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18 December 2019
South Texas woman sent to prison for trafficking minor femaleRead the Press Release
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – A 57-year-old Brownsville woman has been ordered to federal prison following her conviction of sex trafficking of a 10-year-old girl, announced U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Patrick.
Maria Candelaria Losoya pleaded guilty Aug. 1, 2017, in Corpus Christi federal court.
Today, U.S. District Judge Nelva Gonzales Ramos ordered Losoya to serve the mandatory minimum of 15 years in federal prison. At the hearing, the court heard a statement from the minor victim and her guardian detailing the impact the crime had on the victim’s life. In handing down the sentence, Judge Ramos noted that Losoya provided valuable testimony at the trial of co-defendant David Keith Wills. Losoya will also be ordered to pay restitution to the victim and will serve five years of supervised release following completion of her prison term, during which time she will have to comply with numerous requirements designed to restrict her access to children and the internet. She will also be ordered to register as a sex offender.
At the time of her plea, Losoya admitted she was responsible for the continued sexual assault of a then 10-year-old victim which began in Brownsville in 2012. Later, she traveled with the victim so that the assault could continue. She further admitted she did so in exchange for money.
Wills, a 67-year-old businessman previously from Rockport and South Padre Island, went to trial in October. The federal jury convicted the aquaculture company owner following the 10-day-trial.
The jury heard that from 2012 to 2015, Losoya conspired with Wills to traffic the minor female for sex until the victim reported it in April 2015. Losoya and Wills used their cell phones to arrange meetings at several different locations where Wills would sexually assault the girl. These included Wills and Losoya’s respective residences as well as hotels and motels in the greater Corpus Christi area.
The jury heard testimony from Losoya and others that Wills promised to provide financial support if he was allowed to sexually assault the young girl. Wills also reimbursed Losoya for gifts to the victim and expenditures she would otherwise not have been able to afford. These included an iPad, Bose headphones, a flatscreen TV, Apple laptop, trampoline, swimming pool and a school trip to Washington D.C.
Losoya was allowed to remain on bond and voluntarily surrender to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
The court has not yet set a sentencing date for Wills. At that time, he faces up life in prison.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations, Brownsville Police Department and the Texas Rangers conducted the investigation.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Zahra Jivani Fenelon, Richard Bennett and Stephanie Bauman prosecuted the case, which was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood(PSC), a nationwide initiative the Department of Justice (DOJ) launched in May 2006 to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section leads PSC, which marshals federal, state and local resources to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children and identifies and rescues victims. For more information about PSC, please visit DOJ’s PSC page. For more information about internet safety education, please visit the resources tab on that page.
South Carolina Resident Pleads Guilty to Conspiracy and Health Care FraudRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, Pa. – A resident of Fort Mill, South Carolina, pleaded guilty in federal court to one count each of conspiracy to defraud the Pennsylvania Medicaid program and health care fraud, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced today.
Tia Collins, 44, pleaded guilty before United States District Judge Cathy Bissoon.
During her plea hearing, Tia Collins admitted that between 2011 and 2017 she was affiliated with Moriarty Consultants, Inc. (MCI), Activity Daily Living Services, Inc. (ADL), and Everyday People Staffing, Inc. (EPS)—three related entities operating in the home health care industry. MCI, ADL, and a fourth company, Coordination Care, Inc. (CCI), were approved under the Pennsylvania Medicaid program to offer certain services to qualifying Medicaid recipients ("consumers"), including personal assistance services (PAS), service coordination, and non-medical transportation, among other services. Between in and around January 2011 and in and around April 2017, MCI, ADL, and CCI, collectively, received more than $87,000,000 in Medicaid payments based on claims submitted for these services, with PAS payments accounting for more than $80,000,000 of the total amount.
During that time, Collins admitted that she participated in a wide-ranging conspiracy to defraud the Pennsylvania Medicaid program for the purpose of obtaining millions of dollars in illegal Medicaid payments through the submission of fraudulent claims for services that were never provided to the consumers identified on the claims, or for which there was insufficient or fabricated documentation to support the claims. As part of the conspiracy, Collins admitted that she fabricated timesheets to reflect the provision of in-home PAS care that, in fact, she never provided to consumers. Collins also admitted that she caused the submission of Medicaid claims in the name of a "ghost" employee for PAS care that was never provided to the consumers specified on the claims. Collins also paid or caused other individuals to pay certain consumers cash kickbacks in exchange for the consumers’ participation in the fraudulent arrangement. Likewise, Collins admitted that she paid additional kickbacks to consumers out of the proceeds of fraudulent transportation reimbursements Collins caused Medicaid to disburse on behalf of the consumers. In total, Collins admitted causing losses to the Pennsylvania Medicaid program in excess of $150,000.
Judge Bissoon scheduled Collins's sentencing for 2:15 p.m. on April 9, 2020.
The conspiracy and health care fraud charges each carry a maximum total sentence of not more than 10 years in prison, a fine of $250,000, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
To date, a total of sixteen defendants have been charged in connection with this investigation. Collins is the eighth defendant to enter a guilty plea. The remaining defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Assistant United States Attorneys Eric G. Olshan and Special Assistant United States Attorney Edward Song are prosecuting this case on behalf of the government. The Federal Bureau of Investigation, Pennsylvania Office of the Attorney General – Medicaid Fraud Control Unit, Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services – Office of Inspector General, and United States Postal Inspection Service conducted the investigation of the defendants.
Seven Indianapolis Defendants Indicted in Federal Court on Gun and Drug ChargesRead the Press Release
INDIANAPOLIS – United States Attorney Josh J. Minkler announced today that Walter Mays, 29, Lapre Apple, 22, Mickey Shipp, 35, David Bateman, 38,Christopher Allen, 27, Rodney Freeman, 36, all of Indianapolis, and Devonte Davis, 25, of Carlisle, Ind. were indicted by a grand jury on charges of illegal possession of firearms and/or drug-trafficking related charges.
“The U.S. Attorney’s Office will utilize all tools, available through the Project Guardian initiative, in its fight to reduce violent crime, and enforce federal gun laws,” said Minkler. “If you choose to illegally possess firearms to commit violent crimes, you will be prosecuted federally, and you will be prosecuted to the full extent of the law.”
Walter Mays was indicted on charges of possession with intent to distribute cocaine, heroin, oxycodone, and marijuana. Mays was previously arrested by way of complaint following a November 25, 2019 traffic stop initiated for speeding. Upon approach of the vehicle, officers smelled marijuana emanating from the vehicle. Investigators asked Mays to step out of the vehicle and detained him. During a pat down of Mays, officers found narcotics and $3,058 on Mays’s person. Mays has previous felony convictions for resisting arrest, possession of a narcotic drug, dealing salvia, two for dealing marijuana, and three for dealing hash oil.
Lapre Apple was indicted on charges of possession with intent to distribute cocaine, possession of a firearm within 1000 feet of a school zone, and carrying a firearm during and in relation to a drug-trafficking crime. Apple was previously arrested by way of complaint following a December 3, 2019 traffic stop initiated for changing lanes without using a turn signal and speeding in a school zone. Upon approach of the vehicle, officers smelled marijuana emanating from the car. A passenger and Apple were removed from the vehicle. Officers removed a firearm from Apple’s waistband. Officers recovered a small quantity of marijuana, cocaine and $6,955. Apple has a prior arrest for possession of 200-600 ecstasy pills and possession of a high capacity magazine and Category II weapons out of Illinois.
According to Assistant United States Attorney Abhishek Kambli, who is prosecuting Mays and Apple for the government, defendants each face up to 20 years in prison, if convicted.
Mickey Shipp was indicted on two counts for unlawful possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Shipp was previously convicted in Marion County, Ind. for felony charges of theft.
Devonte Davis was indicted on charges of unlawful possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Davis was previously convicted in Marion County, Ind. for felony charges of criminal recklessness and resisting law enforcement, aggravated battery and battery resulting in serious bodily injury. Davis was also previously charged by way of complaint following an October 1, 2019 traffic stop. Federal agents traveling in the same area as Davis had witnessed suspicious activity and requested assistance from IMPD. The license plate number of the vehicle Davis was traveling in was provided to IMPD and it was determined that the registered owner of the vehicle did not have a valid driver’s license. The passengers were uncooperative with the officer during the traffic stop and provided false names. The officer asked the occupants to exit the vehicle. When Davis exited the vehicle, he pulled a handgun from his waistband and tossed it on the floorboard. Davis told officers that he knew he wasn’t supposed to possess firearms due to his previous felony conviction. Davis was previously convicted in Marion County, Ind. for criminal recklessness, resisting law enforcement, possession of cocaine, aggravated battery, and battery resulting in serious bodily injury.
According to Assistant United States Attorney Lawrence D. Hilton, who is prosecuting Shipp and Davis for the government, defendants each face up to 10 years in prison, if convicted.
David Bateman was indicted on charges of unlawful possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Bateman was previously convicted in Marion County, Ind. for felony charges of strangulation and battery with moderate bodily injury.
Christopher Allen was indicted on charges of unlawful possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Allen was previously convicted in Marion County, Ind. for felony charges of unlawful possession of a firearm by a serious violent felon and maintaining a common nuisance-controlled substances.
According to Assistant United States Attorney Jeremy A. Morris, who is prosecuting Bateman and Allen, defendants each face up to 10 years in prison, if convicted.
Rodney Freeman was indicted on two counts of being a felon in possession of a firearm. Freeman was previously convicted in Marion County, Ind. in three separate causes for felony charges of possession of a narcotic drug. Freeman also has three previous operating a vehicle while intoxicated felonies.
According to Assistant United States Attorney William L. McCoskey, who is prosecuting Freeman for the government, defendant faces up to 10 years in prison, if convicted.
These cases are part of Project Guardian, the Department of Justice’s signature initiative to reduce gun violence and enforce federal firearms laws. Initiated by the Attorney General in the fall of 2019, Project Guardian draws upon the Department’s past successful programs to reduce gun violence; enhances coordination of federal, state, local, and tribal authorities in investigating and prosecuting gun crimes; improves information-sharing by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives when a prohibited individual attempts to purchase a firearm and is denied by the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS), to include taking appropriate actions when a prospective purchaser is denied by the NICS for mental health reasons; and ensures that federal resources are directed at the criminals posing the greatest threat to our communities. The United States Attorney’s Office has prosecuted these cases with support from the following Project Guardian partners: CGIC, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department.
For more information about Project Guardian, please see https://www.justice.gov/ag/project-guardian-memo-2019/download.
These arrests were made possible by the joint efforts of the Crime Gun Intelligence Center (CGIC), Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department (IMPD).
“The Indianapolis Crime Gun Intelligence Center proves that by combining our resources and information we can make a greater impact in our community,” said Jonathan McPherson, Special Agent in Charge of ATF’s Columbus Field Division. “ATF will continue to work with IMPD to make Indianapolis safer for all of us.”
“The Indianapolis Crime Gun Intelligence Center was established to focus the efforts of partner law enforcement agencies on the small number of individuals perpetrating violence in our neighborhoods,” said IMPD Chief Bryan Roach. “Leveraging technology, we are better able to connect incidents of violence with perpetrators, the firearms they use, and the sources of their crime guns. And we will continue to focus on identifying these violent individuals, removing them from our community, and working with our federal law enforcement partners to hold them accountable.”
An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. A defendant is presumed innocent and is entitled to a fair trial at which the government must prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
In October 2017, United States Attorney Josh J. Minkler announced a Strategic Plan designed to shape and strengthen the District’s response to its most significant public safety challenges. This prosecution demonstrates the office’s firm commitment to targeting the District’s most violent geographic areas for the adoption of reactive federal drug and firearm prosecutions. This office will also continue to prosecute organizations and individuals distributing methamphetamine, cocaine, marijuana, and other controlled substances. See United States Attorney’s Office, Southern District of Indiana Strategic Plan Sections 2.2 and 3.3.
Seattle Barrel and Cooperage Company and owner indicted for ten-year water pollution schemeRead the Press Release
Seattle – A federal grand jury in Seattle has returned a 36-count indictment charging Seattle Barrel and Cooperage Company, its owner, LOUIE SANFT, and its plant manager, JOHN SANFT, with a ten-year scheme to illegally dump caustic waste into the King County sewer system, which ultimately empties into Puget Sound. The company allegedly used a hidden drain and lied to regulators to carry out their illegal dumping. The defendants are scheduled to appear in U.S. District Court in Seattle on the indictment on January 9, 2020.
“At a time when we are searching for strategies to protect Puget Sound and improve water quality for fish and wildlife, we need companies to do their share – not scheme for ways to pollute in private,” said U. S. Attorney Brian T. Moran. “I commend the investigators of the Environmental Protection Agency who investigated this assault on our natural resources.”
SEATTLE BARREL’s business involves collecting used industrial and commercial drums and reconditioning and reselling them. Part of the reconditioning process involves washing the barrels in a highly-corrosive chemical solution. The caustic solution has a very high pH level. According to the indictment, since at least 2009, SEATTLE BARREL has operated under a discharge permit that prohibits it from dumping effluent with a pH exceeding 12 to the sewer system. Effluent above pH 12 will corrode the sewer system and treatment plant, and potentially cause pass-through pollution to the Duwamish Waterway and Puget Sound.
In 2013, King County conducted covert monitoring of SEATTLE BARREL, and discovered the company was illegally dumping effluent with a pH above 12 in violation of its permit. King County fined the company $55,250, but later agreed to reduce the fine when SEATTLE BARREL installed a pretreatment system for its wastewater. Beginning in 2016, LOUIE SANFT represented to King County in written monthly certifications that the company had become a “zero discharge” facility and was not discharging any industrial wastewater to the sewer.
In fact, in 2018 and 2019 additional covert monitoring by the EPA inspectors revealed that SEATTLE BARREL was continuing to routinely dump wastewater with a pH above 12 into the sewer system. EPA agents obtained a warrant to search Seattle Barrel. Agents then installed real-time monitoring equipment that allowed them to determine when the dumping was taking place.
Early on the morning of March 8, 2019, the covert monitors indicated SEATTLE BARREL was dumping high-pH material into the sewer. Agents then executed the warrant and entered the building. Inside, they discovered a portable pump on the floor near the tank of caustic solution. They then discovered that the pump was being used to pump solution to a nearby hidden drain that had never been disclosed to King County. The drain led directly to the sewer system.
“Our nation’s environmental laws are designed to protect our communities and natural resources from hazardous pollutants, said Special Agent in Charge Jeanne Proctor of EPA’s criminal investigation program in Washington. “This indictment demonstrates that companies that intentionally violate those laws will be held responsible for their crimes.”Defendants LOUIE SANFT, 53, of Seattle is the owner and operator of SEATTLE BARREL. JOHN SANFT, 51, of Issaquah, WA, is the plant manager. The two defendants are cousins. The defendants are charged with criminal conspiracy and 29 counts of violating the Clean Water Act for discharges in 2018 and 2019. The men and the company are also charged with four counts of submitting false Clean Water Act Certifications. Each defendant is also charged making false statements to special agents of the EPA.
The charges contained in the indictment are only allegations. A person is presumed innocent unless and until he or she is proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Conspiracy is punishable by up to five years in prison. Violation of the Clean Water Act is punishable by up to three years in prison per count. Making a false statement is punishable by up to five years in prison.
The case is being investigated by the Environmental Protection Agency Criminal Investigation Division (EPA-CID). The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Seth Wilkinson and Special Assistant United States Attorney Karla Perrin, an attorney with the Environmental Protection Agency.
seattle_barrel_indictment.pdfSampson County Man Sentenced for Assaulting a Postal WorkerRead the Press Release
NEW BERN – United States Attorney Robert J. Higdon, Jr. announced that today in federal court, United States District Judge Louise W. Flanagan sentenced DAVID CHRISTOPHER STUART, 33, of Clinton to 130 months imprisonment, followed by 5 years of supervised release.
STUART was named in an Indictment filed on November 7, 2018, charging him with assault on a person in custody of mail matter, money or other property of the United States while using a dangerous weapon. On June 4, 2019, STUART pled guilty to that charge.
According to the investigation, on June 6, 2018, a United States Postal Service employee, was working alone in the Turkey, North Carolina, Post Office when a male wearing a mask, STUART, jumped over the counter, and demanded money. The postal worker opened the drawer and handed STUART the money from the tray. STUART then followed the victim to the safe in the back of the Post Office, where he ordered her to open the additional drawers. When no other funds were located, STUART took the postal worker’s cellular phone and told her to stand in the corner as he fled out from the Post Office.
The postal worker went to the Post Office lobby after STUART fled the Post Office, observed STUART fleeing the scene and then called 911 from the office phone. STUART was subsequently arrested on June 7, 2018. The United States Postal Inspection Service along with the Sampson County Sheriff’s Office subsequently interviewed STUART and after waiving his Miranda rights, he admitted that he had robbed the Post Office in Turkey.
The United States Postal Inspection Service along with the Sampson County Sheriff’s Office conducted the investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Daniel William Smith represented the government.
Salt Lake Man Convicted of Importing, Selling Devices to Convert Semi-Automatic Handguns to Machine GunsRead the Press Release
SALT LAKE CITY – A federal jury convicted Gary Mark Hill, age 42, of Salt Lake City of unlawfully engaging in the business of importing and dealing machine guns and illegal possession and transfer of machine guns Wednesday afternoon following a four-day trial in U.S. District Court in Salt Lake City.
The jury deliberated less than two hours before returning the verdict.
A two-count indictment returned in May charged Hill with knowingly engaging in the business of importing and dealing in firearms – specifically machine gun conversion devices for Glock handguns without having paid a special occupational tax required and without having registered, both required under federal law.
The indictment alleged that from about February 2017 through March 2017, Hill knowingly possessed and transferred the machine gun conversion devices to others. The machine gun conversion devices, known as Glock auto switches, are machine guns under federal law because they are parts designed solely and exclusively for the purpose of converting a semi-automatic handgun into a machine gun.
“The defendant purchased machine guns at bargain prices from China, and knowingly sold them on Utah’s street corners at a steep markup,” U.S. Attorney John W. Huber said today. “In this day and age, there are few transactions more dangerous than an anonymous and unregulated exchange of cash for machine guns. This intentional conduct showed a reckless disregard for our safety at its best, and certainly exposed Utah to risks that the community should not have to bear. The jury had little difficulty in holding the defendant accountable.”
Evidence at trial showed that Hill, a former investment banker, sold multiple illegal machine gun conversion devices for Glock handguns to three undercover ATF agents on February 27, 2017, March 1, 2017, and March 8, 2017. During the execution of a search warrant, agents found five additional machine gun conversion devices in his residence and six conversion devices in his car.
U.S. District Court Judge Dale A. Kimball set sentencing in the case for March 5, 2020. Hill faces up to 10 years in federal prison for each of the two counts of conviction. Hill will remain out of custody and subject to supervision on conditions of release pending sentencing.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys in Salt Lake City prosecuted the case. The ATF investigated the case.
Rocky Mount Tax Preparer Sentenced to Three YearsRead the Press Release
NEW BERN – United States Attorney Robert J. Higdon, Jr. announced that United States District Judge Louise W. Flanagan sentenced Moses whitaker, age 44, of Rocky Mount, North Carolina to 36 months imprisonment, followed by one year of supervised release and ordered him to pay $167,285 in restitution to the Internal Revenue Service.
WHITAKER was named in a Criminal Information filed on April 2, 2019 charging him with willfully aiding and assisting in the preparation and filing of a false US individual income tax return. On May 3, 2019, WHITAKER pled guilty to that charge.
According to the investigation, WHITAKER owned and operated a tax preparation business in Rocky Mount for the tax years 2010 through 2014 under the names M&S Tax Service and MIX Tax Service. Unable to obtain the necessary preparer tax identification and electronic filing identification numbers from the IRS due to his criminal record, WHITAKER obtained these numbers using the names and personal information of other individuals. During these years, WHITAKER electronically filed approximately 2,023 returns with the IRS.
Even after the IRS executed a search warrant at the business on April 15, 2015, WHITAKER applied for and obtained these required numbers in the name of a relative and continued to prepare and file false income tax returns for his clients. For the 2015 to 2018 tax years, WHITAKER electronically filed another 1,361 returns with the IRS.
The returns contained various false information to include false dependents, inflated tax withholdings, education credits, and unreimbursed business expenses. The Government estimated, based only on the inflated tax withholdings, WHITAKER’s conduct had resulted in approximately a $2.8 million loss to the IRS. WHITAKER also filed false returns in his own name.
IRS Criminal Investigation conducted the investigation in this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Susan B. Menzer represented the government.
Rochester Woman Sentenced for Production of Child PornographyRead 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 Bonnie Hughes, 35, of Rochester, NY, who was convicted of production of child pornography, was sentenced to serve 25 years in prison by U.S. District Judge Charles J. Siragusa.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Richard A. Resnick, who handled the case, stated that prior to March 19, 2018, the defendant’s friend, John Kohlmeier, was having sexually explicit conversations with a 10-year female known to the defendant. On March 19, 2018, Hughes, at Kohlmeier’s request, took two sexually explicit photographs of the minor and sent them to Kohlmeier’s cell phone. Kohlmeier then went to the defendant’s residence where Hughes permitted the 10-year minor to engage in sexual conduct with Kohlmeier. The sexual contact between the minor and Kohlmeier occurred on several occasions beginning in February 2018.John Kohlmeier was previously convicted and also sentenced to serve 25 years in prison. Both defendants were also previously convicted in New York State Court.
The sentencing is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Gary Loeffert; the Greece Police Department, under the direction of Chief Patrick D. Phelan; and the Monroe County District Attorney’s Office, under the direction of District Attorney Sandra Doorley.
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Raleigh Man Sentenced to 20 Years in Roanoke Rapids Bank RobberyRead the Press Release
RALEIGH - United States Attorney Robert J. Higdon, Jr. announced that United States District Judge James C. Dever, III, sentenced DANNIE SIMON PARKER, JR., 49, of Raleigh, North Carolina, to 240 months’ imprisonment.
On December 28, 2017, PARKER entered the PNC Bank in Roanoke Rapids, North Carolina. Utilizing a handwritten demand note, PARKER, who was unarmed, stole $1,975 from the bank before fleeing. He was caught a short time later on I-95 South, after police blocked traffic in order to apprehend him. In the passenger seat of the car PARKER was driving were the funds from the robbery, as well as the demand note, and various other incriminating items. PARKER has two prior convictions for federal bank robbery, and was on federal supervised release at the time of the robbery.
After a two-day jury trial in April, PARKER was found guilty of bank robbery. PARKER received 240 months’ imprisonment—the statutory maximum.
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.
In support of PSN, the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of North Carolina has implemented the Take Back North Carolina Initiative. 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 violent crime rate, drug trafficking, and crimes against law enforcement.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation, Roanoke Rapids Police Department, and the Halifax County Sheriff’s Office conducted investigation of this case. Assistant United States Attorneys Donald R. Pender and Melissa B. Kessler handled the prosecution of this case for the government.
Raleigh Blood Gang Member Sentenced for Illegally Possessing a FirearmRead the Press Release
NEW BERN – United States Attorney Robert J. Higdon, Jr. announced that today, United States District Judge Louise W. Flanagan sentenced Mohammed hakim upchurch, 25, of Raleigh to 60 months’ imprisonment, followed by 3 years of supervised release.
UPCHURCH was named in a Criminal Information filed on July 24, 2019, charging him with Possession of a Firearm by a Felon. On July 24, 2019, UPCHURCH pled guilty to that charge.
According to the investigation, On October 6, 2018, an officer with the Raleigh Police Department was patrolling the area of the Birchwood Apartments at the request of the property manager, who wanted trespassing laws enforced due to violent crime and illegal drug activity that frequently occurred in and around the apartment complex. During patrol, the officer observed UPCHURCH, walking between two apartment buildings. The officer knew that UPCHURCH did not reside in the apartment complex and that UPCHURCH was on state probation. Additionally, the apartment complex had “No Trespassing” signs posted. The officer observed UPCHURCH standing alone on a porch. As the officer approached, UPCHURCH picked up his belongings and tried to walk away. The officer advised UPCHURCH that he was trespassing. UPCHURCH stated that he was knocking on a friend’s door, but they would not answer. As the officer attempted to detain him, UPCHURCH tried to walk away. The officer then grabbed his arm, as UPCHURCH pulled way and tried to enter the apartment. The officer and UPCHURCH struggled as UPCHURCH continued attempts to escape until an additional officer arrived, and he was finally placed in handcuffs. A search of UPCHURCH incident to arrest found a .380 caliber handgun and six bullets in the magazine.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, and the Raleigh Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Daniel W. Smith represented the government.
Pittsburgh Woman Sentenced to Prison for Illegally Possessing 2 Handguns, a Rifle and AmmoRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH - A resident of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, has been sentenced in federal court to two years’ (24 months’) imprisonment and two years of supervised release on her conviction of violating federal firearms laws, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced today.
United States District Judge Donetta W. Ambrose imposed the sentence on Latisha Butler, age 29.
According to information presented to the court, on or about May 14, 2018, Butler, an individual with a prior felony conviction for Possession with the Intent to Distribute Controlled Substances, knowingly and unlawfully possessed a Smith & Wesson Model M&P-15 Rifle, a Smith & Wesson, Model SD9VE handgun, a Diamondback Model DB9 Handgun, and various types of ammunition. Federal law prohibits anyone who has been convicted of a crime punishable by a term of imprisonment exceeding one year from possessing a firearm or ammunition.
Assistant United States Attorney Brendan T. Conway prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
United States Attorney Brady commended the United States Department of Homeland Security, United States Postal Inspection Service, the Pennsylvania State Police and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Butler.
Pittsburgh Man Sentenced to More than a Decade in Prison for Drug and Gun OffensesRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH – Jamiek Moore, 23, formerly of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, was sentenced on Monday to 130 months’ imprisonment (10 years and 10 months) on his convictions for violating the federal narcotics and firearms and firearms laws, United States Attorney Scott W, Brady announced today. Following a two-day non-jury trial that concluded in March 2019, Jamiek Moore was convicted of conspiracy to distribute heroin, possession with intent to distribute heroin, possession with intent to distribute marijuana, and two counts of possessing firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
According to Assistant U.S. Attorney Jerome A. Moschetta, who prosecuted the case, the evidence presented at trial established that on or about June 8, 2017, Moore conspired with others, including co-defendant Jaimere Dehonney, to distribute and possess with intent to distribute a quantity of heroin, and that Moore possessed firearms on that day in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. The government’s evidence largely consisted of items seized by law enforcement pursuant to search warrants from a residence and vehicle utilized by Moore, his co-defendant Dehonney, and others, located at a residence on Yosemite Drive in Penn Hills, Allegheny County. That evidence consisted of quantities of heroin, large quantities of heroin packaging materials, approximately $28,000 in U.S. Currency, and two loaded firearms. The government further established that on May 15, 2017, at a residence located on Rhine Court in Pittsburgh, Moore possessed quantities of marijuana and heroin with the intent to distribute them, and that he possessed two loaded firearms that day in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
On December 16, 2019, United States District Judge Reggie B. Walton sentenced Moore to five-year terms of imprisonment on the firearms offenses, which were ordered to run consecutively to one another pursuant to federal law for a total sentence of 10 years’ (120 months’) imprisonment for those crimes. Additionally, Judge Walton sentenced Moore to an additional 10 months of imprisonment for the narcotics violations, also to run consecutively to the sentence for the firearms offenses, pursuant to federal law, for a total sentence of 130 months’ imprisonment. Upon Moore’s release from incarceration, he will be supervised by the United States Probation Department for a term of five years.
U.S. Attorney Brady commended the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police and the Penn Hills Police Department for the investigation leading to the successful prosecutio
Paris, Tennessee Resident Sentenced to 15 Years for Federal Drug Trafficking and Firearms OffensesRead the Press Release
Jackson, TN – John Adam Hoskins, 35, of Paris was sentenced to 188 months imprisonment for possession with intent to distribute and attempt to possess with intent to distribute actual methamphetamine. Hoskins was also sentenced as a convicted felon in possession of a firearm. U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant announced the sentence today.
According to information presented in court, Hoskins and a passenger were stopped for a traffic violation. Hoskins immediately told the officer that there was a firearm in the vehicle. Officers recovered a Smith and Wesson, .38 caliber revolver loaded with 5 rounds. A K-9 drug dog was utilized and alerted to the presence of narcotics in a backpack behind the driver’s seat. The backpack contained several glass pipes, a set of digital scales, $30,520 in cash, 44 Xanax pills, and 29 alprazolam pills. During the search of the vehicle, officers also found 4.55 grams of methamphetamine at 98% purity.
On December 18, 2019, Senior U.S. District Court Judge J. Daniel Breen sentenced Hoskins to 188 months imprisonment followed by three years supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant said, "Recidivist armed drug dealers pose a significant public safety risk to our communities, and must be punished and incapacitated in a meaningful way. Individuals who distribute harmful drugs into our rural communities can no longer hide. We are proud to work with our local law enforcement partners in Paris to use significant federal laws and sentencing to remove this dangerous offender from the streets, and we will continue to do so to reduce the threat of addiction, injury, violence, and death across West Tennessee."
This case was investigated by the Paris Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jerry Kitchen prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
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Operator of Long Beach Medical Clinic Sentenced to More Than 3 Years in Federal Prison for Selling Prescriptions for Powerful OpioidsRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – A Venice man was sentenced today to 39 months in federal prison for his conviction on federal charges of illegally distributing prescription opioids.
James Wilson, 56, was sentenced by United States District Judge Terry J. Hatter Jr.
At the conclusion of a bench trial in March, Judge Hatter found Wilson guilty of two counts of illegally distributing oxycodone. The evidence presented at trial showed that Wilson, during two different transactions in early 2016, sold a total of four prescriptions to an undercover operative working with the Drug Enforcement Administration. Each of the four prescriptions were for 120 30-milligram oxycodone pills, which is the maximum strength of the opioid sold through pharmacies.
Wilson, who is neither a doctor nor a pharmacist, owned and operated what prosecutors called a “sham medical clinic.” The illegal prescription sales took place in the parking lot of Wilson’s clinic, where he charged $200 for each of the illegal prescriptions.
Wilson was arrested in this case in August 2017, at which time investigators found 160 blank prescriptions in his vehicle.
Wilson’s “scheme involved the diversion of oxycodone, a powerful and deadly opioid at the center of the nation’s opioid crisis,” prosecutors wrote in a sentencing memorandum.
This case was investigated by the DEA and was conducted with the support of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF).
This matter was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Marina A. Torres and Brittney M. Harris of the International Narcotics, Money Laundering, and Racketeering Section.
Okmulgee Man Sentenced to 46 Months for Firearm PossessionRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Ethan Cole Endres, age 28, of Okmulgee, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 46 months’ imprisonment and 3 years of supervised release for Felon In Possession Of Firearm, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922(g)(1) and 924(a)(2). The charges arose from an investigation by the Okmulgee County Sheriff’s Office, the Federal Bureau of Investigation Safe Trails Task Force, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
The Indictment alleged that on April 11, 2019, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma, the defendant, who had been convicted of a crime punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year, and knowing of said conviction, knowingly possessed in and affecting commerce, a firearm which had been shipped and transported in interstate commerce.
United States Attorney Brian J. Kuester said, “This case is another success story resulting from agencies working together to maximize their efforts to reduce violent crime. Enforcing federal firearms laws against those who have a track record of lawlessness gives the federal law enforcement community the opportunity to work with local agencies as they work to keep their communities safe. We value and appreciate the strong working relationships the local, state, tribal, and federal law enforcement agencies have in the Eastern District.”
The Oklahoma Safe Trails Task Force is comprised of the FBI and nine partner agencies including: Muscogee Creek Nation Lighthorse Police, Okmulgee Police Department, Okmulgee Sheriff’s Office, Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics, District 25 District Attorney’s Investigators, Cherokee Nation Police, Tahlequah Police Department, and Wagoner Police Department. The task force is focused on combating and reducing crime related to tribal jurisdictions across Oklahoma.
This case is consistent with the principles of Project Guardian, the Department of Justice's signature initiative to reduce gun violence and enforce federal firearms laws. Initiated by the Attorney General in the fall of 2019, Project Guardian draws upon the Department's past successful programs to reduce gun violence. A key principle of Project Guardian is enhancing coordination of federal, state, local, and tribal authorities in investigating and prosecuting gun crimes to ensure that federal resources are directed at the criminals posing the greatest threat to our communities. For more information on Project Guardian, see the Attorney General’s memorandum at: https://www.justice.gov/ag/project-guardian-memo-2019/download.
The Honorable Ronald A. White, U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, in Muskogee, presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Dean Burris represented the United States.Oklahoma City Man Sentenced to 190 Months for Charges Regarding Firearm Possession in Furtherance of A Drug Trafficking CrimeRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Winford Lamont Henley, age 45, of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 60 months’ imprisonment and 4 years of supervised release for Possession Of Firearm In Furtherance Of Drug Trafficking Crime, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 924(c) and to 130 months imprisonment for Felon In Possession Of Firearm, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922(g)(1) and 924(e)(2). The sentence on each count will be served consecutively. The charges arose from an investigation by the Eufaula Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
The Indictment alleged that on or about February 12, 2019, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma, the defendant knowingly possessed a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime for which he may be prosecuted in a court of the United States. The Indictment further alleged the defendant, having been convicted of a crime punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year, did knowingly possess in and affecting commerce, a firearm which had been shipped and transported in interstate commerce.
United States Attorney Brian J. Kuester said, “Combatting violent crime, specifically violent crime involving firearms, is a priority for the Department of Justice. By enforcing federal firearms laws against those who have violent felony convictions and thus have demonstrated their violent and lawless tendencies, we are decreasing the number of firearms in the wrong hands in the communities we serve. This investigation and prosecution allowed us to do just that.”
This case is consistent with the principles of Project Guardian, the Department of Justice's signature initiative to reduce gun violence and enforce federal firearms laws. Initiated by the Attorney General in the fall of 2019, Project Guardian draws upon the Department's past successful programs to reduce gun violence. A key principle of Project Guardian is enhancing coordination of federal, state, local, and tribal authorities in investigating and prosecuting gun crimes to ensure that federal resources are directed at the criminals posing the greatest threat to our communities. For more information on Project Guardian, see the Attorney General’s memorandum at: https://www.justice.gov/ag/project-guardian-memo-2019/download.
The Honorable Ronald A. White, U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, in Muskogee, presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Dean Burris represented the United States.
Ohio woman sentenced for using juvenile to sell methamphetamineRead the Press Release
WHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA – Alicia J. Evans, of Akron, Ohio, was sentenced today to 57 months incarceration for a drug distribution charge, U.S. Attorney Bill Powell announced.
Alicia J. Evans, age 31, pled guilty to one count of “Using a Juvenile to Distribute Methamphetamine” in October 2019. Evans admitted to using a minor to sell methamphetamine in August 2018 in Marshall County.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert H. McWilliams, Jr., prosecuted the case on behalf of the government. The Drug Enforcement Administration; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; the Marshall County Drug and Violent Crimes Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative; the West Virginia State Police; the Tyler County Sheriff’s Office; the Wetzel County Sheriff’s Office; the Sistersville Police Department; the Paden City Police Department; and the New Martinsville Police Department investigated. The Columbus, Ohio, Police Department Gang Crimes Unit assisted in the case.
The investigation was funded in part 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.
Senior U.S. District Judge Frederick P. Stamp, Jr. presided.
Ohio County man admits to methamphetamine distributionRead the Press Release
WHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA – Benjamin John Woodring, of Wheeling, West Virginia, has admitted to drug distribution, U.S. Attorney Bill Powell announced.
Woodring, age 24, pled guilty to one count of “Aiding and Abetting the Distribution of Methamphetamine within 1000 feet of a Protected Location.” Woodring admitted to selling methamphetamine near Luau Manor in Ohio County in March 2019.
Woodring faces at least one and up to 40 years incarceration and a fine of up to $2,000,000. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Shawn M. Adkins is prosecuting the cases on behalf of the government. The Ohio Valley Drug & Violent Crimes Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, investigated.
U.S. Magistrate Judge James P. Mazzone presided.
New York For-Hire Vehicle Driver Charged with Transporting A Minor from New Jersey to New York to Engage in Criminal Sexual ActivityRead the Press Release
CAMDEN, N.J. – A New York man was charged with traveling to New Jersey to engage in illicit sexual conduct with a minor under the age of 16 and transporting the minor from New Jersey to New York to engage in criminal sexual activity, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito announced.
Richard Gabriel Piedra Ordonez, 35, of Sunnyside, New York, is charged by complaint with one count of transporting a minor with the intent to engage in criminal sexual activity and one count of traveling for the purpose of engaging in illicit sexual conduct. Piedra is expected to appear this afternoon before U.S. Magistrate Judge Ann Marie Donio in Camden federal court.
According to documents filed in this case:
In May 2019, Piedra began communicating with a New Jersey resident under the age of 16 using various social media and messaging platforms. Over the course of the subsequent months, Piedra and the victim met in person and Piedra engaged in sexual conduct with the victim. Piedra traveled to Cape May County to have sex with the victim and also drove the victim to his home in New York City, where he engaged in criminal sexual activity with the victim.
The count of transporting a minor carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison, a maximum potential penalty of life in prison, and a $250,000 fine. The offense of traveling for the purpose of engaging in illicit sexual conduct carries a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
U.S. Attorney Carpenito credited special agents with FBI’s Atlantic City Child Exploitation & Human Trafficking Task Force, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Gregory W. Ehrie in Newark, the Atlantic County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Prosecutor Damon G. Tyner, and the N.J. State Police, under the direction of Col Patrick J. Callahan, with the investigation leading to today’s charges. He also thanked the Cape May County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Prosecutor Jeffrey H. Sutherland, for its assistance with the investigation.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel A. Friedman of the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Criminal Division in Camden.
The charges and allegations in the complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
New Orleans Man Sentenced for Conspiracy to Commit Bank RobberyRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS – U.S. Attorney Peter G. Strasser announced that AARON RUDOLPH, age 26, of New Orleans, was sentenced for bank robbery on December 12, 2019.
According to the court documents, AARON RUDOLPH conspired with his co-defendant, JOHN RUDOLPH, by entering the First Bank and Trust located at 1320 South Morrison Boulevard, in Hammond, Louisiana and robbing the bank of approximately $10,490.96 at gunpoint.
United States District Court Judge Barry W. Ashe sentenced AARON RUDOLPH to 60 months of imprisonment, 3 years of supervised release, and a mandatory special assessment of $100.00.
U.S. Attorney Strasser praised the work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation in investigating this matter. Assistant U.S. Attorney Maria M. Carboni is in charge of the prosecution.
New Orleans Man Sentenced for Violating the Federal Gun Control ActRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – United States District Judge Jay C. Zainey sentenced DARRYL DOUSE a.k.a. “TURKEY”, age 29, a resident of New Orleans, on December 17, 2019 for his conviction for being a felon in possession of a firearm, announced U.S. Attorney Peter G. Strasser.
According to court paperwork, DOUSE got into a gunfight near the intersection of Bienville and Treme Street on March 17, 2019, hitting the other shooter in the foot. The shootout was captured on surveillance footage and numerous witnesses identified DOUSE as one of the shooters. About a week later, Jefferson Parish authorities stopped another individual who was a felon and found him in possession of a short-barreled rifle. The seized weapon was test fired and a ballistic comparison using the NIBIN system linked that gun to the March 17 shooting involving DOUSE.
DOUSE was arrested by the New Orleans Police Department on charges related to the shooting. After being arrested by state authorities, DOUSE admitted to his participation in the shooting. At the time of the shooting, DOUSE had been convicted of two counts of attempted armed robbery and knew that he was a felon who could not possess firearms. DOUSE also admitted to participating in another shooting around the same area on a different date. Federal authorities adopted DOUSE’s case for federal prosecution.
United States District Judge Jay C. Zainey sentenced DOUSE to 84 months imprisonment and three years of supervised release following any term of imprisonment on the gun charge.
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.
This case was made possible by investigative leads generated from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives’ (ATF) National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (NIBIN). NIBIN is the only national network that allows for the capture and comparison of ballistic evidence to aid in solving and preventing violent crimes involving firearms. NIBIN is a proven investigative and intelligence tool that can link firearms from multiple crime scenes, allowing law enforcement to quickly disrupt shooting cycles. For more information on NIBIN, visit https://www.atf.gov/firearms/national-integrated-ballistic-information-network-nibin.
This case was investigated by the New Orleans Police Department, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Drug Enforcement Administration. The prosecution is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney David Haller.
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New Haven Crack Dealer Sentenced to More Than 7 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that TORRENCE GAMBLE, also known as “Bones” and “Bone,” 46, of New Haven, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Vanessa L. Bryant in Hartford to 92 months of imprisonment, followed by five years of supervised release, for his participation in a New Haven drug trafficking ring.
According to court documents and statements made in court, in June 2017, the FBI’s New Haven Safe Streets/Gang Task Force initiated an investigation into a New Haven drug trafficking organization headed by Jermayne Butler. The investigation, which included physical surveillance, 13 controlled purchases of narcotics, and court-authorized wiretaps on multiple phones, revealed that members of the organization were distributing crack cocaine and oxycodone in and around New Haven. Gamble was a trusted associate of Butler who headed the organization’s crack distribution in the Vernon Street area of New Haven.
Butler, Gamble and several other members of the organization were arrested on federal criminal complaints on February 6, 2018. On February 8, 2018, a grand jury in New Haven returned a 30-count indictment charging 19 individuals with various offenses.
Gamble’s criminal history includes multiple convictions related to the sale of drugs, and a conviction for criminal possession of a firearm.
Gamble has been detained since his arrest. On August 12, 2019, he pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute, and to possess with intent to distribute, cocaine base. (“crack”).
Butler pleaded guilty on August 9, 2019, and awaits sentencing.
This matter is being investigated by the FBI’s New Haven Safe Streets/Gang Task Force, which includes members from the New Haven Police Department, Milford Police Department, West Haven Police Department and Connecticut Department of Correction. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Patrick F. Caruso and David C. Nelson.
New Hampshire Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Laundering Money Stolen from Texas RetireesRead the Press Release
In Austin today, a federal judge sentenced 35-year-old Lukman Shina Aminu of Manchester, NH, to 51 months in federal prison today for his alleged scheme to launder over a million dollars from multiple fraudulent schemes, including thousands stolen from former Texas state employees retirement plans, announced U.S. Attorney John F. Bash, FBI Special Agent in Charge Christopher Combs, San Antonio Division, IRS-Criminal Investigation Special Agent in Charge Richard D. Goss, Houston Field Office, and Texas Department of Public Safety Director Steven McCraw.
In addition to the prison term, U.S. District Judge Robert Pitman ordered that Aminu pay $1,158,285.14 in restitution and be placed on supervised release for a period of three years after completing his prison term.
On January 2, 2019, Aminu pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering. By pleading guilty, Aminu admitted that beginning in June 2017, he used personally identifiable information (PII) from state employees to make changes to their accounts in the Employees Retirement System of Texas internet portal. Bank deposit information on file in the system was changed which re-routed retirement payments to debit cards Aminu controlled. Aminu then used the debit cards for cash withdrawals and to purchase money orders which were used for personal expenses and to purchase used vehicles to be shipped overseas to Nigeria and Benin for resale. Aminu also admitted to receiving multiple transfers from victims of other schemes on other debit cards that had been opened using their PII. This scheme also involved using car purchases and shipments to send money back to Nigeria (in the value of the shipped car), while simultaneously laundering the funds or “cleaning the money” to make the money appear as legitimate income.
“Today’s sentencing is a message to all who seek to deceitfully defraud others for personal gain,” said FBI San Antonio Division Special Agent in Charge Christopher Combs. “In this case, the defendant’s actions robbed former Texas public servants of their retirement payments. These selfish actions harmed countless families as the defendant then used the money to purchase used vehicles and ship them to be sold overseas. The FBI will not rest until those who perpetrate these crimes are brought to justice.”
The FBI, IRS-Criminal Investigation and the Texas Department of Public Safety – Public Integrity Unit investigated this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Galdo prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
New Britain Man Who Shot Girlfriend and Her 2 Children Sentenced for Federal Gun OffenseRead the Press Release
John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that JERMAINE SCOTT, also known as “Maine G,” 39, formerly of New Britain, was sentenced by Senior U.S. District Judge Alfred V. Covello in Hartford to 57 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for illegally possessing a firearm.
According to court documents and statements made in court, in the morning of March 29, 2017, New Britain Police responded to a residence in New Britain after a report that Scott had shot and seriously wounded his girlfriend and two of his girlfriend’s children at the residence. The victims subsequently reported that Scott, who was lying in bed, became angry when he thought the children were being too loud as they were getting ready for school. After an argument ensued, Scott retrieved a gun from behind the headboard of the bed, chased his girlfriend’s 17-year-old daughter into the bathroom and shot her in the stomach and thigh. He then shot his girlfriend’s 12-year-old son in his leg, and then his girlfriend in her stomach. Scott then fled the residence.
All three victims survived their injuries
Investigators conducted a search of the residence and recovered a .40 caliber pistol, four spent .40 caliber bullet shell casings, and more than 63 rounds of .40 caliber ammunition.
Scott was apprehended in Middletown on September 18, 2017. On May 16, 2019, he pleaded guilty in New Britain Superior Court to three counts of assault in the first degree. On July 24, 2019, he was sentenced to a 30-year term of imprisonment, no portion of which is suspended.
Scott has a criminal history that spans 20 years and includes convictions for firearm, drug, burglary, larceny and other offenses.
It is a violation of federal law for a person previously convicted of a felony offense to possess a firearm or ammunition that has moved in interstate or foreign commerce.
On September 4, 2019, Scott pleaded guilty in federal court to possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
Scott’s federal sentence will run concurrently with his state sentence.
This matter was investigated by the New Britain Police Department, the U.S. Marshals Service Violent Fugitive Task Force, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Nashville Woman Arrested with Four Kilograms of Fentanyl at Nashville Bus StationRead the Press Release
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – December 18, 2019 – Jennifer Montejo, 31, of Nashville, was charged in a criminal complaint on December 12, 2019, with possession with intent to distribute 100 grams or more of heroin and 400 grams or more of fentanyl, announced United States Attorney Don Cochran for the Middle District of Tennessee.
According to the criminal complaint, Montejo and others had been previously identified as targets in a drug trafficking investigation in the Nashville area and at a state prison. Montejo was arrested on December 11, 2019, at a Nashville bus station as she was returning from California, after purchasing a one-way airline ticket to Los Angeles, days earlier. Approximately four kilograms of a substance believed to contain fentanyl, and about one kilogram of a substance believed to be heroin were discovered in Montejo’s luggage.
Montejo was on bond for state drug charges in Dickson County, Tennessee, which resulted from an incident in July 2019, where the Tennessee Highway Patrol stopped Montejo on Interstate 40 as she was travelling from California, and subsequently found approximately ¾ of a kilogram of pills containing fentanyl, about one kilogram of heroin, and three firearms.
If convicted, Montejo faces a minimum of 10 years and up to life in prison,
The arrest is part of an ongoing investigation into substantial drug trafficking which is allegedly being coordinated by a state prisoner. That investigation is being conducted by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation Division, the Tennessee Department of Corrections – Office of the Inspector General, the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department, and other partner agencies. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Sunny A.M. Koshy.
The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
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Mexican National Sentenced to Three Years for Illegal ReentryRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – U.S. District Judge Wendy W. Berger today sentenced Alejandro Rosales-Gonzalez (36, Mexico) to three years in federal prison for illegal reentry after deportation.
Rosales-Gonzalez had pleaded guilty on September 30, 2019.
According to testimony and court documents, since 2001, Rosales-Gonzalez has been returned or deported from the United States to Mexico eight times. He has been charged and convicted for illegal entry and illegal reentry four times since 2011, including this case. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement most recently encountered Rosales-Gonzalez on April 19, 2019, following his arrest for aggravated battery with a deadly weapon in Melbourne, Florida.
“Thanks to the hard work of our Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) team, this violent criminal illegal alien is out of our communities,” said Miami ERO Field Office Director Michael W. Meade.
This case was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE-ERO). It was prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Brandon Bayliss, on assignment from the Office of Principal Legal Advisor, ICE, in the Middle District of Florida.
Mexican Man Sentenced for Illegally Using Social Security Number to Obtain EmploymentRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – United States Attorney Peter G. Strasser announced that MANUEL LIRA-RIVERA, age 35, a native of Mexico, was sentenced today after previously pleading guilty to illegally using a Social Security number in order to obtain employment, in violation of Title 42, United States Code, Section 408(a)(7)(B).
United States District Court Judge Ivan L.R. Lemelle sentenced LIRA-RIVERA to time served (4 months of imprisonment), followed by 3 years of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment fee. The defendant will be surrendered to the custody of Immigration and Customs Enforcement for removal proceedings.
According to court documents, prior to August 14, 2019, LIRA-RIVERA submitted a fraudulent Form I-9 application in order to obtain employment with a construction company. He attested on the form that he was someone else. He used a fraudulent Social Security card in the name of the other person which also contained that person’s actual Social Security number as verification. In order to finalize employment with that company, he was required to take a safety course at another location on August 14, 2019. He once again provided the fraudulent Social Security card as proof of his identity, but an employee suspected the card was fraudulent and alerted Customs and Border Protection. Subsequent record checks confirmed his real identity.
U.S. Attorney Strasser praised the work of United States Customs and Border Protection, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Homeland Security Investigations, and Social Security Administration agents in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Jon Maestri is in charge of the prosecution.
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Metro Kansas City Among Seven Cities in Operation Relentless PursuitRead the Press Release
Attorney General William P. Barr today announced the launch of Operation Relentless Pursuit, an initiative aimed at combating violent crime in seven of America’s most violent cities – including the combined metropolitan area of Kansas City, Missouri, and Kansas City, Kansas - through a surge in federal resources.
“Americans deserve to live in safety,” said Barr. “And while nationwide violent crime rates are down, many cities continue to see levels of extraordinary violence. Operation Relentless Pursuit seeks to ensure that no American city is excluded from the peace and security felt by the majority of Americans, while also supporting those who serve and protect in these communities with the resources, training, and equipment they need to stay safe.”
Joined at a press conference in Detroit, Michigan, by ATF Acting Director Regina Lombardo, DEA Acting Administrator Uttam Dhillon, FBI Director Christopher Wray, and U.S. Marshals Service Director Donald W. Washington, Barr pledged to intensify federal law enforcement resources in Kansas City, Albuquerque, Baltimore, Cleveland, Detroit, Memphis, and Milwaukee – seven American cities with violent crime levels several times the national average.
U.S. Attorney Stephen McAllister in Kansas and U.S. Attorney Tim Garrison in the Western District of Missouri, along with the federal law enforcement heads based in the Kansas City metropolitan area, announced their participation immediately following the Attorney General’s press conference.
“I am excited about this opportunity for the Kansas City metro area to take part in a program that will provide us more manpower and more money to fight crime,” McAllister said. “Relentless Pursuit will help us reach our goal of making everyone in our community safer. As the name of the operation indicates, we won’t stop until we achieve the goal of reducing violence in Kansas City.”
“Kansas City, which has been wracked by too much violence for too long, is participating in this national initiative to focus more federal law enforcement resources where they are needed most,” Garrison said. “Operation Relentless Pursuit will deploy more agents and officers with additional resources to confront the epidemic of violent crime in our community. The very name of this operation – Relentless Pursuit – is a warning to violent criminals: We will not stop until you are behind bars.”
“Driven by crime-gun intelligence, including the National Integrated Ballistics Information Network, firearms tracing data and our experience and expertise in investigating violent gun crime, ATF, as part of Operation Relentless Pursuit, will continue to identify and hold accountable the trigger pullers and firearms traffickers that expose our neighborhoods to violence,” said Marino Vidoli, Special Agent in Charge of ATF’s Kansas City Field Division.
“This operation will allow the DEA to enhance our existing forces in an effort to disrupt and dismantle violent drug trafficking organizations operating in the Kansas City metro area,” said Special Agent in Charge William Callahan. “These traffickers - including cartels and street gangs - will stop at nothing to turn a profit, often using violence and intimidation to expand their network.”
“The FBI remains committed to combatting violent crime throughout our city,” said Timothy R. Langan, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI, Kansas City Division. “Through Operation Relentless Pursuit we will enhance existing forces to direct additional manpower and resources to target the hierarchy of criminal gangs and enterprises. Along with our federal, state and local partners we remain steadfast in our pursuit to dismantle and incapacitate the worst offenders responsible for violence in our community.”
“The U.S. Marshals Service will provide focused relentless pursuit of the most violent fugitives impacting the greater Kansas City area,” said U.S. Marshal Mark James of the Western District of Missouri. “We appreciate Attorney General Barr’s commitment of resources to help us in this fight.”
“Reducing violent crime in Kansas City will take a partnership involving law enforcement and the community,” said U.S. Marshal Ron Miller of the District of Kansas. “The U.S. Marshals Service is proud to work with our community every day, removing the most violent criminals from our streets.”
Operation Relentless Pursuit will involve increasing the number of federal law enforcement officers to the selected cities, as well as bulking up federal task forces through collaborative efforts with state and local law enforcement partners. The surge in federal agents will be complemented by a financial commitment of up to $71 million in federal grant funding that can be used to hire new officers, pay overtime and benefits, finance federally deputized task force officers, and provide mission-critical equipment and technology.
Member of “the Dark Overlord” Hacking Group Extradited from United Kingdom to Face Charges in St. LouisRead the Press Release
A United Kingdom national appeared today in federal court on charges of aggravated identity theft, threatening to damage a protected computer, and conspiring to commit those and other computer fraud offenses, related to his role in a computer hacking collective known as “The Dark Overlord,” which targeted victims in the St. Louis, Missouri, area beginning in 2016.
Nathan Wyatt, 39, was extradited from the United Kingdom to the Eastern District of Missouri and arraigned on Dec. 18 before U.S. Magistrate Judge Shirley Padmore Mensah. He pleaded not guilty and was detained pending further proceedings.
A federal grand jury indicted Wyatt on Nov. 8, 2017. According to court records, beginning in 2016, Wyatt was a member of The Dark Overlord, a hacking group that was responsible for remotely accessing the computer networks of multiple U.S. companies without authorization, obtaining sensitive records and information from those companies, and then threatening to release the companies’ stolen data unless the companies paid a ransom in bitcoin. Victims in the Eastern District of Missouri included healthcare providers, accounting firms, and others. Among other things, Wyatt is alleged to have participated in the conspiracy by creating email and phone accounts that he used to send threatening and extortionate emails and text messages to certain victims, including victims in the Eastern District of Missouri.
“Today’s extradition shows that the hackers hiding behind The Dark Overlord moniker will be held accountable for their alleged extortion of American companies,” said Assistant Attorney General Brian A. Benczkowski of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “We are thankful for the close cooperation of our partners in the United Kingdom in ensuring that the defendant will face justice in U.S. court.”
“Cyber criminals who harm victims in the Eastern District of Missouri cannot hide behind international borders to evade justice,” said U.S. Attorney Jeffrey B. Jensen of the Eastern District of Missouri. “Today’s case demonstrates the United States’ commitment to unmasking criminal hackers and bringing them to justice, no matter where they may be located.”
“Cyber hackers may no longer use territorial borders to shield themselves from accountability,” said Special Agent in Charge Richard Quinn of the FBI’s St. Louis Field Office. “This case is another example of how the FBI successfully works with international law enforcement partners to bring alleged perpetrators to justice.”
The investigation was conducted by the FBI’s St. Louis Field Office. The FBI’s Atlanta Field Office also provided support. The Criminal Division’s Office of International Affairs coordinated the extradition of Wyatt. The department thanks law enforcement and international cooperation authorities in the United Kingdom for their substantial assistance in the investigation.
Senior Counsel Laura-Kate Bernstein of the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section, and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Gwendolyn Carroll and Matthew Drake of the Eastern District of Missouri are prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the charging document are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Member of Zuni Pueblo pleads guilty in federal court to strangling and suffocating woman in Indian CountryRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Ferrigno Yuselew, 37, of Zuni, New Mexico, pleaded guilty in federal court in Albuquerque yesterday to a charge of assault of an intimate partner by strangling or suffocating.
In Yuselew’s plea agreement, he admitted to committing the offense on the Zuni Pueblo in McKinley County on December 17, 2015. Yuselew put his hands around his wife’s neck and strangled her until she lost consciousness. The couple’s two children were at home during the assault. Yuselew is an enrolled member of Zuni Pueblo.
Yuselew is currently in custody pending sentencing. He faces up to 21 months in prison under the terms of his plea agreement.
The Pueblo of Zuni Tribal Police Department investigated this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Allison Jaros is prosecuting the case.
Member of "the Dark Overlord" Hacking Group Extradited from United Kingdom to Face Charges in St. LouisRead the Press Release
Indictment St. Louis – A United Kingdom national appeared today in federal court on charges of aggravated identity theft, threatening to damage a protected computer, and conspiring to commit those and other computer fraud offenses, related to his role in a computer hacking collective known as “The Dark Overlord,” which targeted victims in the St. Louis, Missouri, area beginning in 2016.Nathan Wyatt, 39, was extradited from the United Kingdom to the Eastern District of Missouri and arraigned on Dec. 18 before U.S. Magistrate Judge Shirley Padmore Mensah. He pleaded not guilty and was detained pending further proceedings.
A federal grand jury indicted Wyatt on Nov. 8, 2017. According to court records, beginning in 2016, Wyatt was a member of The Dark Overlord, a hacking group that was responsible for remotely accessing the computer networks of multiple U.S. companies without authorization, obtaining sensitive records and information from those companies, and then threatening to release the companies’ stolen data unless the companies paid a ransom in bitcoin. Victims in the Eastern District of Missouri included healthcare providers, accounting firms, and others. Among other things, Wyatt is alleged to have participated in the conspiracy by creating email and phone accounts that he used to send threatening and extortionate emails and text messages to certain victims, including victims in the Eastern District of Missouri.
“Today’s extradition shows that the hackers hiding behind The Dark Overlord moniker will be held accountable for their alleged extortion of American companies,” said Assistant Attorney General Brian A. Benczkowski of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “We are thankful for the close cooperation of our partners in the United Kingdom in ensuring that the defendant will face justice in U.S. court.”
“Cyber criminals who harm victims in the Eastern District of Missouri cannot hide behind international borders to evade justice,” said U.S. Attorney Jeffrey B. Jensen of the Eastern District of Missouri. “Today’s case demonstrates the United States’ commitment to unmasking criminal hackers and bringing them to justice, no matter where they may be located.”
“Cyber hackers may no longer use territorial borders to shield themselves from accountability,” said Special Agent in Charge Richard Quinn of the FBI’s St. Louis Field Office. “This case is another example of how the FBI successfully works with international law enforcement partners to bring alleged perpetrators to justice.”
The investigation was conducted by the FBI’s St. Louis Field Office. The FBI’s Atlanta Field Office also provided support. The Criminal Division’s Office of International Affairs coordinated the extradition of Wyatt. The department thanks law enforcement and international cooperation authorities in the United Kingdom for their substantial assistance in the investigation.
Senior Counsel Laura-Kate Bernstein of the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section, and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Gwendolyn Carroll and Matthew Drake of the Eastern District of Missouri are prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the charging document are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Maryland Man Sentenced to 18 Months in Prison for Bribing D.C. Public OfficialsRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Marvin Parker, 61, of Silver Spring, Maryland, was sentenced today to 18 months in prison for paying more than $40,000 in bribes to two Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) employees, U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Liu announced.
In July 2019, Parker pled guilty to one count of bribery of a public official in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. The Honorable Emmett G. Sullivan sentenced him to 18 months in prison to be followed by 18 months of supervised release. Parker was also ordered to forfeit $40,001.00, the minimum dollar value of the bribes he paid to MPD officials.
According to Parker’s admissions made in connection with his plea, Parker was the owner and sole proprietor of RPM Associates, through which he solicited clients involved in traffic accidents to connect them with legal and medical services. Parker admitted to paying cash to two MPD employees to influence them to provide him with information about individuals who had been involved in traffic accidents in in the District. After receiving this information, Parker would contact those individuals by phone and offer to assist them with obtaining legal representation and medical services. MPD’s General Orders prohibits officers and employees from releasing Traffic Crash Reports except under limited circumstances. D.C. Law prohibits the solicitation of traffic accident victims within 21 days of the accident when the solicitation is for financial gain and for the purpose of directing the victim to practitioners, such as attorneys or medical providers. Parker admitted that he solicited and entered into a scheme with two different MPD employees, whom he paid anywhere from $50 to $500 per week for the personal identifying information of recent traffic crash victims. During an approximately two-year span between 2015 and 2017, Parker paid more than $40,000 in cash bribes to the two employees.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Liu commended the work of those who assisted the case from the FBI’s Washington Field Office and MPD’s Internal Affairs Division. She also acknowledged the work of those who handled the case at the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including paralegal specialist Mariela Andrade and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Andrew Floyd, Kathryn Rakoczy, and Colleen Kukowski along with former Assistant U.S. Attorney David Misler, who investigated and prosecuted the case.
Manhattan Doctor Pleads Guilty to the Illegal Distribution of Oxycodone and Fentanyl Resulting in Patient’s OverdoseRead the Press Release
Geoffrey S. Berman, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that GORDON FREEDMAN, a doctor who practiced in New York, New York, pled guilty today to one count of distributing oxycodone and fentanyl to a patient for no legitimate medical purpose, which resulted in the overdose of the patient. FREEDMAN pled guilty before U.S. District Judge Alison J. Nathan.
Manhattan U.S. Attorney Geoffrey S. Berman said: “Less than two weeks ago, Gordon Freedman was convicted of accepting hundreds of thousands of dollars from a pharmaceutical company to push medically unneeded fentanyl. Today, in a separate but hardly unrelated case, he admitted to dispensing massive quantities of oxycodone and fentanyl to a patient who died of a fentanyl overdose in 2017. It seems clear Gordon Freedman was more concerned with his own wealth than his patients’ health.”
According to the allegations contained in the Indictment against FREEDMAN and filings in related proceedings:
From in or about 2013 through in or about May 2017, FREEDMAN, who worked at and owned a private pain-management office on the Upper East Side of Manhattan and was an Associate Clinical Professor at a large hospital in Manhattan, prescribed numerous controlled substances to a particular patient (“Patient-1”), including enormous quantities of oxycodone and fentanyl. For example, in 2013 alone, FREEDMAN prescribed Patient-1 approximately 85,427 oxycodone pills – an average of approximately 234 oxycodone pills per day – containing a total of approximately 2,422,435 mg of oxycodone.
On or about April 13, 2017, FREEDMAN gave Patient-1 prescriptions for approximately 150 doses of a drug containing fentanyl, and for approximately 950 oxycodone pills containing approximately 30 mg of oxycodone per pill. On or about May 4, 2017, Patient-1 died of a fentanyl overdose after ingesting a quantity of the drug prescribed by FREEDMAN on or about April 13, 2017.
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FREEDMAN, 59, of Mount Kisco, New York, pled guilty to one count of distributing oxycodone and fentanyl, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. The maximum potential sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentence for the defendant will be determined by the judge.
FREEDMAN is scheduled to be sentenced by Judge Nathan on March 18, 2020.
On December 5, 2019, FREEDMAN was convicted in a separate case, U.S. v. Gordon Freedman et al., 18 Cr. 217 (KMW), of charges of conspiracy to violate the Anti-Kickback Statute, violation of the Anti-Kickback Statute, and conspiracy to commit honest-services wire fraud. In connection with that case, FREEDMAN is scheduled to appear for sentencing before U.S. District Judge Kimba M. Wood on March 19, 2020.
Mr. Berman praised the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the New York City Police Department for their investigative efforts and ongoing support and assistance with the case.
The case is being prosecuted by the Office’s Complex Frauds and Cybercrime Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Noah Solowiejczyk, David Abramowicz, and Katherine Reilly are in charge of the prosecution.
Manchester Man Sentenced to 60 Months for Fentanyl TraffickingRead the Press Release
CONCORD - David Nguyen, 37, of Manchester, was sentenced on Tuesday to 60 months in federal prison for distributing fentanyl, United States Attorney Scott W. Murray announced.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on November 1, 2018, a cooperating individual, at the direction of law enforcement officers, arranged to buy fentanyl at Nguyen’s apartment. The cooperating individual later went to Nguyen’s apartment and purchased a quantity of fentanyl.
On December 4, 2018, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Nguyen’s apartment, where they located two scales with drug residue.
Nguyen previously pleaded guilty on September 10, 2019.
“The distribution of fentanyl has caused great hardship in Manchester and throughout New Hampshire,” said U.S. Attorney Murray. “This five-year prison term should serve as warning to fentanyl dealers operating in the Queen City. Under Operation SOS, we will continue to work closely with the Manchester Police Department and law enforcement agencies throughout Hillsborough County to bring drug dealers to justice.”
This matter was investigated by the Manchester Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Joachim Barth.
This case is part of Operation Synthetic Opioid Surge (S.O.S.). In July of 2018, Attorney General Jeff Sessions announced the creation of S.O.S., which is being implemented in the District of New Hampshire and nine other federal districts. The goal of S.O.S. is to combat the large number of overdoses and deaths associated with fentanyl and other synthetic opioids. In New Hampshire, the U.S. Attorney’s Office is focusing its efforts on prosecuting synthetic opioid trafficking cases arising in Hillsborough County, which includes Manchester and Nashua.
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Man Pleads Guilty to Obstruction of Justice and Violations of Federal Firearms and Narcotics LawsRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – U.S. Attorney Peter G. Strasser announced that KENDALL BARNES, age 23, of New Orleans, pled guilty on December 17, 2019 to a superseding bill of information charging him with being a felon in possession of a firearm, to possession with the intent to distribute heroin, to possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime, and to obstruction of justice.
According to court documents, on or about February 19, 2018, KENDALL BARNES placed a recorded jail call directing another individual to move a firearm and ten bags of heroin from a hidden location. United States District Court Judge Gregory Guidry set sentencing in this matter for April 7, 2020.
KENDALL BARNES faces a term of imprisonment of up to ten years, a fine of up to $250,000, and up to three years of supervised release for being a felon in possession of a firearm. For the possession with the intent to distribute heroin count, BARNES faces a maximum term of 20 years of imprisonment, a fine of up to $1,000,000, and at least three years of supervised release. For possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking crime, BARNES faces a minimum term of imprisonment of five years up to a maximum of life, a fine of up to $250,000, and up to five years of supervised release. For the obstruction of justice count, BARNES faces up to ten years of imprisonment, a fine of up to $250,000, and up to three years of supervised release.
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.
U.S. Attorney Strasser praised the work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation New Orleans Violent Crimes Task Force, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, and the New Orleans Police Department in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Maria M. Carboni is in charge of the prosecution.
Man Driving Around with Knife and Large Amount of Methamphetamine Sentenced to Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
A Cedar Rapids man who intended to distribute methamphetamine was sentenced December 17, 2019, to more than three years in federal prison.
Mathew John Wharton, age 28, from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, received the prison term after a July 1, 2019, guilty plea to distribution with the intent to distribute a controlled substance, methamphetamine.
At the guilty plea and sentencing, Wharton admitted that in January of 2019, he was stopped by Cedar Rapids police officers during a traffic stop. During the stop, Wharton had a knife on him and nearly an ounce of methamphetamine in his vehicle. Defendant intended to sell the methamphetamine to other people. In April 2019, officers executed a search warrant at Wharton’s Cedar Rapids residence. There, they located methamphetamine, marijuana, paraphernalia, a Springfield shotgun, a Remington 1100 semi-automatic firearm, and ammunition.
Wharton’s residence was also the subject of a search warrant executed by Cedar Rapids police back in December of 2016. During that search, officers located methamphetamine, a 12-gauge shotgun, and a .410 gauge shotgun.
Wharton was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams. Wharton was sentenced to 36 months’ and 28 days’ imprisonment. A $100 special assessment was imposed. He must also serve a 3-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ashley Corkery and investigated by the Cedar Rapids Police Department, the Linn County Sheriff’s Department, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 19-CR-00038.
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Man Convicted of Receiving and Possessing Images of Child Sexual AbuseRead the Press Release
NORFOLK, Va. – A federal judge convicted a Virginia Beach man today on charges of receipt and possession of child pornography.
According to court records and evidence presented at the bench trial, Augustin Dante Ezequiel Arce, 30, of Virginia Beach, was identified sharing images of child sexual abuse over a peer-to-peer network throughout 2017 and the first part of 2018. An Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) task force officer with the Harrisonburg Police Department downloaded images of child sexual abuse in an undercover capacity from Arce’s mobile devices. In August 2018, Arce was indicted by a federal grand jury. After being asked to turn himself in, Arce fled the district and was found several months later in southern California, living in a tent.
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. Attorney’s Offices and the 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.justice.gov/psc.
Ezequiel Arce faces a mandatory minimum of five years and a maximum of 20 years in prison when sentenced on April 2, 2020. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Raymond Villanueva, Special Agent in Charge of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Washington, D.C., and James A. Cervera, Chief of Virginia Beach Police, made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Arenda Wright Allen declared the verdict. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Elizabeth M. Yusi and Daniel P. Shean are prosecuting the case.
The Harrisonburg Police Department provided significant assistance in the investigation.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:18-cr-121.
Luzerne County Woman Sentenced to 66 Months’ Imprisonment for Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
SCRANTON - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that on December 17, 2019, Victoria Kraynak, age 28, of Luzerne, Pennsylvania, was sentenced to 66 months’ imprisonment and five years of supervised release, by United States District Court Judge Malachy E. Mannion, for conspiring to distribute heroin, crack cocaine, and fentanyl.
According to United States Attorney David J. Freed, Kraynak pleaded guilty to conspiring to distribute controlled substances in Pennsylvania, from approximately November 2015 through March 2017. Kraynak admitted to working as a drug dealer in the conspiracy, to transporting drugs from New York to Pennsylvania for redistribution, to possessing firearms, and to supervising other members of the conspiracy. Kraynak admitted to trafficking in excess of 840 grams of crack cocaine, fentanyl, and in excess of 1 kilogram of heroin, the latter of which is the equivalent of 40,000 potentially fatal doses of heroin.
Kraynak was charged in June 2017 with 14 other individuals. All of her co-defendants have pleaded guilty, with 13 others having already been sentenced:
- Kassandra Martin of Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, was sentenced to 60 months’ imprisonment;
- Joshua Lenchick of Luzerne, Pennsylvania, was sentenced to 60 months’ imprisonment;
- Kristyna Shotwell of Plymouth, Pennsylvania, was sentenced to 12 months and one day of imprisonment;
- Tanay Jones of Bronx, New York, was sentenced to a time served sentence of 19 days’ imprisonment;
- William Waring of Bronx, New York, was sentenced to 60 months’ imprisonment;
- John Maybank of Bronx, New York, was sentenced to 53 months’ imprisonment;
- Siobhan Daniels, of Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, was sentenced to 30 months’ imprisonment;
- Luis Nevarez, of Bronx, New York, was sentenced to 60 months’ imprisonment;
- Adonis Smith, of New London, Connecticut, was sentenced to 60 months’ imprisonment;
- Cara Dubaskas, of Plymouth, Pennsylvania, was sentenced to a time served sentence of seven months;
- Chad Eckrote, of Plymouth, Pennsylvania, was sentenced to three years of probation;
- Adam Gottstein, of Kingston, Pennsylvania, was sentenced to 78 months’ imprisonment; and
- Amanda Romano, of Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, was sentenced to 84 months’ imprisonment.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Luzerne County Drug Task Force, and by the Kingston Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Phillip J. Caraballo prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program that has been 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.
This case also was brought as part of a district wide initiative to combat the nationwide epidemic regarding the use and distribution of heroin. Led by the United States Attorney’s Office, the Heroin Initiative targets heroin traffickers operating in the Middle District of Pennsylvania and is part of a coordinated effort among federal, state and local law enforcement agencies to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who commit heroin related offenses.
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Luzerne County Man Sentenced to 50 Month’s Imprisonment for Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
SCRANTON – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that on December 13, 2019, United States District Court Judge Robert D. Mariani sentenced Felix Silva, a/k/a Carlos Santana, a/k/a Hector Borero, age 51, a former resident of Hazleton, Pennsylvania, to 50 months’ imprisonment for drug trafficking.
According to United States Attorney David J. Freed, Silva was apprehended by the Pennsylvania State Police during a traffic stop on Interstate 81 in December 2017. A search of the vehicle with the assistance of a drug sniffing canine resulted in the seizure of more than 700 grams of heroin found concealed in a trap inside the door of Silva’s vehicle. Seven-hundred grams of heroin is approximately equivalent to 28,000 retail bags of heroin.
The investigation was conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration – Scranton, and the Pennsylvania State Police. Assistant United States Attorney Michelle Olshefski prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. The Department of Justice reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime.
This case was brought as part of a district wide initiative to combat the nationwide epidemic regarding the use and distribution of heroin. Led by the United States Attorney’s Office, the Heroin Initiative targets heroin traffickers operating in the Middle District of Pennsylvania and is part of a coordinated effort among federal, state and local law enforcement agencies to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who commit heroin related offenses.
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Long Island Man Indicted for Causing Overdose Death in Suffolk CountyRead the Press Release
Marlon Thompson was arraigned this afternoon in federal court in Central Islip before United States Magistrate Judge A. Kathleen Tomlinson on an indictment charging him with conspiracy to distribute cocaine base and heroin from April 2018 through May 2019, and distribution of a controlled substance containing fentanyl resulting in the fatal overdose of a Fredrick Koenig of Selden, New York, on December 26, 2018. Thompson was ordered detained pending trial.
Thompson was previously detained on state charges and was transferred into federal custody today.
Richard P. Donoghue, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, and Ray Donovan, Special Agent-in-Charge, Drug Enforcement Administration, New York Division (DEA), announced the charges.
“Marlon Thompson showed no regard for human life when he allegedly sold a lethal dose of fentanyl to the victim,” stated United States Attorney Donoghue. “This Office will continue to work tirelessly with our law enforcement partners to prosecute those who contribute to the opioid epidemic.” Mr. Donoghue thanked the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office and the Suffolk County Police Department for their assistance on the case.
“Drug trafficking trends indicate that poly-drug doses are being sold on the street without customers’ knowledge of its potency,” said DEA Special Agent-in-Charge Donovan. “Case in point, a toxic cocktail containing fentanyl resulted in a fatal overdose. I applaud our law enforcement partners on their diligent work throughout this investigation.”
If convicted of distributing a controlled substance causing the death of Koenig, the defendant faces a mandatory minimum term of 20 years’ imprisonment and up to a maximum of life in prison.
The charges in the indictment are allegations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. The government’s investigation is continuing.
The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s Long Island Criminal Division. Assistant United States Attorney Catherine M. Mirabile is in charge of the prosecution.
The Defendant:
MARLON THOMPSON
Age: 38
Selden, New YorkE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 19-CR-596 (DRH)
Leader of Large Drug Trafficking Organization and Five Associates Sentenced to Federal Prison for Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Brandon J. Fremin announced the sentencing of James C. Hull, age 41, of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, as part of Operation Hidden Fee, an extensive federal, state, and local investigation by the Middle District Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) aimed at a drug trafficking network based and operating in Baton Rouge.
On December 12, 2019, U.S. Chief Judge Shelly D. Dick sentenced Hull to 125 months in federal prison following his conviction of conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute and to distribute methamphetamine, crack cocaine, and heroin, distribution of methamphetamine, and unlawful use of a communications facility. The Court further sentenced Hull to 5 years of supervised release following his term of imprisonment.
According to admissions made as part of his guilty plea, from March 2017 and continuing to June 2017, Hull directed Cody Stafford, Dustin Henderson, William and Frank Lipscomb to store and distribute heroin, crack cocaine, and methamphetamine in their residences to distribute to customers Hull sent to those locations. Brian Hernandez, another associate, helped Hull distribute amounts of heroin and methamphetamine to Hernandez’s set of customers, and then paid Hull the cash owed for the drugs Hull supplied to him on credit. Agents learned that Henry Hayes and Byron Lawson supplied Hull with multi-ounce quantities of heroin and methamphetamine for distribution to others. During the execution of warrants in connection with this investigation, law-enforcement agents seized firearms from the residence of Cody Stafford and Dustin Henderson.
On June 20, 2019, U.S. Chief Judge Shelly D. Dick sentenced Henry Hayes to serve 120 months in prison for conspiracy to distribute and to possess with the intent to distribute heroin, methamphetamine, and crack cocaine. On August 22, 2019, Judge Dick sentenced Frank Lipscomb to serve 57 months in prison after he pled guilty to conspiracy to distribute and to possess with the intent to distribute heroin, methamphetamine, and crack cocaine, and unlawful use of a communications facility.
On October 1, 2019, U.S. District Judge Brian A. Jackson sentenced William Lipscomb to serve 63 months in prison after he pled guilty to conspiracy to distribute and to possess with the intent to distribute methamphetamine, crack cocaine, and heroin and unlawful use of a communications facility. On October 4, 2019, Judge Jackson sentenced Cody Stafford to serve 42 months in prison after he pled guilty to conspiracy to distribute and to possess with the intent to distribute heroin, methamphetamine, and crack cocaine. On October 21, 2019, Judge Jackson sentenced Dustin Henderson to serve 60 months in prison for conspiracy to distribute and to possess with the intent to distribute methamphetamine, heroin, and crack and possession of an unregistered short-barreled rifle and unregistered silencers.
Byron Lawson and Brian Hernandez pled guilty to conspiracy to distribute and to possess with the intent to distribute heroin, methamphetamine, and crack cocaine. Sentencing for Hernandez is set for January 2, 2020 and for Lawson on January 16, 2020.
U.S. Attorney Fremin stated, “The numerous convictions and significant sentences handed down in this case are a testament to the efforts of our prosecutors and our federal, state and local partners who consistently work with us to keep heroin, meth, and crack cocaine out of our communities. The investigation and prosecution of drug trafficking organizations requires intensive work by all involved, and this result shows that we will use all of the tools at our disposal to keep our streets free from these poisons.”
“Methamphetamine, heroin and crack cocaine are destructive poisons that can cause terrible harm to the quality of life in any community,” said Brad L. Byerley, Special Agent in Charge of DEA’s New Orleans Field Division. “Side by side with our federal, state and local law enforcement partners, DEA is holding drug dealers accountable. We are seizing their profits, shutting down their distribution networks, and putting dealers where they belong- behind bars. This investigation demonstrates our unending resolve to remove drug dealers from the communities here in the greater Baton Rouge area and across the country. These lengthy sentences will put these criminals out of commission for a long time.”
“The East Baton Rouge Sheriff’s Office is committed to continuing to work to get dangerous drugs and weapons off our community streets,” Sheriff Sid Gautreaux said. “I’m grateful for the partnership we have with the U.S. Attorney and his dedication to prosecuting these cases on the federal level for stronger sentencing.”
The investigation is yet another effort by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) Program, which was established in 1982 to mount a comprehensive attack against organized drug traffickers. Today, the OCDETF Program is the centerpiece of the United States Attorney General’s drug strategy to reduce the availability of drugs by disrupting and dismantling major drug trafficking organizations and money laundering organizations and related criminal enterprises. The OCDETF Program operates nationwide and combines the resources and unique expertise of numerous federal, state, and local agencies in a coordinated attack against major drug trafficking and money laundering organizations.
These ongoing investigations were led by the Drug Enforcement Administration with invaluable assistance from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives (ATF), the East Baton Rouge Parish Sheriff’s Office, the Baton Rouge City Police Department, and the Louisiana State Police. Other agencies also assisted in apprehending the defendants, including the U.S. Marshal’s Service, and the Sheriffs’ Offices in Ascension, Iberville, and West Baton Rouge Parishes.
These cases are being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Robert Piedrahita and Lyman E. Thornton III, and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Cal Leipold.
Law School Graduate Who Posed as Licensed Attorney Pleads Guilty to Mail Fraud and Aggravated Identity TheftRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – Roberta A. Guedes (40, Tampa) has pleaded guilty to mail fraud and aggravated identity theft in connection with a fraudulent scheme wherein she posed and practiced law as a licensed attorney. Guedes faces a maximum sentence of 22 years in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set.
According to the plea agreement, in 2014, Guedes graduated from Stetson University College of Law, but twice failed the Florida Bar exam. Guedes has never been licensed to practice law in Florida nor in any other state. Despite this, in the fall of 2014, Guedes incorporated two fake law firms—Ferguson and McKenzie LLC, and Immigration and Litigation Law Office, Inc. Guedes marketed her legal services and rented office space at the Rivergate Tower in downtown Tampa. She took on multiple client-victims, misrepresenting herself as an attorney. Guedes charged her client-victims fees for her services, which ranged from representation in immigration proceedings to family law matters. At times, Guedes impersonated a law school classmate and licensed attorney who had no involvement in Guedes’s sham law firms. As part of her fraudulent scheme, Guedes filed court pleadings and immigration petitions using her former classmate’s name and Florida Bar number, and also made several personal appearances in federal immigration court (Orlando) and Hillsborough County court posing as a licensed attorney.
Guedes furthered her fraudulent scheme by using other victims’ personal identity information. For example, Guedes used one victim’s social security number, birthdate, and other identifying information to open bank accounts, credit cards, and other lines of credit for personal expenses and business-related expenses for her sham law firms.
Any person who was, or knows of someone who may have been, a possible victim is urged to contact Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), at 1-866-DHS-2ICE or http://www.ice.gov/webform/hsi-tip-form.
This case was investigated by the Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations, and United States Citizenship and Immigration Services, with assistance from the Largo Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Frank Murray.
La Crosse Man Sentenced to 4 Years for Distributing MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. - Scott C. Blader, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that James A. Conner III, 44, La Crosse, Wisconsin, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge William M. Conley to 48 months in federal prison for distributing methamphetamine. Conner pleaded guilty to this charge on October 7, 2019.
Between November 2018 and January 2019, investigators from the La Crosse Police Department purchased approximately 52 grams of methamphetamine from Conner. During one of the controlled buys, Conner admitted to selling a half pound of methamphetamine every two to three days.
At sentencing, Judge Conley noted that the amount of methamphetamine purchased by investigators underestimates the scale of Conner’s dealings. Judge Conley also stated that, despite knowing the dangers of methamphetamine, Conner repeatedly provided people with a dangerous drug.
The charge against Conner was the result of an investigation conducted by the La Crosse Police Department, Wisconsin Department of Justice Division of Criminal Investigation, and Drug Enforcement Administration. The prosecution of the case has been handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Chadwick M. Elgersma.
Justice Department Seeks to Denaturalize Michigan Man Who Was Convicted in IsraelRead the Press Release
The Justice Department today filed a lawsuit seeking to revoke the naturalized United States citizenship of Abdul Jabbar Naji Shalabi, who allegedly concealed from U.S. immigration authorities his provision of material support to the terrorist organization Hamas by twice concealing bomb-making materials on behalf of a known Hamas bomb maker. According to the Department’s civil complaint, Shalabi, a native of Jordan, was convicted in Israel of providing such support to the terrorist organization. The complaint alleges that, throughout his naturalization proceedings, Shalabi concealed both his provision of support to Hamas and his Israeli conviction. The complaint was filed in federal court in the Eastern District of Michigan.
“We will use all available tools to enhance national security and counter the threat of terrorism,” said Assistant Attorney General Jody Hunt. “The Department of Justice is deeply committed to investigating and prosecuting individuals who defraud the American people and government by concealing their material support for terrorists.”
“This Administration is dedicated to keeping the American people safe and protecting the integrity of our legal immigration system,” said Ken Cuccinelli, Senior Official Performing the Duties of the Deputy Secretary for the Department of Homeland Security. “Through his behavior, this individual has proven unqualified for citizenship in the United States and must be held accountable for fraudulently obtaining that incredible privilege.”
According to the complaint, Shalabi, 39, a resident of Ypsilanti, Michigan, immigrated to the United States in 1997 but later left the United States to study at Bir Zeit University in the West Bank. The complaint alleges that in late 2002 Shalabi was arrested by Israeli authorities on suspicion of having concealed acetone, a bomb-making component, on behalf of Hamas bomb maker Ahmad Abu-Taha. Shalabi pleaded guilty in an Israeli court in March 2003 to Providing Service to an Unlawful Association (Hamas) and was incarcerated. The complaint alleges that following his release and return to the United States, Shalabi naturalized as a U.S. citizen in 2005, but lied about and concealed his provision of support to Hamas, arrest, conviction, and imprisonment.
“Any person who obtains American citizenship through lies is not entitled to the benefit of citizenship in our country, and this is especially true for people who support violent terrorist organizations such as Hamas,” said U.S. Attorney Schneider for the Eastern District of Michigan.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Detroit Field Office, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations, and the Civil Division’s Office of Immigration Litigation, District Court Section (OIL-DCS). The Criminal Division’s Office of International Affairs provided assistance. The case is being prosecuted by Senior Counsel for National Security Aaron Petty of OIL-DCS’s National Security and Affirmative Litigation Unit and Assistant U.S. Attorney Peter Caplan of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Michigan, with support from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Office of the Principal Legal Advisor.
The claims made in the complaint are allegations only, and there have been no determinations of liability.
Justice Department Files Lawsuit Against the City of Chicago to Enforce USERRA Rights of U.S. Army ReservistRead the Press Release
On Dec. 17, 2019, the Department of Justice filed a complaint in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois on behalf of Captain and Judge Advocate Derrick Strong against the City of Chicago Fire Department (CFD), alleging that the City violated the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act of 1994 (USERRA) when it failed to provide Strong with an opportunity, after his return from active duty military service, to take a promotional examination that he missed while deployed.
“Beginning with the American Revolution and every day since the Revolution, American patriots risked their lives to establish and defend our nation by serving in the United States armed forces. The United States has an obligation to ensure that employers do not penalize our servicemembers for performing their military duty,” said Assistant Attorney General Eric Dreiband of the Civil Rights Division. “Generations of Americans owe a debt of gratitude to our soldiers, sailors, and other servicemembers, and the United States Department of Justice remains committed to robust enforcement of civil rights protections for these brave women and men.”
“The men and women of our Armed Forces make personal sacrifices to protect our nation, and they have rights that must be respected,” said U.S. Attorney John R. Lausch Jr. of the Northern District of Illinois. “The Department of Justice will not falter in protecting the rights of those who selflessly serve our country.”
According to the complaint, Strong is currently assigned to the 416th Theater Engineer Command’s (TEC), Office of the Staff Judge Advocate as a trial counsel and administrative law attorney, where he provides legal advice and overall legal support to the 416th TEC and its Command. He is also employed as a cross-trained firefighter and emergency medical technician-basic (firefighter/EMT) for the Chicago Fire Department. Strong is currently assigned to Squad 5, which is a special operations heavy rescue unit. From Sept. 30, 2016, to June 26, 2017, he was actively deployed with the U.S. Army Reserve in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. While Strong was deployed, the city of Chicago administered a test for firefighters to become fire engineers. He alleges, as outlined in the complaint filed in federal court, that the CFD violated USERRA by failing to provide him with an opportunity to take a fire engineer promotional examination following his return to work upon his honorable discharge from active duty military service.
The Justice Department gives high priority to the enforcement of servicemembers’ rights under USERRA. This lawsuit stems from a referral to the Department of Justice from the U.S. Department of Labor, after an investigation by the Department of Labor’s Veterans’ Employment and Training Service. Additional information about USERRA can be found on the Justice Department’s websites at https://www.justice.gov/crt-military/employment-rights-userra and https://www.justice.gov/servicemembers, as well as on the Department of Labor’s website at https://www.dol.gov/agencies/vets/programs/userra.
Justice Department Files Lawsuit Against City of Chicago to Enforce USERRA Rights of U.S. Army ReservistRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – The Department of Justice on Tuesday filed a complaint in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois on behalf of Captain and Judge Advocate Derrick Strong against the City of Chicago Fire Department (CFD), alleging that the City violated the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act of 1994 (USERRA) when it failed to provide Strong with an opportunity, after his return from active duty military service, to take a promotional examination that he missed while deployed.
“The men and women of our Armed Forces make personal sacrifices to protect our nation, and they have rights that must be respected,” said John R. Lausch, Jr., United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois. “The Department of Justice will not falter in protecting the rights of those who selflessly serve our country.”
“Beginning with the American Revolution and every day since the Revolution, American patriots risked their lives to establish and defend our nation by serving in the United States armed forces. The United States has an obligation to ensure that employers do not penalize our servicemembers for performing their military duty,” said Assistant Attorney General Eric Dreiband of the Civil Rights Division. “Generations of Americans owe a debt of gratitude to our soldiers, sailors, and other servicemembers, and the United States Department of Justice remains committed to robust enforcement of civil rights protections for these brave women and men.”
According to the complaint, Strong is currently assigned to the 416th Theater Engineer Command’s (TEC), Office of the Staff Judge Advocate as a Trial Counsel and Administrative Law Attorney, where he provides legal advice and overall legal support to the 416th TEC and its Command. He is also employed as a Cross-Trained Firefighter and Emergency Medical Technician-Basic (Firefighter/EMT) for the Chicago Fire Department. Mr. Strong is currently assigned to Squad 5, which is a Special Operations Heavy Rescue unit. From Sept. 30, 2016, to June 26, 2017, he was actively deployed with the U.S. Army Reserve in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. While Strong was deployed, the City of Chicago administered a test for firefighters to become fire engineers. He alleges, as outlined in the complaint filed in federal court, that the CFD violated USERRA by failing to provide him with an opportunity to take a Fire Engineer promotional examination following his return to work upon his honorable discharge from active duty military service.
The Justice Department gives high priority to the enforcement of servicemembers’ rights under USERRA. This lawsuit stems from a referral to the United States Department of Justice from the United States Department of Labor, after an investigation by the Department of Labor’s Veterans’ Employment and Training Service. Additional information about USERRA can be found on the Justice Department’s websites here and here, as well as on the Department of Labor’s website here.
Justice Department Awards More Than $333 Million to Fight Opioid CrisisRead the Press Release
The Justice Department announced awards of more than $333 million to help communities affected by the opioid crisis. More than $12.5 million will help public safety and public health professionals in the District of Minnesota combat substance abuse and respond effectively to overdoses. Funds were awarded by the Department of Justice’s Office of Justice Programs.
“The opioid crisis has destroyed far too many lives and left too many Americans feeling helpless and hopeless,” said Principle Deputy Assistant Attorney General Katharine T. Sullivan for the Office of Justice Programs. “This epidemic—the most deadly in our nation’s history—is introducing new dangers and loading public health responsibilities onto the public safety duties of our law enforcement officers. The Department of Justice is here to support them during this unprecedented and extremely challenging time.”
United States Attorney Erica MacDonald said, “Everyday, families and communities are torn apart because of the opioid crisis. This funding will directly support communities throughout Minnesota that are working to combat the crisis and heal from its devastating impact.”
Awards will support an array of activities designed to reduce the harm inflicted by these dangerous drugs. Grants will help law enforcement officers, emergency responders and treatment professionals coordinate their response to overdoses. Funds will also provide services for children and youth affected by the crisis and will support the nationwide network of drug and treatment courts. Other awards will address prescription drug abuse, expand the capacity of forensic labs and support opioid-related research.
The following awards were made to organizations in the District of Minnesota:
Comprehensive Opioid Abuse Site-based Program: Category 1
Awardee:
Amount Awarded:
City of Minneapolis
$894,346
City of Duluth
$897,596
County of Itasca
$600,000
Comprehensive Opioid Abuse Site-based Program: Category 2
Awardee:
Amount Awarded:
Department of Public Safety – Bureau of Criminal Apprehension
$6,449,990
Enhancing Community Responses to the Opioid Crisis: Serving Our Youngest Crime Victims
Awardee:
Amount Awarded:
Native American Community Clinic
$750,000
Adult Drug Court and Veterans Treatment Courts Discretionary Grant Program: Category 1
Awardee:
Amount Awarded:
Carver County
$500,000
Judiciary Courts of the State of Minnesota
(Beltrami County Drug Court)
$499,979
Judiciary Courts of the State of Minnesota
(Mille Lacs County Drug Treatment Court)
$500,000
Judiciary Courts of the State of Minnesota
(Third Judicial District Veterans Treatment Court)
$500,000
Scott County
$500,000
Adult Drug Court and Veterans Treatment Courts Discretionary Grant Program: Category 2
Awardee:
Amount Awarded:
Anoka County Court Administration
$499,996
Information about these programs and awards is available here. For more information about the Office of Justice Programs awards, visit the OJP Awards Data webpage. The Office of Justice Programs, directed by Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Katharine T. Sullivan, provides federal leadership, grants, training and technical assistance, and other resources to improve the nation’s capacity to prevent and reduce crime, assist victims and enhance the rule of law by strengthening the criminal and juvenile justice systems. More information about OJP and its components can be found at www.ojp.gov.
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United States Attorney’s Office, District of Minnesota: (612) 664-5600
Jacksonville Man Sentenced to 20 Years in Prison for Distributing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – United States District Judge Marcia Morales Howard has sentenced Mark Wesley Schmit (50, Jacksonville) to 20 years in federal prison for distributing child pornography. Schmit was also ordered to serve a 10-year term of supervised release and to register as a sex offender.
Schmit had pleaded guilty on August 2, 2019.
According to court documents, during the course of the investigation of an unrelated child exploitation case, the FBI learned that a particular individual had exchanged a series of text messages with Schmit. At one point during that conversation, that individual sent several explicit videos to Schmit, claiming that they depicted his 13-year-old sister. In response, Schmit requested that the individual send him additional graphic sexual videos of that purported child. Schmit then sent an image to that individual, which depicted an adult male sexually assaulting a young girl.
On April 16, 2019, FBI agents arrested Schmit pursuant to a federal arrest warrant. During an interview, Schmit admitted to sending and receiving child pornography, and that he had a sexual interest in looking at images of underage girls. Schmit also admitted that he had used a fictitious internet persona to portray himself as a teenage boy, for the purpose of meeting underage girls through social media. In some cases, Schmit had cultivated long-term online relationships with his victims so that he could solicit them to send him sexual images of themselves. A subsequent investigation revealed that Schmit had solicited and received sexual images from at least three underage girls. A forensic analysis of Schmit’s cellphone revealed that it contained at least five images depicting the sexual abuse of young children.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation in Jacksonville. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney David B. Mesrobian.
This is another case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, 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.
Justice Department Awards More Than $333 Million to Fight Opioid CrisisRead the Press Release
More than $3.2 Million Will Support Efforts to Combat Drugs and Crime
in the Northern District of Ohio
The Justice Department’s Office of Justice Programs announced awards of more than $333 million to help communities affected by the opioid crisis. More than $3.2 million will help public safety and public health professionals in the Northern District of Ohio combat substance abuse and respond effectively to overdoses. OJP Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Katharine T. Sullivan made the announcement during a visit with local, state and federal officials in West Virginia, one of the states hardest hit by the epidemic.
“The opioid crisis has destroyed far too many lives and left too many Americans feeling helpless and hopeless,” said PDAAG Sullivan. “This epidemic—the most deadly in our nation’s history—is introducing new dangers and loading public health responsibilities onto the public safety duties of our law enforcement officers. The Department of Justice is here to support them during this unprecedented and extremely challenging time.”
With more than 130 people dying from opioid-related overdoses every day, the Department of Justice has made fighting addiction to opioids—including heroin and fentanyl—a national priority. The Trump Administration is providing critical funding for a wide range of activities—from preventive services and comprehensive treatment to recovery assistance, forensic science services and research—to help save lives and break the cycle of addiction and crime.
“These dollars will boost the efforts of our law enforcement, prevention, education and treatment efforts throughout northern Ohio,” said United States Attorney Justin Herdman. “We expect that these grants will save lives and help turn the tide of this multi-generational epidemic. The Department of Justice is committed to our partners here in Ohio and these funds are just one measure of that support.”
The awards support an array of activities designed to reduce the harm inflicted by these dangerous drugs. Grants will help law enforcement officers, emergency responders and treatment professionals coordinate their response to overdoses. Funds will also provide services for children and youth affected by the crisis and will support the nationwide network of drug and treatment courts. Other awards will address prescription drug abuse, expand the capacity of forensic labs and support opioid-related research.
The following awards were made to organizations in the Northern District of Ohio:
- Erie County: $600,000 to encourage and support development of a site-based program.
- Mental Health and Recovery Services Board of Lima County: $400,000 to facilitate justice and mental health collaboration programs.
- City of Cleveland: $750,000 to facilitate justice and mental health collaboration programs.
- Ashtabula County: $139,111 for Adult Drug Court and Veterans Treatment Court.
- Medina County Drug Court: $500,000 for Adult Drug Court and Veterans Treatment Court.
- Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court: $439,924 for Adult Drug Court and Veterans Treatment Court.
- Summit County: $455,471 for Adult Drug Court and Veterans Treatment Court.
Information about the programs and awards is available here. For more information about OJP awards, visit the OJP Awards Data webpage.
The Office of Justice Programs, directed by Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Katharine T. Sullivan, provides federal leadership, grants, training and technical assistance, and other resources to improve the nation’s capacity to prevent and reduce crime, assist victims and enhance the rule of law by strengthening the criminal and juvenile justice systems. More information about OJP and its components can be found at www.ojp.gov.
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Inland Empire Man Indicted on Bank Fraud Charges Alleging He Orchestrated $2.4 Million “Bust-Out” SchemeRead the Press Release
RIVERSIDE, California – A San Bernardino County man faces federal criminal charges that he masterminded a bank account “bust-out” scheme that defrauded Wells Fargo out of $2.4 million and compromised more than 900 of its accounts.
Steven Michael Banks Hubbard Jr., a.k.a. “Marcus” and “Man,” 36, of Rialto, was charged in an 11-count federal grand jury indictment returned today. Hubbard, who was arrested on a federal criminal complaint on December 6 and remains in custody, was indicted on nine counts of bank fraud and two counts of aggravated identity theft. His arraignment is scheduled for December 26 in United States District Court in Riverside.
The indictment alleges that, between May 2015 and July 2019, Hubbard executed his scheme to defraud by first convincing individuals to open a checking account at Wells Fargo. Once the accounts were opened, the customers gave Hubbard their debit cards, PIN codes, and their personal identifying information, the indictment alleges.
Using a customer’s account, Hubbard allegedly would deposit an average of more than $2,000 in cash into the customer’s account via a Wells Fargo ATM. Typically the same day, Hubbard would withdraw the cash that he had deposited into the customer’s account, according to the indictment.
Hubbard would then call Wells Fargo customer service, impersonate the bank customer, and report the debit card as being stolen; resulting in the cash withdrawal being deemed as fraudulent, according to an affidavit filed with a criminal complaint in this matter. Wells Fargo then would issue a provisional credit in the amount Hubbard claimed had been fraudulently withdrawn from the account, the affidavit states. Once Wells Fargo deposited the provisional credit into the account, Hubbard allegedly immediately withdrew that money as well. In some instances, Hubbard repeated the scheme on the same account until Wells Fargo closed the account due to fraudulent activity, according to the affidavit.
The indictment alleges Hubbard committed specific acts of bank fraud on several occasions in December 2017, March 2019 and May 2019.
Wells Fargo estimated the loss to the bank to be $2,433,341 and involved approximately 950 compromised accounts, according to the affidavit. Wells Fargo informed law enforcement of Hubbard’s alleged “bust-out” scheme.
An indictment contains allegations that a defendant has committed a crime. Every defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
If convicted, Hubbard would face a statutory maximum sentence of 30 years in federal prison for each count of bank fraud and two years in federal prison for each count of aggravated identity theft.
The FBI investigated this matter, with assistance from the United States Secret Service, the Rialto Police Department, and investigators from Wells Fargo.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jerry C. Yang of the Riverside Branch Office.