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Monday 4 November 2019
Dayton man pleads guilty to distributing opioids that caused overdose deathRead the Press Release
DAYTON – A Dayton man who was scheduled to stand trial today pleaded guilty to distributing carfentanil, fentanyl and heroin that resulted in at least one overdose death.
Myron D. Baker, 35, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court to two counts related to distributing opioids. Baker will face a mandatory minimum of 20 years up to life in prison for one count and a mandatory minimum of 10 years up to life in prison for one count.
According to court documents, beginning in at least January 2017, Baker conspired with others to obtain and distribute opioids in Gallipolis and Dayton for personal profit.
Baker, also known as “Science,” “Capo” or “Sci,” maintained a residence on Lexington Avenue in Dayton to store, package and distribute the drugs. He also maintained a video surveillance system at the residence for the protection of his drugs and money.
Baker and others distributed drugs in the Dayton area that resulted in a number of overdoses, at least one of which was fatal.
Specifically, in March 2017, two individuals bought what they thought was heroin from Baker and others in Trotwood. The substance actually contained carfentanil. Upon purchasing the drugs, the individuals drove to the parking lot of a Dayton area restaurant to use them. One individual snorted the drugs and the other used a syringe to inject the drugs. Both overdosed, and the person who injected the drugs could not be resuscitated and was pronounced dead the following morning.
As part of his plea, Baker accepted responsibility for causing the death of one individual and serious bodily injury to at least two others who experienced nonfatal overdoses.
David M. DeVillers, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, Joseph M. Deters, Acting Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division, and Dayton Police Chief Richard S. Biehl announced the plea entered into today before Senior U.S. District Judge Thomas M. Rose. Assistant United States Attorneys Sheila G. Lafferty and Amy M. Smith are representing the United States in this case.
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DEA New England and Partners Collect over 46 Tons of Drugs and Vaping Materials During Take Back DayRead the Press Release
Portland, Maine: U.S. Attorney Halsey B. Frank joined the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration in announcing that DEA New England and its partners collected 92,875 pounds of prescription drugs, electronic vaping devices and cartridges during the 18th National Drug Take Back Day on October 26, 2019. The following is a breakdown of collected weights for the six New England states:
Maine – 31,180 lbs.
Massachusetts – 30,959 lbs.
New Hampshire – 12,266 lbs.
Connecticut – 6,958 lbs.
Vermont – 6,734 lbs.
Rhode Island – 4,778 lbs.
“Thanks to the public 46 tons of unwanted, expired, unused, unwanted prescription drugs, electronic vaping devices and cartridges have now been taken out of harm’s way across New England,” said DEA Special Agent in Charge Brian D. Boyle. “These events are only made possible through the hard work of our law enforcement, coalitions and community partners and DEA thanks each and every one of them for their efforts.”
The 92,875 pounds of drugs and vaping materials collected last month is almost four times the 25,810 pounds of unwanted drugs that DEA New England and its partners collected during the first National Prescription Drug Take Back Day in September 2010.
DEA Issues Warning over Counterfeit Prescription Pills from MexicoRead the Press Release
Portland, Maine: U.S. Attorney Halsey B. Frank joined the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration in alerting the public to dangerous counterfeit pills killing Americans. Mexican drug cartels are manufacturing mass quantities of counterfeit prescription pills containing fentanyl, a dangerous synthetic opioid that is lethal in minute doses, for distribution throughout North America.
Based on a sampling of tablets seized nationwide between January and March 2019, DEA found that 27 percent contained potentially lethal doses of fentanyl.
“Capitalizing on the opioid epidemic and prescription drug abuse in the United States, drug trafficking organizations are now sending counterfeit pills made with fentanyl in bulk to the United States for distribution,” said DEA Acting Administrator Uttam Dhillon. “Counterfeit pills that contain fentanyl and fentanyl-laced heroin are responsible for thousands of opioid-related deaths in the United States each year.”
Fentanyl and other highly potent synthetic opioids remain the primary driver behind the ongoing opioid crisis, with fentanyl involved in more deaths than any other illicit drug.
“Buying drugs from street dealers is deadly especially when fentanyl is disguised as a real pharmaceutical,” said DEA Special Agent in Charge Brian D. Boyle. “The DEA and our local, state and federal law enforcement partners stand committed to taking deadly fentanyl off the streets of New England and ensuring those who manufacture and traffic these lethal pills are held accountable to the communities and families they damage with this poison.”
A lethal dose of fentanyl is estimated to be about two milligrams, but can vary based on an individual’s body size, tolerance, amount of previous usage and other factors. The full Fentanyl Signature Profiling Program Report on the recent drug sampling and testing is available here: https://go.usa.gov/xp2dJ.
Convicted felon sentenced to 13 years for methamphetamine and firearm chargesRead the Press Release
HONOLULU– Brian Ancho, 41, was sentenced today in federal court by Senior United States District Judge Susan Oki Mollway to 13 years of imprisonment for possession with intent to distribute 33 grams of methamphetamine, being a felon in possession of firearms and ammunition, and carrying firearms during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime.
According to court documents and information presented in court, on March 4, 2019, Ancho crashed his vehicle minutes after fleeing a traffic stop. Honolulu Police Department (HPD) officers responded to Moanalua Community Park, but Ancho, on supervised release from a prior felony gun conviction, had abandoned his vehicle. HPD officers located Ancho concealing himself in the Moanalua Stream and arrested him. Thereafter, two loaded firearms were found near him, along with a backpack filled with small plastic baggies, two scales, and methamphetamine. An additional firearm, methamphetamine, and drug ledgers written by the defendant were subsequently recovered from Ancho’s crashed vehicle.
At sentencing, Senior U.S. District Judge Mollway highlighted the need to protect the public given Ancho’s extensive criminal history and the nature and circumstances of the offense.
“This prosecution results from the exemplary work of federal agents and local law enforcement officers working together to keep the community safe by holding a convicted felon accountable for his continued refusal to comply with the law,” stated U.S. Attorney for the District of Hawaii Kenji M. Price.
“The sentence handed down to Mr. Ancho is a reflection of his blatant disregard for the rule of law,” said ATF Seattle Special Agent in Charge Darek Pleasants. “Sentences such as this one removes a dangerous offender from our streets and will hopefully serve as a deterrent to others.”
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 its 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.
The case was investigated by HPD, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sara D. Ayabe and Chris A. Thomas.
Convicted Felon Pleads Guilty to Federal Firearms Charges Following Stand Off with Police Last YearRead the Press Release
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – November 4, 2019 – Justin Jerome Jones, 31, of Nashville, Tennessee, pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court to three counts of being a convicted felon in possession of firearms, announced U.S. Attorney Don Cochran for the Middle District of Tennessee.
According to the facts presented at the plea hearing, on February 7, 2018, residents of the Tony Sudekum public housing neighborhood called police when they saw Jones outside a residence, arguing with his 11-year-old daughter, before firing several gunshots into the ground near the young girl. When officers from the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department (MNPD) arrived, Jones barricaded himself inside an apartment. MNPD S.W.A.T. officers, as well as federal agents, responded to the scene and Jones then repeatedly fired at the officers. One round struck an MNPD officer. After several hours, Jones exited the apartment and was immediately taken into federal custody.
A search warrant was then executed at the apartment and officers recovered several spent shell casings; a cocked .357 caliber revolver; a .38 caliber revolver; and parts from a 9mm pistol. Additional firearms parts and boxes of ammunition were also recovered from the apartment the following day. The investigation also determined that Jones had previously brandished the 9mm pistol at another person.
Jones had previously been convicted of aggravated robbery in Davidson County, Tennessee, in 2007, and was also convicted of aggravated robbery in Hamilton County, Ohio, in 2009, relating to armed bank robbery. Jones was released from custody in Ohio in December 2016, and paroled to the State of Mississippi.
Jones faces up to 30 years in prison when he is sentenced on March 13, 2020.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sunny A.M. Koshy and Joseph Montminy are prosecuting the case.
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Cleveland man charged in federal court after allegedly shooting at agentsRead the Press Release
A Cleveland man was charged in federal court after allegedly firing at federal agents.
Reuben Rankin, 34, was charged with one count of assault on a federal officer with a deadly weapon, one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm and one count of use of a firearm in relation to a crime of violence.
According to a criminal complaint filed in U.S. District Court:
Homeland Security Investigations approached a house on Dove Avenue in Cleveland on October 30 to execute a search warrant. Agents observed six shots fired from a 2011 Mercedes-Benz and an HSI agent returned fire. Rankin exited the vehicle and was arrested.
Law enforcement officials recovered a Kahr .45-caliber handgun and six spent shell casings from the vehicle.
Rank was previously convicted of witness intimidation, domestic violence, burglary, aggravated assault and abduction, according to the affidavit.
“This defendant is alleged to have shot at federal and local law enforcement during the execution of a search warrant,” U.S. Attorney Justin Herdman said. “We are grateful that no law enforcement officer was injured, and we stand by this very simple point – if you shoot at law enforcement investigating federal crimes, you can expect swift and severe charges in federal court.”
“The attempted shooting of HSI special agents is a stark reminder of the dangers associated with serving in law enforcement today,” said Vance Callender, HSI special agent in charge for Michigan and Ohio. “My agents rightfully defended themselves, protecting their fellow officers and the citizenry. There were several actions the agents took which demonstrated their bravery in the face of imminent danger. I am proud and honored to work with some of the finest special agents in the country.”
If convicted, the defendant’s sentence will be determined by the Court after review of factors unique to this case, including the defendant’s prior criminal record, if any, the defendant’s role in the offense and the characteristics of the violation. In all cases, the sentence will not exceed the statutory maximum and in most cases it will be less than the maximum.
Homeland Security Investigations investigated the case, which is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ranya Elzein.
A charge is only an allegation and is not evidence of guilt. A defendant is entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
City Hall supervisor sentenced to 18 months in prison for extortion, bribery, and other crimesRead the Press Release
A City of Cleveland employee was sentenced to 18 months in prison for extortion, bribery, and other crimes after he accepted below-market improvements on his property from a city contractor he supervised and directed city projects to benefit himself. He was also ordered to pay restitution to the City of Cleveland and the Internal Revenue Service.
Khalil Ewais, 44, previously pleaded guilty to Hobbs Act extortion, receipt of a bribe, federal program theft, making false statements and filing false tax returns.
Ewais worked in the Mayor’s Office of Capital Projects (“MOCAP”) as the construction Section Chief in the Engineering and Construction division. In that capacity, he oversaw construction inspectors who inspect work on the city’s roads, bridges and sidewalks. He had a fiduciary duty to act in the best interests of the city and its citizens.
Ewais also owned and operated Pioneer Engineering, a private engineering and consulting business that did work for private clients. He also, along with his brother and other family members, owned commercial and residential rental properties in and around Cleveland.
Company 1 bid on jobs with the City of Cleveland. In April 2015, it was awarded a contract to perform most of the resurfacing of residential streets in certain wards of Cleveland for two years. Company 1 bid approximately $5.8 million for the work.
Ewais, in his job with the city, had input into whether Company 1 received additional contracts from the city. Company 1 could not receive payment for the work it did until Ewais certified it was done appropriately. He could also direct Company 1 to complete “corrective work” which would cost the company additional time and money.
In August 2016, Ewais contacted multiple companies, including Company 1, about paving the parking lot adjacent to Captain’s Grill, a property at 6104 Storer Ave. that he and his brother owned. Quotes for the work ranged from $48,923 to $59,152. Another contractor that Ewais supervised as part of the residential streets project declined to bid.
Ewais contacted an owner of Company 1 on August 10, 2016, about the estimate for the parking lot and said “I need it to be in the $25K range.” The owner quickly responded, “I will do the job for a lump sum of $26,000.”
Even though the parking lot work was a private job for Ewais, he sent an email form his City email address to another City official regarding the sewer connection at the border of Ewais’s property and West 61st Street, and stated that “E&C [MOCAP’s Division of Engineering & Construction] directed the roadway work and the connection fix in the street as part of the E&C Requirement Contract.” In fact, no City agency had directed any roadway work on West 61st Street at that time, and the work was related to Ewais’s private construction project.
Ewais also used his official position to cause the city to pay to repave most of the short public alleyway next to the parking lot, West 62nd Place. Around Oct. 25, 2016, Company 1— at the direction of Ewais — instructed a subcontractor to expand the scope of its work on the parking lot job to include milling and paving the part of West 62nd Place that adjoined the parking lot, but not the short additional distance to reach the home at the end of the alleyway.
In causing the city to pay for repaving most of West 62nd Place, Ewais avoided the established process for selecting streets to be resurfaced. The city, through a contractor, had sought to rate the condition of all the streets in Cleveland leading up to the 2016 resurfacing program. The city’s pavement management group, which included Ewais, met to discuss the lowest-rated streets in each ward to recommend to the City Council members which streets to include as part of the resurfacing program. The list of streets to be resurfaced never included West 62nd Place, which never even received a rating in the evaluation process.
Ewais, without the necessary approvals and authorizations, created a task order to have West 62nd Place, the small alleyway next to the Captain’s Grill parking lot, resurfaced. As a result of Ewais’s actions, the City of Cleveland paid a total for $10,938 to have West 62nd Place resurfaced.
The parking lot work was completed on Nov. 5, 2016, with the parking lot connected to West 62nd Place. Company 1 spent approximately $81,534 to complete the work. Ewais paid $31,336 for the work and Company 1 did not request any further payment.
In December 2017, Ewais lied to federal agents when he was questioned about the repaving of West 62nd Place, falsely claiming that a Cleveland City Councilperson had selected West 62nd Place to be repaved.
Ewais also filed false tax returns in which he failed to report all of his income from his rental properties.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigations, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development – Office of Inspector General and the Cleveland Division of Police. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Chelsea S. Rice and Elliot Morrison.
California Woman Sentenced to Prison for Aiding and Abetting Production of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
A Madera County, California, woman was sentenced today to 200 months in prison, followed by 180 months of supervised release, for aiding and abetting the production of child pornography, announced Assistant Attorney General Brian A. Benczkowski of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott of the Eastern District of California.
Ashley Maddox, 32, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Dale A. Drozd of the Eastern District of California. According to admissions made in connection with her guilty plea on May 24, 2019, the defendant came to the attention of law enforcement in Fort Pierce, Florida, in the course of their investigation into an offender there. The investigation revealed that beginning in or about November 2015, Maddox had communicated with that offender, via the internet and mobile-based applications, about their mutual sexual interest in minors. A forensic examination of that individual’s cellular phone recovered Kik chat conversations between them. Over the course of these communications, Maddox requested that this individual send her images and video recordings in which he sexually abused a minor victim in his care. To encourage this individual to produce such images, Maddox requested that he commit specific acts, and indicated that the images she had received from him had aroused her. Maddox also sent him sexually explicit images of a minor to whom she had access.
The investigation was conducted by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations in Fort Pierce, Florida, and Fresno, California. Trial Attorney Nadia C. Prinz of the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS) and Assistant U.S. Attorney David L. Gappa of the Eastern District of California prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Cheyenne Man Sentenced to over Twenty-Two Years for Conspiracy to Distribute Controlled SubstancesRead the Press Release
Cheyenne, Wyoming resident Jonathon Ray Swan, was sentenced on November 1, 2019, to 270 months (22.5 years) in federal prison by Chief Federal District Court Judge Scott W. Skavdahl. After a three-day trial held July 29 - 31, 2019, in Casper, Wyoming, Jonathon Swan was found guilty of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and for carrying a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime.
On December 16, 2018, Cheyenne law enforcement conducted a traffic stop on a Jonathon Swan’s vehicle on Interstate 25 at the intersection of Interstate 80, for having an unreadable temporary registration in the back window of the vehicle. A Cheyenne K9 Officer and his canine partner were also present at the time of the traffic stop. During the course of the traffic stop, the certified canine conducted a free air sniff around the exterior of the vehicle and indicated to the odor of an illegal narcotic.
A subsequent search of the vehicle was conducted which led to the seizure of approximately 955 grams (approximately 2.1 pounds) of methamphetamine. Also located during the search of the vehicle was a Charter Arms, .38 special revolver. In addition, officers located three digital scales and packaging materials consistent with the sale and delivery of controlled substances. Jonathon Swan was the sole occupant of the vehicle.
“This case is an example of what we can accomplish when federal and local law enforcement work together to target drug trafficking activity. The Defendant’s conviction helps stem the flow of illegal drugs into our communities and has removed a potentially violent offender from our streets,” stated United States Attorney Mark A. Klaassen.
Swan will serve sixty months of supervised release upon completion of his prison sentence and was ordered to pay $500.00 in community restitution and a special assessment of $200.00.
This case results from an ongoing Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) joint investigation conducted by the Cheyenne Police Department, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking, weapons trafficking and money laundering organizations, and those primarily responsible for the nation’s illegal drug supply.
Buffalo Woman Going to Prison for Selling FentanylRead the Press Release
CONTACT: Barbara Burns
PHONE: (716) 843-5817
FAX #: (716) 551-3051BUFFALO, N.Y. – U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy, Jr. announced today that Yuminique Toney, 27, of Buffalo, NY, who was convicted of distribution of fentanyl, was sentenced to serve eight months in prison by U.S. District Judge Richard J. Arcara.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy C. Lynch, who handled the case, stated that in May 2018, the defendant sold two grams of fentanyl and 14 grams of crack cocaine to an undercover law enforcement officer
The sentencing is the culmination of an investigation by Special Agents of the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Ray Donovan, New York Field Division, and the Erie County Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Sheriff Timothy Howard.
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Broward County Resident Sentenced to Seventeen Years in Federal Prison for String of Armed RobberiesRead the Press Release
Ariana Fajardo Orshan, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, Ari C. Shapira, Special Agent in Charge, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Miami Field Office, Gregory Tony, Sheriff, Broward Sheriff’s Office (BSO), and Anthony W. Rosa, Chief, Sunrise Police Department, announced that Dwight Courtney Grinion, 25, of Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge William P. Dimitrouleas to a total of 17 years in prison and 5 years of supervised release for armed robberies in South Florida.
On Aug. 13, 2019, Grinion pled guilty to three counts of Hobbs Act robbery, one count of discharging a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence, and one count of brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence (Case No. 19-CR-60115-WPD).
According to the court record, including an agreed upon factual proffer, Grinion robbed commercial establishments at gunpoint between March 22, 2019 and April 24, 2019. On March 22, 2019, he robbed a Subway restaurant in Ft. Lauderdale and discharged a revolver during the commission of the crime. On April 20, 2019, Grinion robbed a Dunkin Donuts store in Sunrise, Florida at gunpoint. The last robbery, on April 24, 2019, occurred at Designers Jewelry Collection, a jewelry store at the Sawgrass Mills Mall in Sunrise. During that robbery, Grinion pointed a revolver at an employee of the jewelry store while stealing a gold bracelet worth approximately $2,500.
All of the victim companies purchase products in interstate commerce and sell products to customers throughout the United States and abroad.
U.S. Attorney Fajardo Orshan commended the investigative efforts of ATF, BSO and Sunrise Police Department in this matter. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert Juman.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or on http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov.
Box Elder man admits domestic assaultRead the Press Release
GREAT FALLS—A Box Elder man accused of assaulting and strangling a woman on the Rocky Boy’s Indian Reservation pleaded guilty on Nov. 1 to domestic assault by habitual offender, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.
Henry James Daychild, Jr., 41, admitted to the crime during a hearing before U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris. Judge Morris set sentencing for Feb. 13, 2020. Daychild was detained pending further proceedings.
Daychild faces a maximum 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release.
The prosecution said in court records that Daychild assaulted the victim on May 23, 2018 by hitting her and strangling her multiple times. The victim lost consciousness twice during the assault. She escaped to a neighbor’s home to call the police and sought medical care. The victim has sustained serious injuries in the past as a result of Daychild’s abuse.
Daychild has four prior tribal domestic violence convictions.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jared Cobell is prosecuting the case, which was investigated by the FBI and the Chippewa Cree Criminal Investigations.
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Birmingham Man Sentenced to Ten Years in Prison for Trafficking Nearly Half a Kilogram of Deadly FentanylRead the Press Release
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – A federal judge today sentenced a Birmingham man to 121 months in prison for possessing nearly half a kilogram of the highly addictive and extremely potent opioid fentanyl with the intent to distribute, announced United States Attorney Jay E. Town and Drug Enforcement Administration Assistant Special Agent in Charge Clay Morris.
United States District Judge R. David Proctor sentenced BOB COTCHERY, III, 48, to just over ten years in prison on one count of possession with the intent to distribute over 400 grams of fentanyl.
“Another peddler of this deadly poison has been removed from the streets of the Northern District of Alabama,” Town said. “This sentence sends a clear message that the death and destruction of those who want to introduce fentanyl into my District will be met with the full force of the Department of Justice and federal prison beds are reserved for all them, this one for over a decade.”
“Thanks to the great work by the Birmingham Police Department, DEA was able to assist in bringing yet another drug dealer to justice,” Morris said. “Armed with enough fentanyl to kill tens of thousands of people, Cotchery recklessly endangered innocent citizens in our community. DEA, BPD and the United States Attorney’s Office will not tolerate those who sell poison and wreak havoc in our communities. We will protect your families and send those who sell death and addiction to prison.”
At the conclusion of a two-day trial, Cotchery was found guilty by a federal jury on May 2, 2019, of one count of possession with the intent to distribute over 400 grams of fentanyl. Evidence at trial showed that on the evening of December 14, 2017, Birmingham police officers on routine patrol in the Norwood area of Birmingham attempted to stop Cotchery for a traffic violation. Seeing police, Cotchery bailed out of his moving car and fled. Officers gave chase into a dark alley where they saw Cotchery crouch down near a car just before he was taken into custody. Under the car near where Cotchery bent down, officers recovered a Ziploc plastic bag, which was later determined to contain 494 grams of fentanyl.
The DEA and Birmingham Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Gregory R. Dimler and Mohammad Khatib prosecuted the case.
Berkeley County woman sentenced for role in cocaine, heroin, and fentanyl distribution operationRead the Press Release
MARTINSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Courtney Guess, of Martinsburg, West Virginia, was sentenced today to 30 months incarceration for her role in a cocaine, heroin, and fentanyl distribution operation, U.S. Attorney Bill Powell announced.
Guess, age 24, pled guilty to one count of “Distribution of Heroin” in July 2019. Guess admitted to selling heroin in Berkeley County in May 2018.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Lara K. Omps-Botteicher, Special Assistant U.S. Attorney C. Lydia Lehman, also with the Berkeley County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office, and Assistant U.S Attorney Timothy D. Helman, prosecuted the case on behalf of the government. The Federal Bureau of Investigation; the West Virginia State Police; the Eastern Panhandle Drug & Violent Crimes Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative; the Berkeley County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office, the Berkeley County Sheriff’s Office, the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office, the Martinsburg Police Department, the Charles Town Police Department, and the Ranson Police Department investigated.
The investigation was funded by the federal Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force Program (OCDETF). The OCDETF program supplies critical federal funding and coordination that allows federal and state agencies to work together to successfully identify, investigate, and prosecute major interstate and international drug trafficking organizations and other criminal enterprises.
Chief U.S. District Judge Gina M. Groh presided.
Berkeley County woman sentenced for firearms chargeRead the Press Release
MARTINSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Mary Virginia Cook, of Martinsburg, West Virginia, was sentenced today to five years’ probation for a firearms charge, U.S. Attorney Bill Powell announced.
Cook, age 26, pled guilty to one count of “Aiding and Abetting a False Statement During Purchase of Firearms” in July 2019. Cook admitted to making false statements when purchasing a .40 caliber pistol and a 9mm pistol in Berkeley County in February 2018.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). Project Safe Neighborhoods 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.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Lara K. Omps-Botteicher prosecuted the case on behalf of the government. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Martinsburg Police Department investigated.
Chief U.S. District Judge Gina M. Groh presided.
Berkeley County man sentenced for drug traffickingRead the Press Release
MARTINSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Anthony Wayne Harrison, II, of Martinsburg, West Virginia, was sentenced today to four months’ probation for distributing heroin, United States Attorney Bill Powell announced.
Harrison, age 30, pled guilty to one count of “Distribution of Heroin” in July 2019. Harrison admitted to selling heroin in Berkeley County in July 2018.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Lara Omps-Botteicher prosecuted the case on behalf of the government. The Eastern Panhandle Drug & Violent Crimes Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, investigated.
Chief U.S. District Judge Gina M. Groh presided.
Baton Rouge Man Pleads Guilty in Federal Court to Multi-Million Dollar Bank and Wire Fraud SchemesRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Brandon J. Fremin announced today that Michael Allen Worley, age 57, of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, pled guilty before U.S. District Judge John W. deGravelles to bank fraud and wire fraud. As a result of his conviction, Worley faces a significant term of imprisonment, a fine, and a period of supervised release.
According to admissions made as part of his guilty plea, Worley executed schemes to defraud both banks and private equity firms by submitting multiple false and fraudulent loan applications on behalf of himself and of businesses he owned or operated. Between 2014 and 2018, Worley obtained more than $18 million in new loans from federally-insured banks in Baton Rouge and around the country through materially false and fraudulent statements and representations. Through a similar scheme, Worley obtained at least an additional $11 million from private equity firms in Louisiana and Texas, also through materially false and fraudulent statements and representations. During the course of both his bank and wire fraud schemes, Worley inflated his assets, understated and omitted his liabilities, misrepresented his income, and often misrepresented other things including the intended use(s) of millions in loan proceeds. In some instances, Worley and the businesses he owned, operated, or controlled, defaulted on the loans, causing the financial institutions and private equity funds to suffer financial losses. Worley filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in January of 2018.
U.S. Attorney Brandon J. Fremin stated, “This investigation and conviction demonstrates that those who seek to deceive and defraud banks and other lenders for their own personal benefit will be held accountable. Mr. Worley executed schemes to fraudulently induce banks and private lenders into giving him millions of dollars, and used unwitting associates of his to assist him. Individuals like Mr. Worley who obtain loans through fraudulent means can expect to be prosecuted, and victims of such schemes should know we will do everything within our power to make these lenders whole. I would like to recognize the efforts of our prosecutor and the FBI for their exemplary work on such an important matter.”
Bryan A. Vorndran, FBI New Orleans Special Agent in Charge stated, “Today’s guilty plea holds Michael Worley accountable for orchestrating a multi-year scheme to defraud private lenders and federally insured financial institutions of tens of millions of dollars. The FBI New Orleans Field Office is dedicated to investigating crimes of greed and deceit and bringing to justice those, such as Worley, who exploit the finances of their victims.”
This matter is being investigated by the Baton Rouge Resident Agency of the Federal Bureau of Investigations and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Peter J. Smyczek.
Baltimore Plaintiffs’ Law Firm Saiontz & Kirk, P.A., Pays the United States over $90,000 to Settle Allegations that it Failed to Reimburse Medicare for Payments Made on Behalf of Firm ClientsRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Robert K. Hur announced that Saiontz & Kirk, P.A., a Baltimore-based law firm, has paid the United States $91,406.98 to resolve allegations that it failed to reimburse Medicare for conditional payments that had been made to medical providers on behalf of firm clients.
“Plaintiffs’ attorneys cannot refer a case to or enter into a joint representation agreement with co-counsel and simply wash their hands clean of their obligations to reimburse Medicare for its conditional payments,” said U.S. Attorney Robert K. Hur. “We intend to hold attorneys accountable for failing to make good on their obligations to repay Medicare for its conditional payments, regardless of whether they were the ones primarily handling the litigation for the plaintiff.”
According to the settlement agreement, over a number of years, Medicare made conditional payments to healthcare providers to satisfy medical bills for firm clients. Under the Medicare statute and regulations, Medicare is authorized to make conditional payments for medical items or services under certain circumstances, with the requirement that when an injured person receives a tort settlement or judgment, those receiving the proceeds of the settlement or judgment, including the injured person’s attorney, are required to repay Medicare for the conditional payments.
During that period, the firm referred clients to or entered into joint representation agreements with co-counsel on four of the six matters about which the U.S. Attorney’s office contacted the firm. The government contends that the firm, either itself or together with co-counsel, negotiated for and received settlement proceeds for the firm’s clients, but neither the firm nor its clients repaid Medicare for conditional payments that Medicare made to medical providers.
The claims resolved by this settlement are allegations. The settlement is not an admission of liability by Saiontz & Kirk, P.A., nor a concession by the United States that its claims are not well founded.
This settlement reminds attorneys of their obligation to reimburse Medicare for conditional payments after receiving settlement or judgment proceeds for their clients. This is no less true for plaintiffs’ attorneys who refer cases to co-counsel or jointly represent plaintiffs.
U.S. Attorney Robert K. Hur commended Eric Wolfish, Assistant Regional Counsel, United States Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the General Counsel, Region III, for his work in the investigation. Mr. Hur also thanked Assistant United States Attorney Alan C. Lazerow, who handled the case.
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Another Member of Violent New Haven Gang Sentenced to Long Federal Prison TermRead the Press Release
John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that CLIFFORD BRODIE, also known as “Cliff G,” 23, of New Haven, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Michael P. Shea in Hartford to 168 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for his role in a violent street gang.
According to court documents and statements made in court, in 2016, the New Haven Police Department’s Shooting Task Force and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) began investigating numerous unsolved shootings that had occurred in New Haven and Hamden. Ballistic examination of recovered cartridge cases determined that three firearms were used in 18 shootings committed in or around New Haven in 2016. The investigation revealed that the firearms were possessed by members and associates of the Goodrich Street Boys (“GSB”), a New Haven street gang, and that GSB members also were involved in a number of other shootings in 2016, many of them retaliatory against rival gang members.
On August 3, 2017, a grand jury in New Haven returned a 13-count indictment charging Brodie and five other GSB members with racketeering, attempted murder, firearm and narcotics trafficking offenses. The indictment alleged that, between September 2015 and May 2016, GSB members and associates were involved in six gang-related shootings that caused injuries to five individuals.
Brodie previously pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to engage in a pattern of racketeering activity and one count of brandishing of a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence. In pleading guilty, Brodie admitted that he and other GSB members conspired to kill an individual who they believed had been disrespectful to a GSB member. On May 27, 2016, Brodie and other GSB members ambushed the individual and his friend as the pair were walking on a busy street in New Haven. The individual, who survived the attack, identified Brodie’s brother, Milton Westley, as an assailant. Westley first shot the victim in the stomach. After the victim collapsed to the ground, Westley stood over him and shot him in the head. Another GSB member shot the second victim in the hand as he attempted to shield his face. Brodie chased the second victim with his car in an attempt to drive over him and kill him.
The victim who was shot in the stomach and head continues to recover from his injuries. He was in a coma for several weeks and had to learn to walk and talk again. This victim had been shot at by GSB members twice prior to May 27, 2016.
Brodie also has admitted that was involved in the shootings of rival gang members in January and April 2016.
GSB members also shot at rival gang members on February 6, 2016, in a densely populated residential area; March 13, 2016, during a heavily attended St. Patrick’s Day parade in downtown New Haven; and July 21, 2016, during which an innocent bystander was shot in the chest through her bedroom window.
GSB members also used social media to post pictures and videos of themselves with firearms, and used social media to threaten rivals, including individuals who might cooperate with law enforcement.
The investigation further revealed that Brodie and other GSB members were involved in the acquisition and distribution of heroin, cocaine and marijuana.
Brodie has been detained since his arrest on August 9, 2017.
Brodie is the fourth GSB member to be sentenced. On October 24, 2019, Michael Via, also known as “Mike Live,” was sentenced to 78 months in prison. On October 30, 2019, Michael Belle, also known as “MB,” was sentenced to 87 months in prison. On October 31, 2019, Milton Westley, also known as “Reese,” was sentenced to 156 months in prison. Two other GSB members have pleaded guilty and await sentencing.
U.S. Attorney Durham noted that federal prisoners are required to serve at least 85 percent of their prison term and are not eligible for parole.
U.S. Attorney Durham further noted that federal law prohibits any retaliation against a federal witness. If persons retaliate against a federal witness “because of attendance at or testimony in a criminal case, the maximum term of imprisonment which may be imposed for the offense under this section shall be the higher of that otherwise provided by law or the maximum term that could have been imposed for any offense charged in that case.” Because the maximum term charged in the case was life imprisonment, anyone who tampers with a federal witness in this case faces life imprisonment.
This prosecution is a part of the Justice’s Department’s Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) program and Project Longevity. PSN is a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make neighborhoods safer for everyone. Project Longevity is a comprehensive initiative to reduce gun violence in Connecticut’s major cities. Through Project Longevity, community members and law enforcement directly engage with members of groups that are prone to commit violence and deliver a community message against violence, a law enforcement message about the consequences of further violence and an offer of help for those who want it.
This investigation is being conducted by ATF and the New Haven Police Department. The FBI, Hamden Police Department and New Haven State’s Attorney’s Office have provided critical assistance in the investigation.
An instrumental component of this investigation has been the work of the Connecticut State Crime Laboratory in utilizing the National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (NIBIN) to analyze ballistics evidence.
This matter is being prosecuted in the District of Connecticut by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Peter D. Markle, Rahul Kale and Jocelyn Courtney Kaoutzanis.
Amsterdam Man Indicted on Heroin and Fentanyl ChargesRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Edwin Rodriguez, a/k/a “Chaka,” age 31, of Amsterdam, New York, was indicted on October 30 on charges that he distributed heroin mixed with fentanyl on two occasions, and possessed and intended to distribute more than 100 grams of heroin mixed with fentanyl.
The announcement was made by United States Attorney Grant C. Jaquith; Special Agent in Charge Ray Donovan, U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), New York Division; and City of Amsterdam Police Chief Gregory J. Culick.
According to the indictment, Rodriguez distributed heroin mixed with fentanyl on April 18, 2019 and May 3, 2019, both times in Amsterdam.
On May 15, 2019, according to the indictment and a previously filed criminal complaint, Rodriguez was the subject of a traffic stop in Amsterdam, and was found to be carrying, in his pants, more than 100 grams of heroin mixed with fentanyl. Also on May 15, according to the complaint, law enforcement executed a search warrant on Rodriguez’s Amsterdam residence, and found additional quantities of heroin and fentanyl, and packaging materials.
The charges in the indictment are merely accusations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
If convicted, Rodriguez faces at least 5 years and up to 40 years in prison, and a term of post-imprisonment supervised release of at least 4 years and up to life. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other factors.
This case is being investigated by the DEA and the Amsterdam Police Department, and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Barnett.
Friday 1 November 2019
Yankton Man Charged with Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily InjuryRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced that a Yankton, South Dakota, man has been indicted by a federal grand jury for Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury.
Robert Desersa, age 33, appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Daneta Wollmann and pleaded not guilty to the Indictment.
The maximum penalty upon conviction is 10 years in federal prison, 3 years of supervised release, and $100 to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Restitution may also be ordered.
The charge relates to Desersa assaulting another male in Sunrise Housing at Martin, South Dakota, on September 17, 2019. This assault resulted in serious bodily injury to the male.
The charge is merely an accusation and Desersa is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
The investigation is being conducted by the Martin Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Megan Poppen is prosecuting the case.
Desersa was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending trial. A trial date will be set.
Wyoming County Man Pleads Guilty to Illegal Possession of FirearmsRead the Press Release
SCRANTON - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Robert Hoyt, age 55, of Eaton Township, Wyoming County, pleaded guilty on October 31, 2019, before United States District Court Judge Robert D. Mariani, being an unlawful user of controlled substances in possession of firearms and ammunition.
According to United States Attorney David J. Freed, Hoyt admitted that between November 11, 2018 and April 9, 2019, he possessed six firearms, as well as ammunition, while being a user of methamphetamine and heroin. The charges stem from an incident in which law enforcement authorities searched Hoyt’s residence in Eaton Township and seized six firearms, ammunition and heroin.
This matter was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Kingston Police Department, and the Pennsylvania State Police. Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert J. O’Hara is prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program that has been historically successful in bringing together all levels of law enforcement 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 enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce crime.
A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
The maximum penalty for the offense is ten years’ imprisonment and a fine. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the Judge is also required to consider and weigh a number of factors, including the nature, circumstances and seriousness of the offense; the history and characteristics of the defendant; and the need to punish the defendant, protect the public and provide for the defendant's educational, vocational and medical needs. For these reasons, the statutory maximum penalty for the offense is not an accurate indicator of the potential sentence for a specific defendant.
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Wilkes-Barre Woman Sentenced to 42 Months’ Imprisonment for Executing Romance ScamRead the Press Release
SCRANTON—The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Joy Dykes, age 37, of Wilkes-Barre, was sentenced on October 29, 2019, to 42 months’ imprisonment by United States District Court Judge Robert D. Mariani for her involvement in a romance scam that duped an unsuspecting victim out of approximately $124,000.
According to United States Attorney David J. Freed, Dykes previously admitted to conspiring to commit money laundering by wire fraud on November 30, 2018. Dykes’ was involved in an on-line scheme to defraud a Staten Island, New York woman of money by creating multiple fictitious identities. Dykes lured the victim into a romantic relationship, and solicited money from the victim for allegedly buying a house jointly with the fictitious boyfriend in Hershey, Pennsylvania. Dykes then pretended to be a lawyer prosecuting the fictitious boyfriend for defaulting on the mortgage payments and would threaten the victim that she would be arrested for nonpayment by impersonating an FBI agent. The scheme involved threats and coercion, to which the victim responded by sending cash and/or money transfers to Dykes.
Dykes unlawfully received approximately $124,000 from the victim of the fraud. The money laundering conspiracy began in November 2011 and continued through February 2016.
Judge Mariani decided to depart upwards from the 24 to 30 months’ guidelines to 42 months, by describing the crime as “predatory, cruel, deceitful, and prolonged, with a significant impact on the victim.” Judge Mariani also ordered Dykes to serve two years on supervised release following her prison sentence, and ordered her to pay $124,759.00 in restitution to the victim.
The case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service – Scranton Office. Assistant United States Attorney Michelle L. Olshefski prosecuted the case.
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Virginia Man Sentenced to Eight Years in Prison for Sexually Assaulting Intoxicated WomanRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Omar Afzali, 29, of Woodbridge, Virginia, was sentenced today to eight years in prison for sexually assaulting an incapacitated woman in July, 2016, and aiding his cousin in doing the same thing, at a hotel in Northwest Washington, U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Liu announced today.
Afzali pleaded guilty to two counts of second-degree sexual abuse, one for his own sexual assault, and the other for aiding and abetting the sexual assault committed by his cousin. The Honorable Todd E. Edelman sentenced Afzali to eight years in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release. Afzali will also be required to register as a sex offender for life.
According to the government’s evidence, the victim first met Afzali after unsuccessfully attempting to hail a cab after leaving a D.C. nightclub in the early morning hours of July 9, 2016. The victim, who became intoxicated while socializing with her friends earlier that night, accepted Afzali’s offer of a ride. Afzali ended up taking the woman to a hotel on Rhode Island Avenue, N.W. Security camera video at the hotel showed that the victim was so incapacitated by alcohol and other substances upon arriving at the hotel that, even with Afzali’s assistance, she was stumbling and bumped, face first, into a hallway wall. When Afzali and the woman got to the hotel’s front desk, Afzali had to hold her up so she would not fall down while he filled out the hotel’s paperwork. While Afzali signed them into the hotel, security cam video shows that the victim put her head down on the desk and did not lift her head again until Afzali pulled her away toward the hotel’s elevators.
Afzali took the victim to a hotel room where, he admitted, he engaged her in sexual acts, including anal intercourse. Afzali further admitted that at the time he had sex with the victim, she was so incapacitated that she was unable to decline, or even to communicate her unwillingness, to engage in sex with Afzali.
When Afzali finished sexually assaulting the victim, he left the hotel and immediately contacted one of his male cousins, telling his cousin about the victim and how he had just had sex with her. Afzali drove to pick up his cousin, and then drove his cousin back to the hotel, giving his cousin the card key to the hotel room in which Afzali had left the incapacitated victim. Afzali told his cousin that he would find both the victim, and some unused condoms, in that hotel room. Afzali’s cousin then went to the hotel room and engaged the victim in multiple acts of vaginal intercourse. The cousin later testified that, during his encounter with the victim, she could barely function and was only partially conscious.
Afzali admitted at the plea hearing that he aided and abetted his cousin’s sexual assault of the victim. He further admitted that, during the time his cousin was sexually assaulting the victim, both Afzali and his cousin knew, or had reason to know, that the victim was too incapacitated to know what was happening, let alone to consent to having sex with them.
Although the victim had no recollection of the sexual assaults or of being with either Afzali or his cousin that night, DNA analysis showed that both men’s DNA was on swabs taken of the victim’s intimate body parts.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Liu commended the work of the Sexual Assault Unit of the Metropolitan Police Department, the District of Columbia Department of Forensic Sciences, the D.C. Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, and the District of Columbia Forensic Nurse Examiners. She also acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Michael Ambrosino, Special Counsel for DNA and Forensic Evidence Litigation, and Forensic Operation/Program Specialist Elizabeth Marrero, who assisted with DNA issues; Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sharon Marcus-Kurn, Mark O’Brien, Amy Zubrensky and Sarah McClellan; Paralegal Specialists Brenda C. Williams and Tiffany Jones; Supervisory Victim Witness Service Coordinator Katina Adams-Washington; and Victim/ Witness Advocate Juanita Harris.
Finally, U.S. Attorney Liu commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys J. Matt Williams and Peter V. Taylor, who investigated and prosecuted this case.
U.S. Navy Officer, His Wife, and Two Chinese Nationals Charged with Conspiring to Smuggle Military Style Inflatable Boats and Evinrude Military Outboard Motors to ChinaRead the Press Release
Assistant Attorney General John C. Demers and U.S. Attorney Maria Chapa Lopez for the Middle District of Florida announces the return of an indictment today of four individuals, including two Chinese nationals, an active-duty United States Navy officer, and his wife, on charges relating to a conspiracy to unlawfully smuggle military-style inflatable boats, with Evinrude MFE military outboard motors, to the People’s Republic of China. The Navy officer and two other defendants have also been charged with conspiring to violate firearms law, and the Navy officer has been charged with an additional firearms-related offense and with making false official statements.
The four defendants charged in the indictment are:
Fan Yang, 34, a naturalized citizen of the United States and Lieutenant in the United States Navy residing in Jacksonville, Florida; Yang Yang, 33, wife of Fan Yang, and a naturalized citizen of the United States residing in Jacksonville, Florida; Ge Songtao, 49, a citizen and resident of the People’s Republic of China; and Zheng Yan, 27, a citizen and resident of the People’s Republic of China.
The defendants were arrested on Oct. 17, 2019, and are currently detained.
All four defendants have been charged with conspiring to submit false export information and to fraudulently attempt to export articles from the United States. Additionally, Yang Yang, Ge Songtao, and Zheng Yan have been charged with causing the submission of false and misleading information into the U.S. Automated Export System, and fraudulently attempting to export seven vessels and eight engines. If convicted for conspiracy or for the submission of false export information, the charged defendants each face a maximum penalty of five years in federal prison. If convicted on the attempted-smuggling charge, the defendants each face a maximum sentence of 10 years in federal prison.
Fan Yang, Yang Yang, and Ge Songtao are charged with other offenses as well. All three have been charged with conspiring to violate laws prohibiting an alien admitted under a nonimmigrant visa from possessing a firearm and prohibiting the transfer of a firearm to a nonresident. Fan Yang has also been charged with making a false statement to a firearms dealer, which carries a maximum penalty of 10 years’ imprisonment, and with making false official statements in his application for a security clearance, which carries a maximum penalty of five years’ imprisonment.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case was investigated by the FBI, the U.S. Naval Criminal Investigative Service, the U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of Industry and Security; and the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michael Coolican and Heather Schmidt, Senior Trial Attorney, Counterintelligence and Export Section, U.S. Department of Justice.
U.S. Navy Officer, His Wife, and Two Chinese Nationals Charged with Conspiring to Smuggle Military-Style Inflatable Boats and Evinrude Military Outboard Motors to ChinaRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – United States Attorney Maria Chapa Lopez announces the return of an
indictment today of four individuals, including two Chinese nationals, an active-duty United States Navy officer, and his wife, on charges relating to a conspiracy to unlawfully smuggle military-style inflatable boats, with Evinrude MFE military outboard motors, to the People’s Republic of China. The Navy officer and two other defendants have also been charged with conspiring to violate firearms law, and the Navy officer has been charged with an additional firearms-related offense and with making false official statements. The four defendants charged in the indictment are:Fan Yang, 34, a naturalized citizen of the United States and Lieutenant in the United States Navy residing in Jacksonville, Florida;
Yang Yang, 33, wife of Fan Yang, and a naturalized citizen of the United States residing in Jacksonville, Florida;
Ge Songtao, 49, a citizen and resident of the People’s Republic of China; and
Zheng Yan, 27, a citizen and resident of the People’s Republic of China.
The defendants were arrested on October 17, 2019, and are currently detained.
All four defendants have been charged with conspiring to submit false export information and to fraudulently attempt to export articles from the United States. Additionally, Yang Yang, Ge Songtao, and Zheng Yan have been charged with causing the submission of false and misleading information into the U.S. Automated Export System, and fraudulently attempting to export seven vessels and eight engines. If convicted for conspiracy or for the submission of false export information, the charged defendants each face a maximum penalty of five years in federal prison. The attempted smuggling charge carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in federal prison.
Fan Yang, Yang Yang, and Ge Songtao are charged with other offenses as well. All three have been charged with conspiring to violate laws prohibiting an alien admitted under a nonimmigrant visa from possessing a firearm and prohibiting the transfer of a firearm to a nonresident. Fan Yang has also been charged with making a false statement to a firearms dealer, which carries a maximum penalty of 10 years’ imprisonment, and with making false official statements in his application for a security clearance, which carries a maximum penalty of five years’ imprisonment.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the U.S. Naval Criminal Investigative Service, the U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of Industry and Security; and the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michael Coolican and Heather Schmidt, Senior Trial Attorney, Counterintelligence and Export Section, U.S. Department of Justice.
U.S. Attorney's Office Partners with New Hanover County Senior Resource Center and Wake County Meals on Wheels to Empower Older VeteransRead the Press Release
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of North Carolina promotes the Department of Justice’s (DOJ) Elder Justice Initiative (EJI) throughout the New Hanover and Wake County areas. On November 1, 2019, the Eastern District partnered with New Hanover County Senior Resource Center and Wake County Meals on Wheels to initiate outreach to approximately 1,750 seniors to provide facts about Older Veteran elder abuse.
Below are some facts shared with the community about elder abuse of older Veterans:
- Older Veterans may be at risk for elder abuse
- Almost 10 million Veterans are 65 or older. National studies find that older adults are victims of elder abuse annually.
- Family members and caretakers may encourage or force older Veterans to take drugs or drink excessively to make them “easier” to care for or exploit financially.
- Veterans who have poor relationships with their families may not receive adequate care by these family members.
- Veterans who receive Veteran benefits such as VA pension, VA Compensation per VBA, or Aid and Attendance can be at risk for financial abuse.
- Warning Signs by Type of Abuse
- Physical Abuse
- Bruises, black eyes, welts, lacerations, or rope marks
- Broken eyeglasses
- Medication overdose or under-utilization of prescribed drugs
- A sudden change in behavior
- Psychological Abuse
- Being emotionally upset, agitated, withdrawn, non-communicative, or non-responsive
- Unusual behavior such as sucking, biting, or rocking
- The caregiver’s refusal to allow visitors to an older Veteran alone
- Apologizing excessively
- Sexual Abuse
- Bruises around the breast or genital area
- Unexplained venereal disease or genital infections
- Showing fear or becoming withdrawn when around a specific person
- Neglect and Abandonment
- Dehydration, malnutrition, untreated bed sores, and poor personal hygiene
- Unattended or untreated health problems
- Unsanitary, unclean, or unsafe living conditions
- The desertion of an older Veteran at a shopping center or other public location
- Financial Abuse
- Unexplained changes in bank accounts or banking practices
- Abrupt changes in a will or other financial documents
- Unexplained disappearance of funds or valuable possessions
- Sudden unexplained transfer of assets
- Physical Abuse
Report Financial Abuse or Fraud of an Older Veteran
- To report the misuse of a Veteran’s VA benefits, call 1-800-488-8244 or email [email protected]
- You may also contact the Veterans Benefits Administration at 1-800-827-1000 or VA Fiduciary Hub at 1-888-407-0144
- For assistance concerning VA Extended Care & Home Care fraud, email [email protected]
The mission of the Elder Justice Initiative is to support and coordinate DOJ’s enforcement and programmatic efforts to prevent and combat elder abuse, neglect, financial exploitation and scams that target our nation’s seniors by promoting justice for older adults; helping older victims and their families; enhancing state and local efforts through training and resources; and supporting research to improve elder abuse policy and practice.
For more information about DOJ’s efforts to prevent and combat elder abuse, please visit the Elder Justice Website at https://www.justice.gov/elderjustice. Elder fraud complaints may be filed with the FTC at www.ftccomplaintassistant.gov or at 877-FTC-HELP. You can also contact the Victim Connect Hotline between 9am-6pm, Monday through Friday, at: 1- 855-4VICTIM (1-855-4842846), or contact the Elder Justice Coordinator at the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of North Carolina at (919) 856-4530.
- Older Veterans may be at risk for elder abuse
U.S. Attorney Brady Announces Record Number of Prosecutions for Western District of PennsylvaniaRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, PA - Scott W. Brady, United States Attorney for the Western District of Pennsylvania, today announced that the number of cases being prosecuted by the district reached an all-time record high in FY 2019.
From October 1, 2018 through September 30, 2019, the office filed cases against 665 defendants, an increase of 46% versus 2016. The total number of drug defendants prosecuted reached 309, an 83% increase over 2016. The total number firearms defendants prosecuted was 125, a 19% increase versus 2016. All numbers represent the most defendants prosecuted in any one year in the history of the Western District of Pennsylvania.
"I have made reducing violent crime and attacking the opioid epidemic two of the top priorities for our office, and our efforts are clearly showing results," said U.S. Attorney Brady. "The increase in prosecutions of our district’s most violent offenders and drug traffickers, including those who wear lab coats, is having a direct and positive effect on the declining amount of reported firearms-related violence and deadly opioid overdoses."
According to the FBI Uniform Crime Report, in western Pennsylvania, the 2018 statistics show that firearms-related violence (murders, robberies and assaults committed with a firearm) fell 19% for the 25 counties comprising the Western District of Pennsylvania versus 2017, including a 25% reduction in Allegheny County, a 10% reduction in Erie County, a 39% reduction in Washington County and a 14% reduction in Westmoreland County. Firearms-related violent crime fell 32% in the City of Pittsburgh.
A dramatic decrease in overdose deaths in western Pennsylvania also occurred in 2018. According to data reported by OverdoseFreePA, opioid overdose deaths decreased 37% throughout the 25 counties in the Western District of Pennsylvania versus 2017. This includes significant decreases in the counties most impacted by the crisis, including 50% in Beaver and Butler Counties, 47% in Fayette County, 41% in Allegheny County, 37% in Westmoreland County, 35% in Erie County, 30% in Cambria County, and 23% in Washington County.
U.S. Attorney Andrew Lelling Announces Progress in Making Communities Safer Through Project Safe NeighborhoodsRead the Press Release
BOSTON – For the second consecutive year, the estimated number of violent crimes nationwide decreased, a credit to the revitalization and enhancement of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the centerpiece of the Department’s violent crime reduction strategy. The District of Massachusetts has six designated PSN cities, Boston, New Bedford, Brockton, Lawrence, Worcester and Springfield.
According to FBI’s 2018 Crime in the United States Report, the violent crime rate decreased for the second consecutive year, down 3.9% from 2017. The data is a success for PSN, the Justice Department’s evidence-based initiative that brings together a spectrum of stakeholders to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and developing 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.
“A primary mission of the Department of Justice is to reduce crime and to make our communities safer,” said United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling. “PSN has made great strides in that effort because it surges law enforcement resources, targets the most violent criminals, and provides necessary funding and support. But it would not be successful without the officers and agents that are on the front lines preventing crime each day.”
“The revitalized Project Safe Neighborhoods program is a major success,” said Attorney General William P. Barr. “It packs a powerful punch by combining advanced data with local leadership, further reducing violence in communities across the country and improving overall public safety. U.S. Attorneys continue to focus their enforcement efforts against the most violent criminals and work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal police. The Justice Department’s relationships across the board have never been stronger.”
Over the past two years, The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Massachusetts has partnered with all levels of law enforcement, local organizations, and members of the community to reduce violent crime and make neighborhoods safer for everyone. As we celebrate the two-year anniversary of the revitalized PSN program, here are some of the highlights of our PSN actions in Massachusetts over the past year:
Enforcement Actions
- A major component of our violent crime strategy has been devoted toward disrupting violent national and transnational gangs, specifically MS-13 and 18th Street. Beginning in 2016, the District of Massachusetts successfully dismantled the east coast leadership of MS-13, culminating in the largest MS-13 case in the nation. The case resulted in the prosecution of dozens of leaders, members, and associates of MS-13 in a sprawling racketeering indictment which charged six murders, approximately 20 attempted murders, robberies, drug trafficking and other violent offenses.
- In August 2018, the PSN initiative targeted impact players and repeat offenders responsible for violent acts and firearm related offenses in Boston and Brockton. This federal investigation resulted in 29 individuals charged with federal and state drug, firearms, and counterfeiting offenses.
- In October 2018, a coordinated sweep resulted in the arrest of 35 criminals on federal drug, firearm and immigration offenses, as well as state warrants. This effort targeted impact players and repeat offenders in and around the City of Lawrence, all of whom have prior convictions and those with criminal records who are in the U.S. illegally.
- Operation Devil’s Highway was a 10-week enforcement operation in the summer of 2019 that brought together federal, state, and local partners to focus on drug trafficking activity between the City of Lawrence and destinations in New Hampshire. The operation resulted in charges against 40 people for federal drug offenses, with at least a dozen more defendants facing state charges. In total, the Operation resulted in the seizure of more than 14 kilograms of fentanyl, five kilograms of heroin, 29 kilograms of cocaine, four firearms and body armor.
Improvements to Community Safety
The District of Massachusetts captured and analyzed violent crime data related to homicides, aggravated assaults, and robberies in the six designated PSN cities (Boston, New Bedford, Brockton, Lawrence, Worcester and Springfield) in order to better understand the violent crime problem and potential enforcement and prevention needs. This data, from June 2017 to June 2019, highlights a significant reduction in violent crimes:
- During the relevant period, homicides were reduced by 57% in New Bedford, 50% in Lawrence, 36% in Brockton, 16% in Boston and 5% in Springfield;
- Aggravated assault rates decreased in many of the PSN cities, most notably by 10% in Brockton and by 7% in Lawrence; and
- Similarly, robberies were reduced by 41% in Lawrence, 26% in Worcester, 10% in New Bedford and 8% in Springfield.
To learn more about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit www.justice.gov/psn.
Two Previously Deported Aliens Charged with Illegal Re-EntryRead the Press Release
HARRISBURG – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that two previously deported aliens were indicted separately on October 30, 2019, by a federal grand jury with illegal re-entry into the United States by a previously deported alien. These matters arose in Dauphin and Luzerne Counties.
According to United States Attorney David J. Freed, Jose Antonio Cardona-Rodriguez, age 37, of Honduras, was previously deported from the United States to Honduras in July 2009. He is alleged to have illegally reentered the United States sometime after July 2009, and was found in the United States in Luzerne County, Pennsylvania after eluding examination or inspection by immigration officers.
Jose Jimenez-Gutierrez, age 37, of Mexico, was previously deported from the United States to Mexico in March 2011. He is alleged to have illegally reentered the United States sometime after March 2011, and was found in the United States in Dauphin County, Pennsylvania after eluding examination or inspection by immigration officers.
The cases were investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) and are being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Joanne M. Sanderson.
Indictments and Criminal Informations are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.
A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
Cardona-Rodriguez and Jimenez-Gutierrez face a maximum penalty of two years of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the Judge is also required to consider and weigh a number of factors, including the nature, circumstances and seriousness of the offense; the history and characteristics of the defendant; and the need to punish the defendant, protect the public and provide for the defendant's educational, vocational and medical needs. For these reasons, the statutory maximum penalty for the offense is not an accurate indicator of the potential sentence for a specific defendant.
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Two Drug Traffickers Sentenced to Prison for Selling Large Quantities of MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
LAS VEGAS, Nev. – Steve Torres, 43, and Uriel Delgado, 37, both of Las Vegas, were sentenced today for selling large quantities of methamphetamine, U.S. Attorney Nicholas A. Trutanich for the District of Nevada announced.
According to court documents, between April and May 2018, Torres arranged and sold a total of 657 grams (approximately 1 ½ pounds) of methamphetamine to an undercover law enforcement officer. Co-defendants Jose Rosell and Uriel Delgado assisted Torres with two of the five sales. Torres, Delgado, and Rosell, were arrested after the fifth sale. Seventy-nine grams of methamphetamine were found during a later search of Torres’s vehicle and, during the arrest process, Rosell admitted to possessing methamphetamine in his home and consented to its search. A search of Rosell’s home produced 272 grams of methamphetamine, a .380 caliber firearm, and approximately $19,600.
Torres pleaded guilty in July 2019, and was sentenced to 96 months in prison; Delgado pleaded guilty in July 2019, and was sentenced to four years in prison; and Rosell pleaded guilty in December 2018, and was sentenced to five-and-a-half years in prison.
This case was the product of an investigation by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). Assistant U.S. Attorneys Allison Reese and Christopher Lin prosecuted the case.
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Tulsa Man Pleads Guilty to Five Armed RobberiesRead the Press Release
A man pleaded guilty Friday in U.S. District Court to robbing five Tulsa area businesses, announced U.S. Attorney Trent Shores.
John Michael McIntosh, 22, of Tulsa, pleaded guilty to five counts of obstructing, delaying and affecting commerce by robbery and three counts of carrying, using and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence.
“Armed and dangerous criminals like John McIntosh threaten the prosperity and safety of our community. Conscientious, hard-working Oklahomans go to work every day to support their families, and they should not have to go to work with the fear of having a gun pointed in their faces,” said U.S. Attorney Trent Shores. “Through the Justice Department’s Project Safe Neighborhoods initiative, we prioritize the prosecution of violent offenders, like John McIntosh, so that our neighborhoods and business community can prosper.”
In his plea agreement, McIntosh admitted that he robbed a Kentucky Fried Chicken in Sand Springs on Feb. 17; a Waters Liquor Store in Tulsa on Feb. 19; and a Liquor Mart in Tulsa on Feb. 21. He further admitted to robbing two QuikTrips, located in Tulsa and in Sand Springs, on Feb. 23. In all the robberies, McIntosh threatened employees while brandishing a handgun.
The Sand Springs Police Department, Tulsa Police Department and FBI are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Mark R. Morgan and Robert T. Raley are prosecuting the case.
Southern District of Illinois Secures Conviction of Second Dark Web Drug TraffickerRead the Press Release
CALIFORNIA WOMAN KNOWN AS “THE DRUG LLAMA” PLEADS GUILTY TO CONSPIRACY, TRAFFICKING FENTANYL ON THE
DARK WEB, INTERNATIONAL MONEY LAUNDERING, AND FENTANYL DISTRIBUTION RESULTING IN DEATHThis afternoon, Melissa Scanlan, 32, appeared at the federal courthouse in East St. Louis,
Illinois, and pleaded guilty to all ten felony charges pending against her in the Southern District
of Illinois, admitting her role in a nearly two-year conspiracy to distribute fentanyl throughout
the United States via the “dark web.”1 Scanlan was one of two people known on the dark web as “The
Drug Llama.” The other person, co-defendant Brandon Arias, 34, pleaded guilty to all eight charges
against him earlier this year. Both Scanlan and Arias are natives of San Diego, California.The ten charges to which Scanlan pleaded guilty are as follows: one count of conspiracy to
distribute fentanyl, five counts of distributing fentanyl, one count of selling counterfeit drugs,
one count of misbranding drugs, one count of conspiracy to commit international money laundering,
and one count of distribution of fentanyl resulting in death.Fentanyl is a highly addictive and oftentimes lethal opioid painkiller.
As part of her guilty plea, Scanlan admitted that she and Arias created an account on “Dream
Market,” a dark web marketplace where users buy and sell illegal substances and services, and used
that account to sell substantial quantities of narcotics while operating under the moniker, “The
Drug Llama.” The charged fentanyl distribution conspiracy lasted from October 2016 to August 2018,
during which time Scanlan sold approximately 52,000 fentanyl pills throughout the United States.1 The dark web is an underground computer network that is unreachable by traditional search engines
and web browsers, creating a seeming anonymity to users. This false cloak has led to a
proliferation of criminal activity on dark web marketplaces, like the one used by Scanlan and
rias.According to court records, Scanlan and Arias made over $100,000 from their dark web drug
trafficking and split the money evenly. Scanlan further admitted her participation in an
international money laundering conspiracy with Mexican cartel members, as well as her role in
aiding and abetting the distribution of fentanyl pills to a woman identified as A.W., who died as a
result of taking those pills.Commenting on the case, U.S. Attorney Steven D. Weinhoeft assailed the culture of criminality that
exists on the dark web. “Criminals like Melissa Scanlan who recklessly flood our communities with
opioids may think they can evade detection in the shadowy corners and back alleys of the internet.
But they will find no quarter there. Where they go, we will follow. With the collaboration of
outstanding investigators at our partner agencies, we will use every tool and method available to
find these people and prosecute them to the fullest extent of the law.”“Illicit opioid distribution, whether online or through conventional drug distribution methods, and
the resulting overdoses and deaths are a continuing national crisis; those who contribute to that
crisis through their illegal actions will be brought to justice,” said Special Agent in Charge
Charles L. Grinstead, FDA Office of Criminal Investigations Kansas City Field Office. “We are fully
committed to disrupting and dismantling illegal prescription drug distribution networks that misuse
the internet at the expense of public health and safety.”“With accessibility of fentanyl, it is imperative that the Drug Enforcement Administration and its
law enforcement partners exploit all distribution avenues utilized by drug traffickers in Scanlan’s
case,” stated DEA Special Agent in Charge William J. Callahan of the St. Louis Division. “Scanlan
distributed poison in our community that resulted in death and she is now being held accountable.”Scanlan has been held in federal custody since her September 2018 arrest. Her case is set for
sentencing before the Honorable Nancy J. Rosenstengel, Chief United States District Judge for the
Southern District of Illinois, on February 10, 2020, at 1:30 pm. By law, Scanlan faces no less than
20 years in prison for distributing fentanyl resulting in death. She could receive up to life
imprisonment and as much as $10 million in fines.This case was part of a months-long, coordinated national operation involving the Food and Drug
Administration (FDA), Office of Criminal Investigations (OCI), the Drug Enforcement Administration
(DEA), the United States Postal Inspection Service, the Department of Homeland Security (HSI),
United States Customs and Border Protection (CBP), the United States Attorney’s Office for the
Southern District of California, and the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District
of Illinois. Assistant U.S. Attorney Derek J. Wiseman is the prosecuting attorney
on this case.
Sioux Falls Man Indicted on Meth and Gun ChargesRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced that a Sioux Falls, South Dakota, man has been indicted by a federal grand jury for Possession with Intent to Distribute a Controlled Substance and Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person.
Patrick Cummings, age 33, was indicted on October 16, 2019. He appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Mark A. Moreno on October 31, 2019, and pled not guilty to the Indictment.
The maximum penalty upon conviction is up to 40 years in prison and/or a $5,000,000 fine, a lifetime of supervised release, and $100 to the Federal Crime Victims Fund for each Count. Restitution may also be ordered.
The Indictment alleges that on July 4, 2019, Cummings knowingly and intentionally possessed with the intent to distribute methamphetamine, and knowing he had been convicted of a crime punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year, knowingly received and possessed a Smith & Wesson .380 AUTO caliber, semi-automatic pistol.
The charges are merely accusations and Cummings is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
Drug trafficking is an inherently violent activity. Firearms are tools of the trade for drug dealers. It is common to find drug traffickers armed with guns in order to protect their illegal drug product and cash, and enforce their illegal operations.
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 its 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 local communities to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime.
The investigation is being conducted by the South Dakota Highway Patrol and the Northern Plains Safe Trails Drug Enforcement Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Meghan N. Dilges is prosecuting the case.
Cummings was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending trial. A trial date has not been set.
Schuylkill County Man Sentenced to 24 Months’ Imprisonment for Straw Purchases of FirearmsRead the Press Release
SCRANTON- The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that on October 31, 2019, United States District Judge Malachy E. Mannion sentenced Theodore R. Stang, Jr. age 31, of Girardville, Pennsylvania, to 24 months’ imprisonment and a two-year term of supervised release, for unlawfully purchasing firearms for another individual.
According to United States Attorney David J. Freed, during June 2017, Stang acted as a “straw purchaser” of firearms, purchasing two handgun-style firearms for another individual who was not permitted to lawfully purchase or possess firearms based upon prior criminal convictions and whom Stang knew to be involved in narcotics trafficking.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffery St John.
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.
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Richmond Woman Sentenced to Prison for Identity Theft and Tax FraudRead the Press Release
RICHMOND, Va. – A Richmond woman was sentenced yesterday to approximately seven years in prison for conspiracy to commit wire fraud, aggravated identity theft, and failure to appear in court for a sentencing hearing.
According to court documents, Banita Brandise Saffore, 34, and her mother, co-defendant Charlene Saffore Cannon, ran a tax preparation service in which they systematically filed returns for clients that contained false representations as to the clients’ Schedule C income, dependents, and education expenses in order to obtain inflated refunds. As early as 2011, they began filing tax fraudulent tax returns using stolen identities and pocketing the refunds in their entirety.
In addition to the prison sentence, Saffore was also ordered to pay $169,227 in restitution to her victims.
Saffore pleaded guilty to the conspiracy and identity theft charges, but then failed to appear at her sentencing in September 2018. Two other defendants have been sentenced for charges related to this scheme:
Name, Age
Hometown
Felony Conviction
Sentence
Charlene Saffore Cannon, 53
Richmond
Wire Fraud, Aggravated Identity Theft
36 months in prison
Sherin Lee Saffore, 60
Henrico
Making a False Personal Tax Return, Assisting in Preparation of False Tax Return
60 months of probation, nine months of home detention
G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Kelly R. Jackson, Special Agent in Charge, Washington, D.C. Field Office, IRS-Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), made the announcement after sentencing by Senior U.S. District Judge Robert E. Payne. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael C. Moore prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case Nos. 3:18-cr-10, 3:18-cr-13, and 3:19-cr-003.
Repeat sex offender sentenced to 10 years in prison for possession of images of child rape and molestationRead the Press Release
Seattle – A 40-year-old Seattle man was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Seattle to ten years in prison and fifteen years of supervised release for possession of child pornography, announced U.S. Attorney Brian T. Moran. NOLAN PAUL CYRE, was on probation for a state sex crime in April 2018, when hundreds of images of child pornography were discovered on his electronic devices. At the sentencing hearing, U.S. District Judge Robert S. Lasnik told CYRE, “You have an addiction, an attraction to using young children as sexual objects…. You have a lot of work to do.”
According to records filed in the case, in February 2016, CYRE was sentenced in King County Superior court to 34 months in prison for attempted commercial sexual abuse of a minor. In that case, CYRE attempted to pay a 15-year-old for sex acts. As part of his probation following the prison term, CYRE was prohibited from possessing electronic devices that could access the internet. On a visit to his residence, probation officers noticed a laptop and other prohibited devices. The devices were seized and forensically analyzed by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and were found to contain hundreds of images and movies of child sexual abuse. The investigation revealed that the laptop contained 113 image files and 48 video files of known victims of child pornography.
CYRE also has a 2011 arrest and military court conviction for possession of child pornography.
Judge Lasnik ordered him to pay $12,000 in restitution to the six victims identified in the child pornography on the laptop.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigation (HSI) and the Washington State Department of Corrections (DOC).
The case was prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Cecelia Gregson. Ms. Gregson is a Senior Deputy King County Prosecutor specially designated to prosecute child exploitation cases in federal court.
Rapid City Man Sentenced on Child Pornography ConvictionRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced that a Rapid City, South Dakota, man convicted of Possession of Child Pornography was sentenced on October 25, 2019, by Karen E. Schreier, U.S. District Court Judge.
Jeremiah Richards, age 35, was sentenced to 4 years in federal prison, followed by 5 years of supervised release, and was ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund and an additional $5,000 special assessment to the Victim of Human Trafficking Act of 2015.
The conviction stemmed from Richards possessing multiple child pornography videos and images on his cellular phone.
The investigation was conducted by the Internet Crimes Against Children Taskforce. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah Collins prosecuted the case.
Richards was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Randolph County man admits to meth distributionRead the Press Release
ELKINS, WEST VIRGINIA – Matthew Logan Lipscomb, of Kerens, West Virginia, has admitted to selling methamphetamine, United States Attorney Bill Powell announced.
Lipscomb, age 30, pled guilty to one count of “Distribution of Methamphetamine.” Lipscomb admitted to selling methamphetamine, also known as “crystal meth” and “ice,” for $650 in April 2019 in Randolph County.
Lipscomb faces at least five years and up to 40 years incarceration and a fine of up to $5,000,000. 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 Stephen D. Warner is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The Mountain Region Drug and Violent Crimes Task Force investigated.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael John Aloi presided.
Previously-Convicted Sex Offender Sentenced to Decades in Federal Prison for Distribution and Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – First Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer Arbittier Williams announced that James Traband, 53, of Upland, Delaware County, PA was sentenced to 30 years in federal prison followed by lifetime supervised release by United States District Judge Harvey A. Bartle for possession and distribution of child pornography.
In 2018, the Criminal Investigation Division of the Delaware County District Attorney’s Office investigated Traband for trafficking in child pornography using his Facebook account. The investigation revealed that the defendant had created a fake profile for himself, posing as a 13-year old boy, to find and entice other minor boys into sexual activity online. He used real photos he had taken of a young boy who lived with him to lure other young boys into believing they were communicating with a boy of their same age. In reality, they were talking with Traband, a middle-aged convicted sex offender, who convinced them to engage in sexual chats and exchange sexually explicit images.
At the time he committed these offenses, Traband was a registered sex offender, having previously been convicted in Delaware County of child pornography offenses. He was also under court supervision.
The case was referred to the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Traband was ultimately indicted and convicted of distributing and attempting to distribute child pornography and possession of child pornography.
“Traband’s days of exploiting and victimizing children online are over,” said First Assistant U.S. Attorney Williams. “Child sexual exploitation is appallingly pervasive, and exacerbated by the easy availability of digital media and communications. This case serves as a message to all adults who care for children: please monitor what they do online. And as always, we stand ready with our federal partners to identify and prosecute these criminals.”
“Child exploitation is among the most heinous crimes we investigate. As a result of our partnership with the Criminal Investigation Division of the Delaware County District Attorney’s Office, this unrepentant predator will no longer be able to harm children,” said Michael T. Harpster, special agent in charge of the Philadelphia Division. “The FBI and its law enforcement partners will never stop working to hunt down child predators and deliver justice on behalf of their victims.”
This case is part of Project Safe Childhood (PSC), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce the sexual exploitation and abuse of children. The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Delaware County District Attorney’s Office, and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michelle Rotella.
Omaha Woman Sentenced for Conspiracy to Distribute and Possess with Intent to Distribute MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Joe Kelly announced that Brenda K. Harmon, 36, of Omaha, Nebraska, was sentenced today to 135 months in prison by United States District Court Judge Robert F. Rossiter, Jr. for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine. In addition to her prison term, Harmon will serve 5 years of supervised release following her release from prison.
Beginning in January 2018, law enforcement officers began investigating Harmon for distributing methamphetamine. Undercover officers were able to buy directly from Harmon, and did so on a number of occasions. At the time of her arrest on April 27, 2018, Harmon was in possession of more than 100 grams of pure methamphetamine.
The Omaha Police Department was the investigating agency.
Omaha Gang Member Sentenced on Drug Distribution and Possession of Firearm in Drug Trafficking ChargesRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Joe Kelly announced that on November 1, 2019, Giel Riak, 21, of Omaha, was sentenced to 66 months in federal prison by United States District Judge Judge Robert F. Rossiter, Jr. for distribution of marijuana and selling two handguns in connection with drug trafficking. There is no parole in the federal system. Riak was ordered to serve five years on supervised release after the completion of his prison term. Riak is also subject to deportation following imprisonment.
On December 7, 2018, Riak sold a confidential informant marijuana and two 9mm handguns. During this buy, the informant’s vehicle was equipped with audio and video recording equipment, which captured the drug and guns sale.
This case was part of a Project Safe Neighborhood initiative and investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Omaha Police Department as part of a larger operation to make controlled purchases of firearms and narcotics, specifically targeting members of the Trip Set and African Pride gang.
New Orleans Man Indicted for Gun OffensesRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – U.S. Attorney Peter G. Strasser announced on Thursday, October 31, 2019 that MATTHEW BARRA, age 31, was charged in a one-count indictment by a Federal Grand Jury for violations of the Federal Gun Control Act.
BARRA is charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 922(g)(1). If convicted, he faces a maximum sentence of 10 years imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and up to 3 years of supervised release. U. S. Attorney Strasser reiterated that the indictment is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
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.
The case was investigated by the New Orleans Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, New Orleans Gang Task Force. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Melissa E. Bücher of the Violent Crime/Strike Force Unit of the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
New Jersey Man Charged in White Plains Federal Court with Narcotics Trafficking Resulting in DeathRead the Press Release
Geoffrey S. Berman, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, William F. Sweeney Jr., Assistant Director-in-Charge of the New York Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), Keith M. Corlett, Superintendent of the New York State Police (“NYSP”), and William Worden, Chief of the Port Jervis Police Department (“PJPD”), announced today an indictment charging ROBERT CIERVO with selling fentanyl and heroin that resulted in the death of a 36-year-old Orange County resident ("the Victim").
The indictment alleges that on or about July 3, 2019, CIERVO distributed heroin and fentanyl that resulted in the death of the Victim. The indictment also alleges that CIERVO participated in a conspiracy to distribute heroin and fentanyl between October 2018 and September 2019. The grand jury returned the indictment on October 29, 2019, and CIERVO was arraigned today before United States Magistrate Judge Paul E. Davison.
CIERVO previously was arrested on September 29, 2019, and charged by complaint in White Plains federal court with participating in a conspiracy to distribute heroin and fentanyl with MARGARET FLOOD, 38, of Sparrow Bush, New York, ROBERT FLOOD, 39, of Sparrow Bush, New York, and TRAVIS HOPPER, 24, of Matamoras, Pennsylvania.
Manhattan U.S. Attorney Geoffrey S. Berman said: “Robert Ciervo allegedly sold the fentanyl that killed an Orange County resident. Now he faces prosecution for that crime and drug distribution conspiracy. Thanks to the Port Jervis Police Department, the FBI, and the State Police for their tireless efforts to stem the tide of lethal opioids.”
FBI Assistant Director William F. Sweeney Jr. said: “Those who engage in the distribution of illegal drugs destroy our communities and ruin lives, and as we allege here today, the heroin and fentanyl Ciervo distributed indeed resulted in the victim's death. This is another sad example of the reality we face – sellers pushing heroin laced with fentanyl to create a more powerful, and in this case, deadly high. The FBI’s Hudson Valley Safe Streets Task Force, along with our federal, state, and local partners, will be relentless in doing everything we can to protect our communities from the scourge of these deadly substances.”
NYSP Superintendent Keith M. Corlett said: “This indictment is the result of the dedication of law enforcement partners at all levels to stem the tide of drugs and drug related violence on our streets. This defendant allegedly knowingly sold highly addictive substances to an individual that, sadly, resulted in the individual’s death. The sale of drugs such as fentanyl and heroin perpetuate a cycle of substance abuse which poses a significant threat to safety and quality of life within our communities, and it will not be tolerated. I commend our members and our law enforcement partners for their hard work in bringing this individual to justice.”
PJPD Chief William J. Worden said: “The City of Port Jervis has been directly affected by the opiate epidemic and have tragically lost too many residents from fatal heroin/fentanyl related overdoses. The Port Jervis City Police Department is committed to working with our law enforcement partners to combat the illicit sales of heroin and fentanyl that are harming our community and hold illicit narcotics traffickers legally accountable for their actions.”
According to the allegations in the Indictment and Complaint[1]:
CIERVO participated in a conspiracy to distribute more than one kilogram of heroin and more than 40 gram of mixtures and substances containing fentanyl, between October 2018 and September 2019. In addition, on or about July 3, 2019, CIERVO distributed such substances to the Victim, and the Victim's use of the substances resulted in his death.
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CIERVO, 25, of Montague, New Jersey, has been charged with participating in a conspiracy to distribute narcotics, which distribution resulted in the death of another. This charge carries a maximum sentence of life in prison, and a mandatory minimum sentence of 20 years in prison.
The maximum potential sentences in this case are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentence for the defendant will be determined by the judge.
Mr. Berman praised the outstanding work of the FBI, the Port Jervis Police Department, and the New York State Police for their investigative efforts and ongoing support and assistance with the case.
The prosecution of this case is being overseen by the Office’s White Plains Division. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lindsey Keenan is in charge of the case.
The charges contained in the Indictment are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
[1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the texts of the Indictment and Complaint, and the descriptions of the Indictment and Complaint set forth herein, constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.
Montgomery County Doctor Agrees to Pay $1.4 Million to Resolve Allegations of Improper Opioid Prescribing After Pleading Guilty to Related Criminal ChargesRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – U.S. Attorney William M. McSwain announced that Montgomery County physician Spiro Y. Kassis, M.D., of Plymouth Township, PA, has agreed to pay $1.4 million, has committed to never obtaining a controlled substance registration, and has consented to a 15-year exclusion from Medicare and Medicaid in order to resolve allegations that he improperly prescribed Schedule II controlled substances to patients between July 1, 2014 and February 14, 2017. This civil settlement is announced after Kassis already pled guilty to criminal charges for illegal distribution of controlled substances and awaits sentencing.
The settlement resolves allegations that Kassis wrote improper Schedule II prescriptions, including opioids, for his patients when those prescriptions had no legitimate medical purpose and were not issued in the usual course of professional practice. In addition, it resolves allegations that Kassis deposited and commingled the proceeds from the sale of improper Schedule II prescriptions into various bank accounts.
Kassis has already pled guilty to 14 counts of illegal distribution of controlled substances in a related criminal case, for which he is scheduled to be sentenced in January 2020. Kassis claimed to be a specialist in psychiatry and addiction medicine, and operated medical offices in East Norriton Township, PA and Scranton, PA. He used his offices to operate a prescription “pill mill,” whereby he sold medically unnecessary prescriptions for opioids such as oxycodone. Kassis sold prescriptions to so-called patients for approximately $200 cash each. At the East Norriton office, he saw approximately 45 “patients” per day. As each person came in, he collected $200 cash from the patient, counted the money, and then issued the requested prescriptions electronically to the patient’s pharmacy. Often, Kassis issued dangerous combinations of prescriptions including oxycodone, methadone, and buprenorphine, all to the same patient.
“This settlement illustrates my Office’s dedication to ensuring that physicians who engage in illegal distribution of opioids and other controlled substances are held accountable using all of our enforcement tools, including powerful civil ones,” said U.S. Attorney McSwain. “This case is an excellent example of how collaboration between our civil and criminal divisions, as well as our federal and local law enforcement partners, can lead to just results. We will continue our aggressive pursuit of doctors who violate their duties and break the law by engaging in illegal opioid prescribing.”
“Dr. Kassis pleaded guilty to numerous federal drug distribution charges for his illegal distribution of oxycodone over a several-year period. In addition to his pending sentencing on these charges, Dr. Kassis has agreed to pay a significant settlement that represents the money he made from his illegal activities,” said Jonathan A. Wilson, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) Philadelphia Field Division. “Doctors that seek to betray their professional oath and engage in this type of illegal activity will be subject to both criminal charges and significant civil penalties.”
“Settlements like these are critical to ensure that doctors writing improper opioid prescriptions reimbursed by Medicare and Medicaid are held responsible for their misconduct and barred from participating in these programs for a substantial number of years,” said Maureen R. Dixon, Special Agent in Charge for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the Inspector General. “HHS-OIG will continue to work with the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Civil Division and our other law enforcement partners to ensure the integrity of the Medicare and Medicaid programs.”
“This case began as part of a larger effort to investigate a number of pill-pushing doctors in Montgomery County. This doctor, Kassis, who had taken an oath to do no harm, was in fact keeping those suffering from substance abuse addicted and in danger of overdosing through his actions, all for monetary gain,” said Montgomery County District Attorney Kevin R. Steele.
The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration; Federal Bureau of Investigation; U.S. Department of Health and Human Services – Office of Inspector General; and Montgomery County Detective Bureau’s Narcotics Enforcement Team. The civil investigation and settlement were handled by Assistant United States Attorneys Anthony D. Scicchitano and Sarah Grieb. The related criminal charges are being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney M. Beth Leahy and Special Assistant United States Attorney James Price, who was cross-designated by the Montgomery County District Attorney for the prosecution.
The claims resolved by the civil settlement are allegations only; there has been no determination of liability.
Missouri Man Pleads Guilty After Trying to Swap A Pipe Bomb for Meth in Columbia, IllinoisRead the Press Release
Donald K. Novy, 35, of Dittmer, Missouri, has pleaded guilty to unlawful possession of an
unregistered destructive device and being an unlawful user of a controlled substance in possession
of a firearm, Steven D. Weinhoeft, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois,
announced today. Novy faces up to 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, and up to three years of
supervised release on each charge.Court documents reveal that in November 2018, Novy agreed with another person to manufacture a pipe bomb and bring it to Columbia, Illinois, in exchange for methamphetamine. Unknown to Novy, the
other person was working with the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF)
and was accompanied by an ATF Special Agent working in an undercover capacity. Novy accepted fake
methamphetamine in exchange for the pipe bomb and was promptly arrested. Upon his arrest, ATF found
a Taurus semi-automatic pistol in Novy’s possession. Novy later admitted using methamphetamine on a
daily basis, including the morning of the transaction.
Novy will remain in custody pending his sentencing on Feb. 11, 2020.
Missouri Hunter Sentenced to Probation for Trafficking WildlifeRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Joe Kelly announced that Rodney Lee Owen, age 57, of Blue Springs, Missouri, was sentenced today in federal court in Omaha, Nebraska, for violations of the Lacey Act. United States Magistrate Judge Michael D. Nelson sentenced Owen to five years’ probation for trafficking wildlife, a misdemeanor. Owen was ordered to pay a fine in the amount of $25,000 and restitution in the amount of $25,000. During his term of probation, Owen will not be permitted to hunt, trap, assist or be present with anyone engaged in those activities at any location or conduct or affiliate with any filming, recording, or television or media productions related to hunting.
A joint investigation conducted by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, Office of Law Enforcement and the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission, Law Enforcement Division determined that in the fall of 2015, 2016, and 2017, Owen traveled to Hidden Hills Outfitters, a commercial big game guiding and outfitting business located near Broken Bow, Nebraska, to conduct wildlife hunts. During the hunts, Owen and Hidden Hills Outfitters owners and employees had knowledge regarding the presence of bait at the proposed hunting locations. Under Nebraska state law, it is illegal to hunt within 200 yards of bait.
In 2015, 2016, and 2017, Owen hunted or took record-book deer within baited areas managed by Hidden Hills Outfitters including a 2015 white-tailed deer named “3-Way,” a 2016 white-tailed deer named “Dirty Harry,” and a 2017 mule deer named “Inline.” Owen initially wounded the 2017 mule deer with a bow during archery season. The following day Owen accompanied a Hidden Hills Outfitters owner and guide recovering only the deer head, cape, and antlers, and wasting the edible meat after witnessing the Hidden Hills Outfitters owner and guide unlawfully killing the deer with a rifle. Prior to the 2017 mule deer hunt, Owen also unlawfully killed a pronghorn without a valid permit.
Owen, assisted by others, recorded and submitted video recordings associated with some of the hunts to Drury Outdoors, a commercial hunting video production company, for inclusion on Drury Outdoors television shows, of which, the 2015 and 2016 hunts were featured on Drury Outdoors Dream Seasons 13 and 14 shows. The wildlife illegally taken by Owen was also subsequently transported from Nebraska to Missouri.
Owen paid Hidden Hills Outfitters for the guiding and outfitting services provided for the hunts. As part of a negotiated payment, Hidden Hills Outfitters only charged Owen approximately half the standard Hidden Hills Outfitters rate in exchange for Owen naming and promoting Hidden Hills Outfitters upon the video recordings obtained from the hunt, intended for commercial video production.
Today’s conviction marks the first formal sentencing in the ongoing prosecution of numerous defendants related to violations committed by owners, guides, and clients of Hidden Hills Outfitters. To date, nineteen defendants have pleaded guilty and have been sentenced and ordered to pay a total of $101,700 in fines and restitution for underlying violations related to deer taken within baited areas; deer, pronghorn, and wild turkeys taken with weapons or firearms prohibited during their respective hunting seasons; deer taken during closed season hours, from the road, or without a valid permit; and mule deer taken within the Mule Deer Conservation Area.
The operation was a joint investigation conducted by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, Office of Law Enforcement and the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission, Law Enforcement Division.
Minneapolis Woman Sentenced to Prison for Tax FraudRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Erica H. MacDonald today announced the sentencing of LESSIE BEATRICE LINDSEY, 37, to one year and one day in prison for falsely claiming $1,151,585 in tax refunds. LINDSEY, who pleaded guilty on June 17, 2019, was sentenced on October 30, 2019, before Senior Judge David S. Doty in U.S. District Court in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
According to the defendant’s guilty pleas and documents filed in court, between January 2013 and March 2016, LINDSEY, who operated in Minneapolis, Minnesota and Chicago, Illinois, charged individual taxpayers a fee to prepare and file their federal income tax returns. LINDSEY routinely falsified information on the federal income tax returns she filed on behalf of her clients, including employment, income, and tax credits, in order to increase the clients’ tax refunds. In total, LINDSEY prepared approximately 192 false and fraudulent personal federal income tax returns which falsely claimed approximately $1,151,585.00 in tax refunds. LINDSEY’s conduct caused the United States Treasury to pay $995,966.00 to LINDSEY’s clients for tax years 2012, 2013, 2074, and 2015.
This case was the result of an investigation conducted by the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation Division.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew S. Ebert prosecuted the case.
Defendant Information:
LESSIE BEATRICE LINDSEY, 37
Minneapolis, Minn.
Convicted:
- False claim to the United States, 1 count
Sentenced:
- One year and one day in prison
- Two years of supervised release
- $ 995,966 in restitution
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United States Attorney’s Office, District of Minnesota: (612) 664-5600
Minneapolis Gang Member Sentenced to 220 Months in Prison for Violent Drug Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Erica H. MacDonald today announced the sentencing of HAKEEM MALIK DONTAE FLAX, a/k/a “Keem,” 33, to 220 months in prison for crimes related to violent gang activity, including conspiracy, distribution of heroin, and firearms violations. FLAX, who was convicted by a federal jury on February 14, 2019, was sentenced earlier today before Judge Wilhelmina M. Wright in U.S. District Court in St. Paul, Minnesota. FLAX’s co-defendants DOMONICK DESHAY WRIGHT, BRIAN FUNTANOUS MACK, and JAMES LAVELL BROWN, have also been sentenced following their guilty pleas to conspiracy to possess firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
As proven at trial, FLAX and his co-defendants maintained active membership in the 1-9 Block Dipset Gang with the purpose of making money for the gang through criminal acts, including distribution of heroin. As part of the gang’s heroin distribution scheme, FLAX, WRIGHT, MACK, and BROWN and other members of the gang possessed, used and carried firearms in order to protect themselves from rival gang members and maintain their drug distribution territory.
As proven at trial, members of the 1-9 Block Dipset Gang were involved in a violent gang war with rival North Minneapolis gangs, including the Tre Tre Crips and the Young-N-Thuggin gangs, which resulted in the shooting deaths of gang members on both sides of the conflict. Disputes over gang territories and retaliation for prior acts of violence also contributed to the gun violence. As an example, on August 5, 2017, FLAX shot and killed a member of the rival Tre Tre Crips gang in a parking lot outside of a North Minneapolis restaurant.
This case was the result of an investigation conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Minneapolis Police Department. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods, an initiative that brings together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas Calhoun-Lopez.
Defendant Information:
HAKEEM MALIK DONTAE FLAX, a/k/a “Keem,” 33
Vadnais Heights, Minn.
Convicted:
- Conspiracy to possess firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, 1 count
- Conspiracy to distribute heroin, 1 count
- Discharge of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, 1 count
- Felon in possession of ammunition, 1 count
Sentenced:
- 220 months in prison
- Five years of supervised release
DOMONICK DESHAY WRIGHT, a/k/a “Freaky,” 31
Brooklyn Center, Minn.
Convicted:
- Conspiracy to possess firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, 1 count
Sentenced:
- 120 months in prison
- Three years of supervised release
BRIAN FUNTANOUS MACK, a/k/a “B-Mack,” 34
Minneapolis, Minn.
Convicted:
- Conspiracy to possess firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, 1 count
Sentenced:
- 120 months in prison
- Three years of supervised release
JAMES LAVELL BROWN, 34
St. Paul, Minn.
Convicted:
- Conspiracy to possess firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, 1 count
Sentenced:
- 60 months in prison
- Three years of supervised release
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United States Attorney’s Office, District of Minnesota: (612) 664-5600
Mexican National Pleads Guilty to Illegal Re-EntryRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS – U.S. Attorney Peter Strasser announced today that JUAN ALBERTO SANCHEZ-ROMERO, age 28, pleaded guilty on October 29, 2019, to a one-count Indictment for illegal reentry of a removed alien in violation of Title 8, United States Code, Section 1326(a) & (b)(2).
According to the Indictment, SANCHEZ-ROMERO re-entered the United States after he was previously deported on April 21, 2016.
SANCHEZ-ROMERO faces a maximum term of imprisonment of twenty years, a maximum fine of $250,000, a maximum term of supervised release of three years, and a mandatory $100 special assessment. U.S. District Court Judge Greg G. Guidry set sentencing for January 28, 2020.
U.S. Attorney Strasser praised the work of the United States Department of Homeland Security in investigating this matter. Assistant U. S. Attorney Spiro G. Latsis is in charge of the prosecution.
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