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Wednesday 11 March 2020
Statement from Assistant Attorney General Commending House Judiciary Committee’s Work to Clarify Criminalization of Female Genital MutilationRead the Press Release
Assistant Attorney General Stephen E. Boyd issued the following statement:
“Female genital mutilation (FGM) is a form of gender-based violence and child abuse that harms victims not only when they are girls, suffering the immediate trauma of the act, but also throughout their lives as women, when it often results in a range of physical and psychological harms. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that half a million women and girls in the United States have already suffered FGM or are at risk for being subjected to FGM in the future.
“The Department of Justice condemns this practice and urges Congress to act on legislation that will clarify the Department’s ability to prosecute such offenses.
“In April 2019, the Solicitor General of the United States sent a letter to Congressional leadership urging Congress to amend Section 116(a) of Title 18 of the United States Code to clarify the constitutional basis for criminalization of FGM to ensure that such violations can be prosecuted in federal courts. We commend the House Judiciary Committee for its work on legislation which will ensure that federal FGM prosecutions may be brought.”
St. Louis Mail Handler Sentenced for Stealing Medication Parcels for His Own Personal UseRead the Press Release
St. Louis, MO – Aaron Hiner, 55, Ferguson, MO, was sentenced to a five year term of probation and six months home confinement for stealing prescription medicine from the United States Mail. Hiner appeared before U.S. District Court Judge Henry A. Autrey.
According to court records, Hiner was an employee of the United States Postal Service and assigned to the St. Louis Metro Annex in Hazelwood, Missouri between 2004 and March 2019. On January 15 and March 5, 2019, Hiner stole 147 Express Scripts medication parcels from the mail. Hiner pled guilty and admitted that, because of his addiction to opioids, he stole the Express Scripts parcel mailings. The estimated loss associated with his theft is $35,742.57.
Hiner pled guilty in October 2019 to one felony count of theft of mail by a Postal Service employee.
The United States Postal Service – Office of the Inspector General, investigated this case. Assistant United States Attorney Tracy Berry handled the case for the U.S. Attorney's Office.
South Florida Business Owner Sentenced to 24 Months in Prison for Not Paying $10.8 Million in Employment Tax WithholdingsRead the Press Release
A Miami, Florida, business owner was sentenced to 24 months in prison today for failing to pay over employment taxes, announced Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Richard E. Zuckerman of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and U.S. Attorney Ariana Fajardo Orshan for the Southern District of Florida.
According to court documents and statements made in court, between 2002 and 2017, Ricardo Betancourt owned and operated multiple parcel delivery businesses in the South Florida area. Betancourt’s businesses earned gross revenues of more than $100 million.
Through his businesses, Betancourt employed hundreds of employees and was responsible for collecting and paying over to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) the taxes withheld from employees’ paychecks. Between 2009 and 2016, Betancourt withheld over $10.8 million in payroll taxes from his employees but instead of paying those funds to the IRS, Betancourt transferred the money to an investment company he used to fund a lavish lifestyle and other business ventures. Betancourt spent over $190,000 on motorcycles, including several Harley-Davidson bikes, purchased classic and sports cars, bought expensive jewelry, and paid for cosmetic surgery.
In addition to the term of imprisonment, U.S. District Judge Marcia G. Cooke ordered Betancourt to serve three years of supervised release and to pay approximately $9,033,318 in restitution to the United States.
Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Zuckerman and U.S. Attorney Fajardo Orshan thanked special agents of IRS-Criminal Investigation, who conducted the investigation, and Trial Attorney Michael Boteler of the Tax Division, who prosecuted the case.
Additional information about the Tax Division and its enforcement efforts may be found on the division’s website.
Six Former Residents of Mexico Charged in Cocaine ConspiracyRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH – Six former residents of Mexico have been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh on a charge of conspiring to possess with intent to distribute and distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced today.
The one-count Superseding Indictment, returned on March 10, named Amado Alonzo Zazueta Garcia, Juan Jose Quintero Felix, Luis Antonio Alvarado Llanes, Sergio Geovany Alvarado Felix, and Jose Molina Perez, each of whom is originally from Sinaloa, Mexico; and Aracelis Martinez Nunez, formerly of Sonora, Mexico, as the defendants.
According to the Superseding Indictment, from in and around September 2019, to in and around November 2019, in the Western District of Pennsylvania, and elsewhere, the defendants conspired with one another, and with persons both known and unknown to the grand jury, to possess with intent to distribute and distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine, a Schedule II controlled substance.
The defendants were originally charged by complaint following their arrest on November 20, 2019. All of the defendants are detained pending trial.
The law provides for a maximum total sentence for each defendant of not less than 10 years in prison and not more than life imprisonment, a fine not to exceed $10,000,000, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentences imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendants.
Assistant United States Attorney Jerome A. Moschetta is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation, Pennsylvania State Police Bureau of Criminal Investigation Unit, Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Phoenix (Arizona) Police Department conducted the investigation leading to the Superseding Indictment in this case.
A superseding indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Shelton Woman Admits Embezzling $260K from EmployerRead the Press Release
John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, and Brian C. Turner, Special Agent in Charge of the New Haven Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, announced that BARBARA J. BUCHANAN, 60, of Shelton, waived her right to be indicted and pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Judge Janet Bond Arterton in New Haven to one count of wire fraud stemming from an embezzlement scheme.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Buchanan was the payroll manager for a Connecticut company. Between approximately 2014 and September 2019, Buchanan made false entries and adjustments in the payroll system in order to wire company funds into her personal bank account. She also made false journal entries in the company’s tax records in an effort to hide her fraudulent activities. Through the scheme, Buchanan embezzled approximately $220,000 from the company.
Buchanan also used a company American Express card to make approximately $40,000 in personal purchases.
Judge Arterton Scheduled sentencing for June 5, 2020, at which time Buchanan faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years. Buchanan has agreed to pay restitution of $260,202.52
Buchanan is released on a $100,000 bond pending sentencing.
This investigation is being conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael S. McGarry.
Rodeo Resident Charged in Alleged Bank RobberyRead the Press Release
OAKLAND – A federal complaint charges Jose Miguel Rodriguez Montano with committing bank robbery and using, carrying, and possessing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence, announced United States Attorney David L. Anderson and Federal Bureau of Investigation Special Agent in Charge John F. Bennett.
According to the complaint, filed on March 6, 2020, Montano entered a Comerica Bank in San Leandro on January 7, 2020, and repeatedly demanded that a bank employee at a teller window give him money. The robber was wearing a Chewbacca mask to disguise his identity and was carrying a shotgun inside a tennis racket case. The teller passed Montano bundles of cash in response to his demands, an amount later calculated to be $35,990. As the robber exited the bank, surveillance cameras filmed the shotgun falling out of the tennis racket case as the robber caught it and carried it out of the building.
The complaint describes features of the investigation that led to Montano’s arrest. Significantly, surveillance cameras inside and outside the bank, as well as from local businesses, captured many of the robber’s movements including the arrival of a car at a nearby parking lot prior to the robbery and the departure of the car shortly after the robbery. Additional investigation led to the identity of the car owner and recovery of several items that resembled the items used by the robber during the theft.
The complaint charges Montano with bank robbery, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 2113, and using, carrying, and possessing a firearm in relation to a crime of violence, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 924(c).
A complaint merely alleges that crimes have been committed, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. The maximum penalty defendant faces upon conviction for the bank robbery charge is 20 years’ imprisonment. Further, upon conviction, the maximum penalty Montano faces for using, carrying or possessing a firearm in relation to a crime of violence is life imprisonment, with a minimum mandatory sentence of 5 years’ imprisonment. Additionally, periods of supervised release, fines, forfeitures, and special assessments also could be imposed. However, any sentence following conviction would be imposed by the court after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal statute governing the imposition of a sentence, 18 U.S.C. § 3553.
Montano made his initial federal court appearance on the charges before U.S. Magistrate Judge Donna M. Ryu. Magistrate Judge Donna M. Ryu ordered defendant Montano to appear on March 13, 2020, for a status hearing regarding detention and arraignment.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas R. Green is prosecuting the case with the assistance of Kay Konopaske. The prosecution is the result of a joint investigation by the FBI and the San Leandro Police Department.
Point Pleasant Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Selling Crystal Methamphetamine and Pills Containing Heroin and FentanylRead the Press Release
CAMDEN, N.J. – A Point Pleasant, New Jersey, man was sentenced today to 120 months in prison for distributing approximately 300 grams of crystal methamphetamine and thousands of pills containing heroin or fentanyl, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito announced.
Carl Chianese, 80, of Point Pleasant, New Jersey, previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Robert Kugler to an information charging him with one count of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances. He also admitted a violation of his supervised release by committing the drug trafficking offense while on court supervision for two earlier federal drug trafficking cases that involved the distribution of large quantities of methamphetamine. Judge Kugler imposed the sentence today in Camden federal court.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
Chianese, along with conspirator Joseph Servidio, distributed pills that contained heroin or fentanyl. Chianese and Servidio were also involved in the distribution of multiple ounce quantities of crystal methamphetamine. They sold the pills and crystal methamphetamine on multiple occasions to an FBI undercover agent in exchange for cash payments. According to law enforcement sources, Servidio is a member of La Cosa Nostra. These drug transactions included the sale of 300 pills containing heroin, which were sold to the FBI agent at a Garden State Parkway rest stop on Dec. 23, 2016. In total, Chianese was responsible for the distribution of over 200 grams of fentanyl and heroin, and approximately 300 grams of crystal methamphetamine.
Chianese was arrested by FBI agents at his residence on March 14, 2018. During a search of his residence by the agents, the agents recovered a .38 caliber revolver, a magazine for a .380 caliber semi-automatic handgun, and over $25,000 in cash. Chianese agreed to the forfeiture of the firearm and cash, which was ordered by the court as part of the sentence imposed.
In addition to the prison term, Judge Kugler sentenced Chianese to three years of supervised release.
Servidio pleaded guilty June 17, 2019, to his role in the conspiracy and is scheduled to be sentenced by Judge Kugler on March 26, 2020.
U.S. Attorney Carpenito credited special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Gregory W. Ehrie in Newark, with the investigation leading to today’s sentencing. He also thanked the U.S. Department of Labor and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives for their assistance.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Patrick C. Askin of the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Camden Office.
Defense counsel: Mark Catanzaro Esq., Mount Holly, New Jersey
Pittsburgh-area Felon Convicted at Trial of Federal Firearms OffenseRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, PA - After deliberating for an hour on Tuesday, a federal jury of five men and seven women found Dana Lamont Henderson guilty of one count of possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced today.
Henderson, 38, formerly of Pittsburgh’s Green Tree neighborhood, was tried before United States District Judge Mark R. Hornak in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
According to Assistant United States Attorneys Brian Czarnecki, who prosecuted the case, the evidence presented at trial established that on or about May 8, 2016, Henderson possessed a 40 caliber Smith and Wesson 40 caliber pistol loaded with a magazine containing six bullets and a round in the chamber. As a convicted felon, Henderson was prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition.
Judge Hornak will issue an order scheduling the date and time for sentencing. The law provides for a total sentence of not more than 10 years imprisonment. However, if Henderson is determined to have had three previous convictions for violent felonies or serious drug offenses, the law provides for a total sentence of not less than 15 years to life imprisonment. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based on the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
The Stowe Township Police Department, Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Henderson.
Pimp Who Recorded Sex with Child Victim Sentenced to 18 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
OKLAHOMA CITY – Earlier today, JAYLYN MARQUICE BELL, 24, of Oklahoma City, was ordered to serve 18 years in federal prison, to be followed by 10 years of supervised release, for sexual exploitation of a child, announced Timothy J. Downing, United States Attorney for the Western District of Oklahoma.
According to court records, on October 9, 2018, officers from the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs Human Trafficking Unit (OBNDD HTU) and the Oklahoma City Police Department Vice Unit (OCPD Vice) conducted an undercover operation to recover a suspected child being advertised for commercial sex on the internet. The undercover officer responded to the advertisement and arranged to meet the female at a local hotel. When the undercover officer arrived, he met a young female, provided her with $185, and she agreed to have commercial sex. Officers then recovered the female, who was under 18, and a young male who was hiding in the bathroom of the hotel room. Officers later recovered two additional juvenile females on the property. Further investigation showed that Jaylyn Bell had rented the hotel room and trafficked the three young girls, along with other young girls, from that hotel.
Law enforcement identified multiple underage girls Bell had been trafficking at local hotels. Some of those underage victims were runaways and undocumented immigrants. Bell had reserved and paid for the hotel rooms, given directions to the girls on what to do, took photographs of the girls for advertisements, posted advertisements from his phone number and email address, provided condoms, and took the proceeds of his victims’ commercial sex transactions. In the course of trafficking the girls, Bell recorded a video of himself having sex with one of his victims.
A federal grand jury indicted Bell on January 15, 2019, for sexual exploitation of a child. He pleaded guilty to sexual exploitation of a child on June 11, 2019, before U.S. District Judge Charles Goodwin. At the sentencing hearing today, the Court noted it had considered the victim of exploitation in the Indictment was under the age of 18, that Mr. Bell also sex trafficked her and at least, four other children and that he provided drugs, rented hotel rooms, provided condoms, and had a firearm. Further, the Court noted it had considered that Mr. Bell attempted to have someone commit perjury and had advised someone else he would flee if he was released pretrial, seeking their assistance if that occurred. The Court also considered Mr. Bell’s relative youth and his capacity for change, ultimately ordering Mr. Bell serve 216 months (i.e. 18 years) in federal prison, to be followed by 10 years of supervised release. Mr. Bell’s restitution will be determined by the Court at a later date.
This case is the result of an investigation by United States Federal Bureau of Investigation, the OCPD Vice Unit, and the OBNDD HTU. Assistant U.S. Attorneys McKenzie Anderson and Jacquelyn M. Hutzell prosecuted the case.
Reference is made to public filings for further information.
Pikeville Man Pleads Guilty to Distributing HydrocodoneRead the Press Release
PIKEVILLE, Ky. - A Pikeville, Kentucky man, Jimmy Lee Moore, 69, pleaded guilty on Monday, before U.S. Magistrate Judge Edward B. Atkins, to distributing hydrocodone.
Moore admitted that between 2016 and 2018, he provided hydrocodone and gabapentin to others, in Pikeville, including at least one minor. Moore also admitted that he stored and distributed the controlled substances on his property.
Moore was indicted in January 2020.
Robert M. Duncan, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; James Robert Brown, Jr., Special Agent in Charge of FBI, Louisville Field Office; and Chief Christopher Edmonds, Pikeville Police Department, jointly announced the guilty plea.
The investigation was conducted by the FBI and the Pikeville Police Department. The United States was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Hydee Hawkins.
Moore will be sentenced on a date yet to be determined by the Court. He faces up to 20 years in prison and a maximum fine of $1 million. However, any sentence will be imposed by the Court after its consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal statutes.
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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Physicians group pays over $1M to resolve false billing claimsRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – Millennium Physicians Association PLLC has paid the United States $1,248,964 to resolve claims that they improperly billed the Medicare program for sleep studies, announced U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Patrick.
“Providers must adhere to the Medicare rules and regulations if they wish to participate in the program,” said Patrick. “The rules safeguard patients and keep providers accountable to taxpayers.”
“Providers using improperly credentialed technicians are cheating the taxpayers and may put beneficiaries at risk,” said Joseph Martin, Acting Special Agent In Charge for the Office of Inspector General of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. “Along with our law enforcement partners, we will continue to guard the integrity of government health care programs.”
Millennium is based in The Woodlands and owns and operates two sleep centers in the Houston area doing business as Millennium Respiratory & Sleep Disorder Specialists.
The investigation began following the Jan. 4, 2018, filing of a whistleblower lawsuit. Millennium employed the whistleblower who alleged the company conducted sleep studies without the presence of properly credentialed technicians.
Medicare rules and guidelines require that properly-trained and certified sleep technicians administer sleep studies. However, the investigation revealed that from Jan. 8, 2015, through March 13, 2019, Millennium improperly billed and received payment for sleep tests when they did not have the required personnel present.
Medicare rules and guidelines also require facilities to be accredited or certified by the America Academy of Sleep Medicine, Joint Commission or Accreditation Commission for Health Care Inc. Millennium self-reported that from 2011 through 2019, two of its sleep test facilities did not have such accreditation or certification.
The United States contended Millennium violated False Claims Act (FCA) by knowingly submitting, or causing to be submitted, false claims to Medicare for payment for sleep studies performed at these unaccredited sleep centers.
Under the FCA, a private party (relator) can file an action known as a qui tam on behalf of the United States and receive a portion of the recovery. In this case, the relator received $187,344 as a result of the settlement.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office, Department of Health and Human Services - Office of Inspector General and FBI conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jill Venezia handled the matter.
The settlement resolved the claims without a determination of liability.
Philadelphia Man Sentenced to 56 Years in Prison for Armed Robbery Spree and Related Gun CrimesRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney William M. McSwain announced that Lukeen Gerald, 31, of Philadelphia, PA, was sentenced to 56 years’ imprisonment by United States District Court Judge Petrese B. Tucker for a series of armed robberies in Philadelphia. The Court further ordered the defendant to serve three years’ supervised release and to pay $4,330 in restitution and a special assessment of $1,500.
The defendant committed a staggering seven armed robberies of convenience stores and a bar in Philadelphia over a four-week period in early 2015. During each robbery, Gerald brandished a gun and wore a mask. In one armed robbery of a Dunkin Donuts, he accused the store employee of moving too slowly in handing over the store’s cash and fired his gun in anger.
Gerald was arrested after his seventh robbery when his car was stopped by Philadelphia Police officers. Following his arrest, the police recovered a shotgun, ski mask, and cash from his car. After receiving his Miranda warnings, not only did the defendant admit he committed the robberies, but also he described each robbery in detail and told law enforcement where they could find evidence linking him to his crimes. The defendant has previously been convicted of a felony and therefore was prohibited by law from possessing a firearm. After a five-day trial, he was convicted on all 15 counts of the federal Indictment.
“Gerald and criminals like him selfishly engage in violent acts that cause harm to innocent small business owners, their employees, and our community as a whole,” said U.S. Attorney McSwain. “Showing total disregard for the lives and property of others, Gerald terrorized people who were simply trying to earn an honest living. These law-abiding residents deserve protection, and my Office is working tirelessly to make sure that they have it.”
“Lukeen Gerald is a vicious and violent offender whose armed robbery spree left his victims traumatized,” said Tara A. McMahon, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Philadelphia Division. “In the course of a month, he targeted seven different establishments, and history suggests he’d have kept at it, had he not been stopped by the Philadelphia Police Department. Know that the FBI and PPD are working together every day to make this city safer by putting criminals like Gerald behind bars.”
“The investigation, arrest, and successful prosecution of Lukeen Gerald is further evidence of the merits of a collaborative approach to combating violent crime,” said Danielle Outlaw, Philadelphia Police Department Commissioner. “We are privileged to have worked alongside our law enforcement partners in securing the conviction, and anticipate that the attendant sentencing will have an appreciable effect on the safety of the community we serve.”
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. The Department of Justice reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Philadelphia Police Department, and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Sarah Damiani and Roberta Benjamin.
Pasco Man Responsible for Numerous Overdoses at Pasco County Jail Sentenced to 27 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Virginia Hernandez Covington today sentenced Timothy CathCart (33, Pasco County) to 27 years in federal prison for conspiracy to distribute and possession with the intent to distribute a substance containing detectable amounts of fentanyl and norfentanyl, the use of which resulted in serious bodily injury to multiple individuals.
CathCart had pleaded guilty on November 1, 2019.
According to court documents, CathCart was part of a drug trafficking organization (DTO) that conspired to distribute fentanyl and methamphetamine throughout the Middle District of Florida. In January 2019, CathCart was arrested for a traffic violation in Pasco County. Moments before his arrest, he concealed approximately seven grams of fentanyl, which he had mixed with seven grams of gabapentin and methamphetamines. CathCart then smuggled the controlled substances inside the Pasco Jail.
Between January 24 and January 25, 2019, CathCart distributed the fentanyl he had smuggled to three inmates in the Pasco Jail. All three inmates lost consciousness, overdosed, and suffered serious bodily injury.
On February 1, 2019, two additional inmates overdosed from the substances that CathCart had smuggled into the jail. One inmate was successfully revived and eventually regained consciousness. The second inmate died. A postmortem toxicology report concluded that the individual suffered an accidental death caused by fentanyl toxicity.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Pasco Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Diego F. Novaes.
Ohio Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Methamphetamine ChargeRead the Press Release
Charleston, W.Va. – A Columbus, Ohio man pled guilty to a drug crime, announced United States Attorney Mike Stuart. Darrell Gossett, age 34, pled guilty to possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine.
“Sounds like a comedy but it was real life -- drug dealer with 250 grams of meth backs into a police car,” said United States Attorney Mike Stuart. “It’s not a comedy but maybe a comedy of errors. Law enforcement was able to seize the meth before Gossett could peddle it throughout southern West Virginia.”
Gossett admitted that on November 6, 2019, he possessed over 250 grams of methamphetamine hidden inside his vehicle. Investigators were approaching 2403 Whitman Creek Road in Whitman to investigate possible drug activity when Gossett quickly backed out of the location, striking a police cruiser. A subsequent search of his vehicle led to the seizure of the methamphetamine. As part of his guilty plea, Gossett admitted that he planned on selling the methamphetamine.
Gossett faces up to 40 years in prison when sentenced on June 17, 2020.
The Logan County Sheriff’s Department conducted the investigation. United States District Judge Irene C. Berger presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Nowles Heinrich is handling the prosecution.
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###Northwest Arkansas Woman Sentenced to 10 Years in Federal Prison for Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
Fayetteville, Arkansas – David Clay Fowlkes, Acting United States Attorney for the Western District of Arkansas, announced today that Angeline Towery, age 41, of Fayetteville, Arkansas was sentenced to 120 months in federal prison followed by four years of supervised release on one count of Possession of more than 50 grams of Actual Methamphetamine with Intent to Distribute. The Honorable Judge Timothy L. Brooks presided over the sentencing hearing in the United States District Court in Fayetteville.
According to court records in June of 2019, the Fourth (4th) Judicial Drug Task Force (DTF) in Fayetteville was investigating Towery for trafficking methamphetamine in northwest Arkansas. On July 2, 2019, detectives observed Towery conducting a drug transaction in a parking lot in Fayetteville, Arkansas, and subsequently leave the area as a passenger in a vehicle. Detectives pulled the vehicle over for a traffic violation. During the traffic stop, Towery was observed concealing a baggie on her person and throwing a baggie out of the vehicle. A search conducted by the detectives resulted in the detectives locating suspected methamphetamine, a digital scale, cocaine, several different pills, and counterfeit currency.
The suspected methamphetamine possessed by Towery was sent to the DEA crime lab in Miami, Florida and tested positive for 82.5 grams of actual methamphetamine.
Towery was indicted by a federal grand jury in October of 2019, and entered a guilty plea in December of 2019.
This case was investigated by the Fourth (4th) Judicial Drug Task Force (DTF) and the Drug Enforcement Administration. Assistant United States Attorney Sydney Butler prosecuted the case for the Western District of Arkansas.
Niagara Falls Man Arrested, Charged with Production and Possession of Child PornographyRead 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 Jonathan R. Cassatt, 34, of Niagara Falls, NY, was arrested and charged by criminal complaint with production of child pornography, which carries a minimum penalty of 15 years in prison and a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison and a $250,000 fine, and possession of child pornography, which carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey T. Fiut, who is handling the case, stated that according to the criminal complaint, a witness reported to the Niagara Falls Police Department in November 2019 that Cassatt’s cell phone contained images and videos produced by Cassatt depicting Cassatt and a minor victim engaging in sexual activity. Law enforcement officers thereafter interviewed Cassatt and searched his cell phone, resulting in the discovery of multiple images and videos depicting Cassatt and the minor victim engaging in sexual acts.
The defendant made an initial appearance today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jeremiah J. McCarthy. He is being held pending a detention hearing on March 12, 2020.
The criminal complaint is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Gary Loeffert and the Niagara Falls Police Department, under the direction of Chief Thomas Licata.
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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Newport News Tax Preparer Indicted for False ReturnsRead the Press Release
A federal grand jury in Newport News, Virginia, returned an indictment today charging a tax preparer with aiding and assisting the preparation of false returns, announced Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Richard E. Zuckerman of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and U.S. Attorney G. Zachary Terwilliger for the Eastern District of Virginia.
According to the indictment, Angela C. Harper owned At Ease Tax Services, a tax preparation business that she operated from her home and hotel rooms in the Newport News area. Between 2014 and 2018, Harper allegedly falsified clients’ tax returns by claiming false credits and deductions in order to inflate their refunds. Harper also allegedly did not sign as preparer on the returns or provide copies of the returns to clients.
If convicted, Harper faces a statutory maximum sentence of three years in prison for each count. She 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 Terwilliger commended special agents of IRS-Criminal Investigation, who conducted the investigation, and Trial Attorneys Francine Davis and Michael C. Boteler of the Tax Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian J. Samuels, who are prosecuting the case.
Additional information about the Tax Division and its enforcement efforts may be found on the Division’s website.
New Haven Man Sentenced to More Than 10 Years in Federal Prison for Trafficking HeroinRead the Press Release
John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that BRIAN K. BACKMAN, also known as “B,” “NYB” and “New York B,” 55, of New Haven, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Robert N. Chatigny in Hartford to 121 months of imprisonment, followed by five years of supervised release, for trafficking heroin.
This matter stems from an investigation headed by the FBI’s New Haven Safe Streets/Gang Task Force and New Haven Police Department that targeted drug trafficking and related acts of violence by members, former members and associates of the “Island Brothers” street gang in New Haven. The investigation, which included court-authorized wiretaps and controlled purchases of narcotics, also revealed that the drug trafficking organization had established a base of operation in Fitchburg, Massachusetts. The investigation subsequently identified a second drug trafficking network that involved the large-scale distribution of heroin.
During the investigation, Backman was identified as a supplier of heroin to members of the New Haven drug trafficking organization. Backman was intercepted over multiple wiretaps discussing the acquisition of heroin from a supplier in New York for redistribution in and around New Haven.
On June 16, 2019, Backman sent a courier, Dena Draughn, to pick up a large shipment of heroin from a New York supplier. He then directed an associate, Anderson Atkinson, to meet Draughn at a Hamden parking lot to retrieve the heroin. Investigators arrested Draughn and Atkinson after they met at the parking lot, and seized approximately 10,000 bags of heroin with a net weight of approximately 300 grams.
On July 9, 2019, a grand jury in New Haven returned a 15-count indictment charging Backman, Draughn, Atkinson and 22 other individuals with various offenses.
Backman has been detained since his arrest on July 10, 2019. On October 28, 2019, he pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute one kilogram or more of heroin.
Backman’s criminal history spans more than 30 years and includes convictions in three states and a federal conviction in the Southern District of New York.
Draughn and Atkinson have pleaded guilty to related charges and await sentencing.
This matter is being investigated by the FBI’s New Haven Safe Streets/Gang Task Force, New Haven Police Department, Milford Police Department, Hamden Police Department, East Haven Police Department, Connecticut State Police, Connecticut Department of Correction and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Anthony E. Kaplan, Peter D. Markle and Elena L. Coronado.
New Castle Man Pleads Guilty to Cocaine-Related Drug ChargesRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH - A former resident of New Castle, PA pleaded guilty in federal court to charges of violating federal narcotics laws, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced today.
Wesley Cox, also known as Michael Deshawn Carter, age 38, pleaded guilty to two counts before United States District Judge Marilyn J. Horan.
In connection with the guilty plea, the court was advised that from 2017 through May 2019, Cox participated in a conspiracy to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine and 280 grams or more of cocaine base, in the form commonly known as crack.
Judge Horan scheduled sentencing for June 30, 2020 at 9:30AM. The law provides for a total sentence of not less than 10 years in prison and up to life, a fine of $10,500,000, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorneys Brendan T. Conway and Marnie Sheehan-Balchon is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
A federally administered Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Cox. The task force is headed by the Drug Enforcement Administration and is comprised of members drawn from the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation, the United States Postal Inspection Service, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Lawrence County Drug Task Force, Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General, Borough of Baldwin Police Department, McKees Rocks Police Department, Munhall Police Department, Allegheny County Sheriff’s Office, Pittsburgh Bureau of Police, and the Pennsylvania State Police.
The OCDETF program supplies critical federal funding and coordination that allows federal and state agencies to work together to successfully identify, investigate, and prosecute major interstate and international drug trafficking organizations and other criminal enterprises. The Lawrence County Drug Task Force and the New Castle Police Department also participated in the investigation.
Murray, Kentucky Child Predator Sentenced to Life ImprisonmentRead the Press Release
PADUCAH, Ky. – A Calloway County, Kentucky, man, has been sentenced to life in federal prison by United States Senior Judge Thomas B. Russell, announced U.S. Attorney Russell Coleman.
Jeffrey Desmond Carter, age 41, was convicted by a jury on all 25 counts of production of child pornography, one count of receipt of child pornography, and one count of sex trafficking children in September of 2019.
“The most basic job of government is to keep people safe, especially the most vulnerable, our kids,” said U.S. Attorney Russell Coleman. “This outcome, removal of a child predator from our Commonwealth for life, is an example of, federal, state, and local law enforcement coming together to do just that. I could not be prouder of the federal prosecutor and investigators involved in this case. They represent the very finest in Kentucky law men/women.”
Carter, of Murray, Kentucky, was charged on October 18, 2016, by a federal grand jury with 25 counts of production of child pornography, one count of receipt of child pornography, and one count of sex trafficking children.
According to evidence before the Court, on February 5, 2015, the Calloway County Sheriff’s Department was notified that a 15 year-old female had sent sexually explicit photos and videos of herself to Carter, through a Facebook messenger account under the name of Adam Bryan. The investigation soon merged with an investigation by the Murray Police Department.
At the same time the Calloway County report was made, another report was being made to the Murray Police Department that a 14-year old girl sent nude images to Carter. Through investigative techniques, Carter was identified and a search warrant was obtained for his Murray, Kentucky, apartment.
A search warrant for Carter’s apartment was executed on February 10, 2015, by law enforcement agents from the Murray Police Department, Calloway County Sheriff’s Department, and Kentucky State Police. A number of items were seized from the residence including electronic devices. Carter was present when the warrant was executed and was taken to the Murray Police Department for questioning. After waiving his Miranda rights, Carter admitted to using the “Adam Bryan” Facebook account and to contacting girls under the age of 18 and requesting nude images and videos from them. Further, Carter admitted to engaging in sexual acts with a number of minor females and to recording those encounters. Carter stated that he would pay money or provide gifts to the minor females in exchange for participating in the sex acts or for sending nude images or videos. In addition to his verbal confession Carter wrote out a confession; in this written confession, Carter specifically named six of the victims listed in the indictment, and provides a description of a seventh.
The Kentucky Regional Computer Forensics Laboratory performed an analysis on the devices seized during the search warrant; in reviewing the reports and data an FBI special agent and other authorities were able to identify at least 12 victims, including those already known to law enforcement.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Seth A. Hancock and was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. In addition to the original investigative agencies including the Murray Police Department, Calloway County Sheriff’s Department, and the Kentucky State Police, assistance in the federal investigation was received from the Marshall County Sheriff’s Department; McCracken County Sheriff’s Department; Metropolis, Illinois Police Department; Murray State University Police Department; and Lotus, formerly the Purchase Area Sexual Assault and Child Advocacy Center.
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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.
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Morgantown man sentenced for drug distributionRead the Press Release
CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Ronald Bowers, of Morgantown, West Virginia, was sentenced today to 18 months incarceration for drug distribution, U.S. Attorney Bill Powell announced.
Bowers, age 37, pled guilty to one count of “Aiding and Abetting Distribution of Heroin in Proximity to a Protected Location” in August 2019. Bowers admitted to selling heroin near West Virginia University in July 2018.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Zelda E. Wesley prosecuted the case on behalf of the government. The Mon Metro Drug & Violent Crimes Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, and the West Virginia State Police investigated.
U.S. District Judge Thomas S. Kleeh presided.
Mobile Doctor Sentenced to Five Years Probation and Ordered to Pay Quarter Million Dollar Fine for Prescription Drug OffenseRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Richard W. Moore of the Southern District of Alabama, announces that Dr. Thomas Dempsey has been sentenced to five years of probation and ordered to pay a $250,000.00 fine following his plea of guilty to illegally distributing controlled substances via prescription.
Dr. Dempsey was one of the founding members of the Alabama Orthopedic Clinic in Mobile, Alabama. In 2012, Dr. Dempsey left to start Orthopedic Quick Care in Mobile. In September 2019, Dr. Dempsey pleaded guilty to an Information alleging illegal distribution of oxycodone and hydrocodone via prescription while working at Orthopedic Quick Care.
As part of his plea agreement, Dr. Dempsey admitted that he signed blank prescription papers prior to a June 2018 trip to Charleston, South Carolina. During this trip, Dr. Dempsey’s staff used these pre-signed prescription papers to create thirty-seven prescriptions for oxycodone and hydrocodone, which were distributed to patients while Dr. Dempsey was out of the office. His employees — none of whom had the requisite DEA license to prescribe Schedule II controlled substances like oxycodone and hydrocodone — were acting at Dr. Dempsey’s express direction.
During the sentencing hearing, United States District Judge Jeffrey Beaverstock emphasized that pre-signing blank prescription papers is a very serious offense that can easily lead to diversion of controlled substances. Noting Dr. Dempsey’s age, lack of criminal history, and the fact that he had already lost his DEA license and was no longer practicing medicine, Judge Beaverstock opted for the maximum probation sentence of five years instead of incarceration. Judge Beaverstock also ordered Dr. Dempsey to pay a fine of $250,000.00, which is the maximum fine allowed under the statute of conviction.
This matter was investigated by Special Agents, Task Force Officers, and Diversion Investigators with DEA–Mobile. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Christopher Bodnar and Deborah Griffin.
Mexican man sentenced for attempting to export more than 1000 AK-47 magazinesRead the Press Release
McALLEN, Texas – A 22-year-old Mexican national has been ordered to prison following his conviction of attempting to export firearm magazines, announced U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Patrick.
Ociel Ambrosio Ramirez-Ramirez pleaded guilty Dec. 30, 2019.
Today, U.S. District Judge Micaela Alvarez sentenced Ramirez-Ramirez to 52 months in federal prison. Not a U.S. citizen, he is expected to face removal proceedings following his release from prison.
In handing down the sentence, the court noted the type and sheer quantity of the firearm magazines Ramirez-Ramirez smuggled to be particularly troublesome. Judge Alvarez recognized the violence south of the U.S. border and how drug trafficking organizations often rely on individuals like Ramirez-Ramirez to provide weapons or ammunition from the United States.
On Oct. 13, 2019, Ramirez-Ramirez attempted to export 1,057 AK-47 magazines and six 1911-style .38 super magazines from the United States into Mexico through the Hidalgo Port of Entry. At the time of his arrest, Ramirez-Ramirez informed agents he maintained a storage unit in Hidalgo. Law enforcement subsequently searched it and discovered numerous empty boxes of ammunition, gun cases and a 7.62x39mm round of ammunition therein.
Ramirez-Ramirez has been and will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation with the assistance of Customs and Border Protection. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Redavid prosecuted the case.
Manchester Man Pleads Guilty to Bank RobberyRead the Press Release
CONCORD - Kenneth Rawson, 34, of Manchester, pleaded guilty in federal court on Tuesday to committing a bank robbery, United States Attorney Scott W. Murray announced today.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on October 27, 2018, Rawson entered the Citizens Bank on Elm Street in Manchester, New Hampshire and demanded money from the teller. Rawson claimed that he had a bomb on him at the time. Rawson was apprehended later that day and admitted that he had robbed the bank.
Rawson is scheduled to be sentenced on June 23, 2020.
“Bank robberies are violent crimes that put bank employees, customers, and members of the public at risk,” said U.S. Attorney Murray. “In order to protect the public from violent crime, we will work closely with our law enforcement partners to identify and prosecute those who commit bank robberies in the Granite State. I am grateful to the Manchester Police and the FBI for their efforts to ensure that this defendant was brought to justice.”
"Kenneth Rawson has twice now accepted responsibility for his actions – first, by telling officers, ‘I robbed a bank,’ as they pursued him from the scene of the crime, and again today before a federal judge. But words alone aren’t sufficient to remedy his claim to a defenseless teller that he was strapped to a bomb at the time of the holdup,” said Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Boston Division. “In addition to bank robbery, Rawson is responsible for creating an environment of fear in a place of business, where bystanders could have been hurt, or worse. For that, it’s the court’s punishment that needs to speak loud and clear.”
This matter was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Manchester Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Anna Krasinski.
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Man Looking to Scare Someone with Loaded GunRead the Press Release
A Cedar Rapids man who possessed a firearm while being a user of marijuana was sentenced March 11, 2020, to three years in federal prison.
Quincy Dionta Carrington, age 31, from Waterloo, Iowa, received the prison term after a December 2, 2019, guilty plea to possession of a firearm by a prohibited person.
Evidence at the plea hearing and sentencing showed that in January 2019, Waterloo police officers stopped Carrington for speeding. During the stop, officers learned Carrington had a suspended driver’s license. While taking Carrington into custody, Carrington admitted he had a loaded gun with him. Officers located a loaded gun under the driver’s seat of the vehicle; along with a vaping pen containing marijuana wax in the vehicle. Carrington admitted that he had been smoking the vaping pen earlier in the day and that he was on his way to scare an unknown male who had assaulted his girlfriend.
Carrington was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand. Carrington was sentenced to 36 months’ imprisonment. A $100 special assessment was imposed. He must also serve a 2-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ashley Corkery and investigated by the Waterloo Police Department, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). PSN is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
This case is also part of Project Guardian, the Department of Justice’s signature initiative to reduce gun violence and enforce federal firearms laws. Initiated by the Attorney General in the fall of 2019, Project Guardian draws upon the Department’s past successful programs to reduce gun violence; enhances coordination of federal, state, local, and tribal authorities in investigating and prosecuting gun crimes; improves information-sharing by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives when a prohibited individual attempts to purchase a firearm and is denied by the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS), to include taking appropriate actions when a prospective purchaser is denied by the NICS for mental health reasons; and ensures that federal resources are directed at the criminals posing the greatest threat to our communities. The United States Attorney’s Office has prosecuted this case with support from its Project Guardian partners. For more information about Project Guardian, please see /media/1122011/dl?inline.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl. The case file number is 19-CR-02028.
Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.
Louisville Psychiatrist Pleads Guilty to Distributing Controlled Substances Without A Medical PurposeRead the Press Release
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Louisville psychiatrist Dr. Peter Steiner has pleaded guilty to intentionally distributing schedule II, III, and IV controlled substances, without any legitimate medical purpose and outside the course of professional medical practice, announced United States Attorney Russell Coleman.
“This is a crystal clear example of the U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuting a doctor turned drug dealer; not an attempt to insert itself into the legitimate practice of medicine,” said U.S. Attorney Russell Coleman. “Trading powerful controlled substances for graphic sexual images in a predatory fashion is far afield from the type of true patient care that the vast majority of Kentuckians enjoy from their fine doctors.”
Steiner was initially indicted by the Grand Jury on June 25, 2018. The charges stem from Dr. Steiner’s operation Kentuckiana Mental Health Associates, a mental health and opioid addiction practice, where Dr. Steiner prescribed medically unnecessary drugs that were also prescribed outside the usual course of professional practice. He illegally prescribed thousands of units of stimulants and Buprenorphine. He unlawfully distributed opiates as well.
According to a plea agreement, Steiner has pleaded guilty to count 1 of the indictment – conspiracy to distribute controlled substances. Between August 2012 and March 2018, Steiner conspired with others to knowingly and intentionally distribute schedule II – IV controlled substances, without any legitimate medical purpose and outside the course of professional medical practice.
Dr. Steiner prescribed high dosages and large quantities of controlled substances, prescribed early refills for controlled substances, and continued to prescribe to patients even though he knew they tested negatively for those substances. Steiner also prescribed in exchange for sexually graphic photos and videos; he also prescribed controlled substances not typically associated with psychiatric complaints, and prescribed dangerous combinations of controlled substances.
According to the plea agreement, at the time of sentencing, the United States will agree that a sentence of 48 months of imprisonment, followed by four years of supervised release is the appropriate sentence in this case. At the sentencing hearing the United States will move to dismiss counts 2 through 26 of the Indictment.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney David Weiser. The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS), Kentucky State Police (KSP), Louisville Metro Police Department (LMPD), and the Cabinet for Health and Family Services, Office of the Inspector General.
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Lewiston Man Sentenced for Possession with Intent to Distribute CocaineRead 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 Frank Rowles, 60, of Lewiston, NY, who was convicted of possession with intent to distribute cocaine, was sentenced to serve 15 months in prison by U.S. District Court Judge Lawrence J. Vilardo.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin G. Bish, who handled the case, stated that on January 3, 2019, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at 5150 Homestead Place in Lewiston, NY, and recovered two digital scales and a quantity of cocaine.
The sentencing is the result of an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Kevin Kelly, and the Niagara County Drug Task Force, under the direction of Niagara County Sheriff Michael Filicetti.
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Leader of Salem-Area Drug Distribution Network Sentenced to Ten Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Ore.—U.S. Attorney Billy J. Williams announced today that the leader of a Salem-area drug distribution network was sentenced to federal prison for his role in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and cocaine in and around Salem, Oregon.
Isaias Alvarado, 38, a Mexican citizen residing in Salem, was sentenced to 120 months in federal prison and five years’ supervised release.
According to court documents, the arrest and prosecution of Alvarado and his associates has significantly disrupted the distribution of methamphetamine and cocaine in the Salem area. Alvarado along with his brother and co-defendant, Isaac Alvarado, 33, also of Salem, were part of a distribution network that purchased drugs in Los Angeles, California for redistribution in Salem. Investigators believe the network had recently begun expanding their operations to include heroin distribution.
On June 13, 2017, investigators conducted a federal search warrant on Alvarado’s Salem residence. The search yielded approximately 1.2 kilograms of methamphetamine, a digital scale, four cell phones, night vision goggles, and bulk ammunition. Investigators also seized five firearms from Alvarado’s bedroom: a Springfield Armory AR-15, a Zastava Arms AK-47, a Remington 12-gauge shotgun, a Century Arms 7.62 x 39mm caliber rifle, a CZ 9mm caliber rifle. Alvarado was arrested without incident.
On May 8, 2019, Alvarado pleaded guilty to one count of conspiring to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine. During sentencing, U.S. District Court Judge Robert E. Jones ordered Alvarado to forfeit the five firearms seized.
On March 7, 2019, Isaac Alvarado pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. He will be sentenced on March 25, 2020. Seven other members of the Alvarados’ distribution network have been sentenced for related offenses. Sentenced defendants include:
- Luis Ramirez-Valderrama, 42, of Salem—97 months in prison and five years’ supervised release
- Manuel Garcia, 33, of Salem—78 months in prison and five years’ supervised release
- Ruben Rosas-Lozana, 32, a Mexican national residing in Salem—48 months in prison and three years’ supervised release
- Juan Francisco Viveros-Rivera, 34, a Mexican national residing in Salem—40 months in prison and three years’ supervised release
- Christopher Robin Diebel, 40, of Salem—36 months in prison and three years’ supervised release
- Nichole Breanna Smiley, 36, of Salem—time served in prison and five years’ supervised release
- Miguel Angel Garnica-Martinez, 32, of Salem—time served in prison and five years’ supervised release
This case was investigated by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and was prosecuted by Kemp Strickland, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon.
This case was brought as part of the Justice Department’s Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) program, the centerpiece of the department’s strategy for reducing the availability of drugs in the U.S. OCDETF was established in 1982 to mount a comprehensive attack on drug trafficking by disrupting and dismantling major drug trafficking and money laundering organizations. Today, OCDETF combines the resources and expertise of its member federal agencies in coordination with state and local law enforcement.
Lakeland Man Sentenced to 30 Years for Firearm OffenseRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Susan C. Bucklew has sentenced Felix Antequera Rivera, Jr. (33, Lakeland) to 30 years in federal prison for possessing a firearm as a convicted felon.
A jury had found Rivera guilty on December 10, 2019.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, on June 15, 2018, officers from the Lakeland Police Department were patrolling an apartment complex when they observed Rivera who appeared to have a large object concealed in his waistband. When the officers approached Rivera, he turned, walked in the opposite direction, and attempted to enter a friend’s apartment. Rivera then tried to slip out of a backpack that he was wearing and attempted to flee. A prolonged struggle involving Rivera and four police officers ensued, during which Rivera reached for a firearm in his pants, struck a police officer in the head with handcuffs, and grabbed at the officers’ firearms and tasers. Officers eventually seized from Rivera a Sig Sauer pistol loaded with 11 rounds of ammunition.
Rivera has a long and violent criminal history, including convictions for armed robbery with a firearm, felony battery, and aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, and is therefore prohibited from possessing firearm or ammunition.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Lakeland Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Frank Murray.
This is another case prosecuted as part of the Department of Justice’s “Project Safe Neighborhoods” Program (PSN), which is a nationwide, crime reduction strategy aimed at decreasing violent crime in communities. It involves a comprehensive approach to public safety — one that includes investigating and prosecuting crimes, along with prevention and reentry efforts. In the Middle District of Florida, U.S. Attorney Maria Chapa Lopez coordinates PSN efforts in cooperation with various federal, state, and local law enforcement officials.
Laguna Heights man sentenced for child pornography chargeRead the Press Release
BROWNSVILLE, Texas - A 29-year-old Laguna Heights man has been ordered to federal prison for possessing more than 500 images of child pornography, announced U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Patrick.
Ramon Marin Jr. pleaded guilty Dec. 18, 2019.
Today, U.S. District Judge Rolando Olvera Jr. ordered him to serve 80 months in federal prison. Marin was further ordered to pay $18,000 in restitution to several known victims and will serve 20 years on supervised released following completion of his prison term, during which he will have to comply with numerous requirements designed to restrict his access to children and the internet. He has also been ordered to register as a sex offender.
On or about April 29, 2019, authorities began an undercover investigation of ongoing child exploitative crimes on the internet through the use of peer-to-peer software. They identified an IP address making child pornography available for sharing which led them to Marin’s residence. Law enforcement executed a search warrant which resulted in the seizure of various digital devices containing child pornography.
A forensic analysis revealed 539 images and 11 videos of child pornography. The Images included sexual exploitation of minors and toddlers.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) - Rio Grande Valley Child Exploitation Task Force conducted the investigation.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Ana Cano is prosecuting the case, which was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood (PSC), a nationwide initiative the Department of Justice (DOJ) launched in May 2006 to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section leads PSC, which marshals federal, state and local resources to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children and identifies and rescues victims. For more information about PSC, please visit DOJ’s PSC page. For more information about internet safety education, please visit the resources tab on that page.
Judge Hands Down 24+ Year Prison Sentence, Including Contempt of Court Punishment, for 23rd Defendant Linked to Massive Drug RingRead the Press Release
ALBANY, Ga. – The final defendant linked to a large narcotics and methamphetamine ring operating out of a Southwest Georgia community was sentenced to a total of 296 months in prison today, said Charles “Charlie” Peeler, the U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of Georgia. U.S. District Judge Leslie Gardner sentenced Alejandro Bustamante, 31, of Moultrie, Georgia to 260 months in prison and five years supervised release after previously pleading guilty to one count conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine, plus an additional 36 months in prison for contempt of court. Bustamante was separately prosecuted for contempt of court after having posted a witness’s statement to law enforcement on social media, along with comments intended to silence the witness. There is no parole in the federal system.
“Defendants who attempt to intimidate or harm a witness will be prosecuted to the fullest extent allowed by law, and today’s sentence shows that our judicial system does not tolerate witness tampering,” said U.S. Attorney Charlie Peeler. “These defendants involved in this conspiracy will spend more than a combined 225 years behind bars for their involvement in this dangerous methamphetamine ring. I want to thank the GBI, DEA, Colquitt County Sheriff’s Office and Moultrie Police Department for shutting down this illegal narcotics operation and for protecting our communities.”
“When drug traffickers push poison into the community, the penalty is steep. All defendants linked to this illegal narcotics distribution ring will spend well-deserved time behind bars for their crimes,” said Robert J. Murphy, the Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Field Division. “The investigation of this case was a success because of the combined efforts between the DEA, its law enforcement partners and the U.S. Attorney’s Office.”
“This sentencing illustrates that drug trafficking at any level will not be tolerated in the state of Georgia. It is paramount that violators of drug laws be held accountable. The GBI is fully committed to working with our local and federal partners in drug enforcement to address these types of crimes,” said Vic Reynolds, Director of the GBI.
“We are grateful for the strong relationship with our federal and state partners. These criminals have been the cause of grave harm in our community, and now they will be locked up behind federal prison bars without parole,” said Sheriff Rod Howell, Colquitt County Sheriff’s Office.
“The individuals prosecuted in this case all have extensive criminal histories and have committed multiple criminal offenses within our community. I would like to express my deepest appreciation to all the agencies that were involved, especially to our state and federal partners. Successful drug enforcement practices must be a coordinated effort within the purview of all law enforcement agencies, and this case is an outstanding example of that,” said Chief Sean Ladson, Moultrie Police Department.
Judge Gardner previously sentenced an additional 22 defendants involved in this methamphetamine and illegal narcotics conspiracy:
On January 22, 2020:
Gabino Tobias, 45, of Fairburn, Georgia was sentenced to 120 months in prison after pleading guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine;
Maria Del Carmen Salazar Mirales, 46, of Fairburn, was sentenced to 120 months in prison after pleading guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine;
Gricelda Bustamante-Gutierrez, 37, of Norman Park, Georgia was sentenced to 180 months in prison after pleading guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine;
Ricardo Gutierrez, 32, of Norman Park, was sentenced to 292 months in prison after pleading guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
On January 16, 2020:
Kristen Dismuke, 31, of Moultrie, was sentenced to 42 months in prison after pleading guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine;
Trabian Jones, 43, of Moultrie, was sentenced to 12 months in prison after pleading guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute marijuana;
Eric Townsend, 31, of Moultrie, was sentenced to 120 months in prison after pleading guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine;
Torranza McNeal, aka “Cheese,” aka “Meke,” was sentenced to 96 months in prison after pleading guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine base.
On January 15, 2020:
Brenton Miller, 32, of Moultrie, was sentenced to 180 months in prison after pleading guilty to one count of distribution of methamphetamine;
Regina Miller, 36, of Moultrie, was sentenced to 84 months in prison after pleading guilty to one count of distribution of methamphetamine;
Ramon White, 37, of Moultrie, was sentenced to 36 months in prison after pleading guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine;
James Fielder, 35, of Moultrie, was sentenced to 120 months in prison after pleading guilty to one count of distribution of methamphetamine.
On January 14, 2020:
Josh Whaley, 38, of Tallahassee, Florida, was sentenced to 54 months in prison after pleading guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine;
Tony Stamper, aka “Buggie,” 31, of Moultrie, was sentenced to 60 months in prison after pleading guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to cocaine and marijuana;
Bryant Pittman, aka “John Gotti,” 36, of Moultrie, was sentenced to 200 months in prison after pleading guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
On January 13, 2020:
David Spradley, aka “ManMan,” 37, of Moultrie, was sentenced to 218 months in prison after pleading guilty to conspiracy with intent to distribute methamphetamine;
Johntavious Johnson, aka “Mikey,” 33, of Moultrie, was sentenced to 96 months in prison after pleading guilty to one county conspiracy with intent to distribute methamphetamine;
Jarvis West, 32, of Moultrie, was each sentenced to 96 months in prison after pleading guilty to one county conspiracy with intent to distribute methamphetamine;
Ricardo Bodiford, aka “Rico,” 34, of Moultrie, was sentenced on January 13, 2020 to 260 months in prison after pleading guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
In earlier proceedings:
Stacy McLellan, 50, of Norman Park, was sentenced on May 13, 2019 to 160 months in prison after pleading guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine;
Eric Lamar, 37, of Moultrie, was sentenced on October 16, 2019 to 24 months in prison after pleading guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine and marijuana;
Brad Tuff, 39, of Moultrie, was sentenced on March 13, 2019 to 21 months in prison after pleading guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute marijuana.
Investigators began a court-authorized wiretap on the cell phones belonging to Ricardo “Rico” Bodiford in April 2018. The wiretap investigation continued until law enforcement agents executed search warrants on several locations across Moultrie in May 2019, locating large amounts of illicit drugs, including two pounds of methamphetamine, one kilogram of cocaine, 13 pounds of marijuana, loaded firearms and cash, among other amounts of illegal drugs and drug paraphernalia.
The case was investigated by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Colquitt County Sheriff’s Office, the Moultrie Police Department and the Leon County Florida Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Leah E. McEwen 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.
Johnstown Felon Indicted in Project Safe Neighborhoods CaseRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH - A resident of Johnstown, Pennsylvania, has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh on a charge of violating federal firearms laws, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced today.
The one-count Second Superseding Indictment, returned on March 10, named Sean Zachary Horton, age 30, as the sole defendant.
According to the Second Superseding Indictment, on June 7, 2018, Horton was in possession of a firearm and ammunition while knowingly having been previously convicted of felonies. Federal law prohibits anyone who has been convicted of a felony from owning a firearm.
The law provides for a maximum total sentence of ten years in prison, a fine of $250,000 or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney Douglas C. Maloney is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Pennsylvania State Police conducted the investigation leading to the Second Superseding Indictment in this case.
The case is being prosecuted as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
A Second Superseding Indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Jacksonville Woman Pleads Guilty to Submitting False Claims for FEMA Benefits Involving Hurricane IrmaRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – Bernita Willette Carswell (36, Jacksonville) pleaded guilty to disaster assistance fraud involving FEMA benefits. She faces up to 30 years in federal prison and payment of restitution to the United States in the amount of $15,024.80. Carswell was arrested on January 15, 2020.
According to court documents, on September 13, 2017, Carswell made an application online for disaster assistance to FEMA. In the application, she claimed that her primary residence in Jacksonville suffered storm damage, that she was displaced from her primary residence, and that she was forced to move to a rental property in Jacksonville. In support of her application for benefits, she submitted a lease agreement for the rental property in Jacksonville.
In reliance on the statements made by Carswell in her application and the lease agreement, FEMA paid Carswell rental assistance totaling $15,024.80.
Investigation by the Department of Homeland Security-Office of Inspector General determined that Carswell’s statements to FEMA were false. Her residence in Jacksonville was not damaged, she lived there through and after Hurricane Irma, and the lease agreement she had submitted to FEMA was fraudulent.
This case is part of the United States Attorney’s Disaster Fraud Task Force, which was announced in September 2017. This case was investigated by the Department of Homeland Security-Office of Inspector General with assistance from Homeland Security Investigations Jacksonville Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kevin C. Frein.
Members of the public who suspect fraud, waste, abuse, or allegations of mismanagement involving disaster relief operations, or believe they have been the victim of fraud from a person or organization soliciting relief funds on behalf of disaster victims, should contact the National Disaster Fraud Hotline toll free at (866) 720-5721. A live operator 24 hours a day, 7 days a week staffs the telephone line. You can also fax information to the Center at (225) 334-4707, or email it to [email protected]. You may also visit www.justice.gov/usao-mdfl.
Jackson Man Sentenced to over 26 Years for Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine and Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking CrimeRead the Press Release
Jackson, TN –Cedric Townsend, 38, has been sentenced to 320 months imprisonment for Conspiracy to Distribute 50 grams or more of Actual Methamphetamine and Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime. U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant for the Western District of Tennessee announced the sentence today.
This is the latest sentencing in a case involving multiple defendants, including Pedro Fuentes, Jr., Ruben Gomez, Anthony French, Amanda Day and Connie Stephens for federal charges of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine.
According to information presented in court, on October 6, 2018, Townsend was stopped by Dyersburg Police officers for a traffic violation. Townsend’s driver’s license was suspended and he failed a field sobriety test. A search of his vehicle revealed two baggies of methamphetamine/ice, weighing 17.9 grams. On January 3, 2019, agents conducted a controlled drug purchase of methamphetamine/ice from Townsend utilizing a confidential source (CS), weighing 5.06 grams at 96% purity. On January 25, 2019, agents conducted a controlled drug purchase from a co-defendant, Connie Stephens by a CS for 13.5 grams of methamphetamine/ice at 99% purity. Townsend was present and distributed 42 grams to Stephens. Townsend was later arrested as he left Stephens’ residence and found to be in possession of 285 grams of methamphetamine at 96% purity and a .45 caliber Hi-Point pistol. Townsend gave a statement of admission to law enforcement officers admitting to distributing 8.16 kilograms of methamphetamine/ice during the conspiracy.
During the sentencing hearing, the government presented proof that Townsend attempted to escape custody from the agents after his arrest. He was apprehended a short time later in Fowlkes, South of Dyersburg, TN.
On March 10, 2020, U.S. District Court Chief Judge Thomas Anderson sentenced Townsend to 320 months in federal prison followed by 5 years supervised release. Co-Defendant Connie Stephens was previously sentenced on February 24, 2020 to 168 months in federal prison, followed by 5 years of supervised release:
https://www.justice.gov/usao-wdtn/pr/ripleywoman-sentenced-14-years-federal-prison-conspiracy-distribute-over-50-gramsU.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant said, "Armed drug dealers pose a significant public safety risk to our communities, and must be punished and incapacitated in a meaningful way. Individuals who distribute harmful drugs into our rural communities can no longer hide. We are proud to work with our law enforcement partners to use significant federal laws and sentencing to remove this dangerous offender from the streets, and we will continue to do so to reduce the threat of addiction, injury, violence, and death across West Tennessee."
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation Safe Streets Task Force, Dyersburg Police Department, Tennessee Bureau of Investigation and the United States Postal Service.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jerry Kitchen prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
Houston, Texas Pastor Pleads Guilty to His Role in a Multimillion-Dollar Investment SchemeRead the Press Release
SHREVEPORT, La. – United States Attorney David C. Joseph announced today that Kirbyjon H. Caldwell, senior pastor of Windsor Village United Methodist Church in Houston, Texas, entered a guilty plea to conspiracy to commit wire fraud in connection to his role in a multimillion-dollar investment scheme. His codefendant, Gregory A. Smith, a Shreveport investment advisor, pled guilty on July 23, 2019, to the same charge.
“These defendants used their positions as religious leaders and investment advisors to defraud Louisiana residents – many of whom are elderly and retired,” stated U.S. Attorney Joseph. “In doing so, the defendants abused the trust and respect of their victims for the sole purpose of stealing their money. This type of deceit can be devastating for victims, especially when life savings are lost. My office will continue to vigorously prosecute those who use confidence schemes to prey upon the elderly and people of faith.”
According to information presented in court, Caldwell and Smith conspired to use their influence and status to persuade multiple victims to “invest” approximately $3.5 million with them. The victims’ investments were purportedly in historical Chinese bonds, which are bonds issued by the former Republic of China prior to losing power to the Communist government in 1949. These bonds are not recognized by China’s current government and, accordingly, have no investment value.
Smith began approaching existing clients and acquaintances in the spring of 2013 about what he described as an opportunity to invest in historical Chinese bonds. His usual sales pitch to investors was that Caldwell was (1) putting the bond deal together on behalf of investors, (2) had the bonds in his possession or was obtaining them, and (3) was brokering a deal to sell the bonds. Smith also promised that by investing money with him and Caldwell, the victims would obtain a partial ownership of the bonds and would quickly receive exponential returns on their investments. The victims were not told of the true nature of the bonds nor were they informed that no previous investor had ever obtained the promised return on an investment. The victims were encouraged to cash out any other investments they might have if they could not otherwise afford to participate.
After Smith made the fraudulent pitch, the victims were instructed to wire funds to various bank accounts under Caldwell’s control. In 2013 and 2014, approximately $3.5 million was “invested.” The funds were divided between Caldwell, Smith, and others. Caldwell used the approximately $900,000 that he received to pay down personal loans, mortgages, and credit cards, and maintain his lifestyle. Smith received $1.08 million. He used this money to pay down loans, purchase two luxury sport utility vehicles, place a down payment on a vacation property, and maintain his lifestyle. After time passed and investors began to question why they had not received the promised returns, Caldwell and Smith offered excuses, defended the legitimacy of the deals, and assured victim-investors that they would receive the promised returns.
Under the terms of his plea agreement, Caldwell faces between five and seven years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, and up to three years of supervised release. Caldwell, who has already made partial restitution to the victims, has agreed to pay the remaining balance, $1,951,478.00, before sentencing.
Chief U.S. District Judge S. Maurice Hicks Jr. presided at the hearing and set Caldwell’s sentencing for July 22, 2020. Smith’s sentencing is scheduled for May 4, 2020.
The FBI conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Seth D. Reeg and C. Mignonne Griffing are prosecuting the case.
This case was included in the Justice Department’s largest-ever nationwide elder fraud sweep in 2019, which included hundreds of enforcement actions in criminal and civil cases that targeted or disproportionately affected seniors. A list of Elder Fraud cases by the Department of Justice is provided on this interactive map.
The recently launched National Elder Fraud Hotline provides services to seniors who may be victims of financial fraud. The Hotline will be staffed by experienced case managers who can provide personalized support to callers. Case managers will assist callers with reporting the suspected fraud to relevant agencies and will provide resources and referrals to other appropriate services as needed. When applicable, case managers will complete a complaint form with the Federal Bureau of Investigation Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) for internet-facilitated crimes and submit a consumer complaint to the Federal Trade Commission on behalf of the caller. The Hotline’s toll-free number is 833-FRAUD-11 (833-372-8311).
For more information about DOJ’s efforts to prevent and combat elder abuse, please visit the Elder Justice Website at https://www.justice.gov/elderjustice. The Department of Justice provides a variety of resources relating to elder fraud victimization through its Office of Victims of Crime, which can be reached at www.ovc.gov.
The year 2020 marks the 150th anniversary of the Department of Justice. Learn more about the history of our agency at www.Justice.gov/Celebrating150Years.
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Holbrook Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Heroin and Cocaine Base DistributionRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Holbrook resident was sentenced yesterday for distribution of heroin and cocaine base.
Allah Mallory a/k/a “Parod,” 43, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Rya W. Zobel to 18.5 months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release. Judge Zobel ordered that the sentence run concurrently with a state prison sentence of 16 to 18 years, imposed in September 2019 in Plymouth Superior Court, for gun and drug charges.
In November 2019, a federal jury found that on July 9, 2018, Mallory distributed heroin and cocaine base to a cooperating witness in Brockton.
The case was part of Operation Landshark, a federal investigation that targeted impact players and repeat offenders in Brockton and Boston, each who have prior convictions for acts of violence, firearm offenses and/or drug trafficking. It is alleged that many of the Operation Landshark targets are in the top 30 criminal offenders responsible for violent acts and firearms in Brockton.
United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling; Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Division; Colonel Christopher Mason, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police; Plymouth County District Attorney Timothy J. Cruz; Suffolk County District Attorney Rachael Rollins; Boston Police Commissioner William G. Gross; and Brockton Police Chief Emanuel Gomes, made the announcement. The investigation was conducted by the FBI’s North Shore Gang Task Force and Southeastern Massachusetts Gang Task Force. Valuable assistance was provided by the Suffolk County Sheriff’s Office; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Boston Field Division; Plymouth and Essex County Sheriff’s Offices; Massachusetts Department of Corrections; U.S. Parole Commission; U.S. Postal Inspection Services; and the U.S. Secret Service.
Operation Landshark was part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. Attorney General Jeff Sessions reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime.
Haywood County Man Sentenced to over 13 Years in Federal Prison for Conspiracy to Commit Multiple Armed Business RobberiesRead the Press Release
Jackson, TN – After a three-day jury trial in August 2019, Johnny Lee Nixon, Jr., 23, was found guilty of Conspiracy to Commit multiple business robberies, Hobbs Act business robbery, possession of a firearm during a robbery, and receiving firearms while under indictment. Nixon has now been sentenced to 160 months in federal prison. U.S. Attorney Dunavant announced the sentencing today.
According to information presented in court, during a period of 5 days in 2016, two masked men armed with pistols robbed three businesses in the Brownsville, Haywood County area: the F&D Quick Stop, the Discount Tobacco and More, and the Bells Express Truck Stop. Also during this time, there were two different shootings where 9mm shell casings and .22 LR shell casings were recovered by the Brownsville Police Department.
On April 25, 2016 after the Bells Express Truck Stop robbery, deputies with the Haywood County Sheriff's Department collected clothing on a nearby road that was worn by the armed masked men observed in the surveillance footage. Deputies forwarded those items of evidence to the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation for DNA analysis, which in 2018 linked Lacey Jeter and Johnny Lee Nixon, Jr. to the clothing.
On April 26, 2016, Officers with the Brownsville Police Department observed a vehicle that matched the description of the vehicle seen leaving the scene of the Bells Express Truck Stop robbery and initiated a traffic stop. After a brief chase, the vehicle crashed in rural Haywood County. The occupants of the vehicle ran into nearby woods leaving behind two pistols similar to the ones described in the recent robberies. Officers with the Brownsville Police Department collected the firearms from the scene and submitted them to the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation for comparison to the shell casings recovered from the recent shootings. TBI Agents were able to confirm that the shell casings recovered after the shootings were fired from one of the firearms recovered near the scene of the crash. Johnny Lee Nixon, Jr. was indicted by a federal grand jury in January of 2019.
During the three-day trial, evidence was presented showing Johnny Lee Nixon, Jr. and co-conspirators used the proceeds from the robberies to illegally purchase the firearms used in the shootings and ultimately at least one robbery, and also participated in the conspiracy to commit the robberies and were present during the robbery of the Bells Express Truck Stop and possessed a firearm during the robbery.
On February 27, 2020, U.S. District Court Senior Judge J. Daniel Breen sentenced Nixon to 160 months in federal prison followed by 5 years supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant said, "Violent crime affects and endangers all communities in West Tennessee, both urban and rural. Robberies of businesses with a firearm are especially dangerous and violent due to the high risk of death and serious bodily injury to innocent victims. Business robberies also have a substantially negative impact on the local economy and commerce, which victimizes the entire community. As a result of this sentence, Nixon will have plenty of time in federal prison to suffer the consequences of his criminal conduct, and the citizens of Haywood County will be safer for it."
Haywood County Sheriff Billy Garrett, Jr., said: "Special thanks to the hard working people of our U.S. Attorney’s Office for helping our office keep the law-abiding citizens of Haywood county safe. I appreciate the teamwork and look forward to working with you again."
"The City of Brownsville is grateful for the support of the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, the Haywood County Sherriff’s Office and the Brownsville Police Department in the prosecution and conviction of Johnny Nixon. Nixon was a danger to society with his lengthy criminal history of robberies, domestic assaults and weapons violations. Working together, Brownsville is a much safe place," said Brownsville Police Chief Barry Diebold.
This case was investigated by the Brownsville Police Department, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Haywood County Sheriff’s Department and the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI).
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Hillary Parham and Matt Wilson prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
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Hartford Man Sentenced to 71 Months in Federal Prison for Illegally Possessing Loaded GunRead the Press Release
John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that ANTHONY PENA, 26, of Hartford, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Janet Bond Arterton in New Haven to 71 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for illegally possessing a loaded firearm.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on June 24, 2018, Hartford Police responded to the area of 862 Albany Avenue where they found Pena in the driver’s seat of a parked vehicle. A search of the vehicle revealed a loaded Glock 21 .45 caliber firearm with an extended magazine containing 20 rounds, and a backpack that contained a magazine with 10 rounds, a quantity of marijuana, and $1,420 in cash. The firearm had been reported stolen in North Carolina in 2012.
In May 2012, Pena was convicted in state court of robbery in the first degree and conspiracy to commit robbery in the first degree. In May 2014, he was convicted of failure to appear in the first degree.
It is a violation of federal law for a person previously convicted of a felony offense to possess a firearm or ammunition that has moved in interstate or foreign commerce.
Pena has been detained since June 24, 2018. On July 17, 2019, he pleaded guilty to one count of unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon.
This matter was investigated by the FBI’s Connecticut Violent Crime Task Force and the Hartford Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer R. Laraia.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make neighborhoods safer for everyone.
Guatemalan National Pleads Guilty and is Sentenced on Illegal Reentry ChargeRead the Press Release
BOSTON - A Guatemalan national, previously convicted of kidnapping and murder in the 1990’s in California, pleaded guilty today and was sentenced in federal court in Boston with illegal reentry.
Ingrid Corzo-Armas, a/k/a Ingrid Sanchez, 49, who formally resided in Lynn, pleaded guilty today to one count of illegal reentry. Corzo-Armas was arrested by Immigration and Customs Enforcement on Feb. 17, 2020, and has remained in the custody since that time. Following her plea today, U.S. District Court Judge F. Dennis Saylor, sentenced Corzo-Armas to time-served (one month) to be followed by three years of supervised release. Upon completion of her sentence, Corzo-Armas will be placed into removal proceedings and deported to Guatemala.
In 1993, Corzo-Armas was convicted in California of kidnapping and murder and sentenced to prison. While serving her sentence in a California prison she was encountered by immigration officials, placed into removal proceedings, and after a hearing in Immigration Court, was ordered removed. Corzo-Armas completed her sentence, and on June 15, 1999, she was deported to Guatemala. Sometime after her removal, Corzo-Armas illegally reentered the United States, and was living in Lynn under the alias, Ingrid Sanchez. On Feb. 17, 2020, immigration officials encountered Corzo-Armas in Lynn and, through the use of fingerprints, established her true identity. Corzo-Armas was later interviewed, confirmed her true identity, admitted to her prior removal, and that she had illegally reentered the United States.
United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling; Jason Molina, Acting Special Agent in Charge, Homeland Security Investigations in Boston; and Todd Lyons, Acting Field Director, Enforcement and Removal Operations, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement in Boston made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kenneth G. Shine, of Lelling’s Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.
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Green Bay Man Convicted of Two Counts of Arson Following Jury TrialRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Matthew D. Krueger of the Eastern District of Wisconsin, announced that March 10, 2020, a jury seated in the federal district court in Green Bay, found William A. Julius (age: 57) of Green Bay and Menominee, Wisconsin, guilty of two counts of arson.
The evidence presented at trial proved that Julius set fire to a porch at 332 South Madison Street in downtown Green Bay just before 1:00 a.m. on August 20, 2017. Residents of the apartments located in the upper portion of the building were accounted for and an investigation by the fire department began. While the fire marshal continued his investigation into the first fire, Julius returned and lit another blaze in front of the main entrance, causing significant fire and smoke damage to the businesses located on the first floor. Julius was arrested shortly thereafter hiding under a vehicle a few blocks away.
Julius faces a mandatory five year prison term and could be imprisoned for up to 20 years. He also faces a fine of up to $250,000. He will be sentenced before Senior U.S. District Judge William C. Griesbach on June 11, 2020.
This case was investigated by the Green Bay Fire Department, the Green Bay Police Department, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). It was prosecuted by United States Attorney Krueger and Assistant United States Attorney Daniel R. Humble.
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Grand jury indicts former Cincinnati City Council president on charges of honest services wire fraud, bribery, attempted extortionRead the Press Release
CINCINNATI – A federal grand jury in Cincinnati has returned an indictment charging the former Cincinnati City Council president pro tem with honest services wire fraud, bribery and attempted extortion.
Tamaya Dennard, 40, was arrested and charged by criminal complaint on Feb. 25.
Dennard was elected to Cincinnati City Council in November 2017 and resigned on March 2, 2020.
According to court documents, between August and December 2019, Dennard engaged in acts and attempted acts of bribery and extortion, attempting to exchange her votes for money.
Dennard allegedly requested between $10,000 and $15,000 from an individual to pay for her personal expenses.
At the direction of and in coordination with the FBI, the individual and Dennard exchanged a total of $15,000, in increments of $10,000 and $5,000, for upcoming votes on a matter scheduled to be heard by Council.
Dennard is charged by indictment with three counts of honest services wire fraud (up to 20 years in prison), two counts of bribery concerning programs receiving federal funds (up to 10 years in prison) and two counts of attempted extortion under color of right (up to 20 years in prison).
David M. DeVillers, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; and Chris Hoffman, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division; announced the indictment. Deputy Criminal Chief Emily N. Glatfelter and Assistant United States Attorney Matthew Singer are representing the United States in this case.
An indictment merely contains allegations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.
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Grand Jury Indicts Georgetown Man, Urbana Woman on Child Sex Crimes ChargesRead the Press Release
URBANA, Ill. – A federal grand jury has indicted Ian J. Dukes, 37, of Georgetown, Ill., and Julie P. Snyder, 43, of the 400 block of W. University Ave., Urbana, Ill., on charges of child sexual exploitation. Specifically, the indictment charges Dukes and Snyder with attempted enticement of a minor, under age 18, to engage in sexual activity in July 2019. The indictment charges Dukes with additional counts of attempted sexual exploitation of the same minor, enticement of a second minor, sex trafficking of children, and receiving child pornography of a second minor.
Dukes was arrested on Feb. 11, 2020, and charged by criminal complaint. He appeared in federal court in Urbana and was ordered detained in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Snyder was arrested on March 6, following the grand jury’s indictment, on March 4. Snyder appeared in federal court on March 9, and the indictment was unsealed. Snyder waived a detention hearing and was ordered detained in the custody of the U.S Marshals Service. An initial trial date of April 27, 2020, was scheduled.
If convicted, for enticement of a minor, the penalty is 10 years to life in prison; for attempted sexual exploitation of a child, the penalty is 15 to 30 years in prison; for sex trafficking of children, the penalty is 15 years to life in prison; and, for receiving child pornography, the penalty is five to 20 years in prison.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Elly M. Peirson in the prosecution. The charges are the result of investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Illinois State Police, and the Urbana Police Department, in coordination with the Illinois Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force.
Members of the public are reminded that an indictment is merely an accusation; each defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty.
This case is prosecuted as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide Department of Justice initiative to combat child sexual exploitation and abuse. Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
Georgia man pleads guilty to using restricted pesticide to bait and kill coyotesRead the Press Release
ATLANTA - Terry Foster has been sentenced to pay a $1,000 fine for one count of violating the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (“FIFRA”) by lacing deer carcasses with a restricted, highly poisonous pesticide in order to bait and kill coyotes.
“Foster’s conduct threatened Georgia’s wildlife and environment for his own personal benefit,” said U.S. Attorney Byung J. “BJay” Pak. “But for the speedy response by federal and state law enforcement, Foster’s actions could have had much graver consequences.”
“The defendant knowingly misused an acutely toxic pesticide to poison wildlife,” said acting Special Agent in Charge Charles Carfagno of EPA’s Criminal Investigation Division in Atlanta. “This case shows that EPA and its law enforcement partners are committed to enforcing pesticide laws to protect public health and the environment.”
“Georgia is fortunate to have a robust and unique set of natural resources that Georgians enjoy every day from the mountains to the coast. This case and outcome are a testament to the universal commitment by all federal, state, and local parties involved to protect our natural resources. DNR is proud to have strong, working relationships with these partners, which help to serve as a constant deterrent to those who wish to act outside the rule of law,” said Mark Williams, Commissioner of the Georgia Department of Natural Resources.
According to U.S. Attorney Pak, the charges and other information presented in court: In December 2018, a private citizen contacted the Georgia Department of Natural Resources (“GA-DNR”) about a possible wildlife poisoning on a property in Cherokee County. Upon arriving, GA-DNR found two deer carcasses, which had been cut open and laced with a blue, granular substance, and several dead (and dying) animals lying nearby, including an opossum and two red tailed hawks. GA-DNR then immediately requested the assistance of the United States Fish and Wildlife Service (“USFWS”) to collect and analyze the dead animals. GA-DNR subsequently learned that Foster hunted on the property where the dead animals were found, and obtained a state search warrant for his truck, from which they recovered several hunting knives, a bucket containing the blue poison, blood swaths, and deer hair. Foster was also interviewed by law enforcement, and admitted that he had recently been on the property where the deer carcasses were found, wanted nothing more than to kill coyotes, and knew the blue substance lining the deer carcasses was a poison used to bait the coyotes.
USFWS thereafter completed a toxicology analysis and DNA-matching of the animals and items recovered from Foster's truck. According to the DNA analysis, the deer hair found in Foster’s truck matched one of the deer found on the property, and the blood swabs as well as DNA from one of the knives recovered from Foster’s truck matched the other deer. The toxicology analysis confirmed that the blue substance found in the two deer carcasses, one of the red-tail hawks, and Foster’s truck was a poison, methomyl, a common fly bait that is sold under the trade name “Golden Malrin.”The EPA-approved labels for Golden Malrin Fly Killer state that it is “for use around the outside of food processing areas.” In particular, the labeling warns that: “It is illegal to use this product with the intention to kill raccoons, skunks, opossums, coyotes, wolves, dogs, cats, or any other non-target species.”
Foster admitted during his guilty plea that he had laced the deer carcasses with Golden Malrin for the purpose of killing coyotes. As a result, an opossum and two red-tailed hawks died after ingesting methomyl-laced deer.
Terry Foster, 54, of Blairsville, Georgia, was sentenced by U.S. Magistrate Judge Christopher C. Bly to pay a $1,000 fine. Foster pleaded guilty to the FIFRA violation on February 20, 2020, and was sentenced that same day.
The Georgia Department of Natural Resources, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Office of Law Enforcement, and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency investigated this case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Alex R. Sistla prosecuted 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.
Geneseo Man Pleads Guilty to String of Bank Robberies in Iowa and IllinoisRead the Press Release
DAVENPORT, IA—On March 10, 2020, Christopher Lee Schultz, age 41, of Geneseo, Illinois, pleaded guilty in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Iowa for five bank robberies in Iowa and Illinois, announced United States Attorney Marc Krickbaum.
Schultz’s guilty plea related to the January 18, 2019, robbery of the American Bank and Trust at 2340 41st Street, Moline, Illinois; the February 16, 2019, robbery of the DuTrac Community Credit Union at 3100 West Kimberly Road, Davenport, Iowa; the March 8, 2019, robbery of the Chase Bank at 151 19th Avenue, Moline, Illinois; the March 23, 2019, robbery of the IH Mississippi Valley Credit Union at 2839 AAA Court, Bettendorf, Iowa; and the April 18, 2019, robbery of the US Bank at 3120 Middle Road, Bettendorf, Iowa.
Schultz acknowledged wearing a mask and displaying what appeared to be a handgun during each of the robberies. Schultz further admitted taking over $26,000 during the course of the five robberies.
On March 5, 2020, Benjamin David Watkins pleaded guilty to aiding and abetting Schultz in the robbery of US Bank on April 18, 2019.
Both Schultz and Watkins are scheduled to be sentenced in Davenport on July 9, 2020.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Davenport Police Department, Bettendorf Police Department, Moline Police Department, Rock Island Police Department, and Rock Island County Sheriff’s Office. This case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Offices for the Southern District of Iowa and Central District of Illinois.
Gangster Disciple “Chief Enforcer” for the State of Tennessee Sentenced to 25 Years for RICO ConspiracyRead the Press Release
Memphis, TN - Demarcus Deon Crawford, 36, a/k/a/ "Trip," has been sentenced to 300 months in federal prison for conspiracy to participate in a racketeering enterprise. U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant announced the sentence today.
This sentencing is the latest reckoning in a large RICO conspiracy case, "Operation .38 Special", which was originally indicted in May, 2016, charging a total of 16 members of the Gangster Disciples criminal enterprise with racketeering. https://www.justice.gov/usao-wdtn/pr/16-alleged-gangster-disciples-members-indicted-federal-racketeering-charges.
According to the superseding indictment, the Gangster Disciples is a highly-organized national gang active in more than 35 states. The scope of the Gangster Disciples’ crimes is wide-ranging and consistent throughout its national operation. The gang protects its power through threats, intimidation, and violence, including murder, attempted murder, assault, and obstruction of justice. The Gangster Disciples promotes its enterprise through member-only activities and provides support to members charged with or incarcerated for gang-related offenses.
The Gangster Disciples were organized into different positions, including board members, and governor-of-governors who each controlled geographic regions; governors, assistant governors, chief enforcers and chief of security for each state or regions within the state where the Gangster Disciples were active; and coordinators and leaders within each local group. The State of Tennessee was divided into specific area codes that defined the separate divisions or "sets" of the Gangster Disciples. The Knoxville set was known by its area code "865," Chattanooga by its area code "423," Nashville by its area code "615," Columbia by its area code "931," Jackson by its area code "731," and Memphis by its area code "901." Crawford was the Gangster Disciples’ "Chief Enforcer" for the State of Tennessee, meaning he was responsible for Gangster Disciple criminal activity in all of those regions.
The RICO count of the superseding indictment that Crawford pled guilty to states that: members and associates of the Gangster Disciples are subject to a strict code of discipline and are routinely fined, beaten, or even murdered for failing to follow the gang’s rules; that as Chief Enforcer, Crawford was responsible for enforcing the gang’s rules and for the administration of punishment to members who violated gang rules and for ensuring that people who claimed to be members of the Gangster Disciples were in fact members in good standing; and that Chief Enforcers often maintained close physical and verbal communication with the Governor of the State and traveled with the Governor around his zone of responsibility. During the change of plea hearing on June 7, 2019, Crawford admitted that he ordered the shooting of rival gang members for retaliation and to maintain his position within the Gangster Disciples, and that he participated directly and indirectly in the activities of the gang, including acts of attempted murder and narcotics trafficking.
On March 9, 2020, U.S. District Court Judge John T. Fowlkes, Jr., sentenced Crawford to 300 months in federal prison followed by 5 years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
United States Attorney D. Michael Dunavant said: "This case demonstrates our ability and resolve to aggressively prosecute and hold accountable those who engage in organized criminal enterprises and gang conspiracies in furtherance of racketeering. This office is proud to work with our federal, state and local law enforcement partners to disrupt the Gangster Disciples gang and punish their leaders and members for the violence and lawlessness that they perpetrate across West Tennessee. Crawford will now take a long ‘trip’ to the federal penitentiary for his violent gang leadership and activity."
This prosecution was brought as part of the Justice Department’s Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) program. OCDETF was established in 1982 to conduct comprehensive, multilevel attacks on major drug trafficking and money laundering organizations, and to diminish the violence and other criminal activity associated with the drug trade. Today, OCDETF combines the resources and expertise of its member federal agencies in cooperation with state and local law enforcement. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt, and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking, money laundering, and violent organizations.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI), Jackson Police Department Gang Enforcement Team, Memphis Police Department, Shelby County Sheriff’s Office, 28th Judicial District West Tennessee Drug Task Force, 26th, 25th, and 30th Judicial District Attorney’s General Offices, Sheriff’s Offices for Tipton, DeSoto, Madison and Fayette Counties, Police Departments of Bartlett, Germantown and Columbia, TN.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Beth C. Boswell and Annie Christoff of the Western District of Tennessee and Trial Attorney Shauna Hale of the Criminal Division Organized Crime and Gang Section prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
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Fort Wayne Man Sentenced to 60 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
FORT WAYNE – Shawn Bacon, 39, of Fort Wayne, Indiana was sentenced before U.S. District Court Judge Holly A. Brady to 720 months in prison, followed by a term of supervised release of 10 years announced U.S. Attorney Kirsch.
According to the documents in this case, in August of 2019, Mr. Bacon was convicted after a four day jury trial of two counts of possessing with intent to distribute controlled substances to include more than 500 grams of methamphetamine and more than 400 grams of fentanyl and more than 500 grams of a mixture or substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine, being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm, maintaining a drug involved premises, possessing a destructive device and a short barreled rifle not registered to him in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record, possessing body armor after having been convicted of a crime of violence, and possessing in furtherance of and carrying during and in relation to the drug trafficking offenses, firearms to include destructive devices, more particularly explosive bombs and a short barreled rifle.
The charges in this case stemmed from the execution of a search warrant at Bacon’s Fort Wayne home in December 2017. The execution of that search warrant resulted in the seizure of 22 firearms from Bacon’s residence and his vehicle. Bacon had at least four prior felony convictions at the time of the search warrant. Some of the firearms recovered were stolen. Bacon was also found in possession of many high capacity magazines, body armor, and various rounds of ammunition in this residence. Bacon was also in possession of unregistered pipe bombs as well as a short barreled rifle. The search warrant also yielded large distribution quantities of methamphetamine, cocaine, heroin, fentanyl and marijuana. At the time of Bacon’s arrest, agents also photographed Bacon’s Aryan Brotherhood tattoos. The drug charges were based on illegal drugs found in the defendant’s home and car.
United States Attorney Kirsch said, “Today’s sentence of 60 years, sends a strong message that my Office and our law enforcement partners will not tolerate the type of criminal activity presented in this case. In Fort Wayne and throughout the District we have an excellent working relationship with federal, state and local agencies that are dedicated to arresting and prosecuting the worst of the worst.”
“The long sentences these violent criminals receive is reassuring to the communities they terrorized that law enforcement is on their side,” commented ATF Assistant Special Agent in Charge Brendan Iber of the Chicago Field Division. “ATF will continue to pursue these serial criminals in collaboration with our local partners and appreciate the diligence the U.S. Attorney’s Office dedicated to bringing this defendant to justice.”
This case is the result of the investigative efforts of the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives Fort Wayne Resident Office Agents, ATF Explosives Technology Branch, ATF Forensic Chemistry Laboratory, with the assistance of the Fort Wayne Police Department, Fort Wayne Police Department Vice and Narcotics Division, and the Indiana State Police. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Lesley J. Miller Lowery.
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Former Registered Nurse Receives 30 Months for Distribution of Opioids, Health Care Fraud, Aggravated Identity Theft, and Obstruction of JusticeRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Sarah Brown, age 42, of Akra, Greene County, New York, was sentenced today to 30 months in prison for unlawfully distributing opioids, for impersonating patients of a co-conspirator and defrauding insurance companies as part of the opioids distribution scheme, and for attempting to obstruct the investigation into her criminal activities.
The announcement was made by United States Attorney Grant C. Jaquith and Special Agent in Charge Ray Donovan, U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), New York Division.
As part of her September 4, 2019 guilty plea, Brown, a former registered nurse, admitted that between 2015 and 2017, she worked with a co-conspirator, Dr. Myra Mabry, to obtain prescriptions for oxycodone, morphine, and hydromorphone, for no legitimate medical purpose, by impersonating Mabry’s patients at pharmacies, knowing that health care benefit programs would pay the cost of the drugs.
Brown also admitted that she attempted to obstruct a federal investigation by testifying falsely before a federal grand jury that she was blackmailing Mabry into providing the prescriptions. As Brown admitted in her guilty plea, that was a lie, because Mabry was not the subject of an extortionate scheme, and was a willing member of the conspiracy to distribute opioids for no legitimate medical purpose. Brown admitted that Mabry agreed to pay Brown for the false testimony in the hope of minimizing Mabry’s criminal exposure and keeping her medical license.
United States District Judge Mae A. D’Agostino also sentenced Brown to 3 years of supervised release, to be served following her release from prison.
Mabry, age 50, of Catskill, New York, pled guilty to conspiring to distribute controlled substances, health care fraud, aggravated identity theft, and obstruction of justice. She was sentenced to 54 months in prison earlier this month.
This case was investigated by the DEA, with assistance from the New York Bureau of Narcotic Enforcement, and was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Wayne A. Myers.
Former Newport News Airport Director Convicted of Multiple ChargesRead the Press Release
NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – A federal jury convicted a Maryland man late yesterday on twenty-three charges of intentional misapplication of funds, money laundering, false declaration, perjury, and obstruction of justice.
According to court records and evidence presented at trial, Kenneth R. Spirito, 47, was the Executive Director of the Newport News / Williamsburg International Airport from 2009-2017. In 2014, Spirito led and organized an effort for a start-up airline, People Express Airlines, Inc. (PEX) to obtain a $5 million loan from TowneBank that was guaranteed by the Peninsula Airport Commission (PAC), operators of the airport. Spirito intentionally misapplied various state and federally regulated funds to provide the cash collateral for the TowneBank loan.
When PEX suspended operations in September 2014, the PAC had to make payment on the loan default. Spirito subsequently provided false information to the Federal Aviation Administration regarding the source of the loan payments. In 2019, Spirito provided false testimony in a civil deposition regarding his role in the decision to do the loan guarantee and the funds he used as collateral.
Spirito faces maximum penalties ranging from ten to twenty years in prison across each count of conviction when sentenced on June 10, 2020. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, Kelly R. Jackson, Special Agent in Charge, Washington, D.C. Field Office, IRS-Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), Colonel Gary T. Settle, Superintendent of Virginia State Police, and Jamie Mazzone, Regional Special Agent in Charge of the Department of Transportation Office of Inspector General, made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Raymond A. Jackson accepted the verdict. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lisa R. McKeel and Brian J. Samuels are prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 4:19-cr-43.
Former MTA Supervisor Pleads Guilty to Obstructing Investigation into Bid Rigging and FraudRead the Press Release
Geoffrey S. Berman, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Douglas Shoemaker, the Special Agent in Charge of the New York Regional Investigations Office of the United States Department of Transportation Office of Inspector General (“DOT-OIG”), and Carolyn Pokorny, Metropolitan Transportation Authority Inspector General for the State of New York (“MTA-OIG”), announced that PARESH PATEL, a former MTA manager, pled guilty today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Ona T. Wang to obstructing a federal investigation into bid rigging and fraud in connection with contracts awarded by the MTA for Superstorm Sandy-related subway repairs. PATEL, who set up a private company that participated in a bid for a project that he would oversee at the MTA, took numerous steps upon learning that his conduct was being investigated, including deleting an email account, asking others to destroy evidence, and encouraging others to lie to authorities to obstruct the investigation. PATEL previously surrendered to federal authorities on February 18, 2020.
U.S. Attorney Geoffrey S. Berman said: “In the wake of Superstorm Sandy, Paresh Patel set up a company so that he and his family could profit from the work that was being done to repair our subways. When Patel learned he was under investigation, he destroyed evidence and asked others to lie to federal and local investigators. Efforts to obstruct investigations into corruption at the MTA undermine the public’s faith in the nation’s largest public transportation system and threaten the ability of our Government to ensure that justice is done.”
DOT-OIG Special Agent in Charge Douglas Shoemaker said: “The devastation caused by Hurricane Sandy is only exacerbated by the unscrupulous actions of Mr. Patel, who was entrusted with aiding in the restoration of the New York region’s transit infrastructure. Working with our law enforcement and prosecutorial partners, we will continue to protect the taxpayers’ investment in our nation’s infrastructure and pursue those who participate in fraud schemes that undermine DOT-funded programs and projects, and the public trust.”
MTA Inspector General Carolyn Pokorny said: “It is simply unacceptable for an MTA employee to obstruct any investigation - let alone a criminal investigation. We are proud that our initial probe has resulted in derailing this scheme to defraud riders, taxpayers, and other stakeholders of our great transportation system, and thankful to our law enforcement partners who worked with us to leave no doubt that obstructing a federal investigation is a crime.”
According to the allegations made in the Information to which the defendant pled guilty, as well as the defendant’s admissions in court:
In order to manage necessary subway rehabilitation work following Superstorm Sandy in 2013, the MTA awarded construction management contracts for managers to oversee post-Sandy subway projects. To prevent self-dealing and the appearance of corruption, the MTA maintains rules relating to conflicts of interest. The rules provide that MTA employees are barred from participating in the selection, award, or administration of a contract if the employee, his or her family member, or an organization that employs the employee or one of the employee’s family members has a financial interest in any of the companies that propose or bid on, or are awarded, such a contract.
PATEL was a program manager at the MTA and was responsible for awarding contracts and exercising oversight of Superstorm Sandy-related subway repairs. In June 2014, PATEL and another MTA employee set up an engineering consulting firm named Satkirti Consulting Engineering LLC (“Satkirti”). Because MTA rules prohibited them from having an interest in such a company, PATEL and the other employee registered Satkirti in the names of their children, and then transferred the ownership to a friend of PATEL who played no substantive role in the management of Satkirti. In February 2015, Satkirti was awarded a contract as a subcontractor on the Joralemon Tube subway rehabilitation project, which project PATEL would oversee in his role at the MTA. Although the technical employees of Satkirti who sought and carried out the subcontract were PATEL’s friend, who had no background or qualifications in engineering, and a second individual who PATEL recruited from a pizzeria owned by PATEL, PATEL directed the operations of Satkirti and its employees while concealing his involvement with the company. Among other things, PATEL created a company email account for Satkirti, and instructed Satkirti’s employees about what to write in emails. On many occasions, PATEL instructed Satkirti’s employees not to mention PATEL’s name and reminded them that PATEL was not supposed to be involved in the operation of Satkirti.
In the spring of 2016, MTA-OIG launched an investigation, later joined by the DOT-OIG and the U.S. Attorney’s Office, into the contract that was awarded to Satkirti. MTA-OIG served subpoenas and conducted interviews with individuals involved in Satkirti, many of whom made false statements about their and PATEL’s involvement in the company. After MTA-OIG began serving subpoenas, PATEL told one of Satkirti’s employees to delete from his personal email account all emails with PATEL. On November 16, 2016, after federal investigators began serving grand jury subpoenas, PATEL deleted the Satkirti company email account, which contained records of Satkirti’s business and evidence that would have connected PATEL to Satkirti. Over the course of the MTA-OIG and federal investigation, at the request of PATEL, several individuals questioned by investigators also concealed and lied about PATEL’s involvement in Satkirti.
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PARESH PATEL, 59, of Paramus, New Jersey, pled guilty to one count of obstruction of justice, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.
PATEL will be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Kimba M. Wood on a date to be determined.
The maximum potential sentence in this case is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the judge.
Mr. Berman praised the outstanding investigative work of the special agents from the DOT-OIG and investigators at the MTA-OIG.
The case is being handled by the Office’s Public Corruption Unit. Assistant United States Attorneys Nicolas Roos and Ryan B. Finkel are in charge of the prosecution.
Former Inmate of Chesapeake City Jail Pleads Guilty to Bribing DeputyRead the Press Release
NORFOLK, Va. – A former inmate of the Chesapeake City Jail pleaded guilty today to conspiring to bribe a Chesapeake Sheriff’s Deputy to smuggle contraband – including cocaine and heroin – into the Chesapeake City Jail.
According to court documents, Jermarrieo Stigger, 34, paid Jenis Leroy Plummer to use his official position as Chesapeake Sheriff’s Deputy to smuggle heroin, cocaine, cell phones, e-cigarettes and other contraband into the Chesapeake City Jail. From July 2017 through December 2018, Stigger knowingly and intentionally conspired with Plummer to engage in this scheme.
On numerous occasions throughout the conspiracy, Stigger arranged for Plummer to meet his girlfriend at various locations in Hampton Roads to pick up the contraband. At these meetings, Stigger’s girlfriend gave Plummer the illicit contraband in blue latex gloves. Plummer then smuggled the contraband into the jail and delivered the items to the inmate. In exchange for using his official position, Stigger’s girlfriend paid Plummer with cash, via CashApp, and via PayPal.
Stigger pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit extortion under color of official right, and he faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison when sentenced on June 18, 2020. Deputy Plummer previously pleaded guilty to the same charge. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Martin Culbreth, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Norfolk Field Office, made the announcement after U.S. Magistrate Judge Robert J. Krask accepted the plea. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joseph E. DePadilla and Melissa E. O’Boyle are prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:19-cr-183.