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17 June 2020
Lompoc Man Charged with Involuntary Manslaughter in Connection with Fatal Car Accident Near Vandenberg Air Force BaseRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – A Santa Barbara County man was charged today with involuntary manslaughter for allegedly crashing a stolen Jeep near Vandenberg Air Force Base while under the influence of drugs, killing one motorist and severely injuring another.
Michael James Culligan, 29, of Lompoc, was arrested on June 16 and is scheduled to make his initial appearance this afternoon in United States District Court. He is charged in a federal criminal complaint filed today with one felony count of involuntary manslaughter within federal jurisdiction.
According to an affidavit filed with the complaint, on June 16, law enforcement responded to a report of a traffic collision on Santa Lucia Canyon Road, near Vandenberg Air Force Base. There, law enforcement found two cars – a 2016 Lexus whose driver was dead and whose passenger was badly injured, and an unoccupied 2013 Jeep, the affidavit states.
From the Jeep, law enforcement allegedly recovered empty alcoholic beverage containers and Culligan’s California identification card. Law enforcement also determined that the Jeep had been reported stolen and that the Jeep’s license plates belonged to a different car.
An eyewitness at the crash scene said the driver of the Jeep appeared to have lost control, drove into the oncoming lane of traffic, then crashed head-on into the Lexus, the affidavit states. The Jeep’s driver then fled the scene of the accident, the eyewitness said.
Approximately three hours later, Culligan was apprehended about 1.5 miles from the scene of the collision at a nearby train station. Culligan allegedly admitted to using drugs before operating the Jeep, crashing the Jeep into another car, and fleeing the scene.
A complaint contains allegations that a defendant has committed a crime. Every defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
If convicted of this charge, Culligan would face a statutory maximum sentence of eight years in federal prison.
This matter was investigated by the United States Air Force Office of Special Investigations with the California Highway Patrol and Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office providing substantial assistance.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Joseph D. Axelrad of the Violent and Organized Crime Section.
Las Vegas Dentist Indicted on Income and Employment Tax ChargesRead the Press Release
A federal grand jury in Las Vegas, Nevada, returned an indictment today charging a Las Vegas dentist with failing to pay over payroll taxes, file a tax return, and pay income taxes, announced Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Richard E. Zuckerman of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and U.S. Attorney Nicholas A. Trutanich for the District of Nevada.
According to the indictment, Timothy Wilson owned and operated Starsmiles Children’s Dentistry LLC (Starsmiles), located in North Las Vegas, Nevada. From 2013 through 2014, Wilson withheld payroll taxes from his employees, but allegedly did not pay more than $85,000 in withheld taxes over to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). Wilson also allegedly did not file a tax return for 2014 and did not pay more than $100,000 in taxes that he owed for 2013 through 2018.
If convicted, Wilson faces a maximum sentence of five years in prison for each count of failure to pay over payroll taxes and one year in prison for each count of failure to file a tax returns or pay taxes. Wilson also faces a period of supervised release, restitution, and monetary penalties.
An indictment merely alleges that crimes have been committed. The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Zuckerman and U.S. Attorney Trutanich commended special agents of IRS-Criminal Investigation, who investigated this case, and Trial Attorneys Valerie Preiss and J. Patrick Burns of the Tax Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Peter Levitt, who are prosecuting this case.
Additional information about the Tax Division and its enforcement efforts may be found on the Division’s website.
Las Vegas Dentist Indicted on Income and Employment Tax ChargesRead the Press Release
LAS VEGAS, Nev. – A federal grand jury in Las Vegas, Nevada, returned an indictment today charging a Las Vegas dentist with failing to pay over payroll taxes, file a tax return, and pay income taxes, announced Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Richard E. Zuckerman of the Justice Department’s Tax Division, U.S. Attorney Nicholas A. Trutanich for the District of Nevada, and Special Agent in Charge Tara Sullivan for the IRS-Criminal Investigation.
According to the indictment, Timothy Wilson owned and operated Starsmiles Children’s Dentistry, LLC (Starsmiles), located in North Las Vegas, Nevada. From 2013 through 2014, Wilson withheld payroll taxes from his employees, but allegedly did not pay more than $85,000 in withheld taxes over to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). Wilson also allegedly did not file a tax return for 2014 and did not pay more than $100,000 in taxes that he owed for 2013 through 2018.
If convicted, Wilson faces a maximum sentence of five years in prison for each count of failure to pay over payroll taxes and one year in prison for each count of failure to file a tax returns or pay taxes. Wilson also faces a period of supervised release, restitution, and monetary penalties.
An indictment merely alleges that crimes have been committed. The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Zuckerman, U.S. Attorney Trutanich, and SAC Sullivan commended special agents of IRS-Criminal Investigation, who investigated this case, and Trial Attorneys Valerie Preiss and J. Patrick Burns of the Tax Division, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Peter Levitt, who are prosecuting this case.
Additional information about the Tax Division and its enforcement efforts may be found on the Division’s website.
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Kentucky Truck Driver, Prior Sex Offender Sentenced to 20 Years for Child PornographyRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Kentucky truck driver and prior sex offender was sentenced in federal court today for transporting child pornography.
Gregory Marshall, 59, of Paducah, Kentucky, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge M. Douglas Harpool to 20 years in federal prison without parole. The court also sentenced Marshall to spend the rest of his life on supervised release following incarceration, and ordered Marshall to pay $63,000 in restitution to his victims.
On Oct. 8, 2019, Marshall pleaded guilty to transporting child pornography.
According to court documents, a Missouri State Highway Patrol trooper stopped the tractor trailer Marshall was driving on U.S. Highway 60 in Wright County, Missouri, on June 17, 2018. The trooper discovered that Marshall was a non-compliant sex offender. Marshall has three prior convictions for sexually abusing children, including sexually abusing a 4-year-old child, a 6-year-old child, and a 14-year-old child. While searching the sleeper berth of the tractor, the trooper discovered a laptop computer and an external hard drive that contained child pornography. A total of approximately 25,158 image and video files depicting child pornography were recovered.
Marshall admitted that he downloaded pornographic images of adults and children onto his laptop computer and his external hard drive. He confessed that he was in possession of images of children possibly as young as four years old and acknowledged that some of those images depict children engaged in sexual acts with adults.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney James J. Kelleher. It was investigated by the Missouri State Highway Patrol and Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).
Project Safe Childhood
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc . For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab "resources."Justice Department Issues Recommendations for Section 230 ReformRead the Press Release
The Department of Justice released today a set of reform proposals to update the outdated immunity for online platforms under Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act of 1996. Responding to bipartisan concerns about the scope of 230 immunity, the department identified a set of concrete reform proposals to provide stronger incentives for online platforms to address illicit material on their services while continuing to foster innovation and free speech. The department’s findings are available here.
“When it comes to issues of public safety, the government is the one who must act on behalf of society at large. Law enforcement cannot delegate our obligations to protect the safety of the American people purely to the judgment of profit-seeking private firms. We must shape the incentives for companies to create a safer environment, which is what Section 230 was originally intended to do,” said Attorney General William P. Barr. “Taken together, these reforms will ensure that Section 230 immunity incentivizes online platforms to be responsible actors. These reforms are targeted at platforms to make certain they are appropriately addressing illegal and exploitive content while continuing to preserve a vibrant, open, and competitive internet. These twin objectives of giving online platforms the freedom to grow and innovate while encouraging them to moderate content responsibly were the core objectives of Section 230 at the outset. The Department’s proposal aims to realize these objectives more fully and clearly in order for Section 230 to better serve the interests of the American people.”
The department's review of Section 230 over the last ten months arose in the context of its broader review of market-leading online platforms and their practices, which were announced in July 2019. The department held a large public workshop and expert roundtable in February 2020, as well as dozens of listening sessions with industry, thought leaders, and policy makers, to gain a better understanding of the uses and problems surrounding Section 230.
Section 230 was originally enacted to protect developing technology by providing that online platforms were not liable for the third-party content on their services or for their removal of such content in certain circumstances. This immunity was meant to nurture emerging internet businesses and to overrule a judicial precedent that rendered online platforms liable for all third-party content on their services if they restricted some harmful content.
However, the combination of 25 years of drastic technological changes and an expansive statutory interpretation left online platforms unaccountable for a variety of harms flowing from content on their platforms and with virtually unfettered discretion to censor third-party content with little transparency or accountability. Following the completion of its review, the Department of Justice determined that Section 230 is ripe for reform and identified and developed four categories of wide-ranging recommendations.
Incentivizing Online Platforms to Address Illicit Content
The first category of recommendations is aimed at incentivizing platforms to address the growing amount of illicit content online, while preserving the core of Section 230’s immunity for defamation claims. These reforms include a carve-out for bad actors who purposefully facilitate or solicit content that violates federal criminal law or are willfully blind to criminal content on their own services. Additionally, the department recommends a case-specific carve out where a platform has actual knowledge that content violated federal criminal law and does not act on it within a reasonable time, or where a platform was provided with a court judgment that the content is unlawful, and does not take appropriate action.
Promoting Open Discourse and Greater Transparency
A second category of proposed reforms is intended to clarify the text and revive the original purpose of the statute in order to promote free and open discourse online and encourage greater transparency between platforms and users. One of these recommended reforms is to provide a statutory definition of “good faith” to clarify its original purpose. The new statutory definition would limit immunity for content moderation decisions to those done in accordance with plain and particular terms of service and consistent with public representations. These measures would encourage platforms to be more transparent and accountable to their users.
Clarifying Federal Government Enforcement Capabilities
The third category of recommendations would increase the ability of the government to protect citizens from unlawful conduct, by making it clear that Section 230 does not apply to civil enforcement actions brought by the federal government.
Promoting Competition
A fourth category of reform is to make clear that federal antitrust claims are not, and were never intended to be, covered by Section 230 immunity. Over time, the avenues for engaging in both online commerce and speech have concentrated in the hands of a few key players. It makes little sense to enable large online platforms (particularly dominant ones) to invoke Section 230 immunity in antitrust cases, where liability is based on harm to competition, not on third-party speech.
For more information about the department's recommendations, please visit https://www.justice.gov/ag/department-justice-s-review-section-230-communications-decency-act-1996.
Jamestown Man Pleads Guilty After Being Caught with Meth and Gun in A CarRead 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 Jacob Graham, 19, of Jamestown, NY, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Richard J. Arcara possessing with intent to distribute five grams or more of actual methamphetamine, and possessing a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking. The charges carry a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years in prison, a maximum of life, and a fine of $5,000,000.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua A. Violanti, who is handling the case, stated that on May 07, 2019, Jamestown Police officers observed two males fighting with another male in the area of Crescent and Cheney Streets. The suspects quickly got into a silver vehicle and sped away from the scene. Detectives followed the suspect vehicle in an unmarked police car, but also requested the assistance of a marked patrol unit. The marked patrol unit initiated a traffic stop at the driveway of a residence on Lincoln Street in Jamestown.
A detective approached the passenger side of the vehicle and opened the front passenger door. Inside, the detective observed two baggies of what appeared to be methamphetamine. The front seat passenger, identified as defendant Graham, exited the vehicle and was placed under arrest. Another officer approached the driver's side door of the vehicle and had the driver exit the vehicle. The driver was also placed under arrest. A back seat passenger was detained but later released.
During a subsequent search of the vehicle, investigators recovered a book bag which contained a loaded 12 gauge shotgun. The book bag also contained a digital scale with white powder residue on it and 16 rounds of 12 gauge shotgun ammunition. A records check determined that the firearm was stolen from a Federal Firearms Licensee in Hamilton, Ohio in March 2017.
The defendant made an initial appearance before U.S. District Judge H. Kenneth Schroder, Jr. and is being held.
The plea is the result of an investigation by the Jamestown Police Department, under the direction of Chief Harry Snellings; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge John B. Devito; and the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Ray Donovan, New York Field Division.
Sentencing is scheduled for October 28, 2020, before Judge Arcara.
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Jackson County Man Pleads Guilty to Dealing in Firearms Without a LicenseRead the Press Release
Gulfport, Miss. – Waso Nam Flanagan, 53, a resident of Jackson County, pled guilty yesterday before U.S. District Judge Sul Ozerden, to willfully engaging in the business of dealing in firearms without a license, announced U.S. Attorney Mike Hurst, and Special Agent in Charge Kurt Thielhorn with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF).
Flanagan will be sentenced by Judge Ozerden on September 24, 2020, at 9:30 a.m. and faces a maximum penalty of 5 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
On September 27, 2019, a Jackson County Sheriff’s Office Investigator received information that Flanagan was at a Biloxi address in Jackson County, near the border of Jackson and Harrison Counties. The investigator had knowledge of an outstanding felony warrant for Flanagan’s arrest for possession of stolen firearms, and that Flanagan was on bond for an aggravated assault charge at the time. When investigators found and arrested Flanagan, they also found baggies of marijuana and methamphetamine.
The ATF determined that Flanagan, who was a regular user of narcotics, had been selling firearms and drugs. Flanagan used multiple pawn shops in Jackson and Harrison counties to pawn or sell firearms he bought “off of the street,” and the ATF learned that two of the firearms he purchased on the street, and then sold, had been stolen.
ATF examined firearms pawned by Flanagan to local area pawn shops. When Flanagan pawned firearms, he did not go back to redeem the pawns and was effectively selling the firearms. ATF also obtained transaction documents and, determined that the firearms had traveled in interstate commerce, and were in good condition. The ATF also researched official records and confirmed that Flanagan had never had a license to deal in firearms.
U.S. Attorney Hurst praised the cooperation of the ATF and the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant United States Attorney Stan Harris is the prosecutor for the case.
Inmate Serving State Sentence for Murder Charged with Running Sprawling Drug Conspiracy from PrisonRead the Press Release
OKLAHOMA CITY – An inmate serving a thirty-five year state prison sentence for second-degree murder has been charged with running a large-scale drug trafficking operation from his prison cell, announced U.S. Attorney Timothy J. Downing.
On June 4, 2020, a federal grand jury indicted Richard Leroy, a/k/a "Solo," 33, of eight counts of possessing methamphetamine with intent to distribute and one count of a drug conspiracy. Leroy, who was incarcerated at the Davis Correctional Facility in Holdenville, Oklahoma, is alleged to have controlled his drug conspiracy through the use of contraband cell phones. Leroy was arraigned on these charges today in federal court in Oklahoma City.
Specifically, the indictment alleges that over a two-year period, Leroy used contraband cell phones to coordinate both the acquisition and distribution of large amounts of methamphetamine and heroin. He accomplished this by recruiting and using non-incarcerated co-conspirators to serve as his de facto presence on the streets. The indictment lays out eight separate instances during the period of the conspiracy in which Leroy is alleged to have possessed—through his third-party couriers—significant amounts of either methamphetamine or heroin. All told, the indictment alleges that Leroy was running a drug conspiracy capable of moving hundreds of pounds of controlled substances each year—all without ever leaving his prison cell.
If convicted, Leroy faces a maximum penalty of life in federal prison on each count, along with life of supervised release, and a fine of up to $10,000,000.
This case is the result of a joint investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Drug Enforcement Administration, Homeland Security Investigations, the Oklahoma City Police Department, the District 21 Task Force, the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics, and the Oklahoma Department of Corrections. Assistant U.S. Attorney David McCrary is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of the work of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces, the Department of Justice’s signature initiatives to address and reduce drug-related criminal activity.
The public is reminded that charges are merely allegations, and Leroy is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. Reference is made to court filings for further information. To download a photo of U.S. Attorney Downing, click here.
Hudson Man Sentenced to 42 Months for Accessing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Brian Northup, age 29, of Hudson, New York, was sentenced today to 42 months in prison for repeatedly accessing a child pornography web site available only through an anonymous Internet network.
The announcement was made by United States Attorney Grant C. Jaquith and Thomas F. Relford, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).
United States District Judge Mae A. D’Agostino also ordered that Northup serve 10 years of post-release supervision, which will start after Northup is released from prison. As a result of his conviction, Northup will be required to register as a sex offender upon his release from prison.
As part of his guilty plea on December 11, 2019, Northup admitted that in 2015, he accessed “Playpen,” an online forum through which registered users advertised, viewed, and distributed child pornography. Images and videos shared through the site were highly categorized according to victim age and gender, and type of sexual activity depicted.
Before the FBI seized the Playpen web site and shut it down, it was available only through an anonymous Internet network, which allowed users to access websites including Playpen without revealing their actual internet protocol address, geographic location, or other identifying information. Northup admitted that he logged into Playpen in order to download child pornography content.
This case was investigated by the FBI with assistance from the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office, and was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Emmet O’Hanlon.
This case is prosecuted as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as identify and rescue victims.
For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit http://www.justice.gov/psc/
Hot Springs Man Sentenced to over 6 Years in Federal Prison for Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
Hot Springs, Arkansas – David Clay Fowlkes, Acting United States Attorney for the Western District of Arkansas, announced today that Dylan Lee Hooks, age 24, of Hot Springs, Arkansas, was sentenced June 15, 2020 to a total of 77 months in federal prison followed by three years of supervised release on one count of Distribution of a Controlled Substance that Contained Methamphetamine. The Honorable Chief Judge Susan O. Hickey presided over the sentencing hearing in the United States District Court in Hot Springs.
In the fall of 2019, Detectives with the 18th Judicial Drug Task Force launched an investigation into Hooks for drug trafficking in the Western District of Arkansas. In September of 2019, detectives conducted multiple controlled purchases of methamphetamine from Hooks.
Hooks was indicted by a federal grand jury in November of 2019, and entered a guilty plea in February of 2020.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations Fayetteville and the 18th Judicial Drug Task Force. Assistant United States Attorney Bryan Achorn prosecuted the case for the Western District of Arkansas.
Holiday Island Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Federal Prison for Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
Fort Smith, Arkansas – David Clay Fowlkes, Acting United States Attorney for the Western District of Arkansas, announced that Jeremy Michael Pumphrey, age 41, of Holiday Island, Arkansas, was sentenced today to 120 months in federal prison followed by five years of supervised release on one count of Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine. The Honorable Judge P. K. Holmes III presided over the sentencing hearing today in the United States District Court in Fort Smith.
On May 1, 2019, law enforcement officers with the Carroll County Sheriff’s Office and the Eureka Springs Police Department arrived at a residence in Holiday Island Arkansas to locate and arrest Pumphrey for an outstanding felony warrant. As officers approached the residence, Pumphrey was observed running out the back door and carrying a backpack. Officers located and arrested Pumphrey for the warrant. A search of the backpack resulted in officers locating four plastic bags of suspected methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia.
The suspected methamphetamine was submitted to the Houston lab for testing and tested positive with a total weight of 31.82 grams.
Pumphrey was indicted by a federal grand jury in January 2020 and entered a guilty plea in February 2020.
This case was investigated by the Carroll County Sheriff’s Office and the Eureka Springs Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Claude Hawkins prosecuted the case for the Western District of Arkansas.
Hartford Man Pleads Guilty to Gun ChargeRead the Press Release
John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that DURE DANCY, 25, of Hartford, pleaded guilty today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Donna F. Martinez to possession of a firearm by a felon.
Pursuant to the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act), the court proceeding occurred via videoconference.According to court documents and statements made in court, on April 16, 2019, Hartford Police arrested Dancy after they found him in possession of a loaded Sig Sauer .45 caliber pistol that contained seven live .45 caliber rounds of ammunition. The gun had been reported stolen in North Carolina.
In 2017, Dancy was convicted in state court of carrying a pistol without a permit. It is a violation of federal law for a person previously convicted of a felony offense to possess a firearm that has moved in interstate or foreign commerce.
Dancy is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Vanessa L. Bryant on October 28, 2020, at which time he faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years.
Dancy has been detained since his arrest.
This case has been investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Northern Connecticut Gang Task Force and the Hartford Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael J. Gustafson.
This prosecution has been brought through Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make neighborhoods safer for everyone.
Guatamalan man who was extradited to Ohio pleads guilty in Colombia-to-America cocaine conspiracyRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – A Guatemalan man pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court to charges related to a Colombia-to-America cocaine conspiracy.
In October 2019, Francisco Golon-Valenzuela was extradited to Columbus from Panama.
As part of his plea, Golon-Valenzuela admitted he conspired with others to ship hundreds of kilograms of cocaine from Colombia, via sea and land, through Central America and Mexico to the United States.
Golon-Valenzuela, also known as “El Toro,” was indicted in September 2018. Specifically, Golon-Valenzuela pleaded guilty to conspiring to distribute at least five kilograms or more of cocaine on the high seas, which is a federal crime punishable by 10 years up to life in prison.
According to court documents, as part of the conspiracy individuals would use “load” coordinators to assist with logistics of cocaine shipments, locate drivers and boat operators for narcotic-laden vehicles and vessels, and secure shared investments from multiple co-conspirators in specific cocaine shipments.
Fishermen and other commercial maritime laborers were allegedly recruited by conspirators to transport cocaine and refueling vessels.
Conspirators allegedly paid a “tax” or “fee” to send cocaine through areas controlled by a different drug trafficking organization or cartel.
Members of the conspiracy allegedly shared information on the activities and locations of law enforcement and military personnel assigned to interdict narcotics shipments. It is alleged co-conspirators also sheltered individuals who were at risk of extradition to other countries.
Low-level co-conspirators would allegedly take responsibility for an entire load of seized cocaine in order to free higher-level members.
Cocaine shipments seized in this case thus far include:
- 880 kilograms of cocaine seized by the United States Coast Guard near the Guatemalan/Mexico border on May 19, 2016;
- 720 kilograms of cocaine seized by the United States Coast Guard northwest of the Galapagos Islands on Aug. 18, 2017; and
- 34 kilograms of cocaine seized by the Guatemalan Policia National Civil in San Marcos, Guatemala on or about Nov. 26, 2017.
Four defendants were transported to Ohio for prosecution in September 2017, following the 720 kilogram seizure near the Galapagos Islands. That seizure alone included more than 1,584 pounds of cocaine, equaling an approximate street value of $25 million.
David M. DeVillers, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Keith Martin, Special Agent in Charge, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA); and Ohio State Highway Patrol Superintendent Col. Richard S. Fambro announced the plea offered today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Norah McCann King. Assistant United States Attorneys Jonathan J.C. Grey and Elizabeth Rabe are representing the United States in this case.
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Greeneville Man Sentenced to 205 Months on Methamphetamine and Firearm ChargesRead the Press Release
GREENEVILLE, Tenn. – On June 12, 2020, David Lynn Kaywood, Jr., 42, currently of Greeneville, was sentenced by the Honorable Clifton L. Corker, in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee at Greeneville.
The criminal indictment resulted from an investigation of the Second Judicial Drug Task Force (DTF), Kingsport Police Department, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).
In 2017, DTF made a controlled purchase of 16.18 grams of methamphetamine from Kaywood and a co-defendant. Kaywood arrived at the controlled buy in possession of a handgun. In 2018, the Kingsport Police Department arrested two of Kaywood’s co-defendants who were in possession of 39.94 grams of methamphetamine, and a firearm. Kaywood entered a guilty plea to conspiracy to distribute more than 50 grams of methamphetamine, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Kaywood received 205 months in prison, followed by five years of supervised release. Kaywood sentences will run consecutive to seven cases currently pending in Sullivan County’s Second Judicial District.
Todd Martin, Assistant U.S. Attorney, represented the United States in court.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives assisted DTF and Kingsport police in the investigation.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (“PSN”), a comprehensive national strategy that creates local partnerships with law enforcement agencies to effectively enforce existing gun laws. It provides more options to prosecutors, allowing them to utilize local, state, and federal laws to ensure that criminals who commit gun crime face tough sentences. PSN gives each federal district the flexibility it needs to focus on individual challenges that a specific community faces. This case was also brought as part of the Safe Streets Violent Crimes Initiative, a program which combines the efforts of federal, state, and local agencies to stop violent felons from endangering our communities.
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Grand Jury Returns IndictmentsRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – A federal grand jury in the Western District of Wisconsin, sitting in Madison, returned the following indictments today. You are advised that a charge is merely an accusation and that a defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
Physician Charged with Medicare Fraud
Ravi Murali, 38, Edgerton, Wisconsin, is charged in a 12-count indictment for his role in a health care fraud scheme while working as a physician for various telemedicine companies. The indictment alleges that from January 2017 to January 2020, Murali signed orders for medical braces (such as ankle braces, knee braces, back braces, shoulder braces, wrist braces, and hand braces) for Medicare beneficiaries that contained false statements. The indictment alleges that the false statements included that Murali had spoken with the Medicare beneficiary, that he had established a valid prescriber-patient relationship with the Medicare beneficiary, that he medically assessed the Medicare beneficiary, and that he conducted various examinations and diagnostic tests of the Medicare beneficiary. The indictment alleges that these representations were rarely, if ever, true, and Murali ordered braces for Medicare beneficiaries regardless of medical necessity, fraudulently billing Medicare for over $26 million, of which Medicare actually paid over $13 million. Murali was paid approximately $30 for each telemedicine consult he completed.
If convicted, Murali faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison on each count. The charges against him are the result of an investigation by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Zachary J. Corey is handling the prosecution.
Madison Man Charged with Drug & Gun Crimes
Verdell Thomas, 20, Madison, Wisconsin, is charged in a five-count indictment with drug crimes involving crack cocaine and gun crimes. The indictment alleges that Thomas distributed crack cocaine on three occasions in April 2020, and that on May 7, he possessed crack cocaine with intent to distribute. The indictment further alleges that on May 7, he possessed a loaded 9mm pistol in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and that he was a felon in possession of a firearm.
If convicted, Thomas faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison on each crack cocaine charge, 10 years on the felon in possession of a firearm charge, and a mandatory minimum penalty of five years on the charge of possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Federal law requires that any sentence imposed on the charge of possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime be served consecutive to any sentence imposed on the charge of possessing crack cocaine with intent to distribute.
The charges against Thomas are the result of an investigation by the Dane County Narcotics Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Rita M. Rumbelow is handling the prosecution.
Menomonie Man Charged with Heroin & Gun Crimes
David Hartwig, 32, Menomonie, Wisconsin, is charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition, with possessing heroin with intent to distribute, and with possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. The indictment alleges that on May 6, 2020, he possessed a 9mm pistol and ammunition, and heroin with intent to distribute.
If convicted, Hartwig faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison on the charge of being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition, 20 years on the heroin charge, and a mandatory minimum penalty of five years on the charge of possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Federal law requires that any sentence imposed on the charge of possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime be served consecutive to any sentence imposed on the charge of possessing heroin with intent to distribute.
The charges against Hartwig are the result of an investigation by the Dunn County Sheriff’s Office, Menomonie Police Department, West Central Drug Task Force, Drug Enforcement Administration, and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorney Taylor L. Kraus is handling the prosecution.
Madison Man Charged with Illegally Possessing Firearm
Anthony Krohn, 36, Madison, Wisconsin, is charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm. The indictment alleges that he possessed a loaded .22 caliber handgun on June 1, 2020.
Krohn was charged with this offense in a complaint filed in U.S. District Court in Madison on June 4. Federal law requires that felony offenses charged by criminal complaint be charged by an indictment returned by a grand jury.
The affidavit accompanying the complaint alleged that at approximately 2:12 a.m. on Monday, June 1, 2020, police officers were dispatched to the area of South Fairchild and West Doty Streets in Madison in reference to a person with a gunshot wound, and found a person later identified as Krohn bleeding from a wound in his leg with a gun on the ground next to him. The affidavit further alleges that Krohn told a law enforcement officer that he had shot himself.
If convicted, Krohn faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison. The charge against him is the result of an investigation by the Madison Police Department and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorney Corey C. Stephan is handling the prosecution.
Edgerton Man Charged with Illegally Possessing Firearm
Kyle C. Olson, also known as Kyle Charles Quade, 28, Edgerton, Wisconsin, is charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition. The indictment alleges that he possessed a loaded .45 caliber handgun and ammunition on May 31, 2020.
Olson was charged with this offense in a complaint filed in U.S. District Court in Madison on June 4. Federal law requires that felony offenses charged by criminal complaint be charged by an indictment returned by a grand jury.
The affidavit accompanying the complaint alleged that at approximately 11:00 p.m. on Sunday, May 31, 2020, police officers stationed in the area of 220 West Gilman Street to respond to the civil unrest occurring in downtown Madison observed an individual later identified as Olson remove a handgun from the trunk of his car and place the handgun in his back waistband.
If convicted, Olson faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison. The charge against him is the result of an investigation by the Madison Police Department and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorney Corey C. Stephan is handling the prosecution.
The indictments charging Thomas, Hartwig, Krohn, and Olson, a.k.a. Quade, have been brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the U.S. Justice Department’s program to reduce violent crime. The PSN approach emphasizes coordination between state and federal prosecutors and all levels of law enforcement to address gun crime, especially felons illegally possessing firearms and ammunition, and violent crimes and drug crimes that involve the use of firearms.
Portage Man Charged with Child Pornography Crimes
Thomas E. Kerl, Jr., 38, Portage, Wisconsin, is charged with six counts of distributing child pornography and one count of possessing child pornography. The indictment alleges that on four occasions in November 2019 and two occasions in January 2020, Kerl used Twitter to send a direct message containing a video or an image of a minor engaged in sexually explicit conduct. The indictment also alleges that on June 3, 2020, he possessed a phone containing visual depictions of minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct, and at least one of the depictions involved a minor who had not attained 12 years of age.
If convicted, Kerl faces a mandatory minimum penalty of five years and a maximum of 20 years in federal prison on each distribution count, and a maximum of 20 years on the possession charge. The charges against him are the result of an investigation by the Wisconsin Department of Justice Division of Criminal Investigation and the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth Altman is handling the prosecution.
Two Madison Men Charged with Interstate Transportation of Stolen Goods
Carl Carter, 36, and Ahmeeshadye Curtis, 33, both of Madison, Wisconsin, are charged with conspiring to transport stolen goods in an amount in excess of $5,000 across state lines, knowing the goods had been stolen. The indictment alleges that from November 28 to December 24, 2019, Carter and Curtis committed burglaries of stores in various states and would then transport the goods they stole across state lines, travelling from Wisconsin to Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Iowa, and Minnesota. The indictment alleges that the conduct included two burglaries in Wisconsin on November 28, 2019, of a Sam’s Club and a U.S. Cellular store in Janesville.
The indictment also charges Carter and Curtis with transporting stolen goods with a value of $5,000 or more from Minnesota to Wisconsin on December 17, 2019.
If convicted, Carter and Curtis face a maximum penalty of five years in federal prison on the conspiracy charge, and a maximum of 10 years on the charge of transporting stolen goods across state lines. The charges against them are the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Janesville Police Department, Wauwatosa Police Department, and the police departments in Creston, Iowa; Cedar Falls, Iowa; Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio; Minnetonka, Minnesota; and Woodbury, Minnesota. Assistant U.S. Attorney Zachary J. Corey is handling the prosecution.
Goldsboro Man Sentenced for Illegal Gun PossessionRead the Press Release
RALEIGH, N.C. – A Goldsboro man was sentenced today to 57 months in prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm.
According to court documents, Jesse Lee Dixon, III, 31, was caught carrying an illegal firearm while trespassing.
On April 28, 2019, a Goldsboro Police Department officer observed Dixon on property where Dixon was banned. The officer approached Dixon and saw a black handgun in a holster on Dixon’s hip. Dixon fled from the officer and threw the firearm, but officers located and arrested him and found the firearm nearby. Dixon has multiple prior felony convictions.
Robert J. Higdon, Jr., U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge James C. Dever III. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Goldsboro Police Department investigated the case.
A copy of this press release is located on our website. 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. 5:19-CR-410-D.
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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.
Gainesville men indicted on federal arson charges for setting fire to police car parked at officer’s residenceRead the Press Release
GAINESVILLE, Ga. – Jesse James Smallwood, Delveccho Waller, Jr., Bruce Thompson, Judah Coleman Bailey, and Dashun Martin have been indicted by a federal grand jury for the offenses of conspiring to commit, and commission and attempted commission of, arson of a police car following a protest stemming from the death of George Floyd.
“While using the cover of peaceful protests in Gainesville, the defendants allegedly sought out and intentionally burned a police vehicle,” said U.S. Attorney Byung J. “BJay” Pak. “Those seeking to perpetrate criminal acts of violence toward our law enforcement officers should expect to be prosecuted to the full extent of the law.”
“The FBI Atlanta Field Office is committed to supporting our local and state law enforcement partners in an effort to maintain public safety in the communities we serve,” said Chris Hacker, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. “We are not focused on peaceful protests, but instead concentrating on identifying, investigating and disrupting those individuals who are taking advantage of the protests to incite violence and engage in criminal activity.”
“We want our community to know we stand with them during their rights to peacefully protest. Sadly, agitators that do not necessarily share the same goals as our community took this opportunity to target one of our officers at his residence. We will not stand for this type of destruction and violence in our community,” said Jay Parrish, Chief of Police, Gainesville Police Department.
According to U.S. Attorney Pak, the federal charges, and other information: Early on the morning of June 2, 2020, a Gainesville Police Department patrol vehicle was set on fire in the parking lot of a local apartment complex. Officers responded immediately and extinguished a fire in the rear of the patrol vehicle. A witness reported seeing an older model vehicle with no lights parked near the entrance of the apartment building. The witness saw two subjects exit the vehicle and approach the patrol car, after which the witness heard a loud bang followed by a bright light. The witness then saw smoke emanating from the rear of the patrol car.
Based on the information from the witness, investigators issued a radio lookout for the suspects’ vehicle. Shortly thereafter, police officers saw a vehicle matching the witness’s description parked at a nearby gas station and convenience store. The driver, Jesse James Smallwood, agreed to speak to one of the officers and gave permission for his car to be searched. During the search, officers recovered three spent explosives and a flare gun. Smallwood and his passengers, Waller Jr., Thompson, Bailey, and Martin, were all arrested for the arson.
Jesse James Smallwood, 21, Delveccho Waller, Jr., 21, Dashun Martin, 23, Judah Coleman Bailey, 20, all of Gainesville, Georgia, and Bruce Anthony Thompson, 22, of Oakwood, Georgia, were indicted June 16, 2020. Members of the public are reminded that the indictment only contains charges. The defendants are presumed innocent of the charges and it will be the government’s burden to prove the defendants’ guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial.
The FBI-Gainesville, the Gainesville Police Department, and the Gainesville Fire Department are investigating this case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Greg Radics is prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). In keeping with the Attorney General’s mission to reduce violent crime, the Northern District of Georgia’s PSN program focuses on prosecuting those individuals who most significantly drive violence in our communities, and supports and fosters partnerships between law enforcement and schools, the faith community, and local community leaders to prevent and deter future criminal conduct.
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.
Franklinton Man Pleads Guilty to Veterans Affairs TheftRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS – U.S. Attorney Peter G. Strasser announced that DANIEL VANSLYKE, age 34, of Franklinton, Louisiana, pleaded guilty today to one count of theft of government funds, before U.S, District Court Judge Jane Triche Milazzo in the Eastern District of Louisiana.
According to the factual basis and charging document, VANSLYKE knowingly stole money of the United States Department of Veterans Affairs that did not belong to him of approximately $46,000. VANSLYKE misappropriated funds that were being paid to his father, a legitimate veteran, after his father passed away.
Sentencing will be held on September 16, 2020. At that time, VANSLYKE faces a sentence of up to ten (10) years in prison, up to $250,000 in fines, and up to three (3) years of supervised release.
U.S. Attorney Strasser praised the work of the Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General for their investigation of the matter. Assistant U.S. Attorney Edward J. Rivera is in charge of the prosecution.
Founder of Plastics Company Charged in $61 Million Tax Evasion SchemeRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A Florida man made his initial court appearance today in connection with charges that he evaded over $61 million in income taxes from 2016 through 2018, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito announced.
Alfred Teo, 74, of Boca Raton, Florida, is charged by complaint with one count of tax evasion. He made his initial appearance by videoconference before U.S. Magistrate Judge Edward S. Kiel, who set bond at $20 million.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
Teo was the majority shareholder of multibillion-dollar plastics manufacturing holding company Alpha Industries Management (Alpha). Teo also traded heavily in the securities markets. Between January 2016 and December 2018, Teo diverted $600 million from Alpha’s line of credit directly into his brokerage accounts to trade and to pay off margin calls.
Teo returned a portion of the $600 million to Alpha, but he did not report the remaining outstanding amount as income on his personal tax returns. Instead, $167 million was recorded as income to AAST Holding Corp. (AAST), another Teo-owned entity that was unrelated to his plastics business, and which Teo used as a vehicle to hide personal income.
Alpha did not provide AAST with the $167 million that AAST claimed as income from Alpha in 2016, 2017, and 2018. The money Alpha recorded as salary to AAST was instead money provided for the benefit of Teo and included money that Alpha sent directly to Teo’s trading accounts.
Instead of reporting the $167 million of income from Alpha on Teo’s personal tax returns in 2016, 2017, and 2018, and paying taxes on that income, the income was reported on AAST’s corporate tax returns. Teo then provided false deduction information to his tax preparer in the form of fictitious “cost of goods sold” to artificially reduce his income and evade the income taxes owed.
AAST was organized for purposes of being a holding company, not for selling goods. The company’s principal place of business and mailing address was a Florida residence that Teo owned. AAST’s bank account records do not show purchases of material, equipment, inventory, or other purchases consistent with the sale of goods or products. AAST’s bank account records do not include deposits that would reflect the millions of dollars in receipts that AAST reported on its tax returns for those three years.
In 2016, 2017, and 2018, Teo’s tax preparer provided draft AAST corporate tax forms for Teo’s review. Teo then returned the corporate tax forms with handwritten notes that indicated AAST had tens of millions of dollars of cost of goods sold. Teo did not provide any support to his tax preparer for these claims.
Teo’s tax preparer used the information that Teo provided to report AAST’s cost of goods sold on AAST’s corporate tax returns in the amounts of approximately $26 million, $51 million, and $87 million for 2016, 2017, and 2018, respectively.
By submitting fraudulent cost of goods sold expenses to his tax preparer for inclusion on AAST’s corporate tax returns, Teo used AAST to avoid paying tens of millions of dollars of income taxes. He reduced AAST’s net business income by approximately $165 million for tax years 2016, 2017, and 2018 combined.
TEO’s personal IRS Forms 1040 for 2016, 2017, and 2018 included AAST’s net business income – as reduced by the approximately $165 million in AAST’s false cost of goods sold – as income to TEO. As a result, Teo understated his personal income for those years by approximately $165 million.
Because Teo’s personal tax returns for 2016, 2017, and 2018 included AAST’s net business income, Teo’s fraudulent reduction of AAST’s net business income with purported cost of goods sold expenses resulted in a tax loss of approximately $10 million, $20 million, and $31 million in 2016, 2017 and 2018, respectively, for a total tax loss of approximately $61 million.
The tax evasion charge carries a maximum potential penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
U.S. Attorney Carpenito credited special agents of IRS-Criminal Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Michael Montanez in Newark, with the investigation leading to today’s charges.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ari B. Fontecchio and Vijay Dewan of the Economic Crimes Unit in Newark.
The charge and allegations contained in the complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Former hospital director of security pleads guilty to buying firearms with hospital funds and selling the guns for profitRead the Press Release
ATLANTA - Russell Richardson, former DeKalb Medical Center, Inc. (DeKalb Medical) Director of Security, has pleaded guilty to fraudulently using hospital funds to acquire multiple handguns that he then sold for his personal benefit and financial gain.
“Richardson abused his position at the hospital, and manipulated the system for personal profit,” said U.S. Attorney Byung J. “BJay” Pak. “His actions diverted hospital funds that could have been used to purchase critical medical supplies.”
"Richardson violated the trust placed in him as the Director of Security at DeKalb Medical Center,” said Arthur Peralta, Special Agent in Charge of ATF in Atlanta. “Even worse, Mr. Richardson fraudulently obtained and sold guns without any concern as to who they were being sold to or where they would ultimately end up.”
According to U.S. Attorney Pak, the charges and other information presented in court: Richardson, who was then the Director of Security at DeKalb Medical Center, was authorized to submit purchase requests and to approve purchases made on behalf of the Security Department. Richardson abused his position when, beginning in March 2016, he submitted purchasing requests to the hospital for firearms he intended to sell for his personal benefit. Since Richardson also approved the requests, the hospital paid for the firearms that Richardson subsequently took and sold for profit.
Then, starting in July 2017, Richardson used hospital letterhead to place orders directly with the firearms’ vendor. He concealed his gun purchases from the hospital by causing the vendor to send the invoices directly to him. Richardson then submitted false invoices to the hospital that listed the vendor’s name but falsely listed the items purchased. The hospital paid the invoices without knowing the funds were actually for the purchase of numerous firearms.
After acquiring firearms purchased with hospital money, Richardson advertised that he had guns for sale at gun courses he taught in South Carolina and on his social media sites. He eventually sold many of them for 100% profit.
According to ATF records, and Richardson’s own admission, he acquired approximately 100 firearms since the inception of his fraud scheme.
Russell Richardson, 44, of Columbia, South Carolina, was indicted by a grand jury on August 13, 2019, for mail fraud, dealing firearms without a license, and selling firearms to non-state residents. Richardson pleaded guilty one count each of mail fraud and unlawfully transferring firearms to non-state residents. His sentencing has not yet been scheduled.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives is investigating this case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Tracia M. King is prosecuting the case.
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 Mexican governor convicted of money launderingRead the Press Release
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – A former Coahuila, Mexico, governor has entered a guilty plea for his role in a money laundering scheme that includes offenses against a foreign nation involving bribery of a public official, announced U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Patrick.
Jorge Juan Torres-Lopez, 66, admitted to conducting financial transactions in the United States to conceal the bribes he received here in return for road-building contracts for the State of Coahuila.
Torres-Lopez worked for the Mexican government from 1994 to 2011. His roles included general director of Promotion and Development while secretary of Finance for the state of Coahuila, municipal president of Saltillo as well as interim governor of Coahuila. In approximately December 2005, Hector Javier Villarreal-Hernandez was appointed as undersecretary of Program and Budget for the state of Coahuila. At the time, Torres-Lopez was his supervisor. In July 2008, Villarreal-Hernandez was appointed as secretary of Finance for Coahuila, where he remained until his resignation in August 2011.
As part of his plea, Torres-Lopez agreed to forfeit a piece of property in the United States associated with the payments.
U.S. District Judge Nelva Gonzalez Ramos set sentencing for Sept. 10. At that time, Torres-Lopez faces up to 20 years in federal prison and a possible $500,000 fine, twice the value of the monetary instrument or funds involved in the transaction or both.
Torres-Lopez was taken into custody in Mexico on Feb. 5, 2019, where he remained until his extradition to the United States Oct. 29, 2019. He will remain in custody pending his sentencing.
Villarreal-Hernandez, 49, of Saltillo, Coahuilla, Mexico, has also been convicted in the Southern and Western Districts of Texas for money laundering offenses and is also awaiting sentencing.
Multiple agencies conducted the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force investigation dubbed Operation Politico Junction to include Drug Enforcement Administration, IRS - Criminal Investigation, Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations, FBI and U.S. Marshals Service.
The Prosecutor General of the Republic of Mexico provided significant assistance. The Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs of the Department’s Criminal Division also assisted.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jon Muschenheim and Lance A. Watt are prosecuting the case.
Former Joplin Teacher Pleads Guilty to Enticing a Minor for Sex, Faces at Least 10 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A former Joplin, Missouri, middle school teacher has pleaded guilty in federal court to charges related to enticing one of her students to engage in illicit sex.
Amanda Ruth Schweitzer, 41, pleaded guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge David P. Rush on Tuesday, June 16, to enticing a minor for illegal sexual activity.
Schweitzer was a teacher at North Middle School in Joplin at the time of the offense.
The 13-year-old victim, who was a student of Schweitzer’s, reported Schweitzer sent nude photos of herself to the victim, with whom she primarily communicated via Instagram, and engaged in sexual intercourse with the victim on at least two occasions in March 2017. The victim reported that he also sent a nude image of himself to Schweitzer.
Under federal statutes, Schweitzer is subject to a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in federal prison without parole, up to a sentence of life in federal prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ami Harshad Miller. It was investigated by the Southwest Missouri Cyber Crimes Task Force, the Joplin, Mo., Police Department, and the FBI.
Project Safe Childhood
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab "resources."Felon Gets 42 Months for Possessing PistolRead the Press Release
GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN - U.S. Attorney Andrew Birge announced today that Cedric Rice, 40, of Grand Rapids, was sentenced to serve 42 months in the Federal Bureau of Prisons for being a felon in possession of a firearm. U.S. District Judge Paul L. Maloney also imposed a period of supervised release of 3 years to follow.
On April 8, 2019, Grand Rapids Police responded to a 911 call that Rice had pointed a gun at a woman and her mother. When police stopped the car carrying Rice, he jumped out and fled on foot. As he ran between houses, Rice dropped a cell phone and hid a .40 caliber Sig-Sauer pistol in a woodpile. He then ducked into a home, changed his clothes, and denied being the person with the gun. In November 2019, Rice pleaded guilty and admitted to possessing the gun.
Rice has an extensive criminal history that began in 1999 with illegally carrying a firearm in Chicago. In 2000, he was convicted of delivering cocaine. He was convicted of assault in 2002, and hindering and resisting police in 2002 and 2003. In 2007, Rice was convicted in federal court and sentenced to serve 106 months in prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm, possessing a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking, and possessing a firearm while facing federal charges. In 2017, he was convicted of domestic violence. In sentencing Rice to 42 months’ custody, Judge Maloney expressed concern for Rice’s dangerous conduct and history of illegally possessing guns.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel Mekaru and investigated by the Grand Rapids Police and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
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Federal Judge in Waco Issues Several Lengthy Prison Sentences TodayRead the Press Release
In Waco today, U.S. District Judge Alan Albright handed down lengthy federal prison sentences to multiple defendants in four separate cases, announced U.S. Attorney John F. Bash, FBI Special Agent in Charge Chris Combs, San Antonio Field Office, and Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Special Agent in Charge Steve Whipple, Houston Division.
- Judge Albright sentenced 31-year-old Michael James Wier of Jacksonville, FL, to 30 years imprisonment followed by a lifetime of supervised release. Judge Albright also ordered Wier to pay a $10,000 fine. On December 19, 2019, Wier pleaded guilty to two counts of aggravated sexual abuse of a child. Wier admitted to sexually assaulting two minors, both of whom were under the age of 12, while residing on Fort Hood between May 2008 and January 2011. The FBI, U.S Army Criminal Investigation Command and the Aiken County Sheriff’s Office in South Carolina investigated this case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Mark Frazier and Mary Kucera prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
- Judge Albright sentenced 32-year-old Devito Dembinsky of McGregor, TX, to 413 months imprisonment followed by five years of supervised release. On June 11, 2019, Dembinsky pleaded guilty to one count of obstruction of justice, one count of retaliating against a witness and one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute at least 50 grams of methamphetamine. Dembinsky admitted that in January 2019, while incarcerated awaiting trial on the meth charge, he punched a co-conspirator multiple times in the face. The co-conspirator suffered multiple broken bones in his nose and a large lip contusion. During subsequent recorded telephone conversations from inside the detention facility, Dembinsky bragged to two different individuals that he had assaulted the “snitch” and “rat” because he believed the individual agreed to cooperate with prosecutors and be a witness against Dembinsky. “The lengthy sentence handed down today sends a clear message to those who poison our communities with dangerous drugs, and then attempt to avoid accountability for their criminal conduct by threatening or harming witnesses,” stated FBI Special Agent in Charge Combs. “Obstruction of Justice strikes at the foundation of our criminal justice system and will not be tolerated.” The FBI and the Temple Police Department investigated this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephanie Smith-Burris prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
- Judge Albright sentenced a pair of defendants, 36-year-old Jeremy King of Temple, and 42-year-old Joe Aaron Holmesley of Austin, TX, to 365 months and 300 months imprisonment, respectively, for conspiring to distribute methamphetamine throughout the Waco area from September 2018 to April 2019. Judge Albright ordered that each defendant pay a $1,000 fine and be placed on supervised release for a period of five years after completing their prison terms. Both defendants pleaded guilty to the charge. The Temple Police Department, FBI and the DEA investigated this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephanie Smith-Burris prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
- Judge Albright sentenced 55-year-old Delida Mindieta of Temple, to 87 months imprisonment followed by three years of supervised release. Judge Albright also ordered that Mindieta pay a $100 fine and $8,121 in total restitution to three separate banks. On November 5, 2019, Mindieta pleaded guilty to three counts of bank robbery. Mindieta admitted robbing: the BBVA Compass Bank located on East Central Avenue in Belton, TX, on April 22, 2019; the Wells Fargo Bank located on University Oaks Boulevard in Round Rock, TX, on April 22, 2019; and, the Texas Champion Bank located on West Oaklawn Road in Pleasanton, TX, on April 25, 2019. She also admitted to robbing the Wells Fargo Bank in Edna, TX, on April 30, 2019. On each occasion, Mindieta entered the financial institution and demanded cash from bank tellers. The FBI, Belton Police Department, Round Rock Police Department and the Atascosa County Sheriff’s Office investigated this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Greg Gloff prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
#####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.
- Judge Albright sentenced 31-year-old Michael James Wier of Jacksonville, FL, to 30 years imprisonment followed by a lifetime of supervised release. Judge Albright also ordered Wier to pay a $10,000 fine. On December 19, 2019, Wier pleaded guilty to two counts of aggravated sexual abuse of a child. Wier admitted to sexually assaulting two minors, both of whom were under the age of 12, while residing on Fort Hood between May 2008 and January 2011. The FBI, U.S Army Criminal Investigation Command and the Aiken County Sheriff’s Office in South Carolina investigated this case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Mark Frazier and Mary Kucera prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
Federal Grand Jury Indicts Three Men for Seeking to Exploit Protests in Las Vegas and Incite ViolenceRead the Press Release
LAS VEGAS, Nev. — A federal grand jury indicted Stephen T. Parshall, aka “Kiwi,” 35, Andrew Lynam, 23, and William L. Loomis, 40, all of Las Vegas, for violations of federal law for conspiracy to cause destruction during protests in Las Vegas and possession of an unregistered destructive device, specifically, a so-called “Molotov cocktail.”
U.S. Attorney Nicholas A. Trutanich for the District of Nevada, Special Agent in Charge Aaron C. Rouse for the FBI, and Sheriff Joseph Lombardo of the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department made the announcement.
According to allegations contained in the criminal complaint and indictment, Parshall, Lynam, and Loomis claimed to be members of the “Boogaloo” movement, a term used by extremists to signify a coming civil war and/or collapse of society. From April 2020 to May 30, 2020, the defendants conspired to damage and destroy — by fire and explosives — buildings and property owned by the U.S. Government, as well as a public utility installation. On May 30, the defendants possessed Molotov cocktails to throw at police in downtown Las Vegas, during a protest connected to George Floyd’s death.
Parshall, Lynam, and Loomis were all arrested on May 30, 2020, and have been ordered detained by U.S. Magistrate Judge Nancy J. Koppe.
If convicted, Parshall, Lynam, and Loomis each face a statutory maximum sentence of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for conspiracy to damage and destroy by fire and explosive; and ten years in prison and a $250,000 fine for possession of unregistered firearms. The maximum statutory sentences are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only. If convicted of any federal offense, the sentencing of a defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
An indictment alleges that crimes have been committed, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
In addition to the federal charges, the Clark County District Attorney’s office has filed state charges against the defendants, including one count of Assist, Solicit or Conspire Conspiracy to Commit an Act of Terrorism; one count of Provide Material Support for use in the Commission of an Act of Terrorism; one count of Conspiracy to Damage or Destroy a Building by Means of Explosives; and one count of Possession of Component of Explosive or Incendiary Device with Intent to Manufacture Explosive Incendiary Device.
The federal charges stem from an investigation led by the FBI Joint Terrorism Task Force (JTTF) in Las Vegas. JTTF members who participated in this investigation include the FBI, LVMPD, ATF, North Las Vegas Police Department, Henderson Police Department, Nye County Sheriff’s Office, City of Las Vegas Municipal Court Marshal’s Office, and the U.S. National Park Service. Each regional FBI JTTF brings together highly skilled investigators from federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies to investigate and stop terrorism. As directed by Attorney General William P. Barr, law enforcement is using the existing network of 56 regional FBI JTTFs to identify and prosecute the violent criminal organizers and instigators who have taken over peaceful protests.
U.S. Attorney Nicholas D. Dickinson is prosecuting the federal case. Deputy District Attorney Michael Dickerson is prosecuting the state’s case.
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Erie Man Facing Charges Relating to the Sexual Exploitation of MinorsRead the Press Release
ERIE, Pa. - A resident of Erie, Pennsylvania, has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Erie on charges of violating federal laws relating to the sexual exploitation of children, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced today.
The two-count Indictment named David Lyons, 26, as the sole defendant.
According to the Indictment presented to the court, from January 2019 to March 2020, Lyons received and possessed computer and cell phone images depicting prepubescent minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct.
The law provides for a maximum total sentence of 40 years in prison, a fine of $500,000, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney Christian A. Trabold is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Pennsylvania State Police conducted the investigation leading to the Indictment in this case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
El Paso Man Faces Federal Charge of Posting Threatening Communications over the InternetRead the Press Release
Manuel Flores, age 42 of El Paso, faces a federal charge of posting a threatening communication over the Internet, announced U.S. Attorney John F. Bash and FBI Special Agent in Charge Luis M. Quesada, El Paso Division.
On Monday, FBI agents arrested Flores in Dallas based on a federal criminal complaint filed in El Paso. According to the criminal complaint, Flores recorded and uploaded a video to YouTube entitled “[N*****] Lives Matter” in which he made threatening comments to Black Lives Matter protestors. During the video, the defendant is seated visible only from the knees down with what appears to be an AR-15 style rifle resting on the defendant’s feet. Flores stated that he would be travelling on I-20 Eastbound through Dallas on Monday while daring individuals representing Black Lives Matter to “stop him.” Flores further stated that “my dream is at least take out at least 200 [N******].”
On Monday, FBI agents located and arrested Flores in the Dallas area without incident. He had his initial appearance yesterday before a U.S. Magistrate in Dallas.
Flores is charged with one count of transmitting threatening communications. Upon conviction, he faces up to five years in federal prison. He remains in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service at this time awaiting transfer to El Paso. His preliminary hearing before a U.S. Magistrate in El Paso has yet to be scheduled.
The FBI is investigating this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ian Hanna is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
A criminal complaint is merely a charge and should not be considered as evidence of guilt. The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
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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.
Edinboro, PA Man Indicted in Project Safe Childhood CaseRead the Press Release
ERIE, Pa. -A resident of Edinboro, Pennsylvania, has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Erie on charges of violating federal laws relating to the sexual exploitation of children, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced today.
The two-count Indictment named James Paredes Andrada, 22, as the sole defendant.
According to the Indictment presented to the court, from November 2019 to February 2020, Andrada received and possessed computer and cell phone images depicting minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct.
The law provides for a maximum total sentence of 30 years in prison, a fine of $500,000, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney Christian A. Trabold is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Pennsylvania State Police and the Edinboro Police Department conducted the investigation leading to the Indictment in this case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Dubuque Man Pleads Guilty to Distributing Fatal Dose of Fentanyl and Fentanyl AnalogueRead the Press Release
A man who sold a mixture of fentanyl and acetyl fentanyl pled guilty today in federal court in Cedar Rapids.
Carl Ravon Watkins, age 29, from Dubuque, Iowa, was convicted of one count of distribution of controlled substances resulting in death.
In a plea agreement, Watkins admitted that in August 2019, a woman called and texted him, looking for heroin. Watkins met with the woman and her boyfriend in the area of the 700 block of Wilson Avenue in Dubuque, where Watkins entered the woman’s vehicle and sold her what was supposedly heroin. The woman took the mixture home, used it later that night, and lost consciousness. Her boyfriend found her hours later, unconscious and not breathing. Emergency responders arrived, but were unable to revive the woman and she was pronounced dead. An autopsy determined that the woman’s death was caused by mixed drug toxicity, specifically from fentanyl and an analogue of fentanyl called acetyl fentanyl. During a search of the woman’s bedroom, officers found a chunky white substance that tested positive for fentanyl and acetyl fentanyl.
Watkins also admitted that the day after the woman’s death, the Dubuque Drug Task Force set up a controlled meeting with Watkins to attempt to purchase $80 of purported heroin from him. When Watkins arrived at the area of the 700 block of Wilson Avenue in Dubuque, officers placed him under arrest. During his arrest, Wilson dropped a baggie containing about a quarter gram of fentanyl and acetyl fentanyl.
Sentencing before United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Watkins remains in custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing. Watkins faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 20 years’ imprisonment and a possible maximum sentence of life imprisonment, a $1,000,000 fine, and a lifetime of supervised release following any imprisonment.
The case was investigated by the Dubuque Drug Task Force and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Dan Chatham.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 19-CR-01043-CJW-MAR.
Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.
Drug Trafficking Organization Leader Sentenced to 10 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE – The admitted leader of a drug trafficking organization that distributed dozens of kilograms of fentanyl and cocaine in New England was sentenced Tuesday to 10 years in federal prison.
Ramon Delossantos, 27, a Dominican national who lived in Cumberland at the time of his arrest in October 2017, previously admitted to the court that he and members of his drug trafficking organization trafficked at least at least 25 kilograms of fentanyl and cocaine throughout several New England states.
According to court documents, a Rhode Island DEA Drug Task Force and Rhode Island State Police High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Task Force investigation dubbed “Operation Panemera” determined that Delossantos utilized multiple telephones to avoid law enforcement detection as he facilitated the distribution of narcotics with the use of “runners.” The deliveries varied from small quantities for users to kilogram quantities for large-scale distributors. Delossantos’ favorite mode of transportation was a 2010 Porsche Panamera Turbo. The vehicle was seized by law enforcement at the time of his arrest and forfeited to the government.
The investigation, which resulted in the arrest of 23 individuals, resulted in the seizure of approximately 23 kilograms of fentanyl, 18 kilograms of cocaine, 11 kilograms of marijuana, and two kilograms of psilocybin mushrooms. The seizures were made as the drugs moved through the U.S. Postal Service; during traffic stops, including a traffic stop in Fairfield, Conn., on September 30, 2017, where 5 kilograms of fentanyl, ultimately headed to Rhode Island for distribution, were seized; and the execution of court authorized searches of residences, storage units and vehicles where, for example, 5 kilograms of suspected fentanyl were seized from a residence in Norton, Mass., on September 30, 2017.
Arrested and detained on October 2, 2017, Delossantos pleaded guilty on June 14, 2018, to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl and conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute 5 kilograms or more of cocaine. On Tuesday, U.S. District Court Chief Judge John J. McConnell, Jr., sentenced Delossantos to 120 months in federal prison, 5 years supervised release, and a fine of $10,000.
Delossantos’ sentenced is announced by United States Attorney Aaron L. Weisman, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration’s New England Field Division Brian D. Boyle, and Superintendent of the Rhode Island State Police Colonel James M. Manni.
According to court documents, Delossantos, who has strong ties to the Dominican Republic, was previously convicted in Massachusetts and Rhode Island state courts on drug trafficking and firearms charges. Most recently, Delossantos was convicted and sentenced to the Adult Correctional Institutions (ACI) in Rhode Island in December 2014 on firearms charges.
An immigration detainer has been lodged against Delossantos by Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Paul F. Daly, Jr., and Milind M. Shah.
United States Attorney Aaron L. Weisman acknowledges and thanks the Middleborough, Pembroke, and Norton, Mass. Police Departments, Cumberland, RI, Police Department, Massachusetts State Police, Connecticut State Police, United States Postal Inspection Service, Homeland Security Investigations, and the DEA Cape Cod Drug Task Force for their assistance in the investigation of this matter.
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Drug Trafficker Sentenced to Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
Spokane – William D. Hyslop, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Washington, announced that Randall Curtis Gross, age 27, of Grand Coulee, Washington, was sentenced today after having pleaded guilty on February 11, 2020, to conspiracy to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine as well as heroin. Senior District Court Judge Wm. Fremming Nielsen sentenced Gross to a 10-year term of imprisonment, to be followed by a 5-year term of court supervision after he is released from federal prison.
According to information disclosed during court proceedings, Gross primarily distributed methamphetamine and heroin to individuals residing on the Colville Indian Reservation. Gross was identified as a drug trafficker as a result of an extensive, long-term joint investigation led by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives (“ATF”) and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (“DEA”) into drug and firearms trafficking in Grant County, Washington, and surrounding areas. During the investigation, law enforcement officers obtained a court-authorized wire-tap and executed search warrants at multiple locations in Eastern Washington. While searching Gross’ trailer near Grand Coulee, Washington, in July 2019, investigators found a fully-loaded assault rifle near a quantity of methamphetamine.
United States Attorney Hyslop said, “Prosecuting those who distribute drugs on Indian Reservations remains a top priority for the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Washington. The sentence imposed sends a strong message that drug trafficking will not be tolerated. I commend the relentless work of the federal, state, local and tribal law enforcement officers who investigated this case.”
This case was prosecuted under the Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) program. PSN is a federal, state, and local law enforcement collaboration to identify, investigate, and prosecute individuals responsible for violent crimes in our neighborhoods. The U.S. Attorney’s Office is partnering with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement to specifically identify the criminals responsible for violent crime in the Eastern District of Washington and pursue criminal prosecution.
Today’s enforcement action is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (“OCDETF”) investigation. The OCDETF program provides supplemental federal funding to the federal and state agencies involved in the investigation of drug-related crimes. This OCDETF investigation is being conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
This case was investigated by the Spokane District Office of the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Spokane Office of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, the Bureau of Indian Affairs, the Moses Lake Police Department, the Grant County Sheriff’s Office, the Ephrata Police Department, the Colville Tribal Police, and the Northwest High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area. This case was prosecuted by Caitlin Baunsgard, an Assistant United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Washington.
Dominican National Sentenced in Drug Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Dominican national who previously resided illegally in Methuen was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Boston for trafficking cocaine.
Cesar Rodriguez-Sanquentin, 27, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Nathaniel M. Gorton to 37 months in prison and four years of supervised release. On Feb. 12, 2020, Rodriguez-Sanquentin pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine and possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine.
In 2018, federal and state law enforcement began investigating a Brockton drug crew allegedly headed by Djuna Goncalves, a violent Brockton-area drug dealer. During the investigation, agents identified different Boston-based drug trafficking organizations that allegedly supplied Goncalves and others with heroin, fentanyl, cocaine, crack cocaine, and marijuana.
On Dec. 17, 2018, federal agents intercepted calls in which Rodriguez-Sanquentin promised to deliver a kilogram of cocaine to a customer. After Rodriguez-Sanquentin met with the customer, federal agents stopped and searched Rodriguez-Sanquentin’s car. Agents recovered a Kellogg’s Corn Flakes box that contained $33,611 in cash. On May 13, 2019, agents intercepted calls in which Rodriguez-Sanquentin agreed to supply cocaine to a Boston drug crew that had supplied Djuna Goncalves. Agents stopped Rodriguez-Sanquentin on the way to meet with the customer and recovered one kilogram of cocaine wrapped in a Christmas-themed gift bag from the engine compartment of Rodriguez-Sanquentin’s car.
United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling; Michael Shea, Acting Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Boston; Brian D. Boyle, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, Boston Field Division; Colonel Christopher Mason, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police; Brockton Police Chief Emanuel Gomes; John Gibbons, United States Marshal for the District of Massachusetts; and Plymouth County District Attorney Timothy Cruz made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher Pohl and Alathea Porter of Lelling’s Narcotics and Money Laundering Unit prosecuted the case.
The details contained in the criminal complaint are allegations. The remaining defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Department of Justice Announces Launch of Civil Rights Reporting PortalRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – 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.
Individuals who believe they may have been a victim of a civil rights violation can learn how to report violations to the Department by visiting civilrights.justice.gov. When appropriate, the Civil Rights Division staff will refer complainants to other agencies that are responsible for handling specific types of complaints.
Individuals who believe they are a victim of criminal violation of their civil rights, such as misconduct by law enforcement officers, a hate crime, or human trafficking, should contact their local FBI office.
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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Department of Justice Announces Launch of Civil Rights Reporting PortalRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – 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.
Individuals who believe that they may have been victims of civil rights violations should contact the department by visiting civilrights.justice.gov.
The year 2020 marks the 150th anniversary of the Department of Justice. Learn more about the history of our agency at www.Justice.gov/Celebrating150Years.
Dentists Agree to Pay Civil Penalties Under Controlled Substances ActRead the Press Release
NORFOLK, Va. – Dr. Gary Hartman, Dr. Arnold Berger, and Dr. Paul Berger, of Virginia Beach, have agreed to pay a combined $30,000 to settle allegations that they violated the Controlled Substances Act (“Act”) by issuing and filling prescriptions with no legitimate medical purpose.
The Government alleged that dentists Dr. Gary Hartman and Dr. Arnold Berger, and then-retired dentist Dr. Paul Berger, wrote prescriptions for Schedule II and Schedule IV substances with no legitimate medical purpose. Dr. Hartman and Dr. Arnold Berger allegedly wrote prescriptions for controlled substances, including opioids, to each other and in Dr. Hartman’s case, to Dr. Paul Berger. All three would fill the prescriptions and bring the majority of the opioids to Dr. Hartman.
Dr. Hartman and Dr. Arnold Berger previously pleaded guilty to violating the Act. The settlements resolve their civil liability under the Act as well as Dr. Paul Berger’s civil liability under the Act.
Separately, Drs. Hartman and Arnold Berger surrendered their DEA registrations.
The resolutions obtained in this matter were the result of a coordinated effort between the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Virginia and the Drug Enforcement Administration.
The matter was investigated by Assistant U.S. Attorney Clare P. Wuerker. The civil claims settled by this agreement are allegations only; there has been no determination of civil liability.
A copy of this press release may be found on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia.
Denison Texas Man Sentenced to 5 Years in Federal Prison for Calling in Bomb Threat to the Mena Post Office and for Setting Fire to A Mena BusinessRead the Press Release
Fort Smith, Arkansas – David Clay Fowlkes, Acting United States Attorney for the Western District of Arkansas, announced that Jacob Samuel Green, age 26, of Denison, Texas, was sentenced today to 60 months in federal prison followed by two years of supervised release and ordered to pay $145,272.25 in restitution on one count of Making Willful Threat by Mail or Telephone and one count of Maliciously Damaging and Destroying or Attempting to Damage and Destroy Real or Personal Property. The Honorable Judge P. K. Holmes III presided over the sentencing hearing today in the United States District Court in Fort Smith.
In the early morning hours of August 3, 2019, the Mena Police Department received a telephone call on its non-emergency phone line there was a bomb in one of the Postal Service vehicles at the Mena Post Office and when someone opens the door of the vehicle, it will blow up. Mena police officers responded to the Mena Post Office and while they were investigating, one of the officers noticed a fire had been set in the "Just for Kids" resale store located across the street of the post office. Police officers called the fire department, which were able to put out the fire after substantial damage to the building and its contents had occurred. At all relevant times, the resale store was operated by the Polk County Developmental Center which is a nonprofit corporation and the proceeds from the resale store were and are used to provide services for individuals with disabilities. During the investigation, officers were able to identify Green as being the caller and were able to trace the phone back to a hotel room in Mena that had been registered in Green’s name. Officers were able to locate and interview Green. During the interview, Green admitted to calling in the bomb threat and to setting the business on fire.
Green was indicted by a federal grand jury in January 2020 and entered a guilty plea in February 2020.
This case was investigated by the Mena Police Department, Mena Fire Department, Polk County Sheriff’s Office, United States Postal Service, ATF and the Fort Smith Bomb Squad. Assistant United States Attorney Claude Hawkins prosecuted the case for the Western District of Arkansas.
Department of Justice Announces Launch of Civil Rights Reporting PortalRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON—The Department of Justice this week 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.”
“We hold our civil and constitutional rights dear. Montanan’s who have suffered a violation of those rights can now use this portal to report them, including voting, housing and land use, lending and credit, public accommodations, education, employment, policing, prisons, disability and service member rights and more." U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said today.
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.
Individuals who believe they may have been a victim of a civil rights violation can learn how to report violations to the Department by visiting civilrights.justice.gov. When appropriate, the Civil Rights Division staff will refer complainants to other agencies that are responsible for handling specific types of complaints.
Individuals who believe they are a victim of criminal violation of their civil rights, such as misconduct by law enforcement officers, a hate crime, or human trafficking, should contact their local FBI office.
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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Department of Justice Announces Launch of Civil Rights Reporting PortalRead the Press Release
A new online tool designed to help the public report civil rights violations
U.S. Attorney Matthew D. Krueger joined the Department of Justice in announcing 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.
Individuals who believe they may have been a victim of a civil rights violation can learn how to report violations to the Department by visiting civilrights.justice.gov. When appropriate, the Civil Rights Division staff will refer complainants to other agencies that are responsible for handling specific types of complaints.
Individuals who believe they are a victim of criminal violation of their civil rights, such as misconduct by law enforcement officers, a hate crime, or human trafficking, should contact their local FBI office.
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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For Additional Information Contact:
Public Information Officer Kenneth Gales 414-297-1700
Department of Justice Announces Launch of Civil Rights Reporting PortalRead the Press Release
The Department of Justice 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 need to accurately and completely report civil rights violations is at the front of our duties as citizens of Michigan,” stated United States Attorney Matthew Schneider. “The events of recent weeks show that Michiganders are standing up to be heard, and this new online reporting tool will help people speak out against civil rights violations at any time, day or night.”
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.
Individuals who believe they may have been a victim of a civil rights violation can learn how to report violations to the Department by visiting civilrights.justice.gov. When appropriate, the Civil Rights Division staff will refer complainants to other agencies that are responsible for handling specific types of complaints.
Individuals can also still report civil rights violations locally to the U.S. Attorney’s Office. In the Eastern District of Michigan, complaints can be submitted via email at [email protected] or by telephone at (313) 226-9151.
Individuals who believe they are a victim of criminal violation of their civil rights, such as misconduct by law enforcement officers, a hate crime, or human trafficking, should contact their local FBI office.
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.
Convicted Felon with Body Armor Pleads Guilty to Federal Firearm and Ammunition OffenseRead the Press Release
Ocala, Florida – Duvale Lamar Van Dyke (31, Ocala) today pleaded guilty to possessing a firearm and ammunition as a convicted felon. Van Dyke faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set.
Van Dyke was indicted on January 22, 2020.
According to the plea agreement, on January 1, 2020, City of Ocala police officers stopped Van Dyke in his vehicle pursuant to an active warrant for his arrest. A search of the car revealed a loaded firearm, a jar of marijuana, and body armor designed to protect against armor-piercing rifle rounds. The officers also located a .223 rifle round in Van Dyke’s pants pocket. Van Dyke admitted that all of these items belonged to him.
As a previously convicted felon, Van Dyke is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition under federal law.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Ocala Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Robert E. Bodnar, Jr.
This case is part of Project Guardian, the Department of Justice’s signature initiative to reduce gun violence and enforce federal firearms laws. Initiated by the Attorney General in the fall of 2019, Project Guardian draws upon the Department’s past successful programs to reduce gun violence and enhances coordination of federal, state, local, and tribal authorities in investigating and prosecuting gun crimes. For more information on Project Guardian visit www.justice.gov/projectguardian.
Convicted Felon Faces Prison Time for Illegally Possessing an Assault RifleRead the Press Release
ALBANY, Ga. – A convicted felon caught with an assault rifle and more than a dozen rounds of ammunition has pleaded guilty for his crime, said Charlie Peeler, the U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of Georgia. Blake Richard Ruis, 26, of Valdosta, entered a guilty plea to possession of a firearm by a convicted felon before U.S. District Judge Louis Sands on Tuesday, June 16, 2020. The charge carries a maximum ten years in prison and a $250,000 fine. A sentencing date has not been scheduled. There is no parole in the federal system.
A Lanier County Sheriff’s Deputy on patrol the night of May 8, 2019 attempted to pull over the defendant after observing him driving his Ford Mustang erratically, but the defendant increased his speed and failed to stop, eventually losing control of his car and striking several stop signs before giving up the chase. Ruis was taken into custody without incident. Inside Ruis’ car, the arresting officer found a High Point 9mm assault rifle, along with 15 rounds of ammunition, all of which the defendant admitted belonged to him. Ruis has prior convictions in the Superior Court of Lowndes County for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and theft by taking.
“It is illegal for convicted felons to carry firearms, period. We will prosecute those found in violation of this law. Keeping firearms out of the hands of convicted felons is an important part of our strategy to reduce violent crime across the entire Middle District of Georgia,” said U.S. Attorney Charlie Peeler. “We are working closely with our law enforcement partners to decrease violent crime in our district. I want to thank the FBI and the Lanier County Sheriff’s Office for their work in this case.”
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
The case is also part of Project Guardian, the Department of Justice’s signature initiative to reduce gun violence and enforce federal firearms laws. Initiated by the Attorney General in the fall of 2019, Project Guardian draws upon the Department’s past successful programs to reduce gun violence; enhances coordination of federal, state, local, and tribal authorities in investigating and prosecuting gun crimes; improves information-sharing by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives when a prohibited individual attempts to purchase a firearm and is denied by the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS), to include taking appropriate actions when a prospective purchaser is denied by the NICS for mental health reasons; and ensures that federal resources are directed at the criminals posing the greatest threat to our communities. For more information about Project Guardian, please see https://www.justice.gov/archives/projectguardian.
This case was investigated by the FBI and the Lanier County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sonja Profit is prosecuting the case for the Government. Questions can be directed to Pamela Lightsey, Public Information Officer, United States Attorney’s Office, at (478) 621-2603 or Melissa Hodges, Public Affairs Director (Contractor), United States Attorney’s Office, at (478) 765-2362.
Chinese Manufacturer Charged with Exporting Defective and Misbranded Masks Falsely Purporting to be KN95 RespiratorsRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A Chinese manufacturer was charged today with producing and exporting to the United States in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic over 140,000 misbranded and defective masks that falsely purported to be KN95 respirators, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito announced.
Crawford Technology Group (HK) Co. LTD. (Crawford) is charged by complaint with violating the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act (FDCA) for causing misbranded and substandard respirators that falsely purported to meet various filtration efficiency standards to be imported into the United States.
“Defective and misbranded personal protection equipment is a danger to all who unwittingly purchase and use it,” U.S. Attorney Carpenito said. “The Department of Justice and our partners remain committed to finding the unscrupulous companies that sell dangerous gear and stopping them from further endangering health care workers and first responders.”
“It is not enough that this pandemic has upended lives around the world and caused countless suffering and hundreds of thousands of deaths,” Jason Molina, Special Agent in Charge, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Newark, said. “In the midst of that, we have companies like this that exploited this tragedy for financial gain and in the process put millions of lives at risk. This case is a good reminder that the combined efforts of the agencies involved in Attorney General Barr’s Task Force have a very long reach to track and charge those who commit such wrongdoing. In addition, for HSI this fulfills the mission of Operation Stolen Promise to rout out COVID related fraud in all its many forms.”
Attorney General William P. Barr created the COVID-19 Hoarding and Price Gouging Task Force, led by U.S. Attorney Carpenito, who is coordinating efforts with the Antitrust Division and U.S. Attorneys across the country wherever illegal activity involving protective personal equipment occurs. The Secretary of Health and Human Services has issued a notice designating categories of health and medical supplies that must not be hoarded or sold for exorbitant prices.
“In a time when the United States Postal Service is playing such a critical role in the nation’s supply chain, the United States Postal Inspectors will be ever vigilant in our pursuit of criminals using the mail to commit fraud schemes,” U.S. Postal Inspection Service Inspector in Charge James Buthorn said. “We will not stand by and allow American citizens to be preyed upon and are proud to stand with our partners defending the public as we recover from the COVID-19 pandemic. Congratulation to the inspectors, special agents, and prosecutors.”
“U.S. Customs and Border Protection is proud of the expertise we bring to support and assist investigations that result in the seizure of illicit products,” Troy Miller, Director New York Field Office, said. “It is through interagency partnerships and collaborative efforts, like the one leading to today’s criminal charges, that law enforcement successfully combats today’s criminal organizations.”
“The FDA is actively monitoring the marketplace for fraudulent products related to our battle against COVID-19 that are marketed and distributed to Americans. The agency will continue to collaborate with our fellow law enforcement partners to bring to justice those who place profits above the public health during this pandemic,” Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey J. Ebersole, FDA Office of Criminal Investigations New York Field Office, said. “We will take appropriate action against those who jeopardize the health of Americans and take advantage of a crisis.”
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
In May 2020, Crawford, a digital electronics company based in Shenzhen, China, manufactured and sold 140,400 adulterated and misbranded KN95 filtering face piece respirators to Company-1 for import into the United States.
The packaging for the respirators, as well as the respirators themselves, falsely indicated that they were 95 percent efficient at filtering harmful airborne particles. The respirators and their packaging also claimed that they complied with established standards in the European Union and China, which require at least 94 percent or 95 percent filtering efficiency, respectively. Crawford also advertised the respirators on its website under a tab labeled “epidemic” and claimed that their respirators have “4 layers of protection” and “Passed the national standard 2626-2000 test.” The page also says “KN95 Filtration reaches 95%,” “KN95 Filter Effect 95%,” and states that their respirators protect against “Severe Haze,” “Bacteria,” and “Dust.” These claims were false and misleading because the average filtering efficiency for the Crawford respirators was 22.33 percent, far below the required thresholds.
U.S. Attorney Carpenito thanked the staff of the NIOSH National Personal Protective Technology Laboratory, under the direction of NIOSH Director John Howard M.D., and special agents of the U.S. Secret Service for their work on the investigation.
The charge in the complaint carries a maximum fine of $200,000.
Please report COVID-19 fraud, hoarding or price-gouging to the National Center for Disaster Fraud’s National Hotline at (866) 720-5721, or e-mail: [email protected].
Information on the NIOSH Covid-19 Respirator Assessment program and the results of other NIOSH respirator tests can be found here: https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/npptl/respirators/testing/NonNIOSHresults.html
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan Peck of the Asset Recovery and Money Laundering Unit.
The charges in the complaint are merely allegations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Castle Creek Man Sentenced to 180 Months for Attempting to Receive and Receiving Child PornographyRead the Press Release
SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – Chad Swartwood, age 41, of Castle Creek, New York, was sentenced today to serve 180 months’ imprisonment for receiving and attempting to receive child pornography, announced United States Attorney Grant C. Jaquith and Kevin Kelly, Special Agent in Charge of the Buffalo Field Office of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).
As part of his previous guilty plea, Swartwood admitted that from approximately December 2017 through December 2018, he operated several social media accounts on different platforms where he presented himself as a teenage female interested in online, sexual interactions with minor boys. While impersonating a teenage female, Swartwood engaged people he believed to be minor boys in sexually explicit text conversations, sent sexually explicit images that he claimed to be of himself as a teenage female, and solicited sexually explicit images from minor boys.
Swartwood was previously convicted of the New York State felony of Sexual Abuse in the First Degree, an offense that involved a child less than 10 years of age.
In addition to the term of imprisonment, Senior United States District Judge Thomas J. McAvoy also imposed a 20-year term of supervised release, which will start after Swartwood is released from prison. Swartwood also will be required to register as a sex offender upon his release from prison.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) with assistance from the Broome County District Attorney’s Office, and was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael D. Gadarian as part of Project Safe Childhood. Launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice, Project Safe Childhood is led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS) and is designed to marshal 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 https://www.justice.gov/psc.
Canton Man Sentenced to Almost Two Years in Prison for Illegal Possession of an Unregistered Firearm SilencerRead the Press Release
Gulfport, Miss. – Kevin Martin Gentry, 38, of Canton, Mississippi, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Sul Ozerden to 23 months in prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release, for unlawful possession of a firearm silencer not registered in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record, announced U.S. Attorney Mike Hurst and Special Agent in Charge Kurt Thielhorn with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). .
On October 9, 2019, in Long Beach, Mississippi, police responded to a report of an aggravated assault in progress at a local apartment. Officers made contact with the defendant, Kevin Martin Gentry, who was armed with a knife. Gentry was disarmed and detained. Further investigation revealed that Gentry had initiated the altercation by forcing himself into the apartment residence displaying a knife. Long Beach Police officers located Gentry’s vehicle parked near the crime scene, and detectives were granted a search warrant from Long Beach Municipal Court. During execution of the search warrant, police found a short-barreled rifle with a silencer.
ATF examined the recovered firearm and measured its barrel length and overall length. The measurements revealed a barrel length of approximately 7 ¾ inches and overall length of approximately 26 ¼ inches. Such a short-barreled rifle and silencer both would require federal registration. The ATF investigation revealed that the firearm was not manufactured in Mississippi, and neither the short-barreled rifle nor the silencer were registered as required in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record.
Gentry admitted to sole possession of the short-barreled rifle and the silencer. He also admitted to making the silencer and to adapting the silencer and short-barreled rifle so that the silencer was threaded to fit onto the rifle.
Gentry was indicted by a federal grand jury on November 6, 2019 and pled guilty before Judge Ozerden on February 20, 2020.
U.S. Attorney Hurst commended the coordinated investigation by the ATF and the Long Beach Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Stan Harris.
Camden County Man Charged with Selling Phony PrescriptionsRead the Press Release
CAMDEN, N.J. – An employee of a Mount Holly, New Jersey, medical practice was arrested today for allegedly selling fraudulent prescriptions for controlled substances, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito announced.
Jose Colon, 36, of Sicklerville, New Jersey, is charged by complaint with one count of distributing controlled substances. He is expected to appear by videoconference later this afternoon before U.S. Magistrate Judge Ann Marie Donio.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
Colon, who is not a medical provider, used the identities of doctors with whom he worked to make and sell fraudulent prescriptions for controlled substances, including Oxycodone, Adderall, Percocet, and Xanax. Colon sometimes met his customers in person with a prescription pad to sell the fraudulent prescriptions for cash. He also submitted fraudulent prescriptions electronically to pharmacies in exchange for electronic payments from his customers. Colon advised his customers on how to fill the fraudulent prescriptions, including instructing them to wait until the medical practice was closed so that Colon would be able to answer any phone calls from the pharmacies questioning the validity of the fraudulent prescriptions.
The count of distributing controlled dangerous substances carries a maximum potential penalty of 20 years in prison and a $1 million fine.
U.S. Attorney Carpenito credited special agents with the FBI Newark Division, Atlantic City Resident Agency, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Douglas Korneski with the investigation leading to today’s arrest. He also thanked the FBI Newark Health Care Fraud Task Force, whose members include the Galloway Township and Middle Township Police Departments, as well as the Cape May County Prosecutor’s Office, for their assistance on this investigation.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey Bender of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Camden.
The charge and allegations contained in the complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Buffalo Man Pleads Guilty to Being an Armed Drug TraffickerRead the Press Release
CONTACT: Barbara Burns
PHONE: (716) 843-5817
FAX #: (716) 551-3051BUFFALO, NY—U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy Jr. announced today that Erin Cameron, 28, of Buffalo, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge John L. Sinatra, Jr. to conspiring to possess with intent to distribute, and distributing, 100 grams or more of heroin, and 10 grams or more of fentanyl, and possessing a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking. The charges carry a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years in prison, a maximum of life, and a fine of $5,000,000.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua A. Violanti, who is handling the case, stated that between July 2018, and December 30, 2018, the defendant conspired with others to sell heroin and fentanyl. During the course of the conspiracy, Cameron supplied another co-conspirator with butyryl fentanyl for future sale.
On October 22, 2018, an individual cooperating with law enforcement set up a controlled purchase of suspected heroin or fentanyl with the defendant. That individual then purchased butyryl fentanyl from an associate of Cameron.
On December 30, 2018, the defendant drove with others from Buffalo to Salamanca, NY to distribute narcotics in and around the Salamanca area. Cameron carried a pistol with six rounds of ammunition, as well as several packages of narcotics including acetyl fentanyl, crack cocaine, and oxycodone. The Salamanca Police stopped the vehicle in which the defendant was a passenger, and recovered the firearm and the controlled substances on Cameron’s person.
The plea is the result of an investigation by the Bureau of Indian Affairs, Office of Justice Services, under the direction of Deputy Bureau Director Charles Addington; the Southern Tier Drug Regional Task Force, under the direction of Cattaraugus County Sheriff's Office Lieutenant Ronald Lott; the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Ray Donovan, New York Field Division, and the Salamanca Police Department, under the direction of Chief Troy Westfall.
Sentencing is scheduled for October 13, 2020, at 2:00 p.m. before Judge Sinatra.
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Buffalo Man and Woman Indicted on Multiple Drug and Gun ChargesRead the Press Release
CONTACT: Barbara Burns
PHONE: (716) 843-5817
FAX #: (716) 551-3051BUFFALO, NY—U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy Jr. announced today that a federal grand jury has returned an indictment charging Frankie Cook, 26, and Shawntee Ellison, 26, both of Buffalo, NY, with narcotics conspiracy, possessing with intent to distribute 100 grams of heroin and 40 grams of fentanyl, maintaining a drug-involved premises, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking offenses. The charges carry up to 65 years in prison. In addition, defendant Cook is charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles E. Watkins, who is handling the case, stated that according to the indictment, in February 2020, the defendants conspired with others to possess with intent to distribute heroin and fentanyl, and used a residence on Dartmouth Avenue in Buffalo to manufacture, use, and distribute the controlled substances. Cook and Ellison also possessed a firearm in furtherance of their drug trafficking activities. On February 11, 2020, in Erie County Court, Cook was convicted of a felony and is legally prohibited from possessing a firearm.
The indictment is the result of an investigation by the Erie County Probation Department, under the direction of Commissioner Brian McLaughlin; the Erie County Sheriff’s Department, under the direction of Sheriff Timothy Howard; and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Acting Special Agent-in-Charge Robert Guyton.
The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
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Boston Man Sentenced to 120 Months for Transportation of a Minor for SexRead the Press Release
CONCORD - Dagoberto Duarte Espinal, 23, of Boston, Massachusetts, was sentenced to 120 months in federal prison for transportation of a minor for the purpose of sexual activity, United States Attorney Scott W. Murray announced today.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on June 10, 2018, the Londonderry Police Department was informed that a 13-year-old female was missing. Officers responded to her residence to investigate. During the investigation, the Londonderry officers were told that the minor female had been communicating with a man online and that they had made plans to meet.
The mother of the minor female received a call from Duarte Espinal telling her that he had taken her daughter to Boston. A law enforcement officer spoke with Duarte Espinal who said the minor female had been dropped off at a bus station. Boston police officers were notified and officers were able to locate the minor female.
On July 3, 2018, Duarte Espinal was arrested by police officers in Boston. Duarte Espinal later admitted that he had picked up the minor female in New Hampshire and driven her to Massachusetts, where they engaged in sexual activity.
Duarte Espinal pleaded guilty on March 12, 2020. After serving his sentence, he faces possible deportation to Honduras.
“Those who use the internet to prey upon children pose a serious threat to public safety,” said U.S. Attorney Murray. “This defendant’s reprehensible conduct merits the substantial sentence imposed by the court. We will continue to work closely with our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners to identify, prosecute, and incarcerate those who victimize children in the Granite State.”
“Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) is strongly committed to pursuing child predators who use the internet to prey on their victims, especially in light of the increased levels of online activity by all age groups in recent months,” said Michael Shea, acting Special Agent in Charge, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Boston. “It’s only through the critical teamwork of our law enforcement partners in the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force (ICAC) and the U.S. Attorney for New Hampshire that HSI was able to help bring about the conviction of this dangerous child predator who is now no longer free to roam the streets of our communities.”
This matter was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Boston, the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, the Londonderry Police Department, and the Boston Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Georgiana Konesky.
In February 2006, the Department of Justice introduced Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney’s Offices, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
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Beaver County Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Possessing Videos of Him Sexually Exploiting a MinorRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH - A resident of Rochester, Pennsylvania, has been sentenced in federal court to 10 years (120 months) in prison to be followed by seven years of supervised release on his conviction of possession of material depicting the sexual exploitation of a minor, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced today.
United States District Judge Joy Flowers Conti imposed the sentence on Elijah Winchester, 23.
According to information presented to the court, Winchester possessed 14 graphic videos in which he and a 14 year-old female minor victim were engaged in sexual activity. The Court was also informed that Winchester had started engaging in sexual activity with the minor when she was just 13 years old and that this conduct lasted for months prior to his arrest.
Assistant United States Attorney Lee J. Karl prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
United States Attorney Brady commended the Western Pennsylvania Violent Crimes Against Children Task Force, the Beaver Police Department and the Beaver County District Attorney’s Office for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Winchester.
Baltimore Heroin Dealer Sentenced to 10 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Richard D. Bennett sentenced Branden Jones, age 21, of Baltimore, yesterday to 10 years in federal prison, followed by four years of supervised release, for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute heroin.
The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Robert K. Hur; Special Agent in Charge Jennifer C. Boone of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office; and Commissioner Michael Harrison of the Baltimore Police Department.
According to Jones’ plea agreement, between January 2017 and December 13, 2018, Jones conspired with others to distribute heroin and fentanyl in Baltimore and elsewhere. Specifically, Jones admitted that he participated in a drug trafficking organization that operated a “drug shop” in the 1400 block of Kuper Street and in the area of West Pratt and South Calhoun Streets, all in South Baltimore. Jones and other members of the organization conducted hand-to-hand sales of drugs to customers in those areas. Jones was captured on video surveillance of the drug shop participating in the drug distribution activities. Jones also discussed his participation in the drug shop’s activities on recorded telephone calls.
During one of the recorded telephone calls, Jones discussed “doing 52 today,” which was a reference to selling 52 packs of heroin or fentanyl, and stated that he “made like $1200 today,” a reference to his drug trafficking proceeds. A pack typically contains 50 doses of heroin or fentanyl. Jones continued during the phone call by saying that he had possessed a Hi-Point firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking. Finally, Jones also collected drug proceeds from lower-level members of the organization and posted pictures of himself with large amounts of cash on his social media accounts.
Jones admitted that as a result of his participation in the organization, it was reasonably foreseeable to him that members of the conspiracy would distribute between one and three kilograms of heroin. Eighteen other defendants were also convicted as members of the organization. Seven, including Jones, have been sentenced to between 70 months and 11 years in federal prison and twelve others are awaiting sentencing.
United States Attorney Robert K. Hur praised the FBI and Baltimore Police Department for their work in the investigation. Mr. Hur thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Zachary Stendig, Charles Austin, and Michael Hanlon, who prosecuted the case.
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