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10 March 2020
Three Men Indicted in Jamestown Cocaine RingRead the Press Release
CONTACT: Barbara Burns
PHONE: (716) 843-5817
FAX #: (716) 551-3051BUFFALO, N.Y.--U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy, Jr. announced today that a federal grand jury has returned an indictment charging Kori Robinson, 22, Islandah Mitchell, 20, both of Jamestown, NY, and Bruce Page, 25, of Buffalo, NY, with conspiring to possess with intent to distribute, and to distribute, cocaine. The charge carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, and a $1,000,000 fine.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeremiah E. Lenihan, who is handling the case, stated that according to the indictment and a previously filed complaint, on March 2, 2020, after receiving information that defendants Robinson and Mitchell were traveling to Jamestown with cocaine and crack cocaine in their vehicle, Jamestown Police officers conducted a traffic stop of the vehicle. As an officer approached the vehicle, the vehicle began to drive away. The officer got back into his marked patrol vehicle and initiated another vehicular traffic stop.
An officer observed the front seat passenger, identified as defendant Robinson, moving around and reaching under the front seat, and he appeared to place something in the back seat. The officer gave verbal commands for Robinson to keep his hands up and not to move around. However, Robinson continued to reach and move around.
The Officers called out for each person to exit the vehicle one at a time. Defendant Mitchell was driving, Robinson was the front seat passenger, and defendant Page was in the back seat.
The Officers detected the scent of marijuana coming from inside the vehicle. They then conducted a search of the vehicle, and in the floor area of the back seat, discovered a brown purse. Sticking out from the purse, officers observed narcotics packaging baggies. Inside the purse, officers recovered a clear plastic baggie that contained two separate clear baggies containing suspected crack cocaine and powder cocaine. Officers also recovered a quantity of suspected marijuana; empty packaging materials; a metal spoon with suspected drug residue; and several cellular phones.
On January 27, 2020, the Jamestown Metro Drug Task Force and the Southern Tier Regional Drug Task Force executed a search warrant at Mitchell’s Lafayette Street Apartment in Jamestown. Investigators recovered quantities of suspected cocaine and crack cocaine; $2,000 in cash; two digital scales; credit cards; an iPhone; and a box of ammunition.
The defendants were arraigned before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jeremiah J. McCarthy. Defendant Page is being detained. Defendants Mitchell and Robinson were released on conditions.
The indictment is the result of an investigation by the Jamestown Police Department, under the direction of Chief Harry Snellings, the Southern Tier Regional Drug Task Force, under the direction of Cattaraugus County Sheriff’s Office Lieutenant Ronald Lott, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Gary Loeffert.
The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
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The National Comprehensive Opioid, Stimulant, and Substance Abuse Program Forum Presents Ways to Combat Addiction CrisisRead the Press Release
The 2020 National Comprehensive Opioid, Stimulant, and Substance Abuse Program (COSSAP) Forum takes place today through Thursday at the Hyatt Regency Crystal City in Arlington, Virginia.
About 1,100 participants, ranging from criminal justice and behavioral health professionals to law enforcement officers, are attending to learn and to share promising and evidence-based strategies, case studies and projects that are turning the tide of America’s addiction epidemic.
“This crisis has claimed too many lives, torn apart too many families and stolen too many futures,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Katharine T. Sullivan, Office of Justice Programs. “But thanks to dedicated professionals across the country, we are beginning to see progress in this fight. Overdose deaths are down for the first time in 28 years, which is truly a cause for optimism. The work we are all doing together is making a difference.”
“While the drop in deaths due to overdose is very encouraging, our nation still has a way to go in battling addiction,” said Acting BJA Director Michael Costigan. “I believe the COSSAP Forum will help through the sharing of evidence-based best practices.”
COSSAP, formerly known as the Comprehensive Opioid Abuse Program, is funded by the Department of Justice’s Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA). Its purpose is to provide financial support to states, units of local government and tribal governments to develop and implement comprehensive efforts to support those impacted by the addiction epidemic. As the overall number of overdose fatalities declined last year, the Trump Administration and Congress are working together to address a surge in deaths related to drugs such as cocaine, methamphetamines and synthetic opioids like fentanyl.
In the last two fiscal years, BJA has awarded approximately $330 million through over 300 grants across almost all states and territories, and many tribes. This program is designed to allow each community to address its unique needs and respond to local or regional emerging threats. These historic investments are enabling law enforcement officers and treatment providers to jointly respond to overdose incidents. They are also helping to expand diversion programs, develop treatment and recovery strategies, and introduce technology-assisted treatment options.
To learn more, visit www.COAPResources.org.
The Office of Justice Programs, directed by Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Katharine T. Sullivan, provides federal leadership, grants, training, technical assistance and other resources to improve the nation’s capacity to prevent and reduce crime, assist victims and enhance the rule of law by strengthening the criminal and juvenile justice systems. More information about OJP and its components can be found at www.ojp.gov.
The year 2020 marks the 150th anniversary of the Department of Justice. Learn more about the history of our agency at www.Justice.gov/Celebrating150Years.
St. Thomas Man Charged with Attempting to Smuggle Machine Gun with an Obliterated Serial Number After Returning from TortolaRead the Press Release
St. Thomas, USVI- Javier Enrique Lima was indicted on February 27, 2020 on multiple federal and local charges related to possessing and transporting a firearm with obliterated serial number. He was also charged with departing a customs facility before being authorized.
According to the indictment and other filed documents, on February 3, 2020, defendant presented himself at Customs and Border Protection (CBP) in the Red Hook ferry terminal after returning from Tortola. A CBP Officer working the x-ray machine noticed a firearm in the backpack Lima brought with him. Lima immediately fled the facility, leaving his backpack. Law enforcement agents made multiple efforts to locate Lima, and were unable to do so. Lima eventually turned himself in to law enforcement on March 9, 2020.
Following a detention hearing this morning before the Honorable Ruth Miller, Lima was released to the custody of his parents for home confinement pending trial on the charges.
Lima faces a maximum sentence of fifteen years in prison.
United States Attorney Shappert reminds the public that an indictment is merely a formal charging document and is not evidence of guilt. Every defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
The case is being investigated by the Department of Homeland Security. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Donna Rainwater.
Springfield Man Sentenced to 15 Years for Conspiring to Distribute HeroinRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Springfield man was sentenced today in federal court in Springfield in connection with his role in a large-scale drug conspiracy that trafficked dozens of kilos of heroin into Springfield from Bronx, N.Y. and the Dominican Republic.
Alberto Marte, 35, was sentenced to 15 years in prison after pleading guilty to one count of conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute more than one kilogram of heroin; six counts of distribution of heroin; one count of conspiracy to distribute more than one kilogram of fentanyl; and one count of unlawful possession of a firearm. U.S. District Court Judge Mark G. Mastroianni scheduled sentencing for June 29, 2020.
Marte operated a heroin mill at 152 Lebanon Street in Springfield where his co-conspirators packaged kilograms of heroin for retail distribution for a drug trafficking organization based in Springfield. The organization had direct contact with heroin supply sources in the Dominican Republic. On a monthly basis, members of the organization transported between eight and 20 kilograms of heroin to the Springfield area. Marte and 12 others have pleaded guilty to, or have been found guilty of, crimes resulting from their roles in the organization.
A search of Marte’s home and vehicles on Sept. 22, 2016 resulted in the discovery of three kilograms of heroin hidden in an aftermarket compartment in a vehicle and three firearms. On the same date 1.7 kilograms of heroin and evidence of an active heroin mill were also discovered during searches at additional locations.
United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling; Hampden County District Attorney Anthony D. Gulluni; Brian D. Boyle, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration’s New England Division; Jason Molina, Acting Special Agent in Charge, Homeland Security Investigations in Boston; Colonel Christopher Mason, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police; Springfield Police Commissioner Cheryl Claprood; Chicopee Police Chief William R. Jebb; Holyoke Police Chief Manny Febo; and West Springfield Police Chief Paul Connor made the announcement today.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Neil L. Desroches of Lelling’s Springfield Branch Office prosecuted the case.
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Springfield Man Pleads Guilty to Damaging a Postal Vehicle and Stealing MailRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Springfield man pleaded guilty today in federal court in Springfield for theft of United States mail and destruction of government property.
Jose Luis Sanchez, 45, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Court Judge Mark G. Mastroianni who scheduled sentencing for June 11, 2020. Luis Sanchez admitted that on Aug. 16, 2017 he broke into a postal vehicle and stole mail that was inside.
The maximum sentence for stealing mail is up to five years in prison, to be followed by up to three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The offense of causing damage to government property is punishable by up to one year in prison to be followed by up to one year of supervised a release and a $100,000 fine.
United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling; Joseph W. Cronin, Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service; and Springfield Police Commissioner Cheryl Clapprood made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Neil L. Desroches of Lelling’s Springfield Branch Office is prosecuting the case.
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South Florida Resident Convicted for Stealing over $2 million from a Texas School DistrictRead the Press Release
MIAMI−Following a three-day trial, a federal jury found Donald Howard Conkright, 63, of Key West, Florida, guilty for his role in laundering more than $2 million that was stolen from a Texas school district.
Ariana Fajardo Orshan, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, and Matthew J. DeSarno, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Dallas Field Office, made the announcement.
According to the evidence presented at trial, a spoofed email was used to trick a Texas school district into sending approximately $2 million to a bank account that Conkright controlled. The school district had that money earmarked for the construction of a new elementary school.
Once the $2 million hit the bank account, Conkright began to spend and conceal the money. He purchased $70,000 worth of Rolex watches, over $13,000 at Apple stores, and a $128,000 BMW, among other transactions. Conkright also withdrew more than $60,000 in cash from the account, in increments below $10,000. He wired out of the country about $875,000, and sent over $70,000 worth of computers to Nigeria. In addition to laundering the school district’s money, there was evidence presented at trial that Conkright had laundered, and attempted to launder, other victims’ money as part of the same conspiracy between 2017 and 2019.
The jury found Conkright guilty of conspiring to commit money laundering and substantive money laundering. Sentencing is scheduled in Key West, Florida for May 11, 2020.
U.S. Attorney Fajardo Orshan commended the investigative efforts of the FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lindsey Lazopoulos Friedman and Yisel Valdes prosecuted the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicole Grosnoff is handling asset forfeiture.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov.
South Bend, Indiana Man Convicted by a JuryRead the Press Release
SOUTH BEND - Trent Slone, age 44, of South Bend, Indiana, was convicted of being a felon in possession of a firearm, announced United States Attorney Thomas L. Kirsch II.
U.S. District Court Judge Jon E. DeGuilio presided over this two-day trial in South Bend.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives with the assistance from the Drug Enforcement Administration and the St. Joseph County Drug Investigations Unit. Assistant United States Attorneys for the Northern District of Indiana, Joel Gabrielse and Jerry McKeever, prosecuted the case.
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Six Individuals Indicted in March Federal Grand JuryRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office announced today the results of the March 2020 Federal Grand Jury.
The following named individuals have been charged with a federal crime or crimes by the return of an indictment by the Grand Jury. A grand jury Indictment does not constitute evidence of guilt. A grand jury Indictment is a method of bringing formal charges against the defendant. A defendant is presumed innocent of the charges and may not be found guilty unless evidence establishes guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. United States Sentencing Guidelines may be considered, upon conviction, by the sentencing court. Federal prison sentences are non-parolable.
PABLO GEOVANNI AGUIRRE-RODRIGUEZ, age 37, of El Salvador
Possession With Intent To Distribute Methamphetamine
Possession Of Firearm In Furtherance Of Drug Trafficking Crime
Illegal Reentry Of Previously Removed Alien
Possession Of A Firearm By A Prohibited PersonThe Indictment alleges that on or about December 19, 2019, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma, the defendant, PABLO GEOVANNI AGUIRRE-RODRIGUEZ, did knowingly and intentionally possess with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of a mixture or substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine, a Schedule II controlled substance, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1) and 841(b)(1)(B), punishable by not less than 5 years and not more than 40 years imprisonment, a fine up to $5,000,000.00, or both.
The Indictment further alleges that on or about December 19, 2019, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma, the defendant, PABLO GEOVANNI AGUIRRE-RODRIGUEZ, did knowingly possess a firearm, to wit: one Tristar 9mm caliber semi-automatic pistol, serial number 13AF00837; in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime for which he may be prosecuted in a court of the United States, that is, Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine as alleged in Count One, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 924(c), punishable by not less than 5 years to run consecutive to any other term of imprisonment imposed, a fine up to $250,000.00, or both.
The Indictment further alleges that on or about December 19, 2019, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma, the defendant, PABLO GEOVANNI AGUIRRE-RODRIGUEZ, an alien, was found in the United States after having been removed therefrom on or about April 10, 2013 at or near Phoenix, Arizona, and not having obtained the express consent of the Secretary of Homeland Security to reapply for admission to the United States; in violation of Title 8, United States Code, Section 1326(a), punishable by not more than 2 years imprisonment, a fine up to $250,000.00, or both.
The Indictment further alleges that on or about December 19, 2019, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma, the defendant, PABLO GEOVANNI AGUIRRE-RODRIGUEZ, knowing that he was an alien illegally and unlawfully in the United States, did knowingly possess a firearm, to wit: one TriStar 9mm caliber semi-automatic pistol, serial number 13AF00837, and said firearm having been shipped and transported in interstate commerce; in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922(g)(5)(a) and 924(a)(2), punishable by not more than 10 years imprisonment, a fine up to $250,000.00, or both.
The charges arose from an investigation by the Wagoner County Sheriff’s Office and the Department of Homeland Security - Homeland Security Investigations.
Assistant United States Attorney Ryan Conway
ROBERT L. LEMONS, age 32, of Idabel, Oklahoma
Felon In Possession Of Firearm & AmmunitionThe Indictment alleges that on or about January 13, 2019, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma, the defendant, ROBERT L. LEMONS, having previously been convicted of a crime punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year, and knowing of said conviction, did knowingly possess in and affecting commerce, a firearm and ammunition which had been shipped and transported in interstate and foreign commerce, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922(g)(1), 924(a)(2), and 924(e)(1), punishable by not more than 10 years imprisonment, a fine up to $250,000.00, or both.
The charges arose from an investigation by the Idabel Police Department, the McCurtain County Sheriff’s Office, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Assistant United States Attorney Ben Gifford
JOHN COLE HAEBERLE, age 23, of Tahlequah, Oklahoma
ArsonThe Indictment alleges that on or about February 24, 2020, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma, the defendant, JOHN COLE HAEBERLE, maliciously damaged and destroyed, and attempted to damage and destroy, by means of fire and explosive materials, a building which was used in any activity affecting interstate commerce, to-wit: the Garden Walk Apartments located at 18106 W. 794 Road, APT 40B, Tahlequah, Oklahoma, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 844(i), punishable by not less than 5 years and not more than 20 years imprisonment, a fine up to $250,000.00, or both.
The charges arose from an investigation by the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Assistant United States Attorney Jarrod Leaman
JOHN LEROY PRUITT III, age 42, of Braggs, Oklahoma
Possession Of Unregistered Firearm (Destructive Device)The Indictment alleges that on or about January 8, 2020, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma, the defendant, JOHN LEROY PRUITT III, did knowingly possess a destructive device, which is a firearm, as defined in Title 26, United States Code, Section 5845, not registered to him in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record, in violation of Title 26, United States Code, Sections 5861(d), 5841 and 5871, punishable by not more than 10 years imprisonment, a fine up to $10,000,000.00, or both.
The charges arose from an investigation by the Muskogee County Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Assistant United States Attorney Dean Burris
BRENT ALLEN HAIRE, age 42, of Muskogee, Oklahoma
Possession With Intent To Distribute Methamphetamine
Possession Of Firearms In Furtherance Of Drug Trafficking Crime
Felon In Possession Of FirearmsThe Indictment alleges that on or about February 24, 2020, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma, the defendant, BRENT ALLEN HAIRE, did knowingly and intentionally possess with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of a mixture or substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine, a Schedule II controlled substance, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1) and 841(b)(1)(B), punishable by not less than 5 years and not more than 40 years imprisonment, a fine up to $5,000,000.00, or both.
The Indictment further alleges that on or about February 24, 2020, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma, the defendant, BRENT ALLEN HAIRE, did knowingly possess firearms in the furtherance of a drug trafficking crime for which he may be prosecuted in a court of the United States, that is, Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine as alleged in Count One, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 924(c), punishable by not less than 5 years to run consecutive to any other term of imprisonment imposed, a fine up to $250,000.00, or both.
The Indictment further alleges that on or about February 24, 2020, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma, the defendant, BRENT ALLEN HAIRE, having been convicted of a crime punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year, and knowing of said conviction, did knowingly possess in and affecting commerce, firearms which had been shipped and transported in interstate commerce, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922(g)(1) and 924(a)(2), punishable by not more than 10 years imprisonment, a fine up to $250,000.00, or both.
The charges arose from an investigation by the Muskogee Police Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration.
Assistant United States Attorney Ryan Conway
HURLEY DEWAYNE PITTS, age 46, of Tahlequah, Oklahoma
Felon In Possession Of Firearm & Ammunition
Influencing Federal Official By Threatening Family MemberThe Superseding Indictment alleges that on or about January 18, 2020, within the Eastern District of Oklahoma, the defendant, HURLEY DEWAYNE PITTS, having been convicted of a crime punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year, and knowing of said conviction, did knowingly possess in and affecting commerce, a firearm and ammunition, which had been shipped and transported in interstate commerce, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922(g)(1), 924(a)(2) and 924(e)(1), punishable by not more than 10 years imprisonment, a fine up to $250,000.00, or both. However, should the court determine that the defendant is an armed career criminal - imprisonment of not less than 15 years, a fine up to $250,000.00, or both.
The Superseding Indictment further alleges that on or about February 22, 2020, within the Eastern District of Oklahoma, the defendant, HURLEY DEWAYNE PITTS, did threaten to assault, kidnap, and murder the immediate family members of T.C., a Task Force Officer for the Federal Bureau of Investigation, with intent to impede, intimidate, and interfere with T.C. while he was engaged in the performance of his official duties, and to retaliate against T.C. on account of the performance of his official duties, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 115(a)(1)(A) and 115(b)(4), punishable by not more than 10 years imprisonment, a fine up to $250,000.00, or both.
The charges arose from an investigation by the Tahlequah Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Assistant United States Attorney Clay Compton
Roanoke Rapids Man Sentenced to 77 Months Imprisonment on Drug and Firearm ChargesRead the Press Release
GREENVILLE — United States Attorney Robert J. Higdon, Jr., announced that today in federal court, Senior United States District Judge Malcolm J. Howard, sentenced JERMAINE HALE, 30, of Roanoke Rapids to 77 months’ imprisonment, followed by 5 years of supervised release. HALE was named in a three-count Indictment on March 17, 2017, charging him with being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition; possession with intent to distribute cocaine, crack cocaine, and marijuana; and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. On December 2, 2019, he pled guilty to possession with intent to distribute the drugs, as well as possessing a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking.
According to the investigation, on November 10, 2016, Halifax County Sheriff’s Office narcotics agents were investigating drug complaints in Lincoln Heights Community of Roanoke Rapids, North Carolina. They noticed a car that abruptly pulled into a driveway as they drove in its direction, as if the driver was attempting to evade law enforcement. The agents circled back to conduct surveillance. The driver again started to pull out of the driveway only to pull back into the driveway when the agents revealed themselves. The agents approached and saw the driver, later identified as HALE, appear to place something under his seat. As they came up to HALE, they noticed a strong odor of marijuana from his person. HALE attempted to walk away, and plastic baggies began falling from his pants leg. Agents attempted to detain him, but he resisted and began to reach toward his waistband. One of the agents then deployed a taser and subdued him.
Agents searched HALE’s clothing and concealed inside his pants found a plastic bag containing 13 grams of crack cocaine, 17 grams of powder cocaine, and 29 grams of marijuana. They searched HALE’s car and found a Sig Sauer .45 caliber handgun loaded with 7 rounds sitting underneath the driver’s seat.
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. Since 2017, the United States Department of Justice has reinvigorated the PSN program and has targeted 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.
That effort has been implemented through the Take Back North Carolina Initiative of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of North Carolina. This initiative emphasizes the regional assignment of federal prosecutors to work with law enforcement and District Attorney’s Offices in those communities on a sustained basis to reduce the violent crime rate, drug trafficking, and crimes against law enforcement.
The Halifax County Sheriff’s Office and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) conducted the investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Jake D. Pugh represented the government.
Rhode Island Man Pleads Guilty to Bank RobberyRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Rhode Island man pleaded guilty today in federal court in Boston to five counts of bank robbery.
Charles Lamont Wheeler, 47, pleaded guilty to a Superseding Information charging him, and a co-defendant, Dong Lee, with five counts of bank robbery. U.S. District Court Judge Richard G. Stearns scheduled sentencing for July 13, 2020. Lee is scheduled to plead guilty on March 11, 2020.
Between Sept. 8, 2018 and Sept. 14, 2018 five banks in the Greater Boston area were robbed. Based on the similarity of the robberies, and the descriptions of the robbers provided by bank tellers, it was determined that the same two individuals were responsible for these robberies. On Sept. 14, 2018, Lee and Wheeler robbed a branch of the Crescent Credit Union in Brockton and were both arrested following a high-speed car chase in Attleboro.
Following an interview and review of banks’ surveillance tapes, it was determined that Wheeler and Lee, were responsible for the robberies of the Santander Bank in Andover on Sept. 8, 2018; Berkshire Bank in Boston on Sept. 8, 2018; Rockland Trust in Braintree on Sept. 12, 2018; Abington Savings Bank in Avon on Sept. 14, 2018; and Crescent Credit Union in Brockton on Sept.14, 2018.
Each charge of bank robbery provides for a sentence of up to 20 years’ in prison, three years of supervised release, a fine of up to $250,000 and restitution in the amount of $11,250.
United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling; Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Division; Colonel Christopher Mason, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police; Commissioner William G. Gross of the Boston Police Department; Chief Emanuel Gomes of the Brockton Police Department; Chief Jeffrey J. Bukunt of the Avon Police Department; Chief Mark W. Dubois of the Braintree Police Department; and Chief Patrick Keefe of the Andover Police Department made the announcement today. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kenneth G. Shine of Lelling’s Major Crimes Unit.
Pittsburgh Man Purchased and Resold Heroin and Fentanyl as Part of DS-44 Gang CaseRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, PA – A former resident of Pittsburgh pleaded guilty in federal court to charges related to drug trafficking in connection with a large-scale investigation conducted by the Greater Pittsburgh Safe Streets Task Force, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced today.
Deandre Gordon, 24, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute or possess with intent to distribute heroin and fentanyl, before United States District Judge William S. Stickman IV. Mr. Gordon is one of 37 defendants charged in the Indictment.
In connection with the guilty plea, the court was advised that in 2017, the Greater Pittsburgh Safe Streets Task Force initiated an investigation primarily targeting the Darccide/Smash 44, or DS44, neighborhood gang, and its drug-trafficking activity, in and around the South Side area of Pittsburgh. As part of this large-scale narcotics and firearms investigation, in February of 2019, the United States received authorization to conduct a federal wire investigation, which continued through June of 2019.
The court was further advised that Deandre Gordon purchased distribution-level quantities of heroin and fentanyl from his co-conspirator, Jarrell Dawson, and re-sold the drugs to other people.
Judge Stickman scheduled sentencing for August 4, 2020, at 10:30 am. The law provides for a total sentence of not more than 20 years in prison, a fine of up to $1,000,000, 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 each defendant. Gordon remains detained pending sentencing.
Assistant United States Attorney Christy C. Wiegand is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation led the multi-agency investigation of this case, which also included the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives, Allegheny County Adult
Probation, AlleghenyCounty Police Department, Allegheny County Sheriff’s Office, Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office Bureau of Narcotics, Pittsburgh Bureau of Police, and the Wilkinsburg Police Department. Other assisting agencies include the Green Tree Police Department, New York City Police Department, Mount Oliver Police Department, Pennsylvania State Police, Yonkers Police Department, United States Marshals Fugitive Task Force, and the United States Postal Inspection Service.
The investigation was funded by the federal Organized Crime Drug Enforcement TaskForce Program (OCDETF). The OCDETF program supplies critical federal fundingandcoordination thatallows federaland state agencies to work together to successfully identify,investigate, and prosecute major interstate and international drug trafficking organizations and other criminal enterprises.
Philadelphia Man Sentenced to 20 Years in Prison for Trafficking Counterfeit Drugs That He Purchased on Dark Web with BitcoinRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney William M. McSwain announced that Michael Gordon, 32, of Philadelphia, PA, was sentenced today by United States District Court Judge Paul S. Diamond to serve 20 years’ imprisonment, followed by three years’ supervised release, for conspiracy to traffic in counterfeit goods and conspiracy to commit money laundering. The Court further ordered the defendant to pay over $2.7 million in restitution and to forfeit over $300,000.
From approximately December 2017 until October 2018, Gordon was involved in a sophisticated scheme to obtain counterfeit Xanax on the dark web in order to sell the counterfeit pills for a profit. He took numerous steps to conceal his illegal activity: for example, he coordinated the mailing of packages in covert ways, having them addressed to fictitious recipients and mailed to a variety of locations Gordon himself controlled in an attempt to thwart any investigative efforts. Additionally, he paid for the counterfeit pills using Bitcoin, re-sold the counterfeit pills for a profit, and then laundered the proceeds of his illicit drug business in order to conceal the true nature of the funds obtained from the scheme. Before he was stopped by law enforcement, the defendant illegally obtained hundreds of thousands of these highly addictive pills and re-distributed them. He pleaded guilty to the charges in June 2019.
“Simply put, Gordon placed the well-being of others at risk in order to satisfy his own greed,” said U.S Attorney McSwain. “Xanax can be highly addictive under normal circumstances, but the counterfeit version of Xanax can be even more addictive and potentially deadly. Gordon did not think twice about this danger, as he was focused solely on how to profit from the misery of others. He is now in prison, where he belongs.”
“Abuse of benzodiazepines, such as Xanax, is a critical issue for a greater Philadelphia-area that is already experiencing an opioid abuse epidemic. Add in the trafficking of counterfeit prescription drugs made of unknown substances from China and, now, we have significantly increased the risk to vulnerable consumers,” said William S. Walker, acting Special Agent in Charge for HSI Philadelphia. “Homeland Security Investigations and our law enforcement partners will continue to work tirelessly to investigate and remove dangerous narcotic traffickers from our communities.”
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations Philadelphia’s Cyber Crimes Investigations Task Force (C2iTF) – a multi-agency initiative targeting cyber-enabled criminal activity. The Task Force is comprised of investigators and analysts from the Liberty Mid-Atlantic High Drug Trafficking Area Initiative, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the U.S. Postal Service - Office of the Inspector General, the Pennsylvania State Police, the Pennsylvania National Guard, and the U.S. Secret Service. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Nancy Beam Winter.
Payroll Tax Executive Sentenced for His Role in a $9 Million SchemeRead the Press Release
St. Louis - David L. Downey, 51, of Indianapolis, Indiana, was sentenced to 72 months in prison for federal charges stemming from his scheme to defraud which caused losses of $9.4 million to clients of his payroll service business and the Internal Revenue Service. Downey appeared today in front of United States District Judge Catherine D. Perry.
Downey ran a payroll services business in Indianapolis under the name Time Payroll from 2013 to 2017. He had clients in Indiana, Illinois, Kentucky and Missouri. He had earlier admitted that he deflected money from his clients’ accounts to his Charles Schwab brokerage accounts and failed to pay substantial amounts of those client funds to the IRS for the clients’ employment taxes. Over the course of the scheme, he misapplied some $20 million into his day-trading accounts at Charles Schwab and returned only $11 million of those funds to the IRS for employment taxes. The government has stated that Downey effectively ran a Ponzi scheme with his client’s money and funded exotic travel to destinations such as St. Bart’s with the stolen funds. He admitted to a loss to the clients and to the IRS of $9,428,160.
The court ordered Downey to pay restitution to his clients in the amount of $8,780,118.
“David Downey’s sentence proves employment tax fraud will be vigorously investigated and prosecuted to the fullest extent,” said Karl Stiften, IRS Criminal Investigation Special Agent in Charge. “David Downy not only stole from the U.S. Government, he also stole from the businesses who trusted him to pay over their employment taxes.”
Court records show that, after closing his business in late 2017, Downey cashed out his remaining brokerage and bank accounts and headed to California. There he attempted to get a U.S. passport using his brother’s name and a recently-issued California driver’s license showing his brother’s name and Downey’s picture. Special Agents from the IRS Criminal Investigation unit in St. Louis tracked Downey to California and, on November 16, 2018, arrested him at the Kimpton Shorebreak Hotel in Huntington Beach. Downey was in possession of $955,956 in cash at the time of his arrest. He had also used $53,990 in cash to purchase a 2018 Jeep Cherokee in California. The vehicle was bought in his brother’s name. The cash and the vehicle were seized by the IRS Special Agents. The court ordered the cash and the car to be forfeited for the benefit of his clients.
One of Downey’s clients was Health Facilities Rehab Services (HFRS) located in Sikeston, Missouri. HFRS initially lost $851,174 to Downey and, after suing him, was eventually paid $650,000 of that loss. HFRS will be entitled to restitution for the remainder of their loss.
The 72-month sentence includes a sentence for the passport fraud scenario in which Downey tried to obtain a passport in his brother’s name in San Diego in the fall of 2018.
This case was prosecuted by the James Crowe, Jr., of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in St. Louis and was investigated by Special Agents of Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation office in St. Louis.
Owner of Detroit-Area Health Care Clinic Sentenced to Prison for a Drug Diversion SchemeRead the Press Release
The owner of a Detroit-area physical therapy clinic was sentenced to 11 years in prison today for his role in a drug diversion scheme.
Assistant Attorney General Brian A. Benczkowski of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, Special Agent in Charge Timothy J. Plancon of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)’s Detroit Division and Special Agent in Charge Lamont Pugh III of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General’s (HHS-OIG) Chicago Regional Office made the announcement.
Malik Fuqua, 49, of Southfield, Michigan, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge David Lawson of the Eastern District of Michigan, who also ordered Fuqua to forfeit $716,824.23. In November 2019, Fuqua pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances.
As part of his guilty plea, Fuqua admitted that, as the owner and operator of a physical therapy clinic, he conspired with Shirley Douglas, 70, of West Bloomfield, Michigan, and other co-conspirators to distribute medically unnecessary controlled substances, including oxycodone, oxymorphone, alprazolam, hydrocodone and promethazine hydrochloride, through the selling of appointments with physicians at their clinics.
The total drug amount attributable to Fuqua is in excess of 500,000 controlled substance pills.
This case was investigated by the DEA and HHS-OIG. Trial Attorneys Malisa Dubal and Patrick Suter of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section are prosecuting the case.
The Fraud Section leads the Medicare Fraud Strike Force, which is part of a joint initiative between the Department of Justice and HHS to focus their efforts to prevent and deter fraud and enforce current anti-fraud laws around the country. Since its inception in March 2007, the Medicare Fraud Strike Force, which maintains 14 strike forces operating in 23 districts, has charged nearly 4,000 defendants who have collectively billed the Medicare program for more than $14 billion. In addition, the HHS Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, working in conjunction with the HHS-OIG, are taking steps to increase accountability and decrease the presence of fraudulent providers.
The year 2020 marks the 150th anniversary of the Department of Justice. Learn more about the history of our agency at www.Justice.gov/Celebrating150Years.
Ohio County woman admits to drug conspiracyRead the Press Release
WHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA – Terri Lea Blankenship, of Wheeling, West Virginia, has admitted to drug distribution, U.S. Attorney Bill Powell announced.
Blankenship, age 54, pled guilty to one count of “Conspiracy to Distribute and Possess with the Intent to Distribute Controlled Substances.” Blankenship admitted to working with others to distribute cocaine base or “crack,” heroin, methamphetamine, and fentanyl in Ohio County and elsewhere from September 2018 to June 2019.
Blankenship faces to 20 years incarceration and a fine of up to $1,000,000. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Shawn M. Adkins is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The Ohio Valley Drug & Violent Crimes Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, investigated.
U.S. Magistrate Judge James P. Mazzone presided.
Newark Man Convicted for Role in Conspiracy to Distribute Heroin and Crack CocaineRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A Newark man was convicted today for his role in a conspiracy to distribute heroin and crack cocaine, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito announced.
Cory Canzater, a/k/a, “Big C,” 47, of Newark, was found guilty of one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled dangerous substances, one count of distribution and possession with intent to distribute heroin and one count of distribution and possession with intent to distribute crack cocaine. Canzater was convicted following a one-week trial before U.S. District Judge Kevin McNulty in Newark federal court. The jury deliberated 30 minutes before returning the guilty verdicts.
According to documents filed in this case and the evidence at trial:
From May 2017 through June 2017, Canzater engaged in a heroin and crack cocaine distribution conspiracy that operated in and around Newark, led by Ahmad Johnson, a/k/a “OC,” 40, of Newark. Other members of the conspiracy included Maurice McPhatter, a/k/a “Ree,” Willie McPhatter, a/k/a “Roc,” Keith Henderson, and Sacha Negron, all of Newark.
Through the authorized interception of telephone calls and text messages, controlled purchases of heroin, the use of confidential sources of information, and other investigative means, law enforcement learned that Canzater was a member of a conspiracy led by Johnson, who was responsible for obtaining wholesale amounts of drugs, including heroin and cocaine, and processing and packaging the drugs for sale in and around Newark.
Johnson pleaded guilty to a drug conspiracy and was sentenced on April 15, 2019, to 180 months in prison. Maurice McPhatter, Willie McPhatter, Henderson, and Negron have all pleaded guilty to drug conspiracy charges and are awaiting sentencing.
This case was conducted under the auspices of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF). The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking, weapons trafficking and money laundering organizations, and those primarily responsible for the nation’s illegal drug supply.
The conspiracy charge carries a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years in prison, a maximum potential penalty of life years in prison, and a $10 million fine. Sentencing is scheduled for July 22, 2020.
U.S. Attorney Carpenito credited special agents of the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Susan A. Gibson in Newark; special agents of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Charlie J. Patterson in Newark; the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Acting Prosecutor Theodore N. Stephens II, and the Newark Police Department, under the direction of Public Safety Director Anthony F. Ambrose, with the investigation leading to the guilty verdicts. He also thanked the Fairfield Police Department; Bloomfield Police Department; Irvington Police Department; Roselle Police Department; Linden Police Department; Rockaway Township Police Department; and the Irvington Police Department for their assistance.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Patricia Astorga of the Opioids Unit and Ari B. Fontecchio of the Economic Crimes unit.
NDTX Round-Up for March 10Read the Press Release
GUILTY PLEA – DARIFAH DAVIS
On March 3, Darifah Davis, 36, pled guilty to theft of government funds. For nearly three years, Davis filed for and was awarded disability insurance benefits. She falsely claimed to not be working during this time, and as a result, received over $51,000 in Disability Insurance Benefits that were not due to her. She faces up to a year in federal custody. This case was investigated by Social Security Administration and is prosecuted by AUSA Danielle Jones.
GUILTY PLEA – CHARLES AUBREY HURT
On March 3, Charles Aubrey Hurt, 63, pled guilty to felon in possession of a firearm. He was previously imprisoned for 3 years for possession of methamphetamine and 7 years for unauthorized use of a motor vehicle. He admits to distributing over 500 grams of methamphetamine in late 2019. Law enforcement searched his residence and found methamphetamine, heroin, and a firearm. Hurt agreed to the forfeiture of 7 firearms that were in his possession. He faces up to 10 years in federal custody. This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms and the Texas Department of Public Safety and is prosecuted by AUSA George Leal.
SENTENCING - CARLOS HUMBERTO MATAMOROS VASQUEZ
On March 2, Carlos Humberto Matamoros Vasquez, 24, was sentenced to 5 years in federal custody for conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute marijuana. Vasquez admitted to distributing marijuana from Bubba’s Beer, Smoke, Wine and Glasswerks. Law enforcement seized 33 pounds of marijuana and over $468,000 from the residence that he shared with his coconspirator. This case was investigated by Drug Enforcement Administration and the Mesquite Police Department and is prosecuted by AUSA George Leal.
GUILTY PLEA – ALEXANDER WALDVOGEL
On March 5, Alexander Waldvogel, 39, pled guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute a controlled substance. Waldvogel’s coconspirators purchased a marijuana dispensary in California and illegally shipped marijuana to Texas further illegal distribution. Waldvogel received marijuana shipments for further distribution. During one stage of the criminal operation, Waldvogel possessed approximately 108 kilograms of marijuana or marijuana derived products in his apartment. Waldvogel faces up to 5 years in federal custody for the offense. This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigations Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Office and prosecuted by AUSA Chad Meacham.
SENTENCING – JOSHUA BLAKE BROWNING
On March 5, Joshua Blake Browning, 38, was sentenced to 3 months for escaping from custody and possessing contraband in prison. Browning escaped a federal prison camp where he was serving time for the possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Additionally, while serving his time in prison, Browning illegally possessed a mobile device. The case was investigated by the United States Marshall Service and is prosecuted by AUSA Suzanna Etessam.
SENTENCING – KYLE DANIEL PEARCY
On March 2, Kyle Daniel Pearcy, 26, was sentenced to 10 months in federal custody for aiming a laser pointer at an aircraft. Pearcy knowingly aimed a laser pointer at a helicopter operated by the Dallas Police Department after midnight in August 2019. He aimed the laser pointer five times for short bursts totaling 13 seconds, causing crew members to squint their eyes to protect their vision. The case record labeled this case as a “knuckleheaded act of stupidity.” This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigations and is prosecuted by AUSA John de la Garza.
Minot, ND, Man Indicted for Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition by a Convicted FelonRead the Press Release
Bismarck – United States Attorney Drew H. Wrigley announced that on March 9, 2020, Jordan Devon Bailey, appeared in Federal Court at an initial appearance and arraignment hearing. The United States District Court for the District of North Dakota unsealed an Indictment revealing that a federal grand jury indicted Bailey on the charges of Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition and an Illegal Firearm by a Convicted Felon. Specifically, the Grand Jury alleges that on December 31, 2019, North Dakota Probation and Parole conducted a search of Bailey’s residence and garage after receiving information that Bailey was in possession of a firearm. A loaded .40 caliber pistol and a short-barrel shotgun were located in his garage. Bailey is a convicted felon for the offenses of Unlawful Possession of a Firearm-Felon in North Dakota and Burglary and Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person in Nevada and is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition. An Indictment is an accusation and notice of charges, and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.
This case is being investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms; Ward County Narcotics Task Force; and North Dakota Probation and Parole.
Special Assistant United States Attorney Jeremy A. Ensrud is prosecuting the case.
Marshall County man admits to drug traffickingRead the Press Release
WHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA – Michael J. Blake, of Moundsville, West Virginia, has admitted to a drug charge, U.S. Attorney Bill Powell announced.
Blake, age 40, pled guilty to one count of “Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine.” Blake admitted to having methamphetamine in October 2019 in Marshall County.
Blake faces up to 20 years incarceration and a fine of up to $1,000,000. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert H. McWilliams, Jr. is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The Drug Enforcement Administration and the Marshall County Drug & Violent Crimes Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, investigated.
U.S. Magistrate Judge James P. Mazzone presided.
Local man sentenced to more than 26 years in prison for string of armed robberiesRead the Press Release
DAYTON – A Dayton man was sentenced in U.S. District Court today to 318 months in federal prison for committing armed robberies in and around Dayton.
Jermaine Green, 37, pleaded guilty in January 2019 to two counts of robbery and two counts of brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence.
According to court documents, in an attempt to pay off a drug debt, Green committed a string of robberies throughout the greater Dayton area between December 2017 and January 2018 in which he wore a disguise using a dreadlocks wig.
On Dec. 17, 2017, Green brandished a firearm and robbed the Walgreen’s Pharmacy on Hoover Ave. in Dayton. Later that same day, Green again brandished a firearm and robbed a Sunoco gas station on Wayne Ave. in Dayton.
Two days later, Green robbed Falb’s Restaurant on Kiser Street in Dayton. After ordering a hamburger, Green pointed his handgun at the owner and demanded the owner enter the safe. When another customer entered the restaurant, distracting Green, the owner pulled out his gun and fired two shots at Green. Green attempted to shoot the owner but the safety was on his firearm. As Green fled the restaurant, the owner’s brother arrived and also fired at Green. Green was hit by one of the bullets as he was fleeing. Green later staged a robbery so that he would appear to be a victim before seeking medical attention.
Green robbed four Dollar General stores in late December 2017 and early January 2018, including the stores on Valley Street in Riverside, North Gettysburg Ave. in Dayton, North Main Street in Clayton and South Gettysburg Ave. in Dayton.
Green had also committed a robbery at Loan Max on Dec. 17, 2017, which was the basis for his 2018 conviction in Montgomery County Common Pleas Court. In his state case, he was ordered to serve 21 years in prison.
“Green’s actions were drastic and reckless, and but for his arrest, Green confessed that he likely would have engaged in murder to save himself and his family from the drug dealer he owed money,” U.S. Attorney David M. DeVillers said. “Green brandished a loaded firearm over and over at various locations for small amounts of money. This office will not tolerate gun violence and will prosecute it accordingly.”
DeVillers is joined by Jonathan McPherson, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF); Dayton Police Chief Richard S. Biehl; Montgomery County Sheriff Rob Streck; Clayton Police Chief Matt Hamlin; and Riverside Police Chief Frank Robinson in announcing the sentence imposed by U.S. District Judge Walter H. Rice. Assistant United States Attorney Amy M. Smith is representing the United States in this case.
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Large-Scale Cocaine Supplier Pleads Guilty to Drug and Firearms DistributionRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Washington, D.C. man pleaded guilty today to supplying approximately 70 kilograms of cocaine to over 30 customers and for selling firearms.
According to court documents, Simeon Olayemi Orekoya, 47, distributed approximately 70 kilograms of cocaine between January 2017 and December 2019, which was then resold in Virginia and surrounding areas. He also sold cocaine and four firearms to undercover law enforcement officers during the investigation. Two of the firearms did not have serial numbers. Orekoya has five prior felony convictions.
Orekoya pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and faces a mandatory minimum of 15 years in prison when sentenced on July 24. 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 was investigated as part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF), Operation Mo Money. The OCDETF program is a federal multi-agency, multi-jurisdictional task force that supplies supplemental federal funding to federal and state agencies involved in the identification, investigation and prosecution of major drug trafficking organizations. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking, weapons trafficking and money laundering organizations, and those primarily responsible for the nation’s illegal drug supply.
G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Mark Herring, Attorney General for Virginia; Henry P. Stawinski III, Chief of Prince George’s County Police; Marcus Jones, Montgomery County Chief of Police; Jesse R. Fong, Special Agent in Charge for the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) Washington Field Division; Timothy M. Dunham, Special Agent in Charge, Criminal Division, FBI Washington Field Office; Timothy Jones, Special Agent in Charge of the ATF’s Baltimore Field Division; Ashan M. Benedict, Special Agent in Charge of the ATF’s Washington Field Division; and M. Jay Farr, Arlington County Chief of Police, made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Rossie D. Alston, Jr. accepted the plea. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Karolina Klyuchnikova 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. 1:20-cr-71.
Kinston Man Sentenced for Human-Trafficking-Related OffenseRead the Press Release
GREENVILLE – United States Attorney Robert J. Higdon, Jr. announced that today in federal court, Senior United States District Judge Malcolm J. Howard sentenced KORTNEY DONNELL CREWS, 32, of Kinston, North Carolina to 120 months’ imprisonment, followed by 5 years of supervised release.
CREWS was named in an Indictment filed on April 19, 2019, charging him with, among other offenses, transportation across state lines for prostitution (Mann Act). On September 9, 2019, CREWS pled guilty to that charge.
According to the investigation, CREWS prostituted numerous women across the United States. He lured them by promising big money, and then took most or all of their earnings. CREWS threatened or intimidated many of his victims and physically assaulted and emotionally abused one victim for years.
Mr. Higdon commented: “Crews’ actions, his abuse of these women, is a form of human trafficking. He used threats, intimidation, and physical abuse to force these women to humiliate and degrade themselves. And the Court’s sentence reflects the seriousness of this crime.”
The New Hanover County Sheriff’s Office, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation. Assistant United States Attorneys Erin Blondel and Bryan Stephany represented the government.
Illinois Man Was Part of a Scheme that Used Stolen ID’s to Obtain Loans for Expensive VehiclesRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, PA. – A resident of the state of Illinois pleaded guilty in federal court in Pittsburgh to charges of Aggravated Identity Theft and Conspiracy, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced today.
Michael W. Decker, age 32, of Vernon Hills, IL, pled guilty to two counts before United States District Judge Robert J. Colville.
According to the information provided to the Court at the time of the guilty plea, Decker submitted fraudulent applications for loans to purchase several expensive vehicles, including two Jeep Cherokee Trackhawks, from dealerships in Western Pennsylvania. Decker was part of a conspiracy based in Chicago. The members of the conspiracy travelled to dealerships in several states and used stolen identity information to obtain loans for high end vehicles. After obtaining the vehicles, members of the conspiracy would alter the Vehicles Identification Numbers and sell the vehicles.
Judge Colville scheduled the sentencing for August 5, 2020. The law provides for a maximum total sentence of not more than seven years in prison, a fine of $500,000, or both as to each count. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney Shaun E. Sweeney is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Pennsylvania State Police Western Regional Auto Theft Task Force conducted the investigation leading to the superseding indictment in this case.
Hudson County Woman Sentenced to 70 Months in Prison for Enslaving Sri Lankan Woman for over Nine YearsRead the Press Release
A Hudson County, New Jersey, woman was sentenced today to 70 months of prison for her conviction on charges of forced labor, alien harboring for financial gain, and marriage fraud, the Department of Justice announced.
Alia Imad Faleh Al Hunaity, aka “Alia Al Qaternah,” 44, was found guilty in May 2019 on all counts of the indictment against her following a six-day trial before U.S. District Judge Robert B. Kugler, who imposed the sentence today in Camden federal court.
According to documents filed in this case and the evidence at trial:
Hunaity brought the victim, a Sri Lankan national, to the United States on a temporary visa in 2009 to perform domestic work. Hunaity caused the victim to overstay her visa and remain in the United States illegally for over nine years. Hunaity forced the victim to cook and clean her homes in Woodland Park and Secaucus, New Jersey, and to care for her three children, all without pay. She limited the victim’s interactions with the world outside of Hunaity’s homes. During this time, Hunaity required the victim to sleep on a bed in a public space in Hunaity’s homes, including in the kitchen. In 2018, Hunaity forced the victim to marry her so that the victim could obtain legal residence and Hunaity could continue to force her to work without fear of the victim being deported.
In addition to the prison term, Judge Kugler sentenced Al Hunaity to three years of supervised release.
U.S. Attorney Carpenito and Assistant Attorney General Dreiband credited special agents of U.S. Homeland Security Investigations, Newark Division, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Brian Michael, and special agents of the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General, New York Region, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Michael C. Mikulka, with the investigation leading to today’s sentencing.
This case was prosecuted in conjunction with the interagency Anti-Trafficking Coordination Team initiative of the Departments of Justice, Homeland Security and Labor. ACTeams focus on developing high-impact human trafficking investigations and prosecutions involving forced labor, international sex trafficking and sex trafficking by force, fraud or coercion through interagency collaboration among federal prosecutors and federal investigative agencies.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew Macurdy and Trial Attorney Kate Hill of the Civil Rights Division’s Human Trafficking Prosecution Unit.
Hudson County Woman Sentenced to 70 Months in Prison for Enslaving Sri Lankan Woman for over Nine YearsRead the Press Release
CAMDEN, N.J. – A Hudson County, New Jersey, woman was sentenced today to 70 months of prison for her conviction on charges of forced labor, alien harboring for financial gain, and marriage fraud, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito and Assistant Attorney General Eric Dreiband of the Civil Rights Division announced.
Alia Imad Faleh Al Hunaity, a/k/a “Alia Al Qaternah,” 44, was found guilty in May 2019 on all counts of the indictment against her following a six-day trial before U.S. District Judge Robert B. Kugler, who imposed the sentence today in Camden federal court.
According to documents filed in this case and the evidence at trial:
Hunaity brought the victim, a Sri Lankan national, to the United States on a temporary visa in 2009 to perform domestic work. Hunaity caused the victim to overstay her visa and remain in the United States illegally for over nine years. Hunaity forced the victim to cook and clean her homes in Woodland Park and Secaucus, New Jersey, and to care for her three children, all without pay. She limited the victim’s interactions with the world outside of Hunaity’s homes. During this time, Hunaity required the victim to sleep on a bed in a public space in Hunaity’s homes, including in the kitchen. In 2018, Hunaity forced the victim to marry her so that the victim could obtain legal residence and Hunaity could continue to force her to work without fear of the victim being deported.
In addition to the prison term, Judge Kugler sentenced Al Hunaity to three years of supervised release and ordered her to pay restitution of $1.2 million.
U.S. Attorney Carpenito and assistant Attorney General Dreiband credited special agents of U.S. Homeland Security Investigations, Newark Division, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Brian Michael, and special agents of the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General, New York Region, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Michael C. Mikulka, with the investigation leading to today’s sentencing.
This case was prosecuted in conjunction with the interagency Anti-Trafficking Coordination Team initiative of the Departments of Justice, Homeland Security and Labor. ACTeams focus on developing high-impact human trafficking investigations and prosecutions involving forced labor, international sex trafficking and sex trafficking by force, fraud or coercion through interagency collaboration among federal prosecutors and federal investigative agencies.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew Macurdy and Trial Attorney Kate Hill of the Civil Rights Division’s Human Trafficking Prosecution Unit.
Hudson County Man Admits Role in Car Accident Scheme to Defraud Personal Injury Protection InsurersRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A Hudson County, New Jersey, man today admitted participating in an automobile accident scheme in which health care practitioners fabricated or exaggerated accident victims’ injuries to support fraudulent insurance claims to Personal Injury Protection (PIP) insurance plans for medically unnecessary services, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito announced.
Luis G. Aguirre, 59, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Stanley R. Chesler in Newark federal court to an information charging him with one count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud.
According to documents filed in the case and statements made in court:
Aguirre helped to orchestrate an automobile accident scheme in Bergen County, New Jersey, by acting as a “runner” who identified and recruited accident victims to the scheme. Aguirre subsequently introduced the victims to various chiropractors, medical imaging centers, and others, who billed PIP insurance plans for medically unnecessary services.
Aguirre and an employee from an auto body shop in West New York, New Jersey, (Individual-1) identified and recruited individuals who had been in car accidents, finding them through word-of-mouth in the community and through relationships with health care providers in northern New Jersey. Aguirre paid Individual-1 a sum of money for each accident victim that Individual-1 helped identify and recruit to the scheme. Individual-1, in turn, paid accident victims for participating in the scheme. Aguirre also ensured that the victims had filed police reports to support subsequent insurance claims.
Aguirre then directed the accident victims to visit specific health care providers to obtain medically unnecessary medical exams and services, such as X-rays and MRIs, for fake or exaggerated injuries that they supposedly suffered during the automobile accidents.
Aguirre was paid approximately $500 in cash by the health care providers for each individual accident victim that he delivered. Aguirre thereby caused health care providers to submit insurance claims to PIP insurance plans on behalf of the accident victims.
For example, on Sept. 25, 2018, an individual from North Bergen, New Jersey, (Individual-3) was involved in an automobile accident in Elizabeth, New Jersey. Based on a police report of the incident, the accident was minor: Individual-3 was rear-ended by another car when both were stopped at a red light. According to the police report, Individual-3 refused medical treatment at the scene, stating that Individual-3 would seek separate medical attention. At the time of the accident, Individual-3 had an automobile insurance policy through Auto Insurer-1, which included PIP coverage.
Aguirre learned from Individual-1 that Individual-3 was willing to participate in the scheme in exchange for cash payment. On Oct. 12, 2018, Aguirre directed Individual-3 to visit the proprietor (Individual-2) of an MRI Center in Rochelle Park, New Jersey, where Individual-3 underwent a series of medically unnecessary X-rays. On Oct. 16, 2018, the MRI Center billed Individual-3’s PIP insurance policy.
Aguirre’s participation in the conspiracy caused an estimated loss to PIP insurance plans of over $250,000, while the total loss caused by the conspiracy exceeded $3.5 million.
Aguirre faces a maximum potential penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine, or twice the gross gain or loss from the offense.
Sentencing is scheduled for July 14, 2020.
U.S. Attorney Carpenito credited special agents of the Department of Labor – Office of Inspector General (DOL-OIG), under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Michael C. Mikulka; and special agents of the FBI, under the direction Special Agent in Charge Gregory W. Ehrie in Newark, with the investigation leading to today’s guilty plea.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason S. Gould of the Health Care Fraud Unit at the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Newark.Defense Counsel: John Lynch Esq., Union, New Jersey
Henderson Man with Prior Manslaughter Conviction Sentenced to 7 Years in Federal Prison After ShootingRead the Press Release
GREENVILLE – United States Attorney Robert J. Higdon, Jr. announced that today in federal court, Senior United States District Judge Malcolm J. Howard sentenced QUINDARIUS DANTE RAINEY 30, of Henderson to 7 years imprisonment, followed by 3 years of supervised release.
RAINEY was named in an Indictment filed on July 31, 2019, charging him with possession of a firearm and ammunition by a felon. On November 12, 2019, RAINEY pled guilty to that charge.
According to the investigation, during the early morning hours of August 26, 2018, RAINEY was captured on video surveillance shooting a handgun with an extended magazine multiple times at another man. The shooting occurred in the parking lot of the 85 Bar & Lounge in Henderson. The victim attempted to flee and RAINEY continued to shoot at the man while chasing him. RAINEY then entered his vehicle and fled the scene. The victim was not injured, but several nearby businesses and cars sustained property damage.
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. Since 2017, the United States Department of Justice has reinvigorated the PSN program and has targeted 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.
That effort has been implemented through the Take Back North Carolina Initiative of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of North Carolina. This initiative emphasizes the regional assignment of federal prosecutors to work with law enforcement and District Attorney’s Offices in those communities on a sustained basis to reduce the violent crime rate, drug trafficking, and crimes against law enforcement.
The Henderson Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) conducted the investigation. Assistant United States Attorneys Robert J. Dodson and John Parris prosecuted the case on behalf of the government.
Guided Hunting Business Owner Sentenced for Lacey Act ViolationRead the Press Release
COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa - United States Attorney Marc Krickbaum announced on March 5, 2020, Aaron M. Volkmar, age 46, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Rebecca Goodgame Ebinger for a felony Lacey Act Violation. The Court imposed a sentence of two years probation and a $5,000 fine. Volkmar was ordered to pay $10,000 in restitution and a $100 Special Assessment to the Crime Victims' Fund.
Volkmar is the owner and operator of Tails of the Hunt LLC., which provided guided hunts in southwest Iowa, Missouri, and Oklahoma. Volkmar provided a guided deer hunt to undercover agents in December 2013. While providing these guided hunt services, Volkmar violated Iowa state law by illegally tagging a deer and assisting with transportation of the deer across state lines.
This matter was investigated by the United States Fish and Wildlife Services and Iowa Department of Natural Resources. The case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa.
Former West Virginia University professor pleads guilty to fraud that enabled him to participate in the People’s Republic of China’s “Thousand Talents Plan”Read the Press Release
CLARKSBURG – Dr. James Patrick Lewis, of Fairview, West Virginia, has admitted to a fraud charge involving West Virginia University, the Department of Justice announced.
Lewis, age 54, pleaded guilty to a one-count information charging him with “Federal Program Fraud.” From 2006 to August 2019, Lewis was a tenured professor at West Virginia University in the physics department, specializing in molecular reactions used in coal conversion technologies. In July 2017, Lewis entered into a contract of employment with the People’s Republic of China through its “Global Experts 1000 Talents Plan.” China’s Thousand Talents Plan is one of the most prominent Chinese Talent recruit plans that are designed to attract, recruit, and cultivate high-level scientific talent in furtherance of China’s scientific development, economic prosperity and national security. These talent programs seek to lure overseas talent and foreign experts to bring their knowledge and experience to China and reward individuals for stealing proprietary information.
“Lewis defrauded a public university into giving him leave, so that he could satisfy his competing obligations to a Chinese institution, which he hid from the school,” said Assistant Attorney General for National Security John C. Demers. “I applaud the increased focus of the academic community to detect conflicts of interest and conflicts of commitment. Only with more transparency will we stem the tide of covert ties to Chinese institutions and programs, ties meant by the Chinese government to result in the transfer of intellectual property from the United States. ”
“This case represents an attempt to serve China to the detriment of West Virginia University and the United States. Academia is a prime target for these activities and we will remain committed to prosecuting such fraud wherever it is found. I want to thank the FBI, the IRS and our prosecution team for a job well done,” said U.S Attorney Bill Powell, Northern District of West Virginia.
“The FBI knows the Chinese government intentionally targets the advanced technologies and technical expertise developed in the U.S. to give themselves a competitive advantage in the world marketplace,” said FBI Pittsburgh Special Agent in Charge Robert Jones. “Participation in a talent plan like the one Dr. Lewis was part of it is not illegal. But FBI investigations have revealed participants are often incentivized to transfer proprietary information or research conducted in the U.S. to China. This remains a significant threat and a high priority threat for the FBI. We are dedicated to making sure foreign governments know U.S. trade secrets cannot and will not be bought.”
According to Lewis’s contract, the Chinese Academy of Sciences agreed to employ Lewis as a professor for at least three years. In return, Lewis agreed to maintain an active research program that yielded publications in high quality, peer-reviewed journals, and to provide research training and experience for Chinese Academy of Sciences students.
As a part of the program, Lewis was promised benefits, including a living subsidy of 1 million Yuan (approximately $143,000), a research subsidy of 4 million Yuan (approximately $573,000), and a salary of 600,000 Yuan (approximately $86,000). To receive the benefits, Lewis would have to work full time in China for three consecutive years, for no less than nine months per year, and would have to begin work no later than Aug. 8, 2018.
In March 2018, Lewis submitted a request to WVU for an alternate/parental work assignment, requesting to be released from his teaching duties for the fall 2018 semester in order to serve as the primary caregiver for a child he and his wife were expecting in June 2018. In fact, however, Lewis knew this request was fraudulent. Rather than caring for his newborn child, Lewis planned to work in China during the fall 2018 semester as a part of his agreement with the “1000 Talents Plan.” Based on the false justification Lewis offered, WVU granted his request.
In the fall of 2018, Lewis spent all but three weeks of the semester in China while his newborn child remained in the United States. During this period, Lewis received his full salary from WVU pursuant to his alternate/parental work assignment. Lewis’s scheme allowed him to fraudulently obtain $20,189 from WVU.
As a part of the plea agreement, Lewis has agreed to pay restitution in the amount of $20,189 in full to WVU. Lewis is no longer employed by WVU, having resigned in August 2019.
Lewis faces up to 10 years incarceration and a fine of up to $250,000. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jarod J. Douglas and Trial Attorney Evan N. Turgeon with the Department of Justice’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section, National Security Division, are prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The FBI and the Internal Revenue Service investigated. WVU cooperated in the investigation of this case.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael John Aloi presided.
Former West Virginia University Professor Pleads Guilty to Fraud That Enabled Him to Participate in the People’s Republic of China’s “Thousand Talents Plan”Read the Press Release
Dr. James Patrick Lewis, of Fairview, West Virginia, has admitted to a fraud charge involving West Virginia University, the Department of Justice announced.
Lewis, age 54, pleaded guilty to a one-count information charging him with “Federal Program Fraud.” From 2006 to August 2019, Lewis was a tenured professor at West Virginia University in the physics department, specializing in molecular reactions used in coal conversion technologies. In July 2017, Lewis entered into a contract of employment with the People’s Republic of China through its “Global Experts 1000 Talents Plan.” China’s Thousand Talents Plan is one of the most prominent Chinese Talent recruit plans that are designed to attract, recruit, and cultivate high-level scientific talent in furtherance of China’s scientific development, economic prosperity and national security. These talent programs seek to lure overseas talent and foreign experts to bring their knowledge and experience to China and reward individuals for stealing proprietary information.
“Lewis defrauded a public university into giving him leave, so that he could satisfy his competing obligations to a Chinese institution, which he hid from the school,” said Assistant Attorney General for National Security John C. Demers. “I applaud the increased focus of the academic community to detect conflicts of interest and conflicts of commitment. Only with more transparency will we stem the tide of covert ties to Chinese institutions and programs, ties meant by the Chinese government to result in the transfer of intellectual property from the United States."
“This case represents an attempt to serve China to the detriment of West Virginia University and the United States. Academia is a prime target for these activities and we will remain committed to prosecuting such fraud wherever it is found. I want to thank the FBI, the IRS and our prosecution team for a job well done,” said U.S Attorney Bill Powell, Northern District of West Virginia.
“The FBI knows the Chinese government intentionally targets the advanced technologies and technical expertise developed in the U.S. to give itself a competitive advantage in the world marketplace,” said FBI Pittsburgh Special Agent in Charge Robert Jones. “Participation in a talent plan like the one Dr. Lewis was part of is not illegal. But FBI investigations have revealed participants are often incentivized to transfer proprietary information or research conducted in the U.S. to China. This remains a significant threat and a high priority threat for the FBI. We are dedicated to making sure foreign governments know U.S. trade secrets cannot and will not be bought.”
According to Lewis’s contract, the Chinese Academy of Sciences agreed to employ Lewis as a professor for at least three years. In return, Lewis agreed to maintain an active research program that yielded publications in high quality, peer-reviewed journals, and to provide research training and experience for Chinese Academy of Sciences students.
As a part of the program, Lewis was promised benefits, including a living subsidy of 1 million Yuan (approximately $143,000), a research subsidy of 4 million Yuan (approximately $573,000), and a salary of 600,000 Yuan (approximately $86,000). To receive the benefits, Lewis would have to work full time in China for three consecutive years, for no less than nine months per year, and would have to begin work no later than Aug. 8, 2018.
In March 2018, Lewis submitted a request to WVU for an alternate/parental work assignment, requesting to be released from his teaching duties for the fall 2018 semester in order to serve as the primary caregiver for a child he and his wife were expecting in June 2018. In fact, however, Lewis knew this request was fraudulent. Rather than caring for his newborn child, Lewis planned to work in China during the fall 2018 semester as a part of his agreement with the “1000 Talents Plan.” Based on the false justification Lewis offered, WVU granted his request.
In the fall of 2018, Lewis spent all but three weeks of the semester in China while his newborn child remained in the United States. During this period, Lewis received his full salary from WVU pursuant to his alternate/parental work assignment. Lewis’s scheme allowed him to fraudulently obtain $20,189 from WVU.
As a part of the plea agreement, Lewis has agreed to pay restitution in the amount of $20,189 in full to WVU. Lewis is no longer employed by WVU, having resigned in August 2019.
Lewis faces up to 10 years incarceration and a fine of up to $250,000. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jarod J. Douglas and Trial Attorney Evan N. Turgeon with the Department of Justice’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section, National Security Division, are prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The FBI and the Internal Revenue Service investigated. WVU cooperated in the investigation of this case.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael John Aloi presided.
Former Rapid City Priest Convicted on 65 Counts in Theft, Wire Fraud and Money Laundering SchemeRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced that Marcin Stanislaw Garbacz, age 41, formerly an ordained priest assigned to the Catholic Diocese in Rapid City, South Dakota, was found guilty by a federal trial jury of 50 counts of Wire Fraud, nine counts of Money Laundering, one count of Transportation of Stolen Money, and five counts of Making and Subscribing a False Tax Return following a week-long jury trial at the federal courthouse in Rapid City.
Wire Fraud carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison and/or a $250,000 fine, three years of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund for each count.
Money Laundering carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison and/or a $500,000 fine, three years of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund for each count.
Transportation of Stolen Money carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison and/or a $250,000 fine, three years of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund for each count.
Making and Subscribing a False Tax Return carries a maximum penalty of three years in federal prison and/or a $250,000 fine, one year of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund for each count. Restitution may also be ordered.
Evidence at trial established that Garbacz, while employed as a priest with the Catholic Diocese in Rapid City, devised a scheme to steal monies collected from parishioners at various church services by secretly entering the areas in three parish churches where such monies were stored. He took steps such as entering the church buildings late in the evening, removing and replacing special, tamper-proof bank bags, making multiple same-day deposits totaling tens of thousands of dollars of stolen money in ATMs well after midnight, and laundering such stolen money through a variety of banks, investment firms, and credit card companies.
Garbacz used the hundreds of thousands of dollars in stolen parishioner money to purchase for himself over a dozen gold-plated chalices, numerous bronze statues, a $10,000 diamond ring, Mont Blanc fountain pens, and more.
“The cache of worldly treasures accumulated by this common thief looks like something from Raiders of the Lost Ark,” said U.S. Attorney Parsons. “He bought it all using money he stole from his parishioners – money that was intended to help the Church and help the poor. The selfishness and greed of it all is mind-boggling.”
“Income is taxable, regardless of the source” said Karl Stiften, Special Agent in Charge, at the IRS Criminal Investigation division. “Special Agents are following the money to make sure everyone complies with the tax laws.”
Once he was made aware of the federal investigation, Garbacz drained his bank account of more than $50,000 and bought a one-way plane ticket to Poland. Fortunately, he was arrested by federal agents at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport in May 2019 just before his flight was to depart.
Assistant United States Attorney Benjamin Patterson prosecuted and tried the case, and the investigation was led by the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
A sentencing date will be scheduled. Garbacz was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending sentencing.
Former Owner of Oklahoma City Mail and Shipping Store Sentenced to 42 Months in Prison for Conspiracy and Identity TheftRead the Press Release
OKLAHOMA CITY – Earlier today, JOSHUA RAY CAMPBELL, 41, formerly of Oklahoma City, was sentenced to serve 42 months in prison for conspiracy to commit theft or receipt of stolen mail and aggravated identity theft, announced United States Attorney Timothy J. Downing.
According to a superseding information, Campbell was the owner of a commercial mail receiving business in Oklahoma City that offered private mailbox rentals. Campbell and others engaged in a conspiracy to steal mail from mailboxes at his business and from mailboxes around Oklahoma City for the purpose of converting stolen mail to cash and for the purpose of stealing mail recipients’ identities. Campbell additionally used the identity of one of his victims, specifically his victim’s name, PIN number, and bank account information, during and in relation to the crime of bank fraud.
On October 7, 2019, Campbell entered a plea of guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit theft or receipt of stolen mail and one count of aggravated identity theft in relation to bank fraud.
Today, U.S. District Judge Joe Heaton sentenced Campbell to serve a total of 42 months in prison, followed by a 3-year term of supervised release. Campbell must also pay restitution of $49,154.33 to his victims.
Campbell’s co-conspirator Gena Michele Walker was sentenced on September 28, 2018, to serve 21 months in prison after pleading guilty to conspiracy to possess stolen mail.
These charges are the result of an investigation by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Oklahoma City Police Department, the Nicoma Park Police Department, the Village Police Department, and the Edmond Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney William E. Farrior.
Former Olney Police Chief Sentenced to 10 Years for Threatening Man at GunpointRead the Press Release
The former Acting Police Chief of Olney, Texas was sentenced today to 10 years in federal prison for threatening an individual at gunpoint, announced U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Erin Nealy Cox.
Former Acting Chief Robert Michael Cross, 35, pleaded guilty in October to deprivation of rights under color of law following an investigation by the FBI’s Dallas Field Office.
“The city of Olney deserves police officers with respect for the rule of law,” said U.S. Attorney Nealy Cox. “Instead, this defendant abused his power, stripping citizens of their dignity for his own perverse ends. We are gratified he has been held to account for his despicable behavior.”
“Law enforcement officers are responsible for upholding the law and protecting their communities from harm. The defendant used his position of authority to prey on vulnerable individuals and exploit them for his personal gain,” said FBI Dallas Special Agent in Charge Matthew J. DeSarno. “The FBI is committed to preserving trust in law enforcement. We will criminally pursue any officer that violates the law and abuses their oath to protect and serve.”
In plea papers and in other information provided in court, Mr. Cross admitted that shortly after arresting two individuals for aggravated robbery offenses, he coerced them into engaging in conduct for his own personal benefit, promising to have the criminal cases against them dismissed if they complied with his demands.
About a month after the arrest, on Dec. 20, 2017, he took them out in his vehicle to eat dinner and catch a movie. That evening, he brandished a pistol, threatening one victim with bodily injury and coercing the victim to engage in sex acts with another individual, thereby willfully depriving the victim of the Constitutional right to be free from unreasonable force by a law enforcement officer.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Dallas Field Office and the Texas Rangers conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert Boudreau is prosecuting the case. U.S. District Judge Reed C. O’Connor handed down the sentence.
Federal customs and border protection officer charged with smuggling 17 kilograms of cocaineRead the Press Release
ATLANTA - Ivan Van Beverhoudt has been arraigned on federal charges relating to importation of cocaine, possession with the intent to distribute cocaine, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking.
“This officer allegedly abused his office to engage in criminal conduct,” said U.S. Attorney Byung J. “BJay” Pak. “Federal law enforcement officers take an oath to uphold the law. When an officer violates that oath, he or she will be investigated and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”
“A badge and a gun should be used for protecting the public, not for bypassing security to enable criminal activity,” said acting Special Agent in Charge Robert Hammer, who oversees Homeland Security Inspection (HSI) operations in Georgia and Alabama. “Corruption in law enforcement undermines the public’s trust and makes all of our jobs harder.”
“CBP officers take an Oath of Office, a solemn pledge that conveys great responsibility and one that should be carried out at all times with the utmost professionalism,” stated Todd Bellew, Area Port Director in Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands. “Inappropriate behavior or misconduct is not tolerated, and does not reflect our values of vigilance, integrity and professionalism.”
“Van Beverhoudt allegedly abused his position as U.S. Customs and Border Protection Officer to smuggle drugs through the world’s busiest airport,” said DHS OIG’s Acting Special Agent in Charge Ronnie Tippett. “The public deserves better – they deserve officers who obey the laws that they are entrusted to enforce.”
According to U.S. Attorney Pak, the charges, and other information presented in court: In January 2020, Ivan Van Beverhoudt was a sworn officer with the Department of Homeland Security Customs & Border Protection (“CBP”), stationed in the U.S. Virgin Islands. Part of Van Beverhoudt’s duties was the inspection of flights to prevent the importation of controlled substances on airplanes.
On January 10, 2020, Van Beverhoudt traveled on a flight from St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands, through Atlanta, on his way to Baltimore, Maryland. At the time, Van Beverhoudt was carrying his U.S. Government-issued weapon that allowed him to bypass normal airport screening because he was a law enforcement officer “flying while armed.” When the flight arrived in Atlanta, Atlanta-based CPB officers at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport inspected the passengers on the flight with a K-9 handler and dog. As Van Beverhoudt passed by the K-9 handler and the dog, the dog alerted to his two carry-on bags.
CBP officers escorted Van Beverhoudt to an interview room where Van Beverhoudt claimed to be coming through Atlanta to see a doctor in Baltimore, although he could not identify the doctor or explain how the doctor would see him on the weekend and without a medical appointment. After the drug dog again alerted to his bags, CBP officers opened both bags and discovered 14 packages in one bag, and two additional packages in the other bag, containing a substance that field-tested positive for cocaine and weighed a total of 17.8 kilograms.
Ivan Van Beverhoudt, 40, of Saint Thomas, Virgin Islands, was arraigned before U.S. Magistrate Judge Regina D. Cannon. Van Beverhoudt was indicted by a federal grand jury on February 4, 2020. Members of the public are reminded that the indictment only contains charges. The defendant is presumed innocent of the charges and it will be the government’s burden to prove the defendant’s guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial.
Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the Department of Homeland Security Office of Inspector General are jointly investigating this case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Laurel R. Boatright is prosecuting the case.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Atlanta recommends parents and children learn about the dangers of drugs at the following web site: www.justthinktwice.gov.
For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at [email protected] or (404) 581-6016. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.
Federal Prisoner Sentenced to 18 Months for Synthetic Cannabinoid Distribution SchemeRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH – Terrell Williams pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 18 months in prison for conspiring to distribute Schedule I synthetic cannabinoid controlled substances between 2017 and 2019, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced today.
Williams, age 41 of Pittsburgh, was sentenced by United States District Judge J. Nicholas Ranjan. Judge Ranjan also ordered Williams to serve six years of supervised release following his prison term. Williams was serving a prior federal prison sentence when he committed the crime to which he pled guilty and for which he was sentenced.
Assistant United States Attorney Craig W. Haller prosecuted this case on behalf of the United States.
The Drug Enforcement Administration, the Internal Revenue Service, the federal Bureau of Prisons, and the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General led the multi-agency investigation that also included the United States Postal Inspection Service, the Beaver County District Attorney’s Office, the Department of Homeland Security/Homeland Security Investigations, the Pittsburgh Police Department, the United States Marshals Service, the Pennsylvania State Police, the Munhall Police Department, the Robinson Township Police Department, the McKees Rocks Police Department, the Stowe Township Police Department, the Etna Police Department, and the Erie County District Attorney’s Office.
The investigation was funded by the federal Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force Program (OCDETF). The OCDETF program supplies critical federal funding and coordination that allows federal and state agencies to work together to successfully identify, investigate, and prosecute major interstate and international drug trafficking organizations and other criminal enterprises.
Erie Man Charged with Producing Child Pornography VideosRead the Press Release
ERIE, Pa. - A resident of Erie, Pennsylvania, has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Erie on charges of violating federal laws relating to the sexual exploitation of children, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced today.
The two-count Indictment named Dana Lindstrom, 38, as the sole defendant.
According to the Indictment presented to the court, in August 2019, Lindstrom produced child pornography by recording videos of a minor female in a bathroom without her permission.
"The U.S. Attorney’s office is participating in NO MORE week, March 8-14, 2020, a week dedicated to ending domestic violence and sexual assault by increasing awareness and inspiring everyone to become part of the solution," said U.S. Attorney Brady. "Today’s indictment demonstrates our steadfast commitment to safeguarding our children and bringing to justice individuals who commit child exploitation crimes."
The law provides for a maximum total sentence of 60 years in prison, a fine of $500,000, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney Christian A. Trabold is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Erie Police Department and the Erie County Detectives Bureau conducted the investigation leading to the Indictment in this case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Erie Man Charged with Possessing Fentanyl and Distributing CocaineRead the Press Release
ERIE, Pa. - A former resident of Erie, Pennsylvania, has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Erie on charges of violating federal drug laws, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced today.
The three-count Indictment named Jamie Darnell Pullium, 38, as the sole defendant.
According to the Indictment presented to the court, on or about February 3 and February 11, 2020, Pullium distributed cocaine in Erie, Pennsylvanian and on or about February 20, 2020, he possessed fentanyl with the intent to distribute.
The law provides for a maximum total sentence of 60 years in prison, a fine of $3,000,000, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney Paul S. Sellers is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Erie County Drug Taskforce, Erie County Detective Bureau, Millcreek Police Department, Erie Police Department, and Pennsylvania State Police conducted the investigation leading to the Indictment in this case.
This case is being prosecuted as part of Operation S.O.S. (Synthetic Opioid Surge), a Department of Justice enforcement initiative designed to dismantle deadly fentanyl distribution networks through cooperation with local, state and federal law enforcement, as well as local and state prosecutors. The Western District of Pennsylvania as one of 10 districts from across the country to implement the S.O.S. program.
An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Eighteen South Jersey Residents Charged with Trafficking Prescription DrugsRead the Press Release
CAMDEN, N.J. – Eighteen alleged members of two drug trafficking operations based in Gloucester City and Camden have been charged in connection with their roles in distributing drugs, including high-dosage oxycodone pills, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito announced today.
The defendants were charged with conspiring to possess and distribute drugs in two complaints unsealed today. Sixteen of the defendants were arrested today and are scheduled to appear this afternoon before U.S. Magistrate Judges Joel Schneider and Karen M. Williams in Camden federal court. Two defendants remain at large. (See table below)
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
The charges and arrests are the result of a wiretap investigation led by the FBI into drug distribution operations that dealt in, among other drugs, high-dose, 60- and 80-mg oxycodone pills. The operations’ leaders – Rocco DePoder for the Gloucester City operation and Erick Bell and Alfred Kee Jr. for the Camden operation – and the other suppliers, resellers and associates charged in the complaints generally employed the following means to facilitate the pill trafficking: Bell, Kee and DePoder would solicit the suppliers, including certain defendants named in the complaints, and others, primarily over the telephone, to supply them with quantities of oxycodone, Adderall and Xanax for DePoder, and oxycodone for Bell and Kee. After receiving substantial quantities of pills at Bell’s home in Camden, DePoder’s home in Gloucester City, and other locations in southern New Jersey (including Lindenwold and Woodbury), Bell and DePoder would take orders for pills over the telephone from others. Bell, Kee and DePoder would provide purchasers with these pills. The defendants employed coded language and used multiple phones to conceal their activities.
The conspiracies charged in the complaints carry a maximum prison term of 20 years and a maximum fine of $1 million.
U.S. Attorney Carpenito credited special agents of FBI Philadelphia Division, South Jersey Resident Agency, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Tara McMahon; U.S. Department of Health and Human Services-Office of the Inspector General, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Scott J. Lampert; the Camden County Sheriff's Office, under the direction of Sheriff Gilbert L. Wilson; New Jersey Office of Homeland Security and Preparedness, under the direction of Director Jared M. Maples; the Camden County Police Department, under the direction of Chief Joseph Wysocki; and the U.S. Department of Agriculture-Office of Inspector General, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Bethanne M. Dinkins, with the investigation leading to the charges.
He also thanked the FBI Newark Division, New Jersey State Police, Camden County Prosecutor’s Office, and U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) for their assistance.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Gabriel J. Vidoni of the Office’s Camden branch, and Sara F. Merin and Mark J. McCarren of the Newark Office.
The charges and allegations contained in the complaints are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
*denotes at large
East Hartford Man Sentenced to 87 Months in Prison for Trafficking Heroin Cut with Horse TranquilizerRead the Press Release
John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that ALEXANDER PENA, 28, of East Hartford, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Victor A. Bolden in Bridgeport to 87 months of imprisonment, followed by four years of supervised release, for trafficking heroin.
According to court documents and statements made in court, in October 2016, the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Hartford Task Force began an investigation of an organization that was trafficking large quantities of heroin, fentanyl and other narcotics in Connecticut and western Massachusetts. The investigation, which included court-authorized wiretaps, controlled purchases of narcotics and physical surveillance, revealed that members of the organization were receiving bulk quantities of heroin and fentanyl from out-of-state suppliers. They then stored, processed and packaged the heroin/fentanyl in multiple locations, including apartments located at 280 Collins Street in Hartford where some members of the organization also resided, and then distributed the drug in the Hartford area, and also the Springfield and Holyoke, Massachusetts area. A significant amount of drug trafficking activity occurred at the Neighborhood Supermarket, located at 316 Farmington Avenue in Hartford.
Investigators made multiple controlled purchases of heroin and fentanyl from Pena and other members of the drug trafficking organization in and around the Neighborhood Supermarket. The heroin/fentanyl was cut with xylazine, which is a horse tranquilizer.
During the investigation, law enforcement executed 12 search warrants in Connecticut and Massachusetts and seized approximately 10 kilograms of heroin and fentanyl, much of which was packaged for resale in hundreds of thousands of bags. Investigators also seized numerous vials of xylazine. Seven firearms also were seized.
Pena has been detained since his arrest on June 29, 2017. On that date, a search of Pena’s East Hartford residence revealed quantities of heroin and cocaine and approximately $10,000 in cash.
On December 9, 2019, he pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute heroin.
Fourteen individuals have been charged with various narcotics, firearms and immigration offenses as a result of this investigation.
The DEA’s Hartford Task Force includes personnel from the DEA Hartford Resident Office and the Bristol, Hartford, East Hartford, Manchester, New Britain, Rocky Hill, Wethersfield, Windsor Locks and Willimantic Police Departments. Agencies assisting the investigation include the Federal Bureau of Investigation, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, U.S. Marshals Service and Connecticut State Police.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Geoffrey M. Stone.
Dominican National Pleads Guilty to Identity Theft ChargesRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Dominican national pleaded guilty today in connection with using the identity of a U.S. citizen.
Yohnny Peguero Villalona, 33, a Dominican national who formerly resided in Lynn, pleaded guilty to one count of false representation of a Social Security number, one count of aggravated identity theft and one count of making a false statement relating to a health care benefit program. Sentencing is scheduled for July 8, 2020. Peguero Villalona was arrested in December 2019 and has been detained since that time.
Peguero Villalona used the name and identifiers of a U.S. citizen for at least 13 years, including to obtain a Massachusetts driver’s license and to apply for MassHealth benefits. When he was arrested on unrelated charges, Peguero Villalona used the identity of this U.S. citizen. Fingerprints taken during the booking process following the prior arrest of Peguero Villalona matched fingerprints showing him to be a citizen of the Dominican Republic. During a search of Peguero Villalona’s residence, a Massachusetts driver’s license and a MassHealth card under the name of the U.S. citizen whose identity Peguero Villalona had fraudulently assumed, were recovered.
The charges of false representation of a Social Security number and false statement relating to a health care benefit program provide for a sentence of up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. The charge of aggravated identity theft provides for a two-year sentence to be served consecutively to any other sentence, as well as up to one year of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling; Jason Molina, Acting Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Boston; and Phillip M. Coyne, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, Office of Inspector General, made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Social Security Administration, Office of Inspector General, Office of Investigations; U.S. Postal Inspection Service; U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations; U.S. Department of State, Diplomatic Security Service; U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Office of Inspector General; U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General; and the Lynn Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Bill Abely, Deputy Chief of Lelling’s Major Crimes Unit, is prosecuting the case.
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Doctor Pays Civil Penalties for Violating the Controlled Substances ActRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Richmond physician agreed to pay $24,000 in civil penalties for forging prescriptions for controlled substances for her own use in violation of the Controlled Substances Act.
On at least six occasions, Dr. Tanja Zlatkovic Zanin obtained blank prescription forms from her place of employment, forged the signatures of two physicians, and wrote, for her own use, prescriptions for Adderall, a Schedule II controlled substance. Under the terms of a parallel administrative resolution, Dr. Zanin entered into a Memorandum of Agreement with the DEA under which she is not permitted to purchase or distribute controlled substances for twenty-four months. Dr. Zanin admitted to her misconduct and took full responsibility for her actions.
The Controlled Substances Act regulates individuals and companies that manufacture, distribute and dispense controlled substances. The law aims to protect the public’s health and safety from dangers posed by highly addictive or dangerous controlled substances, including the diversion or improper use of such substances, while also ensuring that patients have access to pharmaceutical controlled substances for legitimate medical purposes.
The resolutions obtained in this matter were the result of a coordinated effort between the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia and the DEA’s Richmond District Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ilene Albala and Robert P. McIntosh handled the Controlled Substances Act civil penalty matter. The administrative action was handled by John E. Beerbower of the DEA Office of Chief Counsel’s Diversion & Regulatory Litigation Section.
A copy of this press release may be found on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia.
Department of Justice Begins First Distribution of Funds Recovered Through Asset Forfeiture to Compensate Victims of Western Union Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
The Department of Justice announced today that the Western Union Remission Fund began its first distribution of approximately $153 million in funds forfeited to the U.S. government from the Western Union Company (Western Union) to over 109,000 victims located in the United States and abroad. These victims, many of whom were elderly victims of consumer fraud and abuse, will be recovering the full amount of their losses.
“The $153 million distribution announced today brings some measure of justice for the elderly and other victims who were financially harmed by the fraudulent schemes in this case,” said Assistant Attorney General Brian A. Benczkowski of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “The department remains resolute in its efforts to not only prevent fraud from occurring in the first place, but also to find and return ill-gotten gains.”
“Money Transfer Businesses such as Western Union are particularly susceptible to misuse by scammers,” said U.S. Attorney David J. Freed for the Middle District of Pennsylvania. “In nearly every case of this nature that we have encountered in the Middle District of Pennsylvania, money transfer businesses are used to facilitate the crimes. Working together with MLARS and the skilled and dedicated investigators of the Postal Inspection Service, we have achieved outstanding results – bringing fraudsters to justice and holding businesses such as Western Union accountable. In addition to increased fraud detection and protections, an integral part of that accountability involves Western Union making victims whole. $153 Million is a good start.”
“The losses and the number of victims in this case are staggering. This initial disbursement will provide relief to more than 100,000 individuals, who lost $153 million,” said Assistant Postal Inspector in Charge John Walker of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service’s Philadelphia Division. “Some lost their life’s savings as a result of these scammers. Postal Inspectors continue to be out front when it comes to investigating these con men and in protecting American citizens from them. Today, we are happy to play a third role — returning money to those who were scammed. Delivering justice, and in this case, delivering restitution.”
“Western Union turned a blind eye to the fraudulent payments made through its money transfer system,” said Andrew Smith, Director of the Federal Trade Commission’s Bureau of Consumer Protection. “We’re glad to be returning money to those consumers who were ripped off by fraudsters exploiting the Western Union system, and we will not tolerate Western Union or other payments companies facilitating fraud.”
In 2017, Western Union entered into a deferred prosecution agreement (DPA) with the United States. Pursuant to the DPA, Western Union acknowledged responsibility for its criminal conduct, which included violations of the Bank Secrecy Act and aiding and abetting wire fraud, and agreed to forfeit $586 million, which has been made available to compensate victims of the international consumer fraud scheme through the remission process. Western Union simultaneously resolved a parallel civil investigation with the Federal Trade Commission.
In this case, fraudsters specifically targeted seniors through primarily three distinct scams. First, in grandparent scams, the fraudster would pose as the victim’s relative, usually a grandchild, in need of immediate money to avoid personal harm such as a payment for medical expenses or ambulatory transportation. Second, in lottery or sweepstakes scams, victims received phone calls telling them that they had won large cash prizes but had to pay fees such as taxes to claim the prize. Many of these victims were re-victimized several times, as they were told to transfer large sums of money in multiple transactions on the promise that they would receive their prizes. Third, romance scams preyed on seniors searching for love or companionship on the internet. These victims were lulled into believing that their online love interest needed funds for a visit to the United States or some other purpose.
Certain owners, operators or employees of Western Union agent locations were complicit in the schemes. Western Union aided and abetted the fraud scheme by failing to suspend or terminate complicit agents and by allowing them to continue to process fraud-induced monetary transactions. Western Union had fulfilled its obligations under the DPA and the government has filed a motion to dismiss the information, which the court granted today.
This first round of payments is one of several expected to occur in the Western Union remission. The Department of Justice sent petitions for remission to over 500,000 potential victims of the Western Union fraud and anticipates authorizing compensation for many more victims in the coming months.
The Justice Department, through the Asset Forfeiture Program, works diligently to restore lost funds to victims of crime and acknowledges the significant assistance of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) Philadelphia Division’s Harrisburg, Pennsylvania Office in the Western Union remission. The victim compensation payments in the Western Union case would not have been possible without the extraordinary efforts of the U.S. Department of Justice Criminal Division’s Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section; the U.S. Attorney’s Offices for the Middle District of Pennsylvania, the Central District of California, the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, and the Southern District of Florida; and the USPIS Philadelphia Division’s Harrisburg, Pennsylvania Office, the FBI’s Los Angeles Field Office, the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigations, Homeland Security Investigations, Federal Reserve Board and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau Office of Inspector General, and Department of the Treasury Office of Inspector General.
More information about the Western Union remission and its compensation to victims is available on the Western Union remission website at www.westernunionremission.com. Further questions may be directed to the Western Union Remission Administrator by phone at 844-319-2124 or by email at [email protected].
The year 2020 marks the 150th anniversary of the Department of Justice. Learn more about the history of our agency at www.Justice.gov/Celebrating150Years.
Department of Justice Begins First Distribution of Funds Recovered Through Asset Forfeiture to Compensate Victims of Western Union Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
HARRISBURG – U.S. Attorney David J. Freed joined Assistant Attorney General Brian A. Benczkowski of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, in announcing that the Western Union Remission Fund began its first distribution of approximately $153 million in funds forfeited to the U.S. government from the Western Union Company (Western Union) to over 109,000 victims located in the United States and abroad. These victims, many of whom included elderly victims of consumer fraud and abuse, will be recovering the full amount of their losses.
“Money Transfer Businesses such as Western Union are particularly susceptible to misuse by scammers,” said U.S. Attorney David J. Freed for the Middle District of Pennsylvania. “In nearly every case of this nature that we have encountered in the Middle District of Pennsylvania, money transfer businesses are used to facilitate the crimes. Working together with MLARS and the skilled and dedicated investigators of the Postal Inspection Service, we have achieved outstanding results – bringing fraudsters to justice and holding businesses such as Western Union accountable. In addition to increased fraud detection and protections, an integral part of that accountability involves Western Union making victims whole. $153 Million is a good start.”
“The $153 million distribution announced today brings some measure of justice for the elderly and other victims who were financially harmed by the fraudulent schemes in this case,” said Assistant Attorney General Brian A. Benczkowski of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “The Department remains resolute in its efforts to not only prevent fraud from occurring in the first place, but also to find and return ill-gotten gains.”
“The losses and the number of victims in this case are staggering. This initial disbursement will provide relief to more than 100,000 individuals, who lost $153 million,” said Assistant Postal Inspector in Charge John Walker of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service’s Philadelphia Division. “Some lost their life’s savings as a result of these scammers. Postal Inspectors continue to be out front when it comes to investigating these con men and in protecting American citizens from them. Today, we are happy to play a third role—returning money to those who were scammed. Delivering justice, and in this case, delivering restitution.”
“Western Union turned a blind eye to the fraudulent payments made through its money transfer system,” said Andrew Smith, Director of the Federal Trade Commission’s Bureau of Consumer Protection. “We’re glad to be returning money to those consumers who were ripped off by fraudsters exploiting the Western Union system, and we will not tolerate Western Union or other payments companies facilitating fraud.”
In 2017, Western Union entered into a deferred prosecution agreement (DPA) with the United States. Pursuant to the DPA, Western Union acknowledged responsibility for its criminal conduct, which included violations of the Bank Secrecy Act and aiding and abetting wire fraud, and agreed to forfeit $586 million, which has been made available to compensate victims of the international consumer fraud scheme through the remission process. Western Union simultaneously resolved a parallel civil investigation with the Federal Trade Commission.
In this case, fraudsters specifically targeted seniors through primarily three distinct scams. First, in grandparent scams, the fraudster would pose as the victim’s relative, usually a grandchild, in need of immediate money to avoid personal harm such as a payment for medical expenses or ambulatory transportation. Second, in lottery or sweepstakes scams, victims received phone calls telling them that they had won large cash prizes but had to pay fees such as taxes to claim the prize. Many of these victims were re-victimized several times, as they were told to transfer large sums of money in multiple transactions on the promise that they would receive their prizes. Third, romance scams preyed on seniors searching for love or companionship on the internet. These victims were lulled into believing that their online love interest needed funds for a visit to the United States or some other purpose.
Certain owners, operators or employees of Western Union agent locations were complicit in the schemes. Western Union aided and abetted the fraud scheme by failing to suspend or terminate complicit agents and by allowing them to continue to process fraud-induced monetary transactions. Western Union had fulfilled its obligations under the DPA and the government has filed a motion to dismiss the information, which the court granted today.
This first round of payments is one of several expected to occur in the Western Union remission. The Department of Justice sent petitions for remission to over 500,000 potential victims of the Western Union fraud and anticipates authorizing compensation for many more victims in the coming months.
The Justice Department, through the Asset Forfeiture Program, works diligently to restore lost funds to victims of crime and acknowledges the significant assistance of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) Philadelphia Division’s Harrisburg, Pennsylvania Office in the Western Union remission. The victim compensation payments in the Western Union case would not have been possible without the extraordinary efforts of the U.S. Department of Justice Criminal Division’s Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section; the U.S. Attorney’s Offices for the Middle District of Pennsylvania, the Central District of California, the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, and the Southern District of Florida; and the USPIS Philadelphia Division’s Harrisburg, Pennsylvania Office, the FBI’s Los Angeles Field Office, the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigations, Homeland Security Investigations, Federal Reserve Board and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau Office of Inspector General, and Department of the Treasury Office of Inspector General.
More information about the Western Union remission and its compensation to victims is available on the Western Union remission website at www.westernunionremission.com. Further questions may be directed to the Western Union Remission Administrator by phone at 844-319-2124 or by email at [email protected].
The year 2020 marks the 150th anniversary of the Department of Justice. Learn more about the history of our agency at www.Justice.gov/Celebrating150Years.
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Cory Ryan Day Sentenced for Enticement of a Child for Sexual Purposes and Traveling with the Intent to Illicit Sexual ConductRead the Press Release
Knoxville, Tennessee – On March 10, 2020, Cory Ryan Day, 24, currently of Huntsville, was sentenced by the Honorable Thomas A. Varlan in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee at Knoxville.
As part of a plea agreement, Cory Ryan Day agreed to plead guilty to an information charging him with one count of enticement of a child for sexual purposes in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 2422(b) and one count of traveling with the intent to illicit sexual conduct in violation of 18 U.S.C. 2423(a). Day was sentenced to 120 months in prison, followed by 12 years of supervised release. Day will be required to register with state sex offender registries and comply with special sex offender conditions during his supervised release.
In September and October of 2018, in the Eastern District of Tennessee, Day contacted a 15-year-old boy through Snapchat, a social media site. Day sent the minor a video of a couple having sex. Day then offered to pay the minor $200 and buy him alcohol if he would allow Day to have sexual contact with him. The minor refused.
At the end of December of 2018, a young girl began receiving messages on Snapchat from Day, who purported to be a teenage girl and sent naked photos of a teenage girl. Day subsequently requested naked photos of the young girl. Day then arranged a meeting with her, offering money and cigarettes in exchange for allowing Day to engage in illicit sexual conduct with her. Day traveled from Scott County in the Eastern District of Tennessee to the Eastern District of Kentucky to meet the girl.
At the time of the crimes, Day was a teacher and coach with the Scott County Schools.
“This case is unfortunately representative of the calculated misuse of the Internet and social media by sexual predators,” said U.S. Attorney J. Douglas Overbey. “As parents, we need to be ever vigilant in protecting the children entrusted to our care. The U.S. Attorney’s Office will continue to prosecute to the full extent of the law those who use social media to entice and prey on children for illicit purposes.”
“Children are among the most vulnerable members of our community. They must be protected in any way we can. This investigation is a great example of the work that can be done when state and federal law enforcement agencies work together to remove those intent on harming the safety and well-being of our youth,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Joe Carrico.
The criminal information was the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation. This investigation was led by FBI Special Agent Kristina Norris.
Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer Kolman represented the United States.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood (PSC), 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 Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, PSC 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 PSC, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
For more information about internet safety education, please visit www.justice.gov/psc/resources.html and click on the tab "resources.”
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Boardman Woman Sentenced to Two Years in Prison for Identity TheftRead the Press Release
Laura J. Entrikin, age 60 of Boardman, Ohio, was sentenced today to 24 months in prison and one year of supervised release for using her deceased mother’s identity to steal social security benefits.
The announcement was made by United States Attorney Justin E. Herdman and Andrew Boockmeier, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Social Security Administration (SSA) Office of the Inspector General, Chicago Field Office.
As part of her November 26, 2019 guilty plea, Entrikin admitted to forging her deceased mother’s name on 147 checks in order to withdraw social security retirement benefits deposited into the account after her mother died.
Entrikin was also ordered to pay $322,322 in restitution to the SSA.
This case was investigated by the SSA Office of the Inspector General and prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Jason White.
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Biddeford, Maine Man Convicted of Hate Crime AssaultsRead the Press Release
Following a three-day jury trial, Maurice Diggins, 36, of Biddeford, Maine, was convicted today of conspiring to commit hate crimes and of actually committing hate crimes by engaging in a series of racially motivated attacks against black men in Maine, announced the Department of Justice.
“Today’s conviction demonstrates that the Department of Justice will not tolerate horrific racially-motivated attacks,” said Assistant Attorney General Eric Dreiband for the Civil Rights Division. “The jury’s verdict reflects the sad fact that racism and violence remain linked more than 150 years after our nation abolished slavery. The Department of Justice will continue forcefully to prosecute race-based violations of our federal civil rights laws.”
“Today, a jury found Maurice Diggins guilty of committing three hate crimes,” said U.S. Attorney Halsey B. Frank of the District of Maine. “At trial, the government proved that Diggins conspired with his nephew, Dusty Leo, to brutally assault two men because they were black. In both cases, the men’s jaws required surgery to repair extensive damage. Diggins’ and Leo’s behavior was despicable. It violated America’s and Maine’s core values that all men are created equal, that they are entitled to pursue their lives without racial discrimination, and entitled to be safe from being assaulted because of the color of their skin. I am grateful to the jurors for their service, to the trial team for ably presenting the case, and to the federal defender for providing Mr. Diggins with the type of vigorous defense that our system provides to all defendants.”
According to evidence presented at trial, on April 15, 2018, defendant Diggins and his nephew, Dusty Leo (who previously pled guilty in connection with this case), committed two separate racially motivated assaults, one in Portland and one in Biddeford. In the Portland assault, which occurred just before 1:00 a.m., Diggins attacked a black Sudanese male without provocation, breaking the victim’s jaw. During that same incident, Diggins and Leo assaulted another black man who was standing nearby. Witnesses heard Diggins and Leo using racial epithets during the incidents.
In the second incident, which occurred approximately an hour later and approximately 20 miles away in Biddeford, defendant Diggins and Leo drove in Leo’s truck into the parking lot of a convenience store, where Diggins got out of the truck and approached a black man who was walking toward the store’s entrance. Diggins directed a racial slur at the man and distracted him while Leo got out of the truck and sucker-punched him in the jaw, knocking him to the ground. The unprovoked attack broke the victim’s jaw in several places.
Leo pleaded guilty on Feb. 25, admitting that he conspired to commit hate crimes and that he committed the hate crime against the victim in Biddeford.
Diggins faces up to 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine on each of the two hate crime charges, and five years in prison and a $250,000 fine on the conspiracy charge. Leo faces the same penalties for the hate crime charge and conspiracy charge to which he pleaded guilty. They will be sentenced after the preparation of presentence investigation reports by the U.S. Probation Office.
The Biddeford Police Department and the FBI investigated the case. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Sheila Sawyer and Civil Rights Division Trial Attorney Timothy Visser.
For more information about the Department of Justice’s work to combat and prevent hate crimes, visit www.justice.gov/hatecrimes: a one-stop portal with links to Department of Justice hate crimes resources for law enforcement, media, researchers, victims, advocacy groups, and other organizations and individuals.
Biddeford Man Convicted of Hate Crimes AssaultsRead the Press Release
Portland, Maine: Following a three-day jury trial, Maurice Diggins, of Biddeford, Maine, was convicted today of conspiring to commit hate crimes and of actually committing hate crimes by engaging in a series of racially motivated attacks against black men in Maine, announced Assistant Attorney General Eric Dreiband of the Civil Rights Division and U.S. Attorney Halsey B. Frank of the District of Maine.
“Today’s conviction demonstrates that the Department of Justice will not tolerate horrific racially-motivated attacks,” said Assistant Attorney General Eric Dreiband for the Civil Rights Division. “The jury’s verdict reflects the sad fact that racism and violence remain linked more than 150 years after our nation abolished slavery. The Department of Justice will continue forcefully to prosecute race-based violations of our federal civil rights laws.”
“Today, a jury found Maurice Diggins guilty of committing three hate crimes,” said U.S. Attorney Halsey B. Frank of the District of Maine. “At trial, the government proved that Diggins conspired with his nephew, Dusty Leo, to brutally assault two men because they were black. In both cases, the men’s jaws required surgery to repair extensive damage. Diggins’ and Leo’s behavior was despicable. It violated America’s and Maine’s core values that all men are created equal, that they are entitled to pursue their lives without racial discrimination, and entitled to be safe from being assaulted because of the color of their skin. I am grateful to the jurors for their service, to the trial team for ably presenting the case, and to the federal defender for providing Mr. Diggins with the type of vigorous defense that our system provides to all defendants.”
According to evidence presented at trial, on April 15, 2018, defendant Diggins and his nephew, Dusty Leo (who previously pled guilty in connection with this case), committed two separate racially motivated assaults, one in Portland and one in Biddeford. In the Portland assault, which occurred just before 1:00 a.m., Diggins attacked a black Sudanese male without provocation, breaking the victim’s jaw. During that same incident, Diggins and Leo assaulted another black man who was standing nearby. Witnesses heard Diggins and Leo using racial epithets during the incidents.
In the second incident, which occurred approximately an hour later and approximately 20 miles away in Biddeford, defendant Diggins and Leo drove in Leo’s truck into the parking lot of a convenience store, where Diggins got out of the truck and approached a black man who was walking toward the store’s entrance. Diggins directed a racial slur at the man and distracted him while Leo got out of the truck and sucker-punched him in the jaw, knocking him to the ground. The unprovoked attack broke the victim’s jaw in several places.
Leo pleaded guilty on February 25, admitting that he conspired to commit hate crimes and that he committed the hate crime against the victim in Biddeford.
Diggins faces up to 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine on each of the two hate crime charges, and five years in prison and a $250,000 fine on the conspiracy charge. Leo faces the same penalties for the hate crime charge and conspiracy charge to which he pleaded guilty. They will be sentenced after the preparation of presentence investigation reports by the U.S. Probation Office.
The Biddeford Police Department and the FBI investigated the case. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Sheila Sawyer and Civil Rights Division Trial Attorney Timothy Visser.
For more information about the Department of Justice’s work to combat and prevent hate crimes, visit www.justice.gov/hatecrimes a one-stop portal with links to Department of Justice hate crimes resources for law enforcement, media, researchers, victims, advocacy groups, and other organizations and individuals.
Austin Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Assaulting a Federal OfficerRead the Press Release
In Austin today, a federal judge sentenced 21-year-old Candido Rodriguez, III, to 92 months in federal prison for assaulting a Transportation Security Administration (TSA) security officer last year, announced U.S. Attorney John F. Bash and FBI Special Agent in Charge Christopher Combs, San Antonio Division.
In addition to the prison term, U.S. District Judge Lee Yeakel ordered that Rodriguez be placed on supervised release for a period of three years after completing his prison term.
“I am pleased with the sentence in this case. We won’t tolerate violence against law-enforcement officers in Texas,” stated U.S. Attorney Bash.
On November 5, 2019, the victim was driving to work at the Austin Bergstrom International Airport and stopped at a traffic light just before the airport entrance. According to the factual basis filed in this case, to which Rodriguez admitted in court, Rodriguez approached the victim, who was behind the wheel of the vehicle with the driver’s side window open several inches. The victim was wearing an official TSA uniform with TSA insignia plainly visible. Rodriguez engaged in a brief verbal exchange with the victim, during which he referred to the victim being an “officer.” The victim responded by stating that the victim was employed as a security officer at the airport. Rodriguez then forcibly opened the driver’s side door of the vehicle and began striking, scratching and cutting the victim’s head, face and right hand with a piece of broken glass or other sharp object.
The victim ultimately escaped from Rodriguez by accelerating through the intersection and onto airport property. A number of stitches were necessary to close cuts on the victim’s face and right hand.
On December 18, 2019, Rodriguez pleaded guilty to one count of assaulting a federal officer.
The FBI conducted this investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alan M. Buie prosecuted this case on behalf of the government. The U.S. Attorney’s Office appreciates the contributions of the Austin Police Department and the Travis County Sheriff’s Office.
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Athens Man Sentenced to 20 Years in Prison for Trafficking MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – A federal judge yesterday sentenced an Athens man for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, announced U.S. Attorney Jay E. Town, DEA Assistant Special Agent in Charge Clay Morris and Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms Special Agent in Charge Marcus Watson.
U.S. District Judge Madeline H. Haikala sentenced David Matthew Pugh, to 20 years in prison for his role in a drug conspiracy in Morgan, Madison, and Lauderdale counties between January 2017 and July 2017. In August 2018, Pugh pled guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. Pugh also pled guilty to possession with the intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine, and to possessing multiple firearms in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime and being a felon in possession of a firearm.
“Those individuals who engage in drug trafficking belong in federal prison,” Town said. “This sentence assures the citizens of the Northern District that yet another peddler of this poison has been removed from the community and that criminals who plague our streets with drugs and guns will continue to be targets of federal prosecution.”
“This is yet another example of DEA’s unwavering commitment to keeping drug dealers from selling poison in our communities,” Morris said. “Drugs and guns are a deadly combination that often end with violent acts. This sentence should send a resounding message to all drug dealers in Alabama. We will target you, investigate you, and ensure that you go to prison in order to make our communities safe.”
ATF Special Agent in Charge Marcus Watson stated “ATF’s crime gun intelligence partnerships focused on the prohibited individual who used firearms to facilitate violent crimes.”
The DEA and ATF investigated the case, along with the Madison-Morgan County Strategic Counter-Drug Team (STAC), which Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert J. Becher, Sr. prosecuted.
The year 2020 marks the 150th anniversary of the Department of Justice. Learn more about the history of our agency at www.Justice.gov/Celebrating150Years.
Associates of Western Addition “CDP” Gang Convicted of RICO Conspiracy and AccessoryRead the Press Release
SAN FRANCISCO – Earlier today, a federal grand jury convicted Barry Gilton, a/k/a “Prell,” of participating in a racketeering conspiracy, announced United States Attorney David L. Anderson and Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Special Agent in Charge John F. Bennett. The jury further found Gilton’s codefendant, Lupe Mercado, guilty of being an accessory to a murder committed by members of the San Francisco gang referred to as the Central Divisadero Players, a/k/a “Central Divis Playas” or “CDP.” The guilty verdicts follow a four-week jury trial before the Honorable William H. Orrick, U.S. District Judge, and represent the tenth and eleventh convictions in this racketeering case.
“The jury found that Gilton and Mercado participated in or assisted gang activity on San Francisco streets,” stated U.S. Attorney Anderson. “The jury’s verdict adds to nine prior convictions in the same case. Although much more work remains to be done, the verdicts are another significant step forward in dismantling a street gang that has imposed itself on San Francisco for far too long.”
“Gang members operate outside of the rule of law that allows our community to function as it should,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Bennett. “Members of CDP showed no hesitation to use violence to further their activities, and as public servants sworn to protect our community we cannot and will not let that happen unchallenged.”
Evidence at trial showed that Gilton, 46, and Mercado, 45, both of San Francisco, Calif., associated with members of CDP. The evidence showed that CDP was a racketeering organization that worked collectively with other gangs in the Western Addition of San Francisco to preserve and protect the power, territory, reputation, and profits of the enterprise using intimidation, violence, assaults, and murder. CDP members and associates committed numerous crimes, including murder, attempted murder, pimping, robbery, firearms offenses, witness intimidation, drug trafficking, and the enticement of individuals to travel in interstate commerce for prostitution.
The eleven-defendant, 22-count second superseding indictment filed on August 14, 2014, in this case charged Gilton and Mercado with murder in aid of racketeering, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1959(a)(1); use, possession, brandishing, or discharge of a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 924(c)(1)(A); and use or possession of a firearm in a murder, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 924(j). Gilton was also charged with racketeering conspiracy, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1962(d); and Mercado was also charged as an accessory after the fact, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 3. The jury convicted Gilton of the racketeering conspiracy and Mercado of being an accessory after the fact of a murder.
Judge Orrick has not yet scheduled Gilton’s and Mercado’s sentencing.
Gilton and Mercado face maximum statutory penalties of life in prison and 15 years, respectively. However, any sentence will be imposed by the court only after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal statute governing the imposition of a sentence, 18 U.S.C. § 3553.
The other nine defendants in this case have already been convicted and sentenced. Charles Heard (a/k/a “Cheese”) was sentenced to four life sentences; Jaquain Young (a/k/a “Loc”) was sentenced to four life sentences, plus additional terms of years; Adrian Gordon (a/k/a “Tit”) was sentenced to 27 years in prison; Alfonzo Williams (a/k/a “Fonz” or “Relly”) was sentenced to 25 years in prison; Antonio Gilton (a/k/a “TG” or “Tone”) was sentenced to 22 years in prison; Reginald Elmore (a/k/a “Fat Reg”) was sentenced to 22 years in prison; Esau Ferdinand (a/k/a “Sauce”) was sentenced to 20 years in prison; Monzell Harding, Jr. was sentenced to 12 years in prison; and Paul Robeson (a/k/a “P World”) was sentenced to six years in prison.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Organized Crime Strike Force is prosecuting the case. The prosecution is the result of joint investigation by the FBI; the San Francisco Police Department’s Gang Task Force, Homicide Detail, Robbery Detail, Special Victims Unit, and the Northern, Park, and Bayview Stations; the San Francisco District Attorney’s Office; and the San Pablo Police Department.