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9 March 2020
Cleveland man admits to drug chargeRead the Press Release
WHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA – Anthony L. Jackson, of Cleveland, Ohio, has admitted to a drug charge, U.S. Attorney Bill Powell announced.
Jackson, also known as “Rob,” age 32, pled guilty to one count of “Possession with Intent to Distribute Heroin and Fentanyl.” Jackson admitted to having heroin and fentanyl in August 2017 in Hancock County.
Jackson 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 Shawn M. Adkins is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The Hancock-Brooke-Weirton Drug & Violent Crimes Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, investigated.
U.S. Magistrate Judge James P. Mazzone presided.
Cincinnati man convicted at trial of 8 drug, firearm charges sentenced to 35 years in prisonRead the Press Release
CINCINNATI – A Cincinnati man was sentenced in U.S. District Court today to 420 months in prison for distributing heroin and cocaine from a house in northeast Cincinnati, and for possessing firearms in furtherance of drug crimes.
Qian “Will” Williams, 39, was convicted by a jury following a weeklong trial in September 2019.
Testimony by witnesses and evidence presented during the trial showed that for approximately 15 months Williams distributed heroin and cocaine he obtained from sources in Indiana and elsewhere.
Task force officers executed search warrants at Williams’ property on Randomhill Drive in August 2017. They seized more than a kilogram of heroin, more than 100 grams of cocaine, drug paraphernalia including a kilogram press, six firearms including two handguns, large-capacity magazines, and ammunition. Agents also seized more than $80,000 in cash and jewelry while executing the search warrants.
A federal grand jury indicted and agents arrested Williams in October 2017. He has been in custody since his arrest.
David M. DeVillers, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Keith Martin, Special Agent in Charge, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA); Cincinnati Police Chief Eliot K. Isaac; and Boone County Sheriff Michael A. Helmig announced the sentence imposed by U.S. District Court Judge Michael R. Barrett. Criminal Chief Karl P. Kadon and Assistant United States Attorney Ebunoluwa Taiwo represented the United States in this case.
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Charleston Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Gun CrimesRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A Charleston man pled guilty to federal gun crimes today, announced United States Attorney Mike Stuart. John Miller, 23, pled guilty making a false statement during the purchase of a firearm, possession of a firearm by a prohibited person, possession of a firearm in a school zone, and discharge of a firearm in a school zone.
“Miller, a prohibited person, lied to get a gun. He then shot it near an elementary school during a drug deal,” said United States Attorney Mike Stuart. “We are working closely with ATF and state and local law enforcement to get those who pose a threat of violence to our communities off of our streets.”
On April 7, 2019, Miller went to Cabela’s near Corridor G in Charleston, which is a licensed firearm dealer, and purchased a Taurus G2C 9 mm pistol. Prior to purchasing the firearm, he checked “no” in response to a question on the DOJ ATF Firearms Transaction Record Form 4473 indicating he was not an unlawful user of and addicted to a controlled substance, but he knew that to be a false statement as he was an unlawful user of and addicted to marijuana. Shortly after purchasing the firearm, he took it within a distance of 1,000 feet of Mary C. Snow West Side Elementary School and discharged it during a drug deal.
Miller faces up to 20 years imprisonment on the false statement and felon in possession charges, and up to five years, to run consecutively, on the charges relating to possession and discharge of a firearm in a school zone. Miller is scheduled to be sentenced on June 1, 2020.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Charleston Police Department conducted the investigation. United States District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorneys Ryan A. Saunders and Negar M. Kordestani are handling the prosecution.
This case is being prosecuted as part of the Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
This case is also part of Project Guardian, the Department of Justice’s signature initiative to reduce gun violence and enforce federal firearms laws. Initiated by the Attorney General in the fall of 2019, Project Guardian draws upon the Department’s past successful programs to reduce gun violence; enhances coordination of federal, state, local, and tribal authorities in investigating and prosecuting gun crimes; improves information-sharing by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives when a prohibited individual attempts to purchase a firearm and is denied by the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS), to include taking appropriate actions when a prospective purchaser is denied by the NICS for mental health reasons; and ensures that federal resources are directed at the criminals posing the greatest threat to our communities. The United States Attorney’s Office has prosecuted this case with support from the Project Guardian partners listed above. For more information about Project Guardian, please see: https://www.justice.gov/projectguardian.
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Canadian National Who Conned U.S. Senior Citizens out of Money via ‘Grandparent Scam’ Sentenced to 41 months in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – A Canadian telemarketer was sentenced this morning to 41 months in federal prison for conning American senior citizens by impersonating their grandchildren over the telephone and asking for financial help to get the purportedly distressed relatives out of trouble in a foreign country.
Clifford Kirstein, 29, of Montreal, was sentenced by United States District Judge Cormac J. Carney, who also ordered Kirstein to pay $56,258 in restitution to eight victims.
Kirstein pleaded guilty in November to one count of wire fraud after being extradited from Canada in January 2019. Kirstein admitted in court that he and his co-conspirators contacted their elderly U.S. victims by telephone and fraudulently induced victims to send money by pretending to be a grandchild or some other relative who was in distress in a foreign nation.
As a result, frightened victims wired money as instructed to help their loved ones. The victims were directed to wire money via Western Union or MoneyGram, listing the grandchild, other relative or the name of the purported lawyer as the intended recipient.
When the victims wired the money, Kirstein and his co-conspirators converted the funds to cash as quickly as possible before the victims could discover that they had been fooled. On some occasions, Kirstein or his co-schemers called the victims again to solicit more money, falsely claiming that additional funds were needed by the grandchild or other relative to fully resolve the problem.
Canadian law enforcement executed a search warrant in 2012 at a Montreal apartment, where they found a fully operating telemarketing boiler room, a large amount of cash and a money counting machine. The individual rooms of the apartment were strewn with lead sheets, burner phones and calling cards, and the bathroom had been set up as an office with a chair in front of the sink.
“This scam was a heinous and cruel hoax, which involved threats of violence when victims did not cooperate,” prosecutors wrote in their sentencing memorandum. “[Kirstein] and his co-schemers stole not only the victims’ money, but terrified them and damaged their self-confidence.”
Kirstein admitted in his plea agreement that in February 2012 one of the scheme’s targeted victims was a Camarillo resident.
A federal grand jury charged Kirstein and four other Canadian nationals in July 2013 in a 25-count indictment alleging wire fraud. Co-conspirators Agiyl Kamaldin, 32, Mark El Bernachawy, 34, and Kelen Magael Buchan, 27, all of the Montreal area, pleaded guilty to criminal charges and received prison sentences after being extradited along with Kirstein in January 2019
The fifth defendant in this case – Peter Iacino, 31, also a Canadian national – is currently a fugitive.
The FBI, the United States Secret Service and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police investigated this matter. The Federal Trade Commission’s East Central Regional Office in Cleveland provided substantial assistance.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Monica E. Tait and Kimberly D. Jaimez of the Major Frauds Section.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Los Angeles is one of six offices participating in the Transnational Elder Fraud Strike Force, a joint law enforcement effort that brings together the resources and expertise of federal law enforcement and non-governmental organizations to combat international fraud schemes that disproportionately affect American seniors. Last week, the Department of Justice announced that a coordinated elder fraud sweep resulted in charges against more than 400 defendants over the past year.
Baltimore Businessman Lance Lucas Pleads Guilty to Federal Honest Services Wire Fraud and Related ChargesRead the Press Release
Baltimore Maryland – United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Robert K. Hur announced today that Lance Andre Lucas, age 44, of Baltimore, Maryland, has pleaded guilty to federal honest services wire fraud and use of an interstate facility to carry on unlawful activity, also known as the Travel Act.
“Lance Lucas paid $42,500 to former Maryland Delegate Cheryl Glenn in exchange for official actions, to give his businesses an advantage,” said U.S. Attorney Robert K. Hur. “Legislative decisions should be made in the best interests of the public, not in exchange for bribes. The U.S. Attorney’s Office and the FBI will continue to hold accountable those who betray the public trust for their own greed.”
“As evident in today's plea, public corruption is not merely focused on persons holding public office, but extends to anyone attempting to leverage access to those with influence for personal benefit,” said Alfred Watson, Assistant Special Agent in Charge of the Baltimore Division of the FBI. “The FBI's pledge to the public is that we will seek to root out public corruption wherever it may be, no matter the person, position, or purpose.”
According to his plea agreement, Lance Lucas was an entrepreneur and businessman. He was employed by Company 1, which developed the Cyber Warrior Diversity Program curriculum to sell to institutions offering education and training to persons interested in cybersecurity professions. In addition, Lucas formed Non-Profit 1, to provide community Internet networks and computer instruction for children and adults. Lucas partnered with other individuals who were involved in businesses engaged in distributing or growing medical marijuana, including Company 2 and Company 3. Company 2 was awarded a Stage One license pre-approval for a medical marijuana dispensary license by the Natalie M. LaPrade Maryland Medical Cannabis Commission, and sought final approval from the Cannabis Commission. Company 3 applied for a medical marijuana growing license in May 2019.
Until her resignation on December 18, 2019, Cheryl Glenn was a Maryland State Delegate representing District 45, which covered portions of Baltimore.
As detailed in the plea agreement, from May 22, 2018 through July 30, 2019, Lucas paid Glenn $42,500, defrauding the citizens of Maryland of the right to her honest services by providing bribes in exchange for Glenn’s official actions. Specifically, Lucas paid bribes for Glenn to introduce legislation that included a provision requiring the award of contracts under the Cyber Warrior Diversity program to certain businesses that met specified criteria. Company 1 met the criteria specified in the initial draft of the bill, although that provision was removed in the final bill. Lucas also paid bribes to Glenn to help Company 2 to obtain final approval from the Cannabis Commission for a medical marijuana dispensary license. Finally, Lucas paid bribes to Glenn to assist him with the Cannabis Commission to ensure that Company 3’s application for a medical marijuana growing license was selected during the “double-blind” review process.
Lucas admitted that he wrote checks made out to Glenn personally, not to her campaign committee, and that he provided her with cash payments. Lucas made several statements that money was not an issue and that he would not leave anything to chance. Lucas also assured Glenn that they would not be caught and stated “I’m from Baltimore for real, for real Baltimore . . . This is the least illegal thing I’ve ever done. This is like patty-cake compared to the [expletive] in Baltimore City.”
Lucas faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison for honest services wire fraud and five years in federal prison for the Travel Act charge. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. U.S. District Judge Catherine C. Blake has scheduled sentencing for June 10, 2020, at 9:30 a.m.
United States Attorney Robert K. Hur commended the FBI for its work in the investigation. Mr. Hur thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Derek E. Hines and Leo J. Wise, who are prosecuting the case.
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Assistant U.S. Attorney Darcie N. McElwee Inducted into American College of Trial LawyersRead the Press Release
Portland, Maine: Assistant U.S. Attorney Darcie N. McElwee was inducted as a Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers, one of the premier legal associations in the country, U.S. Attorney Halsey B. Frank announced.
The induction ceremony at which McElwee became a Fellow took place on March 7 in Tucson, Arizona.
McElwee’s induction with three other new inductees from Maine brings the total membership of Maine lawyers in the College to just 27. She is the fourth female attorney in Maine to be selected for membership in the College, and she is the first Maine prosecutor to be selected.
Founded in 1950, the College is composed of the best of the trial bar from the U.S. and Canada. Fellowship in the College is extended by invitation only, and only after careful investigation, to those experienced trial lawyers who have mastered the art of advocacy and whose professional careers have been marked by the highest standards of ethical conduct, professionalism, civility and collegiality. Lawyers must have a minimum of 15 years trial experience before they can be considered for Fellowship. Membership in the College is limited to one percent of the lawyers in an individual state.
McElwee has been an Assistant U.S. Attorney since 2002. She is a member of the Maine Trial Lawyers Association and a past president of the Cumberland Bar Association. She has served on the adjunct faculty of the University of Maine School of Law and at the Maine Trial Lawyers College of Advocacy. She primarily prosecutes violent crime cases such as sex trafficking, interstate domestic violence and child sexual exploitation, as well as firearms and arson cases.
McElwee is a native of Caribou and a graduate of Bowdoin College and the University of Maine School of Law.
Alabama Salesman Pleads Guilty to Tax EvasionRead the Press Release
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – A Hoover, Alabama, salesman and tax defier pleaded guilty on Friday to tax evasion, announced Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Richard E. Zuckerman of the Justice Department’s Tax Division, U.S. Attorney Jay E. Town and Acting Special Agent in Charge, IRS Criminal Investigation, Atlanta Field Office, Andrew Thornton, Jr.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Ivan Scott “Scott” Butler was an automobile industry consultant and sold automobile warranties as an independent salesman. In 1993, Butler stopped filing tax returns and attended tax defier meetings and purchased tax defier materials. Starting in 1998, Butler used several Nevada nominee corporations to receive his income. In around 1999, Butler moved hundreds of thousands of dollars, some in precious metals, to bank accounts in Switzerland and concealed his assets in offshore insurance policies held in the name of non-U.S. insurance providers, disguising his ownership of the funds. Such accounts, which generally are used as investment vehicles, are commonly known as “insurance wrappers.”
In 2014, Butler converted some of his insurance annuities into precious metals, which were shipped to Butler and another individual in the United States. Some of those precious metals were given to friends and family for safekeeping. In total, Butler caused a tax loss to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) of $1,093,400.
“Those who attempt to defy the laws of the United States, and believe themselves to be above complying with their duties as tax payers, will quickly find that no one is above the law,” Town said. “The Department of Justice will continue to federally charge those who continue to do so.”
“At IRS Criminal Investigation, our top priority is protecting the integrity of our nation’s tax system,” Thornton said. “Today’s guilty plea should send a clear message that orchestrating a scheme to not file tax returns and conceal assets will result in your prosecution.”
U.S. District Judge Annemarie Carney Axon scheduled sentencing for June 24, 2020. At sentencing, Butler faces a maximum sentence of five years. Butler also faces a period of supervised release, restitution, and monetary penalties.
Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Zuckerman and U.S. Attorney Town commended special agents of IRS-Criminal Investigation, who conducted the investigation, and Senior Litigation Counsel Nanette Davis of the Tax Division and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Allison Garnett and Robin Mark, who are prosecuting the case.
Additional information about the Tax Division and its enforcement efforts may be found on the Division’s website.
Alabama Salesman Pleads Guilty to Tax EvasionRead the Press Release
A Hoover, Alabama, salesman and tax defier pleaded guilty Friday to tax evasion, announced Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Richard E. Zuckerman of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and U.S. Attorney Jay E. Town for the Northern District of Alabama.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Ivan Scott “Scott” Butler was an automobile industry consultant and sold automobile warranties as an independent salesman. In 1993, Butler stopped filing tax returns and attended tax defier meetings and purchased tax defier materials. Starting in 1998, Butler used several Nevada nominee corporations to receive his income. In or around 1999, Butler moved hundreds of thousands of dollars, some in precious metals, to bank accounts in Switzerland and concealed his assets in offshore insurance policies held in the name of non-U.S. insurance providers, disguising his ownership of the funds. Such accounts, which generally are used as investment vehicles, are commonly known as “insurance wrappers.”
In 2014, Butler converted some of his insurance annuities into precious metals, which were shipped to Butler and another individual in the United States. Some of those precious metals were given to friends and family for safekeeping. In total, Butler caused a tax loss to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) of $1,093,400.
U.S. District Judge Annemarie Carney Axon scheduled sentencing for June 24, 2020. At sentencing, Butler faces a maximum sentence of five years. Butler also faces a period of supervised release, restitution, and monetary penalties.
Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Zuckerman and U.S. Attorney Town commended special agents of IRS-Criminal Investigation, who conducted the investigation, and Senior Litigation Counsel Nanette Davis of the Tax Division and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Allison Garnett and Robin Mark, who are prosecuting the case.
Additional information about the Tax Division and its enforcement efforts may be found on the Division’s website.
Afghani Woman Convicted of Lying to Obtain U.S. Citizenship, U.S. PassportRead the Press Release
An Afghani woman has been found guilty of repeatedly lying to immigration officials in order to obtain U.S. citizenship, announced U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Erin Nealy Cox.
Following a four day trial, a federal jury convicted Lilla Haiddar, 57, of two counts of false statement in applications for a passport and one count of unlawful procurement of naturalization.
According to evidence presented at trial, in May 2001, Ms. Haiddar – who was then using the name “Marufa Khashim Surgul” and a different date of birth – visited the U.S. Embassy in Tashkent, Uzbekistan and obtained a transit visa for herself and her two minor children that allowed them travel through New York City en route to Canada.
However, on June 3, 2001, Ms. Haiddar, still using the Surgul identity, landed in New York and stayed, never boarding the outbound flight to Canada as scheduled.
Two months later, in August 2001, Ms. Haiddar applied for asylum at the then Immigration and Naturalization Services (“INS”) asylum office in New York City.
From that day forward, Ms. Haiddar used the Haiddar identity and date of birth to obtain asylum from an Immigration Judge, to obtain lawful permanent resident status from United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (“USCIS”), and then ultimately United States citizenship from USCIS in October 2011.
During this ten year process, Ms. Haiddar, who would go on to become an employee of Prospect Airport Services at DFW International, never disclosed her Surgul identity, never disclosed she had received a transit visa to enter the U.S., and instead claimed she entered the U.S. by walking across the Texas/Mexico border.
Five days after being naturalized as a U.S. citizen, Ms. Haiddar, still using the Haiddar identity and date of birth, applied for and obtained a U.S. passport. In the passport application, Ms. Haiddar failed to disclose her Surgul identity.
The U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service (DSS) uncovered the Surgul identity when the defendant sought to renew her passport three years early. (It was full due to her numerous trips to the Middle East and surrounding countries.) They also uncovered the fact that she’d originally traveled into the United States on the transit visa, but never left.
Ms. Haddair faces up to 30 years in prison and a fine of up to $750,000. Sentencing is set for July 6, 2020 before U.S. District Judge Barbara M.G. Lynn. Ms. Haiddar has been ordered detained pending sentencing.
DSS conducted the criminal investigation. United States Citizenship and Immigration Service and Immigration and Customs Enforcement with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security assisted. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Tiffany H. Eggers and Erica Hilliard are prosecuting the case.
8 March 2020
Renner Woman Sentenced for Bank FraudRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced that a Renner, South Dakota, woman convicted of Bank Fraud was sentenced on March 2, 2020, by U.S. District Judge Karen E. Schreier.
Tessa Crawford, age 24, was sentenced to 2 months in federal prison, followed by 4 years of supervised release, restitution in the amount of $3,877.92, and a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $100.
Crawford was indicted by a federal grand jury on October 8, 2019. She pled guilty on December 2, 2019.
The conviction stemmed from incidents beginning on or about November 8, 2017, and continuing through on or about February 14, 2018, when Crawford, along with others, knowingly executed and attempted to execute a scheme and artifice to defraud financial institutions by obtaining money, funds, credits, assets, securities, and other property owned by, and under the custody and control of, the financial institutions, by means of false or fraudulent pretenses, representations, and promises.
Crawford stole several legitimate checks from the unsecured mailboxes of various individuals in the Sioux Falls area. Crawford then “washed” the checks by using chemicals to remove some of the original handwritten ink and altered the payee and the amount sections of the checks. She then negotiated the checks and attempted to negotiate the checks for her own purpose and benefit, and recruited others to negotiate the checks and attempt to negotiate the checks on her behalf.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ann M. Hoffman prosecuted the case.
Crawford was immediately turned over to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Rapid City Man Sentenced to Two Years in Prison for Abusive Sexual ContactRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced that a Rapid City, South Dakota, man convicted of Abusive Sexual Contact was sentenced by Jeffrey L. Viken, U.S. District Judge.
Ira Little Bear, age 29, was sentenced on February 24, 2020, to 2 years in federal prison, followed by 5 years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Little Bear was indicted by a federal grand jury in July 2019.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Megan Poppen prosecuted the case.
Little Bear was immediately turned over to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Rapid City Man Sentenced for Illegal Possession of FirearmRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced that a Rapid City, South Dakota, man convicted of Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person was sentenced by Jeffrey L. Viken, U.S. District Judge.
Wanbli Morris, age 34, was sentenced on February 28, 2020, to 6 years in federal prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release, and was ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
The conviction stems from Morris, a previously convicted felon who is prohibited from possessing firearms, unlawfully being in possession of a stolen Hi-Point 9mm semi-automatic pistol, which he forcibly took from a sales clerk while robbing a Rapid City Fresh Start convenience store in April 2019.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. The Department of Justice reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of its renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and local communities to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime.
This case is also part of Project Guardian, the Department of Justice’s signature initiative to reduce gun violence and enforce federal firearms laws. Initiated by the Attorney General in the fall of 2019, Project Guardian draws upon the Department’s past successful programs to reduce gun violence; enhances coordination of federal, state, local, and tribal authorities in investigating and prosecuting gun crimes; improves information-sharing by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives when a prohibited individual attempts to purchase a firearm and is denied by the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS), to include taking appropriate actions when a prospective purchaser is denied by the NICS for mental health reasons; and ensures that federal resources are directed at the criminals posing the greatest threat to our communities. For more information about Project Guardian, please see: https://www.justice.gov/projectguardian.
The investigation was conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Rapid City Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin Patterson prosecuted the case.
Morris was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Rapid City Man Sentenced for Illegal Possession of FirearmRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced that a Rapid City, South Dakota, man convicted of Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person was sentenced by Jeffrey L. Viken, U.S. District Judge.
Joseph Marr, age 26, was sentenced on February 28, 2020, to 4 years in federal prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release, and was ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
The conviction stems from Marr, a previously convicted felon who is prohibited from possessing firearms, being in possession of a loaded Smith & Wesson 9 mm pistol after taking law enforcement on a high speed chase reaching 100 miles per hour.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. The Department of Justice reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of its renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and local communities to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime.
This case is also part of Project Guardian, the Department of Justice’s signature initiative to reduce gun violence and enforce federal firearms laws. Initiated by the Attorney General in the fall of 2019, Project Guardian draws upon the Department’s past successful programs to reduce gun violence; enhances coordination of federal, state, local, and tribal authorities in investigating and prosecuting gun crimes; improves information-sharing by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives when a prohibited individual attempts to purchase a firearm and is denied by the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS), to include taking appropriate actions when a prospective purchaser is denied by the NICS for mental health reasons; and ensures that federal resources are directed at the criminals posing the greatest threat to our communities. For more information about Project Guardian, please see: https://www.justice.gov/projectguardian.
The investigation was conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Rapid City Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin Patterson prosecuted the case.
Marr was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Rapid City Man Sentenced for Illegal Possession of AmmunitionRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced that a Rapid City, South Dakota, man convicted of Possession of Ammunition by a Prohibited Person was sentenced by Jeffrey L. Viken, U.S. District Judge.
John Dethlefs, age 52, was sentenced on February 28, 2020, to time served, 2 years of supervised release, and was ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
The conviction stems from Dethlefs, a previously convicted felon who is prohibited from possessing ammunition, unlawfully possessing multiple types of ammunition in September 2016 at Rapid City, which was found after law enforcement executed a search warrant on Dethlefs’ residence.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. The Department of Justice reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of its renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and local communities to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime.
This case is also part of Project Guardian, the Department of Justice’s signature initiative to reduce gun violence and enforce federal firearms laws. Initiated by the Attorney General in the fall of 2019, Project Guardian draws upon the Department’s past successful programs to reduce gun violence; enhances coordination of federal, state, local, and tribal authorities in investigating and prosecuting gun crimes; improves information-sharing by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives when a prohibited individual attempts to purchase a firearm and is denied by the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS), to include taking appropriate actions when a prospective purchaser is denied by the NICS for mental health reasons; and ensures that federal resources are directed at the criminals posing the greatest threat to our communities. For more information about Project Guardian, please see: https://www.justice.gov/projectguardian.
The investigation was conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Rapid City Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin Patterson prosecuted the case.
Pierre Man Charged with Assaulting Federal OfficersRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced that a Pierre, South Dakota, man has been indicted by a federal grand jury for Assaulting, Resisting, and Impeding a Federal Officer and Influencing a Federal Officer by Threat.
Richard Barela, age 28, was indicted on February 11, 2020. He appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Mark A. Moreno on March 4, 2020, and pled not guilty to the Indictment.
The maximum penalty upon conviction is up to 20 years in federal prison and/or a $250,000 fine, 3 years of supervised release, and $100 to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Restitution may also be ordered.
The Indictment alleges that on January 14, 2020, Barela did forcibly assault, resist, oppose, impede, intimidate, and interfere with U.S. Marshals by using a knife, while the U.S. Marshals were engaged in the performance of their official duties. The Indictment further alleges that during the incident, Barela threatened to murder the U.S. Marshals.
The charges are merely accusations and Barela is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
The investigation is being conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Pierre Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kirsten Jasper is prosecuting the case.
Barela was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending trial. A trial date has not been set.
Parker Man Indicted on Firearm ChargeRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced that a Parker, South Dakota, man has been indicted by a federal grand jury for Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person.
Rollin Lee Dollens, age 52, was indicted on February 11, 2020. He appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge William D. Gerdes on March 2, 2020, and pled not guilty to the Indictment.
The maximum penalty upon conviction is 10 years in federal prison and/or a $250,000 fine, 3 years of supervised release, and $100 to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Restitution may also be ordered.
The Indictment alleges that on September 16, 2019, Dollens, knowingly being an unlawful user of and addicted to a controlled substance, knowingly possessed a firearm in Corson County, South Dakota.
The charge is merely an accusation and Dollens is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
The investigation is being conducted by the Northern Plains Safe Trails Drug Enforcement Task Force and the Corson County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Cameron J. Cook is prosecuting the case.
Dollens was released on bond pending trial. A trial date has not been set.
California Man Sentenced to 14 Years for Conspiracy to Distribute MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced that a Yuba City, California, man who was convicted at a federal jury trial in October 2019 of Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance was sentenced on February 28, 2020, by U.S. District Court Judge Jeffrey L. Viken.
Juan Porcayo, age 49, was sentenced to a total of 14 years in federal prison, followed by 5 years of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
From approximately January 2016 to September 2017, while living in California, Porcayo supplied approximately 10 kilograms of methamphetamine to persons in Rapid City, South Dakota, for distribution.
This case was investigated by the Department of Homeland Security and the Unified Narcotics Enforcement Team, which is comprised of investigators from the South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation, Pennington County Sheriff’s Office, Rapid City Police Department, and the South Dakota Highway Patrol. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kathryn N. Rich prosecuted the case.
Porcayo was immediately returned to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
California Man Facing Charges of Conspiracy to Distribute Meth in South DakotaRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced that a San Jose, California, man has been indicted by a federal grand jury for Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance.
Michael George Sequeira, age 35, was indicted on December 17, 2019. He appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Veronica L. Duffy on March 2, 2020, and pled not guilty to the Indictment.
The maximum penalty upon conviction is up to life in federal prison and/or a $10 million fine, life of supervised release, and $100 to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Restitution may also be ordered.
Beginning on an unknown date and continuing until on or about the date of this Indictment, in the District of South Dakota and elsewhere, Michael George Sequeira, did knowingly and intentionally combine, conspire, confederate, and agree together, with others known and unknown, to knowingly and intentionally distribute a mixture and substance containing 500 grams or more of methamphetamine, a Schedule II controlled substance, in violation of 21 U.S.C. §§ 841(a)(1) and 846.
The charge is merely an accusation and Sequeira is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
The investigation is being conducted by the United States Postal Inspection Service and the Sioux Falls Area Drug Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer D. Mammenga is prosecuting the case.
Sequeira was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending trial. A trial date has not been set.
Arizona Man Sentenced for Role in South Dakota Meth ConspiracyRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced that a Surprise, Arizona, man convicted of Conspiracy to Distribute 500 Grams of Methamphetamine was sentenced on February 24, 2020, by U.S. District Judge Karen E. Schrerer.
Johnny Gould, age 44, was sentenced to 72 months in federal prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release. He was also ordered to pay $100 to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Gould was indicted for Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance by a federal grand jury on February 5, 2019. He pled guilty on November 25, 2019.
Beginning on an unknown date and continuing until on or about September 30, 2017, in the District of South Dakota and elsewhere, Gould did knowingly and intentionally combine, conspire, confederate, and agree together, with others known and unknown, to knowingly and intentionally distribute a mixture and substance containing 500 grams or more of methamphetamine. Gould was the source for approximately twenty pounds of methamphetamine that was distributed in South Dakota.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Sioux Falls Area Drug Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer D. Mammenga prosecuted the case.
Gould was immediately turned over to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
7 March 2020
Moore Woman Sentenced to 18 Months in Prison for Embezzling More Than $175,000 from Former EmployerRead the Press Release
OKLAHOMA CITY – ANNIKA MARTIN, a.k.a. ANNIKA SCOTT, 35, of Moore, Oklahoma, was sentenced to a 18 months in prison yesterday for embezzling more than $175,000.00 from an Oklahoma City business that specialized in cooling tower and industrial plant repairs.
According an Information filed on July 9, 2019, the business hired Martin back in 2010 as an office accounting assistant. Martin was later promoted, and worked as head office accountant at the business from 2012 until she was fired in August 2016. During her tenure as head accountant, Martin prepared an unauthorized check to be drawn on a business checking account to purchase three money orders, which she used for lifestyle expenses, including a car loan payment. Additional filings in the case detail how, in addition to stealing business checks, Martin gave herself unauthorized pay raises, paid herself overtime salary and vacation that she did not work or earn, reimbursed herself for work expenses that she did not incur, and used a company credit card for personal purchases.
On August 13, 2019, Martin pleaded guilty to the Information. At a hearing yesterday morning, U.S. District Judge Patrick Wyrick sentenced Martin to 18 months’ imprisonment. Martin must also pay restitution in the amount of $175,294.63 to the business.
These charges are the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Oklahoma City Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Julia E. Barry.
Illegal Alien Sentenced to Five Years in Prison for Drug Trafficking and Firearm PossessionRead the Press Release
OKLAHOMA CITY – ARTURO DOMINGO CORRALES-VAZQUEZ, 28, of Eldorado, Sinaloa, Mexico, has been sentenced to serve 60 months in prison for possessing methamphetamine with intent to distribute, as well for being an illegal alien in possession of a firearm, announced U.S. Attorney Timothy J. Downing.
Corrales-Vazquez was indicted in June 2018 with four counts—possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime, illegal alien in possession of a firearm, and maintaining a drug-involved premises—all of which stemmed from his May 8, 2018, arrest by Oklahoma City Police Department officers following a search of Corrales-Vazquez’s residence turned up 5.7 kilograms of methamphetamine, a Mossburg 500 shotgun with a pistol grip, and just over $49,000 in drug proceeds. Corrales-Vazquez, who had been previously removed to Mexico once before, subsequently admitted to his involvement and told law enforcement that that the drugs were imported from Mexico.
On July 26, 2018, Corrales-Vazquez pled guilty to possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute and being an illegal alien in possession of a firearm. On March 5, 2020, Senior U.S. District Judge Robin J. Cauthron sentenced Corrales-Vazquez to serve 60 months in prison followed by four years of supervised release. Following his release from prison, Corrales-Vazquez will be subject to deportation proceedings.
This case is the result of an investigation by the Oklahoma City Police Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration, with assistance from the U.S. Marshals Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney David McCrary prosecuted the case.
This case is part of the work of the Organized Crimes and Drug Enforcement Task Force, the Department of Justice’s signature initiatives to address and reduce drug-related criminal activity.
6 March 2020
Wisconsin Man Pleads Guilty to Lacey Act ViolationsRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Joe Kelly announced that Duane S. Mulvaine, age 40, of Fox Lake, Wisconsin, entered a plea of guilty today in federal court in Omaha, Nebraska, before United States Magistrate Judge Michael D. Nelson for violating the Lacey Act. Mulvaine admitted to six misdemeanor counts involving the illegal taking of wildlife in interstate commerce. Magistrate Judge Nelson set Mulvaine’s sentencing for August 19, 2020, at 9:30 a.m. Mulvaine faces up to one year imprisonment and a fine of $100,000 on each count.
A joint investigation conducted by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, Office of Law Enforcement and the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission, Law Enforcement Division determined that between August 2015 through October 30, 2017, Mulvaine traveled to Hidden Hills Outfitters, a commercial big game guiding and outfitting business located near Broken Bow, Nebraska, to conduct wildlife hunts. The investigation determined that during a number of these hunts, Mulvaine engaged in hunting activities which included hunting over bait, hunting from a public roadway at night, and hunting with prohibited weapons, all of which are in violation of Nebraska State law or regulation.
The change of plea hearing today is part of the ongoing prosecution of numerous defendants related to violations committed by owners, guides, and clients of Hidden Hills Outfitters. To date, twenty-four defendants have pleaded guilty and have been sentenced and ordered to pay a total of $151,398 in fines and restitution for underlying violations related to deer taken within baited areas; deer, pronghorn, and wild turkeys taken with weapons or firearms prohibited during their respective hunting seasons; deer taken during closed season hours, from the road, or without a valid permit; and mule deer taken within the Mule Deer Conservation Area.
The operation was a joint investigation conducted by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, Office of Law Enforcement and the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission, Law Enforcement Division.
Wichita Man Sentenced for Robbing a BankRead the Press Release
WICHITA, KAN. - A Wichita man was sentenced today to 30 months in federal prison for bank robbery, U.S. Attorney Stephen McAllister said.
Jeremy Vos, 21, Wichita, Kan., pleaded guilty to one count of bank robbery. In his plea, he admitted that on July 23, 2019, he robbed Intrust Bank at 5500 E. Harry. He gave the teller a handwritten note saying, “This is a robbery. No (dye) bags. I have a gun.” Police arrested Vos the same day as the robbery.
Wichita police reported Vos had made a false report to 911 shortly before the robbery.
McAllister commended the Wichita Police Department, the FBI and Assistant U.S. Jason Hart for their work on the case.
Washington DC Man Sentenced to Nine Years in Federal Prison for the Armed Robbery of a Capitol Heights BarbershopRead the Press Release
Greenbelt, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Theodore D. Chuang today sentenced Akeem Bolton, age 29, of Washington, D.C., to nine years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, for an armed commercial robbery and for brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence.
The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Robert K. Hur; Special Agent in Charge Jennifer C. Boone of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office; and Chief Henry P. Stawinski III of the Prince George’s County Police Department.
According to Bolton’s guilty plea, on November 26, 2018, Bolton and his co-defendant drove to a barbershop in Capitol Heights, Maryland, and spoke with two employees outside of the shop, pretending to be potential customers. The two left and went to a convenience store across the street, then returned to the barbershop. Bolton’s co-defendant sat in the barbershop chair while an employee prepared to cut his hair. The co-defendant drew a handgun and pointed it at the employee, while Bolton struck a second employee in the back of the head with a handgun.
As detailed in the plea agreement, Bolton and his co-defendant then forced the employees to the back of the store and pulled the blinds down over the windows of the barbershop. Bolton and the co-conspirator forced the employees to strip naked and lie face down on the floor with their hands behind their heads, and ordered them to count to 1,000. Bolton and the co-conspirator robbed the employees of their cellphones, money, and jewelry. The robbers threatened to kill the employees if they moved while they counted to 1,000. Bolton and the co-conspirator demanded to know where additional money was located in the store and threatened to kill the employees when they were unable to locate additional money. Bolton and the co-conspirator again threatened to kill the employees if they reported the robbery, then left the barbershop with the personal belongings of the employees.
When Bolton was arrested, a black 9mm semi-automatic pistol, which was used in the robbery, was recovered from his person. A search of the co-defendant’s residence recovered a distinctive silver necklace stolen from one of the barbershop employees and a silver and black .40-caliber semi-automatic pistol.
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. Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
United States Attorney Robert K. Hur commended the FBI and the Prince George’s County Police Department for their work in the investigation. Mr. Hur thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Catherine K. Dick and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Jared Hernandez, who are prosecuting the case.
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WDLA News Round-Up for Week of March 2, 2020Read the Press Release
LAFAYETTE, MONROE, ALEXANDRIA, La. – United States Attorney David C. Joseph announced the resolution of several cases this week, all of which are separately noted.
SENTENCING – TORY DARBY MONTGOMERY
LAFAYETTE, La. - On March 3, Tory Darby Montgomery, 23, of Youngsville, Louisiana, was sentenced to 32 months in federal prison for possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon. Lafayette Police Department responded to a complaint on June 21, 2018, of two males walking with a firearm in the Louisiana Avenue area. The officers located two males who matched the description provided by the complaint and made contact with them. One male ran from the officers, but Montgomery stayed and cooperated. Montgomery acknowledged that he had a loaded Smith & Wesson .357 Magnum in his waistband. Montgomery is a convicted felon and prohibited under federal law from possessing a firearm and ammunition. In July 2015, he was convicted in the 15th Judicial District Court of simple burglary and accessory after the fact, simple burglary. This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) and the Lafayette Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jamilla A. Bynog prosecuted the case. U.S. District Judge Michael J. Juneau presided at the sentencing hearing.
SENTENCING – DERRICK CURRY
MONROE, La. - On March 4, Derrick Wayne Curry, 50, of Monroe, Louisiana, was sentenced to 51 months in federal prison for possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon. On July 12, 2018, Ouachita Parish Sheriff’s deputies observed Curry on a bicycle violating traffic laws by traveling down a street against the flow of oncoming traffic, and without a functioning rear light. When the deputies attempted to make contact with him, Curry jumped off of his bike and started to run, while throwing an object in the air that he had pulled from his waistband. When the deputies caught up to Curry, they found him wearing a black nylon gun holster attached to his belt, and found a Taurus, Model: PT-92 AF, 9 mm-caliber pistol, loaded with 16 rounds of 9 mm bullets, 10 feet from where he was taken into custody. Curry is a convicted felon and prohibited under federal law from possessing a firearm and ammunition. In May 1990, he was convicted of armed robbery. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) and Ouachita Parish Sheriff’s Office investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jessica D. Cassidy and Cytheria D. Jernigan prosecuted the case. U.S. District Judge Terry A. Doughty presided at the sentencing hearing.
SENTENCING – JMARREON D. MACK
MONROE, La. - On March 4, Jmarreon D. Mack, 38, of Monroe, was sentenced to 17 and a half years in federal prison for felon in possession of a firearm, possession with intent to distribute marijuana, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Mack was found guilty on November 14, 2019, following a two-day jury trial in Monroe. Evidence presented during trial revealed that an officer with Louisiana State Police initiated a stop of Mack’s vehicle on April 12, 2018, for a traffic violation. As the trooper approached the vehicle, he smelled marijuana coming from inside. During a search of the vehicle, the trooper and an officer with the Monroe Police Department found a Glock .45 caliber semi-automatic pistol loaded with 10 rounds of ammunition in the magazine and one round in the chamber. In addition to the firearm, officers also found approximately 23.5 grams of marijuana in a bag on the front driver’s seat, a marijuana cigar, a marijuana grinder, and a digital scale. The gun that Mack possessed had been reported stolen. Jmarreon Mack has prior felony convictions in Ouachita Parish for possession of cocaine (2005 and 2014), attempted distribution of cocaine (2005), and possession with intent to distribute cocaine (2008). The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Louisiana State Police, Monroe Police Department, Richland Parish Sheriff’s Office and Rayville Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Cadesby Cooper and Earl M. Campbell prosecuted the case. U.S. District Judge Terry A. Doughty presided at the sentencing hearing.
SENTENCING – JACOB STAGGS
MONROE, La. - On March 4, Jacob Staggs, 38, of West Monroe, Louisiana, was sentenced to 57 months in federal prison for felon in possession of a firearm. West Monroe Police Department officers encountered Staggs during a traffic stop on April 24, 2019. Staggs was the passenger in the vehicle. During the course of the traffic stop, the officers discovered a loaded Smith & Wesson .380 pistol located in the back right pocket of Staggs’ pants. Officers also found a pill bottle containing Etizolam, Buprenorphine, Acetyl Fentanyl, Fentanyl, Tramadol, ANPP, Carisoprodol, and Tapentadol in Staggs’ front left pants pocket. Staggs is a convicted felon and prohibited under federal law from possessing a firearm and ammunition. He has previous felony convictions for possession of Methamphetamine, possession of Diazepam, possession of Methadone, and resisting an officer with force of violence (December 2018). The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and West Monroe Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian C. Flanagan prosecuted the case. U.S. District Judge Terry A. Doughty presided at the sentencing hearing.
SENTENCING – WILLIE JAMES COOK
MONROE, La. - On March 4, Willie James Cook, 29, of Monroe, was sentenced to 57 months in federal prison for felon in possession of a firearm. On August 29, 2018, officers with the Monroe Police Department executed a search warrant at an apartment on Dixie Avenue. During that search, officers discovered a loaded Springfield Armory .40 caliber semi-automatic handgun inside Cook’s backpack in a bedroom where he had been staying. Cook is a convicted felon and prohibited under federal law from possessing a firearm and ammunition. Cook’s prior felony convictions in the 4th Judicial District Court include simple battery (2010 and 2016), possession of cocaine (2015), domestic abuse battery (2015), and resisting an officer (2016). The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and Monroe Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael T. Shannon prosecuted the case. U.S. District Judge Terry A. Doughty presided at the sentencing hearing.
SENTENCING – BRANDON HARRIS
MONROE, La. - On March 4, Brandon Keith Harris, 32, of Bastrop, Louisiana, was sentenced to seven and a half years in federal prison for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, which will run concurrent to Harris’ parole violation pending in Morehouse Parish, Louisiana. On the evening of July 14, 2018, Harris broke into Simmons’ Sporting Goods in Bastrop, Louisiana and stole seven guns. Federal law prohibits Harris from ever possessing a firearm because of his status as a convicted felon. He has multiple felony convictions in Morehouse Parish including: the manufacture and possession of a bomb (2005), possession of methamphetamine (2009), simple burglary, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon (2014). This case is a joint federal and local investigation into the July 14, 2018 break-in and firearm theft. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Bastrop Police Department, and Morehouse Parish Sheriff’s Office conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael T. Shannon prosecuted the case. U.S. District Judge Terry A. Doughty presided at the sentencing hearing.
GUILTY PLEA – MANUEL KING
LAFAYETTE, La. – On March 5, Manuel King, 30, of Lafayette, pled guilty to three counts of carjacking. King, a previously convicted felon, carjacked three separate people on February 20, 2019. The first victim was standing next to his Jeep Grand Cherokee in a Wal-Mart parking lot when King approached and threatened him with a Kimber 9mm semi-automatic pistol. King took the victim’s wallet and drove away in the vehicle. Shortly thereafter, King crashed the Jeep and proceeded to carjack a second victim. He crashed that car and then carjacked a third victim. He was pursued by police, eventually crashing the third car into a pond. At that point, he was arrested and was still in possession of the 9mm pistol he used during each carjacking incident. King’s wallet was found in the second victim’s vehicle. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Lafayette Police Department, and Lafayette City Marshal’s Office conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel J. McCoy is prosecuting the case. U.S. District Judge Robert R. Summerhays presided over the hearing and set sentencing for June 18, 2020. For each count, King faces up to 15 years in federal custody, a $250,000 fine, and three years of supervised release.
GUILTY PLEA – CASEY BERLIN
ALEXANDRIA, La. - On March 5, Casey Berlin, 36, of Alexandria, pled guilty to possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. During an investigation for a residential burglary, Alexandria Police Department officers identified Berlin as a suspect and arrested him on March 22, 2019. During the arrest, officers found a Ruger carbine .22 caliber rifle propped against a kitchen cabinet. Berlin told officers that someone gave him the rifle to hold as collateral for a debt owed. As a convicted felon, Berlin was aware that he was prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition. He was previously convicted of possession of a Schedule IV Controlled Dangerous Substance in September 2016. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and Alexandria Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica D. Cassidy is prosecuting the case. U.S. District Judge Dee D. Drell presided over the hearing and set sentencing for June 22, 2020. Berlin faces up to 10 years in federal custody, a $250,000 fine, and three years of supervised release.
The firearms cases were brought as 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. PSN is part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime. To learn more about Project Safe Neighborhoods, go to www.justice.gov/psn.
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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Utah man convicted of trafficking meth in Kalispell area sentenced to prisonRead the Press Release
MISSOULA—A Utah man convicted at trial of trafficking methamphetamine in the Kalispell area was sentenced on Thursday to seven years in prison and five years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.
A jury in November found Jeremy David Medbery, 34, of Odgen, Utah, guilty of possession with intent to distribute meth and distribution of meth.
Chief U.S. District Judge Dana Christensen presided.
The prosecution presented evidence at the trial that in January 2016, law enforcement agents in the Kalispell area began getting tips about two men, Medbery and co-defendant Christopher George Nomura, who had arrived from California to distribute meth.
In February 2016, an informant made a controlled purchase of meth from Medbery at a casino in Kalispell. After the transaction, police officers followed Medbery, made a traffic stop on Highway 93 and arrested him. Agents executed search warrants on Medbery’s truck and residence. In the truck was a plastic bag with meth residue. A safe in Medbery’s bedroom contained a plastic bag with meth and another bag with residue.
Medbery admitted to officers he drove from California with co-defendant, Christopher Nomura, and brought meth for his personal use. Several days later, Nomura was arrested. Nomura was convicted in the case and sentenced to 10 years in prison.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Tom Bartleson prosecuted the case, which was investigated by the Montana Division of Criminal Investigation, the North Western Drug Task Force, Kalispell Police Department, Flathead County Sheriff’s Office and Homeland Security Investigations.
The case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), which is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
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United States Attorney’s Office launches review of Indiana polling places for compliance with the Americans with Disabilities ActRead the Press Release
Indianapolis – United States Attorney Josh J. Minkler announced today that his office has launched a review of all polling places in the Southern District of Indiana to determine if they are in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990. The initiative is in accordance with the federal government’s congressionally-mandated responsibility to review compliance with the ADA. It is not in response to any specific complaint against a county or individual polling location.
“This year marks the 30th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act. Indiana counties have had more than enough time to ensure that their polling places provide full access to individuals with disabilities,” said Minkler “Hoosiers in the Southern District of Indiana, that have a disability, deserve equal access to polling places and we are committed to making sure that they have it in time for the 2020 election.”
As part of the review, election officials in Indiana’s southern sixty counties are being asked to complete survey questions pertaining to polling place accessibility in their county. Investigators may then conduct on-site inspections to confirm survey responses and to evaluate compliance with federal ADA regulations. Counties found to be non-compliant will have the option of resolving issues informally, and if that effort fails, entering into a Voluntary Compliance Agreement with the government, whereby they voluntarily agree to upgrade their facilities, and address issues in order to meet ADA requirements before the November 2020 election.
Counties found to be engaging in a pattern or practice of discrimination, or that fail to enter into Voluntary Compliance Agreements, may face a civil lawsuit brought by the government and/or be subject to penalties, including monetary penalties and civil fines.
The ADA prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability in all programs, activities, and services provided by public entities. The ADA requires that public entities provide voting facilities that are accessible to people with disabilities.
Any citizen with polling place concerns in the Southern District of Indiana is encouraged to contact Assistant United States Attorney Jeffrey D. Preston, Civil Rights Coordinator, at 317-226-6333.
In October 2017, United States Attorney Josh J. Minkler announced a Strategic Plan designed to shape and strengthen the District’s response to its most significant challenges. This initiative demonstrates the office’s firm commitment to maintaining a robust program of promoting and enforcing federal civil rights laws. See United States Attorney’s Office, Southern District of Indiana Strategic Plan Section 7.3 and 7.4.
United States Attorney’s Office District of Arizona February 2020 Immigration and Border ReportRead the Press Release
I. Illegal Reentry After Deportation (8 U.S.C. 1326)
1,225 individuals were charged in February with illegal reentry
A. 377 of those 1,225 individuals had previously been convicted of non-immigration criminal offenses in the U.S.
Of the 377 individuals with non-immigration criminal records:1. 82 had violent crime convictions, including:
7 individuals had sex offense convictions
25 individuals had domestic violence convictions
2. 53 had property crime convictions
3. 123 had DUI convictions
4. 134 had drug crime convictions
B. 289 of those 1,225 individuals had been deported three or more times
II. Alien Smuggling (8 U.S.C. 1324)
85 individuals were charged in February with alien smuggling
III. Illegal Entry (Criminal Consequence Initiative) (8 U.S.C. 1325)
757 individuals were charged in February with illegal entry on the CCI calendar
Criminal conviction information based on preliminary criminal history reports provided by the arresting agency.
These numbers represent United States Attorney's Office prosecutions only. These numbers do not include individuals apprehended by immigration enforcement officials and subjected solely to administrative process.
RELEASE NUMBER: 2020-030_February Immigration and Border Crimes Report
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For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.
U.S. Attorney Led Call-In Attended by 40 Probationers, Goal to Decrease Recidivism in GeorgiaRead the Press Release
ALBANY, Ga. – The U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Middle District of Georgia has completed its third offender call-in, an opportunity designed to help probationers successfully complete their probationary term and not reoffend, said Charlie Peeler, the U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of Georgia. Currently, about two-thirds of Georgia offenders are arrested within three years of completing their state sentence, and the goal of the offender call-ins is to decrease the high rate of recidivism in Georgia. The U.S. Attorney’s Office is working with the Georgia Department of Community Supervision to track the participants and confirm whether they are reoffending at a higher or lower rate than those who choose not to participate in the federal offender call-ins. Both state and federal probationers have participated in call-ins to date.
Approximately 40 probationers attended the two-part meeting on February 10, 2020 at the Government Center in Albany. During the first section, local and federal law enforcement members and prosecutors discussed the rules that govern probationers, encouraging them to succeed, while also informing them that law enforcement is committed to keeping citizens safe and repeat offenders will not be tolerated. Information regarding federal gun and narcotics laws, and the consequences of breaking those laws, was provided, and probationers were reminded that there is no probation in the federal system. The probationers also heard from a returning citizen who has successfully completed probation and is enjoying a productive life. After the speaking portion, there was a community resource fair with local providers, exposing probationers to services available to them and their families for help with housing, employment, education, substance abuse and mental health counseling, driver’s license and medical insurance, among other information. Additional offender call-ins were held in Macon, Georgia on July 29, 2019 and December 10, 2018. A fourth federal offender call-in is being planned in Columbus, Georgia.
“We want every probationer in Georgia to beat the odds and not return to prison after paying their debt to society,” said U.S. Attorney Charlie Peeler. “These offender call-ins are designed to equip probationers with services they need to successfully re-integrate into society. Helping probationers succeed is a win for everyone — it’s a win for the probationer, their families, friends and neighbors, and society as a whole. Thank you to the probationers who avail themselves of the services they need, and thank you to all of our law enforcement partners, judges and community organizations who have enthusiastically agreed to take part in these call-ins, with an eye to ultimately making our communities safer.”
Participating judicial, law enforcement and community organizations to date are as follows:
United States District Court Judge Tillman E. (“Tripp”) Self
Bibb County Superior Court Judge Verda M. Colvin
Parental Accountability Court
DEA
U.S. Probation Office
Georgia Department of Community Supervision
Bibb County Sheriff’s Office
Dougherty County Sheriff’s Office
Dougherty County District Attorney’s Office
Macon-Bibb District Attorney’s Office
Albany Aspire
Albany Second Change
Albany Technical College
Central Georgia Technical College
Eckerd GED
Goodwill
Insure Georgia
Loaves & Fishes
Middle Georgia Access to Justice
Next Step Recovery Ministries
Rescue Mission
Spirit of Ruth Outreach Ministries
Work Source Georgia
The offender call-ins are a part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
Questions can be directed to Pamela Lightsey, Public Information Officer, United States Attorney’s Office, at (478) 621-2603 or Melissa Hodges, Public Affairs Director (Contractor), United States Attorney’s Office, at (478) 765-2362. 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.
Two Sentenced on Charges of Fentanyl Distribution that Resulted in DeathRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE – Two men charged in separate, but related, criminal cases were each sentenced yesterday to just over two and a half years in federal prison, following their convictions on charges of distributing fentanyl.
David Grimaldi, 24 of Coventry, previously pleaded guilty in October of 2019 to distribution of fentanyl, admitting to the Court that he engaged the assistance of an associate, Robert K. Bell, 24, of Warwick, who had likewise pleaded guilty in October to aiding and abetting the distribution of fentanyl, to help him locate a buyer for pills that he wanted to sell. Both defendants admitted that their criminal actions contributed to the death of the buyer.
United States Attorney Aaron Weisman commented, “Defendants actions in this case ended in the gravest possible result: a young man’s life tragically cut short. And, as the court’s sentence reflected, that grave result carries with it severe consequences. For a single drug transaction in a West Warwick parking lot involving three tiny, fentanyl-laced pills, one defendant with no prior history with the law will spend two and a half years behind bars, as will his co-defendant. The severity of this conduct, reflected by the sentences meted out in this case, reaffirms our commitment to prosecute those who profit from or share deadly illegal substances with others, and to seek the greatest measure of justice for the victims of their actions.”
According to information presented to the Court, Bell arranged the drug transaction, set the price, and arranged a time and location for the meeting between the buyer and Grimaldi. Based on Bell’s arrangements, Grimaldi met that buyer in a West Warwick parking lot, where he distributed three pills marked and colored to look like oxycodone tablets. In reality, the pills were laced with fentanyl. Grimaldi admitted that he watched while the buyer swallowed half of one pill. Minutes later, the buyer, a Massachusetts man, became unresponsive. He was subsequently pronounced dead later that day at Kent County Hospital. Fentanyl was found in his bloodstream.
At sentencing, U.S. District Court Judge William E. Smith sentenced Bell to thirty-two months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release; Grimaldi was sentenced to serve thirty months in federal prison, with three years of supervised release to follow.
Grimaldi and Bell’s sentences are announced by United States Attorney Aaron L. Weisman, West Warwick Police Chief Colonel Mark A. Knott, and Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration’s New England Field Division Brian D. Boyle.
The cases were prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Paul F. Daly, Jr., and Zachary A. Cunha.
The matter was investigated by the West Warwick Police Department and the Rhode Island DEA Drug Task Force.
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Two Men Plead Guilty for Long-Running Advance-Fee SchemeRead the Press Release
Geoffrey S. Berman, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced today that MICHAEL SOLOMON MARKOWITZ, a/k/a “Sol Markowitz,” and DAVID BINET pled guilty to conspiring to steal hundreds of thousands of dollars in advance fees from victims seeking standby letters of credit (“SBLCs”). BINET pled guilty today, while MARKOWITZ pled guilty on February 26, 2020. Both defendants pled guilty before U.S. District Judge Paul A. Engelmayer.
U.S. Attorney Geoffrey S. Berman said: “As they admitted in court, Michael Solomon Markowitz and David Binet perpetrated an advance fee scheme whose victims paid hundreds of thousands of dollars for phantom letters of credit. Now they both face the very real possibility of being sentenced to prison for their crimes.”
According to the Complaint, the Informations to which MARKOWITZ and BINET pled guilty, and court filings and statements made in public court proceedings:
SBLCs are financial instruments that provide a bank’s commitment to pay a third party in the event that the bank’s client defaults on an agreement with the third party. An SBLC is a “standby” agreement because the bank will have to pay only in a worst-case scenario where the client defaults on an ongoing agreement. Fraudulent SBLCs are frequently used in advance-fee schemes so that victims provide funds up front in exchange for the promise of an SBLC. In reality, and in fact, the victim never receives the SBLC or receives a fake SBLC.
Since at least 2012 through 2019, MARKOWITZ and BINET engaged in a scheme to defraud victims by inducing them to pay six-figure advance fees in exchange for an SBLC. MARKOWITZ and BINET purported to be able to help companies and individuals obtain financing for international projects, such as oil and gas projects in Africa. In fact, MARKOWTIZ and BINET stole the advance fees and never obtained SBLCs.
MARKOWITZ further admitted that he conspired to commit bank fraud by providing fraudulent proof-of-funds letters and SBLCs worth more than $25 million to financial institutions. On some occasions, MARKOWITZ used fake financial institutions incorporated in Switzerland to provide a veneer of legitimacy for the transactions.
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MARKOWITZ, 71, of Brooklyn, New York, pled guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and bank fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison. He is scheduled to be sentenced by Judge Engelmayer on June 8, 2020.
BINET, 62, of New Jersey, pled guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison. He is scheduled to be sentenced by Judge Engelmayer on June 15, 2020.
Mr. Berman praised the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the special agents for the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York.
This case is being handled by the Office’s Complex Frauds and Cybercrime Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys David Abramowicz, Jilan Kamal, and Michael McGinnis are in charge of the prosecution.
Two Men Arrested in Connection with Two Takeover Style Bank Robberies at Local Credit UnionsRead 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 Adrian D. Applewhite, 32, of Cheektowaga, NY, and Ronald L. Morris, 45, of Buffalo, NY, were arrested and charged by complaint with bank robbery and incidental crimes. The charge carries a maximum penalty of 25 years in prison, and a fine of $250,000.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua Violanti, who is handling the case, stated that according to the complaint, on October 31, 2019, a male, later identified as defendant Applewhite, entered the Clarence Community and School Federal Credit Union (CCS FCU), on Sheridan Drive in Clarence, holding a cell phone in a manner consistent with video recording or obtaining a photograph. While inside the CCS FCU, Applewhite inquired from staff whether the CCS FCU had an ATM. He then left the building.
Seven days later, on November 7, 2019, three males entered the CCS FCU and conducted a take-over style bank robbery. Armed with pistols, and donning masks and florescent green work gloves, at least two of the masked robbers holding hand guns ordered all the employees to the ground and demanded money. Two of the robbers went back behind the teller line and went through teller's drawers. The third robber went to the vault. The robbers stole a total of $148,793.90.
During the course of the investigation, investigators from the New York State Police Clarence barracks obtained and reviewed surveillance footage from several locations. Using that footage, the getaway vehicle was subsequently traced to an individual known to investigators as Applewhite's wife, A.B., with an address in Cheektowaga, NY.
On November 12, 2019, investigators executed a search warrant on a cell phone used by Applewhite. They recovered a video taken by Applewhite on October 31, 2019, showing the inside of the CCS FCU and audio of Applewhite requesting an ATM. Investigators also discovered a contact “Cracks,” who was later determined to be co-defendant Ronald Morris. One text exchanged between Applewhite and Morris a few days before the robbery read “Be ready Tuesday or Wednesday.” On November 7, 2019, just prior to the time of the robbery, Applewhite sent Morris another text stating “I’m on my way.”
Investigators began to surveille Applewhite in January 2020, and determined that he and Morris met up and actively surveilled other Federal Credit Unions in Niagara Falls and Tonawanda.
Previously, on July 25, 2019, two unidentified subjects entered the Southtowns Community Federal Credit Union (SC FCU) on South Park Avenue in Lackawanna, and conducted a bank robbery with pepper spray and a pistol. The two suspects traversed the teller's counter, sprayed the tellers with pepper spray, and went directly to the unlocked safe, removing $290,500.00 in United States currency. The two suspects placed the currency in a dark colored duffle bag then fled on foot.
Investigators reviewed video surveillance from the day prior, July 24, 2019, and determined that Applewhite entered the SC FCU and requested information from an employee while holding his cell phone in a manner consistent with video recording or obtaining a photograph. Investigators also tracked the vehicle Applewhite was driving once again to his wife. Video surveillance also showed Applewhite driving towards and away from the SC FCU on July 25, 2019. Cell phone data also puts co-defendant Morris around the SC FCU at the time of the robbery.
Subsequent investigation determined that Applewhite spent $2,022 at the Jewelry Center in the Walden Galleria Mall on July 29 2019; $6,400 on a pendant with diamonds on July 30, 2019; and $2,780 at Western Union on July 31, 2019. Applewhite also deposited $4,000 into a Citibank account on July 25, 2020. It was also determined that co-defendant Morris gambled approximately $1,000-$2,000 per week since mid-January 2020.
The defendants made initial appearances before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jeremiah J. McCarthy and are being detained.
The complaint is the result of an investigation by the New York State Police, Clarence Barracks, under the direction of Major James Hall; the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Gary Loeffert; the Lackawanna Police Department, under the direction of Chief James Michel; and the Erie County District Attorney’s Office, under the direction of District Attorney John Flynn.
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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Two California Men Sentenced to Prison for Large-Scale Marijuana Grow Operation on Federal LandRead the Press Release
LAS VEGAS, Nev. — Jose Manuel Mendez-Ayala and Jordan Raymundo Torres were sentenced this week to 19 months and 12 months and a day in prison, respectively, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for their roles in cultivating marijuana in the Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas A. Trutanich for the District of Nevada. A third codefendant, Eustacio Piedra-Robledo, was sentenced in November 2019 to 33 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release, for his involvement in the same marijuana grow operation.
Mendez-Ayala, 32, and Torres, 28, both of California, pleaded guilty in October 2019, to one count of manufacture of a controlled substance. U.S. District Judge Kent J. Dawson presided over the sentencing hearings and remanded the defendants to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
According to court documents, on July 18, 2018, a U.S. Forest Service employee conducting fieldwork in the Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest near Round Mountain, Nevada, came across an apparent large marijuana growing operation. An investigation revealed an active marijuana cultivation site in the area of Peavine Canyon. The cultivation site consisted of two plots that were each approximately two acres. Law enforcement seized about 8,300 marijuana plants from the cultivation site. Mendez-Ayala and Torres were arrested by law enforcement in September 2018.
The charges resulted from an investigation by the U.S. Forest Service.
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Tuba City Man Sentenced to Life in Prison for Sexually Abusing ChildrenRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – This week, James Lee Jones, Jr., of Tuba City, Ariz., was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Dominic W. Lanza to multiple life terms in prison. Jones previously was convicted by a jury of 4 counts of Aggravated Sexual Abuse of a Child and 5 counts of Abusive Sexual Contact of a Child.
In the late 1990s, Jones repeatedly sexually abused a minor who was under the age of 12. In 2016, Jones repeatedly sexually abused another minor who was 12 years old. Jones sexually abused the victims on the Navajo Nation Indian Reservation, where Jones and the victims are enrolled tribal members.
“There is no question that Navajo will be a safer place for children with Jones off the streets permanently,” said United States Attorney Michael Bailey.
“These crimes are gut-wrenching and there is no question that this sentencing is just,” said Sean Kaul, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Phoenix Field Office. “The FBI is responsible for investigating the most serious crimes in Indian Country and we will continue to aggressively pursue child sexual assault cases. The FBI is committed to protecting all of our communities, helping victims, and ensuring that justice is served.”
The investigation in this case was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Navajo Nation Division of Public Safety. The prosecution was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ryan Powell and Amy Chang, District of Arizona, Phoenix.
Ten Previously Deported Aliens Charged with Illegal ReentryRead the Press Release
HARRISBURG – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that ten previously deported aliens were indicted separately on March 4, 2020, by a federal grand jury for illegal reentry into the United States. These matters arose in counties throughout the District including Adams, Cumberland, Dauphin, Franklin, Northumberland, and York Counties.
According to United States Attorney David J. Freed, Heriberto Garcia-Juarez, age 26, of Guatemala, was previously deported from the United States to Guatemala in April 2018. He is alleged to have illegally reentered the United States sometime after April 2018, and was found in the United States in Franklin County, Pennsylvania after eluding examination or inspection by immigration officers.
Carlos Garcia-Enriquez, age 40, of Mexico, was previously deported from the United States to Mexico in April 2016. He is alleged to have illegally reentered the United States sometime after April 2016, and was found in the United States in York County, Pennsylvania after eluding examination or inspection by immigration officers.
Gerardo Say-Lopez, age 40, of Guatemala, was previously deported from the United States to Guatemala in December 2018. He is alleged to have illegally reentered the United States sometime after December 2018, and was found in the United States in Dauphin County, Pennsylvania after eluding examination or inspection by immigration officers.
Manuel Ibarra-Sustaita, age 38, of Mexico, was previously deported from the United States to Mexico in April 2016. He is alleged to have illegally reentered the United States sometime after April 2016, and was found in the United States in York County, Pennsylvania after eluding examination or inspection by immigration officers.
Noe Andres Escarcia-Ortega, age 30, of Mexico, was previously deported from the United States to Mexico in September 2018. He is alleged to have illegally reentered the United States sometime after September 2018, and was found in the United States in Dauphin County, Pennsylvania after eluding examination or inspection by immigration officers.
Laureano Melgoza-Zambrano, age 28, of Mexico, was previously deported from the United States to Mexico in October 2006. He is alleged to have illegally reentered the United States sometime after October 2006, and was found in the United States in York County, Pennsylvania after eluding examination or inspection by immigration officers.
Adrian Avina-Quinones, age 35, of Mexico, was previously deported from the United States to Mexico in July 2008. He is alleged to have illegally reentered the United States sometime after July 2008, and was found in the United States in Adams County, Pennsylvania after eluding examination or inspection by immigration officers.
Augusto Garay-Junco, age 38, of Mexico, was previously deported from the United States to Mexico in July 2018. He is alleged to have illegally reentered the United States sometime after July 2018, and was found in the United States in York County, Pennsylvania after eluding examination or inspection by immigration officers.
Garcia-Juarez, Garcia-Enriquez, Gerardo Say-Lopez, Ibarra-Sustaita, Escarcia-Ortega, Melgoza-Zambrano, Avina-Quinones and Garay-Junco face a maximum penalty of two years of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine.
Anacleto Ruiz-Ruiz, age 34, of Mexico, was previously deported from the United States to Mexico in September 2012. He is alleged to have illegally reentered the United States sometime after September 2012, and was found in the United States in Northumberland County, Pennsylvania after eluding examination or inspection by immigration officers.
Oscar Campos-Lara, age 39, of Mexico, was previously deported from the United States to Mexico in March 2019. He is alleged to have illegally reentered the United States again sometime after March 2019, and was found in the United States in Cumberland County, Pennsylvania after eluding examination or inspection by immigration officers.
Ruiz-Ruiz and Campos-Lara face a maximum penalty of 10 years of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine.
These cases were investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO). Assistant United States Attorney Joanne Sanderson is prosecuting the cases.
Indictments and Criminal Informations are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.
A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the Judge is also required to consider and weigh a number of factors, including the nature, circumstances and seriousness of the offense; the history and characteristics of the defendant; and the need to punish the defendant, protect the public and provide for the defendant's educational, vocational and medical needs. For these reasons, the statutory maximum penalty for the offense is not an accurate indicator of the potential sentence for a specific defendant.
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Steuben County Man Sentenced for Threatening U.S. Congresswoman and Illegally Possessing FirearmsRead the Press Release
CONTACT: Barbara Burns
PHONE: (716) 843-5817
FAX #: (716) 551-3051ROCHESTER, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy, Jr. announced today that Patrick W. Carlineo, Jr., 56, of Addison, NY, who was convicted of threatening to assault and murder a United States official, and being a felon in possession of firearms, was sentenced to serve 12 months and one day in prison by Chief U.S. District Judge Frank P. Geraci, Jr. The defendant was also ordered to forfeit six firearms and hundreds of rounds of ammunition.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Brett A. Harvey, who handled the case, stated that on March 21, 2019, at approximately 12:20 p.m., the defendant placed a telephone call to the offices of Congresswoman Ilhan Omar, a Member of the United States Congress from the 5th Congressional District in Minnesota, in Washington, D.C. A member of Congresswoman Omar’s staff answered the call. During the call, the defendant stated, “Do you work for the Muslim Brotherhood? Why are you working for her, she’s a (expletive) terrorist. Somebody ought to put a bullet in her skull. Back in the day, our forefathers would have put a bullet in her (expletive).” The staff member recalled that the defendant stated, “I’ll put a bullet in her (expletive) skull.”
Carlineo made the threatening call to retaliate against Congresswoman Omar based on her performance of her official duties. Because he hates individuals he views as radical Muslims being in the United States government, he believed that Congresswoman Omar supports Hamas and the Muslim Brotherhood and that Congresswoman Omar’s election to the United States Congress was illegitimate.
After receiving the call, the threat was referred to the United States Capitol Police, Threat Assessment Section, who began an investigation in coordination with the FBI.
In addition, on April 5, 2019, the defendant – a previously convicted felon – possessed a loaded .45 caliber handgun, three rifles, two shotguns, and hundreds of rounds of ammunition at his residence in Addison, NY. In 1998, the defendant was convicted of Criminal Mischief in the Second Degree in Steuben County Court. As a result of that conviction defendant was legally prohibited from possessing a firearm.
The sentencing is the result of an investigation by Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Gary Loeffert, and the United States Capitol Police, under the direction of Chief Matthew R. Verderosa.
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Springfield Sex Offender Sentenced for Failing to RegisterRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Springfield, Missouri, man who has been charged separately in state court with multiple crimes against children was sentenced in federal court today for failing to register as a sex offender during the time he allegedly committed those state crimes.
Frank Patrick Lambert, 61, was sentenced by U.S. Chief District Judge Beth Phillips to three years and four months in federal prison without parole, which must be served consecutively to any sentence he receives in the unrelated Greene County, Missouri, case. The court also sentenced Lambert to 20 years of supervised release following incarceration. Lambert will be required to register as a sex offender upon his release from prison and will be subject to federal and state sex offender registration requirements, which may apply throughout his life.
Lambert was convicted in Texas of indecency with a child and sentenced to 30 years in prison. After serving 15 years’ incarceration, he was released on parole. Lambert’s parole was revoked six months later and he served nearly another six years before being released from custody on Feb. 14, 2011. Lambert was required to register as a sex offender in Texas, to inform authorities in Texas upon moving from that state, and to maintain his registration in any state where he resided.
On Oct. 9, 2019, Lambert pleaded guilty to failing to register as a sex offender between June 30, 2012, and July 1, 2016. Lambert admitted he moved from Texas to Missouri in 2012, but lived under the false name of “Frank Schultz” and did not register as required. During that time, according to court documents, Lambert allegedly engaged in criminal conduct that has resulted in him being charged with numerous crimes against children. Lambert has yet to be convicted of the state charges for endangering the welfare of a child involving drugs, child molestation, and statutory sodomy.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Patrick Carney. It was investigated by the U.S. Marshals Service.
Project Safe Childhood
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc . For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab "resources."Six Defendants Sentenced to Prison Terms for Running South Dade Drug Trafficking RingRead the Press Release
Miami, Florida -- U.S. District Judge Marcia G. Cooke sentenced six defendants, all from South Florida, to prison terms for their roles in an extensive drug trafficking operation located in Perrine, Florida. Their prison sentences are as follows:
- Tedrick King, 45, the leader of the drug ring, received 148 months.
- Wilhemnia Nottage, 35, received 20 months.
- Cory Evans, 28, received 30 months.
- Christopher McCollur (a/k/a “Block”), 32, received 48 months.
- Keyon Harris, 37, received 60 months.
- Jonis Webster (a/k/a “J.J.”), 39, received 18 months.
Ariana Fajardo Orshan, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, George L. Piro, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Miami Field Office, Kevin W. Carter, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Miami Field Office, and Alfredo Ramirez III, Director, Miami-Dade Police Department (MDPD) made the announcement.
According to court records, from at least October 2018 through June 2019, Defendants ran a 24-hour, seven-day per week drug operation out of two locations in Perrine, Florida. In July 2019, law enforcement officers executed search warrants at the two locations and at the home of defendant King, the leader of the drug operation. They seized approximately 941 grams of cocaine, 221 grams of crack cocaine, 1006 grams of marijuana, and 145 grams of eutylone (which defendants sold as “Molly”).
Prior to receiving their prison sentences, each defendant pled guilty to his or her role in the drug trafficking operation.
This case is the result of ongoing efforts by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF), a partnership that brings together the combined expertise and unique abilities of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt, dismantle and prosecute high-level members of drug trafficking, weapons trafficking and money laundering organizations and enterprises.
The case also involved the U.S. Attorney’s Office Violence Reduction Partnership (VRP) initiative. Through the VRP, the U.S. Attorney’s Office and its federal and local law enforcement allies have sought to dismantle the most violent criminal networks that plague communities throughout the Southern District of Florida.
U.S. Attorney Fajardo Orshan commended the FBI, DEA, and MDPD for their investigative efforts and the Miami-Dade State Attorney’s Office for its assistance. Assistant U.S. Attorney Cary O. Aronovitz prosecuted this case.
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 on http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov.
Scottish Man Charged with Obstruction of JusticeRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Scottish man was charged yesterday in federal court in Boston with obstructing a federal investigation.
Gavin MacPhee, 34, was charged with destruction, alteration, or falsification of records in a federal investigation. A plea hearing has not yet been scheduled by the court.
According to charging documents, MacPhee used his access to his former employer’s webmail and information technology platform to delete an email account and other files related to an ongoing criminal investigation. A search at the company’s corporate headquarters was executed in October 2019. Thereafter, with full knowledge of the federal investigation and the relevance of those materials, MacPhee allegedly deleted at least one email account for an individual who had since left the company, and with whom he had a close relationship.
The charging statute provides for a sentence of 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $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, Homeland Security Investigations in Boston; Michael Mikulka, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General, Labor Racketeering and Fraud Investigation, New York Regional Office; and William B. Gannon, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Diplomatic Security Service, Boston Field Office made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was also provided by the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services, Fraud Detection and National Security Unit in Vermont. HSI’s Document and Benefit Fraud Task Force, a specialized investigative group comprised of various local, state and federal agencies, conducted this investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jordi de Llano, Deputy Chief of Lelling’s Securities & Financial Fraud Unit, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Mackenzie Queenin of Lelling’s Cybercrime Unit are prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Savannah armed robber gets maximum sentence for heist in which worker was shot, woundedRead the Press Release
SAVANNAH, GA: A Savannah man who admitted robbing an auto repair shop and shooting an employee has been sentenced to the maximum term in federal prison.
De’Von Le’Edward Walker, 25, was sentenced to 240 months in prison by U.S. District Judge Stan Baker after pleading guilty to a charge of Interference with Interstate Commerce by Robbery, said Bobby L. Christine, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. Walker, who was on federal supervised release at the time of the robbery, also faces a revocation hearing that could result in an additional period of incarceration. After completion of his prison term, Walker will serve three years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
“De’Von Walker is a menace who needs to be off the streets,” said U.S. Attorney Christine. “We will not tolerate criminals who endanger the lives of law-abiding citizens.”
According to court documents and testimony, Walker was wearing a mask when he robbed an employee of a Savannah auto repair shop Dec. 14, 2018. After receiving cash, Walker shot the employee in the shoulder. The employee, a former U.S. Army sergeant with three overseas deployments, struggled with Walker, removing Walker’s mask and taking Walker’s Glock pistol before Walker fled. The employee later recovered.
Following the robbery, the Savannah Police Department issued a news release that included the suspect’s photo, leading to Walker’s identification and arrest.
In sentencing Walker to the statutory maximum prison sentence, Judge Baker noted that Walker had multiple prior felony convictions and that, despite only being 25, had managed to amass the highest possible criminal history category attainable under federal sentencing guidelines. Judge Baker also contrasted Walker’s criminal actions with those of the law-abiding employee who was working to support his family.
“Walker had a chance to turn his life around while on federal supervised release but instead chose to commit a crime that put an innocent citizen’s life at risk,” said Chris Hacker, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. “Thanks to the efforts of that citizen and our local law enforcement partners at the Savannah Police Department, Walker will go back to prison where he can no longer be a threat to society.”
“The sentence in this case shows the determination of the Savannah Police Department to work with our partners at the FBI and the U.S. Attorney’s Office to keep criminals who commit crimes involving guns off of our streets,” said Savannah Police Chief Roy W. Minter Jr. “We will continue to work tirelessly to investigate and assist with the prosecution of gun related crimes in our neighborhoods.”
The case was investigated by the FBI and the Savannah Police Department, and prosecuted for the United States by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Georgia.
Rochester Man Pleads Guilty to Conspiracy to Distribute DrugsRead the Press Release
CONCORD - James M. Nesbitt, 43, of Rochester, pleaded guilty in federal court to participating in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl and possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, United States Attorney Scott W. Murray announced today.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Nesbitt conspired with two other individuals to possess with the intent to distribute, and to distribute, fentanyl and crystal “ice” methamphetamine. On November 7, 2018, the New Hampshire State Police (“NHSP”) conducted a vehicle stop of Nesbitt’s vehicle and seized fentanyl, crystal “ice” methamphetamine, and other narcotics. Later the same evening, the NHSP and DEA searched Nesbitt’s hotel room in Ossipee and seized approximately 171 grams of crystal “ice” methamphetamine, smaller quantities of fentanyl and other narcotics, and a Springfield Armory XD45 semi-automatic handgun. On December 20, 2018, DEA agents arrested Nesbitt and a co-conspirator at their Rochester residence and seized fentanyl and four firearms and assorted ammunition.
Nesbitt is scheduled to be sentenced on June 15, 2020.
“Armed drug traffickers present a serious threat to the safety of the citizens of New Hampshire,” said U.S. Attorney Murray. “In order to prevent violent crime and maintain public safety, we will work closely with our law enforcement partners to identify and prosecute drug dealers who arm themselves with firearms. I commend the investigators in this case for stopping this drug trafficking conspiracy.”
This case was supported by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF). 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.
This case was investigated by the DEA’s Tactical Diversion Squad, the New Hampshire State Police, the United States Postal Inspection Service, and the Strafford County Drug Task Force. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer Cole Davis.
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Retired Administrative Law Judge Admits Buying an AR-15 Style Rifle for a Convicted FelonRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, PA - A resident of Grove City, Pennsylvania, has pleaded guilty in federal court to a charge of violating federal firearms law, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced today.
Karl Alexander, age 78, pleaded guilty to one count of making a false statement to a licensed firearms dealer before United States District Judge Robert J. Colville.
According to information provided to the court, on Sept. 29, 2019, Alexander, an attorney and administrative law judge, knowingly made a false statement to a licensed firearms dealer when purchasing a Ruger AR556MPR AR-15 style rifle. Alexander admitted that he expressly lied on the ATF Form 4473 and answered "Yes" to the question: "Are you the actual transferee/buyer of the firearm listed on this form?" In fact, Alexander was purchasing the firearm for a convicted felon, Dennis Alan Riggs. Alexander admitted that Riggs was with him for the purchase and that Riggs picked out the firearm and paid Alexander for the firearm. Alexander also admitted he agreed to purchase the weapon because of their personal relationship.
Riggs was charged by complaint on January 22, 2020 for being a felon in possession of a firearm. His case is pending.
Judge Colville scheduled sentencing for July 15, 2020. The law provides for a total sentence of up to ten years in prison, a fine of $250,000, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
The law provides for a maximum total sentence of not more than 10 years in prison, a fine of not more than $250,000 or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney Jessica Lieber Smolar is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Joint Terrorism Task Force conducted the investigation leading to the Indictment in this case. This case was brought as part of Project Guardian. Reducing gun violence and enforcing federal firearms laws have always been among the Department of Justice’s highest priorities. Project Guardian serves as a complementary effort to the success of Project Safe Neighborhoods.
Prolific Snohomish County fentanyl dealer sentenced to 15 years in prisonRead the Press Release
Seattle – The head of a drug distribution ring who was convicted at trial of drug and gun crimes was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Seattle to15 years in prison, announced U.S. Attorney Brian T. Moran. RHETT IRONS, 41, of Lynnwood, Washington was convicted on December 12, 2019, of conspiracy to distribute fentanyl pills, possession of fentanyl with intent to distribute and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. At the sentencing hearing U.S. District Judge Richard A. Jones noted that fentanyl is probably the most dangerous drug being sold right now, and noted that IRONS had guns and drugs accessible to children. “You were the clear leader of a drug trafficking organization,” Judge Jones said.
“This defendant exploited others’ addictions so he could live a life of luxury,” said U.S. Attorney Brian Moran. “Testimony at trial revealed he got his dealers and customers hooked on fentanyl – a powerful and potentially fatal opioid – all so he could make more money and have the cars and vacations he thought he deserved.”
According to records filed in the case and testimony at trial, in February 2018, the Snohomish Regional Drug Task Force began targeting organizations distributing fentanyl pills throughout the north sound region. IRONS was a leader of one of the organizations. He had originally trafficked oxycodone pills, but switched to trafficking fentanyl – a stronger and cheaper pill – that he rebranded as “supers". It was also more deadly. To maximize profits and to protect him from law enforcement scrutiny, IRONS fronted the pills to his distributors and took the profits afterwards allowing the addicts to have a cut of the profits. Many distributors used that profit to buy from IRONS to support their own addiction. During this time, agents also learned of a luxury home IRONS rented in Bothell dubbed “the mansion” by his distributors. The house had a pool, hot tub and tennis courts – IRONS allowed some of his dealers to live at the home, and stored pills and firearms there.
Law enforcement used confidential sources and an undercover agent to make purchases from IRONS. In February 2019, law enforcement searched IRONS’ residence in Lynnwood.
At IRONS’ home agents found a loaded Glock semiautomatic pistol and additional magazines under a mattress in the master bedroom. They found more pills and more than $50,000 in cash. In the basement where IRONS allowed another redistributor to live, agents found a gun safe with eight firearms including three assault rifles. IRONS has prior felony convictions, which preclude him from possessing firearms.
During the investigation, law enforcement confirmed that a former drug customer of IRONS died in April 2018 from acute fentanyl intoxication. It is unknown whether fentanyl purchased from IRONS caused the death.
“Today, the head of this poisonous snake was cut off,” said DEA Special Agent in Charge SAC Keith Weis. “Irons directed dozens of individuals dealing thousands of fentanyl pills onto the streets of the north sound communities that endangered all it touched, in the name of greed.”
In asking the court for a 17-year prison term, prosecutors wrote to the Court: “This Defendant has altered the lives of countless individuals. He created addictions. He fed addictions. …This Court will never know all of the lives shattered by Defendant’s greed. There is no way to provide his victims with restitution. There is no way to know the number of families Defendant destroyed, the individuals he left addicted, or even the deaths connected to his organization.”
Following his prison term, IRONS will be on federal supervision for five years.
This was an Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation, providing supplemental federal funding to the federal and state agencies involved. The investigation was led by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) as part of the Snohomish Regional Drug Task Force. Both the Snohomish County Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives were key investigative partners.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Lisca Borichewski and Chantelle Dial.
Postal Clerk Sentenced to Jail Time for Embezzling Postal Funds and Making False RecordsRead the Press Release
OKLAHOMA CITY – JAMES BRYAN BARNES, 53, of Norman, has been sentenced to a 24-month term of probation for embezzling postal funds and making false postal record entries, announced United States Attorney Timothy J. Downing. As a condition of his probation, Barnes will be required to serve 72 days in prison.
According to a second superseding indictment, Barnes was the lead Sales and Service Associate at the Midwest City Branch Post Office when he conducted a scheme to steal postal funds by taking cash for stamps without properly accounting for the sales. He was charged with one count of embezzlement of postal funds in excess of $1,000, one count of theft of government money in excess of $1,000, and four counts of making false entries in the U.S. Postal Service’s records.
On July 11, 2019, a jury convicted Barnes on those six counts. The jury heard that Barnes made false record entries into his cash register at least 178 times from October 2015 through June 2018 and took almost $3,000 belonging to the Postal Service.
On March 5, 2020, U.S. District Judge David L. Russell sentenced Barnes to 24 months of probation. As a condition of probation, Barnes is required to serve 72 days of incarceration on weekends. Barnes must also pay restitution of $2,950.67 to the United States Postal Service.
These charges are the result of an investigation by the U.S. Postal Service—Office of Inspector General. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys William E. Farrior and Nick M. Coffey.
Polson woman sentenced in meth conspiracy caseRead the Press Release
MISSOULA—A Polson woman who admitted distributing methamphetamine in 2019 was sentenced today to one year and one day in prison and five years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.
Brook Nicole Deneault, 27, pleaded guilty in November to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute meth.
Chief U.S. District Judge Dana L. Christensen presided.
The prosecution said evidence would show that in June 2019, the Polson Police Department made a traffic stop of a vehicle Deneault was driving. In a search of the vehicle, officers found meth, currency, a drug ledger and paraphernalia. A few days later, the Ronan Police Department made a traffic stop of a vehicle in which Deneault was a passenger. In a search of that vehicle, officers found meth in Deneault’s personal possessions. Deneault admitted that the drugs found in the vehicle were hers and that she distributed meth between April and July of 2019.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Tara Elliott prosecuted the case, which was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods, a U.S. Department of Justice initiative to reduce violent crime. According to the FBI’s Uniform Crime Reports, violent crime in Montana increased by 36% from 2013 to 2018. Through PSN, federal, tribal, state and local law enforcement partners in Montana focus on violent crime driven by methamphetamine trafficking, armed robbers, firearms offenses and violent offenders with outstanding warrants.
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Oklahoma Business Owner Indicted for Tax FraudRead the Press Release
A federal grand jury in Tulsa, Oklahoma, returned an indictment Wednesday charging a Bristow, Oklahoma, business owner with filing false tax returns, announced Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Richard E. Zuckerman of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and U.S. Attorney R. Trent Shores for the Northern District of Oklahoma.
According to the indictment, David Ellis Fisher owned and operated A-1 Power Tongs and Casing Crews LLC, a business that provided equipment and services to oil and gas extraction companies. From 2013 through 2015, Fisher allegedly willfully underreported his income on his tax returns for 2013 through 2015 by depositing a portion of the payments to his business into a bank account that Fisher did not disclose to his bookkeeper or tax return preparer.
If convicted, Fisher faces a maximum sentence of three years in prison on each count. He also faces a period of supervised release, restitution, and monetary penalties.
An indictment merely alleges that crimes have been committed. The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Zuckerman and U.S. Attorney Shores commended special agents of IRS-Criminal Investigation, who conducted the investigation, and Assistant Chief Andrew Kameros of the Tax Division, who is prosecuting the case.
Additional information about the Tax Division and its enforcement efforts may be found on the Division’s website.
Nine-Time Convicted Felon Pleads Guilty to Possessing Loaded FirearmRead the Press Release
Fort Myers, Florida – Lanorris Williams (31, Fort Myers) has pleaded guilty to possessing a firearm and ammunition as a convicted felon. He faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison.
According to court documents, on September 20, 2019, an officer from the Fort Myers Police Department and an ATF task force agent observed Williams driving a red BMW. When Williams noticed the officers, he fled at a high rate of speed through intersections and residential neighborhoods. Eventually, an innocent motorist t-boned Williams at the intersection of Canal and Ford Streets, spinning Williams into a nearby ditch, where he was arrested. On the driver’s side floorboard of the BMW, officers found Williams’s loaded Glock pistol.
During the past 11 years, Williams has been convicted of 9 felonies, including multiple drug offenses, burglaries, and thefts and, is therefore prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition.
This case was investigated by ATF and the Fort Myers Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michael V. Leeman.
This is another case prosecuted as part of the Department of Justice’s “Project Safe Neighborhoods” Program (PSN), which is a nationwide, crime reduction strategy aimed at decreasing violent crime in communities. It involves a comprehensive approach to public safety — one that includes investigating and prosecuting crimes, along with prevention and reentry efforts. In the Middle District of Florida, U.S. Attorney Maria Chapa Lopez coordinates PSN efforts in cooperation with various federal, state, and local law enforcement officials.
This case is also part of Project Guardian, the Department of Justice’s signature initiative to reduce gun violence and enforce federal firearms laws. Initiated by the Attorney General in the fall of 2019, Project Guardian draws upon the Department’s past successful programs to reduce gun violence and enhances coordination of federal, state, local, and tribal authorities in investigating and prosecuting gun crimes. For more information on Project Guardian visit www.justice.gov/projectguardian.
New York Resident Supplied by Waterbury Drug Trafficker Sentenced to Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that JAMES TYRONE HAYES, also known as “Ty,” 50, of Newburgh, New York, was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Judge Janet C. Hall in New Haven to 20 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for trafficking heroin and cocaine.
According to court documents and statements made in court, this matter stems from a joint investigation headed by the DEA New Haven Task Force and the Waterbury and Naugatuck Police Departments into a heroin and cocaine trafficking operation headed by Keith Jordan of Waterbury. The investigation, which included the use of court-authorized wiretaps, physical surveillance and controlled purchases of narcotics, revealed that Jordan was receiving large quantities of heroin from various suppliers, including Brian Hanna, of Brooklyn, New York; Pedro Santos, of Waterbury, and Domingo Alves, of Waterbury, and selling to drug to other distributors and street-level customers. Jordan also purchased and distributed cocaine.
Hayes regularly traveled to Connecticut to purchase distribution quantities of heroin/fentanyl from Jordan. He then sold the drug to his own customers in New York.
The investigation also revealed that Hayes and Jordan jointly acquired approximately 500 grams of cocaine from Carlos Morais of Waterbury.
On March 13, 2019, a grand jury in Hartford returned an indictment charging Hayes, Jordan, Hanna, Santos, Morais and 24 other individuals with various offenses related to the distribution of heroin, fentanyl, cocaine and crack cocaine.
Hayes was arrested on March 20, 2019. The next day, in association with the arrest of several codefendants, investigators seized approximately 3,000 bags of heroin, 400 grams of cocaine, 350 grams of fentanyl/heroin mixed, 400 grams of heroin, 10 grams of crack, 20 pounds of marijuana, fentanyl patches, a one-kilogram press, four handguns, approximately $120,000 in cash and four vehicles.
On October 15, 2019, Hayes pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute, and to possess with intent to distribute, heroin.
Hayes, who is released on a $200,000 bond, is required to report to prison on April 7, 2020.
Jordan, Hanna, Santos and Morais pleaded guilty to related charges. On February 20, 2020, Morais was sentenced to 60 months in prison. Jordan, Hanna and Santos await sentencing.
This investigation has been conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration New Haven Task Force, Waterbury Police Department and Naugatuck Police Department, with the critical assistance of the U.S. Secret Service, New York Field Office. The DEA New Haven Task Force includes participants from the U.S. Marshals Service, Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation Division, and the New Haven, Hamden, West Haven, North Haven, Branford, Ansonia, Meriden, Derby, Middletown, Naugatuck and Waterbury Police Departments.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys S. Dave Vatti and Nathaniel J. Gentile.
New Haven Man Guilty of Gun Possession OffensesRead the Press Release
John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that, on March 5, 2020, a federal jury in New Haven found VASHUN LEWIS, also known as “V-Love,” 44, of New Haven, guilty of firearm possession offenses.
According to the evidence presented during a trial before U.S. District Judge Janet C. Hall, in 2017, the New Haven Police Department received information that Lewis was engaged in an illegal cigarette trafficking operation, was selling marijuana and heroin, and was known to possess a handgun. Prior to 2017, Lewis had been convicted of state robbery, assault, drug, weapon and racketeering offenses. Lewis was arrested on June 1, 2017, after a court-authorized search of his residence revealed a 9mm semiautomatic handgun, more than 100 grams of marijuana, items used to process and package drugs for street sale, and more than 50 cartons of cigarettes.
The jury found Lewis guilty of one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, and one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
Judge Hall scheduled sentencing May 28, 2020, at which time Lewis faces a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of five years and a maximum term of imprisonment of life.
This investigation was conducted by the New Haven Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Margaret M. Donovan and Jocelyn Courtney Kaoutzanis.
This prosecution has been brought through Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make neighborhoods safer for everyone.
Nevada Man Charged with Sexual Assault Aboard Aircraft En Route to Las VegasRead the Press Release
RENO, Nev. – Daniel A. Parkhurst made his initial court appearance today related to a federal charge for abusive sexual contact during a flight from Seattle to Las Vegas, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas A. Trutanich for the District of Nevada and Special Agent in Charge Aaron C. Rouse for the FBI.
“Sexual assault aboard an aircraft is when unwelcome inappropriate touching without consent occurs,” said Special Agent in Charge Rouse. “If you think you are a victim of sexual assault aboard an aircraft or you have witnessed an incident, report it to your flight crew and contact the FBI. Try to take note of what has happened to better inform the responding agent or officer at the airport upon landing.”
Parkhurst, 38, of Gardnerville, Nevada, was charged with one count of interference with flight crew members and attendants and one count of abusive sexual conduct. He was arrested without incident Thursday afternoon in Gardnerville. United States Magistrate Judge Carla Baldwin scheduled a trial on May 5, 2020.
According to the indictment, on October 31, 2019, Parkhurst intimidated flight crew members and flight attendants on a Southwest Airlines flight from Seattle to Las Vegas. He allegedly touched another person on the upper inner thigh without the person’s consent. As alleged, he created a disturbance by engaging in abusive sexual conduct and interfered with the performance of duties of the flight crew. As a result, the aircraft was diverted from its flight to Las Vegas and landed in Reno.
The total maximum statutory sentence is 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Parkhurst also faces a period of supervised release, restitution, and monetary penalties.
An indictment merely alleges that crimes have been committed. The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
The case is a product of an investigation by the FBI, the Reno-Tahoe International Airport Police Department, and the Office of the Nevada Attorney General. Assistant U.S. Attorney Randy St. Clair is prosecuting the case.
If you think you are a victim of sexual assault aboard an aircraft, report the incident to your flight crew and to the FBI at tips.fbi.gov or call 1-800-CALL-FBI, or contact your local FBI office.
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