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Wednesday 26 February 2020
Dubuque Man Charged with Being a Prohibited Person in Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
Tobias Sarazin, age 34, of Dubuque, Iowa, has been charged with being a prohibited person in possession of a firearm. The charge is contained in an Indictment unsealed on February 25, 2020, in United States District Court in Cedar Rapids.
The Indictment alleges that, in December 2019, Sarazin possessed a pistol while being a prohibited person. The Indictment alleges that Sarazin previously had been convicted of three crimes of domestic violence, that he was subject to a no contact order, and that he was an unlawful user of marijuana and methamphetamine.
If convicted, Sarazin faces a possible maximum sentence of 10 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and 3 years on supervised release following any imprisonment.
Sarazin appeared today in federal court in Cedar Rapids and was held without bond. Sarazin’s next appearance for trial is set for April 27, 2020.
As with any criminal case, a charge is merely an accusation and a defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
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.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Mark Tremmel and is being investigated by the Dubuque Police Department, the Dubuque County Sheriff’s Office, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Court file information is available at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is CR 20-1005.
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Diamond Man Sentenced for Child PornographyRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Diamond, Missouri, man was sentenced in federal court today for receiving child pornography.
Larry James Lyle, 70, was sentenced by U.S. Chief District Judge Beth Phillips to 11 years in federal prison without parole. Lyle will be required to register as a sex offender upon his release from prison and will be subject to federal and state sex offender registration requirements, which may apply throughout his life.
On Sept. 6, 2019, Lyle pleaded guilty to receiving child pornography. Images and videos of child pornography were found on his laptop computer. Lyle admitted he used the internet to receive child pornography.
According to court documents, Lyle was identified by law enforcement agents during an investigation into the enticement of a 14-year-old victim in Ohio, whom Lyle met through an online game. The victim’s parents located messages, which were sexual in nature, between her and Lyle within the messaging app of the game and within the victim’s emails.
Lyle admitted to investigators that he communicated with underage minor females, and that many of those conversations were sexual in nature. He also admitted that he received nude images of minors.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ami Harshad Miller. It was investigated by the FBI and the Southwest Missouri Cybercrimes Task Force.
Project Safe Childhood
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc . For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab "resources."Davenport Man Sentenced to More than 16 Years in Prison for Illegal Possession of AmmunitionRead the Press Release
DAVENPORT, IA – On Wednesday, February 26, 2020, Zacharia Allen Clark, age 30, of Davenport, was sentenced by United States District Court Chief Judge John A. Jarvey to more than 16 years in prison (200 months) after pleading guilty to being a Felon in Possession of Ammunition, announced United States Attorney Marc Krickbaum. Clark was ordered to serve a five-year term of supervised release to follow his release from prison and to pay a $100 special assessment payable to the Crime Victims’ Fund.
Clark pleaded guilty to the charge on October 1, 2019. On September 23, 2018, Davenport Police Officers responded to a nightclub in reference to shots fired. Subsequent investigation revealed that Clark pulled a pistol from his waistband and fired shots at another individual, who was only a few feet away, during a dispute in the parking lot. A nightclub employee was also present and near the shots fired. That same morning, Clark was arrested after officers conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle in which Clark, a Lowrider Street gang member, was a passenger, along with three other known Lowrider Street gang members. When Clark was booked into the Scott County Jail a round of ammunition was located in his pocket. Clark is prohibited under federal law from possessing ammunition due to multiple prior felony convictions.
At sentencing, the Court found that Clark was an Armed Career Criminal, meaning he had at least three prior convictions of violent felonies as defined by 18 U.S.C. § 924(e). This designation subjected Clark to a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years and a maximum sentence of life imprisonment.
“Zacharia Clark was caught with a single bullet, but because of his numerous acts of violence and long criminal record, he will serve more than sixteen years in federal prison,” said U.S. Attorney Krickbaum. Krickbaum continued, “Gang members in the Quad Cities need to pay attention. If we catch you with a gun or ammunition on the street, we will send you to federal prison.”This matter was investigated by the Davenport Police Department. This case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa.
Council Bluffs Man Sentenced for Prohibited Person in Possession of Firearms and AmmunitionRead the Press Release
COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa - United States Attorney Marc Krickbaum announced on February 24, 2020, Jacob Allen Washburn, age 29, of Council Bluffs, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Rebecca Goodgame Ebinger for Prohibited Person in Possession of Firearms and Ammunition. Washburn was sentenced to 48 months in prison to be followed by a term of supervised release of three years.
On July 3, 2019, the Cass County Sheriff’s Office received a complaint that the Defendant was sitting in a vehicle parked in a homeowner’s driveway. When law enforcement responded, Washburn produced a valid Iowa Driver’s License and identified himself, however, he did not have any registration or ownership paperwork for the vehicle. The Defendant appeared to be disoriented and did not know where he was when questioned. While investigating, deputies saw a digital scale in the vehicle and the Defendant was detained. A pistol was found in Washburn’s left front pocket. The vehicle also contained a Remington Model 870 Express 12-gauge shotgun, and a Marlin Model 60 .22 LR semiautomatic rifle. Additionally, a bag containing 5.3 grams of methamphetamine was found in Defendant’s pocket and a bag containing 17.4 grams of methamphetamine was located in the vehicle. The Defendant admitted that he had a prior felony conviction.
This case was investigated by the Iowa Division of Narcotic Enforcement and the Cass County Sheriff’s Department. The case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa.
Convicted Murderer of VSP Special Agent Pleads GuiltyRead the Press Release
RICHMOND, Va. – A Lancaster County man who was convicted of the murder of a Virginia State Police Special Agent pleaded guilty today to possession of a firearm as a convicted felon.
According to court documents, on May 26, 2017, Virginia State Police Special Agent Michael Walter and Richmond Police Department Officer Christopher Duane encountered Travis Aaron Ball aka “Wiz”, 30, and another individual in a vehicle on the 1900 block of Redd Street in the Mosby Court public housing community.
During that encounter, the law enforcement officers learned that Ball and the driver were not residents of the Mosby Court public community. Believing that Ball and the driver were violating the public housing trespassing policies, the officers asked both individuals to step out of the vehicle. As Ball stepped out of the vehicle, he possessed a .25 caliber semi-automatic pistol.
It was later determined that Ball knew he was a convicted felon at the time of his possession of the firearm, as he had previously been convicted of a crime punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year.
In October 2018, Ball was sentenced in Richmond Circuit Court to 36 years in prison for the capital murder of Virginia State Police Special Agent Michael Walter.
Ball pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm as a convicted felon and faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison when sentenced on May 21. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), which 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.
G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Ashan M. Benedict, Special Agent in Charge of the ATF’s Washington Field Division; Colonel Gary T. Settle, Virginia State Police Superintendent; and William Smith, Chief of Richmond Police, made the announcement after Senior U.S. District Judge Henry E. Hudson accepted the plea. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Erik S. Siebert and Stephen E Anthony are prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:19-cr-128.
Columbia Gas Agrees to Plead Guilty in Connection with September 2018 Gas Explosions in Merrimack ValleyRead the Press Release
BOSTON – Columbia Gas of Massachusetts (CMA) has agreed to accept responsibility for the gas explosions on Sept. 13, 2018, in Lawrence, Andover and North Andover that killed one individual, injured 22, and damaged homes and businesses.
Bay State Gas Company, d/b/a Columbia Gas of Massachusetts, has agreed to plead guilty to violating a minimum safety standard of the Natural Gas Pipeline Safety Act relating to the failure to implement procedures to prevent the over-pressurization of its low-pressure gas distribution system in South Lawrence during a pipe replacement project known as the South Union Project. A plea hearing has not yet been scheduled.
According to the terms of the plea agreement, CMA will pay a criminal fine of $53,030,116 which represents twice the amount of profits that CMA earned between 2015 and 2018 from a pipeline infrastructure program called the Gas System Enhancement Plan (GSEP). In addition to a fine, CMA’s operations will be subject to monitoring during a three year period of probation to ensure CMA’s compliance with federal and state safety regulations.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office has also entered into a Deferred Prosecution Agreement (DPA) with CMA’s parent company, NiSource, Inc. based in Indiana. As part of the DPA, NiSource has agreed to undertake their best reasonable best efforts to sell CMA after which NiSource and CMA would stop all gas pipeline operations in Massachusetts. In exchange for the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s agreement to defer prosecution of NiSource as a result of CMA’s conduct, NiSource has also agreed to forfeit any profit it may earn from the sale of CMA and implement each of the safety recommendations from the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) resulting from the Sept. 13, 2018 incident.
According the charging documents, during the afternoon of Sept. 13, 2018, the over-pressurization of a low pressure gas distribution system in South Lawrence caused multiple fires and explosions in the communities of Lawrence, Andover, and North Andover. As a result, one individual in Lawrence was killed and another severely disabled, 22 people were injured, and approximately 131 residential homes and commercial buildings were damaged.
The charges filed against CMA allege that the company recklessly disregarded a known safety risk related to regulator control lines – sections of pipe connected to regulator stations that helped monitor and control downstream gas pressure. By at least 2015, according to an internal company notice, CMA knew that the failure to properly account for control lines in construction projects could lead a “catastrophic event,” including fires and explosions. Aging cast iron pipes were being replaced, but the failure to remove or relocate control line pipes that were later abandoned would automatically cause regulator stations to continually increase pressure to the point of dangerous over-pressurization.
The failure to account for control lines that led to the Sept. 13, 2018 event took place during a pipe replacement project known as the South Union Street Project that began in Lawrence in 2016. Throughout the project, CMA disregarded the known safety risks related to control lines, and instead focused on the timely completion of construction projects to maximize earnings under the company’s GSEP. The charging document alleges that the company, through the actions of its employees in Engineering, Construction and Operations and a pattern of flagrant organization indifference, failed to implement and follow any plan or action to ensure against over-pressurization and that failure led to the eventual fires and explosions in the Merrimack Valley on Sept. 13, 2018.
The DPA with NiSource acknowledges the fact that NiSource has previously made substantial voluntary restitution payments to the victims of the September 2018 incident, and has agreed to seek to resolve all pending civil claims. Most of the $53 million fine will be directed to the Justice Department’s Crime Victims Fund, which is a major funding source for victim services throughout the United States.
For more information regarding the case, please visit: https://www.justice.gov/usao-ma/victim-and-witness-assistance-program/united-states-v-bay-state-gas-company-dba-columbia-gas-massachusetts
United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling; Douglas Shoemaker, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Transportation, Office of Inspector General, Office of Investigations; and Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Division made the announcement today. Critical assistance was provided by the Massachusetts State Police and Lawrence Fire Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Neil J. Gallagher, Jr. and Evan Gotlob of Lelling’s Public Corruption and Special Prosecutions Unit are prosecuting the case.
Canadian Man Sentenced to 15 Months for Conspiracy to Commit Bank FraudRead the Press Release
CONCORD –Ajitharan Raveendran, 29, of Toronto, Ontario, was sentenced to 15 months in federal prison for participating in a conspiracy to commit bank fraud, United States Attorney Scott W. Murray announced today. Raveendran faces likely removal to Canada after the completion of his prison sentence.
According to court documents and statements made in court, in April 2019, Tharushan Nirmalachandran, Syed Hoque, and Raveendran, conspired with others to withdraw money from other persons’ bank accounts by using cloned debit cards at ATMs. A “cloned” debit card is a gift card or other type of card that has been re-encoded to contain other persons’ debit card information. Blank credit and debit or gift cards can be encoded with stolen credit and debit card information using an “MSR” or “Magnetic Stripe Reader” machine. An MSR machine can read and write the information stored in the magnetic stripe on the back of credit and debit cards.
On Friday, April 26, 2019, a witness reported to the Hudson Police Department that a man later identified as Hoque drove his car through an ATM in Hudson, New Hampshire, several times to make withdrawals. The Hudson Police responded and found Hoque in his car at the ATM. The officer saw that Hoque was holding a cell phone that was displaying several sets of numbers on the screen and saw a large amount of cash on the front passenger seat of his car and several ATM or credit cards on the center console.
A search of Hoque’s phone revealed text messages in an application called “WhatsApp” from the weekend of April 24 through 26, 2019. One group message chain from April 26, 2019, showed members of the conspiracy coordinating their activities as they withdrew money from ATMs with the cloned debit cards.
The trio was operating out of a hotel room in Methuen, Massachusetts. Hotel surveillance video showed that, early in the morning on April 27, 2019, Nirmalachandran and Raveendran carried large duffle bags out of their hotel room. Investigators later found duffle bags during a search of Nirmalachandran’s car that contained (i) a portable MSR machine; (ii) 103 Visa, American Express, and MasterCard gift cards, 96 of which contained cloned debit card information; (iii) over $51,000 United States currency; and (iv) a Hewlett Packard laptop computer. A later search of the computer revealed text files that contained over 170 debit card numbers.
In total, from April 25, 2019, through April 27, 2019, members of the conspiracy successfully withdrew at least $43,980.00 and attempted to withdraw an additional $69,900.00 from other people’s bank accounts using cloned debit cards.
Raveendran pleaded guilty on November 14, 2019.
Nirmalachandran previously pleaded guilty on November 4, 2019, and, on February 14, 2020, was sentenced to 15 months’ imprisonment.
In addition to their prison sentences, Raveendran and Nirmalachandran were ordered to pay $43,980 in restitution and have been ordered to forfeit over $61,000.
Hoque pleaded guilty December 13, 2019 and is scheduled to be sentenced on April 1, 2020.
“Bank fraud causes serious financial losses and inconvenience to victims, drives up business costs and undermines confidence in our banking system,” said U.S. Attorney Murray. “Fraudsters who steal hard-earned money from innocent victims should expect to be caught, prosecuted and incarcerated. I am grateful to the law enforcement officers whose excellent work led to this successful prosecution.”
This matter was investigated by the United States Secret Service, with assistance from the Hudson and Methuen Police Departments. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Hunter.
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California Man Sentenced for Smuggling Heroin and Meth to Kansas CityRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, KAN. – A California man was sentenced today to 78 months in federal prison for smuggling heroin and methamphetamine to Kansas, U.S. Attorney Stephen McAllister said.
Allan Bryan DeJesus, 40, Bakersfield, Calif., pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute heroin. In his plea, he admitted he was on his way to Kansas City on Jan. 5, 2019, when the Kansas Highway Patrol pulled him over on I-70 in Thomas County. In DeJesus’ vehicle, a trooper found two pounds of heroin and 20 pounds of crystal methamphetamine.
McAllister commended the Kansas Highway Patrol, the Drug Enforcement Administration and Assistant U.S. Attorney David Lind for their work on the case.
Brooklyn Man Arrested for Making Race-Based Threats of ViolenceRead the Press Release
Geoffrey S. Berman, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, William F. Sweeney Jr., the Assistant Director in Charge of the New York Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), and Dermot Shea, Commissioner of the New York City Police Department (“NYPD”), announced the arrest of ALLAMBERGEN KUDAYBERGENOV, a/k/a “Allambergen Kuday Bergenov,” for allegedly sending over the internet numerous race-related threats of violence and murder to a former employer at a restaurant in New York, New York. KUDAYBERGENOV is charged in a criminal Complaint, unsealed yesterday, with one count of making interstate threats, one count of using false immigration documents, and one count of aggravated identity theft. KUDAYBERGENOV was presented yesterday in Manhattan federal court before U.S. Magistrate Judge Sarah L. Cave and detained.
U.S. Attorney Geoffrey S. Berman said: “The arrest of Allambergen Kudaybergenov makes clear that we will not tolerate threats of violence, especially those directed at individuals based on their race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, or religious beliefs. Thanks to the work of the FBI-NYPD Joint Terrorism Task Force, the defendant will have to answer for his alleged threatening actions.”
FBI Assistant Director William F. Sweeney Jr. said: “The alarming messages Kudaybergenov sent to his intended victims explicitly spelled out what his alleged intentions were. Threatening violence against someone is disturbing in and of itself. When the language of the threat includes racist and homophobic sentiments, however, this raises the bar – but it won’t be tolerated here.”
Police Commissioner Dermot Shea said: “There is no place for hate or intolerance in New York City, or anywhere. I commend the effort of the NYPD investigators and our federal partners whose hard work resulted in this arrest and charges.”
According to the allegations in the Complaint unsealed in Manhattan federal court:[1]
In approximately April 2019, KUDAYBERGENOV used false identity documents, which included stolen personal identifying information belonging to others, as part of his application for employment at a restaurant (the “Victim Business”) in Manhattan. Soon after KUDAYBERGENOV was hired, he sent a series of communications via a web-based email service to the Victim Business. In those messages, KUDAYBERGENOV threatened violence against other employees of the Victim Business. In one such message, KUDAYBERGENOV wrote, in part, that an employee (“Victim-2”) of the Victim Business was a “jjew [sic] waiting for war.” Following a dispute at the Victim Business, KUDAYBERGENOV ceased working at the Victim Business, but continued sending threatening messages. In one of those messages, dated December 26, 2019, KUDAYBERGENOV referenced two more employees of the Victim Business (“Victim-1” and “Victim-3”), writing, in part, “Happy new year [Victim-1]. Soon I kill homosexual dog [Victim-3].” Later, on January 26, 2020, KUDAYBERGENOV sent a message to the Victim Business and referenced two more employees of the Victim Business (“Victim-4” and “Victim-5”), writing, in part, “I was working there in [Victim Business] as a busboy. I work there with jews Managers named [Victim-4], [Victim-2] and others. Jew fucking guy (manager) named [Victim-4] asked me do you speak Spanish. I told him I wanna another holocaust killing 60 million jews like [Victim4]. [ . . . ] As long as these jews like [Victim-4], [Victim-2], and [Victim-5] are alive, they are dangerous. [Victim-1], we must kill them.” Additionally, on February 16, 2020, KUDAYBERGENOV sent a message to the Victim Business, writing, in part, “This message is to [Victim-1] . . . once upon a day I said that war started from a jew manager named [Victim-3] who created war, I will finish that war. I will put fire in all [Victim Business] restaurants in Brooklyn in Manhattan. The era of whites (jews) and negros are long gone.”
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KUDAYBERGENOV is charged with one count of making threatening interstate communications and one count of using false immigration identification documents, each of which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison, and one count of aggravated identity theft, which carries a mandatory sentence of two years in prison, which must be imposed consecutively to any other sentence imposed. The maximum potential sentences in this case are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the judge.
Mr. Berman praised the outstanding work of the FBI, and the FBI’s New York Joint Terrorism Task Force, which consists principally of agents from the FBI and detectives from the New York City Police Department.
This case is being handled by the Office’s Terrorism and International Narcotics Unit. Assistant United States Attorney Matthew J.C. Hellman is in charge of the prosecution.
The charges contained in the Complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
[1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Complaint and the description of the Complaint set forth herein constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.
Brockton Man Sentenced for Federal Firearm and Drug OffensesRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Brockton man was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for firearm and drug charges.
Kawana Tillman, 48, was sentenced by U.S. Senior District Court Judge Rya W. Zobel to five years in prison and four years of supervised release. In November 2019, Tillman pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition, one count of possession with intent to distribute cocaine base, and one count of possession with intent to distribute more than 28 grams of cocaine base. Tillman was arrested on April 30, 2019, and has been in custody since.
On March 10, 2018, Tillman was illegally in possession of a Glock, Model 26, 9mm semi-automatic handgun and three rounds of 9mm ammunition. Tillman has prior felony drug conspiracy and firearm convictions, and is therefore prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition. On March 19, 2018, and April 30, 2019, Tillman was in possession of various amounts of cocaine base.
United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling; Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Division; Kelly D. Brady, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, Boston Field Division; Plymouth County District Attorney Timothy J. Cruz; Suffolk County District Attorney Rachael Rollins; Colonel Christopher Mason, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police; and Boston Police Commissioner William Gross made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicholas Soivilien of Lelling’s Organized Crime and Gang Unit prosecuted the case.
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.
Brockton Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Firearms ChargeRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Brockton man pleaded guilty today in federal court in Boston to a firearms offense.
Tyrell Hampton, 30, pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of firearms before U.S. District Court Judge Nathaniel M. Gorton, who scheduled sentencing for July 9, 2020.
Hampton sold two .9mm Luger pistols and 21 rounds of .9mm ammunition to an undercover officer in Brockton on June 27, 2019. In phone communications prior to the transaction, Hampton indicated that the buyer should move fast because “they [the firearms offered for sale] go quick but I can always get more.”
According to court records, Hampton has previously been convicted of multiple felony offenses including drug convictions and a prior firearm conviction. As a felon, Hampton is barred under federal law from possessing a firearm.
The charge of possessing a firearm after being convicted of a felony provides for a sentence of up to10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a $250,000 fine. 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 Kelly D. Brady, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, New England Division made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Massachusetts State Police and the Brockton Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Bill Abely of Lelling’s Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.
Boulder Man Pleads Guilty to Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
DENVER – United States Attorney Jason R. Dunn announced that Wesley David Gilreath, age 29, of Boulder, pleaded guilty to two counts of possession of child pornography. Gilreath appeared at the change of plea hearing in custody, and was remanded at its conclusion. He is scheduled to be sentenced on June 2, 2020. The Denver office of the FBI joined in today’s announcement.
According to the stipulated facts contained in the plea agreement, on May 31, 2019, Gilreath left his phone on an RTD bus. The phone was recovered by RTD employees in Boulder, who provided it to the Boulder Police Department. The FBI later obtained a warrant to search the phone.
The contents of Gilreath’s phone included 12,000 images and 200 videos depicting child pornography. Gilreath also used the phone to seek out child pornography.
On July 31,2019, the defendant was arrested pursuant to a federal warrant. On August 1, 2019, the FBI searched the defendant’s residence. Agents seized a thumb drive with approximately 22,000 images and 2,400 videos depicting child pornography. Agents also seized a second phone with approximately 4,750 images and 1,400 videos depicting child pornography. The child pornography on the thumb drive and both of the defendant’s phones included images and videos depicting toddlers and infants. In addition, Gilreath used various social media, including three Twitter accounts, to knowingly receive, transport and distribute child pornography.
“The child pornography images and videos the defendant possessed were utterly offensive,” said U.S. Attorney Jason Dunn. “Thanks to the FBI, Boulder Police Department and RTD, we are able to get a serial child pornographer off our streets, protecting our children.”
Gilreath will remain in custody pending sentencing. He was previously ordered detained after a detention hearing that included evidence that he had posted “hunting guides” online targeting Jews, Muslims, and other groups and had been researching locations of local religious institutions, including mosques and synagogues.
This case was investigated by the FBI with support from the Boulder Police Department and RTD. The defendant is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Julia Martinez.
Black Market Marijuana Growers Sent to Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
DENVER – United States Attorney Jason R. Dunn announced that Huanyu Yan, age 54, and wife You Lan Xiang, age 50, both of Aurora, Colorado, were sentenced earlier this week for their role in a large-scale residential black market marijuana grow. Mr. Yan was sentenced to 36 months in federal prison, and his wife, Xiang, was sentenced to 30 months in federal prison. Both were found guilty in December of 2019 of marijuana cultivation following a four-day jury trial. Yan and Xiang appeared at the sentencing hearing in custody, and were remanded at its conclusion. DEA Denver Division Special Agent in Charge Deanne Reuter joined in this announcement.
According to court documents as well as evidence presented at trial, on October 10, 2018, the Drug Enforcement Administration, North Metro Task Force, and the Aurora Police Department executed a federal search warrant at 20050 East Doane Drive, a single family home in a residential neighborhood in Aurora, Colorado. A search of the house revealed a large-scale illicit marijuana grow operation in the basement of the house, with 878 marijuana plants. The basement also contained 9.72 pounds of finished marijuana product. According to testimony at trial, the yield of all the plants in the basement would have been enough to create approximately 150,000 marijuana joints. Both defendants were convicted of 1) conspiracy to manufacture and possess with intent to distribute 100 or more marijuana plants; 2) possessing with intent to distribute 100 or more marijuana plants; and 3) using and maintaining a drug-involved premises.
“These defendants turned their family home into a full-scale drug manufacturing facility,” said U.S. Attorney Jason Dunn. “As the first to be sentenced in this operation, I hope it sends a message to anyone involved in black market marijuana production that we will catch them, prosecute them, and send them to prison.”
“This federal and state joint investigation targeted individuals seeking to profit from the illicit production and distribution of marijuana,” said Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Denver Field Division Deanne Reuter. “This conviction serves as a message to all individuals who are seeking to profit from the illicit sale of marijuana; they can and will be held accountable for their actions.”
These defendants were the first to be sentenced in what was a massive investigation into the production and distribution of black market marijuana. In total, 255 houses were searched with over 80,000 marijuana plants and 4,500 pounds of finished marijuana product seized.
This case was investigated by the DEA, North Metro Task Force and the Aurora Police Department. The defendants were prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Aaron Teitelbaum and Peter McNeilly.
Arrests in four states of racially motivated violent extremists targeting journalists and activistsRead the Press Release
Seattle – Four racially motivated violent extremists from across the U.S. were arrested and charged today in U.S District Court in Seattle with a conspiracy to threaten and intimidate journalists and activists, announced U.S. Attorney Brian T. Moran. Today’s arrests and searches by the FBI and local law enforcement are being coordinated by the Department of Justice’s National Security Division and the U.S. Attorney’s Offices in Seattle, Tampa, Houston, and Phoenix.
“These defendants sought to spread fear and terror with threats delivered to the doorstep of those who are critical of their activities,” said U.S. Attorney Brian T. Moran for the Western District of Washington. “As Attorney General William Barr has made clear, rooting out anti-Semitic hate and threats of violence and vigorously prosecuting those responsible are top priorities for the Department of Justice.”
“The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida and FBI-Tampa have been focused on identifying and eradicating the threat posed by the Atomwaffen Division both locally and nationally,” said U.S. Attorney Maria Chapa Lopez for the Middle District of Florida. “Today’s arrests send a powerful message that the Department of Justice will not tolerate criminal conduct based on hateful ideology. We will continue to work with our partners here in the Middle District of Florida, and elsewhere, to devote our resources to investigate and prosecute those who aim to threaten and terrorize our communities.”
“These defendants from across the country allegedly conspired on the internet to intimidate journalists and activists with whom they disagreed,” said Assistant Attorney General for National Security John C. Demers. “This is not how America works. The Department of Justice will not tolerate this type of behavior.”
The defendants charged in the conspiracy include:
Cameron Brandon Shea, 24, of Redmond, Washington
Kaleb Cole, 24, of Montgomery, Texas
Taylor Ashley Parker-Dipeppe, 20, of Spring Hill, Florida
Johnny Roman Garza, 20, of Queen Creek, Arizona
According to the criminal complaint, the defendants conspired via an encrypted online chat group to identify journalists and others they wanted to intimidate. The group focused primarily on those who are Jewish or journalists of color. Defendants Kaleb Cole and Cameron Shea created the posters, which included Nazi symbols, masked figures with guns and Molotov cocktails, and threatening language. The posters were delivered to Atomwaffen members electronically, and the coconspirators printed and delivered or mailed the posters to journalists or activists the group was targeting. In the Seattle area, the posters were mailed to a TV journalist who had reported on Atomwaffen and to two individuals associated with the Anti-Defamation League (ADL). In Tampa, the group targeted a journalist, but delivered the poster to the wrong address. In Phoenix, the poster was delivered to a magazine journalist.
“Today’s announcement serves as a warning to anyone who intends to use violence as intimidation or coercion to further their ideology that the FBI remains steadfast in our commitment to protect Americans from domestic terrorism,” said Assistant Director for Counterterrorism Jill Sanborn. “These nationwide arrests are the result of the robust partnerships among the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Forces in Tampa, Seattle, Houston, and Phoenix, and with the Seattle Police Department.”
“The FBI recognizes all citizen's First Amendment-protected rights. However the subjects arrested today crossed the line from protected ideas and speech to action in order to intimidate and coerce individuals who they perceived as a threat to their ideology of hate,” said Raymond Duda, Special Agent in Charge, FBI Seattle.
“Today's takedown is proof the FBI in Tampa and our Joint Terrorism Task Force will work tirelessly to ensure communities are rid of hate inspired groups whose goal is to fuel intimidation and violence,” said FBI Tampa Special Agent in Charge Michael McPherson.
Shea will make his initial appearance on the complaint at the federal courthouse in Seattle at 2 p.m. today. Those arrested in other districts will make their appearances in federal court in those districts and will appear in Seattle on a future date.
The charges contained in the complaint are only allegations. A person is presumed innocent unless and until he or she is proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
The case is being investigated by the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Forces in Seattle, Tampa, Houston, and Phoenix. In Western Washington, these agencies assisted with the case: The U.S. Postal Inspection Service; the Seattle, Edmonds, Arlington, Mercer Island, and Kirkland Police Departments; the King and Snohomish County Sheriff’s Offices; U.S. Customs and Border Protection and Canadian partners RCMP and CBSA; and the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Thomas Woods with assistance from DOJ’s National Security Division and the U.S. Attorney’s Offices in the Middle District of Florida, Southern District of Texas, District of Arizona, and Central District of California.
shea_et_al_complaint_0.pdfArrests in Four States of Racially Motivated Violent Extremists Targeting Journalists and ActivistsRead the Press Release
Four racially motivated violent extremists from across the U.S. were arrested and charged today in U.S District Court in Seattle with a conspiracy to threaten and intimidate journalists and activists, the Department of Justice announced. Today’s arrests and searches by the FBI and local law enforcement are being coordinated by the Department of Justice’s National Security Division and the U.S. Attorney’s Offices in Seattle, Tampa, Houston, and Phoenix.
“These defendants from across the country allegedly conspired on the internet to intimidate journalists and activists with whom they disagreed,” said Assistant Attorney General for National Security John C. Demers. “This is not how America works. The Department of Justice will not tolerate this type of behavior.”
“These defendants sought to spread fear and terror with threats delivered to the doorstep of those who are critical of their activities,” said U.S. Attorney Brian T. Moran for the Western District of Washington. “As Attorney General William Barr has made clear, rooting out anti-Semitic hate and threats of violence and vigorously prosecuting those responsible are top priorities for the Department of Justice.”
“The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida and FBI-Tampa have been focused on identifying and eradicating the threat posed by the Atomwaffen Division both locally and nationally,” said U.S. Attorney Maria Chapa Lopez for the Middle District of Florida. “Today’s arrests send a powerful message that the Department of Justice will not tolerate criminal conduct based on hateful ideology. We will continue to work with our partners here in the Middle District of Florida, and elsewhere, to devote our resources to investigate and prosecute those who aim to threaten and terrorize our communities.”
The defendants charged in the conspiracy include:
Cameron Brandon Shea, 24, of Redmond, Washington;
Kaleb Cole, 24, of Montgomery, Texas;
Taylor Ashley Parker-Dipeppe, 20, of Spring Hill, Florida, and
Johnny Roman Garza, 20, of Queen Creek, Arizona.
According to the criminal complaint, the defendants conspired via an encrypted online chat group to identify journalists and others they wanted to intimidate. The group focused primarily on those who are Jewish or journalists of color. Defendants Cole and Shea created the posters, which included Nazi symbols, masked figures with guns and Molotov cocktails, and threatening language. The posters were delivered to Atomwaffen members electronically and the coconspirators printed and delivered or mailed the posters to journalists or activists the group was targeting. In the Seattle area, the posters were mailed to a TV journalist who had reported on Atomwaffen and to two individuals associated with the Anti-Defamation League (ADL). In Tampa, the group targeted a journalist,but delivered the poster to the wrong address. In Phoenix, the poster was delivered to a magazine journalist.
“Today’s announcement serves as a warning to anyone who intends to use violence as intimidation or coercion to further their ideology that the FBI remains steadfast in our commitment to protect Americans from domestic terrorism,” said Assistant Director for Counterterrorism Jill Sanborn. “These nationwide arrests are the result of the robust partnerships among the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Forces in Tampa, Seattle, Houston, and Phoenix and we appreciate their collective efforts.”
“The FBI recognizes all citizen's First Amendment-protected rights. However the subjects arrested today crossed the line from protected ideas and speech to action in order to intimidate and coerce individuals who they perceived as a threat to their ideology of hate,” said Raymond Duda, Special Agent in Charge, FBI Seattle.
“Today's takedown is proof the FBI in Tampa and our Joint Terrorism Task Force will work tirelessly to ensure communities are rid of hate inspired groups whose goal is to fuel intimidation and violence,” said FBI Tampa Special Agent in Charge Michael McPherson.
Shea will make his initial appearance on the complaint at the federal courthouse in Seattle at 2 p.m. today. Those arrested in other districts will make their appearances in federal court in those districts and will appear in Seattle on a future date.
The charges contained in the complaint are only allegations. A person is presumed innocent unless and until he or she is proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
The case is being investigated by the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Forces in Seattle, Tampa, Houston and Phoenix.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas Woods with assistance from U.S. Attorneys Offices in the Middle District of Florida, Southern District of Texas, District of Arizona, and Central District of California.
Appleton City Man Sentenced for Child PornographyRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – An Appleton City, Missouri, man was sentenced in federal court today for sending images of child pornography to an undercover law enforcement officer.
Anthony Dale Smith, 38, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Stephen R. Bough to 13 years in federal prison without parole. The court also sentenced Smith to 15 years of supervised release following incarceration. Smith will be required to register as a sex offender upon his release from prison and will be subject to federal and state sex offender registration requirements, which may apply throughout his life.
On Oct. 21, 2018, Smith pleaded guilty to attempting to distribute child pornography over the internet. Smith admitted that he sent images of child pornography to an undercover law enforcement officer.
Officers executed a search warrant at Smith’s residence on May 24, 2018, and seized computers and other electronic media.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Catherine A. Connelly. It was investigated by the FBI and the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department.
Project Safe Childhood
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc . For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab "resources."Anchorage Man Sentenced for Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
Anchorage, Alaska – U.S. Attorney Bryan Schroder announced that Troy MacDermott, 36, of Anchorage, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Ralph R. Beistline to serve seven years and three months in federal prison, to be followed by a 40-year term of supervised release, for possession of child pornography. MacDermott was also ordered to pay $42,000 in restitution to the victims.
According to court documents, in December 2018, law enforcement identified MacDermott’s IP address on a photo-sharing and instant messaging mobile application, which was linked to the user “chrissmith790” and “chrisschmidt159.” The investigation revealed that MacDermott utilized these monikers to upload visual depictions of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct.
A search of MacDermott’s computer and phone revealed approximately 33,325 pictures and 802 videos of child pornography that he had downloaded through the internet. One of the videos found on his phone was three minutes and 45 seconds long and included a compilation video of sexually explicit video clips involving real minors under the age of 12.
At the sentencing hearing, Judge Beistline noted the harm that MacDermott’s “repugnant” conduct had on the children shown in the images he possessed, and that MacDermott’s conduct was “clearly pre-meditated.” He admonished that it might help MacDermott in overcoming his addiction if he “think[s] about how [he’d] feel if someone did the same things [he gained so much pleasure in watching] to his children.”
Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) conducted the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of this case. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Carole Holley.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorney’s Offices nationwide 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.
Alabama man sentenced for stealing 900 laptops worth nearly $250,000 from tractor-trailerRead the Press Release
ATLANTA - Gevorg Kevliyan has been sentenced for stealing 900 ACER Chromebook laptops from a tractor-trailer.
“The defendant’s cargo theft highlights how much these crimes financially impact local economies,” said U.S. Attorney Byung J. “BJay” Pak. “These crimes also affect potential customers who buy these products, as well as employees and communities where these companies operate.”
“This conviction demonstrates the great work of law enforcement at all levels to investigate and prosecute major cargo theft affecting Georgia and our surrounding states. The GBI remains committed to working with our local and federal partners to address these types of crimes,” said Vic Reynolds, Director, Georgia Bureau of Investigation.
According to U.S. Attorney Pak, the charges, and other information presented in court: On June 21, 2017, Acer Incorporated contracted with a trucking company to deliver 15 pallets of 900 Acer Chromebook laptops valued at $245,000 from a packaging facility in California to a Costco distribution center in College Park, Georgia. Due to problems with the purchase order paperwork, Costco rejected the shipment once it arrived. Gevorg Kevliyan was then hired to drive the tractor-trailer containing the laptops back to California. Once Kevilyan took control of the truck, however, he reported it to be empty. He later claimed to have traveled to Chicago, Illinois, to pick up another load of cargo before returning to California.
Contrary to Kevilyan’s statement, GBI agents obtained records from a weigh-station in Ringgold, Georgia, where Kevliyan stopped on his way to Chicago. The records indicated that Kevliyan’s truck weighed several thousand pounds more than would be expected for an empty tractor-trailer, consistent with a load of 900 laptops.
GBI agents traveled to Chicago, where they used GPS information from the truck to locate surveillance footage from a Chicago warehouse. The video showed a tractor trailer matching Kevliyan’s arriving on the evening of July 5, 2017. Approximately 15 pallets were then unloaded by the on-site janitor and several other unknown men. The pallets matched the appearance of the Acer laptops. When later located and interviewed, the janitor described being contacted by the owner of a nearby business to unload the truck for $250. On July 18, 2017, he later loaded the same pallets onto another truck with a different driver for an additional $250.
Agents also obtained gambling records from the Virgin River Hotel and Casino in Mesquite, Nevada, which showed that Kevliyan gambled with over $11,000 in cash after arriving at the casino from Chicago.
Gevorg Kevliyan, 51, of Decatur, Alabama, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge J.P. Boulee, to one year in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release. He was also ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $245,000.
The Georgia Bureau of Investigation’s Major Theft Unit investigated this case, with assistance from the Chicago Police Department, the National Information Crime Bureau (NICB), CargoNet.com, and the Southeast Transportation Security Coalition (SETSC).
The Major Theft Unit is responsible for investigating instances of cargo theft throughout the State of Georgia and is a collaboration between the GBI and the Georgia Department of Public Safety’s Motor Carrier Compliance Division.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Scott McAfee prosecuted the case.
For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at [email protected] or (404) 581-6016. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.
ATF Operation Leads to Multiple Arrests, Recovery of 82 FirearmsRead the Press Release
Anchorage, Alaska – U.S. Attorney Bryan Schroder announced that, on Tues., Feb. 25, 2020, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) executed a series of search warrants as part of “Operation Cold Snap,” resulting in federal charges against 16 individuals for federal firearm and drug trafficking crimes. The operation further resulted in the recovery of 82 illegal firearms, some of which were stolen; approximately seven pounds of methamphetamine, and approximately 300 grams of heroin.
Over the last several months, the ATF Anchorage Field Office initiated multiple investigations into firearms and narcotics traffickers operating in the Municipality of Anchorage and the surrounding areas. As a result of this operation, the following individuals are now facing charges alleged in ten separate federal indictments:
- Clay Millhouse, a/k/a “Bear,” 34, and Shad Rider-Sorden, a/k/a “Shadow,” 28, both of Anchorage, are charged with conspiracy to possess and sell stolen firearms, and possession of stolen firearms. Millhouse is also charged with being a felon in possession of firearms;
- Michael Proctor, 34, of Anchorage, is charged with distribution of methamphetamine, carrying a firearm during a drug trafficking crime, and being a felon in possession of firearms and ammunition;
- Nathaniel Sofianos, 30, and Korina Thompson, 32, both of Wasilla, have been charged with distribution of controlled substances, possession of firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking, and being felons in possession of firearms.
- Xenophon Xayamonty, a/k/a “Rexy,” a/k/a, “X,” 31, of Anchorage, is charged with distribution of methamphetamine, and carrying a firearm during a drug trafficking crime;
- Realann Odsigue, 27, and Rene Laxa, 26, both of Anchorage, are both charged with conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, and distribution of methamphetamine;
- Dorian Topps, 26, Isaiah Cross, 27, and Kevin Glover, 37, all of Anchorage, are charged with distribution of methamphetamine;
- Christopher Poindexter, 34, and Roxanne Reed, 37, both of Anchorage, are charged with distribution of a controlled substance. Poindexter is also charged with carrying a firearm during a drug trafficking crime, and Reed is also charged with being a felon in possession;
- Dana Dwyer, 43, of Wasilla, is charged with being a felon in possession of firearms;
- Marcus Jones, 48, of Anchorage, is charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm; and
- Lanyegia Davis, 29, of Anchorage, is charged with distribution of heroin.
The charges in the indictments are merely allegations, and the defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Operation Cold Snap is the product of an investigation led by the ATF Anchorage Field Office, with substantial assistance provided by the Anchorage Police Department (APD), the Alaska State Troopers (AST), the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS), the Anchorage Airport Police, and the Coast Guard Investigative Service (CGIS). These cases are being prosecuted out of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Alaska by Assistant U.S. Attorneys James Klugman, Allison O’Leary, Kelly Cavanaugh, William Taylor, Carole Holley, Stephan Collins; and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer Ivers.
During the course of the investigation, several leads were generated from ATF’s National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (NIBIN). NIBIN is the only national network that allows for the capture and comparison of ballistic evidence to aid in solving and preventing violent crime involving firearms. NIBIN is a proven investigative and intelligence tool that can link firearms from multiple crime scenes, allowing law enforcement to quickly disrupt shooting cycles. For more information on NIBIN, visit https://www.atf.gov/firearms/national-integrated-ballistic-information-network-nibin.
These cases were investigated as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the Department of Justice’s 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. In November 2019, DOJ also announced the launch of Project Guardian, a nationwide strategic plan to reduce gun violence, which serves as a complementary effort to the success of PSN, and emphasizes the importance of using all modern technologies available to law enforcement to promote gun crime intelligence.
- Clay Millhouse, a/k/a “Bear,” 34, and Shad Rider-Sorden, a/k/a “Shadow,” 28, both of Anchorage, are charged with conspiracy to possess and sell stolen firearms, and possession of stolen firearms. Millhouse is also charged with being a felon in possession of firearms;
3 Members of a Tipton County Drug Trafficking Operation are Sentenced to a Total of 20 Years in Federal Prison for Meth ConspiracyRead the Press Release
Memphis, TN – Jeffery P. Meadows, 37, along with co-defendants, Rita Sandoval, 49 and Christopher Orozco, 32, have been sentenced to a total of 246 months in federal prison for conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute and distribution of methamphetamine. U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant announced the sentences today.
According to information presented in court, on August 30, 2018, a seven-count federal indictment charged Meadows and two co-defendants, Sandoval and Orozco with conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute and distribution of methamphetamine. All 3 defendants ultimately pled guilty to conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute and distribution of methamphetamine.
On February 7, 2017, Sandoval met and sold 4.23 grams of meth while Meadows waited in his vehicle. Sandoval referred to Meadows as the "main man." On February 8, 2017, Orozco sold 1.30 grams of meth to undercover agents. Later, at the same location, Orozco met Meadows where there was short conversation before Meadows handed Orzoco the narcotics. Orozco sold 4.3 grams of meth to undercover agents on March 12, 2017.
On March 14, 2017, a Tipton County deputy conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle operated by Meadows. Because Meadows refused consent to search the vehicle, law enforcement requested the assistance of the canine unit. The canine gave a positive alert, and a plastic bag containing 26.56 grams of meth, a glass pipe, and digital scale were seized. Meadows advised that he used the glass pipe to smoke meth. He was taken into custody on several outstanding warrants.
On January 28, 2020, U.S. District Court Judge Thomas L. Parker sentenced Meadows to 144 months in federal prison followed by 5 years supervised release.
On January 29, 2020, U.S. District Court Judge Thomas L. Parker sentenced Sandoval to 72 months in federal prison followed by 5 years supervised release. On the same day, U.S. District Court Judge Thomas L. Parker sentenced Orozco to 30 months in federal prison followed by 5 years supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant said, "Distribution of illegal narcotics is NOT a victimless crime. Methamphetamine that is trafficked in and through West Tennessee is increasing in dangerous purity, and continues to destroy individuals, families, and communities. Drug dealers who profit from the pain, addiction, violence, and death caused by these dangerous substances deserve proper punishment, and these sentences do just that. Thanks to the great investigative work by our local law enforcement partners at the Tipton County Sheriff’s Office, these drug dealers have been held accountable and will be removed from the community."
The Tipton County Sheriff’s Office investigated this case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Bayonle Osundare and Special Assistant Sean G. Hord prosecuted this case on behalf of the government. SAUSA Hord is currently assigned from the 25th Judicial District Attorney General’s Office
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2 imprisoned for drug conspiracy involving high speed chaseRead the Press Release
LAREDO, Texas – Two Laredo men have been ordered to federal prison after their involvement in a drug trafficking event, announced U.S. Attorney Ryan Patrick.
Raul Gomez, 36, and Enrique Gonzalez, 39, pleaded guilty Aug. 6, 2019.
Today, U.S. District Judge Marina Garcia Marmolejo ordered Gomez to serve 87 months in federal prison. At the hearing, the court noted he had prior convictions for burglary, assault, possession of a controlled substance and being a felon in possession of a firearm. In handing down the sentence, Judge Marmolejo explained that during the commission of the instant offense, Gomez could have killed someone during the high speed chase or been killed himself.
Gonzalez was previously ordered to serve 12 months and one day in prison. Gomez and Gonzalez will serve five and four years of supervised release following their prison terms, respectively.
The investigation revealed a drug trafficking organization would be attempting to transport marijuana. On May 29, 2019, authorities established surveillance in the vicinity of Sereno Drive in Laredo, during which time they observed two vehicles leaving a residence in tandem.
Gomez was driving one of them - a red SUV - which appeared to be weighed down in the rear with items stacked high in the rear seat. Law enforcement attempted to conduct a traffic stop, but he fled at a high rate of speed. The chase continued through Bob Bullock Loop and Mines Road, eventually resulting in a crash. Gomez attempted to flee on foot, but authorities were able to soon apprehend him.
At the time of his arrest, law enforcement discovered d a total of 347 kilograms of marijuana in the back of his vehicle.
Simultaneously, other authorities had conducted a traffic stop on the other vehicle that left the residence on Sereno Drive. They arrested Gonzalez – the driver – who later admitted he had been paid to store the drugs at his home.
Gomez will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons (BOP) facility to be determined in the near future. Gonzalez was permitted to remain on bond and voluntarily surrender to a BOP facility to be determined in the near future.
The Drug Enforcement Administration conducted the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force investigation dubbed Operation The World Is Yours. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Dos Santos prosecuted the case.
Tuesday 25 February 2020
Worcester Man Sentenced on Fentanyl and Heroin ChargesRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Worcester man was sentenced today in connection with drug trafficking charges.
Freiber Betancourth, 30, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Timothy S. Hillman to 12 months and a day in prison and three years of supervised release. In June 2019, Betancourth pleaded guilty to one count of conspiring to distribute fentanyl and heroin and one count of distributing fentanyl and heroin.
Betancourth worked for a Massachusetts Department of Transportation / EZ Pass contractor in Auburn, Mass. Between June and September 2018, Betancourth distributed heroin and fentanyl on multiple occasions, including in the parking lot outside of his workplace. In addition, he stored drugs in his office. Betancourth obtained these drugs from Albeiro Gomez, sold the drugs to a particular customer, and then provided most of the cash proceeds to Gomez.
Gomez pleaded guilty on Nov. 25, 2019 to various drug charges including distributing fentanyl and heroin and possessing cocaine with intent to distribute. He is scheduled to be sentenced on March 5, 2020.
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 today. The Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office and the Massachusetts State Police provided assistance with the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Bill Abely and John Mulcahy of Lelling’s Criminal Division prosecuted the case.
Woman sentenced after trying to move $1M in methRead the Press Release
LAREDO, Texas – A 40-year-old U.S. citizen and resident of San Nicolas, Nuevo Leon, Mexico, has been ordered to prison after admitting she trafficked a large amount of “ice” meth into the country, announced U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Patrick.
Carolina Alvarez-Lopez pleaded guilty Nov. 1, 2019, to conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute meth
Today, U.S. District Judge Marina Garcia Marmolejo ordered her to serve a 72-month sentence followed by three years of supervised release. At the hearing, the court heard additional evidence about how she brought the narcotics into the United States from Mexico and the steps she took to avoid detection from law enforcement. In handing down the sentence, the court noted the defendant’s lack of criminal history but stated a significant prison sentence was still warranted.
On March 31, 2019, Alvarez-Lopez entered the Border Patrol checkpoint at mile marker 29 on Interstate 35 north of Laredo driving a 2003 Honda Accord. During primary inspection, a K-9 alerted to the vehicle, after which law enforcement referred her to a secondary inspection. During the search of her vehicle, agents located 35 bundles of “ice” concealed inside its the seats.
The drugs weighed a total of approximately 17.5 kilograms with an estimated street value of more than $1.24 million.
Alvarez-Lopez admitted she knew there were narcotics in her vehicle and expected to be paid $2,000 for transporting them.
She has been and will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation with assistance from Border Patrol. Assistant U.S. Attorney Anthony J. Evans prosecuted the case.
Woman Sentenced to 22 Years in Federal Prison for Conspiracy to Produce Child Pornography and Distribution of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
Spokane – William D. Hyslop, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Washington, announced that Katrina Michelle Maradee Adams, age 27, a resident of Walla Walla, Washington was sentenced today after having pleaded guilty on January 29, 2019, to one count of conspiracy to produce child pornography and one count of distribution of child pornography. Senior United States District Judge Wm. Fremming Nielsen sentenced Adams to a 22-year term of imprisonment, to be followed by a lifetime term of court supervision after she is released from federal prison.
According to information disclosed during court proceedings, Adams’ co-conspirator Mikhail Yuriy Ageyev came to law enforcement attention through a series of CyberTips from Twitter and the Microsoft Corporation about suspected child pornography uploaded by Ageyev over the internet. CyberTips are reports to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) of illegal actions taken against children. In this case, as in many cases, the CyberTip pertained to child pornography. NCMEC receives the CyberTip and determines which law enforcement group (geographically) is best suited to respond to the tip. After NCMEC’s review is completed, the information in a CyberTip report is made available to that law enforcement group.
In this case, the first CyberTip was received by the Moses Lake Police Department on October 30, 2017. The Moses Lake Police Department quickly conducted additional investigation to include executing search warrants for various online accounts maintained by Ageyev. The CyberTips and search warrants revealed that Ageyev maintained an online presence where he professed an interest in incest and child pornography and where he traded child pornography images with others online.
On November 18, 2017, the Moses Lake Police Department executed search warrants at Ageyev’s residence in Moses Lake. During a subsequent interview at the Moses Lake Police Department, Ageyev admitted to law enforcement that he had child pornography files on his mobile phone. Ageyev also admitted that he exchanged links, images, and videos of child pornography with others using various methods over the internet. Ageyev also admitted that he produced child pornography by using his mobile phone to take sexually explicit video and still images of his girlfriend’s two-year old daughter. Ageyev was taken into custody the same day.
A subsequent forensic examination of Ageyev’s electronic devices, in particular his mobile phone, revealed child pornography images and videos that he had produced. It also revealed child pornography images and videos Ageyev had downloaded from the internet or received directly from other people over the internet.
A review of several of the child pornography videos found on Ageyev’s device demonstrated that Ageyev’s girlfriend, Katrina Michelle Maradee Adams, was also involved in the production of child pornography involving Adams’ two-year old daughter along with Ageyev. Search warrants were then obtained for electronic devices possessed by Adams and various online accounts maintained by Adams. These search warrants revealed discussions between Ageyev and Adams concerning the sexual abuse of Adams’ two-year old daughter which included Ageyev discussing future plans to sexually abuse and impregnate the child. Law enforcement also located video and still images depicting the sexual abuse of the two-year old victim.
On February 21, 2018, a federal Grand Jury in Spokane returned a multi-count indictment against Ageyev and Adams charging conspiracy to produce child pornography, production of child pornography, distribution of child pornography, receipt of child pornography, and possession of child pornography. On January 29, 2019, Adams pleaded guilty to conspiracy to produce child and distribution of child pornography. Ageyev was sentenced on January 28, 2020 to 50 years of imprisonment for conspiracy to produce child pornography, production of child pornography, and possession of child pornography.
United States Attorney Hyslop said, “The victim in this case has had her life forever altered as a result of the actions of her mother both in abusing her and in permitting another to abuse her. The sentence imposed is necessary to protect her and the public. The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Washington will remain steadfast in its unwavering commitment to work closely with its federal, state, local and tribal law enforcement partners to prosecute aggressively those individuals who may commit such crimes.”
“This young child was victimized by the very people who should have been protecting her from harm.” said Eben Roberts, acting special agent in charge of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Seattle. “Anyone who can prey upon, or allow someone to prey upon, a two year old child represents the worst of the worst in our community. Let this be a warning to those who exploit children, just as in this case, HSI and our partners are committed to seeking, apprehending and bringing you to justice.”.
This case was pursued as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the United States Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals, who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. The Project Safe Childhood Initiative (“PSC”) has five major components:
· Integrated federal, state, and local efforts to investigate and prosecute child exploitation cases, and to identify and rescue children;
· Participation of PSC partners in coordinated national initiatives;
· Increased federal enforcement in child pornography and enticement cases;
· Training of federal, state, and local law enforcement agents; and
· Community awareness and educational programs.
For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. For information about internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab "resources."
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, the Moses Lake Police Department, and the Southeast Regional Internet Crimes against Children Task Force (ICAC). This case was prosecuted by Alison L. Gregoire and James A. Goeke, Assistant United States Attorneys for the Eastern District of Washington.
Woman Pleads Guilty to False Statement Regarding Sexual AssaultRead the Press Release
NORFOLK, Va. – A Chesapeake woman pleaded guilty today to lying to Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) investigators about an alleged sexual assault that occurred aboard Naval Station Norfolk.
According to court documents, in July 2018 Miranda H. Overton, 21, made a report to NCIS alleging that an active duty Navy sailor sexually assaulted her. After opening an investigation into the alleged assault, the alleged perpetrator was interviewed, and he explained that he had consensual sex with Overton after they met on an online dating application. Investigators then obtained surveillance video from the day of the alleged assault revealing that Overton and the sailor kissed in the elevator immediately prior to the alleged assault. Furthermore, investigators obtained Overton’s statement during her sexual assault forensic examination where she admitted that prior to meeting with alleged perpetrator they agreed to have sexual intercourse. Investigators subsequently interviewed Overton a second time during which she admitted her allegation was false and had made another false allegation in the past. Overton admitted that she fabricated the allegation out of fear that her significant other would end their relationship if the significant other became aware that Overton had sex with the sailor.
Overton pleaded guilty to making a false statement or representation made to a department or agency of the United States and faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison when sentenced on June 3. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Cliff Everton, Special Agent in Charge of the Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) Norfolk Field Office, made the announcement after U.S. Magistrate Judge Douglas E. Miller accepted the plea. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew J. Heck is prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:20-cr-004.
Wheeling man sentenced for role in cocaine and heroin distribution operationRead the Press Release
WHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA – Andre Hager, of Wheeling, West Virginia, was sentenced today to 51 months incarceration for his role in a cocaine and heroin distribution operation, U.S. Attorney Bill Powell announced.
Hager, also known as “Andyman,” pled guilty to one count of “Conspiracy to Distribute Cocaine Base and Heroin” in June 2019. Hager, age 48, admitted to distributing cocaine and heroin, in Ohio County from April 2018 to September 2018.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen L. Vogrin prosecuted the case on behalf of the government. The investigation was led by the Ohio County Drug & Violent Crimes Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative. The task force is comprised of the Drug Enforcement Administration, West Virginia State Police, the Ohio County Sheriff’s Office, and the Wheeling Police Department. Those assisting in the arrests are the United States Marshal Service; Marshall County Drug & Violent Crimes Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative; the Hancock-Brooke-Weirton Drug & Violent Crimes Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative; the Martins Ferry, Ohio Police Department; and the Columbus, Ohio Police Department.
U.S. District Judge John Preston Bailey presided.
Westbrook Man Pleads Guilty to Child Sexual Exploitation OffenseRead the Press Release
Portland, Maine: A Westbrook man pleaded guilty today in federal court in Portland to distributing images of child exploitation, U.S. Attorney Halsey B. Frank announced.
According to court records, in July 2018, Tyler Garnett, 22, used the social media application Kik Messenger to chat over the internet with another Kik user. During the chat, Garnett sent several images that depicted minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct.
Later in 2018, the Westbrook Police Department investigated a CyberTip provided by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children regarding child pornography that had been uploaded to another social networking service. The IP address used to upload the child pornography was assigned to Garnett’s residence in Westbrook. Detectives interviewed Garnett in December 2018. He admitted uploading the images that were the subject of the CyberTip and using Kik Messenger to find child pornography. He consented to a search of his mobile telephone, which contained numerous images and videos depicting minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct. The phone also contained evidence of Kik chats in which Garnett distributed child pornography images.
Garnett faces a sentence of no less than five years and up to 20 years in prison. He also faces a $250,000 fine and from five years to a lifetime of supervised release. He will be sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigation report by the U.S. Probation Office.
The Westbrook Police Department, the Maine State Police Computer Crimes Unit and the FBI investigated this case. The 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. 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.
Vicksburg Man Pleads Guilty to Bank RobberyRead the Press Release
Jackson, Miss – David Michael Gammill, 44, of Vicksburg, pled guilty yesterday before Chief U.S. District Court Judge Daniel P. Jordan III to bank robbery, announced U.S. Attorney Mike Hurst and Michelle A. Sutphin, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation in Mississippi.
On August 1, 2018, Gammill entered Trustmark National Bank located on North Frontage Road in Vicksburg, approached a teller, and said the bank was being robbed. Gammill passed a plastic bag to the teller and demanded money. Gammill told the teller that he possessed a firearm in his coat pocket and according to bank employees, it appeared as if he did. Gammill’s intimidating behavior caused the teller to hand over money out of fear of bodily injury. Gammill then fled the bank.
Vicksburg Police officers responded to Trustmark Bank and learned the robber fled in a gray Chrysler van. Due to swift and solid police work, Gammill was captured later that day by the Vicksburg Police Department and Federal Bureau of Investigation.
On November 6, 2018, Gammill was charged in a federal criminal indictment with bank robbery.
Gammill will be sentenced on June 5, 2020 at 9:00 a.m. by Judge Jordan. He faces a statutory penalty of up to 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
The case was investigated by the Vicksburg Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Bert Carraway.
U.S. Department of Justice to Appeal District Court Ruling Regarding Drug Injection SitesRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – A federal judge ruled today that a nonprofit seeking to open a facility in Philadelphia for the injection of illegal drugs would not violate a federal drug law known commonly as the federal “crack house statute.” The decision by United States District Court Judge Gerald A. McHugh in favor of nonprofit Safehouse makes final a prior ruling and paves the way for a showdown on appeal.
“We respectfully disagree with the District Court’s ruling and plan to appeal immediately,” said United States Attorney William M. McSwain. “What Safehouse proposes is a radical experiment that would invite thousands of people onto its property for the purpose of injecting illegal drugs. In our view, this would plainly violate the law and we look forward to presenting our case to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit.”
The application of the law in question, which prohibits any person from maintaining a place for the purpose of illegal drug use, is hotly contested. Safehouse contends that allowing illegal drug use on its property is necessary to prevent overdoses. The so-called “supervised injection site” proposed by Safehouse would be the first of its kind in the United States.
This effort is staunchly opposed by a growing number of federal authorities, including the U.S. Department of Justice and the U.S. Surgeon General. In anticipation of this ruling, U.S. Deputy Attorney General Jeffrey A. Rosen published an editorial in the Philadelphia Inquirer earlier this month, condemning Safehouse’s plan and committing to an appeal. Last month, U.S. Surgeon General Jerome M. Adams cautioned, “I have looked at the data,” and “we want to optimize the things that we know work before we start having conversations about more controversial interventions.”
Community groups in neighborhoods where Safehouse is rumored to be considering opening an injection site have also objected. “We believe that Safehouse’s proposed activity threatens to institutionalize the scourge of illegal drug use – and all the problems that come with it – in Philadelphia neighborhoods,” said U.S. Attorney McSwain. “In light of these concerns, Safehouse should act prudently and not rush to open while the appeal is pending. But if it does rush forward, my Office will evaluate all options available under the law.”
While no timeline has yet been set for the appeal, the United States will seek an expedited ruling from the Third Circuit.
U.S. Attorney Russell Coleman Appointed to Working Group of Presidential Commission on Law EnforcementRead the Press Release
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – United States Attorney Russell Coleman will serve on President Donald Trump’s Commission on Law Enforcement and the Administration of Justice Law Enforcement Recruitment and Training Working Group. The Working Group will hear from experts and practitioners with firsthand experience within law enforcement about best practices, challenges, and innovative strategies to address and enhance law enforcement operations and processes, including the recruitment and training of law enforcement.
“Our very finest in Kentucky and the nation wear a badge,” said U.S. Attorney Russell Coleman. “I am honored to support the President’s Law Enforcement Commission through service on this effort to explore the critically important challenges of recruitment, retention, and training of our law enforcement colleagues.”
The Working Group meeting will focus on the issues affecting officer recruitment, retention, and training. The group will evaluate how to improve and increase the enlistment, retention, and training of police officers across the country and develop recommendations to submit to the Commission. The Commission meeting will include topic-specific panel presentations, during which the President’s Law Enforcement Commission will hear from a number of witnesses, participating in topic-specific panel discussions, who will share information about officer safety, health, and wellness needs, challenges, lessons learned, best practices, successful programs, and other information that directly address the police officer safety, health, and wellness focus area.
On October 28, 2019, President Donald J. Trump signed Executive Order No. 13896, authorizing and designating the Attorney General to create such a Commission that would explore modern issues affecting law enforcement that most impact the ability of American policing to reduce crime. Attorney General William P. Barr announced the establishment of the Commission on January 22, 2020.
The Executive Order instructs the Commission to conduct its study by focusing on the law enforcement officers who are tasked with reducing crime on a daily basis. It also directs the Commission to research “important current issues facing law enforcement and the criminal justice system,” and recommends a variety of subjects for study, such as, but not limited to:
- The challenges to law enforcement associated with mental illness, homelessness, substance abuse, and other social factors that influence crime and strain criminal justice resources;
- The recruitment, hiring, training, and retention of law enforcement officers, including in rural and tribal communities;
- Refusals by State and local prosecutors to enforce laws or prosecute categories of crimes;
- The need to promote public confidence and respect for the law and law enforcement officers; and
- The effects of technological innovations on law enforcement and the criminal justice system, including the challenges and opportunities presented by such innovations
In forming the Commission, the Department of Justice has marshaled together the expertise and experiences of all sectors of the law enforcement community—urban police departments, county sheriffs, state attorneys general and prosecutors, elected officials, United States Attorneys, and federal law enforcement agencies. They come from distinct states, cities, counties, and towns across the country but share a common mission of safeguarding their respective communities from a variety of threats.
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Two Men Sentenced to Federal Prison for Multiple Armed RobberiesRead the Press Release
Montgomery, Alabama – Two men were recently sentenced to federal prison for committing multiple armed robberies across central Alabama, announced U.S. Attorney Louis V. Franklin, Sr.
On January 29, 2020, Marcus Greathouse, 41, a resident of Opelika, Alabama, was sentenced to 72 months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release. Then, on February 20, 2020, Branden Tyrone Matthews, 32, a resident of Camp Hill, Alabama, was sentenced to 92 months imprisonment and will serve three years of supervised release as well. Matthews was also ordered to pay $11,206.29 in restitution. The restitution amount for Greathouse will be determined later. There is no parole in the federal system.
According to court documents, Matthews went on a robbery spree in 2018 that spanned eight Alabama counties over an eight-month period. The following ten robberies were committed, with Greathouse participating in three.
- January 26, 2018- O’Reilly Auto Parts, Auburn, Alabama;
- June 20, 2018- Auto Zone, Alexander City, Alabama;
- July 13, 2018- Auto Zone, Opelika, Alabama;
- July 25, 2018- Auto Zone, Eufaula, Alabama;
- July 28,2018- O’Reilly Auto Parts, Tallassee, Alabama;
- July 30, 2018- Dollar General, Hurtsboro, Alabama;
- August 4, 2018- Dollar General, Roanoke, Alabama;
- August 5, 2018- Dollar General, Montgomery, Alabama;
- August 12, 2018- O’Reilly Auto Parts, Tallassee, Alabama; and
- August 16, 2018- Dollar General, Greenville, Alabama.
Greathouse participated in the Hurtsboro, Greenville, and the Tallassee robbery that occurred in August. Court records indicate that a pellet gun resembling a pistol was used in the robberies. However, the victims would not have known the type of weapon during the crimes.U.S. Attorney Franklin would like to thank the numerous law enforcement agencies involved in bringing Matthews and Greathouse to justice. The investigating agencies include the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Alexander City Police Department, the Auburn Police Division, the Butler County Sheriff’s Office, the Eufaula Police Department, the Hurtsboro Police Department, the Montgomery Police Department, the Opelika Police Department, the Roanoke Police Department, the Russell County Sheriff’s Office, and the Tallassee Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Kevin Davidson prosecuted the case.
Two Former SunTrust Bank Employees Plead Guilty to Financial Exploitation of an Elderly PersonRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Rashad Liverpool, 27, and Robert Tillery, 44, pleaded guilty today of one count of Financial Exploitation of an Elderly Person or Vulnerable Adult. The two former SunTrust Bank employees defrauded a 72-year old widow with diminished capacity of over $80,000, announced U.S. Attorney Timothy J. Shea. Both defendants agreed to pay restitution as part of their plea and will be sentenced on April 28, 2020.
According to the government’s evidence, during the summer of 2018, Liverpool and Tillery would frequently visit the victim – a client of SunTrust Bank – after normal business hours and against bank policy. They identified funds that she held at Bank of America and took advantage of her diminished capacity in order to move these funds into accounts that they controlled. Liverpool moved $51,900 into a joint account that he created in his and the victim’s name at Capital One Bank. He used all of the funds for his own benefit including two trips to California and one trip to Miami. During the trip to Miami, Liverpool used the victim’s funds to stay at a beach front hotel, rent a red Ford Mustang, and purchase items from the mini bar. Meanwhile, Tillery withdrew $3,000 in cash from one of the victim’s accounts and wrote himself a check for $25,700 from another. He used these funds to make purchases at various outlet stores and move to Chicago. The scheme ended when the victim was hospitalized and a newly appointed Attorney-in-Fact discovered that the funds were missing.
In announcing the plea, U.S. Attorney Shea commended the work of the Metropolitan Police Department, specifically Detective Phillipe Moore from the Financial and Cyber Crimes Unit, as well as Investigator Jonathan Rich from the Office of the Attorney General for the District of Columbia, who investigated the case together. He also acknowledged the work of those who handled the case at the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer Mika, who is detailed from the Office of the Attorney General for the District of Columbia to handle financial crime cases involving elderly victims; Assistant U.S. Attorney Chimnomnso Kalu; former Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Romano; and Supervisory Victim Witness Advocate Jennifer Clark.
This prosecution is part of the Office’s wider efforts to combat crimes against seniors. In 2018, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia and the Office of the Attorney General for the District of Columbia simultaneously launched initiatives to address the abuse and exploitation of older adults. The Elder Abuse and Financial Exploitation Initiative at the U.S. Attorney’s Office expanded its response to criminal and civil violations targeting older adults. The initiative has enabled the U.S. Attorney’s Office to develop and coordinate further its prosecution of these cases and enhance its overall support of older or vulnerable victims. The team consists of experienced prosecutors and victim advocates from across the Office, to include the Superior Court, Criminal, and Civil Divisions, as well as the Victim Witness Assistance Unit. In 2019, the Office of the Attorney General for the District of Columbia also established an Elder Justice Section to better protect the District’s elders and vulnerable adults from financial exploitation through civil enforcement of the District’s financial exploitation law. This is the second outcome this month in a case involving elder financial exploitation that was handled jointly by the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the Office of the Attorney General.
Twin Falls Man Sentenced to 60 Years in Prison for Producing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
BOISE - Seth Anthony Johnson, 35, of Twin Falls, Idaho, was sentenced in the U.S. District Court in Boise to 60 years in prison for sexual exploitation of a minor, possession of child pornography, and sexual exploitation of minor after a prior conviction for a felony sex offense, U.S. Attorney Bart M. Davis announced today. Chief U.S. District Judge David C. Nye also ordered Johnson to serve lifetime supervised release following his prison sentence. After a three-day trial held in October 2019, a jury found Johnson guilty of the three crimes.
According to court records, Johnson was arrested on November 29, 2017. At that time, federal agents discovered six images of child pornography on his cell phone. After eight months of investigation, agents identified the minor victim as an 8-year-old girl. Agents also determined that Johnson had produced the images of child pornography with his cell phone. At the time that he did so, Johnson was required to register as a sex offender under federal and state law due to a prior rape conviction.
“The 60-year sentence imposed by Chief Judge Nye will ensure the community’s most vulnerable members, young children, are protected from future predatory behavior by Johnson,” U.S. Attorney Davis said. “The continued dedication and determination of federal agents to identify the victim in this case was nonpareil.”
“These heinous crimes against children must come to an end,” said Eben Roberts, Acting Special Agent in Charge of HSI Seattle. “The sentencing in this case represents how committed HSI and our partners are about removing dangerous predators from our streets. I could not be more proud of all of those involved in this case,” Roberts continued.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the U.S. Marshals Service.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims.
For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc.
For more information about internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab “resources.”
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Three Members of the Rollin' 30s Crips Convicted at TrialRead the Press Release
Geoffrey S. Berman, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Dermot Shea, the Police Commissioner of the City of New York (“NYPD”), and Peter C. Fitzhugh, the Special Agent in Charge of the New York Office of Homeland Security Investigations (“HSI”), announced that yesterday, RANDY TORRES, a/k/a “Rico,” 38, WALSTON OWEN, a/k/a “Purp,” 36, and CHARLES VENTURA, a/k/a “Gutta,” 27, were convicted of racketeering charges relating to their involvement in the violent Rollin’ 30s Crips street gang. OWEN and VENTURA were also found guilty of attempted murders in aid of racketeering and related firearms offenses. The convictions followed a fifteen-day trial before United States District Judge Victor Marrero.
The jury found that TORRES’s involvement in the Rollin’ 30s racketeering conspiracy included the September 19, 2015 murder of Nester Suazo and that OWEN’s involvement included the March 26, 2015 murder of Victor Chafla. Suazo was killed after Torres and other gang members fought with members of a rival Crip faction at a music video shoot in the Bronx. Chafla, an innocent bystander, was caught in the crossfire during an attempt by Rollin’ 30s members to shoot at a member of an opposing street gang in the Bronx. At the time he was shot, Chafla was standing outside the store where he worked stocking fruits and vegetables. Chafla died from his wounds a few days later.
U.S. Attorney Geoffrey S. Berman said: “As the jury unanimously found, the defendants were members of a violent gang, and were responsible for multiple murders. Thanks to the dedication of our partners at the NYPD and HSI, the defendants now stand convicted in federal court for their crimes.”
According to the allegations contained in the Superseding Indictments and other documents in the public record, and the evidence at trial:
From at least in or about 2009 up to and including in or about 2017, in the Southern District of New York and elsewhere, RANDY TORRES, a/k/a “Rico,” WALSTON OWEN, a/k/a “Purpose,” CHARLES VENTURA, a/k/a “Gutta,” and others were members or associates of a racketeering enterprise known as the “Rollin’ 30s,” also known as the “Harlem Mafia Crips,” or “Dirt Gang.” In order to fund the enterprise, protect and expand its interests, and promote its standing, members and associates of the Rollin’ 30s committed, conspired, attempted, and threatened to commit acts of violence, including murder, attempted murder, and robbery; and they conspired to distribute and possess with intent to distribute narcotics.
OWEN and VENTURA each face a mandatory minimum sentence of ten years’ imprisonment; all three defendants face a maximum sentence of life imprisonment. Sentencing of the defendants has been scheduled for July 10, 2020.
Mr. Berman praised the outstanding investigative work of the NYPD and HSI.
The case is being handled by the Office’s Violent and Organized Crime Unit. Assistant United States Attorneys Jessica K. Fender, Anden Chow, and Jacqueline C. Kelly are in charge of the prosecution.
Statement from Solicitor General Noel Francisco on the Passing of Former Deputy Solicitor General Lawrence WallaceRead the Press Release
Today, Solicitor General Noel Francisco issued the following statement on the passing of former Deputy Solicitor General Lawrence Wallace:
“My colleagues and I are deeply saddened at the recent passing of former Deputy Solicitor General Lawrence Wallace. A native of Syracuse, New York, Larry Wallace graduated from Syracuse University, served in the Air Force, and attended Columbia Law School through the GI Bill. He was editor-in-chief of the Columbia Law Review and graduated in the Class of 1959 alongside future Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. He went on to serve as a law clerk to Justice Hugo Black, practice at a firm in Washington, and teach at Duke University Law School.
In 1968, Larry Wallace joined the Office of the Solicitor General. Over the next 35 years, he argued before the Supreme Court 157 times – more than any other lawyer of the twentieth century. He represented the United States in each of those cases. As Deputy Solicitor General for more than three decades, he was admired as an advocate, cherished as a colleague, and respected for his high standards and professionalism. His candor and integrity remain a model for this office and for all who have the privilege to represent the United States.
In addition to being a superb lawyer, Larry Wallace was a talented musician, a generous friend, and a proud veteran. He often said that he felt a deep sense of responsibility when arguing cases on behalf of the government. He discharged that responsibility with skill and distinction throughout his long career. His devoted service to this office will never be forgotten. My colleagues and I extend our condolences to his family and join in mourning his loss.”
St. Joseph Man Sentenced to 15 Years for Leading $2.1 Million Meth ConspiracyRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A St. Joseph, Missouri, man was sentenced in federal court today for leading a $2.1 million conspiracy that distributed more than 100 kilograms of methamphetamine in Buchanan, Clinton, and Nodaway counties.
James Patrick Pardee II, 29, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Stephen R. Bough to 15 years in federal prison without parole. The court also ordered Pardee to pay the government a money judgment of $2.1 million, which represents the amount of money received in exchange for the unlawful distribution of methamphetamine.
On Sept. 4, 2019, Pardee pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine from Jan. 1, 2015, to Nov. 16, 2017, and one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering.
Law enforcement investigators identified Pardee as the head of the organization coordinating large shipments of methamphetamine from the Kansas City area to Buchanan County, Clinton County, and Nodaway County, where it was then redistributed by Pardee and others.
Pardee was arrested following a high-speed chase on Sept. 23, 2017. Plattsburg, Missouri, police officers attempted to conduct a traffic stop for a lane violation on a black Audi A4 driven by Pardee. Pardee fled from officers at speeds exceeding 100 miles per hour for approximately nine miles, until his vehicle crashed into a guardrail. Pardee and a female passenger got out of the vehicle; Pardee was arrested and the female passenger escaped. Officers found a backpack inside the vehicle that contained numerous clear plastic baggies with a total of more than 2.1 kilograms of methamphetamine.
Investigators later determined that Pardee had recently sold approximately one kilogram of methamphetamine. Pardee admitted that he had sold more than three kilograms of methamphetamine every other day for the past three months.
Pardee is the second defendant to be sentenced in this case. Michael Robert Ramsel, 28, of St. Joseph, pleaded guilty to the same charges and was sentenced to 13 years and six months in federal prison without parole. Eleeseea Leeann Crail, 27, Johnathan Scott Graf, 31, and Adam Christopher Lowe, 40, all of St. Joseph, have pleaded guilty to the same charges and await sentencing.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Bruce Rhoades. It was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Plattsburg, Mo., Police Department; the Atchison County, Kan., Sheriff’s Department; the Buchanan County Drug Strike Force and Sheriff’s Department; the Jackson County Drug Task Force; the Clinton County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department; the Missouri State Highway Patrol; the Cass County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department; and the Clay County Drug Task Force.
Springfield Man Sentenced for Meth TraffickingRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Springfield, Missouri, man was sentenced in federal court today for his role in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine.
Tim I. Hocutt, 53, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge M. Douglas Harpool to 13 years in federal prison without parole.
On June 25, 2019, Hocutt pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and two counts of distributing methamphetamine. Hocutt admitted that he participated in the drug-trafficking conspiracy from Sept. 20, 2017, to Feb. 7, 2018.
Hocutt admitted that he sold methamphetamine to an undercover law enforcement officer in Springfield on two separate occasions. Hocutt also possessed methamphetamine at the time of his arrest on Feb. 7, 2018. Hocutt admitted that he had been selling methamphetamine almost daily for approximately one year. Hocutt also admitted to having purchased from co-conspirators, and distributed to others, at least 2.2 kilograms of methamphetamine during that time period.
This case was prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica R. Keller. It was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Department of Homeland Security, and the Greene County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department.
Southwick Man Sentenced for Sending Threatening Letters and White Powder to Federal Agencies in SpringfieldRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Southwick man was sentenced today in federal court in Springfield for sending two packages containing white powder to federal agencies in Springfield.
Kevin A. Johnson, 48, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Mark G. Mastroianni to time served in prison (almost 15 months) and three years of supervised release. In November 2019, Johnson pleaded guilty to two counts of conveying false information and hoaxes. Johnson was arrested on Nov. 30, 2018.
Between July and November 2018, FBI’s Springfield Office and the Springfield Social Security Administration Office (SSA Springfield), collectively received three packages containing either threatening communications and/or suspicious substances. The Springfield Branch Office of the Massachusetts U.S. Attorney’s Office received a letter from an individual claiming responsibility for sending the packages. All of the packages contained a piece of white-lined paper with a hand-drawn logo that appeared to combine the “anarchist A” symbol (the capital letter “A” surrounded by the letter “O”) and the symbol for ISIS, a foreign terrorist organization. Two of the packages contained suspicious white powder.
On July 23, 2018, security cameras at the FBI Springfield Office captured an individual throwing a manila envelope at the front door. The package contained a handwritten note saying: “Death to TRUMP.”
On Oct. 23, 2018, SSA Springfield received a package containing white powder and a handwritten letter stating, among other things: “FOR ALLAH YOU DIE, ATHENA KNOWS YOUR LIES, DEATH TO YOU TRAITORS, AND THE FU----- FBI.”
On Oct. 24, 2018, the FBI Springfield Office received a package through the mail addressed to “AGENT UNCLE HAM.” The package contained white powder and a handwritten note stating: “FOR ALLAH YOU DIE, ATHENA KNOWS YOUR LIES, DEATH TO THE N.O.R.A.D SPIES, AND THE FBI.”
The white powder in the packages was found to contain no hazardous materials.
United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling; Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Division; Joseph W. Cronin, Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Boston Division; Scott Antolik, Special Agent in Charge of the Social Security Administration, Office of Inspector General, Office of Investigations, Boston Field Division; Stephen A. Marks, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Secret Service, Boston Field Division; and Southwick Police Chief Kevin A. Bishop, made the announcement today. Assistance was provided by the Western Massachusetts Joint Terrorism Task Force, Hampden County Sheriff’s Department, and Holyoke Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Deepika Bains Shukla, Chief of Lelling’s Springfield Branch Office, prosecuted the case.
South Philadelphia Drug Delivery Service Operators, Known as the “Friends,” Convicted at Trial on All CountsRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – First Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer Arbittier Williams announced that Antoine Clark, 30, Gerald Spruell, 32, and Daniel Robinson, 36, all of Philadelphia, PA, were convicted after more than two weeks at trial of charges including conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, and distribution or possession with intent to distribute crack cocaine and heroin arising from their operation of an almost around-the-clock drug delivery service for several years in South Philadelphia.
Between 2013 and 2016, the defendants and their co-conspirators, known as the “Friends” and “7th Street” drug trafficking group, delivered crack cocaine and heroin to customers along the 7th Street corridor in South Philadelphia using a shared drug phone. The defendants used the phone to take orders and communicate with customers; they would pass the phone off in shifts to keep their operation going almost 24 hours per day. FBI agents conducted surveillance and controlled purchases of narcotics from the defendants using audio and video recording devices. Agents recovered narcotics sold by the defendants after stopping their drug customers. During the course of the investigation, agents also intercepted phone calls and text messages from the shared drug phone, which documented the defendants’ illicit activities. Upon defendant Spruell’s arrest in June 2016, Philadelphia Police officers recovered a number of items related to drug trafficking, including two firearms and live rounds of ammunition.
“The defendants in this case ran a drug delivery operation akin to a ‘GrubHub’ or ‘UberEats’ for narcotics,” said First Assistant U.S. Attorney Williams. “But despite their ‘friendly’ moniker, they were no friends to this community. To the contrary, they jeopardized the safety of an entire neighborhood in South Philadelphia. This conviction marks the definitive end to their enterprise, and a new beginning for the 7th Street corridor.”
Each defendant faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 25 years’ imprisonment, and a maximum of lifetime imprisonment.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Matthew Newcomer and Jason Grenell.
Sex Trafficker Convicted by A Federal Jury Going to Prison for 25 YearsRead the Press Release
CONTACT: Barbara Burns
PHONE: (716) 843-5817
FAX #: (716) 551-3051ROCHESTER, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy, Jr. announced today that Ray Davis, 30, of Rochester, NY, who was convicted following a jury trial of two counts of sex trafficking, one count of sex trafficking conspiracy, two counts of production of child pornography, and two counts of distribution of child pornography, was sentenced to serve 25 years in prison by U.S. District Judge Charles J. Siragusa.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Melissa Marangola and Meghan McGuire, who prosecuted the case, stated that in 2015, the defendant ran a sex trafficking operation with co-defendant, Marcus Brown. Davis and Brown preyed upon and exploited teenagers who were homeless and vulnerable, coercing them to engage in commercial sex acts.
Davis and Brown worked together to take sexually explicit photos of the minor victims and post them on Backpage.com, an online classified advertisement website that was previously shut down by the Department of Justice.
Charges remain pending against Marcus Brown.
The sentencing is the result of an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Kevin Kelly, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Child Exploitation Task Force, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Gary Loeffert.
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Rochester, PA Man Pleads Guilty to Possessing 14 Pornographic Videos Involving a MinorRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH - A resident of Rochester, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty in federal court to a charge of possession of material depicting the sexual exploitation of a minor, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced today.
Elijah Winchester, 23, pleaded guilty to one count before Senior United States District Judge Joy Flowers Conti.
In connection with the guilty plea, the court was advised that in May 2018, law enforcement became aware that Winchester, who was 21 years old at the time, was involved in a sexual relationship with a 14-year-old female. After Winchester denied the relationship, law enforcement obtained a search warrant for his phone. A forensic review of the phone revealed 14 pornographic videos involving the minor. In some of the videos, both Winchester’s face and the minor’s face are visible.
Judge Conti scheduled sentencing for June 17, 2020 at 10 a.m. The law provides for a total sentence of 10 years in prison, a fine of $250,000, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Pending sentencing, the court ordered that Winchester remained detained.
Assistant United States Attorney Lee J. Karl is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Western Pennsylvania Violent Crimes Against Children Task Force, the Beaver Police Department and the Beaver County District Attorney’s Office conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Winchester.
Project Parkersburg Update: Final Four Defendants Plead Guilty to Role in Drug Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – The last four Project Parkersburg defendants pled guilty to federal drug charges, announced United States Attorney Mike Stuart. Aurelius Edmonds 37, of Vienna, and Terrence McGuirk, 50 of Parkersburg, pled guilty to conspiracy to distribute more than 500 grams of methamphetamine. Antoine Terry, 37, of Parkersburg, pled guilty to conspiracy to distribute more than 500 grams of cocaine. Amanda Atkinson, 43, of Parkersburg, pled guilty to using a cellular telephone to facilitate drug trafficking offenses. Edmonds, McGuirk, and Terry admitted that they had agreed together to purchase methamphetamine and cocaine from a source of supply in Phoenix, Arizona in August 2018. Edmonds traveled to Phoenix to purchase the drugs and make arrangements with Todd Land and Troy Pastorino to ship them to Dayton, Ohio where he, Terry, and McGuirk would take possession of the shipment.
Police learned of the deal and intercepted the shipment in a traffic stop of Troy Pastorino in Dayton, Ohio on September 19, 2018. Edmonds, Terry, and Land were arrested at a night club where they were awaiting word from Pastorino that the shipment was ready for pickup. McGuirk was arrested in his nearby hotel room. The shipment contained 121 pounds of ICE methamphetamine and 6 kilograms of cocaine. McGuirk admitted his intent to distribute his share of the methamphetamine in and around Parkersburg. Edmonds and Terry admitted their intent to distribute the cocaine in Ohio and return to Parkersburg with the proceeds.
Atkinson admitted that on September 18, 2018, Edmonds called her from Dayton and directed her to retrieve drugs from a stash house on Liberty Street in Parkersburg and deliver them to McGuirk. Police observed her travel from Liberty Street to meet McGuirk at a convenience store in Parkersburg. On September 20, 2018, federal agents and officers with the Parkersburg Police Department executed a search warrant at the Liberty Street residence and seized approximately 225 grams of heroin and 478 grams of fentanyl.
“An enormous amount of deadly drugs were seized as a result of Project Parkersburg,” said United States Attorney Mike Stuart. “A drug trafficking organization has been dismantled and all of the federal defendants now stand convicted. Project Parkersburg significantly reduced the availability of meth in Parkersburg and the surrounding area and, no doubt, saved the lives of many, many potential victims. I want to thank the remarkable work of my team including AUSA Josh Hanks and others, as well as the FBI, the Parkersburg Police Department, the Dayton, Ohio Police Department, and the Parkersburg Narcotics and Violent Crime Task Force. Jobs well done by all.”
Edmonds, McGuirk, Terry, and Atkinson are being prosecuted as part of Project Parkersburg – a major takedown and dismantling of a multi-state drug trafficking organization (DTO) responsible for distributing methamphetamine and heroin. Stuart commended the investigative efforts of the FBI, the Parkersburg Police Department, the Dayton Ohio Police Department, and the Parkersburg Narcotics and Violent Crime Task Force. The long-term, joint investigation resulted in at least 29 individuals being charged in federal and state court, along with the seizure of methamphetamine, cocaine, heroin, fentanyl, several firearms, and more than $80,000 cash.
Edmond and McGuirk face 10 years to life, and Terry faces five to forty years in federal prison when they are sentenced on June 10, 2020. Atkinson faces up to four years in prison when she is sentenced on June 17, 2020.
United States District Judge Irene C. Berger presided over the plea hearings. Assistant United States Attorneys Joshua Hanks and Jeremy Wolfe are handling the prosecution.
Follow us on Twitter: @SDWVNews and @USAttyStuart
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Portland Tax Return Preparer Sentenced to Prison for Preparing False ReturnsRead the Press Release
Portland, Maine: A Portland tax return preparer was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Portland for preparing false tax returns, U.S. Attorney Halsey B. Frank announced.
U.S. District Judge D. Brock Hornby sentenced Ashraf Eldeknawey, 46, to six months in prison and one year of supervised release. Judge Hornby also ordered Eldeknawey to pay $97,191 in restitution to the IRS. Eldeknawey pleaded guilty on August 14, 2019.
According to court documents and information presented in court, Eldeknawey operated a tax return preparation business located inside the Ahram Halal Market in Portland from 2015 to 2018. He prepared fraudulent tax returns for clients on which he reported self-employment income that they did not earn. As a result, the clients received tax refunds to which they were not entitled. Eldeknawey also filed a 2014 tax return for himself on which he overstated the expenses associated with a painting business he operated.
The IRS Criminal Investigation Division; the FBI; the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Office of Inspector General; and the Maine Department of Health and Human Services, Fraud Investigation and Recovery Unit, investigated the case. Attorneys from the Tax Division of the U.S. Department of Justice and the U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case.
Pittsburgh Man Charged with Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH - A resident of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh on a charge of possessing material depicting the sexual exploitation of minors, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced today.
The one-count Indictment named Michael Marlette, age 53, as the sole defendant.
According to the Indictment, which was returned on February 18, 2020 and unsealed today, on or about April 19, 2018, Marlette possessed materials depicting the sexual exploitation of minors.
The law provides for a maximum total sentence of 20 years in prison, a fine of $250,000 or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant. Marlette was released on bond pending trial.
Assistant United States Attorney Mark V. Gurzo is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
Homeland Security Investigations, with the assistance of the Blawnox Police Department, conducted the investigation that led to the Indictment in this case.
An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals, who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Pittsburgh Felon Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Drug and Firearms OffensesRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH - A resident of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, has been sentenced in federal court to 10 years’ imprisonment and five years’ supervised release on his conviction of violating federal narcotics and firearms laws, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced today.
United States District Judge Nora Barry Fischer imposed the sentence on Tyree Jrevae Booker, age 41, formerly of 2172 Vantine Street.
According to information presented to the court, on December 6, 2018, Booker possessed a firearm and ammunition, knowing that he had previously been convicted of crimes punishable for a term exceeding one year. He also possessed quantities if crack cocaine, cocaine, and methamphetamine with the intent to distribute those substances.
Assistant United States Attorney Brendan T. Conway prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
United States Attorney Brady commended the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms and the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Booker.
Project Safe Neighborhoods (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.
Pittsburgh Felon Charged with Illegally Possessing a Rifle and AmmunitionRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH - A resident of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh on a charge of violating federal firearms laws, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced today.
The one-count Indictment named Cheron Shelton, age 33, of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, as the sole defendant.
According to the Indictment, on March 12, 2016, Shelton possessed a firearm and ammunition, namely a Colt Model M4, .22 caliber rifle, knowing that he had been previously convicted of a crime punishable by a term exceeding one year. Federal law prohibits any person who has been convicted of a felony from owning a firearm.
The law provides for a maximum total sentence of not more than ten years in prison, a fine of $250,000 or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorneys Douglas C. Maloney and Brendan T. Conway are prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Allegheny County Police Department and the Wilkinsburg Police Department conducted the investigation leading to the Indictment in this case.
An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Project Safe Neighborhoods (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.
Pilot Involved in Marijuana Trafficking Ring Sentenced to 30 Months in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that DONALD BURNS, 62, of Milford, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Janet Bond Arterton in New Haven to 30 months of imprisonment, followed by two years of supervised release, for his role in a large-scale marijuana trafficking conspiracy.
According to court documents and the evidence presented during a trial of one of Burns’ codefendants, in 2016, the Federal Aviation Administration began investigating a Piper single-engine aircraft, owned by Burns, that was making regular flights between Stratford, Connecticut, and northern California via the southwest United States. On June 28, 2017, Burns flew the aircraft from northern California to Lubbock, Texas. The next day, Burns flew the aircraft from Texas to Arkansas, and then to West Virginia and Connecticut, where he landed in the evening at Sikorsky Airport in Stratford. After it landed, a law enforcement search of the plane revealed approximately 400 pounds of marijuana in vacuum-sealed packages, and Burns was arrested. Investigators determined that the marijuana was intended for Robert Capelli, Scott Bodnar, Terrell Givens and others to distribute in Connecticut.
The investigation revealed that, for more than two years, Capelli and his associates earned millions of dollars by trafficking nearly two tons of marijuana from California to Connecticut. Members of the conspiracy also laundered more than $6 million to purchase marijuana in California, maintain properties for distribution in Connecticut, pay Burns to transport the marijuana, and for other expenses related to the conspiracy.
On May 6, 2019, Burns, of Milford, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute, and to possess with intent to distribute, 1,000 kilograms or more of marijuana. He also agreed to forfeit the Piper aircraft.
Burns, who is released on bond, is required to report to prison on May 26.
On July 25, 2019, a jury found Capelli, of Milford, guilty of one count of conspiracy to distribute, and to possess with intent to distribute, 100 kilograms or more of marijuana, and one count of possession with intent to distribute 100 kilograms or more of marijuana. He was found not guilty of one count of conspiracy to launder monetary instruments, and one count of money laundering. On December 3, 2019, he was sentenced to 95 months of imprisonment.
As part of this case, Capelli also has forfeited $55,000.
On May 2, 2019, Bodnar, of Ansonia, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute, and to possess with intent to distribute, 1,000 kilograms or more of marijuana, and one count of conspiracy to launder monetary instruments. On September 4, 2019, he was sentenced to 55 months of imprisonment and ordered to forfeit his 2012 Toyota Camry.
On May 3, 2019, Givens, of Beacon Falls, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute, and to possess with intent to distribute, 1,000 kilograms or more of marijuana, and one count of conspiracy to launder monetary instruments. On September 11, 2019, he was sentenced to 55 months of imprisonment and ordered to forfeit his 2009 Jaguar XF and jewelry valued at approximately $8,000.
This matter was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration’s New Haven Task Force, the Federal Aviation Administration’s Law Enforcement Assistance Program (LEAP), the Customs and Border Protection’s Air and Marine Operations Center, the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation Division, the U.S. Marshals Service, the Stratford, Derby and West Haven Police Departments, and the Second Judicial Drug Task Force in Jonesboro, Arkansas.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Rahul Kale and Marc Silverman.
Pharmacy Owner Admits Role in Multimillion-Dollar Illegal Kickback Scheme and Evading Taxes on over $33 Million of IncomeRead the Press Release
TRENTON, N.J. – The former co-owner of a Union City, New Jersey, pharmacy today admitted his role in a scheme to pay bribes to health care professionals and evading taxes on $33.9 million in income, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito announced.
Igor Fleyshmakher, 58, of Holmdel, New Jersey, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Michael A. Shipp in Trenton federal court to an information charging him with conspiring to violate the federal anti-kickback statute and tax evasion.
The information alleges that he conspired to violate the anti-kickback statute with seven other individuals, including the following individuals who have been previously charged by superseding indictment or information: Samuel “Sam” Khaimov of Glen Head, New York; Ruben Sevumyants of Marlboro, New Jersey; Alex Fleyshmakher of Morganville, New Jersey; and Eduard “Eddy” Shtindler of Paramus, New Jersey. Shtindler has previously pleaded guilty for his role in a related kickback conspiracy and is pending sentencing.
“Kickback schemes like this not only illegally enrich defendants like Fleyshmakher, they take needed resources from our health care system,” U.S. Attorney Carpenito said. “And after stealing millions of dollars in this way, the defendant stole again, by failing to report this income or pay taxes on it. His guilty plea today will make sure he is held to account for his crimes.”
“This fraudster was part of a kickback scheme that not only tilted the scales toward Prime Aid Pharmacies, but diverted precious federal dollars so he could enrich himself while ripping off the government,” FBI-Newark Special Agent in Charge Gregory W. Ehrie said. “If you are an investor or medical professional participating in a fraud scheme for an ill-gotten gain, you should ask yourself if it's worth the price you will pay. The FBI is searching for schemes like this and if you participate, you will be caught.”
“Bribing doctors to line your own pockets and using secret accounts to evade taxes are both very serious offenses motivated by one thing: greed,” John R. Tafur, Special Agent in Charge, IRS Criminal Investigation, Newark Field Office, said. “Today’s guilty plea should send a strong deterrent message to anyone else thinking about participating in this type of illegal activity. If you decide to roll the dice, IRS Criminal Investigation along with our law enforcement partners will find you.”
“Fleyshmakher, with his previously indicted co-conspirators, bribed doctors to illegally increase profits and enrich themselves,” Scott J. Lampert, Special Agent in Charge for the Office of Inspector General of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, said. “Working with our state and federal law enforcement partners, we will continue to hold accountable anyone who attempts to defraud government healthcare insurance programs.”
According to documents filed in this case:
The Prime Aid Pharmacies – now closed – operated as “specialty pharmacies” out of locations in Union City, New Jersey, and Bronx, New York. They processed expensive medications used to treat various conditions, including Hepatitis C, Crohn’s disease, and rheumatoid arthritis. Igor Fleyshmakher was a co-owner of Prime Aid Union City. Khaimov was the other co-owner of Prime Aid Union City and the lead pharmacist of Prime Aid Bronx. Sevumyants was Prime Aid Union City’s operations manager, and Alex Fleyshmakher worked at Prime Aid Union City and was an owner of Prime Aid Bronx. Shtindler was a Prime Aid Union City employee.
Staring in 2010, in order to obtain a higher volume of prescriptions, Igor Fleyshmakher, Khaimov, Sevumyants, Alex Fleyshmakher, Shtindler, and other Prime Aid employees paid bribes to doctors and doctors’ employees to induce doctors’ office to steer prescriptions to the Prime Aid Pharmacies. The bribes included expensive meals, designer bags, and payments by cash, check, and wire transfers. The bribes and kickbacks were paid to, among others, doctors and doctors’ employees in New Jersey and New York.
As part of his plea agreement, Igor Fleyshmakher agreed that the improper benefit conferred as part of the conspiracy to violate the federal anti-kickback statute was between $3.5 million and $9.5 million.
In addition, between 2012 and 2014, Igor Fleyshmakher diverted a substantial amount of Prime Aid Union City income into a secret bank account that he opened and controlled. He concealed the account from the pharmacy’s tax preparers and did not report any of the funds he deposited into it on his personal income tax returns. In total, he diverted $33.9 million of income into the secret account, all of which he failed to report to the IRS. As a co-owner of the pharmacy, his conduct resulted in a $5.8 million tax loss to the IRS on his share of that income for tax years 2012 through 2014.
The conspiracy and tax evasion charges to which Igor Fleyshmakher pleaded guilty each carry a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentencing is scheduled for June 22, 2020.
U.S. Attorney Carpenito credited special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Gregory W. Ehrie in Newark; special agents of IRS-Criminal Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge John R. Tafur; special agents of the Department of Health and Human Services-Office of Inspector General, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Scott J. Lampert; and the N.J. Office of the State Comptroller, under the direction of Comptroller Kevin Walsh, with the ongoing investigation leading to today’s guilty plea.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua L. Haber of the Health Care Fraud Unit of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Newark.
The charges against and allegations in the information pertaining to Khaimov, Sevumyants, and Alex Fleyshmakher are merely accusations, and those three defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Defense counsel: Eric M. Creizman Esq. and Melisa Madrigal Esq., New York
Parent Sentenced in College Admissions CaseRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A California woman was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for paying $300,000 to participate the college entrance exam cheating scheme and athletic recruitment scheme for her children.
Michelle Janavs, 49, of Newport Coast, Calif., was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Nathaniel M. Gorton to five months in prison, two years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $250,000 fine.
The government recommended a sentence of 21 months in prison, three years of supervised release, 250 hours of community service and a fine of $175,000. In October 2019, Janavs pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud and honest services mail and wire fraud and one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering.
Beginning in 2017, Janavs conspired with Rick Singer and others to secure her children’s admission to selective colleges and universities through bribery and fraud.
On Oct. 28, 2017, Janavs’s older daughter took the ACT exam at a test center in West Hollywood that Singer “controlled” through a corrupt test administrator, Igor Dvorskiy. Singer’s corrupt “proctor,” Mark Riddell, reviewed and corrected the daughter’s answers. In November 2017, Janavs sent a $50,000 check to Singer’s sham charitable organization, Key Worldwide Foundation (KWF), to pay for the fraud. Singer, in turn, passed a portion of the money to Riddell and Dvorskiy.
In February 2019, Janavs’s younger daughter took the ACT at the West Hollywood Test Center, and Riddell corrected her answers. Later that month, Janavs wired $25,000 to KWF and mailed a $25,000 check to KWF. Singer, in turn, passed bribes to Riddell and Dvorskiy.
Riddell and Dvorskiy have pleaded guilty and are awaiting sentencing.
Beginning in 2018, Janavs agreed with Singer to pay $200,000 to facilitate her older daughter’s admission to the University of Southern California (USC) as a purported volleyball recruit. In August 2018, Janavs emailed Singer photos of her daughter playing volleyball so that Singer could create a fake athletic “profile.” In October 2018, a USC athletics administrator, Donna Heinel, secured approval to admit Janavs’s daughter from the USC subcommittee for athletic admissions based on the falsified athletic credentials. Later that month, Janavs mailed Heinel a $50,000 check drawn from her family’s charitable foundation account and made payable to USC Women’s Volleyball, the account designated by Heinel. Janavs was arrested before her older daughter received her formal admission to USC and, accordingly, did not pay the remaining $150,000 of the initially agreed upon amount.
Case information, including the status of each defendant, charging documents and plea agreements are available here: https://www.justice.gov/usao-ma/investigations-college-admissions-and-testing-bribery-scheme.
United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling; Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Division; and Kristina O’Connell, Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigations in Boston, made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Eric S. Rosen, Justin D. O’Connell, Leslie A. Wright and Kristen A. Kearney of Lelling’s Securities and Financial Fraud Unit are prosecuting the cases.
The details contained in the court documents are allegations and the remaining defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Ocean County Man Charged with Online Enticement of a Minor and Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
TRENTON, N.J. – An Ocean County, New Jersey, man was arrested this morning on charges that he induced a minor to send him sexually explicit pictures and to engage in sexually explicit conduct over an online messaging service, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito announced.
Kevin Van Pelt, 29, of Lakehurst, New Jersey, is charged by complaint with one count of online enticement of a minor to engage in criminal sexual conduct and one count of possession of child pornography. Van Pelt appeared this afternoon before U.S. Magistrate Judge Lois H. Goodman in Trenton federal court and was released on $100,000 unsecured appearance bond.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
From August 2018 to October 2018, Van Pelt used multiple online messaging services to communicate with a minor victim, including repeatedly requesting that the minor send him sexually explicit images. Van Pelt also had images of child sexual abuse on his cellular phone when he was arrested by local authorities on May 1, 2019.
The charge of online enticement carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison, a maximum potential penalty of life in prison, and a $250,000 fine. The charge of possession of child pornography carries a maximum potential penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
U.S. Attorney Carpenito credited members of the FBI Child Exploitation Human Trafficking Task Force, under the direction of FBI Special Agent in Charge Gregory W. Ehrie in Newark; members of the Gloucester County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Prosecutor Charles A. Fiore; and members of the Woolwich Township Police Department, under the direction of Chief Richard Jaramillo, with the investigation leading to today’s arrest.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Elisa T. Wiygul of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Criminal Division in Trenton.
The charges and allegations contained in the complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.