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15 May 2020
East St. Louis Man Hit with Nearly 20 Years in Prison for Running Drugs, Keeping Guns While on Federal Supervised ReleaseRead the Press Release
East St. Louis, Ill. – Reoffending in the federal system has cost one East St. Louis resident almost two decades of his life behind bars. In 2017, James T. Keel, 31, was out on federal supervised release when he was caught selling cocaine from a house in East St. Louis. On Wednesday, United States District Judge Staci M. Yandle sentenced Keel to 210 months in prison, to run consecutively to the 27.5-month sentence Keel had already received back in February for violating the terms of his supervised release.
Keel was originally prosecuted in 2012 for being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm and possession with intent to distribute 30 grams of crack cocaine. He was convicted and sentenced to
70 months in June 2012 and began serving a term of supervised release in May 2016. In September and
October 2017, undercover agents working with the Metropolitan Enforcement Group of Southern
Illinois (MEGSI) and the St. Clair County Sheriff’s Office purchased crack cocaine from Keel on four occasions. Agents then served a search warrant on the residence and recovered 95 grams of powder cocaine, 64 grams of crack cocaine, 7 firearms, and over $17,000 in cash. It was later determined that Keel had been selling drugs out of the house for over 9 months before he was caught.In handing down the 17.5-year sentence, Judge Yandle emphasized the need to protect the public from
Keel and deter others who are part of the ongoing drug epidemic plaguing our society. Keel testified at his sentencing hearing that he hadn’t sold as much cocaine as the agents claimed, but
Judge Yandle found his testimony “disingenuous” as it contradicted what he told investigators during a videotaped interview. Judge Yandle further pointed to the number of guns Keel illegally kept in the house where he was selling cocaine, as well as the length of time he had been selling drugs. It was clear, she said, that Keel had not learned anything from his previous stint in prison.Keel pleaded guilty to the charges in August 2018. As part of his sentence, he was ordered to serve an additional 10 years of supervised release when his prison term ends.
This case was investigated by the St. Clair County Sheriff’s Office, MEGSI, and the Bureau of
Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives. Assistant United States Attorney Christopher Hoell prosecuted the case.
Dominican National Charged with Illegal ReentryRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Dominican national living in Lawrence was charged yesterday in federal court with illegal reentry.
Wilkin Jose Guerrero Villar, 40, was charged by criminal complaint with illegal reentry after deportation. Following his initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Judith G. Dein, Guerrero Villar was detained pending a detention hearing set for May 20, 2020.
According to charging documents, in June 2016, Guerrero Villar was encountered by an ICE official while in pre-trial custody at the Middlesex House of Corrections. At that time, Guerrero Villar was determined to be illegally present in the United Sates, placed into removal proceedings, and deported to the Dominican Republic on June 21, 2016.
It is alleged that sometime after his removal in 2016, Guerrero Villar illegally reentered the United States. On May 5, 2020, Guerrero Villar was encountered by ICE in Haverhill, his prints were taken, and found to match the prints in his alien file. Guerrero Villar was then taken into ICE administrative custody.
The charging statute provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Guerrero Villar will be subject to deportation upon completion of his sentence. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling and Todd Lyons, Acting Field Office Director, Boston, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations, made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kenneth G. Shine of Lelling’s Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.
Department of Justice Supports National Pork Producers Council’s Ability to Combat Meat ShortageRead the Press Release
The Department of Justice (Department) issued a letter today to the National Pork Producers Council, the nation’s leading association of hog farmers, to address its proposed responses to challenges posed by COVID-19. The department will not challenge the proposed collaborative efforts of the National Pork Producers Council (NPPC) to work with the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to address certain hardships facing hog farmers as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The letter explains that the processing plant closures addressed in President Donald J. Trump’s April 28, 2020, Executive Order have had impacts up and down the supply chain. One of those impacts, according to NPPC, is the tragic need to euthanize unmarketable hogs that could not be brought to market due to processing capacity challenges. The letter determines that the NPPC and its members may work at the direction of the USDA and state agriculture agencies to achieve humane and efficient euthanization of hogs that have grown too large to be processed and are thus unmarketable. The NPPC may also share general information with its members about best practices for depopulating unmarketable hogs.
“Today’s letter addresses some of the challenges created for farmers when packing capacity shuts down,” stated Assistant Attorney General Makan Delrahim. “Meanwhile, we remain committed to vigorous enforcement of the antitrust laws to ensure that farmers and consumers see the benefits of competition.”
The NPPC submitted its business review request pursuant to the expedited, temporary review procedure detailed in the Joint Antitrust Statement Regarding COVID-19 (joint statement) issued on March 24 by both the department and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). In the joint statement, the department announced its aim to resolve COVID-19-related business review requests within seven calendar days of receiving all necessary information.
Copies of the business review request and the department’s response are available on the Antitrust Division’s website at https://www.justice.gov/atr/business-review-letters-and-request-letters, as well as in a file maintained by the Antitrust Documents Group of the Antitrust Division. After a 30-day waiting period, any documents supporting the business review will be added to the file, unless a basis for their exclusion for reasons of confidentiality has been established under the business review procedure. Supporting documents in the file will be maintained for a period of one year, and copies will be available upon request to the FOIA/Privacy Act Unit, Antitrust Documents Group at [email protected].
Court Orders Oklahoma Company to Stop Selling Colloidal Silver as Treatment for COVID-19Read the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – A federal court in Muskogee, Oklahoma, has entered a temporary restraining order halting the sale of an unapproved colloidal silver product to treat COVID-19.
The U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma entered the temporary restraining order on May 14, 2020 in response to a civil complaint and accompanying court papers filed by the Department of Justice. In its complaint, the department alleges that Xephyr LLC, doing business as N-Ergetics, and its owners Brad Brand, Derill J. Fussell, and Linda Fussell, sell and distribute a colloidal silver product claiming that it will cure, mitigate, or treat coronavirus and its resulting disease, COVID-19, as well as other diseases including pneumonia, AIDS, and cancer. Colloidal silver is a suspension of silver particles in a liquid, and it is not generally recognized as safe and effective by qualified experts for any of the uses for which defendants promote it.
“The Department of Justice takes swift action to protect consumers from unsafe products that are unlawfully sold as COVID-19 treatments,” said Assistant Attorney General Jody Hunt of the Department of Justice’s Civil Division. “We will continue to work closely with the Food and Drug Administration to prevent harm to consumers from unlawful products during this pandemic.”
“The facts leading to this civil action underscore the importance of exercising extreme caution when dealing with people making claims to have a cure-all,” said U.S. Attorney Brian J. Kuester for the Eastern District of Oklahoma. “National disasters bring out the best of many Americans. Unfortunately there are those who seek to take advantage of the fear and anxiety caused by widespread disasters, such as the Coronavirus, that may cause people to be more vulnerable to fraudulent claims.”
The department’s complaint alleges that defendants are introducing unapproved new drugs into interstate commerce and that their disease-related treatment claims are unsupported by any well-controlled clinical studies or other credible scientific substantiation. Additionally, the complaint asserts that, because defendants’ products do not have adequate directions for lay users, the products are misbranded.
On March 6, 2020, FDA, jointly with the Federal Trade Commission, issued a Warning Letter to defendants notifying them that they are violating federal law (including the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act) by, among other things, distributing unapproved new drugs and misbranded drugs in interstate commerce. After receipt of this warning, the complaint alleges, the defendants attempted to cloak their claims to prevent liability, while continuing to make the same substantive claims and to sell colloidal silver as a cure, mitigation, or treatment for coronavirus and COVID-19.
“Xephyr’s claims that their unapproved colloidal silver products can cure, mitigate, prevent, or treat COVID-19, or other diseases like cholera, diabetes, cancer, and AIDS, will not be tolerated. Americans expect and deserve medical treatments that have been scientifically proven to be safe and effective, especially during this ongoing pandemic,” said Stacy Amin, FDA Chief Counsel. “The FDA will continue our efforts to make sure that this and other like-minded sellers comply with the law.”
The enforcement action is being prosecuted by Trial Attorneys Rachel E. Baron and Adam E. Lyons of the Department of Justice, Civil Division’s Consumer Protection Branch, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael O’Malley of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, with assistance from Associate Chief Counsel for Enforcement Jaclyn Martínez Resly of the FDA, Office of the General Counsel, Department of Health and Human Services.
The claims made in the complaint are allegations that, if the case were to proceed to trial, the government must prove to receive a permanent injunction against the defendants.
In response to the department’s filing, defendants immediately took down their sales site. In addition, they have posted a message offering refunds to their customers: “Due to the FDA and the DOJ’s requests, this site has been removed. Anyone who has ordered in the last 90 days, and would like a refund, please email...” The department will continue to seek complete relief against defendants.
Additional information about the Consumer Protection Branch and its enforcement efforts may be found at www.justice.gov/civil/consumer-protection-branch. For more information about the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, visit its website at www.justice.gov/usao-edok. For information about the Department of Justice’s efforts to stop illegal COVID-19-related activity, visit www.justice.gov/coronavirus. For the most up-to-date information on COVID-19, consumers may visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and World Health Organization (WHO) websites.
The public is urged to report suspected fraud schemes related to COVID-19 (the Coronavirus) to the National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) hotline by phone at (1-866-720-5721) or via an online reporting form available at www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/webform/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
Colombian National Pleads Guilty to Cocaine TraffickingRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Colombian national pleaded guilty today in federal court in Boston to cocaine trafficking charges.
Diego Sanchez, 34, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine, two counts of distribution and possession with intent to distribute cocaine, and one count of possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine. U.S. District Court Judge F. Dennis Saylor IV scheduled sentencing for Sept. 14, 2020. Sanchez has been in federal custody since his arrest on Oct. 9, 2019.
Sanchez engaged in two sales of cocaine to a cooperating witness on Sept. 10 and 27, 2019, in East Boston. Sanchez and his co-defendant also conspired to sell one kilogram of cocaine to that same cooperating witness. On Oct. 9, 2019, law enforcement agents observed both men walking towards the location for the expected drug transaction and arrested them near the pre-arranged meeting spot in East Boston.
The charges of conspiracy to distribute and possession with intent to distribute more than 500 grams of cocaine provide for a mandatory minimum sentence of five years and up to 40 years in prison, at least four years of supervised release and a fine of up to $5 million. The charges of distribution of cocaine provide for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, at least three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $1 million. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The operation was conducted by a multi-agency task force through the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF), a partnership between federal, state and local law enforcement agencies. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking, weapons trafficking and money laundering organizations, and those primarily responsible for the nation’s illegal drug supply. More information on the OCDETF program is available here: https://www.justice.gov/ocdetf/about-ocdetf.
United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling; Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Division; and Boston Police Commissioner William Gross made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen W. Hassink of Lelling’s Narcotics and Money Laundering Unit is prosecuting the case.
Chicago Man Charged in Federal Court with Trafficking Fentanyl-Laced Heroin and Illegally Possessing Assault RifleRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — A federal grand jury has indicted a Chicago man for allegedly trafficking fentanyl-laced heroin and illegally possessing a loaded assault rifle while on parole from a previous drug conviction.
MITCHELL DWAYNE SIMMONS, 48, is charged with one count of possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute, one count of possession of firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and one count of illegally possessing firearms as a previously convicted felon, according to an indictment unsealed Thursday in federal court in Chicago. The indictment alleges that Simmons possessed the assault rifle and a handgun, both of which were loaded, as well as heroin, fentanyl-laced heroin, and marijuana, on Dec. 28, 2019, in Chicago. At the time, Simmons was on court-supervised release after recently completing a prison sentence for a federal drug conviction in the Central District of Illinois.
Simmons was arrested Thursday on the new charges and was arraigned later that day in federal court in Chicago. He pleaded not guilty to all charges in the indictment. A detention hearing via videoconference is set for May 18, 2020, at 10:30 a.m., before U.S. District Judge Gary S. Feinerman.
The indictment was announced by John R. Lausch, Jr., United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois; Kristen deTineo, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Division of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; and David Brown, Superintendent of the Chicago Police Department. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Saurish Appleby-Bhattacharjee.
Holding gun offenders accountable through federal prosecution is a centerpiece of Project Guardian and Project Safe Neighborhoods – the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction strategies. Project Guardian focuses specifically on investigating, prosecuting, and preventing gun crimes, and it emphasizes the importance of using modern technologies to promote gun crime intelligence. In the Northern District of Illinois, U.S. Attorney Lausch and law enforcement partners have deployed the Guardian and PSN programs to attack a broad range of violent crime issues facing the district, including by prosecuting individuals who illegally possess firearms.
Possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime is punishable by a maximum sentence of life in federal prison and a mandatory minimum of five years, which must be served consecutively to the sentence for the underlying drug trafficking offense. Possession of a controlled substance with the intent to distribute is punishable by a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in federal prison and a maximum of 40 years. Illegal possession of a firearm by a convicted felon carries a maximum sentence of ten years in federal prison. If convicted, the Court must impose reasonable sentences under federal statutes and the advisory U.S. Sentencing Guidelines.
The public is reminded that an indictment is not evidence of guilt. The defendant is presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
Charleston Drug Dealer Known as “Mean Man” Sentenced to Ten Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
Charleston, South Carolina --- United States Attorney Peter M. McCoy, Jr., announced today that Terrell Montez Benjamin, a/k/a “Mean Man,” 30, of Charleston, was sentenced to ten years in federal prison after pleading guilty to possession with intent to distribute crack cocaine.
Evidence presented to the court showed that in the Spring of 2018, police officers from the Charleston Police Department and special agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) began investigating an armed drug trafficking organization operating in the Charleston City housing project in the Gadsden Green neighborhood. Law enforcement captured drug transactions being conducted in multiple apartments in the housing complex.
On September 4, 2018, Benjamin, who was one of five defendants indicted and convicted in connection with the investigation of this drug trafficking organization, was captured on video selling crack cocaine with another member of the drug trafficking organization. In October, authorities raided another nearby apartment the organization was using and discovered large quantities of drugs and multiple firearms. Benjamin has a lengthy criminal history, including numerous prior convictions for distributing crack cocaine, heroin, and marijuana and for possessing firearms. He was released from prison in June 2018, after serving time for a drug conviction, and quickly returned to his old ways.
Benjamin ultimately pleaded guilty and was held responsible for the drugs that he sold on September 4, 2018.
United States District Judge Richard Gergel sentenced Benjamin to 120 months in federal prison, to be followed by a six-year term of court-ordered supervision. There is no parole in the federal system.
The case was investigated by the ATF and the Charleston Police Department.
This case was prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local 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. Assistant United States Attorneys Chris Schoen and Charlie Bourne of the Charleston office prosecuted the case.
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The year 2020 marks the 150th anniversary of the Department of Justice. Learn more about the history of our agency at www.Justice.gov/Celebrating150Years.
Cedar Rapids Man Sentenced to Five Years in Federal Prison for Unlawfully Possessing a Loaded Gun and NarcoticsRead the Press Release
A Cedar Rapids man who was driving while in possession of a 9mm Beretta handgun under his seat was sentenced today to five years in federal prison.
Antonio Donnell Johnson, age 32, from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, received the prison term after pleading guilty on November 7, 2019, to possession of a firearm by a prohibited person.
In a plea agreement, Johnson admitted that, after police pulled him over for driving while barred, he provided a false name to law enforcement. Officers found a loaded 9mm Beretta handgun under his seat and marijuana and ecstasy on his person. He admitted to smoking marijuana and possessing the gun. He was prohibited from possessing a firearm because he was previously convicted of both a felony and a crime of domestic violence.
Johnson was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams. He was sentenced to 60 months’ imprisonment. He must serve a three-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 Elizabeth Dupuich and investigated by the Cedar Rapids Police Department and the Cedar Rapids Safe Streets Task Force. The task force is composed of representatives from the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Cedar Rapids Police Department.
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. 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-108-CJW.
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California Woman Arrested for Theft of Mail from U.S. Postal Service VehicleRead the Press Release
SAN JOSE – Paula Orozco was arrested and charged with mail theft, announced United States Attorney David L. Anderson and Postal Inspector in Charge Rafael E. Nuñez, United States Postal Inspection Service.
According to an amended criminal complaint filed today, Orozco, 38, of San Jose, Calif., is alleged to have stolen mail from a U.S. Postal Service (“USPS”) mail delivery vehicle in San Jose. As detailed in the complaint, the burglary from the delivery vehicle took place on April 18, 2020, and was reported four days later, when a victim reported fraudulent charges on a debit card that was in the mail on April 18. Postal inspectors reviewed surveillance footage from a location where a fraudulent charge occurred and identified Orozco in the footage. On May 13, 2020, a witness reported another break in to a USPS mail delivery vehicle in San Jose. Postal inspectors responded to the report and identified and detained Orozco in the immediate area of the burglary.
The complaint charges Orozco with mail theft, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1708.
Orozco’s initial appearance took place on May 14, 2020, before the Honorable Susan van Keulen, U.S. Magistrate Judge. Her next appearance is scheduled for May 19, 2020, at 1:30 p.m.
Criminal complaints merely allege that crimes have been committed, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. If convicted on the possession of mail theft, the defendant faces a maximum sentence of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine. However, any sentence following conviction would be imposed by the court only after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal statute governing the imposition of a sentence, 18 U.S.C. § 3553.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Richard Ewenstein is prosecuting the case with the assistance of Morgan Byrne. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service.
California Man Pleads Guilty to Production of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
A Fresno, California, man pleaded guilty to production of child pornography today.
Jacob Blanco, 28, pleaded guilty to five counts of production of child pornography, as well as one count of receipt of child pornography, before U.S. District Court Judge Dale A. Drozd. Sentencing is set for Oct. 9, 2020.
According to admissions made in connection with his guilty plea, the defendant's activities initially came to light in or about March of 2017, when the parents of a then six-year-old discovered that the minor had communicated with and created sexually explicit images at the request of another user on the social media application Musical.ly (now TikTok). Law enforcement investigators subsequently identified this user as Jacob Blanco.
A search of the defendant’s digital media revealed that he had successfully persuaded and coerced multiple minors to produce sexually explicit material. Blanco accomplished this by using various methods of deception and enticement, including by pretending to be a modeling agent or to be a minor himself. Blanco used Snapchat, Kik, Musical.ly and other applications to communicate with minors for the purpose of having those minors create and transmit to him images of those minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct. In his interview with law enforcement, Blanco admitted that he communicated with at least 50 minors, an admission confirmed by the communications and images stored on his digital media.
The investigation was conducted by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) in Fresno, with assistance from the Fresno County Sherriff’s Office and the Fresno County Police Department. Trial Attorney Nadia C. Prinz of the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS) and Assistant U.S. Attorney David L. Gappa of the Eastern District of California prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
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.
Alleged Narcotrafficker and High-Ranking Cartel Member Extradited from Uruguay to the United StatesRead the Press Release
A Mexican national will have his initial appearance in federal court in the District of Columbia later today on charges related to his alleged involvement in a criminal conspiracy to distribute cocaine and methamphetamine.
Assistant Attorney General Brian A. Benczkowski of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and Acting Administrator Uttam Dhillon of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), made the announcement.
Gerardo Gonzalez Valencia, aka “Lalo,” 43, arrived at Dulles International Airport yesterday evening after being extradited from Uruguay, where he was arrested in April 2016. The indictment charges Gonzalez Valencia with an international conspiracy to distribute cocaine and methamphetamine, intending and knowing that those substances would be unlawfully imported into the United States. The indictment alleges that Gonzalez Valencia’s criminal conspiracy ran from 2003 to 2016.
“The Department of Justice will never waver in our commitment to disrupt and dismantle CJNG and its enablers, wherever they are found,” said Assistant Attorney General Benczkowski. “Thanks to the dedicated efforts of our law enforcement partners in Uruguay, Gonzalez Valencia now will be held to account in the United States for his alleged crimes.”
“Today’s extradition and arrest of Mr. Gonzalez-Valencia deals another blow to the leadership of the Cartel de Jalisco Nueva Generacion,” said DEA Acting Administrator Dhillon. “Mr. Gonzalez-Valencia is alleged to have distributed significant quantities of cocaine and meth and will now face justice in the United States. We are grateful for the outstanding partnership with the National Police and Government of Uruguay during this long term investigation.”
The charges contained in the indictment are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
The case was investigated by DEA Los Angeles. Trial Attorneys Brett Reynolds, Kaitlin Sahni, Cole Radovich, Kate Naseef and Acting Deputy Chief Anthony Nardozzi of the Criminal Division’s Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section are prosecuting the case.
The Justice Department extends its gratitude to the government of Uruguay for making the extradition possible and the U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service (DSS) for its support. The Criminal Division’s Office of Enforcement Operations provided assistance in support of this investigation and the Criminal Division’s Office of International Affairs provided significant assistance in securing the defendant’s extradition from Uruguay.
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.
14 May 2020
West Haven Resident Charged with Illegal Gun Possession While Released on Bond for Firearm OffenseRead the Press Release
New Haven – John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, and Kelly D. Brady, Special Agent in Charge, ATF Boston Field Division, announced that CEDRIC GOODWIN, also known as “Ceddyo,” 31, of West Haven, was arrested today and charged by federal criminal complaint with possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
As alleged in the complaint, in the early morning hours of September 22, 2019, Goodwin attempted to enter a bar located on Crown Street in downtown New Haven. During a pat-down search of Goodwin by a security worker, a firearm magazine fell from Goodwin’s right ankle area. Goodwin retrieved the magazine and left the establishment. The security worker notified nearby New Haven Police officers who subsequently located Goodwin. As they approached Goodwin, the officers heard the sound of an object hitting the ground. Goodwin was detained, and a search of the area revealed a firearm magazine containing eight rounds of .380 caliber ammunition. Goodwin was arrested on state charges at that time.
It is further alleged that Goodwin’s criminal history includes felony convictions for narcotics, weapon, robbery and assault offenses.
On March 10, 2020, Goodwin was arrested on a federal criminal complaint charging him with possession of ammunition by a convicted felon. Following his arrest, Goodwin was released on a $100,000 bond and other conditions, including that he reside at the home of a third-party custodian on Sanford Street in West Haven.
It is alleged that law enforcement recently received information that Goodwin was engaged in narcotics trafficking activity and was in possession of a firearm. Goodwin was arrested this afternoon after investigators conducted a court-authorized search of the residence and, in the garage, found a Smith and Wesson revolver, several rounds of assorted ammunition, multiple baggies of suspected heroin, a quantity of marijuana, and items used to process and package drugs for street sale.
Pursuant to the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act), Goodwin was presented in court via videoconference. U.S. Magistrate Judge Robert M. Spector ordered Goodwin detained.
The charge of possession of a firearm carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years. U.S. Attorney Durham stressed that a complaint is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. Charges are only allegations and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This investigation is being conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), and the New Haven Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Maria del Pilar Gonzalez.
This prosecution 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.
Waco Man Sentenced to 5 Years for Equipment SchemeRead the Press Release
A Waco man has been sentenced to five years in federal prison for a scheme that deceived numerous victims, including several former law enforcement, announced U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Erin Nealy Cox.
Richard Lee Burney, 50, pleaded guilty in January to wire fraud.
In plea papers, Burney admitted to defrauding a number of Texas ranchland owners. Those victims included a retiree of the Lubbock County Sheriff’s Office and a former Department of Public Safety Trooper who served the public for 35 years.
According to court documents, Burney devised a scheme in which he stated he was working in the timber business alongside the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to help with the cleanup effort in North Carolina after Hurricane Matthew made landfall there in 2016.
Burney admitted to fraudulently claiming, that in connection with his work, he entered into a “lease buy-back” program that would allow him to lease equipment from a Bobcat Company dealership, use the equipment for the FEMA projects, and then resell the equipment at significantly discounted prices to individual buyers who agreed to reserve purchases with partial or full down payments.
Burney sent emails and text messages to victims to assure them that the equipment would be available. Burney never followed through on his promise to deliver the equipment to any of his victims or refund the money he schemed from them.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Dallas Field Office, Lubbock Resident Agency and the Texas Rangers conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ann Howey prosecuted the case. U.S. District Judge James Wesley Hendrix handed down the sentence.
VA Employee Pleads Guilty to Embezzling $70,000 Using Mobile Payment ApplicationRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Department of Veteran Affairs (VA) employee pleaded guilty today to embezzling nearly $70,000 in VA funds.
Michael Donaher, 41, of Lakeville, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Court Judge Indira Talwani to one count of embezzlement and theft of public money, property or records. Sentencing is scheduled for Sept. 10, 2020. He has agreed, as part of a plea agreement, to reimburse the government for the funds he stole. Donaher was arrested in January on a criminal complaint.
Donaher worked as an Inventory Management Specialist for the Veterans Affairs Medical Facility in Brockton and was responsible for purchasing various equipment necessary for use in the facility. Donaher conducted fraudulent transactions using his government-issued purchase cards and routed the proceeds to his personal bank account. Donaher attempted to conceal these fraudulent purchases by making it appear as if the purchases were made through a large company that the VA frequently used for legitimate business, when, in fact, they were actually made through a company Donaher created through Square, Inc., a mobile payment company. These purchases were not for actual items ever received by the VA. Furthermore, Donaher attempted to hide this fact by annotating the items as having been received within the VA’s accountability system. Donaher fraudulently routed approximately $70,000 of VA funds to his personal account since the scheme began in 2016.
The charging statute provides a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling and Christopher Algieri, Special Agent in Charge of the Department of Veteran Affairs, Office of the Inspector General, Northeast Field Office made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Eugenia M. Carris of Lelling’s Public Corruption & Special Prosecutions Unit is prosecuting the case.
U.S. Attorney Pak and the Department of Justice salute law enforcement officers during Police WeekRead the Press Release
ATLANTA – In honor of National Police Week, U.S. Attorney Byung J. “BJay” Pak salutes the service and sacrifice of federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement. The week will be observed through Saturday, May 16, 2020.
“There is no more noble profession than serving as a police officer,” said Attorney General Barr. “The men and women who protect our communities each day have not just devoted their lives to public service, they’ve taken an oath to give their lives in order to ensure our safety. And they do so not only in the face of hostility from those who reject our nation’s commitment to the rule of law, but also in the face of evolving adversity – such as an unprecedented global health pandemic. This week, I ask all Americans to join me in saying ‘thank you’ to our nation’s federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement officers. Their devotion and sacrifice to our peace and security will not be taken for granted.”
“In 2019, the State of Georgia lost seven peace officers, four of whom were from the Northern District of Georgia,” said U.S. Attorney Byung J. “BJay” Pak. “These officers died while serving and protecting their communities. Along with 744 officers who lost their lives in the line of duty before them, we honor these officers for their service and their sacrifice. We also thank the families of these officers, and express our deepest sympathies for their loss.”
In 1962, President Kennedy issued the first proclamation for Peace Officers Memorial Day and National Police Week to remember and honor law enforcement officers for their service and sacrifices. Peace Officers Memorial Day, which every year falls on May 15, specifically honors law enforcement officers killed or disabled in the line of duty.
Each year, during National Police Week, our nation celebrates the contributions of law enforcement from around the country, recognizing their hard work, dedication, loyalty and commitment to keeping our communities safe. This year the COVID-19 pandemic has underscored law enforcement officers’ courage and unwavering devotion to the communities they swore to serve.
Based on data collected and analyzed by the FBI’s Law Enforcement Officer Killed and Assaulted (LEOKA) Program, 89 law enforcement officers died nationwide in the line of duty in 2019, including four officers here in the Northern District of Georgia].
- Deputy Nicholas Blane Dixon
Hall County Sheriff’s Office, End of Watch July 8, 2019 - Deputy Michaela Elizabeth Smith
Murray County Sheriff’s Office, End of Watch July 3, 2019 - Deputy Spencer Allen Englett
Forsyth County Sheriff’s Office, End of Watch April 4, 2019 - Officer James Joseph “JJ” Biello
Atlanta Police Department, End of Watch April 28, 2019
Comprehensive data tables about these incidents and brief narratives describing most of the fatal attacks are included in the sections of Law Enforcement Officers Killed and Assaulted, 2019.
The names of the fallen officers who have been added in 2020 to the wall at the National Law Enforcement Memorial were read on Wednesday, May 13, 2020, during a Virtual Annual Candlelight Vigil. Because public events have been suspended as a result of COVID-19, the vigil was livestreamed for the public. To view the online event, please visit www.LawMemorial.org.
To learn more about National Police Week and the virtual candlelight vigil, please visit www.policeweek.org.
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.
- Deputy Nicholas Blane Dixon
U.S. Attorney McAllister Announces $318,000 Award to Wyandotte County for Public Safety during Covid-19Read the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, KAN. – U.S. Attorney Stephen McAllister today announced a grant of more than $318,000 to Wyandotte County to help respond to the public safety challenges posed by the outbreak of COVID-19.
The grant awarded to the county is available under the Coronavirus Emergency Supplemental Funding program, authorized by the recent stimulus legislation signed by President Trump.
“This grant of $318,256 can be used to support a broad range of activities to prevent, prepare for and respond to coronavirus,” said McAllister. “That includes overtime, supplies such as gloves, masks and sanitizer and addressing the medical needs of inmates in prisons, jails and detention centers.”
For more information about this grant, contact the Office of Justice Program's Office of Communications at (202) 307-0703.
U.S. Attorney Kenji M. Price recognizes police weekRead the Press Release
HONOLULU, Hawaii – In honor of National Police Week, U.S. Attorney Kenji M. Price would like to recognize the service and sacrifice of federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement. This year, National Police Week is Sunday, May 10 through Saturday, May 16, 2020.
"There is no more noble profession than serving as a police officer," said Attorney General William P. Barr. "The men and women who protect our communities each day have not just devoted their lives to public service, they’ve taken an oath to give their lives in order to ensure our safety. And they do so not only in the face of hostility from those who reject our nation’s commitment to the rule of law, but also in the face of evolving adversity – such as an unprecedented global health pandemic. This week, I ask all Americans to join me in saying ‘thank you’ to our nation’s federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement officers. Their devotion and sacrifice to our peace and security will not be taken for granted."
"Our law enforcement officers work day-in and day-out to protect the public and, in doing so, sacrifice their own safety and the well-being of their family members and loved ones. These heroes—who daily put the community’s interests above their own—deserve our highest praise for their bravery, professionalism, and commitment to the community. In the Aloha State, those who don the uniform and protect us are truly among the finest in our midst. I echo the Attorney General’s request that all Americans—and, in particular, those in our communities in Hawaii—find an opportunity this week to thank our nation’s law enforcement officers," said U.S. Attorney Price.
In 1962, President Kennedy issued the first proclamation for Peace Officers Memorial Day and National Police week to remember and honor law enforcement officers for their service and sacrifices. Peace Officers Memorial Day, which every year falls on May 15, specifically honors law enforcement officers killed or disabled in line of duty.
Each year, during National Police Week, our nation celebrates the contributions of law enforcement from around the country, recognizing their hard work, dedication, loyalty and commitment to keeping our communities safe. This year the COVID-19 pandemic has underscored law enforcement officers' courage and unwavering devotion to the communities they swore to serve.
Based on data collected and analzed by the FBI's Law Enforcment Officer Killed and Assaulted (LEOKA) Program, 89 law enforcement officers died nationwide in the line of duty in 2019.
Comprehensive data tables about these incidents and brief narratives describing most of the fatal attacks are included in the sections of Law Enforcement Officers Killed and Assaulted, 2019.
The names of the fallen officers who have been added in 2020 to the wall at the National Law Enforcement Memorial were recognized on Wednesday, May 13, 2020, during a Virtual Annual Candlelight Vigil. The online event may be viewd at https://www.youtube.com/user/TheNLEOMF.
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U.S. Attorney J. Douglas Overbey Announces $349,956 Award to Address Covid-19 Pandemic in TennesseeRead the Press Release
Knoxville, Tenn. – U.S. Attorney J. Douglas Overbey of the Eastern District of Tennessee today announced that the City of Knoxville received $349,956 in Department of Justice grants to respond to the public safety challenges posed by the outbreak of COVID-19.
The grant is available under the Coronavirus Emergency Supplemental Funding program, authorized by the recent stimulus legislation signed by President Trump. Other jurisdictions can determine if they are eligible for funds and may apply immediately by visiting this website. The Justice Department is moving quickly, awarding grants on a rolling basis and aiming to have funds available for drawdown as soon as possible after receiving applications.
“As this country continues to fight COVID-19, our office remains committed to deterring, investigating, and prosecuting those who seek to take advantage of the COVID-19 pandemic. This funding will help many of the communities struggling in these trying times and provide some much-needed relief to our district,” said U.S. Attorney Overbey.
“The outbreak of COVID-19 and the public health emergency it created are sobering reminders that even the most routine duties performed by our nation’s public safety officials carry potentially grave risks,” said Katharine T. Sullivan, Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General for the Office of Justice Programs. “These funds will provide hard-hit communities with critical resources to help mitigate the impact of this crisis and give added protection to the brave professionals charged with keeping citizens safe.”
The law gives jurisdictions considerable latitude using these funds for dealing with COVID-19. Potential uses include hiring personnel, paying overtime, purchasing protective equipment, distributing resources to hard-hit areas and addressing inmates’ medical needs.
Agencies eligible for the fiscal year 2019 State and Local Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant Program are candidates for the emergency funding. Local units of government and tribes will receive direct awards separately according to their jurisdictions’ allocations.
The Office of Justice Programs, directed by Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Katharine T. Sullivan, provides federal leadership, grants, training, technical assistance and other resources to improve the nation’s capacity to prevent and reduce crime, assist victims and enhance the rule of law by strengthening the criminal and juvenile justice systems. More information about OJP and its components can be found at www.ojp.gov.
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U.S. Attorney Brady Announces $45K Grant to Address COVID-19 Pandemic in the Borough of WilkinsburgRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH - U.S. Attorney Scott W. Brady today announced that the Borough of Wilkinsburg, Pennsylvania, received $45,636 in Department of Justice grants to respond to the public safety challenges posed by the outbreak of COVID-19.
The grant is available under the Coronavirus Emergency Supplemental Funding program, authorized by the recent stimulus legislation signed by President Trump. In addition, the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency has been awarded $17.6 million in grants that can be distributed to eligible governmental agencies throughout Pennsylvania, including western Pennsylvania. The Justice Department is moving quickly, awarding grants on a rolling basis and aiming to have funds available for drawdown as soon as possible after receiving applications, which are not due until May 29, 2020.
From the moment these grants became available, U.S. Attorney Brady has dedicated staff to ensure that all eligible agencies in western Pennsylvania have the opportunity to apply and receive funds promptly. Since then, the Office has worked with eligible applicants to assist them in the grant process.
“The men and women on the front line of this pandemic deserve our deepest appreciation for answering the call to serve regardless of the danger,” U.S. Attorney Brady said. “The public safety funds being made available through DOJ’s Coronavirus Emergency Supplemental Funding program can be used for the most pressing needs of our state and local partners, including new hiring and overtime pay, training, critical personal protective equipment and supplies, and the medical needs of prisoners.”
Wilkinsburg Police Chief Ophelia Coleman said, “Because of this grant we will be able to equip our officers with much needed PPE and other equipment to help our carry out our daily responsibilities to protect and serve the residents and stakeholders in the Borough of Wilkinsburg during this unusual time."
Agencies that were eligible for the fiscal year 2019 State and Local Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant Program are candidates for the emergency funding.
Local units of government and tribes will receive direct awards separately according to their jurisdictions’ allocations.
The Office of Justice Programs, directed by Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Katharine T. Sullivan, provides federal leadership, grants, training, technical assistance and other resources to improve the nation’s capacity to prevent and reduce crime, assist victims and enhance the rule of law by strengthening the criminal and juvenile justice systems. More information about OJP and its components can be found at www.ojp.gov.
Two Men Charged with Federal Drug and Firearm CrimesRead the Press Release
St. Louis – Patrick Fitzgerald Franklin, 21, of St. Louis, and Jacquez Trayvon Love, 22, of St. Louis, were charged by a federal complaint today. Franklin was charged with possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and felon in possession of a firearm. Love was charged with possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
According to the criminal complaint and other court documents, on May 13, 2020, investigators with the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department (SLMPD) Anti-Crime Unit observed a stolen silver 2020 Volkswagen Passat parked at a QuikTrip gas station. Franklin and Love were identified as the occupants in the stolen vehicle. Franklin and Love proceeded to depart the QuikTrip in the vehicle, and traveled to the 3900 block of Potomac in St. Louis. Both Franklin and Love approached a house in the 3900 block of Potomac.
An officer attempted to contact the men, yelled “stop” and “police,” and observed each man to be in possession of an assault-style firearm. Both men proceeded to flee on foot into a residence in the 3900 block of Potomac.
The complaint further alleges that police took Franklin and Love into custody, recovered the assault-style firearms, and recovered suspected controlled substances, later determined to be fentanyl, in each man’s possession. The complaint alleges that the quantities of controlled substances are consistent with the intent to distribute.
Franklin and Love are presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty.
These charges are being investigated by the Anti-Crime Unit of the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Angie Danis is handling the case for the United States Attorney’s Office.
Twelve Defendants Charged for Drug Distribution Conspiracy After Joint Federal, State, and Local OperationRead the Press Release
Charleston, South Carolina --- United States Attorney Peter M. McCoy, Jr. announced today that a joint team of federal, state, and local law enforcement officers arrested eight individuals who have all been charged, along with four others, in federal court for their roles in a drug trafficking organization that operated in the Lowcountry of South Carolina.
The recent charges and early-morning arrests on May 14 marked the second wave of Operation Lowcountry Line, an operation which represents a line of federal, state, and local authorities working in tandem to bring consequences to those who harm their communities. The multi-year operation has specifically targeted members and associates of a street gang known as the Dorchester Terrace Crew, DTC, or 4-mile.
“In the midst of a pandemic, this team of brave law enforcement officers let the people of South Carolina, and in particular the folks here in the Lowcountry, know that we are open for business,” said U.S. Attorney McCoy. “Those who break the law will be held accountable. No matter what might be going on in the world, the people of South Carolina deserve to be safe, especially in their own neighborhoods.”
"These arrests and indictments are the result of the tremendous dedication and professionalism of all our law enforcement partners," said Jody Norris, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI.
The eight arrested defendants have been charged in a superseding indictment with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute heroin, cocaine, crack cocaine, methamphetamine, and oxycodone. Additionally, one of the defendants has been charged with firearms offenses:
ANTONIO MILLER, 39, of Ladson, was attributed 500 grams or more of cocaine in the conspiracy count and charged with using a communication facility to facilitate drug felonies;
DEANGELO RAVENEL, a/k/a “FAST CASH,” 31, of Ladson, was attributed 500 grams or more of cocaine, 100 grams or more of heroin, and 28 grams or more of crack cocaine in the conspiracy count and charged with possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug tracking crime, using a communication facility to facilitate drug felonies, and possession with intent to distribute 100 grams or more of heroin, 500 grams or more of cocaine, and 28 grams or more of crack cocaine;
RYAN NELSON, A/K/A “CLEPTO,” 39, of Columbia, was attributed 500 grams or more of cocaine in the conspiracy count and charged with using a communication facility to facilitate drug felonies;
CONSTANCE S. MANIGAULT, 39, of Charleston, was attributed 50 grams of more of a mixture of methamphetamine and a quantity of heroin in the conspiracy count and charged with using a communication facility to facilitate drug felonies and possession with intent to distribute a quantity of heroin and 50 grams or more of a mixture of methamphetamine;
DAMION KAREEB BROWN, a/k/a “D-BLACK, 24, of Charleston, was attributed was attributed 50 grams of more of a mixture of methamphetamine and a quantity of cocaine in the conspiracy count and charged with using a communication facility to facilitate drug felonies;
JUAN BAVISTA ANGULO, a/k/a “BUSH,” 38, of North Charleston, was attributed a quantity of cocaine and a quantity of oxycodone in the conspiracy count and charged with using a communication facility to facilitate drug felonies;
DOMANECK RYAN ASHLEY DIXON, a/k/a “DOM,” 31, of North Charleston, was attributed a quantity of cocaine in the conspiracy count and charged with using a communication facility to facilitate drug felonies; and
RASHARD WHITFIELD, a/k/a “SHARD,” 29, of Charleston, was attributed a quantity of cocaine in the conspiracy count and charged with using a communication facility to facilitate drug felonies and possession with intent to distribute a quantity of heroin.
Defendant RAVENEL faces a maximum penalty of life in federal prison and a maximum fine of $5,000,000. Defendants MILLER, NELSON, MANIGAULT, and BROWN face up to 40 years in federal prison and a maximum fine of $5,000,000. Defendants ANGULO, DIXON, and WHITFIELD face up to 20 years in federal prison and a maximum fine of $1,000,000.
In addition to the defendants arrested, four more defendants have been charged in the superseding indictment with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute heroin, marijuana, cocaine, and methamphetamine.
LATREL DIQUAN DEMAINE HAMILTON, a/k/a “TREL BLACK,” a/k/a “LATINO,” 24, of Charleston, was attributed 50 grams of more of a mixture of methamphetamine and a quantity of heroin in the conspiracy count and charged with using a communication facility to facilitate drug felonies;
TIEMEYER O’NEIL GETHERS, a/k/a “T.O.,” 39, of Mount Pleasant, was attributed a quantity of cocaine in the conspiracy count and charged with using a communication facility to facilitate drug felonies;
TIMOTHY ROBINSON JR., a/k/a “THRILLER,” 33, of North Charleston, was attributed a quantity of cocaine and a quantity of marijuana in the conspiracy count and charged with using a communication facility to facilitate drug felonies; and
OREALIUS SYRON NELSON, a/k/a “SYRON,” a/k/a “KEMO,” 42, of Mount Pleasant, was attributed a quantity of cocaine in the conspiracy count and charged with using a communication facility to facilitate drug felonies.
Defendant HAMILTON faces up to 40 years in federal prison and a maximum fine of $5,000,000. Defendants GETHERS, ROBINSON JR., and NELSON face up to 20 years in federal prison and a maximum fine of $1,000,000.
According to the fifty-count superseding indictment, the case involves members of a street gang who obtained bulk supplies of heroin, cocaine, and other narcotics from interstate sources of supply and then redistributed the drugs to street-level drug dealers in the greater Charleston area. The superseding indictment also alleges that the gang members and associates threatened violence and used firearms to defend themselves and their criminal enterprise from rival drug dealers and gang members.
In July 2019, ten defendants were charged in the first wave of Operation Lowcountry Line for drug and firearms related offenses. Five of those defendants have pleaded guilty and are awaiting sentencing.
During the course of the investigation into these drug trafficking organizations, agents have seized a substantial amount of cocaine, crack cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine, and firearms.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), United States Postal Inspection Service, Charleston County Sheriff’s Office, North Charleston Police Department, Charleston Police Department, Berkeley County Sheriff’s Office, Dorchester County Sheriff’s Office, Mount Pleasant Police Department, South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED), Ninth Circuit Solicitor’s Office, and the Charleston County Aviation Authority.
This case is being prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local 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. Assistant United States Attorney Everett McMillian is prosecuting the case.
The United States Attorney stated that all charges in this indictment are merely accusations and that all defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
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The year 2020 marks the 150th anniversary of the Department of Justice. Learn more about the history of our agency at www.Justice.gov/Celebrating150Years.
dsc_lowcountry_line_2_indictment.pdfThree Houston Men Face Federal Charges in Connection with Austin Jewelry Store Robbery Last WeekRead the Press Release
In Austin today, three defendants made their initial appearance before a federal magistrate judge on charges related to an armed Austin jewelry store robbery last week, announced U.S. Attorney John F. Bash, FBI Special Agent in Charge Christopher Combs, San Antonio Division, and Austin Police Chief Brian Manley.
A criminal complaint filed on Monday charges 21–year-old Darius Limar Sonnier, 20-year-old Wallace Diaveon Charles and 18-year-old Tye Joseph-Phillip Gobert with one count of Interfering with Commerce by Robbery; one count of Conspiracy to Interfere with Commerce by Robbery; one count of Using, Carrying, and Discharging a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence; and, one count of Conspiracy to Use/Carry a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence.
The complaint alleges that the defendants, along with other suspects, entered the Korman Fine Jewelry store located on Burnet Road in Austin on May 7, 2020, and stole multiple Rolex watches and other items valued at over $200,000. During the robbery, Sonnier allegedly assaulted and shot a security guard. The security guard required surgery and is recovering from his gunshot wound to the abdomen and blunt force trauma to the head. A female employee was also allegedly struck in the back of the head with a gun. The complaint also alleges that the defendants and their co-conspirators caused substantial damage to the jewelry store estimated at up to $150,000.
Austin Police officers arrested Sonnier, Charles and Gobert in the vicinity of the jewelry store shortly after the robbery. Authorities are still looking for the other robbery suspects.
Upon conviction of the charges, the defendants face up to life in federal prison. All three remain in custody at this time.
The FBI and the Austin Police Department are investigating this case with assistance from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). Anyone who has information about this robbery or the other two suspects in this case is asked to contact the FBI at (210) 225-6741 or the Austin Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Devlin is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
A criminal complaint is merely a charge and should not be considered as evidence of guilt. The defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
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.
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The year 2020 marks the 150th anniversary of the Department of Justice. Learn more about the history of our agency at www.Justice.gov/Celebrating150Years.
Texas Deputy Sheriff Pleads Guilty to Sexual Exploitation of a Child and CyberstalkingRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A law enforcement officer from Texas pleaded guilty today in federal court in Worcester to sexual exploitation of a minor and cyberstalking charges.
Pasquale T. Salas, 26, a/k/a Gino, a former deputy sheriff with the Matagorda County Sheriff’s Office, pleaded guilty to one count of sexual exploitation of a minor and one count of cyberstalking. U.S. District Court Judge Timothy S. Hillman scheduled sentencing for Sept. 3, 2020.
Salas met the victim through an online video game website in 2014, when the minor was 12 years old. Salas and the girl communicated on a private chat room and then moved those communications to various other platforms, including text messaging, Skype and Snapchat. Salas repeatedly solicited the minor to transmit sexually explicit images and videos of herself.
Beginning as early as 2016, Salas intimidated the victim into maintaining contact with him and sending additional sexually explicit material by threatening that he would send the minor’s sexually explicit images and videos to her family and her friends. In May 2019, when the victim attempted to terminate contact with Salas, he repeatedly sent threatening communications to the victim, using web-based applications to disguise the source of the communications.
At the time of his arrest, Salas’ smartphone was seized by investigators and found to contain at least one video, sent via social media, of the minor performing sexually explicit acts that Salas had coerced her to perform.
Salas admitted to contacting a second Massachusetts minor through the same website. From the time she was 12 until the time she was 16, he coerced her into remaining in contact with him and solicited sexually explicit images from her. Salas forced her to disclose her social media credentials so that he could track her activities and view her photographs. Salas sent pictures of himself inside a police car and with a gun and told the second victim that he had law enforcement friends in Massachusetts who would follow her and that no one would believe her if she reported what he had done. Salas was in contact with her until the time of his arrest.
Members of the public who have questions, concerns, or information about this case should contact the U.S. Attorney’s Office at 617-748-3274.
The charge of sexual exploitation of a minor provides for mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years and up to 30 in prison, a minimum of five years and up to life of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The charge of cyberstalking provides for a sentence of up to five years in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based on the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling and Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Division made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by Police Departments in Worcester County; the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Texas; the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Houston Field Office; the Matagorda (Texas) County Sheriff’s Office; and the Worcester Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristen Noto from Lelling’s Worcester Branch Office is prosecuting the case.
The case is brought as part of Project Safe Childhood. In 2006, the Department of Justice created Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov/.
Ten Alleged MS-13 Members and Associates Charged with Three Murders, Attempted Murder, Murder Conspiracy and Firearms OffensesRead the Press Release
Four complaints were unsealed today in federal court in Brooklyn variously charging 10 members and associates of the Indios Locos Salvatruchas clique of La Mara Salvatrucha, also known as MS-13, a transnational criminal organization, with murder in-aid-of racketeering, attempted murder, murder conspiracy, related firearms offenses and marijuana distribution conspiracy. One defendant was arrested on Wednesday, May 13, 2020, in Maryland. Five defendants were arrested today in New York and California. On May 15, 2020, four defendants will be arrested and transferred to federal custody from detention facilities where they are currently held.
Richard P. Donoghue, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, William F. Sweeney, Jr., Assistant Director-in-Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI), Peter C. Fitzhugh, Special Agent-in-Charge, Homeland Security Investigations, New York (HSI), and Dermot F. Shea, Commissioner, New York City Police Department (NYPD), announced the charges and arrests.
“The murders and crimes of violence allegedly committed by these defendants are trademark MS-13 offenses – cold-blooded, senseless and brutally violent – and pose a grave danger to the residents of our communities,” stated United States Attorney Donoghue. “Thanks to the hard work of federal and local law enforcement officers, the defendants will now face prosecution for the charged crimes. No matter what obstacles may arise, this Office will not rest until our mission to eradicate the MS-13 threat is accomplished.” Mr. Donoghue expressed his grateful appreciation to the Queens County District Attorney’s Office, the NYPD's Queens North Homicide Squad and 109th Precinct Detective Squad and the New York City Department of Investigation for their assistance in the investigation.
“MS-13 members do all they can to propagate a violent, deadly image as a gang. Their calculation that shouting the gang's name out in front of people on a subway platform will prevent anyone from interfering with a man being brutally beaten and murdered boggles the mind. Thanks to the work of the FBI Metro Safe Streets Task Force and the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF), their violent reputation won't protect them from going to federal prison,” stated FBI Assistant Director-in-Charge Sweeney.
“Public executions are just another sobering example of the savagery that MS-13 engages in with the alleged criminal mayhem caused by those charged today,” stated HSI Special Agent-in-Charge Fitzhugh. “This multi-agency investigation by the OCDETF is an excellent example of how law enforcement at all levels will continue to use all available resources, aggressively exploit all available intelligence, and work as a unified team with a simple and singular goal - ridding the scourge of MS-13 from our communities.”
“It is only through our joint efforts to relentlessly disrupt and dismantle this kind of senseless criminality that we can continue to keep New Yorkers safe. I applaud our NYPD detectives and our federal and local law enforcement partners for investigating and prosecuting this case,” stated NYPD Commissioner Shea.
Murder of Andy Peralta
As detailed in the complaints and the government’s detention letter filed earlier today, alleged MS-13 associate Juan Amaya-Ramirez is charged with the murder of 17-year-old Andy Peralta. On the night of April 23, 2018, Amaya-Ramirez and two others lured Peralta to Kissena Park in Flushing, Queens where they confronted him. Peralta had a tattoo of a crown on his chest which Amaya-Ramirez and the others mistakenly believed to be a symbol of the rival Latin Kings gang. The assailants fatally beat, stabbed and strangled Peralta. The victim’s tattoo was also slashed. Peralta’s assailants used Amaya-Ramirez’s iPhone to photograph Peralta’s corpse, while they displayed MS-13 gang signs with their hands. The photograph was found in Amaya-Ramirez’s iCloud account during a court-authorized search of the account.
Murder of Victor Alvarenga
Alleged MS-13 associates Douglas Melgar-Suriano and Jairo Martinez-Garcia are charged with the murder of Victor Alvarenga, who was shot and killed near his home in Flushing, Queens. In the early morning of November 4, 2018, the two defendants and a third individual laid in wait for Alvarenga. The men approached Alvarenga, who was walking down the street. After walking with him briefly, Melgar-Suriano allegedly shot Alvarenga multiple times in the head and body. As Alvarenga writhed on the pavement, Martinez-Garcia also shot him.
Murder of Abel Mosso
Alleged MS-13 member Ramiro Gutierrez and alleged gang associates Tito Martinez-Alvarenga and Victor Lopez are charged with the murder of Abel Mosso on a subway platform in Queens. In the early afternoon of February 3, 2019, Lopez and Martinez-Alvarenga followed Mosso, who they believed to be a member of the rival 18th Street gang, onto the No. 7-train at the Main Street station in Flushing, trailed by Gutierrez. Lopez and Martinez-Alvarenga assaulted Mosso inside the subway car and then dragged him out onto the platform at the 90th Street station in Jackson Heights. The defendants produced a gun, but Mosso wrestled it away. Gutierrez shouted in Spanish, “Nobody get involved, we’re MS-13, we’re going to kill him.” Gutierrez then grabbed the gun from Mosso and shot him multiple times, killing him. Law enforcement recovered a video posted on Facebook depicting the murder.
Conspiracy to Murder and Attempted Murder
Alleged MS-13 members Marlon Saracay-Lopez and Ismael Santos-Novoa, and alleged gang associate Emerson Martinez-Lara, are charged with conspiring between May 2019 and July 2019 to murder an MS-13 associate who failed to kill a rival gang member as ordered by Saracay-Lopez and Santos-Novoa. Saracay-Lopez, Santos-Novoa and alleged gang associate Victor Ramirez are also charged with attempting to murder an 18th Street gang member. During the resulting shooting on August 25, 2019 in Jackson Heights, Queens, a co-conspirator wounded an innocent bystander in the leg.
Martinez-Garcia, Melgar-Suriano, Ramirez and Santos-Novoa are scheduled to make their initial appearances this afternoon via teleconference before United States Magistrate Judge Robert M. Levy. Saracay-Lopez’s initial appearance will take place in United States District Court for the Central District of California. Martinez-Lara’s initial appearance will take place in the United States District Court in Maryland.
The charges in the complaints are allegations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
If convicted of the murders, Amaya-Ramirez, Melgar-Suriano, Martinez-Garcia, Gutierrez, Martinez-Alvarenga and Lopez face mandatory sentences of life in prison and are eligible for the death penalty. If convicted of the firearms and attempted murder charges, Saracay-Lopez, Santos-Novoa and Ramirez face a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison and a maximum of life in prison. If convicted, Martinez-Lara faces up to 15 years in prison for marijuana distribution conspiracy and murder conspiracy.
This case was investigated as part of the ongoing efforts by the OCDETF, a partnership that brings together the combined expertise of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking, weapons trafficking and money laundering organizations, and those primarily responsible for the nation’s illegal drug supply.
Today’s charges are the latest in a series of federal prosecutions by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York targeting members of the MS-13. The MS-13’s leadership is based in El Salvador and Honduras, but the gang has thousands of members across the United States, comprised primarily of immigrants from Central America. Since 2003, hundreds of MS-13 members, including dozens of clique leaders, have been convicted on federal felony charges in the Eastern District of New York. A majority of those MS-13 members have been convicted on federal racketeering charges for participating in murders, attempted murders and assaults. Since 2010, this Office has obtained indictments charging MS-13 members with carrying out more than 45 murders in the district and has convicted dozens of MS-13 leaders and members in connection with those murders. These prosecutions are the product of investigations led by our law enforcement partners.
The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s Organized Crime and Gangs Section. Assistant United States Attorneys Nadia E. Moore, Nadia Shihata and Phil Selden are in charge of the prosecution.
The Defendants:
MARLON SARACAY-LOPEZ (also known as “Plocky”)
Age: 33
Compton, CaliforniaJUAN AMAYA-RAMIREZ (also known as “Cadaver”)
Age: 22
Fresh Meadows, New YorkRAMIRO GUTIERREZ (also known as “Cara de Malo”)
Age: 27
Flushing, New YorkVICTOR LOPEZ (also known as “Curioso”)
Age: 21
Flushing, New YorkTITO MARTINEZ-ALVARENGA (also known as “Imprudente”)
Age: 20
Flushing, New YorkJAIRO MARTINEZ-GARCIA (also known as “Colmillo”)
Age: 21
Flushing, New YorkEMERSON MARTINEZ-LARA (also known as “Fugitivo”)
Age: 21
College Point, New YorkDOUGLAS MELGAR-SURIANO (also known as “Clemencia”)
Age: 24
Flushing, New YorkVICTOR RAMIREZ (also known as “Curioso”)
Age: 20
Elmhurst, New YorkISMAEL SANTOS-NOVOA (also known as “Profe” and “Travieso”)
Age: 31
Flushing, New YorkE.D.N.Y. Docket Nos. 20-MJ-347, 20-MJ-348, 20-MJ-349 and 20-MJ-350
Talihina Man Sentenced to 168 Months for Methamphetamine DistributionRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Bobby Garman, age 38, of Talihina, Oklahoma was sentenced to 168 months’ imprisonment, and 5 years of supervised release for Distribution Of Methamphetamine and Possession With Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(C), and 841(b)(1)(A). The charges arose from an investigation led by the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs (“OBN”) and the District 16 District Attorney Drug Task Force, with the assistance of the Oklahoma Highway Patrol.
The Indictment alleged the defendant knowingly and intentionally distributed methamphetamine and possessed with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of a mixture or substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine, a Schedule II controlled substance, on various dates between February and August 2019. These crimes occurred in LeFlore and Latimer counties, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma.
United States Attorney Brian J. Kuester said, “Methamphetamine has wreaked havoc on virtually every community in the country. It kills hundreds of Oklahomans a year. Identifying, investigating, and prosecuting drug dealers is vital to combatting drug trafficking organizations. OBN endeavors to do just that, as this investigation demonstrated. Its partnerships with local, state, tribal, and federal agencies helps to create the multi-jurisdictional team that was so effective in this and many other investigations.”
“These cooperative efforts with our local, state and federal partners are making a significant impact toward reducing the flow of drugs that are devastating lives in rural Oklahoma. This particular defendant would traffic as much as six to ten pounds of meth into Talihina on a routine basis. When you target, remove and prosecute these high-value distributors, you can absolutely cripple the local drug supply,” said OBN Director Donnie Anderson.
The Honorable Ronald A. White, U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, in Muskogee, presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Ryan Conway represented the United States.
San Antonio Man Sentenced to 30 Years in Federal Prison for Distribution and Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
In San Antonio today, a federal judge sentenced 50–year-old Gregory Parris to 30 years in federal prison for distribution and possession of child pornography, announced U.S. Attorney John F. Bash and FBI Special Agent in Charge Christopher Combs, San Antonio Division.
In addition to the prison term, U.S. District Judge Fred Biery ordered that Parris pay $20,000 in restitution to four victims whose images he distributed and be placed on supervised release for a period of 15 years after completing his prison term.
“Today’s 30-year sentence represents some measure of justice for the child victims of the defendant. I have no higher priority than protecting children from sexual exploitation,” stated U.S. Attorney Bash.
On July 31, 2019, Parris pleaded guilty to one count of distribution of child pornography and one count of possession of child pornography. According to court records, on May 8, 2019, FBI agents executed an arrest warrant for Parris at his residence. At that time, agents seized the defendant’s cell phone and personal computer. A subsequent forensics review of the seized computer revealed the presence of numerous images and videos depicting the sexual exploitation of children as well as a social media link to a cloud service which Parris shared with others that contained numerous files associated with child pornography.
Parris has remained in federal custody since his arrest.
The FBI’s San Antonio Crimes Against Children Task Force investigated this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Tracy Thompson prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
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The year 2020 marks the 150th anniversary of the Department of Justice. Learn more about the history of our agency at www.Justice.gov/Celebrating150Years.
Rhode Island Man Sentenced for Carfentanil and Fentanyl ConspiracyRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Rhode Island man was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Boston for his role in a fentanyl and carfentanil distribution conspiracy.
Robert Soucy, 26, of Providence, R.I., was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Allison D. Burroughs to 16 months in prison and six years of supervised release. In February 2020, Soucy pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl, 10 grams or more of acetyl fentanyl, and carfentanil.
On May 2, 2019, Soucy delivered fentanyl and heroin to an undercover officer. A subsequent test confirmed that the white powder Soucy claimed was fentanyl actually contained .32 grams of carfentanil and that the brown powder Soucy claimed was heroin was actually .4 grams of fentanyl. Carfentanil is a synthetic opioid that is 10,000 times more potent than morphine and 100 times more potent than fentanyl, which itself is 50 times more potent than heroin.
United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling and Brian D. Boyle, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lauren Graber of Lelling’s Narcotics and Money Laundering Unit prosecuted the case.
Ponchatoula Man Charged with Distribution of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS – U.S. Attorney Peter G. Strasser announced that JASON BOYET, age 41, a resident of Ponchatoula, Louisiana, was charged on May 13, 2020 in a one-count Bill of Information with distribution of images depicting the sexual exploitation of children, including children as young as three (3) years old, in violation of 18 U.S.C. ' 2252(a)(2).
If convicted, BOYET faces a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of five (5) years and a maximum term of imprisonment of twenty (20) years, followed by up to a lifetime of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine. He can also be required to register as a sex offender.
U. S. Attorney Strasser reiterated that a Bill of Information is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by United States Attorneys= Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
U.S. Attorney Strasser praised the work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation in investigating this matter with the assistance of the Louisiana State Police. Assistant United States Attorney Jordan Ginsberg is in charge of the prosecution.
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Pitt County Man Indicted on Naturalization Fraud, Passport Fraud, and Use and Possession of Fraudulent DocumentsRead the Press Release
GREENVILLE, N.C. – A federal grand jury returned an indictment charging a man, who is a naturalized citizen of the U.S., born in Jamaica, with naturalization fraud, passport fraud, and use and possession of fraudulent documents.
According to the superseding indictment, Anthony Morris McFarlane, 53, of Pitt County, allegedly failed to disclose during his naturalization proceeding that he had committed the crime of attempted first-degree sexual abuse of a child less than 11 years old. McFarlane thereafter was naturalized as a United States citizen and fraudulently obtained and used multiple United States passports.
If convicted, McFarlane faces a maximum penalty of 90 years in prison, a $2,250,000 fine, and the revocation of his citizenship.
Robert J. Higdon, Jr., U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement. ICE’s Enforcement and Removal Operations and Homeland Security Investigations assigned to the Document Benefit Fraud Task Force, pursuant to Operation False Haven, an ongoing initiative to identify and prosecute felons who fraudulently obtained U.S. citizenship are investigating the case.
A copy of this press release is located on our website.
An indictment is merely an accusation. The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.
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The year 2020 marks the 150th anniversary of the Department of Justice. Learn more about the history of our agency at www.Justice.gov/Celebrating150Years.
Philadelphia Food Distributor Admits that It Sold Uninspected and Misbranded Meat and Poultry and Agrees to Consent DecreeRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney William M. McSwain announced today that United States District Court Judge Joshua D. Wolson approved a Consent Decree between the United States and Philadelphia food distributor Kawa Trading, Inc. (“Kawa”). On April 7, 2020, the United States filed a lawsuit to stop Kawa, and its president Chui Xun Liu (“Liu”), from continuing to violate federal meat and poultry food safety laws. The Complaint alleged that Kawa received and sold multiple unlabeled and uninspected cases of poultry products in December 2017 and January 2018. It further alleged that Kawa had a long history of violating the Poultry Products Inspection Act (“PPIA”) and the Federal Meat Inspection Act (“FMIA”), with violations dating back to 2013.
The defendants admitted to violating the PPIA and FMIA as alleged in the Complaint. The Consent Decree resolves all of these claims, provides for a permanent injunction enjoining Kawa and Liu from committing future violations, and calls for monetary penalties and other appropriate relief in the event of future violations.
The Food Safety and Inspection Service (“FSIS”) of the United States Department of Agriculture (“USDA”), is responsible for ensuring that meat and poultry products in commerce are wholesome, not adulterated, and properly marked, labeled, and packaged. The PPIA and FMIA are laws that prohibit companies and individuals from selling, transporting, offering for sale or transportation, or receiving for transportation, misbranded or uninspected poultry and meat that is capable of use as human food.
“Food safety is a key public health concern, especially now during the coronavirus pandemic,” said U.S. Attorney McSwain. “The Consent Decree in this case is an important step to ensure that food distributors like Kawa abide by all regulatory requirements that are designed to protect our food supply. My Office will continue to work with the USDA to enforce our nation’s food safety laws and protect consumers.”
“FSIS’s authority to enforce the FMIA and the PPIA is clear,” said FSIS Administrator Paul Kiecker. “Our inspectors and investigators are hard at work every day ensuring that the public has access to safe, wholesome, and accurately labeled food and, when necessary, we will take swift action to protect American consumers.”
The action is captioned United States of America v. Kawa Trading, Inc. and Chui Xun Liu, EDPA No. 20-1826.
The United States Attorney’s Office received valuable assistance from two divisions of the FSIS Office of Investigation, Enforcement, and Audit: the Compliance and Investigations Division, Northeast Region and the Enforcement and Litigation Division. Assistant United States Attorney Stacey L. B. Smith handled the civil matter, with assistance from USDA Office of the General Counsel Trial Attorney Tracy McGowan.
Passaic County Man Charged with Producing and Distributing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A Passaic County, New Jersey, man will make his initial appearance today on charges of producing and distributing images of child sexual abuse, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito announced.
Jose Minaya, 24, of Paterson, New Jersey, is charged by complaint with one count of production of child pornography and one count of distribution of child pornography. He will make his initial appearance by video conference before U.S. Magistrate Judge Cathy L. Waldor.
According to documents filed in this case:
In July 2019, Minaya used a web-based application to engage an 11-year-old child in a sexually explicit conversation online. Minaya ultimately instructed the child to take sexually explicit photographs and send them to him, and the child complied. Minaya also had used another web-based application to upload an unrelated video depicting the graphic sexual assault of a child to the internet, where it was publicly available.
The charge of production of child pornography carries a mandatory minimum penalty of 15 years in prison, a maximum potential penalty of 30 years in prison, and a $250,000 fine. The charge of distribution of child pornography carries a mandatory minimum of five years in prison, a maximum of 20 years in prison, and a $250,000 fine.
U.S. Attorney Carpenito credited special agents with the Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jason Molina in Newark, with the investigation leading to these charges.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Shawn Barnes of the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Organized Crime/Drug Enforcement Task Force Unit in Newark.
The charges and allegations contained in the complaint are merely accusations, and the defendants is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Nashua Man Pleads Guilty to Fentanyl TraffickingRead the Press Release
CONCORD - Martin Sheehan, 27, of Nashua, pleaded guilty in federal court on Wednesday to fentanyl trafficking, United States Attorney Scott W. Murray announced today.
According to court documents and statements made in court, in October of 2018, Sheehan sold fentanyl on two occasions to a cooperating individual at locations in Nashua. In February of 2019, law enforcement officers arrested Sheehan at a motel. Officers recovered over 13 grams of fentanyl, which Sheehan admitted belonged to him.
Sheehan is scheduled to be sentenced on September 1, 2020.
“Fentanyl trafficking has caused tremendous damage to Nashua and other communities throughout New Hampshire,” said U.S. Attorney Murray. “Through Operation S.O.S., we are fighting back against drug traffickers in Nashua by prosecuting them in federal court. By working closely with the Nashua Police Department to identify and prosecute fentanyl dealers, we are helping to improve health and safety in that city and the entire Granite State.”
This matter was investigated by the Nashua Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Joachim H. Barth.
This case is part of Operation Synthetic Opioid Surge (S.O.S.). In July of 2018, Attorney General Jeff Sessions announced the creation of S.O.S., which is being implemented in the District of New Hampshire and nine other federal districts. The goal of S.O.S. is to combat the large number of overdoses and deaths associated with fentanyl and other synthetic opioids. In New Hampshire, the U.S. Attorney’s Office is focusing its efforts on prosecuting synthetic opioid trafficking cases arising in Hillsborough County, which includes Manchester and Nashua.
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Missouri City physician pays nearly half a million to resolve illegal kickback and fraud allegationsRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – A local physician has agreed to pay the United States $450,000 to resolve allegations that he falsely signed home health certifications and plans of care in exchange for money, announced U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Patrick. Dr. Maaz Abbasi, 41, also agreed to a three-year period of exclusion from participation in any federal health care program.
The investigation began after authorities uncovered Abbasi’s connection to a fraud matter involving home health company Circuit Wide Healthcare Inc. Its owner - Egondu “Kate” Koko - admitted she paid illegal kickbacks to physicians like Abbasi for paperwork necessary to bill Medicare for home health services purportedly provided.
From 2015 to 2018, Abbasi certified patients for home health services without any knowledge of their medical condition or homebound status. Circuit Wide paid Abbasi approximately $6,200 in exchange for signing these fraudulent Medicare home health certifications and plans of care. Abbasi also fraudulently signed a fellow physician’s name on these certifications and plans of care without that physician’s authorization, permission or knowledge.
The agreement resolves the allegations without a determination of liability.
Department of Health and Human Services - Office of the Inspector General and FBI conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Melissa M. Green handled the matter.
Members of “Felony Lane Gang” Sentenced to over 5 Years Combined in Federal Prison for Bank FraudRead the Press Release
Fayetteville, Arkansas – David Clay Fowlkes, Acting United States Attorney for the Western District of Arkansas, announced today that KALEY WILLIAMS, age 29, of Daytona Beach, Florida and MICHELLE JACKSON, age 51, of Pompano Beach, Florida were sentenced this week on bank fraud charges. Williams, age 29, was sentenced to to 46 months in federal prison followed by 3 years of supervised release on one count of Bank Fraud. Jackson, age 51, was sentenced to 24 months in federal prison followed by 3 years of supervised release on one count of Bank Fraud. Williams was ordered to pay victim restitution in the amount of $42,744. Jackson was ordered to pay $21,116 in victim restitution. The Honorable Timothy L. Brooks, United States District Judge, presided over the sentencing hearings in the United States District Court in Fayetteville.
Williams and Jackson were part of a nationwide group known as the “Felony Lane Gang.” These individuals traveled from Florida to Arkansas and Iowa and the male co-conspirators broke into vehicles parked at fitness centers, day cares, trailheads and other areas, stealing checks, checkbooks, credit cards, driver’s licenses, and other means of identification. They would then forge the stolen checks making them payable to other individuals whose identification they had previously stolen. Using the stolen identification, the female members would then cash the forged checks by utilizing at drive-through windows at various banks. Other cells of the Felony Lane Gang have committed this fraud across the country.
Williams and Jackson were indicted in October 2019. Jackson entered a guilty plea December 2019. Williams entered a guilty plea in December 2019.
This case was investigated by the United States Secret Service, and the Rogers, Fayetteville, Lowell, Springdale, Bentonville and Jonesboro Police Departments. Assistant United States Attorney Amy Driver prosecuted the case for the United States.
Member of Drug Conspiracy that Trafficked Heroin and Methamphetamine into Shenandoah County Sentenced in Federal CourtRead the Press Release
HARRISONBURG, Va. –Katie Harlow, who conspired with dozens of others to traffic heroin and methamphetamine into Shenandoah County, was sentenced yesterday in U.S. District Court in Harrisonburg to 60 months incarceration. United States Attorney Thomas T. Cullen and Special Agent in Charge Ashan M. Benedict of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives [ATF] made the announcement.
“The United States Attorney’s Office will continue to hold individuals accountable who prey on the addictions of others, by trafficking heroin and methamphetamine into our communities,” First Assistant United States Attorney Daniel P. Bubar said today. “We could not prosecute these important cases without the close relationships between our federal, state and local law enforcement partners, for whom we are truly grateful.”
“ATF is a proud partner in the Northwest Virginia Regional Drug and Gang Task Force, whose exceptional work against this trafficking organization has led to multiple indictments of these criminal offenders,” said ATF Washington Special Agent in Charge Ashan M. Benedict. “More importantly, these efforts have helped stem the flow of illegal narcotics and other criminal activity into Shenandoah County and all of western Virginia.”
Harlow, 38, pleaded guilty in April 2019 to one count of conspiring to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine and one count of distributing methamphetamine.
According to court documents, Harlow admitted to being part of a conspiracy that distributed large amounts of heroin and methamphetamine into the Shenandoah County area from 2016 through late 2018. In all, 18 defendants were indicted in 2018 and charged with conspiring to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute heroin and methamphetamine.
To date, the following have been sentenced:
- Anthony Benjamin Testerman- 125 months
- William Ray Shoemaker- 72 months
- Jeffrey Craig Mays- 47 months
- Javon Eugene Cook- 110 months
- Brooke McIntosh- 67 months
- Jonathan Lewis Hodges- 130 months
- Kenneth J. Webb- time served
- Amanda Jean Mullins- 48 months
- Michael Mullins- 101 months
- Dietrich Day II- 48 months
- Christian Michael Burhop – 120 months
- Christopher Thomas Trimble- 120 months
- Brandon Wayne Eppard- to be sentenced August 3, 2020
- Tiffany Bowman Lopez- 5 months
- Erika Lam- time served
- Justin Tyler Mumaw- 65 months
- Dana Marie Silvious- 18 months
The investigation of the case was conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Shenandoah County Sheriff’s Office, the RUSH Drug Task Force, the Northwest Virginia Regional Drug and Gang Task Force, the Mount Jackson Police Department, the Woodstock Police Department, the Front Royal Police Department, the Timberville Police Department, and the Shenandoah County Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office. Assistant United States Attorneys Grayson A. Hoffman and Jeb Terrien prosecuted the case for the United States.
Man from Albuquerque pleads guilty to posting Facebook messages threatening to kill Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham of New Mexico, law enforcement officers and other government officialsRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Daniel Logan Mock, 34, of Albuquerque, New Mexico pleaded guilty in federal court in Albuquerque on May 13 to two counts of transmission of threatening communications in interstate commerce.
In Mock’s plea agreement, he admitted committing these offenses in Bernalillo County, New Mexico on March 2 and March 13. He posted messages on Facebook threatening to kill Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham of New Mexico, law enforcement officers, and other government officials.
Mock is currently in custody awaiting sentencing. He faces a maximum statutory penalty of up to five years in prison for each offense.
The FBI investigated this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jaymie L. Roybal is prosecuting the case.
Lightfoot Drug Trafficking Organization Member Sentenced to 10 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, PA –A former resident of Washington, PA, has been sentenced to federal prison on federal narcotics charges, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced today.
Douglas Cochran, age 42, previously pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine before Chief United States District Court JudgeMark R. Hornak. Today, Judge Hornak sentenced Cochran to 10 years in prison followed by a term of eight years of supervised release.
According to information presented to the court from January 2015 to November 2017, Cochran, was a mid-level member of the conspiracy, who conspired with other members of the DTO to acquire large quantities of cocaine. After Cochran obtained the cocaine, he re-packaged it and re-distributed it to other co-conspirators and drug customers in Washington, Westmoreland, Fayette, and Allegheny County.
Assistant United States Attorneys Timothy M. Lanni and Shaun Sweeney are prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Pennsylvania State Police, with assistance from the South Strabane Police Department, the Elizabeth Borough Police Department, the Penn Hills Police Department and the Perryopolis Police Department, conducted the investigation that led to the Indictment in this case.
The investigation was funded by the federal Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force Program (OCDETF). 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.
Lightfoot Drug Trafficking Organization Member Pleads Guilty to Federal Narcotics ChargesRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, PA – A former resident of Charleroi, PA, has pleaded guilty to federal narcotics charges, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced today.
Anthony Crews, age 48, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute and distribute cocaine before Chief United States District Court Judge Mark R. Hornak. Crews is the 27th defendant to plead guilty in connection with this case.
According to information presented to the court, from January 2017 to November 5, 2017, Anthony Crews conspired with members of the Lightfoot DTO in order to acquire large quantities of cocaine. Crews would receive the cocaine directly from members of the DTO and then would re-package the cocaine and distribute it to other drug customers and co-conspirators in Washington, Westmoreland, Fayette and Allegheny Counties.
The law provides for a maximum sentence of 30 years and/or a fine of not more than $2,000,000. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant. Defendant is expected to receive an 8 year sentence at the time of sentencing scheduled for
Assistant United States Attorneys Timothy M. Lanni and Shaun Sweeney are prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Pennsylvania State Police, with assistance from the South Strabane Police Department, the Elizabeth Borough Police Department, the Penn Hills Police Department and the Perryopolis Police Department, conducted the investigation that led to the Indictment in this case.
The investigation was funded by the federal Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force Program (OCDETF). 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.
Leader of Methamphetamine Trafficking Ring Is Sentenced to 12.5 YearsRead the Press Release
ASHEVILLE, N.C. – U.S. Attorney Andrew Murray announced today that the leader of a methamphetamine trafficking ring was sentenced to 151 months in prison on drug charges. In addition to the prison term imposed, U.S. District Judge Martin Reidinger also ordered Michael McCray Sykes, 34, of Clyde, N.C., to serve five years under court supervision after he is released from prison.
According to filed court documents and today’s sentencing hearing, from February 2018, to April 6, 2018, Sykes distributed and transported large amounts of methamphetamine into Haywood and Jackson Counties and elsewhere. Court documents show that Sykes made trips to purchase methamphetamine from a supply source located in Georgia, and transported the drugs back to Western North Carolina. From at least April 5, 2018, to April 6, 2018, Sykes and his two co-defendants, Savanah Pauline Justice and Bradford Junior Ledford, operated as a drug conspiracy that transported a large quantity of methamphetamine into Western North Carolina for distribution.
According to court records, on April 6, 2018, Sykes and his two co-conspirators were driving back to North Carolina in two separate vehicles, after purchasing a large quantity of methamphetamine from their supplier in Georgia. Sykes and Ledford were in one vehicle and Justice was in the second one. As filed documents show, law enforcement conducted a traffic stop of both vehicles, and recovered just under two pounds of methamphetamine from beneath the driver’s seat of the vehicle Justice was driving. As Sykes previously admitted in court documents, the co-conspirators had purchased the methamphetamine in Georgia and intended to bring it back to Western North Carolina to distribute it locally.
On December 23, 2019, Sykes pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine, and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. He is currently in federal custody. Justice and Ledford have pleaded guilty to drug charges and are currently awaiting sentencing.
In making today’s announcement, U.S. Attorney Murray thanked the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the North Carolina Highway Patrol; the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office, the Swain County Sheriff’s Office, the Haywood County Sheriff’s Office, and the Waynesville Police Department for work in this case. He also thanked District Attorney Ashley Welch for her office’s coordination over the course of the investigation and prosecution of this case.
Special Assistant United States Attorney (SAUSA) Alexis Solheim is prosecuting the case. Ms. Solheim is a state prosecutor with the office of the 30th Prosecutorial District, and was assigned by District Attorney Ashley Welch to serve as SAUSA with the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Asheville. Ms. Solheim is duly sworn in both state and federal courts. The SAUSA position is a reflection of the partnership between the office of the 30th Prosecutorial District and the United States Attorney’s Office. The SAUSA position helps ensure the effective and vigorous prosecution of federal court cases that impact the counties within the 30th Prosecutorial District.
Illegal Aliens from Mexico Sentenced for Unlawfully Returning to the United States after Being Previously RemovedRead the Press Release
Gulfport, Miss. – Cristian Jonathan Martinez-Sanchez, 27, an illegal alien from Mexico, was sentenced today, and Claudia Perez-Vargas, 46, also an illegal alien from Mexico, was sentenced on May 11, 2020, by U.S. District Judge Sul Ozerden, for the unlawful return of an alien after removal, announced U.S. Attorney Mike Hurst, Jere T. Miles, Special Agent in Charge for Homeland Security Investigations in New Orleans, and Acting Chief Patrol Agent Michael J. Harrison of the Border Patrol’s New Orleans Sector.
Martinez-Sanchez was sentenced to “time served” (effectively 188 days imprisonment) and one year of supervised release after serving his prison sentence. Perez-Vargas was sentenced to “time served” (effectively 186 days imprisonment) and one year of supervised release after serving her sentence. Additionally, both Martinez-Sanchez and Perez-Vargas will face Department of Homeland Security removal proceedings to remove them from the United States back to their home nation of Mexico. Martinez-Sanchez pled guilty on December 18, 2019, and Perez-Vargas pled guilty on December 20, 2019, before Judge Ozerden.
On November 7, 2019, in Harrison County, a U.S. Border Patrol Agent conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle on Interstate-10 in Biloxi. The driver was Claudia Perez-Vargas, who provided the agent with an expired Texas driver’s license. In addition to Perez-Vargas, the Border Patrol Agent encountered three male passengers, all of whom were citizens of Mexico, illegally present in the United States. Therefore, all four were transported to the Gulfport Border Patrol Station for processing.
At the Border Patrol Station, Homeland Security electronic database queries confirmed that Perez-Vargas is a citizen of Mexico who had previously been removed from the United States on November 25, 2014, December 28, 2014 and January 28, 2015. Following her latest removal, she was prohibited from entering, attempting to enter, or being in the U.S. for a period of 20 years.
Martinez-Sanchez was a passenger in the vehicle. He also was positively identified by computer scans of his fingerprints. The database queries revealed that he had previously been removed from the U.S. to Mexico on April 28, 2019. Federal Officials determined that both Martinez-Sanchez and Perez-Vargas knowingly and voluntarily reentered the U.S. without having lawful permission to do so.
U.S. Attorney Hurst praised the cooperation exhibited by the U.S. Border Patrol, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Harrison County Sheriff’s Department. Assistant United States Attorney Stan Harris was the prosecutor for the case.
Former Cleveland Clinic Employee and Chinese “Thousand Talents” Participant Arrested for Wire FraudRead the Press Release
UPDATE
The government dismissed all charges alleged in the indictment described in the press release below.
Assistant Attorney General for National Security John C. Demers, U.S. Attorney Justin E. Herdman of the Northern District of Ohio, and FBI Cleveland Special Agent in Charge Eric B. Smith announced a former Cleveland Clinic employee was arrested yesterday without incident by law enforcement and had his initial court appearance today.
Dr. Qing Wang, a former Cleveland Clinic Foundation (CCF) employee, is charged with false claims and wire fraud related to more than $3.6 million in grant funding that Dr. Wang and his research group received from the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
According to the criminal complaint, Dr. Wang knowingly failed to disclose to NIH that he had an affiliation with and held the position of Dean of the College of Life Sciences and Technology at the Huazhong University of Science and Technology (HUST) and received grant funds from the National Natural Science Foundation of China (CNSF) for some of the same scientific research funded by the NIH grant. As a result, Dr. Wang’s false representations and promises led NIH to approve and fund grants to Dr. Wang and his research group at CCF.
It is also alleged that Dr. Wang participated in the Thousand Talents Program, a program established by the Chinese government to recruit individuals with access to or knowledge of foreign technology and intellectual property. As a result of his admission into the TTP, China provided $3 million in research support to enhance the facilities and operations at HUST. Dr. Wang received free travel and lodging for his trips to China, to include a three-bedroom apartment on campus for his personal use. This also occurred at the time Dr. Wang was receiving NIH grant funds yet failed to disclose this affiliation to the NIH.
This case was investigated by the Cleveland Division of the FBI and the United States Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General and is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office – Northern District of Ohio.
A charge is not evidence of guilt. A defendant is entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government's burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
Former Chief of Cardiology at Palo Alto VA Hospital Indicted for Sexual Battery of Subordinate DoctorRead the Press Release
SAN JOSE - A federal grand jury in San Jose indicted Dr. John Giacomini for Abusive Sexual Contact, announced United States Attorney David L. Anderson, Special Agent in Charge James K. Wahleithner of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs’ Office of Inspector General, Criminal Investigations Division (“VA OIG”), and Chief of Police Martin Sizemore of the Veterans Affairs Police Service, Palo Alto Health Care Division.
According to the indictment, Giacomini, 71, of Atherton, is alleged to have subjected the victim, a subordinate doctor under Giacomini’s supervision, to unwanted and nonconsensual sexual contact in December of 2017 while both were on duty at the Veterans Affairs Hospital in Palo Alto, Calif. At the time, Giacomini was the Chief of the Palo Alto VA’s Cardiology Department. He had served in this position for over 30 years and also served on the medical faculty at Stanford University. Since the alleged sexual battery happened on federal property, the VA OIG referred the matter to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for federal prosecution. Giacomini no longer works at the Palo Alto VA Hospital or Stanford University.
Giacomini made his initial appearance by telephone on May 14, 2020. Giacomini is currently released on a $200,000 bond under the supervision of the United States Pretrial Services Office in San Jose. Giacomini’s next court appearance is scheduled for July 7, 2020, for a status conference before the Hon. Beth L. Freeman, United States District Judge.
An indictment merely alleges that crimes have been committed, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. If convicted, Giacomini faces a maximum sentence of two years of imprisonment, a fine of $250,000, restitution, supervised release, and a special assessment. However, any sentence following conviction would be imposed by the court only after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal statute governing the imposition of a sentence, 18 U.S.C. § 3553.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jeffrey Nedrow and Marissa Harris are prosecuting the case with the assistance of Jessica Leung and Susan Kreider. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the VA OIG and the Veterans Affairs Police Service.
Drug Enforcement Administration and United States Marshals Service Arrest Man Charged in Fentanyl and Cocaine ConspiracyRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – Gerald Fitzgerald Hunter, 54, a fugitive in a fentanyl and cocaine distribution conspiracy in St. Louis, was arrested in Los Angeles this week.
A federal complaint filed in April 2017 alleges that the Drug Enforcement Administration was conducting an active investigation of a fentanyl and cocaine distribution organization in St. Louis. Agents identified Hunter of Los Angeles as an out-of-state source of supply for the St. Louis organization. On April 27, 2017, DEA agents seized approximately 27 kilograms of fentanyl in Florissant, Mo. The complaint further alleges that Hunter was holding bags containing the suspected controlled substances before he successfully evaded agents and avoided arrest.
A grand jury indicted Hunter and 10 other individuals for their involvement in the fentanyl and cocaine distribution conspiracy and related charges. Hunter is also charged with conspiracy to commit money laundering. Although Hunter’s co-conspirators were apprehended, Hunter successfully evaded arrest since April 2017 until his arrest in Los Angeles this week by the United States Marshals Service. Over the course of the investigation, agents seized over 27 kilograms of fentanyl, cocaine, United States currency, firearms, and hydraulic drug presses.
United States Attorney Jeff Jensen stated, “This is but one example of DEA’s outstanding operational work, which in this case prevented an enormous amount of the dangerous drug fentanyl from reaching the streets of St. Louis.” Jensen further stated, “During National Police Week, it is fitting to recognize not only DEA’s outstanding operational work, but their tremendous partnership with the United States Marshals Service. The skill and determination of the United States Marshals Service directly resulted in the apprehension of this fugitive from justice in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic.”
“Fentanyl drug trafficking organizations based on the west coast pose a great public safety threat to our community through the distribution of deadly drugs and the associated drug violence in the St. Louis Metro,” said Special Agent in Charge William J. Callahan, head of the DEA St. Louis Division. “This investigation revealed a sophisticated drug trafficking and money laundering network with tentacles stretching from Los Angeles to the streets of St. Louis. I believe these violators felt they could safely avoid being held accountable for their activity. However, for the past three years, the DEA, along with our partners at the United States Marshal’s Service and with the support of the United States Attorney, pursued this defendant in an effort to make St. Louis safer.”
John Jordan, United States Marshal for the Eastern District of Missouri, stated that “The United States Marshals Service is a proud member of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces. The fugitive case regarding Gerald Hunter, who has been on the run since 2017, exemplifies the bloodhound mentality of the men and women of the United States Marshals Service. We will always pursue fugitives like Hunter who do their best to become ghosts to avoid justice. I am especially proud of the U.S. Marshals Service personnel in this case for their relentless pursuit of this fugitive and am proud of our longstanding partnerships in the law enforcement community.”
The charges contained in these indictments are simply accusations, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charges must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence.
This case is being investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the United States Marshals Service, the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department, and the United States Border Patrol. Deputy Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) Chief Erin Granger and Assistant United States Attorney Stephen Casey are handling the case for the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
District Man Charged in Federal Court for Shooting Police OfficerRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Mark Crawford, 31, of Washington, D.C., was arraigned today in federal court on charges of assaulting a police officer while armed and for related firearms charges for shooting an officer with the Metropolitan Police Department as the officer was arresting him, announced U.S. Attorney Timothy J. Shea; Special Agent in Charge, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) Ashan Benedict; and Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) Peter Newsham.
The criminal complaint charges Crawford with assaulting the officer while armed with a Glock handgun and for possessing that handgun unlawfully. ATF traced the firearm and determined that it had been reported stolen from a gun store in Greensboro, North Carolina.
The complaint alleges that on the afternoon of May 12, 2020, officers with the Metropolitan Police Department responded to the 100 block of 35th Street in the southeast quadrant of the District for a report of a barred individual in the area. Crawford matched the description of the barred individual and officers attempted to speak to him. While the officers were speaking to Crawford, he ran from them. The officers apprehended Crawford and he struggled and resisted the efforts of the officers to place him in handcuffs. Once handcuffed, Crawford continued to struggle with the officers as they attempted to stand him upright. Crawford then retrieved a firearm from his waistband and fired, striking one of the officers in the thigh. After shooting the officer, Crawford fired the gun a second time, but did not strike anyone. The defendant was arrested and the gun was recovered. The injured officer was taken to the hospital to be treated for the gunshot wound; the bullet broke the officer’s femur and the officer is undergoing surgery to remove the projectile from behind his knee cap.
“We will not tolerate attacks on police officers in the District of Columbia. The conduct alleged in the criminal complaint caused serious injury to a D.C. Metropolitan Police Department officer, at a time when officers continue to risk their lives to serve and protect the public during this time of crisis. The charges filed in this case should serve as a warning to anyone who would consider resorting to violence against law enforcement,” said U.S. Attorney Timothy J. Shea.
“This situation with a violent, repeat criminal offender is indicative of the risks that law enforcement officers face each day they report for duty,” said ATF Washington Special Agent in Charge (SAC) Ashan M. Benedict. “We are pleased that the injured officer is recovering, and that the suspect is now facing significant federal criminal charges.”
The defendant was arraigned before United States Magistrate Judge G. Michael Harvey in the United States District Court for the District of Columbia. Judge Harvey ordered the defendant held without bond in this matter. A Criminal Complaint is a formal accusation of criminal conduct for purposes of establishing probable cause, not evidence of guilt. The defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty.
In announcing the charges, U.S. Attorney Shea, SAC Benedict, and Chief Newsham commended the work of the MPD officers and ATF agents who apprehended the defendant and are investigating the incident. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sara Vanore, Lisa Walters, and George Eliopoulos of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia.
Court Orders Oklahoma Company to Stop Selling Colloidal Silver as Treatment for COVID-19Read the Press Release
A federal court in Muskogee, Oklahoma, entered a temporary restraining order halting the sale of an unapproved colloidal silver product to treat COVID-19, the Department of Justice announced today.
The U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma entered the temporary restraining order in response to a civil complaint and accompanying court papers filed by the Department of Justice. In its complaint, the department alleges that Xephyr LLC, doing business as N-Ergetics, and its owners Brad Brand, Derill J. Fussell, and Linda Fussell, sell and distribute a colloidal silver product claiming that it will cure, mitigate, or treat coronavirus and its resulting disease, COVID-19, as well as other diseases including pneumonia, AIDS, and cancer. Colloidal silver is a suspension of silver particles in a liquid, and it is not generally recognized as safe and effective by qualified experts for any of the uses for which defendants promote it.
“The Department of Justice takes swift action to protect consumers from unsafe products that are unlawfully sold as COVID-19 treatments,” said Assistant Attorney General Jody Hunt of the Department of Justice’s Civil Division. “We will continue to work closely with the Food and Drug Administration to prevent harm to consumers from unlawful products during this pandemic.”
“The facts leading to this civil action underscore the importance of exercising extreme caution when dealing with people making claims to have a cure-all,” said U.S. Attorney Brian J. Kuester for the Eastern District of Oklahoma. “National disasters bring out the best of many Americans. Unfortunately there are those who seek to take advantage of the fear and anxiety caused by widespread disasters, such as the Coronavirus, that may cause people to be more vulnerable to fraudulent claims.”
The department’s complaint alleges that defendants are introducing unapproved new drugs into interstate commerce and that their disease-related treatment claims are unsupported by any well-controlled clinical studies or other credible scientific substantiation. Additionally, the complaint asserts that, because defendants’ products do not have adequate directions for lay users, the products are misbranded.
On March 6, 2020, FDA, jointly with the Federal Trade Commission, issued a Warning Letter to defendants notifying them that they are violating federal law (including the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act) by, among other things, distributing unapproved new drugs and misbranded drugs in interstate commerce. After receipt of this warning, the complaint alleges, the defendants attempted to cloak their claims to prevent liability, while continuing to make the same substantive claims and to sell colloidal silver as a cure, mitigation, or treatment for coronavirus and COVID-19.
“Xephyr’s claims that their unapproved colloidal silver products can cure, mitigate, prevent, or treat COVID-19, or other diseases like cholera, diabetes, cancer, and AIDS, will not be tolerated. Americans expect and deserve medical treatments that have been scientifically proven to be safe and effective, especially during this ongoing pandemic,” said Stacy Amin, FDA Chief Counsel. “The FDA will continue our efforts to make sure that this and other like-minded sellers comply with the law.”
This enforcement action is being prosecuted by Trial Attorneys Rachel E. Baron and Adam E. Lyons of the Department of Justice, Civil Division’s Consumer Protection Branch, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael O’Malley of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, with assistance from Associate Chief Counsel for Enforcement Jaclyn Martínez Resly of the FDA, Office of the General Counsel, Department of Health and Human Services.
The claims made in the complaint are allegations that, if the case were to proceed to trial, the government must prove to receive a permanent injunction against the defendants.
In response to the department’s filing, defendants immediately took down their sales site. In addition, they have posted a message offering refunds to their customers: “Due to the FDA and the DOJ’s requests, this site has been removed. Anyone who has ordered in the last 90 days, and would like a refund, please email...” The department will continue to seek complete relief against defendants.
Additional information about the Consumer Protection Branch and its enforcement efforts may be found at www.justice.gov/civil/consumer-protection-branch. For more information about the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, visit its website at www.justice.gov/usao-edok. For information about the Department of Justice’s efforts to stop illegal COVID-19-related activity, visit www.justice.gov/coronavirus. For the most up-to-date information on COVID-19, consumers may visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and WHO websites.
The public is urged to report suspected fraud schemes related to COVID-19 (the Coronavirus) to the National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) hotline by phone at (1-866-720-5721) or via an online reporting form available at www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/webform/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
Charlottesville Man Arrested on Federal Drug ChargesRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – Elliott Atwell, a Charlottesville man who allegedly sent male enhancement pills to a 16-year-old living in New Jersey, was arrested this morning at his home in Charlottesville on a federal criminal complaint and charged with dispensing prescription drugs without a valid prescription. United States Attorney Thomas T. Cullen of the Western District of Virginia, United States Attorney Craig Carpenito of the District of New Jersey, Gregory W. Ehrie, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Newark Division, and David W. Archey, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Richmond Division announced the arrest today following the defendant’s initial court appearance this afternoon in Virginia.
Atwell, 30, is charged with two counts of dispensing drugs without a valid prescription, each of which could result in a year of imprisonment and a $1,000 fine.
According to court documents, over the course of the past several years, Atwell developed online and in-person relationships with multiple juveniles in New Jersey, and elsewhere. In March 2020, a 16-year-old juvenile living in New Jersey told investigators that Atwell sent him a package containing “Viagra” in the mail. Atwell told the juvenile the medication he was sending would cause him to have erections that would last for hours and would allow him to have sex “like a porn star.”
The juvenile’s mother intercepted the package and turned it over to investigators. Upon examination, the package was revealed to contain prescription medication for male erectile dysfunction. In addition, the package contained warnings to “keep out of reach of children” and to only be used by medical professionals.
The investigation of this case remains ongoing and is being handled by the Federal Bureau of Investigation in both Virginia and New Jersey. Assistant United States Attorneys Kristen Harberg, Heather L. Carlton, and Ronald M. Huber are prosecuting the case for the United States.
A criminal complaint is only a charge and not evidence of guilt. All defendants are considered innocent until proven guilty.
Caldwell Man Sentenced to 7.5 Years for Trafficking Methamphetamine Near a SchoolRead the Press Release
BOISE – Francisco Martinez Campos, 57, of Caldwell, was sentenced in U.S. District Court to 90 months in prison for possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute near a school, U.S. Attorney Bart M. Davis announced today. Chief U.S. District Judge David C. Nye also ordered Campos serve eight years of supervised release following his prison sentence. Campos pleaded guilty to the charge on December 18, 2019.
According to court records, a federal grand jury indicted Campos on April 9, 2019. Law enforcement officers seized a pound of methamphetamine from Campos down the street from a middle school. Campos was under the supervision of the Idaho Department of Correction at the time of the offense.
This case was investigated by Treasure Valley Metro Violent Crimes Task Force. The Task Force is comprised of federal, state, and local agencies. These agencies include Federal Bureau of Investigation; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; Ada County Sheriff’s Office; Boise Police Department; Caldwell Police Department; Canyon County Sheriff’s Office; Meridian Police Department; Nampa Police Department; and Idaho Department of Correction, Bureau of Probation and Parole.
This case was prosecuted by the Special Assistant U.S. Attorney hired by the Treasure Valley Partnership and the State of Idaho to address gang crimes. The Treasure Valley Partnership is comprised of a group of elected officials in southwest Idaho dedicated to regional coordination, cooperation, and collaboration on creating coherent regional growth. For more information, visit www.treasurevalleypartners.org.
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Blowing up ATM machine sends Missoula man to prisonRead the Press Release
MISSOULA—A Missoula man who admitted pouring gasoline on an ATM machine and setting it on fire, causing an explosion, was sentenced today to 38 months in prison and three years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.
Guy Murray Culligan, 58, pleaded guilty in January to malicious use of explosive material.
U.S. District Judge Dana L. Christensen presided.
In court documents filed in the case, the prosecution said that on Nov. 7, 2019, the Missoula Police and Fire departments responded to a report of an explosion at First Security Bank and found an ATM that had been set on fire. The ATM was damaged as a result of the explosion, which was caused by a buildup of gasoline vapors inside the machine. Damage to the ATM was approximately $30,000.
A witness told investigators about seeing Culligan light the ATM on fire and calling the Missoula Police Department to report the incident. The explosion shattered the windows of Culligan's vehicle and the witness provided a description of the vehicle.
Law enforcement located Culligan in a damaged vehicle, with its windows blown out. Culligan had singed facial hair and an ATM keypad was in his vehicle. Culligan admitted he poured gasoline over the ATM and threw a lit object at it to ignite it, causing the explosion.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Tara Elliott prosecuted the case, which was investigated by the FBI, Missoula Police Department and Missoula Fire Department.
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Auburn Man Sentenced to 27 Months in Prison for Federal Gun ConvictionRead the Press Release
Montgomery, Alabama – On Wednesday, May 13, 2020, Derek Antoine Hamel, a 28-year-old man from Auburn, Alabama, was sentenced to 27 months in prison, announced United States Attorney Louis V. Franklin, Sr. Following his prison sentence, Hamel will be on supervised release for three years. There is no parole in the federal system.
According to court records, on September 11, 2019, Kelley was indicted by a federal grand jury for being a felon in possession of a Ruger, model LC9, 9mm pistol. Because he had a previous felony conviction, he was prohibited from possessing the firearm. The allegation in the indictment was based on an encounter Hamel had on September 12, 2018 when Auburn police officers responded to a disturbance call. Hamel pleaded guilty to the charge on February 6, 2020. Related state charges are still pending.
In pronouncing the sentence, U.S. District Judge Emily C. Marks stated that Hamel’s possession of the firearm, knowing that he was a convicted felon, showed a lack of respect for the law. She also stated that using the gun during the incident to intimidate others showed a disregard for their safety, as well as his own.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Auburn Police Division investigated this case. Assistant United States Attorneys Brandon Bates and Alice LaCour prosecuted the case.
Asheville Auto Repair Shop Owner Is Sentenced to 10 Years on Gun ChargesRead the Press Release
ASHEVILLE, N.C. – U.S. District Judge Martin Reidinger sentenced today Charles Lloyd Brown, III, 39, of Asheville, to 120 months in prison and five years of supervised release on gun charges, announced Andrew Murray, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina.
Vincent C. Pallozzi, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Charlotte Field Division, and Chief David Zack of the Asheville Police Department join U.S. Attorney Murray in making today’s announcement.
According to filed court documents and court proceedings, on July 4, 2019, officers with the Asheville Police Department conducted a traffic stop of the vehicle Brown was driving. Over the course of the traffic stop, officers recovered narcotics from inside Brown’s vehicle, and located a firearm and additional narcotics Brown had discarded from his vehicle. On July 24, 2019, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Brown’s auto repair shop, Charlies Auto Care, located in Asheville. During that search, law enforcement recovered 28 firearms, seven of which were stolen, narcotics, and drug paraphernalia.
On December 23, 2019, Brown pleaded guilty to two counts of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. All federal sentences are served without the possibility of parole.
In making today’s announcement, U.S. Attorney Murray thanked the ATF and the Asheville Police Department for their investigation of this case.
Special Assistant U.S. Attorney (SAUSA) Alexis Solheim, with the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Asheville, prosecuted the case. Ms. Solheim is a state prosecutor with the office of the 30th Prosecutorial District, and was assigned by District Attorney Ashley Welch to serve as a SAUSA with the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Asheville. Ms. Solheim is duly sworn in both state and federal courts. The SAUSA position is a reflection of the partnership between the office of the 30th Prosecutorial District and the United States Attorney’s Office.