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Friday 18 October 2019
Former CBP Employee Sentenced for Using OPM Data Breach to Falsely Claim Identity Theft to Charge-Off Legitimate DebtsRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Ronda M. Young, 49, a former Management & Program Analyst for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Customs & Border Protection (CBP), was sentenced to a two-year probation term for using OPM data breach to falsely claim identity theft to charge-off legitimate debts.
U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Liu and Anthony Triplett, Special Agent in Charge of U. S. Customs and Border Protection, Washington Field Office made the announcement.
Young pled guilty in August 2019 to one count of making a false statement, and one count of second-degree felony fraud. On October 16, 2019, the Honorable Ellen S. Huvelle sentenced Young to a two-year term of probation in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. The probationary sentences were ordered to run concurrently. Young was also ordered to pay $14,734.48 in restitution to the victim financial institutions, a $2,000 fine, $200 in special assessment fees, and perform 150 hours of community service.
According to court papers, from April 2010, through November 2017, Young obtained and used credit from J.P. Morgan Chase, Wells Fargo, Barclays Bank and FedChoice Federal Credit Union, for, among other things, personal domestic and international travel, furniture, and to register for the CBP Trusted Traveler/Global Entry Program. Young then used the 2015 Office of Personnel Management data breach to submit a false complaint and affidavit claiming that she was the victim of identity theft and that she neither applied for, obtained, nor used, the credit for her personal benefit, which in turn caused the financial institutions to charge-off approximately $34,664 in legitimate debts. Young admitted to engaging in the scheme to defraud the financial institutions to improve her credit history in anticipation of an upcoming background investigation.
When CBP conducted Young’s five-year background investigation in March 2018, she made false statements to the agents conducting the interviews on two occasions. First, Young falsely claimed that she paid the debts in full and would provide documentation reflecting the payments. At a subsequent interview, Young claimed that she misspoke and said that she was the victim of identity theft from the OPM breach, the debts were not hers, and that she had disputed the debts, which should have been removed from her credit report. Young made the false statements to the agents knowing that she had lawfully incurred the debts and that the claims of identity theft were false. She also knew that her financial background and credit history were material to her background investigation.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Liu and Special Agent in Charge Triplett praised the work of Special Agents from Customs and Border Protection, Office of Prodessional Responsibility, who led the investigation. They also acknowledge the work of Assistant United States Attorney Diane Lucas and former Assistant United States Attorney Denise A. Simmonds of the Fraud and Public Corruption Section, who investigated and prosecuted this matter, and former Paralegal Specialist Brittany Phillips, who worked on the investigation.
Former Auburn Business Owner Pleads Guilty to Tax FraudRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – A former Auburn, New York, business owner pled guilty today in federal court in Syracuse to filing a false tax return, announced Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Richard E. Zuckerman of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and United States Attorney Grant C. Jaquith.
Timothy Blackman, age 48, was a self-employed contractor providing construction and remodeling services to customers. During the years 2007 through 2010, Blackman failed to file income tax returns with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and failed to pay income taxes. After learning of an IRS criminal investigation in June 2010 concerning his income taxes, Blackman filed his 2007 individual tax return late, and willfully falsified that return by understating his true business receipts and total income from his construction and remodeling business. Blackman previously pled guilty to felony tax evasion in the Northern District of New York on March 19, 2004, for which he received a sentence of 15 months’ imprisonment.
Senior United States District Judge Norman A. Mordue scheduled sentencing for February 17, 2020. The charge to which Blackman pled guilty carries a maximum sentence of 3 years in prison, 1 year of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other factors.
This case was investigated by IRS-Criminal Investigation, and it is being prosecuted by Assistant Chief John Kane and Trial Attorney Kathryn Sparks of the Tax Division, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael F. Perry.
Additional information about the Tax Division and its enforcement efforts may be found on the division’s website.
Former Airline Gate Agent Pleads Guilty to Cheating Airline Ticketing SystemRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Chelsea woman pleaded guilty today in federal court in Boston in connection with using her position as an airline gate agent to convert low cost flights to more expensive flights and destinations for friends, family and acquaintances.
Tiffany Jenkins, 31, pleaded guilty to three counts of wire fraud. She was arrested and charged in November 2018. U.S. Senior District Court Judge Mark L. Wolf scheduled sentencing for Jan. 21, 2019.
As a gate agent, Jenkins had access to the airline’s computer reservation database and had the ability to use a special code, referred to as an involuntary exchange or “INVOL,” to change flights for customers at no additional cost. This code enables agents to change flights for customers who miss their flights or experience a death in the family.
During a 15-month period, from approximately July 1, 2016, through Sept. 27, 2017, Jenkins executed approximately 505 involuntary ticket exchanges for more than 100 different passengers. Many of those exchanges occurred after the passenger was first booked on domestic flights at one of the airline company’s lowest available fares—often, roundtrip flights between Las Vegas, Nev., and Long Beach, Calif. A short time later, Jenkins exchanged those tickets for a completely different city pair, generally involving much more expensive international locations, for friends, family and acquaintances.
The charge of wire fraud provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000 or twice the gross loss or gain, whichever is greater. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling; Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Division; and Kristina O’Connell, Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigation in Boston, made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sara Miron Bloom and Mark Balthazard of Lelling’s Securities and Financial Fraud Unit are prosecuting the case.
Federal jury convicts Houston man of trafficking girls for sexRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – A Houston jury has just returned guilty verdicts against a 44-year-old Houston man on five separate counts of sex trafficking involving adults and minors, announced U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Patrick. The jury deliberated for less than three hours before convicting David Mearis following three days of trial.
The jury heard evidence that spanned from approximately 2007 – 2016. Four victims testified about how they each met Mearis while still teenagers and how he won them over with gifts and kindness before using threats, sexual abuse and physical force to compel them into prostitution.
The jury heard Mearis knew what he was doing and that he lived off the backs of these young women and girls. The government described how Mearis exerted constant control over the female victims.
One girl began a relationship with Mearis, then 32, when she was 17 after
she had run away from her Oakland, California, home. Another victim was only 15 when she met Mearis, then 34. Both of these girls considered Mearis their boyfriend in the earlier stages of their relationships but were eventually forced to engage in commercial sex in north Houston. One testified that they had to engage in these acts daily and at all times of the day.
Another victim, 14, encountered Mearis, 41, and eventually ran away to live with him after they met on MocoSpace. She testified he had sexually assaulted her twice while she was with him in 2016.
Testimony revealed Mearis had put at least two of the girls on a peanut butter diet in order to fatten them up for the purpose of working as his prostitute. Evidence also showed text messages between Mearis and several victims demonstrating his constant control over their activities, including during the sex dates themselves. He controlled where they went, what they wore, what they ate and with whom they engaged in commercial sex. The jury saw commercial sex advertisements Mearis created for two of the victims and heard evidence about numerous times Mearis had accessed Backpage, a site formerly used for the purpose of advertising people for sexual activity. He also had bonded one of the victims out of jail at least twice after she was arrested for engaging commercial sex.
Some victims testified Mearis perpetrated acts of violence upon them, from slapping them across the face to being bound and gagged. They reported multiple instances in which they feared physical retaliation if they did not comply with demands, did not do as instructed or perform sexual acts as required. One victim described violence she experienced at the hands of Mearis following her release from jail.
At one point, when the girls were not making enough money, Mearis made one of them participate in a bank robbery. When it did not go exactly as he had planned, he berated her, calling her stupid, among other things.
That victim also described how she had virtually no relationships with anyone outside Mearis’ circle. He had taken her ID, would not let her drive or even use the phone. She was brought to tears multiple times on the stand. In one instance, she described that when her grandfather passed away, Mearis would not let her go unless he went with her. In trying to find the right word to describe the experience, she testified she felt “kidnapped” at the time and called him in court a “threat to young women.” “I felt like I had met the devil,” she said.
When she had eventually made it back to family in California after seeking help from Houston authorities, Mearis contacted her and threatened to call the police about her actions and the bank robbery if she did not return.
Another victim described how Mearis had hog-tied her and that he made her find other women for him. The jury heard Mearis had put a sock in her mouth, a gun to her head and threatened to kill her.
Evidence and testimony further established Mearis caused Supplemental Security Income benefits, intended for one of the victims, be directed to him. That victim had been diagnosed with mental retardation at an early age. Mearis himself described her as having the “mental capacity of a child” and could not do the simplest of tasks without constant supervision and instruction.
The defense implied the victims only implicated Mearis to avoid prosecution for their actions. The defense attempted to portray Mearis as simply a loving boyfriend who provided protection while the girls voluntarily engaged in commercial sex. However, testimony revealed the victims had to turn over the monies they earned for sexual acts directly to Mearis.
The jury did not believe the defense claims and found him guilty as charged.
U.S. District Judge Kenneth Hoyt presided over the trial and set sentencing for Jan. 13, 2020. At that time, Mearis faces a minimum of 15 years and up to life in federal prison and a possible $250,000 maximum fine.
He has been and will remain in custody pending that hearing.
The Houston Police Department, Texas Attorney General’s Office and FBI conducted the investigation with the assistance of the Harris County District Attorney’s Office as part of the Human Trafficking Rescue Alliance (HTRA).
Established in 2004, the United States Attorney’s office in Houston formed the HTRA to combine resources with federal, state and local enforcement agencies and prosecutors, as well as non-governmental service organizations to target human traffickers while providing necessary services to those that the traffickers victimized. Since its inception, HTRA has been recognized as a national model in identifying and assisting victims of human trafficking and prosecuting those engaged in trafficking offenses.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sherri Zack and Sebastian Edwards are prosecuting the case.
Federal Jury Convicts Former Wilkinsburg Man on All Counts of Running a Fentanyl Trafficking Conspiracy and Possessing Multiple FirearmsRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH – After deliberating approximately two hours, a federal jury found Cameron Basking guilty of four counts stemming from an FBI investigation that culminated in seven search warrants in Allegheny County and the seizure of a large quantity of fentanyl, multiple firearms and ammunition, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced today.
Basking, age 28, of Wilkinsburg, Pa., was tried before United States Judge Marilyn S. Horan. He was convicted after a week-long trial of one count of conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute more than 40 grams of fentanyl, possession with the intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl, possession of firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and possession of firearms and ammunition by a convicted felon.
According to information presented during the course of the trial, Cameron Basking was part of a large-scale fentanyl trafficking conspiracy operating in Allegheny County from January to March 14 of 2018. Basking would receive large amounts of fentanyl from two co-conspirator suppliers and then mix that fentanyl for future resale. To further this conspiracy, Basking used multiple locations in Allegheny County to cut and mix the fentanyl, store the fentanyl, and sell the fentanyl.
As part of the investigation, on March 14, 2018, members of the FBI’s Western Pennsylvania Opioid Task Force executed search warrants at multiple locations and vehicles tied to Basking. At an address on Princeton Boulevard in Wilkinsburg, investigators recovered tens of thousands of stamp bags used to package fentanyl in the basement of this location as well as ammunition. At an address on West Carter in North Versailles, investigators recovered voluminous drug and drug-related evidence, including over 40 grams of fentanyl, thousands of stamp bags, blenders and grinders, and gas masks to protect from fentanyl exposure. Additionally at the West Carter address, investigators recovered a fully-loaded 9mm Glock handgun, a fully-loaded Bushmaster .308 assault rifle, two extended 9mm magazines, and hundreds of rounds of ammunition. At another location in Wilkinsburg, on Rebecca Street, investigators recovered another firearm and ammunition, a quantity of fentanyl, six digital scales for drug distribution use and fentanyl packaging material.
Evidence presented at trial showed that Basking used the West Carter location to store the fentanyl, the Princeton Boulevard location to cut and mix the fentanyl for distribution, and the Rebecca Street location as the distribution center.
Judge Horan scheduled sentencing for February 10, 2020. Basking faces a maximum total sentence of not less than 10 years and up to life in prison, a fine of $5,000,000 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 of the defendant. Indicate relevant bond/detention information if known
Assistant United States Attorneys Timothy M. Lanni and Christopher Cook represented the Government in this prosecution and trial.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation – Western District of Pennsylvania Opioid Task Force conducted the investigation leading to the conviction in this case. This Task Force is comprised of FBI Special Agents and state and local Task Force Officers, including officers from the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police, Allegheny County Sherriff’s Department, Allegheny County Police, Port Authority Police, Munhall Police Department, West Mifflin Police Department, and Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office. The Allegheny Office of the Medical Examiner, Pittsburgh Bureau of Police Narcotics and Vice Division, and the Drug Enforcement Agency also assisted in the prosecution of this case.
Fayetteville Man Sentenced to 18 Years After Shooting and Paralyzing Robbery VictimRead the Press Release
RALEIGH — United States Attorney Robert J. Higdon, Jr., announced that today in federal court, United States District Judge James C. Dever, III, sentenced Ricky Fitzgerald Artis, 49, of Fayetteville to 216 months’ imprisonment, followed by 5 years of supervised release. ARTIS and co-defendant Clifton Currie were named in a three-count Indictment on October 18, 2018, charging both men with attempted interference with commerce by robbery and brandishing and discharging a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence, and ARTIS alone with possession of a firearm by a felon.
ARTIS pled guilty to the charges of robbery and brandishing and discharging on July 31, 2019. His sentencing followed that of his codefendant. Currie, who pled guilty to charges of robbery and brandishing a firearm, received a sentence of 144 months’ imprisonment and 5 years of supervised release on July 24, 2019.
According to the information presented to the Court, on July 31, 2018, RICKY ARTIS and Clifton Currie attempted to rob a man who they knew to be dealing drugs out of a hotel in Fayetteville, North Carolina. A man with a pistol, later identified as ARTIS, entered the hotel room, yelled “Where is it,” and then fired two rounds into the victim’s chest. The victim admitted to police that ARTIS stole a bag of crack cocaine from a table before fleeing from the room. Currie served as lookout, but peered into the room, as confirmed by hallway surveillance video showing both men. The victim sustained multiple gunshot wounds and as a result is now paralyzed from the waist down. Both ARTIS and Currie subsequently confessed to their roles in the robbery.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. Since 2017, the United States Department of Justice has reinvigorated the PSN program and has targeted violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime.
That effort has been implemented through the Take Back North Carolina Initiative of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of North Carolina. This initiative emphasizes the regional assignment of federal prosecutors to work with law enforcement and District Attorney’s Offices in those communities on a sustained basis to reduce the violent crime rate, drug trafficking, and crimes against law enforcement.
The Fayetteville Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant United States Attorney Jake D. Pugh represented the government.
Eight Tribes in the Western District of Oklahoma Awarded over $8.5 MillionRead the Press Release
OKLAHOMA CITY – The Department of Justice announced today that it has awarded over $273.4 million in grants to improve public safety, serve victims of crime, combat violence against women, and support youth programs in American Indian and Alaska Native communities. Of that amount, $8,536,419 will go to tribes in the Western District of Oklahoma.
"Violent crime and domestic abuse in American Indian and Alaska Native communities remain at unacceptably high levels, and they demand a response that is both clear and comprehensive," said Attorney General William P. Barr. "We will continue to work closely with our tribal partners to guarantee they have the resources they need to curb violence and bring healing to the victims most profoundly affected by it." "My office is thrilled that tribes will be receiving funds to support public safety in Indian Country," said U.S. Attorney Timothy J. Downing. "The U.S. Attorney’s Office will continue to work with federal, state, and tribal officials to keep tribal members safe and promote health and well-being in Indian Country."
The following amounts have been awarded to Western District of Oklahoma tribes for the programs indicated:
- Absentee Shawnee Tribe of Indians of Oklahoma - $2,142,292
Public Safety and Community Policing - $499,549
Justice Systems and Alcohol and Substance Abuse - $750,000
Tribal Youth Programs - $392,743
Addressing Violent Crime in Tribal Communities - $500,000
- Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes - $1,050,000
Comprehensive Tribal Justice Systems Strategic Planning - $150,000
- Citizen Potawatomi Nation - $171,757
Public Safety and Community Policing - $171,757
- Comanche Nation - $1,142,023
Justice Systems and Alcohol and Substance Abuse - $749,467
Tribal Youth Program - $392,556
- Kaw Nation - $1,619,868
Violence Against Women Tribal Governments Program - $899,955
Tribal Victim Services Program - $719,913
- Otoe-Missouria Tribe of Indians - $562,122
Violence Against Women Tribal Governments Program - $562,122
- Chickasaw Nation - $1,676,597
Public Safety and Community Policing - $776,597
Violence Against Women Tribal Governments Program - $900,000
- Tonkawa Tribe of Indians of Oklahoma - $171,760
Public Safety and Community Policing - $171,760
Nationwide, 236 grants were awarded to 149 American Indian tribes, Alaska Native villages, and other tribal designees through the Coordinated Tribal Assistance Solicitation, a streamlined application for tribal-specific grant programs. Of the $118 million awarded via CTAS, just over $62.6 million comes from the Office of Justice Programs, about $33.1 million from the Office on Violence Against Women, and more than $23.2 million from the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services. A portion of the funding will support tribal youth mentoring and intervention services, help native communities implement requirements of the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act, and provide training and technical assistance to tribal communities. Another $5.5 million was funded by OJP’s Bureau of Justice Assistance to provide training and technical assistance to CTAS awardees.
The Department also announced awards and other programming totaling $167.2 million in a set-aside program to serve victims of crime. The awards are intended to help tribes develop, expand, and improve services to victims by supporting programming and technical assistance. About $25.6 million of these awards were awarded under CTAS and are included in the $118 million detailed above.
CTAS funding helps tribes develop and strengthen their justice systems’ response to crime, while expanding services to meet their communities’ public safety needs. The awards cover 10 purpose areas: public safety and community policing; justice systems planning; alcohol and substance abuse; corrections and correctional alternatives; children’s justice act partnerships; services for victims of crime; violence against women; juvenile justice; violent crime reduction; and tribal youth programs.
The Department also provided $6.1 million to help tribes to comply with federal law on sex offender registration and notification, $1.7 million in separate funding to assist tribal youth, and nearly $500,000 to support tribal research on missing and murdered indigenous women and children and other public-safety-related topics.
Today’s announcement is part of the Justice Department’s ongoing initiative to increase engagement, coordination, and action on public safety in American Indian and Alaska Native communities.
A listing of today’s announced CTAS awards is available at: https://www.justice.gov/tribal/awards.
Eastlake man indicted in federal court of child pornography chargesRead the Press Release
An Eastlake man was indicted in federal court of child pornography charges.
Craig A. White, 40, was indicted on one count of receipt and distribution of child pornography and one count of possession of child pornography.
The indictment charges that from on or about July 3, 2017 through on or about March 6, 2019, , White received and distributed files contained visual depictions of real minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct. The indictment also charges that on June 10, 2019, White possessed a computer tower with several internal and external hard drives that contained child pornography.
If convicted, the defendant’s sentence will be determined by the Court after review of factors unique to this case, including the defendant’s prior criminal record, if any, the defendant's role in the offense and the characteristics of the violation. In all cases the sentence will not exceed the statutory maximum and in most cases it will be less than the maximum.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Carol M. Skutnik following an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation Child Exploitation Task Force.
A defendant is entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
Dominican National Pleads Guilty to Fentanyl Trafficking and Aggravated Identity TheftRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Dominican national pleaded guilty yesterday in federal court in Boston to fentanyl trafficking and using the Social Security number of a U.S. citizen to obtain a driver’s license.
Santo Patricio Lugo Santos, 42, pleaded guilty to two counts of distribution of and possession with intent to distribute more than 40 grams of fentanyl, one count of false representation of a Social Security number, and one count of aggravated identity theft. U.S. District Court Judge Richard G. Stearns scheduled sentencing for Jan. 21, 2020. Lugo Santos has been in custody since his arrest on Feb. 14, 2019.
According to charging documents, Lugo Santos made two sales of fentanyl to a cooperating witness in October 2016 and January 2017. Additionally, in July 2018, he used the Social Security number of a U.S. citizen to obtain a Massachusetts driver’s license.
The charges of distribution of over 40 grams of fentanyl provides for a mandatory minimum sentence of five years and up to 40 years in prison, at least four years of supervised release and a fine of $5 million. The charge of false representation of a Social Security number provides for a sentence of up to five years in prison, at least three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The charge of aggravated identity theft carries a mandatory two-year sentence of imprisonment to be served consecutively to any other sentence imposed, at least one year of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Lugo Santos will be subject to deportation upon completion of his sentence. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling and Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Division, made the announcement today. The case was investigated by the OCDETF Strike Force, which consists of members of the Massachusetts Department of Correction; Norfolk County Sheriff’s Office; and the Reading, Watertown, Braintree, Peabody, Waltham, Woburn, and Concord Police Departments. The Suffolk County Sheriff’s Office and the Boston Police Department also assisted with the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen W. Hassink of Lelling’s Narcotics and Money Laundering Unit is prosecuting the case.
Dewitt Man Pleads Guilty to Attempted Coercion and Enticement of a Child and Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – Derek Indivero, age 27, of Dewitt, New York, pled guilty today to one count of attempted coercion and enticement of a child and one count of possession of child pornography, announced United States Attorney Grant C. Jaquith, Special Agent-in-Charge James N. Hendricks of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and New York State Police Superintendent Keith Corlett.
In entering his guilty plea today in United States District Court, Indivero admitted that in February of 2018 he began communicating with a middle school student using the Snapchat online messaging application. Over the messaging application Indivero offered the student $50 in exchange for sexual contact. Indivero then met with the minor, engaged in the sexual contact, and paid the child $49.
Later that same month, law enforcement officials took over the middle school student’s Snapchat identity and, posing as the child, continued messaging Indivero. During the course of a Snapchat conversation, Indivero offered to pay the child $50 in exchange for oral sexual conduct, and then drove to a location to meet with the child for that purpose. Instead of finding the child, Indivero encountered law enforcement officials, and was arrested.
As part of his guilty plea, Indivero also admitted that he possessed images of child pornography that he obtained from the Internet using his cellular telephone. A search of his cellular telephone revealed that he possessed 37 videos depicting child pornography.
Sentencing is scheduled for February 20, 2020, in Syracuse, New York. Indivero faces a mandatory minimum of ten years, and up to life imprisonment for attempted coercion and enticement of the middle school student, and up to 20 years of imprisonment for possession of the child pornography he obtained from the Internet. Sentences of imprisonment may be concurrent or consecutive at the discretion of the Court. The Court must also impose a term of supervised release of between five (5) years and life, and Indivero will be required to register as a sex offender.
This case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the New York State Police in coordination with the Onondaga County Sheriff’s Office and the Onondaga County District Attorney’s Office. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Geoffrey J. L. Brown
This case is being prosecuted as part of Project Safe Childhood. Launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice, Project Safe Childhood is led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), and is designed to marshal federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
Department of Justice Awards Ysleta Del Sur Pueblo a $331,827 Grant Under the Violence Against Women Tribal Governments ProgramRead the Press Release
The Department of Justice has awarded the Ysleta del Sur Pueblo (YDSP), a federally recognized Indian Tribe located in El Paso County, a $331,827 federal grant to combat violence against women on their reservation, announced U.S. Attorney John F. Bash.
“Domestic violence is one of the most serious and challenging problems plaguing American society, including Native American communities. This grant will help fund solutions that save lives,” stated U.S. Attorney Bash.
The federal grant awarded to the YDSP is part of a $33.1 million funding package offered by the Office on Violence Against Women Tribal Governments Program. According to YDSP officials, the money will be used to recruit one Violence Against Women (VAWA) police officer assigned to cases concerning domestic violence and/or violence against women in YDSP's jurisdiction. By assigning a VAWA police officer to domestic violence and sexual assault cases, the YDSP will be better equipped to follow through with women victim needs to ensure that they receive a continuum of care beginning with response to calls of domestic violence and sexual assault, to linkage with health & human services, and finally through adjudication of cases working closely with Tribal Court, YDSP's Social Services and other essential community organizations. The VAWA officer will also prioritize community outreach as a mechanism to educate the tribal community of such dedicated resources, while providing necessary referrals and assistance to aid victims. The VAWA officer will also collaborate with intra tribal agency partners to design workshops and presentations intended to mitigate the proliferation of domestic violence on the reservation.
Nationwide, 236 grants were awarded to 149 American Indian tribes, Alaska Native villages and other tribal designees through the Coordinated Tribal Assistance Solicitation (CTAS), a streamlined application for tribal-specific grant programs. Of the $118 million awarded via CTAS, just over $62.6 million comes from the Office of Justice Programs, about $33.1 million from the Office on Violence Against Women and more than $23.2 million from the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services. A portion of the funding will support tribal youth mentoring and intervention services, help native communities implement requirements of the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act, and provide training and technical assistance to tribal communities. Another $5.5 million was funded by OJP’s Bureau of Justice Assistance to provide training and technical assistance to CTAS awardees.
The Department also announced awards and other programming totaling $167.2 million in a set-aside program to serve victims of crime. The awards are intended to help tribes develop, expand and improve services to victims by supporting programming and technical assistance. About $25.6 million of these awards were awarded under CTAS and are included in the $118 million detailed above.
CTAS funding helps tribes develop and strengthen their justice systems’ response to crime, while expanding services to meet their communities’ public safety needs. The awards cover 10 purpose areas: public safety and community policing; justice systems planning; alcohol and substance abuse; corrections and correctional alternatives; children’s justice act partnerships; services for victims of crime; violence against women; juvenile justice; violent crime reduction; and tribal youth programs.
The Department also provided $6.1 million to help tribes to comply with federal law on sex offender registration and notification, $1.7 million in separate funding to assist tribal youth and nearly $500,000 to support tribal research on missing and murdered indigenous women and children and other public safety-related topics.
Today’s announcement is part of the Justice Department’s ongoing initiative to increase engagement, coordination and action on public safety in American Indian and Alaska Native communities.
A listing of today’s announced CTAS awards is available at: https://www.justice.gov/tribal/awards. A listing of all other announced tribal awards are available at: https://go.usa.gov/xVJuE.
Department of Justice Awards over $273.4 Million to Improve Public Safety, Serve Crime Victims in American Indian and Alaska Native CommunitiesRead the Press Release
Spokane, Washington – William D. Hyslop, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Washington, joined the Department of Justice in announcing awards totaling more than $273.4 million in grants to improve public safety, serve victims of crime, combat violence against women and support youth programs in American Indian and Alaska Native communities.
Three of the American Indian communities receiving awards are located in the Eastern District of Washington. The Confederated Tribes and Bands of the Yakama Nation was awarded $3,080,006, the Kalispel Indian Community of the Kalispel Reservation was awarded $697,972 and the Colville Tribe was awarded $583,707. The funding for the Confederated Tribes and Bands of the Yakama Nation will support the violence against women and crime victim services programs, public safety and community policing, and corrections and correctional alternatives. The funding for the Kalispel Indian Community of the Kalispel Reservation will support justice systems and the alcohol and substance abuse programs. The funding for the Colville Tribe will support the crime victim services program.
“Violent crime and domestic abuse in American Indian and Alaska Native communities remain at unacceptably high levels, and they demand a response that is both clear and comprehensive,” said Attorney General William P. Barr. “We will continue to work closely with our tribal partners to guarantee they have the resources they need to curb violence and bring healing to the victims most profoundly affected by it.”
United States Attorney Hyslop said, “These grants will give Tribal officials additional tools they need to fight violent crime, protect their citizens, serve crime victims, and deliver justice. The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Washington is committed to working with our Tribal, federal, state and local law enforcement partners to reduce violent crime and improving public safety.”
Nationwide, 236 grants were awarded to 149 American Indian tribes, Alaska Native villages and other tribal designees through the Coordinated Tribal Assistance Solicitation, a streamlined application for tribal-specific grant programs. Of the $118 million awarded via CTAS, just over $62.6 million comes from the Office of Justice Programs, about $33.1 million from the Office on Violence Against Women and more than $23.2 million from the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services. A portion of the funding will support tribal youth mentoring and intervention services, help native communities implement requirements of the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act, and provide training and technical assistance to tribal communities. Another $5.5 million was funded by OJP’s Bureau of Justice Assistance to provide training and technical assistance to CTAS awardees.
The Department also announced awards and other programming totaling $167.2 million in a set-aside program to serve victims of crime. The awards are intended to help tribes develop, expand and improve services to victims by supporting programming and technical assistance. About $25.6 million of these awards were awarded under CTAS and are included in the $118 million detailed above.
CTAS funding helps tribes develop and strengthen their justice systems’ response to crime, while expanding services to meet their communities’ public safety needs. The awards cover 10 purpose areas: public safety and community policing; justice systems planning; alcohol and substance abuse; corrections and correctional alternatives; children’s justice act partnerships; services for victims of crime; violence against women; juvenile justice; violent crime reduction; and tribal youth programs.
The Department also provided $6.1 million to help tribes to comply with federal law on sex offender registration and notification, $1.7 million in separate funding to assist tribal youth and nearly $500,000 to support tribal research on missing and murdered indigenous women and children and other public safety-related topics.
Today’s announcement is part of the Justice Department’s ongoing initiative to increase engagement, coordination and action on public safety in American Indian and Alaska Native communities.
A listing of today’s announced CTAS awards is available at: https://www.justice.gov/tribal/awards. A listing of all other announced tribal awards are available at: https://go.usa.gov/xVJuE.
Dayton, Iowa Man Pleads Guilty to Illegally Possessing GunsRead the Press Release
A man who illegally possessed two handguns pled guilty October 17, 2019, in federal court in Sioux City.
Christopher Johnson, 45, from Dayton, Iowa, was convicted of possession of firearms by a felon. Johnson was previously convicted of manufacture of methamphetamine and/or possession with intent to manufacture methamphetamine, a felony, in August of 2001, in Boone County, Iowa.
At the plea hearing, Johnson admitted that on May 28, 2017, in Webster County, Iowa, law enforcement officers were dispatched to a residence in Dayton, Iowa, on reports of a person (later identified as Johnson) at the residence under suspicious circumstances. Law enforcement officers located Johnson nearby (at a residence where Johnson was known to reside) in a barn. Law enforcement officers located and seized two guns, namely a Ruger .22 caliber pistol and a Jimenez Arms .22 caliber pistol, along with some .22 caliber ammunition from Johnson.
Sentencing before United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Johnson remains in custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing. Johnson faces a possible maximum sentence of 10 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and up to three years of supervised release following any imprisonment.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Shawn S. Wehde and was investigated by Dayton Police Department, Webster County Sheriff’s Office, and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 17-3028. Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.
Convicted Felon Gets Statutory Maximum Sentence for Illegal ReentryRead the Press Release
A 39-year-old Mexican national with an extensive criminal history has been ordered to serve 10 years in federal prison for illegal reentry after deportation following an investigation by the Department of Homeland Security, announced U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Erin Nealy Cox.
Antonio Serrano-Perez, of Tamaulipas, Mexico, was sentenced Friday morning before Senior U.S. District Judge John H. McBryde, who handed down the statutory maximum sentence based in part on the defendant’s lengthy criminal history.
Mr. Serrano-Perez pleaded guilty in May 2019 to illegal reentry after being deported at least five times, the judge noted, adding that after every removal, he came back into the United States illegally, only to commit crimes including cocaine trafficking and family violence.
“This felon and narcotics trafficker has been deported to Mexico five times, and has repeatedly demonstrated that he has no respect for U.S. laws,” said Marc J. Moore, field office director of the ICE Dallas office. “Throughout his extensive criminal career, he has operated as though the United States is simply a profitable location for him to traffic in illegal drugs. After he fully completes his latest federal prison sentence for illegally re-entering the United States, our ICE officers will deport him a sixth time.”
Mr. Serrano-Perez was first removed to Mexico in October 1998, then reentered the United States at least five times over a 20-year period. During that time, the judge observed, Mr. Serrano-Perez racked up numerous state drug and violent crime convictions as well as three federal immigration convictions.
Following an illegal reentry in 2006, at age 25, he was convicted of a federal immigration offense in the Southern District of Texas, sentenced to 27 months in prison, and then removed to Mexico in 2014. At some point after that removal, he returned to Fort Worth, where he was apprehended on March 11, 2019 outside his residence by immigration authorities.
After serving his 10-year sentence, Mr. Serrano-Perez will once again face deportation proceedings.
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations, Violent Criminal Alien Section and ICE Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Levi Thomas is prosecuting the case.
Convicted Child Sexual Abuser Sentenced for Illegally ReentryRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – An illegal alien who has a previous conviction for aggravated sexual battery of a child, was sentenced today to 16 months in prison for illegally reentering the United States.
According to court documents, Eliseo Garcia-Gordillo, 38, a citizen of Honduras, entered the United States three times between 1999 and 2007, and was twice removed from the United States during that time. Sometime after his most recent removal in 2007, Garcia-Gordillo again reentered the United States without permission, and was found in February 2017 when he was arrested in Prince William County. In June 2019, Garcia-Gordillo was convicted of aggravated sexual battery of a child under the age of 13.
“Eliseo Garcia-Gordillo has illegally entered the United States on four occasions, and has recently been convicted of sexually abusing an innocent child,” said G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. “Individuals like Garcia-Gordillo, who are here illegally and committing serious crimes, represent a clear threat to the safety and security of our communities. This case is representative of precisely why we have committed to prioritizing criminal immigration enforcement cases across the Eastern District of Virginia.”
G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Russell Hott, Field Office Director for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) Washington, D.C., made the announcement after Senior U.S. District Judge T.S. Ellis III accepted the plea. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Anthony W. Mariano and Assistant U.S. Attorney Danya E. Atiyeh 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. 1:18-cr-134.
Collierville Woman Sentenced to 75 Months in Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
Memphis, TN – Latrice Calvin, 48, of Collierville, Tennessee was sentenced to 75 months in federal prison in connection with a scheme to defraud mortgage lending institutions and individuals of more than $1.5 million dollars. U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant announced the sentence today.
Calvin entered a plea of guilty to a one-count information charging her with wire fraud in May. According to the information, between April 2016, and October 2018, Calvin, through her company, Trinity Home and Investments, made false statements and representations to mortgage lenders and individuals to induce them to fund mortgage loans and invest monies with Trinity.
On October 18, 2019, United States District Judge John T. Fowlkes, Jr., sentenced Calvin to 75 months imprisonment followed by 4 years of supervised release. She was also ordered to pay restitution to the lenders and investors in the total amount of $1,524,564.28 and to pay a money judgment to the United States in the same amount.
U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant said, "Financial fraud can happen anywhere, and can be devastating to lending institutions and individual investors. The defendant used her position of trust and authority to steal proceeds for her personal benefit, and her dishonesty has been exposed. We are pleased that justice has been achieved on behalf of the victims, and we commend the FBI for their outstanding investigation in this disturbing case. Wherever fraud occurs in the Western District of Tennessee, this office will be prepared to hold offenders accountable."
The Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated this case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Carroll L. André III prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
Clayton Man Sentenced to 10 Years for Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking CrimeRead the Press Release
RALEIGH – United States Attorney Robert J. Higdon, Jr. announced that today in federal court, Chief United States District Judge Terrence W. Boyle sentenced CHRISTOPHER EDWARD REAVES, 35, of Clayton, North Carolina to 120 months imprisonment, followed by 5 years of supervised release.
REAVES was named in a Criminal Information filed on May 16, 2019 charging him with two-counts of Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime. On July 11, 2019, REAVES pled guilty to the charges.
On January 6, 2019, deputies with the Johnston County Sheriff’s Office (JCSO) responded to a suspicious vehicle call at a home in Clayton. Upon arrival, deputies observed REAVES asleep inside the vehicle. Deputies had to shake REAVES to wake him up and observed narcotics in plain view. A search of the vehicle resulted in the seizure of 1 gram of cocaine, 0.22 gram of heroin (11 dosage units), 14.9 grams of Suboxone, drug paraphernalia, and a .25 caliber handgun. Subsequent to REAVES’ arrest, he provided an unprotected statement acknowledging that he was a drug addict. Deputies attempted to question REAVES about the firearm; however, he had fallen asleep.
On February 24, 2019, officers with the Clayton Police Department responded to a report that REAVES was passed out behind the wheel of a truck with the brakes depressed. Law enforcement officials learned REAVES was also wanted by the JCSO. As officers opened the driver’s door to get REAVES out of the vehicle, a concealed 9mm handgun fell to the floor. The firearm was secured, and REAVES was taken into custody without incident. Thereafter, a search of his vehicle resulted in the seizure of 84.1 grams of marijuana, 12.2 grams of Suboxone, drug paraphernalia, and $1,084 in U.S. currency.
In summation, REAVES is accountable for possession of two firearms in connection with his drug trafficking crimes. Specifically, he possessed with intent to sell a total of 84.1 grams of marijuana, 0.22 gram of heroin, 27.1 grams of Suboxone, and 1 gram of cocaine. On July 18, 2019, the defendant submitted a written statement accepting responsibility for his involvement in these crimes.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Johnston County Sheriff’s Office and the Clayton Police Department investigated this case. Assistant United States Attorney Daniel W. Smith represented the government.
Chinese National Sentenced to Prison for Conspiring to Illegally Export Military- and Space-Grade Technology from the United States to ChinaRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – On October 16, 2019, United States District Judge Diane J. Humetewa sentenced Tao Li, a 39-year-old Chinese national, to 40 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release. Li had previously pleaded guilty to conspiring to export military- and space-grade technology to the People’s Republic of China without a license in violation of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act. Notwithstanding the licensing requirement, the Department of Commerce has a policy of denial to export these types of electronic components to the People’s Republic of China.
Between December 2016 and January 2018, Li worked with other individuals in China to purchase radiation-hardened power amplifiers and supervisory circuits and illegally export them from the United States to China. The electronic components sought by Li are capable of withstanding significant levels of radiation and extreme heat, and as a result, are primarily used for military and space applications. Due to the technological capabilities of the electronic components sought by Li and the significant contribution that the components could make to a foreign country’s military and space programs, both parts required an export license from the U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of Industry and Security, prior to being sent out of the United States. Notwithstanding the licensing requirement, the Department of Commerce has a policy of denial to export these types of electronic components to the People’s Republic of China.
Between December 2016 and January 2018, Li, who resided in China, used multiple aliases to contact individuals in the United States, including representatives of United States-based private companies, to try to obtain the electronic components.
During his efforts to obtain the electronic components, Li contacted two different undercover law enforcement agents in Arizona. During his communications with the undercover agents, Li asked both of them to export the electronic components to China without obtaining the required license from the Department of Commerce. Additionally, Li and his coconspirators agreed to pay a “risk fee” to illegally export the electronic components to China. In furtherance of his request, Li wired money from a bank account in China to a bank account in Arizona. Li was arrested in September 2018 at Los Angeles International Airport, as he attempted to travel from China to Arizona to meet with one of the undercover agents.
“This sentence is well deserved and further demonstrates the lengths of criminal activity by those who seek to engage in illegally obtaining sophisticated materials,” said Scott Brown, Special Agent in Charge for Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Phoenix. “One of HSI’s top priorities is preventing U.S. military products and sensitive technology from falling into the hands of those who might seek to harm America or its interests. We will continue to aggressively pursue violators wherever they may be.”
“Li’s sentencing was the result of a highly successful joint investigative effort with our law enforcement partners and the U.S. Attorney’s Office that prevented U.S. military technology from falling into the wrong hands,” said Bryan D. Denny, Special Agent in Charge of the Defense Criminal Investigative Service, Western Field Office. “It also reaffirms our commitment to protecting America from this type of activity and, equally so, serves as a warning to those intent on illegally exporting our technologies that the Defense Criminal Investigative Service and its partners will pursue these crimes relentlessly.”
“If you steal our military and space technology, you should expect to go to prison,” said Michael Bailey, United States Attorney for the District of Arizona. “But for the diligent work of HSI and the Defense Criminal Investigative Service, our nation’s security would’ve been damaged by Mr. Li.”
The investigation in this case was conducted by HSI and DCIS. The prosecution was handled by Todd M. Allison and David Pimsner, Assistant United States Attorneys, District of Arizona, Phoenix, with assistance from Scott Claffee, Trial Attorney, Department of Justice National Security Division.
Chinese National Sentenced to 40 Months in Prison for Conspiring to Illegally Export Military- and Space-Grade Technology from the United States to ChinaRead the Press Release
On October 16, 2019, United States District Judge Diane J. Humetewa sentenced Tao Li, a 39-year-old Chinese national, to 40 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release. Li had previously pleaded guilty to conspiring to export military- and space-grade technology to the People’s Republic of China without a license in violation of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act.
“This case is one of many involving illegal attempts to take U.S. technology to China. Li attempted to procure highly sensitive U.S. military technology in violation of our export control laws. Such laws are in place to protect our national security, and the Department of Justice will continue to vigorously enforce them,” said Assistant Attorney General John C. Demers. “We don’t take these crimes lightly and we will continue to pursue them.”
“If you steal our military and space technology, you should expect to go to prison,” said Michael Bailey, United States Attorney for the District of Arizona. “But for the diligent work of HSI and the Defense Criminal Investigative Service, our nation’s security would’ve been damaged by Mr. Li.”
“Li’s sentencing was the result of a highly successful joint investigative effort with our law enforcement partners and the U.S. Attorney’s Office that prevented U.S. military technology from falling into the wrong hands,” said Bryan D. Denny, Special Agent in Charge of the Defense Criminal Investigative Service, Western Field Office. “It also reaffirms our commitment to protecting America from this type of activity and, equally so, serves as a warning to those intent on illegally exporting our technologies that the Defense Criminal Investigative Service and its partners will pursue these crimes relentlessly.”
“This sentence is well deserved and further demonstrates the lengths of criminal activity by those who seek to engage in illegally obtaining sophisticated materials,” said Scott Brown, Special Agent in Charge for Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Phoenix. “One of HSI’s top priorities is preventing U.S. military products and sensitive technology from falling into the hands of those who might seek to harm America or its interests. We will continue to aggressively pursue violators wherever they may be.”
Between December 2016 and January 2018, Li worked with other individuals in China to purchase radiation-hardened power amplifiers and supervisory circuits and illegally export them from the United States to China. The electronic components sought by Li are capable of withstanding significant levels of radiation and extreme heat, and as a result, are primarily used for military and space applications. Due to the technological capabilities of the electronic components sought by Li and the significant contribution that the components could make to a foreign country’s military and space programs, both parts required an export license from the U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of Industry and Security, prior to being sent out of the United States. Notwithstanding the licensing requirement, the Department of Commerce has a policy of denial to export these types of electronic components to the People’s Republic of China.
Between December 2016 and January 2018, Li, who resided in China, used multiple aliases to contact individuals in the United States, including representatives of United States-based private companies, to try to obtain the electronic components. Additionally, Li and his coconspirators agreed to pay a “risk fee” to illegally export the electronic components to China. In furtherance of his request, Li wired money from a bank account in China to a bank account in Arizona. Li was arrested in September 2018 at Los Angeles International Airport, as Li attempted to travel from China to Arizona to meet with one of the undercover agents.
The investigation in this case was conducted by HSI and DCIS. The prosecution was handled by Todd M. Allison and David Pimsner, Assistant United States Attorneys, District of Arizona, Phoenix, with assistance from Scott Claffee, Trial Attorney, Department of Justice National Security Division.
Canadian seafood wholesaler, and owner, plead guilty to illegally importing fish into U.SRead the Press Release
Seattle – Seven Seas Fish Company, Ltd of Richmond, BC Canada, and a company owner JOHN HERAS, 78, of Delta, B.C, pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in Seattle to importation of previously refused food. The company and HERAS admit that between October 2014 and August 2015, they imported more than 9,000 pounds of potentially adulterated fish into the U.S. The fish had previously been refused entry into the U.S., because the FDA judged samples of the fish too decomposed and putrid. Seven Seas has agreed to pay a $150,000 fine. HERAS could face to up to a year in prison when sentenced by U.S. Magistrate Judge Mary Alice Theiler on February 7, 2020.
According to records filed in the case, in June 2014, Seven Seas purchased 12,100 pounds of frozen corvina, a white fish similar to sea bass. The fish was purchased for $36,375 from a seafood company in Mexico. Seven Seas attempted to have the fish imported into the U.S. at the Otay Mesa Port of Entry. However, when Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Consumer Safety Officers examined the fish, they determined that one third of the samples from the shipment were more than 20 percent spoiled. The shipment was refused entry to the U.S. However, Seven Seas arranged for the fish to be lawfully shipped through the U.S. to its plant in Richmond, BC, claiming that the product would be distributed in Canada.
After the fish arrived in B.C., HERAS cooked and ate some of the fish and claimed he found nothing wrong with it. Despite his knowledge that the fish had been refused entry to the U.S., HERAS encouraged others within Seven Seas to sell the fish to customers in Washington State and elsewhere. Some 9,020 pounds of the fish was imported into the U.S. without the required notice to the Secretary of Health and Human services.
The FDA has not found any illness linked to those who consumed the fish.
Importation of previously refused food is punishable by up to a year in prison. Prosecutors have agreed to recommend a probationary sentence for HERAS, but the ultimate sentence will be determined by Magistrate Judge Theiler based on the sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors.
The case was investigated by the FDA Office of Criminal Investigation, Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and Homeland Security Investigations. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Matthew Diggs.
Camden Man Admits Role in Drug Trafficking OrganizationRead the Press Release
CAMDEN, N.J. – A member of a drug-trafficking organization has admitted his role in distributing significant amounts of illegal drugs in Camden, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito announced.
William Carrillo, 44, of Camden, pleaded guilty Oct. 17, 2019, before U.S. District Judge Renee Marie Bumb in Camden federal court to an information charging him with one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute heroin, crack cocaine and cocaine.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
An investigation led by the FBI used surveillance tactics, confidential informants, consensual recordings, over 40 controlled drug purchases, record checks, a GPS vehicle tracker, and several court-authorized wiretaps to uncover Carrillo’s role in the operations of a drug-trafficking organization based on the 500 block of Pine Street in Camden.
The count to which Carrillo pleaded guilty carries a mandatory penalty of five years in prison, a maximum potential penalty of 40 years in prison, and a $5 million fine. Sentencing is scheduled for Jan. 21, 2020.
U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito credited special agents of the FBI’s South Jersey Violent Offender and Gang Task Force, South Jersey Resident Agency, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Michael T. Harpster; the Camden County Police Department, under the direction of Chief Joseph Wysocki; the Camden County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Acting Prosecutor Jill S. Mayer; the Camden County Sherriff’s Department, under the direction of Sheriff Gilbert L. Wilson; the Cherry Hill Police Department, under the direction of Chief William P. Monaghan; and the N.J. State Police, under the direction of Col. Patrick J. Callahan, with the investigation leading to today’s guilty pleas. He also thanked the Drug Enforcement Administration, the U.S. Marshals Service, and the Department of Homeland Security for their assistance.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sara A. Aliabadi and Patrick C. Askin of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Criminal Division in Camden.
Four other members of the drug-trafficking conspiracy – Ronnie Lopez, Nelson Salcedo, Paul Salcedo, and Waldemar Garcia – previously have pleaded guilty in this case. Charges remain pending against 14 other defendants; they are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Defense counsel: Megan J. Davies Esq., Cherry Hill, New Jersey
California man sentenced to more than 15 years in Missoula meth trafficking investigationRead the Press Release
MISSOULA—A California man who admitted conspiring to bring methamphetamine to Missoula for distribution was sentenced today to 15 years and 10 months in prison and to five years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.
Justin Michael Allen, 33, of Glendora, CA, pleaded guilty in June to conspiracy to distribute meth and to possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
U.S. District Judge Donald W. Molloy presided.
The prosecution said in court records that in January, the Missoula High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Task Force received information that an individual on state probation was involved in distributing meth. Task force officers worked with the probationer as a confidential informant and learned that Allen was coming to Missoula to bring the informant meth. Officers arrested Allen on Feb. 11 when he entered a store in Missoula. Allen told the officers to check his jacket pocket, and they found a 9mm pistol. Officers served a warrant on the vehicle Allen used to travel to Montana and seized three packages that were determined to contain 1,204 grams, or about 2.6 pounds, of pure meth. That quantity of meth is the equivalent of about 9,422 doses. Two other persons who traveled with Allen also were arrested.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy Racicot prosecuted the case, which was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Missoula HIDTA.
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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Bolivar Man Found Guilty of Being a Convicted Felon in Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
Jackson, TN – After a two-day trial, a federal jury has found Pierre Woods, 38, of Bolivar, TN, guilty of being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm. U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant announced the guilty verdict today.
According to information presented in court, on February 20, 2019, officers of the Bolivar, Tennessee, Police Department were called to a motel. Woods’ pregnant girlfriend informed officers that Woods had marijuana in the motel room and a gun in his car. She also said that she had been physically abused. Officers located marijuana in the room.
Woods had driven the car to work but was not present in the car when officers arrived at his workplace. The officers obtained a search warrant to search the vehicle. When asked, Woods told them he did not have the keys to the vehicle, and that his mother had them. Upon searching the vehicle, officers found a Kel-Tec 9mm pistol. The jury found Woods, who was already a convicted felon, guilty of being a felon in possession of a firearm. This is Woods’ second conviction in this district for this offense.
Sentencing for Woods is scheduled for January 14, 2020 before U.S. District Court Chief Judge S. Thomas Anderson, where he faces a possible sentence of up to 120 months in federal prison.
U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant said, "Convicted felons who possess firearms are an inherent danger to the community, and in this case, Woods was a violent domestic abuser who continued to possess a firearm and illegal drugs despite his prior felony conviction history. This is one more recidivist gun-toter that will be removed from the streets, and Bolivar and Hardeman County is safer as a result."
The Bolivar Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) investigated this case.
This case was prosecuted by the Eastern Division of the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
Bloomsburg Man Sentenced to 84 Months’ Imprisonment for Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
WILLIAMSPORT – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Jace Whitenight, age 25, of Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania, was sentenced on October 16, 2019, to 84 months’ imprisonment by United States District Court Judge Matthew W. Brann, for a conspiracy to distribute heroin that occurred from 2015 through 2017.
According to United States Attorney David J. Freed, Whitenight previously pleaded guilty to distributing between 700 grams and 1 kilogram of heroin (which is approximately 35,000 to 50,000 individual doses of heroin) between June 2015 and July 2017. Whitenight received heroin in bulk from a supplier in Philadelphia and then distributed it in the Bloomsburg area.
The charges stem from an investigation conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Geoffrey W. MacArthur is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. The Department of Justice reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime.
This case was also brought as part of a district wide initiative to combat the nationwide epidemic regarding the use and distribution of heroin. Led by the United States Attorney’s Office, the Heroin Initiative targets heroin traffickers operating in the Middle District of Pennsylvania and is part of a coordinated effort among federal, state and local law enforcement agencies to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who commit heroin related offenses.
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Bedford Man Sentenced for Selling Crack Cocaine to Bedford VA Medical Center ResidentsRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Bedford man was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Boston in connection with a scheme to distribute crack cocaine on the Veterans Affairs Medical Center campus in Bedford.
Michael Sexton, 59, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Douglas P. Woodlock to time served (approximately two months) and two years of supervised release. In October 2018, Sexton pleaded guilty to distributing crack cocaine and was subsequently accepted into the Massachusetts District Court sponsored RISE Program.
In January 2017, a cooperating witness reported to law enforcement that Sexton was selling crack cocaine to residents of the Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Bedford. Law enforcement conducted controlled purchases of crack cocaine between Sexton and the cooperating witness on June 29, Aug. 10, Sept. 5 and Sep. 27, 2017.
United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling; Sean J. Smith, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Office of Inspector General, Northeast Field Office; Brian D. Boyle, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division; and Shawn Kelly, Chief of Police of the Department of Veterans Affairs Police Service, Bedford VA Medical Center, made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicholas Soivilien of Lelling’s Criminal Division prosecuted the case.
Baltimore Repeat Offender Sentenced to 14 Years in Federal Prison for Conspiracy to Distribute Fentanyl, Heroin, and CocaineRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Catherine C. Blake sentenced Kenneth Grossman, age 29, of Baltimore Maryland, to 168 months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, for conspiracy to distribute fentanyl, heroin, and cocaine.
The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Robert K. Hur; Special Agent in Charge Jennifer C. Boone of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office; and Commissioner Michael Harrison of the Baltimore Police Department.
“Kenneth Grossman was a leader of a drug organization that brought the deadly combination of guns and drugs to the streets of Baltimore,” said U.S. Attorney Robert K. Hur. “Grossman will now serve 14 years in a federal prison far from home, where there is no parole—ever. Please put down the gun. You’ll save a life, maybe even your own.”
According to his plea agreement, from January 2017 until July 2018, Kenneth Grossman conspired to distribute fentanyl, heroin, and cocaine as a leader and member of the Young Finesse Kings (YFK), a drug shop that operated primarily in the German Park area of Baltimore City. During the course of the investigation, investigators from the FBI and the Baltimore Police Department obtained authority to intercept wire and electronic communications of members of the YFK drug shop and conducted physical surveillance of the YFK drug shop documenting many instances of Kenneth Grossman directing and coordinating drug shop operations.
On April 11, 2018, investigators intercepted phone calls which led them to believe that Grossman and several co-defendants were going to commit a retaliatory act of violence, after someone shot at co-defendant Knowledge Sharpe’s car. Sharpe contacted Grossman and other co-conspirators to get them to assist with the retaliation. Investigators immediately responded to the area where the conspirators had discussed meeting: Mount Royal Terrace and North Avenue, in the Central District of Baltimore City. While in the vicinity, investigators observed a gold Nissan van occupied by up to six individuals parked near Druid Park Lake, but the van left the area before investigators were able to stop it. A short time later investigators learned that a gun was discharged in the area of 1700 North Carey Street. Investigators checked the location information of Sharpe’s cellular telephone and compared it to time that the discharging occurred. At the time of the discharging, Sharpe’s cellular telephone was at a location in the same block of Carey Street.
Shortly afterwards, investigators located the gold van in the parking lot of the Security Mall in Baltimore. Kenneth Grossman and co-defendants, Knowledge Sharpe, Dana Dunnock, Anthony Whitaker, Quran Smoot, and another individual were subsequently seen exiting the mall and entering the van. Investigators surrounded the vehicle and stopped the van before it could exit the parking spot. Immediately upon opening the front passenger door, investigators observed a firearm on the front passenger floorboard. All occupants were detained and a search of the van showed six firearms within easy reach of all occupants. Specifically, a CM11 assault pistol with a loaded magazine was located on the front passenger-side floorboard (where Sharpe was sitting), a .32-caliber revolver loaded with 6 rounds and a .380-caliber revolver with a loaded magazine were in the rear third row cup holder and on the rear third row seat, respectively (where Grossman and the other individual were sitting), a 9mm pistol with a loaded magazine in the front center console near the driver (where Smoot was sitting), from Whitaker’s waistband area an officer recovered a .40-caliber handgun loaded with 5 rounds, and from Dunnock’s front waistband area an officer recovered a .45-caliber handgun loaded with 10 rounds and attached to a second magazine containing 9 more rounds. There was also a bag containing loose ammunition and a black ski mask located in the van. Black ski masks were also recovered from Grossman, Sharpe, and Whitaker. Kenneth Grossman and his co-conspirators possessed firearms in furtherance of their drug trafficking activities. Grossman had previous felony convictions and was therefore prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition.
All nine defendants have pleaded guilty to their roles in the drug conspiracy or for possessing a firearm in the van with Grossman, including; Dana Dunnock, age 21; Knowledge Sharpe, age 19; Quran Smoot, age 21; and Anthony Whitaker, age 24, all of Baltimore. Six defendants, in addition to Kenneth Grossman, have been sentenced including Sharpe who was sentenced to 12½ years in federal prison; Whitaker who was sentenced to 13 years in federal prison; and Dunnock who was sentenced to 135 months in federal prison.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
United States Attorney Robert K. Hur commended the FBI and the Baltimore Police Department for their work in the investigation. Mr. Hur thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christine Goo and Brandon K. Moore, who are prosecuting the case.
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Ava Man Sentenced to 15 Years for Meth Trafficking, Illegal FirearmRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – An Ava, Missouri, man was sentenced in federal court today for illegally possessing methamphetamine and a firearm.
Rhett I. Scofield, 34, was sentenced by U.S. Chief District Judge Beth Phillips to 15 years in federal prison without parole.
On May 29, 2019, Scofield pleaded guilty to possessing methamphetamine to distribute and to possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime.
Officers with the Douglas County, Missouri, Sheriff’s Department executed a search warrant at Scofield’s residence on July 12, 2017. Officers found methamphetamine in a backpack in Scofield’s bedroom. Inside a bedroom safe, they found three more baggies of methamphetamine (two of which were tested, and weighed 72.7 grams) and $5,800. Officers also found a Taurus .380-caliber pistol on the dresser in the bedroom.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Josephine L. Stockard. It was investigated by the Douglas County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Appleton Woman Pleads Guilty to Wire Fraud and Tax EvasionRead the Press Release
Matthew D. Krueger, the United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, announced that Lisa A. Radtke (Age 51), of Appleton, Wisconsin, appeared in federal court in Green Bay and pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud (18 U.S.C. §1343) and one count of tax evasion (26 U.S.C. § 7201). Based on her guilty pleas, Radtke faces up to 25 years in prison and fines of up to $500,000, or both. Radtke also agreed to make restitution to her former employer, which was the victim of her fraud, in the amount of $1.3 million, as well as to the Internal Revenue Service for the taxes she failed to pay, plus penalties and interest on those taxes, in the amount of $634,000.
Radtke’s sentencing is scheduled for January 27, 2020, also in Green Bay.
According to documents filed in federal court in conjunction with Radtke’s guilty plea, during the period from 2014 until she was fired in October 2018, Radtke used her position at her former employer to carry out a scheme to defraud the business. Radtke made numerous fraudulent entries in her employer’s books and records and issued payments from the business’s bank accounts to herself and for her personal benefit. For example, Radtke repeatedly issued electronic payments from her employer’s bank accounts to pay her personal credit card accounts. Radtke also issued checks from her employer’s bank account that appeared to be payable to legitimate vendors, but were, in fact, deposited to Radtke’s personal bank account.Radtke made additional, fraudulent payments to herself that were included in her payroll, as well as issuing payroll to an account she maintained in her husband’s name despite the fact that her husband was not employed at the company. As a result of her scheme, Radtke stole more than $1.3 million from her employer. Radtke spent the vast majority of the stolen funds on luxury cruises and vacations.
The tax evasion charge is based on Radtke’s failure to report and pay taxes on the stolen money. For the years 2014-2018, these taxes totaled more than $360,000.
This matter was investigated by agents of the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigations in conjunction with local law enforcement and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Matthew L. Jacobs.
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Anchorage Men Indicted on Gun Violence on School GroundsRead the Press Release
Anchorage, Alaska – U.S. Attorney Bryan Schroder announced today that Laquinton Tyrone Dashawn Robbins, 27, and John-Rexie Lagman, 22, have been indicted on charges relating to gun violence in Anchorage school zones.
On October 3, 2018, Robbins’s indictment alleges the he possessed and discharged a gun on school grounds. Robbins is alleged to have shot another male in the parking lot of Denali Montessori Elementary School. The altercation began when Robbins dropped off his girlfriend’s daughter at the school and was confronted by the victim. Their argument ended when Robbins allegedly pulled a Sig Sauer .40 caliber handgun from his backpack and shot the victim in the neck. The shooting occurred during school hours, causing the school to go into lockdown.
On July 2, 2019, Lagman’s indictment alleges that he possessed and discharged a gun on school grounds. Lagman is alleged to have shot a 16-year-old male on the grounds of Williwaw Elementary School. Two teenagers involved in a social medial dispute planned to fight at the school, recruiting friends – including Lagman – to join them. The fight became a “melee” when one teen began stabbing others with a screwdriver, including stabbing Lagman. In response Lagman allegedly pulled out a Springfield XD .40-caliber handgun and shot the teen as he was running away.
U.S. Attorney Bryan Schroder stated, “These cases show that firearms on school grounds can endanger the children learning and playing there. The United States Attorney’s Office and the Municipal Prosecutor’s Office, as well as local and federal law enforcement agencies, are committed to enforcing the laws that protect children from gun violence at and around schools.” For more information about state and federal gun laws, visit https://dps.alaska.gov/Statewide/R-I/PermitsLicensing/InAlaska or https://www.atf.gov/firearms/docs/guide/gun-free-school-zone-notice-atf-p-53101/download; or contact your local law enforcement officials.
If convicted, Robbins and Lagman face a statutory maximum of five years in prison, a $250,000 fine, and three years of supervised release. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
The Anchorage Police Department (APD) and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) conducted the investigation leading to the indictment in this case. The two separate cases are being prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer Ivers.
An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. A defendant is presumed innocent and is entitled to a fair trial at which the government must prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
Akron man indicted on firearms and drug chargesRead the Press Release
An Akron man was indicted on firearms and drug charges.
Otis McDay, 44, was indicted on one count each of possession with intent to distribute cocaine,, being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition, possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking, and possession with intent to distribute marijuana and being a felon in possession of ammunition.
McDay possessed marijuana, a Glock 9mm pistol and ammunition on August 28, 2019, despite previous felony drug trafficking convictions, according to the indictment.
McDay possessed cocaine and multiple rounds of ammunition on September 10, 2019, despite previous felony drug trafficking convictions, according to the indictment.
If convicted, the defendant’s sentence will be determined by the Court after review of factors unique to this case, including the defendant’s prior criminal records, if any, the defendant’s role in the offense and the characteristics of the violation. In all cases, the sentence will not exceed the statutory maximum and in most cases it will be less than the maximum.
The investigation preceding the indictment was conducted by the FBI, Akron Police Department and Ohio State Highway Patrol. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Peter E. Daly.
An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. A defendant is entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
Accomplice to Robbery of United States Postal Letter Carrier ConvictedRead the Press Release
Memphis, TN – After a federal jury trial, Wendy Thomas, 39, has been convicted for robbery of mail, money or other property of the United States and use of a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence. U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant announced the guilty verdict today.
According to information presented in court, on November 21, 2016, at approximately 12:50 p.m., U.S. Postal Inspectors responded to the robbery of a U.S. Postal Service Letter Carrier in the area of 890 Baltic Street. The gunman approached the letter carrier and pointed a semi-automatic handgun as she was placing her mail satchel in her postal truck.
The suspect asked for cash or checks that were in the vehicle. He then went through the mail and took several envelopes and packages. As the suspect was leaving, he threatened the letter carrier and told her "to stay back, don’t move until I leave or I am going to blow your damn head off." The gunman fled in a blue 2005 Toyota Matrix. Investigators later determined that Wendy Thomas was the getaway driver and that Jamal Cherry was the gunman.
The robbery was captured by a nearby home surveillance video camera. Surveillance video footage depicts Cherry exiting the Toyota Matrix to rob the letter carrier. The video then showed Thomas slide from the passenger side of the vehicle to the driver's side to ready herself for Cherry's return. When Cherry completed the robbery, Thomas sped off from the scene in the Toyota Matrix. During an interview with U.S. Postal Inspectors, Thomas admitted to being on the scene and driving Cherry away from robbery.
On September 15, 2017, Cherry pled guilty to the armed robberies of two U.S. Postal Service letter carriers and received a sentence of 13 years in federal prison.
Sentencing for Thomas is scheduled for January 16, 2020, before U.S. District Court Judge Thomas L. Parker. On count one, Thomas faces a possible sentence of up to 10 years in federal prison followed by 3 years supervised release. On count two, Thomas faces a minimum sentence of 5 years imprisonment, which must be consecutive to count one, followed by 5 years supervised release.
U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant said, "This office takes very seriously our duty to protect the safety of United States Postal Service employees and the sanctity and security of the U.S.Mail. Armed robberies are brazen and disturbing acts of violence that terrorize our community, and must be met with significant consequences. These dangerous offenders have sown violence and greed, and as a result of this guilty verdict, they will now reap the full measure of consequences for their criminal conduct."
"One of the core tasks of the Postal Inspection Service is the safety and well-being of United States Postal Service employees. We are very pleased with the jury's verdict and hope this result deters others from similar types of crime," said David McGinnis, Inspector-In-Charge of the Charlotte Division.
The United States Postal Inspection Service investigated this case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Marques Young prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
Thursday 17 October 2019
Wilmington Woman Pleads Guilty to Aiding and Abetting False Statements in Connection with a Conspiracy to Commit Marriage FraudRead the Press Release
NEW BERN – United States Attorney Robert J. Higdon, Jr., announced that today in federal court, MARLILYN GODSHALL, age 61, of Wilmington, North Carolina, pleaded guilty to aiding and abetting fraudulent statements. Additionally, United States Magistrate Judge Robert B. Jones, Jr. sentenced GODSHALL to 12 months of probation.
Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) initiated an inquiry into GODSHALL based on a fraudulent marriage between her daughter, Melissa Godshall, a United States citizen, and Levan Lomtatidze, a citizen of the Republic of Georgia. A lead suggested that Melissa Godshall was married to Lomtatidze but also shared an address with her real boyfriend, Robert Kennerley.
During the course of this investigation, HSI agents discovered that Melissa Godshall and Kennerley were panhandling for money on the side of the road in Granville County, North Carolina, when Tojiddin Rahimov, a naturalized United States citizen from Tajikistan, approached them and asked Melissa Godshall if she would be willing to marry a foreign-born national for money. Melissa Godshall agreed to engage in the marriage to Lomtatidze in exchange for $12,000, housing, and a vehicle. Lomtatidze and Melissa Godshall got married in Granville County, North Carolina. Kennerley and another individual witnessed the marriage ceremony.
HSI agents confirmed that Lomtatidze, Melissa Godshall and Kennerley entered into a rental agreement for a house located in Raleigh, North Carolina. Lomtatidze, as part of the payment for the sham marriage, paid for the rent. Thereafter, Godshall and Lomtatidze submitted fraudulent applications to United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) requesting Lomtatidze’s adjustment of status as a lawful permanent resident (green card holder) in the United States. Lomtatidze and Melissa Godshall were interviewed at the USCIS office in Durham, North Carolina. Both attested under oath they were married in good faith. Because of the interview, USCIS approved the request and Lomtatidze was granted “conditional” resident status in the United States.
On September 18, 2017, GODSHALL prepared a statement in support of Lomtatizde’s application for “unconditional” permanent residence. GODSHALL purported the marriage to be legitimate while knowing the marriage was entered into for the purpose of evading the application of immigration laws.
Later, Lomtatidze and Melissa Godshall submitted to USCIS the application requesting Lomtatidze’s removal of conditions on his resident status, including GODSHALL’s statement in support of the petition, attesting Lomtatidze and Melissa Godshall were still married in good faith.
On August 27, 2019, Lomtatidze was sentenced for conspiracy to commit marriage fraud by United States District Judge Louise W. Flanagan. He was also ordered deported from the United States. On the same date, Melissa Godshall was sentenced to four months in the custody of the United States Bureau of Prisons, consecutive to any other term of imprisonment.
On June 19, 2019 and July 11, 2019, Kennerely and Rahimov pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit marriage fraud. They are presently awaiting sentencing.
The Document and Benefit Fraud Task Force (DBFTF) in the Eastern District of North Carolina led by Homeland Security Investigations and the USCIS’s Fraud Detection and National Security investigated the case.
Washington Man Sentenced to Two Years in Federal Prison for Embezzling Tribal Funds and Illegally Possessing FirearmsRead the Press Release
Spokane – William D. Hyslop, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Washington, announced that Chad Jeremy Monaghan, age 42, of Omak, Washington, and an enrolled member of the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation, was sentenced after having pleaded guilty on June 3, 2019, to one count of embezzling over $1,000 from a Tribal organization, and one count of being a previously convicted felon in possession of a firearm. Chief United States District Judge Thomas O. Rice sentenced Monaghan to a 24-month term of imprisonment on each count to run concurrently, to be followed by a three-year term of court supervision after he is released from federal prison. Chief Judge Rice also ordered Monaghan to pay $107,980 in restitution.
According to information disclosed during court proceedings, over a 3-month period, Monaghan embezzled $107,980 from the Colville Fuels, LLC (d/b/a “Tribal Trails Omak”). Tribal Trails Omak is operated by the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation and is located on tribal land. Monaghan committed the thefts while working at the store. During its investigation, Colville Tribal Police Department officers obtained a warrant to search Monaghan’s residence, finding $3,000 in U.S. currency and four firearms. Monaghan is a previously convicted felon and is prohibited from possessing a firearm and ammunition.
United States Attorney Hyslop said, "The sentence imposed today sends a strong message to those who may steal monies from a Tribal organization and illegally possess firearms. The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Washington is committed to prosecuting aggressively and seeking appropriate punishment for individuals who may engage in such conduct. This case is just one example of the cooperative and successful efforts by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Colville Tribal Police Department.”
This case was investigated by the Spokane Resident Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Colville Tribal Police Department. This case was prosecuted by Joseph P. Derrig and Daniel H. Fruchter, Assistant United States Attorneys for the Eastern District of Washington.
Visalia Man Indicted for Theft in Kings Canyon National ParkRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned an indictment today against Dallas Fonseca, 43, of Visalia, charging him with felony theft in Kings Canyon National Park, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced.
According to court documents, between Feb. 9, and March 11, Fonseca, who worked in the park’s John Muir Lodge, is alleged to have stolen a Rolex and other jewelry belonging to another person with an estimated value of over $16,000.
This case is the product of an investigation by the National Park Service. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Mark McKeon and Joseph Barton are prosecuting the case.
If convicted, Fonseca faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Any sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines. The charges are only allegations. Fonseca is presumed innocent unless and until he is proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Upshur County Convicted Sex Offender Indicted on Child Sexual Exploitation ViolationsRead the Press Release
TYLER, Texas – A 39-year-old Ore City, Texas man has been indicted for child exploitation charges in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Joseph D. Brown today.
Jeremy OKieth Kyle, also known as Corey Webster, also known as Rick, also known as Derrick Willis, also known as Eric Sanders, also known as Brad Smith, also known as Jason, also known as J, was named in a superseding indictment returned by a federal grand jury on Oct. 16, 2019 charging him with coercion and enticement; sexual exploitation of children; travel with intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct; and penalties for registered sex offenders.
According to the indictment, on various dates between 2013 and 2018, Kyle, a convicted sex offender, is alleged to have committed numerous offenses against 18 different minor female victims.
If convicted of all counts, Kyle will receive life in federal prison.
Anyone who had contact, in person or on social media, with an individual who identified himself as Jeremy OKieth Kyle, Corey Webster, Rick, Derrick Willis, Eric Sanders, Brad Smith, Jason, or J, is urged to contact the U.S. Attorney’s Office at 1-800-804-3547. The U.S. Attorney’s Office will take the necessary steps to protect the individuals’ identities and confidential information.
The investigation leading to the charges was conducted by agents from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Texas Department of Public Safety - Criminal Investigations Division, the Tyler Police Department, the Longview Police Department, the Ore City Police Department, the Hughes Springs Police Department, the Daingerfield Police Department, and the Red Oak Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Nathaniel C. Kummerfeld is prosecuting the case.
This case is being prosecuted as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
It is important to note that an indictment should not be considered as evidence of guilt and that all persons charged with a crime are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
U.S. Attorney's Office reaches agreement with the Fox Theatre to improve servicesRead the Press Release
ATLANTA – The U.S. Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Georgia has entered into an agreement with the Fox Theatre, Inc. (“the Fox”) to improve the quality and availability of auxiliary aids and services for customers who are deaf or hard of hearing. The agreement with the Fox is the culmination of negotiations that led to greater accessibility for persons who are deaf and hard of hearing.
“The cooperative process between the Fox and our office led to this agreement and is an example of what can be accomplished through collaboration between private industry and the government,” said U. S. Attorney Byung J. “BJay” Pak. “By strengthening the Fox Theatre's services for people who are deaf or hard of hearing, this agreement will make a difference in the lives of people who are hard of hearing or deaf and wish to enjoy a live theatre performance.”
The agreement will resolve complaints regarding a violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act (“ADA”) that were filed with the U.S. Attorney’s Office. The complaints alleged that customers with hearing disabilities were denied effective communication in violation of the ADA. Under the agreement, the Fox will continue to provide auxiliary aids and services necessary for deaf and hard of hearing individuals to enjoy the programs and services at the Fox. These auxiliary aids and services have been expanded to include closed captioning. Additionally, as set forth in the agreement, the Fox will evaluate the effectiveness of its auxiliary aids and services and explore innovative methods to ensure effective communication for people who are deaf or hard of hearing.
This agreement was achieved with extensive input and assistance from the Georgia Advocacy Office. The U.S. Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Georgia recognizes and appreciates the valuable contribution of our stakeholders.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Aileen Bell Hughes, Civil Rights Enforcement Coordinator for the U.S. Attorney’s Office, handled this matter.
For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at [email protected] or (404) 581-6016. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.
U.S. Attorney McSwain Announces Charges Against Syrian-American Brothers in Philadelphia Old City Arson CaseRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney William M. McSwain announced that Imad Dawara, 39, of Swathmore, PA and Bahaa Dawara, 31, of Woodlyn, PA, who are brothers originally from Syria but now American citizens, were arrested and charged by Indictment on October 16, 2019. During a news conference held today, U.S. Attorney McSwain announced that his Office had unsealed the 10-count Indictment charging the defendants with planning and causing the arson of their business, RCL Management LLC, at 239-241 Chestnut Street in Philadelphia on February 18, 2018 in order to receive insurance proceeds from the destruction.
Specifically, the defendants have been charged with one count of conspiracy to commit arson, one count of conspiracy to use fire to commit a federal felony, one count of malicious damage by means of fire of a building used in interstate commerce, one count of using fire to commit a federal felony, four counts of wire fraud, and two counts of mail fraud. The defendants were arrested yesterday evening at Philadelphia International Airport and are scheduled to appear in U.S. Magistrate Court before Chief Magistrate Judge Linda K. Caracappa at 1:30pm today.
The Indictment alleges that from around December 2012 until February 18, 2018, the defendants owned and operated various restaurants and entertainment establishments in Philadelphia, including a restaurant and hookah lounge at 239-241 Chestnut Street. As the charges lay out, the Dawara brothers were struggling in their Chestnut Street business and had a history of fighting with their landlord. By October 2015, the landlord sent the Dawara brothers a Notice of Default and Breach of Lease, citing numerous violations which included 26 citations from the Pennsylvania State Police Bureau of Liquor Control Enforcement. In response, the charges note that Imad Dawara threatened the landlord that he would destroy the place if the landlord attempted to evict the brothers from the premises.
In November 2015, the Court of Common Pleas of Philadelphia County prohibited the defendants from engaging the services of a disc jockey, providing live entertainment, and allowing the use of tobacco products (including hookah) on the premises unless they had the proper permits. Also in November 2015, their landlord sent the defendants a Notice of Intent to terminate their lease. By October 2017, the Dawara brothers had ceased all business operations for RCL Management at 239-241 Chestnut Street. The brothers attempted to sell their business, but as they had failed to renew their lease or pay rent, no one would buy it. On January 31, 2018, their landlord directed the defendants to vacate the premises by February 2, 2018 and advised the defendants that they owed over $64,000 in overdue payments.
On the same day that the defendants were ordered to vacate the premises, the Indictment alleges that despite no longer doing any business at that location, Imad Dawara contacted an insurance broker to inquire about purchasing insurance for 239-241 Chestnut Street. The Dawara brothers had not held an insurance policy on their business at the Chestnut Street location for over a year, but 16 days before the fire, Imad Dawara purchased insurance. In obtaining this new insurance policy, the charges allege that Imad Dawara asked the insurance broker repeatedly how he would be paid “if there was a fire.” The insurance policy purchased on February 2, 2018 provided coverage in the event of an accidental fire at 239-41 Chestnut Street in the amount of $750,000, which consisted of $500,000 for property damage and $250,000 for business interruption.
On February 18, 2018, at approximately 3:11am, the Indictment alleges that a fire was intentionally started with gasoline in the basement of 239 Chestnut Street, which destroyed the entire building, displaced approximately 160 people – some of whom have never been able to return – closed the 200 block of Chestnut Street for months, and closed numerous businesses, including The Best Western, The Little Lion, Gina’s 45, and Capofitto Pizza & Gelato.
According to the Indictment, both Dawara brothers lied under oath about their whereabouts and activities on the night of the arson. Imad Dawara remained in the office at another business he owns (the B-Side Complex located at 939 N. Delaware Avenue in Philadelphia), while defendant Bahaa Dawara traveled to 239 Chestnut Street to start the fire in the basement.
“No one in Old City will forget when this arson lit up the night sky,” said U.S. Attorney McSwain. “This impacted the heart of our nation’s most historic square mile, which includes Independence Hall and the Liberty Bell Pavilion just blocks away. Many people’s lives were permanently altered, losing their homes and livelihoods. If not for the heroism of the Philadelphia Fire Department, the devastation from that night would have been unthinkable. The City is forever in their debt.”
“Acts of arson are violent crimes that threaten the community. ATF is committed to keeping the public safe from those who maliciously set these fires,” said Special Agent in Charge Donald Robinson. “We appreciate the dedication of the Arson and Explosives Task Force, which includes ATF, the Philadelphia Fire Marshal’s Office, and the Philadelphia Police and Fire Department personnel, who all worked tirelessly from the early morning hours of the arson on February 18, 2018, through the Indictment of the Dawara brothers and right up to yesterday’s arrests. These investigators will continue to tirelessly work this investigation in order to provide justice for the victims, and to hold those who are responsible, accountable for their actions. I would also like to thank the Department of Homeland Security and the United States Customs and Border Protection for their assistance with the arrests at the Philadelphia International Airport, along with the Taxi and Limousine Enforcement Division of the Philadelphia Parking Authority for their assistance.”
If convicted, the defendants face a maximum possible sentence of 20 years’ imprisonment.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Philadelphia, the Philadelphia Fire Marshal, and the Philadelphia Police Department, with assistance from the Philadelphia Parking Authority Taxi and Limousine Division, and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jeanine Linehan.
An Indictment, Information, or Criminal Complaint is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Two Real Estate Professionals Indicted for Fraud and ConspiracyRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Shaun Miller, 39, of Bethesda, Maryland, and Thomas Randolph, 49, of Oakton, Virginia, were charged in the United States District Court for the District of Columbia in a seven-count indictment today. U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Liu and Timothy M. Dunham, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Washington Field Office’s Criminal Division made the announcement.
The seven-count indictment was returned by a federal grand jury charging Miller and Randolph with conspiracy, mail fraud, and monetary transactions involving criminally derived proceeds; the indictment also contains a forfeiture allegation.
According to the indictment, from at least October 2014 to June 2015, Shaun Miller was a loan broker earning money by coordinating loans for real estate investors from private mortgage lenders; Thomas Randolph was a settlement agent for a settlement company located in the District of Columbia. The indictment alleges that Miller and Marlon Meade, as well as others, submitted inflated Personal Financial Statements, altered bank account statements, and false IRS Forms 1040 Tax Returns to private mortgage lenders in an attempt to trick the lenders into loaning in excess of $5.6 million in loans for the purchase of multiple real estate properties in the District of Columbia. The indictment further alleges that the conspirators, including Randolph and Meade, also falsely inflated the sales price to obtain excess lender funds in order to illegally recycle the lender’s own money as the borrower’s down-payment and to siphon off funds for their own enrichment. The conspirators and others generally failed to repay the loans and the properties fell into foreclosure for a loss to the lenders.
U.S. Attorney Liu and Special Agent in Charge Dunham also announced the plea of Marlon Meade, 40, of northeast Washington, D.C. on September 4, 2019. Meade pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit mail fraud and monetary transactions involving criminally derived proceeds; his case is currently pending before the Honorable James E. Boasberg, in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed a violation of criminal laws and every defendant is presumed innocent until, and unless, proven guilty.
U.S. Attorney Liu and Special Agent in Charge Dunham commended the work performed by Special Agents from the FBI. They also acknowledged the efforts of those who handled the case for the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including: Victim/Witness Services Coordinator Tonya Jones; Supervisory Paralegal Specialist Tasha Harris; Paralegal Specialist Amanda Rohde; Litigation Technology Supervisor Leif Hickling; and Assistant U.S. Attorney Virginia Cheatham who is investigating the case.
Two Men Sentenced to Prison for Child Pornography ChargesRead the Press Release
COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa - United States Attorney Marc Krickbaum announced on October 16, 2019, Brian Lee Rhodes, age 39, and Jeremy Eugene Jameson, age 46, were sentenced by United States District Court Judge Rebecca Goodgame Ebinger for child pornography related offenses. Each defendant had earlier pleaded guilty to the charges.
Rhodes was sentenced to 30 years in prison on each of three counts of Coercion and Enticement of a Minor, and 20 years in prison for one count of Distribution of Child Pornography. The sentences will run concurrently. Rhodes’ imprisonment will be followed by a term of supervised release of 15 years for each count, also to run concurrently.
Jameson was sentenced to 35 months in prison, to be followed by a term of supervised release of five years for Access with Intent to View Child Pornography.
In March of 2018, a concerned parent made a report to the Creston Police Department regarding an inappropriate conversation she found on her 11 year-old daughter’s Facebook account with Rhodes. During a search of Facebook accounts created by Rhodes, officers located conversations with other minors in which Rhodes asked the minors to send him inappropriate images and videos. The Douglas County Nebraska Sheriff’s Office and the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation also received a tip from Facebook that Rhodes, through a fraudulent Facebook account, sent Jameson an image of child pornography.
This case was investigated by the Creston Police Department, Atlantic Police Department, Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation - Internet Crimes Against Children Unit and the Douglas County Nebraska Sheriff’s Office. The case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa.
Two Men Charged in Separate Cases with Illegal Gun Possession at AirportRead the Press Release
OKLAHOMA CITY – Two men have been charged in separate cases with firearms offenses at Will Rogers World Airport, announced U.S. Attorney Timothy J. Downing.
On June 9, 2019, a federal grand jury indicted DESMOND DEMETRIUS ANTWINE, 44, of Oklahoma City, for being a felon in possession of a firearm. Antwine entered a guilty plea to this charge on October 9, 2019, before U.S. District Judge Joe Heaton. During his plea hearing, Antwine admitted he possessed a 9mm pistol at Will Rogers World Airport on January 11, 2019, and knew he had been convicted of a felony.
At sentencing, Antwine faces a maximum penalty of ten years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a fine of $250,000. If the court were to determine the Armed Career Criminal Act applies, however, he would face a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in prison a maximum of life. Sentencing will take place in approximately 90 days.
In a separate case, a federal grand jury has indicted THOMAS LU NGUYEN, 35, of Los Angeles, California, for being a felon in possession of a firearm and entering an airport area in violation of security requirements. On October 1, 2019, Nguyen was charged by complaint with these crimes after Transportation Security Administration screeners at Will Rogers World Airport detected a loaded 9mm semi-automatic pistol in his backpack at approximately 5:30 a.m. According to the indictment returned by the grand jury on October 16, Nguyen "knowingly and willfully entered an aircraft or airport area that serves an air carrier or foreign air carrier with intent to evade security procedures and restrictions . . . ."
If convicted, Nguyen faces a maximum penalty on each count of ten years in prison, three years of supervised release, and fine of up to $250,000. Sentencing will take place in approximately 90 days. The public is reminded that these charges are merely allegations and that the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
The Antwine case is the result of an investigation by the Oklahoma City Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives ("ATF"). It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica Cárdenas. The Nguyen case is the result of an investigation by the Oklahoma City Police Department, the Federal Bureau of Investigation–Oklahoma City Division, and the ATF. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney David P. Petermann. Both cases are part of Project Safe Neighborhoods, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses on the most violent offenders and partners with local prevention and re-entry programs for lasting reductions in crime. For more information, visit https://www.justice.gov/psn.
Reference is made to public filings for more information.
Two Indicted for Heroin Distribution and Unlawful Firearms Dealing in StocktonRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned a four-count indictment today against Josevan Arias, 25, of Posen, Illinois, and Elmer Rodriguez-Colio, 30, of Sacramento, charging both with conspiracy to distribute, and distribution of, heroin, and charging Arias separately with dealing firearms without a license, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced.
According to court documents, on Aug. 13, 2018, Arias explained to a law enforcement informant that he had access to high-powered rifles, including AR-style firearms, and arranged to sell multiple weapons to the informant. Over the course of the investigation, Arias sold the informant four AR-style rifles and two AK-47 rifles. At no time did Arias have a federal firearms license. In addition, Arias worked with Rodriguez-Colio to supply the informant with heroin. Rodriguez-Colio separately sold heroin to the same informant at another time.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, and the San Joaquin County Metropolitan Narcotics Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney James Conolly is prosecuting the case.
If convicted, Arias and Rodriguez-Colio face a mandatory minimum penalty of five years in prison, and a maximum statutory penalty of 40 years in prison and a $5 million fine. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Two Indicted for Conspiring to Grow over 8,000 Marijuana Plants in Shasta-Trinity National ForestRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned a three-count indictment today against Armando Vargas Garcia, 37, of Mexico, and Eduardo Montero Aleman, 37, of Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, charging them with conspiracy to cultivate marijuana, marijuana cultivation in the Shasta-Trinity National Forest, and depredation of federal lands and resources, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced.
According to court documents, between Aug. 29 and Sept. 5, the defendants were involved in the cultivation of 8,656 marijuana plants in the Big Mountain area in Shasta-Trinity National Forest. Two compound archery bows, nine arrows, and 42 rounds of hollow-point .22-caliber ammunition were discovered on the site. Officers also discovered bottles of carbofuran, a toxic pesticide, which is banned in the United States. The defendants were arrested on September 5. Both defendants are in custody.
This case is the product of an investigation by the U.S. Forest Service, the Trinity County Sheriff’s Department, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, and the Trinity County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Adrian T. Kinsella is prosecuting the case.
If convicted of either of the marijuana charges, the defendants face a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years in prison, and a maximum penalty of life in prison and a $10 million fine. If convicted of damaging public lands, the defendants face a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account several variables. These charges are only allegations; the defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Turner Man Pleads Guilty to Charges Stemming from Marijuana CultivationRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Maine: A Turner man pleaded guilty yesterday in federal court in Portland to manufacturing 100 or more marijuana plants, possessing with intent to distribute marijuana, possessing an unregistered silencer and transferring property subject to forfeiture, U.S. Attorney Halsey B. Frank announced.
According to court records, on February 27, 2018, law enforcement officers searched the residence of Andrew Waite, 31, and two warehouses under his control. In the warehouses, agents seized more than 500 pounds of marijuana, 104 sheets of marijuana concentrate and more than 350 marijuana plants. In Waite’s residence, agents seized approximately 100 pounds of marijuana, approximately $216,000 in U.S. currency, a 2010 Ferrari, firearms, ammunition and a silencer with no markings or serial number.
On April 18, 2018, Waite transferred title of his residence to his brother in order to prevent or impair seizure of the property for criminal forfeiture.
Waite faces at least five years and up to 40 years in prison and a fine of $5,000,000 on the marijuana manufacturing charge; up to 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000 on the silencer possession charge; and up to five years in jail and a fine of up to $250,000 on each of the marijuana possession and property transfer charges. He will be sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigation report by the U.S. Probation Office.
The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and the IRS Criminal Investigation Division investigated the case.
The prosecution is a result of the ongoing efforts by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) Program, a partnership between federal, state and local law enforcement agencies. The OCDETF mission is to identify, investigate and prosecute high-level members of drug trafficking enterprises, bringing together the combined expertise and unique abilities of federal, state and local law enforcement.
Three Sentenced for Robbery of I-81 Travel Plaza in Wythe CountyRead the Press Release
Abingdon, VIRGINIA – Three Sarasota, Florida residents, who previously admitted to traveling in a stolen vehicle and committing the May 2018 robbery of the I-81 Travel Plaza in Wythe County, were sentenced yesterday in U.S. District Court in Abingdon. United States Attorney Thomas T. Cullen made the announcement.
Christyen Sumpter, 27, was sentenced to imprisonment for a term of 20 years. Michael Anthony Wilson, 25, was sentenced to imprisonment for a term of 12 years. Perla Isel Pineda-Osorio, 25, was sentenced to imprisonment for a term of 2 years and 9 months.
All three defendants pleaded guilty in July to one count of robbery by threatening physical violence, one count of transporting a stolen vehicle in interstate commerce, and one count of conspiracy to commit robbery, possess a motor vehicle that had crossed a state boundary after being stolen, and transporting in interstate commerce a vehicle that had been stolen.
“The Department of Justice is committed to prosecuting, in federal court, individuals who commit acts of violence in our local communities,” U.S. Attorney Cullen stated today. “I am grateful for the hard work and collaboration of our federal, state, and local partners on this important case and our violence-reduction initiatives across the district.”
According to court documents, on May 28, 2018, an individual in South Carolina picked up Pineda-Osorio, Sumpter, and Wilson, who posed as hitchhikers. The three defendants pulled guns on the driver and demanded he take them to various ATMs to withdraw money from his account. After taking the driver’s money, the defendants abandoned the victim on the side of the road and stole his vehicle. Pineda-Osorio, Sumpter, and Wilson then proceeded to Charlotte, North Carolina, where they robbed a convenience store. The three committed a similar armed robbery at a store in Jonesville, North Carolina. Later that same night, all three committed another robbery at the I-81 Travel Plaza in Wythe County, Virginia. Soon after the robbery, law enforcement spotted the stolen vehicle in which they were traveling and a high-speed chase ensued. The vehicle eventually crashed and the defendants were taken into custody. The guns used in the robberies were recovered and, although they looked like real firearms, were determined to be BB guns.
The investigation of the case was conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and Wythe County (VA) Sheriff’s Office, with assistance by the Charlotte Mecklenburg (NC) Police Department, the Jonesville (NC) Police Department, the Montgomery County (VA) Sheriff’s Office, the New River Valley (VA) Regional Jail, the Orangeburg (SC) Department of Public Safety, the Pulaski County (VA) Sheriff’s Office, the Sarasota (FL) Police Department, the South Carolina State Police, and the Virginia State Police.
Assistant United States Attorney Randy Ramseyer prosecuted the case for the United States.
Three Charged with Distribution of Methamphetamine, Heroin, and Cocaine in StocktonRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned a 10-count indictment today against Gildardo Barrios, 40, and Marisa Munguia, 40, both of Chowchilla, and Maria Barrios-Alvarez, 44, of Stockton, charging them with multiple counts of distributing narcotics, including methamphetamine, cocaine, and heroin. Barrios and Barrios-Alvarez were also charged with conspiring to distribute methamphetamine and cocaine, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced.
According to court documents, over the course of a year and a half, Barrios sold methamphetamine, cocaine, and heroin to a confidential informant on several occasions in the Stockton area. On at least two occasions, Barrios did not deliver the narcotics himself, but had Munguia or Barrios-Alvarez meet the informant to deliver the drugs and receive payment on Barrios’ behalf.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, and the San Joaquin County Metropolitan Narcotics Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney James Conolly is prosecuting the case.
All three defendants are currently in federal custody, awaiting trial.
If convicted, Barrios faces a statutory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison, up to a maximum life, and a $10 million fine. Munguia and Barrios-Alvarez each face a statutory minimum sentence of five years in prison, with a maximum of 40 years, and a $5 million fine. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Syracuse Man Sentenced to 78 Months for RICO Conviction Relating to 110 GangRead the Press Release
SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – Damani Prince, age 26, of Syracuse, was sentenced today to 78 months in prison based on his guilty plea for violating the Racketeering Influenced Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO), announced United States Attorney Grant C. Jaquith, James N. Hendricks, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and Chief Kenton Buckner, City of Syracuse Police Department. In imposing sentence, Senior United States District Judge Frederick J. Scullin, Jr. also ordered Prince to serve a three-year term of supervised release following his release from imprisonment.
As part of his earlier guilty plea, Prince admitted that he was a member of the 110 Gang operating in the City of Syracuse, and had distributed crack cocaine and possessed a firearm in connection with his membership in the gang. Prince was one of 14 defendants indicted for violating RICO based on their membership in the 110 Gang. The other 13 men have all pled guilty or been convicted at trial, and are awaiting sentencing.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Syracuse Police Department, and the Gang Violence Task Force, which consists of members of the Syracuse Police, the FBI, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the U.S. Marshals Service, the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the New York State Police, the New York State Department of Corrections, the New York State Attorney General, and the Onondaga County District Attorney’s Office. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Nicolas Commandeur and Kristen Grabowski.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
Stockton Man Indicted for Possession of Unregistered SilencersRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned a two-count indictment today against Alan Alfredo Garcia, 23, of Stockton, charging him with possession of unregistered silencers, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced.
According to court documents, law enforcement officers found two firearms silencers during a search of Garcia’s residence. The silencers were not registered to Garcia in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record, as required under federal law.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the San Joaquin County Sheriff’s Office, and the Stockton Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney David W. Spencer is prosecuting the case.
If convicted, Garcia faces a maximum statutory penalty of 10 years in prison and a $10,000 fine. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. The Department of Justice reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally based strategies to reduce violent crime. To learn more about Project Safe Neighborhoods, go to www.justice.gov/psn.
St. Louis Woman Pleads Guilty to Aiding in the Robbery of the Richmond Heights Post OfficeRead the Press Release
St. Louis, MO –Arielle Steed, 27, of St. Louis, MO, pleaded guilty to one felony charge of aiding and abetting the robbery of a United States Postal employee. Steed appeared in federal court today before United States District Judge Catherine D. Perry who accepted her plea and set her sentencing date for March 6, 2020.
According to court documents, in early December 2018, Steed and co-defendant Dywane Upchurch planned to rob the U.S. Post Office in Richmond Heights located on Big Bend Boulevard. Steed was a teller at the post office and was in a relationship with Upchurch.
On December 6, 2018, after the post office closed to the public, Steed retrieved all the cash from the registers, sorted it, and placed it in a stack on the counter. At this time, there was only one other employee present at the post office. Upchurch, dressed in all black and wearing a surgical mask, entered the rear door of the post office. He was armed with a nine-millimeter semi-automatic pistol. Once inside, Upchurch brandished the firearm and forced Steed and the other employee into a restroom. Upchurch then went to the counter and stole approximately $8,800 in cash.
Upchurch pled on October 4, 2019 to felon in possession of a firearm and assaulting a U.S. Postal employee while committing a robbery. Sentencing is set for January 16, 2020.
Steed faces up to 25 years in prison and a fine of $250,000. In determining the actual sentences, a judge is required to consider the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, which provide recommended sentencing ranges.
This case is being investigated by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and the Richmond Heights Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney John Ware is handling the case.
Spokane man sentenced to more than 10 years for meth traffickingRead the Press Release
MISSOULA—A Spokane man accused of bringing pound quantities of methamphetamine to Missoula for distribution was sentenced today to 10 years and one month in prison and five years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.
Donald Shawn Gilbrech, 51, pleaded guilty in July to possession with intent to distribute meth.
U.S. District Judge Donald W. Molloy presided.
In court records filed in the case, the prosecution said that in February, a confidential informant stored a backpack containing meth at Gilbrech’s request. The informant consented to a search of the backpack and law enforcement recovered almost four pounds of meth. Four pounds of meth is the equivalent of about 14,496 doses. Another informant told law enforcement that Gilbrech was a meth distributor and had delivered more than one pound of meth to Missoula in the summer of 2018.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Tara Elliott prosecuted the case, which was investigated by the FBI and the Montana Regional Violent Crimes Task Force.
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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Southern California Doctor Found Guilty in $12 Million Medicare Fraud and Device Adulteration SchemeRead the Press Release
A federal jury found a southern California doctor guilty yesterday for his role in a $12 million scheme to provide medically unnecessary procedures to Medicare beneficiaries, upcode claims submitted to Medicare, and re-package single-use catheters for reuse on patients.
Assistant Attorney General Brian A. Benczkowski of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Nicola T. Hanna of the Central District of California, Assistant Director in Charge Paul Delacourt of the FBI’s Los Angeles Field Office, Special Agent in Charge Timothy DeFrancesca of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of the Inspector General’s (HHS-OIG) Los Angeles Regional Office and Special Agent in Charge Lisa Malinowski of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration Office of Criminal Investigations’ (FDA-OCI) Los Angeles Field Office made the announcement.
After a six-day trial, Donald Woo Lee, 54, of Temecula, California, was found guilty of seven counts of health care fraud and one count of adulteration of a medical device. Sentencing has been scheduled for March 19, 2020, before U.S. District Judge George Wu of the Central District of California, who presided over the trial.
According to evidence presented at trial, from 2012 to 2015, Lee engaged in a scheme in which he recruited Medicare beneficiaries to his clinics, falsely diagnosed the beneficiaries with venous insufficiency and provided the beneficiaries with medically unnecessary vein ablation procedures. The evidence further established that Lee billed these unnecessary procedures to Medicare using an inappropriate code in order to obtain a higher reimbursement, a practice known as “upcoding.” In addition, the evidence showed that Lee repackaged used, contaminated catheters for re-use on patients. These catheters had been cleared by the FDA for marketing as single-use only. Lee submitted claims of approximately $12 million to Medicare for the vein ablation procedures he performed, and received $4.5 million as a result, the evidence showed.
This case was investigated by the FBI, HHS-OIG and FDA-OCI, and was brought as part of the Medicare Fraud Strike Force, under the supervision of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California. Trial Attorneys Alexis Gregorian and Emily Culbertson of the Fraud Section are prosecuting the case.
The Fraud Section leads the Medicare Fraud Strike Force. Since its inception in March 2007, the Medicare Fraud Strike Force, which maintains 15 strike forces operating in 24 districts, has charged more than 4,200 defendants who have collectively billed the Medicare program for nearly $19 billion. In addition, the HHS Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, working in conjunction with the HHS-OIG, are taking steps to increase accountability and decrease the presence of fraudulent providers.