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10 December 2019
Jury convicts man of methamphetamine trafficking, firearms crimesRead the Press Release
BILLINGS – A jury today convicted a man on drug trafficking and firearms crimes after law enforcement arrested him in Billings and found more than a pound of meth and loaded guns in his vehicle, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.
The jury found Julian Tyler Baughman, 36, guilty of all three crimes as charged, including possession with intent to distribute meth, prohibited person in possession of a firearm and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
The two-day trial began on Dec. 9, with U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters presiding. A sentencing date will be set later. Baughman was detained.
Baughman faces a minimum mandatory 10 years to life in prison, a $10 million fine and at least five years of supervised release on the drug count and a minimum mandatory consecutive five years to life, a $250,000 fine and five years of supervised release for conviction on having a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
“We are pleased with the guilty verdicts. Caught with more than a pound of meth and loaded handguns, Mr. Baughman posed a significant risk to community safety. I want to thank Assistant U.S. Attorneys Tom Godfrey and Karla Painter and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives for their work on this case,” U.S. Attorney Alme said.
The prosecution presented evidence at trial that Montana Violent Offender Task Force officers got a tip about Baughman’s location and arrested him in a vehicle in a Billings neighborhood on April 10. Baughman admitted he had a gun on him. While searching Baughman, officers found in a belly band holster a .40-caliber semi-automatic pistol loaded with 15 live rounds and a second magazine containing 11 live rounds of ammunition. Baughman also had $1,086 and a cell phone on his person.
Officers found in the vehicle a meth pipe, a loaded 9mm semi-automatic pistol, a loaded .357-caliber semi-automatic pistol, boxes of ammunition, an open U.S. Postal Service envelope containing about 1.6 pounds of meth and other items. The amount of meth found is the equivalent of about 5,800 doses.
A vehicle check by law enforcement determined that a person in Williston, N.D., had sold the vehicle to Baughman a few days earlier.
After getting a search warrant for Baughman’s phone, investigators found multiple photos of the 9mm pistol that Baughman has sent to people, conversations where Baughman had shot himself in the foot with a .357 pistol and multiple messages consistent with Baughman dealing drugs.
Baughman was convicted in 2016 of theft, criminal mischief and criminal endangerment, all felonies, in Roosevelt County, and therefore, was prohibited from possessing firearms.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Tom Godfrey and Karla Painter prosecuted the case, which was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
The case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), which is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
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Jury Convicts Members of 36th Street Bang Squad on Racketeering Related Murders and ShootingsRead the Press Release
NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – A federal jury convicted seven Newport News and Hampton men today on charges including racketeering conspiracy, murder, attempted murder, and drug trafficking.
“The 36th Street Bang Squad is a violent and vicious criminal enterprise,” said G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. “The murders were no random acts of violence, rather they were the product of a deliberate effort of 36th Street Bang Squad to attack rivals and enhance the reputation of the gang. I want to thank our trial team and investigative partners at the ATF, Hampton Police Division, and the Newport News Police for their terrific work on this case.”
According to court records and evidence presented at trial, the defendants carried on the affairs of the 36th Street Bang Squad racketeering enterprise, by committing numerous acts of violence and drug trafficking including the double murder of Jada Richardson and Domingo Davis, on April 6, 2015, and the murder of Dwayne Parker on March 8, 2015, as well as numerous retaliatory shootings against rival gang members. Evidence presented at trial showed their activities occurred in multiple locations in downtown Newport News and Hampton.
“These gang members terrorized people, and brought not only drugs and firearms into their neighborhoods but violence and fear as well," said Ashan M. Benedict, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Washington Field Division. "They showed repeatedly that they do not value human life or the safety of innocent bystanders. ATF is proud to work alongside our law enforcement partners and the U.S. Attorney’s Office to take dangerous offenders like them off the street. This verdict should be a warning to anyone out there committing violent crime in our communities.”
Name, Age
Hometown
Conviction(s)
Sentencing Date
Martin L. Hunt, 22
Newport News
Racketeering Conspiracy; Murder in Aid of Racketeering; Use of a Firearm Resulting in Death; Attempted Conspiracy to Commit Murder in Aid of Racketeering; Possession/Discharge of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Crime of Violence; Attempted Murder in Aid of Racketeering
May 8, 2020
Xavier Greene, 25
Newport News
Racketeering Conspiracy; Murder in Aid of Racketeering; Use of a Firearm Resulting in Death; Attempted Murder in Aid of Racketeering; Possession/Discharge of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Crime of Violence
May 6, 2020
Deshaun Richardson, 24
Newport News
Racketeering Conspiracy
June 5, 2020
Ryan Taybron, 22
Hampton
Racketeering Conspiracy; Attempted Murder in Aid of Racketeering; Possession/Discharge of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Crime of Violence; Conspiracy to Distribute Marijuana and Cocaine; Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of Drug Trafficking
June 3, 2020
Eric Nixon, 24
Newport News
Racketeering Conspiracy; Attempted Murder in Aid of Racketeering; Possession/Discharge of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Crime of Violence; False Statement
May 13, 2020
Geovanni Douglas, 24
Newport News
Racketeering Conspiracy; Attempted Murder in Aid of Racketeering; Possession/Discharge of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Crime of Violence
May 28, 2020
Raymond Palmer, 29
Newport News
Racketeering Conspiracy; Attempted Assault with a Dangerous Weapon in Aid of Racketeering; Possession/Discharge of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Crime of Violence
May 19, 2020
G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Brian A. Benczkowski, Assistant Attorney General of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; Ashan M. Benedict, Special Agent in Charge of the ATF’s Washington Field Division; Terry L. Sult, Chief of Hampton Police Division; and Steve R. Drew, Chief of Newport News Police, made the announcement after Chief U.S. District Judge Mark S. Davis accepted the verdict. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Howard J. Zlotnick and Brian J. Samuels, Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Amy E. Cross, and Trial Attorney Chad W. McHenry of the Criminal Division’s Organized Crime and Gang Section are prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 4:17-cr-52.
Judge Sentences Man to 10 Years in Prison in Project Safe Childhood CaseRead the Press Release
ERIE, Pa. - A resident of Erie, Pennsylvania, has been sentenced in federal court to 10 years in prison on his conviction of violating federal laws relating to the sexual exploitation of children, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced today.
United States District Judge David S. Cercone imposed the sentence on Kevin Christopher Oldland, 38.
According to information presented to the court, Oldland traveled to Erie, Pennsylvania for the purpose of engaging in illegal sexual activity with a minor and used a means or facility of interstate commerce to persuade, induce and entice the minor to engage in illegal sexual activity.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Assistant United States Attorney Christian A. Trabold prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
United States Attorney Brady commended the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Millcreek Police Department for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Oldland.
Jefferson Parish Building Inspector Sentenced to 3 Years Probation after Previously Pleading Guilty for His Role in Bribery SchemeRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS – U.S. Attorney Peter G. Strasser announced that ALTON MCCLINTON, age 55, a resident of New Orleans, Louisiana, was sentenced today by United States District Judge Jay C. Zainey to (3) years probation, a $3,000 fine and 200 hours of community service after previously pleading guilty to using a facility of interstate commerce with the intent to promote unlawful activity, in violation of 18 U.S.C. ' 1952(a)(3).
According to court documents, MCCLINTON began working as a building inspector for the Jefferson Parish Department of Inspection and Code Enforcement in about 2014. He was responsible for, among other things, investigating complaints involving zoning violations and inspecting buildings to ensure that the structures complied with parish building codes. On at least ten (10) occasions, MCCLINTON used his position to demand a payment of between $150 and $500 in exchange for issuing either (1) a report reflecting that no zoning violation had occurred when, in fact, one had occurred and (2) an inspection report reflecting that MCCLINTON had inspected a particular building and that the building complied with parish building codes when, in fact, MCCLINTON had not actually inspected the building. Thereafter, MCCLINTON had the pertinent information regarding the fraudulently passed building or zoning inspection entered into one of two internet-based computer systems used by Jefferson Parish to record building inspections and zoning violations. While most of the bribe payments MCCLINTON received were in cash, at least one was in the form of a check drawn on the account of the party seeking a passing report from MCCLINTON. In total, MCCLINTON received a total of not less than $3,000 in bribe payments to influence his conduct.
U.S. Attorney Strasser praised the work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation in investigating this matter, with the assistance of the Jefferson Parish Office of the Inspector General. Assistant United States Attorney Jordan Ginsberg, supervisor of the Public Corruption Unit, is in charge of the prosecution.
Illegal Alien Residing in Sacramento Sentenced for Aggravated Identity Theft, Passport Fraud, and Voting by an AlienRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Today, U.S. District Judge John A. Mendez sentenced Gustavo Araujo Lerma, 64, a Sacramento resident, to three years and nine months in prison for aggravated identity theft, passport fraud, and voting by an alien, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced.
“In 1992, Araujo Lerma began fraudulently using the identity of a living United States citizen. He used that identity to commit a long list of other crimes, lying to numerous local, state and federal agencies, and abusing government programs,” U.S. Attorney Scott stated. “Today’s sentence serves to protect the public’s confidence in the immigration system, passport security, and federal elections and will deter others from perpetrating this type of fraud.”
“Today’s sentencing sends a strong message that the Diplomatic Security Service, in partnership with the U.S. Attorney’s office, is committed to successfully prosecuting those criminals who perpetrate U.S. passport fraud,” said Matthew Perlman, Special Agent in Charge of DSS’s San Francisco Field Office.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Araujo Lerma was born in Mexico in 1955. In the early 1990s he acquired and began fraudulently using the identity of a United States citizen named Hiram Velez. Araujo Lerma unlawfully obtained U.S. passports with the stolen identity and used the passports to fly back and forth to his hometown in Leon, Mexico. He lied on immigration applications to obtain legal permanent resident status and eventually United States citizenship for his Mexico-born wife and two children. In addition, he voted in numerous federal elections over the past 20 years. After a three-day trial, a jury convicted Araujo Lerma on all counts.
This case was the product of an investigation by the U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Katherine T. Lydon and Shea J. Kenny prosecuted the case.
Ignacio Woman Sentenced to 14 Years in Federal Prison for DUI MurderRead the Press Release
DURANGO – United States Attorney Jason R. Dunn announced that Twyla Casados, age 34, of Ignacio, Colorado, was sentenced today by U.S. District Court Judge Robert E. Blackburn to serve 14 years (168 months) in federal prison, followed by 5 years on supervised release, for murder in the second degree. Casados appeared at the sentencing hearing in custody, and was remanded at its conclusion.
Casados was indicted by a federal grand jury on January 4, 2019 on a charge of murder in the second degree. According to court documents, as well as facts presented during trial and sentencing, on December 18, 2018, Casados drank to intoxication before taking the wheel of a Chevrolet Suburban with several of her children in the car. At approximately 5:30 p.m. near Ignacio, Colorado, Casados veered over a median turn lane into oncoming traffic. Casados’ Suburban crashed into another car, killing the driver instantly.
Prior to the crash, Casados had a lengthy history of alcohol-related offenses, including three convictions for D.U.I. (one of which resulted in serious injuries) and an alcohol-related child abuse conviction. Casados had received extensive treatment and supervision, none of which deterred her from drinking and driving on January 4, 2019. As part of the plea agreement, Casados specifically admitted that she was aware that her actions of driving under the influence posed a serious risk of death or serious bodily injury to herself or others, but stated that she did not care.
“Driving under the influence can be deadly,” said U.S. Attorney Jason Dunn. “The defendant killed another person as a result of her drunk driving. She will have 14 years in federal prison to reflect on that fact.”
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, approximately one person dies in the United States every 50 minutes in a crash involving an alcohol impaired driver.[1]
This case was investigated by the Southern Ute Police Department. The defendant was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeff Graves.
[1] NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION, TRAFFIC SAFETY FACTS 2016 DATA: ALCOHOLIMPAIRED DRIVING (2017), available at https://crashstats.nhtsa.dot.gov/Api/Public/ViewPublication/812450.
Hartford Gang Member Sentenced to More Than 12 Years in Federal Prison for Kidnapping and Firearm OffensesRead the Press Release
John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that JONATHAN OTERO, also known as “Jax,” 26, of Hartford, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Kari A. Dooley in Bridgeport to 154 months of imprisonment, followed by five years of supervised release, for a kidnapping and violent assault he committed with four other members of the Almighty Latin Kings Nation (“Latin Kings”).
According to court documents and statements made in court, on January 26, 2018, Josue Franco and Anthony Carillo lured an individual (“the victim”) to a residence on Benton Street in Hartford. When the victim entered the residence, Otero and Luis Pitt were waiting. Otero, Pitt, Franco and Carillo then threatened, assaulted and tortured the victim, prevented him from leaving the residence, and demanded a ransom. After the victim was restrained, Pedro Carillo arrived at the residence and participated in the ongoing assault and torture of the victim, which included burning him with cigarettes, pistol-whipping him and throwing a dart into his foot.
The defendants forced the victim to call someone to deliver money in exchange for his release. The victim then called his father. Franco grabbed the phone and told the victim’s father if he did not deliver $500 they were going to kill his son. After the call, Otero put a bullet in the victim’s hand and told him he would use that bullet to shoot him in the head if the victim could not get the ransom money.
Otero and others then drove the victim to different locations in Hartford in an effort to collect ransom.
The victim was eventually released. He was subsequently treated at a hospital for a fractured cheekbone, a facial laceration, a concussion and other injuries.
Otero has been detained in state custody on an unrelated firearm offense since April 19, 2018. On September 13, 2019, he pleaded guilty in federal court to one count of assault with a dangerous weapon in aid of racketeering, and one count of carrying and brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence.
The other four defendants have pleaded guilty to related charges and are detained while awaiting sentencing.
Otero’s criminal history includes convictions for assault, firearm, threatening and narcotics offenses.
This matter has been investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Northern Connecticut Violent Crimes Task Force and the Hartford Police Department. The Task Force includes members of the Hartford Police Department, East Hartford Police Department, Connecticut State Police and Connecticut Department of Correction. The Hartford Police Department’s Major Crimes Division has provided critical assistance to the investigation.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian P. Leaming.
Harrison County man sentenced for selling methamphetamineRead the Press Release
CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – John Robert Lyons, of Salem, West Virginia, was sentenced today to 20 months incarceration for distributing methamphetamine near a playground, U.S. Attorney Bill Powell announced.
Lyons, age 46, pled guilty to one count of “Distribution of Methamphetamine in Proximity to a Protected Location” in July 2019. Lyons admitted to selling methamphetamine near Jackson Park playground in Harrison County in February 2017.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Traci M. Cook prosecuted the case on behalf of the government. The Greater Harrison Drug & Violent Crimes Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, investigated.
Senior U.S. District Judge Irene M. Keeley presided.
Gunman Sentenced to 16 Years in Federal Prison for Drive-By Shooting on Southern Ute Indian ReservationRead the Press Release
DURANGO – United States Attorney Jason R. Dunn announced that Antonio Castro, age 24, of Ignacio, Colorado, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Robert E. Blackburn to serve 16 years (192 months) in federal prison, followed by 3 years on supervised release, for assault with the intent to commit murder and discharge of a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence. Castro appeared at the sentencing hearing in custody, and was remanded at its conclusion.
Castro was indicted by a federal grand jury on July 9, 2018, on numerous federal felonies related to a drive-by shooting on June 6, 2018 near Ignacio, Colorado, on the Southern Ute Indian Reservation. According to facts presented during sentencing, Castro was in the driver seat of a van when he fired six shots from a handgun at an unarmed man standing in the street. Five of the six shots missed, but one shot struck the man’s elbow, causing significant injuries. As the victim lay bleeding in the street, Castro sped away in the van and later hid in the shower of a nearby friend’s house before being apprehended by officers with the Southern Ute Police Department. At the time of the shooting, Castro was on parole from a state felony burglary conviction out of Alamosa County, Colorado.
“Antonio Castro attempted to kill an unarmed man and flee the scene of the crime,” said U.S. Attorney Jason Dunn. “Thanks to the quick work of our tribal law enforcement partners and prosecutors from my office, Castro will spend significant time in federal prison.”
"Today's sentencing should send a strong message that the FBI will hold those who threaten the safety of our communities accountable for their actions," said FBI Denver Special Agent in Charge Dean Phillips. "Thanks to the efforts of our investigators and law enforcement partners, Antonio Castro will now face the consequences of his actions."
This case were investigated by the Southern Ute Police Department, with assistance of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The defendant was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeff Graves.
Gates Man Pleads Guilty to Child Pornography ChargeRead the Press Release
CONTACT: Barbara Burns
PHONE: (716) 843-5817
FAX #: (716) 551-3051ROCHESTER, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy, Jr. announced today that Gary Zeitvogel, 45, of Gates, NY, pleaded guilty to receipt of child pornography before U.S. District Judge Charles J. Siragusa. The charge carries a minimum penalty of five years in prison, a maximum of 20 years, and a $250,000 fine.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kyle P. Rossi, who is handling the case, stated that in June 2019, Facebook alerted the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) that the defendant appeared to be engaged in sexually explicit conversations with a 15 year old female. Utilizing information provided by Facebook, NCMEC determined that Zeitvogel and the minor victim were both located in Rochester.
NCMEC forwarded the tip to the New York State Police, who located the victim and discovered that the defendant was serving a term of probation with the Monroe County Probation Department. Zeitvogel had been convicted of Endangering the Welfare of a Child. On July 1, 2019, State Police investigators and Monroe County Probation Officers searched the defendant’s residence in Gates and recovered a cell phone which contained the Facebook application, in violation of his probation conditions. Zeitvogel was taken in to custody violating his probation.
A search warrant was executed on both the phone and Facebook account. Investigators observed over 1,500 images of child pornography on the phone, some of which depicted prepubescent minors, including the minor victim. Investigators also discovered sexually explicit conversations between Zeitvogel and the minor victim on Facebook, which took place between March and June 2019. Investigators also determined that the two had been in contact at the defendant’s home.
The plea is the result of an investigation by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children; the New York State Police, under the direction of Major Eric Laughton; Monroe County Child Protective Services; the Monroe County District Attorney’s Office, under the direction of District Attorney Sandra Doorley; and Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Kevin Kelly
Sentencing is scheduled for March 17, 2020, before Judge Siragusa.
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GBK Gang Member Pleads Guilty in Heroin Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH - A resident of Pittsburgh, PA, pleaded guilty in federal court to a charge of conspiracy to distribute heroin, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced today.
Delrico Clyburn, age 28, pleaded guilty to one count before Senior United States District Judge Arthur J. Schwab.
In connection with the guilty plea, the court was advised that in 2017, the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Drug Enforcement Administration initiated a wiretap investigation, primarily targeting the Greenway Boy Killas (GBK) street gang and drug trafficking in and around an area known as the Greenway Projects, located in the West End of the City of Pittsburgh. The wiretap investigation revealed that from in and around November 2017 through in and around June 2018, GBK gang member Delrico Clyburn and his co-conspirators conspired to distribute quantities of heroin.
Judge Schwab scheduled sentencing for May 7, 2020 at 10:00 a.m. The law provides for a total sentence of 30 years in prison, a fine of $2,000,000, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history of the defendant.
Pending sentencing, the court continued the defendant’s detention.
Assistant United States Attorneys Tonya Sulia Goodman and Yvonne M. Saadi are prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Drug Enforcement Administration jointly led the multi-agency investigation, which also included the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police, Allegheny County Sheriff’s Office, Pennsylvania State Police, Robinson Township Police Department, Stowe Township Police Department, Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office, Wilkinsburg Borough Police Department, and the McKees Rocks Police Department, that led to the prosecution of Delrico Clyburn.
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.
Four Mexican citizens charged in illegal transportation caseRead the Press Release
GREAT FALLS – Four Mexican citizens who were arrested in Glacier County on suspicion of smuggling aliens into the United States or illegal reentry pleaded not guilty today to immigration-related crimes, U.S. Kurt Alme said.
Alberto Guillen-Gordillo, 22, Omero Banderas-Rodriguez, 39, and Samuel Velasco-Tovar, 28, all citizens of Mexico, pleaded not guilty to an indictment charging them with conspiracy to transport illegal aliens and transportation of illegal aliens. If convicted of the most serious crime, the defendants face a maximum 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release.
The indictment alleges the defendants conspired from 2018 to Nov. 17, 2019 to transport at least six, but not more than 25, illegal aliens into the United States.
Ma Mercedes Rivera-Gutierrez, 39, of Mexico, pleaded not guilty to a separate indictment charging her with illegal reentry. If convicted of the most serious crime, Rivera-Gutierrez faces a maximum two years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release. The indictment alleges that Rivera-Gutierrez illegally reentered the United States after having been deported.
All of the defendants were arrested on Nov. 17 in Glacier County by Border Patrol agents who were investigating suspected alien smuggling.
U.S. Magistrate Judge John T. Johnston presided. All of the defendants remain detained pending further proceedings.
The indictments are merely accusations and defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty.
The case was investigated by U.S. Customs and Border Protection.
Pacer case reference. 19-84 and 19-85.
If any of the above cases are of interest to you, we encourage you to monitor the progress of the case regularly through the U.S. District Court calendar and the PACER system.
To establish a PACER account, which will allow you to review documents filed in the case, please go to, http://www.pacer.gov/register.html. To access the district court’s calendar, please go to https://ecf.mtd.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/PublicCalendar.pl.
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Former college student pleads guilty to threatening professorsRead the Press Release
HONOLULU, Hawaii – Neill Ong Tumulac, 27, of Honolulu, Hawaii, pleaded guilty today in federal court to one count of transmitting a threat in interstate commerce. Sentencing is scheduled for April 9, 2020 before U.S. District Judge Leslie E. Kobayashi.
U.S. Attorney Kenji M. Price for the District of Hawaii stated that according to court documents and information presented in court, from February 2018 to October 2018, Tumulac sent hundreds of threatening email messages to two of his professors at a local community college. The threats escalated and Tumulac threatened to murder one of the professors. The professors believed that they were potential targets of violence, and obtained temporary restraining orders against Tumulac. The professors suffered significant stress, anxiety, and one of them stopped teaching because of the threats.
Tumulac was declared incompetent to stand trial on April 3, 2019, and was sent to a facility on the mainland for rehabilitation. After receiving mental health treatment and responding favorably, Tumulac returned to Hawaii and was declared competent to stand trial on December 3, 2019. As part of his plea agreement, Tumulac acknowledged that he is in need of mental health treatment, and agreed that a condition of his supervised release shall require him to meaningfully participate in such treatment, including by cooperating with his treating physicians and taking any prescribed medications. According to information presented in court, Tumulac plans to re-enroll in college on the mainland following his release, with the support of his parents, who plan to reside with him.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Marc A. Wallenstein.
Former Owner of Trailblazers, Inc. Sentenced to 18 Months for Bankruptcy FraudRead the Press Release
LEXINGTON, Ky. – Barry E. Sanders, 64, the former owner and CEO of Trailblazers, Inc., an auto and truck parts supply business formerly located in Lexington, was sentenced today, by Senior U.S. District Judge Joseph M. Hood, to 18 months imprisonment for bankruptcy fraud.
Sanders had previously admitted in U.S. District Court that, while Trailblazers, Inc. was in the process of contemplating bankruptcy in the summer of 2013, he transferred $315,000 from the business to his personal banking accounts, using four cashier’s checks. Sanders then knowingly concealed the receipt of those funds, by failing to report the cash transfers on Trailblazers’ corporate bankruptcy filings in August 2013, as required by federal bankruptcy law.
Under federal law, Sanders must serve 85 percent of his prison sentence. Sanders will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for three years, following his release.
Robert M. Duncan, Jr., U. S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky, and James Robert Brown, Jr., Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, jointly announced the sentence.
The investigation leading to Sanders’ conviction was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The United States was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Erin Roth and Will Moynahan.
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Former Mexican Secretary of Public Security Arrested for Drug-Trafficking Conspiracy and Making False StatementsRead the Press Release
An indictment was unsealed today in federal court in Brooklyn charging Genaro Garcia Luna, the former Secretary of Public Security in Mexico from 2006 to 2012, with three counts of cocaine trafficking conspiracy and one count of making false statements. In exchange for multimillion-dollar bribes, the defendant allegedly permitted the Sinaloa Cartel to operate with impunity in Mexico. Garcia Luna was arrested yesterday by federal agents in Dallas, Texas, and the government will seek his removal to the Eastern District of New York to face these charges.
Richard P. Donoghue, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, announced the charges.
“Garcia Luna stands accused of taking millions of dollars in bribes from ‘El Chapo’ Guzman’s Sinaloa Cartel while he controlled Mexico’s Federal Police Force and was responsible for ensuring public safety in Mexico,” stated United States Attorney Donoghue. “Today’s arrest demonstrates our resolve to bring to justice those who help cartels inflict devastating harm on the United States and Mexico, regardless of the positions they held while committing their crimes.” Mr. Donoghue thanked the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) offices in New York and Houston, Homeland Security Investigations, New York Field Office (HSI), New York City Police Department (NYPD) and New York State Police (NYSP) for their work on the case.
According to the indictment and other court filings by the government, from 2001 to 2012, while occupying high-ranking law enforcement positions in the Mexican government, Garcia Luna received millions of dollars in bribes from the Sinaloa Cartel in exchange for providing protection for its drug trafficking activities. From 2001 to 2005, Garcia Luna led Mexico’s Federal Investigation Agency, and from 2006 to 2012, he served as Mexico’s Secretary of Public Security, controlling Mexico’s Federal Police Force. In exchange for the payment of bribes, the Sinaloa Cartel obtained safe passage for its drug shipments, sensitive law enforcement information about investigations into the Cartel, and information about rival drug cartels, thereby facilitating the importation of multi‑ton quantities of cocaine and other drugs into the United States. On two occasions, the Cartel personally delivered bribe payments to Garcia Luna in briefcases containing between three and five million dollars. According to financial records obtained by the government, by the time Garcia Luna relocated to the United States in 2012, he had amassed a personal fortune of millions of dollars.
Garcia Luna continued to take steps in the United States to conceal his corrupt assistance to drug traffickers. Specifically, he allegedly submitted an application for naturalization in 2018, in which he lied about his past criminal acts on behalf of the Sinaloa Cartel.
If convicted of the drug conspiracy charge, Garcia Luna faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years’ imprisonment and a maximum of life imprisonment.
The investigation was led by the New York Strike Force, a crime-fighting unit comprising federal, state and local law enforcement agencies supported by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force and the New York/New Jersey High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area. The Strike Force is based at the DEA’s New York Division and includes agents and officers of the DEA, NYPD, NYSP, HSI, U.S. Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation Division, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, U.S. Secret Service, United States Marshals Service, New York National Guard, Clarkstown Police Department, U.S. Coast Guard, Port Washington Police Department and New York State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision.
The charges in the indictment are allegations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
The government’s case is being prosecuted by the Eastern District’s International Narcotics and Money Laundering Section and Public Integrity Section. Assistant United States Attorneys Michael P. Robotti, Ryan Harris and Erin Reid are in charge of the prosecution.
The Defendant:
GENARO GARCIA LUNA
Age: 51
Residence: FloridaE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 19-CR-576 (RJD)
Former Manager of Heating and Cooling Company Pleads Guilty to Embezzling from her EmployerRead the Press Release
St. Louis, MO – Tracy Lee Cernicek, 48, of St. Charles, Missouri, pleaded guilty to one felony count of wire fraud. Cernicek appeared in federal court today before U.S. District Judge Stephen R. Clark who accepted her plea and set her sentencing date for March 10, 2020.
According to court documents, Cernicek formerly worked as a credit and collection supervisor for Nortek Global HVAC and Nordyne Distributing. Between September 2016 and April 2019, Cernicek devised and executed a scheme wherein she fraudulently diverted company funds to herself. As one part of her scheme, she altered company systems in a manner that caused company refund transactions, which were properly due and owing to customers, to be paid to her own bank account. As another part of her scheme, she directed third parties to include her name on checks that were properly payable to the company, and thereafter, deposited those checks into her own personal bank account. As part of her effort to conceal the scheme, Cernicek thereafter manipulated company accounting software to write off the transactions as bad debt. In total, Cernicek attempted to embezzle $179,750.96 from her employer and their customers, and successfully embezzled $134,834.56.
Cernicek faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Restitution is also mandatory. In determining the actual sentence, a judge is required to consider the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, which provide recommended sentencing ranges.
The U.S. Secret Service is investigating this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kyle T. Bateman is handling the case for the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
Former GE Engineer Sentenced for Stealing Trade SecretsRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Miguel Sernas, age 41, of Mexico City, Mexico, was sentenced today to time served (approximately 12 months in jail) for conspiring to steal trade secrets from the General Electric Company (GE). Sernas was also ordered to pay restitution to GE in the amount of $1.4 million.
The announcement was made by United States Attorney Grant C. Jaquith and James N. Hendricks, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).
Sernas, who pled guilty in May, admitted to conspiring with his business partner and co-defendant, Jean Patrice Delia, to compete against GE using trade secrets Delia stole from GE. Among the stolen trade secrets were advanced computer models created and used by GE to calibrate its turbines. Sernas and Delia used these trade secrets, as well as stolen marketing data and pricing information, to compete against GE while operating as Thermogen Power Services, a power plant performance evaluation company based in Montreal, Canada.
Sernas has been in custody since he was arrested in Detroit, Michigan, on December 3, 2018, after entering the United States on an international flight from Mexico.
Delia, age 44, and a citizen of Canada, pled guilty today to conspiring to steal trade secrets. He is scheduled to be sentenced on April 10, 2020.
This case was investigated by the FBI and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Wayne A. Myers.
Former GE Engineer Pleads Guilty to Conspiring to Steal Trade SecretsRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Jean Patrice Delia, age 44, of Montreal, Canada, pled guilty today to conspiring to steal trade secrets from the General Electric Company (GE).
The announcement was made by United States Attorney Grant C. Jaquith and James N. Hendricks, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).
As part of his plea, Delia, a former engineer with GE, admitted that he conspired with his business partner and co-defendant, Miguel Sernas, to compete against GE using trade secrets Delia stole from GE while employed by GE in Schenectady, New York. Delia admitted that he and Sernas, operating as ThermoGen Power Services, used the stolen trade secrets, as well as stolen marketing data, pricing information, and other confidential GE documents, to compete against GE around the world.
Delia faces up to 10 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, and a term of supervised release of up to 3 years when he is sentenced on April 10, 2020 by Senior United States District Judge Norman A. Mordue. 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.
Sernas, who pled guilty in May 2019, was sentenced today to time served (approximately 12 months in jail) and ordered to pay $1.4 million in restitution.
This case was investigated by the FBI and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Wayne A. Myers.
Former EDD Employee Pleads Guilty to Unemployment Benefits Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Pamela Emanuel, 59, of San Jose, pleaded guilty today for her role in a scheme to defraud the state of California by filing false unemployment insurance claims, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced.
Emanuel pleaded guilty to mail fraud and aggravated identity theft. According to court documents, Emanuel worked as a tax compliance representative for the California Employment Development Department (EDD) and had access to the personal identifying information of workers throughout California. Between July 22, 2015, and July 14, 2016, Emanuel and her co-conspirators used that information to file fraudulent unemployment claims in the names of the unknowing victims.
In total, the conspirators filed at least 269 false claims seeking over $2.4 million in fraudulent benefits. EDD’s actual overpayment was approximately $887,199.
“Pamela Emanuel stole information from the Employment Development Department database, thereby violating the public trust afforded to her as a California government employee. The stolen information was then used in a conspiracy to file fraudulent unemployment insurance claims. We will continue to work with our federal and state law enforcement partners to safeguard unemployment compensation benefits programs for those who need it,” said Quentin Heiden, Special Agent-in-Charge of the U.S. Department of Labor Office of Inspector General, Los Angeles Region.
This case is the product of an investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor Office of Inspector General, the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the California Employment Development Department, Investigations Division. Assistant U.S. Attorney Amy Schuller Hitchcock is prosecuting the case.
Four other co-conspirators have pleaded guilty and have been sentenced in relation to this scheme. On Aug. 16, 2018, Brittany Maunakea, 30, was sentenced to two and a half years in prison and ordered to pay $139,071 in restitution. On Sept. 20, 2018, Sergio Doriante Sanchez Reyna, 26, was sentenced to four years and three months in prison and ordered to pay $436,091 in restitution. On Feb. 22, 2019, Gregory Lee, 57, of Antioch was sentenced to nine years in prison and ordered to pay $353,458 in restitution. On Sept. 19, Russell White III, 38, of San Jose, was sentenced to four years and three months in prison and ordered to pay $212,071 in restitution.
Emanuel is scheduled to be sentenced on March 19, 2020. She faces a maximum statutory penalty of 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000 for mail fraud, and a mandatory consecutive sentence of two years in prison and a fine of up to $100,000 for aggravated identity theft. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.
Former Civilian Employee of the U.S. Air Force Pleads Guilty to Making False StatementsRead the Press Release
A former civilian employee of the United States Air Force (USAF) pleaded guilty today for making false statements in connection with a federal investigation into the employee’s theft of government funds.
Gregory Burris, 48, of Miesau, Germany, pleaded guilty to one count of making false statements before U.S. Magistrate Judge Karen B. Molzen of the District of New Mexico. A sentencing date has not been set.
According to documents filed with the court and admissions made in connection with Burris’s plea, between approximately 2013 and 2016, Burris was employed by the USAF as a Resource Advisor and was assigned to a multinational electronic warfare training facility (Polygone) near Ramstein Air Base in Germany. In this position, Burris was responsible for, among other duties, generating and transmitting invoices and payment instructions to foreign militaries for their use of Polygone’s facilities.
Between early 2015 and early 2016, Burris generated and transmitted six invoices to foreign militaries for money owed to the U.S. government for expenses related to Polygone-sponsored training exercises. Burris directed these militaries to transmit payment of the invoices to Burris’s personal checking account at a German bank, held jointly with his wife, rather than the authorized Department of Defense (DOD) bank account. As a result of Burris’s instructions, foreign militaries unwittingly deposited approximately $144,953.41 into Burris’s personal bank account.
Federal investigators in Albuquerque, New Mexico, interviewed Burris on Aug. 29, 2018. During the interview, he falsely stated that after receiving the deposits from the foreign militaries in his personal bank account, he wire-transferred the funds from his personal bank account to the authorized DOD bank account by requesting and authorizing each transfer in person at his local bank branch in Germany. In fact, Burris used the entirety of these funds to pay for personal expenses.
The Air Force Office of Special Investigations and the Department of Defense Office of the Inspector General investigated this case. Trial Attorney Erica O’Brien Waymack of the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section is prosecuting the case.
Former Acton Woman Sentenced for Stealing Social Security BenefitsRead the Press Release
BOSTON – An former Acton woman was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for stealing Social Security benefits intended for her children.
Elizabeth Smith, 40, currently of Pawtucket, RI, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Richard G. Stearns to six months of home confinement, three years of supervised release, ordered to pay $74,464 in restitution to the Social Security Administration. In December 2019, Smith pleaded guilty to three counts of theft of public funds and two counts of making false statements. Smith was charged and arrested in September 2018.
From October 2012 through October 2015, Smith stole Social Security benefits that were paid to her on behalf of her three children. In August 2014, Smith fraudulently told Social Security that she used all of the money she received on behalf of her children for their care and support, despite the fact that her children were no longer in her care, but in the custody of the Massachusetts Department of Children and Families. Smith stole approximately $74,464.50 in Social Security benefits.
United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling and Scott Antolik, Special Agent in Charge of the Social Security Administration, Office of Inspector General, Office of Investigations, Boston Field Division, made the announcement today. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Karen Burzycki of Lelling’s Major Crimes Unit prosecuted the case.
Final defendant sentenced to federal prison for production of child pornographyRead the Press Release
AUGUSTA, GA: The second member of a couple who admitted producing and sharing child pornography has been sentenced to a substantial prison sentence.
Carrie Marie Minton, 25, of Cordova, S.C., was sentenced to 30 years in prison for Production of Child Pornography in U.S. District Court by Chief Judge J. Randal Hall, said Bobby L. Christine, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. Her co-defendant, Charles Brandon Powell, 33, of Hephzibah, previously was sentenced to 30 years in prison on the same charge. Both will be subject to supervised release after completion of their prison terms, and there is no parole in the federal system.
“The resolution of this horrifying case is a credit to the outstanding investigative and prosecutorial work of agencies dedicated to protecting the most vulnerable among us,” said U.S. Attorney Christine. “Our office will be unrelenting in hunting down and holding accountable those who would exploit children for their own sick gratification.”
As described in court documents and testimony, Minton and Powell held online discussions to plan a sexual encounter with an 8-year-old girl whom Minton planned to bring to Powell’s Hephzibah home from Neeses, S.C. After Minton sent an explicit photo of another juvenile, a 5-month-old girl, to Powell in June 2018, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children alerted authorities, who intervened as the plot was in motion. Powell and Minton were taken into custody without either of the children subjected to further harm.
“This case is an outstanding example of how partnerships between the FBI and our state and local law enforcement agencies are essential in protecting our citizens and in particular, children, our most vulnerable citizens,” said Chris Hacker, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. “Hopefully, the severity of this sentence sends a strong message to anyone who would even think about hurting a child in this way.”
The case was investigated by the FBI, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) and the South Carolina Office of the Attorney General. Assistant U.S. Attorney Tara Lyons prosecuted the case for the United States.
Felon Charged with Illegally Possessing a Firearm and AmmunitionRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, PA - A former resident of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh on a charge of violating federal firearms laws, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced today.
The one-count Indictment named Lafon Ellis, age 25, as the sole defendant.
According to Indictment, on or about August 21, 2018, Ellis, a convicted felon, was found to be in possession of a firearm and ammunition. Federal law prohibits a convicted felon from possessing a firearm and/or ammunition.
The law provides for a maximum total sentence of not more than ten years in prison, a fine of not more than $250,000.00 or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney Brendan T. Conway is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police conducted the investigation leading to the Indictment in this case.
An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Federal Judge Sentences Eight Involved in Drug Conspiracy Operating in Mecklenburg CountyRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – U.S. District Judge Robert J. Conrad Jr. sentenced eight defendants today on drug conspiracy charges for their involvement in a narcotics distribution ring operating in Mecklenburg County.
According to filed court documents and today’s sentencing hearings, from 2015 until the 2018, the 10 defendants operated as a drug conspiracy responsible for trafficking methamphetamine and heroin in Mecklenburg County and surrounding areas. Over the course of the investigation, law enforcement determined that the conspiracy trafficked hundreds of kilograms of methamphetamine to the greater Charlotte area. Those sentenced to date are:
- Angelo Mejia, 28, of Charlotte, was sentenced to 235 months in prison and five years of supervised release.
- Rodolfo Felix Medina, 49, of Charlotte, was sentenced to 188 months in prison and five years of supervised release (sentenced on 9/30/19).
- Julio Cesar Sanchez, 28, of Charlotte, was sentenced to 180 months in prison and five years of supervised release.
- Emilio Mejia, 30, of Charlotte, was sentenced to 168 months in prison and three years of supervised release.
- Jose Javier Reyes, 21, of Charlotte, was sentenced to 78 months in prison and five years of supervised release.
- Mauco Contreras, 22, of Charlotte, was sentenced to 72 months in prison and two years of supervised release.
- Alejandro Jose Lopez Ceballos, 20, was sentenced to 60 months in prison and two years of supervised release.
- Kevin Eliezer Velasquez Melendez, 23, of Concord, N.C., was sentenced to 46 months in prison and three years of supervised release.
- Edgar Jesus Magana, 26, of Charlotte was sentenced to 41 months in prison and two years of supervised release.
- Martha Olivia Placencia Beltran, 39, of Mexico, was sentenced to 14 months in prison (sentenced on 5/1/19).
In making today’s announcement, U.S. Attorney Murray praised the outstanding efforts of special agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI); the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF); the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation Division, Charlotte Field Office (IRS-CI); the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department; the Gastonia Police Department; the Monroe Police Department; and the Union County Sheriff’s Office under the direction of Sheriff Eddie Cathey. U.S. Attorney Murray also noted the invaluable assistance provided by the North Carolina National Guard Counterdrug Program.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jennifer Dillon and Assistant U.S. Attorney Erik Lindahl of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte prosecuted the case.
This prosecution is part of an extensive investigation by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF). OCDETF is a joint federal, state and local cooperative approach to combat drug trafficking and is the nation’s primary tool for disrupting and dismantling major drug trafficking organizations, targeting national and regional level drug trafficking organizations and coordinating the necessary law enforcement entities and resources to disrupt or dismantle the targeted criminal organization and seize their assets.
Farmington Man Sentenced to 41 Months for Drug Trafficking and Firearms OffensesRead the Press Release
CONCORD - Alexander A. Tsiros, 37, of Farmington, was sentenced to 41 months in federal prison for drug trafficking and firearms offenses, United States Attorney Scott W. Murray announced today.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on September 7, 2018, the Milton Police Department received a call from an individual who reported that Tsiros was in possession of a black handgun. Tsiros is a convicted felon and prohibited from possessing a firearm.
Tsiros was later arrested in Dover for violating a protective order. During the stop, police officers noticed a backpack on the front seat of his vehicle. The Farmington Police Department executed a search warrant of the vehicle and found a Hi-Point C9, nine millimeter pistol, a black nylon holster, and ammunition. Police also recovered a bag of crystal methamphetamine, packaging material, and drug paraphernalia.
Tsiros previously pleaded guilty on July 3, 2019.
“Guns and drugs are a potentially deadly combination,” said U.S. Attorney Murray. “Armed drug dealers present a serious threat to the safety of the citizens of New Hampshire. To counter that threat, we work closely with our law enforcement partners to identify, prosecute, and incarcerate the armed drug dealers are endangering public safety in the Granite State.”
“ATF will continue to work with our state and local law enforcement counterparts to vigorously combat drug traffickers and the threat they pose to our citizens by illegally possessing firearms in furtherance of their illegal drug trade," said Kelly D. Brady Special Agent in Charge, ATF Boston Field Division.
This matter was investigated by the Farmington Police Department, Milton Police Department, Dover Police Department, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Debra M. Walsh.
The case is part of ATF’s Project Safe Neighborhoods initiative, which is a federally-funded program intended to reduce gun violence through law enforcement training, public education, and aggressive law enforcement efforts to investigate and prosecute gun-related crimes.
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Erie Market Owner Charged with Food Stamp and WIC Program FraudRead the Press Release
ERIE, Pa. - A resident of Erie, Pennsylvania has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Erie on charges of theft of government property, food stamp fraud and WIC program fraud, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced today.
The three-count Indictment named Kadhim A. Muhsin, 57, as the sole defendant.
According to the Indictment presented to the court, from in and around January 2015 to in and around December 2018, Muhsin, who is the owner and operator of New Sara’s Market in Erie, committed food stamp and WIC fraud by accepting food stamps and WIC checks for cash, store credit, and ineligible items.
The law provides for a maximum total sentence of 20 years in prison, a fine of $750,000, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney Paul S. Sellers is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The United States Department of Agriculture, Office of Inspector General conducted the investigation leading to the Indictment in this case.
An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Erie Man Sentenced to 10 Years for Setting Fire that Destroyed Erie Furniture CompanyRead the Press Release
ERIE, Pa. - A former resident of Erie, Pennsylvania, has been sentenced in federal court to 10 years in jail on his conviction of malicious destruction of property by fire, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced today.
United States District Judge David S. Cercone imposed the sentence on Tony Crawford, 35.
According to information presented to the court, in the early morning hours of February 5, 2016, authorities were alerted to a raging fire at Fred’s Bed’s and Furniture located about six blocks south of the federal courthouse in Erie. The building was completely destroyed within minutes. Investigators quickly determined that the fire was an arson after surveillance video from the area depicted an individual carrying a ladder to the store and then running away from the store once the fire started. Ultimately, attention turned to Crawford after several people came forward to reveal that Crawford had talked about setting the Fred's Beds fire. The ATF then conducted an analysis of Crawford's cell phone location that placed Crawford's phone in close proximity to Fred's Beds at the time of the fire.
Assistant United States Attorney Christian A. Trabold prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
United States Attorney Brady commended the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Erie Police Department and the Erie Fire Department for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Crawford.
Erie Felon Indicted for Fentanyl Death and Possessing Firearm and AmmoRead the Press Release
ERIE, Pa. - A resident of Erie, Pennsylvania, has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Erie on charges of violating federal drugs and firearms laws, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced today.
The three-count Indictment named Dona Arell Cowans, 37, as the sole defendant.
According to the Indictment presented to the court, Cowans sold a quantity of fentanyl that caused the death of R.R.W. on July 8, 2019. The Indictment also charges Cowans with possession with intent to distribute and distribution of fentanyl on or about July 9, 2019 and possession of a firearm and ammunition while being a convicted felon.
The law provides for a maximum total sentence of life imprisonment, a fine of $2,250,000, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney Paul S. Sellers is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Pennsylvania State Police conducted the investigation leading to the Indictment in this case.
An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
East Bay Residents Sentenced in Scheme to Sell Fraudulent Financial InstrumentsRead the Press Release
OAKLAND - Sharon Ringgenberg was sentenced to 15 months in prison for her role in a scheme to commit wire fraud, announced United States Attorney David L. Anderson, Federal Bureau of Investigation Special Agent in Charge John F. Bennett, and Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation, Special Agent in Charge Kareem Carter. In addition to the prison term, Ringgenberg was ordered to pay restitution totaling $705,000 to victims of the scheme. The sentence was handed down by the Hon. Jon S. Tigar, U.S. District Judge on December 6, 2019.
Ringgenberg, 70, of Martinez, Calif., pleaded guilty to the charge on August 10, 2018. According to her plea agreement, Ringgenberg conspired with codefendants Craig Scott, 53, of Oakland, and Kenneth Taylor, 57, of San Ramon, to commit wire fraud. In her plea agreement, Ringgenberg admitted that from November 2008 through May 2012, she and Taylor sold fraudulent standby letters of credit and proof of funds statements to clients of a company called Success Bullion USA, LLC (“Success Bullion”). These financial instruments were fraudulent because they reported false client creditworthiness and client balances that exceeded Success Bullion’s assets. Success Bullion falsely purported to be a subsidiary of a large Hong Kong financial institution. Ringgenberg acted as an officer of Success Bullion and signed and provided false documents on behalf of the company. Success Bullion used brokers, including co-defendant Scott, to find clients.
A federal grand jury indicted Taylor, Ringgenberg, and Scott on April 13, 2017, charging them with one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1349, two counts of wire fraud, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1343, and two counts of subscribing to a false tax return, in violation of 26 U.S.C. § 7206(1).
In addition to the prison term and restitution, Judge Tigar ordered Ringgenberg to serve a three-year period of supervised release and forfeit $295,000 in additional proceeds that she received from the scheme.
Scott pleaded guilty to his part in the scheme on August 12, 2018. In his plea agreement, Scott admitted that from 2009 to May 2012, he was a broker for Success Bullion. Scott solicited customers and acted as a broker for fraudulent standby letters of credit and proof of funds statements sold by Success Bullion. Judge Tigar sentenced him on December 6, 2019, to five years of probation with a year of home confinement and ordered him to pay restitution of $527,575 to victims of the scheme, to forfeit $20,000 in additional proceeds he received from the scheme, and not to sell securities as part of his term of probation.
Similarly, Taylor, pleaded guilty to his part in the scheme on March 1, 2019. Judge Tigar sentenced him on October 18, 2019, to 36 months of prison, three years of supervised release, and ordered to him to forfeit $3,436,002 and to pay $1,100,774 to the Internal Revenue Service and $90,000 to a victim of the fraud scheme. Before handing down the three-year sentence against Taylor, Judge Jon S. Tigar found that “Mr. Taylor enriched himself greatly, and he did so out of greed [. . . t]hat’s all,” and that “[t]his was a sophisticated, day-in-day-out fraud scheme that lasted for many years.”
Assistant United States Attorney Colin Sampson and Tax Division Trial Attorney Charles A. O’Reilly are prosecuting the case. This case is the result of an investigation by the FBI and IRS-Criminal Investigation.
Domestic Violence Abuser Sentenced to 10 Years for Unlawful Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
A convicted domestic violence offender discovered with a firearm was sentenced last week to 10 years in federal prison, the statutory maximum sentence, following an investigation by the ATF Dallas Division, announced U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Erin Nealy Cox.
Desmond Greer, 26, pleaded guilty in March to possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
Dallas County Court records show that in in 2016, Mr. Greer was twice convicted of Assault Family Violence after repeatedly punching and choking the 22-year-old mother of his children – two offenses that disqualified him from having a gun.
In spite of this restriction, Mr. Greer was seen brandishing a M-15 multi-caliber rifle during a dispute with a customer at his auto shop, federal prosecutors said.
“Federal law forbids convicted abusers from carrying guns – in part because research shows domestic violence offenders are five times more likely to kill their partner when there’s a gun in the home,” said U.S. Attorney Nealy Cox. “Prosecuting offenders who violate these domestic violence firearm restrictions is homicide prevention, plain and simple.”
“Mr. Greer is a convicted felon with a history of domestic violence offenses,” stated ATF Special Agent in Charge of the Dallas Division Jeffrey C. Boshek II. “When prohibited people and abusers unlawfully possess firearms, the probability of intimate partner homicide increases substantially. This sentence ensures Mr. Greer will not be a threat to the public, or to his family, for a very long time.”
The case was brought as part of the U.S. Attorney’s Domestic Violence Initiative, a push to fight domestic violence using federal firearm laws, which prohibits convicted abusers from possessing guns.
The prosecution is also part of Project Guardian, the Justice Department’s signature initiative to reduce gun violence using federal firearm laws.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney John J. Boyle prosecuted the case. Chief U.S. District Judge Barbara M. G. Lynn handed down the sentence.
Defense Contractor Admits Filing False Documents Relating to Machine Gun ContractRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – The former chief operating officer of a New Jersey custom manufacturing firm admitted today that he made false statements and submitted false documents to the Department of Defense in fulfillment of a machine gun bipod assembly contract, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito announced.
Mark Colello, 54, of Hackettstown, New Jersey, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge William Martini in Newark federal court to an information charging him with two counts of making false statements and representations.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
In April 2015, Colello’s company was awarded government contracts by the U.S. Army, Department of Defense, to manufacture bipod assemblies for the M249 light machine gun that required the use of a specific grade of steel. Colello falsified test results for the hardness of steel used to construct the bipod assemblies and for the magnetic particle inspection of the head and collar joints for the bipods. The weaker grade steel and the faulty head and collar joints caused the legs of the bipods to fail when soldiers attempted to use them to support their machine guns.
The count of making false statements carries a maximum potential penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Sentencing is scheduled for Jan. 28, 2020.
U.S. Attorney Carpenito credited special agents of the U.S. Department of Defense, Defense Criminal Investigative Service, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Leigh-Alistair Barzey; special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Gregory W. Ehrie in Newark; special agents of Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Brian Michael; and U.S. Army Criminal Investigations Command, Major Procurement Fraud Unit, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge L. Scott Moreland, for the investigation leading to today’s guilty plea.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Margaret Mahoney of the National Security Unit.
DEA New England Field Division Announces Results of Two-Week New England SurgeRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Maine: Drug overdoses are the leading cause of injury-related deaths in the United States and every day we see the impact that prescription drug abuse has on our neighborhoods. This crisis is destroying communities throughout New England and our nation. In an effort to address this epidemic, the Drug Enforcement Administration’s New England Field Division (NEFD) recently conducted a two-week surge operation. During the operation, law enforcement made 645 arrests and seized 17.9 kilograms of fentanyl, 7,800 illicit fentanyl pills, 13.9 kilograms of cocaine, 3.1 kilograms of heroin, 2.5 kilograms of methamphetamine, 38.1 kilograms of marijuana, 51 firearms and $1.2 million in cash, announced Special Agent in Charge Brian D. Boyle.
“DEA’s top priority is to aggressively pursue anyone who distributes these deadly drugs,” said SAC Boyle. “Those arrested need to be held accountable for their actions because they have chosen to distribute this poison and profit from the misery they spread.”
“Many Maine communities are battling the devastating effects of drug trafficking,” said Halsey B. Frank, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maine. “Fighting this scourge is one of the top priorities of the U.S. Attorney’s Office. We applaud the results of the recent New England surge operation and will continue working with DEA and our state and local partners to investigate and prosecute those who choose to distribute drugs in our state.”
The NEFD thanked its many local, state and federal law enforcement partners for their assistance during the two-week operation, and for their strong commitment to drug law enforcement in New England.
“Illegal drug distribution ravages the very foundations of our families and communities,” said SAC Boyle. “Every time we take fentanyl off the streets we save lives. These enforcement actions demonstrate the strength of collaborative local, state and federal law enforcement efforts in New England.”
Credit Card Skimming in Kansas Sends Second Florida Man to Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, KAN. - A second Florida man who planted credit card skimming devices on ATMs in Kansas was sentenced today to two years in federal prison, U.S. Attorney Stephen McAllister said.
Anderson Eduardo Seijas Chavez, 30, Miami, Fla., pleaded guilty to one count of access device fraud. Last week, co-defendant Carlos Alberto Campos Rojas, 29, Summerfield, Fla., was sentenced to 24 months after pleading guilty to the same count.
In his plea, Chavez admitted placing skimming devices and pinhole cameras on ATMs in Overland Park and Olathe. A corporate security officer notified local police, who did surveillance to identify a rental car that visited the ATMs on a daily basis. They followed the car back to a hotel in Kansas City, Mo.
McAllister commended the Overland Park and Olathe police departments, the U.S. Secret Service and Assistant U.S. Attorney Chris Oakley for their work on the case.
Chicago Man Sentenced for Possession with Intent to Distribute CocaineRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Joe Kelly announced that Victor Phillips, 31, of Chicago, Illinois, was sentenced today to 70 months in prison by Senior United States District Judge Laurie Smith Camp for possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine. There is no parole in the federal system. In addition to his prison term, Phillips will serve five years of supervised release following his release from prison.
On February 28, 2019, the Nebraska State Patrol conducted a traffic stop. Upon approaching the vehicle, the officer smelled marijuana. A probable cause search was conducted. While searching the vehicle, a kilo (or approximately 2.2 pounds) of cocaine was discovered in the back compartment area of the driver's seat.
This case was investigated by the Nebraska State Patrol.
Buffalo Man Pleads Guilty to Selling HeroinRead 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 Victor Quinones, 23, of Buffalo, NY, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Lawrence J. Vilardo to distribution of heroin. The charge carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, and a $1,000,000 fine.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles J. Volkert, Jr., who is handling the case, stated that on July 16, 2019, the defendant sold heroin to an individual working with the FBI. A few days later, on July 18, 2019, a federal search warrant was executed at Quinones’ residence on Leroy Avenue where he was apprehended. Investigators recovered drug packaging and a quantity of butyryl fentanyl. Quinones admitted to selling heroin in the Buffalo area for approximately one year.
The plea is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Gary Loeffert, and the Buffalo Police Department, under the direction of Commissioner Byron Lockwood.
Sentencing is scheduled for April 24, 2020, before Judge Vilardo.
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Buffalo Man Pleads Guilty to Cocaine ConspiracyRead 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 Wa1demar Martinez, a/k/a Crazy, 43, of Buffalo, NY, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Richard J. Arcara to conspiracy to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine. The charge carries a mandatory minimum penalty of five years in prison, a maximum of 40 years, and a maximum $5,000,000 fine.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Meghan Leydecker and Charles J. Volkert, Jr., who are handling the case, stated that between December 2015 and June 7, 2016, the defendant conspired with others to distribute over 500 grams of cocaine in the Buffalo area. Martinez used a residence at 275 Tonawanda Street in furtherance of his drug trafficking activities. On June 7, 2016, the defendant sold cocaine to an individual working with the Drug Enforcement Administration.
The plea is the result of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Ray Donovan, New York Field Division, and the Buffalo Police Department, under the direction of Commissioner Byron Lockwood.
Sentencing is scheduled for April 1, 2020, before Judge Arcara.
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Brooklyn, NY Man Pleads Guilty in Wiretap Investigation into West End Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
PITTSBUGH - A resident of Brooklyn, NY, pleaded guilty in federal court to a charge of conspiracy to distribute cocaine, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced today.
Kala Jones, age 48, pleaded guilty to one count before Senior United States District Judge Arthur J. Schwab.
In connection with the guilty plea, the court was advised that in 2017, the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Drug Enforcement Administration initiated a wiretap investigation, primarily targeting the GBK street gang and drug trafficking in and around an area known as the Greenway Projects, located in the West End of the City of Pittsburgh. The wiretap investigation revealed that from in and around November 2017 through in and around June 2018, Kala Jones supplied conspirators in Pittsburgh with 500 grams or more of cocaine, which he obtained in New York and transported to Pittsburgh via couriers.
Judge Schwab scheduled sentencing for May 14, 2020 at 10:00 a.m. The law provides for a total sentence of not less than 10 years in prison and up to life, a fine of $8,000,000, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorneys Tonya Sulia Goodman and Yvonne M. Saadi are prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Drug Enforcement Administration jointly led the multi-agency investigation, which also included the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police, Allegheny County Sheriff’s Office, Pennsylvania State Police, Robinson Township Police Department, Stowe Township Police Department, Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office, Wilkinsburg Borough Police Department, and the McKees Rocks Police Department, that led to the prosecution of Kala Jones.
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.
Broken Arrow Man Pleads Guilty to Possessing a Firearm in Furtherance of Drug Trafficking CrimesRead the Press Release
A Broken Arrow man pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court for possessing a firearm in furtherance of cocaine distribution crimes, announced U.S. Attorney Trent Shores.
Neville David Ewell, 45, of Broken Arrow, pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking crimes. In a signed plea agreement, Ewell admitted that on March 8, 2019, he knowingly and intentionally possessed cocaine with intent to distribute and maintained a premises for the purpose of drug trafficking. He further admitted to possessing a Beretta, 9x19mm semi-automatic pistol to further his drug trafficking crimes.
Officers from the Tulsa Police Department’s Organized Gang Unit executed a search warrant based on probable cause that Ewell was storing proceeds from illegal drug sales at a Tulsa address. While officers attempted to gain entry, Ewell tried to destroy evidence. Upon entry, officers discovered a plastic baggie containing 5 grams of cocaine base, other empty plastic baggies, a digital scale, and other evidence of drug trafficking. Officers further discovered the loaded Beretta semi-automatic pistol.
“Drugs and guns are a lethal combination that often lead to violence. Together, they oppress our community by spreading addiction, fear and pain. They cause harm to families, businesses and neighborhoods,” said U.S. Attorney Trent Shores. “Oklahomans deserve better, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office will do its part to keep our neighborhoods safe and our business districts thriving.”
U.S. District Judge Claire V. Eagan set sentencing for March 11, 2020. Ewell faces a minimum sentence of five years in federal prison, a maximum of five years supervised release and a fine not to exceed $250,000.
The Tulsa Police Department, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and FBI conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas E. Duncombe is prosecuting the case.
Braddock Woman Pleads Guilty to Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, PA- A resident of Braddock, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty in federal court to a charge of drug trafficking, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced today.
Paula Debaker, 55, pleaded guilty to one count before United States District Judge Arthur J. Schwab.
In connection with the guilty plea, the Court was advised that that the Greater Pittsburgh Safe Streets Task Force conducted a long-term investigation of drug trafficking occurring in and around the Braddock section of Pittsburgh. In January of 2019, investigators obtained authorization to conduct a federal wire investigation, which continued through May of 2019. Intercepted communications confirmed that Debaker obtained controlled substances from one of her co-defendants, who was a member of SCO, a neighborhood street gang, and permitted that SCO member and other members of the conspiracy to use her home to cook powder cocaine into cocaine base, commonly referred to as crack.
Judge Schwab scheduled sentencing for May 5, 2020 at 10:00 AM. The law provides for a total sentence of not less than five years and not more than 40 years in prison, a fine not more than $5,000,000, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant. Debaker remains on bond pending the sentencing hearing.
Assistant United States Attorney Rebecca L. Silinski is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation led the multi-agency investigation of this case, which also included the Drug Enforcement Administration, Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives, United States Marshals Fugitive Task Force, Allegheny County Sheriff’s Office, Allegheny County Police Department, Pennsylvania State Police, Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office Bureau of Narcotics, and the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police. Other assisting agencies include the Monroeville Police Department, Penn Hills Police Department, Wilkinsburg Police Department, and Allegheny County Adult Probation.
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.
Bend Man Sentenced to Federal Prison After Hash Oil ExplosionRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Ore.—David Carl Paulsen, 33, of Bend, Oregon, was sentenced today to 12 months and one day in federal prison and two years’ supervised release for illegally manufacturing and possessing marijuana during a March 2018 butane honey oil (BHO) explosion in Bend.
According to court documents, on March 18, 2018, Bend police officers responded to an explosion at a residence where David Paulsen lived with his wife, Jennifer Paulsen, 34, and their three-year-old daughter. Witnesses reported that, following the explosion, the Paulsens were running around their house, putting items in their truck and car, and telling neighbors not to call the police. Witnesses also reported that David Paulsen gave his daughter to a neighbor and told the neighbor to tell police that she had been with the neighbor during the explosion. Both Paulsens suffered severe burns.
During a search of the residence, investigators discovered more than 34 pounds of marijuana, multiple butane cans, and a BHO extraction device. BHO is a concentrated form of marijuana extracted using highly flammable or combustible solvents. Investigators believe David Paulsen was operating an illegal and unlicensed open flame BHO lab in his house, which caused the explosion.
On July 18, 2018, the Paulsens were charged by a federal grand jury with manufacturing or possessing with intent to manufacture, distribute, or dispense marijuana and endangering a human life while illegally manufacturing a controlled substance.
On September 18, 2019, David Paulsen pleaded guilty to one count of manufacturing or possessing with the intent to manufacture, distribute, or dispense marijuana. Prior to David Paulsen’s sentencing in federal court, Jennifer Paulsen pleaded guilty and was sentenced for unlawful delivery of marijuana in Deschutes County Circuit Court. The government moved to dismiss Jennifer Paulsen’s federal charges during her husband’s sentencing.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the Bend Police Department. It was prosecuted by Gavin W. Bruce, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon.
Baltimore Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Charges for Five Bank Robberies, Five Armed Robberies of Liquor Stores, and Related Firearms ChargesRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland –Anthony Eugene Wiggins, age 40, of Baltimore, Maryland, pleaded guilty yesterday in federal court to a string of robberies, including five bank robberies and five armed robberies at liquor stores, committed between September 24, 2018 and November 15, 2018, as well as an attempted robbery on November 15, 2018. Wiggins was on federal supervised release at the time of the robberies, having previously been convicted for being a felon in possession of firearm. During each of the liquor and convenience store robberies, Wiggins brandished a firearm and, in two instances, discharged the firearm during the robberies. In nearly all of the robberies, Wiggins threatened victim employees with physical violence and, during one robbery, fought with and assaulted a store customer and a victim employee.
The guilty plea was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Robert K. Hur; Special Agent in Charge Jennifer C. Boone of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office; Commissioner Michael Harrison of the Baltimore Police Department; Chief Melissa R. Hyatt of the Baltimore County Police Department; and Chief Charles Moore of the Bel Air Police Department.
According to his plea agreement, between September 24 and October 18, 2018, Wiggins committed robberies at five separate Maryland banks, including two banks in Baltimore, and one each in White Marsh, Bel Air, and Arbutus.
As detailed in his plea agreement, between November 2 and November 15, 2018, Wiggins committed five armed robberies at four liquor stores in Dundalk, Middle River, and Baltimore, Maryland. Wiggins admitted that he discharged a firearm in two of those robberies, specifically, a robbery in Dundalk on November 2, 2018 and a robbery in Baltimore on November 13, 2018, and brandished a firearm in the other three robberies. Wiggins also attempted to rob a fifth liquor store, located in Dundalk, on November 15, 2018.
Wiggins and the government have agreed that, if the Court accepts the plea agreement, Wiggins will be sentenced to between 10 years and 19 years in federal prison for the robberies and gun charge, and up to two years in federal prison for violating his federal supervised release. U.S. District Judge George L. Russell has scheduled sentencing for March 27, 2020 at 2:00 p.m.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
United States Attorney Robert K. Hur commended the FBI, the Baltimore Police Department, the Baltimore County Police Department, and the Bel Air Police Department for their work in the investigation. Mr. Hur thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Paul A. Riley and Mary W. Setzer, who are prosecuting the case.
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Baden Woman Charged with Theft of Government FundsRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, PA – A resident of Baden, Pennsylvania, has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, on a charge of theft of government funds, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced today.
The one-count Indictment named Kristian Kirkland, age 35, as the sole defendant.
According to the Indictment, from April 2016 to October 2017, Kirkland converted to her own use over $1,000 in Supplemental Security Income benefits belonging to a deceased beneficiary.
The law provides for a maximum total sentence of not more than 10 years in prison, a fine of not more than $250,000, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney Yvonne M. Saadi is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Social Security Administration, Office of Inspector General, and the United States Postal Inspection Service conducted the investigation leading to the Indictment in this case.
An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
51-Count Superseding Indictment for Dogfighting ConspiracyRead the Press Release
TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA – A federal grand jury has returned a superseding indictment charging three men – including a Federal Bureau of Prisons employee – with 51 counts of federal dogfighting offenses. The charges stem from an investigation into drug trafficking and a large- scale illegal dogfighting operation involving over 100 dogs. The superseding indictment was announced by Lawrence
Keefe, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.Most of the dogs used by the defendants were recovered by the United States Marshals Service and have been placed with appropriate foster organizations.
The defendants named in this indictment are:● Jermaine Terrell Hadley, 31, Quincy, Florida; ● Leonard Safford, 37, Gretna, Florida; ● Decarlise Chapman, 46, Marianna, Florida.
The superseding indictment adds Chapman, who is an employee of the Federal Bureau of Prisons, as a defendant in the case. Hadley and Stafford, among several other individuals, were named in the June
4, 2019, indictment in this case, but the other defendants have entered guilty pleas and therefore are not included the superseding indictment.“From the beginning, this case has shocked the sensibilities of decent, law-abiding people throughout the Northern District of Florida – and it’s even more shocking when an individual in a position of public trust has been added to those charged with these shameful activities,” U.S.
Attorney Keefe said.The superseding indictment and arrests resulted from an extensive investigation by the Organized
Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF), a joint federal, state, and local cooperative, which targeted a drug trafficking organization that also allegedly organized and conducted a large-scale illegal dogfighting operation throughout the Northern District of Florida between 2014 and 2019.
During the investigation, undercover operations were conducted to infiltrate the ring; execute multiple search warrants on properties allegedly involved in training, housing, and conducting illegal dogfights; and successfully raid a dogfight in progress.If convicted, the charged defendants face penalties of up to five years imprisonment and fines up to $250,000, per count. Trial is set for February 3, 2020, at 8:15 a.m., at the United States
Courthouse in Tallahassee.Participating in the investigation of the cases were the Drug Enforcement Administration, the
Department of Justice Office of the Inspector General, Homeland Security Investigations, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the United States Marshals Service, the
U.S. Department of Agriculture Office of Inspector General, U.S. Customs and Border Protection Air and Marine Operations, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Gadsden County Sheriff’s Office, the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office, the Florida Highway Patrol, the Chattahoochee Police
Department, the Tallahassee Police Department, the Leon County Sheriff’s Office, the Calhoun County
Sheriff’s Office, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, and the Florida Air National Guard
Counterdrug Program. The cases are being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Eric
Mountin.The OCDETF approach to combating drug trafficking is the nation’s primary tool for disrupting and dismantling major drug trafficking organizations, targeting national and regional level drug trafficking organizations, and coordinating the necessary law enforcement entities and resources to disrupt and dismantle the targeted criminal organization and seize its assets.
An indictment is merely an allegation by a grand jury that a defendant has committed a violation of federal criminal law and is not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial, during which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of
Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern
District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.15 Defendants Charged in Manhattan Federal Court for $18 Million Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
Geoffrey S. Berman, United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Dermot Shea, the Commissioner of the Police Department for the City of New York (“NYPD”), Philip R. Bartlett, the Inspector-in-Charge of the New York Division of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (“USPIS”), Patrick Freaney, the Assistant Special Agent-in-Charge of the New York Field Office of the United States Secret Service (“USSS”), and Peter C. Fitzhugh, the Special Agent-in-Charge of the New York Field Office of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations (“HSI”), announced the unsealing today of a criminal Complaint charging 15 defendants with conspiracy to commit wire fraud and bank fraud. Four defendants were arrested today in the District of Maryland, the District of Columbia, and the Eastern District of Virginia, and were to be presented today in those districts’ federal courts. One defendant is in state custody and will be presented at a later date. Ten defendants remain at large.
U.S. Attorney Geoffrey S. Berman said: “As alleged, these defendants conspired to steal millions of dollars by stealing identities, opening fictitious bank accounts, and depositing stolen checks – or conning victims to wire funds – into those accounts. All told, as alleged, the scheme netted more than $18 million and victimized numerous individuals and businesses. Thanks to the combined efforts of our law enforcement partners, the game is up.”
NYPD Commissioner Dermot Shea said: “This case shows that as criminals move into the areas of cyber-related frauds, law enforcement is following. I want to thank the members of the NYPD’s Financial Crimes Task Force, working alongside our federal partners and prosecutors in the U.S. Attorney’s office, in the Southern District, for their success today in this important investigation.”
USPIS Inspector-in-Charge Philip R. Bartlett said: “This Case is an excellent example of interagency cooperation and collaboration. Those who choose to break the law will be swiftly brought to justice to answer for their crimes.”
USSS Assistant Special Agent-in-Charge Patrick Freaney said: “The success of this investigation illustrates the commitment of the U.S. Secret Service in working with our law enforcement partners to confront the continued threat of cyber enabled financial crimes. The Secret Service remains dedicated in actively pursuing those whose actions threaten the financial security of individuals, businesses, and the financial infrastructure of the United States.”
HSI Special Agent-in-Charge Peter C. Fitzhugh said: “As alleged in the criminal complaint, these 15 defendants used an elaborate bank and wire fraud scheme to steal over $18 million from victim. HSI New York will continue to work tirelessly to investigate criminals who target our citizens. Through our law enforcement partnerships, to include the NYPD, USPIS and USSS as well as the prosecutors at the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Southern District of New York, HSI will work to help maintain the integrity of our financial systems.”
As alleged in the criminal Complaint:[1]
OLADAYO OLADOKUN, FAROUK KUKOYI, BALDWIN OSUJI, HENRY OGBUOKIRI, JOSHUA HICKS, ANTHONY LEE NELSON, DERRICK BANKS, IBRAHIIMA DOUKOURE, JAMAR SKEETE, PAUL YAW OSEI JR., KOWAN POOLE, DARREL WILLIAMS, DARYL BARTLEY, GARNET STEVEN MURRAY-SESAY, a/k/a “Steven Garnet Murray-Sesay,” and ANDREW HEAVEN participated in an $18 million fraud scheme consisting of three key phases. First, members of the conspiracy opened more than 60 business bank accounts using the real personal identifying information, including names and social security numbers, of identity theft victims. Second, members of the conspiracy deposited money into these bank accounts that they obtained by defrauding victims. Third, members of the conspiracy accessed the fraud proceeds by transferring the proceeds into other bank accounts or by withdrawing cash.
Members of the conspiracy typically defrauded their victims in one of two ways. In some instances, members of the conspiracy deposited stolen or forged checks. For example, members of the conspiracy obtained three checks that had been mailed by a national sports league from New York, New York, and deposited those stolen checks into bank accounts that were opened in the names of the intended recipients. In other instances, members of the conspiracy deceived victims into making electronic transfers. For example, a member of the conspiracy posing as a victim’s financial adviser caused the victim to wire money from a bank branch in New York, New York, to a bank account controlled by members of the conspiracy.
To date, law enforcement has identified more than 100 fraudulent transactions in furtherance of the scheme, totaling more than $18 million.
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All defendants – OLADOKUN, 46, KUKOYI, 33, OSUJI, 31, OGBUOKIRI, 32, HICKS, 24, NELSON, 28, BANKS, 27, DOUKOURE, 61, SKEETE, 36, OSEI, 32, POOLE, 29, WILLIAMS, 62, BARTLEY, 58, MURRAY-SESAY, 35, and HEAVEN, 49 – are charged with conspiracy to commit bank fraud and wire fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison. Seven defendants – OGBUOKIRI, HICKS, BANKS, POOLE, WILLIAMS, BARTLEY, and MURRAY-SESAY – are also charged with aggravated identity theft, which carries a mandatory consecutive sentence of two years in prison. The maximum potential sentences in this case are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendants will be determined by a judge.
Mr. Berman praised the outstanding work of the Financial Crimes Task Force of the NYPD and the USSS, the Mail Theft Team of the USPIS, and the Dark Web and Crypto Currency Group of HSI. Mr. Berman also thanked the Washington Field Office of the USSS for its assistance in the apprehension of the defendants.
This case is being handled by the Office’s General Crimes Unit. Assistant United States Attorney Alexander Li is in charge of the prosecution.
[1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Complaint and the description of the Complaint set forth herein are only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.
9 December 2019
West End Retail Store Owner Admits Role in Drug Trafficking SchemeRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH - A resident of Pittsburgh, PA, pleaded guilty in federal court to a charge of conspiracy to distribute cocaine, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced today.
Willie Harris, age 40, pleaded guilty to one count before Senior United States District Judge Arthur J. Schwab.
In connection with the guilty plea, the court was advised that in 2017, the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Drug Enforcement Administration initiated a wiretap investigation, primarily targeting extensive drug trafficking in and around an area known as the Greenway Projects, located in the West End of the City of Pittsburgh. The wiretap investigation revealed that from in and around November 2017 through in and around June 2018, Willie Harris conspired to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine out of the retail convenience store that he owned, Woogie’s Market, located on Chartiers Ave., in the West End of the City of Pittsburgh.
Judge Schwab scheduled sentencing for May 18, 2020 at 11:00 a.m. The law provides for a total sentence of not less than 10 years and up to life in prison, a fine of $8,000,000, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history of the defendant.
Pending sentencing, the court continued the defendant’s detention.
Assistant United States Attorneys Tonya Sulia Goodman and Yvonne M. Saadi are prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Drug Enforcement Administration jointly led the multi-agency investigation, which also included the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police, Allegheny County Sheriff’s Office, Pennsylvania State Police, Robinson Township Police Department, Stowe Township Police Department, Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office, Wilkinsburg Borough Police Department, and the McKees Rocks Police Department, that led to the prosecution of Willie Harris.
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.
U.S. Army Major charged with distribution of child pornographyRead the Press Release
AUGUSTA, GA: A U.S. Army Major assigned to the U.S. Army Cyber Command at Fort Gordon, Ga., has been charged with distribution of child pornography.
Jason Michael Musgrove, 39, of Grovetown, was charged in U.S. District Court Monday morning in a federal criminal complaint, said Bobby L. Christine, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia.
Musgrove, who is an Integrated Threat Operations Officer with Top Secret/Sensitive Compartmentalized Information clearance, is assigned to the Army Cyber Joint Headquarters at Fort Gordon.
According to court testimony and documents, the case in which Musgrove is charged occurred on or about Dec. 5. Following a hearing before U.S. District Court Magistrate Judge Brian Epps, Musgrove was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
A criminal complaint contains only charges; defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
The investigation is being conducted by the FBI and the U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Command (CID), and prosecuted for the United States by Assistant U.S. Attorney Tara Lyons.
Tampa Man Sentenced to Prison for Filing False Tax ReturnsRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Elizabeth A. Kovachevich has sentenced Thomas Ramon Castillo to two years in federal prison for filing two false personal income tax returns with the Internal Revenue Service.
Castillo had pleaded guilty on August 27, 2019.
According to court documents and proceedings, in March 2016, Castillo knowingly prepared and filed a false Individual Income Tax Return Form 1040 with the IRS for tax year 2015. Castillo’s false Form 1040 included a fraudulently inflated income figure supported by fictitious 1099-MISC forms. Based upon that false filing, the Department of Treasury issued a check to Castillo for $231,590, which he deposited into his bank account. Likewise, Castillo filed a false 2016 Form 1040, wherein he again fraudulently inflated his income and falsely claimed a refund of approximately $272,000. The IRS did not process that form.
This case was investigated by the IRS-Criminal Investigation. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jay G. Trezevant.
Statement of United States Attorney Mike Stuart on Change in Leadership at the Huntington Police DepartmentRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – United States Attorney Mike Stuart issued the following statement in response to the change in leadership at the Huntington Police Department:
“I congratulate Hank Dial on his appointment as City Manager for the City of Huntington and thank him for his leadership since becoming the Chief of the Huntington Police Department in 2018. I commend him for his service throughout his lengthy law enforcement career. During Chief Dial’s tenure, my office and the Huntington Police Department forged a strong partnership and took unprecedented actions to secure the safety of the City of Huntington and its citizens.
In turn, I congratulate Ray Cornwell on assuming the role of Interim Chief of the Huntington Police Department. I look forward to our continued partnership under Chief Cornwell’s leadership. Together, we’ll continue our efforts to make Huntington the safest city in America. The City of Huntington remains in good hands.”
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Statement of U.S. Attorney John H. DurhamRead the Press Release
“I have the utmost respect for the mission of the Office of Inspector General and the comprehensive work that went into the report prepared by Mr. Horowitz and his staff. However, our investigation is not limited to developing information from within component parts of the Justice Department. Our investigation has included developing information from other persons and entities, both in the U.S. and outside of the U.S. Based on the evidence collected to date, and while our investigation is ongoing, last month we advised the Inspector General that we do not agree with some of the report’s conclusions as to predication and how the FBI case was opened.”
Statement by Attorney General William P. Barr on the Inspector General's Report of the Review of Four FISA Applications and Other Aspects of the FBI’s Crossfire Hurricane InvestigationRead the Press Release
Attorney General William P. Barr issued the following statement:
"Nothing is more important than the credibility and integrity of the FBI and the Department of Justice. That is why we must hold our investigators and prosecutors to the highest ethical and professional standards. The Inspector General’s investigation has provided critical transparency and accountability, and his work is a credit to the Department of Justice. I would like to thank the Inspector General and his team.
The Inspector General’s report now makes clear that the FBI launched an intrusive investigation of a U.S. presidential campaign on the thinnest of suspicions that, in my view, were insufficient to justify the steps taken. It is also clear that, from its inception, the evidence produced by the investigation was consistently exculpatory. Nevertheless, the investigation and surveillance was pushed forward for the duration of the campaign and deep into President Trump’s administration. In the rush to obtain and maintain FISA surveillance of Trump campaign associates, FBI officials misled the FISA court, omitted critical exculpatory facts from their filings, and suppressed or ignored information negating the reliability of their principal source. The Inspector General found the explanations given for these actions unsatisfactory. While most of the misconduct identified by the Inspector General was committed in 2016 and 2017 by a small group of now-former FBI officials, the malfeasance and misfeasance detailed in the Inspector General’s report reflects a clear abuse of the FISA process.
FISA is an essential tool for the protection of the safety of the American people. The Department of Justice and the FBI are committed to taking whatever steps are necessary to rectify the abuses that occurred and to ensure the integrity of the FISA process going forward.
No one is more dismayed about the handling of these FISA applications than Director Wray. I have full confidence in Director Wray and his team at the FBI, as well as the thousands of dedicated line agents who work tirelessly to protect our country. I thank the Director for the comprehensive set of proposed reforms he is announcing today, and I look forward to working with him to implement these and any other appropriate measures.
With respect to DOJ personnel discussed in the report, the Department will follow all appropriate processes and procedures, including as to any potential disciplinary action."