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Friday 20 December 2019
Final Defendant in Schenectady Heroin Distribution Conspiracy Pleads GuiltyRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Esteban Ressy, aka “The Boss,” age 44, of Puerto Rico and Schenectady, New York, pled guilty today to conspiring to traffic a kilogram or more of heroin. Ressy was one of nine people indicted in January 2019 as part of law enforcement’s dismantling of a heroin distribution ring in Schenectady. With Ressy’s plea, all nine defendants have pled guilty.
The announcement was made by United States Attorney Grant C. Jaquith; Kevin Kelly, Special Agent in Charge of the Buffalo Field Office of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI); and New York State Police Superintendent Keith M. Corlett.
In pleading guilty, Ressy admitted to being a member of a drug-trafficking organization that distributed a kilogram or more of heroin in Schenectady between 2017 and December 20, 2018. Ressy, who lived in both Puerto Rico and Schenectady, was the leader of the Schenectady faction of the organization and regularly obtained hundreds of grams of heroin from Jean Carlos Rivera-Perez, aka “Tego,” in the Bronx, New York. Ressy paid thousands of dollars in cash for the heroin, which was packaged for sale by other members of the organization, including Leamzy Soto Calderon, Linette Marie Soto, and Kristen Jansen, and sold in and around Schenectady.
On December 20, 2018, law enforcement executed search warrants at Linett Soto’s residence in Schenectady, Soto Calderon and Jansen’s residence in Schenectady, and Rivera-Perez’ residence in the Bronx, and seized, among other items, approximately 268 grams of heroin, cutting agent, heroin processing materials, and $11,066 in cash.
United States Attorney Grant C. Jaquith stated: “Ressy, Rivera-Perez, and their co-conspirators sought to profit from the scourge of heroin, and now face many years in prison. Dismantling this drug organization demonstrates our commitment to targeting traffickers who are fueling opioid addiction and its tragic consequences.”
“Ressy admitted to bringing deadly drugs into the city of Schenectady as he and his criminal organization preyed on the addictions and vulnerabilities of others,” said Kevin Kelly, Special Agent in Charge for HSI Buffalo. “HSI continues to work in collaboration with state and local law enforcement to arrest those criminals operating in our communities with no regard for human life.”
New York State Police Superintendent Keith M. Corlett stated: “The success of this investigation is the direct result of the hard work and cooperation among federal, state and local law enforcement, and I applaud our partners for their dedication to closing this case. The disruption of this distribution ring serves as a reminder that we will not tolerate the trafficking of deadly, illegal drugs, and those who choose to profit from this activity will be held fully accountable.”
Ressy has four prior drug distribution convictions, including a 2002 conviction in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of New York for conspiring to distribute heroin.
Ressy faces at least 15 years and up life in prison, and a term of post-imprisonment supervised release of at least 10 years and up to life, when he is sentenced on April 10, 2020 by United States District Judge Mae A. D’Agostino. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other factors.
The following defendants have pled guilty and face the following terms of imprisonment:
Name
Age
Minimum
Maximum
Jean Carlos Rivera-Perez, aka “Tego”
37
10 years
Life
Daniel Garcia, aka “Danny”
34
10 years
Life
Linette Marie Soto
25
10 years
Life
Kristen Jansen
28
5 years
40 years
Patrick McNamara
48
None
20 years
The following defendants pled guilty and were sentenced to the following terms of imprisonment:
Name
Age
Term of imprisonment
Gregory Insogna
46
5 years
Leamzy Soto Calderon, aka “Lee,” aka “Gordo”
29
57 months
Jose Cortes-Cruz, aka “Bimbo”
29
1 year and 1 day
This case was investigated by HSI, the New York State Police, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and the Amsterdam Police Department, and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Cyrus P.W. Rieck.
Festus Doctor and His Company Sentenced for Health Care FraudRead the Press Release
St. Louis, MO – Antoine Adem, M.D., 49, of Festus, MO, and his company, Midwest Cardiovascular, Inc., were sentenced today. Dr. Adem was sentenced to a prison term of 45 days and ordered to pay restitution of $149,199 and a fine of $55,000 for his involvement in a healthcare fraud scheme. Midwest Cardiovascular was sentenced to a term of probation of 3 years and ordered to jointly pay restitution with Dr. Adem of $149,199 and a fine of $120,000. Midwest Cardiovascular has offices in Festus and Farmington, Missouri. Dr. Adem and Midwest Cardiovascular appeared today in federal court before U.S. District Judge Audrey G. Fleissig. Both previously entered guilty pleas on August 20, 2019.
According to court documents, from January 2014 to December 2018, Dr. Adem and Midwest Cardiovascular submitted or caused to be submitted numerous false and fraudulent claims to Medicare and Missouri Medicaid. The reimbursement claims falsely indicated that Dr. Adem performed two vein procedures, known as vascular embolization and occlusions, on patients on two different days, when he actually performed the two procedures on the same day. As a result, Dr. Adem and Midwest Cardiovascular received approximately $2000 more per patient than they would have received if they had informed Medicare and other insurers that the two procedures were performed on the same day. As a result of these fraudulent claims, Medicare and Missouri Medicaid paid Dr. Adem and Midwest Cardiovascular $149,199 more than they were entitled to receive.
Dr. Adem and Midwest Cardiovascular also entered into a civil settlement agreement with the United States and have paid $1.2 million. The civil settlement resolves allegations that Dr. Adem and Midwest Cardiovascular violated the civil False Claims Act by submitting fraudulent claims to Medicare, including claims that failed to comply with Medicare regulations, claims for office visits that were upcoded, and claims that falsely indicated that surgical services for vascular embolization and occlusion were provided on two separate days. The civil settlement includes the dismissal of a qui tam complaint that was filed by whistleblower Elaine Taylor, a former employee of Midwest Cardiovascular. United States of America, ex rel., Elaine Taylor v. Antoine M. Adem, M.D. and Midwest Cardiovascular, Inc., et al, Case No. 4:17CV858-PLC (E.D. Mo.). Under the False Claims Act, the whistleblower, also known as a Relator, is entitled to a share of the civil settlement. Ms. Taylor will receive $240,000.
“Dr. Adem calculated that committing health care fraud was his path to riches. He was wrong, as he now pays the price for his crimes,” said Curt Muller, Special Agent in Charge for the Office of Inspector General of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. “We will continue working with our law enforcement partners to protect government healthcare programs and the taxpayer dollars on which they depend.”
This case was investigated by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Missouri Attorney General Medicaid Fraud Control Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Dorothy McMurtry and Suzanne Moore are handling the case for the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
Fernandina Beach Woman Pleads Guilty to Submitting False Claims for FEMA Benefits Involving Hurricane IrmaRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – Jessica Ann Smothers (35, Fernandina Beach), a/k/a Annabella Oxendine, has pleaded guilty to disaster assistance fraud involving FEMA benefits. She faces up to 30 years in federal prison and payment of restitution to the United States in the amount of $13,838.70. A sentencing date has not yet been set. Smothers has remained in custody since her arrest on November 4, 2019.
According to court documents, on September 22, 2017, Smothers made an application for disaster assistance benefits to FEMA. In the application, she claimed that her primary residence in Fernandina Beach had suffered storm damage from Hurricane Irma and, due to the purported storm damage, she was displaced from her primary residence, initially forced to live in a tent, and subsequently rented another home in Fernandina Beach. Based on the statements made by Smothers in her application, FEMA paid $13,838.70 to Smothers in the form of critical needs assistance, personal property damage, and rental assistance.
Further investigation determined that Smothers’s statements to FEMA were false. Her residence in Fernandina Beach had not been damaged and she lived there through, and after, Hurricane Irma.
This case was investigated by the Department of Homeland Security - Office of Inspector General, with assistance from Homeland Security Investigations. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kevin C. Frein.
This case is part of the United States Attorney’s Disaster Fraud Task Force, which was announced in September 2017.
Members of the public who suspect fraud, waste, abuse, or allegations of mismanagement involving disaster relief operations, or believe they have been the victim of fraud from a person or organization soliciting relief funds on behalf of disaster victims, should contact the National Disaster Fraud Hotline toll free at (866) 720-5721. A live operator 24 hours a day, 7 days a week staffs the telephone line. You can also fax information to the Center at (225) 334-4707, or email it to [email protected]. You may also visit www.justice.gov/usao-mdfl.
Federal Jury Convicts Chicago Man of Illegal Gun Possession and Obstruction of JusticeRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — A convicted felon from Chicago has been found guilty of illegally possessing a loaded handgun with an extended magazine and obstructing justice for offering to pay witnesses to lie on his behalf.
RAMONE SHAFFERS illegally possessed the gun on Oct. 16, 2016, in a parked car in the Woodlawn neighborhood on the South Side of Chicago. Shaffers had previously been convicted of a felony and was not legally allowed to possess a firearm.
Three passengers were in the vehicle at the time of Shaffers’s illegal possession. After Shaffers was arrested, he directed another individual to offer payment to the passengers in exchange for giving false testimony.
A federal jury in Chicago on Thursday convicted Shaffers, 37, of Chicago, on one count of illegal possession of a firearm by a felon, and one count of obstruction of justice. Each count is punishable by up to ten years in federal prison. U.S. District Judge John J. Tharp, Jr., set sentencing for April 14, 2020.
The conviction was announced by John R. Lausch, Jr., United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois; Timothy Jones, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Division of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; and Charlie Beck, interim Superintendent of the Chicago Police Department. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Albert Berry III and Kavitha J. Babu.
According to evidence presented at the four-day trial in federal court, Shaffers and the three others were inside a vehicle parked near 62nd Street and Cottage Grove Avenue. Chicago Police officers pulled behind the car and smelled burnt cannabis and heard loud music. Shaffers, who was sitting in the driver’s seat, stepped out of the vehicle and ran away. He was apprehended at a later time.
While in custody awaiting trial, Shaffers placed a call from jail to the individual whom he hoped would pay off the passengers in the car in exchange for their false testimony. In one of the calls, which was surreptitiously recorded by law enforcement, Shaffers explained what the witnesses should say on his behalf: “Everybody could say he didn’t have nothing. He was there, but he ain’t have nothing.” Shaffers later described what he hoped would happen to his federal indictment as a result of the false testimony: “They gonna throw that [expletive] right out. Motion out. Everything is thrown out.”
Holding convicted felons accountable through federal prosecution is a centerpiece of Project Safe Neighborhoods – the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction strategy. In the Northern District of Illinois, U.S. Attorney Lausch and law enforcement partners have deployed the PSN program to attack a broad range of violent crime issues facing the district, including by prosecuting individuals who illegally possess firearms. The U.S. Attorney’s Office also participates in Project Guardian, an initiative from the Department of Justice that serves as a complementary effort to PSN. 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.
Federal Authorities Arrest Owner and Chief Operating Officer of TPC Family Medicine and Urgent Care Clinics in San Antonio and LaredoRead the Press Release
In San Antonio, a federal grand jury indicted 46–year-old licensed Physician’s Assistant Christopher Felix Montoya and 40–year-old Nancy Almaguer for their roles in a Health Care Fraud, bribery and kickback scheme, announced U.S. Attorney John Bash, FBI Special Agent in Charge Christopher Combs, San Antonio Division, and Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton.
The indictment, returned Wednesday and unsealed today, charges Montoya, the owner and operator of TPC Family Medicine and Urgent Care Clinics in San Antonio and Laredo (TPC), and TPC Chief Operating Officer Almaguer with one count of conspiracy to pay and receive health care kickbacks and three counts of soliciting and receiving illegal health care kickbacks. Each count calls for up to five years in federal prison upon conviction.
The indictment alleges that from September 2018 to June 2019, the defendants schemed to enrich themselves by receiving kickbacks and bribes in exchange for sending patient nasal swabs to a specific laboratory (lab) for testing. The lab would perform the testing, receive reimbursement from Medicare and other insurance programs. The lab, through a 3rd party, would pay kickbacks to Montoya and Almaguer.
FBI agents arrested both defendants yesterday afternoon without incident. During an initial appearance today in San Antonio, U.S. Magistrate Judge Elizabeth S. Chestney set $50,000 bonds for both Montoya and Almaguer.
The FBI, Texas Attorney General’s Office, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services—Office of Inspector General and the U.S. Office of Professional Management—Office of Inspector General investigated this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin Chung is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
An indictment is merely a charge and should not be considered as evidence of guilt. The defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
Extradited Israeli Fugitive Sentenced for Illegal Gambling Business, Money Laundering, and Failure to AppearRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Yaniv Gohar, 36, formerly of Berkeley, was sentenced today to three years and nine months in prison for conducting an illegal gambling business, conspiracy to commit money laundering, and failure to appear, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced.
According to court documents, Gohar created and led an organization that installed and maintained video slot machines at businesses open to the public across Northern California. Gohar then created a system by which he could launder the proceeds of his lucrative gambling business, involving shell companies and paying cash to employees of a co-defendant’s business in exchange for money transfers from that co-defendant. In total, Gohar laundered at least $492,475 through that business from Jan. 2015 through Dec. 2017. Gohar also laundered his gambling proceeds by acquiring a boat and real estate in the San Francisco Bay Area.
Court documents also detail Gohar’s escape from the United States by charter jet through Mexico, France, and Israel. Gohar was first arrested on Dec. 8, 2017, in connection with his initial charges and released two weeks later on bond over the government’s objection. Four days later, he violated the terms of his release by failing to stop after allegedly crashing his Porsche Panamera into a parked car in Berkeley. He was cited by Berkeley police for reckless driving. On Jan. 3, 2018, he failed to appear in federal court for the violation hearing, and he remained at large for more than a year. In Sept. 2018, a superseding indictment charged Gohar with failure to appear and other offenses. Gohar was arrested and extradited from Israel in July 2019.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and California Department of Justice – Bureau of Gambling Control. Assistance was provided by the Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs and Israeli authorities. Assistant U.S. Attorney Miriam R. Hinman is prosecuting the case.
Co-defendant Orel Gohar, 29, also fled the United States in Dec. 2017, was recently arrested in Israel and remains in Israel pending extradition to the United States. Co‑defendants Eran Buhbut, 34, of Oakland, and Raz Razla, 49, of Sherman Oaks, pleaded guilty await sentencing. The remaining co-defendants have pleaded guilty and have been sentenced.
Executive Office for Immigration Review to Swear in 28 Immigration Judges, Bringing Judge Corps to Highest Level in HistoryRead the Press Release
The Executive Office for Immigration Review will invest 28 new immigration judges today, bringing the immigration judge corps to its highest level in history with more than 465 immigration judges on the bench. Principal Deputy Associate Attorney General Claire McCusker Murray will deliver opening remarks and Acting Chief Immigration Judge Christopher A. Santoro will preside over the investiture during a ceremony at the Department of Justice’s Great Hall in the District of Columbia.
After a thorough application process, Attorney General William Barr appointed Susan F. Aikman, Amelia C. Anderson, Dale E. Anderson, Philip A. Barr, Bianca H. Brown, Kevin L. Brown, Brian H. Burke, Jennifer Chung, Miguel A. Cordero-Gonzalez, James J. Crofts, Diane L. Dodd, Sheila E. Gallow, Andrea H. Hong, Lily C. Hsu, Bruce D. Imbacuan, Samia Naseem, David A. Norkin, Christopher V. Phan, Eugene H. Robinson, Marna M. Rusher, Jeremy J. Santoro, John J. Siemietkowski, Rantideva Singh, Philip P. Taylor, Gilda M. Terrazas, Ubaid ul-Haq, Lynn W. Wang, and Matthew H. Watters to their new positions.
Biographical information follows:
Susan F. Aikman, Immigration Judge, Batavia Immigration Court
Attorney General Barr appointed Susan F. Aikman to begin hearing cases in January 2020. Judge Aikman earned a Bachelor of Arts in 1994 from Ashland University and a Juris Doctor in 1999 from the University of Toledo, College of Law. From 2018 to 2019, she served as a deputy chief counsel, Office of Chief Counsel (OCC), Office of the Principal Legal Advisor (OPLA), Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Department of Homeland Security (DHS) in Dilley and Pearsall, Texas. From 2015 to 2018, she served as an assistant chief counsel, OCC, OPLA, ICE, DHS, in Pearsall, Texas. From 2005 to 2015, she served as asylum officer, refugee officer, and field office director with Refugee, Asylum, and International Operations (RAIO), U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), DHS, in the U.S. and international locations. From 1999 to 2005, she was an associate attorney with the Law Offices of David Goren LLC, in Silver Spring, Maryland. Judge Aikman is a member of the District of Columbia Bar
Amelia C. Anderson, Immigration Judge, Otay Mesa Immigration Court
Attorney General Barr appointed Amelia C. Anderson to begin hearing cases in January 2020. Judge Anderson earned a Bachelor of Arts in 2005 from the University of Notre Dame and a Juris Doctor in 2009 from DePaul University College of Law. From 2010 to 2019, she served as an assistant chief counsel, Office of Chief Counsel, Office of the Principal Legal Advisor, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Department of Homeland Security, in San Diego. From 2017 to 2018, she served as a special assistant U.S. attorney at the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of California, in San Diego. From 2009 to 2010, she served as an attorney advisor at the San Diego Immigration Court, Executive Office for Immigration Review, Department of Justice. Judge Anderson is a member of the Illinois State Bar.
Dale E. Anderson, Immigration Judge, Los Angeles Immigration Court
Attorney General Barr appointed Dale E. Anderson to begin hearing cases in January 2020. Judge Anderson earned a Bachelor of Science in 1987 from the U.S. Naval Academy, a Juris Doctor in 1994 from Pepperdine University School of Law, and a Master of Laws in 1997 from the University of San Diego School of Law. From 2016 to 2019, he served as a trial attorney for the Office of International Affairs, Criminal Division, Department of Justice (DOJ). From 2009 to 2016, and previously from 2002 to 2004, he served as a supervisory attorney advisor and attorney advisor for the Board of Immigration Appeals, Executive Office for Immigration Review, DOJ. From 2000 to 2002, he served as an assistant district counsel with the former Immigration and Naturalization Service, DOJ, in Imperial, California. From 2004 to 2009, and previously from 1994 to 2000, he served as a judge advocate for the U.S. Marine Corps at the following locations: Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego; Washington Navy Yard, District of Columbia; Headquarters Marine Corps, Arlington, Virginia; Kabul, Afghanistan; and Al Anbar, Iraq. From 1988 to 1991, he served as an intelligence officer for the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, in El Toro, California, and Tanajib, Saudi Arabia. Judge Anderson is a member of the State Bar of California.
Philip A. Barr, Immigration Judge, Atlanta, Ted Turner Drive Immigration Court
Attorney General Barr appointed Philip A. Barr to begin hearing cases in January 2020. Judge Barr earned a Bachelor of Arts in 1984 from University of Texas at Austin and a Juris Doctor in 2003 from Birmingham School of Law. From 2015 to 2019, he served as an assistant chief counsel, Office of Chief Counsel (OCC), Office of the Principal Legal Advisor (OPLA), Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Department of Homeland Security (DHS), in Atlanta. From 2010 to 2015, he served as an assistant chief counsel, OCC, OPLA, ICE, DHS, in Port Isabel and San Antonio, Texas. From 2004 to 2010, he was an immigration and criminal defense attorney in private practice in Birmingham, Alabama. Judge Barr is a member of the Alabama State Bar and State Bar of Texas.
Bianca H. Brown, Immigration Judge, Stewart Immigration Court
Attorney General Barr appointed Bianca H. Brown to begin hearing cases in January 2020. Judge Brown earned a Bachelor of Science and Master of Business Administration in 2005 from Florida A&M University, and a Juris Doctor in 2011 from Wake Forest University School of Law. From 2018 to 2019, she served as a deputy chief counsel, Office of Chief Counsel (OCC), Office of the Principal Legal Advisor (OPLA), Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Department of Homeland Security (DHS), in Lumpkin, Georgia. From 2011 to 2018, she served as an assistant chief counsel, OCC, OPLA, ICE, DHS, in Lumpkin, Georgia. Judge Brown is a member of the District of Columbia Bar and North Carolina State Bar.
Kevin L. Brown, Immigration Judge, Houston, S. Gessner Road Immigration Court
Attorney General Barr appointed Kevin L. Brown to begin hearing cases in January 2020. Judge Brown earned a Bachelor of Science in 1993 from Virginia Tech, a Master of Science in 1996 from Grambling State University, a Juris Doctor in 1999 from Wake Forest University School of Law, and a Master of Laws in 2007 from the Judge Advocate General’s Legal Center and School, U.S. Army. From 2016 to 2019, he served as an assistant chief counsel, Office of Chief Counsel, Office of the Principal Legal Advisor, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Department of Homeland Security, in San Antonio, Texas. From 1999 to 2016, he served as a judge advocate for the U.S. Army in the following locations: Fort Gordon, Georgia; Fort Bragg, North Carolina; Karshi-Khanabad, Uzbekistan; Charlottesville, Virginia; Fort Campbell, Kentucky; Tikrit, Iraq; Fort Irwin, California; Suffolk, Virginia; and Fort Sam, Houston, Texas. Judge Brown is a member of the State Bar of Georgia.
Brian H. Burke, Immigration Judge, Los Angeles, Van Nuys Blvd. Immigration Court
Attorney General Barr appointed Brian H. Burke to begin hearing cases in January 2020. Judge Burke earned a Bachelor of Arts in 1989 from the University of Pittsburgh and a Juris Doctor in 1992 from the University of Dayton School of Law. From 2017 to 2019, he was the chief judge for the Morongo Band of Mission Indians, in California. From 2013 to 2019, he was the chief judge for the Ak-Chin Indian Community, in Maricopa, Arizona. From 2010 to 2013, he was the tribal prosecutor for the Ak-Chin Indian Community, in Maricopa, Arizona. From 2009 to 2010, he was a deputy defense attorney for the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community, in Scottsdale, Arizona. From 2006 to 2009, he was the managing attorney for Community Legal Services, in Kingman, Arizona. From 2003 to 2006, he was a rights attorney for the Nevada Disability Advocacy and Law Center, in Las Vegas. From 2000 to 2003, he was assistant public defender for the Beaver County Public Defender’s Office, in Beaver, Pennsylvania. From 1999 to 2000, he was a staff attorney for Appalachian Legal Services, in Charleston, West Virginia. From 1992 to 1995, and 1997 to 1998, he served as assistant district attorney for the Beaver County District Attorney’s Office. Judge Burke is a member of the Arizona State Bar and the Pennsylvania State Bar.
Jennifer Chung, Immigration Judge, New York, Federal Plaza Immigration Court
Attorney General Barr appointed Jennifer Chung to begin hearing cases in January 2020. Judge Chung earned a Bachelor of Arts in 2004 from St. John’s University and a Juris Doctor in 2007 from Hofstra University School of Law. From 2008 to 2019, she worked as a managing attorney at Christophe Law Group P.C., in New York. Judge Chung is a member of the New York State Bar.
Miguel A. Cordero-Gonzalez, Immigration Judge, Houston, S. Gessner Road Immigration Court
Attorney General Barr appointed Miguel A. Cordero-Gonzalez to begin hearing cases in January 2020. Judge Cordero-Gonzalez earned a Bachelor of Science in 1990 from the University of Puerto Rico and a Juris Doctor in 1993 from the Pontifical Catholic University School of Law. From 2010 to 2019, he served as a state trial court judge, in Puerto Rico. From 1996 to 2019, he served as a judge advocate for the U.S Army Reserve, in Fort Buchanan, Puerto Rico and Camp Speicher, Iraq, culminating in a current rank of lieutenant colonel. From 2015 to 2016, he served as a senior defense counsel for the 154th Trial Defense Team, Southeast region in Fort Buchanan, Puerto Rico. From 1995 to 2009, he was in private practice. From 1994 to 1995, he served as an assistant to the secretary of the Puerto Rico Department of Consumer Affairs Office. Judge Cordero is a member of the State Bar of Puerto Rico.
James J. Crofts, Immigration Judge, Atlanta, Ted Turner Drive Immigration Court
Attorney General Barr appointed James J. Crofts to begin hearing cases in January 2020. Judge Crofts earned a Bachelor of Arts in 1991 from Boston University and a Juris Doctor in 1999 from St. John’s University School of Law. From 2016 to 2019, he served as an assistant chief counsel, Office of Chief Counsel, Office of the Principal Legal Advisor, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Department of Homeland Security, in Atlanta. From 2000 to 2016, he served as an assistant district attorney with the Office of the Bronx District Attorney, in Bronx, New York. Since 2012, he has also served as a judge advocate for the U.S. Army Reserve. Judge Crofts is a member of the State Bar of New York.
Diane L. Dodd, Immigration Judge, New York, Federal Plaza Immigration Court
Attorney General Barr appointed Diane L. Dodd to begin hearing cases in January 2020. Judge Dodd earned a Bachelor of Arts in 1982 from the University of Georgia and a Juris Doctor in 1990 from Lewis and Clark College, Northwestern School of Law. From 2016 to 2019, she served as a special assistant U.S. attorney for the District of Minnesota, Department of Justice, in Minneapolis. From 2010 to 2019, she served as an assistant chief counsel, Office of Chief Counsel, Office of the Principal Legal Advisor, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Department of Homeland Security. From 1999 to 2010, she served as an assistant district attorney in the District Attorney’s Office, in Brunswick, Georgia. Judge Dodd is a member of the Georgia State Bar.
Sheila E. Gallow, Immigration Judge, Atlanta, Ted Turner Drive Immigration Court
Attorney General Barr appointed Sheila E. Gallow to begin hearing cases in January 2020. Judge Gallow earned a Bachelor of Arts in 2003 from Auburn University and a Juris Doctor in 2006 from Samford University, Cumberland School of Law. From 2016 to 2019, she served as an assistant chief counsel, Office of Chief Counsel, Office of the Principal Legal Advisor, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Department of Homeland Security, in Atlanta. From 2011 to 2016, she served as the chief assistant district attorney in the Atlanta Judicial Circuit. From 2007 to 2011, she served as an assistant attorney general with the Office of Georgia Attorney General, in Atlanta. Since 2012, she has also served as a judge advocate with the U.S. Army Reserves, serving as an administrative law attorney, trial counsel, legal advisor for FEMA Region IV, and brigade judge advocate in the following locations: Fort Bragg, North Carolina; Fort Gordon, Georgia; and Fort Benning, Georgia. Judge Gallow is a member of the State Bar of Georgia.
Andrea H. Hong, Immigration Judge, Los Angeles Immigration Court
Attorney General Barr appointed Andrea H. Hong to begin hearing cases in January 2020. Judge Hong earned a Bachelor of Science in 1996 from Case Western Reserve University and a Juris Doctor in 1999 from the University of Akron, School of Law. From 2009 to 2019, she served as an assistant chief counsel, Office of Chief Counsel, Office of the Principal Legal Advisor, Immigration Customs Enforcement, Department of Homeland Security, in Los Angeles.
From 2006 to 2009, she served as a deputy district attorney with the Riverside County District Attorney’s Office, in Riverside, California. From 2001 to 2004, she served as an assistant prosecutor with the Summit County Prosecutor’s Office, in Akron, Ohio. From 1999 to 2001, she served as an assistant city prosecutor with the Akron City Prosecutor’s Office, in Akron, Ohio. Judge Hong is a member of the State Bar of California.
Lily C. Hsu, Immigration Judge, Los Angeles North Immigration Court
Attorney General Barr appointed Lily C. Hsu to begin hearing cases in January 2020. Judge Hsu earned a Bachelor of Science in 1996 from University of California, Berkeley, and a Juris Doctor in 2000 from California Western School of Law. From 2006 to 2019, she served as an assistant chief counsel, Office of Chief Counsel, Office of the Principal Legal Advisor, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Department of Homeland Security (DHS), in Los Angeles. From 2009 to 2011, she served as a special assistant U.S. attorney at the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California, in Los Angeles. From 2004 to 2006, she served as an asylum officer with the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, DHS, in Anaheim, California. From 2001 to 2004, she was an associate attorney at Reeves and Associates ALPC. Judge Hsu is a member of the State Bar of California.
Bruce D. Imbacuan, Immigration Judge, Cleveland Immigration Court
Attorney General Barr appointed Bruce D. Imbacuan to begin hearing cases in January 2020. Judge Imbacuan earned a Bachelor of Arts in 1994 from Suffolk University and a Juris Doctor in 1998 from Temple University School of Law. From 2007 to 2019, he served as an assistant chief counsel, Office of Chief Counsel, Office of the Principal Legal Advisor, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Department of Homeland Security, in Cleveland. From 2005 to 2007, he served as a housing court magistrate for the Cleveland Municipal Housing Court. From 2002 to 2005, he served as an assistant prosecuting prosecutor with the City of Cleveland’s Prosecutor’s Office. From 1998 to 2002, he was a staff attorney for the Legal Aid Society of Cleveland. Judge Imbacuan is a member of the Ohio State Bar.
Samia Naseem, Immigration Judge, Chicago Immigration Court
Attorney General Barr appointed Samia Naseem to begin hearing cases in January 2020. Judge Naseem earned a Bachelor of Arts in 2001 from Simmons College and a Juris Doctor in 2004 from The George Washington University Law School. From 2010 to 2019, she served as an assistant chief counsel, Office of Chief Counsel, Office of the Principal Legal Advisor, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Department of Homeland Security, in New York City and Chicago. From 2007 to 2010, Judge Naseem served as a trial attorney with the Office of Immigration Litigation, Department of Justice, in the District of Columbia. From 2005 to 2007, she served as an attorney at the Law Offices of Khalid Naseem, in Boylston, Massachusetts. From 2004 to 2005, Judge Naseem served as a law clerk for the Honorable Judith N. Macaluso, in the District of Columbia. Judge Naseem is a member of the New York State Bar.
David A. Norkin, Immigration Judge, New York, Varick Immigration Court
Attorney General Barr appointed David A. Norkin to begin hearing cases in January 2020. Judge Norkin earned a Bachelor of Arts in 1995 from Bates College and a Juris Doctor in 1999 from The George Washington University Law School. In 2019, he served as court administrator for the Fishkill, Ulster, and Varick immigration courts. From 1999 to 2016, he served as a judge advocate, defense counsel, prosecutor, special assistant U.S. attorney, and appellate military judge in the following locations: Naval Base San Diego, California; Naval Station Pearl Harbor, Hawaii; Fleet Activities Yokosuka, Japan; and Washington Navy Yard, District of Columbia. Judge Norkin is a member of the Hawaii State Bar, Maryland State Bar, and New York State Bar.
Christopher V. Phan, Immigration Judge, Sacramento Immigration Court
Attorney General Barr appointed Christopher V. Phan to begin hearing cases in January 2020. Judge Phan earned a Bachelor of Arts in 1996 from Indiana University-Purdue University, Indianapolis, and a Juris Doctor in 1999 from Southern Illinois University. From 2000 to 2019, he served as a judge advocate for the U.S. Navy in the following locations: Earle, New Jersey; Yokosuka, Japan; San Diego, California; Portsmouth, Virginia; The Pentagon, District of Columbia; Fort Worth, Texas; and Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. From 2012 to 2016, he served as a city council member, in Garden Grove, California, and as deputy district attorney, in Orange County, California. He is currently a commander in the U.S. Navy Reserve. Judge Phan is a member of the California State Bar, State Bar of Illinois, and State Bar of Texas.
Eugene H. Robinson, Immigration Judge, Imperial Immigration Court
Attorney General Barr appointed Eugene H. Robinson Jr. to begin hearing cases in January 2020. Judge Robinson earned a Bachelor of Science in 1987 from University of South Carolina, a Juris Doctor in 1990 from Howard University School of Law, and a Master of Laws in 2002 from the U.S. Army Judge Advocate General’s Legal Center and School. From 2018 to 2019, he served as the deputy chief for hearings in the State Office of Administrative Hearings for the State of Texas. From 2012 to 2018, he served as a military judge in Okinawa, Japan and Camp Pendleton, California. From 2011 to 2012, he was the staff judge advocate for 3d Marine Logistics Group, Okinawa, Japan. From 2005 to 2011, he served as a military judge in the Western Judicial Circuit, Camp Pendleton, California, and as deputy chief trial judge for the U.S. Navy-Marine Corps Trial Judiciary at the Washington Navy Yard, District of Columbia. From 1991 to 2005, he served a judge advocate in the following locations: Marine Corps Air Station, Yuma, Arizona; 3d Marine Expeditionary Force, Okinawa, Japan; Marine Forces Reserve, New Orleans; Washington Navy Yard, District of Columbia; and Camp Pendleton, California. Judge Robinson is a member of the Pennsylvania State Bar, District of Columbia Bar, and State Bar of Texas.
Marna M. Rusher, Immigration Judge, Boston Immigration Court
Attorney General Barr appointed Marna M. Rusher to begin hearing cases in January 2020. Judge Rusher earned a Bachelor of Science in 1972 from the University of Bridgeport and a Juris Doctor in 2001 from the University of Syracuse, School of Law. From 2007 to 2019, she served as an assistant chief counsel, Office of Chief Counsel, Office of the Principal Legal Advisor, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Department of Homeland Security, in Boston. From 2005 to 2007, she was a civil litigation associate for Murphy & Riley P.C. From 2002 to 2005, she served as an assistant district attorney, in Middlesex County, Massachusetts. Judge Rusher is a member of the Massachusetts State Bar.
Jeremy J. Santoro, Immigration Judge, Cleveland Immigration Court
Attorney General Barr appointed Jeremy J. Santoro to begin hearing cases in January 2020. Judge Santoro earned a Bachelor of Science in 1996 from Bowling Green State University and a Juris Doctor in 2001 from the University of Toledo, College of Law. From 2010 to 2019, he served as an assistant chief counsel, Office of Chief Counsel (OCC), Office of the Principal Legal Advisor (OPLA), Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Department of Homeland Security (DHS), in Cleveland. From 2009 to 2010, he served as an assistant chief counsel, OCC, OPLA, ICE, DHS, in Detroit. From 2006 to 2015, he served as a judge advocate for the Ohio Army National Guard, in Columbus, Ohio. From 2002 to 2009, he served as an assistant prosecutor with the Lucas County Prosecutor’s Office, in Toledo, Ohio. From 2001 to 2002, he was an associate attorney with Faulkner, Garmhausen, Keister & Shenk L.P.A., in Sidney, Ohio. Judge Santoro is a member of the Ohio State Bar.
John J. Siemietkowski, Immigration Judge, New York, Federal Plaza Immigration Court
Attorney General Barr appointed John J. Siemietkowski to begin hearing cases in January 2020. Judge Siemietkowski earned a Bachelor of Arts in 1984 from Georgetown University, a Juris Doctor in 1987 from Catholic University, and a Masters of Law in 2000 from the Army Judge Advocate General’s School. From 2002 to November 2019, Judge Siemietkowski worked as a trial attorney at the Commercial Litigation Branch, Department of Justice, in the District of Columbia. From June to December 2018, he served as the U.S. deputy justice attaché to Afghanistan. In 2018, Judge Siemietkowski retired from the Army after a nearly 30-year career as an active duty and reserve JAG attorney. His military career spanned tours as a prosecutor, defense counsel, and trial judge. He taught at the Army JAG School, initially as a professor of Government Contracts & Fiscal Law, and later as a professor of Criminal Law and Trial Advocacy. In his last tour, from October 2016 to September 2017, he served in Kabul as the military coalition’s counter-corruption director. Judge Siemietkowski is a member of the Pennsylvania State Bar, State Bar of Texas, and Virginia State Bar.
Rantideva Singh, Immigration Judge, New York, Federal Plaza Immigration Court
Attorney General Barr appointed Rantideva Singh to begin hearing cases in January 2020. Judge Singh earned a Bachelor of Science in 2002 from John J. College of Criminal Justice and a Juris Doctor in 2005 from Boston University School of Law. From 2011 to 2019, he served as an administrative law judge with the New York State Office of Children and Family Services, in New York City. From 2009 to 2011, he served as a trial attorney with the New York City Administration for Children’s Services in Bronx Family Court. From 2007 to 2009, he served as a supervising attorney with the New York City Department of Homeless Services. From 1997 to 2002, he served as a police officer in the New York City Police Department. Judge Singh is a member of the Connecticut State Bar and New York State Bar.
Philip P. Taylor, Immigration Judge, Atlanta, Ted Turner Drive Immigration Court
Attorney General Barr appointed Philip P. Taylor to begin hearing cases in January 2020. Judge Taylor earned a Bachelor of Arts in 1986 from LeMoyne College, a Juris Doctor in 1989 from Emory University School of Law, a Master of Judicial Studies in 2007 from University of Nevada, Reno, and a Doctor of Philosophy in Judicial Studies in 2012 from University of Nevada, Reno. From 2000 to 2019, Judge Taylor served as chief municipal judge for the City of Kennesaw, Acworth, Powder Springs, and Woodstock, Georgia. From 1996 to 2016, Judge Taylor served as magistrate judge, in Cobb County, Georgia. From 1989 to 2012, he was in private practice at Webb, Carlock, Copeland, Semler & Star; Hopkins & Taylor L.L.P.; and The Taylor Firm P.C. Judge Taylor is member of the Georgia State Bar.
Gilda M. Terrazas, Immigration Judge, Sacramento Immigration Court
Attorney General Barr appointed Gilda M. Terrazas to begin hearing cases in January 2020. Judge Terrazas earned a Bachelor of Arts in 1976 and a Master of Arts in 1982, both from The University of Arizona, and a Juris Doctor in 1988 from The University of Arizona, James E. Rogers College of Law. From 2010 to 2019, she served as an assistant chief counsel, Office of Chief Counsel, Office of the Principal Legal Advisor, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Department of Homeland Security, in Phoenix and Tucson, Arizona. From 2008 to 2010, she served as a public defender in Cochise County, Arizona. From 1995 to 2008, she served as a municipal and tribal court judge, in Tucson, Arizona. From 1988 to 1995, she was in private practice in civil and criminal litigation. Judge Terrazas is a member of the State Bar of Arizona.
Ubaid ul-Haq, Immigration Judge, Ulster Immigration Court
Attorney General Barr appointed Ubaid ul-Haq to begin hearing cases in January 2020. Judge Haq earned a Bachelor of Arts in 2005 from the University of Virginia, a Juris Doctor in 2010 from Nova Southeastern University, and a Master of Laws in 2011 from American University Washington College of Law. In 2019, he served as a trial attorney with the Office of Immigration Litigation’s (OIL) Appellate Court Section, Civil Division, Department of Justice (DOJ), in the District of Columbia. From 2014 to 2019, he served as a trial attorney with OIL’s District Court Section, Civil Division, DOJ. Since 2016, he has also served as a judge advocate with the U.S. Army Reserve, in Alexandria, Virginia. In 2014, he served as an associate legal advisor, Executive Communications Unit, Office of Chief Counsel (OCC), Office of the Principal Legal Advisor (OPLA), Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Department of Homeland Security (DHS), in the District of Columbia. From 2011 to 2014, he served as an assistant chief counsel, OPLA-San Antonio, ICE, DHS, in Pearsall, Texas. Judge Haq is a member of the Florida State Bar.
Lynn W. Wang, Immigration Judge, Houston Immigration Court
Attorney General Barr appointed Lynn W. Wang to begin hearing cases in January 2020. Judge Wang earned a Bachelor of Science in 1995 from University of Houston and a Juris Doctor in 2000 from South Texas College of Law. From 2018 to 2019, she served as an assistant chief counsel, Office of Chief Counsel, Office of the Principal Legal Advisor, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Department of Homeland Security, in San Antonio. From 2015 to 2018, she served as an assistant U.S. attorney with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Texas, in McAllen, Texas. From 2007 to 2015, she served as an assistant U.S. attorney with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Mexico, in Albuquerque, New Mexico. From 2004 to 2006, she served as an assistant district attorney for the State of New Mexico. From 2001 to 2004, she was in private practice. Judge Wang is a member of the New Mexico State Bar and Texas State Bar.
Matthew H. Watters, Immigration Judge, York Immigration Court
Attorney General Barr appointed Matthew H. Watters to begin hearing cases in January 2020. Judge Watters earned a Bachelor of Arts in 1999 from Canisius College and a Juris Doctor in 2002 from Pennsylvania State University, Dickinson School of Law. He currently serves as a judge advocate in the U.S. Army Reserve and as a deputy commander in the U.S. Army Reserve Legal Command. From 2010 to 2019, he served as an assistant U.S. attorney and supervisory assistant U.S. attorney in the Western District of Texas, culminating as chief of the Del Rio Division. From 2003 to 2010, Judge Watters served as a judge advocate for the U.S. Army in the following locations: Fort Polk, Louisiana; Camp Stanley, Republic of Korea; Schofield Barracks and Fort Shafter, Hawaii; Parwan and Kandahar, Afghanistan; and Tikrit, Iraq. Judge Watters is a member of the Pennsylvania State Bar.
Doctor Pays $50,000 to Settle Civil Claims He Prescribed Without DEA Registration or OBN LicenseRead the Press Release
OKLAHOMA CITY – Ernesto Fuentes, M.D., has agreed to pay $50,000 to settle civil penalty claims stemming from allegations that he violated the Comprehensive Drug Abuse Prevention and Control Act of 1970 and its regulations, announced United States Attorney Timothy J. Downing.
Dr. Fuentes practiced medicine as a hospitalist in the Chickasaw Nation Medical Clinic in Ada, Oklahoma. The United States alleges that from January 1, 2014, through June 11, 2019, he issued prescriptions for Schedule II-IV controlled substances without a valid certificate of registration from the Drug Enforcement Administration and without a controlled substance license from the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs. Some of the prescriptions issued by Dr. Fuentes were filled at pharmacies in Oklahoma City.
To resolve these allegations, Dr. Fuentes has agreed to pay $50,000 to the United States.
In reaching this settlement, Dr. Fuentes 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 Drug Enforcement Administration, Office of Diversion Control. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Amanda R. Johnson and Ronald R. Gallegos prosecuted the case.
Denver Woman Sentenced to Serve 15 Years in Federal Prison After Selling Heroin That Resulted in Overdose DeathRead the Press Release
DENVER – United States Attorney Jason R. Dunn announced that Ariel Nicole Walker, age 31 of Denver, Colorado was sentenced today by U.S. District Court Judge R. Brooke Jackson to serve 180 months (15 years) in federal prison for distribution of heroin resulting in death. Following her prison sentence, Walker will serve five years of supervised release. She appeared at the sentencing hearing in custody, and was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service at the hearing’s conclusion. The FBI joined in today’s announcement.
According to the facts contained in Walker’s plea agreement, on May 31, 2018, Walker, an individual with the initials E.N., and an individual with the initials C.T., drove to Westminster to buy heroin from Kayla Pagano, who was prosecuted separately in U.S. District Court. E.N. paid Walker approximately $80 to purchase the heroin and approximately $40 for arranging the drug deal. Walker then met with Pagano at a Circle K in Westminster where Pagano sold Walker approximately .20 grams of heroin and approximately .20 grams of methamphetamine. E.N. injected some of the heroin and then passed out. Police later found E.N.’s dead body dumped in an alley in Denver. The heroin which caused E.N.’s death was the heroin Walker purchased from Pagano outside the Circle K and then distributed to E.N. Pagano was subsequently charged with distribution of heroin and methamphetamine, and sentenced to 77 months in federal prison followed by four years of supervised release.
“Walker sold the drugs to an individual that died of an overdose and then dumped the body in an alley,” said U.S. Attorney Jason Dunn. “As we have said before, this office will continue to treat harshly those who deal drugs that kill people.”
"This was an entirely preventable tragedy," said Denver FBI Special Agent in Charge Dean Phillips. “We will not hesitate to investigate and seek prosecution for those who bring dangerous drugs to our streets."
This case was investigated by the Denver Police Department with assistance from the FBI Denver OCDETF Strike Force. The defendant was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Peter McNeilly.
Defendant Sentenced in Connection with Conspiracy to Distribute and Possess with Intent to Distribute MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Joe Kelly announced that Timothy Earl Agee, 54, of Bellevue, Nebraska, was sentenced today to 280 months in prison by United States District Judge Robert F. Rossiter, Jr., for conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute five hundred grams or more of a mixture of methamphetamine. In addition to the conspiracy charge, Agee was also convicted of money laundering. Following his prison term, Agee will serve five years of supervised release. Finally, Agee was required to forfeit a 2007 Mercedes Benz and $6,132.
Beginning in mid-2017, a Drug Enforcement Administration-led task force initiated Operation Dog Pound, which was a drug interdiction effort focused on a local drug trafficking organization headed by Keevan Dean. As part of the investigation, numerous Title III wire and electronic intercepts were approved. Over the course of the investigation, several conspirators were identified that were distributing pound quantities of methamphetamine.
On November 16, 2018, numerous arrest and search warrants were executed on conspirators and locations utilized by the organization, including Agee and his residence. At the time of his arrest, Agee was in possession of 267 grams of methamphetamine, a stolen firearm, $6,132, and the 2007 Mercedes Benz.
The Drug Enforcement Administration, Nebraska State Patrol, Omaha Police Department, Bellevue Police Department, Border Patrol, and U.S. Attorney’s Office were the investigating agencies.
Dallas Healthcare Exec Sentenced to 66 Months for Forest Park, NextHealth FraudsRead the Press Release
A Dallas healthcare executive was sentenced Thursday afternoon to 66 months in federal prison for his role in two healthcare fraud schemes, Forest Park Medical Center and Nexthealth, and was ordered to pay $3 million in restitution, announced U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Erin Nealy Cox.
Andrew Hillman, 43, pleaded guilty in October 2018 to conspiracy to pay and receive healthcare bribes and kickbacks – violations of the anti-kickback statute and the Travel Act – in the Forest Park scheme.
In plea papers, Mr. Hillman admitted he and his business partner, Seymon Narosov, were paid $190,000 by Forest Park to refer patients to the facility or to surgeons with privileges there. The payments, he admitted, were funneled through a shell entity, Adelaide Business Solutions, and Hillman and Narosov submitted phony invoices to conceal the wrongdoing.
The same day, Mr. Hillman also pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit money laundering in the NextHealth scheme.
He admitted that he and others conspired to launder the proceeds of various healthcare fraud offenses related to their pharmacies, resulting in $450 million in fraudulent billings to government and private insurance programs. Among other fraudulent activities, the pharmacies paid illegal kickbacks to doctors and others to generate prescriptions, self-funded patient copays to dupe auditors, and misbranded drugs.
In April, Mr. Hillman testified about his criminal activity in the Forest Park Medical Center trial, which ended in guilty verdicts for seven of his coconspirators. In total, 18 defendants have been convicted in connection with the Forest Park matter.
Two defendants have been convicted in the Nexthealth scheme.
The cases were investigated by the U.S. Office of Personnel Management Office of Inspector General, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation, the U.S. Department of Labor Office of Inspector General, the U.S. Department of Defense - Defense Criminal Investigative Service, and the U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General, with assistance from the Food and Drug Administration Office of Criminal Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Andrew Wirmani, Marcus Busch, and Chad Meacham prosecuted.
D.C. Man Indicted on Federal Kidnapping Charge in MarylandRead the Press Release
Greenbelt, Maryland – A federal grand jury in Maryland has indicted Kyrie Rashaud Thompson, age 25, of Washington, D.C., on a federal kidnapping charge. The indictment was filed on December 18, 2019.
The federal charge was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Robert K. Hur and Acting Chief Gregory T. Monahan of the U.S. Park Police.
According to the one-count indictment and other court documents, on September 22, 2019, Thompson kidnapped an individual, forcing the victim to drive from the District of Columbia to Maryland. Court documents allege that Thompson threatened and assaulted the victim.
If convicted, Thompson faces a maximum sentence of life in federal prison. Thompson has an initial appearance scheduled in U.S. District Court in Greenbelt, on December 23, 2019 at 10:00 a.m. Thompson is currently detained.
An indictment is not a finding of guilt. An individual charged by indictment is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty at some later criminal proceedings.
United States Attorney Robert K. Hur commended the U.S. Park Police for their work in the investigation. Mr. Hur thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Leah B. Grossi and Hollis R. Weisman, who are prosecuting the case.
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Coleman Man Sentenced to 20 Years in Prison for Possessing and Accessing with Intent to View Child Pornography Involving Prepubescent Minors or Minors Under the Age of 12Read the Press Release
A 61-year-old resident of Coleman, Michigan, Ronald Arthur Polk, was sentenced today to 20 years in prison for possessing and accessing with intent to view child pornography involving prepubescent minors or minors under the age of 12, United States Attorney Matthew Schneider announced today.
Schneider was joined in the announcement by Steven M. D'Antuono, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Detroit Field Office.
United States District Judge Thomas L. Ludington also imposed five years of supervised release on Ronald Arthur Polk who was found guilty by a federal jury on September 16, 2019.
At the trial before U.S. District Judge Thomas L. Ludington, the evidence established that between August 6, 2013, and August 23, 2018, Polk used his computers to browse the Internet to search and web link to numerous websites containing child pornography. The forensic evidence revealed Polk possessed approximately 3,000 images containing child pornography, a majority of them involving minors under the age of 12 or prepubescent.
The case was investigated by the Midland Sherriff’s Department, the Michigan State Police, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Anca Pop.
Businessman Sentenced to Prison for Money Laundering SchemeRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – An Alexandria man was sentenced today to four years in prison for his role in a money laundering scheme.
According to court documents, Michael Bernard Bagley, 51, owned and operated Jellyfish Partners LLC, which he described as a private intelligence company in the Washington, D.C., area that provided operational support to its clients, primarily in Mexico. In January, law enforcement received information that Bagley was recommended as an individual who was capable of laundering the proceeds of drug trafficking. Bagley met on several occasions with individuals he believed were affiliated with a Mexican cartel to discuss his ability and willingness to launder what he believed were the proceeds of drug sales.
To effectuate his scheme, Bagley provided the purported cartel associates with a “Capital Banking Plan,” which described how Bagley would launder over $20 million in drug proceeds through another company. In February, Bagley met with the purported cartel associates and again reiterated his desire to launder the funds and claimed he would take a 10 percent commission on all funds he laundered. In April, in Alexandria, Bagley accepted $50,000 in cash he believed was proceeds from the sale of drugs. Bagley ultimately transferred $45,000 from a bank account in the name of Jellyfish Partners LLC to an account Bagley believed was controlled by the cartel. In May, Bagley again received $100,000 in cash to launder. Over the following weeks, Bagley deposited $90,000 in purported Mexican cartel-controlled funds via a combination of cash deposits, ACH deposits, and a wire transfer. Bagley further claimed that he was also working with the “number one guy” of El Mayo, the leader of the Sinaloa drug cartel. In June, Bagley received another $101,000 to launder.
In total, Bagley accepted $251,000 in funds he believed to be the proceeds of drug sales from a cartel.
G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Timothy R. Slater, Assistant Director of the FBI’s Washington Field Office, made the announcement after sentencing by Senior U.S. District Judge T.S. Ellis, III. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jamar K. Walker and Karen L. Taylor prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:19-cr-263.
Brevard Man Sentenced to 9 Years for Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – U.S. District Judge Roy B. Dalton, Jr. has sentenced James John Edwards (37, Brevard County) to 9 years in federal prison for possession of child pornography. The court also ordered Edwards to pay $50,000 in restitution to the victims of the offense, and to forfeit the electronic devices that he had used to commit the offense. A federal jury found Edwards guilty on August 1, 2019.
According to evidence presented at trial, on February 7, 2019, during the execution of a search warrant, agents found Edwards in possession of more than 1,000 videos and over 300 images depicting the sexual exploitation and abuse of young children. Those videos and images captured the rape and sexual torture of children under the age of 12. The evidence also showed that Edwards had an extensive computer background, and in this case, used a file-sharing program to obtain the illicit images via a computer and hard drive in his bedroom. The computer was connected to a television that was mounted on the wall above Edwards’s dresser. Edwards used the hard drive to store videos and images of child pornography. His collection dated back to 2015.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Palm Bay Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Ilianys Rivera Miranda and Karen L. Gable.
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 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.
Boston Man Sentenced for Selling Crack Cocaine to Bedford VA Medical Center ResidentsRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Boston man was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Boston for distributing crack cocaine.
Austin Wilkerson, 41, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge F. Dennis Saylor IV to three years of probation. In 2018, Wilkerson pleaded guilty to three counts of distributing cocaine base, also known as crack cocaine, on the Veterans Affairs Medical Center campus in Bedford.
In January 2017, a cooperating witness reported to law enforcement that Wilkerson was selling crack cocaine to Michael Sexton, a resident at the Veterans Affairs Medical Center. On July 27, Aug. 10, and Sept. 5, 2017, Wilkerson provided crack cocaine to Sexton, who then sold it to the cooperating witness at the Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Bedford.
In October 2019, Sexton was sentenced to time served (approximately two months) and two years of supervised release.
United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling; Sean J. Smith, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Office of Inspector General, Northeast Field Office; Brian Boyle, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Division; and F. Todd Foreman, Chief of Police of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Police Service, Bedford VA Medical Center, made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicholas Soivilien and Timothy Moran of Lelling's Criminal Division prosecuted the case.
Boston Man Indicted for Bank RobberyRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Boston man was indicted yesterday by a federal grand jury in Worcester for the October 2019 robberies of the TD Bank in Worcester and the East Boston Savings Bank in Revere.
Samuel Jose Baptista, 27, was indicted on two counts of bank robbery. In November 2019, Baptista was charged by criminal complaint.
According to charging documents, on Oct. 20, 2019, Baptista entered a branch of TD Bank in Worcester and demanded $10,000 from the bank teller. On Oct. 26, Baptista entered a branch of the East Boston Savings Bank in Revere and demanded $20,000. In both instances, Baptista threatened to detonate a bomb he allegedly was carrying if the bank did not turn over money to him.
The charging statute provides for a sentence of up to 20 years, three years of supervised release, and a fine of $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling; Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Division; Worcester Police Chief Steven M. Sargent; and Revere Police Chief James Guido made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lucy Sun of Lelling’s Worcester Branch Office is prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Boston Man Charged with Distributing Fentanyl and Crack CocaineRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Boston man was arrested yesterday and charged with distributing fentanyl and crack cocaine.
David A. Wood, 30, was charged with distribution and possession with intent to distribute controlled substances. Following an initial appearance in federal court in Boston, Wood was detained pending a detention hearing on set for Dec. 23,2019.
According to court documents, Wood distributed fentanyl in Boston on Nov. 26 and Dec. 3, 2019, and distributed crack cocaine in Boston on Dec. 10, 2019.
The charge of distributing or possessing with intent to distribute controlled substances provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years to a lifetime of supervised release, and a fine of up to $1 million. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based on the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling and Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Division made the announcement today.
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.
Bethany Attorney Pleads Guilty to Federal Tax ChargesRead the Press Release
John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, and Kristina O’Connell, Special Agent in Charge of IRS Criminal Investigation in New England, today announced that WILLIAM S. PALMIERI, 56, of Bethany, pleaded guilty yesterday before U.S. District Judge Stefan R. Underhill in Bridgeport to two counts of willful failure to pay income taxes.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Palmieri is an attorney with a practice specializing in civil rights law. Between 2006 and 2014, Palmieri reported to the Internal Revenue Service, but did not pay, all the income taxes he owed, even though he had the ability to make substantially greater tax payments during that time.
As of December 2017, Palmieri owed $227,709 in taxes, interest and penalties.
Judge Underhill scheduled sentencing for March 12, 2020, at which time Palmieri faces a maximum term of imprisonment of two years, a fine, and restitution to the IRS.
Palmieri is released on bond pending sentencing.
This matter has been investigated by the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation Division. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher W. Schmeisser.
Bergen County Man Charged with Using Social Media to Threaten to Kill Federal AgentsRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A Bergen County, New Jersey, man was arrested this morning after using his Twitter account to threaten to kill agents of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito announced.
Carlos Alejandro Tariche, 22, of Edgewater, New Jersey, was arrested by agents of U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), and charged by complaint with one count of interstate communications containing threats to injure. He is scheduled to appear this afternoon before U.S. Magistrate Judge Cathy L. Waldor in Newark federal court.
According to the documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
On Dec. 11, 2019, Tariche used one of his Twitter accounts to post threats to ICE agents: “We need to kill all ICE agents.” He also posted: “Why can’t mass shootings occur at @ICEgov buildings them mfs need to get smoked.” Tariche also used his Twitter account to compare his feelings to that of Elliot Rodger, the individual who carried out a mass shooting at Isla Vista, California, murdering six people and shooting 14 others. Tariche also posted on Twitter: “You might’ve heard I paint houses,” a phrase that refers to murdering people and that was recently popularized by the movie, “The Irishman,” which depicts a mafia hitman.
Law enforcement officers were able to link Tariche to his Twitter account through an investigation of his social media accounts and the locations from where he logged onto his Twitter accounts.
The charge of interstate communications containing threats carries a statutory maximum sentence of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine, or twice the gain or loss from the offense.
U.S. Attorney Carpenito credited special agents of HSI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Brian Michael in Newark, with the investigation leading to today’s charge.
The government is represented by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Kendall Randolph of the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Organized Crime and Gangs Unit in Newark.
The charge and allegations in the complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Austin-Based Nigerian National Sentenced to Federal Prison for Role in Furthering a Conspiracy to Commit Money LaunderingRead the Press Release
In Austin today, a federal judge sentenced a Nigerian National residing in Austin to 78 months in federal prison for laundering more than $1.7 Million in Business Email Compromise (BEC) scam proceeds stolen from multiple companies, announced U.S. Attorney John F. Bash; Special Agent in Charge Shane Folden, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), San Antonio; and, Inspector in Charge Adrian Gonzalez, U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), Houston Division
In addition to the prison term, U.S. District Judge Robert Pitman ordered that 28-year-old Joseph Odibobhahemen pay $1,639,419.57 in restitution; pay a $1.5 million money judgment; and, be placed on supervised release for a period of three years after completing his prison term.
In a BEC scheme, scammers target businesses and individuals making wire transfer payments, often targeting employees with access to company finances. The scammers trick the employees into making wire transfer payments to bank accounts thought to belong to trusted partners—except the money ends up in accounts controlled by the fraudsters. Sometimes the scammers use computer intrusion techniques to alter legitimate payment request emails, changing the recipient bank accounts. Sometimes they send spoofed emails from email addresses similar to the real email accounts used by trusted partners.
On February 7, 2019, Odibobhahemen pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering. Odibobhahemen’s co-defendant in this indictment, Nosa Onaghise, pleaded guilty to one count of passport fraud on December 28, 2018. Onaghise, another Nigerian citizen residing in Austin, admitted to attempting to use a false, forged or counterfeit passport to open several bank accounts in the U.S. in April 2018. Onaghise faces up to ten years in federal prison. He remains in federal custody pending sentencing scheduled for 10:00am on February 19, 2020, before Judge Pitman.
Court records in this indictment (A18cr358), and the indictment also returned in Austin against four other coconspirators (A19cr78), show that between November 2016 and April 2019, over $10 million was allegedly sent by victims to accounts controlled by the conspirators, who were able to take in excess of $6 million before law enforcement or financial institutions stopped the fraudulent transfers. Odibobhahemen and the others acquired or controlled dozens of bank accounts opened in the U.S., including in Austin, utilizing fraudulent identification documents, including fraudulent foreign passports in fake names. Once the funds were fraudulently procured and deposited into these bogus accounts, the defendants worked quickly to withdraw or transfer the funds.
The four additional co-conspirators—Bameyi Omale, Chinonso Agbaji, Igho Calaba and Chibuzor Uba—have all pleaded guilty and await sentencing on January 30, 2020.
“This sentencing serves as a real warning to those who use deception to victimize our citizens while defrauding the financial system for personal gain,” said Shane Folden, special agent in charge for HSI San Antonio. “HSI is committed to pursuing thieves such as Mr. Odibobhahemen who brazenly enrich themselves through fraud. HSI will continue to utilize its broad investigative authorities to dismantle transnational criminal organizations who blatantly ignore the laws of this nation.”
Special agents with HSI and USPIS investigated this case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael Galdo and Keith Henneke are prosecuting this case on behalf of the Government.
Arlee man sent back to prison for illegal possession of firearmRead the Press Release
MISSOULA—An Arlee man with a felony record was sentenced today to five years in prison and three years of supervised release after he admitted to illegally possessing a firearm, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.
Gregory Scott Tolley, 59, pleaded guilty to felon in possession of a firearm in September.
U.S. District Judge Donald Molloy presided.
The prosecution said in court records that in December 2018, Tolley was arrested on a state court warrant for failure to appear. At the time, Tolley also was on state probation for felony theft. Officers searched the vehicle Tolley was driving and found a 9mm semi-automatic pistol and ammunition. In 1994, Tolley was convicted in federal District Court in Montana of being a felon in possession of a firearm and for possession of an unregistered firearm and sentenced to 13.5 years in prison. Tolley knew he could not possess firearms because he had signed firearm notification forms in 2007 and 2012, acknowledging that his felony convictions prohibited him from having firearms or ammunition.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Cyndee Peterson prosecuted the case, which was investigated by the FBI, Mineral County Sheriff’s Office, Montana Probation and Parole, the Montana Highway Patrol and the U.S. Marshals Service.
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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Thursday 19 December 2019
Worcester Man Sentenced for Child Pornography OffensesRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Worcester man was sentenced today in federal court in Worcester for possession of child pornography.
Michael Chapman, 63, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Timothy S. Hillman to 126 months in prison and seven years of supervised release. In September 2019, Chapman pleaded guilty to two counts of possession of child pornography.
On July 2 and 3, 2017, Chapman uploaded images depicting child pornography using his Skype account. He also possessed child pornography on Oct. 6, 2017, on his computer, which agents seized during the execution of a search warrant. Chapman is a registered Level 3 sex offender due to multiple prior convictions. In 2004, he was convicted of two counts of indecent assault and battery on a child under 14 and three counts of obscene material; in 1994, he was convicted of transporting in interstate commerce a visual depiction of a minor engaging in sexually explicit conduct; and, in 1984, he was convicted of rape of a child and four counts of lewd and lascivious acts.
United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling; Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Division; Jason Molina, Acting Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations, Boston Field Division; Colonel Christopher Mason, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police; and Worcester Police Chief Steven M. Sargent made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michelle L. Dineen Jerrett of Lelling’s Worcester Branch Office prosecuted the case.
The case is brought as part of Project Safe Childhood. In 2006, the Department of Justice created Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov/.
Wichita Man Sentenced in Theft of 75+ Cell PhonesRead the Press Release
WICHITA, KAN. - A Wichita man was sentenced today to 71 months in federal prison for a robbery in which more than 75 cell phones were stolen from a Sprint store, U.S. Attorney Stephen McAllister said.
Xavier Lopez, 26, Wichita, Kan., pleaded guilty to one count of robbery. In his plea, he admitted he served as a lookout while co-defendant Camarin McPherson, 26, Wichita, Kan., robbed a Sprint store at 530 S. West St. in Wichita. McPherson brandished a firearm and hog-tied a clerk with zip ties before taking 54 Apple iPhones and 24 Samsung Galaxy phones with a total estimated value of more than $60,000.
The robbers were arrested after a chase ended in a wreck at Kellogg and Meridian.
McPherson was sentenced last month to 162 months in federal prison. McAllister commended the Wichita Police Department, the FBI and Assistant U.S. Attorney Matt Treaster for their work on the case.
Wichita Man Pleads Guilty to Robbing BankRead the Press Release
WICHITA, KAN. - A Wichita man pleaded guilty today to robbing a bank, U.S. Attorney Stephen McAllister said.
Jeremy Vos, 21, Wichita, Kan., pleaded guilty to one count of bank robbery. In his plea, he admitted that on July 23, 2019, he robbed Intrust Bank at 5500 E. Harry. He gave the teller a handwritten note saying, “This is a robbery. No (dye) bags. I have a gun.” Police arrested Vos the same day as the robbery.
Wichita police reported Vos had made a false report to 911 shortly before the robbery.
Sentencing is set for March 6. He could face up to 20 years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000.
McAllister commended the Wichita Police Department, the FBI and Assistant U.S. Jason Hart for their work on the case.
White River Man Sentenced for Assaulting a Federal OfficerRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced that a White River, South Dakota, man convicted of Assaulting, Resisting, and Impeding a Federal Officer was sentenced on December 17, 2019, by U.S. District Judge Roberto A. Lange.
Tyler Standing Bear, a/k/a Ty Standing Bear, age 25, was sentenced to 18 months in federal prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release, and a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $100.
Standing Bear was indicted by a federal grand jury on May 14, 2019. He pled guilty on September 24, 2019.
The conviction stemmed from an incident that occurred in the Lower Swift Bear Community, near White River, on January 20, 2019. On that date, a Rosebud Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services Officer responded to a report of disturbance at a residence. The officer subsequently made contact with Standing Bear and informed him he was going to be placed under arrest on an outstanding warrant, at which point Standing Bear produced a knife. Standing Bear brandished the knife at the officer, ignored the officer’s commands to put the knife down and yelled at the officer to shoot him. Standing Bear then fled the residence on foot.
This case was investigated by the Rosebud Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kirk Albertson prosecuted the case.
Standing Bear was immediately turned over to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
West Mifflin Man Operated Marijuana Stash House in Squirrel Hill ApartmentRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, PA – A resident of West Mifflin, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty in federal court to charges related to drug trafficking, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced today.
Wayne Barker, age 61, pleaded guilty to two counts before Senior United States District Judge Arthur J. Schwab.
In connection with the guilty plea, the court was advised that the Greater Pittsburgh Safe Streets Task Force conducted a long-term investigation of drug trafficking in the Western District of Pennsylvania. In April of 2019, investigators obtained authorization for the interception of wire and electronic communications over a telephone operated by another member of the conspiracy, which continued through May of 2019.
Based in part upon intercepted communications, on May 24, 2019, law enforcement established surveillance in the vicinity of an apartment on Covode Street in the Squirrel Hill neighborhood of Pittsburgh, which was identified by investigators as a large-scale marijuana stash house operated by Barker. While conducting surveillance, law enforcement officials observed a Dodge Ram operated by another member of the conspiracy pull into the driveway of the apartment where several individuals unloaded boxes into the apartment and then loaded two additional boxes into the Dodge Ram. Investigators executed federal search warrants on the vehicle and the apartment, and seized $469,475 from the Dodge Ram. Additionally, the Court was informed that law enforcement seized 404 pounds of marijuana and an additional $5,012 from the apartment as well as vacuum sealers, a money counter and other items indicative of large-scale drug-trafficking.
Judge Schwab scheduled sentencing for May 12, 2020 at 10:00 AM. The law provides for a maximum sentence, as to each count, of not less than five and not more than 40 years in prison, a fine of not more than $5,000,000, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant. Mr. Barker remains on bond pending sentencing.
Assistant United States Attorney Rebecca L. Silinski is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation led the multi-agency investigation of this case, which also included the Drug Enforcement Administration, Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives, United States Marshals Fugitive Task Force, Allegheny County Sheriff’s Office, Allegheny County Police Department, Pennsylvania State Police, Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office Bureau of Narcotics, and the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police. Other assisting agencies include the Monroeville Police Department, Penn Hills Police Department, Wilkinsburg Police Department, and Allegheny County Adult Probation.
The investigation was funded by the federal Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force Program (OCDETF). The OCDETF program supplies critical federal funding and coordination that allows federal and state agencies to work together to successfully identify, investigate, and prosecute major interstate and international drug trafficking organizations and other criminal enterprises.
U.S. Attorney's Office Collects over $780 Million in Civil and Criminal Actions in Fiscal Year 2019Read the Press Release
DENVER – U.S. Attorney Jason R. Dunn announced today that the District of Colorado collected $781,336,222 in criminal and civil actions in Fiscal Year 2019. Of this amount, $7,222,012 was collected in criminal actions and $774,114,209 was collected in civil actions.
Additionally, the District of Colorado worked with other U.S. Attorney’s Offices and components of the Department of Justice to collect an additional $36,027,598 in cases pursued jointly by these offices. Of this amount, $36,496 was collected in criminal actions and $35,991,102 was collected in civil actions.
“The United States Attorney’s Office has Assistant U.S. Attorneys and collection specialists who have done an outstanding job of collecting money due to the federal government and to victims during the 2018 fiscal year,” said U.S. Attorney Jason Dunn. “This office will continue its focus on these important collection efforts.”
Included in the civil collections was a settlement with HSBC in which HSBC paid $765 million to settle claims related to its securitization and sale of residential mortgage-backed securities (RMBS) between 2005 and 2007. Federally-insured financial institutions and others suffered major losses from investing in RMBS issued and sold by HSBC. Under the settlement, HSBC paid $765 million as a civil penalty pursuant to the Financial Institutions Reform, Recovery and Enforcement Act.
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 Colorado, working with partner agencies and divisions, collected $7,058,761 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.
U.S. Attorney's Office Collects over $14.1 Million in Civil and Criminal Actions in Fiscal Year 2019, Doubling Collections from Fiscal Year 2018Read the Press Release
LAS VEGAS, Nev. – U.S. Attorney Nicholas A. Trutanich announced today that the District of Nevada collected $14,158,816.85 in criminal and civil actions in Fiscal Year 2019. Of this amount, $8,506,018.90 was collected in criminal actions and $5,652,797.95 was collected in civil actions. These amounts are approximately double the criminal and civil amounts that the District of Nevada collected in Fiscal Year 2018.
Additionally, the District of Nevada worked with other U.S. Attorney’s Offices and components of the Department of Justice to collect an additional $11,775,021.59 in cases pursued jointly by these offices. Of this amount, $1,200 was collected in criminal actions and $11,773,821.59 was collected in civil actions.
“The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Nevada is grateful for the extraordinary performance of the dedicated public servants in our Civil Division, particularly the Financial Litigation Unit and the Asset Forfeiture Unit,” said U.S. Attorney Trutanich. “Due to their efforts, our office is able to contribute significant funds for victim compensation, victim assistance, and law enforcement purposes.”
For example, in May, the District of Nevada recovered $1.76 million prior to sentencing as part of a joint criminal and civil case against pharmacy owner Nelson Mukuna. The matter arose out of allegations that Mukuna paid kickbacks to nurse practitioners, inducing them to prescribe medically unnecessary products to be filled at Mukuna’s pharmacy. In August, the District of Nevada also recovered $2.5 million as part of the settlement in the civil case of United States ex rel. Arik v. Nevada Heart & Vascular, Inc. That case was brought by a whistleblower under the False Claims Act and involved allegations that Nevada Heart & Vascular Center received kickbacks to order medically unnecessary genetics tests.
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.
Further, the U.S. Attorney’s office in the District of Nevada, working with partner agencies and divisions, collected $1,431,518 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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U.S. Attorney's Office Collects $4,754,430.93 in Civil and Criminal Actions in Fiscal Year 2019Read the Press Release
HAMMOND, IN – United States Attorney Thomas L. Kirsch II announced today that the Northern District of Indiana collected $4,754,430.93 in criminal and civil actions in Fiscal Year 2019. Of this amount, $2,135,723.55 was collected in criminal actions and $2,618,707.38 was collected in civil actions.
Additionally, the Northern District of Indiana worked with other U.S. Attorney’s Offices and components of the Department of Justice to collect an additional $2,675,024.32 in civil actions pursued jointly by these offices.
“Our financial litigation unit is great at using the tools they have available to locate and collect assets in our criminal and civil actions,” said U.S. Attorney Kirsch. “For individuals who are part of our court cases, that intend to conceal assets, we will do everything we can to make sure your debt to the U.S. is paid.”
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 Northern District of Indiana, working with partner agencies and divisions, collected $588,720 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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U.S. Attorney Davis Announces New Deputy Criminal ChiefRead the Press Release
BOISE – Assistant United States Attorney (AUSA) Christopher S. Atwood is now the District of Idaho’s Deputy Criminal Chief, announced U.S. Attorney Bart M. Davis.
Mr. Atwood is a graduate of the University of Idaho College of Law, where he served on law review and was a dean’s list student. After graduating law school in 2004, he clerked for Fourth Judicial District Court Judge Michael McLaughlin. In September 2005, he joined the Ada County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office, where he handled a number of major felony cases involving violent crime and drugs. In July 2012, he became the fourth Gang Special AUSA to work for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Idaho. In September 2015, he took the oath of office to become an Assistant U.S. Attorney. He served as the District of Idaho’s Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) and Reentry and Prevention Coordinator. He has also been an active criminal litigator throughout his tenure with the office, and will continue to litigate cases in addition to filling the role of Deputy Criminal Chief.
“In light of the office’s growth over the past several years and increasing workload, I am pleased that I am able to have a Deputy Criminal Chief to assist our Criminal Chief,” said U.S. Attorney Davis. “Chris brings an exceptional skillset to the management team and I look forward to working alongside him.”
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Two from Orange County Arrested on Federal Charges Stemming from Murder of Man Who Was Shot on Boat and Dumped into OceanRead the Press Release
SANTA ANA, California – Federal agents this morning arrested two Orange County residents on charges stemming from the slaying of a man who was shot in the head and dumped from a boat off the California coast.
The two defendants are named in federal criminal complaints filed late Wednesday and unsealed today that allege the victim was lured onto a boat in the Dana Point Harbor on October 14 with promises of an overnight fishing trip. The victim’s body was recovered from the Pacific Ocean several miles northwest of Oceanside on October 16. The San Diego County Medical Examiner’s Office determined that he was a homicide victim who drowned after being shot and suffering blunt force trauma.
The two defendants arrested this morning are:
- Hoang Xuan Le, also known as “Wayne,” 38, of Fountain Valley, an alleged drug trafficker, who is charged with first-degree murder; and
- Sheila Marie Ritze, 40, of San Juan Capistrano, a registered owner of the boat, who is charged with being an accessory after the fact.
Le and Ritze are expected to make their initial appearances this afternoon in United States District Court in Santa Ana.
“Le has confessed to a confidential human source that he took the victim out on the boat, confronted the victim about a debt owed, shot the victim, tied weights to the victim’s ankles, and sank the victim’s body in the ocean,” according to the affidavit in support of the criminal complaints.
The affidavit describes how Le told people, including the victim’s girlfriend, that he had decided at the last minute not to go on the fishing trip. But, nine days after the body was recovered, the confidential human source (CHS) contacted a member of the victim’s family to say Le had told a different story. During a meeting several days later that was recorded by investigators, the CHS reported that Le confessed to killing the victim because the victim owed Le $30,000 to $40,000. During a second meeting, the CHS expressed a willingness to work with law enforcement.
During a November 10 meeting at Le’s residence, the CHS, who was now working with law enforcement, purchased cocaine from Le, according to the affidavit. During this meeting, Le indicated a willingness to be a killer for hire. During subsequent meetings that were also recorded, Le sold more narcotics to the CHS, and Le again expressed a willingness to be hired as a hit man. Authorities found an AR-15-type rifle, a shotgun, and a crossbow at Le’s residence this morning.
Ritze is linked to the murder by information showing her phone was in the location of the harbor at the times the boat left and returned, and by surveillance tapes made at Dana Point Harbor showing three individuals – believed to be Ritze, Le and the victim – when the boat is launched, but showing only Ritze and Le when the boat returned hours later.
In addition to being one of two registered owners of the boat linked to the murder, Ritze allegedly surveyed surveillance cameras in the area around Dana Point Harbor soon after the murder and purchased a tracking device found after the murder on a vehicle belonging to the victim’s girlfriend, according to data retrieved from Ritze’s phone that is outlined in the affidavit.
A criminal complaint contains allegations that a defendant has committed a crime. Every defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty in court.
The first-degree murder charge against Le carries potential sentences of life without parole or the death penalty. The accessory after the fact charge against Ritze carries a statutory maximum sentence of fifteen years in federal prison.
This matter is being investigated by the FBI and the Coast Guard Investigative Service.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Greg Scally of the Santa Ana Branch Office.
Two Plead Guilty to Charges Related to Safe Streets Task Force Investigation into Drug Trafficking in Braddock areaRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, PA – Two more residents of Western Pennsylvania pleaded guilty in federal court to charges related to drug trafficking in connection with a large-scale investigation conducted by the Greater Pittsburgh Safe Streets Task Force, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced today.
Reginald Brown, 29, formerly of Glassport, PA, pleaded guilty to one count related to drug trafficking, before United States District Judge Arthur J. Schwab.
Gregory Luptak, 51, of North Huntingdon, PA, pleaded guilty to one count related to drug trafficking also before Judge Schwab.
In connection with the guilty pleas, the court was advised that the Greater Pittsburgh Safe Streets Task Force conducted a long-term investigation of drug trafficking occurring in and around the Braddock area. Reginald Brown, Gregory Luptak, and other individuals, were identified as members or associates of a neighborhood based street gang, self-titled "SCO", which illegally distributed controlled substances in the Greater Pittsburgh Region. In January of 2019, investigators obtained authorization to conduct a federal wire investigation, which continued through May of 2019.
As to Reginald Brown, the Court was informed that intercepted communications confirmed that Brown was conspiring with others to possess with intent to distribute and distribute controlled substances, namely cocaine base in the form commonly known as crack. Mr. Brown admitted, in conjunction with his guilty plea, that he is a member of "SCO." The court was further advised that on June 12, 2019, law enforcement executed a search warrant at his residence and located the following items from the kitchen cabinets indicative of drug-trafficking, including: several cell phones, a Ruger 9mm pistol with loaded magazine and chambered round, a digital scale, suspected crack cocaine, sandwich baggies and baking soda, as well as $5,490.00. The court accepted Mr. Brown’s guilty plea to conspiracy to distribute 28 grams or more of cocaine base, commonly known as crack, a Schedule II controlled substance, between August 2018 and May 2019.
As to Gregory Luptak, the Court was informed that intercepted communications confirmed that Luptak distributed large quantities of heroin. Mr. Luptak admitted, in conjunction with his guilty plea, that he was observed purchasing heroin at a stash house location on Seddon Avenue in Braddock, which he then distributed. The court accepted Luptak’s guilty plea to conspiracy to distribute 47 grams of heroin.
Judge Schwab scheduled sentencing for May 14, 2020, at 10:00 AM for Brown and May 18, 2020, at 10:00 AM for Luptak. For Brown, the law provides for a total sentence of not less than 5 years and not more than 40 years in prison, with a maximum fine of $5,000,000. For Luptak, the law provides for a total sentence of not more than 20 years in prison and a maximum fine of $1,000,000 at each count. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendants. Williams was previously ordered detained by the court and will remain incarcerated pending sentencing. Luptak was released on bond pursuant to the court’s prior order and will remain out on bond pending sentencing.
Assistant United States Attorney Rebecca L. Silinski is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation led the multi-agency investigation of this case, which also included the Drug Enforcement Administration, Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives, United States Marshals Fugitive Task Force, Allegheny County Sheriff’s Office, Allegheny County Police Department, Pennsylvania State Police, Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office Bureau of Narcotics, and the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police. Other assisting agencies include the Monroeville Police Department, Penn Hills Police Department, Wilkinsburg Police Department, and Allegheny County Adult Probation.
The investigation was funded by the federal Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force Program (OCDETF). The OCDETF program supplies critical federal funding and coordination that allows federal and state agencies to work together to successfully identify, investigate, and prosecute major interstate and international drug trafficking organizations and other criminal enterprises.
Two North Mississippi Men Sentenced for Production of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
OXFORD – In two separate cases, an Alcorn County man and a Prentiss County man were each sentenced to approximately 20 years in federal prison for production of child pornography.
Donald H. Hobbs, 39, of Alcorn County pled guilty to one count of production of child pornography on Aug. 21, 2019. Hobbs was sentenced to 240 months in federal prison followed by 15 years of supervised release by District Judge Debra M. Brown in United States District Court for the Northern District of Mississippi.
Jordan Bridges, 28, of Prentiss County pled guilty on July 24, 2019 to one count of production of child pornography. Bridges was sentenced to 235 months in federal prison and a lifetime of supervised release by Chief Judge Sharion Aycock in United States District Court for the Northern District of Mississippi.
On Sept. 20, 2018, the Alcorn County Sheriff's Department received a Cybertip report of possible online activity involving a 14-year-old being enticed to produce sexually explicit images. During an initial investigation by the Alcorn County Sheriff's Department, it was determined that Hobbs had been enticing a minor for the purpose of producing child pornography. Upon determining that there was evidence of online criminal activity, a request was made that the FBI Jackson’s Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force assist with the investigation.
On Nov. 3, 2018, the Prentiss County Sheriff's Department received a report of possible child molestation and child pornography. During the initial investigation it was determined that Bridges had been sexually assaulting and photographing a minor for the purpose of producing sexually explicit images of a child. The Prentiss County Sheriff's Department has an officer assigned full time to the FBI Jackson’s Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force, and he was contacted to assist with the investigation.
These investigations were worked jointly by the Alcorn County Sheriff’s Department, Prentiss County Sheriff’s Department and the FBI Jackson’s Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force, which is made up of special agents from the FBI and task force officers from the Mississippi Attorney General’s Office, Prentiss County Sheriff’s Department, Hinds County Sheriff’s Department and Southaven Police Department. The cases were prosecuted by AUSA Paul Roberts.
Two Men Indicted for Trafficking Heroin and Fentanyl in San Joaquin CountyRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned a seven-count indictment today against Frank Jonathan Guzman, 27, and Jose Cruz Ivan Aispuro, 34, both of Stockton, charging them with distributing heroin and fentanyl, possessing heroin and fentanyl for distribution, and conspiracy to do the same, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced.
According to court documents, between November 2018 and November 2019, Guzman met with an undercover agent four times. During three of the meetings, he sold the agent heroin, and during the fourth meeting, Guzman sold the agent approximately 500 pills containing fentanyl. Surveillance units saw Guzman meeting with Aispuro before and/or after each transaction. In all, law enforcement bought over a pound of heroin and 500 fentanyl pills from Guzman. When agents searched Guzman’s and Aispuro’s homes on Dec. 11, they found over 9.7 pounds of heroin and approximately 10,000 fentanyl pills in Guzman’s home, and another 10.9 pounds of heroin in Aispuro’s home.
This case is the product of an investigation by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration.
If convicted of the most significant charges, each defendant faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years in prison, and a maximum penalty of life in prison and a $10 million fine. Any sentence 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 several variables. These charges are only allegations; the defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Two Eagle Butte Men Sentenced for Possession with Intent to Distribute MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced that two Eagle Butte, South Dakota, men convicted of Possession with Intent to Distribute a Controlled Substance were sentenced on December 16, 2019, by U.S. District Judge Roberto A. Lange.
Terry Dillabaugh, age 70, was sentenced to 44 months in federal prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release, a $1,000 fine, and a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $100.
Frederick Dillabaugh, age 57, was sentenced to 36 months in federal prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release, a $1,000 fine, and a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $100.
Terry and Frederick Dillabaugh were indicted by a federal grand jury on May 15, 2018. They each pled guilty on September 24, 2019.
The convictions stemmed from an incident that occurred on February 13, 2018, where law enforcement received a call on the whereabouts of Terry who had an outstanding tribal warrant. The Cheyenne River Sioux Tribal Law Enforcement Services responded and found Terry and Frederick in possession of 66.83 grams of methamphetamine, which they tried to conceal from law enforcement.
This case was investigated by the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services. Assistant U.S. Attorney Meghan N. Dilges prosecuted the case.
Both defendants were immediately turned over to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Two Anchorage Men Charged for their Roles in the December 2019 Armed Robbery of Wells Fargo BankRead the Press Release
Anchorage, Alaska – U.S. Attorney Bryan Schroder announced that two Anchorage men have been charged for their roles in the December 2019 armed robbery of a Wells Fargo Bank, N.A., branch located at 5740 Debarr Road in Anchorage.
Totoe Opeti Sakaria, Jr., 22, of Anchorage, was named in the indictment charging him with bank robbery, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence, and for being a felon in possession of a firearm. His co-defendant, Brandon David McDonald, 23, of Anchorage, has been charged with accessory after the fact to bank robbery.
According to documents filed in the case, on Dec. 4, 2019, two masked men entered the bank and ordered the security guard and bank manager to get on the ground. One of the men approached a teller and demanded money, obtaining $2,624. The other man held a shotgun and demanded that everyone get, and stay, on the ground. Sakaria and McDonald were identified as suspects through still photos from surveillance footage that were released to the public. Two days later, on Dec. 6, 2019, FBI special agents recovered the shotgun from the crawlspace of a residence associated with McDonald.
If the public has any further information regarding this investigation, please contact Anchorage FBI at (907) 276-4441.
If convicted, Sakaria faces a maximum sentence of up to 25 years in federal prison, for the most serious charges alleged. McDonald faces a maximum penalty of up to 12.5 years in federal prison for the charge alleged. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, any sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendants.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and Anchorage Police Department (APD) conducted the investigation leading to the charges in this case. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Allison O’Leary.
The charges in the indictment are merely allegations, and the defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Troy Man Arraigned on Wire Fraud and Embezzlement ChargesRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – John R. Paeglow III, age 63, of Troy, New York, was arraigned today on 10 counts of wire fraud, and one count of embezzling funds from an employee benefit plan.
The announcement was made by United States Attorney Grant C. Jaquith and Michael C. Mikulka, Special Agent in Charge, New York Region, United States Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General (DOL-OIG).
Paeglow was arraigned today in Albany before United States Magistrate Judge Christian F. Hummel, and released on conditions pending trial before Senior United States District Judge Frederick J. Scullin, Jr.
According to the indictment, Paeglow fraudulently solicited and received over $400,000 on behalf of his now-closed Castleton, New York-based book printing business Integrated Book Technology, Inc./Hamilton Printing (“IBT/Hamilton”), by orchestrating the submission of fraudulent invoices and forged shipping documents to a New Jersey-based commercial finance company. Paeglow obtained funding based on his false promises that he expected payment for the sales of books that, in fact, had not been sold or shipped.
Paeglow is also charged with embezzling employee contributions to his company’s health plan.
The charges in the indictment are merely accusations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
The charges filed against Paeglow carry a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, a fine of up to the greater of $250,000 or twice the pecuniary gain to the defendant or the loss to any victim, and a term of supervised release of up to 3 years. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other factors.
This case is being jointly investigated by the U.S. DOL-OIG and the New York State Police Financial Crimes Unit, and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Emmet J. O’Hanlon.
Trial Jury Finds New Orleans Man Guilty of Being a Felon in Possession of FirearmsRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS - U.S. Attorney Peter G. Strasser announced that on December 17, 2019, a federal jury returned a guilty verdict against DAMIEN JUSTIN, age 42, relating to being a prohibited person in possession of two (2) firearms.
According to the evidence presented at trial, on January 10, 2019, the Violent Crime Task Force for the Federal Bureau of Investigation executed a search warrant at 11416 North Easterlyn Circle, New Orleans, Louisiana. Inside this residence, members of the Task Force located a loaded Glock Model 27, .40 caliber semi-automatic pistol and a loaded Smith & Wesson Model Lady Smith, .38 caliber revolver in a nightstand next to JUSTIN’s bed. JUSTIN later admitted that he used the Glock and the Smith & Wesson revolver in the nightstand for his protection.
At the conclusion of a two-day trial, the jury found JUSTIN guilty of the sole count of the Superseding Indictment. JUSTIN faces up to a maximum of ten (10) years imprisonment. Sentencing in this matter is scheduled for April 7, 2020.
Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
United States Attorney Strasser praised the work of the FBI New Orleans Violent Crime Task Force which led this investigation.
Assistant United States Attorneys Duane A. Evans and Andre Jones are in charge of the prosecution.
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Three People from Rapid City Sentenced for Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled SubstanceRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced that two Rapid City, South Dakota, men and a Rapid City, South Dakota, woman convicted of Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance were sentenced by U.S. District Judge Karen E. Schreier.
Joshua Kudlock, age 32, was sentenced to 120 months in federal prison, followed by 5 years of supervised release, and a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $100. Kudlock was sentenced on December 16, 2019.
David Brandon Pauly, age 31, was sentenced to 120 months in federal prison, followed by 5 years of supervised release, and a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $100. Pauly was sentenced on October 9, 2019.
Serena Renea Rodriguez, age 33, was sentenced to 78 months in federal prison, followed by 4 years of supervised release, and a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $100. Rodriguez was sentenced on October 21, 2019.
Kudlock, Pauly, and Rodriguez were indicted by a federal grand jury on May 8, 2019. Kudlock pled guilty on September 23, 2019, Pauly pled guilty on July 16, 2019, and Rodriguez pled guilty on July 23, 2019.
The conviction stemmed from incidents beginning on an unknown date and continuing until approximately February 5, 2019, when Kudlock, along Pauly and Rodriguez came to an understanding to distribute 500 grams or more of a mixture or substance containing methamphetamine in the District of South Dakota.
At the time they joined in the agreement to distribute methamphetamine, they knew the purpose of the agreement or understanding.
On January 3, 2019, a vehicle they were all riding in for the purpose of making a drug run was stopped in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, and searched by law enforcement. Inside the vehicle, officers located approximately five pounds of methamphetamine.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Sioux Falls Area Drug Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer D. Mammenga prosecuted the case.
Kudlock, Pauly, and Rodriguez were immediately turned over to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Three Men Extradited for Overseeing Call Centers that Threatened and Defrauded Spanish-Speaking U.S. ConsumersRead the Press Release
Three Peruvian men were extradited today to the United States, where they stand accused of operating a large fraud and extortion scheme, the Department of Justice and U.S. Postal Inspection Service announced.
Johnny Enso Hidalgo Marchan, 40, of Lima, Peru; Francesco Flabio Guerra Perez, 24, of Lima, Peru; and Rodolfo Hermoza Vega, 45, of Cajamarca, Peru, will face federal charges in Miami, Florida. The three men were arrested on July 28, 2016, by Peruvian authorities based on a U.S. indictment. All three have remained incarcerated in Peru since that time.
“The Department of Justice’s Consumer Protection Branch will pursue and prosecute transnational criminals who defraud U.S. consumers, wherever they are,” said Assistant Attorney General Jody Hunt for the Department of Justice’s Civil Division. “Those who target and threaten U.S. consumers by phone will not escape justice by placing their calls from abroad. I thank the Republic of Peru for extraditing these individuals to face charges here in the United States.”
“Individuals who defraud American consumers will be brought to justice, no matter where they are located,” said U.S. Attorney Ariana Fajardo Orshan for the Southern District of Florida. “Protecting the elderly and vulnerable members of our community from schemes, such as this one, is a top priority of this Office and the Department of Justice.”
“The U.S. Postal Inspection Service will not allow overseas criminal enterprises to illegally enrich themselves by using the mail to defraud consumers in the United States,” said Miami Division Inspector in Charge, Antonio J. Gomez. “With the continued cooperation of foreign governments these criminals will be aggressively pursued and brought to justice.”
Hidalgo, Guerra, and Hermoza allegedly managed and operated Peruvian call centers called Everglades, which were based in Lima and Cajamarca, Peru, and which worked in partnership with Angeluz Florida Corporation in Miami. According to the indictment, Hidalgo, Guerra, and Hermoza, and their employees in Peru used Internet-based telephone calls to lie to and threaten Spanish-speaking victims in the United States. The callers falsely accused the victims of having failed to accept delivery of certain products and claimed that the victims owed thousands of dollars in fines and that court proceedings would be brought against them. In reality, the victims — many of whom were elderly — had never ordered these products and nothing had been delivered.
The indictment alleges that the defendants and their call center employees claimed that the consumers could resolve the supposed debts and fines if they immediately paid a “settlement fee.” Consumers who contested these settlement fees were told that failure to pay could lead to harmed credit, arrest, deportation, or seizure of property.
A 37-count federal indictment was filed against the defendants in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida in June 2015 and was unsealed upon the defendants’ extradition to the United States. Hidalgo, Guerra, and Hermoza were charged with conspiracy, mail fraud, and wire fraud. Hidalgo and Guerra also face attempted extortion charges.
An indictment merely alleges that crimes have been committed. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Two individuals previously were brought to justice in connection with this scheme. In 2014, charges were brought against Angeluz and Everglades owner-operators, Maria Luzula, of Miami and Juan Alejandro Rodriguez Cuya, of Lima, Peru. Luzula pleaded guilty to all counts against her midway through trial and was sentenced to serve 165 months in prison. Rodriguez Cuya was convicted following a two-week trial. U.S. District Court Judge Patricia A. Seitz sentenced Rodriguez Cuya to serve 210 months in prison.
The case is being prosecuted by Trial Attorney Phil Toomajian of the Department of Justice’s Consumer Protection Branch. The U.S. Postal Inspection Service investigated the case. The Criminal Division’s Office of International Affairs, the U.S. Attorney’s Office of the Southern District of Florida, the Diplomatic Security Service, and the Peruvian National Police provided critical assistance.
Since President Trump signed the bipartisan Elder Abuse Prevention and Prosecution Act (EAPPA) into law, the Department of Justice has participated in hundreds of enforcement actions in criminal and civil cases that targeted or disproportionately affected seniors. In particular, this past March the Department announced the largest elder fraud enforcement action in American history, charging more than 260 defendants in a nationwide elder fraud sweep. The Department has likewise conducted hundreds of trainings and outreach sessions across the country since the passage of the Act.
More information about the Department’s efforts to help American seniors is available at its Elder Justice Initiative webpage. For more information about the Consumer Protection Branch and its enforcement efforts, visit its website at https://www.justice.gov/civil/consumer-protection-branch. Elder fraud complaints may be filed with the FTC at www.ftccomplaintassistant.gov or at 877-FTC-HELP. The Department of Justice provides a variety of resources relating to elder fraud victimization through its Office for Victims of Crime, which can be reached at https://www.ovc.gov.
Temple Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Sex Trafficking Two MinorsRead the Press Release
In Waco today, a federal judge sentenced 26-year-old Riheem Rexdual Robinson (aka “Phat”) to 260 months in federal prison for sex trafficking two minors, announced U.S. Attorney John F. Bash and FBI Special Agent in Charge Christopher Combs, San Antonio Division, and Interim Temple Police Chief Jim Tobin.
In addition to the prison term, U.S. District Judge Alan Albright ordered that Robinson pay a $2,000 fine and be placed on supervised release for a period of ten years after completing his prison term.
On August 6, 2019, Robinson pleaded guilty to two counts of sex trafficking of children. By pleading guilty, Robinson admitted that in April 2012, he recruited, enticed, harbored and transported a minor and caused that minor to engage in a commercial sex act for which Robinson profited financially. Robinson also admitted to committing the same acts with a second minor in October 2016.
“Our children are our nation’s most precious resource,” said FBI San Antonio Division Special Agent in Charge Christopher Combs. “Those who would recruit and exploit them for the purpose of underage prostitution will have to answer for their despicable crimes, and that’s the strong message that was sent in today’s sentencing.”
The FBI and the Temple Police Department investigated this case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Mary Kucera and Greg Gloff prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
Stockton Man Sentenced to over 7 Years in Prison for Firearms OffensesRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Marquez Jeter, 42, of Stockton, was sentenced today to seven years and eight months in prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced.
According to court documents, on March 13, Jeter sold a Glock pistol to a confidential informant in exchange for $1,200. On April 10, 2019, Jeter offered the confidential informant access to a new supply of firearms. The next day, Jeter sold him 15 guns for $16,500. Jeter is a previously convicted felon and cannot lawfully possess firearms.
This case was the product of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael W. Redding prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. The Department of Justice reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally based strategies to reduce violent crime. 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.
Stamford Man Sentenced to 9 Years in Federal Prison for Surgical Glove Investment SchemeRead the Press Release
John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that THOMAS J. CONNERTON, 67, of Stamford, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Stefan R. Underhill in Bridgeport to 108 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for operating an investment scheme that defrauded more than 70 individuals, including several women he met on a dating website, of more than $2 million.
According to the evidence presented during his trial, Connerton was the founder, president, and CEO of Safety Technologies, LLC (“Safety Tech”), a Connecticut company that had its principal place of business at various times in Simsbury, Madison, Westport and Stamford. Safety Tech was founded in 2006, purportedly for the purpose of developing and commercializing what was represented to be a highly durable puncture and cut resistant material that was to be used in the surgical glove market and other related markets. Safety Tech had not obtained any patents from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, and Connerton did not register Safety Tech’s securities with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”).
Beginning in approximately June 2009, Connerton induced victim-investors to provide him funds and to purchase Safety Tech securities by falsely representing that the valuation of Safety Tech was realistically in the tens or hundreds of millions of dollars, that a lucrative deal to sell or license his glove technology was imminent, and that he would use their funds for research and development, product testing, and to bring the product to market. Connerton offered his investors small amounts of equity in Safety Tech through “Subscription Agreements” or investments contracts through which he sold what he described as “Units.”
Several of the victim-investors were women who were drawn into the scheme after Connerton met them on a popular dating website.
Connerton made numerous other false representations to victim-investors, including stating in September 2015, “I will go on the record to state that there is not a single investor that will lose one dollar invested in Safety Technologies.”
Even though Connerton represented to victim-investors and potential victim-investors that the funds they invested would be used to fund research and development, for product testing, for business expenses and for legal fees, he used invested funds to pay personal expenses including, on two separate occasions, to purchase two diamond engagement rings from Tiffany & Co. Connerton also used funds to repay loans to an earlier investor.
Through this scheme, Connerton defrauded more than 70 victim-investors of more than $2.2 million.
The investigation also revealed that Connerton engaged in monetary transactions in an attempt to conceal from the FBI and the SEC the nature and source of funds received by Safety Tech from the sale of Safety Tech securities. Connerton negotiated checks and purchased bank checks in order to move the fraudulent proceeds from one account to another.
The investigation further revealed that Connerton willfully failed to pay $293,033 in federal income taxes between 2003 and 2015.
On September 17, 2018, a jury found Connerton guilty of 12 counts of wire fraud, one count of mail fraud, 16 counts of securities fraud, four counts of money laundering and one count of tax evasion.
The government is seeking full restitution for the victim-investors and forfeiture of the two engagement rings that Connerton purchased with proceeds of the fraud scheme. Connerton also owes more than $500,000 in back taxes, interest and penalties. Restitution will be determined after additional court proceedings.
Connerton has been detained since his arrest on March 9, 2017.
This matter was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation Division.
U.S. Attorney Durham also acknowledged the important assistance of the Securities and Exchange Commission.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael S. McGarry and Lauren C. Clark.
Springfield Woman Sentenced for Theft of Government FundsRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced that a Springfield, South Dakota, woman convicted of Theft of Government Funds was sentenced on December 16, 2019, by U.S. District Judge Karen E. Schreier.
Shelly Linn Jones-Hegge, age 44, was sentenced to 5 years of probation, restitution in the amount of $27,484.43 to the Social Security Administration, $21,210.18 to South Dakota Medicaid, and $6,060.00 to South Dakota SNAP, for a total of $54,754.61, and a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $100.
Jones-Hegge was indicted by a federal grand jury on December 4, 2018. She pled guilty on September 26, 2019.
The conviction stemmed from incidents between December 3, 2013, and July 1, 2017, when Jones-Hegge willfully and knowingly embezzled, stole and purloined money from departments or agencies of the United States, namely, Title XVI program benefits payments made to her stepdaughter, which are administered by the U.S. Social Security Administration.
In approximately December 2013, Jones-Hegge applied for Title XVI supplemental security income program benefits payments (SSI) for her stepdaughter. In the application, she stated that she lived with three minor children: her own two children and her stepdaughter. Jones-Hegge did not disclose that her husband—the biological father of her stepdaughter—was living in the same residence with them. Jones-Hegge was well-aware that her husband lived with them and was earning money from his employment, and that his earnings would factor into whether her stepdaughter was eligible to receive SSI benefits.
In March 2014, her stepdaughter was awarded SSI, and Jones-Hegge was appointed to be her representative payee. She began receiving benefits payments on behalf of her stepdaughter. In multiple reviews with the Social Security Administration and the South Dakota Department of Social Services, she repeatedly concealed that her husband was living in the same residence as her and her stepdaughter in order to continue receiving benefits to which she would not have otherwise been entitled. The value of the benefits received by the Defendant exceeded $1,000.
This case was investigated by the Social Security Administration, Cooperative Disability Investigation Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ann M. Hoffman prosecuted the case.
Spearfish Man Sentenced on Conspiracy ChargeRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced that a Spearfish, South Dakota, man convicted of Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance was sentenced by Chief Judge Jeffrey L. Viken, U.S. District Court.
Jacob Papka, age 25, was sentenced on December 17, 2019, to 5 years in federal prison, followed by 4 years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
The conviction stemmed from Papka obtaining heroin and distributing it to others between February 2017 and February 2019 near Spearfish.
The investigation was conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Spearfish Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin Patterson prosecuted the case.
Papka was immediately turned over to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
South Windsor Couple Charged with Defrauding Immigrant Clients, USCISRead the Press Release
John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that a federal grand jury in New Haven has returned an indictment yesterday charging BABAR KHAN, 41, and KHATIJA KHAN, 38, both of South Windsor, with offenses related to scheme through which individuals seeking immigration services were defrauded.
The Khans were arrested today. They appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Robert A. Richardson and were released on $50,000 bonds.
As alleged in the indictment, Babar and Khatija Khan, who are married, operated JLLAS CORP. and EIMAAN LLC, which were created to provide services to clients involved in proceedings with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (“USCIS”). Between approximately May 2015 and January 2018, the Khans recruited clients who sought some form of immigration status, relief or benefit. Many of these clients are aliens residing in the U.S. without legal status and had limited education, a limited ability to understand English, and little to no knowledge of the documents that the Khans were filing with USCIS on their behalf.
The indictment alleges that Khatija Khan represented herself as an attorney with a background in immigration matters, even though she was not an attorney. The Khans prepared petitions and applications for their clients that contained information that they knew to be false. They also fabricated false documents to support their clients’ applications with USCIS without their clients’ knowledge. They then mailed, or caused to be mailed, these fraudulent applications and documents to USCIS, where they were received and made part of the official Alien file of each respective client.
It is alleged that many of the Khans’ clients received no relief from USCIS despite paying the Khans significant amounts of money.
The indictment charges Babar Kahn with one count of conspiracy to commit mail fraud, two counts of mail fraud and one count of filing a false tax return. Khatija Khan is charged with one count of conspiracy to commit mail fraud and one count of mail fraud. The conspiracy and fraud charges carry a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years, and the tax charge carries a maximum term of imprisonment of three years.
U.S. Attorney Durham stressed that an indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. Charges are only allegations and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This matter is being investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), and the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation Division, with assistance from U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Hal Chen.
Individuals who believe they have been victimized by this scheme contact Ines Cenatiempo, Victim-Witness Coordinator of the U.S. Attorney’s Office, at [email protected] or by phone at 203-821-3757.
Sioux Falls Man Indicted for Failure to Register as a Sex OffenderRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced that a Sioux Falls, South Dakota, man has been indicted by a federal grand jury for Failure to Register as a Sex Offender.
Cletus Gerald Williams, III, a/k/a C.J. Williams, age 23, was indicted on December 10, 2019. He appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Mark A. Moreno on December 13, 2019, and pled not guilty to the Indictment.
The maximum penalty upon conviction is up to 10 years in custody and/or a $250,000 fine, 5 years of supervised release, and $100 to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Restitution may also be ordered.
Williams was convicted of Sexual Abuse of a Minor in April 2017. As a result of this conviction, he is required to register as a sex offender. It is alleged that between September 23, 2019, and October 27, 2019, Williams, a person required to register under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act, and a sex offender by reason of conviction under Federal Law, failed to properly register as a sex offender and update his registration.
The charge is merely an accusation and Williams is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
The investigation is being conducted by the U.S. Marshals Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kirk Albertson is prosecuting the case.
Williams was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending trial. A trial date has not been set.
Sioux Falls Man Charged with Theft of Government Funds, False Statement, and Concealment of Information from SSI ProgramRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced that a Sioux Falls, South Dakota, man has been indicted by a federal grand jury for Theft of Government Funds, False Statement, and Concealment of Information from SSI Program.
Robert Anthony Brannon, age 29, was indicted on December 3, 2019. He appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Veronica L. Duffy on December 17, 2019, and pled not guilty to the Indictment.
The maximum penalty upon conviction is up to 10 years in federal prison and/or a $250,000 fine, 3 years of supervised release, and up to $300 to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Restitution may also be ordered.
The Indictment alleges that between October 2015 and February 2019, Brannon, willfully and knowingly embezzled, stole, and purloined money from Title XVI program benefits payments made to himself and his wife. Title XVI is administered by the Social Security Administration.
The Indictment also alleges that on or about November 1, 2018, Brannon knowingly made false statements and representations in a Social Security Administration non-medical review - that is he reported he was not working and earning wages.
Finally, between October 2015 and February 2019, Brannon falsely reported that he was not working and continued to intentionally conceal and fail to disclose his wages, in order to continue to receive and spend SSI benefits payments made by the Social Security Administration to him and his wife.
The charges are merely accusations and Brannon is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
The investigation is being conducted by the Social Security Administration, Cooperative Disability Investigation Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ann M. Hoffman is prosecuting the case.
Brannon was released on bond pending trial. A trial date has not been set.
Shreveport Man Indicted for Homicide of U.S. Postal Service Employee and Federal Firearms OffensesRead the Press Release
SHREVEPORT, La. – United States Attorney David C. Joseph announced that a federal grand jury in Shreveport returned a three-count indictment on December 18, 2019, charging Michael Jarred Gentry, 32, of Shreveport, with second degree murder, felon in possession of a firearm, and discharging a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence, resulting in death. Local authorities arrested Gentry on June 22, 2019, in connection with the death of Antonio Williams, a U.S. Postal Service Letter Carrier. Gentry has been in custody since his arrest.
According to the indictment, Gentry shot and killed Antonio Williams on the morning of June 22, 2019, while Mr. Williams was working his mail delivery route on Dudley Drive in Shreveport. The indictment further charges that Gentry was a felon at the time he possessed the Romarm/Cugir WASR-10 and ammunition used in furtherance of the second degree murder charge. Gentry is a convicted felon and under federal law, it is illegal for him to possess a firearm or ammunition.
Michael Gentry is scheduled to be arraigned on January 9, 2020, before U.S. Magistrate Judge Mark L. Hornsby. If convicted, Michael Jarred Gentry faces up to life in prison for the second degree murder charge, 10 years in prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm, and 10 years in prison for discharging a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence.
The U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Shreveport Police Department, and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) investigated the case. U.S. Attorney David C. Joseph and Assistant U.S. Attorney Brandon B. Brown are prosecuting the case. The Caddo Parish District Attorney’s Office also has pending homicide charges against Gentry and is working collaboratively with the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the prosecution of this matter.
An indictment is merely an accusation and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
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