabling Diann Ramcharan to stay in the United States. In addition, Sergeant Murry separately obtained military benefits by claiming to be married to Diann Ramcharan. Several years later, in 2015, Rajesh Ramcharan entered into a marriage with Angelica Guevara, who also is a citizen of the United States. Pastor Harvell, whom the jury found knowingly and voluntarily participated in the conspiracy, also signed the marriage certificate between Guevara and Rajesh Ramcharan. During the time of both the Ramcharans’ fraudulent marriages to Murry and Guevara, the Ramcharans lived with each other and otherwise presented themselves to the world as a married couple.
“We have legitimate and legal processes for becoming a citizen of this country that we expect everyone to follow,” said U.S. Attorney Jason Dunn. “Thousands upon thousands of people do so every year, but these individuals tried to illegally shortcut that process for their own benefit and greed, and as a result will now pay a steep price.”
Each defendant was also convicted for their involvement in the submission of at least one false statement to U.S. immigration authorities as part of the Ramcharans’ attempts to gain lawful immigration status in the United States. Guevara pleaded guilty to the conspiracy and testified at trial about the marriage fraud scheme.
Four of the five defendants were earlier found guilty following a nine-day jury trial, with the guilty verdicts announced on January 16, 2020. The fifth defendant pleaded guilty. The trial and sentencings hearings were conducted by U.S. District Court Judge David M. Ebel.
The defendants were prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Daniel McIntyre and Assistant U.S. Attorney Emily Treaster. This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), and Army Criminal Investigations Division (CID), with assistance from the El Paso County Sheriff’s Office.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado. Related court documents can be found on PACER by searching for Case Number 19-cr-154.
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.
Final Two Defendants Sentenced in Methamphetamine Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
PIKEVILLE, KY- Amy Jo King, 40, of Bybro, Ky., and Christopher A. Moore, 41, of Kite, Ky., were sentenced in court on Thursday to 262 months and 108 months, respectively, in federal prison, by U.S. District Judge Karen Caldwell, for conspiracy and possession with intention to distribute methamphetamine.
King admitted that from August 2018 to November 2018, she conspired with Moore and Gregory Phillip Chaffins to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine. According to their plea agreements, King made an arrangement with a methamphetamine dealer in Atlanta, Georgia, where she obtained more 500 grams of methamphetamine and distributed it to other dealers and users, including Moore and Chaffins, who sold it in Floyd, Knott, and Letcher Counties.
Chaffins was sentenced to 200 months in federal prison on Tuesday.
Under federal law, King, Moore, and Chaffins name must serve 85 percent of their prison sentence. Upon release, King will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for five years, and Moore will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for four years.
Robert M. Duncan, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; James Robert Brown, Special Agent in Charge, FBI, Louisville Field Division; and Commissioner Rodney Brewer, Kentucky State Police; jointly made the announcement.
The investigation was directed by the FBI and KSP. The United States was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason Parman.
The year 2020 marks the 150th anniversary of the Department of Justice. Learn more about the history of our agency at www.Justice.gov/Celebrating150Years.
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Fentanyl Dealer Facing up to Eighty Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE – A Pawtucket man who admitted to selling significant quantities of fentanyl on the streets of Pawtucket is facing between five and eighty years in federal prison after pleading guilty in U.S. District Court to drug trafficking charges.
Jessie Yanez, 34, was arrested by members of the Cranston Police Department on November 16, 2019, following an investigation by members of the Pawtucket Police Department and the FBI Safe Streets Task Force. The investigation included four controlled purchases of varying amounts of fentanyl and cocaine from Yanez.
According to information presented to the court, Yanez sold an individual 3.5 grams of fentanyl for $240 on October 28, 2019, 20 grams of fentanyl for $1,800 on November 1, 2019, 50 grams of fentanyl for $2,750 on November 6, 2019, and 50 grams of cocaine for $1,900 on November 14, 2019.
Yanez, who has been detained since his arrest, appeared today before U.S. District Court Chief Judge John J. McConnell, Jr. and pleaded guilty to two counts of distribution of less than 40 grams of fentanyl, one count of distribution of more than 40 grams of fentanyl, and one count of distribution of less than 500 grams of cocaine, announced United States Attorney Aaron L. Weisman, Cranston Police Chief Colonel Michael J. Winquist, Pawtucket Police Chief Tina Goncalves, and Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Boston Division Joseph R. Bonavolonta.
Yanez is scheduled to be sentenced on August 25, 2020.
Distribution of less than 40 grams of fentanyl is punishable by up to 20 years in federal prison followed by 3 years of supervised release. Distribution of more than 40 grams of fentanyl is punishable by a minimum of 5 years and up to 40 years imprisonment followed by 4 years of supervised release. Distribution of less than 500 grams of cocaine is punishable by up to 20 years in federal prison and 3 years of supervised release.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney’s Stacey P. Veroni and Gerard B. Sullivan.
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Felon Indicted for Gun and Pawn Shop BurglaryRead the Press Release
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – A federal grand jury last week indicted a felon in connection to a burglary of a gun and pawn shop in Jasper, announced U.S. Attorney Jay E. Town and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Explosives and Firearms Acting Special Agent in Frank Haera.
A four-count indictment filed in U.S. District Court charges Donald Keith Southall, 55, Quinton, Ala., with one-count of theft of a firearm from a Federal Firearms Licensed business, Outlaw Gun and Pawn in Jasper, on July 1, 2019. The indictment also charges Southall with one-count of possession of a stolen firearm and two-counts of being a felon in possession of a firearm.
“We have zero-tolerance for violent crime in the Northern District of Alabama,” Town said. “Felons with firearms violate our federal laws and present a danger to all of us. Together with our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners we will continue to aggressively prosecute those individuals who threaten the safety of our communities.”
ATF Acting Special Agent in Charge Frank Haera stated, “Stolen firearms from Federal Firearms Licensees cause a serious issue for the safety of the public. This indictment illustrates ATF’s partnerships with the community and law enforcement to provide a safe environment for our communities.”
The maximum penalty for stealing a firearm from a licensed gun dealer, for possession of a stolen firearm, and being a felon in possession of a firearm is 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
ATF investigated the case, along with the Walker County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Britteny Bucak is prosecuting.
An indictment is merely an allegation and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
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.
Feds Charge Additional Defendant for Looting Neighborhood Pharmacy During Civil UnrestRead the Press Release
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – United States Attorney Russell Coleman today announced that a federal grand jury has indicted a man for attempting to rob a pharmacy during civil unrest in Louisville. This indictment is additive to multiple charges recently announced by the United States Attorney’s Office for the looting of neighborhood pharmacies for controlled substances, carjacking, and illegal possession of firearms by convicted felons.
“What does looting a relied-upon neighborhood pharmacy for drugs have to do with constitutionally-protected speech seeking change in policing; nothing,” said U.S. Attorney Russell Coleman. “Federal law enforcement will stand as one to protect our neighbors in all neighborhoods of Louisville.”
Christopher Tinsley, 27, of Louisville, has been charged with conspiracy to commit burglary involving controlled substances by a Federal Grand Jury sitting in Louisville. According to a criminal complaint, on June 2, 2020, LMPD responded to a burglary in progress at Walgreens on 5201 S. 3rd St. Louisville, Kentucky. Police observed multiple people fleeing the business when they arrived. Tinsley was detained at that time along with Vontreil Bailey, 30, of Louisville, who the U.S. Attorney’s Office previously announced was charged with conspiracy to commit burglary involving controlled substances.
During a law enforcement interview on June 6, 2020, an employee of the business advised that the burglary had severely affected Walgreens’ ability to conduct business as patients prescriptions had been stolen, and the pharmacy was left in disarray.
The charges carry a penalty of no more than 10 years, a maximum fine of $250,000 and no more than three years of supervised release
The Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Louisville Metro Police Department are investigating the case.
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Fayetteville Man Pleads Guilty to Stealing Postage from Law Firm to File Fraudulent ClaimsRead the Press Release
WILMINGTON, N.C. – A federal judge accepted a guilty plea today from a Fayetteville man who was charged with Conspiracy to Defraud the United States on Claims.
According to the Criminal Information, Casey Tyler Smith, 27, of Fayetteville, worked in Wilmington at a law firm identified in the Criminal Information as “B&S.” In the course of his work at the law firm, Smith had access to the firm’s Pitney Bowes postal meter.
According to the Criminal Information, Smith accessed the firm’s postal meter and fraudulently generated thousands of dollars in postage on the firm’s postal account. He and others then took the stolen postage to a post office where Smith filed fraudulent postal refund claims, alleging that the postage had been lost or stolen. In fact, the postage was used to generate fraudulent proceeds for Smith. The post office then provided refunds on the postage to Smith in the form of postal money orders, both in his own name and in the names of others.
The Criminal Information further alleges that Smith and others then took the postal money orders to banks to convert them into cash.
In total, Smith caused 113 fraudulent postal claims to be filed, resulting in more than $80,000 in losses to B&S.
At sentencing, Smith faces up to 10 years in prison and 3 years of supervised release for committing the offense of Conspiracy to Defraud the United States on Claims.
Robert J. Higdon, Jr., U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement. The United States Postal Inspection Services handled the investigation of this case, and Assistant U.S. Attorney William M. Gilmore is prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on our website.
An indictment is merely an accusation. The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.
Eleven People Charged with $6 Million Bank Fraud Conspiracy that Operated in South Jersey and Southeastern PennsylvaniaRead the Press Release
CAMDEN, N.J. – Eleven people have been charged for their alleged roles in a large-scale conspiracy to commit bank fraud over in southern New Jersey and southeastern Pennsylvania over the course of four years, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito announced today.
The complaints unsealed today charge each of the defendants with bank fraud conspiracy in connection with a scheme that used hundreds of fraudulent accounts to defraud several major banks of $6 million and then launder that money and send it overseas to other conspirators.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
The defendants are allegedly members of a Nigeria-based, multi-layered organization that engaged in a massive bank fraud conspiracy in several states, including New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland and Rhode Island, between June 2016 and March 2020. Members of the group stole numerous business checks from the United States mail, altered the payee on the checks to a fraudulent name and deposited the checks in bank accounts that had been opened with forged foreign passport documents and fraudulent U.S. visas that matched the names on the stolen checks. Once the banks credited all or a portion of the funds to the accounts – but before the checks had cleared – the defendants withdrew the funds from ATMs or purchased money orders, using debit cards associated with the fraudulent accounts. Members of the organization have used over 400 fraudulent accounts with fake identity documents to defraud the banks.
The organization also laundered the proceeds of the fraud by several means, including using debit cards to purchase money orders from third party stores and using those money orders to purchase used automobiles from different automobile auction companies in Pennsylvania. The vehicles were then exported to Nigeria and other countries in Africa to launder the stolen funds and to increase profits by selling the vehicles at the higher market values obtained for vehicles in these foreign countries.
The bank fraud conspiracy count carries a maximum potential penalty of 30 years in prison and a maximum fine of $1 million.
U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito credited special agents of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, under the direction of Damon E. Wood, Inspector in Charge, Philadelphia Division, and Peter R. Rendina, Inspector in Charge, Washington Division; the Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jason Molina in Newark, Special Agent in Charge Brian A. Michael in Philadelphia, Special Agent in Charge John Ernst in Baltimore, and Special Agent in Charge Michael S. Shea in Boston Division; and the U.S. Department of State Diplomatic Security Service (DSS), New York Field Office and Philadelphia Resident Office, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Timothy W. Dumas, with the investigation leading to the charges. He also thanked the U.S. Marshals Service and the Pennsylvania State Police for their assistance.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Patrick C. Askin of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Criminal Division in Camden.
The charges and allegations contained in the complaints are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
The defendants charged today are listed below:
Name
Age
Residence
Sulaiman Fola Dosunmu
39
Darby, Pennsylvania
Tunde Adeowo
40
Lansdowne, Pennsylvania
Muritala Adeowo
55
Lansdowne
Ayanniyi K Alayande
47
Darby
Ahmmed Bamidele Ponle
41
Darby
Margiettu M. Kamu
34
Philadelphia
Rafiat Adesubomi Sarumi
36
Yeadon, Pennsylvania
Babatunde Omotayo Oke
40
Hyattsville, Maryland
Adekunle Kehinde Owolabi
49
Laurel, Maryland
Olayinka Peter Olaseinde
42
Providence, Rhode Island
Olugbenga Oyedele
47
Collingdale, Pennsylvania
East Central Illinois Woman Charged with Meth TraffickingRead the Press Release
URBANA, Ill. – An East Central Illinois woman made her initial appearance in federal court today after she was charged by criminal complaint for alleged possession of more than 50 grams of methamphetamine with intent to distribute. Angela Faith Brown, 41, last known address Mansfield, Ill., was arrested on June 23, 2020, in Ashmore, Ill, a rural Coles County community.
At today’s hearing, before U.S. Magistrate Judge Eric I. Long, Brown was ordered to remain detained in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending a detention hearing scheduled on June 29.
The complaint and supporting affidavit allege that Brown possessed more than 50 grams of methamphetamine with intent to distribute on June 23, 2020, when she was arrested near Ashmore, Ill., in Coles County.
If convicted, the statutory penalty for the offense is 10 years to life in prison.
The charge is the result of an investigation by the FBI Southern Illinois Transnational Organized Crime Task Force; the Coles County Sheriff’s Office; and the Charleston Police Department, with assistance from the Office of Coles County State’s Attorney Jesse Danley. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Finlen represents the government in the case prosecution.
Members of the public are reminded that a complaint is merely an accusation; each defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty.
Department of Justice Announces Launch of Civil Rights Reporting PortalRead the Press Release
The Western District of Michigan’s Local Hotline Continues as a Supplement to the New Portal
GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN -The Department of Justice today announced the launch of the Civil Rights Reporting Portal. This new online tool will make it easier for the public to report a civil rights violation.
“The Department is committed to upholding the civil and constitutional rights of all people in the United States,” said Assistant Attorney General Eric Dreiband of the Civil Rights Division. “The Civil Rights Reporting Portal will make it easier for the public to connect with us, which in turn makes us more effective at upholding these important rights. I encourage the public to use this portal to report civil rights violations.”
The new Civil Rights Reporting Portal – located at civilrights.justice.gov – will consolidate over 30 unique reporting pathways. The portal will dramatically ease the burden on victims of civil rights violations to identify the proper reporting channel. The form is fully accessible to people with disabilities. It is also available in both English and Spanish, with more languages to be added over the next year.
Western District of Michigan U.S. Attorney Andrew Birge explained that the established civil rights hotline contact for the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Grand Rapids will remain available as well, at 616-808-2004 and [email protected]. “We coordinate with the Civil Rights Division on referrals; so whether you want to reach us quickly with a concern or to actually file a report through the new portal, you will be taken seriously.”
Individuals who believe that they may have been victims of civil rights violations can learn more about their rights and how to report violations by visiting civilrights.justice.gov. If you believe that you are a victim of criminal civil rights violations, such as misconduct by law enforcement officers, hate crimes, or human trafficking, please contact your local FBI office.
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Convicted Felon Sentenced to 13 Months in Prison for Possessing a FirearmRead the Press Release
St. Louis, Missouri – Mark Harris, 25, of St. Louis, Missouri was sentenced to 13 months in prison on a charge of felon in possession of a firearm. He appeared in federal court today before U.S. District Judge Catherine D. Perry.
According to court documents, on May 27, 2019, St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department Officers received a call for suspicious person/drugs in the 4000 block of Blow Street. Upon responding to that area, Officers observed three occupants of a vehicle smoking cigarillos, and the Officers smelled marijuana. Officers knocked on the vehicle’s driver’s window and when the driver, later identified as Mark Harris, rolled down the window, the Officers observed a bag of marijuana on Harris’ lap. When the Officers asked if there were any more illegal drugs in the vehicle, the backseat passenger stated that she had more marijuana in her bag, which she handed to the Officers. Officers removed Harris from the vehicle and patted him down, at which time the Officer immediately felt a firearm in Harris’ shorts pocket. The firearm was a loaded Hi-Point, 9mm semi-automatic pistol. Harris has prior felony convictions for a 2015 Stealing of a Motor Vehicle and a 2016 Forgery.
This case was investigated by the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department.