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16 January 2020
More than two dozen defendants charged in major gang-related drug trafficking indictmentRead the Press Release
STATESBORO, GA: A major investigation targeting an expansive, gang-related drug trafficking ring operating in Georgia has resulted in a 61-count indictment naming 26 defendants on federal charges.
Indictments in Operation Ace in the Hole were returned under seal in U.S. District Court in Statesboro, said Bobby L. Christine, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. After the indictments were unsealed, the charges were announced in a news conference at the Toombs County Courthouse. Additional defendants face state charges in the investigation.
“With leaders that included a regional boss of the Gangster Disciples, this drug trafficking organization was a major source of illicit narcotics, gang violence and illegal guns throughout the Toombs County area and beyond,” said U.S. Attorney Christine. “Our brave local, state and federal law enforcement partners pursued this conspiracy tirelessly for more than a year, and our office’s prosecution of these charges will be just as relentless.”
Investigators from the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, working with federal and local law enforcement agencies, started the investigation in August 2018 in response to increasing gang violence and drug-related activities in the Vidalia, Ga., area. The investigation identified Deltinaud Toussaint, a/k/a “Black,” a/k/a “Tino,” a/k/a “Tino Black,” 44, of Vidalia, as the primary supplier of the organization’s narcotics – including methamphetamine, cocaine, MDMA or “Ecstasy,” and marijuana – through connections in Atlanta.
An alleged member of the conspiracy for whom the operation is named, Justin Adams, a/k/a “Ace,” 39, of Vidalia, was identified as a regional leader of the Gangster Disciples criminal street gang.
In June 2019, investigators executed search warrants at eight houses in Atlanta and Vidalia used for stashing or distributing narcotics, seizing more than two kilos of cocaine, four kilos of marijuana, half a kilo of methamphetamine, more than two kilos of MDMA, pints of Codeine, 600 grams of Xanax, pill presses, and surveillance equipment. The drugs were hidden in such items as children’s backpacks and baby-formula bottles. Investigators also seized 20 firearms, including a fully automatic machine gun and several assault-style rifles, a trove of gang-related documents, and approximately $49,000 in cash.
A full list of the defendants charged in the case follows. If convicted, each of the defendants faces a possible sentence of up to life in prison.
“The amazing work on ‘Operation Ace in the Hole’ demonstrates the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) model of prosecutor-led, intelligence driven, multi-agency investigative and prosecution strategy that proves effective against command and control elements of regional, national and international gangs,” said Adam W. Cohen, Director of the OCDETF Program for the U.S. Department of Justice.
“The confiscation of drugs, guns and money, and the removal of 26 defendants from the streets, will immediately make the citizens of Toombs County safer,” said Chris Hacker, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. “None of it would have been possible without the cooperative effort of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies. Our commitment to dismantling gangs that wreak havoc in our communities and endanger the people who live in them will never end.”
Robert J. Murphy, the Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Field Division stated, “These notorious gang-related drug dealers distributed poison to the community and caused fear through means of violence and intimidation. Step by step, the government disrupted and dismantled this once-thriving criminal network. This effort would not have been successful without the spirited level of cooperation between DEA, its federal, state and local law enforcement counterparts and the subsequent prosecution by the U.S. Attorney’s Office.”
“This case is the product of a concerted collaborative effort on the part of ATF and its federal, state and local partners to target, investigate, and eliminate the perpetrators of violent crime, to include eradicating criminal gang activity,” said Beau Kolodka, Assistant Special Agent in Charge of the Atlanta Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). “This case is a great example of how you leverage law enforcement resources to target the offenders driving crime in Toombs County area and beyond.”
“We are committed to working with our partners to get dangerous guns and drugs off the streets,” said Vic Reynolds, Director of the Georgia Bureau of Investigation. “We will not allow gangs to continue to terrorize neighborhoods with hardworking citizens who want to raise their families in a safe environment.”
Criminal indictments contain only charges; defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
The case was investigated under the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF), the premier U.S. Department of Justice program to dismantle multi-jurisdictional drug trafficking organizations. The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the FBI, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI), the Georgia Department of Community Supervision, the Toombs County Sheriff’s Office, the Lyons Police Department, the Oconee Drug Task Force, and the Liberty County Sheriff’s Office, and is being prosecuted for the United States by Assistant U.S. Attorneys E. Greg Gilluly Jr. and Joseph McCool.
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.
Those charged in the indictment of Operation Ace in the Hole are:
- Deltinaud Toussaint, a/k/a “Black,” a/k/a “Tino,” a/k/a “Tino Black,” 44, of Vidalia, charged with Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute and to Distribute a Controlled Substance; Conspiracy to Use, Carry or Possess Firearms; Distribution of Methamphetamine and Marijuana; two counts of Distribution of Methamphetamine; two counts of Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine, Crack Cocaine, Alprazolam, Codeine and Marijuana; two counts of Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime; and 17 counts of Use of a Communications Facility;
- Justin Adams, a/k/a “Ace,” 39, of Vidalia, charged with Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute and to Distribute a Controlled Substance; Conspiracy to Use, Carry or Possess Firearms; four counts of Distribution of Cocaine; and Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon;
- Andre Jackson, a/k/a “Dre,” 30, of Vidalia, charged with Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute and to Distribute a Controlled Substance; Conspiracy to Use, Carry or Possess Firearms; two counts of Distribution of Marijuana; two counts of Distribution of Methamphetamine and Marijuana; and Distribution of Cocaine;
- Monica Mitchell, 38, of East Point, Ga., charged with Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute and to Distribute a Controlled Substance; and Conspiracy to Use, Carry or Possess Firearms;
- Daniel Asberry, 31, of Vidalia, charged with Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute and to Distribute a Controlled Substance; Conspiracy to Use, Carry or Possess Firearms; and two counts of Use of a Communications Facility;
- Ozell Johnson, a/k/a “Bip,” 38, of Vidalia, charged with Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute and to Distribute a Controlled Substance; Conspiracy to Use, Carry or Possess Firearms; Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine, Crack Cocaine, Alprazolam, Codeine and Marijuana; and Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime;
- Laporshia Canty, 44, of Vidalia, charged with Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute and to Distribute a Controlled Substance; Conspiracy to Use, Carry or Possess Firearms; Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine, Crack Cocaine, Alprazolam, Codeine and Marijuana; and Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime;
- Stacy Tobler Sr., a/k/a “Turtle,” 46, of Vidalia, charged with Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute and to Distribute a Controlled Substance; Conspiracy to Use, Carry or Possess Firearms; Possession with Intent to Distribute Cocaine; Distribution of Methamphetamine; Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine, Crack Cocaine, Alprazolam, Codeine and Marijuana; Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine; and Use of a Communications Facility;
- Audrea Salem, 42, of Vidalia, charged with Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute and to Distribute a Controlled Substance; Conspiracy to Use, Carry or Possess Firearms; Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine; and Use of a Communications Facility;
- Darryl Marcus Allen, a/k/a “Twin,” 37, of Vidalia, charged with Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute and to Distribute a Controlled Substance; Conspiracy to Use, Carry or Possess Firearms; and Distribution of Cocaine;
- Alonzo Roberts Jr., a/k/a “Toot,” a/k/a “Two,” 31, of Vidalia, charged with Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute and to Distribute a Controlled Substance; Conspiracy to Use, Carry or Possess Firearms; two counts of Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon; Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine, Crack Cocaine and Marijuana; and Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime;
- Taneka Warren, 29, of Vidalia, charged with Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute and to Distribute a Controlled Substance; and Conspiracy to Use, Carry or Possess Firearms;
- Jermaine Bouie, a/k/a “Dollar,” 29, of Vidalia, charged with Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute and to Distribute a Controlled Substance; Conspiracy to Use, Carry or Possess Firearms; Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine, Cocaine and Marijuana; Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon; Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime; and Possession with Intent to Distribute Cocaine;
- India Mitchell, a/k/a “Shay,” 32, of Vidalia, charged with Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute and to Distribute a Controlled Substance; Conspiracy to Use, Carry or Possess Firearms; Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine, Crack Cocaine, Alprazolam, Codeine and Marijuana; Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Crime; and two counts of Use of a Communications Facility;
- Crystal Wheeler, 36, of Allenhurst, Ga., charged with Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute and to Distribute a Controlled Substance; Conspiracy to Use, Carry or Possess Firearms; and Use of a Communications Facility;
- Vincent Page, a/k/a “VP,” 31, of Vidalia, charged with Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute and to Distribute a Controlled Substance; Conspiracy to Use, Carry or Possess Firearms; Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon; Possession with Intent to Distribute Oxycodone; and Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime;
- Terry Williams, a/k/a “Young Buck,” 31, of Mount Vernon, Ga., charged with Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute and to Distribute a Controlled Substance; Conspiracy to Use, Carry or Possess Firearms; Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine, Crack Cocaine and Hydrocodone;
- Torey Johnny Lee Washington, a/k/a “Fool,” 39, of Vidalia, charged with Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute and to Distribute a Controlled Substance; Conspiracy to Use, Carry or Possess Firearms; and Use of a Communications Facility;
- Tyson Ransom, 34, of Vidalia, charged with Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute and to Distribute a Controlled Substance; Conspiracy to Use, Carry or Possess Firearms; and Use of a Communications Facility;
- Donnie Edmonds Jr., a/k/a “Hotboy,” 35, of Vidalia, charged with Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute and to Distribute a Controlled Substance; Conspiracy to Use, Carry or Possess Firearms; and two counts of Use of a Communications Facility;
- Lee Syntell Kelley, a/k/a “Truth,” 39, of Vidalia, charged with Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute and to Distribute a Controlled Substance; Conspiracy to Use, Carry or Possess Firearms; and Use of a Communications Facility;
- Nicole Mitchell, 30, of Vidalia, charged with Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute and to Distribute a Controlled Substance; Conspiracy to Use, Carry or Possess Firearms; and two counts of Use of a Communications Facility;
- Lanard Wallace, a/k/a “Nardo,” 30, of Vidalia, charged with Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute and to Distribute a Controlled Substance; Conspiracy to Use, Carry or Possess Firearms; Possession with Intent to Distribute Crack Cocaine; Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon; Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime; and Use of a Communications Facility;
- Frederick Cooper, a/k/a “Coop,” 40, of Vidalia, charged with Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute and to Distribute a Controlled Substance; Conspiracy to Use, Carry or Possess Firearms; Possession with Intent to Distribute Crack Cocaine; Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon; Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime; and Use of a Communications Facility;
- Ryan Antwain Harris, 34, of Lyons, Ga., charged with Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute and to Distribute a Controlled Substance; Conspiracy to Use, Carry or Possess Firearms; and two counts of Distribution of Crack Cocaine; and,
- Otis Peeples, a/k/a “Bull,” 26, of Vidalia, charged with Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute and to Distribute a Controlled Substance; Conspiracy to Use, Carry or Possess Firearms; and two counts of Distribution of Marijuana.
Monongalia County man admits to firearms chargeRead the Press Release
CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Jeremy Matthew Cralton, of Morgantown, West Virginia, has admitted to a firearms charge, U.S. Attorney Bill Powell announced.
Cralton, age 42, pled guilty to one count of “Unlawful Possession of Firearms by Person Convicted of Domestic Violence Crime.” Cralton, having previously convicted of a domestic violence charge and prohibited from having a firearm, admitted to an AR-15 rifle in March 2019 in Monongalia County.Cralton faces up to 10 years incarceration and a fine of up to $250,000. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew R. Cogar is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Monongalia County Sheriff’s Office investigated.
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: www.justice.gov/projectguardian.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael John Aloi presided.
Moberly Man Sentenced for Aggravated Identity Theft After Withdrawing Money from Missing Wife's AccountRead the Press Release
St. Louis, MO – Lawrence Warfel, 76, of Moberly, was sentenced to 24 months in prison for aggravated identity theft. Warfel appeared before U.S. District Court Judge Henry A. Autrey who ordered him to pay restitution in the amount of $11,688.11.
According to court records, in September 2017, Lawrence Warfel’s wife, Penny, disappeared. Prior to her disappearance, Penny had been receiving monthly Social Security benefits deposited directly into her bank account. After Penny’s disappearance, her Social Security benefits were withdrawn at an ATM, and investigators retrieved surveillance footage showing Lawrence withdrawing money from that ATM using the debit card connected to the bank account where Penny’s Social Security benefits were being deposited. In September 2018, Lawrence admitted he had been using Penny’s debt card in order to withdraw her Social Security benefits following her disappearance.
Warfel pled guilty in October 2019.
This case was investigated by the Randolph County Sheriff’s Office and the Social Security Administration. Special Assistant United States Attorney Diane Klocke handled the case for the U.S. Attorney's Office.
Milwaukee Woman Convicted of Unlawfully Possessing and Transferring a Firearm that was later recovered from a Convicted Felon and Shooting SuspectRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Matthew D. Krueger of the Eastern District of Wisconsin, announced that after a court trial on January 14, 2020, U.S. District Judge JP Stadtmueller found Ayse E. Duncan (age: 32) guilty of Possessing a Firearm as an Unlawful User of Controlled Substances and Transferring a Firearm to an Unlawful User of Controlled Substances, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922(d)(3) & (g)(3). Sentencing is scheduled for April 10, 2020. On each count, Duncan faces maximum penalties of ten years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and three years’ supervised release.
According to the trial evidence, Duncan bought a 9-mm pistol on December 9, 2018, from a federally licensed firearms dealer at a gun show in Waukesha, Wisconsin. At the time, Duncan was an unlawful user of crack cocaine, and was therefore prohibited under federal law from possessing a firearm. In completing the required ATF Form 4473 for the sale, Duncan falsely answered “no” when asked if she was an unlawful user of a controlled substance. Thereafter, in January 2019, Duncan transferred the pistol to her then-boyfriend, knowing that he was an unlawful user of crack cocaine and that he intended to give the pistol to the couple’s drug dealer to satisfy their drug debt. Duncan later learned from her boyfriend that he had, in fact, transferred the pistol to the drug dealer. Duncan’s boyfriend subsequently died from a drug overdose on August 7, 2019.
On August 14, 2019, Milwaukee police officers responded to a report of gunfire that was detected by the city’s automated ShotSpotter system. Upon arrival in the area, officers chased the suspected shooter as he ran away with a pistol in his hand. The suspect refused officers’ commands to drop the gun and turned toward them, raising the pistol. An officer reacted by firing at the suspect, who was struck and fell to the ground. The suspect was successfully treated for his injuries and is charged in Milwaukee County Circuit Court from the incident. The pistol recovered from the suspect was the same 9-mm pistol that Duncan had unlawfully purchased and transferred months earlier.
This case was prosecuted under the Project Safe Neighborhoods initiative. Project Safe Neighborhoods is a federal, state, and local law enforcement collaboration to identify, investigate, and prosecute individuals responsible for violent crimes in our neighborhoods. The Project Safe Neighborhoods’ strategy brings together all levels of law enforcement and community resources to reduce violent crime and improve the quality of life in all our neighborhoods.
This case is also part of Project Guardian, the Department of Justice’s signature initiative to reduce gun violence and enforce federal firearms laws. Initiated by the Attorney General in the fall of 2019, Project Guardian draws upon the Department’s past successful programs to reduce gun violence; enhances coordination of federal, state, local, and tribal authorities in investigating and prosecuting gun crimes; improves information-sharing by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives when a prohibited individual attempts to purchase a firearm and is denied by the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS), to include taking appropriate actions when a prospective purchaser is denied by the NICS for mental health reasons; and ensures that federal resources are directed at the criminals posing the greatest threat to our communities. For more information about Project Guardian, please see https://go.usa.gov/xpBrs
This case was investigated by the Milwaukee Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Tim Funnell and Farris Martini.
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Public Information Officer Kenneth Gales 414-297-1700
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Miami-Dade Resident Charged Federally for Importing Cocaine into Key LargoRead the Press Release
Today, a federal grand jury indicted a Miami-Dade resident with importing cocaine into Key Largo, Florida.
Ariana Fajardo Orshan, U.S. Attorney of the Southern District of Florida, Zinnia P. James, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Coast Guard Investigative Service (CGIS), Southeast Region, made the announcement
Elio Diaz Hernandez, 55, of Miami, was arrested on January 3, 2020 and initially charged by criminal complaint with possession with intent to distribute five or more kilograms of cocaine (Case No. 20-mj-05001). U.S. Magistrate Judge Lurana Snow is scheduled to arraign Diaz Hernandez on the federal indictment in Key West tomorrow, January 17, 2020, at 2:00 p.m. (Case No. 20-CR-10003-MOORE).
According to allegations in the court record, Diaz Hernandez was operating his boat at night without navigation lights, on the waters east of Key Largo. The crew of the U.S. Coast Guard cutter Charles Sexton was also in the area and launched a pursuit boat with law enforcement officers to investigate. As the U.S. Coast Guard boat approached, Diaz Hernandez threw a bag into the water and attempted to flee. After a brief chase, the officers were able to stop Diaz Hernandez.
The officers recovered the bag Diaz Hernandez threw into the water. Inside the bag were fifteen packages that contained a substance which field tested positive for cocaine. The approximate combined weight of the packages is thirty-six pounds.
If convicted of the charged offense, he faces a statutory maximum sentence of life in prison.
A criminal complaint and indictment are charging documents that contain allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
This case is being prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Brian Sattler.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov.
Mexican national sentenced to prison for repeatedly entering U.S. illegallyRead the Press Release
DAYTON – Julian Patino-Espinoza, 29, was sentenced in U.S. District Court to 36 months in prison for illegally reentering the United States and violating supervised release from his prior federal illegal reentry conviction.
This marks Patino-Espinoza’s third illegal reentry conviction. Two of those convictions have occurred in Dayton.
Most recently, according to court documents, Patino-Espinoza was deported in November 2018 from the Brownsville, Texas port of entry.
In June 2019, Patino-Espinoza was encountered by federal immigration agents at the Clinton County Jail in Wilmington, Ohio where he was being held after arrest for a misdemeanor offense.
Likewise, Patino-Espinoza had been encountered by federal immigration agents at the Montgomery County Jail in March 2018, when he was booked there after an arrest for unrelated offenses.
In August 2019, Patino-Espinoza pleaded guilty to one count of illegally reentering the United States after being convicted of a felony.
David M. DeVillers, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, and Rebecca Adducci, Field Office Director, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) announced the sentence imposed by U.S. District Court Judge Walter H. Rice. Assistant United States Attorney Andrew J. Hunt is representing the United States in this case.
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Mexican Man Sentenced to Prison for Illegally Reentering the United StatesRead the Press Release
A man who illegally returned to the United States after being deported was sentenced today to six months in federal prison.
Daniel Espinosa-Rodriguez, age 24, a citizen of Mexico illegally present in the United States and residing in Coralville, Iowa, received the prison term after a September 23, 2019, guilty plea to one count of illegal reentry into the United States.
At his earlier guilty plea, Espinosa-Rodriguez admitted he had previously been deported from the United States three times and illegally reentered the United States without the permission of the United States government. Espinosa-Rodriguez was first deported on April 5, 2017, following an arrest for aggravated assault in Texas. Espinosa-Rodriguez was deported a second time on June 10, 2017, following a conviction for illegal entry into the United States which occurred on April 27, 2017, and a conviction for driving while intoxicated which occurred in September 2016. Espinosa-Rodriguez was deported a third time in December 2017 after he illegally entered the United States on June 27, 2017. Espinosa-Rodriguez was convicted of illegal entry into the United States a second time on June 29, 2017, and was sentenced to 180 days’ imprisonment which he served prior to being deported.
On July 31, 2019, Espinosa-Rodriguez and other illegal aliens came to the attention of immigration agents following a traffic stop in Benton County, Iowa.
Espinosa-Rodriguez was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand. Espinosa-Rodriguez was sentenced to six months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a one-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
Espinosa-Rodriguez is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
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-84.
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Metairie Woman Pleads Guilty to Conspiracy to Obtain Oxycodone by Fraud and to Distribute OxycodoneRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS - U.S. Attorney Peter G. Strasser announced that CHRISTIE LYNN BROWNING, age 42, a resident of Metairie, Louisiana pled guilty on January 15, 2020 to a dual object conspiracy to obtain possession of oxycodone by fraud and to unlawfully distribute oxycodone.
According to court documents, between November 2017 and January 2019, BROWNING conspired to acquire oxycodone pills by using fictitious prescriptions and to then distribute those oxycodone pills on the black market. BROWNING faces up to 20 years’ imprisonment, a fine of up to $1,000,000 and at least three years of supervised release. United States District Court Judge Martin L.C. Feldman set sentencing for April 8, 2020.
U.S. Attorney Strasser praised the work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Department of Health and Human Services, and the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office for their work investigating the case.
The case is being prosecuted by Jared Hasten of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and Assistant United States Attorney Myles Ranier.
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Media AdvisoryRead the Press Release
WHEN: Friday, January 17, 2020 at 1:00 PM
WHERE: New Hanover County Historic Courthouse
Commissioners Assembly Room 301
24 North 3rd Street
Wilmington, NC 28401
Re: Operation DodgeBall
RALEIGH – The United States Attorney’s Office announces a press conference to discuss the sentencing of multiple gang member defendants in a multi-year heroin/fentanyl and heroin conspiracy investigation in Wilmington and New Hanover County. These defendants were not only responsible for the sale of narcotics in Wilmington, but also multiple violent acts. We will also highlight the important partnerships between all levels of law enforcement in this and other investigations during the preceding year. The Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Safe Streets Task Force, consisting of FBI Special Agents, Wilmington Police Department investigators and New Hanover County Sheriff’s Office detectives investigated this case.
In addition to United States Attorney Robert J. Higdon, Jr., District Attorney Ben David, and members of the FBI, ATF, ICE/HSI, Wilmington Police Department, and New Hanover County Sheriff’s Office are expected to be present at this event.
Credentialed members of the media are invited to attend. For additional information, please e-mail Don Connelly at [email protected]. Please RSVP your intentions to attend the event.
Mark Hulett Sentenced for Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
The Office of the United States Attorney for the District of Vermont stated that on January 16, 2020, Mark Hulett, 48, of Ferrisburgh, Vermont, was sentenced in United States District Court in Rutland to serve 120 months in prison after his guilty plea to one count of possession of child pornography. Chief U.S. District Judge Geoffrey W. Crawford also ordered Hulett to serve a ten-year term of supervised release, and to pay a $100 special assessment.
According to court records, the Vermont Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force received a CyberTip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) which reported that a file depicting child pornography had been uploaded to an Internet search engine. Subsequent investigation of the CyberTip revealed that the file had been uploaded from Hulett’s residence in Ferrisburgh. On May 14, 2019, members of law enforcement executed a search warrant at that residence and recovered Hulett’s computer and phone. A forensic search of those devices revealed that Hulett possessed over 2,000 images of child pornography, including images depicting prepubescent minor children.
Hulett was previously convicted in 2005, in Vermont Superior Court, of aggravated sexual assault and lewd and lascivious conduct with a child.
U.S. Attorney Nolan commended the efforts of the Vermont Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force and Homeland Security Investigations.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Barbara A. Masterson and Spencer Willig handled the prosecution of Hulett. Assistant Federal Public Defender David L. McColgin represented Hulett.
U.S. Attorney Nolan noted that this prosecution is part of the U.S. Department of Justice's Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorney's Offices, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Marion man sentenced for illegal transportation of grizzly bear clawsRead the Press Release
MISSOULA—A Marion man who admitted illegally transporting grizzly bear claws to Washington after shooting the bear in the Bob Marshal Wilderness in 2017 was sentenced today to three years of probation and ordered to pay $5,000 restitution to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.
Bryan Berg, 35, pleaded guilty and was sentenced today to illegal transportation of grizzly bear claws, a Lacey Act Violation.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Kathleen L. DeSoto presided.
Berg faced a maximum one year in prison, a $10,000 fine and one year of supervised release.
The prosecution said in court records that law enforcement received a tip in September 2017 that Berg shot a grizzly bear, which is a threatened species, in the Hart Basin area of the Bob Marshal Wilderness in Montana. Agents flew to the scene and found a dead grizzly bear that was pushed down the mountain. The bear’s front claws had been removed.
In an interview with law enforcement officers in March 2018, Berg said he shot the grizzly bear in self-defense, which the investigation confirmed to be accurate. Berg, however, did not report the grizzly bear shooting as required by law. Berg then removed the claws and took them to Washington. Berg cannot legally possess or transport the claws. Berg knew that taking the grizzly bear claws was illegal and turned them over to law enforcement during the interview. Berg also provided law enforcement with photographs and video of him near the grizzly bear after the shooting.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Weldon prosecuted the case, which was investigated by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks.
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Manhattan Man Pleads Guilty to Child Pornography, Enticing A Minor to Have SexRead the Press Release
Geoffrey S. Berman, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that JOEL DAVIS pled guilty to enticing a child to engage in illegal sexual activity, possession of child pornography, and distribution and receipt of child pornography. DAVIS faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison and a maximum term of life in prison. DAVIS pled guilty today before United States District Judge George B. Daniels.
U.S. Attorney Geoffrey S. Berman said: “As he admitted today, Joel Davis arranged to meet a 15-year-old boy for sex, and engaged in illegal sexual activity with the 15-year-old. He also possessed child pornography that included children under the age of 12. Davis rightly faces a lengthy prison sentence for victimizing children.”
According to the Information and other documents filed in the case to which DAVIS pled, as well as statements made during the plea proceeding:
In or about June 2018, DAVIS used a cellphone to arrange a meeting to engage in sexual activity with a 15-year-old boy and in fact met with the 15-year-old boy and engaged in illegal sexual activity. In addition, between at least in or about May 2018 and June 2018, DAVIS possessed images and videos of child pornography, including images of prepubescent minors who were not yet 12 years old, and received and distributed material containing child pornography using a cellphone.
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DAVIS, 24, of New York, New York, pled guilty to one count of enticement of a minor under the age of 18 to engage in sexual activity, which carries a mandatory minimum term of 10 years in prison and a maximum of life in prison; one count of possession of child pornography, which carries a mandatory minimum term of five years in prison and a maximum of 20 years in prison; and one count of receipt and distribution of child pornography, which carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years 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.
DAVIS is scheduled to be sentenced by Judge Daniels on May 7, 2020, at 10:00 a.m.
Mr. Berman praised the outstanding work of the FBI in this investigation.
This case is being handled by the Office’s General Crimes Unit. Assistant United States Attorneys Matthew J.C. Hellman and Juliana N. Murray are in charge of the prosecution.
Man with Long Criminal History Pleads Guilty to Credit Card Fraud and Identity Theft OffensesRead the Press Release
John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that STEVEN A. FINKLER, 55, of New Haven, pleaded guilty yesterday before U.S. District Judge Stefan R. Underhill in Bridgeport to credit card fraud and identity theft offenses.
According to court documents and statements made in court, in August 2017, Finkler stole credit cards from two of his employer’s customers and used the cards to make more than 40 fraudulent charges in Connecticut and New York. The charges included Finkler’s purchase of jewelry for his girlfriend, Apple products and electronic devices, and other high-end consumer and retail goods for either himself or his friends. The total loss to the victims was $20,892.75.
In September 2018, Finkler, using another individual’s identity, opened a membership at a fitness center with gym locations throughout Connecticut. Finkler also used the same stolen identity to create accounts with mobile device payment applications. Between September 2018 and May 2019, Finkler visited multiple gym locations and stole credit cards from lockers and other locations while the victims were located elsewhere in the gym. Using the stolen credit cards, and the mobile device payment applications, he made approximately $144,000 in fictitious charges to bank accounts that he created and controlled. He then returned the credit cards to the victims’ wallets before the victims returned to the locker room. At least 49 individuals were victimized through this scheme.
Finkler pleaded guilty to one count of access device fraud (credit card fraud), one count of wire fraud, and two counts of aggravated identity theft. Judge Underhill scheduled sentencing for April 1, 2020, at which time Finkler faces a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of two years and a maximum term of imprisonment of 40 years.
Finkler also has agreed to pay restitution in the amount of $145,682.08.
Finkler has been detained since his arrest on August 15, 2019.
Finkler has a criminal history that spans 35 years and includes numerous convictions, including five federal convictions stemming from various fraud schemes.
This matter is being investigated by the U.S. Secret Service, Connecticut Financial Crimes Task Force, and the Wallingford, Avon, North Haven, Madison, Glastonbury and Branford Police Departments. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sarala Nagala and Margaret Donovan.
U.S. Attorney Durham noted that Steven Finkler has also used the name “Andrew Finkler,” as well as other aliases. Individuals who believe they have been victimized by this scheme, or by this defendant, are encouraged to call the U.S. Secret Service at 203-865-2449.
Man Who Escaped from Federal Custody Sentenced to Another Six Months in PrisonRead the Press Release
A man who escaped from his federal custody at a residential reentry center was sentenced today to another six months in prison.
Franklin Foster, age 27, from Waterloo, Iowa, received the prison term after an October 1, 2019, guilty plea to escape from custody.
Foster has a long criminal history, including numerous convictions for theft and a conviction for attempted burglary. Fosters’ first federal conviction and sentence of imprisonment was imposed on September 2, 2014, after he pled guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm. In that case, police attempted to stop Forster while he was driving a stolen car. Foster sped away and led officers on a high speed chase through multiple counties. He eventually stopped, but was then in an armed standoff for about an hour with officers. After he surrendered, officers found three guns in his possession. After pleading guilty to being a felon in possession of firearms, Foster was sentenced to 71 months in federal prison.
On June 8, 2019, Foster was serving the end of his prison term at a residential reentry center in Waterloo, Iowa. After being told he was going to be punished for violating the rules of the center, Foster left the center and never returned. He was arrested by the United States Marshal’s Service eight days later.
Foster was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand. Foster was sentenced to six months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system.
Foster is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Anthony Morfitt and investigated by the United States Marshals Service.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 19-CR-2057.
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Man Sentenced for Heroin and Cocaine Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
NORFOLK, Va. – A Virginia Beach man was sentenced today to over 19 years in prison for conspiracy to distribute heroin and cocaine.
According to court documents, in September 2018, Dante Jermel Davis, 40, was the subject of a court-authorized surveillance of his telephone communications by law enforcement. Law enforcement heard a series of phone conversations concerning the imminent delivery of controlled substances by another party to Davis. The investigators detained Rawl Christopher Stennett after he was seen carrying a backpack and entering the lobby of an apartment building in downtown Norfolk, where Davis’ maintained a “stash” apartment. The investigators discovered five kilograms of cocaine inside Stennett’s backpack. The agents then detained Davis’ outside his “stash” apartment. Pursuant to a search warrant, the agents searched Davis’ apartment and discovered approximately 397 grams of heroin, 14 grams of cocaine, over $160,000 in cash, two digital scales, and a money counting machine. The investigators also searched Davis’ other residence in Virginia Beach, and discovered $100,000 in cash, a Glock 9mm pistol, ammunition, marijuana, and another money-counting machine. Davis has a previous conviction for possession of cocaine with intent to distribute from 2010.
G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Jim Stitzel, Assistant Special Agent in Charge of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Norfolk; Jim O’Sullivan, Chesapeake Sheriff; and Michael A. Moore, Portsmouth Sheriff, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Arenda Wright Allen. Assistant U.S. Attorney Darryl J. Mitchell prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:18-cr-158-3.
Malian Terrorist Leader Charged with the Death of U.S. Citizen Michael J. Riddering and Providing Material Support to Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb and Al-MurabitounRead the Press Release
A criminal complaint was filed yesterday in federal court in Brooklyn charging Mimi Ould Baba, a citizen of Mali, with the murder of United States citizen Michael J. Riddering, and conspiring to provide and attempting to provide material support, including personnel, to al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (“AQIM”) and al-Murabitoun, designated foreign terrorist organizations. The defendant is currently in custody in Mali.
Richard P. Donoghue, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York; John Demers, Assistant Attorney General for National Security, William F. Sweeney, Jr., Assistant Director-in-Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI) and Dermot F. Shea, Commissioner, New York City Police Department (NYPD), announced the charges.
“The Eastern District of New York and our partners in U.S. law enforcement will continue to work tirelessly with foreign counterparts to identify, incapacitate and prosecute terrorists who target American citizens anywhere in the world,” stated United States Attorney Donoghue. “Counter-terrorism remains our number one priority.” Mr. Donoghue expressed his grateful appreciation to the governments of Burkina Faso, Cote D’Ivoire and Mali for their continued support and assistance throughout this investigation
“The charges allege that Mimi Ould Baba played a central role in the planning of two separate terrorist attacks directed at Westerners in Burkina Faso and Côte d’Ivoire in early 2016. Those attacks resulted in the murder of American citizen Michael Riddering and 48 other innocent victims from numerous countries,” said Assistant Attorney General Demers. “Baba is currently in Malian custody for his terrorism-related activities. We fully support the Malian investigation and prosecution of Baba and will continue to work with the authorities there to pursue our shared goal of holding Baba accountable for his crimes. At the same time, these charges reflect that the U.S. justice system remains a powerful tool to bring to bear against those who harm our citizens abroad. We will continue to pursue justice for Mr. Riddering and for all American victims of terrorism. Our memories are long and our commitment to justice is unending.”
“There’s nothing we could ever do to take away the pain felt by the families of those Baba killed during his 2016 terrorist attack in Burkina Faso, but four years later, we take some comfort in the fact that he will be held accountable for his egregious crime. I can only hope that as time goes on, we will remember the victims’ names instead of the attacker's, especially our own American citizen Michael Riddering, who was killed that day,” stated FBI Assistant Director-in-Charge Sweeney.
“Among the 30 killed in the attack four years ago was an American, Michael Riddering. Michael was in charge of an orphanage and a women’s crisis center in Burkina Faso. This case is another reminder that when terrorists kill an American, even half a world away, the FBI Special Agents and New York City Police Detectives of the JTTF will work as long as it takes, and go as far as it takes to bring justice,” stated NYPD Commissioner Shea.
As alleged in the complaint, Baba and the operations chief of al-Murabitoun planned and executed the January 15, 2016 terrorist attack at the Café Cappuccino and Hotel Splendid in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso. The attack resulted in the deaths of 30 individuals, including Riddering. Prior to the attack, Baba surveilled attack locations in Ouagadougou, arranged the transport of AK-47 machine guns and hand grenades to be used in the attack, and transported the three suicide attack operatives to the Café Cappuccino. Riddering, a patron at the Café Cappuccino, was shot multiple times by the attackers and died at the scene. Following the attack, AQIM issued a public statement claiming responsibility for the attacks on behalf of AQIM and al-Murabitoun.
Baba also allegedly participated in the planning and execution of the March 13, 2016 resort attack in Grand Bassam, Cote d’Ivoire. Following the attacks in Ouagadougou, Baba once again met with the operations chief of al-Murabitoun to plan an additional attack against western targets in Cote d’Ivoire. Thereafter, Baba identified an individual to further plan and execute the operation, and assisted in identifying three suicide operatives. Baba also procured the vehicle used to transport the weapons for the attack. On March 13, 2016, three individuals armed with AK-47s and grenades attacked resort patrons along the beach of Grand Bassam, Cote d’Ivoire, killing 19 individuals and wounding many others. Subsequently, AQIM issued a public statement claiming responsibility for the attack.
The charges in the complaint are allegations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s National Security and Cybercrime Section. Assistant United States Attorneys Margaret E. Lee and Michael T. Keilty are in charge of the prosecution, with assistance provided by Trial Attorney Stephanie Sweeten of the Counterterrorism Section of the National Security Division of the Department of Justice. The Criminal Division’s Office of International Affairs of the Justice Department also assisted in the investigation.
The Defendant:
Mimi Ould Baba
Age: 32
MaliE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 20-MJ-56
Malian National Charged with the Overseas Murder of a U.S. Citizen and Providing Material Support to Two Foreign Terrorist OrganizationsRead the Press Release
A criminal complaint was filed yesterday in federal court in Brooklyn, New York, charging Mimi Ould Baba, 32, a citizen of Mali, with the murder of U.S. citizen Michael J. Riddering and conspiring to provide material support, including personnel (including himself), services, and property to two designated foreign terrorist organizations, al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) and al-Murabitoun. The defendant is currently in custody in Mali pending investigation and prosecution by Malian authorities.
“The charges filed allege that Mimi Ould Baba played a central role in the planning of two separate terrorist attacks directed at Westerners in Burkina Faso and Côte d’Ivoire in early 2016. Those attacks resulted in the murder of American citizen Michael Riddering and 48 other innocent victims from numerous countries,” said Assistant Attorney General for National Security John C. Demers. “Baba is currently in Malian custody for his terrorism-related activities. We fully support the Malian investigation and prosecution of Baba and will continue to work with the authorities there to pursue our shared goal of holding Baba accountable for his crimes. At the same time, these charges reflect that the U.S. justice system remains a powerful tool to bring to bear against those who harm our citizens abroad. We will continue to pursue justice for Mr. Riddering and for all American victims of terrorism. Our memories are long and our commitment to justice is unending.”
“The Eastern District of New York and our partners in U.S. law enforcement will continue to work tirelessly with foreign counterparts to identify, incapacitate and prosecute terrorists who target American citizens anywhere in the world,” said United States Attorney Richard P. Donoghue for the Eastern District of New York. “Counter-terrorism remains our number one priority.” Mr. Donoghue expressed his grateful appreciation to the governments of Burkina Faso, Cote D’Ivoire and Mali for their continued support and assistance throughout this investigation.
“There’s nothing we could ever do to take away the pain felt by the families of those Baba killed during his 2016 terrorist attack in Burkina Faso, but four years later, we take some comfort in the fact that he will be held accountable for his egregious crime. I can only hope that as time goes on, we will remember the victims’ names instead of the attacker's, especially our own American citizen Michael Riddering, who was killed that day,” said FBI Assistant Director-in-Charge William F. Sweeney.
“Among the 30 killed in the attack four years ago was an American, Michael Riddering. Michael was in charge of an orphanage and a women’s crisis center in Burkina Faso. This case is another reminder that when terrorists kill an American, even half a world away, the FBI Special Agents and New York City Police Detectives of the JTTF will work as long as it takes, and go as far as it takes to bring justice,” said NYPD Commissioner Dermot F. Shea.
As alleged in the complaint, Baba, along with the operations chief of al-Murabitoun and others, planned the Jan. 15, 2016, terrorist attack at the Café Cappuccino and Hotel Splendid in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso. Baba assisted in the planning and preparation for the attack by conducting surveillance of potential targets frequented by Westerners, facilitating the transportation and storage of AK-47 assault rifles and hand grenades to be used in the attack, conducting a walk-through of the attack with the three suicide operatives, and driving the armed operatives to the attack site on the day of the attack. Thirty people were killed in the terrorist attack, including American Michael J. Riddering and numerous victims from other Western countries and Burkina Faso. Riddering, a patron at the Café Cappuccino, was shot multiple times by the attackers and died at the scene. Following the attack, AQIM issued a public statement claiming responsibility for the attacks on behalf of AQIM and al-Murabitoun.
Baba also participated in the planning and preparation for the March 13, 2016, resort attack in Grand Bassam, Cote d’Ivoire. Following the attack in Ouagadougou, Baba met with the operations chief of al-Murabitoun to plan another attack against Westerners, this one in Cote d’Ivoire. Thereafter, Baba identified an individual to assist with the preparations for the attack and in identifying three suicide operatives to conduct the attack. Baba also procured the vehicle that was used to transport the weapons that were used in the attack. On March 13, 2016, three suicide operatives armed with AK-47s and grenades attacked resort patrons along the beach of Grand Bassam, Cote d’Ivoire, killing 19 people from a number of countries and wounding many others. Following the attack, AQIM issued a public statement claiming responsibility for the attack.
The charges in the complaint are allegations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s National Security and Cybercrime Section. Assistant United States Attorneys Margaret E. Lee and Michael T. Keilty are in charge of the prosecution, with assistance provided by Trial Attorney Katie Sweeten of the Counterterrorism Section of the National Security Division of the Department of Justice. The Criminal Division’s Office of International Affairs of the Justice Department assisted in the investigation.
MS-13 defendant sentenced to 35 years in prison for directly participating in three homicides in aid of racketeeringRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – A defendant in the MS-13 racketeering case was sentenced in U.S. District Court today to 420 months in prison for his involvement in multiple homicides, including the murder of a former confidential informant.
Juan Jose Jimenez-Montufar (also known as Chele Trece), 35, of Columbus, pleaded guilty in August 2019. He admitted to his involvement in multiple homicides, including the 2006 murder of a confidential informant who was working with law enforcement agencies in the Columbus area.
Jimenez-Montufar is one of 23 individuals charged in a second superseding indictment in February 2018 who are alleged to be members and associates of MS-13 in Columbus.
The defendants are charged in a racketeering conspiracy, which includes five murders as well as attempted murder, extortion, money laundering, drug trafficking, assault, obstruction of justice, witness intimidation, weapons offenses and immigration-related violations.
The second superseding indictment alleges that the defendants committed a host of overt acts in furtherance of the conspiracy, including: 1) the December 2006 murder of Jose Mendez, a confidential informant, in Perry County; 2) the November 2008 murder of Ramon Ramos on Lockbourne Road in Columbus; 3) the mid-2015 murder of Carlos Serrano-Ramos, a suspected rival gang member, near Innis Road in Columbus; 4) the November 2015 murder of Wilson Villeda near Innis Road in Columbus; and 5) the December 2016 murder of Salvador Martinez-Diaz, a suspected rival gang member, on Melroy Avenue in Columbus.
As part of his August guilty plea, Jimenez-Montufar admitted to shooting and killing Jose Mendez in 2006. At that time, Mendez was a confidential informant working with law enforcement agencies in the Columbus area. In December 2006, Jimenez-Montufar and other MS-13 members drove Mendez to a remote location east of Columbus to murder him. Jimenez-Montufar shot Mendez in the head and left his body in Perry County.
Jimenez-Montufar also participated in other homicides, assaulted victims, set fire to an extortion victim’s car, and took part in drug trafficking, extortion and money laundering.
David M. DeVillers, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Chris Hoffman, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division; Rebecca Adducci, Detroit Field Office Director, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations; Franklin County Sheriff Dallas Baldwin and Columbus Police Chief Thomas Quinlan announced the sentence imposed today by U.S. District Court Judge Edmund A Sargus, Jr. Deputy Criminal Chief Brian J. Martinez and Assistant United States Attorney Noah R. Litton are representing the United States in this case.
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Laurel County Man Convicted of Possession with Intent to Distribute MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
LONDON, Ky. - A Laurel County man was convicted today by a federal jury in London for possessing with intent to distribute over 500 grams of methamphetamine.
After two hours of deliberation following a two day trial, the jury convicted 58-year-old Timmy L. Fields of possessing with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of a mixture or substance containing methamphetamine.
According to testimony at trial, on April 21, 2019, a Kentucky State Police Trooper stopped Fields’ vehicle and found Fields in possession of over 985 grams of methamphetamine. Fields has prior felony drug convictions for unlawful possession of a methamphetamine precursor and trafficking in a controlled substance.
Fields was indicted in June 2019.
Robert M. Duncan, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky, Dan Dodds, Acting Special Agent in Charge, DEA Louisville Field Division, and Commissioner Rodney Brewer, Kentucky State Police, jointly announced the conviction.
The investigation was conducted by KSP and DEA. The U.S. Attorney’s Office was represented in the case by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jenna E. Reed.
Fields will appear for sentencing on May 8, 2020. He faces a statutory minimum of 25 years in prison, up to a maximum of Life in prison. However, the Court must consider the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the applicable federal sentencing statutes before imposing a sentence.
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Latrobe Woman Sentenced for Role in Money Laundering ConspiracyRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH - A resident of Latrobe, Pennsylvania, has been sentenced in federal court to two years probation on her conviction of money laundering conspiracy, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced today.
Senior United States District Judge David S. Cercone imposed sentence on Kathy Darling, age 62.
In connection with sentencing, the court was advised that during the period from January 2011 through May 2016, Darling became a member of a money laundering conspiracy. Darling conducted financial transactions affecting interstate commerce, knowing that the property involved in the financial transactions represented the proceeds of some form of unlawful activity. Darling knew that each of the financial transactions was designed in whole or in part to conceal or disguise the nature, location, source, ownership, and control of the proceeds. As part of the money laundering conspiracy, the defendant and her co-conspirators conducted the following financial transactions: 1) withdrew funds from prepaid debit cards and credit cards; 2) transmitted and received funds via MoneyGram, Walmart and Western Union; 3) cashed checks and money orders; and 4) sent and received wire transfers of funds. The funds involved in these transactions, which totaled thousands of dollars, were the proceeds of wire fraud.
Assistant United States Attorney Mary McKeen Houghton prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
The United States Postal Inspection Service and the Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations, conducted the investigation leading to the conviction in this case.
Latin King Gang Member Sentenced to 108 Months in Prison for Racketeering ConspiracyRead the Press Release
HAMMOND-Sean Pena, 37, of Portage, Indiana, and a member of the Chicago-based Latin Kings, was sentenced by Judge Simon to 108 months in prison following his guilty plea to conspiracy to participate in racketeering activity, announced U.S. Attorney Kirsch.
According to documents in the case, Pena was held responsible for drug trafficking activity involving between 5 kilograms and 15 kilograms of cocaine distributed by the Latin Kings street gang. As a member of the Latin Kings, Pena attended gang meetings and paid dues, which went to the purchase of such things as firearms and narcotics for the gang. Pena was involved in distributing narcotics and patrolled Latin King neighborhoods looking out for rival gang members and police.
This case is the result of the investigative efforts of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the East Chicago Police Department, the Gary Police Department, the Hammond Police Department, the Lake County, Indiana, Sheriff’s Department and Lake County High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area officers and agents. The Lake County, Indiana Prosecutor’s Office and the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Illinois, have also provided assistance. The Latin King case is being prosecuted by Northern District of Indiana Assistant U.S. Attorneys David J. Nozick and Nicholas J. Padilla.
Kentucky Man Pleads Guilty to Illicit Sexual Conduct While Traveling and Residing in CambodiaRead the Press Release
A Kentucky resident pleaded guilty in federal court today that he, a U.S. citizen, engaged and attempted to engage in illicit sexual conduct with two minor females while he traveled and resided in Cambodia.
Assistant Attorney General Brian A. Benczkowski of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Robert M. Duncan Jr. for the Eastern District of Kentucky, Special Agent in Charge Jerry Templet of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Nashville, and Kentucky State Police Commissioner Rodney Brewer made the announcement.
Micky Rife, 36, formerly of Salyersville, Kentucky, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Gregory F. Van Tatenhove. In his plea agreement, Rife admitted that between Sept. 3, 2012, and Dec. 9, 2018, he traveled in foreign commerce, and between March 7, 2013 and Dec. 9, 2018, he resided in Cambodia, and that during those periods he touched two minor females under their clothing and inside or on their genital areas on more than one occasion. He further admitted that both minor victims were under the age of 12 when the illicit conduct occurred.
Rife was previously indicted for two separate counts of the same offense in February 2019. He pleaded guilty to a single-count information filed today. Sentencing is scheduled for April 7, 2020.
The investigation was conducted in Cambodia and Kentucky by HSI and the Kentucky State Police. Trial Attorney Lauren S. Kupersmith of the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS) and Assistant U.S. Attorney David A. Marye prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
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.
Juvenile Carjacker Sentenced to 134 Months in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
St. Louis, MO – Elijah Roberts, 19, of St. Louis City, was sentenced to 134 months in prison for his involvement in a February 2018 carjacking. Roberts appeared today before U.S. District Judge Henry E. Autrey who imposed the sentence.
According to the court documents, on February 13, 2018, the victim was securing her two minor children in their car seats. When she got into the driver’s seat, Roberts, who was 17 years old at the time, yanked open her car door. Roberts pointed a firearm at her and demanded her keys. The victim handed over her keys and removed her infant daughter from the vehicle. Before she could remove her second child -- a fifteen-month old boy -- from his car seat, Roberts drove off in the stolen vehicle. Police responded and found the toddler unharmed in an alley.
Police eventually located Roberts who was still inside the carjacked vehicle. Roberts fled from police officers for approximately 45 minutes – ramming two police cars and injuring one police officer during the pursuit. After driving through parks and over curbs, the vehicle broke down. Roberts was arrested.
Roberts pleaded guilty in October to carjacking and brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a crime.
“To the young people in our community, know that you have a choice when it comes to guns: Pick one up or put it down. We want you to put it down,” said United States Attorney Jeff Jensen after today’s sentencing. “Whether you are 17 or 70, if you choose to commit a violent crime in this district, you will be aggressively prosecuted at the federal level. A federal prosecution means no parole; significant prison time; serving that prison sentence far from Saint Louis; and intensive supervised release once prison is over.”
Jensen continued, “In the last two years, this office has doubled the number of federal prosecutions of individuals who have chosen to pick-up firearms and commit violent acts with them. This specifically includes increased prosecution of juveniles.”
The Saint Louis Metropolitan Police Department and Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated this case.
Jury convicts Texas man for illegally transporting aliensRead the Press Release
LAREDO, Texas – A Laredo federal jury has convicted a 60-year-old San Antonio man for transporting two dozen illegal aliens in a hidden compartment within a moving truck, announced U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Patrick.
They deliberated for eight hours before returning the verdicts against Clarence James Lee following a one-day trial on two counts of transporting an alien.
On Sept. 26, 2019, authorities at the Bruni immigration checkpoint on Texas Highway 359 stopped a Penske truck. Lee was driving. He said he lived in San Antonio and was moving furniture to Kingsville. During the initial inspection, a K-9 detected contraband in the cargo area of the truck.
The jury heard Lee had consented to a search a search of the truck. Soon after, law enforcement discovered 24 illegal aliens hidden behind a false wall built into the truck. Furniture and appliances were blocking the door, leaving those inside with no means of escape. Upon their release, the aliens were sweating profusely, gasping for air and immediately asked for water.
A temperature reading inside the truck measured 94 degrees.
At trial, the jury heard Lee was to be paid cash and narcotics to drive the truck from Laredo to Kingsville. Testimony revealed he admitted he thought it contained contraband. However, Lee claimed he did not know people were in the back of the truck until he received a call about eight minutes prior to arriving at the checkpoint. He still decided to continue his trip.
The defense attempted to argue that Lee thought he was smuggling narcotics. Therefore, he did not have the required intent to be convicted of alien smuggling. The jury was not convinced and found him guilty.
Two others in a scout car pleaded guilty for their roles in the scheme.
U.S. District Judge Diana Saldaňa presided over the trial and will set sentencing at a later date. At that time, Lee faces up to five years in prison and well as a maximum $250,000 fine.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations and Border Patrol conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Paul Harrison and Jennifer Day are prosecuting the case.
Jury Convicts Independence Man of Illegal FirearmRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – An Independence, Missouri, man was convicted by a federal jury today of illegally possessing a firearm.
Jose D. Drew, 29, was found guilty of one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm.
Evidence introduced during the trial indicated that Drew was in possession of a loaded Glock .45-caliber semi-automatic pistol with an extended magazine on July 13, 2018.
Agents stopped a vehicle when it pulled into a parking spot in front of an apartment building and arrested Drew. When agents searched the vehicle, they found the Glock pistol between the passenger seat (where Drew was sitting) and the center console. A DNA comparison later confirmed that Drew’s DNA was located on the trigger guard area of the pistol.
Under federal law, it is illegal for anyone who has been convicted of a felony to be in possession of any firearm or ammunition. Drew has three prior felony convictions for robbery and armed criminal action.
Following the presentation of evidence, the jury in the U.S. District Court in Kansas City, Mo., deliberated for less than an hour before returning the guilty verdict to U.S. District Judge Greg Kays, ending a trial that began Wednesday, Jan. 15.
Under federal statutes, Drew is subject to a sentence of up to 10 years in federal prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.
This case is being prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert Smith and Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph M. Marquez. It was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Project Safe Neighborhoods
The U.S. Attorney’s Office is partnering with federal, state, and local law enforcement to specifically identify criminals responsible for significant violent crime in the Western District of Missouri. A centerpiece of this effort is Project Safe Neighborhoods, a program that brings together all levels of law enforcement to reduce violent crime and make neighborhoods safer for everyone. Project Safe Neighborhoods is an evidence-based program that identifies the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develops comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, Project Safe Neighborhoods focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.Hyannis Man Pleads Guilty in Connection with Heroin ConspiracyRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Cape Cod man pleaded guilty today in federal court in Boston to his role in a wide-ranging heroin trafficking conspiracy.
Krymeii Fray, 24, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possession with intent to distribute 100 grams or more of heroin. U.S. District Court Judge Allison D. Burroughs scheduled sentencing for May 7, 2020.
In May 2019, Fray and 10 co-defendants were arrested and charged with various drug distribution offenses. According to court documents, in 2018, federal, state and local law enforcement began an investigation focusing on Edwin Otero, the alleged leader of a Cape Cod-wide drug trafficking organization. It is alleged that Otero and his co-conspirators distributed large quantities of heroin throughout Cape Cod -including Hyannis, Mashpee, Centerville, and Osterville and Pawtucket, R.I. Interceptions from Otero’s phone identified Fray as a drug trafficker supplied by Otero.
On May 8, 2019, Otero, and others were involved in a shooting at Fray’s residence related to a drug debt Fray allegedly owed Otero. After the shooting, agents intercepted Otero discussing the fact that he had shot at Fray.
The charge of conspiracy to distribute 100 grams or more of heroin carries a mandatory sentence of five years in prison, a maximum sentence of 40 years in prison, at least four years of supervised release and a fine of $5 million. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling; Brian D. Boyle, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division; and Barnstable Police Chief Paul MacDonald made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher Pohl and Lauren Graber of Lelling’s Narcotics and Money Laundering Unit are prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The remaining defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Huntsville Man Sentenced to 25 Years for Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. –A federal judge today sentenced a Huntsville man to 25 years in prison for sexually exploiting a 10-year-old child, announced U.S. Attorney Jay E. Town and U.S. Immigration and Custom Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations Assistant Special Agent in Charge James G. Hernandez.
United States District Court Judge Abdul K. Kallon sentenced Darnell Lawson to 25 years in prison for producing child pornography and enticing a young girl to engage in sexual activity for the purpose of creating obscene images. Lawson pled guilty to these charges in August 2019 and is required to register as a sex offender.
“A long prison sentence is well-deserved for this defendant,” Town said. “Lawson stole the innocence of a young girl and gave her no sanctuary of a childhood. He will now spend the next 25 years in federal prison where there is no sanctuary of parole.”
“This case demonstrates how HSI seeks to partner with all the relevant stakeholders to protect those among us that are the most vulnerable,” Hernandez said. "HSI partnered with Huntsville PD, and the NCAC multidisciplinary team to get this predator off our streets.”
This case is part of Project Safe Childhood, a U.S. Department of Justice nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood combines federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/pcs.
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security and U.S. Immigration & Customs Enforcement (ICE) also encourage the public to report suspected child predators and any suspicious activity through its toll-free hotline at (866) 347-2423. Investigators are available at all hours to answer hotline calls. Tips or other information can also be submitted to ICE online by visiting their website at www.ice.gov/exec/forms/hsi-tips/tips.asp or through the Operation Predator smartphone application www.ice.gov/predator/smartphone-app. Tips may be submitted anonymously.
U.S. Immigration and Custom Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations along with the Huntsville Police Department investigated the case, which Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert J. Becher, Sr. prosecuted.
Houston Woman Latest to be Sentenced in Smith County Methamphetamine ConspiracyRead the Press Release
TYLER, Texas – A 31-year-old Houston woman has been sentenced to federal prison for drug trafficking violations in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Joseph D. Brown today.
Angelica Iczayana Jaimes-Loredo pleaded guilty on July 25, 2019 to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and distribution of 50 grams or more of methamphetamine and was sentenced to 92 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Robert W. Schroeder III.
According to information presented in court, between January 2018 and August 2018, Jaimes-Loredo and others were involved in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine in the Smith County, Texas area. On Nov.14, 2018, Jaimes-Loredo; Suri Surai Rivera-Zuniga, 25, of Houston; Kevin Russ Ivy, 58, of Whitehouse, Texas; and Stephen Paul Barton, 55, of Tyler; were charged in a six-count indictment with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and distribution of 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. Jaimes-Loredo and Rivera-Zuniga admitted to distributing approximately three kilograms of methamphetamine on Aug. 18, 2018 in Whitehouse, Texas. Ivy admitted to possessing with intent to distribute 88 grams of methamphetamine on Aug. 16, 2018 in Whitehouse, Texas. Barton admitted to distributing 48.7 grams of methamphetamine on Aug. 16, 2018 and 35.7 grams of methamphetamine on July 20, 2018 in Whitehouse, Texas.
Rivera-Zuniga pleaded guilty on April 2, 2019 to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and distribution of 50 grams or more of methamphetamine and was sentenced to 63 months in federal prison on Sep. 26, 2019. Ivy pleaded guilty on May 13, 2019 to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and distribution of 50 grams or more of methamphetamine and was sentenced to 49 months in federal prison on Sep. 19, 2019. Barton pleaded guilty on July 25, 2019 to possession with intent to distribute 5 grams or more of methamphetamine and was sentenced to 87 months in federal prison on Jan. 13, 2020.
This case was investigated by the Smith County Sheriff’s Office Narcotics Unit, the Texas Department of Public Safety Criminal Investigation Division and Highway Patrol, and the Drug Enforcement Administration and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Allen Hurst.
Harrison County man admits to firearms chargeRead the Press Release
CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Matthew Scott Collins, of Stonewood, West Virginia, has admitted to a firearms charges, U.S. Attorney Bill Powell announced.
Collins, age 37, pled guilty to one count of “Possession of Stolen Firearm.” Collins admitted to having a .22 caliber rifle, a 9mm pistol, and a .223 caliber rifle in Barbour County in July 2018. All three firearms are stolen.
Collins faces up to 10 years incarceration and a fine of up to $250,000. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen D. Warner is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael John Aloi presided.
Gulfport Tax Preparer Sentenced to Prison for Preparing False ReturnsRead the Press Release
A Gulfport, Mississippi, tax return preparer was sentenced to 15 months in prison today for aiding and assisting in the preparation of false tax returns, announced Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Richard E. Zuckerman of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and U.S. Attorney Mike Hurst for the Southern District of Mississippi.
According to documents and information provided to the court, Stacey Pritchett Williams owned and operated Stacey’s Unique Tax Service, a tax return preparation business located in the Gulfport area. From 2015 through 2016, Williams filed returns for her clients that reported false business income, education credits, and fuel credits, in an effort to obtain inflated refunds from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). Williams often deducted her fee from the client’s refunds and, at times, charged $999 to prepare a return. In all, Williams caused a tax loss to the United States of at least $100,000.
In addition to the term of imprisonment, Senior U.S. District Judge Louis Guirola Jr., ordered Williams to serve one year of supervised release and to pay restitution of $102,382 to the United States.
Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Zuckerman and U.S. Attorney Hurst thanked special agents of IRS-Criminal Investigation, who conducted the investigation, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Stan Harris and Trial Attorney Kevin Schneider of the Tax Division, who are prosecuting the case.
Gilford Man Pleads Guilty to Transportation of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
CONCORD - Phillip R. Andrews, 80, of Gilford, pleaded guilty in federal court on Wednesday, to transportation of child pornography, United States Attorney Scott W. Murray announced today.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on or before June 13, 2016, Andrews used his cellular phone to produce sexually explicit images of a child under eighteen years of age. These images were uploaded onto his social media accounts using the internet.
Andrews is scheduled to be sentenced on April 28, 2020.
“Protecting the innocence of children is a top priority for federal law enforcement agencies,” said U.S. Attorney Murray. “Those who create, transport or distribute child pornography do grave harm to the victims who are portrayed in these images. In order to safeguard our young people, we work closely with HSI and all of our federal, state and local law enforcement partners to identify and prosecute child exploitation and child pornography crimes.”
“The conduct of Mr. Andrews will never be tolerated in any way, shape or form. The protection of innocent minors will always be an investigative priority of HSI. Investigations like this are a prime example of our public safety mission,” said, Jason Molina, Acting Special Agent in Charge, Boston. “HSI and the U.S. Attorney’s Office will continue to stand up for the victims who are subjected to unacceptable abuse with each and every downloaded image.”
This matter was investigated by Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations, the New Hampshire Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, and the Gilford Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Cam Le.
In February 2006, the Department of Justice introduced Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney’s Offices, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
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Getaway Driver Pleads Guilty to Federal Charges Related to Two 2019 Bank Robberies in BaltimoreRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – Richard Adams age 59, of Baltimore, Maryland, pleaded guilty today to aiding and abetting armed bank robbery and aiding and abetting the brandishing of a firearm during a crime of violence, in connection with armed bank robberies committed in Baltimore on January 23 and February 1, 2019.
The guilty plea was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Robert K. Hur; Special Agent in Charge Jennifer C. Boone of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office; and Commissioner Michael Harrison of the Baltimore Police Department.
According to Adams’ guilty plea, he served as the getaway driver in connection with two armed bank robberies committed by his two co-defendants. On January 23, 2019, Adams drove his co-defendants to a bank in the 3600 block of Boston Street in Baltimore, in a car he had rented two weeks earlier. Adams’ co-defendants were each armed and wore masks and gloves when they entered the bank. The robbers told everyone to put their hands up and one of the robbers approached the victim teller, pointed his firearm at her, and demanded $100 dollar bills and “loose bills” from the bottom drawer of the till. Meanwhile, the other robber held the customers and other bank employees at gunpoint in the lobby area of the bank. The victim teller handed over the cash and the robbers ran away. As they ran through a parking lot adjacent to the bank, they accidentally dropped more than $5,000 in cash. They then got into the gray car driven by Adams, who had been waiting for them, and Adams drove them away from the area.
On February 1, 2019, Adams drove his co-defendants to a bank located in the 2900 block of O’Donnell Street in Baltimore, in a 2006 Chevy Monte Carlo that was registered to Adams. Adams’ co-defendants entered the bank armed with the same firearms they had used in the previous robbery and again wore masks and gloves to conceal their identities. The robbers pointed their firearms at the tellers and demanded money. After the tellers handed over cash from the till, the robbers demanded more cash. The tellers provided the robbers with cash from the bank’s vault and included a GPS tracker, which was activated. The robbers fled the bank and got into Adams’ car and Adams drove them away from the bank.
Baltimore Police Department (BPD) units responding to the robbery were provided with the GPS tracking information and located the vehicle with Adams and his co-defendants inside. All three were arrested. At the time of their arrests, one of the robbers had the gun used in the robbery on his person. A subsequent search of the vehicle recovered the second firearm and a blue backpack containing the cash stolen during the robbery and the GPS tracking device. Later that day, a search was executed at Adams’ residence which recovered clothing and a leather duffel bag used during the first robbery.
Adams faces a maximum sentence of 25 years in federal prison for aiding and abetting armed bank robbery, and faces a minimum mandatory sentence of seven years in prison and a maximum of life in federal prison for aiding and abetting the brandishing of a firearm during a crime of violence. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. U.S. District Judge Deborah K. Chasanow has scheduled sentencing for April 27, 2020 at 3:00 p.m.
Adams’ co-defendants are scheduled to go to trial on June 1, 2020. All three defendants remain detained.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
United States Attorney Robert K. Hur commended the FBI and the Baltimore Police Department for their work in the investigation. Mr. Hur thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Paul A. Riley and Daniel A. Loveland, Jr., who are prosecuting the case.
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Georgia Man Admits Engaging in Distributed Denial of Service Attacks Against CompanyRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A Georgia man today admitted his role in initiating a cyberattack known as a Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) against a company that maintained servers in New Jersey, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito announced.
Tucker Preston, 22, of Macon, Georgia, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge William J. Martini in Newark federal court to an information charging him with one count of damaging protected computers by transmission of a program, code or command.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
DDoS is a type of cyberattack that purposefully directs such a large volume of superfluous traffic to a victim’s web server or other computer system that it can slow or shut down service. In or around December 2015, Preston arranged for an entity that engages in DDoS attacks to initiate attacks against a company. The entity directed DDoS attacks against the victim company, causing damage and disrupting the victim’s business.
The count to which Preston pleaded guilty is punishable by a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss from the offense. Sentencing is scheduled for May 7, 2020.
U.S. Attorney 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 guilty plea.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney David E. Malagold of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Criminal Division.
Defense counsel: Ijeoma Eke Esq., Assistant Federal Public Defender, Newark
Four Texas Men Arrested for Transporting Stolen MoneyRead the Press Release
LITTLE ROCK— Four Texas men were arrested today on federal charges of transporting stolen money as well as conspiring to transport stolen money. The defendants, all of Dallas—Antonio Denard Few, 34; Christopher Landelle Burns, 31; James Darron Miller, Jr., 32; and Steven Jadon Williams, 39—were charged by a grand jury in an indictment handed down on January 7, 2020.
Cody Hiland, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, and Diane Upchurch, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Little Rock Field Office, announced the indictment, which details a scheme in which the defendants targeted ATMs located in Walmart Neighborhood Market Stores in Conway and Benton, as well as locations in Oklahoma including Edmond, Oklahoma City, and Broken Arrow.
The indictment alleges that from December 2018 through January 2019, the defendants rented vehicles to drive from Dallas to Oklahoma and Arkansas in order to break into Walmart Neighborhood Market stores to steal or break into ATMs. The defendants allegedly utilized tools and bought gloves and clothing to conceal their identity while they conducted the break-ins, and they communicated by cell phone to orchestrate the robberies.
The indictment charges all four defendants with two counts of transporting $5,000 or more of stolen money—one count relating to the Walmart Neighborhood Market in Conway, and one count relating to the robbery of an ATM at a Shell Superstop in Benton. All four are also charged with one count of conspiracy to transport $5,000 or more of stolen money.
During today’s arrests, authorities seized 15 firearms, including eight handguns and seven rifles; approximately $15,000 cash and a currency counter; and multiple crowbars, bolt cutters, and heavy gauge cables with hooks.
The joint investigation was conducted by the FBI Little Rock Field Office, FBI Dallas Field Office, and FBI Oklahoma City Field Office, with assistance from Benton Police Department and Conway Police Department. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Bart Dickinson.
The penalty for transporting stolen money is not more than ten years’ imprisonment, and the penalty for conspiracy to transport stolen money is not more than five years’ imprisonment. Both charges carry potential penalties of not more than three years of supervised release and not more than a $250,000 fine.
An indictment only contains allegations. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
This news release, as well as additional information about the office of the
United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, is available online at
https://www.justice.gov/edar
Twitter:
@EDARNEWS
Former Salyersville Resident Pleads Guilty to Illicit Sexual Conduct While Traveling and Residing in CambodiaRead the Press Release
FRANKFORT, Ky. — A former resident of Salyersville, Kentucky, Micky Rife, 36, admitted in federal court on Thursday, that he, a U.S. citizen, engaged and attempted to engage in illicit sexual conduct with two minor females while he traveled and resided in Cambodia.
Rife pleaded guilty before U.S. District Court Judge Gregory F. Van Tatenhove. In his plea agreement, Rife admitted that between September 3, 2012, and December 9, 2018, he traveled in foreign commerce, and between March 7, 2013 and December 9, 2018, he resided in Cambodia, and that during those time frames, he touched two minor females under their clothing and inside or on their genital areas on more than one occasion. He further admitted that both minor victims were under the age of 12 when the illicit conduct occurred.
Rife was previously indicted for two separate counts of the same offense in February 2019. He pleaded guilty to a single count Information filed on January 16, 2020.
Robert M. Duncan, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky, Assistant Attorney General Brian A. Benczkowski of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, Jerry Templet, Special Agent in Charge, Department of Homeland Security- Homeland Security Investigations (DHS-HSI), SAC Nashville, and Rodney Brewer, Commissioner, Kentucky State Police jointly announced the guilty plea.
The investigation was conducted in Cambodia and Kentucky by HSI and the Kentucky State Police. The United States was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney David A. Marye and Trial Attorney Lauren S. Kupersmith of the Child Obscenity and Exploitation Section of the U.S. Department of Justice.
Rife is scheduled to be sentenced on May 27, 2020. He faces up to 30 years in prison and lifetime supervised release, and a maximum fine of $250,000. However, any sentence will be imposed by the Court after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal sentencing statutes.
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.
Former President of Newell Rubbermaid Sentenced for Tax Fraud Related to Offshore Asset Protection CompanyRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney William M. McSwain announced that Jeffrey Cooley, 66, of Toledo, OH was sentenced to one month incarceration, 12 months’ supervised release, and a $210,000 fine by United States District Court Judge Joshua D. Wolson for filing a false tax return which reported that Cooley had purchased an offshore trust company years after he actually did in order to evade paying appropriate taxes.
Cooley served as global president of Newell Rubbermaid from 1998 to 2004. Sometime in or around 2005, after his retirement, Cooley and others purchased an offshore trust company named Southpac Trust (BVI) Limited, an asset protection company that owned and operated a bank in the Cook Islands. According to the charges in this case, Cooley’s 2012 tax return falsely reported that he had purchased Southpac in 2012, when in fact he had co-owned it continuously through nominee entities since 2005.
On October 3, 2019, Cooley pleaded guilty. In addition to the charged conduct, Cooley admitted that, after purchasing Southpac in 2005, he established an offshore bank account in Switzerland in the name of a nominee entity which allowed him to covertly receive his income from Southpac and its subsidiaries. Cooley received more than $300,000 of income into this Swiss account. In addition, in order to access these funds covertly, Cooley traveled from his home in the United States across the border into Canada multiple times to withdraw funds in cash via debit cards. Cooley no longer owns or holds any interest in Southpac.
“This case is an example of sheer greed,” said U.S. Attorney McSwain. “Cooley was already wealthy through his earnings as the president of a globally recognized company, but that simply wasn’t enough for him. Instead, he felt the need to cheat in order to line his pockets through fraud. He invested in a company and then went to great lengths to hide that investment so he wouldn’t have to pay his fair share of taxes. That was an intolerable affront to every honest American taxpayer.”
“Every American who pays his or her taxes should be offended that a select few use anonymous offshore accounts to evade their tax liability,” said Guy Ficco SAC, IRS Criminal Investigation. “We owe it to every American taxpayer to use all lawful means to identify and prosecute individuals, like Mr. Cooley, who willfully and intentionally violate their known legal duty to pay their fair share of taxes.”
The case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation and by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Patrick J. Murray and by First Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer Arbittier Williams.
Former Pastor and Counselor Sentenced to 17 years in Prison for Sexually Exploiting ChildrenRead the Press Release
A former pastor and counselor from Burtchville, Michigan (just outside Port Huron) was sentenced yesterday to 17 years in prison for sexually exploiting preteen and teenage girls, announced United States Attorney Matthew Schneider of the Eastern District of Michigan.
Schneider was joined in the announcement by Special Agent in Charge Steven M. D’Antuono, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Detroit Division.
Sentenced was Jackie Douglas Woodburn, 64, who was the Director of the Colonial Woods Christian Counseling Center, a place he worked for 28 years. In addition to his prison sentence, Woodburn will serve 5 years of supervised release upon his release from custody. Judge Paul D. Borman imposed the sentence.
According to court records, Woodburn used an unmonitored chatroom-based website to target and manipulate girls. Woodburn, who pretended to be a teenage boy when speaking to preteen and teenage girls on the website, isolated his victims by transitioning conversations from the website to email and popular social media application platforms. After isolating the victims, Woodburn used his sizable age, educational, and life experience advantages over the girls to manipulate, pressure, coerce, and entice the girls into undressing and engaging in sexual acts on camera. The Indictment alleged that Woodburn sexually exploited a 12 year-old girl from Texas, a 13 year-old girl from Kansas, and attempted to entice a 9 year-old girl from Virginia. However, the FBI’s investigation revealed that Woodburn targeted and exploited several additional victims not identified in the Indictment.
“It’s completely reprehensible for any person — let alone a pastor and counselor — to abuse young children in this way,” said United States Attorney Matthew Schneider. “We hope this sentencing will bring some closure to the innocent victims and their families who were so badly harmed by the defendant.”
"By the nature of his position, Mr. Woodburn was entrusted with protecting the mental and spiritual health of his community," said SAC D'Antuono. "But he was a wolf in sheep's clothing - looking to prey on the most vulnerable members of our society. Our office remains committed to working with our state and local partners to find and hold accountable this type of sexual predator."
Assistant United States Attorneys April N. Russo and Kevin M. Mulcahy of the Eastern District of Michigan, prosecuted the case. The FBI’s Detroit Field Office investigated the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit http://www.justice.gov/psc.
Former Member of Barbados Parliament and Minister of Industry Found Guilty of Receiving and Laundering Bribes from Barbadian Insurance CompanyRead the Press Release
A former member of the Barbados Parliament, who also served as the Minister of Industry of Barbados, was found guilty today by a federal jury for his role in a scheme to launder bribes paid to him by executives of the Insurance Corporation of Barbados Limited (ICBL).
Assistant Attorney General Brian A. Benczkowski of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Richard P. Donoghue of the Eastern District of New York and Assistant Director in Charge William F. Sweeney Jr. of the FBI’s New York Field Office made the announcement.
Following a one-week trial and two hours of jury deliberations, Donville Inniss, 54, a U.S. legal permanent resident who resided in Tampa, Florida, and Barbados, was found guilty of two counts of money laundering and one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering. Sentencing has not yet been scheduled.
According to the evidence presented at trial, in 2015 and 2016, Inniss took part in a scheme to launder into the United States approximately $36,000 in bribes that he received from high-level executives of ICBL. At the time, Inniss was a member of the Parliament of Barbados and the Minister of Industry, International Business, Commerce, and Small Business Development of Barbados. The trial evidence demonstrated that, in exchange for the bribes, Inniss leveraged his position as the Minister of Industry to enable ICBL to obtain two insurance contracts from the Barbados government to insure over $100 million worth of government property. To conceal the bribes, Inniss arranged to receive them through a U.S. bank account in the name of his friend’s dental company, which had an address in Elmont, New York. The trial evidence further showed that Inniss used a personal email account to communicate with an executive from ICBL in connection with the bribe payments and the laundering of the money through the dental company in New York.
The FBI’s International Corruption Squad in New York City investigated the case. In 2015, the FBI formed International Corruption Squads across the country to address national and international implications of foreign corruption. Trial Attorney Gerald M. Moody Jr. of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorneys David Gopstein and Sylvia Shweder of the Eastern District of New York prosecuted the case. The Criminal Division’s Office of International Affairs also provided assistance in this matter. The Department appreciates the cooperation provided by its law enforcement colleagues in Barbados during this investigation.
The Fraud Section is responsible for investigating and prosecuting all FCPA matters. Additional information about the Justice Department’s FCPA enforcement efforts can be found at www.justice.gov/criminal-fraud/foreign-corrupt-practices-act.
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.
Former Member of Barbados Parliament Convicted of Money Laundering ChargesRead the Press Release
Donville Inniss, a former member of the Barbados Parliament and Minister of Industry, International Business, Commerce and Small Business Development of Barbados, was convicted today by a jury in federal court in Brooklyn of money laundering conspiracy and two counts of money laundering relating to bribe payments the defendant received from Insurance Corporation of Barbados Limited (ICBL) to secure government contracts for ICBL. The verdict followed a one-week trial before United States District Judge Kiyo A. Matsumoto. When sentenced, Inniss faces up to 20 years’ imprisonment.
Richard P. Donoghue, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, Brian A. Benczkowski, Assistant Attorney General of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, and William F. Sweeney, Jr., Assistant Director-in-Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI) announced the verdict.
The evidence at trial established that between August 2015 and April 2016, Inniss accepted approximately $36,000 in bribes from high-level executives of ICBL and laundered that money through banks on Long Island. In exchange for the bribes, Inniss leveraged his position as the Minister of Industry to enable ICBL to obtain government contracts. Inniss concealed the bribes by arranging to receive them through a friend’s dental company and a bank located in Elmont, New York. ICBL executives transferred the funds to the dental company using an invoice falsely claiming that the payments were for consulting services.
During the time of the charged conspiracy, Inniss was a legal permanent resident of the United States residing in Tampa, Florida and Barbados.
“As a government official, Inniss was responsible for improving the economic development and quality of life for Barbados and its people. But as proven at trial, he corruptly abused his position and the U.S. financial system to enrich himself,” stated United States Attorney Donoghue. “With today’s verdict, the defendant will face the consequences.” Mr. Donoghue thanked the FBI’s New York Office for its outstanding investigative work on the case.
The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s Business and Securities Fraud Section. Assistant United States Attorneys Sylvia Shweder and David Gopstein, and Trial Attorney Gerald M. Moody, Jr., of the Department of Justice Criminal Division’s Fraud Section are in charge of the prosecution.
The Defendant:
DONVILLE INNIS
Age: 54
BarbadosE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 18-134 (KAM)
Former Gwinnett County deputy indicted on excessive force and obstruction chargesRead the Press Release
ATLANTA - Former Gwinnett County, Georgia, Deputy Sheriff Aaron S. Masters, who was assigned to the Rapid Response Team (RRT) at the Gwinnett County Jail, has been charged with using excessive force against a female inmate in 2018. Masters was indicted by a federal grand jury for unnecessarily assaulting the inmate and writing a false incident report to justify his use of force.
“We recognize that corrections officers have a difficult job as they maintain order and protect inmates in our district's prisons and county jails,” said U.S. Attorney Byung J. “BJay” Pak. “However, this deputy sheriff must be held accountable for allegedly abusing his authority by committing a violent and unnecessary assault on an inmate, and then writing a false report to cover up the incident.”
“The vast majority of sworn officers working in our jails and prisons protect the civil rights of inmates no matter the difficult challenges they face,” said Chris Hacker, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. “It is an insult to those officers when one of their own violates those rights, and that is why Masters must face his peers in court for his alleged actions.”
According to U.S. Attorney Pak, the indictment, and other information presented in court: At the time of the alleged misconduct, Aaron Masters was employed as a deputy sheriff assigned to work on the Gwinnett County Sheriff Office’s RRT inside the Gwinnett County Jail. The RRT was a specialized unit which resolved high-risk incidents and provided general assistance in maintaining order in the jail. On August 20, 2018, Masters, without justification, is alleged to have repeatedly struck an inmate in the face with his closed fist, injuring her. Following the assault, Masters wrote a report about the encounter in which he falsely claimed that the physical force was necessary to gain the inmate’s compliance.
Aaron S. Masters, 27, of Jefferson, Georgia, was indicted on January 14, 2020, for violating an inmate’s civil rights and for writing a false report. Members of the public are reminded that the indictment only contains charges. The defendant is presumed innocent of the charges and it will be the government’s burden to prove the defendant’s guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial.
The FBI is investigating this case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Brent Alan Gray and Department of Justice Civil Rights Trial Attorney Tim Visser are prosecuting the case.
For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at [email protected] or (404) 581-6016. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.
Former Gwinnett County Deputy Arraigned on Excessive Force and Obstruction ChargesRead the Press Release
Former Gwinnett County Deputy Sheriff Aaron S. Masters, who was assigned to the Rapid Response Team (RRT) at the Gwinnett County Jail, has been arraigned after a federal grand jury indicted him of acting under color of law to deprive an inmate of her civil rights and of falsifying a report of the incident. The indictment follows an investigation of an allegation that Masters used excessive force against a female inmate in 2018 by repeatedly striking her in the head. The indictment was announced by Eric. Dreiband, Assistant Attorney General of the Civil Rights Division; Byung J. (BJay) Pak, U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Georgia; and Chris Hacker, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta.
According to the indictment and other information presented in court, at the time of the alleged misconduct, Masters was employed as a deputy sheriff assigned to work on the Gwinnett County Sheriff Office’s RRT inside the Gwinnett County Jail. The RRT was a specialized unit that resolved high-risk incidents and provided general assistance in maintaining order in the jail. On Aug. 20, 2018, Masters, without legal justification, repeatedly struck an inmate in her face with his closed fist, injuring her. Following the assault, Masters wrote a report about the encounter in which he falsely claimed that the physical force was necessary to gain the inmate’s compliance.
Masters, 27, of Jefferson, Georgia, was indicted on Jan. 14, 2020.
The charge of deprivation of civil rights under color of law resulting in injury provides for a sentence of no greater than 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000. The charge of falsifying a police report provides for a sentence of no greater than 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000.
Members of the public are reminded that the indictment only contains charges. The defendant is presumed innocent of the charges and it will be the government’s burden to prove the defendant’s guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial.
This case is being investigated by the FBI, and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Brent Alan Gray and Department of Justice Civil Rights Trial Attorney Tim Visser.
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.
Federal Superseding Indictment Charges Man for Making Threats Against a Maryland SynagogueRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – A federal grand jury today returned a superseding indictment charging Stephen Lyle Orback, age 65, on the federal charges of intentionally attempting to obstruct persons in the free exercise of their religious beliefs through the threatened use of force, and making threatening communications, specifically multiple telephone calls threatening a synagogue.
The superseding indictment was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Robert K. Hur; Assistant Attorney General Eric Dreiband for the Civil Rights Division; and Special Agent in Charge Jennifer C. Boone of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office.
According to the indictment, between May 12 and July 21, 2019, Orback made multiple telephone calls to an employee of a synagogue in Owings Mills, Maryland, threatening to kill many members of synagogue’s congregation with firearms, by using explosives, and by burning the synagogue down. The superseding indictment replaces a previous indictment, handed down by the grand jury on Aug. 15, 2019, which charged the defendant only with the interstate-threats count.
If convicted, Orback faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison for intentionally attempting to obstruct persons in the free exercise of their religious beliefs through the threatened us of force; and a maximum of five years in prison for making threatening communications. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Orback remains detained on unrelated state charges in Colorado.
An indictment is not a finding of guilt. An individual charged by indictment is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty at some later criminal proceedings. .
United States Attorney Hur and Assistant Attorney General Dreiband commended the FBI for its work in the investigation. Mr. Hur and Mr. Dreiband thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney P. Michael Cunningham and Civil Rights Division Trial Attorney Zachary Dembo, who are prosecuting the case.
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Enrolled member of Mescalero Apache Tribe pleads guilty to abusive sexual contact in Indian CountryRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – David Joe Melendrez, 55, of Mescalero, New Mexico pleaded guilty yesterday in federal court in Las Cruces, New Mexico, to abusive sexual contact with a child in Indian Country as part of a pattern of sexual abuse of children committed over the course of more than 20 years.
In Melendrez’s plea agreement, he admitted to abusive sexual contact with a child in December 2018 at a home within the boundaries of the Mescalero Apache Reservation. Melendrez, an enrolled member of the Mescalero Apache Tribe, sexually abused the victim as she was sleeping during the night. He continued to abuse her after she woke up. Melendrez also abused the victim, who is also a member of the Mescalero Apache Tribe, on other previous occasions over the course of seven years. Melendrez also admitted sexually abusing four other child victims in New Mexico and Arizona dating back to 1995. Three of these other victims are also members of the Mescalero Apache Tribe.
Melendrez is currently in custody awaiting sentencing. He faces up to life in prison.
The Las Cruces Resident Agency of the FBI investigated this case with the assistance of the Bureau of Indian Affairs. Assistant U.S. Attorney Marisa A. Ong is prosecuting the case.
Eleven People Charged in Federal Court with Heroin and Fentanyl Trafficking in the Milwaukee AreaRead the Press Release
Matthew D. Krueger, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, announced today that 11 defendants have been charged with conspiracy to distribute 100 grams or more of heroin and 40 grams or more of fentanyl in the Milwaukee area. Over one kilogram of fentanyl has been seized during the course of the investigation. If convicted of the heroin and fentanyl charges, each defendant faces a mandatory minimum term of 5 years in prison.
The defendants charged are:
Name
Age
ADOLFO REYES-FELICIANO.
26
JONATHAN ARANZAMENDI-MALDONADO
43
AZAHEL VELAZQUEZ-MELGOZA
22
BRIAN A. MELENDEZ-SANTIAGO
22
JOMUEL LOZANO-MARTINEZ
27
MALEK A. FARAKHNA
32
KENDELL R. NEWKIRK
24
ANGEL R. PADILLA-COLON
25
EDUARDO I. GUTIERREZ-ARMEDARIZ
36
EDUARDO DE JESUS ROBLES-CAMBRONERO
27
MARIO J. NAVARRO
21
On January 15, 2020, federal, state, and local law enforcement officers arrested ten of the defendants. Two of the arrested defendants were undocumented aliens from Mexico and subject to immediate removal. The officers also executed search warrants in Milwaukee resulting in the seizure of approximately 800 grams of black tar heroin, 200 grams of fentanyl, and one firearm.
“Fentanyl and heroin are extremely dangerous opioids that have led to numerous overdose deaths,” said United States Attorney Krueger in announcing the charges. “As these charges show, law enforcement is devoted to working collaboratively and aggressively to combat drug trafficking.”
“In 2019, fentanyl was the leading cause for overdose deaths in the City of Milwaukee. The DEA, along with our local, state, and federal partners have been and will continue to aggressively investigate and arrest those individuals who profit from the pain and suffering of others. Yesterday’s law enforcement operations are a shining example of this common goal to save lives and make our communities a safer place to live,” said DEA Milwaukee District Office Assistant Special Agent in Charge Paul E. Maxwell, Jr.
The defendants were charged based on a multi-year investigation led by law enforcement agents and officers from the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigations, the City of Kenosha Police Department, the City of Greenfield Police Department, and the City of West Allis Police Department. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Mario Gonzales.
The public is cautioned that an indictment is merely a charge and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
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For Additional Information Contact:
Public Information Officer Kenneth Gales 414-297-1700
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Duo Charged in a Criminal ComplaintRead the Press Release
FORT WAYNE – Steven Hecke, age 44, and Samuel Battell, age 34, both of Fort Wayne, Indiana were charged in a criminal complaint filed late January 15, 2020 with possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl along with possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, announced U.S. Attorney Kirsch.
According to documents in this case, on or about January13, 2020, agents executed a series of search warrants at multiple locations in Allen County. During the execution of search warrants, law enforcement found approximately 19 pounds of methamphetamine, 900 grams of fentanyl, multiple firearms and U.S. Currency.
United States Attorney Thomas L. Kirsch said, “We are focused on working with our local, state and federal agencies to curb drug and gun crimes in the Northern District of Indiana. This case is an excellent example of agencies working together to accomplish those goals.”
“DEA Assistant Special Agent in Charge, Michael Gannon said, “DEA commends the outstanding work of our law enforcement partners. If the alleged amount of fentanyl recovered would have hit the streets, it could have been devastating given that only 2mg could kill the average person. DEA will continue to use all resources available to target criminal organizations that introduce drugs into our communities.”
The United States Attorney’s Office emphasizes that a Criminal Complaint is merely an allegation and that all persons are presumed innocent until, and unless proven guilty in court.
If convicted, any specific sentence to be imposed will be determined by the Judge after a consideration of federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
The case is being investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and Allen County Drug Task Force with the assistance of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Noble County Sheriff’s Department, Indiana State Police and the Fort Wayne Police Department. The case is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney Anthony W. Geller.
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Drunken Assault at Sea Nets Federal Prison Sentence for Winchester Bay ResidentRead the Press Release
EUGENE, Ore.—Brandon Michael Vanderploeg, 39, of Winchester Bay, Oregon, was sentenced today to 18 months in federal prison and two years’ supervised release for assaulting his then-girlfriend aboard a fishing vessel in August 2018.
According to court documents, on August 16, 2018, members of the U.S. Coast Guard were dispatched to a situation at sea involving the report of a woman who had been assaulted by her boyfriend onboard a commercial fishing vessel. A coast guard helicopter located the vessel 17 nautical miles off the Oregon Coast. Two members of the coast guard boarded the vessel and made contact with Vanderploeg and the victim.
The victim reported that Vanderploeg had assaulted her on several occasions after leaving Winchester Bay. She specifically reported that Vanderploeg held her down, punched her repeatedly in the face, head-butted her in the nose, and slammed her head down on a tool box. The assault resulted in a three-inch laceration to her right cheek, a depressed nasal fracture, multiple contusions to her knees and arms, and a cervical strain.
During the investigation, the coast guard crew who boarded and conducted a sweep of the vessel, immediately noted a strong smell of alcohol coming from Mr. Venderploeg, who admitted to drinking. Mr. Vanderploeg tested positive for alcohol, registering a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of .183. An individual operating a commercial vessel is considered intoxicated at a BAC of .04 or more.
On September 30, 2019, Vanderploeg pleaded guilty to assault within the maritime jurisdiction of the U.S. and operating a commercial vessel under the influence of alcohol.
As part of his plea agreement, Vanderploeg agreed to pay restitution in full to his victim as ordered by the court. A restitution hearing will be held at a later date.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Coast Guard Investigative Service (CGIS) and prosecuted by Gavin W. Bruce, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon.
Dominican Man Sentenced to 34 Months in Prison for Conspiracy to Distribute over 100 Grams of HeroinRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A Dominican man was sentenced today to 34 months in prison for his role in a conspiracy to transport more than 100 grams of heroin from New York to New Jersey, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito announced.
Bienvenido Perez Lazala, 31, of the Dominican Republic, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Brian R. Martinotti in Newark federal court to an information charging him with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute more than 100 grams of heroin.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
In January 2018, a Mexican narcotics trafficker provided another individual with Lazala’s name and identified Lazala as someone who could assist in establishing narcotics sales in New Jersey. Lazala was contacted and agreed to obtain heroin to sell in New Jersey.
On Feb. 5, 2018, following a series of intercepted calls, Lazala obtained 955.9 grams of heroin in Haverstraw, New York, for purposes of transporting it back to New Jersey. Lazala then sold the heroin to another individual, who, unbeknownst to Lazala, was a law enforcement officer.
In addition to the prison term, Judge Martinotti sentenced Lazala to two years of supervised release.
U.S. Attorney Carpenito credited special agents of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Brian Michael, with the investigation leading to today’s sentencing.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ari Fontecchio of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Economic Crimes Unit.
District Woman Sentenced to 24 Months in Prison on Federal Mail Fraud Charge, Admits Her Role in Embezzlement SchemeRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Belinda McKenzie, 45, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today to 24 months in prison for her role in an embezzlement scheme targeting District of Columbia government funds earmarked for at-risk tenants, through a program administered by Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Washington.
The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Liu; Special Agent in Charge Matthew S. Miller, U.S. Secret Service, Washington Field Office; Peter Newsham, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD); and Inspector General Daniel W. Lucas, District of Columbia’s Office of Inspector General.
Belinda McKenzie pled guilty in May 2019 to one count of mail fraud charge in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. She was sentenced by the Honorable Trevor N. McFadden. In addition to her prison term, McKenzie must pay restitution in the amount of $234,249, as well as a forfeiture money judgement in the same amount. Following her prison term, she will be placed on two years of supervised release.
The defendant, Belinda McKenzie, was a Family Support Worker at Catholic Charities for the Archdiocese of Washington (“CC ADW”), working in the Emergency Rental Assistance Program (“ERAP”). Between 2015 and 2017, the defendant, along with others, recruited family members, neighbors, and friends, and used their information, and that of others, on fraudulent ERAP applications stealing $234,249.00 in ERAP funds administered by CC ADW (and from DC government which finances the program). CC ADW is one of six agencies that administers the ERAP program for the District of Columbia’s Department of Human Services.
After an anonymous complaint to CC ADW, an outside auditing firm identified approximately 42 ERAP files (all processed by the defendant) comprising of payments to approximately 16 landlords on behalf of 31 tenants. In truth, the listed tenants were not at risk of eviction, did not rent from the listed landlords, and instead of assisting families from eviction, the emergency rental money was shared with the co-schemers involved in the fraud. After a referral by CC ADW, law enforcement conducted an independent investigation and found that the defendant created fraudulent files using forgeries from the legitimate documents to “paper” the requests for the fraudulent tenant assistance. Armed with an array of falsely manufactured “supporting” documentation, the defendant tricked CC ADW into issuing approximately 42 checks totaling $234,249.00 to individuals who posed as landlords, on behalf of individuals who posed as tenants at risk of eviction from the “landlords’” property.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Liu, Special Agent in Charge Miller, Chief Newsham, and Inspector General Lucas commended the work performed by those who investigated the case from the U.S. Secret Service’s Washington Field Office, MPD, and DC Office of Inspector General. They also acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Financial Accountant Bryan Snitselaar, Paralegal Specialists Amanda Rohde, Mariela Andrade, and Quiana Dunn-Gordon, former Assistant U.S. Attorney Ellen Chubin Epstein, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Virginia Cheatham, who prosecuted the case.
Detroit Man Convicted of Sex Trafficking ChargesRead the Press Release
A Detroit resident was convicted by a federal jury today on charges of sex trafficking using force and coercion, distribution of controlled substances, and maintaining a drug premises, announced United States Matthew Schneider.
Schneider was joined in the announcement by Special Agent in Charge Steven M. D’Antuono, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Detroit Division.
Richard Knider Jackson, 70, of Detroit, was convicted following a 5-day jury trial before United States District Judge Stephen J. Murphy, III. The jury deliberated approximately 2 hours before returning their verdicts.
“This defendant treated his victims like goods to be bought and sold,” stated U.S. Attorney Schneider. “He targeted vulnerable women and exploited them for his own profit. He manipulated his victims’ drug addictions and provided them with a constant supply of heroin and crack cocaine. We hope that cases like this one will raise awareness that sex traffickers are exploiting victims in our communities."
Jackson was also convicted of distribution of heroin and crack cocaine and maintaining a drug premises.
Evidence presented at the trial established that a woman called 911 in 2016 pleading for help. When Detroit Police responded, the officers quickly determined that the location was used for human trafficking. In the home, officers observed a house in complete disrepair, with signs of intravenous drug use throughout the home. Defendant had installed a security gate within the home at the top of the stairs.
Sentencing is set for April 16, 2020. Jackson faces a mandatory-minimum sentence of 15 years in prison, and up to life.
The case was investigated by special agents of the FBI and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Sara D. Woodward and Barbara Lanning.
Derry Woman Sentenced for Participating in a Money Laundering SchemeRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH - A resident of Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, has been sentenced in federal court to two years probation on her conviction of money laundering conspiracy, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced today.
Senior United States District Judge David S. Cercone imposed sentence on Barbara Miller, 58, of Derry, Pennsylvania.
In connection with sentencing, the court was advised that during the period from January 2011 through May 2016, Miller became a member of a money laundering conspiracy. Miller conducted financial transactions affecting interstate commerce, knowing that the property involved in the financial transactions represented the proceeds of some form of unlawful activity. Miller knew that each of the financial transactions was designed in whole or in part to conceal or disguise the nature, location, source, ownership, and control of the proceeds. As part of the money laundering conspiracy, the defendant and her co-conspirators conducted the following financial transactions: 1) withdrew funds from prepaid debit cards and credit cards; 2) transmitted and received funds via MoneyGram, Walmart and Western Union; 3) cashed checks and money orders; and 4) sent and received wire transfers of funds. The funds involved in these transactions, which totaled thousands of dollars, were the proceeds of wire fraud.
Assistant United States Attorney Mary McKeen Houghton prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
The United States Postal Inspection Service and the Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations, conducted the investigation leading to the conviction in this case.