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21 January 2020
Accomplice to Armed Robbery of United States Postal Letter Carrier Sentenced to 9 ½ Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
Memphis, TN – In October 2019, a federal jury convicted Wendy Thomas, 39. Thomas has now been sentenced to 114 months imprisonment for robbery of mail, money or other property of the United States and use of a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence. U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant announced the sentence today.
According to information presented in court, on November 21, 2016, at approximately 12:50 p.m., U.S. Postal Inspectors responded to the robbery of a U.S. Postal Service Letter Carrier in the area of 890 Baltic Street. The gunman approached the letter carrier and pointed a semi-automatic handgun as she was placing her mail satchel in her postal truck.
The suspect asked for cash or checks that were in the vehicle. He then went through the mail and took several envelopes and packages. As the suspect was leaving, he threatened the letter carrier and told her "to stay back, don’t move until I leave or I am going to blow your damn head off." The gunman fled in a blue 2005 Toyota Matrix. Investigators later determined that Wendy Thomas was the getaway driver and that Jamal Cherry was the gunman.
The robbery was captured by a nearby home surveillance video camera. Surveillance video footage depicts Cherry exiting the Toyota Matrix to rob the letter carrier. The video then showed Thomas slide from the passenger side of the vehicle to the driver's side to ready herself for Cherry's return. When Cherry completed the robbery, Thomas sped off from the scene in the Toyota Matrix. During an interview with U.S. Postal Inspectors, Thomas admitted to being on the scene and driving Cherry away from the robbery.
On September 15, 2017, Cherry pled guilty to the armed robberies of two U.S. Postal Service letter carriers and received a sentence of 13 years in federal prison.
On January 16, 2020, U.S. District Court Judge Thomas L. Parker sentenced Thomas to 114 months in federal prison followed by 3 years supervised release.
U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant said, "This office takes very seriously our duty to protect the safety of United States Postal Service employees and the sanctity and security of the U.S. Mail. Armed robberies of Postal carriers are brazen and disturbing acts of violence that attack our government institutions and terrorize our community, and must be met with significant consequences. These dangerous offenders have sown violence and greed, and as a result of these sentences, they will now reap the full measure of consequences for their criminal conduct."
"We are very pleased with this sentence, as we think it adequately reflects the serious and dangerous nature of the crime involved. A large part of the Postal Inspection Service mission is assuring the safety of postal employees. These types of crimes against postal employees are rare, but when they do occur, they are the top priority for us," said David McGinnis, Inspector-In-Charge of the Charlotte Division.
The United States Postal Inspection Service investigated this case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Marques Young prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
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20 January 2020
Statement from Attorney General William P. Barr on Martin Luther King Jr. DayRead the Press Release
Attorney General William P. Barr issued the following statement:
Today, we honor the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere,” Dr. King wrote in his famous letter while confined to a narrow cell in the Birmingham city jail. In the face of grave intolerance, Dr. King exemplified great moral and physical courage, playing a seminal role in the fight for civil rights and leading our nation to a better destiny. As the Department of Justice celebrates its sesquicentennial year, let us be motivated by the example of Dr. King, always seeking and striving for the fair and impartial administration of justice for all Americans.
19 January 2020
Former Milton Mayor and Ex-Head of United Way of Santa Rosa County Sentenced to Federal Prison for Fraud and Tax EvasionRead the Press Release
PENSACOLA, FLORIDA – Guyland W. Thompson, a former mayor of Milton, Florida, and ex-executive director of the United Way of Santa Rose County, today was sentenced to 51 months in federal prison after pleading guilty to wire fraud and tax evasion. Thompson, 65, of Milton, was ordered to forfeit $221,868.28 seized from his bank accounts and pay an additional money judgment of
$430,132.33. Restitution will be decided at a later hearing. The sentence was announced today by
Lawrence Keefe, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.Thompson pled guilty last May to 20 counts of wire fraud and three counts of tax evasion stemming from his embezzlement of funds from United Way of Santa Rosa County while he ran the organization.
Between at least 2011 and 2018, Thompson embezzled over $650,000 from the charity. He used his position and access to the charity’s records and bank accounts to steal money from the charity for years by conducting a series of complicated financial transactions to cover his tracks. He also made false representations to board members, employees, bank tellers, and United Way Worldwide to keep his fraud undetected for so long. Thompson then failed to report to the Internal Revenue
Service the extra income from his embezzlement scheme.“These crimes affected not only an outstanding charitable organization, but also the many individuals who depended on multiple nonprofits to help them deal with day-to-day challenges. This defendant violated the trust of all these innocent victims, and this sentence reflects the harm he did to so many,” U.S. Attorney Keefe said.
As a result of Thompson’s crimes, United Way of Santa Rosa County lost its charter with the international organization and was forced to close. The restitution Thompson was ordered to pay will be divided between United Way of Santa Rosa County and 15 local charities that previously had been supported by it.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Internal Revenue
Service-Criminal Investigations. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney
Alicia H. Forbes.The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of
Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.This marks the 150th anniversary of the Department o Justice. Learn more about the history of our agency at www.Justice.gov/Celebrating150Years.
17 January 2020
Woman sent to federal prison for smuggling pure methRead the Press Release
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – A 31-year-old Huntsville, Alabama, woman has been ordered to prison following her conviction for knowingly attempting to smuggle 20 pounds of pure meth, announced U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Patrick.
Guadalupe Inostroza-Diaz pleaded guilty Sept. 26, 2019.
Today, Senior U.S. District Judge Janis Graham Jack handed Inostroza-Diaz a 70-month sentence to be immediately followed by five years of supervised release. At the hearing, the court noted that even though Inostroza-Diaz had no prior criminal history and only played a minor role in the drug distribution scheme, a sentence of more than five years was appropriate for trafficking meth.
On June 21, 2019, Inostroza-Diaz drove a white Nissan Altima into the primary inspection area of the Border Patrol (BP) checkpoint near Falfurrias. An X-ray search of the vehicle revealed bundles of meth concealed within the walls of an ice chest located in the car’s trunk.
Laboratory analysis later confirmed the substance in the bundles was 100% pure meth totaling 12 kilograms with a street value of more than $919,000.
She has been and will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
The Drug Enforcement Administration conducted the investigation with the assistance of BP. Assistant U.S. Attorney (AUSA) Robert D. Thorpe Jr. and former AUSA Julie K. Hampton prosecuted the case.
United States Attorney D. Michael Dunavant Statement 2019 Memphis Crime Data and Violent Crime Reduction Strategies and OperationsRead the Press Release
Memphis, TN -We are pleased to join together today as the leaders of federal, state, and local law-enforcement agencies in Memphis and Shelby County to announce the crime statistics for 2019 in the City of Memphis. Special thanks goes to Deputy Chief Don Crowe at the Memphis Police Department for compiling and making these crime statistics available for our use and analysis on a regular basis. As you will see from the reported numbers, we are pleased to announce that overall Part I crime decreased by 6.3% in all precincts of the city, and in most major categories. Violent crime also decreased by 8.2% in 2019, adding to a two-year total decrease of 13.1% since 2017.
While none of us can take individual credit for these positive public safety outcomes, these numbers represent the collective work, vision, collaboration, and coordination of resources, specialties, and priorities of all of the law-enforcement agencies assembled here today. These significant decreases in major violent crime categories demonstrate that our policies, initiatives, and task force models are working to target and remove the most violent and repeat offenders from our community, which in turn improves overall public safety for law abiding citizens.
Three years ago, all of these agencies committed to participation in the Public Safety Partnership, also known as PSP, where the Department of Justice provided training and technical assistance for us to develop data-driven best practices and coordinated policies to drive down violent crime. We are now starting to see the positive fruits of our labors, and these numbers are more than just tough on crime or smart on crime rhetoric. These quantitative measures represent real lives saved, real victims avoided, and better quality of life for citizens, neighborhoods, and businesses in Memphis. To quote the Mayor, Memphis has Momentum in many areas, and now that momentum includes violent and overall crime reduction in a sustained and meaningful way. The anecdotal stories of crime that we often tell are now confirmed by the statistical results of our labor.
Reducing violent crime requires comprehensive and collaborative strategies. It also takes courage from all law enforcement agencies to find solutions that work, and commitment to follow through with them with sustainable approaches and long-term investments. This group of law enforcement leaders has done just that.
When armed carjacking incidents spiked in Memphis and Shelby County over 65% in late 2017, we launched the Carjacking Initiative to coordinate investigations and prosecutions, and as a result, carjacking incidents have decreased this past year by 12.1%.
The FBI Safe Streets Task Force has gotten back to the basics of response to and investigation of armed bank and business robberies, dramatically increasing the clearance rate of those cases. As a result, the incident rate of business robberies declined by 25.8% in 2019.
In August, 2019, the U.S. Marshals Service conducted a joint initiative with all of these agencies known as "Operation Bluff City Blues", which arrested 214 fugitives, many of whom had outstanding warrants for violent crimes. That successful operation included a total of 79 identified gang members, 65 individuals for aggravated assault, 34 individuals for homicide, 69 individuals for weapons offenses, and 40 individuals for drug offenses.
Over the last 2 years, the Department of Justice has invested resources into Memphis to combat violent crime, and we are using them effectively. The ATF has established a Crime Gun Intelligence Center (CGIC) to use the technology of the National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (NIBIN) to better respond to, solve, and correlate shooting incidents. The ATF has also added new agents to the Gun Strike Force, who is working with the Multi-Agency Gang Unit (MGU) to disrupt and dismantle criminal gangs and remove violent offenders from the streets of Memphis.
Because we know that violent crime is often associated with and motivated by drug trafficking activities, we have partnered with the DEA and the Memphis Police Department Organized Crime Unit in our Heroin Initiative to identify and stop the source of supply, punish and deter heroin and fentanyl dealers, prevent new users, refer addicts to treatment, deploy Narcan to hotspots, and save lives.
Our reinvigorated Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Task force is continuing their great work in coordinating and prioritizing firearms offenses for aggressive prosecutions, which take guns out of the hands of dangerous and violent offenders.
In a new approach led by the District Attorney’s Office that is already paying dividends, we have fully committed to "Operation Comeback," a focused deterrence crime-reduction strategy in which carefully selected high-risk offenders are advised of swift, severe and certain punishment for continued criminal behavior, while at the same time being offered social services such as job training, education, housing assistance, drug and alcohol treatment, counseling, life skills and anger management.
And finally, our newest initiative, "Operation Relentless Pursuit", will surge new federal resources and agents into Memphis to further reduce violent crime. As a result of federal grant funding, Memphis and Shelby County will be able to hire more officers, obtain new technology, training, vehicles, and other personnel, and assign more officers to federal task forces to effectively target violent offenders and hot spots. The first phase of the operation is being led by the U.S. Marshals Service, and the name of the operation speaks directly to its proactive nature and sustained duration.
Our return to proven law enforcement policies and our adoption of new initiatives and resources is working. Here in the U.S. Attorney’s Office, we have dramatically increased our output in the number of firearms, violent crime, drug and gang prosecutions over the last 2 years, and the welcome outcome has been improved public safety. Putting the right people in prison incapacitates the most violent offenders, upholds the rule of law, deters criminal conduct with a strong message of significant consequences, and makes us all safer.
While many persistent violent crime challenges remain and much work is still needed in these areas, we are optimistic about these downward trends in crime, and we look forward to continuing to implement effective strategies with resolve and commitment to public safety in Memphis and Shelby County.
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Two Philadelphia Firearms Traffickers Convicted at Trial of Multiple Offenses Including Gunpoint Robbery of ATF InformantRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney William M. McSwain announced that Darrell Wylie, 27, and Namir White, 29, both of Philadelphia, PA were convicted at trial on all charges arising from their involvement in illegal gun sales and the gunpoint robbery of a cooperating government informant.
Wylie and White were both charged in December 2019 with robbery, theft of government funds, using and carrying a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence, being a felon in possession of firearms, and aiding and abetting. Wylie was also charged at the same time with possession with the intent to distribute heroin and fentanyl, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. White was also charged at the same time with dealing in firearms without a license.
Between April and August 2017, White sold 11 handguns to a Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives (ATF) cooperating witness in nine separate transactions. Wylie sold two additional guns to the cooperating witness in two transactions in October 2017. Neither defendant possessed a federal firearms license as necessary to lawfully engage in the business of dealing in firearms. Moreover, both defendants had been convicted of felony offenses prior to the above referenced transactions. Each of the transactions was audio and video recorded; in each case, the cooperating witness used funds provided by ATF to make the purchases.
Finally, in November 2017, the defendants jointly agreed to sell three more guns to the cooperating witness, for a total price of $3,200 cash. As in all of the prior controlled transactions, the cooperating witness was provided with government funds, in cash, to make the purchase. The witness met with White and Wylie as planned. However, instead of selling him the guns as agreed, the defendants took the cash from him and, while Wylie threatened him with a pistol, announced that they would keep the money and that he would be shot if he resisted. The cooperating witness fled and reported what had occurred to the ATF agents who were monitoring the transaction. Both defendants were soon arrested, and Wylie was found with a pistol in his waistband and approximately 20 packages of fentanyl-laced heroin.
Both defendants now face significant sentences as career offenders: as much as 360 months to lifetime incarceration.
“The conviction of Wylie and White is a victory for the citizens of Philadelphia because their lawless gun trafficking endangered everyone living and working here,” said U.S. Attorney McSwain. “So far this year, Philadelphia has already seen more than 20 homicides in half a month. We will continue to work aggressively to enforce the laws on the books and to keep guns out of the hands of those, like convicted felons, who are not permitted to possess them.”
“ATF’s top priority is combating violent crime; one of the ways we accomplish that mission is by keeping firearms out of the hands of violent offenders,” said Donald Robinson, Special Agent in Charge, ATF Philadelphia Field Division. “These convictions are a perfect example of the collaborative effort between ATF, our partners at the Philadelphia Police Department and the United States Attorney’s Office in targeting violent offenders and protecting our communities.”
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Philadelphia Police Department, and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Joseph A. LaBar.
Two People Indicted for $30 Million Dollar Fraud Scheme Involving Blockchain Technology CompanyRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – An Essex County, New Jersey, woman and a Canadian man were indicted today for their roles in a securities fraud scheme that induced victims to invest $30 million worth of cash and cryptocurrency based on fraudulent misrepresentations, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito announced.
Edith Pardo, 68, of Bloomfield, New Jersey, and Boaz Manor, 46, of Toronto, Canada, are each charged with one count of conspiring to commit wire fraud, three counts of wire fraud, and one count of securities fraud in connection with a blockchain technology company. Pardo was arrested today by special agents of the FBI and is scheduled to appear this afternoon before U.S. Magistrate Judge Steven C. Mannion in Newark federal court. Manor remains at large.
According to the indictment:
In 2003, Manor co-founded and managed a hedge fund based in Toronto, Canada. In connection with his work at that hedge fund, Manor pleaded guilty in Canada to one count of transferring monies in breach of trust and one count of disobeying a court order. He was sentenced to four years in prison.
Following his release from prison, Manor founded a business, CG Blockchain Inc., and began creating a product called ComplianceGuard, which was purportedly designed provide hedge funds with a blockchain-based auditing tool. While raising money for CG Blockchain, Manor hid his true identity and criminal past from investors and others by using a variety of aliases, including “Shaun MacDonald.” He also changed his appearance by darkening his hair and growing a beard.
Manor secured a significant portion, if not all, of the initial seed money in CG Blockchain from a close family member. In order to conceal the source of this money, Manor recruited Pardo to act as a conduit for the money. The defendants misrepresented to potential CG Blockchain investors that Pardo was an independently wealthy investor who provided millions of dollars in seed money to CG Blockchain.
The defendants also misrepresented that 20 hedge funds were using ComplianceGuard and were each paying CG Blockchain a $1 million yearly fee. In reality, none of the 20 hedge funds paid fees to CG Blockchain, and many of the hedge funds did not receive or use ComplianceGuard at all.
In 2017, CG Blockchain launched an “Initial Coin Offering” (ICO), and began marketing its new product – “Blockchain Terminal” – to potential investors. CG Blockchain described Blockchain Terminal as a computer terminal that allowed hedge funds and financial institutions to trade and manage cryptocurrency. Manor actively marketed the token to investors, while failing to disclose his true identity or his role at CG Blockchain. The defendants also misrepresented to ICO investors that the Blockchain Terminal had “Actual Clients” and was “installed at 20 hedge funds.”
In 2018, CG Blockchain publicly announced that it had raised $30 million from its ICO. Following the ICO, CG Blockchain investors learned of Manor’s true identity and criminal past. When confronted by an investor, Manor admitted that he had hidden his real identity and criminal past because disclosure of that information would have resulted in “the company being destroyed.”
The conspiracy and wire fraud counts in the indictment carry a maximum potential penalty of 20 years in prison and $250,000 fine, or twice the gross gain or loss from the offense. The securities fraud count carries a potential penalty of 20 years in prison and a $5 million fine.
The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) also filed a civil complaint against Manor and Pardo today based on the same conduct.
U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito credited special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Gregory W. Ehrie in Newark, with the investigation leading to today’s charges. He also thanked the SEC for the assistance provided by its Enforcement Division.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Vijay Dewan and Catherine R. Murphy of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Economic Crimes Unit.
The charges and allegations contained in the indictment are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Two Immigrants, A Pastor, and an Army Sergeant Convicted for Marriage/Immigration SchemeRead the Press Release
DENVER – United States Attorney Jason R. Dunn today announced that four defendants, Rajesh Ramcharan, age 45, Diann Ramcharan, age 37, Sergeant Galima Murry, age 31, and Pastor Ken Harvell, age 60, have been found guilty following a nine-day jury trial for conspiracy to commit marriage fraud and making false statements regarding that fraud to the government. The jury announced the guilty verdicts yesterday, January 16, 2020, after approximately three hours of deliberation. No sentencing date has yet been set. Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), and Army Criminal Investigations Division (Army CID), joined in the announcement.
According to facts established at trial, the purpose of the conspiracy was to obtain immigration benefits for Rajesh Ramcharan, Diann Ramcharan, and one of their minor children. The Ramcharans, a married couple, came to the United States from Trinidad & Tobago on visitor visas in 2007. They overstayed their visitor visas and settled in Colorado. They then devised a scheme to defeat United States immigration laws and stay in the country illegally.
The scheme had several steps. First, in 2010, the couple was married by Pastor Ken Harvell, who signed a marriage certificate for the Ramcharans. The couple then filed for a divorce. Five days after that divorce was finalized, Pastor Harvell signed a new marriage certificate for Diann Ramcharan and Sergeant Galima Murry. Sergeant Murry is a citizen of the United States and at the time was a soldier at Fort Carson. Diann Ramcharan and Sergeant Murry entered into this marriage for the purpose of evading immigration laws and enabling Diann Ramcharan to stay in the United States. In addition, Sergeant Murry separately obtained military benefits by claiming to be married to Diann Ramcharan. Several years later, in 2015, Rajesh Ramcharan entered into a marriage with Angelica Guevara, who also is a citizen of the United States. Pastor Harvell, whom the jury found knowingly and voluntarily participated in the conspiracy, also signed the marriage certificate between Guevara and Rajesh Ramcharan. During the time of both the Ramcharans’ fraudulent marriages to Murry and Guevara, the Ramcharans lived with each other and otherwise presented themselves to the world as a married couple.
“As the defendants in this case learned, marriage fraud to gain citizenship is a crime,” said U.S. Attorney Jason Dunn. “There are lawful ways for individuals to become citizens of the United States. Those who try to circumvent those laws will be held accountable.”
Each defendant was also convicted for their involvement in the submission of at least one false statement to U.S. immigration authorities as part of the Ramcharans’ attempts to gain lawful immigration status in the United States. Guevara pleaded guilty to the conspiracy and testified at trial about the marriage fraud scheme.
The trial was held before the Honorable David M. Ebel. The defendants were prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel McIntyre and Assistant U.S. Attorney Emily Treaster. This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), and Army Criminal Investigations Division (CID), with assistance from the El Paso County Sheriff’s Office.
Two Defendants Sentenced in Major Drug ConspiracyRead the Press Release
Abingdon, VIRGINIA – Two members of a drug distribution organization that trafficked methamphetamine, heroin, oxycodone, cocaine, and other drugs from Georgia into Southwest Virginia were recently sentenced in federal court on drug conspiracy charges, United States Attorney Thomas T. Cullen and Virginia Attorney General Mark Herring announced.
In a hearing this week, Roy Lee Dykes, 61, of Watkinsville, Ga., formerly of Big Stone Gap, Va., was sentenced to 325 months in federal prison. He was previously convicted at trial of one count of conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute and distributing 50 grams or more of methamphetamine, in addition to cocaine, heroin, alprazolam, and oxycodone. Dykes was also convicted of 17 counts of distributing and possessing with intent to distribute controlled substances.
On December 19, 2019, Leila Varetta “Rita” Hector-Dykes, 57, of Watkinsville, Ga., was sentenced to 121 months’ incarceration. She was previously convicted at trial of one count of conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute and distributing 50 grams or more of methamphetamine, in addition to cocaine, heroin, alprazolam, and oxycodone. Hector-Dykes was also convicted of one count of distributing and possessing with intent to distribute controlled substances.
The Court also ordered that $10,007 seized from the defendants be forfeited to the United States, in addition to awarding a money judgment against the defendants in the amount of $108,719.
In all, 11 individuals were charged as part of this drug trafficking conspiracy. All 11 defendants have now been convicted and sentenced.
According to evidence presented at trial, these defendants conspired to traffic a variety of controlled substances, including methamphetamine, heroin, cocaine, morphine, oxycodone, and alprazolam, from sources in Watkinsville, Georgia, into Southwest Virginia for redistribution. The organization operated primarily in Lee and Wise counties from November 2016 through March 1, 2018. Arrests on March 1, 2018, resulted in the seizure of approximately 11 ounces of crystal ice methamphetamine, in addition to heroin, cocaine, morphine, and oxycodone, with an estimated street value of $28,000. Currency totaling approximately $14,000 was also seized from the defendants on that day.
The investigation stemmed from another drug trafficking conspiracy arising out of Lee County, Virginia, involving seven defendants, all of whom have been convicted and sentenced. Another four defendants, including Dykes and Hector-Dykes’ sources of supply, were also identified and prosecuted during the course of these investigations. In total, these investigations have led to the successful prosecution of 22 defendants and removed a conservative estimate of 3.5 pounds of crystal ice methamphetamine from the supply chain in Southwest Virginia.
The investigation of this case was conducted by the Southwest Virginia Drug Task Force, Virginia State Police, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. Numerous agencies assisted with search warrant executions and arrests on March 1, 2018, to include the Drug Enforcement Administration, Big Stone Gap Police Department, Lee, Wise, and Scott County Sheriff’s Departments, City of Norton Police Department, the Wise County Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office, and the U.S. Marshals. Special Assistant United States Attorney M. Suzanne Kerney-Quillen, a Virginia Assistant Attorney General assigned to the Attorney General’s Major Crimes and Emerging Threats Section, and Assistant United States Attorney Kari Munro prosecuted this case for the United States.
Tulsa Man Indicted for Possessing a Gun after a Domestic Violence ConvictionRead the Press Release
A federal grand jury returned an indictment this week charging a Tulsa man with possessing a firearm after being convicted of a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence and with lying to a firearms dealer, announced U.S. Attorney Trent Shores.
Kai Lamar Walela, 34, is charged with possessing a Rock River Arms 5.56 mm caliber rifle and 72 rounds of associated ammunition after a June 2018 misdemeanor domestic assault and battery conviction in Tulsa County District Court.
He is further charged with knowingly making a false statement to Advanced Combat LLC, a licensed firearms dealer, in July 2018, by lying on the ATF Form 4473. When he attempted to purchase a SOTA multi-caliber lower receiver, the defendant allegedly failed to acknowledge that he was previously convicted of misdemeanor domestic violence
Walela is being prosecuted as part of the Justice Department’s Project Guardian, an initiative that focuses on reducing gun violence and enforcing federal firearms laws. Individuals who have been previously convicted of crimes of domestic violence or who have a protective order issued against them are prohibited from possessing firearms.
“The presence of a gun during a crime of domestic violence means the chances are five times greater that the victim will be fatally shot. It also increases the chances that other victims, including children, will suffer the same fate. Project Guardian is a new initiative that we believe will save lives,” said U.S. Attorney Trent Shores. “Every gun related crime or tragedy prevented through Project Guardian prosecutions is a victory for our community. We will also focus our investigative efforts on those who lie on federal firearms forms and try to buy a firearm. In these “lie and try” cases, there is no better partner than the dedicated men and women of the ATF.”
In February 2019, Walela was among six “lie and try” defendants charged in separate criminal complaints. All of the defendants were prohibited from possessing firearms and allegedly lied on the AFT From 4473. U.S. Attorney Shores and ATF Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey C. Boshek II announced charges against the other five defendants at a press conference in February. At the time, Walela remained at large, but in December 2019, authorities took Walela into custody in New Mexico based on an arrest warrant associated with the complaint.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Victor A.S. Régal is prosecuting the case.
Project Guardian draws upon the Justice Department’s past successful programs to reduce gun violence; enhances coordination of federal, state, local, and tribal authorities in investigating and prosecuting gun crimes; and 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). This includes taking appropriate actions when a prospective purchaser is denied by the NICS for mental health reasons and ensures that federal resources are directed at the criminals posing the greatest threat to our communities. For more information about Project Guardian, please see: https://www.justice.gov/projectguardian.
Tulare Man Convicted of Methamphetamine TraffickingRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — A federal jury returned a verdict on Thursday finding Jose Roberto Arreola-Serrato, 31, of Tulare, guilty of a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced.
According to court documents and evidence produced at trial, Arreola-Serrato worked with other members of a Tulare County-based conspiracy to supply methamphetamine for a large-scale drug trafficking organization, which was responsible for distributing methamphetamine, cocaine, and heroin in California and Washington.
As the result of investigation, law enforcement seized a large amount of controlled substances, including 14 kilograms of methamphetamine, 2 kilograms of cocaine, and 1 kilogram of heroin.
Ten co-defendants charged in October 2015 pleaded guilty to various drug charges and have been sentenced to the following prison terms: Olegario Trujillo, 33, of Fresno, 20 years; Edgar Valencia-Farias, of Tulare, four years; Gladys Ramos, 34, of Woodlake, four years; Carlos Tafoya-Ramos, 22, of Woodlake, six years; Marcos Diaz, 23, of Madera, 11 years; Ramiro Salas Munoz, 37, of Lindsay, time served (10 months); Arthur Allen Walker, 32, of Poplar, three years reduced to time served; Francisca Torres-Guisar, 51, of Visalia, three years; Gary Passmore, 65, of Washington state, three years and nine months in prison, and Jorge Martinez Jr., 23, of Tulare, four years.
Arrest warrants remain outstanding for Arnold Martinez Valencia, 39, of Woodlake, and Pedro Delgado-Montenegro, 36, of Porterville. The charges against them are only allegations, and they are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This case is the product of a Central Valley High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) investigation conducted by the Central Valley Marijuana Investigation Team (CVMIT). CVMIT was composed of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), California Department of Justice-Bureau of Investigation, California Fish and Wildlife, Tulare County Sheriff’s Office, Kings County Sheriff’s Office, and Fresno County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kathleen Servatius and Mira Chernick are prosecuting the case.
Arreola-Serrato will appear in district court for sentencing on April 10. Arreola-Serrato faces a mandatory minimum statutory penalty of 10 years and up to life in prison. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.
Three Defendants Appear in Federal Court for Gun CrimesRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Three defendants appeared in federal court for gun crimes this week, announced United States Attorney Mike Stuart.
Jason Wattie Buzzard, 35, was sentenced to 18 months in prison for being a felon in possession of firearms. That term of imprisonment will be followed by three years of supervised release. On October 12, 2018, Buzzard, a convicted felon, arranged to pick up Paul William Martin, also a convicted felon, at the Sheetz gas station in order to sell him firearms. Buzzard was prohibited from possessing firearms due to his Kanawha County felony conviction of breaking and entering and a domestic battery conviction. Martin was going to buy the guns from Buzzard with a combination of cash and illegal drugs. Shortly after Martin got into Buzzard’s car, they were stopped by officers with the South Charleston Police Department. Officers were able to locate and recover a .25 semi-automatic handgun and a .22 caliber revolver. Ultimately, Buzzard pled guilty on September 23, 2019. Martin was recently found guilty after a two-day jury trial. Martin faces up to ten years in prison when sentenced on March 11, 2020. The South Charleston Police Department conducted the investigation with assistance from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). United States District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney L. Alexander Hamner is handling the prosecution.
David Walker, Jr., 45, of Huntington, pled guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm. Walker admitted that while on parole, he possessed two firearms. Walker is prohibited from possessing firearms because he was convicted in 2018 of the felony offense of possession with intent to deliver controlled substances in Cabell County, West Virginia. Walker faces up to 10 years in prison when sentenced on April 13, 2020. The West Virginia State Police and the West Virginia Division of Corrections Probation and Parole Office conducted the investigation. United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Stephanie Taylor is handling the prosecution.
Ronald Lucas, 36, of Craigsville, pled guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm. Lucas admitted that on May 10, 2019, law enforcement officers with the Nicholas County Sheriff’s Department were serving an arrest warrant at his home in Craigsville for failure to pay child support. Lucas answered the door wearing an empty nylon holster. When the officers asked where the gun was located, he indicated that it was inside the residence close to where officers could see another individual laying on a bed. When an officer went inside the residence to secure it, a loaded 9 millimeter pistol was located and seized. Lucas faces up to 10 years in prison when sentenced on May 4, 2020. The Nicholas County Sheriff’s Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) conducted the investigation. United States District Judge Goodwin presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Andrew Tessman is handling the prosecution.
The Walker case is being prosecuted as part of the Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
These cases are also part of Project Guardian, the Department of Justice’s signature initiative to reduce gun violence and enforce federal firearms laws. Initiated by the Attorney General in the fall of 2019, Project Guardian draws upon the Department’s past successful programs to reduce gun violence; enhances coordination of federal, state, local, and tribal authorities in investigating and prosecuting gun crimes; improves information-sharing by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives when a prohibited individual attempts to purchase a firearm and is denied by the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS), to include taking appropriate actions when a prospective purchaser is denied by the NICS for mental health reasons; and ensures that federal resources are directed at the criminals posing the greatest threat to our communities. The United States Attorney’s Office has prosecuted this case with support from Project Guardian partners as mentioned above. For more information about Project Guardian, please see: https://www.justice.gov/projectguardian.
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Statement by United States Attorney Richard P. DonoghueRead the Press Release
For the last four days, Special Agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and detectives of the New York City Police Department (NYPD) have sought to arrest Gerod Woodberry pursuant to a federal arrest warrant charging him with bank robbery.[1] That effort was necessary because, as set forth in the federal Complaint and related documents filed in court today, Woodberry was released after his January 8, 2020 state arrest following four bank robberies he allegedly committed between December 30, 2019 and January 8, 2020. Earlier this afternoon, Woodberry surrendered.
As alleged in court documents, Gerod Woodberry robbed or attempted to rob six New York City banks in 16 days. Those robberies and attempted robberies were committed on December 30, 2019, January 3, 2020, January 6, 2020, January 8, 2020, January 10, 2020 and January 14, 2020. This robbery spree is unprecedented and it is made all the more so by the fact that he was actually arrested and released in the midst of his crimes. The January 10, 2020 robbery in Brooklyn was committed less than four hours after his release on the January 8, 2020 arrest, a release required under recently-enacted bail reform legislation.
No sound, rational and fair criminal justice system requires the pre-trial release of criminal defendants who demonstrate such determination to continuously commit serious crimes. Prior to the recently-enacted reforms, New York judges weighing pre-trial release could consider the flight risk, but not the dangerousness, posed by a charged defendant. The recent reforms have made a bad situation worse by entirely excluding classes of purportedly “non-violent” felonies – like the bank robberies here – from pre-trial confinement eligibility. Preventing judges from considering the danger a charged defendant poses to the public when making a pre-trial confinement decision defies common sense and endangers all New Yorkers.
The recently-enacted bail reforms have dramatically altered the New York criminal justice system and even more dramatic criminal justice proposals are under consideration in New York and across the country. While we must ensure that all criminal justice systems are open to scrutiny and reform, we must also guard against the outright dismantling of criminal justice systems masquerading as criminal justice reform.
I thank and commend the FBI and the NYPD for the exemplary work they do every day to keep the people of New York City safe.
[1] The charges in the complaint are allegations, the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Spokane Man Convicted of Attempted Robbery on Coeur d'Alene Indian ReservationRead the Press Release
COEUR D'ALENE - Isiah James Harrington, 19, of Spokane, was sentenced in the U.S. District Court in Coeur d’Alene to 41 months in prison for attempted robbery, U.S. Attorney Bart M. Davis announced today. Chief U.S. District Judge David C. Nye also ordered Harrington to serve three years of supervised release following his prison sentence. Harrington pleaded guilty to the charge on September 4, 2019.
According to court records, on January 8, 2019, Harrington followed a man from Spokane Valley, Washington, to the Coeur d’Alene Indian Reservation, in Idaho, to rob him. When the man exited his car, Harrington approached, pointed a firearm, and demanded money. Before he could take the man’s money, Harrington fled when he saw people coming to help from a nearby residence.
This case was prosecuted in federal court because the crime occurred within the boundaries of the Coeur d’Alene Indian Reservation.
This case was investigated by Federal Bureau of Investigation, Coeur d’Alene Tribal Police Department, and Plummer Police Department.
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Slidell Woman Indicted for FEMA FraudRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – SCHSHINETIA ANDERSON, age 42, a resident of Slidell, Louisiana, was indicted for filing false claims against the government, announced U.S. Attorney Peter G. Strasser. If convicted, ANDERSON faces a maximum term of 5 years imprisonment, 3 years supervised release, $250k fine and a $100 special assessment.
According to court documents, on or about August 18, 2016, ANDERSON filed a fraudulent request, totaling approximately $22,104.00, for financial assistance due to a natural disaster related to the alleged loss of her primary residence.
United States Attorney Strasser reiterated that the indictment is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
U.S. Attorney Strasser praised the work of the Office of Inspector General for the Department of Homeland Security in investigating this matter. The prosecution of this case is being handled by Assistant U. S. Attorney G. Dall Kammer, Supervisor of the General Crimes Unit.
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Skagit County business owner sentenced to prison for laundering money for drug cartel that trafficked heroin and fentanylRead the Press Release
Tacoma – A Skagit County resident who operated businesses in Burlington and Sedro Woolley, Washington was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Tacoma to 18 months in prison for his role in knowingly laundering cash drug proceeds for a drug cartel, announced U.S. Attorney Brian T. Moran. ORLANDO BARAJAS, 41, owns and operates ‘Tacos El Antojito’ in Burlington. An extensive wiretap investigation revealed that BARAJAS was laundering the drug proceeds by transmitting the funds to Mexico using the money remittance services offered at his store. At the sentencing hearing Judge Ronald B. Leighton noted that money laundering “is a vital component of the cycle, which incentivizes the predatory practices of the cartel to produce, hide, transport, and ply their particular toxin to a waiting community.”
“Stopping the flow of cash to the cartels in Mexico is a key component in battling the flow of these dangerous drugs into our community,” said U.S. Attorney Moran. “This cartel-connected trafficking organization brought heroin and fentanyl into our communities. We will do all we can to stop the deadly toll of those drugs.”
According to records filed in the case, BARAJAS conspired with the drug traffickers to send tens of thousands of dollars to Mexico in amounts structured to avoid any reporting requirements. BARAJAS created phony names to send the money, and passed along the passwords needed so that conspirators in Mexico could access the cash. In one three-week period he transmitted more than $27,000. BARAJAS transmitted cash for the conspiracy for most of 2018.
In early December 2018, law enforcement moved in on the organization after an 18-month investigation. The coconspirators distributed heroin, fentanyl, cocaine and methamphetamine in Washington State, New York, Arizona, Oregon, California, Tennessee, and Utah. In Western Washington, the group distributed these drugs in Pierce, Kitsap, King, Skagit and Snohomish Counties. Over the course of the investigation law enforcement seized thousands of counterfeit oxycodone pills laced with fentanyl, a powerful and potentially deadly opioid.
Over the past few months leaders of the distribution conspiracy have pleaded guilty and been sentenced to prison terms ranging from four years to ten years in prison.
This investigation was conducted by the DEA Tacoma Resident Office and the Bremerton Police Department, with significant assistance from the Tahoma Narcotics Enforcement Team (TNET), Special Operations Division, Chantilly, Virginia and Northwest High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA).
The cases are being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Marci Ellsworth, Karyn Johnson, and Angelica Williams.
Shelbyville Resident Sentenced to 50 Years for Sexual Exploitation of A Child and Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
Chattanooga, Tenn. – On January 15, 2020, Brad Anthony Majors, 37, of Shelbyville, was sentenced by the Honorable Curtis L. Collier in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee at Chattanooga.
In May 2019, Majors agreed to plead guilty to an indictment, charging him with one count of exploitation of a child in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 2251(a); and one count of possession of child pornography in violation of 18 U.S.C. 2252A(a)(5)(B) and 2252A(b)(2). On January 15, 2020, Majors was sentenced to 600 months in prison, followed by 15 years’ supervised release. Majors will be required to register with state sex offender registries and comply with special sex offender conditions during his supervised release.
In November 2018, after receiving a report of abuse from the mother of Majors’ 8-year-old biological child, authorities investigated and determined that Majors was sexually abusing his child. During questioning, Majors admitted to recording sexually explicit acts between himself and the child, and that he had taken approximately 40 sexually explicit videos and images of such conduct. A search of Majors phone revealed four sexually explicit videos of Majors and the child, including numerous saved images of child pornography depicting known and unknown victims throughout the world that Majors obtained from online sources. Majors also admitted to trading at least one of these images online with an unknown person in exchange for images of child pornography.
“It is evident that offenders are finding new and increasingly disturbing ways to victimize and exploit vulnerable child victims. Cases such as this, however, demonstrate the Department of Justice’s dedication to protecting these vulnerable children and punishing those that seek to cause them harm. No matter who the offenders are, they will be met with significant consequences. With the combined effort of the Project Safe Childhood Initiative and our federal, state, and local law enforcement partnerships, we will find these criminals and hold them accountable for their crimes against children,” said U. S. Attorney J. Douglas Overbey.
"The sexual exploitation of children is an especially heinous crime. Unfortunately, victimization of children is a growing issue in our country and one the FBI will not tolerate. The dedicated teamwork between our agents and the Shelbyville Police Department ensured there is one less predator on the street victimizing the most innocent and venerable members of our community,” said Joseph E. Carrico, Special Agent in Charge of the Knoxville Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
The criminal indictment resulted from an investigation led by the U. S. Attorney’s Offices, the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, the U. S. Marshal’s Office, Shelbyville Police Department and Special Agent Matthew Acker with Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).
Assistant United States Attorney James T. Brooks represented the United States.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood (PSC), a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006, by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the U. S. Attorney’s Offices, the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, PSC marshal’s federal, state, and local agencies. All resources will locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about PSC, visit www.justice.gov/psc. Information about internet safety education, please visit www.justice.gov/psc/resources.html and click on the tab "resources.”
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Sheboygan Man Sentenced on Methamphetamine and Firearm ChargesRead the Press Release
Matthew D. Krueger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, announced that on January 13, 2020, Ey Lao (age: 34) of Sheboygan, Wisconsin, was sentenced to 15 years in federal prison. Lao was found guilty following a jury trial last October of possession with the intent to distribute methamphetamine in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a) and 841(b)(1)(A) and of being a felon in possession of a firearm contrary to Title 18, United States Code, Section 922(g)(1).
The evidence at trial revealed that Lao and his girlfriend, Lola Yang a/k/a “Lola Chang,” slid off an Interstate 43 exit ramp where their vehicle became stuck during a March 1, 2019 blizzard. A Brown County Sheriff’s lieutenant made contact with the couple and became suspicious when his efforts to assist Lao and Yang out of their predicament were rebuffed. Further investigation revealed that the duo were in possession of 73.01 grams of actual (“crystal”) methamphetamine, a digital scale, and drug paraphernalia located inside a locked safe. Following the couple’s arrest, the vehicle was more closely searched and a loaded 9mm Kel-Tec firearm was located in the glove box.
Yang (age: 33), also of Sheboygan, pled guilty prior to trial and received a 10 year sentence on the methamphetamine charge.
Senior District Judge William C. Griesbach noted the serious nature of Lao’s crimes and his prior convictions for similar offenses in state court as support for the lengthy prison sentence. Lao will also be required to spend 10 years on supervised release following his prison sentence.
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Sex Offender Sentenced to 25 Years in Federal Prison for Abusive Sexual Contact with Two ChildrenRead the Press Release
Greenbelt, Maryland - U.S. District Judge George J. Hazel today sentenced Justin Paul Keener, age 31, of Patuxent River, Maryland, to 25 years in federal prison, followed by lifetime supervised release, on each of two counts of abusive sexual contact with a child, to be served concurrently. Judge Hazel also ordered that, upon his release from prison, Keener must register as a sex offender in the places where he resides, where he is an employee, and where he is a student, under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA).
“The sexual abuse of a child devastates the victim and their family,” said U.S. Attorney Robert K. Hur. “Justin Keener will now have 25 years in federal prison, where there is no parole—ever—to think about the suffering he has inflicted on these innocent children. This office will continue to prioritize child exploitation cases in order to protect our children from predators like Keener.”
The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Robert K. Hur; Special Agent in Charge John Salazar of the Naval Criminal Investigative Service, Washington Field Office; and Special Agent in Charge Jennifer C. Boone of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office.
According to his guilty plea, in November 2017, while residing at Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Keener sexually abused a victim who was under the age of 12. In and before November 2017, Keener sexually abused another victim, also under the age of 12, on multiple occasions.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc. For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.justice.gov/psc and click on the "Resources" tab on the left of the page.
United States Attorney Robert K. Hur commended the NCIS and the FBI for their work in the investigation. Mr. Hur thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph R. Baldwin, who prosecuted the federal case.
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ResMed Corp. to Pay the United States $37.5 Million to Settle Allegations Under the False Claims ActRead the Press Release
Columbia, South Carolina --- Acting United States Attorney A. Lance Crick announced today that ResMed Corp., a manufacturer of durable medical equipment (DME) for sleep apnea and other sleep-related disorders, has agreed to pay more than $37.5 million to resolve allegations under the False Claims Act for paying kickbacks to DME suppliers, sleep labs, and other health care providers.
The settlement resolves allegations that ResMed used various sales and promotional schemes to unlawfully induce the sales of ResMed equipment. The schemes included providing free call center services and free and below cost masks and machines.
“Health care decisions should be based on what is in the best interest of the patient, and not on financial incentives and related schemes,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Crick. “This settlement represents another example of our district’s commitment to prosecuting schemes that undermine the integrity of our nation’s health care system.”
The settlement resolves five lawsuits originally brought by whistleblowers under the False Claims Act. The False Claims Act permits private citizens with knowledge of fraud against the government to bring a lawsuit on behalf of the United States and to share in the recovery. The whistleblowers will collectively receive a roughly $6.2 million share of the settlement.
This settlement was the result of a coordinated effort by the Civil Division of the United States Department of Justice; the U.S. Attorney’s Offices for the District of South Carolina, the Southern District of California, the Northern District of Iowa, and the Eastern District of New York; the Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Counsel to the Inspector General and Office of Investigations; the Defense Criminal Investigative Service; the Defense Health Agency Office of General Counsel; the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the National Association of Medicaid Fraud Control Units.
Former Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer Aldrich investigated this case on behalf of the District of South Carolina. Assistant United States Attorneys Tina Cundari and James Leventis assisted on the case.
The claims resolved are allegations only. There has been no determination of liability.
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The year 2020 marks the 150th anniversary of the Department of Justice. Learn more about the history of our agency at www.Justice.gov/Celebrating150Years.
Readout of U.S. Attorney General William P. Barr’s Visit to Mexico: January 15-17Read the Press Release
Today, U.S. Attorney General William P. Barr concluded his second trip to Mexico City. The Attorney General participated in high-level meetings regarding joint counter-narcotic efforts as well as efforts to combat transnational criminal organizations (TCOs) and the trafficking of arms and drugs.
The Attorney General reiterated the United States’ commitment to protecting U.S. and Mexican citizens and leaders from both countries reaffirmed their commitment to bilateral law enforcement cooperation.
To that end, leaders from both countries agreed to a joint meeting in February between key U.S. Attorneys' offices and their Mexican counterparts.
Together with U.S. Ambassador Christopher Landau, the Attorney General met with Mexico’s Attorney General Alejandro Gertz, Mexico’s Secretary of Foreign Relations, Marcelo Ebrard Casaubon, Secretary of Public Security and Citizen Protection, Alfonso Durazo Montaño, Defense Secretary General Luis Crescencio Sandoval, Navy Secretary Admiral José Rafael Ojeda Duran, and Security Undersecretrary Ricardo Mejía Berdeja.
Prior City Clerk Sentenced to Prison and Ordered to Pay More than $216,000 in Restitution to the Town of ColdwaterRead the Press Release
GREENVILLE, Miss. – A man hired as the City Clerk for the Town of Coldwater was sentenced to 21 months in federal prison on Wednesday for Wire Fraud. U.S. District Judge Debra M. Brown sentenced George Nangah to serve the 21-month prison term consecutive to any state court term of imprisonment imposed in the Tate County Circuit Court and to pay $216,401.28 in restitution to the Town of Coldwater.
Nangah was hired to be the Town of Coldwater, Mississippi City Clerk, and over the course of three years, from 2014 to 2017, Nangah utilized an unauthorized Town of Coldwater debit card to purchase gift cards for airline tickets, hotels, and retail stores, none of which were used for the benefit of the Town of Coldwater. Nangah also used a charge account in the Town of Coldwater’s name at Best Buy, where Nangah purchased electronic equipment and gift cards not used or meant for use by the Town of Coldwater. Nangah made unauthorized payments to himself as well as one other person on the Town of Coldwater’s Clearing and General Fund bank accounts. Overall, $216,401.28 of loss was attributed to Nangah.
U.S. Attorney William C. Lamar noted that this prosecution was important for citizens throughout the State of Mississippi. “The citizens of Mississippi put a great deal of trust in our government employees and elected officials to utilize resources in a way that benefits the State and its residents. When city officials like Mr. Nangah take those resources and use them for their own personal gain, it is a betrayal of our State and every resident that they pledged to serve when they accepted their positions. Our office will continue to work alongside our federal, state and local partners to hold accountable those individuals who betray the public trust, steal our resources and embarrass our State” Lamar remarked.
This case was investigated by both the State of Mississippi Office of the State Auditor and the FBI. Following the sentencing, State Auditor Shad White also expressed the commitment of his office to holding accountable those individuals who betray the citizens that they were hired to serve. "It's good to see Mr. Nangah sentenced in this case that started as a joint investigation between the Auditor's office and federal agencies. Mr. Nangah embezzled hundreds of thousands of dollars from a small Mississippi town and engaged in multiple fraudulent schemes that hurt taxpayers who could not afford to see their money wasted."
FBI Jackson Division Special Agent in Charge Michelle A. Sutphin also noted the importance of this prosecution. “Government officials are held to a higher standard and are expected to be good stewards of taxpayer money. When criminals use their position to line their own pockets, it erodes the public’s trust in government. Investigating public corruption in Mississippi continues to be a top priority for the FBI,” commented Sutphin.
The federal case was prosecuted by AUSA Parker S. Kline.
Political Consultant Sentenced for Fraud Involving Scam PACsRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – A Maryland political consultant was sentenced to three years in prison today followed by three years of supervised release for fraudulently soliciting hundreds of thousands of dollars in political contributions through several scam political action committees (PACs) that he founded and advertised as supporting candidates for office and other political causes.
Assistant Attorney General Brian A. Benczkowski of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney G. Zachary Terwilliger for the Eastern District of Virginia and Assistant Director in Charge Timothy R. Slater of the FBI’s Washington Field Office made the announcement.
Kelley Rogers, 56, of Annapolis, Maryland, previously pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud before U.S. District Judge Liam O’Grady of the Eastern District of Virginia. In addition to the prison sentence, Rogers was ordered to pay $491,299 in restitution and to forfeit at least $208,954 in proceeds obtained from his offense.
According to admissions Rogers made in connection with his guilty plea, from August 2012 through 2018, in the Eastern District of Virginia and elsewhere, the defendant operated multiple PACs, including Conservative StrikeForce (CSF), Conservative Majority Fund and Tea Party Majority Fund. In that role, the defendant engaged vendors to send e-mail solicitations and make telemarketing phone calls to prospective donors seeking political contributions to his PACs. Rogers approved the text and other content of all solicitations, and determined how CSF spent the contributions individual donors gave in response to the solicitations.
During the course of his scheme, Rogers solicited contributions from the general public for his PACs based on materially false and fraudulent pretenses, representations and promises. For example, in or around 2013, Rogers, working with an email vendor, represented through CSF that money contributed by donors would be used to support the campaigns of a candidate for governor and a candidate for attorney general of Virginia through, among other things, get-out-the-vote efforts and the hiring of attorneys to ensure the integrity of the elections. In or around 2014, Rogers represented that donations to the PAC would be spent on assistance and support for military veterans. In truth and in fact, the defendant never intended to spend, and never actually spent, any of the money raised by Rogers’s PACs on get-out-the-vote efforts or lawyers to protect the integrity of the 2013 Virginia and Attorney General elections, or on assistance and support for military veterans. Instead, the defendant spent nearly all of the money raised from donors to benefit himself, his associates, and his PACs, including by pouring the majority of donor money into the solicitation of more donations.
In addition to the misrepresentations that Rogers made to donors, Rogers and others fraudulently billed his PACs for services that were not performed, thereby misappropriating donor money that had been contributed to the PACs by individuals across the country. Rogers and his associates also made false statements to the Federal Election Commission about how they were spending PAC money.
Finally, Rogers admitted that he and several others also participated in a scheme to use conduits (straw donors) to make contributions to a candidate running to represent a district in the United States House of Representatives that exceeded the limits placed on individual campaign contributions under federal law.
The FBI’s Washington Field Office is investigating the case. Trial Attorneys Bill Gullotta and John Taddei of the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section (PIN) and Assistant U.S. Attorney Kimberly Pedersen of the Eastern District of Virginia are prosecuting the case. Former PIN attorney Molly Gaston provided significant assistance in the case.
Pleasant Hill Resident Charged with Production and Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
OAKLAND - A federal grand jury indicted Daniel Joseph Feliciano charging him with producing and possessing child pornography, announced United States Attorney David L. Anderson and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) San Francisco Special Agent in Charge Ryan L. Spradlin.
According to the indictment, Feliciano, 29, of Pleasant Hill, Calif., is alleged to have coerced a minor to engage in sexually explicit conduct in order to produce a visual depiction of the conduct. Feliciano is also alleged to have knowingly possessed child pornography.
According to a criminal complaint filed December 12, 2019, in connection with this case, this investigation began with a series of tips sent in October and December 2019 to the CyberTipline maintained by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC). The tips, referred to as CyberTips by the NCMEC, contained reports from internet service providers to NCMEC as well as the actual files from the accounts being reported. Investigators from the Silicon Valley Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force traced the files, that included depictions of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct, to an email account and an IP address in defendant’s name.
According to the complaint, the first CyberTip came from Dropbox in October 2019. It contained a report and approximately 182 files, including three videos of prepubescent girls engaged in sexually explicit conduct. Investigators discovered that the last IP address used to access the account could be traced to Feliciano.
In December 2019, several CyberTips alerted NCMEC regarding child pornography stored in a Google account. The files included two videos of a 9-10 year old child engaged in sexually explicit conduct. Investigators traced the Google account and the videos to Feliciano.
The indictment charges Feliciano with one count of production of child pornography, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 2251(a), and one count of possession of child pornography, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 2251(a)(4)(B) and (b)(2).
Feliciano is next scheduled to appear on February 18, 2020, at 1 p.m. before the Hon. Jeffrey S. White, U.S. District Judge.
An indictment merely alleges that crimes have been committed, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. If convicted on the production of child pornography charge, the defendant faces a maximum sentence of 30 years imprisonment, a minimum sentence of 15 years, five years to a life term supervised release, a fine of $250,000, a special assessment of $5,100, criminal forfeiture, and restitution. If convicted on the possession of child pornography charge, the defendant faces a maximum sentence of 20 years imprisonment, five years to a life term supervised release, a fine of $250,000, a special assessment of $5,100, criminal forfeiture, and restitution. However, any sentence following conviction would be imposed by the court after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal statute governing the imposition of a sentence, 18 U.S.C. § 3553.
Suspected child sexual exploitation may be reported to the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children, via its toll-free 24-hour hotline, 1-800-843-5678. Indeed, a NCMEC tip led to the investigation in this case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan Lee is prosecuting the case with the assistance of Kay Konopaske and Kathleen Turner. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the HSI, the Silicon Valley Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, and the Pleasant Hill Police Department.
Operation Dodgeball Dismantle Gang that was Terrorizing WilmingtonRead the Press Release
WILMINGTON – United States Attorney Robert J. Higdon, Jr. announced that over the course of the last several months in federal court fourteen defendants have been sentenced in a large-scale heroin trafficking organization.
The investigation was part of an Organized Crime Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation entitled Operation Dodgeball, which was named in part because of the organizations ability to dodge lengthy prisons sentences and sustained ability to wreak havoc in Wilmington. An OCDETF investigation is a joint federal, state, and local cooperative approach to combat drug trafficking and is the nation’s primary tool for disrupting and dismantling major drug trafficking organizations, targeting national and regional level drug trafficking organizations, and coordinating the necessary law enforcement entities and resources to disrupt or dismantle the targeted criminal organization and seize their assets.
This case is a classic example of the combining of an OCDETF operation with our Take Back North Carolina Initiative. Wilmington Police Task Force Officers were able to identify members and associates of this violent drug gang and then partner with the FBI and the United States Attorney’s Office to develop a strategy to dismantle this organization. After being armed with this local intelligence, law enforcement was able to utilize the substantial resources and tools of the federal government to help break the back of this group which had been terrorizing Wilmington. The success of this case would not have been possible without these partnerships.
The defendants’ convictions and sentencings were the culmination of an investigation that started in early 2018 focusing on associates of the United Blood Nation who were trafficking heroin and the violence associated with this group in and around Wilmington, North Carolina. GARRY HINES occupied a significant leadership role in the organization.
As part of the investigation, federal and local law enforcement conducted multiple controlled purchases of heroin and a heroin/fentanyl mixture from organization members between April 2018 and August 2018. They also conducted surveillance and performed several traffic stops.
The FBI obtained authorization for a federal wiretap of a cellular phone associated with HINES in August 2018. As a result, agents intercepted calls concerning heroin/fentanyl distribution, firearms and gang violence. Based on the intercepted calls and other information law enforcement obtained a federal search warrant for a residence on North 5th Street that was used a stash house for heroin and firearms. HINES and ANTWINE LUCAS were arrested following the search.
Law enforcement continued to make controlled purchases from other members of the organization at various location in Wilmington and conducted additional traffic stops recovering more firearms and drugs up to and including December 2018.
Nineteen defendants have plead in federal court and fourteen have been sentenced. According to law enforcement, the organization was responsible for the importation and distribution of more than 5 kilograms of heroin and heroin/fentanyl mixture. A total of 11 firearms have been seized. Ballistic testing has determined that some of the firearms recovered during this Operation had previously been used in crimes of violence.
The defendants include:
- GARRY HINES, aka “Rachet,” 26, of Wilmington, NC. HINES pled guilty to three counts of distribution of a quantity of heroin. HINES was sentenced to 276 months’ imprisonment.
- ANTWINE LUCAS, aka “Big World,” 37, of Wilmington, NC. LUCAS pled guilty to conspiracy to possession with intent to distribute and distribute a quantity of heroin and distribution of a quantity of heroin. LUCAS was sentenced to 188 months’ imprisonment.
- ANTONIO FOSTER, 30, of Wilmington, NC. FOSTER pled guilty to distribution of heroin and possession with intent to distribute heroin. FOSTER was sentenced to 156 months’ imprisonment.
- SAVON HARDAWAY, 24, of Wilmington, NC. HARDAWAY pled guilty to three counts of distribution of a quantity of heroin and possession of a firearm by felon. HARDAWAY was sentenced to 151 months’ imprisonment.
- ANDRE HALL, 32, of Wilmington, NC. HALL pled guilty to possession with intent to distribute a quantity of heroin. HALL was sentenced to 151 months’ imprisonment.
- JOSHUA WRIGHT, 26, of Wilmington, NC. WRIGHT pled guilty to distribution of a quantity of heroin. WRIGHT was sentenced to 151 months’ imprisonment.
- JAQUARIES WASHINGTON, 20, of Wilmington NC. WASHINGTON pled guilty to possession with intent to distribute a quantity of heroin. WASHINGTON was sentenced to 132 months’ imprisonment.
- TAVEON NIXON, 21, of Wilmington, NC. NIXON pled guilty to three counts of distribution of a quantity of heroin and possession with intent to a quantity of heroin and crack cocaine. NIXON was sentenced to 120 months’ imprisonment.
- JACQUEZ HILL, 21 of Wilmington NC. HILL pled guilty to conspiracy to distribution of a quantity of heroin, distribution of heroin and possession with intent to distribute heroin. HILL was sentenced to 120 months imprisonment.
- MARCUS BERRY, 29, of Wilmington, NC. BERRY pled guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute a quantity of heroin, distribution of a quantity of heroin and possession with the intent to distribute a quantity of heroin. BERRY was sentenced to 48 months’ imprisonment.
- RAQUEL ADAMS, 22, of Wilmington, NC. ADAMS pled guilty to possess with the intent to distribute a quantity of heroin. ADAMS was sentenced to 37 months’ imprisonment
- ALICIA JOHNSON, 22, of Wilmington, NC. JOHNSON pled guilty to distribution of a quantity of heroin. JOHNSON was sentenced to 72 months’ imprisonment
- KEVIN FREEMAN, aka “Glocky,” 24, of Wilmington, NC. FREEMAN pled guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute a quantity of heroin and distribution of a quantity of heroin. FREEMAN was sentenced to 33 months’ imprisonment.
- BARRY PIERCE, 23, of Wilmington, NC. PIERCE pled guilty to possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. PIERCE was sentenced to 24 months’ imprisonment.
The remaining defendants are scheduled to be sentenced over the course of the next few months.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives (ATF), Wilmington Department, New Hanover County Sheriff’s Office, and the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation of this case. Assistant United States Attorney Timothy Severo prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
The year 2020 marks the 150th anniversary of the Department of Justice. Learn more about the history of our agency at www.Justice.gov/Celebrating150Years.
Oak Creek Man Arrested for Conspiracy to Violate Citizens’ Rights in Connection with Racine Synagogue VandalismRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Matthew D. Krueger of the Eastern District of Wisconsin announced on January 17, 2020, that Yousef O. Barasneh (age: 22) of Oak Creek, Wisconsin, was charged by criminal complaint with conspiring to violate citizens’ rights to use property free from threats and intimidation, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 241.
The complaint alleges that Barasneh is a member of “The Base,” a neo-Nazi, racially motivated extremist group, and that between September 15, 2019, and September 23, 2019, he conspired with other Base members to vandalize minority-owned property, including property used by Jewish citizens. As part of this conspiracy, Barasneh vandalized the Beth Israeli Sinai Congregation in Racine, Wisconsin, by spray-painting swastikas, the symbol for The Base, and anti-Semitic words on the exterior of the synagogue. If convicted of the charge, Barasneh faces up to ten years in prison and up to $250,000 in fines.
“The United States is committed to vigorous enforcement of civil rights statutes against individuals motivated by extremist ideologies,” stated United States Attorney Krueger.
FBI Special Agent in Charge Robert E. Hughes stated: “This demonstrates the FBI’s vigilance in investigating individuals who attempt to dismiss and violate others’ Constitutional rights. Through the great coordination and investigation of multiple national JTTFs, FBI Milwaukee was able to participate and affect our portion of the investigation”
This case was investigated by the Milwaukee Federal Bureau of Investigation and Joint Terrorism Task Force (JTTF). The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Benjamin Proctor.
A criminal complaint is only a charging document and not evidence of guilt. The defendant is presumed innocent and is entitled to a fair trial at which the government must prove him guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
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North Carolina Man Charged for Bringing Weapons, Including Machine Gun, into Federal FacilityRead the Press Release
CAMDEN, N.J. – A North Carolina man was arrested today on charges that he brought a loaded handgun and machine gun into a federal facility, and illegally transported the machine gun into New Jersey, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito announced.
Dustin Peters, 25, a former Marine, was arrested in Cape May County, New Jersey, and is charged by complaint with one count of unlawful possession of a firearm in a federal facility and one count of unlawful interstate transport of a machine gun. Peters is scheduled to have an initial appearance on Jan. 21, 2020, before U.S. Magistrate Judge Joel Schneider in Camden federal court.
According to documents filed in this case:
On Jan. 9, 2020, Peters attempted to enter the U.S. Coast Guard Training Center Cape May. During a routine security search of his vehicle, Coast Guard personnel recovered a modified, fully automatic AK-47 rifle, a loaded 9mm Century Arms handgun, multiple large capacity magazines, ammunition, a ballistic vest, gas mask and canister, three boxes of ammunition, a nylon chest rig, and other items. Peters told law enforcement agents that he purchased the AK-47 in Virginia, but modified it on his own to become fully automatic.
The counts of possession of a firearm on a federal facility carries a maximum penalty of one year in prison and a $100,000 fine. The unlawful interstate transport of a machine gun carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
U.S. Attorney Carpenito credited special agents of the FBI, Atlantic City Resident Agency’s Joint Terrorism Task Force, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Gregory W. Ehrie in Newark; members of the U.S. Coast Guard Investigative Service, under the direction of Resident Agent in Charge Rodney E. Newcomer; the Cape May Police Department under the direction of Chief Anthony G. Marino Jr.; and the Cape May County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Prosecutor Jeffrey H. Sutherland, with the investigation leading to today’s charges.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Alisa Shver of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Criminal Division in Camden.
This case is 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 http://www.justice.gov/projectguardian
The charges and allegations in the complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
New York DEA Diversion Investigator Charged with Attempting to Produce Child Pornography and Enticing A Minor to Have SexRead the Press Release
Geoffrey S. Berman, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Dermot Shea, the Commissioner of the New York City Police Department (“NYPD”), Keith A. Bonanno, Special Agent in Charge of the Department of Justice Office of the Inspector General (“DOJ OIG”) Cyber Investigations Office, and Guido Modano, Special Agent in Charge of the DOJ OIG New York Field Office, announced today the arrest and filing of charges against FREDERICK L. SCHEININ. The Complaint charges that between October 2019 and January 2020, SCHEININ attempted to produce child pornography and entice a minor to have sex. SCHEININ was arrested yesterday and will be presented later today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Katharine H. Parker in Manhattan federal court.
U.S. Attorney Geoffrey S. Berman said: “As a diversion investigator at the DEA, Frederick Scheinin’s foremost responsibility was to protect the public from illegally diverted drugs. Instead of fulfilling this worthy mission, Scheinin allegedly spent months attempting to prey on a 14-year-old boy. This arrest exemplifies that no one is above the law. Our law enforcement partners will continue to bring all necessary tools to bear to apprehend individuals who wish to do harm to young children, no matter who they are.”
NYPD Commissioner Dermot Shea said: “I want to commend the U.S. Attorney and our federal partners who, together with our NYPD investigators, work every day to protect the innocent against such alleged reprehensible predators. I am proud of the undercover work in this case, which has now led to criminal charges against a law enforcement officer who allegedly betrayed his sacred oath.”
DOJ OIG Cyber Investigations Office Special Agent in Charge Keith A. Bonanno said: “The OIG and our law enforcement partners will thoroughly investigate allegations of abuse or exploitation of children by DOJ employees. Those who are found guilty of this type of criminal behavior will be brought to justice.”
Up until the time of his arrest, SCHEININ was a diversion investigator in the New York Field Office of the Drug Enforcement Administration (“DEA”). According to the allegations in the Complaint filed in Manhattan federal court today[1]:
Between October 2019 and January 2020, SCHEININ used a multimedia messaging application on his cellphone to communicate with an undercover law enforcement officer (“UC‑1”) who was posing as a 14-year-old boy. SCHEININ repeatedly sent sexually explicit images and videos to UC-1 in an attempt to persuade UC-1 to transmit sexually explicit images, photos, and live visual depictions of UC-1 to SCHEININ. In particular, SCHEININ repeatedly asked UC-1 to transmit images and videos of UC-1’s penis. The Complaint further alleges that SCHEININ attempted to arrange a meeting with UC-1 at which SCHEININ planned to have sex with UC-1. Law enforcement arrested SCHEININ yesterday in New York, New York, at a location where SCHEININ said he would meet UC-1. SCHEININ was in possession of condoms and lubricant at the time of his arrest.
SCHEININ, 29, of Sunnyside, New York, is charged with one count of attempted production of child pornography, which carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in prison and a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison, and one count of attempted enticement of a minor, which carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison and maximum sentence of life in prison. The maximum potential sentences in this case are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the judge.
The charges in the Complaint are merely accusations and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
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Mr. Berman praised the outstanding investigative work of the NYPD and the DOJ OIG New York Field Office and Cyber Investigations Office.
The prosecution of this case is being handled by the Office’s Complex Frauds and Cybercrime Unit. Assistant United States Attorney Nicholas Chiuchiolo is in charge of the prosecution.
[1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Complaint and the description of the Complaint set forth herein constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.
Nashville Man Sentenced to 45 Years in Federal Prison for Child Exploitation CrimesRead the Press Release
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – January 17, 2020 – Cecil Clint Woodard, 42, of Nashville, Tennessee, was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Court Judge Eli J. Richardson to 45 years in federal prison for child pornography offenses, announced U.S. Attorney Don Cochran for the Middle District of Tennessee.
Woodard was charged in a 22-count indictment in August 2017 and pleaded guilty in January 2019 to 14 counts of production of child pornography; 6 counts of transportation of child pornography and 1 count of possession of child pornography.
According to court documents, during April through June 2016, Woodard subjected a 3-year-old child to multiple acts of sexual abuse, including rape. While committing these acts, at his Nashville home on 14 separate occasions, Woodard recorded over 300 sexually explicit images and produced more than 20 videos of this child and distributed it on the internet on numerous occasions.
Woodward was arrested on June 11, 2016, by officers with the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department and was in possession of other images and videos that he collected from the Internet that depicted other minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct. Court records also illustrate that Woodard had previously sexually molested another child while she was between nine and 12 years of age and on other occasions he pretended to be a 15-16 year-old male while online, in an attempt to secure more sexually explicit images of children.
This case was investigated by the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department and the FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorney S. Carran Daughtrey prosecuted the case.
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Muscatine Woman Sentenced to 18 Months in Prison for FraudRead the Press Release
DAVENPORT, Iowa – On January 16, 2020, United States Chief District Judge John A. Jarvey sentenced Ashley Erin Murphy Schneider, age 37, of Muscatine, Iowa, to 18 months in prison for wire and mail fraud, announced United States Attorney Marc Krickbaum. Schneider was ordered to serve a term of three years of supervised release following her imprisonment, pay a $700 special assessment to the Crime Victims’ Fund, and pay $197,603.45 in restitution to American Family Life Assurance Company of Columbus (AFLAC).
On September 17, 2019, Schneider pleaded guilty to five counts of wire fraud and two counts of mail fraud. Schneider became a licensed insurance producer in the state of Iowa in 2010 and in 2012 became an insurance agent appointed with AFLAC. On September 24, 2015, investigators completed an AFLAC internal investigative report. According to the report, Schneider allowed unqualified businesses to receive payroll rates (businesses that did not have the required number of employees) and established fraudulent insurance policies for businesses that did not exist. AFLAC suffered a loss of $5,170.12 in advanced commissions and $650 in claims filed as a result of Schneider’s actions. Schneider was terminated for creation of the fraudulent insurance group policies effective November 30, 2015.
Further investigation revealed that prior to Schneider’s termination, she set up a supplemental cancer policy through AFLAC for a minor child. AFLAC’s claim and explanation of benefits reflected the child was diagnosed with malignant neoplasm of the right lung on November 24, 2015. Between November 25, 2015, and January 9, 2017, 180 unique benefit claims were made on 54 claim numbers by Schneider. The investigation revealed that the minor child did not have cancer and AFLAC had paid out $192,408.33 to Schneider based on the fraudulent claims she submitted.
This matter was investigated by United States Postal Inspection Service and the Iowa Insurance Fraud Bureau. This case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa.
Mt. Sterling Man Sentenced to 360 Months for Production of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
LEXINGTON, Ky. – A Mt. Sterling, Kentucky, man, James E. Woosley, 49, who previously admitted to coercing a minor to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing child pornography, was sentenced Friday to 360 months in prison by Chief U.S. District Court Judge Danny C. Reeves.
Woosley previously admitted that, in May 2018, he produced images of child pornography, and he admitted that he used KIK and Drop Box to receive and distribute child pornography images, including some images that he produced of a minor relative. According to his plea agreement, Woosley used a minor to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing a visual depiction of that conduct, and he knew or had reason to know that the visual depiction would be transmitted using any means or facility of interstate commerce.
Woosley pleaded guilty in May 2019.
Under federal law, Woosley must serve 85 percent of his prison sentence and will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for 15 years after his release from prison.
Robert M. Duncan, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Jerry Templet, Special Agent in Charge, Department of Homeland Security-Homeland Security Investigations Nashville; and Rodney Brewer, Commissioner, Kentucky State Police, jointly announced the sentence.
The investigation was conducted by HSI and the Kentucky State Police Electronic Crimes Branch. The United States was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney David A. Marye.
The year 2020 marks the 150th anniversary of the Department of Justice. Learn more about the history of our agency at www.Justice.gov/Celebrating150Years.
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Meridian Man Sentenced to More Than Five Years in Prison for Distributing MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
BOISE - Alexandr Stricharskiy, 40, of Meridian, was sentenced in U.S. District Court to 63 months in prison for distributing fifty grams or more of pure methamphetamine, U.S. Attorney Bart M. Davis announced today. Senior U.S. District Judge Edward J. Lodge also ordered Stricharskiy to pay a $2,500 fine and serve five years of supervised release following his prison sentence. Stricharskiy pleaded guilty to the charge on April 18, 2019.
According to court records, Stricharskiy sold methamphetamine to an undercover law enforcement officer on three occasions. Also as part of his crimes, Stricharskiy agreed to make a hidden compartment in a vehicle so others could secretly transport drugs. Stricharskiy was the owner and operator of an auto body shop located at 2701 West Idaho Street, Boise, Idaho. As part of his plea agreement, he agreed that this property facilitated his drug trafficking and was subject to forfeiture. The sale of the property netted $100,000 to be forfeited to the United States as equivalent to unrecovered drug proceeds.
This case was investigated by Federal Bureau of Investigation and Boise Police Department.
This indictment is the result of a joint investigation by the Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF). The OCDETF program is a federal multi-agency, multi-jurisdictional task force that supplies supplemental federal funding to federal and state agencies. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking, weapons trafficking and money laundering organizations, and those primarily responsible for the nation’s illegal drug supply. Program participants include Federal Bureau of Investigation; Drug Enforcement Administration; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations; Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation; and U.S. Marshals Service.
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Maryland Man Sentenced to Prison for Fraudulent Scheme to Solicit Hundreds of Thousands of Dollars in Contributions to Scam-PacsRead the Press Release
A Maryland political consultant was sentenced to three years in prison today followed by three years of supervised release for fraudulently soliciting hundreds of thousands of dollars in political contributions through several scam political action committees (PACs) that he founded and advertised as supporting candidates for office and other political causes.
Assistant Attorney General Brian A. Benczkowski of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney G. Zachary Terwilliger for the Eastern District of Virginia and Assistant Director in Charge Timothy R. Slater of the FBI’s Washington Field Office made the announcement.
Kelley Rogers, 56, of Annapolis, Maryland, previously pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud before U.S. District Judge Liam O’Grady of the Eastern District of Virginia. In addition to the prison sentence, Rogers was ordered to pay $491,299 in restitution and to forfeit at least $208,954 in proceeds obtained from his offense.
According to admissions Rogers made in connection with his guilty plea, from August 2012 through 2018, in the Eastern District of Virginia and elsewhere, the defendant operated multiple PACs, including Conservative StrikeForce (CSF), Conservative Majority Fund and Tea Party Majority Fund. In that role, the defendant engaged vendors to send e-mail solicitations and make telemarketing phone calls to prospective donors seeking political contributions to his PACs. Rogers approved the text and other content of all solicitations, and determined how CSF spent the contributions individual donors gave in response to the solicitations.
During the course of his scheme, Rogers solicited contributions from the general public for his PACs based on materially false and fraudulent pretenses, representations and promises. For example, in or around 2013, Rogers, working with an email vendor, represented through CSF that money contributed by donors would be used to support the campaigns of a candidate for governor and a candidate for attorney general of Virginia through, among other things, get-out-the-vote efforts and the hiring of attorneys to ensure the integrity of the elections. In or around 2014, Rogers represented that donations to the PAC would be spent on assistance and support for military veterans. In truth and in fact, the defendant never intended to spend, and never actually spent, any of the money raised by Rogers’s PACs on get-out-the-vote efforts or lawyers to protect the integrity of the 2013 Virginia and Attorney General elections, or on assistance and support for military veterans. Instead, the defendant spent nearly all of the money raised from donors to benefit himself, his associates, and his PACs, including by pouring the majority of donor money into the solicitation of more donations.
In addition to the misrepresentations that Rogers made to donors, Rogers and others fraudulently billed his PACs for services that were not performed, thereby misappropriating donor money that had been contributed to the PACs by individuals across the country. Rogers and his associates also made false statements to the Federal Election Commission about how they were spending PAC money.
Finally, Rogers admitted that he and several others also participated in a scheme to use conduits (straw donors) to make contributions to a candidate running to represent a district in the United States House of Representatives that exceeded the limits placed on individual campaign contributions under federal law.
The FBI’s Washington Field Office is investigating the case. Trial Attorneys Bill Gullotta and John Taddei of the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section (PIN) and Assistant U.S. Attorney Kimberly Pedersen of the Eastern District of Virginia are prosecuting the case. Former PIN attorney Molly Gaston provided significant assistance in the case.
The year 2020 marks the 150th anniversary of the Department of Justice. Learn more about the history of our agency at www.Justice.gov/Celebrating150Years.
Maryland Man Sentenced to 36-Month Prison Term for Fatal Crash in Northwest WashingtonRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Tyler S. Hurley, 22, of Port Republic, Maryland, was sentenced yesterday to a prison term of 36 months (3 years) for Voluntary Manslaughter, stemming from a traffic collision where he ran a red light and collided with another vehicle, killing the driver, announced U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Liu and Gregory Monahan, Acting Chief of the United States Park Police (USPP).
Hurley pled guilty to Voluntary Manslaughter on August 12, 2019, in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. The plea, which was contingent upon the Court’s approval, called for an agreed upon sentence totaling 36 months. The Honorable Craig Iscoe accepted the plea and sentenced the defendant accordingly. Following his prison term, Hurley will be placed on 5 five years of supervised release.
The fatal traffic collision occurred on Sunday, December 23, 2018, at approximately 12:27 a.m., at the intersection of Constitution Avenue and 19th Street, NW, in Washington, DC. The investigation by U.S. Park Police found that Hurley, who had come to Washington with a group of family and friends, was returning to Southern Maryland, when he was driving a 2014 Honda Civic southbound on 19th Street approaching the intersection with Constitution Avenue, where 19th Street dead ends. Hurley ran the red light at the intersection with Constitution Avenue, and struck an eastbound 2012 Honda Accord being driven by Kunal Talwar. Mr. Talwar’s Accord was crushed between Hurley’s striking Civic and a tree. Mr. Talwar later died from his injuries at George Washington University Hospital.
When officers arrived, a companion of Hurley falsely claimed to be the driver of the striking vehicle. Later, when told that the crash resulted in the death of Mr. Talwar, that person recanted and told officers that Hurley was the driver. Hurley was taken to MedStar Washington Hospital Center, along with other occupants of his Civic, for injuries. Hurley was asked about the crash and admitted to being the driver of the striking Civic. Hurley displayed some signs of impairment, but officers were unable to determine if he was intoxicated. Approximately 4 hours after the crash, Hurley’s blood was drawn and his blood alcohol concentration was 0.04 g/ml, which is less than the 0.08 g/ml concentration that is definitive evidence of driving under the influence in the District of Columbia. A download of the black box of Hurley’s Civic later showed that he was driving at 73 miles per hour in the 25-mile-per-hour zone, when he ran the red light and struck Mr. Talwar’s Accord. Hurley was later arrested and charged with causing Mr. Talwar’s death.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Liu and Acting Chief Monahan commended the work of the officers and detectives who investigated the case from the United States Park Police, as well as officers and detectives from the Metropolitan Police Department’s Major Crash Investigations Unit. They acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Investigative Analyst Zachary McMenamin, Paralegal Specialist Stephanie Siegerist, and Victim/Witness Advocate Jennifer Clark.
Finally, they commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorney Edward A. O’Connell, who prosecuted the case.
Manteca Resident Indicted for Being a Felon in Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned a one-count indictment Thursday against Mario Gonzalez, 37, of Manteca, charging him with being a felon in possession of a firearm, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced.
According to court documents, on Dec. 16, 2019, the Manteca Police Department found Gonzalez to be in possession of a loaded .45-caliber Ruger New Vaquero revolver. Gonzalez has six prior felony convictions, three of which are related to domestic violence.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Manteca Police Department, the San Joaquin District Attorney’s Office, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael W. Redding is prosecuting the case.
If convicted, Gonzalez faces a maximum statutory penalty of life in prison and a $250,000 fine. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. The Department of Justice reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally based strategies to reduce violent crime. To learn more about Project Safe Neighborhoods, go to www.justice.gov/psn.
This case is also part of Project Guardian, the Department of Justice’s signature initiative to reduce gun violence and enforce federal firearms laws. Initiated by the Attorney General in the fall of 2019, Project Guardian draws upon the Department’s past successful programs to reduce gun violence; enhances coordination of federal, state, local, and tribal authorities in investigating and prosecuting gun crimes; improves information-sharing by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives when a prohibited individual attempts to purchase a firearm and is denied by the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS), to include taking appropriate actions when a prospective purchaser is denied by the NICS for mental health reasons; and ensures that federal resources are directed at the criminals posing the greatest threat to our communities. For more information about Project Guardian, please see www.justice.gov.
Manchester Felon Sentenced to Five Years in Prison for Possessing Methamphetamine near Central ParkRead the Press Release
A woman who illegally possessed ice methamphetamine with the intent to distribute near a park was sentenced to five years in federal prison.
Robin Kinney, age 59, from Manchester, Iowa received the prison term after a September 25, 2019 guilty plea to possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance near a protected location. Kinney was found near Central Park in Manchester, Iowa, with a purse containing over 18 grams of pure methamphetamine, a glass pipe, spoon, syringes and plastic baggies. Her cell phone reflected incoming and outgoing text messages related to the purchase, sale and distribution of methamphetamine. She had previously been convicted of multiple narcotics related offenses.
Kinney was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand. Kinney was sentenced to 60 months’ imprisonment. She must also serve an eight-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
Kinney is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until she can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Elizabeth Dupuich and was investigated by the Manchester Police Department.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 19-cr-2050-LTS.
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Man Involved in 2009 Kidnapping and Murder Sentenced to Life in PrisonRead the Press Release
John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that HAROLD COOK, also known as “Oink,” 42, of Bloomfield, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Stefan R. Underhill in Bridgeport to life in prison for his role in the kidnapping, robbery and the execution-style murder of Charles Teasley, 35, of West Hartford, in January 2009.
According to evidence presented during trial, on January 12, 2009, Hartford Police responded to Colebrook Street in response to a 911 call concerning a dead body being found in the back seat of a vehicle parked on the street. Upon arrival, Charles Teasley was found dead in the back seat of his own vehicle, a 1999 Acura TL. He had suffered multiple gunshot wounds to his head and face, and his hands were zip-tied behind his back.
The investigation revealed that Cook, Gerund Mickens, Terrell Hunter and Jesus Ashanti were involved in committing armed robberies of persons they believed to be drug dealers operating in the greater Hartford area. On January 9, 2009, an individual advised Cook that he had arranged to conduct a cocaine transaction with Teasley. The individual provided the particulars of the planned transaction to Cook so that Teasley could be kidnapped and robbed of drugs and money. After Teasley arrived at the arranged location, Cook, Mickens, Hunter and Ashanti kidnapped Teasley by using zip-ties to bind his hands and forcing him back into the rear seat of his own vehicle. In the vehicle, they threatened Teasley at gunpoint, assaulted him and forced him to make a telephone call directing his girlfriend to bring to Cook, Mickens, Hunter and Ashanti a safe that Teasley had kept at his and his girlfriend’s West Hartford residence. They drove to the residence and acquired the safe. Cook, Mickens and Hunter then drove Teasley to the Colebrook Street area of Hartford, and Ashanti followed them in a separate car. On the way, Cook and Hunter shot Teasley in the head causing his death. After arriving on Colebrook Street, Cook, Mickens and Hunter left the Acura and Teasley’s body, and then fled the area in the car driven by Ashanti.
Cook, Mickens and Hunter have been detained since their arrests on April 4, 2017. On August 21, 2018, a jury found them guilty of one count of kidnapping resulting in death, one count of using a firearm during a kidnapping and causing a death, and one count of using a firearm during a Hobbs Act robbery and causing a death.
On January 13, 2020, Judge Underhill sentenced Mickens to life in prison. Hunter awaits sentencing and also faces a mandatory term of life imprisonment.
Ashanti pleaded guilty to related charges on July 16, 2018, and also awaits sentencing.
This investigation has been conducted by the FBI’s Northern Connecticut Violent Crimes Gang Task Force, Hartford Police Department and the Cold Case Homicide Unit of the Office of the Chief State’s Attorney. The Task Force includes members of the Hartford Police Department, East Hartford Police Department, Connecticut State Police and Connecticut Department of Correction.
The case is being prosecuted by U.S. Attorney Durham, Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jocelyn C. Kaoutzanis and Peter D. Markle, and Assistant State’s Attorney Andrew Reed Durham, who has been cross-designated as a Special Assistant U.S. Attorney in this matter.
Longview Ambulance Operator Sentenced for Health Care FraudRead the Press Release
TYLER, Texas – A 57-year-old Longview, Texas man has been sentenced for federal violations in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Joseph D. Brown today.
Joseph Valdie Kimble pleaded guilty on Sep. 11, 2019, to health care fraud and was sentenced to 30 months in federal prison today by U.S. District Judge Jeremy D. Kernodle. Kimble was also ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $751,986.30 to Medicare and Medicaid and was ordered not to seek or retain employment in the health care fraud industry while serving three years of supervised release.
According to information presented in court, Kimble operated Tiger EMS, a business providing non-emergency ambulance transport, mostly between skilled nursing centers and hospitals and dialysis centers. Ambulance providers may bill for ambulance services only if there is a demonstrated medical need, which requires that either a beneficiary be bed-confined and it is documented that other methods of transportation are contraindicated; or the beneficiary's medical condition is such that transportation by ambulance is medically required. Kimble disregarded medical necessity requirements and billed Medicare and Medicaid for ambulance services provided to patients for whom ambulance transport was not medically necessary.
This case was investigated by U.S. Health and Human Services – Office of Inspector General and the Texas Attorney General’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Alan R. Jackson and Frank Coan.
Long Island Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Conspiring to Distribute Crack Cocaine in Riverhead AreaRead the Press Release
Earlier today, in federal court in Central Islip, Tramaine Brown was sentenced by United States District Judge Joanna Seybert to 10 years’ imprisonment for conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute crack cocaine and powder cocaine. Brown pleaded guilty in June 2019.
Richard P. Donoghue, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, announced the sentence.
“The Riverhead area is safer with Tramaine Brown sent to prison for running an armed and dangerous drug trafficking operation that endangered residents, including Brown’s own family members,” stated United States Attorney Donoghue. “We will continue to work tirelessly with our federal and local law enforcement partners to take drugs and drug traffickers off our streets.” Mr. Donoghue also extended his grateful thanks to the Suffolk County East End Drug Task Force, which partnered with the FBI in the investigation.
In January 2018, the FBI and the Suffolk County East End Drug Task Force began an investigation into narcotics trafficking and gang activity on the East End of Long Island, including the Riverhead area. As part of that investigation, agents and officers purchased more than 300 grams of crack cocaine from Brown at his home in Jamesport, where he resided with his wife and his children. During one purchase, Brown was captured on video “cooking” powder cocaine into crack in his kitchen, while a child was present. A backpack containing fentanyl, an extremely dangerous opioid, was in close proximity to the child. On November 14, 2018, a search warrant was executed at Brown’s residence, and large quantities of narcotics, cash and a .223 caliber assault rifle, a .308 caliber rifle and a .45 caliber pistol were seized. In total, during the investigation of Brown’s drug trafficking operation, law enforcement recovered quantities of crack cocaine, powder cocaine, fentanyl, marijuana, narcotics packaging materials, a kilogram press, eight cellular telephones and over $10,000 in cash.
This case was investigated as part of the ongoing efforts by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF), a partnership that brings together the combined expertise of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking, weapons trafficking and money laundering organizations, and those primarily responsible for the nation’s illegal drug supply.
This case is also 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 its renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorneys’ Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally based strategies to reduce violent crime.
The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s Long Island Criminal Division. Assistant United States Attorneys Michael Maffei and Nicole Boeckmann are in charge of the prosecution.
The Defendant:
TRAMAINE BROWN
Age: 30
Jamesport, New YorkE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 18-CR-604 (JS)
Justice Department Settles Sexual Harassment Lawsuit Against Owners and Manager of Wichita Rental PropertiersRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – The Department of Justice announced today that Thong Cao and his wife, Mai Cao, will be obligated to pay $160,000 in damages and civil penalties to resolve a Fair Housing Act lawsuit alleging that Thong Cao sexually harassed numerous female tenants since at least 2009 at residential properties he owned or operated in Wichita, Kansas. Mai Cao is named as a defendant in this lawsuit because she owned or co-owned certain rental properties at which harassment took place.
Under the consent order in United States of America v. Thong Cao, et al., which was entered today by the U.S. District Court for the District of Kansas, defendants are required to pay a total of $160,000, which includes $155,000 in monetary damages to eleven former tenants who were harmed as a result of the sexual harassment, and a $5,000 civil penalty. The consent order also bars the defendants from participating in the rental or management of residential properties in the future.
“Sexual harassment of women in their homes is indecent, destructive, and illegal,” said Assistant Attorney General Eric Dreiband for the Civil Rights Division. “The Fair Housing Act protects the right of women and their families to live in peace and security and without the fear that deviant people will intimidate and bully them for sexual favors. This department will continue tirelessly to pursue landlords and others who abuse their authority by preying upon vulnerable women.”
“Access to fair housing is every person’s right,” said U.S. Attorney Stephen R. McAllister for the District of Kansas. “Landlords, property managers and their employees are legally prohibited from making sexual favors a condition of obtaining or maintaining a place to live.”
The department’s lawsuit, filed in 2017, arose from two complaints that former tenants filed with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). The lawsuit alleged that Thong Cao sexually harassed multiple female residents at the rental properties from at least 2009 to 2014. According to the complaint, Thong Cao engaged in harassment that included, among other things, making unwelcome sexual advances and comments, engaging in unwanted sexual touching, and terminating the tenancies of women who refused to engage in sexual conduct with him.
In October 2017, the Justice Department launched a new initiative to combat sexual harassment in housing. In April 2018, the Department of Justice announced the nationwide rollout, including three major components: an outreach toolkit to leverage the department’s nationwide network of U.S. Attorney’s Offices, a public awareness campaign, including the launch of a national Public Service Announcement, and a new joint Task Force with HUD to combat sexual harassment in housing.
Since launching the initiative, the Department of Justice has filed 13 new lawsuits alleging a pattern or practice of sexual harassment in housing. The Justice Department has filed or settled 18 sexual harassment cases since January 2017, and has recovered over $2.7 million for victims of sexual harassment in housing.
The Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division enforces the Fair Housing Act, which prohibits discrimination in housing. More information about the Civil Rights Division and the laws it enforces is available at http://www.justice.gov/crt. Individuals who believe that they may have been victims of sexual harassment or other types of housing discrimination can call the Housing Discrimination Tip Line at 1-800-896-7743, e-mail the Justice Department at [email protected], or contact HUD at 1-800-669-9777 or through its website at https://www.hud.gov/program_offices/fair_housing_equal_opp/online-complaint.
The year 2020 marks the 150th anniversary of the Department of Justice. Learn more about the history of our agency at www.Justice.gov/Celebrating150Years.
Justice Department Settles Sexual Harassment Lawsuit Against Owners and Manager of Kansas Rental PropertiesRead the Press Release
The Department of Justice announced today that Thong Cao and his wife, Mai Cao, will be obligated to pay $160,000 in damages and civil penalties to resolve a Fair Housing Act lawsuit alleging that Thong Cao sexually harassed numerous female tenants since at least 2009 at residential properties he owned or operated in Wichita, Kansas. Mai Cao is named as a defendant in this lawsuit because she owned or co-owned certain rental properties at which harassment took place.
Under the consent order in United States of America v. Thong Cao, et al., which was entered today by the U.S. District Court for the District of Kansas, defendants are required to pay a total of $160,000, which includes $155,000 in monetary damages to eleven former tenants who were harmed as a result of the sexual harassment, and a $5,000 civil penalty. The consent order also bars the defendants from participating in the rental or management of residential properties in the future.
“Sexual harassment of women in their homes is indecent, destructive, and illegal,” said Assistant Attorney General Eric Dreiband for the Civil Rights Division. “The Fair Housing Act protects the right of women and their families to live in peace and security and without the fear that deviant people will intimidate and bully them for sexual favors. This department will continue tirelessly to pursue landlords and others who abuse their authority by preying upon vulnerable women.”
“Access to fair housing is every person’s right,” said U.S. Attorney Stephen R. McAllister for the District of Kansas. “Landlords, property managers and their employees are legally prohibited from making sexual favors a condition of obtaining or maintaining a place to live.”
The department’s lawsuit, filed in 2017, arose from two complaints that former tenants filed with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). The lawsuit alleged that Thong Cao sexually harassed multiple female residents at the rental properties from at least 2009 to 2014. According to the complaint, Thong Cao engaged in harassment that included, among other things, making unwelcome sexual advances and comments, engaging in unwanted sexual touching, and terminating the tenancies of women who refused to engage in sexual conduct with him.
In October 2017, the Justice Department launched a new initiative to combat sexual harassment in housing. In April 2018, the Department of Justice announced the nationwide rollout, including three major components: an outreach toolkit to leverage the department’s nationwide network of U.S. Attorney’s Offices, a public awareness campaign, including the launch of a national Public Service Announcement, and a new joint Task Force with HUD to combat sexual harassment in housing.
Since launching the initiative, the Department of Justice has filed 13 new lawsuits alleging a pattern or practice of sexual harassment in housing. The Justice Department has filed or settled 18 sexual harassment cases since January 2017, and has recovered over $2.7 million for victims of sexual harassment in housing.
The Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division enforces the Fair Housing Act, which prohibits discrimination in housing. More information about the Civil Rights Division and the laws it enforces is available at http://www.justice.gov/crt. Individuals who believe that they may have been victims of sexual harassment or other types of housing discrimination can call the Housing Discrimination Tip Line at 1-800-896-7743, e-mail the Justice Department at [email protected], or contact HUD at 1-800-669-9777 or through its website at https://www.hud.gov/program_offices/fair_housing_equal_opp/online-complaint.
The year 2020 marks the 150th anniversary of the Department of Justice. Learn more about the history of our agency at www.Justice.gov/Celebrating150Years.
Jury convicts ex-employee of transporting stolen property and money laundering after $390,000 disappeared from armored truckRead the Press Release
HELENA – A jury on Thursday convicted a Helena man who worked for GardaWorld of multiple crimes after he was accused of taking money stolen from an armored truck and spending it gambling and shopping in Las Vegas, day trading and traveling to France, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.
The jury found John Gregory Alexander Herrin, 30, of Helena, guilty of one count of interstate transportation of stolen property and eight counts of money laundering. The jury acquitted Herrin on four counts of money laundering and attempted witness tampering.
Herrin faces a maximum 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release on the interstate transportation of stolen property and money laundering crimes.
The trial began on Monday, with U.S. District Judge Sam Haddon presiding. Judge Haddon set sentencing for May 19 and ordered Herrin detained.
“Those who transport or spend stolen money or money from illegal activities will be caught and convicted in federal court. Greed doesn’t pay. I want to thank Assistant U.S. Attorneys Tim Racicot and Michael Kakuk, the FBI and the Secret Service for their work investigating and prosecuting this case,” U.S. Attorney Alme said.
In evidence presented at trial, the prosecution said that on Nov. 20, 2013, three bags containing $390,000 went missing from a GardaWorld truck. Helena employees initially loaded the money into a truck and drove to Missoula, where they met Missoula employees and transferred some currency bags to another truck for local delivery. While in Missoula, the Helena employees left their truck locked, but unattended, several times while servicing banks and ATMs before continuing to Kalispell. After arriving in Kalispell, employees discovered three bags containing $390,000 were missing.
Herrin worked for Garda from 2012 until 2014. An internal investigation by Garda was unable to definitively implicate anyone in the theft.
Not long after the theft, the prosecution said, Herrin’s financial situation drastically changed.
Herrin went to Las Vegas twice in January 2014 and again in July 2014. While in Las Vegas, Herrin stayed at a high-end casino, gambled and went shopping with a female companion. He made large cash deposits at the casino and bought a watch for $22,600 with cash. On return from his first trip, Herrin deposited a casino cashier’s check for $123,500 and $37,350 cash, for a total of $160,870, into his checking account. Prior to the deposit, Herrin’s account had a $945.65 balance. Herrin told the bank teller he went to Las Vegas with $500 and won $160,000 gambling. While the teller was counting the cash, a Garda courier came into the bank to make a pick up. Herrin walked away from the counter and sat at an online banking station until the courier left. He then returned to the counter to complete his transaction.
On his second trip to Las Vegas, Herrin’s buy in at the casino was $50,100 cash and he lost $50,000. He also used his Visa credit card to buy more than $30,000 in merchandize from luxury retail stores and transferred money from his checking account to pay down the card balance.
After the second Las Vegas trip, Herrin went to his bank with a shoe box full of $20 bills for deposit into his checking account. The day before the deposit, the account balance was $3,550. Herrin told the teller he wasn’t sure how much money was in the box but that he had “another big score” in Vegas. He thought he had about $120,000.
Herrin also told the teller he didn’t have a job but was doing some day trading. During the transaction, another Garda courier entered the bank. Herrin had already turned his back on the courier, seemingly in an effort not to be seen by the Garda employee.
In addition to the Las Vegas trips, Herrin started day trading in 2014. He opened an account with Ameritrade, deposited $111,100 and had significant losses. His losses were inconsistent with statements he made to bank employees that he was making money day trading.
In March 2014, Herrin traveled to France with a female companion and charged the trip to his Visa card. The trip cost more than $20,000.
In the spring of 2014, Herrin moved to Springfield, MO, and used his Visa card to enroll in college and for living expenses.
By the fall, Herrin’s financial situation turned dire. In January 2015, he owed $17,753 on his Visa card, and in February 2015, Ford Motor Credit repossessed his car, which he had purchased about one month before the Garda theft.
In interviews with law enforcement, all of the Garda employees denied knowledge about and involvement in the disappearance of the $390,000. A former employee, who was also a roommate of Herrin’s, indicated that Herrin had showed him a casino check for gambling proceeds purportedly won in January 2014. He also indicated Garda employees left trucks unattended from time to time against company policy and that a broom handle could be used to unlock the trucks. The former employee also told law enforcement he had seen Herrin unlock a truck using a broom handle.
Herrin’s former female companion told law enforcement she responded to his Craigslist ad seeking company for a trip to Las Vegas. Herrin gave her money, took her shopping and bought her a $5,000 Louis Vuitton bag and more than $2,000 in dresses. After the France trip, the pair had a falling out.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Tim Racicot and Michael Kakuk prosecuted the case, which was investigated by the FBI and Secret Service.
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Jury Convicts Campbellsville Man on Child Porn ChargesRead the Press Release
BOWLING GREEN, Ky. – A Campbellsville, Kentucky, man, has been found guilty at trial for attempted receipt of child pornography and accessing the internet with intent to view child pornography, announced United States Attorney Russell Coleman. The jury convicted James S. Wolfe after deliberating for less than 30 minutes.
“Prey on our kids in the Western District of Kentucky and expect swift and aggressive federal prosecution,” said U.S. Attorney Russell Coleman. “This outcome is due to the fine work of the United States Probation Office, U.S. Secret Service, and a dedicated prosecutor.”
On July 2, 2019, a federal grand jury returned a two-count Superseding Indictment charging Wolfe with attempted receipt of child pornography and accessing with the intent to view child pornography. At the time of the charges, Wolfe was serving a 10-year term of Supervised Release imposed in Criminal Action Number 1:10CR-002 from the United States District Court for the Northern District of West Virginia. In that case, Wolfe pled guilty to one count of possessing child pornography.
On November 29, 2017, Wolfe was released from the Bureau of Prisons and his 10-year term of Supervised Release commenced. The United States Probation Office in the Western District of Kentucky agreed to accept Wolfe for supervision after changes were made to the conditions of the supervision. Wolfe moved to Campbellsville, Kentucky, where he lived with his mother and older brother. He requested permission to have access to a computer. The United States Probation Officer assigned to Wolfe’s supervision agreed to the request, but Wolfe was supposed to use the computer with internet access to seek employment and conduct routine business. And, the computer had to have monitoring software loaded on it to keep track of Wolfe’s activities. The supervising Probation Officer met with Wolfe and explained the monitoring process to him and his mother. Monitoring began on April 24, 2018.
Less than a week later, the monitoring company, RemoteCom, contacted the Probation Officer concerning Wolfe’s search activities. On May 7, 2018, the supervising Probation Officer received notification that Wolfe’s computer was not reporting back to RemoteCom’s servers. Two days after the reinstallation of the monitoring software, RemoteCom again notified the Probation Officer of concerning activity on Wolfe’s computer. The search terms clearly referred to children and sexual activity. On May 25, 2018, the supervising Probation Officer conducted an unscheduled home visit. The Probation Officer made contact with Wolfe and his mother. When confronted by the Probation Officer concerning the online activity, Wolfe stated that he didn’t think anything he had searched or viewed constituted pornography. The Probation Officer seized the computer, an unauthorized cellular telephone and numerous pages of handwritten notes (containing, among other things, lists of web sites).
A forensic examination of the computer conducted by the United States Secret Service revealed search terms indicative of child sexual exploitation as well as shadow copies of images depicting the sexual exploitation of children. The Secret Service agent prepared a report and provided it to the United States Probation Office. The United States Probation Officer submitted the information to the Court to revoke Wolfe’s Supervised Release. United States District Judge Joseph H. McKinley, Jr., revoked Wolfe’s Supervised Release. Wolfe’s conduct also led to the filing of the charges for which he was tried earlier this week in Bowling Green, Kentucky, before Chief United States District Judge Greg N. Stivers.
The defendant faces a mandatory-minimum sentence of 15 years imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. Wolfe is scheduled to appear before Chief Judge Stivers for sentencing on April 23, 2020, at 10:00 a.m., CDT, in Bowling Green, Kentucky. Wolfe remains in the custody of the United States Marshals Service.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jo Lawless. The case was investigated by the United States Probation Office and the United States Secret Service.
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Jacksonville Woman Arrested for Submitting False Claim for FEMA Benefits Related to Hurricane IrmaRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – United States Attorney Maria Chapa Lopez announces the return of an indictment charging Bernita Willette Carswell (36, Jacksonville) with disaster assistance fraud related to Hurricane Irma. If convicted, Carswell faces a maximum penalty of 30 years in federal prison, plus payment of restitution to the United States. Carswell made her initial appearance in federal court on January 15, 2020. Her arraignment is set for January 22, 2020.
According to the indictment, in September 2017, when submitting an application for assistance to the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) Individuals and Households Program for Hurricane Irma, Carswell falsified records concerning damage to her primary residence and the need to move to a rental property in Jacksonville.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case is part of the United States Attorney’s Disaster Fraud Task Force, which was announced in September 2017. This case was investigated by the Department of Homeland Security - Office of Inspector General with assistance from Homeland Security Investigations. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kevin C. Frein.
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.
Jacksonville Man Pleads Guilty to Firearms Theft ConspiracyRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – Jamarius Tillie (28, Jacksonville) today pleaded guilty to aiding and abetting the theft of firearms from federally licensed firearms dealers and conspiring to steal firearms from such dealers. He faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison for the theft charge and up to 5 years in federal prison for the conspiracy charge. A sentencing date has not yet been set.
According to the plea agreement, members of Tillie’s theft ring stole more than 10 firearms from at least 4 licensed firearms dealers in Jacksonville. While Tillie and others distracted the sales staff in these stores, another member of the ring would sneak behind the counters and steal firearms. Tillie kept some guns for himself, but sold the majority of them to a local drug dealer. For assisting Tillie, members of the theft ring were sometimes paid with crack cocaine.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michael J. Coolican.
This is another case prosecuted as part of the Department of Justice’s “Project Safe Neighborhoods” Program (PSN), which is a nationwide, crime reduction strategy aimed at decreasing violent crime in communities. It involves a comprehensive approach to public safety — one that includes investigating and prosecuting crimes, along with prevention and reentry efforts. In the Middle District of Florida, U.S. Attorney Maria Chapa Lopez coordinates PSN efforts in cooperation with various federal, state, and local law enforcement officials.
Informational: Federal Court arraignmentsRead the Press Release
The U.S. Attorney’s Office announced that the following persons were arraigned or appeared this week before U.S. Magistrate judges on indictments handed down by the Grand Jury or on criminal complaints. The charging documents are merely accusations and defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty:
Appearing in Billings before U.S. Magistrate Judge Timothy J. Cavan and pleading not guilty on Jan. 13 was:
Tyler James Fleming, 37, of Billings, on charges of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine, possession with intent to distribute meth and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. If convicted of the most serious crime, Fleming faces a minimum mandatory 10 years to life in prison, a $10 million fine and at least five years of supervised release. Fleming was detained pending further proceedings. The Eastern Montana High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Task Force investigated the case. Pacer case reference. 20-03.
Kimberly Rosamond Fanslau, 39, of Charlotte, MI, on charges of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute meth and heroin and possession with intent to distribute meth and heroin. If convicted of the most serious crime, Fanslau faces a minimum mandatory 10 years to life in prison, a $10 million fine and at least five years of supervised release. Fanslau was detained pending further proceedings. The Drug Enforcement Administration investigated the case. Pacer case reference. 19-121.
Anthony Shoulderblade, 32, of Lame Deer, on charges of assault with a dangerous weapon and use/discharge of a firearm during a crime of violence. If convicted of the most serious crime, Shoulderblade faces a maximum 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release on the assault charge and a consecutive minimum mandatory 10 years, $250,000 fine and five years of supervised release on the discharge of a firearm charge. Shoulderblade was detained pending further proceedings. The FBI investigated the case. Pacer case reference. 19-53.
Appearing on Jan. 14 was:
Charles Eyre, 60, a transient, on charges of possession with intent to distribute meth. If convicted of the most serious crime, Eyre faces a minimum mandatory 10 years to life in prison, a $10 million fine and at least five years of supervised release. Eyre was released pending further proceedings. The Eastern Montana High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Task Force investigated the case. Pacer case reference. 19-145.
Jolson Hubert Bearcomesout, 39, of Lame Deer, on charges of assault resulting in serious bodily injury. If convicted of the most serious crime, Bearcomesout faces a maximum 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release. Bearcomesout was detained pending further proceedings. The Bureau of Indian Affairs Investigated the case. Pacer case reference. 20-02.
Appearing on Jan. 16 was:
Justice Price Stiltner, 21, of Billings, on charges of felon in possession of a firearm. If convicted of the most serious crime, Stiltner faces a maximum 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release. Stiltner was detained pending further proceedings. The case was investigated by the Eastern Montana High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Task Force. Pacer case reference. 20-05.
Appearing in Great Falls before U.S. Magistrate Judge John T. Johnston and pleading not guilty on Jan. 14 was:
Eric Shawn Roasting Stick, 37, of Box Elder, on charges of assault with a dangerous weapon and domestic abuse by habitual offender. If convicted of the most serious crime, Roasting Stick faces a maximum 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release. Roasting Stick was detained pending further proceedings. The FBI investigated the case. Pacer case reference. 20-01.
If any of the above cases are of interest to your media organization and the community it serves, we encourage you to monitor the progress of the case regularly through the U.S. District Court calendar and the PACER system.
To establish a PACER account, which will allow you to review documents filed in the case, please go to, http://www.pacer.gov/register.html. To access the district court’s calendar, please go to https://ecf.mtd.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/PublicCalendar.pl.
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Illegal Alien Who Used Another Person’s Name and Social Security Number Sentenced to PrisonRead the Press Release
A man who used another person’s name and Social Security number to get a job was sentenced today to over two months in federal prison.
Jose Hernandez-Benitez, age 32, a citizen of Mexico illegally present in the United States and residing in Waterloo, Iowa, received the prison term after a December 5, 2019, guilty plea to one count of misuse of a social security number.
In a plea agreement, Hernandez-Benitez admitted that on March 25, 2018, he used someone else’s name and social security number on employment forms and state and federal tax forms when applying for work in Waterloo, Iowa. Hernandez-Benitez worked under that person’s name until he was arrested by immigration officials on October 22, 2019, after they stopped a vehicle leaving the business believed to contain individuals in the United States illegally. Hernandez-Benitez admitted to being in the United States illegally.
Hernandez-Benitez was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams. Hernandez-Benitez was sentenced to 72 days’ imprisonment. He must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
Hernandez-Benitez is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be turned over to immigration officials.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Daniel C. Tvedt and investigated by Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Enforcement and Removal Operations.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 19-CR-2071.
Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.
High Point Man Convicted of Drug and Firearm OffensesRead the Press Release
GREENSBORO, N.C. - On Thursday, January 16, 2020, following a three-day trial in Greensboro, a jury in federal court found a High Point resident guilty on four felony charges, announced United States Attorney Matthew G.T. Martin of the Middle District of North Carolina.
The jury found JABRELL CRAIG SMITH, age 27, guilty of possession with intent to distribute heroin, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, knowingly possessing a firearm after previously being convicted of a felony offense, and knowingly possessing an unregistered firearm.
Evidence presented at trial showed that on May 29, 2017, at approximately 2:00 a.m., officers from the Greensboro Police Department’s Street Crimes Unit followed and approached a black Chevrolet Malibu in the parking lot of a gas station located at 3302 South Holden Road in Greensboro. Police found an Intratec, Tec-9, 9mm Luger firearm sticking out from under the front passenger seat where SMITH had been seated. When officers recovered the weapon, they noticed that a red dot sighting system situated on top of the weapon was turned on and that a round of live ammunition had been chambered, making the Tec-9 ready to fire. The magazine contained twenty-six additional rounds of live ammunition. In the door pocket of the front passenger seat, officers recovered a plastic baggie containing 3.32 grams of heroin. At trial, the government presented text messages, videos, and photographs that established that SMITH possessed the heroin for the purpose of distribution and that he was previously familiar with, and had access to, the Tec-9. The Tec-9 had a modification, a forward grip attached to the frame of the weapon, which made it subject to additional regulation and registration in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record.
Sentencing is scheduled for May 11, 2020, at 9:30 a.m., in Greensboro, before United States District Judge William L. Osteen, Jr. With regard to the drug offense, SMITH faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, or both, and a term of not less than three years of supervised release. For possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug crime, SMITH faces a mandatory minimum sentence of five years, and up to life, consecutive to any other sentence, a fine of up to $250,000, or both, and not more than five years of supervised release. For being a felon in knowing possession of a firearm, SMITH faces a maximum sentence of ten years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, or both, and not more than three years of supervised release. For possessing the weapon subject to regulation under the National Firearms Act, SMITH faces a maximum sentence of ten years in prison, a fine of up to $10,000, or both, and not more than three years of supervised release.
The case was investigated by the Greensboro Police Department, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF). The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney John M. Alsup.
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Hartford Man Who Sold Fentanyl and Other Drugs Sentenced to More Than 10 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that JEREMY RODRIGUEZ, 22, of Hartford, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Michael P. Shea in Hartford to 121 months of imprisonment, followed by four years of supervised release, for trafficking fentanyl and other drugs.
According to court documents and statements made in court, in August 2017, the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Hartford Task Force launched an investigation into a drug trafficking organization that was selling large amounts of heroin, fentanyl, cocaine and crack cocaine in Hartford. Julio Oliveras, also known as “Cuzzo Jay,” was identified as the leader of the organization. The investigation, which included approximately six months of court-authorized wiretaps, controlled purchases of narcotics and physical surveillance, revealed that Oliveras supplied wholesale quantities of narcotics to Rodriguez and other Hartford-area drug dealers, and used multiple locations in Hartford to process, store and distribute narcotics.
Rodriguez stashed and sold narcotics at his Spring Street residence and a Bedford Street location.
Oliveras, Rodriguez and other members of the organization were arrested on July 19, 2018. On that date, investigators executed 10 search warrants and seized approximately 2.7 kilograms of fentanyl, one kilogram of heroin, approximately 500 grams of crack cocaine, 100 grams of cocaine, eight firearms, more than 1,000 rounds of ammunition, cash, and other evidence of narcotics trafficking activity.
Rodriguez was arrested at his Spring Street residence. A search of his home at the time of his arrest revealed approximately 115 grams of unpackaged fentanyl, approximately 1,500 bags of fentanyl with a net weight of 23 grams, and a .45 caliber pistol with an obliterated serial number. A search of the Bedford Street location revealed a .357 caliber revolver.
On August 2, 2018, a grand jury in Hartford returned an indictment charging Oliveras, Rodriguez and 14 co-defendants with various offenses.
Rodriguez has been detained since his arrest. On October 23, 2019, he pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute heroin, fentanyl, cocaine base (“crack”) and cocaine.
The Drug Enforcement Administration’s Hartford Task Force includes personnel from the DEA Hartford Resident Office and the Bristol, Hartford, East Hartford, Manchester, New Britain, Rocky Hill, Wethersfield, Windsor Locks and Willimantic Police Departments. Agencies assisting the investigation include the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Connecticut Department of Correction, and the East Hartford, New Britain, Newington and West Hartford Police Departments.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Geoffrey M. Stone.
Hamburg Doctor Pleads Guilty to Illegally Importing Heroin and CocaineRead the Press Release
CONTACT: Barbara Burns
PHONE: (716) 843-5817
FAX #: (716) 551-3051BUFFALO, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy, Jr. announced today that Dr. Torin Finver, 55, of Hamburg, NY, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Lawrence J. Vilardo to importation of a controlled substance. The charge carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $1,000,000 fine.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua A. Violanti, who is handling the case, stated that on November 21, 2018, Customs and Border Protection officers examined a parcel at the Chicago, Illinois, post office addressed to “T Finver,” with a residence in Hamburg, NY. The parcel was from Germany and the sender information was fictitious. The package field tested positive for cocaine.
Subsequently, two similar packages addressed to the defendant sent from California were located by U.S. Postal Inspection Service Inspectors in Rochester. One of the packages field tested positive for heroin, the other contained cocaine.
On December 15, 2018, during review of incoming mail in Hamburg, Postal Inspectors located a fourth parcel addressed to “T Finver.” On December 17, 2018, Special Agents with Homeland Security Investigations arranged for a controlled delivery of the parcel. A U.S. Postal Inspector acting in an undercover capacity delivered the parcel and other mail addressed to “Torin FINVER.” After knocking on the front door, the Postal Inspector encountered the defendant and handed over the parcel and the mail. Finver was arrested at the scene.
During an interview with investigators, the defendant stated that he ordered “dark web” packages of heroin and cocaine from the Dream Market marketplace, seven times over two months. Finver used Bitcoin to pay for the narcotics.
“While Dr. Finver’s situation sadly illustrates just how powerful the disease of addiction can be,” stated U.S. Attorney Kennedy, “this prosecution is in furtherance of the national consensus—expressed in the federal law—which recognizes that the importation of illegal drugs is wrong and that their use is something that is also wrong and deeply destructive (as opposed to a choice like any other). While we fully support the continued expansion of treatment and prevention efforts, this Office will steadfastly uphold the rule of law, and in so doing, we will continue to seek to instill a sense of optimism which rejects the inevitability of addiction.”
The plea is the result of an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Kevin Kelly, and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, under the direction of Boston Division Inspector-in-Charge Joseph W. Cronin. Additional assistance was provided by U.S. Customs and Border Protection in Chicago, Illinois.
Sentencing is scheduled for May 20, 2020, before Judge Vilardo.
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