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Thursday 2 January 2020
Minnesota Man Pleads Guilty to Meth ConspiracyRead the Press Release
A man who conspired to distribute methamphetamine pled guilty December 30, 2019, in federal court in Sioux City.
Emmanuel Fuentes, 35, from Madelia, Minnesota, was convicted of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine.
At the plea hearing, Fuentes admitted that from July 2019 through August 2019, he was involved in the distribution of more than 150 grams of pure methamphetamine. In two separate investigative operations, in July and August 2019, law enforcement seized more than ten ounces of methamphetamine from Fuentes.
Sentencing before United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Fuentes remains in custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing. Fuentes faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years’ imprisonment and a possible maximum sentence of life imprisonment, a $10,000,000 fine, and at least 5 years of supervised release following any imprisonment.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Shawn S. Wehde and was investigated by the Tri-State Drug Task Force based in Sioux City, Iowa, that consists of law enforcement personnel from the Drug Enforcement Administration; Sioux City, Iowa, Police Department; Homeland Security Investigations; Woodbury County Sheriff’s Office; South Sioux City, Nebraska, Police Department; Nebraska State Patrol; Iowa National Guard; Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement; United States Marshals Service; South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation; and Woodbury County Attorney’s Office.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 19-4053. Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.
Mexican Man Sentenced to Prison for Illegally Reentering the United StatesRead the Press Release
A man who illegally returned to the United States after being deported was sentenced today to two months in federal prison.
Pedro Hernandez-Becerra, age 38, a citizen of Mexico illegally present in the United States and residing in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, received the prison term after a November 21, 2019, guilty plea to one count of illegal reentry into the United States.
At the guilty plea, Hernandez-Becerra admitted he had previously been deported from the United States in January 2011 and illegally reentered the United States without the permission of the United States government. Hernandez-Becerra and other illegal aliens were found by immigration agents in October 2019 after a traffic stop near Wilton, Iowa. Hernandez-Becerra was previously deported following his conviction in January 2011 in the Western District of Texas for using fraudulent identification documents when he entered the United States in December 2010. Hernandez-Becerra was also removed from the United States in May 1999.
Hernandez-Becerra was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams. Hernandez-Becerra was sentenced to 60 days’ imprisonment. He must also serve a one-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
Hernandez-Becerra is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can turned over to immigration officials.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Daniel C. Tvedt and investigated by Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Enforcement and Removal Operations.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 19-CR-119.
Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.
Meadville Man Sentenced to 8 Years in Prison for Project Safe Childhood OffensesRead the Press Release
ERIE, Pa. - A former resident of Meadville, Pennsylvania, has been sentenced in federal court to 96 months in jail and 8 years supervised release on his conviction of violating federal laws relating to the sexual exploitation of children, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced today.
United States District Judge David S. Cercone imposed the sentence on Dennis Michael Kerr, 29.
According to information presented to the court, Kerr transported computer images and movies depicting minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct. Kerr also transferred and attempted to transfer obscene material to an individual Kerr thought was a minor.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Assistant United States Attorney Christian A. Trabold prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
United States Attorney Brady commended the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Pennsylvania State Police for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Kerr.
Man from Santo Domingo Pueblo sentenced to 15 years in federal prison for sexual abuseRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Clarence Garcia, 64, an enrolled member of the Santo Domingo Pueblo, who resides in Santo Domingo Pueblo, New Mexico, was sentenced today in federal court in Albuquerque to 15 years (180 months) in prison for abusive sexual contact.
Garcia pleaded guilty to this offense on Sept. 13, 2019. In his plea agreement, Garcia admitted that he committed the crime on the Santo Domingo Pueblo in Sandoval County on Nov. 10, 2013 by touching the genitalia of a girl under the age of 12 to gratify his own sexual desire.
The FBI and the Bureau of Indian Affairs investigated this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph M. Spindle prosecuted the case.
Maitland Man Pleads Guilty to Two Bank RobberiesRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Maitland, Missouri, man pleaded guilty in federal court today to robbing banks in St. Joseph, Missouri, and Kansas City, Missouri.
Nicholas Lehman, 39, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Roseann Ketchmark to two counts of bank robbery.
By pleading guilty today, Lehman admitted that he stole $4,450 from Citizen’s Bank and Trust, 5305 N. Belt Hwy., St. Joseph, on March 18, 2019. Lehman also admitted that he stole $1,940 from National American Savings Bank, 7012 N.W. Barry Rd., Kansas City, on March 20, 2019.
Lehman admitted that he approached the teller at Citizen’s Bank and Trust and gave her a handwritten note that demanded money, stated he had a gun, and claimed the teller’s family was being held hostage. Lehman, who didn’t exhibit a gun during the incident, told the teller to give him all of her money. The teller emptied her drawer and gave him $4,450.
Lehman did not conceal his face during the robbery and his image was captured by the bank’s surveillance system. Photos of Lehman were broadcast to the public through local news stations. Several individuals who knew him contacted the FBI and stated they believed he was the person responsible for the robberies.
Two days later, Lehman approached the teller’s counter at National American Savings Bank and gave the teller a note that read, “This is a robbery. NO ALARMS INK PACKS ALL BIG BILLS and NO ONE gets hurt. 5 minutes before ALARM someone is watching your family or they all get….. For an amount of 10,000.” The teller told Lehman she didn’t have that much cash, but emptied her drawer. Lehman grabbed the money and ran out of the bank.
The next day, on March 21, 2019, law enforcement officers attempted to apprehend Lehman, who was driving a 2011 Ford Edge, near the Kansas City International Airport. Lehman refused to stop and a high-speed chase ensued. Lehman stopped his car in Kansas City, Kansas, and fled on foot. He was eventually apprehended and arrested.
Under federal statutes, Lehman is subject to a sentence of up to 20 years in federal prison without parole on each of the two counts. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Matt Moeder. It was investigated by the FBI, the Buchanan County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department, and the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department.
Larry Mitchell Hopkins pleads guilty to federal firearm charge in New MexicoRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Larry Mitchell Hopkins, who is also known as Johnny Horton Jr., 70, of Flora Vista, New Mexico, pleaded guilty in federal court in Albuquerque today to being a felon in possession of a firearm.
A grand jury indicted Hopkins for this offense on April 24, 2019. In his plea agreement, Hopkins admitted committing this offense in San Juan County by possessing nine pistols, rifles, and shotguns on Nov. 28, 2017. Hopkins also admitted possessing ammunition after being previously convicted of felony offenses in Michigan, Oregon, and South Dakota, including illegal weapon possession and impersonating a peace officer.
Hopkins is currently in custody awaiting sentencing. He faces up to 10 years in prison for this offense.
The FBI investigated this case. The Sunland Park Police Department assisted in arresting Hopkins. Assistant U.S. Attorney George C. Kraehe is prosecuting the case.
Kerhonkson Man Sentenced in Ulster County Crack Cocaine ConspiracyRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Randy Mandiville, age 31, of Kerhonkson, New York, was sentenced today to 42 months in prison for his involvement in a drug trafficking organization in Ulster County that was dismantled and indicted in March 2019.
The announcement was made by United States Attorney Grant C. Jaquith; Peter C. Fitzhugh, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), New York; Ulster County Sheriff Juan Figueroa, whose office leads the Ulster Regional Gang Enforcement Narcotics Team (URGENT); New York State Police Superintendent Keith M. Corlett; and Village of Ellenville Police Chief Philip Mattracion.
As part of his plea, Mandiville admitted that between February and December 2018, in cooperation with co-conspirators, he sold at least 16.8 grams of crack cocaine on behalf of the organization in various locations around Ellenville.
U.S. District Judge Mae A. D’Agostino also sentenced Mandiville to serve a 6-year term of supervised release upon his release from prison.
The following defendants have also pled guilty in connection with the conspiracy, and face the following penalties:
Name
Age
Minimum
Maximum
Luis Curet
34
5 years
40 years
Iqwan Mandiville
26
5 years
40 years
Edwin Jorge
46
None
20 years
The following defendants still face charges in this case, and face the following penalties:
Name
Age
Minimum
Maximum
Antonio Naveo, aka “Gratto,” aka “Green Eyes”
38
10 years
Life
Margaret Vandyke
56
10 years
Life
Jennifer McCombs, aka
“Jennifer Marks”49
5 years
40 years
Naveo is also charged with unlawful possession of a Mossberg shotgun as a felon. The charges against these defendants are merely accusations. The defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
This case is being investigated by HSI, the Ulster County Sheriff’s Office in conjunction with URGENT, an inter-agency taskforce targeting drug dealers and gang members in Ulster County, and the New York State Police, with assistance from the Village of Ellenville Police and the Ulster County District Attorney’s Office. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Emmet J. O’Hanlon.
Justice Department Announces Addendum to Swiss Bank Program Category 2 Non-Prosecution Agreement with Union Bancaire Privée, UBP SARead the Press Release
The Department of Justice announced today that it has signed an addendum to a non-prosecution agreement with Union Bancaire Privée, UBP SA (UBP), a private bank headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland. The original non-prosecution agreement was signed on Jan. 6, 2016. At that time, UBP reported that it held and managed 2,919 U.S. Related Accounts, with assets under management of approximately $4.9 billion, and paid a penalty of $187,767,000. In reaching today’s agreement, UBP acknowledges it should have disclosed additional U.S.-related accounts to the department at the time of the signing of the non-prosecution agreement.
“Foreign banks that participated in the Swiss Bank Program were obligated to identify all accounts in which U.S. taxpayers held an interest, directly or indirectly,” said Richard E. Zuckerman, Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General for the Tax Division. “Today’s agreement reflects our continued commitment to ensuring that when entities cooperate and make disclosures to the Department, that they do so fully.”
The Swiss Bank Program provided a path for Swiss banks to resolve potential criminal liabilities in the United States relating to offshore banking services provided to United States taxpayers. Banks eligible to enter the program were required to advise the department that they had reason to believe that they had committed tax-related criminal offenses in connection with undeclared U.S.-related accounts. As participants in the program, they were required to make a complete disclosure of their cross-border activities, provide detailed information on an account-by-account basis for accounts in which U.S. taxpayers had a direct or indirect interest, cooperate in treaty requests for account information, and provide detailed information about the transfer of funds into and out of U.S.-related accounts, including undeclared accounts.
The department executed non-prosecution agreements with 80 banks between March 2015 and January 2016. The department imposed a total of more than $1.36 billion in Swiss Bank Program penalties. Pursuant to today’s agreement, UBP will pay an additional sum of $14,000,000 and will provide supplemental information regarding its U.S.-related account population, which now includes 97 additional accounts.
Every bank that signed a non-prosecution agreement in the Swiss Bank Program had represented that it had disclosed all known U.S.-related accounts that were open at each bank between Aug. 1, 2008, and Dec. 31, 2014. Each bank also represented that it would, during the term of the non-prosecution agreement, continue to disclose all material information relating to its U.S.-related accounts. In reaching today’s agreement, UBP acknowledges that there were additional U.S.-related accounts that it knew about, or should have known about, but that were not disclosed to the Department at the time of the signing of the non-prosecution agreement. UBP has fully cooperated with the department with respect to the additional U.S.-related accounts.
Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Zuckerman thanked Thomas J. Sawyer, Senior Counsel for International Tax Matters and Coordinator of the Swiss Bank Program, Senior Litigation Counsel Nanette L. Davis, and Attorney Kimberle E. Dodd of the Tax Division.
Additional information about the Tax Division and its enforcement efforts may be found on the division’s website.
Griswold Hotel to Make Changes to Comply with American with Disabilities ActRead the Press Release
John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that the U.S. Attorney’s Office has reached a settlement agreement with the AmericInn by Wyndham Hotel in Griswold to resolve allegations that the hotel had not been operating in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (“ADA”).
The settlement agreement resolves an ADA complaint filed by an individual with disabilities alleging that the AmericInn by Wyndham Hotel, Griswold, owned and managed by Champion Griswold, LLC, was not accessible for individuals with physical disabilities. The hotel is in the process of making the changes required by the settlement agreement, which include significant improvements to designated accessible guest rooms, accessible public restrooms, eating and recreation areas and the addition of signage for parking spaces, for individuals with disabilities. The hotel will continue to make improvements over the next three years.
Under federal law, private entities that own or operate “places of public accommodation,” including hotels, are prohibited from discriminating on the basis of disability. The ADA authorizes the U.S. Department of Justice to investigate complaints and undertake periodic reviews of compliance of covered entities. The Department of Justice is also authorized to commence a civil lawsuit in federal court in any case that involves a pattern or practice of discrimination or that raises issues of general public importance, and to seek injunctive relief, monetary damages, and civil penalties.
U.S. Attorney Durham noted that the AmericInn by Wyndham, Griswold Hotel’s management has worked quickly and cooperatively with the U.S. Attorney’s Office to address the ADA issues without litigation.
Any member of the public who wishes to file a complaint alleging that a hotel or any other place of public accommodation in Connecticut is not accessible to persons with disabilities may contact the U.S. Attorney’s Office at 203-821-3700.
Additional information about the ADA can be found at www.ada.gov, or by calling the Justice Department’s toll-free information line at (800) 514-0301 and (800) 514-0383 (TTY). More information about the Civil Rights Division and the laws it enforces is available at www.justice.gov/crt.
This matter was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ndidi N. Moses of the District of Connecticut in coordination with the Disability Rights Section of the U.S. Department of Justice Civil Rights Division
Fresno Couple Indicted for Armed Robberies in FresnoRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned a 10-count indictment today against two Fresno residents, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced.
Felipe Barajas, 25, was charged with interfering with commerce by robbery, brandishing a firearm in the commission of a violent crime, felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition, and possession of an unregistered firearm. Brittney Manzo, 24, is charged with two counts of interference with commerce by robbery.
According to court documents, between Oct. 30 and Nov. 21, 2019, Barajas robbed at gunpoint three commercial establishments in Fresno, and attempted to take money from one other. On Nov. 21, Manzo drove the vehicle in which Felipe Barajas fled after two of the incidents. Manzo led police on a pursuit and ultimately both she and Felipe Barajas were apprehended after the vehicle crashed and both attempted to run away.
The stores where the armed robberies were committed/attempted are:
Oct. 30 — El Parian Grocery Market at 3804 E. Butler Ave., Fresno
Nov. 19 — Valley Gas & Mini Mart at 2139 S. Elm Ave., Fresno
Nov. 21 — Andres Liquor at 3953 N. Blackstone Ave., Fresno (attempted)
Nov. 21 — Star Smoke Shop at 453 N. Blackstone Ave., FresnoThis case is the product of an investigation by the Fresno Police Department with assistance from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephanie Stokman is prosecuting the case.
If convicted, Barajas and Manzo face a maximum statutory penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. The Department of Justice reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally based strategies to reduce violent crime. To learn more about Project Safe Neighborhoods, go to www.justice.gov/psn.
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.
Federal Inmate Assaulted Prison Staff MemberRead the Press Release
ERIE, Pa. - An inmate at the Allenwood United States Penitentiary in Allenwood, Pennsylvania pleaded guilty in federal court to a charge of infliction of bodily injury, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced today.
Lawrence W. Nelson, 44, pleaded guilty to one count before United States District Judge David S. Cercone.
In connection with the guilty plea, the court was advised that on or about July 10, 2019, Nelson assaulted a staff member while an inmate at the McKean Federal Correctional Institution. The staff member suffered a broken nose, black eye and concussion as a result of the assault.
Judge Cercone scheduled sentencing for May 28, 2020 at 12:45 p.m. The law provides for a total sentence of 20 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.
Assistant United States Attorney Paul S. Sellers is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
Officers of the McKean Federal Correctional Institution and the Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Nelson.
Federal Firearm Charge Brought Against Fresno Man Involved in Hit-and-RunRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned a one-count indictment today against Mario Alberto Rangel, 28, of Fresno, charging him with unlawfully possessing a firearm after being convicted of a felony crime, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced.
According to court documents, on Oct. 22, 2019, law enforcement officers attempted to stop Rangel for a traffic violation, but he failed to yield and fled in the vehicle at a high rate of speed. Out of concern for public safety, the officers ceased their pursuit but continued to drive in the direction that the vehicle had last been seen. Moments later, officers came upon a multiple vehicle collision involving Rangel’s vehicle. Rangel had exited his car and fled on foot but was eventually arrested. A loaded shotgun was found in the back seat of the vehicle that Rangel abandoned. Rangel is prohibited from possessing firearms because of his prior criminal record.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Fresno Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin J. Gilio is prosecuting the case.
If convicted, Rangel faces a maximum statutory penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. The Department of Justice reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally based strategies to reduce violent crime. To learn more about Project Safe Neighborhoods, go to www.justice.gov/psn.
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.
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Effingham Man Sentenced to 84 Months for Fentanyl Trafficking and Firearm CrimesRead the Press Release
CONCORD – Justin English, 35, of Effingham, was sentenced to 84 months in federal prison for participating in a fentanyl trafficking conspiracy and possessing firearms in furtherance of his drug trafficking, United States Attorney Scott W. Murray announced today.
According to court documents and statements made in court, between early 2018 and October 4, 2018, the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Southern Maine Safe Streets Gang Task Force conducted an investigation into English’s fentanyl trafficking in Effingham and York, Maine. On October 4, 2018, the FBI executed a search warrant on English’s residence, arrested English, and seized approximately 200 grams of fentanyl, currency, collectible coins, and four firearms. English also forfeited $28,386 in cash and $45,738 in collectible coins to the United States. The FBI previously administratively forfeited the firearms.
English previously pleaded guilty on September 19, 2019.
“Removing armed fentanyl dealers from society makes the Granite State a safer place,” said U.S. Attorney Murray. “Fentanyl is a deadly drug that endangers the general public. The risk is compounded when the drug dealer is armed. In order to maintain public safety, we will make every effort to obtain substantial prison sentences for armed drug dealers.”
"It is a rewarding day for the FBI when a dangerously armed drug pusher like Justin English and the fentanyl he was trafficking from his home are taken off the street," said Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Boston Division. "The town of Effingham, and law enforcement, are surely safer without him around, considering our agents located a loaded UZI pistol, two 12-gauge shotguns, and a partially loaded assault-style rifle while searching his residence. He'll now pay the price for making the link we too often see between drugs and guns."
This matter was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Southern Maine Safe Streets Gang Task Force, the York, Maine County’s Sheriff’s Office, the Effingham, New Hampshire Police Department and the New Hampshire Attorney General’s Drug Task Force. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer Davis.
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Eagle Butte Woman Charged with Second Degree Burglary, Assaulting a Federal Officer, and Related OffensesRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced that an Eagle Butte, South Dakota, woman has been indicted by a federal grand jury for Second Degree Burglary, Larceny, Assaulting Resisting, and Impeding a Federal Officer, Assault with a Dangerous Weapon, and Discharging a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence.
Justin Twite, age 22, was indicted on April 9, 2019. She appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Mark A. Moreno on December 30, 2019, and pled not guilty to the Indictment.
The maximum penalty upon conviction is up to life in federal prison and/or a $250,000 fine, 5 years of supervised release, and $100 to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Restitution may also be ordered.
The Indictment alleges that on December 21, 2018, Twite entered a residence in Eagle Butte where she stole a safe. She also stole a pickup parked at the residence. The Indictment further alleges that, on the same date, Twite did forcibly assault, resist, oppose, impede, intimidate, and interfere with multiple Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe Police Officers, and did assault one of the police officers with a firearm, with intent to do bodily harm to the officer.
The charges are merely accusations and Twite is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. The Department of Justice reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime.
The investigation is being conducted by the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jay Miller is prosecuting the case.
Twite was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending trial. A trial date has not been set.
Deerfield Man Sentenced to 30 Months for Importation of EcstasyRead the Press Release
CONCORD - Ahmad Khawaja, 22, of Deerfield, was sentenced to 30 months in prison for importation of a controlled substance, United States Attorney Scott W. Murray announced today.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on or about May 29, 2018, Khawaja, using the internet, purchased approximately two pounds of MDMA (“Ecstasy”) from a supplier located in France. Postal Inspectors intercepted the packages and confirmed they contained the drug MDMA. Khawaja was arrested in Concord on June 1, 2018, when he picked up the packages from a person who had agreed to receive them for him.
Khawaja previously pleaded guilty on May 2, 2019.
“International trafficking activities bring dangerous drugs into New Hampshire,” said U.S. Attorney Murray. “Those who use the internet or the mails to distribute illegal drugs should be aware that federal law enforcement will closely scrutinize their activities. We continue to work with our law enforcement partners each day to protect the citizens of the Granite State from criminals who import dangerous drugs.”
This matter was investigated by the United States Postal Inspection Service and Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney John S. Davis.
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Carroll, Iowa Man Pleads Guilty to Gun ChargeRead the Press Release
A man who illegally possessed a firearm pled guilty December 30, 2019, in federal court in Sioux City.
Marcelino Delangel, 47, from Carroll, Iowa, was convicted of being a felon in possession of a firearm. Delangel had been previously convicted of three felony crimes in Mower County, Minnesota, in 2003, 2006 and 2010, respectively.
At the plea hearing, Delangel admitted to illegally possessing a .22 caliber pistol, which was seized from his vehicle that he was driving when stopped by law enforcement on November 7, 2018. Evidence at the hearing, showed the pistol was loaded with four rounds of ammunition and had been stolen during a burglary in Carroll, Iowa in October 2018.
Sentencing before United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Delangel remains in custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing. Delangel faces a possible maximum sentence of 10 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and not more than 3 years of supervised release following any imprisonment.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Shawn S. Wehde and was investigated by the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Carroll County Sheriff’s Office, and Carroll, Iowa Police Department.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 18-3054. Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.
Alleged Dark Web Narcotics Trafficker Indicted for Distributing Heroin and Methamphetamine in Exchange for BitcoinRead the Press Release
Defendant Joanna De Alba, a U.S. citizen, will be arraigned this afternoon in federal court in Brooklyn on an indictment charging her with conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute heroin and methamphetamine, and distribution of heroin and methamphetamine via the “dark web.” De Alba was detained on October 24, 2019 at the U.S.-Mexico border while attempting to enter the United States. The arraignment will be held before United States Magistrate Judge Steven L. Tiscione.
Richard P. Donoghue, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, and Ray Donovan, Special Agent-in-Charge, Drug Enforcement Administration, New York Division (DEA), announced the charges.
“As alleged, De Alba dispensed heroin and methamphetamine from the shadowy corners of the internet, believing that it provided anonymity to her and her customers,” stated United States Attorney Donoghue. “But thanks to the outstanding work by this Office’s prosecutors and DEA special agents, a bright light has been shined on her activities, and she will now be held to account for her charged criminal acts.”
“Anonymity is what drug dealers rely on in the dark web, but this case proves it’s a false security. Law enforcement is committed to tracking down drug traffickers’ distribution networks everywhere,” stated DEA Special Agent-in-Charge Donovan.
The internet contains online marketplaces for narcotics and other contraband on the “dark web,” a part of the internet located beyond the reach of traditional internet browsers and accessible only through networks designed to conceal user identities. As alleged, the “Wall Street Market” was a global dark web marketplace that required its users to trade in digital currencies, primarily Bitcoin.
Between June 2018 and May 2019, De Alba allegedly advertised and sold illegal narcotics on the Wall Street Market, using the moniker “RaptureReloaded.” Customers were directed to pay her in Bitcoin, and contact her through encrypted email and messaging services. De Alba offered customers free shipping to addresses in the United States, and “stealth” delivery options ranging from “Basic Stealth” and “Better Stealth,” to “Super Stealth 360.” These options featured measures to conceal the external and internal packaging of illegal narcotics to evade detection by law enforcement, and to inform buyers if law enforcement had intercepted, tampered with, or was monitoring the shipment.
On January 3, 2019, an undercover DEA agent accessed the RaptureReloaded listing on the Wall Street Market and purchased 30 grams of heroin for a total of $1,810. Later that day, the undercover agent purchased 10 grams of methamphetamine from the RaptureReloaded listing for a total of $160. As requested, the undercover agent paid for the drugs with Bitcoin. On January 14, 2019, the undercover agent retrieved a package shipped by RaptureReloaded via the U.S. postal service to a mailbox in Queens, New York. The package contained a small plastic container containing approximately 30 grams of a substance that tested positive for heroin, and a clear plastic bag containing approximately 10 grams of a substance that tested positive for methamphetamine. Between August 2018 and January 2019, law enforcement agents intercepted five packages containing methamphetamine pills and fentanyl that were shipped from the Netherlands and Canada and addressed to De Alba’s deceased husband at an apartment in southern California. Allegedly, since her husband’s death in March 2018, De Alba used his identity and credit cards to fund her narcotics business on the Wall Street Market.
If convicted of all counts, De Alba faces a mandatory minimum term of five years’ imprisonment and a maximum sentence of up to 100 years in prison.
The charges in the indictment are allegations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
The government’s case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Saritha Komatireddy and Francisco J. Navarro.
The Defendant:
JOANNA DE ALBA (also known as “RaptureReloaded”)
Age: 39
Tijuana, MexicoE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 19-CR-563 (DLI)
Tuesday 31 December 2019
Tulsa Man Sentenced for Hiding $235,000 from Bankruptcy Court and IRSRead the Press Release
A Tulsa man was sentenced today for making a false statement in a bankruptcy proceeding, announced U.S. Attorney Trent Shores.
Chief U.S. District Judge John E. Dowdell sentenced Michael J. Fletcher, 64, to three years probation for lying during his bankruptcy proceeding.
“Mr. Fletcher defrauded the U.S. Bankruptcy Court and creditors. He corrupted the bankruptcy process by lying to the court and convincing family members to lie on his behalf. He further showed a history of avoiding substantial income and payroll tax obligations,” said U.S. Attorney Trent Shores. “This prosecution should serve as a warning to white collar criminals that the U.S. Attorney’s Office will diligently pursue justice and hold unscrupulous individuals accountable for their crimes.”
According to the information and written plea agreement filed in the case, Fletcher filed a bankruptcy petition in August of 2011 in which he stated that he had no legal or equitable interest in any real property. In November 2011, the Department of Justice filed a complaint objecting to the discharge of Fletcher’s federal income tax debts on the grounds that Fletcher had concealed his $235,000 interest in real property located on 110th Street in Tulsa, Oklahoma. During the trial in that matter in October 2014, Fletcher testified that his parents owned the house on 110th Street and that the down payment for the purchase was funded by a loan from his daughters to his father. In pleading guilty, Fletcher admitted that he was the source of the funds used for the down payment, and that he lied during his bankruptcy court testimony when he denied this fact
The case was investigated by special agents of IRS-Criminal Investigation. Assistant Chief Andrew Kameros of the Tax Division and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Charles M. McLoughlin and Victor A.S. Régal prosecuted the case.
Additional information about the Justice Department’s Tax Division and its enforcement efforts may be found on the division’s website.
Seafood Company Charged with Violations of the Lacey ActRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – INDIAN RIDGE SEAFOOD COMPANY, LLC, a Louisiana Limited Liability Company located in Terrebonne Parish, Louisiana, was charged on December 30, 2019 in a one count Bill of Information for the illegal sale of oysters in violation of the Lacey Act.
According to the Bill of Information, from November 1, 2017 through March 19, 2019, INDIAN RIDGE SEAFOOD did knowingly sell and transport oysters in interstate commerce with a market value in excess of $350.00, when, in the exercise of due care, INDIAN RIDGE SEAFOOD should have known that said oysters were acquired and possessed in violation of and in a manner unlawful under the laws of the State of Louisiana, specifically, Louisiana Revised Statutes, R.S. 56:306.4, R.S. 56:306.5, R.S. 56:306.6.
INDIAN RIDGE SEAFOOD faces a maximum fine of not more than $200,000 and a special assessment of $125.00.
U.S. Attorney Peter G. Strasser praised the work of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the Food and Drug Administration Office of Criminal Investigations and the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Julia K. Evans is in charge of the prosecution.
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Local man indicted in $1 million identity theft schemeRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – A 34-year-old Nigerian man who resided in Houston has been charged with conspiracy, bank fraud and aggravated identify theft, announced U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Patrick.
Julius Joachim Ohumole is set to appear at 10 a.m. today before U.S. District Judge Dena Hanovice Palermo. A Houston grand jury returned the seven-count indictment Dec. 19. He was originally charged by criminal complaint Nov. 8 and later taken into custody.
Ohumole is charged with one count of conspiracy, four counts of bank fraud and two counts of aggravated identify theft.
The charges allege Ohumole opened a bank account in the name of Mars Construction (MARS) Dec. 5, 2018, at Regions Bank in Houston. At that time, he allegedly used false identification documents which identified him as someone else.
Later than month, Ohumole accompanied another individual to Regions who used false identification documents to appear as an actual accountholder with the bank, according to the allegations. Ohumole allegedly requested that person be added as a co-signor to the MARS account which then allowed it to be linked to the real accountholder.
According to the allegations, an unknown individual transferred $274,000 from the real Regions account to the MARS account without the true person’s consent, knowledge or authorization. The same day, all but $1,000 of those funds were allegedly wired transferred to a bank account in New York and subsequently out of the country. A similar set of transactions involving approximately $200,000 occurred a few days later, according to the charges.
The allegations also state Ohumole allegedly went to another Regions Bank and again used false identification documents to open a separate account, this time in the name of JMW Holt Constructions (JMW). Similarly, he allegedly accompanied another person who used fake documents to appear as a bank accountholder and requested their addition as a co-signor. Again, the scheme involved the transfer of thousands of dollars – approximately $805,000 – from the real account to the JMW account, then to an account in New York and out of the United States, according to the charges.
Each count of conspiracy and bank fraud carries a possible sentence of up to 30 years in federal prison and the aggravated identify theft charge carries up to two years, upon conviction. Each conviction also carries a possible $1 million maximum fine.
The FBI conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney John Braddock is prosecuting the case.
An indictment is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence.
A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until convicted through due process of law.Indictment Returned in Woonsocket Arson FireRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE – An individual who allegedly broke into a Woonsocket manufacturing plant and set fires in several locations, and whose identity became known after a surveillance photograph of him was posted to Rhode Island’s Most Wanted website, was indicted today by a federal grand jury on a charge of arson.
Woonsocket Police Department personnel responded to an alarm at Sports Systems Custom Bag Corporation in the early morning hours of April 5, 2019, and discovered smoke in the building and water flowing from sprinkler heads in the basement and first floor. A small fire inside a desktop computer lying on the floor in the basement and smoldering papers on a desk in a first floor office were quickly extinguished. The sprinkler system had contained or extinguished most of the fire prior to the fire department’s arrival.
Investigators also observed evidence of forced entry, smashed computers, ransacked offices, and an attempted forced entry into a safe.
Investigators also retrieved a smashed and badly damaged DVR used to record security camera images. According to court documents, recovered video surveillance shows a person using a ladder to access the building. The same person is seen walking around the building collecting various items and placing them into bags, which he obtained from within the facility.
At one point the person takes down an American flag hanging in the building, folds it in a military fashion, and then places it into his backpack.
According to court documents, the individual seen in the video initially touches several items in the building then puts on a pair of gloves and wipes down those places he previously touched. He also disabled and destroyed several surveillance cameras.
Images of the individual captured on video and retrieved from the security camera DVR were posted by law enforcement to Rhode Island’s Most Wanted website. Information from the public assisted law enforcement in identifying the person as allegedly being Jacob E. Lahousse, 20, who has no known address. Law enforcement located and arrested Lahousse on December 26, 2019. He was ordered detained in federal custody by U.S. District Court Magistrate Judge Patricia A. Sullivan.
Lahousse’s indictment, returned today, is announced by United States Attorney Aaron L. Weisman, Special Agent in Charge of the Boston Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Kelly D. Brady, Woonsocket Police Chief Thomas Oates, and Rhode Island State Fire Marshal Timothy McLaughlin.
An indictment is merely an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Dulce Donovan.
The matter was investigated by the Woonsocket Police Department, the Office of the State Fire Marshal, and ATF.
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Construction company owners admit income tax fraud in building Billings mansionRead the Press Release
BILLINGS – The owners of Kisling Quality Builders today admitted they evaded paying more than $320,000 in taxes in a scheme in which they used the construction of a Billings mansion to avoid reporting more than $800,000 in profits, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.
James Kisling, 51, and his wife, Timilynn Kisling, 44, of Billings, each pleaded guilty to an information charging them with two counts of tax evasion. The Kislings face a maximum five years in prison, a $100,000 fine, costs of prosecution and three years of supervised release.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Timothy J. Cavan presided and will recommend the couple’s pleas be accepted by U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters, who is hearing the case. The Kislings were released pending further proceedings. A sentencing date has not yet been set.
Prosecutors said in court records that the Kislings, who own KQB, arranged with Larry Wayne Price, Jr., to hide income when Price hired the company in 2014 to build his house—one of the largest residential mansions every constructed in Billings. KQB agreed to construct the house at cost plus 9 percent, making KQB’s profit an additional 9 percent of the cost.
Price, a former vice president of Signal Peak Energy, a Montana coal company, is awaiting sentencing for his guilty pleas to wire fraud, money laundering and false statements for defrauding coal companies of about $20 million and lying to investigators about a fake abduction. Price’s Billings mansion is among properties to be forfeited at sentencing as part of an agreement with the government.
The Kislings committed tax fraud with Price’s cooperation and knowledge, prosecutors said in court documents. In 2014, the Kislings began building a home for themselves. Instead of paying for this house with their income, the Kislings arranged with Price to make it appear as if the cost of their personal house was part of construction costs of Price’s mansion. The Kislings referred to their house as the “Price Guest House” in work documents for the mansion, and they deducted construction costs for this house from the 9 percent profits they were supposed to receive from Price. Rather than pay the Kislings their profit for building the mansion, Price and the Kislings agreed that Price would simply not pay them approximately $526,132, which was the cost of constructing their personal home, but that the Kislings would still credit him for doing so.
Through this arrangement, the Kislings disguised $526,132 of profits on the Price mansion and deliberately did not report this income to the IRS on their 2014 tax return as required.
In 2015, a similar transaction occurred when the Kislings needed a $275,000 loan on a short time frame for a land transaction in Wyoming. Instead of going to a bank for financing, the Kislings asked Price for the money. Price agreed to the loan and provided the funds. And in an arrangement similar to the Kislings’ personal house construction, the repayment of this loan was disguised as expenses related to the “Price Guest House” and deducted from the 9 percent Price was supposed to pay the Kislings. As a result, the Kislings disguised $275,000 of profits for their work on the Price mansion. The Kislings deliberately did not report this income to the IRS on their 2015 tax return as required.
In an interview with Department of Justice representatives, the Kislings acknowledged that they knowingly and willfully omitted profits from their 2014 and 2015 tax returns and that they both participated in the scheme. The scheme enabled the Kislings to hide approximately $801,132 in income from the IRS.
The parties disagree on the amount of the government’s loss from the fraud but hope to resolve the difference before sentencing. The IRS has calculated the tax due and owning as $327,664, not including penalty and interest, while the Kislings’ accountant has calculated the tax due as $320,102, not including penalty and interest.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Colin Rubich, Zeno Baucus and Tim Tatarka are prosecuting the case, which was investigated by the IRS and FBI.
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Bucks County Dentist to Pay $150,000, Cease Prescribing Schedule II Opioids for Four Years, to Resolve Allegations of Opioid-Mishandling and Diversion for Personal UseRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – First Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer Arbittier Williams announced today that Bucks County dentist Dr. Pranathi V. Reddy will pay $150,000 and stop prescribing Schedule II opioids for four years to resolve allegations that she diverted controlled substances for personal use and overdosed on one occasion, and that she failed to comply with various record-keeping requirements for controlled substances.
The settlement resolves allegations that, on October 14, 2018, Reddy diverted a package of controlled substances for her personal use, which resulted in an overdose and her transport to the hospital. It also resolves allegations that, from June 2017 through November 2018, she failed to maintain various records of the controlled substances she used in her professional practice as a dentist. For example, the settlement resolves allegations that Reddy failed to maintain an initial inventory of her controlled substances, document the transfer of controlled substances on the required forms, and failed to maintain the controlled substances at her registered locations.
In addition to the $150,000 penalty, Reddy is now barred from purchasing, prescribing, or dispensing any Schedule II controlled substances for at least the next four years. She is also subject to a number of monitoring requirements, including reporting her controlled substance purchasing, dispensing, and prescribing to the Drug Enforcement Administration.
“Controlled substances, especially opioids, pose extraordinary risks to our communities, including to healthcare providers,” said First Assistant U.S. Attorney Williams. “When providers are granted the privilege of purchasing and prescribing controlled substances, they also accept the weighty responsibilities that come along with those privileges, including ensuring that controlled substances are used for a legitimate medical purpose and generating the records necessary for accountability and transparency. Unfortunately, sometimes they fail to comply with these critical responsibilities, and that is when it is necessary for our Office to step in and work with our law enforcement partners to use all available enforcement tools to hold these providers responsible.”
“Dr. Reddy, like all DEA registrants that are licensed and entrusted with the safe handling of powerful controlled substances, failed to accurately document and secure these same controlled substances in accordance with federal regulations,” said Jonathan A. Wilson, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Philadelphia Field Division. “In the midst of the current opioid crisis, even medical professionals are not immune from the perils of substance use disorder.”
This investigation was conducted with the Pennsylvania Department of State’s Bureau of Enforcement and Investigation and the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Philadelphia Field Division and Camden, New Jersey Resident Office. For the United States Attorney’s Office, Assistant United States Attorney Anthony D. Scicchitano handled the investigation and settlement.
The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only; there has been no determination of liability.
Monday 30 December 2019
Wisconsin Falconer Guilty of Lacey Act ViolationRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Scott C. Blader, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that James Kitzman, 69, Oak Creek, Wisconsin, pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in Madison to conspiracy to violate the Lacey Act for his role in illegally bartering a northern goshawk. This charge carries maximum penalties of one year in prison and a $100,000 fine.
During the plea hearing, Kitzman admitted that in late 2016 through August 2017, he and Edward Taylor (a Michigan falconer) arranged to barter a northern goshawk taken from the wild in Vilas County Wisconsin in exchange for a captive-bred Finnish goshawk. It was part of the conspiracy that they covered up the receipt and transport of the northern goshawk from Wisconsin to Michigan, in violation of the Migratory Bird Treaty Act (MBTA) and the Lacey Act. It is illegal to sell or barter northern goshawks because they are migratory birds and protected by the MBTA.
Specifically, on May 26, 2017, Kitzman took from the wild a female northern goshawk from a nest located on state land in Vilas County. Kitzman traded the northern goshawk for a Finnish goshawk from Taylor. Both Taylor and Kitzman filled out false reports with the Michigan DNR and Wisconsin DNR to cover up their actions. Kitzman told his associates to “keep it hush-hush and not tell anybody” that he was giving the female northern goshawk to Taylor. Kitzman also told Taylor to use a cover story if ever asked by authorities about how the northern goshawk was taken and transferred.
As part of the plea agreement, Kitzman has agreed to pay a fine of $15,000 to the Lacey Act Reward Fund and forfeit the Toyota Tacoma pickup truck he used to transport the northern goshawk taken from the wild on May 26, 2017.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Stephen L Crocker scheduled Kitzman’s sentencing for March 2, 2020, at 11:00 a.m. Taylor pleaded guilty to the same conspiracy charge on December 11, 2019. Taylor’s sentencing is scheduled for February 25, 2020, at 3:00 p.m.
The charges against Kitzman and Taylor were the result of an investigation conducted by law enforcement agents with the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources Bureau of Law enforcement, and the Michigan Department of Natural Resources. The prosecution of this case has been handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel J. Graber.
U.S. Attorney’s Office Announces Total Prosecutions against Defendants Who Illegally Possessed Firearms in 2019Read the Press Release
Anchorage, Alaska – U.S. Attorney Bryan Schroder announced that, in 2019, the U.S. Attorney’s Office charged 65 defendants with unlawful possession of a firearm. These indictments emphasize prosecution against individuals convicted of felonies or misdemeanor crimes of domestic violence, and who would therefore be prohibited from possessing firearms.
Unlawful possession of a firearm carries a maximum sentence of up to 10 years in federal prison. To date, nine of the 65 defendants face additional charges for their alleged participation in varied criminal conduct that involved firearms, including bank robbery and armed drug trafficking.
“Violent crime remains a critical problem in Alaska,” said U.S. Attorney Schroder. “The U.S. Attorney’s Office has made prosecution of gun crimes one of our highest priorities. As a result of these efforts, we have taken over 200 gun carrying criminals off the streets since 2017.”
The charges are a result of initiatives stemming from Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the Department of Justice’s signature gun and gang reduction program, and the District’s Anti-Violent Crime Strategy, which brings together local, state, and federal authorities to combat rising crime in Alaska. As part of this strategy, the Anchorage Police Department is also utilizing ATF’s National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (NIBIN), which is the only national network that allows for the capture and comparison of ballistic evidence. NIBIN is a proven investigative and intelligence tool that can link firearms from multiple crime scenes, allowing law enforcement to quickly disrupt shooting cycles.
These cases are often developed through cooperation with the State of Alaska Department of Law, and investigated by local, state, and federal authorities to include the Anchorage Police Department (APD), Alaska State Troopers (AST), Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). In addition, and in partnership with the Municipality of Anchorage, an Assistant Municipal Prosecutor has been appointed to the U.S. Attorney’s Office to prosecute firearm and drug offenses as a Special Assistant U.S. Attorney (SAUSA).
Last month, the Department of Justice announced the launch of Project Guardian, a nationwide strategic plan to reduce gun violence. Project Guardian serves as a complementary effort to the success of PSN, and emphasizes the importance of using all modern technologies available to law enforcement to promote gun crime intelligence.
Tulsa Man Sentenced to 14 Years in Prison for Federal Firearms and Drug Trafficking CrimesRead the Press Release
Evan Jamon Woodard, 34, of Tulsa, was sentenced Monday in U.S. District Court for two firearms violations and for possession with intent to distribute cocaine, marijuana and heroin, announced U.S. Attorney Trent Shores.
U.S. District Judge Gregory K. Frizzell sentenced Woodard to 14 years in federal prison to be followed by five years of supervised release.
“It’s appropriate we close out this year with a gun and drug related sentencing of a seven-time repeat felon. Project Safe Neighborhoods is designed to protect communities from these types of career criminals,” said U.S. Attorney Trent Shores. “The U.S. Attorney’s Office and our law enforcement partners work together to send individuals, like Mr. Woodard, to federal prison to account for the harm they repeatedly inflict in our communities.”
In September, a jury found Woodard guilty of seven felony charges. Woodard was convicted of being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition; possession with intent to distribute cocaine (2 counts), possession with intent to distribute heroin; possession with intent to distribute marijuana (2 counts); and possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking crimes.
Woodard remains in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service until transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prison’s facility.
Woodard’s arrest and conviction were the result of a coordinated effort involving the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Tulsa and Bartlesville Police Departments, and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Victor Régal and Edward Snow.
Project Safe Neighborhoods is the nationwide federal initiative to disrupt gun violence strategically and comprehensively, using all available enforcement and prosecutive tools. The initiative involves a partnership of federal, state and local authorities, uniting their efforts and leveraging existing and new resources at all levels. Each United States Attorney’s Office will create a specialized unit that tailors its approach to the unique needs of its own district and targets the most significant gun crime problems within that district to maximize the impact of the initiative and help ensure the safety of the community.
Tax Preparer Admits Conspiring to Commit Tax FraudRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – An Essex County, New Jersey, tax preparer today admitted her role in conspiring to defraud the IRS and filing false personal tax returns for a New Jersey business owner and two other individuals, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito announced.
Zenobia Williams, 52, of Maplewood, New Jersey, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Kevin McNulty in Newark federal court to one count of conspiring to defraud the IRS by reporting false business expenses on the business owner’s tax return to fraudulently reduce his tax liability and by reporting those sham expenses as income on two other individuals’ tax returns to obtain unwarranted refunds for them.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
In 2016, Williams operated Maplewood Business Services LLC, a tax preparation business in Maplewood. Williams and the New Jersey business owner agreed to report false labor expenses for his business on his personal tax return for calendar year 2015 to decrease his tax liability.
On January 5, 2016, Williams sent the business owner a text message, stating, “Hey Fella, I have 1 client right now that needs 15,750 in income. I need you to produce a 1099MISC form for that person. I will give you the information. Let me know how much more income you need to 1099.” Subsequently, at the business owner’s direction, Williams prepared two IRS Forms 1099 which falsely stated that, in 2015, his business paid one individual compensation of $15,800 and another individual compensation of $11,255, when both Williams and the business owner knew that no such compensation had been paid to those individuals.
Williams also prepared a personal tax return for the business owner which falsely reported the phony business expenses totaling $27,055, which both Williams and the business owner knew would fraudulently decrease the amount of tax that the business owner owed the IRS for calendar year 2015. Williams also reported the bogus business expenses as income on the tax returns of the two individuals referred to above, which resulted in both receiving unwarranted tax refunds from the IRS.
The tax fraud conspiracy charge to which Williams pleaded guilty carries a maximum potential penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Sentencing of the defendant is scheduled for April 17, 2020.
U.S. Attorney Carpenito credited special agents of IRS-Criminal Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge John R. Tafur; special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Gregory W. Ehrie in Newark; and special agents of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Office of Inspector General, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Christina Scaringi, with the investigation leading to today’s guilty plea.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Cari Fais and J Imbert of the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Special Prosecutions Division.
Defense counsel: Kenneth W. Kayser, Esq., East Hanover, New Jersey
Sisseton Man Sentenced to 13 Years for Sexual AbuseRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced that a Sisseton, South Dakota, man was sentenced on December 27, 2019, by U.S. District Judge Charles B. Kornmann.
Brendon Javon Jacob Rodlund, age 30, was sentenced to 157 months in federal prison, to be followed by 10 years of supervised release. He was also ordered to pay $100 to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
According to court documents, April 30 and May 1, 2016, Rodlund knowingly engaged in a sexual act with a juvenile victim, while the victim was physically incapable of declining participation in and communicating her unwillingness to engage in the sexual act. Rodlund knew the victim was incapacitated. During the investigation of this sexual assault, Rodlund also lied under oath to the U.S. District Judge while testifying at a federal court hearing involving the victim and others. Rodlund’s untruthful testimony was used to enhance his sentence for the sexual assault of the victim.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeremy Jehangiri prosecuted the case.
Rodlund was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Second Main Co-Conspirator in TimeShare Resale Fraud Scam Targeting Elderly Victims Sentenced to Prison for Defrauding Victims Out of $3.37 MillionRead the Press Release
LAS VEGAS, Nev. – The second main co-conspirator in a large-scale timeshare resale scam was sentenced today to 70 months in federal prison for defrauding more than 1,000 victims — many of them elderly — out of more than $3.3 million, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas A. Trutanich for the District of Nevada.
Paul Michael Marciniak, 34, of Orlando, Florida, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit mail fraud and wire fraud. In addition to the prison term, U.S. District Judge Jennifer Dorsey sentenced Marciniak to three years of supervised release and ordered him to pay $3.37 million in restitution to the victims of the fraud scheme.
According to court documents, from October 2010 to April 2012, Marciniak and his co-conspirators (including Daniel Boyar, the leader of the scheme) devised and participated in a telemarketing scam to defraud over 1,000 timeshare owners out of more than $3.3 million dollars. They used stolen data to identify timeshare owners and promised to sell the timeshares in return for the owners paying in advance half of the costs associated with the purported sales. But there were no buyers and the timeshare sales never occurred. This is a common criminal telemarketing scheme known as “the buyer’s pitch.”
The scam operated out of Orlando, Florida, under several different business names including Holiday Advertising, First Capital Financial Services Corporation, Great West Funding Incorporated, Beneficial Business Solutions, Vacation Funding Partners LP, and Property, People, Travel, using fake front companies in various cities across the country, including Las Vegas. The co-conspirators would buy inactive companies that had previously been licensed in their target state, use false identities, and lease temporary office spaces. The co-conspirators created websites with false information including customer testimonials, company officers, and press releases. They also used telephone numbers that made it appear as if they were calling from the location of the fake front company. These actions were intended to mislead the victims and make the scam appear legitimate.
20 of Marciniak’s co-conspirators were charged and have pleaded guilty for their involvement in this fraud scheme. 17 of these co-conspirators have been sentenced and the remainder await sentencing.
The case resulted from investigation by the FBI, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. Assistant U.S. Attorney Dan Cowhig prosecuted the case.
Consumers should use caution when previously unknown telemarketers offer unsolicited services. It is relatively easy for scam artists to create the appearance of legitimacy for a fraudulent business front by manipulating information available through the Internet. Fraudsters frequently are able to buy or steal information related to an intended victim that the victim believed was confidential, helping the fraudster trick the victim into believing the fraudster is part of a legitimate business.
Elder fraud complaints may be filed with the Federal Trade Commission at www.ftccomplaintassistant.gov or at 1-877-FTC-HELP. The Department of Justice provides a variety of resources relating to elder fraud victimization through its Office of Victims of Crime at www.ovc.gov. Additional elder justice resources, training, and outreach materials can be found at the Elder Justice Website at www.elderjustice.gov.
Rapid City Man Charged with Making False Statement to Obtain GunRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced that a Rapid City, South Dakota, man was charged in federal district court with False Statement During Purchase of a Firearm.
Uriah Lafferty, age 34, was charged on December 17, 2019. Lafferty appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Daneta Wollmann on December 27, 2019, and pleaded not guilty to the charge. The maximum penalty upon conviction is 10 years in federal prison and/or a $250,000 fine, 3 years supervised release, and a $100 assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Restitution may also be ordered.
The charge relates to Lafferty knowingly making a false written statement in order to purchase a firearm in October 2019 at Rapid City. The charge is merely an accusation and Lafferty is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
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.
The investigation is being conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ben Patterson is prosecuting the case.
Lafferty was detained pending trial. A trial date has not been set.
Orange County Man Charged with Federal Hate Crimes for December 28, 2019, Machete Attack at Rabbi’s HomeRead the Press Release
Eric Dreiband, Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights, Geoffrey S. Berman, the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and William F. Sweeney Jr., the Assistant Director-in-Charge of the New York Office of the FBI, announced today that Grafton Thomas has been charged with five counts of obstructing the free exercise of religion in an attempt to kill, a federal hate crime, related to his machete attack during Shabbat and Hanukkah observances at a Rabbi’s home in Monsey, New York, on the night of Dec. 28, 2019. Thomas is expected to be presented in White Plains federal court later today.
”Every American should be free to live and worship in safety,” said Assistant Attorney General Eric Dreiband for the Civil Rights Division. “The department will vigorously prosecute those who commit hate crimes, and we will continue to work with our state and local partners to bring to justice anyone who violates the civil rights of Americans.”
“As alleged, Grafton Thomas targeted his victims in the midst of a religious ceremony, transforming a joyous Hanukkah celebration into a scene of carnage and pain,” said U.S. Attorney Geoffrey S. Berman for the Southern District of New York. “Today is the eighth day of Hanukkah, the festival of lights that commemorates Jews’ struggle to practice their faith more than two millennia ago. And we are about to welcome a new year. Even in the face of tragedy, both milestones are an occasion for renewed hope and resolve: To combat bigotry in all its forms – and to bring to justice the perpetrators of hate-fueled attacks.”
“When an individual’s actions cross the threshold of a federal crime, as we allege Mr. Grafton did here, we will act swiftly,” said FBI Assistant Director William F. Sweeney Jr. “The message from today’s charges should be crystal clear – the FBI won’t tolerate violence against anyone. Working with our partners, we will hold anyone who commits a crime like this accountable for their actions. The federal penalties for this type of attack are severe and justified. In this instance, the local community was engaged, and their actions were essential to saving lives and led directly to Mr. Grafton’s capture. It’s the rest of our community’s joint responsibility to step up and engage as well – don’t give hate a platform to propagate and don’t dismiss this type of behavior as someone else’s problem, address it and immediately report suspicious activity to authorities.”
According to the complaint unsealed today in White Plains federal court:
On Dec. 28, 2019, Thomas entered a Rabbi’s home in Monsey, New York, which is adjacent to the Rabbi’s synagogue, during observances related to the end of Shabbat and the seventh night of Hanukkah. Thomas declared to dozens of assembled congregants, “no one is leaving,” and attacked the group with an 18-inch machete. At least five victims were hospitalized with serious injuries, including slash wounds, deep lacerations, a severed finger, and a skull fracture.
Following the attack, Thomas traveled in a car to New York City, and he was stopped in Harlem by members of the New York City Police Department. The responding officers observed what appeared to be blood on Thomas’s hands and clothing, and smelled bleach coming from his vehicle. A search of Thomas’s vehicle led to the seizure of, among other things, a machete that appeared to have traces of dried blood on it. Law enforcement subsequently searched Thomas’s residence and cellphone pursuant to warrants. The residence contained handwritten journals with several pages of anti-Semitic references. Thomas’s cellphone contained Internet searches dating back to at least November 2019 for terms such as “Zionist Temples” in Staten Island and New Jersey, as well as a webpage visit on the day of the attack to an article titled, “New York To Increase Police Presence After Anti-Semitic Attacks.”
Thomas, 37, is charged with five counts of obstructing the free exercise of religion in an attempt to kill, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 247. An indictment is merely an accusation, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. Each of the five counts carries a maximum prison term of life. The maximum potential sentence in this case is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by a judge.
Assistant Attorney General Dreiband and Mr. Berman praised the outstanding efforts of the FBI, the Rockland County District Attorney’s Office, the Ramapo Police Department, the Rockland County Sherriff’s Office, the New York State Police, the Clarkstown Police Department, and the New York City Police Department.
This case is being handled by the Office’s Terrorism and International Narcotics Unit and its White Plains Division. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael K. Krouse and Lindsey Keenan are in charge of the prosecution.
Orange County Man Charged with Federal Hate Crimes for December 28, 2019, Machete Attack at Rabbi’s HomeRead the Press Release
Geoffrey S. Berman, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Eric Dreiband, Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights, and William F. Sweeney Jr., the Assistant Director-in-Charge of the New York Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), announced today that GRAFTON THOMAS has been charged with five counts of obstructing the free exercise of religion in an attempt to kill, a federal hate crime, related to his machete attack during Hanukkah observances at a rabbi’s home in Monsey, New York, on the night of December 28, 2019. THOMAS is expected to be presented in White Plains federal court later today.
Manhattan U.S. Attorney Geoffrey S. Berman said: “As alleged, Grafton Thomas targeted his victims in the midst of a religious ceremony, transforming a joyous Hanukkah celebration into a scene of carnage and pain. Today is the eighth day of Hanukkah, the festival of lights that commemorates Jews’ struggle to practice their faith more than two millennia ago, and we are about to welcome in a new year. Even in the face of tragedy, both milestones are an occasion for renewed hope and resolve: To combat bigotry in all its forms – and to bring to justice the perpetrators of hate-fueled attacks.”
Assistant Attorney General Eric Dreiband said: “Every American should be free to live and worship in safety. The Department will vigorously prosecute those who commit hate crimes, and we will continue to work with our state and local partners to bring to justice anyone who violates the civil rights of Americans.”
FBI Assistant Director William F. Sweeney Jr. said: “When an individual’s actions cross the threshold of a federal crime, as we allege Mr. Thomas did here, we will act swiftly. The message from today’s charges should be crystal clear – the FBI won’t tolerate violence against anyone. Working with our partners, we will hold anyone who commits a crime like this accountable for their actions. The federal penalties for this type of attack are severe and justified. In this instance, the local community was engaged, and their actions were essential to saving lives and led directly to Mr. Thomas’s capture. It’s the rest of our community’s joint responsibility to step up and engage as well – don’t give hate a platform to propagate and don’t dismiss this type of behavior as someone else’s problem, address it and immediately report suspicious activity to authorities.”
According to the Complaint[[1]] unsealed today in White Plains federal court:
On December 28, 2019, THOMAS entered a Rabbi’s home in Monsey, New York, which is adjacent to the Rabbi’s synagogue, during observances related to the end of Shabbat and the seventh night of Hanukkah. THOMAS declared to dozens of assembled congregants, “no one is leaving,” and attacked the group with an 18-inch machete. At least five victims were hospitalized with serious injuries, including slash wounds, deep lacerations, a severed finger, and a skull fracture.
Following the attack, Thomas traveled in a car to New York City, and he was stopped in Harlem by members of the New York City Police Department. The responding officers observed what appeared to be blood on THOMAS’s hands and clothing, and smelled bleach coming from his vehicle. A search of THOMAS’s vehicle led to the seizure of, among other things, a machete that appeared to have traces of dried blood on it. Law enforcement subsequently searched THOMAS’s residence and cellphone pursuant to warrants. The residence contained handwritten journals with several pages of anti-Semitic references. THOMAS’s cellphone contained Internet searches dating back to at least November 2019 for terms such as “Zionist Temples” in Staten Island and New Jersey, as well as a webpage visit on the day of the attack to an article titled, “New York To Increase Police Presence After Anti-Semitic Attacks.”
* * *
THOMAS, 37, is charged with five counts of obstructing the free exercise of religion in an attempt to kill, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 247. Each of the five counts carries a maximum prison term of life. The maximum potential sentence in this case is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by a judge.
Mr. Berman praised the outstanding efforts of the FBI, the Rockland County District Attorney’s Office, the Ramapo Police Department, the Rockland County Sherriff’s Office, the New York State Police, the Clarkstown Police Department, and the New York City Police Department, as well as the U.S. Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division.
This case is being handled by the Office’s Terrorism and International Narcotics Unit, its White Plains Division, and the Civil Rights Unit of the Office’s Civil Division. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael K. Krouse, Lindsey Keenan, and Lara Eshkenazi are in charge of the prosecution.
The charges in the Complaint are merely accusations and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
[1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Complaint and the description of the Complaint set forth herein constitute only allegations and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.
Nineteen-Year-Old Man Sentenced to over Three Years in Federal Prison for Trafficking HeroinRead the Press Release
A nineteen-year-old man was sentenced today to over three years in federal prison for his role in trafficking more than 100 grams of heroin in the Cedar Rapids, Iowa, area.
Walter Murray, Jr., age 19, from Junpion City, Arizona, and previously residing in Cedar Rapids, received the prison sentence after his June 25, 2018 guilty plea to conspiracy to distribute heroin. According to sentencing documents and information disclosed during the sentencing hearing, Murray were involved with a group of heroin dealers in Cedar Rapids from at least January 2019 to April 2019. During that time, the group sold more than 100 grams of heroin. Murray was responsible for selling heroin to multiple individuals during that time.
On February 13, 2019, Murray was driving a car in Cedar Rapids. Police officers attempted to stop the car. Murray did not stop, instead fleeing from the officers. During the chase, Murray reached 60 miles per hour in a 30 miles per hour speed zone. Murray hit another occupied car, drove down a bike trail, and onto the frozen Cedar River before leaving the car in someone’s backyard and running. While running, Murray threw away approximately 30 grams of heroin, which law enforcement found shortly after locating and arresting Murray.
Murray was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams. Murray was sentenced to 37 months’ imprisonment followed by a three-year term of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system. Murray is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until they can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ashley Corkery and was investigated as part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) program of the United States Department of Justice through a cooperative effort of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Task Force consisting of the DEA; the Linn County Sheriff's Office; the Cedar Rapids Police Department; the Marion Police Department; and the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement and the United States Marshal’s Service.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 19-CR-45.
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Largest Independent Provider of Intraoperative Neuromonitoring Services to Hospitals Agrees to Pay $1.9 Million to Settle Fraud AllegationsRead the Press Release
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – December 30, 2019 – Medsurant Holdings, LLC, of West Conshohocken, Pennsylvania, has agreed to pay $1.9 million to settle the United States’ allegations that it had violated the False Claims Act, announced U.S. Attorney Don Cochran for the Middle District of Tennessee.
Mesurant Holdings, which operates under the trade name Medsurant Health, is the largest independent provider of Interoperative Neuromonitoring (IONM) services to hospitals and surgeons in the United States. IONM includes various procedures that are used during surgery to monitor a patient’s nervous system in real-time during high-risk surgeries involving the peripheral nervous system, brain and spinal cord.
The settlement resolves the United States’ claims that, from January 1, 2013, through May 31, 2016, Medsurant billed Medicare for units of IONM services without regard to concurrent IONM services that it was providing to patients insured by payors other than Medicare, and that Medsurant billed Medicare for IONM services that were not provided “exclusively to one patient,” as required by Medicare regulations.
This case was handled by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Tennessee and investigated by the Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark H. Wildasin represented the United States.
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Houston-area couple arrested in failed attempt to smuggle woman and childRead the Press Release
LAREDO, Texas – A legal permanent resident and her U.S. citizen husband are set to make their initial appearances in Laredo federal court on charges of alien smuggling, announced U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Patrick.
The criminal complaint, filed over the weekend, charges Conroe residents Maria Guadalupe Cofraida-Pantoja and Amador Garcia-Canada, both 33, with alien smuggling. They are expected to make their initial appearances before U.S. Magistrate Judge Sam Sheldon in Laredo at 11:00 a.m. today.
The charges allege the couple attempted to bring a Mexican woman and her minor child into the United States illegally.
On Dec. 28, 2019, Cofraida-Pantoja allegedly arrived at the Juarez-Lincoln bridge driving a 2004 white Cadillac Escalade with her husband as a passenger along with a 22-year-old woman and her minor son.
The woman presented an authentic U.S. passport with the name of Garcia-Canada’s relative as her own, according to the allegations. At secondary inspection, she also allegedly presented an Illinois birth certificate for her five-year old son, falsely claiming she and her son were U.S. citizens.
Upon investigation, authorities discovered a Mexican voter registration card identifying her actual identity, according to the complaint.
The charges allege the woman had made arrangements to pay $6,000 Garcia-Canada to bring them into the country and to be transported to Houston. Garcia-Canada allegedly provided her with the documents she had presented to authorities.
Cofraida-Pantoja and Garcia-Canada were aware both individuals were Mexican citizens not authorized entry into the United States, according the allegations.
If convicted, each faces up to 10 years in federal prison along with a possible $250,000 fine.
Customs and Border Protection is conducting the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Homero Ramirez is prosecuting the case.
A complaint is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence.
A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until convicted through due process of law.Former Office Manager Sentenced to Federal Prison for Embezzling over One Million Dollars from a Local BusinessRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Brandon J. Fremin announced that U.S. District Judge Brian A. Jackson sentenced Katherine S. Dyson, age 65, of Denham Springs, Louisiana, to 42 months in federal prison following her wire fraud conviction. The Court further sentenced Dyson to 2 years of supervised release following her term of imprisonment and ordered her to pay a total of $1,232,075 in restitution to the victims. In imposing sentence, the Court recognized the negative impact of the defendant’s conduct on the victims and remarked that she had embezzled a staggering amount of money.
According to admissions made as part of her guilty plea, Dyson was employed by Mattress Direct as the Office Manager of corporate headquarters in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. As Office Manager, she had administrative access to the company’s financial software. Between June of 2012 and December of 2018, she fraudulently diverted over $1.2 million for her own personal use and benefit through approximately 364 checking transactions. As part of her wire fraud scheme, Dyson prepared and printed company checks in QuickBooks made payable to herself and another individual, in amounts ranging between $1,500 and $4,000. She would then forge the company Treasurer’s signature and deposit the checks into a bank account that she controlled with another individual. After depositing the checks, Dyson would gain control over the funds and spend them on various personal expenses, items and recreational activities.
U.S. Attorney Fremin stated, “This type of crime has detrimental effects on unsuspecting businesses, business owners, and their honest, hard-working employees. Those who steal from their employers and violate their trust will be pursued aggressively. This result sends the signal that our office will use every resource available to investigate and prosecute those who commit these types of crime. I want to commend our prosecutor and the FBI for their diligent work in obtaining this conviction and sentence.”
“Katherine S. Dyson’s greed depleted her employer, Mattress Direct, of approximately $1.2 million for personal gain. The FBI takes a proactive approach to identify perpetrators involved in these crimes and will continue to investigate them to the fullest extent of the law,” stated Bryan Vorndran, FBI New Orleans Special Agent in Charge. “I commend the hard work and dedication put forth by the investigative team and prosecutor to bring this case to justice.”
This matter is being handled by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Louisiana and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Chris Dippel, who also serves as Deputy Criminal Chief.
Former Minnesota Hunting Guide Guilty of Lacey Act ViolationRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Scott C. Blader, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Jeff Althoff, 32, Greensboro, North Carolina, pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in Madison to violating the Lacey Act by falsely labeling wildlife and transporting it across state lines. This charge carries maximum penalties of one year in prison and a $100,000 fine.
During the plea hearing, Althoff admitted that on September 18, 2018, he falsely registered with the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (WDNR) that he had killed an adult antlered buck deer on September 17, 2018 in Buffalo County by archery on public land. In fact, Althoff actually killed the adult antlered buck deer on private land at a game farm in Taylor County using a paid guide. As a result of the false registration with the WDNR, the buck was deemed falsely labeled.
Althoff then transported the animal to Pierce County and staged pictures with the animal to make it appear as if he had killed the animal on public land in Buffalo County. Althoff posted pictures of the 172 inch antlered buck on his Facebook page falsely alleging that he stalked the animal for hours, shot it at 32 yards, and that it took him 4 hours of solo dragging to get it back to his truck. As part of the offense, Althoff also transported the falsely labeled buck from Wisconsin to Minnesota.
As part of the plea agreement, Althoff has agreed to: (1) pay a fine of $23,000 to the Lacey Act Reward Fund; (2) obey a 2-year ban on all hunting activities; and (3) forfeit the items he used in the hunt, including all of the archery equipment and arrows, the range finder, and the cape and antlers.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Stephen L Crocker scheduled Althoff’s sentencing for March 20, 2020, at 1:30 p.m.
The charges against Althoff are the result of an investigation conducted by law enforcement agents with the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources Bureau of Law enforcement, and the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. The prosecution of this case has been handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel J. Graber.
Detroit Man Sentenced to Prison for Drug DistributionRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A Detroit, Michigan man was sentenced to federal prison for distribution of oxycodone and oxymorphone, announced United States Attorney Mike Stuart. Ricky Walker was sentenced to 30 months in prison followed by a three year term of supervised release for distributing both drugs to an undercover Drug Enforcement Administration Task Force Officer on November 2, 2012 on the parking lot of the Comfort Inn in Cross Lanes.
“Another Detroit drug dealer is on his way to federal prison for peddling opiates in West Virginia,” said United States Attorney Mike Stuart. “We continue to work with a sense of urgency to hold poison peddlers like Walker accountable.”
Walker previously pled guilty in October 2019, admitting that he knowingly distributed the drugs, which he had transported from Detroit to the Comfort Inn parking lot in Cross Lanes, to someone who he later learned was an undercover law enforcement officer.
Senior United States District Judge John T. Copenhaver, Jr. imposed the sentence. The Drug Enforcement Administration conducted the investigation. Assistant United States Attorney John J. Frail handled the prosecution.
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Denver Drug Dealer Sentenced to Nearly 11 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
DENVER – United States Attorney Jason R. Dunn announced today that Saskia Iona Mesmer, age 25, of Denver, Colorado was sentenced to serve 130 months (nearly 11 years) in federal prison for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. The sentence was pronounced by Chief U.S. District Court Judge Philip A. Brimmer. Mesmer appeared at the sentencing hearing in custody, and was remanded at its conclusion. The DEA joined in today’s announcement.
According to the stipulated facts contained in the defendant’s plea agreement, on February 6, 2018, the Denver Police Department executed a state search warrant at Mesmer’s residence based on information that she previously sold methamphetamine to a confidential informant. While executing the warrant, officers determined that she had a stolen loaded handgun, 55.87 grams of methamphetamine, 39.95 grams of heroin, $2,850 in cash, 43 Alprazolam pills and a digital scale.
“The defendant was a drug dealer, selling dangerous narcotics while carrying a loaded firearm,” said U.S. Attorney Jason Dunn. “Thanks to the Denver Police Department, the DEA and prosecutors from this office, Ms. Mesmer will no longer pose a danger to the community.”
“This case shows the great partnership between local and federal law-enforcement,” said DEA Denver Division Special Agent in Charge Deanne L. Reuter. “Ms. Mesmer prayed on the community we live in and will now face the consequences of her actions.”
Mesmer was indicted by a federal grand jury in Denver on June 6, 2018. She pleaded guilty before Chief Judge Brimmer on August 28, 2019. She was sentenced on December 30, 2019.
This case was investigated by the Denver Police Department and the DEA Denver Division. The defendant was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Emily Treaster.
Defense Contractor Pays $3 Million to Settle Allegations of Submitting False Claims to the ArmyRead the Press Release
OKLAHOMA CITY – LaForge & Budd Construction Company, Inc. ("LaForge"), has agreed to pay $3 million to settle civil claims stemming from allegations that it submitted false claims to the United States Army, announced United States Attorney Timothy J. Downing.
In 2010, LaForge, a Kansas company, entered into a contract to perform work on a dam on Lake George, at the Fort Sill Army Post in Lawton, Oklahoma. The work included raising the elevation of the dam and required LaForge to perform the work in accordance with the plans and specifications provided in the contract. The United States alleges LaForge submitted false claims for progress payments for work done on the dam’s embankment. More specifically, LaForge represented that the fill it placed in the embankment of the Dam complied with the specifications, terms, and conditions of the contract when, according to the government’s allegations, unsatisfactory materials such as pieces of concrete, concrete rubble, and metal rebar were placed in the embankment. On April 12, 2019, the United States filed an action against LaForge in the United States District Court for the Western District of Oklahoma, No. CIV-19-336-G.
To resolve these allegations, LaForge agreed to pay $3,000,000 to the United States.
In reaching this settlement, LaForge did not admit liability, and the government did not make any concessions about the legitimacy of the claims. The agreement allows the parties to avoid the delay, expense, inconvenience, and uncertainty involved in litigating the case.
This case was investigated by the Defense Criminal Investigative Service. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ronald R. Gallegos and Don Evans prosecuted the case. To download a photo of U.S. Attorney Downing, click here.
Child Pornographer Sentenced to 60 Months in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Brandon J. Fremin announced that U.S. District Court Judge Brian A. Jackson sentenced Henry Babin, age 30, of Gonzales, Louisiana, to serve 60 months in federal prison following his conviction for possessing child pornography. Babin will also be required to serve five years of supervised release, register as a convicted sex offender upon his release from prison, and pay a total of $18,000 in restitution to the victims who were identified as children photographed in the images.
According to admissions made during his plea, on January 26, 2018, Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force agents executed a search warrant for Babin’s property. During the execution of the warrant, Babin emerged from a detached shed that had been converted into a private residence, in which he solely resided.
Electronic devices were discovered and a preview of these devices on scene revealed numerous images and videos of child pornography. A subsequent forensic examination of Babin’s computer and cell phone revealed at least 600 images of child pornography, including images and videos of prepubescent minors, including infants, engaged in various sex acts.
U.S. Attorney Fremin stated, “The possession of child pornography perpetuates the market for such despicable material and exploits our most vulnerable citizens, our children. This conviction and sentence contributes to the safety and security of children not only in our community, but around the world. Our office will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to aggressively pursue individuals whose actions harm, demean, or exploit our precious youth. I commend the work of the prosecutor and agents involved in this important matter, including the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Louisiana Attorney General’s Cyber Crime Unit.”
"The protection of our children is one of the most sacred responsibilities entrusted to the FBI. The FBI takes a proactive approach to identify unknown individuals involved in the sexual exploitation of children and the production of child pornography. We remain vigilant and continue our active role to ensure children are protected. We reaffirm our commitment to removing sexual predators from children’s lives through the justice system,” stated Special Agent in Charge Bryan Vorndran.
“I am proud of my team for their work to investigate and arrest child predators producing, distributing, and viewing sexual abuse images and videos of children,” said Louisiana Attorney General Jeff Landry. “And I am thankful our federal partners work closely with us to hold accountable those despicable people who violate the innocence of children.”
This case is part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative by the U.S. Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood combines federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
This matter was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation with critical assistance from the Louisiana Attorney General’s Office-Cyber Crime Unit and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Demetrius Sumner.
Chelsea Man Charged as Felon in Possession of FirearmRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Chelsea man was arrested on Dec. 27, 2019, and charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm.
Semaj Leary was charged in an indictment with one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm. Following an initial appearance and arraignment in federal court in Boston today, Leary was detained pending a detention hearing set for Jan. 2, 2020.
According the indictment, on Aug. 15, 2019, Leary was found in possession of a 9mm Glock semi-automatic pistol, seven rounds of R-P 9mm caliber ammunition, four round of WIN 9mm caliber ammunition, two rounds of VPT 9mm caliber ammunition, one round of WCC 9mm caliber ammunition, and one round of Tulammo 9mm caliber ammunition. Leary had previously been convicted of being a felon in possession of a firearm and other crimes punishable by more than a year in jail, and therefore was prohibited from possessing firearms.
The charging statute provides for a sentence of no greater than 10 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release, and a fine of $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss. 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; Kelly Brady, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, Boston Field Division; Suffolk County District Attorney Rachel Rollins; and Boston Police Commissioner William Gross made the announcement today.
This case is 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.
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.
Friday 27 December 2019
U.S. Attorney’s Office Collects nearly $43 million in Criminal and Civil Actions in Fiscal Year 2019Read the Press Release
SHERMAN, Texas - U.S. Attorney Joseph Brown announced today that the Eastern District of Texas collected $42,720,785.69 in criminal and civil actions in Fiscal Year 2019. Of this amount, $41,528,315.03 was collected in criminal actions and $1,192,470.66 was collected in civil actions.
Additionally, the Eastern District of Texas worked with other U.S. Attorney’s Offices and components of the Department of Justice to collect an additional $3,829,172.54 in cases pursued jointly by these offices. Of this amount, $19,813.58 was collected in criminal actions and $3,809,358.96 was collected in civil actions.
“One of the most important missions of the U.S. Attorney’s Offices is enforcing and collecting monetary judgments for violations of federal law,” said U.S. Attorney Joe Brown. “Aggressive enforcement of these judgments achieves the multiple purposes of compensating crime victims, punishing those who break the law, and deterring future violations. The Eastern District prides itself in incorporating asset recovery into the earliest stages of all cases, which ultimately helps maximize the money we collect.”
In August 2019, the Eastern District of Texas recovered nearly $3,200,000 to fully satisfy a restitution judgment entered in United States v. Manpreet Singh in August 2018. Singh was prosecuted for defrauding several banks in the Eastern District of Texas. The Eastern District’s asset recovery team was involved in the prosecution and ensured that Singh made a significant down payment to the restitution prior to sentencing. Next, the asset recovery team sought specific payment terms that would require Singh to sell a hotel and other real property as part of his sentence. The Court adopted the entirety of the government’s requested payment terms and incorporated them into the judgment. Prosecutors successfully forced Singh to promptly effect the hotel sale, which led to the judgment being paid in full in less than a year.
The U.S. Attorneys’ Offices, along with the department’s litigating divisions, are responsible for enforcing and collecting civil and criminal debts owed to the U.S. and criminal debts owed to federal crime victims. The law requires defendants to pay restitution to victims of certain federal crimes who have suffered a physical injury or financial loss. While restitution is paid to the victim, criminal fines and felony assessments are paid to the department’s Crime Victims Fund, which distributes the funds collected to federal and state victim compensation and victim assistance programs.
Additionally, the U.S. Attorney’s office in the Eastern District of Texas, working with partner agencies and divisions, collected $15,049,725 in asset forfeiture actions in FY 2019. Forfeited assets deposited into the Department of Justice Assets Forfeiture Fund are used to restore funds to crime victims and for a variety of law enforcement purposes.
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Two Ohio Men Admit Robbing Western PA PharmaciesRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH – Two Ohio men pleaded guilty on Monday in federal court to charges of conspiracy to commit armed pharmacy robbery, conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances and armed pharmacy robbery, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced today.
Mohammed Jibril, age 19, of Reynoldsburg, Ohio, and Arthur Lee Worthy, II, age 21, of Columbus, Ohio, each pleaded guilty to three counts before Senior United States District Court Judge Arthur J. Schwab.
In connection with the guilty plea, the court was advised that Abdulrahman Abdelaziz Jamea is the leader of numerous well-orchestrated pharmacy robberies in the Western District of Pennsylvania and elsewhere. He recruited other individuals, including Mohammed Jibril and Arthur Lee Worthy, II, to rob pharmacies. Jamea researched which pharmacies to rob and then would drive to the location of the pharmacy to be robbed, stake it out, then he and/or his crew would complete the robbery.
On November 17, 2018, two individuals robbed the Rite Aid pharmacy located on Third Street in Beaver, PA. One of the males pulled out a black colored automatic pistol and pointed it in the pharmacist’s direction. Worthy jumped over the counter and inquired about the safe and asked for codeine syrup. He pulled out a garbage bag then placed prescription pills into the bag. Based on historical cell site records, it appears that Jamea was on scene at the Rite Aid at the time of the robbery.
On November 22, 2018, at 2:22 am, two black males robbed the CVS pharmacy on Centre Avenue in Pittsburgh. One of the males pointed a gun at the pharmacist and told her to open the safe. Worthy jumped the counter and as the pharmacist opened the two safes, Worthy placed prescription narcotics into a black trash bag. Jamea was identified on the surveillance video entering the store shortly before the robbery occurred. As the males fled the store, the getaway vehicle, a red Hyundai Sonata with Ohio registration, owned by Jamea, pulled up and they fled.
On December 2, 2018, Worthy robbed the Rite Aid in Marietta, Ohio. He brandished a gun then jumped over the pharmacy counter and pistol-whipped the pharmacist. He pointed the gun at the cashier and demanded that he open the register. Worthy was only able to get $447.05 before fleeing in a dark red/maroon four door vehicle with Ohio tags. The weapon, a .177 pellet/BB pistol was found in the parking lot. There were also text messages between Jamea and Jibril leading up to the robbery.
On December 7, 2018, at 6:14 am, Worthy robbed the CVS Pharmacy in Erie, Pennsylvania. He approached the pharmacy counter and demanded drugs and money and threatened to kill the pharmacist. Worthy jumped over the counter and asked for oxycodone and money, then placed prescription narcotics in a Foot Locker bag. He also took $410 in U.S. Currency before fleeing the store. Worthy’s fingerprints were lifted from the pharmacy. At 9:09 am, Ohio state patrol initiated a stop on Jibril and Worthy’s rental vehicle. From the vehicle, officers recovered the Foot Locker bag filled with prescription drugs and $300 from Jibril. Text messages indicate that Jamea provided Jibril with the address of the pharmacy and told him where to park the vehicle prior to the robbery. The messages also indicate that Jamea arranged for the rental of the vehicle. During the time of the traffic stop, Jamea was texting Jibril.
Judge Schwab scheduled sentencing for Jibril for April 20, 2020, and for Worthy for April 22, 2020. The law provides for a maximum total sentence of up to 25 years in prison, a fine of $2,000,000, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendants. Pending sentencing, the court ordered both defendants to remain detained.
Abdulrahman Abdelaziz Jamea is pending trial.
Assistant United States Attorney Shanicka L. Kennedy is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Drug Enforcement Administration, Pennsylvania State Police, Pittsburgh Bureau of Police, Bridgeville Police Department and the Ohio Highway Patrol, conducted the investigation leading to the Indictment in this case.
Suburban Drug Dealer Sentenced to 12 Years in Prison for Illegally Possessing Narcotics and a Loaded Semiautomatic HandgunRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — A suburban drug dealer has been sentenced to 12 years in federal prison for illegally possessing narcotics and a loaded semiautomatic handgun.
EFREN GUTIERREZ, 44, illegally possessed the firearm and narcotics on Dec. 6, 2017. Law enforcement executed a court-authorized search of Gutierrez’s home in Burbank and discovered the gun hidden in a diaper bag in his bedroom. The gun was loaded and had a .45-caliber magazine attached to it. Gutierrez had previously been convicted of multiple felonies in state court, including drug and gun offenses, and was not legally allowed to possess a firearm. He admitted in a plea agreement that he kept the gun and ammunition to protect his drug distribution business. During the search of Gutierrez’s home, law enforcement discovered distribution quantities of cocaine, marijuana, and 98% pure methamphetamine.
Gutierrez pleaded guilty earlier this year to federal drug and firearm charges. U.S. District Judge Virginia M. Kendall imposed the 12-year sentence Monday in federal court in Chicago.
The sentence was announced by John R. Lausch, Jr., United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois; Emmerson Buie, Jr., Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago office of the FBI; and Charlie Beck, interim Superintendent of the Chicago Police Department.
“Over the past few years, the Chicagoland area has been subjected to devastating firearm violence,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Cornelius A. Vandenberg argued in the government’s sentencing memorandum. “The sale of narcotics and the possession of firearms by felons is behavior that will not be tolerated by the federal government.”
Holding convicted felons accountable through federal prosecution is a centerpiece of Project Guardian and Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) – the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction strategies. Project Guardian focuses specifically on investigating, prosecuting, and preventing gun crimes, and it emphasizes the importance of using modern technologies to promote gun crime intelligence. In the Northern District of Illinois, U.S. Attorney Lausch and law enforcement partners have deployed the Guardian and PSN programs to attack a broad range of violent crime issues facing the district, including by prosecuting individuals who illegally possess firearms.
Rapid City Man Charged with Unlawful Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced that a Rapid City, South Dakota, man was charged in federal district court with Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person.
Harold Dooley, age 29, was charged on December 17, 2019. Dooley appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Daneta Wollmann on December 23, 2019, and pleaded not guilty to the charge.
The maximum penalty upon conviction is 10 years in federal prison and/or a $250,000 fine, 3 years supervised release, and $100 to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Restitution may also be ordered.
The charge relates to Dooley, a previously convicted felon who is prohibited from possessing firearms, unlawfully possessing a semi-automatic pistol in November 2019 at Rapid City. The charge is merely an accusation and Dooley is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
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.
The investigation is being conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Rapid City Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin Patterson is prosecuting the case.
Dooley was detained pending trial. A trial date has not been set.
Pine Ridge Man Charged in MurderRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced that a Pine Ridge, South Dakota, man was charged in federal district court with Second Degree Murder.
Colton Bagola, age 26, was charged on December 20, 2019. Bagola appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Daneta Wollmann on December 23, 2019, and pleaded not guilty to the charge.
The maximum penalty upon conviction is life in federal prison and/or a $250,000 fine, 5 years of supervised release, and $100 to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Restitution may also be ordered.
The charge relates to Bagola killing a man by shooting him in the head in December 2019 at Pine Ridge. The charge is merely an accusation and Bagola is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
The investigation is being conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Oglala Sioux Tribe Department of Public Safety. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Megan J. Poppen and Gina S. Nelson are prosecuting the case.
Bagola was detained pending trial. A trial date has not been set.
Missoula methamphetamine distributor sentenced to prisonRead the Press Release
MISSOULA—A Missoula man who admitted being a methamphetamine dealer was sentenced today to three years in prison and five years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.
Robert Matthew Wilson, 35, of Missoula, pleaded guilty in September to conspiracy to distribute meth.
U.S. District Judge Donald M. Molloy presided.
In court documents filed by the prosecution, five confidential informants told law enforcement officers about Wilson’s meth dealing activities, including his distributing the drug to others and his trading meth for various items. Wilson admitted to law enforcement that he was a dealer and that his residence was a meth distribution center.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Tara Elliott prosecuted the case, which was investigated by the FBI and the Montana Regional Violent Crime Task Force.
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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La Crosse Man Sentenced to 10 Years on Methamphetamine ChargeRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. - Scott C. Blader, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Andrew Henke, 36, La Crosse, Wisconsin, was sentenced on December 17, 2019, by U.S. District Judge James Peterson to 10 years in prison for possessing methamphetamine with the intent to distribute. Henke pleaded guilty this charge on October 1, 2019.
On March 26, 2019, La Crosse police executed a search warrant on Henke’s residence and arrested him on drug charges. In Henke’s bedroom investigators found 915 grams of methamphetamine and $14,644 of cash.
Judge Peterson said that Henke was taking a calculated risk because he was aware of the federal penalties for possessing this much methamphetamine. Judge Peterson also ordered the $14,644 to be forfeited.
The charge against Henke was the result of an investigation conducted by the La Crosse Police Department and Drug Enforcement Administration. The prosecution of the case has been handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Corey Stephan.
Interior Woman Sentenced to 14 Years in Federal Prison for Second Degree MurderRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced that an Interior, South Dakota, woman convicted of Second Degree Murder was sentenced by Chief Judge Jeffrey L. Viken, U.S. District Court.
Krystin Spotted Calf, age 36, was sentenced on December 18, 2019, to 14 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.
Spotted Calf was indicted by a federal grand jury in August 2018. During the early morning hours of August 11, 2018, Spotted Calf struck the victim, her step-father, Jeffrey Lynn Janis, Sr., multiple times with a tire iron after a dispute. Janis was pronounced dead at the Bennett County Hospital Emergency Room from blunt force trauma to the head.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Indian Affairs - Office of Justice Services, the Oglala Sioux Tribe Department of Public Safety, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Eric Kelderman prosecuted the case.
Spotted Calf was immediately turned over to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.