Latest Records
Newest first across public DOJ and U.S. Attorney press releases.
Thursday 14 November 2019
Man Sentenced for 2010 Armed Robbery of Truck StopRead the Press Release
RICHMOND, Va. – A Richmond man was sentenced today to nearly 51 years in prison for his leadership role in the armed robbery of the Mr. Fuel truck stop in Ruther Glen on May 8, 2010.
According to court documents, in November 2008, Winston Sylvester Oliver II, 41, began planning the armed robbery of the Mr. Fuel truck stop located in Ruther Glen. As part of this planning phase, Oliver conducted physical surveillance of the location, devised getaway routes, identified surveillance cameras, and learned cash drop procedures of the business.
In approximately May 2010, Oliver recruited his co-conspirator, Warren Harold Brown, to execute the robbery of the location. On May 8, 2010, Oliver drove Brown to the area of the Mr. Fuel truck stop, provided him with a firearm, and instructed him how to commit the robbery. Brown entered into the business and demanded money from the cashier. Due to the cashier’s inability to open the register, Brown fired a single warning shot in the direction of the cashier. Following Brown’s discharge of the firearm, a concerned citizen attempted to thwart the robbery by striking Brown in the head with beer bottles from the store refrigerator. In response, Brown shot the concerned citizen four times, including in the head, groin, thigh, and buttocks. Oliver and Brown then fled the scene. The concerned citizen survived the shooting.
On Sept. 14, 2011, a federal jury convicted Oliver and Brown on all counts after a two-day trial. On January 19, 2012, Oliver was sentenced to 630 months in prison. Based on a subsequent legal ruling in United States v. Davis, 139 S. Ct. 2319 (2019), the district court dismissed a single count of the defendants’ superseding indictment and ordered a re-sentencing on Nov. 14, 2019.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), which is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and David W. Archey, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Richmond Field Office, Tony Lippa, Jr., Caroline County Sheriff, made the announcement after sentencing by Senior U.S. District Judge Henry E. Hudson. Assistant U.S. Attorney Erik S. Siebert 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. 3:11-cr-63.
Man Sentenced to One Year in Prison for Trying to Smuggle Cocaine Sewn into His VestRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A resident of the Dominican Republic was sentenced today to 12 months and one day in prison for allegedly trying to smuggle into the United States approximately three kilograms of cocaine, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito announced.
Jose Manuel Jimenez Jimenez, 47, previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Kevin McNulty to one count of illegal importation of more than 500 grams of cocaine. Judge McNulty imposed the sentence today in Newark federal court.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court;
Jimenez arrived at Newark Liberty International Airport on a flight from Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. During a screening, law enforcement officers discovered the cocaine sewn into the vest Jimenez was wearing.
In addition to the prison term, Jimenez is subject to deportation following his sentence.
U.S. Attorney Carpenito credited the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations, New Jersey Division, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Brian Michael; and officers of U.S. Customs and Border Protection, under the direction of Troy Miller, director of Field Operations, New York Field Office, with the investigation leading to today’s sentencing.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Cassye Cole of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Criminal Division in Newark.
Defense counsel: Candace Hom Esq., Assistant Federal Public Defender, Newark
Man Involved in Methamphetamine Conspiracy Sentenced to More Than Five Years’ PrisonRead the Press Release
A man who was involved in distributing pounds of methamphetamine throughout Northern Iowa was sentenced on November 13, 2019, to more than five years in federal prison.
Jose Ordaz, age 27, from Marshalltown, Iowa, received the prison term after an August 26, 2019 guilty plea to conspiracy to distribute at least 500 grams of a mixture and substance containing methamphetamine.
In a plea agreement, Ordaz admitted that beginning in December 2014, he became involved in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. During his involvement in the conspiracy, he was responsible for distributing at least eight pounds of ice methamphetamine.
Ordaz was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge Linda R. Reade. Ordaz was sentenced to 70 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a four-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
Ordaz 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 Lisa C. Williams and was investigated as part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) program of the United States Department of Justice through a cooperative effort of Federal Bureau of Investigation, Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, Tri-County Drug Enforcement Task Force (Waterloo Police Department; Cedar Falls Police Department; Waverly Police Department; Bremer County Sheriff’s Office; Black Hawk County Sheriff’s Office; LaPorte City Police Department; Evansdale Police Department; Hudson Police Department), Mid Iowa Drug Task Force (Marshalltown Police Department; Marshall County Sheriff’s Office; Tama County), and Dubuque Drug Task Force (Dubuque Police Department; Dubuque County Sheriff’s Office).
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 18-CR-2025.
Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.
Man and Woman Arrested, Charged with Obstruction Involving Overdose Heroin DeathRead the Press Release
CONTACT: Barbara Burns
PHONE: (716) 843-5817
FAX #: (716) 551-3051ROCHESTER, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy, Jr. announced today that Kevin Toth, 29, of Tonawanda, NY, and Samantha Yeates, 27, of Depew, NY, were arrested and charged by criminal complaint with obstruction of justice. The charge carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeremiah E. Lenihan, who is handling the case, stated that on December 28, 2018, City of Tonawanda Police and Fire personnel responded to a report of an unresponsive man found in the bathroom of Snyder Industries. Several doses of Narcan were administered but the man was declared dead.
The complaint further states that a review of security video footage from December 28, 2018, shows defendant Yeates in a red pick-up truck in the parking lot of Snyder Industries. Defendant Toth is observed approaching the pick-up truck. A short time later, Toth is seen walking back inside the building and walking toward the work space area of the deceased man and handing him an item.
The deceased man is then observed walking towards the bathroom. A short time later, he was found unresponsive in a bathroom stall by fellow employees. In close proximity was a hypodermic needle and a spoon. The man was later pronounced dead with the cause of death determined to be acute intoxication with fentanyl.
On December 29, 2018, defendant Toth denied handing anything to the decreased man when interviewed by a City of Tonawanda Detective. He did identify the person in the red truck as his girlfriend, defendant Yeates.
On January 5, 2019, a City of Tonawanda Detective interviewed Yeates who stated she went to she drove to Snyder Industries to give Toth his bank card, but later contradicted herself by stating she went to pick up Toth’s bank card. On January 14, 2019, Yeates again stated to a detective she went to Snyder Industries to pick up a debit card from Toth and denied supplying heroin to Toth.
On January 23, 2019, Yeates admitted to a detective she gave Toth heroin: “Yah, but I didn't give it to the other guy.”
On April 10, 2019, Toth told a detective that neither he nor Yeates ever provided drugs or other narcotics to the deceased man. Toth also stated that he did not know who provided the deadly fentanyl to the man at Snyder Industries.
Investigators obtained search warrants for the defendants’ Facebook Messages and cellular phones. Many Facebook and text conversations were deleted but one message exchanged between Toth and Yeates on Facebook stated: “Police just called me... Need to talk ASAP.” A text message between the two stated: “Sam I have to talk to you it's really important, I miss and love you.”
The defendants made an initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael J. Roemer and were released.
The complaint is the result of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Ray Donovan, New York Field Division, and the City of Tonawanda Police Department, under the direction of Chief William Strassburg.
The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
# # # #
Local Man with Cocaine Sentenced to PrisonRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH - A resident of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, has been sentenced in federal court to 27 months incarceration, five years supervised release on his conviction of violating federal narcotics laws, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced today.
United States District Judge Cathy Bissoon imposed the sentence on James T. Murray, Jr, 48.
According to information presented to the court, on or about May 12, 2014, Murray possessed with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine..
Assistant United States Attorney Shardul S. Desai prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
United States Attorney Brady commended the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Murray.
Local Man on his way to prison for robbing convenience stores with a knifeRead the Press Release
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – A 48-year-old Corpus Christi resident has been ordered to federal prison after he pleaded guilty to robbing two convenience stores causing an interference with interstate or foreign commerce, announced U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Patrick.
Billy Ray Mitchell pleaded guilty July 25, 2019.
Today, U.S. District Judge Nelva Gonzales Ramos handed Mitchell a 125-month sentence to be immediately followed by three years of supervised release.
On Oct. 29, 2018, Mitchell robbed the Murphy Express convenience store in Corpus Christi at approximately 7:20 a.m. at knife point. Mitchell forced the clerk into the office where a safe was located and robbed the store of cash, cigarettes and duct tape. Mitchell then abducted the clerk, forcing her into her own vehicle and ordering her to drive him to a nearby apartment complex.
Upon arrival there, Mitchell bound and gagged the clerk using the stolen duct tape, leaving the clerk in the vehicle.
Police officers searched the area but were unable to locate Mitchell at that time. Later, agents reviewed video surveillance of the convenience store and noticed that Mitchell was wearing a distinctive neon yellow shirt with “MY SHIRT IS BRIGHTER THAN YOUR FUTURE” printed on the front.
On Nov. 8, 2018, at approximately 4 a.m., Mitchell robbed a Circle K convenience store in Corpus Christi, threatening the store clerk with a large kitchen knife. Mitchell brandished the weapon and forced the clerk at knife point to assist in opening the cash register. Mitchell robbed the store of a pack of cigarettes and the entire contents of the cash register. Again, Mitchell forced the clerk from the store and ordered him to drive him from the scene in the clerk’s own vehicle. This time, the clerk yelled out for help to a nearby patron. Mitchell fled the scene on foot.
Police officers searched the area but were unable to locate Mitchell at that time. However, crime scene investigators were able to recover latent fingerprints from a beer cooler that Mitchell touched. When compared, the fingerprints from the store were determined to be a match to Mitchell.
Agents executed a search warrant on Mitchell’s residence the next day and found the distinctive bright yellow shirt he wore during the Murphy Express robbery.
Mitchell later admitted he committed both robberies.
He has been detained since his arrest and will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations and the Corpus Christi Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney David Paxton is prosecuting the case.
Lewis County man sentenced to nearly 10 years for drug chargeRead the Press Release
ELKINS, WEST VIRGINIA – Clarence Russell Foster, III, of Jane Lew, West Virginia, was sentenced today to 112 months incarceration for distributing methamphetamine, U.S. Attorney Bill Powell announced.
Foster, age 42, pled guilty to one count of “Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine” in May 2019. Foster admitted to distributing methamphetamine in May 2018 in Lewis County.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen D. Warner prosecuted the case on behalf of the government. The United States Marshal Service and the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office investigated.
U.S. District Judge Thomas S. Kleeh presided.
Langhorne Man Sentenced to 6 ½ Years for Cocaine TraffickingRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney William M. McSwain announced that Rodolfo Blanco, 45, of Langhorne, PA, was sentenced to 78 months’ imprisonment, followed by four years’ supervised release, and ordered to pay a $25,000 fine. United States District Court Judge Jeffrey Schmehl imposed the sentence.
In July 2019, Blanco pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute cocaine and one count of attempted possession with intent to distribute cocaine. Blanco was arrested on June 12, 2019, while traveling southbound on Interstate 476, and the Pennsylvania State Police recovered approximately one kilogram of cocaine in Blanco’s vehicle. Two days later, federal authorities intercepted a second package mailed to a house Blanco owned in Philadelphia. The second package contained approximately one additional kilogram of cocaine.
“This case is an example of federal and state law enforcement working together to stop the flow of illegal narcotics onto the streets of Philadelphia,” said U.S. Attorney McSwain. “Aggressive enforcement of our nation’s most serious drug laws, which is a top priority for my Office, is the best way to stop illegal drugs from destroying our communities and endangering public safety.”
The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, with assistance from the Pennsylvania State Police and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Christopher J. Mannion and Alison Donahue Kehner.
Kidnapper Michael Webb Sentenced to Life for Abducting 8-Year-Old GirlRead the Press Release
Kidnapper Michael Webb has been sentenced to life in federal prison, announced U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Erin Nealy Cox.
Following a two-day trial in September, a federal jury in Fort Worth deliberated for less than 10 minutes before convicting Webb, 51, of kidnapping an 8-year-old girl.
“The defendant stole this victim's innocence,” U.S. Attorney Nealy Cox said in Court. "She knows that there is evil in this world. Evil has a face, and that face is Michael Webb's."
“A dangerous predator is spending the rest of his life behind bars because law enforcement and citizen volunteers worked tirelessly to safely bring the victim home. The FBI’s North Texas Child Exploitation Task Force is committed to assisting our law enforcement partners in the protection of the most vulnerable in our community,” FBI Special Agent in Charge Matthew J. DeSarno of the Dallas Field Office said in a statement following the verdict. “Today’s sentence sends an important message to all predators. We will not allow any crime against children to go unpunished.”
According to evidence presented at trial, Webb grabbed the little girl as she and her mother were walking down Fort Worth’s 6th Avenue at 6:38 p.m. on Saturday, May 18. Neighborhood surveillance video shows the victim’s mother knocked to the ground as Webb’s car drives away.
The victim’s mother testified, describing her daughter as “brave, strong, and smart” before describing for the jury the horrific details of the “physical fight” for her daughter’s life.
In a three-hour recorded interview with the FBI, Webb confessed to the kidnapping, admitting that after successfully fighting off the child’s mother, he drove to a church parking lot. Later that evening, he admitted that he took the girl to Forest Hill’s WoodSprings Suites hotel, where he carried the child into a room and held her captive.
It was around midnight when a tip led Forest Hill police officers to Webb’s room. Shortly before their arrival, Webb admitted to threatening the girl, and hiding the girl from law enforcement in a small laundry basket. The officers, having visually inspected the room, left without finding the child.
Meanwhile, friends, volunteers, and law enforcement canvassed the city of Fort Worth looking for the missing girl. It was ultimately the efforts of a family friend who spotted Webb’s Ford sedan and called 911. Fort Worth Police Department responded and confirmed that there appeared to be blood on the front passenger seat. Law enforcement then acted quickly to gain entry into the hotel room, rescuing the victim who was found hidden in the laundry basket.
“We got her, we got her!” officers announced on their radios. “He’s in custody; we have her.”
The investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s North Texas Child Exploitation Task Force, the Fort Worth Police Department’s Major Case Unit Taskforce, which includes representatives of local law enforcement around the region, Homeland Security Investigations and the Texas Department of Public Safety. U.S. Attorney Erin Nealy Cox and Assistant U.S. Attorney Aisha Saleem, the District’s Project Safe Childhood Coordinator, are prosecuting the case. U.S. District Judge Reed C. O’Connor presided over the trial.
KC Man Pleads Guilty to Illegal FirearmRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City, Missouri, man who was released from prison in what became known as the “doppelganger case” pleaded guilty in federal court today to illegally possessing a firearm.
Richard A. Jones, 43, pleaded guilty before U.S. Chief District Judge Beth Phillips to being a felon in possession of a firearm.
By pleading guilty today, Jones admitted he was in possession of a Glock 9mm semi-automatic pistol on Feb. 25, 2019. Under federal law, it is illegal for anyone convicted of a felony to be in possession of any firearm or ammunition. Jones has prior felony convictions for burglary and robbery.
At the time of the offense, Jones had recently been released from prison in Kansas after serving 17 years when a different robbery conviction was overturned in what was dubbed the “doppelganger case.” Another suspect, whose appearance was similar to Jones’, was identified and eyewitnesses testified they could no longer say Jones was the robber.
On Feb. 25, 2019, Kansas City police officers responded to a domestic disturbance that involved Jones. When officers attempted to separate Jones and another person, Jones pulled away from the officers and ran. As Jones ran, officers saw a handgun in his rear waistband.
Officers followed the path Jones fled down a flight of stairs and found the pistol and a loaded magazine on the floor nearby. The pistol had been stolen in a burglary of a commercial firearms dealer.
Officers spotted Jones getting into a vehicle on March 5, 2019, and attempted to perform a car stop. Jones fled from officers in a dangerous manner and at high speeds down Swope Parkway before losing control of his vehicle and crashing into a tree in the median. Jones ran from the vehicle, ignoring officers’ commands to go to the ground. He was apprehended after a short pursuit and taken into custody. Jones was in possession of .58 grams of cocaine and 17 grams of marijuana. Officers searched Jones’ car and found a stolen Smith and Wesson 9mm semi-automatic handgun.
Under federal statutes, Jones 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 Sean T. Foley. It was investigated by the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department.
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.Justice Department Participates in Tri-Border Expert Meeting in Paraguay to Further Capacity Building in Combatting Transnational Crime and TerrorismRead the Press Release
With the objective of strengthening cooperation among governments to counter transnational crime and terrorism, the Department of Justice’s Office of Overseas Prosecutorial Development, Assistance and Training (OPDAT), Office of International Affairs and Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section of the Criminal Division and the Department’s National Security Division, along with experts from Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and the United States with experience in countering terrorism, terrorist financing, and transnational crime met for the first time as a Regional Security Mechanism (RSM) in Asunción, Paraguay on Nov. 12 and 13.
On July 19, during Secretary of State Michael R. Pompeo’s visit to Buenos Aires for a counterterrorism ministerial meeting, Argentina, the United States, Brazil and Paraguay agreed to establish the RSM to bolster cooperation among these governments to counter transnational crime and terrorism. Transnational criminal groups, terrorists and those who support them continue to engage in a wide range of illicit schemes in the region. The RSM focuses on identifying vulnerabilities that these groups are exploiting and on developing solutions to address these threats. The RSM held its first meeting at the expert level this week.
The experts shared information to deepen each country’s understanding of the risks of terrorists and organized criminal groups and those who support them pose to the region; identify vulnerabilities that these groups are exploiting; and develop recommendations to mitigate these risks and increase regional cooperation to combat these groups.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Paraguay hosted this two-day meeting and led the delegation of the Government of Paraguay composed of investigators, prosecutors, financial analysts and customs officials.
This initiative is part of the continuous effort of the U.S. Embassy of Paraguay in promoting cooperation to increase local and regional institutional and inter-institutional capacity, provide staff training and technical assistance, as well as better information exchange between participating countries.
OPDAT has been in the Tri Border Area (TBA) of Brazil, Paraguay, and Argentina since 2015, posting a money laundering/terrorism financing-focused Intermittent Advisor to Paraguay and a computer hacking and intellectual property adviser to Brazil. In 2017, OPDAT added a resident advisor in Buenos Aires dedicated to counterterrorism issues in the TBA. In 2018, OPDAT expanded to add a resident legal advisor in Asunción focused on counterterrorism issues. In 2020, OPDAT will add a counterterrorism focused intermittent advisor in Brazil.
The advisor in Buenos Aires has promoted legal and regulatory reforms, provided case-based mentoring and capacity building, and encouraged greater regional cooperation. Over the past two years, after receiving OPDAT training and mentoring on these topics, Argentine authorities are increasingly using undercover officers, informal sources of information, cooperating defendants, and interagency task forces to advance investigations involving complex crimes and criminal organizations. In July, Argentina – also with OPDAT support – developed and deployed a domestic terrorist designation regime, which included Hizballah and its top leaders as designated terrorists.
In August, Paraguay announced its own terrorist designations. These designations, also developed with OPDAT support, declared Hamas, Hizballah, ISIS, and Al Q’aida to be terrorist organizations. The designations, which were passed with technical assistance from OPDAT are currently awaiting the President’s signature, will serve as the basis for freezing assets linked to designated terrorist organizations or any entity linked to terrorism or its financing. In addition to work on terrorist designations and asset freezes, the Paraguay program coordinates and conducts training to counter terrorist financing; provides case-based mentoring to build capacity to investigate, prosecute, and adjudicate such cases; and continues to work with Paraguayans to form a financial crimes/terrorism financing task force.
Justice Department Awards over $2.5 Million in Grants to Combat Human Trafficking and Assist Victims in EDVARead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – The U.S. Department of Justice announced this week that it has awarded more than $2.5 million in funding, through the Office of Justice Programs (OJP), to combat human trafficking and provide vital services to trafficking victims in the Commonwealth of Virginia.
“Human trafficking, forced labor, and the sexual exploitation of both adults and children remains a top priority of this office, and we will continue to investigate and prosecute these serious crimes, which inflict mental, emotional, and physical harm on the victims involved,” said G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. “As a former human trafficking prosecutor myself, I know firsthand that there are no more righteous causes than combatting modern day slavery. Thank you to the Department of Justice for supporting our efforts and our critical partners in this all important fight to protect vulnerable individuals and hold traffickers accountable.”
On November 12, 2019, the Justice Department announced the awarding of over $100 million nationwide in grants issued by multiple OJP components, including the Office for Victims of Crime (OVC) and the Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA), to victim services providers, human trafficking task forces, and jurisdictions all over the country. In the Commonwealth of Virginia, those grants totaled over $2.5 million in funds that were awarded to five organizations located or operating within the Eastern District of Virginia.
Under OVC’s Integrated Services for Minor Victims of Human Trafficking program, the Office of the Attorney General of Virginia (OAG) was awarded $354,621 to provide minor victims of trafficking with high-quality services that are developmentally appropriate and tailored for their individual needs. The Virginia Attorney General’s Office plays a leadership role in the Hampton Roads Human Trafficking Task Force—which includes the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Homeland Security Investigations, and victim services providers—and OAG previously received funding in 2016 from the Bureau of Justice Assistance to support those ongoing efforts.
Under OVC’s Direct Services to Support Victims of Human Trafficking program, the Justice Department awarded $839,055 to Samaritan House, Inc. and $497,958 to Safe Harbor to enhance the quality and quantity of services available to victims of all forms of trafficking.
Samaritan House, which is based in Virginia Beach, provides emergency and permanent housing, support services, and community outreach to victims of violence and homeless families in the Hampton Roads region. Funding from the OVC grant will allow Samaritan House to continue addressing the growing trafficking concerns in the Hampton Roads area, and to collaborate with the Hampton Roads Human Trafficking Task Force as its victim services provider. The grant will pay for direct services to support victims of sex and labor trafficking, such as emergency shelter, which is essential to help victims stabilize and succeed.
Safe Harbor, which is based in Richmond, provides support to those who are experiencing or have experienced domestic violence, sexual violence, or human trafficking in Henrico County and the Greater Richmond region. Safe Harbor’s comprehensive program for victims of sex trafficking includes emergency and transitional shelter for adult female victims, case management, therapeutic counseling, addiction counseling, court advocacy, and a human trafficking hotline for those seeking services. Funding from the OVC grant will allow Safe Harbor to expand and centralize services for human trafficking victims by creating a community center for delivery of services, including case management and addiction counseling, to victims living outside Safe Harbor’s shelter program.
Under OVC’s Field-Generated Innovations in Assistance to Victims of Human Trafficking program, Survivor Ventures, Inc. will receive $900,000 to fill gaps and improve the victim service field’s response to human trafficking. Survivor Ventures, which is based in Norfolk, provides survivors of sex trafficking and commercial sexual exploitation with the support and resources needed to attain economic empowerment, including the provision of safe shelter.
In addition, The Salvation Army was awarded $493,798 to provide integrated services for minor victims of human trafficking in both New York and Virginia.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia.
Jury Convicts Florida Man for Attempting to Entice A Minor to Engage in Sexual ActivityRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Maria Chapa Lopez announces that a federal jury today found Dameon Kerk Allen (42, St. Petersburg) guilty of attempted enticement of a child to engage in sexual activity. Allen faces a minimum mandatory term of 10 years, up to life, in federal prison. His sentencing hearing is scheduled for February 13, 2020.
Allen was indicted on August 20, 2019.
According to evidence presented at trial, Allen communicated online and over text messages with someone he believed to be a 14-year-old child. In reality, he was communicating with an undercover agent. In the conversations, Allen proposed and planned to meet up with the child to have sex, discussing in graphic detail the sex acts he would engage in when they met.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the St. Petersburg Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Lisa Thelwell and Colin McDonell.
This is another case brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Iranian Businessman Sentenced to 46 Months in Prison for Violating U.S. Sanctions by Exporting Carbon Fiber from the United States to IranRead the Press Release
The Department of Justice announced that Behzad Pourghannad was sentenced yesterday to 46 months in prison for participating in a conspiracy to export carbon fiber from the United States to Iran between 2008 and 2013. Pourghannad pleaded guilty on Aug. 29, 2019,before United States Magistrate Judge Paul E. Davison. United States District Judge Vincent L. Briccetti imposed yesterday’s sentence.
“Pourghannad falsified shipment documents and used front companies to export carbon fiber to Iran in violation of U.S. sanctions,” said Assistant Attorney of National Security John C. Demers. “Carbon fiber is used by the Iranian Regime to further its nuclear, military, and aerospace programs. We continue to thwart the efforts of the Iranian regime to evade our sanctions and work steadfastly with our international partners to investigate, prosecute and bring sanctions violators to justice.”
"Behzad Pourghannad conspired to circumvent U.S. export controls on carbon fiber, a substance with numerous military and aerospace applications,” said U.S. Attorney Geoffrey Berman for the Southern District of New York. “The significant sentence Pourghannad received should send a message that such violations, which threaten our national security, will incur stiff penalties.”
According to the Indictment and other documents filed in the case, including statements made during the plea and sentencing proceedings:
Between 2008 and July 2013, Pourghannad and his two codefendants, Ali Reza Shokri and Farzin Faridmanesh, lived and worked in Iran. During that period, they worked together to obtain carbon fiber from the United States and surreptitiously export it to Iran via third countries in violation of United States sanctions. In particular, Shokri worked to procure many tons of carbon fiber from the United States; Pourghannad agreed to serve as the financial guarantor for large carbon fiber transactions; and Faridmanesh agreed to serve as the trans-shipper. Carbon fiber has a wide variety of uses, including in missiles, aerospace engineering, and gas centrifuges that enrich uranium.
In or about late 2007 and early 2008, Shokri and a Turkey-based co-conspirator (CC-2) successfully arranged for the illegal export and transshipment of carbon fiber from the United States to an Iranian company Shokri operated (Iranian Company-1). Specifically, CC-2 contacted a United States supplier of carbon fiber, who in turn enlisted a third individual (Individual-1) for assistance with the transaction. Through Individual-1, CC-2 purchased carbon fiber from the United States supplier and arranged for the shipment of the carbon fiber from the United States, through Europe and Dubai, United Arab Emirates, to Iranian Company-1 in Iran.
In or about May 2009, Pourghannad and Shokri attempted to arrange another illegal purchase and transshipment of carbon fiber from the United States to Iran. Specifically, Individual-1 returned a signed contract to Pourghannad for Shokri’s purchase of a large quantity of carbon fiber. Individual-1 then purchased the carbon fiber from a United States supplier and arranged for the carbon fiber to be exported from the United States to a third country (Country-1), en route to Iran. Country-1 authorities, however, interdicted the carbon fiber shipment before it could be trans-shipped to Iran.
In or about 2013, Pourghannad, Shokri, and Faridmanesh again attempted to illegally procure and export carbon fiber from the United States to Iran. In the 2013 transaction, Shokri and Pourghannad negotiated with Individual-1 for the purchase and trans-shipment to Iran of more than five tons of carbon fiber. Faridmanesh and Pourghannad further agreed with Individual-1 that the carbon fiber would be trans-shipped from the United States to Iran through Tbilisi, Georgia, with Faridmanesh to serve as the trans-shipper. Faridmanesh specifically instructed Individual-1 to change the shipping labels on the carbon fiber to reference “acrylic” or “polyester,” rather than “carbon fiber.” Pourghannad provided Individual-1 with the bank guarantee that was to serve as surety for a portion of the carbon fiber. In or about June 2013, Individual-1 informed Pourghannad, Shokri, and Faridmanesh that the carbon fiber would soon be shipped from Manhattan and that Individual-1 would replace the carbon fiber labels with shipping labels referencing “acrylic” to evade U.S. export controls.
No one involved in these transactions obtained permission from the U.S. Department of Treasury, Office of Foreign Assets Control to export the carbon fiber from the United States.
Mr. Berman praised the investigative work of the FBI and the U.S. Department of Commerce, and thanked the U.S. Department of Justice’s National Security Division, Criminal Division's Office of International Affairs, the U.S. Marshals Service, and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations for their assistance.
This case is being handled by the Office’s Terrorism and International Narcotics Unit, with assistance from the Counterintelligence and Export Control Section of the National Security Division. Assistant U.S. Attorney Gillian Grossman and Trial Attorney Matthew McKenzie are in charge of the prosecution.
Iranian Businessman Sentenced to 46 Months in Prison for Violating U.S. Sanctions by Exporting Carbon Fiber from the United States to IranRead the Press Release
Geoffrey S. Berman, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and John C. Demers, the Assistant Attorney General for National Security, announced that BEHZAD POURGHANNAD was sentenced yesterday to 46 months in prison for participating in a conspiracy to export carbon fiber from the United States to Iran between 2008 and 2013. POURGHANNAD pled guilty on August 29, 2019, before United States Magistrate Judge Paul E. Davison. United States District Judge Vincent L. Briccetti imposed the sentence.
Manhattan U.S. Attorney Geoffrey Berman said: “Behzad Pourghannad conspired to circumvent U.S. export controls on carbon fiber, a substance with numerous military and aerospace applications. The significant sentence Pourghannad received should send a message that such violations, which threaten our national security, will incur stiff penalties.”
Assistant Attorney General John Demers said: “Pourghannad falsified shipment documents and used front companies to export carbon fiber to Iran in violation of U.S. sanctions. Carbon fiber is used by the Iranian Regime to further its nuclear, military, and aerospace programs. We continue to thwart the efforts of the Iranian regime to evade our sanctions and work steadfastly with our international partners to investigate, prosecute and bring sanctions violators to justice.”
According to the Indictment and other documents filed in the case, including statements made during the plea and sentencing proceedings:
Between 2008 and July 2013, POURGHANNAD and his two codefendants, Ali Reza Shokri and Farzin Faridmanesh, lived and worked in Iran. During that period, they worked together to obtain carbon fiber from the United States and surreptitiously export it to Iran via third countries in violation of United States sanctions. In particular, Shokri worked to procure many tons of carbon fiber from the United States; POURGHANNAD agreed to serve as the financial guarantor for large carbon fiber transactions; and Faridmanesh agreed to serve as the trans-shipper. Carbon fiber has a wide variety of uses, including in missiles, aerospace engineering, and gas centrifuges that enrich uranium.
In or about late 2007 and early 2008, Shokri and a Turkey-based co-conspirator (“CC-2”) successfully arranged for the illegal export and transshipment of carbon fiber from the United States to an Iranian company Shokri operated (“Iranian Company-1”). Specifically, CC-2 contacted a United States supplier of carbon fiber, who in turn enlisted a third individual (“Individual-1”) for assistance with the transaction. Through Individual-1, CC-2 purchased carbon fiber from the United States supplier and arranged for the shipment of the carbon fiber from the United States, through Europe and Dubai, United Arab Emirates, to Iranian Company-1 in Iran.
In or about May 2009, POURGHANNAD and Shokri attempted to arrange another illegal purchase and transshipment of carbon fiber from the United States to Iran. Specifically, Individual-1 returned a signed contract to POURGHANNAD for Shokri’s purchase of a large quantity of carbon fiber. Individual-1 then purchased the carbon fiber from a United States supplier and arranged for the carbon fiber to be exported from the United States to a third country (“Country-1”), en route to Iran. Country-1 authorities, however, interdicted the carbon fiber shipment before it could be trans-shipped to Iran.
In or about 2013, POURGHANNAD, Shokri, and Faridmanesh again attempted illegally to procure and export carbon fiber from the United States to Iran. In the 2013 transaction, Shokri and POURGHANNAD negotiated with Individual-1 for the purchase and transshipment to Iran of more than five tons of carbon fiber. Faridmanesh and POURGHANNAD further agreed with Individual-1 that the carbon fiber would be trans-shipped from the United States to Iran through Tbilisi, Georgia, with Faridmanesh to serve as the trans-shipper. Faridmanesh specifically instructed Individual-1 to change the shipping labels on the carbon fiber to reference “acrylic” or “polyester,” rather than “carbon fiber.” POURGHANNAD provided Individual-1 with the bank guarantee that was to serve as surety for a portion of the carbon fiber. In or about June 2013, Individual-1 informed POURGHANNAD, Shokri, and Faridmanesh that the carbon fiber would soon be shipped from Manhattan and that Individual-1 would replace the carbon fiber labels with shipping labels referencing “acrylic” to evade U.S. export controls.
No one involved in these transactions obtained permission from the U.S. Department of Treasury, Office of Foreign Assets Control, to export the carbon fiber from the United States.
* * *
Mr. Berman praised the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the U.S. Department of Commerce, and thanked the U.S. Department of Justice’s National Security Division and the Criminal Division’s Office of International Affairs, the U.S. Marshals Service, Homeland Security Investigations, and Immigration and Customs Enforcement for their assistance.
This case is being handled by the Office’s Terrorism and International Narcotics Unit, with assistance from the Counterintelligence and Export Control Section of the National Security Division. Assistant United States Attorney Gillian Grossman and Trial Attorney Matthew McKenzie are in charge of the prosecution.
Huntsville Man Pleads Guilty to Possessing Large Collection of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – A Huntsville man pled guilty today to possession of a large collection of child pornography, announced U.S. Attorney Jay E. Town and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Assistant Special Agent in Charge James G. Hernandez.
A one-count information filed in U.S. District Court charges Ryan Thomas Carver, 29, with possession of child pornography, including images of prepubescent children, bondage, and bestiality. According to the plea agreement, an investigation by HSI recovered records showing that Carver paid Bitcoin, a virtual currency, and used the dark web to access a website used for the distribution of child pornography. Based on this information, federal investigators executed a federal search warrant at the Carver’s home in Huntsville, Alabama on March 5, 2018. Analysis of the items found in Carver’s possession at the time discovered a total of 180 identified series of child pornography meeting the federal definition, including 3,102 identified photos of child pornography, 162 identified videos of child pornography, and 45 identified victims.
He is scheduled for sentencing on March 13, 2020.
“Criminals who victimize our children through digital pixels, videos, or photos should expect a visit from federal law enforcement,” Town said. “It’s not a question of if, but when. And when we find you we will prosecute you and you will go to federal prison.”
“HSI and its law enforcement partners are committed to protecting those among us that are the most vulnerable,” said James Hernandez, Assistant Special Agent in Charge for Alabama. “HSI uses all of the tools and technology available to ensure that criminals find no refuge in the Darknet.”
The investigation that ensnared Carver was part of an international investigation into Welcome To Video, the largest child sexual exploitation Darknet marketplace by volume of content, that authorities seized in March 2018 in an operation spanning three continents. Authorities seized approximately eight terabytes of child sexual exploitation videos, one of the largest seizures of its kind. The authorities have shared data about the site’s users with law enforcement agencies throughout the world.
The Darknet site had users across the United States and throughout the world, including at least 53 individuals in the United States. According to a press release by the Department of Justice, the site provided child sexual exploitation videos to users in Alabama, Arkansas, California, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Kansas, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Nebraska, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Washington State and Washington, D.C., as well as the United Kingdom, South Korea, Germany, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, the Czech Republic, Canada, Ireland, Spain, Brazil, and Australia who have now been arrested and charged.
The maximum penalty for possession of child pornography is 20 years of imprisonment, a fine of $250,000, or both.
HSI investigated the case, which Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan S. Keim is prosecuting, with assistance from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia.
Highlands County Man Sentenced to 18 years in Prison for Armed Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
Ariana Fajardo Orshan, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, Adolphus P. Wright, Special Agent in Charge, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Miami Field Office, and Paul Blackman, Sheriff, Highlands County Sheriff’s Office announced that Samuel Martinez, 41, of Avon Park, Florida, was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Judge Robin L. Rosenberg to 18 years in prison for armed drug trafficking.
Martinez previously pled guilty to possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime (Case No. 19cr14022).
According to the court record, on March 12, 2019, law enforcement officers from the Highlands County Sheriff’s Office executed a search warrant for a hotel room in Avon Park. Martinez was found inside the hotel room, along with over three pounds of methamphetamine, some of which had been packaged for resale, and a loaded Springfield Armory .45 caliber semi-automatic pistol.
Methamphetamine is a dangerous and highly addictive controlled substance. This case involved one of the largest single seizures of methamphetamine in Highlands County, to date.
U.S. Attorney Fajardo Orshan commended the investigative efforts of the DEA and Highlands County Sheriff’s Office. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael D. Porter.
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.
Hempstead Man Sentenced to More Than 15 Years’ Imprisonment for Armed Robbery Conspiracy and Brandishing a Firearm During a Crime of ViolenceRead the Press Release
Earlier today, at the federal courthouse in Central Islip, James Rogers was sentenced to 184 months in prison by United States District Judge Denis R. Hurley for conspiring to commit gunpoint robberies of retail stores in Nassau and Suffolk Counties between August 10, 2015 and December 21, 2015, and brandishing a firearm during the robbery of a Petco Pet store in Hicksville, New York, on August 20, 2015. Rogers pleaded guilty to the charges in April 2017.
Richard P. Donoghue, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, announced the sentence.
At his guilty plea proceeding, Rogers admitted his role in 15 robberies of retail businesses during a four-month period in 11 different towns in Nassau and Suffolk Counties, including the gunpoint robbery of the Petco store, women’s clothing stores and a Babies R’ Us. On most occasions, Rogers committed the robberies at or near opening or closing times, his face covered with a mask, brandishing a handgun, threatening employees and customers and restraining them using toy handcuffs or plastic zip-tie restraints. Rogers also stole cash, jewelry and other personal items from his victims before fleeing in a vehicle driven by his co-conspirator.
“The defendant terrorized his victims during a violent crime spree, fully justifying today’s lengthy prison sentence. Our communities are safer as a result of his incarceration,” stated United States Attorney Donoghue. Mr. Donoghue expressed his grateful appreciation to the Nassau County Police Department, the Suffolk County Police Department and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration for their outstanding work on the case.
The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s Long Island Criminal Division. Assistant United States Attorney Charles N. Rose is in charge of the prosecution.
The Defendant:
JAMES ROGERS
Age: 49
Hempstead, New YorkE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 16-CR-530 (DRH)
Harrisburg Man Indicted on Drug Trafficking and Firearms OffensesRead the Press Release
HARRISBURG - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Anthony Haskins, age 44, of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, was indicted on November 13, 2019, by a federal grand jury on drug trafficking and firearms charges.
According to United States Attorney David J. Freed, the indictment charges Haskins with possession with intent to distribute cocaine base and cocaine, possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking, and being a felon in possession of a firearm on October 5, 2018, in Dauphin County.
The case was investigated by the Harrisburg Bureau of Police and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorney Scott R. Ford is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. The Department of Justice reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime.
Indictments and Criminal Informations are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.
A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
The maximum penalty under federal law is life in prison, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the Judge is also required to consider and weigh a number of factors, including the nature, circumstances and seriousness of the offense; the history and characteristics of the defendant; and the need to punish the defendant, protect the public and provide for the defendant's educational, vocational and medical needs. For these reasons, the statutory maximum penalty for the offense is not an accurate indicator of the potential sentence for a specific defendant.
# # #
Hampton Woman Pleads Guilty to Mail Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
CONCORD - Jacqueline Masse, 49, of Hampton, New Hampshire, pleaded guilty to participating in a mail fraud scheme, announced United States Attorney Scott W. Murray.
According to court documents and statements made in court, in letters mailed to restaurants and food companies Masse falsely claimed that she (or another member of her family) became seriously ill after eating food served by the restaurants or packaged by the food companies. In other letters also mailed to restaurants and food companies, Masse assumed the identity of other members of her family and falsely claimed that the family member became seriously ill after eating food served by the restaurants or packaged by the food companies.
In each of the 12 letters, Masse falsely claimed that the letter’s writer had paid or borrowed money to pay hospital bills and other medical expenses incurred to treat an illness because they did not have personal health insurance. Each letter included a demand that the affected restaurant or food company reimburse the writer for medical expenses and provide financial compensation for pain and suffering.
According to the court documents and statements made in court, to support each demand letter, Masse provided fraudulent medical records allegedly obtained from hospitals in New Hampshire and Massachusetts as false evidence of the fictitious illnesses. She used fraudulent bank account and credit card statements as false evidence that the writer had dined at the affected restaurant or bought food packaged by the affected food company. Masse also used fraudulent invoices from hospitals and an ambulance company as false evidence of medical expenses.
In correspondence with the insurance carriers, Masse demanded payments totaling more than $399,000. Some of the insurance companies responded by mailing insurance settlement checks totaling more than $206,000 to Masse’s home in Hampton and homes associated with her family members (who were unwitting participants in the scheme to defraud).
Masse is scheduled to be sentenced on February 28, 2020.
“Insurance fraud has a serious impact on hard-working individuals and families, as it drives up their insurance premiums and makes it more difficult to collect on legitimate claims,” said U.S Attorney Murray. “The conduct in this case was carefully planned and persistent. It involved the attempted theft of almost $400,000, the use of bogus documents, and Masse’s use of personal identifying information that belonged to innocent members of her family. I want to commend the New Hampshire Insurance Department for its exceptional work on this case and its overall tenacious effort to investigate and prosecute insurance fraud in all of its forms.”
“I’m very proud of the hard work and dedication of my Fraud Unit,” said John Elias, the New Hampshire Insurance Commissioner. “This fraud scheme caused harm to private consumers, businesses, and insurance carriers. One of our highest priorities is to protect these entities, and we are thankful to the United States Attorney’s Office and the FBI for partnering with us to combat fraud.”
"Cleanliness and accountability are the bedrock on which restaurants and food providers stake their reputations. Jacqueline Masse attempted to enrich herself by exploiting that fact and using smear tactics to persuade the victims' insurance companies to settle her bogus claims," said Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Boston Division. "The FBI thanks the New Hampshire Insurance Department for its exceptional investigative work, which helped expose her fraud and the truth."
The New Hampshire Insurance Department investigated this case with assistance from the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Robert M. Kinsella is prosecuting the case.
###
Grand jury indicts men allegedly involved in murder of DEA task force officerRead the Press Release
DAYTON – Three local men previously charged by criminal complaint in connection to the shooting death of Dayton Police Detective and DEA Task Force Officer Jorge Del Rio have now been indicted by a federal grand jury.
Nathan S. Goddard, Jr., 39, is charged with nine counts, including deliberately killing Det. Del Rio, conspiring to possess with intent to distribute and distribute fentanyl, cocaine and marijuana, assault of a federal officer by inflicting bodily injury through the use of a deadly weapon, brandishing and discharging a firearm resulting in death by murder during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime, and possessing a firearm as a convicted felon.
Cahke Cortner, 39, and Lionel Combs III, 40, are each charged with five counts, including conspiring to possess with intent to distribute and distribute fentanyl, cocaine, and marijuana, andbrandishing and discharging a firearm resulting in death by murder during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime.
Combs is additionally charged with maintaining a drug premises at 1454 Ruskin Road in Dayton. Cortner is additionally charged with carrying a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime.
The charges are a result of a shooting that took place during the execution of a federal search warrant during the evening of Nov. 4.
Between mid-July and late-October 2019, the DEA’s Dayton resident office conducted an investigation into a Dayton-based fentanyl operation.
As a result of that investigation, Goddard was named as an alleged source of supply of narcotics and a federal search warrant was subsequently authorized for 1454 Ruskin Road.
At approximately 6:50pm on Nov. 4, DEA and Dayton Police executed the search warrant. After announcing themselves, officers entered the home and Det. Del Rio descended the stairway to the basement of the residence. The officer immediately came under gunfire from the basement and was struck by the gunfire.
In the residence, authorities discovered three firearms. Approximately ten kilograms of fentanyl and cocaine were located in a duffel bag. Containers containing 50 to 60 pounds of marijuana were discovered in the basement. Approximately $11,000 in cash was spread out on a coffee table, and more than $40,000 in cash was located in a duffel bag in a storage area under the stairs.
Five counts pending against Goddard are potentially punishable by the death penalty.
“There are many crimes that, if committed, one forfeits his right to live in a free society. And then there are the rare, few crimes that are so abhorrent to a free society that one is subject to forfeiting his right to exist at all,” said U.S. Attorney David M. DeVillers. “Goddard has been accused by a grand jury of the latter.”
The drug conspiracy in this case is punishable by a mandatory minimum of 10 years to life in prison. The brandishing and discharge of a firearm resulting in death by murder during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime is punishable by an additional mandatory minimum of 10 years up to life in prison, and by death. Congress sets the minimum and maximum penalty ranges for all offenses charged.
David M. DeVillers, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio and Montgomery County Prosecutor Mathias H. Heck, Jr. have agreed to proceed federally at this time. Should it later be deemed appropriate, a state indictment could be sought. Mr. DeVillers and Mr. Heck agreed to commit both Assistant United States Attorneys and Assistant Montgomery County Prosecutors to the trial team regardless of jurisdiction.
They are joined by Dayton Police Chief Richard S. Biehl; Keith Martin, Special Agent in Charge, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA); Joseph M. Deters, Acting Special in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division; and Jonathan McPherson, Special Agent in Charge, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) in announcing the charges. Assistant United States Attorneys Dominick S. Gerace and Brent G. Tabacchi, and First Assistant United States Attorney Vipal J. Patel, are currently representing the United States in this case.
An indictment merely contains allegations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.
# # #
Grand Jury Indicts Lincoln Man for Producing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Joe Kelly announced that the Grand Jury in the District of Nebraska has returned a seven-count indictment against Titus Miller, 26, of Lincoln. The Indictment charges Miller with the sexual exploitation of five children between August 17, and October 15, 2019.
The first five counts of the Indictment charge the production of child pornography. Each of these offenses are punishable by a mandatory minimum term of 15 years’ and a maximum of 30 years’ imprisonment, a fine of up to $250,000, and a mandatory assessment of $50,000. After release from any imprisonment, Miller would be subject to a term of supervised release of not less than five years and up to life. Counts 6 and 7 charge Miller with distributing child pornography. Both counts are punishable by a mandatory minimum of five years’ and a maximum of 20 years’ imprisonment, a fine not to exceed $250,000, and a term of supervised release of not less than five years and up to life.
Miller’s next court appearance is scheduled for November 13, 2019, at 3:30 pm before Magistrate Judge Cheryl R. Zwart in Lincoln. A preliminary examination will not be held as the Grand Jury has found of probable cause in returning the Indictment. A finding of probable cause is not a finding of guilt and Miller is presumed innocent of these charges.
United States Attorney Kelly expressed his appreciation to the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Lincoln Police Department for their quick actions in obtaining a criminal complaint and search warrant immediately upon receiving notification of children being placed at risk of being sexually abused.
"Today’s indictment is evidence of our continued resolve to find those that prey on children in our community," said Special Agent in Charge Kristi Johnson. "We appreciate our partnership with the United States Attorney’s Office, the Lincoln Police Department, and the Lancaster County Attorney in this very important investigation."
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 United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
Gloucester County Man Arrested on Child Pornography ChargeRead the Press Release
CAMDEN, N.J. – A Gloucester County, New Jersey, man was charged today with allegedly distributing videos and images of child sexual abuse, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito announced.
Matthew Alongi, 30, of Thorofare, New Jersey, is charged by complaint with one count of distribution of child pornography. He appeared today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Karen M. Williams in Camden federal court.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
In November 2018, an undercover law enforcement officer participated in an online chat group on a social networking application that allows internet users to trade digital files. During multiple sessions, a user shared multiple files featuring images of child sexual abuse from an internet address traced to Alongi’s residence.
On May 8, 2019, law enforcement lawfully obtained from Alongi’s residence multiple devices that contained hundreds of images and videos of child pornography, including images of prepubescent children being sexually abused.
The count of distribution of child pornography carries a mandatory minimum penalty of five years in prison, a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, and a fine of $250,000.
U.S. Attorney Carpenito credited special agents of Homeland Security Investigations, Cherry Hill Office, under the direction of Resident Agent in Charge Jeff Kocher; the Camden County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Acting Prosecutor Jill S. Mayer; the Gloucester County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Prosecutor Charles A. Fiore; the West Deptford Police Department, under the direction of Chief Sean McKenna; and the N.J. State Police, under the direction of Col Patrick J. Callahan, with the investigation leading to today’s charge.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristen M. Harberg of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Camden.
The charge and allegations in the complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Georgia man sentenced for traveling to Atlanta to have sex with an eleven-year-old childRead the Press Release
ATLANTA - Devin Herman has been sentenced for attempting to have sex with someone he believed was an 11-year-old girl he met on the internet.
“Unmonitored internet and online chatting make it easy for potential predators to meet and sexually exploit children,” said U.S. Attorney Byung J. “BJay” Pak. “We will not tolerate this conduct. Our mission is to protect citizens, especially the most vulnerable members of our community.”
“The facts of this case are shocking but unfortunately all too common,” said Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta, Chris Hacker. “This sentencing sends a message to Herman and any other predators that the FBI will go to any length, within the constraints of the U.S. Constitution, to bring you to justice.”
According to U.S. Attorney Pak, the charges and other information presented in court: In February 2019, an FBI agent acting in an undercover capacity posted an ad online pretending to be a mother in metro-Atlanta. On February 19, 2019, Devin Herman responded to the ad by sending the agent a message. Over the next three days, Herman and the undercover agent exchanged multiple messages that led to Herman arranging to meet in person to have sex with the 11-year-old daughter.
In the chats, the undercover agent told Herman that she was looking for someone to “teach” the 11-year-old girl. Herman told the mother that “it sounds like it’d be a fun time.” Herman then explained what he would do to the purported child. During the chats, there were also times where Herman believed he was chatting directly with the 11-year-old girl, and he asked the child what she liked and what she wanted him to teach her.
When Herman showed up at the planned meeting location in Alpharetta, Georgia on February 22, 2019, he was instead met by FBI agents and taken into custody. Upon his arrest, Herman was found to be in possession a cell phone, and two condoms.
Devin Herman, 22, of Roswell, Georgia, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Amy M. Totenberg to ten years in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release. Herman had been convicted on August 21, 2019, after he pleaded guilty to one count of attempted coercion and enticement of a minor.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated this case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Alex R. Sistla prosecuted the case.
This case is being brought as part of Project Safe Childhood. In February 2006, the Attorney General launched Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney’s Offices around the country, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
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.
Fresno Men Charged with Possessing and Selling False Identification DocumentsRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned a 13-count indictment today against Fresno residents Isaias Herrera-Ortiz, 29, and Lucas Lara Portillo, 38, charging them with conspiracy, production of false identification documents, transfer of false identification documents, and fraud and misuse of visas and related documents, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced.
According to court documents, in February and March 2018 and in July and September 2019, the defendants engaged in transactions in which they manufactured and sold false identification documents to buyers. These documents included social security cards and green cards.
This case is the product of an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Laura D. Withers is prosecuting the case.
If convicted, the defendants face a maximum statutory penalty of 15 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Frankfort Man Pleads Guilty to Attempting to Transfer Obscene Material to a MinorRead the Press Release
Bangor, Maine: A Frankfort, Maine man pleaded guilty today in federal court in Bangor to attempted transfer of obscene material to a minor, U.S. Attorney Halsey B. Frank announced.
According to court records, in April 2019, Nicholas Norwood, 33, used a mobile messaging service to send an image of his genitalia to an undercover federal agent posing as a 13-year-old girl.
Norwood faces up to 10 years imprisonment and a $250,000 fine. He will be sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigation report by the U.S. Probation Office.
The Department of Homeland Security’s Homeland Security Investigations, the Waldo County Sheriff’s Office and the Maine State Police investigated 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 the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Framingham Man Sentenced for Unlawfully Selling FirearmsRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Framingham man was sentenced on Tuesday, Nov. 12, 2019, for selling guns locally that were purchased in Pennsylvania.
Mitchell Daniells, 33, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge George A. O’Toole to 97 months in prison and three years of supervised release. In June 2019, Daniells was convicted by a federal jury of dealing in firearms without a license and unlawful possession of a firearm while felony charges were pending.
In January, February and March 2015, Daniells and a straw buyer acting at Daniells’ request, purchased firearms at several gun stores in Pennsylvania. Daniells transported the guns to Massachusetts, where he unlawfully sold them. Daniells obliterated many of the firearms’ serial numbers, but investigators were able to restore them, permitting the firearms to be traced back to the gun stores. While the government introduced evidence at trial that Daniells trafficked 10 guns in the three month time period, the jury also heard that he was selling guns for more than three years, since 2012.
Daniells sold the guns “on the street” to drug dealers and gang members, while other guns ended up in the hands of domestic abusers. For example, Demetrius Williams, a convicted leader of the Columbia Point street gang, was arrested with a gun that traced back to Daniells. Williams’s co-defendant, Benjamin Figeroa, also received a gun from Daniells. Most recently, police recovered a gun traced back to Daniells during a domestic abuse arrest in July 14, 2018.
Daniells was also convicted of possession of a Smith and Wesson 9mm pistol purchased for him by the straw buyer on March 27, 2015, and sold by Daniells to a government’s witness for $800 three days later.
United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling and Kelly Brady, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Glenn Mackinlay and Timothy Moran of Lelling’s Organized Crime and Gang Unit prosecuted the case.
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.
Four Individuals Sentenced in Federal Court for FraudRead the Press Release
El Dorado, Arkansas – Duane (DAK) Kees, United States Attorney for the Western District of Arkansas announced that four individuals were sentenced by the United States District Court for their roles in a conspiracy to commit wire fraud in south Arkansas. The Honorable Chief Judge Susan O. Hickey presided over the sentencing hearings in the United States District Court in El Dorado, Arkansas.
According to court records, in January 2015, the decedent, a survivor of the Deepwater Horizon oil rig explosion in the Gulf of Mexico that occurred in 2010, received a substantial amount of wealth through lawsuit settlements related to the explosion. In January 2015, he died in a car accident at the age of 34, leaving an estate worth approximately $1.7 million. When he died, his then-17-year-old son was his sole surviving heir. Six days later, Donna Christina Herring used Marion Diane Kinley’s debit card to establish an account on Formswift.com, an internet-based platform that prepares and provides legal documents, including wills, to customers. Herring drafted a fraudulent Last Will and Testament in the decedent’s name which named Herring’s daughter, Jordan Alexandra Peterson, as the executor and the majority beneficiary of the decedent’s estate. Peterson and the decedent were in a long-term relationship at the time of his death.
Herring presented a copy of the fraudulent will to her sister, Marion Kinley, and her brother-in-law, John Wayne Kinley, Jr., and had them sign as witnesses when all three knew that the decedent was deceased. Herring then put the fraudulent will in a sealed envelope. The envelope contained a photocopy of the fraudulent will created by Herring and signed by the Kinleys after the decedent’s death. The photocopied fraudulent will was then delivered to an attorney. When Herring learned that only an “original” copy of a will would be probated, she again presented a copy of the fraudulent will she created on Formswift.com to the Kinleys and the Kinleys signed as Testation Clause witnesses even though the Testator signature line was blank.
Peterson provided Herring the combination to the decedent’s gun safe located in his residence. Herring then asked Peterson to leave the decedent’s residence. After Peterson left the residence, Herring placed the fraudulent will she created in the safe. She then asked her husband and a family friend to search the safe for the decedent’s will and gave them the combination. When the safe was opened, Herring’s husband and the family friend found the fraudulent will that had been placed there by Herring.
In 2016, investigators led by the FBI executed search and seizure warrants and conducted interviews regarding the document fraudulently purporting to be the Last Will and Testament of the decedent. During Peterson’s interview, investigators asked about the whereabouts of the decedent’s cell phone. Peterson told investigators that she had it shortly after his death but no longer had it or knew where it was. This statement to investigators was false because, in fact, Peterson had given the cell phone to a third party a few months earlier. After the interview concluded, Peterson retrieved the cell phone from the third party and placed it in a safe at her stepfather’s business. At no time did Peterson provide the cell phone to law enforcement or inform them of its whereabouts.
The fraudulent will created by Herring and signed by the Kinleys left all but $50,000 of the decedent’s estate to Peterson. It was filed in the Ouachita County Circuit Court in March 2015, resulting in Peterson entering into a settlement with the decedent’s heir, whereby the heir received $50,000 provided for in the fraudulent will, an additional $250,000, and several items of personal property. Peterson received all other assets of the estate minus some items given to the decedent’s brother. The total value of estate assets distributed to Peterson was approximately $1,300,000.
Defendants in this conspiracy received the following sentences:
Donna Christina Herring, age 51, of Camden, Arkansas was sentenced November 12, 2019, to serve 41 months in federal prison followed by three years of supervised release on one count of Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud. Herring was first indicted in the Western District of Arkansas in July 2017 and entered her guilty plea in January 2018.
John Wayne Kinley Jr., age 57, of Camden, Arkansas was sentenced November 12, 2019, to serve 12 months in federal prison followed by 3 years of supervised release on one count of Wire Fraud. John Kinley Jr. was first indicted in the Western District of Arkansas in July 2017 and entered his guilty plea in April 2018.
Marion Diane Kinley, age 57, of Camden, Arkansas was sentenced November 13, 2019 to serve 18 months in federal prison followed by 3 years of supervised release on one count of Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud. Marion Kinley was indicted in the Western District of Arkansas in July 2017 and entered her guilty plea in April 2018.
Jordan Alexandra Peterson, age 23, of Camden, Arkansas, was sentenced November 13, 2019 to serve 6 months home confinement followed by 3 years of supervised release on one count of Making a False Statement to the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Peterson was first indicted in the Western District of Arkansas in July 2017 and entered her guilty plea in January 2018.
Duane (DAK) Kees, the United States Attorney for the Western District of Arkansas stated, “I hope that the conviction and sentence in this matter represents some comfort to Matthew Jacob’s son, Jordan Jacobs, who was the victim of this scheme to disinherit him in the wake of his father’s tragic passing. I also hope that these sentences send a message to those who would seek to abuse the integrity of the Arkansas State Court system. This particular scheme, through its use of a fraudulent will and fake attestations was an assault on the rule of law. I am thankful to the FBI in particular for their dogged determination in pursuing this million dollar fraud and to the District Court for making clear that when white collar offenders go big, they don’t get to go home with probationary sentences.”
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Arkansas State Police. Assistant United States Attorney Benjamin Wulff prosecuted the case for the United States.
Fort Wayne Man Sentenced to 117 Months in PrisonRead the Press Release
FORT WAYNE – Varnell Coe, age 28, of Fort Wayne, Indiana was sentenced before U.S. District Court Judge Holly A. Brady upon his plea of guilty to maintaining a drug involved premises, announced U.S. Attorney Kirsch.
Coe was sentenced to 117 months in prison followed by 2 years of supervised release.
According to documents in this case, in March 2018 both Mr. Coe and Brandon Buchanan were indicted for maintaining two premises that were used for the purpose of distributing controlled substances in Fort Wayne. A search warrant was executed at these locations and during the search, investigators located a loaded .357 caliber revolver, fentanyl, crack cocaine, marijuana, hypodermic syringes, approximately $1000 in US currency, evidence of narcotics dealing, along with multiple calibers of ammunition and magazine for various firearms.
Co-defendant Brandon Buchanan was sentenced to 117 months in prison for his role in this case in September 2019.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives with the assistance of the Fort Wayne Police Department and the Indiana State Police. This case was handled by Assistant United States Attorneys Stacey R. Speith and Anthony Geller.
###
Fort Lauderdale Resident Sentenced to 30 Years in Prison for Distributing Fentanyl Resulting in DeathRead the Press Release
Ariana Fajardo Orshan, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, Adolphus P. Wright, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Miami Field Division, and Rick Maglione, Chief, Fort Lauderdale Police Department announced that Jean Jameson, 36, of Fort Lauderdale, Florida was sentenced to 30 years in prison today for distributing the fentanyl that resulted in the death of another individual.
Jameson was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Jose E. Martinez to a total of 365 months in prison, to be followed by 3 years of supervised release, after previously pleading guilty to one count of distribution of fentanyl resulting in death and two counts of distribution of fentanyl (Case No. 19cr60083). He was also ordered to pay $8,000 in restitution to the victim’s family to cover funeral expenses.
According to the court record, on September 25, 2018, Jameson distributed fentanyl, a Schedule II controlled substance, to an individual who died as a result of ingesting the drug. Thereafter, on two separate occasions, Jameson distributed a controlled substance, to wit, fentanyl.
“Men and women in our community are losing their lives to the drug trade,” stated U.S. Attorney Fajardo Orshan. “Fentanyl, a highly potent controlled substance, is being illegally distributed with deadly results. We implore the public to educate themselves, friends and loved ones about the dangers of drug abuse and addiction. Federal law enforcement authorities will continue to prosecute those who endanger our residents by fueling the opioid epidemic.”
“The DEA takes the distribution of any illegal drug very seriously,” said DEA Special Agent in Charge Wright. “The recent spike in opioid sales, which correlates to an increased death toll, only heightens our commitment to continue in this fight. The DEA Miami Field Division will continue to work very closely with our law enforcement partners in the Tri-County area along with the U.S. Attorney’s Office to fully investigate and prosecute those responsible for illicit drug trafficking activities to ensure that they are held accountable for their actions, especially when the consequences from those actions result in the tragic death of another individual.”
Fort Lauderdale Police Chief Maglione stated, “Individuals who knowingly distribute a substance that often results in death should absolutely be held accountable for the results of their actions. Hopefully these individuals will begin to think twice before taking advantage of people who are suffering from an addiction now that they realize the severity of the charges and potential penalties that can be associated with their crimes.”
In December of 2014, the DEA, the Fort Lauderdale Police Department, and the Broward County Sheriff's Office formed a partnership with the Broward Medical Examiner's Office to track both synthetic drug and heroin related overdoses. From that, and as part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) National Heroin strategy to combat heroin/fentanyl trafficking and related overdose deaths, Operation Phantom Chase emerged. The operation, begun in July 2017, is a multi-jurisdictional heroin/fentanyl initiative between the DEA, the U.S. Marshals Service, Homeland Security Investigations, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Fort Lauderdale Police Department, Broward County Sheriff’s Office, Sunrise Police Department, Hollywood Police Department, Coral Springs Police Department and the U.S. Attorney’ Office in Broward County which operates as a data collection clearinghouse to analyze intelligence gathered from fatal and non-fatal heroin and fentanyl overdoses that occur in Broward County. The charges being announced today result from the diligent investigative work of this successful federal-local partnership.
U.S. Attorney Fajardo Orshan commended the investigative efforts of the DEA and the Fort Lauderdale Police Department. She also thanked the Broward County Sheriff’s Office for their support during the course of this investigation. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert Juman.
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.
Fort Dix Correctional Officer Admits Accepting Bribes in Exchange for Delivering Contraband to InmatesRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A Camden County, New Jersey, man who worked as a corrections officer at a federal facility admitted today that he accepted cash bribes in exchange for delivering contraband to inmates, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito announced.
Paul Anton Wright, 34, of Berlin, New Jersey, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Esther Salas in Newark federal court to Count 1 of a five-count indictment charging him with accepting thousands of dollars in cash bribes in exchange for delivering contraband to federal inmates at Fort Dix.
According to documents filed in the case and statements made in court:
From 2014 through April of 2018, Wright worked as a correctional officer at Federal Correctional Institution Fort Dix (FCI Fort Dix), a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility in Burlington County. In 2015, Wright agreed to accept cash bribes in exchange for smuggling contraband, including tobacco, K2 (synthetic marijuana) and suboxone (a narcotic used to treat opioid addiction), to inmates.
Wright received cash bribes from two individuals outside of FCI Fort Dix. Between February and September 2015, Wright traveled to Philadelphia on multiple occasions to meet with a relative of an FCI Fort Dix inmate and subsequently delivered contraband, including K2, to the inmate. Wright would conceal the contraband in order to smuggle it into FCI Fort Dix. Between October and December of 2015, Wright traveled to New York City on multiple occasions to pick up contraband from a different inmate’s associate, from whom he also received corrupt cash payments in return for smuggling contraband into FCI Fort Dix.
The bribery charge to which Wright plead guilty carries a maximum potential penalty of 15 years in prison and a maximum potential fine of $250,000. In addition, Wright agreed to the entry of a forfeiture money judgment against him in the amount of $50,000, reflecting monies he accepted as bribes during the course of his criminal scheme. Sentencing is currently scheduled for Feb. 27, 2020.U.S. Attorney Carpenito credited special agents with the U.S. Department of Justice Office of Inspector General, New York Field Office, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Guido Modano, with the investigation leading to today’s guilty plea. He also thanked special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Gregory W. Ehrie, for their assistance in the prosecution.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Mark J. McCarren and Tazneen Shahabuddin of the U.S. Attorney’s Special Prosecutions Division in Newark.
Defense counsel: Angelo R. Bianchi Esq. and Peter C. LaGreca Esq., West Caldwell, New Jersey
Former Velda City Treasurer Indicted for Stealing Approximately $400,000 in City Funds, and Stealing Approximately $150,000 from a CharityRead the Press Release
St. Louis, MO –Venita Sedodo, 32, of St. Charles, Missouri, was indicted by a federal grand jury on four counts of wire fraud related to her former position as Treasurer of Velda City, Missouri, and four counts of mail fraud related to her former position as Trust Secretary for the Travelers Protective Association of America, Scholarship Trust for the Hearing Impaired.
According to the Indictment, Sedodo served as the Treasurer for Velda City, Missouri. From November, 2015 through October, 2018, Sedodo schemed to steal approximately $400,000 from the city. During that time, Sedodo issued approximately 90 unauthorized Velda City checks to herself, which she deposited into several of her personal bank accounts. Sedodo spent the stolen funds on personal items and services such as clothing, automobile payments, as well as making numerous cash withdrawals. Sedodo also issued unauthorized Velda City checks directly to a number of businesses to pay for personal items and services. Further, Sedodo made numerous unauthorized ACH wire transmissions of funds from Velda City bank accounts to pay for personal items and services at businesses such as BMW, Neiman Marcus, Saks Fifth Avenue, and Commerce Bank to pay off charges on her personal credit cards. Altogether, Sedodo’s fraud scheme netted her approximately $400,000 in funds stolen from Velda City.
Sedodo was also employed as the Trust Secretary for the Travelers Protective Association of America, Scholarship Trust for the Hearing Impaired (“TPA Scholarship Trust”). This is a charitable organization which provides financial aid to individuals with deafness or hearing deficiencies. From June, 2014, through January, 2019, Sedodo submitted false and fraudulent grant applications for her family members and friends to the charity’s Board of Trustees. These grant applications falsely claimed that the individual applicants suffered from deafness or hearing impairment, and Sedodo created and submitted along with the applications false audiograms and audiological evaluations. Sedodo did not advise the Board of Trustees that the individual applicants were her family members and friends. Once the Board of Trustees unwittingly approved the grant applications, Sedodo processed and issued checks to the individual applicants, who then cashed the checks and split the proceeds with Sedodo. None of the grant funds were used for legitimate health care or treatment related to deafness or hearing impairment, but were used by Sedodo and her family and friends for their own personal use and expenses. Sedodo obtained approximately $156,100 from TPA Scholarship Trust through her fraudulent scheme.
If convicted, as to each charge Sedodo faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Restitution is also mandatory.
In determining the actual sentences, a judge is required to consider the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, which provide recommended sentencing ranges.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation is investigating this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Hal Goldsmith is handling the case for the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
Former Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians Tribal Council Member Arrested and Charged with Additional Federal CrimesRead the Press Release
Jackson, Miss. – A former member of the Tribal Council for the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians has been charged with additional criminal violations in a Superseding Indictment and arrested for burglary, sexual abusive contact, witness tampering, theft/embezzlement, and wire fraud, announced United States Attorney Mike Hurst and Michelle A. Sutphin, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation in Mississippi.
An original indictment returned by a federal grand jury on February 6, 2019, had charged the former elected lawmaker Randy Lamar Anderson, 46, of Conehatta, Miss., with defrauding the Tribal government (One count of theft and two counts of wire fraud).
According to the indictment, between March 2015 and December 2017, Anderson is alleged to have forged hotel bills and receipts, and submitted those documents to the Tribal government in claims for reimbursement for official business travel. Since the original indictment issued, Anderson’s term on the Tribal Council expired, and Anderson did not run for reelection to the Council.
On February 13, 2019, Anderson appeared for arraignment on the original indictment before United States Magistrate Judge Linda R. Anderson in Jackson, Mississippi. The Court released Anderson on bond, subject to conditions including that he refrain from further violations of state or federal law while awaiting his trial.
On November 6, 2019, additional charges were returned by a Federal Grand Jury in a Superseding Indictment, alleging that Anderson, while subject to the conditions of his release on bond, entered the home of a female Choctaw Indian on Reservation lands during the night of August 25, 2019, and committed an abusive sexual contact of the woman, who was unable to appraise the nature of the conduct and physically incapable of declining participation in, or communicating unwillingness to engage in, that sexual act. The Superseding Indictment also alleges that in the days following the incident in August and September, Anderson engaged in witness tampering by attempting to intimidate and threaten the victim into not reporting his offense and violations of his bond conditions, as well as attempting to corruptly persuade and mislead the Choctaw Police Department into pressing criminal charges against her, to dissuade her from filing charges.
Anderson appeared before United States Magistrate Judge Linda R. Anderson for arraignment on the Superseding Indictment today in Jackson. He faces maximum penalties of 5 years in prison for theft from an Indian Tribal Organization; 20 years for each count of Wire Fraud; a mandatory minimum of three years for Burglary, with a maximum of 25 years; a maximum of 15 years for Abusive Sexual Contact; and up to 30 years for each count of Witness Tampering. Each count also can merit a fine of up to $250,000. Anderson was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals to await a detention hearing scheduled for Tuesday, November 19, 2019.
U.S. Attorney Hurst commended the work of the Special Agents with the FBI’s Jackson Division who investigated the case. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Theodore Cooperstein.
The public is reminded that an indictment is merely a charge and should not be considered as evidence of guilt. The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
Former McDonald, PA Man Admits Selling Deadly Drugs, Illegally Possessing a PistolRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH - A former resident of McDonald, PA, pleaded guilty in federal court to charges of violating federal firearm and narcotics laws, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced today.
Mackenzie Cole Roberts, 26, pleaded guilty to six counts before Chief United States District Judge Mark R. Hornak.
In connection with the guilty plea, the court was advised that on March 13, 2016, the defendant possessed heroin and a loaded .38 special caliber derringer pistol. Roberts was prohibited from legally possessing a firearm or ammunition as a result of his heroin use.
On December 23, 2016, the defendant sold stamp bags containing fentanyl and acetyl fentanyl which caused the death of M.P.C. On January 5, 2017, the defendant was arrested with nine stamp bags of fentanyl that he intended to sell, and police then located several stamp bags and drug paraphernalia in his residence.
Judge Hornak scheduled sentencing for March 20, 2019. The law provides for a total sentence of 81 years in prison, a fine of up to $3,501,000, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history of the defendant.
Pending sentencing, the court remanded the defendant to jail.
Assistant United States Attorney Robert C. Schupansky is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Drug Enforcement Agency conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Mackenzie Cole Roberts with the valuable assistance of the McDonald Police Department, the Canonsburg Police Department, the Washington County Coroner, the McDonald Fire Department, and the Fort Cherry Ambulance Department.
The investigation was funded by the federal Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force Program (OCDETF). The OCDETF program supplies critical federal funding and coordination that allows federal and state agencies to work together to successfully identify, investigate, and prosecute major interstate and international drug trafficking organizations and other criminal enterprises.
Former Massachusetts Man Sentenced for Role in Trans-National Methamphetamine Trafficking RingRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A former Allston man was sentenced on Tuesday, Nov. 12, 2019, in federal court in Boston for his role in a large-scale methamphetamine trafficking and money laundering ring operating between Massachusetts and California.
Jesse Gillis, 32, previously of Allston and San Diego, Calif., was sentenced by U.S. Senior District Court Judge George A. O’Toole Jr. to 72 months in prison and five years of supervised release. Gillis was also ordered to forfeit $500,000. In March 2018, Gillis pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine and conspiracy to launder monetary instruments.
In November 2016, Gillis, and 10 co-defendants were charged with various methamphetamine offenses relating to a transnational trafficking scheme. All 11 defendants have pleaded guilty, and 10 have been sentenced. From at least 2013 to November 2016, Gillis and others participated in a conspiracy to transport significant quantities of methamphetamine from San Diego, Calif., to Massachusetts, where it was distributed in the greater Boston area. Proceeds from the sale of that methamphetamine were then transported and/or transferred back to California and laundered in various ways.
Co-conspirator James Giannetta, 64, formerly of Canton, was the organizer of the conspiracy and was responsible for the distribution of approximately 200 pounds of methamphetamine sent from California to Massachusetts.
United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling; Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Division; Brian D. Boyle, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, Boston Field Division; Kristina O’Connell, Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigations in Boston; William Ferrara, Director of Field Operations of U.S. Customs and Border Protection; Colonel Kerry A. Gilpin, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police; and Boston Police Commissioner William Gross made the announcement. The Massachusetts Department of Correction; Norfolk County Sherriff’s Office; Suffolk County Sheriff’s Office; the Reading, Watertown, Quincy, Chelsea, Braintree, Peabody, Waltham, and Woburn Police Departments; and Connecticut State Police assisted with the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys James E. Arnold and Jared C. Dolan of Lelling’s Narcotics & Money Laundering Unit prosecuted the case.
The investigation was conducted by a multi-agency task force through the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF), a partnership between federal, state and local law enforcement agencies. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking, weapons trafficking and money laundering organizations, and those primarily responsible for the nation’s illegal drug supply. More information on the OCDETF program is available here: https://www.justice.gov/ocdetf/about-ocdetf.
Former Marin Youth Film Educator Sentenced to Three Years in Prison for Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
SAN FRANCISCO – John Morrison was sentenced to three years in prison for possessing child pornography, announced United States Attorney David L. Anderson. The sentence was handed down by the Honorable Charles R. Breyer, U.S. District Judge.
Morrison, 73 of San Francisco, pleaded guilty to the charge on June 19, 2019. According to his plea agreement, Morrison admitted that in March 2017, he possessed more than 600 videos and images that contained child pornography and that he used Skype to download the videos and images. Morrison further acknowledged that at the time he possessed the images, he worked with youth at the California Film Institute in San Rafael, Calif., as the Director of Education, where he taught film education to his students.
A federal grand jury indicted Morrison on June 5, 2018, charging him with receipt of child pornography, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 2252(a)(2) and (b)(1), and possession of child pornography, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 2252(a)(4)(B). Morrison pleaded guilty to the possession count and the receipt count was dismissed at sentencing.
This investigation began with cyber-tips made to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. The cyber-tips indicated that an individual was using Skype to upload child pornography. Law enforcement eventually identified the defendant as the user of the specific Skype account being used to upload the images.
In addition to the prison term, Judge Breyer sentenced the defendant to a five-year period of supervised release, ordered him to pay $2,500 in restitution, and required that he register as a sex offender as required by state law. Judge Breyer ordered the defendant to surrender and begin serving the prison term no later than January 13, 2020.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Ross Weingarten is prosecuting the case with the assistance of Marina Ponomarchuk. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the San Francisco Police Department, Internet Crimes Against Children Unit.
Former Lee's Summit Police Officer Sentenced for Armed Bank RobberyRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A former Lee’s Summit, Missouri, police officer who led officers on a 100-miles-per-hour vehicle pursuit has been sentenced in federal court for armed bank robbery.
Richard W. Hagerty, 36, of Independence, Missouri, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Roseann Ketchmark on Wednesday, Nov. 13, to eight years in federal prison without parole.
On March 12, 2019, Hagerty pleaded guilty to one count of armed bank robbery and one count of brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence. Hagerty was a police officer with the Lee’s Summit Police Department from 2007 to 2016.
Hagerty entered Central Bank of the Midwest, located at 1305 N.W. Arborwalk Blvd. in Lee’s Summit, on Aug. 28, 2018. Hagerty, wearing a camouflage balaclava-style mask that covered part of his face and black gloves, pointed a Glock .40-caliber pistol at a customer and yelled, “Everybody get down on the floor, this is a robbery.” He demanded cash from two tellers, pointing the handgun at them while he was demanding money. Hagerty stole about $7,000 then fled from the bank on foot.
A Lee’s Summit police officer located Hagerty driving a dark gray Mazda on Hook Road and 139th Street shortly after the robbery. When the officer activated his emergency equipment, Hagerty accelerated and a vehicle pursuit ensued. The pursuit stretched from Lee’s Summit to Grandview, Mo., in the middle of the day, on busy thoroughfares. Hagerty drove erratically during the pursuit, according to court documents, by reaching speeds in excess of 100 miles per hour on those busy roads, passing through school zones, and crossing into oncoming traffic.
After the vehicle was finally stopped, the officer gave verbal instructions for the occupant of the Mazda to exit the vehicle. After a short delay, Hagerty exited through the driver's side door of the vehicle with his hands raised above his head. The officer immediately recognized Hagerty, who was arrested.
Inside the vehicle, officers saw a large amount of cash on the driver’s seat and the front driver’s and passenger’s floorboard. They also recovered the Glock handgun from the vehicle.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ashleigh Ragner and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert Smith. It was investigated by the Lee’s Summit, Mo., Police Department and the FBI.
Former Financial Services Executive Pleads Guilty to Rigging Bids for Financial Instruments in Violation of Antitrust LawRead the Press Release
Peter Volino, a former vice president at Industrial and Commercial Bank of China Financial Services LLC (ICBCFS), pleaded guilty to a criminal antitrust charge for his involvement in a bid-rigging conspiracy for certain financial instruments, the Department of Justice announced.
Volino admitted that, from at least as early as May 2012 until at least August 2014, he and his counterparts at other broker-dealers conspired to submit rigged bids to borrow pre-release American Depository Receipts (ADRs). Volino’s plea is the fourth in the investigation; Banca IMI Securities Corp., ICBCFS, and former Banca IMI executive Larry Meyers previously pleaded guilty.
“The guilty plea announced today represents the culmination of a years-long investigation by the Division’s prosecutors and our FBI partners into collusion that infected bidding for pre-release ADRs,” said Assistant Attorney General Makan Delrahim of the Department of Justice’s Antitrust Division. “The Division is committed to detecting, rooting out, and prosecuting antitrust crimes affecting our financial markets and to holding personally accountable executives who try to get ahead by violating the antitrust laws.”
Worldwide, thousands of publicly traded companies list their shares of common stock only on foreign stock exchanges. Most U.S. investors are unable to purchase or sell such foreign shares. The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, however, permits four U.S. depository banks to create ADRs, which represent foreign ordinary shares and can be traded in the United States. Through the purchase and sale of ADRs, U.S. investors are able to gain exposure to — including the ability to receive dividends from — companies whose common stock is listed only on foreign exchanges.
Volino pleaded guilty to conspiring to borrow pre-release ADRs from U.S. depository banks at artificially suppressed rates. During the conspiracy, a U.S. depository bank began using an auction-style process for pre-release ADRs and invited ICBCFS and other broker-dealers to submit competitive bids for rates to borrow ADRs. In response, Volino and his co-conspirators conspired to suppress competition between them in an effort to artificially increase their profits under the auction-style process. On at least 24 occasions, ICBCFS, through Volino, reached an agreement with one or more co-conspirators as to the bids they would submit to U.S. depository banks. On many occasions, the conspirators agreed that they all would submit the same bid. Volino and his co-conspirators reached these agreements using, among other means, private chat rooms and text messages.
“As demonstrated through this multi-year investigation, which has led to four plea agreements, the FBI is committed to rooting out corruption and fraud,” said Assistant Director in Charge Timothy R. Slater of the FBI’s Washington Field Office. “Today’s plea is the result of our continuous, persistent efforts to protect competition in the financial market and identify those engaged in fraudulent conduct.”
A criminal violation of Section 1 of the Sherman Act carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years and a maximum fine of $1 million for individuals. The fine may be increased to twice the gain derived from the crime or twice the loss suffered by the victims of the crime, if either of those amounts is greater than the statutory maximum fine.
The Washington Criminal II Section of the Antitrust Division, the FBI’s International Corruption Unit, and the FBI’s Washington Field Office are conducting the investigation into bid rigging in the market for pre-release ADRs. Anyone with information in connection with this investigation is urged to call the Antitrust Division’s Washington Criminal II Section at 202-598-4000 or visit www.justice.gov/atr/contact/newcase.html.
Former Financial Advisor Admits to Engaging in Ponzi Scheme Targeting Elderly InvestorsRead the Press Release
TRENTON, N.J. – A Somerset County, New Jersey man, today admitted to engaging in a Ponzi scheme targeting elderly investors and to subscribing to a false tax return, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito announced.
Daniel Rivera, 60, of Hillsborough, New Jersey, a former financial advisor, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Anne E. Thompson in Trenton federal court to a superseding information charging him with one count of wire fraud and one count of aiding and abetting in the false subscribing to a tax return.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
From 2008 through 2017, Rivera solicited primarily elderly investors to invest their money in a company called Robbins Lane Properties Inc. Rivera represented to investors that Robbins Lane was a company staffed by experienced real estate professionals that invested in real estate ventures. Rivera told investors that by investing in Robbins Lane, senior investors would share in the company’s investment portfolio by lending it money to invest in real estate. Rivera further promised investors that they would receive a guaranteed monthly income, and that the company’s rate of return was based on secure real estate investments in the company’s portfolio. In reality, Robbins Lane had no employees, no real estate portfolio, and the monies used to pay investors as a purported return on their investments was from funds he received from other investors. Rivera also used funds sourced from investors to pay his personal and unrelated business expenses, including paying his child’s college tuition and sorority fees.
During the course of the fraudulent scheme, on March 5, 2014, Rivera filed with the IRS a federal income tax return that underreported his taxable income by $33,276.
The wire fraud count to which Rivera pleaded guilty carries a maximum potential punishment of 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000, or twice the gross loss or gain caused by the offense. The aiding and abetting in the subscribing to a false tax return count with which Rivera is charged carries a maximum potential punishment of three years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentencing is scheduled for Feb. 21, 2020.
U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito credited special agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Gregory W. Ehrie in Newark and special agents of the IRS-Criminal Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge John R. Tafur with the investigation leading to today’s guilty plea.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Dara Aquila Govan, Chief of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Public Protection Unit in Newark.
Defense counsel: Andrea Dechenne Bergman Esq., Assistant Federal Public Defender (Trenton)
Former Director of Administration for Local Trade Organization Sentenced for Embezzling FundsRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A former Director of Administration for a local trade organization was sentenced to federal prison for embezzling funds from her employer, announced United States Attorney Mike Stuart. Wendy Long, 49, of Charleston, was sentenced to 18 months in prison for access device fraud. The Court also imposed a three year term of supervised release and ordered Long to pay restitution in the amount of $292,409.37. Long had served as the Director of Administration of the trade organization from approximately 2002 through 2017. In that capacity, she handled financial accounts, prepared payroll and paid bills, reconciled bank statements, prepared monthly income and expense reports, among other duties.
“Long stole money from her employer for years totaling over $300,000,” said United States Attorney Mike Stuart. “Prosecuting cases like this is a priority for my office, especially in terms of obtaining restitution for victim businesses and organizations. It is similar to public corruption and is just as diabolical. A trusted official who steals from those who trust. Terrible and sad.”
Long previously admitted that she had used the trade organization’s credit cards for her personal use and benefit, knowing that she was not authorized to do so. During the calendar year 2016, she purchased goods and services totaling more than $23,657 for her personal benefit. Long also admitted that in carrying out the purchases, which affected interstate commerce, she acted with an intent to defraud her employer. Some of the purchases paid for were family vacations, airline tickets, tickets to sporting events, and the rental of supplies for engagement and wedding parties. Long further admitted that she committed similar crimes in 2014, 2015, and 2016, against her employer, and that from 2012-2017 she embezzled funds directly from her employer’s bank account. The total amount of fraud that Long committed against her employer exceeded $317,939. After being discovered, Long repaid her employer $25,530. She also paid $292,409.37 to the Clerk of Court prior to her sentencing as agreed upon restitution to her employer.
Senior United States District Judge David A. Faber imposed the sentence. The United States Secret Service conducted the investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Phil Wright handled the prosecution.
Follow us on Twitter: SDWVNews and USAttyStuart
###
Former Deutsche Bank Executive to Pay $500,000 in Civil Penalties to Resolve Claims for Fraud in Sale of Residential Mortgage-Backed SecuritiesRead the Press Release
BROOKLYN, NY – The United States has reached agreement with Paul Mangione, a former Deutsche Bank executive, to settle a civil action filed in September 2017 in which the United States sought civil penalties for Mangione’s conduct in connection with Deutsche Bank’s marketing and sale of two residential mortgage-backed securities (RMBS) in 2007. The agreement provides for payment of $500,000 in civil penalties in exchange for dismissal of the complaint.
Richard P. Donoghue, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, announced the settlement.
“This Office’s settlement with a bank executive in connection with RMBS fraud reflects our commitment to holding individuals accountable for their role in corporate fraud,” stated United States Attorney Donoghue. Mr. Donoghue thanked the Federal Housing Finance Agency’s Office of the Inspector General for its assistance in conducting the investigation in this matter.
The complaint in the action, United States v. Paul Mangione, alleged that Mangione, a former Managing Director and head of subprime trading at Deutsche Bank, engaged in a scheme to defraud investors in two Deutsche Bank RMBS, ACE 2007-HE4 and ACE 2007-HE5, by misrepresenting the characteristics of the loans backing the two securities and misleading potential investors about the loan origination practices of Deutsche Bank’s wholly-owned subsidiary, DB Home Lending LLC (f/k/a Chapel Funding, LLC), which originated a number of the loans backing the two RMBS. The complaint stated claims for relief under the Financial Institutions Reform, Recovery, and Enforcement Act of 1989 (FIRREA), based on mail fraud and wire fraud.
The settlement agreement does not constitute an admission by Mangione of any of the facts or of liability or wrongdoing by Mangione, and there has been no trial or adjudication or judicial finding of any issue of fact or law.
The government’s case was handled by Assistant United States Attorney Edward Newman.
To report RMBS fraud, go to: http://www.stopfraud.gov/rmbs.html.
E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 17-CV-5305 (NMG/RL)
Former Controller for Marco Contractors Inc. Pleads Guilty in $8.7M Embezzlement SchemeRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH - A resident of Sewickley, Pennsylvania pleaded guilty in federal court to charges of wire fraud and filing false income tax returns, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced today.
Sue O’Neill, 55, pleaded guilty to two counts before Senior United States District Judge Donetta W. Ambrose.
In connection with the guilty plea, the court was advised that O’Neill, while employed as the Controller for Marco Contractors, Inc., embezzled approximately $8.7 million. The Court was further advised that she and another individual started a company called Bulldog Contractors LLC and used approximately $6.7 million of the stolen money to fund the business. The other $2 million in embezzled funds went into her personal bank account. O’Neill and her business partner used the stolen funds for business expenses and for personal use. Among other things, the Court was advised that they purchased two 1969 Ford Shelby GT500s for approximately $160,000 each and spent approximately $163,000 renovating a 1969 Ford Mustang. Lastly, the Court was advised that O’Neill filed false income tax returns because she did not declare the stolen funds as taxable income.
Judge Ambrose scheduled sentencing for March 26, 2020. The law provides for a total sentence of 20 years in prison for the wire fraud conviction and three years in prison for the false tax return conviction. The law also provides for a fine of $500,000.00. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Pending sentencing, the court permitted O’Neill to remain out of prison on a $25,000 bond.
Assistant United States Attorney Lee J. Karl is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Allegheny County District Attorney’s Office, the Northern Regional Police Department, the Internal Revenue Service and the United States Marshals Service conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of O’Neill.
Former Columbia Police Chief Sentenced to Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
Columbia, South Carolina---- United States Attorney Sherri A. Lydon announced today that Randall G. Scott, age 50, of Richland County, was sentenced in federal court after pleading guilty to possession of a firearm and ammunition by an unlawful user of a controlled substance. Senior United States District Judge Terry L. Wooten of Columbia sentenced Scott to 30 months in federal prison, to be followed by 3 years of court-ordered supervision. There is no parole in the federal system.
Evidence presented to the court established that on December 4, 2017, Richland County deputies arrived at Old Hopkins Road and Garners Ferry Road in Richland County in reference to a subject sleeping behind the wheel of a vehicle while the vehicle was running and in drive on the roadway. The deputies made contact with the driver, who was asleep behind the wheel. After waking the driver, deputies smelled alcohol coming from the vehicle. The deputies then asked the driver for his driver’s license. The driver stated he did not have one. Officers discovered his license was suspended. The driver was then arrested.
Deputies searched the vehicle and discovered a loaded Glock Model 27 pistol in the center armrest of the vehicle. A DNA test indicated that the driver’s DNA was on the pistol. Also inside of the vehicle, deputies discovered a small black bag in an open space under the radio. Inside of the bag, deputies discovered a clear bag with a rock-like substance in it, which was suspected to be crack cocaine. Deputies also discovered several small bindles of suspected heroin.
Deputies discovered that the vehicle was registered to Randall Scott. Scott was contacted and asked why his vehicle was in the driver’s possession. Scott’s response was he did not know, but he would find out.
Thereafter, ATF agents interviewed the driver. The driver stated Scott gave the Glock firearm found in the vehicle to him for his protection. The driver admitted that he sold drugs and that the drugs in the car were his. During subsequent interviews, the driver admitted to using cocaine and methamphetamine with Scott. The driver pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime and is cooperating with the Government. He admitted that he and Scott used drugs together and that he has seen Scott with drugs.
On April 2, 2018, Scott was taken to the hospital for a medical condition. His medical records indicated that he tested positive for cocaine, amphetamine, and opiates. His records indicate he was diagnosed with an illness which was related to cocaine abuse and methamphetamine abuse.
On July 18, 2018, the U.S. Marshals executed an arrest warrant at Scott’s house looking for a fugitive. During the execution of the search warrant, they found a large number of guns in the house. They also found a small amount of methamphetamine. One of the persons in the house, identified in court records as J.O., told the officers that she and Scott had just done methamphetamine before the police arrived and that Scott had more methamphetamine on him before the police entered the house. The police obtained the surveillance video from inside of the house, and it appears that Scott and J.O. had entered a bedroom just before the police entered. J.O. then came out and started to clean the house, saw the police, and alerted everyone. Scott is seen pulling a gun out of his waistband and running through the house with the gun. He entered another room, where it is believed that he disposed of the drugs. Later, when he was being taken to jail, he admitted that he had used both cocaine and methamphetamine in the past. The police found multiple guns during the search of his house. One of the guns belonged to the City of Columbia. It was issued to Scott while he was Chief of Police, and he did not return it.
On February 25, 2019, J.O. was interviewed again by ATF. She told the agents she met Scott in 2017. They did ice and heroin together. She stated that they did ice together about 1-2 times a week for a year. She also stated she had seen Scott using heroin, ice and cocaine in the past.
The case was investigated by agents of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Richland County Sheriff's Department, and City of Columbia Police Department. It was prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
Assistant United States Attorneys William K. Witherspoon and T. DeWayne Pearson of the Columbia office prosecuted the case.
#####
Former CEO of Central Valley Health Clinics to Sell 13 Properties to Resolve False Claims Act AllegationsRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — The founder and former CEO of a chain of Central Valley rural health clinics will sell 13 properties, remitting proceeds to the United States and the state of California, to resolve allegations that she submitted millions of dollars in false claims to Medi‑Cal, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced today.
The Civil and Criminal Divisions of the U.S. Attorney’s Office conducted parallel investigations of Sandra Haar, the founder and chief executive officer of Horisons Unlimited. As a result of the criminal investigation, on Aug. 13, 2018, Haar pleaded guilty to defrauding Medi-Cal and on Nov. 4, 2019, was sentenced to five years in prison.
Horisons Unlimited was a nonprofit that provided health and dental services at eight clinics in Merced and surrounding communities. Between Jan. 1, 2014, and March 2017, Haar billed Medi‑Cal through Horisons for various false and fraudulent claims, including claims for services rendered by unlicensed providers, claims for services that were not rendered at all, claims for office visits that consisted of nothing more than patients picking up controlled substances in plastic baggies in retail parking lots, and claims for unnecessary services. In addition, Haar received illegal kickbacks from an account executive at a Southern California lab. In exchange, Haar directed that lab testing for Horisons’ Medi-Cal patients be conducted at the lab.
The properties to be sold include some former clinics of the now-shuttered Horisons Unlimited as well as several residential properties. Pursuant to the settlement, the Office of Inspector General will be excluding Sandra Haar and a for-profit company Haar controlled from participation in Medicare, Medicaid, and all other Federal healthcare programs for a period of 20 years, and Horisons Unlimited’s chief financial officer, Norman Haar, will be excluded for a period of 15 years.
“The purpose of public insurance programs like Medi-Cal is to provide essential services to those who need them, not to enrich bad actors who submit false and fraudulent claims,” said U.S. Attorney Scott. “We will continue to safeguard the integrity of these programs and the public fisc by recovering public dollars obtained through fraud.”
“Medi-Cal serves vulnerable people who need vital health services. Therefore, when providers steal from this taxpayer-funded program it is a matter of utmost concern,” said Steven J. Ryan, Special Agent in Charge of the Office of Inspector General for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. “We will continue working closely with our law enforcement partners to guard the integrity of government health care programs.”
The settlement is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Office of Inspector General for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the Bureau of Medi-Cal Fraud and Elder Abuse, and the California Department of Health Care Services. Assistant U.S. Attorney Vincente A. Tennerelli handled the case for the United States.
Former Bank Employee Pleads Guilty to Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. – Raminder Singh Rekhi pleaded guilty to theft, embezzlement, or misapplication of bank funds in connection with a scheme to illegally make loans, announced Adam A. Reeves, Attorney for the United States (acting under authority conferred by 28 U.S.C. § 515), and Federal Bureau of Investigation Special Agent in Charge John F. Bennett. The plea was accepted on November 13, 2019, by Charles R. Breyer, Senior U.S. District Judge.
Rekhi, 41, of San Francisco, was a long-time employee of Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. (“Wells Fargo”). Pursuant to his plea agreement, Rekhi admitted that in 2017, he used his position at Wells Fargo to convince a Wells Fargo customer to purchase what he told her was a Wells Fargo certificate of deposit (“CD”). Rekhi acknowledged that there was no CD, and that instead, Rekhi diverted the customer’s money into other accounts under his control. Once the money was under his control, Rekhi entered into a series of transactions in which he used the funds as capital to make loans to three separate individuals. In so doing, Rekhi misappropriated the deposits entrusted to the care of Wells Fargo and, because the subsequent loans were not insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, placed the deposits at risk.
On April 18, 2019, a federal grand jury indicted Rekhi, charging him with one count of theft, embezzlement, or misapplication of bank funds, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 656. He pleaded guilty to the charge.
Judge Breyer ordered Rekhi released pending sentencing; the sentencing hearing is scheduled for March 18, 2020. Rekhi faces a maximum statutory sentence of 30 years in prison, 5 years supervised release, and a fine of $1,000,000, plus restitution and special assessments. However, any sentence following conviction will be imposed by the court only after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal statute governing the imposition of a sentence, 18 U.S.C. § 3553.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicholas Walsh is prosecuting the case with the assistance of Rosario Calderon and Margoth Turcios. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Wells Fargo’s internal investigation team.
Five Previously Deported Aliens Charged with Illegal ReentryRead the Press Release
HARRISBURG – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that five previously deported aliens were indicted separately on November 13, 2019, by a federal grand jury for illegal reentry into the United States. These matters arose in counties throughout the District including Adams, Cumberland, and Luzerne Counties.
According to United States Attorney David J. Freed, Elmer Martinez-Hernandez, age 24, of Honduras, was previously deported from the United States to Honduras in September 2017. He is alleged to have illegally reentered the United States sometime after September 2017, and was found in the United States in Luzerne County, Pennsylvania after eluding examination or inspection by immigration officers.
Jose Humberto Martinez-Gomez, age 22, of Mexico, was previously deported from the United States to Mexico in June 2015. He is alleged to have illegally reentered the United States sometime after June 2015, and was found in the United States in Cumberland County, Pennsylvania after eluding examination or inspection by immigration officers.
Josefina Bautista-Rojas, age 20, of Mexico, was previously deported from the United States to Mexico in December 2017. She is alleged to have illegally reentered the United States sometime after December 2017, and was found in the United States in Adams County, Pennsylvania after eluding examination or inspection by immigration officers.
Martinez-Hernandez, Martinez-Gomez and Bautista-Rojas face a maximum penalty of two years of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine.
Shinju Park, age 39, an alien who was under a final order of removal from the United States, did willfully fail or refuse to make timely application in good faith for travel or other documents necessary to the alien’s departure from the United States between August and October 2019.
Park faces a maximum penalty of four years of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine.
Gerardo Medina a/k/a Carlos Sebastian, age 31, of Mexico, was previously deported from the United States to Mexico in February 2017. He is alleged to have illegally reentered the United States sometime after February 2017, and was found in the United States in Adams County, Pennsylvania after eluding examination or inspection by immigration officers.
Medina faces a maximum penalty of ten years of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine.
These cases were investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO). Assistant United States Attorney Joanne Sanderson is prosecuting the cases.
Indictments and Criminal Informations are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.
A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the Judge is also required to consider and weigh a number of factors, including the nature, circumstances and seriousness of the offense; the history and characteristics of the defendant; and the need to punish the defendant, protect the public and provide for the defendant's educational, vocational and medical needs. For these reasons, the statutory maximum penalty for the offense is not an accurate indicator of the potential sentence for a specific defendant.
# # #
Final Member of Violent Robbery Organization Sentenced to More Than 25 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Elizabeth A. Kovachevich today sentenced Antonio Marquis Roddy, a/k/a “Lil Head” (32, Apopka) to 25 years and 4 months in federal prison for conspiracy to commit robbery, robbery, and using or carrying a firearm in furtherance of a violent crime.
Roddy had pleaded guilty on September 12, 2018.
According to court documents, from at least May 2015 and continuing through July 20, 2017, co-defendant Marion Dwight, Jr. conspired with Roddy and others to commit multiple armed robberies and burglaries of several local drug dealers. To date, the FBI has identified at least 14 armed robberies and 4 armed burglaries that were committed by Dwight and his coconspirators. The conspirators discharged and otherwise brandished firearms during each of the robberies and burglaries.
In January 2016, Roddy and his coconspirators, Michael James Baker, a/k/a “Bake,” and Fredrick James Burney, Jr. a/k/a “Frido,” forced their way inside a residence in Kissimmee in search of narcotics and cash. While inside, they held three women and three children at gunpoint and stated that, if the victims complied, no one would die. Roddy and his coconspirators stole approximately $95,000 in cash from the home and divided the proceeds amongst themselves.
A few months later, in April 2016, Roddy and Burney attempted to rob a residence in Lakeland in search of narcotics and cash. The victim, however, returned to the home during the course of the attempted robbery and a shoot-out resulted. Roddy and Burney fled, but not before Burney stole a firearm from the residence. Roddy was shot in the knee and was treated at a nearby hospital.
Roddy was the last member of the Polk County-based criminal organization to be sentenced. Roddy’s coconspirators have been sentenced as noted below:
Name
Age, Residence
Federal Prison Sentence Imposed
Bradney Henry McGary
32, Lakeland
19 years and 2 months
Sherrod Raeshad Gordon,
a/k/a “Hott”
32, Tampa
29 years and 8 months
Marion Dwight, Jr.
a/k/a “Woe,”
a/k/a “Woe Money”
31, Lakeland
23 years
Michael James Baker,
a/k/a “Bake,”
a/k/a “Maserati”
35, Clearwater
19 years and 6 months
Fredrick James Burney, Jr.,
a/k/a “Frido”
a/k/a “Free”
28, Clearwater
30 years
Jevin Michael Stone
30, Lakeland
23 years and 5 months
Shamar Lajuan Thomas
a/k/a “Baby”
27, Clearwater
35 years
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Lisa M. Thelwell.
Federal prisoner pleads guilty to conspiring to obtain methamphetamine in prisonRead the Press Release
ATLANTA - William Prater, who conspired with his fiancé, Genia Letson to obtain methamphetamine at the U.S. Penitentiary-Atlanta (“USP”), pleaded guilty to a charge of conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute more than five grams of methamphetamine. Prater coordinated with his fiancé using a contraband cellphone and arranged for her to bring him methamphetamine at USP-Atlanta.
“Prater’s audacious attempt to obtain drugs in a federal prison demonstrates his continued lack of respect for the law,” said U.S. Attorney Byung J. “BJay” Pak. “Additionally, his use of a contraband cell phone as part of his crime once again highlights the danger these devices present in a prison environment.”
“Instead of using his time in prison to rehabilitate, Prater chose to continue similar criminal acts that led to his incarceration,” said Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta, Chris Hacker. “His bold defiance of the law put prisoners and prison staff in danger and he will now be held accountable for his actions.”
According to U.S. Attorney Pak, the charges and other information presented in court: Prater was incarcerated at USP-Atlanta for violating the terms of his supervised release following his 2010 conviction for manufacturing methamphetamine. While an inmate at USP-Atlanta, Prater used a contraband cellular telephone to obtain methamphetamine. He recruited his fiancée, Genia Letson, to serve as a courier, and she agreed to travel to Atlanta to obtain the drugs. On November 4, 2018, Letson met with Prater in the visitation room in USP-Atlanta and passed him the methamphetamine she had smuggled inside the prison. Guards witnessed Letson hand Prater the methamphetamine, intervened, and seized the drugs.
Sentencing for William Prater, 35, of Cleveland, Tennessee, has not yet been scheduled. In determining the actual sentence, the Court will consider the United States Sentencing Guidelines, which are not binding but provide appropriate sentencing ranges for most offenders. Genia Letson, 47, also of Cleveland, Tennessee, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute more than five grams of methamphetamine on July 29, 2019.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation is investigating this case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Calvin A. Leipold, III is prosecuting the case.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Atlanta recommends parents and children learn about the dangers of drugs at the following web site: www.justthinktwice.gov.
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.
Federal Officials Close Investigation into the Death of Bijan GhaisarRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – The Justice Department will not pursue federal criminal civil rights charges against the United States Park Police (USPP) officers involved in the fatal shooting of 25-year-old Bijan Ghaisar, the Department announced today.
Officials from the Civil Rights Division, the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”) informed representatives of Mr. Ghaisar’s family today of this determination. Based on the information available at this time, the Department cannot prove, beyond a reasonable doubt, that the two USPP officers committed willful violations of the applicable federal criminal civil rights statute when they shot Mr. Ghaisar.
The Department conducted an extensive investigation into the shooting of Mr. Ghaisar. The FBI interviewed more than 150 individuals, including law enforcement officers from USPP, Fairfax County Police Department (FCPD), and the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center, as well as civilian and medical witnesses. Additionally, federal investigators sent evidence recovered by USPP investigators to the FBI Laboratory at Quantico, Virginia, for testing and analysis.
The evidence developed during this investigation indicated that at approximately 7:30 p.m. on Friday, November 17, 2017, Officers Amaya and Vinyard engaged in a vehicular pursuit involving Mr. Ghaisar on the George Washington Memorial Parkway (GWMP). A FCPD Lieutenant joined the pursuit on the GWMP, and the dash camera in his squad car captured a portion of the pursuit on video. The pursuit ended at the intersection of Fort Hunt Road and Alexandria Avenue in Fairfax County, Virginia, where the two USPP officers shot Mr. Ghaisar multiple times while Mr. Ghaisar was in the driver’s seat of his vehicle. Emergency medical personnel transported Mr. Ghaisar to INOVA Hospital, where he died 10 days later.
The focus of the Department’s investigation was to determine whether federal prosecutors could prove that the officers violated any federal laws, concentrating on the possible application of 18 U.S.C. § 242, a federal criminal civil rights statute. In order to establish a violation of this statute, the government must prove, beyond a reasonable doubt, that the USPP officers acted willfully to deprive Mr. Ghaisar of a right protected by the Constitution or other law, here the Fourth Amendment right not to be subjected to an unreasonable seizure. The Department would have to prove not only that the officers used force that was constitutionally unreasonable, but that they did so “willfully,” which the Supreme Court has interpreted to mean they acted with a bad purpose to disregard the law. As this requirement has been interpreted by the courts, evidence that an officer acted out of fear, mistake, panic, misperception, negligence, or even poor judgment cannot establish the high level of intent required under Section 242.
At this time, there is insufficient evidence to establish beyond a reasonable doubt that the officers willfully committed a violation of 18 U.S.C. § 242. Specifically, the Department is unable to disprove a claim of self-defense or defense of others by the officers. Accordingly, the Department has closed its investigation into this matter.
Federal Court Hands Down Life Sentence in Armed Bank Robbery CaseRead the Press Release
RALEIGH – Robert J. Higdon, Jr., the United States Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, announces that Chief United States District Judge Terrence W. Boyle, sentenced DAQUAN MADRID PRIDGEN, 27, of Whiteville, North Carolina, to life imprisonment plus an additional ten years imprisonment, JERAMIE ROSS VAUGHN, a/k/a “Vido,” 30, of Parkton, North Carolina, to 180 months’ imprisonment, followed by 5 years of supervised release, and RASHAD DEVONTE YOUNG, a/k/a “Rep,” 28, of Whiteville, North Carolina, to 180 months’ imprisonment, followed by 5 years of supervised release. All three defendants were ordered to pay $40,302 in restitution.
On May 30, 2019, following a jury trial, PRIDGEN was convicted of Armed Bank Robbery and Aiding and Abetting and Discharging a Firearm During a Crime of Violence. On April 18, 2018, VAUGHN and YOUNG pled guilty to those offenses. A fourth man, DEMETRIS SEAN ROBINSON, a/k/a “Bo Bo,” was also convicted of the same offenses following a jury trial on May 1, 2019. He is awaiting sentencing now scheduled for November 27, 2019.
Mr. Higdon commented: “In sentencing these defendants today, the Court recognized that these defendants ‘went to terror of the community,’ staged a ‘surprise attack on the police’, ‘used occupied school busses as a shield to attack law enforcement and then claimed sanctuary from return fire.’ In other words, these offenders jeopardized the safety and security of law enforcement and of members of the community in an incredibly dangerous and premeditated attack. And we are gratified by the Court’s sentences as these terms of imprisonment remove dangerous offenders from the community permanently. We are proud to stand with law enforcement who heroically faced these criminals down.”
The evidence presented at the trials showed that sometime in late 2017, the four men began planning to rob a bank and gathered high-quality masks to wear during the robbery, and several firearms, including a rifle, shotgun, and two handguns. They also purchased a vehicle as a getaway car. On January 23, 2018, the four men travelled to Lumberton and cased banks before deciding to rob the PNC Bank. ROBINSON, PRIDGEN, and YOUNG each brandished firearms and ordered the tellers to hand over money. A bank employee was also ordered to the bank vault where additional money was taken. In all, the four men fled the bank with over $40,000 in cash.
Officers of the Lumberton Police Department (LPD) quickly caught up with the robbers and a two-county, high speed, chase ensued. Other law enforcement officers from the Robeson County Sheriff’s Office (RCSO) and the Columbus County Sheriff’s Office (CCSO) also joined the chase. The defendants drove through residential areas and drove at speeds in excess of 90 miles per hour. At various points in the chase, ROBINSON fired at officers both while the getaway vehicle was in motion and while the vehicle was stopped several times. Several law enforcement vehicles were struck but there were no injuries to law enforcement officers. The chase ended when ROBINSON, PRIDGEN, and VAUGHN abandoned the vehicle on the side of the road in Columbus County and fled on foot into the woods. YOUNG ran on foot when the vehicle stopped at an earlier time. All four were eventually apprehended and charged.
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. Since 2017, the United States Department of Justice has reinvigorated the PSN program and has targeted violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally based strategies to reduce violent crime.
This case is also part of the Take Back North Carolina Initiative of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of North Carolina. This initiative emphasizes the regional assignment of federal prosecutors to work with law enforcement and District Attorney’s Offices on a sustained basis in those communities to reduce the violence crime rate, drug trafficking, and crimes against law enforcement.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation, the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation, the Lumberton Police Department, the Robeson County Sheriff’s Office, and the Columbus County Sheriff’s Office investigated this case. Assistant United States Attorneys Erin C. Blondel and Robert J. Dodson prosecuted the case for the government.