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21 November 2019
Anchorage Men Indicted on Drug Trafficking ChargesRead the Press Release
Anchorage, Alaska – U.S. Attorney Bryan Schroder announced that Peter Michael Burno, 45, and Billy Bob Bell, III, 44, were indicted yesterday on drug trafficking charges.
The criminal complaint reports that on or about Oct. 31, 2019, to Nov. 6, 2019, Burno and Bell attempted to possess and distribute meth in Alaska. On Nov. 4, 2019, approximately 8.4 pounds of meth shipped from California was intercepted in Anchorage by U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) and local law enforcement agencies.
On Nov. 5, 2019, the package with a representative sample of meth was delivered to the recipient. Two men were waiting in a vehicle at the address and quickly took possession of the package. Law enforcement agencies followed the individuals to Wasilla, Alaska, where the package was opened. Several suspects were taken into custody. Text messages between Burno and the individuals who accepted the package indicated the individuals who accepted the package were retrieving it for Burno because he was in California. Burno was taken into custody when he returned to Anchorage on Nov. 6, 2019.
If convicted, Burno and Bell face a statutory maximum of 10 years to life in prison, a $10M fine, and 5 years to life 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 U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) and the Alaska State Troopers (AST) conducted the investigation leading to the indictment in this case. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Karen Vandergaw.
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.
Alleged Cybercriminal Charged with Unauthorized Computer Intrusion, Wire Fraud, Securities Fraud and Other CrimesRead the Press Release
A criminal complaint was unsealed today in federal court in Brooklyn charging Lithuanian national Vytautas Parfionovas with computer intrusion, securities fraud, money laundering, bank fraud and wire fraud, among other offenses. The charged crimes stem from a variety of criminal conduct between 2011 and 2018 in which Parfionovas gained access to U.S.-based computers, including email servers and computers belonging to U.S. financial institutions, in order to steal money from online bank accounts and securities brokerage accounts. Parfinovas was arrested in Ukraine on October 24, 2019, and was extradited to the United States on November 21, 2019.
Richard P. Donoghue, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, and William F. Sweeney, Jr., Assistant Director-in-Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI), announced the charges.
“As alleged, the defendant and his co-conspirators stole millions of dollars from U.S. victims while sitting behind keyboards thousands of miles away,” stated United States Attorney Donoghue. “Cybercriminals are hereby on notice that no amount of distance or subterfuge will protect them, and that we and our law enforcement partners are committed to unmasking, arresting and prosecuting them.” Mr. Donoghue thanked the Prosecutor Generals Office of Ukraine, the FBI Legal Attaché’s Office in Kiev, the Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs and the National Cyber Forensic Training Alliance for their assistance in the investigation and the defendant’s extradition.
“The world has become a much smaller place with the advent of the internet, and with that shrinking globe, the days of cyber criminals thinking because they're not in our country they can escape justice are over,” stated FBI Assistant Director-in-Charge Sweeney. “Our extraordinary partnerships allow the FBI to reach into many of the dark corners where these thieves feel invincible. If you violate our laws, we will make sure you pay the price.”
As charged in the criminal complaint, starting in January 2011, Parfionovas and his co-conspirators engaged in a long-running scheme to steal money through a variety of computer intrusions.
In one part of the scheme, Parfionovas and his co-conspirators allegedly obtained login information for victims’ securities brokerage accounts through various methods, including stealing that information from the server of a U.S. securities order management company to which the conspirators gained unauthorized access. The conspirators then used those accounts to steal money and conduct trades to their own benefit. Initially, conspirators accessed the victim brokerage accounts and transferred money from those accounts to other accounts under their control. After financial institutions began to block those unauthorized transfers, Parfionovas and his co-conspirators accessed other victim brokerage accounts without authorization, and placed unauthorized stock trades within those accounts while simultaneously trading profitably in the same stocks from accounts that they controlled. On or about February 22, 2016, Parfionovas explained this aspect of the scheme to a co-conspirator as follows: “I take some fraud logins. Do some s[_]t with stock . . . sometimes 2-3 in day . . . manipulation is 100%.” In this manner, Parfionovas and his co-conspirators realized financial gains while causing losses of more than $5.5 million.
In another part of the scheme, Parfionovas and his co-conspirators allegedly obtained login information for victim email accounts and accessed those accounts without authorization. The conspirators then sent email messages from those accounts to the victims’ financial advisers and requested wire transfers from the victims’ financial institutions to overseas bank accounts that the conspirators controlled. For example, in or about May 2013, Parfionovas and his co-conspirators obtained $50,000 from an investment account that belonged to U.S. victims, and Parfionovas directed the transfer of those funds to a series of bank accounts and ultimately to an individual in Kharkov, Ukraine, where Parfionovas was located. To defraud another victim, Parfionovas and his co-conspirators obtained control over a victim’s email account and used it to send written instructions—which falsely appeared to have been signed by the victim—to transfer $225,000 from one of the victim’s accounts.
If convicted, the defendant faces up to 30 years’ imprisonment for the money laundering charge, and a mandatory consecutive two-year sentence for the charge of aggravated identity theft.
The charges in the complaint announced today are allegations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s National Security and Cybercrime Section and the Business and Securities Fraud Section. Assistant United States Attorneys David K. Kessler, Mark E. Bini and Alexander Mindlin are in charge of the prosecution. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs of the Department’s Criminal Division provided significant assistance in securing the defendant’s extradition from Ukraine.
The Defendant:
VYTAUTAS PARFIONOVAS
Age: 32
Kiev, UkraineE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 19-MJ-883
20 November 2019
Wichita Man Sentenced in Sprint Store RobberyRead the Press Release
WICHITA, KAN. - A Wichita man was sentenced today to 162 months in federal prison for robbery, U.S. Attorney Stephen McAllister said.
Camarin McPherson, 26, Wichita, Kan., pleaded guilty to one count of robbery. In his plea, he admitted that on April 25, 2019, he brandished a firearm and held a clerk at gunpoint at the Sprint store at 530 S. West Street in Wichita. He hogtied the clerk and stole 54 Apple iPhones and 24 Samsung Galaxy phones.
McAllister commended the Wichita Police Department, the FBI and Assistant U.S. Attorney Matt Treaster for their work on the case. This case was prosecuted under Project Safe Neighborhoods, a Justice Department initiative to reduce violent crime.
Wasilla Felon and Person of Interest in Triple Homicide Detained and Indicted on Possession of 16 Rounds of AmmunitionRead the Press Release
Anchorage, Alaska – U.S. Attorney Bryan Schroder announced that Juan Camarena, 51, of Wasilla, was indicted today with one count of felon in possession of ammunition. Camarena is a person of interest in the triple homicide in Wasilla, Alaska on Nov. 2, 2019. During the course of the triple homicide investigation, law enforcement agencies discovered and seized Camarena’s illegally possessed ammunition that was stored in his trailer.
Camarena’s six convictions in the District Court of California between 1987 and 2015 are listed in the indictment. Felonious behavior has spanned 34 years, comprising of, but not limited to, possession with intent to distribute meth, assault with a deadly weapon, felon in possession of a firearm, evading peace officer, possessing, manufacturing, and selling dangerous weapons, and street gang participation.
Between, on or about Nov. 1, 2019, to Nov. 11, 2019, Camarena illegally possessed twelve 9mm rounds located in the bathroom cubby, one .40 live round located in a magazine on the shelf in the bedroom, one 9mm live round located in the living room, one .45 live round located in the bedroom closet, and one 9mm live round located in a cubby behind the toilet.
If the public has any further information regarding Camarena’s activities,
please contact Alaska State Troopers at (907) 352-5401.
If convicted, Camarena faces a statutory maximum of 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, and 3 years supervised release. Camarena would also have to forfeit any firearm or ammunition involved in or used in knowing violation of the offense. 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 Alaska State Troopers (AST), the Alaska Criminal Intelligence Center, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), Anchorage Police Department (APD), and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) conducted the investigation leading to the indictment in this case. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Karen Vandergaw.
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.
U.S. Postal Service Employee Sentenced for EmbezzlementRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A U.S. Postal Service (USPS) employee was sentenced today for embezzling over $20,000 in payments from customers.
Austin Correia, 22, of New Bedford, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Chief Judge Patti B. Saris to 24 months of probation, with the first three months to be served in home confinement, and 25 hours of community service. In July 2019, Correia pleaded guilty to one count of theft of embezzlement and theft of public money, property or records. As part of his plea agreement, he has already paid $20,584 in restitution to the USPS in full.
Correia began working for USPS at the end of 2017 as a Sales & Service Distribution Associate at both the Mount Pleasant and Coffin Station Post Offices in New Bedford. In this role, Correia had the ability to issue foreign and domestic postal money orders and sell stamps to customers. Correia engaged in a scheme in which he received a cash payment from customers to purchase stamps or money orders, but voided out the valid transactions to make it appear as if they did not occur. Correia provided the customer with the USPS product, but took the cash payment for his own personal use either by pocketing the money or by purchasing gift cards sold at the Post Office. In total, Correia embezzled over $20,000 from USPS.
United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling and Matthew Modafferi, Special Agent in Charge of the United States Postal Service Office of Inspector General, Northeast Area Office, made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Eugenia M. Carris of Lelling’s Public Corruption & Special Prosecutions Unit prosecuted the case.
U.S. Attorney's Office joins with local law enforcement to celebrate Dublin's successRead the Press Release
DUBLIN, GA: Southern District of Georgia U.S. Attorney Bobby L. Christine on Wednesday credited local, state and federal cooperation with significantly improved safety in the city of Dublin.
During a morning news conference at the Dublin Police Department headquarters, U.S. Attorney Christine said according to the FBI’s recently released Uniform Crime Reports data, violent crime has decreased by more than 24 percent in Dublin during the past three years, compared to a national reduction during that period of just 3.5 percent.
“From the federal perspective, we know our role in fighting crime in Dublin is only a small part of the battle,” said Christine, who oversees federal prosecutions in the 43 counties of Georgia’s Southern District. “The boots on the ground are local law enforcement and prosecutorial partners who live, work, play and worship in this community and have a very direct stake in removing criminals and their influence from their neighborhoods.”
In making the announcement Christine credited the decrease in crime to cooperation of all law enforcement and prosecutorial agencies’ efforts through the Department of Justice’s Project Safe Neighborhoods program that focuses on gun violence, and the Southern District’s Prosecutor to Prosecutor (P3) program that coordinates local and federal prosecutions to find the most effective venue for handling criminal cases.
Both programs represent key elements of the newly announced Project Guardian from the Department of Justice, which seeks to combat gun crime through improved coordination of law enforcement and prosecutors at all levels.
Christine’s comments were echoed by Brian Ozden, Supervisory Special Agent with the FBI, who also attended the news conference. “In the past year, our joint effort has resulted in the indictment of 13 people on federal charges,” Ozden said. “So far, nine of those indicted resulted in guilty pleas, and one was convicted at trial. It has also resulted in the seizure of 11 firearms.”
Both Christine and Ozden praised the efforts of Dublin Police Chief Tim Chatman and Dublin Judicial Circuit District Attorney Craig Fraser in their continued work to reduce crime and make the Dublin community safer.
U.S. Attorney's Office Partners with Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools to Host Youth Summit for High School StudentsRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – The United States Attorney’s Office partnered with Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools to host a youth engagement summit for high school students, announced Andrew Murray, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. The one-day summit was co-sponsored by the Boy Scouts of America, the Beasley Media Group, and Atrium Health.
Approximately 200 students selected from Charlotte-Mecklenburg High Schools attended the summit, which was held on the campus of UNCC-Charlotte. The goal of the summit was to encourage high school students to discuss the culture and climate within their schools, to share their experiences with classmates, and to develop solutions for creating a positive school environment for all students.
“All students deserve the opportunity to excel within their schools, without the fear of harassment or violence,” said U.S. Attorney Murray. “Schools need to be safe places, where skillsets are honed, knowledge is expanded, futures are shaped, and today’s dreams become tomorrow’s accomplishments. Empowering students to proactively address conflict within their schools can foster a more positive school experience, so all students can strive and thrive to be their best.”
During the one-day summit, students discussed their concerns about their school’s current environment, and developed strategies to address social pressures, including bullying. Over the course of the summit, students participated in student-led discussions, brainstormed on ways to help support their classmates have a positive school experience, and will utilize the information gained today to develop action plans to address the needs of their schools.
In addition to the interactive workshops, students also heard from Professor Michelle Horton of Wake Forest University and Founder & CEO of YOUniversity; Dr. David Jacobs, Medical Director of Trauma Services for Atrium Health; Reginald Coles, Director of Student Discipline and Behavior Support for Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools; Charles Whitfield, Director of Live Events & Community Outreach at Beasley Media Group in Charlotte; and Lambert Guinn, Assistant United States Attorney, with the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte.
In making today’s announcement, U.S. Attorney Murray thanked UNCC-Charlotte for hosting the summit and giving the students an opportunity to gather, and the Boy Scouts of America, the Beasley Media Group, and Atrium Health for their support of this very important initiative.
Two People Sentenced to 30 Months in Prison for Roles in Conspiracy to Distribute OxycodoneRead the Press Release
CAMDEN, N.J. – A Camden County, New Jersey, man and a Philadelphia man were each sentenced today to 30 months in prison for their respective roles in conspiring to distribute oxycodone, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito announced.
Prussia Hing, 36, of Philadelphia, and Anthony Pepe, 42, of Cherry Hill, New Jersey, previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Court Judge Jerome B. Simandle to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute oxycodone. U.S. District Judge Robert B. Kugler, who was assigned the case following the subsequent passing of Judge Simandle, imposed the sentence today in Camden federal court.
The defendants were charged in connection with one of the largest national healthcare fraud and opioid enforcement actions ever taken by the U.S. Department of Justice.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:From December 2017 through June 26, 2018, the defendants and others engaged in a conspiracy which resulted in the trafficking of 1,180 oxycodone pills – 680 of which were unadulterated oxycodone and 500 of which were pressed pills mixed with hydrocodone, codeine, and methylphenidate. Hing was a source of the supply. As part of the investigation, law enforcement observed eight controlled purchases, three of which were carried out by the defendants, including Pepe, dressed in his hospital scrubs in front of the major Philadelphia hospital where he was employed as the chief surgical technologist.
In addition to the prison term, Judge Kugler sentenced each defendant to three years of supervised release.U.S. Attorney Carpenito credited special agents of the FBI’s Philadelphia Field Office, South Jersey Resident Agency, both under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Michael Harpster in Philadelphia; the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Scott J. Lampert, and the Camden County Police Department, under the direction of Chief Joseph D. Wysocki, with the investigation leading to today’s sentencings.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christina O. Hud and Diana Vondra Carrig of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Criminal Division in Camden.
Defense counsel: Pepe: Rocco Cipparone Esq., Haddon Heights, New Jersey
Hing: Gregory Pagano Esq., PhiladelphiaTwo More Plead Guilty to Drug Trafficking as Part of Investigation into “SCO” GangRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, PA – Two Allegheny County residents of Southwestern Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty in federal court to charges related to drug trafficking in connection with a large-scale investigation conducted by the Greater Pittsburgh Safe Streets Task Force, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced today.
Marcel Sewell, 59, of Braddock, PA, pleaded guilty to two counts related to drug trafficking, before Senior United States District Judge Arthur J. Schwab.
Tyrone Roilton, 25, of Braddock, PA, pleaded guilty to one count related to drug trafficking, also before Judge Schwab.
In connection with the guilty pleas, the court was advised that the Greater Pittsburgh Safe Streets Task Force conducted a long-term investigation of drug trafficking occurring in and around the Braddock section of Pittsburgh. Marcel Sewell, Tyrone Roilton, and other individuals, were identified as members or associates of a neighborhood based street gang, self-titled “SCO”, which illegally distributed controlled substances in the Greater Pittsburgh Region. In January of 2019, investigators obtained authorization to conduct a federal wire investigation, which continued through May of 2019.
As to Marcel Sewell, the Court was informed that intercepted communications confirmed that Sewell was conspiring with others to possess with intent to distribute and distribute controlled substances. Sewell admitted, in conjunction with his guilty plea, that he met with other members of the conspiracy, including “D-Boy” – the street name used by a co-defendant – at a stash house location on Seddon Avenue, in Braddock, which was owned “D-Boy”. The court accepted Sewell’s guilty plea to conspiracy to distribute 182 grams of cocaine and 114 grams of cocaine base, commonly known as crack, between August 2018 and May 2019.
As to Tyrone Roilton, the Court was informed that intercepted communications confirmed that Roilton was conspiring with others to possess with intent to distribute and distribute controlled substances. Roilton admitted, in conjunction with his guilty plea, that he met other members of the conspiracy at his residence in Braddock, PA. The Court was further informed that investigators identified Roilton’s home as a drug distribution location for the “SCO” gang and other members of the conspiracy, which was confirmed on June 12, 2019, when law enforcement searched Roilton’s residence. In his home, law enforcement found numerous items used by drug-traffickers, including drug packaging and distribution material as well as suspected controlled substances. The court accepted Boyd’s guilty plea to conspiracy to distribute 19.3 grams of heroin, a Schedule I controlled substance, and 21.7 grams of cocaine base, commonly known as crack, a Schedule II controlled substance, between August 2018 and May 2019.
Judge Schwab scheduled sentencing for April 29, 2020, at 10:00 AM for Sewell and May 4, 2020 at 10:00 AM for Roilton. For Sewell, the law provides for a total sentence of not less than five years and not more than 40 years in prison, with a maximum fine of $5,000,000. For Roilton, the law provides for a total sentence of not more than 20 years in prison and a maximum fine of $1,000,000. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendants. Both Sewell and Roilton remain on house arrest pending sentencing.
Assistant United States Attorney Rebecca L. Silinski is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation led the multi-agency investigation of this case, which also included the Drug Enforcement Administration, Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives, United States Marshals Fugitive Task Force, Allegheny County Sheriff’s Office, Allegheny County Police Department, Pennsylvania State Police, Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office Bureau of Narcotics, and the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police. Other assisting agencies include the Monroeville Police Department, Penn Hills Police Department, Wilkinsburg Police Department, and Allegheny County Adult Probation.
The investigation was funded by the federal Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force Program (OCDETF). The OCDETF program supplies critical federal funding and coordination that allows federal and state agencies to work together to successfully identify, investigate, and prosecute major interstate and international drug trafficking organizations and other criminal enterprises.
Two Massachusetts Residents Sentenced for Participating in Fentanyl Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
CONCORD – Wagner Pimentel, 30, of Methuen, Massachusetts, and Luz Perez DeMartinez, 27, of Lawrence Massachusetts were sentenced in federal court on Tuesday for participating in a large-scale fentanyl trafficking conspiracy, United States Attorney Scott W. Murray announced today. Pimentel was sentenced to 108 months. DeMartinez was sentenced to 132 months and a $50,000 fine.
According to court documents and statements made in court, a drug trafficking organization, led by Sergio Martinez, sold fentanyl to customers from various New England states, including New Hampshire. On each date that Pimentel worked for the Martinez organization, he delivered 200-gram bags of fentanyl to runners who worked for the organization and collected drug proceeds from the runners once they distributed the contents of the bags.
DeMartinez, the wife of the organization’s leader, facilitated various financial aspects of the drug business. Her primary role was to collect, count and process hundreds of thousands of dollars in profits generated by drug sales. She also paid salaries to some of the organization’s employees and collected money to post bail for certain employees who were arrested. She wired drug proceeds out of the country.
Pimentel previously pleaded guilty on March 15, 2019 and DeMartinez previously pleaded guilty on February 12, 2019. After serving his sentence, Pimental faces possible removal to the Dominican Republic.
“The Martinez drug trafficking organization facilitated the sale of large quantities of lethal fentanyl to residents of New Hampshire,” said U.S. Attorney Murray. “This was a large-scale criminal enterprise that reaped hundreds of thousands of dollars in profits and caused untold misery to its customers and their families. These sentences should serve as warning that long federal prison terms await those who choose to distribute fentanyl in New Hampshire.”
“DEA is committed to investigating Drug Trafficking Organizations and individuals like Mr. Pimentel and Ms. DeMartinez who are responsible for distributing lethal drugs like fentanyl to the citizens of New Hampshire,” said DEA Special Agent in Charge Brian D. Boyle. “Today’s substantial sentence not only holds both accountable for their crimes but serves as a warning to those traffickers who are fueling the opioid epidemic with deadly drugs in order to profit and destroy people’s lives. DEA’s top priority is combatting the opioid epidemic by working with our local, state and federal partners to bring to justice anyone who distributes this poison.”
The case was a collaborative investigation that involved the DEA; the New Hampshire State Police; the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office; the Nashua Police Department; the Massachusetts State Police; the Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office; the New Hampshire Attorney General’s Office; the Essex County District Attorney’s Office; the Internal Revenue Service; Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations; United States Customs and Border Protection Boston Field Office; the United States Marshals Service; the United States Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service; the Manchester Police Department; the Lisbon Police Department; the Littleton Police Department; the Haverhill (MA) Police Department; the Methuen (MA) Police Department; the Lowell (MA) Police Department; and the Maine State Police.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Georgiana L. Konesky and Seth R. Aframe.
This case was supported by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF). The OCDETF program is a federal multi-agency, multi-jurisdictional task force that supplies supplemental federal funding to federal and state agencies involved in the identification, investigation, and prosecution of major drug trafficking organizations.
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Two Gardena Police Officers Convicted of Operating Unlicensed Firearms Business, Selling Weapons to Convicted FelonsRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – Two Gardena Police officers were found guilty by a jury today of federal criminal charges for scheming to purchase “off-roster” firearms not available to the general public and then illegally reselling the firearms for profit.
Carlos Miguel Fernandez, 44, of Norwalk, and Edward Yasushiro Arao, 49, of Eastvale, were found guilty of conspiracy to engage in the business of dealing firearms without a license and of substantive counts of engaging in an unlicensed firearms business. Fernandez also was convicted of an additional conspiracy count, selling firearms to a convicted felon, and of making false statements about the sales on federal firearms licensing paperwork.
According to evidence presented at their six-day trial, Fernandez, whose Instagram handle was “the38superman,” advertised firearms for sale – guns being offered by both himself, Arao and others – on his Instagram account. The vast majority of posts on the account contained images of firearms. Arao, who was the CEO of Ronin Tactical Group, which was a federal firearms licensee (FFL), similarly advertised off-roster guns on the company’s Instagram account that he then re-sold in his individual capacity. Additionally, both defendants marketed firearms at gun shows. Neither defendant was licensed individually to engage in the business of dealing in firearms when the illegal gun sales alleged in the indictment took place.
The evidence presented at trial demonstrated how the defendants exploited their position as police officers to ensure the success of their illegal gun selling business. Specifically, Fernandez purchased “off-roster” firearms – mostly Colt .38-caliber handguns that were not available to the general public, but which could be legally purchased by law enforcement officers – and sold dozens of these weapons through private-party transfers. Similarly, Arao obtained “off-roster” weapons by transferring them to himself individually from the inventory of Ronin Tactical Group. Through messages on Instagram and other means, Fernandez and Arao negotiated the prices and terms of firearm sales, and they accepted payment for the guns once they were delivered.
For example, between May 2016 and December 2017, Fernandez negotiated and arranged the sale of 10 firearms to a convicted felon, Oscar Maravilla Camacho Jr., 36, of Salinas. With respect to every sale, Fernandez communicated directly with Camacho Jr. about the firearms purchases and understood that Camacho Jr., as a felon, could not legally buy the weapons. Nevertheless, Fernandez transferred the weapons to Camacho Jr. in violation of federal law.
United States District Judge S. James Otero scheduled a March 2 sentencing hearing, at which time Fernandez will face a statutory maximum of 35 years in federal prison and Arao will face a statutory maximum sentence of 10 years in federal prison.
Six other defendants in this case have pleaded guilty to federal criminal charges for distribution of cocaine, conspiracy to dispose of firearms to a felon, and making false statements that led to the straw purchase of several firearms.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated this case. The Gardena Police Department provided its full cooperation during the investigation.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Katherine A. Rykken of the Major Frauds Section and Veronica Dragalin of the Public Corruption and Civil Rights Section.
Two Former Houston Police Department Officers Indicted in Connection to Fatal RaidRead the Press Release
Three people are now in custody in relation to the fatal raid that occurred in January 2019 on Harding Street in Houston, Texas, announced Assistant Attorney General Eric Dreiband of the Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division, U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Patrick for the Southern District of Texas and Special Agent in Charge Perrye K. Turner of the FBI.
A federal grand jury returned the nine count indictment Nov. 14 against Gerald M. Goines, 55, and Steven M. Bryant, 46, both former Houston Police Department (HPD) officers. Also charged is Patricia Ann Garcia, 53. All are residents of Houston. The indictment was unsealed this morning as authorities took all three into custody. They are expected to make their initial appearances before U.S. Magistrate Judge Dena H. Palermo at 2 p.m. central time.
The federal indictment stems from the Jan. 28 narcotics raid HPD conducted on the 7800 block of Harding Street in Houston. The enforcement action resulted in the deaths of two residents at that location.
Goines is charged with two counts of depriving the victims’ constitutional right to be secure against unreasonable searches. The indictment alleges Goines made numerous materially false statements in the state search warrant he obtained for their residence. The execution of that warrant containing these false statements resulted in the death of the two individuals as well as injuries to four other persons, according to the indictment.
Goines and Bryant are charged with obstructing justice by falsifying records. Goines allegedly made several false statements in his tactical plan and offense report prepared in connection with that search warrant. The indictment alleges Bryant falsely claimed in a supplemental case report he had previously assisted Goines in the Harding Street investigation. Bryant allegedly identified a brown powdery substance (heroin) he retrieved from Goines’ vehicle as narcotics purchased from the Harding Street residence Jan. 27.
Goines is further charged with three separate counts of obstructing an official proceeding. The federal grand jury alleges Goines falsely stated Jan. 30 that a particular confidential informant had purchased narcotics at the Harding Street location three days prior. He also falsely stated Jan. 31 that a different confidential informant purchased narcotics at that residence that day, according to the charges. On Feb. 13, he also falsely claimed he had purchased narcotics at that residence on that day. The indictment alleges none of these statements were true.
The charges against Garcia allege she conveyed false information by making several fake 911 calls. Specifically, on Jan. 8, she allegedly made several calls claiming her daughter was inside the Harding Street location. According to the indictment, Garcia added that the residents of the home were addicts and drug dealers and that they had guns – including machine guns – inside the home. The charges allege none of Garcia’s claims were true.
If convicted of the civil rights charges, Goines faces up to life in prison. Each obstruction count carries a potential 20-year sentence, while Garcia faces a five-year term of imprisonment for conveying false information.
The FBI is conducting the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Alamdar S. Hamdani, Arthur R. Jones and Sharad S. Khandelwal, and Special Litigation Counsel Jared Fishman of the Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division, are prosecuting the case.
An indictment is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.
Toledo woman sentenced for planning two terrorist attacksRead the Press Release
Elizabeth Lecron, 24, was sentenced today to 180 months of incarceration and lifetime supervision for her involvement in planning two terrorist attacks, including an attack at a local Toledo bar. During the sentencing hearing, Judge James G. Carr called Lecron’s actions “monstrous.” Her co-defendant and live-in boyfriend, Vincent Armstrong, has pleaded guilty for his role in the scheme and will be sentenced on December 10, 2019.
“This defendant was deadly serious about plotting for an attack on Toledo and an interstate pipeline,” said United States Attorney Justin Herdman. “She stands convicted of a terrorism offense and will spend the next fifteen years in a federal prison. When she is released, she will spend the rest of her life under intense supervision by a federal court. Today’s sentence reflects the severity of her conduct and is a recognition of the continued efforts by law enforcement to protect the public from all violent threats.”
“Elizabeth Lecron's lengthy incarceration followed by a lifetime of supervised release is more than justified for her despicable plan to commit mass murder in our city,” stated FBI Special Agent in Charge Eric B. Smith. “The investigation, prosecution, and her sentence demonstrates the importance of the continued partnership between the public and law enforcement, as well as a strong US Attorney's Office willing to pursue warranted charges that will keep dangerous people like Elizabeth Lecron under law enforcement's watchful eye. It should also serve as a reminder to others that law enforcement will pursue criminals bent on attacking fellow citizens with every tool at our disposal.”
As set out in court filings and during court hearings, Lecron and Armstrong met and started dating in early 2018. Shortly after meeting, Lecron expressed her interest in mass murderers and introduced Armstrong to an online group called the “True Crime Community.” This group fixated and lionized mass murderers and posted extremely graphic images, videos, and sayings. They two became immersed in this subculture, including take a trip in August 2018 to visit the sights related to the Columbine High School shooting to pay tribute to the shooters and Lecron writing numerous letters to Dylann Roof.
Lecron and Armstrong privately discussed committing their own mass murder in the Toledo area and referred to this attack as “D-day.” They discussed using bombs and guns to kill, maim, and injure innocent people. They took several steps in preparation for “D-day.” They purchased guns and went to the shooting range to practice their firearm skills. They also printed instructions to make pipe bombs and bought some the necessary components. They detailed their plan and feelings in personal journals. For instance, Armstrong wrote that he had “a vision to kill” and Lecron wrote, “D-day will be my salvation.”
Separately, on December 8, 2018, Lecron purchased two pounds of black powder and hundreds of screws intending that they be used in a bombing of a pipeline in Georgia.
This conduct took place between April 2018 and December 10, 2018.
This case was investigated by the FBI Joint Terrorism Task Force and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael Freeman and Tracey Tangeman.
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Three Men Charged with 1989 MurderRead the Press Release
Geoffrey S. Berman, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, James P. O’Neill, Commissioner of the New York City Police Department (“NYPD”), and Raymond Donovan, Special Agent in Charge of the New York Office of the Drug Enforcement Administration (“DEA”), announced today the unsealing of an indictment charging LUIS MERCED, WILLIAM SKINNER, and DORIAN BROOKS, a/k/a “Kool-Aid,” with murder in furtherance of drug trafficking in connection with the murder of Efren Cardenas on February 10, 1989 in Brooklyn, New York. MERCED and SKINNER were arrested yesterday evening and early this morning and will be presented this afternoon before U.S. Magistrate Judge Sarah Netburn. BROOKS is in state custody on other charges and will be presented in federal court at a later date. The case is assigned to U.S. District Judge Edgardo Ramos.
Manhattan U.S. Attorney Geoffrey S. Berman said: “For over 30 years, the family of Efren Cardenas has been waiting for justice. Today, thanks to the extraordinary partnership of the NYPD, the DEA, and the Special Agents of our office, the defendants are charged in federal court for this decades-old murder.”
NYPD Commissioner James P. O’Neill said: “Today’s charges demonstrate the NYPD’s vigilance in bringing justice to victims and their families. The NYPD, our colleagues at the Drug Enforcement Administration and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York will continue to vigorously pursue and bring to justice individuals responsible for violent criminal activity."
DEA Special Agent in Charge Raymond Donovan said: “Today’s arrests demonstrate that time does not diminish a crime, especially murder. Thirty years have passed, but law enforcement’s dogged pursuits have brought justice to the victim while sending a message that law enforcement won’t stop until perpetrators are brought to justice. I commend the men and women of the DEA, NYPD, and U.S. Attorney’s Office, Southern District of New York, on their tenacity and diligent efforts throughout this investigation.”
According to the allegations in the Indictment unsealed today in Manhattan federal court[1]:
On February 10, 1989, MERCED, SKINNER, and BROOKS killed Efren Cardenas, 30. MERCED, SKINNER, and BROOKS committed the murder in furtherance of a conspiracy to distribute more than five kilograms of cocaine and more than 280 grams of crack cocaine.
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MERCED, 48, and BROOKS, 50, each from Brooklyn, New York, and SKINNER, 49, of Amityville, New York, are each charged with one count of murder in furtherance of drug trafficking, which carries a maximum sentence of death or life in prison, and a mandatory minimum sentence of 20 years in prison.
Mr. Berman praised the investigative work of the Special Agents of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York, the NYPD’s Cold Case Squad, and the DEA. Mr. Berman added that the investigation is continuing.
This case is being handled by the Office’s Violent and Organized Crime Unit. Assistant United States Attorneys Andrew K. Chan and Adam S. Hobson are in charge of the prosecution.
The charges contained in the Indictment are merely accusations and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
[1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Indictment constitutes only allegations, and every fact described herein should be treated as an allegation.
Third Foundation Resolves Allegations that it Conspired with Pharmaceutical Companies to Pay Kickbacks to Medicare PatientsRead the Press Release
BOSTON – The U.S. Attorney’s Office announced today that The Assistance Fund (“TAF”), a foundation based in Orlando, Fla., has agreed to pay $4 million to resolve allegations that it violated the False Claims Act by enabling certain pharmaceutical companies to pay kickbacks to Medicare patients taking the companies’ drugs.
TAF operated a fund that was ostensibly for any Medicare patient with multiple sclerosis (MS). The government alleged, however, that TAF conspired with three MS drug manufacturers so that the fund functioned as a conduit for money from those manufacturers to patients taking their MS drugs. The conspiracy enabled the pharmaceutical companies to ensure that Medicare patients did not consider the high costs that the companies charged for their MS drugs. The conspiracy also minimized the possibility that the companies’ money would go to patients taking competing MS drugs made by other companies.
When a Medicare beneficiary obtains a prescription drug covered by Medicare Part B or Part D, the beneficiary may be required to make a partial payment, which may take the form of a co-payment, co-insurance, or deductible (collectively, “co-pays”). Congress included co-pay requirements in these programs, in part, to encourage market forces to serve as a check on health care costs, including the prices that pharmaceutical manufacturers can demand for their drugs. The Anti-Kickback Statute prohibits pharmaceutical companies from offering or paying, directly or indirectly, any remuneration – which includes money or any other thing of value – to induce Medicare patients to purchase the companies’ drugs. The law further prohibits third parties, such as co-pay foundations, from conspiring with pharmaceutical companies to violate the Anti-Kickback Statute.
“Pharmaceutical companies and foundations cannot undermine the Medicare program through the use of kickbacks disguised as routine charitable donations. TAF operated as a vehicle for specific pharmaceutical companies to pay kickbacks at the ultimate expense of the American taxpayers who support the Medicare program,” said United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling. “We will continue to pursue this kind of enforcement until the practice disappears.”
“TAF cared more about helping its big pharma donors make money than about helping individual patients in need of life changing assistance. The FBI is proud to be a part of the investigation that brought TAF’s corrupt practices to light, and we will continue to seek justice against any person or entity involved in such schemes,” said Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Boston Division.
“Foundations that coordinate with pharmaceutical company donors to benefit the donors are not operating independently to equitably benefit needy patients,” said Gregory E. Demske, Chief Counsel to the Inspector General. “Our Integrity Agreements promote independence between foundations and their donors and require the foundations to provide assistance to eligible patients on a first-come, first-served basis.”
The United States alleged that TAF conspired with three MS drug manufacturers – Teva, Biogen, and Novartis – to enable them to pay kickbacks to Medicare patients taking their drugs. Details of the alleged conduct can be found in attached addendum.
The amount of the settlement announced today was determined based on analysis of TAF’s ability to pay after review of its financial condition.
TAF entered a three-year Integrity Agreement (IA) with HHS-OIG as part of the settlement. The IA requires, among other things, that TAF implement measures designed to ensure that it operates independently and that its arrangements and interactions with pharmaceutical manufacturer donors are compliant with the law. In addition, the IA requires compliance-related certifications from TAF’s Board of Directors and detailed reviews by an independent review organization.
TAF is the third foundation to settle allegations of kickbacks. In total, the three foundations (TAF, Chronic Disease Fund, and Patient Access Network Foundation) have paid $10 million. In addition, the United States has collected more than $840 million in total from eight pharmaceutical companies (United Therapeutics, Pfizer, Actelion, Jazz, Lundbeck, Alexion, Astellas and Amgen) to resolve allegations that they used third-party foundations as instruments for kickbacks.
U.S. Attorney Lelling, HHS-OIG Chief Counsel Demske and FBI SAC Bonavolonta made the announcement today. The U.S. Postal Inspection Service also assisted with the investigation. The matter was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Gregg Shapiro and Abraham George, of Lelling’s Affirmative Civil Enforcement Unit, with assistance from Trial Attorney Douglas Rosenthal, of the Department of Justice’s Civil Division.
ADDENDUM
TAF’s solicitation and receipt of payments from Teva that correlated with TAF’s spending on Copaxone renewal patients. Teva sells Copaxone, and TAF’s MS fund provided grants to cover Medicare co-pays for patients taking Copaxone. TAF’s MS fund also provided grants to cover Medicare co-pays for patients taking other MS drugs, such as Avonex and Tysabri, which Biogen sells, and Gilenya, which Novartis sells. In the month of December prior to each of the years 2011-2015, TAF conveyed to Teva how much money TAF’s MS fund needed to renew co-pay grants for the fund’s existing Copaxone patients in the upcoming year. In order to determine these amounts, which ranged from over $18 million to over $30 million per year, TAF multiplied the number of Copaxone patients in the fund by the fund’s average grant amount, and then added the cost of TAF’s administrative fee. TAF understood that Teva knew how TAF was calculating the amounts of these funding requests, and that, accordingly, Teva was using TAF’s MS fund as a conduit to cover Medicare co-pays for Copaxone patients.
TAF’s practice of not maintaining wait lists and its coordination of the openings of the MS fund with Teva, Biogen, and Novartis. During the period from 2011-2014, TAF’s MS fund frequently ran out of funding and was closed to new patients. If any patients applied for co-pay assistance at that time, TAF did not maintain a wait list of such patients. As a consequence, whenever TAF’s MS fund received a payment and opened to new patients, the fund provided grants to the patients who applied immediately after the opening and did not provide grants to patients who had sought to apply earlier, but at a time when the fund was closed. As described further below, TAF’s practice of not maintaining wait lists enabled TAF to coordinate with Teva, Biogen, and Novartis to ensure that TAF used the companies’ funding to cover the co-pays of patients taking their respective drugs.
TAF’s coordination with Teva. During the period from 2011 to 2014, Teva not only made large payments to TAF’s MS fund to cover the renewal of grants for Copaxone patients at the beginning of each year, Teva also made numerous smaller payments, typically less than $3 million each, to TAF’s MS fund at subsequent times during each year. In conjunction with each of these smaller payments, TAF coordinated with Teva and Teva’s vendor, Advanced Care Scripts (“ACS”), to ensure that Copaxone patients received a disproportionate share of the grants from the fund during each window when the fund opened after a Teva payment. Each time that Teva was prepared to make a payment, TAF understood that ACS had told Teva how many Copaxone patients were awaiting assistance. Meanwhile, TAF had told Teva the average MS fund grant amount at the time of the payment. TAF knew that Teva was multiplying the average grant amount by the number of waiting Copaxone patients to determine the amounts Teva would pay to TAF’s MS fund. TAF further knew that, whenever Teva made a payment to TAF’s MS fund and the fund opened, ACS immediately would send a “batch file” of Medicare co-pay assistance applications for Copaxone patients. As a result, each time TAF’s MS fund opened after one of Teva’s post-January payments during this period, Copaxone patients received a substantial majority of the grants that the fund provided, even though Copaxone accounted for much less than a majority of the overall MS drug market. Further, TAF maintained a “portal” that gave ACS real-time access to the enrollment status of the patients ACS referred; the portal, as TAF knew, enabled ACS to update Teva on the number of Copaxone patients who had received grants from TAF’s MS fund.
TAF’s coordination with Biogen. Biogen made payments to TAF’s MS fund on May 24 and July 17, 2012, as part of a coordinated effort by TAF and Biogen to use Biogen’s money to cover Medicare co-pays for Tysabri patients. TAF knew that, when the fund opened after each of these two Biogen payments, ACS immediately would send a “batch file” of Medicare co-pay assistance applications for Tysabri patients. As a result, when TAF’s MS fund opened after Biogen’s payments on May 24 and July 17, 2012, Tysabri patients received a disproportionate share of the grants that the fund provided. During the course of this scheme, a TAF co-founder e-mailed a Biogen vice president and referred to the scheme as the “TYS[abri] project.” The e-mail confirmed that the scheme had succeeded in funneling money from Biogen to Tysabri patients through TAF’s MS fund.
TAF’s coordination with Novartis. Beginning in October 2012, TAF and Novartis began to coordinate on a means of ensuring that Novartis’s next payment to TAF’s MS fund would go almost exclusively to Gilenya patients. Ultimately, TAF and Novartis agreed that Novartis would pay TAF’s MS fund $1,418,000 and that TAF would open the fund at 6:00 p.m. on Friday, December 14, 2012. At the time, TAF knew that Novartis had arranged for staff from Novartis’s vendor, Express Scripts, to work overtime that night and the following morning to refer Gilenya patients to TAF’s MS fund for Medicare co-pay assistance. Express Scripts and TAF referred to this effort as their “12/15 Saturday project.” TAF knew that the timing of the opening of the fund, and the readiness of Express Scripts to submit applications on behalf of Gilenya patients at that time, would result in Gilenya patients receiving a disproportionate share of the grants from the fund while it was open. After the fund closed on Saturday, December 15, 2012, TAF confirmed that, during the brief period the fund had been open, TAF used Novartis’s money to provide Medicare co-pay grants to 374 Gilenya patients and 6 non-Gilenya patients for 2013.
TAF’s discrimination against Tysabri patients in 2014. In late December 2012, Biogen provided TAF’s MS fund with funding that TAF understood was to cover grant renewals in 2013 for patients on Biogen’s MS drugs, Tysabri and Avonex. During 2013, TAF applied that Biogen funding to grants for patients on those two Biogen drugs. In late 2013, TAF learned that Biogen did not intend to support TAF’s MS fund for 2014. At the time, TAF also knew that the Medicare co-pay for Tysabri was significantly higher than the Medicare co-pays for the other MS drugs TAF’s MS fund covered. Because Biogen would not support TAF’s MS fund in 2014, and because the co-pays for Tysabri were higher than for other MS drugs, TAF decided not to renew co-pay assistance grants to a number of Tysabri patients in 2014. This thereby increased the available funding for assistance to patients taking drugs made by companies such as Teva that were continuing to finance TAF’s MS fund.
Texas Woman Sentenced to Probation for Possessing Marijuana with Intent to Distribute at Henry E. Rohlsen AirportRead the Press Release
St. Croix, USVI – Kieantia Thomas-Okeke, 39, of Dallas, Texas, was sentenced on November 20, 2019, in District Court on count of Possession of Marijuana with Intent to Distribute, United States Attorney Gretchen C.F. Shappert announced.
Chief Judge Wilma A. Lewis sentenced Thomas-Okeke to a term of 4 years of probation with 100 hours of community service, a $1,000 fine, and a $100 special assessment. Additionally, the $39,980 in cash that was in her possession at the time of her arrest was ordered forfeited to the United States.
According to court documents, on March 5, 2018, a Customs and Border Protection (CBP) canine alerted on Thomas-Okeke after she exited inbound American Airlines flight #2317 from Miami, Florida, at the Henry E. Rohlsen airport in St. Croix. Thomas-Okeke was then handcuffed and escorted to the designated secondary inspection room. There CBP officers searched Thomas-Okeke along with her carry-on suitcase. Inside the carry-on suitcase, a green leafy substance inside plastic wrapped brick shaped packages was discovered along with stacks of cash. The substance field-tested positive for marijuana. The marijuana weighed 9.11 kilograms and the confiscated currency totaled $39,980. Travel records for Thomas-Okeke showed that she was traveling from Dallas, TX, with a layover in Miami and had planned to return to Dallas, TX, the next day. When asked about her compensation for traveling to St. Croix with the drugs and cash, Thomas-Okeke advised that her flight to St. Croix was paid for and she was going to receive $1,500 when she returned to Dallas, TX.
The case was investigated by Customs and Border Protection and Homeland Security Investigations. The DEA Southeast Laboratory in Miami analyzed the marijuana. Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel H. Huston prosecuted the case.
Two Cleveland Men Each Sentenced to More Than 33 Years in Prison for Multiple Armed RobberiesRead the Press Release
Two Cleveland men were each sentenced this week to more than 33 years in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for multiple armed robberies of MetroPCS stores in the Cleveland area.
“When you point guns at the heads of robbery victims and threaten them with imminent violence, not just once, not just twice, but three and four times, then you can expect to go to jail for a long time,” said United States Attorney Justin Herdman. “These two men will each spend more than three decades in federal prison. Let this sentence send the message to those who would seek to prey upon our neighbors – we will find you, we will prosecute you, and you will be in prison for many years.”
“There is no place in our community for those who use firearms for violent, criminal purposes,” said Jonathan McPherson, Special Agent in Charge of ATF’s Columbus Field Division. “ATF will continue to work with our law enforcement partners at the local, state, and federal levels to bring those individuals to justice.”
According to evidence presented during trial and at sentencing, on November 19, 2019, Shawn Ford (20), and Charles Rogers (24), both of Cleveland, Ohio, used firearms to rob the following MetroPCS stores: 10959 Kinsman Road, on March 21, 2018; 11100 Lorain Avenue, on March 25, 2018; and 5853 Broadway Avenue, on March 27, 2018. They also attempted to rob the MetroPCS store at 14701 Kinsman Road, on March 27, 2018.
On March 21, 2018, both defendants entered the MetroPCS store wielding pistols. One pistol had an extended magazine, holding a large amount of ammunition. The defendants threatened and became physically aggressive with a handicapped victim who had difficulty getting down on the ground during the robbery. One defendant also placed his pistol to the back of the store manager’s head when he did not provide money quickly enough and did not have the phones defendants’ demanded.
On March 25, 2018, both defendants entered the MetroPCS store, one armed with a pistol. The store was busy during this time, with at least five customers and two employees present. During this robbery, one defendant pointed his pistol at the head of an employee and threatened to kill him.
On March 27, 2018, the defendants attempted to rob the MetroPCS store at 14701 Kinsman Road. The sole employee present that day struggled to pull the door closed when he saw the defendants approach in all black clothing and hoodies that covered their faces. After this failed attempt, the defendants moved onto the MetroPCS located at 5853 Broadway Ave. During this robbery, one employee was kicked in the stomach when he did not respond to the defendants’ demands quickly enough. Also during this incident, an off-duty Cleveland Police Officer happened to be in the store. Ford fired nine shots at the officer as the officer attempted to apprehend them. The officer was not injured.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods, 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. PSN was reinvigorated 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 investigated by the Cleveland Division of Police and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, with assistance from the Ohio Adult Parole Authority and the Cuyahoga County Prosecutor’s Crime Strategies Unit. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kelly L. Galvin and Margaret Kane and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Eleina Thomas.
T&A Crips gang member sentenced to 20 years in prisonRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – One of 19 defendants charged in a gang-related racketeering conspiracy was sentenced in U.S. District Court today to 240 months in prison.
Steve Henderson, Jr., 25, of Columbus, shot and attempted to murder rival Milo Bloods gang members in June 2014. He also opened fire on an individual after a dispute involving stolen narcotics in April 2015.
Henderson and others were indicted in September 2018 and charged in a racketeering conspiracy that includes five murders, multiple attempted murders and other violent and drug-trafficking crimes.
According to court documents, the defendants are members and associates of the Trevitt and Atcheson Crips gang known as T&A.
The gang derived its name from Trevitt and Atcheson streets in the King-Lincoln District of Columbus, where its members predominantly reside.
Beginning in June 2010, T&A members and associates conspired in a racketeering enterprise and engaged in murders, attempted murders, drug trafficking, firearms trafficking, witness tampering, robbery, assault and other crimes.
The gang controlled the neighborhood through intimidation, fear and violence. Gang members were expected to retaliate with acts of violence when their members and associates were disrespected, threatened, intimidated or subjected to acts of violence.
Specifically, co-conspirators are charged with five murders:
the murder of Franky Tention on July 1, 2012, in the area of 431 Ellison Street;
the murder of William Moore on March 15, 2013;
the murder of Marvin Ector on December 23, 2013, on East 5th Avenue;
the murder of Quincy Story on January 24, 2015; and
the murder of Deaonte Fisher on March 4, 2016.
T&A engaged in a long-term operation of consistent transportation of heroin and crack from Columbus to Portsmouth, Ohio, for sale in various “trap houses.” In the summer of 2015, T&A, under the leadership of Eric Henderson, Sr., began to deliver large amounts of heroin, crack, and oxycodone from Columbus to Portsmouth on a weekly basis. Female associates and drug-addicted “mules” transported the drugs at the direction of T&A members and associates. The drugs were then sold on a daily basis out of a number of “trap houses” controlled by T&A members.
“What made this violent gang particularly dangerous was their effectiveness at illegally acquiring massive amounts of firearms and bringing them to Columbus,” said U.S. Attorney David M. DeVillers. “T&A Crips not only sold narcotics, but also took advantage of the vulnerability of drug addicts, who often had no felony convictions, to both purchase and steal firearms.”
Co-defendant Eric Henderson, Jr. was sentenced last week to 78 months in prison. He sold gram quantities of crack cocaine in Columbus and Chillicothe on behalf of the racketeering conspiracy.
Terrance Pyfrom, 21, was also sentenced last week. Pyfrom was sentenced to 78 months in prison for conspiring to distribute crack cocaine and shooting at members of the Easthaven Bloods gang on Aug. 8, 2014, after a drive-by shooting.
David M. DeVillers, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Jonathan McPherson, Special Agent in Charge, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF); Joseph M. Deters, Acting Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division; Interim Columbus Police Chief Tom Quinlan; United States Marshal Pete Tobin and Franklin County Prosecutor Ron O’Brien announced the sentences imposed by U.S. District Judge Michael H. Watson. Assistant United States Attorneys Kevin W. Kelley and Noah R. Litton are representing the United States in this case.
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Sureno Gang Member Sentenced to More Than Eight Years in Prison for Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
SAN JOSE – Edgar Gaspar was sentenced today to 97 months in prison for possession with the intent to distribute methamphetamine, announced United States Attorney David L. Anderson and Federal Bureau of Investigation Special Agent in Charge John F. Bennett. The sentence was handed down by the Honorable Lucy H. Koh, U.S. District Judge.
Gaspar, 21, of San Jose, Calif., pleaded guilty to the charge on September 18, 2019. In his plea agreement, Gaspar admitted that he is a Sureño gang member who, on July 15, 2018, was the subject of a traffic stop by officers of the San Jose Police Department. Gaspar was arrested after the officers found a handgun in his vehicle.
Further, on November 27, 2018, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at his San Jose residence where agents found and seized four assault rifles with high capacity magazines and ammunition, approximately 500 grams of crystal methamphetamine and drug trafficking materials, as well as additional Sureno gang indicia. Gaspar admitted that all the items belonged to him and that he possessed the firearms in connection with his drug trafficking.
A grand jury indicted Gaspar on February 5, 2019, charging him with possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, in violation of 21 U.S.C. § 841(a)(1). He pleaded guilty to the charge.
In addition to the prison term, Judge Koh also sentenced Gaspar to a five-year period of supervised release and a $100 special assessment. Gaspar currently is in custody and will begin serving his sentence immediately.
Assistant United States Attorneys Stephen James Meyer and Meredith Osborn are prosecuting the case with the assistance of Lance Libatique and Nina Williams. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the FBI and the San Jose Police Department.
State Inmate Sentenced to Nearly 8 Years in Prison for Running Cocaine and Crack Ring While IncarceratedRead the Press Release
John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that WESTLEY NORTHRUP, also known as “Piff,” 31, formerly of Meriden, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Vanessa L. Bryant in Hartford to 94 months of imprisonment, followed by five years of supervised release, for operating a drug trafficking ring while he was incarcerated.
This matter stems from a joint investigation headed by the DEA New Haven Task Force that included the use of court-authorized wiretaps, controlled purchases of crack cocaine, and seizures of cocaine and cash proceeds. The investigation revealed that Northrup operated a cocaine and crack cocaine trafficking ring while he was incarcerated in state custody at the Cheshire Correctional Institution. The investigation, which included consensually-recorded prison calls, revealed that Northrup conspired with others to purchase cocaine from suppliers, convert some of the cocaine to crack cocaine, and then distribute crack and cocaine through a network of dealers in central Connecticut.
On July 20, 2017, a grand jury in New Haven returned a nine-count indictment charging Northrup and 10 other individuals with various offenses. On July 9, 2018, Northrup pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute cocaine and cocaine base (“crack”).
Since September 2016, Northrup has been serving a five-year state prison term for distributing cocaine. He will begin serving his 94-month federal sentence when he completes his state sentence.
This matter was investigated by the DEA New Haven Task Force, U.S. Postal Inspection Service and the Middletown and New Britain Police Departments. The DEA New Haven Task Force includes participants from the U.S. Marshals Service, Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation Division, and the New Haven, Hamden, West Haven, North Haven, Branford, Ansonia, Meriden, Derby, Middletown, Naugatuck and Waterbury Police Departments.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney H. Gordon Hall.
St. Louis County Man Indicted for His Role in a Romance ScamRead the Press Release
St. Louis, MO –Hammed Akande, 39, of St. Louis County, Missouri, was indicted by a federal grand jury on one count of conspiracy to commit mail fraud and wire fraud.
According to the Indictment, Hammed Akande, identified as “L.T.,” targeted a victim identified in court documents as “M.C.” under the guise of a romantic relationship through the online dating website “Our Time.” During the course of the romance scam, L.T requested financial assistance from victim M.C. for the purposes of, among other things, assisting with a business opportunity in Ukraine. In response, victim M.C. sent money pursuant to L.T.’s instructions. Items requested by L.T. were sent to Akande’s residence and eventually received by law enforcement from Akande’s residence.
Victim M.C., who was over 60 years of age, was defrauded of over $20,000 between September and November 2019.
If convicted, Akande faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Restitution is also mandatory.
Charges set forth in the indictment are merely accusations and do not constitute proof of guilt. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty.
The U.S. Postal Inspection Service is investigating this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Tracy Berry is handling the case for the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
The Department of Justice Elder Justice Initiative is dedicated to investigating and prosecuting financial crimes targeting older adults. The Eastern District of Missouri Identity Theft Task Force is a group of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies working together to combat identity theft and its related crimes across the St. Louis Community.
South Charleston Man Sentenced on Federal Drug ChargeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A South Charleston man was sentenced to prison on a federal drug charge, announced United States Attorney Mike Stuart. Willie James Coleman, 55, was sentenced to 37 months in prison for possession with intent to distribute a quantity of cocaine base, which will be followed by 72 months of supervised release.
“We’re not seeing too much crack cocaine in the area, but we occasionally still come across a crack dealer like Coleman,” said United States Attorney Mike Stuart. “We prosecute crack dealers just like we do any other peddler of illegal drugs. This crack dealer will get more than three years inside because of his choice to be a drug dealer.”
Coleman previously admitted that on January 31, 2019, officers executed a search warrant on his home in South Charleston. During the search, officers recovered the following: a pill bottle containing multiple pieces of “crack” cocaine; two clear plastic bags containing “crack” cocaine from two safes; a loaded .25 caliber pistol; digital scales; and a drug ledger.
The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) conducted the investigation. United States District Judge Irene C. Berger presided over the hearing. Former Assistant United States Attorney Drew Inman and Assistant United States Attorney L. Alexander Hamner handled the prosecution.
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South Bend, Indiana Man SentencedRead the Press Release
SOUTH BEND - Eric Logan Jr., age 35, of South Bend, Indiana was sentenced before South Bend District Court Judge Jon E. DeGuilio for felon in possession of one or more firearms, announced United States Attorney Thomas L. Kirsch, II.
Mr. Logan was sentenced to 63 months in prison followed by 1 year of supervised release.
According to documents in this case, in January of 2019, Mr. Logan along with a co-defendant got into a dispute with another person outside of a liquor store in South Bend. During the dispute, Mr. Logan drew a firearm. Mr. Logan was arrested for the incident and found to be in possession of a 9mm handgun. Besides the handgun, Mr. Logan had a bag of twenty pills that tested positive for ecstasy (MDMA). Mr. Logan later admitted to knowing he was a felon and therefore was not legally able to possess or handle firearms. Mr. Logan has fourteen prior convictions, has been terminated from probation unsuccessfully, has had probation revoked, has served time in the Illinois Department of Corrections, and was on probation from LaPorte County when he brandished the firearm during the 2019 liquor store dispute.
This case was investigated by Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives with the assistance of the South Bend Police Department. The case was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kimberly Schultz.
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Somersworth Man Sentenced to 84 Months for Being a Felon in Possession of FirearmsRead the Press Release
CONCORD – Damon Austin, 37, of Somersworth, was sentenced on Tuesday to 84 months in federal prison for being a felon in possession of firearms, United States Attorney Scott W. Murray announced today.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on April 14, 2018, Austin was involved in an altercation with another individual in Somersworth in which Austin threatened the individual with a firearm. Soon after the altercation, Somersworth Police arrested Austin while he was in possession of the firearm. Police subsequently obtained a warrant to search Austin’s residence. A search of Austin’s residence resulted in the seizure of six additional firearms, as well as cocaine, crack cocaine, and marijuana. Austin, as a previously convicted felon, is legally prohibited from possessing firearms.
Austin previously pleaded guilty on January 31, 2019.
“In order to ensure public safety, we must keep guns out of the hands of criminals,” said U.S. Attorney Murray. “We are working closely with our law enforcement partners to identify criminals who pose a threat to the community. Thanks to the excellent work of the Somersworth Police Department, this convicted felon will not be able to use these seven firearms to commit acts of violence or further endanger our citizens.”
This matter was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Somersworth Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Anna Z. Krasinski.
The case is part of ATF’s Project Safe Neighborhoods initiative, which is a federally-funded program intended to reduce gun violence through law enforcement training, public education, and aggressive law enforcement efforts to investigate and prosecute gun-related crimes.
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Sex Offender Admits to Failing to Register in Rhode IslandRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE, R.I. – Milton Ordenana, 49, of Warwick, pleaded guilty in federal court in Providence on Tuesday to violating the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA). Ordenana failed to register as a sex offender in Rhode Island, having moved more than five months ago to Warwick from the City of New York, where he is a convicted and registered sex offender.
SORNA requires that a registered sex offender notify law enforcement of a change of address.
Ordenana’s guilty plea to failure to register as a sex offender is announced by United States Attorney Aaron L. Weisman, United States Marshal Wing Chau, and Warwick Police Chief Colonel Rick Rathbun.
According to information presented to the court, on June 5, 2019, Ordenana was arrested by the Warwick Police Department for reckless driving. During the standard process of conducting a criminal background check, Warwick Police determined that Ordenana was a registered sex offender in New York, having been convicted and sentenced to 42 months in state prison for first degree sexual assault. Warwick Police and the United States Marshals Service determined that Ordenana, who moved with his family to Warwick in or about June 1, 2019, failed to register in Warwick as a sex offender, as required by SORNA.
Ordenana is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge John J. McConnell, Jr., on February 13, 2019.
Failure to register as a sex offender is punishable by statutory penalties of up to 10 years imprisonment, 3 years supervised release, and a fine of $250.000.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Gerard B. Sullivan.
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Schertz Man Admits to Pointing Laser at San Antonio Police Helicopter Flying OverheadRead the Press Release
In San Antonio today, 37-year-old Justin John Shorey of Schertz, TX, admitted to aiming a laser pointer at a San Antonio Police Department helicopter flying overhead, announced U.S. Attorney John F. Bash, San Antonio Police Chief William McManus and FBI Special Agent in Charge Christopher Combs.
Appearing before U.S. Magistrate Judge Richard B. Farrer, Shorey pleaded guilty to the charge. He faces up to five years in federal prison. He remains in custody at this time. No sentencing date has been scheduled.
According to the factual basis filed in this case, to which Shorey admitted in court, on February 17, 2019, Shorey knowingly aimed the beam of a laser pointer at an aircraft and the flight path thereof. The aircraft, a San Antonio Police Department helicopter, was assisting in the search of a shooting suspect while orbiting just north of Highway 90 West. When the laser beam made contact with the helicopter, it hit the pilot in the eyes affecting his ability to see and read his gauges. The pilot and his tactical officer onboard began a search for the laser suspect. Shorey admitted to aiming the laser at the aircraft once as it approached his location in the 2100 block of Hays Street in San Antonio and twice as it circled above him.
The pilot managed to land safely at the San Antonio International Airport. The injury to the pilot’s eyes caused by the defendant’s actions resulted in the pilot being unable to fly for a week.
If you have information about a lasing incident, contact the San Antonio FBI at 210-225-6741. If you see someone pointing a laser at an aircraft, call the nearest local law enforcement agency immediately by dialing 911. Tips can also be submitted online at https://tips.fbi.gov.
The San Antonio Police Department and the FBI conducted this investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Mark Roomberg and William R. Harris are prosecuting this case on behalf of the Government.
Santa Fe man convicted of producing child pornographyRead the Press Release
GALVESTON, Texas –A jury has convicted a 39-year-old Santa Fe resident guilty of production of child pornography, announced U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Patrick. Gace previously pleaded guilty to distribution, receipt and possession of child pornography as well as attempted destruction of evidence.
The trial on the production charge began Monday, Nov. 18 and concluded the following day. The jury deliberated for approximately one hour before returning the guilty verdict for sexual exploitation of a child, otherwise known as production of child pornography.
During trial, the jury heard testimony from multiple law enforcement officers, Gace’s ex-wife and her husband.
In October 2016, law enforcement received information from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) regarding a cyber-tip from a file sharing network regarding images and videos of child pornography. The investigation revealed the email and IP address of the file sharing account posting the images was associated with Gace.
When law enforcement arrived to search his home, Gace attempted to douse his cellular phone under water in an attempt to prevent law enforcement from gaining access to its contents. Law enforcement thwarted the attempt, dried out the phone and were able to conduct a forensic analysis on it.
A forensic analysis of that device revealed hundreds of images and videos of child pornography. It also showed Gace used a messaging site to chat with other like-minded individuals to receive and distribute images and videos of child pornography. He also had another file sharing account previously unknown to law enforcement.
Gace’s second file sharing account revealed hundreds more images and videos of child pornography, including images he produced of a minor girl under the age of 10 which was found in a folder titled “Zzzz never share.” Gace first captured images of the minor girl fully clothed, but progressed to producing photographs of the minor girl sleeping nude on the floor, seated naked on the floor with a vibrator next to her leg and an adult hand on her shoulder and eventually to the minor girl posing while nude in Gace’s bathtub. Within those later series of photographs, there were also images of Gace naked, standing and seated in his bathtub on the same day. The minor appears to have taken the images.
Gace attempted to say the images not lewd and lascivious and should not be construed as child pornography. They were not convinced and convicted him as charged.
U.S. District Judge Jeffrey Brown presided over the trial and will impose sentencing Jan. 29, 2020. At that time, Gace faces a minimum of 15 and up to 30 years in federal prison.
He has been and will remain in custody pending that hearing.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations, Houston Metro Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, police departments in Pearland, Galveston, Santa Fe, Webster and La Marque as well as the Jones Creek Marshals Office conducted the investigation.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Zahra Jivani Fenelon and Stephanie Bauman prosecuted the case, which was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. For more information about internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab “resources.”
Sacramento Men Sentenced to 10 and 15 Years in Prison for Methamphetamine TraffickingRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — On Tuesday, U.S. District Judge John A. Mendez sentenced two Sacramento men for methamphetamine trafficking, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced.
Roland Adrian Jufiar, 44, was sentenced to 10 years in prison for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, and David Garcia Romero, 44, was sentenced to 15 years in prison for possessing methamphetamine for distribution.
Both men pleaded guilty on Aug. 13. According to court records, federal agents began investigating co-defendant Andre Ramon Washington based on reports that Washington was distributing narcotics from his home in Sacramento. In 2017 and 2018, agents with the Drug Enforcement Administration identified Jufiar and Romero as two of Washington’s suppliers. In March 2018, federal agents executed search warrants at Washington’s, Jufiar’s, and Romero’s homes. At Jufiar’s home, agents found approximately 160 grams of cocaine. When the agents searched Romero’s car, they found over 17 kilograms of methamphetamine, 2.7 kilograms of powder cocaine, over one pound of cocaine base (crack cocaine), over $19,000 in cash, and three firearms.
In October 2019, co-defendant Andre Washington was sentenced to 10 years in prison for possessing methamphetamine for distribution.
This case was the product of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration with assistance from the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Department; the Sacramento Police Department; the Citrus Heights Police Department; and the Folsom Police Department.
Project Safe Neighborhoods is Making an Impact in Killeen, Temple and San AntonioRead the Press Release
Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), which plays a major role in the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction strategy, is making a difference in Killeen and San Antonio—two cities in the Western District of Texas where the program is being implemented, announced U.S. Attorney John F. Bash.
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. According to FBI’s 2018 Crime in the United States Report released this week, for the second consecutive year, the estimated number of violent crimes in the nation decreased 3.3 percent from the 2017 number. The violent crime rate fell 3.9 percent when compared with the 2017 rate. The 2018 statistics show the estimated rate of violent crime was 368.9 offenses per 100,000 inhabitants.
“Through DOJ’s Project Safe Neighborhoods program, we have partnered with all levels of law enforcement, local organizations, and members of the community to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone,” stated U.S. Attorney Bash. “Those efforts are now starting to pay off, but we have a lot more work to do. It is gratifying to know that our work is saving lives and that we are taking steps toward ensuring that every kid, regardless of zip code, has the opportunity to grow up in a neighborhood free from violence.”
In Killeen, federal authorities are working with local authorities to get violent criminals off the street. Since October 2017, authorities have filed federal firearms/drug charges against more than 150 convicted felons, drug dealers in possession of firearms and other persons prohibited from possessing firearms in the Temple/Killeen areas. These filings demonstrate an increase of more than 300% in federal charges filed over the previous fiscal year for offenses in the same areas. According to the Killeen Police Department*, cases involving: Unlawful Possession by a Felon are down 25%; Prohibited Weapons are down 142%; Deadly Conduct are down 46%; and, Murder/Capital Murder are down 84% over the past two years. (*KPD 2019 stats through 7.31.19)
In the past year, approximately 70 narcotics traffickers were convicted and sentenced to federal prison. In addition to removing drug traffickers from the area, law enforcement officers have been successful in getting drugs and firearms off the streets.
In San Antonio, statistical data reveals the same downward trend. According to the San Antonio Police Department, from 2017 to 2018, cases involving: Murder are down 14% (124-109); Robbery are down 29% (2087-1612); Deadly Conduct are down 25% (2017-1613); and, Rape are down 7% (366-241).
As part of the San Antonio Texas Anti-Gang Center’s (TAG) intervention and prevention program the TAG has deployed the Stopsanantoniogangs.org website to assist the public with reporting gang related activities in the greater San Antonio/Alamo area.
In early August, TAG received an anonymous tip from the StopSanAntonioGangs.org website which led to the arrest of fugitive Texas Mexican Mafia gang member, Robert Oyervides. Oyervides was a known violent Texas Mexican Mafia member suspected of aggravated assault. TAG law enforcement agencies, specifically the Texas Department of Public Safety investigators and San Antonio Police officers along with analysts, developed and followed up on the tip information to locate and arrest Oyervides with the assistance of U.S. Marshal’s Lone Star Fugitive Taskforce. Oyervides was wanted for Aggravated Assault in July 2019.
The website also provides education to the general public regarding the threat of criminal gangs. It also assists parents in detecting gang related indicators in their children’s behavior and activities to assist them in preventing their children’s continued gang involvement. In addition, they provide the public with an opportunity to submit anonymous gang related tips and wanted gang fugitive tips within the San Antonio/Alamo area. This website signifies a partnership between the public and law enforcement by giving the public an opportunity to team-up with, and contribute with police in deterring criminal gangs’ illegal activities.
Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is 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. Learn more about Project Safe Neighborhoods.
Portland Man Sentenced to 15 Years in Federal Prison for Sexually Exploiting Two ChildrenRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Ore.—Juan Carlos Ramon, 33, of Portland, was sentenced today to 180 months in federal prison followed by a life term of supervised release after sexually exploiting two minor victims, aged six and eight, using musical.ly, a social media mobile application now known as TikTok.
According to court documents, on or about June 28, 2017, Ramon began communicating with two minors using the musical.ly app. He used the screen name “@lexithetiger” and pretended to be a minor female. Ramon encouraged his victims to play a “Simon Says” type game where he would send sexually explicit photos of a minor female and ask his victims to take and send him photos imitating the positions and acts depicted. The minor victims agreed and sent Ramon a series of progressively more explicit self-produced images. A relative of the two victims later discovered the communications and reported it to law enforcement.
Ramon was arrested on November 16, 2017. He admitted that for several years he had knowingly chatted with and requested pornographic images from minor females ranging in age from 10-13 years old. Ramon had spent much of his adult life working in education, non-profit programming and family services.
On May 22, 2019, Ramon pleaded guilty to two counts of production of child pornography.
This case was investigated by FBI Portland’s Child Exploitation Task Force (CETF) and prosecuted by Natalie Wight, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
The FBI’s Child Exploitation Task Force (CETF) conducts sexual exploitation investigations – many of them undercover – in coordination with other federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies. The Portland FBI’s CETF consists of agents and task force officers from the Beaverton Police Department, Portland Police Bureau, Tigard Police Department, Hillsboro Police Department, and the Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office. The FBI’s CETF is committed to locating and arresting those who prey on children as well as recovering underage victims of sex trafficking and child exploitation.
Anyone who has information about the physical or online exploitation of children are encouraged to call the FBI at (503) 224-4181 or submit a tip online at www.fbi.gov/tips.
Philadelphia Man Convicted at Trial for Possession of a Firearm as a FelonRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney William M. McSwain announced that Anthony Robinson, a/k/a, Anthony Harrison, 32, of Philadelphia, PA was convicted today at trial for being a felon in possession of a firearm.
The evidence at trial showed that in April 2019, Philadelphia Police Officers responded to a report of a fight involving a man with a gun. The man was described as wearing a gray sweat suit with yellow lettering. When the officers arrived, defendant Robinson was dressed in the outfit described in the report, and he fled the scene. While attempting to run, the defendant discarded the weapon in his hand. After a brief struggle, officers apprehended the defendant and recovered the gun. As a previously convicted felon, Robinson was prohibited from possessing a firearm. Among the evidence presented were two surveillance videos that captured the defendant fleeing the scene and discarding the weapon.
“Reducing violent crime is a top priority of my Office and of the Department of Justice, and successful prosecutions of cases like this remain a key part of our deterrence strategy,” said U.S. Attorney McSwain. “We are committed to working with the Philadelphia Police Department and our federal partners to clear the streets of illegal firearms in the hands of convicted felons, which undeniably pose a serious threat to public safety in our City.”
“ATF’s top priority is combating violent crime; one of the ways we accomplish that mission is by keeping firearms out of the hands of violent offenders,” said Donald Robinson, Special Agent in Charge, ATF Philadelphia Field Division. “This conviction is a perfect example of the collaborative effort between ATF and our partners at the Philadelphia Police Department and the United States Attorney’s Office in targeting violent offenders and protecting our communities.”
“The arrest and successful prosecution of Anthony Robinson, a recidivist offender, evidences the value of sustained collaboration between law enforcement partner agencies,” said Acting Philadelphia Police Commissioner Christine Coulter. “We anticipate that his conviction and attendant sentence will have an appreciable impact on the safety of the community we serve.”
The defendant faces a maximum possible sentence of ten years’ incarceration.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Philadelphia Police Department, and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Eric L. Gibson.
Phenix City Man Sentenced to 70 Months in Prison for Being a Felon in Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
Montgomery, Alabama – On November 19, 2019, Charles Nicholas Pybus, 36, of Phenix City, Alabama, was sentenced to 70 months in prison for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, announced United States Attorney Louis V. Franklin, Sr. Following his prison sentence of nearly six years, he will be subject to three years of supervised release.
According to court records, on January 7, 2018, Pybus followed a woman through the parking lot of a home improvement store in Montgomery. After she finished loading her purchases, she got into her car to leave. Pybus then entered through the front passenger door and told her to “drive.” Although he did not brandish a weapon, she feared for her safety and ran from the vehicle. At this point, Pybus drove away in her car and was later spotted by officers from the Montgomery Police Department. Pybus initially fled from police, but was soon apprehended at a residence and found to be in possession of a handgun. Having a previous felony conviction, Pybus is prohibited by federal law from possessing a firearm.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), the Montgomery Police Department, and the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency (ALEA) investigated the case. Assistant United States Attorney Joshua J. Wendell prosecuted the case.
Perrine Resident Sentenced to Twenty Years in Prison for Being a Felon in Possession of a Firearm and AmmunitionRead the Press Release
Ariana Fajardo Orshan, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, George L. Piro, Special Agent in Charge, FBI’s Miami Field Office, and Juan J. Perez, Director, Miami-Dade Police Department (MDPD) announced that on November 12, 2019, Fabian Perpall, 28, of Perrine, Florida was sentenced to twenty years in prison after having been convicted at trial of being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition.
Perpall was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Rodolfo A. Ruiz II to 240 months in prison, to be followed by 3 years supervised release following his trial conviction on two counts of Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition by a Convicted Felon (Case No. 18cr20664).
According to evidence presented at trial, on July 11, 2018, Perpall encountered a victim, threatened him with a black handgun, and demanded all he had. The victim reported the incident to the police. Two days later, Perpall again approached the victim in his car and fired nine shots at the victim, inflicting multiple gunshots and striking the victim with the vehicle. The victim required emergency medical attention and was placed in a medically-induced coma, as a result of his injuries.
Four days after the shooting, as the police attempted to arrest Perpall for the attempted murder, he led the police on a high-speed chase through a residential neighborhood. The pursuit ended when Perpall’s car caught fire and crashed into a fence. Found inside Perpall’s car, on the center console, was a loaded black handgun. The shell casings found at the July 13th shooting scene were fired from the gun that was later recovered from Perpall’s car.
This case stems from Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program that brings together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. PSN was reinvigorated 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.
U.S. Attorney Fajardo Orshan commended the investigative efforts of the FBI and the MDPD. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Shannon Shaw and Michael Homer.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov.
Patuxent River Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Charges for Abusive Sexual Contact with Two ChildrenRead the Press Release
Greenbelt, Maryland - Justin Paul Keener, age 31, of Patuxent River, Maryland, has pleaded guilty to a superseding information charging him with two counts of abusive sexual contact with a child. The guilty plea was entered on November 19, 2019.
The guilty plea was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Robert K. Hur; Special Agent in Charge John Salazar of the Naval Criminal Investigative Service, Washington Field Office; and Special Agent in Charge Jennifer C. Boone of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office.
According to his guilty plea, in November 2017, while residing at Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Keener sexually abused a victim who was under the age of 12. In and before November 2017, Keener sexually abused another victim, also under the age of 12, on multiple occasions.
As a result of his conviction, Keener will be required to register as a sex offender in the places where he resides, where he is an employee, and where he is a student, under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA).
Keener and the government have agreed that, if the Court accepts the plea agreement, Keener will be sentenced to between 19 and 25 years in federal prison. U.S. District Judge George J. Hazel has scheduled sentencing for January 17, 2020 at 2:00 p.m.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc. For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.justice.gov/psc and click on the "Resources" tab on the left of the page.
United States Attorney Robert K. Hur commended the NCIS and the FBI for their work in the investigation. Mr. Hur thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph R. Baldwin, who is prosecuting the federal case.
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Owner and Supervisors of Idaho Company Sentenced in Federal Court for Fraud ConvictionsRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced that an Idaho business owner, two of his supervisors, and the company, convicted of Wire Fraud and Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud, were sentenced on November 18, 2019, by U.S. District Judge Lawrence L. Piersol.
Christopher A. Hoshaw, age 45, of Meridian, Idaho; Calvin Pelichet, age 45, of Boise, Idaho; Kristin DeBoer, age 51, of Caldwell, Idaho; and the company, All Around Sports, LLC, all appeared before Judge Lawrence L. Piersol on November 18, 2019, for sentencing on each of their respective convictions for wire fraud and conspiracy to commit wire fraud. Hoshaw appeared on behalf of All Around Sports, LLC, a Boise-based company.
Pelichet, the sales manager at AAS, received the most significant sentence of 24 months in federal prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release following his incarceration. Hoshaw was sentenced to 12 months of home detention and 5 years of probation. DeBoer was sentenced to 4 months of home detention and 2 years of probation. All Around Sports, LLC, was sentenced to 3 years of probation. Hoshaw, Pelichet, and All Around Sports, LLC, were also ordered to jointly and severally pay restitution of $157,450 to two Alaskan Native entities. While the individual defendants were not fined, All Around Sports, LLC, was fined $42,000.
“These defendants devised a complicated criminal scheme to steal from the Oglala Sioux Tribe,” said U.S. Attorney Parsons. “The Guardians Project was implemented to detect this type of fraud and punish those who seek to commit it. We couldn’t be more pleased with the results.”
“All Around Sports and its executives expected to fatten their bottom lines by defrauding the Oglala Sioux Tribe. Instead they received richly deserved sentences,” said Curt L. Muller, Special Agent in Charge for the Office of Inspector General of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. “We look forward to working with all our law enforcement partners – including on the U.S. Attorney’s Guardian Project to fight fraud and prevent criminals from victimizing Indian Country communities.”
According to documents filed with the Court, Christopher A. Hoshaw, Calvin Pelichet, and Kristin DeBoer devised and intended to devise a scheme and artifice to defraud the Oglala Sioux Tribe, and to obtain money and property by means of materially false and fraudulent pretenses, representations, and promises. For the purpose of executing the scheme and artifice, Hoshaw, Pelichet, and DeBoer knowingly caused to be transmitted by means of wire communication in interstate commerce the signals and sounds to effectuate the withdrawal of funds from a banking account belonging to the Oglala Sioux Tribe, at The First National Bank of Gordon in Gordon, Nebraska, to an account belonging to All Around Sports, L.L.C., at Idaho Central Credit Union in the State and District of Idaho.
As for All Around Sports, LLC, beginning at a time unknown but no later than on or about December 2015, and continuing through December 2016, All Around Sports, LLC, along with others, conspired to commit the offense of wire fraud in South Dakota and elsewhere. By and through company representatives, All Around Sports, LLC, willfully and unlawfully devised and intended to devise a scheme and artifice to defraud and to obtain money and property from others by means of false and fraudulent pretenses, representations, and promises. Those representatives knowingly participated, using the company as a conduit, by receiving money transfers from sources they knew were the victims of the fraudulent scheme. Those representatives also acted willfully for the purpose of enriching the company and themselves, knowing of the unlawful purpose of the scheme when they participated in it. The object of the conspiracy was to enrich AAS’ owner, managers, and employees by obtaining fraudulent funds.
These investigations were conducted by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the Inspector General. The cases were prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeremy Jehangiri.
These cases were brought pursuant to the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Guardians Project, a federal law enforcement initiative to coordinate efforts between participating agencies, to promote citizen disclosure of public corruption, fraud, and embezzlement involving federal program funds, contracts, and grants, and to hold accountable those who are responsible for adversely affecting those living in South Dakota’s Indian country communities. The Guardians Project is another step of federal law enforcement’s on-going efforts to increase engagement, coordination, and positive action on behalf of tribal communities.
Led by the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the participating agencies include: Federal Bureau of Investigation; the Offices of Inspector General for the Departments of Interior, Health and Human Services, Social Security Administration, Agriculture, Transportation, Education, Justice, and Housing and Urban Development; Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation Division; U.S. Postal Inspector Service; U.S. Postal Service, Office of Inspector General.
For additional information about The Guardians Project, please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Office at (605) 330-4400. To report a suspected crime, please contact law enforcement at the federal agency’s locally listed telephone number.
Orlando Man Found Guilty of Possessing A Firearm After Having Been Convicted of A FelonyRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – A federal jury has found Rondre Antwan Powell (32, Orlando) guilty of possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. He faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison. His sentencing hearing is scheduled for February 19, 2020.
A grand jury had returned a superseding indictment on July 17, 2019.
According to testimony and evidence presented at trial, on November 28, 2018, a deputy from the Orange County Sheriff’s Office conducted a stop of an SUV for traffic violations, and because the vehicle was suspected of being stolen. The driver and a passenger of the SUV fled on foot. A 9mm firearm, with an extended magazine holding over 20 rounds of ammunition, was left behind in the passenger compartment of the vehicle. Law enforcement identified Powell as the passenger and arrested him six days later in Pasco County. When Powell was arrested, officers executed search warrants on a hotel room and on Powell’s cellphone that yielded additional evidence that it was Powell who had fled from the SUV, leaving behind the 9mm pistol and extended magazine.
Powell has been convicted of numerous felonies and admitted during the trial that he was a felon. As a previously convicted felon, he is prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition under federal law.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Orange County Sheriff’s Office, and the Pasco Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney E. Jackson Boggs Jr.
This is another case prosecuted as part of the Department of Justice’s “Project Safe Neighborhoods” Program (PSN), which is a nationwide, crime reduction strategy aimed at decreasing violent crime in communities. It involves a comprehensive approach to public safety — one that includes investigating and prosecuting crimes, along with prevention and reentry efforts. In the Middle District of Florida, U.S. Attorney Maria Chapa Lopez coordinates PSN efforts in cooperation with various federal, state, and local law enforcement officials.
Ocean County Man Charged with Sexual Exploitation of Minor, Online Enticement of Minor, and Receipt of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
TRENTON, N.J. – An Ocean County, New Jersey, man was arrested this morning on charges that he induced a minor to send him sexually explicit pictures and to engage in sexually explicit conduct over an online messaging service, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito announced.
David Frew, 41, of Little Egg Harbor, New Jersey, is charged by complaint with one count of sexual exploitation of a child, one count of online enticement of a minor to engage in criminal sexual conduct, and one count of receipt of child pornography. Frew appeared this afternoon before U.S. Magistrate Judge Lois H. Goodman in Trenton federal court.
According to documents filed in this case and prior state court records:
In June 2017 Frew used an online messaging service to communicate with a minor victim. At Frew’s request, the minor victim sent Frew sexually explicit images, including images of the victim’s genitalia.
In 2008, Frew was convicted of three counts of unlawful contact with a minor and one count of criminal use of a computer in Pennsylvania after sending sexually explicit photos or videos to investigators in the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Child Predator Unit, who were posing online as underage girls. Also in 2008, Frew was convicted in New Jersey of endangering the welfare of children. As a result of his prior convictions in Pennsylvania and New Jersey, Frew was a registered sex offender at the time of his conduct charged in the complaint.
Because Frew is a previously convicted sex offender, the sexual exploitation charge is punishable by a mandatory minimum penalty of 25 years in prison and a statutory maximum potential penalty of 50 years in prison, along with a $250,000 fine, counting one of Frew’s prior convictions; or a mandatory minimum penalty of 35 years in prison and a statutory maximum potential penalty of life in prison, along with a $250,000 fine, counting two or more of Frew’s prior convictions. The charge of online enticement carries a maximum statutory penalty of life in prison and a maximum fine of $250,000. Because Frew is a previously convicted sex offender, the charge of receipt of child pornography carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in prison, a statutory maximum potential penalty of 40 years in prison, and a $250,000 fine.
U.S. Attorney Carpenito credited special agents of the Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Atlantic City, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Brian Michael; the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) Technical Crime Unit; the RCMP National Child Exploitation Coordination Centre; the Ocean County Prosecutors Office, under the direction of Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer, and the Little Egg Harbor Police Department, under the direction of Chief Richard Buzby Jr., with the investigation leading to today’s arrest.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander E. Ramey of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Criminal Division in Trenton.
The charges and allegations contained in the complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Defense counsel: Benjamin West Esq., Trenton, New Jersey
Newark Parking Authority Employee Charged with Narcotics Offenses and Being a Felon in Possession of FirearmsRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. - A Newark Parking Authority employee was charged today with selling heroin and crack cocaine and with possessing a weapon as a convicted felon, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito announced.
Aughkay L. Green, a/k/a “K-Boogie,” 48, of Newark, was charged by indictment with one count each of possession with intent to distribute heroin, possession with intent to distribute cocaine base, and being a felon in possession of a firearm.
According to the indictment:
On Jan. 12, 2017, Green sold 25 bricks of heroin, with a net weight of 38 grams, to Individual 1 for $1,200. On March 22, 2017, he sold the same person 48.9 grams of crack cocaine for $2,250. Green was under law enforcement surveillance and observed to be dressed in his Newark Parking Authority uniform at the time of that sale.
On April 1, 2017, Green, accompanied by an unidentified male, met Individual 1 in Irvington, New Jersey, where Green’s associate provided Individual 1 with: a Smith and Wesson Model 21 .44 caliber handgun; a Smith and Wesson Model 15 .38 handgun, and 50 rounds of hollow-point .44 caliber ammunition marked “44 REM MAG FC.” Green’s associate received $1,360 from Individual 1, and subsequently provided Green with proceeds from the sale and discussed using these proceeds for the purchase of narcotics.
The count of possession of cocaine base with intent to distribute is punishable by a statutory minimum penalty of five years in prison and a maximum of 40 years in prison. The count of heroin with intent to distribute count carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. The count of possession of firearms by a previously convicted felon count carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
U.S. Attorney Carpenito credited special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Gregory W. Ehrie in Newark, with the investigation leading to today’s indictment. He also thanked the New Jersey State Police, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Department of Homeland Security and the New Jersey Office of Homeland Security and Preparedness for their work on the investigation.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Dean C. Sovolos of the U.S. Attorney’s Office National Security Unit.
The charges and allegations in the indictment are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
New Port Richey Man Convicted of Bank RobberyRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – A federal jury has found Derrick Coleman (41, New Port Richey) guilty of bank robbery. He faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set.
Coleman was indicted on August 28, 2019.
According to testimony presented at trial, on June 30, 2018, Coleman visited a Chase Bank in Tarpon Springs and spoke to a teller about opening a new account. As the teller explained the process, Coleman placed a bag on the counter, told the teller that he had a gun, and demanded money from the teller. The teller complied and Coleman fled the bank with $5,000. The teller later identified Coleman in a photo lineup.
On that same day, Coleman told his then-girlfriend, who later testified during the trial, about the robbery. He told her that he had gotten $5,000 from the robbery. That detail of the robbery was never released to the public.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Tarpon Springs Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Charlie D. Connally.
This is another case prosecuted as part of the Department of Justice’s “Project Safe Neighborhoods” Program (PSN) — a nationwide, crime reduction strategy aimed at decreasing violent crime in communities. It involves a comprehensive approach to public safety-one that includes investigating and prosecuting crimes, along with prevention and reentry efforts. In the Middle District of Florida, U.S. Attorney Maria Chapa Lopez coordinates PSN efforts in cooperation with various federal, state, and local law enforcement officials.
New Orleans Man Pleads Guilty to Violations of Conspiracy to Commit Bank Fraud and the Federal Gun Control ActRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS – U.S. Attorney Peter G. Strasser announced that JUAN ARMSTEAD (“ARMSTEAD”), age 32, a resident of New Orleans, Louisiana, pled guilty on November 19, 2019 to a two-count Superseding Bill of Information for conspiracy to commit bank fraud and violation of the federal gun control act, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 1344, 1349, and 922(g)(1).
The Court set sentencing in this matter for March 10, 2020. For Count 1, ARMSTEAD faces a maximum term of imprisonment of thirty (30) years, a maximum $1,000,000 fine, up to five (5) years supervised release following any term of imprisonment, and a $100 special assessment fee. For Count 2, ARMSTEAD faces a maximum term of imprisonment of ten (10) years, a maximum $250,000 fine, up to three (3) years supervised release following any term of imprisonment, and a $100 special assessment fee.
U.S. Attorney Peter G. Strasser praised the work of the United States Secret Service, the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office, and the Saint Tammany Parish Sheriff’s Office for their work in investigating this case. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Duane A. Evans.
Nashua Man Sentenced to Prison for Possession of a Stolen FirearmRead the Press Release
CONCORD, - Illya Scott, 30, of Nashua, was sentenced on Tuesday to 12 months and a day in federal prison for possession of a stolen firearm, United States Attorney Scott W. Murray announced today.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on November 6, 2018, Scott was arrested in Nashua, New Hampshire. During a search incident to arrest, Nashua police officers found a Berretta, BU PICO, .380 handgun tucked into the defendant's waistband. Scott admitted to stealing the firearm.
Scott previously pleaded guilty on July 22, 2019.
“Thefts of firearms and trading in stolen firearms undermine public safety by providing criminals with a means by which violent crimes can be committed,” said U.S. Attorney Murray. “In order to protect the Granite State from violent crime, we will continue to be aggressive in our efforts to prosecute those who possess stolen firearms.”
This matter was investigated by the Nashua Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Anna Z. Krasinski.
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N.Y. Man Sentenced in Rhode Island Based Bank Fraud ConspiracyRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE – A New York man who admitted to participating in a conspiracy to defraud banks while working at the direction of the ring-leader of a multi-state fraud ring based in Rhode Island was sentenced on Tuesday to 36 months in federal prison.
Angel L. Morales, 52, of New York, N.Y, previously admitted to the Court that he and others used stolen personal identifying information to open bank accounts as part of a scheme to obtain fraudulent car loans. Once funds from the loans were obtained, Morales deposited the funds into bank accounts he and others opened, quickly withdrawing the money before the bank issuing the loans discovered the fraudulent nature of the transactions.
Morales pleaded guilty on September 3, 2019, to conspiracy to commit bank fraud, aggravated identity theft, and three counts of bank fraud. He was sentenced on Tuesday to 36 months in federal prison to be followed by 3 years supervised release. Morales was also ordered to pay $116,000 restitution to the banks he defrauded.
Morales’ sentence, imposed by U.S. District Court Judge John J. McConnell, Jr., is announced by United States Attorney Aaron L. Weisman; Stephen Marks, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Secret Service; and Scott E. Antolik, Special Agent in Charge of the Boston Field Office of the Social Security Administration, Office of the Inspector General/Office of Investigations.
Octavio Andres Difo-Castro, 28, of Brooklyn, New York, who previously admitted to the Court that he employed and directed several individuals, including Morales, and provided them with the stolen personal identifying information used in the fraud scheme, pleaded guilty on September 19, 2019, to one count each of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and one count of conspiracy to access device fraud, two counts of aggravated identity theft, and nineteen counts of wire fraud. He is scheduled to be sentenced on January 13, 2020.
The cases are being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney William J. Ferland, with the assistance of Assistant U.S. Attorney Zachary Cunha.
The investigations were led by the U.S. Secret Service, with the assistance of the Social Security Administration, Office of the Inspector General/Office of Investigations.
United States Attorney Aaron L. Weisman acknowledges and thanks the United States Postal Inspection Service and the East Providence, Seekonk and Mansfield Police Departments for their assistance in the investigation.
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Muscatine Man Sentenced to 132 Months in Prison for Receiving Child PornographyRead the Press Release
DAVENPORT, Iowa – On November 19, 2019, United States District Judge Stephanie M. Rose, sentenced Charles Steven Dickenson, 67, of Muscatine, Iowa, to 132 months in prison for receiving child pornography, announced United States Attorney Marc Krickbaum. Dickenson was also ordered to serve five years of supervised release following his imprisonment, pay $100 to the Crime Victims’ Fund, pay $36,000 in restitution, and comply with the sex offender registry requirements upon release.
On January 11, 2019, Dickenson pled guilty to one count of receiving child pornography. The investigation began in 2016 when an FBI agents identified a computer on the BitTorrent network that appeared to be related to the distribution of child pornography. The agent downloaded over 1,100 files from Dickenson’s shared files. The majority of the files depicted prepubescent children, including infants and toddlers, engaged in sexually explicit conduct. Dickenson admitted to downloading thousands of child pornography files over the course of five and one-half years.
This matter was investigated by Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC), and the case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa.
Murfreesboro, Tennessee Woman Pleads Guilty to Methamphetamine DistributionRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Takila Shauntel Carpenter, age 34, of Murfreesboro, Tennessee, entered a guilty plea to Possession With Intent To Distribute Methamphetamine, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1) and 841(b)(1)(A), punishable by not less than 10 years and not more than life imprisonment, a fine up to $10,000,000.00, or both.
The Indictment alleged that on or about September 19, 2019, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma, the defendant, did knowingly and intentionally possess with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of a mixture or substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine, a Schedule II controlled substance.
The charges arose from an investigation by the Sequoyah County Sheriff’s Office and Homeland Security Investigations.
The Honorable Steven P. Shreder, U.S. Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, in Muskogee, accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report.
Assistant United States Attorney Ryan Conway represented the United States.
Mother, Son, Daughter Plead Guilty to $5.4 Million Meth ConspiracyRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A mother, her son, and her daughter are among four defendants who pleaded guilty in federal court today to their roles in a $5.4 million conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine.
Linda Kay Ballard, 67, her son, Eric Edward Ballard, 27, both of Atchison, Kansas; her daughter, Charlsie Kim Harris, 35, of Garden City, Missouri, and Anthony Dewayne Fifer, 48, of Mexico, Missouri, pleaded guilty in separate appearances before U.S. District Judge Brian C. Wimes to their roles in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine from Jan. 1, 2015, to Nov. 16, 2017. Each of the defendants also pleaded guilty to participating in a money-laundering conspiracy. Linda Ballard and Harris were taken into custody immediately after today’s hearing; Eric Ballard and Fifer have been in federal custody since their arrests.
They are among nine defendants who have pleaded guilty in this case. Michaela Joeanne Hernandez, 38, of Raymore, Missouri; Brandy Michael Morgan, 45, of Kansas City, Missouri; Brian Joe Russell, 38, of Amazonia, Missouri; Sharmyn Leanne Shryock, 29, and Jeffery Allen Jennings, 33, both of St. Joseph, Missouri; have also pleaded guilty.
According to today’s plea agreements, Linda and Eric Ballard and Harris received methamphetamine from Hernandez to distribute. They received ounce quantities of methamphetamine multiple times a week. Linda Ballard also admitted she received methamphetamine from Fifer to distribute.
Fifer, who also received methamphetamine from Hernandez, admitted that he normally received ounces but on a couple of occasions, he took quarter-pound quantities of methamphetamine to St. Joseph and delivered it to Jennings.
Investigators identified Hernandez as the main distributor in the organization, coordinating large distributions of methamphetamine from the Kansas City area to the St. Joseph and Atchison areas, where it was divided and distributed by the remaining defendants. Law enforcement officers seized approximately three pounds of methamphetamine and two handguns when they executed a search warrant at her residence. Hernandez admitted that she was typically in possession of at least pound quantities of methamphetamine, and that she had been involved in selling over 50 kilograms of methamphetamine per month in the past year.
Linda Ballard agreed the government’s evidence of her total drug responsibility is more than five kilograms of methamphetamine, which she is responsible for distributing or possessing with the intent to distribute.
Eric Ballard, Harris, and Fifer each agreed the government’s evidence of their total drug responsibility is more than 1.5 kilograms of methamphetamine apiece, which they are each responsible for distributing or possessing with the intent to distribute.
Under the terms of today’s plea agreement, the four co-defendants must pay a money judgment in an amount based upon their drug responsibility (as determined by the court) and the drug value calculations contained within the indictment, not to exceed $5.4 million.
Under federal statutes, Linda and Eric Ballard, Harris, and Fifer are each subject to a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in federal prison without parole, up to a sentence of 60 years in federal prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendants will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. Sentencing hearings will be scheduled after the completion of presentence investigations by the United States Probation Office.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Bruce Rhoades. It was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Plattsburg, Mo., Police Department; the Atchison County, Kan., Sheriff’s Department; the Buchanan County Drug Strike Force and Sheriff’s Department; the Jackson County Drug Task Force; the Clinton County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department; the Missouri State Highway Patrol; the Cass County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department; and the Clay County Drug Task Force.
Mortgage Short Sale Negotiator Pleads Guilty to Defrauding Mortgage LendersRead the Press Release
BOSTON – The principal and co-founder of a North Andover mortgage short sale assistance company pleaded guilty today in connection with defrauding mortgage lenders and investors out of nearly $500,000 in proceeds from about 90 short sale transactions.
Jaime L. Mulvihill, 40, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud before U.S. Senior District Court Judge Rya W. Zobel who scheduled sentencing for Feb.25, 2020. Mulvihill was charged on Nov. 8, 2019, with co-conspirator Gabriel T. Tavarez.
Together the defendants founded and operated Loss Mitigation Services, LLC. The charges arise out of the defendants’ scheme to steal undisclosed and improper fees from mortgage lenders in connection with short sales of homes. A short sale occurs where the mortgage debt on the home is greater than the sale price, and the mortgage lender agrees to take a loss on the transaction.
Loss Mitigation Services, purportedly acting on behalf of underwater homeowners, negotiated with mortgage lenders for approval of short sales in lieu of foreclosure. Mortgage lenders typically forbid short sale negotiators, such as Loss Mitigation Services, from receiving any proceeds of a short sale.
According to the court documents, from 2014 to 2017, Mulvihill and, allegedly, Tavarez, directly or through their employees, falsely claimed to homeowners, real estate agents and closing attorneys that mortgage lenders had agreed to pay Loss Mitigation Services fees known as “seller paid closing costs” or “seller concessions” from the proceeds of the short sales. In reality, the mortgage lenders had never approved Loss Mitigation Services to receive those fees. When the short sales closed, at the instruction of Mulvihill, or others working with him and Tavarez, settlement agents paid Loss Mitigation Services the fees, which typically were 3% of the short sale price above and beyond any fees to real estate agents, closing attorneys and others involved in the transaction. To deceive mortgage lenders about the true nature of the fees, Mulvihill or Tavarez filed, or caused others to file, false short sale transaction documents with mortgage lenders, including altered settlement statements and fabricated contracts and mortgage loan preapproval letters. Mulvihill and, allegedly, Tavarez, fabricated the transaction documents, or caused them to be fabricated, in order to justify the additional fees and conceal that they were being paid to Loss Mitigation Services.
The defendants defrauded the Federal National Mortgage Association, the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.
The charge of conspiracy to commit 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 gain or loss. 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; Robert Manchak, Inspector General of the Federal Housing Finance Agency; Christina Scaringi, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Office of Inspector General, Northeast Regional Office; 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 Brian M. LaMacchia of Lelling’s Office are prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The remaining defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
McKeesport Woman Indicted for Possessing a Kilo or More of HeroinRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, PA - A resident of McKeesport, Pennsylvania, has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh for violating federal narcotics laws, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced today.
The one-count Indictment named Shaila Ronelle Ashby, 26, as the defendant. According to the Indictment, Ashby possessed with the intent to distribute one kilogram or more of heroin, a Schedule I controlled substance.
The law provides for a maximum total sentence of not less than ten (10) years to a maximum of life in prison, a fine not to exceed $10,000,000 or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney Mark V. Gurzo is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Drug Enforcement Administration and Pennsylvania State Police conducted the investigation leading to the Indictment in this case.
An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
McKeesport Felon Sentenced to 3 Years in Prison for Distributing Drugs, Firearms OffensesRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, Pa. - A former resident of McKeesport, Pennsylvania, has been sentenced in federal court to a term of imprisonment of 37 months to be followed by five years of supervised release on his conviction of conspiracy to distribute and possession with intent to distribute heroin and cocaine, being a convicted felon in possession of firearms and ammunition, and possession of firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced today.
Senior United States District Court Judge Donetta W. Ambrose imposed the sentence on Thomas Thornton, age 43.
According to information presented to the court, the FBI received information that Thomas Thornton conspired to distribute drugs with another individual, and that he was also purchasing fentanyl and had several guns. Agents executed a search warrant at Thornton’s McKeesport residence on May 22, 2018. Agents recovered: a 9mm semi-automatic handgun, with a loaded magazine; a .45 caliber handgun, with a loaded magazine; additional ammunition; 2 Airsoft vests; heroin; cocaine; scales and other materials indicative of drug sales; and a case of cough syrup.
Thornton admitted to selling drugs. He admitted that he initially purchased marijuana from a source in California. He later started purchasing cough syrup from Texas after realizing it would be easier for him to sell bottles of cough syrup for a profit. Thornton also admitted that he has purchased heroin, cocaine and ecstasy pills from Texas. Thornton admitted to receiving the 9mm firearm in exchange for 50 stamp bags of heroin. As a result of a prior felony conviction, the defendant is prohibited from possessing firearms and/or ammunition.
Assistant United States Attorney Shanicka L. Kennedy prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Western Pennsylvania Opioid Task Force conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Thornton.
Maryland man admits to bank robberyRead the Press Release
MARTINSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Steven L. Silverman, of Thurmont, Maryland, has admitted to bank robbery, U.S. Attorney Bill Powell announced.
Silverman, age 50, pled guilty to one count of “Bank Robbery.” Silverman admitted to robbing the City National Bank of Berkeley Springs of $1,730 on June 4, 2019.
Silverman faces up to 20 years incarceration and a fine of up to $250,000. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kimberley D. Crockett is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The Morgan County Sheriff’s Office and the Berkeley Springs Police Department investigated.
U.S Magistrate Judge Robert W. Trumble presided.
Manchester Man Pleads Guilty to Six Armed RobberiesRead the Press Release
CONCORD - Guillermo Garcia Esquivel, 36, of Manchester, pleaded guilty in federal court on Tuesday to armed robbery, United States Attorney Scott W. Murray announced today.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Esquivel committed six armed robberies of convenience stores in Manchester between January 5, 2019 and February 24, 2019. During each of the robberies, Esquivel pointed what appeared to be a black handgun at the victim cashier and demanded money. Esquivel stole in excess of $5,000.
Esquivel is scheduled to be sentenced on March 12, 2019.
“Violent crimes jeopardize the safety of victims, the public, and the entire community,” said U.S. Attorney Murray. “This defendant’s crime spree involved pointing a weapon at cashiers at several different convenience stores in Manchester. This type of conduct cannot be tolerated. We will work closely with our law enforcement partners to identify and prosecute those who use or threaten to use a gun to commit a violent crime.”
This matter was investigated by the Manchester Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Anna Krasinski.
The case is part of ATF’s Project Safe Neighborhoods initiative, which is a federally-funded program intended to reduce gun violence through law enforcement training, public education, and aggressive law enforcement efforts to investigate and prosecute gun-related crimes.
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